Joy Essays (1628 words) - Chinatown, San Francisco,

Joy Luck Club Essay It is true that all people are created different, and thus no two cultures will ever be the same. Throughout Asian American literature there seems to be a struggle between the Asian culture and American culture. More specifically, there is a struggle between Asian women and their Asian American daughters, and what it means to be feminine, and how a woman should act. The main struggle is between how the American woman should act and how the Asian woman should act. However, the behavior of the Asian woman seems to be dominant through out the story because although the daughters and the mothers may not get along all of the time, the mothers to receive a lot of respect from their daughters. Therefore, the mothers opinion on how they should act, which is behaving like the Asian woman, is most evident. This is the case in The Joy Luck Club, written by Amy Tan and also in the short story "Waiting for Mr. Kim," written by Carol Roh-Spaulding. These two stories have very different meanings, however they are similar in the aspect that they are all Asian women with Asian American daughters trying to get their daughters to keep and use their Asian heritage. There are certain behaviors that Asian women are expected to have, and the mothers feel that their daughters should use these behaviors. In The Joy Luck Club, the novel traces the fate of the four mothers-Suyuan Woo, An-mei Hsu, Lindo Jong, and Ying-ying St. Clair-and their four daughters-June Woo, Rose Hsu Jordan, Waverly Jong, and Lena St. Clair. Through the experiences that these characters go through, they become women. The mothers all fled China in the 1940's and they all retain much of their heritage. Their heritage focuses on what is means to be a female, but more importantly what it means to be an Asian female. In the short story "Waiting for Mr. Kim," the main female character Gracie understands what it means to be an Asian female, but she does question the meaning because of her sisters. Her sisters ran away from home before their marriage could be arranged and eloped. This is totally against Asian culture, and it causes Gracie to question her heritage and her Asian femininity. In both of these stories there are certain characteristics of females that are the same, they are inner strength, obedience, honor and respect, the good of the whole is better than the good of the individual, and finding things out for yourself. In the chapter "Scar" the characteristic of honor and respect is first noticed. In this chapter An-mei finds out how her mother basically deserted her, her mother did leave for a good reason, which was to maintain the honor of her family, but either way her mother left her. Her grandmother had to raise her, and she learned much about the Asian woman from her. An-mei was showing some disrespect towards on of her aunts, and her aunt told her that she was being disrespectful. Her grandmother then interjected and said, "When you lose your face, An-mei...it is like dropping your necklace down a well. The only way you can get it back is to fall in after it." She was talking about A-mei's mother, and how she left because she had disrespected the family and she was dishonorable to the family name. The only way for her mother to regain respect and honor was to leave and do it on her own, which is a characteristic of an Asian woman. Another feminine characteristic that comes from that scene is being able to do things on your own. However, this is an American influence. This characteristic comes from the chapter "Rules of the Game." This is a peculiar chapter in the book because it is a chapter where the woman is not seen as inferior to the man. Waverly's brother, Vincent, received a chess set for Christmas. However, Waverly is the one who took full use of the chess set. She was a natural, she would beat her brothers in chess, which would normally be looked down upon in Asian culture, but she was encouraged. She was even given lessons in chess, and she was a national champion. Unlike An-mei's mother, Waverly was bringing honor to the family name. When Waverly is encouraged to excel in chess she learns something from her mother. Her mother said in her broken English, "This American rules...Every time people come out from a foreign country, must know rules. You not know, judge

yo essays

yo essays Upon looking back at our YED dishes, we noticed some areas of bacteria growing on the outer edges of the plate as well as a very bad permeated throughout the room. The only signs of cross contamination that we observed happened when the diploid strains out grew their respected cells and began to move onto other cells areas. However, this was no cause for alarm because we had already recorded our observations and no longer needed the plates. Discussion: The process of sexually reproduction between stains of yeast begins with haploid gametes. The gametes code for dominant and recessive traits which on passed on to the next generation. In this lab's case, the "R" genotype coded for color with a cream color being dominant and red color being recessive. The "T" genotypes coded for the ability to grow in an MVA environment with growth being dominant and not growing being recessive. The haploid gametes combine together and produced diploid offspring which includes traits from both haploid gametes. However, the dominant and recessive traits determine the color and growth of the diploid offspring. My results completely reinforce the principles of dominant and recessive traits in sexual reproduction in that my partner I observed growth and color patterns that were identical to our projected phenotypes in the hypothesis. For the color phenotype ratio we counted 4 out 12 cells with red growth or 1:3 ratio. As for the growth on MVA phenotype ratio we again counted 4 out of 12 cells that did not grow on the MVA or 1:3 ratio. My group collected such accurate date because we meticulously made sure that contamination was kept to minimum. This lab has parallels with Mendal's experiments with peas. Mendal found that when two genes of a pair are different alleles, one is fully expressed or dominant and the other has no effect on or is recessive. Mendal also found that the first generation of offspring produces the entire dominant trait. ...

Quality Management (2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Quality Management (2) - Essay Example In the gradual process that led to its eventual improvement and landmark accomplishments, AS had to address the following challenges to its operations: In finding solutions to the above problems, AS made effective use of quality strategic planning in linking its corporate objectives with customers’ needs. Guided by its long-term strategic goals, AS then modified its organizational structure, relying on teams to fuel productivity. Managerial support, sound incentive programs, and an over-all corporation culture of information sharing and integration has made AS succeed as a model in TQM application. Total Quality Management was formally introduced in the post-war era by W. Edwards Deming, Joseph M .Juran and Philip B. Crosby, with the theories they established on management for quality in manufacturing systems. Since then the tenets of TQM have been adopted for application in services and commercial operations. Companies have met with either success or failure, depending on the manner they have incorporated these principles in their processes. For the purposes of this study, focus will be drawn on Boeing Aerospace Support, a large multinational organization which, despite its size, complexity, and product technicality, has continued to serve its customers well, maintain excellent employee motivation, and enjoy a progressively robust performance. Boeing Aerospace Support (also known as AS) is a subsidiary of the Boeing Company, which in turn is the largest aerospace company in the world. Boeing Aerospace provides products and services, among them aircraft maintenance, modification and repair. It also undertakes training for aircrews and maintenance staff, in a bid to reduce life-cycle costs and improve the effectiveness and safety of their aircraft. A huge part – ninety-seven percent – of Aerospace’s business is for military customers. The company has a workforce of 13,000 employees; it has its headquarters in St. Louis,

