Pricing Strategy River Side Cafe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pricing Strategy River Side Cafe - Essay Example This gives River Side Cafe a distinct competitive advantage over its competitors as its unique Mexican style attracts and retains coffee and tea lovers at its premises. Therefore, the premium pricing strategy is the best strategy for River Side Cafe to adopt because it is also a new entrant into the market with the hope of maximizing its revenues especially in the first stages of the cafe’s product life cycle (Smith, 2011). River Side Cafe is a new player in the tea and coffee industry. As such, it has to curve out a name for itself in the beverages service industry in order to attract and retain loyal customers. However, it faces stiff competition from established industry players who already have reputable brand names and command a large share of the market. These include the likes of Tchibo, Nestle, Wal-Mart and Starbucks. These companies have a wide capital outlay to expand and promote their business thereby remaining relevant in the market over a long period. Therefore, River Side Cafe has to establish its own competitive advantages in order to enter this strongly guarded beverages market. Owing to its unique features in brewing and serving coffee and tea, the cafe also incorporates a pricing strategy in order to penetrate the market further (Jensen, 2013). Premium pricing is the best pricing strategy for the cafe to use in entering the beverages business under such competitive markets. This strat egy gives the cafe class, style and prestige as well as promoting its clients’ base through word of mouth references. Being a new kid in the block and charging high prices for their products and services attracts high-end consumers as well as establish a reputable

Chattel Slavery Essay Example for Free

Chattel Slavery Essay Indentureship was supposed to differ from slavery, however, the servants were treated as harshly as the slaves Chattel- African slaves were treated as commodities System of slavery whereby an individual and their offspring are recognised by the law as being the property of another person for life. This system was established by Europeans and formed the basis of transatlantic slavery With due respect to the Is good intentions, from all that I have read and studied it would be a mockery to compare Indian indentureship to African chattel slavery in the Caribbean. Firstly, Indians were allowed to retain: their family (Africans had theirs split up); their language (Africans had the use of theirs forbidden); their religion (Africans had theirs banned); their music (Africans had the drum representing the voice of their gods banned by laws, some of which remain on the statute book in Barbados to this day). This highlights the all-important difference between indentureship and slavery: The heart of slavery was not the horrible labour conditions. If that were so, slavery and indentureship might be comparable. The heart of slavery was the stealing of the Africans soul his language (the eyes through which one sees the world), his gods, his family, his musical sounds. That is why some 169 years after Emancipation, many Africans in the Caribbean remain enslaved. Some say enslaved mentally (in distinction to physical slavery), but this is misleading. SLAVERY IS MENTAL. Captivity is physical. Why the Africans have taken longer to restore their race as opposed to Indians, Jews and other ethnic groups that suffered at the hands of White Supremacy is because no other people were ever subjected to what the Africans suffered. If you capture a people and reduce them to harsh, brutal conditions of exploitation, once they survive, when that is brought to an end the people will soon rehabilitate themselves. But when you take away a peoples tongue, their connection to the ancestors, their gods; when you smash their family life so that the male loses respect for the female and vice versa; when you teach them to hate their skin, their lips, their hair, so that they hate anyone that looks like them then you will have destroyed the culture and soul of that people and recovery will be almost like a resurrection. That is why it has taken Rastafari, Vodun, Orisha and the other spiritual potencies to awaken and heal the descendants of the African slaves. Secondly, millions of Africans died on the dreadful crossing from Africa. How many Indians perished on their way here? The Trans-Atlantic trade in captive Africans and African chattel slavery lasted roughly from 1473 to the 1880s some four centuries. Indian indentureship lasted from the 1840s until when the end of the 19th century? Thirdly, the trade in African captives depleted the African homeland tremendously. Consequently, up to this day, in contrast to the huge populations of India and China, the African continent is badly underpopulated. In fact, it has been estimated that even if all the Black people returned tomorrow to Africa, it still would not be fully populated. Walter Rodney in   provides some Statistics to give an idea of the devastating effect that the trade in Africans had on Africa for four centuries. Whole towns and villages were wiped out. Ethnic groups disappeared. Others were driven to war on their neighbours or face the prospect of having their own group captured and shipped to the New World. The natural line and trajectory of material and spiritual development for millennia in Africas history up to the time of the Trans-Atlantic Trade in captive African was interrupted, disrupted and corrupted. While it is true that India suffered horribly as a result of the British penetration of India during the period of indentureship, history attests that neither the scale nor the time period of this penetration can match the reality of the impact of the Slave Trade and Slavery on Africans and their Motherland. But while the enslaved Africans unlike the indentured Indians had their ancestral cloak ripped from them, the White man could not take the living nucleus of their culture and its memory from them. So (as they say whoever loses his life shall gain it) they took this breath of their culture and created the living soul of Africa in the Caribbean they recreated their musical forms, they reconceived their ancient gods through new prisms (likje Judedo-Christianity, for example in Haitian Vodun and Rastafari), they revived their sense of an organic connection to the earth, they rediscovered the taste of their traditional cuisine, and so on. And that is why we find that almost all that is distinctive about indigenous Caribbean culture owes its inspiration, its image and likeness, to Africa. It is also probably why there is no enduring large-scale mass Back to India or Back to China movements coming out of the Caribbean. In a sense, Mother India and Mother China were not taken away from their indentured children in the Caribbean since they continued to wear their traditional dress, listen to their traditional music, speak their traditional language and worship ther traditional gods. When the true history of the last 5 centuries of the recently past millennium is finally placed in proper perspective, the incomparable tragedy of the African people during the era of the slave trade and slavery will come fully to light. It is without precedent in human history. I close by suggesting that the Indian people who are essentially of African origin as Rashidi has documented have a secure place in Rastafari, and as the Mansinghs have shown in their research, they have made a valuable contribution to the development of the Rastafari way of life. Indentured servants were working on contract to repay a debt, usually for transportation to America. Chattel means personal property, so chattel slaves were legally considered property, the same as a mule or a goat. An indentured servant worked for his/her master without pay until the debt was paid off. Typically, for repayment of the cost of being taken from England to America, the time of service was seven years, although it ranged from four to ten. At the end of that time, the indentured servant was free to leave and find other, gainful employment. There were cases of abuse by masters in which additional time was added by charging the servant for things like rent, food, lost or broken tools or products, etc. , because indentured servants were usually not well-educated and could be taken advantage of. The only ways a chattel slave could be released from a lifetime of unpaid service were manumission (being legally given freedom by his/her owner) or purchase, either by himself/herself rare, but possible or by a third party, such as societies of abolitionists who purchased slaves freedom for them. The best-known of these groups bought land in west Africa and founded there the nation of Liberia, for the purpose of resettling freed American slaves. Interesting sidelight: the term indentured is related to words like dentist and dental. An indentured servant had a written contract with his master. At the time the contract was signed, it was torn in two. The master kept one half and the servant kept one half. To ensure that these halves were part of the original document, the tear-lines were deliberately made irregular and jagged so that no other piece of paper would match. The jagged tearing was indented it looked like teeth

