Ip Proposal free essay sample

Tech) from Kalyani University, West Bengal. Currently a second year student of the Post Graduate Program, 2004-2006 at IIM Ahmedabad, he did his summer internship with ICICI Prudential LIC Ltd. on market penetration strategy in the high net income segment. †¢ Saugat Tripathy is a Computer Science Engineer from Delhi College of Engineering, and has worked Sapient Corporation for one year as an associate of technology. Currently, a second year student of the Post Graduate Program, 2004-2006 at IIM Ahmedabad, he did his summer internship with Star India Pvt. Limited on the feasibility of a separate channel / channel extension for rural India. Area of Project: †¢ The project deals specifically with Pricing and hence, is under the Marketing Area. Term in which project is credited: †¢ Term 5 Project Guide: †¢ Prof. Arvind Sahay Introduction Pricing is one of the most important variables in the entire marketing mix of any company. But it is rarely given the importance that it deserves. We will write a custom essay sample on Ip Proposal or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Most companies follow cost-plus pricing or competitive pricing techniques to price their products. These methods are not oriented to customer demands or the value that the customer may derive from the product. Hence, more often than not the product is either over-priced or under-priced. Reversing a pricing decision is very difficult to implement. Hence, in case of over-pricing the sales of the new product may fail to take-off and in case of under-pricing the consumer surplus is left on the table. Most of the marketing mix variables are decided based on market research so that the entire process is customer oriented. To do the same for pricing, one needs to know the underlying price sensitivity of the target customer base. There are many ways to do find out the price sensitivity of demand. Some of the most popular ones are 1. Conjoint Analysis 2. Price Metering 3. Dynamic Pricing All of these methods are very costly for most companies as discussed below. Preliminary studies show that conjoint analysis requires two separate surveys. The first one is used to validate the attribute space. The second one is used to find out the preferences of people – i. e. comparison of the attributes. Moreover the sample size required for both the surveys is generally large to get a reliable result. The whole process takes time, money and qualified manpower. Therefore it is very resource intensive. Price metering involves asking people their threshold prices. This is more complex than it sounds because very few people can decide what their threshold prices are. Therefore a large number of responses are required to arrive at aggregate threshold levels that have small deviation. Hence, this method although simple to administer, is not very reliable and is also costly. Dynamic pricing is another method to find out price sensitivity curve. But this involves changing prices over time and space. Therefore it is essential that people being subjected to different prices are not allowed to communicate with each other. This is very difficult to ensure. If people come to know that they have been charged different prices then not only the brand but also the company (in case of a multi-brand company) and the retail store earns a bad reputation. Hence, this is a very risky proposition and also very difficult to convince the retailers. Therefore small and medium sized companies cannot undertake these market research methods. Consequentially their pricing decision is always sub-optimal. Coming up with a generic model to measure price sensitivity is difficult, due to the following reasons – †¢ There is a significant difference in the way the purchase decisions are made for different goods. While purchase decisions for consumer durables take up considerable amount of time, the FMCG products can be considered as low involvement goods. †¢ The various options available for a good and level of differentiation between them also affect sensitivities towards prices. For e. . while buying a commodity, like electricity. Here, neither does one have the option of choosing a vendor, nor the option of not buying it. †¢ While purchasing a customized product, like an IT product for solving a business problem of a company. The price sensitivities here depend of various things like the various relevant features of the product, after sales service, company credibility and the monetary value of the deriv ed benefits from the product (like time saved, number of people who can be replaced, etc) The four product categories We thus divide the products into four categories, and believe that we need to study the measurement of their price sensitivities differently – †¢ FMCG goods †¢ Consumer durables †¢ Commodities †¢ IT solutions and other B2B products This project is intended to develop a cost-effective model for determining price sensitivity of demand for †¢ FMCG good –Toothpaste and †¢ Consumer good – Colour television Objectives †¢ To develop an alternative and cost-effective model to determine price sensitivity of demand for the two categories – toothpaste and colour television. Scope The scope of the project is limited to the premium brands of toothpastes (Colgate, Close-up, Pepsodent, etc) and conventional 21† colour televisions (LG, Sony, Onida, etc) We also intend to look at historical quarterly sales volume and price data for these brands for the last 5 years, in case we get this data. Research Questions †¢ What are the key factors that drive consumer buying decision in the two different product categories and what is the relative importance of price in the consumer buying decision? †¢ What is the price awareness of consumers? How do discounts or some other indirect price changes affect the probability of a buy? Review of Different Methods for Measuring Price Sensitivity Common methods of measuring price sensitivity †¢ Conjoint or Trade-off Analysis A popular experimental technique for measuring sensitivity to price as well as other product attributes, Conjoint analysis disaggregates a product’s price into the values consumer s attach to each attribute and helps in identifying the differentiation value of unique product attributes, design new products with attributes that consumers are willing to pay for and the price that consumers are willing to pay. However, the data required for a conjoint analysis requires an extensive survey conducted by the researcher, wherein the respondent is asked to make choices between pairs of fully described products or between different levels of just two product attributes. This makes the method more costly in terms of resources and time in comparison to simple surveys, despite the fact that it provides much more information †¢ Price Metering Price metering is another technique to determine the effect of the interaction of price and quality on the consumers’ perceptions of value. Robert C. Lewis and Stowe Shoemaker describe in their paper â€Å"Price sensitivity Measurement- A tool for the Hospitality Industry† the usage of the price metering method to gauge price sensitivity in the hotel and restaurant industry. The model as indicated in the paper is based on data obtained from respondents on the following questions: 1. At what price on the scale do you consider the product or service to be cheap? 2. At what price on the scale do you consider the product or service to be expensive? 3. At what price on the scale do you consider the product or service to be too expensive, so expensive that you would not consider buying it? 4. At what price on the scale do you consider the product or service to be too cheap, so cheap that you would question the quality? The responses to the above questions are statistically collated and analyzed using graphs as shown below: [pic] The paper states that the degree of price sensitivity depends on the relation between the indifference percentage, stress level and the range of acceptable price. While, a combination of low indifference percentage levels, high stress levels and a narrow acceptable price range indicates a sensitive market, a combination of high indifference percentage levels, low stress levels and a broad acceptable price range indicates a less sensitive market. The paper also suggests that the model enables comparison of the current price of a product or service with the acceptable price range. Further, price metering is an easy to use model, which is cheaper in terms of resources and time needed and does not require special knowledge or skill on the part of either the researcher or the respondent. Other Approaches or Methodologies After doing a survey of the literature available on measuring price sensitivity the following methods were seen to be suitable for a quick and less resource intense way of measuring price sensitivity. †¢ Self-Report Method Goldsmith and Newell had done a study to correlate price sensitivity with innovativeness – tendency of some users to try out new products. A 7 item likert scale questionnaire was constructed from a 6 item Likert scale questionnaire for a similar study done by Goldsmith in 1996. The questionnaire is based on the buying behavior of â€Å"innovators†. It questions people on two factors – one which ascertains their level of innovativeness and the other which ascertains their level of price sensitivity. Each of the 7 questions were to be rated on a 5-point response format. The sample selected was not random but reasonably diverse and the size was 457. Only one survey was conducted. Factor Analysis was done and the results were checked for reliability, consistency and construct validity. The data analysis was aimed to prove the hypothesis that innovativeness is positively correlated with low price sensitivity. Another interesting aspect of the study is that it has tried to compare innovativeness among different segments of the population divided on the basis of demographics. For example, it was found that women are more likely to try out newer fashion products than men and also they were less sensitive about price. The implications could be better targeting of individuals based on demographic factors when a new product is introduced and thus better extraction of the consumer surplus. This sort of a simple questionnaire can be used on people to ascertain their level of price sensitivity. An advantage is that the survey can be conducted over mail or internet. †¢ Through Interviews Van Helden had done a study in 1978 to find out price sensitivity in a way that was quicker and cheaper than conjoint analysis. The study was done to find out price sensitivity of demand for electric power. The respondent was asked just 2 questions: a. Would he decrease power consumption if price of power rose? The options were: i. Yes ii. No iii. Yes but he does not intend to. b. If the respondent chose the last response then by how much will the price of electricity will have to rise for him/her to reduce consumption? The options were classified into the following classes: i. 0 to 5% ii. 6-10% iii. 11-20% iv. 21-30% v. 31-50% vi. 51% or more Based on the answer, his price sensitivity is calculated as follows: The actual price increases are also divided into classes. The classes for actual price increase and threshold price increase for consumer to reduce consumption are balanced. Then if a respondent says that he will reduce consumption if price rise is 18% then the decrease in consumption for 5% and 12% (these are the class averages) will be 0, whereas for 18% the decrease in consumption will be 6% (18%-12%) and for 25% it will be 13% (25%-12%). This is based on the assumption that relative decrease in consumption is equal to the difference between actual price increase and threshold price increase. The individual price sensitivity curves are then aggregated to give the aggregate price sensitivity curve. There were around 300 respondents on whom the study was conducted. The study also collects such information as income, number of family members in the household, number of electrical appliances which can be used less if required, etc. The limitation of the study was that it requires people to have a clear idea as to the level of price rise after which they will reduce consumption. Moreover the way the individual sensitivities have been calculated may be challenged. For other products which are not necessities and are not supplied by a single supplier, relative prices of substitutes and competitor’s products need to be taken into account. Another limitation is that fact that people had to be interviewed and it cannot be done through mailers. Methodology: 1. What are the key factors that drive consumer buying decision in the two different product categories and what is the relative importance of price in the consumer buying decision? The key factors and the relative importance of price in the consumer’s buying decision process for the two product categories, viz. , premium toothpaste and conventional 21† colour television need to be determined in order to understand the drivers of price sensitivity in the above product categories. This would probably require a preliminary research and survey, which would be carried out as a representative survey in the city of Ahmedabad. 2. What is the price awareness of consumers? The determination of the level of the price awareness of the consumers of the two product categories would enable us in establishing an idea about the price sensitivity of the consumers as well as help in validating the model to be developed. This may as well be done through a survey of the consumers . 3. How do discounts or some other indirect price changes affect the probability of a buy? Evaluating the effect of discounts, indirect price changes and other offers would help in establishing the level of price sensitivity in the market for the two product categories. Further, this would enable us to determine the relative importance of such price changes on the model to be developed. Proposed Model for Measuring Price Sensitivity: Measuring price sensitivity of FMCG goods Historical data of sales and price variations is a good place to start if one wishes to measure the sensitivities of a product. If one has the data for the last 8 years (say), we can create a simple regression of the form –

