Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 57

Art - Essay Example The dark paintings illustrates the dark moments that were being experienced at that time. The artist tried to bring out the real situation in his society. The picture shows the status quo of the time in Honduras . This was the period that the massacre happened and so the artist has tried to depict the real situation of how the leader was comfortably sited while the nation was at war. The picture captures the hearty vitality that the painting shows. Via strong and concrete auditory and visual images and through the strong measured rhythm, it reveals that situation was worse and yet leaders were not in control of it. th picture is ironical to the real situation as the leader was supposed to to be at ease at such an alarming war situation. The picture can be described mage that focuses on a painting of warfare where a community or village participates in an aggressive manner. . The picture utilizes onomatopoeia to try and make the painting appear real. It can be deduced that the annoying sounds in the paintings can be used to help describe the violent aspect of the situation as further as endorsed by the colors. The picture was intended to show critical moments and records of events and details of the history people’s life during that time. It intends to shade more light on the painting by showing that people preserve their hope and depict determination to persevere hard conditions. That is the message that is contained in this painting as presented by the painter. Through the work, it is easy to learn and understand more about war life of that period and the people who inhabited it.. The painter had in his mind a moral slant in that lust, anger and gluttony are vividly seen in the painting. More so, the picture reveals the painters intention of bringing out the message that despite having leaders, the situation was wanting. This picture cannot understand support its themes without referring to the art work because the theme

Alvin Plantinga and Pluralism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alvin Plantinga and Pluralism - Essay Example Religious pluralism can be seen as a policy or attitude that accepts the diversity of other religious belief systems, and their importance within the society. Religious pluralism can either be seen as a representation of the view that the religion of one individual is not the only source of truth. Pluralists believe that some other religions have an element of truth. Therefore, there is a need of referring to these religions and their values. This concept of religious pluralism has always existed since time immemorial. This is because the traditional societies used to worship many gods. An example is the leadership of the Roman Empire, which embraced the worship of many gods and other religions. The Roman priests used to borrow from other religious teachings, and incorporate them in their beliefs. For instance, the Romans worshipped Jupiter as the Supreme God. This was a supreme God of the ancient Greeks, and they referred to him as Zeus. Religious exclusivism, on the other hand, is a doctrine that teaches that only one religion is superior to other religions. It does not recognize or identify the principles of other religious beliefs. In its normative nature, exclusivism is the belief that the religion of an individual is superior to the religion of other individuals (Peterson, William, Bruce and David, 22). Exclusivists believe that the principles and teachings of other religions are wrong, and uncalled for. The exclusivist doctrine is always linked to the teaching of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