To bring forward two theories

To bring forward two theories Motivation essay The purpose of this essay is to bring forward two theories of motivation, and compare and contrast them. In this essay, I am going to discuss Maslows hierarchy of needs theory, and Adams equity theory. A motivated workforce, is what every manager strives to achieve, and hence a study of the theories of motivation is a must. I will be comparing and contrasting the two theories, and explaining how managers can use them to motivate their staff. Abraham H. Maslow, a behavioral scientist and chairman of the department of psychology at the Brandies University, published the hierarchy of needs theory in 1954. According to Maslow, a persons needs are the main motivator that drives a human. He categorized the need in the following five levels:: physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. (Cost Engineering Vol. 47/No. 3 MARCH 2005). Equity theory is a cognitive theory of motivation developed by J. Stacey Adams, which claims that employees will be motivated if they accept that they are treated fairly in the workplace. (Dictionary of Human Resource Management; 2001) It is different from Maslows hierarchy of needs theory, as equity theory is a process theory. What all process theories have in common is an emphasis on the role of an individuals cognitive process in determining his or her level of motivation. (Finchman and Rhodes). This means that process theories like equity theory, take into consideration individual differences, and that different people would react to the theory differently. This is different from content theories, such as Maslows theory of needs, where it is assumed that all individuals would be affected similarly by the theories. The basic premise of Maslows theory is built around a pyramid, or hierarchy, of needs. The needs at the bottom of the pyramid must be met, before the higher level needs can be met. (Lewis et al., 2001). Managers can apply this theory, by identifying the level on the hierarchy that each employee is on, and understanding that people will be motivated by the factors that exist at this level. The level of needs begin with physiological, followed by security needs, social needs, ego needs, and finally self-actualization need. (Weinbach, 1998). Equity theory takes into account the assumption that, people will look around and observe what effort others are putting into their work, and how are they being rewarded for it, and will then compare this ratio with their own. People can also compare this effort-reward ratio to their past experiences. The basic assumption that equity theorists make is that these social comparison processes are driven by our fundamental concern with fairness or equity. (Finchman and Rhodes). Maslows hierarchy theory revolves around the five levels in the pyramid. Each level of need has to be fulfilled, starting from physiological needs, in order to motivate an employee. The first level of needs in the hierarchy is the physiological needs. These are the basic needs of the organism such as eating, drinking, sleeping, sex, suitable temperature, and so on. If one of these needs is not fulfilled, this will immediately get the highest priority, as these are necessary for survival. All these needs have to be fulfilled constantly. ( Philippe J.S. De Brouwer). The wages paid should be enough to cover the cost of these basic necessities. The second level in the hierarchy of needs is the safety and security needs. This is the need for safety and freedom from fear. This includes safe working conditions, and job security. (Finchman and Rhodes). The next level on the hierarchy of needs is the social needs. Social needs refer to the need for satisfactory and supportive relationships with others at work. (Finchman and Rhodes). Affiliation and acceptance are important motivators at the social needs level. (Weinbach, 1998). As humans are social animals, given that the previous levels of needs have been fulfilled, an employee is likely to be motivated if there is a friendly working environment. Ego and esteem need is the fourth level in Maslows pyramid. These needs are the desire for achievement and recognition. Being publically rewarded and given status symbol are motivators on this level. The final level on Maslows hierarchy is self-actualization. This is the need to develop ones full potential. For Maslow, it was to become more and more of one is, to become everything what one is capable of. He believed that what a man can be, he must be. (Maslow, 1943:382). On this level, an employee will be motivated by opportunities to use their talents, be creative, and achieve their fullest potential (Weinbach, 1998). According to Maslow, although everyone had the potential to reach to this level, only very few people actually achieved it. According to the equity theory, people measure their effort-reward ratio, and compare it to other employees, or to their own previous ratio. When people believe that the inputs (this may include effort, skill etc.) to outcomes (pay, fringe benefits etc.), of others is similar to theirs, they experience equality. When people believe that the input-outcome ratio of others is more favorable, (that is underpayment) or that the ratio of others is less favorable than theirs, (this is overpayment) they experience inequality. Inequality can be very demotivating for an employee, and can cause anger or guilt amongst employees. (Finchman and Rhodes) So we perceive effort, reward, and ultimately fairness not in absolute but in relative terms. (Adams 1965). With salaries for example, it is the perception of getting paid more, rather than the amount itself, that motivates employees, and determines their behavior. (Shaw and Gupta 2001). The inputs that people can take into account are their education levels, intelligence, skills, seniority, and the amount of effort that they have put into the work. The outcomes in work, would include pay, but could also include fringe benefits, promotion, working conditions, and status symbols such as large office. (Finchman and Rhodes). One of the biggest differences between the two theories is that while Maslow never really tested his theory, Adams and his colleagues arrived at a conclusion after testing the equity theory. According to Finchman and Rhodes, The operational definitions of needs constructs and other variables such as prepotency were not always clear from his writing. In contrast, Adams and his colleagues had carried out an experiment, in order to find out whether equality really leads to better productivity. The result was that those who felt they were being overpaid or underpaid were less productive than the ones who perceived their ratio to be fair. Maslows hierarchy of needs theory is a content theory, and hence based on the assumption that we can attribute a similar set of needs to all individuals. However, while Maslow held the theory for majority of the population, he did acknowledge some individual differences. For instance, a political prisoner might achieve self-actualization without achieving the earlier needs. However, Maslow felt that for the majority of the population, the hierarchy worked. On the other hand, Equity theory being a process theory does take individual difference into account. Huseman et al. suggest that there are three types of people based on personality, and they will react in different ways to the equity theory. The Benevolents are people who prefer to give rather than take, and have greater tolerance towards underpayment. They are stressed by equity or overpayment. The second type of people are the equity sensitives. These are people who behave exactly in accordance with equity, and hence experience distress under conditions of inequality (underpayment or overpayment). The third type of people are the Entitleds. These are people who believe their input-reward ratio should exceed that of their referents. They express distress under conditions of equality or underpayment. (Finchman and Rhodes) Hence, the Equity theory assumes that there are three different types of people, and hence they will react differently. This can also be seen as a similarity between the two theories, as both the theories account for individual differences. There are some other similarities as well. Good working conditions can be seen as an outcome, for the ratio. Good working conditions is also required to fulfill the second level of needs in Maslows hierarchy. Similarly, status symbols such as large offices can also be used as outcomes to measure the ratio for Equity theory, while it will also be used to fulfill the Ego and Esteem needs in Maslows hierarchy. Both the theories have also faced criticism. Maslows theory has been criticized because of lack of hypothesis testing to support the theory. It has also been criticized for not being very practical, and the needs not being defined operationally. This is particularly true with self-actualization. Maslows obsession with this need lead to him describing it more philosophically, and less in practical sense. Another reason for criticism is that the order of the needs may not necessarily be the same for all people. On the other hand, the charm of equity theory has been reduced by the introduction of individual differences. Also research suggests that Equity theory is mostly effective only in the case of underpayment, and not overpayment. It is seen that the effect of overpayment lasts only for a couple of weeks before people start to rationalize their reward level. (Finchman and Rhodes) A motivated workforce is what most managers aspire to create. They can motivate their staff in various ways, and by using several different theories. I am going to discuss, how managers can motivate their staff using Maslows hierarchy of needs theory and Adams Equity theory. The levels of needs are the cornerstones of motivating employees. Managers must understand that employees will be motivated by unmet needs and that once a need is satisfied, it is no longer a motivator. For instance, if a social worker feels that she is well paid and secure in her job position, the first two levels of needs (physiological and security) will not serve as effective motivators. The manager will need to motivate based on higher level needs, such as those at the social level (Weinbach, 1998). Hence, managers need to identify the level of needs that each employee is currently on, and fulfill each need layer by layer. Starting with the physiological needs, managers need to ensure that the wages paid are sufficient to cover the basic costs. Once this is done, managers should provide workers with safe working conditions and some job security. This would help an employee fulfill the second level in the hierarchy. Next, the manager should try and encourage a friendly working environment, and encourage group working. This would help employees achieve their social needs. The manager could then give employees higher status symbols such as company cars and larger offices, and more recognition for work, by rewarding employees. This would fulfill the esteem needs of the employees. Lastly, managers could set challenging tasks for employees and give them more responsibilities, which truly stretch them. This would help workers reach self-actualization. This is how managers could use Mas lows theory to motivate staff. Managers can also use Adams Equity theory, to motivate employees. Managers should try to ensure that all workers perceive their ratio as being fair. If they feel they are being treated and rewarded fairly, they will be motivated. By the same token, perceptions of inequitable treatment will lead to demotivation. The theory is founded on the insight that perceptions and feelings of fairness are based on the principle of comparison. In other words, employees evaluate their treatment in relation to a reference group. Two kinds of comparison may be important for worker motivation. First, employees may compare their earnings with their level of effort and performance and increase their effort if they believe their rewards are excessive or reduce their effort if they regard them as niggardly. Second, employees will compare their own ratio of effort to reward with that of co-workers and act to raise or reduce effort if they believe their own treatment by management is out of line (Dictionary of Human Resource Management; 2001). Managers should try and ensure that workers try to increase their efforts, and not decrease them. Managers should take great care while setting the wages, and ensure that the reward that workers are getting, is in line with the effort that they have put in. Particular care should be taken, to ensure that workers do not feel that they are being underpaid, compared to others. This could be very demotivating and could lead to serious problems. If there are any inequity problems within the workforce, managers should try and fix them immediately, by assessing the input-reward ratio. This is how mangers could use Equity theory to motivate their staff. Both the theories of motivation are highly popular and frequently used by managers. While both of them are different in many ways, there are also some similarities between them, as was shown in the essay. The two theories are extremely important theories, used to motivate staff.

existential :: essays research papers

Existentialism is not a method but a vision, a perceptual resolution of the human world into raw essentials. Against this we have an opposing tendency: "Human kind cannot bear very much reality." I want to look at existentialism under two categories though it belongs with neither of them. It belongs properly, perhaps, in the field of religion, but it is to be met with in philosophy and psychology. Existentialism is both philosophy in a special sense and a valency. This doesn't quite coincide with theory and practice but it may be a helpful division into two parts. Wittgenstein remarked that the purpose of philosophy was to show "the fly the way out of the fly-bottle." Though not a fashionable definition this should satisfy the existentialist that we deal with problems upon whose issue much depends. Totally unfashionable would be the definition given by Marcus Aurelius: To be a philosopher is to keep unsullied and unscathed the divine spirit within him. This serves to restore a balance, in favour of the historic concerns of the search for wisdom, after the twentieth century's discovery of linguistic criticism. Those who know Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy, or the shorter Wisdom of the West, will remember his great difficulty in focusing on (French) Existentialism as a form of philosophy at all. Existentialism is not in itself any kind of goal of thought, or final destination: it is more like a station on the way, or perhaps a station waiting room. It does not seem to be a position on which one takes a stand, affording a basis for unity with others of like persuasion. It is no vehicle for agreement. On the contrary, one may be locked in opposition, as for example the Christian existentialist with the Marxist existentialist. Let us say that existentialism is a set of answers to certain philosophical problems when these are understood as the problems you must live with whether you are a philosopher or not. These are not conceptual problems but problems of living. It takes me perhaps half of my life to reach the conclusion: I am alive. Most of the rest of my life passes before I recognize: I shall die. There is also the problem of reaching a basis for a relationship to "Thou" - to the other person. Such questions do not elicit 'answers' from people. The answers lie in what the questions do to people.

