KFC Corporation – Introduction Strategy in Malaysia

KFC corporation is one of establish company in Malaysia. This company served a yummy snack of fast food to people in the world. A delicious fried chicken is becoming everyone’s favorites from it first introduce until now. KFC also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken is a brand and operating segment called a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo. KFC primarily sells chicken in form of pieces, wraps, salads and sandwiches while its primary focus is fried chicken, KFC also offers a line of roasted chicken product, side dishes and dessert.KFC has come up with several strategies to position its company. The strategies are marketing mix. Marketing mix is generally accepted as the use and specification of the four P’s describing the strategic position of a product in the marketplace. The 4 P’s are product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Product is divided into categories like Product variation, Product differentiation, product innovatio n and product elimination. For the price it is subdivided into cost recovery pricing, penetration pricing and price skimming. For the place, the categories are distribution channel, direct sales, indirect sales and E-commerce. Promotion is categorized into individual communication, mass communication, brand management and corporate identity.Product is anything that can be offered to a market to satisfy. In term of KFC, the main product is fried chicken served in various forms. KFC’s primary product is pressure fried chicken made with the original recipe. The other chicken offering garlic marinade and double dipping the chicken in flour before deep frying in a standard industrial kitchen type machine. KFC served its product according to geographic needs of customer. In India KFC focuses how geographically its customer demand different product. In North India Chicken is the main selling product while in the South Vegetables items sell more than chicken.Other than that, KFC also has come up with strategy like product innovation, dedifferentiation, and product variation. To promote the customer with their  product, KFC always create a new product or they make an innovation to the old product. For example, in a time people is crazy about K-pop, KFC realize the chance then they innovate old recipe fried chicken into a new recipe. K-pop Fried Chicken is pored with a spicy sweet sauce. The taste is very delicious and customer make want it again after try it for very first time.KFC has strengthen its marketing strategy with location as part of their strategy. They had choose a strategic location for their franchise or outlet. The strategies of KFC are ‘Free Home Delivery Strategy† where they target on people who is very busy or having a hectic life. They provide free home delivery to offices and homes. Another target areas of KFC are country of hectic lifestyle and individual who are going for fast food. KFC has target to the people in urban areas. Urban areas are more populated therefore help with attracting higher revenues. Urban people tend to choose higher quality of food compare to people from rural areas. KFC has strategy to place its outlet. All the outlet of KFC is near to the school, offices, colleges, cinemas and market and mostly populated by the young and those who are in hurry. The benefits of the location make KFC enjoys a large number of footfalls everyday. In addition they also have outlets close to non vegetarians customer.Price is any amount of money that customer have to pay while purchasing the product. More broadly, price is the sum of all the values that consumers exchange for benefits of having or using the product or services. The price is depend on the demographic factors, and economically factor. For demographic factor, the key factor is age, gender, and Household size. Generally there is no age limit focus by the KFC. The target and focus is on each and every individual in a society KFC find its larg est demographic in the young of any society.The price is affordable for from upper class to middle class or to a student of any society. Household size play a vital role in the demographic factor. Generally they target whole families rather than single persons . This being the reason for the Family Meals which are basically bundled item served at a nominally cheaper rate. Economic factors has several factors to be consider. They are income and consumption  behavior. Income is an important key factor for KFC. This factor decides which class is to be targeted. In the early rise of KFC, they focused on the upper class but slowly are introducing economy meals that attract the lower to the middle classes. For consumption behavior, it estimates the behavior of people liking and disliking towards the pricing of the product.KFC has implemented several pricing strategy like market skimming, competition, and cost based. KFC globally enters the market using market skimming. Their product are priced high and target the middle to upper class people. Gradually they trick down the price focusing on the middle to lower class people to penetrate both sides of the market. Pricing base competitor is focus on the price of competitor product. If competitor sell the same product with much lower price, they also need to lower the price. In the case of KFC, FIED Chicken is its main selling point controls a monopoly over the Indian fast food market. It prices its burgers, French fries and soft beverages with relation to its competitors.Cost based is the pricing strategy to keep their product in different point of view. Pricing of the product includes the government tax and excise duty and then comes the final stage of determine the price of their product. The products are bit high priced according the market segment and it is also comparable to the standard of their produc . In the cost based method we include the variable fixed method.To place the position of its company, KFC has a dvertise and promote the product through Sales promotion, Advertising, Public Relations, Events and Experiences, Coupons, Discounts, and Bundled Packages. Promotion is the method used to inform and educate the chosen target audience about the organization and its product. At KFC, promotion is the main tool to bring all chicken lovers towards its delicious one of a kind product, the Fried Chicken. KFC has using reminder advertisement. The company has use a slogan of finger linking good† as a wake up call to the consumer to remind them how good they felt the last time they ate KFC chicken.Sponsorship is another important tool to strengthen an organizations image. KFC has become a  sponsorship man to Australia Cricket Team and the colonel logo can be seen on their uniform throughout the matches. Other tools used by KFC to enhance their sales are premiums, exhibits, coupons and entertainment. All KFC outlets offer its customers with various form of incentives to buy its Chicken. Using coupon that one acquire after spending of fixed time, customers can enjoy the benefits of free meal or add ons. Additionally they provide meal vouchers and exciting offers in their print ads which bring the customer must cut and bring along.Other great advertising of KFC is the logo of Smiling Colonel. The logo is probably the moist recognized face in the world. Everyone knows the logo. When see the logo , we surely think about KFC. The logo of finger licking good is always appear on TV, billboards, flyers and radio. The concept of showing a customer deeply involved in devouring his piece of chicken usually turns on the drool factory in everybody mouth and makes them rush to the nearest KFC.

The Pros and Cons to Physical Education

The Pros and Cons of Physical Education Most of us remember gym class. For many of us, it was the most hated or the most anticipated class. Those that were a little bit heavier or not as athletically inclined may remember the class as a nightmare, while others may remember it as the most exciting time of the day. Either way, physical education was required. Today, however, the necessity of physical education classes is up for debate. Parents, faculty, council members, and even the government are weighing the pros and cons of allowing physical education in school.I believe that even though the funding being used to pay for equipment and gymnasiums could be better spent on books and materials for other classes, physical education should stay in school because it provides healthy exercise for children and teens. It also gives the less fortunate but deserving children a chance to play and excel in sports. Obesity is a huge concern in America today. We see more children, teens and adults eating unhealthy foods and not receiving enough exercise than any other point in history.According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry website, in 2008 between 16% and 33% of children and teens were considered obese . That is approximately one in four children who is over the suggested body fat limit for their age. What causes these children and adolescents to become overweight? Lack of exercise and a healthy diet are the main reasons. â€Å"In the 2009 edition of America’s Health Rankingsâ„ ¢, it is estimated that obesity will cost the United States about $344 billion in medical-related expenses by 2018, eating up about 21 percent of the nation’s health-care spending. (National Association for Sport and Physical Education. 2009) Though school system cannot control what these children do and eat at home but they can control the food they eat at school . The school system can also provide the minimum amount of exercise needed in a child’s life. By insisting that they attend and participate in at least 60 minutes of physical education a day, the school system is ensuring that each child is given a chance to exercise and a chance at a healthier lifestyle. Children, especially when started at a young age, are easy to mold.If they participate in daily physical exercise they are more inclined to establish a lifelong habit of daily exercise that will help to prevent obesity in adulthood and reduce the chance of expensive medical bills due to health issues in the future. There is, of course, a down side to physical education. Many children, but especially teens have self-esteem issues. If they happen to be a little bit overweight or advancing through puberty more rapidly than others or sometimes, for no reason at all these children feel the need to hide themselves.Unfortunately, a class like physical education is not the best place to hide. No parent wants his or her child to be miserable, which is why some parents are say ing that they believe the physical education class should not be mandatory. JoAnne Matthews-Saunders, a creative movement specialist, states that â€Å"few individuals, whether or not they have a disability, are willing to try new conce pts, and they are even less likely to try them while surrounded by their peers. The idea of â€Å"failing† is not a concept that anyone embraces. I, as an adult, have a difficult time when it comes to failing or not measuring up to some of my peers, especially when it concerns sports. Teens and children are the same but many, as yet, do not have the skills to accept the fact that they will not always be the best. This leads to feelings of defeat and again, low self esteem . Added to that, there is always peer criticism, which is very hard at any age but imagine a young person entering middle school or high school and being told that they would have to shower and dress with the other students of their gender .That alone could cause anxiety but for those students with self-esteem issues, in their mind it would be close to torture . There are, however, parents, teachers and other professionals who believe that physical education will raise a child's self-esteem. Professionals have stated that â€Å"youth receiving additional physical activity ten to show improved attributes such as increased brain function and nourishment, higher energy/concentration levels, changes in body build affecting self esteem, increased self esteem and better behavior†¦ (Cocke, 2002)(Tremblay, Inman, & Willms, 2000)(Dwyer, Coonan, Leitch, Hetzel, & Baghurst, 1983)(Shephard, 1997)(Scheuer, Mitchell, 2003). As one can see, there are conflicting opinions on the subject of allowing students to choose whether they want to participate in physical education. It would seem that the health benefits outweigh other arguments but parents and psychologists still suggest that the physical education class raises psychological issues. Another issue that has been raised is the cost of physical education classes.Many parents, faculty and concerned taxpayers believe that the money used to provide gym equipment, uniforms, fields, gymnasiums and the like could be better spent in different areas of the school There are so many schools that are lacking in materials, books and computers , the money being spent in physical education classes could be used to provide these items and perhaps give a child a better education then he or she may have otherwise received . According to the 2010 Federal Budget Update on US Department of Education Grants, the President is proposing a $78,000,000 budget towards the Carol M.White Physical Education Program. The website does state, however, that â€Å"the President has proposed a budget, but no Congressional action has been taken on the 2010 Education budget yet. At this point in the process, it we do not yet know which programs will materialize and at what amount. Congress may reject or change part or all of the proposed budget, though the President’s suggestions do seem to be more in line with Congressional efforts in recent years than the previous administration’s education proposals . † (2009) As one may be able to see, even Congress is debating the cost of school programs.There is no information stating how much of that funding would be going toward physical education classes but the question still remains of whether it should be used toward providing for other programs. While the placement of funding is still up for debate the fact that physical education classes provide a chance to play sports is not. At the private school I attended the school paid for the field and transportation for our sports but equipment, such as soccer balls, had to be donated or we would need to provide our own. My uniform, for example, and all other equipment I needed for my position as goal keeper, my parents had to purchase.Policies are different at every school and most state-fu nded schools supply the equipment needed. Even though some schools may, not every school provides transportation to and from home to extracurricular activities. For children whose families are unable to shuttle them back and forth to their practices and games when other transportation is unavailable, physical education is the only time they have any chance to play a spor t. It provides children and teens a chance for competitive exercise, companionship, teamwork and a desire to participate in sports and healthy activities outside of school.In the end everything boils down to the same question: Should physical education be mandatory? According to a report from Education. com â€Å"physical activity produces overall physical, psychological and social benefits. Inactive children are likely to become inactive adults. Physical activity helps children with controlling weight, reducing blood pressure, raising HDL (â€Å"good†) cholesterol, reducing the risk of diabetes, and improve d psychological well-being, including gaining more self-confidence and higher self-esteem. † (n. d. This statement as well as others that have been provided show that there are more benefits to mandatory physical education in schools such as health benefits, sports, and teamwork but the cost of the class and possible emotional stress still leave many questioning its necessity. I personally believe that the class should be mandatory. Children and teens should be allowed to make certain choices in their young live s but in this case I believe that it is in their best interest to participate physical education classes.

