Library catalog Essay

Today, libraries are increased and activated by numerous advances and fast developments of science and innovation that are incredibly influencing the library tasks overall. The relentless disclosures of this new innovation, especially PCs, reclassified the job of libraries. A library is an assortment of data, sources, assets, books, and benefits, and the structure wherein it is housed. It is composed for use and kept up by an open body, an organization, or a private person. In an increasingly customary sense, a library is an assortment of books (â€Å"Library†, 2009). The library, more than any instrument of the general public, is available to open use and the information typified in books are the establishment of a general public to achieve or grow more the possibilities of man which consequently, will be an incredible factor in the advancement of a country. The library has the duty to update its status through open access to these advances, to build up a game plan so as to contribute and to turn into a viable accomplice particularly in guidance, exploration and augmentation projects of an instructive foundation (Enem, 2002). From the announcements above it is demonstrated that the library has a major job not exclusively to the understudies yet in addition to the general public and our nation. Through the assistance of present day innovation and data framework, the library dissemination framework can improve. Library flow or library loaning includes the exercises around the loaning of library books and other material to clients of a loaning library. A flow or loaning division is one of the key branches of a library (â€Å"LC†, 2009). Library course gives loaning administrations and offices to return of lent things. Reestablishment of materials and installment of fines are additionally taken care of at the dissemination work area. Flow staff may give fundamental inquiry and reference administrations, however more top to bottom inquiries are normally alluded to reference curators at the library reference work area. The dissemination work area is much of the time staffed by library helpers rather than proficient custodians. The elements of the flow work area staff may incorporate the loaning materials to library clients, checking in materials returned, observing materials for harm and directing them to the suitable staff for fix or substitution, investigating course innovation, for example library dissemination programming, scanners, printers, and so on , and gathering insights on library use, I. e. benefactor exchanges, material checkouts, and so forth. The two classifications of Information System (IS) are the manual or customary framework and programmed or otherwise called Computer-Based Information System (CBIS). Before the utilization of CBIS, all the information are handled physically in a customary framework, where all the data are composed and put away in various records. Once in a while, this procedure is called non-modernized framework. Non-automated isn't effective on the grounds that it devours a great deal of time to discover and refresh the data. To wipe out this issue, another framework was made which is known as electronic framework or CBIS. PC Based Information Systems (CBIS) is made out of equipment, programming, databases, media communications, individuals, and methodology that are designed to gather, control, store, and procedure information into data (Abraham, 2009). The library of University of the Philippines Diliman was set up in 1922 has wrestled with four essential concerns: the book support, staff improvement, library administrations and data innovation. What's more, in 1999 the college had opened an online free inventory and propelled the college library web. Another school that has a library framework running in electronic is the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in 1999. Every year, the school library gets new assets and updates gear for the utilization of understudies. As of august 2009, the library has an assortment of more than 122,000 book titles and in excess of 45,000 titles of electronic books. Utilizing CBIS these days as an apparatus for advancement elevates a company’s notoriety, yet in addition help fix things to the best. And furthermore by utilizing the intranet as a foundation of the framework can be an incredible assistance for improving the administrations of the library. An intranet is a private PC arrange that utilizes Internet advancements to safely share any piece of an organization’s data or operational frameworks with its workers. Once in a while the term alludes just to the organization’s interior site, yet frequently it is a progressively broad piece of the organization’s PC framework and private sites are a significant segment and point of convergence of inner correspondence and coordinated effort (King, 2002). Mr. A. T. Valdes, the custodian of NPCMSTI said that the library is an instrument that is utilized to give information and data required by the understudy in his examination by gathering books that are significant in their subjects as references. He included that from the books gathered and chose, they are kept up inâ order to be accessible to the understudies when the need it (individual correspondence, April 6, 2002). What's more, there are issues experienced in the manual or customary library arrangement of NPCMSTI based from the examination directed by the understudies of NPCMSTI. These incorporate more exertion and moderate stock of books, wasteful looking of books, wasteful age of reports, and wasteful observing of books. The library has in excess of 4000 number of books and checking every one of these books require a great deal of time and exertion (Carreon, Delmendo, Maala, Mendoza and Penequito, 2008). Considering the preferences brought by CBIS and the issues experienced in the current library arrangement of NPCMSTI, the scientist chose to propose an automated library framework for NPCMSTI. Organization Background The vision of the NPCMSTI library is to be a useful media place for worthy assets particularly in Nautical Science or Marine Transportation, Marine Engineering, Computer Science, Criminology, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and Technical Vocational courses towards a fantastic preparing improvement of experts, tenacious sailors and gifted laborers in the network. Its crucial to look for attempt to offer quality assistance and to help the school’s instructive projects, arranging, examination and expansion administrations and instructional needs of the scholarly through specifying bits of data completely in any structure, in any piece of the nation, and of the entire world. Quality Objectives. The school library has the accompanying goals: (1) to reinforce and overhaul the library assets; (2) to redesign library offices and equipment;(3) to prepare staff to upgrade their specialized abilities and seriousness; and (4) to connection and system with nearby, national and worldwide foundations. The library has a sum of 11,832 book assortments from the Degree courses to Non-Degree courses. The essential capacity of a library framework are to encourage the credit of books to borrowers, record receipt of returned books, and monitor the status of books that ought to be returned. Reference Services. The commitment of the library is to render full help to perusers in utilizing the library and its substance. The administrator handles library assets, for example, word references, reference books, chronicles, histories, map books, and gazetteers. Direction. The librarian’s one of a kind obligation is to use completely his assets in making as about sure as conceivable that the best materials for the specific reason discover their way to the perusers. Likewise, the bookkeeper fills in as the middle person among man and the realistic records that he and his past ages have delivered and that the objective of the library is to expand the social utility of realistic records to help the general public. Library Hours. The library is unguarded with its constant hour administration, from Monday to Friday which begins from 7:30 in the first part of the day until 5:00 toward the evening. Duties of the Library Staff. The Northern Philippines College for Maritime, Science and Technology Library is kept an eye on by a Librarian, Assistant Librarian, and Library partners. The Librarian will regulate the library, direct the exercises of the staff, keep money related records of the library, track the substitution of books, accountable for gathering and checking late expenses, select and buy books, library materials and supplies, invigorate development of library administrations, go to library gatherings or courses, embrace ordering, grouping and listing books and non-book materials and keep up relations to distributers and merchants. The Assistant Librarian will assume responsibility without the custodian, help the administrator in ordering, arranging and indexing of books and answerable for materials like clippings, periodicals and different archives, assume responsibility in cutting and restricting press and audits, attempt the preparing of books and non-book materials from putting increase number and stepping possession imprint to racking. The Library Assistant will issue and recover books at the dissemination segment, do the racking and rack perusing of books recovered, Paste torn pages of books and periodicals, embrace recording of clippings in the vertical document, type book cards, glue pockets and date due slips in books, spread books with plastic spread, stamp on books and periodicals, and document cards in the card index. Recording and Classification. In the indexing and grouping of the book assortments, the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules is received and the technique used to depict a thing that the library procured. Likewise, the Dewey Decimal Classification System, the Sears List of Subject Heading and the Cutter Number of Tables are utilized in the NPCMSTI library. Borrowers. The understudy enrolled in the school, employees, staff, directors, graduated class of the school, and researchers or analysts from different establishments or

Techniques of Comedy Free Essays

Alex Moreno Theater 208 Comedy: Techniques behind the Laughter Comedy is the class of film that makes even the saddest occasions tolerable and increased a great deal of ubiquity in when individuals required a lift. Parody is a one of a kind type of film in its wide scope of techniques, and in these strategies there is probably a portion of a select gathering of approaches. The genuine enchantment that satire has emerges from these chosen few strategies, that, when utilized appropriately, will never neglect to produce a giggle. We will compose a custom exposition test on Procedures of Comedy or then again any comparable subject just for you Request Now Satire arrives in a wide scope of structures, all of which get a giggle various ways. There are be that as it may, a couple of explicit classifications of parody which become works of art. The best of these incorporate; screwball, running stiflers, mind, set-up and climax, and droll. While these are independent classes of satire, they are frequently utilized together or in different kinds, to effectively create a chuckle. The inquiry is, the thing that makes them work again and again, and the appropriate response lies in like manner variables of every method. A significant factor in parody is the content and utilization of exchange. While exchange isn't similarly significant in a wide range of parody, it is as yet a viable device in delivering an extraordinary satire. The exchange must tie in quick pacing, mind, and satire so as to keep a group of people engaged, all while following the content so as to attract the crowd to the film, and keep them snared. Incredible comedies consistently have remarkable exchange that can make even the most conventional scene, totally silly. At the point when discourse is utilized appropriately, it very well may be satire in itself, or add to another joke. A case of this is the point at which a fundamental character offers an entertaining remark about the foe or another character. The activities of the other character may not be entertaining alone, yet include some critique and it turns out to be amazingly clever. In general, discourse isn't the principle drive behind all comedic structures, as observed in quiet movies, however it is as yet essential to present day parody in its capacity to make common things clever. The following significant factor of an effective satire is the pacing. Quick pacing is the main effective method of making a parody; the crowd should consistently have something to produce a snicker. Crowds are flighty, and making them trust that something will happen will just purpose them to lose intrigue. The pace must be sufficiently quick to keep individuals intrigued, yet it should likewise be at a pace where the crowd can stay aware of the activity. A satire won't be entertaining if the following joke begins before the crowd even giggles at the last one. An extraordinary parody must discover the perfect equalization that won't lose the crowd to weariness, or in a surge. Give the crowd sufficient opportunity to snicker, however don’t let them quit chuckling. Another basic factor in producing an effective satire is in the utilization of montage. Cutting shots between various edges assists with keeping the crowd intrigued by including new point of view, the film should consistently be moving, thus should the camera. This is utilized notwithstanding close-ups and foundation shots during significant arrangements. An extremely viable technique for doing this is exchanging shots between characters during significant comedic groupings. A case of this would be a principle character intended to be entertaining conversing with one of the stale characters, against lighthearted element, and demonstrating their absence of response to something clever done by the primary character. Another technique is changing the camera points while a character experiences issues playing out an errand. A character battling to help a case through an entryway is amusing, however gets old except if you continually montage so as to keep the scene crisp, adding to the pace. Montage is a significant factor in effective parody in light of the fact that a joke needs to remain new so as to be entertaining, as does a satire. The throwing in a film is absolutely critical, as not all individuals are interesting in similar circumstances. Entertainers all have certain comedic jobs, which they best fit into. A genuine looking on-screen character with a harsh voice would not make a decent blockhead character. In the event that that equivalent entertainer is set into the job of a hoodlum with the mentality of a youngster, he turns into an extraordinary comic figure. Throwing is absolutely critical as on-screen characters must accommodate their jobs, while they have more range in parody, they despite everything must be conceivable somewhat. This can be seen by the incredible number of comedies where individuals exit saying; it would have been entertaining or more amusing with another person. Throwing must be done cautiously all together likewise protect that the characters play well against one another. While a developed man acting like a kid is amusing now and again, it turns out to be very compelling when there is another character inciting them to act that way. At long last, throwing decides how the crowd will respond to the story, and whether jokes will be clever when originating from the chose cast. At long last these things attach in to make a comedic film amusing. On the off chance that the methods are utilized appropriately you will make a high vitality satire that will keep the crowd engaged. Genuine works of art have everything that a parody could require, incredible discourse, quick pacing, montage, and extraordinary throwing. At the point when these procedures are utilized together appropriately, a parody can't come up short. The essential objective of a parody is to remain new, and by using these methods, even the most played out situation can get clever once more. Satire has made us giggle for almost a century, and it will keep on inasmuch as it is kept new, new, and energizing. The most effective method to refer to Techniques of Comedy, Essay models