Harvard Case : BMW of North America: Dream it. Build it. Drive it. Essay

Brief Description: Set in 2011, this case describes how BMW, the leading luxury car manufacturer in the U.S., successfully implemented a new marketing initiative based on its online video services and increased sales of customized vehicles. The case addresses the challenges of catering to the North American consumer, where most car buyers want or have become conditioned towards immediate gratification with their purchases. Main Learning Objectives: To underscore the importance of consumer behavior in strategic planning To illustrate the complexity of strategically managing the supply chain for a modern manufacturing company and the implications effects of ‘mass customization’ on supply (value) chain Preparation & Analysis For Wednesday’s class (10/9/13): 1. Go online, research and take down a few notes on a strategic marketing concept called â€Å"mass customization† for in-class discussion. The process of delivering wide-market goods and services that are modified to satisfy a specific customer need. Is a marketing and manufacturing technique that combines the flexibility and personalization of custom-made with the low unit cost associated with mass production Sometimes called made-to-order or built to order.  Enabling a customer to decide the exact specification of a product or service, and have that product or service supplied to them at a price close to that for an ordinary mass produced alternative. 2. Read the case study. 3. Review the following videos which directly pertain to the case Martha Stewart customizes a BMW X3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ddq6O_QAz0 Understanding Robots – Mass Customization http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJzzPXeDdX8 BMW X3 Ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpLutmBkyZ4 BMW X3 Build Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH1gtBYNPOA Individual Assignment: After spending time researching the concept of mass customization,viewing the above videos, and reading the case answerand provide your rationale for each of the following questions in an overall1-2 page brief essay format. 1. Assuming that most modern cars share very similar characteristics, what do customers really buy – a product or an experience? In your opinion, what drives car-buying decisions?  Years after years, the customer’s perceptions towards cars has been changing. People value more on their needs these days than their wants. People started looking for products/vehicles that give more value to them; they want cars for real use not for showing off. I think customers buys products with experience from which they can get value out of it. The car buying decision is not an easy task and would drive various aspects before buying. In my opinion the most important factor is gender. In most cases gender plays a vital role in buying a car. Price can be another important factor that might drive the buying decision. Fuel efficiency, affordable, reliable, effective and efficient are various factors for car buying decisions. 2. Do you think customers really need â€Å"millions of combinations† for their car? Can they be happy with available standard options? What are the upsides and downsides of mass customization from both the consumer and manufacturer’s perspective? It depends on the customer needs that if they really need â€Å"millions of combinations† for their car or not. Most of the customers are happy with the standard options but if we dig little deeper, not all the features available  in the standard versions are important or useful for a particular customer and what they want may not be in the specific model. In my opinion, that is the main reason mass customization is being used by various car companies to carter the specific needs of their customers. Mass customization is the process of delivering products that are modified to satisfy a specific customer needs. This enables a customer to decide the exact specification of a product or services. Mass customization allowed manufacturers to customize products at lower costs, reduced overheads, and produced higher margins. For customers, they get benefited of finding exactly what they wanted without paying a premium price. The downside of mass customization from manufacturer’s perspectives are the major operational challenges faced in supply chain to manage the supply, maintain lead time and maintain various parts and products within a very little timeframe. The downside of mass customization from the customer’s perspectives is they won’t be able to compare and contrast the product with the competitors and sometime the price might be high with certain customizations. With various choices and lack of expertise some customers might chose unwanted and unnecessary par ts for the product. 3. Put yourself in Josef Weirda’s shoes. What would your decision be regarding using video streaming technology for other models such as the X5 or X1? In effect, would you apply a similar â€Å"Dream It. Build It. Drive It.† program for the launch of the X4 in 2014? What is the basis for your decision? â€Å"Dream It. Build It. Drive It.† was a success for X3 models. My decision for streaming technology for other models will be yes. This is because of the success factors the X3 models received, and almost 50% of the customers enrolled in it, accessed and shared the video. I think it is a better value for customers to see how their customized vehicle has been manufactured and be more in touch with it before it actually gets delivered. Based on the success result and the stats available from X3, I will apply a similar â€Å"Dream It. Build It. Drive It.† program for the launch of the X4 and  do aggressive marketing like it was done for X3. But will not only stick with this mass customization, I will also encourage for the standard models at the dealers. Customization can be one of the features for those customers who want to customize their cars. I think with the success of the X3, the customer will try to see some kind of similar features in the new launch and also this will give more value to the vehicle. Based on the numbers and records from the case, for now the mass customization concept should be based on US market only.

