Renaissance and Middle Ages

Historians call the period we live in Modern Times. Modern Times began with the Renaissance, one of the rare periods of genius in the world’s history. Beginning in the 14th century and reaching its height in the 15th, the Renaissance was a new age filled with remarkable accomplishments meaning â€Å"rebirth†. The Renaissance refers to the rediscovery by humanists of the writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The individualization of man began in this era, and it was during this period that man began to focus on the secular aspects of life rather than hierarchical Christianity, which was the stranglehold of the Middle Ages. The ordered, formalistic medieval society broke down and Europe emerged from the Dark Ages. The Renaissance was a period of discovery in many fields. Advances in science were numerous and contributed to the growth of the era. Beliefs and theories that were common during the Middle Ages were gradually being rejected and scientific investigation during the Renaissance lead to an increased understanding of the natural world. Along with discoveries in science, the Renaissance proved to be one of the great ages of fine arts, leaving a rich legacy. The art from the Middle Ages was revolutionized in the Renaissance and is one of the most prominent variances between the two eras. The intellectual energies of the Renaissance, however, came from the literature of many masters. Humanism was emphasized, which contrasted the church driven society of the Middle Ages. Advances and accomplishments in science, fine arts and literature made the Renaissance a golden period, which flourished far beyond the achievements of the Middle Ages. During the Renaissance, discoveries in science, particularly in astronomy, physics, and anatomy exceeded those of the Middle Ages. Vital to the growth of scientific investigation was a progressive rejection of astrology and magic, creed that was prevalent in medieval times. The scientists of the Renaissance rejected any sort of magic because observation and experimentation did not support it. Scientists of the Renaissance made many breakthroughs increasing their knowledge and understanding of the world. Important inventions were medieval in origin as well. For example, the magnetic compass that directed Renaissance explorers to Asia and the Americas was innovated in the Middle Ages. But it was the humanism that was brought out in the Renaissance, which separates it from the Middle Ages. Equally important to the development of science was humanism, for among the ancient writings that the humanists collected were those that inspired scientific research. Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus challenged the ideas of astronomy and forever changed the way Western civilization looks at the universe. At Copernicus’s birth, Europeans believed that the earth was stationary, at the center of the universe, and all other heavenly bodies, including the sun, revolved around the earth. Copernicus used observation and mathematical analysis to overturn this concept. After careful calculations and observations, Copernicus realized that the earth both revolves around the sun and rotates about its own axis. The importance of Copernicus’ discovery was not only that he provided future astronomers with groundwork; he challenged pervious theories on astronomy and the universe. Studying the heavens, however, was very difficult as the human eye could only see so much. Italian astronomer Galileo constructed a telescope for observing the galaxy. With this device, he discovered that the surface of the moon was covered with craters, mountains and valleys, and discovered other satellites orbiting the planet Jupiter. The rationality and reason promoted by renaissance researchers would become increasingly important not only to science but to Western thought. Those who came after this period would refine its methods and techniques and open up much more of the natural world to human understanding, but they would always be indebted to the pioneering work of these early scientific thinkers. The Renaissance was also one of the great ages of art. It was an era of artistic experimentation and discovery led by famous painters and sculptors whose works are perhaps more than any other accomplishments representative of the Renaissance in today’s world. The art from the Middle Ages differed tremendously from the Renaissance. During the Middle Ages, the arts had reflected that period’s deep interest in religion. Paintings for instance, were either portraits of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the saints or illustrations of scenes from the Bible. In the Renaissance however, art became less religious in nature. Much of it dealt with more worldly subjects: portraits, of living people, landscapes, and scenes of everyday life. Religious subjects did not disappear entirely. Some of the greatest religious art dates from the Renaissance, such as Leonardo da Vinci’s 1497 painting the Last Supper, and Michelangelo’s 1504 sculpture David. Yet, there was a more secular tone to Renaissance art than to medieval art. This artistic shift came in part because the patrons of artists were often nobles nd business and civil leaders rather than, as in the Middle Ages, the church. A second difference between Renaissance and medieval art was the supreme importance of architecture during the Middle Ages. To the medieval world, architecture was the most sublime of arts because architects were responsible for the design and building of the great churches and cathedrals of the period. At this time, both painting and sculpture were used a lmost exclusively to decorate these church buildings. Although architecture remained important in the Renaissance, painting and sculpture were the chief arts. Again this change in emphasis had a great deal to do with the rise of the private patron: few, like the Catholic Church, could afford to finance a building but any one of whom could pay for a statue. A third difference between medieval and Renaissance art was the latter’s emphasis on realism. Renaissance artists tried to represent the human figure as realistically and naturally as possible. To achieve this realism, both painters and sculptors studied anatomy and the world around them. They worked hard to portray their painted or sculpted subjects in authentic detail, for as Italian Leon Battista Alberti instructed in his 1435 Della pittura: â€Å"It will help, when painting living creatures, first to sketch in the bones, for they always occupy a certain determined position. Then add the sinews and muscles, and finally clothe the bones and muscles with flesh and skin. As Nature clearly and openly reveals all these proportions, so the earnest painter will find great profit from investigating them in Nature. Because of its close association with the observation of the natural world, this Renaissance realism came to be known as naturalism. Leonardo da Vinci is seen as one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance. Far more than just a painter, he was also an engineer, mathematician, inventor, architect, and writer. Moreover, he was a scientist, whose interests were in biology, physics, and chemistry. The aim of his studies, particularly those in anatomy, was to make his paintings better. He believed firmly that studying the paintings of others alone would produce only minor work. However, a painter who also studied nature would, in his opinion, produce great art. The art produced in the Renaissance was a rebirth of the classical Greek and Roman works. After centuries of stiff representation, artists began again to study Nature herself, and to work from the living model. New ideas of grace, harmony, and beauty were cultivated into classic works that revolutionized fine art of that period from a sacred to a secular tone. Parallel to the development of fine arts, was an awakening of the human intellect through written works. Innovation and invention were the hallmarks of Renaissance literature. As in art, humanism influenced its literature through both its ideas and its focus on classical writings. A contributing factor to the spread of humanism was printing. Until the Renaissance, books were produced by hand. In 1465, the printing press was invented in Germany. Although printing technology had been developed in China as early as the second century AD, the 15th century printing press was combined with another innovation: moveable metal type. With this invention, came a rise in literacy. Books became available to everyone, significantly speeding up the spread of classical knowledge and humanist ideas. During the Middle Ages, only the clergy and a few others could read, whereas Renaissance readers came from all social classes. By the 16th century, about half the population of London could read and write to some degree. One of the most important developments that took place in Renaissance literature was the expanded use in books and poems of such languages as Italian, French, and English, rather than Latin. Although Latin remained the international language of Europe, Renaissance authors increasingly wrote in their native languages. The rise of the vernacular made it possible for the middle classes of Europe to read and write in their own language rather than Latin. Many prominent writers of the time such as Petrarch (1304- 1374), and Dante (1265- 1321) saw the use of the vernacular as a means of passing on classical virtues and knowledge to a far wider audience than was possible with Latin. The scholars Thomas G. Bergin and Jennifer Speake note: â€Å"Petrarch’s determination that the classical ideal should permeate every aspect of life led to what has been called the â€Å"humanism of the vernacular†: the ennobling not only of the native tongue, but also of everyday experience under the influence of classical models. † Poets and other writers were generally enthusiastic about the use of the vernacular, feeling that their native languages brought their work alive i n a way no ancient, outdated language could. Writers in the Renaissance era began to experiment with new forms of literature. In France, the great pioneer in vernacular writings was the French humanist Francois Rabelais. He not only experimented with writing in French, but he also began a new literary form, the novel. The result was the birth of the French novel, which ridiculed the medieval church and way of thought during the Middle Ages. This new kind of literature contrasts the writings of the medieval times which were mainly church inspired. Most writings were during the Middle Ages were done by Churchmen and most of it was in Latin. Biographies of the lives of the saints were extremely popular. The printing press in the Renaissance led to a rise of literacy in Europe; therefore the middle class was better educated. The rise of the vernacular also revolutionized literature in the Renaissance, which made it possible for the rising middle class of Europe to read and write in their own language rather than Latin. These breakthroughs in literature separate the Renaissance from medieval times. Emerging from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance was a new age filled with impressive accomplishments. The Dark Ages was a time in which the Church was the center of economic, social and political life while the Renaissance was a period in which human affairs and the advancement of Man were emphasized. Scientific discoveries made by many scholars such as Copernicus and Galileo revolutionized medieval theories on astronomy. If one aspect of Renaissance culture differed noticeably from the Middle Ages, it was art. Artists of this time period strayed from the stiff, religious mold of art to a more realistic approach to art displaying great detail and a variety of emotions. Advances in literature reformed the Renaissance. Inventions such as the printing press and the development of the vernacular led to the rise of literacy in all social classes, which greatly differs from the Middle Ages where only the clergy and few others could read and write. The Renaissance era crackled with energy, filled with remarkable discoveries and advancements. Many would have agreed with the French physician Jean Fernel, who wrote in the early 1500s: â€Å"The world sailed round, the largest Earth’s continents, discovered the printing press sowing knowledge, ancient manuscripts rescued, all witness to the triumph of our New Age. †

