Buyer behavior is usually influenced by various factors

Buyer behavior is usually influenced by various factors in the market. These factors include social factors, cultural factors, personal characteristics and the motivational factors among others. The motivational factor describes the urge and drive that follows the buyers to move and satisfy their needs. Various theories and models have been used to define and explain how motivation influences the buyers’ behaviors. One of the theories is the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory which classifies the needs of people in different levels.The different needs influence the buying behavior of buyers depending on the level of the buyer’s needs. The theory according to many authors is a simplified way of explaining the needs of buyers and how they influence the buying behavior. Other complex models exist that seek to explain how motivation influences the buyer’s behaviors. The model by Segmund Freud is one of the complex models that are used. The Coca Cola among othe r companies have used the motivational factor to influence the market to purchase its drinks.The company has been developing drinks and marketing strategies that target particular consumers in the market to purchase it products. The company has over the years succeeded in becoming the market leader in the soft drinks industry. Other companies and organizations have adopted the theory to market their products and boost their sales. 1. 0 Introduction Buyer behavior is a process that involves both simple and complex mental processes and is defined by Krishna Naik and Reddy (1999) as the observable actions that are directly involved in the purchasing actions or lack thereof by the consumers.It is usually different from consumer behavior which is defined as the process that involves the purchase, use, experiences and ideas to satisfy the needs and desires of consumers (Baker, 1998 ). Consumer behavior is also defined as the acts of buyers that are directly involved in the obtaining and s ecuring goods and services. The behavior includes the decision making processes that are undertaken before the purchasing actions are determined. The buyer behavior on the other hand is limited to the action of purchasing of existing or proposed products or services (Armstrong, 2006).Buyer behavior is usually influenced by several psychological concepts and other factors such as social factors, cultural factors, personal characteristics among others (Smith, 2003). All these factors influence the buying decisions that the buyers make within a particular situation. Social factors include the social status, friends and families who can influence the buying decisions. Cultural factors include fashion, foods, and beliefs among others while the personal factors include the age, income levels, the lifestyle, personality, likes and dislikes, self concepts among others.All these factors can be used by the manufacturers to influence the buying decisions of most of the buyers. Other factors th at can be used to influence the buying behavior of individuals include the psychological factors. These are the factors that include perception, motivation, learning and attitudes of the buyers (Armstrong, 2006). This paper reviews literature on motivation as one of the influencing factors of buyer behavior. It also discusses how Coca Cola uses motivation to influence buyers to purchase its products.2. 0 Literature Review Several studies have been carried out on the topic of buyer behavior and more specifically the issue of motivation as a factor that influences buyers in their buying decisions. Motive is defined by the authors Cant, Strydom and Jooste (2009) as the needs or wants that stimulate one to move and seek satisfaction. Authors Krishna Naik and Reddy (1999) as well as Phillips, Doole and Lowe (1994) have described motivation as a factor that is related to motion.They describe is as the drive or urge that follows buyers to move and satisfy their needs and that is strong eno ugh compared to the will to service. They further explain that the drive to satisfy the needs is enhanced by the self image of the specific object and the buyers channel their consumer time, money and their energy into their defined purchasing goal. According to authors Cant, Strydom and Jooste, the best theory that helps to classify the diversity of needs and the different reasons or motives that influence the buyer’s purchasing decisions is the theory of classifying needs by Maslow.The authors state the different needs that motivate buyers to include physiological needs, safety needs, social, ego and self actualization needs. Their views are backed up by Michale John Baker (1998) who elaborates the theory by Maslow stating its relevance and application to the motivation factor. According to the theory as described by Cant, Strydom and Jooste, individuals are motivated to fulfill the needs which they mostly feel at the moment. The needs are felt at different times as Maslowà ¢â‚¬â„¢s theory dictates, the basic physiological needs come first.These are the needs all individuals seek to achieve first and they include hunger, thirst. Once individuals are able to achieve these needs they are then motivated to satisfy the safety needs. According to Paul Russell Smith, the safety needs include the need for security, protection, stability, physical well being and order among others. These are the needs that motivate the buyers to purchase things that provide them with the satisfaction of security and safety. These things may include things that offer the buyer security and protection from physical harm.Once the buyers are satisfied with this level of needs they move to the next higher level which is made up of social needs. Paul Copley (2004) defines the social needs are those that motivate the buyers to purchase goods or services that provide them with love, a sense of belonging and acceptance as well as affection. The simple premise about the Maslow hierarchy of needs is that the lower level needs must be satisfied before the buyers move to the other levels. The buyers follow the trend that is set by the theory.Once the social needs are satisfied the buyers move to the next level which is the esteem needs which are next to the self actualization needs. The esteem needs are those that motivate buyers to get a sense of accomplishment from their purchasing decisions and their buying behaviors. They also give the buyer a sense of status and respect from those around them. According to Smith and Jonathan Taylor (2004), esteem needs can motivate the buyers to purchase cars which act as status symbols and that appeal to a particular segment of people.They also state that the Maslow’s theory can be cyclical since at some point buying a house can be due to the basic need to provide shelter and at some other point it might be because of the high level esteem need to act as a status symbol and show prestige or success. The self actualizatio n needs are the highest level of needs that deal with the personal development and individuality. These needs motivate the buyers to purchase goods and services that help them to satisfy a need of self fulfillment.According to Cant, Strydom and Jooste a buyer may be influenced to enroll to an art class as a way of expressing his or her individuality. All the authors who discuss the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs confirm that the theory is just a simple and useful theory that is used to explain in a simplified manner the buyer behavior. According to some of the authors there are other models and theories that can be used to explain how motivation influences the buyer behavior. One of the models that are discussed by Krishna Naik and Reddy is referred to as the psychoanalytic model.It was founded by Sigmund Freud who provides some insights to the differences that lie between personality differences and resultant behavior. Their study is backed by Smith and Jonathan Taylor who expl ain that Sigmund Freud, according to his model explains that buyers are motivated by forces that are both conscious and unconscious. Many of the motives that influence the buyers are usually unconscious and they influence the daily buying decisions. Most of the brands that are in the market today carry messages that are understood in the subconscious level.This is what motivates the buyers to buy a certain products over others. The approach used in the model breaks down the personality of the buyer into the identity of the buyer, the ego and the super ego. The identity of the person is made up of the instinctive drive or urge for example to eat or drink. The ego is the social learning process and that allows the buyer to interact. Examples of the social process include the buyer politely asking for food. The super ego provides the buyer with a conscience and moral reference. According to the model the actions of buyers are as a result of the antecedent conditions.Freud stated that t he childhood experiences affect the buyers buying behavior 30 or 40 years later. Authors Krishna Naik and Reddy stated some of the examples of buyer behaviors that are influenced by motivations that are not apparent to the casual observer. One of the examples included a buyer who buys a sports car stating that he bought it for the look and maneuverability. At the subconscious level however, the reason would be that the buyer bought it to look younger and to impress. At a much deeper level the motivation would be for surrogate gratification or unsatisfied sexual striving.The casual observer or even the buyer himself may not be in a position to see the motivational factors. It may take time before the sellers and marketers can get into the minds of the buyers to continually have marketing success. However the research requires time, skill and lot of resources in times of money can lead to very exciting discoveries for the sellers and marketers and even the buyers. It bears noting that all the authors that have studied the topic of buyer behavior have covered the motivation factor in depth.They have proven how motivation can influence some of the factors that influence buyer behavior such as perception, attitude, learning ability and personality. The motivational factor can be achieved through several methods. Some of the methods include learning about the need from a social perspective, while others are usually instinctive. In light of these perspectives from the different authors, this paper adequately matches up to the study of motivation as one of the factors that influences buyer behavior. 3. 0 Application of Motivation in Coca Cola Company(i) Overview of Coca Cola Company Coca Cola is the world’s largest company that deals with beverage drinks. The company’s headquarters are found in Atlanta, Georgia. The company produces several drinks that are known to be among the top five leading soft drinks in the world, as it also engages in the marketin g of its drinks. The products include Coke, which was the company’s original drink, Diet Coke, Fanta and sprite. The company also engages in other drinks such as Minute Maid, Dasani water and PowerAde among others (The Chronicle of Coca Cola, n. d).It operates its own distribution system that is the largest distribution all over the world. This enables the company to deliver its products to its customers easily and in a very efficient manner. The company operates in over 200 countries all over the world with over 1 billion consumers consuming its products every day (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2006). The original drink of the company was developed in May 8, 1886 by Doctor John Stith Pemberton who by then was a local pharmacist (The Chronicle of Coca Cola, n. d). He produced the syrup which he later came to name as Coca Cola with the help of Frank M. Robinson.Dr Pemberton started selling the drink through his business with sales averaging at 9 drinks per day. He later sold portions of his business to several partners and just before his death in 1888; he sold the remaining portion to Asa G. Candler who proceeded to buy all the rights of the product thereby gaining complete control. In 1892, Mr. Candler registered the Coca Cola Company in the U. S. He then started advertising the product seriously through promotions where he distributed complimentary glasses of Coca Cola, souvenir fans, calendars, clocks among other things that all had the trade mark of the company.By 1895, Coca Cola had spread into every state within the U. S (The Chronicle of Coca Cola, n. d). (ii) Motivation as a factor used to influence Coca Cola Consumers The Coca Cola Company is known for its most recognized trademark and brand name all over the world. The drink Coca Cola is estimated to have a trademark value of over $25 billion (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2006). The company has undertaken extensive market research all over the world as a way to maintain its leadership role in terms of market share over its competitors.The company has been increasing its market share and its profits of Coca Cola. It promises its consumers that it exists to benefit and refresh all persons that are touched by its business. It has therefore developed several initiatives that seek to portray social responsibility of the company as a way of enhancing its trademark. One of the initiatives is to inspire moments of optimum performance and creating value by making a difference in all the activities that the company undertakes. In this way, they are able to satisfy the needs and desires of their customers through its portfolio of brands.The company has used the motivation factor as a way to influence the buyers to purchase its products. Motivation as a buyer behavior factor influences the perception and learning factors of the buyer and leads to influencing the buyer decision to buy a product (Smith, 2003). Using this knowledge and understand, the company has been engaging in ex tensive advertising of its products as a way of influencing the buyers behavior to purchase them. It has produced many advertisements that have been used to motivate the buyer’s decisions and that lead to an increase of its sales.A recent example of a marketing strategy that the company has used to motivate the consumers to purchase its Coca Cola drink was during the recent World cup 2010 in South Africa. The company developed a marketing strategy that resulted to the development of a partnership between musician K’naan and A&M/Octone Records (Stanford, 2010). They developed a Coca Cola theme song that reached out to the young consumers who loved soccer and pop music. The marketing strategy led to the boosting of sales of Coca Cola as the song motivated the young consumers to buy the drink.Marketing is about determining the needs and desires of consumers and skillfully conveying the products of the company in terms of their benefits to the consumers and proving this to them (Cant, Strydom, & Jooste, 2009). The message that is conveyed to the consumers about the products then motivates them to buy the product. The Coca Cola Company has used this approach to reach out to the market and influence the buyers to purchase its products. One of the products of the company is the Diet Coke.The company launched the product with an aim of reaching out to the young adult generation that was mindful about its health. It also launched a marketing strategy that would motivate more buyers to stay extraordinary as they celebrate their daily achievements (The Coca Cola Company, 2010). The marketing strategy was used to show how the consumers of the drink would benefit from consuming the drink and get most out of their daily life. The marketing strategy would still portray the message of staying healthy to its consumers in a bid to promote its diet coke product.