SAT Subject Test Scores for the Ivy League

SAT Subject Test Scores for the Ivy League SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are your sights set on the Ivy League or other top universities? As you're well aware, these schools are the most selective in the country. Because of this, you want to carefully craft every aspect of your application so it's as strong as it can possibly be. Let's look at one important part of your application: your SAT Subject Test scores. In this article, we'll go over the Subject Test requirements and expectations of top schools, and offer some advice on how to balance these tests with everything else you've got going on in your busy life. SAT Subject Test Requirements at Top Schools Let's take a look at the eight Ivy League schools- Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, UPenn, and Yale- along with some other top schools, such as Duke, Georgetown, MIT, Stanford, and the University of Chicago. All of these schools generally recommend or require two SAT Subject Tests, with the exception of Georgetown, which asks for three. Lately, though, there's been an increase in schools, including top-ranked ones, making SAT Subject Tests completely optional. For example, although Harvard recommends Subject Tests, they are technically optional for applicants: "While we recommend that you submit two SAT Subject Tests, you may apply without them if the cost of the tests represents a financial hardship or if you prefer to have your application considered without them." Stanford similarly recommends, but does not require, SAT Subject Test scores. Even though you can opt out, both Harvard and Stanford strongly recommend taking Subject Tests and sending in your scores. If these tests present a financial barrier to you, definitely speak with admissions officers and get their advice. You can also explore your options for fee waivers. The only schools on this list that do not emphasize SAT Subject Tests are the University of Chicago and Columbia. The University of Chicago's policy on Subject Tests is as follows: "[S]ubject Tests are truly optional, and not sending us Subject Test scores will not hurt your application." Columbia used to require Subject Tests but made them optional beginning in 2016. So what are the Subject Test requirements and special instructions for other top schools? Below is a handy chart you can use to find out top schools' policies regarding SAT Subject Tests. Note: The column "ACT Replace Subject Tests?" means that this school accepts the ACT + Writing in lieu of the SAT + two Subject Tests. In other words, you can submit the ACT + Writing and not have to worry about taking any SAT Subject Tests. If this space has a dash in it, you'll need to send in the number of Subject Tests required, regardless of whether you take the SAT or ACT. School # of Subject Tests Recommended/Required ACT Replace Subject Tests? Notes From School Brown 2 recommended - "If you are applying to the Program in Liberal Medical Education, we strongly recommend one subject test in either Biology, Chemistry or Physics." Columbia None - "SAT Subject Test and other proficiency exam scores are not required by Columbia, but we will accept your results if you choose to submit them ... You will not be at a disadvantage should you choose not to take these optional tests or submit the scores to Columbia." Cornell Varies by program - Applicants must submit either 0 or 2 Subject Tests, depending on the college. Dartmouth 2 recommended - "We recommend that you submit 2 SAT Subject Test scores to help us better understand your academic strengths...We encourage you take tests in the two subjects you like the most." Duke 2 recommended Yes "Applicants to the Pratt School of Engineering who take the SAT are strongly recommended to take one SAT Subject Test in Mathematics (level 1 or level 2). Applicants to the Trinity College of Arts Sciences who take the SAT may take any two SAT Subject Tests." Georgetown 3 recommended - "In addition, it is strongly recommended that candidates submit results of three SAT Subject Tests. Those tests may be any three of the applicant’s choosing, although it is recommended that applicants to the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics submit a modern language score." Harvard 2 recommended - "While we recommend that you submit two SAT Subject Tests, you may apply without them if the cost of the tests represents a financial hardship or if you prefer to have your application considered without them. ... International students generally benefit from submitting Subject Tests and should take them if possible." MIT 2 required - All applicants must take one Subject Test in math (level 1 or 2) and one in science (biology e/m, chemistry, or physics). Princeton 2 recommended - Engineering candidates are advised to take a math (level 1 or 2) Subject Test and the chemistry or physics test. Stanford 2 recommended - "SAT Subject Tests are optional. Because SAT Subject Test scores can highlight your areas of strength, we welcome the self-reporting of these results in your application." University of Chicago None - "Subject Tests are truly optional, and not sending us Subject Test scores will not hurt your application." University of Pennsylvania 2 recommended - Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences: Any two Subject Tests Nursing: Science, preferably Chemistry STEM: Math Level 2 and a science test (preferably Physics for Engineering Applicants) Business: Math Level 2 Yale Recommended (no # specified) - "SAT Subject Tests are recommended but not required. Applicants who do not take SAT Subject Tests will not be disadvantaged in the application process. We will consider your application on the basis of the other testing, and all the other information, that we receive with your application." Until recently, most of these schools required three Subject Tests. Now, Georgetown is the last one with this rather high-stakes expectation. If you're taking the ACT instead of the SAT, you might not have to send Subject Test scores at all. This is the case at Duke, where you can submit your ACT with Writing score instead of your SAT and SAT Subject Test scores. But if you do have to send two or three Subject Test scores, which tests should you take? Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Which SAT Subject Tests Should You Take? Most Ivy League schools don't have definitive requirements for which Subject Tests you should take; they simply recommend or require two, and allow you to choose which ones to take. However, some schools prefer to see a range of knowledge, in which case it's best to take Subject Tests that cover a variety of topics. For example, you could pair a humanities or social studies test (such as literature or history) with a math or science test (such as physics or chemistry). Many top-ranked schools are looking for well-rounded students who excel in a variety of subject areas. At the same time, the choice is largely up to you. The Subject Tests are a chance to demonstrate your subject mastery and express your interests and academic skills in a particular subject area. Therefore if you've indicated a major, then it's a smart idea to take (and score highly on) the corresponding Subject Test. Just as with the rest of your application, your choice of Subject Test can communicate something about your interests and future goals. It might also be an opportunity to strengthen an area in which you wish your course grade or AP exam score were higher. The language tests can be a valuable indicator of your language skills, which admissions officers appreciate in our increasingly globalized world. If you can present a strong language score, then you can showcase your multilingualism and maybe even advance to higher levels of language courses once you arrive at the school. However, some schools warn against taking an SAT Subject Test in your first language if it's not English. A score in another subject area would be more helpful as it more accurately indicates your academic potential. If you're applying to schools with an engineering or technical focus such as MIT and Caltech, you'll likely need to submit a combination of math and science Subject Tests. MIT says students must take one math test (level I or II) and one science test (biology, chemistry, or physics). Caltech also wants one math and one science test but will only accept Math Level II. For more considerations when choosing the best Subject Tests for you, check out our guide. Once you've decided on your SAT Subject Tests, though, what scores should you aim for? Want to get better grades and test scores? We can help. PrepScholar Tutors is the world's best tutoring service. We combine world-class expert tutors with our proprietary teaching techniques. Our students have gotten A's on thousands of classes, perfect 5's on AP tests, and ludicrously high SAT Subject Test scores. Whether you need help with science, math, English, social science, or more, we've got you covered. Get better grades today with PrepScholar Tutors. What's a Good SAT Subject Test Score for the Ivy League? Selective schools don't usually publicize cutoffs for test scores; instead, they insist that they take a holistic approach to applications and consider all parts within the context of the greater whole. However, as you know, there are many more qualified candidates than there are spaces at these schools. With this in mind, you want your application to be exceptional and stand out as especially strong and unique- which is why getting a high SAT Subject Test score is so important. But just how high should you be aiming? This mainly depends on the school you're applying to. For example, MIT has said that its admitted students score between 720 and 800 on science Subject Tests, whereas admitted applicants to Princeton generally score 710-790 on Subject Tests. Selective institutions expect to see scores in the 700s, usually in the upper half of the 700s. For a further breakdown of how scores translate to percentiles, read our article about good Subject Test scores. With this data, you can aim to be in 80th or 90th percentile of test takers in the tests you've chosen. If you're planning to major in math or science or are applying to schools like MIT, an 800 on your math and science Subject Tests would be really helpful, even expected, for your application. As you prep for the Subject Tests and the SAT or ACT, which one should take priority? We answer this question next. How Important Are Subject Tests Compared to the SAT/ACT? Here's the short answer: SAT Subject Tests are not nearly as important as the SAT/ACT is. From my understanding, the SAT/ACT accounts for as much as 30% of your application, while the Subject Tests only account for about 2% to 5%. Therefore the SAT/ACT should be your top priority when it comes to college admission tests. Luckily, the SAT Subject Tests should align with the work and studying you're already doing in your classes. It's usually better to take a Subject Test near the end of the school year since you'll have been studying that subject all year. It also helps if the Subject Test aligns with your studying for finals and/or AP exams. Although SAT Subject Tests aren't a super important part of your application, you still need to take them seriously if you want to gain admission to the Ivy League. To get into these highly selective institutions, every component of your application must be outstanding. Plus, since you have some choice in the matter, you're expected to choose the subjects in which you can demonstrate subject mastery. A low score would seem like an outlier and might raise doubts about your academic abilities and potential in that subject. While schools are becoming more and more flexible in their standardized testing policies, Subject Test scores can give a big boost to your application if you choose the right test(s) and excel in the relevant subjects in school. Do this, and these tests shouldn't require too much additional prep in order to achieve strong-enough scores for Ivy League schools. In closing, let's discuss a few strategies you can use to balance your SAT Subject Tests schedule during the college application process. How to Juggle SAT Subject Tests and College Applications If you're gearing up to apply to Ivy League schools, you likely lead an active and busy life. Whether it's homework, clubs, sports, or all the prep work for applying to college, you have a lot of activities to juggle. And adding Subject Tests on top of everything can make you feel like you're going to drop something. As long as you approach these tests with a thoughtful plan, you should be able to maintain balance and achieve your goals. Being able to independently manage your time, while still leaving time for breaks and fun, is an important skill you'll need in college. By designing a schedule for yourself in high school, you'll be able to further develop these useful life skills. First, read our article on when to take the SAT Subject Tests. You can get all three done in one day, but you don't have to do them all at once or wait until junior year to take them. A 9th grade biology class, for example, could adequately prepare you for the Biology Subject Test. Or you might feel ready to take the Math Level I test right after sophomore year. Even if you do decide to wait until junior year to take them, it's a good idea to align them with your finals and AP exams so that your studying can kill two birds with one stone. By planning when you will take and study for the Subject Tests (alongside your prep plan for the SAT), you can allocate time in advance to give you a more balanced schedule. You might be thinking, "Making the schedule is the easy part. The hard part is sticking to it." This is true- one day you might be motivated by your dream of an acceptance letter in a giant envelope arriving at your door, while the next day that letter might seem like an image from a future life, far removed from your present one. There are no easy shortcuts here- staying on task requires motivation. But even more importantly it requires discipline. It requires the ability to push through your resistance and all the things you might rather be doing at that moment, and commit yourself to studying. Remember that you have clearly outlined your goals and want to do everything you can to achieve them. The College Board has a useful breakdown of the Subject Tests and sample questions here. Check out our other resources for helpful study strategies, such as identifying your weaknesses and dividing each section into small, manageable goals. What's Next? What are the average scores for all SAT Subject Tests? Take a look at this data here, and learn why it's important to know this as you choose your Subject Tests. Are you aiming for perfection on the SAT? Read our expert guide on the key strategies and tips you need to score a perfect 1600. If you're taking the ACT, this article by a full scorer explains how you can achieve the elusive 36. Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below:

How Insects Provide Evidence That a Murder Victim Was Moved

How Insects Provide Evidence That a Murder Victim Was Moved In some suspicious death investigations, arthropod evidence may prove that the body was moved at some point after death. Crime scene insects can tell whether the body decomposed at the location where it was found, and even reveal gaps in the crime time line. When Insects at the Crime Scene Dont Belong There The entomologist first identifies all the collected arthropod evidence, cataloging the species present on or near the body. Not every insect belongs in every habitat. Some live in quite specific niches – on limited vegetation types, at certain elevations, or in particular climates. What if the body yields an insect that is not known to live in the area where it was found? Wouldnt that suggest the body had been moved? In his book A Fly for the Prosecution, forensic entomologist M. Lee Goff tells of one such case. He collected evidence from a womans body found in an Oahu sugar cane field. He noted that some of the maggots present were a species of fly found in urban areas, not in agricultural fields. He hypothesized that the body had remained in an urban location long enough for the flies to find it, and that it was later moved to the field. Sure enough, when the murder was solved, his theory proved correct. The killers kept the victims body in an apartment for several days while trying to decide what to do with it. When Insects at the Crime Scene Dont Fit the Timeline Sometimes insect evidence reveals a gap in the time line, and leads investigators to the conclusion that the body was moved. The primary focus of forensic entomology is the establishment of the postmortem interval, using insect life cycles. A good forensic entomologist will give detectives an estimate, to the day or even the hour, of when the body was first colonized by insects. Investigators compare this estimate with witness accounts of when the victim was last seen alive. Where was the victim between when he was last seen and when insects first invaded his corpse? Was he alive, or was the body hidden somewhere? Again, Dr. Goffs book provides a good example of a case where insect evidence established such a time gap. A body found on April 18th yielded only first instar maggots, some still emerging from their eggs. Based on his knowledge of this insects life cycle in the environmental conditions present at the crime scene, Dr. Goff concluded that the body had only been exposed to insects since the previous day, the 17th. According to witnesses, the victim was last seen alive two days prior, on the 15th. It seemed that the body must have been somewhere else, protected from exposure to any insects, in the interim. In the end, the murderer was caught and revealed he had killed the victim on the 15th, but kept the body in the trunk of a car until dumping it on the 17th. How Insects in the Soil Help Solve a Murder A dead body lying on the ground will release all its fluids into the soil below. As a result of this seepage, the soil chemistry changes substantially. Native soil organisms leave the area as the pH rises. A whole new community of arthropods inhabit this gruesome niche. A forensic entomologist will sample the soil below and near where the body was lying. The organisms found in the soil samples can determine whether the body decomposed at the location where it was found, or prior to being dumped there.

