You can choose a topic yourself Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

You can choose a topic yourself - Essay Example Our brain is responsible for both emotional and rational thinking and though both parts of the brain that are associated with this they are separate. Emotions were meant to be used in our thinking, together with rationale, because they come before we think and act, they are the fire that ignites our creativity and energy. This is not only useful in our personal relationships but also in our work place because when we understand what others and ourselves are feeling, it makes it easier to keep our feelings in check and relate better with others especially in a team work setting. Charles Darwin recognized the usefulness of emotions and how they are essential in our everyday life, they cannot be stopped as they are produced by the brain without our control but how we react to them and how we let them influence our lives is all up to us. Reuben Bar-On coined the word Emotional Intelligence in 1988 and in 1995; Daniel Goleman noted that Emotional Quotient (EQ) was more useful when looking for a leader than Intellectual quotient (IQ) and he introduced its importance to the workplace. It is said that, our thoughts make us or break us, these thoughts are fueled by our emotions and it is therefore very important to be constantly aware of what is running through our mind. At home and in schools, we are taught on how to improve our IQ but not the EQ, which can also be improved through tuning into what we feel, and being able to clearly name and explain what emotion we are going through, this process is called self-awareness. One is encouraged to let the emotions flow through instead of blocking them or trying to ignore them, so that through this discomfort one can change. I realized that once I am aware of which emotions am going through, how they affect me, what I do and say, then I am able to know my strengths, weaknesse s and limitations and learn myself better; therefore, opening me to accept feedback and positive criticism and show a bit of humor about

Best Buys Problems Essay Example for Free

Best Buys Problems Essay 1. After Anderson took over Best Buy in 2002, he pursued four pivotal strategic initiatives, what prompted him to do so – his rationale? After Brad Anderson became the CEO of Best Buy in 2002 his team of executives came up with and emphasized four main central strategic initiatives, which are customer-centricity, promoting an efficient enterprise, win with providing the best service, and win in entertainment. As we all know, customer-centricity being by far the most important initiative. One major reason that prompted Brad Anderson and Best Buy to come up with these strategic initiatives was the main threat of imitation by competitors for example the emergence of Wal-Mart, Target as mass merchandisers/wholesalers and other forms of retail such as Amazon (online retailers). In the past, most of Best Buy’s competition focused on customers whose main concern is pricing, without providing anything extra such as advice, support and services. However as the competition began to emulate or imitate Best Buy’s strategy/business model by delving into the higher-end consumer domain (electronics) which is of course Best Buy’s bread n’ butter, Brad Anderson and his team of executives had to come up with a new way to do business by focusing on customer-centricity instead of just focusing on the product (or the selling of it) itself. For example Wal-Mart is poaching or headhunting talented Best Buy salespeople or their rising stars by offering them better benefits which will in turn cause a high turnover rate of Best Buy staff and hinder their sales force and development program. Another reason, which is also vital and in turn prompted change in Best Buy’s strategic initiative is the key concept that the environment or the world we live in as well as the people/customer will continually change. One who understands this concept will ultimately grasp the fact that people’s needs are constantly evolving and changing over time. For example as mentioned briefly above whereas in the past clients tended to be more function and price-conscious, in the modern world of today customers will tend to value service and support and put more of an emphasis on those elements rather than just the pricing itself so instead of trying to just sell the product/service, a company must in essence place more emphasis on the customers themselves, thus creating a customer-centric worldview by centering on individual needs instead of the â€Å"one style fits all† approach and by redefining its value proposition in a coherent way which aligns with the central strategic initiative of customer-centricity. 2. What are the key elements of Anderson’s most important strategic initiative – customer centricity? One of Best Buy’s core goals is to create a customer-centric culture by developing a better understanding of customer’s needs or requirements and by providing them with attention, care, excellent service and knowledge. Therefore one crucial element in Anderson’s customer centricity strategic initiative is the introduction of customer segmentation. He firmly believed that Best Buy would do well if it could concentrate on the most profitable segments and deter the unprofitable segments altogether. Because of this Anderson aimed to build customer loyalty with the profitable segments and in doing so, the company’s existing assets can then be leveraged. Therefore 5 different customer segments were introduced and implemented; Barry, Buzz, Ray, Jill and BB4B (for businesses) each led by a segment leader whose primary purpose was to deeply understand his/her segment’s buying behavior, attitudes and tendencies, armed with insight into consumer needs. By focu sing on customer segmentation, Best Buy can come up with or improve its system and products catered to the specific needs of each group thereby also enhancing differentiation to meet long-term trends or needs. Another key element in Best Buy’s customer centricity model is the concept of Best Practice Sharing and instead of just focusing on the selling of the product, staff (sales) must also focus on offering customers solutions. For example instead of just offering to sell a single product, the informed staff can offer to sell the â€Å"whole deal† such as video conferencing, digital signage, and technology lifecycle management packaged altogether for a business client. Because of this I believe that HR has a very important role to play in providing development/training programs for the employee as well as identifying and recruiting â€Å"star† employees, providing them with the benefits so that their services can be retained on a long-term basis. A central element in Best Buy’s customer centricity initiative is a change in its labor force or model. Because of this new specialized positions were added into the Best Buy labor force. So instead of solely having skilled salespeople, Best Buy also employs Geek Squad agents (technology experts valuable to small businesses and well equipped to deal with the BB4B Best Buy for Business segment), home-theater/technological product installers, and even personal shopping assistants. This focuses on extensive training regarding the different customer segments, addresses the need to recognize the different necessities of many types of customers and also finally to identify customers most likely to buy which product from a particular segment/domain (scope). In addition to the change in labor force or model, leveraging prior acquisitions is also an important element in Best Buy’s customer centric ideology. By leveraging the two, Best Buy can pool its resources and put its custo mers first and in turn offer them more options as well as solutions. Customer relationships can also be leveraged to create customer loyalty fostering long-term relationships with the client. For the sake of brevity I would like to briefly mention the last important element in Best Buy’s customer centric ideology/strategy, which is the empowering element. This calls for empowering sales staff to make wholesome, informed merchandizing decisions. With a proper training and development programs, employees can use their knowledge about customer behavior, form hypotheses and test it out in a real world setting to see what works. After they can discuss about the results and if something yields favorable results (promoting and meeting a variety of needs with more choices for customers), new ideas can be implemented to promote and attain the perfect customer experience and customer satisfaction. By empowering its employees new and worthy ideas can be attained. The ever-comprehensive Best-Buy reporting system and its â€Å"chalk-talks† are also vital in obtaining important information (customer centric vs. non-centric stores) and trends as well as teaching its employ ees good business practices. 3. How would you recommend Brad Anderson for further actions? I believe that Best Buy’s problem lies in its function of a flawed business model, which in turn led to a function of poor execution. The poor model being where the merchant organization, segment/domain leaders, and GMs were forced to coexist and work wholly together as a business group. Before the customer centricity initiative kicked in, the merchant organization was in charge of everything such as buying, pricing, marketing/merchandizing, etc. The new model however forced merchants to work together with segment leaders. This in turn forced the merchants to switch out of their comfort zone and take a more holistic view of the business, focusing more on customer needs. The company’s growth path now expected merchants to put the customer first and foremost and grow the business by offering more than just the product itself, it must also identify customer trends. While the merchant organization was used to controlling everything, now they have to listen to and work with the segment leaders who have all the insight regarding customers, where they tended to focus on the opportunity solely from the consumer’s point of view. Ron Boire (VP GM) himself believed that their loss in the third-quarter results was because there was no camaraderie between the three business units (GMs, Merchants, and Segment leaders). Coexistence between the business units is difficult, therefore contributing to a flawed model. For positive further action, one thing Anderson could do is eliminate the risk of fragmentation altogether. Fragmentation can lead to a â€Å"focus on everything† strategy, which in turn can harm the business by trying to do too much, and wasting away valuable resources. It should concentrate and have at all times 3-5, but never more than 5 customer segments, which will create confusion and loss of focus. Best Buy should ultimately focus its assets on its â€Å"angel† group or most profitable customer niche. For example it can separate its most successful segment that being BB4B (Best Buy for Business) and establish an individual unit. This is because that segment in itself can be a separate yet focused unit because it will inevitably also encompass various segments in the business as well, cross-cutting. Another element that Best Buy can focus on is (I know that this has been said and done over and over again) having a proper staff development program in place, which of course, focuses on customer centricity. I’m sure this element is and has been addressed before however I would like to emphasize the importance of having a proper system to measure the results of the program itself. Training can be done repeated again however what is most important is that there is a system that directly measures the results of effects of staff development initiative. Another way to go would be to cut costs and heavily promote online sales. Best Buy has been slow in capturing the online market share. It also has to improve its image as it suffers from price comparison issues. Best Buy should ultimately focus on these factors, which it is of course currently doing in its â€Å"Renew Blue† strategy: * Reinvigorate the customer experience. Best Buys plans include offering customers unique benefits and exclusive membership programs, and continuing to develop a leading edge, multi-channel shopping experience through a highly relevant and effective system. * Attract and grow transformational leaders who will inevitably energize employees to deliver extraordinary results.

