Narrative on Culture

Culture Crossing Do you ever look at a complete stranger and immediately categorize that person? I will be the first to admit that I have done so more than I would care to acknowledge. I was definitely raised to look down upon people, especially the Jewish, in spite of what my parents will tell you. Although I was never actually told not to like or associate with a Jewish person, the adults in my family made it known that it was unacceptable by saying unpleasant things about them. I heard the jewish would come to nice neighborhoods, take them over, and ruin them.I also heard that they killed Jesus. It was inevitable that I too would see Jewish people as inferior to me. With all the bad things I heard, it only seemed natural. I thought Jewish people were arrogant, greedy, conniving, and uneducated. I thought they should leave our country because their religion and cultural beliefs were un-American. From the time I was a little girl through my early twenties I looked down upon Jewish p eople until I met Joel one day while I was working. It was a typical Friday at the Department of Motor Vehicles.It was fifteen minutes until closing time and the place was packed. I was about to call my next customer when a short man dressed in black and white from head to toe with long chin-brushing curls as sideburns wearing a black hat approached my window. He was a Hasidic Jew and I was not happy. I acknowledged him. â€Å"Yes? † â€Å"Are you going to call this ticket number? † â€Å"Nope. Have a seat,† I said annoyed. â€Å"I'm sorry to have bothered you. † As he was sitting back down I noticed the ticket number he had in his hands. It was a dealer ticket. We stop calling dealers at 4:30 p. m because it's time consuming.I was contemplating if I was going to tell him this or let him find out the hard way. There was a big sign by the ticket machine that clearly states that we don't accept dealer paperwork after 4:30 p. m. Some of my coworkers noticed him and started making fun of his clothes, yiddish accent and, stupidity for not reading the sign. Although I tended to agree with them, I decided to be nice and help this man because I was sick and tired of hearing my coworkers ridiculing him. He was, after all, in hearing distance. I motioned the Hasidic man up to my window with my index finger. Sir, I normally would not help you because we don't accept dealers after 4:30 p. m but, I see you only have one deal so I will help you just this one time. † He smiled from ear to ear and thanked me. I knew from experience that Hasidic men are not allowed to touch an object at the same time as someone from the opposite sex so, I was very surprised when he handed me the papers through the bars rather than sliding them underneath the window barrier. I didn't know what to do. Should I let the papers fall to the desk? I did not want to be impolite so I took the papers from him.After looking at his papers I soon realized that I would be u nable to process the transaction and I delivered the bad news to him. Expecting the worst, I was ready for the hostile reply I usually get from anyone I give unpleasant news to. Instead, he was polite and humble. He thanked me over and over for taking him. I was pleasantly surprised and smiled. I told him the additional papers he needed and even wished him a good evening. He was walking away when he turned and asked, â€Å"What is your name? † â€Å"Ann† I suspiciously replied. â€Å"My name is Joel. Have a great weekend Ann!I will see you first thing on Monday,† he said cheerfully as he walked towards the door. I wondered what was wrong with him. I had never came across a Hasidic man like him. As the metal gates lifted to the D. M. V entrance Monday morning, I noticed Joel was the first in line. He waved. Oh, geez. That was weird. My coworkers took notice of him and started to tease me. â€Å"Look, there's Annie's special friend,† said one. â€Å"Annie' s curly locks is here,† snorted another. I chose to ignore their snide remarks and called him up to my window. â€Å"Good Morning Ann! How was your weekend? † Joel asked.He placed a small tin of cookies on the counter. â€Å"These are for you. They are from my brother's bakery in Brooklyn,† he joyfully said as he slid the tin underneath the window bars. I told him that I couldn't accept them and thanked him. â€Å"You have kids? Yes? Please take them home to your children then,† he insisted. I took the cookies and hid them in my desk draw. â€Å"Thank you Joel, that was very kind of you. My children will love the cookies. † I hoped no one noticed the exchange. I did not want to be teased my coworkers. While editing and processing his paperwork, Joel started telling me jokes.They were funny but I didn't dare laugh because they were about the Jewish. â€Å"Not all Hasidic's are extremists, Ann,† he laughed. I didn't know how to respond. I never met a Hasidic man that was as friendly and talkative as Joel. I wondered if he was from Kiryas Joel, the village within the town of Monroe where it's residents strictly observe the Torah and its commandments. If he is, I'm thinking he shouldn't be talking to me like this. Hasidic men are proscribed from associating with woman who are not their wives or relatives. What if another Hasidic witnessed him talking to me? Joel, do you live in Kiryas Joel? † I shyly asked. â€Å"Yes, I do. Why do you ask? † â€Å"Um, can't you get in trouble for talking to me? † I had a hard time getting the words out. I was embarrassed. â€Å"I have many rules but it doesn't mean that I follow them to a T? † I was intrigued. I knew little about Hasidism. I determined this would be an excellent opportunity to learn. â€Å"Would you mind if I asked you questions about your religion? † I quietly asked. Joel gave me permission to ask him anything. As time went on, I called hi m right up to my window.None of my coworkers wanted to help him anyway and, I looked forward to our conversations. I asked him questions about everything from having sex through a hole in the sheet to having a holiday that they are ordered to get drunk. Joel eagerly shared his experiences in detail leaving nothing out. He explained holidays, the importance of tradition, and beliefs. I learned the life of a Hasidic from birth through marriage. Joel educated me on why they dress all in black, what kind of education they receive, gender roles, acceptable entertainment, and any other aspect that I thought to ask him about.He explained the discipline involved to abstain mainstream American culture. When he spoke about his arranged marriage, I began to understand and respect the idea behind it. It did seem safer in the big picture because partners were picked that were good for a lifetime not short infatuations. I was amazed how open-minded I was becoming. I had gained respect for his rel igion and became quite fond of Joel. I saw him as a whole person rather than the Hasidic Jew I once seen. My religious and cultural upbringing fostered my ignorance.I grew up feeling superior to people outside my culture and religion because I simply didn't know any better. Meeting Joel changed my view on culture and religion. Through sharing his traditions and beliefs, I realized that other cultures interact differently and it's often misconceived as rudeness, anger and, foolishness. Getting to know Joel made me see that our cultural and religious beliefs didn't make us any less or any more of a person. Based on our common humanity, I learned to respect cultural and religious diversity.

