Friday, November 29, 2019

What Kind of Person is an Overambitious Parent Essays -

What Kind of Person is an Overambitious Parent? Nowadays, parents want the best for their child, but not always what they want is the best. By pushing their child to fulfill your dream you can easily drift apart from each other and hurt eac h other's feelings. For instance, in the short story "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan, which I shall use as a case-study in this essay, the mother constantly pushes her daughter to the limit. The mother always thought her child could do better than anyone else in areas where the girl wasn't good at all. When the daughter fails to live up to these expectations she sees her mother's disappointment: "And after seeing my mother's disappointed face once again, something inside of me began to die." The daughter hates that: " the raised hopes and failed expectations." As a result of this when the girl looks in the mirror she sees nothing, but an ordinary face: "Before going to bed that night, I looked in the mirror above the bathroom sink and when I saw only my face staring back - and understood that it would always be this ordinary face - I began to cry." Her self-esteem lowers. She doesn't believe in herself anymore. But moments later the daughter realized something important, she woul dn't let her mother change her. By making the daughter do something against her will and when she fails to do it, the mother displays a sense of disappointment and resentment towards her daughter. The girl can feel that and thinks that her mother neither likes nor loves her: "Why don't you like me the way I am?" This would make any child in the world feel like they are not good enough for their mother's love and therefore their self-esteem is low and they become a really shy and introvert person. No child in the world deserves to fight for their parents' affection or love towards them. Every child deserves to be loved unconditionally. What is more, when someone is trying to change you and make you do what you don't want to do, you are struggling to keep your real self ab ove the surface. Someone once told a very smart saying: "The biggest challenge in life is being yourself in a world that's trying to make you lik e everyone else. Stand strong." T he girl didn't really gave herself a chance to be good at the piano: "So maybe I never gave myself a fair chanceBut I was so determined not to try , not to be anybody different" In conclusion the daughter's heart was split in two just as "Pleading Child" and "Perfectly Contented" are two halves of the same song. The daughter is wavering between following her heart and realizing her mother's dreams. In the end, the mother and the daughter don't get along. They don't have that relationship that every mother should have with her daughter. The girl should trust her mother and not fear her . The daughter should be comfortable with telling her mother if something is wrong or bothers her. They should be friends instead of arguing whether the girl sh ould be the next Shirley Temple or not.

Monday, November 25, 2019

College essays

College essays Education is essential to me; for without an education we are nothing. I want to keep and serve the people in my home town. Furthering my education will give me the opportunity to give them something back; and to better understand their I am the first generation in my family to go to college. My children, in the future, will be stimulated by me to continue their education and to have a better life than me, and their children will have the best they could have. My parents are They are so proud of me and I do not want to let them down. I want a better future for me and my family. I want to help them. I also want to succeed in life because four years ago I was in my country, my parents brought me to the United States in order to have a better education, a better life, and a future. Now I feel that I have the ability to achieve the dreams of my family. ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Abstinence Offers New Hope for Teenage Sexual Epidemic Essay

Abstinence Offers New Hope for Teenage Sexual Epidemic - Essay Example (Argument Rhetorical Mode, Draft Research Essay) Shawanna Moore American Intercontinental University Professor Judi Mobley ENG 105 Abstinence Offers New 2 Abstinence Offers New Hope for Teenage Sexual Epidemic Jennifer Davis's mother picked her up early from school, and they rush to make it to Jennifer's gynecology appointment on time. In the examination room, as the doctor approaches them, her mother's fears are confirmed. Jennifer has a STD. Jennifer thinks out loud, "How could this ever be any worse" The Doctor looks at Jennifer and solemnly announces that she is also six weeks pregnant. Jennifer stares at the floor as her mother wrings her hands, sore from arthritis and tired from the work it takes to be a single mom. These types of situations can happen at anytime. By creating well-rounded, highly effective abstinence programs, educators have succeeded in reducing teen pregnancy rates and lowering the incidence of STDs. This scene is tragically played out countless times daily in every corner of the country. Jennifer did not mean to get pregnant, and she tried to avoid it. It was "just an accident". She practiced the "safe" methods that she was taught in her sex education class. Unfortunately for Jennifer, there was one method that was not covered in her class, which was the method of abstinence. Though sex education classes often fail to adequately cover it, abstinence has experienced an upsurge in popularity with students, educators, and schools. By itself, abstinence is a difficult challenge to any teenager's raging hormones, but when used as part of a larger program package it has been... " The Doctor looks at Jennifer and solemnly announces that she is also six weeks pregnant. Jennifer stares at the floor as her mother wrings her hands, sore from arthritis and tired from the work it takes to be a single mom. These types of situations can happen at anytime. By creating well-rounded, highly effective abstinence programs, educators have succeeded in reducing teen pregnancy rates and lowering the incidence of STDs. This scene is tragically played out countless times daily in every corner of the country. Jennifer did not mean to get pregnant, and she tried to avoid it. It was "just an accident". She practiced the "safe" methods that she was taught in her sex education class. Unfortunately for Jennifer, there was one method that was not covered in her class, which was the method of abstinence. Though sex education classes often fail to adequately cover it, abstinence has experienced an upsurge in popularity with students, educators, and schools. By itself, abstinence is a difficult challenge to any teenager's raging hormones, but when used as part of a larger program package it has been met with considerable success. Everyone should agree that we need to reduce the epidemic levels of STDs and unwanted pregnancies among our teenagers. Likewise, no one can make the argument that abstinence is not the world's most effective method of birth control.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Contingency response plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contingency response plan - Essay Example He shall likewise be responsible for the onsite coordination of external agents like the local authorities and other emergency personnel. The Medical Officer shall conduct a triage of the victims with triage cards in preparation for the arrival of rescue teams. He shall ensure that the medical response team is well appraise of the situation and is prepared to handle the situation. The Security Officer shall survey and conduct a quick investigation if other explosive devices are still present or could be present within the ship or if there is an imminent danger to rescuers or first responders to be in danger too because of secondary explosions. The Local Authorities (Police/Coast Guard) shall be the final authority that will decide if there are still residual danger, or threat. Imminent or otherwise. They shall provide recommendations on how best to proceed. They or their agents shall be the incident manager with the Captain of the shil and his men following their lead and instructions. 1. At the instant that the Captain is aware of the situation he shall immediately station himself on the deck or at the center of communication of the ship. To coordinate all actions and implementations of all emergency protocol. 3. The Captain shall contact, inform and coordinate with the ships’s owner about the incident and relay all available information about the situation as they come to his attention. He should also give his recommendation with regards to information dissemination to other stakeholders 4. The Captain shall also order the Medical station to standby and prepare for the injured and to activate the Emergency Response Team with focus to smoke inhalation and blast injuries and other information that will protect the responders iii. The Security Officer shall survey and conduct a quick investigation if other explosive devices are still present