Learn the French Verb Conjugations for Annoncer

Learn the French Verb Conjugations for Annoncer The French verb annoncer  should look very familiar because it means to announce. When conjugating it for use in the present, past, or future tenses, there is a slight spelling change that you need to know about. A quick French lesson will show you how to handle that with ease. Conjugating the French Verb  Annoncer Annoncer  is a  spelling change verb. In this case, it is a minor change in the letter C as is common in many verbs that end in -cer. As you study the conjugations, you will notice that some forms  use the cedilla à §Ã‚  rather than the normal c. This is to ensure that you pronounce it as a soft C sound even when it appears before the vowels A and O. Beyond that minor change, the verb conjugations for  annoncer  follow the standard -er  patterns. This chart demonstrates how the verb endings change depending on the subject pronoun and the tense used. For instance, I announce is jannonce and we will announce is nous annoncerons. Subject Present Future Imperfect j annonce annoncerai annonais tu annonces annonceras annonais il annonce annoncera annonait nous annonons annoncerons annoncions vous annoncez annoncerez annonciez ils annoncent annonceront annonaient What is the Present Participle of  Annoncer? The  present participle  of annoncer  is  annonà §ant. The simple ending change from an -er  to an  -ant  is the difference. Again, though, notice that the cedilla appears with the vowel change. This tells you the ending is pronounced [sant] rather than [cant]. What is the Past Participle of  Annoncer? The past participle of  annoncer  is  annoncà ©. This is used to form the common past tense of the verb, which is known as the  passà © composà ©. You will also need to conjugate the  auxiliary verb  avoir  in order to complete this conjugation. For example, I announced is jai annoncà ©. The past participle does not change with the subject, so we announced is simply nous avons annoncà ©. More Conjugations of  Annoncer You may find the need to use a few other simple conjugations of  annoncer  at times. The subjunctive and conditional are more common and imply a level of uncertainty to the action of announcing. The passà © simple and imperfect subjunctive are primarily reserved for formal writing. While you might not need to memorize all of these forms at first, it is important to be aware of them. Most French students should concentrate on the present, future, and passà © composà © forms of  annoncer. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive j annonce annoncerais annonai annonasse tu annonces annoncerais annonas annonasses il annonce annoncerait annona annont nous annoncions annoncerions annonmes annonassions vous annonciez annonceriez annontes annonassiez ils annoncent annonceraient annoncrent annonassent The imperative form of  annoncer  may be useful if youre using it as an assertive and short command or request. When doing so, theres no need to include the subject pronoun: use annonce rather than tu annonce. Imperative (tu) annonce (nous) annonons (vous) annoncez

Why the citizens of Turkey are against the government Speech or Presentation

Why the citizens of Turkey are against the government - Speech or Presentation Example However, when I saw what was happening to the protestors at the unrestrained hands of the police was shocking and tells me that we are not as free as we would like to think. It is hard to believe that it all started over a bunch of trees. Specifically the trees at the Taksim Square in the historic Gezi Park located in central Istanbul was all that was on the minds of the protestors as they made their way to the park on May 28, 2013 ( Franklin 1). It verifies for me that saying one is a democracy does not necessarily mean that you are living in one. I was going to join them. I am young, healthy, concerned citizen who believes that the trees in this historic environment are worth saving; we do not need another shopping center (Ozdil* 1). I was on my way to the park, when I heard something most people would not expect to hear. The police were firing tear gas and employing fire hoses to forcibly remove the protestors (Tibet). They just washed them away like they were nothing. We as peopl e were nothing in the eyes of law enforcement. They were just an inconvenience. This is not how you gain the trust and confidence of those who hope to lead. When law enforcement physically attacks peaceful protestors you know that hopes of a true democracy are still very far away. The next day more protestors came, until they reached, nearly, 1000 people strong.

Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Research Proposal - Essay Example ation to the final stages of higher education, is an overwhelming concern, the articulation of a philosophy of education which addresses the defined imperatives is a valuable undertaking. It shall function as the primary concern and objective of the proposed dissertation. The vale of the proposed topic derives from the very nature of global demands upon the educational system. Given the ever-increasing crime rate and the growing proliferation of professional practitioners’ violations of their espoused code of ethics, it is imperative to address the problem at its roots (Sarfatti-Larson, 1976; Hunter, 2003; Masschelein, 2003; Carr and Stuetel, 1999; Winch, 2004). These roots, as Carr and Stuetel (1999) contend, exist at the primary education level. Hence, resolving the problem of amorality inextricably linked to the implementation of a moral philosophy of education (Sarfatti-Larson, 1976; Hunter, 2003; Masschelein, 2003; Carr and Stuetel, 1999; Winch, 2004). As such, it is possible to express the importance of the topic as deriving from the problems of escalating crime rates and increased amorality across professions, practices and activities and the role that the educational system should play in its resolution, not to mention the responsibili ty that it has to do so. The theoretical dimensions of the problem shall be discussed against the background of variant philosophies of education in an effort to assess which may be best suited for the design of a school curriculum which would contribute to the resolution of the mentioned problem. While the proposed study shall draw on various examples of countries/educational districts which have implemented a moral philosophy of education, the research shall limit itself to the study of the situation within the United Kingdom and shall concentrate on the primary level of education. 2. To clarify the extent to which the educational system, historically and theoretically, has a responsibility towards the

Implication of National Innovation System Essay

Implication of National Innovation System - Essay Example l the levels among the individuals and organizations and the governments usually have a major influence on the innovations via the finances that they avail and the developments of institutions of further learning that will impart the knowledge on the people. The governments then require an outline that covers the concepts and an experimental basis that will gauge if and how their contribution of the public policy to the total innovation of the nation could be made better than it is (Hertog,  P., Remà ¸e,  S., & Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2001, p. 4). China has made advancements in a lot of things and competes with the US in a number of sectors and also in the military innovations in that they have developed new ways in which their military personnel will get ready and fight in a war so that they win it in a way that is modern. They have also made strides in the development of hardware and software technology for their organizations and also for the individual consumer in a world of innovation that can either be slow or fast and these innovations can happen at the same time or in a specified sequence (Cheung, 2013, p.188). China’s government made a histrionic move in its foreign and economic policy in 1978 and this changed the way that people looked at it from the business point of view making it become a profitable destination for multinational establishments that are from other countries outside China and the international business researchers (Kau & Marsh, 1993, p. 124). The Chinese government employed the use of the foreign direct investment in the 90’s with the intention of stimulating the rate of economic development and the achievement in the attracting the foreign business to start there is in contrast to the their own state owned enterprises that are in debt (Chen,  2011, p. 145). Even though all this that is going on is good for the investors, the unique characteristics of these environment and the implications that will

Social intervention to children with autism Essay

Social intervention to children with autism - Essay Example The teaching process requires interventions that address the repetitive behaviours, skill development, and play activities that promote communication and social interactions. Several authors have discussed different intervention models that are discussed in the sections below. Rita Jordan-Behavioural and Communication Intervention TEACCH Programme The programme is community-based and targets children and adults with autism and communication disabilities. TEACCH aims at developing communication skills among autistic children and help them work and play independently of adults (Jordan, Jones & Murray, 1998). The development of communication skills is based on their understanding capability and their ability to express themselves. The programme teaches several ways of communication, such as the use of photographs and pictures, symbols and words, and objects of reference. The programmes assist children with autism in their childhood and provide them with support in their adulthood. The t rainers focus on the strengths and interests displayed by the students and also address the emerging skills. Part of the training involves interacting and engaging in learning activities with normally developing children (Jordan, Jones & Murray, 1998). This interaction and reverse integration helps autistic children adjust to mainstream classes for normally developing children. ... Students begin by learning functional skills and good work habits that enable them to function with little intervention provided they are within the TEACCH structure (Jordan, Jones & Murray, 1998). This is the most widely used approach for teaching autistic children. Visual information, predictability and structure help the children understand what they are supposed to do, where and when it should be done, and the order of doing the activity. Parents are also involved in the programme, and their work is to promote a feeling of competence and well-being among the children. They work as co-therapists and participate in home activities when TEACCH instructors make home visits (Jordan, Jones & Murray, 1998). Parents also provide home training for goals such as independent play, increasing communication, and toilet training. They are provided with parent support information that helps them learn strategies of effective training. The TEACCH programme has advantages such as supporting autis tic adults in the employment sector. There are employment support models that include individual placements, a dispersed enclave and a mobile crew model (Jordan, Jones & Murray, 1998). Therapists provide long-term support services to individuals and employers. Students in the TEACCH programmes attend mainstream or special schools or remain at home with their parents, and therapists make home visits and provide advice to the teaching staff. The visual learning activities help the student and adults perform most activities with little support from parents or trainers. This has helped adults receiving support participate in community activities with minimum assistance from supervisors. The main disadvantage of the programme is the lack of

