Monday, December 30, 2019

A Career in Marketing - 1658 Words

Introduction Choosing a career in marketing can lead a person in many different directions within the defined roles of marketing. Composed of many facets and activities marketing careers offer a variety of avenues for the career minded to explore while offering growth and opportunities for advancement. A common denominator for many who choose a career in this field is the sense of ownership, or entrepreneurial spirit with regards to the products or services that they are working to market. Marketing requires that an understanding of customers needs and desires be acquired and then translated into both product development as well as communications as part of the marketing strategy. This paper will explore what is entailed in a career†¦show more content†¦(Reddy) This team works on creating programs that unite advertising to purchase incentives such as special discounts, coupons, samples, and gifts with purchase, rebates, and sweepstakes. In order to promote these progra ms the promotion team will often use direct mail, telemarketing, in-store displays, advertisements, product endorsements, or special kick-off events. The nature of promotions means that traits like creativity and judgment are highly valued. Advertising In advertising, you will work with all aspects of marketing from strategy to concept to the execution of the strategy. Although many think of advertising as a creative person putting together a story board or campaign to get the message to the public, most jobs on the business side of advertising include Account Management, Account Planners, and Media Buyers. (Petty) Account managers act as the liaison between the agencys various departments and the client. Their job is to manage the execution of ads by making sure that they are created within the allocated schedule and budget. Account Planners focus more on the consumer. Their job is to conduct research on demographics of the targeted consumers. They use that research to get to know what motivates their behavior in the marketplace. The job of the Media Buyer is to find media to place ads in. They use the demographic study that is done by the Account Planner toShow MoreRelatedMarketing Analysis : Marketing Career Guide Essay973 Words   |  4 Pages Even with multiple career paths within the marketing field, the primary goal involves building a strong, favorable relationship between the business and the consumer incorporating product value, price, placement, promotion, and excellent customer service. A profitable business cannot exist without paying customers; therefore, the business world depends on marketing leaders. The â€Å"Marketing Career Guide† (2016) discloses that the marketing field attracts driven people who like to strategize, identifyRead MoreProfessional Marketing Career Essay1024 Words   |  5 PagesMany diverse experiences have helped to shape my professional marketing career. These positions range from promoting Broadway shows, to marketing at the global childrens entertainment brand Pokà ©mon, and managing a girl’s brand called My Princess Academy. While my professional experiences have provided me with a strong real world foundation, I feel that in order to pursue my goal of managing a major entertainment brand, I require the knowledge and training afforded by an MBA program. I am confidentRead MoreThe Career Path Of Business And Marketing1012 Words   |  5 PagesA successful career is built on a solid foundation. The strongest part of that foundation is a good education. Knowledge can be gained from the traditional classroom setting or hands on experience. Every job is a combination of different skill sets. The career path of business and marketing are intertwined. Like a carpenter, a person must be equipped with all the necessary tools needed to complete a job from start to finish. All business plans include marketing strategies to promote a product orRead MoreMarketing and Career Aspirations Essay1284 Words   |  6 Pageswell. My career aspirations are to be a successful manager in the field of marketing research. Through the process of achievement I want to gain immense knowledge and skills so that I can contribute as much as possible in the society as well as in the organization. My life goal is to be work in every possible way for the betterment of the society and return back to the society. I have always been a keen social worker and will continue to remain so. Marketing Research will support my career aspirationsRead MoreA Career in Sports Marketing Essay809 Words   |  4 PagesA Career in Sports Marketing The business of sports is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. All over the world, many people participate as players and spectators in a variety of sporting activities, creating opportunities for the marketing of a company’s goods and services. An important part of the business of sports is sports marketing, which revolves around understanding consumer behavior and motivating target markets to purchase goods and services. SportsRead MoreMy Career Statement For Marketing1160 Words   |  5 PagesNow before I start to talk about my career findings for marketing let me start off by saying, finding a career inspiration is a matter of thinking what wake up every morning for school. Inspiration will always be around oneself, but first, one must have a 100% mindset to continue that goals. In order to find the right career for oneself, one must evaluate interests from deep within themselves. Therefore one must examine all kinds’ of abilities and values to determine a decision. With all the positionsRead MoreWhy I Chose A Marketing Career1349 Words   |  6 PagesWhy I Chose a Marketing Career College students have an array of options to choose from when it comes to deciding what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Students are expected to make a decision at the ages of 18-20 years old as to what they want their career path to be. They must pick a field of study that contains course work that will aid them in what they want for their career path to be. As a freshman, I chose to be apart of the College of Business and Economics. It took several businessRead MoreMy Future Career : A Marketing Manager1332 Words   |  6 PagesAs my future career I want to become a marketing manager. A marketing manager is someone in a company who directs and is in charge of promoting and advertising the company s products. Marketing managers would have to create campaigns and be organize. Furthermore, they plan out how the product will be communicated with the customers and they are in charge of making sure the campaigns stay on budget as well as receiving profit. In order to becom e a marketing manager I need to get a bachelor’s degreeRead MoreMarketing Aspect Of The Business Career Field1777 Words   |  8 PagesMarketing is an intriguing career field that offers a variety of diverse jobs you can choose from. It is interesting to me because you can try to understand what people want and need, or why people will or won’t buy a product in the future. It is also interesting to observe how you can maximize your profit by selling at the right price aimed at a specific set of consumers. For this project I am researching the Marketing aspect of the business career field. â€Å"Marketing is communicating the value ofRead MoreMy Ideal Career Is A Marketing Research Analyst Essay1206 Words   |  5 Pagessearching, examining and decision making. Ideal Career My ideal career is a Marketing Research Analyst because as a marketing research analyst I would be responsible for studying the market conditions to determine potential sales of a product. I would likewise help companies and clients make sense of who their consumers are, what products those consumers want and the amount they will want to pay for said products. The median salary of a marketing research analyst is $62.150. Ideal Car Before

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Shedding Light On Freud s Controversial Psychoanalytic...

Shedding Light on Freud’s Controversial Psychoanalytic Theory Krystle D. Kraft St. Johns River State College: Human Growth and Development Shedding Light on Freud’s Controversial Psychoanalytic Theory Psychoanalytic theories suggest that developmental changes happen due to the power of internal drives and emotions. Sigmund Freud, a Viennese physician, is said to be the founding father of this theory. He believed biological impulses, such as a need for food and sex, were the driving impulses for personality development (Denise Boyd Helen Bee, 2012, p. 25). In fact, one of Freud’s most influential achievements was his psychosexual theory of personality development, which spawned a whirlwind of controversy. Freud believed that†¦show more content†¦Freud’s psychosexual theory consisted of five stages: oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital. The Oral Stage The oral stage occurs from birth to one year of age. Freud states that the libido focuses on the mouth, lips, and tongue. During this stage, the infant s primary source of interaction occurs through the mouth, so the rooting and sucking reflex is especially important. The mouth is vital for eating and the infant derives pleasure from oral stimulation through satisfying activities such as tasting and sucking. Since the child is dependent upon their parents, the child also develops a sense of trust and comfort through oral stimulation. (J. L Garcia, 1995, p. 498) In order to successfully complete this stage of development, one must learn to wean. If weaning is not successful, an adult may participate in oral behavior, such as, smoking and overeating (Boyd Bee, 2012, p. 26). The Anal Stage The anal stage occurs from one to three years of age. The focus of the libido lies in the anus. In order to successfully complete this stage of development, one must succeed in toilet training. If toilet training is unsuccessful, an adult may become disorganized or messy (Boyd Bee, 2012, p. 26) Toilet training creates a conflict as pleasure-seeking instinct goes up. If the expectations of a child are not met and a parent begins to pressure a child into toilet training, the child may begin to

