Beethovens Ninth Symphony Essays - Classical Music, Music

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony It has been called the greatest audio entity one could ever listen to; a song which can pierce the soul of even the most dedicated music-hater: Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Not only has it been designated thus; also, as one of the few truly divinely inspired works, one which most men can only marvel at, as they wallow in their appropriate humility. These creations, however, are definitely not the only aspects of entities beyond the scopes of men; there are far more examples, which are seen every day, but often overlooked. I was walking outside, with this song echoing in the recesses of my mind, on a dismal, overcast day in the Autumnal quarter, a day when where the streets blended with the atmosphere, when one could hardly look up without feeling the singe of the wind against one's face. To me, these days have always conjured up images of some diezt, looming storm, some silent tempest which, if not otherwise distracted will soon wreak mayhem and disaster on my environs. This day had an intense air about it, as do others of its ilk. This is most likely the fault of the storm under which it is shadowed, as though it and its inhabitants are uneasy and harrowed about the imminent predator waiting overhead to pounce. As the sky overhead swam with deeper and deeper shades of gray and hopeless black, the song in my mind was reaching some vocal crescendo in the fourth movement, a better foreteller of the gale I could not imagine. While the winds bullied and tormented the defenseless neighborhood, I started for my house. Unexpectedly, as the crescendo was losing speed, a quiet, pacific violin entered the musical fray in my brain, and the entire mood of the symphony mellowed, the winds themselves pacified, seemingly under Ludwig's fickle dominion. Thinking the storm had passed, I continued blissfully onward to the meadows which were my destination. Again I was assaulted, this time by a different part of the symphony; not too long after the first chorale. This was the startling and almost fearful, but still uplifting, part in which the female and male vocals collided like two huge tidal waves with the power to splinter a fleet of ships with the German Alle Menschen repeated several times. Upon this onslaught of euphony, I turned from whatever I might have been thinking before, and looked at some violently twisting and rising leaves and other debris, and gazed at the playful heavens, again ominous. Annoyed with Beethoven and the cruel elements, I stood there, unmoving; indecisive, not knowing whether to turn around or pursue my present course, I felt the excited chorale still striking some unknown and inexplicable fear within me, as though some divine creature were about to strike me down in some vehemence which lies well beyond the realms of verbal description. So, as the chorus continued repeating its faithful mantra, the winds again rose up stronger than before, as twigs began to snap and fall about me; I was still, yet deeply moved. Perplexed at the whimsy antics of nature, I was about to retreat to my home, when, in the remarkable symphony, a single male vocal broke through the complicated entanglement of godly voices, and I, despite the protests of my superego, decided to continue on with some alien, renewed vigor against the gusty weather, as though I were the bearer of news about the winner of a war or some other momentous aftermath. At this, as though impressed with my display of singular determination, the wind made itself placid, laying down before me. Violins were heard, along with the driving, male voice. Suddenly, completely without warning and all at once, what seemed like throngs of angelic, female voices sang as though sent on an appeal to God on the eve of apocalypse. They continued, soon joined by male voices, and other instruments, in the most spiritual and epiphytic reverberation I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing, and, seemingly, all in my favor, against cruel and remorseless nature, pleading to let me pass. I, however, felt like only a petty byezder in this competition between the symphony and the elements, completely unable to comprehend, let alone justify either side's wish, only able

Forgiveness and God Essays

Forgiveness and God Essays Forgiveness and God Essay Forgiveness and God Essay Forgiveness. It is a part of our daily routine. Something we frequently give and take but do we truly understand its meaning? According to Encarta Dictionary, to forgive mearns to stop being angry about something, to pardon someone from their mistakes, to cancel an obligation or offense such as a debt. According to primary sstudents, Forgiveness mearns not taking revenge. Forgiveness mearns being friends again. Forgiveness, for me, is the best gift we can give and receive. Not only it is free but we also honour God when we do so. The greatest act of forgiveness is the forgiveness God gives to us, inners. : Gods forgiveness is priceless. Jesus Christ already died on the cross to save us. Redemption. And he gives it freely. All we have to do is ask. It is said in Romans 3:23-24 All of us have sinned and fall short, yet God declares us not guilty If we trust in Jesus Christ, who in mercy FREELY takes away our sins. Freely, he is not asking for any payment. We Just really have to confess and ask for forgiveness. And when we have asked for it, he gives it to us instantly. Isaiah 55:7 proves this, God is merciful and is quick to forgive. The moment we ask or forgiveness, we are automatically forgiven. No need to wait a long and dreadful time for his forgiveness. A little boy had Just been tucked into bed by his mother, who was waiting to hear his prayer. But the little boy had been naughty that day, and now it was bothering him. He asked his mother if she could leave so he could pray by himself. The mother, sensing that something was wrong, she asked, Bobby? Is there something you ought to tell me? No mommy. He replied. miou would Just scold at me, but God will forgive me and he will forget about it. He will forgive and he will orget. Clean slate. He wouldnt use our sins and mistakes against us. It is completely forgotten, like it never happened. All our sins erased. We, as humans, we cant help but sin. It is inevitable and we do it over and over and over again. The good news is, God is a forgiving God. He forgives rrepeatedly. He never runs out of 2nd chances. No matter how many times we sin against Him, he never stops forgiving. He never grows tired or impatient with us. Now that we have learned of Gods forgiveness, let us apply it in practical living by Forgiving Others. Lets face it, when we are the ones inning or when we have hurt others, we sometimes expect them to forgive us instantly. We sometimes even get mad when they dont but when someone has wronged us, we find it real hard to forgive them. We hold grudges against them and sometimes, we even plan revenge. But why should we forgive? The reason is very simple: Because the Lord commanded it. Paul says in Colossians 3:13 Make allowance for each others faults and forgive anyone who offended you. Remember, the Lord forgives you, so you must forgive others. In a simpler version, he says, Forgive as the Lord Forgave you. Like the Lord orgave us, Freely, Completely, Instantly and rrepeatedly. IVe heard some people say, Forgiveness is earned. Well then, if that statement is true, then none of us should be forgiven. We do not deserve His forgiveness yet He has given it to us. Lets think about this, if Jesus Christ who is prefect, completely sinless, is willing to forgive us, who keep sinning over an d over again, then doesnt it make more sense that we snou10 Torglve tnose wno nave wronged us, SINNERS Just like us? Anotner reason why we should forgive is because when we do not forgive others, we are planting itterness and hatred in our hearts. Bitterness and unforgiveness set their hooks up deep in our hearts; they are chains that hold us captive to the wounds. Until we forgive, we remain their prisoner. Bitterness ruins our life. It is a poison that damages us. It damages our relationship with others and mostly it damages our relationship with God. Our unwillingness to forgive separates us from God. I remember hearing about a Christian couple who lost their daughter in the 9/1 1 attack. They were visiting the site of the crash, ground zero. When a reporter came p to them and chatted with them. They told the reporter what had happened they mentioned that they were Christians. So the reporter, upon hearing that they were Christians said, So Im sure that on Sunday, when you go to church, you will pray about it and you will leave it in the hands of God. The mother said, No, we wont be going to church anytime soon. Why? The reporter wondered. The mother replied, Because we are not yet ready to forgive. We still cannot accept what happened. We are not blaming God but were Just not yet ready. Their unwillingness to forgive tains their relationship with God. It hinders from to talk to God completely because they know that Lord commanded us to forgive. An offense against your neighbour builds a fence between you and God Theres a lot of confusion about forgiveness. People know they should, and they try and try but they eventually give up, because its too hard its impossible. But often thats because they dont understand how to do it. People focus on trying to change something they have no direct control over. They focus on what they feel and we cant directly change those. But what we can do is focus on changing what is under our control. Granting them our forgiveness. Forgiveness is a choice. It is not a feeling. Dont try to feel forgiving before you forgive. Forgiveness is an act of will. Neil Anderson wrote, Dont wait to forgive until you feel like forgiving. You will never get there. Feelings take time to heal after the choice to forgive is made. Forgiveness is not amnesia which erases the past instead it is the experience of healing that draws the poison out. It is not saying, It didnt really matter or, that its fine. Forgiveness says, It is wrong. Very wrong. It mattered, it hurt me deeply. And Im releasing it. Im letting it go. You may recall that pain but you will no longer relive it.. We acknowledge that it hurt, that it mattered, but we choose to extend our forgiveness. The surest test of maturity is to forgive. Is it hard to forgive a person who has offended us? When we look to Jesus as our example, how are we doing? The more we become like Him, the easier it will be to forgive others. When it seems we cant forgive, let us remember how much weve been forgiven.