lord of the rings, fellowship of the ring :: essays research papers

Lord of the rings, Fellowship of the ring By: J.J.R Tolkin, print date: Oct, 1965 The story starts with the 33rd birthday-party for Frodo Baggans, and the 111th birthday party for Bilbo Baggans, Hobbits who live in a mythical land called the Shire. Frodo’s best friend is his gardner Sam. Frodo owns a magic Ring which makes him invisible when he wears it, a gift from his cousin Bilbo who stole it from Gollum years ago. One day the old wizard Gandalf comes to the Shire, and he tells Frodo of an evil named Sauron who wants to capture the Ring for himself. In ages long past Sauron stole the Ring from the Elves, to protect him from the Powers of Good; but the Ring was stolen from him by a creature named Gollum, and then stolen from Gollum by Bilbo, who finally gives it freely to Frodo. "Sauron has been searching for the Ring for years," Gandalf tells Frodo, "and now he has sent his nine Black Riders, to the Shire to look for it." Frodo and Sam consult with their loyal friends Merry and Pippin, and when the Black Riders appear, the hobbits trick them into going into a mushroom-patch, disorienting the Black Riders just long enough to escape the Shire. But the tone of the book rapidly becomes more serious as the Black Riders pursue the hobbits through the forest. The hobbits come to the village of Bree, and arrive at the home of Tom Bombadil. Frodo meets a man named Aragorn, or ‘Strider’, who convinces him to go to the city of Rivendell. "In Rivendell you will be safe from their magic," Aragorn tells him, "for Elrond is a sensible man, and does not believe in it." With that Aragorn leads them rapidly to Rivendell, with the Riders in hot pursuit. As they ford the last river between them and Rivendell there is a spell cast on the river-water, causing it to rise up and wash away the Black riders, and our heroes make it to the safety of Rivendell. At Rivendell, Elrond holds a Council where the fate of the Ring is discussed. The only way to keep Sauron from recovering the Ring, they decide, is to throw it into the volcano of Mount Doom where it will be destroyed. During the Council Gandalf arrives late, saying that he had been held prisoner in the tower of Orthanc, the Wizards' Tower.

External/Internal Factors Essay -- Business, Technology, Innovation

In this modern business world that utilizes multitudes of technologies from powerful computers to hand held smart phones, one company has managed to secure it position. Google is now a household name in many parts of the world. The success that Google has enjoyed the past decade was not the result of pure luck. Rather it was a well organized business endeavor that incorporated sound business principles planning, organizing, leading, and controlling and timely quality products. In a number of ways Google is a benchmark company in regards to Technology, Innovation, Globalization, Diversity and Ethics. Google is a great modal of a modern technology company producing the software tools and toy that the world desires. Technology and Innovation Since its beginning in 1996, Google has always in the forefront with technology and innovation. Founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, collaborated on an idea that would amaze their peers and the world (Google history, 2010, figure 2). Larry and Sergey were faced with internal and external forces that would propel and inhibit the invention of Google. Their plan was to develop a search engine that their fellow college students could access for information. They were able to organize their thoughts and pool their talents to start formatting and formulating the search engine. One of the external forces that very quickly became a problem was that Google had outgrown the bandwidth it was using, and they had to find more room. Larry and Sergey began hiring the staff that would propel Google into the history books. They hired people who had the technological savvy and innovative ideas to lead Google into a market that they could only imagine at the time. In May 2000, Google rele... ..., 2011). Like every business owner, they strive to make their products and organization the best it can be. Instead of resulting, once again, to dishonest practices, they have kept their moral compass intact and have expanded globally hiring the best talent. These employees now constantly monitor the web through the use of Googlebots, ensuring that accurate and relevant information is provided quickly, every single time. In short, when it comes to controlling and adapting to change, Google is well ahead of the curve. Today the main component of the business is the search engine, although Google has added new innovations such as Google Earth, Universal Search, Realtime Search and Android. By staying informed and making conservative decisions, the leaders at Google will be able to maintain the quality of their produces and ensure their popularity for years to come.

The Impact of Branding Strategies of New Luxury Brands on Nigerian Young Customers: A Study of Tiffany Amber

