Importance of Break-even analysis Essay

It is an undisputable fact that every business’ objective is to survive and make profit as compensation of being in existence. Frankly, predicting a precise amount of sales or profits is nearly impossible. No business aims at making losses whatsoever. Given this, a person starting a new business often asks, ‘’ At what level of sales will my company make a profit? ’’ This question clearly predicts the uncertainty of businesses on the level of sales at which profits will be realized. Certainly, break-even analysis is the first resort. Therefore, it becomes absolutely necessary for a business to prioritize break-even analysis when making profit oriented decisions. This leads us to the reasons why businesses should pay attention to break-even analysis. Break-even point can be defined as a point where total costs (expenses) and total sales (revenue) are equal. Specifically, break-even analysis if the use of break-even point to make cost, volume, and profit analysis. Break-even analysis offers businesses lots of benefits that are worth considering. There are a number of benefits that hitherto a business would not enjoy. The break-even analysis gives an insight about the sales level a business needs in order to make profit. It gives the business a forecast on its cost, volume, and profit behavior. Managers can determine the effect of changes in cost and volume of sales on the profit. By so doing, it guides the decision making process of a business. The break-even analysis is also helpful to managers as the provided information such as margin of safety in units and sales (MOS), and degree of leverage (DOL) can be used in making important decisions in business, for example projecting the sales level needed to obtain certain targeted profit. With the help the break-even analysis, businesses can ascertain the number of units of a product to sell to generate a targeted profit. Similarly, break-even analysis is a tool used to determine the lowest quantity of sales at which neither profit nor loss will be obtained. In a situation where the demand of a company’s product begins to fall, it would be able to determine the number of employees to maintain so as reduce production cost as well as prevent surplus. Obviously, companies incur addition storage cost to store unsold goods; hence, the break-even analysis will help managers not incur such cost. Companies can use the break-even analysis to study the relationship between selling price, fixed costs, variable costs, and sales volume and its effect on the contribution margin. Therefore, business can tell which of the element to alter in order to make a certain profit. Moreover, such analysis facilitates the managers with a quantity which can be used to evaluate the future demand. If, in case, the break-even point lies above the estimated demand, reflecting a loss on the product, the manager can use this information for taking various decisions. He might choose to discontinue the product, or improve the advertising strategies, or even re-price the product to increase demand. Furthermore, managers can use break-even analysis to determine whether an investment will generate profit or not. As a result, managers will not venture into investments that will lead to losses. Another important usage of the break-even point is that it is helpful in recognizing the relevance of fixed and variable cost. The fixed cost is less with a more flexible personnel and equipment thereby resulting in a lower break-even point. The importance of break-even point, therefore, cannot be overstated for a sound business and decision making. Additionally, the break-even analysis gives managers the understanding of how profitable different product or services might be. Managers can determine how much each product contributes to the overall profit and how relevant the product is to the firm. The most important aspect of the break even-analysis gives managers the knowledge about how much product must be sold to cover costs. Therefore, it helps managers to work hard towards selling a level of product that will cover its costs so as to make profit. In conclusion, businesses that pay attention to break-even analysis tend to understand their costs, hence are very likely to take effective decisions regarding pricing, investment, and expenditure among other things.

