Monday, September 30, 2019

“Lines composed upon Westminster bridge, Sept. 3 1802” and “London” Essay

These two poems show very different views of London. â€Å"Lines composed upon Westminster Bridge†, written by William Wordsworth, describes London in detail. He captures the beautified city and expresses the calmness of the morning. William Blake, who lived around the same time, wrote â€Å"London† which expresses the chaotic and corrupt side of London. Wordsworth describes the city in much detail. â€Å"A sight so touching in its majesty.† The â€Å"Earth has not anything to show more fair.† He expresses his true feeling about the city from where he sees it. He goes on to personify the city and describe how it † doth like a garment wear The beauty of the morning; silent, bare†. He has captured the city in the morning when it is quiet and in a sense almost naked with no one yet bustling through the streets, there are no fume engulfed traffic jams or shouting street salesmen. There is only the calmness of the morning. All the man made objects and buildings, such as â€Å"ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples lie open unto the fields and to the sky†. The man built objects remain where they were left not yet being used by Londoners. The atmosphere is sublime, the sun is just rising and soaking everything in its light, â€Å"Never did sun more beautifully steep† â€Å"Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!† the scene is so peaceful he is feeling peace within himself. The natural body of the city, the river, is gliding in its own free way, the way it wants â€Å"the river glideth at its own sweet will† Its free will is moving it naturally through the city as though it were the countryside. The river has also been personified to give more emphasis of its freedom. He is so overwhelmed by the atmosphere and calmness of the city. â€Å"Dear God! The very houses seem asleep† everywhere he sees is not yet awake, again he has personified an object to give it more emphasis. His final line is describing the city as a â€Å"mighty heart† that is â€Å"lying still†. The capital, like the giant mechanism of a heart is just lying still. The aim from the poem is to describe the amazement he sees when looking over a massive city and seeing the calmness. He wants to express to others how peaceful and calm it makes him feel and pass that feeling on to the reader. The first two stanzas describe what the city is like, and what he sees around him. The sestet after this shows his personal response to what he has already described and how he feels about the city. Blake presents a much more depressing, morbid scene of London describing the corruptness of everything in the city. He is describing the attitudes and goings on in London that are normally never spoken about, the things which people may or may not know but which go on behind closed doors. A lot of repetition is used, unlike in Wordsworth’s poem, to give emphasis to the points which he is trying to make. â€Å"In every cry, of every Man, In every Infants cry of fear, In every voice†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he only lists one example in each line but gives the effect of a lot of crying and pain and fear. He speaks in a first hand account throughout the poem â€Å"I wander†, â€Å"I hear†, and â€Å"I meet†. By speaking in the present tense it makes the reader more inclined to think it is going on here and now however old the poem may be. By beginning the first line with â€Å"I wander thro’ each chartered street† It makes it easier to visualise what he is describing because it is a first hand account. The chartered streets are each set out neatly and ordered, â€Å"the chartered Thames† is also very regulated and gives the impression of it being divided and bought and sold. He notices a mark in â€Å"every face I meet â€Å"Marks of wisdom, marks of woe.† This evidence of scars of weakness and great sadness in faces contrasts with the peaceful and happy atmosphere Wordsworth gave to London. He hears â€Å"mind-forg’d manacles† in cry’s of â€Å"every man† and â€Å"Infant’s cry of fear† he is referring to the fake, made up manacles that he cannot actually hear but knows that something is wrong. His repetition of cry continues to the next stanza where he talks of â€Å"chimney-sweepers† which are doing the dirty, hardest jobs and suffering for their work, an example of the depressed and morbid London. The description of the â€Å"blackening church† shows the soot taking over London and the church becoming almost evil, involved with dirty money or becoming corrupt. Even the church is starting to lose its faith. Another large part of London life is also criticised, â€Å"the hapless soldier’s sigh Runs in blood down palace walls.† Fighting is going on around the palace but going unnoticed, the palace is oblivious to the corruptness going on inside its own walls. He contrasts the third stanza with the 4th final stanza, not only the church and palace and the huge industries of London are corrupt the streets are also. â€Å"Thro’ the midnight streets I hear How the youthful harlot’s curse† there is a lot of prostitution going on in the streets of London but was something that wasn’t spoken about. The STD’s, or â€Å"curses† â€Å"blasts the new born infants tear†. Implying that prostitutes pass on STD’s and then these in turn get passed on to the newborn babies of those who have any disease. Another example of a corrupt system in London, which now effects the innocent. â€Å"And blights with plagues the marriage hearse.† Sleeping with prostitutes while married destroys the whole point of marriage and then if the partner becomes pregnant another generation is born into corruption. The use of hearse shows how marriage is carried away as though dead and not taken seriously. The extremely regular meter helps put across the ordered ways he describes the beginning. These chartered and regulated ways soon give way to the examples of how corruption is slowly taking over the whole city, the government, the church, the palace and the streets. The first poem also used a regular meter, which, also worked well in describing the city peacefully and happily. The two poems contrast greatly in not what they describe but how they describe it. Wordsworth has a much more calming poem, which in effect leaves the reader much more calm and peaceful. This is unlike Blake’s who describes so much evil and chaos going on, his poem leaves the reader much more depressed and almost disgusted with how the people and industries of London are behaving. Their use of language is also quite different, Wordsworth’s entire poem is full of description of â€Å"beauty†, â€Å"bright and glittering† and full of â€Å"splendour†. He uses very grand descriptions of everything unlike the descriptions of Blake, which are quite harsh and blunt, â€Å"blasts the new born infants tear†, â€Å"blights with plagues† and â€Å"runs in blood down palace walls.† I did enjoy both poems but preferred the first, â€Å"Lines composed upon Westminster† because of its use of more soothing, happy descriptions of London. It made me feel much more relaxed after reading it whereas â€Å"London† left me feeling slightly more depressed and sad. Although this may have been the aim of Blake’s poem I preferred Wordsworth’s poem because it was much calmer.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Of Mice and Men Foreshadowing Essay

Of Mice and Men is a Novella written By: John Steinbeck. This book is about two friends who face the challenges of humanity and the world around them. In the novella of Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses foreshadowing to give the reader hints or clues about other events in the story. John Steinbeck uses foreshadowing with the event of the Killing of Candy’s dog, Curley’s wife is a â€Å"rat trap†, and Curley harassing Lennie throughout the novella. One example of foreshadowing is when Carlson kills Candy’s dog. And this foreshadows that George will kill Lennie, because they were both put out of their misery, and that when Candy said â€Å"I ought of shot that dog myself† (61). And when George kills Lennie at the end of the book they both wanted to kill them by their selves even though George did do it himself. If George didn’t kill Lennie himself he would hav ended up getting tortured and killed by someone else he just felt better if he had did it himself Another example of how John Steinbeck uses foreshadowing is when they say that Curley’s wife is a â€Å"rat trap† that fore shadows that Lennie will talk to her and might go farther and end up touching her more roughly because he likes soft things and doesn’t like to let go like he did in WEED and ended up getting ran out of WEED. So when Curley’s wife lets Lennie touch her soft hair that was a bad decision on her part because he kept getting rougher and when she tries to say stop and go away Lennie won’t let go. So Curley’s wife screams and Lennie gets scared and then grabs her and tells her to stop but in the process he snaps her neck because he doesn’t know his own strength he can’t control it. Finally, foreshadowing can be seen when Curley harasses Lennie for not talking and because he is bigger than him. That foreshadows that they might get into a disagreement or an argument possibly a fight. So when George was talking for Lennie, Curley said â€Å"let the big guy talk â€Å". But earlier that day George told Candy ,†well he better watch out for Lennie, he aint no fighter but he is strong as a bull† (27). Because Lennie is very strong. Curley doesn’t like bigger guys which Lennie is. So I drew a conclusion that they will most likely fight which they do and Curley was beating Lennie until George told Lennie â€Å"GET HIM!† Lennie crushed his hand because of his uncontrollable strength he has. John Steinbeck uses many examples of Foreshadowing in Of Mice And Men. Foreshadowing gives the readers hints or clues throughout the story. John Steinbeck uses foreshadowing mostly with George and Lennie. All these examples of foreshadowing lead to the death of Lennie and the failure of a dream. John Steinbeck uses foreshadowing with the event of the Killing of Candy’s dog, Curley’s wife is a â€Å"rat trap†, and Curley harassing Lennie throughout the novella.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Strategic Management and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Management and Leadership - Essay Example The major businesses of this conglomerate include electronics, entertainment, electronic games and most recently financial services. This paper will focus on analysis of the major factors that have propelled the company to such growth in an industry which requires one to be very innovative in order to remain relevant as the risk of being outshined is ever increasing. The paper will also seek to analyse the strategies that could be utilised in order to ensure that the company remains competitive. Success Measures The success of the Sony Corporation can be measured in terms of the growth that it has realised over the years. At the onset of its inception, there was a view of Japanese companies as simply businesses skilled at copying the technology used in the West rather than making products of their own (Beomish, 1999). The business shunned the existing Japanese business networks. As a startup company, the Corporation did not have a big market share as compared to other business that w as in the entertainment industry at the time. The Corporation at its beginning had minimal capital and was at the same time limited in its ideas. Sony has in the last year of operation realised profits of about 6.5 trillion Yens. According to Gunther (2001), this is a far cry from the time it was beginning when it barely had enough capital to finance its operations. The market share of the Corporation has also grown from the simple voltmeters that were produced during its inception in a whole range of products that include entertainment gadgets, mobile phones and even financial services. The Corporation has a wealth of resources that it can use to finance all its business ventures. The corporation has around 55 plants used for manufacturing its good and these are spread all over the world. On top of these the Corporation has 12 other manufacturing plants that are based in its home country of Japan. These physical resources that are the disposal of the Corporation are able to give it a competitive advantage which it can use as strength. On top of the physical resources the Sony also enjoys a wealth of technological resources which gives the opportunity to leverage on these as it competes in the technology industry where innovation are made on a daily basis. The technology can also be utilised well to enable the company to produce high quality products that fetch good prices in the market hence increasing the revenues for the corporation. According to Gunther (2001), the corporation also enjoys what can be termed as â€Å"reputational resources.† This comes in the form of a good name resulting from the numerous awards that it has fetched over the years as the best consumer-electronics company. Reasons for success Exploitation of Opportunities The success of the Sony Corporation is attributable to various factors. First the Corporation has proved over the years that it is able to identify opportunities and seize them (Beomish, 1999). For example during its inception, when the founders came across a tape recorder they got interested and went ahead to buy the patent and this formed the basis for their product that were later produced in the same line. The managers also have ventured in different areas since they were able to identify business opportunities, a factor that has really enhanced the growth of the company over the years. This has propelled the Corporation to be a market leader in its own right and also to enjoy the opportunity to