Executive Summary: The global fashion industry is a highly evolving market with diverse needs and innumerous wants. While the tastes of consumers may differ, the aim of the luxury fashion brand industry is to associate brands with feelings of prestige, importance, status, and grandeur for customers. While the Western fashion industry is highly developed, the Nigerian fashion industry is slowly progressing into prominence as young affluent Nigerian consumers begin to appreciate Ankara fabric. However, these young affluent Nigerians are also highly comfortable with wearing Western labels, which makes it highly important for Nigerian fashion brands to appropriately brand their product lines to appeal to young Nigerian customers. This study focuses upon the impact of branding strategies of luxury fashion brands in Nigeria upon young consumers and aims to discuss the various branding strategies used and their effectiveness. The study aims to apply special emphasis upon the brand Tiffany and Amber which is known for its uniqueness and use of luxuriant fabric and vibrant colors. With the use of a closed-ended questionnaire, the study is designed to be both qualitative and quantitative in nature as it will contact 60 Tiffany and Amber customers through email for their opinion regarding the brand prominence and branding strategies employed by Tiffany and Amber and their effectiveness. The study will conclude by providing recommendations according to the data obtained. Chapter 1: Introduction1.1 Introduction:Fashion is an evolving term which may have a different context in every culture and may be redefined frequently. It is also a concept which may be defined differently by each individual and may be used as a source of expressing his/her personality. Hence, the fashion industry has a wide scope all over the world and is filtrated by numerous designers attempting to gain their market share by becoming the favorite of the fashion conscious (Okonkwo, 2009a). While fashion trends evolve and the tastes of various target markets differ, designers and brands have used specific branding strategies in order to increase their appeal to consumers and influence them into purchasing their products and wearing their styles (Ahmad, 2011). As different designers target separate target markets, the fashion industry is dispersed according to consumer characteristics which include gender, age group, socio-economic class, occupation, and the type of clothing needed amongst innumerous other characteristics(Okonkwo, 2007b). Accordingly, as the world has fashion hubs which are countries or cities which promote and spread fashion, such as Paris, the West can be considered the global hub for the remaining world as most successful designers attempt to influence the Western fashion market to gain recognition. While Nigerian or African fashion was not highly prominent in the West previously, Nigerian designers have gained recognition and formed their own luxury brands (Okonkwo, 2009a). This dissertation will seek to explore the branding strategies of Nigerian luxury brands, specifically Tiffany Amber, in context of socio-economic class, magnitude of fashion, age group, and other relevant factors which influence the branding strategy of a luxury brand. Accordingly this proposal will commence with an explanation of the background of the topic and the company Tiffany Amber and continue by stating the rationale for the study, research objectives/aims, and the research questions. The next chapter in the proposal will contain a brief literature review covering some of the main points in the literature concerning branding strategies of fashion luxury brands and summarizing the points that the dissertation will seek to explore. The proposal will commence with describing the research design and methodology including methods of data collection and data analysis and conclude with a short summary of all the relevant crucial points in the proposal.1.2 Background:Fashion is not a necessity but is usually a luxury exploited by and available to consumers who are willing to purchase fashionable clothes and have the resources to do so. One of the largest groups of consumers who are influenced by fashion are the young generation or young consumers and this particular target market is also known to spend the most upon purchasing fashionable clothing. Accordingly, designers of luxury brands incorporate different branding strategies within their marketing plan in order to increase their influence upon young consumers (Kotler, 1988). This study particularly focuses upon studying the impact of branding strategies of new luxury brands upon young Nigerian consumers belonging to the upper-middle class and those who have the resources to afford luxury clothing and have access to luxury fashion brands. The study will discuss their fashion choices with relation to luxury and non-luxury brands and their reasons for choosing fashionable clothing such as maintaining an image, looking young, and price and status amongst other factors. Society has always classified individuals according to a number of characteristics and accordingly given them labels such as frontrunners and followers, powerful and weak, elite and poor, and many other universal social categorizations (Kotler, 1988). Thus, individuals are then classified according to factors such as treasure, prestige, capability, education, profession, and even place of residence. These separate factors together form the classification of socio-economic class which is one of the most important consumer characteristics in luxury fashion clothing Tynan et al, 2010). Accordingly, African luxury fashion brands are seeking to make their impact upon the Western fashion market by adopting various branding strategies to appeal to the affluent youth. While the development of African fashion has previously been slow, African fashion brands are gradually entering the Western fashion market featuring Nigerian designers in the lead (Jennings & Ude, 2011). Designers such as Deola Sagoe, Violet Hecksher, and Adebayo Jones have all made their mark as high-end fashion brands which provide and design clothes in the categories ofhaute dressmaking, avante garde, and bridal fashion clothing. They produce commendable work in their own design fields and clearly communicate their brand image in their collections and customer service, representing concepts such as reliability, custom fitting, vibrance, entertainment, and comfort (Chavelier & Mozzalovo, 2008). However, Deola Sagoe exceeds the limitations of other Nigerian fashion designers and features a highly innovat ive high-end fashion line which is not seen elsewhere within the realms of Nigerian fashion. Thus, it is evident that Nigerian fashion has been thriving for some time and has made commendable progress in the last five years. Previously, Nigerian designs such as Ankara were not used daily and Nigerian designers were not paid much regard. However, now consumers under the age of 40 have begun to appreciate the beauty of Ankara and regularly wear garments designed by Nigerian designers. Designers have currently become proud of the country-of-origin of their products and often promote this feeling of patriotism by labeling clothes with emblems saying â€Å"Proudly Nigerian† (Keller & Lehmann, 2006). Due to the new popularity of Ankara fabric and the skills of fashion designers, the Nigerian fashion industry has currently taken a whole new path and is on the road to success, putting Nigerian fashion designers in a better position to target the youth and develop appropriate branding strategies to promote their luxury brands. This dissertation seeks to explore these branding strategies, specifically those employed by the luxury fashion brand, Tiffany Amber (Wilcox et al, 2009).1.3 Company Background:The brand, Tiffany Amber, was incorporated in the fall of 1998 by the brand’s owner and founder, Folake Folarin Cokar, who lived most of her youth in Europe exploring various fashion trends and fashion philosophy in order to later transmit her fashion sense and passion in her new brand. Unlike other Nigerian luxury brands, Tiffany Amber is specifically designed to suit the modern African woman and offers a unique blend of traditional African design with an international aesthetic which is part of the brand’s unique selling proposition. The brand is also widely known for its ultra feminine cuts and pieces created with the most luxuriant fabric and specific emphasis to detail. Unlike other African fashion designers, Tiffany Amber has successfully made a mark in the global fashion market while winning numerous awards and featuring its designs at the New York Fashion Week. The brand’s success can be attributed to a number of things which may include the brand’s specific emphasis to detail and femininity or the brand’s branding strategy of featuring itself under a foreign brand name rather than a local Nigerian brand name (Anheir & Isar, 2008).1.4 Rationale for the Study:While Western fashion and the fashion industries of other countries are well-developed, Nigerian fashion is a newly emerging concept and a newly prosperous industry. Thus, while all major fashion brands indulge in strategized marketing and promotion of their brands, there is little insight into how Nigerian luxury fashion brands adopt branding strategies to make consumers more aware of their brand and increase their prominence. Moreover, while the youth are highly appreci ative of Nigerian fashion in Nigeria, there is a need to understand whether Nigerian designers are effectively targeting the youth and increasing the prominence of their fashion brands or whether there is need for improvement in their branding/marketing strategies (Cayla & Arnold, 2008). While this would not have been an issue previously, with the current success of Nigerian fashion and its penetrating prominence in the Western fashion market, it is essential to study whether Nigerian luxury fashion brands such as Tiffany Amber are effectively using branding as a source to increase consumer awareness (Ahmad, 2011). If branding strategies and marketing plans are not coordinated and presented effectively, it may affect the success and acceptance of Nigerian fashion amongst young consumers. This was not previously a highly researched topic as the Nigerian fashion industry was not highly prominent and was not given due regard, hence there is little insight into this area of research (Shukla, 2011). This study can shed light upon whether the Nigerian luxury fashion market is effectively using branding strategies to gain prominence amongst young consumers and whether young consumers are aware of various Nigerian brands. It can also shed light upon the different types of branding strategies used in the Nigerian fashion industry and how these can be improved to exploit the opportunities available for Nigerian fashion amongst young consumers, if they are not currently being used at optimum level (Phau & Prendergast, 2000).1.5 Research Aims:Principle Research Aim: Exploring the depth of Nigerian fashion culture and the use of branding strategies by luxury brands to gain prominence amongst young consumers.Research Objectives:Aims to critically analyze and explore fashion culture in Nigeria as well as the contemporary fashion industry Aims to critically analyze the development and success of luxury fashion brands in Nigeria and their strategy of targeting young consumers Aims to explor e brand awareness of luxury fashion brands amongst young consumers in Nigeria Aims to critically analyze and explore the branding strategies of luxury fashion brands in Nigeria Aims to explore the branding strategy employed by Tiffany Amber and effectively make recommendations for improvement in light of the information gathered in the studyResearch Questions: Primary Research Question: What types of branding strategies are used by Nigerian luxury fashion brands and are they effectively targeting and increasing brand prominence amongst young consumers?Subsidiary Research Questions:What does fashion culture in Nigeria represent Are young consumers aware of various luxury fashion brands in Nigeria What branding strategies are being used by Tiffany Amber and how can they be improved to increase the brand’s acceptance by young consumers1.6Hypothesis:H0: young Nigerian customers are not aware of brand prominence of luxury fashion brands. H1: young Nigerian customers are aware of brand prominence of luxury fashion brands Chapter 2: Literature Review2.1 Concept of Branding:A brand name is a source of recognition for a product range which gives it a distinct identity and differentiates it from the products of competitors. If it were not for the concept of branding, it would not be possible for fashion designers to gain recognition in the industry and set themselves apart from their counterparts offering similar clothing and styles. A brand name represents a number of concepts and is a source of equity for a business which adds value to the business beyond the value of its material assets. Moreover, it is also a source of communication between the customer and the brand owner which gives off several cues to the customer regarding the product (Amankwah et al, 2012). A brand name is particularly important in the fashion industry and all luxury fashion brands are dependent upon the development of their brand name in order to add value to their brands. For example, Louis Vutton produces a leather handbag which is produced at a cost of approximately ?150 including the cost of overheads, but the bag is sold at a price of ?750 because of its unique style, the brand’s equity, and the brand associations that arise in the minds of customers when purchasing the brand (Wissinger, 2009).The luxury fashion brands industry aims to associate feelings of prestige, importance, power, hi-fashion, and uniqueness within customers regarding the brands they purchase. Thus, the industry’s main aim is to develop their brand name through branding strategies to represent concepts which are highly attractive for affluent customers and influence them to pay a high price for their products while also frequently purchasing their products (Fillis & Remtschler, 2 006). 