Ground Rules Essay

â€Å"Ground Rules are boundaries, rules and conditions within which learners can safely work and learns†. (Gravells A, 2010). This above definition explains that all learners require boundaries and rules within which to work. These must be made very clear and early on in the course; these terms could be set by organisation and/or produced by the tutor himself. In fact setting ground rules will help everyone know their limits. Learners like routine and will expect tutor to be organised and professional. â€Å"Ground rules articulate a set of expected behaviours for classroom conduct. They can be set by the instructor or created by the students themselves (some people believe that students adhere more to ground rules they have played a role in creating)†. (Carnegie Mellon, 2005). These rules must be shaped as soon as possible to help maintain order, underpin behaviour and promote respect. They should lead to a set of guidelines regarding acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and set clear boundaries within which to work. If they are not set, problems may occur which could disrupt the session and lead to misunderstandings. The instructor should explain the purpose to ensure that discussions are spirited and passionate without descending into argumentation, to ensure that everyone is heard, to ensure that participants work together toward greater understanding rather than contribute disjointed pieces. Some instructors ask students to sign a contract based on the ground rules; others simply discuss and agree to the ground rules informally. It is important for instructors to remind students of these ground rules periodically, particularly if problems occur (for example, students cutting one another off in discussion or making inappropriate personal comments). Instructors should also be sure to hold students accountable to these rules, for example, by exacting a small penalty for infractions (this can be done in a lighthearted way, perhaps by asking students who violate the rules to contribute a quid to a class party fund), by factoring conduct during discussions into a participation grade for the course, or by pulling aside and talking to students whose conduct violates the agreed-upon rules. 2. Establish Ground Rules: Classroom management and discipline can make or break a teacher. Even the most knowledgeable teachers can struggle with maintaining an effective and orderly learning environment.   Setting ground rules and consequences early, practicing procedures and enforcing rules consistently can contribute to a teacher’s educational success. Often problems arise with students because of unclear expectations about your role as a tutor and about their role as a student and a member of the class. Establishing expectations or ground-rules at the beginning of semester can help clarify these expectations and help in maintaining a good working relationship between you and the group, individual students, and among the students themselves. 2.1 Setting up the Rules: To set ground rules for student activities a behaviour code which all the class will agree with it. This helps to create feelings of trust when beginning to address the feelings the students may have when thinking and talking about the emotive problem. Getting the students to generate the ground rules themselves can also help to establish rules that will be more likely to be kept by the group, as students will feel like tutor trusted and valued their perspectives. A set of ground rules can be a helpful tool when having to deal with difficult situations at a later date. For example, if some students are dominating discussion or behaving inappropriately, being able to refer back to the ground rules that the students themselves negotiated can be quite powerful in getting back control of the class. It’s also quite useful to review the ground rules during the semester, to get feedback from students on how they think things are going, if there are any rules that aren’t working or any rules that should be added. Some possible ways to generate a set of ground rules with the learners include the following: (1) Use pyramiding to get students thinking about their expectations and what they would like as ground rules. First, ask students to think about (and write down) what kind of expectations they would like set for the group on their own, then after a couple of minutes, they turn to their partner and share their ideas, and then each pair joins with another pair and this group of 4 shares ideas and negotiates a common set of ideas. After a few minutes (say 5 – 10 minutes), ask one member of each group to report back to the whole class and you write each idea on the board. Once a set of expectations/rules has been generated, discuss the list with the class, clarifying if needed and making changes (if appropriate). (2) Start with a short list of rules and expectations that you have created, project this on an overhead projector (OHP) or write on the board, and ask the learners to form small groups (around 4 students) and discuss the list, do they agree, is anything missing, etc? Then ask each group to feed back to whole learners their comments. This then works in a similar way to the last part of pyramiding. (3) Ground rules can also be set up by having a group discussion. It is best to have the ground rules mutually agreed so that both tutor and learner has an opportunity to put their views forward and they must be doable. Once everyone’s views are considered, a set of rules that suit everyone can be designed. Learners are more likely to be committed and adherent to these rules and less likely to be broken, since they were designed by the group itself. After ground rules are agreed, they will have to be written down and distributed to every member of the classroom, and a copy will be displayed in a visible place in the classroom, all through the length of the course. Also it has to be agreed among in the learners how the tutor will react if rules are broken. Learners have to be warned, as to what actions will be taken and disciplinary procedures made aware which will be different for each institution. This will create a safe and respectful environment in which all participants will have the opportunity to benefit from the learning experience. 3. Appropriate Examples of Ground Rules: 3.1 Examples: Each and every learner is different when it comes to behaviours and respect for others. So agreements have to be made about expected behaviour in the classroom. Ground rules are mutually agreed arrangements between the tutors and the learners, which ensure that the views and needs of all learners are valued and appreciated. It helps learning, easy in the classroom. Learners need to know what the teacher expects from them and what they can expect from the teacher during the course. They need to know where the boundaries lie and what will happen if they step over the boundaries. These rules have to be established by thinking carefully, expressing clearly and enforcing consistently. Ground rules can be set either by the tutor, or by the learner or by the tutor and learners together. Here are some examples of Ground rules: * Listen actively and attentively. * Ask for clarification if you are confused. * Do not interrupt one another. * Challenge one another, but do so respectfully. * Critics ideas, not people. * Do not offer opinions without supporting evidence. * Avoid put-downs (even humorous ones). * Take responsibility for the quality of the discussion. * Build on one another’s comments; work toward shared understanding. * Always have your book/readings in front of you. * Do not monopolize discussion. * Speak from your own experience, without generalizing. * If you are offended by anything said during discussion, acknowledge it immediately. * Consider anything that is said in class strictly confidential. * Everyone will be on time. * Respect each other’s point of view. * Listen to each other, and don’t interrupt when another person is speaking. * Don’t criticise or ‘put down’ another person. * Come prepared for each class. * Turn off mobile phones. * Behave Seriously. * No Violence. * Helps other so everybody can enjoy the lesson. 4. Setting Ground Rules to promote respect for others: Well-defined rules in the classroom can prevent many behavioural difficulties. When learners are involved in the development of the rules, they are more likely to adhere to them and understand why they have been put into place. â€Å"Ground rules are boundaries, rules, and conditions within which learners can safely work and learn. If they are followed, they should promote respect for others and ensure the sessions run smoothly†. (A.Gravells, 2008) So agreements have to be made about expected behaviour in the session. Ground rules are mutually agreed arrangements between the tutors and the learners, which ensure that the views and needs of all learners are valued and appreciated. It helps learning, easy in the session. Learners need to know what the tutor expects from them and what they can expect from the tutor during the course. They need to know where the boundaries lie and what will happen if they step over the boundaries. These rules have to be established by thinking carefully, expressing clearly and enforcing consistently. Ground rules can be set either by the tutor, or by the learner or by the tutors and learners together. Ground rules can be set up by having a group discussion. It is best to have the ground rules mutually agreed so that both tutor and students have an opportunity to put their views forward and they must be doable. Once everyone’s views are considered, a set of rules that suit everyone can be designed. Learners are more likely to be committed and adherent to these rules and less likely to be broken, since they were designed by the group itself. It will instil positive discipline and maximise learning since the rules were set up with them and not enforced. As a tutor, ground rules will be to ensure that tutor will be fully prepared for the session, be punctual with start and finishing times for each session and make sure markings are completed in time. Tutor must make sure not to put down anyone, encourage the learners, assist in team work, help with course completion, be professional and honest, be non-judgemental and will have interactive teaching and no politics. Learners must have to decide on their ground rules like, respect for others, punctuality, confidentiality, honesty, equality of opportunity, learn and listen, no interruption, mobile phones off, no abusive language, self-control, no politics. After ground rules are agreed, they will have to be written down and distributed to every member of the classroom, and a copy will be displayed in a visible place in the classroom, all through the length of the course. Also it has to be agreed in the class how the tutor will react if rules are broken. Learners have to be warned, as to what actions will be taken and disciplinary procedures made aware which will be different for each institution. This will create a safe and respectful environment in which all participants will have the opportunity to benefit from the learning experience. Conclusion: This assignment focus on the ground rules between the tutor and learner. It defines some general ground rules between them, ways to establish and setting up in that way so it could promote respect for other learners. As I have already defined that Ground rules are the boundaries and conditions in which a learner can work and learn safely so these rules should be be established at the beginning of a course, and the tutor should explain the purpose they serve to ensure that discussions are spirited and passionate without descending into argumentation. It is vitally important point behind the ground rules that we could provide safe learning environment which promote respect for among the learner. At the end of this assignment, I conclude that these ground rules are the basic rules which create harmonious and safe environment during session, avoid the disaster situations and create a respective feelings for each other.