Overcoming Foreign Language Anxiety

OVERCOMING FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY By Saranda Nuredini Instructor: Luiza Zeqiri Course: ESP Communication I January 2012 â€Å"Sweaty palms, shaking hands, dry mouth and muscle tension mean for many of us, that we are about to speak in public. Couple this fear of speaking in public with performing or speaking in another language and the success of the speaker may be dramatically compromised† (Leigh, 2009). By having to speak in a foreign language, the amount of fear in us grows and transforms into the feeling of anxiety, which is scientifically named as a Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA).The fear of dealing in a foreign language environment is most felt when a student must perform orally in some way but it can also occur when listening, reading or writing (Brantmeier, 2005). FLA has been the subject of many scholarly surveys and papers as overcoming it can lead to better and faster language acquisition as well as a much more pleasurable learning experience (Guess, 2007). Betwee n one third and one half of second language learners suffer from FLA (Von Worde, 2003; Randall 2007) and it is important to be aware that many of these students have not come up with a way to deal with their anxiety (Hauck & Hurd, 1991).This research paper aims to outline the causes and effects of FLA as well as the ways that help overcoming it. Despite the fact that Foreign Language Anxiety has been proven to be the main concern to the modern teaching environment, a progress has been noticed at the development of the overcoming strategies. The overcoming foreign language anxiety process includes strategies that can be implemented by the teacher, a tutor and the students. The causes of this kind of anxiety vary from the student itself.According to the article â€Å"Factors Associated with Foreign Language Anxiety†, there are variables like age, previous academic success or previous high school experience with foreign languages which may contribute to the fear of learning a fo reign language (Leigh, 2009). Nevertheless, the most common causes according to Ph. D. Renee Von Worde (2003) are the non-comprehension of the target language, speaking activities during language class and the public error correction by the teacher. Moreover, it is interesting to note that FLA occurs more commonly in mandatory language classes.This is because students who are not language inclined are ‘‘forced’’ to take them (Guess, 1997). Feeling insecure about the knowledge at a certain foreign language can have drastic side effects for the foreign language student. The extreme stress, the beating heart or clammy hands are the most common ones. There may also appear problems with attainment, preservation and production in the foreign language (Von Worde, 2003). According to Professor Von Worde (2003), â€Å"If anxiety impairs cognitive function, students who are anxious may learn less and also may not be able to demonstrate what they have learned.Therefo re, they may experience even more failure, which in turn escalates their anxiety†. In extreme cases, the student may even not show up to classes just to avoid speaking (Von Worde, 2003). If we could find and isolate what it is that makes us nervous, we could increase our learning abilities and have a more enjoyable learning experience (Leigh, 2009). Ideally, teachers can provide a learning environment that may reduce the fear associated with learning another language for their students (Guess, 1997; Von Worde, 2003).However, not only the teacher can help to the overcoming foreign language anxiety process. The question remains how someone can overcome their fears in language learning to develop language skills to their full potential (Leigh, 2009). There are implementable ways that beside the teachers, the tutor and the students themselves can use to reduce the anxiety and insecurity they feel. The methods and the behavior of a language teacher during language classes play a si gnificant role at the development of a student speaking confidence.There are several things that a teacher may do to decrease anxiety felt in the classroom according to Von Worde (2003): * Pick topics to teach that are relevant to the students. * Try and make the learning ‘‘fun’’. * Try to create a sense of community where the students feel more comfortable in front of each other. One suggestion made was to have the students sit in a circle. * Avoid calling on people or putting them on the spot. Besides the above mentioned suggestions, a teacher can take the initiative to create a â€Å"mistake happy zone†.Teachers can avoid correcting students during certain sections of the day (e. g. for 30 minutes we will talk amongst ourselves). In this way, students do not need to fear working on perfect grammar, but rather they can just talk without feeling judged. This allows students to get a feel for fluency and letting go (Leigh, 2009). A tutor can also be very helpful to its students when it comes to overcoming those language obstacles. By judging of the state of its student, a tutor has the freedom to choose which of the above mentioned suggestions will be used during the overcoming process.Although there may not be a classroom of students to whom the tutor is teaching, the one-on-one environment allows a greater sense of intimacy and a safer atmosphere (Leigh, 2009). Alongside to the teachers and tutors effort, the most significant role still remains the one from the student itself. According to Amanda Leigh, a student should take the following recommendations in action to â€Å"boost their self-confidence in speaking, reading and writing a language†: * Be aware of Foreign Language Anxiety- Knowing that you are not alone in feeling self-conscious or afraid of speaking in a foreign language is half the battle (Von Worde, 2003).Fear of speaking in front of people is normal and so is performing in another language, even if it i s just with your friends. * Set 4 or 5 SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) language goals for yourself in your academic term- Attach numbers to your learning so that you can see your improvement. Make measurable goals and make sure that they are realistic. Do some research to see what level you should be at by end of your term in a different country. Do not expect to be bilingual on your return to your home country. Be prepared- If you are prepared for your class or presentation then you will feel more confident in front of people. Feeling more prepared makes you feel relaxed which allows for better communication and language skills (Guess, 2007). Prepare by going over your work or presentation at least twice reading, then at least twice out loud. Get someone to help proofread. * Maintain a positive attitude- Even though it may seem hard, try and have a positive attitude. Happy people will learn faster and have a more pleasurable learning experience (Bayer, 2 004).Smile. Make native speakers aware that you are happy to be corrected. * Do some research- Find out how other students handle their anxiety. Many of their suggestions may work for you. Look online or ask around. Alter their strategies so they work for you. By adopting some of these suggestions, there is a chance that a student will personally begin to overcome their foreign language learning fears. Students may choose to adopt one of these strategies and tailor it towards their needs until they find something that works for them (Leigh, 2009).To sum up, Foreign Language Anxiety has been labeled as an issue that should not be ignored and should be handled carefully. Therefore, the overcoming FLA process includes effort that should be made from the students as well as from the teachers and tutors. This will not only help students to overcome their fear and anxiety, but will also enable language teachers and tutors to reach a higher progress at their subject. In my opinion, the mai n goal of the overcoming progress should be to create a comfortable teaching environment where a speaking accent or grammar mistake will not mean the end of the world.As Guess claims, â€Å"the trick is to convince the students that discomfort is a good thing- that’s when the real learning process will begin. †. References Bayer, R. (2004). Benefits of happiness; Upper Bay Counseling and Support Services, Inc. Retrieved Jan 03, 2012, from: http://www. upperbay. org/articles/benefits%20of%20happiness. pdf . Brantmeier, C. (2005). Anxiety about L2 reading or L2 reading tasks. A study with advanced language learners. The Reading Matrix. Vol. 5, No. 2. Retrieved Jan. , 2012, from:http://74. 125. 95. 132/search? q=cache:4pmdX6G7bwJ:www. readingmatrix. com/articles/brantmeier/article4. df+reading+matrix. +2005+Foreign+Language+Anxiety&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=ca Guess, A. (1997, June). Overcoming Language Anxiety. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved Jan. , 2012, from http://www. inside highered. com/news/2007/06/29/language. Hauck, M. &Hurd, S. (1991). Exploring the link between language anxiety and learner self-management in open language learning contexts. European Journal of Open, Distance and E- learning. Retrieved Jan 05, 2012, from: http://www. eurodl. org/materials/contrib/2005/Mirjam_Hauck. htm. Randall, K. (2007). Words fail me. The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved Jan. 06,

