Orgnizational structure of two companys Essay

Starbucks Corporation is an American global coffee company and coffeehouse chain. It is based in Seattle. It was founded in Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington March 30, 1971.It is a public business and consist of 149,000 employers as of 2011. In Starbucks the Managers and subordinates alike are working with communications more efficiently. By having a Flat decentralized structure. Flat in the sense that Starbucks has few layers of management and broad span of control and decentralized meaning mangers and employers are allowed to take charge in the decision making instead of headquarters due to the fact that they have close relationship with the customers. Also, since Starbucks specializes in coffee production and sales it cannot be considered a matrix organization. This is because unlike companies like apple and Microsoft where various projects take place on a daily basis, Starbucks just focuses on mainly coffee marketing and coffee production. Wal-Mart Wal-Mart is an American multinational retail corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world’s second largest public corporation. The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962, incorporated on October 31, 1969, and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972. It is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. WalMart is also the largest grocery retailer in the United States. Walmart has a total of 2.2 million employees as of 2013. Wal-Mart’s management structure and management style model is created or molded by Sam Walton’s principles and values. Increasing size and geographical scope of Wal-Mart determined that the corporate executives should remain in touch with customers and store operations on a daily basis. This means that Walmart engages in a Centralized authority. Also, Wal-Mart’s regional vice presidents are responsible for supervising between 10 and 15 district managers. The divisional structure is divided into three categories: product, market, and geographic. This means also that walmart specializes in Departmentalization. Moreover, due to its type of industry (retail) not much projects need to be done. In other words, Wal-Mart is a line organization. To sum things up, the structure of Wal-Mart clearly defines the roles of employees and lines of authority. By following divisional structure approach Wal-Mart has a flat Centralized structure which enables it to have a wide span of control and this plays a major role in decision making . References http://www.starbucks.com/ http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz-government-shutdown-20131008,0,4717965.story http://smallbusiness.chron.com/starbucks-its-organizational-design-12857.html http://corporate.walmart.com/our-story/leadership/executive-management http://www.walmart.com/ http://news.walmart.com/news-archive/2010/01/28/walmart-announces-organizational-changes

Implementation of Supply Chain Management Essay

Supply chain management is an oversight of processes when moving goods from the stage of customer order to the raw material stage and it includes the supply, production and distribution of products to the customer. Every organization has supply chain of different levels, depending upon their size and type of product they are manufacturing. Their aim is to provide the customer with enough information necessary to give the value that they demand and to gain the information regarding the customer too. The ultimate goal for any supply chain management is to reduce its inventory. For a successful supply chain, software systems are provided with web interfaces to provide the customer with enough information they demand. Hershey Foods Corporation and NIKE inc. are both very renowned organizations, one known for its food products and the other for athletic footwear, equipment and accessories for sports and fitness activities. Both of these organizations adopted supply chain management systems in order to lower down their inventories and to increase their profit. But both of them failed in achieving their objective which was to reduce the inventories. The main mistake made by Hershey Food Corporation was, that they hired a supply chain system costing $112 million from SAP AG, Manugistics, and Siebel systems. The supply chain system was supposed to put in data of everything from production to delivery. But getting software from three different providers created unpredicted delays and complex problems in implementation. Also, another mistake made by the organization was that they implemented the whole system at once instead of in stages. So therefore they faced problems in placing the orders and then executing them to warehouse for fulfillment. The problem faced by NIKE, inc. was a bit more complex, as said by 12 technologies marketing Chief Katrina Roche â€Å"NIKE problems were not tied to the software but to the way the software was installed. † (Sridharan, Caines, & Patterson, 2005) Moreover he says that his company accepts the responsibility for â€Å"not being more aggressive in telling them that they needed to follow our implementation methodology. † (Sridharan, Caines, & Patterson, 2005) 12 technologies wanted to track each and every little product of NIKE which made the job more complex and therefore it took their time more than they had expected. The NIKE people made the same mistake as Hershey foods, that they implemented the system before they were ready to execute it. (Sridharan, Caines, & Patterson, 2005) So overall at initial stage supply chain systems were a bad experience for Hershey Foods and NIKE, Inc. There are certain things which if the company would have followed then hopefully the things must have been the other way round. First of all only one supply chain system provider must be hired for the software, as more than one supply chain systems for same job results in failure. Then provider’s implementation methodology is very important for client to follow in supply chain systems especially when they are modified to suit client’s requirement. More over supply chain systems are very complex as they have to track over numbers of product varieties so therefore it must be implemented in stages rather than executing it at once. And if the company is switching from one system to another then first the system should be tested in order to check whether it is fulfilling the company’s requirements or not. ?