A Strategic Analysis of GE Healthcare Essay

GE Healthcare is a unit of the wider General Electric Company. It has a global orientation, employing more than 46, 000 staff committed to serving healthcare professionals and patients in over 100 countries. It is headquartered in the United Kingdom (UK)-the first GE business segment outside the United States. It has a turnover of approximately $ 17 billion. The headquarters hosts GE healthcare corporate offices as well as finance, sales, global sourcing departments, X-Ray marketing, manufacturing, design and shipping. The finance and sales departments at the headquarters handle GE Healthcare’s high level decisions, but each modality often has its own similar departments. The global sourcing department handles all purchasing for the firm. GE Healthcare provides a variety of products services namely Technologies in medical imaging, diagnostics in medicine, systems for monitoring patients, solutions for improving performance, discovering drugs, and technologies to manufacture bi opharmaceuticals. It also provides X-Ray products which include; radiography, fluoroscopy, vascular, cardiology, and the Mobile C-Arm machine. At present, GE Healthcare has six major business units; Global Diagnostic Imaging Unit: with its headquarters in the US, its business includes; digital mammography, X-ray services, Magnetic Resonance, Computed Tomography and technologies in Molecular Imaging. Integrated IT Solutions (IITS). Also headquartered in Barrington USA, IITS offers solutions in clinical and monetary information technologies, such as IT Products and service for departments, systems for picture Archiving and Communications, Information System solutions in Radiology and Cardiovascular in addition to practices and systems for managing revenue cycles. Medical Diagnostics Business Unit. This is headquartered in USA and its business includes; Researches in Medical Diagnostics, manufacturing and marketing imaging agents used in medical scanning techniques to view human body organs and tissues. Clinical Systems Unit. Also Headquartered in the US, this business offers a variety of healthcare services and technological solutions for medical officers and managers of healthcare systems. These include; Ultrasound, technologies for monitoring patients, bone densitometry, incubators, respiratory care and management of anesthesia. GE Healthcare Life Sciences Unit. This is headquartered in Sweden. It produces technologies for discovering drugs, biopharmaceutical manufacturing and cellular technologies. This division also manufactures equipment for the purifying biopharmaceuticals. GE Healthcare Surgery Business Unit. This division offers equipment and technologies for surgical care interventions, cardiac, systems and technologies for diagnostic monitoring, systems and data management technologies, to systems for mobile fluoroscopic imaging, instrumentations on 3D visual systems and navigation. Its headquarters are in Utah, USA, GE Healthcare has offices in different parts of the world. It also has primary regional operation centers in Paris, Japan, and India. (GE Healthcare Website; Retrieved December 2010) Business Strategy and Organizational Structure Analysis The world business environment is constantly changing, presenting new opportunities and challenges. This calls for competitive strategies in order to remain competitive. This section evaluates the opportunities and challenges presented by GE Healthcare organizational structure. In the Financial Year (FY) ending December 2007, the company recorded revenues of $16, 997 million; an increase of 2.7% over 2006. The operating profit was $3,056 million in 2007; drop of 2.7% from 2006. This GE business unit recorded revenues of $16,015 million, during the Financial Year (FY) ended December 2009. This reflected a decrease of 7.9% over FY 2008. The operating profit for the FY ended December 2009 was $2,240 million a decrease of 15.1% over FY 2008. Analysts attribute to both the complex internal and external environments of the company. I evaluate this argument by undertaking a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis of the company and integrating it to the Porters Fiv e Forces Model. Internal Analysis GE healthcare is one of the best firms in leadership development. The firm’s Human Resources Department is keen in developing a strong workforce that responds to changing global needs. It employs strategically employs and motivates the best qualified talents globally. It invests more than $100 million annually on educational training and staff development. The GE Healthcare Institute provides advanced training for GEHC employees and customers. It combines Technical training, Applications and Leadership trainings. More than 70 laboratories with the latest equipment provide GE and customers world class instruction in all areas of equipment maintenance and operation. The Training in Partnership curriculum provides a full range of training programs. GE managers are considered one of the firm’s distinctive competencies and strengths. The challenge is maintaining employee motivation through better remuneration in a time of global economic meltdown and declining profits for the firm. GE Healthcare is capable of changing and constantly re-inventing itself to deal with changing business needs. Setting new standards for management, organizational design, Research and Development has been the pillar of the firm. This is evidenced by the establishment of the six distinctive business units stated above. Exploiting the resources that the firm has, this competency can be meant un-substitutable. The firm is continually innovating to develop solutions to customer changing needs. As Jeffrey Immelt stated, the firms’ employees â€Å"have an ability to live in the moment†. This quality is rare and not easily imitated. This organizational culture ensures that employees continue with innovation and development of new ideas. The firm has a global orientation, with production facilities outside the US and UK, a wider customer base, a superior brand, sales, marketing, IT and Production departments within every modality. This ensures efficiency of service within each business unit. To ensure financial accountability in outsourcing and procurement, decisions regarding this are handled by offices at the headquarters. GE Healthcare operates within the Rubric of the well known and established General Electric; this promotes sharing of management knowledge and experiences. General Electric is a well known Brand with a global touch. This strong internal structure has been at the core of the firm’s success. However Organizations function as systems, they interact and respond to the surrounding environment (Barnard 1938). This calls for an external analysis of this firm. External Analysis Competitor Analysis Analysts argue that competitors can ensure that similar firms remain productive. Though this can be healthy for consumers, small competitors and substitute product can drive giants out of the market. Siemens AG competes against GE group in communications, power, transportation, medical, and lighting industries. Siemens and HE Healthcare are most competitive in the healthcare industry. Siemens Medical Solutions happens to be largest supplier of healthcare equipment globally. Siemens AG is distinctive in its innovativeness and provision of complete solutions to its customers. Siemens is actually larger, with close to 440,000 employees, 70,000 of which are located in the U.S. Despite the fact that GE Healthcare outdoes Siemens AG in healthcare ($9.4 billion) and energy ($15.3 billion) it is a competitor that cannot be ignored. Both operate at virtually global scale. Other competitors include FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA, Inc. Hitachi Medical Corporation Nihon Kohden Corporation Schiller AG TOSHIBA Medical Systems Corporation Philips Healthcare Philips Respironics, Inc. Industry Analysis General Electric’s firms including the Healthcare unit have been analyzed using porters five forces model to determine which industry is more attractive. GE Healthcare industry is challenged by competitors and new market entrants. Consumers constantly demand low prices at a high quality leading to intensive bargaining. Retailers have to bargain with suppliers to fix the prices of their products. The GE retail industry also faces the threat of substitute products. For more on the competency strategy, SWOT analysis an the forces model see Appendix 1 and 2. Recommendations GE Healthcare already has a global orientation, large customer base. The success of GE Healthcare lies at how best it chooses its business focus. There is need to focus on a specific market niche. Too much diversification and provision of a wide variety of products may be a step forward but it can also become a mechanism for reversal. Much diversification can lead to lose of business focus. It is evident that new technology and the creation of a global virtual market offer an opportunity for the firm to grow its business. African and some Asian markets are still virgins to the firm. There is need to identify and exploit this business markets. Where favorable, establish production facilities. Advertising and strategic marketing remains a superior option to strengthen the firm’s brand identity. With increasing human rights concerns and demands for accountability, there is need for education and corporate social responsibility, as consumers are becoming more sensitive to scientific information. Nevertheless challenges of environmental accountability abound and cannot be ignored. Works Cited Barnard, C.I. The Functions of the Executive, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1938. Print. Barnard, C.I. Organization and Management: Selected Papers, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 1948. Print. Brady, Diane. GE: When Execs Outperform the Stock. Business Week 17 Apr. 2006. Goel Sanjay et al .General Electric: Strategic Management.