Monday, November 18, 2019

The pros and cons of globalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The pros and cons of globalism - Essay Example It extends to all forms of activities such as commercial, financial, or even religious as well as cultural. Such a development over the years has broadened the scope of human activities significantly thus giving rise to higher consumer expectations. One of the key reasons behind the sudden spurt in globalization is the range of technological innovations in the recent years, which has helped in transcending boundaries by breaking down barriers and made it possible for various businesses to take shape and reach a wider audience. The fact that technological revolutions have single handedly revolutionized the global arena has been documented by various authors and researchers alike (Langhorne, 2001). The internet revolution which has given rise to e-Business and e-Commerce has helped in creating global virtual communities These communities are known to display a strongly developed sense of awareness and play a vital role in participating in matters such as political as well as economic d iscourses, thus becoming a strong dominant force in enforcing their perspectives in matters related to public policies. The development of enterprise application systems, wireless communications technology as well as a range of effective business software have enabled the businesses to cater to the large and varied requirements of their consumers, in the fastest way possible. People have now taken to shopping online and expect their orders to be shipped to them as fast as possible. The marketing department has found a new virtual ground for aggressively advertising their products, while the company management are now aiming to sell their products virtually. Global connectivity has expanded the business hours and now provide for a new 24/7 working schedule thus, implying the intensity of competition in the global marketplace. Furthermore, technological advancement has also afforded various countries to enter into economic partnerships with each other for the provision of goods and se rvices, thus paving way for international e-commerce (Tompkins, 2007). Globalization also signifies the tendency of businesses to invest their funds in projects and avenues which are beyond their national boundaries and venture into international territories, thus expanding their scope to different markets worldwide. The proponents of globalization have termed such a change as a positive influence especially with respect to the developing nations, who can now avail the opportunities afforded to them, to develop faster by co-coordinating with the industrialized nations. However, the opponents of globalization on the other hand, have countered this recent development stating that it acts as a barrier for a nation's progress, questions its sovereignty and paves way for the development of other nations by compromising / trading the local jobs for cheaper jobs off shore. This paper on the ‘Good and bad of globalism’ seeks to assess and analyze the perspectives presented by T homas Friedman in his book ‘The World is Flat’ and derive conclusions regarding the actual impact of globalization in contemporary times. The World is Flat: Thomas Friedman's book "The World is Flat" examines and assess the various facets of globalization, and serves as a guide to those at the helm of affairs to analyze and introspect their policies and their resultant impact on the economies of their respective nations. Friedman states that there are various forces which has led the world to become flat. He has refers these

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Fruit Juice Industry Strategies