Future of the US Healthcare System and the Effects on the Practice of Hand Surgery.

The authors of the report stated in the paper that no commercial party will benefit from the results of the report. This gives the reader an idea that the results of the report are unbiased and are not for the benefit on one party alone. Although the entirety of the paper is straightforward with regards to the current status of the healthcare system in the country, the suggested solutions were still broad and indefinite. Current problems in the healthcare system in the United States were examined in the recent report.Possible solutions to the identified problems were proposed as to also address the pressing need to have equal access to proper and quality healthcare. Sixteen percent (16%) of USA's GDP is allotted for healthcare expenditures, unfortunately this is not directly related to quality and equality of access in comparison with other countries. With this regard, many proposals were made to improve the system. In addition, healthcare professionals believe that hand surgery has a lot to offer in providing answers to the identified problems.The history of the healthcare system was also presented to give a background on the system. The system of having a universal system was initiated by President Roosevelt in the 1930s, which evolved from a primarily nonprofit system to one that recognized the great opportunity for profit. Through the years, there was an exponential increase in healthcare costs attributed to ‘defensive medicine' and advancing diagnostic and pharmaceutical technology. With these problems, the authors of the report advise that the future of health care system in the USA may be leaning towards a more cost-effective system.Policy makers would like to take advantage of existing programs such as Medicaid or Medicare to expand the coverage of healthcare. It is foreseen that either (a) private insurance companies will no longer be on business and the government will be the one responsible for health care distribution for all or (b) private co mpanies will remain to be existent to give the public the choice on which health care provider they prefer. After reading the article, one is still left questioning what really is next for the health care system in the country.The undesirable reality has already been exposed and most people already know the disadvantages of the current system. The proposed new system of abolishing the private insurance companies to make way for the government to handle health care is a little too unrealistic. The country is being ran by the capitalists and removing these big companies will cost the country jobs and millions of dollars of losses. The author also had some points that campaigning and pushing through with the slogan â€Å"healthcare for all† is impossible.I personally think that this statement is untrue since a lot of nations have already implemented this as in the case of England and Cuba. Overall, the report is comprehensive and informative enough to be read and evaluated by pr oper authorities. They can review this and provide considerations for future policies to address the problems and improve on the existing healthcare system. Pushman, A. G. & K. C. Chung. â€Å"Future of the US Healthcare System and the Effects on the Practice of Hand Surgery. † American Association for Hand Surgery 2009 4:99-107.

Will American Factories Ever Resurface Term Paper

Will American Factories Ever Resurface - Term Paper Example There is a lot of heated discussion and debate over the issue of outsourcing. Proponents insist that it is the best thing for the US economy, opponents contend that it is not so, and this is causing massive employment. Advocates are of the view that outsourcing will save money for corporations, will enable new possibilities and would lead to Americans to get their hands on executive jobs. They feel that outsourcing exercise brings significant advantages to the American economy by making imports cheaper and exports more costly for other counties. Opponents of Outsourcing: Those who are not in favor outsourcing contend that hiring people from other countries has a negative effect on the US economy and deprives hundreds of thousands of workers in the US especially skilled and semi-skilled workers. Poor Americans who are willing to do jobs that do not need many skills, are finding it very cumbersome to get jobs, and poverty isn’t really helping help the US economy, instead its red ucing consumer spending considerably and also the amount of tax collections. They say that the lost jobs will never be recovered and this is a permanent loss to the American and the economy. This does seem valid and everyone knows that outsourcing does cause people to be jobless in America, especially such jobs that have very few or no qualifications, education or technical skills, because job loss is not only confined to people limited skills, but also jobs of skilled nature are now outsourced to other countries where manpower is cheaper. The reason that outsourcing hurts the US economy is quite controversial. For those who support outsourcing for political reasons, outsourcing will on the whole have a constructive effect on the American economy, since it is cheaper and saves a lot of money for corporations, opens up advantageous chances for greater free enterprise in the US, and would have the maximum number of Americans working at higher level executive jobs. Opponents are adaman t that the hiring of overseas workers at jobs that can do done by semi-skilled or skilled laborers. The way that companies that outsource save taxes, outsourcing will diminish taxes paid by corporation and therefore also decrease spending by the governments, both federal and state. Both sides on this issue have some valid arguments. Outsourcing has become the major cause of joblessness in America and it greatly affects people with only limited skills. On the other hand the fact that tons of skilled labor jobs are being offered to foreign countries can also not be ruled out. Benefits of Outsourcing: People who favor outsourcing say that reducing the operating expenses of corporations leads to creation of new and better jobs. There are many government departments and agencies that outsource their work load, enabling them to save tons of dollars, which benefits the US economy and reduces federal spending. This is for those who state that paying workers less wagers would mean the compan ies would be able to produce more products with considerably less expenditure and this saving could be passed on to customers. Lower prices would enable more consumers spending, and would enable companies to generate more jobs for employees working in America as they usually pay those workers less who work outside the States. Outsourcing is a very controversial issue, but it is an issue all the same. Virtually no one agrees that outsourcing can be completely stopped (Wise Geek 2012). Many US citizens feel that companies are dodging taxes and cheating the US government of revenues and suggest companies should be taxed more for outsourcing, and given added incentives if they decide to keep their worker base in

Investment Analysis of Tesco, and Marks And Spencer Research Paper

Investment Analysis of Tesco, and Marks And Spencer - Research Paper Example (Penman, 2003). In other situation, investors make investment decisions following his or her instinct or based on the information provided by the market. Here, Penman (2003) referred to Investors who make investment decisions following their instinct as intuitive investors, while those who make investment decisions following market data are passive investors (Penman, 2003). This study is aimed at carrying out a comparative analysis of two United Kingdom based retail companies with particular focus on its financial performance and share valuation for the two periods under review, to enable the researcher gain a reasonable basis for providing recommendations to investors on which company's stock they should buy, sell, keep or hold. The remaining part of the paper looks at the two company under review. Like macroeconomic analysis the analysis of the industry is important because it enables the analysts to make abnormal profits arising from information asymmetry between the proper analyst and competitors who fail to carry out a proper analysis. Just as it is difficult for a firm to do well in a poor macroeconomic environment, so too is it difficult for a firm to perform well in a troubled industry. (Bodie et al, 2002). Similarly, as performance can vary across countries, so too does it varies across industries. (Bodie et al, 2002). 2.1 Tesco Plc Tesco PLC is an international retailer. The principal activity of the Company is food retailing with over 2,000 stores in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan and China. It activities include, simple travel insurance, Tesco personal finance, telecom and retail outlets. Financial Ratio Analysis for Tesco Plc. a) Profitability Ratios for Tesco Plc Ratio Formula1 2006 2005 Profit margin Return on Capital Employed Return on Equity Return on Investment The profitability ratios show that the company is doing quite well. In 2006 for example the was an improvements in all the profitability ratios when compared to 2005. Compared with the ratios for the other firm (Mark & Spencer) we see that Tesco performed better than the industry average, and better than M&S. However, Marks and Spencer also proves to be a profitable company. b) Liquidity Ratios for Tesco Plc Ratio Formula2 2006 2005 Current Ratio Quick Ratio Cash Ratio Tesco current ratios have also witnessed improvements in 2006. The current ratio and quick ratio show that Tesco has enough current assets to cover its short-term liabilities without facing business risk that is the risk that it might not meet its short-term commitments. However, the cash ratio shows that Tesco could only cover 50% of its short-term liabilities in 2005 and 90% in 2006. It is again doing better in this domain than its M&S. c) ) Long-Term Solvency Ratios Solvency Stock Measures From above, it can be observed that the company uses more debt than equity in financing its activities. This is evidenced by the debt-to-equity ratio of 1.4. There is