Meaningfulness of Brand History Concept in Brand Management

Meaningfulness of Brand History Concept in Brand Management Gianluca Lucchin ID3615402 A brand has to have a history 1. INTRODUCTION Im presenting my arguments to prove that a brand actually need a history to be successful in nowadays dynamic scenario and to survive in the long term. First Im going to give basic definitions to work on, trying to define brand history by a theoretical point of view; then Im going to analyze those theories implications in order to sustain my arguments; finally Im going to use real-life cases in nowadays market to give recommendations and draw my conclusions. 2. DEFINITIONS TO START To determine whether or not a brand needs a history as an asset, is important to identify the key elements to work on. A definition of brand is a good starting point, since the word itself could be referred to many different themes and meanings. This will surely help to restrict the field of study. For Gardner and Levys (1955) A brand name is more than the label employed to differentiate among the manufacturers of a product; It is a complex symbol that represents a variety of ideas and attributes. It tells the consumers many thing, not only by the way it sounds (and the literal meaning if it has one) but, more important, via the body of associations it has built up and acquired as a public object over a period of time. Following this logic the brand could also be conceptualized as a bundle of tangible and intangible features which increase the attractiveness of a product beyond its functional value (Farquhar, 1989; Park and Srinivasan, 1994). History in this case could play a crucial role in binding tangible and intangible features by using a continuous chronological record of important events(Oxford Dictionaries) allowing a brand or a company, to recall a complex set of meanings, values and symbols connected to origins, past performances and mythologized episodes. This process of recalling the past could be beneficial for both firm perspective and consumer perspective and its connected to the concept of Brand Heritage. 3. BRAND HISTORY AND BRAND HERITAGE The word heritage is generally associated with inheritance: something transferred from one generation to another. As a concept, therefore, it works as a carrier of historical values from the past (Nuryanti, 1996). On the surface the difference between heritage and history may seem minor. However, if history   may explore and explain a past that is far away, heritage clarifies and makes that same past relevant for contemporary contexts and purposes. In the present time characterized by high dynamics, uncertainty, and massive consumer disorientation , customers tend to prefer brands with a heritage: a brand infused with a heritage stands for authenticity, credibility, and trust, and can provide leverage for a brand, especially in global markets (Aaker 1996; George 2004). The brand heritage construct can therefore be defined as (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) a dimension of a brands identity found in its track record, longevity, core values, use of symbols and particularly in an organisational belief that its history is important (Urde et al. 2007). Based on the definition of brand heritage and its distinction from related constructs, it is useful to consider five major elements that indicate whether and to what extent heritage is present or potentially found in a brand (Urde, Greyser, and Balmer 2007, p. 9). The element track record is related to the established performance that the brand or the company has been connected with, such as certain values and promises over time (Urde 1997). The second element of brand heritage, longevity, is of special importance for large multigenerational family-owned companies reflecting sustainability and consistency (Urde, Greyser, and Balmer 2007, p. 9). Core values encompass the basic values the brand is associated with. Like a promise or covenant in external communication, these values underline and help to define corporate strategy and are an integral part of the brand identity (Kapferer 2004; Lencioni 2002; Urde 1994). The use of symbols is related to logos or designs and illustrates the brands core meaning and ideas (Urde, Greyser, and Balmer 2007, p. 10). The fifth component asks whether history is important to identity. Companies have to sense their own history as being crucially important to their identity. It is absolutely essential that they know who and what they are. This understanding should also be a key part of communication, advertising, and the marketing mix (Brown, Kozinets, and Sherry 2003b). 3.1 TYPE OF HERITAGE Referring to the work of the sociologist George Herbert Mead about the impact of past on individuals understanding of reality, and following the research of Bradford T. Hudson and John M.T. Balmer (2013) its possible to distinct between four different forms of Heritage. Structural heritage The nature of the present depends on the outcome of events that occurred in the past, which cannot be altered. Structural heritage involves a succession of causation from past to present. *Brands that use structural heritage claim superiority and differentiation referring to   a pedigree connecting the current company to the moment of origination and the people instrumental in establishing the company. Practical examples of structural heritage abound within many industries and sectors. For instance, some companies refer to founding dates Implied heritage If a company is vibrant and respected in the present, then it must have existed and developed during the past in a manner that explains its current status. Heritage is expressed by displaying current attributes that imply historical antecedents, by demonstrating congruence between current attributes and historical attributes, or by describing patterns of accomplishment across time. This dimension may also be indicated by references to the age of a brand. *Claims of differentiation or superiority by the firm are validated through statements of longevity, or demonstrations of continuity between past and present. Reconstructed heritage This dimension suggests that our relationship to the past is interpretive and our understanding of prior events is enhanced through contemplation. *Claims of differentiation or superiority by the firm are validated by the familiar or reminiscent character of the brand or its associated products. A commonly cited example of reconstructed heritage is the new Volkswagen Beetle, which was introduced in 1998 with design elements reminiscent of the original Beetle that became a cultural icon during the 1960s. Mythical heritage Mythical heritage refers to pasts that are partly or wholly fictitious, and which facilitate the projection or escape of consumers into imaginary worlds that relate to the brand. Mythical heritage is often expressed through fantasy or illusion, especially within communications narratives or the design of environments and products. *Claims of differentiation or superiority by the firm are validated by the archetypal, universal or quintessential nature of brand attributes. The reason companies with heritage should use it, is to take advantage of differentiation that is valuable for the customer/consumer and other stakeholders, distinctive for the brand, and difficult to imitate for the competitors.   Heritage can provide a basis for distinctiveness in positioning, which can generate competitive advantage, e.g. translating into higher prices and margins, and retaining customers to whom heritage is meaningful. 3.2 BRAND HERITAGE AND EFFECTS ON CUSTOMER VALUE A brand with a heritage creates and confirms expectations about future behavior to stakeholder groups and makes a promise that the brand will continue to deliver on these commitments (e.g., Aaker 1996 ; George 2004 ). For this reason brand history along with brand heritage can add consumer perceived value and can minimize consumers buying risk (Muehling and Sprott 2004 ). For the conceptualization of consumer value we refer to four major types of customer perceived value: 1)  Economic value: The economic dimension of customer value addresses direct monetary aspects such as price, resale price, discount, investment etc. It refers to the value of the product expressed in dollars and cents, to what is given up or sacrificed to obtain a product (e.g., Ahtola 1984 ; Chapman 1986 ; Mazumdar 1986 ; Monroe and Krishnan 1985 ). Functional value: The functional dimension of customer value represents the core benefit and basic utilities such as e.g. the quality, the uniqueness, the usability, the reliability, and durability of a certain product (Sheth et al. 1991 ). Affective value: The affective dimension of customer value refers to the experiences, feelings, and emotions a certain brand or product provides to the consumer in addition to its functional utility (Hirschman and Holbrook 1982 ; Sheth et al. 1991 , Westbrook and Oliver 1991 ). Social value: The social dimension of customer value focuses a customers personal orientation towards a brand or product and addresses personal matters such as consumers self-concepts, self-worth or self-identity value (e.g., Vigneron and Johnson 2004 ; Hirschman and Holbrook 1982 ). Following the study and the complex empirical research of Thomas Wuestefeld et al(2012) in the article The impact of brand heritage on customer perceived value we can say that brand heritage construct (as a result of different factors like history, prestige, longevity, myth and credibility) overall affects Consumer Perceived Value (CPV), therefore could be a crucial asset to consider. 4.EXAMPLES OF BRAND USING HERITAGE AS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Tangible examples of a proper use of brand history and brand heritage could be seen in both luxury market and mass market. 4.1 KRAFT/CADBURYS ACQUISITION CASE STUDY A sophisticated understanding of the past is one of the most powerful tools we have for shaping the future. An actual implementation of brand history and brand heritage concepts could be seen in how Kraft Foods managed its 2010 integration of the British confectioner Cadbury. Cadburys management and its employees had somehow mounted resistance to the acquisition, fearing the loss of core values and a products quality. To help smooth the process, senior executives turned to Krafts long-established archives. Company archivists launched an intranet site, titled Coming Together, that honored the parallel paths Kraft and Cadbury had taken. Poring over historical materials, they had found much evidence of shared values, and the presentation reinforced those common themes. In addition to the founders stories, the intranet site included interactive time lines, iconic advertising images, brief documentary videos, and dozens of detailed histories of owned branded products all designed to show how leading Kraft and Cadbury brands had come to sit side by side on grocers shelves. The same narrative too k hold in other communications, from CEO speeches to press releases, and in employee training sessions. Kraft ended up integrating Cadbury more smoothly than any of its previous acquisitions. The history of the enterprise can instill a sense of identity and purpose and suggest the goals that will resonate (George Smith,Your Companys History as a Leadership Tool). 4.2 COCA-COLA is really proud of its history The Coca-Cola story is a good one, even if we do say so ourselves Coca-Cola, one of the most famous and iconic brand in the world definitely recurs to an implementation of brand heritage tools by referring to the company glorious longevity and past performances in a nostalgic fashion. An example of this commitment to history could definitely be found on Coca-Cola website with many pages dedicated to the evolution of the brand itself. A pdf for the 125 years anniversary of Coca-Cola has been released, with lot of documents and pictures of logos, packaging and successful advertising during the ages. A relevant proof of appliance of brand heritage construct in Coca-Cola marketing mix, could be found in the smart use of symbols (the iconic bottle and the famous Coca-Cola font) and the reiteration of the affective value(being on the market for such a long time it bears nostalgic potential for every adult consumer). 4.3 LOUIS VUITTON-The iconic traveling luggage Louis Vuitton is a well known apparel luxury brand. It puts great emphasys on tradition as seen in the brand website rich in contents like old pictures and all sort of informations on the origins of the company itself. The starting point, the making of the iconic Louis Vuitton traveling luggage is used as tool of reference to the glorious past of the company itself and could be read as a clear example of reconstructed heritage. And plus, the promise of value connected to the purchase of those bags implies an increase of social perceived value for consumers as a form of self-actualization and distinction. 4.4 BURBERRY-The invention of gabardine and the myth of the trench coat Burberry is another famous luxury fashion brand which use history, tradition and heritage as crucial assets in its marketing mix .Its main fashion house focuses on outerwear, fashion accessories, fragrances, sunglasses, and cosmetics. Established in 1856 by Thomas Burberry and originally focusing on the development of outdoor attire, the fashion house has moved on to the high fashion market developing pattern-based scarves, trench coats, and other fashion accessories. Its distinctive check pattern has become one of its most widely copied trademarks. The brand itself can count on the innovative invention of gabardine, a breathable and waterproof fabric   which somehow revolutionized rainwear. Burberry is most famous for its trench coat. Its coats were worn in the trenches of World War I by British soldiers, and for decades thereafter Burberry became so much a part of British culture that Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales have granted the company Royal Warrants. Thus, Burberry is the perfect example of a Heritage brand based on the implied heritage category: the respectability and the glorious status showed in the present is the result of a great and honorable past (invention of gabardine + fact that trench coats were used during world war) 5. CONCLUSION   Ã‚   If lots of nowadays most successful brands are connected to the ever-innovating technology sector (think of Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook etc) and dont rely too much on a long or mythicized history, long-standing brands combining both heritage and longevity are still able to deliver real value attaining strong competitive positions. If we observe the 2016 Global Best Brands report by Interbrand, we can see that 10 brands in the top15 are more than 50 years old and some of them are way older than that. Even if someone could argue that the success of a brand has little to do with a brands age, we can still say that having long-term traditions and experiences in the business could help to stay relevant and competitive. The level of sophistication needed for a brand to maintain its competitive advantages is of course not to be underestimated, newness and innovation plays a strong role. But even if a brand needs to evolve constantly to stay relevant, it also needs a center of gravity, a clear vision and a commitment to stay true to the core of its DNA (Rebecca Robins 2015) In conclusion we can say that: Consumers prefer brands with a history in order to be reassured and to fight purchasing uncertainty Brand History is a key element in the implementation of Brand Heritage constructà ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   Brand Heritage boost the Consumer Perceived Value A connection to the past is often required by a company to be successful and coherent in the present and to grow in the future A brand (definitely) has to have a history! REFERENCES Articles and Papers Chun-Tuan Chang Minh-Hsuan Tung (2016) Intergenerational appeal in advertising: impacts of brand-gender extension and brand history, in International Journal of Advertising, 35:2, 345-361 Vanisha Narsey Cristel Antonia Russell (2014). Behind the Revealed Brand: Exploring the Brand Backstory Experience inConsumer Culture Theory. Published online: 20 Aug 2014; 297-323. Bradford T. Hudson John M.T. Balmer, (2013),Corporate heritage brands: Meads theory of the past, in Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 18 Iss 3 pp. 347 361 Thomas Wuestefeld  · Nadine Hennigs  ·Steffen Schmidt  · Klaus-Peter Wiedmann (2012) The impact of brand heritage on customer perceived value, in Der markt. International Journal of Marketing John T. Seaman Jr. and George David Smith,(2012) Your Companys History as a Leadership Tool, in Harvard Business Review, December 2012 Upendra Kumar Maurya* P. Mishra.(2012) What is a brand? A Perspective on Brand Meaning in European Journal of Business and Management. Vol 4, No.3, 2012 Klaus-Peter Wiedmann , Nadine Hennigs , Steffen Schmidt Thomas Wuestefeld (2011) Drivers and Outcomes of Brand Heritage: Consumers Perception of Heritage Brands in the Automotive Industry, in Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19:2, 205-220 Ulla Hakala Sonja Là ¤tti Birgitta Sandberg, (2011),Operationalising brand heritage and cultural heritage, in Journal of Product Brand Management, Vol. 20 Iss 6 pp. 447 456 Pozzi Daniele, The Invisible H: does History has a place in Heritage? A proposal, in https://www.Researchgate.net Urde M, Greyser SA, Balmer JMT (2007) Corporate brands with a heritage. J Brand Manage 15(1):4-19 Books Keller L.K, (2013) Strategic Brand Management. Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity, published by Pearson Baker M., Hart S. (2007) Product Strategy Management, Prentice hall, London Websites http://interbrand.com/views/legacy-brands-keeping-long-standing-brands-relevant-in-the-digital-age/ http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/oct/09/brands-relevant-digital-age http://interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2016/ranking/ https://uk.burberry.com/our-history/ http://www.burberryplc.com/about_burberry/company-history http://it.louisvuitton.com/ita-it/la-maison/una-storia-leggendaria#how-it-all-began http://www.worldofcoca-cola.com/about-us/coca-cola-history/ https://www.oxforddictionaries.com/ http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/stories/from-1886-to-the-present-daythis-is-the-story-of-coca-cola http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/faculty-research/georgesmith-history-leadership

The Crucible of War by Fred Anderson :: Civil War Slavery American History Essays

The Crucible of War by Fred Anderson An account of ex-slave and abolitionist Frederick Douglass opens this chapter. When news arrived of the Confederacy firing on Fort Sumter, Douglass cheered the outbreak of the fighting and Lincoln's vow to maintain the Union. Douglass recognized that the Union was fighting solely to uphold the Constitution and preserve the nation, not to end slavery; but he also understood, much earlier than most, that a war to save the Union would inevitably become a war to end slavery. "And the War Came" President Lincoln was determined to stop the spread of secession and to take no action that would push the still undecided Upper South into seceding. He sought to reassure the Deep South of the safety of slavery, giving Unionists there the possibility of reasserting themselves and overturning the secession decision, but at the same time he made it clear that he was determined to uphold the Union. His Confederate counterpart, Jefferson Davis, was equally resolved to see an independent Confederate States of America. While neither man sought war, both knew one side would provoke it sooner or later, and the war would come. The Surrender of Fort Sumter Fort Sumter, a federally manned fort inside Charleston harbor, was a hateful symbol to the Confederacy of the nation it had abandoned. Union forces at the fort were running short of supplies and, unless they were reprovisioned, would have to evacuate. Lincoln knew that to surrender Sumter would be to abandon his commitment to preserving the Union, so he sent a relief expedition, telling Confederates that there would be no attempt to send troops or munitions unless the supply ships were attacked. The Confederates faced a dilemma: If they allowed the ships through, they would be submitting to federal authority, but taking the fort would make them the aggressors. The decision was made on April 12. When Fort Sumter's Union commander refused the southern order to surrender, Confederate shore batteries began shelling the fort, which surrendered on April 14, 1861. The Civil War had begun. The Upper South Chooses Sides Lincoln's proclamation calling for the loyal states to muster 75,000 volunteers to put down the rebellion forced the other slave states to choose sides. Over the next five weeks, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina seceded. The Confederacy now contained eleven of the fifteen slave states. In the border slave states of Kentucky, Delaware, Maryland, and Missouri, secession was thwarted by a combination of local Unionism and federal intervention, including the use of martial law to suppress Confederate sympathizers.

