The Theory of Evolution and Survival of the Fittest Essay

Does evolving from a living thing such as a tiny cell sound crazy? The theory of evolution, in basic terms, speculates that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor. The theory of evolution and survival of the fittest has been around since the time of the ancient Greeks and maybe earlier. Evolution has provided people of the world with an explanation of how everyone and everything got here. Although, this theory has sparked a lot of debate, the factual side of evolution is quite interesting. Contrary to popular belief, Charles Darwin was not the first person to come up with evolution. It’s been around for many centuries. For example, Mark Felix (170-250 AD) and Lactantious (260-330 AD) were believers in evolution way†¦show more content†¦These are the most famous. Survival of the fittest is the best way to describe evolution. If an organism is well suited for its environment, it will not be killed off as fast as an organism not well suited for the environment. Organisms in the same environment with the same eating habits are constantly competing for resources, so whichever organism is better suited will survive and kill off the weaker or less suited organisms. The organism surviving better will then pass his beneficial genes to his offspring and they will be better suited too. Since these organisms are better suited for their environment, they will keep surviving and reproducing. Later on, the whole population will have the characteristic bettering them for their environment, making it easier for them to survive as well. The beneficial changes to the organism can later result in an entirely different creature. Another piece of evidence regarding evolution is vestigial organs. A vestigial organ is an organ that was once useful in an animal†™s or humans’ evolutionary past, but that now is useless or very close to useless. There are some organs in organisms’ bodies that are useless and do not serve a purpose so why are they there? For example, the appendix in humans is completely unnecessary and does not serve a purpose in the anatomy of a human body. In theory, vestigial organs may have been useful to animals and humans in their past, but as they evolved; the organShow MoreRelatedThe Finches From The Galapagos Island1255 Words   |  6 PagesChange is the key factor in a species survival, whether that change, is being minimal or extremely dramatic, and without change a species have condemned itself to extinction. Animals have learned to adapt to their surroundings in order to survive, and with these adaptation people can witness new breeds added to the spectrum and see them flourish. Breeds can be defined as a stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically hav ing been developed by deliberateRead MoreCharles Darwin s Theory Of Evolution1173 Words   |  5 Pages It is time to start believing. Evolutionary theories were first proposed by Charles Darwin in the 19th century, and 150 years later, these ideas are still being studied and proven today. Charles Darwin set the basis for these discoveries. Natural Selection and survival of the fittest are two examples of evolution. Charles Darwin once exclaimed, â€Å"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.† ThisRead MoreArgument Against Evolution By Natural Selection1208 Words   |  5 Pages Comment Powered by Li 1 UCOR 1620 02 Darwin the idea of Evolution Mingxi Li(Jessie) Mar. 8th, 2017 Assignment 3 Argument against Evolution by Natural Selection Abstract Natural selection is one of the numerous theories that attempt to explain the evolution of living things from their primitive origins to the more advanced organisms existing today. At its core, this theory supports the notion that only the strongest organisms survive in a changing environmentRead MoreCharles Darwin, The Most Influential Nineteenth Century Evolutionary Thinker1176 Words   |  5 Pagesamassing enormous amounts of biological and geological data from his voyage to South America (Fiero 3). In 1859, he published his classic work, The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, where he summarizes his theory of evolution with the thought of struggle for survival, or natural selection. Furthermore, natural selection is the idea of groups of species surviving through generations by adapting to changes in the environment and using certain characteristics as an advantage. In additionRead MoreSocial Darwinism Is An Ideology Of Society1566 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Darwinism is an ideology of society that seeks to apply biological concepts of the laws of evolution by natural selection of evolutionary theory to sociology and politics, often with the assumption that conflict between groups in society leads to social progress a s superior groups outcompete inferior ones. How we got to the point of coining the modern term of â€Å"Social Darwinism† we would have to turn to the famous man himself, Charles Darwin. At first glance, Charles Darwin seems an unlikelyRead MoreDarwin s Theory Of Evolution859 Words   |  4 PagesAnother issue is that Darwin’s theory has many holes the scientists are unable to fill. These holes are obvious in Dwain’s theory of evolution. Craig Belanger works for EBSCO Publishing he stated in his Biography of Charles Darwin, which was found on the TRC database under Book Collection Nonfiction: High School Edition Belanger said that, Although there are many facets to Darwin s theory of evolution by natural selection, at its core is the idea that a species ability to evolve is based on itsRead MoreThe Theory of Evolution754 Words   |  4 PagesRunning Head: EVOLUTION The Theory of Evolution By Student’s Name Name of University Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution has been a topic of controversy since it was promulgated in the late 1800s. Nonetheless, its tenets remain strong, with many modern day scientists making discoveries that support Darwin’s theories of evolution, natural selection, and survival of the fittest. In The Origin of Species, Darwin calls the process of natural selection or survival of the fittest, the preservationRead MoreScientific Theories Aligning with Evolution721 Words   |  3 Pagesanalysing relevant diagrams and information explaining the process of evolution it will be evident of which scientists’ evolutionary theory best aligns with the evolution of the chosen species.Living organisms are believed to have developed from earlier forms throughout history as a result of Evolution (oxforddictionaries,2014). The species to be further researched on is the Giraffe. ‘Darwinism’ and ‘Lamarckism’ are the two main theories focused on throughout the analysis, both will be investigated toRead MoreStrengths And Weaknesses Of Evolution1495 Words   |  6 Pageshe found to explain his theories of evolution. Darwin knew that the text he was writing was controversial and many people discussed the evidence Darwin had presented. This evolution is simply a theory; There are strengths and weaknesses that do not exist if it were a fact. Three of evolutions strengths are the evidence of fossils and the connection between living animals and animals of the past, the idea of natural selection, and Darwins theory of survival of the fittest and freedom of the 19thRead MoreEvolution Study Guide1319 Words   |  6 PagesEVOLUTION STUDY GUIDE o Define the following terms: 1. Evolution – a change in the number of times specific genes that codes for specific characteristics occur within an interbreeding population over a period of time. 2. Fossils – preserved remains of organisms that lived long ago, usually in sedimentary rock. 3. Acquired traits – organisms that acquire, not inherit, traits over a period of time and that cannot be passed down to the next generation. 4. Artificial selection – a breeder that selects

Gangs A Brotherhood of Violence Essay - 500 Words

What is brotherhood? How does it apply to those involved? Why does it exist? Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines brotherhood as â€Å"an association for a particular purpose.† To gang members, young and old, brotherhood is an escape from society’s constant pressure to fit in, to succeed, to conform to social norms. It is within a brotherhood that gang members find peace and comfort. Brotherhood is a way of life; it is the very essence that allows a gang to thrive in the metropolis of violence. One gang oath states: I will stand by my brother, my brother will come before all others, my life is forfeited should I fail my brother, I will honor my brother in peace and war. Within the confines of a gang, brotherhood becomes an idol, something†¦show more content†¦Brotherhood blurs the reality for gang members; they no longer fret about the retribution and wrath of the law. They are willing to protect their liked ones at any cost. The fear no longer lies in d eath but in dishonoring a brother. Revenge is imminent when a fellow brother has been disrespected or killed. Becoming part of the lifestyle means the end of the current life and the start of a new one devoted to honoring and upholding a tradition, brotherhood means family and family does not get left behind. Despite bringing acceptance, which seems to be for the greater good, brotherhood within a gang is not all rainbows and baby unicorns; it presents a dark and morbid side effect. Brotherhood readily accepts the challenge of keeping the gang pure and prevents infiltration, whether that is battles with rival gangs, or protecting brothers from threats outside the brotherhood. Constant rivalries and power struggles on the street present gangs an opportunity to apply how brotherhood affects them. To return the favor of getting to be part of some Brotherhood numbs gang members and allows for all reasoning to be lost. It keeps them alive and yet causes them to die. To honor the brotherhood that has been â€Å"graciously† given to them, they must kill or be killed. To think that getting to be a part of a brotherhood without having to give anything return is quite naà ¯ve. The price to pay to be part of a family and to belong seems absurd, given the fatality is inevitable in such aShow MoreRelatedThe Brotherhood : The Aryan Brotherhood Essay1333 Words   |  6 PagesOne of the most infamous prison gangs is the Aryan Brotherhood. Few details about their earliest days are known, but they quickly became known and feared by the 1970s. They are ruthless, dangerous, and brutal. Founded during the civil rights movement, white supremacist inmates at the San Quentin prison created a gang of their own for protection. Over time, as their power grew, so did their criminal activity. Also known as The Brand, they are among six major prison gangs that are recognized nationallyRead MoreShould Prison Gangs Become More Prevalent Inside Our Nation s Prison System? Essay1726 Words   |  7 Pages Prison gangs within the penal system are problematic and a multifaceted issue for several reasons. One reason gangs are so problematic in the penal system is due to the threat they impose on others, including other types of gang-bangers, non-gang affiliated inmates, correctional staff, pr ison administration, and the overall security of the facility itself. According to research, â€Å"A composite measure of gang misconduct represents the threat that particular gangs pose to prison order† (Gaes, WallaceRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book My Dead Brother 1482 Words   |  6 Pagesshooting which shows how the violence is already started in the book. The story takes place in Harlem, New York, which is where the author was raised. Many believe that the book is based on Walter Dean Myers experience growing up in Harlem. Harlem has gone through several changes since the beginning of the 20th century, which is closely depicted in the book. One of the more recent time period from the 90’s to the present. During this time there was and still is a strong gang influence on the communityRead MoreOrganized Crime Group Analysis1527 Words   |  7 Pageshaving knowledge of how organized crime began we have a better understanding of where it is today. So as a team we decided to research the organization The Aryan Brotherhood. Originally named the Diamond Tooth Gang in 1967, a group of men gathered in the prison yard of San Quentin, to form their own racially motivated prison gang. These men mostly consisted of neo-Nazi, white supremist, long haired biker types. They formed an alliance to protect themselves and strike against the group ofRead MoreSecurity Threat Groups And Prison Gangs1665 Words   |  7 PagesSecurity threat groups and prison gangs are responsible for a lot of the crimes that occur in prison. Well-organized and highly structured prison gangs who have leaders and influences have been around decades. Gangs in prison can be described as groups whose activities pose a real threat to the safety of the institutional staff and other inmates and also to security of the correctional institution (Beth, 1991). These gangs always have strong leaders and use that leadership role to their advantageRead MoreBra Boys:blood is thicker then water777 Words   |  4 Pagesevents. In the instance Br a boys; Blood is thicker then water, directed by Sunny Abberton, the Bra Boys gang is viewed as a imitation of a prodigious brotherhood gang of surfers that are victims from occurrences and backgrounds opposed to a gang that dispute with the law by an act of violence. The Bra Boys have interpreted issues and events by emphasizing the importance of family, belonging, brotherhood and multiculturalism. The use of presenting constructed footage and personal interviews endorses viewersRead MoreThe Brotherhood Crusade Youth Service Center1329 Words   |  6 Pagesworker include opening a youth center, I enjoyed my visit at the Brotherhood Crusade Youth Source Center. Brotherhood Crusade Youth Service Center is located at 4401 Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. It is a non-profit community based facility with many components. Programs they provide are Youth Development, Financial Literacy, Business Enrichment and Sports. According to their website, the mission of Brotherho od Crusade is to remove and/or help individuals overcome the barriersRead MoreThe Security Threat Of Prisons And Police Officers1224 Words   |  5 PagesSTGs There are many dangerous gang in prison and out on the streets that are a security threat to prison staff and to public. These groups are called STGs or Security Threat Groups (gangs). Prisons and police officers try to control these gangs as much as possible so there could be the least threat as possible. Some of the main security threat groups are: The Aryan Brotherhood, The Ku Klux Klan, The Folks, The Nation of Islam, and MS 13. These 5 groups are a major threat to prison staffRead MoreGangs : A Little Short Of A Century Ago1343 Words   |  6 Pagesof a century ago, gangs begin to form. Gangs are essentially an organized group of people. Not all gangs are bad, but the majority and those, in which I will speak on, participate in activities such as murder crimes, theft, drugs, money laundering, etc. These groups of people do not have a certain age or gender acceptance. Usually, the males are the higher members in the gang, but the women also commit crimes. There is milli ons of gang members all across the United States. Gangs are believed to haveRead MoreGangs: Past and Present886 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Gangs are groups of three or more people who band together for protection, socialization, or financial gain. By joining, members take on a common identity of the gang.† (Staff, 2014) Gangs have existed in America since the American Revolution. The presence of gangs has increased in the U.S.; they affect almost 3,550 jurisdictions as of 2007. (Staff, Gangs, ProQuest LLC., 2014) In recent years, they have even corrupted the most secure organizations, such as the armed forces and professional sports