Dominoes vs. Pizza Hut Essay

The Indian domestic pizza market is growing rapidly with number of foreign brands entering into the sector to seek business opportunities. In the current scenario, Indian consumers are increasingly shifting towards varieties of Pizza offered by the well-known brands. Further, huge untapped potential in rural and semi-urban areas, quick investment recovery, simple equipment and small investment to open a pizza outlet also contributes to the development of domestic pizza industry in India. Thus, the domestic pizza market in India is estimated to grow with a CAGR of around 26% during 2011-2014. The two main contenders in this highly competitive market segment is Domino’s and Pizza Hut. Until 1996, Pizza in India was synonymous only a bready dough base slathered with some ketchup. Since 1996, there was a proliferation of ‘high-priced branded’ pizzas in the market, with the entry of international pizza chains. Domino’s and Pizza Hut, the two big US fast food chains entered India in 1996. Each claimed it had the original recipe as the Italians first wrote it and was trying desperately to create brand loyalty. Domino’s and Pizza Hut – tried to grab as large a slice of the pizza pie as possible. Domino’s and Pizza Hut expanded their market ever since they entered India. Domino’s had grown from one outlet in 1996, to over 500 outlets in April 2012. Pizza Hut too, which began with just a single outlet in 1996 has over 200 outlets in 2012. Domino’s entered India in 1996 through a franchise agreement with Vam Bhartia Corp. 3 The first outlet was opened in Delhi. With the overwhelming success of the first outlet, the company opened another outlet in Delhi. By 2000, Domino’s had a presence in all the major cities and towns in India. Pizza Hut entered India in June 1996 with its first outlet in Delhi. Positioning to customer needs. When Domino’s entered the Indian market, the concept of home delivery was still in its nascent stages. It existed only in some major cities and was restricted to delivery by the friendly neighbourhood fast food outlets. Eating out at ‘branded’ restaurants was more prevalent. To penetrate the Indian market, Domino’s introduced an integrated home delivery system from a network of company outlets within 30 minutes of the order being placed. However, Domino’s was not the trendsetter so far as home delivery was concerned. Delhi based fast food chain; Nirula’s was the first to start free home delivery in 1994. But where Domino’s stole the market was its efficient delivery record. GouthamAdvani, Chief of Marketing, Domino’s Pizza India, said, â€Å"What really worked its way into the Indian mind set was the promised thirty minute delivery. † Domino’s also offered compensation: Rs. 30/- off the price tag, if there was a delay in delivery. For the first 4 years in India, Domino’s concentrated on its ‘Delivery’ act. For its delivery promise to work, Domino’s followed an 11-minute schedule: one minute for taking down the order, one minute for Pizza-making, six minutes oven-time, and three minutes for packing, sealing and exit. Pizza Hut, on the other hand, laid more emphasis on its â€Å"restaurant dining experience. † It positioned itself as a family restaurant and also concentrated on wooing kids. Its delivery service was not time-bound. A company official said, â€Å"The Pizza making process takes about 20 minutes and since we don’t usually deliver to places which are beyond the reachable-in-half-an-hour distance, customers can expect home delivery within 45 minutes. † Moreover, analysts felt that Pizza was something that just was not meant to be delivered. Said Vivek Sure, Projects Manager, Pizza Express, â€Å"If you don’t eat pizza fresh, it turns cold and soggy. † However, Domino’s seemed to have overcome this problem through its delivery pack called ‘Domino’s Heatwave. Localizing the Menu Since its entry into India, Domino’s introduced nine new toppings for Pizzas to cater to the local tastes. Different flavours were introduced in different parts of India. Advani said, â€Å"The Indian palate is very definitive – people are extremely finicky and choosy, not too willing to experiment. Food tastes vary from region to region. To capture the market, we had to localize flavours. † Thus, Deluxe Chicken with Mustard Sauce’ and Sardines were confined to the East, Mutton Ghongura and Chicken Chettinad to the South and Chicken Pudina to Mumbai. Butter chicken, MakhaniPaneer and the ChatpataChana Masala were confined to the North. Very soon, Pizza Hut followed Domino’s and offered customized Spicy Paneer and Chicken Tikka toppings. Apart from this, it also opened a 100% vegetarian restaurant at Ahmedabad, a one-of-its-kind worldwide. The restaurant also offered a special Jain menu, which did not have a single root-based ingredient to fit in with the food habits of Jains. Another city-specific adaptation of its menu by Pizza Hut was the restaurant in Hyderabad, (Andhra Pradesh) which offered Halal meat and chicken only with no beef and pork products in the menu. MARKETING MIX 1. PRODUCTS PIZZA HUT a. Product differentiation: Worldwide and in India pizza hut has come to become synonymous with the â€Å"best pizza’s under one roof†. this is because at pizza hut the belief is that every pizza has its own magic thus making it a destination product which everyone seeks. It is this belief that has ignited the passion to create , innovate and serve the finest product the industry has to offer while setting standards for others to strive to replicate. Pizza hut is committed to providing uncompromising product quality, offering customers the highest value for money and giving service that is warm, friendly and personal. A critical factor in pizza hut’s success has been its unique dining experience. Crew members at pizza hut strive each day to provide ‘customer mania’ the kind of service that ensures that every visit of the customer is a memorable one. b. Pizza Features: Pizza hut has many unique features of their product due to which it attracts the customers. The product is classified into non-durable goods as it is a food item. Pizza hut differentiates itself with its competitors with respect to their wide range of offerings (menu items) one can find besides pizzas, range of pasta’s appetizers, cakes deserts etc. There are a large number of items to choose from. Some of the items are: * Pizza’s * Pasta and salads * Appetizers * Deserts * Beverages c. Mass Customisation: The main advantage of customisation is that one can customize his/her own pizza by selecting the bread and loading it with his/her choice of toppings. This creates variety in the customers mind and thus one can enjoy whatever he/she can imagine pizza hut can offer. The most unique feature is that there is ‘pan 4 all’ scheme where one can select 4 different types of vegetarian/no-vegetarian combination of pizza. This is a unique way of offering as there are many customers who come in groups where someone in the group may have different preferences. d. Conformance quality Pizza Hut products have high conformance quality all the products produced are identical and meet the promised specifications. e. Style Pizza is delivered in hot pans and served in style. The toppings are also dressed in a good fashion thus having ‘food in style ‘defines pizza hut experience. f. Service Differentiation * Dining: Once one enters a restaurant immediately the attendants initiates the ordering process by providing the menu. All associates are well trained in English and can take order from any type of customer. Pizza hut’s style of delivering the pizza is quite an experience. The restaurant is aesthetically designed. All the staff members are uniquely dressed, managers dressed specially. Also the tables and menus are all placed in a good manner. All orders placed are served within 15-20 minutes. * Delivery and takeaway:They have the concept of hot-dot in case of delivery, which means that the package is guaranteed to be delivered hot. There is a dot on the cardboard box that serves as a checking point as to whether the hot-dot status has been met or not. Also they place a tripod on top of the pizza at the centre so that the ceiling does not touch the toppings. DOMINOS a. Product Differentiation Domino’s pizza India has maintained its position in the market with its constant product innovation and maintenance of stringent service standards. More importantly it has established a reputation for being a home delivery specialist capable of delivering it’s pizza’s within 30 minutes to its community of loyal customers from its entire chain of stores around the country. As the name suggests ‘the pizza delivery experts’ customers can order their pizza’s by calling their hotline. Domino’s believes strongly in the strategy of ‘ think local and act regional’ . Thus time and again Domino’s has been innovating toppings suitable to the taste buds of the local population and these have been very well accepted by the Indian market. Also they have their promotional campaign ‘ hungry kya ? ’ which means call up Domino’s at any time of the day 24/7 whenever you are hungry and have the food in 30 minutes. b. Pizza Features. Dominos has many unique features of its product due to which it attracts its customers. The product is classified into non-durable goods as it is a food item pizza hut differentiates itself with its competitors with respect to their wide range of offerings (menu items) one can find besides pizzas , range of pasta’s appetizers, cakes deserts etc. There are a large number of items to choose from. The ‘chicken wings’ item has specially struck a chord with a lot of customers as such a kind of item is not available at any other pizza outlet. * Veg pizza * Non Veg pizza * Veg II pizza. * Non Veg II * Garlic breadsticks * Soft drinks (600 ml) * Chicken Wings * Choco Lava Cake * Butterscotch Mousse Cake c. Mass customisation The main advantage of customisation is that one can customize his/her own pizza by selecting the bread and loading it with his/her choice of toppings. This creates variety in the customers mind and thus one can enjoy whatever he/she can imagine domino’s can offer. The most unique feature is that ‘single slice pizza’ scheme where one can select any veg/non-veg pizza at a lower cost. This is a unique way of offering as there are many consumers e.g. Student segment who cannot always afford the premium price. d. Conformance quality Domino’s products have high conformance quality all the products produced are identical and meet the promised specifications. e. Style Pizza is delivered in paper boxes and served in style. The toppings are also dressed in a good fashion thus having quick service justifies the domino’s tagline. f. Service Differentiation * Dining: Though domino’s is mainly concerned with takeaway and home-delivery, to suit the Indian market it allows dine-in facilities as well. One can enter the restaurant and immediately place their order at the service kiosk and they would be provided with a token number and there is a led screen with indicated which order is ready for service. It’s mainly a self-help facility. Also pizzas are delivered in same cardboard boxes as in case of delivery, no such differentiation is there which is in stark contrast to that of the dine-in experience that customers enjoy at the more expensive pizza hut restaurants. * Home Delivery: Home delivery facilities in Domino’s are world renowned and super-efficient. The persons attending the customer calls are helpful in selecting the best economical orders as well. Also the delivery system is very efficient and very rarely has anyone complained about quality of delivery times. Also it is open 24/7 and this standard is maintained throughout India regardless of the livings standards of that place. 2. PLACE It is very important to decide where the marketer can deliver the value to the customer. This is done through effective marketing channels that make the product available to the consumer. India in 1996, with its first outlet in Delhi, has grown into over 101 outlets spread across 24 cities. In India, the majority of Domino’s outlets are delivery-based with only about 25% of the outlets being both delivery and â€Å"sit-down†. This is quite different from other retail food chains. Pizza Hut made its foray in India with a dine-in restaurant in Bangalore in June 1996. Starting with six restaurants in its first year, Pizza Hut has expanded to 73 restaurants in 19 cities and plans to scale up to 100 restaurants by end-2004 * At presentDomino’s has149 locations across India and (8,500). Worldwide * Dominos projection call for 500 stores by 2010 * The company has tied up with the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to set up pizza outlets in the latter’s petrol bunks and in the process save on real estate costs * The pizza chain will open such drive-in-drive-out outlets in around 100 IOC petrol stations in 16 different cities. It intends to invest around Rs. 40 crore to expand its network. Pizza Hut has 134 locations across India (and 13,000 worldwide); * Pizza hut projections call for 300 stores by 2012. † 3. PRICE. In India dominos is trying to attract not only the upper but also the lower and middle class people. So, it has a more widespread network of outlets even in suburban areas, whereas pizza hut is only present in major cities. These targeted customers are interested to spend on pizza but at a low price. They are eager to go for outing in any festival and as a cheap family restaurant dominoes will be most preferable. They do not need high class ambience or amusement in the restaurant So the establishment cost is low for the dealers and the price of the pizza is very reasonable for the customer. Company Price Range (Rs) Domino’s 39-265 Pizza Hut 75-350 Some of Dominos’ very successful pricing campaigns are * Fun meals for 4 @ 180 * Pizza mania @ 39 * Non-veg singles/doubles at 69/120 However pizza hut is not too far behind in targeting the lower income groups. The weekday meal @99 has been a major hit all over India attracting office goers and teenage students alike. However the main target segment for pizza hut is the rich and higher middle class people. They are offering an organised restaurant system with great ambience and for these demanding a higher price for pizzas. 4. PROMOTION DOMINO’S * Dominospizzas have decided to focus on the take-away market. * To give value to the customer Dominos came up with Rs 50 pizza * Dominos gave away a lot of free pizzas. Even today they give close to 1000 pizzas free during a week. * Dominos kept their promise of free pizza if it was late beyond 30 minutes. The company bore the cost * In November 2006 Dominos came up with double cheese crunch pizza. And it increased sales by 45 per cent * Besides that Dominos did a lot of ground activities in terms of alliances, radio advertising, etc. Dominos also have this program called the Rolex challenge. It’s a program run by Domino’s international where store managers are awarded a Rolex watch if the achieve a certain sales level in specified time. PIZZA HUT The advertising strategy for Pizza Hut is two-fold. Firstly, laying emphasis on it being an international brand with an Indian heart, Pizza Hut’s communication is reflective of family values, family bonding, etc. * Pizza Hut’s arranged marriage commercial in Indian settings, and the Palat pizza commercial in Hinglish. * Secondly, highlighting the premise that the pizza is a catalyst that brings people together ensures that this is a brand that connects with the Indian consumer. * The ‘Palat’ concept was launched in 2002, with the launch of Pizza Hut’s innovative range of ‘Stuffed Crust’ pizzas * An unconventional and fun product, the ‘Stuffed Crust’ pizza has a crust that is filled with a ring of mozzarella cheese that magically transforms the crust edge, compelling one to eat the pizza backwards – i. e. , crust first or ‘Palatke’. * Pizza Hut claims as much as 50% of sales from delivery in some stores, and ten of its outlets are takeout only. SEGMENTATION PIZZA HUT 1. Geographic Region: Pizza hut outlets in different parts of Indiaare a way of segmenting their markets according to region and finding out potential markets. City: They also segmented the cities as class I, classII, metros and small towns 2. Demographic Age: Under 10, 10-18, 18-25, 25-40, 40+ Family income: Middle class, upper middle class, high class Dual income earners: Yes/No 3. Psychographic Socio economic class: Urban 4. Behavioural Occasions: Birthdays, corporate lunches, parties, receptions Loyalty status: Low, medium, high User status: First time, regular, non-user DOMINO’S 1. Geographic Region:Domino’soutlets in different part of India are a way of segmenting their market according to region and finding out potential markets. City:They also segmented the cities as class I, class II, metros and small towns 2. Demographic Age:Under 13, 13-21, 21-35,35-50, 50+ Family income: Lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class, high class 3. Psychographic Socio economic class: Urban 4. Behavioural Occasions: Birthdays,parties,receptions,festivals, small office parties Loyalty status:Low,medium, high. User status:First time,regular,non-user TARGETING PIZZA HUT * In geographic segment they targeted countries where there were no pizza hut outlets. Initially opened in class 1 cities and then have now moved to sub-urban. * In demographic segment main target is young adults ranging from 25-40 and also dual-income earners. They basically aim the upper middle class and high class income segment. * In psychographic segment they targeted urban socio-economic classes. * In behavioural segment they targeted occasions such as birthday bashes and corporate lunches. They also targeted the first time users as they felt that the quality and taste would automatically make them a loyal customer. DOMINO’S * In geographic segment they targeted countries where there were no domino’soutlets. Initially opened in class II cities and then have now moved to class I, metros and smaller towns. * In demographic segment main targets are teenagers and college students ranging from 13-21yrs and young adults ranging from 21-35 yrs. They basically aim the upper middle class and middle class income segment. * In psychographic segment they targeted urban socio-economic classes. * In behavioural segment they targeted occasions such as festivals, hostel parties. They also targeted the first time users and also the regular users. SWOT ANALYSIS PIZZA HUT Strengths:1. Strong Universal image that customers easily recognise. 2. Successful customization3. Low competition in eastern part of the world4. Strong network with its franchisees| Weaknesses:1. Lack innovation2. High competition in western world3. Fixed overhead cost| Opportunities:1. Pizza as family dining option2. Pizza is a fast growing niche market3. Services on mobile and other electronic devices| Threats:1. Socio Demographic changes2. Consumers being price sensitive3. Competition from other brands| DOMINO’S Strengths:1. Worldwide Presence2. Leader in pizza delivery industry3. Strong brand image4. Strong network with its franchisees| Weaknesses:1. Declining in-store sales | Opportunities:1. Growth opportunities in developing economies2. Services on mobile and other electronic devices| Threats:1. Competition in the pizza delivery industry2. Increase in health awareness3. Increase in labour and food prices| CONSUMER PREFERENCES Primary Research Results RECOMMENDATIONS PIZZA HUT: 1. High quality personnel: Total cooperation of its employee’s thereby increasing productivity, beating competition and enhancing consumer satisfaction. 2. Pay more attention to untapped segment of Senior citizens. 3. Maintain the product quality by continuous innovations. 4. Emphasis on development of â€Å"Home Delivery† Network. DOMINOS: 1. Make more coupons available to customers: Offer specials for certain times or seasons 2. Improving online ordering procedures. 3. New products specific to location. 4. Customized pizza.

