Journey always change the people involved Essay

Journey is a movement from one place to another. Journeys have many different obstacles and challenges. Journey can either be physical, inner, imaginative and emotional. Most journeys have a purpose. The concept has been described by composers in the text ‘beneath clouds’, directed by Ivan Sen and ‘journey to freedom’, a recount by Hai Van Nguyen. In beneath clouds, Ivan Sen examines the physical and inner journey of the two main characters Lena and Vaughn. Ivan sen brings out the conflict between aboriginal and white people, as well as problems affecting both communities. In journey to freedom’, the narrator shows the different experiences and conflicts of her family, who fled from Vietnam on fishing boat in hopes for a better future. The narrator links her experiences to the situation in Australia. Both texts show the different aspects of journey through different film techniques, language, settings, symbols and dialogue. Both characters in beneath clouds are aboriginal descent and Lena is fair-skinned Australian girl who lives with her aboriginal mother and brother in a small country town. She feels that there are no life choices for her there, other than teenage pregnancy and unemployment. Vaughn is an angry aboriginal teenage boy who’s living in a minimum-security prison in a western NSW. Vaughn is hardened by his experience of the world. Vaughn feels that as an aboriginal young person, he has been victimised by white Australians. They meet on the road to Sydney. The journey brings them together. They are both searching for a purpose in life and trying to find a sense of belonging. In journey to freedom the concept of physical and inner journey, is shown through the challenges and hardships the family had to face their journey to freedom. They travelled from Vietnam to Malaysia in hopes for a better future, and ended up in a refugee camp, where they faced many challenges till eventually they were allowed in Australia. The texts shows how the journey wasn’t easy, were difficult and choices had to be made. Their journey was challenging and fear affected t heir attitudes with a new feeling of hope when a new life in their dream country was offered. These experiences made the way for her to develop a new attitude and compassion for the refugees in Australia. The hardships allowed her to maintain her understanding of the world. The settings in beneath clouds, the physical environment changes to reflect  the changing emotions of the characters. Their journey takes them through different settings – from the desert and dry lands to train trucks and cities. The settings changed constantly to reflect the changing emotions of the characters. The dead butterfly symbolises the worthless of her life, and her neat room shows what Lena is searching for. In journey to freedom, a recount gives a detailed series of events explained to show the experience of her family during their journey. The reader is able to imagine and develop an understanding and obstacles written by the narrator. It has enhanced our understanding of the world around them as well as develops an awareness of the current problems. Journey change the people involved as seen in the characters of the two texts. In beneath clouds, the journey of Lena and Vaughn is a journey to get accepted in their community/society. Lie is a journey that we all make and it could be a search for love or freedom as in journey to freedom. Along the way life is a journey filled with decisions and choices. Lena and Vaughn had an aim in their physical and inner journey, Lena outgrows her hatred towards aboriginals and Vaughn has a better understanding of the world and his attitude towards all white people changes. The narrator in journey to freedom gets what she wanted after she was granted entre in Australia. Her journey has altered her perceptions of the world around them. To conclude, through a variety of film techniques and languages, the composers of the two texts have shown how journey always change the people involved.

Research Paper About Minute Burger

RESEARCH PAPER I. Industry/Company Background Burger Machine is an industry. Minute Burger is an established food franchising company with over 26 years of expertise in the delivery of first-rate food products and food service operations. Since 1982, we have served millions of our on-of-a-kind, hearty, DELICIOUS burgers, in Minute Burger stores all over the Philippines. Today, we continue to explore opportunities and take full advantage of our market potential.We maintain dynamism in developing our product line to suit the various tastes of our growing market. We relentlessly work towards building dependable systems to improve and ensure the highest product and service standards. And, we take our franchising goals a notch higher by jointly envisioning with our partners and by matching our strength with theirs to achieve maximum rewards, not only in our francise business but more importantly, in people’s lives.The market share under the burger on the wheels segment can be descr ibed by the following figures based on my observation in today’s market- Minute Burger- 34, Burger Machine-31, Angel’s Burger-21, Buena bonita’s-8 Other’s-6. Minute Burger has now expanded all over the country through franchising. Its franchising package amounting ? 350,000 includes business operations support, management training services and Marketing/ Promotional Support. II. Vision, Mission. VisionBy 2020, Minute Burger shall be the Quick Service Food Chain of Choice for the value conscious consumer by providing innovative and environmentally sustainable food products and services that meets global standards through operational excellence; aided by highly competent employees and franchise partners with a shared mind set to create memorable experiences and to also achieve local and international expansion. Mission To create positive customer experience. III. REVISED MISSION STATEMENT 1. CUSTOMERTo ensure that each guest receives prompt, professional, f riendly and courteous service. To maintain a clean, comfortable and well maintained premises for our guests and staff. 2. PRODUCTS & SERVICES To sell delicious and remarkable food and drinks. That the food and drink we sell meets the highest standards of quality, freshness and seasonality and combines both modern-creative and traditional Asian styles of cooking. 3. PHILOSOPHY At Minute Burger, we Believe that Fast Food is about sustaining the satisfaction of people. . EMPLOYEES To provide all who work with us a friendly, cooperative and rewarding environment which encourages long- term, satisfying, growth employment. To keep our concept fresh, exciting and on the cutting edge of the hospitality and entertainment industry. 5. TECHNOLOGY To provide the guests the information about the Minute Burger easier. 6. MARKETS 7. SELF-CONCEPT To ensure that all guests and staff are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. To thank each guest for the opportunity to serve them.By mainta ining these objectives we shall be assured of a fair profit that will allow us to contribute to the community we serve. To provide at a fair price – nutritional, well-prepared meals – using only quality ingredients. 8. CONCERN FOR PUBLIC IMAGE To actively contribute to sustainable development through environmental protection, social responsibility and economic progress. To us, that means meeting the needs of society today, while respecting the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Manufacturing strategy Essay