Applied Nostalgia Essay Research Paper Applied Nostalgia

Applied Nostalgia Essay, Research Paper Applied Nostalgia # 8211 ; A Parental Look Back Without past memories, Americans lack a criterion to establish present conditions upon. These memories lie carefully shuffled and categorized in the elephantine shifter called the encephalon to crudely come close the present criterion of life. They hope to pull satisfaction and fulfilment in the patterned advance of the quality of their and particularly their kids # 8217 ; s lives. This innate desire to compare the yesteryear to the present thrusts personal and political determinations, particularly conservativists who advocate a alteration to the policies and values of the yesteryear. Today, the bleached memories of an emerging group of parents of their post-World War II upbringing, like cherished household dinners around the kitchen oak tabular array and careless jaunts into town, against a sensed modern background haze of random force, day of the month colza, and individual parent families, turned a group of parent # 8217 ; s Black Marias and heads to the water under the bridge 1950s. They hope to resuscitate their cherished childhood memories. The Medveds, parental writers, recall their upbringing: # 8220 ; The adult females enjoyed being place for the childs # 8221 ; and # 8220 ; equals came over for hoops and homemade lemonade # 8221 ; ( Paul 64 ) . Shalit, writer of Tax return to Modesty: A Lost Virtue remembers when past adult females helped around the community and raised their kids with a alone dedication ( Paul 64 ) . In the aftermath of the Colorado school slaughter such a move seems justified. Yet, even in malice of many societal ailments of our # 8220 ; dependent, sex-obsessed, morally slack and spiritually ruin society # 8221 ; ( Paul 64 ) parents remain disbelieving. of such a drastic reversal in a drastically changed clip. For now, the incredulity over the reversal to the past virtues further scrutiny before any drastic action. The parents recommending a alteration to the past promote a black nowadays and hereafter with jobs runing across the societal, political, and economic spectrum, afraid that their concerns might mirror in their childs. Adult fairy narratives that # 8220 ; matrimony will last everlastingly, sex produces merely pleasance, trueness to an establishment will be returned, and elected leaders are benevolent and wise # 8221 ; ( Paul 63 ) are to intolerable to be placed on the weak shoulders of their kids. Therefore, they shield this information from the kids. Armed with reams of statistics, particularly in the bead the figure of atomic household places in the United States ( Two 1 ) , they present a just instance for the reversal to the rearing manner of the aging babe boomer population. An uncomplete list of their claimed ailments includes individual parent families, an excessively demanding work environment, inflow of unwanted media, and the feminist motion. Fatherlessness, as David Blackhord president of Institute for American values points out, is the most harmful demographic tendency of our coevals # 8230 ; and the taking cause of worsening child wellbeing in our society. It is besides the engine driving our most pressing societal jobs, from offense, to adolescent gestation, to sexual maltreatment, to domestic force against adult females. The grounds is now strong that the absence of male parents from the lives of kids is one of the most of import causes [ of the above jobs ] ( UCSF 1 ) In one augmenting survey performed by the University of California at San Francisco on California # 8217 ; s household make-up reported that 20 per centum of kids under age 18s are presently raised by a individual grownup. Accusative fingers of these nostalgic parents turn like an vindictive hinged gate from household construction to the work environment, mentioning statistics on the economic troubles that modern employers cause, or on personal compulsions with work that deters from the boundlessly more of import occupation at place. # 8220 ; With parents trapped in devouring occupations, they leave their childs to fend for themselves # 8221 ; ( West 2 ) . The type of work and work environment changed in the last few decennaries with the coming of new engineerings and force per unit area on employers to cut costs. Harmonizing to the parents and research workers who advocate a reversal to the yesteryear, the modern work environment is besieged with jobs. Decreases in existent rewards, corporate retrenchment and the surcease of the # 8216 ; company adult male # 8217 ; ethos that governed American labour dealingss during the 1950s and 1960s has made it impossible for parents to give necessary clip to their kids because they have to work harder than every merely to do terminals run into ( West 1 ) . The ends of fiscal success have placed the ends of raising a child to the dorsum burner. These impersonal parents scrape up the few excess dollars to purchase the Black Marias of their kids ( McCallum 2 ) . # 8220 ; In our mercenary society, parents are more concerned about the physical things they provide their kids that about the values and wonts that prepare kids for a life on their ain # 8221 ; ( McCallum 2 ) . The 1890ss have been defined as the information age and truly so. Any person who accesses today # 8217 ; s broad assortment of electronic medium # 8211 ; computing machine, Internet, telecasting, wireless, compact discs, CD-ROMs, and interrelated libraries # 8211 ; finds ample information on any topic, irrespective of content. The nostalgic argue that when these childs contact this immense bombardment of # 8216 ; obnoxious # 8217 ; stuff without counsel from parents, the material Acts of the Apostless as a alternate female parent, reding the kids with unwanted picks. Such picks include rash force. Television permeates every countrywide family, and its wavering visible radiation is the de facto baby-sitter for overworked and underpaid parents, who frequently have to back up the household without the partner nowadays. Their version of a modern parent falls victim to the media # 8217 ; s concealed messages. The media portrays pas in defaulter ways that do non reflect on existent parents. In films like the Shining, the male parent was an opprobrious alky and blame music epitomizes hapless illustrations of defaulter pas and their cleft addicted individual female parents. As a consequence female parents are more probably to ditch their fellow of hubby for individual parentage convinced they will raise the kid in a better environment without the male parent. In decision, # 8220 ; what you have is an full-scale war on parents, the consequence of which is finally the diminution of civic virtuousness and the overall public assistance of the state # 8221 ; ( Schaffer 2 ) . Taging along with the nostalgia motion is a new adult females # 8217 ; s motion that tries to change by reversal the effects of the first ( Paul 64 ) . Shalit, in her book Returning to Modesty: Detecting the Lost Virtue, points out that the societal patterned advances has left adult females is poorer status than before the motion started ( Paul 64 ) . Our female parents tell us we shouldn # 8217 ; t want to give up all the hard-won # 8216 ; additions # 8217 ; they nave bequeathed us, and we think: what additions? Sexual torment, day of the month colza, slaking, eating upsets, all those drab hook-ups? Or possibly it # 8217 ; s the great addition of divorce you had in head. ( Paul 64 ) The branchings, at least to these supervising parents, of life in the current structured rearing environment of the United States is huge and include an addition in the rate of offense, teenage gestations, drugs, colza, divorce, hapless relationships, and maltreatment. Those with a # 8220 ; proper # 8221 ; upbringing, a hopelessly indefinable and impossibly Utopian word, commit less violent Acts of the Apostless. The pivoting branching, and a cardinal pivot for both this paper and the emerging nostalgia motion is the possible loss of # 8220 ; artlessness # 8221 ; . Artlessness to advocates peers the deficiency of harming kids ( oppositions deny the happening ) by cutting kids # 8217 ; s exposure to all grownup stuff. The word grownup is non used in the traditional pornographic sense, but as a general class specifying all information that the mean kid should non know. This includes such subjects as sex, matrimony, work, and force. Now, as information quickly increases, the haste to protect childs from this entrance blow additions. Today artlessness, the stray and lit room in a sign of the zodiac of desperation, could be defined as an flight from the informational age. Open the door, and the visible radiation ( artlessness ) escapes, everlastingly departed. Knowledge is powerful material ; that # 8217 ; s why we keep it off from little kids. And its shy we must maintain some of it for ourselves. In careless of unscrupulous custodies, cognition is unsafe and the inexperienced person are powerless to oppose it ( Paul 65 ) . A few grownups are even going sick of the sum of information: # 8220 ; Our clip # 8217 ; s tree of cognition is so heavy with apples that we # 8217 ; ve adult sick of savoring them # 8221 ; ( Paul 65 ) . The Medveds, writers of Salvaging Childhood: Protecting Our Child From the Natural Assault on Innocence, say # 8220 ; the secrets of maturity are rough, morbid, oppressive, and seamy, # 8221 ; conveying nil but # 8220 ; duties, problems, loads and the potency for depression and somberness # 8221 ; ( Paul 64 ) and Shalit says the loss of artlessness causes most immature adult females # 8217 ; s jobs including eating upsets and disappointing relationships. Jeffery Schwartz sums up the statement: artlessness is # 8220 ; the highest of human achievements # 8221 ; and # 8220 ; the specifying grade of those who have achieved echt triumph in confronting life # 8217 ; s countless challenges # 8221 ; ( Paul 64 ) . Many of the implicit in jobs remain changeless throughout the decennary, including guaranting that the household had a sensible criterion of life, taking attention of their kids # 8217 ; s growing and development, and keeping their committedness to the partners they swore to stay with until after decease, ( West 1 ) yet the mean American household today can non run into these new load. The consequence? Just pick a job and fill in the space. An sum of these aforementioned jobs may be rightly deserved, but without a comparing to the past so the present conditions can non be analyzed. Each decennary is shaped by a series of events that frequently dictate the result of the ensuing socioeconomic conditions. An probe begins with an speculative expression into the events taking up the fiftiess. The 1950s were an sole merchandise of the great depression and World War II. The great depression hit America like an oppressive summer heat moving ridge, a changeless baleful presence of uncomfortableness which is utterly ineluctable. Unemployment rose quickly as occupation net incomes decreased quickly, thrusting households into terrible economic adversity, unquotable in America # 8217 ; s history. So, as with any unnatural circumstance, worlds compensated. Peoples became overzealous fiscal rescuers. Every cent was spend on the bare necessities of life. Merely a few had the money to pass on otiose points ( Raasch ) . World War II brought Americans out of the great depression. From the dust-covered soil bowl to the harrying meat bombers euphemistically called the frontlines, trudged a line of immature soldiers dripping with thoughts and bravery, both of which would be viciously tested. At place adult females entered the work force to back up their boies and hubbies across seas. With postings like # 8220 ; Rosie the Riviter # 8221 ; spurring on the hardworking advocates at place, adult females diligently assembled much of the machinery that finally made its manner over to Europe ( Raasch ) . These adult females began to roll up money, but were unable and unwilling to pass it, due to war deficits and preservation of popular goods and the ideals necessarily left over from the Great Depression. Alternatively, households across the United States began to roll up nest eggs ( Raasch ) . World War Two revitalized the American economic system. Removed geographically from the snake pit overseas and the old ages of painful rehabilitation of the landscapes, political systems, and economic systems, the war scarred United States plunged lustfully into work. Factories proliferated like fruit flies across the state, and citizens trailed the growing, forcing America into the most powerful economic force in the universe ( Raasch ) . Fiscal security allowed adult females for the first clip in several decennaries to remain place and raise the household planned during the adversity. Womans could and did remain place with childs during that decennary # 8211 ; the resources existed for this. Women besides found that with the return of the work forces, most occupations were replaced by work forces. Womans did non yet have the societal backup to go on in the typical male dominated occupations ( Raasch ) . So far, an about post card perfect image. However, the 1950s, despite this frontage of cloud nine, hid immense vesiculation jobs that overcome the 1990s troubles and for good cloud over the coevals. Adolescents formed immense packs. A scenario plays our beautifully in the Movie Matinee as a pack terrorizes the town, over a background of missiles pointed at the Untied States from Cuba. The film is upseting because this film is a diversion of an existent event ( Matinee ) . Following World War II, Americans fell into the cold war. The cold war lacked the unfastened combat and bloodshed ; alternatively the cold war stirred a changeless background emphasis. Nuclear arms proliferated exponentially in Russia and the United States, and the respective leaders wove them around trusting the other state would endorse down. Alternatively both the United States and Russia pulled new engineering from their pocketbooks and coercing the other to reciprocate ( Raasch ) . As the engineering race continued, Americans geared for the wake and tried non to think of the inevitable, arrant, and complete obliteration of both the United States and the USSR. Families spent weekends constructing a bomb shelter. Schools sporadically held pattern drills where childs slipped under their desks, doubtless all inquiring how the thin sheet of plyboard over their caputs would salvage them from the devastation of the atomic bomb, a bomb that in Japan reduced great buildings to crumbles and threw the lasting shadows of ashen-reduced people onto walls ( Raasch ) . Meanwhile in the South a civil rights conflict loomed as inkinesss, tired of the apartheid imposed by the Ku Klux Klan ( KKK ) and mean white citizens struggled to derive equal rights, a warrant under the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the fundamental law. Most minorities struggled with subjugation in a white male dominated society, an frequently unmarked status in the desire to exchange back to the fiftiess ( Raasch ) . Advancement to 1999, the last twelvemonth before the nothing axial rotation about on the Christian calendar # 8217 ; s mileometer. Crime still besieges society, albeit of a different type, and the atomic household prevalence decreased. In the past decennary Americans endured terrorist onslaughts and infinite school shots. I one opens the newspaper, the calamities spill Forth. However, in visible radiation of the jobs of the 1950s the charge sparks, an apocalypse non. The 1950s and the 1990s are