The World Made Straight

A Summary: In 1970s Western North Carolina, a young man stumbles across a grove of marijuana, sees an opportunity to make some easy money, and steps into the jaws of a bear trap. He is discovered by the ruthless farmer who set the trap to protect his plants, and begins his struggle with the evils of his community’s present as well as those of its history. Before long, he has moved out of his parents' home to live with a onetime schoolteacher who now lives in a trailer outside town, deals a few drugs, and studies journals from the Civil War.Their fates become entwined as the community's terrible past and corrupt present lead to a violent reckoning with the marijuana farmer and with a Civil War massacre that continues to divide an Appalachian community. Major themes: Knowledge vs. Ignorance – self knowledge is the most important part of the protagonist, Travis. Here Travis is trying to portray a tough guy, ignorant attitude when really he is a scrawny boy. Travis gains kn owledge from the books he finds in Leonard’s trailer.He gains knowledge by Leonard teaching him in the trailer. Knowledge never leaves you. Travis’ goal as the protagonist in this book is to better himself and start a change in his life. Why would he want to better himself? Travis is trying to find out who he is. He starts off as a want to be tough guy who hangs with the rebels. That’s the way of life in the North Carolina Mountains no one really gives school a chance in the fact that most of the students end up as farmers.Travis’ ignorance for school and life in the beginning is very high. Knowledge consumes us in the fact we are always looking for new information and trying to obtain that all knowing self. Travis finds his way not the usual way of going through grade school but successfully gaining a GED. This sets him at an accomplishment something also his father never did. Travis sees himself heading down a road of hardships, Success, and failure.But Travis will learn from the mistakes and gain knowledge of the subject and move on to better himself for the future and what ever it may hold. Characters: Travis Shelton, 17 years old, high school dropout discouraged from bettering himself by his tobacco farmer father. Leonard Shuler, a former schoolteacher, now small-time drug dealer, whose career was ended by a student. Carlton Toomey, a ruthless and wily farmer and drug dealer. Dena, once a pretty young woman, who has become a heavy drug user.

Family Guy Essay

Family guy is a dysfunctional family that lives in Quahog, Rhode Island. The parents: Peter and Lois. The children: the oldest, Meg, the middle child, Chris and the baby is Stewie. Last but not least, the dog Brian. This TV show exhibits crude, adult humour. There are many different opinions on this show, many parents are ok with letting there children watch it and other refuse to do so because of the kind of humour some parents are on edge. So is family guy a negative influence on children? I believe it does have a negative influence on kids. To start the language they use, secondly the violence and actions towards each other and other and also it is a very sexist show. Firstly, the language used in the episodes of family guy is a very vulgar, crude, dirty and coarse. They swear a lot for example when Brian talks to Megs friend he says, quote â€Å"you know Connie, I think I have a theory about why you’re such a bitch†. If kids watch this on TV by fictional characters they can’t tell that its not the way to talk so they can repeat it at school or even say it to there parents and they do not want their children to talk that way. Also the language they use that discriminates different races, religions and gay people is negative on the children watching this show it gives them the impression that it’s ok, so if in school or at the shopping center they see a person of colour or even if they know a person of different religion they might talk to them and say things that are very inappropriate. For example where the children could get it from, episode two of season eight , the whole episode is about Jewish people, Louis finds out that she and her mother are Jewish and wants to peruse fallowing the Jewish culture but then peter says to her â€Å"Jews are gross Lois. It’s the only religion with the word ew in it. And there are also the comments that discriminate against people of colour and to do so they use Kermit the frog, the black man sitting in a boat (looks like he is escaping from being a slave) asks him â€Å"which way to get into town? † Kermit replies with a shot gun in his hand â€Å"back from where you came from†. This is just a tiny bit of what happens in the show. This show is very negative on children and they way they will interact with other in public. They also make fun of amputees, this can be very harmful to the way children interact with other kids that have this kind of problem example Joe is Peter Griffins neighbour and there is an episode that says no legs no service. Also, this show is a very sexist show, they always make reference to women being in the kitchen and that is all they’re good at for example, in one episode peter tells Louis that making sandwiches and babies are the only thing she is good for. This kind of behaviour shows to young children that women are no good for anything because that is how the men on this show treat the women. There’s also lots of coarse language towards women, for example Quagmire a neighbours always has many women over to his house for pleasurable reasons and you hear him call them names like whores, bitches, sluts and more this foul language towards women is another bad influence. Also peter has a teenage daughter Meg, everyone in the show is mean to her. This girl is treated very badly for example in an episode she had sexual intercourse with a guy and a little after that the guy Brandon, broke up with her, in another episode she has another boyfriend Luke and Louis, her mother stole him away from her. Peter never listens to her and Brian always picks on her. This gives the children watching a sense that’s it is ok to treat women like dogs because in the end they stay with you. Because no matter what kind of pranks or insults Peter does to Louis she never leaves him. Lastly, the amount of violence and the stupid actions that the characters do is a big part of family guy there’s always someone getting hurt or doing something illegal for example doing drugs. They have an episode dedicated to four-twenty; there are many episodes that show peter, Louis and Brian doing weed and other drugs like meth and cocaine. Also one of the episodes shows peter bringing Stewie his baby to a man that injects him with steroids because he was beat on by another baby but it was a girl and peter wanted Stewie to be a strong baby. This give the impression to children that taking drugs is ok because family guy does it. Nothing bad ever happens to these characters only funny events or they come out of it. It doesn’t show them the side effects or any of the real effects it has on them so kids think its only play and when its offered to them by others like friends they will take it and this can all lead to hospitalization and even death. But the children won’t see that on TV. Also there’s an episode that Stewie shoots Louis and pushes her over a boat into the water and dies but there’s a turn around and at the end of this episode Louis is really alive. If a child who doesn’t know any better sees this he will not understand that it is not real and that if you shoot someone they will most likely die. So if this child happens to find a gun in his father’s drawer and starts playing with and they’re playing cops and shoots the other child he will not think anything of it because in family guy the character came to life again, but in real life the child is dead. This will have a negative effect on the child and all he thought was that he was playing. The violence in this show is for an older audience, it will only have a negative effect on younger children. In conclusion, family guy is a show full of violence, drugs, sex, coarse language, racism and more. It should only be viewed by an older audience and not younger because it makes younger children who don’t know what is real and what’s not and what’s wrong and what’s not, react to different situations. So should TV shows like family guy be cancelled completely?

Give an example of a law that you think attempts to reflect an ethical Essay

Give an example of a law that you think attempts to reflect an ethical value - Essay Example Typically, it reflects an ethical value because it protects employees against unethical behavior in the working environment especially in situations where a disability will not hinder the performance of a job and hence, is appropriate. It will compel managers to consider not only legal aspects but also what they, the society and employees consider to be ethical. On the other hand, the Fair Minimum Wage Act (2007) emphasizes on legalities but does not reflect ethical values. For example, it has not compelled Nike to stop paying substandard wages to its foreign workers and improve their working conditions. This law is inappropriate because it assumes that so long as Nike meets the minimum wage, it is not illegal to pay law wages and in appalling working conditions. It does not consider the fact that the employer needs to provide safe and conducive working environments apart from meeting a stipulated minimum wage (Lopez,

Training and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Training and Development - Essay Example Re-training is crucial for baby boomers, because it will help to avoid labour market crisis and slow growth. Following Dohm, "The current tight labor market situation could be exacerbated, hindering prospects for economic growth and putting a greater burden on those remaining in the workforce, perhaps forcing them to work longer hours" (Dohm, 2000, p. 17). There is, therefore, a continual need for the process of staff development, and training fulfils an important part of this process. Retraining should be viewed, therefore, as an integral pan of the process of social policy. Critics point out that many unions are recognising the importance of training in relevant skills for baby boomers to sustaining the job security of their members. As a result they are seeking to bring training more centrally into the collective bargaining arena, with the setting up of joint training agreements. For some employers this may be an important route to developing a joint approach to managing change. Among the recommendations is that public and private sectors should develop the line managers' contribution to training. Without re-training an... Training and development activities are important to both public and private sectors, but which may not arise as a development need because public and private sectors have been attending to it rather well. The need for re-training might only show up in the assessments if organizations stopped doing it. These may be in part things that individuals believe are desirable for the development of their own careers, routine things which line managers see as important to improve an individual's performance, and in some cases perceptions of needs which do not really exist, because of a change in the situation that neither the individual nor the line manager knew about. Today, the main task of federal agencies is to identify the gap in training and technological changes, to classify it by level and category, and to attach estimates of the numbers of people involved. Categories might include: Immediate requirements driven by organizational needs; Longer-term organizational needs (including such things as induction initiatives); Short-term remedial needs of individuals; Career development needs of individuals; Things individuals would like to do, but which have no direct corporate benefit. It is predicted that: "there will also be an increased need for employment-related services by persons between the ages of 45 and 54, below the SCSEP age level of 55" (Poulos, Nightingale, 2005). These suggestions can help to identify some of the issues that should be considered by public and private sectors when making their own policies. Economists mention that it is difficult to provide and develop a universal solution which will immediately fit every organization, but re-training policies is the best way to overcome labour shortage

Strategic Asset Seeking. Chinese Business Groups and their Differences Essay

Strategic Asset Seeking. Chinese Business Groups and their Differences in Oversees Expansions - Essay Example Initially, the strategy of FDI targeted the developed countries, but with the improved technology, research, and development there has been impressive expansion of foreign investment in the developing countries, which contributes to the continued integration and growth in the global economy. However, as foreign direct investment increases and promotes the local communities and governments, the investors are driven by a certain motive; either to seek market, resource, efficiency, or for purposes of strategic assets as an opportunity in a foreign nation. Strategic asset seeking FDI aligns itself for reasons of achieving competitive advantage in the long run. According to Wigdor, its main purpose is to acquire resources or skills which the investors are convinced will offer, secure, and enhance the firms and its products competitive advantages.This type of FDI occurs at various locations to grasp the opportunities of the existing expertise and held knowledge to experience the benefits o f the long term strategic objectives. Sauvant argues that it occurs when firms Trans-nationalize, obtaining proprietary assets of a foreign company wholly or partially, which narrows down to strategic alliances, mergers, and acquisitions. It also occurs when access to local distribution systems, recognized brand names, and managerial practice and expertise are improved by means of proximity of operations, or direct purchases.2 Transnational companies have formed alliances with local companies in different industrialized nations and the global south, not only to respond to the changing market conditions, but to also access the intangible assets in the foreign land, while facilitating development. Sometimes the assets are not directly transferrable through the existing market transactions, hence given that they are characterized of being exploited in their host countries, companies that are willing to access the assets can either invest in the host country, where the assets are create d via the acquisition of the core personnel, or joint ventures that provide a better opportunity of technological exchange and collaboration. This is how foreign companies can tap into the resources and use them into their production processes. Chinese Business Groups and their Differences in Oversees Expansions China has a tremendous structure of business organizations and government enterprise relationship. In the context of the Chinese business groups, State owned enterprises seem to have a founded relationship with the major economic and market institutions of China, which enhance their successful operations and market dominance. With the numerous changes in the world and China’s economies, business organizations in China have evolved. Today, its business groups not only consist of SOEs and Private enterprises, but the foreign funded businesses as well. Like their Korean and Japan counterparts, Chinese Business groups employ the network based group structure, expanding in to different areas and industries, while being backed up by the government in various ways, and under strict management of their established financial companies that provide finances to the member firms.3 There are also affiliated companies to the Chinese business groups (qiyejituan), which bear the costs and benefits accrued from the association. With regard to the economic reforms that began in the late 1970s, China’