Foraging Essays

Foraging Essays Foraging Essay Foraging Essay Foraging (Deut 23:24-25) What did it mean to the powerful landowners who viewed the powerless widows who would forage his property (Deut 23:24-25). Explain how widows are allowed to eat their fill of grapes but they cannot put any into a container, and they can pluck the grain with their hand, but they may not harvest it with a sickle. What would motivate the powerful landowners to only allow the powerless widow to only eat so much from his property and not take enough to eat later, or to plant and harvest in another field, and what were the consequences if the powerless widow did take some? : In one aspect, a powerful landowner would not want any vagrants to be on his property foraging his harvest. At the other end of the spectrum, Hebrew men wanted the recognition as a man who gave to those in need, showing a sense of superiority especially over the powerless widow. Yahweh gave instructions for caring for the oppressed and for the powerless widow. (Exodus 22:21-23) Yahweh also said that after the harvest the powerful landowners were to leave a little extra for the powerless widow (Leviticus 23:22). Deuteronomy seems to be proposing the idea of not letting the powerless widow take advantage of the powerful landowner as if the powerful landowner was watching her making sure she did not take more than required. Don C. Benjamin, The Book of Deuteronomy, a feminist commentary According to Don C. Benjamin, The Book of Deuteronomy, a feminist commentary, those who owned land were supposed to view foraging and gleaning in their farms by widows and the poor as the little amount of compensation that they were paying to Yahweh. According to the laws, widows benefited most from gleaning while those who were traveling were the ones to profit from foraging. However, according to the rules, widows, the poor and those who were traveling were restricted from exploiting this kindness offered to them. They were to eat only to their fill but avoid harvesting for later use. The landowners were seen as agents of Yahweh in his quest to help a section of His people who could not support themselves.[1] It was a belief that upon helping others, God would help such compassionate individuals in acquiring more property, referred to as blessings, so that they would continue helping the people of God. 1. Explain How Widows Are Allowed To Eat Their Fill but They Cannot Put Any into a Container This was meant to make the widows to understand that as much as they were being helped, they had to leave some behind for the property owner since he had put in work and money to maintain his plantation. Widows had to understand that they had to respect those who were being compassionate to them. In addition, this measure was put in place to remind the widows that they also had to work hard to provide food for themselves and not just depend on the kindness of others. They were to leave some behind so that in case they did not find food elsewhere the following day, they could come back to the farm and get food. Such a law was also to guard against people harvesting too much food that would later on go bad and go to waste. 2. What Would Motivate the Powerful Landowners to Only Allow the Powerless Widow to Only Eat So Much from His Property and Not Take Enough to Eat Later? By helping the widows in this way, the powerful landowners saw their influence over the people as growing. The widows who had fed on their farms would go and tell others of how generous the landowner was in helping them. This would in turn earn the landowner more respect from the people. The landowners also wanted such poor people to be dependent on them so that they would use them in some of their activities. According to the law, those who fed on these farms were expected to come and help in tilling the land in case the landowners needed such help. This means that come the next planting season, the landowner would just call on the poor who had fed in his farm to assist him. Normally, there were several people who owned such farms; therefore, the widows would go around several farms before coming back for food in a farm they had eaten from earlier. For those landowners who were religious, they perceived feeding the widows and poor people as a way of acquiring Yahweh’s blessi ngs. For them, they were only carrying out Yahweh’s orders. 3. What Were The Consequences If The Powerless Widow Did Take Some? There were consequences if the widows and the poor harvested food from the farms of the landowners. The scribes who made these laws stated that those who harvested from the farms of landowners without their permission would be treated as thieves and would be punished by Yahweh. However, women were to be treated a little differently from men as they were seen as more vulnerable than men are[2]. Despite this perceive need for some sense of kindness towards women, if found in violation of the law, they were to be punished just as the men were. In the documents prepared by the lawmakers, the scribes and the Pharisees, it was stated that the punishment of such an act was not to be dispensed by men but by Yahweh Himself since he was trying to help his people by urging other people to be compassionate to them. That apart from Yahweh punishing such an act of violation of His laws, those found harvesting were not to be helped by anyone again in case they asked for food again. He or she who t akes for granted the compassion Yahweh’s agent extends to them was to be punished by Yahweh Himself. The ancient Israelites were compassionate people who cared for the less fortunate members of their community, especially the widows and the poor. Foraging was one of the ways through which the Israelites provided food for the less fortunate. Land owners were supposed to see forging as way of paying rent for the land they had to Yahweh while widows and the poor were to avoid exploit the kindness of land owner[3]. Violation of foraging rules was tantamount to punishment y the laws and by Yahweh Himself. Bibliography Benjamin Don.C. The Book of Deuteronomy, a feminist commentary. Don C Benjamin, PhD, Biblical Near Eastern Studies. doncbenjamin.com/books#ots Benjamin Don C. Matthews Victor Harold. Old Testament parallels: laws and stories from the ancient Near East. New York: Paulist Press, 2006. Benjamin Don.C. The Old Testament Story, an Introduction. 2004. Minneapolis. Fortress [1] Don.C.Benjamin. The Old Testament Story, n Introduction. 2004. Minneapolis. Fortress.

How To Use Content Marketing For Startups - CoSchedule

How To Use Content Marketing For Startups You’ve worked hard on your new startup. Launch day is here. Now what? Will anyone notice? Will the world be ready? What if you already had an email list of more than 5,000 engaged subscribers who were already interested in your company and product? What if you already had an audience to buy (or trial) your new thing on day one? This is exactly how we launched just a few short years ago.  We used content marketing to build a huge email list that contained thousands of potential customers who were already rooting for us when we finally opened our doors. To do it, we went  all in on content. In fact, we started creating content before we even started writing code! Heres why your #startup should be #writing blog posts before you even start writing code.Today, I want to share a bit of that story, but more importantly, I want to show you how you can use content marketing to launch and build your startup. I will outline the five key phases that we took to ensure that our product launched to a qualified audience, developed  a steady stream of new customers, and developed one of the most trafficked blogs in our industry- all using content marketing. I’ll start from the beginning and give you the step-by-step process you can use for yourself. Phase 1: Learn To Tell Your Story Startup phase = Minimum viable product; Content phase = Minimum viable blog Ever since I read Charles Duhigg’s book,  The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, I have been uniquely aware of the need for simple habits that will eventually lead to consistently correct behavior. Its a core part of how I now approach leadership and team development, and it’s exactly how I encourage people to approach content marketing. In the beginning, all you need to worry about is building the habit of publishing at least one blog post a week. That’s it. All you need to worry about is building the habit of publishing at least one blog post a week.I found that the easiest way to do this was by telling the story once a week, one blog post at a time. Each week, I would post about our progress in development, share recent product wireframes, or share a problem we were experiencing to  get our audience’s feedback. Not only was it a valuable (and easy) way to generate consistent content, but it was a great way to  gather feedback and get ideas from our potential customers. This blog post asked for survey feedback. This phase of content marketing for startups is about finding your audience  and attracting people who  may be drawn to your company or product over time. Don’t let yourself get bogged down in strategy. Think of it like finding product marketing fit for your blog. You should also be using this time to build an email list and audience by sharing your content regularly on social media. Of course, can help with this. :) If you want to see some of our first blog posts, here are a few: Weve Got A Big Job To Do How Your Feedback Influences What We Build The Minimum Viable CalendarUse this time to build an #email list by sharing your content regularly on #socialmedia.Phase 2: Transition To  Strategy Startup phase = Product market fit; Content phase = Content audience fit The second phase of content marketing for startups is to begin steering your content toward the ideas and topics that fit your startups mission and product. This phase is really  all about converting your regular publishing habit into a true inbound marketing approach where you use helpful content to build trust with your audience. Steer your #content toward the topics that fit your #startups mission and product.This phase  assumes that you have been able to identify an early form of product market fit. Now is the time to start directing your content toward their needs and testing your hypothesis. If you create content that is helpful for them, do they respond? Do they show  interest in your company and product? There are a ton of ways to actually develop your topics during this phase, but keep it simple. Keyword Explorer in Moz In the beginning, I would use Google and the recommended search phrases to find topics that I felt our users would care about. You can also use SEO specific tools like Keyword Explorer in Moz  and SEMrush (two of our favorites) to find important keywords and phrases. Buzzsumo.com can also be a big help. Again, while this stage is about shifting toward a defined strategy, don’t go overboard. Youre still learning, so you need to be agile enough to make changes if things are working. Your product may also be changing at this point, so be prepared to adapt. Be agile enough to make changes if things arent working. #startuplifeLastly, at this time, its still not about writing the 100% greatest content on earth. This is the minimum viable blog phase. Do just enough to prove your theories about what your audience wants and needs, then build on your successes. This phase is also a great time to double down on your email list building and social media promotion. This is the minimum viable blog phase. Your content doesnt have to be 100% Recommended Reading: 5 Easy Lead Conversion Tips For Your Email Marketing Program 8 Social Media Best Practices That Will Save You 25.5 Hours In A 2-Week Sprint Phase 3: Seek Help Startup phase = Hiring a team; Content phase = Hand-off content creation As a founder, I have always tried to do the job we are hiring for before we actually do the hiring. It helps me get perspective on the skills and talents a new hire needs in order to be successful to be successful.  It also helps me define the scope of the position so we don’t give someone so much to do that they can’t possibly be successful. This is exactly what you need to do in the third phase of content marketing for startups. During phase two, you are essentially proving your hypothesis- can you generate consistent traffic and build an audience with content? And what  exactly do you need to do it? Phase three is about taking those results and starting to scale them. At , this meant hiring a Content Marketing Lead and doubling down on staff that could create compelling graphics and downloads. This phase is about scaling your ability to acquire an audience. By adding a full-time team member, you will make sure the day-to-day management of your content is handed off to someone other than a founder of the team. This should improve consistency and overall content quality. Make sure your #content is consistently converting visitors into #email leads.After all, at this phase, your time available as a founder will continue to be marginalized. (That’s a good thing!) You should also use this phase as an opportunity to make sure that your content is consistently converting visitors into email leads or social media followers. Tools like OptinMonster and LeadPages  are great for this. We cover a bunch of tools that are perfect for converting leads in our post: 5 Plugins Guaranteed To Help You Collect More Leads. One word of caution: Adding new team members shouldn’t necessarily increase the amount of content you are producing. Ease into it, and use this phase to develop a consistent voice, quality standard, and working model of what things work and which things don’t. Phase 4: Get Analytical Startup phase = Optimizing your funnel; Content phase = Turning content into science Up until this phase, I recommend only tracking two metrics for your content marketing: page views and email subscribers. In the beginning, most content marketing is simply about developing an audience, bringing eyeballs to your product, and seeing what sticks. There are so many things in flux at this time, that it just doesn’t make sense to focus on anything else. But, at some point, that has to change. You have to start digging into Google Analytics to  understand  what  content is performing the best and why that is. You need to start digging into the analytics to understand what content is performing best and why.Up until now, you should have been writing about a wider variety of topics, even if it felt a little random at times. That’s good. It should give you a wide spectrum of data to consider and compare. If you have a product youre selling online, you should be looking at how your content is converting your visitors into users. Which topics covert the best? Use this data to write the  best possible content for your audience. Ask yourself which topics are converting the best? #content A good example of this phase for us was the use of the word ‘calendar’ in our blog post headlines. We found that blog topics that included the discussion of a calendar generated 2 to 3 times more interest in our product than topics that didn’t. This was a key insight for us that allowed us to convert our data into instant results by increasing the frequency of posts that included topics about editorial calendars. Build massive traffic. #startup #bloggingAnother major change that we made at during this phase was the inclusion of a free download or â€Å"cookie† with every blog post. We learned that by including a content-specific download in each of our posts, we could dramatically increase the number of email subscribers from those posts. This became a snowball effect. As our email list grew, so did our traffic and referrals on social media. The goal here is still fairly simple- build massive traffic. The only difference is that you want to start making sure it’s smart traffic, not just traffic for the sake of it. Recommended Reading: How To Increase Blog Traffic: 5 Ways To Make Contagious Content Phase 5:  Scale Startup phase = Scale; Content phase = Scale At this point you should have a small team of writers, designers, and editors dedicated to content marketing. You should be a total ace at shipping high quality content consistently and converting your visitors into loyal email subscribers. Your traffic should be growing consistently, and your influence in the industry should be skyrocketing. There’s only one problem. All of the instructions for making it happen are locked in your head. This means that you have a scaling problem. How long does it take to train in a new hire? How can you continue to execute at a high level while maintaining your obviously high bar of quality? The is the part of content marketing where you need to start writing things down. At , this included an intense series of documents that outlined our entire process. At any time, our content team would be able to reference the checklist and stay on par with our expected level of quality. Start #writing down your ideas so that you dont forget them.We stay on track with these task templates. Once we developed the checklist, we were able to convert it into a killer task template inside of . It made sure we never missed a beat  and allowed us to start taking on new challenges. Like: Developing a series of ebooks targeted at key customer pain points. Shifting our content to a stronger â€Å"demand generation† approach. Getting nerdy with spreadsheets and starting to develop a literal formula for perfect content. Increasing our content publishing schedule with confidence that it would provide the right results. Focusing entirely on content that generates demand for our tools, not just traffic. All of these sound pretty great, right? The point is that scaling allows you to grow, but it also allows you to make the leap from audience to acquisition with ease. Once you know how to build, maintain, and grow a blog audience, you can do the exact same thing with customers and your product. Of course, if you have been doing it right, your content should have been converting customers all along. I can say with confidence that our blog has also been our #1 driver of new customers. Now you can squeeze every last drop of value from the audience you’ve worked so hard to build. Recommended Reading: Heres How You Can Double Your  Blog Conversion Rate Right Now How To Create Content That Converts By Writing Your Reader Happy How To Delight Your Marketing Target Audience To Boost Conversions Go Forth And Market Your Startup Good content marketing for startups isn’t necessarily easy. It takes a ton of work, and more importantly, commitment. Its important to recognize that good content marketing is a long-term strategy and not a short-term boost in the arm. Realize that every step of the process is designed to prepare you for what’s to come just as much as it should benefit you right now. With the right perspective, content marketing should become the best investment your startup ever makes. I can tell you that without it at , we never would have made it as far as we have with it.

Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress Cases Case Study

Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress Cases - Case Study Example No because while the statute does not definitively require due diligence on the part of defendants, plaintiff did receive and pass psychological testing before engaging in the reality program and therefore defendants will likely not be held responsible. A lounge singer and Sacramento native, Mr. Muerton is currently unable to work because he suffers from recurring panic attacks, clinical depression, and paralyzing stage fright. He claims that these serious conditions are the result of Barnett Productions' duping him into participating in a reality television show called "Regular Guy," where, during the show's taping, he was forced to partake in humiliating school-yard contests while a group of athletically gifted "hunks" ridiculed his limited physical abilities. According to the client, show producers revealed, as they pulled up to beach front property which was directly across from the school which was the situs of Mr. Muerton's bullying, that the show was going to be called "The In Crowd Now" and that it would be about men who had been unpopular kids and had transformed into well-liked, successful adults. Only then did, Merton, as he was being prepared for the taping on a new segment based upon bullying learn the show was actual ly called "Regular Guy," and would be about 15 average-looking roommates competing for the affections of one beautiful woman, named Clarissa. Mr. Muerton claims that Barnett knew he would experience a negative psychological reaction to these staged events, which mirrored emotionally scarring grade-school bullying that he had experienced as a child. Prior to the taping of the show, Barnett was completely informed that Muerton that he had been abused while in grammar school. Disclosures included but were not limited to being targeted at recess by large cruel jocks; whippings during games of dodge balls; and verbal taunts such as "Watch the little loser run home to mommy after I nail him," and "I wish the ball was harder so it could crack your skull." As a direct result of the bullying, he was home schooled. Further, Merton stated "when they told me I would be cast in the show pending a background investigation and psychological testing. I passed both." During the taping of the recess segment, Merton was told by the hunks "They shouted insults. I remember, one of them said to another, "What a bunch of losers. These guys look like 14-year-olds. We should kick their asses." And another one said, "See these babies squeal I bet they're about to go in their pants." Originally scheduled to air on the Fox network this fall, the debut of "Regular Guy" has been postponed indefinitely. In sum, the issue is whether there would be a sustainable cause of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress DISCUSSION This memorandum encompasses three cases applied to the facts presented. Against that backdrop, pursuant to Yurick, a cause of action f

The IMF and the World Bank Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The IMF and the World Bank - Essay Example It is main goal was to help in reconstructing the international payment system of the world after World War II to address problems of the Great depression. As global economic institution, members of IMF could draw fund to improve or maintain economic activity in crises periods. IMF was to make sure that the borrowing countries could repay the debts on time. The financial operation of IMF started in 1947 and May the same year France borrowed fund as the first country (Felix. 2010). Over the years, many countries have joined IMF especially after attaining political independence to improve international trade and economic stability. These countries have greatly benefited from IMF especially on economic matters. The system of Bretton woods prevailed until when the government of US suspended the convertibility of the dollar and its reserve in other states into gold in 1971. In 2010 and 2011, IMF participated in the Greek bailout amounting to â‚ ¬110 billion and â‚ ¬100 billion respectively. The purposes of IMF and World Bank are closely related. The IMF focuses to foster the growth and stability of its members’ economy by lending fund. It offers policy advice and finances the economic difficulties of its members. It also works together with developing nations to assist them accomplish macroeconomic stability as well as reduce poverty. Further, the IMF helps the member states to achieve the external balance of payments. It also oversees the fixed exchange rates of its members and advises them accordingly to prioritise economic growth. The IMF gives emergency assistance to its members that face urgent needs of balance of payment in accordance to the Rapid Financing Instrument lately introduced. The World Bank gives loan at low interest rate and grants to developing countries to invest in health, education and infrastructure. Its major goal is to bridge the economic gap between rich and poor countries. It aims at reducing poverty in poor countries at the

1. Describe briefly the roles of the different parts of the eukaryotic Essay

1. Describe briefly the roles of the different parts of the eukaryotic cells endomembrane system in the production and excretion of proteins - Essay Example The endoplasmic reticulum ensures quality control of the proteins and at the same time provides a point of accumulation of storage proteins. The reticulum is then mandated with the duty of transiting already made proteins to the Golgi apparatus (Gupta, 2009). The nuclear envelope also has some ribosomes and is responsible for newly made Glyco- proteins. The Golgi apparatus undertakes the function of making, modifying as well as binding proteins (Eroschenko & Fiore, 2013). This is due to the nature of its enzymes’ modification, hence known for carrying out for sulfation, glycosylation, and phosphorylation of the proteins (Karp, 2010). Some modification activities act as signals directing proteins to their respective locations, which are plasma membrane, lysosome, or for secretion (Eroschenko & Fiore, 2013). Lysosomes contain a variety of digestive enzymes and are responsible for digestion of proteins. In plants, vacuoles correspond to the lysosomes of animals (Karp, 2010). Prot eins that move to the plasma membrane form the lipid bilayer. They act as membrane proteins besides having varied roles in their respective locations in the cell (Eroschenko & Fiore, 2013). They regulate chemical reactions in the cell as well as uptake of molecules. They also act as carriers of molecules across the membrane and provide anchorage too. From the Golgi apparatus, there is a constitutive secretory pathway used to export the secretory proteins continuously to the extracellular matrix (Karp, 2010). Some cells however have a guarded secretory pathway. Some cells secrete regulatory proteins like hormones whereas others secrete digestive enzymes, anti -bodies or mucus (Karp,

Structuralism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Structuralism - Essay Example The famous structuralists, like, Roman Jakobson, Roland Barthes, Claude Levi Strauss and Ferdinand De Saussure have made their contributions in justifying the fact that "a language speaks us". All of these structuralists have tried to develop the semiology or semiotics. These structuralists always took a language as a sign that reflects the thoughts of human being. The philosophies of structuralism were emerged prominently in the 20th century. The concepts that are provided by the structuralism hold more scope for making criticism. The most of the theories given by the structuralism include a margin of objectivity is the reason of the criticism. This objection is termed as the scientific objection. The structuralists tried to prove that we do not speak a language instead language speaks us. The fact is based on the thoughts that everything is produced as a result of some force or power, but the efforts of humans are not enough to produce anything. This statement has been made as a re sult of giving more attention towards the structures, patterns and the systems. (West, 170, 1996) The theories of structuralists are quite contradictory if they are compared with the theories developed by the humanists. Now, we are going to argue on the models developed for a language by the humanists as well as by the structuralists. The model that was presupposed and developed by the humanists states that the human minds are capable of understanding the real world. The human minds are rational and can get to everything that is seen. In the same manner, the rational human mind is able to portray and define the real world precisely up to some extent. This definition is given by making a use of some languages. The approach developed by the humanists relies on the fact that some of the languages are necessarily used for illustrating the real world. According to humanists, a language is the generation of the human minds. A language is totally generated by the will of human beings and no external force is involved in it. This theory suggests that an individual has the ability to decide what he wants to say. It clearly notifies the fact that we speak a language. It also defines the fact that the human minds are able to think and what to say. The human minds are also capable of understanding the meaning of the matter that has been uttered. No other external force is used by the human minds to speak. At this point, the theory of humanists regarding a language clearly denies the theory of structuralists. Every individual makes the use of a language for explaining the self essence or feelings. The individual here gets more value as in this case an individual represents the subject as well. The way of representing ideas and thoughts is also depending totally on an individual himself. Hence, the model considers the individual as the main element. All the meanings and concepts of a language are the generation of an individual's mind, and he is not being forced by any power to speak. So this theory suggests that we speak a language. (Martinez, 1, 1999) On the other hand, if the argument is made on the structuralists' model of a language that suggests