Friday, September 27, 2019

Semantics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Semantics - Essay Example The conversive relations are distinguished by primary, or sole, derivatives of the conclusive aspect. Conversive relations, in general, describe actions that result in the creation of a single discrete end product. Converses are at some point called relational opposites for example buy whose opposite is sell, borrow whose opposite is lend, and precede whose opposite is follow. Converseness is binary but each member expresses same relationship from different participants’ perspectives. Converseness also one presupposes the other (Cruse, 2004). On the other hand reversiveness is binary and each member denotes change of state that is reversible. For example enter whose opposite is leave, ascend whose opposite is descend, and tie whose opposite is untie. Reversive opposites comprise those adjectives or adverbs that signify a quality or verbs that mean an act or situation that reverse or undo the eminence, action, or state of the other (Riemer, 2010). Although they are neither conflicting nor opposing provisions, they present a comprehensible opposition. Since they all describe activities that result in an object undergoing a change from one state to another the tow members of the reversive pair involve the same two states, but the direction of change is different in each

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Exam Questions (Exercise Science) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Exam Questions (Exercise Science) - Assignment Example Morris arrived at this decision only after analyzing the reasons for the heart attacks and he conducted a study and survey on the double-decker buses. This study helped him to come out with the decision that the drivers were more prone to attacks, where as the conductors who frequented both the levels in the buses, had little chances of getting a heart attack. (Morris, 1975). It was clearly evident that people who exercise on a regular basis were less likely to be affected by heart diseases. Morris proved that people who perform some sort of physical task on a regular basis were free from such problems. His contribution to the medical field was well appreciated and he received several awards for his contribution to this field. Physical activity and cardio vascular health was interrelated and people realized it only after Morris’s research and analysis on the problems related to heart attacks. Morris’s contribution was important as it paved the way to more serious thought about exercise. It was then, people started to take up the issue seriously and they started to act towards it. Similar to his findings, Ralph Paffenbarger also revealed the fact that physical fitness can certainly help people to reduce the risk of heart disease. Paffenbarger was an active professor who conducted researches on physical fitness and its benefits. He also showed that the rate of death can get decreased if people increased their level of physical fitness. (Paffenbergar & Blair, 2001). The possible positive aspects of physical fitness formed the main part of his studies and researches. He linked exercise with longevity and proved that physical exercise would give a longer life and people who were involved physical exercise were much active in their older days. They also had a longer life when compared to people who neglected any sort of a physical activity. His contribution to the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Metro H and Res Marketing Plan Extending To India Essay

Metro H and Res Marketing Plan Extending To India - Essay Example According to the paper findings  the company will do well after a fruitful market research that will identify the strong areas to invest in. India has wide global market that records a high growth rate over the last few years with its GDP rising to 9%. Its rapid growth has ranked it third amongst the fastest growing economies (Shanker & De, 2011). India’s population is tremendous with a population that is growing above 1.2 billion. The high population creates a good market for the Metro H and Res Company. Industrial growth is also recommendable in India as there are lots of established industries and many more growing. The hospitality industry is one of the leading economic segments that contribute largely to the national income.As the discussion highlights the tourism sector which encompasses the hospitality industry contributes about 6.23% of the GDP. The vast tourism industries thus create an opportunity for the company to establish its business.  The business plans aim s at attracting the hotel operators as well as have direct sales to potential customers. India’s population comprises of a large proportion of the young people in the bracket of 15 to 29 years. The company establishing its location in the towns will be of great advantage as the country is facing a trend in which people are migrating to urban regions. The people will thus be close to the company’s product creating a better market for the company.... The hospitality industry is one of the leading economic segments that contribute largely to the national income (Hospitality India, 2013). The tourism sector which encompasses the hospitality industry contributes about 6.23% of the GDP. The vast tourism industries thus create an opportunity for the company to establish its business. Primary Data. An interview was conducted with a few hotel chain agents in India and they participated in answering questions about their opinions on the Metro H and Res Company and its operations. They also discussed the trends of the company, its recent developments and how these were relevant to its development and status in the Indian market. 2.1 Customers The business plans aims at attracting the hotel operators as well as have direct sales to potential customers. India’s population comprises of a large proportion of the young people in the bracket of 15 to 29 years. These age brackets comprise of the energetic persons with great ability to wor k and hence are likely to have to have high income which will be of benefit to the company products. The company will thus be in a position continuously selling its products without the market dying as the country is deemed to remain young over a long period of time (Shanker & De, 2011). The data below shows the population in India. Similarly, the company establishing its location in the towns will be of great advantage as the country is facing a trend in which people are migrating to urban regions. The people will thus be close to the company’s product creating a better market for the company. The company will also have reduced expenses in transporting its products to the rural regions as few people are found

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Proposal Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Thesis Proposal Example se films use the surroundings in which we reside as their context makes them easier to understand, and likeable to a considerable section of the population. The fact that media products on gender equality such as Orange is the New Black have always simplified, and integrated key society values have been beneficial in terms of making them marketable. Some of the larger social and cultural values that these films have always agitated for include the belief that gender inequality is rather inhumane, inferring that no one should be made to go through it. In the same way, an individual’s gender should not determine how one is treated. Consuming such media products is far-reaching majorly because it warrants that societies respect human rights, by making certain that females are treated with dignity and are accorded the freedom they desire. At the same time, such media products guarantees that both genders are respected hence resulting in poverty reduction and maintenance of the hea lth of the whole family. One of the parts that the course included was how the media is a challenge to feminism. In as much as this topic has often been over-estimated, stakeholders hold the opinion that it is of great significance. Media products on gender equality, notably films and TV shows share similar ideologies with content covered in the course of the lecture, that some of the advertisements that have always been aired on our screens and print media, have always pointed to the fact that a portion of the population is better than the other. This is common in fashion magazines, which have asserted in their weekly or monthly pullouts that the skinny ladies are the ideal women as compared to the plumps. At one instance, Weetabix ran an advertisement in which the male child in a family was regarded as a superhero, while the female did not achieve such status in spite of the fact that both of them consumed Weetabix (Allen, 2009). While going through media products on gender equality, one

Monday, September 23, 2019

Downside Risk to Real Estate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Downside Risk to Real Estate - Essay Example The analysis includes independent variables drawn from a database and includes variables to adjust results for the impact of macroeconomic factors. In addition, indexes for the broader markets are identified and included in the regressions to adjust for the impact of trends in the general market. Investment in Listed Property Trusts (LPTs) or Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) has traditionally considered risk as an important factor. Numerous studies on risk have also demonstrated that REIT's financial condition and management structure have implications for its risk. Most of these studies have utilised the cross-sectional difference of REIT financial conditions and REIT management structure in estimating the relationship between these variables and risk. A REIT's risk is measured by the beta coefficient in the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) in which it is measured in a variance framework. However, the appropriateness of using CAPM in particular the use of beta as risk measure has been debated in recent years. In fact, several studies suggest downside systematic risk (downside beta) is comparatively better than systematic risk for measuring market-related risk for an asset in line with the theoretical superiorities of downside risk. Downside risk was first introduced by Roy (1952) primarily based on the safety first rule. It appears as a more intuitively appealing and secure risk measure compared to variance for several reasons such as downside risk does not require an assumption about the return distribution of an asset; it is more consistent with the investor's expected utility function and combining information provided by variance and skewness into one measure (Nawrocki, 1999, Estrada, 2002). Hogan and Warren (1974) and Bawa and Linderberg (1977) also demonstrated that downside risk (lower partial moment) can be generalised into CAPM and they developed a Mean-lower Partial Moment Capital Asset Pricing Model (MLPM-CAPM). The results from Price

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The marginalised in A Modest Proposal Essay Example for Free

