CLA L10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CLA L10 - Essay Example Helen of Troy left her homeland and moved to a new land with a male Paris. Medea crossed boundaries with Jason. Paris takes Helen from her husband Menelaus and travels from Sparta to Troy with her. This abduction causes the Trojan War. The contest between the goddesses and the judgment of Paris points out the cause of Helen’s abduction; Aphrodite promises to Paris that he could have Helen as a prize (Steiner, 2011). By traveling to Troy, Helen abandoned her home, her husband, and her child and broken the social boundaries of marriage. The result is disastrous for Trojans and Greeks, ten years of war, involving bloodshed and suffering, to bring Helen home from Troy. Helen’s movement destroys all Trojan husbands and perverts the wedding rituals of the Trojan women. Medea is a maiden who leaves her homeland willingly to travel over geographical boundaries to aid her hero that she fell in love with on her quests. She helps Jason to win the Golden Fleece. In Colchis. Aphrodite influenced Medeas falling in love with Jason. Medea betrays her father Aeetes and aids Jason. Like Helen, Medea is influenced by the gods. Aphrodite influences their decision to cross boundaries. Hera convinces Aphrodite to make Medea fall in love with Jason so that Jason can obtain Fleece, as Hera’s motive to eventually ruin Pelias for dishonoring her. Like Helen’s act of crossing boundaries, Medea’s traveling with Jason was also characterized by bloodshed. Medea and Helen’s movement to new lands results in the death of others. Medea murdered her brother Apsyrtus. While traveling from Colchis on the Argo, Medea aided the voyagers by killing Talos. In Iolchus, Medea kills the ruler of the city, which she is foreign to and destroys family bonds. When Jason forsakes Medea in Corinth, she kills both the princess and her father Creon in vengeance. Medea is cruelly smart than Helen and goes

The Jilting of Granny Weatherall Essay Example for Free

The Jilting of Granny Weatherall Essay Sometimes in death, it makes people think about their life. In the short story, â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,† written by Katherine Anne Porter, the main character, Granny Weatherall is doing just that; looking back on her life. In the film made based on this short story Granny Weatherall also thinks about her life, but as she is doing things around the house, living her life and not while being shut up in her bed. There are other differences that take place between both the film and the short story. But in the end they both tell the story of an old woman named Granny Weatherall. The short story version of â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall† has a stream of consciousness point of view. It is basically Granny Weatherall, while lying in her death bed, going over previous events that had taken place in her life as they came to her mind and thoughts. Granny Weatherall also thinks about things that she is planning on doing the next day. â€Å"The box in the attic with all those letters tied up, well, she’d have to go through that tomorrow.† (17). That was Granny Weatherall thinking to herself about going through some personal letters she did not want Cornelia, her daughter that she lives with, to find. In the film version of The Jilting of Granny Weatherall the viewers get to see the story of Granny Weatherall in an objective point of view. The story is showed by Granny Weatherall actually being out of bed and doing things. While she is going about her day, the film shows us her thoughts through little flashbacks Granny Weatherall has. Different from the short story, Granny Weatherall actually goes up to the attic and goes through the letters and Cornelia comes up there with her. There is also some symbolism that takes place in the film that does not happen in the short story. â€Å"What does a woman do when she has put on the white veil and set out the white cake for a man and he doesn’t come?† (29). Granny Weatherall thinks about this in the short story, but actually makes a white cake in the film, symbolizing her jilting and how she still thinks of it. After reading the short story and viewing the film, I prefer the actual short story in the book over watching it. Reading it the first time was a little confusing. But after watching the film and then going back and reading the short story over again, it makes enjoy the story so much more. I now know that the story is told through Granny Weatherall’s thoughts and so when I read I can get a better understanding of who Granny Weatherall is. Also, I believe that reading the last sentence of the short story the reader gets to enjoy a better view in their mind then when what the film shows. â€Å"She stretched herself with a deep breath and blew out the light.† (61). Both the film and the short story of â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall† were great. The film is easier to follow the first time watched but the book takes the reader through Granny Weatherall’s inner thoughts. They have some differences amongst themselves but they also both share the common theme of someone thinking about their life right before death comes.