2.2 Branding Strategies:In order to promote their luxury fashion brands in the eyes of customers, brand owners and managers implement a number of branding strategies. The branding strategies include extending the brand life cycle, increasing brand prominence, creating a brand image and brand position in the market, using celebrity endorsements, and using a foreign brand name amongst other innumerous branding strategies (Atwal & Williams, 2009). Many brands attempt to attract customers through constant innovation and offering completely new looks. Thus, this leaves customers guessing and at a stage of surprise as they are not sure of what to expect from the brand. While this strategy can significantly increase customer interest, it can also be harmful in the sense that it may cause brand confusion for customers and they may not be able to associate an appropriate image with the brand. Some brands attempt to increase their sales by increasing brand prominence and ensuring that customers are well aware of their brand. This may involve sponsoring events, featuring the brand in movies, advertisements, and basically ensuring the brand name is visible wherever possible (Ahmad, 2011). While this may be effective in ensuring that customers are well aware of the brand and it is at the top of their minds, but it may also cause customers to think that the brand has lost its uniqueness if the brand is made too prominent and is featured in the wrong places (Danziger, 2004). Many brand managers feel that their brand will sell itself if the correct brand image is projected and the brand is positioned appropriately. This is one of the most important branding strategies for luxury brands as this determines their identity in the market and how they are perceived by customers. Luxury fashion brands often prefer to create a brand image of uniqueness, importance, high status, and exquisite style. However, they may differ in the manner that they position themselves in the market as some brands may wish to position themselves as traditional brands while others may wish to project themselves as contemporary brands for example (Wilcox et al, 2009). Another very popular branding strategy for luxury fashion brands is using celebrity endorsements or hiring brand ambassadors which are well-known people who represent or use the brand in order to promote it to customers. This is usually considered an effective strategy in the case of luxury fashion brands as using celebrity endorsements often adds an aura of prestige and status to the brand (Keller & Lehmann, 2006). One of the popular branding strategies in brands originating from less developed countries is adopting a foreign brand name in order to give the brand a more Westernized image and possibly even hiding its country of origin. This is one of the strategies adopted by numerous Nigerian fashion designers, such as Tiffany Amber, and touches upon the next topic of the country of origin effect (Tynan et al , 2010). 2.3 Country of Origin Effect:The country of origin effect is seen within brands originating from different countries and how consumers perceive them based upon their c ountry of origin. For example, it may be difficult for a Chinese fashion designer to name a global fashion brand under a Chinese name and then effectively compete with other fashion brands such as Zara, Marie Claire, and numerous others as Western consumers may not be able to completely relate to the brand. It may also be difficult for consumers to associate themselves with the brand or perceive it as a high quality brand. Hence, many brands originating from less developed countries are made to adopt a Western name in order to at times hide their country of origin or relate to customers more effectively. This practice is often seen in Nigerian brands and may be a cause for their recent success in the global market, including brands such as Tiffany and Amber. Accordingly, these brands give off specific psychological cues to customers (Cayla & Arnould, 2008).2.4 Psychological Effects of Branding:Customers wearing branded products often choose to wear these brands because they give the m psychological satisfaction more than for the specific quality or style they offer. For example, a consumer wearing a simple dress which is not branded may not feel as confident as a consumer wearing a dress with a specific emblem or logo on it (Okonkwo, 2007b). Moreover, brands give customers a sense of belonging and may give them the feeling that they belong to a specific group of people who use a particular product. Thus, many consumers feel that they are cool, stylish, of high status, rich, or fashionable because they are wearing a particular brand. Hence, consumers, specifically young consumers in the contemporary fashion market, feel that they are recognized through the brands they wear. The same situations holds true for Nigerian consumers (Danziger, 2004). 2.5 Nigerian Young Consumers:Young Nigerian consumers are becoming increasingly affluent and have a substantial amount of discretionary income to spend upon fashion clothing. Moreover, with the increase in education and a wareness, Nigerian consumers are increasingly becoming fashion conscious and feel highly comfortable wearing Western labels. However, with the current prominence of Nigerian fashion, some young consumers are beginning to wear Ankara fabric and appreciate Nigerian fashion (Kawamura, 2011). However, a lot of the young generation may not be explicitly aware of Nigerian fashion brands and thus may not be targeted properly. The Nigerian fashion industry is in danger of losing such individuals to the Western fashion industry if the correct branding strategies are not implemented and young consumers are not given the feelings of prestige, honor, status, and style while using the brand (Jennings & Ude, 2011). These concepts must be explored in greater depth within the dissertation. Chapter 3: Research Methodology:3.1 Research Philosophy:The research conducted will be exploratory in nature as it seeks to investigate a topic which has previously not been explored in great depth. The study will be designed to be both qualitative and quantitative in nature as it will rely upon qualitative data in order to derive an outcome regarding the branding strategies employed by Tiffany and Amber and other luxury brands and also use a quantitative questionnaire in order to derive an outcome regarding the perception of young Nigerian customers of Tiffany and Amber (Kawamura, 2011).3.2 Research Design:The research will be designed in order to gain maximum in-depth information regarding the branding strategies of luxury brands and also provide a degree of control to eliminate interviewer/researcher bias and other problems associated with only qualitative research. Hence, the research design will depend upon both qualitative and quantitative data and both primary and secondary d ata. Primary data will be gathered through the means of a questionnaire conducted with Tiffany and Amber customers and secondary data will be collected for the literature review through online databases, journals, books, websites, magazines, and other sources (Berg, 2004).3.3 Research Strategy:The research process will begin with the collection of data for the literature review and critical analysis through online databases, journals, and other relevant sources after which a conceptual framework will be formed against which the new data collected is to be analyzed. According to the findings in the literature review, a comprehensive questionnaire will be dispersed to 60 Tiffany Amber young customers (under the age of 40) to gain their opinion regarding their knowledge and association with the Tiffany Amber brand. The data will then be analyzed and compared to the results obtained in the literature review in order to arrive at a conclusion (Berg, 2004).3.4 Data Collection Method:The most appropriate data collection method for this study would be to first gain explicit permission from Tiffany and Amber to contact their customers regarding the study and get a list of email addresses of approximately 60-80 young customers from their database. As some customers may not be willing to participate in the study, approximately 80 customers will be sent questionnaires through email out of which 60 responses will be used for the purpose of the study. The method of email will be used to promote convenience and promptness of responses (Patton, 1990).3.5 Data Analysis:As the questionnaire will be closed-ended, the data obtained from the questionnaire will be analyzed through the use of statistical software such as SPSS. This software is chosen for its appropriateness and accuracy in analyzing such data. The data involving single variables will be presented in the form of bar and pie charts and frequency tables. The data involving two or more variables will be presented in the form of statistical correlation analysis.3.6 Quality of Research:The research needs to ensure validity and reliability and in order to increase the quality of research, it is essential to ensure that the information is interpreted without interviewer bias/resp ondent bias. Questions should be designed to ensure that they are not loaded or leading questions and arouse a level of interest within the respondent in order to avoid dishonest responses due to boredom (Patton, 1990).3.7 Ethical Considerations:There may be a few ethical considerations that must be made when conducting the study which include the situation in which Tiffany Amber may be reluctant to speak of or disclose its branding strategies. Moreover, customers may also be reserved of answering personal questions for fear of misappropriation. In order to reduce the influence of these issues, respondents must be guaranteed anonymity and the researcher must ensure that he/she informs the respondents that he/she is not directly associated with Tiffany and Amber.3.8 Limitations:The limitations of the study include the fact that the study focuses only upon a single Nigerian brand, Tiffany and Amber, and results cannot be generalized towards other brands. Moreover, the sample populatio n used is not representative of all the Tiffany and Amber customers and also does not represent the opinions of the customers of other luxury brands (Cooper & Schindler, 2003).3.9 Timetable: The time table shows the most time spent on activities such as reading literature, drafting the literature review, awaiting tutor feedback, and acting on the final feedback given. These activities are given the most emphasis because they are crucial points in the research process and require extensive time to complete. It is highly essential to spend ample time exploring as much literature as possible in order to develop a full-fledged conceptual framework. Hence, approximately a week and a half is required in order to properly read all relevant sources. Drafting and writing out the literature review is likely to take approximately two and a half weeks as it is essential to appropriately form the arguments and the critical analysis as this is the main foundation of the research. As supervisors and tutors are likely to have a number of students to advise, it will take them some time to provide feedback and thus this is also a milestone in the research process. Analyzing the data is likely to take a shorter period of time than the other activities as it certain statistical functions must be used on SPSS and the data must be interpreted accordingly. The most important part of the research process is acting upon final feedback and ensuring the dissertation is up to the mark in all regards which includes activities such as proofreading, formatting, and correcting any mistakes. Chapter 4: Conclusion In a highly diverse and enticing fashion market, it is essential for Nigerian brands to promote brand awareness and prominence as Western brands do in order to ensure that they continue to appeal to young consumers. In order to do so, they may use a number of branding strategies that have preliminarily been explored in the literature review and will be explored in more depth and detail in the dissertation. However, as Western brands gain increasing prominence and implement effective branding strategies, it is becoming more essential for Nigerian designers to implement highly effective branding strategies to appeal to the youth (Kotler, 1988). With the example of Tiffany and Amber, the study will aim to appropriately explore the branding strategies that this particular brand employs and provide recommendations for improvement accordingly. This study can also lead to further research around the topics of how Nigerian branding strategies are different from the West and understanding how young Nigerian customers perceive the branding strategies of the West compared to those of local brands. Thus, this information can be highly beneficial for the fashion industry to develop a more strategically appropriate marketing plan and become as competent and prominent as Western fashion brands. The study can also lead to studies in other sectors of the developing Nigerian market such as accessories, technology, home decor, and others. References Ahmad, S. (2011). Globalisation and brands.BRANDS AND BRANDING. Amankwah, A. M., Howard, E. K., & Sarpong, G. D. (2012). â€Å"Foreign Fashion Influence on the Ghanaian Youth and its Impact on the Local Fashion Industry.†International Journal of Innovative Research and Development. Vol.1(11) pp.562-575. Anheier, H. K., & Isar, Y. R. (Eds.). (2008).Cultures and globalization: The cultural economy. Sage. Atwal, G., & Williams, A. (2009). â€Å"Luxury brand marketing–The experience is everything!.†Journal of Brand Management. Vol. 16(5) pp. 338-346. Berg, B. L. (2004).Qualitative research methods for the social sciences (Vol. 5). Boston: Pearson. Cayla, J., & Arnould, E. J. (2008). â€Å"A cultural approach to branding in the global marketplace.†Journal of International Marketing. Vol.16 (4) pp.86-112. Chevalier, M. & Mazzalovo, G. (2008.) Luxury Brand Management, a world of privilege 1st ed. Singapore; Chichester: John Wiley. Cooper, D. R., & Schi ndler, P. S. (2003). Business research methods. Danziger, P. (2004).Why people buy things they don’t need: understanding and predicting consumer behavior. Kaplan Publishing. Fillis, I., & Rentschler, R. (2006). â€Å"Creative marketing: an extended metaphor for marketing in a new age† Jennings, H., & Ude, I. (2011).New African Fashion. Prestel. Kawamura, Y. (2011).Doing research in fashion and dress: an introduction to qualitative methods. Berg. Keller, K. L., & Lehmann, D. R. (2006). â€Å"Brands and branding: Research findings and future priorities.†Marketing Science. Vol. 25(6) pp.740-759. Kotler, P., (1988) Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning and Control. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Musso, E. (2012).Trendy Growth: Fashion as a Function for Development in Africa (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Colorado). Okonkwo, U.( 2009a.) â€Å"The luxury brand strategy challenge.† Journal of Brand Management. Vol. (5-6). pp. 287-289 Okonkwo, U., (2007b.) Luxury Fashion Branding. Trends, Tactics, Techniques 1st ed. Basingstoke : Palgrave Macmillan. Patton, M. Q. (1990).Qualitative evaluation and research methods . SAGE Publications, inc. Phau, I., & Prendergast, G. (2000). â€Å"Consuming luxury brands: the relevance of the rarity principle.†The Journal of Brand Management. Vol.8(2) pp.122-138. Shukla, P. (2011). â€Å"Impact of interpersonal influences, brand origin and brand image on luxury purchase intentions: measuring interfunctional interactions and a cross-national comparison.†Journal of world business. Vol. 46(2) pp. 242-252 Tynan, C., McKechnie, S., and Chhuon, C., (2010). â€Å"Co-creating value for luxury brands.† Journal of Brand management. Vol. 63. pp. 1156-1163 Ueltchy, L., and Laroche M.,( 2004.) â€Å"Co-branding internationally. Everyone wins?† Journal of Applied Business Research. Vol. 20(3) pp. 91-102 Wilcox, K., Kim, H. M., & Sen, S. (2009). â€Å"Why do consumers buy co unterfeit luxury brands?.†Journal of Marketing Research. Vol. 46(2) pp.247-259. Wissinger, E. (2009). â€Å"Modeling Consumption Fashion modeling work in contemporary society.†Journal of Consumer Culture. Vol.9 (2) pp.273-296.