Saturday, December 14, 2019

American Education Systems Free Essays

Imagine a world without words: no reading, no writing, no communication. It is difficult to imagine such a place existing. Surely in this day and age when technology is advancing at a rapid pace and knowledge is the key for success, such a â€Å"communication-less world† has been eliminated. We will write a custom essay sample on American Education Systems or any similar topic only for you Order Now Yet for some people, this imaginary world without words is still a reality. A world of darkness and suffocating ignorance presses in around them leaving few and narrow possibilities for survival in a success-driven society. How do adults and teens end up in circumstances such as these? They simply slipped through the gaps of the American education system, the largest of which is the absence of emphasis on literature. The value of great literature extends far beyond simply reading printed words on a page. Of course the primary focus of reading books, especially at an early age, is to learn how to read. However, as students learn these basic, everyday skills, the possibilities become endless. Great works of literature contain much more than words. Incredible insights into the time period of the author†s life or of the subject on which the author has written are readily available. It is a history lesson without the textbook. History comes alive through reading. Literature also presents the opportunity to learn about new ideas and cultures previously unknown to the reader. Possibly the greatest advantage gained through literature is that students learn to write by constantly reading excellent writings. Overall, a strong emphasis on literature produces a well-rounded individual. The problem with the public education system in this country is that somehow student graduate from high school without ever reading great works of literature. It happens time and time again. Either teachers do not assign students to read excellent literature, or students find one of the many loopholes to escape actually reading anything. The results can be disastrous. It is amazing how many high school students can not write a paper. Some can literally not even write a sentence. There is absolutely no reason why any student in high school should not possess the ability to write a cohesive sentence and even an intelligent paper. Yet it still happens, and it is because students have not read enough and seen enough examples from great authors. The best way to teach students how to write is to show them through literature. It is almost impossible to be a well-read individual and not be able to write well also. Throughout the majority of the twelve years spent in school, my personal education was based primarily on literature. During those seven years, incredible emphasis was placed on reading and also on writing. The schooling received at home was and continues to be invaluable in various ways. Specifically, the study of literature has been invaluable in school and in everyday life. It has been of great assistance in writing all of the many compositions required, and also in recalling specific aspects of history, science, cultures, and more. It is amazing how much easier it is to succeed having this knowledge gained through much reading. The most important change that could ever be made to the public school system is to place a much larger emphasis on literature at all levels of education. All of the difficulties students are experiencing in high school with reading and writing could be avoided if the right steps are taken. Literature must become a main focus. It will greatly aid students in all aspects of school and learning simply to be required to read more. Perhaps they will even begin to love the written word and dive into great literature all on their own. How to cite American Education Systems, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Marketing Audit of Everlast Boxing Boots- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theMarketing Audit of Everlast Boxing Boots for Customers. Answer: Introduction The success of every business depends upon the effective marketing strategies adopted by the company in the operating market. This report is about the market audit of the famous sports accessories provider company Everlast Worldwide. The company is providing boxing boots for the customers who are athletes and spend their most of the time in gym for improving their performance. The name of the product is boxing boots which is the combination of innovation and technology to provide comfort to the feet of athletes. This kind of product creates an effective business opportunity for the company Everlast Worldwide. The company started its boxing brand since 1970 and now the company is the leading manufacturer, licensor and marketer of the fitness equipment in the world. Company Everlast is the brand of choice of new generations of professional athletes. This report analyzes the various factors of marketing while offering boxing boots to the customers. Along with this, report analyzes the p otential customers and competitors in the market and understands the marketing mix strategy of the company (Everlast Worldwide, Inc, 2017). Customers analysis Target customers Everlast is providing innovative boxing boots for those people who want to perform during their boxing matches and gym also. Most of the customers of Everlasts products are mainly athletics. The company is the master of segmentation and the segmentation of the company mainly targets athletes including both men and women from the age of 15 to 35. The target market of the company is active people who want to purchase high quality of sporting products especially footwear. The company focuses on providing premium customer experience by the product innovation, elevated retail presence and brand leadership in the market (Lam and Harker, 2015). Company targets on these customers by the agreement between Everlast and colleges athletic team and various athletic teams for the product sponsorship and effective promotion to the members of those teams. Although others are likely to buy the products, company focuses on the athletes more than any other group of individuals. Main target market for t he boxing boots is youth who need to spend their most of the time in gym and have to perform well. By the above discussed strategy, company is able to reach a large number of athletes (Gruca Rego, 2009). Segmentation Market segmentation is the strategy that includes the dividing a wide target market into the smaller groups of consumers who have similar requirements and needs. After dividing the customers into smaller groups, company starts identifying the needs and desires of the consumers and implementing strategies by using social media channels. In case of Everlast boxing boots, company is targeting the customers who are looking to stay fit and stay in shape. So, initially the company was targeting younger athletes at the college level. But, the company has expanded its area and the target markets men and women having the age of 15 to 35. Because of this fact, the product is more expensive as compared to some competitors. Now, target customers for boxing boots are those who have higher incomes and more financially stable. Along with this, Everlast sells its products to wholesalers who are financially stable (Hill, Jones Schilling, 2014). The company has divided the market based on some segmen tation and those are as follows: Demographic- For the boxing boots, main target customers are athletes including both men and women. In current time, both men and women are interested in athletics. So, company targets the customers having the age of 15 to 35. These types of customers need comfortable footwear which is helpful in creating performance formula for comfort, speed and durability. The shoes have the combination of quality and lightweight material which allows the boxers to have optimal training and competitive performance which would be helpful in attracting the potential customers. Geographic- It is observed that Everlast targets its customers by using the distribution strategy. This strategy is used for the product boxing boots in every retail store within some geographical area. Retail stores are effective as the company knows that people will only purchase the quality sporting products from the stores. Everlast that sells only sorts related products needs retail stores to reach the target customers. Psychographic- It is observed that there is the growing demand for sporting and fitness goods as people are trying to keep themselves fit. For the athletes, it is important to stay active and perform well during their matches. So, they purchase comfortable boots for this purpose. Company is using this perception of the customers and is providing such product to meet their needs and demands (Joshi, 2009). Customers behavior towards product In the process of purchasing the product boxing boots, customers use both subjective as well as objective criteria to make right decision. Being big sporting product providers, company must consider the consumers objectives while buying boxing boots. Everlast has to match with the competitors in various aspects to satisfy the needs and demands of the customers. Consumers look on some factors and characteristics while purchasing the boots such as affordable and reasonable prices, comfortable material and correct fitting size. Athletes always seek to find extra edge against the competitors so, it is important for Everlast provide high quality boots to the customers that would be helpful for them to compete at the high level as well as making the boots comfortable I(Leeflang, 2011). The company needs to supply the boots to the athletes who want to enhance their performance and comfort and save their money. Company gives discounts to various organizations by the sponsorship and contracts while providing boxing boots for the sale. When the customers are trying to buy the right boots then they have their subjective needs and desires. They are seeking for the style in the boots and want newest design in the market. So, Everlast has to develop attractive designs in the boots for meeting the subjective needs of the customers (Makanyeza, 2015). Athletes are always looking for the best styles and designs to wear. So, it is important for the Everlast to come out with new designs of boots regularly (Drummond, Ensor Ashford, 2012). Competitors analysis The footwear industry has very high level of competition and threat. This is observed by the fact that there are few companies that have high market share in this industry and there is low switching cost and loyalty among the customers. Along with this, the footwear industry is mature and popular industry. So, for the company Everlast, major competitors are Adidas, Nike, Reebok and UnderArmour. Market share and competitive advantage There are few companies who have control on the industry with the large market share and strong brand awareness. It is observed that these companies offer similar types of products along with equal high quality. So, they are competing for the same customers having same needs and interest. Sometimes, the differentiating factors of the purchasing decision are brand, prices and other deciding factors. Everlast has competitive advantage in the footwear industry as it provides shoes and boots for the all the sports. Customers are always loyal for the brand which they are using. Sometimes they start using a particular brand and become loyal for that. Everlast is taking advantage of this situation of market. Athletes always want high quality product and for Everlast, this is the chance to achieve competitive advantage in the industry. these aspects creates high competition in the industry as customers always have option to switch the brands with no loss to them (Preble Hoffman, 2009). Issues in industry It is observed that footwear industry is struggling and most of customers do not want to spend money on these kinds of products. Further, there is the risk in the industry that the popular product might be going out of style after sometime. The boxing products will decline its popularity and sales after the launch of new products. along with this, strong competition in the industry is also a big issue for Everlast as there are many established companies that are giving tough competition to the company. Ansoff matrix This framework provides strategic framework for which covers all the strategic options available to the firm in order to grow and expand. For the Everlast boxing boots, marketing growth areas are as follows: Market penetration- Objective of the Everlast Company is to increase relationship marketing with the customers and segmenting them to maximize their purchasing experience and satisfaction level. Market development- Strategy is to increase Everlasts presence in the new markets by providing innovative sporting and boxing boots. Product extension- Objective is to focus on the relationship marketing which can have significant impact in the market. By providing that product to the customers that can fulfill the psychological and physical needs, company y can maintain strong relationship with the customers. Diversification- Company has adopted diversification by real strategic growth by providing innovative boxing boots. There is the high risk exist where the product and market is unknown and new then high quality research is important for the growth and success. Product analysis Product can be described as anything that can be offered by the companies to market for the acquisition, attention, consumption or use to satisfy the needs of the potential customers. The product may be physical object, service, idea, organization, place or person. Company Everlast Worldwide is the leading manufacturer, marketer and licensor of the boxing and fitness equipments (Rassenfosse, Jensen and Webster, 2011). Now, the company has introduced a range of new boxing shoes. The boxing shoes provided by the company are designed with the combination of quality and lightweight material which allows the boxers to have optimal training and competitive performance. The shoes are basically made with the Michelin technical sole, microfiber, open weave mesh and suede which are helpful in creating performance formula for comfort, speed and durability. According to the company Everlast, objective of the company by designing these types of boots is to provide the versatile shoes that can be used by people of all the boxing levels (Seshadri, 2009). The construction of the shoes allows athletes to maintain highest degree of quality while performing in the gym also. The product boxing boots is the combination of innovation and technology which have allowed the company to work in synergy for creating high performing shoes (Everlast, 2017). Branding For the purpose of branding, the page of the company should be different. In case of Everlast boxing boots, objective of the company by branding is to make the customers remember the product and wish to come back for purchasing again. Boxing boots have various colors for the choice of the customers. Every boot has logo of the company i.e. Everlast including white color on it. Banners are not so big but they are easily falling into eye banners saying about the origin and guarantee of the products. On the official page of the company, there are more banners displaying about the prices of the products that are minimal and attracting. Along with this, in the official page of the company there are some lines about the discounts, free gifts, upcoming sales etc along with the different filters of model, size and color. It is highly easy in use efficient and fast (Marcer, 2012). Packaging Company Everlast is focused on the eco-friendly packaging of the boxing boots. it is well known that customers are now very conscious for the environment and if the company is not active towards the protection of environment, then there are less chances of the sale of the products. So, for the packaging process, company is not using plastic bags as it harms the environment. Company packs the boxing boots in the standard packaging box where the brand name of the company is described (Dentchev, 2009). Product life cycle In the product life cycle process, there are basically four stages of a product. For the boxing boots provided by Company Everlast i.e. introduction stage, growth stage, maturity stage and decline stage. Introduction stage- When Everlast has new boxing shoes to launch, it has to do lots of advertisements by the commercial posters at the magazines and stores. The price of the shoes can be quite expensive and the company has to do this to get its money. The reason is that the company knows that many customers want these boxing boots. In the introduction stage, company has to put some extra efforts for making the customers aware about the product (Lymbersky, 2009). Growth stage- Under this stage, the product gets recognition and growth in terms of sales as more and more customers purchase the product. The price of the boxing boots usually rises up but despite of the expensive products, customers are still satisfied. In such condition, they will still pay for that product and company will get more and more money income. Maturity stage- When Everlasts boxing boots stay out for a while, then they usually stay in the shelves for the sometime. The reason is that customers are still interested in them and still want to purchase them for the boxing purpose. But, there will not be as much sales of the product as it was first time when they were launched. But those boots are still being purchased. Decline stage- This is the last stage of the product as any other or new product will replace these boxing boots. After launching of the new boots, these boots will not really purchased anymore by the customers. The price will go to low and try to get some money for them but the customers will not be so interested (Baker, 2014). Price analysis Elasticity of demand Everlast follows common pricing strategy for its product boxing boots. The core objective of the company is to survive and grow in the market and for this manner, company follows maximum market skimming strategy. When Everlast launches any new product in the market, it sets a high price for the product. Company starts such products with the high prices and then slowly drops the prices over the time. Company has perception that whenever it launches the product, there would have sufficient number of buyers for the particular product. So, the company keeps the prices high so that it is able to control the demand, communicate with the buyers with high price and earn more profit (Miguel Villas-Boas, 2015). Pricing strategy Everlast usually follows skimming price strategy but when the company launches new boxing boots or accessory, it follows penetrating prices. Company sets low prices for the product to attract the customers. These prices are known as the introductory prices of the product. After this, when the product becomes more popular then the prices are raised to the normal level. Companies basically set the prices to stay competitive in the market. Everlast comes up with the destroyer strategy and set very low prices of the products. Company assumes that competitors cannot match the pricing level and this strategy is helpful for Everlast to achieve major market share (Schnaars, 2010). Place analysis Everlast reaches to its target customers by the retail and exclusive stores and online media platforms. Everlast is the customer oriented company and the company makes sure that the product is easily available to the customers. Place may be considered as the exact location of the product where customers can buy the product easily. For the boxing boots, company has tried to maximize the distribution channels for increasing the sales. Current channels to buy For improving the sales, there are two approaches adopted by the company. Company sometimes sells the product directly to the customers by the retail stores or it uses distributors for the home delivery. While selling the product directly, company has established retail stores in various parts of UK in order to bring something unique in the market. It is helpful to achieve high market share also. Online and other options Company has its presence on the online and other social media platforms. Company has its official site where the customers can find out the product and all the relevant and important information. Further, company also has its presence on the social media platforms such as FaceBook, Google plus and many other media platforms. In current time, customers are active on social media and they use online platforms to compare the products from the other competitors. So, it is crucial for the company to have its effective presence on the social media platforms (Farahmand, 2011). Promotional alysis Everlast is able to sell its products because of the successful promotion of the product boxing boots. The company uses all the five elements of the promotional mix to sell its new products as much as possible. The company hires the sales employees at the retail stores which are a form of personal selling. Along with this, the company advertises its products by the many different ways including billboards, television, internet, sponsorship, and magazines. The company has large advertising presence on the television as most of the customers can be targeted by the innovative advertisements (Tllinen and Karjaluoto, 2011). There are various campaigns designed by the company to impact on the large number of viewers including athletes from different backgrounds. Further, company Everlast is using public relations to promote the brand and maintain a strong image of the company among the customers. By maintaining strong public relations, company is able to have great brand recognition as the thoughtful and responsible company. The company has many future plans and it has made various press releases to keep the investors update and make the public relations strong (Glowik Smyczek, 2011). Conclusion This report is basically marketing audit of the famous company Everlast Worldwide. From the above analysis, it is observed that there is the strong competition in the footwear industry as there are some companies that have high market share. Further, it is analyzed that the company focuses on providing premium customer experience by the product innovation, elevated retail presence and brand leadership in the market. Along with this, objective of the company by designing these types of boots is to provide the versatile shoes that can be used by people of all the boxing levels. So, company has effective promotional platforms i.e. online media, traditional marketing, print advertisements, and public relations to enhance the sale of boxing boots. References Baker, M. J., (2014), Marketing strategy and management, Palgrave Macmillan Dentchev, N., (2009), Corporate Social Performance as a Business Strategy: Journal of Business Ethics, 55(4), pg. 397 412 Drummond, G., Ensor, J. Ashford, R., (2012), Strategic Marketing: Planning and Control, (4th), London: Palgrave Macmillan Everlast Worldwide, Inc, (2017), ABOUT US, accessed on 17th October 2017 from https://www.everlast.com/about Everlast, (2017), EVERLAST LAUNCHES NEW BOXING SHOE: PIVT, accessed on 17th October 2017 from https://www.everlast.com/teameverlast/everlast-launches-new-boxing-shoe-pivt/ Farahmand, N. F., (2011), Organizational marketing planning by management educated managers: African Journal of Marketing Management, 3(8), pp. 178-187 Glowik, M., Smyczek, S., (2011), International Marketing Management: Strategies, Concepts and Cases in Europe, 301, (4th), New York: Physica-Verlag Gruca, T. S. Rego, L. L., (2009), Customer Satisfaction, Cash Flow and Shareholder Value: Journal of Marketing, 69, 11530 Hill, C. W., Jones, G. R., Schilling, M. A, (2014), Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Joshi, A. W., (2009), Continuous supplier performance improvement: Effects of collaborative communication and control: Journal of Marketing, 73(1), 133150 Lam, W., and Harker, M. J., (2015), Marketing and entrepreneurship: An integrated view from the entrepreneurs perspective: International Small Business Journal,33(3), pp.321-348. Leeflang, P., (2011), Paving the way for distinguished marketing: International Journal of Research in Marketing, 28(2), pp.76-88 Lymbersky, C. (2009), Market Entry Strategies: Text, Cases and Readings in Market Entry Management, (5th), Australia: Christoph Lymbersky Makanyeza, C., (2015), Consumer Awareness, Ethnocentrism and Loyalty: An Integrative Model: Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 27(2), pp.167-183 Marcer, D., (2012), Marketing strategy: the challenge of the external environment, (5th), Washington: Sage Publications Miguel Villas-Boas, J., (2015), A short survey on switching costs and dynamic competition: International Journal of Research in Marketing Preble, J. F., Hoffman, R. C., (2009), Competitive Advantage through Specialty Franchising: Journal of Consumer Marketing, 15(1), 6477 Rassenfosse, G., Jensen, P., and Webster, E., (2011), Understanding Innovation: The Role of Policy Intervention. Melbourne: Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research Schnaars, S., (2010), Marketing strategy: a customer-driven approach, (5th), Huntington, New York: Free Press Seshadri, S., (2009), Sourcing strategy: principles, policy, and designs, India: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd Tllinen, A., and Karjaluoto, H., (2011), Marketing communication metrics for social media: International Journal of Technology Marketing, 6(4), p.316.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Religious Commitment Essays - Confirmation, Holy Spirit,