Adjuster Fraud Investigation Checklist Essay Example For Students

Adjuster Fraud Investigation Checklist Essay This occurs when a claims person purposely misrepresents the truth in ordertoeither deny or support a claim; or offers or accepts any form ofconsideration forthe referral or settlement of a claim. Examples:Accepting a gift, such as a television or trip to Hawaii, from a doctorsoffice in exchangefor an implied promise or patient referrals;Knowingly referring cases for rehabilitation services that are not needed,in exchange for arebate or other form of consideration;Altering the evidence in a claim in order to support a denial. Red Flags:Inconsistent application of cost-containment measures or agreement to payabove the feeschedule;Sloppy observance of procedure for referrals to outside vendors, orincrease in the use of a particular vendor, to the exclusion of others;Use of vendors outside the preapproved vendor panel;Assignments made to vendors where the need for the assignment isquestionable;Adjuster has social relationship with an applicants attorney or doctor;Adjuster is overheard soliciting, or is observed receiving, tickets orother gifts fromvendors. Adjusters lifestyle grossly exceeds apparent income.

Multiple Personality Disorder free essay sample

The assimilation of anger in a case of dissociative identity disorder When taking a look at the title of the article, you may be able to identify which subject follows the independent and dependent variable. In this case, anger would be the dependent variable and the dissociative identity disorder (DID) would be the independent variable. I learned several new information about the article while reading the introduction. The first thing I learned was the basics and background of the subject of the article, Kristen, who has dissociative identity disorder (DID), or also known as multiple personality disorder. Another interesting piece of information I had learned was why the alter personality/personalities come out in an individual. The historical background of this specific research topic is understanding why people have dissociative identity disorder and different behaviors when dealing with stress, emotions and social situations. The method section was significant because as a reader, I learned a little about the main subject, Kristen. We will write a custom essay sample on Multiple Personality Disorder or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Kristen is a nineteen year old, Caucasian female. Kristen was attending therapy since she was sixteen years old. Kristen decides to attend therapy consultations for thirty-six months because she is emotionally unstable. The article states that Kristen was bullied by kids at her school, she felt pressured from her parents because they had high expectations for her, and when it came to social situations Kristen would suffer from severe allergies, asthma or headache. Later on in the article we learn about another subject, Zac, who is the primary alter that Kristen has. Procedures that were used include audio recordings, detailed notes and therapy consultations. The result section was the most important part of the article. The result section holds very important information and details for the readers. In this section of the article, we learn about the two subjects, Kristen and Zak. Kristen being the depressed teen who is not able to deal with pressure and anger. Instead, Zac, the primary alter, is very aggressive and is able to deal with the anger. Throughout the results sections, Kristen’s progression is shown when dealing with anger during whatever situation it is. The first few months, Kristen is not able to cope with the anger and Zak is forced to come out, so that Kristen can feel much better about herself. Later in the article, we read how Kristen is able to deal with anger and no longer needs Zak to handle the situations for her. Kristen feels different about doing it on her own. No graphs, charts or frequency tables were shown in this article. Reading the discussion section helped me understand dissociative identity disorder and Kristen’s situation better. This is because this sections fully explains why Kristen is the way she is when it comes to anger. Kristen has created an imaginary world to escape from the realistic world that has put so much weight on her shoulders. Kristen creating her alter personality, Zak, was her own way of dealing with certain situations she could not herself. The discussion section also fully explains how anger interferes with people who have dissociative identity disorder. I was very engaged in this topic before reading this article. Reading this article helped me understand why people have multiple personalities better than before. Dissociative identity disorder is a very interesting topic to learn about.

20 Exemplification Essay Topics on Myths and Religion

20 Exemplification Essay Topics on Myths and Religion Myths are a part of the human cultural fabric due to their place through the years in helping man understand his environment as well as his place in it. Therefore, we have myths in science, in philosophy, psychology and religion - which is the topic special emphasis will be placed on today. Myths have been an important part of how human cultures have viewed religion, the creation story and the moral fabric of human society. Therefore before going further to providing exemplification essay topics of its role in religion, having a clear understanding of what both terms mean and how they interrelate is important to the development of this article. The term ‘myths’ has been described or defined in numerous ways but for the purpose of its relation to religion, the definition of myths been ideologies or credos which can be illustrated by stories but do not have their roots in the defining stories, will serve as the perfect description of mythology. Religion on the other hand consists of a set of beliefs, actions and rituals employed in the worship of a divine being. And in most cases, the set of beliefs and rituals are a proponent of one myth or the other. Finally, for those writing myths and religion, here are exemplification essay topics you can choose from that we believe will simplify the task of writing on this subject matter. Also note that an exemplification essay will be included at the end to provide you with important directions to take when drafting yours: Myth, Ritual and Religion The Role Myths Play in the Origin of the World Myths and Understanding the Concepts of Afterlife The Creation Story and Its Mythical Influences The Parallels Between Ancient Rituals and Modern Religion Pagan Myths and the Origins of Hell Belief in a Trinity and its Mythical Components The Impact of Ancient Mythology on Modern Religion Mythical Rituals and Symbols in Ancient Greek Beliefs The Function of Mythology and Religion in Ancient Societies Spiritual Stories, Myths and Legends in Religion The Importance of Myths in Ancient and Modern World Bible Myths and their Parallels in Other Religions Trees in Mythology, Legend, Symbolism and Religion Flood Myths in the Religions of the Ancient World The Importance of Understanding Mythology and its Religious Undertones Understanding the Difference Between Myth and Religion Sacred Myths: The Stories of the World’s Religions The Ancient Beginnings of the Virgin Birth Myth The Resurrection Myth and its Effect on Religion These are 20 exemplification essay topics you can choose from when given the academic task of writing on myths and religion. With little research, these interesting topics which deal with the origin and history of most of the world’s religion can be worked on by you. To further simplify your task, here is a sample essay on one of the topics listed above. Sample Exemplification Essay: The Impact of Ancient Mythology on Modern Religions The first human society developed in ancient times, the Sumerians, has been credited with starting civilization by creating urban societies at that time for human habitation. To ensure a peaceful lifestyle, the Sumer people created a set of rules and beliefs which turned into the local religion of the times to govern the moral fabric of the society. And as with most ancient religions, the set of beliefs which the Sumerians turned to were from old tales that were handed down from generation to generation through oral communication. These old tales are collectively known as Myths and this essay will be discussing the integration of myths into today’s popular religious beliefs. The three major religions of the modern world- Judaism, Christianity and Islam- all have similar beliefs concerning the creation story due to the fact that they all branched out from the Abrahamic faith. Proponents of these religion believe that the earth and its surrounding environment were called out of nothing by a supreme being but this belief system which was also orally passed down has been explored by even older religions and their myths. An example of similar creation myths that predated the above religions include the Sumerian belief of the world being created by Nippur, Enki and Enlil from nothingness. Also, in ancient Egypt, the Egyptians believed in the creation of the world from nothingness by the Ogdoads- a set of ancient Egyptian gods. These myths which were passed around for millenniums were finally put to words by both cultures in their respective times thereby leading to future discovery in modern times. A study of the creation belief of the Abrahamic religion shows some element quite similar to the mythological tales of the Sumerian and Egyptian religions. In the case of the Abrahamic belief system, a divine being had created the world out of nothing- either by himself or in company with other deities- from darkness and nothingness to light and form. Another instance is the belief in the trinity particular to some Christian sects. Here, it is believed that the divine creator consists of three co-equal gods in one central Supreme Being. This belief also stems from ancient mythology that predates Christianity by thousands of years such as in Babylon, where its priests taught about the trinity of gods- Baal, Ashtoreth and Tammuz- as coequal gods in one divine being. Also in ancient Rome, this belief was also well known and has been attributed as the inspiration behind the Christian trinity. In many instances, it can be shown that ancient story telling techniques which included embellishments by the story teller were used as a means of transferring religion from one era to the other. In some cases, these stories became over-embellished as they were retold thereby becoming so fantastical they were categorized as myths and in time, these myths found their way into religion as we know it today. Here we come to the end of this sample exemplification essay topic on myth and religion and we do hope it provided you with some insight on how to kick start your project. Don’t forget to also visit our 10 facts on Sumerian culture. Lastly, anyone looking for a set of guidelines on essay writing should also endeavour to read the last piece in this series on writing an exemplification essay. References: Turville-Petre, E. (1964). Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia, 55. Wikipedia.com. (2014). Triple Deity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_deity Charles, T. (2013). The Myth of the Holy Trinity. http://submission.org/Myth_of_Trinity.html William, H. (2005).  Classical Mythology: A Guide to the Mythical World of the Greeks and Romans, 306. http://books.google.com/books?id=_s8nSgrD0jkCpg=PA306dq=%22structures+reflecting+the+number+three%22lr=as_drrb_is=qas_minm_is=1as_miny_is=2009as_maxm_is=12as_maxy_is=2009as_brr=0as_pt=ALLTYPES West, L. (2007)  Indo-European Poetry and Myth. Oxford University Press, 140-1, 379-385. Hawting, R. (1999)  The Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Islam: From Polemic to History, 130-132. Leiren, I. (1999).  From Pagan to Christian: The Story in the 12th-Century Tapestry of the Skog Church. http://faculty.washington.edu/leiren/vikings2.html