Family Immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Family Immigration - Essay Example From the interview, I discovered that my family is an immigrant from Romania; whereby, my grandfather’s father, Petru Balkan, having come to the United States in 1904. Petru came to the United States to make money so that he could return to Romania and start a business that would ensure the prosperity of his family. He came from a peasant background and because of this, he wanted to start a business in the one of the cities so that he could escape the poverty that tied many Romanian peasants to the land. In the beginning of the twentieth century, Romania was still a backward country both economically and industrially with most of the population still living in rural areas and working the land to make a living. The fact that many Romanians lived in poverty in rural areas provided them with the incentive to leave their homes and either go to the cities or to travel overseas where they believed they could attain a better life. In most cases, such as that of Petru Balkan, going to countries such as the United States was a temporary move which was done to ensure that they raised enough money with which they could return home and get involved in businesses which would enable them to become members of the small middle class of Romania. Therefore, the move to the United States by Romanians of the early twentieth century, in most cases, was inspired by economic factors and for many of them, the move was only temporary. The idea of coming to the United States was given to Petru by one of his cousins who had gone to the United States several years earlier and had managed to raise enough money to start his own business in Romania; a business which had achieved relative success. Therefore, at the age of twenty-two, Petru travelled to the United States with the intention of returning to Romania after five years at most. Petru came to America by ship and he had a rough time because, in addition to having never sailed before, he was very seasick

Personal statement for master in business administration

For master in business administration - Personal Statement Example For me giving back to the community is very important, thus I was highly involved in volunteer work. Some of the places in which I volunteered include the House of Care of the Elderly, Handicapped and Orphans, Al hajj services, Al-Mataf company, and KAU Research Endowment Fund. I learned from my volunteering experiences the value of collaboration and teamwork. During my college years I also dedicated a portion of my time towards working. I worked as a summer trainee in Saudi Aramco for two months in the supplier performance unit. Another work experience that I had the opportunity to complete was working as a call center reservation agent in Makkah Clock Royal Tower. These two work experiences taught me the importance of being disciplined. They also help me improve my written and verbal communication skills. As a student I also knew that it was important to learn English. I completed level 112 in the intensive English program from ELS. All these experiences have prepared me to become a graduate student in business. I want to pursue an MBA because I realized that in todays competitive job marketplace a bachelors degree is not sufficient move up the corporate ladder. One of my long term goals is to reach the managerial level. To be a good manager a person needs to have a solid educational background. Enrolling in a business graduate program will open the doors of opportunity for