The Delian League essays

The Delian League essays What where the original provisions of the Delian League? How far did Athens adhere to them between 478 and 445 B.C? The Delian League (478-461) was an affiliation of Greek city-states. When faced with subjugation from Persia, they and the states in the islands in the Aegean turned towards Athens and her powerful navy for aegis and alliance. As it was led by Athens it is sometimes pejoratively referred to as the Athenian Empire. The Delian League had many provisions such as allies, an oath, finance headquarters and Synod. Athens adhered to these necessities for a certain amount of time. However they were soon contravened, so that Athens became an imperial state. Thucydides believed that there was no turning point where Athens transgressed these provisions, rather It was the actual course of events which first compelled us to increase our power to its present extent. The aims of the League were two-fold. Their first objective was to attain a short-term offensive stance, thereby attacking Persian areas in order to, as Thucydides says Compensate themselves for their losses by ravaging the territory of the King of Persia. As well as this there was a long-term offensive intention, to maintain the freedom of the Greeks and to create a defensive association to cope with future attacks. Initially the allies were independent states, they had their own particular forms of government. Conversely, rebellious states soon lost their sovereignty and became subject to Athens. Aristotle believed it was Aristides Who swore the oaths to the Ionians that they should have the same enemies and friends to confirm which they sank lumps of iron in the sea. This oath was sworn bilaterally between the Athenians and their counterparts. It was an indication that Athens was to be the hegemon and that the League was undeviating. In this respect it would therefore be seen that an apostasy is recognised as a rebellion...

