Breathing Rate

Breathing into a wrapping tube that’s quite long will most likely have the same effect as when breathing through a paper bag, a practice most commonly associated with trying to relieve hyperventilation. Although the wrapping tube is open at the other end and will not totally hamper breathing, it seems long enough to contain the carbon dioxide that the child exhales so that when the child inhales again he will probably breathe in a considerable portion of the carbon dioxide that he breathed out earlier. Naturally, this would lead to an increased amount of this gas in the lungs and in the blood.Although what our body utilizes in the production of energy is oxygen, it is the carbon dioxide levels which the brain monitors, so that when it falls below or rises above its normal level, the brain sends signals to the body to regulate breathing correspondingly. This is irregardless of the oxygen levels, i. e. the amount of oxygen in the blood might stay at normal levels but if the amou nt of carbon dioxide fluctuates, the body will alter the breathing or respiration rate accordingly (Science Museum of Minnesota).As the child breathes repeatedly into the wrapping tube, an increase in carbon dioxide levels in the blood will tell his brain that his body needs to take in more oxygen so that the normal carbon dioxide-oxygen balance is restored. This will therefore lead to an increase in the respiration rate so that more oxygen can be taken in. However, if the child goes on breathing through the tube, then he will continuously inhale air which has more carbon dioxide and he will be at risk for more serious physiological effects (e. g. headaches, dizziness) as the carbon dioxide levels in his blood continues to rise (Smith).This is the reason why there are arguments against the use of the â€Å"paper bag technique† to alleviate hyperventilation. For mild cases, breathing into a paper bag may help counter hyperventilation since doing so will increase the carbon dio xide levels just enough to induce the appropriate breathing rate that will restore the carbon dioxide-oxygen balance in the body. However, it is not advisable to breathe continuously into a paper bag (Youngerman-Cole) since, as with the case of prolonged breathing into a wrapping tube, the inhaled carbon dioxide levels may reach levels that are high enough to cause serious physiological effects.Works Cited: Science Museum of Minnesota. Habits of the Heart : Ins and Outs of Respiration. 2000. 5 Mar. 2008 . Smith, Garry K. Nucleo De Espeleologia De Condeixa: CARBON DIOXIDE, CAVES and YOU. 1997. 5 Mar. 2008 . Youngerman-Cole, Sydney . CIGNA : Hyperventilation. 21 Nov. 2006. 6 Mar. 2008 .

Salvador Dali’s Childhood

â€Å"The two greatest strokes of luck that can happen to a painter are (1), to be Spanish, (2) to be called Salvador Dali. â€Å"Even today, Salvador Dali is considered one of the most influential and successful surrealist artist in history, yet not much is known about his childhood; and what we do know is incredibly vague. His childhood is what influenced many of the famous symbols and styles found in his paintings and made them what they are. Salvador Dalais surrealist artwork is amazingly vivid and filled with symbols from both his childhood and adulthood.From the symbolic melting clocks to the lesser known fried eggs. Even from a young age, Salvador was a very eccentric and somewhat disturbed child. â€Å"When I was three I wanted to be a cook. At the age of six I wanted to be Napoleon. Since then my ambition has increased all the time, (surrealists. Co. UK/ Dali:pH). Dali surely had many eccentric ambitions. From a cook too Napoleon, this now legendary painter has much histo ry that is clearly shown in his art. Dalais childhood was full of perverse and sadistic elements that were to become a major art of his symbolist paintings,† (surrealists. Co. UK/Dali:pH). As a young boy, Dali began to show signs of aggression, because of this he was sent away to live with a family friend who happened to be an artist. There he developed the want to become an artist and explored other passions, such as pain. He was masochistic and would throw himself down the stairs because the pain influenced him. He had said, â€Å"The pain was insignificant, the pleasure was immense. More often than not, his desire to be different came out as violence. In one incident, pushing his friend Off 15-foot bridge to watch him fall. Salvador eccentricities didn't fade with age, if anything they intensified. â€Å"Almost everything he tried, he did well. He was a writer, a movie maker†¦ † (biography/people/ Salvador-Dali-40389? Page=1). Dali himself said that he would no t be forgotten, he made sure of this by spreading his name to all sections of the artistic community.He designed ‘dream sequences' for Alfred Hitchcock to use in his 1945 movie Spellbound, (biography/people/Salvador-Dali-40389? Page=1). He also collaborated with Walt Disney to create the short animated film, Destine. â€Å"Bizarre and outlandish, Dali often took part in performance pieces that were despised by critics,†(biography/people/ Salvador-Dali-40389? Page=1). Because he was never broody or quiet critics never took him seriously. To them an artist was secretive and every piece was to be a show case of the artist's deep sorrow and talent.Salvador really Just wanted his artwork to be seen by the masses, so much so that he created paintings specifically for companies o sell their products. Dalais matter of revealing the gap between reality and illusion influenced all manner of modern artists. Beyond developing his own symbolic language, Dali elaborated a way to repr esent the inner mind,† (transitory. Org/artist-Dali- Salvador. HTML) He used vivid imagery to show what he thought and felt. He knew how to create hypnotic art that memorized and inspired like no other artists could. On his death bed scientists asked if the melting clocks represented Einstein theory of lethality, he said ‘No its based on my perception of Camembert cheese melting in the sun. ‘ Dalais symbolism seems very profound and thoughtful and at some level it is. Ants and flesh represent an encounter with a wounded bat. Food like the fried eggs comes from Dalais childhood urge to be a cook. Instruments of mutilation are a tribute to Dalais sad-masochistic behavior and thoughts. His art has always Just been the thoughts and memories of an eccentric life and mind. Nothing more and definitely nothing less.

Satellite Offices Help Improve Work-Life Balance

Satellite offices to help improve work-life balance TAN WEIZHEN – 09 MARCH SINGAPORE — To support the quest for better work-life balance, the Government will be carrying out various initiatives to support working from home, such as the introduction of satellite offices located nearer to homes. These Smart Work Centres will come with facilities and will be shared by employees of different companies, said Minister for Communications and Information Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, who also announced improvements to infrastructure for services like  [email  protected], during his ministry’s Committee of Supply debate yesterday.Noting that several Members of Parliament (MPs) had called for greater use of technology to boost productivity, Dr Yaacob said home-based work â€Å"can help Singaporeans better balance their work-life commitments and minimise travel during peak hours†. Singapore’s economy would also benefit from the increased labour force participation, w hile businesses could derive long-term cost savings in office space rental. The Infocomm Development Agency (IDA) is working with the National Library Board to pilot such centres at selected libraries.The Public Service will also be piloting this concept at several ministry buildings, including the Treasury, for use by public officers from participating agencies. The agency has also embarked on pilots for home-based work with six companies from the healthcare, education and telecommunications industries. Among them is home-nursing care provider Rasa Sayang, which allows nursing staff to access assignments and information on patients remotely.Meanwhile, the capacity and speed [email  protected]  will be ramped up and its login process simplified. Instead of having to repeatedly enter one’s login information, the improved network will be able to recognise registered users through the SIM cards in their phones. The IDA will also be revising the Code of Practice for Infocommu nication Facilities in Buildings to ensure buildings set aside adequate space to support quicker deployment of mobile services.Telcos have long had issues with building owners who either delayed the process or rejected such requests, leading to a slowdown in works to improve the mobile networks. Five MPs yesterday called for the greater use of ICT to help businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, to boost their productivity, as they undergo restructuring over the next few years.Mr Sitoh Yih Pin (Potong Pasir) said: â€Å"This can include a one-stop training centre to equip SME staff with the skills to use ICT, as well as getting SME owners to adopt ICT in their business in a holistic way, so as to overcome the current and near future manpower crunch. † Mr Low Thia Khiang (Aljunied GRC) added that internet speed is critical to home-based work initiatives, and questioned why speed is not part of the IDA’s quality standards. Responding, Dr Yaacob said the minis try does its own studies for broadband speeds. Tan Weizhen

John Miltons Paradise Lost Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

John Miltons Paradise Lost - Essay Example Milton's view on the first acts of disobedience by Adam and Eve sounds critical and defensive worrying that universal despair and death will appear inadequate and incommensurate with the violation of a single dietary prohibition. This is in line with the concluding two ignored scriptural verses that say: "Anyone who examines this sin carefully will admit, and rightly, that it was a most atrocious offense, and that it broke every part of the law. For what fault is there which man did not commit in committing this sin He was to be condemned both for trusting Satan and for not trusting God; he was faithless, ungrateful, disobedient, greedy, uxorious; she, negligent of her husband's welfare; both of them committed theft, robbery with violence, murder against their children (i.e. the whole human race); each was sacrilegious and deceitful, cunningly aspiring to divinity though thoroughly unworthy of it, proud and arrogant. Correspondingly, Eccles. vii.29 states that "God has made man uprig ht, but they have thought up numerous devices, and in James ii.10 states that "whoever keeps the whole law, and yet offends in one point, is guilty of all. Such verses where referenced by Milton's Paradise Lost saying that Adam and Eve become manifold in sin with their disobedience of one law. The primal act is death's equivalent of the original single cell from which all life is said to have derived, fertilized in a flash of lightning as the earth cooled, leaving traces of itself in all its varied progeny. Milton exploits the Preacher's choice of adam for "man" in the Hebrew text of Ecclesiastes 7:29 as well as his shift from singular to plural in the second clause. This rabbinic interpretation of texts rewrites the verse in an Edenic context and adds Eve as a sinner by means of binary fission. Rashi elucidates and expounds adam in the verse ("God created Adam perfectly upright"), and both Rashi and the earlier Midrash Qoheleth Rabbah explain the use of the plural "they": "when Eve was created from the body of Adam, he became two people" (as cited in Rosenblatt 1994). The concluding verse of the paragraph from James emphasizes the strictly permanent and unbreakable unity of the Pentateuchal law, ultimately a rabbinic idea, although its most famous formulations occur in the letters of Paul, who appropriates and transforms it. Taunting the Jewish Christians, less pious than the Pharisees, who yet refuse to ignore the ceremonial law, Paul insists that if they adopt Jewish law they must perform it all (Sifra, Kedoshim 8b; Sabbath 31a). Paul always views the law's unity negatively, as in Galatians 3:6-14, which attempts to illustrate that the law is impossible to keep in every detail and that only faith can save (Segal 1990). Milton mentions not Paul but rather the noticeably unProtestant and un-Pauline James, whose assumption of the law's unity strengthens his positive declaration that works must go along with faith. The law in Milton's Eden was just, efficacious, and easy to keep. The long list of sins in De doctrina constitutes a complaint against Adam and Eve, not against the law itself, and so Milton appropriately cites James's positive rather than Paul's negative view of the law's unity. The aggregate of