Acts of Kindness. Paper

Someone dragged a coin along the bonnet of a car belonging to a friend of mine. He took it to a smash repair company near his work for the scratch to be touched up. When he went to pick up the car, he was surprised to be told that there was no charge. A little overwhelmed by it all, my friend mentioned that if he ever had an accident, he would bring his car to that establishment for repair. The owner replied, â€Å"Sir, I hope you never have an accident. † I have made it my goal to do something nice for somebody every day that I live.I find myself waking up each morning with new and exciting ideas of things to do for others, and the rewards have been wonderful. The afternoon was cold and windy as I walked through the shopping centre of my little suburb. A busker, perhaps in his late fifties, wearing clothes that had gone well beyond their ‘use by' date, played his guitar rather badly. â€Å"Don't encourage him! † called a passer by as I dropped a coin into the box . I crossed the road and entered a shop where I made regular purchases. I noticed the assistant would occasionally look out of the window at the busker.She turned to me and asked, â€Å"Would you mind the shop for a minute? † Surprised, I agreed, whereupon she took a pie from the warmer, ran across the road, and gave it to the busker. I have since learned that this was not an isolated example of her generosity. Recently my son, who is a regular user of public transport, caught the bus home from school. Unfortunately he got on the wrong bus, but instead of just being told to get off and wait for another bus to take him home, the driver phoned me and said he would look after my son until he could be placed on the next bus home.I received a call from the second driver, confirming my son had been transferred to his bus. He also told me the time my son would arrive home. Thank you to both of these men who took the extra effort to ensure the safe arrival of my son. The other day I fell on my way back from shopping. Fortunately all that was injured was my dignity, but I was touched by the actions of a passing motorist. When she saw me fall she stopped her car and waited until I had stood up again. Seeing I was OK, she drove off.Once when working at the Department of Social Security, I was talking to a coughing client on the phone, so when I sent her the requested claim form, I enclosed a couple of Allen's Butter Menthols in the envelope. She rang to thank me the following day, and said that my act had made her feel better than the cough lollies had! It made me feel pretty good, too. I have become involved in helping to run a small shop at a local aged people's hostel. We sell at cost items like biscuits, lollies, greeting cards, etc. , small luxuries that old folk can't get out and buy for themselves, and that are not provided by the people who run the hostel.I've noticed that some old people come into our shop, not to buy things, but simply to talk to someone from â€Å"the outside. † This brings home the to me that some old folks are just dumped in places like these, and are seldom visited by their loved ones. I think it vital that they should be visited, and to be shown that someone cares. During the next school holidays I intend to take my 9-year-old granddaughter into the shop with me, as I feel both she and the old folks would mutually benefit from the interaction.I was talking to my doctor recently, and was amazed to learn her act of kindness for Australia's National Kindness Day last year was to treat all of her patients she saw on the day for free! Standing in a long queue at the post office, I overheard one of the staff tell a woman at the counter that the parcel for her was heavy, and an awkward size. He invited her to go around to the side door where she could look at the parcel and decide what she wanted to do. A man in the queue overheard the conversation, and volunteered to drive the woman home with her parcel.The l ights turned green at the pedestrian crossing and the traffic had just begun to move forward when a stooped elderly lady, obviously unaware of the ‘don't walk' sign, stepped on to the crossing. The cars braked and waited patiently while the woman slowly made her way across the road, oblivious of the kindness of the drivers. Four years ago on New Year's Eve my husband had a serious hang-gliding accident and was airlifted off to intensive care in Melbourne. It was getting late at night by the time I learnt the details of the accident and by then he was far away in a Melbourne hospital, but which one I knew not.We were camping at Mt Beauty and knew no one in the camping ground, and I had a busy 5-year-old, as well as being pregnant! Our situation was made so much more bearable by the many acts of kindness from fellow campers. Money was given for the long distance phone calls to the hospitals, so I could find out where, and how, my husband was. Meanwhile neighbours looked after ou r little boy who was kept happy playing with their son. The next day, after an unsettled night, I began to prepare for the drive to Melbourne.Another neighbour rose early (and also woke his sons) to help me pack up the large tent and gear, and pack it all in the car. They even washed the car, and his wife prepared us a cut lunch! Not only that, she offered her home in Melbourne for as long as we needed, and asked if I'd like her to accompany us on the drive down, and said she would catch the train back (I had never met this wonderful lady before this day). The family minding our boy gave me their street directory with a line marking all the way to the hospital – I'd never driven to Melbourne before, so this was a great help.These two special families saw us off with hugs and best wishes and, I learnt later, both phoned the hospital to see how my husband was. He recovered and is looking forward to more (accident free) flying, and I will always remember these kind-hearted peopl e who helped me so much (Our little boy, too – he was so good during that time, I couldn't have asked for more). When my youngest child started school I returned to teaching. I made it a rule to praise every child every day. The happy smiles they gave me were reward enough.Six years ago I was left to fend for myself when my husband left me for my so called friend. I was sad, scared, but mostly lonely. After the news became common knowledge, one acquaintance of my husband began to ring me every evening at around 10. 30 pm to say, â€Å"Goodnight and God bless. † I finally asked him why he was doing this. His response was, â€Å"I can't stand to think of you being alone and sad without anyone to say goodnight to, so I want to do it while you are so sad. † This was a wonderful act of kindness from a man I hardly knew, but it made me feel cared for and not so alone.This man kept up the goodnight greeting for three months until I didn't sound or feel so sad, and then they stopped. I've never seen or heard from him since, but I bless his loving heart often. My current mission is to promote the Kindness Revolution with all the young people I come in contact with, so far with success. The idea of being kind appeals to my two special little friends Amy and Jessie. Jessie sends me monthly reports of her kindness activities which are really cute, especially the one about her 14 month old baby brother playing ‘Barbies' with her.Jessie considers this brother less important than a worm normally. I would love to tell you of a kind act I had the opportunity to participate in, because of a strong feeling to help someone, who was not in a position to help themselves. A lovely lady in her nineties is a very good friend of my daughter's Godmother. I made a winter basket for her with all sorts of goodies, including a warm hat for the winter. It was such a pleasure to receive her phone call, she was so thrilled. I went to a cake shop recently and was wait ing to be served. There was this little old lady being served, she was asking the price of this and that.I told the man who served me that I would pay for the lady's choice. He whispered this to the sales woman, and I paid for mine and hers. However, she wasn't finished, and ordered a large apple pie as well – oops! The man raised his eyebrows at me, I thought for a brief moment and nodded my head – what the heck! When I was given my change I got out of there as fast as I could, as I didn't want to get sprung. I wonder if people going about their normal duties realise they can brighten up someone's day. My children's favourite day is Friday – rubbish bin day.As soon as they hear the truck they race to the door to watch. When the driver waves to them it always brings a big smile to their faces. The wave doesn't cost him anything, but it means so much to them. Thank you to all the people who take the time to smile or greet others while doing their job. Doing my no rmal Saturday morning shopping, I was attracted by the sound of a flute. Casting my gaze about I spied a man of about 50 standing on a nearby corner. As I walked closer there was something about him that caused me to think I should donate more than the usual one or two dollars.I walked up to him and stuffed a five dollar note into the top pocket of his coat. He stopped playing and said, â€Å"Thank you very much, that's very kind of you. † As I walked away he began playing again, this tune was decidedly more up tempo than the previous one. After many years as a city dweller, the opportunity came to move to a small town. Without having any job prospects, I decided to make the move. I hadn't been there very long when I mentioned to someone that I was going to buy a pot plant when I had the money, and put it on the front porch of the house I was living in.The next day, much to my surprise and delight, I found a pot plant on the front porch! It is so lovely to be away from the me anness and bustle of the city, to be in a place where people have the time to talk, to be sympathetic and respond to people's needs. I'm sure all Australians are like that, it's just that the pressure to perform is so much greater in the city, and we seem to be sucked into the ‘rat race' all too easily. One of my friends in Melbourne suffers from an unpleasant illness which robs her of energy and leaves her severely depressed. Despite this, her capacity for appreciation has been highly developed.She asked me to share this example of kindness with you, a reminder that small actions can make a big difference to a person's day. My friend was seeking some refreshment but was deterred by the crowded cafe. Summoning courage a second time she entered the cafe, but felt daunted by the lack of available space. A man seated with a friend quickly perceived my friend's dilemma, and carried a chair to a table without seating, so she could sit down. My friend was greatly touched by the man' s awareness and swift response. She was able to enjoy a coffee and no doubt her faith in human kindness was strengthened.My husband and I have a stall at our local market selling fruit, flowers and plants. During the week I look around a couple of Op Shops and pick up the odd Teddy or toy, which we take along to the market. When an irritable child comes along with a stressed mother, we give the child a toy and distract them for a while in conversation. It's amusing how the child shuts up, and it brings a smile to the mother's face. I was standing in a long queue at Coles Supermarket. The woman in front of me approached the check out with three items – milk, bread and margarine. She paused as she hunted through her purse and pockets for money. I definitely had $5 here† she kept saying out loud to her husband, who merely scowled at her and walked off, leaving her with two little kids. In desperation, she tipped the whole contents of her bag onto the counter and looked thr ough it. Meanwhile, I was getting really upset for this young mother. I looked in my purse and decided I would have enough to pay my groceries and have $10 left over. So I just handed her $5 and said, â€Å"There you are, have a nice day, and don't forget to pass it on. † I don't need to tell you how she reacted, and I thought she was going to kiss my feet.Out of sheer embarrassment I said, â€Å"Go on, get out of here and have a lovely day. † The next thing I know the check out lady is handing me a bag full of free magazines and muesli bars. â€Å"Here,† she said. â€Å"I'm astounded and so touched by what you did. Never in all my years have I seen anyone do that before. † We have a stall at the markets on Sundays, selling flowers. We look for people in wheelchairs or the elderly, also mums that look really unhappy, and we hand them a bunch of flowers for free – it's wonderful to see their reaction. Only two people have ever refused to take them.A friend of mine was told he had cancer of the liver and had only a few weeks to live. I called on him and he was looking pretty crook, so I phoned for an ambulance to take him to hospital. At home I tried to think of our past conversations about his son, and where he lived. I remembered it was somewhere near Campbelltown in N. S. W. I dialled the operator and gave her the name I wanted, explaining my difficulties. I said, â€Å"Just give me anyone with that name and I'll try my luck. † I was told there was no one with that name in Campbelltown, but she said there was one in Picton. OK, I'll try that,† and the computer gave me the number. I dialled the number straight away. A woman answered and I asked her if her husband's name was Kevin. It was, and I told her to tell him to get to Bundaberg ASAP, as his dad was sick and needed him. Kevin rang twenty minutes later, and said he would catch the next available plane. I'm so glad he did, because 48 hours later, on Valentine 's Day, his dad died. I feel so good that Kevin was able to talk to his dad and hold his hand and say goodbye, and I feel even better that my friend died happy and loved.Was it just a coincidence that the operator looked in another area for the number – I wonder? Someone phoned recently and told me the following story. Many years ago a child was reprimanded severely by her parents for something she had done. The little girl (let's call her ‘Emma') was distraught, and was found wandering down the street, crying, by someone who lived near by. When the woman heard Emma's story, she considered that the punishment had been excessive, and out of sympathy took Emma to a shop and bought her an ice cream. This was a rare treat for Emma, as her family was destitute and there was no money available for ice cream.Emma maintained contact with the woman over the ensuing years, but this was lost when Emma was of an age where she was able to leave home. Years later, when Emma was in he r mid thirties, she chose to visit a nursing home in the hope of being able to bring some cheer to the residents. Much to her surprise and delight, Emma discovered one of the residents, now old and lonely, was the kind woman who bought her the ice cream. Emma became a regular visitor, and spent many hours bringing comfort and friendship to the old woman, until she passed away.Emma told the story to a mourner at the funeral, who in turn told it to the person who rang me. When I was fifteen, a man kidnapped me, attacked me and tried to take my life. I ended up with a shattered back and serious internal injuries. My family was fractured and were not supportive, but the kindness of strangers saw me through. A lady held my hand one night, and cried over me. The nurses wept, and cheered when I took my first steps months after my back was broken. A nurse