Reflection on marketing practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection on marketing practice - Essay Example Ettore Bugatti and his son, Jean, synthesized both technology and art that, to this moment, have been the reason for the Bugatti’s dominance among the sports cars. While art describes the design philosophy of the Bugatti cars, technology defines their unequalled technical supremacy. Furthermore, David et al. make a situational analysis of the Bugatti cars by indicating that the current Bugatti model in the market is the Veyron 16.4. In accordance with the presentation, this version has a top speed of 253.81 miles per hour and a 16-cylinder combustion engine with 1200 horsepower. The presenters also mention that Bugatti makes sixteen different car models with a maximum price of â‚ ¬2,000,000. In addition, the presenters list the project’s principal objectives and further quote automobile enthusiasts, business people, industrialists, and the public as the target audience for the brand. For the target media, the presentation considers TV advertisements, car magazine, Auto shows, and social media as the means of reaching the target audience for this brand. David et al. also recognize community approach and investment into a share of both Formula 1 and fashion merchandise as the most practical marketing strategies Bugatti should utilize. The teaser campaign would involve the use of video teasers, billboards, and posters comprising of an attractive slogan. For the premier launching event, the presenters propose that Bugatti should display cars, which consist of two old Bugatti versions and three new models. At the end of the presentation, David et al. list the Bugatti campaign budget and the future of the new Bugatti. The presenters hold that the new Bugatti model woul d possibly have a top speed of 288 miles per hour. This presentation highlights the typical mistakes and inaccuracies that marketing agencies and individuals often make when preparing a teaser campaign for a new product. In keeping with Thorbjornsen, Ketelaar, Riet, and

Generate and evaluate options Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Generate and evaluate options - Research Paper Example The responsibility of deciding corporate level strategies rests on the top management. The divisional or middle level managers generally decide the business level strategies. The detailed tactics to achieve specific goals in the domain of marketing, finance, operations and HR are determined by the functional managers. Strategy A: This strategy should be pursued since the goal will be achieved with minimal capital investment. BCE’s existing 4G LTE penetration is 96 percent and a 2 percent increase is easily achievable. Furthermore, the 5 percent increase in ARPU will lead to long term profitability and growth of the company. The SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, related and time bound) KPIs enable the easy implementation and evaluation of strategies. These KPIs also provide direction and timeline to the managers to carry out the assigned tasks. The KPIs that have to be achieved by the end of 2014 will be broken down into monthly targets. Meanwhile, the KPIs that have to be achieved in the long run will be evaluated on a quarterly

Petition to waive the university mathematics requirement Essay

Petition to waive the university mathematics requirement - Essay Example he intends and to finish taking up law in the soonest possible time to help his community without having lost anything on his part and on the part of the institution. The basic questions that he proposed to answer in the article are, â€Å"Why do I need college algebra (MAT-117)? Is college algebra necessary for studying American Indian law? Will I use college algebra in my chosen field? What will the University gain or lose, from my taking college algebra or not?† (Adams par.6). The answer in all these questions is no. College Algebra is not necessary in American Indian law and in the practice of law in general. This was affirmed by a practicing lawyer. â€Å"In this netherworld, algebra and justice exist independently of one another† (par. 13). He further affirms that â€Å"I assure this committee that despite not having a formal accreditation in algebra, I will prove to be nothing less than an asset to this University and its Indian community† (par.15). If he be allowed to graduate, he will be able to help out his own community and other Native Americans as he intends and his practical experiences in life has proven that he is competent in his chosen path with or without the required Algebra subjects. On the other hand, permitting him not to finish the math courses will prevent him from having a well-rounded college experience and will not place him in equal footing with all of the other students of the University. The ASU catalog contains that the basic math requirements are necessary â€Å"(1) for a minimum level of math competency in my chosen field, and (2) to satisfy the university math requirement in order to graduate† (par. 7). All other students are required to take the subjects and Adams is not the only one who is in his advanced age enrolled in the... There is a main action expected in the end of the essay. This would be alllowing Gordon Adams to forego taking the Algebra subjects, which would enable him to graduate as he intends and to finish taking up law in the soonest possible time to help his community without having lost anything on his part and on the part of the institution. Another available option arises in the essay. On the other hand, permitting him not to finish the math courses will prevent him from having a well-rounded college experience and will not place him in equal footing with all of the other students of the University. Another point that an essay focuses on is equality. All other students are required to take the subjects and Adams is not the only one who is in his advanced age enrolled in the university. Everyone must be in equal footing since they are all within the same institution. Letting him bypass university rules will give an unwarranted precedence wherein other students may think they could apply fo r the same privilege on lesser grounds. The goals of the university are enshrined in the courses that they have set for every student and in this case it includes completing basic math requirements. In the conclusion of the essay, we see that despite these arguments, Gordon Adams must be allowed to waive the two math subjects required by the university only because he has showed evidence that he is a competent student and that the skills that the subjects aim to hone are those which he already possesses.