Native American Tribes in Virginia and Powhatan the Powhatan

The Powhatan (also spelled Powatan and Powhaten), is the name of a Virginia Indian[1] tribe. It is also the name of a powerful group of tribes which they dominated. It is estimated that there were about 14,000-21,000 of these native Powhatan people in eastern Virginia when the English settled Jamestown in 1607. [2] They were also known as Virginia Algonquians, as they spoke an eastern-Algonquian language known as Powhatan.In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, a mamanatowick (paramount chief)[3] named Wahunsunacawh created a powerful organization by affiliating 30 tributary peoples, whose territory was much of eastern Virginia, called Tsenacommacah (â€Å"densely-inhabited Land†),[4] Wahunsunacawh came to be known by the English as â€Å"Chief Powhatan. † Each of the tribes within this organization had its own weroance (chief), but all paid tribute to Chief Powhatan. [5] After Chief Powhatan's death in 1618, hostilities with colonists escalated under the chiefdom of his brother, Opechancanough, who sought in vain to drive off the encroaching English.His large-scale attacks in 1622 and 1644 met strong reprisals by the English, resulting in the near elimination of the tribe. By 1646 what is called the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom by modern historians had been largely destroyed. In addition to the ongoing conflicts with the ever-expanding English settlements and their inhabitants, the Powhatan suffered a high death rate due to infectious diseases, maladies introducted to North America by the Europeans to which the Native Americans of the United States had developed no natural immunities.By this time, the leaders of the colony were desperate for labor to develop the land. Almost half of the English and European immigrants arrived as indentured servants. As colonial expansion continued, the colonists imported growing numbers of enslaved Africans for labor. By 1700 the colonies had about 6,000 black slaves, one-twelfth of the population. It was commo n for black slaves to escape and join the surrounding Powhatan; white servants were also noted to have joined the Indians.Africans and whites worked and lived together; some natives also intermarried with them. After Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, the colony enslaved Indians for control. In 1691 the House of Burgesses abolished Indian slavery; however, many Powhatan were held in servitude well into the 18th century. [6] In the 21st century, eight Indian tribes are recognized by the state as having ties with the original Powhatan complex chiefdom. [7] The Pamunkey and Mattaponi are the only two peoples who have retained reservation lands from the 17th century. 5] The competing cultures of the Powhatan and English settlers were united temporarily through the marriage of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. Their son Thomas Rolfe was the ancestor of many Virginians; thus, many of the First Families of Virginia have both English and Virginia Indian[1] ancestry. History [edit] Naming and terminology T he name â€Å"Powhatan† is believed to have originated as the name of the village or town that Wahunsunacawh came from. The official title Chief Powhatan used by the English is believed to have been derived from the name of this location.Although the specific situs of his home village is unknown, in modern times, the Powhatan Hill neighborhood in the East End portion of the modern-day city of Richmond, Virginia is thought by many to be in the general vicinity of the original village. Tree Hill Farm, which is situated in nearby Henrico County a short distance to the east, is also considered as the possible site. â€Å"Powhatan† was also the name used by the natives to refer to the river where the town sat at the head of navigation. The English colonists chose to name it instead for their own leader, King James I.Many features in the early years of the Virginia Colony were named in honor of the king, as well as his three children, Elizabeth, Henry, and Charles. Although portions of Virginia's longest river upstream from Columbia were much later named for Queen Anne of Great Britain, in modern times, it is called the James River. It extends from Hampton Roads westerly to the confluence of the Jackson River and Cowpasture River near the town of Clifton Forge. (The Rivanna River, a tributary of the James River, and Fluvanna County, each survive as named in legacy to Queen Anne).However, the only water body in Virginia to retain a name which honors the Powhatan peoples is Powhatan Creek, located in James City County near Williamsburg. Powhatan County and its county seat at Powhatan, Virginia were honorific names established years later, in locations west of the area populated by the Powhatan peoples. The county was formed in may, 1777. [edit] Complex chiefdom Likewise, perhaps more significant misnomers are the terms â€Å"Powhatan Confederacy† and â€Å"Powhatan Confederation. This grouping of tribes is clearly not best-defined in modern terms as a confederacy. That word is generally thought of as a grouping of entities each with greater individual power than the group when united. In many uses, a confederacy is distinctly different in structure from a centralized greater power than the parts, such as the current federal structure of the United States. Many historians attribute to a minor level the failure of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War in part to the weakness of the central government in comparison to the Union. It is important for a reader to note that most historians do not consider this difference as one of the major weaknesses leading to the Southern loss. However, the term Confederacy has become associated with the principal of states' rights versus the central U. S. government). Using the word â€Å"confederacy† to define the Powhatan tribes extant in 1607 can therefore, be misleading when seeking to understand these people, their governments and their culture. It is true that the various tribes each held some individual powers locally.Each had a chief known as a weroance (male) or, more rarely, a weroansqua (female), meaning â€Å"commander,† [8]. As of 2010, we do not know to what degree most of the various tribes belonged to the group by choice or perhaps by coercion or even greater force. As early as the era of John Smith of Virginia, the individual tribes of this grouping were clearly recognized by the English as falling under the greater authority of the centralized power (whatever it is labeled) led by the chiefdom of Chief Powhatan (c. June 17, 1545 – c. 1618), whose proper name was Wahunsenacawh or (in 17th century English spelling) Wahunsunacock. 9]. At the time of the 1607 English Settlement at Jamestown, he ruled primarily from Werowocomoco, which was located on northern shore of the York River. This location of Werowocomoco, itself only rediscovered in the early 21st century, was very central to locations of the various tr ibes. The improvements discovered during archaeological research at Werowocomoco have reinforced the paramount chiefdom of Chief Powhatan over the other tribes in the power hierarchy. Such issues in other cultures and the definitions are covered at some length by author Robert L.Carneiro in his 1981 work on anthropology, The Chiefdom: Precursor of the State. The Transition to Statehood in the New World. The center of power held by Chief Powhatan (and his several successors) is much more concisely defined as a â€Å"complex chiefdom. † [10] To refer to this complex chiefdom, the term â€Å"Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom† has become favored. Over time, this and other revisions to the knowledge and information available about the Powhatan peoples native to Virginia will undoubtedly be made as research work at Werowocomoco and elsewhere continues in the 21st century. See also: Werowocomoco edit] Chief Powhatan builds his chiefdom Wahunsunacawh had inherited control over just six tribes, but dominated more than thirty by the time the English settlers established their Virginia Colony at Jamestown in 1607. The original six constituent tribes in Wahunsunacock's group were: the Powhatan (proper), the Arrohateck, the Appamattuck, the Pamunkey, the Mattaponi, and the Chiskiack. He added the Kecoughtan to his fold by 1598. Some other affiliated groups included the Youghtanund, Rappahannocks, Moraughtacund, Weyanoak, Paspahegh, Quiyoughcohannock, Warraskoyack, and Nansemond.Yet another closely related tribe in the midst of these others, all speaking the same language, was the Chickahominy, who managed to preserve their autonomy from the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom. In his famous work Notes on the State of Virginia (1781–82), Thomas Jefferson estimated that the Powhatan Confederacy occupied about 8,000 square miles (20,000 km2) of territory, with a population of about 8,000 people, of whom 2400 were warriors. [11] Later scholars estimated the population o f the paramountcy[clarification needed] as 15,000. [edit] The English settlers in the land of the Powhatan John Smith taking the King of Pamunkey prisoner', a fanciful image of Opechancanough from Smith's General History of Virginia (1624). The image of Opechancanough is based on a 1585 painting of another native warrior by John White[1] The Powhatan Confederacy were the Indians among whom the English made their first permanent settlement in North America. This contributed to their downfall. Conflicts began immediately; the English colonists fired shots as soon as they arrived (due to a bad experience they had with the Spanish prior to their arrival). Within two weeks of the English arrival atJamestown, deaths had occurred. The settlers had hoped for friendly relations and had planned to trade with the Virginia Indians for food. Captain Christopher Newport led the first English exploration party up the James River in 1607, when he met Parahunt, weroance of the Powhatan proper. The E nglish initially mistook him for the paramount Powhatan (mamanatowick), who was in fact his father, Wahunsunacawh. On a hunting and trade mission on the Chickahominy River in December 1607, Captain John Smith, later president of the colony, was captured by Opechancanough, the younger brother of Wahunsunacawh.Smith became the first Englishman to meet the paramount chief, Powhatan. According to Smith's account, Pocahontas, Wahunsunacawh's daughter, prevented her father from executing Smith. Some researchers have asserted that a mock execution was a ritual intended to adopt Smith into the tribe, but other modern writers dispute this interpretation. They point out that nothing is known of 17th-century Powhatan adoption ceremonies. They note that an execution ritual is different from known rites of passage.Other historians, such as Helen Rountree, have questioned whether there was any risk of execution. They note that Smith failed to mention it in his 1608 and 1612 accounts, and only add ed it to his 1624 memoir, after Pocahontas had become famous. In 1608, Captain Newport realized that Powhatan's friendship was crucial to the survival of the small Jamestown colony. In the summer of that year, he tried to â€Å"crown† the paramount Chief, with a ceremonial crown, to make him an English â€Å"vassal. [12] They also gave Powhatan many European gifts, such as a pitcher, feather mattress, bed frame, and clothes. The coronation went badly because they asked Powhatan to kneel to receive the crown, which he refused to do. As a powerful leader, Powhatan followed two rules: â€Å"he who keeps his head higher than others ranks higher,† and â€Å"he who puts other people in a vulnerable position, without altering his own stance, ranks higher. † To finish the â€Å"coronation†, several English had to lean on Powhatan's shoulders to get him low enough to place the crown on his head, as he was a tall man.Afterwards, the English might have thought that Powhatan had submitted to King James, whereas Powhatan likely thought nothing of the sort. [13] In fact, only by being warned beforehand by a sympathizing servant, was an assassination plot led by braves averted (the British also refused to let the natives take their muskets for â€Å"safekeeping†). [citation needed] After John Smith became president of the colony, he sent a force under Captain Martin to occupy an island in Nansemond territory and drive the inhabitants away. At the same time, he sent another force with Francis West to build a fort at the James River falls.He purchased the nearby fortified Powhatan village (present site of Richmond, Virginia) from Parahunt for some copper and an English servant named Henry Spelman, who wrote a rare firsthand account of the Powhatan ways of life. Smith then renamed the village â€Å"Nonsuch†, and tried to get West's men to live in it. Both these attempts at settling beyond Jamestown soon failed, due to Powhatan resistan ce. Smith left Virginia for England in October 1609, never to return, because of an injury sustained in a gunpowder accident.Soon afterward, the English established a second fort, Fort Algernon, in Kecoughtan territory. The Coronation of Powhatan, oil on canvas, John Gadsby Chapman, 1835 In November 1609, Captain John Ratcliffe was invited to Orapakes, Powhatan's new capital. After he had sailed up the Pamunkey River to trade there, a fight broke out between the colonists and the Powhatan. All of the English ashore were killed, including Ratcliffe, who was tortured by the women of the tribe. Those aboard the pinnace escaped and told the tale at Jamestown. During that next year, the tribe attacked and killed many Jamestown residents.The residents fought back, but only killed twenty. However, arrival at Jamestown of a new Governor, Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, (Lord Delaware) in June of 1610 signalled the beginning of the First Anglo-Powhatan War. A brief period of peace came on ly after the capture of Pocahontas, her baptism, and her marriage to tobacco planter John Rolfe in 1614. Within a few years both Powhatan and Pocahontas were dead. The Chief died in Virginia, but Pocahontas died while in England. Meanwhile, the English settlers continued to encroach on Powhatan territory.After Wahunsunacawh's death, his younger brother, Opitchapam, briefly became chief, followed by their younger brother Opechancanough. In 1622 and 1644 he attacked the English to force them from Powhatan territories. Both these attempts were met with strong reprisals from the English, ultimately resulting in the near destruction of the tribe. The Second Anglo–Powhatan War that followed the 1644 incident ended in 1646, after Royal Governor of Virginia William Berkeley's forces captured Opechancanough, thought to be between 90 and 100 years old.While a prisoner, Opechancanough was killed, shot in the back by a soldier assigned to guard him. He was succeeded as Weroance by Necoto wance, and later by Totopotomoi and by his daughter Cockacoeske. The Treaty of 1646 marked the effective dissolution of the united confederacy, as white colonists were granted an exclusive enclave between the York and Blackwater Rivers. This physically separated the Nansemonds, Weyanokes and Appomattox, who retreated southward, from the other Powhatan tribes then occupying the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck.While the southern frontier demarcated in 1646 was respected for the remainder of the 17th century, the House of Burgesses lifted the northern one on September 1, 1649. Waves of new immigrants quickly flooded the peninsular region, then known as Chickacoan, and restricted the dwindling tribes to lesser tracts of land that became some of the earliest Indian reservations. In 1665, the House of Burgesses passed stringent laws requiring the Powhatan to accept chiefs appointed by the governor. After the Treaty of Albany in 1684, the Powhatan Confederacy all but vanished.Red line s hows boundary between the Virginia Colony and Tributary Indian tribes, as established by the Treaty of 1646. Red dot on river shows Jamestown, capital of Virginia Colony. [edit] Capitals of the Powhatan people The capital village of â€Å"Powhatan† was believed to be in the present-day Powhatan Hill section of the eastern part of Richmond, Virginia, or perhaps nearby in a location which became part of Tree Hill Farm. Another major center of the confederacy about 75 miles (121 km) to the east was called Werowocomoco. It was located near the north bank of the York River in present-day Gloucester County.Werowocomoco was described by the English colonists as only 15 miles (24 km) as the crow flies from Jamestown, but also described as 25 miles (40 km) downstream from present-day West Point, measurements which conflict with each other. In 2003 archaeologists initiated excavations at a site in Gloucester County that have revealed an extensive indigenous settlement from about 1200 ( the late Woodland period) through the early Contact period. Work since then has added to their belief that this is the location of Werowocomoco. The site is on a farm bordering n Purtain Bay of the York River, about 12 nautical miles (22 km) from Jamestown. The more than 50 acres (200,000 m2) residential settlement extends up to 1,000 feet (300 m) back from the river. In 2004, researchers excavated two curving ditches of 200 feet (60 m) at the far edge, which were constructed about 1400 CE. In addition to extensive artifacts from hundreds of years of indigenous settlement, researchers have found a variety of trade goods related to the brief interaction of Native Americans and English in the early years of Jamestown.Around 1609, Wahunsunacock shifted his capital from Werowocomoco to Orapakes, located in a swamp at the head of the Chickahominy River, near the modern-day interchange of Interstate 64 and Interstate 295. Sometime between 1611 and 1614, he moved further north to Matchut, in present-day King William County on the north bank of the Pamunkey River, not far from where his brother Opechancanough ruled one of the member tribes at Youghtanund. [edit] Characteristics The Powhatan lived east of the fall line in Tidewater Virginia.They built their houses, called yehakins, by bending saplings and placing woven mats or bark over top of the saplings. They supported themselves primarily by growing crops, especially maize, but they also fished and hunted in the great forest in their area. Villages consisted of a number of related families organized in tribes led by a chief (weroance/werowance or weroansqua if female). They paid tribute to the paramount chief (mamanatowick), Powhatan. [3] According to research by the National Park Service, Powhatan â€Å"men were warriors and hunters, while women were gardeners and gatherers.The English described the men, who ran and walked extensively through the woods in pursuit of enemies or game, as tall and lean and possessed of handsome physiques. The women were shorter, and were strong because of the hours they spent tending crops, pounding corn into meal, gathering nuts, and performing other domestic chores. When the men undertook extended hunts, the women went ahead of them to construct hunting camps. The Powhatan domestic economy depended on the labor of both sexes. † [14] All of Virginia's natives practiced agriculture. They periodically moved their villages from site to site.Villagers cleared the fields by felling, girdling, or firing trees at the base and then using fire to reduce the slash and stumps. A village became unusable as soil productivity gradually declined and local fish and game were depleted. The inhabitants then moved on. With every change in location, the people used fire to clear new land. They left more cleared land behind. The natives also used fire to maintain extensive areas of open game habitat throughout the East, later called â€Å"barrens† by European colonis ts. The Powhatan also had rich fishing grounds.Bison had migrated to this area by the early 15th century. [15] [edit] The Powhatan people today [edit] State and federal recognition As of 2010, the state of Virginia has recognized eight Powhatan Indian-descended tribes in Virginia. Collectively, the tribes currently have 3,000-3,500 enrolled as tribal members. [16] It is estimated, however, that 3 to 4 times that number are eligible for tribal membership. [12] Two of these tribes, the Mattaponi and Pamunkey, still retain their reservations from the 17th century and are located in King William County, Virginia.Since the 1990s, the Powhatan Indian tribes which have state recognition, along with the other Virginia Indian tribe which has state recognition, have been seeking federal recognition. It has been a difficult process. They have been hampered by the lack of official records verifying heritage and by the historical misclassification of family members in the 1930s and 1940s, largel y a result of Virginia's state policy of race classification on official documents.After Virginia passed stringent segregation laws in the early 20th century and ultimately the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 which mandated every person who had any African heritage be deemed black, Walter Plecker, the head of Vital Statistics office, directed all state and local registration offices to use only the terms â€Å"white† or â€Å"colored† to denote race on official documents and thereby eliminated all traceable records of Virginia Indians. All state documents, including birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, tax forms and land deeds, thus bear no record of Virginia Indians.Plecker oversaw the Vital Statistics office in the state for several decades, beginning in the early 20th century, and took a personal interest in eliminating traces of Virginia Indians. As a follower of the eugenics movement and, by modern day standards, a white supremacist, Plecker fal sely surmised that there were no true Virginia Indians remaining as years of intermarriage has diluted the race. Over his years of service, he conducted a campaign to reclassify all bi-racial and multi-racial individuals as black, believing such persons were fraudulently attempting to claim their race to be Indian or white.The effect of his reclassification has been described by tribal members as â€Å"paper genocide†. Initially, the Virginia tribes' efforts to gain federal recognition encountered resistance due to federal legislators' concerns over whether gambling would be established on their lands if recognition were granted, as it would raise federal tax concerns and also casinos are illegal in Virginia. In March 2009, five of the state-recognized Powhatan Indian tribes and the one other state-recognized Virginia Indian tribe introduced a bill to gain federal recognition through an act of Congress. The bill, â€Å"The Thomasina E.Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act†, included a section forbidding the tribes from opening casinos, even if casinos became legal in Virginia. The House Committee on Natural Resources recommended the bill be considered by the US House of Representatives at the end of April, the House approved the bill on June 3, 2009. The bill was then sent to the Senate's Committee on Indian Affairs, who recommended it be heard by the Senate as a whole in October. On December 23, 2009, the bill was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under general orders, which is where the bill is currently.