The marginalised in A Modest Proposal Essay The use of wit, sarcastic humour, irony, and ridicule to criticise and point out faults is used by the renowned author Jonathan Swift to once again, enthral the audience and readers with a proposal that is not so very modest. A Modest Proposal is considered by many to be one of the most well written and finest example of satire in world literature. His mere proposal for cannibalism as a method to bring justice and allow the citizens of Ireland at a time of depression, is insanely absurd however taking the persona of a well-intentioned economist and publishing it in the form of a pamphlet, the idea itself seems quite justifiable. Jonathan Swift uses the pamphlet as a way to exemplify and point out the problems that indeed harbour the entire country of Ireland. He assembles multiple points and facts which point out that Ireland is its own enemy. The dire poverty lingering in the streets and the position the families find themselves in are a significant example of this which is shown right from the start: â€Å"the roads, and cabin doors, crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags and importuning every passenger for an alms.† He follows on by saying that the many number of children as well as the low income of the parents are indeed a huge problem for the people. There appears that nothing is being done at current to dissolve of the problem and the people find themselves at ends meet. Jonathan then writes about a possible solution which may be classified in modern times as being down right bordering on the edge of insanity. He devises a method that may help the workers and labourers find a way to rid of their problems and live a better life. His method being; using the children and simply put, make them their breakfast, lunch, dinner and clothing. What better way to start then to point out and critically assess the problems lingering in the country and propose a solution which may be the end to all the their problems. Multiple times mentioned throughout the pamphlet, brought out by sarcastic humour, papists as well as the English are put down by Jonathan suggesting that they are the cause to all their problems. His satire in turn becomes oblique and direct as he mentions that he â€Å"could name a country which would be glad to eat up our whole nation without it.† His allusion to England and its people also directly assaults the English misuse of Ireland. The workers and those who have nothing are very well left with null as England holds all supremacy over the country and its land. Jonathan points out at one point that there have been multiple sayings and solutions for the rampant condition of Ireland however, none have been taken into account and no action has been taken. He points out the number of ill people and those who cannot fend for themselves. His proposal comes into turn to annihilate the problems and treat those who have been treated with indifference and neglect with compassion and aid. A Modest Proposal an absolutely horrid yet imaginative proposal is one of the worlds finest pieces of satire and use of parody, sarcastic humour and absolutely disgraceful mentions, is a text which is an eye opener to many. The hidden message under all the blood and guts convey the action is that we must do what we can do while we have the opportunity. Do not wait on the side and let everything pass by. Those that are unable to do anything can thrive and those that work, beg or slave away of the street can be the beginning of a new age. A Modest Proposal deemed a masterpiece and as stunning example of the satirists art.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Binge eating disorder Essay Example for Free