25 Idioms About Bread and Dessert

25 Idioms About Bread and Dessert 25 Idioms About Bread and Dessert 25 Idioms About Bread and Dessert By Mark Nichol Wheat the staff of life and the baked products derived from it invite many idiomatic associations. Here are references to bread and other flour-based products in phrases and expressions. 1. â€Å"Bread and butter† refers to the basics in life. 2. â€Å"Bread and water† refers to the bare minimum of food and drink, based on the traditional punitive prison diet. 3. â€Å"The greatest thing since sliced bread† is something considered revolutionary and indispensable. 4. â€Å"Half a loaf is better than none† means that one shouldn’t complain about not having everything, because it is better to have something than nothing. 5. â€Å"Half baked† means â€Å"incomplete† or â€Å"not thoroughly planned or conceived.† 6. To know â€Å"which side (one’s) bread is buttered on† is to recognize what is advantageous. 7. To â€Å"sell (something) like hotcakes† is to be very successful at selling something. 8. To â€Å"separate the wheat from the chaff† is to distinguish what is useful or valuable from what is not. 9. Something that is â€Å"as flat as a pancake† is extremely flat. 10. Something â€Å"as warm as toast† is very warm and comforting. 11. To â€Å"have your cake and eat it, too† is to have or accomplish something more than one way; the phrase often refers to an unrealistic expectation. 12. Something â€Å"as easy as (apple) pie† is very simple to do or understand. 13–14. To â€Å"have (one’s) finger in the pie† is to be involved, but to â€Å"have (one’s) fingers in too many pies† is to be committed in too many endeavors, thus reducing one’s effectiveness. 15. â€Å"Icing on the cake† is an additional benefit. 16. An activity that is â€Å"like taking candy from a baby† is very easy. 17. Something that is â€Å"pie in the sky† is unrealistic. 18. Something that is â€Å"a piece of cake† is extraordinarily easy. 19. To get â€Å"a piece of the pie† is to be among those who earn an advantage or reward. 20. To â€Å"sugarcoat† something is to put it into a deceptively or inaccurately positive light. 21. Something that â€Å"takes the cake† is significantly better or worse than other comparable things; the phrase often refers to an action or comment that is audaciously irritating. 22. â€Å"That’s the way the cookie crumbles† means that what is referred to is an expected or typical outcome. 23. Someone or something â€Å"as nutty as a fruitcake† is crazy or ridiculous. 24. Something â€Å"as slow as molasses (in January)† is very slow. 25. Something â€Å"as sweet as honey† is very appealing. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?Ten Yiddish Expressions You Should KnowPunctuation Is Powerful

The Philosophy of Avenue Q Lyrics - An Analysis

The Philosophy of Avenue Q Lyrics - An Analysis Avenue Q Lyrics - The Philosophy of Avenue Q Lyrics During a recent visit to London, I wandered through Covent Garden on my way to watch a West End production of Avenue Q. While passing various shops and street performers I spotted a large plaque placed on the walls outside of St. Pauls church. It was here, said the sign, that the famous Punch and Judy Shows were performed during the 1600s. Thats right, Shakespeares plays had to compete with puppet shows. In traditional Punch and Judy shows, the anti-hero Punch insults, pesters, and beats his fellow characters, much to the delight of the audience. The Punch and Judy shows were a glorious display of political incorrectness. Today, the tradition of puppets delivering obnoxiousness and social commentary continues with Avenue Q. The Origin of Avenue Q Avenue Qs music and lyrics were created by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. The two young composers met in the late 90s while involved in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. Together they have written songs for Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel. However, they wanted to create a puppet-friendly show that was strictly for adults. With the help of playwright Jeff Whitty and director Jason Moore, Avenue Q was born - and has been a hit Broadway show since 2003. Sesame Street for Grown Ups Avenue Q could not exist without Sesame Street, the long running childrens show that teaches kids letters, numbers, and practical life-lessons. The premise of Avenue Q is that adolescents grow up without learning the truth of adult life. Like the puppet protagonist Princeton, many new grown-ups experience anxiety and confusion when entering the Real World. Here are some of the lessons offered by Avenue Q: School / College Does Not Prepare You for Real Life With songs like What Do You Do with a B. A. in English? and I Wish I Could Go Back to College, Avenue Q lyrics portray higher education as an extended stay in the carefree Land of Adolescence. Princetons main conflict is that he is drifting through life, trying to discover his true purpose. One would hope that college would establish this sense of purpose (or at least a sense of self-sufficiency), but the puppet croons to the contrary: I cant pay the bills yet / Cause I have no skills yet. / The world is a big scary place. The ensemble of characters, both human and monster, wistfully recall the days when they lived in a dormitory with a meal plan, a time when if things got too difficult they could just drop a class or seek an academic advisors guidance. This criticism of the education system is nothing new. Philosopher John Dewey believed that public education should proactively prepare students with useful critical thinking skills rather than just facts from books. Modern day critics such as John Taylor Gatto further explore the failures of compulsory learning; his book Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling explains why many people feel the same social / intellectual impotence expressed within Avenue Qs lyrics. The Freedom to Find Our Own Purpose Princeton decides that he should seek his purpose in life. At first his quest for meaning is guided by superstition. He finds a penny from the year he was born and considers it a supernatural sign. However, after a couple a false-start relationships and a dead-end job or two, he realizes that discovering ones purpose and identity is a difficult, never-ending process (but an invigorating process if one chooses to make it so). Steering away from lucky pennies and mystical signs, he becomes more self-reliant by the musicals conclusion. Princetons resolution to find his own path would be smiled upon by existential philosophers. The main component of existentialism is the assumption that humans are free to determine their own sense of personal fulfillment. They are not bound by Gods, destiny, or biology. When Princeton laments, I dont even know why Im alive, his girlfriend Kate Monster replies, Who does, really? A rather existential response. There Are No Selfless Deeds Perhaps there are good deeds, according to Avenue Q, but there seem to be no purely selfless deeds. When Princeton decides to generate money for Kates School for Monsters, he does so because it feels good to help others†¦ and he also hopes to win her back, thereby rewarding himself. The lyrics from Avenue Qs Money Song explain, Every time you do good deeds / Youre also serving your own needs. / When you help others / You cant help helping yourself. This bit of wisdom would please Ayn Rand, author of controversial classics such as Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. Rands concept of objectivism which specifies that ones purpose should be the pursuit of happiness and self-interest. Therefore, Princeton and the other characters are morally justified in performing good deeds, so long as they do so for their own benefit. Schadenfreude: Happiness at the Misfortune of Others If youve ever felt better about your life after watching the miserable guests on a Jerry Springer re-run, then youve probably experienced schadenfreude. One of the Avenue Q characters is Gary Coleman, a real-life child star whose millions were squandered by his irresponsible family. In the show, Coleman explains that his personal tragedies make others feel good. Ironically, it becomes a virtue (or at least a public service) to be a wretched failure or a victim of calamity. (This by the way would would be frowned upon by Ayn Rand). Characters such as Coleman and the recently homeless puppet, Nicky, improve the self-esteem of the mediocre masses. Basically, these lyrics make you feel better about being a loser! Tolerance and Racism Avenue Q Heterosexual puppet Nicky tries to help the sexually repressed puppet Rod come out of the closet. He sings, â€Å"If you were queer / I’d still be here / Year after year / Because You’re Dear To Me.† A bit more devious (in a good way) is the song â€Å"Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist.† During this number, the characters proclaim that â€Å"everyone makes judgments based on race,† and that if we accepted this â€Å"sad but true† premise society could â€Å"live in harmony.† The song’s argument might be specious, but the audience’s self-deprecating laughter throughout the musical number is very telling. Everything in Life Is Only For Now Recently, â€Å"spiritual† books such as Eckhart Tolle’s have been asking readers to focus on the present, to embrace â€Å"The Power of Now.† (I wonder†¦ Does this message anger historians?) In any case, this currently popular concept stems from ancient times. Buddhists have long since explained the impermanence of existence. Avenue Q follows the Buddhist path in its final song, â€Å"For Now.† These cheerful Avenue Q lyrics remind the audience that all things must pass: â€Å"Each time you smile / It’ll only last a while.† â€Å"Life may be scary / But it’s only temporary.† In the end, despite its zaniness and crude jokes, Avenue Q delivers a sincere philosophy: We must appreciate the joys and endure the sadness we currently experience, and acknowledge that all is fleeting, a lesson that makes life seem all the more precious. Why Puppets? Why use puppets to deliver the message? Robert Lopez explained in a New York Times interview, â€Å"Theres something about our generation that resists actors bursting into song on the stage. But when puppets do it, we believe it.† Whether it’s Punch and Judy, Kermit the Frog, the cast of Avenue Q, puppets make us laugh. And while we are laughing, we usually wind up learning at the same time. If a regular human were on stage singing a preachy song, many folks would probably ignore the message. But when a muppet talks, people listen. The creators of Mystery Science Theater 3000 once explained that, â€Å"You can say things as a puppet that you can’t get away with as a human.† That was true for MST3K. It was true for the Muppets. It was true for the bombastically cruel Punch, and it is eloquently true for the ever-insightful show Avenue Q.