called Tony made me laugh and took me out to the gardens, where we would talk for ages. A priest sat by my bedside at five o'clock each m orning.Then Tommy came into my life and showered me with kindness. These special acts and special people are never forgotten, and the memory of their kindness is conjured up, and is as new as freshly-baked bread. Sometimes we feel helpless, and wonder what we can do to help. While we may not have much money, time or resources, the simplest acts are often the most powerful [As a post script, the Tommy she speaks about later became her husband]. This week I suffered a home invasion. A bloke pulled off my security screen and smashed a large glass window in the middle of the night while I was at home in bed.I was lucky that only an empty handbag was stolen and that I wasn't bashed. The response from friends has been incredible. I am President of a 50+ Leisure Club, which has in excess of 100 members. Many of them have either rung me to make sure I am OK, or have passed messages of goodwill through other friends. Some have visited me, bringing gifts of flowers and Lotto tickets and (most important) hugs. One or two have offered me a bed for a few nights until I've got over the initial trauma, while others have offered to come and stay the night to give me a feeling of security.I have been given silent phone numbers, with instructions to ring any time, day or night, if I need to talk. Two people have even offered to give me a dog to deter intruders. I have received supportive emails and advice on how to better secure my home. All this wonderful kindness has touched my heart. How on earth can I say thank you? It seems such a hackneyed phrase for a very sincere feeling of gratitude. If friends were wealth, I'd be very rich indeed. I was waiting with a patient to see her Oncologist. A man walked by and offered us a chocolate each and we thanked him for his kind gesture.A few minutes later, he was called into the doctor's room, came out, and then it was our turn. The Oncologist then offered us chocolates, on behalf of his patient whom, he informed us, buys 12 chocolates every day and offers them to 12 people so that he can make 12 people happy, and be happier himself 12 times more! I am writing to you regarding an act of huge kindness toward me and my children that I considered worth sharing with you. I am a sole parent of three children aged 7 years, 4 years, and 10 months. My first partner died a few years ago, and the father of my youngest has gone his separate way.A couple of weeks ago I was unfortunate enough to get pulled over by the police doing roadside vehicle checks, on the way to school to pick up my children. The result was a yellow sticker for faults with my old but ‘faithful' Commodore. This presented a major problem for me as the car is an absolute necessity, and finances as a single parent don't allow for unforseen emergencies. I was very distressed by the whole situation. In steps my friend Jennifer, and her husband Paul, with an offer of assistance. They ended up spending the whole weekend working on my car.Paul then reques ted half a day off work on Monday to ensure the work was completed before the vehicle examination that day. Another act of kindness by Paul's boss, who was made aware of the situation and allowed him time off. As a result, my car went through the inspection with only minor things to rectify. And of course, Paul again helped with these. Further to this, some other very kind friends of mine, Caroline and Denver, gave hours of their time to work on the car. And while they were there they also pruned all of my big trees and took a trailer load of rubbish to the tip.The happy ending to this long story is that these wonderful people turned around a seemingly impossible situation. The sticker has been removed and the car is starting to look like new. The other day I was in a busy shopping centre car park with little room to manoeuvre large vehicles, when I saw a lady getting flustered trying to reverse her large ‘tank' of a car out of it's parking spot, without much success, and a qu eue of cars waiting for her. I stood in the middle of the car park and it took a while, but with me directing her, she eventually got out and was most grateful.It turned a tense situation into one we had a laugh about – and that's what life is all about. And in closing, one of the many gems I try to live by: â€Å"Happiness does not come from what you have, but from what you are. † I was in a supermarket recently, and an elderly man had bumped a vein in the back of his hand and it was bleeding. He said, â€Å"Oh, how silly of me,† and got his hanky out and blotted it. I was standing nearby, and stood there compassionately. He went on his way and came back a few minutes later with a packet of band aids.He asked me whether I could put one on his hand for him, which I did after it had stopped bleeding. He thanked me and went on his way. I smiled for the rest of the day, with joy in my heart. A friend of mine told me a story that recently took place at Woolies. She had noticed that the man behind her in the queue had only a few items in his shopping basket, and he seemed to be in a hurry – so she let him go before her. He was so touched that he bought her a chocolate bar from the display at the check out, and thanked her. She said that she and the check-out operator just smiled at each other in disbelief.Last October, we had to have our 16? year old much loved family dog put to sleep by our vet, who had cared for Mindy for most of her life. The week following, the vet sent me a lovely letter saying how sad we must have felt at our loss, and thanking us for our care of Mindy. I really appreciated this letter. The other week I was in one of those bargain shops. I saw a plastic file which I thought would come in handy to keep some documents in. The girl at the check out counter said they were good, and she would like to get one for school (she was working in the school holidays).She said she didn't have the money at that time and would get it later. I thought there might not be any left ‘later', so I bought her one. She was so pleased, and it was her birthday in a few days. It made me feel glad that I could help her. As I was waiting in the supermarket queue, I noticed the man in front of me had three tins of meat and vegetables, and I thought that they were probably were his next three meals. When the tins were scanned he presented a credit card and asked for $10 in cash. I thought that $10 was a small amount to ask for, and guessed he didn't have much money.The card was scanned several times, but the message â€Å"Refer to card holder† kept on appearing. The man, obviously embarrassed, told the girl he'd have to leave the tins. I told the person I would pay the six dollars and something, and the poor man, now highly embarrassed, mumbled a thank you and rushed away with his tins. In 1983, the Ash Wednesday bushfires destroyed homes in Mt Macedon, Victoria. My chiropractor came from Melbourne to Woodend (to our place), with his car loaded to the brim with goods for the unfortunate people who lost everything.He and his wife were the only ones who bothered to come visit us, who cared enough. Our house was filthy, but still standing. Four years ago my son was left with two kids (one just a baby), one teddy bear, and his car, plus all the outgrown kid's clothes, which were absolutely useless to him (his wife refused to let the kids have their toys or their clothes). A friend from my school days arrived with a car load of kid's clothes, books and toys for Steve's kids. My friend had spent every cent she'd earned that week (coaching) on the kids. It didn't finish there!She also gave Steve a single bed, cupboards, a bike, etc. The trailer was overflowing and so was the station wagon. I was in tears. There was an old lady in the supermarket queue in front of me. She had a tomato and a few other vegetables, and a tin of ham. When the value of the goods was totalled, she looked in her purse and told the check out person she didn't have enough money. The check out person said, loudly and rather rudely I thought, â€Å"Well, which ones can you afford to pay for? † The woman opted to leave the ham. I was tempted to pay for the ham, but didn't have the cash to hand over.I put my purchases through, trying to ‘think' the girl to move quickly before the woman had disappeared, and when I presented my credit card, told the girl I would pay for the tin of ham she had put to one side. â€Å"Why would you do that? † she asked. â€Å"Because it was probably for her next meal! † I replied. I ran out of the supermarket and fortunately she wasn't too far away. I caught up with her and gave her the tin of ham. â€Å"What's this? † she asked. â€Å"It's yours† I replied. â€Å"But I can't pay for it† she said. â€Å"You don't have to† I said, and hurried off, leaving her standing there staring at the tin.When I drove away she was st ill standing there, staring at the tin. I was driving along in the left hand lane when at the last minute realised it led only onto the freeway. The lane next to me started to fill up with cars stopping for a red traffic light. There was a car behind me so I couldn't go anywhere. Just then two cars in the lane beside me reversed to let me in, when they realised I was in the wrong lane. That just made my day! My youngest son (I am now a sole parent) and I were standing at the local supermarket check-out recently with a full trolley. I noticed an elderly man behind me with only a few items, so I told him to go first.He was very appreciative. After he had paid for his things he walked away, only to return a few minutes later with a beautiful bunch of pink carnations. He gave them to me and said, â€Å"Thank you. You've taught me to be giving. † I was stunned, as was the checkout girl. My son was so impressed he said to me, â€Å"You should marry that man. † What a sweet g esture! As a teenager I had a very bad time, lots of abuse and things like that. One day I decided that I'd had enough, and I was on my way to hurl myself off the bridge and into oblivion. As I was walking I was sort of in a dream, not really aware of anything, but a voice lifted me out of the fog.There was an old man smiling at me, a gentleman, as he'd been wearing a hat and he had removed it and was holding it in one hand above his head, like you see people do in some old movies. I said something like, â€Å"What? â€Å", and he said to me, â€Å"It's a lovely day – don't you think? † I said I suppose it was, and he put his hat back on and walked away. I watched this small elderly man with a sprightly step walk down the path for what seemed like hours, and I finally sat down on a bench nearby. Yes, it was a lovely day, I thought, and why was I thinking of taking my life on such a lovely day?I moved out of home as soon as I had finished school, got a job as a waitre ss and did a secretarial course part time. After completing the course I worked for a small manufacturing company as a secretary, married my boss, and we have three lovely daughters. That incident happened about 15 years ago, yet it is still so vivid in my mind. I remember every word that stranger said to me, and those soft blue eyes of his. I think of him as my guardian angel, who took on human form to save my life. I was on a teaching prac. recently, teaching a 4/5 class. I told them about the 12 Days of Kindness and they thought it was really cool.Anyway, for â€Å"Children's Day† I organised an activity where each child wrote his/her name on a piece of blank paper. All the papers were laid out on the table, with the name facing upwards. Then each child (and the teachers too) went around, turned over the paper and wrote a nice thing about each child. At the end of ten minutes, the children each had a piece of paper filled with compliments. They were so excited to read them , but I collected them to hand out the next day (I wanted to read them first, and add my own message to each one). The next day I handed them out.The atmosphere in the room was amazing, as it was the previous afternoon when they were writing down the compliments. Before they left the room, I told them that Sunday was â€Å"My Day† and that it's important to give yourself compliments, so they each had to write down one nice thing about themselves. Self esteem is so vital, and it has to be fostered when young! I work as a checkout operator at a large chain supermarket, which is a job that leaves me feeling quite anonymous at times. However, I always make an effort to be cheerful and greet all my customers with a smile and a pleasant â€Å"How are you? , which, I can assure you, isn't always easy some days! Recently, I had an enjoyable experience serving a very friendly, bubbly lady who smiled right back at me and engaged in pleasant chitchat the whole time I was serving her. A s many people simply ignore my efforts of friendliness, this was a lovely experience in itself. However, this lovely lady, unbeknown to me, then went on to see the manager solely for the purpose of complimenting me on my service and thanking him for employing such a friendly member of staff. The manager then bought me a box of chocolates as a thank you for my efforts.Well, as you can imagine, I was truly touched by this gesture, both from the customer and the manager. It really made me feel valued and loved, and I still feel teary when I think about it. It really doesn't take much to make someone feel so wonderful. I went into the bank today to draw out cash to tide me over the next two weeks. There was a woman at the teller next to me and I overheard snatches of the conversation between her and the teller. There was talk about her having a food voucher from Vinnies, and the teller informing her that her account was already overdrawn, so she couldn't withdraw any further funds.It se emed she was a visitor to Sydney, and would be going home in a couple of days. She asked the teller if there was someone else in the bank she could talk to about withdrawing money, but naturally was advised that there was nothing that could be done, bank policy and all that. I pulled one of my precious $50 notes I had just been given, said, â€Å"Happy Christmas! † as I placed it in front of her on the counter, and walked out of the bank. I then went to a cake shop across the road and just happened to glance through the glass door as she walked past. Our eyes met, she paused and mouthed a ‘Thank you! ‘ before hurrying off.There are times when life is good, and we need to cherish those moments, as their memories can surely help us through the not-so-good times. I recently had an operation on my leg for a damaged ligament. In my conversation with the anaesthetist prior to the operation, he said he noticed that the operation was self funded, and asked me about it. I told him that years ago I'd dropped out of the medical benefits system because of lack of money. He then asked whether payment would be a problem, and I said that it would be nice if I could pay the $500 fee in several smaller payments rather than in a lump sum.He squeezed my hand and said he would see what he could do. When I received his invoice after the operation, I was delighted to see that the $500 had been reduced to $380! We hear stories about people being ripped off by medical services, but it is nice to know there are doctors out there who have compassion and kindness. In a post-op discussion I had with the surgeon, he said that when the ligament had healed he would tell me about a natural remedy that would help prevent the problem