Biography of Calamity Jane, Wild West Figure

Biography of Calamity Jane, Wild West Figure Calamity Jane (born Martha Jane Cannary;  1852–August 1, 1903) was a controversial figure in the Wild West whose adventures and exploits are shrouded in mystery, legend, and self-promotion. She is known to have dressed and worked as a man, to have been a hard drinker, and to been skilled with guns and horses. The details of her life are mostly unproven, given the amount of fabrication and hearsay that inform her story. Fast Facts: Calamity Jane Known For:  Hard living and drinking; legendary skill with horses and gunsAlso Known As:  Martha Jane Cannary BurkeBorn:  1852 in Princeton, MissouriParents: Charlotte and Robert Cannary or CanaryDied:  August 1, 1903 in Terry, South DakotaPublished Works:  Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane by HerselfSpouse(s): Undocumented spouses, Clinton Burke, Wild Bill Hickok; documented spouse, William P. SteersChildren: Possibly two daughtersNotable Quote: By the time we reached Virginia City I was considered a remarkable good shot and a fearless rider for a girl of my age. Early Life Calamity Jane was born  Martha Jane Cannary  around 1852 in Princeton, Missouri- although she sometimes claimed Illinois or Wyoming as her birthplace. She was the oldest of five siblings. Her father Robert Cannary (or Canary) was a farmer who took the family to Montana during an 1865 Gold Rush. Jane relayed the story of their journey in her later biography with considerable relish, describing how she hunted with the men and learned to drive the wagons herself. Her mother Charlotte died the year after their move and the family then moved to Salt Lake City. Her father died the following year. Wyoming After the death of her parents, young Jane moved to Wyoming and began her independent adventures, moving around mining towns and railroad camps and the occasional military fort. Far from the ideal of the delicate Victorian woman, Jane often wore mens clothes. She eked out a living doing menial jobs, some of which were jobs usually reserved for men. She is known to have worked on the railroad and as a mule skinner. She worked as a laundress and waitress and may have also worked occasionally as a sex worker. Some legends say that she disguised herself as a man to accompany soldiers as a scout on expeditions, including the 1875 expedition of General George Crook against the Lakota. She developed a reputation for hanging out with the miners, railroad workers, and soldiers- enjoying heavy drinking with them. She was arrested, with some frequency, for  drunkenness and disturbing the peace. Deadwood Dakota Jane spent many years of her life in the boomtown of Deadwood, Dakota, including during the Black Hills gold rush of 1876. She claims to have known James Hickok, known as Wild Bill Hickok, and she is thought to have traveled with him for several years.  After his August  1876 murder, she further claimed that they had been married and that he was the father of her child. (If said child had actually existed, he or she was said to have been born September 25, 1873, and given up for adoption at a South Dakota Catholic school.)  Historians do not accept that either the marriage or the child existed. A diary supposedly by Jane that documented the marriage and child has been demonstrated to be fraudulent. In 1877 and 1878, Edward L. Wheeler featured Calamity Jane in his popular Western dime novels, adding to her reputation. She became something of a local legend at this time because of her many eccentricities. Calamity Jane gained admiration when she nursed victims of a smallpox epidemic in 1878, also dressed as a man. Possible Marriage In her autobiography,  Calamity Jane said that she had married Clinton Burke in 1885 and that  they  lived together for at least six years. Again, the marriage is not documented and historians doubt its existence.  She used the name Burke in later years. A woman later claimed to have been a daughter of that marriage but may have been Janes by some other man or Burkes by another woman. When and why Clinton Burke left  Janes life is not known. Later Years and Fame In her later years, Calamity Jane appeared in Wild West shows, including the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show, around the country, featuring her riding and shooting skills. Some historians dispute whether she was indeed in this show. In 1887, Mrs. William Loring wrote a novel named  Calamity Jane. The stories in this and other fiction about Jane were often conflated with her actual life experiences, magnifying her legend. Jane  published her autobiography in 1896,  Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane by Herself,  to cash in on her own fame, and much of it is quite clearly fictional or exaggerated.  In 1899, she lived in Deadwood again, supposedly raising money for her daughters education.  She appeared at the Buffalo, New York, Pan-American Exposition in 1901, in exhibitions and shows. Death Janes chronic drunkenness and fighting caused her to be fired in 1901 from the Exposition and she retired to Deadwood. She died in a hotel in nearby Terry  in 1903.  Different sources give different causes of death:  pneumonia, inflammation of the bowels, or alcoholism. Calamity Jane was buried next to Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwoods Mount Mariah Cemetery.  Because of her notoriety, her funeral was large. Legacy The legend of Calamity Jane, markswoman, horsewoman, drinker, and performer, continues in movies, books, and television Westerns. How did Jane get the moniker Calamity Jane? Many answers have been offered by historians and storytellers. Calamity, some say, is what Jane would threaten to any man who bothered her. She also claimed the name was given to her because she was good to have around in a calamity, such as the smallpox epidemic of 1878. Maybe the name was a description of a very hard and tough life.  Like much in her life, its simply not certain. Sources Calamity Jane. Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane by Herself. Ye Galleon Press, 1979.â€Å"Calamity Jane: Exposed.†Ã‚  True West Magazine, 21 Aug. 2015.â€Å"Encyclopedia of the Great Plains.†Ã‚  Encyclopedia of the Great Plains | CALAMITY JANE (1856-1903).