Fruit Juice Industry Strategies There are a number of drinks, in the beverage industry. They are divided into various branches. Talking about the fruit juice industry, they include natural juices and artificial juices or the man made ones. People have a number of tastes and they vary from person to person. The fruit juice industry has a number of companies. They include Vadilal, Jumpin, Kissan, Real, Onjus, Kool Kokum, Frooti, Appy, Joly Jely, Yo Fruity, Noga, Midland, Goldcoin, Druk, Tropicana etc. as the market is growing and so is the demand from the public, therefore it compels the companies to bring out new and new products from time to time in order to cater to the demands and requirements of the public. Parle Agro, which introduced the concept of mango fruit juice, named it as Frooti. In the beginning it was a huge success, with the company earning profits and at that point of time, the company did not even have much of the competitors. It positioned itself as a drink for kids. But later on, as the market saw the entrance of new and new players and the market got saturated with the number of companies providing fruit juices with a number of variants. This made parle to reposition itself and change the perception of the public. It had to change itself from drinks for kids to a drink for adults. For that it came out with a number of marketing campaigns and other strategies in order to sustain itself in the market and protect frooti from getting into the declining stage of product life cycle. A tremendous number of food items like: beverages, alcohol, bread biscuits, frozen food, saffron, snacks, spices seasonings etc. all are included under the category of Food Beverages. The food and beverage industry consists of high level of market segment, huge variety of products, huge number of companies and many other characteristics. The food and beverage industry represents a diverse set of products and processes: fresh, frozen, chilled, and long shelf-life food and beverage products are manufactured, distributed, imported, and marketed to consumers, retailers, catering services, and other manufacturers. Food and beverage manufacturing facilities use large amounts of energy for cooking, cooling, freezing, and cold storage and transport. The manufacture export of food beverage has been constantly increasing since past few years. Food beverage industry has become a big factor and has been constantly adding to the revenues of the countries. While all beverages hydrate, few of them also provide various important nutrients that our body needs. Few of them relax us, few energize us and few just satisfy our natural taste for sweetness, maybe with or without calories. Some help us to perform our best, on the other hand, some can help us in managing our health. Any beverage can be part of a weight-maintenance diet. For many people who enjoy sweetened coffee drinks, soft drinks and other beverages with calories, this requires using good judgment when it comes to how much (portion size) and how often these beverages are consumed. Fortunately for those who watch their weight, there is also a wide variety of low-calorie thirst-quenching beverages, including waters, teas, coffee, and diet soft drinks. India being the second largest market for fruits and vegetables in the world. The overall and the total production of fruits and vegetables is estimated to be around 148.5 million tones, out of which around 48.5 million tones is accounted by fruits only and the rest for vegetables which is around 100 million tones. However, the fruit juice market has not been fully tapped because of poor infrastructure, poor storage facilities, and highly unorganized market, chiefly constituted by road side vendors. Consumers still prefer to buy juices from road side vendors even if the juices are unhygienic. The major growth drivers in fruit juice market are, increase in health consciousness among consumers, increase in disposable incomes, and more sophisticated cocktail culture.1 Indian fruit juice market It is a newly developing and an unorganized market. Only recently this sector is getting more organized and attracting more players in the market. Though the unorganized corner shop vendors dominate this market, Indian consumers are moving towards branded fruit juice because of their improvement in health consciousness. Indian fruit juice market is having a net-worth of 275 crores as of now and increasing at a rate of 35% to 40% per year. This study was conducted to identify the existing market structure, industry trends, existing players and their status in the market, growth possibilities and consumer behavior of existing fruit juice consumers. The study was conducted to understand the total market intelligence so that it can guide any new entrant in this sector in Indian market would get befitted. The study includes both primary and secondary research. Primary research was conducted across India. Primary research involves collecting information from both consumers and retailers so as to get better understanding about the market. This research report can serve as a guide for any new entrant who wants to enter in this fruit juice market in India. The report can also serve as a basic industry information resource. The branded fruit juice market in India is estimated to be worth Rs 500 crore organised fruit beverage market (nectars, drinks and juices combined) and the segment is growing at about 30 per cent per annum. Big players like Dabur, Pepsi, Godrej and Parle Agro are already in the market and in view of the swift growth in the market, newcomers like Surya Foods and Agro, Mother Dairy, Ladakh Foods, Pioma Industries have come into the market with new products in the recent years. Chief Executive Officer of Dabur Foods told Food Beverage news in an interview that the market share of Daburs Real Fruit juice is now 60 per cent. No doubt Daburs Real Fruit juice is the market leader followed by Pepsis Tropicana. The two major fruit juice makers in India, Tropicana and Dabur are going all out to tease Indian taste buds with ethnic flavours. However, Godrejs Jumpin is slowly achieving its space in the fruit juice market. Godrej Industries Foods Division has introduced fruit juices under the Xs brand, which earlier only consisted of nectars. Parle Agros Frooti and N-Joi too are doing well in the market. Delhi NCR-based Surya Foods and Agro Ltd, manufacturers of Priyagold biscuits, has forayed into the juices segment. Mother Dairy has recently launched the Safal brand of juices. Safal is currently available in orange, mixed fruit, grape and an orange-apple combination. Ladakh Foods, makers of the Leh Berry seabuckthorn berry drink, has now launched an apple-peach com bination juice and a mixed fruit variant. Ahmedabad-based Pioma Industries, makers of the Rasna brand of soft drink concentrates, test marketed a diluted mango juice in Andhra Pradesh recently. There are now racks filled with fruit juices, nectars and drinks. Traditionally, the Indian life style has a predilection for fresh fruits and vegetables or those processed at home. There is a sea change. People, are now increasingly going in for fresh fruit vending from kiosk fountains, which produce instant juices from fresh fruits in the presence of the consumer. It could be due to the non-availability of hygienically produced and well-preserved products with the use of preservatives. That is why some of the real but branded fruit juices launched in the late 1980s and early 1990s did not succeed. There has been a steady rise in the capacity, production and capacity utilisation in the fruit processing units. The processing capacity had gone up from 0.9 mn tonnes in 1990-91 to 2.1 mn tonnes in 1999-00. The capacity utilisation improved from 31% to 47%, with the production in 1999-00 estimated to have increased to 980,000 tonnes. The official reports do not show any substantial increase in total output although branded drinks do show a healthy improvement. There is no general acceptance of the product forms in the fruit drinks market. The consumer is basically concerned that it is a fruit juice and not a synthetically constituted product. Accordingly, the first segmentation is between real fruit drinks and synthetic drinks. The former are based on natural fruit pulp or juice. The others are synthetic products containing fruit flavours. Among the fruit juice beverages are fruit juices (Pepsis Tropicana), nectars (Daburs Real) and fruit drinks (Frooti and Slice). All these are re al, reconstituted from fruit pulps or concentrates. The leading fruit juice brands include Real, Onjus, Tropicana, Frooti, Jumpin. The fruit drinks are mainly based on oranges, mangoes, pineapples, grapes, apples, guava and tomato. They only differ in pulp content: the juices have over 85%, nectars (20% to 85%) and fruit drinks (less than 20%). The branded fruit juices market inclusive of nectars is placed at about Rs 10 bn. The pure fruit juices are the preferred drink among the fruit drinks. This segment is growing at around 10% annually. The market for fruit juices is expected to grow to Rs. 7.50 bn by end 2009-10 from nearly Rs. 4.75 bn presently. Dabur Foods has launched Real Junior, a 125 ml pack of apple and mango drinks for children below 6 years of age. Pioma Industries, the maker of Rasna brand of soft drink concentrate, was negotiating a joint venture with Del Monte Foods of the USA. Del Monte is the largest producer of canned fruits and vegetables in the US. Rasna has set up its first production unit in Himachal Pradesh, with an installed capacity of 350,000 cases a year. The Prakash Chauhan-controlled Parle Agro was to launch two new fruit beverages, besides widening its product portfolio by getting into jams and ketchups. The poduction units were planned in Maharashtra. The company slashed the prices of Frooti and Appy to gain market share. Merisant India, a subsidiary of Merisant USA and makers of Equal, the low calorie sweetener, has introduced a powdered soft drink under the brand, Fix, in the Indian market. The drink is low in calories and will be sold in different flavours peach, orange, mango, pineapple and lemon. Juice is the liquid naturally contained in fruit or vegetable tissue. Juice is prepared by mechanically squeezing or macerating fresh fruits or vegetables without the application of heat or solvents. For example, orange juice is the liquid extract of the fruit of the orange tree. Juice may be prepared in the home from fresh fruits and vegetables using variety of hand or electric juicers. Many commercial juices are filtered to remove fiber or pulp, but high-pulp fresh orange juice is a popular beverage. Juice may be marketed in concentrate form, sometimes frozen, requiring the user to add water to reconstitute the liquid back to its original state. However, concentrates generally have a noticeably different taste from that of their fresh-squeezed counterparts. Other juices are reconstituted before packaging for retail sale. Common methods for preservation and processing of fruit juices include canning,pasteurization, freezing, evaporation and spray drying. Theoretical background Positioning In marketing, positioning has come to mean the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their target market for its product, brand, or organization. Re-positioning involves changing the identity of a product, relative to the identity of competing products, in the collective minds of the target market. What most will agree on is that Positioning is something (perception) that happens in the minds of the target market. It is the aggregate perception the market has of a particular company, product or service in relation to their perceptions of the competitors in the same category. It will happen whether or not a companys management is proactive, reactive or passive about the on-going process of evolving a position. But a company can positively influence the perceptions through enlightened strategic actions. Positioning is about how you differentiate your product or service in the mind of your prospect. The Essence of Positioning Positioning is a new approach to communication, advertising andmarketing. It is an organized system for finding a window in the mind of your prospect in order to position effectively over there a product a merchandise, a service, a company, or a person against its main competitors. This system is based on the concept that communication can only take place at the right time and under the right circumstances. The mind accepts only that new information which matches its current state. It filters out everything else. In other words, positioning is a process by which a psychological anchor has been placed into the minds of prospects so that they come to choose one specific person or company over another. Positioning is what you do to the mind of the prospect you look for the solution of your problem inside the prospects mind. Anyone can use positioning strategy to get ahead in the game of life. Positioning is a process that focuses on conveying product value to buyers, resulting in a family of documents which drive all outbound communications. Yet in recent years, it seems as if positioning has devolved into a document of vague superlatives that convey nothing as they attempt to trick the customer into buying the product. The best positioning clearly states how the product will solve specific customer problems. Positioning a Brand in the Marketplace Without the ability to de-average a companys consumer base, marketing activities would wander off in the general direction of a theoretical average consumer. Yet too often, segmentation efforts dont lead to business actions that create value Many customer analytic models and segmentation systems provide insight into who should be targeted or what message to deliver; but the models themselves rarely offer an optimum long-term contact strategy. What can you do to attain ongoing and consistent profitability from your customer segments? A brands position is the set of perceptions, impressions, ideas and feelings that consumers have for the product compared with competing products. Marketers plan positions that give their products the greatest advantage in selected target markets, and they design marketing mixes to create these planned positions. In planning their positioning, marketers often prepare perceptual maps that show consumer perceptions of their brand versus competing brands on attributes that are important to the consumer, whether functional or symbolic. Perceptual Maps are useful for these key reasons: * Assessing strengths and weaknesses relative to competing brands along certain criteria important to the customer. o This is revealed by the positions of the marketers brand and competing brands along the axes. http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/brand_positioning/ 5 Factors of Brand Positioning Last week, I wrote about how to break through branding clutter by defining yourbrands unique value proposition then owning it in the the marketplace thereby establishing your brands position. Today, lets take a look at the 5 main factors that go into defining a brand position. 1. Brand Attributes What the brand delivers through features and benefits to consumers. 