Effects of Poverty on Children Essay Example for Free

Effects of Poverty on Children Essay The nation’s economic crisis has deeply affected the lives of millions of Americans. Skyrocketing foreclosures and job layoffs have pulled the rug out from under many families, particularly those living in low-income communities. Deepening poverty is inextricably linked with rising levels of homelessness and food insecurity/hunger for many Americans and children are particularly affected by these conditions. Find out below a summary of the myriad effects of poverty, homelessness, and hunger on children and youth. Various volunteer opportunities and resources have also been listed that provide information and tools on ways to fight poverty in America. What are the current poverty and unemployment rates for Americans? The ongoing economic crisis has negatively affected the livelihoods of millions of Americans. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013), the unemployment rate is 7.9 percent as of January 2013. Despite the data showing an increase of only 0.1 percent from December 2012, the unemployment rate is still high by all accounts, having doubled since the beginning of the recession in December 2007. * U.S. Census Bureau data shows that the U.S. poverty rate rose to 15.1 percent (46.2 million) in 2010, an increase from 14.3 percent (approximately 43.6 million) in 2009 and the highest level since 1993. In 2008, 13.2 percent (39.8 million) Americans lived in relative poverty. * In 2000, the poverty rate for individuals was 12.2 percent and for families was 9.3 percent. * In 2010, the poverty threshold, or poverty line, was $22,314 for a family of four. * Over 15 percent of the population fell below this threshold in 2010. * The percentage of people in deep poverty was 13.5 percent of all Blacks and 10.9 percent of all Hispanics, compared to 5.8 percent of Asians and 4.3 percent of Whites. * While non-Hispanic Whites still constitute the largest single group of Americans living in poverty, ethnic minority groups are overrepresented (27.4 percent African American; 28.4 percent American Indian and Alaskan Native; 26.6 percent Hispanic, and 12.1 percent Asian and Pacific Islander compared with 9.9 percent non-Hispanic White). * These disparities are associated with the historical marginalization of ethnic minority groups and entrenched barriers to good education and jobs. Where is child poverty concentrated? * U.S. Census data reveals that from 2009 to 2010, the total number of children under age 18 living in poverty increased to 16.4 million from 15.5 million. Child poverty rose from 20.7 percent in 2009, to 22 percent in 2010, and this is the highest it has ever been since 1993. * Racial and ethnic disparities in poverty rates persist among children. The poverty rate for Black children was 38.2 percent; 32.3 percent for Hispanic children; 17 percent for non-Hispanic White children; and 13 percent for Asian children. * The National Center for Children in Poverty reports that 17.2 million children living in the U.S. have a foreign-born parent, and 4.2 million children of immigrant parents are poor. It is reported that child poverty in immigrant families is more closely related to low-wage work and barriers to valuable work supports. * The Population Reference Bureau (2010) reports that 24 percent of the 75 million children under age 18 in the U.S. live in a single-mother family. The poverty rate for children living in female-householder families (no spouse present) was 42.2 percent in 2010; 7 in 10 children living with a single mother are poor or low-income, compared to less than a third (32 percent) of children living in other types of families. A staggering 50.9 percent of female-headed Hispanic households with children below 18 years of age live in poverty (48.8 percent for Blacks; 31.6 percent Asian, and 32.1 percent non-Hispanic White). * Single-mother headed households are more prevalent among African American and Hispanic families contributing to ethnic disparities in poverty. What are the effects of child poverty? Psychological research has demonstrated that living in poverty has a wide range of negative effects on the physical and mental health and wellbeing of our nation’s children. Poverty impacts children within their various contexts at home, in school, and in their neighborhoods and communities. * Poverty is linked with negative conditions such as substandard housing, homelessness, inadequate nutrition and food insecurity, inadequate child care, lack of access to health care, unsafe neighborhoods, and under resourced schools which adversely impact our nation’s children. * Poorer children and teens are also at greater risk for several negative outcomes such as poor academic achievement, school dropout, abuse and neglect, behavioral and socio-emotional problems, physical health problems, and developmental delays. * These effects are compounded by the barriers children and their families encounter when trying to access physical and mental health care. * Economists estimate that child poverty costs an estimated $500 billion a year to the U.S. economy; reduces productivity and economic output by 1.3 percent of GDP; raises crime and increases health expenditure (Holzer et al., 2008). Poverty and academic achievement * Poverty has a particularly adverse effect on the academic outcomes of children, especially during early childhood. * Chronic stress associated with living in poverty has been shown to adversely affect children’s concentration and memory which may impact their ability to learn. * The National Center for Education Statistics reports that in 2008, the dropout rate of students living in low-income families was about four and one-half times greater than the rate of children from higher-income families (8.7 percent versus 2.0 percent). * The academic achievement gap for poorer youth is particularly pronounced for low-income African American and Hispanic children compared with their more affluent White peers. * Under resourced schools in poorer communities struggle to meet the learning needs of their students and aid them in fulfilling their potential. * Inadequate education contributes to the cycle of poverty by making it more difficult for low-income children to lift themselves and future generations out of poverty. Poverty and psychosocial outcomes * Children living in poverty are at greater risk of behavioral and emotional problems. * Some behavioral problems may include impulsiveness, difficulty getting along with peers, aggression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder. * Some emotional problems may include feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. * Poverty and economic hardship is particularly difficult for parents who may experience chronic stress, depression, marital distress and exhibit harsher parenting behaviors. These are all linked to poor social and emotional outcomes for children. * Unsafe neighborhoods may expose low-income children to violence which can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties. Violence exposure can also predict future violent behavior in youth which places them at greater risk of injury and mortality and entry into the juvenile justice system. Poverty and physical health Children and teens living in poorer communities are at increased risk for a wide range of physical health problems: * Low birth weight   * Poor nutrition which is manifested in the following ways: 1. Inadequate food which can lead to food insecurity/hunger 2. Lack of access to healthy foods and areas for play or sports which can lead to childhood overweight or obesity * Chronic conditions such as asthma, anemia, and pneumonia * Risky behaviors such as smoking or engaging in early sexual activity * Exposure to environmental contaminants, e.g., lead paint and toxic waste dumps * Exposure to violence in their communities which can lead to trauma, injury, disability, and mortality What is the prevalence of child hunger in America? * The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics reports that in 2010, 22 percent of children under the age of 18 lived in food-insecure households and one percent in households with very low food security. Food insecure means that at some point during the year, the household had limited access to an adequate supply of food due to lack of money or other resources. * In 2009 – 2010, 21 states and the District of Columbia had at least one in four households with children (25 percent or more) facing food hardship, according to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). The District of Columbia had the highest rates of food hardship for households with children, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. FRAC data shows that Metropolitan areas in the South and South West, and California were hard hit by food hardships. Use of food stamps increased to 16% (13.6 million households) in 2010, according to U.S. Census Bureau. States with the largest increase (over 30%) in food stamp use included Nevada, Idaho, Colorado, Wisconsin and Florida. * Approximately 1 in 4 Americans utilize at least one of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) nutrition assistance programs each year (USDA, 2011). * The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) reports that 53% of infants born in the United States receive support from the Women, Infants Children (WIC) program. * In 2010, more than 31.7 million children each day got their lunch through the National School Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Approximately, 20 million children received free and reduced price lunch, according to the Food Research and Action C enter (2010). What are the effects of hunger and under nutrition on child development? Prenatally * Maternal under nutrition during pregnancy increases the risk of negative birth outcomes, including premature birth, low birth weight, smaller head size, and lower brain weight. * Babies born prematurely are vulnerable to health problems and are at increased risk for developing learning problems when they reach school-age. In infancy and early childhood * The first three years of a child’s life are a period of rapid brain development. Too little energy, protein, and nutrients during this sensitive period can lead to lasting deficits in cognitive, social, and emotional development. * Protein-energy malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia, iodine, zinc, and other vitamin deficiencies in early childhood can cause brain impairment. * Failure to thrive, the failure to grow and reach major developmental milestones as the result of under nutrition, affects 5-10% of American children under the age of three. * Hunger reduces a child’s motor skills, activity level, and motivation to explore the environment. Movement and exploration are important to cognitive development, and more active children elicit more stimulation and attention from their caregivers, which promotes social and emotional development. In childhood * Families often work to keep their food-insecurity hidden, and some parents may feel shame or embarrassment that they are not able to feed their children adequately. Children may also feel stigmatized, isolated, ashamed, or embarrassed by their lack of food. * A community sample that classified low-income children ages six to twelve as â€Å"hungry†, â€Å"at-risk for hunger†, or â€Å"not hungry† found that hungry children were significantly more likely to receive special education services, to have repeated a grade in school, and to have received mental health counseling than at-risk-for-hunger or not-hungry children. * In this same study, hungry children exhibited 7 to 12 times as many symptoms of conduct disorder (such as fighting, blaming others for problems, having trouble with a teacher, not listening to rules, stealing) than their at-risk or not-hungry peers. * Among low-income children, those classified as â€Å"hungry† show increased anxious, ir ritable, aggressive, and oppositional behavior in comparison to peers. * Additionally, the multiple stressors associated with poverty result in significantly increased risk for developing psychiatric and functional problems. School-age children who experience severe hunger are at increased risk for the following negative outcomes: * Homelessness * Chronic health conditions * Stressful life conditions * Psychiatric distress * Behavioral problems * Internalizing behavior, including depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and poor self-esteem The effects of under nutrition depend on the length and severity of the period of hunger and may be mediated by other factors. * Improved nutrition, increased environmental stimulation, emotional support, and secure attachment to parents/caregivers can compensate for early under nutrition. * Babies who receive enough nutrition while in the womb appear to show higher cognitive performance in later childhood. * The human brain is flexible and can recover from early deficits, but this also means that brain structures remain vulnerable to further negative experiences throughout childhood. * Breastfeeding, attentive caretaking, and attention to environmental factors, such as sleep cycles and noise, can also promote healthy development. Who are homeless children and youth in America? * In 2009, an estimated 656,129 people experienced homelessness in the United States on a given night, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. An estimated 2.3 to 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness at least once a year. Homelessness affects people of all ages, geographic areas, occupations, and ethnicities, but occurs disproportionately among people of color. * Access to permanent and adequate shelter is a basic human need; however, the ongoing economic downturn (composed of the foreclosure crisis, spiking unemployment, worsening poverty rates, and inadequate low-cost housing) is likely to increase rates of homelessness. * The National Association for Education of Homeless Children and Youth reports that during the 2009-2010 school year, 939,903 homeless children and youth were enrolled in public schools, a 38% increase from the 2006-2007 school years. The data is an underestimate since it does not reflect pre-school age children, toddlers and infants. * The United States Conference of Mayors (2009) reports that in 2010 more than 1.6 million children (1 in 45 children) in America were homeless and that approximately 650,000 are below age 6. Families with children are a major segment of the homelessness population. Families with children comprise a third of the homeless population and are typically comprised of a single mother in her late twenties with two young children. * Approximately 47 percent of children in homeless families are Black, although Black children make up just 15 percent of the U.S. child population (Child Trends Databank, 2012). On the other hand, although White children make up 66% of the child population, they account for 38% of homeless children. Hispanic children make up 13%, whereas Native American children make up 2% of the homeless children population. * Homeless single mothers often have histories of violent victimization with over one third having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and over half experiencing major depression while homeless. An estimated 41 percent develop dependency on alcohol and drugs and are often in poor physical health. Maternal depression and parental substance abuse has a series of negative outcomes for children. * Unaccompanied youth (sometimes referred to as runaway youth) may number between 575,000 to 1.6 million annually and typically range from ages 16 to 22. The major causes of homelessness for unaccompanied youth are mental illness, substance abuse, and lack of affordable housing. * Family conflict is the primary cause of their homelessness with 46% having experienced abuse and an estimated 20-40% identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT). * Homelessness is traumatic for children because they often experience frequent moves, family split-ups, and living in crowded places before using homeless shelters (National Center on Family Homelessness, 2011). * States in the south and south west where poverty is more prevalent have more homeless children than states in the north and northeast. Homelessness affects children’s health and wellbeing, their brain development, causes stress, and hinders readiness for school. What are the risk factors for homelessness in children and youth? * Extreme poverty is the strongest predictor of homelessness for families. These families are often forced to choose between housing and other necessities for their survival. At least 11% of American children living in poverty are homeless. * Female-headed households (particularly by women with limited education and job skills) are also particularly vulnerable. The current economic climate has made the labor market even less hospitable as many of them do not have more than a high school diploma or GED. * Teen parents are also particularly at risk of homelessness as they often lack the education and income of adults who become parents. * Lack of affordable housing is also a risk factor for homelessness, particularly for families who devote more than 50% of household income to paying rent or those who experience a foreclosure. Foreclosures affect vulnerable tenants as well as homeowners who are delinquent in their mortga ge payments. * Substance abusing or physically violent parents and stepparents are the major drivers of homelessness in runaway youth, particularly for those who identify as GLBT. What are the outcomes of homelessness for children and youth? * Homelessness has particularly adverse effects on children and youth including hunger, poor physical and mental health, and missed educational opportunities. * Homeless children lack stability in their lives with 97% having moved at least once on an annual basis, which leads to disruptions in schooling and negatively impacts academic achievement. * Schooling for homeless children is often interrupted and delayed, with homeless children twice as likely to have a learning disability, repeat a grade, or to be suspended from school. * Homelessness and hunger are closely intertwined. Homeless children are twice as likely to experience hunger as their non-homeless peers. Hunger has negative effects on the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of children. * A quarter of homeless children have witnessed violence and 22% have been separated from their families. Exposure to violence can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties for children both emotionally (depression, anxiety, withdrawal) and behaviorally (aggression, acting out). * Half of school age homeless children experience problems with depression and anxiety and one in five homeless preschoolers have emotional problems that require professional care. * Homelessness is linked to poor physical health for children including low birth weight, malnutrition, ear infections, exposure to environmental toxins, and chronic illness (e.g. asthma). Homeless children also are less likely to have adequate access to medical and dental care. * Unaccompanied youth are often more likely to grapple with mental health (depression, anxiety, and PTSD) and substance abuse problems. * Many runaway youth engage in sexually risky behaviors (sometimes for their own survival), which places them at risk of HIV, other STDs, and unintended pregnancies. Also, emerging research has shown that GLBT homeless youth are 7 times more likely to be victims of violent crime. What can you do to help children and families struggling with poverty, hunger, and homelessness? * Volunteer your time with charities and organizations that provide assistance to low-income and homeless children and families. * Donate money, food, and clothing to homeless shelters and other charities in your community. * Donate school supplies and books to under-resourced schools in your area. * Make your voice heard! Support public policy initiatives that seek to: i. Improve access to physical, mental, and behavioral health care for low-income ii. Americans by eliminating barriers such as limitations in health care coverage. iii. Create a â€Å"safety net† for children and families that provide real protection against the harmful effects of economic insecurity. iv. Increase the minimum wage, affordable housing and job skills training for low-income and homeless Americans. v. Intervene in early childhood to support the health and educational development of low-income children. vi. Provide support for low-income and food insecure children such as Head Start, the National School Lunch Program, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) authorization. vii. Increase resources for public education and access to higher education. viii. Support research on poverty and its relationship to health, education, and well-being.

