Marketing Plan for Pharmasim Essay Example

Marketing Plan for Pharmasim Essay A) Executive Summary The management team at the over-the-counter cold medicine (OCM) group of Allstar Brands is looking to utilize revenue generated by Allround to help fund new opportunities in emerging markets. Therefore, it is critical that Allround maintain its market-leading position in terms of market share, profitability, and sales in order to fund these new initiatives. While Allround is a leader in brand awareness and brand most frequently purchased, there are direct competitors to Allround. These competitors offer various products from general cold medicine offerings to single-use medicines. It is likely that these companies will continue to develop new offerings in that arena to have greater coverage across different segments. To defend against these moves, the Allround brand must expand its line, and introduce new products to the market. This will provide an additional area for growth and revenue, allow the company to use the strong brand recognition to help launch the new products, and ensure that the product lineup is meeting current consumer trends and demands. Our sales force works with the channel’s large retailers/chain stores (direct sales) or with wholesalers/retailers (indirect sales) to ensure prominent product placement. Our sales force also works to maintain relationships with the key decision makers at each of these channels. If these relationships are damaged, there is a direct impact to sales and therefore profitability. Our outlined marketing plan will work to strengthen these relationships and allow for a dialog with the channels that will be invaluable for our organization. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Plan for Pharmasim specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Plan for Pharmasim specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Plan for Pharmasim specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It is evident that Allstar Brands needs a detailed marketing plan in order to positively progress in the future. Outlined below are the key areas in a marketing plan as well as suggestions for achieving our marketing objectives. B) Situation and Environment Analysis SWOT Analysis Strengths Allround has the highest brand awareness of any other competitor. Allround has the highest market share based on sales revenue for OTC medicine. Allstar is the market leader in the cold remedy market. Weaknesses Allround has a low customer retention rate compared to some other competitor brands. Allstar’s current product offering only focuses on the cold category, which is a small portion of the total available market. Allstar has a small sales force to promote its product. Only 14% of total marketing expenses allocated to sales force. Product placement in stores is not optimum. Allround contains alcohol, which is a side effect that consumers dislike. Allstar has only one product on the market. Consumer preference is leading to capsule form, and most competitors already supplying in capsule form. Opportunities Allstar has the ability to tap into another segment of the market by offering a brand extension, such as the cough or allergy segments. -Allstar has the ability to add brand extensions that fit customer needs. -Allstar can remove the alcohol from its product line. Threats -Consumers perceive alcoholic content in OTC medication negatively. -Other OTC competitors are receiving higher doctor recommendations than Allround. -Allround has a lower customer retention rate compared to other competitor brands. Allstar is only focusing on the cold category, which makes up a small portion of the available market. -Product placement in stores not optimal compared to competition. -Introduction of new products by competitors can erode Allstar’s market share. Competitors CompanyAllstarBBEthikDriscolCompetitor Summary Brand NameAllroundBesthelpExtraDryup Market SegmentColdAllergy/ColdCough/Cold/NasalAllergy/Nasal/ColdDiversified in other market segments Product4-hr multi symptom cold liquid4-hr cold capsule12-hr cold capsule4 hr multi-symptom cold capsuleAll cold medicine in capsule form Price$5. 9$4. 89$4. 49$5. 09Lower MSRP unit price for competitors Market share40. 4%25. 2%19. 5%14. 9%59. 6% Share Cold Sales Revenue$355M$222M$172M$131M$525M Total Sales$355M$286M$395M$255M$936M/$1491(63%) % of Business Related to Cold Sales100%78%44%51% Cold Sales $’s Period 0$355M$222M$172M$130M$879M Total Allstar’s major competitors are BB, Ethik, and Driscol. All competitors of Allstar’s are diversified into other categories of the OTC market and not dependent upon just the cold segment. This is one area where Allstar can potentially improve its sales and diversify its product lines. Although Allstar has the highest brand awareness, it also has the highest price amongst competitors. The fact that Allround has a strong reputation in the market place due to the product effectiveness allows Allround to maintain a higher price than its competition. All other competitors supply its OTC in capsule form, which is the preferred method of consumption by consumers. Allstar must be aware of the various formulations of the competitors, be selective in considering new products to market, and pay attention to newly offered products and the markets the competitors are targeting. The Allstar team needs to reassess the strategy and approach each period based upon competitor information while maintaining the long-term strategic objectives. Economics Allstar must monitor the economic conditions when deciding the appropriate budget allocations to advertising, sales force, promotion, and discounts. Inflation is a major influential factor that can affect total pricing and the costs of goods sold, which will affect the company’s bottom line. In order to sustain proper pricing, Allstar’s marketing team must monitor inflation and deflation in the market place to determine the optimum pricing strategy. Allstar must adjust its pricing to reflect inflation rates in the market as this will have a negative impact to net income, as costs will continue to rise. Social/Cultural Allstar must focus on the needs of its customers and monitor any changes in the behaviors of its consumers. One factor to consider is the amount of medication in Allround and the perceptions of physicians and consumers. Obtaining recommendations from the medical community is crucial to the success of the product, as some consumers value the advice from physicians. Some doctors may not recommend Allround because of the alcohol content or that the multi-symptom formulation contains too much medicine. Our team must decide the best formulations of OTC medications that meet the needs of the consumers while at the same time satisfy the medical community in terms of medicinal content and brand effectiveness. Allstar must also consider motivational factors to get consumers to continue to buy our products and the appropriate sales force and incentives to motivate the sales force to promote our brand. Some consumers are motivated to purchase based upon coupons. Motivational factors vary for the various sales channels: large grocery stores, mass merchandisers, and chain drugstores are incentivized by turnover and allowances, and independent drugstores by the number of sales people on the account. Allstar must ensure the appropriate allocation and combination of promotion and sales force to ensure our product gets the optimum attention and exposure. Political/Legal The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the amount of medication that can be contained in a single dose and the frequency in which a consumer should consume the dosage. In selecting new products, the Allstar marketing team must select products that will avert potential risks for the company. Selecting a product that has not received FDA approval could delay time to market and miss a potential sales window. Introducing a product to the market that has higher than average the recommended ingredients could be a potential risk should the FDA impose stricter regulations on the amount of ingredients. The team will pay close attention to