The Virgin Group Brand

The Virgin Group Brand ABSTRACT The Research has been undertaken in order to reveal the unique strategies that the Virgin Group employed in its extensions, and to examine whether it is really successful through strategies and how far it can go in the future. To better answer this question six study objectives are derived. The three most important ones are : to show the whole extension history of the Virgin brand, its success and failures ;to demonstrate the unique strategies Virgin employed in its brand extensions; to discover the consumers attitude towards Virgins extensions and how far Virgin can go. In order to answer these questions, this research contains a literature review, the field research, as well as analysis and conclusion. The literature review explains the concept and main issues of brands, brand equity, and brand extension. Then the methodology is started and justified, and the investigated company and its brand extension strategies are introduced. After that the results of the survey are presented. And the conclusion is drawn according to academic literature, primary data , and secondary data. INTRODUCTION Research Context For decades the value of a company was measured in terms of its buildings and land, and then its tangible assets (plant and equipment). The 1980s marked a turning point in the conception of brands. Management came to realize that the principal asset of a company was in fact its brand name ( Kapferer , 1997 ) The brand is not the product but it gives the product meaning and defines its identity in both time and space. Brand equity is regarded as a very important concept in business practice as well as in academic research because marketers can gain competitive advantage through successful brands. The competitive advantage of firms that have brands with high equity includes the opportunity for successful extensions, resilience against competitors promotional pressures, and creation of barriers to competitive entry( Farquhar, 1989 ) . However, the cost of introducing a brand in to a consumer market can be considerable ranging from about $ 100 million ( ourusoff , 1992) , with a 50% probability of failure ( Crawford, 1993 ). Thus, it not a surprise that companies seeking growth opportunities may prefer to extend existing brands. Brand extension has been hailed as the way to achieve in a cost controlled environment. By capitalizing on the reputation of an established brand, companies save the high cost of creating new brands. New products which piggyback on favorable brands drive an immediate advantage by entering from a position of strength, thus reducing the risk in failure; while the parent brand gains some synergy through the heightened awareness that is generated in successful new product launches ( Pitta and Katsanis, 1995 ). While successful brand extensions can reap benefits, management should not forget the risk of extension failure. History shows the potential of brand extension problems, which range from out right failure to partial failures. Instead of success, the failed extension might tarnish the image and reduce the market share of the parent product. Since the brand extension decision in fact a strategic one, it is important to think strategically beyond the first extension to future growth areas. Further more, it is also important to manage those extensions strategically. Virgin group was chosen as the subject of this study because it offers great potential for studying the issue of brand extension, perhaps the best known example of successful unrelated diversification. Virgin started out as a publisher and retailer of popular music. Its brand was built up on the qualities expressed by its products. The virgin brand is now so powerful that it can be applied to diverse fields including airline, cola, financial services and even commercial space shuttles in the future. The Virgin group has a unique strategy in extending and managing its brand. They have remarkable success and some failure as well . However , to date , its successes have outweighed its failures . Research Aims and Objectives Research Aims This study is an attempt to investigate a company , Virgin group, to gain an insight in to the brand management and brand extension theory.. The researcher seeks to understand brand extension management both in general and in a particular organization. The researcher does not seek to gather statistical data for generalizations, but intends to make an in-depth study in order to highlight issues within this single organization. The research has been undertaken in order to reveal the unique strategies that the Virgin Group employed in its extensions, and to examine whether it is really successful through its strategies and how far it can go in the future . In detail , the research investigates the recognition of the virgin brand name , the recognition of the products / services under this brand name , the impact of extensions on brand name , and the perception of the brand by the customers. .Research Objectives The research aims to generate the following detailed research objectives. 1 To define brand image and brand extension 2 To demonstrate the consequences of brand extension. 3 To clarify the brand extension strategies. 4 To show the whole extension history of virgin brand including its successes and failures.. 5 To demonstrate the unique strategies Virgin employed in its brand extensions.. 6 To discover the consumers , attitude towards Virgins extensions and how far Virgin can go. All these objectives will be addressed through academic literature review, analysis of existing organisation data, analysis of the organisation survey and interview, and combination of the results. Research Structure The following research content can be divided into four sections: literature review, research methodology, primary and secondary research, and conclusion. The first section is concerned with the literature review. Before expounding the concept of brand extension, the researcher initially demonstrates the definitions of brand extension as one of the strategies in brand management emerged when brands were regarded as intangible assets gaining more attention. Brand extensions are closely linked with brand equity. Successful brand extensions result from good understanding of brand equity. Successful brand extensions result from good understanding of brand equity. After that the researcher clarifies the definition of brand extension, the consequences of brand extension, criteria in brand extension decisions, and evaluations of brand extensions. In the second section the researcher illustrates the research methodology from three dimensions: research philosophy, research approach, and research strategy. Then the collection methods of primary data and secondary data and the limitation of the methodology will be addressed. The third section is about the primary and secondary research. Secondary data will be collected and illustrated as the basis of primary research. Primary data will be collected from a standardized questionnaire survey and the data would be analyzed. Contribution to Research The prior literatures on brand extensions at Virgin Group clearly illustrated the unique strategies Virgin group employed to extend their brand and weighed its success and failures. This topic has been researched and represented on the basis of biographies and case studies in brand extension theories. Most of the literature has expressed doubts regarding how far the Virgin group can go with its brand. The purpose of this research is to explore those doubts mentioned above and determine how justified they are. The researcher will conduct a survey from consumers point of view to obtain the answer. The findings will show the awareness of the virgin brand and its products/services, and the attitudes of consumers towards those extensions in Virgin. Of course, all these aspects are just starting points for further research. It was impractical for the present research to obtain a comprehensive overview of Virgins extensions in general, nor was it practical to consider all existing documents, initiatives and other related information. Chapter 1 Literature Review 1.1 Introduction In this chapter, various perspectives of brand extension theories have been reviewed as the basis of the further research. Firstly, the researcher clarifies the general concepts of brand equity. Then brand extension, one of the brand management strategies, is explained in details. The chapter ends with a summery of the literature review. 1.2 What is a Brand? 1.2.1 Definitions of Brand Keller (1998) explained the origin of the word â€Å"brand† by using the research of Interbrand group. The word â€Å"brand† is derived from the Old Norse word â€Å"brandr, which means â€Å"to burn† as brands were and still are the means by which owners of livestock mark their animals to identify them. The different approaches to defining brand partly stem from differing philosophies and stakeholder perspectives, i.e. a brand may be defined from the consumers ‘ perspective and / or from the brand owners perspective .In addition , brands are sometimes defined in terms of their purpose, and sometimes described by their characteristics(Wood,2000). The American Marketing Association (1960) proposed the following company orientated definition of a brand as: â€Å"A name , term , sign, symbol, or design , or a combination of them , intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors.† The definition has been criticized for being too product -oriented, with emphasis on visual features as differentiating mechanisms (Arnold, 1992; Crainers, 1995). Despite the criticisms, the definition has endured to contemporary literature, albeit in modified from .Aaker (1991) adopt this definition. â€Å"A brand is a distinguishing name and / or symbol (Such as a logo, trade mark, or package design) intended to identify the goods or services of with one seller or a group of sellers, and to differentiate those goods or services from those of competitors.† Ambler (1992) takes a consumer oriented approach in defining a brand as: â€Å"The promise of the bundles of attributes that someone buys and provide satisfaction†¦.The attributes that make up a brand may be real or illusory, rational or emotional, tangible or invisible.† These attributes emanate from all elements of the marketing mix, and are subject to interpretation by the consumer. They are highly subjective. Brand attributes are essentially what are created through brand description (one interpretation of brand equity) mentioned previously. Many other brand definitions and descriptions focus on the methods used to achieve differentiation and/or emphasize the benefits the consumer derives from purchasing brands. These include definitions and descriptions that emphasize brands as an image in the consumers minds, brand personality, brands as value systems, and brands as added value (Wood, 2000) It is possible to draw together many of the approaches to brand definition, An integrated definition can be achieved that highlights a brands purpose to its owner, and considers how this is achieved through consumer benefits. Added value is implicit to this definition (wood, 2000) that is: â€Å"A brand is a mechanism for achieving competitive advantage for firms, through different (purpose). The attributes that differentiate a brand provide the customer with satisfaction and benefits for which they are willing to pay (Mechanism).† According to Philip Kotler ( 1984) , A product is anything that can be offered to a market for attention , acquisition , use , or consumption that might satisfy a need or want. Thus a product may be a physical good, service, retail store, person, organization, place or idea. A Brand is a product , then , but one that adds other dimensions to differentiate it in some way from other products designed to satisfy the same need, These differences may be rational and tangible related to product performance of the brand of more symbolic, emotional, and intangible related to what the brand represents ( Keller,1998) 1.2.2 Functions of Brands Brands play different roles to consumers and firms (Keller, 1998). To consumers, brands identify the source of maker of a product and allow consumers to assign responsibility as to which particular manufacturer or distributor should be held accountable. Most importantly, brands take on special meaning to consumers. Because of past experiences with the product and its marketing program over the years, consumers learn about brands. They find out which brands satisfy their needs (Keller, 1998). Thus, Brands Provide a short hand device or means of simplification for their product decisions (Jacoby et al., 1971). From an economic perspective , Brands allow consumers to lower search costs for products both internally (in terms of how much they have to think ) and externally ( in terms of how much they have to look around) brands can serve as symbolic devices, allowing consumers to project their own self images. Certain brands are associated with being used by certain types of people and t hus reflect different values or traits (Keller, 1998). Brands also provide a number of valuable functions to firms (Chernatony and William, 1998). Fundamentally, they serve an identification purpose to simplify product handling or tracing for the firm. Operationally, brands help to organize inventory, accounting, and other records. A brand also offers the firm legal protection for unique features or aspects of the product. A brand can retain intellectual property rights, giving legal title to the brand owner (Bageley, 1995). The brand name can be protected through registered trade marks, manufacturing processes can be protected through patents, and packing can be protected through copy rights and designs. Brands can signal a certain level of quality so that satisfied buyers can easily choose the product again ( Erdem ). This brand loyalty provides predictability and security of demand for the firm and creates barriers of entry that make it difficult for other firms to enter the market. Thus, to firms, brands represent enormously valuable pieces of legal property, capable of influencing consumer behavior, being bought and sold , and providing the security of sustained future revenues to their owners ( Bymer , 1991). 1.2.3 Brand Architecture A company that wants to get behind its corporate brand and use it more proactively must decide on the most appropriate brand architecture for its business or businesses (Mottram, 1998). There are three alternatives: * A monolithic structure * An endorsed brand architecture * A hybrid structure (Mottram, 1998). A monolithic structure has the corporate brand right at the center. All products and services are branded with the same name, identity and set of brand values. The advantage of this sort of structure include a seamless transfer of goodwill to the center, cheaper brand building and instant credibility when launching new products or extending into new markets. The difficulty with the monolithic approach is that the corporate brands personality has to be flexible enough to cover different products and markets while being precise enough to compete with specialist brands in each segment. When a company uses an endorsed brand architecture, it aims to add the higher values of the corporate brand to the specific values of product and service brands in its portfolio in the interest of competitive advantage. Thus the corporate brand can add security, trust and credibility to the positioning of the product or service brand. Brand owners have adopted a number of ‘hybrid approaches. For ins tance, Nestle has pulled all of its products under ten global ‘banner brands. Each banner brand is targeted at a specific market or closely linked markets but, crucially all will continue to benefit from the Nestle corporate endorsement as well. Other companies have adopted the name of one of their brands as the corporate brand, in the hope of leveraging specific product brand attributes across the group and increasing the intangible value of the entire business in the process (Mottram, 1998). 