Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Identifying Emerging Issues in Mobile Learning Essay

The workshop arrangement was supported by the UK’s Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) as a major aspect of the Emerge Community inside JISC’s own Users and Innovation research program. This investigation concentrated on distinguishing developing issues for the area emerging from the inexorably likely enormous scope utilization of Smartphones, PDAs and camera telephones by students in HE and FE, both nearby and in the working environment. This was helped out through situation age utilizing three distinct fates expectation instruments in three workshops. The accompanying issues were recognized just like the well on the way to show up later on for portable taking in a long time from now: the expanding utilization of ‘just in time’ and ‘as and when necessary’ preparing. the requirement for consistently on moderate availability and force. expanded help for a way to deal with educating and discovering that is more community than instructive. worries over versatility; learning networks are isolated about whether there is a job for cell phones in formal instructing, particularly in huge gatherings and talks. oncerns over the converging of individual and professional data and practice. The solid match between affordances of cell phones and learning openings in work based and experiential learning no matter how you look at it. expanded distributed systems administration and joint effort. the requirement for structure determinations for a safe online generally useful information storehouse available by various programs as per gadget within reach. Other rising issues for portable learning in HE and FE incorporate both moral and functional ramifications. These incorporate social boundaries and protection from change among speakers and related instructing experts. Models are: fears for the disintegration of lecturers’ individual time; worries over security identified with the expanding measure of data and number of pictures to be put away and protection issues identified with the straightforwardness with data can be caught in a scope of areas. There is likewise the chance to rethink appraisal works on, recording the way toward building up a task as opposed to just denoting the item. One final issue, one that needs pressing consideration, is the requirement for the improvement by understudies and staff of concurred work on, building up how cell phones are to be utilized dependably in establishments before discourteous use or numbness of their capability to upgrade learning brings about restricting an important learning device. Affirmations The creators wish to appreciatively recognize the commitments made by individuals from the Adding a Mobile Dimension to Teaching and Learning system who had a significant impact both in the situation advancement exercises at the workshops on which this paper is based and to the survey of the situations produced. We are additionally thankful for the money related help from JISC by means of the Emerge people group for this venture. 1 Introduction This report subtleties the situations created in a progression of conversation workshops investigating dreams of how versatile advancements and gadgets will impact the act of clients in Higher Education (HE) and Further Education (FE) later on five years subsequently. The workshop arrangement was financed by the UK’s Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) as a major aspect of the Emerge Community inside JISC’s own Users and Innovation research program. This present investigation centers around recognizing developing issues for the area emerging with the inexorably likely enormous scope utilization of Smartphones and cell phones with the ability to record both video and sound by students both nearby and in the working environment in HE and FE. These gadgets have gotten settled all through the understudy network, a study of 177 understudies at the University of Southampton found that 94% were normal clients and proprietors of cell phones (Davidson and Lutman 2007). This dovetails with information from Ofcom (2008) which shows that cell phone proprietorship in the 15-24 age gathering of the UK populace is balancing out at around 95% and understudies to come will be much increasingly experienced in their utilization. For instance, more established understudies in schools that apparently boycott cell phones are presently consistently being permitted to utilize the cameras on their ‘phones to record extraordinary occasions or examinations in exercises to enable them to modify. What is versatile realizing? The field of portable learning has been growing quick as an examination point in the course of recent years and in like manner thoughts of what precisely versatile realizing is have additionally evolved. Winters (2006) noticed how different gatherings investigating versatile learning have utilized definitions that fall into four classifications: one †portable learning as technocentric, where learning is viewed as something that utilizes cell phones, individual computerized partners (PDAs) and cell phones; two †characterized by its relationship to e-realizing, where versatile learning is viewed as an augmentation of elearning; three †as expanding formal instruction and four †as student focused, empowering the chance of deep rooted learning. These doesn't address the one of a kind selling purpose of portable realizing which is firmly connected to the ability of the versatile student moving between generally separate settings, for example, the work place and the instructing base upheld by handheld innovation that they can work with intuitively to catch, access and store amounts of data in various interactive media groups. Accordingly versatile learning can be best depicted as â€Å"the forms (both individual and open) of coming to know through investigation and discussion over numerous settings among individuals and intuitive technologies† (Sharples, Arnedillo Sanchez, Milrad and Vavoula 2007). Portable learning in post-mandatory training in the UK An introduction from Traxler and Sugden (2007) places the present condition of versatile learning in the UK as comprising of extensive quantities of little scope preliminaries and pilots occurring over fixed timeframes. Affirmation that the act of utilizing versatile innovation to help learning in post-necessary training isn't yet inserted in flow practice inside establishments was exhibited during the quest for past exploration for this paper, where no continuous huge scope utilizes were found. From right now accessible sources there is next to zero sign with respect to the degree to which cell phones are being utilized in Higher and Further Education. Discoveries from interviews led by Bird and Stubbs (2008) with versatile learning trailblazers in ten Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were shockingly reliable with most respondents revealing that they encountered or hope to encounter a similar sort of issues. These were for the most part as obstructions to setting up and supporting a m-learning advancement in a college 2 condition. Issues which commanded were: abilities holes (in IT support and particularly scholastic staff and fairly out of the blue understudies who regardless of being substantial clients ), absence of specialized help (IT administrations arrangement), acquisition and bookkeeping strategies based around PC utilization, incorporation issues because of cost of gadgets as well as information, moral and lawful issues, quality affirmation particularly as for information possession, manageability (all tasks depended on outer subsidizing), gadget restrictions, measures stir, protection and security, and absence of a ‘killer application’ for the specific situation. Meetings with clients trialing PDAs at the Open University (Pettit and Kukulska-Hulme, 2008) showed that the remote framework was generally viewed as a basic factor in impacting appropriation of the gadget. Most papers looked into for the present examination alluded to hypothetical theory about future potential, others talked about tasks outside of the UK in Europe or East Asia, in any case, in the staying 20%, a noteworthy scope of pilots with various handheld gadgets was portrayed. These demonstrate that there is significant potential for drawing in and supporting students by means of versatile advancements. These pilots point to more noteworthy utilization of setting significant data particularly pictures and video in learning and to more prominent coordinated effort empowered by effectively compact, handheld gadgets associated with the web by means of wi-fi or broadband. The accompanying models show the scope of exercises tried and are incorporated by segment. Advanced education Lecturers have assessed a scope of gadgets from multi-work PDAs and Smartphones to straightforward texti informing (SMS). In one of the primary instances of the utilization of PDA’s in an undergrad setting Ramsden (2005) effectively tried giving undergrad Economics understudies at the University of Bristol access to VLE’s and course materials through web empowered PDAs. Just as empowering access to course assets whenever, anyplace, having the PDA permitted the understudies to hold question and answer meetings by means of the online conversation board during addresses which they discovered this especially accommodating. The University of Birmingham has assessed the utilization of PocketPC handheld PCs to offer different portable applications to college understudies as a ‘mobile learning organiser’. The primary uses were for issues of time and course the executives and access to course materials. Different capacities incorporated the capacity to convey through email and texting and to sort out notes. The taking an interest understudies utilized the schedule and plan offices just as specialized devices and were sharp for increasingly substance to be conveyed thusly. (Corlett et al, 2005) At London Metropolitan University the Reusable Learning Objects (RLO) Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) deals with the structure, advancement and utilization of learning objects a large number of which run on cell phones. Smith et al (2007) examine the inspiration they have found in understudies (sports science for this situation) to learn through subject explicit learning objects (programs, for example, Flash movements of muscle g

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Abbey Road and Beatles Free Essays

The Beatles â€Å"There’s nothing you can make that can’t be made, No one you can spare that can’t be spared, no other option for you however you can figure out how to be you in time †it’s easy†, this statement is taken from the melody all you need is love by The Beatles. The Beatle’s began as four ordinary individuals and afterward in the 1960 they all come as the gathering called the Beatles. The individuals from The Beatles were Paul Mccartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison. We will compose a custom exposition test on Nunnery Road and Beatles or then again any comparative point just for you Request Now The Beatles are one of the most compelling musical gangs ever. Today we are going to investigate the early long stretches of the Beatles, the raising distinction of the Beatles profession and the finish of the Beatles. How did the Beatles become a gathering? This is insights concerning the early long stretches of the Beatles. How could they become incredible? The Beatles were four ordinary individuals who meet each other for a long time. It required some investment to change their name to the Beatles. The old names were Jonny and the Moondogs, and long john and the creepy crawlies. The Beatles, they really fitted and took over as the most recognized hero acknowledged as the Beatles. The Beatles began in 1960 (Ktrek, 2005. ) This was where the Beatles included generally their move and popular music dating from 1963 through 1965 The Beatle’s raising distinction. Next came the center years where the Beatles explored different avenues regarding sound and music and furthermore created awesome music more than ever, exciting music past simply move music (Ktrek, 2005. ) The Beatles sound developed logically with every collection coming their direction; coming full circle with many accepts to be the artful culmination of exciting music. They made numerous collections now like Rubber Soul in 1965, Revolver in 1966, and a lot more collections. The Beatles had their unimaginable end; leaving us with a message Let It Be, a tune by the Beatles in 1970. They were on that last long and effective street. The Beatles were coming up short on thoughts. Their tune Abby Road is the best melody of this period, yet tunes have their dull second. The melodies they did at this period were The White Album, Yellow submarine in 1969, and Hey Jude in 1970. â€Å"Hey Jude don’t make it awful, take a miserable melody it make it better†, this is quote from the tune Hey Jude by the Beatles. The Beatles will never be equivalent to they were previously however they have raising minutes and have impact numerous individuals on the planet. To their melody Yesterday, to their tune Rubber Soul, to their kept going tune Let it be. What was your main tune by the Beatles? What was your preferred time of music by the Beatles? They changed the sound of awesome music leaving it with various sounds, and beats. â€Å"And in the adoration you take is equivalent to the affection you make† that was a statement from the Beatles when they finished. (Ktrek, 2005) The most effective method to refer to Abbey Road and Beatles, Papers