Product Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Product Marketing - Assignment Example This is happening as additional customers demand for more products deemed to be environment-friendly, not only due to sustainable production methods but also due to the ease of disposal and consequent environmental conservation (Gordon, n. p.). Product Description â€Å"Green Diapers† provide users with a wide array of disposal options, that is, tossing, composting or flushing. Additionally, the fact that these diapers are biodegradable implies that, microorganisms which occur naturally, and those that are responsible for decomposition of materials, can easily breakdown or weather the diapers. Further, the nutrients can be recycled into the environment, without leaving behind any injurious residues. The disposable inserts incorporated into â€Å"Green Diapers† usually decompose in approximately 50 to 150 days when composted at home. These diapers, unlike the conventional ones can also be flushed down the toilet without clogging the system. This implies that less garbage will be transported to landfills, hence preventing environmental pollution. â€Å"Green Diapers† have undergone numerous tests by autonomous laboratories, thus, proving beyond reasonable doubt that they are really biodegradable (Weinberg and Parrs, n. p.).   Market Conditions Based on a market survey conducted by BusinessGreen (n. p.) consumers’ demand for different green products rose from 15 percent in the year 2008 to 70 percent in the year 2009. This trend has continued to grow since then, and by the end of the 2012 fiscal year, demand for green products has reached a high of 83 percent. These consumers posit that they would opt to buy a product deemed to be green, rather than purchase a relatively priced, ordinary product. This trend, therefore, provides a lucrative opportunity for the company, as it ventures into the sale of biodegradable diapers. The prospect appears to be even more profitable, since approximately two-thirds of customers that buy green commod ities have upheld this purchasing habit throughout the tough economic times. This serves as a clear indicator that the market for green products is relatively stable, thus providing the company with a competing platform at par with that of ordinary disposable diapers. The statistics also prove that the shift towards green products is not a trend anymore, but a sustainable societal lifestyle. The company can also borrow traits from businesses currently selling green products and pursuing green marketing strategies, since most of these ventures continue to reap benefits like: Increased revenue: with continued growth of the green market there is an increment of opportunities to lure new customers. Further, there is broadening of the customer base through product modification, product innovation and promotion, eventually increasing revenues. Reduced costs: manufacturing of green products involves utilization of fewer and locally available resources to develop products and market them to consumers. This greatly cuts down costs incurred in the production process. Enhanced reputation of brand hence high market value: companies’ attempt to protect the environment through manufacturing and selling green products develops a positive impression among many customers. This, in turn, promotes the brand name and its popularity among consumers. Risk mitigation: numerous studies have shown that green companies can stay ahead of their competitors, as administrations make an effort to enact more rigorous environment regulations to mitigate

Transnational Criminal Organizations Research Paper

Transnational Criminal Organizations - Research Paper Example â€Å"Organized crime is both a social system and a social world; the system is composed of relationships binding professionals, criminals, politicians, law enforcers, and various entrepreneurs†1. Evidently, globalization has intensified transnational criminal activities, and the strong existence of these groups has become a new social system which allows reciprocal services to be carried out by professional criminals. Although global financial system has undergone tremendous deregulations, the growth of transnational criminal groups still remains steady. Admittedly, globalization has numerous benefits with regard to international trade and associated activities; but at the same time, the same advantages are accessible to transnational criminals including traffickers and smugglers also. The more alarming threat to the modern world is the apparent linkage between terrorists and transnational criminal groups.    Unrestricted cross-border transaction is one of the major reasons of the increasing rate of transnational crime. Wide use of modern telecommunication technology also has benefited the transnational criminal groups. Today terrorism and transnational crime are the two central threats to our national and international threat; and the both use the similar means to exploit the modern technology, both use the same operators and same systems to move their fund, and both jointly run a good network. Organized crime is so powerful to influence the industrial sectors of many of the developed countries2. For instance, the legal industries rely on the precursor chemicals in large quantities for the cocaine and heroin processing, and attempting to restrict these chemicals can hinder legal trade and have been resisted by the chemical manufactures in the US and Europe3. Organized criminal groups make their income through trafficking weapons and dreadful explosives, drugs. They involve in smuggling, sex rackets, money

Social intervention to children with autism Essay

Social intervention to children with autism - Essay Example The teaching process requires interventions that address the repetitive behaviours, skill development, and play activities that promote communication and social interactions. Several authors have discussed different intervention models that are discussed in the sections below. Rita Jordan-Behavioural and Communication Intervention TEACCH Programme The programme is community-based and targets children and adults with autism and communication disabilities. TEACCH aims at developing communication skills among autistic children and help them work and play independently of adults (Jordan, Jones & Murray, 1998). The development of communication skills is based on their understanding capability and their ability to express themselves. The programme teaches several ways of communication, such as the use of photographs and pictures, symbols and words, and objects of reference. The programmes assist children with autism in their childhood and provide them with support in their adulthood. The t rainers focus on the strengths and interests displayed by the students and also address the emerging skills. Part of the training involves interacting and engaging in learning activities with normally developing children (Jordan, Jones & Murray, 1998). This interaction and reverse integration helps autistic children adjust to mainstream classes for normally developing children. ... Students begin by learning functional skills and good work habits that enable them to function with little intervention provided they are within the TEACCH structure (Jordan, Jones & Murray, 1998). This is the most widely used approach for teaching autistic children. Visual information, predictability and structure help the children understand what they are supposed to do, where and when it should be done, and the order of doing the activity. Parents are also involved in the programme, and their work is to promote a feeling of competence and well-being among the children. They work as co-therapists and participate in home activities when TEACCH instructors make home visits (Jordan, Jones & Murray, 1998). Parents also provide home training for goals such as independent play, increasing communication, and toilet training. They are provided with parent support information that helps them learn strategies of effective training. The TEACCH programme has advantages such as supporting autis tic adults in the employment sector. There are employment support models that include individual placements, a dispersed enclave and a mobile crew model (Jordan, Jones & Murray, 1998). Therapists provide long-term support services to individuals and employers. Students in the TEACCH programmes attend mainstream or special schools or remain at home with their parents, and therapists make home visits and provide advice to the teaching staff. The visual learning activities help the student and adults perform most activities with little support from parents or trainers. This has helped adults receiving support participate in community activities with minimum assistance from supervisors. The main disadvantage of the programme is the lack of

Transnational Criminal Organizations Research Paper

Transnational Criminal Organizations - Research Paper Example â€Å"Organized crime is both a social system and a social world; the system is composed of relationships binding professionals, criminals, politicians, law enforcers, and various entrepreneurs†1. Evidently, globalization has intensified transnational criminal activities, and the strong existence of these groups has become a new social system which allows reciprocal services to be carried out by professional criminals. Although global financial system has undergone tremendous deregulations, the growth of transnational criminal groups still remains steady. Admittedly, globalization has numerous benefits with regard to international trade and associated activities; but at the same time, the same advantages are accessible to transnational criminals including traffickers and smugglers also. The more alarming threat to the modern world is the apparent linkage between terrorists and transnational criminal groups.    Unrestricted cross-border transaction is one of the major reasons of the increasing rate of transnational crime. Wide use of modern telecommunication technology also has benefited the transnational criminal groups. Today terrorism and transnational crime are the two central threats to our national and international threat; and the both use the similar means to exploit the modern technology, both use the same operators and same systems to move their fund, and both jointly run a good network. Organized crime is so powerful to influence the industrial sectors of many of the developed countries2. For instance, the legal industries rely on the precursor chemicals in large quantities for the cocaine and heroin processing, and attempting to restrict these chemicals can hinder legal trade and have been resisted by the chemical manufactures in the US and Europe3. Organized criminal groups make their income through trafficking weapons and dreadful explosives, drugs. They involve in smuggling, sex rackets, money

Montage and New Wave Film Essay Example for Free

Montage and New Wave Film Essay The differences between soviet montage and French new wave cinema are interesting and many. Both genres of film seek to create contrast between adjacent shots via discontinuity editing, but subtle differences in their editing styles allow this contrast to produce very different results. In French new wave editing is used to both draw the audience in, and push them away, it draws the audiences attention and inspires distaste. Soviet montage on the other hand uses editing not as a method of controlling the audiences focus, but as a way to create ideas. An analysis of the editing in the Godards â€Å"Breathless† and Eisensteins â€Å"Battleship Potemkin† will highlight these different effects. In â€Å"Breathless†, the first use of editing to keep the audiences attention is in the scene where Micheal shoots the cop. In this scene Goddard makes use of editing to twist and distort time. The audience hears the cop tell Micheal â€Å"Stop, or ill kill you† in a calm voice at nearly the same time that Micheal cocks the gun. Immediately thereafter we jump cut to Micheal firing the gun and jump cut again to the police office falling to the ground as he is shot. From a narrative point of view it is understood that these events do not take place so close to each other. The events happen in much too quick a succession to mimic reality. The jump cuts elapse time in an odd uncomfortable manner. It can be argued that this is jarring, and distasteful, but it is exactly this jarring and distaste that makes this scene so fascinating. Rushing through the event which is clearly the inciting action of the film (flying in the face of CHC) yields a certain fascination with this scene that typical CHC could not hope to match. An effect similar to the one described above is present in the scene where Micheal and Patricia track down Micheals money in the taxi. This exemplifies the use of new wave editing to focus the audiences attention on the visual. In this scene, the visual difference between shots is minimal. If one were to imagine it without the jump cuts it would be long and monolithic but the prolific use of jump cuts counters this would-be-dullness. Once again the jump cuts elapse time and quickens the pace of the scene artificially. The audience hears Micheal barking orders at the drive in succession that is faster that he speaks in the story, and they understand that this artificial fast precisely because of the jump cuts and he obviousness in which they are presented. In this way Goddard is able to present a potentially long and dull car ride in the story much faster in the plot. Unlike the previously discussed scene, this scene does not quicken the pace past the point of comfort, it is intentionally fast paced and helps to excite the audience. First lets take the Odessa Steps scene from â€Å"Battleship Potemkin†. This scene feels almost as if it is a CHC film. Shots are spliced together smoothly and invisibly. The audience is never jarred by