Article Aalysis Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Article Aalysis - Coursework Example In seeking to understand the article which was selected for this brief analysis, US fuel prices take a slight dip†, the reader sees very clear and inherent understandings of the way in which fuel prices within the United States, and elsewhere throughout the world for that matter, are not directly linked to the ability of the environment to produce this resource and/or the overall expectation of the diminished resource in general. Rather, the price of fuel/oil is ultimately tied to the expectation of stability in the world . Moreover, unity and stability within a particular region that is somewhat close or geographically important to a trade route can send oil prices skyrocketing. As such, it is easy to understand why the past several months have seen a market spiked with regards to the price of oil worldwide. ... Such a judgment is made with respect to the fact that without major alterations with regards the way in which the global economy interacts, individuals are not able to alter their consumption of oil without widespread and far-reaching repercussions being felt within their own personal life and within the broader economic sense of their respective regions. In seeking to fulfill a further requirement of this brief analysis, the instructions indicated that the student was responsible for describing what is occurred to the change in supply of the particular product. In short, nothing has changed. Rather, fear within the futures market has driven up price and caused investors to panic with regards to what may be the case within the next few months/years. Yet, it is unfair to say that changes in supply do not occur within the oil market. Hardly a week passes without an article being written, or a newsworthy item being referenced that considers the way in which the oil-producing nations of the world (OPEC) have either increased or reduced supply as a means of deriving up or driving down prices of oil (Piazza, 2013). Much as they have within the past, Saudi Arabia has been responsive to the increased price of oil throughout the world and has increase the output from their wells so that the price of the substance in question could be nominally reduced. However, all that being said, it is painfully obvious that the ultimate reason for why fuel prices have begun to drop does not have to do with the increased output of one single oil-producing nation; rather, it has to do with the fact that the United States, the Russian Federation, and Syria have all agreed on a tentative resolution through which a United States backed

Goldsteins and Marquezs ethnographies of Brazil Essay

Goldsteins and Marquezs ethnographies of Brazil - Essay Example Both authors describe the South American experience of some communities. They depict the real situation of some marginalized groups. The two authors take a bold step in describing the social problems surrounding poverty, racism and unemployment, topics that many anthropologists avoid. Both writers have studied with interest the social set-up of Brazil, a region inhabited by a large number of minority groups. The region faces marginalization in many aspects of life. The effects of the racial factor in the marginalized area are evident. The authors boldly highlight the true experience of minority groups in America. The topics handled cause a freak to many anthropologists. However, these two writers have taken time to give an account of the circumstances of societies that have always demanded inclusion. However, the accounts reveal that the societies still experience exclusion. In addition, the anthropologists describe how different classes interact in the Latin society and the general effects on society.Goldstein’s book is a reflection of study findings in the 1990’s in Brazilian shanty towns. The author describes the experiences of women living in several of the shanty towns. He describes in a novel-like structure the experience of domestic workers in Rio de Janeiro. The author tells of his findings through the description of Gloria’s life, family and events surrounding her survival in the shanty towns. Goldstein exposes the readers to the humor that is so out of place (Goldstein 6).... Goldstein’s book is a reflection of study findings in the 1990’s in Brazilian shanty towns. The author describes the experiences of women living in several of the shanty towns. He describes in a novel-like structure the experience of domestic workers in Rio de Janeiro. The author tells of his findings through the description of Gloria’s life, family and events surrounding her survival in the shanty towns. Goldstein exposes the readers to the humor that is so out of place (Goldstein 6). The people experience tragedies that they do not seem to find solutions for and they result to creating humor out of the painful experiences. The experiences move the reader because there is a reverse of reactions from the people. They laugh when it is time to cry. Such circumstances form the background on which Goldstein writes the ethnography. The laughter out of place is a novel that gives rise to sadness and empathy. The challenges faced by the residents of shanty towns in a fa lling economy are unbearable and unimaginable by the reader. In addition, society is full of social problems that lack solutions and nobody seeks to address them. Marquez is an anthropologist who crosses borders to befriend and get highlights of street life in Venezuela. The author explores the factors that contribute to social degradation that sends young people and children to the streets exposing them to crime and other social ills (Marquez 22). In addition, the book highlights the real life challenges of the minority group in America that has the highest number of street children. The author brings out the vivid reality through narrations of experiences of selected street children in the first half of the book. In the second half,

Global competition study of Accor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Global competition study of Accor - Essay Example The rate of growth within the hotels and motels industry has been described as a generally promising one (Accor, 2013). As exhibited in figure 1, from 2009, the industry has recorded increase in industry value. The recorded growth notwithstanding, Hospitality Net (2012) lamented that the overall growth has been saturated around very few competitors. This means that until an individual company within the industry performs extraordinarily well, it would find itself within a growing industry but will not really be part of this growth. This is the reason it is extremely important and relevant that the current research be undertaken with the aim of analysing the strategic competitiveness of Accor. The selection of Accor is also of interest because it is considered as one of the leading contributors of the industry’s growth (Accor, 2013). It is therefore important to study the company so as to find ways in which the company can maintain its current competitive position within the industry. Accor is headquartered in Paris and a member of the Paris stock exchange with an operating ticker of AC. Due to its key financials, Accor is regarded as a major global hotel operator (Hotelier News, 2014). Among the 92 countries in which Accor operates, Europe is its largest market with nearly 3,576 hotels and 461,719 rooms in Europe alone (MarketLine, 2014). The target markets of Accor have been largely influenced by its two major segments which are hotels and other businesses. Under the hotel segment, there are targets with luxury, upscale, mid-scale, and economy target markets. As far as other businesses segment is concerned, there are target markets for corporate departments and casinos (MarketLine, 2014). Table 1 gives the key financials of the company from 2009 to 2013. When the key financials of Accor is graphically represented, it is possible to get the real impulse of why it is important for the project to be carried out. This is because the graph in

Human Trafficking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Trafficking - Essay Example Human trafficking continues to be a major problem all over the world, and bringing about awareness will enable it to be better addressed. First things first, we will bring awareness to the fact that human trafficking does not only effect those who are poor. The rich are affected, too. For instance, there may be people who are rich and living in another country. They have a surplus of money and would like to use it to get to the United States because they believe that coming to this country will afford them better opportunities, such as financial gain and a chance to have greater success. These individuals contact smugglers to help them come here, and they pay these smugglers large sums of money. But one of two things happens that can land the rich into being victims of human trafficking. One scenario can be that the one smuggling them may be a part of the human trade, and rather than helping these individuals to just come over to the United States to lead a better life, they can turn on them and make them part of the human cargo they wish to trade and sell. The other scenario can be that once they do get to the United States, they can fall victims of human trafficking in that they are normally left to their own devices after being smuggled and will more than likely not understand how everything works in this country. They will not know where to obtain resources, and they will more than likely not be completely familiarize with the laws here (U.S. Department of State, 2005). Their lack of knowledge coupled with being in an unfamiliar place is a perfect recipe for a human trafficking victim. A second issue in regards to human trafficking that needs awareness is that men are also victims of human trafficking. A number of people may not think that to be possible; however, it does happen, whether people want to believe it or not. One way that men can become victims is because the one trafficking them will use tactics, such as violence, coercion, and force. Even manipulation can be a factor. Men, like women, can be forced into prostitution, and they are subject to brutal treatment, such as rape and violence, in the same way that women are. And because human trafficking is not only restricted to sex work, both men and women are kidnapped to work in factories or doing other illegal migrant work, such as working with agriculture. Both factory and illegal migrant work have a sour history of workers being paid cheaply or not at all (U.S. Department of State, 2005). Then there is the assumption that human trafficking does not occur in the United States and that it is a problem far from us. However, this is far from the truth. Human trafficking occurs right here on our home soil, as

Develop and submit a strategy for establishment (primary care trust) Essay

Develop and submit a strategy for establishment (primary care trust) and implementation of your new role as a practice teacher - Essay Example In accordance with the above view, the role of teacher within a specific learning environment can be proactive only in case that the delivery of the material included in the curriculum is combined with the effective explanation to the students of the value of the knowledge transferred to them not only by a scientific point of view but also practically in their daily activities. However, because social and cultural trends change constantly, so do the methods used by teachers in the various learning environments. The above issue is also highlighted by Wagner (2001, 384) who supported that ‘the problem is that fundamental changes during the last quarter century in the nature of work, in expectations for citizenship, in our understanding of what must be taught and how, and in students motivations for learning - taken all together - have rendered our system of education totally obsolete; now all students need different and more sophisticated skills, such as the ability to solve prob lems, work in teams, and learn independently’. Despite the above, the role of teacher in the personal and professional development of students remains significant. Only the methods used across the various educational sites have to be differentiated in order to be more ‘acceptable’ from students. Current paper focuses on the role of teacher specifically within a primary care trust environment. As already explained before, his role should be considered as having similar characteristics/ aspects with the one of the teacher that works within a common teaching environment (e.g. school, university). However, specific differentiations have to be made in his case in order for teaching within the nursing environment to be effective towards the target set by the relevant administrators. Because of the above, the general characteristics of the role of teacher within a common teaching environment are analytically

Future of Modernization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Future of Modernization - Essay Example Even though every society has a specific logic, some of the viewpoint matches; the outcomes of good and bad deeds, a constant change in the technological world with an ever increasing rate and even for the fact about society’s evolution. Two kinds of societies emerge in the post-industrial revolution era; those who put a heavy burden to find ways to match steps with the currently affluent counter parts or be lost in the race of whole mankind, like a forgotten equation. The development of modernization is different in different scenarios mainly due to a vast difference in the ways of governance, environment, enlightenment and other institutions. This paper discusses the modernization process in the United States society. Furthermore, the idea of an evolved modernization, aftermath of modernization and my ideas about the modernization in this country will be argued. Many people in U.S.A argue that the industrial revolution had a fresh effect on the society, which in turn dented many communities, economic manifest and institutional changes all across America. Modernization has injected itself in the American society from various angles which has proven to be an electric chair for small and traditional ways of living. It has also brought a massive expansion in personal opinions, social disparity, future planning and knowledge of passing time. The small rural communities were known for their coherent living for thousands of years, before modernization brought a steep decline to this fragrance of the American society. This close set-up was mainly due to the close inter-relationship between friends, families and neighbors. These were times when people relied on each other without any fear of misjudgment, just because they shared the same wall. These communities played a vital role in giving the people a sense of identity, security, identity and purpose (Neitz, 2009). Saying all of the above, one should not get carried away with what used to be because these soc ieties for all the closeness, had their fair share of issues; like minimum choices and conveniences, as compared to the modern society people. The old system of living is outdated now in this present age, with villages and small towns being tourist attractions for those who want to see a glimpse of the foregone lifestyle, its simplicity and non-complexity. An acute volume of attention is on agriculture, which has always been a heavy burden on the rural American areas. Therefore a lot of country men had to travel to the cities in the hunt of jobs, since more financial benefits have been based on the corporate economy, unlike the economy of the past, which heavily relied on agriculture in the past. The modification, as a result of the changing economic tilt, has brought a huge difference in the lives of the American citizens. The difference is such that, the people have forcefully adopted non-rural ways to live for survival. A strong observation can be made, one which defines that the post-industrial revolution society has killed the traditional ways and cultures of the past. Although a strong argument is presented to rebut this fact that the modern society has brought more options, life control to individuals as compared to the people in the pre-modern society, who had fewer choices in the areas of personal thinking. Development in the field of individual preference is another plus point of the modernization in U.S.A. The new order of modern society advertises an