Religious Commitment Religion is considered a very important part of life by a large part of the world's population. Determining moral issues and influencing every day decisions, it resides in everyday life and gives people something in which to believe. Often, the aspects of religion are passed down from parent to child, and the child automatically believes that which his parents believed. I too experienced this influence, as I grew up in a family with the Roman Catholic religion. I was baptized as a baby, and as long as I can remember I attended mass every Sunday with my family no matter how much I contested going or the number of tantrums I would throw. I received my first communion and went through years of Sunday school, which I thought was torture. At an early age I knew and understood the "routine" that Catholics follow. I later realized the true seriousness which was far more than just going through the learned motions. The arguments between my parents and I had diminished as church was now becoming an enjoyable experience for me. I started looking forward to the sermons of the priest, wondering what new topic he would bring about for discussion. Soon I went through a process that is custom in Catholicism, known as confirmation. This is the transformation from a child to an adult in the eyes of the church. My older sister went through the same process before me and I never really truly understood the experience when she went though it. Along with the others I attended special classes taught by the priest. I became much more involved in what went on in the church, helping out with seasonal functions for the younger children in the parish and helping to create an active youth group at the church. When the actual confirmation occurred the different feelings inside of me were captivating. The mass itself actually helped me realize the awesome responsibilities of being a Catholic and even the benefits it had to offer. In reality I was a slightly nervous about the whole thing. The Catholic Church places very high expectations upon its young people, and I now had more responsibility in the parish. After going through the whole confirmation process I feel as if I have grown as a member of the Catholic Church, and as a person. The wisdom that I have gained from my faith is immense. Whenever I am uncertain my faith will help guide me in the right direction. I am very grateful for my parents for not giving into my whining or fits when I was younger. In the end all of the advantages of being an active Catholic are well worth it. Without my commitment to my religion I do not think I would be nearly as strong of a person as I am today. To me the Catholic Church provides direction along with a true friendship that will last a lifetime.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Five Great Feature Ideas for Writers