utterly and wholly d ifferent. The 1950s was a post-war clip, where absolutely unreproducible affects kept ma at place. The 1990s is a engineering loaded information society, where media pries into corners and brings jobs into greater visible radiation including force, colza, birth control, and AIDS. The sum of atomic households decreased ( Two 1 ) , yet the cause for the dissolve of the household outweighs the troubles, the equalisation of adult females in the work force. No thirster do female parents trust on the male # 8217 ; s income, they can last on their ain. Their ties of aid flutter free and the American adult females becomes free since the American ideals put forth in the fundamental law. These new freedoms allow adult females to interrupt free of restricting and bad matrimonies and venture into traditionally male functions. Crime evidently is a challenge to modern politicians. The job states itself clearly from the bold type decorating the front lines of newspapers countrywide. Our troubles are now. Yet when reexamining the yesteryear, the media is non invariably reminding us of it. The repeat of stuff does lodge in our caput, like the unerasable dad vocal trailing about in our caputs. The force and maltreatment still existed, nevertheless in the 1950s mass media had non expanded to its current size. Modern statistics of colza, kid maltreatment and other domestic jobs are higher in portion because of the deficiency of instruction on these social ailments. Today more instances are reported to governments, thanks to instruction from this # 8220 ; evil # 8221 ; media. Yes, these atrocious jobs were present, merely hidden from the memories of modern naysayers. Demographics reveal that Americans grow up in progressively diverse households. For a tendency probably to go on in the hereafter, and that harmonizing to some is a # 8220 ; irreversible historical fact the household diverseness is here to remain, # 8221 ; ( Schaffer 3 ) such onslaughts hurt diverse households and the kids whose kids face small sick consequence from the modern-day upbringing. Many sociologists argue that # 8220 ; Family values runs put individual parent households unjustly second-rate or best # 8221 ; ( Schaffer 1 ) . Using the same method for which they are so vehemently opposed ( aggregate media ) , many conservative organisations campaign on behalf of the supposed high quality of married-couple atomic households, flourishing all other sorts of households mediocre # 8211 ; or worse ( Schaffer 1 ) Quality is much more of import than gender construction, non whether a house contains a adult male, adult females, girl, boy, three Carassius auratus, and a aureate lab named Max. # 8220 ; However good intended and appealing, most of the claims made by household values reformers are blatantly faithlessly every bit good as destructive # 8221 ; ( Schaffer 1 ) . A high struggle matrimony is more detrimental to a kid than a divorce, yet these groups urge parents to remain together at all costs. Consequences come from a Kaiser Permanete survey show that 68 per centum of # 8220 ; youth extremely exposed to safety menaces lived in two parent places # 8221 ; ( Shaffer 2 ) . If the young person was to be separated from such jobs, so they have a better opportunity for success. This assault endangers childs by advancing parental struggle, devastation, and fraud ( Schaffer 2 ) . If the accusals were merited in difficult informations, so their rhetoric deserves much attending. However, right now, small grounds points either manner. The information they base their campaigns on is inconclusive, as this sociologist said. As a sociologist, I can certify there is perfectly no consensus among societal scientists on household values, on the high quality of the heterosexual atomic household, or on the supposed evil effects of fatherlessness. The claim that integral two-parent households are inherently superior remainders entirely on the abuse of statistics and on the most simple societal scientific discipline wickednesss # 8211 ; portraying correlativities as though there were causes, disregarding mediating factors, and treated little, overlapping differences as gross and absolute ( Schaffer 2,3 ) A losing male parent is non the apocalypse some suggest. In a Kaiser survey, 44 per centum of troubled teens talk to their female parent ; 26 per centum to monsters ; and merely 10 per centum talk to their male parents. A losing individual, while still perchance impacting the kid, has non the raved impact ( Schaffer 1 ) . # 8220 ; Poverty and unemployment can more faithfully predict who will get married, divorce, or commit or endure domestic or societal force than can the best toned step of values yet devised # 8221 ; ( Schaffer 3 ) . Harping on the high quality of married biological parents and the immoralities of fatherlessness injures kids and parents in a broad array of modern-day households, including those with homosexual or sapphic parents # 8221 ; ( Schaffer 3 ) . These parents desiring to travel back to the 1950s clasp these few treasures of the 1950s coal pile in their custodies and wish life could be like the epitomized dreams the memories have become. Absent from these treasures is the pecking idea of the absence of minority and black rights, the changeless fright of decease, the inability of adult females to secure a occupation in male dominated occupations, and the old hurting of World War II and the great depression. Obviously the work environment changed. More adult females are in the work force, both for the enjoyment of work and to back up their childs. Their types of occupations have changed as the old barriers that kept them from modern-day male dominated occupations have been outlawed. Companies, due to increasing outside and inside force per unit area, have restructured the work environment for maximal net income, an action that is non inherently bad. Maximal net incomes besides comes through employee trueness and dedication, both of which take enterprise on the employers portion to supply the worker with a positive work environment. Most parents, unlike claims, do non get away into work from the household. In an Ohio Study 66 % per centum of respondents said that work is non a alleviation from household and 86 % said they wanted to pass more clip with the household. 77 % of respondents were more # 8220 ; fulfilled at place # 8221 ; and 90 % were happier. Obviously work is non a alleviation from household ( U of C 1 ) . The conditions of the 1990s are different non worse ; returning to the 1950s is an absurd misconception. The 1950s was neer perfect, the lone household that was perfect was the Television situation comedy households, who existed merely in Hollywood. If this is true, than they fall for the really same error they reprimand modern society for, ideals and Television. Despite mundane jobs, the conditions that the mean kid has improved, non diminished. The societal ailments that might hold resulted from the alterations far outweigh the disadvantages. This action is possible but the stairss required to change by reversal society to the 1950s situation comedy would be boundlessly immense. First, extinguish any kind of modern communications devices: a computing machine, facsimile machine, electronic mail, beeper # 8211 ; points the advocators say cause the loss of artlessness. Second, present the changeless force per unit area of obliteration. Third, extinguish the additions in adult females # 8217 ; s rights and minority rights. Fourth, extinguish the modern presence of the media that piece can be rough for many kids does assist convey forth ailments and supply childs with instruction into maturity. Those parents who keep their childs sanctioned from # 8220 ; the existent universe # 8221 ; face the troubles of taking their childs from a radically different outside universe. A few parents view that kids should be kept free from the presence of any kind of harmful media. While they doubtless they feel that their kid is protected from injury, these parents fail to recognize the ailments when they release an uneducated kid into the universe. For protecting against colza, and other offense, instruction is the biggest bar. Educating kids about these jobs and the motivations behind such actions does necessitate overprotective parents to dig into the forbidden field of sexual instruction. The nostalgic say that kids are unready for any kind of trial. Information desensitizes childs # 8211 ; no thirster is right and incorrect presented in either a smiling or a spanking. Without clear way and parental authorization at place, these nostalgic parents warn that kids will turn up to an grownup who can non state right from incorrect. The emerging books from writers like Shalit, who is non even a sociologist, necessarily harm kids. # 8220 ; These books have a more insidious message: they equate artlessness with ignorance # 8221 ; ( Paul 62 ) . A parent excessively affecting themselves in a kid # 8217 ; s life is a hapless pick, frequently taking to rebellious as the kid tries to get away from the bounds placed on him or her. Impacts do be by taking a child from outside resources. If a kid is guided though reading of # 8216 ; grownup # 8217 ; knowledge the kid will beready to manage the outside universe. Frequently those like Wendy Shalit # 8220 ; misidentify the recognition of colza for its happening and chooses the illusive security of ignorance over the ambiguous wagess of world # 8221 ; . Womans who reject artlessness will # 8220 ; derive a field of vision free from the modern equivalents of powered whiffs and sunshades and downcast ciliums # 8221 ; ( Paul 65 ) Educated kids fare better when released into the universe: they have taken the first measure. When a protected kid is released into the outside universe, they have non had the rational preparation to manage the jobs grownups must confront. Plus, overprotective parents frequently have to cover with the rebellion of their childs, a rather dry consequence when the kid delves merrily into the mayhem which the parents tried so difficult to protect the kid against. The Medveds merely let six hours of G rated videos per hebdomad, the oldest kid can non read a book after 1960, and any kind of piquing stuff is turned off. # 8220 ; Should the intelligence come on during the household # 8217 ; s Sunday drives, the lb parents recount, # 8216 ; our kids instantly beg us to turn off the wireless, # 8217 ; lest they hear something that # 8216 ; spoils ther contentment # 8217 ; and when a haunting vocal from the soundtrack of showboat [ plays ] , their girls scream # 8220 ; fast forward! fast frontward! # 8221 ; because they # 8220 ; wouldn # 8217 ; t even see wordss that predict unhappiness or problem on the skyline # 8217 ; # 8221 ; ( Paul 64 ) . Last, cognition will be with us ; better acquire used to it. In the information age one can non get away the bombardment and why should they? Equally long as a parent is at that place to steer a kid cognition can be a fantastic thing. This essay does non understate the importance of parents ; they remain every bit indispensable as of all time. However to boldly state that society diminished is a sentiment rooted in half forgotten memories. Today there is so much more for a kid to larn and make, and every kid has an equal opportunity to achieve these ends. To return back to the 1950s is a end stemming from defeat of a coevals of parents, a defeat that while frequently justified, is non solvable with a blind spring to an American civilization every bit different as the 1850s to the 1900s. So allow the action halt where most grandparents halt: # 8220 ; life was better when I was a kid # 8221 ; . Undoubtedly today # 8217 ; s current coevals will be stating the same thing excessively. Boes # 8220 ; Convention on the Rights of the Child # 8221 ; America # 8212 ; America Child Rights Boes.org Gardner, Geroge E. The Emerging Personality: Infancy Through Adolescence New York: Delacorte Press, 1970. McCallum, Albert A. # 8220 ; Who Will Raise the Children # 8221 ; Prostitutes, Margarine, and Handguns. 15 Apr. 1999 Orwell, George. # 8220 ; A Child # 8217 ; s Life # 8221 ; A Collection of Essaies. Sand Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1946. Paul, Annie M. # 8220 ; The New Age on innocence. # 8221 ; Psychology Today. April 1999: 62-66 Schaffer, Scott. # 8220 ; Bad Review: The War Against Parents # 8221 ; Rev. of The War Against Parents by Sylvia Ann Hewlett and Cornel Stacey, Judith. # 8220 ; The Father Fixation # 8221 ; In the Name of the Family: Rethinking Family Valuess in a Postmodern Age 5 May 1999 Raasch, Brian. Personal Interview. 14 Apr. 1998 West. 1 Nov. 1998 Bad Subjects: Political Education for Everyday Life. 13 Apr. 1999 UCSF # 8220 ; The California Work and Health Survey # 8212 ; 1998 Story # 2: The State of Working Parents in California Graphic Summary for Publication September 8, 1998. # 8221 ; 8 Sept. 1998 University of California at San Fransisco. 12 Apr. 1998 U of C # 8220 ; May 8, 1998 Release From the Survey of Ohio # 8217 ; s Working Families: New Family and Work Survey at University of Cincinnati Fund Family is Where the Heart is. # 8221 ; University of Cincinnati/The Kunz Center for the Study of Work and Family 9 Apr. 1998 White, Burton L. The First Years of Life. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1975. shapeType20lineWidth22225lineColor13948116fShadow1shadowOffsetX0shadowOffset Y-12700shadowOriginY32385 Bibliography Boes # 8220 ; Convention on the Rights of the Child # 8221 ; America # 8212 ; America Child Rights Boes.org Cullen, Loanda # 8220 ; Confronting the Myths of Single Parenting # 8221 ; Single Parenting in the Ninetiess 15 Apr. 1998. Champion Press. 9 April 1999 Gardner, Geroge E. The Emerging Personality: Infancy Through Adolescence New York: Delacorte Press, 1970. Gesell, Arnold, Frances L. Ilg, and Louise Bates Ames. Infant and Child in the Culture of Today: The Guidance of Development in Home and Nursery School. 1943. New York: Harper and Row, 1974. McCallum, Albert A. # 8220 ; Who Will Raise the Children # 8221 ; Prostitutes, Margarine, and Handguns. 15 Apr. 1999 Orwell, George. # 8220 ; A Child # 8217 ; s Life # 8221 ; A Collection of Essays. Sand Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1946. Paul, Annie M. # 8220 ; The New Age on innocence. # 8221 ; Psychology Today. April 1999: 62-66 Piaget, Jean. The Child and Reality: Problems of Genetic Psychology. New York: Grossman Publishers, 1973 Schaffer, Scott. # 8220 ; Bad Review: The War Against Parents # 8221 ; Rev. of The War Against Parents by Sylvia Ann Hewlett and Cornel Stacey, Judith. # 8220 ; The Father Fixation # 8221 ; In the Name of the Family: Rethinking Family Valuess in a Postmodern Age 5 May 1999 Raasch, Brian. Personal Interview. 14 Apr. 1998# 8220 ; Two Parent Families by Cultural Group: 1994 US Census Data # 8221 ; University of Virginia. 5 May 1999 West. 1 Nov. 1998 Bad Subjects: Political Education for Everyday Life. 13 Apr. 1999 UCSF # 8220 ; The California Work and Health Survey # 8212 ; 1998 Story # 2: The State of Working Parents in California Graphic Summary for Publication September 8, 1998. # 8221 ; 8 Sept. 1998 University of California at San Fransisco. 12 Apr. 1998 U of C # 8220 ; May 8, 1998 Release From the Survey of Ohio # 8217 ; s Working Families: New Family and Work Survey at University of Cincinnati Fund Family is Where the Heart is. # 8221 ; University of Cincinnati/The Kunz Center for the Study of Work and Family 9 Apr. 1998 White, Burton L. The First Years of Life. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1975.