2. Consumer Expectations What consumers expect to receive from the brand. 3. Competitor attributes What the other brands in the market offer through features and benefits to consumers. 4. Price An easily quantifiable factor Your prices vs. your competitors prices. 5. Consumer perceptions The perceived quality and value of your brand in consumers minds (i.e., does your brand offer the cheap solution, the good value for the money solution, the high-end, high-price tag solution, etc.?). http://www.corporate-eye.com/blog/2008/07/5-factors-of-brand-positioning/ Positioning concepts More generally, there are three types of positioning concepts: Functional positions Solve problems Provide benefits to customers Get favorable perception by investors (stock profile) and lenders Symbolic positions Self-image enhancement Ego identification Belongingness and social meaningfulness Affective fulfillment Experiential positions Provide sensory stimulation Provide cognitive stimulation Product Positioning Process Generally, the product positioning process involves: Defining the market in which the product or brand will compete (who the relevant buyers are) Identifying the attributes (also called dimensions) that define the product space Collecting information from a sample of customers about their perceptions of each product on the relevant attributes Determine each products share of mind Determine each products current location in the product space Determine the target markets preferred combination of attributes (referred to as an ideal vector) Examine the fit between: The position of your product The position of the ideal vector Position. Measuring the positioning Positioning is facilitated by a graphical technique called perceptual mapping, various survey techniques, and statistical techniques like multi dimensional scaling, factor analysis, conjoint analysis, and logit analysis. Repositioning a company In volatile markets, it can be necessary even urgent to reposition an entire company, rather than just a product line or brand. Take, for example, when Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley suddenly shifted from investment to commercial banks. The expectations of investors, employees, clients and regulators all need to shift and each company will need to influence how these perceptions change. Doing so involves repositioning the entire firm. This is especially true of small and medium-sized firms, many of which often lack strong brands for individual product lines. In a prolonged recession, business approaches that were effective during healthy economies often become ineffective and it becomes necessary to change a firms positioning. Upscale restaurants, for example, which previously flourished on expense account dinners and corporate events, may for the first time need to stress value as a sale tool. Repositioning a company involves more than a marketing challenge. It involves making hard decisions about how a market is shifting and how a firms competitors will react. Often these decisions must be made without the benefit of sufficient information, simply because the definition of volatility is that change becomes difficult or impossible to predict. A strong strategic plan with a new and powerful dynamic can help you get there. Strategic Planning with a major emphasis on Strategic Repositioning harnesses your unique strengths to achieve success in the marketplace. Strategic Repositioning is a process by which your company identifies its strategic competencies and discovers ways to exploit those strengths in order to propel your firm into a more prosperous and competitive future. Incorporating this element into the strategic planning process can help turn a struggling business around or guide an already successful enterprise into new and profitable territory. http://jobfunctions.bnet.com/abstract.aspx?docid=379140tag=content;col1 Brand Repositioning is changing the positioning of a brand. A particular positioning statementmay not work with a brand. For instance, Dettol toilet soap was positioned as a beauty soap initially. This was not in line with its core values. Dettol, the parent brand (anti-septic liquid) was known for its ability to heal cuts and gashes. The extensions beauty positioning was not in tune with the parents germ-kill positioning. The soap, therefore, had to be repositioned as a germ-kill soap (bath for grimy occasions) and it fared extremely well after repositioning. Here, the soap had to be repositioned for image mismatch. There are several other reasons for repositioning. Often falling or stagnant sales is responsible for repositioning exercises. After examining the repositioning of several brands from the Indian market, the following 9 types of repositioning have been identified. These are: Increasing relevance to the consumer Increasing occasions for use Making the brand serious Falling sales Bringing in new customers Making the brand contemporary Differentiate from other brands Changed market conditions. http://drypen.in/branding/brand-repositioning-and-types-of-brand-repositioning.html Frooti : Fresh N Juicy By: Parle Agro foods Background of Parle Agro foods Parle Products Pvt Ltd based in Mumbai, India has been Indias largest manufacturer of biscuits and confectionery, for almost 80 years. Makers of the worlds largest selling biscuit, Parle-G, and a host of other very popular brands. Its reach spans even to the remotest villages of India. Many of the Parle products biscuits or confectioneries, are market leaders in their category and have won acclaim at the Monde Selection, since 1971. With a 40% share of the total biscuit market and a 15% share of the total confectionery market in India, Parle has grown to become a multi-million dollar company. They have recently entered the snacks market. Biscuit Snacks: Parle-G (Largest selling biscuit in the world.) Krackjack Monaco Hide Seek Hide Seek Milano Cheeslings Musst Bites Digestive Marie Parle Marie Milk Shakti Musst Chips Musst Stix Monaco Smart Chips parle twenty-twenty Hippo Confectioneries: Poppins (Sugar based candies in various fruit flavours.) Melody (Chocolate candy) Xhale (Mint) Mango Bite Kaccha Mango Bite Kismi Toffee Mintrox Butter cup Orange Candy Drinks: Mango Frooti (mango juice) LMN (lemonade) Saint Juice (flavoured juices sold in tetra-packs) Appy classic Appy fizz Bailey V3 fitness About Frooti Frooti is Indias legendary and iconic mango drink. It has been around for over two and a half decades now. Pretty much what Nike or McDonalds or Guinness or Ikea is to the world, Frooti is to India. Theres not one person in India who hasnt had a Frooti. By sheer numbers and its depth of distribution in India and availability in more than 20 countries, Frooti is perhaps one of the largest selling mango drinks in the world. During the brand study, here are a few things we realized. When Frooti came into existence over 2 decades ago, it came in as a really contemporary and youthful drink. Frooti brought Tetra Pak into India. It was cool to have a Frooti. Even the imagery in Frooti communication was way ahead of anything else the Indian society was exposed to. Who can forget classic Frooti commercials in early 80s with pretty girls in mini skirts, hula-hoop, use of CG, people diving into a pool of Frooti, etc., All these, India hadnt seen before. We realized being cool wasnt alien to Frooti, it was just about reinstating the cool factor. Relevantly. However, there was a little something we had to tackle going further. Over the years Frooti was blessed with a lot of child and adolescent loyalists. There have seldom been birthday parties without a Frooti. Can we without alienating them create a similar cult following with youth? With about 60% of India being a part of that segment. We were aware that frooti had made attempts in the past. Digen Verma by Everest and Bindass campaign by Grey, were both tried. While they did create an initial buzz, they lacked a long term strategy or longevity perhaps. We concluded. So, the exercise was essentially to arrive at a strategic idea thats much sharper and a thought or a philosophy Frooti can own and reinvent itself for years. Frooti is the first tetrapak fruit juice in India. Launched in 1984, Frooti still holds a dominant position in the Rs300 crore tetrapak fruit juice (TFJ) market. Frooti over these years have carved out a niche for itself in the market. Frooti instantly caught the fancy of Indian consumer with its tetrapak and some smart campaigns. Initially the drink was positioned as a kids drink. The product was perceived as a healthy fruit drink by the mothers . So within a short span of time ,the brand was an alternative to the unhealthy colas. The tetrapak had other benefits also . Fruit juice is a perishable product and tetrapak have extended the shelf life of Frooti because tetrapaks have 2 layers of paper and a plastic coating that ensured tamper proof and enhanced shelf life. Lured by the success of Frooti, there was a lot of new launches in the TFJ market. Players like Godrej with Jumpin, kissan etc tried their luck in this market but failed to dislodge Frooti. Frooti Faltering Frooti was launched by Parle Agro in 1984. It was the first tetrapak drink to be introduced in the Indian market. By 2000, Frooti had a majority market share of the Rs. 300 crore tetrapak fruit drink market. However analysts felt that this 16-year-old brand had been losing its appeal over the years. The brand, which scored a 100 on product likability and quality and a 95 on product recall, had dropped in the top-of-the-mind ranking to 60, from 95 two years ago. The sales of Frooti also had dropped over the years. The situation worsened with the increase in competition. In addition to the threat it faced from soft drinks marketers, Frooti witnessed heightened competition in its own segment tetrapak fruit drinks2 and juices. With pressure mounting from all sides, Parle Agro was forced to rethink its strategy. To revive the sagging appeal of the brand, it decided on a major relaunch strategy, which focussed on changing its positioning. The relaunch of Frooti aimed at positioning Frooti as a fun, trendy and modern drink targeted at the youth segment, a marked change from its initial positioning as a drink for kids. Said, BL Venkateshwar, Parle Agro vice-president: There has been a change in the consumer psychology. Today sub-segments have been created with the 12-15 year olds calling themselves teenagers and 9-12 year olds as pre-teens. These segments are turning into decision-makers of today with an increase in pocket money. The segment of 16-19 years olds is the new impulse category we are targeting. This segment was therefore strategically very important for Parle Agro. Challenges Frooti is basically a nectar based drink so it is not 100% fruit juice, it also has some preservatives added to increase the shelf life. Although Frooti did not face much competition in the category it created, competition came from a slightly different category, 100% fruit juices. Parle saw the emergence of the 100% fruit drink market and launched Njoy brand but it did not click. Parle could have extended Frooti to this market also . The brand Real from Dabur is the main player in this category. Real effectively positioned itself as a premium healthy drink for adults. Frooti was not able to appeal to adults and was considered as a mango drink while Real is not restricted to any flavour. Frooti also changed its positioning statement from Fresh-N-juicy to Juice Up your life which have not clicked with the customers. Although Frooti enjoys a commanding (75%) market share , Frooti is facing stagnation. May be some serious steps should be taken to increase the usage of the product. The launch of PET bottle Frooti is a step in this direction. Recently Frooti also launched a Green mango variant just to create some hype in the market. Frooti may have to reposition itself again to appeal to cola drinkers. Repositioning of the brand Frooti Frooti was positioned as a mango drink that is Fresh-n-juicy For over a 7 years, the company promoted the product using that famous baseline. The product has tried to create excitement in the market through a series of new variants and packing. But in late ninetees the brand was facing stagnated sales. The company tried to excite the market with an orange and pineapple variant but both the variant bombed. The came the experiment with packaging . The YO! Frooti variant came with a slim paper can aimed at the college going youth. Worried by the stagnating sales, Parle tried to reposition the brand to appeal to youth aged between 16-21. The positioning changed to be more fun based. The package also changed. The old green color of the bottle changed to more bright mango color with lot of graphics added to it. Frooti has come out with a new campaign. The brand had gone in for a complete makeover. The packaging and the positioning has changed. Infact Frooti for the past few years has been trying to catch hold of a consistent theme. It had earlier moved away from the FreshNJuicy positioning . From there onwards, the brand was on a sticky wicket and was not quite settling on a positioning. It had the Bindaas positioning and later Frooti- another name for Mango theme. But the brand was not quite stable on those platforms. Reasons of Repositioning à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Loosing market appeal à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Sales were dropped à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Increase in Competition à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Threat from soft drink marketers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Same segment Competition, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Tetra pack fruit drinks juices Various moves as part of repositioning New packaging The new Frooti has a new modern packaging. The choice of colors and the logo has been tweaked to make the brand more contemporary. Now the packaging is lot more neat and cool. What is more stiking is the change in the positioning of Frooti. Last year, the brand tried to pitch itself as an alternative to mango. Now the brand is trying to be more radical and a little mad. The new campaign is based on a simple consumer observation. Most of us which drink Frooti Tetrapack will try to chase the last drop of Frooti. This habit has been continuing for generations. Knowingly or unknowingly we make funny sounds using the straw when indulging with Frooti. And we all had the habit of breaking those packs for that sound. The agency had tried to capture all these in the new communication. New tagline The brand also has adopted a new baseline Why Grow Up. I think this positioning is a powerful idea which can be sustained for many years provided the creatives are able to think fresh. Even in the new avatar, the brand is retaining the old famous tagline Fresh N Juicy which is good since Frooti has a very strong association with that tagline. Emotional icons Another interesting move by the brand is the creation of Mango-emotions. The brand will now be using mangoticons in its communication which is a really smart idea. The brand using emoticons c