General Motors And Its Impact On The Environment Commerce Essay

General Motors And Its Impact On The Environment Commerce Essay Industrialization and technological advancement have resulted in humans having had to bear an opportunity cost in the form of environmental damage for increased production and the firms then face this opportunity cost in the form of reduced profits. Owing to the enforcement of such policies many companies have been made to re-evaluate their production strategies and have thus been negatively affected. In the United States, as is the case in most industrialized nations, the leading cause of pollution is the industrial community. Therefore, because of this, most of the industrial sector is under heavy surveillance by the American government so as to prevent any violators of environmental policies or acts and thus reduce the effects of environmental damage.   Pollutants that emanate from automobile operation have begun to create environmental problems of a considerable extent. According to a report around seventy percent of the carbon monoxide, forty-five percent of the nitrogen oxides, and thirty-four percent of the hydrocarbon pollution come from automobile exhausts in America (Columbia Encyclopedia, 2007). Moreover with regards to this fact both the authors, Breno Nunes and David Bennet (2010) stated in their article that the main environmental impact from car production is down to solid waste generation, emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and high energy and water consumption. Inadequate or irresponsible management of landfill sites and wreckers yards may also contaminate the soil and aquifers as end-of-life cars are dumped or scrapped. Add in the environmental impact of day-to-day car usage and a dark, sooty, gloomy environmental picture looms through the murk. These procedures when left unchecked led to severe environmental damages which can be reflected in the fact when according to Martin V. Melossi (n.d) who stated that these damages were confirmed once again by the killer smog which plagued London and New York, causing over four thousand and two hundred deaths in those cities, respectively. This led Congress to legislate the National Air Pollution Control Act in 1955 so that more theories could be tested on the pollution of the atmosphere. Furthermore, according to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2000), approximately 2.95 million metric tons (6.5 billion pounds) of toxic chemicals from 2,000 industrial facilities have been annually released into the environment, which includes almost 45,360 metric tons (100 million pounds) of chemicals and agents that have been recognized to have been causing cancer. Such is also the case for General Motors, part of the leading automobile industry, where the business corporation has been throughout the years accused and penalized for damaging the environment through activities that directly affect the ecosystem. General Motors and its impact on the Environment Martin V. Velossi (n.d) in view of the damages caused by the automobile industry to the environment stated as to the purpose of the automobile industry pursuing such a damaging path that affected the environment that General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler did not think that they could sell small cars. They believed that there wasnt enough demand for them. So far as they had less expensive fuel for their cars, bigger and stronger automobiles would be manufactured. These bigger cars had a lot more horse-power in them, which facilitated faster travel. Cars with a built-in automatic transmission, which were being offered alongside 91 percent of the cars, resulted in a better and more comfortable ride. What the companies didnt realize was that there would be a few negative externalities that they would have to deal with, in pursuit of their goals. Gasoline shortages and air pollution were the direct result of such actions. This clearly reflects the purpose of the automobile industry in flaunt ing environmental acts and legislatures. According to Mike Westfall (2009), General Motors were accustomed to having been in trouble for their nefarious toxic waste disposal methods. An example is stated where the EPA complained about one of the New York General Motors plant which was deemed to pose a major hazard to human health. It was said that the General Motors plant released enormous amounts of PCB which are cancer-causing in nature. The plant was deemed very hazardous. What this shows is the extent of the damaging inflicted by the company since the 19th century when it began its foundry related operations.   Mike Westfall further demonstrates and supports his facts by interviewing Mike Bennett (2009), who represented General Motors workers, who stated that the General Motors Flint Ternstedt factory had numerous chemical ponds where lethal and poisonous elements were disposed of. A lot of the dwellers of that area were highly affected because they had wells which were polluted, thus their drinking water supply was no longer clean. The people who worked in that factory had become exposed to the deadly toxins, too, and they were infected by cancerous cells that speeded up their deaths by around three times the national average. Furthermore, in the recent case of California v. General Motors Corp. (2007), California filed a suit against six of the worlds leading automakers namely GM, Toyota, Ford, Honda, DaimlerChrysler, and Nissan because of the fact that their vehicles contributed the most to global warming and heavily effected California. The complaint declared that all the aforementioned companies were involved in a national crisis because they discharged more than 289 million metric tons of emissions, which ranked them highly worldwide. The lawsuit sought for monetary damages for the environmental degradation that occurred in California. According to the Public information office whereby the United States announced $773 million settlement with General Motors to resolve environmental liabilities and according to the information released by Ellen Davis, Edeli Rivera and Jessie Erwin (2010), the old General Motors would have to give more than $641.4 million. Other stipulations included giving more bursaries in the form of non-cash assets. These were to be given so that the old plant sites which have been polluted could be properly sanitized against toxicity. Moreover, the old General Motors has already spent nearly $11.5 million in order to tidy up their plants which have been contaminated. This showed that the past activities of General Motors had been damaging to the environment proving to have been detrimental for the company itself as well as the environment. After these lawsuits had been filed against General Motors and bankruptcy had been declared, a new corporation, the new GM, was formed which aimed at being environment friendly.   Strategies Implemented General Motors had to with respect to their past proceedings, adapt to the changing environment and client base so as to earn sufficient profits with regards to having an environment friendly image. This was an essential point to consider as was elaborated by Breno Nunes and David Bennet (2010) stated that defining strategic operations objectives is strongly connected to environmental issues. The operations function of a company encounters environmental protection issues directly because its the main source of harmful emissions, so environmental management programs and policies should be carefully developed to strengthen operations strategy. Moreover with regards to the three leading companies, Toyota, GM and Volkswagen, the authors stated that these companies have addressed the main environmental impact of manufacturing through technology-based solutions. Paint shops were converted to use waterborne paint sprayers, and water-based solvents were also introduced into processes. Energy and water conservation, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, waste management (including recyclable and non-recyclable waste) and recycling are the main initiatives to achieve greener production. On this matter the company itself, General Motors, (General motors, 2002) stated that it had contributed to the clean-up and drop in the amount of emissions. They have also saved up natural resources and got rid of the majority of the effluents. The company has also released seven annual reports which give further details on the matter at hand. This in fact shows the efforts involved on behalf of the corporation to improve the environmental conditions and to make significant reductions in the damages inflicted by the corporation.   According to a newspaper article (Mich Warren, 2008) it was asserted that Gary Cowger, the vice president of General Motors global manufacturing and labor, ascertained that GM could find the right solutions to the problems it faced which limited their production capabilities due to the environmental laws imposed on the automobile industry. He, Gary Cowger (2008) further stated that as novel ideas in the propulsion of automobiles are proposed, General Motors is making enormous strides to diminish the negative impact on worldwide ecosystems. The  newspaper further established the fact that more than 96 percent of the leftover discharge is recycled or salvaged at General Motors plants and 3 percent is transformed into energy. This is what General Motors is striving for and it will help sustain the environment. General Motors are receiving almost $1 billion, annually, from their salvaged material sales. $16  million is further received from its sale of recycled materials (Mich Warren, 2008).   Government and Environmental Group Relations For a company like General Motors to maintain its market share and customers it was necessary and imperative that the relations and ties be strengthened with the government and environmental groups and agencies so as to promote an image where they reflected the fact that the company was not only about earning profits but cared for the people that it directly and indirectly targeted.   In an article Larry Cotrell (2001), GMs environmental engineer commented on the importance of establishing ties with the government and stated that the regulations imposed by the state were far more rigorous and inflexible as compared to the regulations imposed by the federal government. He stated that State governments know better what concerns and benefits its citizens in each municipality. Also the federal government doesnt have to cope with the various industrial/environmental complexities and differences of each of the 50 states.   Dennis A. Rondinelli and Michael A. Berry (2000) with regards to this fact stated that more customer loyalty can be sought by being environmentally friendly. This can also result in an increase in the overall efficiency. Workers would also be willing to stay for longer periods of time. Proactive environmental management allows companies to maintain control over their own environmental activities, provide evidence of planning and interaction to address environmental issues, and influence future regulatory and competitive requirements.   Furthermore the authors in their journal affirmed that General Motors was indeed a company that maintained an association with such environmental agencies. They stated that General Motors entered a partnership with the Nature Conservancy to provide $5 million over five years to help the environmental group preserve land and water ecosystems in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Asia-Pacific Region. In addition to this fact, the authors pointed out the fact that General Motors (1998) created a GM Suppliers Environmental Advisory Team in 1997 to improve mutual understanding of environmental programs and efficiency and evaluate new ideas to promote eco-efficiency throughout its supply chain. which goes to reveal the extent to which environmental friendly initiatives were taken by the company.   The New General Motors: Environment friendly vehicles According to Chris Foster and Ken Green (200), The rest: in these cases, green issues receive only limited attention, most commonly in the form of a compliance check. Little innovative effort will be directed specifically to improving green performance in these cases. However, if the environmental impact of the product or service is linked to its effectiveness in providing its main function, green performance may be improved indirectly: such achievements may or may not be promoted as part of the product-marketing effort. If they are, green issues may receive additional attention, as in situation. Therefore when considering the case of General Motors, such innovative efforts as the introduction of EV1 as well as the research in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles (HVs and FCVs) will help in improving the automobile industry by reducing the environmental damages. Concerning the development of HVs and FCVs, Vanessa Oltra (2007) stated that As a consequence since 2000, there is a significant increase in research and development activities of car manufacturers in the field of fuel cells. Even if a majority of stakeholders present FCVs as the future new technological paradigm for transportation, there remain a lot of uncertainties concerning the production and the storage of hydrogen, the indirect emissions and the costs of the necessary infrastructures. That is the reason why more recently, HVs have progressively developed and plays now a dominant role in the innovative strategy of car manufacturers. Moreover, concerning this issue, Robert F. Service stated that it would be far from rea soning to give up on the technology available at hand. There are just two types of vehicles which can get the job done, only one of which are available for sale in the markets in the near future. As of recent date General Motors (General Motors, 2010) was bestowed the honorary Energy and Environmental Excellence award  in view of the efforts that it contributed towards sustaining the environmental conditions of the ecosystems. This award helped reduce the effects of the past stigmas associated with the dealings of GM whereby they had been on several occasions been accused and heavily penalized for the number of damages they had inadvertently caused to the environment from the introduction of such vehicles and automobiles that led to such adverse acts.   The company recently introduced a vehicle known as the EV1 which was an electric vehicle, so as to combat the limitations that environmental laws imposed by the government on the automobile industry. This form of a vehicle was powered only by using batteries. This change was not only an initiative to introduce this vehicle but a radical significant change was also brought about in the workings of the company. Brian C. Johnson (1999) stated with respect to the introduction of this vehicle that In the case of General Motors, a change in environmental mindset helped lead to the development of a revolutionary new vehicle, the EVl, while the same vehicle also continues to be the force behind further change at the company, and even in the industry as a whole. He further evaluated the benfits of this type of a change whereby he stated that Clearly, the EVl has environmental benefits, both in terms of improved air quality in the long term and environmental compatibility. Since the EVl does not rely on petroleum for its propulsion, the power train is significantly more environmentally friendly than internal combustion vehicles. Moreover the author suggested that this initiative was in no regards a product that was launched keeping in mind the environmental benefits it could reap. He stated that in the early stages of developing the EVl/Impact, very little thought was given to using the EVl as a tool to improve GMs environmental image. It was only later that executives realized that the EVl could have the double benefit of simultaneously improving the companys technological and environmental images, both of which were in dire need of attention. In addition to this fact the author goes on to imply that The only way that GM was going to improve its environmental image was to do something tangible. The EVl is about as tangible as one can get. If GM is able to use the EVl to make its first leap toward the environmental compatibility of its products, it could find itself in a better position than any domestic automaker-to be seen as the environmental car company. Furthermore, Dr. Thomas Turrentine, et al. (2006) found that the advantages pertaining to hybrid cars were numerous and not only because they were environment friendly. They have the potential to outperform other currently existing vehicles in the matters of fuel efficiency. They stated that Oil is a finite resource, and many have predicted that we are reaching what is called peak oil, the point at which the rate of extraction of oil from all developable oil resources and reserves begins to slow. This reflects the fact that due to greater dependency on oil, the reserves will quickly diminish, hence establishing the need for such hybrid vehicles. With regards to the company the authors stated that General Motors Silverado truck is a light hybrid. It replaces the normal flywheel of a gasoline engine with an integrated starter generator that shuts the engine off whenever the vehicle is not moving, improving fuel economy by a few percent. This depicts the sustainable methods being adopted by the company. Moreover they also stated that In theory, HEV technologies can make all vehicles use less fuel than a normal combustion design, whether they burn gasoline, diesel, bio-fuels, natural gas, or hydrogen. Hybrid vehicle designs improve the environmental performance of all of these vehicles and stretch their potential to meet demand in the future. However, no HEVs are sold yet using one of these other fuels. In addition to this the author also stated that, HEVs provide a broad set of benefits to consumers including better fuel economy, quiet operation, low to zero emissions in sensitive locations such as schools and enclosed parking areas, better fuel economy instrumentation, longer lasting and better braking designs. Therefore when considering the case of General Motors it can be recommended that the company in tis proactive environment friendly research should research upon innovative methods and employ them in order to effectively improve its image as well its sales of greener products such EV1 and hybrid cars. As Chris Foster and Ken Green (2000) effectively stated that, Involving sales and marketing, two functions crucial to communication between a business and its environment, would seem to be essential to success in this process. In addition, if exchange of information about green issues between the different actors that make up the green innovation framework could be established as the norm, it would be easier to balance changes that bring greener performance with the other factors that must influence the direction and outcomes of RD projects.