Tourism Growth Essay

Tourism Growth Essay Tourism Growth Essay What are the factors currently limiting the country’s tourism growth? A person travelling to other countries for business purposes, recreations and leisure is simply known as tourist. The amount of tourist entering into the country is known as tourist flow and the number of percentage increase is known as tourism growth. Tourism growth varies from seasons to seasons as there are off seasons and also depending on those countries that one is visiting. Like every countries, there are always factors limiting the country’s tourism growth like climate, political stability and personal preference. 1) Hurricane Season In every country’s tourism board, their mission is to increase customers’ satisfaction, safety and comfort. Due to all these factors, the climate change plays a major impact on tourism growth. Beachside is one of the coastal features and attraction that significantly contributed to the physical, social and economic development of Antigua and Barbuda. Annually, during June to November it have been reported that six tropical storms, ten hurricanes and four tropical depressions occurred from the year between 1996 and 2001. Regardless of the land-situated miles away, whether depression, hurricanes or storms, they can affect wave motions in Antigua and Barbuda. Due to this fact, tourists have been constantly avoiding to travel to beachside at these periods of time. (unesco.org, 2003) 2) Crime Rates Crimes like violence, raping, murdering, and assaulting in Antigua and Barbuda have been constantly rising and occurring. Antigua and Barbuda was known as a tropical country with peace. During the period from 2008 to early January 2011, it have been reported that five tourists have been murdered. (WorldNormads.com, 2010) Furthermore, ever since the incident of British couple being shot with a gun, it had highlighted the crime rates of the country. In the year of 2008, it have been reported in the news that with the population of 80,000 people, murder rate have been three times more as compared to New York city. (The telegraph, 2008) 3) Personal Preference The role of personal preference refers to personal character. It consists of age, occupation, life cycle stage, economic situation and lifestyle consisting of individual’s pattern of living which can be expressed in difference in individual interests, opinions and activities that one would like to be engaged in. This data gives a brief analysis on trip purpose on which what a traveller is looking for during their trip, expectations and experiences. 4) Global Economical Crisis As the global financial crisis that began since 2008, the Caribbean Basin has been decrease slightly in visitation due to high unemployment rate especially in major market such as the United States (Kindred, 2012). Due to the high pressure on the economy people prefer to stay at home rather than going overseas with tight budget. Also as mentioned in previous section, two British tourist was shot dead and nearly half of them are not planning to come within next year and they would stay closer to their home (Simpson, 2009). Not only in Antigua, Barbuda, in Caribbean, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, nearly 5 percent was dropped for global travel in 2009 (Math, 2012) in such struggling economic situation but also they are expecting the economy will bounce back as well as the tourism industry. 5) The Increase of Flight Taxes According to BBC (2012), â€Å"The Caribbean is the most tourism-dependent region in the world – but a big drop in visitor numbers is being blamed on Britain’s air passenger duty†.

Quantitative Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Quantitative Research - Essay Example A sample will be drawn from a population of breastfeeding mothers. The breastfeeding mothers will form the population group and will be divided into non-overlapping groups and then simple random samples will be picked from each group and the samples will be the experimental groups. One sample will not be allowed to breastfeed their children and will form the control group. Different groups will be required to breastfeed their children for a certain period of time different from the other group while other groups will be allowed to feed their children with formulas of intact cows milk or soy protein for the same periods of time. Different measurements will be undertaken before the onset of the study. Clinical tests will be carried out at different times and the readings of the experimental groups and those of the control group will be compared. During the study, censoring of participants will be allowed in case of death or willingness to terminate participation. Compared results will be the summarized to determine whether the hypothesis is true or not. The dependent variable in this study will be the incidence rate of getting asthma while the independent variables will be, age, duration of breastfeeding, gender, kind of feeding (breastfeeding or formulas of intact cows milk or soy protein). However, the dependent variables may be many depending on the kind of measurement intended. This can be measured depending on the type of variable if it will be continuous (age, duration of breastfeeding etc.), categorical (type of feed), ordinal (incidence rate) or nominal (gender). A sample will be drawn from a population of breastfeeding mothers which will be the sampling frame. The breastfeeding mothers will form the population group and will be divided into non-overlapping groups (strata) and then simple random samples will be picked from each group (stratum) and the samples will be the experimental groups. One sample

SWOT Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

SWOT - Case Study Example Strengths-The brand is extremely innovative and focuses on perfection especially the shape of the woman’s body. The brand also has a strong heritage and produces high quality apparel made to measure. In addition, the brand has special recognition for evening wear. Weaknesses-The brand is yet to establish itself in the lucrative, emerging and growing Asian Luxury Market which is capable of generating enormous luxury revenues. The company also has weakly participated in E-commerce. Opportunities-The brand should create more presence in E-commerce. There is also a lot of potential in venturing in low awareness market. The company should also start v venturing in mosaic bags also can be can be a big opportunity for the brand since its more affordable in comparison with its competitors. The Vionnet icon bag can be used in 3 ways and is really convenient to be used and carried by consumers. Threats- Some of the threats include the ever-increasing competition in the market. The current trends are mixing luxury and affordability. Many luxury players released more afforded clothing and products to the main part of luxury customers. Paris competitor in the same area includes Alaia, Chanel, Chloe, Dior, Ely Saab, Valentino, Lanvin, and GiambattistaValli. The current strategies used by competitors include product differentiation, and degrees of price differentiation. This would be essential in making sure different and ever-changing customer demands get satisfied as a result also, they provide very high-quality customer services and offer an ultimate luxurious shopping experiences. Also, higher presence in e-commerce. The weakness is counterfeits products and copied by other fashion companies. Since Vionnet are sold in Multiband stores, Department stores, Mono-brand store should be included. Online Luxury Shopping websites: Luisaviaroma, stylebook, modaoperandi, Net-a-porter, it’s smart to distribution their products in the multi-brands, since it’s low cost

Summary chapter 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary chapter 7 - Essay Example Schloss and Schmidt (2006) stress that special education is a collaborative process and the consultant teacher plays a crucial role in it. The consulting teacher provides services to both secondary teachers as well as their students. Key elements of effective collaboration are willing participants, understanding roles of the two teachers, agreement on goals, sharing responsibility for the student’s problem, sharing responsibility for success (failure) of the intervention developed. The authors identify a number of advantages of using the consulting teacher and some of these benefits include increased level of students, efficient teamwork, reduction of costs of special education. Exposing nondisabled students to collaborating with disabled learners has a positive impact on both parties as students acquire the necessary communicative skills. Schloss and Schmidt (2006) note that it is possible to develop an effective consultant teacher program by considering characteristics of the consultant teacher, responsibilities of consultants, gaining acceptance. The consultant teacher’s responsibilities include identification of the problem behavior, establishing objectives, designing the program, developing an evaluation plan, provision of in-service training, implementation and monitoring of the program, termination of the program, dissemination of results. It is also noted that resource rooms may be a good alternative to the secondary setting. Schloss, M.A., & Schmidt, R.J. (2006). Collaboration and the role of the consultant teacher. In P.J. Schloss, M.A. Schloss, & C.N. Schloss (Eds.), Instructional methods for secondary students with learning behaviour problems (pp. 176-193). New York, NY:

The Performance Appraisal Process Management Essay

The Performance Appraisal Process Management Essay The essence of the concept of the HRM is that people working in the organization are viewed as a valuable resource. If these people are managed properly, they can boost productivity through commitment and capability. HRM lays emphasis on the importance of integrating personnel functions (recruitment, selection, appraisal, reward, development, industrial relations, grievance and discipline, retirement, redundancy, dismissal) into the overall strategic management of the organization. All organizations evaluate the performance of their employees to find out their relative worth for the job they are doing. Performance is being related to the productivity, it is crucial for the organization to achieve its goals and objectives. Effective performance for the organization means that output can be maintained with fewer numbers of employees. Performing effectively is also of crucial importance to the employee because organizations can no longer tolerate poor performance, they (employees) are m ore likely to be dismissed. The effective management performance, therefore, is not only vital for the long-term survival of the organizations but is also a moral obligation on the employees. Performance appraisal is considered as the systematic evaluation of individuals to their performance on the job and their potentials for development (Dale S. Beach, 1980: 290). Wendell French has defined performance appraisal as a systematic and periodic assessment of how employees are doing their jobs in relation to established norms and the communication of that kind of assessment to employees. It is a process of evaluation an employees job performance with respect to its requirements. A systematic performance appraisal provides information for making decisions about various issues such as promotions, pay increases, layoffs, training and development and transfers. It is managements powerful tool in controlling human resource and productivity. Managers can improve an employees job performance through clarifying expectations and evaluating performance. Employees also, in general, prefer having some kind of appraisal to develop an appropriate vision of their own effectiveness and opportunities (Wood, 1988). Formal performance appraisal can meet the three needs, one of the organization and the other two of the individuals within the organization: It provides systematic judgments to back up salary increase, transfer, demotion or termination. It is the means of communicating to subordinates the behavior, attitudes, skills or job knowledge and let him know where he stands. It is used as a base for coaching and counseling the individual by his superior. The effective management of performance is not only vital for the survival of the organization but is also in the best interest of the employees. The underlying assumption of performance management is that the individual employees can satisfy their needs and objectives by contributing to the attainment of the organizations objectives. This may result in employees motivation and greater job-satisfaction which is at the core of HRM (Foot and Hook 2008). The performance appraisal process generally consists of the following six steps as depicted in Figure 1 (Decenzo and Robbins, 1998). Figure 1. The Performance Appraisal Process Establishment of performance standards Communicate the performance expectations to employees Measure actual amount of performance Compare the actual performance with standards Discuss appraisal with the employee If necessary, take corrective action Performance appraisal begins with the establishment of clear and objective standards of performance evolved out of job analysis and job description. These standards need to be communicated to the employees. Subordinates have to receive and understand the information properly. The third step is the measurement of the actual performance. For this, four measures can be utilized by managers, namely, personal observation, satisfied reports, oval reports and written reports. The fourth step is the comparing of the actual performance with standards. If any deviations are found between standards and actual performance, the manager may proceed to the fifth step to discuss the appraisal with the employees. Final step of appraisal is taking corrective action when it requires The objectives of performance appraisal can be classified by different ways but according to (Harrison, 1995) to the objectives of performance appraisal are i. administrative: which determine orderly way of promotion, transfers and increase of payment. ii. Informative: supplying the relevant data to management team according to performance of subordinates and weakness and strengths of individual. iii. Motivational: create good environment to employee which motivate staff to develop themselves and to improve their performance According to (Randell, et al. 1972) the main purpose of staff appraisal is to evaluate, auditing, constructing succession plans, motivating staff, developing individuals and checking. Similarly according to (Lefton, 1997 ) performance appraisal can be defined by mainly four characteristics a. its formal b. it tries to find out why and how a subordinates is doing the job c. it tries to explore how subordinate can do better way in a job d.it always tries to produce benefits for subordinate, the organization and the superior. Performance evaluation systems in Nepalese organizations are mandatory. The results of performance appraisal are not used in terms of career development, reward management and employee training and development. The results are mostly used to decide whether to promote employees or not (Adhikari, 2006). The main purpose of performance evaluation in government and public enterprises is the promotion of employees. It is not used for performance feedback to employees, reward management and identifying the needs of training and development. In civil service, 40 percent of performance appraisal is confidential and thus non transparent to employee (Agrawal, 2001). Three different approaches exist for doing appraisals. Employees can be appraised against (i) absolute standards, (ii) relative standards, or (iii) objectives (MBO). However, no one approach is always best. Absolute standards are individual oriented whereas relative standards rank individuals. Management by objectives facilitates continuous improvement of performance results. Most of the private sector enterprises in Nepal lack systematic performance appraisal system. Personal judgment and subjective assessment of owner-manager serves as the key criteria for performance appraisal (Agrawal, 1982). Formal and systematic performance appraisal system was non-existent in tea industry of Nepal. Promotion is the vertical movement of an individual in an organizations hierarchy, enhanced status, accompanied by increased responsibilities, and usually with increased income, though it is not always so (Monappa and Engineer, 1999). It is the advancement of an employee to a higher job-rank in the organizational hierarchy accompanied by a pay rise (Pigors and Myers, 1981: 303). Employees consider their ultimate success of their career and performance in terms of the number and frequency of promotion they get during their service. Yoder et al observed that promotion gives incentive to initiative, ambition and enterprise, unrest and minimizes discontent, attracts capable personalities, appropriate logical training of advancement, and forms and effective reward for cooperation and loyalty, long term service, etc. (Yoder,1979). It increases satisfaction in the employees that their talents and capabilities are being recognized. In turn, they trust the organization and devote for the acco mplishment of organizational goals and objectives. In Nepal, the Civil Service Act was promulgated in 1956 which stated that promotion should be given to civil service personnel on the basis of work efficiency (Civil Service rule, 1993). Many changes have been done in the promotion system of the employee in the government organization since that time. The Administrative Reform Commission formed under the chairmanship of Mr. Vedananda Jha suggested that the promotion criteria for civil service personnel should include (a) seniority, (b) experience, (c) academic qualification and training, and (d) departmental performance report including co-operative attitude. Another Administration Reform Commission formed under the chairmanship of Mr. B.B. Thapa noted as promotion occupied special importance in the career development of employees, so capability to hold higher promotion and the capacity to perform the work satisfactory in the present position were the main criteria of promotion (Government of Nepal, 1996, Report of Commission). Amend ments were done in the Civil Service Rules in 1978 and 1983. Similarly the Administrative Reform Committee formed under the chairmanship of the then prime-minister Mr. G.P. Koirala in 1991 emphasized performance oriented promotion system. The new Civil Service Act, 1993 laid stress on performance ability with criteria such as past performance, seniority, work experience of remote area, and academic qualification. Similarly, the comparative weight-ages of promotion criteria of civil service employees were changed after 1992. NASCs study on promotion system of civil services stated that there was lack of clarity in its purpose and no consistency in the average promotion period between level and services. The risk of subjectivity in merit rating was a major apprehension in the minds of civil servants for giving more weight to merit rating. Even the performance evaluators views were in favor of no link of the promotion with the performance. Basic perquisites for sound performance appraisal practices, such as clear organizational and sectional objectives, individual job descriptions, adequate and reliable information system etc. were not properly provided in the civil service. Majorities were in favor of number allotting 50 percent of seats to the promotion by competitive examination as compared to the exiting 25 percent, in some cases even less. Williams (1972) ascertained that managers lacked adequate means or determination to control the motivation and productivity of their workforce. Job description, performance appraisal and output indicators were non-existent; rewards and sanctions were irrationally applied; salaries were not genuinely related to knowledge and or effort requirements; offices had inadequate facilities; poor co-operation and limited delegation. The top of the decision making level was congested by trivialities while middle-level staff were in a soporific frenzy over the responsibilities for complex planning and fiscal matter. The review presented above fairly indicates that the limited attempts have been made to study personnel / HR management practices in public and private enterprises of Nepal. Those studies have shed light on some aspects of personnel / HR management, however, the concluding remark indicates that personnel /HR management in the past remained neglected areas of management. This review also indicates that no systematic attempts have been made to study HRM practices in tea industry of Nepal. This knowledge gap has called for a systematic study which could bridge up such a gap. The present study is an attempt in that direction. Tea industry which is leading position in the national economy is growing extensively mainly in the eastern region of Nepal. It is, being one of the most labor intensive, agro-based industries; it involves a great deal of workforce, which provides direct employment to about 41000 workforces. After the privatization of Nepal Tea Development Corporation in 2000, the change in ownership is also accompanied by deep changes in organizational procedures and culture that could have a profound effect on enterprise behavior and performance (Manandhar, 1998). There have been only a few research studies in the field of human resource management in private enterprises of Nepal. And there has not yet been any specific research conducted in HRM in tea industry of Nepal. So, in view of the poor research-based on HRM and the lack of knowledge existing in this field, the research work is virtually called for the streamlining of HRM practices. Research can lead to an increased understanding of an improvement in HRM practices. It can provide insights for managers as they attempt to increase employee productivity and satisfaction while reducing absences and turnover. Research can also identify potential problem areas related to HRM. Industry background The golden beginning of tea plantation in Nepal dates back to the year 1863, with the first tea processing factory was established in the year 1878, in Ilam Tea Estate. In 1959 Budhkaran Tea Estate was established at Jhapa which was the first tea estate in private sector. Soon after this venture, Satighatta, Nakkalbanda, Mittal, Giribandhu Tea Estates and Himalaya Tea Garden were established. The establishment of Nepal Tea Development Corporation (NTDC) in 1966 is considered to be a landmark to augment the tea cultivation. Generally, two types of tea orthodox and CTC (Crush, tear and curl) are produced in Nepal. At present, there are 128 tea estates and 45 tea processing factories as registered in NTCDB. Basing on the previous statistical figure of total tea plantation area of 16420 hectares, and multiplying by 2.47 persons per hectare, it is estimated that about 41000 people are employed in tea industry of Nepal Tea industry which is considered as the backbone of national economy of Nepal but there has not yet been any specific research conducted in HRM in tea industry of Nepal. So, in view of the poor research-based on HRM and the lack of knowledge existing in this field, the research work is virtually called for the streamlining of HRM practices. Research can lead to an increased understanding of an improvement in HRM practices. It will provide insights for managers as they attempt to increase employee productivity and satisfaction while reducing absences and turnover. Research aim, research questions or hypothesis and objectives Research aim: The research aims is to investigate the employee performance appraisal system in an organization. Research question Is the performance appraisal practice key to pay rise, training and development, promotion or termination of the employee in the tea industry of Nepal? Research objectives The specific objectives of this study are: 1. To examine how employee performance is appraised in an organization. 2. To evaluate the effectiveness of performance appraisal system in the organization. 3. To analyze the relationship between performance appraisal and the factors like pay rise, training and development, promotion or termination of employee in an organization. Research Methodology The research philosophy applied for this research project will be phenomenological instead of positivist philosophy and the researcher will analyse and explain the purpose of research through the qualitative methods. 4.1. Research Philosophies: Positivism and Phenomenology Phenomenology as a philosophy, propounded by Edmund Husserl in the 20th century which is concerned with the systematic analyses and reflection of consciousness, structures and phenomena as it approaches in the act of consciousness. The reflection in the phenomenological philosophy is to be done through the first person viewpoint which is highly modified first person. According to Saunders et al. (2000) explained the significant differences between these two approaches of research which is very useful for this study to make concise choice. Regarding the worldview Saunders et al say that phenomenology describes world is subjective which is socially constructed whereas Positivism philosophy says that the world is objective and external. In terms of their basic beliefs they further say that positivism define that the observer is independent in his or her observation, converse to this, phenomenological view says that the observer cant be isolated from what is being observed rather than th e observer is a part of what is being observed. In positivism Science is taken as free of value contrary phenomenological philosophy takes the human interest in science. Phenomenology view says that human interest is to colour the science. Taking into consideration of research nature the research the researcher finds phenomenological philosophy opt for this study. Collis and Hussey (2003) says that phenomenological research provides qualitative data which is well matched with this research, as the qualitative data by its nature is subjective and rich because there is a significant level of participation of the researcher. Besides these facts, the research setting is the commercial organization which is natural setting rather than laboratory setting of the positivistic philosophy. 4.2. Qualitative and Quantitative Research Mainly there are mainly two kinds of research where researcher can apply any one of them or mix both qualitative and quantitative as per their demand of the research topic. In this study, researcher will use qualitative approach with the definition of Collis and Hussey (2003) who says, qualitative research as an approach of study which is subjective and tries to explore and understand the social and human activities which includes reflection and examination on perceptions. Performance appraisal as such is a subjective in nature which is related to the study of human behaviour with a fixed organizational setting. Inductive and Deductive Research The choice between two methods of research as inductive and deductive is also depends on the nature of the study. The deductive research which begins with theory and later tested through empirical observation. In this study, inductive approach will be used where researcher moves from the particular to general. 4.4 Source of Data In the initial phase of investigation, a comprehensive study of various relevant materials books, reports, research works etc. will be done. Both the primary sources and secondary sources of data collection tools will be applied. While collecting data from primary sources, multi-data collecting method i.e. triangulation method will be applied. The researcher will prepare the questionnaires that elicit the facts regarding the personal appraisal system in the organization. In the second phase, the researcher will visit the different tea states with semi structure interview schedules, design to get information on what was being done and how was it being done relating to various aspects of employee performance and appraisal process. Then after first field study, he will construct some research questions regarding to structure interview for pilot study. So, at last with the help of pilot study he will fully prepare research question for structure interview for different employee as worke rs, managers and assistant. The researcher thinks that collecting data from different methods helps the researcher understand the phenomenon more deeply and increases the reliability and validity of the data. The secondary data will be collected from various published and unpublished reports, records and documents of Central Bureau of Statistics, Labor Department / Office, Center for Economic Development and Administration of TU, Nepal Tea and Coffee Development Board, Agro Enterprise Center under Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Data will also be collected from publications of different national and international institutions, research works, books and relevant articles published in different journals, magazines and newspapers etc. and will review for obtaining necessary information. 4.5. Sampling Procedure: The sampling method for selecting the tea estates will be judgmental sampling. The tea estates for this study will select mainly on the basis of their size of plantation, number of employees, and production performance of the companies representing both corporate and private sector, and hilly as well as Terai region. For this study, five leading tea estates having their own processing factories will be selected comprising two tea estates from corporate sector, namely Kanyam tea state from hilly area of Ilam and Tokala from Jhapa district. On the other hand three tea estates from the private sector, namely, Budhkaran, Satighatta and Giribhandhu will be chosen from Jhapa district. Five employees from different level of each estate will be considered as a sample. So sample of this study will be 30. Analysis of Data: After the collection of data from both primary and secondary sources most of the processing work, tabulation and calculations will be conducted manually in the beginning. Data will classify into different groups and finally they will be presented in tabular forms. Similarly, the respondents views and opinions will be analyzed in terms of different levels of employees such as managers / officers, assistants and laborers. The analyses of data will be made with the help of relevant statistical tools such as simple average, percentage and chi-square tests. For computation and statistical analysis electronic scientific calculator and computer will be used. Research ethics While conducting the research we requires certain disciplines .It embodies certain goals and norms which the researcher need to maintain coordination between the actions or activities they applied and maintain which establish the public trust of the discipline. Ethical standard helps the researcher to maintain knowledge and truth to minimise the error. It is essential to avoid misrepresentation, fabrication, and falsification of data. Some ethical issues as honesty, integrity, objectivity, carefulness, openness will be carefully considered while conducting the research. . This study will reveal a clear picture about the existing state of HRM practices in tea industry. The outcome of the study may serve as a research infrastructure on which further researches can be built. And the information and conclusions derived from this study may be useful and helpful for practicing managers, as well as planners, policy makers and other agencies concerned, through better understanding of HRM practices relating to tea industry. Thus, it is a modest attempt towards examining and understanding HRM practices in tea industry of Nepal. Also, researcher has a good taste of knowledge and highly interested about tea industry of Nepal from the very beginning. So the research topic will be significance for researcher. Human resource is the most important resource in an underdeveloped country like Nepal which can be mobilized or managed for the overall development of the country. But in practice, very little attention has been given to the management of human resources in any organizational setting. Consequently Nepalese industries have been facing various HR problems such as low employee-morale, low productivity and greater tension between labor and management. Timescale After the proposal has been accepted by the University of Wales the following time line will be followed to complete the research work: Figure 2. Gantt chart: Months and weeks→ Activities ↓ April Weeks↓ May Weeks↓ June Weeks↓ July Weeks↓ 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Read literature Conform objectives Draft literature review Field survey with semi structure interview schedule Research question for structure interview for pilot study Pilot study of interview Prepare research question for final interview Conduct final interview with employee and fill up questionnaire Tabulation of raw data Analysis . Writing thesis Deadline à ¢Ã…’Å ¡ Resources Both primary and secondary sources will be used in the study. In the initial phase of investigation, a comprehensive study of various relevant materials books, reports, research works etc. will be done. The secondary data for this study will be used from previous research works, books and relevant articles published in different journals, magazines and newspapers etc. In the first stage of primary data , the tea estates were visited with the semi-structured interview schedules design to get information on what was being done and how was it being done. With that information from first visit, more reliable semi structure interview will be designed and piloted with 7 non-sampled employees of different levels such as managers, assistants and workers. Finally, revise structure interview schedules will be construct and administer to the 25 sample employees with different level.