Terrorism and the Law (law295) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Terrorism and the Law (law295) - Essay Example aterial support as â€Å"any property, tangible or intangible or service, including money, financial services, lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safehouses, false documentation or identification, communication equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substance, explosives, personnel, transportation, and with the exemption of medicine or religious materials (Samaha 468). The government must be able to prove that the â€Å"donor defendant acted with culpable intent knowledge† so as it is safe to say that such individual has provided material support to a terrorist organization (Samaha 468). There are varying definitions of terrorism which makes it controversial and it is defined by different kinds of laws such as the following: International criminal law, National criminal law (e.g. United States Law Code), and general insurance policies. The United Nations and the council on the suppression of terrorism seek to define it by adopting general legislative measures against it which results to serious legal consequences. As a result to this, the United Nations is encouraging every state to define terrorism in the context of National Law (Saul 141). On the other hand, the Arab Convention is very particular in excluding armed struggle against oppression from the definition of terrorism and its suppression. The threat to right of securing self-determination and independence which can be counteracted by armed struggle in whatever means is particularly excluded in the definition of terrorism (Williamson 59). This therefore paves the way for the difficulty in coming up with universal definition of terrorism. European Convention on the other hand on its suppression of terrorism encourages States to consider terrorism and its acts not as political offences or as being inspired by political motives (Dumitriu 587). The US District Court decision of United States vs. Yunis case stands for the acceptance of certain principles of extraterritorial jurisdiction allowing

OSHA Risk and Hazards Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

OSHA Risk and Hazards - Assignment Example 3) Part 29CFR Part 1910 standard 22 specifies several standards with respect to walking and slipping hazards in the workplace (Baron, 2011). Of these, 29CFR1910.22a(1) and 29CFR1910.22b(1) are the most applicable (Taylor, 2011). The reason for this is that these standards relate to the way in which designated walkways must be maintained and marked appropriately. 4) This can be accomplished by ensuring that standards are worked towards and that employees are provided with adequate training; concerning expectations of action for day to day operations. Random inspections can also help the firm to reduce the amount of risk that this particular set of hazards poses.   5) High severity level. The reason for this risk level being selected is predicated on the fact that mobility in the workplace is a function that nearly each and every employee values as a product of performing useful work. As such, any hazard to the quality of the walkways or hazards pertaining to slipping affect a large number of stakeholders. 1) Hazards regarding heat stress and strain and chemical burns relate only to specific employees within specific sectors of industrial production. As such, issues pertaining to damaged equipment, faulty inputs, lack of monitoring, failure to measure correctly, and other oversights are likely to contribute to issues relating to further hazards associated with these two previously denoted issues. 2) Those employees that find themselves working within industrial production areas or within construction arenas will be those which are most at risk. Yet, it should also be understood that there is an inherent risk for those employees/stakeholders, that work outside these zones as they could be negatively impacted by a breach of safety standards with respect to the aforementioned hazards.   3) Part 29CFR Part 1910 standard 132 specifies several standards with respect to the use of PPE (personal protective equipment) in dealing with high temperature or chemical substances.

7 SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS ONLY Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

7 SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS ONLY - Assignment Example (PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE YOUR OWN RESOURCES) 1. What is orthography and how does it differ from phonetic spelling? Explain why linguists use a phonetic alphabet to represent speech sounds instead of regular spelling. Include specific examples in your answer. (125 WORDS) Orthography means literally correct writing and it refers to the rules and conventions of the written language. It includes the way that letters are used to spell out a word, punctuation, and the use of capitals and lower case letters, as for example the use of capital letters for all nouns in German, but only for proper nouns in English. Orthography alone is not a good system for linguists because it does not represent accurately the actual sounds that are produced in spoken language. Two speakers from different parts of the United States might pronounce the same word differently and this is not recorded in orthography. A phonetic alphabet has one symbol for each sound and this allows accurate analysis of sounds. Suprasegmentals are a linguistic feature that can be found in the spoken language. Linguists look at the small segments of speech, such as vowels, consonants and syllables and analyze how these are formed and how they fit together into words and phrases. Suprasegmentals are features that transcend these tiny pieces and range over several syllables. An example of a suprasegmental is the way that intonation and stress patterns operate. It is important to identify these features because they can change the meaning of an utterance, for example a rising intonation can mean a question in English whereas a flat or falling intonation is a statement. Stress on a word can mean emphasis. The word â€Å"desert† has different meanings, depending on which syllable is stressed. Answer the following questions in your own words. Your answers need to be complete enough to demonstrate mastery of the lesson objectives. A brief paragraph (5 sentences)

Reichheld; the one writer you need to know Outline

Reichheld; the one writer you need to know - Outline Example In that regard, the researcher intends to identify whether the works of Reichheld bear meaning or they are simply works of a marketer. This paper would contain an assessment of one of Reichheld’s articles in regards to a study he conducted, and relate this to academic literature relevant to marketing. The Bain and Companys loyalty practice is founded by Fred Reichheld. The loyalty practice is designed to assist firms in attaining their organizational objectives and producing sustainable outcomes which can be achieved through an enhanced consumer and employee loyalty. Reichheld joined the company in 1978, whose duties encompass leadership activities, mainly concerning the context of Vompensation and Nominating and Management committees across the globe. He eventually became the first Bain fellow of the company in 1999. Being a Bain fellowed allowed him to delve into research and writing while being employed in the firm. In line with Reichhelds work, he was able to associate the connection between loyalty and profit through studying retention on the end of the customers and employees (Reichheld, 2011). He is also known as the author of bestselling books with the Harvard Business Review Press, which are as follows: (1) The Loyalty Effect: The Hidden Force Behind Growth, Profits, and Lasting Value; (2) Loyalty Rules! How Todays Leaders Build Lasting Relationships; and (3) The Ultimate Question. Some of his works include the NetPromoter framework, which was introduced in his book "The Ultimate Question". The NetPromoter framework has been utilized by various large corporations, which includes General Electric, Apple and American Express, to name a few. Apart from being an author, Reichheld is also a renowned speaker among various major business forums. In fact, Reichheld has been awarded as one of the 25 most influential consultants by the Consulting magazine in the survey they have processed in

How is genocide defined Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

How is genocide defined - Essay Example They are a phenomenon of the plural society, with its marked divisions between racial, ethnic, and/or religious groups. Plural society theory deals with the relations between these groups, and the conditions promoting peaceful cohabitation, integration, or violent polarization leading to genocide. It has no application to the genocides of international war, committed in armed conflict between separate states. The Convention definition of genocide is summarized as the intent to destroy in whole or â€Å"in part a racial, ethnic, religious, or national group as such, by killing members of the group or imposing conditions inimical to survival† (Show and Schott 2005, 34). The inclusion of mental harm among the acts constituting genocide seems incongruous, but it must be read in the overall context of the intent to destroy the victim group. Under Article I of the UN Convention, the contracting â€Å"parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of wa r, is a crime under international law† (Show and Schott 2005, 17). The Convention was adopted in 1948 by the UN General Assembly. The notion â€Å"genocide† was developed by R. Lamkin in 1943. He joined two words â€Å"genos† which means family or tribe and â€Å"occidere† which means massacre and killing. Also, Lamkin developed a draft for the Genocide Convention. The main strength of this Convention is that 137 countries recognize mass killing as a crime against humanity and were obliged to prevent genocide on their territories. The main strength of the Convention is that it recognizes genocide and interprets it as â€Å"the crime against humanity†.