Five Great Feature Ideas for Writers It doesnt matter whether youre a full-time reporter, a part-time blogger, or a freelancer, all writers need a steady source of feature story ideas. Sometimes, a great feature story will land in your lap, but as a seasoned journalist will tell you, relying on chance is no way to build a portfolio of impressive writing. It takes diligence and hard work, writers say. Tips for Writers Always take notes:  You may discover a great subject for a story on your way to the grocery store or meet by chance at a social event. Inspiration can strike at any time. Keep a small notebook or use a note-taking app on your smartphone to jot down ideas as they strike you.Listen: When you do interview someone, remember to let them do most of the talking. Ask questions that cant be answered with a simple yes or no, such as, Tell me how that made you feel?Keep an open mind: Its easy to make snap judgments and assumptions, but a good writer must keep his or her prejudices at bay. Your job is to be objective and learn as much about your subject as possible.Pay attention: How do your sources behave? What does the location look like? What events are occurring? Information like this, as well as direct quotes from a source, will give your reader a fuller appreciation of your writing and subject matter.Accuracy matters: Check all of your data to make sure theyre accurate, triple-check fact s, and make sure youve proofread for spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. Remember, it takes a long time to develop a reputation for fairness and accuracy, but just a single mistake to tarnish it. Ideas and Topics Features convey information and facts just like a breaking news story. But a feature is usually much longer and more nuanced than a hard news story, which usually just contains the most relevant or recent factual information. Features allow room for analysis and interpretation, narrative progression, and other elements of rhetorical or creative writing. These five topics are a good place to start if youre looking for feature ideas. Some topics may require days or even weeks of research before you can write a story, while other subjects can be covered in just a few hours.   Profile: Interview a prominent or interesting person in your community and write a profile of them. Possible profile subjects could include the mayor, a judge, a musician or writer, a military veteran, a professor or teacher, or a small business owner.Live-in: Arrange to spend some time at a local homeless shelter, hospital emergency room, nursing home, police precinct or courthouse. Describe the rhythms of the place and the people who work there.News: Talk to community leaders about local issues and trends. Crime, education, taxes, and development are perennial topics of interest to readers, but sports, arts, and cultural events are also newsworthy. Potential sources include city council members, community and grassroots organizations, and local institutions.On-the-spot: Cover an event in your community and write a story on deadline about it. Ideas could include the opening of an art exhibit, a talk by a visiting lecturer or expert, a charity event like a fundraising run, a parade, and so on. Review: Attend the production of a local concert, play or other cultural event and write a review. Or interview the musicians or actors involved and write a story about them. Resources and Further Reading Curtis, Anthony. â€Å"How to Write a Feature Story.† Journalism Skills, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, 2011.â€Å"How to Write a Profile Feature Article.† New York Times Learning Network, High Wire, 1999.Klems, Brian A. â€Å"The Secret to Writing Stronger Feature Articles.† Writers Digest, FW Media, 2 July 2014.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Comparing Philosophical Positions of Kant and of John Stuart Mill Essay

Comparing Philosophical Positions of Kant and of John Stuart Mill - Essay Example This research paper considers ideas of Kant and Mill and applies them for the issues of war in the modern global world. Utilitarianism of John Stuart Mill and Deontology of Kant can be compared and contrasted. In the modern context the main ideas of these great philosophers can be implemented in the context of modern political events. Whether there is a need for utilitarian morals and laws or whether it is much important to focus on individual values–these considerations are provided by Kant and Mill. Mill’s Utilitarianism. Mill developed the Greatest Happiness Principle, which he explains in the following way: â€Å"†¦ the ultimate end †¦ is an existence exempt as far as possible from pain, and as rich as possible in enjoyments, both in point of quantity and quality; †¦ to the greatest extent possible, secured to all mankind; and not to them only, but, so far as the nature of things admits, to the whole sentient creation† (Lectures on Mill). These considerations are appropriate for the modern global society. Mill mentions â€Å"all mankind†, â€Å"the whole sentient creation† . He applies global concepts for his considerations and these are relevant to the modern global society. The main operating category of Mill is consequentialism. He thinks that all rational beings should be subjected to equal moral laws and principles, but in case the nation was be oppressed by those principles, it would not accept them. Current political situation in the world can be analyzed with respect to Mill’s consequentialism. He said that all nations are striving for freedom. A nation is turned into a group of dummies in case they are not looking forward to liberty. A behavior of Americans in the Iraqi war can be analyzed with respect to Mill’s claims. Mill underlined that it is necessary to discard â€Å"despotism of custom† (Moseley, 2002). Every individual should have his own system of benefits, but it is mo re important for the society to have a group of sound members or individuals with clearly set goals. From this perspective Americans are positioned as great freedom setters in an oppressed nation (Moseley, 2002). It is inhumane to prevent people from freedom of thinking and the suppressors, in such a way, hide truth from their nations. Freedom is very important for people in the modern world. It is impossible to develop without it. Categorical Imperative of Kant This categorical imperative of Kant outlines similar positions for every individual. He claims that: The universal laws of nature should be met by individuals, who should act on maxims to meet requirements of the nature. Every individual is a sound human being and he should be treated with respect. An individual in every society should act as if he was â€Å"a member of an ideal kingdom of ends in which you were both subject and sovereign at the same time† (Williams, 1983). Thus, Kant underlines that independent actio ns of every individual are very important for the whole society. At the same time, individuals should refer to social, historical and many other external factors in their nations and to respect them. Furthermore, reflections of Kant can be illustrated by Four Quadrant Module: Picture 1. Four Quadrant Module. In such a way, the philosopher underlines the importance of social independence. In Quadrant One an individual is positioned as a potential benefits’ gainer. In Quadrant Two an individual should work in the name of social benefits or for â€Å"a common good†. Quadrant three makes an emphasis on the importance of independence. Quadrant four is focused on autonomy and interdependence between the individuals (Moseley, 2002). Therefore, oppressed nations, like in the case of Iraq, should be relieved otherwise the individuals of the nation will be unable to

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Teaching Reading in the Content Area Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Teaching Reading in the Content Area - Essay Example I believe that each person should practice this since their childhood and at the same time it is also onus of the teachers to help them in developing such habits. To inculcate such faculties inside a student, I believe that a teacher requires encouraging his students to provide more concentration over study of social sciences and at the same time application of technological devices, such as software, educational CDs or DVDs containing appropriate audio-visual elements also help students to enhance the reflective faculty of the students. As an educator, I have experienced that merging of background knowledge with a new schema is important for application of content both for effective learning and classroom teaching. Most of the time a student does not have sufficient knowledge about the background of the subject that he will be taught. Thus, when a teacher or textbook attempts to apply new schemes for benefit his learning process, the student often finds it quite challenging to adopt with the new schema. To make the whole process simpler for a student the teachers are, I feel, required to come up with new strategic approaches. In same process they also have to take extra responsibility so that they can provide them with such reading assignment, which will help them to receive new information without being confused by new terms. The modern philosophers of education Beck & McKeown have also referred to the same application of these procedures in their book, Questioning the Author. (1996) Most of the terms and terminol ogies that are mentioned in the reading contents are technical and students often feel that those terms do not have any connection with their daily life experience. I believe, as an educator, it is my responsibility to present or help to interpret the technical terms in such ways so that they feel the connection between their real life experience and extreme

Monday, November 18, 2019

What has been the thinking of scholars on beard's thesis 100 years Essay

What has been the thinking of scholars on beard's thesis 100 years later - Essay Example An economics and history argument, Beard’s thesis was vastly controversial during the early 1900s. Numerous academics have debated over the thesis, its meaning, and eventually questioned its legacy. In this thesis, Beard says that the process of forming the constitution succeeded over the interests of citizens. This is because the drafters of this constitution comprised mostly of federalists, large property owners, bankers, traders, capitalists, and creditors, whom Beard noted as substantial owners of â€Å"personality.1† In contrast, United States citizens largely constituted of farmers, debtors, small property owners, and people of moderate riches. This population demographic still holds almost entirely true a hundred years after the publication of Beard’s thesis. As a result, Beard’s proof for his thesis has not primarily overturned the claim despite criticisms that have collectively deteriorated it. Scholars like Harold Faulkner committed two sections to a discussion about the geneses of this war in his 1943 work â€Å"American Economic History.† Here, Faulkner says the impacts of the Civil War on America’s industrial, financial, and trading history were great2. According to scholars Sparrow and OBrien, Beard does not seem to overdo his hand in his argument about the founding fathers and the constitution of the United States. Rather, Beard underemphasizes his argument in the sense that he abandons the inferences that ensue from his inadequate focus on American citizens, who are largely average property holders3. Economics academic Roger Ransom says Beard exempted the wisdom and commitment of America’s founding fathers from his history. Ransom says the founding fathers overpowered their shallow self-interests to generate a masterful document for a whole nation. Using Robert Morris and Nathaniel Gorham as examples, Ransom says

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Vogue: Across Cultures | Analysis