Advertising and Promotion Strategies

Advertising and Promotion Strategies Scenario You have been hired by an advertiser as a consultant to devise the promotional campaign for the product (Please select any product or business of your choice). The advertiser is not sure about the promotional budget therefore he wants you to advise and develop plan of how effectively can he advertise having your expertise. Besides above the line promotion, he also wants to know about the below the line options that can be offered to him by you. P.7: Differentiate between the characteristics and Objectives of the various below-the-lines promotional Techniques. Below-The-Line Promotion can be classified as above the line and below the line promotion. The promotion activities carried out through mass media for example radio, television, newspaper comes under above the line promotion. Below the line promotion refers to forms of non media communication below the line promotion are becoming increasingly important within the communication mix of many companies. In some ways by which companies do below the line promotions are by exhibition, sponsorship activities, public relations and sales promotions. Sales promotion Below the line sales promotions are short term and companies target the consumers and it is to achieve communication objectives more efficiently in limited budget with pressure on marketing team to achieve the communication objectives. An immediate or delayed incentive to purchase, Expressed in cash or in kind and having only a short term or temporary duration. (Hugh Davidson). Below are the lines of sales promotion: Price Reduction It is known as price discounting and it is done in two ways: Discount to normal selling price of a product More of the product at normal price Price promotions can also have negative effect on brand reputation or just a short term sales boost. Coupons Coupon is a ticket or document that can be exchanged for a financial discount or rebate when purchasing a product coupons are issued by manufacturing companies and retailers and the sources for coupons are through mail, magazines, newspapers, internet, and mobile devices. Rebates Rebates are like coupons which offer value to purchasers by lowering the customers final cost for acquiring the product. Rebates often request the purchaser to submit personal data in order to obtain the rebate including name, address and contact information is general required to obtain a rebate and sometime marketers may ask additional information such as reason for purchasing the product Samples: It is a free amount of a product delivered door to door, sent to mail, picked up in a store, attached to another products. Premiums (Gifts): Merchandise offered at a relatively low cost or free as an incentive to purchase a particular product. It can be inside a particular product, or in a package offered. Public Relations The point of public relations is to make the public think favorably about the company and its offerings. Commonly used tools of public relations include news releases, press conferences, speaking engagements, and community service programs. But advertisement is closely related to public relations. the goal of advertising is generating sales, while the goal of public relations is generating good will. The effect of good public relations is to lessen the gap between how an organization sees itself and how others outside the organization perceive it. Public relations involve two-way communication between an organization and its public. It requires listening to the constituencies on which an organization depends as well as analyzing and understanding the attitudes and behaviors of those public. Only then can an organization undertake an effective public relations campaign. Many small business owners elect to handle the public relations activities for their own companies, while others cho ose to hire a public relations specialist. Managers of somewhat larger firms, on the other hand, frequently contract with external public relations or advertising agencies to enhance their corporate image. But whatever option is chosen, the head of a company is ultimately responsible for its public relations. Sponsorship Companies and brands use sponsorships to build brand recognition by associating with an event. Companies try to find the target groups who fit within a specified budget and provide sponsorship benefits that suit the companys objectives. There are various sponsorships which are local, national and international sponsorships. Objectives of Sales Promotion techniques: Many sales promotion techniques used to attract the customers who are using the product for the first time. It is used for introduction of new products. Sales promotion can act as an effective customer information gathering tool. Marketers found that sales promotions are an effective tool for creating interest in a product because creating interest is considered as an important use of sales promotion. Some Sales promotion techniques offer the opportunity for customers to try the product for free or at low cost. Sales promotions are designed in a way to move customers to action or to provide information about product. Sales promotions are to build product awareness and to maximize the demand. Objectives of Public Relations: Public relations objective is to aware consumers about new product launching or to maximize the demand of existing product. Public relation can be used to provide customers with more information about a product. It is also used to build a good image and to maintain a positive relationship with customers. Objective of Sponsorship: The main objective of sponsorship is to increase sales. To aware the customers about a product. To reach target markets. To reach consumer where they live and play. To build relationship with customers. To build image. P8: Recommend the use of individual techniques in two commercial situations. Confed School for Professional Studies Confed is a consultancy which provides information about many U.K universities to the students of Pakistan. It has four branches in Pakistan located in Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. It provides information to the students who want to study abroad and helps them in selecting their careers. Confed conduct seminars in which that call different student and gave them briefing about different universities in U.K and about the living in the U.K. Besides consultancy business Confed is also offering Higher National Diploma (HND) and classes for ILETS exams. Recommendations for CSPS to improve their business. Confed should distribute flyers in different colleges and universities invite them to their seminars. They should specially target the students of FSC, A-levels. They should give discounts to the student who are applying for the first time and should give them keep the student satisfied. CSPS should make writing pads, pens, and distribute amongst the students of other colleges and universities. In Peshawar every one cannot afford the education in the U.K Confed because it is too expensive. Confed should make their customer realize that if the education is expensive it doesnt matter later on it has many advantages and benefits. Confed should deliver the advantage that a student will get by studying in the U.K. Confed should conduct different campaign for example beatifying university town, this will make a good reputation of confed. They should be participating in social activities. Daewoo Pakistan Sammi Corporation was established as forest products importer in 1954 but has expanded its business to become a dynamic trading company in Korea. From the 1950s, Sammi has been challenging the world market with a great emphasis on conforming to international requirements for the timely delivery of top-grade industrial products, such as Stainless steel, Coated steel, Automotive parts, Wood products various raw material.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Daewoo is a bus service introduced by Sammi cooperation, Daewoo is a bus service which covers almost all the cities of Pakistan. The journey of Daewoo is very relaxing, comfortable and is always on time. Now a days Sammi Daewoo is very popular for traveling in Pakistan. Here we will discuss about three major cities Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Lahore and how can Daewoo improve its services. Recommendations Reservation of Daewoo is made by phone. They should start a service by which there customers can make booking online or through their mobile phones. Sometimes the operator is busy and may not receive call so they should introduce new way of booking of seats on Daewoo that is online booking and through mobile phones. This will save time for their customers and will be much easier. They should give monthly cards to their regular customers worth Rs 2000 and the fare should be deducting from the card automatically. And should also give them discounts. They should also give donations to charitable trust. This is very good for overall reputation of the company. They should launch VIP busses for the executive class and should make the service different than normal routine. For example the menu should be different. Bussed traveling from Peshawar to Lahore should take the route of motorway from Peshawar usually the bus passes through noshera which takes a lot of time. Daewoo should offer snacks in between the journey. P.9 explain the principles and process of campaign management including (Communication goals, situation analysis, Campaign objectives, Strategies and Budget allocation) Goals of communication: The main goal of business communication is to influence, to control our audiences responses in the way we had intended, so that we can fulfill certain aims for ourselves and our organizations. Effective business communication, of course, results in our eliciting the response we desire both in the short term, such as having our audience obey an order, and in the long term, such as having our audience continue to follow the spirit of the policy. Secondary goals such as self-expression, social relationships, and career advancement also involve producing change in knowledge, attitude, or action. With all these complicated variables going on in the communication process, no wonder communication is imperfect. Situation analysis When analysis of the organization as it is at the moment and how it may develop in the future, is important. The analysis has to be executed at an internal level as well as an external level to identify all opportunities and threats of the external environment as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the organizations. There are too many factors internal and external to the firm which includes in situation analysis but some of the important contexts are given below. Historical context Industry analysis Market analysis Competitor Historical context All situations are unique, it is important to know how the firm arrives at the current situation. For compaign plan we should know about the history of the company including mistakes and success and decision that take in past. Industry analysis In industry some factors affect the character and growth in an industry i-e technology, regulations, economic conditions and social factor. In industry we have to identify that, is there any trend of that product or service? Does customer wants to avail it or not?. We should find out what is unique going on another side. We cannot ignore trends in an industry, no matter in what business we are. Market analysis There are different factors that affect decision making. The effect of external environment is unavoidable in all areas of marketing. There are different types of customer. and Each type o customer have their own attitude towards product and process of decision making so while making campaign we have to keep in eye all of our different types of customers. Competitors We cannot ignored competitors strategies while campaign plan. Its not like to follow each other strategies but have to make different, unique and more effective strategy compare to competitor. Campaign objectives Some of the important objectives of campaign are given below. New customer acquisition. Ensure a strong level of public awareness, understanding and support. Revenue. It raises the awareness of decision making, Cross-selling and bundling Churn prevention and management It also helps in feedback. Youll receive valuable tips, suggestions and leading during your referral interviews Stimulate the trends of investment etc. Strategies Strategy is mechanism by which something is to be done. There are infinite numbers of strategies. Developing marketing campaign can do around these three phases: Conduct your own market research. Focus on one or two positions which, based on your research, look like a good fit for you. Create a position thats right for you in a company where you feel comfortable and motivated. Budgeting The most important and difficult step or