the formulations offered before introducing these to the market place, scrutinize the ingredient type and amount of medication in each, and assess the risk associated to the potential regulation of the product. Natural Environment Climate change is an ongoing concern and can affect the weather patterns and temperature fluctuations, which can affect the health of the population as a whole. Changes in climate could potentially increase or decrease the demand for OTC products. The team must monitor symptoms of consumers and offer products that meet the needs of the consumers. Currently, the most reported symptoms are aches, chest congestion, and coughing. The reported symptoms could potentially change over time and Allstar needs to take into consideration potential changes that could occur based upon changing environmental factors. Technological Allstar is C) Marketing Objectives Allstar’s long-term marketing objectives are: 1)Increase market share 10%+ 2)Increase net income annually by 20+ (annual growth) 3)Increase customer satisfaction to at least 60% 4)Increase consumer brand awareness to at least 85% The team will also evaluate results at the end of each period via the performance summary report and adjust the short-term strategy via the various input elements: marketing strategy, marketing mix, pricing, promotion, sales force allocation, target markets and channels. Overall, we will adhere to our long-term plan to achieve our long-term objectives. D) Target Market Prior to determining the best way to market our product, we needed to identify our target market of consumers. In doing so, we sought to identify and profile distinct groups of buyers who might prefer our product over our competitions’ product. Based on this, we aligned our advertising and promotion accordingly. When analyzing the market research, we noticed that young families, mature families, empty nesters, and retired individuals accounted for over eighty-five percent of the cold, cough, and allergy market. Additionally, as Allround treats several different symptoms, it can be appealing to a large market with varying symptoms. Because of this, we used this demographic variable to identify our market. For psychographic considerations, the interests and opinions of the target market were considered. For example, we did not initially target young families. The original formulation of Allround included alcohol as an ingredient. Due to this ingredient, we did not market to young families for fear of an unintentional backlash from this demographic. We were aware that young parents would not approve a pharmaceutical company marketing a cold medicine with alcohol as an ingredient to buyers with young children. When we were able to reformulate our product, we removed the alcohol from Allround’s composition, and added young families to our target market. Another factor we noticed when analyzing the market research was an interest in the effectiveness of the product. We observed that members of our target market (young families, mature families, empty nesters and retirees) were primarily concerned with the effectiveness of a medicine, and had a smaller amount of concern for the price of the product. In other words, we deducted that members of this market group had the socio-economic background that would allow them to purchase a higher priced cold medicine if it was proven to be effective. By including both young and mature families in our target market, we believed we would see an increase in usage. By nature, colds and coughs are contagious. Families living in close quarters are likely to share colds, and therefore increase the need for cold medicine. This was another significant variable we analyzed when identifying our target market. Also, minimal side effects is an appealing attribute of our medication. Both young and mature families have many working parts, and we believe we can effectively target this group by touting our reduced side effects that allow families to go about on their daily routines. Geographic considerations involved reviewing the shopping habits of the target group. We sought to analyze where customers are going to purchase our product. According to the research, our target market shops predominately at grocery stores for cold and cough medicine. Because of this, we will geographically target our market at grocery stores. E) Positioning For value positioning, we are considering several factors to best position our product. We are pleased with the effectiveness of our product in regards to symptom relief. We believe that this will increase value in our product, and result in more satisfied customers. This will also lead to repeat purchases from happy customers, and will increase the likelihood for customers to purchase other Allround products. This will allow us to introduce new Allround products to the market. For positioning in regards to pricing, we are seeking to find the delicate balance between price and customer-perceived value. As Allround has a large portion of market share, we can factor in high volume of sales in our pricing plan. Higher volume sales can lead to a reduced unit cost and overall, more significant profits in the long term. Because our customers view our product as effective in regards to cold symptoms, we can increase the price a bit to reinforce the notion that Allround may be a little more expensive but overall, it is worth the slightly higher price. Factors also used to determine the price positioning of Allround will also include our competitions pricing, customer satisfaction, and overall brand awareness. As line extensions are introduced, we will elect to use either a market penetration or skimming strategy, depending on the product and target market. The strategy used in the future will be determined after an in-depth analysis of the market and evaluation of the new produce. For Allrounds advertising in regards to positioning, we will continue to increase the advertising budget. This will allow Allround to remain on the high-end value side of the market while simultaneously keeping pace with our competitors. Allround is in the mature stage, so the advertising message will focus on reminder messages. The reminder message will be used to stimulate repeat purchases and serve as a reminder that Allround is the superior cold medicine. For Allrounds promotion in regards to positioning, we will devote a portion of our budget only when needed. Times when our promotional budget will increase will likely be if there is a decrease in Allrounds market share, or to combat a competitors new product. When Allround introduces a line extension, we will not devote the majority of our advertising budget to promote it. Rather, we will aim for a low to medium advertising expense, and carefully direct our message. Line extension advertising will be informative in an effort to create awareness of the product. It will also be used to highlight the relationship the product has with Allround. Because Allround is a leader in the market with heightened brand awareness and consumer confidence, the relationship with Allround can be used to our advantage. When Allround introduces a brand new product, we will use a medium to high advertising expense. The new product will be in the introduction stage in its product life cycle, so advertising will need to be used more. The advertising message for new products will be informative, seek to help customers form a preference for the new product, and reassure customers that the new product is as good as Allround Though advertising strategies vary for Allround, line extensions and new products, we will use the same channel decision strategy for all products. This strategy will be used regardless of the products life cycle stage. We will maintain a channel sales force according to demand for the products. When a channel segment is experiencing growth, we will increase the amount of sales force present at these locations. For Allround, these high-volume sales channels are grocery stores and chain drug stores thus far. Because of this, we have allocated more salesmen at these channels. Our strategy is to continue to monitor the level of