Vogue: Across Cultures | Analysis ABSTRACT The popularity of fashion magazines over the past few decades has risen to new heights. Fashion magazines being the Bible that many young women and men live by, it is highly important to understand the role these magazines play in different societies and cultures. The researchers of marketing, consumer behaviour, trend analysis and trend forecasting consider culture or the differences and similarities in them to be an â€Å"obvious given†. Culture is most often seen as something that stands in the way of complete globalisation. Theory suggests that differences in target groups and marketing segments can be easily overcome through explicit research. While agreeing to the general thought that culture should be ‘respected and ‘treated seriously, the major driving force of marketing and consumer studies is most often, completely, how to overcome and ‘manage culture (Roothart, H. and W.van der Pol, 2002) There has been some research done on the representation of w omen and feminist ideas in the west but an extensive research needs to be done on the representation of women, men, society and culture through media in an Asian context. Over the past few years the Asian countries have changed their public policies surrounding media its ownership and contents. Taking advantage of this opportunity many international magazines like Elle, Vogue and Cosmopolitan have launched their local versions in these countries. These local versions have continuously faced accusations and criticism from society be it racism, discrimination or nudity, although their international versions have been highly appreciated, thus indicating that cultural differences need to be explored for the successful launch of any brand. For this paper the similarities and differences within different cultures would be determined using the covers of a common brand of magazine VOGUE across cultures. This comparison would also help to determine whether culture and/or society play any role in the successful placement of a magazine and whether Vogue has managed to maintain its brand personality by going local. Chasing a Dream INTRODUCTION Beauty is not concrete and may vary from culture to culture changing over time and shift according to location. The concept of beauty is an image which has been created by society to which woman and men have had to subject themselves to be â€Å"real†. History confirms that the ideology of beauty or what is accepted as being the right appearance has been created by society and largely propagated by media. For United States of the 1950s Marilyn Monroe was the pinnacle of beauty which soon changed to Twiggy in the 1960s. While porcelain skin is valued in China, scarification of the skin and decorating it with tattoos is considered as a status symbol in Africa and other parts. Thus the physical attributes and ideas attached to beauty vary across cultures. â€Å"Womens magazine industry is understood as a monolithic meaning producer, circulating magazines that contain messages and signs about the nature of femininity that serve to promote and legitimate dominant interests.† (Anna Gough- Yates) They have been a great source to study the changes in society. Moving from the purely fashion magazine to lifestyle and home to ‘do it yourself and ‘New woman to ‘woman can work too magazines have always reflected revolutions in society and influenced the opinion of women across nations. Given the increase in trade to Asia and the spread of the beauty industry across nations, it is disappointing that there has hardly been any study on how people are depicted internationally in the fashion magazines. Previous research has established that womans magazines can act as agents of socialising, publicizing certain gender stereotypes and certain beauty ideals like size zero and institutionalizing conventions like photographic poses. (Rudman and Verdi, 1993; Griffin, Viswanath, Schwartz, 1994). Yet hardly any research has been done on the differences in representation of women internationally and locally. GLOBAL MEDIA Over the past few decades there has been a rapid expansion of the global media in the area of womans fashion magazines. Local editions of Elle, Harpers Bazzar and Vogue are now being published in Asia. â€Å"Theory holds that increase trade and improved communication are bringing about a mix of cultures and global unity† (Giddens, 1990, Thompson, 1997). The internationalization of a magazine is not a new phenomenon although until quite recently the most popular womans magazines have been published locally. Harpers Bazaar, a U.S magazine launched itself in U.K. in 1929 (Anna Gough-Yates, 1993), Elle a European magazine began publishing its first edition in Japan in 1960s while Vogue a U.S magazine entered the Indian market in the 21st century. However â€Å"the establishment of an integrated global media market only began in earnest in the late 1980s and did not reach its full potential until the 1990s.† (Herman and Mc Chesney ,1997, p10) According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers the Asia/Pacific magazine market excluding Japan is projected to grow by 7.2% annually, reaching $20.7 billion by 2010, Advertising is also expected to rise by 5% annually to $8.1 billion in 2010. This means theres plenty of potential for countries in South Asia, where advertising spending is just about 0.34% of GDP. Until now foreign brands were allowed only 26% ownership when venturing into Asian countries. But in 2005 most of the Asian countries levelled the field for non news publications allowing 100% foreign direct investment. (D. Ruth, 2007, Forbes) Like all the other global media, magazines use many different strategies to cross borders. But the main reasons for doing so are ‘saturation of home markets and to generate revenue by providing international consumer brands with advertising vehicles that reach into the expanding foreign markets'(Dr. Katherine Frith, 2006,pg4-5). With Condà © Nast having to close down Mademoiselle in November 2001 due to competition and flagging sales, markets with rising economic rates like Asia and Middle East have now become a target for westerns producers of beauty and fashion magazines. HISTORY A study of fashion and magazine covers over the past 100 years gives us a clear picture of the extent of change media can bring about. From the corsets and 16 inch waists to jersey fabrics to bikinis the amount of womans liberation brought about along with the growth of womans beauty and fashion magazines is pretty evident. Magazine publishing surfaced much before the 19th century but up till than due to limited resources and technology publishers did not need illustrated or photographed front covers to sell a magazine. By the end of the century development in technology meant that every publisher could now make use of cover illustrations. The 20s and 30s saw two or more people on the front covers. Red lips, cigarettes, dapper looking men and understated elegance came into fashion. During the second world war men disappeared from the cover pages just as they disappeared from everyday lives of woman. Magazines became womens true friends and the government used them to communicate with the home front. Silk fell from grace and hosiery became scarce. The cover girl emerged, women were pictured wearing aprons holding sheaf of corn. With the end of the world war magazine publishers stuck to a fixed formula of selling magazines by using colour and arresting cover lines. Christian Dior made a splash and womans liberation began. The 1960s saw a revolution of self expression, music and ‘models who became as famous as movie stars. This was the start of a new era for women. The cover of Harpers Bazaar (1965) with the model Jean Shrimpton wearing a Day-Glo bright pink space helmet and the acid green brand emblem at the top is often seen as an emblem of the 60s. Jerseys, pullovers long hair for men and woman were the characteristics of the 70s. Photographs more than an illustration was often seen as the cover pages while cover lines became bigger, brighter and bolder. The 1980s was the decade of Madonna and Michael Jackson with shoulder pads and workout wear which dominating the fashion scene. ( Publication: Vogue Country: United Kingdom Date: 15 April 1980) This ended individualism in the 1990s with Grunge, Goth and a sense of anti style with tattooing and body art becoming in vogue. (Publication: Phase Country: United Kingdom, Date: May 1994) In the 20th century the key to selling magazines was the use of celebrity faces and anorexic models with porcelain skin. Diet plans and Make up tips more than ‘†how to catch a guy and keep him† cover lines make the magazine move. Environment friendly clothes and cosmetics modelled by Julia Roberts and Leonardo di Caprio were the latest trends. (Publication:ElleCountry:Spain Date: August 2002) Until the 90s, Asian society and fashion has been very traditional with local influences. In 1990 fashion icon Princes Diana wore a Salwar kameez and Asian fashion became a noticeable global trend. The 1990s also saw the rise of the â€Å"Asian -chic†. International pop icons like Janet Jackson promoted the Asian look and gave it an International stage. â€Å"As Asian economies flourished, than crashed and began to recover, Asians of different class, ethnicities and gender faced the decision of whether they should wear Western or Asian clothing.†(L. Ann Marie, J. Carla, 2003). The growth of international magazines in Asia and promotion of the Western beauty ideals confused already puzzled nations, drastically affecting the self esteem of many young men and woman. A lot has been recorded about the fashion influences, cultural changes and media in the West however there is hardly any record of such changes in the East. Study has proven that there is great difference between the local and international versions of the magazines but there is no record of the influences and effects on society due to these differences. MAGAZINES TODAY The difference between international magazines and their ‘local versions is that the international issues tend to carry a predominance of images for multinational products. (Shaw, 1999). Such magazines are growing in popularity in Asia and this popularity has bought about a change in perspective regarding the depiction of woman and products in local magazines. Griffin, Viswanath, and Schwartz(1994) found in a study comparing images in weekly U.S. news magazines (Time and Life) to weekly Indian magazines (India Today and Illustrated weekly of India), that many of the western advertising principles and poses for women were being conveyed across nations. They confirmed that female models in India were taking on poses that related closely to ‘gender portrayals ‘of the advanced western nations. A recent analysis of magazines international and local in China by Frith, Cheng and Shaw (2004) suggests that Caucasian models are more frequently shown in seductive dresses than Asian models. Feminist critiques like Kates, Shaw and Garlock (1999) would argue that western magazines are cultural institutions that represent women in a problematic and often unacceptable way although attractive female bodies and sexual content have for long been used in the west to attract consumers to a product and generate interest. Comparing this to the representation of woman across cultures with reference to the few studies conducted on the topic; Griffin, Viswanath and Schwartz (1994) concluded that the use of â€Å"Sexual pursuit† as a theme was used three times more often in U.S. magazines than in Indian magazines. In conservative Asian countries like Malaysia and Indonesia only Caucasian women were used in Lingerie advertisements (Frith and Mueller, 2003). Any magazine wanting to be resonant with its target audience needs to represent the social norms and cultural values of the given society. International magazines like Vogue and Elle although have publishing houses in Asian countries most often train their employees in the west. The result being that the forms of representation and especially that of woman can take on a globalized look. As Kyung-Ja Lee,(2000, pg 86) has rightly said â€Å" for thirty years, media have been taken to task for reproducing and reinforcing stereotyped images of woman. Yet unfair representation of woman in media still prevails worldwide. Sex stereotyping has been so deeply ingrained, even glorified, that the woman themselves have become desensitised to their own inferior portrayal. The prospects appear even gloomier as the globalisation of media progresses† Previous researchers have noted that the images of models used in magazines have been extensively retouched to represent the ideal of beauty that is unattainable for all but a very few people.(Greer,1999; Gauntlett, 2002). By showing models that are ‘uniformly thin, flawless and perfectly proportioned the media may contribute towards low self esteem and unhappiness among woman and give rise to problems like eating disorders. In fact media is a large contributor to the global increase in plastic surgery to change physical appearance among young girls. Finally as global media takes readers away from local publications it is important to study the impact of international beauty ideal on local consumers. With most models used in international magazines being ‘white the publications are rarefying the ethnic beauty ideals. In fact the obsession with whitening products may be a result of this overuse of White models in Asian publications. For the Caucasian women the body may represent beauty while for the Asian woman it might be the face. For some Asian countries beauty is the simplicity in a ‘sari clad woman while in some parts of Africa its a tattoo adorned naked female. To better understand how beauty and women have been represented internationally as compared to locally and their differences based on society and culture I have considered 3 issue of Vogue magazine across cultures (U.S, India and China) for the period of 6 months from February 2009 to June 2009. The unit of analysis was restricted to the cover pages, containing at least one model. Looking at Vogue magazine over the last twenty years we can easily conclude that the magazines expansion strategy has been very aggressive. Condà © Nast which has a portfolio of 127 magazines in 23 countries believes Vogue to be its cash cow. At present there are a million fashion and beauty magazines such as In Style, Elle and Cosmopolitan circulated around the globe, but in times of crises citizens all over turn to Vogue to confirm the latest fashion news. With readership and subscription levels of about 220,000 a month for the British Vogues, 133,000 a month for the French Vogue and American Vogue, at 1.2 million a month Vogue is the leading magazine in the business of fashion. The Greek, Indian and Chinese Vogues not being as influential are important only to their local countries. The French and Italian Vogue cater to the edgier end of the market while American and British Vogue embrace fashion in the broader sense owing to their larger readership. (A. Lisa, 2009, Times online)