Spring 2018 Transfer Update - UGA Undergraduate Admissions

Spring 2018 Transfer Update - UGA Undergraduate Admissions Spring 2018 Transfer Update Today, our office started reviewing Spring 2018 transfer applications. This is earlier than I expected, but we are way ahead of the timelines we have predicted for Summer/Fall transfers updates and final HS transcript reviews for freshmen. The 8/15 application deadline for spring has not passed and we are still receiving applications and documents, so we cannot say how long it will take us to finish or guess when you will hear a decision. If you applied for the spring term, please be sure to check your Status page to see if we have your most up-to-date transcript(s). If you were enrolled in coursework this summer and have not sent a transcript with your summer grades, you should have one sent as soon as possible. To be complete and ready to review, we must have a transcript from each college/university you havepreviouslyattended. If you are attending a new college starting in the Fall 2017 semester, we do not need a transcript, as there will not be any grades on the transcript. If yo u are admitted, we will need a transcript when fall term is done, though, as we will need to post these grades. Just like Summer and Fall transfer decisions, we will release our decisions every Friday in the late afternoon, and emails will go out to students roughly 15 minutes after a decision is released indicating a change to a students status (no decision information is in the email, as it directs applicants to the status page for a decision). As such, there is no need to constantly check your status page or contact us by email or phone, as we only release decisions by the status page and by mail. Generally, our office reviews transfer files chronologically based on when the file is complete (all materials are in), but this is not set in stone, as some file reviews might be delayed due to the complexity of the transcripts or due to our office not having past data on transferable work from certain colleges. We will be reviewing Spring Freshmen applicants sometime in mid-late September after the deadline has passed and all files are ready for review. Go Dawgs!

Macroeconomic terms - 4408 Words

Macroeconomic Terms Describe the following terms in your words. Term Definition Gross Domestic Product (GDP) The value of all of the goods and services of a nation in a year. Real GDP The value of all of the goods and services based on inflation of a nation in a year. Nominal GDP Market value of all goods and services of a nation in a year, not based on inflation. Unemployment rate The number of all of the unemployed by the number of people in the workforce. Inflation rate The rate that the prices of goods and services are rising. Fiscal Policy The governmental policies which adjust spending. Monetary Policy The governmental policies that help to control the economy. This is done by adjusting the†¦show more content†¦Ã®  Ã® â€šÃ®â‚¬â€™ The aggregate demand curve slopes downward because of the Real-balance, interest rate and open economy effects î  Ã® â€šÃ®â‚¬â€™ According to the real-balance effect, an increase in the price level Reduces an individual s expenditures due to a decrease in the real value of cash balances î  Ã® â€šÃ®â‚¬â€™ According to the interest rate effect, an increase in the price level Increases î â€šÃ®â‚¬â€™ The relationship between the MPC and the MPS indicates that the entire increase in household disposable income is distributed between consumption and saving. î  Ã® â€šÃ®â‚¬â€™ Planned real investment is determined by the rate of interest î  Ã® â€šÃ®â‚¬â€™ What won t cause the planned investment function to shift rightward? A decrease in the interest rate î  Ã® â€šÃ®â‚¬â€™ An increase in the interest rate causes a decrease in the amount of real planned investment î  Ã® â€šÃ®â‚¬â€™ In the Keynesian model equilibrium national income equals planned consumption, investment, government, and net export expenditures î  Ã® â€šÃ®â‚¬â€™ If real GDP falls below total planned expenditures the economy willShow MoreRelatedMacroeconomics Term Paper : Keynesian Economics999 Words   |  4 PagesMacroeconomics Term Paper: Keynesian Economics John Maynard Keynes: A famous economist John Maynard Keynes once said â€Å"by a continuing process of inflation, government can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizen† (Brainy, n.d., p.1). Keynes had studied in an economics and finance program, and he searched for a solution as he felt that a depression in our economy may be rising. 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Benefits of a Household Food Budget - 685 Words

The development process of this household food budget has successfully proven its importance in the household financial management as well as ensuring the meals meet the family nutritional needs with low cost expenditure. Additionally, managing the food budget may also help the family as a unit share quality time together as they tend to eat together more often for dinner. A family can save hundreds of ringgits a year on their grocery bill if they are able to plan and implement an efficient yet functional household food budget plan. Planning in advance have many benefits such as allows the use of food coupons buying food items when they are on sale as well as planning how to utilize left over by creating a variety of different dishes with leftover while keeping the family appetite interest in hand. Budgeting for each and every food items and leaves some columns for comparing brand, type as well as prices in order to be able to get the best deal from the market place. By this way, unnecessary spending on unhealthy food such as junk foods and beverages which are not necessary can be avoided. The reference family definition based on the dietary intake survey consisted of four (4) members with the parents and a pair of son and daughter. In the mean time, as mentioned in the manual, the data from Census 2010 (Malaysia Department of Statistics, 2011) are applied as additional information for this reference family. Moreover, the six food groups that are required as stated byShow MoreRelatedThe Food, Conservation, And Energy Act Essay1369 Words   |  6 PagesThe Food, Conservation, and Energy Act The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act was passed on May 14, 2008 after a historical veto by the President led to an override by Congress to enact the new farm bill into law. The new bill contained numerous provisions in order to truly reform efforts to establish farm and food safety throughout the United States. 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Intelligence Failures 9/11 and Pearl Harbor Essay

