The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 10

The next morning Elena got up and dressed quietly in the motel room, grateful for the extra space. Damon was gone, but she had expected that. He usually got his breakfast early while they were on the road, preying on waitresses at all-night truck stops or early-morning diners. She was going to discuss that with him someday, she thought as she put the packet of ground coffee in the little two-cup percolator the motel provided. It smelled good. But more urgently, she needed to talk to someone about what had happened last night. Stefan was her first choice, of course, but she'd found that out of body experiences weren't just to be had for the asking. What she needed to do was call Bonnie and Meredith. She had to talk to them – it was her right – but now, of all times, she couldn't. Intuitively, she felt that any contact between her and Fell's Church might be bad. And Matt had never checked in. Not once. She had no idea where he was on the road, but he had better be in Sedona on time, that was all. He had deliberately cut off all communication between them. Fine. As long as he showed up when he had promised. But†¦Elena still needed to talk. To express herself. Of course! She was an idiot! She still had her faithful companion that never said a word, and never kept her waiting. Pouring herself a cup of scalding black coffee on the way, Elena dug her diary out of the bottom of her duffel bag and opened it to a fresh, clean page. There was nothing like a fresh page and an ink pen that ran smoothly to start her writing. Fifteen minutes later there was a rattle at one window and a minute later Damon was stepping through. He had several paper bags with him and Elena felt unaccountably pleased and homey. She had provided coffee, which was rather good even if it came with dried cream substitute, and Damon had supplied†¦ â€Å"Gasoline,† he said triumphantly, raising his eyebrows significantly at her as he set the bags on the table. â€Å"Just in case they try to use plants against us. No, thanks,† he added, seeing she was standing with a full cup of coffee held in his direction. â€Å"I had a garage mechanic while I was buying this. I'll just go wash my hands.† And he disappeared, walking right past Elena. Walking right past her, without a glance, even though she was wearing her only clean pair of clothes left: jeans and a subtly colored top that looked white at first glance and only in the brightest light revealed that it was ethereally rainbow-shaded. Without a single look, Elena thought, feeling a strange sensation that somehow her life had just lapped itself. She started to throw the coffee away but then decided she needed it herself and drank it in a few scalding gulps. Then she went and stood by her diary, reading over the last two or three pages. â€Å"Are you ready to go?† Damon was shouting over the sound of running water in the bathroom. â€Å"Yes – in just a minute.† Elena read the diary pages from the previous entry, and began skimming the one before that. â€Å"We might as well go straight west from here,† Damon shouted. â€Å"We can make it in one day. They'll think it's a feint for one particular gate and search all the small ones. Meanwhile we'll go on heading for the Kimon Gate and be days ahead of anyone tracking us. It's perfect.† â€Å"Uh-huh,† Elena said, reading. â€Å"We ought to be able to meet Mutt tomorrow – maybe even this evening, depending on what kind of trouble they cause.† â€Å"Uh-huh.† â€Å"But first I wanted to ask you: do you think it's a coincidence that our window is broken? Because I always put wards on them at night and I'm sure – † He passed a hand over his forehead. â€Å"I'm sure that I must have done that last night, as well. But something got through and broke the window and got away without a trace. That was why I bought all the the gasoline. If they try something with trees, I'll blast them all back to Stonehenge.† And half the innocent residents of the state, Elena thought grimly. But she was in a state of such shock that not much could make an impression on top of it. â€Å"What are you doing now?† Damon was clearly ready to get up and going. â€Å"Getting rid of something I don't need,† Elena said, and flushed the toilet, watching the torn-up bits of her diary swirl round and round before disappearing. â€Å"I wouldn't worry about the window, though,† she said, coming back into the bedroom and slipping her shoes on. â€Å"And don't get up for a minute, Damon. I've got to talk to you about something.† â€Å"Oh, come on. It can wait until we're on the road, can't it?† â€Å"No, it can't, because we've got to pay for that window. You broke it last night, Damon. But you don't remember doing it, do you?† Damon stared at her. She could tell that his first temptation was to laugh. His second temptation, to which he gave in, was to think that she was nuts. â€Å"I'm serious,† she said, once he had gotten up and started to pace toward the window with a distinct look of wanting to be a crow flying out of it. â€Å"Don't you dare go anywhere, Damon, because there's more.† â€Å"More stuff I did that I don't remember?† Damon lounged against the wall in one of his old, arrogant poses. â€Å"Maybe I smashed a few guitars, kept the radio on until four A.M.?† â€Å"No. Not necessarily things from – last night,† Elena said, looking away. She couldn't look at him. â€Å"Other things, from other days – â€Å" â€Å"Like maybe I've been trying to sabotage this trip all along,† he said, his voice laconic. He eyed the ceiling and sighed heavily. â€Å"Maybe I've done it just to be alone with you – â€Å" â€Å"Shut up, Damon!† Where had that come from? Well, she knew that, of course. From her feelings about last night. The problem was that she also had to get some other things settled – seriously, if he would take them. Come to think of it, that might be a better way to go about this. â€Å"Do you think that your feelings about Stefan – well, have changed at all recently?† Elena asked. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Do you think† – oh, this was so difficult looking into black eyes the color of endless space. Especially when last night they had been full of myriads of stars – â€Å"do you think that you've come to think of him differently? To honor his wishes more than you used to do?† Now Damon was openly examining her, just as she was examining him. â€Å"Are you serious?† he said. â€Å"Completely,† she said, and, with a supreme effort, she sent her tears back where they were supposed to go. â€Å"Something did happen last night,† he said. He was looking intently at her face. â€Å"Didn't it?† â€Å"Something happened, yes,† Elena said. â€Å"It was – it was more of a – † She had to let out her breath, and with that almost everything went. â€Å"Shinichi! Shinichi, che bastardo! Imbroglione! That thief! I'm going to kill him slowly!† Suddenly Damon was everywhere. He was beside her, his hands on her shoulders; the next minute he was shouting imprecations out the window, then he was back, holding both her hands. But only one word mattered to Elena. Shinichi. The kitsune with his black, scarlet-tipped hair, who had made them give up so much just for the location of Stefan's cell. â€Å"Mascalzone! Maleducato – † Elena lost track of Damon's cursing again. So it was true. Last night had been completely stolen from Damon, taken from his mind as simply and completely as the interval when she had used Wings of Redemption and Wings of Purification on him. The latter he had agreed to. But last night – and what other things had the fox been taking? To cut out an entire evening and night – and this evening and night in particular, implied that†¦ â€Å"He never shut down the connection between my mind and his. He still can reach inside me any time he chooses.† Damon had finally stopped swearing, and stopped moving. He was sitting on the couch opposite the bed with his hands drooping between his knees. He looked singularly forlorn. â€Å"Elena, you have to tell me. What did he take from me last night? Please!† Damon looked as if he might fall on his knees in front of her, without melodrama. â€Å"If – if – it was what I think – â€Å" Elena smiled, although tears were still running down her face. â€Å"It wasn't – what anyone would think, exactly, I suppose,† she said. â€Å"But – !† â€Å"Let's just say that this time – was mine,† Elena said. â€Å"If he's stolen anything else from you, or if he tries to do it in the future, then he's fair game. But this†¦will be my secret.† Until maybe someday you break into your huge boulder of secrets, she thought. â€Å"Until I tear it out of him, along with his tongue and his tail!† snarled Damon, and it was truly the snarl of an animal. Elena was glad it wasn't directed at her. â€Å"Don't worry,† Damon added in a voice so chilling that it was almost more frightening than the animal fury. â€Å"I will find him, no matter where he tries to hide. And I will take it from him. I might just take his entire little furry hide off with it. I'll make you a pair of mittens out of it, how's that?† Elena tried to smile and did a pretty good job. She was just coming to terms with what had happened herself, although she didn't believe for a minute that Damon would really leave her alone on the subject until he forced the memory back out of Shinichi. She realized that on some level she was punishing Damon for what Shinichi had done, and that was wrong. I promise no one will know about last night, she told herself. Not until Damon does. I won't even tell Bonnie and Meredith. This made things a lot harder on her, and therefore probably more equitable. As they were cleaning up the debris from Damon's most recent fit of fury, he suddenly reached up to brush a stray tear from Elena's cheek. â€Å"Thank you – † Elena began. Then she stopped. Damon was touching his fingers to his lips. He looked at her, startled and a little disappointed. Then he shrugged. â€Å"Still unicorn bait,† he said. â€Å"Did I say that last night?† Elena hesitated, then decided that his words didn't fall within the crucial time limits of secrecy. â€Å"Yes, you did. But – you won't give me away, will you?† she added, suddenly anxious. â€Å"I've promised my friends not to say anything.† Damon was staring at her. â€Å"Why should I say anything about anybody? Unless you're talking about the little redheaded one?† â€Å"I told you; I'm not saying anything. Except that obviously Caroline isn't a virgin. Well, with all the ruckus about her being pregnant – â€Å" â€Å"But you remember,† Damon interjected, â€Å"I came to Fell's Church before Stefan did; I just lurked in the shadows longer. The way you talked – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, I know. We liked boys and boys liked us, and we already had reputations. So we just talked any way we felt like talking. Some of it may have been true, but a lot of it you could take two ways – and then of course you know how boys talk – â€Å" Damon knew. He nodded. â€Å"Well and so pretty soon everyone was talking about us as if we'd done everything with everyone. They even wrote stuff about it in the paper and the yearbook and on the bathroom walls. But we had a little poem, too, and sometimes we even wrote it with our signatures on it. How did it go?† Elena cast her mind back a year, two years, more. Then she recited: â€Å"Just because you heard it, doesn't make it true. Just because you read it, doesn't make it so. The next time that you hear it, it may be about you. Don't think that you can change their minds, just 'cause you know – you know!† As Elena finished, she looked at Damon, suddenly feeling the urgent need to get to Stefan. â€Å"We're almost there,† she said. â€Å"Let's hurry.†

Protect Our Environment Essay

Losing my future is not like losing an election or a few points on the stock market. I am here to speak for all generations to come. I am here to speak on behalf of the starving children around the world whose cries go unheard. I am here to speak for the countless animals dying across this planet because they have nowhere left to go. We cannot afford to be not heard. I am afraid to go out in the sun now because of the holes in the ozone. I am afraid to breathe the air because I don’t know what chemicals are in it. In my life, I have dreamt of seeing the great herds of wild animals, jungles and rainforests full of birds and butterfilies, but now I wonder if they will even exist for my children to see. All this is happening before our eyes and yet we act as if we have all the time we want and all the solutions. I’m only a child and I don’t have all the solutions, but I want you to realise, neither do you! * You don’t know how to fix the holes in our ozone layer. * You don’t know how to bring salmon back up a dead stream. * You don’t know how to bring back an animal now extinct. And you can’t bring back forests that once grew where there is now desert. If you don’t know how to fix it, please stop breaking it! Here, you may be delegates of your governments, business people, organisers, reporters or poiticians – but really you are mothers and fathers, brothers and sister, aunts and uncles – and all of you are somebody’s child. Ià ¢â‚¬â„¢m only a child yet I know we are all part of a family, five billion strong, in fact, 30 million species strong and we all share the same air, water and soil — borders and governments will never change that. I’m only a child yet I know we are all in this together and should act as one single world towards one single goal. Many people say there is a need to protect the environment, but do not really make any effort to do anything about it. Are you one of these people? What can we do to encourage people to take action to protect the environment? Most people are increasingly aware of the need to protect our environment. Despite this, not many of us are really taking steps to reduce our impact on the planet. In this essay, I will suggest some steps each of us can take and some ways to motivate others to do the same. Many environmental problems seem so big that only governments, local authorities or big companies can deal with them. One example is global warming. We need government action to reduce emissions from coal and oil burning power stations and to develop safer sources of power. These require tough regulations and huge investment. The loss of forests and other habitat is another problem. How can we as individuals stop the destruction of the Amazon or Indonesian rain forests? Yet another example is waste. When people live in cities, they may not be able store or recycle waste, so huge landfills or incinerators are needed. However, as consumers, we are the ones responsible for all these problems. First of all, we all need to consume less power. We need to turn off lights, replace inefficient bulbs with low-power ones, and not leave equipment on standby. Secondly, we need to control our surging populations. Each of us can make a decision regarding family size. This has a huge impact on the size of our cities and the need for food and more agricultural land. In addition, we need to consider eating less meat and more vegetables and fruit, in order to reduce the amount of land needed for meat. Generally, the main step we need to take is to live more simply. We need to reduce our consumption, recycle, and reuse. In conclusion, our choices, however small, do have a real impact. If each of us made took two or three simple steps to live more simply, imagine the positive effect on the planet!