Importance of English Essay

anguage, so far as we know, is something specific to human beings. It is a source of communication among human beings. It distinguishes humans from all other living things. It is the code we all use to express ourselves and communication to others. Language is a medium of instruction between people to express their feelings as well as ideas and attitude. IMPORTANCE OF ENGLISH : The word English is derived from the word â€Å"England†. There are different kinds of English language like British English, Canadian English and American English. English is without any doubt the actual universal language. It is the world’s second largest native language. English can be at least understood almost everywhere among scholars and educated people, as it is the world media language, and the language of cinema, TV, pop music and the computer world. It is also important because it is most common language spoken everywhere. All over the planet people are familiar with English in this era of mass communication. English has now achieved the global status. English is quickly becoming the World’s most spoken international language, therefore anyone who wants to progress in the world needs to be able to read and speak English. English is used in over 104 countries as an official or semi-official language. It is believed that over one billion people worldwide are currently learning English. Read more: Essay on importance of English In today’s business world, English has become the default second language. English is the key to open the world of success. English is thought to be one of the most important language in the world. English is also considered as the business language. It is widely spoken across the world, even on the internet. It is a way of communication. Most employers prefer their workers to be able to speak and write English fluently. English language has become one of our principal assets in getting a global leadership. It is a mean not only for international commerce it has become increasingly essential for inter-state commerce and communication. English is also use to promote our ideas worldwide and it will be in future. We can see on internet 90% of websites are written and created in English and even when we look at some sites in other language, they also give you the option to translate in English. Another factor which make English so popular is that it is very easy to learn. May be some people think that English is so difficult and confusing language but in real if they start learning English only for a week and they will feel easy with English. It is also the official language of air transport and shipping. On the other hand if we are good in English we can travel throughout the world without any problem because all round the world we can communicate with other people in English and get information about our journey. EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENTS: Now a days English is a medium of instruction at universities because of these few reasons, communicating with international world, accessing scientific sources in the student’s major fields and enable us to communicate with the people internationally. In this modern age every one need to follow the development in technology. Most of the software such as Windows, Microsoft Office or Mozilla Firebox are also written in English and these are things which are basic link to communicate with Computer. Just like if we want a little search about something we need programs and internet to find necessary sources and information. There are many English medium schools constructing day by day in our country. In Pakistani universities the education is given in English because if students will be capable to understand and speak English they can find there favorite jobs all around the world. Moreover university student need to know English to access information. In our country English is tau ght to student at every stage because he become able to communicate in English in his professional life. This thing is also very helpful to international students those went to Europe for studies. English is one of the best tool to establish our viewpoints. Through English we can also share our ideas and theories with the world. A vast source of knowledge is internet in this modern age a lot of data is present on the internet for studies but only students those are familiar with English can use that data. All the lectures given by the teachers in university level is in English. In universities all the interviews, viva and presentations conducted in English so we can say that usage of English in education is very important factor.English is leading language of science, technology, computers and commerce. It is a major medium of education. Therefore, the importance of English language cannot be degraded. so! Students should learn English language by heart otherwise they will feel too much difficulties in their life. ADVANTAGES: As I mention earlier there are countless advantages of English language. Study of English can provide us useful benefits and knowledge. We can use English to develop ourselves culturally and materially so that we can compete with the best side in the world of mind and matter. We can say that English language is our window to the world. One of advantage is that it is the world most used business and political language. Those who are still unaware about the importance of English. They should start learning English as a time come when everything would be understood , spoken and written in English.