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Escape :: essays research papers

SettingThe story Escape by R.A. Montgomery takes place in the year of AD 2035. The place is in the country of Dorado. It first starts off in a maximum-security prison. The rest of the story takes place in the terrain of Dorado. There are many other little settings that are not important. ThemeIn this story (Escape) there are more than one theme. One of the themes is that don't trust anyone when you are on the run. Another is plan ahead on your escape. There were only two obvious themes to this story. CharacterizationThere are two characters that should be put in characterization. The first one is Milma. She is the leader of the resistance in Dorado. She is in her early thirties. She is a tall, slim woman with long red hair. There is a bounty for her head. The other character is Matt. He is Milma's bodyguard. He is also in his early thirties. He is a build tall man with short, curly blond hair. It is Matt's responsibility to protect and safely get her out of Dorado.Plot Summary1. The spy leader breaks out of a maximum-security prison.2. After you escape you hide in a barn and meet Milma the resistance leader, her bodyguard Matt and a computer specialist named Haven.3. You are waiting at the small runway for your escape plane and there is no plane in sight.4. You decide to go back to town because it was too risky of being caught. 5. You go to Matt's friend Julio's house to stay safe.6. They decide to separate and meet at a safe house in Santa Fe. 7. Secret Agents come to Julio's house to check for the fugitives but they get out in time. They are all out in the back alley when they realize that Haven is not with them.8. You and Matt go back to look for Haven.9. They look around the house for Haven but no sign.10. They go in the kitchen, there was no sound at all. They go in the living room and hear familiar voice say put your hands in the air. It was Haven. He was the Captain of the Secret Police.RecommendationI enjoyed the book Escape. I thought it was very good. It was a very unpredictable book. It kept me on the edge of my seat. If you like adventure books I recommend this book for you.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Cell Phones are a Necessity of Life Essay

Cell phones are not an advanced gadget on the scene. It was developed in 1947 in the form of a car mobile phone. The hypothesis of cellular phone was produced by Bell Laboratories with the permission of FCC (Federal Communication Commission), and had everything to do with broadcasting and sending a radio or television message out over the airwaves. There was a scientist who gave a advanced shape to the same accessory. Dr Martin Cooper, a former general manager in Motorola, made the basic call on a portable cell phone in nineteen seventy-three. The premier ever cell phone was very ample and bulky. It resembled a radio frequency accessory. The weight of Motorola’s introductory cell phone was 2 pounds. Presently, the structure of cell phones has evolved to match the style and comfort of the user. It is uncomplicated to tailor cell phones by choosing its features and functions for one’s comfort. There are phone covers that change the face and design of the contraption. Various accessories are available such as car chargers, belt clips, phone covers, data cables and etc. Cell phones emerged as a apparatus of luxury, but presently it plays a much bigger and considerable role. One can gather wireless Internet service through your cell phone, with web and email capability. A cell phone with a mini web browser can relief retrieve web emails and chat while you are on the move. A extraordinary kind of browser is used for surfing the net on a small cell phone screen. If internet use is a must, make sure that when buying a cell phone you make the choice for graphic browser capability instead of a text-based browser. In addition, if you think you will browse the wireless Internet often, you may desire to consider buying a cell phone with a larger than average display size. There are International websites that allow sending mails, without having a computer. All you need is a basic GPRS enabled mobile phone and you can access your mail on your cell phone anytime and anywhere. It seems that cell phones have become a bed-side essential for us today. It is no longer a device of entertainment. From local weather forecast in the morning to your  loved ones valuable night messages, it keeps you connected all the time. With cell phones becoming a gadget with all the modern technology, its theft is growing across the world. In a survey in the UK, a cell phone is stolen every three minutes. In the United States, the statistics are very analogous. By keeping a note on the IMES identification that each phone has, you can trace a phone. This is quite the tedious process. The IMES code is individual to each cell phone and when you lose your phone, you can refer the code to your network provider as well as handset provider and trace back the cell phone, or at least block the applications in the phone. The person who stole the cell phone can’t use it after the IMES code is blocked. Cell phones have become a very popular consumer electronic product. With the availability of internet connection, cell phone as broaden even deeper its options of uses. You must also note that GPS capability is a life saver for tracking cell phone users who are in emergency situations. Cell phone usage has become a necessity of life. People cannot live without their cell phone. What was once considered a luxury item in the early days, cell phones are a must have item at every waking moment.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Politics of George Clooney, Actor and Liberal Activist