sales at the different channels, and increase sales force at channels where sales are growing and/or have the potential for large amounts of growth. F) Product Currently, the Allround brand has the highest brand awareness and conversion ratio amongst its competitors. Consumers view the brand positively and it has the highest market share in OTC cold medicine. The main emphasis on the product is the brand’s effectiveness over the various categories and limited side effects. The medical community is recommending products that do not produce side effects. For this reason, the team has made the decision to market products that do not contain alcohol. Product Positioning Allstar’s value proposition to consumers is to offer products that will meet all their cold medication needs, providing high-quality products with multi-symptom relief without adverse side effects. We feel that with the reputation of the Allround brand, consumers are willing to pay for a high-quality product that meets his or her needs. We will emphasize the following four key areas: 1. High Quality Product/Competitive Price: Offer products that are high quality and at a competitive price to maximize net income up to the point that consumers will tolerate. . Product Benefits: Offer products that will meet the needs of the consumer from a multi-symptom perspective that will make them satisfied with our products and motivate them to repurchase. 3. Product Differentiation: Multi-symptom solution compared to competitors, such as, Besthelp 4. Side Effects: Offer products that minimize negative side effects, such as removing alcohol content to gain more physician recommendations. G) Price The pricing strategy will rely upon the following key factors: 1)Inflation/Deflation 2)Consumer purchase decision criteria )Balancing the tradeoff between price and symptom relief 4)Analysis of competitor pricing / competitor product offering / historical pricing We will monitor the tradeoff graph in the PharmaSim module each period to ensure that we are pricing the product close to the optimal line (price vs. symptom relief). Thus far, we have learned that we need to continue increasing our prices to keep up with inflation and make some manual modifications to the price depending on the previous period’s price increase while monitoring what is happening in the future period regarding the economic factors. Consumers’ purchase decision criteria will be the one of the main decision factors in determining how we price our product each period. We determined that the key element in the consumer purchasing decision is product effectiveness for Allround, which we can measure by customer satisfaction. We need to ensure that our product has the highest level of customer satisfaction each period. By linking customer satisfaction with performance-based pricing, we believe we will be successful. Since products offered are at different stages of the product life cycle, we will position the pricing appropriately for each product. As Allround is in the mature stage, we will take advantage of the consumer loyalty and try to maintain an optimum price to reap benefits from this product line to help with the financing of other product introductions. We will price new products competitively using penetration pricing based upon where the competitors are in the market and once consumer loyalty and market presence are established, we will increase the pricing to an optimal level as to maximize net income, while continuing to increase our market share. H) Promotion For Allround, we plan to use a combination of push and pull strategies. For the most part, we will use a pull strategy for Allround as the product is in the mature lifecycle and we need to continue to advertise and contribute funds to the consumer promotion budget using trial sizes, coupons, points of purchase, and co-op advertising. Our push strategies will include our sales force to help promote the brand and detailers to help obtain recommendations from the medical community. We will use trade allowances as a way of enticing the sales channels to buy at the higher volume by decreasing the lowest volume discount and increasing the highest volume discount. When introducing new products, we will use the same trade allowances as Allround and decrease the discounts once the new products establish a market presence over future periods. We believe that this strategy will help us achieve higher unit sales, as we will entice the channels to buy at the larger volumes as they will benefit from a larger discount. As the new products mature, we will gradually decrease the volume discount to maximize our net income. In period 4, we decided to allocate 70% of all funds to Allround and 30% to Allround+. As the majority of the sales are still with Allround and the product is still Allstar’s moneymaker, we did not want to allocate too many funds into the new brand Allround+. As we introduce other products, we will establish a long-term strategy of allocating funds as follows to our product line: Allround40% Allround+30% Allright30% Advertising For Allround, we will use various advertising messages depending where we are in the product cycle. We initially will focus on benefits and reminder advertising, as well as continue to use comparative advertising against Besthelp. On new products, our strategy will focus on heavy primary and benefit, with some comparative advertising. As the product ages, we will place emphasis from primary to benefits and reminder advertising. For Allround, the advertising message is â€Å"Relieves Aches, Clear Nasal Congestion, Reduces Chest Congestion, Suppresses Cough, Minimizes Side Effects, and Won’t Cause Drowsiness. † We added â€Å"Won’t Cause Drowsiness† when we removed the alcohol from Allround and got rid of â€Å"Dries Up Runny Nose† as we already have a message of â€Å"Clear Nasal Congestion,† which could be confusing to consumers. I) Place (distribution) The period zero sales report shows that direct distribution channels are almost twice as much as indirect distribution channels (direct distribution channels account for 63. 4% of sales, while indirect distribution channels account for 36. 7% of sales). Because of this, we will prioritize direct channels for our distribution. The direct channel sales are motivated by volume discount and promotional allowances; these two factors impact overall shelf space for Allround. Volume discount and promotional allowance are factors for indirect channels as well, so we will use this information in our marketing mix with regards to promotion. We will adjust these volume discounts and promotional allowances after each period to correspond with channel growth rates and sales. J) Evaluation and Control We will employ various methods to evaluate our performance after each period. We determined that an in-depth analysis after each period is essential to maintain our product as a leader in the market. The company dashboard and performance summary will serve as primary tools in this analysis. This is where we will gather information regarding our marketing strategy, mix, promotions, sales force and price; we will use this information to compare how effective we were in achieving the marketing goals aforementioned. Another method we will use to evaluate our performance is by analyzing the percentage of changes in each of our decision points. For example, we will calculate the percentage of growth in our sales force, our product price and our advertising budget. We will then cross-reference these calculations with our overall performance in the period. An increase in price of 3. 5% may cause a negative trend in our market share; because of this, we will look to adjust our price to better capture market share. By performing similar calculations and comparative analysis, we hope to identify any positive or negative trends and adjust accordingly. While changes will occur, our overall marketing approach will not change drastically. We will adjust as our line is extended and new products are launched due to differences in the marketing life cycle of each product, but the core of our marketing strategy will remain relatively unchanged.