Importance of Literature Essay Example for Free

Importance of Literature Essay Literature is the foundation of life. It places an emphasis on many topics from human tragedies to tales of the ever-popular search for love. While it is physically written in words, these words come alive in the imagination of the mind, and its ability to comprehend the complexity or simplicity of the text. Literature enables people to see through the lenses of others, and sometimes even inanimate objects; therefore, it becomes a looking glass into the world as others view it. It is a journey that is inscribed in pages, and powered by the imagination of the reader. Ultimately, literature has provided a gateway to teach the reader about life experiences from even the saddest stories to the most joyful ones that will touch their hearts. From a very young age, many are exposed to literature in the most stripped down form: picture books and simple texts that are mainly for the sole purpose of teaching the alphabet etc. Although these are not nearly as complex as an 800-page sci-fi novel, it is the first step that many take towards the literary world. Progressively, as people grow older, they explore other genres of books, ones that propel them towards curiosity of the subject, and the overall book. Reading and being given the keys to the literature world prepares individuals from an early age to discover the true importance of literature: being able to comprehend and understand situations from many perspectives. Physically speaking, it is impossible to be someone else. It is impossible to switch bodies with another human being, and it is impossible to completely understand the complexity of their world. Literature, as an alternative, is the closest thing the world has to being able to understand another person whole-heartedly. For stance, a novel about a treacherous war, written in the perspective of a soldier, allows the reader to envision their memories, their pain, and their emotions without actually being that person. Consequently, literature can act as a time machine, enabling individuals to go into a specific time period of the story, into the mind and soul of the protagonist. With the ability to see the world with a pair of fresh eyes, it triggers the reader to reflect upon their own lives. Reading a material that is relatable to the reader may teach them morals and encourage them to practice good judgement. This can be proven through public school systems, where the books that are emphasized the most tend to have a moral-teaching purpose behind the story. An example would be William Shakespeare’s stories, where each one is meant to be reflective of human nature – both the good and bad. Consequently, this can promote better judgement of situations, so the reader does not find themselves in the same circumstances as perhaps those in the fiction world. Henceforth, literature is proven to not only be reflective of life, but it can also be used as a guide for the reader to follow and practice good judgement from. The world today is ever-changing. Never before has life been so chaotic and challenging for all. Life before literature was practical and predictable, but in present day, literature has expanded into countless libraries and into the minds of many as the gateway for comprehension and curiosity of the human mind and the world around them. Literature is of great importance and is studied upon as it provides the ability to connect human relationships, and define what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, words are alive more than ever before.

Interwest Healthcare Essay Example for Free

Interwest Healthcare Essay What are the potential sources of the problem? The source of these problems seems to be coming from two areas in Interwest Healthcare. The first area is the miscommunication that the hospital administrators are having with upper management. The hospital administrators and upper management are not only having miscommunication issues but they also do not share the same role expectations with each other which is creating tension. â€Å"The hospital people accused Singh of being a bureaucrat who did not care about patient services. Singh accused the hospital staffs of not understanding the importance of accurate reporting† (Brickley, Smith Zimmerman 2009 p. 38). The second area is the system or process that is in place for recording and entering data. The current process is clearly not running at an efficient rate which is raising concerns for upper management. Even though hospital administrators do not see to eye to eye with upper management the concerns that they have are valid and can have a very negative impact on Interwest Healthcare if the issue is not resolved. What information would you want to analyze? The first information that would be analyzed is the process that is done to record and enter data for patients. It is important to gain as much information as possible regarding the data entry because that is the root of the whole issue between hospital administrators and upper management. Another area that would be analyzed is the workplace with emphasis on how time is managed and the importance employees put on data entry. It is important to gather and analyze as much information as possible on the source of the problem. By gaining and analyzing the information it would help Interwest Healthcare make progress on the data entry issue which will put them in a better position to succeed. What actions might you recommend to increase the accuracy of the data entry? The first point of action would be streamlining and simplifying the data entry process. By completing those it would not only increase the accuracy of the data entry but it would also decrease the burden on the hospital administrators. But before any changes to the data entry process are made it is important to communicate directly to the hospital administrators. It is important to have the hospital administrators on board with the changes that will be made with the data entry process. By gaining the hospital administrators consent with the changes this will allow a smoother transition for the data entry change and it could provide a positive change to the workplace. As for the changes to the data entry it would most likely be a simple computer process along with small piece of paperwork. It would be best to have some sort or paper record on file that would need to be alphabetized along with a simple computer program. The computer program would help ensure accuracy and would have the patient’s data record on file which will be easy to locate. There would be very little paper work for the process mainly because it takes up space and takes more time to record. The paper work that is part of the process would simply serve as a backup if the computers were down. The key to ensuring accuracy with the data entry is to make the process as simple as possible so it would minimize the errors. How does your view of behavior affect how you might address the consulting assignment? As a consulting assignment I see Interwest Healthcare as a company in distress due to the way the hospital administrators and upper management. The way the two groups have been behaving and treating each other it is a clear sign of stress and miscommunication. One of the first tasks is to mediate the two groups and try to have everyone on the same page. There is a clear disconnect on the expectations of each other’s roles but by bringing them together the roles and expectations can be made by both parties and progress can be accomplished. In order to make progress both parties will need to be able to compromise and be willing to understand each other’s concerns and priorities. Refreneces : Brickley, J.A., Smith, C.W. Zimmerman J.L. (2009). Managerial economics and organizational architecture (5th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Irw