Sunday, August 2, 2020

Admissions iPhone App - UGA Undergraduate Admissions

Admissions iPhone App - UGA Undergraduate Admissions Admissions iPhone App The University of Georgia Office of Undergraduate Admissions is proud to announce the release of version 1.0 of our iPhone App. This application can be downloaded for free from iTunes, and will run on any iPhone or iPod Touch. The App was developed by the UGA Admissions offices own technology team (way to go Bryan!), and allows users to access the Status Check, the UGA Transfer Equivalency database, Admissions News, UGA News, Campus Maps, UGA Sports News, and UGA People Search. To download the University Admissions iPhone App, just search for UGA Admissions in the iTunes App Store, or in the App Store utility on your Apple mobile device. We also hope to add a GPS based campus tour sometime within the next year.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Benefits Of Genetically Engineered Crops - 1626 Words

People opposed to genetically engineered crops believe genetically engineering a crop to have a higher nutritional value will cause problems with a person’s diet. They believe people will then disregard other foods besides the new genetically engineered food, and this will cause other health issues. This does not seem likely because genetically engineered crops with enhanced nutritional value are aimed to help people reach a certain daily value of a vitamin or mineral, not to replace a person’s whole diet. A person will still have to eat other foods with the new genetically engineered food, however, he or she will not have to eat as much to obtain the correct daily values of their vitamins and minerals. Countries such as Africa, who have a problem with people dying of starvation each year, could really use these kinds of crops. Crops that are genetically engineered to withstand drastic weather conditions and are higher in nutritional value could help Africa have a highe r yield of crops to feed the starving children with. The increased nutritional value in these crops would also help the starving children get more of the vitamins and minerals they need to survive. Some people worry genetic engineering can harm the environment, however, genetically engineered crops can help protect the environment. The environment is important for the survival of humans, and protecting it has been a focus for many scientists. Genetically engineered crops can protect the environment by makingShow MoreRelatedThe Dangers Of Genetically Engineered Crops Far Outweigh The Benefits982 Words   |  4 PagesThe Dangers of Genetically Engineered Crops far outweigh the Benefits You might know what GMOs are or at least you have heard about it, but for them, who do not know what GMOs are, Genetically Modified Organisms also known as (GMO), are those whose DNA is modified by implantation of a variety of bacteria or other organisms. Those changes are made not only to prevent pests attacking crops but also to make them grow fast among other alterations. It is well known that GMOs has been a polemical issueRead MoreEssay about Genetically Engineered Food Crops: Benefits Outweigh Risks1632 Words   |  7 PagesGenetically Engineered Food Crops: Benefits Outweigh Risks Genetically engineered (GE) food crops have caused heated debate in the food industry for many decades and have caused many consumers major concern. According to Dr. Carroll Rawn, a biology professor at Seton Hall University, genetically engineering food entails taking genes from a certain crop and inserting those genes in the DNA of another. This process changes the nucleotide sequence of the crop and, therefore, its characteristicsRead MoreThe Possiblities of Genetically Engineered Food1597 Words   |  7 PagesGenetically engineering food could be a viable possibility to ending the problem world hunger. There are many advantages to this solution but there are also disadvantages. This paper will aim to show both the advantages and disadvantages. I also hope to show the environmental impact that it could have. What is genetically engineered food? Genetically engineered foods are created when genes from plant and non-plant species are modified and transferred to create a food species that has certainRead MoreGenetic Engineering : Science And The Economy1495 Words   |  6 Pages Imagine eating at a dining establishment and being asked if the ordered main course would preferably be prepared baked, fried, or genetically engineered. Though odd, this question is coming sooner than later. Even though genetic engineering has been around for a long time, due to its increased advances, no longer is it an ignored issue. In fact, it is causing quite a controversy. Some feel, genetic engineering is a scientist s way of playing God, creating elements and bodies that were notRead MoreArguments Of Proponents And Opponents Of The Safe And Accurate Food Labeling Act1744 Words   |  7 Pagesweakness of each side’s argument. One argument that proponents make about genetically modified food is that they are no different than natural foods. An argument that opponents make is that genetically modified organisms have not been tested enough because they are fairly new and some scientist truly don’t have an understanding of how it will affect humans bodies differently than natural foods. Proponents argue that genetically engineered foods have no needs for labeling; it would lead to consumer confusionRead MoreShould We Increase Agricultural Yield Without?1362 Words   |  6 PagesGenetically modified organisms have been subjected to outrageous opposition by activists and political officials because of false moral and religious beliefs. While manufacturers of genetically engineered crops face costly and time consuming regulations, leading to an interruption in production and reduction in innovation. This campaign waged against GMOs is fueled by false information and ludicrous â€Å"what if† questions that are aimed at a misinformed and easily manipulated public. GeneticallyRead MoreGenetic Engineering Of Food Is Good For The Welfare Of Humanity1135 Words   |  5 Pagesand animals that produce food (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2015b). Genetic engineering per se is often conducted in the laboratory through a number of technologies whose primary role is to incorporate the desired qualities into the genetically engineered food crops and animals. Even though genetic engineering of food raises ethical issues and generates fears of unknown health risks, many of these fears are speculative; therefore, genetic engineering of food is good for the welfare of humanity becauseRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms, Also Known As Gmo’S, Are1491 Words   |  6 PagesGenetically modified organisms, also known as GMO’s, are important to today’s society because they bring more food to more people at a cheaper price. If a crop is a GMO, it means that its DNA sequence has been altered in a lab. When seeds are genetically altered i n this way, it is to inject a certain characteristic that is not present in the traditional plant into the DNA. Usually, this characteristic is to make the crop more susceptible to fertilizer and pesticides, or to sustain harsh weather conditionsRead MorePros and Cons of Genetic Engineering Essay1733 Words   |  7 PagesThere are many benefits of genetic engineering, but there are many risks too. Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of genetic material in order to alter the hereditary traits of a cell, organism, or population. Basically, scientists take DNA of one product and put it into another product to get a mixture of traits from both products. It’s like breeding different breeds of dogs to get a certain look or personality. Some people don’t mind what goes into genetically altered foods, while othersRead MoreThe Genetically Engineered Foods : Genetically Modified Foods1656 Words   |  7 PagesThe Genetically Engineered Foods Introduction Genetic modification is a special gene technology that alters the genetic machinery of living organisms such as animals, plants, bacteria or other microorganisms. Foreign genes (genes from other organisms) combined and inserted into the original genetic codes are known as recombinant DNA technology and the resulting food is called genetically engineered food, genetically modified (GM) food or transgenic food. Human beings have bred plants and animals

Monday, May 11, 2020

Interesting Facts About European Green Crab

Green crabs (Carcinus maenas) are relatively small, with a carapace  of about four inches across. Their coloration varies from green to brown to reddish-orange. While commonly found in tide pools along the East Coast of the United States from Delaware to Nova Scotia, this now-abundant species is not native to America. Fast Facts: Green Crab Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaSubphylum: CrustaceanClass: MalacostracaOrder: DecapodaFamily: PortunidaeGenus: CarcinusSpecies: maenas Feeding The green crab is a voracious predator, feeding primarily on other crustaceans and bivalves such as softshell clams, oysters, and scallops. The green crab moves quickly and is quite dexterous. Its also capable of adapting. Its prey-catching skills actually improve while foraging as it learns where the prime hunting areas are and how to best catch available prey. Reproduction and Life Cycle Green crabs are estimated to live up to five years. Females of the species can produce up to 185,000 eggs at a time. Females molt once a year and are very vulnerable until a new shell hardens. During this time, males guard females by pairing with them in pre-molt cradling to defend them from predators and other males. Green crabs generally mate toward the end of summer. A few months after mating, the egg sac appears, which the females carry through winter and spring. In May or June, hatchlings are released in the form of free-swimming plankton larvae that move with the tides of the water column for 17 to 80 days before settling to the bottom. Green crab larvae spend most of their first summer progressing through a series of stages until they reach  megalopa—mini versions of adult crabs that still have a tail used for swimming. In a final molt, the larvae lose their tails and emerge as juvenile crabs with a carapace measuring about two millimeters across. Why Are Green Crabs So Wide-Ranging? Green crab populations have expanded rapidly since spreading out from their native range, which lies along the Atlantic coast of Europe and northern Africa. Once they are introduced, they compete with native shellfish and other animals for prey and habitat. In the 1800s, the species was transported to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Its thought they arrived in the ballast water of ships, or in seaweed that was used to pack seafood, although some have been transported for the purposes of aquaculture, while others may have made the trip on water currents. Today, green crabs are plentiful along the eastern coast of the United States from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to Delaware. In 1989, green crabs were also discovered in San Francisco Bay, and now populate waters of the West Coast as far north as British Columbia. Green crabs have also been recorded in Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Hawaii. Impact of Global Warming on Green Crab Populations Until recently, the proliferation of green crabs in American coastal waters has been offset by cold winters, but with the onset of warmer summers, their numbers are on the rise. Warmer climates have also been linked to an upswing in the green crabs growth cycle.   Between 1979 and 1980, Michael Berrill, a professor (now emeritus) at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario Canada—whose research involved the behavioral ecology, conservation, and the impact  of environmental stresses on species survival—observed the growth rate and mating cycles of green crabs in the coastal waters off Maine. A comparison between findings from that study and more recent ones shows that green crabs are growing larger much sooner thanks to the prolonged growing season that results from having more months of warm water temperatures. Since female green crabs become sexually mature not when they reach a certain age, but rather, a certain size, the increasing growth rate is also affecting the mating cycle. According to the 1980s research, females generally reproduced in their third year. Its believed that with warmer waters and faster growth cycles, some crabs now are reproducing as early as their second year. As a result, the burgeoning population of green crabs is likely putting certain prey species at risk. According to a statement from Maine Community Science Investigations (CSI-Maine), this may prove devastating to some species on which green crabs prey—especially softshell clams. Research presented by Dr. Brian Beal and colleagues of the Downeast Institute indicates that at least along the coast of Maine, green crabs are responsible for a substantial decline in softshell clam populations. Sources MIT Sea Grant. 2009. Introduced Species. MIT Sea Grant Center for Coastal Resources. National Heritage Trust. 2009. European Shore Crab (Carcinus maenas). National Introduced Marine Pest Information System, CRIMP No. 6275. Perry, Harriet. 2009. Carcinus maenas. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FloridaPrince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council. 2004. Green Crab (Carcinus maenas). Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species of Concern for Alaska. The Green Crab  Lifecycle. CSI-Maine.Beal, B. F. (2006). Relative importance of predation and intraspecific competition in regulating growth and survival of juveniles of the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria L., at several spatial scales.  Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology,  336(1), 1–17.Berrill, Michael. (1982). The Life Cycle of the Green Crab Carcinus maenas at the Northern End of Its Range.  Journal of Crustacean Biology,  2(1), 31–39.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Last Dance Chapter Two Free Essays