context is budget the funds, time and human resource for your campaign. There are different methods which usually get follow are given below. Percentage of sales approach is a simple but inexperienced way to deal with issue. Unit of sales approach that allocates funds on a per-unit base rather than percentage of sales basis. In the share-of-market approach the activities of key competitors are factored in to the budget setting process. A funds available approach is used when firms are strapped for cash and need to cover costs and preserve profitability. Tasks for P10 For this task you must: Discuss the importance of integrated and cost-effective campaign. Use appropriate techniques to develop a cost effective and integrated campaign, consider relative costs of various promotional techniques, product life cycle considerations, strategies that can be adopted by firms, positioning strategies, barriers to integration The most important factor of integrated is to control of the promotional process allows for more synergy activity among each of the communication program elements. It also helps organization to arrange a convenient for clients to coordinate all promotional efforts with one agency and agencies with IMC capabilities can create a single image for the client. The importance of cost-effective campaign is giving a guild line to marketing department that promotional message reaches youre intended and targeted audience and also message is understood by audience and the message stimulates the recipients and they take action. Any communications campaign must have clear, measurable objectives. This is true whether the campaign is designed to communicate product benefits or to support an event. In order to achieve these objectives, a campaign requires careful planning. There are eight main stages to consider, from defining the target market to setting a budget and schedule. (Steel, Jon, 2010) The most important factor of integrated is to control of the promotional process allows for more synergy activity among each of the communication program elements. It also helps organization to arrange a convenient for clients to coordinate all promotional efforts with one agency and agencies with IMC capabilities can create a single image for the client. Asses our marketing communication It is important in this first step to examine and understand the needs of our target market. Our target markets are the students who want to go abroad for their higher studies. What communication channels will use? In the beginning we place billboards near the colleges, schools, and universities and the other thing we distribute our pump flits to different students and keep the help desk of Confed in different colleges and universities. Objectives Our objectives in a promotional campaign are slightly different from our marketing campaign. Our Promotional objectives are stated in terms of long-term behaviors people are having been exposed to your promotional communication. These objectives must be clearly stated, measurable, and appropriate to the phase of market development. Promotion Mix   In this step we will need to allocate resources among sales promotion, advertising, publicity, and of course personal selling. Dont skimp on either of these areas. We must create awareness among our buyers in order for our promotional campaign to succeed. Promotional Message In this step we will need to sit down with our team and focus on the content, appeal, structure, format, and source of the message. We should keep in mind our promotional campaigns appeal and execution and also objectives. Product life cycle Confed overcome the consultant name as ICAS. ICAS was the good consultants but it never capture the market instead of this Confed in the start was not that much good then it highly advertise their service and to promote their business more they launch an HND which is the good opportunity for the students wants to go abroad and want to study the business. Now a days its in a stage of growth. confed Strategy: Confed standard is good, means they installs the multimedia for lectures, a/cs to create the better environment for the students, But there is something slightly missing in it that now they have to advertise more and more in these days because in these days admissions are open at U.K and also in Pakistan and the other thing is to create their management effective which attracts the parents. P.11: present promotion recommendations in the form of a promotion plan Situational analysis Daewoo Pakistan service was established in 1997 with a new kind of service for traveling and tourism. They have routes to all over Pakistan by providing the relaxing and refreshing service to their customers. Company Analysis Recently they are the largest land travel provider in Pakistan. Daewoo has bus terminal with complete range restaurants, cargo service, and travel service. The main goal of the company is to leave on time and get to destination on time. As Daewoo is an international company but this company has indirect competitors which are private busses and the new Motorway Express which tries to compete with Daewoo. Customer Analysis Today customers are becoming sensitive in terms of traveling and food, many people wish to travel safe, comfortable, on time with reasonable price, airlines are providing this kind of service but the price is high, Daewoo is providing the same service which the people of Pakistan wished. Competitor Analysis Daewoo Pakistan is the leader in bus service they dont have a direct competitor but if we consider the indirect competition, there are lots of busses which are trying to get the customers providing a comfortable travel but they dont have on time delivery and safe travel. About a year ago the new travel service has been introduced by the name of motorway express, but this company is in introduction stage which provides the routes from Peshawar to Islamabad and Rawalpindi. P12: Discuss briefly are the criteria for measuring promotional techniques effectiveness. How would you measure the campaign effectiveness in this scenario? There are many ways through which we can measure the promotional techniques effectiveness. Different companies use different ways to measure their promotional activities. The companies follow up to measure their promotional techniques are following areas. Measuring effectiveness of advertising Measuring effectiveness of sales promotion Measuring effectiveness of personal selling Measuring the effectiveness of advertising To check the number of enquiries from advertising. If the advertising is strong so automatically the sales of the company will be very good. When the sales are there means that the advertising goals have been accomplished. To check the customer awareness before and after the advertising campaign. Number of request for further sales means that the advertising campaign was very strong and more awareness is there in-between the consumers. Levels of repeated sales also show the effectiveness of advertising. To assess the effectiveness of advertising campaign, you can monitor sales, new customer requests for information, phone inquiries, and response from the retailers. Measuring the effectiveness of sales promotion The company must take the feedback of their customers regularly. A sales promotion is constructed to inform customers about the new product. This is possible by advertising in newspaper, and other Medias explaining the product and inviting customers to visit their websites for coupon offers. An activity like this can be measured by tracking the number of people visiting the website. Besides coupons another promotion techniques is price discounting such as 50% discount offer, buy one get one free, reducing cost is a sure way to motivate customers to buy the product. M5: Show in which situations do u think your recommended techniques may not work The recommendation I have given they may not work in the following conditions. We have suggested that we should distribute flyers in different seminars but because of security reasons usually seminar get cancelled, due to which we can face problems. It may affect the image of company while giving discounts. To offer the service of booking Daewoo seats through sms or internet can be costly. If there are not enough funds so the organization will not be able to advertise their product in a proper manner. Lack of human resources resource can be the possible reason of not meeting the required goals. Lack of communication between the staff can also affect the overall business of the Confed. The managers of the organization should keep check on the staff. If the manager is not competent the organization can suffer. If there is political instability the organization might not be successful to achieve its required goals. The organization might not have enough funds to allocate them into other activities M6: Develop the budget for the promotion plan To develop a budget for the promotion plan is a very technical part. We need to allocate out finances in such a way that we can get full benefit out of it by utilizing minimum finances. A budget planed at the beginning of the year and is followed throughout the year. As we are introducing a new product which is a mineral water at the beginning it will need lots of advertising so that people come to know about the product. We are going to make our promotional plan as follows: We will advertise our product in news papers which will cost us about 30,000rs. We will advertise our product on television by giving a contract to an ad agency to make an attractive ad so that the consumers get attracted to it by watching that ad on the television. This can take about 50,000 to 80,000. We will distribute free samples to different retailer which can cost about 4,000rs per retailer. We will make poster, brushers and distribute them in every possible area where people can see then easily. This will also take about 20, 000rs of our finances. We will hire a bill board in a main area, near traffic signal, so that on red light people can see our advertisement. This will cost us about 50,000 to 80,000 per month. M.7: Develop the communication goals through DAGMAR approach. DAGMAR is called (Defining Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Result) It is an approach to advertising planning and a method for selecting goals and to use those goals to measure performance. It is intend to create awareness, impart information, to develop attitude. There are four stages of DAGMAR approach which is discussed below Awareness: This model is used to aware the customers of the existing brand of a company. Comprehension: To make consumers understand the usage of the product. Conviction (Persuasion): to persuade the consumers to buy the product. Action: To get the consumers to purchase the product. Characteristics of advertising objectives in DAGMAR approach: There are four characteristics of DAGMAR approach which are discussed below Well Defined Objectives: The objectives should be cleared, it should be measurable and specific, and these objectives should be communicated to Copywriters and marketer specialists who develop the advertising message and it will help them to select the specific message for advertisement. Measurable objectives will help for effectiveness of advertisement. Benchmark and Degree of change sough: Benchmark is to target the audience in communication model. It means to know how many target audience are at the stages of communication model. It is must to know the number of target audience who are at awareness stage and at persuasion stage. Well defined target audience: The advertising message should well define to the target audience. It is must to know the person involved in each stage of communication. Like some audience are at understanding stage and some are target audience and maybe some are at persuasion stage. Specified time period: The time period of advertising should be specified for achievement of objectives. Most of companies specify the time period from months to year period it depends on situation and degree of change sought. If a companys objective is to increase brand awareness than it can be done in short time through mass media. But if objective of the company is increase the understanding and persuasion of branch loyalty than it takes time. D5: Show how your promotion plan activities will be planned, managed and organized. We can plan and manage our promotional activities as follow: We will divide the task amongst our employees so that each and every task is done in a proper manner. Like this there wont be a burden on one person. For advertising on television we have to look up in best advertising agency, do that they can make our ad more attractive. We will gave our products on much more discounted rates then our competitors We will provide our product to different Hotels, restaurants so that more people consume our product. Also take feedback from our customer that how we may improve our product.

Sex Education in Schools: Abstinence-Only Programs Essay -- argumentati

Sex Education in Schools: Abstinence-Only Programs Teenage sexual activity is a major problem confronting the nation and has led to a rising incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and teenage pregnancy. The existence of HIV/AIDS has given a sense of urgency to the topic of sex education. The issue of sex education in schools especially in the formative years has been a subject of intense debate among parents, school officials, health scientists and religious authorities worldwide for a considerable period of time. The debate centers on comprehensive sex education versus abstinence-only sex education in school. Abstinence only sex education is a sex education model that focuses on the virtue of abstinence from sexual activities; therefore, encouraging sexual abstinence until marriage. This form of sexual education completely ignores all other elements of comprehensive sexual education like safe sex and reproductive health education issues like the use of contraceptives and birth control methods. Comprehensive sex tea ching encourages promiscuous sexual activity as â€Å"a natural part of life.† Proponents of abstinence only education activists cite several reasons why this type of education is the best. It focuses on the upholding of moral virtues. They also claim that sex outside marriage hat is â€Å"encouraged† by the comprehensive sex education which as a result, has some emotional and physical downfall especially when done at a very young age. They blame the comprehensive sex education for failing to discourage premarital sex especially at this time when the HIV pandemic is busy devouring young people in various parts of the world (Deborah 2). In fairness, both programs were designed to decrease the incidence of STDs... ...u, Denmark, Durban: Macmillan, 2004. Print. Miller, Becky. â€Å"Sex Education: Why Teach Abstinence Only?† Opinion and Editorial, AC, 21 June 2006. Web. 29 Nov 2009. Roger, J. R. Sexuality education: what adolescents' rights require. North Carolina: Levesque. 2003. Print. Robert T. F.et al. Sexuality in America: understanding our sexual values and behavior.‎ New York: Willey, 1999. Print. The Abstinence Clearinghouse. â€Å"Most parents Advocate Abstinence Education for Their Children.† At Issue: Sex Education. Ed. Kristen Bailey. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Baltimore County Public Library. Web. 11 Nov 2009 Zanis, D. A. â€Å"Use of sexual abstinence only curriculum with sexually active youths.† Children & Schools 27.1 (2005): 59-63. Print.

Choosing a Career Path Essay -- building management

Never once was there a doubt in my mind that I wasn’t going to college. But the question as to what career path do I want to pursue was always the hard part. When declaring my major, I had no idea that Michigan State had so many different options. My original major was pre-law, and then it was general management, now I’m leaning towards construction management. I watched â€Å"A Family That Preys† by Tyler Perry, and one of the characters was a construction manager. Like a child, watching this movie persuaded my decision to go into this field. I didn’t declare this as my first major because I was uneducated on the field, so I went with a major that I knew about. I am only in my second semester of college and I have changed my major twice. My uncle has been very successful and he has greatly inspired my choice of continuing my education. He was a successful insurance agent at state farm, and then went on to owning his own insurance company. Even though he i s in the insurance field, he is going back to school for trucking and looking into construction as well. One night we sat at my grandmother’s dinning room table and discussed my future career plans. I told him that I was interested in construction management but I was uneducated in the field so I didn’t change my major yet. I need to educate myself about being in the construction field by reading books, interviews, magazines, etc. The name construction management in itself sounds like a hand full, there’s no question that pursuing this major will be a lot of hard work and dedication. When I looked up the course requirements, the requirements reinforced my preconceived notations about this field. Calculus, microeconomics, and accounting, sounds scary and they are only 3 of the 120 cr... ...MSU RO:Academic Programs: Construction Management." MSU RO:Academic Programs: Construction Management. Michigan State University, 23 Aug. 2011. Web. 01 Apr. 2014. Perry, Marjorie A. "Marjorie A. Perry - About." Marjorie A. Perry - About. Marjorie Perry, 02 Nov. 2013. Web. 06 Apr. 2014. . "Summary." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8 Jan. 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. . "Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program | SBA.gov." Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program | SBA.gov. The U.S. Small Business Administration, 1 Feb. 2011. Web. 06 Apr. 2014. .

Brand Personality Assessment of Royal Enfield Essay

Introduction Manufactured in Redditch, UK, the Bullet was the culmination of designs that date back to 1933. The classic 350 cc model made its debut at the Earl’s Court motor show in 1948 and was an immediate success. Its big brother, the 500 cc came along later, in 1953. In 1955, a satellite factory was established in Madras, India, to meet demands from the Indian Army. When the UK factory closed in 1970, the Madras plant continued production. In 1994, Enfield India was acquired by the large engineering group, Eicher, which has since made a number of improvements to the bike. However, despite these, its distinctive appearance remains unchanged and provides an opportunity to enjoy the privilege of riding a â€Å"classic† reproduction bike. First World War (1911–1920) Inter-war years (1921–1939) Second World War (1939–1945) 1913 Enfield 425cc 1923 Royal Enfield 225cc 1941 Royal Enfield 250cc Royal Enfield in Nepal All the Royal Enfield motorcycle in Nepal is imported from India by Dugar Brothers and Sons. It is manufactured in Chennai, India and by 2013 its Pune branch will also start manufacturing and the facility will be of same capacity. Currently 70,000 to 75,000 units of motorcycle are manufactured in a year. Dugar Brothers and Sons is the sole distributor of Royal Enfield in Nepal. It branches are in Kathmandu, Narayanghat, Birgunj, Nepalgunj and Biratnagar. Among these branches Narayanghat and Biratnagar branch has the highest number of sales. It has many distributors spread around the nation. Among all the branches and distributor the most number of Royal Enfield motorcycle is sold by the dealer in Pokhara and dealer in Butwal’s sales volume is the second highest. The highest number of sales is usually during festival season. Royal Enfield Bullet Electra/classic 350 cc are the two most selling brand here in Nepal and the same product of 500 cc is the second highest selling Royal Enfield bike. Royal Enfield’s most popular brand of today is Bullet and it is often taken as synonymous to Royal Enfield. And this is the only bike in the 350 cc and 500 cc segment of bike here in Nepal. And thunderbird segment is least popular and not sold currently. Royal Enfield was first manufactured in England more than hundred years ago. It has a long legacy and a war history as this motorcycle was used in both first and second world war. It has always been perceived as a quality product and it has been able to retain the same perception even after a century and it has been able to position itself as a Luxurious, Premium and a quality product. Royal Enfield’s target customers for Nepal are upper middle and upper class segment. It faces competition from new brands like KTM Duke, VR and others sports bikes. But it has its own set of loyal customer and these competitors are of very little threat to them as the model and performance both vary largely from other bikes. It is a premi um brand and its part and maintenance cost is high as well and it even consumes more fuel as its millage is about 20-25 Km per liter of petrol and petrol in Nepal is expensive too. It is a luxurious item for Nepalese people and hardly used by a middle class commuters. There is no age limit for the product like Royal Enfield Motorcycle as people from teen to older generation of 45 and above still have the love for the bike. Customers of this bike can be adventure rider, traveler, once that have the love for classic things or admirer of a legacy it carries. Royal Enfield has become very popular among the youngsters of Nepal. They seem to prefer this brand among other. Although it does not have a proper showroom in city area where most bike showrooms are located instead it has only one show room inside the industrial state of Kathmandu but still it has been selling the same unit of bike as it used to when it had its showroom in New Baneshwor as well. Its market share is only about 1% of total market share in the two wheeler segment. People buying Bullet usually find the place to buy the bike as it is a premium product here in Nepal and people generally come prepared through research in internet visiting www.royalenfield.com of India and as same bikes are imported and sold here in Nepal adequate information can be gathered from there and they find the place to buy the bike through friends and relatives or from NTC call centre which will provide the phone number of the distribution centre on demand. The point of difference for the Royal Enfield with other two wheeler motorcycle is its physical strength, quality assurance, retro look and traditional system still incorporated and above all it is the oldest two wheeler company. The price of the motorcycle is not over charged as well for the segment of the bike it lies in. Royal Enfield has not changed with advancement of the technology. This bike is still very similar to the bike that was produces decades ago. But this is what customer mostly like about the brand and it even has even advertised its classic chrome saying â€Å"old school magic, recreated† and this brand has really done well in the market in terms of sales. Nut there is still that segment in the market that would like to own a Royal Enfield but want it with a change and new technology incorporated; keeping this in mind Royal Enfield has come up with a Thunder Bird 500 cc with led light, double disk brakes and other various changes which will soon enter the Nep ali market as well. There are various clubs like Nasa Bullet Club (managed by distributor themselves), Himalayan Enfield and Sector Summit in Nepal that unites Royal Enfield owners and organizes tours and rally. These rally and tour are also a source of promotion and it has been able to lure more customers to the showroom. People like to get associated in such events and to do so they even buy the motorcycle. When other clubs organize such events the distributors mostly participate through sponsorship. They participate in different auto show like NADA Auto Show. They publish print advertisement in popular national daily newspaper every fortnight and even influence some magazines to cover a story of the Royal Enfield. They do not do television commercials but appear in programs like Wheel Factor in news 24 where over all description of the motorcycle is given. The main reason for the company not being able to tap all the potential market is its age old technology which requires special knowledge for the maintenance of the Motorcycle. Customers have different types of problem and most number of customer complain is about the limited number of service centre which makes it very difficult for customer to have their motorcycle repaired and moreover private workshop owner are not capable to repair the bike as it has a very complex engine, and its engineering is also very different from other motorcycles of today which make it very difficult for every motorcycle mechanic to have idea to repair the motorcycle so customers had suggested them to have service centers in different location rather than having a single service centre. Keeping this in mind the Dugar Brother and Sons even had a workshop and training program for the existing workshop owner and the interested new people who want to open a motorcycle workshop. The training was for free and it had a good number of enthusiasts joining the program. Customer’s attitude towards Royal Enfield I had interviewed few Royal Enfield owners and there was mixed comments on the motorcycle. Pride, power and superiority was something that everyone pointed out. They were satisfied with the functionality aspect of the bike and loved the sound emitted by the bike. On asking what made them buy the bike I found out that it was the retro look of the bike, the sound it emits, the powerful engine and the pride that comes with the bike. they even shared their experience they had joining different tours from Royal Enfield owners club, they found such tours very interesting and exciting as they would mostly travelling in a group and in the rest point they would have various activities for entertainment and they could socialize with the likeminded people on the tour as well. Riding Royal Enfield gives them a certain level of satisfaction, joy, pride, excitement and confidence. They said it was very comfortable on a highway; bike really gets lighter as you race it and even turning will be easy. The main problem that everyone indicated was the limited number of service centers and workshops. People have faced many problem due to unavailability of service centers that could fix the Royal Enfield bike and due to the complex nature of bike every mechanic cannot repair and maintain the bike thus the owners really gets in trouble when there is problem in the bike as they have to take the bike to some limited number of service center of Royal Enfield. They said it would be better if the bike adopts some new technology like led headlights, fuel indicators, tubeless wheel etc but without changing the appearance, as it has already introduced self start on the bike and is of huge success. Another well recognized problem was the high maintenance cost and expensive parts of the Royal Enfield. Where normal bikes that run in the street of Kathmandu run on an average of 1 liter engine oil it needs 2.5 liters which makes the regular maintenance cost double the cost of normal bike. Moreover the costly part that is not readily available and takes long lead time for arrival and the labor c ost associated with it is also higher making it more expensive to keep and maintain. It is because of this reasons people despite their outmost love for the bike had to sell their beloved possession, and some don’t even buy the product when they know all these about the product. Positioning of Royal Enfield as a brand Royal Enfield has positioned itself as a premium brand in Nepal and targeted upper middle and above class of people but it is actually for middle class people in India. It is perceived as a quality product. Although it is made in India people because of the age old legacy it carries people are confident on its performance and quality. It is targeted for travel enthusiasts and adventure riders more than for daily commuters. Although its price with reference to its engine cc is not that high its spare parts and maintenance cost is definitely high which makes it more attractive to the upper middle and above class of people. It spends very less in advertisement and promotion, still people find their ways to learn about the bike and buy it even if they have to search for the vendor. People find pride in owning the bike. There are different clubs started by the authorized dealer and likeminded people who love to ride and own the bike. FINDINGS Aaker’s Brand Personality Scale A sample size of 16 responded were asked to fill the questionnaire, which included the five major factors (i.e. sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication and ruggedness) with their underlining facets as suggested by the Aaker’s model. Respondents were asked to rate how descriptive each personality trait was for Royal Enfield on a 7 point scale (1being extremely not descriptive & 7 being extremely descriptive). The summary of the result is shown below Factors| Ratings | Sincerity| 1.0555| Excitement| 1.6420| Competence| 1.3203| Sophistication| 0.9687| Ruggedness| 1.8125| From the obtained result we can say that Royal Enfield as a brand has received high scores on all except the sophistication. The reason behind the brand to score low point in the sophistication factor might be because the customers are actually looking for the age old traditional antic bike which has very less modification to its original design thus making it less sophisticated and people like it that way. Projective Technique Here in the research I have used a comparison task to uncover the true feelings of the respondent about the brand. The respondents were asked to compare Royal Enfield with animal, activity, car, music, perfume, profession, sports, emotion and fabric and provide reason for their selection as well. Royal Enfield and animal Most of the respondent has compared the Royal Enfield with animals like Lion, Tiger, Rhinoceros, Giraffe and Dog. The highest number of respondent however has compared the brand with Lion because of its appearance, its power and king’s status in jungle and the roar which is comparable with the sound emitted by the bike. It is compared with tiger looking at its strength and toughness. Rhinoceros was mostly selected for classic and huge body of the bike. One respondent has even compared the bike with dog keeping the sound in mind he has compared it with the dogs barking. Royal Enfield and car Royal Enfield has been compared with different cars. The highest number of respondent has compared Royal Enfield with beetle because of its classic look. The respondents have a feeling that Royal Enfield is classy and are totally different from other bikes. Similarly, it has been compared with several other cars like Hummer, Ferrari, and BMW because of its sound and advanced technology. Royal Enfield and occupation All the respondents have come up with an individual occupation. Fashion Stylist as an occupation is somewhat mentioned by most of them. Royal Enfield however is compared to Fashion icon because of its classy, antique look and because of its individuality. Moreover, Royal Enfield is also compared to the job of Army, engineer, drilling mining because of the effort and power it possess. Royal Enfield and Sport The highest number of respondents has compared Royal Enfield to Football because of the enthusiasm and excitement it possesses while playing it. Moreover, Golf is the next highest sports that have been compared to Royal Enfield because of its nature. The respondents has revealed that playing golf shows your standard similarly riding Royal Enfield shows your Status and shows your living standard. Royal Enfield has been somewhat been compared to bike racing, ping pong, rugby, swimming, Marathon and Baseball. Royal Enfield and TV Show The highest respondents compared Royal Enfield to a TV show† FRIENDS† and â€Å" How I Met Your Mother†, which has revealed some different opinion towards Royal Enfield, which says that these shows makes you feel so attached to each other and so delighted everytime you watch it, likewise riding Enfield gives you the same feeling of delightness and attachment .One of the respondent has compared Enfield to a show ‘ Mind Your Language’ where the show makes you laugh loud and this laughter has been compared to the sound that Enfield emits. Similarly, Enfield has also been compared to a show like ‘Kofee with Karan’ where I see no relevance . Moreover other shows like Larry King Show, X-factor, Pimp my ride has been compared to the Royal Enfield. Royal Enfield and Perfume Most of the respondents have compared Enfield to ‘GUCCI’ because of its unique fragrance and its brand which depicts that Enfield has its own uniqueness in every other way. Moreover, Enfield has also been compared to AXE because of its strong attachment. Enfield has also been compared to other Perfumes like VERSACE, Channel, Playboy, Hugo Boss, Brut, Euphoria because of its masculinity. Royal Enfield and Fabric Some of the respondents have mentioned silk because of its softness and smoothness and some have compared Enfield with RUG which depicts its roughness meaning the bike is rough and tough. Some other respondents have mentioned that Enfield should be compared to such a fabric which shows its masculine power being very tough one. Some have compared Enfield with leather jackets and some have compared it with Wool and Raymond. Royal Enfield and Emotion The highest number of respondent has compared Enfield with happiness which reveals the fact that riding Enfield makes you feel happy and pleasant. Most of the respondent also has compared Enfield with aggression and violence as the bike itself shows the attitude and the aggression. In a nutshell, Royal Enfield is viewed as a tough bike with the class of its own having features totally different from other bikes. Many respondents seemed to like Enfield because of its classy look, because of the sound it produces, its individuality and the attitude it possess. Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET) ZMET is used to have an understanding of how brand is perceived by the customers. The study is conducted with 5 participants who were shown the collage of pictures related to the brand and asked to follow the following steps to bring out their true feelings about the brand. Step 1: The participants were asked to describe the content of the pictures. Step 2:The Participants were then asked to describe the pictures that they thought would be appropriate and asked to explain its relevance. Step 3:The Participants were then asked to sort the images into three meaningful groups and provide a label or description for each group. Step 4: The respondents were then asked to indicate the most representative picture among the 12 pictures. Step 5: The respondents were then asked to indicate the picture that signifies the opposite of the brand. Step 6: The participants were then asked to indicate what does or doesn’t describe the Royal Enfield in terms of color, emotion, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Step 7: Participants were then asked to create a mental map using constructs and relationships. Step 8: Participants were then asked to create a summary image with a final story. After collecting the responses I found out that people related these pictures do reflect the image of Royal Enfield. They found pictures to be rough and tough, cool, showed some attitude, bad boys, junky, biker, loud, stylish, masculine, strength, classy and legendary. Most of the respondents felt that had I included something related with the bike tours and antique bikes as this brand is closely related with bike tours and carries age old history with it. Most of the respondent arranged pictures like bike and its parts in one group and labeled it like cool bikes, antique pieces, old school etc. pictures of bull skull, sword, key rings etc were mostly placed in different group and labeled as bad boys toys, strength and masculine, classy and dangerous. Pictures of jacket, shoes, gloves etc were grouped in one group and labeled as harness, protection, save with speed. Most of the respondent did not find the picture of helmet and leg guard to be related as they felt it off the beat whereas they felt jacket, flag and antique bike to be most related with the bike. On asking the participant to construct a mental map they made up a story using these pictures and made a story full of actions and adventure, some were a lead character in the story and some were just a spectator. Fournier Brand Typology Fournier has indentified fifteen different types of relation a customer can have with a particular brand. Among these fifteen my relationship with Royal Enfield would be Committed Partnership. I wanted to own Royal Enfield bike since very long. I love the sound that the bike emits, its appearance and except for the complex engine structure that needs specially trained mechanic to fix it I love everything about the bike. Even though the bike makes loud sound it is not disregarded in the society and moreover the sound is high only when the bike is started and as it starts to run it gets smoother and emits lower sound. With the century long legacy and a history that beats all the two wheelers of the world trust over bike is definitely high. Its performance on both off road and black top road is very good and could be trusted to function very well even in adverse situation like low temperature. It gives a different feel when I ride it, I feel like I rule the street itself. Conclusion and Recommendation Royal Enfield as a brand has still not lost its charm among the youngsters even after a century of its operation. It has tried to position itself as a bike for a bike lover, a premium brand and a quality product. It has targeted the upper middle class and above class of people, but there is no as such age bracket of people that are targeted as people of different age from teen to old tend to like the bike. It has captured a large share of bike market in the upper middle and above class segment. It follows a differentiation strategy and focuses itself to the specific target market only. The bike is a sole player in the 350 cc and 500cc segment of bike in Nepal. Its age old legacy has been able to attract a good pool of enthusiast to its show room although its presence in the market is not that visible. People generally investigate well ahead and make contact to the showroom via various sources like from NTC call centre, asking people who own the bike etc. People also perceive it to be a premium brand. People mostly associate it with long tour, loudness, biker, bad boys, adventures and masculinity. It still has the power to stand out from the crowd of bike. People like the classic look and features that the bike offers but some small changes like led headlights, disk brakes etc are suggested by the customer, but largely it is preferred in its original state. Various programs like bike tour and different events are organized by the different clubs like Himalayan Enfield which enhances the brand value and keeps the charm for the bike alive. The engine of the bike is very complicated and cannot be fixed by all the mechanics of Nepal and it has very limited number of workshops and service centre that provide the facility, thus customer get into trouble every now and then when they find they need to fix a problem in their bike. Keeping this into mind the company has now started training the local workshop owner to make them capable of working on Royal Enfield and fix the problem. Royal Enfield as a brand is positioned very well. They have targeted the right segment of people. But they are not being able to provide good service after sales. With all the huge investment made on the bike people want it to be in condition and find a feasible location for maintenance. But there are very limited numbers of service centre that can repair and maintain the bike. Moreover the spare parts are not readily available and customer has to wait for week or more for the parts to arrive from India. This has certainly hampered the brand equity. The technology like LED headlights and disk brakes are in huge demand after it started producing the bike with self start and shifted gear in the left side. But bringing in these changes should not affect its original look as people have special love for the appearance itself. Thus the company should look into these aspects to enhance the brand image.