A Case Study Of Jennys Restaurant Marketing Essay

A Case Study Of Jennys Restaurant Marketing Essay Jeenys Restaurant is a national chain cafe restaurant with a dedicated customer base, which is known for its best service, good quality food and family dining flair. But in the past year, the company has seen a manifest decline in its sales. The decline in sales is increasing as every fiscal quarter passes by. The reason behind decline in sales is totally unknown to the company. The restaurant has not changed layout or menu options within the past several years. The hypothesized root cause of the problem is poor customer satisfaction. This research will help to analysis the main root cause of sales decline. The objective of this research is to find out whether or not customer satisfaction and experience is the issue, and if so how customer satisfaction can be enhanced. Research Objectives As impact of global recession is still affecting large number of household in United Kingdom with their buying behaviour, it is important to find out if customer satisfaction with particular restaurant is the main cause or there are other factors. This research is going to use primary data by developing questionnaire to the restaurant customers, which helps to find out actual problem and weakness of current situation of the restaurant. The purpose of the literature review is to analyse past experience relating to customer satisfaction elements of the food and dining industry while emphasising on the sales increment. As I am working as a Manager in this restaurant, this research with help of primary data will analyse the customers attitude towards its service and experience, which will help to find out main reason behind downward sales line. The main objectives of this proposal is as follows: To analyze Customer satisfaction and its relative importance (debate) and evidence about key factors influencing peoples choice of fast food restaurant. To identify the best suitable model to measure customer satisfaction for my primary research. To review exiting complains and comments submitted by customers over the past 6 months in order to find out the area of subject where most of the customer did raised the issue. To arrange the questionnaire to the existing customers in order to explore their attitude towards Jennys Restaurant, why they like to dine at Jennys Restaurant, their experiences of and attitude towards current management process and their views on possible changes that the company could make for better satisfaction. To make recommendation to the management at Jennys Restaurant about cost-effective and management strategy that could be implemented in order to increase customer satisfaction. Literature Review Realisation of customer satisfaction in order to get success in the business is essential elements. is How the customers get the satisfaction and how we can measure the different between service provided and customer expectation ? Researcher is going to look different theories, journals and articles to establish an analytical concept about customer satisfaction elements. According to Kotler (2000) a persons feelings of pleasure or disappointment resulting from comparing a products perceived performance in relation to his or her expectations. Also Hoyer and MacInnis (2001) said that satisfaction can be associated with fellings of acceptance, happiness, relief, excitement and delight. It is very important to understand the expectations of the consumers to make them satisfied. According to Hokanson (1995), these factors include friendly employee, courteous employee, accurancy of billing, billing timeliness, competitive pricing, service quality, good value, billing clarity and quick service. Additionaly, (Labarbera and Mazursky,1983) state that By fulfilling the customers needs and wants will helps to achieve customer satisfaction. So that it should be notice by researcher that the customer satisfaction can be occurred by understanding their expectation. After having idea about customer satisfaction, researcher want to know how it can be implement in fast food sectors. According to Farrel (2007) The quick service restaurant responds to the universal desire for inexpensive and reliable fare that is feshly prepared, portable and ready on demand. It explains that the quick service, freshly prepared and economic factors motivate the customers to shop in fast food restaurants. Also according to (Schroder and McEachern, 2005) Brand value, nutritional value, ethical value and food quality determine the customer satisfaction towards fast food restaurant. There are other factors,according to (Jang and Maltila, 2005) Monetary gratification and intangible benefits such as quality and convenience also received high rating in customer satisfaction. Researcher should give attention to the intangible things such as service quality, serving time, internal environment of the company along with the development of core product in order to get maximum customer satisfaction. According to (Katz and Martin 1985) If the firms can improve customers perceptions of the time they spend waiting to be served, then customers will experience less frustration and may feel more satisfied with the service encounter. Also (Ho and Zheng 2004) clarify that A firm might choose a delivery time commitment to influence its customer expectation. However, there are debates and discussion about the influencing factors which are affecting to less shop in fast food industries. According to (Goyal, Singh 2007), The young generation in India likely to go to Fast food restaurant for fun and changes. But they like house food much better than food served at fast food outlets because they have the highest value for taste and quality followed by hygiene. Adding with that (Bose, 2011) stated The most evident advantage of Fast food is that it save time and money for a busy life people, but fast food is unhealthy than home cooked meals, as they contain higher amount of salts, fats and calories . Most of the people today are usually aware that fast food is not the healthiest food to eat. People eat fast food because it is convieneient, cheap and taste good. Fast food is not just less healthy food, but sometime it can be dangerous for your health as well. Stacel (2009). So it is clear that despite of good service provided by the company, th ere is other factors such as health consiousness which affect the customer satisfaction level. Along with that there is hygienic factor which also affect the customer revisit in the particular restaurant. A survey shows, one in three people is worried about the level of food hygiene when buying fast foods. Cleanliness of staff and premises top the list of concerns, followed by the way food is cooked and handled. (Consumer question fast food hygiene, 2003). As a result it can affect the customer to discontinue or decrease there buying behaviour in fast food sectors. According to Hoyer and MacInnis (2001) dissatisfied customers can decide to: discontinue purchasing the goods or service, complain to the company or to a third party and perhaps return the item or engage in negative word of mouth communication. The above study based on previous research explains the reasons for choosing and avoiding the fast food sectors and the importance of customer satisfaction which can be fit or not in the problem statement of the Jennys restaurant. To get the more evidence and support, researcher is going to develop questionnaire survey by using SERVQUAL tools. According to (Stevens, Knutson and Patton, 1995) SERVQUAL method helps to produce a sequence of questionnaire appliance for measuring hospitality service quality in DINESERV. John and Tyas (1996) have also use the tool SERVQUAL for measuring the satisfaction of consumer in restaurant. According to (Lee and Hing 1999) SERVQUAL is an instrument which helps to measure and compare the service quality of the fine dinning sectors which is easy and inexpensive to occur. It showing that the researcher will get help to accumulate the findings and reasons of gap between customer expectation and experience they have had in their last visit. This tools also helps to find out the correlation between service quality, customer satisfaction and purchase intentions. According to (Cronin, Jr and Taylor 1992) There is correlation between service quality, customer satisfaction, and purchase intentions. Service quality is an antecedent of customer satisfaction and consumer satisfaction has a significant effect on purchase intension. Although the popularity of the SERVQUAL tools to measure the service quality level, there are some debate over the use of SERVQUAL instrument. Detractors argue that the difference score leads to unreliable measure and that the dimensionality and validity is erratic. Jiang etl, (2002). However, SERVQUAL measuring method is adopting by thousands of business to know the actual demand and expectation of current customers. Because it helps to explain many factors such as tangible, reliability, responsiveness, competence, courtesy, credibility, security, access, communication and understanding the customers. Parasuraman et. al. (1990). Besides of some disadvantages, SERVQUAL is good tools to understand the customer satisfaction elements. Fedoroff (2011). Methodology Method Approaches (Bryman and Bell 2007) Quantitative research is that research strategy which gives and relates to the quantification in the collection and analysis the data. This method is relates to the deductive approach in testing the theory and research. It takes the positivism epistemological orientation and natural scientific model. It focuses on the objectivism of the social reality Researcher intends to implement all quantitative research methods in a way to trace the best results out of the research. The entire research approach and methodology will be ethical and best at its level. Research will be conducted by keeping in mind the Research Question. The research will be performed using questionnaires. Justification Explanation Conducting survey/interview Analysing data 1. Justification: The advantage of choosing quantitative research method questionnaire Low cost in time and money: As my questionnaire is designed to take just 5 minutes and can be done by making photo copy of 35-40 questionnaire, will help to make it economic and time saving. Respondents can complete the questionnaire when it suits them: As I am going to conduct the survey by requesting them to complete the questionnaire with the time avaibility of the customers. Respondents anonymity: There is no personal identifying information is going to ask to protect the anonymity. Lack of interviewer bias: The disadvantage of choosing quantitative research method questionnaire The need for brevity and relatively simple questions: The most of the part of my questionnaire is going to be closed question rather than open question. Questionnaire development is often poor:. Poor design and concept of questionnaire will not help to find out the actual problem and track to the solution. Lack of control over order and context of answering questions: not to specific Question wording can have a major effect on answers. : one question ask twice with different format to check exact answers. 2. Explanation Preparing for the survey interviews. As I am the manager of the Jennys restaurant I have access to secondary data such as sales figures for the past two years and complain and comments made by the customers in the restaurant and can organise a survey by collecting primary data from a questionnaire given to the existing customers. I am going to choose random sample survey with help of SERVQUAL Questionaire and dineserv method to collect primary data from a questionnaire taking 35-40 customers from Monday to Saturday 9:00am to 9:00 pm. My sample size is going to be small. Requested participants of this study will ask if they are over 18 and willing to complete survey upon exiting the restaurant. Willing participants will be ask to read the informed consent before completing the SERVQUAL Questionnaire survey instrument. Developing the questionnaire. To collect the primary data from the customer, my questionnaire key themes will be to analysis their current experience, expectation and attitude towards the existing setup and behaviour of the organisation. In above literature review, I was trying to analyse and understand customer behaviour and expectation towards food and dinning service, which help me to link and study the existing customer of the Jennys Resturants behaviour and also help me to think analytically about whether customer satisfaction is only the key point in the success of business development or there are other important factors. 3. Conducting Survey/interview The questionnaire survey is going to held on the Jennys Restaurant premises from Monday to Saturday between 9:00am to 9:00 pm. The survey will be conducted by requesting existing customer with detail pre information about the reason of the survey while their visit in the restaurant to fill up the answers of the given questionnaire which will take 5 minutes . The maximise the response rate of questionnaire survey; I am going to use following techniques. Brief Questionnaire: The questionnaire is going to use not more than 20 words to make it less time taking for the respondents. Make the return time not to short and not to long: The questionnaire can be fill during their visit in the restaurant or can take with them by requesting them to return it within 2 weeks time in given address. Easy to read (clear language, good print): The questionnaire is going to use simple language which can be understandable and use of quality printing. Easy to answer: The questionnaire is going to use tick box to place their attitude towards the restaurant. Be clear about what the respondent should do to answer the question: The questionnaire is going to use likert scale format, which is going to clear to click their answer just one for one question in the top of the page. Easy to respond (return envelop): The questionnaire which has been taken by the customer to fill it in their home will be provided a free post return envelop with them. Do not offend the respondents: The questionnaire is not going to include any subjects which will offend the respondents. Trustworthy: The questionnaire will start from explaining about the purpose of research by not taking personal information of respondents and is just for the academic use by showing college identity card to them. Analysing data Statement of service provided (Independent Variable) Very Dissatisfied (Dependent Variable) 1 Dissatisfied (Dependent Variable) 2 Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied (Dependent Variable) 3 Satisfied (Dependent Variable) 4 Very Satisfied (Dependent Variable) 5 Food Quality Service Food Hygiene Price of product Survey: Survey allows the collection of large amount of data from a sizeable population in a highly economical way (Saunders et al, 2008).It was done by explaining questionnaires and handing out and collected during session The research is going to find out the correlation between two variables. One is dependent which is customer satisfaction and another one is independent which is service provided by the company. The changes in the independent variable are going to affect the dependent variable. There are some other moderate variables which influence the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Such as Age, Gender, Marital status etc. As the above questionnaire sample can be broken down to subgroups such as age, gender, marital status to analyse differences. And data can also analysed by looking at average scores for each category (eg. Food quality, service, food hygiene and cleaniness and product price) as categorized in questionnaire to see if there are noticeable difference in their averages. The formula to calculate average score is Average score= Sum of Valued dependent variable which has been ticked divided by No.of dependent variable allocated For example by taking above Table Average score= Food quality (3) + Service (3) + Food Hygine (4) + Price of product (5) divided by 5 =3 It can be broken down into subgroups for food quality, service, food hygiene and price of product to noticeable difference in their averages Checking the forms Spreadsheet Graph/table: Graph are going to allocate to explain and analyse the data. As taken example of above sample, the graph is going to be like. Analytical qs Statistics Ethical issue The questionnaire will start with explaining the purpose of the research which is only for the academic requirement by showing the college Identification card. And also questionnaire will start with explaining the subject matter of the questionnaire up-front. The questionnaire is not going to take any sensitive data, like personal details, history and background to protect there anonymity. The researcher does not use force and hard request to get response from the customers and the research confidentiality should be maintained in term of collecting the data. Timescales and Resources S.No. Phase/Milestone Start Date End Date Notes 1 Literature Review 2 Development of research instrument- final survey/interview Question Schedule 3 Data Collection-completion of survey 4 Data analysis- results of primary data analysis written up 5. Report Writing- finalisation of dissertation. Conclusion Appendix A Quantitative Survey (Questionnaire) Customer Satisfaction Survey: Academic Survey to fulfilment of Master Degree Program(Cavendish College and University of Wales) This survey is being carried out to find out the customer attitude towards the Jennys Restaurant. Please answer the questions freely. You cannot be identified from the information you provide, and all the information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence. The questionnaire should take you about five minutes to complete. Please answer the questions in the space provided. Try to complete the questions at a time when you are unlikely to be disturbed. Also, do not spend too much time on any one question. Your first thoughts are usually your best! Please tick one box for every question. When you have finished the questionnaire please return in to me in the enclosed freepost envelope. Nameà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. What is your age range (Please tick where appropriate) Gender(Please tick where appropriate) 18-30à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Maleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. 31-50à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Femaleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ 51+à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Othersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Question Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied Food Quality The food is served hot and fresh The menu has a good variety of item The quality of food is excellent The food is tasty and flavourful The food portion is enough The food provide balance nutrition Restaurant Service My food order was correct and complete Employees are patient when taking my order I was served promptly The menu board was easy to read Employee speak clearly Employee are friendly and courteous The service is excellent Value of price paid Quality of food Food hygiene and cleanliness The handling of food is good Restaurant Premises are clean Toilets are clean Product Price Food is good value for the price paid Prices are competitive If have any comments with the service of our restaurant please share with us. Thank you for taking the time to help us. If you have any queries or would like further information about this project, please call me on 07828857702. Thank you for your help. Activities Appendix B Gant Chart of Time ScaleMay 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 1st Week 2nd Week 3rd Week 4th Week 1st Week 2nd Week 3rd Week 4th Week 1st Week 2nd Week 3rd Week 4th Week 1st Week 2nd Week 3rd Week 4th Week Collection of literature review Critically review of the literature Meeting supervisor Review of project aims and objectives Questionnaire Process Interview the customer Accounting calculation of the breakeven point Meeting supervisor Analysis the accounting data Analysis and interpret qualitative data Analysis and interpret quantitative data Meeting supervisor Final report writing, Amendments, Binding of the project Referencing John. N., and Tyas (1996). Use of service quality gap theory to differentiate between foodservice outlets. Service Industries Journal, 16(3), 321-346. Stevens, P., Knutson, B., and Patton, M. (1995). DINESERVE. A tool for measuring service quality in Restaurants. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 36(2), 56-60. Alan Bryman and Emma Bell, 2007, Business Research Methods-2nd Edition, Oxford University Press Kotler, P., (2000), Marketing Management. 10th ed. New jersey, prentice-Hall. Hoyer, W.D. MacInnis, D.J., 2001, Consumer Behaviour. 2nd Ed., Boston, Houghton Mifflin Co. Hokanson, S., (1995). The deeper you analyze, the more you satisfy customers, Marketing News, p. 16. Labarbera, P.A. and Mazursky, D. 1983, A longitudinal Assessment of consumer satisfaction, Dissatisfaction: the dynamic aspect of cognitive process: Journal of marketing research, vol. 20, Nov, p.p. 393-404. Farrell, JP.,(2007). A management consultant @ large. The evolution of the quick service restaurant. [Online] 25th April 2008. [Cited] 1st of April 2011. Retrived from http://jpfarrell.blogspot.com//2007/11/evolution-of-quick-service-restaurant.html. Goyal, A. Singh, N.P. (2007). Consumer perception about fast food in India: an exploratory study. British food Journal. Vol. 109: Issue:2, 2007. Schroder, Monika J.A. McEachern, Morven G. (2005). Fast foods and ethical consumer value: a focus on Mc Donalds and KFC. British food Journal. Vol 107. Issue:4. 2005. Jang, Dongsuk. Mattila, Anna S. (2005). An examination of restaurant loyalty programs: what kinds of rewards do customer prefers? International Journal of contemporary hospitality management. Vol. 1. Issue:5. 2005. Katz, Karen L. Martin, Blaire R. (1985). Improving customer satisfaction through the management of perceptions of waiting. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Bose, Debopriya. (2011). Advantage and Dissadvantage of Fast food. [Online] 2011. [Cited] 7th of April 2011. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-fast-food.html. Khilawala, Rashida. (2010). Unhealthy Fast Food. [Online] 2010. [Cited] 7th of April 2011. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/unhealthy-fast-food.html. Stacel, Richard. (2009). Why you should avoid fast food at all cost. [Online] 2009 [Cited] 6th of April 2011. Retrieved from http://www.naturalnews.com/025241-food-fast-food-foods.html. BBC News in U.K. Consumer question fast food hygiene. [Online] 17th Feb 2003. [Cited] 5th of April 2011. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/l/hi/uk/2769907.stm. Lee, Yun Lok. Hing, Nevilee. (1999). Centre for Tourisim, Southern Cross University. Vol. 14, Issue:3-4, Pg:293-310. Cronin, J. Joseph., Jr. Taylor, Steven A. (1992). Journal of Marketing: Measuring service quality: A reexamination and extension. Vol: 56, No. 3, Pg: 55-68. Ho, Teck H. Zheng, Yu-Sheng. (2004). Management Science. Setting Customer Expectation in Service Delivery: An Integrated Marketing-Operations Perspective. Vol: 50, No. 4, Pg: 479-488. Jiang, James. J., Klein, Gary. Carr, Christopher L. (2002). Management Information Systems Research center. Measuring information system service quality: Servqual from the other side. Vol:26, No. 2, Pg: 145-166. Fedoroff, Paul. (2011). Comparing service quality performance with customer service quality needs. 12 Manage the executive fast track. [Online] 2011. [Cited] 7th of April 2011. Retrieved from http://www.12manage.com/methods-zeithaml-servqual.html. Parasuraman A., Zeithaml V. Berry L. (1990). Delivering Quality Service, Balancing Customer Perceptions and Expectations.