It was raining relentlessly on the morning of October thirtieth, a Saturday, the day after the body of Andrew Henry Hale was found dead in his bed in an apartment on Currey and Twelfth. Carella and Meyer came running out of the precinct and into the parking lot behind it, drenched to the bone before they’d taken half a dozen steps. Rain banged on the roof of the car. We will write a custom essay sample on The Last Dance Chapter Two or any similar topic only for you Order Now Rain drilled Carella’s head as he fumbled the key into the lock on the driver’s side, rain smashed his eyes, rain soaked the shoulders of his coat and plastered his hair onto his forehead. Meyer stood patiently hunched and hulking on the passenger side of the car, eyes squinched, drowning in the merciless rain. â€Å"Just take all the time in the world,† he suggested. Carella finally got the key into the lock, twisted it open, hurried inside, and reached across the seat to unlock the other door for Meyer. â€Å"Whoosh!† Meyer said, and pulled the door shut behind him. Both men sat breathless for a moment, enclosed now in a rattling cocoon, the windshield and windows melting with rain. Behind them, the precinct lights glowed yellow, offering comfort and warmth, odd solace for a place they rarely associated with either. Meyer shifted his weight, reached into his back pants pockets for a handkerchief, and dried his face and the top of his bald head. Carella took several Dunkin’ Donuts paper napkins from the side pocket on the door and tried to blot water from his soaked hair. â€Å"Boy,† he said, and grabbed more napkins from the door. Together, the two men in their bulky overcoats crowded the front seat of the â€Å"company car,† as they mockingly called it. They were partnered as often as not, the twin peculiarities of exigency and coincidence frequently determining more effectively than any duty chart exactly who might be in the squadroom when the phone rang. They had caught the Hale squeal together yesterday morning. The case was now theirs until either they made an arrest or retired it in the so-called Open File. Carella started the car.I Meyer turned on the radio. The insistent chatter of police calls scratched at the beating rain. It took a while for the ancient heater to throw any real warmth into the car, adding its clanking clatter to the steady drumming of the rain, the drone of the dispatcher’s voice, the hissing swish of tires on black asphalt. Cops on the job listened with one ear all the time, waiting to hear the dispatcher specifically calling their car, particularly waiting for the urgent signal that would tell them an officer was down, in which case every car in the vicinity would respond. Meanwhile, as the rain fell and the heater hurled uncertain hot air onto their faces and their feet, they talked idly about Carella’s birthday party earlier this month – a subject he’d rather have forgotten since he’d just turned forty – and the trouble Meyer was having with his brother-in-law, who never had liked Meyer and who kept trying to sell him additional life insurance because he was in such a da ngerous occupation. â€Å"You think our occupation is dangerous?† he asked. â€Å"Dangerous, no,† Carella said. â€Å"Hazardous.† â€Å"Enough to warrant what he calls combat insurance?† â€Å"No, I don’t think so.† â€Å"I rented a video last week,† Meyer said, â€Å"Robin Williams is dead in it, he goes to heaven. One of the worst movies I ever saw in my entire life.† â€Å"I never go to movies where somebody dies and goes to heaven,† Carella said. â€Å"What you should never do is go to a movie with the word ‘Dream’ in the title,† Meyer said. â€Å"Sarah likes these pictures where movie stars die and go walking around so mere mortals can’t see them. So you never heard of it, huh?† Meyer said. â€Å"Never,† Carella said, and smiled. He was thinking if you worked with a man long enough, you began reading his mind. â€Å"Your kids aren’t teenagers yet,† Meyer said. â€Å"Rophies? Roofies? Rope? R2? Those are all names the kids use for it.† â€Å"New one on me,† Carella said. â€Å"It used to come in one- and two-milligram tablets,† Meyer said. â€Å"Hoffman-La Roche – that’s the company that manufactures it – recently pulled the two-mill off the retail market in Germany. But it’s still available here. That’s another name for it, by the way. La Roche. Or even just Roach. How much did Blaney say the old man had dropped?† â€Å"At least two mills.† â€Å"Would’ve knocked him out in half an hour. It’s supposed to be ten times stronger than Valium, no taste, no odor. You really never heard of it?† â€Å"Never,† Carella said. â€Å"It’s also called the Date-Rape drag,† Meyer said. â€Å"When it first got popular in Texas, kids were using it to boost a heroin high or cushion a cocaine crash. Then some cowboy discovered if he dropped a two-mill tab in a girl’s beer, it had the same effect as if she drank a six-pack. In ten, twenty minutes, she’s feeling no pain. She loses all inhibitions, blacks out, and wakes up the next morning with no memory of what happened.† â€Å"Sounds like science-fiction,† Carella said. â€Å"Small white tablet,† Meyer said, â€Å"you can either dissolve it in a drink or snort it. Ruffles is another name. The Forget Pill, too. Or Roofenol. Or Rib. Costs three, four bucks a tab.† â€Å"Thanks for the input,† Carella said. The men were on their way to Andrew Male’s bank. They were now in possession of a court order authorizing them to open his safe deposit box. Inside that box, by Cynthia Keating’s own admission, there was an insurance policy on her father’s life. Her husband had also told them that his law firm was in possession of her father’s will, which left to husband and wife all of the old man’s earthly possessions – which did not amount to a hell of a lot. A passbook they’d found in the apartment showed a bank balance of $2,476.12. The old man had also owned a collection of 78 rpm’s dating back to the thirties and forties, none of them rare, all of them swing hits of the day – Benny Goodman, Harry James, Glenn Miller – played and replayed over and over again until the shellac was scratched and the grooves worn. There were a few books in the apartment as well, most of them dog-eared paperbacks. There was an eight-piece setting of inexpensive silver plate. True enough, in a city where a five-dollar bill in a tattered billfold was often cause enough for murder, these belongings alone might have provided motive. But not for two people as well off as the Keatings. Besides, this had not been a case of someone choosing a random victim on the street and then popping him, something that happened all the time. Someone had gone to a great deal of trouble here, first drugging the old man and next hanging him. The prize had to be worth the trouble. Carella pulled the car into a No Parking zone in front of the bank. He flipped down his visor to show the pink police paper that normally warned off any cop on the beat, and then stepped out of the car and dashed through the rain toward the front of the bank, Meyer pounding along behind him. Their court order opened the dead man’s safe deposit box, and sure enough, they found an insurance policy for $25,000, with Andrew Male’s daughter and son-in-law listed as sole beneficiaries. The policy did, in fact, contain a suicide exclusion clause: Section 1.5 SUICIDE If the insured dies by suicide within one year from the Date of Issue, the amount payable by the Company will be limited to the premiums paid. But the policy had been issued almost ten years ago. Thursday night was the night in question. According to what Cynthia Keating had told them, she’d spoken to her father at nine that night, and had found him hanging dead at nine-thirty or so the next morning. A check with the telephone company confirmed that she had indeed called his number at 9:07 the night before, and had spent two minutes on the phone with him. This did not preclude her later taking the subway across the river and into the trees, going up to his apartment, dropping a few pills in his wine or his beer or his bottled water, and then hanging him over a hook. But – Cynthia maintained that after having telephoned her father, she had gone to meet her girlfriend Josie at the movie theater a block from her apartment and together they had seen a movie that started around 9:15 and ended around 11:45, after which she and her friend Josie had gone for tea and scones at a little snack bar called Westmore’s. She had returned home at around twelve-thirty, and had not left the apartment again until the next morning at around twenty to nine, at which time she had taken the subway across the river, and walked to her father’s apartment, only to find Dad, poor Dad, hanging in the closet, and I’m feeling so bad. The movie she’d seen was part of a Kurosawa retrospective. It was titled High and Low, and it was based on a novel by an American who wrote cheap mysteries. A call to the theater confirmed the title of the film and the start and finish times. A call to her girlfriend Josie Gallitano confirmed that she had accompanied Cynthia to the movie and had later enjoyed a cup of tea and a chocolate-covered scone with her. Cynthia’s husband, as was to be expected, confirmed that he had found her asleep in bed when he got home from a poker game at around one o’clock. She had not left the apartment again that night. There had been six other men in that poker game. Keating claimed that the game had started at eight o’clock and ended at around a quarter past midnight. The six other men confirmed that he had been there during the times he’d stated. His wife, as was to be expected, confirmed that he’d come home at around one a.m., and had not left the apartment again that night. It appeared to the detectives that their two prime suspects had airtight alibis and that whoever had dropped Rohypnol into Andrew Male’s drink and draped him over a closet hook was still out there boogying someplace. At Hale’s funeral on Sunday morning, they listened to a minister who had never met the man telling his sole remaining relatives what a fine and upstanding human being he’d been. Cynthia Keating and her husband Robert listened dry-eyed. It was still raining when the first shovelful of earth was dumped onto Male’s simple wooden casket. It was as if he had never existed. From home that Sunday night, Carella called Danny Gimp. â€Å"Danny?† he said. â€Å"It’s Steve.† â€Å"Hey, Steve,† Danny said. â€Å"Whatta ya hear?† This was a joke. Danny Gimp was an informer. He – and not Carella – was the one who heard things and passed them on. For money. The men didn’t exchange any niceties. Carella got right down to business. â€Å"Old guy named Andrew Hale . . .† â€Å"How old?† Danny asked. â€Å"Sixty-eight.† â€Å"Ancient,† Danny said. â€Å"Got himself aced Thursday night.† â€Å"Where?† â€Å"Apartment off Currey Yard.† â€Å"What time?† â€Å"ME puts it around midnight. But you know how accurate PMFs are.† â€Å"How’d he catch it?† â€Å"Hanged. But first he was doped with a drug called Rohypnol. Ever hear of it?† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"You have?† â€Å"Sure,† Danny said. â€Å"Anyway,† Carella said, â€Å"the only two people who had any reason to want him dead have alibis a mile long. We’re wondering if maybe they knew somebody handy with a noose.† â€Å"Uh-huh.† â€Å"He’s a lawyer . . .† â€Å"The dead man?† â€Å"No. One of the suspects.† â€Å"A criminal lawyer?† â€Å"No. But he knows criminal lawyers.† â€Å"That doesn’t mean he knows hit men.† â€Å"It means there could’ve been access.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"Ask around, Danny. There’s twenty-five grand in insurance money involved here.† â€Å"That ain’t a lot.† â€Å"I know. But maybe it’s enough.† â€Å"Well, let me go on the earie, see what’s what.† â€Å"Get back to me, okay?† â€Å"If I hear anything.† â€Å"Even if you don’t.† â€Å"Okay,† Danny said, and hung up. He did not get back to Carella until the following Sunday night, the seventh of November. By that time, the case was stone cold dead. Danny came limping into the place he himself had chosen for the meet, a pizzeria on Culver and Sixth. The collar of his threadbare coat was pulled high against the wind and the rain. A long, college-boy, striped muffler was wrapped around his neck, and he was wearing woolen gloves. He peered around the place as if he were a spy coming in with nuclear secrets. Carella signaled to him. A scowl crossed Danny’s face. â€Å"You shouldn’t do that,† he said, sliding into the booth. â€Å"Bad enough I’m meeting you in a public place.† Carella was willing to forgive Danny his occasional irritability. He had never forgotten that Danny had come to the hospital when he’d got shot for the first time in his professional life. It had not been an easy thing for Danny to do; police informers do not last long on the job once it is known they are police informers. Danny’s eyes were darting all over the place now, checking the perimeter. He himself had chosen the venue, but he seemed disturbed by it now, perhaps because it was unexpectedly crowded at nine a.m. on a Monday morning. Who the hell expected people eating pizza for breakfast? But he couldn’t go to the station house, and he didn’t want Carella to come to his shitty little room over on the South Side because to tell the truth, it embarrassed him. Danny had known better times. He was thinner than Carella had ever seen him, his eyes rheumy, his nose runny. He kept taking paper napkins from the holder on the table, blowing his nose, crumpling the napkins and stuffing them into the pockets of his coat, which he had not yet removed. He did not look healthy. But more than that, he looked unkempt, odd for a man who’d always prided himself on what he considered sartorial elegance. Danny needed a shave. Soiled shirt cuffs showed at the edges of his ragged coat sleeves. His face was dotted with blackheads, his fingernails edged with grime. Sensing Carella’s scrutiny, he said in seeming explanation, â€Å"The leg’s been bothering me.† â€Å"I’m sorry to hear that.† â€Å"Yeah, it still bothers me. From when I got shot that time.† â€Å"Uh-huh.† Actually, Danny had never been shot in his life. He limped because he’d had polio as a child. But pretending he’d been wounded in a big gang shoot-out gave him a certain street cred he considered essential to the gathering of incidental information. Carella was willing to forgive him the lie. â€Å"You want some pizza?† he asked. â€Å"Coffee might be better,† Danny said, and started to rise. BMiimCi â€Å"Sit,† Carella said, â€Å"I’ll get it. You want anything with it?† â€Å"The pastry looks good,† Danny said. â€Å"Bring me one of them chocolate things, okay?