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Mama Day :: essays research papers

The entire structure of Mama Day is fitting to the telling of multiple love stories entertwined. Like the most heartfelt episode of Seinfeld ever Gloria Naylor doesn’t tell a love story, but rather lays out in detail the events of everyday life for all of the central characters. In the process the love stories of the characters are all told at once. The most obvious example is the relationship between George and Cocoa (arguably the main love story). Through the book we see them meet, fall in love, and go through excitement and hardship; all that love is. There is also the love story of Mama Day, Abigail, and Cocoa. Even though Abigail is Cocoa’s grandmother and Mama Day is her great-aunt, they both take on the role of mother through their mutual love for her. There is also the love story between Bernice, Ambush and Little Caesar. Despite their squabbles, they love each other. Love is one of the major themes in this book. Gloria Naylor steps aside and lets the characters do her work for her. Love has the unfortunate nature of being objective and the best way to tell love stories is from every point of view. How else can one understand from the outside? On page one she starts with Cocoa telling her side of things and on twenty-two; here comes George’s side. And it continues on like this, back and forth, telling both sides of certain events through the fog that is each character’s own perception of things. This is a brilliant manipulation of point of views and one of the saving features of the book. The reader’s attention is caught when they have to re-associate themselves to a new point of view. In the ultimate representation of what love is this point of view switch is used to show likeness of thought between Ophelia and George toward the end of the novel. The words “OUR WORST FIGHT EVER'; appear twice in the novel. Once at the beginning of Cocoa’s account of the event an d again at the beginning of George’s (Naylor 230-232). Even in their most disagreeable moment, when it all boils down they both see it the same, the blowout to end all blowouts. Argue as they did, argue as they may, in the end they were one person of one mind, just what a marriage should be. A slightly different form of this same technique is used to give example of the mother-daughter love relationship between Mama Day and Cocoa.