Campaign Name and Type: Pop Boutique, TV advert, newspaper, bill boards Planned Launch Date: June 2013 Essay

Primary Purpose or Objective What is the main outcome you intend to achieve? Tie it back to the relevant marketing objective. Pop Boutique is a business which is based in Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and London. This company is looking to expand their business nationally and wants a full scale marketing campaign to support its strategy. The company also has many smart objectives to achieve, e.g. they are looking for awareness of the brand, growth and sales to make more profit. However these objectives have to be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time scale) in order to be successful and to see whether the company is developing or not. Pop Boutique has  £500,000 to spend for marketing campaign to support its strategy for up to 8 weeks. Pop Boutique wants to grow their business nationally by the end of 2013. The company wants to raise brand awareness in the UK by 2013. Because of having these objectives the main outcome which I am intended to achieve is to decide the appropriate method of advertising for the pop boutique company. I can do this by using TV advert, newspapers, bill boards, radio etc. it is extremely important for me to ensure that I stay in budget and produce these campaigns for pop boutiques. The company aim is to increase the sales by 25%. I can make the appropriate camping by using the right type of media to make people aware of my product, as this can help to achieve the company’s aim. Intended Results List any other desired outcomes of the campaign.2 Increase awareness When working in business environment it is important for Pop boutique to be able to stay ahead they need to increase the brand awareness. Because of this campaign the business would also increase their awareness in the public. Their aim is to grab their consumer’s attention about their business and the unique product. This outcome will help them to build public relation, because of advertising different ways they can increase the awareness of their products, which can help them to increase the sales. 2 Increase sales The Pop boutique business is also looking to increase their sales so they could make more profit. They are looking for this outcome because they are aiming to expand the business nationally and this is only possible, if they can increase their sales and make more profit. 3 Increase market share The main outcome is to increase the market share. This can be achieved through repetition and awareness, which makes positive, signs for the public, therefore people more likely to use Pop Boutique’s products. The company can increase market shares as having more customers in the business. 4 Increase profit Through advertisement and campaign, the Pop boutique well get well known in the public, because of this more people will going to shop from there, and also will going to recommend Pop boutique to friend and family , because of this more people will going to shop with them and they will going to make more profit. 5 Reputation of customers The Pop Boutique is aiming to ensure that their customers’ repeat their business and want their customers to buy their products regularly as well as recommend other about Pop Boutique’s unique products. Target Audience Identify the target market through segmentation. A market segment may be related to gender, age, hobbies, house type, occupation etc. Pop Boutique is an expensive organisation and their main target audience are people who have some disposable income because they have expensive prices for their product. People who like vintage clothes and wants to look like celebrities would be Pop Boutique’s customers. Target audience would be age 16 to 40 these includes teenagers because young people prefer to wear expensive, unique and fashionable clothes and also pop boutique has good brand loyalty, that’s why customers prefer to buy clothes from there. Furthermore many celebrities also like to wear vintage, funky and colourful clothes it is also beneficial to target celebrities because they can afford products easily. Specific Tactics What are the specific marketing activities – tactics † for the campaign? How will you execute each tactic? Specific Tactic How will you execute each tactic? Attention: The way I will go to take consumers attentions is by using billboards, magazine to grab the attention of the consumers. In my point of view it is extremely essential that using some graphics and pictures while communicating through publisher media, because it is best idea as people can see how the vintage design looks like. I am going to advertise it by using different method because of this I will grab people attention. To grab the attention I will also going to use the company’s logo and make sure the ads match to the colour of the company which is mostly likely orange. It would also be beneficial to use some graphics and pictures to represent what the company is trying to tell you and to reflect the image of the website, so people find it interesting to visit the stores and website and make sure they fancy product. 2 Interest: I think direct mail is the best media to get people’s attention. Through direct mail I can easily send pictures of new and designer products and special offers to make interesting for people to buy. I am going to use some special offers on clothes and use some good competitor prices to make interesting for people. This tactic is also achievable because of informing people about the different and new designer and seasonal clothes which company have. 3 Aspiration: I will increase the desire for my clothing by advertising on different websites like Facebook, twitter etc. This is extremely essential for the business because more teenagers and other people use these socialising sites in order to interact to people. Because of using these sides which are free of cost can help the Pop boutique to sell the product. I will be using these sites because I can put the pictures of new clothes up, and can get feedback from customers to see what they like and dislike. This can be achievable because it’s really easy to do. 4 Desire: Pop Boutique is very unique business so I believe using radio method is good because you can explain more details about the company within 30 seconds. This tactic is achievable by giving more details about the company and about the products. Pop Boutique is vibrant, funky and colourful with more than a suggestion of retro. Their products are unique, new fashioned and almost liked by celebrities. 5 Action: To achieve this tactic I will provide contact details through all media that I am going to use. I will provide web address through billboards, direct mail, radio, magazine, TV and newspaper. I will also let people know where to find us so people can visit to the shop.. By providing contact details customers can buy the product easily. E.g. whether to buy online or in the shop. However the company has shops in many different cities but those who can’t visit to the shop, can go on the website and buy anything they like and can be delivered to your door. The website address is: http://www.pop-boutique.com/ Required Materials/Components What materials will you require to execute the campaign? (i.e. printed materials, email designs, copywriting or design work.) Required Materials Estimated Cost Broachers cost A4 sheet folded and printed as 4 A5 pages. 20,000 broachers will be printed. And will be given to retail shops. I will be doing 20,000 copies of a4 sheet folded and printed as 4 a5 pages. And design cost  £160. 5000 copies cost  £0.10 = 20,000 copies cost  £0.40 x 20,000 + £160 =  £8,160 In a guardian Newspaper Front page  ¼ page 22cm * 5 columns For one day is  £5,573 x 7 Days =  £39,011 Billboards advertising on near round about and traffic lights. A Standard Billboard is 10 feet by 20 feet and is known as a 48 sheet. This type of Billboard starts from around  £165 per week (Minimum 2 Week booking) http://www.paintedpostermedia.co.uk/site/ I want to use bill boards advertising for two weeks near round about and traffic lights. They have 4 different stores all around the UK. And in each area there will be bill boards. When bill boards cost  £165 for one week. I will be suing bill board for 2 weeks. So  £165 x 2 x100=  £33,000 Radio London airtime Business Special 6 x 30† Commercials Per Day 6 x 30† Commercials per Day  £499.00 x 18 Days=  £8,982 30 sec TV Advertisement on ITV during Soaps 19:30 (3) times a day for seven days.  £18274 x 3 =  £54822 for 7 days :  £383,754 Direct mail Once every week Costs 1p per mail x 200,000=  £2000 x 6=  £12,000 TOTAL COST:  £8,160+ £39,011+ £33,000+ £383,754+ £12,000=  £484,907 NOTE: The references and the research for the quotations are attached behind the assignment. Key Messaging What are the key points you want to communicate in this campaign? Pop Boutique is very exotic, funky and colourful company who design retro clothes. 2 The company uses recycle fabrics to make products. One of the most unique points is that company is trusted and liked by many celebrities. 4 Pop Boutique’s clothes are more fashioned, comfort and made by high quality fabrics. 5 Value for money. What is the desired buyer response? How do you want the buyer to feel when he/she sees this campaign? The purpose of this campaign is to attract customers, make buyers aware of the website and persuade them to visit the website and check some other products out. The company wants their customers to feel free and chose the product which they prefer from Pop Boutique online selection. So the purpose of the campaign bill boards, TV ads is to let people know what they are missing, the business also wants to open nationally to let people visit to stores near their home. By this campaign I want buyer to recommend to others about Pop Boutique and pass the message through other people so because of this business can get well known. One of the main desire respond I am looking forward from viewers to purchase products from Pop Boutique so the company could increase their sales, this can help them to gain more profit. If Pop Boutique increase the profit than this will help the company to open more stores in the UK. Offer/Call to Action What do you want the prospect to do after seeing your campaign? Want customers to visit the website regularly Raise awareness for the products. Want customers to let their family and friends knows about the experience they will have after visiting to website Follow us on twitter and Facebook I want the consumers to do repeat shopping from the stores and become regular consumers and I also want them to let other knows about the Pop boutique product. As well as stores I want consumers to keep shopping from the website. Timing What is the chronology and timing of the required action steps and dates for completion? Campaign Budget Look at costs for the determined tactics. Set your budget, and remember to calculate it to the appropriate percentage of your overall marketing budget. You’re Budget for this Campaign: Percentage of Overall Marketing Budget: % Justification of Selection Consider the tactics that you have chosen. For each, please consider the: 1. Selection of content: communication of promotional message, e.g. features, performance, benefits, quality, reliability 2. Developing a promotion plan: choosing promotion mix; timing; frequency; cost; using promotion plan; media mix; use of internet The Pop boutique is retail organisation and they are aiming to expand the business nationally therefore I have to set the image and contest of the campaign in the way that can help to pass the message to the audience through campaign. First of all the main objectives of the business and campaign is to tell consumers know that Pop Boutique is a unique company who produces vibrant, funky, colourful and retro products. The message we are going to pass on is that products are so comfort, recycle fabrics has been used. We want you to try our products because these are well designed and fashioned and are liked by many celebrities. We are targeting people the age from 16 to 40 years old, because mostly the funky and colourful clothes are used by teenagers and women’s. Our audiences are both male and female but mostly females because the company has wide range of selection available for women’s. To be able to persuade customers to buy our product I am using 6 different types of media for this campaign. This is to make awareness of the brand all around the UK. The main purpose of using different type of media is that people have different interests and I don’t think only one particular media would catch consumers attention and can help us to achieve the company’s aim. Therefore choosing a variety of media would reach to the specific audience where they want to increase the awareness. The main objective of campaign is to attract more customers. Therefore our message is going to be short and we will use graphics, pictures and some colour to make it look attractive and eye catching so because of this people feel interested while looking or watching the ads campaign. The message we are going to put cross is that Pop Boutique provides unique and funky products. Therefore we are also going to inform about the summer collection, some special offers and discount on some of the products. In the publish media e.g. newspaper, TV, direct mail etc. we will put some pictures of seasonal products and prices to show people how much is going to costs. On the billboard we will only be working on where and how to contact Pop Boutique. We are also going to provide our Web address on the publish media, such as on newspaper, magazine and billboards so because of this people can find us easily. The Guardian Newspaper is a national paper therefore I think it would be the best idea to promote the campaign there. The main purpose of choosing this particular newspaper is that it is expensive and only those people read it, which have enough income to spend on their essential expenditure. In my point of view the readers of this newspaper can afford Pop Boutique products and more likely to buy it. I decided to advertise once every week for 6 weeks. But in the last week I will be advertising twice in week. The campaign could run for the longer period. I think Sunday is the best day to advertise because the majority of people have a holiday and they sit at home and read the newspaper during their tea time or when they have breakfast. I believe this is a good ways of sending the message cross. However I am also considering to advertise in different days as well, for example for the following ad comes on Saturday paper, the week after will be on Thursday paper to make sure people gets our message that we are trying to send to people. We are going to attract customers’ attention by providing some special offers. For example if you spend  £50 gets 20% off on your next shopping. We will provide a promotional code on the newspaper for customers to get some discount for online shopping while entering the promotional code on the website. We are expecting 20000 items should be sold by the respond of newspaper ads and this will possibly make at least  £300,000 sales on this promotional method. I also have chosen Radio London advertising method to make awareness of the brand and company itself in order to get well known by the consumers. I think this was the best idea because London is a Capital and tourist attraction city and this is good method to inform people about Pop Boutique so they can shop from this organisation. The radio campaign will run for 3 weeks and six times a day in order to ensure that people listen to our message. The reason of choosing a radio ad to play for 30 seconds 6 times a day because people have a busy life and they would definitely come cross the advert once in these 6 times. The time I chose is 7 o’clock in the morning, 12:30pm, half 2pm, 5:30pm and 7:30 in the evening. I have chosen these times because the research says these are the times when most audience will likely listen to the radio. The message we will send through radio is; one of the best and recognisable business who produces funky, stylish and comfy dresses for celebrities e.g. models, and also for teenager and women who belongs from high class families. Pop boutique is providing the best deals on new vintage clothes, you can also visit the website to find out more information; www.popboutique.co.uk. This business is aiming to open more stores soon all around in the UK to make life easier for you to visit to the shop. The company is expecting at least 20000 customers to visit the website and buy things and make recommendations, so Pop Boutique become one of the best and well-known vintage cloths provider. When making a campaign and aiming to interact customers billboards are one of the best ideas to use, because billboard will be read by many people across the country. I have decided to advertise on the billboard for the full 2 weeks in all of 4 cities of the UK where Pop boutique have stores in order to attain people’s attention. Billboards will have some graphics, pictures, company’ logo and web address to explain what is company targeting for, and where can you find the stores and contact detail etc. All together 100 billboards going to be used in the UK, mostly are going to be on the roads on traffic lights and motorways near the roundabouts. I also believe that direct mail and brooches is another good way to promote the business and increase customers as well as. The direct mail will be send to many of our existing customers to inform them about the new and latest product. Therefore we are also looking to promote products in a new market. We are going to send email to families to inform that we have some special offers on vintage clothes. The direct mail would be sent out once every week, giving the message of new summer collecti on and providing direct web address to visit to the website. There would be a promotional code to get some 5% discount on when they spend over  £50. I also believe that direct mail is very less read by the people but our main subject is going to be 20% off on most of the products and get 5% discount on top of it, to make people to read the direct mail. And broachers will be given to the retails hops so when people come to buy the clothes they can take the broachers and visit the stores and buy the clothes. It is A4 with 5 sided, with some graphics and other images on it. I have also decided to do an ad campaign on ITV. This is going to be a very expensive method of advertising but the company has to take this risk in order to be well-known in the UK, so they could expand the business nationally. I have chosen ITV channel because I believe more people watch soaps on ITV. So because of the TV ad we are going to inform about the special offers, new collection, and inform them about the promotional code to visit online to get some discount on ou r most of products. Our main objective is to make customers to visit the store or the website and buy Pop Boutique’s products, so company could make some profit, which would be helpful in future when opening more stores in the UK. The reason of selecting this method is to achieve the objective, by informing about the new and summer collection, different offers and making awareness of the business as well as brand in the UK, also increasing customers and market shares. If the company achieve these objectives then it would be really essential because they will be able to expand the business nationally. Furthermore the scheme of promotional code will help the company to find out which sorts of advertising method customers used in order to visit the website. When consumers place orders through website they will ask to fill some detail.Customers have to tell us how have they been recommended to visit our website and the promotional code will be collected automatically by the data base, to see which method of advertising has been used more by customers, and which method of advertising as helped more in order to achieve the aim of the Pop boutique business. This is extremely beneficial for the company as this can help the company to select the best type of media for advertising in the future.