1.1 Introduction to OFF Shoring and NEXT Shoring: Off shoring is the type of relocation of an industry or an company of a business from one country to another i.e typically an operational process, such as manufacturing process. Next shoring is â€Å"the transfer of business or manufacturing processes to companies in a Nearby location. Where both parties may be benefited from one or more of the following dimension of proximity i.e Cultural, linguistic, political etc., 1.2 Understanding the change in Market, Manufacturing Cost and Technology: Over the decade Manufacturing cost, market and Technology has played an important role in selecting the location of the Manufacturing industry weather it has to Off shored on Next shored. Therefore understanding these three are the major factors for selecting the location of an Industry. Combination of economic force is fast eroding in developing nations cost advantage as an export platform for developed countries market. Mean while with an increasingly flexible work force and a better corporate sector is becoming more attractive place for manufacturing many goods consumed in the developed countries. An Analysis conducted by BCG (Boston Consulting Group) that by sometime around 2015 for many goods destined in the developed countries manufacturing in their neighbouring place is more economical than producing in the developed nations. The key reasons for this thought are mentioned below, Wage and benefits increases of 15 to 20 % per year at the average in developing countries which will slash the advantage over low cost states in the Developed countries. Because Labour accounts a portion of Products Manufacturing Costs. Transportation Cost, Duties, supply chain risks, Industrial real estates and other cost have increased considerably in the past decade this also plays a role but this additional cost will be differed at the minimum level when compared to developed and developing nations. Technology which is another major factor for choosing the Location of Manufacturing Industries. Where Automation, R&D and other measures to improve the productivity in developing nations may reduce the manufacturing price but in modern decade Technology is wide spread it reaches every nook and corner at a rapid phase than in the 60’s. Market is the main criteria  for an Industry to be started. An Industry which has started Next to its marketing area will have an advantage of immediate feedback, customer response to the product. Thus gives them an edge for R&D to develop their products to further level. Thus from our understanding change in Market, manufacturing cost and Technology will have a say on setting up an OFF Shore or a NEXT Shore location for an Product. 1.3 Drivers for OFF Shoring and NEXT Shoring: 1.3.1 Drivers For Next Shoring Manufacturing companies look to externalise back office Responses on impact of Next-shoring on supply chain, services to focus on core operations. Risk associated with supply chain management are increasing in low-cost countries Labour wage rates in offshore locations in emerging synchronization economies like India, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia are increasing, as workers are demanding higher wages. Cost of shipping goods around the world is rising due to Lead times and higher fuel price Eastern Europe has emerged as a location for Next-shoring operations, backed by favourable factors like highly skilled talent, especially technical talent and close proximity to end markets like the UK. Other factors include cultural similarities, time zone and strong data protection laws Tax incentives are usually not the main driver but they could tip the balance just as manufacturing taxes may make a country less attractive. 1.3.2 Drivers for OFF Shoring: Key driving forces for demand shifts to the developing countries are economic growth, demographics and rising incomes in emerging markets, in particular in Asia. further major factors driving this trend are: – Localisation of products to address local mid market – Proximity to demand and regional raw materials resources – Vast scale of operations and flexibility – Diligence and industrial skills of workers – Better â€Å"time to market† and reduction of logistics costs ASIAN economies have emerged as major sourcing destination for global  companies. Growth of the employable population and increased investments in the region. National/regional regulatory effects (safety standards, etc.) and free trade agreements. Within Asia itself, a shift can be noticed as rising wages and higher costs in china are making manufacturers consider other locations in southeast Asia. ASIAN countries like India, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam provide a dynamic talent pool with highly educated and young people as well as lower wage costs. 1.4 Debate on â€Å"In future, next shoring, not the off shoring, drives manufacturing location decision† According to me I accept the topic â€Å"In future, next shoring, not the off shoring, drives manufacturing location decision†. In the Next future next shoring is what the manufacturing industries will consider to have competitive edge over the market. Over the past few decades there has been an advantage over the cost (like Labour, land) in developing countries over developed countries. Eg. In India, China, etc., where the manufacturing industries have got much cheap labour force and land for their industries to start. They have enjoyed a great success by installing their manufacturing units in these low cost locations. But in recent years the advantage over the cost has shrinking due to globalisation and annual wage rise, which might see off their advantage over the developed nation. Rewind 15 or 20 years. Offshoring was all the rage. As far back as 1979, companies were starting to send manufacturing to low-wage destinations like India, China, Taiwan and Vietnam to lower labour costs. According to John Shook of the Lean Enterprise Institute, â€Å"There was a herd mentality to offshoring and an inability to see the total costs.† Today, wages in Asia are rising from 15 to 20% annually, according to The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). As a result, the economics of manufacturing in India, China, Taiwan and Malaysia aren’t as appealing as they once were. In fact, today, manufacturers are doing something that would have been unthinkable a decade ago: they’re bringing manufacturing home. A few examples: in January, Bill Simon, Wal-Mart U.S. President and CEO  committed to buy $50 billion of American-made products over the next 10 years. Similarly, after producing appliances offshore for years, General Electric is moving production operations back to the United States. GE CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, stated in the Harvard Business Review that outsourcing â€Å"is quickly becoming outdated as a business model for GE Appliances.† According to The White House blog, Ford, Apple, and Caterpillar are making large investments in U.S. facilities. Thus according to the above points I accept â€Å"In future, next shoring, not the off shoring, drives manufacturing location decision† 1.4.2 A Case Study for selecting Next Shoring than off shoring: Melville, N.Y.-based MSC Industrial Direct Company, a direct marketer and distributor of metalworking and maintenance, repair, and operations supplies, distributes approximately 600,000 industrial products from 3,000-plus suppliers to 320,000 customers. Global sourcing is here to stay, whether operations are in Mexico, China, or other countries, said by Doug Jones, the company’s executive vice president of global supply chains in 2013. There is just as much opportunity in global sourcing as there was five years ago—if not more. â€Å"They used to be focused on China or India, but their Shanghai office now is looking at a number of countries.† There is pressure to source in America, and MSC Industrial Direct’s product offering takes that into account. â€Å"The way we go to market is to have a ‘Made in the USA’ product in every category,† Jones said this earlier this year. G lobal sourcing does brings challenges, however. The company follows a rigorous process to qualify a new production source, with a focus on quality. MSC also weighs the impact of lead time on cost and service. We realize our service model increases from 10 or 15 days to 180 days from purchase order to receipt if we source in China or India,† Jones explains. â€Å"We weigh the additional investment in lead time and inventory, currency valuations, and other factors, and make sure our total landed cost (TLC) still looks good or almost equal to cost in USA, Where they receipt the product at much less time. Monitoring TLC is no small task at MSC, which maintains a global sourcing team dedicated to managing it. This add further cost to monitor. On considering all these MSC starts to Next shoring its supplier base to market  area 1.5 Conclusion Thus from the above case studies and market analysis it’s time to move on from OFF shoring to Next shoring in the Near future which seems more economic and fruitful for manufacturing sector. Even though OFF shoring at present seems more economic currently but in the Near future we are expecting the wage rise factor which would nullify the cost advantage in developing nations and will make the manufactures to rethink on their strategies of OFF shoring and tends to change their strategy for Next Shoring. Thus â€Å"In future, next shoring, not the off shoring, drives manufacturing location decision† PART-B 2.1 Role of Korean Culture in Samsungs Success: It has become increasingly important for employees to have vested stake in the growth potential of its company. People expect a participatory work environment where they can feel a sense of dignity, pride, and ownership of the organization’s vision. Samsung Mobiles strives to build a creative organizational culture, and acknowledges that the investment we make in strengthening the core competencies of our employees will have a direct impact on our competitiveness. We actively promote a flexible organizational culture that allows employees to pursue a healthy work-life balance, in a dynamic, creative and challenging work environment that is not risk-averse. As an international company we embrace individuals with different background and abilities. Korean Culture :- Work & Life Balance through Work Smart Samsung Mobiles has not only contributed to balancing work and life but also to improving productivity by adopting a flexible work schedule in Korea to help eliminate unnecessary overtime and to maximize work performance through effective time management. We introduced a pilot, flexible work schedule in  our TV, mobile phone, and consumer electronics sectors beginning in 2009 and expanded it to all divisions in 2010. Under this new effort, employees arrive at work between 6.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. and to work eight hours per day. As of March 2012, approximately 65,000 Korean employees have taken advantage of this system out of a total of 100,000 Korean employees. Samsung believed it is important for everyone to be able to assume personal responsibility for their time. This will continue to contribute to a working atmosphere that allows employees to focus on their job in an autonomous and creative atmosphere. Thus they branded this as Work smart strategy. This helped Samsung a lot in its success. Work Culture that Encourages Learning and Development Samsung Mobiles has established a Creative Development Research Institute System to provide employees with opportunities to pursue creative new ideas that take full advantage of their talents and professional passions in a way that encourages taking risks. This new initiative encourages employees to be more entrepreneurial in developing creative ideas that can become new businesses. Once an employee’s plan is accepted, they may concentrate on the project as a member of a task force for up to one year. During this period, they will be free from their usual responsibilities and may receive a dedicated work space, development expenses and necessary equipment as appropriate. Successful outcomes are encouraged through an incentive program; however they are not subject to penalty if they don’t achieve their goals. The first outcome of the Creative Development Institute, ‘eyeCan,’ was launched in February 2012. The eyeCan is a special mouse for the disabled, which allows its user to use a computer using eye movement. Samsung Electronics will continue to support similar technology projects that our  talented workforce introduces to assist those in need. 2.2 Analysis of Samsung Mobiles using P.E.S.T and Poter’s 5 Force Model: As the main objective of this thesis is to analyze the European and the U.S. mobile phone markets, the selected framework supports this aim by approaching the markets on two different levels. Primarily, the analytical framework focuses on micro-environment i.e. looking at the markets from the viewpoints of the actors (suppliers, distributors, customers) and from that of competition. To analyze the contribution of each of these actors and other sources of competition, another well-established model, Porter ´s five forces, will be utilized (Section 2.3). Where necessary, the observed phenomena are also interpreted from a wider, macro environmental perspective although more detailed analysis of macro-environmental factors will be omitted. The exclusion is justified by the fact that competition, even though influenced by the macro environment, takes place within the micro environment. In addition, concentrating on the micro-environment allows a broader and more in-depth treatment of th e most relevant actors present in the micro-environment. On another dimension, the framework applies two different conceptual approaches, namely, international business (IB) environment and industrial organization (IO) economics. These approaches together serve to supplement the strongly microeconomics focused framework with suitable concepts grounded in the strongly 7 related IB and IO disciplines. While the industrial organization focuses on the company/market boundary from the perspective of imperfect competition, international business focuses on the qualities of international markets and companies operating across country boundaries. These approaches will be discussed in detail in Section 2.4. The analytical approach of the thesis is summarized in . Figure 1. Analytical framework of the study 2.2. Macro-environment By definition, the macro-environment involves factors outside of the direct  control of the business. These factors, then, include the economy, government policies, social changes etc. A firm may, for example, be influenced by new legislation or changes in taxation policies but the firm rarely has power to shape them itself. Thus, macro factors have the ability to fundamentally change the environment of an organization but the relationship is typically one way. (Gillespie, 2007) One of the most utilized frameworks to analyze the macro factors is the PEST analysis. The PEST framework stands for â€Å"Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal† and is used for analyzing the macro-environment in which companies operate and which also significantly affects each business independent of its size (Johnson et al., 2006:65) in each case including (or excluding) some factors and giving more weight to some in comparison to others. However, it always aims at capturing the essential of the macro-environment under a few broad categories to facilitate understanding and management of each factor within the business and to identify the key drivers of change (Johnson et al., 2006:69). Table 2.1. Components of the PEST analysis (Gillespie, 2007) Even though the macro-environment will not be analyzed in detail in this thesis its influence in a company’s decision making processes is evident as well as its ability to change to conditions under which competition takes place. For example, the Finnish government’s decision to allow bundling of mobile phones had a direct impact on both handset manufacturers’ and mobile operators’ business. Thus, references to the macro environment and changes in it will be made alongside the analysis on companies and their micro-environment. 2.3. Micro-environment The micro-environment can be defined as consisting of â€Å"stakeholder groups that a firm has regular dealings with† (Gillespie, 2007). For the purpose of this thesis, the focus will be on suppliers, distributors, customers and competition as illustrated in Figure 1 following the concise definition of micro-environment by Gillespie (2007). Suppliers In regard to its suppliers, any company generally needs to address questions such as â€Å"Can they provide the quality we require at a good price?†, â€Å"Can they adjust to changes in the supply volume?† and â€Å"What is out power relative to our suppliers and vice versa?† Increasingly, however, large multinational companies in particular are concerned about the ethicality of their suppliers’ operations. Recently, for example, Samsung was alleged to have used so called ‘blood metals’ in their mobile phones, to which Samsung responded by implementing yet more stringent systems to track the origin of its raw materials (Yle, 2010). Especially in the business of mobile phone manufacturing, suppliers and supply chain management (SCM) play a crucial role. Since mobile phones, smart phones in particular, contain numerous highly specialized components and modules, handset manufacturers generally acquire most of the components, software and even ass embly from their suppliers and subcontractors (see the mobile phone value system in Figure 9). Samsung, for example, lists 35 countries as its main supplying locations and applies its so called Code of conduct to all its business partners. In the Code of conduct (Samsung,2011f) Samsung states that â€Å"†¦Samsung encourages its partners, subcontractors, or suppliers to strive beyond legal compliance in areas such as governance, human rights and the environment. Samsung incorporates ethical, social and environmental criteria in its procurement agreements and commits to monitoring the performance of its partners and to taking immediate and thorough remedial steps in cases where the ethical performance of its business partners comes into question.