The Individual American Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Individual American Experience - Essay Example Ortiz expounds on the influence of language in forming one's identity in an essay called "The Language We Know." In it, he counters the notion that English is only unifying factor in the American Experience. Ortiz was raised in an Acoma-speaking family. The power of these years upon his creative self-concept is clear. Ultimately; he defines "American" as some permutation of pretense and dispossession. He recalls his father's skill as stoneworker with sandstone and mud to build pueblos - the time, persistence, patience, and the belief that the walls might stand forever (188). He believed working with his father influences his writing (189). Both are methods of continuity. Both are ways in which a people may hold near to themselves (187). Although writing is his profession, building is always his trade. McBride challenges common and popular notions of insular identities based on simplified racial categories in his book called The Color of Water: a Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother. He counters the notion that racial difference is the defining factor in the African American experience. His dominant narrative is that of self-discovery through the rediscovery of ancestry. Ultimately; he defines "American" as a combination of eclecticism and hardship. This book is written uniquely. Chapter by chapter, it toggles between his mother's experiences of growing up in America with his own. His mother details the strict rules of Orthodox Judaism and how they affected her (16). Although his mother is white, she lives in a black world and refuses to acknowledge her whiteness (37). James lives in a home of "orchestrated chaos" (66). He sees his house as a combination three-ring circus and zoo. He describes some of his siblings - his sister Helen, the rebel; Rosetta, the resident queen of th e house; his brother Dennis, the civil rights activist and artist with aspirations of becoming a doctor. The whites at his mother Ruth's school hated Jews, and in public, James becomes ashamed of his white mother (98). 1n 1941, Ruth's Bubeh died. Ruth decided to return to New York (155). Her father tried to get her to stay; she refused. He told her that if she married a black man, she could never come home again. In 1992, while standing in front of a synagogue in Suffolk, James acknowledges his own connection to the synagogue and to Judaism (189). Abu-Jaber reveals tensions between American and Jordanian cultures in a work called The Language of Baklava: a Memoir. In it, she counters the notion that one Americanizes in some sterile standardized way. For example, her father learns to hail strangers greeting men and women alike with the same greeting: "Hey, bud!" As such, she I grows up thinking of all Americans as Bud (34). Abu-Jaber tells the story of growing up in upstate New York with periodic transplants to Jordan. Her dominant narrative seems to be stories of being raised by a food-loving Jordanian father and Bedouin tents. She completes her work with recipes illuminating American and Jordanian and painting the complex portrait of her displaced father who cooked as a method of continuing the past with the present. Ultimately; she defines "American" as being like her father's relationship with food. His daughters knowing how to feed themselves and others in ways that help define them as people. Drawing from my own personal

Assigment #1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assigment #1 - Assignment Example In line with this, I find the English colonists as someone who is more superior as compared to the American Indians. Even though the English colonists acknowledged the fact that the American Indians were highly competitive in terms of their progress in economic activities particularly when it comes to hunting and agriculture, there were quite a lot of situational events wherein the English colonists were treating the American Indians badly. In most cases, the English colonists viewed the American Indians as a group of weak individuals who can be easily manipulated through the use of religious activities. I believe that the familiarity between the captive people and the colonists can be explained with the use of frontiers of inclusion or exclusion. Specifically the English colonists adopted the frontiers of exclusion when they settled in North America. Since frontier of exclusion means that they distance themselves from other culture and race, the English colonists never had the opportunity to become more acquainted with the American Indians (Mancall, 1995, p. 2). For this reasons, the English colonists failed to have a better understanding with regards to the strength and weaknesses of the American Indians. This gives the American Indians the benefit of not being able to become strongly manipulated by the English colonists. The same applied on the part of the American Indians. Because of the use of frontier of exclusion, the American Indians do not clearly know the real reasons why the English colonists chose to colonize their country. In fact, the American Indians were not able to have the opportunity to know more about the English culture. The only thing that the American Indians know is that the English colonists were abusive to their tribe. With regards to this perception, the American Indians became more familiar with the English colonists. The benefits and liabilities behind invading another country is not always clear

Polish Music Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Polish Music - Research Proposal Example The hymn was being used as a chant as far back as the 13th century, and also served as a national anthem. It was sung by Polish troops, especially during defensive wars with the knights of the Cross. The â€Å"Gaude Mater Polonia† (Rejoice, Mother Poland), a hymn in praise of St. Stanislaus, is to this day, sung at the beginning of every academic year in most of the Polish universities. With the unification of Poland and Lithuania in 1569, the music of Poland integrated the influences of the Germans, Jews, Ukrainians, Byelorussians, Tartars and Scandinavians. The 16th and 17th centuries were periods of economic prosperity coupled with peaceful conditions. This era was conducive to the development of all forms of art and is also referred to as the Golden Age of Polish music. The royal court granted patronage to musicians from all the countries of Europe, while many were employed in the chapels of the aristocracy. This period saw great growth in the musical tradition of Poland w hen many forms of vocal polyphony (choral music) were created. Music was also an integral part of court life, with its dances and other forms of entertainment, all accompanied by music.

Policing in Kelsey Essay Example for Free

Policing in Kelsey Essay In this paper, I will discuss the budget cuts on the City of Kelsey. The mayor has assigned me as a budget director to review and perform budget cuts on the City’s Police Department, due to a 15% budget cut on the City deficit. The state legislature wants to hire less Police Officers and build more prisons. The Police Department currently has an annual budget of $16,177,678. With the 15% budget cut, the mayor is requesting from the Police Department, that leaves a new annual budget of $14,236,356, a decrease of ,941,322. The major change that will affect the fiscal cycle of this budget year is the decrease in the hiring of Police Officers. The City of Kelsey was in the process of hiring 10 new Police Officers to fill the 10 position that were vacant, due to six retiring Police Officers and four Police Officers finding other employment. Now with the 15% budget cut, the City will not be filling these opened positions, thus saving the City $1,200,000. New vehicle and maintenance cost will also decrease, due to not hiring the new officers. Last fiscal year the City Manager allotted $150,000 for 5 new vehicles and maintenance cost for the hiring of the new Police Officers. As a budget director, I went to the Police Union and request a 10% cut in wages or freeze the wages until the next fiscal year, thus saving $300,000. Also cutting 16 paid holidays a year will save the City $400,000. The Police Union Committee advised the Union has only agreed to a 1% pay cut within the next fiscal year, which will save the City $30,000. The Committee has also agreed to 10 paid holidays a year instead of 16. This will save the City an annual $150,000 a year. The Chief of Police has agreed to cut the training budget by 80%. The City will save an annual budget of $125,000. With these cuts alone, the City will save $1,655,000 alone. Another proposal will cut community programs and events within the next fiscal year. The annual â€Å"Shop with a Cop† or â€Å"Trunk or Treat† is in the annual budget for $10,000. Domestic violence programs can also be cut saving the City an  annual budget of $50,000 a year. Finally, the City will cut all overtime pay for the reminding of the fiscal year, saving the City an estimate of $500.000. With all the above-mentioned budget cuts, the City will project to see a 10% increase in crime. First, not filling the 10 Police Officers position will decrease the number of Police Officer per shifts, thus running the shift at staff minimal. Running the shift at staff minimal will decrease response time to service calls. The Mayor and City Council requested a 5 to 7 minute response time to every service call last fiscal year. With the decrease in personal, a new projective response time will be 10 to 12 minutes. The city has a collective bargaining contract with the Police Union. The Police Union has agreed to a 1% pay cut. Per the collective bargain contract, the City will repay the 1% back at the beginning of the next fiscal year, plus the cost of living increase (7%). I, as the Budget Director will have to go back to the Police Union next fiscal year and asked for an additional pay cuts. Per the collective bargaining contract, the Police Union does not have to cut pay or other benefits that the city provides. If the Police Union does not cut pay next fiscal year, the city will be forced to cut more position instead. Which means fewer Officers per shift, and longer response times to calls. Cutting the domestic violence program that helped victims and offenders will increase the number of incident of domestic violence more than 30% over the next six months. The program-helped victims relocate to a safer environment. The program also helped offenders with counseling. With the shifts at staff minimal, a plan of assigning Officers to areas will have to be established. The City is broken up into three sectors. Sector 1 is the business community and normally requires 40 Officers per shift. Sector 2 is residually areas that normally require 40 officers per shift. Lastly, sector 3 is rural area of the city, and this area requires 10 officers per shift. With the decrease in staff and overtime, area command staffs will assets the needs of each area and assign officers as needed. A federal grant was proposed for an additional $300,000 per year for the next three years is now in the works. The federal grant is for community police programs. The final approval for the grant will take up to 90 days. Inclusion, the 15% budget cut in this year’s fiscal year was successful. Hopeful the economy gets better and next fiscal year is a huge success. The City of Kelsey will continue to grow and  be a safe community to live. Reference Kelsey Annual Budget for the Fiscal Year 2005-06 (2012, Jan). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/ aapd/cist/vop/ Government/KelseyCity/citygovernment.asp