The Increasing Trend In Marriage Halls

The Increasing Trend In Marriage Halls The increasing trend in marriage halls over the years mainly from 2007-2012 is contributed by a number of reasons. The main aim of this thesis is to find out the reasons to the rising trend in marriage halls from 2007-2012 and to gather in depth knowledge of the marriage halls business and industry in Lahore Pakistan. The areas of research are Gulberg and Garden Town Lahore. Marriage is a basic necessary process every human being passes through during their life time. It not only is necessary but a social custom as it is a religious practice that every individual is likely to follow. Marriage halls aim at organizing marriage and wedding functions providing all the services for the convenience of the people under one roof. Marriage halls provide all services including food, cutlery, sitting arrangements, decor, music system, safety, security and parking. The mission of a marriage hall is to sustain customers and increase repeat clientele as there is high competition in the marriage hall industry. Marriage halls aims at providing customers with the best quality and best arrangements in arranging their marriage function and allowing them to be satisfied as much as possible. Marriage halls business has been a glooming business in the past couple of years and has proven to be profitable. There are 20 marriage halls located in Gulberg and Garden Town both registered and un-registered. As a result with the changes in the government regulations, awareness of customers and economical changes in the economy of Pakistan has affected the industry tremendously and has also given way to increase in competition by introducing outdoor catering services, marquees and other catering service providers to meet customer needs. In this paper I will be discussing the trend of marriage halls from 2007-2012 and the reasons as to why they have increased or decreased supported by facts and figures and using both qualitative and quantitative data. I will be focusing on only Gulberg and Garden Town area in Lahore as my target market and sample size. 1.1 Background Increase in the number of marriage halls and the increasing trend over the years have increased in all over Pakistan from 2001-2012. Pakistan having a large population allows a large number of people getting married every now and then. The marriage halls business is increasing day by day and therefore it is of my interest to find out the reasons to the increasing number of marriage halls in Lahore from year 2007-2012. The increase in the number of marriage halls is due to the convenience it provides to the hosts and allows package budgeting and are easily available according to the requirement. Indoor marriage halls provide protection against bad weather conditions and also allow more traditional outlook for marriages the ambiance, the decor as compared to the outdoor marriage events. According to the Punjab Government laws the halls have to be closed by 10pm rather than events held outside. The owners of marriage halls are more pressure and tension to shut down by 10pm if not they are penalized but in case of outdoor marriage events the organizer and host are in less pressure and tension as they have more time to vacating the area. The marriage hall industry is the only industry booming in the past 5 years as it requires converting residential area to commercial marriage halls. I am motivated to research on the rising trend of marriage halls as this research has not been done previously as it requires first hand information. Therefore it allows me to conduct different research methods to find out the increase in the number of marriage halls. The purpose of this research is to gain all the knowledge about the industry and to have in depth knowledge of the industry. 1.2 Industry Overview Marriage halls industry has been glooming in Pakistan from 2007-2012. A rising trend is seen in the increase of number of marriage halls in Pakistan. Investors foresee it as a profitable investment irrespective of the economical challenges, fluctuations in the prices and changing policies of the government. The changes in the government policies have affected the overall industry in Pakistan; therefore investors have made big investments in marriage halls business. Marriage halls are and have been facing different challenges that affect the business including the rules and regulations of wrapping up the function by 10pm, allowing a one-dish policy in food which as a result squeezes the profit margins for the investors but allows them to earn profits. The high rate of inflation strongly contributes to the increase in the number of marriage halls as the purchasing power of customers have reduced and they prefer to arrange their functions as economically as possible. The challenge of load shedding is another major problem faced by the marriage halls which as a result has increased their expenses and decreased their profits. The overall industry in Pakistan has been facing a business slum by the changes in the government frequently over the years with fluctuations of prices therefore marriage halls have been a safe resort for investors to invest and earn profits. As marriage is a necessary process every individual goes through investors foresee marriage halls business as a profitable business in spite of the challenges being faced by them. Recently from 2010, the competition for marriage halls has been increased by different competitors including marquees and outdoor catering which has increased competition for marriage halls to compete with. Though the target market for marriage halls is particularly the upper-middle, middle-middle and lower-middle class therefore it allows marriage halls business to sustain the business as the middle class income group is high in Pakistan. 1.3 SWOT Analysis Strengths Security Marriage halls provide security to the customers as compared to the other competitors. They provide security in situations of danger, fire and secure the properties of the guests in the function. Economical Prices Marriage halls target the middle class and therefore allow middle class income groups to arrange their function with the best facilities in the most economical prices possible. Due to the high inflation rate in Pakistan marriage halls are booming as the purchasing power of consumers have decreased and marriage halls provide the best economical prices to arrange function compares to competitors. Weaknesses Customization A major weakness of marriage halls is that they provide standard format to arrange marriage functions and lack in providing customization the customers according to their needs. Capacity Marriage halls do not have enough capacity to accommodate people more then 500-700. Whereas marquees can accommodate large number of people from 700-1000 number of guests. Opportunities Increase usage and capacity Marriage halls have an opportunity to increase their usage by conducting other functions including seminars, exams, business meetings, lunches to increase their revenue. Marriage halls also have an opportunity to increase their capacity by building halls to accommodate more people. Threats Government Regulations Government regulations pose a serious threat to marriage halls as they can only offer one dish to be served in the main course and the time restrictions that the functions have to be wrapped up by 10pm. The government regulations are a limitation for marriage halls to earn more profit and to offer customers more satisfaction. Increasing Competition The increasing competition in the industry is also a serious threat that the marriage halls have to face a number of challenges and meet different ways of conducting business. 1.4. Research Objectives:- To find out the percentage increase of the marriage halls from 2007-2012 in Lahore. To find out the number of marriage halls in Gulberg and Garden Town Lahore from 2007-2012. To find out the reasons as to why the trend has increased in marriage halls over the years. To conduct primary research and gain knowledge on marriage halls business in Pakistan. To find out the prospects of marriage halls in Lahore Pakistan. To compare the trend of rise in marriage halls in Pakistan with India and China. 2 Theory 2.1 Literature Review:- Marriages take place in every society, community and country. A number of reasons have been highlighted over the years as to the rise of marriage halls. Wedding expenses have increased by 20 to 30 percent this season and are likely to increase in the coming months. Catering and poultry prices are high and wedding hall rates have been raised considerably. This has added to the consumers financial burden but traders in wedding-related businesses are making the best of it. Wedding halls in Gulberg, Garden Town, Johar Town and Faisal Town have increased their rates and blamed the move on inflation.2Inflation plays an important role in decreasing purchasing power of consumers to spend on wedding activities. Increase in prices has increased expenses and therefore there has been a 30 percent increase in the prices of wedding expenses and wedding halls rates. Due to the high inflation rate consumers find places with economical prices to arrange their functions. Marriage halls therefore provide the only means to arrange a wedding function economically that can be easily afforded by the consumers targeting the middle income groups. The trend of conducting marriage ceremonies at banquet halls has decreased in the city in recent days, as people are scared to leave their houses in the prevailing security situation, owners of various banquet halls told Daily Times on Saturday. In addition to a reduction in the total number of reservations, the numbers of guests attending weddings has also decreased, they said, adding this was very bad for business. They said their business was already under tremendous pressure due to rising prices and limited budgets and the recent wave of terror attacks had only added fuel to the decline. Inflation has squeezed the purchasing power of the people, said Mahboob Ahmed, the owner of a private marriage hall.3 In 2009 with the increase of terrorism in the country marriage hall business has been affected tremendously. People instead arranging their functions outdoor or in marriage halls preferred to stay at home and arrange it at their home. Lack of security caused a lot of people to think whether to arrange wedding functions in house or in marriage halls. Terrorism along with inflation posed a serious threat to the marriage halls and increased intense amount of security concerns in order to survive their business. The industry in 2009 faced a number of challenges allowing the business slope to move downwards effecting marriage halls adversely. The LDA concerned is responsible for providing basic facilities to residents, but it seems that the authority has adopted a liberal policy for issuance of NOCs for conversion of residential plots into commercial plots. It is because of this liberal policy businessmen take advantage and are building marriage halls without considering the prerequisites of the by-laws. The residents are suffering from this mushroom growth of marriage halls which are more than from any other scheme in Lahore. 5 The liberal policy of LDA to issue NOC to the marriage halls in one of the major reasons in the rise of marriage halls in the past couple of years. Lahore Development Authority has been converting residential plots into commercial areas providing businessmen to invest in opening marriage halls and serve as a source of generating revenue for the government as well as the marriage hall owners. Marriage halls surrounded everywhere in the residential area cause inconvenience to the residents causing traffic jams and noise disturbance to the residents living in the surroundings. By issuing NOC creates a high opportunity for businessman to open marriage halls and earn revenue more easily as compared to other industry in Pakistan District Coordination Officer (DCO) Noorul Amin Mengal has warned the owners of marriage halls and said they should be closed on the given time and in case of negligence they would have to face consequences as per law. Chairing a meeting at Town Hall on Wednesday, the DCO said in future no case would be lodged against bride and groom and their relatives while the entire responsibility of late closing of marriage halls would be on the shoulder of halls owners and case would be registered against them.6 Government regulations have immensely affected the running of marriage halls business. All marriage halls are strictly advised to adhere to wrapping up of a wedding by 10pm. In providing food items government has also limited the availability of food items to one-dish only which effects the marriage halls reducing their profits. The DCO stated to charge fines to any marriage hall violating the law and the fine solely being paid by the marriage hall owners. Government regulations have limited the profits of marriage halls but on the other hand the government regulations have been made in the favor of the public security and protection. Therefore these laws allow marriage halls to be profitable as the customers pay the full price of a function allowing marriage halls to provide less and earn more money per head. As Pakistani society has grown more overtly conservative, weddings remain one of the few culturally acceptable venues for men and women to meet without restriction and even dance with each other. In other words, a mehndi is simply a substitute for a nightclub. The phrases used to justify the extravagance ranged from people will talk if you dont have an elaborate wedding, to I just want a traditional wedding and there is social capital being built at weddings.7Marriages in Pakistan from the very start have been a source of entertainment and over the years the ritual has become more of a status symbol of having a prestigious marriage. People in Pakistan spend big amount of money on marriages and is known to be one of the biggest expenses in lifetime for every family in Pakistan. Marriages in Pakistan are costly due to the different events taking place in a marriage including dholki, mehndi, barat and walima. Pakistan facing severe economic challenges the higher spending on wedding functions has not declined as marriages in Pakistan is known to be a big event and spending more money is a status symbol to have a status in the society. But Indias burgeoning middle class now 300 million strong are turning weddings into showcases of their growing disposable incomes and newfound appetites for the goodies of the global marketplace. The largesse has spawned an $11 billion wedding industry, growing at 25 percent annually and beginning to rival the US industry valued at $50 billion. Top global luxury brands and local entrepreneurs are learning that the way into the pocketbooks of Indias new consumers is through their nuptials. 