Binge eating disorder Essay Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating not accompanied by inappropriate compensatory behaviors. Although it is not yet officially recognized, it was included in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as a disorder to be studied, with research criteria included. It is also slated to be included in the next DSM as one of the officially recognized eating disorders. There have been several treatment modalities employed in its treatment: pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and a combination of the two. Being a â€Å"young† disorder, BED still needs future research to show which modality treats it best in the long run. Approaches to Treatment of Binge Eating Disorder What Is BED? How Is It Different From Bulimia Nervosa? Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating not accompanied by inappropriate compensatory behaviors (Sadock Sadock, 2003). Although binge eating, by itself, is more commonly associated with bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder is recognized as a separate entity. Unlike BED, bulimia nervosa involves excessive concern with body shape and weight, and bulimics often have a â€Å"self-perception of being too fat, with an intrusive dread of fatness† (World Health Organization [WHO], 1993). Moreover, the absence of compensatory behaviors further distinguishes BED from the non-purging type of bulimia nervosa, which is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-IV, as when the individual â€Å"has used other inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as fasting or excessive exercise, but has not regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas† (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000). Diagnosis of Binge Eating Disorder Although binge eating disorder still has to gain official recognition, the Text Revision of DSM-IV (APA, 2000) lays down the following â€Å"research criteria† for diagnosing the disorder: A. Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following: (1) eating, in a discrete period of time (e. g. , within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances (2) the sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e. g. , a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating) B. Binge-eating episodes are associated with three (or more) of the following: (1) eating much more rapidly than normal (2) eating until feeling uncomfortably full (3) eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry (4) eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating (5) feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating C. Marked distress regarding binge eating is present. D. The binge eating occurs, on average, at least 2 days a week for 6 months. E. The binge eating is not associated with the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors (e. g. , purging, fasting, excessive exercise, etc. ) and does not occur exclusively during the course of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. Several issues have been raised regarding the criteria mentioned above. For example, one question raised by some experts in the field is that there is no definite way to assess just how much food constitutes â€Å"an amount of food that is definitely larger than what most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances. † Fulfilling these criteria would at best be a subjective process. While the DSM-IV criteria for BED is usually applied to adults, Marcus and Kalarchian (2003) have proposed a separate set of provisional research criteria for diagnosing BED in children. These are: A. Recurrent episodes of being eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following: (1) food seeking in absence of hunger (e. g. after a full meal) (2) a sense of lack of control over eating (e. g. , endorse that ‘‘When I start to eat, I just can’t stop’’) B. Binge episodes are associated with one or more of the following: (1) food seeking in response to negative affect (e. g. , sadness, boredom, restlessness) (2) food seeking as a reward (3) sneaking or hiding food C. Symptoms persist over a period of 3 months. D. Eating is not associated with the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors (e. g. , purging, fasting, excessive exercise) and does not occur exclusively during the course of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. Some of the questionnaires used to diagnose binge eating disorder are: the Binge Eating Scale (BES), the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Body Shape Questionnaire, the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnosis of DSM Disorders (SCID), and the Eating Disorders Examination (EDE). The Treatment of Binge Eating Disorder Overview In the management of BED, the primary goal is to achieve abstinence from binge eating (Bulik, Brownley Shapiro, 2007). However, studies have shown that BED has comorbid conditions that require as much attention, such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks and even attempts at suicide (Grucza, Przybeck Cloninger, 2007). Furthermore, since patients diagnosed with BED do not usually engage in inappropriate compensatory behaviors, they are usually obese as well, a condition that sometimes causes more concern in professionals caring for BED patients because of its health implications. Because of the different aspects of this disorder, different treatment modalities are being used, with some experts favoring one and others favoring another. Pharmacotherapy Medications used to treat binge eating disorder include appetite suppressants, anticonvulsants, selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and tricyclic antidepressants. These have been studied in double-blind placebo-controlled trials, and the results, though modest, have been promising (Appolinario McElroy, 2004). Appetite suppressants. According to Appolinario, Bacaltchuk, Sichieri, Claudino, Godoy-Matos, Morgan, Zanella Coutinho (2003), fenfluramine hydrochloride was the first antiobesity agent shown to be effective in treating binge eating disorder. However, this drug has been withdrawn from the market because of intolerable side effects. Currently, the anti-obesity agent that seems to be the most studied in the treatment of BED is sibutramine. Sibutramine is a drug that inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and, to some extent, dopamine. A study by Appolinario et al. (2003) showed that patients taking sibutramine, as opposed to those given a placebo pill, experienced a significant reduction in the number of days with binge episodes. Whereas those in the placebo group actually gained some weight, the patients given sibutramine lost an average of 7. 4 kg. The study participants were asked to fill out the Binge Eating Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory before and after their treatment program, and the sibutramine group had significantly lower scores after treatment. The study cites dry mouth and constipation as the adverse reactions commonly encountered by those taking sibutramine. The authors concluded that sibutramine is effective and well tolerated for treating obese BED patients. Another study supporting the use of sibutramine in BED was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in January 2008. Wilfley, Crow, Hudson, Mitchell, Berkowitz, Blakesley, Walsh, and the Sibutramine Binge Eating Disorder Research Group (2008) found that patients taking sibutramine (15 mg daily for 24 weeks) were able to significantly reduce the following measures: weekly binge frequency, weight (mean of 4. 3 kg), frequency of binge days, body mass index, and eating pathology, such as cognitive restraint, disinhibition and hunger. Moreover, these patients also experienced global improvement and had a greater percentage of abstinence from binge eating (58. 7%, compared with the 42. 8% of the placebo group). Anticonvulsants. In the February 2003 edition of the American Journal of Psychiatry, McElroy, Arnold, Shapira, Keck, Rosenthal, Karim, Kamin Hudson (2003) reported that 30 patients with binge eating disorder randomly assigned to receive a flexible dose (25 to 600 mg per day) of the anticonvulsant drug topiramate had a significantly greater rate of reduction in binge frequency, binge day frequency, weight (mean loss of 5. 9 kg), and body mass index. They also had lower scores on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, which was modified for binge eating, and on the Clinical Global Impression severity scale. However, six patients receiving topiramate were unable to continue participating in the study because of adverse events, mostly headaches and paresthesias. The researchers concluded that topiramate was useful for the short-term treatment of BED. The journal Biological Psychiatry also published a study by McElroy, Hudson, Capece, Beyers, Fisher, Rosenthal, and the Topiramate Binge Eating Disorder Research Group (2007), which showed that 195 patients taking topiramate were able to reduce binge eating days per week, binge episodes per week, weight (mean loss of 4. 5 kg), and body mass index compared with those assigned to take placebo. Thirty percent of those taking topiramate left the study, mostly due to adverse effects such as paresthesia, upper respiratory tract infection, somnolence and nausea. However, thirty percent of those taking the placebo pill also were not able to continue with the program. Despite the adverse events reported, the authors concluded that topiramate is well tolerated and was efficacious in treating BED and its features, particularly obesity. Another antiepileptic drug that was evaluated for efficacy in the treatment of binge eating disorder is zonisamide. McElroy, Kotwal, Guerdjikova, Welge, Nelson, Lake, D’Alessio, Keck Hudson (2006) reported in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry that thirty patients given zonisamide (100 to 600 mg per day for 16 weeks) had a reduction in the frequency of their binge eating episodes, body weight, body mass index, and scores on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Modified for Binge Eating and the Clinical Global Impressions Severity Scale. Eight of the patients receiving zonisamide discontinued treatment because of accidental injury with bone fracture, psychological complaints and cognitive complaints. In conclusion, the researchers noted that zonisamide was efficacious in treatment of BED with obesity but that it was not well tolerated. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Several selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been shown to have beneficial effects in the management of binge eating disorder. Among the earliest SSRI’s shown to be useful in BED treatment was fluvoxamine. Hudson, McElroy, Raymond, Crow, Keck, Carter, Mitchell, Strakowski, Pope, Coleman Jonas (1998) reported that forty-two patients who received a flexible dose of fluvoxamine (50 to 300 mg) for 9 weeks had a significantly greater decrease in the frequency of binges and in body mass index. Furthermore, these patients given fluvoxamine achieved a greater reduction in Clinical Global Impression severity score and a greater rate of increase in Clinical Global Impression improvement scores. However, fluvoxamine did not have a significant effect on the participants’ Hamilton depression scale scores, and the proportion of patients who dropped out of the study because of adverse effects came from the fluvoxamine group. Furthermore, another study done 5 years later on a different, smaller set of patients showed that there was a reduction in binge frequency, eating concern, shape concern and weight concern in both the group receiving fluvoxamine and the group receiving placebo (Pearlstein, Spurell, Hohlstein, Gurney, Read, Fuchs Keller, 2003). The authors say this is just an example of the â€Å"inconsistent results of antidepressant studies in binge eating disorder† (Pearlstein et al. , 2003). Another SSRI shows greater promise. McElroy, Hudson, Malhotra, Welge, Nelson Keck (2003) conducted a 6-week, double-blind, flexible-dose (20 to 60 mg per day) study on the efficacy of citalopram in reducing the frequency of binge eating episodes. They reported that the 19 patients receiving citalopram, compared with those receiving placebo, had a significantly greater rate of reduction in the frequency of binge eating episodes, frequency of binge days, weight, body mass index and severity of illness. In addition, citalopram was said to be well tolerated by the participants of the study. A head-to-head comparison of two SSRI’s – sertraline and fluoxetine – was conducted by Leombruni, Piero, Lavagnino, Brustolin, Campisi Fassino (2008) and published in the journal Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry. Twenty-two participants were given 100 to 200 mg of sertraline daily, while twenty were given 40 to 80 mg of fluoxetine per day. After 8 weeks, participants from both groups had significant weight loss and their scores in the Binge Eating Scale improved. There was no significant difference found between the two drugs, and the researchers concluded that both SSRI’s are effective options in treating patients with BED. A drug that inhibits both serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake was studied by Noma, Uwatoko, Yamamoto Hayashi (2008). Although the trial did not focus exclusively on individuals with binge eating disorder but consisted of 25 binge eaters, some of whom were diagnosed with anorexia or bulimia nervosa. These patients received the drug milnacipran for 8 weeks and were found to have improved scores in relation to their drive for binge eating and regret for the same. Milnacipran was noted to be more effective in patients without purging. Venlafaxine, another medication that inhibits the reuptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine, was mentioned by Appolinario et al. (2003) as effective in BED therapy. McElroy, Guerdjikova, Kotwal, Welge, Nelson, Lake, Keck Hudson (2007) examined the effects of atomoxetine, a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, on BED. Twenty patients who received the drug had a significant decrease in binge-eating episode frequency, binge day frequency, weight, and body mass index. Their scores on the Clinical Global Impressions Severity of Illness scale, the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Modified for Binge Eating obsession subscale, and the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire hunger subscale improved as well. However, three of the patients receiving atomoxetine asked to discontinue their treatment because of increased depressive symptoms, constipation or nervousness. Tricyclic antidepressants. Bulik, Brownley Shapiro (2007), in a review of the diagnosis and management of binge eating disorder, also mentions imipramine as one of the drugs that were shown in trials to be effective in the treatment of BED. Imipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant that is used mainly for the treatment of depression and enuresis. A drug from the same family, desipramine, was also mentioned as having beneficial effects in BED. There have indeed been many drugs explored by research for the treatment of binge eating disorder. However, while a lot of studies show that they do have a beneficial effect on patients with BED, particularly with regards to a reduction in binge frequency and weight, the results are somewhat modest. In addition, there have been no long-term studies tracking the efficacy of these drugs as yet. And then, of course, there is the concern that many of those individuals taking these drugs might give them up due to the adverse effects they cause. More importantly, the drugs do not address the underlying cause of binge eating, the psychopathology in individuals that lead them to take in large amounts of food despite the