Financial Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Performance - Essay Example Moreover, the comparative analysis of ratios has been done by comparing the ratios of 2009 and 2010. Finally, this report discusses the advantages and disadvantages of ratios analysis. RATIOS ANALYSIS Profitability Ratios a. Net profit percentage or net margin The net profit percentage or net margin of the company for the years 2009 and 2010 are 30.1205% and 21.9917% respectively. The value has been calculated by dividing the net profit with sales. The net margin of company has declined because of the decline in sales and net profit which shows a significant decline in profitability of CUERO in 2010. b. Gross profit percentage or gross margin The gross profit percentage or gross margin has been calculated by taking the ratio between gross profit and sales and the calculated values for the years 2009 and 2010 are 49.3976% and 44.617% respectively. It shows the decline in profitability because of the decline in sales and increase in cost of sales from ?0.00494 profit per ?1 of sales to 0.00446 ?1 of sales. c. Return on capital employed The return on capital employed is the ratio between net profit and capital employed. The calculated values for the company for years 2009 and 2010 are 3.9765% and 3.7105% respectively. ... The asset turnover the company has remained almost same for the two years. Liquidity Ratios/Gearing Ratios a. Current Ratio The current ratio is the ratio of long term debt to capital employed and the calculated values for 2009 and 2010 are 1.1667 and 1.1597 respectively. The ratio shows that the short-term liquidity of CUERO Ltd has remained same because the percentage increase in liabilities is almost equal to percentage change in current assets. b. Quick Ratio or Acid Ratio Quick ratio or acid ratio is the ratio between current assets less stocks to current liabilities. In 2009 and 2010, the calculated values for the company are 0.6818 and 0.5948 respectively. The decline in quick ratio predicts that in 2010 the process of conversion of stock to cash slowed down. Gearing ratio The ratio between long term debt and capital employed is gearing ratio and the calculated values for the company for 2009 and 2010 are 53.47% and 56.59% respectively. The gearing ratio of company has increas ed significantly in 2010 which shows the increase in the long-term debt of the company due in more than one year. Efficiency of Asset Utilisation Ratios a. Sales to Fixed Assets Ratio The sales to fixed assets ratio has increased from 0.9432 to 0.9511 in 2009 and 2010 respectively which shows that in 2009 company achieved ?0.9432 per ?1 of fixed assets and in 2010 company has achieved ?0.9511 per ?1 of fixed assets. This decline shows a small decline in efficiency of asset utilisation because the fixed assets have increased and sales of company have declined. b. Stock Holding Period Stock holding period is the ratio between stock and cost of sales and the calculated values for the company for 2009 and 2010 are 139.05 and 173.95 respectively. The stock holding

War on Drugs and War on Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

War on Drugs and War on Terrorism - Essay Example examples of this interplay between illicit drug trade and terrorism.3 This interplay between the illicit drug trade and terrorism poses both a direct and indirect to national security in the sense that the drugs are traded in the U.S. and therefore indirectly funds terrorism activities both abroad and at home. Moreover, terrorism and the illicit drug trade pose distinct threats to US national security and global security as whole. The US has a vested interest in global security as it can compromise the safety of Americans abroad and can eventually have both direct and indirect consequences for homeland security. This research examines the interplay between US anti-drug and terrorism policies. This will be accomplished by exploring and evaluating both policies, their strategies and the rationale for both policies. In 1986 drugs were officially deemed a national security threat. President Ronald Reagan’ National Security Decision Directive of April, 1986 declared that drugs had the potential to destabilize democracies, deplete both the morality and health of the U.S.’s society and could â€Å"adversely affect the economy.†4 On the evening of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush in an address to the nation spoke of a â€Å"war against terrorism†.5 The US war on terrorism is predicted on an urgent need to defend and protect the US, â€Å"the American people, and their livelihoods†.6 Regardless of the separate and distinct threat to national security, there is increasing evidence that drug trafficking and terrorism are intricately linked. For instance, the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) issued a report in 2003 claiming that out of the 36 foreign terrorist groups in the US as listed by the U.S. State Department, 14 were engaged in drug trafficking activities.7 It is therefore hardly surprising that the DEA would advocate that both the war on drugs and the war on terrorism be combined.8 The DEA is not the only source identifying a link between

Spring Summer Fall Winter Spring Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Spring Summer Fall Winter Spring - Movie Review Example The story is disintegrated into four parts where each part describes seasonality of the earth. These seasons show us how the Korean culture follows a systematic way of doing things. In each part, there is change of events as how the earth’s seasons revolutionize. The change in seasons shows the progressions and developments that occur in the Korean culture. Argumentation of the Movie The season spring is the supreme event that introduces the addressees to the story and takes the reader through the plot. The reader is introduced to an old monk who trains a youthful monk on the ways of Buddhist convictions. Training of the Buddhist convictions makes the reader understand that the Koreans are a religious society. The Koreans are a hard working society because the old monk labors through herding. The youthful monk has a complex time getting these skills because most of the time he is distracted by pleasure in torturing helpless creatures that are in the spring. This shows us that boys in the Korean society engage in mischief behavior like boys in any society. He decides to punish the young monk for his actions, and commands the young monk to tie a stone around his waist so that he can experience the suffering the animals undergo (Ebert 12). Punishing the young monk because of torturing helpless creatures shows us the Koreans like frogs and snakes. ... The Koreans also engage in romantic relationships at their teenage age, this is evident through the attraction of the young monk and the woman. The young woman is suffering from a disease that is not understood and she is brought to the old Buddhist for medications. This reveals that the Korean culture believes in traditional herbs for curing diseases (Ebert 22). The young monk and the woman continue with their intimate relationship and somehow her ailments are cured, these shows that expression of love in the Korean society is a form of medication. A period of fall is introduced to the reader, which is slightly superior to the season autumn. Koreans appreciate art and use it to communicate different messages, this is evidenced by the way the old monk engages in artistic work. He eventually notices a piece of newspaper reporting the killing of a young woman by his alleged lover and this brings a sense of violence in Korean culture. The old monk robotically suggests that the murdering was a due to jealousy of the lover. Korean culture argues that violent acts are associated with the civilized world. Infidelity is evident in the Korean culture because the young monk kills his wife for having an affair with another man. The young adult’s suffering is resultant of his actions, which are making him experience guiltiness. Koreans believes in the spirits because the old monk performs a ritual for purifying the young monk. The old monk tells the young adult to cut Korean characters on a tree with the knife he used in murdering the woman. There is organized law enforcement in Korean society as detectives arrive in the village to arrest the young adult and ferry him to a penitentiary (Ebert

Economics paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Economics - Research Paper Example This effect of substitution leads to such relocation of the local taxes in between the small regions that gave a negative impact on the state level. The overall recovery time and short falls are shown as in early estimates. This particular research started with analyzation and it ends with a hope that gaming laws shall be modified to save on greater losses. INTRODUCTION 29th August 2005 a third category storm known as Katrina was seen hitting the coast of Mississippi. This hurricane was devastating in nature and destroyed a large area of which included more of residence and business of the coastal area of Mississippi. Katrina is regarded as one amongst the few most devastating natural catastrophes in the history of U.S. This particular natural calamity has been held responsible for 231 fatalities and over $100 billions of damages in Mississippi. This paper focuses on one particular sphere which actually draws the economy of Mississippi which is casino gaming. These casinos are very i mportant because the economy of Mississippi relies on this particular sector. The taxes, which are put on these gaming revenues, add up to more that $330 million to state annually and all the local coffers, which were prior to this place before Katrina. When Katrina roared in ashore most of the casinos in the gulf coast built mostly on the barges were destroyed or heavily damaged. This area had the total infrastructure of this casino games. These buildings were considered as the lifeblood of the place. In this research paper we go in for analyzing the the total amount lost in these gaming revenues, the huge amount of taxes lost and the duration of he recovery period of these casino games. The results of our findings were surprising as it gave a substituting effect and a beautiful example of the effectiveness of governmental intervention. The beginning of the paper is with this particular industry of the state, which is followed by methodology and data collection section respectively . At last, we present results and the conclusions. REVIEW OF EXISTING LITERATURES: A brief note about the Casino Industry of Mississippi The legislation of 1990 of Mississippi enacted and later allowed the gaming courses on these navigable waterways. The first ever casino to come up in this water way was in the midis of 1992. Most of the casino games were under the category of riverboat gambling (Roehl, 1994). During 1990’s we get to see casinos with huge facilities, restaurants, entertainment and supported with huge hotels. We see such features during this time. In United States, we have Mississippi ranked in the third place after obviously Las Vegas and the Atlanta city. There is also a Mississippi commission for games which estimates that every day they have more than 50 million people who visit the place. Further, amongst the 50million people, those who patronize the casinos of Mississippi annually out of them around 81% people are form the states of south eastern countri es. Gulf Coast, South River, and North River, the gaming casino industry of Mississippi is based on on these three zones. The impact of Katrina fell on all these three zones respectively. North River section is based on a huge area of 594,000 square feet. It consisted of 10 casinos before Katrina struck the shore in 2005. This particular section is situated in the centre of Tunica, which is again located in the North West corner of state, southern part of Memphis. It is Tennessee.