A Modest Proposal Essay Example for Free

A Modest Proposal Essay Jonathan Swift starts off â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by giving the reader a bit of background information on Ireland’s current conditions at the time of publication. By doing so, Swift grasps the reader’s emotion and pulls them into the story. Then, when Swift makes a dramatic switch to his suggestion of cannibalism to stimulate the economy, he is able to fully grab the reader’s attention. Swift’s proposal is extreme and entirely unethical, but isn’t meant to be taken literally. His radical proposal of having babies to feed to the public and stimulate the economy, is his proposal to the public, but is not the heart of the essay. This radical proposal that takes on an alternate message is what classifies the piece as satire. Adding to the satire, Swift refers to women as breeders that can boost the despairing economy by having children that can be killed at one year old and be fed to the people of Ireland. It’s apparent that this extremist proposal is mockery of the Irish government and the cure-all proposals the politicians conjure, and getting the reader to think about these key political issues is the sole purpose of â€Å"A Modest Proposal. † In my opinion, Swift’s essay had a strong impact, and I’m sure had an even stronger impact in the era in which it was written. His use of hyperboles, metaphors, irony, and sarcasm greatly influenced the message. Because of his literary techniques he was able to draw the reader in to his essay and really get his message across. Word choice was another very effective technique used by Swift. By referring to women as breeders, he not only denounced them, but he was able to add to the ludicrous tone he was aiming to achieve. Every good piece of writing establishes in some ways ethos, pathos, and logos. Swift appeals to ethos in his argument by comparing venison to teenagers, an example of a truly outrageous and unethical idea. Another unethical idea Swift presents is that of the island of Formosa, in which the population eats many of the young women in their society. Pathos is established in the first paragraph when it pulls at the reader’s sympathy for the homeless and poor and again during his discussion of abortion. Swift uses logos in his essay when giving statistics numerous times throughout the essay. Of course his points were extremely radical, and any remotely developed civilization would be utterly disgusted at the thought of annibalism of new born babies, but his main focus wasn’t to propose a solution to Ireland’s impoverished conditions. His main purpose was to shock the readers into thinking of proposals that might actually have potential and criticizing ones that were already out there. He more or less was using extremism to mobilize the Irish people into thinking and developing concepts that could solve their current issues rather than do nothing and wait for someone else to come along and repair everything. In my opinion, Swift achieved his goal in his writing.