Deutsche Bank Spying affaire Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Deutsche Bank Spying affaire - Research Paper Example c, the affair struck at the heart of a country still struggling with its past identity where spying on citizens in the Communist East was a matter of course. How the bank will weather these latest charges is one question. What impact the investigations will have on stakeholders is another that affects not only the future of Deutsche Bank but also its reputation and credibility as a major player on the world financial stage. The four cases of surveillance concern a nuisance shareholder, an investigative journalist, a supervisory board member suspected of leaking information, four senior bank managers and a private person who sent threatening letters to Deutsche Bank board members. Among the targets of the surveillance were Gerald Herrmann, a former union leader and supervisory board member who was suspected of leaking sensitive company information to the media.  Michael Bohndorf, an activist shareholder who has been critical of the bank; and Hermann-Josef Lamberti, Deutsche Banks chief operating officer. The Bank launched its own investigation in the spring of 2009 and by mid-summer the affair had been turned over to BaFin, the German financial regulator. The investigative results were passed to the German data protection authority who has in turn submitted them to the German public prosecutors office. Tactics employed by the bank included media reports that detectives hired by Deutsche Bank were instructed to test Lambertis security consciousness by trying to plant a GPS tracking device in his car and sending a bouquet of flowers containing an inactive microphone to his home. Bohndorf, the activist shareholder, said that private investigators posed as vacationers and spied on his home on the Spanish island of Ibiza after he asked a number of provocative questions at a Deutsche Bank shareholders meeting in 2006. His contention was that detectives tried to determine if he had a weakness for women by setting up a "honey trap" operation that involved a chance