Evaluation of the Key Marketing Strategies for Toyota in the UK Essay - 1

Evaluation of the Key Marketing Strategies for Toyota in the UK - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the sales and revenues for Toyota reduced in financial 2011, compared to 2010 in its major geographic market segment; Japan. This occurred because the government was offering subsidies for the citizens to purchase eco-friendly cars. This, therefore, points to the need for venturing into the less competitive market segment, where there are still few companies specializing in this market segment. By so doing, Toyota will manage to annex a new market segment comprising of buyers and government institutions willing to use the Eco-Cars, making it possible for the company to increase its sales and revenues. Thus, the introduction of Eco-friendly cars by Toyota in the UK will have the impact of boosting its sales, since government institutions in the UK support these vehicles. This way, Toyota will manage to capture the demand from these institutions, thus expanding its overall market share, sales and revenues. Customers are always in search of products that will not only satisfy their need, but also those products which they have full confidence in. the market for Toyota vehicles has been badly hurt by recalling cars, which were manufactured with various defects. Although such an action is necessary to avoid losing the market share when the default is eventually discovered, it does not augur well with customers. Recalling vehicle after selling them to the customers serves to inconvenience the customers, while also increasing their doubt on the suitability of the subsequent products manufactured by the company. This is detrimental since it s erodes the confidence that the customers had on the company and its products. Additionally, recalling cars after they have already been sold is detrimental to the reputation of the company, since it gives its competitors an upper hand. Therefore, to boost the confidence of the customers and ensure that their loyalty in the company and its products is restored, the company needs to work towards improving the reliability of its products, through eliminating any weaknesses on its products before they are released to the market.

Report of Petipa & Fokine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Report of Petipa & Fokine - Essay Example It is a simple reenactment of the old fairy tale in the ballet. The plan was to delineate the dramatic sequence that was shown in the acts with his trademark custom pantomime with specifying not only the characters that come with the play but also the dances and their timing and rhythm. Due to this passive approach, it may be called somewhat of a symphony rather than a usual drama that is expected from such a story. In the scene 1, there are numerous example of his approach like the movement of Catalabutte rhyming with the orchestra, entrance of King, Queen, the three fairies and Carabosse, which is accompanied by relevant songs and variations and a variety of instruments being used. In scene 3, Prince Desire is hunting and shown the lovely ladies of the court who are also presented with the orchestra. The baronesses and duchesses try to s mesmerize the prince but to no avail. All the above instances point to the fact that he was a traditional artist well versed in the classics and a lways wanted to give in his all for the preservation of the ballet, its music and the graceful dance. Michel Fokine was a twentieth century choreographer with education from Petersburg school of imperial Russian ballet. He was an innovator and wanted to go against the conventions and norms of the ballet at that time. His opportunity to prove his worth came when he joined Diaghilev Ballet Russes for its seasons in Western Europe in 1909. He later went to USA and reenacted many of his former plays and other ballet productions in the country for Ballet de Monte Carlo and the American Ballet Theatre. He couldn’t grasp the necessity of tradition in ballet and his The New Ballet showed just that. Fokine wanted the whole body of the performer to show his character. Not just some music and traditional dance sequences, He believed that for each character different type of movement befitting his character should be made. This is considered a revolutionary

Design Principles and Practice Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Design Principles and Practice - Coursework Example The infant is placed inside a jogging stroller and the runner can then push or pull the stroller to carry the weight of the infant. Other than running, the jogging stroller can also be used to transport infants over commutes because the strollers are safe by design and requirement. This report examines all major design principles and practices required to create an innovative jogging stroller. Pahl and Beitz model Market Research on Existing Devices Market research indicated that myriad companies are already manufacturing jogging strollers. The current models that are available are able to satisfy most customer requirements. Generally jogging strollers are three wheeled, vary in weight from manufacturer to manufacturer and could be foldable or fixed. (Jogging Stroller, 2011) Safety is mandatory. Seating capacity could be for one or two infants who are placed either inline or abreast on the jogging stroller as per design. Moreover, the wheels on jogging strollers are roughly 18 inches in diameter. Harnesses are also included so that the runner may tie themselves into the jogging stroller. (Luff, 2011) However, other models are available that can be pushed around. The handle bars are adjustable and storage bins have been provided to store infant accessories. (Running Advisor, 2011) Standard bare bones jogging strollers (one seat version on left and two seat version on right) Market Research from Potential Users In order to ascertain the requirements of potential users, I went to parks around the campus and interviewed parents using jogging strollers. This helped to precipitate both the good points and bad points in the jogging strollers. Most users related that the three wheel design was stable enough to prevent overturning. Wheel size is also acceptable at around 18 inches. In my survey I found only a very few jogging strollers with harnesses. Those who were using harnesses were not happy with their performance as the claimed that harnesses restricted use and ca used unwanted strain. Others who did not use harnesses said that they preferred to push jogging strollers around than become cart horses. This implies that as per aesthetics people prefer jogging strollers that can be pushed around. Moreover, when people were inquired about the appearance of the jogging stroller most people believed that the bare bones jogging strollers looked ugly. Most expressed a desire to purchase better looking models. Therefore, there exists a potential to sell a slightly expensive jogging stroller if it is made beautiful enough. The desire to have more aesthetically pleasing jogging strollers was most common amongst younger mothers (20 to 30 years old). The older mothers (30 and above) were mostly indifferent to how the jogging stroller looked. Market Research (British and European Union Standards) Under British regulations both new and used prams and push chairs must adhere to BS 7409:1996 or equivalently to BS EN 1888:2003 (equivalent European standard). Th is standard is largely concerned with safety of infants in the prams and push chairs category and sets guidelines for rollover and other similar incident prevention. Another applicable standard is BS 1877-10 which specifies the various kinds of mattresses and bumpers that are used in perambulators for children. The mattresses must allow for a certain degree of softness as well as ensure circulation of air to ensure that the child is comfortable even during long walks and runs under the sun. Another important device is the safety harness in use on push chairs which is covered by BS 6684. (BSI, 2005) Furthermore, the material used to construct children’

Quantitave methods informal in-depth interviewing Essay

Quantitave methods informal in-depth interviewing - Essay Example It should also be noted that there are different methodologies which are applicable in research methods. The issue of central interest in any matter is always to find a better solution than the existing one; this means that there are some issues that emerge as new in the society and therefore no information exists about them while on the other hand, better approaches are also being studied about issues that are already exist. In other words, the core reference point in any research study is the literature review. Research can either be from primary sources or secondary ones. Primary source research is obtained from initial findings from an original work while secondary are obtained from published materials. Research has never been perfectly done by man due to many challenges and this means that any research work assumed done perfectly still bears some information gap. It should be noted that these issues that have not been captured by past research studies may be vital in providing a lasting solution. Various concepts of research have always been under use but their effectiveness varies from one use to another. The Qualitative Interview Design is the latest research concept which is gaining weight especially in the business world. Informal interviews are a concept of qualitative research. It accords the same opportunity to acquire information just like in any other research method. Its applicability comes even in business management. In normal business operations, the daily occurrences that characterize business operations entail gathering and collecting data. This data is usually relevant in determining the fate of a business in terms of market survey and related factors. Consequently, it is always important to have concise information on the targeted market on what needs to be done in order to succeed in a particular market. Such is a predicament that would warrant carrying out of research. In view of this, informal interview would provide a relatively easier way of evaluating the market before making any business decision. In-depth interview entails asking of questions, listening to the answers and recording them. The researcher can also pose additional questions to clarify or expand on particular issues. In most cases the questions are open ended and this is meant to explore the ideas of the respondents without restriction since this is likely to give a true picture and their real perceptions. This concept is aimed at understanding the clear view of the beneficiaries of a program, there judgement and terminologies. The extent by which the three approaches in in-depth interviewing differ is basically dependent on standardization of the questions and how they are determined. These methods are semi-structured interview, the informal conversational interview and the standardized open-ended interview. Each of these approaches has different instrumentation requirements and preparation besides serving different purposes. Qualitative research design requires in-depth experience with methodology and one of its most important components is the concept of informal interview. Qualitative Interview Design is one of the sources of research in academics where the interviews provide wide information base pertaining to a participant's first hand experience and viewpoints on a specific topic of study. This research methods concept makes the best literature review base since the qualitative interviews provid