Vermont Teddy Bear

As a good marketing strategy, it would be wise for Vermont teddy Bear to penetrate at least the distribution channels of various toy stores. Therefore as a suggestion, the company should at least create a special â€Å"manufacturer-to-dealer† program which will be initiated and targeted towards the specialty and toy store businesses operating today. In this notion, it is recommended also to Vermont that it sets up a special discount program offer in its website which will be geared towards potential visitors who are willing to be distributors of the company’s products.Basically, the rationale for this suggestion comes in the aspect of attaining more exposure or advertising mileage without themed to add more mediums of advertising. Acquiring a list of specialty stores which are willing to distribute and resell the teddy bear products can help Vermont Teddy Bears to save money. Also, this will widen the market segment of the company since people are not actually invoiced to look for toys online as the primary channel but to go to a toy store which can provide both visual and tangible aspects of product presentation.Moreover, the establishment of special product discounts for wholesalers can increase the web traffic of Vermont because it will not only concentrate on individual clients but to corporate customers as well. When it comes to the demands of the target market, the creation of additional channel for distributorship certainly meets this aspect. Ordinary people can purchase their teddy bears online while wholesale customers or distributors can also manage to acquire more information on how they will profit from partnering with Vermont as a manufacturer.

Free Essays on Market Segmentation

Market segmentation is briefley the process of breaking down a larger target market into smaller segments with specific characteristics. Each group requires different promotional strategies and marketing mixes because each group has different wants and needs. Segmentation will help us customize our product, such as advertising or to reach and meet the specific needs of a narrowly defined customer group. Before deciding to fund a market research we must be sure that the market is, Big enough: Market must be large enough for segmentation. We can not split a market that is already very small. Different: Differences must exist between members of the market and these differences must be measurable with data collection methods. Reachable: Each segment must be reachable through one or more media. You must be able to get your message in front of the right market segments for it to be effective. If one-eyed, green aliens are your best marketing opportunity, make certain there is a magazine, cable program or some other medium that targets these people (or be prepared to create one). Profitable: The expected profits from expanding your markets and more effectively reaching buyer segments must exceed the costs of developing multiple marketing programs, re-designing existing products or creating new products to reach those segments. And we should mostly look for differences in the 5 categories which are, Demographics: Refers to age, sex, income, education, race, martial status, size of household, geographic location, size of city, and profession. Psychographics: Refers to personality and emotionally based behavior linked to purchase choices; for example, whether customers are risk-takers or risk-avoiders, impulsive buyers, etc. Lifestyle: Refers to the collective choice of hobbies, recreational pursuits, entertainment, vacations, and other non-work time hobbies Belief and value systems: Includes religious, political, ... Free Essays on Market Segmentation Free Essays on Market Segmentation Market segmentation is briefley the process of breaking down a larger target market into smaller segments with specific characteristics. Each group requires different promotional strategies and marketing mixes because each group has different wants and needs. Segmentation will help us customize our product, such as advertising or to reach and meet the specific needs of a narrowly defined customer group. Before deciding to fund a market research we must be sure that the market is, Big enough: Market must be large enough for segmentation. We can not split a market that is already very small. Different: Differences must exist between members of the market and these differences must be measurable with data collection methods. Reachable: Each segment must be reachable through one or more media. You must be able to get your message in front of the right market segments for it to be effective. If one-eyed, green aliens are your best marketing opportunity, make certain there is a magazine, cable program or some other medium that targets these people (or be prepared to create one). Profitable: The expected profits from expanding your markets and more effectively reaching buyer segments must exceed the costs of developing multiple marketing programs, re-designing existing products or creating new products to reach those segments. And we should mostly look for differences in the 5 categories which are, Demographics: Refers to age, sex, income, education, race, martial status, size of household, geographic location, size of city, and profession. Psychographics: Refers to personality and emotionally based behavior linked to purchase choices; for example, whether customers are risk-takers or risk-avoiders, impulsive buyers, etc. Lifestyle: Refers to the collective choice of hobbies, recreational pursuits, entertainment, vacations, and other non-work time hobbies Belief and value systems: Includes religious, political, ...

typology of violent men essays

typology of violent men essays Reading A Typology of Men Who Are Violent Toward Their Female Partners: Making Sense of the Heterogeneity in Husband Violence was quite an enlightening experience. This essay was the first exposure that I have encountered that had to do with research of the way psychological matters, such as batterers, should be analyzed and examined. There are so many ways to view things that sometimes researchers do not really become aware of the best way to view them until more research is done. This article is a perfect instance of this type of research. Much of the existing information pertaining to husband violence has been gathered in research comparing violent with nonviolent models of men; in such studies, batterers are customarily treated as a homogeneous group. However, reviewing this article proved that this conception of researching is no longer valid. Instead, batterers should be explored by systematically examining variability among violent men alone, by way of significant hypothetical dimensions of interest. This manner of research will help distinguish the diverse pathways to violence. I believe that thoroughly understanding this concept will, in the long run, help one to solve the problem of violent men. Furthermore, in this examine, I recognized that the subgroups that were identified among violent men varied along descriptive proportions. Antisociality and borderline features were results that came to be particularly essential for understanding the heterogeneity in violent husbands. It is clear that extensive researches in this area are very important. Societal and interpersonal causes of violence and the interactions at these differing levels of analysis are just as important as the intraperosonal causes of violence that are analyzed in this particular study. Overall, what I believe to be the most important learning experience from this article is that researching psy...