Class Contribution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Class Contribution - Essay Example As cost incessantly drives business, labor unions and/or trade unions are but one mechanism through which the labor market is able to leverage their own interests and work together in order to derive a better salary and result from the multinational company interested in doing business within the borders of a given state (Kanter et al 1998). Accordingly, if the other factors that the multinational firm is specifically interested in have positive associations and work to attract the interest of key economic development authorities and key decision makers, the level of trade unionism is likely to have little impact upon the final decision. 2-why might the internationalization process of Chinese companies, such as CFS differ from those of other companies? Discuss. Whereas most companies greet the process of internationalization from a more or less equal footing as a corporate citizen of a domestic entity that has a full level of integration with the world’s economy, the case of C FS was quite different than most due to the fact that it had been under Chinese state ownership for a period of around 40 years prior to the first movements towards privatization and the subsequent internationalization that developed as a result of the firm attempting to integrate with the remainder of the world’s economy (Zhenquan et al 2009). Accordingly this disintegration with the remainder of the world’s economy for such a long period of time effected many issues within CFS as it began to re-organize and rely heavily on layers of middle and lower management to affect the key goals and strategies that the firm needed in order to maintain its vision (Barnes 1994). Furthermore, key levels of retraining and re-engagement by the firm with regards to its workforce were necessitated as shareholders were unfamiliar with the management practices and implied intent of other leadership around the globe. As a means of rapidly acquainting them with these differentials, a serie s of seminars and trainers needed to be rapidly engaged with the shareholders to reorient their approach to key issues. As a means to accomplish this end and as a means to rapidly aquire the skills that they did not possess, CFS invested heavily in their European headquarters in London as a means to rapidly bring their staff up to speed with respect to the latter’s prowess in the field of HR management. 3-What lesson(s) may be drawn from the Gillette Singapore experience? Mergers and acquisitions of international firms oftentimes become synonymous with a breakdown of integration and months, quarters, or even years of non-aligned business goals and strategies. As a function of this, the case of Gillette in Singapore is unique. When Gillette acquired Parker Pen, the approach that was followed was one of full local integration from the very beginning (Rowley 2007). Although many firms tout such a desire, few are able to achieve it. Yet, Gillette and Parker Pen mapped out a very basic local integration scheme whereby the local norms and cultural differences between the other markets that Gillette currently leveraged and that of Parker Pen’s subsidiaries and market niche were considered. As a function of

Globalization and its Impact on World Politics and National Essay

Globalization and its Impact on World Politics and National Sovereignty of States - Essay Example This paper offers a critical complex analysis of the aspects of the globalization phenomena in different fields of human activities, such as politics, economics, social sphere. In addition, this research paper seeks to measure the impact that the globalization has on the the paradigm on national sovereignty Global interaction has resulted to a marked reduction in political instruments effectiveness available for any government. The transfers of ideologies, cultural intercourse, sharing of commodities, capital and services have led to e border controls becoming less restrictive. There is an argument that globalisation is linked to neo-liberalism as well capitalism, which, seem to have generated a debate on whether the notion encourages wealth or self indulgence. Globalization has a big influence in geopolitics in terms of raising warfare costs through economic integration and other ways. At the same time, it creates new power sources beyond the classic military of tanks, planes and missiles thereby creating a new pressure source on nations to change the normal organization ways. Exchange rate, trade balance, rising investment transnationalization, production, and consumption basically now tend to determine any economic policy. Globalization has transformed the paradigm on national sovereignty by making it hard for the state to capture any historical time by tradition appropriation and national identity construction and reconstruction.

Competitive Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Competitive Intelligence - Essay Example The evolutions of new challenges like technological advancements and out sourcing have posed new challenges for the business operations. Understanding these challenges and acting according to the implications required an acute sense of understanding the situations and the analyzing to the best. The competitor analysis has diversified into more specific issues of planning, collection of more influential data, analysis and communication, which were undeniable influencers of success. The research is conducted by taking individual tasks and integrating it to the organizational concerns making the analysis more robust and to derive more refined facts. The country analysis gives a broad idea about the investment atmosphere prevailing in the country under consideration. The current position of the industrial sector under consideration, the amount of market capitalization existing in the country for the sector, the number of existing players competing and their presence in the market., the government approach for the development of the sector, the entry norms for the investors, the resources availability, the supportive industry presence for companies like the smaller parts manufacturers for automobile industries etc, The volume of the business to be explored, the number of years for turnaround to gain the considerable market reach, and the socio-economic factors of the country that may influence the business potential. The above factors may differ from one country to the other. For example a Canadian company is planning to enter new market in Ontario. The company has to know the feasibility of the business in the Ontario. The compa ny has taken help of a consulting company to know the market environment in the region. The consulting company has given details of components related to the competitors, recent trends fallowed by the competitors, the financial status. Comparison between New Zealand & Canada: New Zealand, competitor intelligence is a pioneering issue under consideration that has been given preference only after 90's (Craig S. Fleisher, 2004). The business elite group is not known of using the competitor intelligence tools as much. The study perceived by Procter revealed some interesting facts that the business environment was more inclined towards domestic markets rather than concentrating on the growing need to globalize (Craig S. Fleisher, 2004, P 43). The New Zealand business sectors are optimistic that competitor intelligence has more important role to play in the due of time. The New Zealand business sectors sensed the constraints they need to overcome to sustain in their respective business but they are yet to open to the implementation of competitor intelligence strategies to raise their business levels to globally acceptable level. The business sectors are not ready to face the realities like the constraints they need to know about their external environment they are into. To address these new business requirements the business entities need more resources like internet, product patent information etc (Patents and competitive intelligence). The modes of business education were only

Agree or Disagree with ISLAM Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Agree or Disagree with ISLAM - Research Paper Example This paper will examine closely one of them, namely Islam, examining its main beliefs and practices as well as present the opinion of the author about this religion. One should point out that there is a peculiar concept of Five Pillars of Islam: a set of principles and practices that define the identity of a Muslim. Thus, the first pillar which will be explored is called Shahada. To put it simple, this is a concise message that all true believers repeat, acknowledging their faith in one God and his only messenger Muhammad (Cornell 9). One would make no mistake pointing out that this has become one of the most famous phrases that are used to recognize Islam. The latter is a monotheistic religion so proclamation that God is one is the key thesis of it. In addition to that shahada also argues that there is no other source of wisdom that the one which was presented by Muhammad, namely the Quran. The next pillar which is essential for the understanding of the religion is question is called salat. Originally, this word means prayer or more closely – the practice of praying. Indeed, the Muslims are known to pray much more than the representatives of the other religions, five times a day. There are five prayers which true believers of Islam should perform: the one at daybreak, noon, midafternoon, sunset and in the evening. As one can easily see, they are separated among the day at almost equal intervals so that people are able to pray and to achieve their personal goals as well. In addition to that it allows a person to concentrate one’s mind on the devotion to God. The third pillar which is able to contribute to a correct understanding of Islam as a system is called zakat. As some of the researchers put it, â€Å"zakat is a good demonstration of Islam’s commitment to social justice† (Rane 23). Indeed, this pillar stands for a certain amount of money that all the Muslims are required to pay so that the money will be directed to the

The Law of Redundancy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Law of Redundancy - Essay Example Redundancy on the basis of gender, age, and the other elements are classifiable as unfair dismissal. Employers use a number of fair and objective ways to select employees for redundancy, which include last in, first out basis, use of disciplinary records, and self-selection by asking for volunteers and markings of staff appraisal, for instance, experience, qualifications, and skills. In addition, employees are allowed to select employees for redundancy if the employees’ jobs no longer exist. In such an instance, the employer can make employees redundant without necessarily following the selection process (Curtis & McMullen 1997, p. 154). When an employee is dismissed from work by reason of redundancy, the employee is legally entitled to a statutory payment for redundancy from the employer. If the employer (Wolsey Engineering Ltd) fails to pay, the employee can claim the statutory redundancy payment through an Employment Tribunal (Duggan 2012, p. 67). The entire redundancy proc ess should be impartial, consisting of, among others, consultation, redundancy payment and notice periods.   Notice periods are crucial to ensure dismissal legality. Notice periods are given prior to the termination of employment. Employment laws require employers to give a notice period of at least one week for those employed between one month and two years, one week’s notice for each year if the employee worked between two and 12 years and 12 weeks’ notice for those employed for 12 years or more (Income Data Service (IDS) 2008, p. 57). In addition to statutory payment for redundancy, employers should pay a notice payment by either paying the redundant employees through their notice periods or pay in lieu of notice. In the latter instance, notice payments must be equal to the to the employees’ basic pay plus whatever amount they would have earned during the notice period (Marsh & Soulsby 2002, p. 74). Employees made redundant are entitled to appropriate periods of consultation with the employer. Such consultation includes speaking to employees regarding the reasons for their redundancy and available alternatives to redundancy (McMullen 2011, p. 91). Employees are permissible to claim to an employment tribunal if the employer fails to consult effectively, for instance, if the employers start late or fail to consult altogether. Collective redundancies of at least 20 employees require consultation between the employer and an employee representative. There is no definite limit to the length of consultation although minimum lengths are in place for more than 20 redundancies (Mellahi & Wilkinson 2004, p. 251). In essence, in order to ascertain legality, the employer should consider plausible alternative employment for all employees prior to declaring the redundant.