knowledge that doing so could harm them physically and socially. Thus, while many experts in the field would agree that medications help to curb the comorbidities of BED, they still encourage the use of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy Cognitive behavioral therapy. The behavioral therapeutic approach to binge eating disorder that is probably the most tested is cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT (Bulik, Brownley Shapiro, 2007). As the name implies, the theory behind this practice is the cognitive behavioral model of binge eating, which â€Å"postulates that binge eating develops in response to restrictive food intake and occurs in the context of ongoing dietary restraint and the experience of negative emotions† (Levine Marcus, 2003). In short, inaccurate thoughts and beliefs – for example, those about body shape and weight – lead to inappropriate eating behavior. CBT helps patients identify these binge-triggering thoughts and modify them so as to accomplish binge abstinence. According to Bulik, Brownley Shapiro (2007), cognitive behavioral therapy has been reported by several studies to be effective in reducing â€Å"binge frequency, related psychological aspects of binge eating (restraint, disinhibition, and hunger), depressed mood, and ratings of illness severity in individuals with BED. † Levine Marcus (2003) note that, while cognitive behavioral therapy has been traditionally used in the management of individuals with bulimia nervosa, the technique has been modified to accommodate the differences between bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. For example, unlike people with bulimia nervosa, those with binge eating disorder tend to be obese, so CBT can directly target cognitions about having a large body size. They explain, â€Å"Overweight individuals with BED may be helped to accept their body size and to restructure maladaptive thoughts about the amount of weight loss they are likely to achieve. That is, although modest weight loss may relate to improvements in binge eating, for most BED patients this decrease may not correspond with their desired weight loss. It is therefore important that cognitions about acceptable body sizes be targeted during treatment. † Interpersonal psychotherapy. Another type of therapy that has found success in patients with bulimia nervosa and has since been also applied to people with binge eating disorder is interpersonal psychotherapy, or IPT. While CBT focuses on the thoughts that trigger eating binges, interpersonal psychotherapy operates on the theory that binge eating stems from the internal milieu created by specific social and interpersonal problems. Thus, it â€Å"focuses on identifying and addressing specific, problematic interpersonal patterns, in an effort to ameliorate dysfunctional eating behaviors† (Levine Marcus, 2003). As with CBT, IPT is focused, structured and time-limited. However, it does not address the patient’s beliefs about eating, weight and shape and, unlike CBT, does not directly target eating behaviors. In the Archives of General Psychiatry, Wilfley, Welch, Stein, Spurrell, Cohen, Saelens, Dounchis, Frank, Wiseman Matt (2002) report on a comparative study that they conducted between CBT and IPT. Both were done in a group setting, and the participants in each group went through 20 weekly sessions of therapy. Results showed that â€Å"binge-eating recovery rates† were similar for both CBT and IPT immediately after treatment. They further conducted follow-up on each participant and noted that, while, there was a slight increase in binge eating when the treatment ended, the frequency of such binges remained significantly lower than the frequency prior to initiation of either CBT or IPT. In addition, the researchers reported significant reductions in psychiatric symptoms, and these were maintained through follow-up. They noted that, while dietary restraint decreased more quickly in patients who underwent CBT, a similar level of dietary restraint was accomplished by those who underwent IPT by the time of follow-up. The participants’ weight decreased only slightly, but significantly, and the authors then concluded that group IPT is a reasonable alternative to group CBT for dealing with overweight BED patients. Dialectical behavior therapy. Another type of therapy used for the treatment of BED is dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT. This is described by Levine Marcus (2003) as â€Å"a comprehensive treatment program based on cognitive and behavioral principles and complemented by the use of acceptance-based strategies derived primarily from Zen Buddhism. † Patients undergo a weekly individual outpatient therapy and, at the same time, a weekly group skills therapy that has the goal of increasing behavioral skills that can help them deal with binge eating. According to Bulik, Brownley Shapiro (2007), dialectical behavior therapy â€Å"fosters the development of skills in the domains of mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance. † Although it is still considered an â€Å"alternative† form of behavior therapy, there have been studies showing that DBT has led to a greater reduction in binge days, binge episodes, and concerns with weight, shape and eating. Other behavioral therapies. Aside from cognitive behavior therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy and dialectical behavior therapy, Bulik, Brownley Shapiro (2007) mention self-help, exercise and virtual reality therapy as treatment modalities that have been tried in patients with BED. Self-help interventions are delivered in various formats, and may be done with or without structure, and with out without the aid of a facilitator or a therapist. It has been shown by some studies to result in greater reductions in the mean number of binge days and in the clinical severity of BED. Abstinence and cessation rates were also reported to be improved with self-help, but weight loss was not significantly achieved. Medications and Psychotherapy: Combined and Compared Several studies have explored the option of combining pharmacotherapy with psychotherapy. Bulik, Brownley Shapiro (2007) discuss the results of these studies. For example, a trial compared fluoxetine alone with CBT alone and fluoxetine plus CBT. The authors of that trial reported that CBT plus fluoxetine, and CBT alone, were more effective than fluoxetine alone in reducing the frequency of binges, concerns with eating and body shape, disinhibition and depression. Another comparison discussed in the same paper compared desipramine alone, weight loss therapy, and CBT. Bulik, Brownley Shapiro (2007) relate: â€Å"Binge eating was significantly reduced after 12 weeks in both groups receiving CBT; however, this effect did not persist at 36 weeks of treatment. Average weight loss was greatest in the weight loss therapy group in the early stages of treatment, but over time (i. e. , at 3-month follow-up) the group receiving desipramine lost the most weight. Desipramine showed no clear advantage in reducing symptoms of depression. † Claudino, de Oliveira, Appolinario, Cordas, Duchesne, Sichieri Bacaltchuk (2007) compared topiramate alone with CBT plus topiramate and concluded that â€Å"topiramate added to CBT improved the efficacy of the later, increasing binge remission and weight loss in the short run. Topiramate was well tolerated, as shown by few adverse events during treatment. † Finally, Molinari, Baruffi, Croci, Marchi Petroni (2005) conducted a comparison of CBT alone, fluoxetine alone, and CBT plus fluoxetine. Results showed that â€Å"the two groups which underwent psychotherapy resulted in a better outcome in terms of number of bingeing episodes, maintenance of weight loss reduction from baseline and psychological well being than the group treated with pharmacological therapy alone. † The authors concluded that the results of their study highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to binge eating disorder. However, as with pharmacotherapy alone and with psychotherapy alone, the long-term efficacy of a combined drugs-and-talk approach to binge eating disorder still has to be proven by future studies. Practical Advice To Tell Patients Empowering patients to take control of their disorder is also important. Smith, Barston, Segal Segal (2008) offer the following tips that concerned eating disorder professionals can give their patients: †¢ Eat breakfast. Skipping breakfast often leads to overeating later in the day, so start your day right with a healthy meal. Eating breakfast also jump starts your metabolism in the morning. Studies show that people who eat breakfast are thinner than those who don’t. †¢ Avoid temptation. You’re much more likely to overeat if you have junk food, desserts, and unhealthy snacks in the house. Remove the temptation by clearing your fridge and cupboards of your favorite binge foods. †¢ Stop dieting. The deprivation and hunger of strict dieting can trigger food cravings and the urge to overeat. Instead of dieting, focus on eating in moderation. Find nutritious foods that you enjoy and avoid labeling foods as â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad. † †¢ Exercise. Not only will exercise help you lost weight in a healthy way, but it also lifts depression, improves overall health, and reduces stress. The natural mood-boosting effects of exercise can help put a stop to emotional eating. †¢ Destress. Learn how to cope with stress in healthy ways that don’t involve food. Conclusion Binge eating disorder is still relatively â€Å"young. † With its anticipated inclusion in the next edition of the DSM, a lot of studies have turned their attention to this eating disorder that has only been recognized as an entity separate from the other eating disorder in the last decade. Hopefully, these studies, and the ones still to be conducted, will provide a sound basis for how best to approach binge eating disorder. More importantly, only future research can tell which treatment modalities really work best in the long term. In the meantime, patients with binge eating disorder need help in the here and now. References American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed. Text rev. ) Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association Sadock, B. J. , Sadock, V. A. (2003). Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioral Sciences / Clinical Psychiatry (9th ed. ). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams Wilkins. World Health Organization. (1993). The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders: Diagnostic Criteria for Research. Geneva: World Health Organization. Marcus, M. D. Kalarchian, M. A. (2003). Binge eating in children and adolescents. Int J Eat Disord, 34(Suppl), S47–S57. Retrieved from PubMed database. Bulik, C. M. , Brownley, K. A. , Shapiro, J. R. (2007). Diagnosis and management of binge eating disorder. World Psychiatry, 6(3), 142-148. Grucza, R. A. , Przybeck, T. R. Cloninger, C. R. (2007). Prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder in a community sample. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 48(2), 124-131. Appolinario, J. C. McElroy, S. L. (2004). Pharmacological approaches in the treatment of binge eating disorder. Current Drug Targets, 5(3), 301-307. Appolinario, J. C. , Bacaltchuk, J. , Sichieri, R. , Claudino, A. M. , Godoy-Matos, A. , Morgan, C. , Zanella, M. T. Coutinho, W. (2003). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of sibutramine in the treatment of binge-eating disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 60, 1109-1116. Wilfley, D. E. , Crow, S. J. , Hudson, J. I. , Mitchell, J. E. , Berkowitz, R. I. , Blakesley, V. , Walsh, B. T. , the Sibutramine Binge Eating Disorder Research Group. (2008). Efficacy of sibutramine for the treatment of binge eating disorder: a randomized multicenter placebo- controlled double-blind study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(1), 51-58. McElroy, S. L. , Arnold, L. M. , Shapira, N. A. , Keck, P. E. Jr. , Rosenthal, N. R. , Karim, M. R. , Kamin, M. Hudson, J. I. (2003). Topiramate in the treatment of binge eating disorder associated with obesity: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. American Journal of Psychiatry, 160(2), 255-261. McElroy, S. L. , Hudson, J. I. , Capece, J. A. , Beyers, K. , Fisher, A. C. , Rosenthal, N. R. the Topiramate Binge Eating Disorder Research Group. (2007). Topiramate for the treatment of binge eating disorder associated with obesity: a placebo-controlled study. Biological Psychiatry, 61(9), 1039-1048. McElroy, S. L. , Kotwal, R. , Guerdjikova, A. I. , Welge, J. A. , Nelson, E. B. , Lake, K. A. , D’Alessio, D. A. , Keck, P. E. , Hudson, J. I. (2006). Zonisamide in the treatment of binge eating disorder with obesity: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 67(12), 1897-1906. Hudson, J. I. , McElroy, S. L. , Raymond, N. C. , Crow, S. , Keck, P. E. Jr. , Carter, W. P. , Mitchell, J. E. , Strakowski, S. M. , Pope, H. G. Jr. , Coleman, B. S. Jonas, J. M. (1998). Fluvoxamine in the treatment of binge-eating disorder: a multicenter placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. American Journal of Psychiatry, 155(12), 1756-1762. Pearlstein, T. , Spurell, E. , Hohlstein, L. A. , Gurney, V. , Read, J. , Fuchs, C. Keller, M. B. (2003). A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of fluvoxamine in binge eating disorder: a high placebo response. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 6(2), 147-151. McElroy, S. L. , Hudson, J. I. , Malhotra, S. , Welge, J. A. , Nelson, E. B. Keck, P. E. Jr. (2003). Citalopram in the treatment of binge-eating disorder: a placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 64(7), 807-813. Leombruni, P. , Piero, A. , Lavagnino, L. , Brustolin, A. , Campisi, S. Fassino, S. (2008). A randomized, double-blind trial comparing sertraline and fluoxetine 6-month treatment in obese patients with binge eating disorder. Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 32(6), 1599-1605. Noma, S. , Uwatoko, T. , Yamamoto, H. Hayashi, T. (2008). Effects of milnacipran on binge eating – a pilot study. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment (4)1, 295-300. McElroy, S. L. , Guerdjikova, A. , Kotwal, R. , Welge, J. A. , Nelson, E. B. , Lake, K. A. , Keck, P. E. Jr. Hudson, J. I. (2007). Atomoxetine in the treatment of binge-eating disorder: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 68(3), 390-398. Levine, M. D. Marcus, M. D. (2003). Psychosocial treatment of binge eating disorder: An update. Eating Disorders Review, 14(4). Retrieved from http://www. gurze. net/site12_5_00/newsletter16. htm. Wilfley, D. E. , Welch, R. R. , Stein, R. I. , Spurrell, E. B. , Cohen, L. R. , Saelens, B. E. , Dounchis, J. Z. , Frank, M. A. , Wiseman, C. V. Matt, G. E. (2002). A randomized comparison of group cognitive-behavioral therapy and group interpersonal psychotherapy for the treatment of overweight individuals with binge-eating disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 59, 713-721. Claudino, A. M. , de Oliveira, I. R. , Appolinario, J. C. , Cordas, T. A. , Duchesne, M. , Sichieri, R. Bacaltchuk, J. (2007). Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of topiramate plus cgnitive-behavior therapy in binge-eating disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 68(9), 1324-1332. Molinari, E. , Bariffu, M. , Croci, M. , Marchi, S. Petroni, M. L (2005). Bingea eating disorder in obesity: comparison of different therapeutic strategies. Eating and Weight Disorders, 10(3), 154-161. Smith, M. , Barston, S. , Segal, R. Segal, J. (2008). Binge eating disorder: Symptoms, causes, treatment, and help. Retrieved from http://www. helpguide. org/mental/binge_eating_disorder. htm.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Business Environment Of Tata Motors In India