Politics of George Clooney, Actor and Liberal Activist American actor George Clooney is a liberal, a strong supporter of liberal causes and charities, and an outspoken critic of conservative politics and warmongering. Clooney supported John Kerry for President in 2004; Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, and Hilary Clinton in 2016. Among other causes, he actively supports gay rights. Im a liberal. Im confused when that became a bad word. Its interesting. I think what happened over a period of time, probably in the late 80s when it became sort of a political tool.... [T]he liberal movement morally, you know, has stood on the right side of an awful lot of issues. We thought that blacks should be allowed to sit at the front of the bus and women should be able to vote, McCarthy was wrong, Vietnam was a mistake.  George Clooney to CNNs Larry King on February 16, 2006. Actor, Director, Producer George Clooney is best-known as having been a television and film actor since early 1980s, and as a director and film producer since 2002s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Most Americans first noticed him as the handsome Dr. Doug Ross on the popular television program ER from 1994 to 1999. Clooney regularly appeared in five other television shows prior to ER. Clooneys acting credits range from the goofy Return of the Killer Tomatoes (1988) to the seriocomic O Brother Where Art Thou, the Coen brothers 2000 take on Homers The Odyssey. His writing, producing, and directing credits include political-commentary films such as Syriana (2005) and The American (2010), as well as historically-themed films such as The Monuments Men (2014) and Good Night, and Good Luck (2006). The Clooney Family George Clooney was born in 1961 near Lexington, Kentucky to Nick Clooney, a regional newscaster and well-liked TV personality, and Nina Warren Clooney, local city council member, and former Kentucky beauty queen. Hes also the nephew of the singer Rosemary Clooney and cousin of actor Miguel Ferrer. One 2003 article dubs the Clooney clan the Kennedys of Kentucky for their formidable liberal influence in the conservative northern part of that state. By all reports, the Clooneys are a close-knit, Irish-Catholic family, and George is fiercely loyal to his father. When Nick Clooney ran for Congress in 2004, George raised over $600,000 from fellow celebrity-activists for his fathers unsuccessful campaign and made personal appearances on behalf of his father. Charity Causes In the charity world, Clooney is known for his work with numerous disaster relief efforts, including America: A Tribute to Heroes in 2001 for victims of 9/11; Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope, to benefit victims of the late-2004 Indian Ocean tsunami; and the Hope for Haiti Now for the victims of the 2010 earthquake. Clooney donated $1 million in September 2005 to the United Way Hurricane Katrina Response Fund to help out the victims of the hurricane. Clooney is a member of the United Way Board of Trustees. Said Clooney when he made the donation, Today our neighbors need food, shelter, and health care, but the very near future is when the difficult part of rebuilding lives and homes and cities starts. Were all in this one together. In March 2006, Clooney donated his Oscar gift-bag (Value: about $100,000) to the United Way, to be auctioned off to benefit that humanitarian organizations programs. Preventing Mass Atrocities Clooney has also contributed money and time to the recognition, prevention, and cessation of genocides and mass atrocities. He was instrumental in the creation of Journey to Darfur, a program on the ongoing conflict in Darfur; the recognition of the Armenian Genocide; the Satellite Sentinel Project reporting on the civil war between Sudan and South Sudan; and the Aurora Prize, which awards people who risk their lives to present genocides and atrocities. In 2006, Clooneys longtime liberal activism and unabashed political views also rose to headline-attracting public prominence. After a 5-day visit to Darfur, Clooney spoke out against genocide in that country and urged greater US and NATO involvement. In September 2006, Clooney testified before the UN Security Council, urging that UN peacekeepers enter Darfur. Clooney and the Conservative Media Clooney has been the focus of attacks from conservative media outlets. In September 2001, Clooney was a primary organizer on a telethon to raise money for victims of 9/11. The program, America: A Tribute to Heroes raised US $129 million which was donated to The United Way. Conservative political commentator Bill OReilly took Clooney and his associates to task for not appearing on The OReilly Factor program to respond to scattered news reports that the money was not, in fact, going to the victims. Infuriated, Clooney responded in an angry letter to OReilly on November 6, 2001, in which he scolded, The fund is not only the most successful single fundraiser ever, it is doing exactly what it is designed to do. Responsibly. The money is going out to the right people... In 2014, the British tabloid The Daily Mail reported that the family of his then-fiancee, Amal Alamuddin, opposed their marriage on religious grounds, saying that some of her relatives had joked about killing the bride if she disobeyed her parents. Clooney wrote an open letter in the USA Today calling the paper a laughable tabloid that crossed into the arena of inciting violence. A Few Political Films Over his career, Clooney has appeared in and had some creative control over the production of several films with political content. Here are a few of the best known. Three Kings (1999)- At the Gulf Wars end, four US soldiers come across a potential jackpot: a rolled up treasure map to Saddam Husseins stashes of confiscated gold hidden bewteen the buttocks of a captured soldier. While pursuing selfish gain, the men collide with Iraqi civilians and experience a different side of the war.Confessions of a Dangerous Mind  (2002)- Based on the life of Chuck Barris, who claimed dual careers as loony game-show host and CIA operative for the US government. Also directed by Clooney.Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)- Taking place during the early days of broadcast journalism in 1950s America, this film chronicles the real-life conflict between newsman Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy and his House Un-American Activities Committee. In a political climate of fear and reprisal, the CBS news crew persists. McCarthy is brought before the Senate and made powerless as his lies and bullying tactics are finally uncovered. Clooney was nominated for a Bes t Director Oscar for this film. Syriana (2005)- In this political thriller that unfolds against the intrigue of the global oil industry, Clooney plays the role of career CIA operative who disturbing truths about the work to which he has devoted his life. He won the 2006 Best Supporting Oscar and a Golden Globe for this role.The Ides of March (2011)- Clooney directed and co-wrote the screenplay for this take on modern-day dirty politics,Money Monster (2016)- A financial TV hose and his producer are taken hostage by an irate investor who is convinced there is a conspiracy driving fluctuations in global high tech markets. Summing Up Liberalism When asked in 2005 by the German magazine Brigitte, why conservatives continually vilify liberals, Clooney succinctly summed up liberalism.... Its quite amazing that liberal nowadays has become a swear word as in the history of our country it always meant to be on the side of justice. It started with the witchhunt in Salem, the conservatives point of view was: Burn them at the stake, and the liberals point of view was: There are no witches. And thats how it continued with the civil rights movement and womens suffrage. The liberals were always right in the end. Sources: Carr. 2005. A ringside seat for Murrow versus McCarthy. The New York Times, 18 September 2005.Cieply M. 2010. Within days, a global benefit takes shape. The New York Times 21 January 2010. Gibson, C. 2017. George Clooney takes aim at powerhourse D.C. lobbying firm over its ties to the Sudanese government. The Washington Post 7 July 2017.Somaiya R and Haughney C. 2014. Heard the News on George Clooney? This Much Is True: He’s Livid. The New York Times, 11 July 2014.Internet Movie Database (IMDb). 2017 George Clooney. Downloaded 24 November 2017

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Analysis of Gender Inequalities in the Workplace