Fiscal Policy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fiscal Policy Paper - Essay Example The huge deficits and debts the US is experiencing are attributable to the increased unbudgeted spending in diverse sectors that include Social security and insurance scheme for the disabled. The increased expenses in the sectors have made the nation face serious financial challenges due to the increasing deficits and debts with minimal surpluses (Whitehouse, 2010). The extreme economic conditions explain why the future social security and Medicare users should embrace themselves to challenging times ahead. Indeed, taxpayers in US that include Medicare and social security users have been feeling the pinch of the US economic situation. The increase in overspending has created an imbalance in the economy that in turn is leading to the utilization of the available resources in the sectors in financing other activities. The use of the resources has reduced the amount of money available to facilitate effective service delivery. The unfolding events have resulted in inferior service delivery in the sectors, lack of medical equipments in hospitals, unemployment, and reduced social cover (Whitehouse, 2010). In particular, the taxpayers no longer receive standardized services as before in a timely manner. The level of responsiveness to their issues is also worrying lately. Variably, the meltdown has forced job cuts in various institutions providing Medicare and social security services thereby compromising service delivery. Is because there is limited finance that can be used in sustaining qual ity service delivery as expected in the sectors. The surplus amount obtained can be used to support the ailing sectors in a bid to bridge the gap created by the deficit, as the government may deem necessary. The move can help in correcting the financial imbalance that may lead to the economic recession if not

Thinking skills and processes in the inquiry method of teaching Essay Example for Free

Thinking skills and processes in the inquiry method of teaching Essay There is an array of ideas and sometimes bewildering lists of terms used to describe the ways people think. But, what does thinking mean? What are thinking skills? What are higher –order thinking skills? Form the many definitions that have been provided, most include statements which describe abstract intellectual processes and operations. For example, †¢ Thinking is a process involving such mental operations as induction, deduction, classification, and reasoning; †¢ Thinking is a process of dealing with abstractions and discovering the essential principles of things, as contrasted to remaining on the concrete level of facts and specific cases; †¢ Thinking is the ability to analyze and criticize and to reach conclusions based on sound inference or judgment. Most contemporary statements about thinking recognize that thinking skills are not the same as skills associated with more concrete behaviors or physical activities. Consider the following statements provided by Lauren Resnick (1997) about what she calls higher-order thinking: †¢ Higher order thinking tends to be complex. The total path is not â€Å"visible† (mentally speaking) from any single vantage point. †¢ Higher order thinking often yields multiple solutions, each with costs and benefits, rather than unique solutions. †¢ Higher order thinking is effortful. There is considerable mental work involved in the kinds of elaborations and judgments required. From these definitions, obviously, thinking processes and skills people need to activate them are highly complex. Hyde and Bizar (1999) have provided another conception of thinking. Based on recent research in cognition, Hyde and Bizar write about thinking as intellectual processes instead of skills. Like Resnick, Hyde and Bizar point out the complexity of thinking. They also emphasize the importance of thinking about thinking in context. That is, although thinking processes have some similarities, they also vary according to what one is thinking about. For instance, the processes we use when thinking about mathematics differ from those used when thinking about poetry. Because of their complexity, thinking processes cannot be taught using only approaches suitable for teaching concrete ideas and skills. Thinking skills and processes are, however, clearly teachable and most programs and curricula which have been developed rely heavily on classroom discussions. Main Features of Inquiry Method of Teaching Instructional Effects of Inquiry Method of Teaching The inquiry method of teaching is not designed to cover a large amount of learning materials or convey huge quantities of information to early childhood education students. The model has been developed primarily to accomplish three important instructional effects: (1) to help students develop the intellectual skills of asking important questions and seeking answers; (2) to help students acquire the inquiry process skills associated with various domains of human learning, and, most importantly; (3) to help students become independent, autonomous learners confident and capable of learning on their own. Syntax of Inquiry Method of Teaching There are five major phases in the inquiry method of teaching science and mathematics. However, skillful inquiry teachers often vary particular sequencing and syntax. But the general flow of a science or mathematics inquiry lesson consists of five major phases: establishing set and explaining the procedures, presenting a puzzling situation or the problem to the students, helping students gather data about the problem, helping students hypothesize and explain the problem, and helping them analyze their thinking and inquiry processes. Structure of the Learning Environment Unlike the very structured learning environment required of the presentation and direct instruction methods, or the use of small groups required in cooperative learning method, the learning environment in an inquiry method is characterized by wholeclass instruction, open processes, and active students roles. In fact, the whole process of helping students become independent, autonomous learners and of assisting them in becoming confident in their own intellectual skills requires active involvement. Although the teacher and students proceed through the various phases of the lesson in a somewhat structured and predictable fashion, the norms surrounding the lesson are those of open inquiry and freedom of thought and expression. The teacher’s role is not one of dispensing knowledge and truth but instead acting as helper and guide. Procedures for using Inquiry Method of Teaching Conceptually the inquiry teaching model is quite straightforward, and it is easy for beginning teachers to grasp. Effective execution of the model, however, is more difficult. It requires considerable practice, and it requires making specific decisions during the preinstructional (includes deciding on purposes for an inquiry inquiry lesson, choosing and designing a puzzling situation); interactive (includes conducting the lesson, establishing set and explaining inquiry procedures, presenting the puzzling situation, data gathering and experimentation, hypothesizing and explaining) and postinstructional (consists of some type of feedback, assessment, and evaluation) stages of the lesson. Conclusion This research fairly consistently points out that it takes inquiry teaching and strategies associated with higher-level thinking to produce growth in the thought and inquiry processes of early education students. This growth brought about by any inquiry teaching is hoped to give both the teacher and the students the skills they need to become lifelong learners. The researcher further believes that acquiring such inquiry skills builds up self-esteem and confidence and leads to greater academic success. The challenge of using the inquiry method of teaching especially in the sciences and mathematics in the early childhood education is enormous. However, one has to look up to the change you will make in the set of children entrusted to your care. References Bruner, J. (1996). A study of thinking (rev. ed). New York: Wiley. Dewey, J. (1993). How we think (rev. ed). Lexington, Mass. : D. C. Heath. Duckworth, E. (1997). Twenty-four, forty-two, and I love you: Keeping it complex. In K. Jervis and C. Montag (eds. ), Progressive education for the 1990s: Transforming practice. New York: Teachers College Press. Fenton, E. (1996). Teaching the new science and mathematics in elementary schools: An inductive approach. New York: Holt, Rinehart Winston. Hyde A. Bizar M. (1999). Thinking in context: Teaching cognitive processes across the elementary school curriculum. New York: Longman. Newton, F. (1992). Facilitating inquiry in the classroom. Portland, Oregon: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Resnick, L. B. (1997). Education and Learning to think. Washington, D. C. : National Academy Press. Suchman, R. (1992). The Elementary school training program in scientific inquiry. Report to the U. S. Office of Education. Urbana, III: University of Illinois.