† Carella went up to the counter and came back some five minutes later with two chocolate eclairs and two cups of coffee. Danny was blowing on his hands, trying to warm them. A constant flow of traffic through the entrance doors and past the counter kept bringing in the cold from outside. He picked up his coffee cup, warmed his hands on that for a while. Carella bit into his chocolate eclair. Danny bit into his. â€Å"Oh, Jesus,† he said, â€Å"that is delicious,† and took another bite. â€Å"Oh, Jesus,† he said again. â€Å"So what’ve you got?† Carella asked. $25,000 was a big-enough prize in a city where you could buy anyone’s dead ass for a subway token. If Robert Keating and his wife Cynthia had been otherwise engaged while her father was being hoisted and hanged, the possibility existed that they’d hired someone to do the job for them. In this city, you could get anything done to anybody for a price. You want somebody’s eyeglasses smashed? You want his fingernails pulled out? His legs broken? You want him more seriously injured? You want him hurt so he’s an invalid the rest of his life? You want him skinned, you want him burned, you want him – don’t even mention it in a whisper – killed! It can be done. Let me talk to someone. It can be done. â€Å"I’ve got quite a lot, actually,† Danny said, seemingly more involved in his eclair than in doing business. â€Å"Oh really?† Carella said. On the phone last night, Danny had said only that he’d come up with something interesting. This morning, it seemed to be more than that. But perhaps this was just the prelude to negotiation. Actually, Danny knew that what he had was very good stuff. So good, in fact, that it might be worth more money than Carella was used to paying. He hated negotiating with someone he considered an old friend, though he was never quite sure Carella shared the sentiment. At the same time, he didn’t want to pass on information that could conceivably lead to a bust in a murder case, and then have Carella toss fifty bucks or so across the table. This was too good for that kind of chump change. â€Å"I know who did it,† he said, flat out. Carella looked surprised. â€Å"Yeah, I got lucky,† Danny said, and grinned. His teeth looked bad, too. He was clearly not taking good care of himself. â€Å"So let me hear it,† Carella said. â€Å"I think this is worth at least what the killer got,† Danny said, lowering his voice. â€Å"And how much is that?† â€Å"Five grand,† Danny said. â€Å"You’re joking, right?† â€Å"You think so?† Danny said. Carella did not think so. â€Å"I’d have to clear that kind of money with the lieutenant,† he said. â€Å"Sure, clear it. But I don’t think this guy’s gonna hang around very long.† â€Å"What can I tell him?† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"My lieutenant.† Five thousand was a lot of money to hand over to an informer. The squadroom slush fund sometimes rose higher than that, depending on what contributions went into it in any given month. Nobody asked questions about a few bucks that disappeared during drug busts hither and yon, provided the money went into what was euphemistically called â€Å"The War Chest†. But a big drug intercept on the docks downtown had slowed traffic in the precinct these past two months, and Carella wondered now if there was that much contingency cash lying around. He further wondered if the lieutenant would turn over that kind of money to a stoolie. Danny’s information would have to be pure gold to justify such an outlay. â€Å"Tell him I know who did it and I know where he is,† he said. â€Å"If that ain’t worth five grand, I’m in the wrong business.† â€Å"How’d you get this?† Carella asked. â€Å"Fellow I know.† â€Å"How’d he get it?† â€Å"Straight from the horse’s mouth.† â€Å"Give me something I can run with.† â€Å"Sure,† Danny said. â€Å"Your man was in a poker game.† â€Å"You talking about Robert Keating?† Carella said, surprised. â€Å"No. Who’s Robert Keating?† â€Å"Then who do you mean?† â€Å"The guy you’re looking for,† Danny said. â€Å"He was in a poker game this past Saturday night.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"Who’s Robert Keating?† Danny asked again. â€Å"Nobody,† Carella said. â€Å"What about this game?† â€Å"Your man was betting big.† â€Å"How big?† â€Å"Thousand-dollar pots. Came in with a five-grand stake, worked it up to twenty before the night was through. Big winner.† â€Å"Is he a gambler?† â€Å"No, he’s a hit man who just likes to gamble.† â€Å"He from this city?† â€Å"Houston, Texas. And heading back there.† â€Å"When?† â€Å"Sometime this Wednesday. You want him, you better move fast. Funny about Houston, ain’t it?† Carella did not think there was anything funny about Houston. â€Å"It must drive foreigners crazy,† Danny said. â€Å"The way words are spelled the same, but pronounced different. In English, I mean.† â€Å"How does this guy spell his name?† Carella asked, fishing. â€Å"Ho ho,† Danny said. â€Å"There’s a street in New York, you know, it’s spelled exactly the same as the city in Texas, but it’s pronounced House-ton Street. Instead, we say Youse-ton, Texas, after Sam Youse-ton, is the way he pronounced his name. Which is peculiar, don’t you think?† â€Å"How does this hit man pronounce his name?† â€Å"Ho, ho, ho,† Danny said, and shook his finger. â€Å"Who hired him?† Carella said. â€Å"Can you tell me that?† â€Å"I don’t know who hired him.† â€Å"Why was the old man killed?† â€Å"Somebody wanted what he had and he wouldn’t turn it over. So they took him out of the picture.† â€Å"They?† â€Å"Whoever.† â€Å"More than one person?† â€Å"I don’t know that for sure.† â€Å"You said ‘they.'† â€Å"Just an expression. All I know is the only way to get what they wanted was to have him dusted.† â€Å"The old man didn’t have a pot to piss in, Danny.† â€Å"I’m telling you what I heard.† â€Å"From who?† â€Å"My friend. Who got it straight from the hitter.† â€Å"He told your friend he killed somebody?† â€Å"Of course not.† â€Å"I didn’t think so.† â€Å"But he told him enough.† â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"Drunk talk. Suppose this, suppose that.† â€Å"Suppose what, Danny?† â€Å"Okay, suppose there’s this old fart got something somebody else wants real bad and he won’t part with it? And suppose this something is worth a lotta money? And suppose . . .† â€Å"This is our man talking?† â€Å"This is him. Suppose somebody’s willing to pay a person five large to get rid of the old man and make it look like an accident? And suppose . . .† â€Å"Did he use that word? Accident?† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"And the price was five grand?† â€Å"The same five he brought into the poker game.† â€Å"When did he tell your friend all this?† â€Å"Saturday night. After the game. They went back to his hotel room, had a few drinks, smoked a few joints.† â€Å"Who supplied them?† â€Å"The drinks?† â€Å"The drinks, the pot.† â€Å"The hitter. It was his party. I gotta tell you something, Steve. When a guy makes a big score, and then he quadruples it in a card game, he wants to talk about it, you dig? He’s proud of it. That’s the way these guys’ minds work. They want to tell you how great they are. My friend lost his shirt in that game Saturday night. Well, winners like to shit all over losers. So your hitter took pity on my friend, asked him to share a bottle and a couple of joints with him so he could tell him how fuckin terrific he is, gettin five grand to dust an old fart.† â€Å"But he didn’t tell him that.† â€Å"The five grand, yes. The actual dusting, no.† â€Å"Then you’ve got nothing to sell.† â€Å"Oh, I’ve got plenty to sell. Remember what you told me on the phone? You asked did I hear anything on this old man got doped with R2 before somebody hung him in the closet. That ain’t the kind of detail a person forgets, Steve. Well, before my friend left the hotel room – I think they had sex, by the way. My friend and the hitter. He’s gay, my friend. Anyway, the hitter handed him a little present. A gift for the loser, you know? A consolation prize. Said it’d help his sex life. Grinning, right? It’ll help your sex life, Harpo, give it a try. That’s my friend’s name, Harpo. So Harpo figured the guy was laying a Viagra cap on him. But instead, it was this.† Danny reached into his coat pocket. He opened his hand. A blister-pack strip of white tablets was on the palm, the word Roche echoing over and again across its face. â€Å"Roach,† Danny said. â€Å"Same as your hangman used.† â€Å"Who gave you that?† â€Å"Harpo.† â€Å"Harpo what?† â€Å"Marx,† Danny said, and grinned like a barracuda. â€Å"Let me get this straight.† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"Poker game Saturday night . . .† â€Å"Right on Lewiston Avenue.† â€Å"Guy who killed Andrew Hale comes into the game with five grand, leaves it with twenty. Invites your friend Harpo up for a drink, some pot, a little sex, starts boasting about the hit, lays a strip of roach on him before they part company.† â€Å"You’ve got it.† â€Å"And you say the hitter’s leaving town the day after tomorrow?† â€Å"From what I understand.† â€Å"This isn’t any high-pressured bullshit, is it, Danny?† â€Å"Me? High-pressured?† â€Å"I mean, he really is going back to Houston this Wednesday?† â€Å"Is what Harpo told me.† â€Å"And he also told you the guy’s name . . .† â€Å"He did.† â€Å". . . and where he’s staying.† â€Å"That’s right.† â€Å"Out of the goodness of his heart.† â€Å"He’s a friend. Also, I’ll probably pass a little something on to him if your lieutenant comes through.† â€Å"I’ll have to get back to you on this,† Carella said. â€Å"Sure, take your time,† Danny said. â€Å"You got till Wednesday.† â€Å"I’ll let you know,† Carella said, and started to move out of the booth, suddenly remembering how cold it was outside on this eighth day of November. You got to be forty, and suddenly it was cold out there. He was sliding across the leatherette seat, swinging his legs out, starting to rise, Danny doing the same thing on the other side of the table, when the first shot pierced the din of the abnormally crowded room, silencing it in an instant. Even before the second shot sounded, people were diving under tables. It took a moment for Carella to spot the two gunmen advancing swiftly toward the booth, one black, one white, equal opportunity employment. It took another moment for him to realize Danny Gimp was their target. His coat was already unbuttoned, he reached across his waist for a cross-body draw, the nine-millimeter Clock snapping out of its holster with a spring-assisted click. There were more shots. Someone screamed. Danny was scrambling across the floor on his hands and knees, trailing blood. A man running for the entrance doors knocked over one of the serving counters, and pizza toppings spilled all over the floor, tomato sauce running into anchovies and mushrooms and grated cheese and slippery slices of pepperoni. Carella upended a table, and ducked behind it. There was more screaming, two more shots very close by, footsteps pounding. He raised his head in time to see the gunmen running toward the front of the place, leaped to his feet, began chasing after them. There was still too much background for him to risk firing. He followed them out into the street, thought he had a clear shot, but they turned the corner in that instant and were gone. Shit, he thought. The last two shots Carella heard had been fired at close range into Danny’s head. The shot near his cheek was fired with the muzzle of the gun almost touching the skin; there was a cluster of soot on the flesh but hardly any gunpowder around the wound itself. The shot closer to Danny’s chin was fired from a few inches away; gunpowder particles were diffused over a two-inch diameter and the wound was encircled by a small area of soot. Danny was already dead when Carella knelt beside him. A patrolman pounded into the pizzeria with his gun drawn, scaring the patrons even further, yelling â€Å"Stand back, everybody keep back,† like an extra in an action-adventure movie. Tables and chairs had been overturned in the mad rush that virtually cleared the place of customers. But many of the patrons still lingered, either curious to see what a bleeding body looked like close up, or else hoping to wave to the television cameras if and when they got here. There was nothing jackasses liked better than to grin and wave at the camera while tragedy was unfolding in the foreground. â€Å"I’m on the job,† Carella told the patrolman. â€Å"Get an ambulance here.† A second patrolman entered the place now, his gun also drawn, his eyes wide, his face pale. He had never seen a dead body before except for that time in a funeral home when his uncle Pete died of sclerosis of the liver. The first patrolman, similarly inexperienced, was already on his mobile phone, telling Sergeant Murchison at the Eight-Seven that there’d been a shoot-out in the pizzeria on Culver and Sixth, Guide’s, the place was called. â€Å"There’s one person down, better send a meat wagon,† he actually called it, causing Murchison to wince. The television cameras arrived some five minutes before either the ambulance or a second car from adjoining Charlie Sector angled into the curb. A woman wearing a fake fur that looked fake told the roving reporter that all at once these two big guys came in and started shooting at the man lying on the floor over there, at which point the camera operator panned over to where Danny was lying in an ocean of slippery pizza toppings, blood and tomato sauce mingling to create an op-art camera op. The second patrolman told everybody to keep back; he was wondering if he should put up some of those yellow crime scene tapes he had in the trunk of the patrol car. Two teenagers wearing woolen watch caps, ski parkas, and baggy pants tried to position themselves behind the victim so they could grin and wave at the camera, but they were too late. The camera operator had already turned to the entrance door, where a pair of detectives from the Eight-Seven were walking in looking very official and bus y, shields pinned to their overcoats, faces raw from the biting cold outside. Behind them, an ambulance was pulling in, which made for another good shot, the detectives with long strides and flapping overcoats, the flashing red lights on the ambulance, this was the camera operator’s lucky day. Arthur Brown, one of the responding detectives, would later tell everyone in the squadroom that even before Carella informed him, he knew the guy laying on the floor there was dead. The detective with Brown was Bert Kling. The minute he spotted Carella, he went over to him and asked, â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"Two hitters nailed Danny Gimp,† Carella said, and got to his feet, his coat sleeve stained with blood from Danny’s wounds, the knees of his trousers soiled from all the pizza shit on the floor. They all stood around while the stretchers came in. The paramedics realized at once that there wasn’t any urgency about getting Danny aboard. How to cite The Last Dance Chapter Two, Essay examples