The Use of Hand-held Cameras in “After Life” Essay Example for Free

The Use of Hand-held Cameras in â€Å"After Life† Essay Hirokazu Kore-eda’s â€Å"After Life† portrays the importance of making beautiful memories that would last forever. It is about death but deals more with choosing the best memory a dead person can remember and wants to remember for the rest of eternity. Twenty-two souls came to a â€Å"waystation† between life and death where they were asked to choose one precious memory. After choosing a memory, it would be recreated and filmed by the â€Å"staff† at the station. The â€Å"staff† were also dead persons who were not able to leave the place because of difficulty in choosing the memory they want to take with them. In this movie, hand-held camera techniques are used in a concrete pattern to recreate the dead peoples memories. The cameras were also used to record their interviews wherein they try to explain and give details of their specific memories. This was especially seen with the prostitute, pilot, and Tatara Kimiko. According to Kore-eda, he used scripted and unscripted dialogs in the film by non-actors and professional actors (Derek, 1998, n. p). He actually included non-actors to relate their real memories. In the beginning of the movie, characters were filmed with fixed cameras and they were seen having a hard time choosing their memories. However, with hand-held camera scenes, they were able to choose their memories easily. Although in the scenes where hand-held cameras were used seemed as informal scenes compared to the others, the characters can be seen talking comfortably. It seems that they were having a normal conversation as opposed to a formal interview. The characters were more at ease with the hand-held cameras. This might be because hand-held cameras do not seem as intimidating as those normally used in making movies. Also, when these cameras are used, it can only seem as though a home movie is being done and not a formal movie. The first scene where a hand-held camera was used was when the prostitute was having tea with Takuro Sugie, one of the counselors. They had their conversation in a casual way while drinking tea. The hand-held camera technique started when the counselor showed a picture of a demolished hotel to her, which was a part of her chosen memory. The counselor then found out that something was not right. Soon thereafter, he realized that the prostitute lied about her age. Feeling guilty, she admitted that she lied and even related that she was not with anyone that day and was actually waiting for a man. The hand-held camera focused on her while she was telling the truth, and this showed the development of her character. The second hand-held camera technique appeared on the pilot and Kawashima’s conversation. Kawashima brought pictures of airplanes so he could figure out and recreate the pilots memory and the specific plane that the pilot flew that day. The third hand-held camera technique was when Tatara Kimiko was drawing a red dress on the paper, which she would present to Kawashima. She seemed to be using an unscripted dialog because she was seen struggling to recall her memories. Because it is very natural to forget some things, this was considered unscripted. In the scene, the hand-held camera focused on the red dress that she was sketching because it was the most important part of her memory and would be used on the set to recreate her memory. Hand-held camera techniques appeared throughout the movie while the memories were being recreated. The cameras tried to capture every detail of their stories and facial expressions so that real emotions can be seen by the viewers. In Tatara Kimiko’s scene where she was trying to teach a certain dance to a little girl, the camera followed her every move and kept the focus on her face rather than the little girl learning the dance. This scene is considered unscripted because she tried to remember the dance and even changed some of the details because she was not able to remember the exact details of the dance. The hand-held cameras tried to record her real story in a natural way and she would not have the chance to make up things because this would be easily seen on hand-held cameras. The movie â€Å"After Life† demonstrates hand-held camera techniques that will allow the viewers to get close with the characters. Compared with other cameras, hand-held cameras are able to show the real emotions and sensitivity of the characters. This is seen in scenes where characters tend to talk in an unscripted way in order to capture the real story and recreate this on the set. Real emotions can be seen when individuals are on their most unguarded moments. This is when people do and say things that they normally keep to themselves because they feel that no one is listening. Although it may seem to be an invasion of ones privacy, it is a very good way to record a persons true character, which would help make a great recreation of a memory. Hand-held cameras make it easier for viewers to understand the development of the characters of the movie. This movie shows how important memories are to a persons life. It is hard to choose one memory from all the years of existence of one individual but it is harder to remember the specific details of that one memory. It is like a dream where everything is blurred and only a certain moment or conversation of the whole memory can be remembered. Moreover, the pressure of choosing one special memory out of all the memories a person can have to take in eternity is also hard. Certainly, one memory is not enough. Because memories are hard to remember, which makes it hard to recreate, hand-held cameras contribute greatly in the making of this movie. There are just some things that can be only seen through the lens of a hand-held camera and this is what makes â€Å"After Life† a