1981 Springbok Tour Essay Example for Free

1981 Springbok Tour Essay ? Focus Question: What was the background to the 1981 Springbok Tour of New Zealand? For 56 days in July, August and September 1981, New Zealanders were divided against each other in the largest civil disturbance seen since the 1951 waterfront dispute. More than 150,000 people took part in over 200 demonstrations in 28 centres, and 1500 were charged with offences stemming from these protests. To some observers it might seem inconceivable that the cause of this unrest was the visit to New Zealand of the South African rugby team (the Springboks). Although not a major sport on a global scale, rugby has established itself not only as New Zealand’s number one sport but as a vital component in this country’s national identity. In many ways the playing of rugby took a back seat in 1981, and the sport suffered in the following years as players and supporters came to terms with the fallout from the tour. Some commentators have described this event as the moment when New Zealand lost its innocence as a country and as being a watershed in our view of ourselves as a country and people. Usefulness of evidence to focusing question: This is useful because it shows me evidence on what New Zealanders thought on about rugby. It shows that rugby sport is a background to New Zealanders because it’s their number 1 sport. This is part of a useful website, www.nzhistory.net.nz. This source is reliable because this source is that its not something someone has said or someone has typed that was from the 1981 springbok tour. It is basic facts. 1981 Springbok Tour. (2016, Oct 11).

The marketing concept and marketing communications Essay

The marketing concept and marketing communications - Essay Example 2002). Thinking of marketing less as a function and more as a set of values and processes (Moorman and Rust 1999) appears as the new vision of marketing. The survival and growth of a company therefore requires accurate knowledge about customers and careful relationship management. In this paper I look for the underlying principles of the new trends in marketing. In doing so, I focus first on exploring the new concept of marketing; then I show an example of new trends in marketing in AstraZeneca (See Appendix). After that, I tackle the concept of marketing communication with the case of Royal Caribbean Cruises (See Appendix). Finally I refer to conclusions. During the last few decades marketing has been challenged to undertake a paradigm shift away from the view of marketing as an optimization problem with an emphasis on product, price, promotion and distribution and toward a conceptualization of marketing as a set of activities focused on intra-firm and inter-organizational influence processes. As a result marketing has moved away from a focus on transactions as the fundamental unit of analysis and toward a focus on relationships with customers and suppliers (Webster et al. 2003). In addition, in this relationship the customer is no longer just a recipient of goods. The customer is viewed as a co-producer of service and therefore marketing is defined as a process of doing things in interaction with the customer (Vargo and Lusch 2004). Understanding relationship in marketing (RM) requires distinguishing between the discrete transaction, which has a distinct beginning, short duration, and sharp ending by performance, and relational exchange, which traces to previous agreements and is longer in duration, reflecting an ongoing process (Morgan and Hunt 1994). Numerous definitions of RM have been introduced in the literature since the beginning of 1990s reflecting the high attention of

Bipolar Disorder and Substance Abuse Research Paper

Bipolar Disorder and Substance Abuse - Research Paper Example The exact reasons for the close association of bipolar disease and substance abuse are still unknown to medical science. This paper analyses bipolar disorders, substance abuse or substance use disorder and the relationship between the two. Bipolar Disease and Substance Abuse â€Å"Bipolar disorder is a chronic enduring mental illness characterised by periods of elation and depression in mood. A lifetime history of alcohol misuse is one of the more common co-morbidities occurring in about 46% of people with bipolar I disorder† (Saunders and Goodwin 2010). Bipolar disorders were earlier referred as manic depression. Constant and continuous mood swings are one of the major symptoms of bipolar disorder. Within a short period of time, a person with bipolar disorder may show extremities of mood; He can demonstrate the feeling of sadness, hopelessness and helplessness at a particular moment and in the very next moment he can feel like on top of the world. One of the major characteris tics noticed by the psychologists about Bipolar disorders is the fact that majority of these patients show substance use disorders (SUD) also. For example, alcoholism and drug abuses are seen common among people with bipolar disorders. ... Bipolar 1 is more severe than bipolar 2. People with bipolar 1 disease need hospitalization whereas bipolar 2 do not need hospitalization. â€Å"Mania is seen in bipolar 1 and hypomania is seen in bipolar 2† (Fast &Julie A Fast (Author) †º Visit Amazon's Julie A Fast Page Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author Are you an author? Learn about Author Central Preston, 2006, p.20). People with bipolar 2 may not show many changes in their normal behaviors whereas people with bipolar 1 diseases will show many changes in their normal behavior patterns and they may experience hallucinations, delusions, paranoia etc. It is possible that a person with bipolar disease may induce self harm. In many cases, these patients may attack others also. Aggression is one of the major characteristics of bipolar 1 disease. The reasons for bipolar disorders are still unknown. However, as in the cases of other psychological disorders, heredity and en vironment play an important role in causing bipolar disorders to a person. Long (2005) has pointed out the role of heredity in causing bipolar disorders; About half of all patients with Bipolar I Disorder have one parent who also has a mood disorder, usually Major Depressive Disorder. If one parent has Bipolar I Disorder, the child will have a 25% chance of developing a mood disorder. If both parents have Bipolar I Disorder, the child has a 50%-75% chance of developing a mood disorder. (Long, 2005) The above results clearly show that bipolar disorders have strong association with heredity. No studies succeeded yet in singling out a particular gene which causes bipolar diseases.

Success of Capitalism through Mass Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Success of Capitalism through Mass Media - Essay Example The word ‘capitalism’ appears to have its origin in long-distance trade in the past where ships went to different islands in search of pepper or spices, with the expectation that those making the movement of the goods would benefit from the scarcity of goods in one place and abundance in another place. Since the ships need to travel and there were costs to the goods and transporting same, revenues above costs or profits from the price of sold goods were expected in return (Fulcher, 2004). However, there are also risks in not being able to recover the cost due to other factors that may come into the picture (Fulcher, 2004). Â  Capitalism may have evolved in magnitude from the old times but it is essentially referring to an economic order where there is private property ownership. It could be considered as a consequence of democracy because of the nature of political and economic rights given to individuals. Along with private ownership, the market or the law of supply and demand must be allowed to operate which entails assigning a price to each of the factors of production including land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship (Slavin, 1996). Â  The term capitalism is distinguished from communism where the means of production is owned by the state. In the capitalistic system, the market forces of supply and demand dictate what gets produced and how much it gets produced. In communism, the government as planning agency dictates what gets produced and how much it gets produced (Slavin, 1996). Capitalism is also compared to socialism as an alternative economic order. Socialism is closely related to communism since both concepts entail massive government or state intervention in terms substantial degree of government planning instead allowing market forces to function freely (Slavin, 1996).

Kodak and Fujifilm Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Kodak and Fujifilm - Term Paper Example Throughout this period, the company has undergone through various transformational phases which has seen it even be declared bankrupt in January 2012 (Eastman Kodak Company, 2004). Eastman Kodak Co. is known for its best photographic film products which has for ages, been the central part of its business. Mostly, these products included cameras, printers and other machines for use in the production of film products. This company became very dominant for a longer period of time and history has it that most of the 20th Century, it was the only company that held a high prestigious and dominant position in the industry (Eastman Kodak Company, 2004). The first argument one can give forth is that probably there was no greater competitor back then which left Kodak as the only sole producer of the said photographic materials thus; it thrived as a worldwide monopolist. For instance, the company had nearly 90% of the United States of America film share of the market. The remaining percentage w as left to the struggling small companies which were no match to its growth success (Devereaux et al, 2006). In the late 1990s, Eastman Kodak Company started facing financial struggles, which after in-depth analysis, were found to be due to under-performance in its sales prospects leading it to incurring greater transactional and production costs. The resultant effect was the decline in the sales of its photographic materials. Consequently, Kodak’s dismal performance during this period was attributed to the uptake of information technology by firms in their operations. This sudden shift caught the company unawares since it continued producing these film products when the market for the same was diminishing gradually with each passing moment. Sooner or later, the company had no positive sales records. Its slow response to transit to digital photography despite it having invented the current technology in use, in modern digital cameras, led to its fall. However, as a turnaround at around the year 2007, Kodak started using digital photography in its operations, a move which led to it registering profits in its operations. It also focused on digital printing of the films and even started using generating revenues through an aggressive litigation of patents. In the month of January 2012, the company filed for a bankruptcy protection and followed this move in the succeeding month with an announcement that it had ceased production of pocket video cameras, digital cameras, and the digital picture frames. Instead, it stated that its focus would be on the corporate market of digital imaging. August the same year, the company announced for the sale of its commercial scanners, photographic film but not the motion picture film, and the kiosk operations all of which served as measures to emerge from the bankruptcy state. Kodak also sold most of its patents Intellectual Ventures and RPX Corporation, which was an umbrella corporation for companies like Apple, Amazon, F acebook, Samsung, Microsoft, Google and HTC. Fujifilm Company Ltd. This is a Japanese multinational imaging and photography company that was established in the year 1934 and has its headquarters at Tokyo, Japan. The aim of its establishment was to regard it as the first Japanese photographic company producing photographic films. At its inception, this company had only one goal of being a cinematic-film producer but, overtime, it has grown into being a fully fledged multi-dimensional

Finanical Cyberproblem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finanical Cyberproblem - Essay Example h. Over the last 52 weeks, the stock has performed variably. The stock were rising in value during November, but then started to decrease in value and were at the lowest value of around 31 during April. The stock then rose in value again, peaking at over 44 in August. The stock now appears to be on a downward slope again. The S&P rose steadily between October and February, where there was a small dip before rising again until mid-July. The market then dipped again and is now on the rise. The Brady Corp. stocks did not follow the S&P performance until March, when it rose along with the S&P. This continued until the S&P dipped, however Brady Corp. stock then began to decrease in value despite the S&P being on the rise. .. The S&P rose steadily between October and February, where there was a small dip before rising again until mid-July. The market then dipped again and is now on the rise. The Brady Corp. stocks did not follow the S&P performance until March, when it rose along with the S&P. This continued until the S&P dipped, however Brady Corp. stock then began to decrease in value despite the S&P being on the