Religion and Politics

Religion and Politics Religion is closely related to politics in a number of ways. In the traditional society, religious leaders were both temporal and civil leaders. In 1648, a treaty of Westphalia was signed, which separated politics from the Church. However, religion has always influenced policy making process and decision-making in government. In many parts of the world, religious leaders influence political leaders to come up with policies that are in line with the provisions of religious beliefs.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Religion and Politics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the main question is how religion influences politics. In the United States, there is a clause in the Bill of Rights referred to as the disestablishment clause, which provides that politics must be kept separate from politics. In established democracies, somebody with questionable religious record stands no chance of being elected. The populace b elieves that a religious leader would always be willing to listen to the wishes of the majority (Settimba 9). A non-religious leader is believed to be indifferent to the sufferings of the majority in society. In other words, a non-religious leader would fulfill his or her own interests instead of serving those who elected him or her. During campaigns at state level in the United States, local leaders quote the Bible whenever they want to bring out a certain fact. In human life, each group has a belief system that is established with the help of religious values. These beliefs influence the political standpoint of an individual in a political system. The media will always evaluate the life of a politician using certain religious principles. These principles are derived from religious morals and beliefs. In this case, a candidate in an election is identified as a Christian or a Muslim. The religion of a political leader determines the number of votes he or she would gunner in an elect ion. In the United States, politicians associate themselves with Christianity because a majority of voters are Christians. In the Arab world, a political leader must associate himself with Islam because it is a dominant religion in the region. Furthermore, the religious sects must be stated clearly before a political leader is elected. In other countries, religion is the major variable in every electioneering year. It is believed that certain religious affiliations are related to cultural beliefs that affect the performance of leaders in any political system. Recently, the issue of religion emerged in the United States when Obama was said to be a Muslim. Many people were much worried that Obama was a Muslim. Islam has always been associated with extremism meaning that Muslims are accused of using warped means to attain justice. It was feared that Obama could support Muslims once he became president. However, the president dispelled fears by declaring that he was indeed a Christian. This nearly cost him the presidency (Johnstone 64).Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is a popular belief among Christians that good leaders are usually sent by God. This is based on the Bible whereby many kings and prophets were sent by God to lead Israelites in the times of war and calamities. Political leaders have always presented themselves as leaders sent by God to accomplish certain missions. Through this, they have been able to ascend to leadership positions. Whenever political leaders make speeches, they quote the Bible to show the electorate that they understand the Christian principles. The idea that political leaders must come up with policies favoring the poor is based on the teachings of the Bible. The Bible and the Koran teaches that people must always be assisted to achieve their potentials in society. It is not the interest of the ruling class t o help the poor. The main aim of the ruling class is to amass wealth and use the proletariat to ascend to power. Political parties that tend to favor the poor in their manifestos have always clinched political power. Social justice ideology is based on the teachings of the Bible because the poor must have equal access to resources including healthcare, education, and employment. Religious Fundamentalism Religious fundamentalism was first used in the United States to refer to those individuals who opposed the principles of the mainstream church. Those who subscribed to the ideas of the Protestant Churches were perceived as religious fundamentalists. In other words, fundamentalism was interpreted to mean diverting from the mainstream faith. However, what should be clear is that fundamentalists had pertinent issues with the mainstream church since the mainstream church never allowed competition. Religious fundamentalists observed that it was critical to follow the teachings of the Bibl e instead of subscribing to the interpretations provided by the religious leaders. Religious leaders interpreted the teachings in the Bible to suit their interests. Many people were not happy with this behavior. The mainstream church interpreted the Bible in accordance to the new dynamics of the modern world. However, fundamentalists were never happy about this. They believed that it would be better to stick to the teachings of the Bible. In the modern society, fundamentalism is used loosely to mean diverting from the normal beliefs and principles of major religions (McGuire 76). Fundamentalism is a relatively new term in the sociology of religion because it was first used in the 19th century. The modern society is complex to understand because of the changes brought about globalization and technology. Therefore, fundamentalism in the modern society has a different meaning. Religion in the modern society serves a different purpose as compared to its role in the traditional society. Religion is an instrument that brings people together.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Religion and Politics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this regard, it must be used to bring about understanding and unity. This implies that religious teachings are usually interpreted to simplify the complexities in life. Religious fundamentalists do not believe that anything has changed as far as religion is concerned. In this case, modern interpretations must not be accepted because they go against the traditional teachings of religion (Weber 22). When other people embrace change in society, religious fundamentalists encourage conservatism. To them, religion is absolute meaning that it dictates everything in society. There is a controversy among scholars regarding the use of the term because fundamentalists are perceived as people who are not intelligent. Others view them as uneducated individuals who believe religion is ev erything in society. Religious fundamentalists believe that some things should not be allowed to go on in society. For instance, they oppose science, abortion, feminism, the use of family planning drugs, and homosexuality. Recently, the term has been associated with Islamic extremists who believe that justice should be sought through terrorism and violence. For Islamic fundamentalists, the main problem in the world is exploitation. The west has always exploited people in other parts of the world, including the Middle East. To them, the main issue is that the west has always neglected the presence of Arabs. Johnstone, Ronald. Religion in Society: Sociology of Religion. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2007. Print. McGuire, Meredith. Religion: the Social Context. New York: Sage, 2002. Print. Settimba, Henry (2009). Testing times: globalization and investing theology in East Africa. Milton Keynes: Author House, 2009. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Weber, Max. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Los Angeles: Roxbury Company, 2002. Print.

Third World sub-region Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Third World sub-region - Research Paper Example Despite having abundant natural resources, the West African sub region still slugs behind the rest of the world in terms of economic development. The following report presents an analysis of the West African region, based on the elements of development and dependency and the effects that they have had on the region’s development. This report will first identify the main elements that have been key hindrances to the development in the sub region. The report will conclude by providing a prediction of the future development in the region as well as the factors that will be key in sustaining its long term development. Different regions in the world have varying economies. These variations are based on the GDP per capita of the countries in the region and extend to extreme ends. The West African sub region is comprised of seven countries, most of which have the lowest GDP per capita in the world. Handelman’s definition of a third world country is one that is underdeveloped politically, economically and socially. Countries in this sub region fit this description perfectly. These countries have a variety of ethnic tribes and are currently marked by civil war. This sub region is also highly populated, with over 290 million people as at 2012, with half of this population living in Nigeria. In this region, most of the countries are low income countries. These countries top the list of the World’s poorest countries as shown in the following table. For instance, as at 2011, Liberia had a GDP per capita of $ 440.66, Sierra Leone had $820, Malawi $906.65 (World Bank, 2012). Countries in the West African Sub region are shown in bold. The slow growth and poor GDP among these West African countries have been triggered wars and political turmoil that has been experienced in the region for decades. According to Feed the Future, the GDP in this region has grown at an annual rate of 5.8%

The fight for independence from Great Britain for Canada was much Research Paper

The fight for independence from Great Britain for Canada was much different than that of the United States of America - Research Paper Example Meanwhile, Canada and Great Britain, though once tainted with conflicts, now share some cultures and establish trade relationship. Under the colonization of Great Britain, its government system was controlled and the chief state is the British monarch (Hastedt 62). However, after the granting of independence, Canada, as mentioned earlier, was given more power over its legislature and enjoyed the ideals of democracy. Nowadays, the system of government in Canada is still with the essence of democracy but has adopted a parliamentary system--where the legislative and the executive department of the government are fused as far as their power and function are concerned (â€Å"Parliamentary Government,† n.pag.). In United States Great Britain has extended its collection of colonies over the territory of the Americans. During the early centuries at around eighteenth and nineteenth, United States of America was colonized and was in general, imposed with restrictions on economic matters . This was not what the American desired in contrast to Canada; United States took a measure to break the tie of colonization from Great Britain--to go into revolution. According to Thomas and Walker (163), U.S struggled and fought for independence even at war.

The Motivation of the US Participating in the WWII Research Paper

The Motivation of the US Participating in the WWII - Research Paper Example The cold war came after WWI and WWII in which there was a state of political and military tension between the Western and the Eastern Blocs. There was little or no direct fighting but supported the proxy wars in Korea, Afghanistan, and Vietnam. The period was full of psychological warfare, technological competition, and propaganda (6). Technology development such as space race was the key as the two blocs competed and prepared for future wars. The cold war resulted in a unipolar international system in which the US became the World Superpower. Many lives were lost in wars involving the Koreans and Vietnam, and there were several tensions all over the world created by competition by the US and the Soviet Union. Large nuclear weapons were built during this era, which can cause a devastating effect on the world. The cold war defines the role of US politics in WWII as it had several military alliances in over 50 countries. The cold war resulted in the global commitment to peace all over the world and huge funding for military science. The other legacies of the cold war were nuclear with the mass manufacture of nuclear weapons and the economic legacies in which nations focused peace and developments to repair the destruction caused by the WWI and WII (45). Institutions such as national defence and security forces were formed by governments secure countries’ boundary from external attacks. The WWI and WWII can be viewed as the starting point for the rebuilding of several nations and the modern development of technology.