8India has a big wedding industry which is overcoming the US industry. Indian weddings are now a show of wealth in the society and wedding service providers are earning large amounts of money by customizing services. The Indian wedding industry is growing with 25% annually which is more than the growth of the US industry. India is an emerging country with people witnessing rise in disposable income. Increasing disposable income renders people to mark this grand event with luxurious celebrations. Wedding at exotic locations, far from the maddening crowd of the city has become a rage and is considered to be a significant driver. Destination weddings continue to increase as it allows the wedding to be unique. In this format of the event, a planner becomes imperative due to the lack of knowledge of the place at which the wedding will take place as well as towards streamlining the entire process. An Indian wedding needs a lot of time and effort towards planning and implementation.9 India has a big wedding industry growing with a high rate every year. Different factors contribute to the increase in the spending on the marriages in India as well as the number of marriages taking place every year. Weddings for higher class in India are an opportunity to show their wealth, for middle class it is an event for which they have to go beyond limits to make it luxurious and for the lower class it is as simple as a normal event. Spending on luxurious locations, places, have given way to wedding planners as wedding in India require a lot of time to plan. Demographic Profile, In 2011, India had a population of 1.21 billion, and with average family size of five members, there are around 242 million families in India. Considering one marriage per family every 20 years, on average India has around 10 million marriages per year. Also,the estimated median age in India as of 2011 in 26.2 years, signifying a large proportion of population in marriage age group.10 India has a large population of 1.21 billion with average families accounting around 242 families. Almost 10 million marriages take place every year in India with the increasing population the number of marriage increases proportionally. In 2011, it was seen that majority of Indias population lies with the marriage age bracket. Availability of wedding loan and wedding insurance, Many banks and financial institutions have started lending marriages loan to ensure hassle free wedding experience. Also, increase in disposable income has encouraged newlywed to opt for wedding loan and make wedding a grand event. This attitude to make the wedding event grand increases the total wedding cost. With high financial stakes, the couples or their families opt to buy marriage insurance that take care of contingencies during marriage like cancellation/ postponement due to fire or natural disaster, accident of bride groom or burglary.11 Another important factor contributing to the increase in the number of weddings and increase on wedding expenditures is the accessibility of marriage loans and insurance provided by the Indian government. Now its easier for people to spend more as they have access to loans and can pay off later. These all facilities provided by the Indian government are provided to enhance the wedding industry in India and to strengthen it. Wedding Insurance is also popular among people as due to natural disasters during wedding functions people have an option of being compensated by the insurance companies in case of different problems including natural disaster. Official figures suggest that 10 million people wed annually and that the industry as whole turns over more than 250 billion yuan (US$30.2 billion) each year. Big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have established well developed wedding celebration markets. Beijing, for example, leads the country with 1,000 wedding related firms. About 50,000 couples get married each year in the capital, a diamond mine for the wedding businesses.12 China wedding industry is rising with an increasing number of marriages taking place each year. The main cities of China including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou contribute to the higher revenues generated from weddings on a larger scale. All cities in China have related business to the wedding business which help generate higher profits and develop its wedding industry. While parents use weddings to cement their status and display their wealth, the bridal couple are experimenting with ways to personalize the experience, drawing not only from the U.S. but also from South Korea and Japan, and usually involving vast sums of money. Whereas Chinese weddings used to be about a dinner banquet and honoring parents, todays weddings feature more exotic fare like fire-dancing, elaborate video presentations and motorcades of luxury cars with nameplates like Bentley, Lamborghini and Ferrari.13 Wedding in old times were entirely different from what they are now in the 21st century. People now focus more on showing of their wealth and status by having a lavish wedding of their children and is more considered as a symbol of honour. Chinese weddings are now arranged more exotically with having large amount of budgets for each step in a wedding arrangement from wedding planners to make up to photography and honeymoon. People in china display their status in a wedding by the prestigious cars they have and the different presentations of showing of their wealth in the society. Excess is in order in all departments of the Indian wedding industry, estimated to be a staggering US$ 25.5 billion (Rs.1,42,596 crore) the economy of a small country and growing at the explosive rate of 20 to 25 per cent a year. The speed of economic growth in India, which is responsible for the creation of overnight fortunes, is also creating a conspicuous, yet almost desperate type of consumption at weddings. The average budget for an Indian wedding ceremony in the middle class is estimated to be US$ 34,000 (around Rs.19.01 lakh). The upper-middle and rich classes are estimated to spend upward of US$ 1 million (Rs.5.59 crore). This doesnt include cash and valuables given as part of a dowry. Companies like GE Money India have introduced an auspicious personal loan, exclusively for weddings. Giant malls like the Wedding Souk in Pitampura, Delhi, spread over one acre and with over 100 shops dedicated to weddings, have emerged14 Indian wedding industry is rising day by day and the Indian government provides loans to provide access to cash for weddings. The average wedding costs around 6 crore. People in India spend large amount of money on weddings therefore wedding in a flourishing business in India and contributes a large chunk to the growing economy. Marriage rates have tumbled over the past few decades, falling from about 10 marriages per 1,000 people in the mid-1980s to 6.8 marriages in 2009. This decline is a result of social influences (fewer couples looking to commit) and attitudinal changes, as consumers hold off for financial and lifestyle reasons. However, the fall in the marriage rate has not resulted in a complete disaster for the industry. In fact, the decline has led to a higher-than-average wedding spend, meaning even greater profits for those involved Coming off of 2005 and 2006, two of the most prosperous years in the wedding industry, the sector plummeted as the economy entered recession. Revenues fell from a high of $67.5 billion in 2005 to $42.9 billion in 2009. Industry performance is expected to improve in 2010, expanding an estimated 10% to $47.2 billion, but still far below the years, so businesses need to put in place appropriate strategies to capture that increasing demand.15 As mentioned above the decline in marriage rate in China has led to increase in spending and earn higher profits. The decline is mainly caused by social influence on people, lack of commitment and difference in lifestyles. The decline has not caused damaged but allows the Chinese government to implement strategies that help to capture the increasing demand and develop wedding related business to enhance the industry and provide more services in order to generate more revenues from the wedding industry. 2.2. Competitor Analysis The competitor analysis focuses on two main competitors including Marquees and Outdoor Catering services that cause a serious threat to the marriage halls. Over the past few years the competition in the industry has increased by the increasing awareness among the consumers and consumer needs and wants. Consumers now like everything their way which imposes a pressure on the service providers to be more efficient and provide customized services to cater to their needs. 2.2.1. Marquees Marquee is a tent used for outdoor functions. Different investors have introduced a new concept of marquee which is basically taken from Saudia Arabia Hajj performance in Mina where there are small marquees for people to reside in for 5 days as a necessary process to perform Hajj. The concept has been introduced in Pakistan to arrange marriage and other functions in the outdoor. This has increased the competition for marriage halls as marquees allow customized services meeting the consumer needs and wants and providing value added facilities that include changing the theme of the set, colors, lighting, sitting arrangements to customize the marriage function to the consumer needs. Though marquees lack in providing few facilities including no kitchen, re-heating food facilities and as everything in a marquee is outsourced by other service providers they cause a threat to the quality of food and food diseases as to being stored for longer hours before it is served. Marquees pose a serious threat to the marriage halls indoor services as consumers are more aware and require more customized services and facilities then the traditional marriages concept in the marriage halls. 2.2.2. Outdoor Catering Services Outdoor catering services are an emerging business that has been posing a serious threat to the marriage halls from past many years. The Pioneers of the outdoor catering services are Nadeem Caterers, Hanif Rajput, Zafar Caterers, Dynasty and many other that have changed the way marriage take place now. They provide a complete package from providing a tent to the food, sitting arrangements, generators, lights, music system and all other facilities according to the customer requirements leaving them satisfied. Outdoor caterers pose a threat to marriage halls as it allows consumers to arrange the function with outsourcing different materials from different people and arranging their function according to their needs and budget. 2.3 Comparative Analysis 2.3.1. Industry Overview of Marriage Halls in India India being rich in its culture, history rituals and customs in all aspects surpasses all countries and is known to have the best lavish wedding ceremonies all over the world. All industries in India have been affected tremendously with the financial slum being faced by India, but somehow the marriage hall industry has been able to survive and people spend more money on marriages and perceive to have a life time experience spending as much as they can. The demand for weddings in India has increased and the numbers show that weddings have increased every year. The Wedding season in India takes place in October and all the marriage halls in New Delhi are booked a month before. Indias wedding industry is flourishing as not just the halls but the wedding planners, designers, jewellers, beauty parlours now cash on the wedding season by providing different ways of organizing weddings. Weddings in India are more taken as a an event t spend large amount not by the upper class but the middle class to project their wealth having a status symbol. Wedding Planners in India provide all services from marriage halls to arranging the whole event within the consumers budget making it a customized service for people to pay high fees. People are now more aware of the changing trends in arranging marriages they do not want a simple five-star hotel wedding but a customized wedding. With the increase in purchasing power of the consumers in India people now have more income and spend more on weddings. Indias wedding industry is growing faster and bigger day by day, with people trying to overdo each other as to whose wedding arrangement is better. According to experts its been stated that a single wedding now normally takes 1.5 crore without jewellery. Indias wedding business is flourishing as now new designers are capitalizing on the opportunities in India. Indias wedding business is the best business to invest as it has large profit margins and because of people increased income, and increase in purchasing power they spend more on weddings allowing wedding related services to earn more. Fewer auspicious days, as marriages are arranged only on auspicious days as Hindus place a lot of emphasis on astrology, the industry faces seasonal revenue. In case of unfavourable planetary combination as per astrology marriages are postponed. This act as a barrier for the growth of wedding planner. Furthermore as large number of marriages across country takes place on few selected dates this give rise to the possibility that wedding planner may not be able to capture additional market share.22Marriages in India take place seasonally as majority of the Hindus believe in astrology. This restricts wedding planners on capturing the market share apart from the seasonal dates. This is a restriction for the wedding planners to earn high revenues and is a challenged faced by them. 2.3.2. Industry Overview of Marriage Halls in China Chinese wedding industry has been glooming from past 5 years with a rise in number of marriages each year. The increase in the spending on weddings in China is attributed mainly because of economic, increase in disposable income and cultural change. Wedding expenditures have increased mainly in the urban areas of China accounting to 70% wedding day expenses. The cultural change has a strong impact on the increase on the wedding expenses due to the different government policies including one child policy. Parents want to spend large amounts of money of their childs wedding as they just have one child and desire to have a dream wedding for their child. Other factors contributing to the increase in the wedding expenses is the traditional arrangements and economic factors. Having a new house, household accessories after wedding has become a necessity as before wedding children live with parents and after marriage live separately. The spending habit of chinese people and the increase in disposable income increase the spending on weddings. 30% of savings are spend on weddings of every person in China. With the rise in the number of marriages each year and the increase in wedding expenditures businesses in China have taken it as an advantage and strengthened the wedding industry by providing specialized wedding services and increasing revenue. 2.4 Research Question Rising trend in marriage halls in Gulberg and Garden Town from 2007-2012 in Lahore Pakistan 3 Methodology:- The methodology I will be using to research and analyze the rising trend in marriage halls in Pakistan is by conducting Interviews Survey Study Questionnaires Examination of Secondary Data To gain in depth knowledge of the marriage halls in Lahore I conducted a survey study following the steps mentioned by Campbell and Katrina (1953) in the book Essentials of research design and methodology. Campbell and Katona (1953) delineated nine general steps for conducting a survey. Although this list is more than 50 years old, it is as useful now as it was then in providing a clear overview of survey procedures. The nine steps are as follows: 1. General objectives: This step involves de ¬Ã‚ ning the general purpose and goal of the survey. 2. Speci ¬Ã‚ c objectives: This step involves developing more speci ¬Ã‚ city regarding the types of data that will be collected, and specifying the hypothesis to be tested. 3. Sample: The major foci of this step are to determine the speci ¬Ã‚ c population that will be surveyed, to decide on an appropriate sample, and to determine the criteria that will be use