The Exclusion of Women from Criminal Studies During the Victorian Era Dissertation

The Exclusion of Women from Criminal Studies During the Victorian Era in England - Dissertation Example In introducing the topic, its importance, the methodology for conducting the study, the first part of my dissertation explains that crime and criminality was first introduced during the Victorian Era. Previously crime was attributed to either the forces of nature, the devil or the supernatural. Thus the Victorian Era is presented as an important milestone in crime and criminality studies as it rejected previous explanations of crime and offending. The first part of my dissertation therefore introduces the reader to the fact that as criminologists turned attention to crime and offending, women were not factored in and when they were, it was by attributed to factors that supported concepts and attitudes relative to the idealization of women during the Victorian Era. The first part of my dissertation touches on the prevailing school of thought influencing crime and criminality studies and the rather dismissive approach to female offending. Cesare Lombroso, a 19th century criminologists is introduced as the father of criminology. It is revealed that Lombroso influenced much of the criminology studies and he in turn was influenced by Darwin’s theory of evolution, arguing that crime was biological in nature (Tibbets 2011, p. 80). The first part of my dissertation thus sets the conceptual framework for conducting the study. It is essentially revealed that Lombroso’s work during the 19th century set the bar for the neglect of women in crime and criminality studies. For Lombroso, women crime was unnatural for women and women who offended were either masculine or mentally deficient. Even the occasional normal women who committed crimes were described by Lombroso as essentially male-like. Based on this conceptual framework, the remainder of the dissertation seeks to explain why women were neglected in Victorian Era crime and criminality studies. Women were regulated so as to keep them at home and out of the work place. Part II This part of my dissertation fo cuses on the role and treatment of women in Victorian England and explains that the laws, practices and policies of Victorian England commanded that women were both domestic and subordinate. Shanley (1993) informs that these practices and laws were calculated to ensure that women remained at home â€Å"bearing and raising children† (p. 79). Women were thus categorized and relegated to a purely biological function connected to their â€Å"sexual and reproductive capacities† (Shanley 1993, pp. 79-80). This part of my dissertation looks more directly at the laws that marginalized women based on this prevailing view of women. The laws examined are the Matrimonial Causes Act 1857 in which men could obtain a divorce on the grounds of adultery per se, but a woman had to prove cruelty or desertion together with adultery. Thus men and women were treated quite differently with men receiving greater rights and authority than women. Other 19th century laws reflecting the gender di fferentiations were the Contagious Diseases Acts, Infant Life Protection Act and the Factory Acts. These Acts are examined as a means of substantiating the claim that women were subjected to a prescribed domestic role and segregated from men and the public life. Part II of my dissertation examines the influence of science and nature during the Victorian Era

The Immigration Act of 1924 may or may not have been successful, but Essay

The Immigration Act of 1924 may or may not have been successful, but if nothing else, it created the illusion of success. Discus - Essay Example Section 11(a) of the aforementioned law states that, "The annual quota of any nationality shall be two per centum of the number of foreign-born individuals of such nationality resident in continental United States as determined by the United States Census of 1890, but the minimum quota of any nationality shall be 100†. However, the law does not just stop from the restrictive quota, it also made a sweeping ban against Asians from entering the United States with the exception of the Filipino and Japanese citizens. With the implementation of the Immigration Act of 1924, immigrants from Eastern European counties saw a drastic decrease in number while there was not much effect to the Northern and Western European immigrants. As a result the law unintentionally created a divide which implies that the people from Eastern Europe were inferior and disfavored as compared with the rest of the continent. Likewise, the law also created the same divide in Asia because of the imposition of th e Asiatic barred zone, which in simple terms, banned all citizens of Asian countries from entering the US pursuant to a provision in Section 11(d) of the law which excludes  Ã¢â‚¬Å"aliens ineligible to citizenship or their descendants†. ... The violation resulted in tension and strained relations between Japan and the US in the 1920s. The only exception was the citizens of the Philippines, a US colony. However, this privilege was only short-lived because in 1934, the Tydings-McDuffie Act was passed into law which declared the Philippines as an independent and sovereign state effective July 4, 1946 but removed the Filipino people’s status as US nationals effective immediately. With its status as an independent state, the Philippines was given an immigration quota of only 50 immigrant visas per year. But then again, when World War II erupted, the US armed forces needed personnel so they reclassified the Filipinos as US nationals and enlisted them into the US army. Taken altogether, the Immigration Act created a big impact on the movement of people towards America. Apparently, in the years that followed, immigration statistics look very different from its earlier data. After 1924, there was a drastic decrease if not total elimination of immigrants from the barred Asian countries as well as the Eastern European states. In contrast, the ratio of Northern and Western Europeans vis-a-vis the total number of immigrants for each year dramatically increased because their competitions were literally stifled. If we evaluate the Immigration Act of 1924 within its own context and in terms of its declared purpose, which is â€Å"To limit the immigration of aliens into the United States,† then I would say that the law has been successful. However, it has also been successful in creating a common resentment among the citizens of the excluded countries who also want their share of milk and honey. In essence, the law had successfully created a selective and discriminatory process on who can

Do we have less face-to-face interaction because of social networks Research Paper

Do we have less face-to-face interaction because of social networks - Research Paper Example These have made it easy for people to communicate with anyone irrespective of their geographical location. Social networks have brought innovative ideas. Currently, social games have taken away the free time that people used to have and share with friends. People especially the young generation are spending much of their time playing games and chatting with friends. Although a certain school of thought argues that this reduces boredom, the role that family members and friends played cannot be replaced by social network. Statistics indicates that the number of stress-related diseases has increased tremendously especially among the young people. This is because they no longer share their feeling which cannot only be done through face-to-face interactions. On the other hand, the number of people suffering from obesity and other diseases related to less physical activities has increased. This is because people no longer walk or jog. Instead, they spend much of the time interacting throug h the social network. A quantitative method was used in order to collect information concerning the topic of study. This was crucial in coming up with an in-depth conclusion on whether the social network has played a significant role in reducing face-face interactions. A sampling method was used to determine the number of people who use social networks to chat with friends and family members. The samples were selected randomly in order to avoid any cases of biasness. This was significant in ensuring that the information obtained was reliable and up-to-date Qualitative research was also conducted. The nature of the problem could not be understood through exploratory research only. The use of sampling ensured a reduced survey bias through the use of focus groups. It also ensured that the ideas from a broad spectrum have been used before making the final findings and conclusion. The wide amount of views was important in ensuring that questionnaire constructed was

Continue to the previous topic (internet) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Continue to the previous topic (internet) - Essay Example People need information but this particular type of information should be controlled so that it does not negatively impact on the interests of a certain group of people in a given country. The first reason why the internet should be censored is that the responsible authorities know the cultural values and norms they should preserve in their country given that each nation has its own culture which makes it distinct from other cultures. For example, the aspect of homosexuality is a taboo in other countries while it is allowed in other nations (Naik, 2010). In order for the countries that do not recognize homosexuality to protect their norms and values, they should censor the internet and remove this content from different web pages that are likely to be accessed by different people in their respective countries. This will help protect the interests of the citizens. This disrupts the moral fabric of the society and it can also be seen that unity is also created if people have a common u nderstanding towards something. The internet has no boundaries and dominant nations use this medium to impose their cultural values over other weaker nations. Therefore, individual countries should protect their cultures through internet censorship. The second reason why the internet should be censored is that individual countries are in a better position to regulate information so that it does not disrupt peace in that country. There is a tendency by other powerful nations to dominate weak countries through disseminating distorted information that is likely to affect peace in weaker nations. Each country has its own way of governing its people hence the need for these countries to put measures in place that are meant to protect the interests of the whole nation. The information accessed from the internet may suggest that other countries are ruled by bad leaders and this can lead to conflicts hence the reason why nations should regulate the information disseminated through the inter net. Research has shown that other powerful nations want to impose their hegemonic control over other weaker nations through the use of distorted information to such nations (Naik, 2010). The other important reason why censorship of the internet is important is that it helps to curb dissemination of illicit content and material like pornography to the people. This particular type of content corrupts the mind of people and it can impact negatively on their behaviour. The dissemination of illicit material may be against the values of a certain group of people hence the need for them to put measures in place that are meant to protect these important components of their life. Therefore, I think individual countries should have measures that are designed to prevent their interests such as internet censorship given that this medium of communication has no boundary. It is very important to preserve culture in each country so that people can be in a position to maintain their identity. A cr itical analysis of an article entitled â€Å"Internet Censorship Pros and Cons† by Abhijit Naik Published November 25, 2010 shows that to a larger extent, â€Å"such regulations are necessary to keep certain problems, such as sexual exploitation of children and spread of drug cartels at bay.†

This 2009 research study uses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

This 2009 research study uses - Essay Example For parents of children with cognitive disability or those diagnosed with type I diabetes it is a lifelong condition interspersed with periods of satisfaction. This sorrow is akin to that experienced on the demise of a dearly loved one. However there is never a sense of closure as when one mourns a departed soul. Triggers such as hospitalization or anxiety about the result of poor control in managing the disease bring about a revival of sorrow. Later the sense of being cut off when children transition from the pediatric clinic to the adult clinic makes parents feel cut off and anxious about their children’s ability to manage on their own. Just as in chronic sorrow the parents of children with cognitive disability feel the guilt and grief of their child not being like other normal children, especially as they grow older and their abilities degenerate; so too parents of children with type I diabetes revisit their grief as anxiety mounts when they come across another patient who has had to undergo an amputation, or reading about or viewing the many risks of complications that could arise. Parents overwhelmingly agree that emotional support and reassurance from health care professionals is necessary to see them through difficult periods. â€Å"Greater understanding of parents’ long-term emotional responses and recognition that grief may never resolve in these parents may enable healthcare professionals to provide appropriate and timely support at critical times† opine Bowes, Lowes, Warner and Gregory (Bowes et al, 2009) Another suggestion for nursing practitioners was that the transition from the pediatric to adult clinic could be gradually achieved to minimize the sense of losing control which parents feel as they are not part of the consultations at the adult clinic. Perhaps if this was done in a phased manner parents would gradually get used to the fact that their children were old enough to manage on their own. After