Impact Of Inhouse Training And Their Percieved Effectiveness Management Essay

Impact Of Inhouse Training And Their Percieved Effectiveness Management Essay chapter 1: Introduction Training is widely understood as communication directed at a defined population for the purpose of developing skills, modifying behavior, and increasing competence. Generally, training focuses exclusively on what needs to be known. Education is a longer-term process that incorporates the goals of training and explains why certain information must be known. Education emphasizes the scientific foundation of the material presented. Both training and education induce learning, a process that modifies knowledge and behavior through teaching and experience. The research model described here pertains to both training and education. Therefore, in this document, training refers to both processes. In contrast to informal In-house training (which is embedded in most instances of human exchange), formal In-house training interventions have stated goals, content, and strategies for instruction. Our intent is to offer a general approach to intervention effectiveness research that addresses formal training across settings and topics. Training intervention effectiveness research is needed to (1) identify major variables that influence the learning process and (2) optimize resources available for training interventions. Logical and progressive study models are best suited to identify the critical elements and causal relationships that affect training effectiveness and efficiency. In training research, it is often difficult to arrive at definitive answers. Typically, many variables minimize effects and make results difficult to interpret. Furthermore, the amount of variance attributed to any one variable is usually small.  [1]   Problem Statement To analyze the Impact of In-house Training Programs and assess their Perceived and Actual Effectiveness as Experienced by Trainees. Research Objectives Following are the research objectives: To assess the effect of environmental variables (e.g. culture, learning environment, venue and management support) on training impact To review how training impact and effectiveness can be enhanced To highlight the relationship between employee ability and In-house training effectiveness To explore how employee motivation affects In-house training effectiveness To analyze the impact of effective trainer-trainee interaction on In-house effectiveness To explore techniques to evaluate In-house training effectiveness chapter 2: Litrature Review The competitiveness of any business often rests on the quality and skills of its employees. Training can improve the performance and productivity of staff and ensure they have the skills that the business needs. Effective training may be crucial when we hire new recruits or when we change business practices or add new products. As the business grows, the skills needed for it to remain successful may change.  [2]   Training and management development activities are currently receiving increased attention in the industrial and academic communities. This emphasis is illustrated by recent figures which report that organizations spend upwards of $30 billion dollars annually for training programs involving 15 billion work hours (Huber, 1985).  [3]   The purpose of training and development can be said to be that of acquiring, developing and retaining the stock of human capital needed for an organization to conduct its operations. In the most general sense, it is carried out purposively in order to improve work performance. Training, therefore, refers to the companys planned and systematic efforts to modify or develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes of their employees through learning experiences. As an activity, it spans many boundaries, including the distinction between education and training, on-the-job and off-the-job training, as well as formal and informal training through work experience. Training invariably represents investment by a company in its employees. At the very minimum, the orientation of new employees to the specifics of the company requires time and close supervision. Most likely, the company will continue to sponsor the further development of employee competencies and expertise. General training improves both the employees internal and external position in the labour market, and is thus generally perceived by employees as a supportive act on the part of the company an act that is reciprocated through increased commitment, independent of the particulars of the employment relationship (Gaertner and Nollen 1989; Meyer and Allen 1997). Given the value of training to employees, sponsoring training can be seen as an act of gift giving on the part of the company. Even training in company-specific skills contributes to the employees attachment to the company (Levine and Tyson1990). Returns on any training investment depend greatly on employee retention. While specific training is often considered to be unique to a firm and therefore of little use to competitors, the enhanced productivity of general training is of great value to other firms. Generally trained employees are likely to be poached by competitors who are able to offer higher wages. Another problem with training arises should employees not be willing or motivated either to acquire new skills or to apply their newly learned skills at the workplace. When In-house trainings are effectively conducted, the management of a companys human resources entails a comprehensive assessment and matching of the skills attainment of the labour force and the skills requirement of the economy. By providing people with the necessary skills and training they need to do their job, effective human resource management, among others, can promote employment growth, address skills shortages and improve flexibility, all contributing to both employee and company needs.  [4]   Businesses often decide that in-house training is the most cost-effective way to improve the skills of their employees. This is because: (1) training can be scheduled at their convenience, (2) training is more focused, consistent and relevant to their needs, (3) travelling and accommodation costs are reduced or even eliminated.  [5]   In-house training can take several forms, for example: (1) a training programme designed and carried out by a company, (2) an off-the-shelf training programme bought from and run by a training specialist, (3) a training programme tailored to a companys needs and managed by a training specialist, (4) an Internet-based training course or (5) an informal, on-the-job training. Formal in-house training, if properly planned and executed, can be highly flexible and cost effective. Positive reactions of trainees, learning, and behaviour change, and improvements in job-related outcomes are expected from well-designed and administered In-house training programs. However, the attitudes, interests, values, and expectations of trainees may attenuate or enhance the effectiveness of training.  [6]   Ensuring that the company has the human capital it requires implies that it needs to invest heavily in the skill and training of its workforce, particularly company specific training. In doing so, companies incur considerable risk. The efficiency of the training investment will depend on the cognitive skills and the motivation of the employees to acquire new capabilities. Flanking training with selectivity practices ensures that trainable employees are hired (i.e. the person-organisation fit is maximised). Through the use of stringent selection procedures the company can take steps to ensure that the profile of employees is such that they are willing to share with the firm the costs and benefits of training as well as being likely to respond well to and learn quickly from training opportunities provided. To this end, the selection of employees that are favourably evaluated for training potential helps to ensure that the companys return on training investment is maximised. Training incentives flanked by performance incentives reward the acquisition and the application of skills. Once recruited, it is imperative that the employee becomes well attuned to the companys expectations for developing skills and experience. To this end, flanking training with guidance practices contributes greatly to the fulfilment of this vital function by providing the employee with a training perspective. Training that is specific to the employer may be of little value outside the particular company, but general expertise and experience will undoubtedly improve the labour market position of workers. Consequently, the sponsoring of training involves a considerable loss, should the employee decide not to stay with the company. From the perspective of the firm, the provision of training has the negative effect that the employee is rendered more valuable to other firms and thus increases the risk of undesired turnover of highly skilled employees. Relational signals increase the attachment of employees and thereby compensate the negative side effect of training. Finally, by applying guidance practices employee attachment can be strengthened through the potential of these practices to integrate employees within the social milieu of the company. A frequent criticism of research on In-house training is its susceptibility to fads and its generally a theoretical approach (Goldstein, 1980; Hinrichs, 1976; Wexley, 1984). Researchers have frequently attempted to increase the effectiveness of training through a focus on techniques. Special attention has also been paid to the arrangement of training environments (Wexley, 1984). But without a theoretical basis for studying the techniques and the training environments, researchers are often at a loss either to explain why they are effective or to predict their effectiveness in other settings or for other trainees (Noe, 1986).  [7]   Professional development literature has consistently stressed the continuing part of continuing education. Since the 1980s, staff training researchers and practitioners have talked about ongoing training. They have urged follow-up sessions in the weeks and months after workshops to sustain new practices. They have preached the importance of encouraging and supporting trainers (through in classroom coaching by trainers and peer leaders) to continue learning and implementing new knowledge and skills, lest the momentum for change be lost (Bents Howey, 1981; Joyce Showers, 1983; Sprinthall Sprinthall, 1980).  [8]   Why is it so difficult for organizations to effectively conduct internal training? There are many reasons why internal workshops or seminars arent productive. Consider the following example. Two managers in a major accounting firm were getting ready to conduct an in-house training session to introduce a new company initiative. The managers worked diligently to gather material and to put together excellent content for the handouts. They were covering a lot of valuable material, but the handouts were getting voluminous. When asked by an outside consultant why they had so much material, the team leader responded, We have so much material to cover in the seminar there is so much the participants have to understand. Then the question was asked, How are you going to engage or involve the participants in the seminar? A blank stare followed, then finally, We havent really thought much about that. We were too busy getting the materials together. How would we get them involved anyway?  [9]à ‚   It cannot be expected from trainers to teach what they do not know, nor is to use yesterday training to prepare todays employees for tomorrows future. We certainly cannot expect trainers to share and learn from each others knowledge and skill unless they r provided with the research, structures, time, and money with which to do it. Ultimately, quality staff development benefits employees by channeling the talents and expertise of all the companys employees in all the companys department. By improving staff development trainers help all employees to reach the high levels of achievement they need to succeed. As a lead-trainer one must acknowledge the importance of engaging people. People learn more when they are engaged. They are more connected and enthused when they are participating. Imagine thinking you could learn how to play golf simply by watching a golf video or reading a book on the perfect swing. The trainer has to DO IT and get feedback and then try it again. He has to participate.  [10]   An In-house trainer however may need training in: (1) presentation/speaking skills, (2) generating rapport/interest, (3) dealing with difficult trainees, (4) types of learning, (5) course and session design/planning skills, (6) evaluation, monitoring and feedback skills, (7) measuring the effectiveness of training, (7) setting up support for employees after training and conducting training needs analyses.  [11]   Evidence exists that the preference for outsider training is the result of managerial responses to (1) the contrasting status implications of learning from internal versus external competitors, and (2) the availability or scarcity of training in-house training is more readily available and hence subject to greater scrutiny, while external training is scarcer, which makes it appear more special and unique. It can be concluded by considering some consequences of the external training preference for organizational functioning.  [12]   The two dilemmas on the employee and organizational levels are closely interrelated. On one side, the benefits of training accrue only to the extent that employees contribute to the organization. Thus, a firm should take into account how it expects a training program to affect employee effort as well as employee turnover. On the other side, trained workers produce at higher rates, which in turn may affect how much they contribute and how often they migrate to other firms in comparison with untrained workers.  [13]   Individual differences can potentially influence the type of training conducted as some individual attributes may engender greater trainability in general or for specific types of training. Intelligence and other abilities have been found to relate to trainability in some instances (Bale, Rickus and Ambler, 1973; Gill, 1982; Williams, Sauser and Kemery, 1982). Further, initial training has been used to predict later training performance (Gordon and Cohen, 1973). More recently, researchers have begun to examine motivational and personality factors that potentially influence trainability (Tubiana and Ben-Shakhar, 1982). Noe (1986) presented a model of the potential influences of such individual difference factors as locus of control, expectancies, and career and job attitudes on training effectiveness.  [14]   Qualitative improvements may be just as important. This could include higher quality goods and services, better teamwork, fewer customer complaints and greater innovation within your business. Employee feedback is a critical component of assessing In-house training effectiveness, Employees need to be asked: (1) if the training was relevant to their job and their level of expertise, (2) how they will put their learning into action for feedback on the training method, (3) what worked and what didnt, (4) what could be improved. We need to remember that the business expectations may not be the same as employees expectations. Training assessment or evaluation forms may also prove to be useful here.   One way organizations gain tacit knowledge is through social ties to other organizations, that is, through networks. Networked organizations are those that are cosmopolitan, externally oriented, and characterized by multiplex, non-redundant affiliations. With respect to the workplace, the information that flows through networks can include knowledge about the performance effects of work reform, the benefits of bundling, and tactics to persuade managers and employees that innovation is beneficial. Recently there has been a proliferation of studies emphasizing the role of networks in In-house trainings (for example, Nohria and Gulati 1994; Strang and Soule 1998). By enhancing access to knowledge, networks promote awareness and early adoption of an innovation. By promoting social interaction, they generate trust and norms of reciprocity-social capital-that are conducive to knowledge transfer.  [15]   When it comes to in-house trainings one variable, of course, is organizational size. Explanations for why large organizations provide more training are: Large organizations have formalized job structures, have internal labour markets, are more unionized, and operate in environments that encourage investment in training. Available evidence indicates a positive relation between organizational size and job training at both the establishment and firm levels (Cohen and Pfeffer 1986:14; Barron, Black, and Lowenstein 1987). Some research suggests a curvilinear relation, with the smallest and largest employers providing the most training (Brown, Hamilton, and Medoff 1990:54-55). Barron et al. (1987, 1989) found that five training activities (e.g., hours of instruction given to new employees by managers, supervisors, and co- workers) increased nonlinearly with the number of employees (logged) and the existence of subsidiaries outside the local area.  [16]   Although little theory or research exists on environmental influences on In-house training, it is likely that companies would provide more employee training when skilled workers are harder to hire and where resource dependencies permit the diversion of resources from production. Thus, resource-rich organizations confronting rapid technological advances, intense domestic and international competition, and high demands for skilled labour may invest in improving their current employees skills (as well as in pirating from other organizations trained workers holding comparable positions).  [17]   The best seminars allot blocks of time where participants are working in smaller groups on specific tasks. They are given a set of open-ended questions to consider. For example; What are the greatest strengths, opportunities and challenges we face over the next six months? Each mini-team can think about and discuss these important questions and then report back to the larger group. In turn, the trainer facilitates and assimilates this information and displays it for all to see.  [18]   Between the components of initial instruction and trainee behaviour, some degree of learning has taken place. The learning is exhibited by trainees in some initial behaviour or response which the trainer can observe. Trainee behaviours at this point might be the first trials of the new behaviour, understanding of the information presented, or other response to exhibit learning of training material. The behaviour depends on trainee attributes and motivation, as described by Noe (1986) and tested by Noe and Schmitt (1986), and on learning principles incorporated into the training program, such as are described in texts on training (e.g. Goldstein, 1986; Wexley and Latham, 1981). CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY Primary Data: Sample Respondents were drawn from banks in both private and public sector. In order to study the existence of In-house Trainings and their effectiveness it was important to cover banks from both the sectors. Study of banks from just one sector wouldnt have provided the complete picture. The attitudes and work ethics also vary among private and public sector banks. Private sector in Pakistan employs some of the best talent available in the country thus they are more aware of latest concepts and are willing to implement changes however, the public sector is more about stability and sticking to the rule book and change is only considered necessary when there is no choice left. Since the primary aim of the study was to study the Impact of In-house Training and their perceived effectiveness, banks with varied work ethic and objectives were selected. As much as it is a matter of which industry the banks belong to it is also about the systems they have developed overtime to perform in the modern business world and how they are planning to go forward as they grow. Questionnaires were distributed to all officer level employees during the research. A total of 50 valid responses from 2 banks were used in this study. The actual population is Lahore and the working population is the employees of two banks i.e. Bank of Punjab and Faysal bank. The response rate was high because the participants willingness and interest in the survey. The respondents were mostly well qualified with at least a Masters Degree in their relevant field. Measures Preference scales were setup for questions using a five point Likert rating scale (1 = Very Dissatisfied, 5 = Very Satisfied). The questions were created primarily keeping the literature review as a reference and were validated by the interviews from senior managers along with the perception of employees and regarding the subject of In-house trainings. Data Treatment The Likert scale based questions were analyzed using statgarphics plus 5.1 where multiple regressions were run of the independent variables with one dependent variable. Text from extensive interviews was utilized to justify variable intensity selection and also to know their views on issues related to Training and Development initiatives and their effectiveness. Secondary Data: Internet Internet was mainly used for material pertaining to the literature review and findings of this research project. This included information about motivation, training and development previous research conducted by famous researchers, definitions and theories used as reference in this project etc. The main problem faced in collecting data from the internet was the lack of local data available. No real information was available about current training and development practices going on in Pakistan and what their effects were. Scope To analyze the impact of In-house Trainings and to assess how they can be made more effective and to observe the effects of variables like company environment, culture, trainee learning ability and his or her motivation to learn from In-house Trainings. Limitations The thesis, off-course, has some limitations. First, the sample is relatively small, which limits the significance of the results. As the research is dependent on questionnaire, so individual concerns in filling out questionnaire honestly is a limitation. Sample size was restricted to 50 participants from 2 different banks. Second, there are obviously several other factors that could also play a role in the observed effectiveness of organizational training. For instance, two additional steps commonly listed in the training development and evaluation sequence, namely (a) developing the training objectives and (b) the actual presentation of the training content was excluded. Finally, this thesis focused on fairly broad training design and evaluation features. Although a number of levels within these features were identified previously and examined, given the number of moderators that can be identified (e.g., trainer effects, contextual factors), it is reasonable to believe that there might be additional moderators operating here that would be worthy of future investigation. Independent Variables Independent variables are the manipulated variables-that is, the training inputs and activities that are implemented and studied. They are presumed to cause or influence certain training outcomes. Depending on the study, independent variables could include timing, format, and location of training as well as modifications to the training rationale, content, or educational approach under study. Dependent Variables Dependent variables are the intended aims of training, which are expected to result from exposure to the independent variables. As exposure varies, results may differ, allowing effectiveness to be measured. Sample outcomes of training include participant satisfaction with the course; changes in knowledge, attitude, and behavioural intent; and demonstrated skills or abilities. Sample impacts of training include the following: diffusion of course material into the field, retention of knowledge and attitudes, transfer of behavioural intent into practice, application of learned skills and abilities, transfer of training to new populations, and acceptance of instructional content as normal operating procedure. Theoratical framework A theoretical framework is a conceptual framework as to how one theorizes or makes logical sense of the relationships among the several factors that have been identified as important to the problem. It seems intuitively obvious that an employees work attitudes influence preparation for a particular training program, or that an organizations reward system may affect the extent to which trainees use their newly acquired knowledge and skills. However, these and other variables have been given little attention in the training literature, and training researchers in particular have not focused much attention on factors outside the learning or training environment. In fact, individual and work-related factors that are not directly associated with training have only recently been empirically studied.  [19]   The framework helps us analyze the impact of independent variables like trainees ability and motivation to learn, impacts of the work environment, the organizations learning culture, implementation, content and design of the trainings and the training impact and effectiveness which is dependent variable. Theoretical Framework Flow Work Environment Trainees motivation to learn Trainees ability to learn Training Impact and Effectiveness Training Implementation Content and Design Trainer-Trainee Interaction Organizational Culture Operational definitions of variables: Organizational culture: Organizational culture is the personality of the organization. Culture is comprised of the assumptions, values and norms of organization members and their behaviours Trainees ability to learn: Trainees ability to learn is the trainees performance in a training program, which can be measured by asking trainees to recall trained materials immediately or shortly after completion Of a training program. Training implementation: To put training program into effect according to definite plan or procedure is called training implementation. Trainees motivation: Trainees motivation refers to an individuals desire to engage in training activities and fully embrace the training experience. Content and design: Content and design with reference to training can be defined as the material which is provided to the trainees as well as the structure of the training program which is carried out. Trainer-trainee interaction: Trainer-trainee interaction is defined as how the trainers give instructions to the trainees and get feedback from them in terms of questions or answers if any, by the trainees. Work environment: The work environment is comprised of the physical location, equipment, materials processed or used, and the activities of an employee while engaged in a training program. Hypothesis Ho: trainees ability to learn does not affect training impact and effectiveness H1: trainees ability to learn does effect training impact and effectiveness Ho: trainees motivation to learn does not affect training impact and effectiveness H1: trainees motivation to learn does effect training impact and effectiveness Ho: work environment has no effect on training impact and effectiveness H1: work environment has effect on training impact and effectiveness Ho: trainer trainee interaction has no effect on training impact and effectiveness H1: trainer trainee interaction has effect on training impact and effectiveness Ho: organizational culture does not affect training impact and effectiveness H1: organizational culture does effect training impact and effectiveness Ho: content and design does not affect training implementation and effectiveness H1: content and design does effect training implementation and effectiveness Chapter 4: RESULTS AND ANALYSIS The thesis sites that the companies observed have had difficulty assessing trainings effectiveness. To begin with, the findings were based primarily on the respondents personal experiences and common sense. Little can be said about the direct impact of training, regardless of the respondents perceptions about the value of training. One thing which is clear from the study is that the training question goes beyond how much is spent. Simply because an organization spends a certain percentage of its payroll on training does not tell us whether that money is well spent. The interviews and research review has revealed at least two general factors beyond training content, design, and implementation that probably influence the effectiveness of training. Dependent variable: impact and effectiveness