Antioxidants and Skin Care Essay -- Dermatology Beauty Health Essays

Antioxidants and Skin Care Aging is a natural process of life. However, retailers today are publicizing that their products can reduce or even eliminate the signs of aging. Many cosmetic companies advertise age-defying makeup, which they claim will erase the wrinkles on the skin and produce a newer, fresher look. The most recent age-defying product on the market is antioxidants. Claiming that their products will diminish the signs of aging, companies sell volumes of antioxidants to consumers. Their claims offer the controversial questions: Can a drug stop the effects of aging? How many capsules does it take to eliminate facial wrinkles? Are these pills simply placebos? Outline Antioxidants and free radicals How Do Antioxidants Work? Claims about Antioxidant Products The Scientific Foundation of Antioxidants Antioxidants - The Real Hype What Should You Do? Advice for the Consumer References Antioxidants and Free Radicals What are Antioxidants? Antioxidants are chemicals that protect cells by neutralizing external forces (such as damage from the sun, pollution, wind, and temperature) and internal factors (for example, emotions, metabolism, and the presence of excess oxygen). Common antioxidants are Vitamins A, C, E, and beta carotene. These special chemicals assist in skin repair and the strengthening of blood vessels. Why do we need them? Antioxidants are necessary because they combat free radicals. Free radicals are byproducts that are formed when oxygen is used by the body (http://ificinfo.health.org/antidox.htm) . Free radicals start a chain reaction under the skin's surface, and outlined below is the process of destruction. They have an unpaired electron in their outer orbital... ...ll, B. (1994) Antioxidants in nutrition, health, and disease. 120- 124. Halliwell, B. (1996). Vitamin C: Antioxidant or Pro-oxidant in vivo? Free Radical Research, 25, 439-454. Mares-Perlman, J., Klein, R., Klein, B., Greger, J., Brady, W., Palta, M., Ritter, L. (1996). Association of zinc and antioxidant nutrients with age-related maculopathy. Archives of Ophthalmolgy, 114, 991-997. Rice - Evans, C., Burdon, R. (1994). Free radical damage and its control. 14-19. Shear, N., Malkiewicz, I., Klein, D., Koren, G., Randor, S., Neuman, M. (1995). Acetaminophen-induced toxicity to human epidermoid cell line A431 is diminished by silymarin. Skin Pharmacology, 8, 279-291. Takema, Y., Yorimoto, Y., Kawai, M., Imokawa, G. (1994). Age-related changes in the elastic properties and thickness of human facial skin. British Journal of Dermatology, 131, 641-648. Antioxidants and Skin Care Essay -- Dermatology Beauty Health Essays Antioxidants and Skin Care Aging is a natural process of life. However, retailers today are publicizing that their products can reduce or even eliminate the signs of aging. Many cosmetic companies advertise age-defying makeup, which they claim will erase the wrinkles on the skin and produce a newer, fresher look. The most recent age-defying product on the market is antioxidants. Claiming that their products will diminish the signs of aging, companies sell volumes of antioxidants to consumers. Their claims offer the controversial questions: Can a drug stop the effects of aging? How many capsules does it take to eliminate facial wrinkles? Are these pills simply placebos? Outline Antioxidants and free radicals How Do Antioxidants Work? Claims about Antioxidant Products The Scientific Foundation of Antioxidants Antioxidants - The Real Hype What Should You Do? Advice for the Consumer References Antioxidants and Free Radicals What are Antioxidants? Antioxidants are chemicals that protect cells by neutralizing external forces (such as damage from the sun, pollution, wind, and temperature) and internal factors (for example, emotions, metabolism, and the presence of excess oxygen). Common antioxidants are Vitamins A, C, E, and beta carotene. These special chemicals assist in skin repair and the strengthening of blood vessels. Why do we need them? Antioxidants are necessary because they combat free radicals. Free radicals are byproducts that are formed when oxygen is used by the body (http://ificinfo.health.org/antidox.htm) . Free radicals start a chain reaction under the skin's surface, and outlined below is the process of destruction. They have an unpaired electron in their outer orbital... ...ll, B. (1994) Antioxidants in nutrition, health, and disease. 120- 124. Halliwell, B. (1996). Vitamin C: Antioxidant or Pro-oxidant in vivo? Free Radical Research, 25, 439-454. Mares-Perlman, J., Klein, R., Klein, B., Greger, J., Brady, W., Palta, M., Ritter, L. (1996). Association of zinc and antioxidant nutrients with age-related maculopathy. Archives of Ophthalmolgy, 114, 991-997. Rice - Evans, C., Burdon, R. (1994). Free radical damage and its control. 14-19. Shear, N., Malkiewicz, I., Klein, D., Koren, G., Randor, S., Neuman, M. (1995). Acetaminophen-induced toxicity to human epidermoid cell line A431 is diminished by silymarin. Skin Pharmacology, 8, 279-291. Takema, Y., Yorimoto, Y., Kawai, M., Imokawa, G. (1994). Age-related changes in the elastic properties and thickness of human facial skin. British Journal of Dermatology, 131, 641-648.