Throughout history there are multiple intelligence failures such as 9/11 and Pearl Harbor. These failures are due to intelligence collected which was either delayed or misdirected to the rest of the intelligence community. Both events had catastrophic consequences and yet these tragic events has allowed the intelligence community to develop better security like warning signals and combat readiness to protect the United States. Pearl Harbor is still considered one of the worst intelligence failure in the history of the United States to date. During the upcoming months before the attack the U.S Naval Fleet intercepted and deciphered vast amounts of encrypted messages from Japan’s Imperial Navy. Due to manpower and at the time Japan†¦show more content†¦In the beginning of the Cold War the â€Å"United States had very little SIGNIT intelligence, HUMINT or IMINT intelligence either. This was due to since overflights of Soviet territory were impossible† (Schind ler). Because of this, this caused great delays in trying to infiltrate the Soviet Union and gather intelligence. HUMINT collection at that time was difficult because there was not much known about the Soviet Union and infiltrating Russia was difficult because the lack of intelligence this made is hard when it came o gathering HUMINT intelligence. Another issue the intelligence community ran into was HUMINT collectors were not equipped to understand other languages. This made it hard to recruit sources within the Soviet Union. As the Cold War raged on, the intelligence community along with working in tandem with the U.S government started to develop better technology and have a better understanding of how the Soviet Union works. The United States Airforce started flying dangerous reconnaissance missions through the use of ELINT collection. Unfortunately, many pilots lost their lives due to the Soviet Union shooting down their aircrafts. Later, the United States military revert ed back to SIGNIT intelligence in hopes of having more success. SIGNIT tends to be flexible, and is more responsive for the needs to infiltrate the Soviet Union at that time than any other form of intelligence collection (Aid and Wiebes). Using SIGNIT intelligence and the use ofShow MoreRelatedThe Attack On Pearl Harbor2762 Words   |  12 Pages There are two important dates that reside in the American history in the last century: the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001 (as referred to as September 11th, or 9/11). On these two dates, the surprised events attacked on American civilians and military personnel. Both horrific events have many similarities and many differences in regards to who carried out the attacks, what the objectives were for the attacks and theRead MoreThe Attack On Pearl Harbor1856 Words   |  8 PagesJapanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and September 11, 2001. On these dates, two surprise attacks on American civilians and military personnel showcased U.S. vulnerability to outside forces and united a nation against those that wished to harm her. Both horrific events have many similarities and many differences in regards to who carried out the attacks, what the objectives were for the attacks, and the American response after these i nfamous dates occurred. Unlike September 11, 2011, where a terroristRead MoreToo Great a Challenge: The Mismatch of U.S. Intelligence Capabilities and Mission Prior to Pearl Harbor 2116 Words   |  9 PagesThe U.S. was under-prepared for the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor due to the nascent intelligence communitys inability to determine the time and place of the attack. The question of preventing the attack is beyond the scope of an intelligence agency, such an action is the product of policy. That being said, the intelligence community provided the President with insufficient information to mitigate U.S. losses on the eve of the U.S. entry into World War II. This result was not wholly the responsibilityRead MoreThe Security And Foreign Policy1302 Words   |  6 Pagesenforcement and intelligence is the principal method of accomplishing this (Hughbank Githens, 2010). Intelligence is vital to homeland defense and security. The U.S. intelligence community (IC) has the responsi bility of conducting intelligence activities that are necessary for conducting foreign relations and for the national security of the United States (â€Å"Intelligence Community†, n.d.). The following is a brief report about the U.S. intelligence community and the history of U.S. intelligence and informationRead MoreNational Security And Homeland Security1788 Words   |  8 PagesIntelligence deals with the process in which specific types of information has been collected, analyzed, refined and provided to the policy makers, so that it will be useful to them in decisions making about potential threats to national security and homeland security (Lowenthal, 2014, p. 10). U.S Government has been benefiting from Intelligence information since the beginning of the country, despite the fact that many people thought that U.S intelligence emanated as a result of cold war (FederationRead MoreEssay on We Must Not Treat Muslims as We Treated the Japanese951 Words   |  4 PagesJapa nese nbsp; The terrorist attacks on 9-11 have frequently been analogized to Pearl Harbor. In many ways, the analogy is apt. Just as that attack launched us into World War II, the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon have launched us into a new kind of war, against terrorism. But waging this sort of borderless war poses great risks, not only to the soldiers commanded to fight but also to core American values. In this way, Pearl Harbor raises other disturbing memories, those ofRead MoreThe Attack on Pearl Harbor Essay1680 Words   |  7 Pages 2,403 soldiers were killed in action, 1,178 were wounded in action. Through the misjudgments of numerous U.S. armed forces personnel, the Japanese were able to carry out this terrible attack, which crippled the United States’ Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. â€Å"Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan†¦As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directedRead MorePearl Harbor : Could It Have Been Prevented?1997 Words   |  8 PagesPearl Harbor: Could it Have Been Prevented? Yesterday, December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan (((Frost))). This famous quote is recognized by many across the world. Franklin Delano Roosevelt made that quotation after the Japanese attacked the U.S. airbase in Hawaii. Many people have believed, however, that this attack could have been prevented. The attack on PearlRead MoreIntelligence Failures and Political Realism548 Words   |  2 PagesIntelligence Failures and Political Realism Intelligence Failures: Following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93 on September 11th, 2001, U.S. security and intelligence leaders scrambled for an explanation. While a great many questions over what transpired on 9/11 remain unanswered even to this day, one certainty is that American intelligence experienced its most glaring historical failure since the attack on Pearl Harbor. How these intelligence failuresRead MoreThe Intelligence Failure Of Pearl Harbor3558 Words   |  15 PagesIntelligence failure is not a phenomenon which is new. Over the last hundred years there have been repeated cases of Intelligence failure. When the Intelligence community failed, it often led to significant repercussions for the political side. Sometimes the failure led to massive loss of life like in the example of Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the attacks on the twin towers on September 11, 2001. Most of these cases have been well analyzed and have led the policy makers to adopt reforms to prevent future

Impact of Social Media on Consumer Decisions

Question: Discuss about theImpact of Social Media on Consumer Decisions. Answer: Introduction: The web 2.0 emergence happened to be a significant development towards history of commerce. The social media being the other buzzword that on web 2.0 based is a revolution that not only helps encourage contents those are user generated but also focuses that allows users to exhibit contents and share between networks (de Kervenoael, Aykac, Palmer, 2009). This technical revolution especially presently in last decade drastically has revolutionized the tradition approaches of marketing with the help of social media marketing. This new era of marketing revolutionized the marketers relationship with their distribution channels, retailers and consumers. Being information age the consumers with overwhelming information quantities are overburdened every day (Evans Cothrel, 2014). Thus looking at numerous campaigns related social media, e-commerce websites, forums, sales emails etc. suggest all companies moving towards internet marketing approaches for target audience accessibility and required money in doing so. The approach related traditional advertising of mass communication media like television, magazines and newspaper aims towards conveying to broader audience group messages with the hope in reaching interested few. With much of the stimuli bombardments, the individuals have become more cautious and adjusted to information seeking (Clarke, 2014). Therefore, it is necessary for Wesfarmers to understand reasons regarding particular concern of consumers and seek ways towards speaking individually, or in small groups to customers. Social media marketing is another alternative for interfacing with the consumers to understand their perspective. Therefore, social media focuses on the consumers with market and business perspective that helps marketers with new tools for interacting with the consumers and integrate these onto the brands through process of innovation. Hence, the research aims towards evaluating the impact of the social media on the consumer decisions that requires Wesfarmers a large and successful retail company in Australia with own retail chains has to understand the impact of social media that influences the consumer behaviour related to buying (Wesfarmersonline, 2016). Literature Review and Theoretical Background According to the Janowski and Mohanty (2010), advancement of the internet and Web 2.0 emergence the interconnectivity on the internet has expanded between the individuals. This has helped immensely to enable the development to collaborate on internet among the businesses and the customers. This having emerged based on the social media, that has enabled the consumers with generating content and conduct the online social interactions through the social platforms. There exist various social media tools and platforms, which have facilitated the sharing of information. These tools for instance such as the Wikipedia, an encyclopaedia free online, is one such most popular platform that provides the users with the facility to collaborate through information sharing. The other platforms provide ability related to generating ratings and reviews like the Amazon.com that enables the customer with facility to review the products and rate them. Further, these platform members are interdependent co operatively (Hudson Thal, 2013). The consumers using the social media can create the content and offer to the others valuable advice. The online communities with these new developments and the individuals emerge using this electronic network on the social platforms where these members share quickly and globally the information. The social networks rise has provided with new era related to the creation of content that has given the individuals to share easily the information and the experiences with other social network users (Forbes Forbes, 2013). The online businesses related to next generation shall be according to communities that is better tool for attraction of new customers. Heinonen, (2011) stated that, online communities provide opportunity to companies with good system related to managing customer relationship with new developments to improve business performance. Further, assuming these platforms through social interaction the members become familiar to each other providing trust source possible that greatly influence users buying intention. Simultaneously, it is vital to have business model that adapts to social commerce for companies. Thus, social media provides businesses opportunities to become universally more attractive through the social interactions of the consumers that affect their deci sions. The Hypothesis and Research Questions Hypothesis Null Hypothesis (H0): Social media influences the consumer decision Alternative Hypothesis (H1): Social media do not influence consumer decision Research Questions What factors influence consumer decision process in products and services? How social media influence consumer decision process in Wesfarmer? How influence the consumer decision process related to products/services through social media in Wesfarmer? The Operation and Measurement Definition The study is been based on variables and link impact investigation (Cabosky, 2016). The variables that study uses both dependent and independent variable with social media as dependent variable, which is important part, and consumer decision process as independent variable The Research Design and Methodology: Analysis and Data collection Sampling Techniques This study focuses on primary and secondary data collection. The primary data through both quantitative and qualitative collected. The quantitative data collected from customers through survey method and qualitative data through interview process collected from Wesfarmers managers (Shelton, 2013). Additionally the secondary data collected both from online and offline sources such as journals, websites, newspapers, business magazines and library sources. Through the probabilistic sampling process, the customers surveyed are selected by giving them to participate equal opportunity in survey process. Alternately, through non-probabilistic sampling technique the managers being interviewed are chosen. This is conducted based on the participation process and busy schedule. Customers: Hundred Managers: Three Method of Analysis The quantitative data represented via tools, statistical techniques like graphs, tables, pie chart, and SPSS software while qualitative data is reflected through analysis and presentation (Page Pitt, 2011). Research Process Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Main Activities/ Stages Selection of research area Developing aim, objectives, research questions and research proposal hypotheses Preparation Conduct literature review Identification and selection of data collection methods interview/survey, ethics form preparation Collecting primary data Analyzing data Comparing findings Conclusion recommendations à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   collecting feedback from mentor à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   Finalization and submission Result Expected This study provides that social media impacts consumer decisions regarding Wesfarmers products/services. Conclusion The research helps to conclude the fact that in making purchase decisions are impacted with information that social media provides that helps in decision making regarding products/services. The process is linked with aims and objective towards effectively achieving it. References Cabosky, J. (2016). Social media opinion sharing: beyond volume.Journal Of Consumer Marketing,33(3), 172-181. https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jcm-02-2015-1323 Clarke, R. (2014). The Prospects for Consumer-Oriented Social Media.Organizacija,47(4). https://dx.doi.org/10.2478/orga-2014-0024 de Kervenoael, R., Aykac, D., Palmer, M. (2009). Online social capital: Understanding e-impulse buying in practice.Journal Of Retailing And Consumer Services,16(4), 320-328. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2009.02.007 Evans, D. Cothrel, J. (2014).Social customer experience. Indianapolis, Ind.: Sybex/John Wiley Sons. Forbes, L. Forbes, L. (2013). Does Social Media Influence Consumer Buying Behavior? An Investigation Of Recommendations And Purchases.Journal Of Business Economics Research (JBER),11(2), 107. https://dx.doi.org/10.19030/jber.v11i2.7623 Heinonen, K. (2011). Consumer activity in social media: Managerial approaches to consumers' social media behavior.Journal Of Consumer Behaviour,10(6), 356-364. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cb.376 Hudson, S. Thal, K. (2013). The Impact of Social Media on the Consumer Decision Process: Implications for Tourism Marketing.Journal of Travel Tourism Marketing,30(1-2), 156-160. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2013.751276 Page, K. Pitt, L. (2011). Web 2.0, Social Media, and Creative Consumers: Special Issue.Journal of Consumer Behaviour,10(6), i-iii. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cb.390 Shelton, T. (2013).Business models for the social mobile cloud. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons. Wesfarmersonline. (2016).Wesfarmers.com.au. Retrieved 25 August 2016, fromhttps://www.wesfarmers.com.au/ Janowski, T. and Mohanty, H. (2010). Distributed computing and internet technology. Berlin: Springer.