†- Samsung Thus, mobile phone manufacturers rely on suppliers to varying but generally great extent and can even be held responsible for choosing suppliers that use e.g. child labour or non-recyclable materials. To construct an iPhone, Apple, for example, sources its Retina display from LG, the A4 processor from Samsung, gyroscopes from STMicroelectronics, touch sensitive panels from Wintek and TPK, and chips from Skyworks Solutions and TriQuint Semiconductor (Apple Insider, 2010). However, some conglomerates, e.g.  Samsung manufacture most of the modules in-house which enables cutting down the number of suppliers and facilitates integration in the production process. Even if the recent business wisdom has advised companies to divest non-core functions and focus on a few core competencies, Samsung has proven that conglomerates may be highly profitable while retaining their non-core parts. Unlike Motorola, Samsung kept its component manufacturing in-house and focused on synergies from producin g both components and end products. (Hyà ¶ty, 2011:250-252) Distributors The second essential element of a company’s micro-environment is distributors. The choice of distribution channels is critical for a number of reasons. Firstly, the distributors strongly influence the final sales price of each product and thereby directly affect the sales quantity. Second, the distributors and later retailers play an important role in how the product is presented to the customer and, to some extent, how it is positioned relative to competing products. Finally, the choice of the distribution channel affects how customers perceive the brand. While Samsung, for example, utilizes a wide range of sales channels for its Samsung branded products, it sells its luxury phone brand Vertu (typically gold and diamond decorated, ranging from $6000 to $300 000) only in Vertu and Samsung flagship stores (Vertu, 2011; Dialaphone, 2007) In the mobile handset business, the distribution channel plays a crucial role. While in Europe most mobile phone manufacturers rely on a large number of individual distributors and retailers, in North America the bulk of handset sales is carried out by mobile network and virtual operators (see Figure 22). The long-lasting dominance of mobile operators over distribution in the United States has allowed them to introduce additional requirements related to e.g. tailoring and branding of phones, and together with subsidies a commanding position in the industry. Still, the choices related to distribution come down to the same basic questions, i.e. what are the total costs, how is the brand communicated, how flexible is the distributor etc. Customers The third element of the company’s micro-environment is customers. In this  respect, it is common to separate between individual consumers and organizational (or industrial) customers (or buyers). While consumers are traditionally considered less rational and impulsive in their decision making process, companies tend to be viewed as professional buyers following strict budget, cost and profit considerations. (see e.g. Webster & Wind, 1972; Baumgartner & Steenkamp, 1996) These kind of clear differences in purchasing behaviour have been questioned (Wilson, 2000) and today’s B-to-B marketers widely recognize that emotions play an important role also in business buying decisions (Kotler & Armstrong, 2006:178). In the mobile phone business, consumers represent an enormous variety of tastes, preferences and affluence. In developing countries, the sales of low-end mobile phones (often under $50) dominate, while in developed markets of e.g. Europe and North America, consumers often opt for more advanced models incorporating cameras, GPS navigation, Internet browsing etc. Moreover, most of these consumers appreciate value added features and post-purchase services provided by the manufacturer (e.g. Apple App Store, Nokia Ovi Store and Google Android Market) and often base their purchase decision on the combination of the phone and the availability of these services (see e.g. Singh & Goyal, 2009). Industrial buyers, on the other hand, tend to value services related business use of the phone (e-mail, data security etc.) and supplier’s ability to provide a communications solution to the company instead of only handsets. Finally, with regard to the mobile phone industry in Europe, Asia and the United States, there are some significant differences in customer profiles. While in Europe & Asia a handset manufacturer can sell both directly to the consumer and via distributors and retailers, in the United States the only major customer is the operator that, then, functions as a distributor and retailer. This, obviously, has its effect on what kind of marketing is needed to reach the end customer. Competition The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines competition as â€Å"the effort of two or more parties acting independently to secure the business of a third party by  offering the most favourable terms†. (Merriam Webster Online, 2011) Correspondingly, The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics states that â€Å"competition arises whenever two or more parties strive for something that all cannot obtain.† (Stigler, 2008) In this thesis, these competing â€Å"parties† are handset manufacturers who act to â€Å"secure the business† or â€Å"strive for† the limited resource, i.e. the money, of their customers. In terms of developed economic theory, competition is one of the most researched areas of economics. Economists generally differentiate perfect and imperfect competition, concluding that no other system is more Pareto efficient than perfect competition. According to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 1999) perfect competition is defined by four conditions: a) There are such a large number of buyers and sellers that none can individually affect the market price. This means that the demand curve facing an individual firm is perfectly elastic. b) In the long run, resources must be freely mobile, meaning that there are no barriers to entry and exit. c) All market participants (buyers and sellers) must have full access to the knowledge relevant to their production and consumption decisions. d) The products should be homogenous. Imperfect competition, thus, occurs when any of the criteria for perfect competition is not satisfied, e.g. when there is information asymmetry between buyers and sellers, either buyers or sellers are able to influence prices or products are not homogenous. In regard to the mobile phone industry, there is a clear case of imperfect competition. Firstly, the three largest manufacturers Samsung, Samsung and Nokia held about 64 % of the global unit sales in Q1/2010 while the tenth largest Huawei had 1,3 %. (Gartner, 2010) This kind of a market situation is generally referred to as an oligopoly â€Å"in which producers are so few that the actions of each of them have an impact on price and on competitors† (Merriam Webster Online, 2011). Second, there are fairly high barriers to entry due to the capital intensive nature of the business. In addition,  gaining market share generally requires significant investments in marketing and established manufacturers can benefit from advantages of scale. Poter’s 5 Force Model The Porter’s five forces model has been criticized, for example, for its underlying assumptions. Firstly, an industry is assumed to consist of an unrelated set of buyers, sellers and substitutes and competitors that interact at arm’s length. Second, companies can gather wealth that allows them to erect barriers against existing competition and new entrants thereby creating structural advantage. Finally, the prevailing uncertainty is assumed low enough to permit predictions about the participants’ behavior and choose a strategy accordingly. In addition, one should also note that the model was developed more than 30 years and, since then, new industries have been born and the old ones taken new shapes. In an argument that the classical model such as the Five Forces and value chain analysis were designed for the analysis of traditional industrial firms and do not apply well to today’s knowledge-intensive companies. Figure 2.2 Porter’s Five Forces –model The rationale for choosing the Five Forces framework was as follows. The model was to be well-known and tested. Even though Porter’s model has been criticized for its applicability to certain industries and for its assumptions, few models have gone through such thorough testing and prevailed. While no model is perfect the limitations of the Porter’s framework are, nevertheless, well-known and documented. Finally, the use a widely accepted framework facilitates reading and interpretation of the results as opposed to some other model with less prevalence and academic/practitioner interest. Table 2.2 Opportunities and Threats for Samsung Mobile 2.3 Suitable Business strategy to overcome threats and grab Opportunity in Samsung: Global R&D (Research & Development) In 2003, Samsung invested 3.5 trillion won ($3 billion) or 8% of total revenues in R&D. It acquired 1,313 US patents in 2003, ranking it 11th in  the world in US patent awarded. (Exhibit 9) Samsung has about 19,700 researchers working in R&D. Researchers account for approximately 34% of its total employees. Every year, R&D engineers developed about 100 new technologies and they work on the development of core technologies in the fourth generation (4G) mobile communications and in next generation memory chips. Samsung’s Information and Telecommunication R&D Center is in Suwon, where the company’s headquarters are located. This R&D Center was designed to incorporate all of its business specialties—semiconductors, electronic components, multimedia, and telecommunications—to maximize technological synergies among them. The Suwon R&D Center also interconnects with other R&D centers, both in Korea and in other countries. In the mobile business, Samsung has applied for 12,000 patents in Korea and 25,000 patents overseas since 1998. The main focus of R&D is the development of new technology standards for 4G communications and the mobile Internet. Samsung holds approximately one hundred patents related to 3G and 4G technologies. Recently, Samsung sold its cdma2000 1x EV-DO system to Japan and Southeast Asian countries. Global Marketing Samsung’s clever marketing strategies played an important role in lifting Samsung’s image from that of a low-end manufacturer to that of a global digital technology leader. For effective global marketing and branding, Samsung established a new organization to deal with its integrated global marketing activities. Eric B Kim, who used to work at IBM, was recruited to lead the Global Marketing Department. One of his most important decisions was to cease all existing contracts with 55 advertising agencies and to sign a $400 million contract with one ad agency, FCB Worldwide. Since then, Samsung has unveiled a series of corporate branding campaigns and the slogan, â€Å"Samsung DIGITall: Everyone’s invited.† One of Samsung’s major global branding strategies is Olympic sponsorship. In  1996, Samsung was an unofficial sponsor of the Atlanta 1996 Olympics, having sponsored the Samsung Expo in the Pavilion of the Main Stadium. In the same year, Kun Hee Lee was selected as an IOC member, and Samsung received an opportunity to participate in TOP (The Olympic Partners). The IOC proposed that Samsung participate in sponsoring the home appliance category for the Olympics. However, Samsung wanted to utilize the opportunity to promote a high-tech image, and felt that the home appliance category was not enough to emphasize Samsung’s technological advances. Samsung set its sights on the telecommunications category and believed that, through the Olympic sponsorship, it could shed its image as a low-end home appliance maker and reposition itself as a high-tech mobile communications company. To win the sponsorship negotiations, Samsung concentrated its marketing resources on the mobile phone business. Samsung’s Key Issues to rectify their threats Though Samsung has continued its success in the mobile phone business, it faces a number of challenges to keep the growth momentum in the future. First, competition in the mobile phone market will become more intense. Lower entry barriers will bring in more competitors to the market, and the â€Å"digital convergence† will accelerate the competition even further. Companies from other industries such as PCs or network services will compete directly with Samsung. As such, it will have to devise more creative win-win strategies in the highly uncertain digital convergence landscape. Second, the sustainability of Samsung’s high-end strategy, which was attributed to Samsung’s brand building, may be in question. Samsung has achieved high profit margin, which is comparable to that of Nokia, mainly based on its high price, while Nokia has done so based on its cost dynamics. In terms of per-unit cost, Nokia spends less on R&D and marketing. One might doubt whether the high-end strategy can really be sustainable. As the mobile communications market becomes saturated, future revenue sources  will come mainly from emerging markets (China, Brazil, India, Eastern Europe, etc.). First-time buyers in emerging markets tend to prefer affordable phones. This could hurt Samsung unless it begins to cover the low and middle-end markets. Nokia and Motorola, as well as many newcomers from China, have already targeted those emerging markets. How to compete in the low and middle-end markets, while preserving its premium brand image, will be important questions in Samsung’s future growth. Third, Samsung is highly dependent on foreign companies for core technologies and modules. For example, it sources core CDMA base-band chips from Qualcomm and sophisticated camera-phone modules from Japanese firms. Consequently, the proportion of royalty payment in total manufacturing cost is likely to increase unless Samsung develops its own technologies. Some industry experts argue that most of Samsung’s patents are on applied technologies, which are developed based on others’ patent-protected core technologies. Recently, Samsung experienced a shortage in the supply of Qualcomm chips and camera-phone modules. This suggests that Samsung’s high dependency on core technologies and product modules would threaten not only its future profitability but also its competitive position. Product Life Cycle of Samsung Galaxy : For my analysis it will be useful to understand how Samsung has introduced its Galaxy Smartphones. The introduction stage of a product is one of the most important, because in this stage a company positions its products in the market. In order examine the strategic choice of the company I need to understand the strategic possibilities in the introduction stage of a product. According to Kotler and Keller, company’s positioning and differentiation strategy must change throughout the life of its products. I will give a brief description of the stages of the product life cycle and strategic possibilities in each of these stages. According to Kotler and Keller to be applicable to a product the assumptions behind the life-cycle are that the product must have limited life; sales go through different stages, with different challenges, opportunities and problems; profits change at different stages; products require different manufacturing, financial, marketing, purchasing and human re source strategies in each life  cycle stage. The Smartphone products fulfill these assumptions. Kotler and Keller recognize 4 different Life-cycle stages for a product. Introduction Stage Introduction is a period of slow sales growth as the product is just introduced. It is also recognized with heavy advertising. According to Shaw (2008) in the introduction stage a company can choose by penetration strategy or niche strategy. A penetration strategy involves aggressive marketing mix and product for the mass market offered at a low price. A niche strategy according to Shaw (2008) involves a narrow market segment and a higher price. In this stage Shaw (2008) recognizes only two possibilities targeting the mass market with low price and a niche strategy involving higher price. Looking at the smartphone market it is possible for the companies to target mass market with higher price as for instance iPhone & Nokia does. This is also due to the affordable terms of the mobile operators where people can buy the Smartphone on leasing. 6.2 Growth Stage This is a period of rapid growth and market acceptance. Here the profits are higher. According to Shaw (2009) in the growth stage companies can choose between two strategic options these are segment expansion and brand expansion. In segment expansion, the company can add new target segments, with their own marketing mixes. Strategic alternative to segment expansion might be brand expansion. This strategy adds new products or variations to the existing line. The strategy delivers to the customer segment bigger choice, or greater value. Some of these strategy ideas might be delivery, gift-wrapping (Shaw, 2012). 6.3 Maturity Stage In maturity stage the sales are lower as the product is already bought from most of the Potential buyers (Kotler and Keller 2009 p.490). According to Shaw (2010) in Maturity stage it is common for a company to employ s stable marketing mix. As the Product moves further on the curve harvesting strategy becomes necessity. 6.4 Decline Stage Here sales decline and profits erode (Kotler and Keller 2009 p.490). In this stage Shaw (2011) recognize only divesting strategy as an option. The following picture shows the life cycle of Samsung Galaxy (first model in Smartphone ) by Samsung which was launched in 2008. Where in the introductory period it was blooming since it was on affordable cost. This model was soon hit in the market. In 2009 its has started its tremendous growth. In around 2010 it reached its maturity state. Where Samsung enjoyed a lot on its success. This encouraged Samsung to do R&D in Galaxy model and they started to develop a lot newer version. Due to introduction of new models and everyone had the current model, Galaxy has started to decline in 2011. Figure 2.2 Product Life cycle of Samsung Galaxy