Post-Humanism and Its Impact on Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Post-Humanism and Its Impact on Gender - Essay Example The concept of post humanism has influenced the social cultural perception on gender as illustrated by images and films in the media such as Avatar which portrays the male fantasy of being a post-humanistic and superior being. Additionally, many debates have surrounded the application of technology to provide superior qualities within the human form. Various theorists in the social and human sciences have given diverse opinions on the implications of post humanism on the issue of gender and culture. Additionally, forms of post-humanism such as creation of cyborgs have created issues which cause heated debates within the society. Both factual scientific information and opinions of various theorists contribute to the current attitudes on the concept of post-humanism. Theorists such as Donna Haraway, Katherine Hayles and Michel Foucault have contributed significantly to the modern developments in science and technology within the post-humanism era and their implication on the perception of the society on gender roles. This paper discusses the issues surrounding post-humanism with illustrations from various theorists on how the use of science and technology in addition to the creation of cyborgs has impacted the social cultural perception on gender. The paper also gives an analytical discussion of the characteristics of the post-human and the social ethical implications of post-humanism to social issues that are related to gender such as race and sexuality. Post-humanism and the Media Post-humanism is described as the use of technology and science to facilitate the improvement of human nature which includes enhancement of physical strength, intelligence, hearing and vision and even speed. The term post-humanism also includes the visual fantasies and illusions that are depicted in the new media through various programs and science-fiction movies (Hird 223). Media communications glorify a super human nature and this has led to the development of attitudes within the society about post-humanism. The media is portraying that the current form of human nature is not special. Moreover, the use of technology and science to improve cultures, social systems and the human form is the common image that is demonstrated by the modern media and social networking. The need for increment of the human lifespan and the improvement of the mental abilities are admirable concepts within the post-humanism concept that are examples of fantasies within the media (Rosi 212). Science-fiction has been presented via the media through illustration of cyborgs with super human abilities. Some of these cyborgs have been gendered and sexualized which has led to debates between feminists and their opponents. For example, cyborgs have been presented through media communication which illustrates superior physical and mental abilities which are linked to the male form. As a result gender issues have been raised because feminist ideas reflect that the society is still linking the female gender to the old attitudes that women are weaker than their male counterparts both in the mental and physical dimensions and thus are associated with domestic roles (Lewis 49). The connection of cybernetics to the feminist ideologies is presented in the form of the use of technology in executing tasks such as cooking which were traditionally considered to be feminine roles. Negative implications of cybernetics have also been observed especially in the violation of the integrity of human being through the bodily transformations. Cyborg is described as a hybrid figure which is a product of combining the features of an organism with that of a machine. The social reality of cyborgs and the

Juvenile Delinquency in Hidalgo County Research Paper

Juvenile Delinquency in Hidalgo County - Research Paper Example The violent crime rate is lower in the MSA where Hidalgo belongs because it is 319.20 compared to the Texas rate of 408.60 and the country rate of 386.9 (FBI, 2012).   In other words, the total crime rate in Hidalgo County is higher than the state, particularly its property crime rate, although it has a lower violent crime rate than the latter. When discussing gang presence in the Hidalgo, the Texas Fusion Center Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety (2013) offers only a rough sketch of gang activities in the region where Hidalgo is in Texas Gang Threat Assessment 2012.   This report stressed that there are approximately more than 2,500 gangs in Texas and Hidalgo County is in a region where gang activity is highest.  There are several parts of Texas that have the highest concentration, and Hidalgo is one of them. Hidalgo is in Region 3, based on this assessment.   In Region 3, the most notable gangs are Tango Blast (Corpitos, Vall ucos), Texas Syndicate, and Texas Mexican Mafia (Texas Fusion Center Intelligence, 2013, p. 17).   Tango Blast engages in violence and Mexican cartels, Texas Syndicate commits violent crimes, as well as human and drug trafficking, while Texan Mexican Mafia is involved in organized crime, extortion, and distribution of black tar heroin (Texas Fusion Center Intelligence, 2013, p. 10).  To deal with these gangs, the state and county offices use different initiatives to tap the resources and systems of local, state and federal law enforcement and state and federal prosecutors.   In general, they integrate resources across intelligence, police, investigative, and prosecution agencies/individuals.  Ã‚  

The Distinction Between Man and Machine Essay Example for Free

The Distinction Between Man and Machine Essay The comparison between man and machine has always been controversial, whether in area of work or entertainment. A common question, How different are they from us? We would used to say looks, movements and thoughts are what would differentiate us from them. As technology advances, such differences are less likely to exist, further blurring the distinction between them and man. However, no matter how machines become exact replica of man, it always lack that human touch that we possess. Overall, I would agree that the distinction between man and machine is being blurred. Some would argue that man naturally would have the creativity and innovation, which machines would not have. It is indeed true that man do possess such creativity, but creativity needs to be expressed to be visible, and not all are able to do so. In fact, most would follow orders from their bosses and finish their work in a systematic manner, which is similar to the way machines function. In addition, some would add on that machines lack the human touch that humans have, which include feelings like love, compassion and empathy. Although it is true that machines do not have such feelings, it is not necessarily true that we humans possess such feelings. In the past, no doubt we are more compassionate and sympathetic. However, with the increase in pace of society and the advent of smart gadgets, man not only work longer hours, but also become cold and unfeeling to others. Their breaks during working hours become maintenance and repair for machines. Their faces that used be cheery and happy has become emotionless, making them no different from machines. Moreover, shootings and killings at Sandy Hook would not have occurred if man had feelings for others. Thus, not fully embracing the use of creativity and being indifferent to others has blurred the distinction between man and machine. I would agree that the distinction between man and machine is being blurred because it is indeed true that machines can pass off as a human as long as it is able to project a human image. With such ability to do so, people would tend to forget the distinction between them. Hatsune Miku, a famous holographic pop star in Japan is an example. Her image or hologram is generated by a machine. Although she may be fake, she has managed to gain many fans. Fans who would literally fill up her music concerts, and fans who would craze wildly after her as she sings, as though she is real. Another example would be chatbots. Chatbots are machines that have been programmed to communicate with new members of their websites to make them feel more welcomed. They can literally pass off as real humans with a human-like profile picture because the way they are programmed to communicate with the other party is exactly like a human. Hence, the distinction between man and machine has not been as clear as before. I would agree that the distinction between man and machine is not clear because machines start to play a part in mans life and at times, remain unnoticeable. In the medical industry, artificial limbs have been implanted into people who have lost their legs during war or in an accident to help them walk again. Pacemakers are also a form of machinery that is commonly used in the medical industry to control abnormal heart rhythms and enable him to resume an active lifestyle. In addition, a team from Harvard University has also created what it calls cyborg tissue, which is half-man, half-machine. All these blur the distinction between man and machine because a man with mechanic body parts can be considered either a man because of his feelings, or a machine because of its mechanic body parts.

Why singapore failed to be a major trading centre?

Why singapore failed to be a major trading centre? â€Å"No historian has yet adequately explained why Singapore failed to be a major trading centre before the nineteenth century†. Raffles Professor of History, Wong Lin Ken. a. Do new Dutch/Portuguese reports, maps and scant archaeological evidence dating back beyond the 19th Century now suggest that Singapore was ALWAYS a strategic place after all? Numerous evidences had been uncovered, and reports and archaeological findings especially, certainly suggest that Singapore was largely strategic between the period of Temasek, in 14th century, and late 17th century. However, to conclude that Singapore was hence always strategic would probably be too much of an overstatement. This essay will discuss Singapores strategic significance, with the support of these evidences, during the different time periods. During the 14th century, trade was already ongoing between the West, South Asia and East Asia. The Melaka Straits was crucial for traders to sail to and fro the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. Sailing in the past depended on wind direction, thus ships had to stop in Southeast Asia (SEA) to wait for a change in wind direction to bring them towards either China or India. Singapore was hence a strategic port because she was located in SEA and along Melaka Straits, making it a convenient stopover hence the central of international trade. Bits of celadon (from China), Chinese coins, fragments of stoneware (mainly from Guangdong and South Fujian) and earthernware (from Sumatra, Java and Borneo)and under-glazed blue and white stem cup (more expensive of porcelains from Jingdezhen during Yuan Dynasty)recovered support the above claim as they suggest extensive trade links Temasek had with China and SEA, and that its inhabitants, especially the wealthier ones inhabiting Fort Canning, were able to afford the more exquisite products of Jingdezhen. Temasek then, was able to attract maritime trade by providing unique products that rival ports were unable to supply. Recorded by Wang Da Yuan in Daoyi zhilue,Temasek supplied indigenous products like hornbills casques of excellent quality. Found only between north of Malay Peninsula and South of Borneo, traders can only lay their hands on it at Temasek or Palembang. Though Lakawood was in abundance, Temasek was one of the five ports that offer those of middle-quality. Celadon, white wares and stonewares uncovered at Riau Archipelago, dating back to the period of Temasek, had patterns and craft similar to those imported from Temasek. Furthermore, the origin of glassbeads of Riau Archipelago and Temasek should be identical given similar compositions. Hence, Temasek probably served as a collection centre and an entry to export for Riau Archipelago. In this case, evidences do suggest that Singapore was prospering and had an influence on regional economy and was thus strategic. During the 15th to 17th centuries, though Singapore declined slightly when Temasek was relocated to Melaka, fragments of under-glazed blue porcelains found at Kallang River, and Portuguese maps which indicate the presence of a shahbandars office, as elaborated in (b), suggest that she retained some of its strategic significance as a port by maintaining some trade with China. As mentioned, being one of the strategically situated along the Melaka Straits, the power that was able to erect a strategic dominance around the waters around Singapore would be advantaged in terms of security and economically. The Dutch had wanted to destroy Luso (Portuguese-Spanish) monopolies in SEA when they first started attacking Portuguese trading ships around Singapore waters and declared war with the Portuguese when they raided Santa Catarina and auctioned off its products. This saw the naval battles between the Dutch and Johor Sultanate, and Portuguese and Acehnese in the early 17th century and gave rise to the considerations of fortifying Singapore by both powers. Jacques De Coutre proposed to build forts at the east coast of Singapore and Muar River estuary and station a naval fleet at Sentosa to protect Portuguese trading ships from the Dutch. Dutch had the same places in mind for their fortification plans. Till this point, the Dutch and Portuguese reports do suggest th at Singapore was strategic. However, the plans never realised, which made us rethink if Singapore was really that strategic after all. Singapores strategic significance took a turn in the 18th century. There was not much evidence to prove this period of time, but by referencing to my contextual knowledge, we know that the Dutch shifted their focus from the Melaka Straits to the Sunda Straits, Portuguese diverted their trade to Japan having difficulties trading in the Melaka Straits and Johor Sultanate relocated their capital to the Lingga Archipelago, shifting the maritime silk road southwards. Singapore lost its value with the declination of Melaka Straits and was abandoned. She no longer held any strategic significance to participants of the maritime trade. Perhaps it is precisely that not much evidence was found that dates back to this period of time that it suggests that trading activities in Singapore was kept to its minimum. Moreover, no coins or porcelains were uncovered that dates beyond the Song and Yuan Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty respectively, further supporting my contextual knowledge. It is evident that Singapores strategic significance changes with time, depending on human-related factors such as politics and economics, and hence is relative. The evidences may seem to imply that Singapore was always strategic, but when viewed from another angle, they can also suggest otherwise as stated in the previous paragraph. Therefore to say that they suggest that Singapore is always strategic may be a little too extreme. b.In light of this evidence, should Singapores history from 1511 to 1819 be written as (1) little more than a sleepy fishing village? (2) a declining but still thriving emporium astride hotly contested strategic waters (3) part of the Johor Sultanate?Please explain your preference. From the 15th century to 17th century, Singapore was a (3) part of the Johor Sultanate, but she was (2) a declining yet thriving emporium astride hotly contested strategic waters between the 16th and 17th century. It was only during the early 18th century that trade in Singapore started dipping, and she was perceived by the British as a sleepy fishing village when they stepped ashore in 1819. Hence, (1) little more than â€Å"a sleepy fishing village† suitably describes Singapores history between this period as it is a broader title and thus encompasses both (2) and (3), and the reduction of importance of Singapores port resulting from the declination of the Melaka Straits during the 18th century accounts for Singapore being â€Å"a sleepy fishing village†. When Singapore was (3), trade was still ongoing though insignificant compared to its Temasek period. Excavations on the north bank of Singapore River, where a settlement was once present, and Kallang River revealed fragments of ceramics and under-glazed blue porcelains with designs dating back to the rule of Ming Emperor Wanli (1573 to 1620). Similar findings in Johor Lama and Johor Shoal imply that the findings in Singapore belonged to the Johor River trade controlled by the Johor Sultans. Some may suggest that these pieces might have been disposed into the Kallang River when ships stopover for supplies because they broke during the voyage, and not because of trade present in Singapore. This may be true, however, according to two Portuguese maps, a shahbandar of the Johor Sultans office was featured on the southern coast of Singapore, proving the above conjecture wrong and showing that trade at the Kallang River was flourishing to the extent it needed a shahbandar to run it. This also indicates that Singapore then, was continuing some degree of trade with China, showing that she was (1). As mentioned, trade was also falling, compared to its Temasek period, as during this time, Melaka was the main port for international trade. Singapore then, supported Melaka by providing goods from herself for Melaka to export. An example being blackwood, which was brought from Singapore to Melaka, and then bought in bulk by Chinese traders. (2) may now seem to be plausible at this point in the essay since Singapore was a declining yet thriving emporium, and evidence show that its waters are hotly contested for between the Dutch and Johor Sultanate, and the Portuguese and Acehnese, and Singapore was seen by both as strategic to build a fort to achieve their individual aims as mentioned in (a). However, one may wish to note that Singapores waters may not be that strategic after all. In 1613, Aceh successfully attacked Batu Sawar as she was upset about the signing of the peace treaty between Johor Sultanate and Portuguese, uncovering the vulnerable position of Singapore waters, rendering it no longer strategic. Moreover, when Melaka Straits lost its importance to Sunda Straits in the late 17th century, Singapore was neglected and declined over the 18th century. Its waters were no longer contested and the issue on it being strategic or not became irrelevant. A village of Orang Lauts and Malays, not being much of a deal, were all that were left in Singapore. Melaka Straits was filled with pirates and Singapore, lying on the Straits, was hence seen as a sleepy fishing village by the British when they landed in the 19th century. (2) does not take into account these happenings, thus it is flawed in describing Singapores history. In conclusion, (1) best describes Singapore history as it accommodates the period when Singapore was (3), when trade was active though declining, the period when it was considered strategic and its waters contested by the Dutch and Portuguese, up to the period when British founded Singapore as a sleepy fishing village due to the decline of Melaka Straits. (2) was unsuitable as mentioned above, and (3) seems to be an understatement as Singapore was more than just part of the Johor Sultanate.