Bill Clinton and leadership Essay

For the purpose of this paper, I have chosen the political leader and the former president of the United States, Bill Clinton as the subject of my essay. This paper is based on two of his autobiographical books which were based on his early childhood as well as his life before, during and after his presidency. The book My Life is an autobiographical account by Bill Clinton himself. He is the sole author of the book which was published in the year 2004. The book clearly outlines the various events of his life. These events pertained to the inauguration of Clinton as the 42nd president of the United States of America. This second volume, the first being a biography by Adam by the name of Bill Clinton, puts Clintons term in the office as the epic fall and the term of redemption. This was mostly indicated like such I the book due to the disastrous failure which came bout due to the actions of Mack McLarty, the white house chief of staff, as well as the promiscuous behavior of Clinton and the relationship with Hilary Clinton which was more emphatically and influential than his specific term. The years of 1993-1994 are depicted as the time where things were falling apart for both America as well as the Clintons. However the period following that pertaining to 1995-1996 the book depicts Clinton as In terms of the leadership and presidency Bill Clinton was much favored as being the revolutionary and sensible politician who with the support of his first lady was able to make America as the greatest nation of power in the world. The book also made use of many military metaphors to describe the situation the context of the book. It was highly apparent by reading the book that it was mostly about the evolution and change in the personality of Bill Clinton following his inauguration as the President of the United States. The change in him depicted him as being an arch baby boomer to the undisputed leader of his country. The accounts covered by Clinton were very much expected as he takes into account the bogus scandal of Whitewater, the unethical dalliance with Monica Lewinsky as well as his attempts at managing and balancing the budget for the United Stated of America. Other topics covered in the book also pertain to the Middle Eastern crisis and the peace plan proposed by him. However the more illuminating topics those were discusses in the book related to his personality and his life on a much personal note. This depicted the strength he showed as a person and how ,much the person as developed, and matured over the years in terms of his decision making him an ideal president for the United States during his time at the white house. The book itself however is ill organized and quite chaotic. The reason for this which can be ascertained for the events following and surrounding the launch of the book as well as the statement given by Bill Clinton himself was that the book is basically the picture into his life and the various significant events that took place in it. It is very much like the efforts of a small school boy however the content varies in terms of several topics and themes. The period of the presidency is treated like a rush period where the events merge into each other and the timeline is haphazard skipping large time variables in some instances. However despite the lack of maturity in the book, and the ill organization of the content the book did become a best seller, its sales even surpassing the sales of the memoirs of Hilary Clinton. The book My Life by Bill Clinton suffered criticism for the former advisor of Clinton’s Dick Morris who wrote a rebuttal by the name of Because HE Could. Through this book, Dick Morris set right and pointed pout the various inaccuracies which were present in the autobiographical account by Bill Clinton. The authors view on leadership however pertains to a more peaceful and negotiation based method of employing power and making use of it. Bill Clinton is of the opinion that in order to be able to run the country, a dictatorship is not the answer, instead innovative and democratic methods pertaining to dissemination of ideas across the board is a much better way of conducting managerial tasks. The author has stated through his autobiographies as well that the bet for of leadership is when the leader takes into account the point of view of those around him, gathering the specialized intellect available and then unanimously voting on the most beneficial and cost effective solution/ decision for the specific issue or case. This is a very democratic approach to decision making. However in the form of leadership described by Bill Clinton, it is essential to have a formal figurehead as this has the effect of providing the followers and the general population with one pint of view as well as a unified direction. The decision itself may be a democratic one however the proceedings to be carried out have to be collaborative in nature dictates from one source. The aspect of democratic leadership can be applied to the leadership for schools. The reason for this is that the political landscape pertaining to the role of leadership is much institutionalized. This is the same case with schools and colleges which are institutionalized as well with a formal set of rules and ethical code of conduct. However the differences settle in relative to the size of the operation. The operations conducted by Clinton were extensive, even global in nature. The scope for the school is restricted somewhat limited inn terms of the resources available, the staff participation and the relevance and long term effect of the decision making. However the same principle of school leadership as a form of democratic leadership can be employed. School leadership can be employed using democratic leadership styles characteristic of Bill Clinton by giving autonomy as well as decision making power to the lower staff and managers for their operations as well. This is an important component of the democratic leadership as the management and staff is usually the closest entity to the students and can understand their issues and problems much better. Moreover by being close to the students in terms of proximity the staff is also able to observe them and make them provide inputs for the prospective solution to the problem and the long term strategic goals of the institution. This information can be gathered form the expert and specialized managers and staff in the school and then relayed on to the appointed leader. The chairman for the board of directors of the school can then take this information in to account as well as any other information that would be reported by the management and the staff. After performing a cost benefit analysis and the long term strategy and profitability analysis the board of directors would be able to ascertain upon the main strategy for the school and how the issues need to be addressed. The above mentioned format for leadership enables almost all the members of the organization to participle and conduct a two way communication with the leader or the leaders of the organization. The solutions and strategies formed through this method are more accepted by all those concerned an in the long run are mostly effective as well. In terms of applying the leadership techniques and theories mentioned in the book and practiced by Bill Clinton clearly depict that the leader has to be an enigmatic person who has charisma and charm to carry out the role of being a figurehead and a liaison to the elements in the external environment. These views would enable me to hold a position of leadership in the school by making the fellow students aware of the characteristics that I have for being a potential leader as well as the communication and negotiation skills that would enable me to conduct discussions with them pertaining to the solution of the issues and the problems that hand. Aside from this the enigmatic personality is good for public relations as well as gaining the confidence and support of those around me. References 1. Clinton, B. , (2004), My Life, Publisher: Knopf, ISBN-10: 0375414576

Stern Mba Essays - Finance, Master Of Business Administration

Stern Mba Essays - Finance, Master Of Business Administration Stern Mba I like options, I like security, and I like power. With these wants, I knew at a very early age that I would enter business and thus I attended a college that specializes in the subject. In my first position out of school, I was hired by Dunhill Equities as a cold-caller. After several weeks of being hung up on by angry prospects, I decided that this career path would not lead me to success. I then moved within the firm to a position as sales assistant. While this was by no means my dream job, I learned a tremendous amount about business, and I gained useful exposure to the world of finance. Unfortunately, the company hit a period of instability, and after ten months I transferred with my boss to Coleman & Company. Thirteen months later, that company also began to fail, and I began to search for another path to advancement. With two strikes against me, I hit a home run and was hired by Sanford Bernstein into a challenging job with limitless opportunity for growth. After almost three years at Bernstein, I am once again seeking career advancement. My education and work experience have provided me with an excellent introduction to business, and they have sparked my interest in finance. Taking into consideration my foundation and my interests, graduate business school is the next logical step. At this point in my life, I consider a Stern MBA to be necessary since I need to gain a broader understanding of finance and to sharpen my analytical skills in order to be successful in corporate finance. Stern s MBA program will allow me to concentrate in finance, strengthen my global business perspective, and provide me with the opportunity to study with and learn from people with varied backgrounds. The school s location in the financial capital of the world and in one of the most diverse cities in the world also suits me perfectly. Aside from advancing my career, I would also like to develop personally. In college I did not join many clubs or organizations, and I did not participate in sports. Instead, I spent all my time studying, working, or dealing with family issues. Having been away from home and living in New York City for four years, I feel the need to make a name for myself and to develop a meaningful social life. I want to take advantage of the many benefits that extracurricular activities offer, and I want to be involved in the Stern community. Upon graduation from the Stern School, I will seek a position as an associate within the corporate finance department of a large, Wall Street, investment-banking firm. In three to five years, once I have become adept in financial analyses, drafting prospectuses, preparing business presentations and other financial advisory work, I will move into a senior associate position. Here I will develop my abilities to anticipate client needs and to engineer solutions that address these needs. In approximately 10 years, I will have the experience necessary to take on upper-level management responsibilities.