Dames, Coppers, and Crooks: A L:ook At Film Noir Essay -- essays resea

Dames, Coppers, and Crooks: A Look At Film Noir   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Film noir is a style of black and white American films that first evolved in the 1940s, became prominent in the post-war era, and lasted in a classic â€Å"Golden Age† period until about 1960. Frank Nino, a French film critic, first coined the label film noir, which literally means black film or cinema, in 1946. Nino noticed the trend of how â€Å"dark† and black the looks and themes were of many American crime and detective films released in France following World War II. In fact, only French critics used the term film noir in their work until the era of noir was over. The French label did not become widely known until the 1970s. The term film noir is now a more familiar term and it is used more often.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many historical factors that influenced the creation of film noir. During the 1930s, American was struggling with the Great Depression. There was widespread unemployment. The country also led an isolationist political belief, had beliefs of lasting world peace and pledged neutrality. They also had a very small standing army. America had all of these beliefs as they entered World War II.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States emerged as the one great victor of the war. The war had devastated Europe and shattered Asia. America, however, had not had any major warfare on its own territory, and during the war it had managed to leap out of the depression and reach almost full employment for it’s inhabitants. America also had the world’s largest military force and the world’s most threatening weapon. The country now had interests and responsibilities all over the world, but especially in Europe. As the Americans emerged from the war, they were elated and proud, happy of their victory and proud of their military and industrial might.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 1940s and 50s were an era of economic boom, partly upheld by military demands during and after WWII, and partly by the Americans new consumer demands. Most people wanted newer and better things, which they now could also afford. It was at this time that the G.I. Bill of Rights was created. This bill was a veteran funding system that led to an increase in both college education and the founding of the suburban homes of the 50s. This was a kind of social revolution with consequences lik... ...d by them and the film noir is generally very closely connected with the 1940s Hollywood. This particular criticism of noir as a genre relies upon whether one regards the more recent films as a continuation of the noir tradition or not. Furthermore, film noir tends to cross traditional genre boundaries. There are noir westerns, gangster films and comedies to mention some. Other critics avoid these problems by viewing film noir not as a genre, but by emphasizing the stylistic elements. Here, tone and mood are given considerable weight. Maybe it would be best to simply state that all of the above describe some aspects of what one can call the film noir phenomenon. Works Consulted The Development of Post-war Literary and Cinematic Noir. 29 Jan 2005 http://www.crimeculture.com/Contents/Film%20Noir.html. Dirks, Tim. Film Noir. 29 Jan 2005 http://www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html. Hordnes, Lise. Does Film Noir mirror the culture of contemporary America?. 6 Mar 2003. 29 Jan 2005 http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/E/noir/noir01.html. Horsley, Lee. Thriller (Noir), 1930-. 20 Oct 2001. The Literary Encyclopedia. 29 Jan 2005 http://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=11251.html.