1.3Brand Equity 1.3.1 From Brand Image to Brand Equity Brands have been a major aspect of marketing reality for over a hundred years. The theory of branding came sometime later (Feldwick, 1996). David Ogilvy was discussing the importance of brand image as early as 1951 (Biel, 1993). It was first fully articulated by Burleigh Gardner and Sidney Levy in their classic Harvard Business Review paper of 1955. But despite such distinguished origins the concept of ‘brand image remained until recently peripheral to the mainstream of advertising theory and evaluation (Feldwick, 1996). Although it was endorsed from the 1960s onward by the British Account Planning movement (e.g. King, 1970; Cowley, 1989), it was also seen by many advertisers and researchers as a rather woolly theory the sort of thing advertising agency people talk airily about when they failed to ‘get a hard product message across or to ‘convert prospects or to ‘make sales, as they were supposed to be doing (Feldwick, 1996). ‘Brand image was associat ed with expressions like the ‘soft sell (Reeves, 1961) and the ‘weak theory of advertising (Jones, 1991), which gave it, for many, the air of a whimsical luxury that a businesslike advertiser could hardly afford (Feldwick, 1996). In the nineteen -eighties, the hardnosed business people began to notice that brands appeared to be changing hands for huge sums of money. As take-over fever spread, the difference between balance sheet valuations and the prices paid by predators was substantially attributed to ‘the value of brands. Suddenly, the brand stopped being an obscure metaphysical concept of dubious relevance. It was something that was worth money (Feldwick, 1996). This shift of perception was reflected in the way that the traditional expression ‘brand image was increasingly displaced by its solid financial equivalent, ‘brand equity. It is not clear who invented the expression, but few uses of it have been traced before the mid- eighties (Ambler and Styles, 1995). It achieved respectability when it was taken up by the prestigious Marketing Science Institute, which held a major seminar on the subject in 1988 and has been going strong ever since (Feldwick, 1996). 1.3.2 Definitions of Brand Equity Since the term â€Å"brand equity† emerged in the 1980s (Cobb- Walgren et al, 1995), it is regarded as a very important concept in business practice as well as in academic research because marketers can gain competitive advantage through successful brands (Lassar et al, 1995). However, there are a number of alternative methods have been suggested for defining the concept of brand equity, which results in some confusion and even frustration with the term(Keller, 1998). Generally brand equity has been viewed from two major perspectives. The first perspective has used the concept of brand equity in the context of marketing decision-making. The second perspective has focused on the financial aspects of brand equity, more pertinent to determining a brands valuation for accounting, merger, or acquisition purposes (Pitta and Katsanis, 1995). Financial perspective The financial-market-value-based technique presented by Simon and Sullivan (1993) has been quoted in Motameni and Shahrokhi (1998) for estimating a firms brand equity. The stock price is used as a basis to evaluate the value of the brand equities. Brand equity is defined as â€Å"the incremental cash flows, which accrue to branded products over unbranded products (Simon and Sullivan, 1993).† The estimation technique extracts the value of brand equity from the value of the firms other assets. First, the macro approach assigns an objective value to a firms brands and relates this value to the determinants of brand equity. Second, the micro approach isolates changes in brand equity at the individual brand level by measuring the response of brand equity to major marketing decisions (Motameni and Shahrokhi, 1998). Simon and Sullivan (1993) believe that financial markets do no ignore marketing factors and stock prices reflect marketing decisions. Financial World uses one of the most publicised financial approaches in its annual listing of worldwide brand valuation (Cobb-Walgren et al,!995).They used a brand-earnings multiplier or weights to calculate brand equity, The brand weights are based on both historical data and individuals judgments of other factors. The brand equity is the product of the multiplier and average of the past three years profits (Motameni and Shahrokhi, 1998). Marketing perspective Within the marketing literature, operationalisations of brand equity usually fall into two groups: those involving consumer perceptions and those involving consumer behaviour .Keller (1998) offered a perceptual definition of customer-based brand equity: â€Å"the differential effect that brand knowledge has on consumer response to the marketing of that brand†. A brand with positive customer-based brand equity might result in consumers being more accepting of a new brand extension, less sensitive to price increases and withdrawal of advertising support, or more willing to seek the brand in a new distribution channel. Customer-based brand equity occurs when the consumer has a high level of awareness and familiarity with the brand and holds some strong, favourable, and unique brand associations in memory (Keller, 1998). The latter consideration is critical. For branding strategies to be successful and brand equity to be created, consumers must be convinced that there are meaningful differences among brands in the product or service category. Brand awareness is created by increasing the familiarity of the brand through repeated exposure and strong asso ciations with the appropriate product category or other relevant purchase or consumption cues (Alba and Hutchinson, 1987). Marketing programs that link strong, favourable, and unique association to the brand in memory create a positive brand image. The definition of customer-based brand equity does not distinguish between the source of brand associations and the manner in which they are formed; all that matters is the resulting favourability strength, and uniqueness of brand associations (Keller, 1998). Cobb-Walgren, Ruble and Donthu (1995) introduced Kamakura and Russells approach relying more on consumer behaviour in their article. They used scanner data to come up with three measurements of brand equity. First is perceived value-was defined as the value of the brand that cannot be explained by price and promotion. Second is brand dominance-provided and objective value of the brands ability to compete on price. Third is intangible value-was operationalised as the utility perceived for the brand minus objective utility measurements (Kumakura and Russell, 1993). Aaker (1991) is one of the few authors to incorporate both attitudinal and behavioral dimensions in his definition (Cobb-Walgren et al, 1995). He has provided the most comprehensive definition of brand equity to date: â€Å"A set of assets (and liabilities) linked to a brands name and symbol that adds to firms customers.† The major asset categories are (figure 1.1): brand name awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand associations (Aaker, 1996). Competitive Advantage Paul Feldwick (1996) has suggested that brand equity seems to be used in three quite distinct senses, and each of these three has several further nuances of meaning. These are: a = the total value of a brand as a separable asset-when it is sold, or included on a balance sheet. b = a measure of the strength of consumers attachment to a brand. c = a description of the associations and beliefs the consumer has about the brand. In his point of view, looking for an operational definition of brand equity just likes asking the wrong question. Brand equity is necessarily a vague concept. It is depending on the brands individual circumstances- and depending, importantly, on the use to which the findings will be put (Feldwick, 1996). Although a number of different views of brand equity have been expressed, they all are generally consistent with the basic notion that brand equity represents the â€Å"added value† endowed to a product as a result of past investments in the marketing for the brand. They all acknowledge that there exist many different ways that value can be created for a brand; that equity provides a common denominator for interpreting marketing strategies and assessing the value of a brand; and that there exist many different ways that the value of a brand can be manifested or exploited to benefit the firm(Keller, 1998). 1.4 Brand Extension 1.4.1 New Products and Brand Extension Developing brand extensions is one type of New Product Development (NPD) (Amber and Styles, 1996). Keller (1998) introduced Ansoffs growth share matrix as background of brand extension strategy. As shown in figure 1.2, growth strategies can be categorised as to whether they involve existing or new products and whether they target existing or new customers or markets. When a company introduces a new product, it has three main choices as to how to brand it: * Develop a new brand, individually chosen for the new product * Apply one of its existing brands in some way * Use a combination of a new brand with an existing brand. A brand extension is when a company uses an established brand name to enter a new product category (Aaker and Keller, 1990). 1.4.2 Brand Equity and Brand Extension One stream of brand equity research has focused on brand extensions (Barwise, 1993). Ambler and Styles (1996) have stated the reciprocal relationship between brand equity and brand extensions by combining the finding of other researchers. Part of this work has explored the effect of a brands equity on its extendibility, with the general conclusion being that the firm can leverage a brands existing equity in new categories (Shocker and Weitz, 1988). Research within this stream has found that brands with higher brand equity extend more successfully (Rangaswamy et al, 1993). Other research has looked at the reverse relationship: the impact of brand extensions on brand equity. The findings are that successful brand extensions can have a positive effect on the core brand, i.e. build brand equity (Dacin and Smith, 1994; Keller and Aaker, 1992). There seems therefore to be a reciprocal relationship between brand equity and brand extensions (Ambler and Styles, 1996). 1.4.3 Brand Extension Dimensions Brand extensions can be accomplished in a variety of ways. One of the most obvious differences is whether the extensions is in the same or different products name to a new product in the same product class or to a product category. Thus they can be classified as either vertical or horizontal extensions (Pitta and Katsanis, 1995). Horizontal brand extensions either apply or extend an existing products name to a new product in the same product class or to a product category new to the company. There are two varieties of horizontal brand extensions, which differ in terms of their focus: line extensions and franchise extensions (Aaker and Keller, 1990).Line extensions involve a current brand name, which is used to enter a new market segment in its product class. In contrast, franchise extensions use a current brand name to enter a product category new to the company (Tauber, 1981). Horizontal extensions lend themselves to natural distancing. Distancing is the purposive increase in the perceptual distance of the extension from the core product. Unsuccessful horizontal extensions are less likely to damage the core brand than vertical extensions since horizontal extensions are often in different-and more distant-product categories. Typically consumers will recognise that such horizontal extensions are not closely re lated. The downside to distancing is that distancing reduces the amount or strength of the brand associations and reduces the halo effect of the extension (Pitta and Katsanis, 1995). Horizontal extensions may suffer if the core and extension are perceived to be too distant from each other. Brand associations cannot stretch over too large a gulf. Research indicates that if the core product is perceived to be of high quality, and the â€Å"fit† between the core and extension is high, then brand attitudes toward the extension will be more favorable (Aaker and Keller, 1990). Without the perceived similarity between the parent and extension, consumers find it more difficult to attribute original brand associations to the extension (Pitta and Katsanis, 1995). In contrast, vertical extensions involve introducing a related brand in the same product category but with a different price and quality balance. Vertical extensions offer management the quickest way to leverage a core products equity,. However, since the new product is in the same category, distancing is difficult and the risk of negative information is higher than with a horizontal extension. As a strategy, vertical brand extension is widely practiced in many industries. Vertical new product introductions can extend in two directions, upscale, involving a new product with higher price and quality characteristics than the original; or downscale, involving new product with lower quality and price points. Downscale vertical extensions may offer the equivalent of sampling to a new market segment, and bring some market share enhancement. Functional products seem to allow downscale but not upscale extension. Conversely, prestige products allow upscale but not downscale extensions (Pitta and Katsanis, 1995). 1.5.1Advantages of Brand Extension Well-planned and implemented extensions offer a number of advantages to marketers. These advantages can be categorised as those that facilitate new product acceptance and those that provide feedback benefits to the parent brand or company as whole (Keller, 1998). * Facilitate new product acceptance With a brand extension, the cost of developing a new brand, introductory and follow-up marketing programs can be reduced (Keller, 1998). To conduct the necessary consumer research and employ skilled personnel to design high quality brand names, logos, symbols, packages, characters, and slogans can be quite expensive, and there is no assurance of success. Similar or virtually identical packages and labels for extensions can result in lower production costs and, if coordinated properly, more prominence in the retail store by creating a â€Å"billboard† effect. With a brand extension, consumers can make inferences and form expectations as to the likely composition and performance of a new product based on what they feel this information is relevant to the new product (Kim and Sullivan, 1995). Because of the potentially increased consumer demand resulting from introducing a new product as an extension, it may be easier to convince retailers to stock and promote a brand extension. It should be easier to add a link from a brand already existing in memory to a new product than it is to have to first establish the brand in memory and then also link the new product to it (Aaker and Carmon, 1992). By offering consumers a portfolio of brand va