Brand management Essays

Brand management Essays Brand management Essay Brand management Essay Brand management BY auk022 INTER FLOW COMMUNICATION: Type of Business: Creative media Outdoor agency Services: Consumer research Brand development Branch architecture Corporate identity Communication Audit Creative Concepts TV, Radio Commercial production Print point of sale and Premises Branding 3D Design Photography Film Production Post Production Media Planning and Buying Clients: 7UP Cheetos Pso Ptcl Barclays Skin Care Kisan Singer Mirinda Bubblegummers Maria Claire Free walk Samsung FauJi Fertilizers Lays Kurkure USAids Urban sole G Cross roads Planta Pepsi Adsells: Type of business: Media agency igital printing, outdoor advertising, vehicle graphics activation Warid Engro foods Mc donals UBL Ufone Standard charterd Uniliver Nestle Bank alfalah NIB sank Tetra pack Interwood Makro Total Emaar Wi tribe Etihad Faisal bank Castrol monsanto Zong pso Tapal Honda Coca Cola Telenor Mobilink Metro Dawn Nishat Suzuki Wateen MCB Abbot Maxim Advertising Account Manag ement Creative Media Production Support Services Expertise Department of Health, Govt. of Sindh Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Sindh Department of Information Technology, Govt. of Sindh Department of Zakat Ushr, Govt. of Sindh Department of Works, Govt. Sindh Hyderabad Electric Supply Company Hyderabad Development Authority Distt Govt. Tando Allah Yar. Distrcit Govt. Hyderabad Atomic Energy Commission of Pakistan Bagh-e-Quaid-i-Azam Builders Cantonment Board Clifton Cantonment Board Karachi Cantonment Board Faisal Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Dr. A. Q. Khan Laboratories Enercon Head Quarters Engineers (5 Corps) Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Investment Corporation of Pakistan (ICP) Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) Karachi Electricity Supply Corporation (KESC) Medicine (KIRAN) Karachi Nuclear Power Project (KANUPP) Maritime Security Agency Ministry of Health, Govt. of Pakistan Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, Govt. f Pakistan Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) Minis try of Science Technology, Govt. of Pakistan National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) National Institute of Health National University of Modern Languages National Savings Directorate Pakistan Army Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan (ADBP) National Highways Pakistan Motorway Police Pakistan Post Office Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD) Pakistan Security Printing Corporation (PSPC) Pakistan Steel Mills Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation (PTC) Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Peoples Steel Mills Sindh Engineering (Pvt. Limited State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) University of Arid Agriculture Brookes Pharmaceuticals Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited Allama Iqbal Open University Greenwich University (Islamabad) JARA Financing Incorporation (Pvt. ) Limited Ministry of Interior, Govt. of Pakistan Ministry of Finance, Govt. of Pakistan Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (KAMRA) Pakistan Science Foundation Planning Development Division, Govt. of Pakistan IT Telecommunications Division, Govt. of Pakistan Regional Development Finance Corporation Kolson (Slanty) Monga Corporation (Casio) Topnet Internet Services UHU (Sethi International) PARC Makro Cash Carry City District Govt. Karachi Malir Development Authority (MDA) Skin Care Centre Slimmers Club Cosmoderma Clinique Karachi Water Sewerage Board Dominos Pizza Osman Housing (Pvt. ) Ltd. Chapal Builders DawoodEngineerning Technology University Federal Urdu University ORIENT ADVERTISING: Integration communication services Strategic development Creative development Executive and production Media services cover strategy, planning and buying OOH services cover site selection and erecting through Media partner and our outdoor company Printing and btlactivaties through our partners In house facilities Media planning Complete media unit in operation Media buying Largest in Pakistan and 2nd in worldwide Monitoring In house Research Film production Print production Dentonic Sony Haier State life Amreli steels Coca cola Shan Unilever Bank Islamic Dewanfarooque spinning mills Ltd Pakistan oilseed Development Board Bawany sugar mills Loreal Astro Pack PICL National Savings FAST National insurance Company FPCCI SNACK CITY Candy land Bisconni Enshaa NLC As the term Marketing may replace Advertising it is the overall strategy and function of promoting a product or service to the customer. The concept of marketing has changed over time. Previously, people preferred only production and selling as a part of marketing. But as the competition rose, they started valuing product quality, customer relationship, societal responsibilities as well as other supply chain participants. From a societal point of view, marketing is the link between a society’s material requirements and its economic patterns of response. Marketing satisfies these needs and wants through exchange processes and building long-term relationships. . Marketing can be looked at as an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, delivering and communicating value to customers, and managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organisation and its shareholders Major concepts related with marketing can be outlined as: a. Studying consumer behavior b. Brand management c. Selling and sales management d. Managing market intermediaries e. Service marketing f. Identifying customer needs, wants, market segment and product positioning g. Distribution logistics and supply chain relationships h. Responsibilities towards society and customer In this proposal, we focus on one of the major aspect of marketing, Brand management. Branding has been around for centuries. The word brand is derived from the Old Norse brandr meaning to burn. Initially, branding was adopted to differentiate one persons cattle from anothers by means of a distinctive symbol burned into the animals skin with a hot iron stamp, and was subsequently used in business, marketing and advertising. A brand is the most valuable fixed asset of a Corporation. For any organization to make its identity in the market requires a specific domain name. It helps to get recognized in the market. Brand name gives identity and helps it get recognized differently in the market. A modern example of a brand is Coca Cola, which belongs to the Coca-Cola Company. Similarly, Harley Davidson, Apple, Samsung, Adidas, Nike, Britannia etc. are other examples of brand. According to American Marketing Association (AMA) –â€Å" A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a ombination of them, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competition. † BusinessDictionary. com describes brand management as the process of maintaining, improving, and upholding a brand so that the name is associated with positive results. Brand Management is actually the process of maintaining the value of brand and revising any as sociated entities as per the need of situation. It plays a crucial role in the success and failure of the organization. Why is brand an important aspect of modern marketing? The reasons are: 1. Means of identification as a unique name in the market 2. Means of legally protecting the unique features 3. Signal of quality level to customers 4. Base for competitive advantage 5. Increases level of awareness of the brand 6. Customers feel safe to negotiate with registered brands 7. Gives idea about product association 8. Brand is a promise made by the company to customer 9. It serves as a means of advertising 10. It explains what the product is associated with Several companies put their brand names based on different variables. Some name their product on the basis of their owners. Honda motors were named after Soichiro Honda, Harley Davidson motors was found by combined efforts of William S. Harley, Arthur Davidson and Walter Davidson. TATA motors was named after Jamsedji Tata(JRD Tata), Adidas sports wear was named after Adi Dasler and Bajaj auto was named after Jamnalal Bajaj. Some have named the products after the name of places like Chevrolet Tahoe SUV, British Airways, Sanmiguel beer, hamburger named after â€Å"hamburg†, a place in Germany, Hindustan petroleums named after â€Å"Hindustan† meaning India and others. Brand names named after names of animals and birds are Dove soap, Mustang automobiles, Greuhound buses, Panther condoms and others. Brand names has always been an important aspect of marketing strategy. Organizations spend millions searching for a valid name for the organization. They make sure that the names suit to the product or service the company is offering. They too ensure that those names do not collide with brand of other organization. Eg: World Wide Fund (WWF) filed World Wrestling Federation (WWF) a legal suit for keeping a similar name. Due to this world wrestling federation had to change its name. Therefore choosing brand name is a very sensitive decision. For choosing a brand name, an organization has to follow given procedures: 1. Define objectives 2. Generate possible names 3. Screen initial candidates 4. Study the candidate names 5. Properly research final candidate 6. Select the final name Therefore to establish a strong brand, it has to take in consideration the following blocks of brand building: Resonance Resonance Imagery Imagery Feelings Feelings Salience Salience Performance Performance Judgements Judgements Fig: Brand Building Blocks Fig: Brand Building Blocks Salience is the level of awareness regarding the brand to the customers. It checks the ability of a customer to recall and recognize a particular brand or its logo, symbol, name. After the customer’s awareness is identified, it checks the performance of the brand regarding how reliable and durable the brand is. It also checks the serviceability i. e. ease of repairing the product if needed. After the performance is identified, it views the imagery aspect i. e. who uses the brand, conditions of use of the product, brand personality, values etc. It is the way the people think about a brand and is more concerned with intangible aspect. Brand judgments are customer’s personal opinions about the evaluations about the brand that consumers form by combining brand performance and imagery blocks. Customers judge the brand on the basis of quality, credibility and superiority. Another building block is feelings with the brand. They are customer’s emotional responses and reactions towards the brand. It checks what type of feeling they get by the use of the brand like feeling of warmth, fun, security, self respect, excitement status etc. Final brand building is resonance. It is the ultimate relationship with the brand. Resonance is measured in terms of intensity of psychological bond with the brand and the degree of loyalty towards the brand. Positioning aspect of brand In marketing, positioning is the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their target market for its product, brand, or organization. Brand positioning is at the heart of marketing strategy. It is the act of designing the company’s offers and image so that it occupies a distinct and valued place in the minds of target customers. As the name implies, positioning means finding proper location in the minds of customer. Any company cannot formulate its marketing strategy without positioning its brand in certain aspects. Positioning explains what the brand intends to provide to the customer. It reveals what the product is related to. Brand positioning describes how a brand is different from its competitors and where, or how, it sits in a particular market. The company has to keep in mind that positioning should be clear, distinct and relevant. For example, Apple and Windows both are well known brand. Consumers are aware that they both are computer brands dealing in entertainment, but Apple stands for style, cool quotient, iPod etc. here as Windows stands for world class operating system, quality etc. Consumer can easily identify point of similarities and points of difference between the two brands. This process of creating point of similarities and points of difference in consumer’s mind is called Brand Positioning. Companies position their brands in different ways so as to create a distinct i mage in the market. They may position it on different bases like low price, high price, size, package, quality, gender, endurance, substitution and many others. Positioning of different brands: 1. Low price brand: Wal-Mart retail store . High price brand: Rolex, Mercedes Benz 3. Quality brand: IBM, Toyota, Motorola 4. Endurance: CEAT tyres, Land rover, Honda 5. Size: Nano car, Slim Motorola mobile 6. Gender: Gillette Razor, Axe perfumes, Fair ; Handsome for men Femine magazine, Avon cosmetics, Fair ; Lovely for women 7. Substitution: Sugar free Natura has placed itself as substitution for sugar and Eveready milk powder for liquid milk Similarly Coca-Cola has positioned as a cold drink useful in summer and there are many feelings associated with it and not only as a mere drink. On the other hand Pepsi has positioned as a cold drink for the young generations and Mountain Dew has presented its image as a drink for adventure loving customers. Sometimes, same positioning does not work out for the company in long run. It has to reposition and revitalize its brand over times either to revive or strengthen its brand. Different marketing strategies, several research plans has to be worked out and sometimes-even management structure has to be changed in order to revalue the brand. There are several Brand reinforcement strategies that the organization can adopt overtime to cope with the changing situations. Some of them are: 1. Maintaining brand consistency: Brands should be able to provide a consistent image to occupy a shelf in the mind of customers. If not, it may fail in the market situation. For example Gateway computers applied various strategies and themes to extend the brand with mergers and portfolios. Due to this, customers confused with its positioning and its stock price reduced from USD100 to USD 3 in 2005. 