Childrens exposure to TV violence

Childrens exposure to TV violence Long periods of TV exposure to violence can create aggressive behavior in children. In many cases children of different ages are exposed to TV programs that arent suitable for their age groups. Many of these programs contain high volume of violence and children are exposed to them for an excessive amount of time without parental supervision. This can be a factor in building a hostile behavior in a child. Not all TV programming is intended for all audiences. More children are watching programs that are not intended for their ages. There is an excess of violence, sex, and adult topics in TV programs. Children are more exposed to these topics with a click of a remote control device. It is very easy for a child to watch these types of programs because they are easily available at different hours of the day. A parent may think that during the early hours of the day television programs may be directed toward children but this may not always be the case. Ratings have been implemented in order for parents to keep control of the television programs their children watch. Programs are identified by ratings issued by The National Association of Broadcasters, the National Cable Television Association, and the Motion Picture Association of America. These ratings are known as â€Å"TV Parental Guidelines.† These ratings can identify violent programming. They appear within the first 15 minutes of a TV program except for news, sports, and some cable channels. The Federal Communications Commission (2009) states â€Å"The ratings are as follows: TV-Y Directed for children within the ages of two to six TV-Y7 Directed for children of seven years of age and older TV-Y7-FV Directed for the same age group as the previous rating but with the difference that it may contain fantasy violence. TV-G Suitable for all ages but not necessarily a childrens show. TV-PG Parental guidance is suggested and may not be suitable for young children. TV-14 Suggests that the show may not be suitable for children under the age of 14. TV-MA Directed specifically for adult viewing and children under the age of 17 are recommended not to view this program.† Programs like Sesame Street are rated TV-Y and are directed to an audience from the ages of two to six years of age. This program in particular teaches learning skills to children while it entertains in an appropriate manner. When parents let their children watch programs with this rating, they can feel secure that their children will not be exposed to any violent, sexual or adult topics. Children watch TV programs for a large period of time. The Keiser Family Foundation (2006) stated â€Å"More than four in ten (43%) children under 2 years old watch TV every day and nearly one in five (18%) watch videos or DVDs every day.† What this tells us is that most of these children dont incur in any outside activities and their main source of entertainment comes from television and video games. Children under the age of 2 watch television on a daily basis. This is a very early start for children to get accustomed to a television set. The following table represents the amount of hours children spend watching television, playing video games and using computers. (Amy B. Jordan, PhDa, James C. Hersey, PhDb, Judith A. McDivitt, PhDc Carrie D. Heitzler, MPHc , 2006). Children between the ages of nine and ten are at the highest level of television watching, while children between the ages of six to 7 years are at the lowest level. This table also shows that while children become older, they also include playing video games and using computers in addition to watching television. The amount of hours spent in front of a screen increases with age. Video games and computers also contain violence. The American Academy of Pediatrics (2006) stated â€Å"Pediatricians recommend to parents that they limit childrens total media time (with entertainment media) to no more than one to two hours of quality programming per day and to remove television sets from childrens bedrooms.† With this amount of limited TV violence, children will be less prone to being affected by the aggressiveness and hostility shown in these types of programs. Children who are continuously exposed to TV violence at an early age may create a hostile behavior that will progress into their adulthood. â€Å"Aggressive behavior in the early childhood years has been repeatedly linked to violence in later youth and adolescence.† (Dimitri A. Christakis, MD, MPH, Frederick J. Zimmerman, PhD, 2007) The way to address this issue is mainly with the interaction of the parents. A child looks up to the parents for guidance and they are the primary source of mentoring. Parents need to be involved in the lives of their children. It is important that they provide love and affection, along with communication and guidance. They need to spend time with their children in activities that will promote good behavior while creating a bond. Alternative activities should be fomented to substitute the use of television. Parents need to set the example in providing healthier activities to share with their children. The American Academy of Pediatrics (2009) stated â€Å"Parents are powerful role models. If you want your child to read more, that is what you should do. If you would like him to go outdoors for some physical activity, invite him to do so as part of an enjoyable family exercise program.† Parents should foment other activities like sports, music, and literature. It is a good idea to promote activities that can be beneficial physically and mentally. There are many types of programs that children can enjoy while interacting with other children of the same age. Parents on a limited budget can look for free activities sponsored by their community. They can sign their children in a reading class at the library or a childrens sports team at their local community center. The main focus on this is to limit the time children will spend watching violence on television versus participating in other activities that are more beneficial to them. Also, the hours a child spends watching television and the type of programs they watch should be controlled by the parents. In fact, devices like a V-chip have been created to monitor and block the programs children watch. This device allows parents to block programming they dont want their children to watch. This is measured by the rating issued by The National Association of Broadcasters, the National Cable Television Association, and the Motion Picture Association of America. Programs with ratings of MA will be blocked by this gadget. This is a very useful took because it permits parents to schedule ahead of time the programs their kids can watch and will provide them with a sense of relief that their children cant watch inappropriate programming. The website for the Federal Communications Commission (2009) has information regarding this V-chip and explains how to use this device. The website for them is http://www.fcc.gov/. It is extremely important for a parent to explain to children that the violence they see on television is not acceptable behavior and should not be imitated. A parent can inform their children that the majority of the violence they see on television and the reaction to this violence is seen by society as negative behavior. Parents need to encourage a sociable behavior in their children at an early age. While violence is an issue that affects society, children should be taught that this is not acceptable behavior. Nevertheless, if a child has already developed an aggressive behavior other measures should be put into action. Parents may want to seek the services of a professional such as a school Counselor or a Psychologist, to help deal with the hostility. In addition, the involvement of all family members may be helpful in trying to control this type of behavior. It is a family issue when there is an aggressive child in the house because this behavior could eventually affect everyone in that house. Finally, it is very important to say that not all television programming is unacceptable, or that it will affect the behavior of a child. Some programs are educational and will foment acceptable behavior in children. Violent TV programming will foment aggressive behavior in children and should be avoided. Children need entertainment in their lives but parents need to substitute television with activities that can stimulate them physically and mentally. Exposure to television should be reduced to a minimum and parents need to be more involved in the lives of their children. After these measures are taken, parents should see improvements on their childrens behavior.