The Stuxnet Virus Essay Example for Free

The Stuxnet Virus Essay Historic data shows that Iran accounted for almost sixty percent of the early infections. According to Siemens, 15 of its customers were identified as having detected the worm on their systems as of Sept. 14. Stuxnet used stolen digital certificates from Realtek Semiconductor and JMicron Technology to legitimately slip through and hide. The certificates also helped keep Stuxnet under the radar. 1. 1 Why are all the fingers pointing to the United States and Israel? Most cyber security experts who have researched this complex attack call it a joint U. S. Israeli operation, which may have also included Germany and Great Britain. It is also a well known fact which, incidentally, has not been denied by either the US. or Israel, that Israeli intelligence tested aspects of the worm using centrifuges identical to Irans at Israel’s Dimona complex. Even Siemens the German company cooperated with Idaho National Laboratories in the US to identify the vulnerabilities of computer controllers that the company sells to operate industrial machinery around the world. Not too long afterwards, those very vulnerabilities were exploited by Stuxnet. . Why a Cyber Attack? Cyber warfare requires intellect not military might and a country does not have to be a military superpower to wage a cyber attack. Cyber attack tracks are much easier to cover and are easily attributable to another entity. While cyber attacks are only recently been declared by our military and political leadership as acts of war, compared to an actual physical military attack on another country life can go on as usual for most of the citizens on both sides of the conflict without the slightest idea that their country is at war. It does not cost billions of dollars to run or manage and is hardly a long-term commitment of hundreds of thousands of troops and the logistics to support them and their equipment at the front lines. In case of Iran, a cyber attack was the most viable option available to global powers because the Iranian regime did not hesitate to make threats against the United States and Israel should it have been attacked militarily to make it stop trying to produce nuclear weapons. 2. 1 What exactly is Stuxnet designed to do? Graphic: Courtesy of The New York Times, January 15, 2011 Stuxnet is the first malware of its type designed to cross over the cyber – industrial divide and attacking critical infrastructure like power stations and electricity grids. On 26 September 2010, Irans state news agency reported that computers at its Bushehr nuclear power plant had been infected. The New York Times article, Israeli Test on Worm called Crucial in Iran Nuclear Delay, describes the complex function of Stuxnet in very simple terms: â€Å"One part of the program is designed to lie dormant for long periods, and then speed up the machines so that the spinning rotors in the centrifuges wobble and then destroy themselves. Another part, called a â€Å"man in the middle† in the computer world, sends out those false sensor signals to make the system believe everything is running smoothly. That prevents a safety system from kicking in, which would shut down the plant before it could self-destruct. † The same article further quotes Ralph Langer, widely credited for having solved Stuxnet, as saying: â€Å"Code analysis makes it clear hat Stuxnet is not about sending a message or proving a concept,† and later saying â€Å"It is about destroying its targets with utmost determination in military style. † Stuxnet was designed to seek out its target, cripple it beyond repair without causing any collateral damage; stay lurking in the shadows to continue to strike, all without leaving any conclusive evidence of who sent it on its mission in the first place. Needless to say, it succeeded in its mission. 2. 2 How effective was Stuxnet and why? To sit remotely, thousands of miles away and receive an email update from your smart malware that it has disabled your enemy’s commercial power grid says something about the power and effectiveness of this new weapon of cyber warfare. By most accounts and estimates damage from the Stuxnet virus has apparently set back the Iranian nuclear program by at least two years. This makes the virus as effective as a military strike, perhaps even more; all this without loss of life, collateral damage, or risk of a full-blown war. 3. History and future of nation state cyber warfare According to the Council on Foreign Relations, although few countries beyond the well-known players like China, Russia, and Israel and a handful of others have historically possessed the capability to launch a full scale cyber attack along the lines of the Stuxnet attack, over one hundred countries have begun to organize cyber warfare units. (Masters, 2011, sec. 2) Across the world, countries are either engaged in cyber battles with their arch enemies or gearing up to bolster their defenses against cyber warfare.