Monday, November 11, 2019

International Biss

‘Arrow and the apparel industry: Solved Case Study Arrow and the apparel industry Q1. Why did Arvind Mills choose globalization as the major route to achieve growth when the domestic market was huge? Ans. : The reasons of choosing global market by Arvind Mills are: 1. Market seeking motives, such as exclusiveness of product and service with high productivity, stringent in-line quality control and an encouraging manufacturing atmosphere. 2.Economic motives, such as profit making by implementing cutting edge technologies to achieve economies of scale and spreading R;D costs. etc. 3. Strategic motives, such as buying-up of sick units, departing worldwide and gaining German and US brand names. Q2. How does lifting of ‘Country-wise quota regime’ help Arvind Mills? Ans. : The lifting of ‘Country-wise quota regime’ surged a demand for high quality garments from India; while Arvind brands crossed over Rs. 60 crore in the year 2002 and planned to setup two more high tech export-oriented factories in India.And now, Arvind has the largest network of 64 outlets with 30 retail chains and 200 multi-brand outlets all over India. The current turnover of Arvind Brand is about Rs. 85 crore, which aimed to reach Rs. 100 crore with 1200-3000 outlets across 480-800 towns. Q3. What lessons can other Indian businesses learn from the experience of Arvind Mills? Ans. : Arvind Mills is one of the trademarks of Indian market, which executed diverse patterns of business. Arvind brand extended the international brands in small towns of India.Of course, many other business brands in India now follows Arvind brand. The other Indian businesses should learn a lot from Arvind Mills: international outset of market; Multi-regional integration approach; union and attainment, strategic alliances, international delegates, global network formation; changes in internal organization, etc. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS Case 1:-BPO – BANE OR BOON? Which of the theories of international trade can help Indian services providersgain competitive edge over their competitors?The theory of free markets can help indian services providers gain competitive edgeover their compititors because India has got an edge over other countries at this pointof time but other nations may try to make their products look cheaper bymanipulating their currencies or by imposing restrictions on imported serviceespecially from india We need to do something like this – do something better than your competitors (either make a better product, market it better, service it better, price it cheaper, whatever). Pick up some Indian services providers.With the help of Michael Porter’sdiamond, analyze their strengths and weaknesses as active players in BPO. WNS, which was established in 1996 and transformed from a captive provider to athird-party provider in 2002, announced in December 2004 a new organizationalstructure focused on its vertical business units. The change to th e vertical focus wasmade to sharpen the company's domain expertise; develop new services andtechnologies; create superior career paths for talented managers; continue toemphasize entrepreneurship and empowerment, and win and retain business bydelivering exceptional value to its clients.The company's business units are organized into the following vertical sectors: travelservices; insurance services; financial services; enterprise services (including financialand accounting services, human resource accounting and health care processing),and knowledge services (including primary and secondary research, and analytics). Each unit is managed by a chief executive officer and has its own operating and salesteams, and draws upon support and â€Å"enabling† services across the company. â€Å"We have seen numerous tangible benefits to our decision in 2004 to more sharply focus our vertical structure,† stated Neeraj Bhargava, Group CEO. Specifically, wehave strengthened our leade rship role in the BPO industry; continued to distinguishWNS from our competitors through our differentiated strategy; maintained our recordof creating value for our key constituencies, especially customers and employees, and broadened our global perspective, thus enhancing our ability to help companies meettheir business challenges. â€Å"These developments reflect positively both on the soundness of our decision, as wellas the breadth and depth of WNS' management team, which is uniquely qualified tolead this company. â€Å"Mr. Bhargava added hat WNS' travel unit continues to be the offshore industry leaderin this segment with a dominant market share, but that â€Å"WNS' formalization of ourvertical structure clearly allowed us to devote additional resources to our non-traveloperations – especially financial services, which include mortgage and insurance. As aresult, we have strengthened our expertise and operations in each of our offerings, aswell as across the company as a whole. † Compare this case with the case given at the beginning of this chapter. Whatsimilarities and dissimilarities do you notice?Your analysis should be based onthe theories explained. Evalueserve: Based in Gurgaon, it has 650 people engaged in market research andbusiness intelligence. Nearly 45% of the company’s revenues come from math relatedprojects. Evalueserve has a research firm called Global Sourcing Now, whichspecialises in high-quality research reports. WNS: A Mumbai-based BPO, WNS has just started its KPO division for market researchwith 300 people. It operates in the knowledge services business segment and offershigh-end services such as market, investment and business research.Wipro BPO – In 2002, Wipro took a quantum jump in the BPO services by acquiring thethen Spectramind. Wipro Limited (Wipro) is engaged in the areas of information technology (IT), services,IT products and consumer care and lighting products. The Company is organized infour segments: IT services, IT products, consumer care and lighting, and others. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009 (fiscal 2009), 94% of Wipro’s operatingincome was generated from its IT Services. In Fiscal 2009, IT products represented3% of its operating income, and consumer care and lighting, and others represented3% of operating income.The Company’s IT services segment provides a range of ITand IT-enabled services. In January 2009, Wipro Technologies acquired Citi Technology Services Ltd. (India), the India-based captive provider of technologyinfrastructure services (TIS), application development and maintenance services forcards, capital markets and corporate banking. Similarities: 1. Require knowledge transfer of the organization's business processes2. Involve migration of jobs (along with some people too) to another country3. Necessitated by business compulsions such as cost reduction or shortage of resources4.Technology intensive exercise/process needing a ‘global delivery model'5. Requires structured migration process to minimize the probability of failure6. ITO and BPO Partners are both affected severely by attrition in the workforceDifferences:1. Skills required in the people are different – IT requires strong technology focuswhile BPO requires strong process understanding focus2. Replacement of resources (on account of attrition) is easier and cheaper in BPOsthan ITOs3. ITO staffing strategy is to hire â€Å"trained people† whereas BPO staffing strategy aimsto â€Å"hire the crowd and train them†4.ITO results in loss of jobs to â€Å"knowledge workers† – but they don't care since theycan get plenty of jobs elsewhere; BPO results in loss of jobs to lower skilled â€Å"processworkers† – often they do not have anywhere else to go ITO – Information Technology OutsourcingBPO – Business Process Outsourcing These are two heads, ITO is bent towards technology i. e. softw are outsourcing,whereas BPO is inclined towards process outsourcing. When we say process that could be functional (admin, HR, accounts) shared by all theindustries or technical depending upon each industry and skills required.Moreover, the KPO>RPO>MPO>PPO>EPO and all the newbies are parcel of nicheindustries vis-a-vis skills required. Case 2 PERU What are some current issues facing Peru? What is the climate for doing businessin Peru today? During the 1970s, the Peruvian government nationalized a number of industries andfactories and began running them for the profit of the state in most cases, these state– run ventures became disasters. Peruvian government are facing problem with lack of advance and latest equipmentfor both locating as well as catching and then loading and unloading the fish.Peruvian government might step in during the next couple of years and again takeover the business. If this were to happen, it might take an additional decade for theloan to be repaid. If the government were to allow the fleet owner to operate thefleet the way he has over the last decade, the fleet the way he has over the lastdecade, the loan could be repaid within seven years. Peru is located on the west coast of South America What type of political risks does this fishing company need to evaluate? Identifyand describe them. Political Risk can be divided into several types of threats. Interference with operations †¢ Confiscation (they take a piece of equipment) †¢ Expropriation (they take the whole company) †¢ Nationalization (they take all the companies in a business sector) †¢ Economic instability, which effects production †¢ Currency Repatriation, not being able to get your money out †¢ Currency Inconvertibility, not being able to exchange your money for another currency of international value (yen, dollars, pounds) †¢ Contract Repudiation Persistent and deliberate refusal †¦ to honor obligations as set forth in a Contractà ¢â‚¬ ¦ What types of integrative and protective and defensive techniques can the bankuse? Some prevention techniques apply to individual banks, independently of the rest of the economy. * A bank can take deposits from depositors who do not observe commoninformation that might spark a run. For example, in the days before depositinsurance, it made sense for a bank to have a large lobby and fast service, to preventa line of depositors from extending out into the street, causing passers-by to inferthat a bank run is occurring. [1]* Banks can encourage customers to make term deposits that cannot be withdrawnon demand.If term deposits form a high enough percentage of a bank's liabilities itsvulnerability to bank runs will be reduced considerably. The drawback is that bankshave to pay a higher interest rate on term deposits. * A bank can temporarily suspend withdrawals to stop a run; this is calledsuspension of convertibility. In many cases the threat of suspension prevents the run,which m eans the threat need not be carried out. [1]* Bank regulation or other constraints can impose a reserve ratio requirement,which limits the proportion of deposits which a bank can lend ut, making it less likelyfor a bank run to start, as more reserves will be available to satisfy the demands of depositors. [5] This practice sets a limit on the fraction in fractional-reserve banking. * Full-reserve banking is the hypothetical case where the reserve ratio is set to100%. Under this approach, the risk of bank runs would be eliminated,[11] and bankswould match maturities of deposits and loans to avoid vulnerability to runs. Would the bank be better off negotiating the loan in New York or in Lima? Why?We can think like that New York Bank is in better position to do negotiation with Limain their own terms and condition. The biggest problem is that the ships are getting oldand they needs an influx of capital of make repairs and add new technology. As theyexplained it to the new York banker. â€Å"Fishing is no longer just an art. There is a greatdeal of technology involved. And to keep costs low and be competitive on the worldmarket, you have to have the latest equipment for both locating as well as catchingand then loading and unloading the fish †Case 3:RED BECOMING THICKERWhy that Coke is has not been able to make profit in its Indian operations? Coca-Cola's operations in India have come under intense scrutiny as manycommunities are experiencing severe water shortages as well as contaminatedgroundwater and soil that some assert [18] are a result of Coca-Cola's bottlingoperations. A massive movement has emerged across India to hold the Coca-ColaCompany accountable for its actions. The state of Kerala imposed a ban of colas fromthe state only to be quashed by Coca Cola; the matter is pending in the supremecourt. citation needed] The Plachimada plant in Kerala state, one of Coca-Cola'slargest bottling facilities in India, has remained shut for 17 months now becau se thevillage council has refused to renew its license, blaming the company for causingwater shortages and pollution. In the initial period of setting the business in India, the COKE was not able tomake profit fromthe Indian operation. This is due to a number of factors. †¢ The local population is not accustomed to drinking cola drinks. †¢ The market needs to be developed. †¢ The initial bottleneck was the lack of adequate network of distributors. †¢ Product distribution was weak. The poor distribution created negative impaction the market growth. †¢ Volume was low. †¢ Overheads were growing. †¢ The operation profit was negligible. Do you think that Coke should continue to stay in India? If yes, why? I would like to mention some points if in order Coke wants to continue its operation inIndia. The allegations in other ways helped Coca-Cola Company, India to show theircorporate social responsibility and to maintain good product quality standards. The initiatives all over India helped them reach villages for a good cause and alsoindirectly marketed their products with establishing a trust among the public.After allthese allegations, the CSE is still not convinced of the quality of the product. Therefore, Coca-Cola must prove that they have upgraded their lab with sophisticatedinstrument which is capable of measuring pesticide residue in soft drinks. As per therecent reports by CSE, they claim that the pesticide residue has gone up 27 timeshigher than expected level by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)Coke is facing different type of problem in which some are mention below Critical Issues/Problems:Solid waste and water issue: The communities near the bottling plant in Indiacomplained about the passage of sludge as fertilizer, causing health andenvironmental damage. The most important issue concerning these communities isthe depletion of water levels caused by the Coca-Cola bottling operations which havedrastically reduced avail ability of water for irrigation purposes. Pesticides in soft drinks: The other issue concerning human health caused by Coca-Cola is that their bottled water and soft drinks contain pesticides which were testedby the reputed NGO, CSE.Dual product standards: Coca-Cola is accused of having dual standards in terms of their products and safety measures concerning human health with respect to USA,Europe and India. Community issue: These allegations affected Coca-Cola largely with its sales and alsocaused the closure of one of their bottling plants in Kerala, India. Additionally, Coca-Cola’s products are banned in the state of Kerala, India. What cultural adaptations would you suggest to the US expatriate managersregarding their management style?A key reason for the return of expatriates before the official end of their foreignassignment is the uncertainty and frustration resulting from poor cross-culturaladaptation. The literature provides this general, normative view without much to sayabout the interpersonal conflict expatriates experience in the workplace abroadcaused by cultural differences. Our exploratory study finds that conflicts with co-workers in host countries occur frequently causing high stress and discomfort, andprovides three specific sources of conflict as recounted by sample managers.Theimplications of our findings include: selecting expatriate managers with highemotional intelligence, providing extensive pre-departure cultural training thatconsists not only of cultural facts but also interpersonal skills such as active listening,conflict management, and ethical reasoning, utilizing sensitivity training techniquesto better prepare managers for new situations, and sending the expatriate on one ortwo pre-sojourn visits to familiarize themselves with the host culture and workplacenorms even before the actual expatriate assignment begins.An additional implicationis training the host-country workers, particularly those who will work most closely w iththe expatriate manager, on home country cultural beliefs and workplace norms. Weaim to stimulate managerial thinking and further research on the workplace conflictsthat challenge expatriates managers. Using the Hofstede and the value orientations cultural models, how can youexplain some of the cultural differences noted in this case? When business consultants and professionals in the field of workplace learning and developmentdiscovered Hofstede's dimensions, applications began to emerge in many areas.The following aremerely a few examples of how the field has translated the abstract theory into a series of concreteapproaches. In expanding their market to the global level with clear and consistent global brand images acrossnations, marketers are ever confronting the issue of how to deal with different cultural values. Cultural value is identified as an influential factor on brand image and is widely accepted as one of the crucial concepts in understanding consumer consumption val ue, which determines choices of consuming everyday products and services.Most firms endeavoring to establish and maintainconsistent global brand images, however, adopt a standardized brand image strategy that usuallydoes not consider individual target markets characteristics, including the concepts of cultural valueand consumption value. This study developed a conceptual framework which incorporated culturalvalue not only as a direct antecedent of brand image, but also as an indirect antecedent of brandimage through consumption value, and empirically tested it using the category of apparel.Following this framework, this study hypothesized the differences in brand image, cultural value,and consumption value between the U. S. and South Korea. Data were gathered through surveying university students residing in the San Francisco and Seoul metropolitan areas using a conveniencesampling method. A total of 329 completed questionnaires were used in factor analysis,discriminant analysis, an d structural equation modeling. The results provide insights intostandardized brand image strategies and suggest some implementable tools that might proveeffective in both countries.Case 4THE ABB PBS JOINT VENTURE IN OPERATIONWhere does the joint venture meet the needs of both the partners? Where does itfall short? â€Å"One of the most common instances that encourage learning and sharing is culturaldifferences. In the case study involving the ABB PBS Joint Venture the two companiesfound it rather difficult to understand certain cultural differences. These differencesexisted because the managers and employees of the venture were from the post-communist country of the Czech Republic and were new to the structure of a freemarket economy.The venture had a difficult time interacting and understanding theculture of the European nations that they were conducting business with. To facilitatelearning and knowledge the managers of the venture had to change the mentality of employees and dev elop ways to motivate them to reach the goals of the company. (â€Å"The ABB PBS Joint Venture in Operation†)† What lessons one can draw from this incident for better management of technology transfers? Technology transfer is the process of developing practical applications for scientificresearch.It is a term used to describe a formal transfer of rights to use andcommercialize new discoveries and innovations resulting from scientific research toanother party. It is, regrettably, not uncommon to find big companies and major industrial concernsin the developed countries turning a blind eye to the ethical questions when it comesto technology transfer. The need to show profits, the desire to please shareholdersand the compulsion to transfer technology to the South, whatever the outcome, haveblurred the vision and concept of fight and wrong. Mahatma Gandhi said the solution in India is not mass production, but production bythe masses.Mass production by organized industry has brought in sophisticatedtechnology and militant trade unions, and has been one of the major factors formigration from the rural to the urban areas. The establishment of small scaleindustries, and better facilities for the rural workers, will ease the tension in the citiesand reduce migratory pressures – but it will mean less profits. This ill-conceived approach has almost destroyed indigenous institutions. Thetechnology input from the developed countries should have strengthened,supplemented and supported the existing, proven structures instead of replacingthem.It has increased dependency on the outside, for spare parts, for expertise and forconsultation, thus controlling and co-opting rather than decentralizing anddisseminating. People forget that what is best and most sophisticated could easily bea ball bearing on bullock cart wheels, or a simple set of hand tools for villageblacksmiths. ——————————â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- Top of Form Search Bottom of Form Search History: Searching†¦ Result 00 of 00 00 results for result for ? p.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Ivan Denisovich essays