Essays --

The author of the article â€Å"Why I changed my mind† captured the true picture of the monstrous shadow that stalks teachers in public schools. The NCLB might have been conceived initially with good intentions but had spawned into a creeping threat creating nightmares to educators. Like what Diane Ravitch said, accountability became the stick that is used to punish schools. I think it also created resentment; and this resentment has taken away the joy of teaching and learning. The non-stop assessment to measure if standards have been taught left teachers always on their toes. In effort to cover all concepts included in the test, teachers are left with no choice but scratching on the surface without getting deeper on the content. Not only this leaves students with no mastery, it also resulted in the widening of learning gaps. Teachers, year after year, inherit students who are unprepared and lacking grade level skills. This is evident to some 5th graders in my school who are in still struggling to subtract with regrouping, much more across zeroes. Subtraction with regrouping is first taught in second grade. In addition, with assessments used as a measure of teachers’ performance and determinant of incentives to teachers created inequality. Teachers with students scoring high and receiving monetary incentive may feel elated. While in contrary, teachers who somehow got a group of students who did not perform well are left demoralized. Teachers cannot c hoose their students. With all the factors stated in the article that determines students’ performance, there are other aspects that are beyond the teachers’ control. I personally know a teacher who teaches at a regular public high school, he is very dedicated and almost yearly trained at ... ...w the concepts based from observation and work samples. In several occasions, during benchmarks or in the real test, her scores were one or two questions away from passing. I saw how her morale and self esteem deteriorate. She became so unsure of herself becoming anxious each time a test. Her mother even considered transferring her to a private school so she will not be subjected to state testing. With her morale destroyed, the more she became unfocused during testing. To help her cope, I tried to appease her dismay with encouragement, highlighting her strengths and stressing that her scores are not reflective of whom she is. She seemed to have understood. However, I knew that as she move up to middle school, her test scores will be the first data being looked at. It is a sad reality that all the learning and effort of this student are summarized to her test scores.