The Business Environment Of Tata Motors In India As emphasized by (Palmer and Hartley, 2006) the Macroenvironment of a company is composed of the External Determinants. This includes factors such as political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal. These factors have an indirect impact on a firm or any business activity. The Microenvironment of a company is composed of the Internal Determinants. This includes factors such as suppliers, consumers, competitors. Bringing this into perspective it is very significant for any company to analyse and study the Business environment in order to make plans, design strategies and take decisions. For example, a company from the United Kingdom setting up its activities in India has to focus on the Macro and Micro Environment in India to run successfully. If they work according to the analysis of the business environment in the United Kingdom they are bound to fail in their operations in India. Thus to understand the Macroenvironments, companies and management students can make use of PEST analysis which helps in critically evaluating the political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal determinants which have an indirect impact on any business entity. This critical evaluation helps a business firm to strategise effectively and take justified decisions. After analysing the business environment using the PEST tool, any company can make use of SWOT analysis to gain an insight on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to survive in todays world comprised of severe competition. According to (Day and Shoemaker, 2005) scanning the Business Environment is like adapting a peripheral vision. Companies with a peripheral vision can recognize the changes taking place in the business environment and accordingly take steps to confront potential threats and grab the opportunities that can prove to be of significance moving ahead. Companies with a good peripheral vision gain a competitive edge over their competitors if they react positively to the changes happening around. The company selected for this work is Tata Motors. Being a huge manufacturer of automobiles, its periphery consists of all the accordant forces. Thus an analysis will be done considering the changes that have occurred over the last five years, how Tata Motors have reacted to these changes in order to survive in todays world of fierce competition. In this work Tata Motors will be analysed using tools like PEST Analysis, Michael Porters five forces and SWOT Analysis, and in the process these tools should be of help in deriving some conclusions and making some recommendations. Organisation Description and Background Tata Motors is Indias largest manufacturer of automobiles. It was initially known as Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company. In 1954, the company signed a collaboration agreement with Daimler Benz of Germany and started the manufacturing of commercial vehicles. It has been a pioneer in this sector, especially in India. They also have their base of operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand and Spain. Manufacturing of passenger cars, utility vehicles, passenger buses and light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles are the main areas of business of Tata Motors. [www.tatamotors.com] The commercial line of Tata Motors has had its roots strengthening since several years in different market segments such as Europe, Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. Tata Motors have always believed in acquisitions to expand their business and build a market share around the world. Daewoo, a commercial vehicle company was the second largest truck manufacturer in South Korea. It was acquired by Tata Motors in the year 2004 and this take over gave Tata a significant place in the Korean Market. Following this acquisition Tata Motors got into a joint venture with Thonburi Automotive in the year 2006 allowing them to operate in Thailand. Tata Motors believes in expanding through Mergers and Acquisitions rather than spending several years in building a business. [www.tatamotors.com] The largest acquisition made by Tata Motors was that of Jaguar and land Rover from Ford in March 2008. These two brands cost Ford 5.3 billion dollars where as Tata paid Ford 2.3 billion dollars (Carty, USA Today). This was a significant step for the company as it paved way for them into the business of luxury cars. Tata Motors, in the above mentioned journey has been exposed to the determinants in its environment. Going ahead an analysis would be done on it using tools such as PEST Analysis, Michael Porters five forces and Swot Analysis. PEST ANALYSIS POLITICAL FACTORS: As mentioned above Tata Motors has its operations in several countries around the world. In setting up these operations it was vital for Tata Motors to analyse the Political Environment so as to run the business smoothly. Over the last five years Tata Motors has had a chance to venture in different Markets. When it entered in the UK, the options of entering USA and Russia were also available. But Tata Motors preferred UK over USA and Russia due to favourable political factors such as India being a preferred economic agent, UK car market and potential and language similarity. USA market requires high quality and there are several non-tariff barriers which make it difficult for a new company to enter the market. The reason Russia was declined is because they lack a well-developed dealership network, there were high entry barriers, Language problem and finally there was always the uncertainty of future economic state. As emphasized by (Hill, 2002) the cooperation between India and the U K falls in the regime of favourability which implies benefits being derived due to less tariff and non-tariff barriers. Thus Tata Motors decision of entering the UK market is justified. ECONOMIC FACTORS: This is one of the most significant determinants that need to be analysed as it encompasses factors such as market growth potential, pricing strategies, return on investment and various such monetary aspects. Since 2004 Tata Motors is on an expansion role around the world. It has made its presence felt in over five countries world-wide through acquisitions and joint ventures. Over the past five years there have been changes in different economies. Tata Motors has been adapting to these changes successfully and running their business smoothly. To give an example if there is a hike in price of aluminium in Kenya, Tata Motors has the option of falling back on suppliers in Europe or Asia. They also have to keep a close eye on the fluctuation in the currency rates. The rupee being strong against the American Dollar doesnt mean it will be strong against the Sterling Pound. This factor is directly related to Capital Investment thus posing a challenge, Tata Motors operating in different econ omies which have been in a turmoil due to recession. SOCIAL FACTORS: Demography is one of the significant social factors. It comprises of lifestyle, consumer trends, income, spending power etc. The trait of demographic trends allows a company to make plans and strategise on the kind of products to be marketed. As emphasized by (Mintel, 2006) the influence of fashion and luxury is so strong that consumers neglect the hike in price of fuel. Catering to this Tata Motors launched Tata Safari and Tata Sumo Grande, Indias premier SUVs. Having said that, not all the people are in a position to afford these cars. Bringing this into perspective Tata Motors has continued to manufacture and market Tata Indica, a low budget passenger car. A lot of motorcycle accidents taking place in India, Ratan Tata, the Chairman of Tata Group had a vision of launching the worlds cheapest car and his vision did come true in the form of Tata Nano. Thus it is clearly evident that Tata Motors does respond to changes in the social factors. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS: Technology is a factor that enables a company to gain a competitive edge and survive the fierce competition in the market. Tata Motors has currently employed 1400 Scientists and Engineers in their Research and Development Team. This has ensured that they are ahead or at par with their competitors in the domestic market as well as internationally. [www.tatamotors.com]. In the last 5-10 years technology has been advancing at a very rapid space. There have been foreign automobile giants like Hyundai, Toyota etc setting up operations in India. Their cars were technologically far too advanced than Indian cars. They had power steering and windows, central locking, automatic transmission on gears etc. Considering these changes in the environment Tata Motors did not lag behind. They also adapted and brought out cars with this technology and survived the robust change and maintained their position as a leader in the automobile sector. MICHAEL PORTERS FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS: http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/images/porterfiveforces.gif Source: www.valuebasedmanagement.net. The above mentioned diagram shows the factors considered as significant by Michael Porter in his analysis. Moving further we will see how this analysis can be used to evaluate Tata Motors project Tata Nano. Threat of New Entrants: Tata Motors launched Tata Nano as the worlds cheapest car. It basically targeted the people who used motorcycles as their mode of transport. Indian automobile sector is vibrant and emerging, attracting international brands like Volkswagen, Toyota, etc all of whom are expected to launch new innovative products. Tata Nano is priced approximately at just Rs 1,00,000. Launching a product at such low cost implies that the manufacturer needs to make a huge initial investment and bear a low profit margin as well. The competitors are studying the strategies of Tata Motors closely. But because of the above mentioned reasons Tata Motors doesnt have the threat of New Entrants immediately but yes it will have to definitely face some fierce competition in the future. [www.scribd.com] Threat of Substitutes: Tata Nano faces a threat from electric cars as a substitute. Reva car is already present in the Indian market and Morbi based Ajanta Group is planning on manufacturing an electric car. Ajanta Group is planning on pricing its electric car at Rs 85000 which is even cheaper than the Tata Nano. Reacting to this threat Tata Motors has aleady considered making an electric car and named it the E-Nano. [www.scribd.com] The second hand market for cars is also booming in India. These second hand cars can act as substitutes to Tata Nano as they are in the same price range, moreover they have powerful engines. [www.jimthetrucker.com] Bargaining Power of buyers: Tata Nano is a car that has been manufactured keeping in mind the people with low income. At present Tata Nano is the only car in the Indian Market available at such a low price(approximately Rs 1,00,000). Bringing this into perspective the Indian consumers do not have many options. This implies that there is not much bargaining power vested in the hands of the buyer. But as and when the competitors come with similar cars the buyer will have the power to switch cars, the power of choice etc. [www.tatamotors.com] Bargaining Power of Suppliers: There are about 60 companies acting as suppliers for Tata Nano. These suppliers together assimilated an amount of about $112.7 dollars to set up base on the Singur Complex. Suppliers mentioned that the existing plants were equipped enough to support the launch of Tata Nano provided the Tata Plant shifts to Pantnagar or Pune. Other suppliers showed cooperation by showing the will to use their sheds as warehouses for storing purposes. (www.scribd.com) Tata Motors has formulated a bill marketing system vesting the interest of the suppliers. Through this Tatas bank makes the payment to the suppliers and then Tata pays the bank. Tata has also set up a suppliers council to recognize and rectify issues such as delayed payments which were acting as hindrance between the company and its suppliers. [www.tatamotors.com] This shows that the suppliers conveyed utmost support to Tata Motors, thus rather than acting as a threat they acted in favour of the auto manufacturer. Tata Nano being the only make of its type the suppliers seem to be liberal but as and when competitors come up with similar cars the suppliers bargaining power will pose as a threat. Rivalry among existing firms: The competition is very fierce among car manufacturers in India, especially the small car manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Chevrolet etc. Tata Motors had come up with the Tata Indica to compete with the Maruti Suzuki 800, Maruti Suzuki Zen etc. Maruti at that time was the leader in the small car market in India. As a counter attack to the Tata Indica, Maruti came up with cars like Alto and some brand extensions like the Zen Estilo. The scene completely changed with the launch of Tata Nano. The price of Tata Nano was half the price of Maruti 800, which then was one of the cheapest car in the Indian Market. In response Maruti Suzuki talked about slashing down the prices of Maruti 800 and Maruti Alto. There were also speculations about Maruti Suzuki redesigning the 800 to pose a challenge to Nano but this got scrapped as the costs involved were very high. The launch of Nano also hurt the dealers of second hand vehicles. These dealers in response got in tie-ups with banks and financial institutions to attract consumers towards buying second hand cars. Thus the launch of Nano intensified the rivalry amongst existing firms. [www.driveinside.com] VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS http://gscmotion.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/a-value-chain-analysis1.jpg Source http://gscmotion.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/using-value-chain-analysis-for-customer-satisfaction/ The diagram shown above describes the main components and sub-components of a value chain. Going forward in this assignment an analysis will be done on the value chain of Tata Motors. Inbound Logistics: Tata Motors has a very strong set up of Inbound Logistics. This gives the company attain a competitive edge over the other players in the market. Following are the factors which enable the company to maintain a strong set up on Inbound Logistics. Tata Motors gets into Long term contracts with its service providers in transport and various other activities. It does the same with the agents dealing with it. It employs special personnel at regional offices to supervise the entire process. The company has made use of SAP business softwares to strengthen its IT department through which it is able to monitor the activities. The storage facilities are very efficient which lead to easy stuffing and retrieval of materials. [www.tatamotors.com] Operations: Over the past few years Tata Motors has established a Capital Equipment Manufacturing Division which assists the company in development capabilities of international standard. It also has designed Apprentice trainee courses which ensure stability in the supply of skilled manpower. Tata Motors also has a team looking into Kaizen and TPM which profoundly works towards improving efficiency. The company has an automated manufacturing process. Moreover the manufacturing is well distributed not just within India but globally. The company practices optimum utilization of capacity. An example to support this could be that of Mercedes Benz which uses Tata Motors paint shop facilities. Outbound Logistics: Stockyards all across the country and also in the countries abroad where Tata Motors has its operations set up implies that they have a strong Outbound Logistics. As mentioned above the company gets into long term contracts with transporters, gives high and constant business to them which ensures it gets the best deals. SAP programmes ensure that all the offices and various sections are well connected which ensure timely execution of tasks. Pilferage is prevented, thanks to an excellent security system being enforced. Marketing and Sales: Tata Motors is in a pact with large number of dealers and agents to support the function of marketing and sales of its products. Tata Motors follows a systematic approach towards understanding the needs and preferences of customers. Over the past five years Tata Motors has been analysing the market dynamics and accordingly manufacturing innovative products or extending existing brands. Some examples of this would be Tata 207, Tata 407 and Tata Ace. Tata Motors caters to different segment of customers like the common man, farmers, Defence, State Transport etc. It has specific teams developed to address the needs of these customers respectively. Their strategy in Marketing and sales has enabled them to impose a Pan India and Global presence. A fact to support this statement is that Fiat which is an international brand got into a pact with Tata Motors on 13th January 2006 to use the dealership of Tata Motors to sell its vehicles and Tata Motors would use Fiats technology and unutilized capacity.[www.tatamotors.com]