Strategic Planning And Analysis Of Primark Marketing Essay

Strategic Planning And Analysis Of Primark Marketing Essay Strategic Planning is a complete process about making strategies, or direction, and allocation of recourses to achieve targets. There are numbers of business analysis techniques which can be used in strategic planning and these are SWOT Analysis PEST Analysis STEER Analysis EPISTEL Analysis Strategic planning simply describes the main objectives and future targets of the organization and the efficient and effective process to achieve those targets. Strategic planning covers three main areas which are as follows Present Position Future Prospects and targets Means to achieve those targets PRIMARK Primark is a one of the leading clothing chain of UK. It was founded in June 1969 in Mary Street Dublin under the trading name of PENNEYS. The store added four more brances in local area within its first year of operation. The first store which was opened outside Dublin was opened in Cork in 1971. In that year there were 12 more stores opened 11 in irland and 1 in Northeren Irland. Move Into Great Britain In 1973, four out-of-town stores opened and like this Primark began its trading operations in Great Britain. In 1984, the first multiple acquisition took place when five Woolworth stores were purchased in Ireland. Further in 1984 to 1994 in ten year period Primark opened 25 stores together in UK and Ireland. In 1992 one of BHS stores was purchased and added in the chain. The year 1995 was the year in which primark made most of its expension when the acquisition of the BHS One-Up-Discount chain took place. With this major expension 16 sotres wew added in UK region and most of them in Greater London with a significant sizes. Another major aquisation was in 1999 when 11 Co-Op stores were added. In 2000, another 11 stores acquired from C A. In October 2001 massive store was opened in Manchester. Primark continued its expension in the following year. As a result, number of reached to 109 in the end of 2001 consisting 75 in Uk and 34 in Ireland. In 2005 six stores were acquired from Allders. In April 2007 two more stores were opened, one in London and the other one was in Livelpool. Entrance to Europe Primark entered in Europe by opening a store in Spain in May 2006 and later in the same year in Semtember a second store was opened in Murica. In 2007 two stores were opened in Spain and in Xanadu. In 2008 three more sotres were opened in Bilbao, Islazul and in Oviedo. In the same year more braches were open in Parque, Zaragoza, Asturias and Coruna. Primark entered in Netherlands market in 2008 by opening its first store in Rotterdam. In 2009 more stores were added in eorupe business by opening the branches in Portugal, Germany and Belgium. Currently, In total 196 stores are in business under the name of PRIMARK. The counts is as follows   Region Number of Branches UK   138 Ireland 38   Spain 14 Portugal 2 The Netherlands   1 Belgium 1 Germany 2 Total 196 STRATEGIC PLANNING HISTORY OF PRIMARK Primark is second largest clothing retailer and runs 13 department including Children wear, women wear, men wear, foot wear, assocries and house holds. New and fashion able clothing with cheap prices are very challenging task among the high intensity of competition among the competitors. Primark has a firmly defined target consumers which are under 35 age group. There are two main methods to earn profits more than normal rates, by establishing a product leader ship or can be through cost leader ship. Primark established a cost leadership because in cost leader ship the firm supplies same product at lower price rather then to provide strong differentiation as like in product leader shipe where coustomers are ready to pay high prices. Primark established a strong strategy of cost leader ship. This strategy is pursued by companies selling affordable products across all sectors. In united states, Southewest Airline has same strategy with success in aviation sector. To maintain this strategy Primark always focuses on buying, logistics and supply chain management. To get world wide fashion trends and discovering of cheap supplies a separate team has been set in UK that travels all over the world. The company sources the manufacturing of its clothes to developing countries like India which have cheap labor. With this strategy PRIMARK saves huge cost. Primark also keep a strong warehousing and distribution network because of its strategy to reduce the time-to-market to as less as possible. To keep that promise Primark uses computerized customs clearance. TNT who provide logestic service world wide, dedicates one of its huge ware house exclusively to Primark stock distribution. Primark established a customer confidence about its cheap price promises. To sustain this strategy Primark has to maintain high efficiency level and effective cost controls on on going basis. WOOLWORTHS Woolworths, the high street retail chain that collapsed in 2008, was founded in 1909. Since then it had grown into a chain of about 800 stores. But the recent history is one of trials and tribulations that ended in entering into administration in November 2008. The retailer faced intense competition from supermarket chains like Sainsbury, Tesco etc. Lately it had entered into entertainment and electronics retail after its acquisition of Entertainment UK. In September 2008, Woolworths announced a pre-tax loss of pound 99 million for the six months ending on August 2, 2008. The company then embarked on a turnaround plan. It decided to sell 120 stores, axe about one-fourth of its products from the stores , reduce web operations and cut jobs. In 2008 the financial crisis brought a severe credit squeeze. The companys banks, GMAC and Burdale decided to recall their loans. The company that was burdened with debts worth pound 385 million had to enter administration. By January 2009 all 807 Woolworths stores in UK were closed. But Woolworths was more a casualty of its flawed strategic planning than the economic recession. STRATEGIC PLANNING AT WOOLWORTH Woolworths strategy had no target segment or focus point. It lacked a single Unique Selling Proposition ( USP).Its product leadership was in the pic n mix sweets. In other product segments like music, books toys etc it was neither a product leader nor a cost leader. (Chandler 1990) Even in the childrens clothes and school uniform segment it soon lost its leadership to retailers like Asda and Tesco. Woolworths strategy had always been to achieve cost leadership. The original US chain founded by Frank Woolworth sold everything at 5 cents. When the chain opened its first store in UK in Liverpool, every item was priced below 6 pence. Woolworths pursued successfully this cost leadership strategy for many years after that. It reached its peak in the 60s and 70s. The company hardly spent anything on branding. Its stores were without frills. But lately the company lost its cost leadership to discounters like Wilkinsons, Tesco etc. Almost anything that it sold now, the competitors were able to sell at a lower or at least the same price. Woolworths was also using a lot of debt or leverage in its capital structure. It was also using debt to open new stores. While it was opening new stores, many of its existing stores were in mess. Another part of Woolworths strategy, right from the beginning, was to sell a variety of merchandise. In its early days the chain was able to undersell its competitors through mass production. This strategy worked so well that at one point of time Woolworth was opening one new store every seventeen days. The IPO of Woolworths in the London Stock Exchange was so successful that for just 15% offloading of its equity in Woolworths UK, the parent company was able to give its shareholders a dividend of 90 cents for every dollar worth of their shares. During the World War-2 the company suffered badly with many of its stores bombed and destroyed during the air raids. Prominent among them was the bombing of the New Cross High Street store in which 160 people were killed. The post-war inflation forced it to give up its under six pence strategy. (Cooper 2003) Woolworths then capitalized on the pop mania of Beatles. It made a fortune selling the Beatles merchandise like dolls and other mascots. It followed this by expanding its entertainment offerings. For opening new stores, Woolworth was taking the real estate on rent or lease. At the last count it had about 700 landlords. Its lease payments were rising at the rate of 2.5% per year. Its rent bill had soared from pound 70 million in 1998 to pound 160 million in 2008. So when the credit crunch and the recession started, Woolworths had no fixed assets to fall back on. After its demerger with Kingfisher in 1982, Woolworths aimed long term growth through operating the following: (Coulson 2004) Hypermarkets. The Big W stores. Woolworths general stores. Streets online. But the company soon reversed its strategy, discontinued the above three stores and started focusing once again on its traditional strength products like confectionery, toys and entertainment. But in spite of narrowing its focus in order to cut costs, Woolworths was not able to match competitors like Wilkinson and Poundland which ate into its market share. Even in the range of product offering, it proved to be no match to Tesco.Its price points were higher and it also lost out on the convenience quotient. When all its strategies failed to bring a turnaround it approached the restructuring specialist Hilco. Hilco agreed to buy Woolworth for a nominal sum of pound 1 and take pound 300 million debt of the retailer. But at the last minute the deal was thwarted by its lenders, Burdale and GMAC. This led the retailer into administration in November 2008, just before the peak Christmas season. (Fifield 1998) COMPARISON AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING OF PRIMARK AND WOOLWORTHS The strategic plan of Primark consisted of the strategy of growing inorganically as well as organically. For inorganic growth it made strategic acquisitions. For its organic growth the company successfully pursued cost leadership. It was also successful in churning out fashionable clothes that were up to the latest trends. And it churned these at very affordable prices. It did so through strategically using outsourcing and having an integrated supply chain that was extremely fast in delivering. It has a much focused target segment of consumers. (Fleming 2009) If we conduct the SWOT analysis of Primark, we get the following: Strengths- Its cost leadership and its supply chain and logistics processes. These have become a source of competitive advantage for the company. Weakness- It is not into branding. Lack of having brands with high brand equity may hurt its profitability in future. Excessive reliance on outsourcing for manufacturing and supply chain processes make it dependent on suppliers and vendors. Opportunities- There are huge opportunities for retailers of discount fashion clothing. The recession has reduced the disposable income and the consumers have become more value conscious. Threats- The company has recently come under the attack of anti-poverty campaigners for the sweat shops in Bangladesh and India. The company is fighting off its reputation of being an unethical company driven solely by the lust for more profits. On the competitive front it has tough competition in the form of Marks Spencer, Debenhams etc. FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS OF PRIMARK Threat of competitors or intensity of rivalry- The competitive rivalry is reasonably high in the discount fashion segment. Threat of substitutes- The threat of substitutes is high. Fashionable clothes have a large number of substitutes. Bargaining power of suppliers- Discount chains like Primark use a lot of outsourcing from developing countries like India, Bangladesh etc. The bargaining power of these suppliers is low as they are dependent for their revenues on large clients like Primark. Bargaining power of customers- The bargaining power of customers is high. Customers of discount chains like Primark are bargain hunters who look for the best bargain. (Oakland 2003) Threat of new entrants- To produce fashionable clothes at the lowest prices is quite a challenging task. This raises naturally a high barrier to entry. Thus the threat of new entrants is significantly lowered. CORE COMPETENCY OF PRIMARK Core competency is that capability which is central to the existence of a business or corporation. A capability or set of capabilities qualify as core competency if they have the following attributes: (Peter 1989) It is the source of value proposition to the customers. It is difficult for competitors to acquire similar capabilities. The capabilities can be leveraged across different products and markets. The core competency of Primark is to produce fashionable clothes for as low prices as possible. It has been able to do so through entering into strategic partnerships with companies like TNT logistics and outsourcing manufacturing to cheap offshore locations like Bangladesh. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF PRIMARK The value chain of any organization is divided into two types of activities: Primary activities. Secondary activities. The primary activities of the value chain comprise the following: Inbound logistics. Manufacturing. Outbound logistics. Marketing and Sales. Services. The secondary activities include: Human Resource Management. Technology support and research and development. Procurement. Primark has been able to gain and sustain competitive advantage by focusing on inbound logistics (supply chain), outbound logistics (distribution network), manufacturing (outsourcing to cheaper destinations), technology support (computerized supply chain and distribution connected to point of sales). (Pride, Hughes, Kapoor 2009) As far as its marketing strategy is concerned it has responded to the 4Ps of the marketing mix in the following ways: Product- It has been able to understand the latest trends in fashion. A team of experts travels across the globe and monitors new trends in fashion. Price- The company has been able to deliver the products at very low prices. Place- Primark has an effective distribution network. Its stores are located strategically. Promotion- Primark does not spend too much in branding or promotions. Woolworths, on the other hand, lacked a clear strategic plan. It seemed to be bungling with its strategy. It made many strategic experiments, all of which failed to sustain the 99 year old chain. The SWOT analysis of Woolworths, done retrospectively, reveals the following: Strengths- A ninety-nine years old brand name and a reasonable number of loyal customers. It has a very high brand recall and brand recognition. Weakness- It has no target segment. It lacks product leadership as well as cost leadership. It is trying to sell too many products and is competing across too many categories. Opportunities- The opportunities for discount retailers are always high, especially for high street retailers like Woolworths. Threats- The threats are many. It is using too much debt. It is into too many lease agreements. Most of its stores are on rent. It lacks fixed assets to fall back upon. FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS OF WOOLWORTHS The five forces analysis of Woolworths, if done just before its collapse, reveals the following: (Robert 2008) Threat of competitors- Formidable competitors in the likes of Wilkinson, Tesco etc. Wilkinson and Poundland are especially threatening as they are eating into the share of Woolworths. Threat of Substitutes- The threat of substitutes is high in the retail industry. Bargaining power of the customers- The intensity of competition, the business model to offer products at discounted rates; all serve to increase the bargaining power of customers of a chain like Woolworths. Bargaining power of suppliers- The bargaining power of suppliers is not that high. But since Woolworths was operating on rented real-estate, the bargaining power of landlords (suppliers of real estate) had increased tremendously. The annual rise in the rate of rents of Woolworths was 2.5%. Threat of new entrants- The capital intensive nature of the business raises barriers to entry. Thus the threat of new entrants is not that high. CORE COMPETENCY OF WOOLWORTHS The core competency of Woolworths had been once its capability to offer the lowest cost products in categories like children clothing. It also enjoyed product leadership in pic n mix sweets which it continued to enjoy till its very last days. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF WOOLWORTHS The key to maintaining cost leadership is managing the value chain activities well. Woolworths failed to manage these value chain activities as well as competitors like Tesco, Poundland etc.It was unable to get the lowest cost supplies. Its distribution (outbound logistics) was such that was unable to enhance its convenience quotient. During its hey-days the company was efficient in large scale manufacturing that enabled it to get lowest cost products through economies of scale. Later on it failed to manage this value chain activity as well. Because of the mismanagement of its value chain activities, Woolworths soon lost its competitive advantage. Primark was able to execute the how question of its strategic plan well. It was able to have such processes that enabled it to achieve its objectives. Woolworths failed on both what and how aspects of strategic planning. It lacked vision about where it wanted to reach in future. And since it did not know where to go (goals and objectives), it also did not know how to reach there. Its strategy was like groping in the dark. It was opening too many stores on debt; it had no target segment and finally it was dealing in too many products. As a result both diseconomies of scale and scope had set in. (Sheshinski, Strom, Baumol 2007) OUTCOME OF THE TWO COMPANIES The outcomes have been starkly opposite for both the companies. For the year to 12 September, 2009, Primarks sales jumped by 20%. Its profits were up by 8% to pound 252 million. The company has acquired the nicknames of Primarni or Pradamark because of its ability to sell catwalk fashion at rock bottom prices. In the recession hit economy of UK, which has entered its six consecutive quarter of GDP contraction, Primark has increased its retail space by 9%. It opened six new stores in UK since the recession started.The chain also contributed 40% to the profits of AB foods which is its holding company. Its stores in the continent are also performing well, especially those in Germany. To support its high rate of growth during recession, Primark opened a new distribution centre in Thrapston, Northampton shire. On the other hand, the recession proved to be the final nail in the coffin of Woolworths. Its debt of pound 340 million proved to be too much. All efforts to salvage it failed when its lenders, GMAC and Burdale, recalled their loans. In November 2008 it entered into administration. Neville Kahn, Dann Butters and Nick Dargan of Deloitte were appointed joint administrators. On 26th November 2008, trading in the Woolworth groups shares was suspended. The 807 stores of Woolworths were closed in phases. In the last days, the stores offered discounts as high as 90% in order to dispose of their merchandise. Some of the stores have been reported to have sold their fixtures and fittings also. 207 of these stores closed two days after Christmas on 27th December 2008. The remaining stores were also closed by 6th January 2009. Approximately 30000 jobs were lost as the 99 year old chain went under, in its centenary year. Now Woolworths has come in its new incarnation of a purely online store from its earlier version of a brick-and-mortar retail chain. After it entered administration and was closed down the Woolworths brand name was bought by Shop Direct Group. On 2nd February 2009, Shop Direct announced its intention to continue Woolworth as a purely online store.The online store uses the same URL as the earlier Woolworths groups retail website, Woolworths.co.uk. The outcomes of the strategic planning could not have been more different for both the companies. Primark capitalized on the need of lower cost fashionable clothes during the current recession. Woolworths through its faulty strategic planning, or more accurately, through its lack of strategic planning became its prey.