The Manicure - A Psycho-social Experience Essay -- Exploratory Essays

The Manicure - A Psycho-social Experience There’s nothing like Strawberry Champagne or Park Avenue Orchids to let the world know that you want to have fun. Peppermint and Funshine Pink exude youthful innocence while Chinese Red is downright sexy. Black Cherry adds a bit of serious sophistication to an already irresistible demeanor. And for those more mellow moods, Grand Canyon Sunset and Beach Blanket Mauve are sure to have a soothing impact. It’s true. Nail color can mirror the inner feelings and emotions of the person wearing it. In fact, there is an entire psychological dimension to nails—mental health being a primary reason why people get manicures. Few people will admit to getting their nails done solely for hygienic purposes. My purpose for getting my nails done is two-fold. Getting a manicure once a month keeps my nails healthy and gives my hands a softer and cleaner look, even when my nails are not polished. Besides that, though, it’s a relaxing and fun gift I give to myself. I figure that if I don’t spend $15.00 a month on myself, who will? People are constantly telling me that getting a manicure is a waste of time and money and that I could do my nails myself and donate to charity the money I â€Å"waste† each month. I’ll give twice as much money to charity, but I refuse to give up this precious monthly ritual. I am not the only one guilty of indulging in this ritual. Along with my fellow â€Å"manicurees,† I have made a personal investment in a billion-dollar business that has swept the U.S. in recent years. Each day, this growing sector of the personal service industry is responsible for making dozens of hands and people look and feel simply divine. The practice of nail co... ...o me. My nails looked fine; in fact, they looked great. But that wasn’t the point. The point was I didn’t feel relaxed, pampered, special, and great—like I usually did after a manicure. Manicures are all about looking great and feeling great. Base coat is not essential, and having your arms massaged is truly a luxury one can do without. Manicurists are paid to give their client a manicure, but in addition to the manicure the client receives an experience which provides an opportunity to relax, gossip, tell someone her problems, or do whatever she feels like doing. Red tips at the Indus Valley, polishing powder in Paris, liquid nail polish in New York, Fire and Ice across America, and nail salons in suburban towns all have one thing in common. They are all about doing something extra for yourself. Great looking nails aren’t a necessity; they’re a luxury.

Egocentric Ways of Thinking

An egocentric tendency is the inclination to think only of oneself without thinking of others. Basically, this means putting some or all aspects in your life at the moment over everything else. I believe that everyone has egocentric tendencies mainly in areas where we fail to think logically. Three ways that I am egocentric include egocentric hypocrisy, blindness and immediacy.Egocentric hypocrisy is the natural tendency to ignore flagrant inconsistencies between what we profess to believe and he actual beliefs our behavior imply, or inconsistencies between the standards to which we hold ourselves and those to which we expect others to adhere. This applies to me in various ways. For example, I want all of my friends to be as holy as a Christian. I'm not saying they need to be saved but I would like for them to practice religion.When people ask me what religion I am part of I always say I am a Christian because I was raised by a Christian woman and in a Christian home. Hypocritically, I don't practice what I preach. I don't agree with a lot of the things a Christian is opposed to live by, such as how we can't listen to certain kinds of music, how we can't have sex before marriage, smoke or drink, and do most things that teenagers would call fun. So in conclusion, I can't hold my friends to certain standards when I do not even live by them myself.Another egocentric tendency I possess is egocentric blindness, the natural tendency to not notice facts or evidence that contradict our favored beliefs or values. Meaning, I am ignorant to things that I don't already know or haven't seen with my own eyes. Since I am this way I always have my guard up and I feel like it is very hard to â€Å"trick† me. I don't believe anything I haven't seen with my own eyes. I have heard countless testimonies and miracles being done by the mercy of Christ but I have never actually experienced it.Therefore, I believe that faith is whatever it is believed to be. Yet people choose to argue religion while having no real evidence besides a man written bible. When people argue with me about religion I tend not to entertain it. When I do decide to, I try to get others to see that yes religion s acceptable and while I may not agree with religion I do understand why people believe. My mom once told me â€Å"If God isn't real and you believe then when all is said and done you have absolutely nothing to lose.But say God is real and you do not believe, then you have absolutely everything to lose. † Speaking for myself, it is a lot easier to believe in something you can see. Egocentric immediacy is the natural tendency to overgrazing immediate feelings and experiences-?so that when one event in our life is highly favorable or unfavorable, all of life seems favorable or unfavorable as well. Its like favoring a certain belief or feeling as long as things are going right but turning away from those beliefs or feelings when things aren't in your favor.Last year on Jan uary 14th, I had been extremely ill and was admitted to the hospital with an internal infection. During my stay at the hospital, I received a phone call from my mother in Tampa, stating that my great grandfather had passed away. I immediately felt the need to give up on everything. The feeling I felt at that moment was superior to all persons, places, and things that came my way. The day after he passed away I began praying that he was pain free from cancer and living a great after life somewhere else.As I was standing in my kitchen one of the wine bottles, that Just so happened to be from Italy, cork popped off. That immediately put me at ease. I felt like my prayers had been answered. An egocentric tendency is the inclination to think only of oneself without thinking of others. While we're all people in progress it is important to change the way we think. But naturally when thinking egocentrically, we fail to do so.

Plato Republic Discussion Question

In platos republic, book VI, platos tells the story of Allegory of the cave. This story tells of what plato believes true education is. First plato tells what education is not. â€Å"Education isn’t what some people declare it to be, namly, putting knowledge into souls that lack it, like putting sight into blind eyes†(518b) then plato describes what he thinks education is. â€Å"Then education is the craft concerned with doing this very thing, this turning around, and with how the soul can most easily and effectively be made to do it.It isn’t the craft of putting sight into the soul. Education takes for granted that sight is there but that it isn’t turned the right way or looking where it ought to look, and it tries to redirect it appropriately. † (518d)I believe in the story, the effect on one who goes into education is that he possesses the spiritual enlightenment of the form of the good. Education is up to man himself and can only learn to a cert ain limit. In the sensible realm, the lowest on the list is the shadows, imagers, and reflections.In the story the prisoners can only see the shadows and nothing else. This effects their soul because they are only limited to that and the soul has nothing to grow upon. Education is like the metaphor of the sun, being able to see clearly and in reality. I think platos view of education is sensible to me. I understand how plato is explaining how the shadows and darkness is like being limited and unless you find the light you will not be successful. Once you find the light it will help you to get away from the shadows and be able to â€Å"see† more clearly.