BP Amoco Essays - Standard Oil, Amoco, BP, Big Oil, Petroleum

BP Amoco BP Amoco British Petrochemical Corporation registered on April 14, 1909, as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, Ltd. It was named the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, Ltd., in 1935 and changed its name to the British Petroleum Company Limited in 1954. The current name was adopted in 1982. The company's headquarters are in London. The Anglo-Persian Oil Company was formed in 1909 to take over and finance an oil-field concession granted in 1901 by the Iranian government to an English investor, William Knox D'Arcy. (Britannica) In 1914 the British government became the company's principal stockholder and over the years was usually the largest single stockholder. Effective January 1, 1955, British Petroleum became a holding company. In the beginning of the 1977 the British government reduced its ownership of BP by selling shares to the public, and in the late 1980s the government turned over BP entirely to private ownership by selling its remaining shares of the company. In 1987 BP acquired the remainder of the Standard Oil Company for almost $8 billion reinforcing its position as one of the largest oil companies in the world. Amoco Corporation formerly Standard Oil Company, American petroleum corporation, was founded in 1889 by the Standard Oil trust to direct the refining and marketing of oil in the Midwestern states. The company's first refinery, outside Whiting, Ind., produced fuel oil, kerosene, and other petroleum products. Around 1910 Standard Oil developed the cracking process, which became the most important method fro producing gasoline from petroleum. In 1911 the U.S. Supreme Court dissolved the nationwide Standard Oil trust, and Standard Oil (Indiana) became independent. Its headquarters are in Chicago. (Britannica) In the 1920 Standard Oil acquired partial interest in companies that owned Midwestern oil fields and pipeline networks in order to add production to its refining and marketing operations. In the 1950s Standard Oil became active in oil exploration and production ventures in South America and the Middle East. In 1961 most of the company's U.S. operating activities were unified in the American oil company, for which Standard Oil (Indiana) served as a holding company. The byname Amoco was increasingly used as a brand and corporate name. In 1985 the Standard Oil Company (Indiana) became officially the Amoco Corporation. On December 30,1998, BP and Amoco confirmed that the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has granted regulatory approval for the merger of the two companies and that completion of the deal will take place at year-end. Both companies agreed to intend to close the transaction shortly after 2100 hours London time on December 31, 1998, when Amoco's stock will leave the Standard Poor 500 and the shares of the merged group, BP Amoco p.l.c., will be listed on the London Stock Exchange. With a market capitalization of more than $140 billion, BP Amoco p.l.c. is the Britain's biggest company and one of the world's top three oil majors. "We aim to play a leading role in meeting the world's needs for oil, gas, solar power and petrochemicals without damaging the environment." BP AMOCO'S WORLD The BP Amoco group stands out as a complete provider of energy and petrochemicals. Every day they serve millions of customers with products to the quality of their lives ? fuel for transport, energy for heat and light, solar power, and petrochemicals for plastics, fibres and fabrics. Explorers from Amoco and BP have led the way in finding the world's giant oil and gas fields and getting energy to the world's marketplace. According to Larry Fuller and Peter Sutherland, co-chairmen, the meeting the demand of energy calls for a blend of outstanding human and technical skills, sophisticated global organization and two-way relationships with local communities, customers, contractors, partners, government and employees. BP Amoco's aim is to be successful in everything they do by delivering outstanding performance. Their business is about discovery ? about finding, producing and marketing the natural energy resources on which the modern world depends. Their sales revenues, market value, and oil and gas reserves make BP Amoco one of the three largest integrated energy companies in the world. They operate in one hundred countries on six continents. Each day they generate almost three million barrels of oil equivalent production, of which sixty-five percent is oil and thirty-five percent natural gas. They have well-established operations in Europe, North and South America, Australia and much of Africa. BP Amoco is distinguished by the financial resources to operate on a global scale, the technical capacity to seize opportunities, and a flexible management structure. The core of their business is a world-class set of assets. In Britain they are the largest producer of oil and gas from the North Sea and West of