Thursday, April 30, 2020

The Buyer Behaviour Essay Example

The Buyer Behaviour Paper The purpose of this report is to analyse and evaluate the decision-making process consumers go through when purchasing health supplements and formal clothing. The objective is to compare the differences between the two processes and identify the implications each has on marketing strategy. This has been achieved through both secondary and primary research. The secondary analysis involved research using the textbooks and articles on health supplements and formal clothing and the application of relevant consumer behaviour concepts and theories. This report will also thoroughly discuss, compare and report on the typical decision making processes likely to be followed by a selected target market for the purchase and use of health supplements and formal clothing. This will involve the primary research in which 8 people will be interview with questions regarding to consumer behaviour in the purchase of health supplements and formal clothing. The report is structured in a way to present each aspect of the decision-making processes for formal clothing, which followed, by health supplements to enable comparison to be made in each section. We will write a custom essay sample on The Buyer Behaviour specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Buyer Behaviour specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Buyer Behaviour specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer 2. 0 Target Market Health supplements is an industry which is growing because of intelligent, healthy people. (National Business Review, 1996, p. 32). In New Zealand, the research shows that people are more and more aware of good health, its relationship to lifestyle, and how they can use health supplements to augment self heal health care. In other words, people today are looking for prevention rather than just cure. In 1994, 32% of New Zealanders took some form of supplement and in the latest study in 1997 this figure has increased to 74%. Each different product market consists of buyers, and buyers are all different in one way or another. They may differ in their wants, resources, locations, buying attitudes and buying practices. Because buyers have unique needs and wants, each buyer is potentially a separate market. For example, in the health supplements market, the seller identifies market segments, and develops different health supplements products and marketing mixes tailored to each needs and wants. Both health supplements and formal clothing are market which its’ products appeals to many buyers. Many people once in their life would have bought both products at sometimes during their life stages. There is no single way to segment a market. In this report, students are selected under the occupation market segment as the target market. The target market consists of students studying at universities. 3. 0 Involvement Consumer involvement is the perceived personal importance and interest consumers attach to the acquisition, consumption, and disposition of a good, service, or an idea. As their involvement increases, consumers have a greater motivation to attend to, comprehend, and elaborate on information pertaining to the purchase. (Mowen Minor, 1998, p. 64). In the case of low involvement, consumer views a purchase as unimportant and regards the outcome of his or her decision as inconsequential. Because the purchase carries a minimal degree of personal relevance or identification, the individual feels there is little or nothing to be gained from attending to the details of a purchase. (Hanna Wozniak, 2001, p. 290). For example, a purchase of health supplements requires minimal or no premeditation and planning for some consumers.