Typical Life :: essays research papers

Typical Life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger. The Catcher in the Rye is about Holden Caulfield. Just four days before the winter vacation Holden is kicked out from Pencey prep. School. He is kicked out from school for not passing most of his classes, except English class. Being alone bored out of his mind and not know what to do. Holden decides to go to New York by train. For about 3 days, and stay in a cheep hotel. Just to relax by himself till Wednesday. While Holden was at New York Holden smokes, gets drunk, goes to bars and tries to pick up females at a bar. While he tries to get drunk at most places he needs to lie about his age, also at the same time Holden shows how immature he is by the way he is talking to the three females at the bar. Also while staying at New York, Holden talk a lot about his little sister Phoebe. Holden goes to a Broadway, to buy a record for his little sister. Holden goes to a record store to waist some time before his date with Sally. H olden was suppose to meet Sally so they can go see a play together. After the play Holden goes to an ice skating ring with Sally, but they end up sitting in side and talking. Holden starts a conversation. Asking Sally: â€Å"If she ever got fed up?† And then Holden starts to tell her how this world is such a bad place and that all the adults are getting corrupted. And that when he (Holden) will be able to stop the kids from growing up he will be able to prevent the kids innocence’s and from growing up and save the world. In other words, threw out of the book Holden talk’s about his problems and how he feels about the world. At the end of the book Holden goes to the park and watches his little sister Phoebe on the coracle. And how he wishes that he could prevent Phoebe from learning bad things that she could see on the graffiti that is drawn on the walls.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that Holden Caulfield is a very unique teenager because he is a very ill person, yet at the same time he is very bright human being. Even though he is being kicked out of a lot of prep.

Socio Economic Study

Economic Benefits As part of the agricultural sector, the banana industry also ensures that It contributes to the protection of the environment through the observance of globally accepted practices and abiding by Philippines laws. Furthermore, the industry also makes positive Impact on the cultural political aspects through: Enameled contact with the Influence Insurgency; Improved peace and order situation; Effective local governance; Integration of Indigenous people (e. G. Bugaboo, Nabob, Muslim) Into mainstream society: and Better understanding of cultures.The Banana industry impact on the economy includes: Provision of employment (minimum wages, Job security); Development of related industries (transport, food, consumer goods, entertainment); Increased income opportunity (cash crop, I. E. Corn, rice, firewood gathering vs.. Employment); Prompts improved infrastructure support from government and private organizations; Increased tax collection for local government. In terms of soci al impact, the industry helps provide: Basic needs through the availability of food, housing, clothing, and employment; Education increased number of students;Health care availability of institutional care; Migration back to family instead of having to look for livelihood elsewhere; Equal opportunity for women and indigenous people; and Fewer occurrences of domestic and Juvenile related crime and conflicts. The Philippine banana industry Is the 5th largest export Industry In the country and the indulges in Mindanao. In terms of local tax contribution, the Industry remitted about Phi Million worth of local taxes In 2008, Including Business Tax, Real property tax, Residence Certificates of Employees, withholding tax of employees, withholding tax at source, and Income.Socio Economic Study By EX_Donald As part of the agricultural sector, the banana industry also ensures that it contributes Furthermore, the industry also makes positive impact on the cultural political Minimized contact w ith the influence insurgency; Integration of indigenous people (e. G. Bugaboo, Nabob, Muslim) into mainstream society; and Better understanding of cultures. The Philippine banana industry is the 5th largest export industry in the country and the indigents in Mindanao. In terms of local tax contribution, the industry remitted about Phi Million worth of local taxes in 2008, including Business Tax, Real

Control Key and Word

1. Word flags the potential error in the document window with a colored underline. A ____ wavy underline means the flagged text is not in Word's dictionary (because it is a proper name or misspelled). A)red B) blue C) yellow D) green 2. With a ____, you can convert a printed picture, drawing, or diagram to a digital file. A)fax machine B) copy machine C) scanner D) digital camera 3. The process of developing a document that communicates specific information requires careful analysis and planning. As a starting point, ____.A)analyze the intended readers of the document and their unique needs B)determine the document design and style C)establish why the document is needed D)gather information about the topic4. Character formatting is the process of changing the way characters appear ____. A)on the screen B) in print C) both a. and b D) neither a. nor b5. To see a complete list of automatically corrected words, click ____ on the Ribbon to open the Backstage view, click Options in the Backstage view, click Proofing in the left pane, click the AutoCorrect Options button, and then scroll through the list near the bottom of the dialog box.A)Home B) Format C) File D) Edit6. If the Picture Tools Format tab is no longer displayed on the Ribbon, ____ the picture to display the Picture Tools Format tab. A)triple-click B) ouble-click C) right-click D) single-click7. If yo u want to conserve ink or toner, you can instruct Word to print draft quality documents by clicking ____ on the Ribbon to open the Backstage view. A)Format B) Edit C) Insert D) File8. You want the headline to be ____, that is, positioned horizontally between the left and right margins on the page.A)left-aligned B) centered C) justified D) right-aligned9. A(n) ____ mark, sometimes called a nonprinting character, is a character that Word displays on the screen but is not visible on a printed document. A)unified B) text C) formatting D) editing10. Paragraph ____ is the process of changing the appearance of a paragraph. A)formatting B) controlling C) enhancing D) editing11. A ____ is a computer program that can damage files and programs on your computer. A)virus B) cold C) bug D) flu12. In Word, the default font usually is ____.A)Times New Roman B) Arial C) Cambria D) Calibri13. ____ text prints with an underscore (_) below each character. A)Italicized B) Underlined C) Embossed D) Bolde d14. To save an existing document with the same file name using one click, press the ____ button on the Quick Access Toolbar to overwrite the previously saved file. A)Save B) Save As C) either a. or b. D) neither a. nor b.15. When you ____ text, Word colors the rectangular area behind any text or graphics. A)border B) emboss C) bold D) shade16. ___ properties are associated with all Microsoft Office documents and include author, title, and subject. A)Basic B) Trusted C) Default D) Standard17. The ____ is the first line of text on a document. A)header B) footer C) headline D) body copy18. A ____ is a word or phrase that further describes the document. A)keyword B) tab C) property D) characteristic19. Each time you press the ____ key, Word creates a new paragraph and inserts blank space between the two paragraphs. A)F3 B) ENTER C) TAB D) CTRL20. ____ denotes success, victory, creativity, and enthusiasm. A)Red B) Blue C) Orange D) Purple21. You can center page contents vertically betwe en the top and bottom margins. To do this, click the Page Setup Dialog Box Launcher, click the ____ tab, click the Vertical alignment box arrow, click Center in the list, and then click the OK button. A)Alignment B) Format C) Layout D) Edit22. The ____ consists of all text between the headline and the signature line. A)placeholder B) header C) footer D) body copy23. Word flags the potential error in the document window with a colored wavy underline. A ____ wavy underline indicates the text may contain a contextual spelling error such as the misuse of homophones (words that are pronounced the same but that have different spellings or meanings, such as one and won). A)yellow B) red C) blue D) green24. Word flags the potential error in the document window with a colored wavy underline. A ________wavy underline indicates the text may be incorrect grammatically. A)red B) yellow C) green D) blue25.A single point is about 1/72 of one inch in height. A)1/18 B) 1/9 C) 1/72 D) 1/3626. The MLA style requires that you set the line spacing to ____ for the entire research paper. A)double B) multiple C) 1. 5 D) single27. Word automatically inserts page breaks, called _____, when it determines the text has filled one page according to paper size, margin settings, line spacing, and other settings. A)hard page breaks B) anchored page breaks C) floating page breaks D) soft page breaks28. A ____ is text and graphics you want printed at the top of each page in a document.A)title B) superscript C) header D) footer29. Word automatically numbers notes sequentially by placing a ____ both in the body of the document and to the left of the note text. A)note reference B) footnote C) reference point D) tag30. A(n) ____ is text and graphics that print at the bottom of every page. A)anchor B) end note C) footer D) footnote31. To find a word with a similar meaning to the one already in your document, right-click the word and select ____. A)Other Words B) Dictionary C) Synonyms D) Find new32. A(n) _____ page break is one that you force into a document at a specific location. A)automatic B) manual C) forced D) soft33. If rulers are not displayed, click the ____ button on the vertical scroll bar to display them. A)Normal B) Measure C) View Ruler D) View34. To create a hanging indent using shortcut keys, press ____. A)CTRL+T B) CTRL+R C) CTRL+M D) CTRL+235. If you do not want to keep a change made by the AutoCorrect feature, you can click the ____ button on the Quick Access Toolbar.A)Disable B) No C) Undo D) AutoCorrect Off36. The ____ page alphabetically lists sources that are directly referenced in the paper. A)works cited B) citations C) note reference marks D) endnotes37. A ____ is a named group of formatting characteristics. A)style B) pattern C) header D) format38. Use a ____ to signal that an explanatory note exists. A)footnote B) header C) subscript D) superscript39. The ____ feature in Word automatically corrects certain spelling, typing, capitalization, or gramma r errors.A)AutoMark B) AutoSpell C) AutoCorrect D) AutoFix40. The MLA documentation style uses ____ instead of noting each source at the bottom of the page or at the end of the paper. A)parenthetical references B) works cited C) endnotes D) footnotes41. A(n) ____ is text that you want printed at the bottom of the page. A)footer B) header C) footnote D) endnote42. The amount of vertical space between lines of text in a document is called ____. A)double-space B) vertical spacing C) line spacing D) single space43.To capitalize all selected characters, press ____. A)CTRL+SHIFT+A B) SHIFT+A C) CTRL+ALT+A D) CTRL+A44. The shortcut keys for formatting a paragraph with single spacing is ____. A)CTRL+ALT+S B) CTRL+1 C) ALT+S D) CTRL+S45. If you are using the APA style, you should double-space all pages of the paper with ____ top, bottom, left and right margins. A)2 inch B) 1. 5 inch C) . 5 inch D) 1 inch46. The _____ is a temporary Windows storage area. A)Copyboard B) Clipboard C) Editing fo lder D) Copy and Paste pane47.If you click the ____ button, a menu appears that allows you to change the format of the item that was moved. A)Paste Options B) Format Paste C) CTRL key D) Clipboard48. To use ____, you double-click a blank area of the document window, and Word automatically formats the item you enter according to the location where you double-clicked. A)AutoFormat B) Click and Type C) Cut and Paste D) Show/Hide49. To add a word to the custom dictionary, right-click the flagged word, and then click ____ on the shortcut menu. A)Add Custom B) Insert C) Edit Dictionary D) Add to Dictionary50.The MLA style specifies that a(n) ____ be used for a note reference mark to signal that an explanatory note exists at the end of the document as an endnote. A)footnote B) footer C) superscript D) subscript51. At the top you see Version ___. A)A B) B C) C D) DAnswer Key   1. A2. C3. C4. C5. C6. B7. D8. B9. C10. A11. A12. D13. B14. A15. D16. D17. C18. A19. B20. C21. C22. D23. C24. C25 . C26. A27. D28. C29. A30. C31. C32. B33. C34. A35. C36. A37. A38. D39. C40. A41. A42. C43. A44. B45. D46. B47. A48. B49. D50. C