Success of McDonalds Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Success of McDonalds - Research Paper Example Impact of globalization and technology changes Globalization has a critical impact on McDonald’s activities and expansion all over the world. The company has affected the eating lifestyle of people all around the world. With the advent of globalization, the company became able to expand its market, thus, increasing its revenues and sales. The corporate model of the company and its expansion symbolizes globalization in a true manner. There is variation in menus that the company offers all over the world while keeping core values and brand of the company intact and constant (Watson, 2006). However, any change in the local and the global economy leads to changes in the financial performance of the company. The company has the aggressive international expansion, and with this, it is also very sensitive towards the economic slowdown in other nations. Due to its global presence, McDonald’s has to focus on individual problems of every nation’s economy in which it has it s business. For instance, in the US and Europe, the major markets of the company are facing economic slowdown due to which overall operations of the company are affected. Technological changes have a vital impact on the operations of the corporation worldwide. In order to enhance the experience of the customers and drive increased transactions, the company adheres to implementing advanced technologies for the efficiency of the labor: self-order kiosks, updating the point of sale system, and installing of hand-held order devices. All these technologies were not available in old franchises of the company of the earlier times. Technological changes are related to bringing in innovation in processes as well as products. For instance, with the advancement of the technology of touch screen and use of swipe cards for making payments, the company also announced in 2011 to make use of touchscreen technology and swipe card system at their restaurants in order to increase operations efficiency and gain knowledge about the food ordering habits of its customers (Gilbert, 2008). I/O model and resource-based model Industrial organization model studies the external perspective for developing a strategy of the company and earns above-average returns. The first step in the model is to study the industrial environment. The fast-food industry is a highly fragmented industry, and new markets in developing countries support the growth of the industry. Today, there is an increasing awareness towards health, and the healthy and organic food is driving attention of food lovers around the globe. McDonald’s emphasizes on three key areas: restaurant reimaging, service enhancements, and menu innovation. Thus, the organic and healthy food industry can be the attractive industry which has the potential for above-average returns.

Marketing Case Analysis Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Case Analysis - Article Example In order to be able to accomplish something within the worldwide marketplace today, the organizations sales force depends more upon on attaining the precise consumer and product information, it does not really matter if it is inside the organization or outside .the organizations sales force requires a cohesive, prearranged technique to follow the consumer leads, the contact information, in addition to their descriptions. Along with this the management within these organizations is on the look out of a technique where they would be able to investigate in detail the past sales data for the future prospects. If an organization is able to consolidate the data storage along with regulating the sales tools also practices, the organizations contending within this atmosphere would help the organization respond swiftly to the changing consumer inclinations and alterations within the market place, routinely guiding the way to the sales staff plus push them follow up. Also to be able to recogni ze a lot more prospects to cross sell and up sell, a lot more efficiently estimate sales figures, focus upon refining the sales relationships .It is suggested that organizations can in fact now automate their sales force in order to guarantee that their sales are closed quickly. (Microsoft .com) Also it seems that what Sprint is going through now, is a situation where, they are striking their numbers. Thinking how many more follow up calls have been made until now. These issues are persistently being obsessed into the heads of the sales team.( Keith Rosen , 2008) What is notable is the fact it is true for a lot of sales professionals, that the pressure to arrive at quota or else achieve a definite level of performance. At the same time as retaining a monthly sales objective helps only to settle the mind upon the reward which is why the actual focus upon the result can actually mean more harm. By the end of every selling month, the disturbance along with the pressure can actually overpower as the salespeople move quickly to perform at the optimum to close the sales in order to accomplish their targets. ( Keith Rosen , 2008) Because while the act of selling is considered by most as the transmission of the sentiment behind the product or service. One can visualize the mind-set that these over pressurized sales people are conveying to their prospects. The constant worry in addition to the apprehension of having to close additional sales unintentionally puts unjustified strain on the prospects as well as cultivates a detrimental association from the beginning. ( Keith Rosen , 2008 ) To produce improved results, it is recommended that they modify the way they are closing these sales at Sprint or modify how they perceive the whole situation. Also in order to recurrently go beyond the organizations sales goals as well as better supervise the team's outlook, amending the way they think, so in order to grow to be procedure driven relatively than just being outcome driven. The probability is that the, salespeople who are exclusively alert on the end product lack the procedure within they would believe. Moreover, they put more efforts in trying to be in charge of the result; approaching for what they yearn for

Dutton, Donald G. Rethinking Domestic Violence. Essay Example for Free

Dutton, Donald G. Rethinking Domestic Violence. Essay This book gives us the history about assault on spouses. Dutton talks of two major social phenomena that emerged in North American and the Western countries in Europe. Long and tedious struggle of women led their rights get recognized. It goes further to state the measures and incidences of violence including theories concerning women assault. The cycle of violence and people who possess abusive personalities are stated even assault on men.Ideas in this book are crucial for they teach about recognizing one another especially those who possess violent personalities. It is good for the society for it educates one to accept one’s rights and difference between marriage duties and rights. It also shows us that we can eliminate all odds in our society and try to make each and every person feel that he or she belongs to it fully without any intimidation or discrimination. Dutton’s ideas can be used to help those who possess abusive personality by attending psychiatrists and avoiding any abusive behavior. It can be used to educate spouses in a marriage so that they will evade future marriage problems. Also, in the current globalized world, the ideas in this book can help us socialize and live together in peace and harmony especially in the domestic setup. This book can help people who are married to other cultures to harmonize or leave those cultures and then live with the acceptance and respect of each other’s rights. Weiss, Elaine. Surviving Domestic Violence: Voices of Women Who Broke Free. Volcano: Volcano Press, 2004. Print. In this book, Surviving Domestic Violence: Voices of Women Who Broke Free, Weiss wrote about several stories of women who had been subjected to domestic violence. She got these stories by interviewing and later writing them down. The book talks of what they went through and how they later managed to escape it. It gives reasons as to why such incidences were happening. After escape, the women took a very long time finally to recover the psychological and wounds they got due to this violence. But also, some were yet to recover fully for the ordeal they went through changed their lives negatively. Those who managed to deal with stress after coming out say that they are stronger than ever. The different stories taught in this book are the true causes and effects of domestic related violence. They bring about what one goes through and how one feels while undergoing the violence. Also, it helps to understand what to do when such incidences happen. It also shows its effects and how they change one’s life, therefore, targeting those who abuse their partners. This book is a very good example as it shows us that those who have already freed themselves from the marital abuses can educate others like the youth and couples about domestic violence so that they refrain from them. The stories are very encouraging for they give people motivation to solve their problems and also how one can escape this. They can be used by those specialists in parental guidance and counseling to help them shape their marriage when such incidences are reported to them and even before couples get married. The ideas in this book can enable those undergoing abuses to get out and look for a better marriage partner. One only needs to accept that he or she is undergoing domestic violence and therefore if it cannot solve; one can boldly walk away and start life afresh. Marriage is not slavery, but it’s a path towards achieving your goals in life as one needs a partner who is willing to assist where possible so that they make all their dreams in life to happen. Abused Men: The Hidden Side of Domestic Violence Cook, Philip W. Abused Men: The Hidden Side of Domestic Violence. Westport: Praeger, 2009. Print. Phillip exposes how men goes through domestic violence silently. He talks of how real it is that men are going through domestic violence without the society suspecting. He brings several stories of men who have been undergoing through such violence from their wives for a long time. Then he goes further to give tips that can help one to find freedom from any form of abuse. He talks of resistance and acceptance for those who are abusing their spouses and how they come to realize that each and every person deserves respect. He also talks of new great approaches that can be used to reduce domestic violence. He then gives survey statistics of domestic violence in Canada and also how the relationship changes between the offenders to their victims. The story is helpful in realizing what some men undergo. It gives statistics of domestic violence that people are not ready to discuss. The society is helped to recognize men who are undergoing domestic abuses from their spouses. The statistics helps people to know how long they have been living with their friends undergoing abuses without even realizing it. It talks of acceptance that can help those who are yet to accept their spouse the way they are. It is helpful for it shows how much men can be subjected to torture with use of dangerous tools. Such tools include; knives, machetes and any other type of a life-threatening tool or machine so that one can force their partner to follow their commands. Philip’s ideas can be used to know the men who are undergoing abuses from their wives and enable us to help them come out of the problem. Also, it encourages courage especially those who are not courageous enough to come out and tell their ordeal to the society. This book can help men to free themselves away from any form of abuse and intimidation from their partners. This book is crucial as it can be used to tell the extent in which men undergo violence in real life situations. Men can also use this book to help them evade any other form of domestic violence against them and therefore reducing the number of men who die as a result of domestic violence. Howard, Louise, Louise Howard, Gene Feder, and Roxane Agnew-Davies. Domestic Violence and Mental Health. London: RCPsych Publications, 2013. Print. This book has been written collectively by different authors who specialize in domestic violence ideas. It is about prevalence and physical health impacts of domestic violence. It talks about types of abuses in marriage such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and coercive control and also it questions them and gives clues on their solution. It also tackles the effects of a person’s psychology which is deeply affected even in the future that may not get them out of his mind. It stresses on the survival strategies to evade such abuses and also how one can control his or her mind to avoid damaging his or her psychology. In addition, it states the methods of interventions and responses people can take after or when you suspect any form of violence. Advice from professionals on domestic violence is also written down.This text has directives on what causes mental problems after abuse. It also gives us ways on how to control ourselves and maintain a state of calmnes s so as not disturb our stressed mind. It educates us on different forms of domestic violence. Different qualified professionals wrote it, and each field is well represented. It is an important text for it has the advices on domestic violence from professionals. The story in this book can help us to evade mental problems due to domestic abuses. It can also be used by psychiatrists to know what causes a certain mental disorder, and they can use the ideas here to enable their clients who are undergoing this problem to get out of it. It can also be used to educate couples so that when they are not in good terms to try to their best solve the problem before it gets out of hand. The advices written in this book can also apply in the same way to advice people especially those undergoing domestic violence depending on the cause and the kind of violence. Kubany, Edward S, Mari A. McCaig, and Janet R. Laconsay. Healing the Trauma of Domestic Violence: A Workbook for Women. Oakland: New Harbinger The book, Healing the Trauma of Domestic Violence: A Workbook for Women, is directed to those who have been freed from domestic violence and especially women. Due to violent domestic situations, one may develop post-traumatic stress disorders which are not easy to get out of one’s mind and can negatively affect that person. It aims at giving programs known as cognitive trauma therapy which one undergoes to help him or her come back to normal. It gives the techniques one can use them to help himself or herself by identifying any form of trauma and distress. And by so doing it can enable one to deal with it to help control and change his or her life. This book is targeting those who have been affected by domestic violence so that they come back to normal for those who were traumatized. It is an educational tool for the society to understand the devastating effects of wife battering. Therefore, it makes us even to identify those who are going through post-traumatic stress. It contains technics, and procedures one can follow so that they make him deal any results brought by domestic violence. It is also helpful as it helps chase out any fears one has due to what they went through during that horrifying period of domestic violence. Psychiatrists can use this book to help traumatized people by helping them to come back to normal. The ideas here can help us even to identify those going through stress in their marriage so that they help before its too late. Parents who are not in good terms can use this book to read and understand what one may go through if such incidences happen. The techniques in this book about dealing with trauma after violence can be used by psychiatrists to help clients who underwent this ordeal. Therefore, they identify what the form of trauma is, and this can help them to accordingly better their lives. It can also be used individually as one can remember well what went wrong in that marriage and helped them better their lives. References Cook, Philip W. Abused Men: The Hidden Side of Domestic Violence. Westport: Praeger,  2009. Print. Dutton, Donald G. Rethinking Domestic Violence. Vancouver: UBC Press,  2006. Print. Howard, Louise, Louise Howard, Gene Feder, and Roxane Agnew-Davies. Domestic Violence and Mental Health. London: RCPsych Publications,  2013. Print. Kubany, Edward S, Mari A. McCaig, and Janet R. Laconsay. Healing the Trauma of Domestic Violence: A Workbook for Women. Oakland: New Harbinger Weiss, Elaine. Surviving Domestic Violence: Voices of Women Who Broke Free. Volcano: Volcano Press,  2004. Print. Source document

