In what sense and to what degree are consumers in China distinctively Essay

In what sense and to what degree are consumers in China distinctively different from their counterparts in Western countries - Essay Example Thus, analysing the nature of consumer’s tastes and preferences is important for determining the long run growth of an economy. The essay enumerates the distinctive nature of the consumers demand in China from that of the western countries (Molano, 2009). Consumption in Modern China The framework of the society of China is primarily collectivistic in nature. The people in China give high value to tradition, conformity and benevolence. However, with the emergence of economic growth and modernization, the country has undergone dramatic changes in its cultural and social aspects (OECD Insights, 2013). Chinese society now resembles individualistic and materialistic principles apart from the ancient collectivistic attitude. The trace of modern consumption pattern in China is observed when some detailed analysis is made over the sales of several goods and services in the shopping malls of the country. It was empirically found that collectivism, individualism and materialism were all directly proportional to the consumption values of the consumers in China (EIA, 2013). These values include epistemic, functional, social and emotional principles in them. For the materialistic and individualistic consumers it can be found that they have greatest magnitude of consumption value (Alabama, 2005).The individualistic and materialistic consumers achieve high utility from consumption of goods and services. However, if the underlying disparities are ignored, then it can be analyzed that the overall living standard of the people in China has improved in the recent era. This is because the country has achieved a substantial growth in its Gross Domestic and National Products (USITC, 2011). China is now regarded as an emerging economy in the world. It is included in the group of BRICS, who are the nations showing higher growth rates in the world than the developed economies. It is believed by the analysts that by 2050 China’s growth will surely make it one of the global leaders in the world (World Bank, 2013). Since 1970 the country has undergone rapid development in its industrial sector. Consumer Value Analysis (Source: Alabama, 2005) The above diagram elaborates the idealistic values of the consumers in China in the modern world. Consumer behaviours can be estimated by observing the actual purchase decisions of the consumers in the economy. It can also be estimated by studying the amount of expenditures made by the consumers in China. It is found that the relation between the consumption value and socio cultural value is extremely high in modern China. Those consumers who have high social values are more attracted towards the expensive branded goods and services. These rich consumers invest high in conspicuous consumption. On the other hand, the consumers who have less social values and are not very rich and generally go for less speculative investments (Selden, 1993). On the other hand, most of the emerging economies in the world are enumerati ng high level of debt crisis in their economies. The sovereign debt crisis in the European economy has slowed the velocity of circulation of money in the European nations. Thus, the European Central bank is now implementing quantitative easing by which the commercial banks are able to get access to some fluid fund to lend the borrowers. Thus, the consumers in the western world are now having less purchasing power. Unlike the emerging affluent classes in China the consumers in

Adult Development and Life Assessment Essay Example for Free

Adult Development and Life Assessment Essay 1. Summarize the main ideas from the video and article in one paragraph each. A. Video – â€Å"The Science of Willpower: An Interview with Kelly McGonigal†* In this video Kelly McGonigal speaks about what willpower is to her and gives examples of what it could be. Kelly also speaks about reaching goals and how you need willpower to reach them. At last, Kelly talks about how technology plays a big part of today’s role but how certain approaches of it could benefit or damage our every day lives. see more:explain the benefits of using a personal development plan B. Article – â€Å"Academic Delay of Gratification, Motivation, and Self-regulated Learning Strategies†* In this article it talks about how delay of gratification can benefit in your educational assignments and tasks. Dr. Bembenutty also conducts a study on how male versus female can impact the result on the findings on the impact of decisions made by the students. 2. Using your own words, define willpower and explain what it means to you.* Willpower to me means anything and everything I am willing to do to accomplish a task or goal no matter what obstacle I face. 3. Think about a time in which you used willpower to delay instant gratification. Type to enter text PSY202: Adult Development and Life Assessment A. Explain what happened in detail.* B. While on the diet I am on now I have been in restaurants where I either couldn’t eat the food my family was eating or I had already eaten and needed to stick to my diet so I wouldn’t cheat. B. What were the results?* The results were that I stayed strong on my diet even though I wanted to  cheat and eat the foods that everyone else was eating I stuck to my diet and never gave up. C. How did you feel afterward?* Afterward I felt strong, proud, and knew that I could do this diet with no problem! 4. Think about a situation that you are currently facing as a college student that requires willpower and complete the items below. A. Describe the situation in detail.* A situation that I am facing is that I wake up early every day to take my kids to school and then watch the younger ones since they are not in daycare, then around three I go to work myself and don’t get off until eleven p.m. so when I come home I am exhausted but still have to either study, do an assignment, or complete a discussion. B. The links to the video and article recommend very specific ways to use willpower. Identify at least two strategies from either the video or the article that you can use to overcome the current situation so that you may achieve your academic goals. 1.* Kelly McGonigal speaks about how there â€Å"I will, I won’t, and I want) at 1:13 of the video The Science of Willpower. To me this helps by saying I will finish this assignment, I won’t quit, I wont give up, and finally that I want to succeed and I want to earn my degree. PSY202: Adult Development and Life Assessment 2.* Kelly also talks about how being on your phone before bed can effect your sleep pattern, I usually try to be on my phone before bed to help make me tired and by not knowing that it can actually be bad for you helps because with not enough sleep your mind is not rested either. 5. Think about a situation that you are currently facing in another area of your life (personal or professional) that requires willpower and complete the items below. A. Describe the situation in detail.* B. A personal situation I am facing is that my wife and I are at a rough patch in our marriage and lately we have been fighting and now trying to overcome those fights and better our marriage. B. The links to the video and article recommend very specific ways to use willpower. Identify at least two strategies from either the video or the article that you can use to overcome the current situation. 1.* Once again I can use the â€Å"I will, I won’t, I want† technique to tell myself that I will be better for my family or, I will try my best to stay calm and talk. I won’t argue or I won’t say things to put my wife in a offensive position. Finally, I want my marriage to succeed and that I want my family to always be happy. 2.* I didn’t see another way that I could use it to benefit my marriage. 6. Enrolling at Ashford University validates that education is one of your core values. Identify three of your educational goals that align with this core value. 1.* Finish each class with no less than a 3.0 G.P.A. PSY202: Adult Development and Life Assessment 2.* Study every night I can and take time to thoroughly understand the topics at hand. 3.* Focus and dedicate my time to my education studies, readings, and assignments so I can succeed. 7. Explain how willpower encourages choices that are consistent with your three goals.* Willpower encourages these goals because it shows that I truly have to do anything and everything I can to make sure I succeed even though I am a husband, father, soldier, student, and then a full-time worker. I know I face many obstacles but having that willpower will push me no matter what.

Plant Reproduction Essay -- essays research papers

Plants have two different ways to reproduce. The first one is vegetative reproduction. With this type all the plants that have the same parent have the same genetic make-up. This also lets plants pass adaptations on that they have abtained over the years. Plants with good genetic make-up usually spread quickly and take over an area. An example of this would be the dandelion. These plants can sprout from any part of the plant. An example of this is the potato, farmers will pick the potatoes and cut them into small pieces and then plant them again so they may grow again. Scientists have also placed a branch from one tree and place it on another one; it is now possible to buy an apple tree with six different branches and six different types of apples. The more common way to reproduce is sexual reproduction. In order for this to happen gametes must be produced and fertilized. Seeds, fruits, and embryos must also be developed. The two main advantages of reproducing this way are new geneti c combinations and seeds spread over a large area. The following are the reproductive parts in this process. The first part is the flower, which has four types of modified leaves. The first one is the sepal, which protects the other parts of the plant. The second is the petal, which is located inside the sepal. These are normally bright in color to attract animal pollinators. The third is the stamen, which is the male or pollen producing substance. The stamen contains anthers, which is were poll...

Matrix Organizational Structure Essay

After reading the case, do you thing matrix organization structure can always bring success? A1. Matrix structure is effective in relatively large companies that cater to the needs of diverse markets with varying requirements. It is based on the basis of decentralizing power to various functional and operational heads so that they understand their respective domains or geographical regions and frame strategies accordingly. It is especially effective when an organization is in the growth phase and wants to go global with its products and services. There is a well defined hierarchy and the decisions taken by the individual domain of functional heads are more often than not in sync with each other. It lends the company flexibility and allows it to focus on multiple business goals. It also enables the company to establish economies of scale and facilitates in innovative solutions to complex, technical problems. On the contrary if a company is a start up phase their might be a fight for resources between the individual departments. Here a matrix structure can lead to a state of ambiguity as the divisional officers have to report to multiple divisional heads which creates conflict. The individual units end up competing with each other. Also there are additional costs owing to additional management and administration requirements. In such scenarios, centralized decision making system would be more effective than the matrix organizational structure. Q2. Identify some companies which have failed subsequent to introduction of matrix structure. List the reasons for failure and suggest what could be the appropriate structure for them? A2. In the 1990’s, some of the leading auto makers of the world resorted to the matrix structure-Toyota, Renault, Nissan, Ford, Mitsubishi etc. They were not entirely successful in their implementation. More power was delegated to the functional heads and leads to carry out the individual processes with their resources. The reasons for their failure could be: 1. The system became very complicated and difficult for the functional heads to carry out their functions. 2. There were too many functional divisions but not many engineers with the desired specializations 3. Coordination across projects was lacking 4. Each manger had to handle too many projects. 5. Production costs were higher 6. There wasn’t adequate sharing of common components among divisions 7. Led to competition between the individual segments for the limited resources so as to reduce cost. These industries should balance the need for a matrix structure with the specialized manpower and machines at their disposal. Instead of resorting to too much specialization in allocating divisions, they should club specialized divisions having common raw materials and technology requirements so that the costs of production are reduced and there is efficient use of resources. Also there would be better coordination and synergy between the constituent divisions in such a case.

Bp Marketing Problem After Oil Spill

British Petroleum’s Marketing Problem Florida International University Summer 2011 Alex Del Veccio Yudith Torres BP Marketing Problem In April 20th, 2010 one of the worst environmental natural disasters that were brought on by a men happened. We are talking about the British petroleum Oil spill on the Golf Coast. The disaster not only affected the plants, animals and people living in the area but also the image of the company. British Petroleum has been successful on creating a powerful brand image, being authentic to the core values of its business and building the goodwill of their customers, now BP is trying to save what is left after the disaster. The disaster leads to many angry people, including environmentalists, shareholders and the general public to create campaigns to bring down the company reputation. BP has been accused of 11 workers dead and 17, injured. The extent of the spill is about the size of Rhode Island, running across the northern Gulf of Mexico between the mouth of the Mississippi River and Florida. The spill runs wide, threatening the coastlines, and deep, traveling beneath about 5,000 feet of water and 13,000 feet under the seabed. The Deepwater Horizon well is leaking 5,000 barrels per day, shutting down fishing across the affected areas, damaging fragile habitats and putting animals in peril. BP was also accused of trying to silence the scientists that were studying the effects of the oil spill, not allowing publishing researches done for the company; this clause was expressed in their contacts. The entire situation has position BP with a bad corporate image in the entire world leading to customer to refuse buying its products. This crisis has result in a negative publicity, threatening the image of the company and having effects on people perception of the company and its products. BP has responded to the event, trying to diminish the severity of the contamination, in a desperate effort not to lose its social legitimacy and seen to being irresponsible and dishonest with the public. These are a few of many pictures that were put out there by the media, making the problem even worse for British Petroleum, those images were directly associated with the corporation, death, contamination, social irresponsibility, unhappy people. BP has a huge problem, they need to make people to stop associating those images with its corporation and products, and recover its good name again. Consumer Behavior Issues as a result of BP the oil spill Consumer attitudes toward BP products were badly affected by the oil spill; there was not favorable opinion about the corporation resulting on the decline of consumer intentions to buy BP products. BP oil spill has impacted purchasing behavior, the spill rattled the company, causing the stock to lose about half its value and prompting Tony Hayward CEO to resign and be replaced by Bob Dudley, But the company was able to get the oil gusher stopped and has been paying to repair the damage to the local economy. The company is paying to cleanup an estimated of $20 billion, as a result the company temporarily suspending its dividend, in another blow to investors. The dividends were reinstated in February 2011. Despite the fact that many surveys has showed that people has no intention to boycott or switch from BP brand ( (Harrison) the consumer perception of the company was reflected on consumer willingness to invest on BP stocks, maybe because many of them were normative influenced altering their behavior to meet public opinion expectations. Consumer awareness has shifted dramatically when there is a catastrophe related to a big corporation such as British Petroleum, consumers has jointed forces and organized protests to show their disgruntlement with the corporation and pressing them to take full responsibility for the disaster. The oil spill has had effected no only on consumer attitudes towards BP products, but to other industries too. Approximately 71% of consumers were still concerned about the safety of consuming seafood, and 23% reported they have reduced their seafood consumption as a result of the oil spill ( (Bianco) Consumer analysis Of British Petroleum after oil spill According to a Brand Index Survey, (Index, 2010) British Petroleum public image went below Goldman Sachs (and investment bank many feel contributed to the financial crisis' in 2008). This Survey that came out in June 2010 show these findings. Only Toyota who went through a massive recall shows worse. Many more surveys show that consumers were not please with British petroleum (eye, 2010) Following are s few notes from the article on the corporate eye's website (eye, 2010): * From an Economist and YouGov survey: When it comes to trusting BP to â€Å"do the right thing in stopping the oil spill and cleaning it up,† 9% of respondents said they trust BP â€Å"a great deal† and 13% trust BP â€Å"quite a bit† while 20% have â€Å"only some† trust that BP will do the right thing, and another 20% said they have â€Å"very little† trust that BP will do the right thing. The majority of respondents, 28%, trust BP â€Å"not at all. †Ã‚   The remaining respondents stated that they were not sure how they felt. * From the same Economist and YouGov survey: 65% of respondents believe that BP and other companies involved in the oil spill are â€Å"pointing the blame on others and avoiding responsibility† while just 35% believe BP and other companies involved are â€Å"doing whatever it takes to stop the spill and clean up the oil. † * From a USA Today/Gallup poll: 34% of the respondents rated BP’s response to the spill as â€Å"poor† and 39% rated it as â€Å"very poor†. Only 6% rated BP’s response as â€Å"very good† and 18% rated it â€Å"good. † * From a Pew Research Center and National Journal Congressional Connection poll: 44% rated BP’s response to the oil spill as â€Å"poor† and 26% rated it â€Å"only fair† while 16% rated BP’s response â€Å"good† and 3% rated it â€Å"excellent. † * From a CNN and Opinion Research Corp. poll: 76% of respondents disapprove of BP’s response to the oil spill and 24% percent approve. These surveys and many like them combined with massive protests and boycotts reshaped the Value of British petroleum as reaction to their stocks showed. In late June in 2010 British petroleum's stock fell to under 28 dollars per share. This was a major drop from there yearly high of over 61 dollars per share in February in 2010. While the consumer trend for the oil industry is still in high demand, British petroleum still loss revenue loss due to poor public perception and also lost revenue from the oil spill and cleanup efforts. According to this story BP has it work cut out for them financially (JACOBSON, 2011)– Almost $50 billion in lost market value. Its rivals' stock is up almost 15 percent, while BP's has been down roughly 25 percent. Shares that were worth $60 a piece on April 20, 2010, are worth $46 today (JACOBSON, 2011). * Sales of $24 billion of the company's assets to be set aside to help pay for claims and other costs. Gheit said roughly 10 percent of BP's production and reserves were sold last year. Another $6 billion worth are expected to be sold this year (JACOBSON, 2011). * $3. 8 billion paid out in claims so far. That's part of a $20 billion fund set aside under pressure from the government last year (JACOBSON, 2011). * Liabilities could swell by tens of billions more. If BP is found to be criminally negligent (several investigations and reports have yet to be completed), the price tag could exceed $50 billion. (Contending their equipment and work played a major role in the cause of the accident, BP is suing Halliburton and TransOcean for billions of dollars as well. (JACOBSON, 2011)) However not all is lost for BP. As you look at the Global 500 (500, 2011) ranking of the top one hundred companies in the world. You will notice that six of the tops 10 are oil companies, including BP at number four. This not only shows that oil is a very profitable industry and in high demand despite calls for alternative energy sources over the past decades. Unless such an alternative energy source can come about and service the billions of people who demand energy: the outlook in the oil industry will continue to be high. Which also means the oil industry will continue to be profitable. When we also add into the factor that developing countries have increased demand for oil and global demand for this resource is predicted to go from 41. million gallons per day to 86. 6 million gallons by the year 2025 (prices, 2010). I do not see consumer trends in oil consumption a problem for BP. This consumption pattern will be an advantage for BP. The bottom line is that BP's industry and products looks like they will be in high demand for the foreseeable future. However even though Bp's product is widely used they are not immune from poor public perception. Since the oil spill Bp has been forced to sell o ff some assets (White, 2011) to pay for loss revenue, and pending lawsuits from the oil spill. BP's problems continue outside of its finances. In early 2000 British petroleum launched a new campaign called â€Å"Beyond Petroleum†. This campaign was targeted top the environmental conscious consumer. Bp wanted to become established as an environmentally friends energy company. While it's hard to see if that campaign was successful regardless, any positive perception or equity acquired from that campaign was lost do the oil spill. Reinventing themselves as an eco friendly company looks to be a difficult task at this time. Moving forward With the environment a major issue in today's world it may be a good idea for BP to invest in research for safer more eco friendly offshore drilling technology. Another way for BP to win over the public interest is to come up with a cleaner alternative source of energy. Would it be ironic that a oil company invents an alternative energy that is safer and cleaner for the environment. The emotional element of BP’s brand invokes bad feelings. With concerns about Global Warming and endangered species many feel BP broke its Brand Promise started by their campaign â€Å"Beyond Petroleum†. For now British Petroleum's strategy should be to allocate resources for research for the above mentioned. And also allocate resources to improving public perception. One example is their commercials with local business owners that were affected by the Gulf oil spill. They are telling the consumers that they are standing by their mistakes. I would also advise BP to communicate to the public what changes they are making from organizational structure to safety precautions. BP may also look into working with eco friendly organizations and organizations like the World Wild Life foundation. Such organizations have voiced strong criticism BP after the oil spill. Working with these organizations would go far in telling the public they have turned over a new leaf. Marketing Recommendations for British Petroleum (prices, 2010) British Petroleum needs to have specific plan for each one of the possible scenarios they might encounter, the company took three months to stop the oil leak, and they are still working on the cleaning process. This shows that BP was not prepared to face such a huge natural disaster; they did not have a contingency plan appropriated. Its is very important than the fist reaction that company takes to resolve the problem is the most suitable one, because that is when the media and public attention are more focus on the problem, and a prompt resolution will lead a faster recovery of the company image. BP should focus on mortification, taking full responsibility for the situation and its consequences. This strategy address public critique in advance and give the company a more significant public relations ground. After admitting and apologizing for the catastrophe, BP must take an action to avoid that is going to happen again. Creating more and secure ways to drill oil, the company needs to improve procedures, safety and competence to regain the lost trust from the public. BP need to regain their good mane, at the moment the company is located in the awareness set in the customer mind that it does mean that its products will be consider if people has a negative image in it. British Petroleum need to build positive feeling towards its corporation, one option is to develop green advertising, the company have invested million on it, but today they should put more emphasis on it. Create better image (social factor) by better approach to compensate those who have been affected. There were many people affected by the catastrophe, people from different communities, they need to focus on the different groups of people they are trying to reach in order transmit the message more efficiently; failing to do will worse the problem. In order for people to place BP into their consideration set they need to believe that the company is reliable and responsible, in addition people must have good feeling towards the brand. They must invest a lot of money in advertising, informing people what is plan to recover and it is being developed. Those ad must run as many time as its needed, to inform people that â€Å"we are taking responsibility† to backfire those ad claiming the contrary â€Å"Show you care†, that is the primary position British Petroleum must assume. The reality is that the Oil Spill in deep horizon water in Mexican Gulf, in April 2010 has made a huge human, ecological and financial lost, and it has ruined the company’s reputation. There is not way the company can go back in time and avoid what happened, but they can look forward and make the best out the situation. If BP can convince the public that they truly believe that its image will be reinstated, people will start bearing positive feeling towards BP. Bibliography 500, G. (2011). And the world's biggest companies are†¦ Retrieved 2011, from Cnn Money 2011: http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/global500/2011/ Bianco, V. D. (n. d. ). Louisiana News . Retrieved from Louisianafoodnews. com. eye, c. (2010, june 4). The BP Brand Fallout – Consumers Weigh In. Retrieved from corporate eye: http://www. corporate-eye. com/blog/2010/06/the-bp-brand-fallout-consumers-weigh-in/ Harrison, M. (n. d. ). Wave Matrix. Retrieved from wavematrix. com. Index, J. C. (2010, hune 24). Survey BPS consumer perception sinks below Goldman Sachs. Retrieved from http://www. mediabistro. om: http://www. mediabistro. com/prnewser/survey-bps-consumer-perception-sinks-below-goldman-sachs_b3951 JACOBSON, M. (2011, april 26). One Year Later, Where Does BP Stand? Retrieved from pbs. org: http://www. pbs. org/newshour/rundown/2011/04/bp—-one-year-later. html prices, O. (2010, July ). Retrieved from oilprices. org: http://www. oilprices. org/ White, G. (2011, feb 22). BP to sell off North Sea asset. Retrieved from the t elegraph: http://www. telegraph. co. uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/8341366/BP-to-sell-off-North-Sea-assets. html

John Battaglia Killed His Daughters for Revenge Against His Wife

John Battaglia Killed His Daughters for Revenge Against His Wife John David Battaglia shot and killed his two young daughters to get even with his ex-wife for reporting him to his  parole officer on a probation violation. A former Marine and CPA, John Battaglia was well liked by his friends and family. He appeared to be a good guy- fun spirited and charming. That was what MaryJean Pearle thought when she married him, but on their wedding night, Battaglias dark side began to emerge. At first,  he would fly off the handle and throw a few curse words and insults at his new wife. Pearle did not like it, but she put up with it  because they shared more good times together than bad. The following year  their first daughter, Faith, was born and then Liberty, three years later. Now with a family to consider, Pearle tried even harder to make the marriage work. An Idyllic Life With Hidden Secrets Living in an upscale neighborhood in Dallas, the small family seemed to have an idyllic life. But inside the home, Battaglias violent episodes began happening more often. He verbally abused Pearle, screaming obscenities at her and calling her vile names.   As time went on, the verbal attacks lasted longer and in an effort to keep her family together, Pearle endured it. The girls adored their dad, who had always been a gentle and loving father to them, even though his temper tantrums that he unleashed on Pearle continued to increase. Then one night, his anger switched from verbally attacking Pearle to going after her physically. She was able to get away and call 911. Battaglia was placed on probation and although he was allowed to see the girls, he was not allowed to enter their home. The separation gave Pearle a chance to think and it did not take long for her to realize that after seven years of abuse and having her children exposed to a lot of it, that it was time to file for a divorce. Christmas 1999 On Christmas day in 1999, Pearle allowed Battaglia to come into the home so he could visit with the girls. The visit ended in the two of them arguing and Battaglia violently attacking Pearle. He beat her with full force on the back of her head as she tried to protect herself from the blows. Battaglia was arrested and charged with assault. He was put on two years probation and was forbidden to have contact with Pearle. He could also not visit his daughters for 30 days. When the 30 days ended, normal weekly visitation started back up and so did the verbal assaults toward his ex-wife. Rage and Resentment The divorce came through the following August, but that did not deter Battaglia from leaving obscene and often threatening messages on his ex-wifes phone. As the threats progressed, Pearle became more fearful that one day her ex-husband might really act on what he was saying, but the thought that he would ever hurt the girls did not enter her mind. Visitation between the girls and their father continued. After a particularly frightening call from Battaglia in April 2001, Pearle decided it was time to get help. She contacted her ex-husbands probation officer and reported that he had been making threatening calls, which was a violation of his parole.   A few weeks later, on May 2, Battaglia found out that his parole had been revoked and that he was probably going to be arrested for the calls that he made to his ex-wife and for testing positive for marijuana.  He was assured by a police officer that the warrant would not be executed in front of his children and that he could make arrangements with his lawyer to peacefully turn himself in. He was scheduled to have the girls over for dinner that same night and Pearle,  not knowing that Battaglia had any knowledge that she had reported him to his parole officer, dropped off the girls with him at the normal meeting place. A Daughters Cry Later that evening, Pearle received a message from one of her daughters. When she returned the call, Battaglia put the call on speakerphone, and told his daughter Faith to ask her mother, Why do you want Daddy to go to jail? Then Pearle heard her daughter screaming, No, Daddy, please dont, dont do it. Gunshots  followed the childs cry and then Battaglia screamed, Merry (profanity) Christmas, then there were more gunshots. Mary Jean Pearle hung up the phone and frantically called 911. After shooting 9-year-old Faith three times and 6-year-old Liberty five times Battaglia went to his office where he left one more message, but this time to his dead daughters. Goodnight my little babies, he said. I hope youre resting in a different place. I love you, and I wish that you had nothing to do with your mother. She was evil and vicious and stupid. I love you dearly. Then he met up with a girlfriend and went to a bar and then to a tattoo shop and had two red roses tattooed on his left arm in honor of his daughters that he had just murdered. Battaglia was arrested as he left the tattoo shop at 2 a.m. It took four officers to restrain and handcuff him. Officers took a fully loaded revolver from Battaglias truck after his arrest. Inside his apartment, police found several firearms and the automatic pistol used in the shootings laying on the kitchen floor. Autopsy Faith had three gunshot wounds, including a shot to her back which severed her spinal cord and ruptured her aorta, a contact shot to the back of her head which exited her forehead, and a shot to her shoulder. Either of the first two shots would have been rapidly fatal. Six-year-old Liberty had four gunshot wounds and a graze wound to the top of her head. One shot entered her back, severed her spinal cord, went through a lung, and lodged in her chest. After losing about one-third of her blood, she received a contact shot to her head which passed through her brain, exited her face, and was immediately fatal. A History of Abuse is Revealed In less than 20 minutes of deliberation, the jury found Battaglia guilty of murder.   During the  punishment phase of the  trial, Battaglias first wife,  Michelle Gheddi, testified about the abuse she had suffered during their marriage that lasted from 1985 to 1987, and then after their divorce. Twice  Battaglia was physically violent toward Gheddis son from a previous marriage. Once when Ms. Gheddi was traveling with  Battaglia  in the car, he became angry at some other motorists and tried to reach for a gun he had in the car. They separated after an incident in which Battaglia struck Gheddi while she was holding their daughter Kristy, causing her to drop the child. After the separation, Battaglia stalked Gheddi,  watched her through the windows of her home, followed her in his car and somehow managed to tap her phone line.  He called Gheddis employers and creditors and made false statements about her. He threatened to kill himself and her, and once described to her in detail how he planned to cut her up and kill her with a knife. One night Gheddi woke up sometime after midnight to find her estranged husband standing over her bed and holding her shoulders down. He wanted to have sex, but she refused. Later she filed a police report about the incident. In January of 1987, Battaglia spent several days in jail after throwing a rock at Gheddi through her car window. After his release, things seemed to improve, but for only for a few months. Gheddi again filed charges against Battaglia after two more violent episodes.  Battaglia begged her to drop the charges, but she refused. Later that day, he approached Gheddi outside of her sons school. Smiling as he came toward her, he told her, If Im going back to jail, Im going to make it worth my while. He then beat Gheddi until she lost consciousness, breaking her nose and dislocating her jaw. After she got out of the hospital, he threatened to do the same to her son, so she moved to Louisiana At noon on the day that Faith and Liberty were killed,  Battaglia left a message on Gheddis  answering machine saying that maybe Pearl should lose her kids. He left another message later that evening for Kristy, telling her that he was sending her money for college and to use it wisely. Psychiatric Testimony Four forensic psychiatrists testified about  Battaglias mental state when he murdered his children.  They all agreed that Battaglia suffered from bipolar disorder, and all but one of the doctors thought that with the proper medication and under a controlled environment, he was a low risk for future criminal violence. All of the doctors testified that Battaglia knew what he was doing when he murdered his daughters. Death Sentence On May 1, 2002, after deliberating for close to seven hours, the jury agreed with the prosecutors who felt that the murders were a result of Battaglia seeking revenge because of his ex-wifes actions and that he could pose a possible threat in the future.  Battaglia, who was 46 years old at the time, was sentenced to death  by lethal injection. Best Little Friends Referring to his daughters as his best little friends, Battaglia told The Dallas Morning News that he did not feel like he had killed his daughters and that he was, a little bit in the blank about what happened. During the interview Battaglia showed no remorse for murdering his daughters,  instead placing the blame for his situation on his ex-wife, the prosecutor, the judge and the news media. He said that  Pearle was putting a lot of financial pressure on him and that after the divorce he had to work two jobs to keep up with his obligations.   On the night that he shot and killed his daughters, he said that Faith had told him that  Pearle was trying to have him arrested. Stressed out, exhausted, angered and wanting  Pearle to suffer, he did the one thing he knew would hurt her the most. He killed the children, although he says he has little memory of the actual event. Execution Halted Hours Before Battaglia was Scheduled to Die John Battaglia,  age 60,  was scheduled for lethal injection on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, for the revenge killing of his two young daughters, but the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals  put a halt to it. The court agreed with Battaglias attorney that he has a right to claim that he is too mentally incompetent and delusional to be executed investigated. Battaglia was eventually executed by lethal injection on Feb. 1, 2018, in the  Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville, Texas.

Main body Essays

Main body Essays Main body Essay Main body Essay In William Wordsworth preface to his lyrical ballads he draws upon the fact that his poems are going to reflect ordinary things. He suggests ordinary things should be presented to the mind in an unusual way (357). This claim is no different than what is presented in his poem the convict. It can be argued that in his poem Wordsworth reveals his true feelings about prison reform at the time of writing and the empathy that he illuminates towards the convict is effective in engaging the readers sympathy. The fact that the poem is called the the convict allows the reader to fully understand that although we do not know the crime of the man we are aware his is a captive. Wordsworth th is attempting to present his views towards prison reform and treatment as the man appears to be held captive by the dungeon he is confined too. It can be argued the use of the term dungeon reflects conditions of prisons during the late eighteenth century. This is because as a reader we conjure up the image of been completely isolated and barricaded from all outside world, and from this image Wordsworth allows the reader to immediately feel sympathy towards the man, which only serves to highlight the oppression. Oppression that the conflict is subjected too in his time of imprisonment is clearly reflected by Wordsworth gloomy descriptions of his situation. His eyes look steadfast dejectionon the fetters that link him to death. To an extent this poem reflects treatment of the convicts during the romanticism era as he recognises the power of the monarchy that fetters, yet in using the word dejection Wordsworth appears to be highlighting his lack of freedom, and the hopelessness the convict feels within the situation. In describing his eyes to appear with a powerful dejected image Wordsworth is drawing upon the negativist effects of imprisonment and it can be argued this reflects his strong beliefs about prison reform. Through the technique and use of negative images Wordsworth appears to be encouraging the reader to empathize with the convicts sad eyes. Wordsworth it can be argued is highlighting his views on prison reform by using obscene imagery in order to show the injustice of the convicts oppression. He informs the reader how the man is so mobbed with guilt his bones are consumed, and his life-blood is dried. This quote it can be argued is reflecting Wordsworth belief on prisoner rehabilitation as he is stressing the emotion and guilt prisoners do feel for what they have done. By using the term dried it can be argued he is attacking prison offices and guards who no longer take notice in what the prisoners have to say, and leave them there to rot in their own guilt. This is further evident when the man wishes the past undo. It appears the man cannot get rid of the guilt he feels for the on his view. The use of the word blackened emphasizes the life of the prisoners during this time, and such darkening language, particularly the use of blood and dried encourages the reader to feel sympathy for prisoners who appear to have lost al l chance in life. It can be argued that Wordsworth clearly reflects his views on prison reform and the treatment of convicts in the late eighteenth century when he contrasts the prisoners situation with that of the monarch. The guilt the convict feels is contrasted with the monarch who from dark synod or blood reeking field. To his chamber is led. The image of a dark synod and blood reeking field bring much negative connotations to the crime of the monarch, it can be said they suggest a sinister, bloody crime and surely this may be no different from that of the convict. Yet the, similar crimes that the monarch has committed appear forgiven as all soothers of sense their soft virtue yield. It appears Wordsworth may be attacking the difference in treatment when he highlights the fact that the monarch returns to his chamber, this is a stark contrast from the convict been confined to the thick ribbed walls. In contrasting clear situations as a result of similar crimes it can be pointed out Wordsworth appe ars to be attacking the treatment and conditions of the prisoners during the late eighteenth century. These images in can be argued reflect the political oppression and harsh treatment towards convicts of captives during the time this poem is written, the silencing of the dog the jail mastiff causes the convict to clearly suffer, terror leaps at his heart. The personification of terror here can be argued highlights how those in power within the prisoner silence the captives, just as the jail-mastiff silences the convict. This quote it can be argued shows Wordsworth views on the treatment of the prisoners during this time. In silencing the convict by the howls of the jail-mastiff it can be said he is attacking how freedom and speech and movement is immediately took away from men in prisons. Through this presentation of loss of freedom, Wordsworth clearly engages the reader in order to highlight the empathy he feels, and also the narrator of this poem. The speaker has not come to look upon the captive and laugh or make fun of his situation, he comes as a brother thy sorrows to share. W ordsworth here shows how the narrator also feels empathy towards the captive. The word sorrow emphasizes the captive situation and it is through this Wordsworth is confirming his sympathy towards all those oppressed. Throughout the poem Wordsworth feelings and empathy are clearly evident to the reader. It appears that empathy is the main passion he is asking the readers to feel towards the convict. Throughout the poem he appears to have engaged the reader with sympathetic responses and ideas to this lack of freedom the convict has been subjected too. This is apparent from the opening of the play in which he describes the convict as an outcast of pity this engages the reader as it highlights that not only has the convict become an outcast with society, and lost his freedom he is also now an outcast of pity. This quote it can be argued engages the reader and allows the reader to feel much sorrow, as the man does not even have pity as a feeling. The situation of the common criminal is repeatedly addressed throughout the poem also; I think Wordsworth does this as an attack on the political system and treatment of the oppressed during this time. In revealing the criminals harsh prison life, Wordsworth it can be said is revealing important truths of lives of the criminals. He appears to take this situation that many men were troubled with and point out that freedom is so important to men and also empathy as a passion. The narrator who at the end explains my care, if the arm of the mighty were mine, would plant thee where thoust might blossom again further emphasizes this. This reflects the sorrow the narrator feels over the loss of freedom for the convict, Wordsworth is communicating to the audience how his chance for freedom is lost now he is in prison, and this serves as an attack against the rehabilitation of convicts.

Exactly How Hard Are AP Tests and Classes

Exactly How Hard Are AP Tests and Classes SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Sure, they can help you get college credit and make your transcript more impressive. But are AP tests hard? The answer isn’t an easy yes or no. You need to consider many factors, including your own academic strengths, your school, and national score statistics. We'll guide you through these different factors and help you decide for yourself how hard AP tests will be! The AP Test Versus the AP Class There are two factors to consider when deciding how hard an AP subject is: the difficulty of the AP exam itself, and how the AP class is taught at your high school. Your score on the exam will affect whether you can get college credit for the class. Your grade in the class will affect your GPA and overall transcript impressiveness. For example, if you’re wondering, "Is AP Biology hard?" the answer depends on a few factors. AP Biology could be a very tough course at one high school but an easy A at another, depending on the teacher and curriculum. The exams, however, are pretty similar year to year. Some are harder than others, though your experience will depend on your personal strengths. In general, all AP classes are challenging and the exams are difficult, since they’re meant to be at the same level of an introductory college class. That said, we'll explore some factors that could make an AP class and test harder or easier. How Hard Is It to Pass an AP Exam? Earning a passing score (3+) on the AP test proves that you mastered the material and are able to study for a college-style cumulative exam. Doing well on the AP exam can help you get college credit and give your college applications a boost. It’s important to think about how hard an AP exam might be for you before signing up for the class. The average passing rate is around 60-70%, so your odds of passing an AP exam are generally good. However, just because the odds are in your favor, that doesn't mean you can slack off- far from it, in fact! The odds of passing with a 5- the highest score- are quite low on any exam: between 10% and 20% for most tests. They are even lower for popular tests, such as both AP English tests and AP US History, which have 5 rates below %. This is likely because a wider pool of exam takers results in more less-prepared students taking the test. Check out the table below to see the 2019 passing rates for all AP exams: Exam Name Passing Rate (3+) 5 Rate Studio Art: Drawing 91.1% 20.8% Spanish Language and Culture 89.0% 24.9% Chinese Language and Culture 88.3% 57.2% Studio Art: 2-D Design 86.4% 21.0% Calculus BC 81.5% 43.2% Physics C: Electricity Magnetism 81.1% 35.9% Seminar 80.7% 6.8% French Language and Culture 76.7% 15.5% Research 76.2% 10.8% Japanese Language and Culture 75.0% 38.2% Computer Science Principles 72.7% 13.6% Spanish Literature 71.9% 9.1% Physics C: Mechanics 71.1% 34.6% German Language and Culture 70.5% 18.4% Studio Art: 3-D Design 70.1% 10.1% Computer Science A 69.9% 27.0% Microeconomics 68.4% 22.2% Gov. and Politics - Comparative 66.2% 22.2% Biology 64.6% 7.1% Italian Language and Culture 64.6% .8% Psychology 64.4% 20.2% Art History 63.9% 12.0% Physics 2 63.5% 12.6% Music Theory 63.4% 20.9% Latin 63.1% 13.1% Statistics 59.2% 14.5% European History 58.4% .7% Calculus AB 58.3% 18.9% Macroeconomics 57.9% 17.6% World History 56.0% 8.7% Gov. and Politics - United States 55.2% 12.9% English Language and Composition 55.1% 10.1% Chemistry 54.6% 10.7% United States History 54.3% 12.1% English Literature and Composition 50.1% 6.2% Environmental Science 49.6% 9.5% Human Geography 49.1% 10.7% Physics 1 44.6% 6.2% Source: College Board. Note that a lot of AP classes self-select for motivated students or students with experience in a subject- especially the ones with ridiculously high pass rates, such as Calculus BC, Chinese, and Physics. Even though these exams have high pass rates, they're are often viewed as some of the hardest AP classes to pass. Also, notice that exams with some of the lowest passing rates, such as Environmental Science and Human Geography, are ones many students say are the easiest. These exams have lower passing rates because younger high school students who are less prepared for AP tests often take these classes. In addition, many students simply underestimate them and don’t study enough. As a result, these exams can be easier to pass, but you have to be prepared to study and not expect to pass without some hard work. If you are studying for a test with a particularly low pass or 5 rate, be sure to do plenty of multiple-choice and free-response practice so you can get that top score. Also, consult our scoring guide to learn how to come up with a target raw score while practicing. Furthermore, instead of just going off the pass rate table only, think about the subjects you’ve traditionally been strong at- these will likely be easier APs for you to pass. On the other hand, if there is a subject you've always struggled with, the AP exam in it will likely be hard for you, even if it seems as though a lot of students are able to pass it every year. How Hard Are AP Classes? So what about the classes themselves? Is AP Chemistry hard? Is AP Psychology hard? How about Statistics or English? How hard an AP class itself will be for you is important to consider. In general, a B in an AP class is more impressive than an A in a regular course. However, if your GPA is getting dragged down by a bunch of AP classes, that’s not the best outcome either. After all, your GPA is very important in college admissions and is used to calculate your chance at getting scholarships, too. Therefore, you want to make sure that you challenge yourself but don’t spread yourself too thin. Of course, getting an A in an AP class is ideal. The difficulty of an AP class will depend on your school and its grading policy (some schools weigh AP classes so getting lower than an A won’t necessarily drop your GPA below a 4.0). AP class difficulty also varies a lot from teacher to teacher. Some teachers won’t assign a lot of work but will expect you to study on your own. Others will keep you busy with nightly assignments, practice tests, and projects. As an example, I took both World History and US History AP courses in high school. Both AP tests are considered difficult: you have to learn a ton of material and also be able to write quality free-response answers in a short amount of time. However, even though the tests were similarly hard, these two AP history classes were taught very differently at my school. For AP World History, we were given reading assignments out of the textbook and unit tests, but there were not many daily assignments or projects. Basically, we were expected to keep up with the material on our own, and, as a result, I had to independently handle much of my own studying for the test. For US History, we had textbook readings, outlines, vocabulary lists, and research projects. Our teacher also held many after-school and Saturday study sessions. The class itself kept me very busy, but the assignments were important practice for the AP test, and so there was less I had to do on my own. World History was fairly easy to get an A in but a tough test to pass. By contrast, US History was tough to get an A in and a tough test to pass. There is no right way to teach an AP class. But as a student, you should be aware of your strengths and limitations. Do you do better directing your own studying, or is it helpful for you to have daily assignments to force you to stay on top of things? Being able to answer this question will help you choose AP classes that play to your strengths, and also let you get good grades and pass the exam. In general, there is a lot of material to cover in AP classes, so they tend to be more challenging than regular classes- especially courses like AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP Physics, US and World History, and English. These are all much harder than their regular or honors equivalents. Some exceptions are AP US Government, which some schools cover in a semester because there is less material, and AP Environmental Science, which has less memorization than AP Biology and AP Chemistry do. Still, how hard any one AP class will be ultimately depends on your school and the teacher. Find out about the teacher and curriculum of an AP class before signing up to make sure it’s a good fit for you and your study style. (See our post on which AP class you should take to learn more about scoping out classes.) How to Decide Whether an AP Class Is Too Hard for You It's often difficult to determine whether an AP class will be too difficult for you. Here are some tips to lend you a hand for both before and after you sign up for an AP class. Before You Sign Up for an AP Class ... #1: Think About the Classes You've Already Taken For example, in order to take AP Biology, most schools require students to take regular or honors biology first. The more background knowledge you have of a certain subject, the more likely you'll do well in its corresponding AP class. If you don't have a ton of prerequisites for an AP class, think carefully about whether the class will be out of your reach. It'd be very tough to take on, say, AP Physics, if you've never taken a physics course before! #2: Can You Find a Copy of the AP Syllabus? Looking at the AP class's current syllabus can help you find out what the workload is like and how the teacher integrates practice AP exams into the course. You can also talk to current students and ask about their experiences in the class. #3: Find Out the Passing Rate for the AP Test at Your School If the passing rate for the AP test is low, recognize that you might have to put in a lot of work on your own in order to pass it. If it’s a high pass rate, though, that’s a good sign that the teacher has a strong AP-prep curriculum in place. #4: See Whether There's a Summer Assignment Many AP classes kick off with work over the summer. If you already have summer plans that will make it hard to complete the work, think carefully about whether you can fit that class into your schedule. After You Sign Up for an AP Class ... #1: Evaluate How Things Are Going at Your First Midterm What’s your grade so far in the class? How are you doing with the teacher’s style? How well are you getting the material? Consider dropping to the regular class if you are seriously struggling, but try to push through the first marking period. Just make sure that you don’t pass your school’s class- change deadline! #2: Reevaluate at the End of the First Term If, by the end of the first quarter/trimester, your grade hasn’t improved or you don’t think you are understanding the material, seriously consider dropping to the regular version of the course. It’s not worth taking the AP exam if you’re certain you won’t pass- and it’s definitely not worth damaging your GPA over an AP test you won’t pass! #3: Before Dropping, Explore Extra Resources Don't just drop an AP class right away; rather, try to explore other resources available to you, such as in-school tutoring, private tutoring, online resources, and study groups. If meeting with a study group once a week or doing your own online practice problems helps you keep up with an AP class, then consider pushing through. However, if you try adding an outside resource and are still seriously struggling to understand the material and make it through the class, it's better to just drop to regular and focus your efforts on other advanced classes. What’s Next? Read our guides to learn more about AP tests, such as how long they are and how can you deal with exhaustion. Also, learn about how AP tests are scored. The first step to getting a 5 is finding out the minimum raw score you need to earn one! Have you taken the ACT or SAT yet? Not sure which one you’ll do best on? Read our guide to choose the test that’s right for you. If you've taken the SAT and want to improve your score, check out our guides to improving your Reading, Writing, and Math scores. Taking the ACT instead? Learn the vocabulary you need to know, all the most important grammar rules, and how to write an ACT essay. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

A Soldier's Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Soldier's Story - Essay Example The story revolves around the lives of four Chinese women who were born in America while their own respective mothers had been born in feudal China. These women go on a quest to explore their past and try to understand it better and make their lives more meaningful and happy. "Saving Face" is a popular movie written and directed by Alice Wu. The genre of the movie revolves around romance and drama interspersed with comedy and has a very interesting tagline that says, "A romantic comedy about right, wrong and everything in between." It is a different kind of movie and not the run of the mill kind. The story is based upon lesbianism of Asian women who speak in Chinese language occasionally. It is a touching story that plays upon the emotions and feelings of its audience. 'A Soldier's Story' deals with ethical issues of race and class that existed in the USA over sixty years ago. The murdered victim was a Black and this case is investigated by another Black military lawyer who was sent from Washington. Captain Davenport Battles amidst prejudice and deceit while in charge of uncooperative Black troops. Investigations proved that the dead soldier was very unpopular. There are a lot of ups and downs in the movie involving issues of color, caste and background which adds spice to the situation, but inspite of the many negative forces acting against him, Captain Davenport pursues his mission of finding out the exact murderer of Sergeant Waters. The Joy Luck Club (1993) is a film that is deeply immersed in ethical issues of caste and class of the important characters that is shown against an American background. Four young Chinese women born in America face racial discrimination and therefore embark on an important search of their identity in order to give them a better understanding to analyze the strained and difficult relationships shared presently between the respective mothers and their daughters. The movie is infused with a lot of pain and emotion as the characters try to grapple with the own feelings by making sense of it. The eventful search that they undertake helps to guide these feelings and solve the many mysteries they had faced. The film is considered to be a Classic because the stories of each of these women are not only heartwarming but would also make the audience cry and laugh. "Saving Face" is a very popular film that reached a wider audience and even though the movie dealt with such an ethical and sensitive issue such as 'lesbianism' involving Asian women, yet it was very well appreciated by its audience. The story revolves around a brilliant surgeon Wil who is a Chinese American lesbian based in Manhattan. Wil is surprised by Ma who is a widow of 48 years, who gets banished from Flushing, Queens when her father found out that she was pregnant. The story of Ma touches the heart and personal life of Wil, who goes out of her way to get a suitable Chinese bachelor to marry Ma since only then she could return to her own country Flushing because of the promise made by her grandfather. According to me, the film that deals the best with ethical issues of race and segregation is "A Soldier's Story." The story that is narrated through

Substance Misuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Substance Misuse - Essay Example On the other hand, many individuals who happen to be victims of this disorder may not be similarly motivated, and retaining them in the treatment table will require the clinician to adapt the assessment process to their level of insight and motivational state. This will often call for the extension of the treatment phase over time rather than attempting to acquire all the information regarding the patient at once so that the clinician can tailor the intervention to the individual’s particular stage of change. A full assessment of an individual’s substance abuse and/or dependence may need to be gathered in pieces over time, with details being added to the initial picture when the individual is in a position to share information that is pertinent to the pattern of his or her condition and more motivated to think about change (Rasool 2009). Causes of substance abuseThe causes of substance abuse and/or dependence are complex as they encompass social, economic and educationa l factors. However, the immediate treatment of this condition must address the underlying cause of substance abuse and/or treatment which includes poverty, inadequate health care, ethnic discrimination, hunger, and an inefficient educational system. Since these causes range from environmental, psychological, informational and social factors, it is evident that not even a persuasive campaign can address these factors at once. By implication, researchers are of the idea that a lack of information regarding the nature of substance abuse.

Valuing People in Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Valuing People in Financial Statements - Essay Example This is because their respective annual financial reports do not reflect the financial position of the customers to their business. This paper will discuss whether companies should have a financial value for their employees with reference to Mark Spencer’s annual report. Most businesses consider their customer base to be their most valuable asset. This is a myopic consideration since behind every satisfied customer there is a hard working staff who contributed to their satisfaction. This indicates that employees should be beyond the customers of the company since they are responsible for successful products and satisfied customers (Hart, 1995, p. 56). Therefore, the value of employees can be measured from the quality of the products that they are responsible for and, the level of customer’s satisfaction resulting from their efforts. Being of financial significance indicates that workers are assets to the company and the company has the responsibility to account for them . Companies consider their workers as expenses due to the salaries that they receive at the end of the month or the end of a given trading period. In this case, workers would appear in the right hand side of their balance sheet. However, this is not a valid reasoning since salaries or wages is a return or compensation for labor (Vygotsky, 1978). Labor has economic value to a business. This indicates that workers or the source of the labor also has economic value to the business. Indeed, workers are assets of a company due to the economic value of their efforts to the company. However, shareholders and other stakeholders of a company fail to consider the financial value of workers when evaluating a company. This evaluation does not give the actual position of the company since workers too have a financial significance to a company. According to Paul Herman the CEO of HIP investments, most companies fail to consider their workers as their assets. Layoffs are the main reason that quali fies workers to be expenses of a company. A company can increase its profit through various ways. The main method that companies use to increase their profit is reducing their cost of operation. Cost of operation includes fixed costs and expenses. In this case, fixed costs are costs that are incurred during the production process, and are invariable. On the other hand, expenses are cost incurred by the company due to factors that facilitate production or distribution of finished products. Layoff is considered as a method of increasing profits since it enable companies to cut down their expenses and hence their cost of operation. Laying-off workers has positive returns in the short term since economic downturns are not permanent (Kalb, 1993, p. 198). Economic downturns are followed by economic recoveries that force the companies to hire more employees to compensate for laid-off workers. In this process, the company spend money in hiring and training of new workers to compensate for t he laid off workers. Hiring new workers is critical to a company’s success. The abilities of a company to outsource for the best workers in a particular field determine the competence of its products in a given market (Ellen, 2009). This process has financial significance to the company since it is a form of investment. In addition, the company needs to train its employees in order to achieve

Decarts and existence of evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Decarts and existence of evil - Essay Example His argument hinges on the fact that knowledge of God is anchored on a distinct idea on the existence of a supreme being (Marion, 2008). There must be the existence of an idea first before a given claim can be verified. For Descartes, this distinct idea resided in his mind. It is this idea that gave him the essence of God as a devine. It is an idea that could not be verified through empirical methods. The existence of an Evil Demon, in line with the thinking of Descartes, can only obtain if it is backed by a distinct idea.   There must first exist the essence of the Evil Demon that is crystallized into Descartes mind in order for him to make a claim about the existence of such a being. One of the arguments upheld by Descartes is that essence implies existence. It would follow logically that the absence of essence effectively negates all possibilities of existence. Without the essence of the Evil Demon in distinct form it would be pointless to assert any claim of such an existence. Therefore, this would mean that Descartes could claim the existence of God but refrain from making any suggestions on whether or not some Evil Demon actually exists (Marion, 2008).. Proof of such existence could be gained from other arguments, or by using some logical claims outside the boundaries established by Descartes methods.   Descartes knowledge of God was based on the theory of natural/extant ideas. He believed that it is possible for things to exist without their very nature of existence being verified by a form of proof. According to Descartes, the mind can generate knowledge of its own through the power of logic. The practice of intuition basically demands aligning the mind to the essence of ideas without establishing the evidence of experience or other methods that would be preferred by logicians to prove such facts. The existence of God, according to Descartes, is a â€Å"gift†Ã‚   In this way, the knowledge of such must be based on distinct

Food and water supplies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Food and water supplies - Essay Example 20th century saw food economy going global and there came an immediate requirement for food security2. Cambodia's land resources are not enough for considerable food production. In addition, the country is facing persistently unfortunate landmines, wars, floods and the displaced people are yet to be rehabilitated. Royal Government of Cambodia is not highly enthusiastic about their resettlement or about the proper distribution. But it has doubled its efforts in increasing the food production to feed its rural masses, which is its urgent need. 1. Rice production has to be encouraged, assisted and increased on top priority. Legumes, vegetables and other profitable crops with nutritional and income value should be grown with as much assistance as possible from central and local governments. 3. Increasing fish resources in lakes, rivers, open-water bodies, and by pond culture, rice-fish culture in scientific and participatory management way maintaining ecological integrity is another method. Making more land available for food production, monitoring its use and increasing food production in every possible means, seems to be the best way of targeting this problem, mainly because, live stock and fisheries could bring an additional income; but never could take the place of major food substitute.

Decarts and existence of evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Decarts and existence of evil - Essay Example His argument hinges on the fact that knowledge of God is anchored on a distinct idea on the existence of a supreme being (Marion, 2008). There must be the existence of an idea first before a given claim can be verified. For Descartes, this distinct idea resided in his mind. It is this idea that gave him the essence of God as a devine. It is an idea that could not be verified through empirical methods. The existence of an Evil Demon, in line with the thinking of Descartes, can only obtain if it is backed by a distinct idea.   There must first exist the essence of the Evil Demon that is crystallized into Descartes mind in order for him to make a claim about the existence of such a being. One of the arguments upheld by Descartes is that essence implies existence. It would follow logically that the absence of essence effectively negates all possibilities of existence. Without the essence of the Evil Demon in distinct form it would be pointless to assert any claim of such an existence. Therefore, this would mean that Descartes could claim the existence of God but refrain from making any suggestions on whether or not some Evil Demon actually exists (Marion, 2008).. Proof of such existence could be gained from other arguments, or by using some logical claims outside the boundaries established by Descartes methods.   Descartes knowledge of God was based on the theory of natural/extant ideas. He believed that it is possible for things to exist without their very nature of existence being verified by a form of proof. According to Descartes, the mind can generate knowledge of its own through the power of logic. The practice of intuition basically demands aligning the mind to the essence of ideas without establishing the evidence of experience or other methods that would be preferred by logicians to prove such facts. The existence of God, according to Descartes, is a â€Å"gift†Ã‚   In this way, the knowledge of such must be based on distinct

Managing People in the Modern Workplace Research Paper

Managing People in the Modern Workplace - Research Paper Example The modern workplace has changed significantly as most employees are now increasingly involved in decision-making in addition to other tasks and they work as a team. Therefore, today, people work as a team in any organization and the employers expect the employees to work as a team in managing the workplace. People normally want to do good work in any organization and therefore proper management makes them feel that they matter and are actively involved in making a difference in the organization. Employees normally prefer working in places that magnify or increase their strengths and not focus on their weaknesses. In order to achieve this, they need some level of autonomy and structure, and therefore the organization must always be honest, coherent and open in managing the human resource at its disposal. However, achieving this may at times be tricky or difficult due to the competing needs of the organization as compared to that of individual employees. This is because managers are f aced with numerous challenges at the workplace and must continually work extra hard to forge ahead in pushing the objectives of companies. As managers strive to make the organizations authentic in one way or the other, they should realize the potential of their human resource in achieving their core values. Managing People Creating the best workplace is important in making the organization work at its best as the employees are allowed to realize their optimum potential (Goffee and Jones 2013, p.3). This involves nurturing the differences between each employee and the value of each employee is appreciated. Thus, all information available should be utilized towards improving the welfare of the company while at the same time making the workplace more rewarding (Goffee and Jones 2013, p. 4). Research has shown that employees who are highly engaged by their employers are likely to exceed the workplace expectations by 50% than those workers that are less engaged. This same result also sho ws that firms that actively engaged their employees in the workplace had a higher percentage of customer satisfaction by 89% and a chance of retaining their employees by 54% as compared to other firms (Goffee and Jones 2013, p.4). Similarly, research in other nations has revealed that employees who have the free will to express their real selves had higher levels of commitment to their organizations' performance at the individual level and the propensity to help fellow employees in their assigned tasks. An important strategy of managing people in the modern workplace is to let the employees be themselves in whatever task they are doing or undertaking (Atif 2009, p.60). This encompasses having thoughtfulness of the differences in perspectives, important assumptions, and habits of the mind.

Antigones Relations Essay Example for Free

Antigones Relations Essay In the two Antigone plays that we read, Anouilhs 1940s modern version and Sophocles version, there are many contrasts. Everything from the setting to the message is different, however the relationship between characters is the most striking difference; relationships with Antigone in particular. In Sophocles version, the character relations are rather underdeveloped, which is an extreme contrast from the relationships shown in Anouilhs version of Antigone. The relationships that are the most different between the two plays are Antigones relationship with Creon and with Haemon. Antigones relationship with Creon in the Sophocles version differs greatly from the Anouilh version. The most obvious difference is that in the Anouilh version Creon doesnt want Antigone to die and tries every way he can to keep her alive. He exhausts just about every argument possible, starting and frequently returning to the similarities between her and her father. He tells her how idiotic her father was and that she would be wise to not make the same mistakes even though she carries the same characteristics that lead Oedipus to his death. Then he switches tactics and half orders her to not be put to death because she has to marry Haemon, and when that doesnt work, he pulls a pity plea of how much he would like to bury Polynices but simply cant because of his duties as a king and what it would cost him if he bent to Antigones will. None of these arguments work, even when Creon, in a last desperate attempt to sway her, reveals to her how horrible her precious brothers actually are. Really in this version, Creon does care about Antigone; he has nothing to gain from keeping Antigone alive besides that she would marry Haemon, and her sister Ismene is still around to marry him if Antigone is put to death. In contrast, the Sophocles version doesnt present such a caring- if you could call it that in Anouilhs- relationship. In this relationship all Creon wants to do is see Antigone put to death. He is unswayed by any argument that his son Haemon throws out there. In this version things are simple. Antigone went against Creons edict and buried her brother, so therefore she must be put to death, no ifs ands or buts about it. There is no room for argument or feeling, and no real relationship development. While the relationship between Antigone and Creon in the Sophocles version is very underdeveloped when compared with the Anouilh version, the relationship between Antigone and Haemon is even more so. In the Sophocles story, there is no indication of the great everlasting love between the two that would drive Haemon to kill himself over finding Antigone dead. There is almost no feelings of anger or sadness at her sentence to death until Haemon suddenly flies into a rage at the very end upon seeing Antigone dead and shoves a sword through his body. To Haemons credit, he does show a little bit of rebellion when arguing with his father about the outcome of Antigone. He comes through with a little bit of strength after all of the oh father, you are so wise junk, and tells him that maybe he should bend just a little for her for his own benefit. And when Creon doesnt listen to his advice, he implies with his last words to his father †¦ And you will never see my face again†¦ (Sophocles, scene 3, line 133) that he may in fact take his own life. But thats as far as it goes, and it seems to be more out of anger at his father than of his love for Antigone. In Anouilhs version of the story, Haemon and Antigone have a much more developed relationship. Its plainly clear that Haemon loves Antigone and wants to be with her, even if she doesnt fully understand why he chose her over Ismene. The fact that he did chose her over Ismene shows more than anything else that he does indeed love her. Anouilhs added scene with Haemon and Antigone develops the relationship so much more and gives one a more believable basis for Haemon killing himself over Antigone. The scene is an intimate look at a couple in love, instead of in the Sophocles version a relationship that seems to be arranged for convenience at best. The changes in scenes which enhance and develop the relationships of Antigone with Creon and Haemon greatly improve the Anouilh version. Without the added scenes and implications in the scenes, the Sophocles version is rather dry and doesnt inspire much catharsis. However, in the Anouilh version, the reader is actually made to feel for the characters through their trials and tribulations, and therefore to be angry at Creon for killing her, disbelieving of Antigone for her stubborn pride, and sad for all involved when everyone except for Creon end up dead. So although both versions are supposed to be the same story, the relationship developments are so  contrasting that they are different stories altogether.

A view on cumulative satisfaction

A view on cumulative satisfaction Whether in doing business or as an end user of a product or service we tend to realise the importance of value for money. Consumers look for products or services of good quality for the price that they are willing to pay. This pursuit of value is the basis of their perceived satisfaction. Customer satisfaction plays a vital role in deciding value. The overall purpose of this article is to identify the importance of customer satisfaction for organizations and most essentially when and why cumulative satisfaction is important for businesses today. It is vital to make sure that the customers are happy and to view customer satisfaction as a main key to organisational success. Quality of a product or service is a means to an end. Customers perception of a products quality is part of a customers assessment of value and satisfaction. What is Customer Satisfaction? In todays competitive business environment, Organisations thrive to become the market leaders in their respective fields to gain profits. Customer satisfaction is seen as the key to any companys competitive advantage and profitability. It is the overall customer attitude towards a product or a service provider, or the reaction to the difference between what the consumer expects and what they receive, in order to fulfil a need or desire. Customer satisfaction is a highly personal assessment that is affected by customer expectations and is also based on the customers experience with a service or a product, idea, personnel. Imagine going to a reputable shopping venue in Sri Lanka such as Odel, where the atmosphere is excellent for shopping. Renowned for quality products ranging from clothes to jewellery and also provides various facilities such as handy ATMs, telecommunication, cafes where customers can sit and relax after shopping, the play area for children with adult supervision, and the efficient staff who are willing to help all their customers with a smile. In such a place, the overall experience that a consumer gains is what creates value for customers. This value creation adds to the overall satisfaction of the customer. The atmosphere at Odel and the quality products along with the services would affect the customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction and its effect on Organizational profitability Businesses focus on Customer satisfaction mainly to increase their customer loyalty; this generates repeat purchases, thereby increasing their revenue, and importantly helps them to survive among the intense competition. Exemplary organisations focus on how to give their customers a positive experience in order to gain their trust and loyalty because the purchasing behaviour of loyal customers creates higher organisational revenue and reduces the cost of doing business. Satisfied customers will often refer the business to their family and friends which will create positive word of mouth, attract new customers and minimise the costs of advertising. When customers are highly satisfied they are less likely to switch to other service providers. For example a loyal customer of HSBC who is been given recognition for being a HSBC card holder for a long period will be treated exceptionally by the bank, providing him with premium rates, special bonus packages, and therefore this satisfied customer will not want to switch to another bank. Although attracting new customers is important it also can be costly, but serving current customers who are well satisfied with the business and its service can be rather cost efficient. Moreover, highly satisfied customers are less price-conscious because they are brand loyal and will pay a premium price for a product or service. Therefore having satisfied loyal customers will most certainly have a direct impact on profit. This is why successful businesses focus on customer satisfaction. Change in the perception of customer satisfaction through time There was a time when customers were less demanding and less vocal if they were less satisfied with a product or service. This is not that time. In the modern business context customers are becoming more demanding and less tolerant and with a combined increase in expectations, they are ever more concerned with their satisfaction and look for recognition and respect from these service providers. Customers have more power and therefore demand much more than just the product or service. Today, customers are looking for that extra value added full package as opposed to just the product or service. It is the basis of their customer satisfaction. So when is customer satisfaction most important for businesses? The answer is now. It has never been more vital. Cumulative satisfaction and its impact on business Overall satisfaction is not based on a single experience, but rather a chain of positive experiences bringing about a cumulative sense of satisfaction. The perceived value at the pre-purchase stage is short lived, however it sometimes transforms into satisfaction in the post-purchase stage. This post-purchase satisfaction results in repurchases and leads to greater trust and customer loyalty which is a result of cumulative customer satisfaction. A product has five key components such as goods, services, experiences, ideas, and people. Quality should be embedded in all of these components which ultimately creates value, when what is been received is evaluated against what is been offered leading to transactional satisfaction or results of one off exchanges. If a consumer is satisfied with a particular experience, that will eventually lead to cumulative satisfaction where the consumer engages in multiple experiences. Cumulative satisfaction is a psychological state, which leads to a deep sense of trust towards the product or service. This trust will be embedded in the customers mind and therefore will not think twice about purchasing the product or service. For instance, when a customer goes into a groceries super market such as Cargills food city, they reach first for the reputed brands in which they lay their trust. For instance if a customer has been using Colgate toothpaste for the past five years and trusts the brand through experience, thereby he will undeniably select and purchase that particular brand among many other toothpaste brands. This unconscious loyalty stems from countless positive experiences associated with the particular brand. This is what most businesses are looking for. Cumulative satisfaction; as the basis of customer relations In an increasingly impersonal world, customers look for personalized service. Since customer satisfaction varies depending on the individual, it is essential that businesses tailor their services for the customers subjective needs. This is where building customer relationships begin. Since cumulative customer satisfaction leads to loyalty and trust, it is plausible to state that customer relations stems from customer satisfaction. Giving a one-on-one service will enhance the customer experience providing greater cumulative satisfaction. Customers therefore will revisit the business and thus strengthen the relationship between the customer and business. For instance consider salon, Ramani. It is a reputed and leading salon in Colombo. They pay attention to detail, whiles giving an additional touch to the whole salon experience by providing not only a tranquil environment but also a calming beverage. Most importantly, they give a tailored service to each customer. Therefore a relationship is built between the customer and their stylist. This is further strengthened through regular visits and revisits. It is clear that customer relations are rooted by cumulative satisfaction. Due to years of experience and satisfaction, a relationship is built between the customer and her stylist. Furthermore, it should be noted that any decision made to remain loyal to the product or service or move to a competitor is based on prior experience and is positively correlated with the duration of the relationship throughout which the customer has been satisfied. Therefore businesses should consider the longer the relationship between the customer and service provider, the less probability of losing that customer to a rival business. Ways that businesses can improve customer relations In order to improve the cumulative satisfaction levels of customers, service providers should continue to aim at delivering good quality services and products in order to improve the total product value and to build profitable relationships based on cumulative satisfaction. Keeping the consumer happy should be their main goal, to retain the customers loyal and satisfied, businesses should delight their customers and give due recognition to their loyalty, for instance profitable customers should be given special treatment such as special bonuses, loyalty cards, special discounts. Some service providers go to the extent of keeping track of their customers birthdays and send cards for these special occasions, this is in order to maintain a healthy relationship with their customer base. The famous Ritz-Carlton hotel keeps a record of all their guests favourite snack, chocolate, which is entered into a computerized tracking system so that when the guest returns to any of their worldwide hotels these items, will be offered to the guest to make them feel special. Creating cumulative satisfaction does not always have to be done in a huge scale but making the customers feel special while providing value for their money is what should be done, giving customised products and service, having good and efficient employees to fulfil every customers needs, anticipate their needs before the competitors take action, asking customers about their needs, getting feedback in order to avoid any defects.. As small and medium organisations, you should keep in mind how cumulative satisfaction can lead to Organisational success and profitability. It is of paramount importance to build and maintain relationships with your consumers that will eventually lead to customer loyalty and trust.

Rosenbergs Use of Words to Communicate Themes in his Poem :: The Wasps Nest Poetry Poems Essays

Rosenberg's Use of Words to Communicate Themes in his Poem The Wasp’s Nest Conceptualize a world full of people that isolate and alienate you-a place where you don’t count or make a difference. This is one of the major concerns in the Wasp’s Nest. Rosenberg appeals to our intellect utilizing technical literary ingredients to spice up and flavour the poem. My project is an analysis of his use of words and phrases to communicate themes in his poem and to see how the poem has been made memorable. To me, the poem on its own is a metaphor portraying life and its elements of uncertainty and others. In line 1’’ Two aerial tigers†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, the wasps are being referred to as ‘’aerial tigers’’ because they do all their activities in the air (aerial). They are referred to as ‘’tigers’ for two reasons. The main one being that they are ragingly ferocious and much undomesticated. The second one is describes their physical outward appearance as they are yellow with black stripes just like the tiger. The use of language here is very descriptive and this line being a metaphor aids the picture to be conceived on the mental canvas. Line 1 is memorable because it is quite unique the way one can find such descriptive to perfectly describe the scenario. â€Å"Striped in ebony and gold†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. The use of sophisticated and exclusive adjectives which are (‘ebony’ and ‘gold’) to illustrate the wasp’s appearance shows how fascinated and beguiled Rosenberg is by the wasps. This line contributes to the memorability of the poem. This is through the adoption of classy words to leave the words echoing in our minds and it is savoured and relished by the reader. Line 3-5 describes the state in which the wasps are in and how they went about their preparation of their home. Here, we assume that the two wasps are of the opposite sex thus, probably married or are living their lives together. Therefore, another rational assumption is that these two wasps are building a home, an investment that they can share together and reside within. These lines are made memorable because they unfailingly apply and relate to our daily lives. Line 7-9 depicts how worthless and valueless this ‘’huge’’ investment is to Rosenberg or the persona and then again, I find these lines ringing in my head because it is indeed an example of life’s bad sides- when one takes their time to put something together and he worships it with every fibre of his being but before others, it is insignificant. Line 10-14, is about how the persona has endeavored and made an attempt to exonerate and get rid of the wasps.

Buddhism and Hinduism Essay

There is a variety of belief systems practiced throughout the world today. Many of these beliefs have developed massive followings, and as a result, have had a considerable amount of influence on culture in the areas where they are practiced. These religions include Buddhism which is most prominent in East Asia and Hinduism which is most prominent in India although both religions is sometimes seen as a philosophy rather than a religion. These religions are similar to each other but differ in some of their views. First, Buddhism was founded in the fourth or fifth century B. C. n northern India by a man known traditionally as Siddhartha (meaning â€Å"he who has reached the goal†) Gautama, the son of a warrior prince. Some scholars believe that he lived from 563 to 483 B. C. , though his exact life span is uncertain. The origins of Hinduism were somewhere in the Indian subcontinent region, at some point in the Neolithic stone age. The exact time and location are unknown. According to Hindu belief there was no origin; such things have always existed and will always exist infinitely. Second, Buddhists follow the beliefs of Buddha. The Four Noble Truths are one of the central teachings of the Buddhist tradition. The teachings on the four noble truths explain the nature of dukkha, its causes, and how it can be overcome. The four noble truths can be summarized as: The truth of dukkha (suffering, anxiety, and stress), the truth of the origin of dukkha, the truth of the cessation of dukkha, and the truth of the path leading to the cessation of dukkha. Buddhists also believe in Nirvana. Nirvana means â€Å"cessation†, â€Å"extinction† (of craving and ignorance and therefore suffering and the cycle of involuntary rebirths (samsara)), and â€Å"extinguished; it is also known as â€Å"Awakening† or â€Å"Enlightenment† in the West. Third, Buddhism has an influence on the culture of the places where it is practiced. Buddha’s teachings influence Buddhists to follow their everyday routine so they can reach nirvana which is also known as a heaven. Also Buddhism drastically reduced the impact and influence of the stone cold caste system and social class structure that use to be apparent before Buddhism in India. Buddhism influenced the Indian art including many sculptures which were made in the image of Buddha. Fourth, Hinduism is not an organized religion and has no single, systematic approach to teaching its belief system. Nor do Hindus have a simple set of rules to ollow. Hinduism is a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, monism, and atheism among others; and its concept of God is complex and depends upon each individual and the tradition and philosophy followed. Similar to Buddhists, Hindus also believe in karma and samsara. Karma can be described as the â€Å"moral law of cause and effect†. Samsara is the repeating cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. Fifth, Hinduism has an influence on the culture of the places where it is practiced. Hinduism influenced the Caste System rather than suppressing it like Buddhism did. The Caste System is the social classes of India, and is still accepted by some in India, even though it is now illegal. Hinduism also influences how people eat since many Hindus are vegetarian. In conclusion, Buddhism and Hinduism are similar to each other but differ in some of their views and influence the culture of the areas in which it is practiced. Both religions believe in karma, samsara, and nirvana. Buddhism reduced the caste system in India while Hinduism influenced the caste system to be in place. Both religions are deferent yet they have many similarities.

Address Customer Needs Essay

Task 1: The first customer contact transaction discussed in the Task 1 is when the customer drops in the shop to buy a particular commodity & fetches help from the sales personnel. This is an incident which happened in one of the leading clothing store i.e. Marks & Spencer’s. The customer contact was in person. The duration of the entire transaction was 15 minutes. The customer was unable to fetch a product which suits her requirement. Her need was to buy a pair of navy blue jeans with size 28 inches (Ramsey & Sohi, 1997). She was unable to locate the counter where in the jeans were placed. The person who was doing the customer contact was responsible to handle sales within the store. The line of work or industry they cater to is the merchandise sector. Marks & Spencer’s deals in providing its customer with high end clothes ranging from fashionable tops to formal shirts, sporty t-shirts, jeggings, leggings, skirts, knee length dresses, party wear clothes & lingerie. Yes, there is evidence that, the sales person was prepared for such type of transaction. It is seen that, the sales person deals with such type of transactions every day. Therefore, he has ways to sort out the things & satisfy the needs of the customer. The evidence which was seen in this particular situation was that, he accompanied the customer till the rack where in 28 waist size jeans were kept. He was there with the customer all through her buying process. The listening skills of the sales person were up to the mark. He did his bit to sort out the things at his part. The sales personnel was both listening as well as questioning the customer in order to know the needs of the customer in a well defined manner. The sales person asked the customer the right kind of questions such as the waist size, preferable color, pattern of the pair of jeans, etc. See more: Analysis of Starbucks coffee company employees essay This shows that, the sales person was able to stimulate the thoughts of the customer & provide solutions for the same. In case of this situation, the non verbal communications which were looked upon from the sales person were appropriate to the current problem. In case of this situation some of the nonverbal communications which were used by the sales person were use of his arms, facial expressions, maintaining eye contact with the customers to show case high levels of interest, body movements & postures, etc  (Ramsey & Sohi, 1997). The sort of language which was used by the sales person was apt according to the problems faced by the customer. The customer believed it to be suitable as the sales person was able to resolve the problems in the best possible manner. The customers did not ask for any type of clarification as the language by the sales personal was quite simple to understand & comprehend. There was no different way of talking to the other customers within the store. The sales person used a simple way of knowing the needs of the customers. The sales person communicated with the customer & tried to take feedback from them which helped him to know the needs of the customer in a better manner. No, there was no conflict between the salesperson & the customer. Yes, the salesperson was able to understand the needs of the customer. The tools & techniques used to express empathy with the needs of the customer were done by maintaining fair eye contact, practice empathetic listening, etc. In the end, the need of the customer was satisfied. The customer was happy while moving out of the store. The need of the customer was to buy a 28 waist size navy blue pair of jeans. Initially she was unable to locate the rack which consisted of 28 waist sized jeans. This lead to a problem & the salesperson identified the same to satisfy the needs of the customer (Martin, 2006). The second customer contact transaction discussed in Task 1 refers to a sales call done in a call centre. The customer contact was done over the phone. The duration of the customer contact over the phone was for approximately 7-10mins. The duration of the customer transaction totally depends upon the product or service rendered to the customer. The expert providing the information over the phone would be referred to as the sales & support team who will push the levels of sales. The line of work or industry they are in is the banking industry that provides the financial services to its clients. Yes, there is evidence that the salesperson had prepared for the transaction. The way with which the sales person has been talking to the client portrays the way he has been handling such situations in the past (Ramsey & Sohi, 1997). The listening skills of the sales person were quite empathetic. The sales person cross questioned the client & tried to judge the requirements of the client. The sales personnel used the possible information to tell about the services being offered by him & its usefulness to the client in the near future. Since, it was a sales call carried over phone non verbal  communication techniques could not be observed. The language used by the sales person was a bit complex. The client asked for reconfirmations & clarifications in terms of the meaning of the words, etc. The sales person used the RATER Model to identify the needs of the customer (Martin, 2006). The needs of the customer were divided amongst various categories such as reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy & responsiveness. There was an agreement amongst the salesperson & the customer. The sales person handled the argument in a very tactful manner. The sales person understood the needs of the customer but was unable to convince the client on certain points. The sales person acted as a patient listener which portrays that he was empathetic towards the needs of the customer. The customer was not fully satisfied with the service provided by the sales person. The type of information which was provided by the sales person to the client was the fair view of all the financial services offered by the same. The information provided was appropriate which helped to identify the own needs of the client. In order to satisfy the needs of the customer either the sales personnel should have forwarded the call to the senior sales person or an in depth analysis of the financial services should have been provided to the client (Jane, 2013). Task2: Collect three different instruments or tools used to collect feedback from customers. Attach screenshots of these instruments in your answer. In a simple report, answer the following questions about each of the three instruments or tools. The three instruments or tools used to collect feedback from customers have been discussed in this section of the report. * Crowd Sound: 1. What information does the instrument or tool collect about the customer? The information which Crowd Sound collects from the customer is in form of a productive dialogue. The dialogue takes into consideration a brief conversation upon the product or service opted for. It is one of the easiest ways to communicate with the customers in order to know their suggestions regarding the product or service. The portal will constantly benefit the organization with the introduction of new ideas, improvements within the existing products, etc. 2. What information does the  instrument or tool collect about the way the organization/product/service satisfied their needs? The information collected by Crowd Sound with respect to a particular product or service is in the form of suggestions or comments produced by the users. This information would help the service provider to moderate its products or services based upon the needs of the customers. 3. In what ways does the instrument or tool allow the customer to provide feedback about the organization/product/service? Crowd Sound has been referred to as an instrument or a tool to collect feedback from its users. The tool collects information in form of vote, suggestions with the help of a customizable widget. This tool is one of the easiest ways to gather feedback regarding on a company’s website or intranet. 4. Overall, is the instrument or tool an effective method of collecting up-to-date and relevant feedback? If yes, why? If no, then what suggestions would you make for improvements? The instrument i.e. Crowd Sound is an effective method of collecting up to date and relevant feedback. This is because, the users of this site has a convenient way to send in their suggestions, feedback, etc. The suggestions are collected in a systematic manner and are moved from one bucket to another. It is the only instrument which provides features such as suggestions, moderation, feedbacks and iPhone compatibility. * Ideaffect 1. What information does the instrument or tool collect about the customer? Ideaffect will provide the customers a portal to share their views, post suggestions & provides feedback about a given product or service. 2. What information does the instrument or tool collect about the way the organization/product/service satisfied their needs? Ideaffect refers to a feedback community where in the users can log in post their suggestions regarding a particular product or service. Ideaffect integrates the website with a particular website through an embeddable feedback widget tab. 3. In what ways does the instrument or tool allow the customer to provide feedback about the organization/product/service? The ways with which Ideaffect allows the customer to provide feedback about the  organization or product or service can be seen with the help of a feedback widget tab attached along the website, page ratings, and single sign on the public API & domain aliasing. 4. Overall, is the instrument or tool an effective method of collecting up-to-date and relevant feedback? If yes, why? If no, then what suggestions would you make for improvements? The tool i.e. Ideaffect is an effective method of collecting an up to date and relevant feedback. This is because of the various features attached to it. Some of the features attached along this portal are single sign on & public API, a dedicated feedback website, feedback widget for the concerned website and page ratings. With the help of this tool, the customer will be able to customize the design, embed the widgets & moderate the SSL connections. * User Voice 1. What information does the instrument or tool collect about the customer? Ser Voice would be referred to as a feedback tool which would help to gather feedback by the users in a well defined manner. The interested parties then can use the information to get answers, share ideas & learn from its mistakes. Some of the features attached along this tool are ongoing discussions, simple sign up, integration with face book (Ioana, n.d). 2. What information does the instrument or tool collect about the way the organization/product/service satisfied their needs? The information which is being collected by this tool is to provide an actionable idea as to how to improve the product (Gregory, 2010). User Voice provides a structured forum to its users for voting a particular product or service. 3. In what ways does the instrument or tool allow the customer to provide feedback about the organization/product/service? The various ways with which the tool i.e. User voice allows the customer to provide feedback about the product or service is with the help of feedback forums (which allows the users to post blogs, suggestions, etc), providing support systems, etc (Buleen, 2013). User Voice provides a support system which allows the users share stories as well as understands the customer’s blog. All this is done by building a tool which connects the customers with what is important & what does he want. 4. Overall, is the instrument or tool an effective method of collecting  up-to-date and relevant feedback? If yes, why? If no, then what suggestions would you make for improvements? The instrument i.e. User Voice is an effective method of collecting an up to date as well as relevant feedback. It delights its customers with the help of customer support. A help desk was launched in the year 2011 which made it one of the powerful portals to collect the information & provide a solution for the issue. References Buleen, C 2013, Body Language Sales Tips, viewed on 8th January 2013, . Gregory, A 2010, 10 Customer Feedback Tools to Help You Improve Your Client Relationships, viewed on 5th January 2013 . Ioana, B n.d., â€Å"THE USE OF READING NONVERBAL MESSAGES FROM CUSTOMERS†, University of Bacau Faculty of Economic Sciences. Jane, M 2013, Customer Empathy, viewed on 8th January 2013, . Martin, S 2006, Heavy Hitter Selling: How Successful Salespeople Use Language and Intuition to Persuade Customers to Buy, John Wiley & Sons, US. Ramsey, R & Sohi, R 1997, â€Å"Listening to Your Customers: The Impact of Perceived Salesperson Listening Behavior on Relationship Outcomes†, RESEARCH NOTE.