Strategy And Operation Management In Business Commerce Essay

Strategy And Operation Management In Business Commerce Essay Companies and organisations are making and delivering products, whether it is for profit or not for profit it relies on the processes to get their products manufactured properly and another thing that is kept in mind is that the products should be delivered on time, and every process acts as an operation for the company. To the company this is essential, that is why managers find operation management very attractive. Operations Management objectives Operation management objectives is a very broad term for any business, which has a great impact on categories like Shareholders, customers and employees. Following are the main categories Suppliers operations of a company has a great effect on its suppliers, as to have a supplier network which is more effective which can help in improve busienss. Customers Customers is the most important part for business as they are ones through which company makes profit, management of operation should always be done keeping in mind the target market. Shareholders shareholders can only get the benefit if the business is making good money which can only be achieved by proper management of processes at each level. Employees employees are the one who makes a company and runs it so in order to make their job easy and keep them motivated towards work a company should have a proper management of operations in every department and at every level. Society Scoiety effects any business externally though it might not have any direct relation with the company economically. But over the recent years social responsibility has become a part of business world and now being socilally responsible is important for almost every company which is why most of the companies now manage their operations keeping in mind their social rexponsibility. (Slack,N., et al. (2004) 4th Ed) Operation Management in Exxon Mobil History Exxon mobil operates its petrochemical facilities or marketing product worldwide and its industry leader almost every aspest. Exxon mobil was created by the marger of Exxon (Esso parent company) and its idea is nothing new. The corporate entities that one day Exxon and Mobil become a common share ancestry. The Standard Oil Trust founded by John D Rockefeller in 1882.   Under this umbrella, two organisations , the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey and the Standard Oil Company of New York ware formed. Jersey Standard and Socony, as they were commonly known, were the predecessors of Exxon and Mobil. In early years both companies expanding their oil and petrochemical business around the world. Finaly they realised that they can operate more competitively and effectively as an organisation. Its merger completed on 30 Nev, 1999. (http://www.exxonmobil.com) Operational Management in Exxon Mobil Exxon Mobil conducts business in such a way that is compatible with the environmental and economic needs of all communities in which they operates safety, health and security of their employees, those involved in their operation, customer and public. These policies put into practice through a disciplined management framework called operation management. Its reflect their health, safety,environment and product saftey policies to commitment of highest operational standerds and performence. They use a systemetic approach called Operational Integrity Management System (OIMS). They developed this system to provide strong and healthy framework for managing healthy environment, safety and security risks. They used thier facilities worldwide to measure progress and ensure management accountability for best result in oil and petrochemical. Operation Competitivness Exxon Mobil has a long history of leadership in the petroleum and petrochemical industries. They follow discipline and commitment in performing their business strategies have led to sustainable competitive aspects. Technology; They maintain a unique commitment for advancment in technology in all their business functions consistently investing more than the competition. Integrity; Their approach is very clear to ethics and business integrity is reflected in all their activities. Their goals to report that are clear to understand by investors. Capital Discipline; They take a disciplined, long-term approach to making investment decision. Operational Excellence; They maintain a clear focus on the performance of their business. Employees; Their exceptional quality of their workforce is a long-standing competitive advantage. Worldwide Experience; Their globaly presence allow them to build a existing business experience to capture opportunities in higher-growth region to attrect mor business. Diversity of Operations; Their geographic diversity and complementary nature of Upstream, Downstream and Chemical business mitigate sensitivity to fluctuation in individual business line and market. Financial strength; Their cash flow and financial position, combined with a good credit rating allow them to pursue all profitable opportunities. ExxonMobil increases global capacity Its started its newest high efficiency co-generation plant at its Antwerp refinery in Belgium. Co-generation is process of producing both electricity and steam or heat at the same time which is then used for production or running factories. In addition to that the new plant will also help in reduction of carbon dioxice which is being omitted by approxmately 200000 tonnes per year. The top management at ExxonMobil is well aware of the of energy and cost which go hand in hand, the management has been able to produce energy at low cost and they have also kept in mind the importance of being environment friendly. As the improtance of business ethics is increasing the management at ExxonMobil is also trying to preform their part in being social responsible. The new plant has also allowed to produce enough energy which can then be used to rum compressors, pumps and any other equipment. The plant also produces heat and steam which is used to convert crude oil into different refinded petrolium products. (http://www.businesswire.com) ESSO Esso Service Station throught out UK are owned by Exxon Mobil, which is one of the biggest chain of service station in the UK. There are about 196 Tesco Shops at Esso Service Stations throughout Uk Which provide service and make their life more convenient. Location For any business location is very important for success that is why many businesses put so many emphases on location. In retail business there are three main factors for success and they are location, location and location, Management in Esso also understand importance of location in business that is way location for each Esso`s outlet has been very well planned. Esso has outlet in all major cities and try cover maximum amount of customer in particular region. For any outlet the management of Esso conceder following factors. Accessibility Feasibility Convenience Competitor Target market Process Business process is the way in which a company do its business and there is different levels which need to have a different process i.e. each level requires a different approach and every level has different tasks. Business process can be a key to success for any business as it helps in achieving the objectives of the company, for many companies business process the key competitive edge over their competitors. For good business process it is necessary that there is a consistency through the levels of business process and different business processes should be well integrated with each other and should be in line with the main objectives of the company. At Esso each and every process is developed in such a way that it facilitates to achieve the overall business strategy. Business processes are defined in as such that process at every level is well integrated. While developing the business process for every level the management at Esso have maintained the overall vision and goal of the company. TQM Total Quality Management (TQM) is a new tool used by management in order to improve the quality of products services and processes with in the company in order to be more effecient and productive. It is being used by many companeis as tool to provide competitive advantage amongst competitors. TQM has four main stages which are Plan, Do, Check and Act which is also reffered to PDCA cycle. It starts with planning which is the first and one of the most important part of TQM where the problem area is being identified and relavent information is being gathered. The next stage is do where a solution is being implemented in order to solve the problem, the next stage is Check where special tools and strategies are developed in order to tack the performance of solution that was being implemented in the early stage. The last stage is act where changes are being made if probelm still continues. (http://searchcio.techtarget.com) Total Quality Management at Esso The management at Esso knows the importance of TQM very well in such a competitive world. To achieve this, the management at Esso has taken few steps at each level of the organisation like, Defining the vision of the company Setting targets Developing business processes Compatible staff Training Performance reviews At operation level i.e. at store level in order to give customers a quality service and to provide customer satisfaction the staff is given proper training for how to operate and run a store they are provided with all product knowledge so as to help customers with their queries. The products and services offered to the customers are well checked for quality purposes before displaying it at any store. (http://www.exxonmobil.co.uk) Flexibility Flexibility is one of the most important factor for any business but one thing should be kept in mind that in order to make the processes of a compnay flexible changes should be made in such a way that it becomes a part of the overall strategy. The business should be flexible enough to so that the changes could be made when the need arises and order to do so there should be a margin for flexibility at every level of the company. As flexibility mainly depends in the processes and systems of the business operation. For any business it is important to have systems and operations which are technologically fast and easy to make changes in order to respond to the changing environment and changing needs of customers. The basic concept of flexibility in business means that how fast can a business respond to the changing enviroment and needs of customers. As environment keeps on changes over time it is important to have business process which is flexible enough to make changes when required, as time as always uncertain which shows the importance of a business being flexible. (http://marketingdeviant.com) Flexible Workplace at Esso They committed a best choice of employer of thier highly qualified employees and during recurits they achieving and maintaining the highest levels of workplace produstivity. Flexibility program at esso are essential part of commitment as they help employees. ExxonMobil knows the importance of the workforce in achieving the overall goal of the company that is why the management of the company keeps in mind the need and values of the diversied workforce, which is highly qulified and skilled. In order to keep the employees motivated and to make them more effective and efficient the management always has always tried to keep the wokplace as flexible as possible. Attract and keep the most qualified and talented people. Address the several individual needs and expectations of employees and recruits. Maximize produce the goods. Its operations all over the world, each country has a unique flexibility programe due to culture, legal reqrirements and infrastructure. Example of flexibility at workplace and employee program are listed below: Flexible work arrangements There are several customised programs developed at ExxonMobil keeping in mind the needs, desires and expectations of the work force. Some of the key point to make the enviroment flexible is as follows Work place which is adabtable Work targets on weekly basis Worker categories as part-time, full-time and Regular Working hours which can by adjusted accroding to workers needs and suitability Personal Time Time off and paid holidays are given to all employees. Time off can taken because of the following main reasons Immediate death in close family Emergencies Child birth or adoption of child Realocation which is company initiated Cummunit service activities which are being sponsored by the company Skill leaves Other personanal needs Leaves of absence which includes leaves for personnal health or care issues related to any dependant, which also includes military services and other personal needs Other programs Other programs inculde Discounts on products Health program Fitness program Advance holidays and Vacations Financial Counseling Membership for technical scientific and professional societies Assistance with adoption Refund program related to education Reallocation program related to spous Program related to matching gifts Service awards Business Process Outsourcing BPO is a form of outsourcing which is related to information technology. In this process a third party is hired to provide services related to information technology such as software application development management and software application maintenance, operations related to data centre, testing and quality assurance related to IT. ExxonMobil ExxonMobil started to outsource is paytroll function which then included to Employee benefits management. ExxonMobil now have outsourced its whole IT functions. (www.sourcingmag.com/content/what_is_bpo.asp) Outsourcing at esso CMG plc, the European information technology services company recently floated on the London and Amsterdam stock exchanges, signed an outsourcing agreement with Esso UK, worth almost  £15 million over its five-year term. Under the agreement, CMG has started to carry out the overall project management of Essos IT programme in the UK over the five years. CMG will be responsible for selecting other suppliers to provide complimentary or additional skills as necessary, and for ensuring that projects will be delivered on time and on budget.( www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=15005)