Argintina

Religon Historically, the Catholic religion played a very important part in politics and law. Before changes were made to the Constitution in 1994, the two top leaders of Argentina had to be Roman Catholic. Today, although officially 90% of Argentinians are Roman Catholic, fewer than 20% attend church regularly. Most go for weddings, funerals and major feast days. Many Argentinians make annual pilgrimages to holy sites and local shrines. The most popular place is LuJ ¤n, 65 km west of Buenos Aires. Each year, thousands of people make the pilgrimage on foot from Buenos Aires to onour the Patron Saint of Argentina, the Virgin of LuJ ¤n.According to tradition, in 1620 a statue of the Virgin was being carried from town to town in a cart. The cart got stuck at LuJ ¤n, Buenos Aires Province, and could not be moved. The people built a chapel for the Virgin to protect the statue. Today there is a large basilica where the chapel once stood. Did you know? Buenos Aires has the second larg est Jewish population (300,000) in the Americas after New York. Most provinces and cities have a patron saint. In the northern Salta province, people make pilgrimages to honour â€Å"Our Lord of the Miracles† on September 15.In 1592, a statue of Jesus Christ was washed up out of sea and was carried inland to the Salta City. This statue, the people of Salta believe, has saved them from earthquakes and other dangers. During the fiesta, people parade through the streets of Salta City carrying the statue of Jesus Christ. Another important pilgrimage site is Itati, in Corrientes Province on the Parana River, where people honour the Virgin of Itati every July 16. The statue of the Virgin was carved by a Guarani artist. Although the Constitution states that the federal government is Roman Catholic, it also guarantees freedom of religion for all.Argentina has many Jews and Muslims, as well as members of Russian, Greek and Syrian Orthodox churches and Protestant denominations. Some in digenous people follow the customs of the Catholic Church, others have kept their traditional beliefs. Many of the Colla people in the northwestern provinces of Salta and Jujuy attend Catholic churches and also follow traditional forms of worship. In Catamarca province, there is an annual festival to honour Pachamama, who represents mother earth. 3. language Although Argentina's official language is Spanish, Argentinian Spanish is different rom the Spanish spoken in Spain.In some ways it sounds more like Italian than Spanish. There are also many other languages spoken in Argentina, including Italian, Mapuche, Guarani, Aymara, Toba and Quechua. Did you know? In the Chubut Valley in Patagonia there is a Welsh settlement founded in 1865. For four generations, the settlers spoke Welsh, but the language is now dying out in this area. You can distinguish Argentinians from other Latin Americans by their use of â€Å"che†. It comes from the language used by the Mapuche and means â₠¬Å"man. † It is used as people in Canada might say, â€Å"hey† or â€Å"you know† or â€Å"eh.For example, an Argentinian might say, â€Å"Che, veni† (â€Å"Hey you, come here†) to get someone's attention. Another important difference between the Argentinean way of speaking Spanish and the Spanish spoken in Spain is the use of â€Å"vos† instead of â€Å"tu† (you ) and a very strong pronunciation of â€Å"y† and â€Å"II† as â€Å"sh†. A special slang, called lunfardo, originated in the slum neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires in the late 19th century. Today most Argentinians are familiar with at least a few words of lunfardo. Lunfardo contains elements of Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and other languages, but with a distinctive wist.One of the most common ways to change a word is to reverse the syllables. For example, in lunfardo, â€Å"tango† becomes â€Å"gotan. † Argentinians love to discuss two topics , sports (especially f?tbol) and politics. Most people have strong opinions on these subjects and will discuss them with a passion. It is not unusual to find several conversations going on at once at a social gathering. 4. Education Education is highly valued in Argentinian society. The Argentine National Council of Education sets a standard curriculum that is followed by schools throughout the ountry, because it is believed that a national education system promotes unity.Kindergarten is optional for children aged four and five. Mandatory education begins at age six and ends at fourteen. Public primary schools are free, but there are no public school buses and students must buy their own books and uniforms. The uniforms look like white laboratory coats and are worn over regular clothes. Private schools are often sponsored by churches or organizations and charge tuition fees. For children with special needs, there are separate programs. Did you know?The Nobel prizes have been awarded to five Argentinians: Carlos Saavedra Lamas (1936) and Adolfo P ©rez Esquivel (1980) for peace, Bernardo Houssay (1947) for medicine, Luis Federico Leloir (1970) for chemistry and C ©sar Milstein (1984) for biology. school between 1 p. m. and 5 p. m. When students arrive, they raise the flag and sing the national anthem. During each session, they get three breaks of 10 minutes each for recess. In rural areas, some children go to school on horseback. Some large estancias have their own one-room schoolhouse for children living on the ranch.Unless students need to work full-time to help their families, they may continue their education at secondary school. Those who want to go to university must attend secondary school for at least five years and take the bachillerato (baccalaureat) exam. Commercial and vocational schools are available for those who want careers in commerce, agriculture, fashion or technical occupations such as automotive mechanics. Schoolteachers are trained in a n escuela normal (teachers' college). People who leave school to work may return when they are in their twenties to finish their secondary school studies.Night classes are also available for those who work during the day. Argentina has about 50 universities. About half are public and tuition is free. The others are Catholic or private universities that charge fees. The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in South America, with 140,000 students. The oldest university in Argentina is Cordoba, founded by the Spanish in 5. Culture The earliest inhabitants of Argentina were nomadic tribes of hunter-gatherers, who had fought the Incas and lived simply until the arrival of Europeans in the 1 500's. The first Spanish settlement was Santa Fe in 1573.Buenos Aires was founded seven years later. At first the Spanish were unenthusiastic by the lack of gold and silver. Later they realized the potential of Argentina to supply food and animals to the cities in Peru and Bolivia. Hug e areas of land estancias were given to settlers, and the Indians worked under a forced-labour system. After Napoleon's invasion of Spain, the country was left to fend for itself and began to foster a growing sense of independence, the Creoles (native-born) population even fought off British invaders. Following Napoleon's defeat the Spanish attempted to seize their colonies back.By 1816, the eep division between Argentina and its mother country had become quite evident, and a party of separatists decided to declare the country's independence. One of the new patriots, Jose de San Martin, crossed the Andes to achieve independence for Chile and then headed to Peru to free Lima from the Spanish domain. Along with Simon Bolivar, Martin is credited with breaking off Spanish rule. The cattle ranchers became wealthy; and one of them Rosas, became a despotic leader and during his 20 year reign of terror many of the indigenous tribes were wiped out.This trend continued as sheep were introduce d and needed more land. During the 19th century, the British invested heavily in the opening up of the country by railways. A middle class evolved and industrialization advanced during World War II. The which had violent opponents and charismatic leaders such as Peron and his second wife Evita. During the 1970's a repressive government fought a war against left-wing guerrillas and as a distraction occupied the Falklands (Malvinas) in 1982. Thatcher's British forces defeated General Galtieri's conscripts and the Junta came to an end.The re-introduction of democracy was the best result of the war. The 21st has seen a evere blow to the Argentine economy, and in two months the presidency changed five times. The current president is seeking a way to strengthen the once great country. Tourism is being promoted as a way to gain foreign currency. There has never been a better time to vist the country. Argentina's culture has been greatly affected by its immigrant population, mostly European . Sadly they contributed to the demise of native cultures. The European immigrant groups each adopted different roles.The Basque and Irish controlled sheep rearing, the Germans and Italians established farms, and the British invested in developing the infra-structure. More than one-third of the country's 32 million people live in Buenos Aires, the capital, which along with other urban areas accounts for almost 90% of the total population. The main indigenous peoples are the Quechua of the northwest and the Mapuche in Patagonia. Other can be found in the Chaco and the northeast. There are strong Jewish and Anglo-Argentine communities throughout the country; plus Japanese, Chileans and Bolivians; and pockets of Paraguayan and Uruguayan residents.The universal language of Argentina is Spanish, but many natives and immigrants keep their mother tongues as a matter of pride. In Buenos Aires a city slang called lunfardo is used. Argentina has religious freedom, although the official religi on is Roman Catholic. All over Argentina fine handicrafts can be found. The gauchos produce silver buckled belts, spurs, stirrups and the mate gourds from which they drink their mate through a silver straw. The indigenous groups produce wood carvings, weavings and textiles such as ponchos.Argentina is one of the few South American countries with a thriving cinema and TV industry. Since the end of dictatorship and military rule the arts have flourished. Tango is the quintessential music and dance of Argentina, but ther folkloric traditions persist. There is even a home-grown rock music industry. The Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires is reputed to be one of the best and most outstanding theatres in the world. One cannot omit the national obsession with football but motor racing and polo also form part of the national psyche.Fiestas & holidays The main holiday period is January to March (when the schools are closed), one should book along time ahead during this period. Easter and July are a lso busy times. The 10 November Dia de La Tradicion are like a gaucho games, with displays, music, and plenty of asado meat. The following is a selection of the special regional events occurring annually in Argentina: January Sea Festival, Mar del Plata; Jineteada (breaking in horses) and Folklore Festival, Diamante, Prov. Entre Rios; Chaya Doma (breaking in horses) and Folklore Festival, Intendente Alvear, Prov. La Pampa; Folklore Festival, Cosquin, Prov.Cordoba. February Carnival, especially interesting in Gualeguaychu in the Province of Entre Rios and Ituzaingo in Corrientes; Pachamama (Mother Earth) Festival, Amaicha del Valle, Prov. Tucuman; Trout Fishing Festival, Rio Grande. February-March Festival of Tango, Buenos Aires March Grape Harvest Festival, Mendoza. March-April Holy Week, Salta; Festival of Our Lady Del Valle, Catamarca. July Poncho Week, Catamarca; Simoca Fair, Simoca, Prov. Tucuman; Santiago Week, Santiago del Estero; Dorado Fishing Competition, Formosa. August Sn ow Festival, Rio Turbio, Prov. Santa Cruz; Jujuy Week, Jujuy; Dorado Festival, Posadas, Prov.Misiones; Snow Festival, Bariloche. September Chamam © Music Festival, Corrientes; Agriculture Festival, Esperanza, Prov. Santa F © October Fiesta de la Cerveza (beer festival), Villa General Belgrano; Festival of Tango, Buenos Aires November Sea Salmon Fishing Contest, Comodoro Rivadavia; Tradition Week (gaucho shows), San Antonio de Areco. December Gaucho Festival, Gral. Madaria, Prov. Buenos Aires; Trout Festival, San Junin de los Andes, Prov. Neuqu ©n. Argentina's economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but the industrial and service sectors have also grown in importance in recent years.Livestock (cattle and sheep) and grains have long been the bulwark of its wealth; its cattle herds are among the world's finest. As an exporter of wheat, corn, flax, oats, beef, mutton, hides, and wool, Argentina rivals the United States, Canada, and Australia. Its other agricultural pr oducts include oilseeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, and tobacco. Argentina is the world's largest source of tannin and linseed oil. The Pampa is the nation's chief agricultural area; however, since the 1930s there has been a great rise in production in other areas, especially in the oases of the Monte and the irrigated valleys of N Patagonia.Although Argentina has a variety of minerals, they are of local importance and are not completely adequate to support the country's industries. Domestic oil and gas production has made the nation self-sufficient in energy; ipelines connect the oil and gas fields with Buenos Aires and other major refining centers. Argentina also exploits its ample hydroelectric resources. The large coal field of S Patagonia has low-grade coal. Food processing (in particular meatpacking, flour milling, and canning) is the chief manufacturing industry; motor vehicles, textiles, chemicals, petrochemicals, and steel are also major products.Argentina's principal import s are machinery, motor vehicles, chemicals, metals, plastics, and other manufactured goods. The chief trading partners are Brazil, the United States, China, and Chile. Argentina is a member of Mercosur. In recent decades Argentina has experienced both inflation and recession. Privatization and other economic reforms begun by President