Bloodlines Chapter Twelve

We tried to tell him that Tamara was killed by Strigoi, but he won’t believe it. He doesn’t want to. He can’t take revenge on a Strigoi. They’re immortal. Invincible. But some human vampire hunter? Somehow, in his head, that’s something he can go after. And if he can’t, then he can focus his energy on how the guardians won’t go after these nonexistent vampire hunters.† I just barely heard Eddie mutter, â€Å"Strigoi aren’t that invincible.† In the rearview mirror, I saw Jill’s face filled with compassion. She was seated between Lee and Eddie. â€Å"Even if it’s a fantasy, maybe it’s better this way,† she suggested. â€Å"It gives him comfort. I mean, kind of. Having something tangible to hate is what gets him through. Otherwise he’d just give in to despair. He’s not hurting anyone with his theories. I think he’s sweet.† She caught her breath in that way she did when she’d said a whole lot all at once. My eyes were back on the road, but I could swear Lee was smiling. â€Å"That’s nice of you,† he told her. â€Å"I know he likes having you around. Turn right up here.† That was to me. Lee had been giving me directions ever since we left Clarence’s. We were just outside of Palm Springs proper, nearing the very impressive-looking Desert Gods Golf Course and Resort. Further guidance from him led us to the Mega-Fun Mini-Golf Center, which was adjacent to the resort. I searched for a parking spot and heard Jill gasp when she caught sight of the golf course’s crowning glory. There, in the center of a cluster of gaudily decorated putting greens, was a huge fake mountain with an artificial waterfall spouting from its top. â€Å"A waterfall!† she exclaimed. â€Å"It’s amazing.† â€Å"Well,† said Lee, â€Å"I wouldn’t go that far. It’s made of water that’s been pumped over and over and has God only knows what in it. I mean, I wouldn’t try to drink or swim in it.† Before I even had the car to a stop, Adrian was out the door, lighting a cigarette. We’d gotten in an argument on the way over, despite me telling him three times that Latte was a strictly no-smoking car. The rest of us soon got out as well, and I wondered what I’d signed up for here as we strolled toward the entrance. â€Å"I’ve actually never been mini-golfing,† I remarked. Lee came to a halt and stared. â€Å"Never?† â€Å"Never.† â€Å"How does that happen?† asked Adrian. â€Å"How is it possible that you’ve never played mini-golf?† â€Å"I had kind of an unusual childhood,† I said at last. Even Eddie looked incredulous. â€Å"You? I was practically raised at an isolated school in the middle of nowhere Montana, and even I’ve played mini-golf.† Saying I was homeschooled was no excuse this time, so I just let it go. Really, it just came down to having a childhood more focused on chemical equations than on fun and recreation. Once we started playing, I soon got the hang of it. My first few attempts were pretty bad, but I soon understood the weight of the club and how the angles on each course could be maneuvered. From there, it was pretty simple to calculate distance and force to make accurate shots. â€Å"Unbelievable. If you’d been playing since you were a child, you’d be a pro by now,† Eddie told me as I knocked my ball into a gaping dragon’s mouth. The ball rolled out the back, down a tube, bounced off a wall, and into the hole. â€Å"How’d you do that?† I shrugged. â€Å"It’s simple geometry. You’re not that bad either,† I pointed out, watching him make his shot. â€Å"How do you do it?† â€Å"I just line it up and putt.† â€Å"Very scientific.† â€Å"I just rely on natural talent,† said Adrian, strolling up to the start of the Dragon’s Lair. â€Å"When you have such a wealth of it to draw from, the danger comes from having too much.† â€Å"That makes no sense whatsoever,† said Eddie. Adrian’s response was to pause and take out a silver flask from his inner coat pocket. He unscrewed it and took a quick drink before leaning in to line up his shot. â€Å"What was that?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You can’t have alcohol out here.† â€Å"You heard Jailbait earlier,† he countered. â€Å"It’s the weekend.† He lined up his ball and shot. The ball went directly for the dragon’s eye, bounced off it, and shot back toward Adrian. It rolled and came to a stop at his feet, nearly where it had started. â€Å"Natural talent, huh?† asked Eddie. I leaned forward. â€Å"I think you broke the dragon’s eye.† â€Å"Just like Keith,† said Adrian. â€Å"I figured you’d appreciate that, Sage.† I gave him a sharp look, wondering if there was any hidden meaning behind that. Mostly, Adrian seemed amused by his own wit. Eddie mistook my expression. â€Å"That was inappropriate,† he told Adrian. â€Å"Sorry, Dad.† Adrian shot again and managed not to maim any statues this time. A couple more shots, and he sank the ball. â€Å"There we go. Three.† â€Å"Four,† said Eddie and I in unison. Adrian looked at us incredulously. â€Å"It was three.† â€Å"You’re forgetting about your first one,† I said. â€Å"The one where you blinded the dragon.† â€Å"That was just the warm-up,† Adrian argued. He put on a smile I think he hoped would charm me. â€Å"Come on, Sage. You understand how my mind works. You said I was brilliant, remember?† Eddie glanced at me in surprise. â€Å"You did?† â€Å"No! I never said that.† Adrian’s smile was infuriating. â€Å"Stop telling people that.† Since I was in charge of the scorecard, his play was logged as four, despite his many further protests. I started to move forward, but Eddie held out a hand to stop me, his hazel eyes gazing over my shoulder. â€Å"Hold up,† he said. â€Å"We need to wait for Jill and Lee.† I followed his gaze. The two of them had been in deep conversation since we arrived, so much so that they’d slowed and lagged behind the rest of us. Even during his bantering with Adrian and me, Eddie had continually checked on her – and our surroundings. It was kind of amazing the way he could multitask. Thus far, Jill and Lee had only been one hole behind us. Now it was nearly two, and that was too far for Eddie to keep her in his sight. So, we waited while the oblivious couple meandered their way toward the Dragon’s Lair. Adrian took another drink from his flask and shook his head in awe. â€Å"You had nothing to worry about, Sage. She went right for him.† â€Å"No thanks to you,† I snapped. â€Å"I can’t believe you told her every detail of my visit that night. She was so mad at me for interfering behind her back with you, Lee, and Micah.† â€Å"I hardly told her anything,† argued Adrian. â€Å"I just told her to stay away from that human guy.† Eddie glanced between our faces. â€Å"Micah?† I shifted uncomfortably. Eddie didn’t know about how I’d gone proactive. â€Å"Remember when I wanted you to say something to him? And you wouldn’t?† I proceeded to tell him how I’d then sought out Adrian’s help and found out about Lee’s interest in Jill. Eddie was aghast. â€Å"How could you not tell me any of this?† he demanded. â€Å"Well,† I said, wondering if everything I did was going to result in the wrath of a Moroi or dhampir, â€Å"it didn’t involve you.† â€Å"Jill’s safety does! If some guy likes her, I need to know.† Adrian chuckled. â€Å"Should Sage have passed you a note in class?† â€Å"Lee’s fine,† I said. â€Å"He obviously adores her, and it’s not like she’ll ever be alone with him.† â€Å"We don’t know for sure that he’s fine,† said Eddie. â€Å"Whereas Micah’s a hundred percent okay? Did you do a background check or something?† I asked. â€Å"No,† said Eddie, looking embarrassed. â€Å"I just know. It’s a feeling I get about him. There’s no problem with him spending time with Jill.† â€Å"Except that he’s human.† â€Å"They wouldn’t have gotten serious.† â€Å"You don’t know that.† â€Å"Enough, you two,† interrupted Adrian. Jill and Lee had finally reached the start of the Dragon’s Lair, meaning we could move on. Adrian lowered his voice. â€Å"Your argument’s useless. I mean, look at them. That human boy doesn’t enter into it.† I looked. Adrian was right. Jill and Lee were clearly enthralled with each other. Some guilty part of me wondered if I should be a doing a better job of looking out for Jill. I was so relieved that she was interested in a Moroi that I hadn’t stopped to wonder if she should even be dating anyone. Was fifteen old enough? I hadn’t dated at fifteen. I’d actually, well, never dated. â€Å"There is an age difference between them,† I admitted, more to myself. Adrian scoffed. â€Å"Believe me, I’ve seen age differences. Theirs is nothing.† He walked off, and a few moments later, Eddie and I went to join him. Eddie maintained his simultaneous vigil of Jill, but this time, I got the impression the danger he was watching out for was right beside her. Adrian’s laughter rang out ahead of us. â€Å"Sage!† he called. â€Å"You have got to see this.† Eddie and I reached the next green and stared in astonishment. Then I burst out laughing. We had reached Dracula’s Castle. A huge, multi-towered black castle guarded the hole some distance away. A tunnel was cut out through the center of it with a narrow bridge meant for the ball to go over. If the ball fell off the sides before getting through the castle, it was returned back to the starting point. An animatronic Count Dracula stood off to the castle’s side. He was pure white, with red eyes, pointed ears, and slicked-back hair. He jerkily kept raising his arms to show off a batlike cape. Nearby, a speaker blasted eerie organ music. I couldn’t stop laughing. Adrian and Eddie looked at me as though they’d never seen me before. â€Å"I don’t think I’ve ever heard her laugh,† Eddie told him. â€Å"Certainly not the reaction I was expecting,† mused Adrian. â€Å"I’d been counting on abject terror, judging from past Alchemist behavior. I didn’t think you liked vampires.† Still grinning, I watched Dracula raise his cape up and down. â€Å"This isn’t a vampire. Not a real one. And that’s what makes it so funny. It’s pure Hollywood camp. Real vampires are terrifying and unnatural. This? This is hilarious.† It was clear from their expressions that neither really understood why this would appeal to my sense of humor so much. Adrian did, however, offer to take a picture with my cell phone when I asked him. I posed by Dracula and put on a big smile. Adrian managed to snap the shot just as Dracula was raising his cape. When I viewed the picture, I was pleased to see it had come out perfectly. Even my hair looked good. Adrian gave the picture a nod of approval before handing me the phone. â€Å"Okay, even I can admit that’s pretty cute.† I found myself overanalyzing the comment. What had he meant in saying even he could admit it? That I was cute for a human? Or that I had just met some kind of Adrian hot-girl criteria? Moments later, I had to forcibly stop thinking about it. Let it go, Sydney. It’s a compliment. Accept it. We played through the rest of the course, finally finishing off with the waterfall itself. That was a particularly challenging hole, and I took my time lining up the shot – not that I needed to. I was beating everyone pretty handily. Eddie was the only one who came close. It was clear Jill and Lee didn’t even have their attention on the game, and as for Adrian and his natural talent†¦ well, they were very solidly in last place. Eddie, Adrian, and I were still ahead of the other two, so we waited for them by the waterfall. Jill practically ran to it when she had the chance, gazing up at it with enchanted eyes. â€Å"Oh,† she breathed. â€Å"This is wonderful. I haven’t seen this much water in days.