Purchasing power parity, theory of exchange rate determination. The WritePass Journal

Purchasing power parity, theory of exchange rate determination. INTRODUCTION: Purchasing power parity, theory of exchange rate determination. INTRODUCTION:SECTION 1: UNDERSTANDING PURCHASING POWER PARITYWHAT IS PPP?LAW OF ONE PRICE:Related INTRODUCTION: The objective of this paper is to better understand one of the key concepts of real exchange rate determination and building blocks of macroeconomic model, ppp. The main reason to focus on this topic is due to the fact that most of the large companies are working beyond the national boundaries and are trying to expand their business at international levels, so it becomes vital for managers and investors while making international investment decisions to gauge the impact of fluctuation of consumer goods prices, tradable and non-tradable goods could have on the profitability of their businesses.Although the term â€Å"purchasing power parity† was coined as recently as 80 years ago (Cassel, 1918), it has much longer history in economics[1].PPP is generally attributed to Gustav Cassel’s writings in the 1920s, although its intellectual origins date back to the writings of the nineteenth-century British economist â€Å"David Ricardo†. Probably, it is the oldest theory of exchange rate determination. In section 1 of this paper, I will define the concept of ppp, discuss the theory behind it, and elaborate its practical implications in real world development. The section 2 will clarifies the nuances between absolute ppp and relative ppp and tests of the validity of the ppp theory over the time period. The section 3 elaborates Why is more preferable to say that ppp holds in the long run than in the short run. The section 4 explains why ppp does not hold in the short run, what are the economic factors lies behind it in deviating ppp from actual exchange rate.  Ã‚  Ã‚   It distinguishes between those factors which would prevent absolute ppp from holding, but would not necessarily prevent relative ppp from holding, and those which clearly prevent relative ppp too. It also explains those factors which would lead to ppp failing in the long run. In section 5, there are concluding remarks. SECTION 1: UNDERSTANDING PURCHASING POWER PARITY In thissection, I will define purchasing power parity by using the examples to elaborate how it works in the real world and discuss it how it relates to real exchange rates. WHAT IS PPP? The purchasing power parity exchange rate is the exchange rate between two currencies’ that would equate the two relevant national price levels if expressed in common currency at that rate, so that ppp of a unit of one currency would be the same in both countries.The basic concept underlying ppp theory is that arbitrage forces will lead to the equalization of goods prices internationally, once the prices of goods are measured in same currency. As such theory represents an application of the ‘law of one price’[2]. LAW OF ONE PRICE: The fundamental idea behind this theory is the law of one price.LOP[3] refers to identical products which are sold in different markets will sell in the same prices when expressed in terms of a common currency in the presence of competitive market structure and absence of transportation costs and other barriers to trade. Thus, it provides a framework to relate currency in one market (the domestic market) to currency in another market (foreign market).In algebraic form, LOP posits that for any good I: p

Delivering Customer Value Through Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Delivering Customer Value Through - Essay Example Talking on this note, it can be said that the entire process of globalization has played a major role in the process of opening of markets around the world and making information from various corners available to the masses, irrespective of their geographical locations. As a matter of fact, it can be said that the entire process of globalization has played a major role in the process of influencing the consumer behavior, needs and demands of the masses all over the world. The high level of influence that are being implemented on the masses by the process of globalization has led to the evolution of needs and demands for various kinds of new products and service in various markets around the world. ... rnments around the world concentrate on attracting foreign investments of diverse nature like the Foreign Institutional Investments (FIIs) and Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). The factors of favorable government frameworks, economic policies as well as tremendous demand from various markets for various new products and services are encouraging the companies around the world to focus on the process of catering to the growing demands of the global masses. As a result, the companies around the world are designing strategies like product development, market development and even diversification strategies for the purpose of entering new markets. This has automatically resulted in the increase of the level of competition in various markets around the world and is also providing the customers in various markets around the world with a significant number of alternative products. This is resulting in the increase in competition for products and services and is promoting inter firms rivalry a mong various companies in multiple markets around the world. With the rise of similar types of products and services in any particular market, the consumers are left with a wide array of choices. Acting on the basis of normal and rational consumer behavior, it is quite natural for the consumers to select the products and services, which provides the best fit to their consumption trends as well as lifestyle patterns. Hence, with regards to standards economics philosophy of marginal and total utility, it can be clearly said that the consumers will show ample signs of choosing products and services which provides a lot of values to them as compared to other alternatives that are available in the market. Literature Review Overview From the view point of micro economics, it has always been

PERSONALITY THEORY (PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH PAPER) Essay

PERSONALITY THEORY (PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH PAPER) - Essay Example Jung was very influential and changed the way many people thought of psychology in his time, adding a certain mystical or spiritual dimension to some of Freud’s basic categories. And, like Freud, Jung has remained a respected part of the field of psychology, even in today’s modern world. According to Jung’s theories, life’s primary goal is to achieve self-realization, or a harmonious blending of the many components and forces within the psyche. â€Å"Although self-realization is never completely achieved, approximating it involves a†¦ journey of self-discovery† (Hergenhahn and Olson, 2003). The analyst’s role, then, in this situation is to help the client through a sectional modality to find as much self-discovery and self-realization as possible within the parameters of the interview setting, or to present this modality in terms of analysis. reacted to as if they belong to another object or person† (Scharf, 2004). The individuation process was also seen by Jung to be potentially induced by trying to make a connection in the individual between their conscious and unconscious self/selves, through analysis and deliberate action. Jung favored this form of coaxing out the individuation process in an analytical setting. Obviously, the individuation process does not occur during early childhood, and is seen by most to have its roots in the second half of an individual’s adult life. â€Å"Perhaps Jung’s most original contribution is that of the collective unconscious and archetypal patterns and images that arise from it† (Scharf, 2004). Jung was also somewhat strict about the individuation process being facilitated only by his own methods and descriptions, and was distrustful of other methods such as yoga or other eastern paradigms of awareness and enlightenment as being legitimate. The goal of the individuation process

Discrimination in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discrimination in the Workplace - Essay Example It is the mutual responsibility of employers and employees to take effective measures to stop workplace discrimination. Let us consider the case of Holmes, Helm and Partners, Inc. and discuss some of the most effective ways through which the HR manager of a company can avoid workplace discrimination Awareness about Discrimination Employees need to know that hiring decisions based on some protected class characteristics and dismissing employees based on his/her race or gender are legally defined as workplace discrimination and the employees have the right to raise their voice against such cases. In our case, Jessica Farrago, who was one of the two newly appointed creative supervisors, was being discriminated by Marc Corrigan as she was receiving no input or feedback from him on the work she was doing. That is the reason why she wanted to raise her voice in front of the president of the HHP. Protected Class Characteristics Another way to avoid workplace discrimination is by knowing tha t anti-discrimination laws cover protected classes. Employees need to know what protected classes actually are. â€Å"A protected class is a group of people against whom it is illegal to discriminate based on a common characteristic† (Ehow, n.d.). ... Similarly, Marc Corrigan did not like to hire Heather Stubbs and Oscar Rosenberg because of age and disability issues. These kinds of thoughts must be avoided while taking any key decision in order to prevent discrimination at the workplace. Zero Tolerance Policy If some employees belonging to any specific gender verbally and physically harass the opposite gender and the higher authority does not take any action against the offenders. This is a form of sex-based discrimination, which creates tension and nervousness for the victim of discrimination. To avoid such kinds of discrimination, managers need to implement zero tolerance policy and should make every employee read the guidelines of the policy on the first day of their jobs in order o avoid discrimination practice at the workplace. â€Å"If employees are made aware of the forms and effects of discrimination in the workplace it will act to discourage the practice† (McLellan, 2011). If any employee is found violating the an ti-discrimination laws of the company, he/she should be dismissed immediately to maintain a good working atmosphere in the company. For example, in our case, when Jessica reported to higher authorities the incidents of verbal sexual harassment by Harvey and Andrew, Marc Corrigan supported the offenders instead of taking disciplinary action against them. Mr. Corrigan declared Jessica’s allegations completely absurd and did not take any action against Harvey and Andrew. In such cases, incidents of discrimination and harassment prevail putting a negative impact on the company. Complaint Procedure Another step, which the management of a company must take, is to establish a proper

Health-related topics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health-related topics - Essay Example The health field bases on different factors the ability to overcome challenges depends on the models choices by a particular party. A person is best defined by the manner in which he or she overcomes social and other environmental challenges. The challenges within the environments are what shape a person’s mind. Jones (2001) creates a new concept and encourages each individual to describe their environment based on positivity and ignoring the negative attributes. The positive energy defined by the author is essential in everyday’s life. The world needs positive minds to enhance activities within the cultural spaces. Ignoring the negatives implies that allowing a person’s mind to generate solution based on available options. Public health is a major proponent in a given society. The positive energy within the spaces can be used to point out opportunities and highlights models to be applied while assisting those affected by a given misfortune. Illnesses require positive energy. The positive energy is accompanied by diversity on the mind set. A person needs to take diversity as tool to appreciate other cultures and identify the significance of different people within the environment (Jones, 2001). Diversity allows a person to seek advice in case of a complex situation. The social spaces are developed to give room for different ideas. Diversity allows those with negative thoughts to shift their philosophies and allow the society to unite against a given occurrence. In my case, I believe in a diverse mind. The ability to mentor others and offer health services are based on a diverse approach. Working with a community that allows the minority and the marginalized groups to have equal say is what I believe. Healthcare provisions bases on two components. These components are determined either by the health providers or by the healthcare beneficiaries. The beneficiary needs a positive thinking while the providers

Perspectives on Globalisation and Economic Crisis Essay

Perspectives on Globalisation and Economic Crisis - Essay Example Scholars like Chinn and Ito (2008) have supported this perception in the sense that they often present entirely novel plans to steer the process of globalisation. However, Feenstra and Taylor (2013) state that monetary unions aimed at economic integration were a reality even during the 19th century. According to the authors: â€Å"In monetary affairs the launch of the Latin Monetary Union in 1866 by France, Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland (later joined by 7 other countries) could be seen as, if not an early precursor to the Eurozone, at least an attempt to coordinate monetary policy at a transnational level, even if the project was soon undermined by the contradictions of the bimetallic system it sought to defend, and the bloc ended up as a de facto member of the soon ubiquitous gold standard area which began to dominate world monetary affairs after the 1870s.† (Feenstra and Taylor 2013, p. 5) Feenstra and Taylor (2013) further state that the gold standard (as set during the m id 19th century) has served as a platform for ensuring multilateral economic cooperation. Even during the days of colonial rivalries and frequent warfare, leaderships in different countries essentially understood that economic cooperation and intergovernmental dialogue were better avenues for achieving peace and prosperity. European countries were at the foremost in comprehending the importance of such mature financial behaviour although they could not effectively establish peace in their continent unlike today’s European Union. Present day econometric mechanisms of globalisation are also based on mainly economic integration and commercial cooperation. Moreover, geographical situations of different regions as well as geopolitical dynamics play a key role in globalisation simply because it...This paper tries to to elucidate the process of globalization with an objective to explore its economic dynamics with particular reference to the financial markets. It is argued in the paper, that if there is a global economic crisis, then the process of globalization can be affected in various ways. Conversely, regional or country specific economic crises too may obtain a worldwide dimension because of the fiscal dynamics of financial globalization. The gold standard (as set during the mid 19th century) has served as a platform for ensuring multilateral economic cooperation. Even during the days of colonial rivalries and frequent warfare, leaderships in different countries essentially understood that economic cooperation and dialogue were better avenues for achieving peace and prosperity. European countries were at the foremost in comprehending the importance of such financial behaviour although they could not effectively establish peace in their continent unlike today’s EU. As far as the financial world is concerned, it cannot be assumed as synonymous with commerce and industry. Therefore, globalisation with regard to global commerce and industries has its own dimensions with respect to the financial world, or more precisely, the financial or capital markets. A much better comprehension of today’s economic activities is still necessary that can help the international policymakers in finding out that how deficiencies in contemporary financial regulations might set the scene of yet another global economic crisis.