Menem in the early 1990s produced unprecedented economic growth, but significant economic problems remained, including high unemployment and a massive national debt (due to freehanded government spending and widespread tax evasion).The economy was hurt by Brazil's recession and currency devaluation in the late 1990s, but the pegging of the peso to the dollar combined with Argentina's own economic problems resulted in economic collapse in 2001. The economy did not begin to grow strongly again until 2003. The ancestors of most Argentineans of today originally came from Spain and Italy, with smaller percentages coming from other European nations and Middl e-Eastern countries. The country also has a Jewish population of about 350,000, the fifth-largest in the world, and a similar number of Syrian Lebanese people.There are some indigenous communities that live in the northeast areas of Argentina and in the Patagonian region. Argentina has recently received an important intake of immigration from neighbouring countries, mainly Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia and Uruguay. The immigration from Per? is also significant. Gaucho is a traditional word meaning country man of South America from Indian and Spanish descent. Till the beginning of this century, there were gauchos in Argentina who spent their days working and riding their horses around the large â€Å"estancias†(similar to Australian stations), and looking after cattle that roamed the Pampas.Gauchos often featured as heroes in last-century poems, stories and folkloric songs. Food way to eat beef is the â€Å"asado† (barbecued beef ribs), whereas whole sides of beef or kid may be spit roasted for large gatherings. Also popular are â€Å"empanadas† which are crescent-shaped pies usually filled with meat or corn, and â€Å"Locro,† a type of stew made with corn, beans, potatoes and peppers. The national drink is â€Å"mate† (pronounced mat-A), a green tea made from the leaves of â€Å"yerba mate†, a national herb. Clothing City people dress in garments similar to those worn by Australians.Rural workers may wear the traditional gaucho clothing: a wide brimmed hat, a poncho, and a loose pair of trousers tucked into boots. Economy Primary Industry Argentina is rich in natural resources with a geological and climatic situation articularly suitable for developing forestry, agriculture, mining and fisheries. It also boasts of large petroleum, gas and uranium reserves. Agriculture: Argentina is famous for its agricultural production. With over 54 million head of cattle, Argentina's beef is renowned around the world.Annual production of cereals and oilseeds exceeds 70 million tonnes, which makes Argentina one of the main exporters of these products and their derivatives. One of the country's largest sheep grazing regions, which is also one of the largest regions for growing fruit and vegetables, is found in Patagonia, in the south. The typical farms associated with this production are surprisingly similar to those found in Australia. Mendoza on the western border is the centre of wine production. Argentina is the worlds fifth-largest producer of wine.Most Argentineans drink wine with every meal, a traditional custom introduced by the European immigration. Exports are continually growing, Mining: The Andean Mountains provide Argentina with rich mineral deposits. Some of the minerals which are being mined at present are, copper, tin, lead, zinc, gold, silver, and uranium. The main exploitation of copper and gold, Minera de la Alumbrera, in the Province of Catamarca, is an Australian venture. Gas and Oil: are importan t resources being increasingly exported to the neighbouring countries and to the world market. Together with mining products they make out for 15% of total exports.Top Manufacturing Sector The industrial sector includes manufacturing and construction. Among Argentina's manufactured goods are processed food, textiles, clothing, metallic and non-metallic mineral products, wood products, paper, pharmaceutical products, chemicals and petrochemical products, aluminium, steel, cars, electrical machinery and appliances, achine tools, turbines, cranes, agriculture machinery, and space and nuclear products. Construction, engineering and consultancy activities have developed to an important stage, extending to the Latin-American market and other countries.Top Transport Land: Public transport includes buses, railways and subways. Most of Argentina's goods are transported by truck although railways are becoming increasingly important in the transportation of domestic cargo. Air: The most widely -known national airline is Aerolineas Argentinas which has been operating for more than 60 years. It covers nearly all the domestic routes and has also an important continental and inter-continental network. There are also other private airlines that have been between Sydney and Buenos Aires, with a short stopover in Auckland, New Zealand.Water: There are numerous coastal and international ocean and river companies that offer freight or passenger transport. Several Ocean Lines serve the route between Australian and Argentinean ports. Top Communications Postal and telecommunications services are run by private enterprises which have been operating in free competition since the beginning of 2000. The first post office opened in 1814. Satellite tracking stations and digital technology provide domestic and international telephone communications linked to every country in the world. There are about 40 television stations and 200 radio stations in Argentina.Export Argentina's exports, whi ch reached 30 billion $1JS in 2003, are composed of 24% primary agricultural commodities, 13% fuels and minerals, 36% processed agricultural products and foodstuffs, and 27% industrial products. 7. People (ethnic backgrounds) Argentines have a reputation in South America for being arrogant. In my experience they have a well deserved reason for national pride. Argentina is the 8th largest country in the world, stretching from deserts at the Bolivian border, to tropical jungles at Iquazu Fallsto the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere – Mt.Aconcagua, a 22,831 foot extinct volcano – to a Darwinian paradise, Tierra del Fuego,Just 600 miles from the Antarctic continent – see Maps of the Argentine provinces. Its history spans the millennia from the greatest age of the dinosaurs, the magnificent Inca Empire, the golden age of Spanish Imperialism and the stablishment of the third wealthiest democracy in the Western hemisphere. Despite American commentators who st ress that â€Å"†¦ Argentina is an economic basket case†¦ † due to the mercurial whims of political and economic elites – a situation to which no nation has ever had an immunity – I find no evidence of â€Å"national depression. What I experience is a thriving society that is aware of the insecurity of economic good times but in love with life. The buzz of Buenos Aires's Manhattan with an Italian awareness of the present – fathers and mothers with young children on their arms, professionals onducting business in a sidewalk caf ©, small shops selling AR$60,OOO chinchilla fur bedspreads (US$18,OOO), food markets offering only organically raised poultry – they don't say it's organic, it Just is – and thousands of people at the weekend Feria de Mataderos.Two hour lunch breaks are the norm. Restaurants, which normally don't open for dinner until 9:00 pm, are not full until 1 1 pm. A true â€Å"porteno† (native born resident of Buenos Aires) will have a distinct Italian lilt to their Spanish and say â€Å"ciao,† not â€Å"adios,† when saying â€Å"good-bye. † Cordoba is Old Spain – the intellectual eart of the nation. It's a city of eight universities, and the birthplace of the Jesuit philosophy of the social contract between rulers and the ruled – which is still in lively national debate.The Inca Empire still touchesSaltaSalta the Beautiful, as it's justifiably known, bears the splendor of Colonial monuments, with archaeological proof of thriving indigenous cultures and the reality of street children eager to shine your shoes. Indigenous language communities founded 6,000 years ago are very much alive in the rugged, semi-arid yet stunning landscape of theAndean orld class vintages using irrigation technology first perfected by indigenous people over 3,000 years ago. Argentine vineyards are the highest in the world – up to 5,000 feet – with 350 days of warm sunshine.TheArgentine Mesopotamiais a floating land of Jungles, massive rivers, the incomparable Iguazu Falls, splendid cities, mate plantations, magnificent ruins and giant, delicious fish. Patagonia,the vast region that conjures visions of another reality, is another reality. Welsh, German, English, French, Spanish, Eastern Europeans and indigenous cultures thrive on the Atlantic and Andean edges of this land. The long Atlantic coast is home to internationally protected wildlife sites, fishing villages and modern petroleum shipping ports.The flat sparse interior is dotted by multi-thousand acre estancias (ranches), many of which have been owned by the original families for generations, with millions of sheep and a few gauchos. Welsh villages, the first European settlements in Patagonia, are complete with trim, vine covered cottages, pocket gardens and afternoon tea. In the Andean west, are the finest ski resorts and fruit growing lands in South America. 8. Family/culture There is no typical Argentinian family. Family life differs according to many factors, such as religion, region, ethnic background and income.Traditionally, fathers were considered the head of the family, mothers were in charge of the household, and young married couples lived with their parents in quarters built onto the house. Now, most Argentinians believe that women have the right to a career as well as marriage and family. Some families have hired help to do domestic chores. Young married couples usually find a place of their own rather than living with parents. Did you know? In Buenos Aires, a cosmopolitan city of over 13 million residents, there is a saying that a Porteno â€Å"speaks Spanish, eats Italian, dresses like a Frenchman and thinks he is an Englishman. Sixty percent of Argentinians own their homes and often build additional rooms rather than moving to larger houses. Most Argentinians live and work in urban areas. About a third of the population lives in and around Buenos Aires. In small cities and the suburbs, people live in single- family homes, but in Buenos Aires, most people live in apartment buildings. The apartments have modern facilities, but rent and electricity are very expensive. Rent can take a large portion of monthly earnings for some families.Housing construction has not kept pace with the number of Job seekers heading into the cities. The housing shortage has resulted in the growth of villas miserias, shacks made of pieces of wood, tin and other materials found by residents. There is no running water, sewage system or electricity in these areas, and the residents often suffer health problems because of contaminated water. There are still large farms or estancias in Gauchos, who wear the traditional baggy pants and flat-topped hat, still work on ome cattle ranches.In Patagonia the estancias may be sheep ranches. In other areas, the estancias may have vineyards, orchards or fields of grain. Some very large estancias are like little vill ages, with their own chapels and schools. Sometimes the wife and children of the owner live in the city while the children are at school. The 300,000 indigenous people in Argentina live in small rural communities or in the cities. One important group is the Wichi, who live in the marshy area near the river Pilcomayo in the north of the country and Mapuche in the Neuqu ©n province.Although many indigenous Argentinians have preserved their traditional way of life, others have adopted a more European lifestyle 9. Government Argentina has seen some interesting events in respect to government and politics (too detailed to elaborate on as part of this article, but certainly worth further research if you are interested) and following a period of military dictatorship which ended in 1983, Argentina returned to the 1853 Constitution which was further amended in 1994. Government in Argentina is now operated via a representative, republican federal system which is similar to the federal syst em in the USA.The government in Argentina is formed of two separate legislative branches which are executive and bicameral and of these two houses, the Senate has 72 seats and the Chamber of Deputies has 257 seats. Argentina is further divided into a Federal Capital (the City of Buenos Aires) and 23 Provinces. The Federal Government of Argentina is lead by the President. Until the change to Constitution in 1994 (referred to above), it was necessary that the President be a Roman Catholic. Changes to the Constitution also permitted the reelection of the President for a further 4 year period as opposed to the original 6 year period.Each Province within Argentina has its own Governor, Chamber of Deputies and Senate. The Federal Capital in Buenos Aires, has an elected Mayor allowing for self government. The balancing of power in the government of Argentina is not straightforward. The primary reason for this being that 70% of the population falls under the remit of the Federal Capital and the provinces of Santa Fe, Buenos Aires and Cordoba. Consequently they are able to provide a powerful counterweight to the Federal government, particularly if they are controlled by the opposition.In respects to Political Parties in Argentina, the spectrum of parties is broad and diverse and at least 20 parties are represented in the Congreso. Local parties have considerable power within some of the provinces. The Sapag familys Partido Popular Neuquino in Neuquen for example has driven some of Argentina's most progressive social policies. A recent concern for the government in Argentina is the lack of interest that the younger generation take in government and politics and their resulting voting apathy. No doubt however, the same concern exists for a significant number of countries. 10. Pastime activites