Natural Gas and Oil Horizontal Drilling Technology Thesis

Natural Gas and Oil Horizontal Drilling Technology - Thesis Example As the discussion declares the increased popularity of horizontal drilling led to substantive growths in the achievable length of horizontal boreholes. Currently, horizontal displacements can extend to more than 8,000 feet. On the other hand, technicians have been unable to demonstrate the commercial feasibility of horizontal drilling and wells used in the production of natural gas, although several horizontal wells have previously been used in the production of coal seam gas. According to the report findings an accepted description of what constitutes horizontal drilling has not been written. However, the following is a notable definition that combines the vital components of two noteworthy published definitions: horizontal drilling refers to a process of drilling and implementing, for the purpose of production, a well, which starts as a vertical linear bore, which extends from the earth surface to a sub layer location above the oil or gas reservoir. This target is referred to as the kickoff point, and the extension bears off a curve to traverse the reservoir at the well’s entry point. Thereafter, the arch continues at an almost horizontal attitude tangent to the curve to remain in the reservoir partially or wholly till the required bottom hole location is attained. The mechanical purpose of horizontal drilling is to uncover significantly additional reservoir rocks to a well bore surface than attainable through drilling traditional vertical wells.

Are organizations likely to find better solutions to information Case Study

Are organizations likely to find better solutions to information overload through changes to their technical systems or their social systems -- or both Why - Case Study Example Most of the media present it as a problem of the lucky members of the society who had have a chance to secure jobs or have access technology and communication systems. However, work has to continue and it is up to such people to separate useful information from redundant, outdated and uninteresting information (Liu, & Errey, 2006). Most of these organizations are concerned about the effects that information overload has on their employees. Changing both technical and social system within an organization is likely to yield the most sought after solution to information overload currently being experienced by different organizations. This essay will therefore analyze reasons why organizations require changing their social and technical systems to achieve a solution to information overload that currently affects them. A solution is considered sufficient if it is complete and exact. Such solution will address all dimensions of the problem under consideration and provide sufficient measures to tackle the current and any consequential problem. The current information overload that organizations are complaining of is a result of human behaviors and the nature of current information systems. This indicates that both the social systems and information systems within an organization must be considered in order to develop an appropriate solution to the problem. The aspect of social systems within an organization that is significant to the topic of information overload is the patterns of flow of information within the organization. Human beings are the main source of problems that affects them. The need to establish orderly flow of information has left organizations vulnerable to bureaucracy. This is the main factor that has contributed to information overload in most organizations. In some severe cases, two people working in the same office find themselves requiring

Democrats VS Republicans in Economy Research Paper - 1

Democrats VS Republicans in Economy - Research Paper Example Republicans accept free endeavor has carried investment development and developments that have made this nation extraordinary. A government might as well encourage a business environment where individuals are allowed to utilize their talents Economic Growth Democrats: Democrat Party organizations have pushed for the centralization of force in Washington D.C., with just auxiliary thought for the privileges of both people and groups. Democrats have supported elected level intercessions that displace neighborhood-based results for neighborhood issues. These strategies have made some elected regulations and controls that are frequently in the hands of unelected functionaries, making an extreme disintegration of central power. Democrats accept that the economy is excessively entangled for people to go distant from everyone else. They accept that business choices ought to be guided by government authorities and to the greatest advantage of worker's guilds. Republicans on Federal Reserve Po licies: Inflation and the Federal Reserve play an important role in administering a stable economy. Inflation lessens the acquiring force of the dollar at home and abroad and is a concealed expense on the American individuals. On the grounds that the Federal Reserve's fiscal arrangement movements influence both expansion and budgetary movement, those movements ought to be transparent. In addition, the Fed's paramount part as a moneylender of the final resort may as well additionally be completed fairly. Exemplary social order requests that there is transparency in all government matters. In this manner, it would be possible for the party to develop substantive enactment that carries the responsibility to the Federal Reserve, the Federal Open Market Committee, and the Fed's dealings with remote midway banks.