Current State Of Ethics In Business Commerce Essay

Current State Of Ethics In Business Commerce Essay The pace, scale and complexity of modern business has forced a change in how business is done. While it is accepted that it is foolish to do business with someone who is not trustworthy, the question arises whether you can trust those who are not ethical in all of their behaviour. Short timelines, tight supply chains and narrowing margins mean that chances cannot be taken that suppliers or customers will not honour their contracts as expected. Suppliers and customers are now becoming partners and stakeholders in business, and relationships with them are becoming more and more underpinned by trust. Trust is built on expectations of truth in words and consistency in behaviour. It is impossible to do profitable business with someone who says one thing one day and does something different the next. Ethical leadership is vital in business today. It is the backbone to any long lasting successful company in todays business market. It is important for companies to clearly layout their stance on ethical leadership to employees and the public, to have members of the company lead by example, and to reinforce the ethical leadership concept through out the year. By following these steps, the company will sustain or acquire ethical leadership in their companys culture. Although business accepted ethics slightly change through out the years, everyone should know if an action is ethical or unethical before they take an action. The importance of companies clearly defining their stance on ethical behavior will let individuals know how making an unethical decision will impact them, their fellow workers, and the company as a whole. On the other hand members of the company will also know how making an ethical decision will have a positive impact. Once a clear ethical leadership stance is taken, rewarding or punishing ethical or unethical actions should strictly uphold the rules. There should be an unbiased group to facilitate this activity, for example a Human Resources Department. Every employee, from the CEO to the mailroom clerk, should practice ethical leadership. Every member and every group can and should exhibit ethical leadership. This concept should not just be thought of as a manager to his report. Ethical leadership can happen in unexpected situations, for example where a CFO of a company asks the mailroom clerk to do an unethical act and the mailroom clerk refuses the CFOs request. The clerk refused based on the companys stance on ethical behavior. In this example, the clerk presented ethical leadership, but was in no way in a leadership role. The clerk would also feel safe taking this stance because he believes in his companies set rules on ethical leadership. He will not be negatively impacted due to the fact that he can contact his unbiased Human Resources department with issues of this nature, on top of the fact that he maybe rewarded for taking this ethical stance. Reinforcing the ethical leadership concept through out the year is also important for businesses. Not only reinforcing, but also reinforcing with meaning and showing the value of ethical leadership. Making positive examples of employees through rewards, have mandatory yearly training (make it fun), send positive ethical leadership examples out as part of company newsletter, ensure that unethical behavior is dealt with in an ethical way, restate companys stance during large meetings, make ethical leadership apart of each employees personal evaluation each year (make them give examples) and have ethical workshops. All of these examples will ensure that every employee knows the companys stance on ethical leadership through reinforcement. The over all concept of ethical leadership is that it is as important as making a profit in the business world. Profit and ethical leadership should be top priorities for any company that plans to have a long lasting existence. Ethics in itself can become a very pliable term with many grey areas, so focusing on specific ethics may prove futile. However, focusing on doing the right thing along with the reinforcement of ethical leadership may be the answer. Baking ethical leadership into a companys culture is key. Ethical leadership holds a positive outlook with great potential in the current business environment is the improvement that we have seen in ethical issues over the relatively recent years. As we all know accepted ethical behaviors have slightly changed over the years and will continue to do so. Ethical leadership along with the help from laws has driven the implementation of the halt or reduction of racial discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual discrimination. It is believe that accepted ethics have made great leaps and ethical leadership is one of the driving tools to solidify these concepts. Recent huge companies like Enron and World Com have made great examples of the importance of ethical leadership. It is said that the CEO of Enron, who was just sentenced to many years in prison, had the saying that nothing else matters besides profit. This is apparently not the best way to lead a long-term successful company. The fall of companies that disregard ethical leadership cost all Americans, the companys employees, and share holders billions of dollars. Based on this fact, the health of economies depends on companies to lead with strong ethics. One positive aspect that these unethical companies did do for America is to drive home the absolute importance of ethical leadership in business. Due to the unethical acts of these huge companies, everyone has taken notice. Many colleges are driving ethics harder then they ever have, the media attention has been enormous, and US companies are really sticking to ethical leadership programs better now than in the past. Recent changes in the business environment have deeply affected businesses and ethics consultancies that are concerned that the word ethics, in a business context, has lost its original meaning. They consider ethics to be unregulated behavior as well as regulated and talk about what is ought to be done as well as what we is compelled to be done. Not only would an ethical person not break the law or flout a regulation, but he/she also would think hard about doing something perfectly legal that gave the person ethical concerns. The ethics industry, now called the ethics and compliance industry, dwells almost entirely on issues of law and regulation. It is thought that ethics, as an important business tool, has been sidelined. The ethics industry emerged in the 1970s with defense scandals that resulted in the Defense Industry Initiative, a self-regulatory body of defense contractors. It really launched in 1991 with the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations, which helped judges to determine consequences for corporate misbehavior and, critically, identified seven steps that businesses could take to mitigate those consequences. The suggested steps included a code of ethics or conduct, training in the code, and a high-ranking person to oversee the program Many of the early providers were academics and nonprofits, like IGE, who believed that it was possible to guide corporate behavior through improved corporate decision-making. The waves of scandal that culminated in the 2008 financial tsunami have all but erased our formal ethics beginnings in business. A backwash of regulation, prompted by an outraged public, followed each wave. Companies, ethical and otherwise, are drowning in rules, expensive rules and regulations that make global competition difficult. Good companies are still doing the right things, but the focus has shifted from thinking ethically to complying with myriad regulations. In other cases, a whole new workaround ethic focuses on ways to skirt the rules. Following the recession, companies are demanding that people make their numbers while still following the rules, which even ethics professionals see as difficult. Professionals who used to direct their employers ethics programs are disappearing, replaced by legal professionals with specific expertise in bribery and corruption, export controls, insider trading, money laundering, and other topics of special interest. Were unhappy with the retrogressive sea change, but our respondents found some treasure silver lining, perhaps washed up on the beach. Anticorruption has a surprising ally, social networking, which has become a global phenomenon. Although the United States has a new portfolio of laws governing business (especially financial business) called the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which encourages whistle-blowers with offers of cash bounties and protection, social networking already has leapt far beyond. It is almost impossible to escape the reach of texting, tweeting, YouTube, and Facebook. Employees, customers and suppliers stay connected and theres really no place to hide when people take pictures and movies with their smart phones and make their observations public on the Internet. Although staff departments responsible for ethics have experienced cutbacks in funding, they are now working more closely with other departments that help to manage their companys risk. Its common to find close cooperation among ethics and compliance, internal audit, security, health, safety and environment, legal, and human resources. The benefit is that companies are likely to spot and avert misbehavior more quickly. Additionally, ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) now work more closely because their intentions are similar making the corporation a responsible citizen through attention to environmental and human rights issues. There is also exposure to legal penalties. Companies involved in international trade have to represent their products to potential or current clients based on their expected inputs by the suppliers. Â  A company that is involved in illegal activities, or that knowingly falsifies information on inputs supplied can create serious problems for its business partners. Â  A company with a good reputation and solid brands has much to lose, and should not take chances with its brand value. Another issue challenging the practice of good business ethics is the values, which employees bring to the work environment. Much has been said over the years about the deterioration of employees work ethics. The impact of poor work ethics results in low productivity owed to high levels of absenteeism, tardiness, theft and acceptance of bribe taking. A company that wishes to be efficient and competitive in the future cannot accept this state of affairs. There is a strong business case for the introduction of structured programs to support ethical behaviour in companies, size notwithstanding. These programs should be more than a mere encouragement to be honest, and should be based on clearly articulated values that are linked to the overall vision and mission of the company. The Manual of Business Ethics for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises prepared by the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) and the US Department of Commerce describes the following benefits among others: Enhanced Reputation and Goodwill: A reputation for integrity is important for securing the loyalty of customers, for recruiting and training the best staff, for winning community acceptance and accessing bank and supplier credit. Risk reduction: The process of developing a business ethics program involves the company in identifying and assessing the factors that could pose risks to reputation and financial performance, and developing and implementing the business processes that reduce those risks. Reduced costs: Providing employees with clear guidelines of how to conduct day to day business such as where and when to obtain quotations; how to carry out tenders; how to conclude contracts and how to avoid conflicts of interest can reduce transaction costs and improve the supply chain function. Protection from Unethical Employees: A program would include clear guidance in respect of the misappropriation and unauthorised use of company resources, and the consequences that could flow from violations, information that employees with undeveloped values may not fully appreciate. Recommendations for efforts that build ethical cultures without increasing expenses are as follows: Improve communication practices. Ethics programs are usually well constructed, but poorly disseminated. Require middle managers to train their direct reports and keep the message alive with ethics meetings. Employees often dont know or recognize the CEO and merely tolerate E-learning, but they actually pay attention to their managers. Encourage government to recognize and reward the value of ethics and compliance programs. Focus on corporate culture. Perhaps more emphasis on culture will galvanize corporate intentions and resources toward long-term corporate health in addition to dealing with the emergency of the moment. Operating according to values, accentuating the positives, telling the stories, and removing the negatives would empower good employees and managers and boost productivity. People actually like to work when the culture is right. Ever hopeful, we expect corporate ethics to rebound with serious attention paid to aligning individuals within positive values-driven cultures. It wont happen until the recession fades and businesses start spending the cash theyve hoarded for the last several years to acquire the human and intellectual resources needed to make it happen.