Rayovac Case Study

Rayovac Case Study Executive Summary Rayovac Corporation is contemplating expanding its rechargeable batteries line. This would be a shift from the alkaline disposable batteries. Currently, the company is the third largest battery maker, after Duracell and Energizer.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Rayovac Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Like all profit-making organizations, Rayovac is interested in maximizing its return on investment. The company intends to maximize shareholder value through growth. Battery consumers are divided into two groups based on size of purchase. There are individual (family) consumers and manufacturing customers. The threat of new entrants in this industry is insignificant. The current industry players already own all the patents related to manufacture. Since the market is composed mainly of individual buyers, the overall bargaining power of buyers is relatively low. There is stiff competition amo ng the top three industry players Duracell, Energizer and Rayovac. This is evident in the guerrilla tactics employed in their advertisement campaigns. A financial analysis was conducted to determine whether the rechargeable batteries option is viable. The Ansoff’s growth matrix has also been used to determine the strategic options available to Rayovac. According to these findings, it is not worthwhile for the company to implement the strategy. Rather, it should focus on market penetration and market growth. Problem Statement Rayovac Corporation is contemplating expanding its rechargeable batteries line. This would be a shift from the alkaline disposable batteries. Currently, the company is the third largest battery maker, after Duracell and Energizer. The market is yet to adopt the concept of rechargeable batteries fully. This is both an opportunity and a threat. It could be an opportunity for market growth or a fad, which may pass. Mr Falconi needs to decide whether to seek other means of creating sustainable competitive advantage in the disposable batteries market or to change the strategy to focus on rechargeable batteries. Rayovac needs answers to several questions before making this strategic decision. If they make the investment, will the company grow to be the market leader in this product line? Will the market embrace the product? Will the company have enough cash to execute the strategy? Which marketing strategies should be adopted if the plan is implemented? How are competitors likely to respond? Will this strategy grow the overall business?Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Situational Analysis Rayovac History Rayovac was founded in the early 1900s. Initially, it was called The French battery Company. The name was changed to Rayovac in the 1930s. In 1933, the company patented a hearing aid. This began the journey to dominate t he hearing aid market. Currently, Rayovac is the market leader in wearable hearing aids. In the years 1930-1988, Rayovac concentrated on manufacturing batteries for consumer products such as radios, flashlights and computer clocks. The company acquired several patents in this department. However, it did not manage to unseat the two market leaders Duracell and Energizer. In 1990, the company shifted its focus to Heavy Duty and Industrial products. The company launched a campaign to use renewable batteries in 1995 with Michael Jordan as the brand ambassador. The project did not do as well as expected. Despite this fact, Rayovac continued to develop and bring to market different chargers for the rechargeable batteries. The advertisement campaign with Michael Jordan created some brand equity for Rayovac. The company secured 20% of the rechargeable batteries market. Company Mission, Goals and Objectives Like all profit-making organizations, Rayovac is interested in maximizing its return on investment. The company intends to maximize shareholder value through growth. This growth should be achieved with minimal sacrifice of profits from existing products. This goal creates a conflict of interest. Growth in the rechargeable batteries segment will ultimately lead to decline in the alkaline battery segment. Rayovac is committed to environmental sustainability. The company aims at creating safe environments and minimizing damage by recycling and reusing. Whichever strategy Rayovac chooses to pursue, it should conform to these policies, goals and objectives. Finally, Rayovac aims at being the market leader in the industry. If the rechargeable batteries strategy can aid in achieving this goal, then the company will pursue it. Customers Battery consumers can be divided into two groups based on size of purchase. There are individual (family) consumers and manufacturing customers. Manufacturing customers buy batteries on a large scale to include in their products. Individual consumers can be divided into heavy technology users and medium technology users.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Rayovac Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Heavy technology users use batteries for high-drain gadgets, replace batteries frequently and purchase impulsively. Medium technology users purchase based on price replace their batteries less often and use low- drain gadgets. The medium users compose the bulk of battery markets. However, the heavy users would be the ideal consumers of rechargeable batteries. The market for batteries is growing due to the increased popularity of high drain devices such as laptops and cameras. Traditional alkaline batteries account for 70% of the market in Canada. However, experts have pointed out that this product has reached its peak. Little innovation can be done on these batteries. Rechargeable batteries account for only 10% of the market. Though they are more conven ient, customers are yet to adapt to these batteries. The cost of the chargers put many consumers off. Rayovac’s major competitors are focused on the alkaline battery. This presents an opportunity for Rayovac to focus on the rechargeable battery, which has potential for market growth. Major Competitors Duracell Proctor Gamble (PG) currently own the Duracell brand. PG has extensive distribution networks for its consumer products all over the world. This is a source of competitive advantage for Duracell. The company offers batteries with long life and charges a premium price in return. Duracell is currently the market leader in consumer batteries in the US due to this strategy. The company also serves 39% of the batteries market worldwide. Duracell competes on innovation of the alkaline battery. The market recognizes this fact since Duracell batteries are very durable. This association of Duracell’s batteries with long-life is a source of brand equity. The company has al so executed a growth by acquisition strategy. It acquired both Geep of India and Rocket of South Korea. These two companies were market leaders in their regions. Duracell has managed to expand its worldwide reach through them. Energizer Eveready Battery Company was formed in 1896. It later renamed to Energizer. It is currently the world’s largest battery company followed closely by Duracell. The company advertises using the â€Å"Energizer Bunny†. The brand recognition has grown greatly due to this campaign. Its competitors have tried to copy this strategy without much success. Rayovac entered into an agreement with Disneyland to use their cartoon characters in its adverts. This campaign has not borne much fruit. Ralston Purina Co. had acquired energizer. Later, Energizer left the portfolio to become Energizer Holdings. Soon after, the company acquired a razor and sword blade company. This created a portfolio similar to Duracell and intensified their competition. Energ izer’s competitive advantage is based on strong brand equity and excellent distribution channels in the batteries and flashlights market.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Industry Analysis Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants in the batteries industry is quite low. The current industry players already own all the patents related to manufacture. Thus, a new entrant would need to obtain permission to use their specialist knowledge. The capital requirements to start a battery company are relatively high. This locks out many potential competitors. The only new entrants who pose a threat are the manufacturing customers who may decide to practise backward integration. However, this is highly unlikely since making batteries is not one of their core competencies. The current industry players control most distribution channels. Their brand names have been established for decades now. Most customers are already loyal to one or two brands. It would be difficult for them to switch to a new supplier. These marketing issues make the threat of new entrants a weak force in this industry. The weakness of this threat is e vident in the inability of large Japanese firms such as Sony to gain market share in the batteries market. Bargaining Power of Buyers Battery consumers are divided into individual purchasers and manufacturers. Manufacturers purchase batteries to include them in their products while individual users buy them for home use in their electronics. Individual buyers have little bargaining power. They are price takers. Majority of battery buyers are individual consumers. Manufacturers have more bargaining power than individuals do. They can negotiate for discounts based on scale. Battery companies have to keep these large consumers happy or lose their large purchases. Since the market is composed mainly of individual buyers, the overall bargaining power of buyers is relatively low. Bargaining Power of Suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers in an industry is low if there are many fragmented suppliers and the switching costs are low. This is the case in the batteries industry. There are many suppliers of the necessary chemicals. Companies can also obtain packaging and marketing materials from many different suppliers. Actually, suppliers compete for the industry’s attention. This leads to price wars and reduces suppliers’ bargaining power. Specialist employees in Research and Design have a high bargaining power. They supply the company with skills that are crucial to survival in an industry driven by innovation. There are also few such specialists. This gives them advantage in negotiating for their salaries. Threat of Substitute Products Solar power and electricity are the major substitute products for batteries. People can use the two to run their electronics instead of batteries. However, batteries still have the advantage of portability. They are also more reliable. For instance, it would be almost impossible to use solar power during winter. Electricity on the other hand is liable to power cuts. Solar power is clean energy. This is its major attra ction. The available substitutes are cheaper and more inconvenient than batteries. The initial outlay required to acquire solar panels is quite high. Electricity is expensive. Therefore, this force is weak in this industry. Competitive Rivalry Within the Industry There is stiff competition among the top three industry players Duracell, Energizer and Rayovac. This is evident in the guerrilla tactics employed in their advertisement campaigns. There are also price wars with Rayovac pricing its products slightly lower than the others do. The fact that Duracell and Energizer have similar product portfolios serves to intensify their rivalry further. This rivalry should be kept in check to avoid reducing the industry’s profit potential. SWOT analysis for Rayovac Corporation A SWOT analysis helps to establish a company’s strategic position. Both internal and external factors critical to Rayovac’s success will be examined. The results will guide the next step of decision -making. Strengths Rayovac already launched an advertisement campaign with Michael Jordan. This campaign increased their brand equity. If the company were to launch another campaign, the product would not be new to consumers; rather, they would be reminded to use it. Currently, Rayovac is the market leader in rechargeable batteries in Europe. It also controls 5% of the small American market. This position can enable Rayovac to drive the trends in this segment. The company is also under a strong leadership team. Mr. Falconi has 27 years of experience in the batteries industry. He has also previously worked for competitor, Duracell. Weaknesses Rayovac’s major weakness is lack of the core competencies in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries. In order to grow its market share, Rayovac would have to rely on Japanese suppliers. This could develop into a threat later. Rayovac is currently lagging behind industry leaders in terms of sales of alkaline batteries. This means that i t has little influence over this market. Opportunities Duracell and Energizer are both focused on the alkaline battery market. Rayovac could take advantage of this to grow its market share in the rechargeable battery segment. Technological developments have led to a growing demand in high-drain gadgets. Majority of rechargeable battery users purchase them for use in these high-drain gadgets. This trend could lead to further growth in the rechargeable battery market. The world is becoming environmentally conscious. This trend has caught up in Europe, where rechargeable batteries are gaining popularity. With all the green campaigns, the rest of the world is likely to follow suit. If this happens, Rayovac can position its batteries as environmental-friendly in order to gain sales. Threats The largest threat facing Rayovac is its competitor’s likely retaliation. There is no way to predict how far Duracell and Energizer are willing to go to protect their market share. Alkaline bat teries are more profitable than rechargeable batteries. This is why the market leaders are unwilling to shift to rechargeable batteries. There is also the risk that the market may fail to embrace the product. Rayovac may make heavy investments and fail to recoup. This threat can be mitigated by carrying out extensive market research before commencement. The company can also carry out consumer education. Financial analysis This aim of a financial analysis is to establish whether a project is economically feasible. There are two options open to Rayovac. It could enter the market and employ a volume strategy or a niche strategy. Each strategy’s projections are shown in the tables. The Rayovac case study contains some information that will be used to conduct an analysis. We are provided with the projected market sales growth of the rechargeable batteries segment in Canada. We are also given the potential market share growth of Rayovac in this country. By multiplying the two, we c an obtain the projected sales Rayovac expects to make in subsequent years. The above computations show that sales will grow much faster if the Volume strategy is adopted. However, before a decision is made, we have to consider other factors such as contribution margin. The Canadian market is said to represent approximately 20% of the North American market. Using this assumption, we project the North American