Final exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Final exam - Essay Example Because of court queues, time delays and elevating costs of litigation continue to affect litigants; many states have decided to experiment with ADR programs. Some of these programs are mandatory while others are voluntary. Despite arbitration and mediation being the major forms of ADR, negotiation is in most cases attempted first so as to resolve dispute. This is because it is the best mode of resolving a dispute. Negotiation creates a forum whereby the parties involved can meet so that they can settle a dispute. The main benefit of negotiation is that the parties involved have the opportunity to control the negotiation process and come up with solutions themselves. Another informal alternative to litigation is mediation. Mediators are those individuals who have been trained carry out negotiations. They bring together the opposing parties by trying to figure out the kind of agreement or settlement, which both parties can accept. Mediation can be applied in a wide variety of case-types ranging from federal government negotiations to minor juvenile felonies. It is also a significant method in solving of disputes that arise between shareholders and their stock brokers. Arbitration, on the other hand is a simplified version of a trial that involves limited discovery and rules of evidence. Arbitration is normally headed and decided by an arbitral committee. To comprise a committee, both sides can either agree on a single arbitrator, or each side can select one arbitrator after which the two arbitrators can elect the third arbitrator. During arbitration process, the committee only meets for a few hours and this may last for probably a week. After this, the committee then deliberates and issues an arbitral award, or a written decision. The agreement made during arbitration is enforceable under both state and federal law. The World Economic Forum is a global institution that has the

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What is the current practice of applying simulation modeling in the oil and gas industries - Essay Example Simulation modeling is the process of creating computer models that represent the actual production and important logistics processes in the oil industry. The process not only considers the viability of the designed project but it is useful in the prediction of uncertainty such as weather in the oil industry. The aspect of uncertainty is incorporated into the models as random variable, these variables represents uncertain events such as equipment breakdown and destructive weather condition. The system depends on statistical distribution to determine frequency and patterns that determine the occurrence of uncertain events. Using simulation enables the players of the oil industry to work with proven methodologies that reduce or eliminate possible risks (Lanner, 2008). Like most models simulation depend heavily on the use of symbols and animation to represent key factors in the production and logistic sector of the industry. The models therefore use these symbols and animation to represent movements of ships between ports and stations. The models also have appropriate symbols that represent the variation of inventory according to demand and production. Most simulation screens have unique icons that represent facilities, equipments, and products. With the current improvements in technology, simulation applies the latest simulation software and graphical technology to enhance accuracy through the projection of 3D images. These images provide a good representation of real equipments and facilities that promote communication the concerned (GÃ ³rski, 2006). Simulation is not only important in the design and decision-making but its application results in massive benefits. The first application of simulation model that is of great significance to the industry is the validation of new receiving and shipping terminals. The models are also

Drug abuse Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Drug abuse - Statistics Project Example For example, people who use marijuana, heroin, or cocaine may not concentrate on social development because they feel satisfied with their present situation. On some occasions, the drug user may break from family roles, detached, wretched, or depressed. These outcomes of drug use hinder individual contribution to social growth. 3. Drug culture tends to provide satisfaction to the drug users. As argued by Isajiw (156), people who use drug usually build some mental pictures about a given social state. The Asian and the Blacks slaves working in America, for example, used cocaine and marijuana to relieve their stresses, enabled them to cope with the hard conditions. 4. Drug use, as a social problem, influences relationship between the drug user and his or her immediate community. In this sense, consumption of certain drugs poses threat to the society. The social fabric usually depends on an individual ability to adhere to social structures. However, drug use tends to influence individual interpretation to social demand. 5. Drugs affect the normal body function because it interferes with brain cells. Theo and Jim (229), in their book, Social Problems, observed that some social problems such mood disorders, depression, among others are shaped by chemicals concentration in the brain. As a person uses a drug, the chemicals in the drag flow into the blood stream to the human brain. Once the chemicals reach the brain, they interfere with the normal body