Free Essays on Religion

World Views on Religion Religion is the eternal search for the divine. This quest has been sought after since the dawn of mankind. Over time there have been countless types of religions. People have died for their religion, people have killed for their religion and people have dedicated their lives to their religion. With such a powerful force as religion it is no wonder why people are so dedicated to their beliefs. Due to this fact it is easy to see why there is so much conflict in regards to this driving force. There are many types of world views that define the meaning of religion. I feel that religion is a choice of a person’s beliefs and the goals in their daily lifestyle they wish to pursue. Every culture in the religious world differs from one another. The question we ask ourselves is what is the difference? The beliefs of the eastern philosophies have a different outlook on religions than the western philosophies. In the western beliefs, people focus on the question in relation to one single god and its overall relationship with the universe and mankind. In the eastern beliefs people analyze the factual details in life and nature and the spirituality in life. As of my own personal views on religion as a whole, I believe that it works as a foundational â€Å"brace† for humankind. It allows a culture to follow traditions in their religion to reach their goals and moral standards.... Free Essays on Religion Free Essays on Religion It is important to show simultaneously the exceptional and the common, the national and the universal, the realistic and the mystical. The moment a writer attempts to generalize a problem and see it on an expansive scale, he stops being a writer. It is only after his literary endeavor is completed that he may go and make a speech in support of a candidate or a loved one. His novel, however, must not be a political dissertation. The role of literature is not to analyze ideas but to describe experiences. Frankly, mixing social and political issues with writing is not a very healthy practice: its outcome will reside outside true literature. True literature focuses on experiences and situations. When you read the Bible, you do not know what somebody was thinking, but you always know what the person was doing. People may sit and talk for hours about what they are thinking, but it is only through their action that we may judge their true colors. It is a heresy of our times that we use our thoughts and moods as the yardsticks in appraising almost everything that is around us. Instead of searching for words, the contemporary art of writing consists of restricting them so much that they become cliches. I refer to such words as good, bad, decent, immoral, charming, ugly, noble, abstract, cunning, talented those and many others which have been emasculated. Talents are born; I do not believe talent can be achieved through hard work. Genes do not produce many talents, in every generation talent is a rarity. Talent is a freak of nature. At the same time, it would only be fair to say that a talented person may write bad novels and bad stories. AZ-B: How do you write? IBS: In my early days, I wrote in the third person, now in the first, but I will go back to narrate in the third person. I write with a pen, then I type, but I find it more and more difficult to write by hand. I think I will soon switch over to a typewri... Free Essays on Religion case for prayer in school Many people believe that prayer and religion should be placed in schools for the betterment of children of all ages and society as a whole. There are many strong opposing facts to say why prayer and religion should not be allowed in schools. Those who feel religion has a place in school say that the violence of the world would be diminished with religion and prayer in schools. While those who feel otherwise believe prayer in school would not do any good and that it blatantly violates the 1st and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution. In this paper I will argue why religion and prayer should be placed in school to increase morale and behavior of children, and how prayer in school would decrease violence in and out of school. The separation of Church and State is a fundamental principle of American government which rests primarily on the Constitution's First Amendment, which states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." While many may argue that prayer in school violates the constitution, our First Amendment didn't separate God and government but actually encouraged religion. The First Amendment of the Constitution declares that the federal government cannot establish one religion for all of the people. The simple idea of everyone in our nation being limited to one form of religion is inconceivable. The second section insists that the government should do nothing to prevent people from exercising religion. But forbidding officiated prayer in schools discourages religion, doesn't it? The founders of the Constitution recognized the freedom of religion as an important factor in establishing a democracy. The government is not upholding their part of the Constitution. They are trying to tell people that saying prayers in public school is unconstitutional. I attended a public school which allowed us to pray before class. Pray... Free Essays on Religion While other religions are precisely defined by explicit and often unyielding beliefs, Hinduism condones no such constraints. For the Hindu, intuition is far more important than intellect; experience supercedes dogma; and personal realization is held infinitely more precious than outer expressions or affiliations of faith. Philosopher and once President of India, S. Radhakrishnan said it well: "The mechanical faith which depends on authority and wishes to enjoy the consolations of religion without the labor of being religious is quite different from the religious faith which has its roots in experience." Hindu religious philosophy is based on experience, on personal discovery and testing of things. It does not say, "Believe as others do or suffer." Rather, it says, "Know thy Self, inquire and be free." There are no heretics in Hinduism, for God is everywhere and in all things. In such an open laboratory, Hindu spirituality has grown over the millennia so diverse and rich that it defies definition. Even knowledgeable Hindus, after a lifetime of study, will hesitate to say that Hinduism is one thing and not another. Indeed, the very idea of a Hindu catechism is, for many, unthinkable, a perilous and impertinent pursuit. Until now, no one has attempted such a complete overview, making this a rare, and perhaps remarkable, book. One might even say an inevitable one. If, therefore, in undertaking the impossible we have overlooked any lineage, neglected any tradition or vital issue, please call to mind that it is human to err and only God is perfect and find room in your heart to overlook a ny oversight. A simple warning is due. This collection of customs and beliefs is not a detached, scholastic analysis of Hinduism, but a view from the inside, a view of the religion as Hindus themselves would wish their tradition honored and explained to others. Nor is this yet another dogma added to the mountains of doctrines and decrees which ha... Free Essays on Religion Religion is part and parcel to every culture’s worldview. Religion serves to answer questions, which otherwise are beyond a group’s control. Whereas in most complex cultures religion has a certain time and place, amongst structurally simpler societies, religion is inextricably weaved in the fabric of their existence. The supernatural beings that are specific to a certain culture can be grouped into several categories. First, there are gods and goddesses. A pantheistic religion has several gods and goddesses. Goddesses are most prominent in societies where women play a significant role in the economy and in egalitarian economies. Second, ancestral spirits resemble humans in their appetites, feelings, emotions and behavior. Ancestral spirits reinforce social reality. Third, we have animism, a belief that nature is energized by distinct personalized spirits, separate from bodies. This belief is popular amongst people who view themselves as a part of nature rather than supe rior to it. Fourth, is animatism; a belief that nature is enlivened by a certain impersonal spiritual power. Religious specialists, also known as priest priestesses, and shamans serve to guide and supplement religious practices. All cultures have religious rituals that mark important events in the persons life. These rites of passage have three different cycles, including separation, transition, and incorporation. Witchcraft serves as a means for people to explain their personal misfortunes. It allows them to place blame on something or someone else rather than to take responsibility of their own actions. Religon serves many functions, some of them which include, building social solidarity, and providing guidelines of acceptable conduct.... Free Essays on Religion Religion: Important or Insignificant? Religion is a very vital and meaningful thing in most people’s lives. Each person believes in a type of religion to guide their lives or doesn’t believe in it at all. This is an important ethical issue to Americans and world citizens that involves questions of duty, consequences, and moral reconstruction and was highly recognized by many famous philosophers such as Immanuel Kant, John Dewey, Karl Marx, and Augustine. Dewey begins by claiming that doubt or insecurity creates the quest for certainty. Before there was modern science, religion had an answer to all questions about the world and any doubt was resolved by religious explanations. "Unity of thought and practice extended down to every detail of the management of life; effectiveness of its operation did not depend upon thought. It was guaranteed by the most powerful and reliable of all social institutions."(Pg. 291) This â€Å"powerful authority† was religion and it was very useful in sustaining a stable social system in times when security was hard to come by. Religion’s function was to provide certainty, but the development of science began eating away at away this single reality. Dewey defined religion as the higher realm, "consisting of the powers which determine human destiny in all important affairs"(Pg. 290). The other significant field of exploration was man’s own skill or matter-of-fact insight. Based on the same concept as mathematics, the idea of having a purely logical and rational knowledge became very important. Many people began to believe that this â€Å"rational ideal† was exercised in science. Science tended to have â€Å"explained† many things that led to a questioning of the importance of religion in people’s daily lives. Science uses an experimental procedure in order to draw conclusions about a given situation. The use of the experimental method in order to determine things was changing the way one ha... Free Essays on Religion There is nothing more powerful than a strong belief, it is what pushes a zealot, and it is what brings people together. Religion is the core of civilization, but is it still needed in today’s society? In the past it has been used to placate people during hardships, to make them realize that no matter how bad things are now, there will come a time of peace. It doesn’t matter if life is tough and there is no reason to fear death, because in the end all righteous people will reach a better place. There are no highs nor lows, tremendous victories, or crushing defeats, they are all gods’ will and you are no more than a pawn in a cosmic game of chess between good and evil. This is why religion is not as widespread and zealously followed in a place like the United States as it is in most third world countries. Citizens of the United States are living the good life, we are rewarded for the work we do, we don’t have widespread poverty and starvation there is a sense of security v! irtually all the time. People in third world countries don’t have the luxuries of a nice house, or warm meal like we do, and in many of those countries violence is a daily occurrence. Gunfire and bombings do irreparable damage to the human psyche, these people need something to cling to, and when death is everywhere it is something you worry about on a daily basis. "As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation. But how has it happened that millions of fables, tales, legends, have been blended with both Jewish and Christian revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that ever existed?" - John Adams, letter to F.A. Van der Kamp, Dec. 27, 1816 The danger of religion lies in belief and how it affects desperate and evil people. Being raised in a shack, sleeping on a dirt floor, eating spoiled food, and the interminable presence of death are the fuel for the fire. In the United States we worry about television ... Free Essays on Religion No part of the Bible and its interpretation is more controversial than the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is the last profound book in the New Testament. It conveys the significant purpose of Christianity by describing God’s plan for the world and his final judgment of the people by reinforcing the importance of faith and the concept of Christianity as a whole. This book was written by John in 95 or 96 AD. What is, what has been, and what is to come is the central focus of the content in Revelation. Literalist fundamentalists read Revelation’s multivalent visions as predictions of doom and threat, of punishment for the many and salvation for the elect few. Scholarly scientific readings seek to translate the book’s ambiguity into one-to-one meanings and to transpose its language of symbol and myth into description and facts. In Elisabeth Schà »ssler Fiorenza’s The Book of Revelation: Justice and Judgment, a third way of reading Revelation is depicted. The collection of essays in this book seeks to intervene in scholarly as well as popular discourses on the apocalypse from a liberationist feminist perspective. The first two parts of the book discuss the kind of theological-historical perspective and ecclesial situation that determines the form-content configuration of Revelation. The first section attempts to assess the theological commonality to and differences from Jewish apocalypticism. Fiorenza focuses of the problem that although Revelation claims to be a genuinely Christian book and has found its way into the Christian canon, it is often judged to be more Jewish than Christian and not to have achieved the â€Å"heights† of genuinely early Christian theology. In the second part of the book, Fiorenza seeks to assess whether and how much Revelation shares in the theological structure of the Fourth Gospel. Fiorenza proposes that a careful analysis of Revelation would suggest that Pauline, Johannine, and C... Free Essays on Religion â€Å"All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.†(Romans 3:23) The fall of man- it’s a common topic all throughout the Bible. Many allusions to this familiar Biblical theme are made in the war-time novel, A Separate Peace, by American author John Knowles. In this work, Knowles relates many of his experiences as a teenage boy attending boarding school during World War Two. He uses Biblical allusions to reveal much about human nature. In Genesis 4:3-5 the Bible says, â€Å"In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Able brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry and his face was downcast.† Much like Cain’s jealousy toward his brother Abel in Genesis, the protagonist Gene is often placing himself in competition with his best friend and worst enemy, Phineas. Phineas, affectionately known as Finny is much like Able. He is innocent and pure in his views on life and others. Knowles says he â€Å",Did abide by certain rules which he seemed to cast in the form of Commandments. (Pg 26)† Able was honest and wise by choosing to follow God’s orders. Thus, God was pleased with Able’s offering. Cain, on the other hand was quite the opposite. He is presented as being rather depraved and corrupted. In this way, Gene is similar to Cain. In the book Gene realizes the grip that sin has on his soul and claims, â€Å"It was just some ignorance inside me, some crazy thing inside me, something blind, that’s all it was. (Pg 183) † Unfortunately, Gene, like Cain, becomes consumed with jealousy of Phineas, due to the realization that he can never be as good as Finny- morally or athletically. The reader sees this when Gene states that, â€Å"there never was and never could have been any rivalry between us. I was not of the same... Free Essays on Religion A religion is a system of beliefs usually involving the worship of supernatural forces or beings. Religious beliefs provide shape and meaning to one's perception of the universe. In other words, they provide a sense of order in what might otherwise be seen as a chaotic existence. Religions also provide understanding and meaning for inexplicable events such as a loved one being killed in an earthquake or some other unpredictable force of nature. For most religious people, their beliefs about the supernatural are at the very core of their worldviews. Karl Marx declared that as society changes so does religion. Marx’s opposition to this was from Max Webber who stated that religious ideas and beliefs shape changes in society. Although these men had varying ideals of society and religion, it is my belief that neither of them is incorrect in their thinking. When one looks at the origin of the major religions throughout the world one notices on important fact about each one. Each religion was created, by man, after the creation of the group of people who follow it. Marx was correct in his belief tat social changes bring on religious changes. Religions fulfill psychological needs. They help us confront and explain death. They help relieve our fears and anxieties about the unknown. Supernatural powers and beings may be appealed to or manipulated by people in times of crisis, as for example in praying to win a war or survive a fierce storm. Religions help ease the stress during life crises such as birth, marriage, serious illness, and death. It is not a coincidence that in most societies the "rites of passage" that are performed to help people adjust to these often highly emotional transitions are strongly religious. We also get psychological relief from "divinely given" moral codes. They lift some of the burden of decision making from our shoulders in difficult situations because they tell us what is right and wrong. Knowi... Free Essays on Religion What do I think about religion? That is a very tough question to ask myself. The first thing that comes to mind is what I was taught as a younger version of myself. That religion, in my case Christianity, was what my family did on Sundays. I was taught that religion was the reason I was here and why I continue to be here. It was a place and a thing of comfort. It had all the answers, except when it came to the point where I actually needed them. I was taught that the reason religion was around is to give the people that believe in it, hope. It was also our job to tell the people who did not believe that they should. Over the 23 years of my life I had had many â€Å"religious† experiences some good most bad. I have had a very tumultuous life in which I have been an inch away from death 3 times, in a coma for 2 weeks, and had many surgeries, most poignantly the removal of my left lung when I was 2 and a Kidney Transplant 1  ½ years ago. Now the reason I call these â€Å"religious† experiences is that my parents believe that God saved me. Also they think that I was â€Å"saved† for some reason that I have not figured out yet. They also believe that He (being God, of course) will show me the way. The reasoning for all this back story on me is so that you might understand what I think religion is, not necessarily what it was meant to be, but what I think it is now. I think religion originally intended on being exactly what my parents sought to teach me, a place of hope, faith, and love; knowing that some higher power is up there watching out for us. After many long years and numerous churches, youth groups, pastors, and sermons, I have come to think something entirely different from anyone else I know. Religion has come to be a place where the people who are â€Å"allowed in† come to bask in their own self-righteousness. It is an institution of separation. I am not saying that there is no such thing as religion any more, I... Free Essays on Religion Many people may be wondering what religion is exactly? Religion is a sacred engagement in which is believed to be a spiritual reality. Religion is a worldwide event that has played a part in all human culture and it is a much broader, more complex category than the set of beliefs or practices found in any single religion tradition. In all cultures, human being make a practice of interacting with what are taken to be spiritual powers. These powers may be in the form of god, spirits, ancestors, or any kind of sacred reality with which humans believe themselves to be connected. Sometimes a spiritual power is understood broadly as a complete reality, and sometimes it is approached through its appearance in special symbols. It may be regarded as external to the self, internal, or both. People interact with such presence in sacred manner-that is, with reverence and care. Religion is the term most commonly used to designate this difficult and different area of human experience. Where did religion come from? The word religion is derived from the Latin noun religio, which denotes both earnest observance of obligations and an inward spirit of reverence. Ways of Defining Religion In modern usage, religion covers a wide range of meanings that reflect the huge variety of ways the term can be interpreted. At one extreme, many committed believers recognize only their own traditions as a religion, understanding expressions such as worship and prayer to refer completely to the practices of their tradition. Some see religion-for example, â€Å" true love of God†, or â€Å" the path of enlightenment.† On the other hand it could be equated wit ignorance, passion, or wishful thinking. By defining religion as a sacred engagement with what is taken to be a spiritual reality, it is possible to consider the importance of religion in human life without making claims about what it really is or ought to be. Religion is not an object with a single, fixed defin... Free Essays on Religion Religion Religion in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's was seen as a spiritual movement and today since times have changed it is more what God can do for me than what I can do for God. So if we are to view in proper perspective the spiritual and religious conflicts of our age, as they are reflected in drama and fiction, then we must look at the outset to understand the nature of the relationship between literature and belief. Nothing is harder for a writer to write how they view religion or anyone else for that matter because it does not always go along with society’s ideals or views. Religion itself to day is seen as a joke especially with the televised religion that just takes money out of your pocket. After the attack on 9-11 and the war with Iraq this nation has started to turn towards God again, but honestly they are still to impatient because they don’t understand why things happen or for what reason. The world is running on time instead of patience or faith and that is wh at has lead this world into a downfall with religion. My father is almost fifty-one years old and grew up in a time in this country when there was a great spiritual awakening and a sensitivity to the things that pertained to God and it seemed like with religion, it didn’t matter what you believed there was a sacredness to it. For example in the Protestant religion they communed with God in their daily lives, either through their own understanding of the Bible or through experience with the Holy Spirit, and therefore needed no special rituals to secure or strengthen their faith. In practice, though, Protestants depended primarily on the Sunday service to preserve and reinforce their religious sentiments. It was in the church that people felt closest to God. It was there they heard the sermons that explained the Bible and upheld the evangelical ideal of moral behavior. My father said the he has seen many changes over the last few decades. His view on t... Free Essays on Religion According to the dictionary "religion is the service and worship of God or the supernatural."1 I challenge that definition. It is true that all religions do involve the worship of some supernatural force, however, it is also true that no religion in history has ever stopped at that. For a more complete definition of the word religion we also have to examine two other aspects. How has it affected man over the centuries? And what is the true motivation of its leadership? Some would have you believe that it has brought peace and harmony to the world and that its leaders are motivated by the service of their god. I suggest that a more accurate definition of word would be as follows. Religion, a feudal system of government which uses fear, hate and sometimes lies to control and manipulate people for the betterment of a select group of individuals. To better illustrate this point let's look at just three of the countless examples that human history has to offer. The Inquisition, "judicial institution, established by the papacy in the Middle Ages, charged with seeking out, trying, and sentencing people guilty of heresy."2 Heretics were considered enemies of the state. The penalty for heresy was torture and death. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ, "Jesus was taken to Golgotha and nailed to a cross, the Roman punishment for political offenders and criminals."2 The Crusades, "The name Crusade (from Latin, "Cross") was also applied, to the wars against pagan peoples, Christian heretics, and political foes of the papacy."2 All three examples illustrate how man has used God to justify his greed and quest for power. When the leadership was challenged, it used devine decree to justify the murder and torture of the innocent. We are expected to believe that a non-physical being order the religious leadership to aquire riches and land, ofte n at the demise of the poor and helpless. The misuse of God isn't limited to the Ancient world. Today we have... Free Essays on Religion Ethical Values In The Old Testament How we live our lives is governed by ethics. Ethics is â€Å"human moral conduct according to principles of what is good or right to do.† Our ethical values today descend primarily from a Christian ethic in which â€Å"a truly ethical decision, we are told, must be spontaneous, undirected, free - the individual's unfettered and uncoerced response to each new decision-demanding situation.† The ethical values of today, especially Christian ethics, borrow and carry forward the Hebrew ethics of the past. Yet it is hardly fair to explain Old Testament ethics with only what was borrowed from it. What sets Judaism apart from other religions of the time was its monotheistic basis. The ethics of Judaism is historical and traditional as opposed to philosophical and theoretical. â€Å"In Israel, for the first time, an ethical conception of God is attained, and this not philosophically but historically; while its view of the moral life is certain of justification not only by reason but by history.† Thus God is looked at as an ethical personality and is looked to as an example of good and right. In the Old Testament, God's voluntary (voluntary for God) covenant with man must be looked at as the prime example of ethical value. The covenant's requirements is the source of all ethics, morals, laws, and justice in the Old Testament. The Mosaic Covenant is the best example of ethical values and norms in the Old Testament. The Mosaic Covenant has three parts; the Decaloque, the Covenant Code; and the Holiness Code. The Decaloque is made up of apodictic (or absolute) law, it is unconditional and has no â€Å"ifs or buts† about it. This is commonly refereed to as the "Ten Commandments." Although legally vague these commandments are the basics for all ethical norms in the Old Testament. The Covenant Code is made up of casuistic (or conditional) law, it has a characteristic ... Free Essays on Religion Throughout the ages of Christianity, there have been many drawbacks to this cause. Many leaders among the Christian community were persecuted due to the disbelief of Christ being the Messiah among pagan worshipers, heathens, and even other credible religious leaders. This persecution more often led to death, or other horrifying results. But no matter what horrendous effects, there was always a brighter side causing the Christian faith to grow even stronger. Because of Rome’s strictness in following the laws and rules, they were very tradition bound. Many of the Pharisees were determined that the Old Testament was the only acceptable basis of religious law that the people of Rome should follow. The believed that Elijah was the Messiah, and they were waiting for his return. They also didn’t expect a â€Å"Messiah† to act the way that Christ did, having anything to do with sinners was looked down upon. However, after Christ’s death and resurrection, the disciples were told to go out into the world and spread the good news of their salvation. This didn’t appeal to the Pharisees at all, and they immediately set out to stop this message of freedom. The religious officials continuously put Simon and Peter in jail, Stephen was stoned to death, and there have been accounts of John’s attempted murder in boiling hot oil. Many Christians were flogged, stoned to death, skinned alive, fed to lions, an d many more gruesome things. Nero burned half of Rome and then blamed the Christians, he even dipped some in kerosene and then lit them on fire so that there was light for the sporting events. Peter was even crucified, but he didn’t feel he deserved to die the same way as Christ so he was crucified upside-down. Persecution was so bad that Christians were accused of having a â€Å"hatred for the human race,† cannibalism, and incest. The response of the Christians has a lot to do with the influence upon the church. The Bible sta... Free Essays on Religion World Views on Religion Religion is the eternal search for the divine. This quest has been sought after since the dawn of mankind. Over time there have been countless types of religions. People have died for their religion, people have killed for their religion and people have dedicated their lives to their religion. With such a powerful force as religion it is no wonder why people are so dedicated to their beliefs. Due to this fact it is easy to see why there is so much conflict in regards to this driving force. There are many types of world views that define the meaning of religion. I feel that religion is a choice of a person’s beliefs and the goals in their daily lifestyle they wish to pursue. Every culture in the religious world differs from one another. The question we ask ourselves is what is the difference? The beliefs of the eastern philosophies have a different outlook on religions than the western philosophies. In the western beliefs, people focus on the question in relation to one single god and its overall relationship with the universe and mankind. In the eastern beliefs people analyze the factual details in life and nature and the spirituality in life. As of my own personal views on religion as a whole, I believe that it works as a foundational â€Å"brace† for humankind. It allows a culture to follow traditions in their religion to reach their goals and moral standards....