Lucky Paul in The Rocking Horse Winner :: Rocking Horse Winner

Lucky Paul in The Rocking Horse Winner "The rocking horse winner" by D.H. Lawrence is a striking story about a little boy, Paul who secretly rides his rocking horse to pick the winning horse in the various horse races that took place. After the beginning of the story, there is a short conversation between Paul and his mother about luck, and it was the conversation that started the whole dramatic episode which lead to Paul's death. The conversation between Paul and his mother, the phrase that is constantly heard in the house and the rocking horse itself are the main ideas covered in the scope of this paper. The dialogue between Paul and his mother is mainly about luck and how a person can get money if such a person is lucky. From the story, the reader should be aware of Hester's crave for money and her expensive taste, therefore, it is not surprising when she talks her son into believing that luck brings money. We could also establish at this point that the family is at least living comfortably, meaning they were not very poor; "They lived in a pleasant house, with a garden, and they had discreet servants." Paul's mother tells him that his father is not lucky and because of this, she is no longer a lucky woman. The conversation ends with Paul believing that he is a lucky boy, and the action he takes in finding this luck is what brings his demise in the end. The phrase "there must be more money" was mentioned in the story over ten times. The phrase symbolizes the insatiable desire the family has for money. In the early parts of the story the phrase was being heard by the children, and they knew that they heard it but none of them said anything about it. The reader can also conclude that the phrase also pushed Paul into the act he was doing to make all the money. The reader would notice from the story that the phrase grows louder when Paul's mother had possession of the five thousand pounds that was given to her by Paul, even though she did not know the money was from Paul "...and Paul's mother touched the whole five thousand. Then something curious happened. The voices in the house suddenly went mad". As if thirsting for more money the phrase grows louder because Paul's mother has spent all the money to satisfy her expensive taste.

Media Science-Stories vs. Scientific

This paper talks about the different ways on how Non-human Animal Communication is laid out. It is mainly a comparison of various takes on the topic, including scientific research, media science stories and how it is being laid out in the natural world. The scientific research it will tackle is about the role of the physical environment on the animal acoustic communication. This is more on the scholarly way of tackling the topic of non-human animal communication, and is based on extensive studies and research.Another approach is from National Geographic News, which is about a speech project that will be able to understand the communication between non-human animals. This is a media science approach wherein it mixes scientific knowledge regarding non-human animal communication and the dissemination of information through mass media. National Geographic is a well-known scientific knowledge provider through various media means, like print and television. Accompanying material: Disagreements Between Experts in Natural SciencesThe approach on the topic will be on how they will be able to mix the products of scientific research with the mainstream information paths like television shows and environmental magazines. The final approach that will be tackled will be regarding an internet article which came from an unknown author regarding the concept of language for animal communications. This take is more on how most of the people see the topic, making them able to conceive certain ideas, just like what is stated in the internet article.Non-human animal communication is one of those topics wherein humans have no solid grasp of understanding. There are various efforts in order to understand more of the concept, but still, knowledge about it still remains limited. One of the efforts being done to further understand this is through scientific research. Many scientists and researchers conduct experiments on how they would be able to establish information regarding the communication of animals.They test on the possible means of communication, like body signals, excretion of chemicals, or even telepathically, which is not really on the realm of the human understanding. One of these researches is about animal acoustic communication, wherein it emphasizes on the physical characteristics of the world which is perceived by the organism or animal that is being focused on. This research article has been published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology by two authors, which are both from the Animal Behavior Graduate Group of the University of California, Davis (Rundus and Hart).This article tackles on how the physical environments of the non-human animals play a very big role in their lives. It affects the way they communicate with each other, having certain effects on their communicative signals, since these signals directly reflect the physical characteristics of the environment they are living in. The examples that were tack led were the communication of whales, elephants, frogs and many other animals. It also talked about the different purposes of their communication, like for social relationships, parental bonds, or mating calls.There are various conditions which were given in order for the communication of these animals to be established. The first condition is the communication of animals in the terrestrial environments. This is comparably the most familiar way of communication to us humans, since we are also terrestrial organisms. This is affected by the physical barriers like different land formations and materials around the terrestrial environments.This affects the transmission of signals, which are mainly caused by various factors like the type of substrate, the amount and type of foliage, and various geological formations in the area. Communication signals which are transmitted through the air, or airborne signals are also said to be affected by certain factors in the atmosphere, like the temp erature of the environment, the speed of the wind, the humidity, turbulence, and also depending on the time of the day or even the season.Another condition is the communication in the aquatic environment. This is considerably different from that of the terrestrial world, wherein there are different factors to consider. Land dwelling animals greatly differ from the aquatic animals.   It is said that aquatic signals are far more different in the degree of the influence in the terrestrial signals. The propagation of these signals is greatly different, wherein the acoustic signal is several hundred times less than that of the signals propagated in the air. Because of this, acoustic signals are deemed to travel much greater distances in the water. However, these signals are subject to greater distortion of the communicative signals when it passes over long distances.Humans are also said to intervene with the communication patterns of these animals. The animals’ context of the na tural environment is greatly affected by man’s efforts in creating structures or modifying the place to their suiting. Because of these, the animals are forced to adapt with the changes, thus changing their communication patterns as well. Hunting and food gathering of humans have also affected the animal communication, wherein they are forced to seek places away from the people hunting them. Boats in the oceans have distorted the communication patterns of aquatic animals, since their communication signals are also affected. The communicative changes are then adopted by these animals, thus affecting their communication patterns permanently.Another article on non-human animal communication is from the National Geographic News, which is about understanding animal communications. This is more of an exposition of what researchers call as the Dr. Dolittle Project, wherein it aims to learn more about the animal communication. This is in order to help not only the researchers, but al so the people to have a better grasp of animal’s behavior, so that they will be able to improve the means of taking care of them, especially for those in the wild or for the captive animal populations.A researcher said that in the past, humans are trying their best to teach animals on how they will be able to communicate like humans. It’s just high time for us to change that thinking, and try to learn their language, instead of making these animals learn ours (Mott).An example is learning how elephants communicate. This is by using a program that captures the elephant’s behavior then puts it into data which is a modified human speech recognition program. This is able to alert the scientists if there are any changes, including the physiological indicators of the animal.They are using the technology in order to understand these animals more, and that they are able to apply this successfully on elephants. Elephants have been made to wear collars with digital microp hones so that the sound will be captured as they go about their daily lives. After the day, the collars will be removed and the information stored their will be analyzed.One of the aspects that were focused on was the emotion in the elephant’s voices. This is manifested by the hierarchy of the elephants, wherein the subordinates were found to be nervous when they are around   higher-ranking members, an act just like that experienced by humans when they are around their superiors. It is found that there was a nervous jitter in their voices when they approach the superior animals in their herd.The last article is from an internet source, which have an anonymous source. It is more on the author’s opinion regarding the concept of non-human animal communication, wherein the author believes that language does not separate animals and humans, and that animals do have their language, and that they have the ability of cognitive thought. This is because of the animals’ possession of senses; they are able to see, hear and feel things in their environment. Language is their means to communicate to the world, and it is impossible that they have no actual connection with the world. Their connection is established by that language (Anonymous).The article expounds the author’s idea that animals are capable of thought and intention since they have certain abilities like sight and auditory capabilities. This is in comparison with the human’s gauge of mental aptitude which is language. The author quotes what other scientists have said regarding language, which is attached to human mentality. Human mentality is definitive of language competence, and that this language gives the people a grasp of their world, their environment. Because of this they are able to understand their world better.SummaryThe differences on the various ways of writing on science lie on who they are addressed to. Scientific Research is the most reliable means of writing on science, since they present the facts straight from the research itself, including the findings of the experiments. Scientific research offers a truthful, factual slice of information straight from the researchers and the scientists.The only problem is the format that the information is being presented. It is not readily understandable by those who don’t know much of the language the scientific research is written. It is highly technical, so it is assumed that the level of those who will read the scientific research is also high, wherein they are able to understand the raw information being presented to them. This limits this information to those who are able to understand it from how it is written.Comparing this to media science stories, these scientific writing is comparably understandable to a wider range of audience. It is formatted to be understood by a lot of people, especially the masses. National Geographic News presents light information to the people, and they ba ck up the highly technical information that they offer with explanations coming from the researchers themselves. But the problem with this is that the information being delivered becomes diminished, to the point that it doesn’t necessarily give out the specifics of what is being written. This scientific writing doesn’t focus on the scientific process itself, instead, it tackles more on the outputs of the research and how it will be useful to the people.On the other hand, the least factual, least reliable scientific writing is the opinions from the people other than scientists or researchers. This is not first hand information, instead, just a summary of their understandings of the topic, which is in this case, the non-human animal communication. The author condenses other information that he got from other authors and other researches and puts it into his own words. This is a highly opinionated writing, that’s why it is necessary to be critical regarding the tru thfulness of the information being presented.Bibliography:Anonymous. â€Å"Animal Communication†.   2005.   Planet Papers. May 2 2007.Mott, Maryann. â€Å"Animal â€Å"Speech† Project Aims to Decode Critter Communication†.   2006. Ed. National Geographic News.   National Geographic. May 2 2007. .Rundus, Aaron S., and Lynette A. Hart. â€Å"Overview: Animal Acoustic Communication and the Role of the Physical Environment.† Journal of Comparative Psychology Vol. 116.Issue 2 (2002): pp. 120-22.