Student Spending Essay Example for Free

Student Spending Essay Abstract We used a stratified random sample to examine the spending patterns of a traditional student population at one large residential university in a small Midwestern town. Juniors and seniors spent more than underclassmen on recreation, food, general merchandise, and miscellaneous items. Male students spent more on recreation (40 percent more) while females outspent males on books and school supplies. Off-campus residents spent about twice as much on recreation, as well as more on food and for general merchandise. Those paying all their college expenses spent more overall and on general merchandise, food, and utilities. Students paying none of their college expenses spent less overall and less on gasoline and total miscellaneous items. Students who worked spent more overall and more in the following areas: general merchandise, food, utilities, and telecommunications. We also examined budget shares. Overall, books and recreation spending tend to be fixed as total spending increases, thereby reducing budget shares for these items. Women devote larger shares of their budget on  general merchandise, while men favor recreation. Students who pay none of their college expenses spend relatively more on recreation and books. Working students devote larger shares of their budget on rent and telecommunications. Non-working students spend relatively more on recreation and books. These results should be interpreted with caution since they represent a case study and do not apply to all university settings. Introduction Spending by college students has been identified as an important component of total consumer spending in the United States. One marketing firm estimated that â€Å"traditional† college students, i. e. , full-time students enrolled in fouryear institutions, who represent about one-third of all students, spent $23 billion in 1995 on essential items such as rent, food, gas, car insurance, tuition, and books. Another $7 billion was spent on nonessentials (Ring 1997). Spending by college students may be very important to local communities because many residential colleges are large relative to the size of their host community. These colleges are often seen as important players in the local economy through current spending and employment and also as potential catalysts for local economic development (Onear, 2007). Many universities have conducted economic impact studies to measure the overall influence the institution has on the local economy (Bailey et al. , 2007; Beck, 1995; Eliot 1988; Felsenstein, 1996). What is sometimes underplayed is the role of students in determining the overall size and industry mix of the local economy. Local economic impact studies often use figures for student spending derived from secondary sources such as financial aid office estimates of the dollars needed by students for miscellaneous expenditures during the year. More precise information on the magnitude and pattern of student spending would improve the accuracy of studies of universities’ economic impact. In this paper we analyze the spending behavior of traditional college students, who account for a large portion of the revenues of many local businesses in small towns hosting residential colleges. Although total spending by a student is often less than that of a local resident, student spending is concentrated in just a few areas, such as entertainment and food and beverage purchases in stores. In addition, many national retailers view traditional college students as a lucrative market since lifetime buying habits are formed in part during a person’s college years. Spending behaviors established in college may continue through two transition phases: single to young married couple, and young married couple to families with small children at home (Wilkes 1995). Changing personal behaviors and societal trends have contributed to the common perception of college students relying heavily on credit, obtained mostly with credit cards. The average college undergraduate’s credit card debt in 2001 was $2,327 and by 2006 had increased to $2,700 (Young Money, 2007); nearly one-half of all students had four or more credit cards (Hayhoe 2005). These changing attitudes toward the use of credit suggest that today’s college students are likely to spend more than students in the past because spending by today’s students is less constrained by current income and assets. This paper offers data to assess the accuracy of some perceptions about traditional college student spending and its potential impact on local economic conditions. We provide a descriptive analysis of the size and pattern of spending by college students at a single large university in a Midwestern small-town setting. The analysis focuses on a random sample of undergraduate students (stratified by gender and class level) and their spending behavior in the local area while attending classes. Spending behavior across demographic categories (e. g., gender, class standing), housing choice (on-campus or off-campus,) and employment are examined. The results provide insights about the magnitude and pattern of student spending that would be helpful to college officials, community leaders, and local business owners in assessing the impacts of this spending on the local economy and local economic development. Survey Method and Data Many empirical studies of college students’ use of credit cards or attitudes toward money employ so-called â€Å"convenience samples†, e. g. , surveys distributed in classrooms, dormitories or cafeterias (Davies and Lea (1995); Xiao et al.(1995); Eastman et al. (1997); Warwick and Mansfield (2000); Roberts and Jones (2001); Kidwell and Turrisi (2003); and Hayhoe et al. (2005)). These convenience samples are non-random selections from the student population. Students choose classes for specific reasons and, thereby, self-select based on a set of personal and course characteristics. For example, survey answers from students in an introductory-level child development class are likely to be different from students in a senior-level finance course. These samples create problems for interpretation of results and bias inferences about the general student population. The nature and strength of these biases are typically unknown. Other studies survey a wide range of randomly selected students but obtain low response rates that suggest a potential unknown and unmeasured response bias (Medina et al. (1996); Markovich and DeVaney (1997); Hayhoe et al. (1999); Leach (1999); Hayhoe et al. (2000)). The sample data used for this paper was collected through a telephone survey. Staff members of the Center for Applied Research and Rural Studies (CARRS) at Central Michigan University (CMU) helped to write the survey questions. The Registrar’s office used all undergraduate students enrolled on the main campus of CMU in the Spring 2005 semester (a population of roughly 18,000) to provide a randomly selected list of students stratified by gender and class standing. We opted for a telephone survey since it assured us of a stratified random sample. Eliot (1988) concluded that responses by students to questions about their spending behavior are not influenced by whether the survey was conducted by telephone or mail. CARRS conducted the survey during one week in March 2005 using interviewers from two undergraduate social science research methods courses. The use of students to complete the interviews may improve the accuracy of the data as student respondents may be more relaxed and respond more openly to fellow students than older adults. Calls were placed to 2,250 telephone numbers, of which 880 calls were answered and 503 surveys were completed. The overall response rate was 22 percent (503/2250), but 57 percent (503/880) of the students who answered phone calls participated in the survey (see Appendix B for a full survey phone call report). The survey instrument was composed of four parts for four separate research projects. To reduce the length of the survey and avoid respondent fatigue, two parts of the survey were answered by all respondents while the other two parts, including our questions on spending behavior, were answered by onehalf of the respondents (i. e. , 251). Allowing for coding errors, etc. , our sample was reduced to 247 respondents. We believe this is a high-quality data set because of the stratified random sample selection process and the high participation rate. Most of the demographic proportions required of a stratified random sample are met in the student spending sample of 247 observations. Table 1 (below) displays the demographic characteristics of our sample and the proportions for the CMU student population. Gender and ethnicity characteristics of the sample closely correspond to the CMU population. The largest discrepancy occurs in residency, as the sample overrepresents on-campus students and under-represents off-campus students, as residency was not one of the target stratifications that were sought in the sampling process. Class proportions vary across the CMU population and the sample data. A clarification is in order. The Registrar’s office selected students according to the characteristics of gender, ethnicity, and class standing for the Spring 2005 semester, the semester that the survey was conducted. Figures for the CMU population in Table 1 are those reported for the Fall 2005 semester. The only published census of the student population is in the Fall semester; Fall student characteristics vary in a consistent pattern from the Spring semester. There are relatively fewer seniors in the Spring semester as Fall graduation depletes this  class and the proportion of freshman increases in the Spring semester since most freshmen haven’t earned enough credits to move into the sophomore class. The number of freshmen, therefore, remains approximately the same in the Spring semester, while the total student population declines. The survey questions asked for personal information and the student’s typical local spending behavior during the months they spend on campus. Surveyed students were asked about the amount they spent in various categories in Isabella County (where CMU is located) when the university is in session (late August through mid-May). All the surveyed students were asked the amount they spend during a typical week in retail stores, and how much of that was for groceries. The students were also asked about weekly gasoline and recreation expenditures as well as the amount they typically spend each semester for books and other school supplies. Respondents living off campus, but not at-home with parents, were asked about monthly expenditures for rent, communication services (telephone, local cell phone, cable television and internet access), and other utilities (e. g., natural gas and electric). Students were given the opportunity to identify up to two additional types of expenditures that they incurred on a regular basis and up to two out-of-the-ordinary expenses that had incurred during the previous semester. Only a small number of respondents reported any spending in response to these questions. [1] Table 1: Selected Demographic Characteristics of the Student Sample Variable Observations Percent of sample or mean value1 CMU population proportions or mean values2 Gender female 147 60% 57% male. 100 40% 43% Class freshman 57 23% 27% sophomore 45 18% 22% junior 52 21% 20% senior 93 38% 31% Age 247 22 years 21 years Ethnicity white 226 91% 91% Non-white 21 9% 9% Residence on-campus 121 49% 33% off-campus 110 45% 67% W ith parents 15 6% Local in summer 62 26% Have car 205 83% Employed 130 53% Work hours 130 22. 2/week College financing Pay none 42 17% Pay some 77 31% Pay half 30 12% Pay most 38 15% Pay all 59 24% 1: represents the sample characteristics of the Spring 2005 survey 2: represents CMU’s student census in Fall 2005. Table 2 (below) shows the general categories of spending that were reported and the corresponding average amount spent over a nine-month period for those students that reported any spending in these categories. The last category in this table is for spending identified by the respondent but not classified in the other categories. The most commonly reported miscellaneous spending was for automobile repair and services. Questions were asked about the amount and the timing of spending since some spending tends to occur on a weekly basis (e. g. , groceries and gasoline). Table 2: Mean Student Spending by Spending Category, 9-months Spending category Observations 9-month mean Percent of total spending Recreation 239 $1,406 23% Stores (includes food) 222 $1,283 19% Food 211 $842 12% Rent 109 $3,228 24% Telecommunications 103 $776 5% 87 $606 4% Books and supplies 239 $724 12% Gasoline 198 $592 8% Miscellaneous 120 $559 5% 8 $2,415 1% 62 $601 3% 1 $315 0% 19 $1,826 2% Hospitals 2 $208 0% Child care 1 $4,610 0% Other nonprofit 9 $353 0% Religious organiz. 13 $587 1% State local gov’t 9 $725 0% Other miscellaneous 31 $774 2% Total annual spending 247 $5,928 100% Utilities. Computer services Auto repair Recreation clubs Doctors and dentists Notes: Only respondents reporting positive expenditures were included in the calculation of mean values. Total annual spending does not double-count food expenditures. Weekly and monthly expenditures were converted to figures based on a 9month calendar since most students reside in the local area only during the traditional academic year, i. e. the Fall and Spring semesters. Spending by students residing in the local area on a year-round basis was calculated as if they were 9-month residents to provide consistency in the reported figures. [2] A CMU Student Profile Since we take a case study approach, it is appropriate for us to provide a brief description of the CMU student population to aid in the interpretation of the results of our study. CMU is a regional universityone of 15 publicly-assisted universities in the state. In 2005 it attracted students from every county in Michigan as well as 47 other states. Ninety-eight percent of the students are Michigan residents, nine percent are self-identified as African American, Native American, Asian or Hispanic, and 99 percent are U.S. citizens. The greatest proportion of students (29 percent) resided in the Detroit metropolitan area as high school students. The legal-age for drinking alcoholic beverages in Michigan is 21 years. The typical CMU undergraduate fits the description of a â€Å"traditional student† (See Table 1 above. ). Most are full-time students who live either in residence halls on campus (freshman are required to live on-campus) or nearby (i. e. within 5 miles) in off-campus rental housing. Only six percent were identified as living at home with their parents. Most (74 percent) leave town during the summer months to return to their home town or other areas to find work or internships. Their mean age is 22 years. The gender distribution (57 percent female, 43 percent male) reflects CMU’s academic traditions. CMU graduates more teaching majors annually than all but a handful of other universities in the nation and offers newer programs in health professions which attract a large number of female students. According to sample data, most students (83 percent) have use of a car, and about half are employed for an average of 22 hours per week. Thirty nine percent pay most or all, 43 percent pay some or about half, and 17 percent pay none of their college expenses. Patterns of Spending An overall description of the sample characteristics is provided in Table 2 (above). [3] Only students reporting positive expenditures were included in the calculation of mean values. Most students reported spending on recreation, stores, food, books and supplies, and gasoline. Students living on campus were not asked questions about living expenses since rent, utilities and telecommunications expenses are typically aggregated into a one-semester housing charge. Less than one-half of the respondents reported any spending on rent, utilities, telecommunications, or miscellaneous items. The spending categories with the greatest mean values and widespread reporting of are rent, recreation, and general spending in stores (including food items). About one-half of the students indicated that they