Standardization And Adaptation In Television Advertising

Standardization And Adaptation In Television Advertising Still in this 21st century television continues to be a prevailing media. Due to the increase in the globalization this world is shrinking at a rapid rate, companies doing business overseas must find new and innovative ways to communicate their brands to the market. Thus, the decision of standardization or adaptation of the advertisements between various nations is of much importance to these companies competing in the international market. The purpose of this paper is to develop a better understanding as to how the multi-national companies standardize and adapt their television advertising. For reaching the conclusion, questions based on the elements of television ads, along with the factors affecting the decision whether to standardize or adapt were identified. On the basis of these questions, analysis of related literature was conducted to form a conceptual framework, which was further utilized to guide this papers data collection. Qualitative case study approach was rendered to c ollect the data, based on the interviews and observing the television commercials of multi-national brands. The conclusion derived shows that there are various appeals that are efficient. For e.g. Emotional appeals are more efficient on young target market, whereas the rational appeals work more efficiently on the older target market. Cost is the key factor which influences the companys decision to adapt a commercial. Whereas regarding the standardization of a television commercial the companys main focus should be the non-geographical elements such as the family culture and humour. Contents 1 Introduction The following chapter will be providing the reader with some background of the area being researched. Problem statement regarding the standardization and adaptation in television ads will be followed by the research. The overall purpose and the related research questions will be concluding this chapter. 1.1 Background Marketing communication is based solely on the method of sharing of the perceptions. The intended message can be successfully communicated only if the senders perceptual field or what we can define as his experience of that brand is in congruence with the perceptual field of the intended market. Thus a message which lands outside the receivers perceptual field has no effect on the receiver. According to Root (1994) the perceptual gaps as well as the encoding and decoding gaps resulting arising due to the cultural differences between the sender and the receiver hinders the communication. Moreover, as a reason of the unawareness of cultures regarding the existence of such gaps the level of communication hindrance increases additionally. In the below figure 1.1, it has been demonstrated by Czinkota and Ronkainen (2004) that efficient communication depends on three main factors: the sender, the receiver and the message. These three factors are interconnected with a message channel. Figure 1: Marketing Communication Process It was also stated by Root (1994) that communication process between the people of the same culture derives an advantage from a high level of congruence in their perceptual fields as well as the similarity between their communication codes. The communication process can be therefore be affected by the cultural hindrance which is justified by Root (1994) saying that many times the sender as well as the receiver of the same culture believe that the message has been clearly understood by them even though it is not the case. Advertising has been defined by Root (1994) as a process of non-personal communication which is sponsored in monetary form to promote a product, a brand or even a company. Advertising has also been recognized as a tool for mass promotion (ibid). According to Laroche and Teng (2006) cultural values are vital for any ad message and it is also a deciding factor for the success of any ad. They have also stated that the people are finding commonalities between then and the ads when their cultural values are embodied in those ads. The vice versa happens when their values are not matching the ad. The assignment of delivering the message to the people is given to the advertising media. Radio, print, television, cinema, hoardings and other outdoors are the leading media considerable for this task. The advertisers are able to demonstrate the service or the product in motion using a number of choices of elements available for this task. The right combination of these elements during the making of the television ad so as to give the message a strong probability of catching the attention of the consumer and getting the message to him is vital to achieve the desired impression on the mind of the consumer. 1.2 Problem Discussion Television ads can also be used to boost the image of the product by showing the product in motion along with the ability to use colour and sound for constructing a desirable environment surrounding the product. The centre of this paper will be television commercials, due to the various factors of television such as vision, colour, sound and motion which are very crucial in presenting the message. Moreover, the study of Brassington and Pettitt (2000) showing that motion ads are considered superior for the generation of emotional appeals also is a factor for the concentration of this paper towards television commercials. The decision of the standardization or adoption of television ad at an international level resides mainly to the manager and his manipulations towards the promotional mix elements. People who support standardization argue by saying that the current trend in the marketing world is of creating the products and marketing them in the same way in all the nations without considering the differences in the various cultures. But when manager sees much higher level of differences in the lifestyles as well as economies of the target market population he renders a higher level of adaption instead of going for the standardization. On the other hand supporters of standardization justifies themselves by saying that using same ads in the overseas markets would help them to achieve lower costs as well as establish a corporate image on a global level. Again the people in support of adaptation say that this wont help them in entrenching themselves into the local markets. According to Root (1994) nations vary widely in quality, availability, cost of marketing, etc. Thus, marketers should thoroughly embody the various cultural variables into their ads as it seems to have a great impact on influencing the consumer as well his buying decision. The research conducted by Chandra (2002) shows that various adaptations in an ads slogan, jingle, theme as well as idiomatic symbols, expressions and colours make the adaption in an ad mandatory. He also stated that it is vital for firm to adapt their marketing campaigns to the regional market targeted in order to realize the profits. Bottom lining this standardization vs. adaptation debate are the factors of economic savings in case of using standardized marketing strategies and the maximum realization of profits in case of adaptation of the strategies so to fit into the local target market. Bradley and Sousa (2005) concluded in their studies non-regional population is likely to be less reactive to the ads which dont match to their cultures. Thus it is mandatory for successful marketing in other nations that the marketers to understand the target populations cultural traits. According to Melewar and Vemmervik (2004) products and brands can, for a time, sustain the cultural difference and homogenization, but this is not the case with ads as they are much more dependent on influencing the consumers through the marketing elements which are closely tied to the culture of those consumers. Due to the use of such verbal and visual factors such as the scenes, regional language and models the ad tends to be effective and hence deriving profits. 1.3 Purpose and Research Question Based on the discussion in the previous section, the purpose of this seminar paper is to provide a better understanding of how the companies standardize or adapt their television commercials in the international markets. Two problem questions are formulated for the reason of helping us to acquire the knowledge required to accomplish the stated purpose. PQ 1. How the elements of television ads that are standardized or adapted can be described? PQ 2. How the factors influencing the decision to standardize or adapt be described? 2 Literature Review This chapter presents an overview of the researches related to the questions stated. This chapter will be starting with studying the elements of television ads. Then studies relating to the factors influencing the choice of standardize or to adapt will be discussed. In the end, a conceptual framework for this paper will be presented. 2.1 Elements In Television Advertising It is concluded in the research of Melewar and Vemmervik (2004) that particularly the Visual and Verbal elements embedded in the ads are more dependent on the differences among cultures. They further stated that the dependence of the effectiveness of the ad is directly proportional to the use of local scenes, models as well as the regional language. Another element Appeal was added by Laroche and Teng (2006). APPEALS Ad Appeals can be defined as a message communicated to the consumers so as to motivate them to buy the related product/service. The choice of the Appeal is the key factor associated with the ads. Kelley and Turley classified them into two categories: Rational Appeal and Emotional Appeal. Rational ads rise from the traditional communication model where the recipient is assumed to make reasonable rational decision. Such ads show the benefits of the product by demonstrating its quality, value, performance and economy and generate self-interest in the mind of the target customer. In contrast to Rational Appeal, Emotional Appeals rely on the emotional perceptions of the consumer. These ads, generally being experimental, generally tend to make the recipient feel good about the relevant product/service generating a likeliness or friendliness towards the brand. Emotional Appeals tend to bring up the negative and positive emotions in the mind of the recipient in order to motivate them for a buying. The negative emotions may include fear, shame or guilt appeals making people do things they should or stopping them for doing things they shouldnt. Whereas, positive emotions include appeals like love, humour, pride or joy. (Albers-Miller and Stafford, 1999) Laroche and Teng (2006) in their recent study have stated that there exists different appeals among different cultures which are able to impact the target consumer in the most efficient manner. And the ad wont be able to achieve the desired result if the target consumer fails to find similarities between themselves and the ads characteristics. Furthermore it is also observed that these variances in the Appeals between the West and the East date back to the ancient times. The reason behind this is thought to be the influence of the Greek philosophers on the culture of the west, emphasizing on Verbal communication. (Muller, 1992) The experimentation on marketing campaigns using violence and shocking appeals were reviewed by Anderson, Hedelin and Nilsson (2004). During the review they concluded that the use of sex as well as violence produced negative impacts on both male as well as the female recipients making it difficult for them to interpret the same message that was tried to be conveyed through that ad. They also found out that there exists a difference among the sexes in the interpretation of the messages. The females were able to relate themselves with the commercials when children are displayed. VERBAL ELEMENTS It has been stated by Nelson and Paek (2007) that the language used in the ad is of much more importance than most marketers realize. Stewart (1994) also supported this thesis by saying that the importance of the use of the regional language becomes a vital factor when the ad is using a dramatized plot approach. The only thing that should be taken care of is that the use of dialects and vernaculars may be interpreted as stereotyping which may not be consumed positively by the local population. Chart : Ducan and Ramprasads (1995) survey illustrating majority of brands opting for adoption of regional language in their ads VISUAL ELEMENTS According to Hewett, Madden and Roth (1999) colour being and significant part of the products, their logos and their packaging is a powerful tool in positioning the brand into the minds of the consumer. It has been stated in the studies conducted by Greenberg and Solomon (1993) it requires a great effort on the part of the directors as well as set creators and many others to choose a scenery and location and numerous other factors like the tone as well as the nuance of the print on which the ad is supposed to be executed. These experts in their respective fields strive to create a compelling environment that will be executed on the ad agencys vision of a way to reinforce the targeted products intended brand image into the mind of the recipient. An influential and persuasive message can be delivered by the product if the ad is well-crafted and presented in a manner which is sensible to the recipient and reinforce the intended message in his mind. OTHERS Cho (1999) argues that a message conveyed by an ad should be in congruence with the values of the local culture. He also supported this statement by saying that the cultural values embodied in the ads are the core of these ads. Most of the time ads endorse, embellish as well as reinforce the cultural values. Moreover, it has been shown with the help of empirical studies that ads which reflect regional cultural values are more persuasive than the ads which dont incorporate them. 2.2 Influencing Factors This part will be analysing various factors that impact the decision to standardize or adapt based on various researches conducted. These will be stated along with explanation through this whole chapter. COST It is stated by Darmon (1999) that one of the reason leading to standardization is cost considerations. Ducan and Ramprasad (1995) also stated that economic gains along with convenience being a key factor leading to standardization. However, they were much amazed when the data of their survey stated cost savings as one of the least priority item. THE ROLE OF HEADQUATERS AND SUBSIDARIES SALE LEVEL In their research Ducan and Ramprasad (1995) that the marketing strategy as well as the follow up are more probable to be changed in the more well-off markets where the holdings of the firm as well as the profit margins are comparatively higher. Still the power of making important decisions of the regional offices depends completely on the level of freedom offered by its parent company. MACRO FACTORS According to Chandra (2002), these factors vary considerably from nation to nation and affect the decision making process very much based on the nations legal, political and economic factors along with the marketing scenarios. For e.g. in south Korea, only the nations models are allowed to be featured in the ads. SINGLE BRAND IMAGE Ducan and Ramprasad (1995) concluded in their studies that the single brand image is the most influencing reason for standardization. It is also suggested by Vrontis (2003) that through the use of single brand image a company can significantly establish its global brand image. And due to the global broadcasting by the media as well as consumer mobility standardization is much favoured as compared to earlier times. PRODUCT CATEGORY As compared to the products/services which are likely to be purchased on the basis of the regional cultures, products/services which show uniform consumer buying habits are more likely to employ a standardized marketing strategy. For e.g. electronic goods are used the same way across different cultures in contrast to food items which are more likely to be consumed in the traditional fashion. DEMOGRAPHIC, PSYCHORGAPHIC AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS It is stated by Chandra (2003) that the use of standardization depends on the existence of the homogeneous market segments. If such market exists than the consumers are more likely to behave in the same manner across the markets and share a common buying habit. EXPLOITING A SUCCESSFUL IDEA Ducan and Ramprasad (1995) stated that when an effective idea or strategy have taken a great time in its development and is successfully producing positive results, the firms are very keen on using this idea across different markets so as to reap the costs incurred in the production of that strategy. NOT INVENTED HERE When the multinational agencies are trying to use standardization, their regional subsidies are often uncomfortable with the imposition of their ideas and often defend their reasoning by tagging it as not invented here and hence lacking creativity. 2.3 Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework is defined by Miles and Huberman (1994) as a visual, graphical or audible description of a study explaining it. They can be constructs, factors, elements or variables and the relationship links between them. They also state that if the research questions have been stated first than it is much easy to form the conceptual framework. Thus for answering the research questions we have to first state on what basis we have collected the data. First, the relevant theories for the first question will be stated followed by the relevant for the second question. 2.3 Conceptualization Elements of Television Advertising Laroche and Teng (2006) found out the various appeal elements of ads, whereas Melewar and Vemmervik (2004) have classified them into visual and verbal elements. Appeals Rational Culture Emotional Speech elements Sound National Language Visual elements Scenery Models 2.3.2 Conceptualization Influencing Factors There are various different factors influencing the decision of going for standardization or adaptation for the television ads. The related theories will be analysed and equated with data collected: Cost Demographic, psychographic and cultural characteristics Macro factors Single brand image Product category 3. Methodology In this chapter the methodology used in the research will be presented. This chapter begins with the purpose, approach and Strategy used in the research followed by data collection and selection of sample. This chapter will be concluding with the problems faced during the methodology study. 3.1 Purpose of Research List of references dAstous, A. Chartier, F. (2000, Fall). A Study of Factors Affecting Consumer Evaluations and Memory of Product Placement in Movies. Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, 22, 31-40. dAstous, A. Sà ©guin, N. (1999). Consumer Reactions to Product Placement Strategies in Television Sponsorship. European Journal of Marketing, 33, 896-910. Avery, R. J. Ferraro, R. (2000). Verisimilitude or Advertising? Brand Appearance on Prime-Time Television. The Journal of Consumer Affairs, 34, 217-244. Bloor, M., Frankland, J., Thomas, M., Robson, K. (2001). Focus Groups in Social Research. London: Sage Publication Ltd. Denscombe, M. (2000). Forskningshandboken. Lund: Studentlitteratur. Eriksson, L. T. Wiedersheim-Paul, F. (2001). Att Utreda Forska och Rapportera. Malmà ¶: Liber Ekonomi. Graser, M. (2006, February). TVs Savior? Advertising Age, 77, ps1-S2. Gupta, P. B., Balasubramanian, S. K. Klassen, M. L. (2000, Fall). Viewers Evaluations of Product Placements in Movies: Public Policy Issues and Managerial Implications. Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, 22, 41-52. Paying to Avoid Ads. (2004, 7 August). Economist, 372. Russell, C. A. (2002, December). Investigating the Effectiveness of Product Placements in Television Shows: The Role of Modality and Plot Connection Congruence on Brand Memory and Attitude. Journal of Consumer Research. 29, 306-318. http://www.tv.com/american-idol/show/11307/summary.html?full_summary=1 [2006, May 21]. Wenner, L. A. (2004). On the Ethics of Product Placement in Media Entertainment. Journal of Promotion Management, 10, 101-132. You be the Judge. (2004, 17 May). Brandweek, 45, pSR40-SR42.