Essay on Unit 42

Essay on Unit 42 Essay on Unit 42 Name/Number: Michael Alan Smith/6343HNDDL Address: Sluzska 780/36 Praha 8 Czech Republic Post code / Zip: 182 00 Telephone No: 00420 608 52 11 96 Email Address: michaelalan.smith@yahoo.com Date: 09/12/2014 Course Name: HND Tutor Name: Richard Herbert Assignment Name: Project Management for Business Section 1 Introduction Section 1 of this unit will demonstrate an understanding of project management principles. It will describe the background and principles of project management and appraise the viability of projects developing success/failure criteria. It will explain the principles behind project management systems and procedures. Finally it will explain the key elements involved in terminating projects and conducting post-project appraisals. Background and principles Project management in its most basic form has been with us for centuries, the ancient Egyptians building the pyramids, the Great Wall of China and so many other huge building projects from centuries ago. But it was not until 1917 when Henry Gantt developed the self-named Gantt chart that we start to see the developments of a more modern way to manage projects. The Gantt chart was basically a scheduling diagram. ganttchart.com The idea behind the Gantt chart was to list all process within the project and give a start and end date for them. This was first used on the hover dame project. However, the use of the Gantt chart didn’t take into account other aspects of project management such as budgets or the political aspects that can come with projects. It wasn’t until after the end of the Second World War that the development of more modern approaches to project management began to develop. The 1950’s marked the begging of the modern project management era. In 1956 the DuPont Corporation develop the critical path method (CPM) to predict the estimated length of a project. The idea was to analyse which sequence of activities and determine which one has the most flexibility in scheduling. The tool was developed to help with the shutdown of chemical plants for maintenance to take place. It was estimated to save to corporation $1million dollars in the first year of implementation. A simple example of critical path analysis can be seen below; this example is what is needed to make spaghetti carbonara. lindsay-sherwin.co.uk/project_framework/htm_2_planning_a_project/11_critical_path_analysis.htm The project will take 21 minutes to complete The critical path lies on the activities - "Get Ingredients - Cook Spaghetti - Drain Spaghetti - and Mix Sauce and Spaghetti and Serve". Any delay in these activities will increase the total project time (as well as spoiling the meal). Other developments in the 50’s and 60’s included: PERT programme evaluation review technique. This is used to analyse the time needed to complete each task involved in completing a project identifying the minimum time for completion. Prince in the late 1980’s was developed by the UK government, Projects in controlled environments became the UK governments standard for IT/IS projects. The method was based on the principle of â€Å"assuring progress† within a project from 3 separate but linked perspectives. A revision of the methodology in the late 1990’s after it was said to be too rigid and only usable on larger projects gave us Prince2; a more generic tool that can be used on projects other than just IT/IS. http://zenexmachina.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/prince2-processes-vs-agile-development-methodologies Despite the continued use of these and many other project tolls that have been developed, the princible of modern project management have changed over the years. Project managers are now concerned with aspects of a project such as defining objectives, the bases of most projects is to achieve a set objective and this should be defined at the initial stage or formability stage of a project. The project