Past Present And Future Of Mcdonalds Marketing Essay

Past Present And Future Of Mcdonalds Marketing Essay McDonalds is the largest chain of fast food restaurant that specializes in making quality hamburgers worldwide. This fast food chain restaurant has over 62 restaurants worldwide with its presence in over 41 countries. McDonalds is engaged in different initiatives all over the world that define its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR calls for companies to behave in a responsible manner socially while carrying their mandate to the public. Moreover, CSR also encompasses the companys social behavior while dealing with other companies and business partners who do business with it. McDonalds therefore owes lots of responsibility in its operations socially to the public as well as its strategic business partners. The chain restaurant also runs several franchises which imply that it deals with several strategic business partners. The increase in public awareness has brought CSR into the limelight as companies seek to incorporate this social responsibility it its plans. McDonalds has a number of CSR driven activities and strategies that shall be considered in this paper The aim of this research paper is to consider the past, present as well as the future Corporate Social Responsibility and business ethics that McDonalds has towards the environment. McDonalds has opened many different outlets and franchised several fast food restaurant outlets as well. This therefore implies that it must consider its social responsibility towards the environment as it seeks to expand into the new market. Corporate Social Responsibility often gives the company an edge against its competitors. In conclusion, the paper will consider some of the CSR and business ethic strategies currently employed by McDonalds while conducting its business. McDonalds has also initiated various programs aimed at developing its CSR way beyond the near future. Thus, the company is committed towards delivering its social responsibility to the market and the immediate environs. It is thus recommended that McDonalds should partners with other likeminded fast food restaurants in order to deliver its CSR in the future. McDonalds should also compare its business ethics with those of other companies and ensure that it is in unison with other companys business ethics. This will aid in delivering an effective CSR. Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction 3 Aim and Purpose 3 Situation Analysis 4 Factors and Discussion 4 Values 4 Sustainable supply chain 5 Nutrition and wellbeing 6 Environmental responsibility 7 Employment experience 8 Community responsibility 9 Conclusion 10 Recommendation 11 Works Cited 12 Introduction This report will aid McDonalds in identifying its core CSR strategies that will propel its business goals into the future. The report also identifies the business ethics that McDonalds has practiced over time and the impact of these business ethics to its strategic partners and customers. This report is thus an indicator of how well McDonalds is delivering its CSR and business ethics. McDonalds being the worlds largest hamburger chain fast food restaurant owes the environment a lot in terms of its Corporate Social Responsibility. The environment in this case implies its customers, business partners as well as the public at large. The firm has played a large role in the past towards conserving the environment. In addition, McDonalds continues to develop a sustainable supply chain for the benefit of its suppliers and distributors thus ensuring that there is continuous flow of business. McDonalds CSR revolves around sustainability. This is because the firm identifies that through sustainability, it will be able to get constant products that it uses to make the hamburgers as well as other fast food products. Sustainability also helps McDonalds in the sense that it will be able to sustain its distribution networks, thus benefiting a whole chain of distributors and suppliers. Aim and Purpose This report on the CSR and business ethics for McDonalds will aid the management and executives in the board of McDonalds to better deliver their CSR to their strategic business partners and the public in general. The report also illuminates areas that perhaps McDonalds should consider incorporating into its CSR plan for the next operating year. This report shall assume certain factors. Firstly, that McDonalds CSR is uniform throughout all the countries that it operates fast food restaurants in. secondly, the report shall also assume that the CSR and business ethics that McDonalds has implemented and will implement have gained general acceptance amongst its business partners, customers and the public in general. The limitations to this study include the fact that some of the CSR strategies that McDonalds has implemented are hard to measure. Most of the business ethics can only be explained but cannot be measured in definite terms. In fact, McDonalds cannot establish the extent of success that it has achieved in the past in regard to the CSR strategies. Situation Analysis In each and every country, McDonalds has thrives to develop a menu that fits the tastes and culture of the people in those countries. This has made McDonalds unique in its delivery of fine and quality fast food products. Its CSR strategies have helped it to identify the needs of the people within these destinations and develop fast food solutions that best fits their needs. McDonalds is thus mindful of its customers diverse needs. In addition, McDonalds strives to promote healthy diets that benefit its customer. Research reveals that fast food products are not good for the health, especially for the heart as well as the liver. However, McDonalds disputes this by developing and making fast food products that are free from cholesterol, fat that causes cardiac diseases. The firm has also won several awards in environment conservation and employment sensitivity. McDonalds has no gender inequality whilst employing its staff from the regions where it has expanded. The company hopes to have trained and retrained all its employees in their respective fields by the end of 2012 (May, Cheney and Roper, p.32). According to an employee at the fast food restaurant in Europe, McDonalds is perhaps the best employer and always listens to the needs and demands of the staff; the employment environment is one to die for. Factors and Discussion This section will identify the various CSR strategies that McDonalds has implemented in the past, present and the future of these strategies. The factors are identifies in the ensuing paragraphs. Values McDonalds core values are all aimed at promoting the Corporate Social Responsibility of the firm. This is achieved through giving value to the customers, the supply chain as well as the other business partners with whom McDonalds does business. McDonalds indeed acknowledges the fact that its customers are the reason behind its success and existence. Therefore, the customers are very much valued within the company. The company thus strives to create a warm and welcoming environment for its customers. Secondly, McDonalds values its employees and states that it is committed towards the career growth and development of its employees through a comprehensive training plan. This is perhaps the greatest CSR that McDonalds has. McDonalds believes in empowering and valuing the employees for increased commitment from them and their continued success. McDonalds also maintains high business ethics and thus conducts its business with high ethical standards (Fisher and Lovell, p.33). The company conducts its business with high integrity, honesty and fairness for all its customers and suppliers. McDonalds also values the community in which it operates and strives to give back to the society through sponsoring various community initiatives such as education. McDonalds believes in making the world a better place (Johnson and Turner, p.112). McDonalds being a public company values doing profitable business with all its stakeholders. The company therefore lays much emphasis on profitable business while enforcing its business ethics across all its subsidiaries. This is achieved through maintaining high ethical standards. McDonalds always strives to excel in whatever field it undertakes to operate in. constant improvement is achieved within the company through continued training and innovation. Thus, McDonalds has grown to become the worlds largest fast food chain of restaurants through its commitment towards achieving its CSR as well as maintaining good business ethics. According to Richardson (p.16), McDonalds has achieved much success through its good will initiatives worldwide, hence many customers identify with the positive side of the company. Sustainable supply chain McDonalds suppliers are required to adhere to the strict Code of Conduct which enhances the supply chain ensuring that the fast food giant gets the best quality products as raw material for preparing the fast food restaurants. The firm values its supply chain in such a manner that there is no way a poor quality product can access the firms production unit. In addition, there are checks and balances to ensure that only the best raw materials are used to prepare fast food products. These checks and balances often involve empowering the suppliers to supply quality products through training programs. In 2007, McDonalds established a strong supply chain department which ensures that the quality standards for its suppliers are continuously met by the suppliers (Hanekamp, p.14). The complexity of the supply chain requires that McDonalds maintains an effective communication amongst its suppliers in order to solve and avert problems at an early stage. McDonalds always purchases its products from suppliers who only comply with the established code of conduct thus ensuring continued quality standards adherence (Gitman and McDaniel, p.34). Furthermore, McDonalds always strives to promote a supply chain that is positively supporting the environment. Thus, the supply chain of the fast food giant usually has no adverse effect on the environment. McDonalds therefore supports an environment-friendly supply chain. The supply chain also aims at promoting a positive economic impact on the suppliers and the immediate beneficiaries. According to Crowther and Rayman-Bacchus (p.42), an effective supply chain is one where suppliers receive timely information that will enable them be able to succeed in supplying the best products for the fast food giant. Andersen (p.24) suggests that McDonalds requires improving efficiency of its supply chain and reducing the bottleneck so that the Small and Medium Enterprises within countries where McDonalds operates may be able to benefit from the existence of McDonalds. Nutrition and wellbeing McDonalds is always committed to the wellbeing of its customers through producing fast food products that have no adverse health effects on the customers. The company follows the strict advice of its nutrition experts. There have been concerns about obesity that McDonalds has taken seriously and strived to avoid producing fast food products that may lead to obesity among its customers. Moreover, McDonalds also promoted doing exercises as part of the health promotion program that it started in 1998 (Ferrel, Ferrell and Fraedrich, p.18). Exercising is an imperative activity that McDonalds acknowledges could reduce the health effects of fast foods. Nutrition experts also advice that eating fast food products is not harmful to ones health for as long as they do enough exercises. McDonalds encourages customer to make quality choices regarding its fast food products that will benefit their health. The firm discourages eating for the sake of it and insists on supporting healthy living (Rendtorff, p.142). McDonalds continues to develop high quality and a well balanced diet that serves the needs of its customers comprehensively. The firm has also developed a wide range of choices to enable its customers to choose from, thus increase customer satisfaction. The firm through its nutritionist has developed consumer-friendly nutrition information that enable the customers to gain useful knowledge regarding the fast food products that the firm sells across all its restaurants. This helps the consumers to make an independent choice regarding which fast food product to purchase. Today, a lot of the consumer choices are driven by the nutrition that McDonalds provides its consumers with. McDonalds has strived to improve the communication that it has with its customers, especially children thus encouraging them to make wise nutrition choices. According to Hartman and DesJardins (p.76), McDonalds established the Global Advisory Council (GAC) which works in collaboration with the international teams to source for expert advice regarding nutrition and wellbeing. Environmental responsibility According to Kotler and Lee (p.19), McDonalds has won the Energy Star Partner of the Year award which is usually awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). McDonalds has been recognized for its massive efforts in reducing greenhouse emissions. The firm is sensitive to the environment and concerned more about the global warming. This has promoted the firm to save on energy and thus avert carbon emissions. McDonalds takes its social responsibility concerning the environment seriously. The firm established its very own Global Environment Commitment (Houk and Williams, p.134). The company has continued to focus on improving its commitment towards the environment. As far as McDonalds CSR regarding the environment is concerned, the fast food giant has in the past and present focused on three main areas namely; energy efficiency, sustainable packaging and waste management as well as green restaurant design. McDonalds has sort to use more energy efficient strategies such as the use of natural gas in the fast food restaurants. McDonalds continues to seek ways of increasing energy efficiency. Furthermore, the fast food giant also seeks to reduce the impact of its operations on the environmental impact. In addition, McDonalds continues to explore ways in which it can package the consumers product in packages that are easy to recycle and reuse. Malachowski (p.27) reveals that the company banned the use of plastics in packaging the fast food products. The firm continues to use paper-based packages though it is in a bid to look for an environmental friendly package. The firm has been criticized for using paper-based packages in the wake of the global warming panic. Paper comes from trees and thus by using the paper-based packages, McDonalds may have been going against the environmental preservation requirements. Trevino and Nelson (p.47) reveal that McDonalds has an environmental department which attends the green house conferences in Geneva annually. These officials are in charge of ensuring that McDonalds continues to comply with the environmental laws of various countries where it is established. Most of the restaurants belonging to McDonalds have adopted the green restaurant design which helps in saving energy. This has given McDonalds the opportunity to participate in the reduction of carbon emission through investing in energy efficient buildings. Most of the restaurants belonging to McDonalds have an open space which allows plenty of light to enter into the building thus saving the use of electricity during the day. McDonalds CSR supports the conservation of the environment through reduction of carbon emission as well as the green restaurant designs. Employment experience McDonalds has a policy within all its subsidiaries and fast food restaurants worldwide of giving its employees a priority over all other things. The firm indeed identifies that employees are core in the companys success. McDonalds has in the past devised training programs aimed at employee development. Moreover, the firm empowers its employees to take up new challenges in the fast food market. Furthermore, McDonalds supports human rights which forms part of it global business conduct. Respect to life and the preservation of human dignity has enabled the company to excel in its core relationship with its employees as well as customers and business partners. This has enabled McDonalds to grow through its appreciation of human life and dignity, an area where many other companies have failed. Employees rights are a priority at McDonalds. McDonalds has developed a strategy that allows the employees relative freedom in working with the firm. There are three aspects of the employee priority virtues that McDonalds has identifies namely respect, commitment growth and talent enhancement (Hoffman, p.114). McDonalds has created a culture where every employee is respected and valued globally. In addition, McDonalds is committed towards realizing quality employees through comprehensive training programs and staff development strategies. McDonalds identifies young talented graduates and employees then as graduate trainees thus ensuring that it acquires the right caliber of future employees. These young graduates are drawn from various hospitality colleges and universities across the globe. According to Mullerat and Brennan (p.22), McDonalds always strives to deliver quality employee training to its employees. Moreover, its employment policy is not biased against one kind of gender. There is an open approach towards those employed at McDonalds. Every employee is thus a priority at McDonalds since the firm realized that its workforce holds the key to its valued success. This CSR involving valuing and respecting employees has enabled McDonalds to improve its service provision to its clientele. Community responsibility For ages, McDonalds has been supporting the Olympic Games through feeding program aimed at feeding the athletics. McDonalds is also involved in various charities and also supports education in the developing countries where it has its franchises and fast food restaurants. As part of its bid to return back to the society, McDonalds has sponsored several children programs involving eradication of illiteracy and poverty. McDonalds also sponsors a number of events worldwide including the Olympic Games and walks. Over the past calamities, McDonalds has been involved in disaster response where it has supported the victims of such disasters. Just recently during the Haiti disaster, McDonalds moved in to donate a handsome amount towards the rebuilding of the destroyed country. According to Morris, Willey and Sachdev (p.54), McDonalds has also supported various community based programs such as sponsoring the education of poor children in India and Asia. Conclusion McDonalds has been able to achieve high success through its identification of the elements that make it succeed most. These elements include its employees, customers and the suppliers. McDonalds values its employees and has various training programs to support their bid towards an excellent service provision. The company draws its success mostly from its employees. McDonalds also hires quality and highly valuable employees thus ensuring continued success for the company. McDonalds also draws its success from its highly valued customers. The company provides the customers with nutrition information thus ensuring that the customer makes informed decision. Moreover, the firm develops well balanced diets that meet the dynamic requirements of each fast food market. Indeed, customers have enabled the firm to develop strongly with most customers referring others to the fast food giant. The customers also benefit from the advice of the international nutritionists as well as the nutrition experts that are dissipated to McDonalds on a regular basis (Daft and Marcic, p.11). McDonalds support for the environment has ensured that its CSR continues to grow. The firm has many ways of giving back to the community. McDonalds supports various sponsorship programs, the most profound being that which supports the education of children (Carter and Clegg, p.48). McDonalds also feeds the athletes at the Olympic Games. Poverty eradication has also been a priority for the company as it seeks to improve the standards of living. McDonalds continues to support CSR and good business conducts and ethic across its operations, now and in the future to come through enhanced quality programs. Suppliers also form part of the core business that McDonalds supports. The suppliers are organized in supply chains to ensure that they continue to abide by the quality standards. Recommendation McDonalds should make us of solar energy, which is a renewable form of energy. This will go a long way towards ensuring that there is less carbon emission. The EPA would thus be pleased with the efforts propagated by McDonalds. McDonalds should also run advertisements in the media to promote its balanced healthy diet. The advertisements should also contain nutrition advice on various ways of eating healthy fast food diets. The firm should also diversify its diets to ensure that it meets the requirements of different ages.