sales to be as follows: The gap between sales from the volume strategy and those from the niche strategy continues to widen as the years progress. If this were the sole decision criteria, Rayovac would choose the volume strategy. The impact of these strategies on total sales can be shown by adding the Canadian and North American projected sales. This table is useful in showing how Rayovac’s major markets would fair if the company adopted the proposed strategies. Contribution Contribution is the difference between sales and variable costs. Variable costs are considered bec ause they are the incremental cost of making one extra battery. In manufacturing industries, many fixed costs are also likely to be sunk costs and therefore not useful for decision-making. If Rayovac adopts a volume strategy, it will have to sell the batteries at a lower price in order to attract the mass markets. The contribution margin for such a strategy is 45%. The projected contribution is obtained by multiplying the margin by the projected Rayovac sales in that year. The niche strategy yields a higher contribution margin of 60%. This strategy would entail selling in specialist stores. The company can then charge a higher price than in the volume strategy. During the first two years, the Niche strategy seems slightly better than the volume strategy. However, in the end, the volume strategy will yield more in terms of contribution. If Rayovac adopts a volume strategy, it will have to sell the batteries at a lower price in order to attract the mass markets. The contribution margi n for such a strategy is 45%. The projected contribution is obtained by multiplying the margin by the projected Rayovac sales in that year. The niche strategy yields a higher contribution margin of 60%. This strategy would entail selling in specialist stores. The company can then charge a premium price. During the first two years, the Niche strategy seems slightly better than the volume strategy. However, in the end, the volume strategy will yield more in terms of contribution. One of the major expenditures in expanding the rechargeable batteries line is advertising costs. The cost depends on whether Rayovac adopts a niche or volume strategy. The costs associated with the niche strategy vary between 7% and 5% of the contribution. The costs associated with the volume strategy vary between 10% and 6%. The advertising cost was obtained by multiplying the projected proportion of contribution by the contribution obtained earlier. The volume strategy has a higher advertising cost than the niche strategy in all the years. The company should ensure it could meet the required advertisement costs before settling on a strategy. The net contribution represents the money that will be available to cover fixed costs and profit. This figure is very crucial in decision-making. In this case, it is obtained by subtracting the previously computed advertising costs from the projected contribution. The niche strategy is only attractive for the first two years. Thereafter, the volume strategy produces much higher returns. The company should therefore opt for the volume strategy. If the company chooses the niche strategy over the volume strategy, the difference in net contribution is shown below. If the company makes the wrong strategic choice, it stands to lose over $15 million in the years subsequent to 2006. Other Financial Considerations Exhibit 7 shows that Duracell made a profit of $ 325 million in North America during the 2004 financial year. According to these projections, Ra yovac is likely to make sales of $120 million in North America by 2010. Rayovac needs to triple these sales if it hopes to beat Duracell. The reality is this might take decades. Rechargeable batteries have a much lower profit margin than alkaline batteries. Actually, for each $2 made on the sale of a rechargeable battery, $ 250 is lost in alkaline battery sales. The company needs to come up with innovative ways to close this gap. If this does not happen, much revenue will be lost. Rayovac will end up making losses. This is quite undesirable. The final consideration is whether the company has the resources available to execute the plan. If there is no spare cash, Rayovac needs to consider credit. Strategic Marketing Options After examining Rayovac’s operating environment and the financial implications of the strategies, it is important to explore the options available to the company. In this paper, we choose to do so within the framework of the Product-Market growth matrix. Th is matrix shows the options Rayovac can pursue to grow its overall market share in the batteries segment. Market Penetration This strategy involves Rayovac defending its current market position. It can also attempt to grow its market share in the segments it currently operates. Rayovac’s present product portfolio contains nine major products. The most famous product in the portfolio is alkaline batteries. These batteries are useful for many home devices such as flashlights, remotes and toy cars. Most lone consumers purchase these products. They come in different sizes for different gadgets. The sizes are AAA, AA, C, D and 9V. The second largest product is the rechargeable batteries line. These batteries come in similar sizes to their alkaline counterparts. However, they can be re-charged and re used several times. They come with special chargers for this purpose. They are used in high-drain gadgets such as digital cameras and music players. This product line is environmental friendly Rayovac has a flashlights range too. There are outdoor and general-purpose flashlights. The company also makes flashlights for industrial use. This range also contains light bulbs. The fourth product line is the hearing aid range. Currently, Rayovac is the market leader in this market. The company enjoys competitive advantage created by the first mover advantage they possess. Rayovac holds several patents for manufacturing hearing aids. The company was the first to develop a wearable hearing aid battery. It continues to dominate 60% of the world market. Rayovac has a flashlights range too. There are outdoor and general-purpose flashlights. The company also makes flashlights for industrial use. This range also contains light bulbs. The fourth product line is the hearing aid range. Currently, Rayovac is the market leader in this market. The company enjoys competitive advantage created by the first mover advantage they possess. Rayovac holds several patents for manufacturing h earing aids. The company was the first to develop a wearable hearing aid battery. It continues to dominate 60% of the world market. The heavy-duty batteries are created specifically for devices such as clocks and smoke detectors. These devices discharge batteries slowly and are used rarely. The special feature in these batteries is long life. Rayovac also deals in lithium, specialty and lantern batteries. The final category is industrial batteries. The major purchaser of these products is manufacturing companies. Rayovac’s major market is Canada and South America. Unlike Duracell and Energizer, the company’s global distribution network is poor. A market penetration strategy involves defending the market share currently held. Rayovac can accomplish this through aggressive marketing campaigns. The company can acquire other smaller battery manufacturers in a bid to increase its market share. This strategy is likely to provoke guerrilla tactics from Duracell and Energizer. Product Development This strategy entails introduction of new products into the markets Rayovac currently operates. The rechargeable batteries strategy falls under this category. Rechargeable batteries are relatively new to the market. Consumers are yet to adopt their use. This is the perfect opportunity for product development. The European market is likely to adopt the product faster than the American and Canadian markets. This is due to their concerns for the environment and preference for long-lasting products. Rayovac could focus on controlling this market before competitors respond. Afterwards, the strategy can be implemented in America and Canada. This strategy is likely to succeed because Rayovac already has brand equity in this segment. The risk that competitors will respond aggressively is lower than in the market penetration strategy. This is because this strategy does not directly attack their market share. Rayovac also needs to consider the possibility of its suppliers integrating forward. Suppliers have a high bargaining power since they possess core competencies in manufacturing rechargeable batteries. The risk that competitors will respond aggressively is lower than in the market penetration strategy. This is because this strategy does not directly attack their market share. Rayovac also needs to consider the possibility of its suppliers integrating forward. Suppliers have a high bargaining power since they possess core competencies in manufacturing rechargeable batteries. Market Development A market development strategy would require Rayovac to take its existing products to new markets. This strategy is ideal if Rayovac reckons it will be unable to unseat the current market leaders. It is necessary when customers already have strong brand loyalty and are unwilling to switch suppliers. There is a growing demand for electronics in Africa and Asia. The company should consider exporting to these continents. The advantage associated with new marke ts is that consumers have no brand loyalty. Thus, with a creative advertising campaign, Rayovac can create brand equity for its products. If adopted, this strategy will require extensive market research and massive expenditure on advertisement and Public relations exercises. However, the results are long lasting. Rayovac needs an extensive distribution network if this strategy is to succeed. This is where strategic alliances become necessary. The company can negotiate with a large consumer company such as Unilever to carry their products in the latter’s distribution channels for a fee. Energizer and Duracell already have global networks. If Rayovac hopes to compete in the same league, it must acquire equal or better channels. Diversification Diversification entails creating and innovating new products. These products are then sold in new markets. This is the most drastic strategy. However, it presents the most opportunity for growth. Diversification is also the most expensive growth strategy to implement. It requires investment in both research and development and advertisement. The company needs to carry out market research in the proposed new market to establish customer needs. Thereafter, it should develop products to meet these needs. The marketing function should then ensure that the market is aware of the product’s existence. Solar panels are a viable diversification option. There is a high demand for clean energy in the West. On the other hand, in Africa and Asia, there is a high demand for a cheaper source of energy than electricity. Solar energy is a solution to both. Rayovac can use the knowledge it has acquired so far in developing batteries that can power vehicles. With the depletion of crude oil, the world is ready for innovative solutions to the problem of gasoline. Decision Criteria Profit Potential The strategy chosen should maximize Ryovac’s profit or increase it substantially. A business needs profit to sustain its operat ions, meet its financial obligations and still pay a dividend to shareholders. Any business that is constantly making losses is not sustainable. Profit potential of a strategy will be benchmarked against the market leaders’ current profit. If a strategy fails to demonstrate reasonable profit potential, it will not be adopted. Cost Rayovac must consider the cost of implementing the strategies. The company does not have unlimited resources. Therefore, the resources must be used efficiently and effectively. Drastic changes are indicators of a costly strategy. The strategy chosen should be one, which Rayovac can afford to implement. Environmental Impact Rayovac cannot ignore the environmental impact of its operations. The company must be conscious of the current global trend towards sustainable living. Therefore, though alkaline batteries are profitable, they may lose that edge in future when consumers’ decision criterion is based on environmental impact. Risk How much ris k does a strategy pose? Risk refers to the probability that things may not work out as planned. A risky investment is one that involves much uncertainty. There are no projections to support the claims. It is one based on pure speculation. Such investments should be avoided. The investment chosen should expose Rayovac to moderate risk. Strategic Marketing Choice I would recommend that Rayovac pursue two growth strategies. The first is market penetration and the second market development. Market penetration will enable the company to maintain its current share of the market. Market development on the other hand will facilitate revenue growth from these new markets. Market penetration is a low cost and low risk strategy. This is because Rayovac will be dealing with a familiar market. Market development is also low cost because the products to be sold are already there. Since they have succeeded in Rayovac’s current market, it is probable that with proper marketing, they will suc ceed in the new markets. Rayovac should not adopt the rechargeable batteries strategy. This strategy has a low profit potential yet it may have high initial costs. There is also no certainty that there will be market growth in this segment. Even if there is growth, Duracell and Energizer have such strong brand recognition that consumers are likely to purchase their rechargeable batteries over Rayovac’s batteries. This strategy is too risky. If it fails, Rayovac will be left to lag behind in both the alkaline and rechargeable batteries segments. Strategic Implementation and Control The market penetration strategy requires a fresh advertisement campaign that will attract new users. The campaign should focus on young men who buy batteries often for their electronics. There should also be a second campaign focused on mothers who control house budgets and control home purchases. This campaign should encourage buyers to switch to Rayovac because it provides value at low price. It s hould emphasize durability to challenge Duracell’s position. The products should also be priced slightly lower than competitors’ products. This will capture the attention of shoppers who buy based on price. Rayovac should position its batteries as the environmental friendly option. Market development requires careful study of the new market before any move is made. The company should determine which products would perform best and how to position them. If the market requires cheap products, then Rayovac should compete on price. However if the market requires high performance products, Rayovac should compete on efficiency. These strategies should be monitored on an annual basis. If there are no sales increases, then the company should take corrective measures. This may involve slight alteration of the current strategy or complete abandonment all together.