buy custom Taxes on Tobacco and Alcohol essay

buy custom Taxes on Tobacco and Alcohol essay Alcohol and tobacco have always been very controversial products. On the one hand, they greatly support the world economy, but they ruin peoples lives. According to the World Health Organization, almost six million people die from tobacco use and two and a half million from harmful effect of alcohol each year worldwide (Join Together Staff, 2011). These are only those, who die directly from the diseases caused by alcohol and tobacco. However, there are even more severe consequences, as these products weaken the overall health and immune system, which make people more susceptible to various diseases and infections. The high consumption of tobacco and alcoholic products is affecting the health of the consumers and puts under risk the lives of others who consume the products raising ethical questions. Accidents and crashes resulting from driving under the influence of alcohol and diseases contracted by those who are exposed to tobacco fumes are just but a few examples. There is a significant relationship between the consumption of alcohol and tobacco and the increase in the medical cost according to Rehm et al. (2006). Tobacco and alcohol products have been used since times immemorial. The magnitude has kept rising with the increasing population. The products have been established to cause preventable deaths in many countries. The use of the two sets of products simultaneously is evident with most of those who consume alcohol and smoke or vice versa. It is quite hard to quit smoking or drinking alcohol once the person has practicing the habit for a while. There is an established link between the use of alcohol and tobacco products and the complications that include cancers, heart disease and lung disease. The treatment of a complication related to the use of the products is proving to be both chalenging and expensive. The lives lost due to alcohol and tobacco related causes exceed 100,000 people annually with expenditure in excess of $185 billion in United States. The loss of live has a direct impact on the economic aspects of life. People, who are expected to work, are removed from the workforce. The problem is worsening by the fact that the majority of alcohol abusers are at the same time tobacco smokers. There are several causes of that: the use of alcohol may increase the positive effects of tobacco (or vice versa) as well as it may decrease the negative ones. Alcohol and tobacco become bad habits which are difficult to quit. It is not only a physical dependence, but a physiological one as well. In their early years teenagers and children watch movies in cinemas and on TV, where tobacco and alcohol are promoted. Companies that produce alcohol and cigarettes spend a lot of money in order to make their products popular. Moreover, there is too much advertisement on the streets, in the magazines and journals, which are decorated by all the rules to make it attractive, fashionable and desirable. Unfortunately, in todays mercantile world, where the money is the number one target, more of it is spent on promoting alcohol and tobacco than on explaining the negative effects of these products. Addiction to alcohol and tobacco are the most common mental health problems among teenagers (Join Together Staff, 2013). The Centers for Disease Control Prevention states that around one million teenagers abuse drugs and alcohol, while around 700,000 are addicted to tobacco (Join Together Staff, 2013). There are many reasons why teenagers, even under 18 (the lowest tobacco and alcohol age limit in the world) smoke and drink a lot. These are, for example, fake identification documents, which are afforrdable in many countries. In the developing countries the situation is even worse, as there is a high corruption level and sellers are not afraid to sell cigarettes and alcohol to the kids in order to gain more profit. The problem of alcohol and tobacco consumption is recognized worldwide. However, it is hard to decrease the negative effects of this problem, as the industry receives high profits. Tobacco and alcohol taxes must be increased in order to pay for rising medical cost. This will lower the tax burden for those citizens who do not smoke or drink alcohol but still need to pay high taxes in order to fulfill the lack of money for treatment of those people whose diseases are caused by alcohol and tobacco consumption. Alcohol and tobacco producers earn a lot by doing their business. In fact, their income is formed due to the health deterioration of millions of people all over the world. The free market economy does not allow the government to ban alcohol and tobacco sales. Customers are free to choose what to do with their lives. However, when the problems occur, alcohol drinkers and smokers go to hospitals, which are kept at the expense of all citizens. It is not fair that a person that lives a healthy life have to pay for the person who intentionally shortens ones life. Thus, the only way out is to make the smokers and alcohol drinkers pay more for their future treatment expenses. Increase of taxes on alcohol and tobacco will make smokers and drinkers pay in advance for their health problems. Of course, the companies that produce alcohol and tobacco will not pay more after the tax increase, but will pass these expenses to the consumers wallet. Thus, the price for the products will be increased, which will lead to several positive changes. Buy custom Taxes on Tobacco and Alcohol essay

Oroonoko Close Reading (Anti- Slavery Text) Research Paper

Oroonoko Close Reading (Anti- Slavery Text) - Research Paper Example So, Oroonoko puts on various identities as a novel, as a travelogue, or colonial discourse than an anti-slavery text. The narration presents contradictions in the perspectives of the fictionalized author narrator and the hero, Oroonoko and creates doubts about its characteristics as an anti-slavery text. Set in the seventeenth century, Oroonoko is often seen as a precursor of the anti-slavery literature which became popular later during the nineteenth centuries. Norton Anthology says that â€Å"In the early 1660s, when the events described in Behns  Oroonoko are supposed to have taken place, England was not yet a major power in the slave trade† (The Norton Anthology of English Literature). This has Oroonoko as a reference text when it comes to details on slave trade.   In its section on the biography of Aphra Behn, the anthology says that the novel had great impact on people who fought against slavery and slave trade. Oroonoko also has been critically acclaimed to be an anti-slavery text by many critics. Laura Brown in her â€Å"the Romance of Empire: Oroonoko and the Trade in Slaves† says that, "the novella had been recognized as a seminal work in the tradition of antislavery writings from the time of its publication down to our own period"(42). Oroonoko captures the transatlantic slave trade and is set in the colonial Africa and West Indies. One of the most outstanding aspects of the novella is that Oroonoko has an African prince as its hero. Though set in the British colonies, it is unlike a mere travelogue or a documentary. On the other hand, it makes a strong statement regarding slavery in its portrayal of the cruelties of slavery. The details about the process of slave trade are described. The author of Oronooko says, â€Å"Who want slaves make a bargain with a master or a captain of a ship, and contract to pay him so much apiece, a matter of twenty pound a

The rise of online shopping Speech or Presentation

The rise of online shopping - Speech or Presentation Example I will elaborate on the factors contributing to effective online shopping, in other words its feasibility, its advantages and limitations and some of the strategies to be put in place to enhance the process further. Please feel comfortable and enjoy the session. The start of online shopping can be traced back to the era of internet development. The internet is a global computer network established in the 1960s in the United Kingdom, and it has developed to its current state. The initial version of the network was meant to enable communication between government agencies without necessarily traveling to certain destinations. Top politicians also used the network to reach their subjects. The internet experienced a wide spread in various regions of the globe after ARPANET, the founder of the network, was decommissioned to make the internet a public domain. Asia and its surroundings embraced the network in 1980s and this is the era it was employed in commerce. The network has improved an d currently, there are more than a million internet tools and applications and countless users in the entire globe. It has several applications in the commercial sector, for example it enables online banking (e-banking), online shopping, commercial interactions or communications, biddings and the actual purchase of products. We are a generation where one can purchase his or her favorite dress or watch in a single click. One would be required logging in to respective web sites or blogs and selecting the favorite product. He or she is required to make some payment through internet tools and currently we have the money bookers and wire transfer among other online payment methods. The product is then packed and delivered to the client’s destination. Allow me to elaborate on some of the aspects making online shopping a success. Internet is currently not only well established but also affordable in both developed and developing nations. There are more than a million companies respo nsible for the distribution and management of the network. Rapid increase of such companies has an enhanced reduction of internet costs. Online shopping has also been enhanced by the rapid increase of digital appliances like mobile phones, tablets, personal computers and smart phones among others. And I am certain each of you owns one, perhaps two or more such devices. There are at least two or more such appliances in each homestead. Technology being the talk of the current generation is incorporated in almost all the teaching curricula all over the globe. The need for online shopping has also enhanced the process. It has been proven that one can purchase whatever product despite the bulkiness and the distance provided the costs can be met. We live in an age where people have invest so much time in their career that there is no time for shopping. However, one can spare at least 30 minutes to go through their budget list and select their favorite products in the comfort of their livi ng rooms. I certainly appreciate and acknowledge the fact that I exist in this digital generation where one can buy anything just by clicking in the comfort of own home, and I hardly need to urge you all to appreciate the same. My speech would have no meaning if I did not talk of the advantages or benefits associated with online shopping. Online shopping is comfortable; imagine buying your best phone at the comfort of your living room or bedroom. One