Injured Athletes Use of Self-Talk

Injured Athletes Use of Self-Talk A sports injury can be serious and cause profound physical and emotional distress. The physical aspects of the injury can even contribute to loss of a sports career. The emotional stress of a sports injury can result in affects such as anxiety and depression which result in obstacles to healing and future performance (Myers, Peyton Jensen, 2004). After injury most athletes will suffer from a change in their mood for a short length of time. This change in mood will manifest as anger, depression, tension, and low energy levels. Normally the athlete returns to their pre-injury mental status once they are on their way to recovery (McDonald Hardy, 1990) Sports injuries can have a devastating impact on athletes and the search for effective psychological rehabilitation methods have been ongoing. One study using the open-ended Sports Injury Survey found that athletes that healed the fastest engaged in more positive self-talk, goal setting and healing imagery than slower healing athletes. It was found that the mental strategy of goal setting was the most productive technique and scientists believe the reason for this is that it is easy to learn and is within the athletes control. The results of the study would suggest that there are numerous psychological factors that play an important role in injury recovery. A number of other studies have demonstrated that speed of recovery was effected by goal setting, attitude, imagery, social support, and coping skills (Ievleva Orlick,1991). One study demonstrated that imagery can be helpful in injury rehabilitation. Imagery is used often in training and competition, but athletes dont use it as of ten for recovery from healing and need to be reminded of its efficacy (Sordoni, Hall Forwell, 2000) It has been found that an athletes inability to return to pre-injury performance levels was due to psychological factors and stressors rather than physical ones (Evans, Harding Fleming, 2000). One of the factors with an impact on performance levels post-injury is the athletes perceived inability to demonstrate the same skills they enjoyed pre-injury. One example of this isa rugby player who returned to the game after suffering a shoulder injury. He favoured the injured shoulder and used the other shoulder more frequently. The result of this behaviour was that he put extra pressure on the one shoulder setting himself up for future injuries (Evans et al., 2000). When an athlete returns to the game before they are truly ready the risk for more injures or re-injury is increased. Even if an athlete has been told by his sports physician that they can return to competition they may not be ready psychologically (Evans et al., 2000). Cupal (1998) claims evidence exists that indicates when an athlete returns to the sport before they are psychologically ready they increase the risk of more injuries There are different approaches to explaining how an athlete responds to injury. One of these approaches is designated the cognitive appraisal approach. This approach focuses on the athletes perception of the injury and it offers an explanation for individual differences in responses to injury and their perception of the injury (Brewer, 1994). Brewer (1994) believes that one of the positive aspects regarding the cognitive appraisal approach is that it offers explanations for the diverse responses to injuries unlike other methods that dont provide such insight. There are a number of influencing factors with cognitive appraisal. The individual personality characteristics of the athlete that remain constant over time are a factor. Another factor is the athletes changeable situation which they have no control of. One example of this is time of season of the injury (Gayman Crossman, 2003). A study of the psychology of season ending injuries amongst skiers from the USA Ski Team was conducted (Gould, Udry, Bridges Beck, 1997a; Gould, Udry, Bridges Beck, 1997b). This study included lengthy interviews and revealed different factors of the injury experience. Researchers discovered that some athletes received what they perceived were benefits from the injury. If they had a problem with the stress of the competition they may see this injury as a blessing in disguise and a way out. Performance anxiety can be another reason why an athlete sees the injury as beneficial. Also, rehabilitation can be physically painful and emotionally trying (Gould et al., 1997a). Other factors researchers uncovered were the sources of stress, social support systems, and coping strategies. In some instances a severe injury can interfere with social activities especially if they are sports-oriented (Bianco, Malo, Orlick,1999). Bianco et al. (1999) interviewed skiers from the Canadian Alpine Ski Te am. What they learned was that there was an early phase when the athlete is injured or ill and then they move into a phase of rehabilitation where they begin to recover, and the last phase is when they are fully recovered and back to pre-injury activity. Every one of these phases included a set of events that influenced the emotional and cognitive responses (Granito, 2001, pg. 63). Researchers looked to cognitive appraisal to explain why some athletes suffer from greater psychological distress following an injury than others (Brewer, 1994). What they found was that the manner in which an athlete perceives the injury experience plays an important role in how well they recover and are able to return to pre-injury performance levels (Brewer, 2001, as cited in Gayman Crossman, 2003). The time of the year when an athlete is injured may determine how well and fast they recover and return to competition. For example, one athlete may be distraught and stressed over being injured post-season because after all his hard work and team effort he will not be able to participate in the play-offs. Another athlete may regard the injury as beneficial because they can get out of a horrendous season where the team didnt do very well. The athlete who perceives the injury in a more positive light will have an easier time of recovery than the athlete who experiences more negative emotions surrounding the injury (Gayman Crossman, 2003) Pre-season is important because after a break from sports the athletes are ready to get back in the game again and are looking forward to try-outs. An injury sustained pre-season can be regarded in different ways. The more severe the injury is the greater the athletes frustration and disappointment (Gayman Crossman, 2003). An injury that isnt serious enough to keep the athlete out for the entire season may not be as devastating for some because they become motivated to heal and spend the rest of the season in the game. Different factors enter the picture for mid-season injuries. An athlete who is out due to injuries during mid-season can be more stressed because by this time the team members are bonding. The athlete will also have lost some of their physical abilities that are important to the game. The team has been traveling and playing many games together by mid-season and the injured athlete will feel that they are missing out on the camaraderie and fun (Gayman Crossman, 2003). When an athlete is injured end of season the success of the entire team may be hindered and this is a source of great stress and disappointment for the athlete. If its the athletes last year of college, for example, the injury could end his career in sports. If the injury is severe enough regardless the season; it is devastating for the athlete and requires different and more intense coping techniques (Gayman Crossman, 2003). Finally, the playoffs are important because the team has bonded and worked hard together for an entire season to get that far. Injuries sustained during this time could hamper efforts for the championship title not to mention the personal satisfaction of success (Gayman Crossman 2003) How an athlete reacts to their injury may be based on how they personally view the situation. For instance, injury in pre-season may be regarded more negatively by one athlete than another. It all depends on how they perceive the situation (Gayman Crossman, 2003). There are different factors in the injury recovery process. One of those factors is gender differences. One study found there were differences in the perceptions of male and female injured athletes. It was found that male athletes had reported a more positive relationship with their coaches than the females. Males also were more apt to have a special person in their lives that they received emotional support from. It was discovered that female athletes were more apt to worry about how their injuries would affect their future health than the males (Granito, 2002). Regardless of male or female, it would appear that a good social support network and positive relationships with coaches are important when an athlete sustains an injury. There are, however, more factors involved in the success of an athletes rehabilitation and recovery than that of emotional support from others. Other interventions and coping mechanisms involve goal setting, imagery, and self-talk (Ievleva Orlick, 1991) There are numerous psychological intervention strategies for rehabilitation from sports related injuries. Oftentimes the athletes erroneous thoughts about intervention strategies keep them away from getting the help they need to recover more quickly and fully. The interventions could help them return to competition not only physically ready but psychologically ready as well. Due to a lack of knowledge and understanding leading to faulty beliefs about intervention strategies the athlete doesnt always get the help they need. The efficacy of any post-injury therapy or treatment depends on the ability of the athlete to accept and receive different techniques and strategies (Myers et al., 2004). One of the strategies in treatment for sports injuries that isnt fully understood is that of positive self-talk. Self-talk in injury recovery is even less understood than other techniques and strategies even though athletes do use it for performance improvements. Athletes have used both self-talk that is instructional in nature and self-talk that consists of positive affirmations (Van Raalte, Cornelius, Brewer, Hatton, 2000). Self-talk has been recognized as an effective tool for improvements in performance but unfortunately, has not been given as much thought as a strategy for recovery from injury. One reason that has been given to explain why there is a lack of knowledge regarding self-talk and its importance to recovery from injury has to do with understanding the fundamentals behind performance improvement in sports (Hardy, 2005) There is a relationship between performance improvements and self-talk. It has been suggested that its the aspect of self-talk that involves functionality that sheds light on its relationship with performance. This includes the cognitive and motivational aspects of self-talk (Hardy, Gammage, Hall, 2001a). Theodorakis, Weinberg, Natsis, Douma Kazakas (2000) investigated the efficacy of self-talk with athletes using positive self-talk in proportion to the specific demands of their physical activity. Instructional self-talk was used for the technical demands and motivational self-talk was used for less technical demands such as the athletes strength and stamina. The researchers expected that instructional self-talk would be more effective when the demands of the activity involved skills and accuracy and the motivational self-talk would be more effective when the demands involved strength and stamina. The results demonstrated that instructional self-talk for technical demands met the r esearchers expectations, however when the demands were for motivational self-talk the results werent as expected (Hardy,2005). The researchers discovered that both types of self-talk generated an increase in performance in the activity of leg extensions but not in the activity of sit-ups which requires stamina. Theodorakis et al. (2000) believe one reason for this outcome is that there wasnt an equal distribution of males and females for the study thus affecting the results. Theodorakis et al. rightly calls for more research in order to determine why positive self-talk (or negative) impacts athletic performance (Hardy, 2005). One factor that may impact the effectiveness of self-talk on an athletes performance is how they interpret their self-talk as far as it relates to motivation. The athlete may regard their self-talk in either a negative or positive light (Hardy, Hall, Alexander, 2001b). If an athlete regards their self-talk asde-motivating it certainly not help them recover faster and can even keep them from getting back to pre-injury performance levels. Theodorakis et al.(2000) explains that the lack of differences across groups in his study is that there are motivational aspects to the instructional self-talk and some of the self-talk used by the athletes may have been either motivating or de-motivating. Self-talk is supposed to be positive for the athlete. The attitude of the injured athlete is important to their recovery. If the athlete is optimistic their chances of recovery are greater and they have better coping mechanisms. Suggestions to encourage the athlete are for them to use only positive words, language and tone, during the rehabilitation-in and out of the clinic (Mind, Body, pg.1). Examples of positive self-talk are: I will get through this I will recover fully I will get back to playing my sport, better than I was before I will get 115 degrees of flexion today (Mind, Body, 2005, pg. 1). These self-talk strategies will create a more positive and healthy mind set in the injured athlete (Mind, Body,2005). In a study with tennis players it was found that instructional self-talk had a positive outcome on performance but not on self-efficacy (Landin Hebert, 1999). It is suggested then that practitioners determine if the athlete finds self-talk is to be de-motivating or motivating. An athlete can learn to perceive themselves in a healthier and more self-affirming manner by engaging in positive self-talk (Hardy, 2005). The speed with which an athlete recovers from injury can be increased by using certain mental strategies. It is up to the athlete and their physician to determine, in light of the patients situation and personal preferences, what would be the best strategy to ensure a rapid and full recovery from injury. The athlete and their sports doctor can be creative in coming up with what techniques seem to fit. Special attention should be given to the psychological state of the athlete and the seriousness of the injury. A comprehensive approach to injury management has been proven to be successful through research suggesting that by using more goal setting, positive self-talk, and imagery, athletes recover more quickly from injuries (Mind, Body, 2005, pg. 1) Self-talk is useful for injury recovery and quite often for the management of physical pain and distressing emotional states. Self-talk is described as, .the endless stream of thoughts that run through your head every day (Chronic Pain, 2005, pg. 1). This self-talk or automatic thinking can be positive or negative and based on logic and reason (Chronic Pain, 2005, pg. 1). There are times when self-talk can be negative and based on faulty perceptions due to inadequate information. In order for self-talk to be effective for recovery from injury the faulty thinking must be recognized and changed. In order to recognize the faulty thinking its important to recognize the different categories of non-productive thinking. One method of thinking that is not positive self-talk is generalizing. An example of this is when the individual regards one event as a trigger for a never ending series of negative events. As the pain continues the individual thinks they will not be able to carry on as befo re and they begin to devalue themselves. Another example of negative thinking is when the individual thinks in terms of catastrophes. With this type of thinking the individual imagines the worst case scenario. For example, they imagine that the pain from the injury will become a problem and they will become embarrassed if out in public or with friends (Chronic Pain, 2005). Another example of catastrophic thinking is when the athlete thinks things will never change and they will never get any better (Lake, 2005). Polarizing is another thinking style that leads to negative self-talk. This is when the individual sees everything as black and white, good or bad, positive or negative. They cannot concede that there is oftentimes a place in the middle. One of the more serious consequences of this thinking is that the individual feels they have to be perfect or else they are a failure; there is no acceptance of the fact that they are human like everyone else and can make mistakes while not seeing themselves as losers. Filtering is when the individual looks at the negative thoughts in a situation through a magnifying glass and minimizes the positive thoughts. One example given of this is when the individual did a great job at work that day but when they get home they realize they forgot to do one thing. The entire evening is ruined because the individual sits there and ruminates on that one task they failed to do. All the accolades they received that day from boss and co-workers is forgotten and only the negative is focused upon. Another negative thinking pattern that leads to unhealthy self-talk is that of personalizing. When something unpleasant, unfortunate, or bad happens the individual thinks that they are blame, even if its something out of their control and has nothing to do with them. Emotionalizing is thinking where the heart rules the head. Objectivity is pushed aside for irrational thinking. One example of this is if an individual feels they are dull or stup id and therefore they believe that is what they are (Chronic Pain, 2005). This type of thinking is dangerous for the athlete especially one who is recovering from an injury. The athlete must recognize the negative thinking and begin the exercise of positive self-talk. An interesting rule of thumb regarding the process of positive self-talk is as follows: Dont say anything to yourself that you wouldnt say to someone else Be gentle and encouraging. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about yourself. Eventually your self-talk will automatically contain less self-criticism and more self-acceptance. Your spontaneous thoughts will become more positive and rational. (Chronic Pain, 2005, pg. 1) What people say to themselves all too often sets the stage for how they look at life and what they do about it. One example of this is when the individual comes home after a day of working and says, I dont want to exercise today. Its cloudy outside, theres no one to walk with, and besides, Ive already exercised twice this week (Managing Your Pain, 2005, pg.1). A more positive way to respond to this situation is to say, I dont feel like exercising today, but I know Ill feel better afterward and have an easier time falling asleep (Managing Your Pain, 2005, pg.1). These examples are very important in retraining the mind to engage in positive self-talk. The self-talk one engages in can literally change the way an individual experiences physical pain. Negative messages can lead to increased pain, while positive messages can help distract you from pain (Managing Your Pain, 2005, pg. 1) There are several steps to take in order to change negative self-talk that leads to increased pain into positive self-talk which speeds up the healing process and leads to decreased pain. The first of these steps is for the individual to make a list of all negative self-talk engaged in. The second step is to change each negative statement on the list into a positive statement. One example would be the following, Im tired and dont feel like attending my support group tonight, but if I dont go I might miss out on some good tips like the ones I learned last month. I can always leave the meeting a little early (Managing Your Pain, 2005, pg. 1). The third step is to practice the positive self-talk. Even though it doesnt come naturally and may take some time to become comfortable with keep at it until it becomes second nature (Managing Your Pain, 2005, pg. 1).