Character Analysis Of Kino From the Pearl :: essays research papers

Kino, a character from the story "The Pearl," is a prime example of a developing character. From the start through to the end, he develops drastically. At the beginning, he was thought out to be a good loyal husband but as time went on he became a selfish, greedy person who would do anything for money.When the story began Kino seemed to be a good husband who wanted nothing more than to be able to support his family. After a scorpion had stung Coyotito, Kino prayed that he would find a pearl not to become a rich man but so that he could pay the doctor to heal the baby, as he would not work free.After Kino had spent long hard hours searching the ocean floor, he finally found the pearl he had worked for. At first when he found it, he only wanted to pay the doctor to cure Coyotito. However as time passed he began to think of all the things that he could acquire with the money form the pearl and began to develop greed and selfishness. When people asked him what he would buy now that he was a rich man, he was quick to list several items that came to his mind. One of these items was a rifle. Kino wanted a rifle because he wanted to show power over the rest of his village.When Kino took the pearl to the pearl buyers to sell, he was offered one thousand pesos. Kino declined that offer claiming that his pearl was "The Pearl of the World." By reacting in such a manner he yet again demonstrates his greed. It is not about saving Coyotito anymore, for he is already feeling well, it is now about the money. Although one thousand pesos was more money than Kino had ever seen he demanded that he would get fifty thousand pesos.Later in the text, Kino discovers Juana trying to destroy the pearl, causing Kino to become very angry, and resulted in him beating her. Although Juana was in very much pain she accepted the beating as if it were a punishment and stayed with Kino. A while later Kino was attacked by another man who wanted the pearl for himself and defended his pearl by killing the man. It is around this point in the story where Kino displays his greatest point of greed and selfishness.

Indigenous Health Case Study Essay example -- Healthcare Culture

Introduction Health is known as a state where an individual is socially, mentally and emotionally stable without the presence of any illness, disease or infirmity (Carson, 2007). Jenny, an indigenous woman is 34 weeks pregnant, she has been complaining about her abdominal pains and after seeing the flying doctor, she was asked to fly back with him as she might be in an early labour. Jenny is concerned about her family; she wonders how they will manage without her. Her mother-in-law lives with her sister-in-law and she wonders if she will be able to come and help as her mother has a diabetic leg ulcer and needs treatment so cannot travel. This essay will discuss about the health issues before colonization and after colonization, Jenny’s situation and how she faces the culture clash and dispossession, it will also look at the models of health and theories and how that affects Jenny’s life. Culture clash and indigenous dispossession at the time of colonization. Culture clash is how people behave, whether or not people recognise each other as human beings and if they share what they believe, have similar values and beliefs (Eckermann, Dowd, Chong, Nixon, Gray, & Johnson, 2006). The process of colonization is when a nation imposes itself economically, politically and socially upon another nation (Germov, 2009). People belong to different cultures; every culture has its own customs and beliefs that everyone has to follow. Culture clash can occur when people look at different cultures as not to be a part of their culture and different people as not their people (Eckermann et al., 2006). Cultural customs and beliefs are influenced by the socio-economic status, political and natural environment (Crisp & Taylor, 2009). Modern medicati... ...udy. Rheumatology , 42 (11), 1287-1294. Crisp, J., & Taylor, C. (2009). Potter & Perry's fundamentals of nursing (3rd ed.). NSW: Elsevier. Davis, B. M. (2006). How to teach students who don't lool like you; culturally relevant teaching strategies. In Culturally relevant teaching strategies (p. p.3). London: Sage publication, LTD. Eckermann, A.-K., Dowd, T., Chong, E., Nixon, L., Gray, R., & Johnson, S. (2006). Binan Goonj: Bridging cultures in Aboriginal Health (3rd ed.). NSW: Churchill Livingstone. Germov, J. (2009). Second opinion: An introduction to health sociology (4th ed.). Victoria: Oxford university. Gustafson, D. L. (2005). Transcultural nursing theory from a critical cultural perspective. Advances in Nursing Science , 28 (1), 2-16. Keleher, H., & MacDougall, C. (2009). Understanding health;A determinants approach (2nd ed.). Sydney: Oxford university.

Free Essays - Great Expectations :: Great Expectations Essays

There were several themes associated with the novel Great Expectations. One of the most fascinating themes dealt with "infatuation and how it compares to and relates to love" ("Infatuation"). Infatuation is basically an obsession, or extravagant affection towards a person (Webster, 667). There is really no definite reason behind their passion, therefore this feeling is often short in duration and indicative of faulty judgement (Webster, 667). The person doesn't know what these feelings mean, this is normally why they mistake it for love. Love, on the other hand, is an intense affectionate concern for another person (Webster, 772). It is a more selfless and settled feeling. You can compare the difference between love and infatuation with the cliche "All that glitters is not gold", the glitter illusion being infatuation and the gold being love, the real thing. As a person grows and experiences their feelings with many other people, the distinction between love and infatuation b ecomes more clear. This is because the person can compare feelings they have experienced in the past, with their present feelings. In Great Expectations we see how Pip's infatuation for Estella is "short in duration" (Webster, 667), as most infatuations are. Despite the fact that Estella is arrogant and rude, Pip is not only infatuated with her beauty and wealth, but also almost envies it. In fact the humiliation Estella puts Pip through, causes Pip to feel very lowly of himself and the way he has been brought up. This causes Pip's expectations to change from expecting to be Joe's blacksmith apprentice, to studying to become a gentlemen noticed and admired by Estella. As years pass, Estella 2 continues to play with Pip's heart, and Pip continues to unconditionally have feelings for her. Later, Estella marries a man named Bently Drummle, only causing Pip to, yet again, confess his love to Estella. Estella tells Pip "I know what you mean as form of words, but nothing more." (Dickens, 892) This basically means that Estella can hear what Pip is telling her, but she doesn't see how he could love her. Regardless of that, and the fact that Estella is to be married, Pip still continues to fantasize about Estella. Soon, Pip starts to learn more about her, and her past, through Miss Havisham. These talks with Pip helps make Miss Havisham into a kinder and happier person. Feeling that he cannot have Estella, and that the world around him has changed, Pip decides to propose to Biddy.

History of Fiber Optics

HISTORY OF FIBER OPTICS * In 1840, Daniel Colladon and Jacques Babinet demonstrated the principle of guiding light by refraction. * It was followed by a public demonstration by John Tyndal in 1852. In 1870, Tyndal wrote about the property of total internal reflection in his book about the nature of light. * In 1880, Alexander Graham Bell and Sumner Tainter invented the Photophone, a device capable of transmitting sound waves over beam of light.This is considered as mankind’s first attempt to to use light for carrying information. * In 1930, Clarence Hansel and John Logie Baird demonstrated independently image transmission using fiber. * In 1940’s, Heinrich Lamm successfully transmitted images through a single glass fiber used for internal medical examinations. * In 1951, Harold Hopkins and Narinder Singh Kapany experimented with light transmission through bundles of fiber.Their study led to the development of the flexible fiberscope, which is used in the medical field. It was also Kapany who coined the term fiber optics in 1956. * In 1953, Charles Townes and two of his graduate students developed the MASER (Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation), and in 1960, Theodore Maiman developed the first LASER ( Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation). In 1967, Charles Kao and George Bockham of the Standard Telecommunications Laboratory proposed the cladded fiber cables. * In 1970, Robert Maurer, Donalk Keck and Kapron of Corning Glass developed the first fiber optics with losses less than 2dB/Km. * In 1980’s, losses in fiber optics were reduced to as low as 0. 16 dB/Km. This is due to the development of high-quality light sources and detectors. * In 1990’s, the photonic crystal fiber was developed that can carry high power than the conventional silica based fibers.