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Name Of The Rose :: essays research papers

In the title of the novel, The name of the Rose, by Umberto Eco, the 'rose' can signify many ideas. By making this the title of the book, Eco has attracted the attention of a reader because it suggests a number of things. A rose can be all of nature, the most beautiful of it, a girl, etc. Just as the title suggests several answers, so can the implications in the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The rose can be the Church, the richest and most powerful organization in the entire world. As each of its most devoted die, a little bit of the doctrine is forgotten until the 'name becomes bare', it can no longer be understood as its whole. In return, the most learned abbey in Europe burns to the ground, much like the martyrs it exalted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Instead of seeing the deaths for what they are (just random acts, committed by several people, not one depraved person, but individual curious ones) William goes on wild goose chases, i.e. trying to find Adelmo's murderer before realizing that it was a suicide. He looks for evidence that simply is not there, then finding the next real clue, usually a body, searches in vain for what he wants to be the truth. Blinded by what he thinks is true, instead of what is right in front of his face, he searches and searches not judging by 'names' so much as placing the wrong meaning on them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Near the end of the novel, William gives Adso the following advise ' Fear prophets, Adso, and those prepared to die for the truth…he loved his truth so lewdly that he dared do anything to destroy falsehood…the truth lies in learning to free ourselves from insane passion for truth' (491). Thus, the theme of the novel is the truth. William searches for it and searches for it, and finally finds it when, infuriated, he sees the clues for what they really mean, instead of what they desired them to mean.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Semiotics teaches that each element is meaningless until it is differentiated from the other elements. This can be applied several places in the novel, first as each death cannot be solved on it own, but only in conjunction with the other murders. In addition, William singles out the library as the common denominating factor not, for example, sleeping quarters or the Church.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The title 'The Name of the Rose' can apply in this fashion: William comes across a bud, as he searches for clues, the petals continue falling off, as the rose dies, when enough petals have dropped, he can see what makes the flower.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Creating a Living Canon: The Humanist Project of Uniting Ancient and Modern :: Essays Papers

Creating a Living Canon: The Humanist Project of Uniting Ancient and Modern The humanist preoccupation with the glory of the ancients spans the entire length of the Italian Renaissance and surfaces in nearly all the writers from Petrarch to Castiglione. The precise use of classical writers varies depending on the purpose of the Renaissance writer’s particular work—they are held up as examples to be emulated by historians, as works essential to shaping good character in their readers by the educational writers, and as personal guides in the letters and treatises of the correspondents and philosophers. However, their invocations in humanist texts exhibit a common sense of the rediscovered continuity of human nature, a continuity that had been rashly denied by the monastic tradition of the Middle Ages but was now being revived as part of the humanist project. It would not be entirely accurate to say that the humanists longed for â€Å"a return to a better past,† because they largely accepted Christianity as the final truth, and to return to a pre-Christian age would be to return to perhaps a more vigorous secular life, but also to a spiritual darkness. Instead, they aimed to synthesize the learning of the ancients with the modern Christian world and to create a unified literary and philosophical tradition that would link their seemingly disparate civilizations and could be passed on to later generations as a cohesive canon. The sense that such a unification is necessary for the broader culture because it is essential to the development of the individuals within it is propounded by the writers of the educational treatises, who advocate the liberal arts education as a means to obtaining the character worthy of a ruler and an intellectual. The liberal arts, by their very nature, include the classics—arms and letters for Vergerio, the writings of Cicero and the poets for Bruni, and the intense study of classical languages for Guarino. More than simply advocating their study, however, the educational writers incorporate the ancients’ own educational philosophies and practices into shaping their own programs. Vergerio, for example, writes that â€Å"the practice of the Spartans [of putting drunk slaves on display to show the baseness of drunkenness] seems to me by no means objectionable,† and that both Cato and Socrates exemplify the virtue of learning throughout their lives. The found ation of modern education upon tenets of classical educational philosophy exemplifies the idea of a continuous tradition from the Greeks through the moderns. Creating a Living Canon: The Humanist Project of Uniting Ancient and Modern :: Essays Papers Creating a Living Canon: The Humanist Project of Uniting Ancient and Modern The humanist preoccupation with the glory of the ancients spans the entire length of the Italian Renaissance and surfaces in nearly all the writers from Petrarch to Castiglione. The precise use of classical writers varies depending on the purpose of the Renaissance writer’s particular work—they are held up as examples to be emulated by historians, as works essential to shaping good character in their readers by the educational writers, and as personal guides in the letters and treatises of the correspondents and philosophers. However, their invocations in humanist texts exhibit a common sense of the rediscovered continuity of human nature, a continuity that had been rashly denied by the monastic tradition of the Middle Ages but was now being revived as part of the humanist project. It would not be entirely accurate to say that the humanists longed for â€Å"a return to a better past,† because they largely accepted Christianity as the final truth, and to return to a pre-Christian age would be to return to perhaps a more vigorous secular life, but also to a spiritual darkness. Instead, they aimed to synthesize the learning of the ancients with the modern Christian world and to create a unified literary and philosophical tradition that would link their seemingly disparate civilizations and could be passed on to later generations as a cohesive canon. The sense that such a unification is necessary for the broader culture because it is essential to the development of the individuals within it is propounded by the writers of the educational treatises, who advocate the liberal arts education as a means to obtaining the character worthy of a ruler and an intellectual. The liberal arts, by their very nature, include the classics—arms and letters for Vergerio, the writings of Cicero and the poets for Bruni, and the intense study of classical languages for Guarino. More than simply advocating their study, however, the educational writers incorporate the ancients’ own educational philosophies and practices into shaping their own programs. Vergerio, for example, writes that â€Å"the practice of the Spartans [of putting drunk slaves on display to show the baseness of drunkenness] seems to me by no means objectionable,† and that both Cato and Socrates exemplify the virtue of learning throughout their lives. The found ation of modern education upon tenets of classical educational philosophy exemplifies the idea of a continuous tradition from the Greeks through the moderns.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A Risk That Paid Off Essay

One of the biggest risks that paid off was my husband and I agreeing for him to join the Marine Corps. It required us to up and move our family from Utah to California with no friends or family around for support in times of hardship, which tends to come a lot with being a military family. I had to learn to take control of everything from paying the bills to taking care of the house and vehicles because of his training, field ops, and deployments which required him to be gone for weeks or months at a time. When he deploys I have to raise the kids on my own which is a challenge in itself. It creates chaos for the kids emotionally and they begin to act out at home and at school. They lose respect for both of us when he is gone. Having family time and alone time with each other becomes very limited because of his work schedule. We never know when our family time will be or even if there will be family time. With that being said you can only imagine how hard it is to get alone time together. I believe this all has and continues to pay off because I have created a whole new family within the Corps, I have made new friends that can never be replaced and only they can truly understand the struggles I go through better than any of my friends and family from home ever could. I have learned to be more self-reliant maintaining our household on my own. As far as our marriage it continues to get stronger with communication and we cherish each and every moment more than we ever have before as a family and as a couple.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Using Material from Item a and Elsewhere Assess the Sociological Explanations for Ethnic Differences in Educational Success