DISCUSSION 6 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DISCUSSION 6 - Article Example The sampling strategy that was used for the purpose of study was a random sampling. The study was conducted in one place of DRC, which has typical for the given country conditions. Only one period of distribution was selected (between November and January). Three hundred and sixty two women were randomly selected to take part in the study. Three hundred and twenty eight delivery interviews were conducted. A random sample of 115 women were invited to participate in a 6-month post-delivery interview (Pettifor et al., 2009). Presented sample strategy is representative for the given region. However, it has several limitations that does not permit to spread the obtained results to all population of Congo. The authors admit that the main limitations are the small sample size, estimation for only one object and for only one period. The study that compared the effectiveness for different social groups, groups living in rural and urban areas was not conducted. The damages of nets after 6-month period of utilization that does not permit the further use were not taken into account. Nevertheless, the significant difference of LLINs utilization before and after the distribution permits to conclude that obtained results support the idea that distribution free of charge is the effective measure. The improved sample strategy has to include estimation of the given measure for several objects in different parts of the country. Participants in the places have to be selected several times per year, especially before the periods when mosquitos are the most active. Sample size have to be increased. Random sampling strategy would be the most effective. The possible suitable strategy that permits to estimate the effect for different social or age groups could be a stratified random sampling. Pettifor, A. et al. (2009). Free distribution of insecticide treated bed nets to pregnant women in Kinshasa:

Anatomy shsort answer discussions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Anatomy shsort answer discussions - Assignment Example For this reason, lymphatic capillaries assist in the immune system while the lower permeability of blood capillaries helps maintain blood pressure during circulation. In addition, nodes interrupt lymph capillaries while blood capillaries are not. This allows for continuous blood flow while filtration occurs in the lymphatic system (Zuther, 2011). The central nervous controls the intake of oxygen and expulsion of carbon dioxide from the body while regulating respiration. This is through initiating breathing and maintaining it in order to remove harmful carbon dioxide produced by metabolic functions. This process occurs through sensitivity of chemoreceptors that detect chemical substances in the body and relay the information to the respiratory control center. The other system that controls the rate of respiration is the acidity tracking system in the body. This tracks the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood leading to a rise in acidity causing an increase in respiration that retains pH balance (Hendrickson, 2011). Defense mechanisms also regulate respiratory levels through epinephrine and its effects. This is concerning preparing the body for fight or flight where the heart rate increases and decreases respectively (Hendrickson,

Achievement of Maximum Profit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Achievement of Maximum Profit - Essay Example When companies utilize their equipment more extensively maintenance and repairs cost increase. Companies that increase their labor shifts incur in higher labor costs. Average total costs equal total costs divided by quantity. The average total cost curve is U-shaped. Subtracting average fixed costs is the formula for the average variable cost. The AVC curve lies vertically below the ATC curve by the amount of the AFC. The ATC and the AVC curve never touch because the AFC never falls to zero. The total variable cost is measured by the vertical distance between the horizontal TFC lines. The AVC curve bottoms out at a lower level for Q than does the ATC curve. The marginal costs measure the increase in total cost as output Q increases by one unit. Marginal cost is less than both average total cost and average variable cost. Due to the fact that marginal costs are less than both average total cost and average variable cost the ATC and AVC falls. The ATC and AVC falls because of the MC. The marginal cost curve cuts through the AVC curve at the bottom of the AVC curve. The MC curve cuts through the ATC curve at the bottom of the ATC curve. The ATC, AVC, and MC curves are all U-shaped. The vertical gap between AVC and ATC curves steadily diminishes as Q increases. These curves never touch. Businesses have options available with respect to how much output they want to be able to produce. Economies of scale help organizations reduce their costs. Larger scale operations have higher administrative expenses. Economies of scale help reduce administrative costs. When companies incur in diseconomies of scale their operating costs rise. The LRATC curve shows the lowest average total cost at which any given level of output can be produced. The LRATC curve is made up entirely of points on the firm’s alternative ATC curves.

Popular Music Youth And Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Popular Music Youth And Education - Essay Example According to this paper the author further gives a detailed explanation of the relationship between popular music and education. In this section, the need to integrate pop music in education is overly emphasised. The author concludes the essay by giving an overview of the general importance of music. Autobiographical account of the author’s relationship with music. It makes a conclusion that from the foregoing discourse, it has been established that music surrounds our day to day activities in our diverse cultures. The most outstanding outcome of this essay is that music has a great impact on the academic performance of individuals. Available studies reveal that about 90% of individuals with post graduate degrees participated in music education during their school days. Similarly, schools that spent a big chunk of money on music education post very impressive academic performance in general. It has been indicated that music education increases one's success in the society because such people rarely get involved with drugs and substance abuse. This argument is further supported by research findings that indicate that an education in music increases overall brain activity. Moreover, children that are exposed to music at an early stage in their development possess better reasoning skills than their counterparts who had a different orientation. It is for this reason that students who are good in math, science, and engineering have a craving for music.

Bad News Message - Revised Version Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bad News Message - Revised Version - Assignment Example I hope you can appreciate that we must draw a line in the sand when it comes to warranties of this type and remain committed to these restrictions. If we did not do this, our company would be inundated with requests for free repairs, which would prevent us from being able to provide the equipment that we do at the competitive price that we offer. We believe that any errors in manufacturing would quickly become apparent, and feel that offering a two year replacement window provides ample coverage for any breakdowns that occur due to mistakes on your part. Equipment of this sort, unfortunately, is subject to significant wear and tear, and it is simply impossible for us to make an exception in any one case, as this would make it necessary to make a similar exception each time this issue arises. We also offer extended service warranties on everything that we sell for a nominal price. If you are concerned about equipment breaking down, you may want to consider such extended coverage in the future, which includes a five year warranty, on-site service, and 24 hours a day, 365 days a year phone service Furthermore, because of the difficulty that you have encountered with this product, we are prepared to offer you a single-use discount coupon, which will give you a percentage off the cost of a new or refurbished piece of equipment I am sorry that I was not able to provide a refund or replacement to your equipment, and hope you understand my position in this case. If you are interested in pursuing any of the options listed above, please feel free to email me at albot.royal@compus.co, or call me at 555-555-5555. If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact

Cress seeds investigation Essay Example for Free

Cress seeds investigation Essay Test tube 6: Number germinated: 0/10 Height of seedlings: 0 I then took the averages of the height of the seedlings in each test tube. Average height in test tube 1: 49. 9mm Average height in test tube 2: 45. 25mm Average height in test tube 3: 9. 9mm Average height in test tube 4: 11. 5mm Average height in test tube 5: 5. 8mm Average height in test tube 6: 0mm This is a graph to show the average height of the seedlings in each test tube: OBSERVATIONS: Test tube number 1 contained the cress seedlings that had grown the best. This was the control test tube, and had no acid in it. The cress in this test tube was a healthy green colour, and was almost perfectly straight. The cress seedlings were the worst in test tube number 5. This tube contained 4 drops of acid, and the cress in it had hardly grown at all. It was a pale, sickly green colour, and very short. The leaves drooped down, and the roots were very short. Although test tube number 6 contained the most acid, the seedlings in this did not grow at all. I also took results from another group, who had conducted the same investigation as me. Their results are as follows: Test tube 1: Number germinated: 9/13. Height of seedlings: 1 ; 1 ; 2 ; 3 ; 3 ; 10 ; 22 ; 34 ; 34 Test tube 2: Number germinated: 10/13 Height of seedlings: 4 ; 5 ; 8 ; 14 ; 15 ; 15 ; 22 ; 24 ; 25 ; 33 Test tube 3: Number germinated: 12/13 Height of seedlings: 1 ; 4 ; 4 ; 5 ; 9 ; 10 ; 12 ; 12 ; 14 ; 14 ; 16 ; 16 Test tube 4: Number germinated: 0/13 Height of seedlings: 0 Test tube 5: Number germinated: 0/13 Height of seedlings: 0 Test tube 6: Number germinated: 8/13 Height of seedlings: 1 ; 2 ; 3 ; 3 ; 4 ; 4 ; 5 ; 5 Average height in test tube 1: 12. 2mm Average height in test tube 2: 16. 5mm Average height in test tube 3: 9. 8mm Average height in test tube 4: 0mm Average height in test tube 5: 0mm Average height in test tube 6: 3. 4mm This graph shows the average height of the seedlings in each test tube belonging to the other group: This graph shows the average height of both the other groups seedlings and mine. ANALYSIS: From my results I can tell that the more sulphuric acid the cress was grown in, the less the seedlings grew. For example, in my investigation, the cress in the control test tube grew to an average of 49. 9mm, whereas in the test tube with 5 drops of acid, the cress did not grow at all. In both mine and the other groups results, the average height of the seedlings went up slightly in one test tube the other groups by 6. 7mm in test tube 3, and mine by 1. mm in test tube 4. CONCLUSION: From this investigation I have drawn the conclusion that acid rain does indeed affect plant growth. My seedlings grew best in the control test tube, and the worst in the tube that contained the most acid. In the control test tube, the seedlings had long roots, whereas in the test tube with 5 drops of acid, the roots were weak and very short. This shows that the acid had affected the way the cress seeds had germinated, and had eaten away at the roots of the seedlings. My results support the original prediction that I made. I said that the cress would grow best in the control test tube, and as the results show, it did. I also said that the test tube containing the most acid would produce the worst seedlings, which was also correct. EVALUATING EVIDENCE: My results were not completely accurate. Although the basic trend showed that the more acid the seedlings were put in, the less they grew, my average heights went up slightly when, theoretically, they should have gone down. For example, they went up from 9. 9mm to 11. 5mm, and then down again to 5. 4mm. Therefore, the graph that I drew does not have a completely accurate curve. This is also true for the other set of results that I gathered. I could improve the accuracy of this investigation by doing several things differently. I could use more test tubes, giving me a wider range of results, and I could also use a smaller amount of acid per test tube for example, I could increase the acid by . 5 of a drop per tube. This would give me more accurate results. Because my results were slightly anomalous, they are not sufficient enough to support a firm conclusion. Because the results did not follow a set pattern, they are not entirely reliable. To improve on this, and make my results more accurate, I could be very meticulous when measuring out the acid, and also make sure that I treat all the test tubes equally. I feel that this investigation went quite well although my results could have been slightly more accurate.