Observation Essay †The Clown -- Observation Essays

Observation Essay – The Clown He’s a young man, the clown, with white socks striped in black, and black suspenders over a white T-shirt. White face, red nose. His MO is to follow people and imitate their motion without their noticing, to the glee of the sizeable, ever-changing audience. We’re sitting here on the steps of the Museum, hot and sweaty, watching the show. The clown can follow anyone: a slinky woman wearing pink ruffles, a kid with a mountain bike, a muscle-shirted dude talking Spanish on a cell phone, an old man walking his schnauzer, a big gray pigeon bobbing this way and that in search of food, and then taking flight. Now he slides behind high-school girlfriends, floppy-sandaled flirts leaning toward each other and flinging back their hair with unthinking charm, the clown their vampy shadow. When he bids them goodbye, he flourishes a soft, velvet-bodied top hat, and you can see his head is shaven, except for a forelock. Now he’s got a routine with a bottle of water. It’s stuck in his mouth and silently he implores a guy to get it out for him. He has a way of getting sudden spurts of water to cascade from it, while he looks surprised and delighted at once. I have persuaded my friend Kati to leave me here for an hour in the afternoon sun while she completes her tour of the Impressionists inside. She’s in New York this once, visiting from Hungary, while I live in Philadelphia and can come back any time I choose. I became hot and dizzy while standing on a Rouen street, basking in the sun before Monet’s Cathedral. A red tide rose inside my eyeballs. Kati found me clinging to a bench in front of Seurat’s Circus Sideshow and hauled me off to the Ladies’ Room, where she sprinkled cool water on my neck an... ...e gently, informing me that I have a virus, melodramatic old fool that I am. The clown has taken his place at the foot of the stairs and conducts us spectators like an orchestra, getting us to applaud in counterpoint. Then he mimes a family, three kids, all of whom need to eat and drink, and proffers his floppy hat for our sustenance. When I hold out two dollars, he comes over and mimes opening the doors of his chest, so that the heart within flutters out to me. Kati comes and we head home, our minds full of the art we saw today. As I rise from my spot on the steps, I see the clown shadow a man walking six dogs all at once, working his body back and forth on the leash of the unruliest, a sheep-dog. Then he takes a bottle of water offered by a vendor and puts it in his ear. Water squirts from his mouth, and he smiles, looking briefly skyward, one hand on his hip.

Initiation Story Essay -- essays papers

Initiation Story "A&P", written by John Updike, is based on a moment in the life of a cashier. He was known as Sammy and he referred to his position in the grocery store as a slot checker. Sammy spent his time watching and wondering about customers. One day, while working, three girls dressed in bikinis entered the store and attracted his attention. He describes the three girls movements and watches them as they roam throughout the store. Eventually, the girls work their way to Sammy's cashier station to purchase the item which they have selected. Then Lengel, the manager of the store, enters and embarrasses the girls for their attire. As a result, Sammy quits his job at the A&P. This short story is an example of an initiation story through its use of characterization and plot. Sammy, the slot checker, at the "A&P" evolved throughout the story. Initially, he was only a cashier who was using his idol time to critique the customers who came passing through. His job was beneath his mental capabilities and so this was the only way he could keep himself bu...

Essay --

Along with the development of science technology and popularity of computers and internet, network becomes an important tool in interpersonal communication. We are studying in the university and we need computers to enrich our minds. Computers can not only make us fit into a new environment faster, but also can provide convenience to us. What else, they can also help us learn more abilities and new technology. So in my opinion, computers should be allowed to bring to school when we are freshmen. Firstly, computers can make us get news about the new environment and be part of it faster. We may get worried when we are in a new school. The feeling must be much stronger if this is the first time we leave our parents. We do not know where we can find a bank, a restaurant, etc . But if we have a computer, we will find them on the computer maps. What else, we can know the important information which is announced by our school at the first time. We live in the world which is full of information, so we should develop the ability to use the useful information for ourselves. I... Essay -- Along with the development of science technology and popularity of computers and internet, network becomes an important tool in interpersonal communication. We are studying in the university and we need computers to enrich our minds. Computers can not only make us fit into a new environment faster, but also can provide convenience to us. What else, they can also help us learn more abilities and new technology. So in my opinion, computers should be allowed to bring to school when we are freshmen. Firstly, computers can make us get news about the new environment and be part of it faster. We may get worried when we are in a new school. The feeling must be much stronger if this is the first time we leave our parents. We do not know where we can find a bank, a restaurant, etc . But if we have a computer, we will find them on the computer maps. What else, we can know the important information which is announced by our school at the first time. We live in the world which is full of information, so we should develop the ability to use the useful information for ourselves. I...