There are many reasons for educational underachievement and it has been said that ethnicity is one of these key factors. It has been found that Indian and Asian pupils are of higher educational achievement than White, African-Caribbean, and Black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi pupils. One possible cause of ethnic differences in education could be at the fault of the education system.To investigate this Sewell conducted a study using semi-structured interviews and observations in an inner-city boys’ comprehensive school, his study revealed the ways in which African-Caribbean students are labelled by their teachers, peers, white students as ‘problems’ in the classroom. Sewell showed how Black boys use these negative perceptions to construct different responses to school based on their own ‘masculine’ images, many of these belonging the anti-school culture, such as conformists, innovators, rebels and retreatists, all in favour of gang culture.However some so ciologists are critical of this study in that they feel Sewell is blaming ‘black-culture’ for the educational failure as opposed to recognising racism within the education system. Another reason for ethnic differences in achievement lies in the school itself. Sociologist Connolly found that teachers are more likely to be overly critical of African-Caribbean pupil’s behaviour due to stereotypical views of their ethnic ways resulting in them being labelled as troublemakers and being in need of stricter discipline.This can therefore lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy of the student whereby they become troublesome in a ‘screw-you’ effect to their teachers. However, as criticism to this Sewell found evidence that not every pupil responded with the self-fulfilling prophecy, and in fact some African-Caribbean students adopted ‘White’ values and behaviours at the expense of losing their African-Caribbean stereotypical identities.There are clearl y definite suggestions as to why certain ethnic groups are underachieving in the education system; however they are reasons as to why some ethnic groups are performing better than others. For example, the home of a pupil is a primary agent in their socialisation and education and this therefore has the biggest impact on the pupil so when at school they will either be handicapped or at an advantage from their upbringing.For example, Modood argued that some ethnic minorities have higher levels of cultural capital, despite often being from a working-class background. Many Indians and Asians originate from working-class backgrounds even though they end up with middle class jobs. These parents therefore place particularly high values on educational success and contain the knowledge and understanding of education to motivate their children and help them to succeed.Strand also investigates ethnicity and achievement in education, he compared the progress of Indian, African-Caribbean and whi te British pupils in their secondary education. Strand found that Indian children made more positive progress than the white British students but African-Caribbean pupils fell even further behind. Strand found the Indian’s success was due to both material and cultural factors such as high aspirations and dedication to homework, low levels of truancy and exclusion and good resources at home such as computers and private tutoring.However there was no evidence that African-Caribbean parents and pupils adopted a culture that would hold them back in their educational success, they had high aspirations and a positive attitude to school. Overall his research found little, if any, difference in the cultural support for education between working-class white and African-Caribbean pupils and so, although there were valid reasons found for the Indian pupils’ success, it was difficult to explain why African-Caribbean pupils were doing less well.These are, in my opinion the most imp ortant factors affecting ethnic differences in educational achievement and although Strand’s research did not come to a clear conclusion as to why African-Caribbean pupils are underachieving it is clear to see that negative stereotypes and material/cultural deprivation are the reasons for their underachievement and the positive labelling and encouragement from parents’ cultural capital is what gives Indian and Asian children an advantage and therefore contributes to their educational success.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Billboard Advertising Essay

In the event of choosing the most effective way to market your company, I believe that using billboard advertising is the best way to invest your money. Do you ever wonder if you’re really getting the most out of your marketing campaign? In all of those mediums, your ad is there one day (or month) and gone the next†¦with little lasting impression unless you remarket through that medium. In our technology-driven media environment in which the consumer has access to satellite radio, cable or satellite TV, the internet and numerous print media outlets, the visibility of outdoor advertising allows the advertiser’s message to stand out. Further, even those who no longer commute still spend time on the road in order to run errands, attend events or dine. The cost of putting up a billboard ranges anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 a month depending on the company, the road the billboard is on, the traffic, and the market. If this sounds like a lot of money to you, think again – because a running a full-page newspaper advertisement for a single day in any major newspaper will cost you the same amount – and it is not nearly as effective. 1. Billboard advertising grabs the attention of potential customers like no other form of advertising can. 2. One of the most cost-effective mediums of advertising 3. Brand awareness and strong name recognition  4. Colorful, creative and eye-catching ads have more impact 5. Reaches out to thousands of people on a daily basis 6. Targets a specific audience according to location 7. Ads are not lost in the mix of competitors and editorials 8. Messages are delivered continuously and frequently 9. Directs potential clients and customers to your place of business. These are but a few of the many advantages that billboard advertising has. With so many benefits, it’s no wonder that so many business owners are using billboard advertising today. From putting them up at airports to sticking them on car or truck wraps to even showcasing them at movie theatres, billboard advertising makes it possible for you to advertise your products and services anywhere.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Advertisement Effectiveness

Introduction: Advertising is a form of communication used to encourage or persuade an audience to continue or take some new action. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behaviour with respect to a commercial offering, although political & ideological advertising is also common. The purpose of advertising may also be to reassure employees or shareholders that a company is viable or successful.Advertising messages are usually paid for by sponsors and viewed via various traditional media; including mass media such as newspapers; magazines; television commercials, radio advertising, outdoor advertising or direct mail or new media such as blogs, website or text messages. Definition: Advertising is bringing a product(or service) to the attention of potential & current customers. Advertisement is typically done with signs, brochures, commercial, direct mailings or e-mail messages, personal contact etc. The importance of advertising is â€Å"steadily on the increase in mod ern society†.Just as the media of social communication themselves have enormous influence everywhere so advertisement using media as its vehicle, is a pervasive, powerful force shaping attitudes & behaviour in today’s world. The field of advertising is extremely broad & diverse. In general terms, of course an advertisement is simply public notice meant to convey information & invite patronage or some other response. As that suggest, advertising has two main purposes: To inform & To persuade. These purposes are distinguishable-both are very often simultaneously present Objectives of the study: To study the effectiveness of advertisement of mobile phones. * To analyze & compare the consumers attitude towards advertisement regarding mobile phones. * To know the buying behaviour of the consumers with regard to the advertisement. * To show the true values of the advertisement regarding mobile phones. Statement of the problem: The effectiveness of advertisement which plays a crucial role to identify the target customers and the target market segment for every companies & firms. It is worth noted that, the effectiveness of dvertisement should thoroughly scrutinized by every organisation. Thus there are various issues involved in the advertisement & measurement of its effectiveness. The problem here is how many consumers buy mobile phones by seeing advertisements? Is advertisement really motivating the public to buy the product? The study relates with the influence of the advertisement towards them the researcher has the curiosity to know about how advertisement effect through various brands of mobile phones. Scope of the study: Theme is the subject matter of advertisement.An advertisement copy should bridge the gap between the advertisers & readers if it is to be effective. To achieve this the advertisement has to provide the audience the information that is of interest to them. Undertaken to know the effectiveness of advertisement in the minds of consum ers and also to know the factor which attracts more from it. This will help to identify the role of advertisements. The present investigation has been undertaken to know and analyse the factors influencing the mobile phones & the role of media which influences them to prefer a particular product.Methodology: The research is descriptive in nature. Both primary & secondary data have been collected for the study. Primary data were collected through questionnaire schedule from a sample of 25 respondents at the random. The secondary data was collected from magazines, books, websites. Sampling of the study: A sample design is a definite plan for obtaining a sample from a given population. It refers to the technique or the procedure the researcher would adopt in selecting items for the sample (i:e) the size of the sample.Sample design is determined before data are collected. Simple random sampling method is used for selecting the respondents in order to collect the required data. Sources o f data: Sources of data are mainly classified in two: Primary data & Secondary data. Primary data are those which are collected a fresh and for the first time & thus happen to be original in character. The primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire prepared with respect to the objective of the study.Simply primary data refers to the information got directly from the sampled respondents. Secondary data are those which have already been collected by someone else and which have already been passed through the statistical process. The secondary data are based on the documents available in the form of: Books Journals Published papers Internet Data Analysis and Statistical tools: The data collected were analysed and tabulations were made regarding the responses given by the respondents.No statistical tools were used in this project to measure the effectiveness of advertisements. Limitations of the study: 1) Sample size is small as compare to universe. 2) Respondents are b iased towards their personal preferences and they might have not answered the questions correctly. 3) Due to simple random sampling there may be large deviation from that of universe. Chapter Scheme: Chapter 1: Introduction, objectives, statement of the problem, scope of the study, methodology, limitations of the study.Chapter 2: Contents and review of literature. Chapter 3: Company profile. Chapter 4: Data analysis and Interpretations Chapter 5: Findings, suggestions and conclusions Contents & Review of Literature: Meaning of Advertising: The word advertising is derived from the latin word,†advertero†. â€Å"Ad† meaning towards and â€Å"verto† meaning â€Å"to turn†. Definitions of Advertising: Philip Kolter says â€Å"Advertising is ant paid form of non-personal presentation of ideas, goods and services by an identified sponsor. † William J.Stanton,†Advertising consists of all the activities in presenting to a group a non-personal, or al or visual, openly sponsored message regarding a product, service or idea. † Features of Advertising: * Advertising is one of the methods of promotion mix. * It is a paid mass communication, not aiming at a specific individual. * It is a form of publicity, i. e dissemination of information regarding a product, service or idea. * It is salesmanship in writing or printed salesmanship. * It is a mass non-personal communication. Functions