Fool Chapter 23

TWENTY-THREE DEEP IN THE DUNGEON â€Å"My fool,† said Lear, as the guards dragged me into the dungeon. â€Å"Bring him here, and unhand him.† The old man looked stronger, more alert, aware. Barking orders again. But with the command he commenced a coughing fit that ended with a spot of blood on his white beard. Drool held a water skin for the old man while he drank. â€Å"We've a beating to deliver, first,† said one of the guards. â€Å"Then you'll have your fool, well striped as well as checkered.† â€Å"Not if you want any of these buns and ale,† said Bubble. She'd come down another stairway and was carrying a basket covered with cloth and steaming the most delectable aroma of freshly baked bread. A flask of ale was slung over her shoulder and a bundle of clothes tucked under her free arm. â€Å"Or we'll beat the fool and take your buns as well,† said the younger of the two guards, one of Edmund's men and obviously not aware of the pecking order at the White Tower. Bugger God, St. George, and the white-bearded king if you must, but woe unto you if you crossed the cantankerous cook called Bubble, for there'd be grit and grubs baked into all you'd ever eat until the poison finally took you. â€Å"You'll not want to press that bargain, mate,† said I. â€Å"The fool's wearing the kit of one of my servers,† said Bubble, â€Å"and the boy's shivering naked in my kitchen.† Bubble threw a bundle of black clothing through the bars into the cell with Drool and Lear. â€Å"Here's the fool's motley. Now strip, you rascal, and let me get back to my business.† The guards were laughing now. â€Å"Well, go on, little one, get your kit off,† said the older guard. â€Å"We've hot buns and ale waiting.† I undressed in front of the lot of them, old Lear protesting from time to time, like anyone gave a hot bootful of piss what he had to say anymore. When I was radiant naked, the guards unlocked the door and I crept over to the bundle. Yes! My knives where there, secreted in with the rest. With a bit of sleight o' hand and a distraction from Bubble handing out buns and ale, I was able to secure them inside my jerkin when I dressed. Two other guards joined the two outside of our cell and shared the bread and ale. Bubble waddled back up the stairs, shooting me a wink as she went. â€Å"The king are melancholy, Pocket,† said Drool. â€Å"We should sing him a song and cheer him up.† â€Å"Sod the sodding king,† said I, looking directly into Lear's hawk eye. â€Å"Watch yourself, boy,† said Lear. â€Å"Or what? You'll hold my mother down while she's raped, then throw her in the river? Have my father killed later, then? Oh, wait. Those threats are no longer valid, are they, uncle? You've carried them out already.† â€Å"What are you on about, boy?† The old man looked fearsome, as if he'd forgotten he'd been treated like so much chattel and thrown in a cage full of clowns, but instead faced a fresh affront. â€Å"You. Lear. Do you remember? A stone bridge in Yorkshire, some twenty-seven years ago? You called a farm girl up from the riverbank, a pretty little thing, and held her down while you commanded your brother to rape her. Do you remember, Lear, or have you done so much evil that it all blends into a great black swath in your memory?† His eyes went wide then, I could tell he remembered. â€Å"Canus – â€Å" â€Å"Aye, your poxy brother sired me then, Lear. And when no one would believe my mother that her son was the bastard of a prince, she drowned herself in that same river where you threw her that day. All this time I have called you nuncle – who would have thought it true?† â€Å"It is not true,† he said, his voice quivering. â€Å"It is true! And you know it, you decrepit old poke[44] of bones. A warp of villainy and a woof of greed are all that hold you together, thou desiccated dragon.† The four guards had gathered at the bars and peered in as if they were the ones who were imprisoned. â€Å"Blimey,† said one of the guards. â€Å"Cheeky little tosser,† said another. â€Å"No song, then?† asked Drool. Lear shook his finger at me then, so angry was he that I could see blood moving in the veins of his forehead. â€Å"You shall not speak to me in this way. You are less than nothing. I plucked you from the gutter, and your blood will run in the gutter on my word before sundown.† â€Å"Will it, nuncle? My blood may run but it will not be on your word. On your word your brother may have died. On your word your father may have died. On your word your queens may have died. But not this princely bastard, Lear. Your word is but wind to me.† â€Å"My daughters will – â€Å" â€Å"Your daughters are upstairs, fighting over the bones of your kingdom. They are your captors, you ancient nutter.† â€Å"No, they – â€Å" â€Å"You sealed this cell when you killed their mother. They've both just told me as much.† â€Å"You've seen them?† He seemed strangely hopeful, as if I might have forgotten to bring the good news from his traitorous daughters. â€Å"Seen them? I've shagged them.† Silly, really, that it should matter, after all his dark deeds, all his slights and cruelties, that a fool should shag his daughters, but it did matter, and it was a way to unleash a little of the fury I felt toward him. â€Å"You have not,† said Lear. â€Å"You have?† asked one of the guards. I stood then, and strutted a bit for my audience, plus it was a better position for grinding my heel into Lear's soul. All I could see was the water closing over my mother's head, all I could hear was her screams as Lear held her. â€Å"I shagged them both, repeatedly, and with relish. Until they screamed, and begged and whimpered. I shagged them on the parapets overlooking the Thames, in the towers, under the table in the great hall, and once, I shagged Regan on a platter of pork in front of Muslims. I shagged Goneril in your own bed, in the chapel, and on your throne – which was her idea, by the way. I shagged them while servants watched and in case you were wondering, because they asked, and as any princess should be shagged, for the pure sweet nasty of it. And they – they did it because they hate you.† Lear had been wailing while I ranted, trying to drown me out. Now he growled, â€Å"They do not. They love me all. They have said.† â€Å"You murdered their mother, you decrepit loony! They've put you in a cell in your own dungeon. What do you need, a written decree? I tried to shag the hate out of them, nuncle, but some cures lie beyond a jester's talents.† â€Å"I wanted a son. Their mother would give me none.† â€Å"I'm sure if they had known that they wouldn't have despised you so deeply and done me so well.† â€Å"My daughters wouldn't have you. You didn't have them.† â€Å"Oh, I did, on my black heart's blood, I did. And when it first started, each of them would shout Father when she came. I wonder why. Oh yes, nuncle, I did indeed. And they wanted you to know – that's why they accused me before you. Oh yes, I bonked them both.† â€Å"No,† wailed Lear. â€Å"Me, too,† said Drool, with a great juicy grin. â€Å"Beggin' your pardon,† he quickly added. â€Å"But not today?† asked one of the guards. â€Å"Right?† â€Å"No, not today, you bloody nitwit. Today I killed them.† The French marched overland from the southeast and sailed ships up the Thames from the east. The lords of Surrey on the south showed no resistance and since Dover lay in the County of Kent, the forces of the banished earl not only offered no resistance, but joined the French in the assault on London. They'd marched and sailed across England without firing a single bolt or losing a single man. From the White Tower the guards could see the fires of the French drawing a great orange crescent in the night that illuminated the sky to the east and south. When the captain made the call to arms at the castle, one of Lear's old knights or squires, under the command of Captain Curan, put a blade to the throat of any of Edmund's or Regan's men, demanding they yield or die. The personal guard forces within the castle had all been drugged by the kitchen staff with some mysterious non-lethal poison that mimicked the symptoms of death. Captain Curan sent a message to the Duke of Albany from the French queen that if he stood down, in fact, stood with her, that he could return to Albany with his forces, his lands, and his title intact. Goneril's forces from Cornwall, and Edmund's from Gloucester, camped on the west side of the Tower, found they were flanked on the south and east by the French, and on the north by Albany. Archers and crossbowmen were dispatched to the Tower walls above the Cornwall army and a herald fought his way through the panicked forces to a commander, carrying the message that the forces of Cornwall were to lay down their weapons on the spot or death would rain down upon them such as they could not imagine. No one was willing to die for the cause of Edmund, bastard of Gloucester, or the dead Duke of Cornwall. They laid down their weapons and marched three leagues to the west as instructed. In two hours it was all over. Out of nearly thirty thousand men who took the field at the White Tower, barely a dozen were killed – all of those, Edmund's castle guards who refused to yield. The four guards lay spread about the dungeon in various awkward positions, looking quite dead. â€Å"Dodgy sodding poison,† said I. â€Å"Drool, see if you can reach the one with the keys.† The Natural stretched through the bars, but the guard was too far away. â€Å"I hope Curan knows we're down here.† Lear looked around wild-eyed again, as if his madness had returned. â€Å"What is this? Captain Curan is here? My knights?† â€Å"Of course Curan is here. From the sound of the trumpets I'd say he's taken the castle, as was the plan.† â€Å"All your theater was misdirection, then?† said the king. â€Å"You're not angry?† â€Å"Burning, you old twat, but I was growing weary with keeping the tirade up while the bloody poison took hold. You're no less a turd in the milk of human kindness than I have said.† â€Å"No,† said the old man, as if my anger actually mattered to him. He began coughing again and caught a handful of blood for his effort. Drool propped him up and wiped his face. â€Å"I am king. I will not be judged by you, fool.† â€Å"Not just a fool, nuncle. Your brother's son. Did you have Kent murder him? The only decent bloke in your service and you turned him into an assassin, eh?† â€Å"No, not Kent. It was another, not even a knight. A cutpurse who had come before the magistrate. It was he who Kent killed. I sent Kent after the assassin.† â€Å"He is vexed by it still, Lear. Did you have a cutpurse kill your father as well?† â€Å"My father was a leper and necromancer. I could not bear his misshapen form ruling Britain.† â€Å"In your place, you mean?† â€Å"Yes, in my place. Yes. But I did not send an assassin. He was in a cell at the temple at Bath. Out of the way, where no one might ever see him. But I could not take the throne until his death. I did not kill him, though. The priests there simply walled him up. Was time that killed my father.† â€Å"You walled him up? Alive?† I was shaking now, I thought I might have forgiven the old man, seeing him suffer, but now I could hear my blood in my ears. The sound of boots on stone echoed in the dungeon and I looked up to see the bastard Edmund walk into the torchlight. He kicked one of the unconscious guards and looked at them like he'd just discovered monkey come in his Weetabix.[45] â€Å"Well, that's a spot of bother, isn't it?† he said. â€Å"I suppose I'll have to kill you myself, then.† He stooped and took a crossbow from one of the guards' back, fit his foot in the stirrup, and cocked the string. INTERMISSION (Backstage with the Players) â€Å"Pocket, you rascal, you've trapped me in a comedy.† â€Å"Well, for some, it is, yes.† â€Å"When I saw the ghost I thought tragedy was assured.† â€Å"Aye, there's always a bloody ghost in a tragedy.† â€Å"But the mistaken identity, the vulgarity, the lightness of theme and paucity of ideas, surely it's a comedy. I'm not dressed for comedy, I'm all in black.† â€Å"As am I, yet here we are.† â€Å"So it is a comedy.† â€Å"A black comedy – â€Å" â€Å"I knew it.† â€Å"For me, anyway.† â€Å"Tragedy, then?† â€Å"Bloody ghost is foreshadowing, innit?† â€Å"But all the gratuitous shagging and tossing?† â€Å"Brilliant misdirection.† â€Å"You're having me on.† â€Å"Sorry, no, it's pikeman's surprise for you in the next scene.† â€Å"I'm slain then?† â€Å"To the great satisfaction of the audience.† â€Å"Oh bugger!† â€Å"But there's good news, too.† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"It remains a comedy for me.† â€Å"God, you're an annoying little git.† â€Å"Hate the play, not the player, mate. Here, let me hold the curtain for you. Do you have any plans for that silver dagger? After you're gone, I mean.† â€Å"A bloody comedy – â€Å" â€Å"Tragedies always end with tragedy, Edmund, but life goes on, doesn't it? The winter of our discontent turns inevitably to the spring of a new adventure. Again, not for you.† â€Å"I've never killed a king,† said Edmund. â€Å"Do you think I'll be famous because of it?† â€Å"You'll not garner favor with your duchesses by killing their father,† said I. â€Å"Oh, those two. Like these guards, quite dead, I'm afraid. They were sharing some wine over maps as they planned strategy for the battle and fell down foaming. Pity.† â€Å"These guards aren't dead. Merely drugged. They'll come around in a day or so.† He lowered the crossbow. â€Å"Then my ladies are only sleeping?† â€Å"Oh no, they're quite dead. I gave them each two vials. One with poison, the other with brandy. Bubble used the knockout poison on the guards, so brandy was our non-lethal substitute. If either of them had decided to show mercy for the other, at least one would be alive. But, as you said, pity.† â€Å"Oh, well played, fool. But, that said, I'll have to throw myself on Queen Cordelia's mercy, let her know that I was brought into this horrid conspiracy against my will. Perhaps I'll retain the Gloucester title and lands.† â€Å"My daughters? Dead?† said Lear. â€Å"Oh shut up, old man,† said Edmund. â€Å"They was fit,† said Drool sadly. â€Å"But when Cordelia hears of what you've really done?† I asked. â€Å"Which brings us to our apex, doesn't it? You won't be able to tell Cordelia what has transpired.† â€Å"Cordelia, my one true daughter,† wailed Lear. â€Å"Shut the fuck up,† said Edmund. He raised the crossbow, sighted through the bars at Lear, then stepped back and seemed to lose his aim, as one of my throwing daggers sprouted out of his chest with a thud. He lowered the crossbow and looked at the hilt of the knife. â€Å"But you said pikeman's surprise?† â€Å"Surprise,† said I. â€Å"Bastard!† snarled the bastard. He pulled the crossbow up to fire, this time at me, and I sent the second dagger into his right eye. The crossbow twanged and the heavy bolt rattled off the stone ceiling as Edmund spun and fell onto the pile of guards. â€Å"That were smashing,† said Drool. â€Å"You'll be rewarded, fool,† said Lear, his voice rattling with blood. He coughed. â€Å"Nothing, Lear,† said I. â€Å"Nothing.† Then there was a woman's voice in the chamber: â€Å"Ravens cry pork from the battlements, there's dead Edmund on the wind and bird beaks water at his scoundrel scent!† The ghost. She stood over Edmund's body outside our cell, rather more ethereal and less solid than she'd been when last I'd seen her. She looked up from the dead bastard and grinned. Drool whimpered and tried to hide his head behind Lear's white mane. Lear tried to wave her away, but the ghost floated to the bars in front of him. â€Å"Ah, Lear, walled up your father, did you? And?† â€Å"Go away, spirit, do not vex me.† â€Å"Walled up your daughter's mother, didn't you?† said the ghost. â€Å"She was unfaithful!† cried the old man. â€Å"No,† said the ghost. â€Å"She was not.† I sat down on the cell floor, feeling light-headed now. Killing Edmund had made me queasy, but this. â€Å"The anchoress at Dog Snogging was your queen?† I asked, my voice sounding faraway in my own ears. â€Å"She was a sorceress,† said Lear. â€Å"And she consorted with my brother. I did not kill her. I could not bear it. I had her imprisoned at the abbey in Yorkshire.† â€Å"Well you damn well killed her when you had her walled up!† I shouted. Lear cowered at my veracity. â€Å"She was unfaithful, having dalliance with one of the local boys. I could not bear the thought of her with another.† â€Å"So you ordered her walled up.† â€Å"Yes! Yes! And the boy was hanged. Yes!† â€Å"You heinous monster!† â€Å"She did not give me a son, either. I wanted a son.† â€Å"She gave you Cordelia, your favorite.† â€Å"And she was true to you,† said the ghost. â€Å"Up to the time you sent her away.† â€Å"No!† The old king tried to wave the ghost away again. â€Å"Oh yes. And you had your son, Lear. For years you had your son.† â€Å"I had no son.† â€Å"Another farm girl you took near another battlefield, this one in Iberia.† â€Å"A bastard? I have a bastard son?† I saw hope rise in Lear's cold hawk eye and I wanted to strike it out the way that Regan had taken Gloucester's. I unsheathed the last of my throwing daggers. â€Å"Yes,† said the ghost. â€Å"You had a son, these many years, and you lie in his arms now.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"The Natural is your son,† said the ghost. â€Å"Drool?† said I. â€Å"Drool?† said Lear. â€Å"Drool,† said the ghost. â€Å"Da!† said Drool. And he gave his newfound father a great, arm-rippling hug. â€Å"Oh Da!† There was a cracking of bones and the sickly sound of air escaping wet, crushed lungs. Lear's eyes bulged out of his head and his parchment-dry skin began to go blue as Drool gave him a lifetime of son's love all in a moment. When the whistling sounds stopped coming out of the old man I went to Drool and pried his arms off, then lowered Lear's head to the floor. â€Å"Let loose, lad. Let him go.† â€Å"Da?† said Drool. I closed the old man's crystal-blue eyes. â€Å"He's dead, Drool.† â€Å"Tosser!† said the ghost. She spat, a tiny gob of ghost spit that came out as a moth and fluttered away. I stood then and spun on the ghost. â€Å"Who are you? What injustice has been done that can be undone so your spirit may rest, or will at least make you go away, thou ether-limbed irritation?† â€Å"The injustice has been undone,† said the ghost. â€Å"At last.† â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"Who am I? Who am I? Your answer is in a knock, good Pocket. Knock upon your coxcomb, and ask that trifling machine of thought wherefrom comes his art. Knock upon your cod, and ask the small occupant who wakes him in the night. Knock upon your heart, and ask the spirit there who woke it to the warmth of its home fire – ask that tender ghost who is this ghost before you.† â€Å"Thalia,† said I, for I could, at last see her. I fell to my knees before her. â€Å"Aye, lad. Aye.† She put her hand on my head. â€Å"Arise, Sir Pocket of Dog Snogging.† â€Å"But, why? Why did you never say you were a queen? Why?† â€Å"He had my daughter, my sweet Cordelia.† â€Å"And you always knew of my mother?† â€Å"I heard stories, but I didn't know who your father was, not while I lived.† â€Å"Why didn't you tell me of my mother?† â€Å"You were a little boy. That's not the sort of story for a little boy.† â€Å"Not so little you wouldn't have me off through an arrow loop.† â€Å"That was later. I was going to tell you, but he had me walled up.† â€Å"Because we were caught?† The ghost nodded. â€Å"He always had a problem with the purity of others. Never his own.† â€Å"Was it horrible?† I had tried not to think of her, alone in the dark, dying of hunger and thirst. â€Å"It was lonely. I was always lonely, except for you, Pocket.† â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"You're a love, Pocket. Good-bye.† She reached through the bars and touched my cheek, like the slightest brush of silk it was. â€Å"Care for her.† â€Å"What?† She started to float toward the far wall where the body of Edmund lay. She said: â€Å"After grave offense to daughters three, Soon the king a fool shall be.† â€Å"Nooooooo,† wailed Drool. â€Å"My old da is dead.† â€Å"No he isn't,† said Thalia. â€Å"Lear wasn't your father. I was having you on.† She faded away and I started to laugh and she was gone. â€Å"Don't laugh, Pocket,† said Drool. â€Å"I are an orphan.† â€Å"And she didn't even hand us the bloody keys,† said I. Heavy footsteps fell on the stairs and Captain Curan appeared in the passage with two knights. â€Å"Pocket! We've been looking for you. The day is ours and Queen Cordelia approaches from the south. What of the king?† â€Å"Dead,† said I. â€Å"The king is dead.†