10 Classification Essay Topics on Agricultural Economics

10 Classification Essay Topics on Agricultural Economics Agricultural economics, or agronomics, is a field of study that deals with the application of economic and statistical theories to optimize the entire production cycle of agriculture. It focuses on land output, crop yields, labor force, financing, government interventions, and other relevant factors. If you have taken up this subject, chances are that your instructor will ask you to go beyond what they taught you and task you with writing a classification essay. If you feel overwhelmed by the scope of this discipline (or have delayed working on your assignment till the last minute), you may have trouble choosing agricultural economic topics to write about. We have you covered with our 20 agricultural economics topics to write about for a classification essay. However, if you want to work a little harder on your essay topics, the following 10 facts on agricultural economics will inspire you. A farmer’s management capacity is an important indicator of results and returns. The management capacity of a farmer is a vital factor when it comes to effective farm results and financial returns. The different aspects of management are categorized into two inter-related groups: personal aspects and decision-making abilities. The personal aspects include characteristics such as the famers’ biographical facts (education, age, socio-economic status, etc.), capabilities and abilities, and motivation and drives. On the other hand, the decision-making aspects include the practices used by the farmer in order to plan and control the decisions needed on the farm. There are three strategies used in precision agriculture. The main goal of Precision agriculture is to improve farm and field management. There are three basic methods which can be used to accomplish this: Make farm practices more efficient by applying economic principles. Reduce the footprint of farming to protect the environment. Match farm practices with the right crop needs. Farmers hesitate to adopt new agricultural technologies. The perceptions of agricultural innovations affect adoption rate. Traditional studies focus on the broader demographic and socio-economic factors; the subjective perceptions of the farmers are not taken into account. This aspect must be studied. An accurate cost and benefit analysis of new agricultural technologies can only be performed if the farmer’s perceptions (positive or negative) are also included into the estimates. Sustainability in agricultural research should be taken into consideration. When evaluating the merits of modern agricultural research, the sustainability factor needs to be a major criterion. Sustainable agricultural practices ensure that no harm comes to the environment, communities, public health, and animals. Researchers need to: Learn the importance of sustainable agriculture. Develop accurate ways to measure sustainability. Study sustainability of major farming systems currently in use. Identify and measure external factors affecting sustainability. There is an inverse relationship between economic growth and agriculture. As the economy grows rapidly, agriculture takes on a converse trajectory and slows down. This phenomenon is observed in almost all economies, open and closed, but it is more prominent in closed economies. As the demand for food rises, farm productivity levels rise. However, the non-farming sectors do not experience such rapid growth, which is why the market is saturated and agriculture has slowed down. In the case of open economies, things are more complicated because the demand of non-tradable goods is income-elastic. Resources are diverted towards the production of these goods, resulting in the slowing down of agriculture. Economic variables interfere with the adoption of irrigation technologies. The diffusion of irrigation technologies is a function of economic variables such as the crop yield price, water price, and irrigation subsidies. If governments want to control diffusion, their strategies should include altering water prices and offering subsidies on irrigation equipment. Increasing the prices of staple foods affects more than just the population. A rise in prices of staple foods affects the poor sections of the population more severely. Low-income households usually face an increase in overall poverty if prices rise. The short run effects vary according to two dimensions: the commodity type and the country. The common factor observed among all cases of significant prices rise is that poverty reduction events are far less common than poverty increases. Genetically engineered crops can reduce dependency on pesticides. The use of genetically engineered (GE) crops can lead to a reduction in pesticide usage. Studies have proven that GE crops need a lower quantity of pesticides and less frequent sprayings. Therefore, the overall expenditure incurred drops by a significant amount. This reduction, in turn, leads to more efficient production, affects the environment positively, and also helps realize more labor savings. Risk factor analysis is a must for effective farm modeling. Measuring uncertainty and analyzing risk is an important part of agricultural economics. Statistical frameworks have been utilized to study risk, resulting in many risk-aversion and risk-neutralizing methods. The education factor in adoption of modern agricultural techniques. Adoption of new farming methods and techniques is greatly influenced by education. Traditionally, the head of the household was considered as the sole decision maker when it comes to altering farming methods. However, new studies show that there is an intra-household effect of education that is statistically significant enough to be taken into account when creating policies. The socioeconomic environment also plays a significant role in influencing adoption. The biggest influence of education is seen when education expansion occurs in traditional areas as compared to modern ones. This list contains facts that are related to modern issues in farming and agriculture; they would be perfect as a research topic. All these facts are sufficiently detailed and will serve as a source of inspiration for your essay. Refer to the source materials below if you want more information about a particular fact. Also drop by our guide on writing a classification essay on agricultural economics. References: Foster, Phillips, and Howard D. Leathers, The World Food Problem (Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Reinner Publishers, 1999) Zeller, Manfred, and Richard L. Meyer. The Critical Triangle of Microfinance: from Vision to Reality. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2003. Adesina, A. (1995). Farmers perceptions and adoption of new agricultural technology: evidence from analysis in Burkina Faso and Guinea, West Africa. Agricultural Economics, 13(1), 1-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0169-5150(95)01142-8 Lynam, J. (1989). Sense and sustainability: Sustainability as an objective in international agricultural research. Agricultural Economics, 3(4), 381-398. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0169-5150(89)90010-8 Rougoor, C. (1998). How to define and study farmers management capacity: theory and use in agricultural economics. Agricultural Economics, 18(3), 261-272. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0169-5150(98)00021-8 Berry, Albert, and William Cline. Agrarian Structure and Productivity in Developing Countries. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979. Dimitri, Carolyn, Anne Effland, and Neilson Conklin. The 20th Century Transformation of U.S. Agriculture and Farm Policy. Washington, D.C.: Economic Research Service, USDA, 2005. Evenson, R.E., P.Pingali, and T.P. Schultz, eds. Handbook of Agricultural Economics, Volume 3: Agricultural Development: Farmers, Farm Production, and Food Markets, ed. Amsterdam:Elsevier, 2006. Pardey, Philip G., Nienke Beitema, Steven Dehmer, and Stanley Wood. Agricultural Research: A Growing Divide, Washington, D.C.: IFPRI, 2006. Pearce, David W., and R. Kerry Turner. Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press 1990. Sachs, Jeffrey D. Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet. New York: Penguin Books, 2008

Call for a Blanket Ban on the Sale and Marketing of Cigarettes in the Essay

Call for a Blanket Ban on the Sale and Marketing of Cigarettes in the US - Essay Example People in the developed world and especially in the United States of America today approach the concept of health with an enhanced dedication and commitment. The food habits, lifestyles orientations and nutritional preferences are indeed altering in consonance with the guidelines and information available regarding health and healthcare. People today well understand that choosing a healthy lifestyle not only adds to the longevity, but also enables a person to be more productive and positive. However, relinquishing bad habits and making new choices does not seem easy when one intrudes into the area of addictive substances like tobacco. Moreover, the consumption of addictive substances like tobacco being legally valid and acceptable, most of the times people fail to realize that are the victims of a vicious addiction, which has the potential to take their life and to make them seriously sick. Considering this fact, the Federal Government should out with a law envisaging a pan-American ban on the sale and marketing of cigarettes and other tobacco products so as to reduce the healthcare costs, to save human lives and eventually to give way to a healthy and progressive society. The proposal for the coming into existence of such a law is not merely an emotive appeal, but is as much based on the existing data and information regarding the health implications of smoking. It goes without saying that to call for a blanket ban by the Federal government; it would be really pragmatic and reasonable to cull out the data from the existing government institutions and organizations regarding the mortality potential of smoking. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, â€Å"More deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined (Online).† Also, smoking tobacco in any form are it cigarettes, cigars or pipe, has been found to considerably enhance the chance of dying from cancers of larynx, oral cavity, esophagus and lungs (CDC: Online). Cigarette smoking is responsible for one in every five deaths in the United States of America (CDC: Online). Cigarette smoking claims 443,000 lives every ear out of which 49,000 deaths are attributed to exposure to second hand smoke (CDC: Online). Men smoking cigarettes are 10 times more likely to die of bronchitis and emphysema and are 22 times more vulnerable to lung cancer (CDC: Online). The magnitude of the loss to human resources in the United States of America by cigarette smoking gets amply clear when one considers the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s claims that, â€Å"An estimated 46 million people, or 20.6 percent of all adults (aged 18 years and older), in the United States smoke cigarettes (Online).† Considering these figures one could also estimate the burden on the national and local healthcare systems that could be traced direct ly to cigarette smoking. So, when the government bodies are themselves aware of the health consequences of cigarette smoking on the nation’s population, considering the statistics provided by them, the Federal government should not have a problem or excuse regarding coming out with a blanket ban on the sale and marketing of cigarettes. In the