Shipmaster Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Shipmaster Business - Assignment Example The rules are as follows (Giaschi, C2007); Dealing with letter (a), before the voyage began, the ship must be seaworthy meaning all systems including little details before the ship would have its voyage must be looked upon and be resolved in case of malfunctions and similar problems in order to ensure that the cargo ship including the goods that it transports are safe during the time of voyage as well as to comply with the expected time of arrival of the ship. In the case of the carrier ship, there are instances that the voyage master has to deviate from the planned route in order to respond from mayday due to malfunctioning of several parts particularly with the steering failure issue as the problem was addressed to the company but during those instances, the company failed to compensate the needs in which the cargo ship perhaps opted to have its voyage due to the fact that there are a lot of goods that are in need to be transported and this leads into voyage of the ship neglecting the standards that are prescribed by the said rule. If we are to further fathom the said premise, we might conclude that the ship opt to have its voyage due to the fact that there are a lot of cargo that are to be transported and time constraint is the main reason why the voyage pursue, in this case, the company has the liability on the issue of that the goods doesn't arrive on time due to re-routing as the voyage master has to declare mayday due to the malfun ctioning of the ship. In the case of the contaminated rice due to the presence of rodents on sacks which was later brought to the holds and later contaminated the goods stored in that particular case, the company has its right to invoke its exemptions on the liability on the basis stated in article II of the law. Amissah 1993, re-stated the rule under the said article as "Subject to the provisions of Article VI, under every contract of carriage of goods by sea the carrier, in relation to the loading, handling, stowage, carriage, custody, care and discharge of such goods, shall be subject to the responsibilities and liabilities and entitled to the rights and immunities hereinafter set forth." Shipmaster Business 3 Looking into the elements on the said article, in the loading stage, the person in charge in the said stage which is the second mate in which several goods has to be scanned before being boarded into the ship in order for the higher authorities in the ship to decide as to whether the goods has to be loaded or not. The second mate, have done his job relaying the sightings of the rodent in the containers containing the goods which would subsequently be a major source of contamination with other goods that are loaded within the same storage room. In relation to the fourth article in which the premises are stated much clearer than the second premise, it is stated in section 1 that (www.jus.uio.no 2007), "Neither the carrier nor the ship shall be liable for loss or damage arising or resulting

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 5 lines 17-51. How does this extract reflect the Essay

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 5 lines 17-51. How does this extract reflect the development of Macbeth's character Link this extract with the rest of the play - Essay Example After all, the witches had told him that â€Å"none of woman born shall harm Macbeth† (Act IV, scene 5, l. 80) and that â€Å"Macbeth shall never vanquishd be until/Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill/Shall come against him† (ll. 91-93). In Act V, Scene 5, however, the unthinkable happens as Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane, heralding the downfall of Macbeth. Act V, scene 5 is, as may have been deduced from the introductory paragraph, the turning point of the play, that one scene where everything comes to a head. At the outset of the scene, Macbeth orders his men to hang his banners on the castle walls, confidently expressing conviction in his own immunity, his invincibility. The castle will hold and he will not be harmed, not only because the wood can never come to the hill but because no mortal, no man of woman born, has the power to harm him. At the height of his confidence in his own immortality, however, he learns of Lady Macbeth’s death. Reality is trying to break into Macbeth’s delusions and illusions but he staves it off and, in his own way, escapes confrontation with the reality of his wife’s death: Macbeth is not acting as unfeelingly to his wife’s death as these lines would suggest. Instead, as he stands at a crossroads between mortality and immortality (will he die or will his interpretation of the prophecy prove true) he rejects the thought of immortality, of the inevitability of death. Added to that, with what he is confronting at the moment, he cannot, at the psychological and emotional levels, deal with his wife’s death. Macbeth, as evident in the two lines quoted in the preceding – in his reaction to his wife’s death, has changed. Earlier in the play, he was seemingly entirely dependant on Lady Macbeth, it was her ambition which drove him to action, and her words which mapped out the nature of his acts. He

Psychologic Disorders Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Psychologic Disorders - Case Study Example The current psychological state of the patient is due to her history of mood issues; this makes her prone to mood swings throughout the menopause period. The patient is going through the maniac state, explaining the loss of sleep, increased energy, elation, and spending. In accordance to her psychological history, this condition has persisted for sometime; bipolar disorders persist for a long period. Based on medical facts, the symptoms of menopause repeatedly persist in post- menopause phase. Vasomotor symptoms are evident and are displayed by the patient. Examples of these symptoms include; hot flashes leading to lack of sleep at night and mood changes leading to aggression- continually spending money on various items. The appropriate treatment for the patient under investigation is referral to a psychological health specialist. This approach is necessary so the medical practitioner can determine if the symptoms are due to menopause or by the psychological illness (Akiskal, & Tohen, 2011). As per the patient under evaluation, the symptoms are due to psychological illness. Medication administered to the patient is a combination of mood stabilizers and atypical antipsychotic medication. Mood stabilizers aid in stabilizing maniac symptoms, limiting risk factors like self harm and reducing future episodes. Mood stabilizer drugs include; lithium, carbamazepine, lamotrigine, topiramate, and valproate. Antipsychotic drugs and or benzodiazepine are included to the mood stabilizers so as to subside mania. Examples of antipsychotic drugs include; olanzapine, quetiapine, clozapine, risperidone, and aripiprazole. According to the maniac symptoms of the patient, clonazepam must be used to treat the maniac qualities (Suppes, Dennehy, & Suppes, 2012). The most effective treatment according to the patient’s diagnosis is supportive psychotherapy, prescribed pharmaceutical drugs, and psycho

Final examination essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Final examination - Essay Example stede’s dimensions for comparative cross-cultural studies, and they have led to many useful explanations of cross-cultural differences in consumer behavior. The main reason that may have rendered Hofstede’s useful is that these dimensions are independent. Only two dimensions are interdependent, and these are collectivism and power distance. Together with national wealth, Hofstede’s dimensions can be used to explain more than half of the differences in consumer behavior. Tompenaars’ dimensions do not show results that are as consistent as the Hofstede dimensions. The word cultura is a Latin word closely related to cultus which means cult or worship. Therefore, culture may be considered as the result of human action. According to Hofstede (2001), national culture is the broadest level of culture that a person can be a member of. People are shaped by their national culture from their early childhood through beliefs, values and assumptions inherent in it. The theory of cultural dimensions is central to the study of consumer behavior across the world especially in analyzing the effect of culture on consumer behavior. The Theory of Cultural Dimensions was introduced in 1980 by Geert Hofstede. This theory was based on his study of cultural solutions to organizational problems involving 117,000 employees at IBM in 40 countries. According to Hofstede (2001), the individualism dimension describes the relations between the individual and the collectivity that exists in a given society. His dimension represents a society that has loose ties between ind ividuals. Individualistic countries stress the importance of human independence, and individual liberty and self-reliance. Individualists promote the unrestricted exercise o individual goals and desires. Mooij (2010) terms power distance as the degree to which less influential members of the public admit that power is unevenly distributed. In the world, there are both high-power and low-power distance cultures.