had spent funds on a variety of miscellaneous items. The most frequently cited items were auto repairs, physician and dentist services, and contributions to religious and non-profit organizations. Some categories of miscellaneous spending (i.e. , child care, computers and computer services, and medical care) had large mean expenditures among those reporting any spending for these things. However, few students reported any spending in these categories. Table 2 (above) shows per student spending for all spending categories. The student sample spends a considerable amount on recreation (about 23 percent of total spending) and most of their spending at stores (about 66 percent) goes for food items. Spending on non-food items, i. e. , general merchandise, is a modest $441 in a none-month period. In fact, students in the survey spent more on text books ($724) and gasoline ($592) than non-food items in stores ($441). Less than half of students pay for rent, utilities and telecommunications equipment and services, but these expenditures are considerable compared with other items of spending. Recall that about half the students lived in on-campus housing and were not asked questions about expenditures on rent, utilities and telecommunications. However, the overall student profile hides substantial variation in the pattern of spending across groups of students. Class standing clearly affects spending patterns shown in Table 3 (below). Perhaps first-year students have lower incomes from summer work and different lifestyles than juniors and seniors. Freshmen are required to stay on-campus, and many sophomores choose to stay in dormitories – only 109 of the 247 respondents (44 percent) reported that they paid rent for off-campus housing and of only five of these were freshmen or sophomores. Freshmen and sophomores spend significantly less than juniors and seniors on a variety of items including recreation, food and non-food items from stores, and miscellaneous purchases. Seniors spend substantially more than underclassmen on recreation (69 percent and 95 percent more than freshmen and sophomores respectively), and they spend more than twice as much on miscellaneous items and general merchandise and food in stores. Some of these spending differences reflect Michigan’s legal drinking age of 21 and off-campus versus on-campus lifestyle choices. Table 3: Mean Student Expenditures by Class Standing, 9-month Figures Spending category Recreation Stores (includes food) Food Rent Telecommunications Utilities Books and supplies Gasoline. Total miscellaneous Total annual spending Freshmen n $1,079 $733 $512 $5,616 $1,350 $0 $686 $595 $462 $2,892 % 53 35% 47 21% 42 13% 1 3% 1 1% 1 0% 57 24% 34 12% 19 5% 57 101% Sophomores $942 $695 $468 $2,948 $495 $795 $700 $493 $217 $3,017 n % 42 30% 39 20% 34 12% 4 9% 4 1% 3 2% 44 23% 31 12% 23 4% 44 101% Juniors $1,358 $1,313 $908 $2,803 $608 $544 $750 $561 $487 $6,267 n % 52 21% 48 19% 49 13% 31 26% 31 6% 21 3% 53 12% 49 8% 29 4% 53 100% Seniors $1,833 $1,822 $1,114 $3,392 $862 $618 $682 $652 $1,014 $8,910 n % 92 20% 88 19% 86 12% 73 30% 67 7% 63 5% 93 8% 85 7% 36 4% 93 100%. Notes: Only respondents reporting positive expenditures were included in the calculation of mean values. n is the number of observations. Percent is each category’s percent of total spending. A t-test for difference in mean values was conducted for each figure in the table. Italicized cells denote that the cell’s mean value is different from the grouped mean value of the other three classes and statistically significant at the 5 percent level. Total annual spending does not doublecount food expenditures. Another approach is to compare budget shares, rather than gross spending across categories. We know from Table 3 (above) that seniors spend, on average, $6,000 more than freshmen. But do seniors apportion their spending across categories in a similar manner as freshman, or do they have different spending priorities? The columns labeled â€Å"percent† represent a category’s share of total spending. Budget shares of categories associated with off-campus living clearly increase as students move through class standings since most underclassmen live on-campus. Two categories of spending, recreation and books, exhibit decreasing shares across the freshman-to-senior years. This suggests that gross spending in these categories increases at a slower rate than total spending across years. This trend may disappear if housing fees for on-campus students were added to their total spending. Previous studies indicate that gender influences college students’ use of credit cards and their spending behavior (Chien and DeVaney (2001); Davies and Lea (1995); Furnham (1996); Hayhoe et al. (1999); Hayhoe et al. (2000); Leach et al. (1999); and Xiao et al. (1995)). We examine gender differences in Table 4 (below). Clearly, male students, on average, spend more than women on recreation. This differential is substantial both in terms of dollars (i. e. , $1,821 vs. $1,289) and in percentages (i. e. men spend 46 percent more). Women spend more on textbooks and school supplies ($738 vs. $647). [4] Other categories of spending exhibit no statistically significant differences in behavior across gender at a 95 percent confidence level. Table 4: Mean student expenditures by gender, 9-month Figures Spending category Recreation Stores (includes food) Food Rent Store: non-food Telecommunications Utilities Books and supplies Gasoline Total miscellaneous Total annual spending. Female $1,289 $1,350 $810 $3,341 $540 $662 $635 $738 $553 183 $5,599 n 147 146 144 58 146 48 58 147 117 60 147 % 23% 24% 14% 24% 10% 4% 4% 13% 8% 1% 101% Male $1,821 $1,234 $858 $3,100 $376 $536 $508 $647 $655 $293 $6,411 n % 100 28% 99 19% 97 13% 51 25% 99 12% 39 3% 47 4% 100 10% 82 8% 43 2% 100 100% t-statistic probability difference value in means 2. 59 0. 53 0. 36 0. 77 1. 29 1. 01 0. 92 2. 16 1. 40 1. 44 1. 39 0. 01 0. 60 0. 72 0. 44 0. 20 0. 31 0. 36 0. 03 0. 16 0. 08 0. 17. Notes: Only respondents reporting positive expenditures were included in the calculation of mean values.n is the number of observations. Percent is the category’s percent of total spending. Total annual spending does not double-count food expenditures. Stereotyping and studies of student attitudes towards money and credit card use suggest that women are more likely to shop for clothing or personal items and use credit cards to purchase them (Hayhoe et al. (1999); Hayhoe et al. (2000); Leach (1999)). Our data does not support that contention. A t-test of the difference in means for the category of non-food store spending yielded insignificant results: a t-statistic of 1. 29 with a p-value of 0. 20. Several factors may explain our conflicting conclusion. One, our stratified random sample could remove response bias inherent in the sampling procedures of the previous studies. Two, if binge shopping is practiced by a very small percentage of students, then it will have little impact on our mean spending figures. Three, since our survey data relies on student responses, binge spenders may under-report spending either to hide their problem behavior or because they do not know how much they are spending. Four, maybe there is some credence to the stereotype of fiscally-conservative Midwesterners. Five, following stereotypes, it may be that women spend more on clothing and men spend more on video games and equipment. Differences in budget shares across gender simply reflect differences in gross spending: women spend a greater dollar amount and share of their budgets in stores (24 versus 19 percent) while men spend a greater dollar amount and share on recreation (28 versus 23 percent). Lifestyle choices may also affect the level and pattern of spending by traditional college students. Table 5 (below) provides a comparison of mean values for on-campus residents, off-campus residents, and those students living at home with their parents. On average, students living off-campus, but not with parents, spend about twice as much as on-campus residents on recreation and stores and nearly three times as much in local stores on food items. Although there are few observations for the category, spending by students living at home with parents does differ from both dormitory and other off-campus residents. This group spends more on recreation, stores, food and miscellaneous items than dormitory residents, but these differences are not statistically significant. Students living at home in the local area spend more than the other two groups on gasoline. On-campus students may spend on gas to intermittently drive home on the weekends while at-home-students are likely to drive to and from campus each day; perhaps multiple times per day. Since this group tends to be underclassmen, the differential between the on-campus and with-parents groups may, in part, measure how much time on-campus students spend away from campus. [5] On-campus students spend a greater share of their budget on recreation (34 versus 19 percent), stores (29 versus 17 percent) and books (24 versus 7 percent) than off-campus students. The book share difference is driven by differences in total spending since gross spending on books in nearly identical. Although off-campus students spend twice as much on recreation and stores than on-campus students, their shares of total spending are lower. Table 5: Mean student Expenditures by Place of Residence, 9-month Figures Spending category Recreation Stores (includes food) Food Rent Telecommunications Utilities Books and supplies Gasoline Total miscellaneous Total annual spending oncampus $1,024 $869 $434 no observ. no observ. no observ. $733 $476 $158. $2,634 n % 121 34% 119 29% 116 14% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 120 24% 81 11% 45 2% 137 100% offcampus $2,004 $1,802 $1,263 $3,689 $871 $578 $718 $651 $290 $10,353 n % 110 19% 110 17% 109 12% 110 36% 107 8% 105 5% 107 7% 104 6% 55 1% 110 100% with parents $1,706 $1,103 $748 no observ. no observ. no observ. $700 $864 $175 $4,123 n % 16 41% 16 27% 16 18% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 12 13% 14 18% 3 1% 16 100% Notes: Only respondents reporting positive expenditures were included in the calculation of mean values. n is the number of observations. Percent is each category’s percent of total spending. A t-test for difference in mean values was conducted for each figure in the table. Italicized cells denote that the cell’s mean value is different from the grouped mean value of the other two groups and statistically significant at the 5 percent level. Total annual spending does not double-count food expenditures. Students have different budget constraints from one another. Although the survey did not specifically ask questions about the student’s or parents’ incomes or assets, it did ask whether the student worked and what proportion of college and other living expenses was paid by the students. Answers to these questions can measure a student’s ability to pay, particularly for those items which represent discretionary expenditures (e. g. recreation spending). Table 6 (below) examines mean values for student spending based on the students’ financial burden for college expenses. Again, recall that those students living on campus were not asked questions about their spending on rent, utilities and telecommunications. Variation in patterns for these three spending categories in this table could be the result of the surveying procedure. Relatively few of the differentials in spending are significant at the 5 percent level in Table 6; with many of these occurring for the â€Å"pay none† and â€Å"pay all† categories. Those students who â€Å"pay all† have higher overall expenditures than the other groups (when combined) in terms of stores, food, and utilities and overall spending. The â€Å"pay all† category is likely composed of students who are financially independent of their parents and are working substantial hours to support themselves. They are also more likely to be non-traditional students having parental responsibilities and different asset levels and lifestyles. All of these characteristics contribute to a higher overall level of spending. Those who â€Å"pay none† spend significantly less on gasoline, total miscellaneous, and overall spending. An examination of sample data suggests that students in the â€Å"pay all† and â€Å"pay none† categories are substantially different in terms of work behavior and age. Students in the â€Å"pay all† category were more likely to work (61 percent of the group) than the â€Å"pay none† students (36 percent), and when they did work, they tended to work a greater number of hours: 22. 4 versus 16. 9 hours. In terms of age, the â€Å"pay all† group was clearly older. The â€Å"pay all† group had some of the oldest students in the sample (i. e. , the oldest students in this group were 48, 40, 35 and 32), while the â€Å"pay none† group had fewer of the oldest students (i. e. , the oldest students in this group were 37, 24, 24 and 23). The mean age of the â€Å"pay all† group was 23. 5 years, while that for the â€Å"pay none† group was 21. 1 years. These characteristics suggest that more of the â€Å"pay all† group would be classified as â€Å"non-traditional† students. Budget shares for most categories of spending exhibit no consistent pattern in Table 6 (below). Two patterns do emerge, however: those students who â€Å"pay none† of their college expenses tend to spend a greater proportion of their budget on recreation (29 percent) and books (15 percent) than students in the other categories, even though they spend comparable gross dollar amounts. Total annual spending generally rises as the proportion paid by students rises, with the exception of the pay-half and pay-most categories being reversed. The general trend may arise because both proportion of college expenses paid and total annual spending rise with student work hours and earnings. Another possibility is that with a higher proportion of college expenses paid by the student, there is less oversight of spending by the parents, with consequent upward pressure on current spending. Table 6: Mean Student Expenditures by Proportion of College Paid by Student, 9-month Figures Spending category pay none n % pay some n % Recreation Stores (includes food) Food Rent Telecommunications Utilities Books and supplies Gasoline Total miscellaneous Total annual spending $1,308 $1,096 $844 $2,866 $569 $572 $642 $462 $261 $4,423 41 29% 37 22% 33 15% 12 19% 11 3% 7 2% 42 15% 33 8% 18 3% 42 100% $1,328 $1,270 $722. $3,210 $814 $556 $747 $541 $492 $5,268 76 25% 71 22% 68 12% 25 20% 23 5% 20 3% 74 8% 59 14% 35 4% 77 100% pay half n % $1,483 $1,212 $780 $3,293 $503 $456 $688 $675 $346 $6,504 28 21% 28 17% 27 11% 18 30% 17 4% 17 4% 30 11% 26 9% 17 3% 30 100% pay most n % $1,192 $1,052 $885 $3,397 $1,170 $342 $674 $660 $565 $5,461 36 21% 30 15% 29 12% 16 26% 15 8% 13 2% 37 12% 31 10% 20 5% 38 100% pay all n $1,699 $1,584 $1,001 $3,254 $781 $847 $754 $665 $933 $7,953 57 21% 56 19% 54 12% 38 26% 37 6% 30 5% 59 9% 50 7% 30 6% 59 100% Notes: Only respondents reporting positive expenditures were included in the calculation of mean values. n is the number of observations is in parentheses. Percent is each category’s percent of total spending. A t-test for difference in mean values was conducted for each figure in the table. Italicized cells denote that the cell’s mean value is different from the grouped mean value of the other four groups and statistically significant at the 5 percent level. Total annual spending does not double-count food expenditures. Table 7 (below) reports differences in spending between employed and unemployed students. Those who work spend more overall and in the specific categories of stores, telecommunications, and total miscellaneous spending. Using a 10 percent level of significance, one additional difference arises: working students spend more on gasoline. To the extent that these students are living off-campus and commute to work via automobile, these spending differences are plausible. % Table 7: Mean Student Expenditures by Employment, 9-month Figures Spending category Recreation Stores (includes food) Food Rent Telecommunications Utilities Books and supplies Gasoline Total miscellaneous Total annual spending employed n $1,465 $1,506 $911 $3,308 $881 $657 $715.