Marriage practices

In the Cooper Eskimos area, the prospective son-in-law worked as a servant for the girl's father for a period of three or four years, generally before she reached puberty. Bride service among the Cooper Eskimos was often Supplemental, and sometimes replaced by payments of valuable articles† (Dams, Divide Demographic Aspects of Central Eskimos Marriage Practices. American Ethnologist, Volvo. 2. No 3 (Gauge 1975). Up. 409-413. Http//www. ASTOR. Org/page/info/about/policies/ terms. Jsp). The three major groups of Eskimos were first designated as tribes by members of the fifth Thule Expedition and these three groups are Guilt, Entitles, and Cooper.Information from Nineteenth and early twentieth century describes that each of the tribal units are relatively discreet. With trade routes that intersect in Central Artic Contract between different tribes is most likely very short. There was intermarriages between Mackenzie Eskimos woman marrying into the Cooper Eskimo tribes. There have also been cases of intermarriages between Flimflamming Eskimos and Entails Eskimos and there also hostility between these two groups also. The Entitles had four cases of polygamy compared to two cases of polyandry. However, the census said otherwise.The Census shows there were three cases of polygamy to two cases of polyandry. â€Å"Rasmussen (1931 : 195) believed that two woman would be more compatible in sharing a husband than two men in sharing a wife. This explanation begs the question of the nature of Eskimo personality. † ( Dams, David. Demographic Aspects of Central Eskimos Marriage Practices. American Ethnologist. Volvo. 2 No. 3 (Gauge. 1975). Up 409-413. Http://www. ASTOR. Org/ page/ info/ about/ politics/ terms. ]SP). The Jewish ethnic traditions has some marriage practices that differ from other traditions. The Mishap's generally are observant and religious.According to Zionist ideology, ethnic intermarriages is a means of creating a single, unified cultures among Jews in Israel ( Risen 1982). Migrate couples were less educated than those of the mixed couples. They usually married with in the Shaken tradition. In the Shaken community the ones who were less educated, married Migrate would Join the next generation. The group of Shaken education is relatively higher than it probably would be if they didn't do the mixed marriages. Education plays a large role in whether they marry into the Shaken or less economically advantaged Mishap's.Patterns of intermarriage are thus challenging concepts of race and ethnicity and are leading to complex views of ethnic and racial boundaries (Harris and Simi 2002; Hiroshima 2003; Roquefort and Brunets 2002). Jews can trace their roots in Israel past their grandparent's generation. In Israel context, the assimilation hypothesis suggest that the greater contact of educated Migrate with Shamanism has led to the erosion of their Migrate ethnic consciousness, more frequent intermarriages, the consequent concentratio n of Migrate ethnicity in the lower classes (Ben-Rafael 1982).A well-off educated Migrate would marry a poorly educated Shaken. Jews consider marriages to be the ideal state of personal existence, when you have a woman without a man and a man without a wife they consider it to be incomplete. Their engagement of marriage was usually brought about by a third person, which was also known as a match-maker. Although the marriages were the concerns of their parents, the children were not forced into marriage over their objections.When they are at the ceremony for marriage, the groom is given the ring and says his declaration, the bride does not have to respond, and she Just accepts the ring from the groom and then closes her hand to show that she accepts. Then the bride and groom drink a glass of wine together. After the ceremony is over the groom steps on glass, the broken pieces of glass is supposed to tell them how many years the marriage will last between the couple. The Jews and Eski mos had some things that each culture's did for their marriage practices that were alike and some that were different.In the Jew culture they married off the girls at a very young age. The parents usually had their children's marriages arranged by a matchmaker. They had confidence that the matchmakers would bring a proper spouse for their daughter to marry. Back then the father could marry off his daughter between the ages of three and twelve years of age, which was known to be called cetacean (little one). Which was completely subject to her father's authority and could arrange the marriage without daughter's approval. The marriages without the daughter's saying â€Å"l want this one†, was considered effective gal marriages.Now the daughters have a say if they want to marry the guy that's picked out for them. If it's not who they want then they go out and find who they want. The Eskimos parents also made marriage arrangements for their daughters. Their marriages were sought through kinship. They were also married off at a young age, married before they had their first menstrual period and began bearing children three to four years later. The men in the two cultures were not able to marry the girls till they could prove they could support them and have a home for them.The Eskimo sys were forced with different sets of requirements, they were not old enough for marriage till they proved themselves capable as hunter and providers. Also had to be able to build a snow house or hunt large game unassisted, he was not considered mature enough to take on and support a wife if he couldn't do them. After they proved those steps then before marriage they had to Join the father in laws house hold. During the trial marriage period they worked for the father in laws for three to four years or until the young couple was mature enough to establish a separate house hold.In the Jews culture the young men Just had to be able to provide a home for their soon to be wife's. O nce the marriages were completely arranged the wedding plans began. The two cultures to me seem to actually have a lot of common marriage practices. Kind of shocking how closely they do things even being two separate cultures. I feel that the children should be able to have a say into who they marry and spend the rest of their lives with. The two cultures that were described in this paper lead to finding regarding the marriage practices of the Jews and Eskimos.

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The death penalty SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA Capital punishment or the death penalty is a legal process whereby a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for a crime. The judicial decree that someone be punished in this manner is a death sentence, while the actual process of killing the person is an execution. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally â€Å"regarding the head† (referring to execution by beheading). 1] Capital punishment has, in the past, been practised by most societies (one notable exception being Kievan Rus);[2] currently 58 nations actively practise it, and 97 countries have abolished it (the remainder have not used it for 10 years or allow it only in exceptional circumstances such as wartime). [3] It is a matter of active controversy in various countries and states, and positions can vary within a single political ideology or cultural region. In the European Union member states, Article 2 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union prohibits the use of capital punishment. 4] Currently, Amnesty International considers most countries abolitionist. [5] The UN General Assembly has adopted, in 2007, 2008 and 2010, non-binding resolutions calling for a global moratorium on executions, with a view to eventual abolition. [6] Although many nations have abolished capital punishment, over 60% of the world's population live in countries where executions take place, such as the People's Republic of China, India, the United States of America and Indonesia, the four most-populous countries in the world, which continue to apply the death penalty (although in India, Indonesia and in many US states it is rarely employed).Each of these four nations voted against the General Assembly resolutions. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] Contents [hide] 1 History 1. 1 Ancient history 1. 2 Ancient Tang China 1. 3 Middle Ages 1. 4 Mod ern era 1. 5 Contemporary era 2 Movements towards humane execution 3 Abolitionism 4 Contemporary use 4. 1 Global distribution 4. 2 Execution for drug-related offences 4. 3 Juvenile offenders 4. 3. 1 Iran 4. 3. 2 Somalia 4. 4 Methods 5 Controversy and debate 5. 1 Human rights 5. 2 Wrongful execution 5. 3 Retribution 5. 4 International views 6 Religious views 6. 1 Buddhism 6. 2 Christianity 6. 2. 1 Roman Catholic Church 6. 2. 2 Protestants 6. . 3 Mormonism 6. 3 Hinduism 6. 4 Islam 6. 5 Judaism 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links 10. 1 Opposing 10. 2 In favour 10. 3 Religious views History Execution of criminals and political opponents has been used by nearly all societies—both to punish crime and to suppress political dissent. In most places that practise capital punishment it is reserved for murder, espionage, treason, or as part of military justice. In some countries sexual crimes, such as rape, adultery, incest and sodomy, carry the death penalty, as do religious crimes such as apostasy in Islamic nations (the formal renunciation of the state religion).In many countries that use the death penalty, drug trafficking is also a capital offence. In China, human trafficking and serious cases of corruption are punished by the death penalty. In militaries around the world courts-martial have imposed death sentences for offences such as cowardice, desertion, insubordination, and mutiny. [16] Anarchist Auguste Vaillant guillotined in France in 1894 The use of formal execution extends to the beginning of recorded history. Most historical records and various primitive tribal practices indicate that the death penalty was a part of their justice system.Communal punishment for wrongdoing generally included compensation by the wrongdoer, corporal punishment, shunning, banishment and execution. Usually, compensation and shunning were enough as a form of justice. [17] The response to crime committed by neighbouring tribes or communities included formal apology, compensation or blood feuds. A blood feud or vendetta occurs when arbitration between families or tribes fails or an arbitration system is non-existent. This form of justice was common before the emergence of an arbitration system based on state or organised religion. It may result from crime, land disputes or a code of honour. Acts of retaliation underscore the ability of the social collective to defend itself and demonstrate to enemies (as well as potential allies) that injury to property, rights, or the person will not go unpunished. â€Å"[18] However, in practice, it is often difficult to distinguish between a war of vendetta and one of conquest. Severe historical penalties include breaking wheel, boiling to death, flaying, slow slicing, disembowelment, crucifixion, impalement, crushing (including crushing by elephant), stoning, execution by burning, dismemberment, sawing, decapitation, scaphism, necklacing or blowing from a gun.The Christian Martyrs' Last Pray er, by Jean-Leon Gerome (1883). Roman Colosseum. Islam on the whole accepts capital punishment,[19] and the Abbasid Caliphs in Baghdad, such as Al-Mu'tadid, were often cruel in their punishments. [20] Nevertheless, mercy is considered preferable in Islam,[citation needed], and in Sharia law the victim's family can choose to spare the life of the killer, which is not uncommon. citation needed] In the One Thousand and One Nights, also known as the Arabian Nights, the fictional storyteller Sheherazade is portrayed as being the â€Å"voice of sanity and mercy†, with her philosophical position being generally opposed to punishment by death. She expresses this through several of her tales, including â€Å"The Merchant and the Jinni†, â€Å"The Fisherman and the Jinni†, â€Å"The Three Apples†, and â€Å"The Hunchback†. [21] The breaking wheel was used during the Middle Ages and was still in use into the 19th century. Ancient historyElaborations of tribal arbitration of feuds included peace settlements often done in a religious context and compensation system. Compensation was based on the principle of substitution which might include material (for example, cattle, slave) compensation, exchange of brides or grooms, or payment of the blood debt. Settlement rules could allow for animal blood to replace human blood, or transfers of property or blood money or in some case an offer of a person for execution. The person offered for execution did not have to be an original perpetrator of the crime because the system was based on tribes, not individuals.Blood feuds could be regulated at meetings, such as the Viking things. [22] Systems deriving from blood feuds may survive alongside more advanced legal systems or be given recognition by courts (for example, trial by combat). One of the more modern refinements of the blood feud is the duel. Giovanni Battista Bugatti, executioner of the Papal States between 1796 and 1865, carried out 516 exec utions (Bugatti pictured offering snuff to a condemned prisoner). Vatican City abolished its capital punishment statute in 1969. In certain parts of the world, nations in the form of ancient republics, monarchies or tribal oligarchies emerged.These nations were often united by common linguistic, religious or family ties. Moreover, expansion of these nations often occurred by conquest of neighbouring tribes or nations. Consequently, various classes of royalty, nobility, various commoners and slave emerged. Accordingly, the systems of tribal arbitration were submerged into a more unified system of justice which formalised the relation between the different â€Å"classes† rather than â€Å"tribes†. The earliest and most famous example is Code of Hammurabi which set the different punishment and compensation according to the different class/group of victims and perpetrators.The Torah (Jewish Law), also known as the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Christian Old Testa ment), lays down the death penalty for murder, kidnapping, magic, violation of the Sabbath, blasphemy, and a wide range of sexual crimes, although evidence suggests that actual executions were rare. [23] A further example comes from Ancient Greece, where the Athenian legal system was first written down by Draco in about 621 BC: the death penalty was applied for a particularly wide range of crimes, though Solon later repealed Draco's code and published new laws, retaining only Draco's homicide statutes. 24] The word draconian derives from Draco's laws. The Romans also used death penalty for a wide range of offenses. [25][26] Ancient Tang China Although many are executed in China each year in the present day, there was a time in Tang Dynasty China when the death penalty was abolished. [27] This was in the year 747, enacted by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (r. 712–756). When abolishing the death penalty Xuanzong ordered his officials to refer to the nearest regulation by analogy when sentencing those found guilty of crimes for which the prescribed punishment was execution.Thus depending on the severity of the crime a punishment of severe scourging with the thick rod or of exile to the remote Lingnan region might take the place of capital punishment. However the death penalty was restored only 12 years later in 759 in response to the An Lushan Rebellion. [28] At this time in China only the emperor had the authority to sentence criminals to execution. Under Xuanzong capital punishment was relatively infrequent, with only 24 executions in the year 730 and 58 executions in the year 736. [27]Ling Chi – execution by slow slicing – in Beijing around 1910. The two most common forms of execution in China in the Tang period were strangulation and decapitation, which were the prescribed methods of execution for 144 and 89 offences respectively. Strangulation was the prescribed sentence for lodging an accusation against one's parents or grandparents with a ma gistrate, scheming to kidnap a person and sell them into slavery and opening a coffin while desecrating a tomb. Decapitation was the method of execution prescribed for more serious crimes such as treason and sedition.Interestingly, and despite the great discomfort involved, most Chinese during the Tang preferred strangulation to decapitation, as a result of the traditional Chinese belief that the body is a gift from the parents and that it is therefore disrespectful to one's ancestors to die without returning one's body to the grave intact. Some further forms of capital punishment were practised in Tang China, of which the first two that follow at least were extralegal. The first of these was scourging to death with the thick rod which was common throughout the Tang especially in cases of gross corruption.The second was truncation, in which the convicted person was cut in two at the waist with a fodder knife and then left to bleed to death. [29] A further form of execution called Li ng Chi (slow slicing), or death by/of a thousand cuts, was used in China from the close of the Tang dynasty (around 900) to its abolition in 1905. When a minister of the fifth grade or above received a death sentence the emperor might grant him a special dispensation allowing him to commit suicide in lieu of execution.Even when this privilege was not granted, the law required that the condemned minister be provided with food and ale by his keepers and transported to the execution ground in a cart rather than having to walk there. Nearly all executions under the Tang took place in public as a warning to the population. The heads of the executed were displayed on poles or spears. When local authorities decapitated a convicted criminal, the head was boxed and sent to the capital as proof of identity and that the execution had taken place.In Tang China, when a person was sentenced to decapitation for rebellion or sedition, punishment was also imposed on their relatives, whether or not t he relatives were guilty of participation in the crime. In such cases fathers of the convicted under 79 years of age and sons aged over 15 were strangled. Sons under 15, daughters, mothers, wives, concubines, grandfathers, grandsons, brothers and sisters were enslaved and uncles and nephews were banished to the remotest reaches of the empire. Sometimes the tombs of the family's ancestors were levelled, the ancestors' coffins were destroyed and their bones scattered. 29] Middle Ages In medieval and early modern Europe, before the development of modern prison systems, the death penalty was also used as a generalised form of punishment. During the reign of Henry VIII, as many as 72,000 people are estimated to have been executed. [30] Despite its wide use, calls for reform were not unknown. The 12th century Sephardic legal scholar, Moses Maimonides, wrote, â€Å"It is better and more satisfactory to acquit a thousand guilty persons than to put a single innocent man to death. He argued that executing an accused criminal on anything less than absolute certainty would lead to a slippery slope of decreasing burdens of proof, until we would be convicting merely â€Å"according to the judge's caprice. † Caprice of various sorts are more visible now with DNA testing, and digital computer searches and discovery requirements opening DA's files. Maimonides' concern was maintaining popular respect for law, and he saw errors of commission as much more threatening than errors of omission. [31]