Essay --

Introduction Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods that are derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Genetically modified organisms (GMOS) are defined as organisms in which the genetic material i.e. DNA has been altered in a way that doesn’t occur naturally. Genetically modified foods or genetically modified organisms are most commonly referred to crop plants that are made for human and or animal consumption using molecular biology techniques. When these plants are modified they are done in the laboratory to enhance traits that are desirable , for example, improving the nutritional content of foods and increased resistance to herbicides. When developing genetically modified plants, one or more genes are usually added to the plants genome in the lab, the plant can then be tested for other desirable traits like the delayed ripening of tomatoes which in turn is helpful for the transportation and storage of tomatoes. GM foods are produced for many reasons, the main one being the advantages to the producer or to the customer. Initially the objective of developing plants using GM organisms was to improve the protection of crops. Currently the crops that are in the market are mainly aimed at increasing the level of protection given to crops by introducing resistance against plant disease that can be cause by insects or viruses or herbicides. What is food security? The World food summit have defined food security as existing â€Å"when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.† The concept of food security is defined as when both the economic and physical access to foods that meet the people’s needs and for fill their dietary needs. In many developing cou... ...pesticides. As discussed earlier, the use of less pesticides can have a big positive impact on human health. There is a chance when using GM foods to be able to increase the nutritional value of a food as I discussed earlier with â€Å"golden† rice. This is a big step for developing countries as rice is their main staple diet, so in being able to enhance the rice with the appropriate nutrients that they will need in everyday life is a big advantage. In relation to food security, GM foods have the possibilities to enhance food sustainability. However, there are a number of issues that will still need to be discussed if GM labelling becomes mandatory such as; who will be responsible for educating the public about GM food labels. The biggest issue will be educating the public with correct information without damaging the public trust and causing fear of GM food products.

Having Cable Television on College Campuses Essay -- Argumentative Per

Having Cable Television on College Campuses Eleven o’clock on a Tuesday night, walking through the brightly lit halls, many doors wide open in a dormitory complex on the campus of Bowling Green State University, one can see that the only light that emerges from the open doors is the constantly changing illumination coming from television consoles. Passing from door to door, sounds such as sports cheers, gun shots, screams of people being slain, and moans of woman in ecstasy can be heard. Although many students have the time to watch the television, many of them don’t. The televisions utter no words of mathematics or Biology. Because of this horrid â€Å"accommodation† provided by the college, the quality of students intellectually, morally, and physically has made a sudden turn for the worst. Some ignorant persons argue that cable television provides quality educational programs to students and helps them to cut lose after a hard day of studying, but the true harsh reality is that cable television, due to the vast amount of extremely worthless channels such as HBO, Cinnemax, and, of course, MTV, do nothing but discourage interpersonal relationships and association, provide a distraction, inspire sloth, and install thoughts of sex and violence into the easily malleable minds of students, especially younger freshmen and sophomores living on campus. Some people have views that cable television is beneficial to students. In this fictional scenario, one can see the arrival of the idea of cable television onto the campus of Bowling Green State University. The administrators while sitting around their monstrous finely polished eastern oak table in their soft reclinable chairs, smoking their illegally imported cigars, thought of what seemed to be en ingenious idea. They thought of a way to supposedly improve the learning environment of students. One idea can be speculated that stood out in their minds. An idea that could give their students an incredible edge over other students from some other schools, the idea could be none other than the introduction of cable television into every room on the campus of their fine university. To them, this would give students access to explore a vast amount of educational and informational channels such as Discovery, Life, CNN, Animal Planet, and Health. Disney would also be provided for the mental ly challenged, playful at hear... ...s are spending their nights watching people get decapitated in action films. They are watching women naked in sexual positions, sometimes with other women in soft-core porn movies. Although most of these movies have excellent plots, they are not beneficial to the studying of a college student. The channels provided by cable networks encourage foul language, violence, promiscuity, and masturbation in many college students living on campus. There may be some people who do not watch this type of programming or may not let it go to their head, but the majority of college students do. This is a problem. The average majority of college students in almost no way benefit from the installation of cable television in the dormitories. Cable television is used in almost all cases for entertainment. It is not a necessity for the intellectual development of a college student. The fact that it is provided in every dorm room on campus shows little regard by Bowling Green for the growth of most students living on campus. Almost nothing good can come from cable. In most cases it is a vice rather that a strength. Cable television in college dorm rooms is a major problem and needs to be solved.

Thomas Hardy Essay -- essays research papers

Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardy, written by Trevor Johnson, is the detailed journey through the life of one of England’s greatest writers. This biography describes some of the major details of his life such as his family, his education, and his major works. Thomas Hardy was born in 1840 at the Village of Upper Bochampton. He was the child of a country stonemason. Hardy was the third Thomas of his family. His mother’s maiden name was Jemima Hand and she and her husband led Hardy to have an unusually happy childhood. His early years were a seed-bed to his later creative development. His mother knew what real poverty was when she was young because she lost her father. Hardy said ‘ she read every book she could lay her hands on’ and she grew up to be a woman of ability, judgment, and ‘ an energy that might have carried her to incalculable issues!’ Many thought she was the dominant influence in Hardy’s life but his father was a man of character also. Even though he didn’t ‘ possess the art of enriching himself by business,’ he was a fine craftsman, and a lover of music. Hardy’s family was never poor and he summed up his happy childhood in a tiny lyric: She sat here in her chair, smiling into the fire; He who played stood there, 2 Bowing it higher and higher. Childlike, I danced in a dream; Blessings emblazoned that day; Everything glowed with a gleam; Yet we were looking away! As a young child, Hardy mastered the violin learning over 100 tunes. He also sang in the Stansford Church every Sunday. It seems to be that Hardy and his parents had a good relationship. In 1867 Hardy met Tryphena Sparks who was 16 and a daughter to a family related to his. She was intelligent and made her living as a teacher. She bore a child in 1868 and Hardy fell deeply in love with her. But in 1872 she broke his heart by returning her engagement ring. She then remarried and had two more children before dying in 1890. Tryphena had a great influence on his writing. On March 7, 1870 Hardy took an architectural trip to a church named St. Juliot. He stayed at the rectory and met the rector’s sister-in-law, Emma Lavinia Gifford. She was younger and attractive, and they walked hand in hand through the countryside. They fell half in love and Hardy made many trips back to St. Juliot. In 1874 they were married and proceeded to wander about Europe until they settled in S... ... as the greatest English author of his time. He received an Order of Merit and many doctorates from universities. His achievements stemmed further from writing by receiving two architectural awards. He was even popular enough to get pestered by nosy neighbors. His relationships with other writers were few but important. When he was with Florence Ellen Dugdale, his home was a pilgrimage to young writers like, Edmund Blunden, Robert Graves, T.E. Lawrence,, and Siegfried Sassoon. But perhaps the greatest honor he ever received was when he died. His ashes were scattered in Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abby next to the great Charles Dickens. Thomas Hardy by Trevor Johnson is a well written, thorough, and easy to follow biography. Leaving out only ancestry and condemnation, it provided a lot of information on major topics. This book is a good description of Hardy and it is a good research reference. By reading this and The Mayor of Casterbridge it is easy to tie together Hardy’s life and Michael Henchard’s. It is clear that Hardy knew of lost love and experienced the surrounding hardships. Thomas Hardy is a good writer and by Trevor Johnson’s description, he led a good life.