Patient verification Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Patient verification - Research Paper Example Alternatively, the patient can physically present a document of identification like a driver’s license or social security card. These credentials or documents locate a stored biometric template usually linked to it from a previous enrollment. After provision of the credential or document, the patient scans his or her biometric. The captured template gets compared against the stored template which has been located with the documents. After this, what follows is the confirmation or denial of the patient’s claimed identity by the biometric scan which gets supported by verbal confirmation to an identification name. The main area where patient misidentification may occur is during blood transfusions, surgical interventions and drug administration. Patient verification occurs when a healthcare worker can confirm that the identity documents given by the patient match those on the patient’s identity documents. Statistics Recent statistics show that there have been forty percent cases of patient misidentification. In the entire healthcare industry, lack of proper patient verification results in the wrong person procedures, discharge of infants to the wrong families, medication errors, testing errors and also blood transfusion errors. According to the United States Patient Safety Agency, there were more than 100 cases of patient misidentification between 2000 and 2003. ... This can be attributed to new technologies like bar coding that have improved the process of patient verification. Such interventions have proved to be quite cost effective in the healthcare industry. Implications Since patient misidentification has been noted to be the cause of many root errors, various measures have been taken to control the problem. The Joint Commission of the United States made improvement of patient identification accuracy its focus in the National Patient Safety Goals introduced in 2003 (Marie, 2009). This still continues to be a requirement for accreditation. The National Priorities Partnership and National database of nursing quality indicators show that patient misidentification poses as one of the most serious risks to the safety of patients. It cuts across the entire healthcare practice and, therefore, is an issue of major concern. The implication of patient misidentification is that thousands of people get injured by the health system the seek help. This increases the need for limiting working hours for health care members whereby an increased number of workers care for each patient (WHO, 2007). The National Patient Safety Agency decided to incorporate the NHS number in order to reduce and possibly mitigate the risks of patient misidentification. Enhancing quality There are various ways that enhance quality concerning patient verification. This can get done by ensuring that all aspects of the management of patient verification comply with the existing recommendations from the National Safety Agency. There must be clear procedures and standards for healthcare workers involved in patient verification (Medscape, 2013). These standards provide a framework for the required work ethics and, therefore, mitigate the risk of

Compare and contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

Compare and contrast - Essay Example th mountain locations and beach locations are accustomed to having a large number of visitors each year so there are plenty of good hotels and restaurants to go to. Mountain locations will have hotels that cater to their environment, meaning more chalet-style architecture and an attempt to create a sense of isolation within the woods. Decorations are often dark because of the blinding white of winter snow, their busiest time of year, but this can sometimes feel oppressive during the summer months and the world is shaded by the leaves of giant trees. Beach locations have the opportunity to perfect their look as a tropical retreat since their weather stays relatively similar all year through. Decorations are often light on the outside because of the tendency of the sun to bleach out colors and as a means of keeping things cooler inside, but interiors are often full of color and life, always making it seem ready for a party. Restaurants in both places will offer good food, but mountain restaurants will tend more toward beef and a mixture of food while beach locations tend to offer more seafood because they can get it fresh. Although beach locations can offer many of the same activities year-round, both beach and mountain locations need to work with the seasons to offer widely different activities. In the mountains, the seasons will very strongly dictate what you can and cant do. You cant go skiing in the summer in most places and its very difficult to find wildflowers in winter. In the mountains, you can also go hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, hunting, freshwater fishing, or just enjoy the services provided by the hotel of your choice. At the beaches, activities are also limited a bit by the seasons, but less so. It might be cold, but you can still go swimming in the ocean in winter and it might be hot, but you can still go sailing in the summer. At the beach, you also have the option of going water skiing anytime as well as kite-boarding, wind-surfing,

Taoism Religion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Taoism Religion - Research Paper Example Taoism is a religion that was first practiced in China. Taoism originates from the word Tao, a Chinese word for ‘The way’. Hence, many Chinese citizens believe that by practicing Taoism their lives will not only be peaceful but they will also have lives that are effective and harmonious. The Taoism religion claims that people who resist following ‘the way’ normally live lifestyles that are full of chaos and disaster. The Taoism religion has been in existence for a long period to the extent that it is no longer easy to trace the exact period that this religion was initiated. The reason it is difficult to trace the period Taoism came into existence is because of the religion’s varied and complex roots. According to Fowler, Taoism is a religion that is multi-faced, that is, just like any other religion it has its unique as well as blurred sectarian characteristics. What makes the Taoism religion different from the rest is the numerous beliefs that this religion practices and adheres. For example, the people practicing Taoism believe in the existence of immortality, that is spiritual immortality exists and hence can be attained. In the religion of Taoism, although there are different ways of achieving immortality, the most common are through prayers and observing one’s deities (Lebron 439). The main reason Taoists observe their deities is usually in a move to nourish their bodies; by nourishing the body Taoists believe that this reduces old age as well as diseases and death. Similarly, Taoists also believe that everything on earth is not only transient but also temporary, that is, they are prone to decay.

Island project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Island project - Essay Example Local government: First of all, the local government in the island nation shall be based on certain elements related to governance, like county system (type), municipal charter (form), mayor council (management), and election (leadership). Chandler (2001) states that, â€Å"A local authority, however, not only must demonstrate it uses resources efficiently but also it must have as its mission the concern to care for the economic, social and environmental well-being of their community† (p.154). To be specific, the public administration within the scenario of the island nation will be based on local form of governance. I would like to introduce county type local government because it is one of the examples for decentralized governance. The island nation will be divided into different counties, based on population. Besides, municipal charter will be the form of governance because the same will be within the jurisdiction of the proposed type of local/ decentralized government. Thi s will help the inhabitants to gain certain rights and to enjoy certain privileges within the local government. ... dership positions will be established through general elections because this is important to incorporate democratic ideas to the context of the proposed island nation. To be specific, the people will cast their votes to the candidates, strictly based on their political values. Eligible candidates will be invited to form the government, strictly based on democratic ideas. Judicial system: The judicial system in the proposed island nation will be based on judicial hierarchy. To be specific, there will be a supreme authority that controls the judicial system. But this supreme authority can be arraigned by the members, representing the lower courts. Besides, there will be a law making body elected by the citizens, apart from the government. This will keep judiciary safe from political manipulation or influence. Malleson (2007) states that, â€Å"Governments are now expected to introduce policy changes which affect the legal system on an ongoing basis† (p.2). The elected judges can not act beyond their limits because people elected them and they are answerable for their decisions. There will be lower courts in the counties and these courts will be independent within the counties. So, this decentralized model of judicial system will help the people to approach the court with ease. Besides, the judges cannot go beyond their limits because they can be kept aside by the people. On the other side, law making will not be vested upon the judicial system because it will be vested upon a different body elected by the people. Any citizen can seek help from the court because there main aim of this innovative judicial system is to solve more problems with less time. To be specific, less serious crimes will be dealt by the lower courts. This will help the people to save their valuable

Capacity Planning and Performance Modeling SLP Research Paper

Capacity Planning and Performance Modeling SLP - Research Paper Example Capacity planning is thus seen as a strategic process used to match data center resources with the business demand to provide acceptable service levels at a minimum cost. Capacity planning is an important operation management process that closely works with performance management, service level management, and configuration management. Performance management becomes an integral part of the capacity planning process because the goal of performance management is to manage current system performance in a proactive manner. The proper management of the parameters of system performance such as throughput and latency will provide the client with adequate results and minimal downtime (Mitchell, 2007). For firms that are involved in large-scale operations, keeping track of all the operations within the system can be a daunting task. Fortunately, the advent of technology has made it much more manageable to evaluate the activities that lead to a good performance and optimal capacity levels of the organization. Table 1 shows three capacity planning software that provides management with the necessary tools to keep up with its system. I chose this three software because they appear to be the most popular and the most effective in accomplishing the required goals of a capacity planning software. Other than capacity planning sof tware, many organizations are likewise investing in performance measurement software to automate their measurement and reporting systems. I went on to Performance-measurement.net and was introduced to two of these software. Table 2 shows the description, advantages and disadvantages of each one.

Taoism Religion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Taoism Religion - Research Paper Example Taoism is a religion that was first practiced in China. Taoism originates from the word Tao, a Chinese word for ‘The way’. Hence, many Chinese citizens believe that by practicing Taoism their lives will not only be peaceful but they will also have lives that are effective and harmonious. The Taoism religion claims that people who resist following ‘the way’ normally live lifestyles that are full of chaos and disaster. The Taoism religion has been in existence for a long period to the extent that it is no longer easy to trace the exact period that this religion was initiated. The reason it is difficult to trace the period Taoism came into existence is because of the religion’s varied and complex roots. According to Fowler, Taoism is a religion that is multi-faced, that is, just like any other religion it has its unique as well as blurred sectarian characteristics. What makes the Taoism religion different from the rest is the numerous beliefs that this religion practices and adheres. For example, the people practicing Taoism believe in the existence of immortality, that is spiritual immortality exists and hence can be attained. In the religion of Taoism, although there are different ways of achieving immortality, the most common are through prayers and observing one’s deities (Lebron 439). The main reason Taoists observe their deities is usually in a move to nourish their bodies; by nourishing the body Taoists believe that this reduces old age as well as diseases and death. Similarly, Taoists also believe that everything on earth is not only transient but also temporary, that is, they are prone to decay.