Culture and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Culture and Business - Essay Example Brahmans are a minority group in India despite their holding of high positions in the society. They are mostly found in the southern area of India and they hold the tradition of plastering their houses using red earth close to their hearts. Traditionally, Brahmans were tremendously influential even when it came to leading religious rituals. Most of these people (Brahmans) are hugely influential business-persons, moneylenders, land owners and government employees. Of essence, also, is for any business person to note that these people do not take the issue of ritual pollution very lightly. They are very conscious when it comes to the ritual pollution of their food and homes. To this, they prohibit entry to their kitchens by other persons (especially from lower castes). They may not involve themselves in plowing or handle any ‘impure’ material as per the taboos set by their tradition. They are also vegetarian. Brahmans are not particularly impactful when it comes to the Ind ian business system due to the fact that they are a minority group, however. (britannica.com, 2011) Lastly, but not least, one should to note that these people do not have a tradition of drinking alcohol. It is also generally considered a sign of disrespect to touch a client with one’s feet and doing so should prompt an apology. ... (Warner, 2003 p69) Buddhism forms its basis on the Siddhartha Gautama teachings, which are called ‘Buddha’. Buddha means the enlightened one and Buddhism set in on the Indian soil in approximately 560 B.C. its main aim was to seek relief for the suffering of humans. Buddhists are vegetarians and thus, do not advocate for animal killing. Businesswise, Buddhism has had its share of impact on India through their beliefs. Their mission as Buddhists is to uphold the right of livelihood for humans in the business context. Thus, in generic terms they are usually against any company that has no care for both animals and the environment. (scribd.com, 2011) Hinduism Hinduism though looked at as the last in this study, is the main religion in India and it forms a group of religious traditions that have been in India for a while. These were witnessed in this nation in the period covering 3000-1500 B.C. In the most recent times, about 780 million people are affiliated to this religio n. Hinduism is viewed to be more of an approach given to the universe as opposed to theologically. Businesswise, they have impacted on the Indian system in a great way. Two main observations are possible when it comes to this religion and business; they (Hindus) have a positive kind of attitude while business is concerned and creating wealth is also another core factor to what they believe in. It should be noted, though, that wealth creation is not their major goal when it comes to business. Salvation and ethics, which they refer to as moksha and dharma respectively is their prime goals in business. (scribd.com, 2011) If one is a business person from foreign and is seeking to do business in India, there are several things to note. This is with specific

VISION STATEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

VISION STATEMENT - Essay Example While there have been more exact and specific formulations of performance management, most notably by Dr. Aubrey Daniels who in the 1970s identified a technology specifically designed to manage behavior and results, for the consideration of performance management in this context, the essay will advance with the broader contextual interpretation. Recently Ford Motor Company altered an aspect of their performance management system to better evaluate employee performance. The past system had been the target of a number of law suits over complaints that it was skewed towards age discrimination. The new performance management system eliminates quotas from the performance rating system and updates the appraisal process through a newly updated system. This shift was the first major shift in performance management at Ford Motor Company since 2000 when the last system was instituted in an effort to increase bottom-line results and to alter the long stagnant corporate climate at Ford. (Karash 2005) The appraisal process at Ford Motor Company is based on a grading system much like one might experience in a university or high school scholastic environment. The company’s performance management system grades managers at various company levels with an A, B, or C performance rating. The grade is based on a complicated rubric that includes a number of internal factors, but is also highly contingent on productivity measures. If the employee or manager is rated at a C level then this eliminates their bonus for that year. If the employee or manager spends more than one year at the C grade scale and receives this performance rating for the second year then they are potentially demoted or in certain circumstances released. Over 18,000 managers are rated through this grading system. While the average number of managers receiving the C rating was intended to be at 10% for a number of years, recent reports indicate that the performance management system