Summarise and critically review the RationalEmotive model of Essay

Summarise and critically review the RationalEmotive model of psychological therapy - Essay Example This therapy helps the patients to recognize the difference between the two negative emotions. The Rational-Emotive Behavioural Therapy was proposed by Albert Ellis in 1955. Albert Ellis belonged to the psychoanalysis branch of psychology, but after noticing that the traditional techniques of helping individuals resolve their negative emotions took too long he developed a significant approach in solving their problems. He named it REBT (Rational-Emotive Behavioural Therapy). This technique can be differentiated from the other psychoanalysis methods due to its unique philosophy that an individual has the power to change and influence their beliefs and philosophy in order to gain mastery over themselves. Using their own thoughts patients following the REBT can radically change their mental health and break loose of traumatic situations. (Mulhauser, 2008) REBT employs the ABC Framework. The "A" stands for the Activating event. The activation event includes the actual event and more importantly the individual's immediate interpretation of it. The same event may trigger different emotions in different people. Some people may react to a death in the family by accepting the event whereas others may retreat into a protective shell avoiding the truth. The "B" stands for Beliefs. The beliefs of an individual are moulded by his experiences and related to their capacity of comprehending the event. Whether one takes a Rational Approach to the event or an Irrational Approach to analyzing the event relies solely on the individual's own beliefs. The last stage recognized in the framework is the Consequences. In the last stage of the framework a person actually reaches an opinion. In this stage he builds either a Healthy Negative Emotion or an Unhealthy Negative Emotion. Keeping the framework in mind a summarized version of events leading to the Consequences is discussed. A negative event occurs (stage A). The person can either have a Rational Approach to analyse the event which would lead to a Healthy Negative Emotion which is not a cause for concern. On the other hand he may take an Irrational Approach to analyse the event which would lead to an Unhealthy Negative Emotion. The main therapeutic technique relies on helping the individual realize that everything, even his emotions and beliefs are under his control. (REBTN, 2006) THE THERAPEUTIC APPROACH TO REBT The basic technique applied by psychoanalysts using the REBT technique is the moulding of the client's absolutist philosophies. The main aim is to modify dysfunctional emotions and to help the client recognize the beliefs and attitudes which bring the unwanted states and to change them into positive emotions. The most unique element of this therapeutic technique is that therapy can still take place even after sessions have ended with psychiatrists as this approach helps individuals deal with themselves and accept themselves and their problems. (PsychNet) APPRAISALS OF REBT As mentioned earlier one of the positive aspect of REBT is that it is an effective way of helping out the client even after the sessions are over. Since it bestows the client with self belief he can not only handle the present problem but can face any future challenge as well. It provides an individual with the self control he requires to manage his everyday life and problems. Another reason stated by clients using REBT is that it