Saturday, March 21, 2020

5 Ways to Use Rest and Reflection to Make Learning Stick

5 Ways to Use Rest and Reflection to Make Learning Stick Memory is sticky. Rest is good for learning. These are two of the most recent findings about learning from the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (October 2014) by Margaret Schlichting, a graduate student researcher, and Alison Preston, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience. The study Memory Reactivation during Rest Supports Upcoming Learning of Related Content describes how the researchers gave participants given two learning tasks that required them to memorize different series of associated photo pairs. Between the tasks, participants could rest for several minutes and could think about anything they chose. Brain scans on participants who used that time to reflect on what they had learned earlier in the day did better on tests later. These participants also performed better with additional   information, even if the overlap pertaining to what they learned later was small. Weve shown for the first time that how the brain processes information during rest can improve future learning, said Preston, explaining that letting the brain wander to previous experiences helped solidify new learning. So how might educators use the information from this study? Educators who provide students the time to develop a secure grasp of content through rest and reflection give student brains an opportunity to increase synaptic transmission along the neural pathways that are tasked with a particular form of learning. Rest and reflection makes those transmissions connect to other background knowledge, and those connections become stronger, which means learning is more likely to stick.   For teachers wanting to take advantage of these findings in how brains work,   there are several different strategies to try that allow for reflections when new content is introduced: 1.Think-jot-pair-share: Give students several minutes to think about new learning beginning with the simplest question, â€Å"What do I already know about this new content and how can that help me better understand?† This is the â€Å"rest† period, so give students time to think first without writing.Give students time to reflect and jot down their responses   (doodle, map, outline, notes). This is the reflection period.Have students pair or group and share their responses with each other.Have each pair or group share out what they already know and how this knowledge might help them. 2. Reflective journaling: Reflective journaling is a practice where students are provided time to think deeply and write about a learning experience. This involves the student writing about: What happened (positive and negative);Why it happened, what it means, how successful it was;What the student (personally) learned from the experience. 3. Mindmapping: Give students time to think (rest period) as they use the powerful cognitive strategy that combines graphics and   spatial awareness have students start in the center of a piece of paper and use a central image that is connected to new learningHave students branch out in lines and add additional images that are related to the central imageMake the lines curved and encourage the use of color to make the mind map Limit the number of words to one per line 4. Exit Slip This strategy requires students reflect on what they have learned and express what or how they are thinking about the new information by answering a   prompt given by the teacher. Providing time for students to think first,this strategy is an easy way to incorporate writing into many different content areas.    Examples of exit slip prompts: The most important thing I learned today was†¦Summarizing what I learned in 20 words:I need help with†¦I would like to learn about†¦My   understanding of today’s topic from 1-10 is a ___ because,..... 5. The 3,2,1,bridge This routine can be introduced by having students do an initial 3, 2, 1 set of reflections individually on paper.    Before new content is introduced, students are asked to  write down 3 thoughts, 2 questions, and 1 compare or contrast statement on a topic that will be taught;After the topic is introduced, students complete another 3,2,1 3 thoughts, 2 questions, and 1 compare/contrast statement or analogy;  Students then share both their initial and new thinking and draw a bridge between the before new learning and after new learning. The share the bridge with other students. Whatever strategy is selected, educators that provide time for rest and reflection when new content is introduced are educators that allow students to use their prior knowledge or memories to make new learning stick.  Spending the time for reflection with any of these strategies when new material is introduced will mean that students will need less time for reteaching later.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

How Not to Be an Outcast in College

How Not to Be an Outcast in College Being an outcast, or socially inept in college is rather costly. It translates into a less productive and memorable college experience. Whatever, but if that’s something you would rather learn to avoid, then this article is for you. Though it’s a subjective topic, here’s a step by step breakdown of your typical anti-outcast college strategy. 1. Work on You First The only thing that separates you from anything, any goal or objective, is you. Within reason of course. But there are no real walls between you and a robust social life in college. The only thing in your way is your unique â€Å"narrative† that you define yourself with. Change that first. Work on you first. If your attitude is horrible, nothing else you do will help all that much anyway. 2. Read Some Dale Carnegie If you’re a college student today, chances are good ol’ Dale is a bit before your time. Whether you buy it as an eBook or paperback, read this: How to Win Friends and Influence People. If this were the only book you ever read for personal gain, it’s the perfect choice. Odds are just like the countless millions before you, you’ll not only read it again, but take notes and memorize his simple concepts as well. If readin Dale Carnegie is too much for you at the moment, at least read our article on how to deal with having no friends in college. 3. Be the Good Servant At all times be looking for ways to be of service to people without causing them to lose face in any way, or put yourself in a position where you end up getting taken advantage of. When you do get the chance to be of service, go above and beyond 100% of the time. Both Dale Carnegie and Napoleon Hill are big fans of the parable (New Testament). Seriously: If you develop this practice into a habit and stick to it, you will undoubtedly live a prosperous life and make many friends throughout your life. Though many people think that making friends after college is a struggle it is not really so. No matter what it is, go above and beyond without asking for extra pay or recognition. 4. Grow Up â€Å"Grow up† could mean all kinds of things. In this context, we’re referring to how you choose to project yourself to other people via your outward appearance. It doesn’t mean caving in completely, or totally selling out. It just means telling the world around you that you respect yourself. By all means sport some personality in your style, but make sure it’s clean. If you don’t take yourself seriously, hardly anyone else will. 5. Say These Two Things All the Time Let’s be clear, these are affirmations and there’s absolutely no question that they work miracles. Successful and worldly well-connected people use them every day of their lives. However, when you say these two things to yourself on a consistent basis (10 times a day in the beginning) embody them. Get into it! Make it real! Every day I meet the perfect people for me. No matter what I choose to do or say, the right people see and hear me. 6. Remember This Statement Check this out, and no, we haven’t the slightest clue who the quote originates from: â€Å"I am not what I think I am, and I am not what they think I am. I am what I think that they think I am.† Once the depth of that statement hits you and you really get it, you’ll never be the same. What you think people think about you (if they think about you at all) is almost complete rubbish. Yet, how much of what we say, do and think every day is influenced by this self-imposed illusion? Get it straight because this is reality: people really care about just one thing (themselves) no matter how you slice it. Regardless of how noble or righteous, at the end of the day all we really experience in this life is ourselves and no one else. 7. Play to Your Strengths In light of the last statement, you should obviously play to your own unique traits (strengths). You’re the only thing that sets you apart from everyone else, so express you and be unafraid. If it’s respect you want, this is the most direct route. When you play to your strengths and stand as yourself, unafraid before the insecure eyes of your peers, they will not only be drawn to you but regard you as a â€Å"really cool person† in that neutral sense that appeals to everyone. 8. Understand the 6 Human Needs The more you know about what every human being needs, the more equipped you are to use this knowledge to your benefit (and theirs). Comfort Uncertainty/Variety Love Growth Contribution Love/Connection As you can see, 99% of what it takes to avoid being an outcast in college is psychological in nature. And no, that doesn’t mean we think you should be a psych-major. What do you think, did we nail it? Tell us in the comments!

Monday, February 17, 2020

Chapter 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chapter 2 - Essay Example o is expected to do promotional activities or fieldwork that may necessitate stamina or to be on toes all the time, than the best fit would be a good ability-job fit (Robbins, Judge and Campbell). 3) Working with older people helps one to learn better since one can learn from the experience they have gained over the years to which in turn would be of great benefit. One is better able to analyze the organizational situations that may otherwise have taken longer to reach any decisions (Robbins, Judge and Campbell). 4) I have been given the opportunity to choose for myself. Similarly, I will give a chance to my children to choose for themselves too. The reason behind this is that it allows people to be satisfied with what they are doing and this job satisfaction is important for an employee in order to perform well (Robbins, Judge and Campbell). 5). One of the important factors for job satisfaction is to have a job that is secure. Similarly, it is also important that the flow of communication with senior management is satisfying. The job benefits and contingency to use the abilities and skills that I have developed adds to job satisfaction (Robbins, Judge and Campbell