Portfolio of Seven Case Briefs on Different Business Law Topics Essay

Portfolio of Seven Case Briefs on Different Business Law Topics - Essay Example Reeder-Simco is a business entity that acts as a Volvo dealer in Fort Smith, Arkansas. In February of 2000, it filed suit against Volvo on the allegation that its (Reeder’s) sales and profits declined due to Volvo’s price discrimination practices. Reeder-Simco alleges that Volvo offered to other dealers price concessions that were significantly more favorable than those given to Reeder-Simco. Thus, it filed suit against Volvo for allegedly violating the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), which prohibits forms of discriminatory pricing that reduce competition. On this basis, Reeder explained that its business is conducted in the following manner: retail customers take bids from dealers who solicit price concessions from the manufacturers. These concessions are factored into dealer’s bids. Reeder accuses Volvo of offering better price concessions to other Volvo dealers bidding for different customers, directly resulting in Reeder suffering losses. The District Court District Court allowed the case to go to a jury, who held in favor of Reeder and awarded damages. Volvo appealed the decision, arguing a lack of competition was present, which is required by the RPA to apply. Volvo substantiated its contention stating that Reeder was not actually bidding against the Volvo dealers who supposedly were given favorable concessions. The appellate court dismissed the appeal, ruling that even though Volvo dealers do not actually bid against each other, they effectively competed at the same functional level.

The US financial crisis of 2008 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The US financial crisis of 2008 - Essay Example It is not easy to identify the precise cause of the crisis. There were a number of factors that contributed to the crisis. The combination of the diverse factors led to a toxic potent mix that eventually reached a tipping point in September 2008, heralding the beginning of the full-blown financial crisis. The causes of the crisis can be divided into two. In the first group, there are long term structural problems within the US economy. These were deeper latent issues that existed for some time with seemingly no ill effects to the economy. The first was too much debt. From 1980 to 2007, the total debt per person in the country rose from just below US $ 4 000 to around US $ 30 000 (Federal debt per person US 1). The perception that the housing market had perfect price inelasticity fuelled the debt accumulation. Americans using the value of their homes for refinancing believed the value of their homes will continue rising without affecting the demand for housing. This debt levels were t oo high for a healthy economy. The looming structural deficits also played a role. Medicare and Social Security off-balance sheet debt was likely to increase the US insolvency, reducing investor confidence on the country. The US has had trade deficits consistently for some time. The deficits are mostly because of the dollar having a reserve currency status and undervaluing of the Chinese Yuan. This led to the decline of the US export industry, and the dependent manufacturing base. Internal deficits mirror the external trade deficit. The government cannot borrow indefinitely, and the large internal deficits contributed to the crisis (Jickling 2). The rating agencies had a hand in the crisis. The market relies excessively on the ratings given by the rating agencies. Laws and regulations that allow the use of ratings as a basis for permissible investments buttress this dependence. However, the rating agencies have a poor regulatory framework. The rating agencies are an oligopoly and, d id not provide accurate rating assessments. Some of the AAA ratings given to the subprime mortgage-backed securities were later downgraded to junk status. Rating agencies' failure was due to use of poor economic models, conflicts of interest and poor oversight. The US tax code was also a contributory factor. The tax code is inefficient and has complex rules. It also has tax expenditure subsidies exploited by the suave Wall Street operators. Another factor leading to the outbreak of the financial crisis is deregulation of the financial sector and the markets. The SEC in 2004 liberalized the net capital rule. Consequently, investment bank holding companies were free to run extremely high leverage ratios (Jickling 3). The SEC's Consolidated Supervised Entities meant to police the largest investment banks was an ineffective voluntary program. Other laws, for example, the Commodity Futures Modernization Act (CFMA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) give financial institutions carte bl anch to undertake risky transactions that were unregulated in a vast scale. The laws placed too much faith in self-regulation and robustness of the market. By 2007, most financial institutions had accumulated large debts with dubious credit worthiness. The deregulation led to the invention of spurious financial instruments that enriched the financial sector at the expense of everybody else. In this category, the

Gender identity Essay Example for Free

Gender identity Essay Gender identity is a term which is used to refer to a person as a female or a male. It is the personal conception of a person of either being a male or a female while in rare circumstances one may manifest both the female and male characteristics. Gender identity is usually defined by a person depending on how such a person feels concerning his identity in terms of gender. Gender identity is different from gender role in that while gender identity refers to an individual’s feeling’s about his or her gender, gender roles are usually defined by the society and they are based on the physical appearance of a person as well as behavior of a person. As such, gender roles serves as outward expressions of a person’s gender identity. A person who claims to be a male for example must exhibit male behaviors in deed, dressing and also his behavior. Normally, gender and sex are always used interchangeably although scientifically and medically they are different words which are not even synonyms (Ghosh, n. d). Influence of hormone and behavior interaction on determination of gender identity The interaction between the behavior of a person and their hormonal composition is the most complex ideology of gender identity especially because it is difficult to truly ascertain that hormones directly influence the behaviors of an individual. However, there exists a relationship behind the two components of gender determination with this relationship having a reciprocal form. Presence of high levels of certain hormones in a person may influence or lead to certain behaviors while some behaviors may also lead to changes in the hormonal composition of an individual thus affecting their gender identity (Litosseliti Sunderland, 2002). Gender development of a child begins before he or she is born, that is, gender identity matures even before a child is born. After birth, the gender identity of an individual is determined by psychological, biological and sociological factors. Male and females have different hormones which affect the development of a person thus affecting or influencing the gender identity. In males, testosterone is the dominant hormone which leads to the development of male organs in a person. Testosterone is responsible for the development of major features found in males which included breaking of the voice, development of the genital organs and it also governs the distribution of fats in a person. On the other hand, estrogen is the dominant hormone in female which leads in development of feminine characteristics in females. This hormone aids in breast formation, formation of sexual organs and it also aids in development of other features common with the females like fat distribution in the body. These hormones also determines how a person behaves whether as a male or as a female. The behaviors of a person are also indicators of the gender identity of a person (Wolfe Mash, 2005). Some of the major determinants of gender identity are the hormones and the behaviors. Usually, hormones are the ones which influence the behavior of a person. People with more concentration of testosterone are more masculine while those with high levels of estrogen are more feminine. Testosterone and estrogen hormones are responsible for the sexual behavior of an individual which determines the sexual orientation of an individual. Interaction between the hormones and the behavior of an individual determines or influences to a great extent the gender identity of a person. Children reared in a neutral environment learn from an early age what are the acceptable roles and behaviors of the two different genders. As the hormones of a person correlate with the acceptable behavior of a certain gender, a person forms an idea of his or her gender identity. Also, at very tender age, parents also play a major role in shaping the behavior of a child. Parents usually buy cars and balls for the boys while girls are bought for baby dolls and other feminine toys. The behavior that the children are taught by the society determines how a person identifies himself or herself in terms of gender. Consistency in behavior may influence a person’s gender by influencing hormones release to the body. However, hormones also play a major role in formation of gender identity. Males with higher female hormones tend to behave like the ladies and may often wish to be a woman which forms his gender identity. This is also the case with females who find themselves interested in male activities. They exhibit behaviors similar to that of the males which is as a result to hormonal composition of such a person. When the hormones interact with the behavior of a person, such an individual is able to determine his or her gender identity (Jacobs, Thomas Lang, 1997). Psychological factors also affect gender identity of a person. It is believed that all persons are born with some intrinsic level of testosterone that is whether male and female. However, the level of this hormone varies from individuals and is usually exhibited through such behaviors as dominance. Testosterone hormone is directly and positively correlated to dominance and this affects the gender identity of an individual. All persons who are higher in the rank have an innate urge to dominate while those who are lower in the rank are less dominating. This is a psychological aspect and it also contributes to how a person views herself or himself in terms of gender. Ladies or women who are higher in the rank may exhibit male characteristics which may form their gender identity. Likewise, men who are lower in rank tend to behave more like women which influences their gender identity (Lee, 2005). Environmental factors are also contributors while forming our gender identity. The environment in which a person is reared in determines or influences his gender identity formation. The treatment one gets from different gender groups shapes his or her gender identity. In an environment characterized by clearly defined gender roles for the males and the females, people are likely to identify with either of the genders mostly through association and task performance. In a neutral community or society, gender identity tends to be more influenced by personal interaction and hormonal composition rather than environmental forces. Biological composition of a person also greatly influences the gender identity of a person. Unlike the psychological and environmental factors, biological influences are innate which a person is born with. The biological factors influencing gender formation cannot be influenced by the environment in which a person is reared though they may lead to discomfort especially when the outside pressure is more on a person. It is believed that the gender of a person is determined during prenatal development and as such it is a biological condition. Genes of a person determines his gender identity which cannot be reversed especially when these genes are very strong (Sonderegger Anastasi, 1984). In gender identity determination, the biological influence is stronger than all other influences. Most of males who have feminine characteristics being dominant continue to behave like women despite their environment or psychological exposure. This also applies to women who are more masculine than feminine. Usually, such people end up looking for sex re-alignment to transform them to the different sex. Also, a person who is has different sex characteristics as being dominant in them always feel uncomfortable while identifying with the gender the society view them to belong to. As such, biological influence is much stronger than all other influences while defining the gender identity of a person (Ehrhardt Meyer-Bahlburg, 1981). Reference: CREWS, D. WILLIAMS, E. E. (n. d): Hormones, Behavior, and Speciation. Retrieved on 7th April 2009 from, http://icb. oxfordjournals. org/cgi/content/abstract/17/1/271 Ehrhardt A. A Meyer-Bahlburg, H. F. (1981): Effects of prenatal sex hormones on gender-related behavior. Journal of American Association for the Advancement of Science, Vol 211 Ghosh, S. (n. d): Sexuality: Gender Identity. Retrieved on 7th April 2009 from, http://emedicine. medscape. com/article/917990-overview. Jacobs, S. , Thomas, W. Lang, S. (1997): Two-spirit people: Native American gender identity, sexuality, and spirituality. ISBN 0252066456, Published by University of Illinois Press Lee, J. W. (2005): Psychology of gender identity. ISBN 1594542147, Published by Nova Publishers Litosseliti, L. Sunderland, J. (2002): Gender identity discourse analysis. ISBN 902722692X, Published by John Benjamins Publishing Company Sonderegger, T. B. Anastasi, A. (1984): Psychology and gender. ISBN 0803241526 Published by U of Nebraska Press Wolfe, D. A. Mash, E. J. (2005): Behavioral and emotional disorders in adolescents: nature, assessment, and treatment. ISBN 1593852258, Published by Guilford Press