† â€Å"Remember what I said about the toxicity,† teased Lee. But it was clear he found her reaction endearing. As I glanced at the other two guys, I saw that they shared the same feelings. Well, not exactly the same. Adrian’s affection was clearly brotherly. Eddie’s? It was hard to read, kind of a mix of the other two. Maybe it was a kind of guardian fondness. Jill made a gesture to the waterfall, and suddenly, part of it broke off from the tumbling cascade. The chunk of water shaped itself into a braid, then twisted high into the air, making spirals before shattering into a million drops that misted over us all. I had been staring wide-eyed and frozen, but those drops hitting me shocked me awake. â€Å"Jill,† I said in a voice I barely recognized as my own. â€Å"Don’t do that again.† Jill, eyes bright, barely spared me a glance as she made another piece of water dance in the air. â€Å"No one’s around to see, Sydney.† That wasn’t what had me so upset. That wasn’t what filled me with so much panic that I could barely breathe. The world was doing that thing where it started to spin, and I worried I was going to faint. Stark, cold fear ran through me, fear at the unknown. The unnatural. The laws of my world had just been broken. This was vampire magic, something foreign and inaccessible to humans – inaccessible because it was forbidden, something no mortal was meant to delve into. I had only once seen magic used, when two spirit users had turned on each other, and I never wanted to see it again. One had forced the plants of the earth to do her bidding while the other telekinetically hurled objects meant to kill. It had been terrifying, and even though I hadn’t been the target, I’d felt trapped and overwhelmed in the f ace of such otherworldly power. It was a reminder that these weren’t fun, easy people to hang out with. These were creatures wholly different from me. â€Å"Stop it,† I said, feeling the panic rise. I was afraid of the magic, afraid it would touch me, afraid of what it might do to me. â€Å"Don’t do it anymore!† Jill didn’t even hear me. She grinned at Lee. â€Å"You’re air, right? Can you create fog over the water?† Lee stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked away. â€Å"Ah, well, it’s probably not a good idea. I mean, we’re in public†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Come on,† she pleaded. â€Å"It won’t take any effort for you at all.† He actually appeared nervous. â€Å"Nah, not right now.† â€Å"Not you too.† She laughed. Above her and in front of her, that demon water was still spinning, spinning, spinning†¦ â€Å"Jill,† said Adrian, a harsher note in his voice than I’d ever heard before. In fact, I couldn’t recall him ever addressing her by her actual name. â€Å"Stop.† It was all he said, but it was like a wave of something went through Jill. She flinched, and the water spirals disappeared, falling away in droplets. â€Å"Fine,† she said, looking confused. There was a moment of awkwardness, and then Eddie said, â€Å"We should hurry. We’re going to be pushing curfew.† Lee and Jill set out to make their shots and soon were laughing and flirting again. Eddie continued watching them in his concerned way. Only Adrian paid any attention to me. He was the only one who really understood what had happened, I realized. His green eyes studied me, with no trace of their usual bitter humor. I wasn’t fooled, though. I knew there had to be some witty quip coming, mocking my reaction. â€Å"Are you okay?† he asked quietly. â€Å"I’m fine,† I said, turning from him. I didn’t want him to see my face. He’d already seen too much, seen my fear. I didn’t want any of them to know how afraid of them I was. I heard him take a few steps toward me. â€Å"Sage – â€Å" â€Å"Leave me alone,† I snapped back. I hurried off toward the course’s exit, certain he wouldn’t follow me. I was right. I waited for them to finish the game, using the alone time to calm myself down. By the time they caught up to me, I was fairly certain I had wiped most of the emotions from my face. Adrian still watched me with concern, which I didn’t like, but at least he didn’t say anything else about my breakdown. Surprising to no one, the final score showed that I had won and Adrian had lost. Lee had come in third, which seemed to trouble him. â€Å"I used to be a lot better,† he muttered, frowning. â€Å"I used to be perfect at this game.† Considering he’d spent most of the time paying attention to Jill, I thought third was a pretty respectable performance. I dropped him and Adrian off first and then just barely got Eddie, Jill, and me back to Amberwood on time. I was more or less back to normal by then, not that anyone would’ve noticed. Jill was floating on a cloud as we went into our dorm room, talking nonstop about Lee. â€Å"I had no idea he’d traveled so much! He’s maybe been more places than you, Sydney. He keeps telling me that he’ll take me to all of them, that we’ll spend the rest of our lives traveling and doing whatever we want. And he’s taking all sorts of classes in college because he’s not sure what he wants to major in. Well, not all sorts this semester. He’s got a light schedule so that he can spend more time with his father. And that’s good for me. For us, I mean.† I stifled a yawn and nodded wearily. â€Å"That’s great.† She paused from where she’d been searching her dresser for pajamas. â€Å"I’m sorry, by the way.† I froze. I didn’t want an apology for the magic. I didn’t even want to remember it had happened. â€Å"For yelling at you the other night,† she continued. â€Å"You didn’t set me up with Lee. I should never have accused you of interfering. He really has liked me all along, and, well†¦ he’s really great.† I let out the breath I’d been holding and attempted a weak smile. â€Å"I’m glad you’re happy.† She returned cheerfully to her tasks and to talking about Lee until I left to go down to the bathroom. Before brushing my teeth, I stood in front of the sink and washed my hands and arms over and over, scrubbing as hard as I could to wash away the magical drops of water I swore I could still feel on my skin. Bloodlines Chapter Twelve We tried to tell him that Tamara was killed by Strigoi, but he won’t believe it. He doesn’t want to. He can’t take revenge on a Strigoi. They’re immortal. Invincible. But some human vampire hunter? Somehow, in his head, that’s something he can go after. And if he can’t, then he can focus his energy on how the guardians won’t go after these nonexistent vampire hunters.† I just barely heard Eddie mutter, â€Å"Strigoi aren’t that invincible.† In the rearview mirror, I saw Jill’s face filled with compassion. She was seated between Lee and Eddie. â€Å"Even if it’s a fantasy, maybe it’s better this way,† she suggested. â€Å"It gives him comfort. I mean, kind of. Having something tangible to hate is what gets him through. Otherwise he’d just give in to despair. He’s not hurting anyone with his theories. I think he’s sweet.† She caught her breath in that way she did when she’d said a whole lot all at once. My eyes were back on the road, but I could swear Lee was smiling. â€Å"That’s nice of you,† he told her. â€Å"I know he likes having you around. Turn right up here.† That was to me. Lee had been giving me directions ever since we left Clarence’s. We were just outside of Palm Springs proper, nearing the very impressive-looking Desert Gods Golf Course and Resort. Further guidance from him led us to the Mega-Fun Mini-Golf Center, which was adjacent to the resort. I searched for a parking spot and heard Jill gasp when she caught sight of the golf course’s crowning glory. There, in the center of a cluster of gaudily decorated putting greens, was a huge fake mountain with an artificial waterfall spouting from its top. â€Å"A waterfall!† she exclaimed. â€Å"It’s amazing.† â€Å"Well,† said Lee, â€Å"I wouldn’t go that far. It’s made of water that’s been pumped over and over and has God only knows what in it. I mean, I wouldn’t try to drink or swim in it.† Before I even had the car to a stop, Adrian was out the door, lighting a cigarette. We’d gotten in an argument on the way over, despite me telling him three times that Latte was a strictly no-smoking car. The rest of us soon got out as well, and I wondered what I’d signed up for here as we strolled toward the entrance. â€Å"I’ve actually never been mini-golfing,† I remarked. Lee came to a halt and stared. â€Å"Never?† â€Å"Never.† â€Å"How does that happen?† asked Adrian. â€Å"How is it possible that you’ve never played mini-golf?† â€Å"I had kind of an unusual childhood,† I said at last. Even Eddie looked incredulous. â€Å"You? I was practically raised at an isolated school in the middle of nowhere Montana, and even I’ve played mini-golf.† Saying I was homeschooled was no excuse this time, so I just let it go. Really, it just came down to having a childhood more focused on chemical equations than on fun and recreation. Once we started playing, I soon got the hang of it. My first few attempts were pretty bad, but I soon understood the weight of the club and how the angles on each course could be maneuvered. From there, it was pretty simple to calculate distance and force to make accurate shots. â€Å"Unbelievable. If you’d been playing since you were a child, you’d be a pro by now,† Eddie told me as I knocked my ball into a gaping dragon’s mouth. The ball rolled out the back, down a tube, bounced off a wall, and into the hole. â€Å"How’d you do that?† I shrugged. â€Å"It’s simple geometry. You’re not that bad either,† I pointed out, watching him make his shot. â€Å"How do you do it?† â€Å"I just line it up and putt.† â€Å"Very scientific.† â€Å"I just rely on natural talent,† said Adrian, strolling up to the start of the Dragon’s Lair. â€Å"When you have such a wealth of it to draw from, the danger comes from having too much.† â€Å"That makes no sense whatsoever,† said Eddie. Adrian’s response was to pause and take out a silver flask from his inner coat pocket. He unscrewed it and took a quick drink before leaning in to line up his shot. â€Å"What was that?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You can’t have alcohol out here.† â€Å"You heard Jailbait earlier,† he countered. â€Å"It’s the weekend.† He lined up his ball and shot. The ball went directly for the dragon’s eye, bounced off it, and shot back toward Adrian. It rolled and came to a stop at his feet, nearly where it had started. â€Å"Natural talent, huh?† asked Eddie. I leaned forward. â€Å"I think you broke the dragon’s eye.† â€Å"Just like Keith,† said Adrian. â€Å"I figured you’d appreciate that, Sage.† I gave him a sharp look, wondering if there was any hidden meaning behind that. Mostly, Adrian seemed amused by his own wit. Eddie mistook my expression. â€Å"That was inappropriate,† he told Adrian. â€Å"Sorry, Dad.† Adrian shot again and managed not to maim any statues this time. A couple more shots, and he sank the ball. â€Å"There we go. Three.† â€Å"Four,† said Eddie and I in unison. Adrian looked at us incredulously. â€Å"It was three.† â€Å"You’re forgetting about your first one,† I said. â€Å"The one where you blinded the dragon.† â€Å"That was just the warm-up,† Adrian argued. He put on a smile I think he hoped would charm me. â€Å"Come on, Sage. You understand how my mind works. You said I was brilliant, remember?† Eddie glanced at me in surprise. â€Å"You did?† â€Å"No! I never said that.† Adrian’s smile was infuriating. â€Å"Stop telling people that.† Since I was in charge of the scorecard, his play was logged as four, despite his many further protests. I started to move forward, but Eddie held out a hand to stop me, his hazel eyes gazing over my shoulder. â€Å"Hold up,† he said. â€Å"We need to wait for Jill and Lee.