Object Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Object - Essay Example The cup seemed to follow three geometrical figures, of a cone, a circle and a triangle. The main portion of the cup reminded me of an inverted cone though unfinished towards the cup’s base, thanks to the circular shape that is needed to balance its weight. The handle of the cup stood out from usual designs, by its triangular shape. The size of the cup made me apprehensive of its practical use, of holding it filled with tea, as it was just 10 centimeters tall and 7 centimeters in diameter. However, I was willing to buy it even as a showpiece, and the prize was not exorbitant. I just made sure in the shop that my two fingers can be inserted in the handle and that the cup does not tilt when I hold it. When I reached home, I tried using it as a teacup and was glad to find out that even with tea filled to its rim, the cup does not tilt, and the shape of the handle distanced my fingers from direct contact with the surface of the cup immediately near the hot content inside. The design is proportionate and pragmatic. The small base and expanding mouth of the cup is complemented by its triangular handle, expanding with the shape of the cup towards the tip. The color design is also in accordance with the shape of the cup. The predominant color, yellow, makes the cup look bigger than it is and the circles among the yellow surface and the border at the top in bright red color gives it the grand look that can be achieved only with the judicious bland of colors and shapes. To emphasize the handle, the yellow and red combination does not apply to its base and is instead painted white. The outer portion of the handle is yellow in color, while its inner portion is white. The bright red border extends to a very small portion of the inner surface of the cup, decorating its rim. The inner portion is a pure, spotless white. One functional aspect that I discovered about the extension of the red border