Hamlet: Hamlet Defeated By His Own Flaws :: essays research papers

Hamlet: Hamlet Defeated By His Own Flaws In William Shakespeare's well known tragic play, Hamlet, the main character Hamlet is defeated by his own flaws. These flaws are the killing of Polonius, the killing of Claudius, and most of all by Hamlet being misled by the Ghost. The killing of Polonius is a major flaw of Hamlets because it got him killed by Laertes. Also the killing of his uncle Claudius was tragic, since he was his uncle and he made Hamlet very angry towards his mother. The last and most noted flaw of Hamlet's was him being misled by the Ghost and engaging in his plan of madness. The first of Hamlets flaws is the killing of Polonius. The death of Polonius was an accident that shouldn't have happened. Hamlet believed the person behind the drapery was indeed Claudius. After Hamlet draws his rapier, runs it through the drapes, and kills Polonius. He asks? "Is it the King?" He then he is drawn into a heated conversation with his mother, Gertrude, over the short wait after old king Hamlets death for her to remarry. He says "Almost as bad, good mother, As kill a king, and marry his brother". The major effect of his killing of, Polonius, was indeed his death. This ignited Laertes' revenge on Hamlet which resulted in Hamlet's death. Just as the killing of Polonious was a tragic flaw of Hamlets, so was the killing of Claudius. This flaw of Hamlets which was to be the solo revenge of Claudius brought upon the death of Gertrude, Polonius, and Laertes. The madness in Hamlet was to be unleashed only on Claudius. Yet Hamlet's path of destruction killed his mother, she was killed by the poison meant for Hamlet by Claudius. Laertes death was brought on by the killing of Polonius. The duel between Hamlet and Laertes, which was the arranged revenge on Hamlet, was the final stand of each. Although the killings Hamlet carried out were flaws he possessed, another major flaw was his ignorance in following the Ghost. Hamlet was warned not to follow the Ghost that there must be some evil in him, but he didn't listen. Both Horatio and Marcellus forcefully try to hold back the prince, but he will not be restrained.

The Effects of Tobacco :: Papers

The Effects of Tobacco The smoking of tobacco became prevalent early in this century. The production of flue-cured tobacco, the development of cigarette rolling machines, and a public health concern over tuberculosis germs being spread through the cuspidors associated with snuff and chewing tobacco, all contributed to an increase in cigarette smoking. As smoking became more common, health problems emerged which seemed to be related to smoking. In the 1950’s, sir Richard Doll, a British researcher, studied the smoking habits of more than 34,000 physicians and found a strong correlation between smoking and disease. Throughout the 1950’s, research data on the effects of tobacco on human health hazard of sufficient importance in the United States to warrant appropriate remedial action." Since then, each Surgeon General has spoken out against smoking; the current Surgeon General proclaims smoking to be the number one preventable cause of disease and death. Medical science is in general agreement that use of tobacco endangers one’s health. Lung Cancer was the first health effect to be linked to smoking. Subsequent research has linked tobacco usage to heart disease, emphysema, and several other forms of cancer. Recent research has even suggested harmful effects to unborn children of smokers and to those non-smokers exposed to the side-smoke of smokers. One of the benefits of a free society is the freedom of choice for adults, so long as this freedom does not deprive other persons of their freedom The decision to smoke might appear to be one of those choices, since it is usually through that the health risks of smoking are borne largely by the individuals making the choice. Factors that complicate the simplicity of this argument are: 1) Smoking is a social custom and when one person smokes, other persons in the area are exposed to the smoke. 2) Adult smoking habits provide a powerful modeling which affects the habits of children and youth. 3) Society must bear some of the social cost (increased insurance premiums and various tax burdens) of death and disability brought about by the use of tobacco. The tobacco plant is believed to have originated in the Western Hemisphere. The cultivated species most often grown for North American and European tobacco products is Nicotiana tabacum. The leaves of the plant are prepared for smoking, chewing, or sniffing. In addition nicotine tobacco contains over 19 known carcinogens (most collectively known as "tar") and more than 2,000 chemicals. Prior to European influence in the Americas, tobacco was used by the Indians of Mexico and Peru for ceremonies, medicinal purposes, and to alleviate Error! Bookmark not defined.

Racism - I Was Born a Middle-class, White Child Essay -- Sociology Rac

Racism and Prejudice - I Was Born a Middle-class, White Child †¦ Professor’s comment: This essay assignment was designed to equip students with an understanding of academic research, theories, and concepts on race relations and then use that as a basis from which to critically think about, analyze, and develop strategies for change, both for themselves and for the world around them. This student takes us back to his childhood in Smallville and re-examines with us his upbringing, race relations in his town, his own awareness, and ultimately his and our need for change. He does this beautifully with the use of vivid and poignant imagery, juxtaposition, and allusions. Along the way, He takes us not just to Smallville but into our own lives and minds. This paper is the best I have ever read; it is enlightening, inspiring, and rich. I was born a middle-class, white child. I was never self-conscious about it until now. I grew up in a small town, â€Å"hick-town† some have called it. Twenty years ago, when my family first moved there, the small green sign on the south side of town read, â€Å"Smallville, Elevation: 1450 feet, Population: 1350.† In twenty years, the second number on the sign has changed little more than the first. I remember when my father used to take me out through the orchards to talk with the farmers, for that’s what people do in Smallville. They farm. Pears, grapes, walnuts, and a few kiwis, all financed by big white banks, grown by plump white farmers, sold by chubby white brokers, and harvested by Mexican-Americans. What a country. My chubby father markets pears and grapes. And he would take me out into Rick Bengard’s pear orchard. And with acres and acres of pear trees all around us, he would tell me how Unc... ...a half years ago, I figured that compared to most people, I was fairly aware. Since then, the most important thing I’ve learned is how much I don’t know. I don’t know what it is like to go to class and be the only dark spot on white linen. I don’t know what it is like to have to fight mentally, physically, and spiritually to preserve a cultural identity. I don’t know what it is like to fear running at night. I don’t know what it is like to be feared if I run at night. I don’t know what it is like to live under a shroud of stereotypes. I don’t know what it is like to have people who instruct me subtly ignore me and people who sit next to me subtly avoid me. And I don’t know what it is like being an ethnic minority on this college campus, this institute of higher education, this large-scale Smallville, this sheltered little world that is only â€Å"fairly aware.†

Inquiry Based Science Instruction Using Science Fair Projects Essay

In order to fully develop critical thinking skills necessary to function in the world of science, and the world in general, science teachers must incorporate more robust authentic inquiry activities, as part of their overall science curriculum. However, in my experience as a science teacher (18 years) and a science program director (3 years) in inner-city high schools in Boston, students do not have the opportunity to engage in robust authentic inquiry activities. Using my years’ experience in the public education system, it is clear to me that factors, such as teachers’ inadequate content knowledge, lack of motivation to implement inquiry, pressure to teach to high stake standardized tests, lack of experience conducting scientific research, and belief systems, hamper their ability and willingness to implement robust inquiry activities as part of their teaching. As a result, students suffer by not only missing the opportunity to fully engage in authentic inquiry, but also become unmotivated to engage in scientific research and or pursue scientific careers. The most effective means by which to overcome this authentic inquiry deficit is through the implementation of science fair projects, which go beyond traditional â€Å"cookbook lab† teaching methodologies. And while I am fully cognizant of the fact that my experience in this matter is biased based upon the workings of the Boston inner-city school system only, academics, such as Thienhuong Hoang, agree that science fair allow students to conduct scientific experiments thereby engaging them in inquiry process, rather than only allowing them to learn concepts. 2010) Inquiry and the Science Fair Project For decades, inquiry has been the focus of science teaching. The National Research Council (NRC), for example, refers to inquiry as the central strategy for teaching science‚ (1996), and defines inquiry as â€Å"the diverse way in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on evidence derived from their work. † (1996) In addition, NRC notes that inquiry seeks to create opportunities for learners to engage in science and to build an in-depth understanding based on their previous ideas and experiences. Further, NRC recommends that teachers engage students in inquiry asking scientific questions, using evidence in responding to questions, formulating explanations from evidence, connecting explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicating and justifying findings. (2000) I fully concur with the position of NRC regarding inquiry, and have, throughout both my prior teaching career and current position as a science program director, included and required teachers to include inquiry – and particularly science fair – as the foundation of their teaching. As a result, students have achieved deeper content knowledge and broader understanding of scientific processes. Inquiry through science fair projects, rather than traditional â€Å"cookbook lab† methods of science teaching and learning, in which students follow a predetermined protocol and the results of the experiment are known in advance, allow students to more fully engage in critical thinking and learning. Further, only inquiry – and specifically science fair – helps students better develop and understand the need to engage in probing questions to scientific problems. This, in turn, affords students increased opportunities to propose and develop their own methodologies, and increases their scientific literacy skills. Thus, science fair projects are a key link between science education and the work of scientists in real life. An aspect of scientists’ work that I believe is crucial for students to acquire is the significance of ethics and conclusions based on data collected through scientific research, due to the potential implication of the scientist’s work on society. For example, the racial classification in the early 18th century of the superiority and inferiority of races, which became part of the Western racial ideology, was the result of scientific research involving different human characteristics, which was later determined to be falsified. (Carlton, 2008) Similarly, western gender stereotypes have biased historical research of gender studies in the south (Fennell and Arnot, 2008); thereby rendering such research limited in its historical significance and material use. Thus, exposing students to authentic scientific inquiry via science fair projects is not only necessary to the student’s academic success, it is, in my opinion, a vital component of the development of critical thinking skills necessary to separate authentic scientific data and research results from potentially questionable results; like the superiority/inferiority of different races and other biases. Teacher Beliefs and Experience  Teachers’ actions in the classroom tend to reflect their own belief systems. This holds true both in my own experience working in the field of education, and other academics. For as Wallace and Kang note in their article â€Å"An Investigation of Experienced Secondary Science Teachers’ Beliefs About Inquiry: An Examination of Competing Beliefs Sets†, â€Å"what a teacher actually does in the classroom is representative of her beliefs. (2004) Additionally, in conducting research for their article â€Å"White Male Teachers on Differences: Narratives of Contact and Tensions†, Jupp and Slattery note the comments of one of the participants in the research project as stating â€Å"†¦teachers are certainly biased against certain children, especially if they don’t know them, and often are surprised at the amount of intelligence and cultural awareness of minority children who have been raised in quote-unquote the right way, you know, the middle class family type of situation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (2010) A teacher holding this ideology, for example, is likely to engage students in an inferior level of inquiry because the teacher’s assumption is that such students are incapable of critical thinking. Jupp and Slattery also noted in the interview of participants (Ibid), â€Å"†¦you can see that people are going out of their way to be sure that students don’t feel divorced from the curriculum†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This translates to teachers’ beliefs that if the emphasis is placed on inquiry – and specifically science fair projects, which requires a great deal of time – it will be at the expense of teaching for high stake standardized tests. Finally, Wallace and Kang, (2004) in their article â€Å"An Investigation of Experienced Secondary Science Teachers’ Beliefs About Inquiry: An Examination of Competing Beliefs Sets†, note that the teacher’s knowledge, or lack thereof, dictates his or her actions in the classroom. 2004) Therefore, it is clear to me – both in my own experiences in the field of education and based upon the literature – the possession of strong content knowledge, as well as research and science teaching e xperience, is essential to the effective teaching of inquiry, since a teacher that possesses this necessary skill set is better equipped to help students develop their ideas through probing at a deeper level. The use of science fair projects, therefore, is a key bridge in this knowledge gap, since science fair allows students the ability to conduct their own scientific research and develop their own scientific hypotheses. Barriers to Inquiry Studies show that there exist many barriers affecting the implementation of inquiry. For example, Trautmann, MaKinster, and Avery, in their article â€Å"What Makes Inquiry so Hard (And Why is it Worth it? )†, cite that the main reason teachers are reluctant to implement inquiry stems from the need to be efficient. 2004) Teachers feel they have to choose between teaching facts which students later regurgitate on standardized tests, and teaching with a focus on in-depth learning, which is more effectively attained through inquiry – and specifically through science fair projects. Trautmann, MaKinster and Avery also noted that the pressure placed upon teachers and schools to prepare students for high stake standardized tests impedes the implementation of inquiry in science classes. (Ibid) As a result, science teachers feel the need to maintain control of their classroom, as a method of controlling the curriculum required for standardized tests, rather than allow students to work independently on science fair projects. Another obstacle hampering the implementation of authentic scientific inquiry teaching – and specifically the implementation of science fair projects – is that teachers have a tendency to employ the same teaching strategies as the ones they experienced as students. (Davis, 2003) As such, they resist change and miss the opportunity to be innovative in their teaching by incorporating inquiry into their curriculum – especially with respect to science fair projects. Further, teacher training, in general, does not offer an effective model for the practice of science instruction based on inquiry. As a consequence, teachers are limited in their ability to carry out authentic inquiry, in general, in their classrooms. This inability to teach via authentic inquiry prohibits them from adopting science fair projects as part of their curriculum.