How media affects our perception on gender

How media affects our perception on gender Media plays a great role on our day to day doings: for our views on particular fields of thoughts, our purchasing thought, and the way and of performance (how people things) and on various aspects on life. One of the ways that the media affects is on our perception on gender. This can be main seen thought various advertisements in that thought various media advertisement they tend to belittle the one gender .this is very evident in many advertisements that manly advertises liquor cigarettes for example in the recent past an international brand beer put out an advert that a gentleman drinking that brand he will have all ladies chasing after him this give a thought that a lady only looks at the drink on not on the mans personality. Moreover this is more reflected when by the programs that are aired on the media some of the program give the feminine gender a low status in the society .it give the lady a position as the a beast of all burden . The research revealed that television portrayed more male figures than female, and furthermore depicted males in a more varied range of occupations and activities than their female counterparts, who typically were depicted as being content with domestic settings while working in traditional female occupational specialties. If this doesnt affect a childs perceptions of gender roles I dont know what does. Just as much research supports that positive depiction of both male and females on television can influence the same type of role model for children who in turn nurture this image later in life as an adult. Is it not a good thing, when a young girl wants to be like the female surgeon on ER, and dreams of becoming a doctor? Or the young boy or girl who is impressed with the team of forensic scientists on CSI and is inspired to follow suite? In as much as children spend a lot of their time watching television and tend to imitate what they see, it seems logical to assume that the perceptions of gender roles can be at least influenced in part by the type of programming that is beamed into our living rooms. Further more, it is entirely plausible that gender role development is impacted by the imitated behavior of children of what they see on television. Lets use the media to inspire our youth to do great things. Lets take the old perceptions of males and females and turn them inside out in a positive way. Our children should be reaching for the stars, and we as adults should be pointing these kids in the right direction. Though not as strongly as in earlier years, the portrayal of both men and women on TV is largely traditional and stereotypical. This serves to promote a polarization of gender roles. [With femininity are associated traits such as emotionality, prudence, co-operation, a communal sense, and compliance. Masculinity tends to be associated with such traits as rationality, efficiency, competition, individualism and ruthlessness.] Meehan has shown how on TV, good women are presented as submissive, sensitive and domesticated; bad women are rebellious, independent and selfish. The dream-girl stereotype is gentle, demure, sensitive, submissive, non-competitive, sweet- natured and dependent. The male hero tends to be physically strong, aggressive, assertive, takes the initiative, is independent, competitive and ambitious. TV and film heroes represent goodness, power, control, confidence, competence and success. They are geared, in other words, to succeed in a competitive economic system. There is no shortage of aggressive male role-models in Westerns, war films and so on. Many boys try to emulate such characteristics through action and aggression. There are few women in the heroic role played by Sigourney Weaver in Aliens. Men tend to be shown as more dominant, more violent and more powerful than women. Men on TV are more likely to disparage women than vice versa. They drive, drink and smoke more, do athletic things, and make more plans. They are found more in the world of things than in relationships. Women on TV tend to be younger than the men, typically under 30. So TV images largely reflect traditional patriarchal notions of gender. Stereotypical masculinity, for instance, is portrayed as natural, normal and universal, but it is fact a particular construction. It is largely a white, middle-class heterosexual masculinity. This is a masculinity within which any suggestion of feminine qualities or homosexuality is denied, and outside which women are subordinated. The notion of natural sex differences help to preserve the inequalities on which our economic system continues to be based. Most modern TV ads feature both girls and boys, but boys tend to be the dominant ones. Ads aimed at boys portray far more activity and aggressive behaviour than those for girls, and tend to be far louder. Boys are typically shown as active, aggressive, rational and discontented. Boys ads contain active toys, varied scenes, rapid camera cuts and loud, dramatic music and sounds. Girls ads tend to have frequent fades, dissolves, and gentle background music (Welch et al.) Morley reports that many men prefer to watch TV with full concentration, without interruption, and in silence, and that many women watch with less attention. Some women prefer to watch and chat at the same time, seeing television viewing as a social activity. Women also refer more often than men to chatting about TV programmes with friends and workmates. One women (cited by Hobson, in Seiter et al.) declared I only watch Coronation Street so I can talk about it. Fathers who become engrossed in TV programmes (most clearly in news programmes, apparently) are of course at the time less responsive to other members of the family. Some commentators have argued that watching in this way is a deliberate way for men to shut out the rest of the family. It is very uncommon for mothers to neglect the family in this way: they tend to maintain a monitoring role. Some may on occasion even watch primarily in order to make social contact with another viewer. This is a clear reflection of prevailing social roles in the home. Most mothers would feel too guilty to watch television as wholeheartedly as many men like to do, and the prevailing pattern of responsibilities in the home does not permit women to watch in the way that men prefer. As Ang puts it (in Seiter et al.): Men can watch television in a concentrated manner because they control the conditions to do so. Fathers are the ones referred to most often as controlling the selection of TV programmes on the main family TV set, though fathers often didnt see it this way (Lull). In Morleys sample, men were far more likely to plan a evenings viewing in advance than women were. For many men the remote control device is effectively symbolic of their power of choice over programmes. Some women complain that their husbands often switch programmes without regard for whether their wives had been watching. Mothers only rarely take such unilateral action. This is a reflection of male power in the home. As one girl put it, Dad keeps both of the automatic controls one on each side of his chair.

evilmac Macbeths Evil Aspect Essay -- Macbeth essays

Macbeth's Evil Aspect      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth by William Shakespeare rrepresents unrelenting evil from beginning to end. Who is th emost evil? What motivates the evil intentions and actions? This paper intends to answer these questions.    Charles Lamb in On the Tragedies of Shakespeare explains the impact of evil as seen in Macbeth's initial murder:    The state of sublime emotion into which we are elevated by those images of night and horror which Macbeth is made to utter, that solemn prelude with which he entertains the time till the bell shall strike which is to call him to murder Duncan, - when we no longer read it in a book, when we have given up that vantage-ground of abstraction which reading possesses over seeing, and come to see a man in his bodily shape before our eyes actually preparing to commit a murder, if the acting be true and impressive as I have witnessed it in Mr. K's performance of that part, the painful anxiety about the act, the natural longing to prevent it while it yet seems unperpetrated, the too close pressing semblance of reality, give   a pain and an uneasiness [. . .]. (134)    L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" specifies the particular species of evil present within the play:    Macbeth defines a particular kind of evil - the evil that results from a lust for power. The defining, as in all the tragedies, is in strictly poetic and dramatic terms. It is certainly not an abstract formulation, but lies rather in the drawing out of necessary consequences and implications of that lust both in the external and the spiritual worlds. Its meaning, therefore, is revealed in the expansion and unfolding of what lies within the initial evil, in terms of direct human experience. (93)    ... ...acbeth." The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1972.    Knights, L.C. "Macbeth." Shakespeare: The Tragedies. A Collectiion of Critical Essays. Alfred Harbage, ed. Englewwod Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964.    Lamb, Charles. On the Tragedies of Shakespeare. N.p.: n.p.. 1811. Rpt in Shakespearean Tragedy. Bratchell, D. F. New York, NY: Routledge, 1990.    Mack, Maynard. Everybody's Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993.    Warren, Roger. Shakespeare Survey 30.   N.p.: n.p., 1977. Pp. 177-78. Rpt. in Shakespeare in the Theatre: An Anthology of Criticism. Stanley Wells, ed. England: Oxford University Press, 2000.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.   

Insomnia Essay -- essays research papers

INTRODUCTION  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stephen King’s Number One Best-Seller, Insomnia, is a book about an elderly man named Ralph Roberts who begins to suffer from early waking. This form of insomnia grows into a terrible problem for Ralph as he begins to awaken earlier and earlier each morning. People begin to comment about his health and sickly appearance. Many take it upon themselves to recommend old-fashioned home remedies that aren’t supposed to fail. Ralph attempted everything from staying up all night (much to his dismay, he found himself growing more and more awake as the early morning hours passed) to sucking on honeycomb. None of the-tried-and true remedies work and by the time Ralph is getting only about an hour of sleep each night, Ralph begins to see auras around people. Naturally, Ralph begins to think that he is becoming senile because of his old age of 70, even one of his best friends tells him that he has lost it. When Ralph meets two little men from another realm of consciousness and they reveal that they caused him to lose sleep. They explained to him that losing sleep enable him to see the auras that he had begun to see, he is quite relieved to find that he isn‘t insane. This story progresses to its climax in which Ralph must take on a man who is unknowingly helping the king of the dark side, known as the Random in this thriller, kill two thousand people. There is a little boy amongst these people who will save two men in the future, these men are destined to help the light side, known as the Purpose. During the fight, Ralph takes on the king of the Random himself and wins. This saves the little boy and according to the two little men, the universe is balanced once again. As promised by the two little otherworldly men, life returns to normal for Ralph and he can once again sleep.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What happened to Ralph in this work is a very imaginative look at what happens to a person suffering from insomnia. In scientific reports, there isn’t evidence of the patient seeing auras, being capable of rising to other levels of consciousness at will, or even entering levels which make them invisible to the human eye, as Ralph did in the book. Sufferers of insomnia in the real world will experience difficulties such as: da... ...oncentration; stress, anxiety, irritability, sleepiness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This loss of sleep comes in many different flavours such as difficulty falling asleep, not having a problem falling asleep but a problem staying asleep (many awakenings), and waking up too early. This can lead to many problems in a person’s life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Of the three forms of insomnia, chronic insomnia is the most serious and can last for a month or longer. This form is usually more complex and may be caused by a number of factors, including underlying physical or mental disorders. One of the most common causes of chronic insomnia is depression. Physical causes include arthritis and sleep apnea. Other causes are related to behaviors such as the misuse of caffeine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Insomnia can be cured with proper treatments. Popular treatments for this difficulty sleeping include relaxation therapy and reconditioning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though insomnia may be glamorized by some authors, this problem is nothing to fantasize about, it is a serious problem if it is chronic and should be attended to if it lasts as long as a month.