Health-related topics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health-related topics - Essay Example The health field bases on different factors the ability to overcome challenges depends on the models choices by a particular party. A person is best defined by the manner in which he or she overcomes social and other environmental challenges. The challenges within the environments are what shape a person’s mind. Jones (2001) creates a new concept and encourages each individual to describe their environment based on positivity and ignoring the negative attributes. The positive energy defined by the author is essential in everyday’s life. The world needs positive minds to enhance activities within the cultural spaces. Ignoring the negatives implies that allowing a person’s mind to generate solution based on available options. Public health is a major proponent in a given society. The positive energy within the spaces can be used to point out opportunities and highlights models to be applied while assisting those affected by a given misfortune. Illnesses require positive energy. The positive energy is accompanied by diversity on the mind set. A person needs to take diversity as tool to appreciate other cultures and identify the significance of different people within the environment (Jones, 2001). Diversity allows a person to seek advice in case of a complex situation. The social spaces are developed to give room for different ideas. Diversity allows those with negative thoughts to shift their philosophies and allow the society to unite against a given occurrence. In my case, I believe in a diverse mind. The ability to mentor others and offer health services are based on a diverse approach. Working with a community that allows the minority and the marginalized groups to have equal say is what I believe. Healthcare provisions bases on two components. These components are determined either by the health providers or by the healthcare beneficiaries. The beneficiary needs a positive thinking while the providers

A Comparative Study of Accounting and the Environmental Factors Essay

A Comparative Study of Accounting and the Environmental Factors Influencing Accounting in Australia and Sweden - Essay Example It begins with the discussion of Mueller’s classification of accounting then narrows down to the accounting values within which a comprehensive analysis of the Swedish and Australian accounting environments are based. Gerhard Mueller carried out an environmental analysis which supports the discussion on the accounting classifications. Gerhard identified four different approaches to the accounting development which provide the necessary categorization of countries based on accounting values. This includes the microeconomic pattern, macroeconomic pattern, uniform accounting pattern, and the independent discipline pattern (Mueller, 1967). The macroeconomic pattern is based on the interrelationship between business accounting and the economic policies of the nation. The corporate objectives are usually to follow instead of leading national economic policies. Business and economic stability is promoted through the smoothening of accounting income; to stimulate growth, adjustment of depreciation rates is necessary; to promote investment, the creation of special reserves is necessary; and to meet macroeconomic concerns it is necessary to develop social responsibility accounting. The examples given for this approach included French, Germany and Sweden. The microeconomic pattern on the other hand can be seen as a sub discipline of business economics. This pattern provides the focus directed towards the specific economic entities. In this pattern, economic analysis is the source of accounting concepts. An essential concept is determined by maintaining in real terms the monetary capital invested in the companies. The microeconomic approach is demonstrated by some companies in Netherlands and Australia through replacement-value accounting (Chanchani & Willett, 2004). Accounting is viewed in the light of an efficient method of control and administration derived from the uniform accounting

Should Children Be Tried as Adults Essay Example for Free

Should Children Be Tried as Adults Essay There is a saying â€Å"If you do the crime, you must do the time†. But does that apply to children. Should children be tried as adults?. While some people praise this as a means of stopping young offenders before they start on a â€Å"career† of crime, others find it very inappropriate and unjust. This paper will examine questions, pros and cons of whether children should be tried as adults. Discussion I will view both sides to whether children should be tried as adults. The rate of murders by juveniles and children has skyrocketed across the country. There are many people who feel that children should be tried as adults due to the popular saying â€Å"If you do the crime, you must do the time†. According to many sources it is believed that it will make them understand the consequences of their actions and deter them from committing any further crimes. However, there is also the view that many individuals feel that Children should not be tried as adults. They should be nurtured and protected rather than completely responsible and punished for their crime. Children/juveniles it said that they do not possess the emotional maturity to control their impulse, or to fully understand the consequences to their actions. Therefore stating that their brains are not to be developed and can in neither way nor fashion adds up to an adults, making an exception. The truth of the matter is who is right and who is wrong? Both have valid points as to why not have the child tried and why not just seek other means besides having a child tried. This is a debate that will continue with time. In conclusion my view is that kids should not be tried as adults at age 7 but should be giving help. I feel that more facilities that are not an adult based would be more sufficient. Because really no one knows all the reason why kids commit crimes it could be they were bullied, having psychological problems at home or school. The possibilities are endless if reasons I think that juveniles need to be charged as adults, they are so close to adulthood that they know what they are doing more so a little child.