Analysis of Gender Inequalities in the Workplace Introduction to Gender Inequalities in the Workplace According to Massey (34), many people confuse gender with sex, which involves biological differences between a male and a female. Many societies and cultures in the world create distinctions between individuals based on gender. In many societies, men are superior to women (Burstein 342).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Gender Inequalities in the Workplace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The distinction is displayed through the aggressiveness of men in the society. The fact that men are more aggressive than women has brought about gender inequalities in the society. As a result, inequalities have led to disparities with regard to social roles allocated to either gender. In this analytical paper, the author briefly looks at organizational theory and how it affects employees. The author critically examines some of the factors associated with gender inequa lities in the society. Special attention is given to gender inequalities in Saudi Arabia and in the Middle East. In addition, the author highlights some of the changes proposed to deal with the situation. The paper takes the form of a ‘personal case analysis’, which is based on the findings made in the case study conducted earlier. The events in the case study are interpreted and analyzed using a comprehensive ‘four- frame’ structure. Organizational Theory: A Summary In this personal case analysis, the author critically reviews the events in the case study, and how the events are related to organizational theory. To this end, the author interprets the events in the case study from the perspective of the organizational theory. The theory complements the four- frame analysis carried out in the paper. As a result of this, it is important to provide a brief summary of this theory. The summary will give the reader an idea with regard to how the theory is tied to the events in the case study. According to Burstein, â€Å"organization theory is (the) study (of) the benefits of identifying common themes (†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦) for the purpose of solving problems, maximizing efficiency and productivity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.(and) meeting the needs of stakeholders† (p. 45).Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Organizational theory is subdivided into three categories. The three are individual, group, and organizational processes. One of the issues addressed in the theory’s individual concept is motivation among individuals. To this end, the theory seeks to identify how and why individuals are motivated. It identifies the differences between the personality traits of different employees. In addition, the theory’s individual concept seeks to define the roles that one is capable of effectively executing in the organization without cr eating ambiguities. The second category of the theory touches on group processes. According to the provisions of the group processes category, the organization should create working groups for the employees. The employees will effectively communicate with each other within such groups. In addition, the employees will effectively synchronize their actions with those of other employees for the benefit of the organization. Under group processes, the organization should come up with a leadership structure, where the leader has power over the subordinates. In addition to this, the leader should have the ability and capacity to influence the subordinates, helping them to effectively execute the tasks assigned to them. Under organization processes, the entity is expected to come up with a unique model. The model will differentiate the organization from the other entities operating in the market or in the same industry (Rania 15). To this end, the model defines the structure of the organiza tion with respect to that of other organizations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Gender Inequalities in the Workplace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, the model defines the division and flow of power in the organization. In most cases, organizations create their own culture, which is specific to its working environment. As a result, employees co-exist peacefully with the management team. The two groups combine their efforts and work towards the achievement of the set goals. The three concepts analyzed above impact significantly on the operations of the organization. To this end, the three concepts determine how gender is perceived in the organization. They are used in interpreting the events analyzed in the case study provided earlier. Sources of Gender Inequality The notion of superiority of one gender over the other has locked women out of leadership positions. The women are believed to p erform better as assistants than as leaders. The belief is evident in Ms Haneen’s case. Patriarchy, which is defined as the dominance of men in the society, is evident in many societies in the Middle East. It has negatively affected the participation of women in development processes. For example, very few women participate in such sectors as paid labor, education, and leadership compared to men. Cultural and religious diversities have significantly altered the structural frame of many societies in the world today. The roles and responsibilities of women in the society find their meanings in culture and religion. Gender roles are inspired by cultural values, norms, and various cultural practices. In most cases, the role of the woman in the society is limited to housework. As a result, the women who manage to secure formal employment are considered as lucky (Hurst 176). The women themselves consider this as double work, struggling to strike a balance between office work and do mestic chores.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Religion has traditionally favored men over women. Men are regarded as the sole breadwinners in the family. As a result, women are discouraged from participating in labor related activities. According to the teachings of Islam, women are supposed to conduct themselves as competent housewives. They are tasked with the responsibility of raising their children according to the teachings of the Quran (Wood 213). Patriarchy has found its way into the work place. It is a fact that most women are highly qualified compared to men. In addition, some of them have vast experience in their field of expertise. In most cases, their performance is outstanding. An example of such a woman is Ms. Haneen. In spite of this experience and qualifications, the women are not given the opportunity to work in managerial positions. The failure to promote women to higher leadership positions is associated with the structure of the society. In addition, the failure is associated with the views, beliefs, and opi nions held by people in the society. Political structures and opinions regarding what women symbolize in a society are also to blame for this failure. It has led to low self- esteem among women in the work place. In addition, it has reduced the morale of women in the work place. The performance of women in the workplace declines as soon as they learn the ‘hard truth’ (Wood 129). As a result of weakened economic growth in the 1990s, most employers preferred to hire men as opposed to women. The preference was buttressed by the notion that â€Å"men’s income is more important to their families† (World Bank 34). On realizing this, women dropped out of the labor market. They dropped out of the market on realizing that their likelihood of getting hired was significantly reduced. The United Nations Development Program (herein referred to as UNDP) has termed the ongoing gender inequalities in the Arab nations as a ‘significant obstacle to human developmentâ €™ in that region (Rania 3). Gender inequality negatively affects human development given that a significant number of women in the region are illiterate. In addition, very few women are engaged in formal employment. Illiteracy among women has negatively impacted on living conditions, leading to high rates of diseases and death in the country. A Structural Frame Just like any other organization, the KPMG’s major goal is to make profits from its operations. Another objective of the organization is to expand its market share. In addition, the organization needs to subdue the competitors and emerge as the leader in the market in terms of tax consultancy, auditing, and ‘executive search and selection’ of employees. The objectives of this organization will be achieved by getting the right people to work for the organization. For a very long time, female employees have shown their determination in achieving the set goals and objectives. The female employees have pr oven this by effectively communicating with the managers and other stakeholders. In addition, the employees have proven their efficiency in using the available resources to meet the objectives of the organization. They relate well with their fellow employees. As a result, they enhance the experiences of other people in the organization. The ability of women to achieve this in the workplace is vividly illustrated by Ms Haneen in the case study. The women are capable of maintaining a formal relationship with their superiors and fellow workmates. They have proved their ability to diligently execute the tasks assigned to them by the managers. In most cases, they perform better than their male colleagues. There are various reasons why KPMG have encouraged female employees to participate in the running of the organization. For example, the organization is an ‘equal employer’, treating men and women equally. 60% of employees in the organization are male, while 40% are female. However, there are various aspects of gender discrimination evident in the organization. For example, the policies of the organization discourage women from holding top positions in the entity. The women can only rise to the level of assistant manager. It is a discriminatory policy by all measures. In addition, the policy contradicts the reality considering that women are the most hardworking employees in the organization compared to men. The discrimination extends beyond the confines of KPMG. For example, only 10% of political leadership positions in Saudi Arabia are held by women (Rania 7). The main reason for this is that women are regarded as ‘non-able leaders’ (Rania 7). In addition, it is feared that women cannot effectively command the respect and loyalty of their male counterparts due to the entrenched inequalities in the society. Women are sexually harassed in the workplace. KPMG has failed to put in place effective channels to help these women in dealing with this form of abuse. Cases of sexual harassment have increased in the recent past. However, only 40 percent of these cases are reported in Saudi Arabia (ILO 19). The lack of a proper reporting system has significantly led to an increase in the number of sexual harassment cases. Disparity in salaries and remunerations is another significant issue in the organization. In spite of the fact that the laws provide for ‘equal pay for equal job’ to both men and women, the organization continues to pay men more than women. According to Rania (12), the gap in salaries ranges from 54 to 90 percent in most Arabic countries. KPMG is one of the organizations in the country affected by this discrepancy. People Frame Women are regarded as the pillars of the society. They are responsible for nurturing and socializing children in the society. They lay the foundation of the society through the family units. Their responsibilities are anchored on the belief that women are homemakers. As a r esult, they are denied the opportunity to participate in any economic activity that will take them outside their homes. Women who are bold enough to venture into formal employment are discouraged by the disparities in payment. The disparity has seen many women drop out of formal employment (Norton Hoffman 272). The failure to get promotions in the work place has significantly affected their morale. Measures should be put in place to encourage more women to join paid labor. Some women lack the skills required to carry out certain tasks. The lack of skills is brought about by discriminations in the education sector. Most communities in the Middle East believe that the role of the woman is to safeguard the wealth of her husband. As a result, many women do not attend school. As a result of this, men have ended up filling the gaps left by women in the labor market. A Political Frame In the Middle East, most politicians are men. Participation of women in politics is discouraged by the co nstitution. The main reason why women are discouraged from participating in politics is that they are regarded as inferior to men. As a result, many people believe that women cannot lead or command men. The number of women in leadership positions is shrinking at a very high rate. The trend is evident in both public and private organizations in Saudi Arabia. Women are unable to fight for their rights. It is one of the reasons why they are denied participation in leadership. The World Bank notes that women are â€Å"barred from taking part in most of the social and economic events† (World Bank 13). The disparity has brought about social conflicts, especially when women stand up to fight for their rights. Activists have piled pressure on the organization to include women in the management team. As a result, KPMG formulated policies to encourage the participation of women in the workplace. In most cases, there are very few managerial posts available in the organization. The scarc ity is one of the reasons given by the organization to justify their discriminatory policies. To appease the critics, women were offered assistant managerial posts in the organization. A Symbolic Frame Some corporations use women symbolically. For example, Emirates Airways employs female cabin crews to enhance the image of the organization (Hekman et al. 291). However, other entities have failed to embrace the practice of altering their organizational structure to accommodate more female employees. Female employees symbolize high quality services likely to meet the needs of the clients. As a result of this realization, many organizations have adopted a new formula in recruiting their staff. In most cases, new recruits in organizations are composed of 40% females and 60% males. The policy was adopted by KPMG. The restructuring in the organization is motivated by external pressure, including provisions in the labor laws. As a result of their likeable nature, women employees are engage d in the customer care departments, where they are expected to improve the relationship between the organization and the customers. Gender Inequality in the Workplace: The Way Forward Currently, gender inequality in the Middle East stands at 10 per cent compared to 18 per cent in the world (OECED 34). The statistics are low because women engage in unpaid labor. The observation calls for reforms in various sectors of the economy. The reforms should be geared towards exploiting this untapped labor force. The Arab nations are regarded as fairly rich compared to other nations in the world as a result of their unexploited female labor force (World Bank 14). Analysts argue that if this labor force is fully exploited, labor productivity in the region will significantly increase due to competition. In addition, the participation of women in paid labor will increase tax revenues for the government. The organization, as well as the government, should review existing policies to address gender inequalities in the work place. Discriminative policies barring women from ascending to senior managerial positions should be repealed. The aim is to boost the morale of female employees in the workplace. As a result, the organization will appoint managers based on their qualifications as opposed to gender. By combining experience and relevant qualifications, the performance of the organization will improve. The observation is evident in the events that took place in the reported case study. Ms. Haneen should be given a managerial position considering that she has an unmatched experience in the Executive Search and Selection department. Her knowledge of the department’s operations will catapult it to greater heights. Promoting Ms. Haneen is a milestone in the fight for gender equality in the organization. It will motivate other female employees, encouraging them to work hard in their respective departments. It is possible to address gender inequality by introducing reforms i n the education sector. The reforms are evident in the case study, as well as in the attending benefits. The number of young females in the labor market has increased as a result of reforms introduced in the education sector. It is possible to achieve gender equality in the labor market if the government succeeds in sustaining this trend (Barzilai 3). In addition, the government and the organization should address the conditions under which women operate. Some women work under deplorable conditions, something that has forced many of them to give up. Adjusting the environment and providing other work related benefits will boost their morale. The benefits include, among others, maternity leave and medical cover. Conclusion Gender inequality is a major concern for many organizations in the society. It is evident when women are left out of the decision making process. It is a big problem in the Middle East. Various factors are associated with this phenomenon. They include beliefs in mal e dominance, as well as cultural and religious values. Measures should be put in place to encourage women to take up leadership positions in the public and private sectors. Women should be encouraged to fight for their rights and support each other. They should shift from their usual unpaid labor and venture into the paid labor market. As a result of this, the economy will expand and patriarchy will be effectively controlled. Barzilai, Kirk 2011, Organizational Theory. Web. Burstein, Paul. Equal Employment Opportunity: Labor Market Discrimination and Public Policy, Edison, NJ: Aldine Transaction, 2010. Print. Hekman, David, et al. â€Å"An Examination of Whether and How Racial and Gender Biases Influence Customer Satisfaction.† Academy of Management Journal 28.4 (2009): 46. Print. Hurst, Charles. Social Inequality, Boston: Pearson Education Inc., 2007. Print. ILO. Women in Labor Market: Measuring Progress and Identifying Challenge, Geneva: ILO, 2010. Print. Massey, Douglas. Categorically Unequal: The Stratification System, New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2007. Print. Norton, Ahmad, and A. Hoffman. A Framework for Addressing and Measuring Entrepreneurship, Paris: OECD, 2008. Print. OECED 2008, Report on the Gender Initiative: Gender Equality in Education, Employment and Entrepreneurship. PDF file. Web. Rania, Mainn 2011, Gender Inequality is a Regional Issue. Web. Wood, Julia. Gendered Lives, Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2009. Print. World Bank, 2011, Gender and Development in the Middle East and North Africa: Women in the Public Sphere. PDF file. Web.