Philosophy of Educative Assessment Essay -- essays research papers

Philosophy of Assessment Assessment of students is a crucial part of their education. It is one thing to be able, with some degree of confidence, to say that 'Johnny knows x' but it is quite another to be able to say 'Sarah can x'. It is clear that assessment at its core is involved in the measuring of something and that if I expect students to reach above a certain level of 'something' then I must clearly communicate that to them. The backwards design that we are familiar with goes someway towards achieving this goal. The notion that we state at the outset our expectations for student learning and then design activities to achieve that stated goal appears to be common sense. However, the tendency for teachers to rely upon pre-existing testing materials and adjust their high expectations to either teach to the test or adopt a less ?radical? approach is tempting. I think that new teachers are so overwhelmed with the day to day business of running a classroom that assessment, perhaps the most vital and under examined area in education, takes a back seat pretty quickly. A frustrating aspect of modern education is the concept of differentiation. It is often presented in the sense that each student learns differently, has different strengths and weaknesses and accordingly should be afforded assessment opportunities that allow them the best chance of success. That approach is daunting to new teachers because the intimation is that individualized assessment is preferable and with one hundred and six students of different grade levels and their own relative areas of skill, individualized assessment appears too hard a challenge. I have begun to examine my own assessment with a view to finding ways to improve it and improve ... ...stances students find among themselves, the absolutes are the text and the definitions available in the Oxford English Dictionary. The variable of teacher interpretation is also reduced because the student uses evidence form the text to prove their assertions. In addition to which, I contend that the explication meets the criteria for an educative assessment in that it allows for the academic growth of the student as the result of the features of the passage that are illuminated. Students see different things in the same text and express their findings differently but the value of their findings is the measure to take. The goal of educative assessment appears to turn ?traditional? assessment on its ear. The notion that the assessment is teaching something is a challenge to many teachers, particularly teachers with a vested interest in producing test scores.

Early Understanding of HIV and Syphilis :: essays research papers fc

In the last few weeks of class we have looked at several different cases of disease outbreaks throughout the world, and how different cultures have diverse understandings of these outbreaks. Of the sicknesses we have studied, I feel that the HIV and Syphilis outbreaks stand apart from the others because of their massive infections in many different cultures and parts of the world, and also due to the fact that the diseases cannot be cured, along with the unfortunately high rate of death among its victims.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the outbreaks of syphilis and HIV first became present, science at the time was unable to come up with a clear cause for the sicknesses. People witnessing the diseases, however, were quick to assign their own cause. Unfortunately, most put the blame on African Americans. While Syphilis may have been introduced to the western worlds by slave trade according to Philip D. Curtin, inefficient evidence is present to call this fact, and most blame when these diseases first became present were completely racially based. This blind prejudice led to an extremely limited understanding of the diseases. Many felt the diseases were so racially specific that whites were completely immune to the epidemics. Some even felt that Blacks became infected because they were inferior unchristian beings, and as being so, they were being punished by god. (PBS/NOVA â€Å"The Deadly Deception†) As an effect of this logic, many more fell victim to the sicknesses, refusing treatmen t due to these beliefs. This racial attitude of the time also severely hindered the discovery of the real causes of HIV and Syphilis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many years later, and after a very large progression in medical research, scientists have finally came to a clear agreement on the causes of these diseases. It is now obvious that there are three main causes to an HIV or Syphilis infection. A victim may become infected through blood transfusions or sexual contact with another, or the diseases may be carried from a mother to her child. These conclusions vary greatly from what was first thought as the cause of the epidemics. The incorrect causes initially found by those in early times most likely were based on a lack of knowledge in the areas of sanitary blood transfusions, safe sex, and the extremely racist attitude of the time. This lack of knowledge can be seen in what the diseases first became known as: â€Å"Bad Blood† (CDC).