Ivan Denisovich essays When communism was established, it was thought to make life easier and create equality amongst all that supported its values. The lifestyle in the Russian gulag under communism is described in the novel One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovish, written by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. After reading and carefully reviewing the facts that were presented in this book, it is vivid that communism had only made life of the Russians much harder and much more cruel than ever before. Ivan Denisovich, is a struggling prisoner attempting survival inside a Soviet gulag. Ivan Denisovich was also referred to as Shukhov. Within the novel, Shukhov is simply describing one typical day at the prison, which was located in the coldest part of Russian, Siberia. Denisovich is serving his eighth year of the ten-year sentence that he was given for accusations of treason against his own countrys government. When he was questioned about his loyalty to his country, he had two choices, either to tell the truth (that he always served the working people and he was always loyal to his country) and get killed or, he couldve untruthfully confessed to treason and be sent to jail. Shukhov began to realize that he wasnt going to be let out of jail when he saw the old man (Y-81) from gang 64 sit near him at supper. Denisovisc herd numerous theories about this old man, which all somehow connected to the fact that he has been here for as long as anyone could remember. Before your sentence i s up the guards will find something to pick on you and slap another ten-year sentence in addition to the first. The living conditions were very poor and unfortunate. Furthermore, daily food provisions are barely enough for survival. For example, during any meal time, when they were finished with their bowl of mush they would scope around the mess hall to find a bowl that hasnt been licked clean. The prisoner would pick that bowl up and couldn&ap...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The nobility in eighteenth century Europe Essays

The nobility in eighteenth century Europe Essays The nobility in eighteenth century Europe Paper The nobility in eighteenth century Europe Paper Essay Topic: History From the outside the nobility may have appeared to be a monolithic institution, powerful and united in defence of its interest. 1 But in reality there were many divides within the nobility, such as the divisions between the old and new nobility or the rich and poor. Frictions between such groups have been held largely responsible for the erosion of power and prestige of the nobility within the eighteenth century, and some commentators such a Doyle have gone as far as claiming that their internal divisions left the nobility powerless, in other words paralysed. To find out if this was indeed true the internal divisions have to be looked at in greater detail and these must be balanced against the number of other factors that united rather than divided the nobility. Many of the divisions in noble society were caused by non-structural conflicts between individuals, families or parties. 2 However many other troubles were drawn along structural lines. Probably the best example of this was the divide between the rich nobles and the poor nobles. The ethos of nobility meant implied that nobles live off their own states, in a life of decadence, but this was far from the case for the majority of the nobles in Europe, as honourable birth and status provided no guarantees against poverty. 3 This was particularly the case in Eastern and Southern Europe where the nobility was extremely large and extensive. 4 Often this resulted in them having to work and, in extreme cases, live as commoners. The poor nobility deeply resented this and were envious of the richer nobility who flaunted their wealth, wasting huge sums on money on their own pleasure and vanity. The richer nobles were equally distaining. They saw the poorer nobles as an insult to their elevated class and felt that their failure degraded their position. Similar rivalries were present between the old, traditional nobility and the new nobility. Nobles liked to believe that they came from a long line of noble ancestors, but in reality this was rarely the case as the turnover of nobility was usually quite fast, as newcomers were able to be ennobled during the eighteenth century in every country except Venice, Genoa and Russia who officially operated closed door policies starting in 1758. Traditionally, there were two main ways that the nobility could be ennobled; firstly wealthy nobles and entrepreneurs could buy into the nobility. Louis XIV, for example periodically put titles on the market at times of great financial need. Thus, in France it was widely accepted that while not every nobleman was rich, every rich man was noble. 6 Or, secondly they could become noble by assuming t he noble lifestyle and hence acting like the nobility. During the eighteenth century a third means of status gain emerged, in the form of gaining administrative posts. This created a division between nobles of the crown those who conducted royal administration and nobles of the sword, who were the older nobility, whose royal function was principally military7. The nobles of the sword saw themselves as inherently more important than nobles of the robe, as they believed in the old connection between military valour and honour. They were hugely frustrated that the administrative nobles, while coming from supposedly inferior blood lines, were at the controls of government, while they had little influence in governmental affairs. Also it was obvious that these administrative posts had been secured by wealth, which the rich nobles despised and the poor nobles envied8. Along the same lines as the rift between the old nobility of the robe, and the newer one of the sword was that of the court versus country nobility. Traditionally, great magnates had lived in the country on their landed estates, and ruled over their dynasties. But the eighteenth century brought a centralisation of governance, and the nobles of the country were left increasingly isolated. It was the metropolitan noble, many of whom were relatively new to the nobility, who gained from this. Their estates were undoubtedly less grand, but they were at the centre of influence and were more able to influence their monarchs and the distribution of patronage. 9 This they used to better their own needs and their power in relation to the great magnates. This is highlighted by a magistrate in late eighteenth century declaring the court nobility has, at all times, been the most pronounced and most dangerous enemy of other nobles. 10 Religion could also be a factor for division. In England and Ireland after the defeat of the Catholic aggressors in 1691, Catholic nobles were deposed and by 1703 only 14% of Irish land was owned by Catholics. 11 Similarly, during the seventeenth century the Habsburg nobility had been divided over religion, with the upper nobility retaining Catholicism, while the lesser nobility adopted Protestantism. But how far did these divisions lead to the weakening of the nobility? During the eighteenth century there was an apparent sift of power from magnates to a more absolute state. Kamen summarises this well Thanks to divisions among the elite, the state was able to slowly extend its authority and encourage the creation of a national loyalty that transcended local allegiances headed by nobles. 12 However, monarchs and governments were never able to infringe greatly on noble power as they feared the strength of a rebellious nobility and needed the nobilitys support to consolidate their own power. For example, the English Parliament failed, in 1701, to pass legislation banning nobles from governing. 3 But the most potent threat to the nobility was undoubtedly the politicisation of the peasantry and the rise of the middle class. Since the enlightenment, European society had been witness to an ever-increasing, secular group who questioned the rights of nobles to rule. They were supported by religious leaders, as many started to declare nobles undeserving of their titles and ungodly14. Many of the peasantry, tired of being at the undesirable end of the class system, found this very attractive and, led by the middle classes, attempted to take advantage of the nobles division. This clearly happened in France, where the conflicts between the aristocracy, as well as the economic success of an extremely large bourgeois population led to the French Revolution, the disposition of the aristocracy and French nobles leaving the majority of the 83 French governmental departments. 15 But, elsewhere in Europe, while there were revolts and rebellion, the nobility were never deposed. Even though there was, present, this cascade of distain16 existed amongst the nobility of the eighteenth century, there were a number of unifying factors. Many nobles were installed with the notions of nobility and, recognising each others membership strengthened their own position. 17 This was further strengthened by writing such as Montesquieus Spirit of Law (1748), which outlined the nobilitys role in society18. Similarly, nobles were often reluctant to question other nobles legitimacy, in case this provoked these nobles or the peasantry to start posing similar questions against them. The nobles in this period came to recognise the united nature of their supreme social status. They were sure that unless the lower classes were under control, they would instinctively rise and revolt. 19 Noble families were also brought together by matrimonial alliances. 20 As a result of primogeniture, second and third sons were often unable to find a wife of the same social class, and therefore if they inspired to marry within the nobility, they had to marry into a lower level. But, by the end of the eighteenth century the distinctions between the noble factions were decreasing, as the groups started to merge. A form of noble exchange was created as bureaucrats desired to gain land, while the landed nobility desired to gain office and governmental influence21. It was also becoming increasingly apparent to the old nobility that in the ever expanding economy, no longer could they look down on the virtue of work. For them to survive they had to start taking part in some sort of enterprise. 22 There is little doubt that the nobility of the eighteenth century were greatly weakened by their internal divisions, leading to a greater centralisation of power and state control, but paralysed is too extreme a description. It is not easy to assess the strengths of the nobilities in most European countries, as only in France was the nobility properly tested, but the fact that elsewhere the middle classes and peasant masses where unable to sustain any national revolts shows that the nobility was far from paralysed. They had their divisions, but they also had many unifying factors; the common sense of nobility and the privileges that nobility entailed, were too great to create too permanent splintering. This was compounded as the century progressed and the noble groupings became blurred, leading, in general, to a frictional but robust noble class.