Frito Lay Sun Chips Case Study Essay

1. How would you characterize the snack chip category and Frito-Lay’s competitive position in this category? The snack chip category is growing, mainly because of the increased per capita consumption, which rose from about 12 pounds in 1986 to nearly 14 pounds in 1990. The snack chip category consists of three types of competitors: national, regional and private brand firms. The market is very competitive and difficult; as many as 650 new products are introduced every year, but less than 1% of them generate more than $25 million in first-year sales. Frito-Lay is a national brand and a worldwide leader in the manufacturing and marketing of snack chips. Frito-Lay accounts for 13 percent of sales in the US snack food industry. Frito-Lay’s market share is 50% of the snack chips category, and and eight of its snack chips are among the top-10 best-selling chip items in US supermarkets. Furthermore, Doritos and Ruffles are the only snack chips with $1 billion in retail sales i n the world. 2. What specific challenges and risks does Frito-Lay face in marketing SunChips and what are the implications of each? The following are many of the specific challenges and risks that Frito-Lay faces in marketing SunChips and the implications of each: * There are a relatively large number of rivals > a lot of competition. * There is a large number of substitute brands/chips > a lot of competition. * Consumers are very price sensitive so brands are competing on price > detrimental. * There are a few barriers to entry, and existing entrants have better access to distribution channels than new ones. * Tried healthy snacks and failed > risky strategy. * New brand name is a departure from known name. * Cannibalization is a concern. * Frito Lay strategy: differentiator, line extensions, new products to address needs. 3. What insights can be drawn from Frito-Lay’s prior experience with multigrain snacks? As mentioned before, the snack chip market is incredibly competitive. With as many as 650 new products entering the product every year and less than 1% reaching a sustainable sales mark of $25 million, it is rare to find a successful one. Frito-Lay first toyed with multigrain snack chips in the 1970s, when research indicated a need for a snack in this category. Prontos, released in 1974 and distributed for four years, weren’t incredibly well received. While a lack of success is attributed to a confusing name, poor manufacturing and too narrow a market, Dwight Riskey, VP of Marketing Research and New Business, admits that he is â€Å"not sure there were dramatic things wrong with the product design [†¦]. It may have been invented and introduced before its time.† This sentiment was reflected in the Harvest Project in the early 1980s, when Frito-Lay developed several multigrain products to attempt and have a possible healthy alternative to saltier snack foods for the baby-boomer generation. Lackluster response caused the project to stall into the mid 80s as focus was put on developing new flavors and healthier alternatives in other brands. Development for the product now under the Sun Chips brand picked up in 1988. Consumer testing found a few variations of the Sun Chip that were perceived by test markets as both healthy and as â€Å"everyday snacks† — a factor necessary to the long term success of the snack. Ultimately, they had to wait until the right time to release the product. The market was slowly gaining health consciousness as baby-boomers matured and desired healthier alternatives to their snack foods. Early attempts were just that: too early. 4. What conclusions can be drawn from research on SunChips’ consumer acceptance and sales potential prior to the Minneapolis-St. Paul test market? The results from the premarket test were not at all what Frito-Lay’s executives had initially expected. Consumers preferred the SunChip name,while the most popular flavors were Natural and French Onion. After the trial, Sunchips had the potential to be an â€Å"everyday snack.† The results from the premarket test indicated that the Sun Chips Multigrain Snacks would sell a total sales volume of $113 million during it’s first year on the market. Included in this sales volume is a $22 million advertising and merchandising expenditure. That being said, $113 million far exceeds the $100 million sales performance goal for which Frito-Lay initially planned. There is also less potential for product cannibalism at 42%. The Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota metropolitan area was chosen because executives believed it to be a strong social and economic representation of the US as a whole. Generally speaking, this area also represented a standard environment in which consumer acceptance of products and competitive behavior both could be measured accurately. Ultimately, 2.2% of American households that eat these types of chips reside within this metropolitan area. Thus, according to the research on SunChips’ consumer acceptance and sales potential prior to the test market, it would be highly advised for Frito-Lay to continue exploration with this product, and proceed to more advanced stages of product testing. 5. What is your assessment of the SunChips’ test market results? Promotion/Advertising: As a result of the Premarket Test, Frito-Lay is allocating a $22 million advertising budget for Sun Chips. 70% of this budget—$15.4 million—is to be used within the first 6 months of the test market. The advertising message will convey subtle positive messages, including wholesomeness, fun and simplicity. Television commercials emphasizing â€Å"smarter because they’re multigrain† will be shown in order to appeal to the health-oriented consumer segment while depicting the product as unique. In-store displays and free-standing inserts in newspapers will support the advertising campaign, while coupons placed in newspaper free-standing inserts will stimulate trial and repeat sales during the test market Price and Sales: Projected annual sales in the snack chip category amount to half of the market share or about $5 billion. Sales are projected to grow at a 4-5% rate annually due to an increase in per capita consumption. Sun Chips carries a selling price to retailers of $0.385 for the 2.25 ounce package, $1.240 for the 7 ounce package, and $1.732 for the 11 ounce package. The weighted-average price amounts to $0.16 per ounce sold, with 15% of purchases in the Test Market going towards the 2.25-ounce package, 47% to the 7-ounce package, and 38% to the 11-ounce package. With this average price-per-ounce of $0.16, first-year sales on a national level as represented by the Test Market will amount to $82,866,894 for Sun Chips. Decisions/Alternatives: 1. Decide not to launch Sun Chips 2. Continue to test the product and risk having a competitor launch a similar product nationally or regionally 3. Expand and launch a national introduction, requiring adequate manufacturing capacity Strategies: 1. Increase advertising and merchandising spending to either test further or launch nationally 2. Introduce a larger package size 3. Build the household repeat and depth of repeat business by introducing a flavor extension (mild cheddar) 6. Given your assessment of the test market results, what actions should Dwight Riskey recommend to Frito-Lay’s top executives? We believe that Riskey should implement the flavor extension strategy while continuing to test the product for another 6 months. The extension would increase the â€Å"repeats per repeater† to an average of 3.5 times per year instead of 3 times per year due to greater variety for consumers. This will increase expected national sales from $82,866,894 to $90,984,446, or $8,117,552 closer to the company’s $100 million goal. The introduction of another flavor could increase the cannibalization rate from 30% to 35%. This, however, actually amounts to only 23% cannibalization because 1/3 of this cannibalized volume stems from Doritos which have the same suggested retail price as Sun Chips. Adding another flavor will also increase brand awareness (33%) even further past the successful O’Grady’s brand awareness of 28% before the product can be released on a national scale. In taking more time to test the product and by adding another flavor, Frito-Lay can increase first-year sales by building repeat business, as well as increase brand awareness to assure they reach their goal of $100 million in first-year sales.

The Indigo Spell Chapter Seventeen

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