Book Review Why We Dont Listen Essay Example for Free

Book Review Why We Dont Listen Essay James C. Peterson, author of Why Dont We Listen Better? Communicating Connecting in Relationships, through trial and error learned the value of communication balancing in which he found that the counselor must listen awhile, talk until the other person stops hearing and then listen until the person calms enough to hear again. (Peterson, 2007 Pg. 5) This concept is enlarged into a process in which Peterson calls the flat-brain syndrome. The purpose of the writing of this book according to Peterson was to assist couples in gaining the communication skills needed to improve their relationship. In this book Peterson says to make personal connection with people communication skills need to involve the stomach, which puts our feelings into words, the heart which makes clear that we are putting our own feelings into words and the head which puts our thoughts into words. (Peterson, 2007 Pg. 16) Peterson says that he uses the flat-brain syndrome to understand the problem of failed communication. Peterson explains â€Å"communication is the lubrication designed to keep our functions of stomach, heart, and head working separately and together† (Peterson 2007, Pg. 6). The gifted Peterson also takes the concept of the flat brain syndrome a step further by relating to the reader what happens when our systems (stomach, heart and head) get out of whack. (Peterson 2007, Pg. 23) In this scenario Peterson uses these parts to show what happens to communication, for example stomach overloads, hearts might turn bricklike, brains can go flat, and hearing is altered. These things of course alter the way we hear and feel. These things then set us up to fall into the flat-brain syndrome. Peterson 2007 35-48) In part two Peterson explains the â€Å"talker-listener† process or what he refers to as TLC which exhibits his feelings about the whole counseling process. Part three explains the techniques Peterson uses in listening and the traps one can fall into in the process. The process used by Peterson in this book relates things that he has tested and that work for the counselor. In closing Peterson makes clear that to â€Å"put wheels on your technique,† the counselor must exhibit warmth, genuineness and empathy. Why Dont We Listen Better?  Communicating Connecting in Relationships is a book written from the human counselor perspective. Peterson uses examples of everyday objects to relate positive plans for the counselor to put into action to achieve really positive results. Where many writers fail at connecting with their readers, Peterson brings a high level of understanding and process explanation simply by being down to earth in his communication. The whole goal of the book seemed to be to make a progressive and positive change in the process the non-professional counselor could use to aid and assist his counselee. From reading the title of the book one might think that listening is the key to the whole process but Peterson adds to the process by incorporating the qualities that pastor counselors should strive to achieve. Those qualities are caring for the counselee, genuine concern for them and the desire to point them at the real counselor. Reflection In reflecting upon the teachings of Dr. Peterson in Why Dont We Listen Better? Communicating Connecting in Relationships, I am reminded of a conversation I had with my middle son and his wife just recently. In particular this book has taught me that I need to listen better and that my boys and their wives are not children anymore. I serve as a missionary to the Navajo in Thoreau, NM. The area is desolate, dry, high and poor. My wife and I had provided a house for our son and daughter-in-law on the property of the church but the time came when they decided they needed to be in a big town where they could both work and do the things young people do. For my wife and I it was a terrible time. We love our kids and we have always been very close. My son tried to explain to me that he needed to find a good job and there were none in Thoreau and that they wanted to be independent. As I look back I realize how bad I was at listening to people that I love. I said it will cost you more than here and I am not going to support you so you can live in Albuquerque. As I think back I realize that I should have listened much better. All the things I told him came true and they came to me for help over and over. Some would say â€Å"well then why do you think that the listening thing was so important? The answer is a beautiful one†¦just the other day I offered to help him work on his car and he said to me â€Å"That’s O. K. dad I have saved up the money to get a mechanic. † Small thing to others I would say but to me he was showing me that he really had grown up. Investigation I must say that I enjoyed reading Why Dont We Listen Better? Communicating Connecting in Relationships. The book helped me to look at several realities about my life as well as my feelings compared to my reactions. I learned that the best way to have a positive relationship is to communicate. For many years the most important thing I feel that I have learned is the art of communication. Peterson has written theories that are effective and have been proven over time. Peterson has given himself to the problem of effective communication, to assisting others and to repairing and building relationships. The book was so easy to understand that I felt like I knew a lot about what Peterson was saying but I learned lots of new things as well. The talker-listener card strategy and the flat-brain theory are things that I will use in the future. It has been hard for me to listen attentively when the communication involves my kids especially when emotions are high but according to the flat-brain theory this is an area that I can work to improve upon. Peterson gives an excellent explanation about how the talker-listener card can work for me and my sons when issues like the one described above come about. Peterson has developed his processes from experiences he has had as a pastoral counselor. Why Dont We Listen Better? Communicating Connecting in Relationships has taught me to be a better listener and how to speak only when the counselee is actively listening to me. This is really a great book for those that want to learn to communicate with others better and to connect with the other party. Application As mentioned before I found this book to be very useful not only in my relationships with my family but also in dealing with the Navajo people in general. One of the things peculiar to many of the Navajo people is that they have specific ways of saying things that to the novice might not mean a whole lot but the talker-listener card methodology will help me in reaching out for their inner feelings, thoughts and desires. After reading this book I find many things that I can do to improve myself. When combined with the 7 Spiritual Gifts with 4 (DISC) Personality Types I have discovered some important information that will help me in my ministry. For example the spiritual gifts and behavioral blends specific to me are that my Primary Spiritual Gifts are Encouraging/Exhorting (58/60), Mercy (58/60) and Serving/Ministry/Helps (57/60). My behavioral blends say that what is expected of me is S/D but I am really C/S. My primary spiritual gifts were found to be: Encouraging / Exhorting, Mercy and Serving / Ministry / Helps. I plan to take the profile to heart mainly because some of the people that know me best have said that the profile was me exactly and I agree. I plan to use the suggested scripture to help me work on my weaknesses and to improve on my strengths. I have made a promise to myself and will ask God to help me to listen to what others have to say. I will incorporate a check system to improve my listening technique. I will actively try to listen to the problems of those seeking my advice. I will also attempt to share my thoughts and feelings without labeling, accusing or judging.

Importance of Staffing in Organizations Essay -- Business Management S

Importance of Staffing in Organizations Staffing has been an important aspect in all types of organizations’ development. More and more companies have noticed a good staffing plan could increase productivity and reduce operation costs in terms of lower turnover rate and transition costs. Good staffing could be able to minimize cost in order to maximize profit, because it could assist the company to stay more competitive within the industry. According to the definition by Dr. Green, â€Å"staff is the process of identifying work requirements within an organization; determining the number of people and the skills necessary to do the work; and recruiting, selecting and promoting the qualified candidates. It is the selection process of screening and hiring new employees, which includes functions like resume reviewing, interview, drug testing, assessment testing, and background check† (Green, 2003). Different companies have different strategies in how to select their candidates. Depending on the size, geographic and industry etc, so that their strategies could be very different. Therefore, one specific staffing plan might work for one company, but it might not work for another. â€Å"In staffing an organization or an organizational unit, it is important to consider its developmental stage-embryonic, high growth, mature, or aging-in order to align staffing decisions with business strategy† (Cascio, p.268). In the 21st century, due to the reason that new technologies have been invented and improved. That had lead to many organizations change its behavior in terms of the way they deal with customers, suppliers, business partners and employees. Without a careful selection, organizations often hire people that do not fit the job or it is just not the type of work the employee wants to do. There are people who could not keep up with the technology trend working in a place where new technologies always come into place. There are people who could not deal with other people, or with no patient working as a teller in the bank, or going into the teaching field. There are so many different examples in today’s world where people apply for jobs that they co uld not be successful, or in many cases that organizations hire people who do not have the qualifications for the job. Organizations have encountered some problems that associated with which method to use in the selectio... ...ng Decisions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83(4), 634-644. Van der Zee, K.I., Bakker, A.B. & Bakker, P. (2002). Why are Structured Interviews so Rarely Used in Personnel Selection? Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(1), 176-184. Brket, M.D., & Motowidlo, S.J. (2002). Effects of Procedure and Outcome Accountability on Interview Validity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(1), 185-191. Roth, P.L., & Bobko, P. (2000). College Grade Point Average as a Personnel Selection Device: Ethnic Group Differences and Potential Adverse Impact. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(3), 399-406. Gardner, R. (1998). How well do you really know whom you hire? The CPA Journal, 68(3), 62-65. Brown, B., & Campion, M.A. (1994). Biodata phenomenology; Recrutiers’ perceptions and use of biographical information in resume screening. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79, 897-908. Roth, P.L., BeVier, C.A., Switzer, F.S., & Schippmann, J.S. (1996). Meta-analyzing the relationship between grades and job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81, 548-556. Roth, P.L., & Clarke, R.L. (1998). Meta-analyzing the relationship between grades and salary. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 53, 386-400.