Sales Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sales - Coursework Example Q1. Lynn should center her presentation on the reputation of McBath and the company’s new display system. Some of the key selling points that she should discuss include the fact that the display system will not require too much space. She should also include the fact that shoppers already love McBath’s products since the company is different. Another key point that Lynn should use in her presentation is the fact that the display system has actually worked in other new stores and an advertising campaign for the new display system is in the offing. Q2. Stores can be offered quantity discounts when they purchase McBath’s products in bulk. This will encourage stores to buy McBath’s products in large quantities (Munson 209). Stores may also be offered cash discounts when they pay in cash. This will create a healthy working relationship between McBath’s and it’s clients (Rackham 165). Consumer discounts: shoppers may be offered an extra package when they buy three. This will enhance customer loyalty and will encourage new customers to purchase McBath’s products (Schultz, Petrison and Robinson, 116). Resellers may also be offered trade discounts on the products they buy so as to encourage them to keep buying McBath’s products (Rackham 165). Q3: Lynn can use the each of the four discounts to get new accounts. People are normally drawn to products that offer discounts. She can use quantity discounts to encourage Federal and other stores to keep purchasing McBath’s products. She can also use consumer discounts to enhance the sales of McBath’s products in different stores. She can make use of the cash discount offers to encourage the new stores to keep buying the company’s

Reflective assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reflective assignment - Essay Example I had been determined to: Consequently, I decided to become professional nurse in my life for which I had always been curious to become in practical life. Fortune gave me an opportunity of working as junior nurse at a community hospital as soon as I passed my A Levels exams. It is therefore, it was a pleasant experience to join as assistant community nurse at my local town. Though it was not a higher qualification certificate, yet it was sufficient to permit me work as this position. At hospital, I had orientation with the tasks and duties related to nursing. I enjoyed myself while working with the qualified doctors, experienced nurses and other dedicated staff of the hospital. I also got acquainted with the co-workers serving at the same position of assistant nurse. Among these co-workers, two assistant nurses became my classmates at college. At the hospital, I came to know the problems faced by the healthcare staff members while performing their duties and obligations. I was really moved to observe the dedication of doctors, nurses, cleansing staff and helpers during the course of their services-rendering, where all the staff forgot its own comforts for the sake of the patients under treatment at the hospital. Hence, I learnt that the nursing was not mere a profession; rather, it was a virtuous act to help the suffering humanity come out the state of misery. They deal with the patients undergoing various diseases and viruses, with extreme care and patience. â€Å"More so than other professionals†, Gaddis submits, â€Å"nurses intimately understand the communicable characteristics of a potentially contagious virus. And much like any transmittable organism, communications have the ability to infect or heal: With every word and action you are either positively affecting or negatively infecting your work environment . Your inner perceptions and attitude strongly impacts your outward attitude,

Contract law examination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Contract law examination - Essay Example However, if the offeree asks for further details about the offer, the offer is not rejected and is still effective as seen in Stevenson v McLean. If the offeror makes the offer again, then the offeree can accept it. An offer also ceases to be effective when the offeree makes a counter offer to the original offeror. In Hyde v Wrench, it was held that a counter offer rejects the original offer. The offeror is not bound to accept a counter offer. However, if he accepts the counter offer, a fresh agreement is formed without any regard to the original offer. iii. Failure to fulfill a condition precedent to acceptance also terminates an offer. If the offeror has specified a definite mode of communication of acceptance which is not followed by the offeree, the offer ceases to be effective. In Manchester Diocesan Council of Education v. Commercial and General Investments Ltd, the courts ruled that an offer ceases to effective if the specified mode of communication of acceptance is not followed. An offeror has a right to revoke his offer at any time before its acceptance. For an offer and acceptance to be valid, effective communication is of paramount importance. An acceptance is not effective if it is not communicated to the offeror. In the given case, Ali sent a letter of acceptance of Yasmin’s offer to her but addressed it wrongly. Until the letter reaches Yasmin, Ali’s acceptance would not be effective as the acceptance would not have been communicated to Yasmin. Therefore, as long as the letter is in transit, Yasmin has a right to revoke her offer. The communication of revocation of offer is also very important. In this case, Yasmin notified Ali’s friend that she had revoked her offer. Assuming that Ali’s friend is a reliable third party, by the application of Dickinson v Dodds, Yasmin’s notice of revocation would be deemed to be sufficient and effective. After her revocation, she would not be bound to perform her promise when the let ter

Comparison of a Poem to a Song Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparison of a Poem to a Song - Coursework Example The poem â€Å"theme for English B† is a poem written at the peak of racial discrimination in the year 1951.  In the poem,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"theme for English B† Hughes talks about the differences between him and his class instructor (Bloom, pg 21). The poet talks about being the only colored person in his  class  and shows the  feeling  of his  likeness  to other races, solely â€Å" white† and yet different throughout the poem. Using his  community  (Harlem) as an  inspiration  Hughes manages to write a poem that depicts his  ethnic  affiliation. The class  instructor  gave a  precise  brief description of the  assignment  that is, go home, write a page tonight, and let the  page  be the  original  thoughts of students (Fetzer, pg 23). The persona in the  poem  remains  uncertain  on whether the task is that  easy  as portrayed by the class instructor.  Afterwards,  the student outlines the reasons substantia ting his  thought  that such an  assignment  could not be  easy. The speaker in the poem â€Å"theme for English B† is older compared to most white students in the English class. Secondly, the student gives the  route  he takes from  school  to his  residence  where the narrator sits  to do  his  assignment (Bloom, pg 46). The student perceives the  difficulty in writing true ideals or something that is only purported to be true. This judgment was at the discretion of the  white  class  instructor. The student plunges into listing what he likes, subsequently supposing that being colored does not make him different from the things he likes as other races.  The speaker in the  poem  is bothered  if his black identity  will make a difference in what he writes (Fetzer, pg 44). Secondly,  he wonders whether he will be able  to talk  with a white tutor  given that  he  is black. Despite these ill feelings, the speaker in the   poem  finally admits that both of them are part of each other. The speaker then delves into an  extremely  significant  conclusion  that as the black students learn  from the  white tutor, the  instructor  equally  learns from the  black student.  The tone of Langston Hughes in his poem befits the  description  of  mildly  ironical’ as he shows his difficulty in  earnestly  communicating  his own feelings at the  specifications  of his  white  tutor of English.  Irony is  manifest  in the  poem  where he commences by saying â€Å"I wonder if it is that simple,† but at the end of the poem, he succeeds in doing just that in a  remarkably  correct  manner. His actual inner being comprises of two distinguishing aspects; he is black and very different from the instructor of his class. Secondly, he is an American just like every other American inclusive of his tutor. The author of the poem embraces a conciliat ory tone that acknowledges the fact that the two races are part of each other. Nevertheless, the poem ends on a tone full of  regret  somewhat more  free. Besides poems, songs are also excellent mediums of creating awareness or sensitizing the  society. An example is the  song  we shall be  free  by Garth Brooks. The  song  Ã¢â‚¬Å"We Shall Be Free† is a song produced by American country music artist during the year 1992. The artist was born on February 7, 1962 in America. The artist in the release of this song collaborated with Stephanie Davis. In this song, an ordinary  man  conceives of a world in which human beings are free from earthly subjugations. Topics addressed in this