What is the advantages and disadvantages of totally freedom

Freedom of expression is the concept of being able to transfer ideas or thoughts verbally or otherwise freely without censorship. It was awarded global recognition as a universal human right and ingrained in the Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In spite of its status, it is never absolute in any country. The international law posits that, restrictions on free speech must comport with a strict three part test viz: operate under provision of the law, express legitimacy in pursuing aim, and display the relevance to the accomplishment of the said aim. To this end, the dignity of a person is much more of his expression than wealth. In actual sense, the loss of freedom of expression is equated to loss of credibility in all respects. Governments today spend billions in branding themselves as investor destinations providing return on investment through social, economic and political stability. However, these efforts to achieve desired economic growth becomes unrewarding with a subdued sense of expression. Like a spectrum of colours in rainbow, the society displays the wealthy and poor in ranks of dignity; regimes with rotten ideologies, people with divisive utterances and societies with despised wisdom. Freedom of mass media is the fundamental basis on which democracy and good governance are pivoted. Advantages of free press is the reason for the revolution in information that forms the global village (globalisation). As history notes, Sukarno, the former President of Indonesia, during a visit to Hollywood characterised media as unconscious revolutionaries because media-makers create new expectations, increase knowledge of other possibilities of better life for example, of other ideologies, and even other forms of governances. And as very often been stated, it remains true, what the eminent Thomas Jefferson, one time American President had to say once, and I quote: Were it left for me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  Tacitly put by Dr. Outa, Research and Communications Advisor, â€Å"our safety is perhaps unconceivable today without a vigilant and questioning press that reminds us constantly of our shortcomings† Indeed it is a truism that in the modern world, the press is the primary source of quick and actionable pieces of information, without which our citizens and their leaders at large would remain, fatally ignorant! Thus free press has gains inclusive of the dissemination of Economic Development objectives to the populaces, the objective of mobilising a whole country to walk the development talks However, may it be noted that several schools of thought have registered their support for the control of mass media. The question of media regulation stems from the fact that media are social institutions and equally, they are industries operation in society. It follows therefore that media are faced with some mechanism that controls their functions and mechanisms, just like any other industry. Without the due diligence to these fundamental principles of fairness, accuracy, the very defence of press freedom collapses and thereby opening the unsavoury gates of acrimony and misunderstanding with a whole range of stakeholders. For example, Gerbner (1969) argues that mass communicators operate under pressure, including for example advertisers, competitors, authority (legal/political structures), other institutions and the audience. To the extent that media are part and parcel of society, a measure of control is required. Media control is difficult because of the unique place media occupies in society. For example: i) they produce goods and services which are both private and public in nature. Public service in that the info is necessary for the working of society; private because there is personal gratification, ii) Media have unique characteristics because they perform a political function whereby free press is an important element of democracy. In that case, there should be no monopoly of information by any one quarter. Media occupy that important perch because, historically, what media do or do not do has mattered in society and public life. Media, if not a public property, is in the public domain. Since media operate in society and are related in some ways to the prevailing societal structures viz: politics, economics, culture it is only fair that it be controlled by the some structures. This is so because media are able to: attract and direct attention; mould public opinion; influence behaviour and confer status; and confer dominant definitions in society—who is to be listened to; who is to be followed, etc. Media regulations and control in any given society depend on the prevailing media environments, which differ from one place to another, one time to another, one period to another, one culture to another. Although the importance of press freedom cannot be denied, it is generally asserted that media can promote visions of common purpose and at the same time can promote visions of discord and disunity. Although it is accepted that objectivity should be the guiding spirit, instances of press partisanship have been common place globally—sensationalism, owner interference, pursuit of profits, self-interest, etc. Every State has a political interest in controlling the activities of the media within its boundaries. This interest is a legitimate one based on the idea of sovereignty. Yet when we accept that sovereignty is supreme, the following questions become important: 1. Who defines the role of the media? 2. How much control should the State exercise? 3. What acceptable methods and instrument of control should the State adopt? These questions lack easy answers. In spite of all, mass communicators agree that self regulation is a perfect way of media being on track yet the Swahili proverb of Kinyozi hajinyowi (barber cannot shave himself) creates a dilemma of state/authoritative interventions.