Competitors Essay

Introduction Section 1: Tesco core competencies come from its strong customer focused strategy which is made very clear on their website home page were it states, â€Å"We are a team of over 530,000 people in 12 markets dedicated to bringing the best value, choice and service to our millions of customers each week†.Hamel and Prahalad (1990) suggested that a core competency must meet the following criteria: †¢Customers should benefit †¢Competitors should find it difficult to imitate †¢Core competence can be transferred to many products and markets. In more recent years we have been able to utilize the use of the Tesco club card to reward the customer but most importantly at the same time we have been able to collect vital information which has enabled us to analyze and understand the customer so much better. A USP which Tesco have been able to gain from the use of the Club card is their ability to almost predict what each individual is going to put into their baskets and this subsequently allows them to adapt each of their from their services to their stock. This all contributes to Tesco adding value to the overall customer experience. In a large complex company like Tesco it can become important for the organization to define the company as a set of strategic business units (SBUs). The reason behind this is mainly because when businesses become large they generally are slow, awkward and unmanageable and so SBUs are put in place to prevent/reduce this. The SBU I am going to be focusing on throughout my report is Core UK, its he adquarters are in the UK and it takes care of the UK grocery operations. The grocery industry is still Tesco’s most important part of the business and is operating in a fiercely competitive market. Section 2 Tesco currently hold the largest share in the grocery market which is one of the most fiercely contested markets in the UK. The term marketing  environment is used to describe all of the elements that have some impact on the actual performance of a market, these elements can occur both in and outside of the market itself, they can be called the macro environment and the microenvironment. The marketing environment enables us to understand the different forces that have a certain influence on the marketplace and how the market will react to different forces in different ways. For Tesco the marketing environment has a huge influence on how well the business is doing annually, for example the macro environment is always changing which affects Tesco The table below shows what channels make up the UK grocery market in for 2013: ChannelShare in billions Hypermarkets and superstores £74.1 Small super markets £34.9 Convenience stores £35.6 Discounters £9.5 Online £6.5 Other retailers £9.2 The market environment is a term that is used to collectively identify all the elements that have some impact on the actual performance of a market. This includes events and factors that occur within the context of the market itself and also any elements that are based outside the market. The idea behind defining the market environment is to understand what forces are exerting some amount of influence in the marketplace and understand why and how a market reacts to those forces in certain ways. Importance of environmental analysis (Debate & Evaluate) -How can the marketing environment be defined? How can the marketing environment be defined to your company? -Can you summarise / synthesise information creatively in the form of tables / figures. -What are best practice approaches to environmental analysis? Here it may be tempting to go overboard and write very generically about environmental analysis but it is important to evaluate from the perspective of your chosen company: What is important in defining and approaching environmental analysis from the context of your company?