Plant and People Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Plant and People - Term Paper Example Opium poppy has both negative and positive effects of opium poppy upon human society (Chouvy, 2010). The negative effects of opium poppy include terrorism, wars, international politics, crime, addiction and dependence, health problems, and negative economic issues, and the positive effects include the manufacture of drugs and for homeopathy. Negative effects of opium poppy Terrorism Opium poppy is the source of opium, which is a narcotic drug. Narcotic drugs are illegal in most countries across the world (United Nations, 2009). Therefore, many countries consider the trading of narcotics as illegal and take actions against those individuals who take part in drug trafficking. However, violence, corruption, and subversion have increasingly impeded the international narcotics control efforts. Violence increases when efforts begin to have an effect on the trafficking operations (Davids, 2002). Various countries have put more effort towards identifying those groups and individuals who atte mpt to undermine the struggle against trafficking of narcotics. Such groups can include those groups, which finance their terrorist actions through profits they acquire from the narcotics trade; groups that actively engage themselves in narcotics trafficking and use terrorist activities to sustain or enhance their positions; and groups that the narcotics traffickers organize randomly to resort to terrorist activities and violence to enhance and protect their criminal enterprise. Most of the countries that produce narcotics have political insurgents, who quite often use terrorist techniques and have become involved indirectly or directly with production and trafficking of narcotics (Davids, 2002). There are close relationships between narcotics trafficking, terrorist groups, and arms smuggling, especially in the Middle East. According to Davids (2002), there is some evidence of state-sponsored trafficking of narcotics. In a few cases, the further evidence is that some of the communis t nations have engaged to some extent in facilitating the trafficking of narcotics. Terrorism refers to the use of violence or threats to apply violence as a political weapon to attain control, to influence government policy, or to destabilize and overthrow governments (Davids, 2002). The legal definition of terrorism may not be precise in describing narcotics traffickers and their organizations. However, the tactics they employ at times are equal to, or exceed those tactics that terrorist organizations use. Most of the groups involved with narcotics production or trafficking do not meet the traditional or legal definitions of "terrorists" or "insurgents," the fact is that the use of planned, high-threat, sophisticated violence to accomplish their goals, even without a political agenda, is terrorism (Davids, 2002). Furthermore, the increasing use of violence against international narcotics control efforts, irrespective of the source as well as the dealing in narcotics for firearms a nd the financing of political insurgencies and terrorists through illegal narcotics activities, pose grievous threats to the national security of the narcotics producing countries and to the prospects for effective international narcotics control. Prostitution, Robbery, and Thievery The incidents of

Visual Analysis Assessment Form of Figurative Work Assignment

Visual Analysis Assessment Form of Figurative Work - Assignment Example In this painting, Hockney uses a collection of watercolors to create a deep impression of the skies at night. In addition, David uses five watercolors to paint a picture of the seas and atmosphere at night. The blue colors in the foreground give a feel of cool seawater at night. Cool colors and the foreground give an illusion of calmness in the sea at night. David also manages to paint brown watercolors to describe the rocky mature of the seabed (Castillo 77). A collection of brown rocks beneath the sea gives a different texture from the calm, smooth waters of the blue sea. David Hockney manages to paint the reflection of the sun on the blue sea. A mixture of orange and yellow colors is used to create a perfect reflection of the sun on the waters. The artist uses yellow colors towards the inside of the sun to indicate high intensities of heat. Orange reflections toward the periphery of the reflection indicate that the sun is less hot on the outside part. In this painting, there is a great aspect of tonal range. Bright colors including orange and red have been used in the sky. Orange color shows the intensity f brightness of the sun. The clouds n the sky are painted red to show that they are closely associated with the sun (Fichner-Rathus 71). The reflection of clouds in the blue sea has a brown color showing a reduction in tone. In this painting light seems to be coming from the sky. There is total darkness at the vanishing point between the sky and the sea. There are certain striking features about this picture. What has caught my attention most is the yellow and orange reflection of the sun I the foreground. David Hockney gives an impression of a brighter sun in the sea than at the sky level. The intensity of brightness of the sun is greater at the water level than at the sea. This piece of artwork manages to create movement. David Hockney uses waves and water reflections to create movement in the picture. Brown

Women's Voices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Women's Voices - Essay Example As a specific brand presented across different showrooms in major US cities, Wacoal’s product line btempt’d appears to be creating a commercial space for swimwear and lingerie exclusively oriented toward women and their well being. However, the way these products are exhibited and advertised suggests that the company uses stereotypical concepts on women’s beauty and practically undermines the genuine comfort and health issues.Discussion  Wacoal has created a powerful commercial cult around its recently launched swimwear-cum-lingerie range named btempt’d. This brand specific space can be regarded as a highly distributed conceptualization and materialization of the company’s lingerie products across various media. Wacoal showrooms with btempt’d swimwear have been prepared along with other evolving business methods like online retiling and web based marketing. According to the website of Wacoal, â€Å"Making women look and feel their best has always been a part of Wacoal’s mantra† (paragraph 1). Such a stance might appear to be pro-feminist for a while. Having desire to look beautiful can be regarded as an innate property of human beings irrespective of gender. For a young girl, honing beautiful looks or proper grooming and dresses can lead to an effective makeover in a positive direction aimed at harnessing a better personality. Visiting the website of btempt’d product line or a showroom exhibiting Wacoal swimwear.... a young girl, honing beautiful looks or proper grooming and dresses can lead to an effective makeover in a positive direction aimed at harnessing a better personality. Visiting the website of btempt’d product line or a showroom exhibiting Wacoal swimwear, a spectator can easily find out that the presentation techniques used are highly dedicated to the beautification of women in general and young ladies are being particularly targeted. In the words of Wacoal, btempt’d is actually a range of â€Å"sexy, sophisticated, and flirty lingerie† (Wacoal, paragraph 2), aimed at exciting young girls. Implementing an analytical point of view, however, it can be stated that this approach of Wacoal is quite inter-contradictory. On one hand, the company states that it is concerned about women’s health and comfort issues, and the main target is to provide utility oriented innerwear. On the other hand, it is highly reluctant of using a bulky or less attractive girl (say, w ith dark complexion or a blunt nose) as its model or ambassador for practically exhibiting the lingerie. Clearly, this is a kind of prejudice which gives rise to internalized oppression. From the perspective of women in general, such an approach on the part of a commercial giant will attach extra value to physically more attractive women in the society. Furthermore, the company’s claims about its sense of corporate social responsibility remain quite ambiguous. The company states that it is committed to spreading awareness on breast cancer, whereas its sole publicity stance is based on women’s physically beauty and sexy appearance. The concept behind visualizing the ideal female model for a lingerie product is based on the perspective and desires of men, not women. So a young girl must feel good when she is