Marketing Strategy Of Titan Watches

Marketing Strategy Of Titan Watches Today, a wristwatch is considered as much of a status symbol as a device to tell time. The watches and jewellery has not been immune to the economic climate and the whole industry suffered in late 2008 and in 2009 as consumer confidence fell and people became more cautious about their spending. The overall jewellery and watches market grew by 10% since 2005 to reach  £4.8 billion in 2010 and Mintel forecasts 11% growth for the jewellery and watches market over next five years. 2011 is also going to be the year to invest in mens jewellery. Stephen Webster presented a strong case for mens jewellery at IJL in September 2010, and assuming male customer only want watches and the odd signet or chain could lead to missing out on a potential wealth of customer. Its not that male customers dont want it: they just dont know they want it. Men arent like women and theyre not used to thinking about what to wear, explain Webster. But once a man is bejewelled, theres no looking back. They also dont wait for special occasions like woman do, and they can go from zero to jewellery enthusiast in no time. Market research company Mintels September 2010 report Watches and Jewellery Retailing UK found that 20% of male respondent said they like receiving jewellery as a gift, and 12% said that they had purchased all of their own jewellery. So the market is clearly there to be exploited. http://www.retail-jeweller.com/trends/in-with-the-new-2011-trends/5020089.article Rocketing gold prices and recession have led many consumers to buy silver jewellery instead of gold, with almost one in five people wearing more silver jewellery than gold, rising to nearly three in ten women; particularly young people aged 15 24. The affordability and disposability of many costume jewellery items means that customers are more willing to experiment and try new looks without denting their bank balances Young men aged under- 35 are more open to paying higher amounts for a watch as they typically do not wear jewellery to express their individuality or consumer spending power. Some 86% of consumers wear a watch, but nearly 40% only a new one when their old one is broken. Converging the watchs main function with health benefits would be one way of helping create new reasons for purchase. http://oxygen.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen/display/id=479809 Executive Summary: https://www.keynote.co.uk/market-intelligence/view/product/10331/chapter/0 Many Brands and companies are constantly reinvigorating their businesses and positioning them for growth. There is a constant need to innovate, reinvigorate, update, recalibrate, or just simply fend off the competition in an effort to better explain ,why buy me. In the market for the brand and product offerings is created by positioning. It reaches a certain type of consumers and delivers benefits that meet the needs of several key target groups and users. Actual Approach of a company or brands positioning in the marketplace depends on how it communicates the benefits and product attributes to consumers and users. As a result positioning of a company and/or product seeks to further distance itself from competitors based on a host of items, but most notably on five key issues: Price, Quality, Product Attributes, Distribution, and Usage Occasions. In recent times, consumerism has undergone a sea change. Consumers today are well informed about the products, as compared to earlier times. Hence, the market has become customer centric. Recognizing the importance of the customer is business structure; companies have started effecting brand repositioning exercise on regular basis. In the recent times, a major brand repositioning exercise has been planned by Titian Industries Ltd in order to provide more to its customers. The company has its new position. This study will help to understand the revived positioning strategies of TITAN watches. An analysis of repositioning strategies of Titan also forms of the study. Firstly it is important to understand the overall wrist watch industry in UK. Secondly to study the brand positioning and re-positioning strategy of Titan wrist watches and to find out whether the loyal consumers of TITAN watches aware of the new positioning strategies of the company and how they perceive them. To study primary and secondary data have been used. Analysis UK wrist watch industry and brand repositioning strategies of TITAN Company has been analysed and completed on the basis of secondary data. Internet, journals, books and magazines have been used for this purpose. Project comprises conducting a questionnaire survey. (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() Introduction: 1.1 Theory and concepts: A business has two and only two basic functions: marketing and innovation Peter Drucker To maintain business relevance and market position, it is important to continuously innovate and invent brand image in the market to pace with change and intense competitive pressure in the marketplace. In this context, brand repositioning and other revitalization strategies have become a business imperative for battling brand erosion. The appeal of brand repositioning is further heightened by the rising costs and high risk associated with launching a new brand. Increase in the cost and high risk related with launching a new brand that is a part of brand reposition.Brand reposition has received very importance in the marketing literature and mostly been treated as a variation of brand positioning. Reposition can be required as the market changes and new opportunities occur. In order to reach the customer which was never targeted at first can also be targeted with brand reposition. In order to change its image in the market it is important to focus towards brand repositioning, although it is one of the toughest and hardest actions in marketing to reposition a familiar brand. According to Solomon, position strategy is an essential part in the marketing efforts because companies have to use the elements in the marketing mix to influence the customers understanding the position. There has to be several choices to be, so to as to be in more attractive and relevant position. It is important for the person who is reposition for the reposition to know and understand why reposition is necessary and its need, and if the offer is the one that will change or just the brand name. While repositioning it is important to undertake and understand all the risk factors that is likely to affect it in the market. A company risks its credibility and reliability more while repositioning its brand in the market and the need for a thorough strategy is very important to avoid any occurrence. Some analyst argues that to successfully reposition a established brand name is almost impossible because repositioning of a brand can make the most loyal customer to switch brand. If the brand is eroded then brand reposition becomes important. Numerous attempts to reposition brand in the market may fail which is testified by many company for example while soft drink has successfully been able to connect with the youth though they exist for 40 years in the market but at the same Levis, jeans has been losing its market share to newcomers such as The Gap despite numerous campaigns designed to reposition the brand trend. 1.2 Literature Review: The reposition strategy is defined into three stages that is: Introductory Elaboration Fortification This involves the introduction of a new or a repositioned brand, seeking underline the brands value over others, and to broaden the brand position. It is truly hard to change the customers perceived attitude towards a brand, and therefore the risk is great that the attempt to repositioning might fail. After rolling out the strategy, it is time to modify the proposition through update of the personality and through repositioning. There pros and cons with both of this segments and it is great significance that they are truly calculate when deciding the next step in the process. To understand it more deeply http://htmlimg4.scribdassets.com/55f3acalz4nfgla/images/10-81b5e3fa9c/000.jpg Figure 1: Stages in brand strategy development. When a company modifies or change something that is already there in the market established in the mind of the customer that is called as repositioning. Different profession and individuals have different meaning and understanding towards Repositioning. There are few different definitions and greater understanding about this concept: Repositioning is a change, principally about triggering the vision, mission and value in a new direction that is more suited f or the brand in the future- Brand manager consultant. Principally, reposition concerns changing the consumers perception of the brand PR consultant. Repositioning is built upon the change of unique and differentiated associations with the brand in some kind of direction; it is about having a balance between the category party and differentiation when using reposition strategies (Leading Brand strategies) From these definitions, it is obvious that reposition is about moving something to more attractive and relevant position. Reposition direction is often decided as to what a company wants to achieve. There is also a visible relation between price and quantity aspects. When a company perceives the market as a demand curve, the purpose is to down stretch or upward curve. When moving up and there is a need for reaching the premium segment and expand up wards. Figure: The principle of reposition. When striving towards a new position in the market, it is important to understand those consumers are limited. Peoples minds select what to remember and it is important to convince the consumers with greater arguments. The market always strive for change which is rapid and therefore repositioning can be necessary to meet these demands, newer and stronger arguments have to be established to convinced them to stay as loyal customers. As repositioning is a very complicated matter and therefore there are no detailed theories or models. Aim for repositioning is different for different person, and the only connection between all the different theories is that repositioning is moving something from somewhere towards a greater position at the market. Corstjens and Doyle (1989) identified three types of repositioning strategies: Zero repositioning, which is not a repositioning at all since the firm maintains its initial strategy in the face of a changing environment. Gradual repositioning, where the firm performs incremental, continuous adjustments to its positioning strategy to reflect the evolution of its environment; and Radical repositioning that corresponds to a discontinuous shift towards a new target market and /or a new competitive advantage. After learning the repositioning of several brands from the UK market, the following 8 types of repositioning have been identified. These are: Increasing relevance to the consumer Increasing occasions for use Making the brand serious Falling sales Bringing in new customers Making the rand contemporary Differentiate from other brands Changed market conditions A four phased brand repositioning approach can be followed to achieve the intended benfits- Phase I. Determining the current status of the brand Phase II. What does the brand stand for today? Phase III. Developing the brand positioning platforms Phase IV. Refining the brand Positioning and Management Presentation The advantages that can be derived from brand repositioning exercises can be summarized as: Value over others Updated personality Relevant position The risks associated with such strategies are: Loss of focus Neglecting original customers Losing credibility for the brand Confusing the brand Therefore, brand repositioning is more difficult than initially positioning a brand because one must first help the customer UNLEARN the current brand positioning This can be done by: Carefully crafted communication New products, packaging Associations with other brands ( co- branding, co- marketing, ingredient branding, strategic alliances, etc) that reinforce the new brand positioning. This exercise is so critical to an organizations success that the organizations and its marketing/brand management leader should develop it, preferably with the help and facilitation of an outside brand positioning expert. Research Methodology: 2.1 Objectives To study the current scenario of UK wrist watch industry. To review the brand positioning strategies of different sub-brands of watches. To analyze the brand repositioning strategies of watches. To study consumer awareness and perception about the brand repositioning strategies of watches. This study will help to understand the gap in its communication strategy regarding brand repositioning exercises and the further measures to be taken for effective marketing communications. 