Software and Copyright Essay example -- Computers History Technology E

Software and Copyright Current copyright and patent laws are inappropriate for computer software; their imposition slows down software development and reduces competition. From the first computer as we know them, the ENIAC, computer software has become more and more important. From thousands of bytes on miles of paper to millions of bytes on a thin piece of tin foil sandwitched between two pieces of plastic, software has played an important part in the world. Computers have most likely played an important role in all our lives, from making math easier with calculators, to having money on the go with ATM machines. However, with all the help that has been given to us, we haven't done anything for software and the people who write it. Software by nature is completely defenseless, as it is more or less simply intellectual property, and not a physical thing, thus very easily copied. Copied software does not make money for its creators, and thus they charge more for whats not copied, and the whole industry inflates. There are two categories of intellectual property. The first one is composed of writing, music, and films,which are covered by copyright. Inventions and innovations are covered by patent. These two categories have covered for years many kinds of work with little or no conflict. Unfortunately, it is not that easy when dealing with such a complex matter as computer software. When something is typed on a computer, it is considered writting, as it is all written words and numbers. However, when executed by the computer, it functions like an invention, performing a specific task as instructed by the user. Thus, software falls into both categories (Del Guercio 22-24). It is generally covered today by copyright laws, for most mass market software at least. More advanced software or programming techniques, however, can be patented, as they are neither obvious nor old. This results in many problems which I will go into later. Copyrights last the lifetime of the author, plus 50 years, and can be renewed. Patents last only 17 years, but cannot be renewed. With technology advancing so quickly, it is not necessary to maintain the protection of the software for the length of the copyright, but also, it is sometimes necessary to renew them (Del Guercio 22-24), say, for a 10th sequel in a video game series or version 47.1 of Bob's Graphic Progra... ... Anne Bilodeau House Bill Would Limit Hyperlinks. http:/.www.webweek.com/96May20/nes/netcopy.html (1996). Richard Raysman et al Computer Law: Internet Copyright Developments. http://www.brmlaw.com/doclib/complaw196.html (1996). Del Guercio, Gino. "Softwars." World Monitor Oct. 1991: 22-24. Reprinted in Technology 3. Boca Raton, Florida: SIRS, Inc., 1996: Article 75. Daniel Grant. "Computer Copycats Blur Rights." Christian Science Monitor Oct. 3 1991: 12. Reprinted in Technology 3. Boca Raton, Florida: SIRS, Inc., 1996: Article 75. Daniel A Tysver BitLaw: Internet Linking http://www.bitlaw.com/internet/linking.html (1996). Daniel A Tysver BitLaw: Internet Software Patents http://www.bitlaw.com/internet/patent.html (1996). David Pressman Patent It Yourself http://www.nolo.com/pat/toc.html (1996). Niva Elkin-Koren Copyright Liability of BBS Operators http://yu1.yu.edu/csl/journals/aelj/articles/13-2/elkin.html (1995). Gleick, James. "I'll Take the Money, Thanks." New York Times 4 Aug. 1996. 16. Dukelow, Ruth. The Library Copyright Guide Chelsea, Michigan., 1992. Ross, Philip E. "Cops vs Robbers in Cyberspace." Forbes 9 Sept. 1996. 134-140. Software and Copyright Essay example -- Computers History Technology E Software and Copyright Current copyright and patent laws are inappropriate for computer software; their imposition slows down software development and reduces competition. From the first computer as we know them, the ENIAC, computer software has become more and more important. From thousands of bytes on miles of paper to millions of bytes on a thin piece of tin foil sandwitched between two pieces of plastic, software has played an important part in the world. Computers have most likely played an important role in all our lives, from making math easier with calculators, to having money on the go with ATM machines. However, with all the help that has been given to us, we haven't done anything for software and the people who write it. Software by nature is completely defenseless, as it is more or less simply intellectual property, and not a physical thing, thus very easily copied. Copied software does not make money for its creators, and thus they charge more for whats not copied, and the whole industry inflates. There are two categories of intellectual property. The first one is composed of writing, music, and films,which are covered by copyright. Inventions and innovations are covered by patent. These two categories have covered for years many kinds of work with little or no conflict. Unfortunately, it is not that easy when dealing with such a complex matter as computer software. When something is typed on a computer, it is considered writting, as it is all written words and numbers. However, when executed by the computer, it functions like an invention, performing a specific task as instructed by the user. Thus, software falls into both categories (Del Guercio 22-24). It is generally covered today by copyright laws, for most mass market software at least. More advanced software or programming techniques, however, can be patented, as they are neither obvious nor old. This results in many problems which I will go into later. Copyrights last the lifetime of the author, plus 50 years, and can be renewed. Patents last only 17 years, but cannot be renewed. With technology advancing so quickly, it is not necessary to maintain the protection of the software for the length of the copyright, but also, it is sometimes necessary to renew them (Del Guercio 22-24), say, for a 10th sequel in a video game series or version 47.1 of Bob's Graphic Progra... ... Anne Bilodeau House Bill Would Limit Hyperlinks. http:/.www.webweek.com/96May20/nes/netcopy.html (1996). Richard Raysman et al Computer Law: Internet Copyright Developments. http://www.brmlaw.com/doclib/complaw196.html (1996). Del Guercio, Gino. "Softwars." World Monitor Oct. 1991: 22-24. Reprinted in Technology 3. Boca Raton, Florida: SIRS, Inc., 1996: Article 75. Daniel Grant. "Computer Copycats Blur Rights." Christian Science Monitor Oct. 3 1991: 12. Reprinted in Technology 3. Boca Raton, Florida: SIRS, Inc., 1996: Article 75. Daniel A Tysver BitLaw: Internet Linking http://www.bitlaw.com/internet/linking.html (1996). Daniel A Tysver BitLaw: Internet Software Patents http://www.bitlaw.com/internet/patent.html (1996). David Pressman Patent It Yourself http://www.nolo.com/pat/toc.html (1996). Niva Elkin-Koren Copyright Liability of BBS Operators http://yu1.yu.edu/csl/journals/aelj/articles/13-2/elkin.html (1995). Gleick, James. "I'll Take the Money, Thanks." New York Times 4 Aug. 1996. 16. Dukelow, Ruth. The Library Copyright Guide Chelsea, Michigan., 1992. Ross, Philip E. "Cops vs Robbers in Cyberspace." Forbes 9 Sept. 1996. 134-140.

Norman Foster

Norman Foster  Ã‚  Norman Foster is a major contributor to twentieth century architecture both in the westernworld and further afield. After starting his studies in architecture over 50 years ago he has designeda range of buildings (and bridges) and continues to produce outstanding designs today. Aswell asexploring Foster's career this essay will focus primarily on two of Foster's buildings, Creek VeanHouse in Cornwall and the Willis Building in Ipswich (originally the Willis Faber and DumasHeadquarters).Born in Manchester on 1 June 1935 to working class parents, Foster was a bright studentwho after attending a private school and a grammar school was pressurised to leave early in order toearn a living. It wasn't until 1956 after working in a bakery, a city treasurer's office, a factory,selling furniture, spending time in the Royal Air Force on national service and studying commerciallaw that he finally started his studies in architecture.Graduating from Manchester university school of architecture and city planning in 1961, Foster won the Henry fellowship to study at Yaleuniversity where he obtained his master's degree and also met Richard Rogers, another Britisharchitect whom he became good friends with. In 1963 Rogers and Foster along with their  respective wives Su and Wendy formed ‘Team 4', a practice known for its high-tech designs and thegroup behind Creek Vean House. In 1967 Team 4 ended and Foster and Wendy set up Foster  Associates (now Foster and Partners).Between 1968 and 1983 Foster collaborated on a number of  Ã‚  projects including the Samuel Beckett Theatre project with Richard Buckminster Fuller whohappened to be one of his idols. Foster called him a â€Å"lone voice,† whose work with geodesicsdemonstrated how building form could be both economical and ecological. Orientation and  building form became, for Foster, touchstones in his design of ecological architecture. – Michael J. Crosbie, ArchitectureWeek.Foster Asso ciates has produced many well known works such as theSainsbury Centre in Norwich, the Hongkong and Shanghai bank, the Millau Viaduct in France, theBritish Museum Great Court in London and the Swiss Re tower in London to name but a few. Over  History and Theory of Architecture the years Foster Associates has achieved more than 190 awards and won over 50 competitions for  its work, in 1990 Foster was Knighted and in 1999 he was honoured with a life peerage giving himthe title Lord Foster Of Thames Bank, in the same year he became the 21 st Pritzker ArchitecturePrize laureate.Creak Vean house was the first work of group Team 4, built in 1964, it was commissioned  by Marcus Brumwell as a home for himself and his wife who were the parents of Su Rogers. Although Foster has concentrated more on buildings for the workplace, houses which showsimilarities to Creek Vean are the Jaffe house and Murray Mews which were also designed by Team4, these buildings are orientated to make the most of their views and have large slanting glass walls,similar to the glass walk way and large glass walls in Creek Vean. The Willis Faber ; Dumas Headquarters in Ipswich was built from 1971-1975 as aworkplace for around 1300 employees.Foster has mostly designed buildings for the workplaceand is very good at designing space for employees to enjoy their surroundings. The three storey  building is surrounded by a glass facade, similar to that in some of his later buildings such as HearstTower in New York City, the Swiss Re Headquarters in London, the HSBC UK Headquarters inLondon and City Hall in London. The facade also has a curved appearance, with no hard edges or  corners, similar to the Swiss Re and City Hall buildings, the American Air Museum and the newWillis Headquarters in London.Inside the Willis Faber and Dumas Headquarters escalators lead upthrough the central atrium, in Foster's Hongkong and Shanghai bank he uses a similar approach buton a larger scale with a ten storey at rium and the escalators leading up to the main banking hall. The  Ipswich building established a couple of themes that Foster returned to in project after project: howthe building meets the ground in an accommodating way; how light, views, and the interior  environment can be adjusted and modified; and how to introduce green space into an urbanenvironment such as an office building. ArchitectureWeek Creek Vean House is positioned overlooking the Fal estuary in Cornwall on a steepriverbank. The house is made up of two separate blocks at different angles to each other linkedtogether by a long glass-roofed corridor which was used as a gallery. One of the blocks is one storeyhigh and contains the bedrooms and studio and the other block is two storeys high and contains theliving room and dining room, the ground floor ooms are cut back into the hillside and the onestorey block's roof is covered in vegetation, this gives the impression the house is carved into thelandscape. All the mai n rooms have large sliding doors off the main corridor and are angled so thatthey have the best views possible out over the estuary, this results in the rooms being fan shapedwith very angular corners. The house is constructed of exposed concrete blocks and reinforcedconcrete slabs, the floors are slate. Outside the building, winding steps lead down the slope fromthe access road above the house.They step down through the building over the corridor that linksthe two blocks (the corridor has a solid roof at this point), emphasising the split in the two parts of  the building and continue down through the garden to a boat house on the shore below. The Willis Faber ; Dumas Headquarters is situated in Ipswich. unlike many office buildingsit is only three storeys high and is spread out to fit in with the shape of the surrounding streets, withthe curved glass facade showing reflections of the surrounding buildings. On entering the buildingthere is a central atrium with escalators leading right up to the rooftop restaurant.Overlooking theatrium are the different storeys with open plan office space, the layout of the office space and factthat it is so open plan gives the workplace a very communal feel. †¦ orientation is direct:you alwaysknow where you are, one can move freely, the sun penetrates everywhere and there are only a fewvisual barriers. – Norman Foster. The building was also built with a rooftop garden and aswimming pool for the employees to use in their lunch breaks but the swimming pool has since  been covered with a glass floor.Around the time Creek Vean was built (1964) James Sterling had just built the Leicester  University engineering building (1963). There are similarities between their work, both use a lot of  History and Theory of Architecture glass and non standard geometry for walls however where Foster's house tries to blend in with thesurrounding area the University building is very bold and brutal. Another house built around thesame period is Hanselmann House in Indiana, 1967 by Michael Graves. This house is verymodernist with lots of open spaces and like Creek Vean it uses steps as a link to the house.VannaVenturi House was built between 1962-1964 by Robert Venturi. Unlike Creek Vean which blends inwith its environment Venturi's house really tries to make a statement. Around the time the Willis Faber and Dumas Headquarters was built (1971-1975),The Creek Vean House shows similarities to Frank Lloyd Wright's building's, particularlyFallingwater built from 1935-1937. Wright designed the house around the surroundings, similar toFoster and so it appears that the house is almost growing out of the rock beneath it. In both housessteps are used as a passageway from the house down to the water. History and Theory of Architecture