Gay Language

Gay language which is sometimes called as â€Å"gay lingo† has achieved a high degree of acceptance in these recent years in the Philippines. Both gays and non-gays can be heard uttering gay expressions. It’s also spreading widely in our country. The propagation of this language and form of communication is unstoppable. But the question is â€Å"What is the main reason for using this kind of language? † This study will try to know about the origin, variables, theories and the effect of this gay lingo in Filipinos. We will interrogate people who use gay language and know from them the sense of dealing with it. Introduction Bakla and Binabae are familiar words in Filipino street-talk. But what about baklush, badaf, baklers? These are just some of confusing words for the average of Filipino speakers. These are terms heard â€Å"only in the Philippines†. Gays have proven themselves in our society and they have exceled in several professions. Though, there are still widespread cases of discrimination. Looking back, gays are always facing unfair treatment of other people. They have become victims of condemnation—in school, office, churches and everywhere and these have been their daily battlegrounds. Because of this discrimination, it paved way to the creation of a code of communication which only gays could use; but because of its daily usage on parlors, comedy bars, sidewalks and other places where gays proliferate, people’s curiosity arose on what these words meant, eventually using it, thus the expansion of gay language. Some examples are â€Å"tara lafang†, â€Å"Tom Jones na ako†. Lafang means eat and Tom Jones means â€Å"gu-TOM† (hungry). The gay language is now in the mainstream of Filipino consciousness and communication. As every day, a new term is added, the vocabulary expands and may one day grow into a language on its own.