Case Analysis for Virgin Mobile Essay

VIRGIN MOBILE USA – ‘FIRST PRICE’ STRATEGY (An analysis of the Pricing Decision alternatives that Virgin has to undertake to create an alternate customer segment and monetize their buying power)VIRGIN XTRAS – OVERVIEWThe Virgin Mobile USA service involved content, features and entertainment, called â€Å"Virgin Xtras†.Collaboration with MTV networks as it was the most recognized youth brands in the country and unparalleled reach forthe under-30 market segment: Exclusive, multiyear content and marketing agreement. MTV network to deliver music, games and other MTV-, VH1-, and Nickelodeon based content to Virgin Mobile subscribers. Subscribers would have access to MTV- branded accessories and phones, graphics, ring tones, text alerts and voice mails. Promotional airtime on MTV’s channels and website. Virgin mobile subscribers to vote for their favorite videos on a few MTV shows.Other Virgin Mobile services that aimed to appeal to the youth market , generate additional usage and create loyaltywere: Text Messaging Online Real- Time Billing Rescue Ring Wake- Up Call Ring Tones Fun Clips The Hit List Music Messenger MoviesTraditional Channel Virgin’s ChannelServices sold at own proprietary retail outlets, kiosks in Services sold where youth shop especially consumermalls, high-end electronic stores, speciality stores etc. electronic goods in stores like Target, Sam Goody music stores, Best Buy. High-touch sales people who were paid high sales Products packaged in consumer electronics packaging, placedcommission to ensure hands-on service. on a bright red clamshell, which gave it visibility and no salesperson was required.Cost per handset from Nokia, Motorola, Samsung etc. – Cost per handset from Kyocera- $60-$100. Lesser subsidy$150-$300. Entailed substantial subsidy from the entailed by the company.handset makers, a component of acquisition cost.Distributors’ industry avg. Commission- $100/phone Distributors commission- $30/phone.The availability of the phones were not as segment Phones available at 3000 retail outlets in USA, and availabilityspecific as Virgin targeted included at retailers such as Sam Goody, Circuit City, Media Play, Virgin MegastoreBilling is monthly Billing is to be real-time and with online avenues PRICING DECISIONS:-CUSTOMER PERSPECTIVESThe company tried to distinguish itself from the competitors standpoint by playing on the fact that t he targeted segment‘did not trust  the prevalent pricing points’ in the industry that hinged on the credit worthiness . The main practicesprevalent were:- 90% of all subscribers had contractual agreements for a period of 1 year-2 years Required rigorous credit check Plans established â€Å"buckets† of minutes, on extra usage users penalized heavily. Charged less for off-peak than on-peak minutes, but the off-peak period had shrunk. An additional fee was charged to add to the monthly bill, which included taxes, service charges. Per minute Charge (Y-axis, in cents) for the bucket of minutes contracted (X-axis) 180 160 140 120 100 80 Per minute Charge for the bucket of minutes andcontracted (X-axis) 60 40 20 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140The bold line represents the cost per minute charged for a valid contract (which is shown by the arrows). The higher costin the vent of under-utilization of the contract is due to the high fixed cost (like the subsidization of hand sets,, contractcharges etc.)The higher limit in the vent of exceeding the contract is due to penalizing.PRICING DECISIONS – COMPAN Y PERSPECTIVESVirgin Mobile USA had to fix all these problems prevalent in the industry while taking a pricing decision. The mainconstraints it faced was that the prices should be competitive and profitable without triggering of competitive reactions.There were 3 options available:OPTION 1- ‘Clone the Industry Prices’ The message would go to customers that they were priced competitively with few advantages like differentiated applications [MTV] and superior customer service. Better off-peak hours and fewer hidden fees would be the selling point but the total pricing structure would still depend on off-peak and peak categorization as well as contacted minutes. Easy to promote as this strategy of â€Å"buckets† was already prevalent in industry. But risks alienating the target base as they already did not make the required cut for the credit worthiness. OPTION 2- ‘Price below the Competition’ Similar pricing structure as rest of industry, with actual prices slightly below those of competition only within the highest frequency range. Better off-peak hours and fewer hidden fees could also be given.OPTION 3- ‘A Whole New Plan’ Entirely different pricing structure. Eliminate contracts and going for prepaid pricing structure. However the nature of the American cellular market with operator dedicated handsets ad prohibitive pricing followed by the competitors due to high churn rates Cost of Acquisition Subsidization of Advertisement Sales handsets . Break even analysis and Life  time Value for cellular subscribers:- As already, stated in the current scenario, most mobile companies amass working capital by going for long term contracts. Compared to a US$ 100 acquisition cost for a prepaid connection, the equivalent historical cost of acquisition for a post paid consumer is US $ 370. Assuming that we stay with the post paid plan due to industry imperatives, we find that the average calling rate is around 10-30 cents per minute for a average bucket usage of 100-300 minutes (this is the target usage range that Virgin is aiming to target in the second option) Hence, average cost incurred by the company for a customer = US$ (0.1 x 300) =US$ 60 (The most promising aspect in the relevant range) Acquisition cost = handset subsidy given to hand set manufacturers (US$ 60 -100) + advertisement costs ( US$60 million budget spread over an estimated 1 million subscribers = US$60)+ sales overheads (US$100-150) = US$ 290-370 per user per month. Now, Breakeven point in terms of month is calculated as:- Total fixed cost = US$ 370 (acquisition cost for a post paid customer) = 28.46 months Revenue – Variable cost US$ 57 (avg. revenue per month from a user- ARPU) – US$30Hence it takes around 29 months for the customer to prove profitable for the company even in the most promisingscenario of the relevant range.But we will also have to induct the churn rate of around 2% per month into this optimistic consideration and try tocalculate the LTV. If the LTV is positive then the company should go ahead. The option that yields the largest LTV shouldbe chosen.LTV = ∑ (Ma).r(a-1) – Acquisition cost (1+i)a View slide Here, the margin remains relatively fixed across the periods which can be assumed as a modest 12%, r is the retentionrate which comes to around 72% (churn rate of 2% p.m. compounded monthly over a year = 1.02Ãâ€"1.02x†¦..till 12months ), i becoming interest rate assumed to be around 5%Margin in a month = (Average monthly phone bill ∞,=US$52)-(Cash cost per user =US$30) = US$22Now taking this value of n we have :- LTV = M/(1-r+i)Now calculating the LTV for every option available will give us a marker of how the pricing strategy should be used forusing various options considering the fact that the interest rate remains constant at 5%:-For option 1:-LTV = US$ {(22*12)/(1-0.72+0.05) } – 360= US$ 421For option 2:- Here the retention rate can be assumed to have been bettered by differential pricing in the 100-300minutes usage category , so we can assume a modest increase to 80%. But this is more or less offset by the increase incash cost to user which  can be assumes to rise by 5% if the differential pricing is 5% below the average industrystandard. So the margin can be assumed to drop to US$19. Here, LTV = US$ {(19*12)/(1-0.8+0.05) } – 360= US$ 489Hence we can see that even with modest assumptions, the LTV is maximized for Option 2, henca the company shouldventure into differential pricing if at all it wants to deviate. But considering the high acquisition turnover time andrecovery time of almost 29 months, it is a risky strategy because of very high mobility in the targeted segment.Hence Virgin should focus on non price factors such as :- If the contracts are done away with, this will ensure more loyalty of the target segment as the majority of them are not credit worthy. The positioning of Virgin Mobile USA and its collaborations with partners like MTV will attract more customers which are loyal. The cost of acquisition of a customer comprises of advertisement, sales cost and subsidy given. Since these costs are much lower than the other competitors, they can price themselves lower than competitors. They can also be transparent in their cost structure, eliminating hidden costs .Hence, initially it should give non-price advantage to its customers and over a period of time can reduce costs to sustaingrowth and drive off competition virgin mobile Presentation Transcript We Answer To A Higher Calling Prepared By – Team 4 Pooja Gupta (P122033) Rohit Singh (P122038) Saurabh Singh (P122041) Varun Anand (P122049 Virgin Groupâ€Å"Virgin believes in making a difference. We stand for value for money, quality, innovation, fun and a sense of competitive challenge. We strive to achieve this by empowering our employees to continually deliver an unbeatable customer experience.