Essay --

Tyler Harbaum World Religion Reverend Larry Wood 16 December 2013 Cessation of Suffering vs. the Will of the One God There are a variety of differences between Judaism and Buddhism. To list a few of the major ones; Jews do not concern themselves with Dukkha (the truth of suffering), they do not concern themselves with Sammudaya (the truth of the origin of suffering), they do not teach Nirodha (the truth of the cessation of suffering), and they do not teach Magga (the truth of the path to the cessation of suffering); and Jews do not have an entirely uniform belief in reincarnation. Also, I will cover what little I could turn up on the interactions of Buddhists and Jews. Buddhism’s main focus is the understanding and cessation of suffering. There are four main teachings on suffering; Dukkha, Sammudaya, Nirodha, and Magga. The central importance of suffering in Buddhist philosophy has caused some observers to consider Buddhism to be a pessimistic philosophy. However, the emphasis on suffering is not intended to present a pessimistic view of life, but rather to present a realistic prac... Essay -- Tyler Harbaum World Religion Reverend Larry Wood 16 December 2013 Cessation of Suffering vs. the Will of the One God There are a variety of differences between Judaism and Buddhism. To list a few of the major ones; Jews do not concern themselves with Dukkha (the truth of suffering), they do not concern themselves with Sammudaya (the truth of the origin of suffering), they do not teach Nirodha (the truth of the cessation of suffering), and they do not teach Magga (the truth of the path to the cessation of suffering); and Jews do not have an entirely uniform belief in reincarnation. Also, I will cover what little I could turn up on the interactions of Buddhists and Jews. Buddhism’s main focus is the understanding and cessation of suffering. There are four main teachings on suffering; Dukkha, Sammudaya, Nirodha, and Magga. The central importance of suffering in Buddhist philosophy has caused some observers to consider Buddhism to be a pessimistic philosophy. However, the emphasis on suffering is not intended to present a pessimistic view of life, but rather to present a realistic prac...