The Fast Food And Quick Service Restaurant Industry Marketing Essay

The Fast Food And Quick Service Restaurant Industry Marketing Essay For the mid-term paper I have chosen the food beverage category from the 2008 Inc 500 list. Companies in this industry are involved in processing, packaging and delivering of food and beverage. This includes prepared foods, packaged foods, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. The company with the highest revenue on this list is Wingstop with revenue of $206.6 million in 2008 and the company with the highest growth rate is The Snack Factory with a growth as high as 18,371.3%. The company in lowest quartile of the top 2008 Inc. 500 Food Beverage list that I think will move up the most positions is a company called Saladworks. In this paper I will evaluate for the different companies what industry they are in and if it is an attractive industry. I will use Michael Porters five basic competitive forces to evaluate the competition and profitability of the industries. The basic forces are threat of new entrants, power of suppliers, power of customers, threat of substitutes and rivalry among existing competitors. For Wingstop and The Snack Factory I will further evaluate positioning, competitive advantage, trends, customers, products, business model, core competencies and competition for each. For Saladworks I will explain why I think they will move up the most positions. Wingstop is a Restaurant chain serving made-to-order buffalo chicken wings, side dishes and beer in 28 states across the U.S. (Inc 500) The company was founded in 1994 and was successful in creating a niche in chicken dining. They started franchising in 1997 and have a nostalgic, aviation-theme in their restaurants. The industry that they are in is the fast food and quick-service restaurant industry. I will have a look at industry competition to evaluate if this is an attractive industry. The threat of new entrants in this industry is moderate. There are some important barriers to entry but the lack of some significant ones makes it vulnerable. The barriers that are in place are high investments and high fixed costs. Especially marketing and advertising costs to keep existing customers and getting new ones are high for the big chains. There is relatively high degree of brand loyalty to some branded chains and franchise licenses are protected as intellectual property. The barriers that are not in place includes the absent of economics of scale meaning even small local stores can be profitable. Many consumers are also price sensitive and the cost of switching is low. Because of the lack of some of the most important barriers the threat of new entries is substantial. The power of suppliers in this industry is considerable but mostly for small restaurants. The distribution to the fast food chains is dominated by a few large suppliers that can put pressure on smaller businesses. But with the bigger chains like McDonalds the suppliers stand weaker in a bargaining situation. The power of customers and the pressure they can put on the industry is relatively moderate. This is because the consumers in principle can produce the product themselves if they want. They are also price-sensitive so the prices are kept low and it doesnt cost customers anything to switch to an alternative product. The threat of substitutes in the industry is high. Fast food faces constant competition from home cooked food. In addition the fast food product is not differentiated and consumers can easily go from McDonalds to for example Burger King. The price for most fast foods is in the same low range and it is easy to switch to an alternative restaurant. Rivalry among existing competitors is also high. There are many small players with the same size but in the high end a number of big franchise chains. They have many of the same strategies such as low price, quick service and quality. There is almost no differentiation between the businesses and the growth of one company goes on the expense of a competitor so spending on advertising tends to be high. The industry has suffered a lot of criticism coming from the high coverage of negative health effects and obesity from diverse media. Even do rivalry between competitors is high and there is a lot of negative media coverage this is an attractive industry to be in. People are still buying these often calorie busting products and the sales were more than $180 billion in 2007. (Hoovers) Positioning Wingstop position itself as healthy finger food chain. They use lot of funds to market that the chain is not selling unhealthy fast food and that they always serve fresh homemade food. Their competitive advantages include their award-winning recipes and simple concept, but also important is their marketing and distribution partnership with high profile American football team Dallas Cowboys. Their deal with the team has made them the exclusive chicken wing vendor in the team stadium and also made a lot of hype around the chain. With more than 600 open or under development restaurants in 27 states they have proven that the concept is scalable in the U.S. The simple concept of selling just chicken wings with some side dishes has been well received by the public. Scalability internationally is more difficult because buffalo chicken wings are a traditional American bar food and are not widely available outside the U.S. Scalability in the ranks of McDonalds is therefore questionable but no t impossible with the right use of resources. Their advantage is also sustainable if they continue with the simple concept, focus solely on the chicken wings and invest further in the process that makes them unique among competitors. This chain is definitely here to stay. Trends A trend that is working against the company is the increased media focus on health and diet issues associated with fast food chains. The industry is also very competitive and Wingstop has to spend a lot on advertising to keep consumers away from their competitors. Another trend that is acting for the company is the increasingly busy workdays that make people eat out instead of making food at home. Consumers often chose the fastest and cheapest alternative when they are in a hurry and need to eat on the go. Problem The problem Wingstop is solving is the elementary need for food and the need for having it made and served fast when people dont have time do make it themselves. The need for food is an aspirin problem with regards to Maslows hierarchy of needs because the physiological need must be met or the human body simply cannot continue to function. But the need for a fast meal is rather a strong vitamin problem because even with hectic workdays you can decide to take time to make your own food. The job to be done is to be available and visible to serve customers. Customers The customers are everyday consumers that have a liking for chicken wings. The consumers are families looking to have a good time without having to cook themselves and singles with a hectic workdays that doesnt have time cook and need something easy. Product Their product is primarily Buffalo style chicken wings but they also sell different chicken types, side dishes and beer. Other chicken alternatives are boneless strips and breaded chicken. Their side dishes includes fresh cut seasoned fries, potato salad, creamy cole slaw, hot cheddar cheese sauce, bourbon baked beans, crispy veggie sticks and dips. More than just the physical products they sell an experience. The American bar experience in a 1930-40s pre-jet aviation theme inspired setting. Business model Their business model is that of a manufacturer. Their main product is a nondurable physical asset in the form of food and they buy the raw materials and transform them into their product as a creator. Even do they outsource much of the actual production as a large part of their branch consist of franchises they are still a creator. Wingstop have clear routines for every franchise so that the product tastes the same everywhere you buy it and so they do substantial design of the product and are therefore not a distributor. Core competencies To continue to succeed Wingstop need to be top of the line when it comes to marketing. In addition to the process of making the popular chicken wings they sell their most important core competency is the ability to advertise the brand and create hype around their restaurant chain. They have extended a contract with their national spokesman, Super Bowl hero Troy Aikman and this shows that they are on the right track. As mentioned earlier the competition among fast food chains are tough and the only ones that survives are the ones that get through too consumers and keeps them coming back. To get consumers to come back the food and service in the restaurants needs to be excellent. Because many of their restaurants are franchises they need to be good at creating solid routines so the experience in the restaurants doesnt differ from each other. But the most important factor to continue the success is to be visible and stand out among the fast food restaurants and this must be done by adve rtising and creative marketing. Competition The competition Wingstop faces is all the different fast food chains including not only the restaurants that sell chicken wings but also the ones that offer hamburgers, pizza tacos and more. The big competitors in the segments as a whole are McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell to mention some that has a large part of the market shares. More directly Wingstop has to compete with the other restaurants offering similar chicken wing meals. Some of the competitor chains are Buffalo Wild Wings, Hooters, Wing Zone, Applebees, Brinker, Carlson Restaurants, Damons, Darden, Family Sports Concepts, Fox Hound Restaurant, Ker Inc, Papa Johns and Zaxbys (Hoovers). The biggest competitor from the list is Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW). They had revenues of $422.4 million in 2008 and operate a chain of more than 550 restaurants in nearly 40 states. Besides the chicken wings they are very famous for their dipping sauces that accompanies. They also sell appetizers, burgers, tacos, salads, beer wine and other beverages. Like Wingstop they have used relationships with sports to market themselves as a sports bar franchise. Another competitor worth mentioning is Hooters which have had success with the restaurant experience they offer consumers and this factor is more important than the food they serve. Hooters have a beach theme and their waitresses dress in the chains trademark bright orange short shorts and tight T-shirts and are known as Hooter girls. By focusing on the special atmosphere they have managed to differentiate themselves and gained a competitive advantage. This has also opened the door for international expansion and they now have 450 Hooters restaurants in about 45 states and more than 25 other countries. The Snack Factory Background The Snack Factory is a family owned and operated business that makes and sells crunchy snacks. The company was founded in 1981 by Sara and Warren Wilson. Warren started out with selling funnel cakes based on his grandmothers recipe on country fairs in 1969 and paid his way through college with the proceeds. After college he opened a store selling funnel cakes in New Jersey and here he met Sara. The two of them started to develop the company called Funnel Cake Factory and eventually made a concept of bagel chips that was flat crunchy chips made from bagels into a company called New York Style Bagel Chip Company. This was a new idea and consumers welcomed the new product. The bagel chips company was later sold to Nabisco in 1992 and the funnel cake company was sold to JJ Snack Foods a few years later. The entrepreneurs didnt stop and used the following years to develop a thin but crunchy pretzel great for dipping and spreading that became known as Pretzel Crisps. Industry The Snack Factory is in the snack foods industry which can be explained as Companies that manufacture, process, and/or package snack foods, including salty snacks, nuts, snack bars, and snack mixes (Hoovers). The threat of new entrants in the industry is low on national and international level. A major barrier of entry in this market is very high degree of brand loyalty. The big companies with their popular brands make it very difficult to come in to the market and establish a new brand. It is easier to enter on the local level because the consumers are open to local products. Customers are price sensitive in this industry too but with already very low prices it is difficult to enter and compete with the larger corporations. The power of suppliers in this industry is low. Most of the raw foods for the snack manufacturers come from farmers and they dont have strong bargaining power. Farmers have no choice but to follow the prices the snack manufacturers will give them. The power of customers is also not very high in this industry. Customers are supermarkets that again sell to consumers. The supermarkets and the likes need to provide the consumers with the snack brands they want or they will go somewhere else. The stores therefore have weak bargaining power towards the manufacturers but indirect the manufacturers have to listen to the consumers that are price sensitive and set the price so they will buy the product. The threat of substitutes in the industry is on the other hand high. There is continuous threat from existing snack food and also from new alternatives. There isnt much to differentiate a bag of chips from another and the customers have to buy in what the consumers want the most because they cant carry every brand. Rivalry among existing competitors is also high. There is fierce rivalry among the biggest companies and advertising and marketing budget are extremely high. Because of low differentiation and that growth goes on the expense of a competitor making customer buy and keep buying is crucial. Despite high costs on promotion and brand advertising and large corporations competing to capture larger shares of the market this is also an attractive industry. The industry generates billions of dollars in revenue and if you as a company manage to take some shares of the market there is large profit involved Positioning The Snack Factory position themselves as a healthy snack alternative with less calories, cholesterol and fat compared to other snack alternatives. Both the founders and their family members are involved with the company and this gives the company a family business image. Their most important competitive advantages are the made in America brand and recipe that is developed over several years combined with the expertise the Wilsons holds. They have already demonstrated that it is scalable by increasing distribution to some of Americas largest retailers having a growth as high as 18,371.3% last year. But the family based company can only supply to so many before they need to expand production and that can be in conflict with their image. The growth may therefore not be too sustainable, but with the product in the hands of a bigger snack manufacturer the growth might continue. This would mean an exit for the Wilson like they did with the other two companies but they are entrepreneurs and will probably keep going for the next big thing. Trends A trend that is acting for the company is the media focus mentioned earlier on health effects from eating food with high calorie and fat amounts. People are becoming more and more concerned about these issues and have started to choose more healthy alternatives. Another trend working for them is the consumer interest for made in America brand products. Having this label can appeal to Americans who associate this with high quality and the feeling of contributing to keep production in the U.S. A trend that is acting against the company is that many of the large competitors also have shifted focus over on healthy snack products and have much more money to use on marketing their products. Problem The problem The Snack Factory is solving is the hunger consumers have between the main meals of the day that are breakfast, lunch and dinner. Snack food is an alternative to be eaten between these meals as an energy supply or for taste enjoyment. This problem is also is also a vitamin need. The job to be done is to provide a product that the consumers see as an alternative to the many different types of snack foods. It also has to be available as many consumers buy these products on impulse usually when they are shopping for something entirely different. Customers The Snack Factorys customers are the large retailers, supermarkets and fine stores who sell the products to the end customer the consumers. Retailers and supermarkets they are already supplying to include Sams Club, Whole Foods, Shaws Supermarket and many others across the U.S and Canada. Sams Club is a chain of membership-only retail warehouses and is today serving more than 47 million U.S. members. Whole Foods is a food retailer of natural and organic products and have more than 275 locations in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom. Shaws Supermarket is the second largest grocery group in the New England States and operates 200 stores solely across New England. Product The product The Snack Factory is selling is Pretzels Crisps. The product is like a normal pretzel only that the middle is removed. The product has a lot of crunch and flavor and is made with no trans fats, no saturated fat and no cholesterol and only containing 110 calories per serving. The product is meant as a snack straight from the bag but also for dipping and spread for toppings. The Pretzels Crisps come in many different flavors including original, garlic, honey mustard onion, buffalo wing, dark chocolate, peanut butter and chipotle cheddar. The price out to the end users from retailers and supermarkets is around $2.99. Business model Their business model is that of a manufacturer like Wingstop. The Pretzels Crisps they are making is a nondurable asset so they are classified as physical. The pretzels are made from raw material to the final products that they sell out. This kind of transformation of the asset classifies the company a creator. A creator of physical assets follows the basic business model of a manufacturer. Core competencies To continue the success The Snack Factory need to put more capital into marketing if they are going to continue the growth they have experienced. Their core competency lies with the experience in developing new food products and recipes for the preparation of the Pretzels Crisps. Sara says, We believe its the product that catapults us. Sure, we do some marketing, but our success came before we did any marketing. The product itself makes people come back for more. (Inc 500. Sep 1, 2008) It is obvious that the company is not spending much on advertising and they have been using in-store samplings as the most used marketing method. This approach has gotten the company so far and they have said they were looking into the opportunity to expand to Asia and Europe while keeping the business personable and family oriented. But coming from a local factory start and beginning to compete with the large snack manufacturers this will provide some challenges. The industry consists of large corpora tions competing hard to capture shares and they spend heavily on promotion campaigns to convince customers to buy their product. To compete with these corporations they have to be good at marketing in a big scale. The company doesnt have the experience with taking products to compete in the top since they sold the previous companies before they got there. If they are to pursue international growth they need to get better in marketing, partner up with companies that have the experience or they should make an exit and sell. Competition Their competition is as mentioned the large players in the snack industry. There was no company information on The Snack Factory in the Hoovers database but looking at the information for the company J J Snack Foods that acquired their funnel cake company I found a list of competitors in the snack business. In the US they will have to compete with companies like J J Snack Foods, Frito-Lay, Mrs. Fields, Snyders of Hanover, American Dairy Queen, Auntie Annes, Cinnabon, Dawn Food Products, Dreyerss, General Mills, Interstate Bakeries, Jamba, Jel Sert, Juice It Up, Kellogg U.S. Snacks, Kraft Foods, Lance Snacks, Mister Twister Pretzels, Nestle USA, Otis Spunkmeyer, Planet Smoothie, Pretzels, Inc, Ruiz Foods Inc., Sara Lee, Smoothie King, Sorbee International, Wetzels Pretzels, Dippin Dots, Flowers Foods, Golden Enterprises, Goya, Hanover Foods, Mckee Foods and Tasty Baking. There are a lot of players in the industry and they are all looking to maximize market share. One competitor worth mentioning is Frito-Lay that sells more chips than any other company in North America. Their top selling food snacks include well known products such as Cheetos, Doritos, Fritos and Lays. They have responded to the market trends and have bought several healthy snack brands and they spend heavily on marketing to stay on the top. Saladworks Saladworks is in the lowest quartile of the top 2008 Inc. 500 Food Beverage list. The company had revenues of $5.5 million and a growth of 98.3%. Saladworks was founded by John Scardapane in 1986 and started out with a single location in the Cherry Hill Mall in Southern New Jersey. It is the first and largest tossed-salad franchise in the U.S. with 104 locations in 9 states today. The idea of the franchise and their positioning is to provide fresh and healthy salads as alternative food for consumers on the go. They sell primarily gourmet salads but also soups, wraps, sandwiches and more. In 2008 they also added signature salads to the menu. They invited four A-list chefs to create four different salads that became the signature series. The competitive advantage that Saladworks has is being first with turning fast food in to a healthier meal and the chef expertise in the development making it hard for copycats to follow. The company had a major growth in 2002 when they managed to add 21 new franchise locations in only 10 months. Consumer response and the growth Saladworks has experienced prove that it is scalable. The company is in the fast food and quick-service restaurant industry same as Wingstop. As mentioned earlier the competitive landscape is hard in this industry with moderate threat of new entrants, considerable bargaining power of suppliers, moderate power of customers, high levels of both threats of new substitutes and rivalry amongst the competitors. A large trend in this industry is need for healthy alternatives among the many unhealthy fast foods. The businesses that sell products with high calories have started to include some healthy alternatives as side dishes in their menus. But unable to shift entirely over to healthy alternatives is difficult because their brand is associated with their products. Where would McDonalds be if they threw out their burgers and started selling only salads? Because SaladWorks is first and largest and places itself in the industry with trends on their side I see the potential of the company franchising more across the U.S and possible also to Europe. They signed a contract for ten new locations in Metro Atlanta in 2008 and in 2009 they have expanded with new stores in Virginia. They have also made deals for opening new locations in California and Boston. With the plans for expansions, market trends on their side and the advantages of being one of the first I think this company will move up many positions on the Inc 500 Food Beverage list for the years to come.