Monday, November 4, 2019

2008 Financial Crisis - Analysis Of Causes And Implications Essay

2008 Financial Crisis - Analysis Of Causes And Implications - Essay Example Qualitative data includes position papers, articles from academic journals and business media that shed light on the crisis, its causes and its impact on the various stakeholders. The quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to understand the causal, relational and descriptive aspects of the research question: 1. What are the causes of the 2008 financial crisis? 2. How are these causes related? 3. How did the crisis affect the major stakeholders of the global economy? Literature Review One challenging aspect of writing this paper was selecting from a wide range of available literature on the subject, each one proposing a unique perspective on the causes and effects of the 2008 financial crisis. Included are articles by a wide range of academics, Nobel Prize-winning economists, hands-on managers, legal theoreticians and practitioners, investigative journalists, politicians, accountants, public and private bankers, labor law experts, and engineers. For this paper, the researcher looked at reference books, journal articles and working papers in economics, financial management and accounting, newspaper articles and the Report of two government bodies enacted by law. Many authors, some better known, were not included because they were published later or duplicated the analysis found in the earlier works. The earliest references predicted the economic crises before it happened. University of Chicago economics professor Rajan (345-46) warned in a speech before the Federal Reserve of Kansas in 2005 of â€Å"excessive risk taking in financial markets and the possibility of a full-scale financial blowout.† NYU Prof. Roubini... One challenging aspect of writing this paper was selected from a wide range of available literature on the subject, each one proposing a unique perspective on the causes and effects of the 2008 financial crisis. Included are articles by a wide range of academics, Nobel Prize-winning economists, hands-on managers, legal theoreticians and practitioners, investigative journalists, politicians, accountants, public and private bankers, labor law experts, and engineers. For this paper, the researcher looked at reference books, journal articles and working papers in economics, financial management and accounting, newspaper articles and the Report of two government bodies enacted by law. Many authors, some better known, were not included because they were published later or duplicated the analysis found in the earlier works. The earliest references predicted the economic crises before it happened. University of Chicago economics professor Rajan warned in a speech before the Federal Reserve of Kansas in 2005 of â€Å"excessive risk-taking in financial markets and the possibility of a full-scale financial blowout†. Roubini followed almost a year later in a speech before the staff of the International Monetary Fund, when he warned that there was â€Å"a more than 50 percent risk of a U.S. recession the following year, because, over the past several years, U.S. consumers had gone on a spending binge, with many using their home equity as an â€Å"ATM† . In 2007, BIS reported: â€Å"the world economy was in danger of a major slump†.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Business Approach to the Use of Primary and Secondary Research Essay

Business Approach to the Use of Primary and Secondary Research - Essay Example According to the research findings, Primary Market Research and Secondary Market Research are the two categories of market research. In order to get an overall adjusted and faultless depiction of the requirements, demands, and needs of your business, primary and secondary market research should ideally be used in concurrence with one another. Neither can be used as a standalone tool to gather all the vital and relevant information for a successful business plan. However, using both enables a business to gather all the required data needed to identify and reach the target market. Utilizing primary research alone, without first seeing what has or has not worked for different organizations, is liable to expedite insignificant inquiries or missed chances. In the meantime, depending singularly on secondary research is prone to disadvantage you with responses that are ambiguous or inappropriate to your particular target market. Business environment research commonly entails sociographics, market size and trends, business regulations, and demographics to develop a customer and/or competitor profile. The prime focus of primary research is to gather and unearth original data. To encompass data collection and data input and then analyze the results is vital for an effective and successful business plan attempting to reach its target audience. Primary research is conducted to acquire information about the unanswered or vague questions. In order to collect relevant data, one starts from the scratch and every step of the research process needs to be completed. It can also be said that data is collected from the real world in primary research (Penn). Using various means and strategies, a business collects data on its own or hires someone to collect data and information on its behalf.Â