Monday, February 3, 2020

Emax electronics uae Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Emax electronics uae - Essay Example The product spectrum comprises of photography, IT, audio, mobiles, video, accessories, wellness and fitness, gaming, do-it-yourself, gifting, motor vehicle electronics and navigation, personal care, watches, musical instruments, home solutions, portable and MP3 players, telecom, kitchenware, videos and music, security solutions, home appliances, among many more (Holand and Beall 2012, p.30). This, together with competitive value and unparalleled service, makes Emax one area for every electronics needs. A widely used and comprehensible tool that helps a person to scrutinize the political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological shifts in a business environment is known as PEST Analysis. It aids in comprehending the powers of transformation that a certain business may be exposed to, and thereafter take full advantage of the chances that these transformations present. Emax electronics uses PEST Analysis to adapt and understand its future business environment (Grasser and Meller 2009 , p.7). Transformations in an environment for business can lead to significant opportunities for any organization and at the same time can cause significant threats. For instance, opportunities can emerge from latest technologies that aid in reaching fresh clients, from fresh financing streams that enable an individual to invest in superior equipment, as well as from changed policies of the government that result in new markets. On the other hand, threats can comprise of deregulation which exposes an individual to a shrinking market; intensified competition; or increases in rates of interest which can create concerns if a business is burdened by heavy debt (Grasser and Meller 2009, p.8). Emax electronics has been supported by PEST Analysis to spot its business opportunities as well as being offered advanced warning of substantial threats. Emax’s direction of change within its business environment has been revealed by PEST Analysis. Consequently, it has been able to shape its electronic business so that it operates hand in hand with change, but not against it. Through the use of PEST Analysis Emax electronics has avoided commencing projects, which have a high likelihood of failing for reasons beyond its control. It has succeeded breaking free of some unconscious assumptions when it gets into a new country, market, or region because, through PEST Analysis, it can develop an objective analysis of this fresh environment (Holand and Beall 2012, p.31). The major competitors of E max electronic are other emerging electronic suppliers such as Jumbo Electronics Dubai UAE, Sharaf dj, Emirates Electronics Industries, Abu Dhabi United Electronics, and Carefour. The main advantage that these competitors have over Emax electronics is the fact that they specialize in just a few electronic products. (Ward and Daniel 2012, p.16) With this specialization, their products tend to be deemed perfect by many customers. E max supplying a wide range of products is a setback for them as well as an opportunity of capturing all customers under one roof. It is natural not to be perfect hence even customers will bring out this judgment while purchasing these products (Holand and Beall 2012, p.32). Emax electronics, being a supplier of a wide range of products, might at some point ignore other products and concentrate much on others. This gives

Sunday, January 26, 2020

The Chocolate Market In India

The Chocolate Market In India This is a brief report regarding Cadburys organization covering all its segments in the market. It starts with an introduction about chocolate market in India followed by a brief about Cadburys establishment in India. It also gives a clear picture about all the brands of Cadbury India. This report also includes the PEST analysis, Porters 5 Forces Model and the SWOT analysis which shows an internal architecture of the working of the Cadburys business. It gives a brief detail about the issues that the company would face for starting a new store in Mumbai and its implementation respectively. 2. INTRODUCTION: 2.1. The chocolate market in India: In India chocolate consumption was very low in the early 90s but as the decade advanced the consumption drastically increased. The late 90s witnessed a good chocolate market condition. The chocolate market in India is dominated by two multinational companies Cadbury and Nestle. The national companies Amul and Campco are other candidates in this race. Cadbury holds more than 70% of the total share of the market. Nestle has emerged by holding almost 20% of the total share. Apart from chocolate segment, there is also a big confectionery segment which is flooded by companies like Parrys, Ravalgaon, Candico and Nutrine. All these are leading national players. The multinational companies like the Cadbury, Nestle and Perfetti are the new entrants in the sugar confectionery market. (Management paradise) There are several others which have a minor share in these two segments. According to statistics, the chocolate consumption in India is extremely low. If per capita consumption is considere d, it comes to only 160gms in the urban areas. This amount is very low compared to the developed countries where the per capita consumption is more than 8-10kg. Observing this fact it would not be appropriate to consider the rural areas of India as it will be extremely low. This low consumption is owing to the notion behind consuming chocolates. Indians eat chocolates as indulgence and not as snack food. The major target population is the children. India has witnessed a slow growth rate of about 10% pa from the 70s to the 80s. But as the century advanced the market stagnated. This was the time when Cadbury launched its product- Dairy Milk as an anytime product rather than an occasional luxury. All the advertisements of Dairy Milk paid a full attention to adults and not children. And this proved to be the major breakthrough for Cadbury as it tried to break the conventional ideas of the Indians about chocolate. One of the oldest products of Cadbury which is still going strong is the C adburys Five Star which was launched in the year 1968 in India. Cadburys Five Star is the most resistant chocolate to temperature and hence it is widely distributed all across the country. In early 90s, the Cocoa prices became high due to which the manufacturers were forced to raise their product prices. But as the new variety of chocolate was launched the wafer and the chocolate variety with the brand name Perk, the volume grew significantly. In the late 90s new players like Nestle also introduced these wafer chocolates with the name Kit Kat resulting into the growth of the market. (Management paradise) 2.2 Cadbury in India: Cadbury in India began its operations in the year 1948. After 60 years of existence, it has got five company-owned manufacturing facilities at Thane, Induri (Pune) and Malanpur (Gwalior), Bangalore and Baddi (Himachal Pradesh) and 4 sales offices (New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai). The corporate office is in Mumbai. There are 4 major segments under which the Cadbury operates Chocolate Confectionery, Milk Food Drinks, and Candy and Gum category. Cadbury has maintained its undisputed leadership in the chocolate confectionery segment enjoying over 70% of the total market share. Cadburys Dairy Milk is considered as the Gold Standard for chocolates in India. Cadbury India Ltd. is a subsidiary of the Cadbury Schweppes and employs over 2000 people across the country. Since 1965 Cadbury has pioneered the Cocoa cultivation in India in association with the Kerala Agricultural University. The research on Cocoa has resulted in numerous releases of clones and hybrids improving the cocoa yield. Cadbury has formed a separate Cocoa team which visits the farmers, conducts seminars and advises them on cocoa cultivation. Hardly surprising then that the Cocoa tree is called the Cadbury tree! Cadburys India Ltd has achieved great success due to its global and local management processes combined with unique customized business models. Along with these Cadburys has improvised their techniques of manufacturing leading to huge amount of cost savings. (Cadbury India) 2.3 Cadbury and premium segment in India: Currently Cadbury has various brands like Cadbury Dairy Milk, 5 Star, Perk, Eclairs and Celebrations. And now Cadbury India has launched a premium segment Cadbury Bournville Fine Dark Chocolate. With this move, the company aims to launch a new category of dark chocolates in India. Dark Chocolate is growing at a rate of 13% globally. But India is still at nascent stage. There is less than 25% awareness amongst the young age segment. Thus, its almost like a category creation with this launch. Since this is a new category, a lot of sampling will be required in terms of marketing. Besides traditional media campaign, there will be below-the-line activities. (Media newsline) The launch of Bournville Fine Dark Chocolate in India is timely, as it will cater to the evolving consumer preferences and serve as a treat for consumers looking for a moment of sheer indulgence. It contains 44% cocoa from the worlds finest Ghana beans and an ever so smooth texture, each little chunk is dark and undeniably good. The chocolate is available in four variants: rich cocoa, hazelnut, almond and raisin and nut and plans to target, 20-30 age bracket. Dark Chocolate acts as a mood-booster; by boosting serotonin and endorphin levels that generate the feel-good factor. This more than a perfect bar of dark chocolate turns the simple act of eating it into a form of art. It demands a certain ritual, where, in a way, each of its steps offers a tribute to every stage of your journey. Made from the finest ingredients, each individually presented Bournville Fine Dark Chocolate is an irresistible in-the-mouth delight specially created to savour the Indian palate. (Campaign India) 3. Situational: 3.1 PEST analysis of the Chocolate Segment in India: Growth and progress of a company depends upon multifarious factors which are known to have direct and apparent effects on the overall target and functioning of that company. For a gargantuan corporation like the Cadburys, it is very important to keep an eye out for the butterfly effects of the political, social, economical, technological and environmental factors. Any changes in the laws or regulations, especially concerning international trade and food labeling could greatly affect the chocolate industry. Awareness of the Food Safety Act will help the chocolate industry for sustaining in the ever growing market. The chocolate manufacturers need to make sure that none of the companies are breaking laws regarding production. For example, employing children or paying under minimum wage. Otherwise, scandals and lawsuits would greatly hurt their reputation. Inspite of the economy being relatively down at the moment, it is observed that the chocolate industry has not been affected much. A s a result it would support the launch of a new chocolate product or a new store. High consumer spending and low interest rates also encourage a new product. Confectionary market is growing at a very high rate and there are still many uncovered segments that require appropriate strategic approaches. Many people are trying to eat healthy and cut down on confectionary goods and soft drinks due to the current skinny is beautiful trend. Public opinion of chocolates is very high, so no major concerns are there to stop consumers from buying their products. Production is high due to advanced technologies and well equipped factories which enables high quality mass production. Medias such as the internet, television and the radio enable large amount of cheap advertisement. Internet is a good place to sell goods, even confectionary ones. Provides a new consumer group with access to Cadbury and allows even larger sales due to a larger overall consumer group. (Business studies) 3.2. Porters 5 Forces Model: Porters Five Force Analysis of Cadbury provides a deep insight into the various aspects which influence the companys structure and growth. The constant change in the market structure, shares and prices, due to the emergence of new chocolate manufacturers, demonstrates a threat for the existing chocolate and confectionery companies like the Perfetti, Parle, Ravalgaon, Nutrine Parrys, etc. But for a giant like Cadbury such threats are of no substantial value since it is such a big and reputed company. In fact Cadbury itself becomes an exceedingly bigger threat for the upcoming companies. Thus there is no question of rising competition and dispersion of the customers across all these new manufacturers. Therefore this factor does not significantly affect the total turnover of Cadbury. Recent reports of US chocolate major Hershey entering the Indian market is not worrying the company because a lot of home work in terms of knowing the Indian consumers, brand building and wide distribution network needs to be done by it. At the same time, the rivals should never be taken for granted as this is an evergreen sector with ample profit margins and with potential initial investments and appropriate market analysis any emerging company can spread its wings to become a huge success. (Myiris) Another threat which could possibly affect sales of the Cadbury is the threat of substitute products or services. Now, if the general eating habits of the consumers are taken into consideration, substitutes would definitely point out at the sweets dominantly omnipresent in the Indian market. Festive seasons witness a big sale in both sweets and chocolates. Advertising and a strong market analysis during such peak periods helps a company in making profits. It should be noticed that even cookies, carob confections, ice creams and the other bakery products like cakes and pastries present themselves as a good substitute for chocolates. In todays health conscious world fruits and other natural products are rising up to become a substitute for chocolates. (Good housekeeping) Another important force is the Bargaining power of supplier. It is the pressure that the suppliers can impose on sources for inputs that are needed in order to provide goods or services. Supplier bargaining power is likely to be high when, the market is dominated by a few large suppliers, the switching costs from one supplier to another are high, threat of forward integration by suppliers and the buying industry has low barriers to entry. Cadbury seeks high quality, great value and excellent service from all of its suppliers. Hence, it has formed an Ethical Sourcing Program which is a fundamental element in ensuring that the standards are met at every step in the supply chain. Also, Cadbury is developing a Supplier Diversity Program to enhance its supplier base and ensure that it reflects the markets they serve. Cadbury itself selects such suppliers who deliver the best overall value; value that consists of competitive pricing, technological foresight, customer service excellence an d the ongoing achievement of its supply chain and material standards. (C.S-supplier) Some what similar to the above would be another force which is Bargaining power of the buyers. Customers bargaining powers are likely to be high when they buy in large volumes, when they have knowledge about the production cost and most importantly when there are other potentially competitive companies selling the same type of product at reasonable costs. Cadbury faces tough challenge in this aspect as the customers are very well aware of all the above factors. Cadbury has thus designed the overall strategy to maintain its market dominance along with targeting the impulse buyers. (Hinduonnet) The most important force amongst all the Porters 5 forces is the Rivalry among existing firms. Cadbury currently faces tough competition from the international giants like the Nestle and Hersheys and national giants like the Amul and Campco. The company profit is inversely proportional to the intensity of rivalry. But it is observed that Cadbury has always welcomed strong competition (like that from Nestle from past 7-8 years). Cadbury believes that strong competition increases the market pie. This confidence is very well reflected from that fact that, despite Nestle launching its famous Kit Kat brand, Cadbury India has maintained its market share. 3.3. S.W.O.T Analysis: Based on the above introduction to Cadbury, the Porters Five Forces and PEST analysis a new SWOT analysis can be charted out. It is observed from the following analysis that Cadbury holds a bright future provided they fill in for the loop holes existing in their system. Cadbury being a reputed company has its brand name as one of its biggest strengths. It has been present for over 50 years even before competition could peep-in. Due to its presence for so many years people tend to associate chocolate with Cadbury. It is almost as if Cadbury is synonymous with generic category chocolate. Cadbury Schweppes is a very profitable organization, generating revenue in billions. The company recorded revenues of  £7,157 million during the fiscal year ended December 2005, an increase of 6.2% over 2004. Cadbury India Ltd is supported by its parent company, Cadbury Schweppes. A large range of products like chocolates, beverages, malted foods etc. are manufactured by Cadbury. These products are reasonably priced to suit different economic consumer categories. Celebrity endorsements have increased sales and also added glitter to the brand name. Cadbury India has the biggest market share at 60 per cent while Nestle is the second largest at 25 per cent. Amul holds the rest. In spite of innovation in the chocolate segment, their basic chocolate, Dairy Milk, still seems to remain the all time favorite of most people. The scenario of worms being found in Cadbury chocolates lead to a temporary decline in sales. Also Cadbury offers a limited variety of products as opposed to other leading competitive brands, e.g. Amul and Nestle that offer an array of products like biscuits, dairy products, etc. One of the major raw material i.e. Cocoa has to be imported leading to bunched imports and higher inventory. Also majority of markets in India are not Air conditioned and hence cannot store chocolates at least during hot summers, which limits the market access. As Cadbury has established i tself very well in the Indian market, it can now narrow down to some popular products and can bring down its own individual Cadburys store. It has capabilities to increase the range of products manufactured. The company can easily venture into new segments individually or jointly. Another very important opportunity that can be observed is the introduction of foreign products in India. The company can focus on targeting urban areas and developing sectors by working on availability and affordability. As observed in the Porters 5 forces, the company aims at bringing efficiency in logistics and distribution. This can very well be achieved by using information technology. Cadbury can also focus on gaining profits through chewing gum market in India. As Cadbury has already faced a worm scandal, its reputation has been put at stake by the competitors trying to exploit this situation. Also as earlier observed in Porters five forces, Cadbury faces a serious threat in the confectionery segmen t from companies like Amul, Nestle, etc. As Cadbury produces chocolates and a few related products, effective management of all the areas proves to be difficult at times. Trends of purchase may change with the ever-changing taste preference of consumers. Changing restrictions and rules from Government quality control boards may result in pressure on the production of the company cost increase. Also, Cadbury is exposed to rise in the cost of cocoa beans, dairy products and other vital ingredients. 4. Issues identification: After going through the important aspects of Cadburys, what issues I have come through are that Cadburys has a strong market position and is a major player in confectionary and chocolate industry. It serves in all segments like the chocolate confectionary, bars, candy, gums, milk food drinks and premium segment. Cadburys have a great brand name and it is well established from many years. Cadbury India has the biggest market share at 60 percent and it is expected to increase year by year. Also, due to its presence for so many years, people have started to associate chocolate with Cadbury which is a great advantage and achievement. They have a good rivalry with the existing companies and it doesnt bother much because of the goodwill created. As all these points shows how well established the company is in India, I think of recommending them to launch an individual Cadbury store where in all the products of different segments will be there in that store. And the brands which are not in India, I think of launching those brands with this store. There are already successful stores like Candies, Fantasie and Birdies in India and launching this would bring a tough competition in this new market sector. 5. Implementation: I believe that the stores should come up in Mumbai city because it is a metropolitan city and it is really a fine area to look out for potential customers. The stores should be located at places in Mumbai which are Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus, Bandra and Vashi. I think that these places are densely populated and the crowd is very happening. These places are also the hubs because many people from different cities prefer to go to these places for work, spending leisure time and to meet people. Chattrapati Terminus is located in South Mumbai. It is a market area; where millions of people go to and fro daily and therefore it would be easy to target the customers coming there for work and who stay there. It is also very close to Nariman point, Colaba and Marine drive and it would be easy to grab the attention of people coming from such extreme end of the city. Now about Bandra, it falls in the suburban side of Mumbai and it has a large multipurpose population. Bandra is also known for be ing the favourite shopping spot in the entire Mumbai. People go there for their daily work and also a huge amount of population resides there. So it is a nice place for the Cadbury store to flourish. Vashi is a huge market residential place as well as a commercial township in the city of Navi Mumbai. It is the prime locality in New Mumbai. The store must be located in any malls such as In-orbit, Centre one, Raghuleela or Palm Beach Galleria as many people visit these malls on a daily basis mainly for shopping and for fun. Bringing Cadburys store would serve as a competition for the retail stores such as Birdies and Croissant which are already in these malls. So these places come to my mind when I think about launching the store. 6. Conclusion: The Indian Chocolate Industry is a unique mix with extreme consumption patterns, attitudes, beliefs, income level and spending. Understanding the consumer demands and maintaining the quality will be essential. Pricing is the key for Cadburys to make their product reach to every consumer houses. Right pricing will make or break the product Success. Theres also an immense scope for growth of chocolate industry in India, geographically as well as in the product offering. So I think that bringing a store would bring prosperity and increase the sales of Cadburys as a whole again resulting in the goodwill of the company.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Mindy’s Sections Essay