† I followed his gaze. The two of them had been in deep conversation since we arrived, so much so that they’d slowed and lagged behind the rest of us. Even during his bantering with Adrian and me, Eddie had continually checked on her – and our surroundings. It was kind of amazing the way he could multitask. Thus far, Jill and Lee had only been one hole behind us. Now it was nearly two, and that was too far for Eddie to keep her in his sight. So, we waited while the oblivious couple meandered their way toward the Dragon’s Lair. Adrian took another drink from his flask and shook his head in awe. â€Å"You had nothing to worry about, Sage. She went right for him.† â€Å"No thanks to you,† I snapped. â€Å"I can’t believe you told her every detail of my visit that night. She was so mad at me for interfering behind her back with you, Lee, and Micah.† â€Å"I hardly told her anything,† argued Adrian. â€Å"I just told her to stay away from that human guy.† Eddie glanced between our faces. â€Å"Micah?† I shifted uncomfortably. Eddie didn’t know about how I’d gone proactive. â€Å"Remember when I wanted you to say something to him? And you wouldn’t?† I proceeded to tell him how I’d then sought out Adrian’s help and found out about Lee’s interest in Jill. Eddie was aghast. â€Å"How could you not tell me any of this?† he demanded. â€Å"Well,† I said, wondering if everything I did was going to result in the wrath of a Moroi or dhampir, â€Å"it didn’t involve you.† â€Å"Jill’s safety does! If some guy likes her, I need to know.† Adrian chuckled. â€Å"Should Sage have passed you a note in class?† â€Å"Lee’s fine,† I said. â€Å"He obviously adores her, and it’s not like she’ll ever be alone with him.† â€Å"We don’t know for sure that he’s fine,† said Eddie. â€Å"Whereas Micah’s a hundred percent okay? Did you do a background check or something?† I asked. â€Å"No,† said Eddie, looking embarrassed. â€Å"I just know. It’s a feeling I get about him. There’s no problem with him spending time with Jill.† â€Å"Except that he’s human.† â€Å"They wouldn’t have gotten serious.† â€Å"You don’t know that.† â€Å"Enough, you two,† interrupted Adrian. Jill and Lee had finally reached the start of the Dragon’s Lair, meaning we could move on. Adrian lowered his voice. â€Å"Your argument’s useless. I mean, look at them. That human boy doesn’t enter into it.† I looked. Adrian was right. Jill and Lee were clearly enthralled with each other. Some guilty part of me wondered if I should be a doing a better job of looking out for Jill. I was so relieved that she was interested in a Moroi that I hadn’t stopped to wonder if she should even be dating anyone. Was fifteen old enough? I hadn’t dated at fifteen. I’d actually, well, never dated. â€Å"There is an age difference between them,† I admitted, more to myself. Adrian scoffed. â€Å"Believe me, I’ve seen age differences. Theirs is nothing.† He walked off, and a few moments later, Eddie and I went to join him. Eddie maintained his simultaneous vigil of Jill, but this time, I got the impression the danger he was watching out for was right beside her. Adrian’s laughter rang out ahead of us. â€Å"Sage!† he called. â€Å"You have got to see this.† Eddie and I reached the next green and stared in astonishment. Then I burst out laughing. We had reached Dracula’s Castle. A huge, multi-towered black castle guarded the hole some distance away. A tunnel was cut out through the center of it with a narrow bridge meant for the ball to go over. If the ball fell off the sides before getting through the castle, it was returned back to the starting point. An animatronic Count Dracula stood off to the castle’s side. He was pure white, with red eyes, pointed ears, and slicked-back hair. He jerkily kept raising his arms to show off a batlike cape. Nearby, a speaker blasted eerie organ music. I couldn’t stop laughing. Adrian and Eddie looked at me as though they’d never seen me before. â€Å"I don’t think I’ve ever heard her laugh,† Eddie told him. â€Å"Certainly not the reaction I was expecting,† mused Adrian. â€Å"I’d been counting on abject terror, judging from past Alchemist behavior. I didn’t think you liked vampires.† Still grinning, I watched Dracula raise his cape up and down. â€Å"This isn’t a vampire. Not a real one. And that’s what makes it so funny. It’s pure Hollywood camp. Real vampires are terrifying and unnatural. This? This is hilarious.† It was clear from their expressions that neither really understood why this would appeal to my sense of humor so much. Adrian did, however, offer to take a picture with my cell phone when I asked him. I posed by Dracula and put on a big smile. Adrian managed to snap the shot just as Dracula was raising his cape. When I viewed the picture, I was pleased to see it had come out perfectly. Even my hair looked good. Adrian gave the picture a nod of approval before handing me the phone. â€Å"Okay, even I can admit that’s pretty cute.† I found myself overanalyzing the comment. What had he meant in saying even he could admit it? That I was cute for a human? Or that I had just met some kind of Adrian hot-girl criteria? Moments later, I had to forcibly stop thinking about it. Let it go, Sydney. It’s a compliment. Accept it. We played through the rest of the course, finally finishing off with the waterfall itself. That was a particularly challenging hole, and I took my time lining up the shot – not that I needed to. I was beating everyone pretty handily. Eddie was the only one who came close. It was clear Jill and Lee didn’t even have their attention on the game, and as for Adrian and his natural talent†¦ well, they were very solidly in last place. Eddie, Adrian, and I were still ahead of the other two, so we waited for them by the waterfall. Jill practically ran to it when she had the chance, gazing up at it with enchanted eyes. â€Å"Oh,† she breathed. â€Å"This is wonderful. I haven’t seen this much water in days.† â€Å"Remember what I said about the toxicity,† teased Lee. But it was clear he found her reaction endearing. As I glanced at the other two guys, I saw that they shared the same feelings. Well, not exactly the same. Adrian’s affection was clearly brotherly. Eddie’s? It was hard to read, kind of a mix of the other two. Maybe it was a kind of guardian fondness. Jill made a gesture to the waterfall, and suddenly, part of it broke off from the tumbling cascade. The chunk of water shaped itself into a braid, then twisted high into the air, making spirals before shattering into a million drops that misted over us all. I had been staring wide-eyed and frozen, but those drops hitting me shocked me awake. â€Å"Jill,† I said in a voice I barely recognized as my own. â€Å"Don’t do that again.† Jill, eyes bright, barely spared me a glance as she made another piece of water dance in the air. â€Å"No one’s around to see, Sydney.† That wasn’t what had me so upset. That wasn’t what filled me with so much panic that I could barely breathe. The world was doing that thing where it started to spin, and I worried I was going to faint. Stark, cold fear ran through me, fear at the unknown. The unnatural. The laws of my world had just been broken. This was vampire magic, something foreign and inaccessible to humans – inaccessible because it was forbidden, something no mortal was meant to delve into. I had only once seen magic used, when two spirit users had turned on each other, and I never wanted to see it again. One had forced the plants of the earth to do her bidding while the other telekinetically hurled objects meant to kill. It had been terrifying, and even though I hadn’t been the target, I’d felt trapped and overwhelmed in the f ace of such otherworldly power. It was a reminder that these weren’t fun, easy people to hang out with. These were creatures wholly different from me. â€Å"Stop it,† I said, feeling the panic rise. I was afraid of the magic, afraid it would touch me, afraid of what it might do to me. â€Å"Don’t do it anymore!† Jill didn’t even hear me. She grinned at Lee. â€Å"You’re air, right? Can you create fog over the water?† Lee stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked away. â€Å"Ah, well, it’s probably not a good idea. I mean, we’re in public†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Come on,† she pleaded. â€Å"It won’t take any effort for you at all.† He actually appeared nervous. â€Å"Nah, not right now.† â€Å"Not you too.† She laughed. Above her and in front of her, that demon water was still spinning, spinning, spinning†¦ â€Å"Jill,† said Adrian, a harsher note in his voice than I’d ever heard before. In fact, I couldn’t recall him ever addressing her by her actual name. â€Å"Stop.† It was all he said, but it was like a wave of something went through Jill. She flinched, and the water spirals disappeared, falling away in droplets. â€Å"Fine,† she said, looking confused. There was a moment of awkwardness, and then Eddie said, â€Å"We should hurry. We’re going to be pushing curfew.† Lee and Jill set out to make their shots and soon were laughing and flirting again. Eddie continued watching them in his concerned way. Only Adrian paid any attention to me. He was the only one who really understood what had happened, I realized. His green eyes studied me, with no trace of their usual bitter humor. I wasn’t fooled, though. I knew there had to be some witty quip coming, mocking my reaction. â€Å"Are you okay?† he asked quietly. â€Å"I’m fine,† I said, turning from him. I didn’t want him to see my face. He’d already seen too much, seen my fear. I didn’t want any of them to know how afraid of them I was. I heard him take a few steps toward me. â€Å"Sage – â€Å" â€Å"Leave me alone,† I snapped back. I hurried off toward the course’s exit, certain he wouldn’t follow me. I was right. I waited for them to finish the game, using the alone time to calm myself down. By the time they caught up to me, I was fairly certain I had wiped most of the emotions from my face. Adrian still watched me with concern, which I didn’t like, but at least he didn’t say anything else about my breakdown. Surprising to no one, the final score showed that I had won and Adrian had lost. Lee had come in third, which seemed to trouble him. â€Å"I used to be a lot better,† he muttered, frowning. â€Å"I used to be perfect at this game.† Considering he’d spent most of the time paying attention to Jill, I thought third was a pretty respectable performance. I dropped him and Adrian off first and then just barely got Eddie, Jill, and me back to Amberwood on time. I was more or less back to normal by then, not that anyone would’ve noticed. Jill was floating on a cloud as we went into our dorm room, talking nonstop about Lee. â€Å"I had no idea he’d traveled so much! He’s maybe been more places than you, Sydney. He keeps telling me that he’ll take me to all of them, that we’ll spend the rest of our lives traveling and doing whatever we want. And he’s taking all sorts of classes in college because he’s not sure what he wants to major in. Well, not all sorts this semester. He’s got a light schedule so that he can spend more time with his father. And that’s good for me. For us, I mean.† I stifled a yawn and nodded wearily. â€Å"That’s great.† She paused from where she’d been searching her dresser for pajamas. â€Å"I’m sorry, by the way.† I froze. I didn’t want an apology for the magic. I didn’t even want to remember it had happened. â€Å"For yelling at you the other night,† she continued. â€Å"You didn’t set me up with Lee. I should never have accused you of interfering. He really has liked me all along, and, well†¦ he’s really great.† I let out the breath I’d been holding and attempted a weak smile. â€Å"I’m glad you’re happy.† She returned cheerfully to her tasks and to talking about Lee until I left to go down to the bathroom. Before brushing my teeth, I stood in front of the sink and washed my hands and arms over and over, scrubbing as hard as I could to wash away the magical drops of water I swore I could still feel on my skin.