Monitor Children and Young People’s Development Essay

1. Observation. The observation could be formal and informal and both types have the advantages and disadvantages. 1.1.Informal observations – these are carried out daily when working with a pupil and overtime a picture can be built of the pupil’s progress and if there are any issues such as unable to draw circles with a compass, not recording homework correctly in the planner. These may be small but over time a picture of each pupil will be built up. It is likely that Teacher Assistants will discuss their observations with teachers. A disadvantage of informal observations is that they may not be recorded and might be forgotten to be passed on. 2. Formal observations – this may be carried out to support the teacher on assessing a pupil’s level of development such as a controlled assessment or a speaking and listening test. Standard Measurements – this is usually carried out by medical practitioners to ensure that a child is growing at the expected rate for their age. School tests/cognitive aptitude tests that demonstrate a snapshot of children’s academic ability or skill at retaining taught information and that might then be used to compare outcomes between a larger population of same-age children. Health programmes that might measure head circumference, weight, height, visual and auditory functioning. Educational psychologists may use reasoning tests to assess an intellectual age in contrast to a chronological age. 3. Information from carers and colleagues – information from carers can be vital if there is a factor that may be influencing the development of a young person an example may be that the pupil is being bullied or they don’t understand the learning objective but are too scared to ask for help. As a colleague if you see a change in the child you must communicate this to the class teacher to help them to assess what assistance may be required. 4. Assessment framework – it is the way in which child is assessed to decide whether they have any particular needs and  what these needs may be. It is useful in deciding whether the child is reaching expected milestones of development in different areas. Assessment frameworks involve methods such as England’s EYFS profile, possibly baseline assessments for children entering a new setting, the way a setting assesses development for a possible 2 year progress check, P-scales are another method that may be used to assess the development of children with learning difficulties.