Panasonic Company Analysis Marketing Essay

Panasonic Company Analysis Marketing Essay 1. Panasonic Corporation (PC) formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd was founded in 1918 by Konosuke Matsushita and is headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan. The company changed its name to Panasonic Corporation in October 2008. This is a Japanese multinational corporation where its main business is in  electronics manufacturing and it produces over 15,000 different products under different names including Panasonic, Technics, Sanyo and Ramsa Professional Audio Systems. From the information given, Sanyo became a subsidiary of Panasonic on December 21, 2009. It has been 82 years since the company first established and it has successfully grown to become the largest Japanese electronics producer. Other than manufacturing electronic and electrical products, Panasonic offers non-electronic products and services such as home renovation services. According to the Forbes Global 2000, Panasonic was ranked the 89th largest company in the world in 2009 but it has dropped t o 444th largest company in 2010. Besides that, Panasonic was also ranked the 65th worlds largest corporation by FORTUNE Global 500 and is among the  Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders. Today, the company operates in many countries around the world and employs nearly 384,586 people. Panasonic Corporation has been a proud supporter of the Olympic Games for more than 20 years as an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Video and Audio Equipment category. Panasonic is comprised of 14 business domain companies which have over 680 companies in the world. This company offers a variety of products and services such as manufacturing and selling electronic and electric products, systems and components for consumer, business, and industrial uses around the world. The company also offers video and audio equipment, information and communications equipment such as security system, electronic products, Internet-enabled equipment, flat-panel and plasma TV series, blue-ray disc and DVD recorders, digital video cameras, personal computers, and mobile phones. Besides that, the company also offers an automotive electronics, including car navigation systems, engine control units, and batteries. It also produces home appliances which consist of refrigerators, room air conditioners, washing machines and vacuum cleaners, coffee maker, dish washer, microwave oven, bread maker and steam iron. Furthermore, the company manufactures, sells, installs, and prov ides services related to various products that include electrical construction materials, home appliances as mentioned before, building products, electronic materials, and automation controls. In addition, it also provides semiconductor products such as electronic devices, batteries, and electric motors for usage in home appliances, industrial equipment, and office products. In conclusion, it serves consumers, industrial and business corporations, governments and other institutions by producing electric and electronic equipment, automotive manufacturers as well as other machinery product. 2. Panasonic is one of the worlds largest consumer electronics manufacturers. Its products such as home appliances are well known in Malaysia too. Lets discuss about the macro environment such as demographic, economic, natural, technological, political and cultural forces in with the company that operates according to the invested country. Demographic characteristic such as age, sex, marital status, personal income, occupation and education are basic factors that affect the market of the products in a particular country. As we know, products needs often vary with the consumer age. For example, most of the home appliances manufactured by PC is often used regardless of age groups, starting from the birth of a new baby which uses fans or air conditioner to a women who uses kitchen products such as refrigerator. Besides that, gender has always been the important factor in the market of the products. According to the research, it has been found that women were purchasing the Panasonic Sha ver as gifts for men in Canada. This suggested that the market targets females with the age of 35 and above. Regarding the economics status of the country such as India, The Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association have said that the industry in this field has posted a 30 %growth in the first quarter ended March 31, 2010. While flat panel displays registered a growth of 70 %, air conditioner sales increased by 50 % and home appliances business grew by 40 %. Due to the great marketing opportunities for home appliances in Indian, Panasonic India plans to invest around USD 30 million over the next three years to establish itself as a home appliances leader in the country, as quoted by the Panasonic India Marketing Director Manish Sharma. According to the information given, Panasonic India is currently the market leader in plasma and LCD TVs, with a 48 % share of the 3.6 million-unit flat TV market. Besides that, the flat TV panel sales have grown 250% over the last year, thus reflect a very good consumer response in India. However, currently this Japanese firm is looking for methods towards increasing its market shares in home appliances such as refrigerators, air-conditioners and washing machines while maintaining its position as a leading TV player.  Moreover, Panasonic India target to garner 15 % share in the washing machines market from the current 5 % over next two years. Panasonic is also re-working on its pricing strategy. It wants to roll out newer models, which will cut down the entry-level price of other products like home theatre and digital camera. The price is brought down by shedding unnecessary product features which may not be required in the smaller towns in India. On top of that, Panasonic Corporation is not only a manufacturer for consumer products, it is also concern about the environment as well. As we can see, Panasonic strives to be a Green Innovation Company with a global perspective by promoting environmental activities defined by eco ideas Declaration which was issued in October 2007 . There are a few activities that have been carried out by the company such as partnership with WWF(World Wildlife Fund) , Lights-out Campaign, Tree-Planting Activities, Recycling Activities, eco ideas House , eco ideas Factory Modal Transportation Shift and Panasonic Eco Relay. Regarding the recycling activities, Panasonic, together with Sharp Electronics Corporation and Toshiba America Consumer Products established Manufacturers Recycling Management Company, LLC (MRM) which is in charge of the recycling of electronics. Furthermore, this company has pledged to reduce its global carbon footprint by 300,000 tons by 2010. Panasonic has also pledged to vastly increase the number of energy-efficient products it makes. To increase the energy efficiency of the products, basically the company focuses on improving the power efficiency in use and standby modes by reviewing the products basic circuitry such as use of advanced designed circuitry known as 3-Terminal Intelligent Power Devices (IPDs). With this, the IPDs for the power supplies results in the reduction of about 81% compared with conventional models. The IPDs also represent a resource and space efficient chip configuration since everything in the modern world is concerned with miniaturization. In fiscal 2010, Panasonic Corporation has developed ECO NAVI (eco-navigation) functionality to increase the energy efficiency of their products. Equipped with this function, air conditioners will optimally control the airflow volume and room temperature by identifying the positions of people, furniture, and the volume of sunshine for the most energy-efficient operation. The same thing goes for washers or dryers where it conserves energy and water by discerning the amount of the clothes and how dirty they are. Other than that, the new model of US style side by side fridge-freezers is an example of energy-efficient refrigerator. The technology using for this kitten appliance is Panasonics Inverter technology. There are U-Vacua vacuum insulation panel and Twin-Eco Cooling System. Basically, they use a system of sensors and microprocessors to select automatically from multiple possible power levels, allowing the product to run on minimal power overnight and at times of low usage, thereby conserving valuable energy.  With the advanced technology implemented, the company has produced more than 445 ENERGY STAR qualifying products which is more than any other manufacturers.  From the information given, this company has received recognition for seven consecutive years (1999-2005) for ENERGY STAR award. In a political view, the company may have to deal with the political interferences that may be practiced by different country. According to research done, political systems of nations affect the conduction of businesses, for example some countries may practice collectivism while others may practice capitalism political systems. For instance, the UK government practices capitalism in that it allows factors of production to be privately owned by the company and the government performs only limited duties that the private sector cannot be executed unlike in communism and collectivism that stresses on group goals rather than the individual goals. Fortunately, Panasonic UK which is a private property and have vast of capital has no restrictions if the company insists future invests into that country. Besides that, the way the company operates in terms of operating rules of law and regulation is an important factor that affects its marketing as well. For example, how Panasonic Company deal with the legal rules in the UK is important because it can prevent conflicts from happening and will enhance the success of the businesses as well. The company is engaged in legal business practice of marketing electrical products which consist of home appliances, televisions, hi-fi that is permitted by the UK Laws and also must agree with the law stated by invested country too. Lastly, when dealing with the cultural difference in different country, Panasonic provides different types of languages for the user manual in different countries. Taking Malaysia as an example, the user guide for the home appliances has two main languages that are Malay and English while in Spain, the main language on the user guide will be in Spanish. 3. If I were the boss of the Panasonic Corporation, I will continuously invest in identifying and using more sustainable materials and develop a new technology with the aim to produce energy efficient and environmental friendly products. Through this, consumers benefit through energy savings and lower electricity bills. Besides that, advertisement or campaign regarding eco ideas must be done so that people have a clear idea on what is it about and perhaps this may raise the awareness in taking care of our environment and introduce our energy efficient products to them. Perhaps, reviewing the unnecessary features that are not required in certain small town or country and thereby reducing the cost of the product so that most of the demographic can afford it is also a good approach. Last but not least, I will further invest into big markets such as India and the Russian Federation. As we can see from the research done, India has a very good response in home electronic products, and henc e, further investment may the increase the growth of the company. The reason for choosing Russian Federation as one of the investment country is because of its population and targeted consumer, where it has 141,927,297 populations and the ratio of male to female residents with the age between 15 to 64 years is 0.92%. This will be our targeted custormer. However, further research on its economic and political status need to be done if I were to invest in this country.

Marae Essay examples -- Sociology, Māori culture

From a modern day perspective, the purpose of the marae has been as a place for the more official parts of MÄ ori culture. The marae are unequalled places of importance. "Marae hold the knowledge of the MÄ ori culture. They are the repositories of their history, their stories, and their existence." Ratima, 2010. Importantly, as highlighted in the creation story in Ahorangi Genesis, the ancestor link is through Tane, as the whare is an embodiment of Tane. His precious gift was te whare kura as a physical structure to house knowledge which can be viewed as the parallel to the human â€Å"structure†. Whereas in earlier times, the term marae applied only to the open area, often now called marae-atea, in front of the whare, today the term marae is commonly used to describe the entire compound (Tauroa & Tauroa, 1986). The whare (tipuna or nui), sometimes called meeting house, reads, to the initiated, like a history book. With arms outstretched in welcome, the body of the ancestor, generally endowing his name to the marae, is represented by the whare. His carved form, tekoteko, is atop the roof (maori.org.nz, 2011). The carved pieces under the head and down towards the ground- maihi, represent the arms, with the tahuhu or centre ridge pole being the spine of the ancestor, then the heke, or rafters, running off the tahuhu on both sides representing the ribs. In the fully carved whare, the walls are adorned with poupou or carvings, as well as tukutuku, or woven panels. The uprights, normally two, hold up the tahuhu, representing the connection between Ranginui, the sky father and Papat uanuku, the earth mother, (mÄ ori.org.nz) (Tauroa & Tauroa 1986). â€Å"Carvings of the ancestors serve to preserve history† (Graham, 1997, p. 38). Looking back... ...on by NZQA for its courses in crafts and MÄ ori arts and carving, hospitality and employment skills (Christchurch city council, 2011). Incredibly, in keeping pace with technological advances, we have virtual marae, as shown by the artist Lisa Reihana, who has created her own virtual marae, accessible to MÄ ori living worldwide, using photography and video (visualarts.qld.gov.au). In conclusion, as an institution, the marae stands for much more than the official parts of MÄ ori culture. It has its own system, its own learning and its own function. It is operaring still as Tane’s gift to mankind. Education is dominant on Marae, which now provide pathways to degrees, trade training and other NZQA opportunities. Marae are leading the way, taking their proper place in MÄ ori society. â€Å"Marae are the foundation of MÄ ori autonomy and tinorangatiratanga† ( Ratima, 2010). Marae Essay examples -- Sociology, MÄ ori culture From a modern day perspective, the purpose of the marae has been as a place for the more official parts of MÄ ori culture. The marae are unequalled places of importance. "Marae hold the knowledge of the MÄ ori culture. They are the repositories of their history, their stories, and their existence." Ratima, 2010. Importantly, as highlighted in the creation story in Ahorangi Genesis, the ancestor link is through Tane, as the whare is an embodiment of Tane. His precious gift was te whare kura as a physical structure to house knowledge which can be viewed as the parallel to the human â€Å"structure†. Whereas in earlier times, the term marae applied only to the open area, often now called marae-atea, in front of the whare, today the term marae is commonly used to describe the entire compound (Tauroa & Tauroa, 1986). The whare (tipuna or nui), sometimes called meeting house, reads, to the initiated, like a history book. With arms outstretched in welcome, the body of the ancestor, generally endowing his name to the marae, is represented by the whare. His carved form, tekoteko, is atop the roof (maori.org.nz, 2011). The carved pieces under the head and down towards the ground- maihi, represent the arms, with the tahuhu or centre ridge pole being the spine of the ancestor, then the heke, or rafters, running off the tahuhu on both sides representing the ribs. In the fully carved whare, the walls are adorned with poupou or carvings, as well as tukutuku, or woven panels. The uprights, normally two, hold up the tahuhu, representing the connection between Ranginui, the sky father and Papat uanuku, the earth mother, (mÄ ori.org.nz) (Tauroa & Tauroa 1986). â€Å"Carvings of the ancestors serve to preserve history† (Graham, 1997, p. 38). Looking back... ...on by NZQA for its courses in crafts and MÄ ori arts and carving, hospitality and employment skills (Christchurch city council, 2011). Incredibly, in keeping pace with technological advances, we have virtual marae, as shown by the artist Lisa Reihana, who has created her own virtual marae, accessible to MÄ ori living worldwide, using photography and video (visualarts.qld.gov.au). In conclusion, as an institution, the marae stands for much more than the official parts of MÄ ori culture. It has its own system, its own learning and its own function. It is operaring still as Tane’s gift to mankind. Education is dominant on Marae, which now provide pathways to degrees, trade training and other NZQA opportunities. Marae are leading the way, taking their proper place in MÄ ori society. â€Å"Marae are the foundation of MÄ ori autonomy and tinorangatiratanga† ( Ratima, 2010).