Indian Automobile Industry Essay Example for Free

Indian Automobile Industry Essay These include passenger cars which are divided into following 6 categories depending upon length: 1. Mini – Car length upto 3400 mm – Maruti 800 and REVA 2. Compact – Length between 3401 and 4000 mm – Maruti Alto, Tata Indica, Hyundai Santro 3. Midsize – Length between 4001 and 4500 mm – Maruti Esteem, Tata Indigo, Hyundai Accent 4. Executive – Length between 4501 and 4700 mm – Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic 5. Premium – Length between 4701 and 5000 mm – Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata 6. Luxury – Length above 5000 mm – Mercedes S-class 2. Utility Vehicles: Tata Sumo and Safari, Toyota Qualis. 3. Multi Utility Vehicles: Maruti Omni and Versa 4. Commercial Vehicles These are divided into 2 categories according to the loads they can carry: 4. 1. Light Commercial Vehicles – Gross vehicle weight limit is 7. 5 tonnes – Cargo, Tempo, Mini Buses, and Mini Trucks etc. Major players are Tata Motors Ltd. , Swaraj Mazda Ltd. , Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. 2. Medium Heavy Commercial Vehicles – Gross vehicle weight limit is above 7. 5 tonnes – Cargo, Trucks, Buses, Trailers. Tata Motors Ltd. and Ashok Leyland Ltd are major players. Scope of Study and Methodology. We begin with an overview of the automobile industry followed by a competitive analysis of the â€Å"Passenger Cars† part of the industry on the following criteria: †¢ Product †¢ Brand †¢ Pricing †¢ Distribution †¢ Marketing Communication In each of these contexts, we try to compare the strategies used by players in different segments: from entry level A segment, to most-competitive B-segment to niche SUVs. We cite examples from cars that have been really successful in any parameter as well as the debacles. Finally, we segment the consumer based on our primary research and discuss their distinctive characteristics. On the basis of our study, we infer the critical factors for success in market and derive insights out of the study. To carry out the above study, we carried out: Secondary research: We scoured the internet including industry data from SIAM and IBEF. We referred to old newspaper and magazine articles as required. This was primarily our basis for competitive analysis. Primary Research: To understand the consumer mindset, we carried out a survey. This survey was conducted online as well as in 14-sector market, Gurgaon. The survey had 94 respondents as below: [pic] We supplemented the survey with interviews Customer Relations Manager at Orion Hyundai and Apra-Motors Maruti showroom. Overview of Indian Passenger Vehicles Industry Indian economy has grown at an average rate of above 8% in the last 5 years and services followed by industrial production have made excellent contributions to this growth. Auto industry has contributed to the GDP to the tune of 5%. The Passenger Vehicles (PV) market grew 14% YoY to 1. 76 million units as against 1. 54 million units sold in last financial year(FY 06-07). It is mainly on account of the impressive growth in the passenger car segment which contributed 80% to the total Passenger Vehicle sales in financial year 2007-08. It (PV) was backed by healthy growth in its domestic sales and exports. Domestic sales grew 12% YoY to 1. 54 million units in financial year 2007-08, whereas the exports increased by 9. 4% YoY to 2. 1 lakhs units in the same time. Over the last five years total PV production has increased at a CAGR of 19. 5%, from 7. 2 lakhs units in 2002-03 to 1. 76 million units in 2007-08. The growth was mainly made possible due to 2 major factors: 1. The continuous improvement in the living standards of the middle class, and subsequent increase in their disposable incomes. 2. the liberalization steps taken by the Indian Government such as relaxation of the foreign exchange and equity regulations, reduction of import tariffs, and refining the banking policies have played an equally important role in bringing the Indian Automobile industry to present level. Add to this the easy availability of components and competence; the global auto companies are looking at India as the manufacturing hub for the next generation models. India is poised to become small car hub, not only in terms of production but also product development. Global car majors like Nissan, Hyundai, General Motors, Mercedes Benz and Renault have made huge investments owing to the positive sentiment in the market. Major Manufacturers in Passenger Cars Industry in India are: †¢ Maruti Udyog Ltd. (45% market share) †¢ Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (16%) †¢ Honda Motors †¢ Tata Motors Ltd. (14%) Overall, there is still just 1 car per 100 people in India as against 74 cars per 100 in US. Thus, Indian market has a huge potential in future. Competitive Analysis Product level Analysis. Here, we study the product strategy of automobile industry from a marketing point of view. We begin with a study of customer-value hierarchy, of which the marketer needs to address each of the five levels while planning product offering. Then in product differentiation we study different factors on which car is differentiated. Customer-Value Hierarchy (Product levels): |Core benefit |It is the service or benefit the customer is really buying. In case of automobiles those benefits are | | |convenience, transportation, speed. | |Basic product |At second level the core benefit is turned into basic product. In the case the product is car. It | | |typically includes an IC engine, mechanism to provide motion and steering, chassis. | |Expected product |At the third level, an expected product is prepared which includes a set of attributes and conditions | | |buyers normally expect when they purchase a product. All car buyers expect comfort, safety and | | |functional characteristics (fuel economy, handling, repair frequency etc). Other expectations differ | | |from one segment of buyers to other. For a middle class buyer value for money is important for e. g. | | | Maruti 800 but for an upper class buyer where money is not an issue, prestige is the criteria for e.g. | | |Hyundai Tucson, Jaguar etc. Other expectations include good sound system, leather upholstery, more | | |seating capacity, more power etc. | |Augmented product |It is a product that exceeds consumer expectations. It is created by inclusion of additional features, | | |benefits, attributes or related services that serve to differentiate the product from its competitors. | | |For automobile industry these features include insurance service, test drive, attractive offers, after | | |sales service, availability of service centres, easy financing options such as EMIs, wide dealer | | |network etc. | |Potential product |It encompasses all the possible augmentations and transformations the product or offering might undergo| | |in the future. These include latest technology, design changes etc for e. g. Design of Maruti 800 has | | |changed consistently over the years. | Product Differentiation: |Features |Cars are often offered with varying features that supplement their basic function. For e. g. Hyundai i10| | |(a compact car) boasts of features similar to a sedan. | |Performance quality |Performance is becoming an increasingly important dimension for differentiation. Car companies invest | | |hugely on RD to come up with new improved engines so that performance can be improved. For e. g. Santro| | |Xing considers its eRLX engine as a differentiator. | |Reliability |It is a measure of the probability that a product will not malfunction or fail within a specified time | | |period. Maruti Omni is one such car; it is differentiated as a ‘faithful workhorse’. | |Style |It describes the product’s look and feel to the buyer. It is very important because even before | | |performance people judge a car by its look. Swift DZire from Maruti stable claims itself as ‘the heart | | |car’ with striking looks. | |Design |Apart from look and feel, this factor takes into account the function of the product as well. Maruti | | |SX4 claims of revolutionary European design. | Brand Maruti 800, the entry level car in the Indian market, has long been positioned as the family car. While it competes against bigger B-segment cars, its sales have been cannibalized recently by Alto whose basic model is priced jus Rs. 30,000 above the basic M800. Through the Alto, Maruti is trying to move the consumer up the value chain. M800 has also been targeting the semi-urban and rural areas where it is positioned as an alternative to two-wheeler. To see how to manage an automobile brand through its product life cycle, we look at Santro Xing and Tata Indica. Both were launched around 10 years ago, and have evolved and repositioned themselves successfully. Santro was launched in 1998 as an upgrade for the entry-level car and positioned as a family car targeted at 35-40 year olds. In 2003, the product was refreshed as Santro Xing. The brand now aimed to appeal to the first time car buyers rather than be an upgrade. To catch the young buyers in 25-30 year age group, the brand was positioned as the â€Å"Sunshine car. † Sunshine was communicating two intangibles: Freshness and youthful attitude. The brand moved to a Change your life positioning. Today, Santro is facing declining phase in maturity stage in its PLC. The sales have stagnated and price war from Maruti and a slew of new launches in compact car segment have hurt the sales of Santro. Santro is banking on price cuts and sales promotions to stay afloat. Hyundai has recently launched a new brand i10 to take the place of Santro. Similarly, Tata Motors recently launched the new generation Indica Vista. This is an update on Indica V2’s seven variants. Over the years, Tata has invested heavily in product and brand development, yet the sales of Indica have recently declined. This is because the product has reached the declining maturity stage. And to counter this, Tata’s have gone in for strategy of product modification. Indica Vista is Tatas entry into the luxury hatchback segment which is dominated by Maruti Swift and has new entrants like Hyundai i10. The original Indica has also been retained in the product line. These two product lines together offer a wide choice to the customers from price points of Rs 2. 80 lakhs to Rs 5 Lakhs. The Indica Vista has a new tagline of â€Å"Changes Everything† is used to communicate that the brand has changed. The ads are also more tuned to attract the new generation. However, the core strength of the brand remains its value proposition. In the C and D segment, the cars are positioned on distinct personalities rather than benefits or attributes. For example, when GM launched Optra against heavy-weights such as Honda City and Sonata, it aimed at an emotional positioning platform. The brand, which was targeted at executives in age 30-45, tried to communicate Love, Care and Warmth as its core values. To convey this, Optra used an apt tagline, â€Å"For a special journey called life. † Niche cars use their own unique appeals e. g. SUVs such as Scorpio position on their size and sense of adventure. Thus, we have seen that while brands manage to differentiate from each other through a unique proposition, there is some commonality in how cars are positioned within each segment. Pricing Pricing decisions are management decisions about what to charge for the products and services that the companies deliver. In car industry, the pricing decisions vary from segment to segment. In entry level cars, the companies price the cars low and give all basic features a car would offer. This segment had a monopoly in India with Maruti 800 being the sole player. Maruti has traditionally been employing promotional schemes to increase the sales of Maruti 800 rather than decreasing its price. In compact car segment, the cars cater to the affluent middle-class people who wish to graduate to cars which provide extra glamour compared to entry level cars. Due to fierce competition in this segment price emerges as an important factor affecting the purchasing decision of consumers. Hence the pricing decision is not only dependent on the perceived value of the customer but also dependent on the competitor’s pricing strategies. Maruti’s aggressive price reduction of Alto has displaced Hyundai’s Santro from No. 1 spot in 2004. In Mid-size segment, as the customers’ aspirations are more inclined towards design, advanced features and luxury the car offers, pricing doesn’t play as big a role as it does in compact segment. In fact, there is a tag of premiumness attached to the price in this segment. As an example, Hyundai Elantra’s sales dropped when its price had been reduced from Rs. 10lakh to Rs. 8 lakh. Distribution This section is explained through the study the supply chain at Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL). Logistics goes beyond mere distribution management. It is improving the quality of the supply chain itself to achieve a cost-effective distribution mechanism. This is the philosophy which drives Maruti Udyog Ltd (MUL), the countrys biggest passenger car manufacturer. Dependent on over 300 suppliers for some 7,000 components that go into its 9 major models and their 200 variants, the company keeps control over costs at every stage to remain competitive. This is achieved only through close coordination with the vendors. The streamlined state of supply chain at Maruti is achieved through following measures: †¢ It implements innovative material handling solutions which reduces wastage. †¢ It collaborates with its vendors to localize components supply. This not only increases productivity but also removes uncertainties in supply. †¢ The schedule for indenting components is precisely planned so that inventory holding process is optimized. The schedules issued every fortnight are further fine tuned by an online system for replenishment of inventory on an electronic card system. This avoids inventory build up or unanticipated deliveries by vendors as supplies are made only after receipt of the indent card from MUL. This brings inventory management down to the doorsteps of the vendors, who produce only what is indented †¢ The delivery instruction are revised daily and location wise to exactly meet the assembly line requirements. This strategy is adopted to tackle the fluctuating market demand, accentuated by the intense competition in the automobile business now. †¢ Various steps are taken to improve the productivity of operator and machine and reducing and recycling waste. Marketing Communication Hyundai, a Korean car company launched its first car, SANTRO in 1998. They had many challenges as Maruti had a strong hold over the car market, and people were not willing to accept the tall boy car. Moreover the customers were skeptical regarding after sales-service support and spares availability and had limited belief in the Korean car company. Hyundai came up with advertisements which focused on car quality. They had Shahrukh Khan as their brand ambassador. They started with teaser ads but later promoted it as the ‘Sunshine Car indicating freshness and youthful attitude Maruti, on the other hand, concentrated on its wide service network and spare parts availability, Hyundai gave a lot of stress on car features in its advertisement for e. g. Hyundai came up with Zip drive. In 2003 a new trend was seen where in advertisements of Mahindra Bolero, Mahindra Scorpio and Hyundai Santro, women were seen driving the car. Thus targeting the fast growing working women segment. Hyundai has come up with special schemes for working women. They are also offering loans to women at 0. 75% lower rate of interest than the market rate. MSIL and GM India have introduced special financing schemes to attract customers from semi urban and rural areas. In 2007 when Maruti launched SX4, they positioned it as a ‘manly car’ through their ads. Xeta introduced by Tata was aimed at rendering better fuel efficiency at a competitive price and the ads highlighted it. They aimed to create a unique brand identity in petrol segment and promoted it through ads, print media ads, internet and test drive. In 2002 Hyundai topped TV advertising in 2002 but from 2003 Maruti picked up and came to number one slot. About 50% of the advertisement is done during feature films and news bulletin. For the newly launched i10 Hyundai has aggressively advertised it by posters of i10 throughout the showroom and hanging banners. (see examples of print ads of cars in various segments in Annexure 2) Consumer Segments and their Distinctive Characteristics. Instead of developing segment profiles based on secondary research, we categorised consumers based on our interviews with car dealers and the survey we conducted across various consumer categories. Through this primary data, we identified three broad kind of customers based on their distinctive buying behaviours. †¢ Analytical customer: One who buy car after researching internet and other sources. These customers are aware of the various options available in the market and know what car they need to buy even before their first visit to the dealer. This is usually a middle-class price conscious consumer looking to obtain value for his money. †¢ Confused customer: The biggest category of consumers; those who don’t know which car to buy because they have been the target of a lot of promotions and heard Word-of-Mouth from friends, family and other influencers. These customers have a fair amount of idea of the price and other attributes of the car they want to buy but can’t decide on the actual model. These customers buy the car after a proper need analysis has been done at the car dealer’s showroom. †¢ Copy-cat Customer: The last is the category of the customers who buy a car after seeing a similar car with their friends or neighbours. These people want some exact colour and model and cannot be classified as rational consumers. This category is constituted of those customers who do impulse buying. Further, we look at the consumer for each segment. We observe that in the B-segment a customer usually goes for value-for-money proposition. 67% respondents gave a rating of 4 or 5 to price as a critical factors while buying a car while 74. 4% respondents gave mileage same importance. Most of these people preferred cars priced around 4-6 lakhs. The C and D segment cars sell because their various attributes communicate a certain image. Here, the customer looks for attributes like power, newest technology and exclusivity. Out of the 32 people who rated technology as 5 and 19 people who rated power as 5, majority of them considered buying a car in the price range of 6 lakhs and above. Resale value of the car and the number of service stations is crucial deal-maker. Most of the consumers and the company people also say that the ad campaigns and the endorsements don’t play a major role in deciding which car to buy apart from creating awareness about the launch and availability of the new model. Only 6% of people rated endorsements as 5 as a deciding criteria. SUVs are normally the second or third car in the family. These consumers do not buy on the value proposition but rather on the image proposition. Seating capacity, premium image, innovative features and a need to portray an adventurous image are some of the benefits that a customer seeks from the SUV that he is buying. The survey results also depict that consumers are more inclined towards new models launched in the market including new variants of old cars. Maruti SX4, Hyundai i10 and Maruti Swift are the cars that appeal to most of the respondents. Factors Critical for Success. Selling a car is part delivering product and part providing service. So the car manufacturer has to ensure both quality of the product and the experience of using it. However, we must understand that the typical customer for a B-segment car differs significantly from that of an SUV. His lifestyle, his car usage, and his expectations from his vehicle change. In the B segment, there are three factors critical for success: †¢ Value for Money- This is a price-conscious consumer. For a car, price constitutes one time purchase price, as well as the petrol costs reflected in the mileage. In our survey as well as our talk we the Hyundai dealer †¢ After sales service network- When we asked the Hyundai dealer, what was the one thing a new player needed to provide to compete with them or Maruti, we met one word response: service. In fact, the dealer provided the example of Ford saying, while their cars had great engine and quality, they couldnt compete nationally because of poor after sales service network. Ford has now made a tie-up with Tatas to rectify the same. †¢ Product Quality- Since, the car market works essentially through Word-of-Mouth, it is crucial that you product meets the consumer expectation. Else, you run the risk of losing the customer not only from this car, but your company altogether, and taking additional potential customers with him. As we move into C-segment, value for money becomes lower in priority for the customer. He is looking for a status symbol now. These critical factors come in †¢ Prestige- There must be a buzz around your brand and the brand should have a premium image. †¢ Power The cars in this category have more power giving a better pick-up and smoother drive. †¢ Latest technology- The sedans are known for newest innovative technology and the customers are seen to prefer product innovations. †¢ Safety Safety features have often been neglected in the Indian markets. But typically sedans come fitted with the state of the art safety features. Insights derived out of Study †¢ Buying a car is a family decision- this held true across the board in our survey, with majority of respondents owning one family-per-car. However, the women are not much of an influencer while buying a car- in fact, most hesitated to respond to the survey, pushing their accompanying male ahead. †¢ Hyundais strength is technology and product quality, while people look to Maruti for good after sales service and high resale value. †¢ Dealer-manufacturer relationship is crucial- car companies depend on the dealers to tap the nerve of the local consumers. So the relationship between the company and the dealer needs to be good. In most cases the companies allow the dealers to run local promotional schemes and take other such initiatives. †¢ Endorsements and advertisements have minimal influence on customer decision (the B-segment). From the survey, we infer that when a middle class customer is shelling Rs 4-6 Lakhs from his pocket, he normally does considerable research before buying a car. †¢ Safety provisions- Indian car manufacturers do not provide ABS and airbags as standard safety features in entry level and B segment cars, while they do so in models they export. The consumer is also not demanding these yet. †¢ Cars are still a prestige issue in the semi urban and rural areas. Many consumers in these areas buy those cars which their neighbours have bought. †¢ Car awards and launch of a new model boost up the sales overtime. But the real sales happen only because of the quality of the product and not because of promotion.