Peer Pressure Is More Beneficial Than Harmful Essay

Good morning teachers and my fellow students, today my topic of this debate is â€Å"Peer pressure is more beneficial than harmful† and I am in favor of it. Peer pressure refers to the influence exerted by a peer group in encouraging a person to change his or her attitudes, values, or behavior in order to conform to group norms. Social groups affected include membership groups, when the individual is â€Å"formally† a member (for example, political party, trade union),or a social clique. A person affected by peer pressure may or may not want to belong to these groups. They may also recognize dissociative groups with which they would not wish to associate, and thus they behave adversely concerning that group’s behaviors. Peer pressure is when â€Å"friends† persuade you to doing something that you do not want to do. But maybe you want to do it, and you just don’t have the courage to do it and your friends talk you into it. Positives Peer pressure is not always bad. It can help you analyze yourself and contemplate on your ways of life. If you are fortunate to get a good peer group, your peers can play a vital role in the shaping of your personality. Their way of looking at life may influence you to change for betterment. Some of your peers are your close friends, who do not pressurize you to do things but rather inspire you to change yourself. Your peer group may actually persuade you to bring about a constructive change in your personality. Peer pressure can lead you to make the right choices in life. If you are fortunate to get a good peer group, your peers can play a vital role in the shaping of your personality. Their way of looking at life may influence you to change for betterment. It helps define who we are and how we feel about subjects in our lives. It is how we chose to react to peer pressure that defines who we are as an individual. Are we a leader or a follower? Both types of people are needed to make the world go around. Responsible behavior. Not all middle schoolers spend weekends getting into trouble. Many spend time doing things with their families, playing sports, babysitting, engaging in hobbies or reading. A typical weekend for your child’s friends will probably become a typical weekend for your child, too. Self-esteem. Many of the things children do because of peer pressure are not harmful. They may all like a certain hairdo or the latest pop band. Being like other kids makes them feel they belong ²and that is a very important feeling to a middle school child. Connection to school. Children don’t always fall in with the  ³wrong crowd. ´ Very often they fall in with the right crowd ‘one that cares about schoolwork, participates in activities, and tries to succeed. Such friends can motivate your child. Good peer pressure is being pushed into something that you didn’t have the courage to do or just didn’t cross your mind to do. However, as you think about it, it seems like a good thing to do. Good peer pressure can also be a situation when your friends convince you not to do something you were going to do because it wasn’t in your best interest. Some people say that good peer pressure is when you get pushed into something that you didn’t want to do and it turned out well. Well, this may be nice, but ask yourself this question: how do you know â€Å"ahead of time† whether what you are doing will turn out good or bad? Can you? Most people can’t, but if you can, your problems may be solved! When the time comes for you to make these big decisions, it is important to think before deciding. Take as long as you need just to think about whether you want to do it, think about whether you should, and finally think about the consequences. These are the important things that must be done before any big decision is made. Also, knowing who is asking you to do something helps you make the decision. If the person is not your friend, you should really consider what they want you to do, but if you know, trust and respect this person then you might seriously consider what they ask. But how do you know? For each person, deciding who is your friend or not, is a difficult decision. It might be of benefit for you to develop some sort of personal grouping system of your friends and depending on what group they fall into will determine how strong an influence you allow them to have in your life.

Government Spying Essay

Austin Bryan Period-1 http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/news/2006/intell-060101-voa01.htm In some instances, governments believe that it is okay to spy on their citizens in order to preserve their freedom. I personally find this concept to be absurd. Living in a country that’s history is founded upon freedom of its citizens, and escaping oppression of tyrant governments, leaves me very skeptical on this concept. I believe that if the government is spying on its citizens it is actually taking away their freedom rather than preserving it. Living in an era of increasing technology has made it much easier for a government to spy on its citizens. Because of this, it has become a problem in many places around the world. Think about back in elementary school when you had pen pals from other countries. How would you feel if the government was able to intrude on your personal life just because you made contact abroad? For us in America, a government spying on its citizens sounds pretty crazy right? In 2006 president Bush did just that by enabling a â€Å"Government Phone Tap†. President Bush thought in order to preserve citizen’s freedoms that is was justified to tap into people’s phones and emails. The only people that were supposed to be the recipients of phone tapings where those who were making calls abroad, particularly to suspected al-Qaida connections. Not only is this a complete violation of peoples constitutional rights and privacy, but Bush also neglected the need for a warrant in this instance. To this day many immigrants from other countries come to America seeking asylum from oppressive governments. America is supposed to be a safe haven where people’s rights and privacy are protected under the constitution. Acts of government espionage upon its own citizens like this are completely unacceptable. I believe that the only way from a government to protect its citizen’s freedom is to respect everyone’s freedom regardless of circumstances.