Essay On Problem Solving Techniques Used By Few Organisations

AcknowledgementAn old Chinese proverb says; When eating your bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them. Now that our sprouts are ready to eat, it is time for us to express our deepest gratitude to all those to have made this possible. We wish to express our sincere gratitude to our professor who guided and helped us from time to time to successfully conduct this research. We think her directions were the best thing that could happen to us and our project. We also would like to thank each other of our group members and hope you enjoy reading the report as much as we enjoyed making it.Contents Problem Solving Process & Steps Techniques used by various companies to solve their problems. 1) Nokia 2) Cadbury Dairy Milk 3) Tata Nano 4) Bisleri 5) Coca Cola 6) Allwyn photo copiersProblem Solving Process & StepsAs the owner of your own business you deal with problems on an almost daily basis. Being familiar with effective Problem Solving Techniques can dramatically affect the growth of your business. Although you find solutions to your problems, many businessmen and women are not really skilled in the methods of problem solving, and when solutions fail, they fault themselves for misjudgment. 1. Define the problemDiagnose the situation so that your focus is on the problem, not just its symptoms. Helpful techniques at this stage include using flowcharts to identify the expected steps of a process and cause-and-effect diagrams to define and analyze root causes. 2. Generate alternative solutionsPostpone the selection of one solution until several alternatives have been proposed. Having a standard with which to compare the characteristics of the final solution is not the same as defining the desired result. A standard allows us to evaluate the different intended results offered by alternatives. When you try to build toward desired results, it’s very difficult to collect good information about the process. Considering multiple alternatives can significantly en hance the value of your final solution.Once the team or individual has decided the â€Å"what should be† model, this target standard becomes the basis for developing a road map for investigating alternatives. Brainstorming and team problem-solving techniques are both useful tools in this stage of problem solving. Many alternative solutions should be generated before evaluating any of them. A common mistake in problem solving is that alternatives are evaluated as they are proposed, so the first acceptable solution is chosen, even if it’s not the best fit. If we focus on trying to get the results we want, we miss the potential for learning something new that will allow for real improvement. 3. Evaluate and select an alternativeSkilled problem solvers use a series of considerations when selecting the best alternative. They consider the extent to which: A particular alternative will solve the problem without causing other unanticipated problems. All the individuals involve d will accept the alternative.Implementation of the alternative is likely. The alternative fits within the organizational constraints. 4. Implement and follow up on the solutionLeaders may be called upon to order the solution to be implemented by others, â€Å"sell† the solution to others or facilitate the implementation by involving the efforts of others. The most effective approach, by far, has been to involve others in the implementation as a way of minimizing resistance to subsequent changes. Feedback channels must be built into the implementation of the solution, to produce continuous monitoring and testing of actual events against expectations. Problem solving, and the techniques used to derive elucidation, can only be effective in an organization if the solution remains in place and is updated to respond to future changes.Techniques used by various companies to solve their problems.1) NokiaAs we all know, Nokia had for so many years used the symbian operating system in their phones. It was working fine and Nokia had captured the Indian phone market very well. There was no competition to it from left right or centre. But in 2008 came a breathtaking technology by Google. They invented the Android OS. It became a benchmark for the mobile phone companies. Each and every phone started making their phones with the latest android technology, as android was fast, modern and the most important, user friendly. While Nokia still stuck to its old symbian os, and did not use the android technology. Slowly and gradually, Samsung took over the Indian market by storm.They had captured the Indian market which for long belonged to just Nokia. Nokia had a problem here. They did not use the android os because of some internal matters of their organization. So after a good amount of research and development later, nokia came out with a solution that would bring the brand nokia back in the market and try to regain its lost glory. They upgraded their technology and sta rted making phones with the Windows phone 8 OS. These phones gradually caught the eye of the Indian customers,  as it was something different than android. People started purchasing the Nokia Lumia series of phones and the sales of Nokia phones again where on a rise.2) Cadbury Dairy MilkIn eight outlets across Maharashtra, worms were found in some bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury's bread-and-butter brand selling 1 million bars a day and an icon of ‘chocolate' in India. Inquiry was instituted by the Food and Drug Administration and negative media publicity spread like wildfire. The extensively graphic media coverage led people to believe that every bar could be contaminated. Consequently, sales volume plummeted, retailer cooperation lessened and employee morale dwindled. All in all, the company's credibility suffered extensive damage. Reason behind this crisis..After a thorough investigation of the entire supply chain, it was found that the problem originated at the distri bution end.Apparently, at the retail outlets the infested bars were placed next to open unpacked items susceptible to worms. However, although the problem was not of its own making, Cadbury did take responsibility for the lack in educating retailers on storage and hygiene. The company launched a new double packaging that wrapped even the smallest 13 gm chocolate in an aluminium foil, heat-sealed for complete protection from all sides and further encased in a polyflow pack. The over-engineered pack, the first of its kind in India, cost the company a fortune, but fulfilled the company's promise to media and consumers. The new packaging was launched amidst much fanfare in a media conference.Amongst the material distributed in the conference were a comparison kit allowing evaluation of old and new packs and a video new release with packaging and factory shots for television coverage. To reinstate confidence among sales people and to motivate them, another audio-visual with a message fro m the ambassador Amitabh Bachchan was shown in a string of sales conferences.3) Tata NanoUntil the afternoon of 21 March when he took delivery of his Lunar Silver coloured Nano, 36-year-old Satish Sawant was your average citizen leading a normal life. On the Sunday of 21 March, accompanying him to collect the car  was his wife, five-year-old son and a temporary driver. It was close to 3 pm that day and they were nearing his residence. His wife pointed out that something was burning. Sawant looked out. Nothing was burning. She insisted and forced him to park. He got out—there was smoke coming out of the car’s rear. He hurriedly got his wife and son out. The smoke turned billowing black. He took the car’s papers out.The little vehicle now began to burn like you see in the movies. Tata Motors attributed the first couple of cases to the melting of localised parts caused by faulty combination switches. That is somewhat similar to sparks and smoke in your house†™s wiring caused by an electric short-circuit. There was no quality control deployed at the Tata motors production facility. So in order to bring the situation under control and solve this problem, Tata motors changed the vendors who supplied the combination switches and employed a proper quality control in their plant, by which each and every car would go through proper checks before being granted the ok status.4) BisleriIn the early 1990s, Parle Bisleri Ltd's (Parle Bisleri's) Bisleri1 had become synonymous with branded water and had a market share of 70%. In the late 1990s, Bisleri's market share began to erode with new players entering the market. The Cola majors, Pepsi and Coca-Cola and the confectionery giant, Nestle, also entered the branded water market in India. Pepsi and Coca-Cola had an established distribution network. Bisleri realized that with the new players also clambering on to the purity plank, it had to reposition itself to arrest its declining market share. In September 2000, Parle Bisleri launched its Play Safe ad campaign.The company tried to add a fun element to Bisleri to rejuvenate the brand. The ultimate aim was to increase Bisleri's turnover from Rs 4 billion2 in 2000 to Rs 10 billion by 2003. In 2001, both Kinley and Aquafina were making huge investments in bottling plants and distribution. By 2002, Coca-Cola India planned to double the number of water bottling plants to 16 and Pepsi announced that it would add seven more plants to the existing five. In contrast, Bisleri had only 15 bottling plants and three franchisees. Kinley had 500,000 outlets compared to Bisleri's 350,000.Analysts felt that Kinley and Aquafina had an edge over Bisleri because of their strong distribution network. In 2000, in the  face of competition from the new entrants, Bisleri decided to penetrate every possible segment of the market by introducing more pack sizes and to establish the brand strongly with trendy packaging. In 2000, Bisleri launched the 1. 2 litre pack. This added to the five pack sizes that Bisleri had (500 ml, one, two, five and 20 litres). The new pack was priced at Rs 12. In 2000, Bisleri also launched smaller packs like the 300 ml cup. This 300 ml cup was targeted at large gatherings like marriages and conventions. A study conducted by Bisleri showed that its one litre pack was not considered trendy enough.5) Coca ColaIn 2003, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a non-governmental organisation in New Delhi, said aerated waters produced by soft drinks manufacturers in India, including multinational giants PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, contained toxins including lindane, DDT, malathion and chlorpyrifos — pesticides that can contribute to cancer and a breakdown of the immune system. Tested products included Coke, Pepsi, and several other soft drinks (7Up, Mirinda, Fanta, Thums Up, Limca, Sprite), many produced by The Coca-Cola Company.This affected the sales of cocacola to a great extent, they went crashin g down. Later on after a detailed study, the company found out that the water they used for the manufacturing was safe and free from pesticides, but the problem was in the packaging department. The bottles in which the coke is to be filled is processed and cleaned with certain chemicals so that it becomes safe and all the impurities are removed, and later on the bottle is washed with water. It was seen that after cleaning the bottles with the chemicals, they were not being washed properly, which resulted in the chemicals staying in the bottle before the coke was filled in it. The company identified this problem and resolved this by keeping a proper quality control on the bottling plant and make sure that the bottles are washed properly after being treated with chemicals.6) Allwyn photo copiersThis is a shop which is situated in Mumbai. It undertakes the work of photo copying, printing, etc. For years they have been using the old Xerox machines. The name Xerox is synonym with photo c opy in India. But as the  time changes, there is a need to adopt new technologies to keep up with the competition in the market. So the company purchased new equipments and new printers which had the latest technologies like laser beam printing, etc. But after purchasing and using the new equipments, instead of their sales going up, they started declining. This was a matter of concern for the management as the sales were declining even after they were using the new technologies.They did a proper research on this and found out that the problem was not in the machinery, but the people handling the machines were not aware of the new machines properly and thus they were not able to use it efficiently. To overcome this problem, the management decided to train the employees who handle the machines. They were trained on various aspects as to how to make full use of machiniery with minimum efforts. Training the workmen is an important part of the production process. Thus when the handlers were trained properly, they knew how to use the machines properly and this in turn increased their efficieny. This resulted in more sales and more productivity.ConclusionThus we saw the case studies of various organizations and companies and how they overcome their problems. We can take a few inputs from these cases and implement it whenever we are stuck in any problem similar to these. Quality control and problem solving techniques are extremely important for an organization , as each and every organization faces some kind of the problem. What is important is that how they overcome it.