Reflective exercise by Karin Chung

Reflective exercise by Karin Chung Kolb’s Learning Cycle divides the process of reflection into four stages. These stages are going through an experience, reflecting on the experience, developing generalizations and abstractions from the experience, and testing the conclusions in new experiences . This paper presents the output of a reflective exercise based on the experience of Karin Chung.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Reflective exercise by Karin Chung specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Chung is in the middle of a software implantation project that started well but later ran into problems. The reflective exercise presented in this paper looks at Chung’s experience from the context of project management. In fact, the goal of the paper is to use reflection to determine the best action Chung should take to correct the existing situation. Concrete Experience Chung is in charge of the software installation project in her division. The inc eption of the project was very commendable. All the divisions in the company gave their input regarding their needs and expectations. They also helped to identify potential problems that the new system could experience. All the divisions also received training relating to how to use the new software after installation. In addition, to these internal efforts, Chung ensured that all the contractors participated in the development of the work breakdown structure for the project. The highlight of the preparation phase was a partnering seminar designed to stress the need for good communication during the project. All the participants signed a partnering charter as an expression of their commitment to the project. After two months, three incidents raised Chung’s concerns relating to the progress of the project. However, she did not take action because she felt they were comparable to problems in smaller software projects that she had handled in the past. The first issue was the con cern raised by a task force member regarding the incompatibility of the software with the accounting systems of the Virginia division. The second problem was the view of the consulting contractor that one of the contractors never kept time, and failed to test software before deployment. The third concern was that tests were showing that the software implemented would never be compatible with the division in Georgia. The project degenerated to a complete crisis during the fourth month of operations. The spirit of optimism and commitment to teamwork displayed during the partnering seminar was all gone. The project was behind schedule by two months, and one contractor has said to Chung in a letter that he would not be liable for delays caused by another contractor. At this point, Chung called a meeting involving all the contractors. The meeting flared up because of the divergent views regarding the causes of the current problems.Advertising Looking for report on business econo mics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The concrete experiences regarding project management that emerge from this situation are as follows. There was a clear attempt to plan the project and to ensure it starts well. As the project took off, differences emerged between different stakeholders in the project. These differences precipitated the current crisis. These differences partly arose because of the technical problems that came up during implementation. From the case, it seems that there were no meetings held to review the progress of the execution of the project. The project team did not have any central meetings to discuss general challenges and the impact of delays on the schedule of the project. In conclusion, the two positive experiences that the stakeholders went through during the life of the project were the joint effort to develop the work breakdown structure before the commencement of the project, and a memorable launch. The next set of experiences was less pleasant. Each contractor seemed to work alone. Problems on some elements of the project undermined the work in other elements. There were no meetings to review progress at regular intervals. This led to the accumulation of problems that eventually ground the project to a halt. Reflecting on the Experience Project management is a phased approach towards the delivery of agreed upon objectives. The main elements of a project include project integration management, project scope management, and time management. It also includes cost and quality management, human resource management, and communications management. Finally, project management includes risk and procurement management. Chung failed to carry out complete project integration management. She had a very strong emphasis on some of elements of the project integration management to the exclusion of others. She did not succeed in making strong monitoring plans resulting in disjointed e fforts. Chung’s performance shows that she had a strong bias towards relationship management, which was not sufficient for the delivery of a technical project. The development of the scope of the project also had a few insufficiencies. The scope failed to cover integration of the new system with the other divisions of the company. From the case, it seems that the project concentrated on how to develop a solution meeting the division’s needs only. It did not pay sufficient attention to the needs of the other divisions. Time management was also a problem with this project. As at the time of this review, the project was already two months behind schedule. While all the contractors participated in the development of a work breakdown structure, there was insufficient attention paid to the time required to complete the tasks.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Reflective exercise by Karin Chung specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page L earn More Costs were prepared in advance, but the management of costs was weak. Costs are a factor of time and scope management. Therefore, since the management of these two areas had problems, cost management must have collapsed. Quality management was inconsistent. The inception of the project was very well organized. It met the quality requirements for these processes. However, the delivery of the actual software, and the management of the processes during the active life of the project was poor. The quality criterion for any project includes the delivery of the intended results. This project failed to deliver results on time and on budget. The human resource element was one of the worst managed elements of the project. The fact that the project manager only overheard complaints or failed to find solutions to problems pragmatically all show that the human resource management of the project was below par. An aspect related the human resource management is communication man agement. The management of the communication within the project was very poor. The project manager did not institute proper procedures for information management and information sharing. The result is that it was not possible to understand the complete scale of issues that were affecting the project. The current state of the project suggests that risk management within the project was poor. If proper risk analysis took place, the issue of software compatibility would have surfaced. In addition, it would be possible to look at ways of ensuring that the risks associated with the schedule would not arise. On procurement management, it is difficult to say that there were any specific problems before finding out whether the nature of software developed so far is in line with the needs of the division. One of the contractors revealed that the issues he was dealing with were more serious that compatibility. Can this mean the contractor was not qualified for the work? Can it also explain th e delays on the delivery of some of the project components? Development of Generalization and Abstraction from the Experience This experience shows clearly that a project can fail despite a strong start. It also shows that good morale is not sufficient to ensure that a project is successful. It is desirable to start a project with high spirits, but it takes proper planning and good project management skills to deliver the project on time and within the budget. The following are some issues, which can help in ensuring that this project delivers the intended outcomes.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More First, this project can benefit from better project planning. The reflection points out that there were fundamental weaknesses in the planning of the project. This may have resulted from using project-planning models meant for smaller projects on a big project. It is clear that Chung underestimated the project management needs of this project. All projects are different. They demand different approaches in order to ensure that they are successful. The planning part of a project is as important as the execution. Planning in any sphere makes it possible to have an efficient deployment of resources to guarantee success. Project execution that does not arise from planning results in chaos, regardless of the intentions of the participants. The second aspect that arises from the project under review is that there is need to invest in good management structures. Good planning alone cannot guarantee the delivery of intended project outcomes. Good management is an essential part of the proje ct. A large project usually requires a team to handle the daily management demands. Smaller projects may survive with a single manager working with various people. The project reviewed not only involved several contractors, it also involved several divisions. It is clear that the best way to manage it was to have a dedicated project management team to deal with the emerging issues. The third issue that was unclear in this project was the development of the work break down structure. The case shows that the contractors participated in the development of the work breakdown structure. However, the final position of the project reveals that the contractors did not all manage to keep to the demands of this work breakdown structure. From an analytical point, the process of development and implementation of a work breakdown structure requires careful management. A project management committee supervises the achievement of project milestones based on the work breakdown structure. The milest ones for this project are unclear. If enough effort went into organizing the project into phases in order to indentify milestones, the results may have been different. In conclusion, the work breakdown structure failed to achieve the intended results for the project. The final aspect in the analysis of the issues raised in the case study is that there was very poor communication within the project team members. The two instances where Chung receives information about difficult contractors are ineffective ways to receiving information. In the first case, a task force member reported to her that the software under implantation would not be compatible with the software in Houston. She responds by asking the task force member to stress to the contractor need to have compatible software. In the next situation, she overheard the consultant badmouthing one contractor. This can only mean that there was no proper way for all the parties to report the difficulties they faced in the project. C ommunication is very essential in any project. It is imperative for all project team members to receive timely and adequate information at all times. This ensures that issues receive attention before they evolve into bigger problems. Handling issues in small bits is also an excellent risk management strategy. As soon as a risk trigger is noted, the management committee needs to meet and decide on the appropriate action. In some cases, the interventions already exist in the risk management plan. In this case, the relevant person implements the appropriate risk management action. Testing of Generalizations by New Actions The present situation in the project demands the development of specific actions that can result in the successful implementation of the project despite the bottlenecks. The following initiatives can help to ensure that this project succeeds. First, Chung needs to invite all project stakeholders to a seminar intended for project status review. The currently scheduled meeting cannot act the review seminar because most of the time in it will go towards indentifying the sources of delay. It is likely to be acrimonious. The proposed review meeting should allow all the contractors to report on their progress in order to determine gaps. In addition, it should provide a forum for all the participants to review their participation. If any of the contractors wants to pull out, this is the best avenue for them to make that intention known. In addition, the review seminar should provide Chung with the opportunity to decide on the structure of an effective project management committee. The next issue that needs action is the establishment of a dedicated project management committee. The committee should provide all the stakeholders with adequate information relating to the progress of the project from this point forward. The typical members of the project management committee should be the representatives of the contractors, the department heads in the divi sion directly involved with the accounting software project, and the project manager. The project management committee should have regular meetings and should monitor the delivery of milestones from this point forward. The committee will also enable Chung to receive information in a manner that she can take effective action. The third issue required to make this project successful is a clarification of the deliverables of the project. Currently, contractors seem to be working based on their own assessment of the needs of the project. In order to enforce the contracts, Chung needs the help of a project committee to evaluate whether each contractor is working towards the correct deliverables. In this sense, the current targets as outlined in the contracts should form the basis of identifying the deliverables for the project. In addition, the fresh sets of deliverables should take into account the work already done. The fourth issue that requires attention to make the project a success is the development of a new work breakdown structure. The need for a new work breakdown structure comes from the realization that some work is already complete. In addition, the management committee may reorganize the deliverables of the project to take into account apparent deficiencies in the current plans. The effect of developing a new work breakdown structure will be to provide a new impetus for the project. The new work breakdown structure will also necessitate the identification of a new deadline for the project. The work breakdown structure is the basic unit of work in a project. Any changes on it affect all the other elements of the project. The final aspect that must change for the project to succeed is the management of communication in the project. It seems that there was no communication plan for the project. This explains why the reporting of problems poorly coordinated. Communication in a project is not just for reporting problems. It is also important for reporting progress in order to keep the morale of all stakeholders at a high point. Chung needs to develop a communication plan to ensure that the project management committee meets all the communication needs of all stakeholders. In conclusion, while the project is in a bad shape now, it is possible to salvage it and to make it work. The identification of the potential ways of dealing with the issues is the result of a reflective exercise using Kolb’s cycle. Reference List Arson, EW Gray, CF 2011, Project Management: The Managerial Process, , McGraw Hill International, New York, NY. Dube, L, Berner, C Roy, V 2009, Taking on the Challenge of IT Management in a Global Business Context: The Alcan Case Part A, International Journal of Case Studies in Management, vol 7, no. 2, pp. 1-13. Kutsch, E Hall, M 2010, Deliberate Ignorance in Project Risk Management, International Journal of Project Management, vol 28, no. 3, pp. 145-155. Lozo, G Jovanović, S 2012, A Flexible Hybrid Method for IT Project Management, Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences, vol 2, no. 7, pp. 1027-1036.