Exporting Toys from Belgium to the People’s Republic of China

[pic] ________________ KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN Faculty of business and economics International Marketing Toys: Exporting toys from Belgium to the People’s Republic of China [pic] Julie Mertens 1 Master TEW Prof. Pierre FrancoisAcademic year 2008-2009 1. Table of contents2 2. Introduction3 3. Consumption culture in the People’s Republic of China 4 1. China and its economic growth 1. Export5 2. Open economy 3. Middle class people’s consumption culture 2. Culture 1. One child policy 2. Filiarchy6 3. Six pocket syndrome 4. Parental education 5. Children’s personal expenditures . Mian zi7 7. Mien-tsu & Lien 8. Guanxi 9. Fake products 10. Cheaper before better8 11. Religion 12. Astrology & superstition 13. Language 14. Emotions9 15. Business culture 16. Research studies 17. Hofstede10 4. Proposed Marketing adaptations 11 1. Segmentation 2. Targeting 3. Positioning 4. Price adaptations 12 5. Product adaptations 1. Product specifications 2. Assortment chang e13 3. Brand name 4. Image 5. Packaging 6. Service level 6. Distribution Strategy14 7. Communication15 1. Media and the message 2. Advertisement and promotion 5. General conclusion16 6. References17 7. Apendices18 . Introduction Nowadays, in this time of economic depression, some people believe the era of globalization is over. Others consider globalization as a necessity in these times of integration into one worldculture. In this paper, I will try to indicate if and to which extent the marketing-mix should be adapted when exporting Belgian toys to the People’s Republic of China. First, a little company introduction is given. Secondly, some relevant facts and numbers about the People’s Republic of China are discussed. Then, some cultural differences between Belgium and PRC are considered. Finally, the proposed marketing adaptations will be under consideration. Lilliputiens: a company introduction Lilliputiens is a Belgian company that specialises in the production of fabric-based toys. What sets them apart is the extremely high product quality. Their aim is to ensure that all of their toys combine their three core values: provide quality toys at reasonable prices, which are fun to play with, great to look at and have an educational value. [pic][pic] In order to properly stimulate their little customers, namely boys and girls in the zero to five age range, they have created gentle toys made of soft fabric. Their senses are stimulated thanks to the use of a diverse range of textures, sounds, shapes and colours. The toys are designed with the knowledge that toys enable children to imagine, touch, create and think. Those provide a key role in children’s development. Another special feature of the toys is that they evolve in a way that accompanies the baby throughout his or her passage into early infancy. As the child grows, the new play elements are revealed, making new activities and games possible. As a consequence, these toys no longer need to be put back in the box after just three months! Not only dolls but also a play mat, a food pyramid, a table set and a ruler are amongst the Lilliputiens’ product line. [pic] [pic] [pic] 3. Consumption culture in the People’s Republic of China China and its economic growth China is the greatest and most challenging new frontier that international marketers are facing today. China is the most populated country in the world. With one fifth of the world population and the largest population of children in the world, it is an enormous potential market. China’s economic growth has risen 11% during 2007 and keeps developing. There is new money to spend by the 200 million acquisitive people in the middle class. But numbers are not everything; you have to win people’s hearths to be and stay in business. Let that be the issue of this paper. [pic] Figure 1: China’s estimated per capita income per province in 2003 As shown in figure 2 and 3, China’s economic growth passes unequally. Eastern regions have known a faster growth that has given rise to an enormous gap between Eastern and Western China. Eastern China has become more occidental with different needs as a result. In this paper, only China’s Eastern, urban regions will be discussed since China’s ten largest cities, which contain only four percent of China’s population, account for approximately 22 percent of its earning power and 19 percent of its spending power. The urban children’s market contains around 100 million children. Figure 2Figure 3 Export The Chinese market is a paradise for both internal and foreign investors. In 2006, Belgium has exported for almost 3 billion euro to China. This makes China Belgium’s thirteenth trading partner with 1. 1% of our GDP. However compared to India, Belgium’s eighth business partner, the export ratio is lower. To further improve export, good connections will be needed. Open economy According to Eugene Wang, China is relatively open to foreign investments. China has the largest supply of foreign direct investments. Compared to India, China’s tariff protection is more modest and keeps declining. This has resulted in a rapid increase in the volume of imports. In 2003, China’s imports rated 30% of its gross domestic product, which is twice the import ratio of the U. S. Foreign firms with facilities within China account for 25% of all manufactured goods. These goods can be exported or could serve China’s internal market. Middle class people’s consumption culture The present middle class or â€Å"new rich† have made money and acquired standing in only one generation. China has an ambiguous relationship towards foreign culture; Chinese both worship and avert it. Imported goods represent purchasing power, status and good taste. Chinese start to adore Western culture and lifestyle. Although the Western consumption culture conflicts with their traditional consumption culture of thrift and spending in proportion to income, the middle class have become a part of the consumerism culture, especially in the fashion consumption. Albeit their norms and values tend to incline towards the Western culture, imitation is gradually transferring into their own consumption culture. â€Å"I consume so I exist† is the new attitude. The new rich surpass actual needs and as a result become more qualified for merchandising and advertisement. They spend a lot of money on consumer goods, like toys. A potential market is definitely there! Culture Cultures are learned by parenting as well as social interactions and therefore they can change. Despite the impact of current globalization, cultural differences will stay. One-child policy The biggest cultural difference between the rest of the world and China is the â€Å"one-child policy†. Since 1979, due to China’s history and more specifically the population control, law states a maximum of one child per household. Observational data shows that there are 18% more boys than girls. Compared to the world average, this percentage lays 15% higher! In China, men stand for responsibility for the family and are raised to become the head of the household. Therefore, people prefer to have a baby boy rather than a baby girl. However, in the urban regions this is gradually changing. More and more parents cherish the same ambitions for their girl. In fact, in the big cities girls are preferred because parents will not have to worry about being able to provide enough hope chest. [pic] Figure 4: Advertisement to promote the one child policy: carry out family planning – implement the basis national policy Filiarchy Whether a child is born as a boy or a girl, it is born with much more responsibility on his shoulders than in the rest of the world. When it comes to education, health or money, parents will do whatever it takes to contribute to the success of live of their children. For that reason, the one child determines the household. According to Mc Neal and Yeh, Chinese children influence the consumption pattern in such a significant way, namely by 68%, that outsiders look upon him or her as a â€Å"spoiled brat† or â€Å"little emperor†. In the case of toys, the influence on the parents’ purchases mounts up to 93% for children in the zero to five age range. On an annual basis, Chinese children exert a direct influence on play item purchases of three billion dollar per year. It can be said that China has shifted from a patriarchy to a filiarchy; kids have become the centre of the universe! Six pocket syndrome Chinese parents spend much more time, money and effort on their only child’s development. Chinese children are not only raised by their parents but by the whole family. This second source of money, the grandparents, lives in the same household due to other standards of living. This results in six adults indulging one child. This effect is better known as the â€Å"4-2-1 indulgence† or the â€Å"six pocket syndrome†. Parental education In China, society is much more collective than in Belgium. This is reflected in the Chinese family and kinship system. It is not unusual that grandparents live under the same roof. Not surprisingly, family has a tremendous impact on a child education. From birth, Chinese children are learned to respect and obey their elders. Unlike in Belgium, Chinese adults keep seeking for parental approval. Children’s personal expenditures In the first place, children learn about new products from other children, followed by advertisement and store visits. Research has shown that there is a difference in requests between boys and girls. Beyond expectations, girls ask significantly more for toys than boys! But who pays for their expenditures? For children under the age of four, it are the parents and other relatives who buy and pay for the toys. Unexpected but true, according to Chan children start to spend their own money on their own wants and needs from the age of four, mostly toys and food! Mian zi Chinese children do not spend all of their money. A four year old saves around 75% of his pocket money. Their regular income can be spent but special incomes given on birthdays or Chinese New Year are expected to be saved. Learn how to manage money is a second but just as important reason why Chinese parents give their children money. China derives from a socialist economy and has a culture that emphasizes on saving money because they believe this contributes to the development of one’s prestige, which is called â€Å"mian zi†. Mien-tsu & Lien Mien-tsu stands for a reputation through drive, ostentation and success –often expressed by personal wealth-. The more mien-tsu a person has, the higher his social status is and the more influence a person has on others and important decisions. A person’s mien-tsu is dynamic; it can change over time by someone’s success or failure. Lien represents the confidence of society in a person’s sincerity and can only be lost by misconduct. Together, they determine the importance of a person in his interpersonal relations among Chinese. In China, this is extremely important when doing business, because contracts are defined by trust and connections. Guanxi If a Chinese wants to be successful in business, he needs more than just brains. Guanxi is a personal network of influence and social relationships that is used to obtain a service or favor for ‘reasonable purposes’. Guanxi can be compared to social capital and so it is not an act of bribery. The line between guanxi and corruption is rather thin. Chinese have a different view on corruption and crime. Corruption is very big issue in China, even within the Chinese government, which censors certain information. As a result, statistics should always be used with cautiousness. Fake products In China, counterfeiting is a national sport. 40% of all counterfeit toys have China as its country of origin. Although China has signed international agreements on patents and production rights, there are two reasons why they do not hold on to them. First, it is a result of historical factors. Most Chinese do not consider copying someone else’s work as a crime. Secondly, Chinese believe the Western companies are already rich enough, so counterfeiting does not harm the genuine producers. This way, China stays the epicentre of the fake industry. [pic] [pic] Cheaper before better The question: â€Å"Are Chinese genuine and counterfeit products are worse than Western products† has no unilateral answer. On the one hand, China stands for â€Å"cheaper -and therefore often dangerous- instead of better†. Think of the Mattel incident, where Chinese toys had to be taken back because the paint had too much lead in it. The â€Å"Made in China† is rather a warning than a quality label. On the other hand, a difference between â€Å"made in China† and â€Å"Made by China† has to be made. European companies who produce in China generally correspond to the Western criteria, so â€Å"Made in China† does not always indicate risks. According to Holslag, a researcher at the Brussels Institute for Contemporary China Studies, China will catch up to the Western norms concerning quality within the foreseeable future. Also a shift from knickknacks to high-tech products is taking place. Religion China is a country full of traditions. One of them is Confucianism, which was the state doctrine until 1912. Confucianism is not really a religion but more a philosophy or guideline for everyday life and determines what to eat, how to behave, what to wear, ect. According to Confucius, laws are not a good basis of the State. He believes imbueing people with rituals is more effective to reach State stability. Confucius’ society is very hierarchic; everyone knows his position and should act like it. Though society is not static. His idea was that talented people should be able to move up in society, which has had a great impact on the Chinese vision of life. Later, Buddhism, Christian and mainly Taoism influences mingled with Confucianism into neo-Confucianism. So, it is not strange to find a Chinese who is a Confucian, Buddhist as well as a Taoist. [pic] Nature & Astrology & superstition Chinese culture stands in function of nature. Chinese consider themselves part of nature and try to live in harmony with it. In Chinese astrology, the zodiac of twelve animal signs represents twelve different types of personality. The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the rat, followed by the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, ect. This year, Chinese New Year falls on 26th of January and stands in the sign of the ox. Superstition plays an important role in Chinese culture. Although fortune-telling is forbidden, people go to fortune-tellers to ask whether their child will be a boy or a girl. Language Mandarin is the most spoken language in China. If you speak Mandarin, you have 915 million native speaking conversation partners! Next to the official language, there are numerous dialects. Besides the different spoken languages, there are also two written languages. [pic] Emotions You will not often see a Chinese crying! Chinese often get blame for not saying what they really think or feel. Westerners find that Chinese behave in a cold manner. A possible explanation is the fact that people were hanged in the past for taking a different view on certain matters. Another explanation is that defending one’s opinion is a Western way of dealing with a situation when there are opposing thoughts. Chinese are learnt at school to accept what is told. Business culture A difference between Belgian and Chinese culture is that Chinese do not work by a model as much as Belgians do. In Belgium, people set up a plan and execute it. In China, people are much more flexible. They anticipate and react on the situation. A possible explanation can be found in their education. Chinese children come in contact with much more opinions during their family education. Laws, contracts and rules are less significant. Chinese have a different calendar, namely the Moon calendar. Fortunately, for business they also use the Gregorian calendar. Research studies Culture is defined by what we buy and why we buy it. National culture determines consumer behaviour, not income. (De Mooij) At first sight, culture does not seem relevant when it comes to toys. Toys are used for children’s entertainment. However, there certainly is a difference in usage between Belgium and China. As mentioned before, Chinese parents find it extremely important that their child stands out from the mass. Therefore, Chinese parents buy toys to stimulate their children to learn as soon as possible rather than for entertainment. So, marketing, branding and advertising strategies should be adapted when exporting toys to China. Hofstede But how different are the Belgian and Chinese culture? According to Hofstede, one can define cultural difference on the basis of five dimensions on a 0 to 100-range scale. The degree of power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation determines a national culture. The higher the score, the more dimension determines the culture. Belgium belongs to the more developed Latin countries cluster and China falls under the less developed Asian countries. [pic] Figure 5: Cultural difference between China and Belgium Power distance More than Belgian culture, the Chinese culture knows a larger power distance. In China, the acceptance of hierarchy and authority is higher. Since all people are treated fairly, they do not resist and respect higher ranked and elder people because these stand for wisdom. As mentioned before, Chinese rely much more on human relationships (guanxi) than on contracts. Individualism Esomar research shows that China is a collectivist culture, in which loyalty and social network (Mien-stu, Lien & Guanxi) are important. In China, the group where you belong to defines your identity. In Belgium, people and society are