† Virgin Mobile USA†¢ Commenced operations in June, 2002†¢ Led by founding CEO Dan Schulman†¢ Entered USA as a 50-50 joint venture between Virgin Group and Sprint Corporation. Virgin Mobile USA’s service would be hosted on Sprint’s PCS network†¢ Sprint was in process of updating its network and increasing its capacity. View slide Virgin Mobile USA†¢ Schulamn- â€Å"The nice thing about this model is that we don’t have to worry about huge fixed costs or the physical infrastructure. We can focus on what we do best-understanding and meeting customer needs.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ â€Å"We Answer To A Higher Calling†Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Providing extra-ordinary services and experiences at a low price as $35 View slide Objective†¢ Create value and profitability in cell  phone service industry†¢ Target market ages 15-29, opportunity for growth with this market segment†¢ 1 million subscribers by year 1, 3 million by year 4†¢ â€Å"By focusing on the youth market from the ground up, we’re putting ourselves in a position to serve these customers in a way they have never been served before† -Dan Schulman, CEO, Virgin Mobile USA 4P’s of Virgin Mobile USAWhy? Problem with Current Telecom Services†¢ Low penetration among consumers aged 15-29. Growth rate for this segment was projected to be robust for the next 5 years†¢ Target group had been undeserved by existing carriers and specific needs that haven’t been met†¢ Average monthly cell phone bill – $52 representing 417 minutes of use. Hence, cost to serve a customer – $30†¢ Carriers tended to be wary of acquiring low- value subscribers Target Group and Behavior†¢ Consumers aged 15-29†¢ Calling pattern is different from typical business person†¢ Open to new things: – Text messaging – Downloading information using cell phones – More likely to use: ringtones, faceplates and graphics †¢ It’s a fashion accessory and a personal style statement Mobile Penetration by Age Group Revenue from Mobile Entertainment Services Pricing Trend in US before Virgin†¢ Over 90% of all subscribers had contractual agreements for a period of 1-2 years with their cellular providers†¢ Customers would sign up for ‘buckets of minutes’†¢ If a user used more than allocated minutes, they would be charged with extremely high rates (eg: 40 cents / minute)†¢ If a user used less than allocated minutes, they were still charged the fixed monthly fee, which drove up their price per minute Calling Plans – Industry PricesPrice per minute Contract Commitment – Minutes Calling Plans – Industry PricesPrice per Minute Contract Commitment – Minutes Pricing Trend in US before Virgin†¢ Carriers charged less for off-peak than on-peak minutes†¢ Off-peak time changed from 6:00 PM to 7:00, 8:00 and then finally 9:00 PM†¢ Some carriers charged a monthly fee (appox. $7) to move the peak time back to one hour†¢ Carriers added additional fees to monthly bill (tax or other additional cost information was not communicated. So a $29 plan ended up being a $35 plan) What Virgin focused on?†¢ Customers couldn’t predict their usage and ended up choosing  wrong plan pattern†¢ Customers think they use more minutes than they actually use†¢ Target segment actually used 100-300 mins/month but target predicted their usage is higher than that†¢ People tried picking up lower bucket plans to avoid high monthly fees but they ended up paying a lot more than that due to usage of minutes above the bucket†¢ On-peak and off-peak minutes weren’t in right mix 4P’s of Virgin Mobile USAWhat? What to provide them? VirginXtras†¢ Delivery of content, features and entertainment†¢ Signed a exclusive and multiyear, content & marketing agreement with MTV networks to deliver music, games and other MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon based content to Virgin Mobile Subscribers†¢ Deal with MTV also ensured airtime on MTV’s channel and web site VirginXtras†¢ MTV-branded accessories and phones and contents (ringtones, text alerts and voice mails†¢ To vote for their favorite videos on MTV’s shows like â€Å"Total request Live†Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Text messaging – No. of text msgs tends to skyrocket during school hours. Reason: Parents don’t see who they call, private form of communication VirginXtras†¢ Online Real-Time Billing – No call detail on monthly bills. Website will record individual calls on a real-time basis†¢ Rescue ring – Mobile subscriber will get a call at prearranged time to â€Å"escape† in case a date was not going well .†¢ Wake-up Call – Chance to wake up to original messages from a variety of cheeky celebrity VirginXtras†¢ Ring Tones – Customized ringtones would be available for subscribers to download†¢ Fun clips – News, tidbits, jokes, gossip, sports and more†¢ Hit List – Vote top 10 list of hit songs. Would be able to hear the %age of other subscribers who either â€Å"loved it† or â€Å"hated it† VirginXtras†¢ Music Messenger – Tap into 10 songs list & forward it to a friend allowing them to check out a hot new track†¢ Movies – Movie descriptions, show timings, and buy tickets in advance Handset: First 2 basic models named â€Å"Party Animal† and â€Å"Super Model† came with interchangeable faceplates decorated with eye-catching colors and patterns 4P’s of Virgin Mobile USAHow? Virgin’s Goal†¢ To make sure their prices are competitive†¢ To make sure they could make profit†¢ Don’t want to trigger off competitive reactions Options†¢ Clone the Industry Prices†¢ Price Below Competition†¢ Whole New Plan Clone the Industry Prices†¢ Use same prices as other competitors†¢ Communicate  -â€Å"priced competitively with everyone else but with a few key advantages like differentiated applications (MTV) and superior customer service† – MTV Applications and features – Superior Customer service†¢ Offering better off-peak hours and fewer hidden fees†¢ Put on packaging so that even without a salesperson, consumers would get the message Price per minute Contract Commitment – Minutes Clone the Industry Prices Price Below the Competition†¢ Maintain buckets and volume discounts†¢ Set price per minute below the industry average for certain key buckets – Target young market 100-300 mins Price per minute Contract Commitment – Minutes Price Below the Competition A Whole New Plan†¢ Shorten or Eliminate Contracts – Contracts guarantee annuity stream – Contract allows 18 years or below to purchase the product – Churn rate was 2%, new plan could increase churn rate to 6%†¢ Prepaid service – 92% US subscribers had Post-paid – Pre-paid was used on occasional basis as rates per minute was high and no credit check was required – Has high churn rates. Company would never be able to recoup its customer acquisition costs – New mechanism or infrastructure was required for prepaid services A Whole New Plan†¢ Handset subsidies – Mobile carriers subsidized the cost of handset to end users to acquire customer cost†¢ Eliminate Hidden Fees and off-peak hours – ‘what you see is what you get’ – Rolling out hidden costs into pricing such that pricing feels competitive – off-peak should benefit the target group. Minute usage is very different from busines s class Price Below the Competition What they did?†¢ LTV Model – Life Time Value†¢ In marketing, customer lifetime value (CLV), lifetime customer value (LCV), or user lifetime value (LTV) is a prediction of the net profit attributed to the entire future relationship with a customer†¢ Simplified Model†¢ LTV = (M/(1-r+i)) – AC Factors influencing LTV†¢ ARPU: Avg Revenue Per User†¢ CCPU: Cash Cost per User = 45% of ARPU†¢ M: Monthly Margin = ARPU – CCPU†¢ r: Retention rate ( 1 – (12*6%)) = 0.28†¢ AC: Acquisition Cost ( = $120 for Virgin) – Sale commission – Advertising per gross add – Subsidy cost LTV Calculation†¢ LTV = (M/(1-r+i))  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ AC†¢ => M = ARPU – CCPU = (1 – 45)% = 55%M on yearly basis, assuming that a customer talks for 200mins. M = (1-0.45) * 200 * 12 * p p -> can be 5 – 30 cents/min (As competitors are charging more than 30 cents/min LTV @ Different Price Points†¢ LTV(at 5 c ents)= (1-.45) (200*12*.05) /(1-.28 + .05) – 120 = -34.28†¢ LTV(at 7 cents)= (1-.45) (200*12*.07) /(1-.28 + .05) – Break-even120 = 0 point†¢ LTV(at 10 cents)= (1-.45) (200*12*.1) /(1-.28 + .05) – 120 = 51.42†¢ LTV(at 15 cents)= (1-.45) (200*12*.15) /(1-.28 + .05) – 120 = 137.14†¢ At 7 cents, the LTV =0 which tells that minimum of 7 cents should be charged by the virgin†¢ Virgin can charge any amount more than 7 cents LTV @ Different Price Points Price Point LTV5 cents / minute -34.287 cents / minute 010 cents / minute 51.4215 cents / minute 137.14 Break-even point Current Plans in Market Company Plan ValueAT&T Starting at $40/monthVirgin Mobile USA $35T-Mobile $34.99 (Only talk + text) other plans starting at $59.99 Providing a plan with music and other added features Virgin’s Service Offering†¢ Extra features: Music, Wallpapers, Videos, Live Video Request, Rescue ring, wake-up call facility†¢ New improved billing pattern and online real-time monthly bills†¢ Prepaid plan†¢ No contracts†¢ No hidden charges†¢ No peak off peak hours†¢ Very low handset subsidies†¢ No credit checks†¢ No Monthly bills†¢ Price: 25 cents per minute for the first 10 minutes; 10 cents/minute for the rest of the day†¢ No exact numbers, but churn rate lower than 6% Conclusion†¢ Virgin correctly identified service gaps in telecom industry and what customers needed.†¢ Virgin identify inflexibility in calling plans and in other plans.†¢ Provided extra services than current mobile carriers.†¢ Provided a medium of entertainment on go.†¢ Offered customized services at a relatively low cost. References†¢ HBR case study â€Å"Virgin Mobile USA: Pricing for the Very First Time†Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Wikipedia.com