Profitability BJB intends to apply a six sigma approach to improving profitability in the innovative CD changers. Using such tools provided through this approach will lead to major cost reduction and quality improvements that will result in an increase in profitability. The approach will involve measuring capability of processes to produce services and products that remain free of defect. Experts at BJB will analyze standard deviation, short term performance data, and critical to quality (CTQ) characteristics to predict long-term process capability. Such analysis will apply concepts to the product, such as opportunity for defect, defects per opportunity, and defects per million opportunities. Experts previously described will use a four step approach to deploy this strategy. These steps include measuring of CTQ characteristics; analysis through benchmarking and gap studies, improvement, and control. With a ratio of 1 expert per 100 employees, BJB will lead more projects per year as well as have a potential savings of $175,000 per project. Reference: Harry, Mikel J. (1998). Quality Progress. Six Sigma: A Breakthrough Strategy for Profitability. American Society for Quality. Retrieved from: http://asq.org/qic/display-item/index.html?item=13334 Customer Complaints Management BJB will apply a Six Sigma approach to manage and improve customer complaints’ management process. This methodology provides an organized structure for solving and analysis of problems. BJB will apply DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) phases to solve and define problems within the organization. First, the problem is defined, variables influencing processes are measured, cause for process failure are analyzed, improvements are planned and made as well as variables are controlled until a defined six sigma level and a solid level of customer satisfaction is determined. Reference: Riesenberger, Carlos & Sousa, Sergio Dinis (2010). Application of the Six Sigma Methodology in Customer Complaints Management: A Case Study in the Automotive Industry. Retrieved from: http://www.pomsmeetings.org/ConfPapers/015/015-0345.pdf Environmental Regulations Compliance BJB must consider environmental regulations compliance in regard to computer and electronic product manufacturing sector (NAICS 334). This sector covers manufacturers of electrical distribution equipment and electrical industrial apparatus as well as other electrical equipment and supplies. Laws and Regulations that BJB must abide by include: †¢ Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program †¢ National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP): air toxics regulations: o Degreasing Organic Cleaners (Halogenated Solvent Cleaners) o Magnetic Tape (surface coating) o Semiconductor Manufacturing †¢ Stratospheric Ozone Regulations: o The Phase-out of Ozone Depleting Substances o Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program: EPA’s program to evaluate and regulate substitutes for the ozone-depleting chemicals that are being phased out under the stratospheric ozone protection provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA). Compliance to such laws and regulations will assist BJB meet environmental obligations. Enforcement of legal action against BJB is a result of noncompliance to such laws and regulations. Reference: United States Environmental Protection Agency (2012). Laws and Regulations. Retrieved from: http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/compliance/