more individualistic, which has enabled capitalism. Masculinity Concerning the masculinity/femininity, there is not much distinction between Belgium and China. Both countries have some features of both characteristics. Uncertainty avoidance In Belgium, people believe they have faith in their own hands. In China, people depend much more on fate and believe their destiny is determined for them. In this fatalistic country, failure is unevitable. Belgians are more threatened by risk and uncertainty than the Chinese. As a result, the Chinese are much more open to change. This confirms the Confucianism influence on China. Long-term orientation Like other Southeast Asian countries, China is long term oriented. This has the similar effect as the Confucian values, which are acceptance of change, perseverance, thrift and pursuit of peace of mind. Belgium, on the other hand, strives for immediate results like other Western countries. According to Hofstede, these cultural differences will remain over time, how much globilization even takes place. Now that the Chinese culture has no mysteries anymore, let’s take a look at which adaptations are to be made. 4. Proposed Marketing adaptations Cross-cultural awareness – the understanding that what is normal in one culture can be offending in another one – starts to gain credit. People start to recognize that to be successful in foreign business, the company should adapt the marketing mix to the country’s values and culture. However, adaptation is very costly and time-consuming. Although China is becoming more Occidental, the marketing mix should be adapted only until the profits do not make up for the costs anymore. Segmentation There is no such thing as an average consumer! Therefore, there is no use -or value- in making an average product. First, the company has to distinguish the different market segments based on similar product needs for consumers. For the Chinese toy market, a distinction between the urban and rural households can be made. The question â€Å"whether a market segment is specific enough to make it a segment on its own† depends on four P’s. The first P stands for product. Children in urban China play with different and more qualitative toys than children in rural China. The second P stands for price. Since urban China is much wealthier, they are less price sensitive than rural China. Also the service level, the third P, differs. The more cultivated East demands a higher servicelevel. The final P, promotion, varies from TV advertisement and word of mouth in urban China to only word of mouth in rural China. | |Size |Product |Price |Service |Promotion | |Urban |36 % |High quality |High |High |TV + word of mouth | |Rural |64 % |Different toys |Low |Low |Word of mouth | Table 1: Segmentation: the four P’s Targeting In a next phase, the company has to make a strategic choice. This hard-to-reverse decision, namely the decision which specific market segment will be targeted, depends on the value that can be offered to customers. Although the final consumers are children between zero and five years old, most of the time it will be the parents who will buy the toys. Since the most profitable segment is China’s urban household segment, this market segment will be targeted. For the reason that this target group lives highly concentrated in the cities, they are easy to reach customers. Positioning Brand positioning is the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their target market for a certain product. The question is whether a brand should be global or not. In this case, a global image of the brand is not important. It would be better to distinguish the positioning since in China the focus would be on learning during playing compared to recreation and entertainment in Belgium. Although it is costly, the company will benefit from this investment because of the positive effect on buying behaviour. Two company images will not confuse customers since there is a language and character barrier between both countries. Price adaptations A price can be determined on the basis of costs, by looking at competitors’ prices or in proportion to the value created towards the end-consumer. I would suggest the company to go for the third option. Although the company’s first goal should be market penetration – resulting in low prices –, still a skimming pricing strategy seems best. The dolls are of a superior quality and luxury products demand a high price. I believe 50 euro or 465 Chinese Yuan would be an appropriate price for a 25 by 15 centimetre doll. This high price can be justified because the toy cannot only be used for entertainment but also for educational purposes. Since the income of the middle class is only rising, according to my market research (see apendix) at this price there will be enough potential buyers. Another reason that justifies a high price is the high level of pre and after sales service Chinese demand, which will be discussed further. Product adaptations †¢ Product specifications Nowadays, toy manufacturers do not adapt the features of the dolls! But research has shown that it hurts the childern’s self-esteem. Therefore, the company should customize the skin colour, hair, eyes, height, ect. as shown in figure 6. [pic] Figure 6: A Chinese Lilliputien doll with yellow skin, dark hair and dark slit-eyed eyes. One of Lilliputiens’ toys is the food pyramid by which children can learn how to put together well-balanced meals. Since people in China eat other vegetables, other meat and noodles and rice instead of potatoes, this pyramid should be adapted. Another Lilliputien toy, the table set also should be modified since Chinese eat with chopsticks instead of fork and knife. [pic] [pic] Figure 7: Food pyramidFigure 8: Table set †¢ Assortment change Children like choice; therefore the product line should be expanded. The current themes like the circus, the Indians, the Pirates, the nativity of Jesus Christ could be supplemented with the twelve zodiac animals of the Chinese astrology. A doll of the child’s animal sign can be given as a gift at the child’s birth. A less perfect acquisition for the assortment would be a Buddhist doll, Chinese would find it inappropriate and rude. †¢ Brand name Due to a different language and moreover a different alphabet, it is crucial to change the company name and product names. â€Å"Lilliputiens† would be unpronounceable. My suggestion would be to render the company’s name by transliteration, so that is sounds the closest to its original name. Pu-Tien means â€Å"all over the world†, which fits with the company philosophy, to give all children over the world the chance to play. †¢ Image The new rich people love to show off their wealth. A good idea would be to create a good recognizable logo to put on each doll so that others can recognize the brand and they can brag about expensive purchase. The advertisement campaigns should be identifiable by showing rich and fortunate people. †¢ Packaging Since the packaging has to sell the product, it is essential to make it as colourful and vibrant as possible. The company certainly has to use the colour red on the packaging, since in China, red has a positive connotation and stands for success, honour, fertility, happiness and love. Qualitative information, about the fact that this toy is educational as well as entertaining, must be provided to the Chinese parents. A good idea could be to use a combination of Chinese and English language in the toys manual. Due to internalization, the Chinese middle and upper class have become familiar with English. Toys are often given as a gift. The packaging has to look nice, because gifts are used to build up and strengthen relationships. The dolls are very soft and have different textures, therefore the company could use an open packaging so potential customers can feel and see the product before purchasing. Service level When a child has a need, it wants the need to be gratified as soon as possible. Since fast delivery is thus very important, there has to be enough inventory at any time. Because the Pu-Tien toys are more than just toys, this educational plaything stimulates senses and development of a child, there is need for pre sales service. Although China pays a lot of attention to pre-sales service as well as post sales service, they do not expect a guarantee on toys. Given that the dolls are made for children between zero and five years old, avoiding small parts and implementing warnings can prevent danger to children. Safety regulations are less strict in China. Nevertheless, the company should keep their high level of quality. Since the dolls are made in Belgium, the company should exploit their country of origin effect and explicitly mention â€Å"Made in Belgium†. Distribution strategy †¢ Business culture In China, paper means nothing. So if contracts do not work, what will? You need to band with local people and win their trust. This is where the Guanxi comes in. To obtain a certain service or favour, a personal network of influence and social relationships are a must. According to Li Qinfu, contact with the Chinese government also plays a very important role. When Westerners want to do business they contact their lawyers, when Chinese do business they contact government officials. †¢ Parallel import I would not set a lower price in the Chinese market than in the home market because due to relative low trade barriers, the risk and impact of grey export from China to Belgium would be too big. †¢ Mode of entry At first instance, due to low costs and a high control level, I would recommend the company to set up a website. But on further consideration, children want their needs to be gratified as soon as possible. In addition, if the toys are reachable (merchandising), they will also nag more, which helps children to get what they want if they have shut-up parents. Shipment costs for a prior delivery would be too large in proportion to the retail price. Another reason why a website would not be a good mode of entry is the level of pre and after sales service a Chinese consumer demands. The target segment, namely middle and upper class people with high requirements, searches for qualitative, pedagogical responsible and save toys. Therefore, these luxury toys should be sold in fancy local retail stores, not in ordinary supermarkets. The trade-off of using retail stores goes between the fact that the products are reachable, ready for delivery, a high service level and less control, more risk and higher investments. Since toy dealers are not motivated to deliver good sales support, a good way to check the service is ghost shopping. This market research technique of sending fake customers will tell if sales men give the right information and service to potential buyers and customers. Since feedback from distributors does not come easily because they are independent, a good idea is to improve relationships with local parties by means of guanxi. Communication A good strategy is nothing if it is not well executed. Advertisement is the most culturally sensitive element of the marketing mix. Therefore, it is wise to decide well how to say what you want to say. †¢ Media and the message When announcing the product launch to the potential customers by the media, the message strategy is of crucial importance. According to Hofstede, the communication style depends on the five dimensions of local culture. China is a developing, high context and collectivistic country. The best communication style is a less informative and more persuasive and emotional approach. When advertising on TV, a good idea would be to use the least words as possible. Optimally, only utilize non-verbal language. Not only because collectivistic cultures are more visually orientated (De Mooij), but also because children between zero and five cannot read and have a very small vocabulary. Toddlers have very well developed visual capabilities and are sensitive to emotions. For that reason, a visual advertisement would do better. In combination with a lot of colour, children’s attention will be monopolized. Although Hofstede suggests a less informative approach, I believe that the message towards the (grand)parents should be informative (information on age, warnings†¦) and focus on the educational value of the product. Pu-Tien toys provide a key role in a child’s development: its senses are stimulated thanks to the use of a diverse range of textures, sounds, shapes and colours. As slogan I would recommend: â€Å"Pu-tien tested, child & educational approved! † As mentioned before, Chinese culture has shifted from a patriarchy to a filiarchy. As a result, advertisement will focus on children and their needs. †¢ Advertisement and promotion Not only the message, also the medium by which potential consumers are informed matters. In a first phase of promoting the product, children need to get to know the product. To gain product awareness, the company should adopt sampling. By offering certain pre-school kindergartens and day nursery centres some free samples, children will come in contact with the Pu-Tien product range. This is a win-win situation. Schools will be thankful to receive teaching aids nd our company will benefit from other children’s word of mouth, which is the best marketing tool. If our product line appeals to the children, children will nag to their parents to get the product. Sampling has as advantage that it is the most effective promotion strategy but unfortunately it is extremely expensive. Advertising on TV will be a second step of the company’s promotion strategy. Due to hypersegmenta tion, there are almost 3000 TV stations in China. With the given marketing budget, it would be too expensive to advertise on all of them. I would suggest advertising on one children’s channel as well as on one adult channel. Although the company’s target group is children between zero and five years old and their personal expenditures start from the age of four, mostly adults will buy the product for them. Since grandparents live in the same household, also raise their grandchildren and are happy to spend their money on their grandchildren’s formation, the commercial should consist of not only the child’s parents but of the whole family. Also some traditional symbols or Chinese icons should be put in because it will help to make the connection between the Western and their own consumption culture. As marketing manager, I think it is best not to invest money in global advertisement. I have computed the extent of standardization and found that toys are a cultural product. Therefore, the message and medium should change. It is not necessary to have one corporate brand image because the children in Belgium and China will not come in contact with each other, so it will not be confusing. Conclusion SWOT-analysis Strengths The major strength of the company’s product is the educational value that comes with the product. Chinese find education extremely important. Weaknesses A relative high price is chosen due to the risk and impact of parallel import. But a small segment with a high price can be more profitable than large volumes of low profit margin products. Opportunities Learning more about China, its culture, rules and laws and setting up a social network, with the government as well, will be extremely important. This will take some time, effort and money but it will enlarge the company’s chance to succeed tremendously. Threats I believe the biggest challenge will be the fierce competition from less qualitative and counterfeit dolls that are much cheaper. To conclude, as a marketing manager, I must say China stays a black box. When you have done all research that is possible; business in China still is risky. At least with the suggested adaptations the risk will be minimized and the success is multiplied. 6. References Interview Interview with my neighbour Yan Lu, a Chinese middle class woman living in Belgium since then years Books Kotler, P. et all (2005). Principles of Marketing. Prentice Hall Harlow. pp XVIII, 788. Chan, K. & McNeal, J. (2004). Advertising to children in China. The Chinese University Press of Hong Kong. pp. I, 1-21, II, 23-42. Latham, K. & Thompson, S. & Klein, J. (2006). Consuming China. Routledge. Yau, O. H. M. (1994). Consumer behaviour in China. Routledge. pp III, 63-83. Usunier, J. -C. (2000). Marketing across cultures. Prentice Hall Harlow. pp V Articles Mooij, M. (2005). Mapping cultural values for global marketing and advertising. Dobbelaere, B. & Reynebeau, M. (2008). Bijlage China: de rode boekjes: middelpunt van de wereld, 1,3 miljard sporters, een exploderende economie, paradijs voor investeerders, kleine vrouwen, een wereldmacht, de nieuwe rijken, een milieuramp, de diaspora, traditionele cultuur, culinair. De Standaard Reportage Marketing to children. 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Apendices [pic] Market research: Questionnaire: What is an appropriate price for the Pu-Tien doll? 1) Are you a male/female? 2) How old are you? 3) What is your highest level of education you have achieved? 4) What is your marital status? 5) How much do you earn each month? 6) Do you live in one of China’s big cities? 7) What is your housing type? 8) Do you have (grand)children? 9) How many (grand)children do you have? 0) Is it a boy or a girl? 11) Do you believe your (grand)child’s development is important? 12) Do you like to spend money on your (grand)childrens (birthday)presents? 13) How much would you normally spend on your (grand)child’s birthday? 14) Have you ever bought a Pu-Tien doll for your (grand)child? 15) Where you pleased with your purchase? 16) What was the occasion you bought the doll for? 17) How much did it cost you? 18) Did you found it a reasonable price? 19) What would have been the highest/lowest price at which you would buy a Pu-Tien doll?