Marketing Strategy by Pizza Hut Essay

Various tools and methods like, secondary sources were adopted to collect information to critically analyze the marketing strategies adopted by pizza hut, analyze the probable market for the product, study its competitors and substitute products, to estimate future sales and expected share of the market, analyze the effectiveness of advertisement, its target market and finally why people prefer pizza hut. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS MARKETING STRATEGY Pizza Hut follows the following strategy: Total market strategy—-Pizza Hut started with a single product i. e. Pizza but with different segments emerging and the degree of competition increasing, it diversified into several products to serve different segments. It came up with chicken nuggets, wedges, garlic bread, smiley etc. International marketing strategy: Pizza Hut started with local market strategy in Kansas, USA then moved on to regional markets in and across USA. In 1968, Pizza Hut started its international movement by opening its 1strestaurant in Canada. And today Pizza Hut is world’s largest pizza chain with its presence in more than 100 countries. Early Entry Strategy: Though Pizza Hut was not the first entrants in the pizza market infuse. But Pizza Hut followed an early entrant strategy. Customers knew what a pizza is but still there was huge potential to tap. In order to become a leader, pizza hut continued to refine their product &develop new product to suit their customer’s changing tastes. Ultimately Pizza Hut with its superior promotion, manufacturing and distribution activities has turned out to be the â€Å"winner†. Strong Commitment Strategy: Pizza Hut has been operating in the pizza market by realizing all economies of scale in promotion, distribution and manufacturing facilities. If Papa John’s or Little Caesars come out with a new competitive pricing strategy or innovative product, then Pizza Hut quite aggressively fights back by bringing more competitive prices or better innovations in product category. In simple words, Pizza Hut takes all possible measures to defend its leadership position in the market. Pizza Hut: An Overview of the â€Å"Product Strategy† â€Å"Product Strategies specify a market needs that may be served by different products offerings†. Product Positioning Strategy-Pizza Hut has always followed Single brand positioning strategy wherein it has positioned only its pizzas. Although the positioning statement has been different in different countries but it has always hovered around its â€Å"PIZZAS†. For instance, in Canada, its positioning statement is â€Å"The best tasting pizzas under one roof † which reflects great variety of pizza being served , in China it has positioned on â€Å"Dine-in restaurants†, in Australia, it is â€Å"made fresh, served hot and on time† which reflects that best of ingredients are used and pizza is delivered on time. Product-Scope strategy: Pizza Hut follows a â€Å"multiple product strategy† as pizza hut not only sells pizzas, but also deals in a variety of other products as although all the product offerings in pizza hut are not as fast moving as its pizza, but they usually complement each other. For instance, family coming for a dinner usually starts with some soup and garlic breads and then moves on to pizzas along with some diet salads. In this way, pizza hut caters to different people with different needs and tastes and preferences. This helps in increasing sales, profitability, market share and above all â€Å"Customer’s Mind Share† Product-Scope Strategy Salads & Pastas, Appetizers Pizzas, Soups and Desserts Product-Design Strategy:Pizza Hut follows the strategy of selling Standardized Products with modifications. Pizza Hut mainly sells 4 types of pizzas: Pan Pizza, hand-tossed pizza, stuffed crust pizza and Thin N Crispy pizza. Pizza Hut serves these standard style pizzas everywhere in the world but at the same time, it offers its customers to choose different toppings as extra mushrooms or extra capsicum and onions with extra cheese or chicken toppings like toppings of meat, bacon, fish, ham, beef topping, pork toppings etc. Secondly it offers what is known as â€Å"Value meal combos† wherein it offers a combination of pizzas, appetizers, beverages etc at lower prices. For instance, Pizza hut introduced â€Å"Meal for 2† which offers medium pan/ fresh pizza, garlic bread sticks with 2 glasses of Pepsi. Similarly pizza hut also offered â€Å"Meals for 4† where it offered 2medium pan pizzas, with one plate of garlic bread and one portion of wedges with 4 glasses of Pepsi/Soup. Pizza Hut by offering standard products seeks economies of scale and by offering modification options enhances customer satisfaction which adds to brand equity of Pizza Hut Product innovation strategy: Pizza Hut has been constantly involved in innovating new products. It started as Pizza chain in 1958. On one hand, it offers traditional Italian pizzas while on other hand, it innovated several new varieties as pan pizza, thin n crispy, stuffed crust, the big New Yorker pizza, hand tossed pizza, the edge pizza along with the Sicilian Pizza. Pizza Hut spends extensively on research and development of its innovative products. At the same time, customer’s feedback also plays an important role in preparing new pizzas. For example, The Big New Yorker Pizza. Pizza Hut continued to make innovations as it followed â€Å"International marketing strategy†. In India, Pizza Hut launched international style pizza in localized Indian flavors like Tandori pizza range with Punjabi flavors, vegetarian tama-tam, Murgh Mazedar Pizza etc. Similarly, in China along with traditional pizzas, it served â€Å"Sangria â€Å"and â€Å"Escargot†. Along with pizzas, Pizza Hut also innovated beverages and drinks to satisfy the tastes of consumers. For e. g. Pizza Hut in Oman has added a refreshing splash of tropics to their menu with the launch of Monin, a new line of flavored drinks. Value Marketing Strategy: Pizza Hut as far as value marketing is concerned follows Quality strategy, Customer- service strategy. Time-based strategy Pizza Hut promises its customers to give them best quality product busing best quality ingredients. Time and again it re-emphasizes on this fact through its advertisement campaigns. Pizza Hut main motive is to enhance its customer’s satisfaction by providing them best quality products at affordable prices. At the same time, pizza hut always tries to deliver on time. Although Pizza Hut’s competitor Domino’s differentiates on basis of timely delivery in 30 minutes, however, Pizza Hut through its innovative technology is also trying to reduce its delivery time to 30 minutes and fight back Domino’s. Pizza Hut: Overview of the â€Å"Pricing Strategy† Pizza Hut ideology of â€Å"Customers† behind its pricing strategy: Willing to pay for relevance Willing to pay for excitement Willing to pay for quality Willing to pay for simplifying life Willing to pay for forward movement But Selective and defiant Pizza Hut follows â€Å" A High/Low Pricing† strategy as far as its new products is concerned where it fixes the price higher than its competitors and then gradually lowers the price below the competitor’s prices. In simple words, it is applying â€Å"Price Skimming† strategy for its new products. For instance, the price of â€Å"the Extreme† was fixed at $9. 99 which was much higher than its competitors. But several sales promotions were used to reduce the price of the pizza below its competitors since both Pizza Hut and Pepsi are partners; â€Å"Bundle Pricing† is used where 2 liter bottle of Mountain dew was offered free with â€Å"The Extreme pizza†. The high/low pricing strategy has several advantages for Pizza Hut Used to create excitement. Set high prices initially to send a signal that its products are best inequality and service offered is excellent. Helps in segmenting the market as Pizza Hut can sell â€Å"the extreme pizza† to the customers who wish to pay higher price as well as to the bargain hunters too. Pizza Hut in formulating the complete pricing strategy focuses on â€Å"Value which it is providing to the customers at a particular price†. As far as the pricing of established products is concerned, Pizza hut believes to give â€Å"Value for Money â€Å"to its customers. Thus in order to provide maximum value to the customers and enhance the brand value, it sometimes maintains the same prices while sometimes reduces the prices, while sometimes increase prices also. â€Å"One-Price† Strategize. It charges the same price to allot customers under similar conditions and for the same quantities. This helps in establishing a favorable and fair image among its customers as well as having a stable market. Pizza Hut at the same time follows â€Å"Price Bundling† Strategy or â€Å"Value Pricing†wherein it combines the items of its menu and offers at a lesser price then what a customer would have to pay if he bought these items individually . For Example, in India, Pizza Hut offered for Rs. 75 a deal of â€Å"a plate of garlic bread sticks, 1 personal pan pizza, a glass of Pepsi and one scoop of ice cream†. Similarly Pizza Hut offered meal combos serving 2 people or 4 people. These bundling schemes attracted large number of customers who are not only interested in pizzas but in tasting other things as well. In offering such schemes, although Pizza Hut costs less but at the same time, this increases the customer inflow and sales revenue of PH tremendously. Thus Pizza Hut’s pricing strategy revolves around providing maximum value to the customer at an affordable price. Pizza hut never plays the price game as it has positioned its brand on high quality and excellent customer service. And even Pizza hut customers don’t mind paying a little more than its competitors because of the service it renders and quality it promises. Pizza Hut: An Overview of Franchise Model â€Å"Franchising† involves a contractual arrangement between a franchisor (a manufacturer, a wholesaler, or a service sponsor) and a retail franchisee, which allows the franchisee to conduct a given form of business under an established name and according to a given pattern of business. Pizza Hut after its incorporation in 1958 opened its first franchise unit in Topeka, Kansas. Followed by a Pizza Hut restaurant built in just 5 days by franchisees in Oklahoma State Fairing 1968, Pizza Hut made a global entry by entering in Canada. Then it made strong foot holding in Australia, Japan, England, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi. By 1989, Pizza Hut was already serving 54 countries. In 1996, Pizza Hut entered India with the first dine-in restaurant in Bangalore. While entering in the international arena, Pizza Hut used the â€Å"Franchising Route† as the entry strategy. (Scribd, 2010). FINDINGS Promotion mix 1. Advertising 2. Personal selling 3. Sales promotion A) Advertising Advertising is â€Å"non personal communication transmitted through mass media as radio, television, print, internet and outdoor media†. The main objective behind every campaign is either to increase sales by encouraging potential purchasers or inducing repeat purchases or prompting immediate purchase by offering special schemes or to create awareness about a new product offering by highlighting a new flavor or announcing price changes or demonstrating the product in use by depicting inexperience. Advertising Sales Promotion For instance, to launch a new flavor in India named â€Å"The Great Indian Treat†, Pizza Hut signed a Jived Jaffrey for its new TV commercial. Similarly to inform the customers about Rs. 50 pan pizza, Pizza hut showed Zayed Khan as a young teenager boy friend who has to treat his large number of girl friends with something trendy and affordable. Pizza Hut also launched certain ad campaigns to counter attack its competitors promotions. For instance, in 2005 Pizza Hut launchedâ€Å"Freshizza† ad campaign featuring Malia Aurora Khan and counter attacked Domino’s campaign showing Anuran Khmer and Parish Revaluate the same time, Pizza Hut brings about local flavor in its ad campaigns. Indifferent countries, it uses models, situations, positioning clearly related to that particular country. For instance, in India, Pizza Hut focused on occasions such as marriage and used Indian models that represent and relate to their target audience. Similarly, in USA, Jessica Simpson sells chicken nuggets and pizzas for Pizza hut. (Scribd, 2010) Internet Advertising Not only Television advertisement, Pizza Hut along with Pizza innovations, also innovates new ways of promoting its products. Recently Pizza Hut signed a deal with Yahoo internet portal to advertise its products. Print Media (newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, posters) Although Pizza Hut advertises mainly via television, but print ads also constitutes a major portion of its promotion mix. Outdoor Advertisements Pizza Hut adopted a variety of innovative types of outdoor advertisement. Balloon Advertising: Pizza Hut indulged in an extremely innovative form of advertising named â€Å"Balloon Advertisements† where in cold air balloons in the shape of Pepsi can, pizza slices and garlic bread are placed either in front of the hut or placed at its roof top. Space Marketing: Pizza hut came up with a very innovative method of advertising when Pizza Hut paid huge sums (approx $1 million) to put a 30 ft large logo on Russian Proton Rocket. Not only had the logo, Pizza Hut also made its pizza available to the astronauts in the space. On such a successful venture, Pizza hut stated that â€Å"If space tourism is going to be a reality, Pizza Hut pizza will make the trip even better. † Banner Advertisement: Styrofoam along with McCann Erickson came up with really innovative banner advertisements to advertise its new range of â€Å"Gourmet Pizzas†. Poster Advertisement: Pizza Hut came with a tremendously successful Poster advertisement campaign on the occasion of â€Å"Halloween† when Pizza Hut advertised for â€Å"The Ghoulish Tripplecheese, the spooky cheese combo, and the Halloween cheese supreme† B) Sales Promotion. â€Å"Sales promotion† refers to a variety of short term incentives to encourage trial or purchase of a product or service. Coupons and Rebates: Pizza Hut offers discount coupons in physical form with every purchase we make. However in USA, UK, Canada where online ordering contributes a major percentage to total sales, Pizza Hut offers online coupons for different regions of varying denominations Premiums & Gifts: Pizza Hut offers â€Å" Gift vouchers† to be presented as a gift to someone special on marriages, birthday, and anniversary etc. these gift vouchers are available in denomination of Rs. 500, rs. 1000, rs. 2000 etc. Pizza Hut offers CDs and DVD along with their pizzas as gifts to act as an additional incentive for customers to make the purchase. For e. g. Unique DVD Promotion: Pizza Hut came up withal promotion campaign where is offered a free DVD with a large size pizza and in a 6 week promotion, Pizza Hut distributed 10 millionDVDs. Pizza Hut collaborated with Sony to launch a promotion campaignnamedâ€Å"Pizza-Powered PlayStation giveaway â€Å"which was huge success. During the next year, Pizza Hut again came up with a promotion where along with stuffed crust pizza, kids will get PlayStation demo disc free. Sweepstakes: Pizza Hut during the launch of â€Å"Cheesy Bites Pizza â€Å"introduced nationwide online sweepstakes contest to win an autographed pair of shoes by Jessica Simpson. Fans will be able to go online to www. pizzahut. com/cheesybites to enter the sweepstakes. Customers will also have an opportunity to win an autographed pair of Miss Piggy boots. Sampling: Pizza Hut gave â€Å"free samples† of the new pizza which it launches. For e. g. in case of â€Å"Cheesy Bites Pizza†, Pizza Hut offered free slices of it to the customers for sampling and testing it amongst the consumer group. Point of Purchase Material: Pizza Hut restaurants interiors are done in a uniform format for all the restaurants. Pizza Hut also comes outwit several innovative POP materials to attract the attention of its customers. For e. g. spin The Wheel games, danglers and posters. During the launch the â€Å"The Great Indian Treat† the entire interiors were given a pink color and the menu and danglers were all colored pink. On the occasion of â€Å"Valentine’s Day† in Malaysia, Pizza Hut launched a limited edition â€Å"Heart Shaped Pizza† with danglers, greetings cards all over. This limited edition Heart shaped pizza not only created an excitement among the customers, it also increased its brand value. C) Personal Selling â€Å"Personal Selling refers to face to face interaction with the customer†. Entertaining the customers in the restaurant: Crew members at Pizza Hut broke in to a boogie at metros like Delhi and Mumbai and performed â€Å"Hangar† in Chandigarh and Amritsar. Pizza Hut in Delhi organized a â€Å"JIG N JEETO† contest with super star Faradeen Khan judging the show. The show received tremendous response from the customers. Etiquettes of the crew members: The politeness of their speech and the mannerism which Pizza Hut crew members serve their customers is absolutely outstanding which enhances the brand value of Pizza hut in customer’s mind. Pizza Hut: An Overview of the Global Strategy— Pizza Hut before entering into any new country conducts a comprehensive market survey of that country to learn about the culture that prevails in that country, the state of government and politics, the legal framework (product quality laws, packaging laws) , commercial practices (business structure, patterns of competition). Strategy Adopted by Pizza Hut for Global marketing programs Localized strategy: Pizza Hut follows the strategy of â€Å"Think Global, Act Local†. For e. g. in India, the 1stPizza Hut which was launched in Bangalore served complete vegetarian meals. Similarly, in China, along with serving Pizzas, Pizza Hut also serves â€Å"Sangria† and â€Å"Escargot†. Similarly, in India, to match the spicy tastes of Indian consumers, Pizza Hut launched â€Å"Pandora Treat†, â€Å"The Great Indian Treat†. For the cheese lovers in United States, Pizza Hut launched Cheesy Bites Pizza and Stuffed Crust Pizza. International Marketing Coordination: Pizza Hut’s international marketing activities though dispersed in different countries are properly coordinated to gain competitive advantage as all marketing activities as market research, advertisements, and restaurant interiors are done using a similar method. Marketing know-how and skills are transferred from one country to another. For e. g. the â€Å"franchising model† is used successfully in althea countries by Pizza Hut. (AssignmentPoint,2012) SWOT ANALYSIS OF PIZZA HUT The swot analysis provides all the important aspects of the product and the company in brief. Swot stands for S-strength W-weakness O-opportunities T-threats S-strength -best quality of food -quality of services -varieties in toppings -different promotional schemes -consistency -strong brand name W-weaknesses -high price -advertisement shows pizza not salads, sandwiches etc O-opportunities -needs to open more outlets -offer diet food and low calorie food -explore untouched market T-threats—competition (wikiwealth, 2012) RECOMMENDATIONS/SUGGESTIONS 1)High Quality Personnel: In order to maintain the no. 1 position in Pizza market, Pizza Hut must obtain total cooperation of its employee’s thereby increasing productivity, beating competition and enhancing customer satisfaction. For this, proper training program with high incentive schemes must be established. 2) Pay more attention to untapped segment of Senior Citizens: Pizza Hut must innovate and launch some product for Senior Citizens. It could establish Pizza Hut senior club which will organize activities for oldies. 3) Maintain the product quality by continuous innovations thereby giving surprises to the customer off and on. Innovations can be based on consumer’s reviews and feedbacks as to what changes are they looking for in their pizzas. 4) â€Å"Location, location and location†: the most critical success factor for any hospitality business is â€Å"Location†. Pizza Hut does not aim to be premium brand with selective distribution; instead Pizza Hut is brand which must be available anywhere and everywhere people thinks of PIZZA. Thus Pizza Hut must increase it coverage. 5) Emphasis on development of â€Å"Home Delivery† Network: Although in developing countries like India, Pizza Hut has opened up a â€Å"call center† to fasten the speed of home delivery. CONCLUSIONS This project helped in following areas Critical analysis of marketing strategies adopted by pizza hut Knowing the product offered by pizza hut Identify the alternatives available in the market Analyze the target market Know about the existing competition in the market To understand the distribution system in the product Reasons why people prefer pizza hut products Methods to increase sales with maximum customer satisfaction Role of advertisements in the promotion of the product To estimate its future growth and market share. REFERENCES Pizza Hut and Dominos marketing strategy Scribd (2010). Pizza Hut and Dominos marketing strategy. [online] Retrieved from: http://www. scribd. com/doc/25371457/Pizza-Hut-and-Dominos-marketing-strategy [Accessed: 24 Nov 2012]. About Us – Pizza Hut Pizzahut. Co. Uk (2012). About Us – Pizza Hut. [online] Retrieved from: http://www. pizzahut. co. uk/restaurants/about-us. aspx [Accessed: 24 Nov 2012]. Assignment Point – marketing plan on pizza hut Assignment Point (2012). Assignment Point – marketing plan on pizza hut. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.assignmentpoint. com/business/marketing-business/marketing-plan-on-pizza-hut. html [Accessed: 24 Nov 2012]. Pizza Hut Franchise Pizzahutfranchise. Co. Uk (n. d. ). Pizza Hut Franchise. [online] Retrieved from: http://www. pizzahutfranchise. co. uk/html/history. html [Accessed: 24 Nov 2012]. Pizza Today Magazine Pizzatoday. Com (n. d. ). Pizza Today Magazine. [online] Retrieved from: http://pizzatoday. com [Accessed: 24 Nov 2012]. Pizza Hut SWOT Analysis – WikiWealth Wikiwealth (2012). Pizza Hut SWOT Analysis – WikiWealth.[online] Retrieved from: http://www. wikiwealth. com/swot-analysis:pizza-hut [Accessed: 24 Nov 2012]. About Us | Papa John’s: Better Ingredients. Better Pizza. Papajohns (2012). About Us | Papa John’s: Better Ingredients. Better Pizza.. [online] Retrieved from: http://www. papajohns. com/about/index. shtm [Accessed: 24 Nov 2012]. APPENDIX/ ANNEXURE Figure 1: specimen of pizza hut coupons printed in newspapers and magazines. Figure 2: specimen showing pizza hut’s space advertisement. Figure 3: specimen of poster ad Pizza Hut launched for Halloween.