Mavesa

| Mavesa`s Nelly Brand  : Pricing to Gain Market Control | 19/03/2013 | Mavesa’s Nelly Brand: Pricing to Gain Market Control Problem statement The year is 1999 and Jose Luis Paez, the category manager for Marvesa mayonnaise is contemplating whether he should use a new pricing strategy that cuts the price of their product due to Venezuela’s current economic conditions and increasing competition in the segment.As this new strategy aims at gaining market share the possibility of negatively impacting profits in the foreseeable future is also an issue. Therefore, is this the best strategy Marvesa should use in order to alleviate the problem? SWOT MAVESA STRENGTHS| WEAKNESSES| Traded on the NYSE; * Extensive product portfolio; * Management talent; * Market share leader in most of its categories despite multinationals; * Strong recent growth; * Geographic expansion through exports, acquisitions or mergers; * Owns 60% of industrial segment (restaurants); * Good national distr ibution network; * Flexible and responsive to changing market conditions; * Lowest cost producer of the low cost segment;| * Contracting mayonnaise sales within Marvesa; * Nelly has minimal brand loyalty and brand image; * In category where low price is a primary criterion, Nelly`s price are not among the lowest; * Do not have the appropriate sales force; * High overhead costs;| OPPORTUNITIES| THREATS| Salad dressing segment growth; * Growth in the industrial segment; * Improve channels to increase shares in medium and small stores; * Flexi-pack; * Huge growth in the household segment;| * Changing competitive environment becoming more saturated, volatile economic environment; * Recession in Venezuela; * Kraft is launching mayonnaise; * Shift in lower priced brands due to economic downturn; * De-evaluation of the bolivar; * Competition: Albeca and Kraft; * Economy brands expected to represent 34% * Mature mayonnaise market; * Decline in the premium market;| Options: Option #1: Implem ent the aggressive new price strategy. Focus on targeting the economy household segment. PROS| CONS| Nelly created this segment; * Nelly`s taste attributes; * Huge growth predicted to continue; * Nelly occupied approximately 48% of the market;| * Primary criterion is low price; * Only 15% of the market by volume; * Albeca; * Entry of Kraft; * Little brand loyalty in this segment;| Option #2: Implement the aggressive new price strategy. Focus on targeting industrial segment. PROS| CONS| * 23% of the market by volume; * One customer account signifies a lot of sales; * 16% growth in the last year; * Mavesa has 60% share of the market; * | * Competition based mainly on price; * Price wars between competitors; * Low profitability;| Option #3: Maintain current prices. Focus on targeting the premium household segment. PROS| CONS| 85% of the market by volume; * Decline in the volume over the past 2 years; * Quality is the key buying criterion; * Customers are loyal to the brand;| * Recessio n in Venezuela; * Nelly`s cost-cutting innovations make it less relevant for this segment; * Kraft mayonnaise is perceived as the one with the highest quality;| Decision Matrix: | Profitability| Growth Potential| Brand image| Sales Efforts| | Option 1| 4| 4| 2| 2| 3. 0| Option 2| 2| 4| 3| 3| 3. 0| Option 3| 2| 1| 4| 3| 2. 5| Recommendation: Nelly should implement its new aggressive pricing strategy. As the decision matrix shows it, they should leverage the reduction in cost production to increase their market shares both in the economy household segment and in the industrial segment. Low-costsNelly is the lowest cost producer in the low-cost segment which leaves some margin for cost reduction. The main threat about it is the overhead costs that Nelly has to pay for sales force and management regarding the company`s size in comparison to its competitors. It is assumed that cost-cutting innovations such as the flexi-pack and the reduction of oil in the production of mayonnaise will co mpensate for those costs. It also has to be precarious and not set is price to low or too high. Protection of the shares in the Premium market Nelly should make clear differentiation between the salad dressing targeting economy segment and mayonnaise targeting the premium segment.The company wants to implement cost-cutting innovations to gain more share in the economy segment, but it do not want to lose its shares in the premium market. By offering two products, one marketed as mayonnaise for the premium market and one marketed as salad dressing for the economy market, Nelly could increase its shares while gaining more shares. Distribution Channels and Sales Force Investment will have to be made in order to either hire more trained sales force to get access to more medium to small-sized stores or increase wholesalers and distributors additional margin on volume discounts. By increasing wholesalers and distributors` margins on volume discounts, it could become and incentive to push s ales.Nevertheless, since the difference in the level of distribution between stores attended indirectly and directly by Nelly`s sales force is important, hiring new sales force would be the most recommend strategy. Industrial Even if this segment has low profitability because of the price wars, Nelly could take advantage of the cost-cutting innovations made in production and packaging. In this segment, one customer account represents huge sales. Mavesa already has 60% of the market shares while its major competitor owns 30% of the shares. With its new low cost, it could at least gain the remaining 10% of the shares that is split among small regional competitors who would probably not be able to follow the price reduction. Mavesa | Mavesa`s Nelly Brand  : Pricing to Gain Market Control | 19/03/2013 | Mavesa’s Nelly Brand: Pricing to Gain Market Control Problem statement The year is 1999 and Jose Luis Paez, the category manager for Marvesa mayonnaise is contemplating whether he should use a new pricing strategy that cuts the price of their product due to Venezuela’s current economic conditions and increasing competition in the segment.As this new strategy aims at gaining market share the possibility of negatively impacting profits in the foreseeable future is also an issue. Therefore, is this the best strategy Marvesa should use in order to alleviate the problem? SWOT MAVESA STRENGTHS| WEAKNESSES| Traded on the NYSE; * Extensive product portfolio; * Management talent; * Market share leader in most of its categories despite multinationals; * Strong recent growth; * Geographic expansion through exports, acquisitions or mergers; * Owns 60% of industrial segment (restaurants); * Good national distr ibution network; * Flexible and responsive to changing market conditions; * Lowest cost producer of the low cost segment;| * Contracting mayonnaise sales within Marvesa; * Nelly has minimal brand loyalty and brand image; * In category where low price is a primary criterion, Nelly`s price are not among the lowest; * Do not have the appropriate sales force; * High overhead costs;| OPPORTUNITIES| THREATS| Salad dressing segment growth; * Growth in the industrial segment; * Improve channels to increase shares in medium and small stores; * Flexi-pack; * Huge growth in the household segment;| * Changing competitive environment becoming more saturated, volatile economic environment; * Recession in Venezuela; * Kraft is launching mayonnaise; * Shift in lower priced brands due to economic downturn; * De-evaluation of the bolivar; * Competition: Albeca and Kraft; * Economy brands expected to represent 34% * Mature mayonnaise market; * Decline in the premium market;| Options: Option #1: Implem ent the aggressive new price strategy. Focus on targeting the economy household segment. PROS| CONS| Nelly created this segment; * Nelly`s taste attributes; * Huge growth predicted to continue; * Nelly occupied approximately 48% of the market;| * Primary criterion is low price; * Only 15% of the market by volume; * Albeca; * Entry of Kraft; * Little brand loyalty in this segment;| Option #2: Implement the aggressive new price strategy. Focus on targeting industrial segment. PROS| CONS| * 23% of the market by volume; * One customer account signifies a lot of sales; * 16% growth in the last year; * Mavesa has 60% share of the market; * | * Competition based mainly on price; * Price wars between competitors; * Low profitability;| Option #3: Maintain current prices. Focus on targeting the premium household segment. PROS| CONS| 85% of the market by volume; * Decline in the volume over the past 2 years; * Quality is the key buying criterion; * Customers are loyal to the brand;| * Recessio n in Venezuela; * Nelly`s cost-cutting innovations make it less relevant for this segment; * Kraft mayonnaise is perceived as the one with the highest quality;| Decision Matrix: | Profitability| Growth Potential| Brand image| Sales Efforts| | Option 1| 4| 4| 2| 2| 3. 0| Option 2| 2| 4| 3| 3| 3. 0| Option 3| 2| 1| 4| 3| 2. 5| Recommendation: Nelly should implement its new aggressive pricing strategy. As the decision matrix shows it, they should leverage the reduction in cost production to increase their market shares both in the economy household segment and in the industrial segment. Low-costsNelly is the lowest cost producer in the low-cost segment which leaves some margin for cost reduction. The main threat about it is the overhead costs that Nelly has to pay for sales force and management regarding the company`s size in comparison to its competitors. It is assumed that cost-cutting innovations such as the flexi-pack and the reduction of oil in the production of mayonnaise will co mpensate for those costs. It also has to be precarious and not set is price to low or too high. Protection of the shares in the Premium market Nelly should make clear differentiation between the salad dressing targeting economy segment and mayonnaise targeting the premium segment.The company wants to implement cost-cutting innovations to gain more share in the economy segment, but it do not want to lose its shares in the premium market. By offering two products, one marketed as mayonnaise for the premium market and one marketed as salad dressing for the economy market, Nelly could increase its shares while gaining more shares. Distribution Channels and Sales Force Investment will have to be made in order to either hire more trained sales force to get access to more medium to small-sized stores or increase wholesalers and distributors additional margin on volume discounts. By increasing wholesalers and distributors` margins on volume discounts, it could become and incentive to push s ales.Nevertheless, since the difference in the level of distribution between stores attended indirectly and directly by Nelly`s sales force is important, hiring new sales force would be the most recommend strategy. Industrial Even if this segment has low profitability because of the price wars, Nelly could take advantage of the cost-cutting innovations made in production and packaging. In this segment, one customer account represents huge sales. Mavesa already has 60% of the market shares while its major competitor owns 30% of the shares. With its new low cost, it could at least gain the remaining 10% of the shares that is split among small regional competitors who would probably not be able to follow the price reduction.