4 Reasons Searching for a Job Really Sucks

4 Reasons Searching for a Job Really Sucks Because†¦ well, it does. Whatever reason you have for job searching, whether you’re just starting out or your current situation has deteriorated to the point where you are now desperate for a change, you’re out on the market. And being on the market is just plain hard. Here are 4 reasons that can help explain why this is the case, along with suggestions to make the process just a little bit more bearable.1. It’s like a job unto itself.It’s exhausting, even if you aren’t also working on top of job searching! Updating resumes, compiling references, writing cover letters, doing market research, interviewing, stressing out, chewing your fingernails! And that’s before we even get on the subject of the emotional drain that is networking.To keep from burning out and losing heart, consider taking a personal day or two, or cutting back on the horsepower of your work at your existing job (if you have one). To devote yourself even 50% of the time t o finding a new job, you can’t be giving 110% at your old one. Figure out which balls you can temporarily put down in order to find the job you want.2. It takes time.The job search process doesn’t honor your impatience. Good opportunities take time to find, and that can be annoying when you’re dedicating all you have to the pursuit of them!To keep from going mad, try and recognize ahead of time that this process will not resolve immediately. Pace yourself. Dole out your energy and time and focus across a couple of weeks or months, rather than expecting to find a new job and hop straight into it by magic.3. It will be disappointing.You know you were qualified for a job, and you didn’t even get an email confirmation when you sent in your materials. Or you made it to the final round, made a really personal connection with your boss-to-be, then never heard back. You found out that job went to someone else. Repeat, repeat. Little heartbreaks like this are ever ywhere in your job search.To keep from despairing, focus instead on maintaining- and building- your network. That way, no matter how many heartbreaks pile up (be that 5 or 50), you’ll know that you are constantly maximizing the number of opportunities that will come your way.4. You might have to lie to your bossYou’re running out of excuses for why you have so many dental appointments in the mornings during work that call you away from your desk. It’s awful having to cover for yourself, even if you don’t particularly love your boss.To avoid the shame of lying, try to schedule your interviews for early or late in the day- or at lunch- to avoid conspicuous absences. And it never hurts to have a list of minor medical things that would require immediate attention, just in case.The 4 Most Painful Parts of the Job Search (That You Always Forget About Until You Do it Again)

Concert Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

Concert Report - Essay Example The space was primarily designed for engaging music performances, as can be observed from the hall environment. The hall had an entry and exit point in opposite directions for the performers. The seats were designed in an elevated manner, so that viewers can have the optimum viewing experience. One of the finest pieces in the whole lot of performances was performed by Robert Buxton, the last performance of the concert, from the play ‘Huit Preludes’ of 1929. The original performer of the actual play was Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992). The play was performed with the help of three basic elements of music, namely the form, tonality and style. Tonality played an integral role in the piece as it represented the sensation of centrality of even a single note and chord of music being played. Form is another important element of the play, which can be termed as the shape of music, along with its contrast and repetition. Style is the third important phenomena of the play, which represents the way of combining the characteristics of melody, form, harmony and texture within the music1. I appreciate the piece performed by Buxton at the end of the concert. I like the play as Buxton had performed it really well by trying to maintain the standards in accordance to the actual performance. Furthermore, I felt that the play was well performed as it suited the stage environment and ambience prevailing within the concert hall. Moreover, the play ‘Huit Preludes’, is one of my favorite from the past and hence I encountered a feeling of satisfaction and joy, as I watched the play performed by Buxton. I was deeply overwhelmed with the performance since my expectation with regard to the past performance was matched with the present performance. The other pieces as performed in the concert were somewhat similar to Buxton’s play, as they

The development of education in Qatar throughout the last 10 years Term Paper

The development of education in Qatar throughout the last 10 years - Term Paper Example It must be realized that for the economy to flourish, these private sector companies must also be majorly occupied by the national residents of Qatar. It is argued that the previous educational system of Qatar, although well-structured and developed, did not produce competent enough individuals that can rise to the challenge and be the driving force for such private industries. With so much conflict in the Middle East, it is educational to see how countries like Qatar have managed to cope with the challenge of development amidst these adversities. The leadership in the Arabian Gulf nation of Qatar played a big contribution in giving focus to the educational department believing that it is the key to their economic and social progress (Brewer et al., 2007). It has been observed that in the past their educational system has not produced very good outcomes and their approach was very rigid, outdated and even obsolete to try and compete for world-class quality of education. It was believed that their education must also be on a par with their initiatives for social and economic changes that will catapult them into global competency. During the past years, the Qatar education has taken major reforms in order to augment their outdated system. With the modernization of society and the emergence of the expanding role of women, they have focused on giving larger roles and involvement to them, which was traditionally and historically avoided. They have also opened and developed satellite universities involving top educational institutions with high repute in the world-class quality of education. But a country like Qatar is very traditionalist and it is important to observe how they managed to implement drastic and decisive changes to their traditionally rigid form of doing things. Qatar has a unique status in the world’s economy because of its vast energy resources and