2.2 Limitations: The study is confined to London area only There is possibility of sampling errors in the study The responses of the consumers may not be genuine Questionnaire may not be comprehensive 2.3 Sources of Data Collection: The relevant data was collected from both primary sources and secondary sources. The starting point of my information gathering has been the secondary sources such as internet, books, and journals and so on. Firstly, brand positioning and repositioning strategies of Titan, secondary sources such as internet, insurance magazines, and journals and so on. Then I conducted a consumer awareness survey on brand repositioning strategies undertaken by Titan watches in recent times. 2.4 Sampling: To conduct sampling of 50 loyal consumers of Titan and in the age group of 20 30 years for this study. Since Titan has taken up brand repositioning strategies since January 2011, consumers who have seen the previous and new campaigns have been targeted. 2.5 Primary data: Data was collected through an interview schedule, consisting of both open ended and closed ended questions. It consisted of the parameters like reasons consumers brand preference, recollection of earlier tagline and advertisement, brand ambassador of Titan awareness of new tagline and campaign featuring sportsmen and actors from International body and so on. The data was collected through e-mails, telephone contacts and one to one personal interviews. Industry Overview UK Watch industry: Market report examines the UK jewellery and watches market, total sales of jewellery and watches in the UK fluctuated between 2004 and 2008, and fell by 2.8% in the latter year to finish the review period at  £4.33 billion. The declining sales in 2008 can be largely attributed to the global economic downturn and UK recession, which have had a negative impact on nearly all industries. Initially, the luxury end of the market was relatively unaffected by the downturn, but by the end of 2008 and 2009, it had begun to take effect. The jewellery and Watches market has become increasingly competitive in recent years. Although the industry has always been fragmented with a wide range of suppliers and retailers, developments in online retailing have contributed to it becoming increasingly transparent for information on pricing and availability. This has been a positive trend, especially for many smaller brands that previously were not able to deal directly with consumers. Some larger retailers, as well as a few independents, have also developed transactional sites to deal with this demand. With around a third of the UK population owning a piece of precious jewellery and nearly in ten owning a watch, products have a high rate of consumer penetration. The downturn in the UK economy is unlikely to show reversal in 2009, and this will continue to affect all areas of consumer spending. It seems the concepts of a wrist watch have become that of a status symbol rather than a practical chronometer. According to a survey that suggest one in seven people in the UK has no need for watch, apart from as a fashion accessory. Gadgets such as iPods, laptops and mobile phone, represent threat to the watch industry, survey conducted by Mintel. Even in the age of iPhones, people spend huge amount of money on a quality time piece, with high-end brands such as Rolex and Tag Heuer adorning blinged up wrist of rappers, bankers and fashionistas alike. http://www.wharf.co.uk/2010/11/why-wrist-watches-are-dialling.html SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE UK WATCH INDUSTRY: Strengths: Watch industry is growing industry which faster rate As the population is rising, the watch market is also expanding Customers are not very price sensitive as far as quality watch is concerned Weakness: There is not much advertising done by watch industry No innovation in products There are few number of exclusive showrooms that reduces the consumers accessibility to the product There are few marketers, who are concentrated only upon a particular niche segment (Tag Heuer ) Opportunities: There is more need of fashionable luxury watch and fine luxury watch brands that can be targeted in UK, as customers are more like trendsetter and fashionable. UK especially London is a metropolitan city which makes it more attractive for the new company. Youth are more brand conscious than their predecessors. That leads to the expansion of the market for branded watches. Threats: There are many foreign players entering in the race Too many players will dilute the market and the profit margin. Mobile phones acting as substitutes of the watches. The Indian watch industry began in the year 1961 with the commissioning of the watch division of Titan. The first watch model manufactured by HMT was the Janata model in the year 1962. HMT was the leader in the watch market till the Tatas formed Titan watches in association with Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation in the year 1987. They took a major strategy decision, which later changed the face of the Indian watch market to manufacture only quartz watches. Liberalisation in 1992 and removal of quantitative restrictions due to WTO has opened the doors for many the Indian market viz. Tissot, Swatch, Omega, Rado, TAGHeuer. The import duties on watches are falling which makes the Indian market look attractive for the global majors like Casio, Swatch and Citizen. Company Profile: Overview Titan is the largest watch company in India and the sixth largest in the world. Titan manufactures over 7 million watches per annum and has a customer base over 65 million. An industry was established in 1984 as a joint venture between the Tata Group and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation. The company brought the shift in the Indian watch market, offering quartz technology with International styling, manufactured in a state-of-the art factory at Hosur, Tamil Nadu. Leveraging its understanding of different segments in the watch market, the company launched a second independent watch brand Sonata, as a value brand to those seeking buy functionally styled watches at affordable prices. In addition it focused on the youth with its third brand fastrack. In two decades the company has built an impressive watch business to become Indias largest manufacturer and the worlds sixth manufacturer of watches. This has mainly been achieved by developing a formidable distribution network. The company has amongst the worlds largest retail chain of exclusive retail showrooms for watches called The world of Titan spread over 100 towns. It also has multi brand outlets named Time Zone, service centers and dealer outlets. Globally Titan has a presence in over 30 countries through its marketing subsidiaries. The company has watch assembly plants at Dehradun (UP) and Baddi ( Himachal Pradesh) and a plant manufacturing electronic circuit boards in Goa. The majority stake in the company is held by the promoters, with Tidco having 28 percent of the shares and Tata Group companies owning 25 percent of the shares. Public holding in the company is around 28 per cent. The rest of the stake is held by foreign institutions, non resident Indians, mutual funds and other institutions. It has also premium fashion watches by acquiring a license for global brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss, while. It has also in its portfolio its first Swiss Made watch brand Xylys. 1995, the company diversified into jewellery under the brand Tanishq to capitalize on fragmented market operating with no brands in urban cities. In 2005, the launched its second Jewellery brand, GoldPlus, for capitalizing on the opportunity in small towns and rural India. The company has now diversified into fashion Eyewear by launching Fastrack Eye-Gear sunglasses, as well as Prescription Eyewear. TITAN WATCHES: BRAND POSITIONING STRATEGIES Overall strategies: Since its introduction, Titan has been positioned as a premium brand, providing high quality products. Titan is struggling to have a strong brand image in UK market due to its numerous sub-brands that caters to different segments in India. It follows different positioning strategies; these strategies can also be analyzed as given below: Attribute Positioning: When the company launched its products, it was the first to bring quartz watches to Indian market. The company successfully leveraged this to penetrate the market. Raga, Classique and Regalia come under this strategy. Classique positioned as elegant corporate wear that leaves a quiet, but definite impression and fusion of function and sophistication. Regalia ranger represents the elegant-wear. Raga has been differentiate and positioned as exclusive watch. The Raga and Silver Raga collection is elegant, delicate and feminine with each piece truly unique. User Positioning: Titan caters to several user groups children (the Dash), sportspersons and adventurers. The fastrack range is seen as being contemporary, reliable and sturdy. The advertising, packaging and merchandising of this range is young, cool and vibrant. Benefit Positioning: Titan seeks to differentiate its offering on the basis of superior style and attractiveness which is offered by fastrack Digital range. Competitors Positioning: With the entry of several foreign watchmakers into the market, Titan had to encounter the threat. Most the entrants are catering to the upper end of the market Omega, Cartier etc. Quality or Price Positioning: In the overseas market, especially in Europe where it is competing with Swiss and Japanese watches, it is positioning itself as value-for-money (less than Swiss watches and higher than Japanese), attractively styled and of good quality. TITAN WATCHES: BRAND RE-POSITIONING STRATEGIES FOR GLOBALISATION Titan has managed to get fair market in Middle East and Africa but its failure in Europe was a downturn for the Company as the return was not as good as investment made for the expansion. Titan has decided to revamp its flagship watch brand in Europe mainly in UK. Titan wants to reposition it more youthful and relevant to the changing times. Titan has entered the International markets in 1989 through the export of watch movements. Titans first global footprint was placed in the UAE the largest market in the Middle East then it moved towards Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and few markets in Africa. Though it faced strong competition, it reached the sales of 100,000 watches within a year of its launch. It started to move globally and moves towards Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives and Nepal. After its extensive survey, it concluded that it needs good reason to stock the brand. Titan needs to re-position its brand image in the UK market. And so Titan decided to against soft option of driving its globalization through private label exports. It would launch its product under its own brand with market positioning Therefore Titan found a massive advertising campaign to create brand awareness. It also participated in the fair which showcases the worlds biggest watch brand in the world. http://www.moodiereport.com/images/luxury_watch_tables_jan10_04.jpg http://www.moodiereport.com/images/luxury_watch_tables_jan10_05.jpg CONCLUSION: The suggestions to improve consumer awareness about brand repositioning strategy of Titan are as follows: To increase its visibility, Titan Company can sponsor events similar to fashion shows which all latest designs launched are displayed. This is important as it has a great effect on different segments of the customers in different ways. It is important to have Tie up with radio channels and television to broadcast and telecast its advertisement about various sales promotion from time to time. RD needs more investment as customer expectations are changing rapidly. It should focus more on introducing more varieties and luxury items in the market at regular interval. Introduce exclusive collection for working women which is more contemporary and complements any fashion styles. Tie up with international watch brands to make the product stronger in the market. To use internet to spread awareness among consumer about the brand. (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })()