English 2 – Literary Response

My Singular Irene Literature is, by my understanding, a means to critic society and individuals or the way the world is behaving. Writers of Literature write literature to provide a new way of seeing things that might be different from our point of view. In other words, writers use tools of literature story like: symbolism, point of view to help them is making the literature story to be more exciting and clear to us, the reader. The author helps us to see the frailty or other bad deeds and good things about this life in this world as we seldom see those things with our own eyes. A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings and My Singular Irene is a very good example for this literature reading, because it is very rich in literature concept and devices, like: symbolism or point of view. The main character in this story is said to be alienated, repressed and silenced in the story. I will prove this statement by retelling the main point on the story that supports this statement. A very old man refers to an old angel that is cast ashore into earth because of inability to keep up with the heavy rain. e can see that the angel is alienated from examples that shown this statement, such as : †They found the whole neighborhood in front of the chicken coop having fun with the angel, without the slightest reference, tossing him things to eat through the openings in the wire as if he weren’t a supernatural creature but a circus animal. †(Gabriel Garcia Marquez 36). the angel is alienated because It is treated differently from the others. The others are having f un with the angel rather than socializing with the angel. The angel is also repressed and silenced. There is a quotation that shows this statement: â€Å"Pelayo watch over him all afternoon from the kitchen, armed with his Bailiff’s club, and before going to bed he dragged him out of the mud and locked him up with the hens in the wire chicken coop. †(Gabriel Garcia- Marquez 36). From this statement, we can derive that the angel is â€Å"caged† from it’s freedom and its freedom is repressed by the caged that Pelayo given it, thus the angel is silenced from the freedom. My Singular Irene is also a good example for this literature reading. Irene is reputed to be alienated is true in this story. Irene is treated differently from other people. From the story we know that Ilene’s husband( the first person view in the story) isolated Irene from the outside world by buying Irene very expensive â€Å"stuff† to lure Irene to stay in the house isolated from the outside world. Irene is also axiomatic to be repressed and silenced. We know from the story that Irene is considered as a â€Å"thing† to her husband, because her husband wants Irene to act like he wants. So, in order to satisfy his ego, Irene is inhibited and muted by many ways, like: not allowing Irene to go to the outside world, forbidding visitors to meet Irene. Irene too, like the Angel is constrained from freedom. A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings and My Singular Irene are an example of story that has a symbol of contemporary alienation and triumph over it. First, I am going to express about A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings. The angel in the story is alienated or make indifferent. It is derived from the behavior of the people that found the angel. It is treated like mere goods than divine figure. So, it is true that it is a contemporary alienation. Later in the story, we know that the angel has his most precious tool that can bring him back to his divine status. That tool is its wings, when its wings grows back, he immediately leaped up to the sky and clapped its wings and fly to the horizon of freedom. The angel is reputed to be a triumph over alienation. Second, My Singular Irene is also a symbol of alienation. Irene is also made hostile like the angel. She is isolated or â€Å"caged† by her husband; there is an interesting point in this story in my point of view. To me, Irene seemed to be speechless or not a living thing. The author writes the story in such a way that us, readers, grabs the alienation theme in the story. Irene is also considered as a triumph over alienation. There is a quotation from the story: Horrifying! Irene changed into a horrendous butterfly! I stood up and fell again, powerless now. She would leave me; she would take flight and leave me. The gigantic Irene Butterfly smiled at me, diminished, and disappeared with the others. I am at the site of the events, waiting for Irene’s return. She has no return. She cannot deny me the peace that her company always offered me. (AlmAnzar, JosE AlcAntara 45) From this quotation, I interpret it that Irene’s freedom does also mean she has a higher status in the relationship with her husband now. What I meant by higher status of relationship is the one that always try to get the relationship going is the one that has a lower status, in this case, her husband. Irene’s triumph over alienation is expressed by the author of Irene transformation into the most beautiful butterfly that can fly anywhere it wants. It is very interesting that these two stories have a similar thing. They both define freedom by flying leaving the thing that binds their way to freedom. The following paragraph below tells a story about human needs for personal freedom and community. There is certainly no argument in this world that can be used to defy human needs for socializing and personal freedom. Human always seek out a way to grab that freedom. Kingdom falls, kingdom rises, Leader of a faction dies, and assassin was born. All of these examples are made because of the need to obtain and maintain personal freedom and the ability to communicate freely with communities of choice. There is an interesting story below those talks about human’s desire for personal liberty. This story is about the struggle of African-American communities in the United States to obtain their right of personal freedom and human needs for sociality. United States also known as the land of the free and the brave has been well known for its freedom. It has a lot to offer, such as: the freedom of speech, the right to work, etc. But, in contrast to all of those things, there is a little dispute inside this great country in the era of slavery. African American is the target for this matter. African American arrived in the United States as Indentured Servants via Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. They could earn their so called â€Å"personal freedom† by working as slave to their chosen master. As time goes by, the other majority in the United States made a conduct for slaves called â€Å"Slaves Codes†. This Slave Codes constrained African American in the Unites States from their liberty. They did fight for it until the Majority pushes another harsh rule for any slaves that disobey its masters. From this point, we can see human’s needs for personal freedom. Human fights for freedom risking everything they had, like: their lives, treasure, relatives. There is also a story of a president that fight for part of his citizen’s needs for personal freedom, his name was Abraham Lincoln. He was a farmer boy that born Feb. 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. His parents were both born in Virginia. Abraham was well known for his strength and cleverness in farming skills. In not so long time he began to be very famous in the community because of his skills in socializing. Not so long after that, he became the president of the United States. He saw this great calamity of slavery and intends to abolish this calamity for good. To pursue this personal freedom, Abraham had gone through a lot of obstacles from his own family until his own citizen in the south. Alas, not so long a civil war broke out between the north and the south. But, the good always wins; Abraham with the North wins the Civil War by diplomacy. And thus the period of reconstruction began. Unfortunately Abraham was killed by an assassin in April 14, 1865; Lincoln was killed at Ford's Theatre in Washington by John Wilkes Booth. This story has greatly described to us the importance of human need for community and personal freedom. In conclusion, these two stories, My Singular Irene and A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings, tell us about the importance of personal freedom and need of interaction with other people. They also told us, no matter how hard human is pushed to abandoned their personal freedom; human always emerges to fight their way to obtain freedom even though they have to put their lives on the line to achieve their goal, personal freedom.

Intangible Asset or Liability Essay

CSR requires organizations to adopt a broader view of its responsibilities that includes not only stockholders, but many other constituencies as well, including employees, suppliers, customers, the local community, local, state, and federal governments, environmental groups, and other special interest groups. Although CSR is often spoken of as if it were a relatively new concept, it is in fact an idea with a long pedigree. In the 1950s, the chief executive officer of the American retailer Sears said that the â€Å"four parties to any business in the order of their importance† were â€Å"customers, employees, community and stockholders†. Current discussions about CSR evoke old questions about the place of corporations in society, the manner in which corporations are governed, and the ways in which corporate governance arrangements do not compel corporations to respond to claims from society, in addition to claims from shareholders. While CSR is an old idea, its emergence as a significant factor in relation to corporate decision-making is relatively new. The old idea – CSR – has been rising over the past 10 years or so to a prominent place on the corporate agenda. The world is witnessing what appears to be a transformation in popular views about the role of business in society that is on a par with major shifts in attitude, at other points in history, about large issues such as racial discrimination, the environment, and the role of women. By the end of that decade, popular opinion about the role of business in society had evolved to a point which suggested a widespread rejection of Friedman’s â€Å"the business of business is business† dictum. The reason for the shift can be attributed to various factors such as; globalization, loss of trust, society activism, and institutional investor interest in CSR. These trends suggest that there is both a growing perception that corporations must be more accountable to society for their actions, and a growing willingness and capacity within society to impose accountability on corporations. This has profound implications for corporate governance. CSR in India With the retreat of the state in economic activity in India, the imperative for business to take up wider social responsibilities is growing. The situation is complex and India is facing a compounded set of corporate responsibility challenges. At all levels, there is a felt need for companies to graduate to strategic interventions in CSR, which at present in many cases remain ad hoc. There are many companies that may spend for long-term development. A sense of strategic direction is a vital component in an effective approach to corporate responsibility. Yet, for all these signs of progress, CSR in India has yet to realize its full potential. Individual and collaborative initiatives continue to be dominated by self-assertion rather than accountability. There is certainly no lack of CSR programs and projects in India: what is absent, however, are clear metrics for evaluating their actual impact in improving social conditions. Many Indian business houses, private sector and public sector companies have undertaken major initiatives till date and have adopted several modes of practice related to CSR in India. Several innovative measures have also been adopted by companies towards the institutionalization of CSR that includes CSR initiatives by Lupin, Cipla, Ranbaxy, NIIT, TCS, BPCL, and Ion Exchange. To understand the current status of CSR in India, it is important first to map out the landscape and identify the main families of corporate responsibility. For long-established industrial dynasties, such as the Birlas and the Tatas, concepts of nation- building and trusteeship have been alive in their operations long before CSR become a popular cause.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay

You make decision everyday; whether it is choosing what you make for breakfast or choosing what you want to be when you grow up. It is natural in humans to make decisions and act on what they believe is to be true. This not only applies to humans, but authors use them in their books or plays to create different types of characters. In one of the greatest works by William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, there are characters that make many different kinds of decisions that determine their role in the book. In the play, the protagonist Hamlet, after his father’s death, is angry about his mother’s hasty marriage to Claudius. He sees a ghost of his father one night and tells him that Claudius had murdered him. Hamlet plans to kill Claudius but he has trouble making decisions and throughout the play, his poor decision making skills bring downfall to himself and many others. Every tragic hero has a tragic flaw and Hamlet’s tragic flaw is his inability to make decisions. Hamlet’s inability to kill Claudius after hearing from the ghost, that he had killed Hamlet Senior, contributes to his stubborn indecisiveness, which brings about his own downfall. His indecisiveness leads to many character’s deaths; such as Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Laertes, Polonius and his own mother. He had many chances of killing Claudius but he constantly over thinks the situation thus delaying his major task of killing Claudius: To take him in the purging of his soul When he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No.  Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent. When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in th’ incestuous pleasure of his bed, At game a-swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in ’t— Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven (III.III. 85) This is an example of Hamlet being indecisive on whether or not to kill Claudius in the Church after the Mouse Trap play. He decides not to kill him there because he is praying and therefore will be forgiven for his sin. This results in delaying of his main task and also made more room for error; such  as killing Polonius and also getting sent to England, which leads to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s deaths. If Hamlet would have decided to kill him then, he would not have created the mess he ends up making at the end. Hamlet’s inability to talk and discuss to Ophelia about what is happening, after she starts rejecting his messages, leads to losing his love and ultimately ends up to her demise. Even though they were in love, when Ophelia begins rejecting Hamlet’s messages because Polonius told her to, Hamlet tells Ophelia that she was not worth anything to him. This leads her to believing that Hamlet does not love her anymore. As a conclusion, she goes crazy and out of control; for example: By Gis and by Saint Charity, Alack, and fie, for shame! Young men will do ’t, if they come to ’t. By Cock, they are to blame. Quoth she, â€Å"Before you tumbled me, You promised me to wed. So would I ha’ done, by yonder sun, An thou hadst not come to my bed. (IV. V. 40) This is the scene where she has become insane. She sings about how a man promised her to marry her before they went into bed together but he left her. On top of Hamlet’s rejection, Hamlet has killed her father, Polonius, so she has completely lost control of herself. She sings a very sorrow song in front of many people and also gives out fake flowers to people. After this scene, she ends up committing suicide at the lake. If Hamlet had talked with Ophelia about what was going on and why she was ignoring her messages, she would have not become insane and Hamlet and Ophelia would still be in love. Hamlet’s final flaw is his inability to decide whether life is worth living or not, which contributes to his stubborn indecisiveness, which ultimately leads to his own downfall. Hamlet is very confused about his own life and is out of his mind. He is very depressed from his father’s death and the feeling of betrayal he has from Gertrude, his mother, who remarried right after his father’s death. He does not know if life is worth living or not and this is obvious when he says: To be, or not to be–that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune Or to take arms against a sea of troubles And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep– No more–and by a sleep to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to. ‘Tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep– To sleep–perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause. (III.I.56) This is his famous soliloquy on the topic of life. He compares life and death and he cannot decide whether or not to stay alive or to be dead. He believes that death is the way to escape all his troubles and his depression but then on the other side, he knows he needs to complete the task of killing Claudius. His indecisiveness about his own life delays his action from doing what he really wants to accomplish. Even though Hamlet kills Claudius at the very end, as a result of his indecisive behavior, he has taken way too much time to accomplish one single task. Also, it killed many innocent people he could have prevented from killing them. If Hamlet would have not been so depressed and actually decide whether or not he should stay alive or die, he might have had a better chance accomplishing his tasks much faster and efficient. Clearly, Hamlet is very indecisive all over and his indecisiveness brought about his own downfall. His mother’s death, his love’s death and his friend’s deaths are all caused by Hamlet. If he were to be decisive and straightforward, he could have killed Claudius much faster and he also could have prevented all of the deaths that happened. Many theories attempt to explain why Hamlet takes so long to kill Claudius but out of many theories, Hamlet’s indecisiveness is the only one with full satisfactory answers. Every book or play has a tragic hero and every tragic hero has a tragic flaw and in the play Hamlet, there is no exception. These themes present in many of William Shakespeare’s plays are relevant even today. There are times when we are indecisive when it comes to difficult situations. To be able to decide and to act on what you decided to do is what we try to aim for, however, since Hamlet did not complete this, he led himself to his own downfall and also many other’s to their downfall as well.

London Stock Exchange in the Development of Financial Services Essay

London Stock Exchange in the Development of Financial Services Business in the UK - Essay Example There are two major trading procedures used at LSE including Stock Exchange Automated Quotation System (SEAQ) and Stock Exchange Electronic Trading Service (SETS). With the help of these procedures trading between the companies, brokers and people is managed. Though LSE is international share market but mainly the UK equities are traded here and different products are introduced for financial services business like gild edges, corporate and local authority bonds, derivatives, Eurobonds, warrants and covered warrants etc. These services have allowed the development and expansion of financial services business across the UK. The London exchange has evolved as the heart of financial markets and the most important, prestigious and influential financial center of UK. It has introduced and promoting several market products that facilitate the financial service business in IK like the Alternative investment market AIM that was established in 1995 for allowing investment in the smaller compa nies. The electronic system was also introduced in the stock exchange in 1997 whereas techMart was also introduced in order to meet the demands and requirements of the rapidly growing technology sector. LSE also supplied high quality prices, news and information about the financial communities in UK allowing the businesses across UK to keep eye upon the changing trends of the financial market and make informed decisions about their investments. LSE works with the aim to ensure winning business for the UK financial markets. The portfolio has been developed in a way that it meets the international and UK financial market’s needs. LSE also supports the businesses related with credit union, stock brokerage, investment funds, insurance companies and consumer finance companies because almost all the important companies of UK operating in these sector have been listed in LSE and support is provided to these companies to facilitate the expansion of financial services business across UK. In order to play important role in the development of investment funds being part of the financial services business, the London Stock exchange supports the close-ended investment funds. The main market of LSE offers the funds access that act as the widest possible investor base for the institutional to the general retail investors. This service facilitates the closed ended investment to the investors across the UK by defining certain rules about the admission and ongoing levels of the shareholders engagement in the process of investment. LSE acts as the facilitator of non-bank finance to the UK companies and provide them access to the equity finance provided by the marker. In this way, it works for the economic stability for the UK companies even in the era of crisis and support the expansion of financial services business across UK by acting as facilitator of investment funds, insurance companies and other banking services. In order to support the financial service businesses, LSE has also created the specialist fund market that is basically a peer market design especially established to appeal the alternative funds and the sophisticated investors involved with these funds. This market has been governed in line with the EU directive minimum standards where the investors

The Savoy Hotel- Marketing and Operations Report Essay

The Savoy Hotel- Marketing and Operations Report - Essay Example Introduction The Savoy Hotel has earned its reputation as a British icon since 1889. It has been known to be the first hotel to have electricity and sophisticated bathroom facilities. Its rooms bespeak of luxury, style and sophistication with views of London and the River Thames. In 2007, it temporarily closed down for major renovations and has now recently re-opened in November, 2010 under the management of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. To recover from the expenses of the ?100 million restoration, the Savoy needs to increase its efforts to market and sell its services. This paper will report on a comprehensive contextual research of the Savoy Hotel business situation and its re-opening. Macro and Micro Environmental Factors This portion will discuss macro and micro environmental factors that may affect marketing and service delivery of the Savoy Hotel. A. The Internal Environment 1. Staff: Staff needed to believe in the philosophy the Savoy Hotel stands for, that â€Å"genuine hospi tality is achieved when engaging service and attention to detail elevate each stay into cherished memory† (http://www.fairmont.com/EN_FA/AboutFairmont/OurPhilosophy/, 2011, para.1) Thus, the staff themselves need to be committed to ultimate customer satisfaction with the way they work, thinking of the guests’ comfort and convenience while allowing them the privacy they need and deserve. Brown et al. (2005) recommend that staff be aptly educated in customer relations to achieve the satisfaction of the hotel guests and to enable them to build up the hotel’s good reputation through word of mouth. For many activities, such as product development (Hansen, 1999) and diffusing best practices across the organization (Darr, Argote, & Epple, 1995), expertise must be transferred and shared among units. Indeed, companies that are more effective at knowledge transfer have been shown to have a greater likelihood of organizational survival and higher levels of productivity (Dar t et al., 1995; Dyer & Nobeoka, 2000; Galbraith, 1990). It just proves how knowledge is a critical organizational asset. In the case of the Savoy Hotel, staff should be well-equipped with the knowledge and values of most aspects of the organisation, most especially in their own jobs. Having knowledgeable, courteous and happy staff brings about happy and satisfied guests who will keep coming back for more. These guests know that they are in good hands and with efficient staff who are able to provide them with their needs, it is likely that their satisfaction will bring in more business for the hotel. To take the advise of Nilsson, the person responsible for the resurrection of Scandic Hotels, decision-making power should be shared with sales and service-front-line workers â€Å"right at the customer level† (Goodman, 2000). Nilsson recommends a decentralized management system to focus on total customer satisfaction. So if a customer requests for something, the staff is able to decide on its provision without having to refer the customer to a higher authority. Of course there is a ceiling limit to this kind of decision-making and it has to be known by all staff. Since Savoy is part of a chain of the Fairmont hotels, it should also be given enough authority to come up with local decisions that concern their own

Two Complex Crises that preceded the Civil War Assignment

Two Complex Crises that preceded the Civil War - Assignment Example Northerners were not universally concerned with the humanitarian aspects of slavery, but they were almost unanimously against the growing political power of the Southern landowner. The Southern states had a disproportionate power in the House of Representatives and in the Electoral College due to the 3/5 count of slaves. By 1819, this rule boosted the membership of the Southern states in the House by 17 representatives. While this seems like backwards thinking, since of course if the slaves were to become free citizens they would receive a full count in the House of Representatives, those votes would likely fall in the same theme as those of the Northern anti-slavery states. This would help re-balance the scales in the House, the same way that admitting states in pairs between slave-owning and free states balanced the power in the Senate (Howe, 150). In order to settle this debate about the balance of power, Henry Clay helped to mediate the historical Missouri Compromise, which agree d that slavery would be prohibited in the new territory north of the line of 36 degrees 30' latitude. For the South, this compromise ensured the continuation of their ideal that there would be no end to slavery without the consent of the local white population, by majority vote. It also set as a principle what had already been the precedent, that states should be admitted into the United States in pairs, continuing the balance of power in the Senate between the two (Howe, 154). What could be considered the most important outcome of this compromise was that it solidified and clarified the viewpoint of the South toward emancipation. The situation surrounding the Missouri Compromise sHowe,d that even those Southerners who had a more moderate stance toward slavery in theory, when it came down to practice they were obviously against even gradual emancipation (Howe, 155). While the Missouri Compromise prevented the Republican party from falling apart along the lines of the Northern and So uthern states, it did later result in the the further division of Congress because of the practice of admitting states in pairs (Howe, 155, 836). The political party in the South known as the Radicals was gaining political power. These Radicals feared that the Missouri Compromise might lead to further compromises on the issue of slavery, and eventually end with the outlawing of all slave-owning practices (Howe, 402-403). Part 2: The Nullification Crisis This fear linked to a later controversy, the Nullification Crisis. This crisis centered around the Tariff of 1832, as the Radicals linked such tariffs with emancipation efforts (Howe, 402-403). This nullification would result in the removal of the federal price on land sales. If the group could pressure other states into following their lead on the tariff they could use it for slavery and protect the institution (The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History). In 1832, South Carolina declared federal tariff on land sales to be voi d, and raised an army to defend this nullification (The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History). The bill passed that nullified the tariff also mentioned the threat of secession from the Union if the tariff was not repealed (Howe, 404). President Jackson declared nullification illegal and had Congress pass the Force Act, which allows

Ecology paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ecology paper - Essay Example The focus of study in the article was to understand how invasive species, pathogens and disease vector affect human health and determine appropriate measures to reduce disease emergence. The study depicts that invasive species and infectious diseases have become prevalent and widespread because of the increased connectivity in human population. The connectivity in the current world has attributed to the disease outbreak. The new developed trade routes in the previously disconnected countries increase human interactions. Crowl et al., (2008) demonstrated that the enhanced transport systems such as airplanes have increased spread of pathogens. The invasive species has become the second contributing aspect to extinction and endangerment of species in the United States after the increased human population and related activities. The United States government spends almost 120 billion dollars to cater for the non-native species in the country (Crowl et al., 2008). The evidence used to support contrasting point of view was the explanation of the spread of the avian-dispersed H5N1 avian influenza disease worldwide. In-depth and integrated network of research platform was es sential in full understanding of the spread and impacts of the invasion species. The point of view that I most agreed with was the fact that modern technology such as airplanes contributes to the increasing spread of pathogens and invasive species. Most disease in the world emerges from a single area and spread to the entire world. The point became convincing because of the evidence given involving the spread of avian-dispersed H5N1 avian influenza disease. Other points of view in the article such as cause of non-native species extinction became less convincing because of lack of material evidence. Crowl, T. A., Crist T.O, Parmenter, R. R., Belovsky, G., & Lugo, A. E. (2008). The spread of invasive species and infectious disease as drivers of ecosystem change.

Particle Size and Shape Measurements of Soot Using Image Analysis Lab Report

Particle Size and Shape Measurements of Soot Using Image Analysis - Lab Report Example The shapes of the particles were not purely rounded. The soot image had slightly larger particles having an area of approximately 8.6 cm squared. The solidity of the particles was found to be relatively high for the soot images that was swelling. Introduction. In industrial sectors, accurate and quick analysis of particle size distribution is of great importance. In many cases, the surface growth of the soot has been seen to be more dominant that the soot mass yield. A number of operations of mineral processing rely on the distribution of sizes and measurements that are key in bettering the efficiencies of the industrial sectors (Megaridis 14). A significant number of industrial processes of soot are mostly established through the distribution of the sizes of particles in their industrial processes. To characterize the soot growth rate, the theoretical model assessment is the surface area of the soot. For instance, the growth of the mass of soot normally comes before the abstraction of hydrogen establishing a radical surface site in the acetylene preparation. In these processes, the rate of mass addition relies on the total area of the surface and the amount of reactive surfaces. A substantial number of parameter that identify soot’s growth rate can be measured in an optical manner such as the fraction volume of the soot, temperature, and velocity. Such measurements are beneficial due to their non-intrusive nature, and the fact they occur in real time. The optical measurement of the size of the particle can facilitate the soot mass growth measurement and the rates of oxidation per surface area. A number of studies conducted on this field have determined the size of the soot particles using different methods like the electron transmission microscopy, time intensive and intrusive processes, and thermophoretic soot sampled micrograph among other methods. So far, there is no study that has used image analysis to determine the shape and size of soot particles . In this respect, a study was set to investigate the particle size and shape measurements of soot using image analysis. Theory. A digital image is made up of different pixel that are normally assigned a specific value. In the digital vision, the process of segmentation can be referred to as a partitioning process of the digital image into several segments (Harris 3). In this respect, the segmentation objective is normally to change or simplify the image representation into an easier an meaningful image for analysis. One of the simplest methods in image analysis is thresholding. Beginning with a grayscale image, binary images can be obtained through thresh holding. Binary images can be defined as digital images having only two pixel values (Sunderland 7). In many situations the two categories of colours used in binary imaging involve black and white. In this process, the shape descriptors of particles from the analysis of the image are normally determined through the use of values t hat are measured for the area, major, perimeter, and minor axis parameters. These values are normally given out through the image analyzer and can be identified as a critical tool in the particles classification of shape (Howard 1107). The calculation of the particles’s shape can be given by equation 1. C = 4pi* [Area/ Perimeter2]....................

The impact of Corporate governance and on Corporate strategy Essay

The impact of Corporate governance and on Corporate strategy - Essay Example been a number of definitions for corporate governance, though, it implies as a misunderstanding of companies and the procedures practiced for the assurance of business proceedings preventing the benefit of involved groups such as the investors. It characteristically centers to alleviate the agency predicaments which may occur whilst possession and administration of the business is divided. Such problems can be diminished by means of numerous measures like the internal controls, oversight of administration or boardroom, regulatory oversight, compensation and incentive arrangements and external audits. (Segrestin & Hatchuel, 2008) According to Vinten (2004) corporate governance relies upon administrative functioning and the concern of communal accountability, the socio-cultural and ecological aspect of corporation practice, and authorized and moral exercises concerning the investors, consumers and shareholders of corporations. Comprehending the inference of corporate governance seems to increase significance amid transnational workforce, policy makers, industrialists, stakeholders and associated businesses. On a worldwide level, drive in the direction of incorporated commercial procedures and a free economy is being made available through globalization. Local organizations require competition with multinational firms in such situations. Corporate governance points towards the strategies and course of actions practiced by the corporations for achieving positive purposes, business goals and visions regarding investors, workers, patrons, dealers and various regulatory interventions and the society in general. Th e function of corporate governance is to make best use of investors prosperity beside endeavors to attain proper profits for them. By itself, corporate governance bears propositions for the corporate communal accountability of corporations. (Collin, 2007) According to North (1990), institutions are structured out of the humanly restraints that occur as a result

The Large Bathers Formal Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Large Bathers Formal Analysis - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the Large Bathers is one of the pieces of arts in Philadelphia Museum of Art. Considering the importance and significance that this piece of art had during its time and the ages after, it is essential that a formal analysis of the painting enhance a better understanding. In the Large Bathers formal analysis, there are certain basic aspects that are ideally of substantive significance, which are looked at. These include elements such as the composition, the theme, color, lights, mood, and tone among other elements of art. Having a closer look at the painting, one is able to derive that ideally, the main theme surrounding the painting is that of human figures in a landscape. Amongst all the works of Cezanne, it is the large bathers that the most lasting and profound impact in addressing the theme of human figures in a landscape. The Bathers painting’s composition is done in such a way that there are trees bordering the bathers from either side with th e bathers in their nude bodies, bending inwardly towards each other, in a manner that looks like their attention is drawn to something. In the surrounding, the Bathers and the trees are aligned in such a way that they form a shape of a triangle. In between the Bathers and the onlookers, there is a dark painting, that looks like a lake. At first sight, the picture brings into perspective certain aspects of old tradition considering the manner in which the paintings are done. The paintings are those of nude women, a traditional approach to paintings, an aspect that contradicts the actual reality that the painting was the beginning of the modern art. Considering the period during which the painting was done, the pictures are very beautiful. During the same period, many technologies had not been developed and hence it was beautifully done.

Resume Essay Example for Free

Resume Essay If it has been more than three months since you attended an educational institution, please describe what you have been doing in the interval? As described in my resume, after receiving my Masters Degree at Columbia University, I have been working on various research projects. Immediately after graduation, I had great pleasure to work with Pr.  Doran Warren as Research assistant, researching urban conflicts around Wal-mart. This opportunity has given me an excellent chance to apply my analytical and quantitative skills in professional setting. Further, this research opportunity has become a solid ground for my own research efforts and interests that has resulted in developing and working on my first professional academic essay. During my time off since graduation I have also been provided with opportunity to work as a legal aid assistant for common ground in New Orleans helping families who have lost their homes and can’t afford to handle paper work and to pay lawyers who are needed to navigate the bureaucracy of property rights issues. Also I have been involved in my own community of Bronx New York, where I have worked as a Volunteer and Organizer educating my community about the upcoming presidential elections (the details of my duties are described in my resume).

Course purshasing Essay Example for Free

Course purshasing Essay * Founded by France Dominique Mandonnaud in 1969 as a simple perfume shop. * By 1979 the company was already expanded to â€Å"several stores† * Originally, Sephora was planned to be self-service store that offers a variety of products. * Its founder Mandonnaud rebranded his combined set of stores in order to expand is market. * Mandonnaud extended its branches all over France by acquiring 8% of total French retail perfume market and was purchased by LVMH, luxury product group, for $262 million in 1997. * Sephora expanded its operations and services beyond the perfume industry and expanding its core of products to cosmetics. * Under LNMH’s ownership and opened its first U. S store in New York City in 1998 However, this presented a challenge for the company as they had a difficult time to supply the products from other prestigious brands; such as Estee Lauder and Clinique. * The Company banked on rather unknown brands to fill its shelves therefore, these relationships grew strong and eventually this fact led to the innovation and creativity of these brands to introduce new lines of products. * Sephora confronted many issues on their cosmetic line division, especially with the direct line of supply from other stores. * Bottom line, Sephora offers more than 200 brands that go from the typical classics to new and exotic brands; altogether, Sephora counts with more than 20,000 products. Among those products we could find top of line and sophisticated brands as well as not so well know products. * Sephora formed an strategic alliance with JC Penny. * Sephora. com was projected to generate 15-20% of Sephora USA sales in 2010. * Sephora. com ranked top 50 retail sites in U. S SWOT analysis Strengths * Globally distributed with more than 1000 shops worldwide * Strong parent company; LVMH * More than 20,000 products to offer. * Strong online sales * self-service approach to cosmetics * Strong emphasis on construct loyalty brand by tracking down the customers shopping habits. Weaknesses * Modest operational budget. * Low brand recognition * Lack of TV promotions and print ads. * Higher price than drugstores and supermarkets Opportunities * Enhance their customer loyalty program in order to build a â€Å"relationship† with the product consumers. * Sign contracts with famous celebrities to endorse their products. * Introduction to enter into emerging economies such as Brazil and India. Threats * Economic downturn. * Other companies in the same industry. * Amazon and other online companies that sale cosmetic, with their aggressive approach could certainly become a threat. Identification of Problem * Personnel and financial constraints needed to be addressed. * Imagination and inventiveness was greatly needed. * Budget limitation, presented a real challenge when it comes to budget allocation to different initiatives. * Outcomes assessment of social media campaigns as well as mobile applications constituted a real test to overcome. Sephora Direct Julie Bornstein took Sephora on another journey. She transforms the marketing view to a much modern and up to date campaigns. * New Budget request was introduced in order to launch a major campaign that will include social media, web site enhancement as well as the implementation of â€Å"customer relationship† campaigns. * Campaign success should be assessed thorough out Facebook â€Å"likes† and twitter followers as well as I phone application downloads. Sephora. com and Beauty Insider * Sephora. com was implement on 1999 with very imp clear short and long term goals. * Up to 25% of sales should be generated by Sephora. com by 2010. * By 2007 Sephora developed its Beauty Insider campaign. * Incentives such as 1 point for every dollar, redeem points programs are among those strategies in order to create that â€Å"relationship† with its customers Social Media Although this initiative had a rocky start, eventually become a success, Bornstein visionary initiative and her persistence, this initiate obtained 1 million product reviews posted on their web site. (Ofek, 2012). Facebook * Sephora join Facebook by 2008 in less than a year their account had close to 300,000 fans in Facebook. * Last statistics show the Sephora page with more than 900,000 Twitter * By 2010, Sephora had approx. 100,000 users. * Primarily used for current promos, contests, events, etc. * Customers used it to tweet about newly found products. You Tube * Used by Sephora to upload â€Å"How to Videos† on make-up applications; however this sharing video site could be utilized on a much more aggressive way. Cell phone applications * The rapid pace of technology forced mayor companies such as Sephora to create applications for smart phones like IPhone, Droid, Blackberry, etc. Alternatives Budget Re-distribution As stated previously the fast pace of technology constitute a real challenge not only to Sephora but to every single company. Therefore, I would like to present the following suggestions: * Cellphone applications should really receive a great attention and consequently, more financial Resources. * Pros * Instant reaching out to their customer base * Cons * Increase cost of application development fees. * Facebook, according to younger generations has become â€Å"not cool† and obviously not as attractive for younger women, therefore Sephora should look into other popular social media networks in order target new customers that eventually become loyal customers. Instagram, Pheed, thumb, Medium, etc. should be receiving at least 5% of the developmental budget for emerging social sites. * Pros * Targeting potential new buyers, young men and women that are eager to take on the world. * Cons * This target population might take some time in order to become actual customers. * Beauty Insider should remain at 20% as this constitutes the strongest campaign for Sephora when it comes to help â€Å"Sephora loyal customers†. * Pros * Continuous catering of â€Å"loyal customers† * Cons * Become obsolete if new strategies are not develop. * Retailing – print catalogs, store animations. Should receive 30% percent of their developmental budget as these tools have become obsolete for the most part. (Personal opinion) * Pros * Reduction of cost in traditional advertise. * Cons * Potential loose of mature but loyal customers. Recommendation Finally, my recommendation will be to start a comprehensive Research of outcomes in the different categories of initiates developed under Julie Bornstein leadership. Based on those findings re-restructure the entire budget and re-think some of our means to reach out to new and existing customers. We live in a fast speed life and therefore our customers are as busy as they could help. Therefore Sephora must constantly evaluate and re-design their marketing strategies in order to provide the upmost friendly user options to inform serve and sell our products and services to their consumers. Therefore I would choose the Cellphone application development to receive a greater part of the advertisement developmental budget and at the same time re-balance other line of the budgets in order to adjust the budgets accordingly to the outcomes evaluation done thorough the above suggested research.

Importance of Innovation and Change Within an Organization

Importance of Innovation and Change Within an Organization In todays constantly changing world, change and innovation play an extremely important role within any organization. New technologies like faster software and hardware and improved manufacturing systems are increasing production and changing the way we do business across the globe. Newly advancing markets such as China and India are becoming more and more capitalistic, opening the door for corporations to come and do business. There are multiple elements when dealing with innovation and change within an organization. The first element is how an organization can change successfully which consists of the steps that are needed and the process that makes change happen. The next element is technological change, which is how organizations adapt and implement new technology. From new technology, organizations come up with our next element, new products and services. As these organizations become larger and larger there is the need for strategy and structure change as well as cultural change s. These two elements often go hand in hand and can be some of the most difficult to change. There are five key factors when looking at what is necessary for successful change. The first is ideas. In order to bring about change you need to have a new idea or thought. Creativity, innovation and outside-the-box thinking play a huge role here. Often times some of the best ideas can come from the least likely places. A study conducted by Daniel Tzabbar and his team, found that high levels of collaboration promotes innovation, as it encourages a free flow of ideas among people who must work together to discover new solutions to problems. (Tzabbar 17) With this being said, many new ideas come from the collaborations of groups and individuals within an organization. The second factor is need. There must be a perceived need for change. Constantly changing structures, strategies, or culture can actually be a bad thing if overused. If a specific change is going to take place, there needs to be an identifiable reason in order to make that specific change necessary. On the other hand, an organization that fails to realize the need for change is doomed for failure. It is the responsibility of upper management to be responsive and aware of when change is needed but not so sensitive that change becomes excessive. An article entitled Change for Changes Sake offers and interesting view on the topic of knowing when to change. According to the article, an organization periodically needs to shake itself up regardless of the external environment. The authors argue that a few things happen when an organization does not change enough. First, companies that are organized around a single criterion such as function, product, or market, tend to only communicate with themselves and not with the other units thus making them slow to adapt to changes in the environment. Next organizations are likely to get entrenched in a routine way of thinking, failing to realize new opportunities and the possibility of threats. Finally, organizations become extremely inefficient at allocating resources. In order to combat these factors, organizations should change structures every so often to keep itself ready to react quickly to its environment. (Vermeulen et. al. 70-76) The third factor is adoption. After the new ideas have been thought of on how to change and there is a perceived need for that change, a new idea is chosen. Now that an idea has been chosen it is time to put that idea into practice. This brings us to our next factor, implementation. According to Scott Sonenshein of Rice University Implementing strategic change is one of the most important undertakings of an organization. Successful implementation of strategic change can reinvigorate a business, but failure can lead to catastrophic consequences. (Sonenshein 477). Management must have a rock solid plan on how they want to implement change. A project management approach is the most successful approach when implementing such change, with the definition of clear success measures being important. (Oakland, Tanner 2) The final factor is resources. Through human energy and activity the idea is implemented and kept alive. People are the most important resource and the essential contributors to successful change, without them, change cannot happen. It is important that your employees are thoroughly trained and understand what is being changed and why. Empowering them with this knowledge will only enhance and increase the possibility of successful implementation of the changes set forth. Within an organization there is always the need for developing, acquiring, and adopting new technology. New technologies are always coming about and have a tremendous impact on organizations. The main approach to technological change is the ambidextrous approach. This combines both the organic and mechanistic structures. Under the ambidextrous approach there are numerous options of how to bring about new technology. Switching structures brings people from different areas of an organization together to share ideas and technology with each other. Creative departments consist of a research and development department. The sole duty of this department is to come up with new technology and test new technologies to ensure they will be useful for the organization. Another popular option is the use of venture teams. Venture teams are essentially their own organization within an organization. They often have their own separate location and structure in order to develop new technologies. In addition to RD and venture teams, another way to increase technological knowledge and bring about technology change is to acquire technology from external sources. Procter Gamble provides an excellent example of interorganizational technology transfer. Roughly half of new product development projects involve key ideas from external sources. Procter Gamble also uses an active licensing strategy of their own technological advances to generate millions in annual licensing revenue. Pharmaceuticals are notorious for using this type of strategy to bring about technological change within their organizations. (Lichtenthaler 2) Despite the great amount of success achieved by these firms, most organizations are still timid about sharing their own technological advances. They fear that by doing so, it will allow their competitors access to their own competitive advantage. While this may be true in some instances, it appears that interorganizational technology transfer can actually benefit organizations and ultimately consumers. While there are certain exceptions, new products and services are usually the direct result of new technology and coming up with new products and services is vital for success in todays markets. As markets evolve so should your products or services. The question of how to create and present new products now arises. Michelle Karas offers 11 steps that help organizations answer this complex and challenging question. Step one is to analyze the situation. Evaluate your environment and current product position and then identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The next step is to explore and research product needs. Brainstorm ideas, have an open mind and write down all ideas. Figure out what your customers needs are and your competitors limitations. Step three is to determine usage and identify what market you want to target with your product. Step four calls for developing a prototype. This entails converting an idea into an actual product and determining the produc ts specifications, features and benefits. Step five is to determine the price based on your objectives. Testing the product or service is the next step and is absolutely crucial to its success. It is also important to ensure that all operations within your business can fully support the product. (Karas 32-34) After the product has been thoroughly tested, it is time to establish sales goals. Identify target sales goals, and whether or not these goals are realistic and obtainable. The next step involves developing a marketing plan for both internal and external markets that achieves the goals set forth earlier. Step nine is training and educatin employees. Ensure employees/salespeople understand all aspects of the product. Characteristics like price, description, how the product works, and sales goals should all be thoroughly understood. The final two steps involve actually introducing the product to the market and evaluating the results. Record how the product performs and how the customers respond. (Karas 32-34) While these steps are quite simplified, these are the basics concepts that organizations utilize, regardless of size. A great example of products that have just recently been introduced is Sonys Move and Microsofts Kinect gaming systems. Both of these systems allow users to make use of their own bodies to become more active and involved in the gaming experience, very similar to the Wii. When the Nintendo Wii debuted, it was the first gamming system of its kind to offer an interactive gaming experience. It was a tremendous success and both Sony and Microsoft realized the opportunity to have their piece of the pie too. Rather than come up with a completely new gamming system, through the use of new technology, Sony and Microsoft designed a device that would simply be used in conjunction with users Playstation 3 and X-Box consoles. As time goes by it will be interesting to see what effects theses systems have on Wii sales and whether or not they are profitable for both Sony and Microsoft. Going along with the video game theme, Sega, which offered very popular gaming consoles in the 90s failed to innovate and offer a product strong enough to compete with Sonys Playstation and Nintendos N64. The result was Sega removing itself entirely from the hardware side of gaming and focusing solely on video game software. While Sega failed in one area, they were able to make a successful change and become profitable selling software. These two examples offer evidence to the power that new products and services hold within an organization. Once again failing to change and innovate successfully will most likely spell disaster for an organization. As an organization becomes larger the need for strategy and structure change becomes apparent. Strategic change involves altering employees construction of meanings by using a discourse that sets a new direction for a firm. (Sonenshein 505). All organizations need to make changes in their strategies, structures, management processes and administrative procedures. Many organizations go about this change using a dual core approach, which is a balance between the technical side and the management side of an organization. The technical side refers to the employees who actually produce the product or service that the company offers while the management side ensures that the day to day operations of the company are being fulfilled and the performance objectives are being met. While the two sides may have very different ideas of what changes need to take place, it is imperative that both sides be on the same page and working toward the same goal. In addition to becoming larger, there are also some other reasons why organizations must change their strategies. The first reason is the persistent pressure from shareholders for greater profitability. This requires business leaders to continually update their strategy. Theses updates are necessary to remain aligned with customers changing needs and priorities, while generating the necessary profits. This demands that strategies must be executed successfully within increasingly shorter time-periods. (Franken 49-73) The second reason relates to the increased complexity of organizations. In many organizations the activities performed to create products and services cross multiple functional, organizational, and geographical boundaries. Consequently, any strategic change program is likely to affect the people, processes, structures, technologies, suppliers, and business partners that work both within and across these boundaries. Hence, strategic change programs are becoming highly complex, resulting in increased risk of failure due to oversight. (Franken 49-73) The third reason is the difficult challenge faced by managers to balance the demands of successfully executing complex change programs with the demands of managing todays business performance. In situations where management is strongly tied to reward schemes based on todays performance, it is challenging to achieve active participation for the creation of tomorrows organization. However, as a result of the relentless pressure from stakeholders for repeated performance, managers cannot afford to dedicate their time, effort and resources to one set of demands exclusively. This balance is particularly challenging during the high-risk period when a business transitions to a new strategy. (Franken 49-73) The fourth reason is the low levels of involvement of a large number of managers across all functions at an early stage of strategy execution. The mechanics of involving large numbers of people in complex discussions leads organizations to restrict involvement in the quest for urgency. Often managers see these early stages as bureaucratic, unnecessary, and delaying real action. However, such involvement is required to obtain commitment to change and for the development of effective implementation plans. The fifth reason is the difficulty of securing the required resources to execute the strategy. Often, as a result of the large number of concurrent change programs, many of the organizations resources will already be allocated. Furthermore, as such resources are limited, managers will compete for them, and, once within their control, will endeavor to own them to secure their own goals.14 (Franken 49-73) According to Paul Sabbah, president of Stamford International, new strategies should focus on innovation, productivity and risk management. Productivity can be as easy as having employees working longer hours, implementing new technologies in order to speed up product development, or simply reducing inventory and using effective communication. Firms also need to look to international expansion as another potential strategy. By doing so, they open themselves up to new markets and new customers while being exposed to new ways of doing business and new retail concepts. Business is also all about managing risk. In difficult times, effectively managing risks like political instability, currency fluctuations, transportation costs, and rising energy costs has a direct effect on an organizations ability to survive in a struggling economy. (Sabbah) The final element and the most difficult to change is a change in organizational culture. This is often the most difficult to change because you are affecting people core values and daily routines. Eric Van Der Steen has shown that organizations have a tendency, over time, to develop the same set of beliefs and values. This happens through two mechanisms. People who share the same beliefs would rather work with those who share their beliefs than someone that does not. People also share experiences, which in turn leads to a set of shared beliefs. These shared beliefs and values directly impact the core culture of an organization. (Van Der Steen 26) To help explain the difficulties of culture change, think of a factory worker who has been assembling ball bearings a specific way over the past 20 years. This worker comes in every day, goes to their station and performs their duty over and over again for the duration of their shift. They have their routine down and never deviate from the steps they take. Now imagine someone coming up to them and telling them that the routine they have done over the years is inefficient and they have a better, more efficient way of performing their duty. In addition to this, there will be new policies and procedures to follow to ensure that the changes take place. That worker is obviously going to be skeptical and very resistant to changing. They may even feel that this person has no right to come and tell them how to do their job which they have been doing for so long. This is what must be overcome when dealing with cultural change. There are a few different ways to implement cultural change and each process has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. One way is by large group intervention. This entails having everyone in the organization go through a seminar, explaining to them what changes are going to be made. While this allows everyone to hear and hopefully understand the message, there may be some specific questions about the change that go unanswered. For instance a specialized department may wonder how certain changes will be affecting their culture. It is imperative that cultural change is led from upper management. Managers need to set the standard and lead by example especially when it comes to cultural change. In support of this, Lance Ewing states that companies without cultural leadership are always going the wrong way. (Ewing 88) Changing culture within an organization is never an easy task yet it is necessary and critical to change a culture when leadership transforms. Starting cultural change is like cooking in a Crock-Pot. Adding the right ingredients and turning the heat up with the right measure of enthusiasm for positive consumer change makes everyone want what is in the cultural pot. (Ewing 88) When dealing with change in any area, there will always be barriers to overcome. Resistance to change is now seen as a natural, acceptable incident. When it occurs, resistance may cause problems within the organization. However, depending on the nature of the change, the surrounding atmosphere and how the change takes place, resistance is not always a bad thing (Dent and Galloway Goldberg 27). According to Bauer, resistance to change, like pain, can be an alarm signal and serve as a warning that something is failing in the change process. (Bauer) Klein argues that resistance is a needed factor of flourishing change and if properly managed, can provide a beneficial response to the changes taking place. (Klein) Resistance is also a resource. It can provide valuable feedback to managers if they are willing to listen. Considering resistance as failure will overlook opportunities to strengthen operational outcomes. By paying attention to this feedback, managers can see a different perspective to the change they plan on initiating. Sometimes employees resist change for no reason, but often times, the employees most resistant to change are the ones who care enough to make sure the plan succeeds. People are also very aware of the past, and thoughts of changes that have utterly failed will constantly be running through their heads. In order to convince these people it is necessary to explain to them why and how you plan to implement change. Giving them the chance to voice their own questions and concerns will only enhance your plan to change. (Ford 100-103) In conclusion, the world is constantly changing and change and innovation play an extremely important role within any organization. As an organization if you fail to change and adapt to the rest of the world and your environment the world will pass you by. There are many elements for successful change, but your people will always be the most important in order for that change to take place. New technologies are always being introduced and it is important to stay up to date and take advantage of technology that will greatly benefit your organization. As an organization it is imperative that new technology is used to constantly come up with new and innovative products and services. While this is a major undertaking for any organization it is necessary for sustainability. As new products and services are being offered and an organization grows the strategy and structure used must also change. This gives way to cultural change where there is almost always some kind of resistance. Using t hat resistance as a tool to overcoming problems is a key step in successfully implementing change. Ultimately, the whole purpose of change is to increase profitability by making changes to the strategy, structure, technology and culture of an organization. While there will always be problems and other bumps along the road it is imperative that these obstacles are overcome in order to increase the odds for success.

Expressionism in Black Swan Essay examples -- Film Analysis

The Black Swan is a psychological thriller that documents a prima ballerina’s descent into madness. Nina Sayers is a dancer at a New York City ballet company. Her mother is a very controlling, ex-ballerina whose career ended when she became pregnant with Nina. Having forced his current prima ballerina into retirement, Thomas Leroy, the company's director, is searching for someone worthy enough to play the Swan Queen in his next production. Despite his doubts about her ability to successfully dance the role of the Black Swan, he gives the role to Nina. However, Nina fears Lily is trying to steal the Swan Queen role from her especially when Leroy makes Lily Nina’s understudy. As they move further into the production, Nina's strive for perfection with the White and Black Swan roles causes a slow descent of her mental state. By using a variety of expressionistic techniques, Director Darren Aronofsky uncovers Nina’s worsening psychosis. (Huggo) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an â€Å"anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and repetitive, ritualized behaviors you feel compelled to perform† (Segal and Smith, â€Å"Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Symptoms, Behavior, and Treatment†). This disorder occurs when the brain becomes obsessed with a specific action or thought. Uncontrollable, recurring thoughts and images, known as obsessions, can take attention away from more important matters. Compulsions consist of actions and rituals that one is compelled to carry out multiple times. (Segal and Smith, â€Å"Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Symptoms, Behavior, and Treatment†) Nina's obsession is perfection. She states repeatedly that she â€Å"just wants to be perfect† (Aronofsky). Her compulsion is practice. No matter ho... ...chiatrists-diagnose-natalie-portmans-portrayal-psychosis/story?id=12436873&page=1>. Schoenstadt, Arthur. "Bulimia." Bulimia. 23 Sept. 2008. Web. 22 May 2012. . Segal, Jeanne, and Melinda Smith. "Anorexia Nervosa: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Effects, and Treatment." Helpguide.org. May 2012. Web. 15 May 2012. . Segal, Jeanne, and Melinda Smith. "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Symptoms, Behavior, and Treatment." Helpguide.org: Understand, Prevent and Resolve Life's Challenges. Apr. 2012. Web. 10 May 2012. . Segal, Jeanne and Melinda Smith. "Understanding Schizophrenia." Helpguide.org. Jan. 2012. Web. 10 May 2012. .

Mutations in Nature and Culture Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research P

Mutations in Nature and Culture Many other words, both positive and negative, spring to mind when one hears the word "mutation." In a scientific sense, one might think of the random variations that lead to evolution in species. In a sci-fi/ horror flick sense, one might think of a vicious monster that after contact with some radioactive substance became terribly disfigured. But rarely do we associate mutations with ideas pervasive to our culture. Daniel Dennett suggests that memes undergo a certain kind of mutation that is inherent to the creative evolution of culture. The most important distinction to be made between mutation as it applies to biological evolution, and how it applies to creative evolution is the function of randomness. In nature, random variation is the cause of mutation, and therefore the appearance of different traits. In the generation of ideas, the role of randomness is not so easy to pinpoint. On the one hand, it seems that creative ideas are generated through patterns of association: "During creative thought, memes potentially relevant to a solution would evoke or activate one another, altering or strategically (though not necessarily consciously) manipulating them..." (Gabora 1) Yet, there is no predictability to these associations, and furthermore, "The very creativity and activity of human minds as temporary homes for memes seems to guarantee that lines of descent are hopelessly muddled, and that phenotypes (the "body designs" of memes) change so fast that there's no keeping track..." (Dennett 355) So perhaps what we would call "randomness" as it plays out in the evolution of species is really taken over by an element of disorganization in creative forces. Dennett cites Stephen J... ...sually fatal or detrimental to the organism in which it occurs. However, mutations are creativity's greatest asset: at one time, the great removal from more traditional realist art that impressionism posed seemed detrimental to the world of painting. The result was the beautiful addition of artists like Monet and Degas to the sphere of art. Whether one chooses to include impressionism in his or her organization of art history is dependent upon the thinker, but one cannot deny that creative mutation is ultimately beneficial to culture. Works Cited Dennett, Daniel C. Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life. New York: Touchstone, 1996. Gabora, Liane. The Origin and Evolution of Culture and Creativity. Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission, 1. 1997. Available http://jom-emit.cfpm.org/1997/vol1/gabora_l.html

Consumer Equilibrium and the Law of Equi-Marginal Utility :: Business Economics

Consumer Equilibrium and the Law of Equi-Marginal Utility Introduction The Law of Equi-Marginal Utility is an extension to the law of diminishing marginal utility. The principle of equi-marginal utility explains the behavior of a consumer in distributing his limited income among various goods and services. This law states that how a consumer allocates his money income between various goods so as to obtain maximum satisfaction. Assumptions The principle of equi-marginal utility is based on the following assumptions: (a) The wants of a consumer remain unchanged. (b) He has a fixed income. (c) The prices of all goods are given and known to a consumer. (d) He is one of the many buyers in the sense that he is powerless to alter the market price. (e) He can spend his income in small amounts. (f) He acts rationally in the sense that he want maximum satisfaction (g) Utility is measured cardinally. This means that utility, or use of a good, can be expressed in terms of "units" or "utils". This utility is not only comparable but also quantifiable. Principle Suppose there are two goods 'x' and 'y' on which the consumer has to spend his given income. The consumer’s behavior is based on two factors: (a) Marginal Utilities of goods 'x' and 'y' (b) The prices of goods 'x' and 'y' The consumer is in equilibrium position when marginal utility of money expenditure on each good is the same. The Law of Equi-Marginal Utility states that the consumer will distribute his money income in such a way that the utility derived from the last rupee spent on each good is equal. The consumer will spend his money income in such a way that marginal utility of each good is proportional to its rupee. The consumer is in equilibrium in respect of the purchases of goods 'x' and 'y' when: MUx = MUy Where MU is Marginal Utility and P equals Price Px Py If MUx / Px and MUy / Py are not equal and MUx / Px is greater than MUy / Py, then the consumer will substitute good 'x' for good 'y'. As a result the marginal utility of good 'x' will fall. The consumer will continue substituting good 'x' for good 'y' till MUx/Px = MUy/Py where the consumer will be in equilibrium. Thus this is also known as the law of substitution. Table Let us illustrate the law of Equi-Marginal Utility with the help of a table: The side table shows marginal utilities of goods 'x' and 'y'.

Landscape in “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T. S. Eliot

Landscape in â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† by T. S. Eliot Although the full meaning within T. S. Eliot’s dense poem â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† proves difficult to grasp, the deep meaning packed into every word makes the pursuit to understanding this poem a never-ending adventure. Scenery in â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† represents an intensely psychological account which should never, in any instance, by taken literally.The loss of time, the confusion of past, present and future tenses, the static movement, and the eternal metaphor of the question produces this psychological scenery which in turn amplifies the intensity of the poem. Time in â€Å"Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† plays a very important part in creating the landscape of the main character’s narration. The overwhelming sense of being caught in time begins within the first three lines after the epigraph: â€Å"Let us go then, you and I,/ When the evening is spread out against the sky/ Like a patient etherized upon a table;†.Just like a patient anesthetized by ether, the narrator appears trapped in a space of vulnerability at the mercy of others without the existence of time. Also, the association of the sky with an object as non-moving as a stone evokes a space in which the sky or the atmosphere has no movement: the loss of physical time. Time, in the case of the poem, appears endless (â€Å"And indeed there will be time. † pg. 4) as consequence to the narrator’s psychological state of â€Å"stuckness† and the sense of time becomes warped in confusion and solitude.J. Alfred Prufrock’s isolation also represents a loss of time within the poem. The repetition of â€Å"And indeed there will be time†¦There will be time, there will be time†¦And indeed there will be time† alludes, once again, to a landscape without time. Also phrases such as â€Å"In the room the women co me and go/ Talking of Michelangelo† use repetition for the purposes of emphasizing Prufrock’s monotonous existence and solitude without an attempt of improvement. . In addition, J.Hillis Miller explains: Like the women talking of Michelangelo, he exists in an eternal present, a frozen time in which everything that might possibly happen to him is as if it had already happened: â€Å"For I have known them all already, known them all† (CP, 4). In this time of endless repetition Prufrock cannot disturb the universe even if he should presume to try to do so. Everything that might happen is foreknown, and in a world where only one mind exists the foreknown has in effect already happened and no action is possible.Prufrock’s observation but lack of contribution emphasizes his state of solitude, and his consistent lack of contribution throughout the remainder of the poem demonstrates the impaired movement in the poem Similarly, the confusion of tense also demonstra tes a landscape without the existence of time. Confusion of tenses in â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† substantiates the feeling of immaterial space such as when:The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes   1 The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes   Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening   Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains,   4 Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys,   Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap,                                              And seeing that it was a soft October night   Curled once about the house, and fell asleep. 4) 8 The first two lines describe the fog in present tense, but the third in past tense. In the fourth line, Prufrock begins with past tense (Lingered upon the pools) and continues in present tense (that stand in the drains). The fifth line makes the same change in tenses and the remainder of the stanza continue s in past tense. Space, explains J. Hillis Miller, â€Å"must be exterior to the self if movement through it is to be more than the following of a tedious argument in the mind.In the same way only an objective time can be other than the self, so that the flow of time can mean change for that self†, therefore time has only a subjective existence for J. Alfred Prufrock. Subsequently, past, present, and future exist in the immediate moment. Static movement in â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† plays an important role in emphasizing the state of the poem’s landscape. Essentially, J. Alfred Prufrock admits to knowing the lack of movement when â€Å"In a minute there is time/ For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse†.The narrator’s message that no matter what he does, there will never by change emphasizes a desperation to move which the character’s subconscious inhibits by habit and indecision. Monotony due to proclivity whe n â€Å"For I have known them all already, known them all:—/Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, / I have measured my life with coffee spoons;† demonstrates invariability in the narrators mind because all he points out having done exists in the mind: known the everyday routine, and measured every moment of his life in his mind.In addition to the narrator’s self-assessed lack of movement, Prufrock’s narration places him in a less-than-human position when he says, â€Å"I should have been a pair of ragged claws/ Scuttling across the floors of silent seas†. That Prufrock compares his monotonous existence as being equal to that of a crab in the silence and stillness of the ocean floor directly demonstrates his deadlocked existence.The continuance of the â€Å"unanswered question† also demonstrates mental deadlock because although the â€Å"overwhelming question† crops up multiple times throughout the poem, the narrator does not or cannot explain the question, nor does an answer arise. The lack of progress demonstrates an eternal present in â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock†. In addition to the endless time in â€Å"The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock† the metaphor of the question symbolizes the barrier between Prufrock’s mind and the outside world. The actual unanswered question throughout the story may demonstrate a lack of movement, but it extends much farther than a question. All that is miscommunication and incommunicable acts as an extension to the significance of the question. Throughout the poem, Prufrock’s struggle to communicate with both the characters in his mind and the reader demonstrates his self-acknowledged impotence.The inability to communicate when Prufrock says, â€Å"In the room the women come and go/ Talking of Michelangelo†(4) demonstrates the barrier between Prufrock and society because Prufrock never approaches the characters of which he spe aks, he only watches from an unknown distance in an unknown location. Although Prufrock does not approach these figures of society, the moments there is communication demonstrates social flaw. J.Hillis Miller explains that â€Å"Prufrock's vision is incommunicable, and whatever he says to the lady will be answered by, ‘That is not what I meant at all. /That is not it, at all’. The lady is also imprisoned in her own sphere, and the two spheres can never, like soap bubbles, become one. Each is impenetrable to the other†. The last five stanzas of the poem show a change in scenery which seems to switch to the seaside and then into the â€Å"chambers of the sea† which restores his original wish to have been a creature of the sea.This scene also demonstrates the consequences of attempted communication between the outside world and the narrator when: â€Å"We have lingered in the chambers of the sea/ By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown/ Till human v oices wake us, and we drown†. This passage, especially the end line, displays the effect of outside vitiation on Prufrock’s mental state. The result of drowning as consequence to the human voices isolates the bubble that is the narrator’s existence from the outside world which, once penetrated, can no longer function. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† captures the landscape inside the mind of the narrator through many subtle and abstract ways. The intense meaning of the poem captured through the mind of the character uses the loss of time, the confusion of past, present and future tenses, the static movement, and the eternal metaphor of the question in order to produce an intensely psychological landscape. The obvious amount of thought and effort embedded in the language of â€Å"the Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† demonstrates the great meaning seen within Eliot’s poetry.

Married Women On Condom Use Health And Social Care Essay

This survey aims to research perceptual experience and attitude of married adult females on rubber usage to forestall HIV & A ; AIDS, and to understand how this perceptual experience and attitudes influence rubber usage pattern among married adult females. However, there are some restrictions of this survey. The restriction of this survey is on the range of country, figure of respondent who interviewed and besides in term of the limited clip to carry on the survey. Therefore, the consequence and decisions must be considered as preliminary findings.5.1. DecisionSpecific decisions of this survey are as follows: This survey finds that HIV & A ; AIDS cognition on married adult females is low. The low HIV cognition is caused by limited entree of married adult females on HIV & A ; AIDS information, so they merely get the HIV information from telecasting particularly intelligence and some documentaries, such as soap opera, which is the quality of the information, is sometimes inaccurate. The determination from this survey shows that married adult females have low hazard perceptual experience because they belief that they do n't make something in hazard, or they said they belief their hubby, so they non make pattern safer sex ( condom usage ) . This low perceptual experience is caused by low cognition of HIV and ne'er sees people who have HIV make married adult females feel that HIV is happened in â€Å" other † people, non in them. This survey finds that rubber cognition on married adult females is low. Percept that rubber is something absurd is one of the manner married adult females show that rubber is something unusual and unfamiliar for them. The other misperception is for married adult females, rubber is indistinguishable with contraceptive method, even though rubber usage in FSW, and they still think it related to forestall gestation. In add-on, from one of focal point group treatment in low instruction and immature married adult females, they raised the sentiment that another sort of contraceptive method method besides has the similar map as rubber to forestall HIV & A ; AIDS transmittal. The determination from this survey shows that the high degree of instruction, more likely to hold self efficaciousness that affect the manner of communicating, they feel more confident to discourse with the partner about gender, include communicating about HIV and rubber usage. While the respondent from low degree instruction told that for them, discourse about rubber to conserve is forbidden. However, in term of rubber usage, they can negociate to conserve, but the concluding determination is depend on the hubby, and in the degree of attitude this survey found some married adult females agree to utilize rubber for double protection, but when one ask about their purpose to utilize rubber, they said the have no purpose at all to utilize rubber because hubby do n't wish to utilize rubber. This statement make clear that in the twosome relationship particularly matrimony, hubby is have a strong influence on determination doing procedure related rubber usage. This related to sentiment of married adult females that work forces is a family leader, and married adult females have belief that the good married woman is who follow what hubby want. This survey found that no 1 usage rubber to forestall HIV & A ; AIDS. Even though they who have possible high hazard, cipher usage rubber to forestall HIV & A ; AIDS. The ground of non utilizing rubbers is varied, that is they feel non at hazard so no demand to utilize rubber to forestall HIV & A ; AIDS, hubby do n't desire to utilize rubber, rubber usage struggle with the desire to reproduction, rubber can do some practical job, rubber interrupt sexual activity. However, married adult females raised some ground or state of affairs they will be agree to utilize rubber, when they can non utilize another sort of prophylactic method except rubber, or in the state of affairs they do non utilize any other prophylactic methods ( for illustration: after giving birth ) , when they perceived a demand of protection from the disease, and for funny reasoned.5.2 Recommendations5.2.1 Policy RecommendationsBased on the findings, cognition on HIV/AIDS on married adult females is remains low, it is r elated to limited entree of married adult females on HIV & A ; AIDS information. The Ministry of Health, HIV/AIDS Commission and NGOs should beef up runs or circulating information and cognition on HIV/AIDS through telecasting, wireless, cyberspace or web site, newspaper, and magazine to increase married adult females ‘s cognition. The findings revealed that married adult females cognition of rubber is really low, this taking to misperception about rubber. Almost of married adult females identify rubber as prophylactic method, non in the disease bar country. The Ministry of Health, HIV/AIDS Commission and NGOs should beef up runs or circulating information and cognition on rubber usage through telecasting, wireless, cyberspace or web site, newspaper, and magazine to increase adult females ‘s cognition. The determination shows work forces have a large part on determination doing procedure on rubber usage in all features of married adult females. The Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, AIDS Commission and National Family Planning and Population Board should beef up promote information, instruction and communicating and behavior alteration communicating plans which target high hazard adult male which can assist them increase their cognition about safe sex including STIs and HIV/AIDS. And besides adult females ‘s authorization plans are really of import to better their ability to pass on with their hubbies on sexual behaviour and safe sex. Therefore, the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, NGOs ( Non-Governmental Organizations ) and societal groups should carry on adult females ‘s empowerment plans. The determination shows that perceived hazard of HIV & A ; AIDS among married adult females is low, and no 1 in this survey utilizing rubber even have purpose to utilize rubber to forestall HIV & A ; AIDS. The Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, AIDS Commission and National Family Planning and Population Board should beef up promote information, instruction and communicating and behavior alteration communicating plans which target married adult females which can assist them increase their cognition about safe sex including HIV/AIDS, particularly foregrounding the exposure of adult females who get HIV infection from promiscuous spouses which can promote them to hold safe sexual behaviour. It can promote and advance gender equity and generative wellness rights.5.2.2 Recommendations for Further ResearchsResearch on status, cognition, perceptual experience, attitude, and behaviour on the married adult females is still limited, particularly among high hazard adult male ‘s reg ular spouses whose hazard perceptual experience is low but whose hazard is related to the behaviour of their hubby. Including rubber usage as one of HIV & A ; AIDS bar methods will finish the image in turn toing married adult females ‘s job and demands sing their sexual behaviour. Future research has to analyze and turn to affectional and contextual issues in disease spread and bar in context of matrimony, including household wellness and cultural facet of gender and power, in the attempts to hold the spread of HIV infection.

Character Analysis: John Updike A&P

John Updike’s story entitled â€Å"A&P† is a narration of a man who seeks for his identity and pride. The narrator of this story is also the main character – Sammy. This protagonist is a simple man – a grocery clerk and an observer.Because of this job, Sammy used to observe his costumers and the ambiance of the A&P. However, due to one situation that occurred into the grocery store, Sammy realizes many things and gives him certain actions that changed his life. Being the main character of the store, Sammy shows different emotions – happy, angry, sad, confused, and puzzled. That is why Sammy is a picture of transforming identity from the beginning up to the end of the story.In terms of sympathy towards Sammy’s character, I have seen that Updike uses different factors and elements to show emotions and actions coming from the main character. It is to provide conflict, climax, and resolution to the story. the author sympathize with Sammy’s character that can be seen in the end of the story where Sammy realizes that he has no job and the worlds will not be a better place for him anymore.This part shows sympathy in a sense that the author makes the character realize the fact of life and did not only release the solution of the conflict. Updike shows the justification and idea of Sammy after he quit his job, which is a form of sympathy to the character.Because the character comes from a middle class, the language is casual and straight. In the beginning of the story, we could see that Sammy is very observant with people or with his environment. When Sammy wants to express his feelings, he shows it directly without any form of pretention.From this fact, it defines the identity of Sammy as a normal character with dignity and pride. However, the way he describes things or people is dramatic in a sense that he provides accurate imagination to feel and understand his perceptions. As the story goes by, we could able to show t hat Sammy starts to express his actions and words together that changed his path.Sammy is easily affected by his environment. This is the most significant trait that he showed throughout the story. From the beginning up to the end of the story, Sammy establishes a concept of being affected to everything that happens in his environment. From this fact, we could distinguish that Sammy is a composition of attraction, curiosity, inferiority, and distinction. All these factors rehabilitate the mind and actions of Sammy towards other people like Quennie and Lengel.In my own observation, I can say that Sammy’s persona is dynamic because his actions and motivations are not stable. As the story goes on, Sammy’s personality elevate from one factor to another. In the beginning of the story, Sammy is an observant. When he saw Queenie in a swim suit, he started to analyze things. When Lengel enters the scene and confronts the ladies in swim suit, Sammy talks to Lengel. When Sammy t hinks that Lengel’s actions are illogical, he quits his job. His actions had a process to establish his character – not just a static formation of his identity.From all of these, I can say that Sammy is a good character that can be played. He is flexible enough to adjust in different scenarios. This is what I like with his character. Even if he is prank, direct, and ‘weird’ character, there is a concept of intelligence that lies within his persona. It shows that Sammy was not easily manipulated by his environment but he could think and become supple to show who he really is.Work CitedUpdike, John. A&P.

Oreo market research Essay

Nabisco is a company that has been in existence since 1898. During their 109 years in existence, they have grown through natural growth, mergers, and acquisitions. This has allowed Nabisco to be the leading snack maker in the world. The Oreo chocolate sandwich cookie was first introduced in Hoboken, N. J. in 1911. Oreos today are far and away the world’s most popular cookie. The Oreo family accounts for approximately 10 percent of all store cookie sales–a $3 billion market. However in recent years Nabisco has been reluctant to adapt to current market trends. The company was focusing on producing new versions of existing products to make them more convenient. Situation Analysis In 1898, the New York Biscuit Company and the American Biscuit and Manufacturing Company merged over 100 bakeries into the National Biscuit Company, later called Nabisco. Founders Adolphus Green and William Moore, orchestrated the merger and the company quickly rose to first place in the manufacturing and marketing of cookies and crackers in America. To expand their global presence and to strengthen their position in the fast-growing consumer snacks sector, Philip Morris Co. Inc. acquired Nabisco Holdings in December 2000. Philip Morris purchased Nabisco for $14. 9 billion in cash plus assumed $4 million in debt. Eventually, Philip Morris integrated the Nabisco brands with its Kraft Food operations. And now it includes brands such as Chips Ahoy, Fig Newtons, Mallomars, Oreos, Premium Crackers, Ritz Crackers, etc†¦.. Nabisco Arabia Company Ltd. (NAARCO) was formed in 1995 as a joint venture between Nabisco International and The Olayan Group of Saudi Arabia. In 2000, NAARCO made a major investment in a new plant to produce OREO, the world’s most popular cookie. OREO cookies were launched in the Saudi market in March 2001 with a major TV campaign. Internal Analysis The $3 million plant upgrade included a whole new production line, new offices, additional warehousing, and new mess rooms for the increased work force. Equipment from Spain, Italy, India, France, and Austria went into the world-class facility, under the supervision of Nabisco Technical Director Frank Willemsen and the Technical Services Manager Anselmo Codina. The people of Kraft have recognized that the business has an important role in society- a responsibility that included understanding and meeting the public’s expectations, helping to address important social, environmental and economic issues and making a difference in local communities and the world. They firmly believe that â€Å"Our success will depend importantly on our willingness and ability to listen, get feedback on what we’re doing from those both inside and outside Kraft and act responsibly on issues of important concern. † 1 Stargate Institute Market Analysis Target Market: The current target market for the original vanilla filling Oreo is children. The original Oreo cookies have previously focused on and promoted the new colors for the creme filling and change the round shaped cookies into rolls, which would generate new interest amongst children, who would in turn convince their parents to buy the new cookie. Geographic Factor: This project is done and carried on in Riyadh, the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. Riyadh belongs to the historical regions of Nejd and Al-Yamama. The population of the city is 4,700,000 of which 60% are Saudis and 40 % are foreigners. And the density is 3,024 km square. Demographic Factor: As Riyadh is known for its restrictions and being an Islamic country, the family life cycles followed here are usually all family members. Young single people can not live separately and independently, fearing for them young mature boys/girls will live under their families until its time for them to start up their own families. And generally Saudi people are well known by their family sizes. Most of the family sizes are more then 6 or even far more than that. This is what makes the youth population really high in the kingdom. And it is something obvious and general that Saudi people are known for their wealth and considered as rich people and in return earn high incomes. Behavioral Factor: As Riyadh is developing, people now are becoming aware of various new brands which are attracting them to explore and investigate things. Women here are obsessed about shopping and show a favorable attitude and interest towards the different brands. They are also considered as heavy users when it comes to brand loyalty. 2 Stargate Institute Marketing Need As Oreo is a biscuit, and biscuits are food, so the most important need the Oreo biscuits satisfy is Hunger. But if we further narrow down the needs, Oreo can be satisfying more than just the drive (hunger). *Oreo satisfies the nurturing need example, a mother having difficulties in feeding her 4 to 6 years old child with some nutrition food, can consider Oreo to feed her child with a sip of milk. *Oreo satisfies the imitation need example, kids watching the Oreo ad on TVs while the other kids are enjoying twisting, licking and dunking the cookie into a glass of milk. This forces the kids to want that cookie right away and imitate the same steps. *Oreo also satisfies the fun need, and in this case not only kids will want to have fun and enjoy Oreo even adults like to have fun once in a while individually or even with their kids. Market Trends Various on-going and changing trends in the consumer market affect the business of an organization. Some of those having an impact on Oreo chocolate sandwich biscuits are: A 2004 TNS study amongst Saudis has found a trend towards smaller families. It revealed that Saudis – realize the need for smaller families to provide a better quality of life for their children. Females have been given permission by the government to work which resulted in the increase of purchasing power. Driven by changing lifestyles and population growth the impact on the food market has been positive. The market therefore witnessed rapid growth over the review period. The consumers in Saudi market are seen as active switchers with a medium brand loyalty level. Lastly, a study was conducted by TNS in 2007 which showed that 99 per cent of Saudi respondents in the study consumed chocolate â€Å"food† (chocolates, chocolate milk, biscuits, etc. ) in the last seven days, an increase from 95 per cent in 2004. 3 Stargate Institute Market Growth Growth in the Saudi Arabian biscuit market is being driven mainly by two factors – firstly, the marked increase in advertising spend by multinationals such as Nabisco, Master Foods and Danone. Secondly, the popularity of emerging products such as chocolate-coated biscuits and bread substitutes, which have recently been launched in the market. Researches have shown that biscuits, particularly sweet biscuits, are generally sold at low prices, averaging between SR0. 25 and SR2 (US $0. 06 – US $0. 53), for a single-serve pack and enjoy excellent distribution in all outlets. The biscuits sector is highly developed owing to the strength of the local industry in Saudi Arabia, represented by large manufacturers such as United Food Industries. Oreo sales showed a fluctuating result during the past 13 years. When Oreo initially was launched into the market, sales increased to a high extent for about 3 years but then sales decreased for a long period during 1997 to 2002. Oreo marketing managers became aware of their loses and immediately went back to action and changed their marketing mix and started to introduce several different new products. This effort resulted with high sales in 2008. Sales were amounted to $4 billion and market share 41%.