MBA Marketing Analysis and Planning

MBA Marketing Analysis and Planning The report analyzes the market for Converses Chucks All Star range of footwear in the United States of America and includes a look at other competitive brands for comparison. Graphs depicting market data in terms of net sales in US dollars have been included to support the findings. The report segments the market for Chucks on basis of demographic, psychographic and behavioral factors and then moves on to highlight the target market for the canvas shoe. Also included is the market position of Chucks relative to its competitors. The report describes the products marketing mix and its influence on the market position and customers buying behavior. Also, the approach has been criticized in terms of current and future opportunities. Finally, the report draws a conclusion of the market Introduction to Converse and Chucks All Star It all began in 1908, when Marquis M. Converse launched the Converse Rubber shoe Company in Malden, Massachusetts. The company started as a manufacturer of rubber shoes, which offered winterized rubber soled footwear for men, women, and children. By the year 1910 the Converse Shoe Company was producing 4,000 shoes daily, but it was not until 1912, that it first began producing athletic shoes for tennis. In 1917, the company revolutionized basketball by introducing the worlds first canvas high-top performance basketball shoes, that it named the All Star. Five years later, a semi-professional basketball player, Charles Chuck Taylor officially joined Converse as Americas first sports player endorser; Chucks signature was added two years later in the All Star patch and for the next four decades, Chucks, as they became known, were the shoes to have, particularly on the basketball court. The involvement of America in World War II (1941) took Converse into a new phase and it began manufacturing boots and ponchos. Converse designed the A6 Flying Boot for the U.S. Army Air Corps and even post the war these shoes remained the government issued athletic shoes for military training. For its war efforts Converse received a number of honors from the Army, Navy, and U.S. Treasury. Converse shoes became the number one footwear among the teenagers, who wore them as a symbol of youth rebellion in the 50ÂÂ ´s and for the same reason they continued to be popular in the 70ÂÂ ´s and 80ÂÂ ´s. But it was in the late 80ÂÂ ´s that Converses popularity started to decline. A series of unfortunate events and bad decisions lead Converse to file for bankruptcy in 2001. In June, 2003 Nike bought Converse out for $305 million and has ever since invested more than four million dollars into its advertising. Today, Converse has over 1,000 different types of Chucks selling in the market to individuals and organizations, all with the same goal WEAR A SHOE THAT MAKES A STATEMENT. As mentioned in the mission statement of the company: Our MISSION is to deliver personal service to our customers knowing that soon we will become friends. Our hope is that we provide the same shoes that our owners father wore for cross country in 1965, and his grandfather wore to play stickball in the streets of Philadelphia in the 30s. This report is an outcome of an analysis of marketing strategies used by Converse in the United States of America. The main purpose of the report is to indicate the market segmentation and target customer base of Converses most famous range of shoes, the Chucks or Converse All Star, in the U.S. The report further analyzes the position of Converse in the footwear industry in comparison to its competitors; the positive and negative aspects of the positioning strategies. It further discusses the product, pricing, promotional and distribution strategies and their influence on the buying behavior. Market Segmentation, Target Market and Positioning of Chucks Converse claims to be the first shoe company to launch footwear with Self Expression and till date Chucks enjoy the status of being the most popular shoes with this advantage. Despite this fact, Converse prefers to focus only on certain preference clusters and chooses target marketing over traditional mass marketing. The market for the Chucks All Stars has primarily been segmented according to demographic factors, namely, age and income. Furthermore, the company also divides the market on basis of psychographic factors like lifestyle and personality. Behavioral factors, like attitude and user status, have also been used to segment the market further. The product goes beyond segmenting the market on basis of gender, by offering shoes for both men and women, and also unisex shoes. The market for the Chucks has been segmented on basis of the following factors: Demographic Under this factor the U.S. population is primarily categorized on basis of age, discretionary income and generation. The age groups have been split into four parts, namely: under 13, 13 to 19, 20 to 35 and above 35. *Further, the income groups have been divided into: 0 income (students), $ 1 to $ 30,000 (young entry-level professionals) and above $ 30,000 (upper middle class). The generations have been segmented into baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964), Generation X (those born between 1964 and 1984) and Generation Y (those born after 1984). Psychographic For this factor the market has been categorized on basis of lifestyle and personality. The population of the U.S. has been segmented on basis of lifestyle into seven groups, namely: Resigned Rigid, authoritarian, chauvinistic (older) Mainstream Domestic, conformist, conventional (Part of the mass, favoring big brands) Aspirer Materialistic, acquisitive, image conscious, attractive more important than quality of contents (Younger, clerical/sales type occupation) Succeeder Strong goal orientation, confidence, work ethic (Top management) Explorer Energy-autonomy, adventurous (Younger students) Reformer Freedom from restriction, intolerant of bad taste ( Higher education) Behavioral The market has been segmented on basis of loyalty status into Hard-core loyals, split loyals, shifting loyals and switchers. Also, attitudes of the American populace have been used to factor the market into: upbeat enjoyers, insecures and financial positives. Converse has analyzed web users online activities to figure out who is most likely to be interested in its product, which enables them to place ads on whatever sites those consumers are visiting. For example, behavioral segments important to the footwear industry, such as fashion-interested, outdoor sports enthusiast or soccer mom, would be based on where the user has gone and/or what they have done on various web pages. Share of U.S. Footwear Retail Sales by Consumer Group and Major Product Category, 2008 (%) Target Market With respect to the segments classified above, the Chucks have been made to target two age groups: the Teens, ranging from 13 to 19 years of age and the entry-level professionals ranging from the age of 20 to 35. The Chucks are designed for both male as well as the female consumers with different variations and patterns for both. The product also offers a unisex range to its consumers. Chucks marketing strategy also targets the zero, mid and upper range income groups. The marketing focus lies mainly on the younger generation, Generation X (Gen X) and Generation Y (The Echo Boomers), who fall in the Aspirer, Explorer or Reformer category based on lifestyles. *The shoes became very popular with rock musicians, and younger generations wore them for their distinctive looks, colors, and comfort and as an alternative to the high priced high performance shoes made by Nike and other companies. They were considered a leisure shoe and also were purchased because they were fashionable.* People from inner-directed hierarchy of stages, particularly I-am-me and Experimental lifestyles are being targeted. Product Positioning of Chucks relative to its competitors Converse once stood for athletic footwear. Now the brand has developed into a fashion statement for the retro-modern sub-culture prevalent in todays generation and is marketed as a Classic shoe for the new generation. Converse has obtained a good position in the buyers mind through better product attributes, price, quality and image, offering the product in a different way than the competitors do. The company offers the product in a variety of colors and styles at an affordable price with high branding, which ultimately helps to position the Chucks, in the buyers perspective, as trendy yet simple shoes. Converse has adopted the Cultural Symbol Approach to position Chucks in the market by associating the product with the basketball legend Chuck H. Taylor and appending his signature with the brand logo. The brand value of Converse is such that owning a pair of Chucks is equivalent to owning a piece of history, which apparently is a value offered by none other in the market. The Product User Approach for positioning the Chucks relative to its competitors. Another advantage Converse enjoys over its competitors is the association of the brand with music. The shoe became associated with puck rock and counter culture after being worn by the bands The Ramones and Blondie, who communicated with both strong music and fashion statements. The Ramones used the shoe as part of their street image with black leather jacket and blue jeans whereas Blondie gave the shoe a glossier menswear revamp creating an alternative suiting look as band members wore red and black colored Chucks with tight black pants, black jackets, shirts and ties on the cover of their Parallel Lines LP. Adopting the Product User Approach to position the Chucks Converse have also collaborated with designer John Varvatos and worked on several innovative marketing and charitable projects. They also released a collection of Converse shoes inspired by Kurt Cobain featuring artwork sourced from Cobains journals. Cobain was often seen wearing Converse and was wearing Chucks when he ki lled himself. The Converse Cobain collection has earned a mixed response from Nirvana fans who have noted that Cobain was particularly concerned about corporate appropriation of counter culture value. The unique selling proposition (USP) of Converse All Star is their simple design, wearing which the consumers declare the ownership of the old-school essence. The classic 2-ply canvas and rubber sole has been the only design that Converse shoes have revolved around and always will. Apart from the image value provided by Chucks, the product also provides its consumers with a diversity of patterns and colors to choose from, a most attractive attribute for the youth. Moreover, Chucks also come in low ankle height design and high boots to suit the style of every individual. The Chucks also compliment almost all outfits for both the genders. Be it under skinny jeans, or a short skirt, Chucks can give a trendy look to all. The big broad colored laces in the shoes can easily be arranged by youngsters in different ways to give a new look on every arrangement. It has also been a fad amongst youngsters to paint the shoes highlighting their individualism. *Therefore, Chucks are more than just shoes. Marketing Mix and Market Position of Chucks This section describes the way Converse uses the tactical marketing tools for marketing Chucks in the United States. This section will cover the product attributes, pricing, distribution channels and promotional activities of Chuck Taylor All Star. Product The benefits provided by Chucks can be classified into three groups: The core benefits of the product comprise of the fact that Chucks are classic kicks that fit any look. They provide a perceived look of self-expression, free-spirit and creativity for every owner. Also, Chucks are easy to care for and teens prefer them because of the low maintenance feature that comes from a simple canvas and rubber design. The actual benefit of the shoe is its exquisite quality for a reasonable price. The Chucks use 2 ply canvas and a sturdy rubber toe-guard, which looks trendy and at the same time protects your feet. Although Chucks are not designed for athletics, they feel pretty comfortable and have a relatively simple design. Another special quality is their ability to transcend cultures; they appeal to punks, rebels, athletes, and kids. Another benefit of chucks is that they come in an unimaginable range of colors and also are packaged in color-themed shoe boxes, making it more appealing to the target consumer base. One of the most important features of chucks is that they provide the consumer with a variety of choices in terms of designs and patterns. The consumer can choose from hi-top, low-top, X-Hi and Slip-On. Above all, Converse is a recognized brand in the market of canvas shoes. Because of this, even after Nike took over Converse, they carried on the range with the same brand name. Augmented benefits include, the consumers being offered with an option to buy a customizable shoe with user-generated content, allowing users to design and select colors for the entire shoe. Consumers are able to create unique custom canvas shoes by uploading their own designs, patterns, illustrations, images and text, and then preview their shoes instantly. Users can also embellish their shoe designs with preset colors and patterns. The shoes are embellished and assembled from scratch within 24 to 48 hours, which enables consumers to receive their shoes in one to two weeks. Apart from all these benefits offered by Chucks, they also come in limited editions for those who want an exclusive shoe. Converse keeps coming up web exclusive offers to increase sales and make consumers revisit the site frequently. The sales and purchase agreement of Converse also offers an easy return within 30 days if the consumer happens to be unsatisfied with his online purchase. If purchased at high-end retailer, satisfaction guarantee Price Converses Chucks are priced quite reasonably relative to its competitors. On one hand, where brands like Sketchers, Vans, Levis, Adidas and Lee Cooper, offer the same quality and style for a high price, Converse All-Stars dont usually cost more than $35-60. Chucks are positioned to suit practically every pocket. Consumers can also avail the Just Reduced and Last Chance offers on particular shoes while purchasing online. The company usually provides discount coupons or vouchers on in-store purchases which can be utilized at the time of the next buy. Place/Distribution Converse has 53 outlets in the Unites States located in all major cities like California, Florida and Texas. (www.converse.com) Apart from exclusive Converse Stores, the product is also distributed to major retailers and is sold to the consumer through a variety of channels. According to data from BIGresearch, in the years 2006-2008 BIGresearch, nearly 18% of adult consumers have no preference for a particular branded outlet, 12% of consumers shop most often at Wal-Mart and Payless for footwear. Chucks can also be bought online from Converses official website www.converse.com. Promotion Apart from competing in price, Converse has to fight for market share through strategies like strengthening brand image and product proliferation. The brand image of Converse is created by extensive marketing campaigns and celebrity endorsements. The product has had a collection of classic advertisements after Nike invested a sum of $4 million post its takeover of Converse. The figure below shoes the growth in the sales of Converse after Nike pushed its promotion. Nike, Inc. Net Sales of Cole Haan, Converse Other Products and Percent of Total Net Sales, 2005-2009 (in millions $) Source: Nike, Inc. annual reports and press releases. Chucks have been marketed by famous personalities like Chuck H. Taylor, The Ramones and Will Smith from the field of sports, music and entertainment respectively. Converse has been actively building up a presence within the hip, indie/alternative music youth culture for the better part of the past decade, in particular emphasizing its retro-tinged Chuck Taylor All Star brand. Previously, the company has tapped musicians like Tokyo Police Club and Matt Kim to design shoes and sponsored collaborative singles from blog-hyped acts, including a recent release from Best Coast, Kid Cudi, and Vampire Weekends Rostam Batmanglij. The company also sponsors rock concerts, a kind of event associated with the target market. Since Converse is more like a community, a part of its advertising is done by its existing consumers through Word of Mouth (WOM) and internet blogs. Influence of Marketing Mix on Buying Behavior for Chucks Though the marketing mix needs to be updated on a regular basis to suit the variable needs of the existing customer base and to foray into newer markets, Converse has always promoted Chucks as an affordable trendy shoe for youngsters. With its classic customizable range of kicks, Chucks directly meets the need of creativity and self-expression for the youth. Also, the association of the brand with music since decades is a strong attraction to the followers of punk rock. Colors, styles, fashions, and what is likely to be hot are important criteria in the design of fashion footwear, and Chucks meet them all. Moreover, Converse is a renowned brand for canvas shoes and this brand familiarity influences the buyers decision to purchase Chuck Taylors each time he walks into a store with the intent of buying a pair of shoes. Chucks are reasonably priced and therefore are more likely, than its competitors, to be purchased. The frequent discounts and offers that Converse comes up with play a significant role in attracting the customers. The vouchers earned on in-store purchases work to persuade the customers to shop at Converse again. With several factory stores in the important cities of the country, Converse has made the purchase of Chucks quite convenient for its customers. Comforters are also lured by the option of website purchases and the availability of the shoe in ubiquitous retailers like Wal-Mart and Payless. The association that Converse has made with the celebrities from all spheres of life, sports to music to media, has helped it make a positive impression on minds of the targeted younger generation. The followers of indie/punk rock also relate with Converse much more than with any other brand, owing to Converses sponsorships of music events. Also, since Converse is a recognized brand, customers tend to buy Chucks since influencers or the reference groups possess the shoe. Conclusion Converse is a recognized brand in the fashion footwear industry, which positions its Shoe, Chucks All Star, as a shoe of self-expression. The product is reasonably priced and targets the younger generation of students and young professionals. With a variety of designs and colors, high quality standards and relatively low pricing, Chucks are amongst the most preferred shoes in the target market. Converse promotes Chucks through a number of distribution channels and celebrity endorsements. Overall with its marketing activities Chucks has been a successful brand. The only area in which Chucks are lagging is the athletic footwear segment which is huge market to be forayed in.