Water Clock essays

Water Clock essays Little did Ctesibius know, but he was perfecting a water system that would eventually be used many years later. Although not the exact version, but the overall concept derived from Ctesibius perfections of the Egyptian idea. His one project that we recognize today is the clock. However it was not the typical clock that we think of, but a water clock, clepsydra. This water clock was made of stone vessels with sloping sides that allowed water to drip at a nearly constant rate from a small hole near the bottom. Hours were marked on the sides of either the bowl that received the water or the container from which it flowed. Other water clocks were bowl-shaped containers that slowly filled with water at a constant rate. These were measured in hours according to the level of a float on the water. Another type, a forerunner of the modern clock, contained a wheel connected to a float. As the level of the float changed, the wheel turned to indicate the hour on a dial. The device was u sed in ancient Athens to regulate the length of orations as well as speeches made in court. Further advancements/changes that derived from the water clock began with the mechanical clocks of the Middle Ages, these were run by falling weights. Although these clocks were more convenient than the water clock, the accuracy did not change. The accuracy of Ctesibius's water clock was eventually surpassed in 1657 by the pendulum clock of Dutch astronomer, mathematician, and physicist Christiaan Huygens, but the spirit of Ctesibius's clock still survives in the cuckoo clock. It would be difficult to say how we could change or improve the clock since many people have already done so. All the time companies come out with new gadgets to clocks, such as many have cd players on them these days. Without Ctesibius continuing what the Egyptians had started, the clock would not be what we know it today. Who would have guessed that it could be plugged into electricit ...

Last Minute ACT Strategies 12 Guides You Must Read

Last Minute ACT Strategies 12 Guides You Must Read SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips It's the week or the day before your big ACT test date, and you want to have the best chance possible at raising your score. At PrepScholar we've written hundreds of free guides to help you succeed on the test, but some guides are especially helpful right before your test. By reading these guides, you'll make sure you're in the best shape possible on test day. General ACT Strategy What You Must Bring to the ACT on Test Day In this guide, we explain exactly what you should bring (your admissions ticket, #2 pencils, lots of snacks, etc.) and what you need to leave at home (the iPhone glued to your hand, a #1 pencil, your mom). Test Day can be stressful. Make sure you’ve got the right supplies. Should You Guess on the ACT? 5 Guessing Strategies Short answer: ALWAYS GUESS ON THE ACT. For the long answer, read the strategies our experts recommend. And no, â€Å"always guessing ‘C’† did not make our list. The Best Way to Review Your Mistakes from ACT Questions In your last study time before your ACT test date, don't worry about taking another full-length practice test. Instead, review your mistakes from the past so that you can avoid them on test day. This guide tells you how you should be reviewing your mistakes to get the most out of your time. How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer If you’re looking for a top ACT score (33-36), take advice from someone who scored a 36- me. In this post, I break down all you need to know about striving for perfection on the ACT. It’s challenging, but definitely not impossible. ACT Science Strategy Time Management Tips and Section Strategy on ACT Science You can see the light at the end of the Test Day Tunnel. All that stands between you and the rest of your Saturday is the dreaded Science section (and possibly an essay, but more on that later). In this guide, we give tips on how to finish strong and within the time limit. The Only Actual Science You Have to Know for ACT Science By now, you’ve probably figured out that the ACT Science section is basically a reading test with bigger words and more technical pictures. You don’t actually have to know a lot of science in order to do well; in this guide, we’ve outlined the core topics that show up again and again in this section. ACT Reading Strategy How to Stop Running Out of Time On ACT Reading It’s not just about watching the clock on Test Day. It’s about how to maximize the time you do have. You won’t learn to speed read by Saturday, but our experts have outlined strategies to buy you time on test day. ACT Math Strategy The 31 Critical ACT Math Formulas You MUST Know You’ve probably memorized hundreds of formulas in math classes. Whether or not you remember them†¦ Well, that’s a different story. In this guide, we review the 31 formulas you must know in order to ace ACT Math. How to Stop Running Out of Time on ACT Math On test day, you’ll have 60 minutes to answer 60 math questions. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that this will be challenging. Luckily, PrepScholar experts have outlined the top strategies for taking advantage of every second. ACT English Strategy The Complete Guide to ACT Grammar We’re not going to lie. It’s a long guide, but every single question you’ll face in the ACT English section will be based on this material. How can you not read it? ACT Writing Strategy How to Write an ACT Essay: Step by Step Example Writing a cohesive essay in 40 minutes sounds impossible, but our experts have broken it down into an easy-to-remember, step-by-step process. Practice this at least once or twice before test day to make sure you’ve got it down. ACT Writing Tips: 15 Strategies to Raise Your Score In this guide, we’ve outlined what ACT wants you to know about the Writing section, some secrets they’d rather not share, and a step-by-step process that can definitely help you improve your writing score. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Why does ADHD impact academic performance and what can be done to Annotated Bibliography

Why does ADHD impact academic performance and what can be done to support ADHD children in the classroom - Annotated Bibliography Example The authors are highly qualified being medical practitioners and the information are still applicable due to recency of publication. The article could therefore be cited and useful in the current study. The authors conducted a study that aimed to predict the impact of methylphenidate, a common stimulant medication used in the treatment of ADHD, in the academic performance of those diagnosed with the illness. Corkum, et. al. (2010) sought the participation of a group composed of 85 children with ADHD and measured the effect of other variables (current and amount of medication used, academic support, age, sex and IQ levels) on academic performance. Over a 12-month period, the results revealed that â€Å" neither medication nor academic supports significantly predict academic achievement over and above the covariates of baseline performance and IQ† (Corkum, McGonnell, & Schachar, 2010, p. 1). The contents of the article are relevant for the current study in identifying crucial factors that influence academic performance of children with ADHD. With the article being most recently published, the results are viable and credible to support contentions for the current study. The author proffered pertinent issues relative to various medical and psychological interventions that assist children with ADHD in improving academic performance. Implications for educational practice include reconceptualization of ADHD and the need to change education practices. Despite the concise information provided, the article contained significant information in terms of academic support and improving executive function. With the exemplary competence and qualifications of the author and the applicability of data being published fairly recently in 2007, this article could be cited as useful in the current study. The site presented information reporting the recent findings of a study conducted by Lee Thompson, the Chair of Case Western Reserve Universitys