Discrimination of Micronesians in Hawaii Essay Example for Free

Discrimination of Micronesians in Hawaii Essay Since the COFA (Compact of Free Association) Act was formalized between the Pacific Island nations of Micronesia and the United States in 1986, there have been rising influxes of Micronesian citizens that have the privilege of entering the U. S. without the need for a visa or time limit. These FAS (Freely Associated States) include the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. While there is no obligation to immigrate to a specific state within the U. S. , many choose to settle on Hawai’i. Due to its proximity to their home islands and tropical environment, the Micronesian population in Hawai’i has been steadily increasing during recent years. It is estimated that around 15,000 COFA migrants are currently residing in Hawai’i, where they subsequently face many barriers as new immigrants, including language, social and cultural barriers. Specifically, there is an ever-growing presence of Micronesian stereotyping and marginalization that is frequently exhibited by other ethnic populations in Hawai’i. Because they are seen as the â€Å"newest† population to arrive on the islands and the fastest growing, Micronesians are subject to many forms of discrimination. In recent years, our local community has been ill-equipped and misinformed about the Micronesian population. Consequently, our unfamiliarity has contributed to their isolation and discrimination within the Hawai’ian Islands. It is important for us as residents of Hawai’i to bridge the gap that exists between Micronesians and what we perceive as our own â€Å"local society†. Due to our society being misinformed and social control factors at work, we perceive Micronesians as being inept, destitute and imprudent. There are several barriers that hinder Micronesian assimilation within the islands. One such barrier is within the health care system. In Dr. Yamada’s article titled, â€Å"Discrimination in Hawaii and the Health of Micronesians†, he says Micronesians are often victims of â€Å"inferior care or denial of services†. There are instances of Micronesian patients that are denied services and being referred to another clinic, or being discriminated against due to their perceived lack of adherence to treatment plans. Personally, I believe that there is a kind of â€Å"ignorance† that health care providers bestow upon Micronesian patients. In 2006, I began working as a volunteer for the Kaka’ako homeless shelter and clinic started by Dr. Jill Omori that included inhabitants comprised mostly of Micronesian ethnicity. Many of them were unable to find a job and help themselves financially. Those individuals who lacked the means to support their family also sought refuge at the shelter. I observed that a lot of the older Micronesian shelter inhabitants could not speak English, and those who did only had limited basic knowledge and phrases that they used. What was surprising, however, was that most of the doctors and medical students who treated these patients did not having a working knowledge of the Chuukese language, which is spoken by the majority of the Micronesians. Many of these patients used the help of their children who were fortunate to attend public schools. Thus, a language barrier had existed, and still to this day, is continually a major factor in the fair treatment of health care delivery among Micronesians. In the health care system, it can be challenging to relay medical information from English into Chuukese. Pobutsky et. al. uggests having health education materials translated and readily available for Micronesian patients. Pobutsky also notes that having interpreters fluent in Chuukese is essential. Regarding denial of health services, Yamada talks about how COFA migrants were denied MED-QUEST (a Medicaid program) benefits in July 2010 by the Hawai’i State Administration. It was reinstated 4 months later because the denial was in direct violation of the Equal Protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the U. S. Constitution. Such discrimination is not only seen in our health care system, but also within the confines of social and economic settings. Yamada suggests that examining and countering â€Å"prevailing social forces† will help eliminate discrimination. By my personal interpretation, he is saying we must realize that social forces – such as the criminal justice system and the government – are shared by all of us as one single community in Hawai’i. By being responsible and looking out for one another regardless of race or ethnicity, we can close the social bridge that divide us. In other words, we must be proactive and bring to light the issues that face Micronesian immigrants who are treated unfairly. Another brief policy report from the Hawai’i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice (HACLEJ) provides accounts of stigmatization by governmental leaders towards COFA migrants. The report further goes on to explain how there is an absence of interpreters available to help COFA migrants within labor, housing and court disputes. Within the context of the court system, it can be a challenge for someone convicted who does not have a working knowledge of the English language. HACLEJ emphasizes the need to â€Å"stimulate awareness, advocacy and action† in order to better address Micronesians living in Hawai’i. Several paths can be taken to address discrimination issues against Micronesians. Already, there are many advocates and groups that support Micronesians and other at-risk migrants. Some of these groups do not receive funding from the state of Hawai’i, and must rely on private funds to continue their work. There are also few research projects that involve Micronesians living in Hawai’i and thus there is little information in regards to ethnographic and qualitative studies. Additionally, surveys measuring Micronesians’ health needs and risk factors should be included within the context of how to better deliver health care. Within the political system, our lawmakers should be better informed and take more consideration into immigration affairs. Pobutsky et. al. gives several examples of health service programs that are currently in the process of addressing the language barriers and health concerns of Micronesians, but there is much more work to be done in order to achieve long-term success. Allocation of state and government funds should be directed towards creating more educational and social programs that can help better address disparities quite often seen with newly arrived immigrants. Based in part by my own personal experiences and also through research, many Micronesians are illiterate and lack a good work ethic to succeed in future endeavors. Because Micronesians are discriminated both in the job market and in school, they may perceive themselves as being unable to achieve success that is often seen with other ethnicities. Consequently many of them, especially Micronesian youths, engage in criminal behavior and illicit activities. My worry is that this cycle will manifest itself unchecked among these youths well into adulthood and create more harm than good within the criminal justice system of Hawai’i. As citizens of a diverse society in Hawai’i, we need to be more proactive and open-minded on issues that deal with the Micronesian population as a whole. Local perspectives that Micronesians are a kind of â€Å"deviance† on the islands and a â€Å"burden† to our society are obstructive to our continuous theme of the â€Å"Aloha spirit†. We must come together as a society and be more considerate and helpful to those who we might think less highly of. As long as institutions of power continue to ignore the problem of discrimination and disparity, then recent immigrants who include Micronesians will continue to face hardship. In our study of social control theory, there is the idea of â€Å"strain† that is frequently seen in societies that stress hard work and having a good education. More research efforts and studies must be done in order to better assess disparities present within the Micronesian population in Hawai’i, as well as having adequate funding by the state to support programs that meet the needs of the Micronesian community.