Factors that influence to increase price of goods

Factors that influence to increase price of goods Introduction Controls the market price of all necessary goods are the prime objective of the government. However, with the price increases of essentials capturing headlines of our national newspaper and TVs almost everyday. This price-hiking problem has become the main social problem in Bangladesh and it has great negative impacts on the people. The poor general mass is suffering most in this problem. Besides, it also hindrance the growth and development of the country. Ultimately, the goals of welfare state hampered due to lack of proper controlling the price of necessary goods. There are many reasons behind this problem. According to the finance and planning adviser, Mizan Azizul Islam, International price hike of essential necessities as being responsible for high domestic prices. In most of the cases, international market price is responsible for domestic inflation. Besides, production and production costing, export and import, preservation system, marketing policies, communication system etc are also responsible for this problem. Moreover, a group of business people are taking the advantages of these and increasing the price of necessary goods. This is unethical and unlawful. Factors that Influence to Increase Price of Goods Some factors are influencing the overall situation of the market to increase the price of necessary goods. They are- Production Production cost Preservation system Marketing strategy Export and Import Unethical business practice tendency Syndication Retail sellers unlawful tendency towards benefit Global market price Lack of government rules and its implementation Production The mass production of goods nationally and globally reduces the price of goods. If it is hampered, then it is impossible to control the price or keep the price of all necessary good in the reach of the poor people. This kind of problem happened when big countries such as China, India, Korea etc fail to produce their necessary goods. Last year due to natural disaster India fail to produce rice as a result demand for rice grows up and a scarcity was arise in the global market and at the same time price for rice goes up at a tremendous rate*. And it had a impacts both in the global and local market. *.Article on the newspaper ( The Daily Star )- Due to natural disaster India fails to produce rice to meet the local demand. So, they are going to buy and preserve rice from the global market. ally recognized levels. Production Cost Production cost depends on availability of production materials such as seed, fertilizer, water, production equipments and the weather. Lack of any of them interrupts the production and increase the production cost. According to the Section 171.1014, 1 taxable entity that elects to subtract cost of goods sold for computing its taxable margin shall determine the amount of that cost of goods sold as provided by this section. Moreover, the cost of goods sold includes all direct costs of acquiring or producing the goods (Labor costs, raw materials costs, handling costs, storage costs, repairing and maintaining costs etc)*. In addition, the cost of goods does not include the following costs in relation to the taxable entitys goods (Renting or leasing costs, selling, distributions, advertising costs etc)*. However, a group of businessperson are not following this rules and regulation and increasing the price of necessary goods for seeking more benefits. On the other hand, the governments are not taking any steps against this group of people though are there rules and regulations to prevent this. The only reason behind is that now a days more than 60% MPs are businessperson. * Section 171.1012. Determination of Cost of Goods Sold. In this section: The cost of goods sold includes all direct costs of acquiring or producing the goods, including: (1) labor costs; (2) cost of materials that are an integral part of specific property produced; (3) cost of materials that are consumed in the ordinary course of performing production activities; (4) handling costs, including costs attributable to processing, assembling, repackaging, and inbound transportation costs; Preservation Lack of proper preservation system has a great impact of the quality of the goods and on its price. Because of this most of the times producer mainly the farmer lose their interest to produce the goods. However, the government tries to make the cold storages in most of the prime cities. Further, it is not sufficient. Moreover, sometimes it is too much costly for the farmers and so on. Every year just for the lack of cold storage, farmers are dropping out their goods in the ponds, rivers. Such as tomato, potato, onion etc. Besides, it is a reason of environment pollution. The government is not taking the necessary steps to prevent this. As a result, the victim farmers are losing their interest for producing this goods and a scarcity is going to rise in the local market. Therefore, price of this goods are going high which is unreachable to the general mass. (5) storage costs, including the costs of carrying, storing, or warehousing property, subject to Subsection (e); (6) depreciation, depletion, and amortization, to the extent associated with and necessary for the production of goods, including recovery described by Section 197, Internal Revenue Code; (7) the cost of renting or leasing equipment, facilities, or real property directly used for the production of the goods, including pollution control equipment and intangible drilling and dry hole costs; (8) the cost of repairing and maintaining equipment, facilities, or real property directly used for the production of the goods, including pollution control devices; (9) costs attributable to research, experimental, engineering, and design activities directly related to the production of the goods, including all research or experimental expenditures described by Section 174, Internal Revenue Code; (10) geological and geophysical costs incurred to identify and locate property that has the potential to produce minerals; (11) taxes paid in relation to acquiring or producing any material, or taxes paid in relation to services that are a direct cost of production; (12) the cost of producing or acquiring electricity sold; and (13) a contribution to a partnership in which the taxable entity owns an interest that is used to fund activities, the costs of which would otherwise be treated as cost of goods sold of the partnership, but only to the extent that those costs are related to goods distributed to the taxable entity as goods-in-kind in the ordinary course of production activ * The cost of goods sold does not include the following costs in relation to the taxable entitys goods: (1) the cost of renting or leasing equipment, facilities, or real property that is not used for the production of the goods; (2) selling costs, including employee expenses related to sales; (3) distribution costs, including outbound transportation costs; (4) advertising costs; (5) idle facility expense; (6) rehandling costs; Marketing Still in our country, there are no proper marketing policies of the government. The lower middle class, middle class and upper class businessperson are controlling the markets. Most of the times the farmers are deprived their due prices. The middle class businessperson is unethically increasing the benefit margins. On the other hand, regarding imported goods, the businessperson are syndicating and increasing the prices of goods very high. As a result, for both of this system nationally produced goods and imported goods the consumers of our country are victims of this unethical business. Most of the times the government are the co-sharer of these unethical activities of the businessperson. In one sense, due to dishonesty and corruption justice is like a golden deer for people of Bangladesh. Therefore, the price controlling is hard to reach without development of the humanity. Besides this in Bangladesh, the business people are not following the perfect marketing strategy. In addition, the government has a lack of control on the over all market condition. Sometimes-due to this many businessperson starts to market their products without testing it and maintaining the quality*. Moreover, they focus on advertisements and start to market the products at a low price. As a result, the reputed companies who are maintaining the quality of the products it becomes tough for them to sustain in the market. Because they cannot able to market the products at a cheaper rate like their competitors. As a result, the general people have to buy the quality products at a higher rate. Communication Problem Communication problem influences to increase the price of necessary goods such as vegetables, imported goods etc. Without proper communication problem, it is tough to distribute the goods properly. It is great problem in Bangladesh and we are suffering this problem year after year. Government is trying to improve the communication problem. However, the steps they are taking are not sufficient for our country. Most of the times in the rainy seasons, prices of goods due to the communication problem. Moreover, every year flood is a common natural disaster for Bangladesh that totally breaks down the transportation system of us. On the other hand, each and every the transportation companies have to face many problems. Our government does not take any steps to secure the communication system. Groups of people take the advantage and collect money from the transportation sectors such as police, Mastans and so on. Due to this types of unethical activities, the cost of goods are incrasing. Export According to the Export Policy 1997-2002 the main objectives are to achieve optimum national growth, narrow down the gaps between export and import, to make the exportable items more attractive, to develop and expand infrastructure and so on*. In the year of 2009-2010, we export $18.36 billion. For Bangladesh the main export items are garments, textiles, jute and jute goods, ships, leather, produce, frozen fish and seafood, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, cement. Our main export partners are US 31.8%, Germany 10.9%, UK 7.9%, France 5.2%, Netherlands 5.2%, Kuwait 4.9%, Japan 4.5%, Italy 4.42% (2000). However, we fail to achieve our export objectives due to political disturbance, economical condition, natural disaster and so on. Every year we are exporting less and importing more. As a result, it create a negative impacts on our economy and price of goods are going up. Because of this unstable economic condition is arising day by day. The economy of Bangladesh is constituted by that of developing country. Its per capital income in 2008 was est. US$1,500. This is lower than India and Pakistan. Bangladesh ranked as the 48th largest economy in the world in 2008. In Bangladesh the economy has grown at the rate of 6-7% p.a. Due to infrastructure problems in transportation, communications, power supply and water distribution Bangladesh can not able to achieve it export objectives. These are the reason, which influence to increase the price of necessary goods. Objectives ( Export policy 1997-2002) The principal objectives of this policy are : 1. To achieve optimum national growth through increase of export in regional and international market; 2.. To narrow down the gap between the countrys export earning and import payment through achievement of the export targets ; 3.. To undertake timely steps for production of exportable goods at a competitive price with a view to exporting and strengthening existing export markets and making dent in new markets; 4.. To take the highest advantage of entering into the post Uruguay liberalized and globalized international market; 5. To make our exportable items more attractive to the market through product diversification and quality improvement; 6.. To establish backward linkage industries and services with a view to using more indigenous raw materials, expand the product base and identify and export higher value added products ; 7. To simplify export procedures and to rationalize and solidify export incentives; 8. To develop and expand infrastructure ; 9. To develop trained human resources in the export sector; 10. To raise the quality and grading of export products to internation Import According to the Import Policy 1997-2002 the main objectives are to make the import policy compatible with the changes in world-market, to ensure the growth of industries and so on*. In the year of 2008 Bangladesh imports$20.205 billion. Our main imported items are machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, raw cotton, food, crude oil and petroleum products. Our main import partners are China 11.4%, India 9.1%, Singapore 8.5%, Hong Kong 7.1%, Japan 6.5%. Government is sincerely committed to fostering a gradual development of free market economy in the light of GATT agreement. For the interest of export promotion investment in the country, it is necessary to have a long term, stable, facilitative liberal Import Policy. The present government has taken steps to extend the duration of the Import Policy from two years to five years. Efforts have been made to make the Import Policy easier and more liberal by relaxing or rescinding the regulatory provisions of the previous Import Policy. Provisions have already been made to allow import of capital machinery and industrial raw materials on consignment basis without the cover of the Letter of Credit. Main objectives of Import policy a) To make the Import Policy Compatible with the changes in world-market that have occurred as a result of the introduction of market economy and signing of the GATT Agreement. b) To simplify the procedures for import of capital machinery and industrial raw materials with a view to promoting export, and c) To ensure growth of the indigenous industry and availability of high quality goods to the consumers at a reasonable price Government has taken steps for quality control in the import of cement, fertilizer etc. In order to protect the interest of the consumers, steps are afoot to ensure that in future all imported consumer items conform to a specified standard of quality. In the present Import Policy Order, second hand/reconditioned machinery are importable subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Gradually efforts will be made to classify the machinery under H. S. Code. However, lack of proper management sometimes the import polices are disrupted. As a result, it takes too much time to discharge/unload the goods from sea-port. So, the importers have to increase the price of the goods. Besides, syndicating problem is a great reason to increase the market price of imported goods. Unethical Business Practice Tendency Most of the cases upper class and middle class businessperson are dishonest, selfish and they are acting as the head of the society*. They are controlling the local market price as their own wish. Besides, they are controlling the era of devils and making wealth and property. Moreover, they are also responsible for syndicating and increasing the price of local market goods. Among the politician more than 60% are businessperson*, they deals with the politicians and political parties and using their power in the wrong direction. Besides, corrupting the business sectors as much as they can just to make profits. In words, it is the Kingdom of dishonest, wealthy and powerful persons. The mass people are helpless to control the price of necessary goods. According to a report in *Amar Desh (May 11, 2007), prices of essential food items have increased 25 per cent on an average in the past four months. According to a report in New Age (May 11, 2007), prices rose between five and 50 per cent during the same period- most of it under the military-backed interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed that assumed office after the proclamation of a state of emergency on January 11. According to the governmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s own statistics, inflation increased from just fewer than six per cent in January this year to almost 7.5 per cent by March. While the government appears to be in denial suggesting that inflation is not really out of control and quite below the danger level, experts fear that it might, in fact, have crossed the double-digit mark driven by the soaring food prices. *According to SLATE magazine (2007), about our very own mafia groups that group has come to be known, and often referred to in the media, as the syndicate. Despite the fact that academics, researchers and even politicians have acknowledged such collusion, its existence is denied upfront, both by government officials and businesspeople, in a manner that can be likened to that regarding the mafia. For the longest time, the existence of the mafia, or rather Cosa Nostra, was denied by insiders as well as government officials till misconceptions and myths were laid to rest by, what came to be known as, the Maxi Trial in a court in Sicily over a hundred years after its existence was officially reported. As for the syndicate, it has proved to be invincible and even immune to a state of emergency, which has not been able to curb Retail Sellers These types of people are also corrupted. They are mainly creating artificial crises of the product in the local market*. As a result, demand for those goods goes up. Moreover, sometimes the retailers offer gift items with the low quality products. As a result, demand for quality products goes down and they take the advantage by stocking the products. After few days later they market the products at a higher price. Global Market Prices It is also one of the prime reasons for increasing the price of necessary goods. We are insufficient to produce the necessary goods. Therefore, we have to depend on importing goods from foreign countries. Moreover, we need to depend on favorable price of goods of the world market. *THE RESTRICTIVE TRADE PRACTICES, MONOPOLIES AND PRICE CONTROL ACT Commencement: 1st Februar, 1989 An Act of Parliament to encourage competition in the economy by prohibiting restrictive trade practices, controlling monopolies, concentrations of economic power and prices and for connected purposes Government Precaution In all the cases the government steps towards controlling the price is also major factor. However, I am disclosing with regret that the every sector in our country are controlled by the corrupted businessperson. Most of the cases the rules of laws are absent and the implementations of laws are in near zero percentage. Those who will implement the law, most of them are highly corrupted. Therefore, the result is a big zero. The mass people with a new hope changing the government every 5 years. However, the result is more disappointed and more distress. In a word, it is a land of all evils and injustice. Without developing, the morality it is absurd to change this hails condition. We have to start a revolution from young generation. Conclusion Due to all of these lacking it is going to be impossible to control the price of necessary goods. The very poor people are suffering most of the cases by this problem. As a result, the major portion of the people are going as burden for the society. Therefore, we have to take precautions to avoid this problem for making a happy, wealthy and prosperous Bangladesh. If we want to achieve this then we have to take serious action and frame effective laws for the elimination of the middle men groups existing various trading circles, by framing effective measure to control bribery between law enforcing agencies and trades. A strong co-ordination efforts and monitoring cells should be formed to observe and check price level of essential commodities in different trade center of the country. Besides, committees should be established for the co-operation, co-ordination and exchange of information in between different Government officials entrusted to check price level, by re-introducing old rationing system by the Government to stable the prices, by identifying syndicate groups and taking appropriate action against them.

Human Resource Roles and Responsibilities Essay -- Human Resource Mana

Human Resource Roles and Responsibilities Human Resource is a key to the success of a company by keeping in connection with the organization's objectives and business strategies. Human Resource maintains a healthy work environment between company policies and individuals. Human resource management focuses on securing, maintaining, and utilizing an effective work force, which organizations cannot survive without. Human resource management can also be described as the relationship between the employer and the employee. There are basic functions all managers perform which are planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. These represent what is often called the management process. Staffing, personnel management, or human resource management is the function for the organization to focus on today's workforce environment. It includes activities like recruiting, selecting, training, compensating, appraising, and developing. The role of Human Resources is continuing to change. Today, H R executives are taking a more active role in meeting the competitive demands of today's corporations. This change has affected many HR executives, including the HR executive who works for PC Innovation. Human resource management role in this organization has had to increase their experience and knowledge with the increased changes. PC Innovation is a computer store with high integrity and is well known in the community. PC Innovation operates out of St. George Utah with sister compa...