The Impact of New Media on CRM-Systems Thesis Proposal

The Impact of New Media on CRM-Systems - Thesis Proposal Example The intention of this study is growing a business as a practice that business owners, employers and managers do not have an option to. Once businesses are established, they must be taken trough the tough task of nurturing them to grow. Business growth and development has however become even more challenging in the face of global economic meltdowns. The prevailing economic crisis has resulted in massive competition among businesses of all sizes to survive the tension and pressure. It is not surprising therefore that a lot more companies – even bigger corporations are closing down. Some of the factors that make the running of businesses very difficult when economic conditions are not good include lack of access to credit to undertake strategic business expansions. Harsh economic climate also deprive ordinary people of enhanced revenue and therefore change their spending habits. People become more cautious with what they do with their monies. It is however not as if every other b usiness or company would collapse because the global economic meltdown. As a matter of fact, it is in the face of such economic crisis that the ‘men are separated from the boys’. It is in the face of such trailing moment that good businesses are separated from bad ones. When the general business climate is unfair, it takes focused business planners to succeed because they are the kind of people who can come out with innovative ways of winning the hearts of the few customers who will be ready to do business. (McLean, 2009). Making mention of customer brings to discussion, the innovative skill of attracting customers when there are actually several businesses competing for few customers. The growth of every business depends largely on customers than on any other factor or group of people (McLean, 2009). This is because customers and consumers are the ultimate injectors of money and funds into businesses. Though the implementation of strategic plans goes a long way to help in the growth of businesses, there is no denying the fact that every strategic plan ultimately seeks to attract more customers and make businesses grow (Frimpong, 2004). Ensuring the welfare of customers therefore seeks to be the ultimate thing any business setup could do to ensure continual growth and development even in the face of unfavorable business climate. Because of this, customer relationship management has always remained an important and integral part of the growth of businesses the world over. Because a business can hardly survive in the absence of customers, a business also hardly survive in the absence of an effective customer relationship management program. This is because customer relationship management sets its self up as a tool for identifying all needs of customers and the best ways of meeting these needs (Nardi, 2006). Customer relationship management has to do with everything that businesses or organizations do to build healthy relationships with their custom ers. The Business Ball (2006) notes that â€Å"customer relationship management concerns the relationship between the organization and its customers.† Through customer relationship management, the customer is put at the head of the organization and accorded the accolade of the lifeblood of the company and therefore the need to be particular and concerned with his or her every need. To this effect, the Business Ball (2006) admonishes that â€Å"customers are the lifeblood of any organization be it a global corporation with thousands of employees and a multi-billion turnover, or a sole trader with a handful of regular customers.† This means that customer relationship management is not the sole research of the world’s largest corporations but every business setup; no matter how small it is. In talking about customer relationship management, one important composition to dwell much on is management. McCrimmon (2011) explains management as â€Å"achieving goals in a way that makes the best use of all resources.†

Common household items (chemicals) found in cells Essay

Common household items (chemicals) found in cells - Essay Example The amino acids in a protein determine how it folds into a three-dimensional shape; this structure is, in turn, responsible for the proteins function. Proteins carry out almost all the functions needed for cells to live. A change to the DNA in a gene can change a proteins amino acids, changing its shape and function: this can have a dramatic effect in the cell and on the organism as a whole. Major metabolic reactions by which the cell obtains and stores energy is in the form of ATP. This metabolic energy is then used to accomplish various tasks, including the synthesis of macromolecules and other cell constituents like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Researchers believe that RNA is a unique molecule and the earth is home to RNA-based organisms, which could find food, grow and reproduce and gradually switch to double-stranded DNA. Proteins cannot be made by RNA-based organisms, so they could live where main ingredients like sulphur, required for protein synthesis is absent. By extraction of DNA, the genome pattern of various species can be established. Scientists are rewriting the genetic code and using engineered bacteria making new proteins with new amino acids. Designing new proteins, looking for signs in metabolic activity in varnishes, scientists are now looking for alternate forms of life. The fact that Deinococcus radiodurans withstood 1000 times the amount of radiation to kill humans, suggests that there might be a life which we do not

SET ASIDES Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

SET ASIDES - Research Paper Example On analysis the justification for why VA and Defense Department are chosen as providing the best contracting opportunities for NAICS 561730 is shown and supported with evidence. Finally, the best available contracting opportunity for NAICS 561730 is identified and the reason stated. Set Aside Introduction Set aside contract is ‘’a federal contract under which only small business are allowed to bid’’ (HJ Ventures, 2004). The set aside small business contracts are mainly awarded to start ups, minority owned businesses, women-owned businesses, disabled people businesses, veterans group businesses and other special groups businesses. These type of businesses mostly lack capital and experience to start or expand thus they lack the machinery to compete with large or other successful businesses. In order to help them overcome those challenges that why the government reserves some of it contract specifically for them. A part from the special treatment in bidding fo r the contracts the small business owners stands to gain the following benefits under these programs: training courses and counseling on owning or managing a business, and additionally they are eligible for various loans and advance payments within the program (Guthrie, 2011). Set-asides though awarded on special basis have been quite controversial in business context since the projects from the private sector are mainly awarded on the basis of price, performance, value added and quality, while set-asides are awarded on basis on size, class, race, gender, thus harming legitimate businesses and breeding corruption (Bbutkins, 2010). Under the Small Business Act, the law bids the federal agencies to carryout various procurements that are partially or wholly reserved for small business participation (FSD, 2010). Under this act there are several set-aside categories for the different small businesses ventures which include: Competitive 8(a), Emerging Small Business, HUBZone, Partial Hist orically Black College or University (HBCU) / Minority Institution (MI), Partial Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Total HBCU / MI, Total Small Business, and Veteran-Owned Small Business (FSD, 2010). Therefore small business set-aside categories will award certain acquisitions exclusively to eligible small business concerns. Hence a set-aside may totally or partially open to all small businesses, a single acquisition or a class of acquisitions. In the procurement bidding process the set-asides are conducted through simplified acquisition procedures, sealed bids, or competitive proposals. The small business set asides are awarded contracts either as the primary contractor or sub-contractor. According to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) categories 561730 Landscaping Services is defined as ‘’ventures that specialize in providing landscape care and maintenance services and/or installing trees, shrubs, plants, lawns, or g ardens and ventures that specialize in providing these services along with design of landscape plans and/or the construction of walkways, retaining walls, decks, fences, ponds, and similar structures’’ (NAICS, 2007). Landscaping services provide employment to a quite sizable portion of the American population and also improve the outlook of households. They also significantly improve the value of homes. More than 14500 businesses in the United States are classified as landscaping services (NAICS 561730), with majority of these ventures comprising of a workforce