Chaotic Curiosity or Curios Chaos

Chaotic Curiosity or Curios Chaos Abhishek Tiwari The word science comes from â€Å"scientia†, Latin word for knowledge. Webster’s dictionary defines science as â€Å"the knowledge covering the general truths of the operations of general laws, especially as obtained and tested through the scientific method and concerned with the physical world†. In a layman’s interpretation science is a systematic way to obtain the knowledge about the mystifying secrets of Mother Nature by few known facts, observations, and few approximate estimations. New theories and laws in science are proposed by using two points- 1) repetition or reproducibility of the data, and 2) computational simulation. But what happens if these fundamental rules are not followed in a system? As they say, exceptions to rules form new rules, these infringing systems fall into the category of â€Å"Chaotic systems†. Chaotic systems are those in which the distant results are practically unknowable. The Theory of Chaos rules this domain of sci ence. Today chaos theory is a field of study in mathematics with several applications in the fields of biology, cosmology, economics, engineering, meteorology, and physics. It talks about deterministic dynamic systems which are not just highly but infinitely sensitive to the initial conditions. Under such circumstances even with a fraction of difference in the initial stages would yield into complete different outcomes every time the process is started hence defying the first basic rule in experimentation. Every technology is built with its own error, limitations and approximation, and therefore computer simulation of such a dynamic system to know about its fate at certain point in space-time would either require a huge amount of initially defined components or a long time calculations which would still differ with the actual outcome. In other words the deterministic nature of such dynamic systems may not help in determining their future. Meteorologist Edward Lorenz was the first pe rson to talk about chaotic systems. He summarized this theory as, â€Å"when the present determines the future, but the approximate present does not approximately determines the future†. In 1972 Edward Lorenz wrote a paper titled as â€Å"Predictability: Does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?† on the theory of Chaos. Edward Lorenz accidentally came across this topic while doing his work on weather forecast. Using a simple computer of his time, he was running a weather simulation. However due to time constraints he started his work mid way and to his astonishment he got a completely diverted results from the previous output. He concluded that the difference was generated due to the rounding-off of the numbers in the input. The consensus of the difference should practically have no effect on the immediate prediction but in a long run produced a significant difference. The word chaos is generally taken as complete disarray is a misnomer for this theory. The chaotic systems are not cluttered but are disciplined to an extent. Like we know for sure that the moon would not collide with earth in few weeks but the prediction remains uncertain for a longer time period. Similarly weather forecasts are known most accurately about a week before. Therefore chaotic systems are predictable for a while but later on with time it becomes random. The effectiveness of our prediction can be determined by following factors:- The extent of randomness acceptable The accuracy in defining the present state of the system The relative time scale (called Lyapunov time). In the hunt for defining the accurate state of the system the information increases tremendously and the uncertainty in the forecast increases exponentially over the time, thereby rendering distant forecasts meaningless. The state of the system is defined by a set number of points which tends to be accurate in describing it, but each one of it having a different fate over long duration. Thus, for a reason, chaotic systems are practically not possible in Euclidian Geometry. In 1982, Benoit Mandelbrot Published â€Å"The Fractal Geometry of Nature † in which he argues that a twine ball when observed from a far distance looks like a point, from fair distance like a ball and from close like a curved strand. He argued that the appearance of an object is dependent upon the observer and they can be fractional. The book became one of the classics for the â€Å"chaologists† as some of them called themselves. A double rod pendulum is the easiest example of a chaotic system. It f ollows the general rule and also oscillates almost in the same pattern as the pendulum but with time there arises difference of fractals which causes a large deviation. The slight initial conditions causes complete different trajectory. The Theory of chaos very soon became a law governing many interdisciplinary subjects. The field of biology has great implications as the understanding of the nervous system, and the circulatory system, are proved to fit a fractal model. Biological evolution, eye tracking disorder in schizophrenics can also be explained in mathematical form using the chaos model. The natural phenomena like earthquakes, its intensities and its distribution became easier to explain with the model of fractals. More researches can be done on such knowledge to explore the darkest realms of reality. Another such phenomena which is not completely explored by the present knowledge of science due to some limits is the Theory of Black Hole. Elbert Einstein proposed the existence of such phenomena years before astronomers actually spotted one. According to Einstein one of the fate of a giant size star is that when its nuclear fuel exhausts the force of gravity starts pulling in the mass around it. The star becomes as tiny as possible and the star becomes highly dense. When the size of the star reduces the gravitational pull increases square times and when the size decreases to such an extent that to escape from the field of gravitational influence one would need to attain the speed of light; a black hole is born. The radius at such stage is called as the event horizon. The point when black hole is formed, scientist believes that at the centre the space-time phenomenon is destroyed. It is also called the ideal black body, as it reflects no light. The idea of such a massive body from which no matter can escape was put forth by John Michell in 1783. Earlier in times, such massive objects were not seen of any importance or rather a fancy sci-fi stuffs because scientists failed to understand how gravity would affect a mass-less wave such as light. All the black holes have mass, some have angular momentum and also electric charge. Black holes are classified on the basis of their masses and independent of the other two properties. They are, namely, supermassive black holes (~400A.U), intermediate mass black hole (~1000km), stellar black hole (~30km), and micro black hole (~0.1mm). The size of the black hole is determined by the radius of the event horizon. A particle can move randomly in space when it is away from the black hole. As the particle nears the black hole more paths lead it towards event horizon and less paths away from it. Once inside event horizon the particle has only one path and that is towards the centre where the mass is concentrated. It is then no longer possible for that particle to escape. Event horizon gets its name because any event occurring inside that boundary cannot reach outside observer by any means thus making one impaired to notice if such event took place. Another phenomena that takes place to an object nearing the black hole is that the time slows down. To an observer falling into the black hole the clock ticks normally but to a distant observer the time difference is significant. This phenomena is called Gravitational time dilation and was first proposed by Elbert Einstein in his theory of Relativity. Consequently experiments were carried out and it was found that atomic clocks placed at different altitudes that caused them to experience different gravitational pull differed in nanoseconds. The difference in the time between a clock on the surface of the earth and the satellite revolving around it is significantly different making it compulsion to correct the global positioni ng system’s clock after equal intervals. The Gravitational Time dilation was wonderfully showed in the 2014 Hollywood blockbuster Interstellar. With the clock slowing down from a free falling object into the black hole the light emitted or reflected by this object changes to red. This is known as the gravitational red shift or Einstein’s shift. This primarily happens because the frequency of the light wave is slowed down by the gravitational pull of the black hole changing the color to red. Red shift is denoted by dimensionless variable (z). , Where, ÃŽ »o stands for wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation recorded by the observer, ÃŽ »e stands for the wavelength of the radiation at the source of emission. Thus red shift can be defined as the fractional change in the wavelength of the emitted radiation. There is a corresponding phenomenon to red shift known as blue shift and it occurs when some object is pulled towards a stronger gravitational pull from an area of weak gravity. However the observer free falling into the black hole does not realize these changes. Basically this means that the observer does not realize when he entered the event horizon. As per one theory when the person reaches the point of singularity i.e. the centre of the black hole where the space-time graph extends to infinity, they are crushed to infinite density and its mass is added to the mass of the black hole. Just before reaching the point of singularity the object is torn apart by the tidal forces which is often called as â€Å"spaghettification†. However this can be avoided in a charged black hole or reissner-nordstrom black hole. It is hypothetically said that the black hole takes the object to another space-time by acting as a wormhole. Since no information can be transmitted out of the event ho rizon, knowing exactly of what takes place inside is impossible and hence the mystery is still unsolved The gas falling into a gravitational well will form a disc like structure due to the conservation of angular momentum. Friction caused within this formation should heat up the gases and they would start radiating x-rays. This is known to happen around neutron stars and white dwarfs. It is called accretion of mass. It is the most efficient way of producing large amounts of energy still known about 40% as compared to nuclear fusion generating 0.7% of mass as energy. It is now accepted that the centre of every galaxy contains a supermassive black hole. The evidence of this can be the motion of stars around the centre of any galaxy. Astronomers are studying a region call Sagittarius A from the year 1995. They found that there is about 4.3 million solar mass contained in a radius of less than 0.002 light years. This mass-distance ratio is 3000 times more than the mass-distance ratio of event horizon. It is therefore conclusive that the centre homes a supermassive black hole and nothing el se like a star cluster. Stephen Hawking, in 1974, proposed that the black holes might release some radiation. These radiations are hypothetical and are called Hawking radiations. It is suggested that if black holes emit radiations they may shrink. To this, Hawking suggested that the microwave radiation entering the black hole has far more energy in comparison to the energy emitted. In 1970’s he proposed that the total area of a black hole can never decrease even if two of them collide and merge. This became the second law of black hole mechanics and has striking similarity to second law of thermodynamics which states that the entropy of universe continues to increase. As per the old thinking it was considered that the black holes having absolute zero temperature had zero entropy. If this was the case then the second law of thermodynamics would be violated and the entropy of the universe would decrease. Therefore, Bekenstein along with Hawking formulated the entropy of a black hole as follows:- Where, Entropy = S; speed of light = c; Area of black hole = A ; Newton’s constant = G; Boltzmann constant = k; and reduced Plank constant = H. One striking thing to be noticed in the equation is that the entropy is related to the area of the black hole and not its volume which is rather the case in normal entropy calculation. With many such theories put forth by the great minds the human knowledge has greatly increased. Not just that the knowledge but also the interpretation of the universe around us has greatly changed. From discovering the way to measure time to discussing about its deviation with gravity and from the time when we placed earth in the centre of universe till proving the big bang theory not just the technology has evolved but also the way of living life on the planet and knowing how greatly we affect the surroundings has been brought to daily prospects. Can this evolution or the progress of human mind be infinite? Will someday religion be taken over by pure and fundamental science? Will human evolve as the creator and destroyer of the universe? What will happen then? Among these few questions are unknown and few are unknowable which will be revealed in the course of time. But one thing is assured that the curiosity in the human brain will keep driving it to discover the perplexity of the world around him. This will eventually help science to progress in every possible dimension. The counter side to the above promises is far bigger, which justifies the fact that humans have to face limitations, some created by their own laws and some by the nature. Everything that humans make has its own errors, and it is well known that nature does not work on approximations. The point where humans cannot visualize and the power to understand gives up is the region where religion rules. May be one day science will enable mankind to have super powers or may be one day humans will succumb to the super powers of the Mother Nature.

Ecological Role of Termites in Dry Environments :: Environmental Ecology Research Papers

Ecological Role of Termites in Dry Environments Termites are predominantly thought of as destructive and menacing creatures that serve only a small part in Earth’s ecology. The contrary, however, is a more accurate description of the incredible niche that this animal fulfills, particularly amid arid and infertile environments. The inhospitable outback of Australia receives a minute amount of annual precipitation. The shortage of moisture has led to an astounding adaption of the few animals that continue living there, notably the termites. Water is required by all living things to stay alive; this fact is not lost on termites. Several species of termites have evolved to such a degree that entire colonies are able to exist entirely within their self-manufactured environments, sometimes even entirely within a piece of dead wood. Recycling everything they use, the termites construct ingenious mounds with their waste materials and prevent moisture from escaping by packing everything together, forming water proof pavements. The t ermites’ ability to metabolize cellulose with a mutualistic symbiotic relationship allows them to decompose dead plant material and recycle the nutrients back to the environment. Overall, termites are the most important decomposers in dry environments because of their ability to recycle nutrients, form soil, and retain moisture. Introduction It seems natural to dislike termites. Most of them are very small, off-white, alien-looking insects, they live in the darkness, and they have a reputation for being â€Å"pests† by causing millions of dollars in damage to wooden structures and vegetation all around the world. Thomas Snyder exhibits this widespread negative view of termites in the title of his 1948 book, Our Enemy The Termite. Nevertheless, recent studies and discoveries have begun to correct the downbeat view of the termite. Surely a creature that exists (or has existed) on every continent in a wide range of environments has a greater ecological niche than a â€Å"pest†. Recent studies into the evolution of this order of insects suggests a much more accurate relationship of their contribution to the environment now and in the millions of years they have existed. The termites’ ability to adapt to arid environments has led them to fill the important role of decomposition where common decomposers su ch as bacteria and fungi cannot function. Australia is an ideal place to study the effects of dry environments on termites because of the low precipitation and elevated heat levels of the desert and savanna. Background Taxonomically, all termites can be placed into Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Insecta, and Order Isoptera.

The History of Billiards :: essays research papers

There are many different theories as to when and how billiards was first developed. A lack of actual physical evidence has left most of these theories as simply speculation. Most people agree, however, that the game gained its roots from lawn games, which were not unlike croquet, played by nobility. Early players were said to include King Louis XI of France (King between 1461 and 1483); Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots (1542-1587); King Louis XIV (1643-1715); Marie Antoinette and her husband King Louis XVI. If the game did indeed develop from lawn games, then where did the lawn games come from? Many historians believe that the lawn games date back to ancient Egypt. "Bat and ball" games are said to be what the lawn games evolved from, and images of these games can be found on the outside of tombs from as far back as 3000 years ago. The greatest innovation that has led to modern billiards play would have to be that of the modern time cue or cue stick which dates back to the 1700's. Up until that time only makeshift cues were used and it was the mace that was the most popular. During its reign as leading cue the mace was used to push the ball on the table and the skinny end was used as a handle. Difficulty with shots compressed against the rails would lead to the use of the skinny end to shoot causing the fall of the mace and the arrival of a stick. Along with the emergence of the cue came other great improvements. Leather tips were developed around the eighteen hundreds, and a few years later chalk was developed for the tips. Slate beds, fine cloth, rubber rails and standard sizes for tables soon arrived, and pushed the development of the games popularity. Along with popularity came the need for standardized rules, tables, and equipment. Of course with the gained popularity came the "business" of billiards.