2. Protecting sources of brand equity: Any organization should know its strength factor. It should identify its major source of brand equity to sustain in the market. At certain times, brand have to revitalize itself since there many forces acting in the market to rule out other brands. Companies might have to adapt to following Brand Revitalization strategies to resurrect itself: 1. Expanding brand awareness: Brand awareness can be expanded through: a) Identify new usage opportunities Charles Revlon introduced nail polish not only as a matter of covering nails but as a match for dress, style sense and beauty. b) Identify completely new ways to use the brand Wrigley’s chewing gum introduced itself as not only a gum but as an alternative for smoking. 2. Improving brand image: Different ways of improving brand images are: a) Repositioning the brand Harley Davidson’s motorbikes were previously believed to be used by rowdies. The riders who rode Harley had some rough like character like long hairs, big muscular arms, and tattoos painted on their bodies and moustache and beards. Those made people perceive that only rowdies rode those motors. Later Harley Davidson relaunched itself as a bike for gentlemen leaving apart its previous image. Similarly Harley encouraged lady riders to take the riders edge by introducing a poster of a lady rider with a tagline –â€Å"I am not a back rest†. b) Changing brand elements Kentucky Fried Chicken changed its name (brand element) to KFC (although, it is only short version of the full name) to perceive a healthier image. Also, Federal Express (a courier company) changed its name to FedEx to sound more professional. c) Entering new markets Brunswick Billiards introduced new strategy to pool market to enforce its sales targeting female customers. Initially wives would not approve the purchase of billiard board in their home as it was called a male type of game. Later it introduced elegant designs targeting design conscious women who would now purchase a pool table on aesthetics ground and a showpiece to room. Lets take an example of a company who adopted Brand revitalization strategy to resurrect its brand position after being at height at its low: Lacoste sportswear, founded in France, 1933 became a style icon by selling polo shirt featuring a crocodile logo in it. In 1980, when it was owned by General Mills (cereal makers), it failed to keep up with fashion trends and sales began to drop. Company cut prices and started to sell it to discounter’s like Kmart and Wal-Mart that further damaged brands image. Then in 2002, Robert Siegel, former Levi’s executive was appointed to oversee the brand in United States. He withdrew Lacoste products from all non-luxury stores and discounters. It regenerated its fashion trends by introducing tight fitting shirts for women that raised revenues of women wear from 7% to 33%. It opened own brand boutiques in fashionable shopping areas. Due to this, Lacoste’s US revenues rose more than 280% between 2003 and 2005. There are several challenges to products today sometimes because of the competition and sometimes due to the implementation of wrong product strategy. An organization has to keep in mind the nature of product and suitable marketing strategy. Marketing campaigns has to be launched depending upon what class of customer it is intending to serve, gender of customer, objectives of campaign whether it is market penetration or improving market share or survival mode. Appropriate strategy at the right time invites fortunes and mistimed marketing strategy might backfire the organization. Therefore right plan for the right brand is always critical. Marketing strategies for effective brand building 1. Selecting brand elements like name, logo, symbols, slogans, and packaging. 2. Adopting proper product strategy like achieving a satisfactory level of customers perception towards the quality of the product and relationship marketing 3. Adopting pricing strategy like improving consumers price perception towards the brand and relevant price setting 4. Promotion through marketing communication options and integrating marketing communication programs like advertising, direct selling, public relation, and trade promotion etc. 5. Leveraging secondary associations: brands may be linked to other entities that have their own knowledge structures in the mind of customers. When brands are linked to these entities customers assume that those characteristics that they hold about those entities also may be true with the brand. For example when Adidas brand was endorsed by tennis star Roger Federer (then No. 1 rank), then people who knew Federer as best tennis player also developed similar attitude towards the features of Adidas brand. There are certain strategies for building a strong brand. Some of them are: Licensing: Licensing creates contractual arrangements whereby firms can use names, logos, and characters of other brands to market their brands for some fixed fee. People pay fees to use popular names such as Harry potter, Spider-Man, SpongeBob, Angry Birds or any famous celebrity in their products so that they too gain popularity easily. For example, when you buy a copy of Microsoft Office you are not actually purchasing Officeyou are entering into a license agreement that allows you to use the product under the specified terms and conditions they have outlined in the license agreement. Similarly designer such as Calvin Klein command large royalties for the right to use his name in variety of merchandise. Franchising: A franchise is a license issued to someone to operate a business using a common brand name, a common operating support system and involving the payment of initial and/or ongoing fees. A franchise also offers the franchisee with the ability to capitalize on the know-how and systems that have been proven to be successful. . Small-business owners pay companies for the rights to use their trademarks, services and products in return for support and company guidelines on how to run their particular businesses. Many industries have companies using the franchise model, including food, lodging and business services. For example McDonalds has over 75 percent of its worldwide restaurants independently owned. Business owners can purchase a new or existing restaurant. An initial down payment is required, and the rest of the cost can be financed for up to seven years. During the terms of the franchise agreement, ongoing fees include rent and service fees. It is one of the world’s famous franchises. Some challenges in Brand Management: 1. Brand switching customers 2. Media fragmentation i. e. introduction of several medias for promotion that may lead to increase cost and cluttering of information 3. Increased competition 4. Growing need for customer concern . Sometimes socio-cultural issues also leads to create problems in brand management. For example nudity in advertising are strictly banned in South Asia. Due to this, advertisements of brands of apparels, innerwear, and lingerie may not produce the desired response. 6. Sometimes the brand name themselves may imply different meanings in sever al countries. Some of the global branding Mishaps are presented below: a. When Braniff translated a slogan touting its upholstery, â€Å"Fly Leather†, it came out in Spanish as â€Å"Fly Naked†. b. Coors put its slogan, â€Å"Turn it Loose†, into Spanish, where it was read as â€Å"Suffer from Diarrhea†. c. Chicken magnate Frank Perdue’s line, â€Å"It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken†, sounds much more interesting in Spanish: â€Å"It takes a sexually stimulated man to make a chicken affectionate†. d. Why Chevy Nova never sold well in Spanish-speaking countries: No Va means â€Å"It doesn’t go† in Spanish. e. When Pepsi started marketing its product in China, they translated their slogan, â€Å"Pepsi brings you back to life†, pretty literally. The slogan in Chinese meant â€Å"Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back From The Grave†. f. When Coca-Cola first shipped to China, they named the product something that when pronounced sounded like, â€Å"Coca-Cola†. The only problem was that the characters used meant, â€Å"Bite the wax tadpole†. They later changed to set of characters that mean â€Å"Happiness in the mouth†. g. A hair products company, Clairol introduced the â€Å"Mist Stick†, a curling iron, into Germany only to find out that Mist is slang for manure in German. h. When Gerber first started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the United States, with the cute baby on the label. Later they found out that in Africa, companies routinely put pictures on the label of what is inside because most people cant read. i. Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors had to rename its Pajero in Spanish-speaking countries because the term related to masturbation. j. Toyota Motor’s MR2 model dropped the number in France because the combination sounded like a French swearword. Here is a list of Top ten Brands in year 2012 1. Coca-Cola : It’s brand value raised by 9% than last year. Last year too it was Ranked as number one. 2. Apple : Despite Steve Jobs passed by, its brand value rose by 129% from last year. Last year it was at number eight. 3. IBM : It’s brand value rose by 8%. Last year it was at number two. 4. Google : It’s brand value rose by 26%. 5. Microsoft : It’s market value went down by 2%. Last year it was No. 3. 6. GE : General Electric’s brand value rose by 2%. last year, it was No. 5. 7. McDonald : It’s brand value rose by 13% than last year. 8. Intel : It’s brand value increased by 12%. 9. Samsung : It’s brand value rose to 40% from last year. 10. Toyota : It’s brand value rose to 9% from last year. Source: International Business Times. Conclusion In the above-mentioned information, we have seen that brand management is really an essential element in marketing. No company can thrive towards success if it is not able to choose the right branding strategy according to the market situation. Global competition has made it even more complex. Brand name is the one that identifies the company in the market and if not careful, brand name may be solely responsible for causing downfall of the company. I chose this topic, â€Å"Brand Management†, because in my Bachelors Degree, I studied Marketing as my course of specialization in last two semesters. I am very interested in studying marketing because it a dynamic subject and I like studying more about Companies, their Branding Strategies and the easons why they succeded or failed. I am very much interested to do the marketing course in my Masters Degree. This will give me more exposure to the complex business structure and as well as help me guide my career in this field. References Websites www. wikipedia. com www. google. com www. BusinessDictionary. com www. managementstudyguide. com www. wh atis. com www. slideshare. com www. entreprenuer. com www. bigkerbang. com www. internationalbusinesstimes. com Books Strategic Brand Management, Keller, Kevin Lane Fundamentals of Marketing, Agrawal, Dr. Govind Ram