Thoughts on a Possible Rational Reconstruction of the Method of Essay

Thoughts on a Possible Rational Reconstruction of the Method of "Rational Reconstruction" ABSTRACT: Rational reconstructions standardly operate so as to transform a given problematic philosophical scientific account-particularly of a terminological, methodological or theoretical entity-into a similar, but more precise, consistent interpretation. This method occupies a central position in the practice of analytic philosophy. Nevertheless, we encounter-even if only in a very few specific publications-a vague image of it. This is due on the one hand to the problem of the intentions of application, i.e., of the normativity of rational reconstruction (descriptive/prescriptive-ambivalence). It is also due on the other hand to the problem of the significance of the method in the field of history of philosophy (systematic/historical-dichotomy). The varied usage within analytic philosophy, as well as the increasingly inflationary and interfering usage outside, contribute to make rational reconstruction somehow appear a Proteus in contemporary philosophical methodology. This paper attempts to administer first aid and to close a bit of the theoretical gap and thus to reach a more exact image for the interests of analytic philosophy. Self-application of the method appears to be the right remedy. A graduating rational reconstruction of a standard concept of rational reconstruction will be suggested, differentiating the concept of rational reconstruction according to normativity, and explicating the method of rational reconstruction into two such variants. Introduction The method of rational reconstruction occupies a central position in the practice of Analytical Philosophy. Andreas Kamlah once has dealt with it in an article under ... ...85), pp.71-82 Poser, Hans [1971]: Philosophiegeschichte und rationale Rekonstruktion. Wert und Grenze einer Methode. In: Studia Leibnitiana 3 (1971), pp. 67-76 ________ [1980]: "Rekonstruktion, rationale." In: Speck, Josef (ed.): Handbuch wissenschaftstheoretischer Begriffe. Band. 3, Gttingen 1980, pp. 555-556 Stegmller, Wolfgang [1967]: Gedanken ber eine mgliche rationale Rekonstruktion von Kants Metaphysik der Erfahrung. Teil I. Kants Rtsel der Erfahrungserkenntnis. In: Ratio 9 (1967), pp. 1-30 ________ [1973]: Probleme und Resultate der Wissenschaftstheorie und Analytischen Philosophie. Band IV. Personelle und Statistische Wahrscheinlichkeit. Studienausgabe Teil A, Berlin 1973 ________ [1985]: Probleme und Resultate der Wissenschaftstheorie und Analytischen Philosophie. Band II. Theorie und Erfahrung. Studienausgabe Teil E, 2nd ed., Berlin 1985.

Keeping Marine Mammals in Captivity Essay

Problem (2 Points) Does captivity affect the overall health and behavior of marine mammals? Research (2 Points) Wild Animals Habitat: Open ocean Diet: Krill Behavior: Friendly Captivity Habitat: Tank of ocean water, replicated to appear like the ocean. Diet: Krill caught in the ocean, fed three times a day. Behavior: Friendly to other mammals within the tank. Hypothesis (4 Points) If we keep marine animals in captivity for over a year, then their health and behavior will be negatively impacted. Procedure (4 Points) 1. Set up area in both wild and captive areas for testing. 2. Choose the same marine mammal for both the wild and captive area to test. 3. Tag and assess health of the wild marine mammal. Asses the health of the  captive mammal. 4. Monitor mammals for a year. 5. Record their behavior with detail and accuracy. 6. Asses health and behavior of both mammals after one year. Analysis (4 Points) The animals in captivity appeared to be healthier and friendly to their tank mates. They were fed organic krill and were fed regularly, but were very nervous and slightly hostile to outside animals once they were exposed. The animals that were not in captivity fed on their own time but were not necessarily unhealthy. They were not hostile to other mammals and peacefully coexisted with other mammals in the ocean. Conclusion (2 Points) My results did not support my hypothesis. The mammals kept in captivity were healthier than the mammals in the wild, due to controlled setting, and regular nutritious diet. However their behavior was negatively impacted. They were nervous and somewhat hostile towards the wild mammals once exposed to the wild. Grammar/Spelling (2 Points) Once you complete designing your own experiment, check the assignment for directions on how to submit your final product to your instructor.

King of the Bingo Game: An analysis

â€Å"King of the Bingo game† by Ralph Ellison is about a man, in desperate need of money, cheating at a bingo game.   More importantly, the story revolves around a desperate man seeking sanity and solution in a world he cannot control.   This desperate and futile search for answers is what ultimately leads him to his demise.The backdrop of the story is during World War II.   This time was particularly chaotic as the war is pulling on the economic resources of everyone.   It is more chaotic for the Bingo King as his wife is sick and he needs money for her care.   He cannot work in the factories, as he has no birth certificate.   The last chance he has is a Bingo game being held in a movie theater.   This is the place where his life will end.   This is the place where the contradictions of freedom and slavery, wealth and poverty, Sanity and madness will all meet.A big factor of this story in the race of the main character.   He is a black man living from the s outh.   This is the 1940’s; hence slavery has been abolished for some time.   Yet, The Bingo King is still a slave to something else.   He has an inability to make money, yet is in desperate need of it.   He cannot work in the factories; hence he is â€Å"useless† to society.   There is a promise of money from a game; hence he places all his hopes into it.   The slavery in this story is slavery to capitalism.   There is this illusion that one can make it rich on one’s own merits.   Yet, as Bingo King himself say’s in reference to the Wheel, â€Å"This is God†.This is the contradiction to the standard idea of equal rights and freedom that America is commonly personified.   The idea that all men are created equal and are free to pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.   This is all dashed apart by the wheel, which flippantly controls the ebb and flow of life and fortune.The Bingo King, upon realizing this, realizes tha t his only hope for sanity and fortune is through this wheel, which he now believes controls all things.   An idea like freedom or equality seems laughable in the face of this machine, which deals out fortune or loss on a whim.   Upon seeing this, the Bingo King realizes that only through the constant spinning of the wheel will his life have any meaning.   This is the failure of sanity, which leads him to his death.In a way, the journey that the Bingo king undertakes is parallel to that of the Faustus in Christopher Marlowe’s classic play.   Faustus is a noble and proud man of science.   One notable characteristic about Faust is that he has a deep thirst for knowledge and understanding.   This is a noble and proud endeavor, not one that would be considered wrong or sick by any standards.   The problem comes with the methods that he uses to gain that knowledge.   In his thirst, he signs his soul over to the demon Mephistopheles so that he may be granted powers not meant for mortal man.   Over the course of the story, Faustus takes a journey that leads him into arrogance and madness.   The story comes to an end with a vision of Faustus being dragged kicking and screaming into hellfire.There is a definite Faustian theme that prevails throughout â€Å"King of the Bingo Game†.   Like Faust, the Bingo King starts on this journey for a noble endeavor.   He wishes for the means to take care of his wife Laura.   His motives are pure and honorable, and he seeks no more than the money needed to take care of his sick wife.   As he reaches the bingo wheel, he sees the power that it holds over his own life.   He sees that life is simply a matter of fate, controlled by chance and whim of luck.   The Bingo King sees this â€Å"whim of luck† as God.   So by his reasoning, if he controls the wheel, he becomes God.   It is then that he becomes mad with a sense of false power.We see this from his thoughts he has concerning the crowd in the theater.   As they heckle and jeer him from his resistance to leave the stage, the Bingo King becomes more and more inwardly hostile towards them:They had been playing the bingo game day in and night out for years, trying to win rent money or hamburger change.   But not one of those wise guys had discovered this wonderful thing†¦.Now he faced the raging crowd with defiance†¦ He was running the show, by God!   They had to react to him, for he was their luck.   This is me, he thought.   Let the bastards yell.Ralph Ellison, King of the Bingo GameHe looks at the crowd and he sees them as fools.   He does this because he thinks that he has found the answer.   This is far from the truth, as he has simply gone mad.   Like Faust, he believes that he is in possession of all the answers.   This is far from the truth.   He sees the glamour of the Bingo wheel as the power over the universe.   Others see it as just an opportunity for fun and a lit tle money.These are the two separate worlds that the wheel inhabits.   There is the world of reality, where the wheel is just a game.   Then there is the world that the Bingo King sees from his point of view.   The world where he can become a god from winning this game and controlling this wheel.   This is a world he came to out of desperation and madness, struggling to get money and a job and not being able to find a place within the world of the story.This brings up the theme of Alienation.   The Bingo King is living in a world that has no place for him.   He has no birth certificate.   Hence, he does not exist.   And seeing the fact that he does not exist, the world has no use for him anywhere.   He cannot gain work in a factory for this reason or gain work anywhere else.   To the world, he is obsolete.   For that reason, other people tend to ignore him.Examples of this are the people in the theater who do not even acknowledge that he exists until the Bingo Game.   One woman is eating peanuts right in front of him.   He recalls his time in his hometown where he could simply ask someone for a few peanuts and they would gladly give it to him.   He realizes that the situation is different here.   This is the big city.   No one cares if he exists or not.   This is the big city.   If he asks the woman for peanuts in this theater, she’ll ignore him, or tell him to get his own bag.This Alienation is not due to the color of his skin.   It is not because his descendents were of an â€Å"inferior race† or because of any preconceived stereotypes about his people.   This alienation comes simply from the world he is living in now.   Everyone is separate from each other.   Everyone in the theater is separate.   No one knows each other or has any real concern for each other.   Their only concern is themselves and their own lives.   All that is needed is to sate their own hungers or wants or needs.   There i s never a concern for their fellow man or giving to others simply out of the joy of giving.   All is meant for one’s self.The joke of the Jackpot, however, is how small the jackpot really is.   The Jackpot of 36.90, even for the forties, is a small amount.   The Bingo king really has no hope of saving his wife through this game, nor does he have any hope of getting out of the poverty that he is currently suffering.   Yet the game is giving him this false hope that it is possible.   This is once again going to the theme of desperation that is cast over him through his alienation.   Bingo King has become so desperate, that he thinks he sees fortune where there is none.This is the overarching theme of the story.   That society alienates itself from others an as a result, the people of that society sees little hope.   In seeing little hope, they give their lives for a cause that may not seem entirely valiant.   Sadly, in the end, this is the fate of the Bingo Ki ng.BibliographyMarlowe, Christopher. The Tragic History of Doctor Faustus. Oxford, England:Oxford University Press, 1998.Ellison, Ralph. â€Å"King of the Bingo Game.† The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction.By Richard Bausch. New York: Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc., 2005.