Starbucks

Introduction Background After the post World War II trends of doing business have been changed. There are changes inside and outside businesses, and this is because businesses have started to identify and face serious challenges. Business environments are changed as the scope of the environment is expanding rapidly (Ferrell Hartline, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Starbucks – Marketing Management Perspective specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Presently, organizations have recognized marketing as an important business function. To survive the challenges of globalization, diversified customer needs, modernized market trends, and international competition organizations admire the concepts of marketing management. The purpose of this study is to assess and evaluate marketing principles in light of modern business challenges. The direction of this study is to apply the concepts in perspective of a practically existing company Starbucks. This is to construct a bridge between theoretical models and practical application of diversified marketing tools (Kotler Keller, 2012). Starbucks, a global chain of coffee shops and stores that has achieved a long way in the international business, is going to be part of the assessment in this report. This is to demonstrate of how a globalized company works on marketing tools and utilizes each tool to build its place in the international market (Starbucks, 2011). Literature Review In recent times, where businesses are most diversified marketing has received multiple definitions. The experts define it as a social and managerial tool. According to Kotler, â€Å"Marketing is a process of exchanging values. It is a process by which individuals and groups obtain of what they want and need by creating and exchanging values. It is a method of action to build and maintain relationships with the target audiences† (Kotler Keller, 2012).  Ald erson’s research has played a significant role in extending the above explanation by Kotler. Alderson along with Bagozzi have described five conditions of exchange (Lamb et al., 2011). â€Å"They explained that there must be at least two parties; each party has a value for each other, both parties are opened for communication, each party is free to accept or reject the offer, and each party believes in the relationship with each other† (Lamb et al., 2011). These are the five Alderson’s conditions, which are important to prolong the exchange process described by Kotler in his definition.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The literature highlights such conditions as updated version of general theory of marketing, which fundamentally talks about the exchange process and parties’ relationship (Lamb et al., 2011).  In all such definitions, marketi ng is not just limited to promotion, advertisement or sales, but it is a continuous exercising process that corresponds to the provision of goods and services. Building up of trust, value, and recognition of commodities lies in the scope of marketing as a business function. Hence, marketing is a business oriented and customer driven activity, which never ends until both domains get satisfied (Lamb et al., 2011).  According to Kotler and Armstrong, marketing is a business function that makes up the modern marketing system. The system constitutes of multiple elements in which a business performs its marketing activity (Ferrell Hartline, 2010). The experts have suggested that in the modern marketing system there are four major segments. The segments include suppliers, competitors, marketing intermediaries, and end users respectively. In this system, end users are the target audience while suppliers, competitors, and marketing intermediaries are the manageable segments. To meet needs and wants of the end users companies search for their competitive advantages in all respective areas (Riaz Tanveer, 2012). This is to generate value among customers and competition for the rivals in order to dominate the market system. In experts’ opinion, the spectrum of marketing is broad as it includes the entire chain from where a business process starts. Consumers, competitors, and suppliers all are part of the system and have to be included in a marketing function and operation (Kotler Keller, 2012).  Based on the proposed market environment, there are different factors that affect such environment. According to Donovan and Henley, there are precisely external factors that affect the marketing environment. The factors include political, economical, social, technological, legal, and environmental, which are influential and should be part of the assessment (Ferrell Hartline, 2010).  To address such influential factors enterprises work on strong marketing strategie s (Ferrell Hartline, 2010, pp. 101). These include strategies based on marketing principles, concepts, theories, and models, which analyze external business environments and address them deliberately and comprehensively (Ferrell Hartline, 2010). According to the Alberdeen Group Boston (a research firm), enterprises which scan external environments are able to increase 26% of their return on investment. This is because such firms are well aware of their environments helps them construct viable marketing strategies (Lamb et al., 2011, pp. 103). So, analysis of the environment is necessary; it is an important part of the marketing process as it leads a business to decide its marketing campaign and strategy (Lamb et al., 2011).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Starbucks – Marketing Management Perspective specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For analyzing, scanning and examining the market environment, marke ting as a function offers different analytical tools and models. The modern literature highlights the importance of such analytical tools, especially, market segmentation which assesses extended market environments (Kotler Keller, 2012). According to Kotler, market segmentation is a complete scanning package. This strategic tool permits division of the market in different segments so specific marketing campaign can be developed. According to Doyle (1995), hyper competitions and growing challenges of economies have brought firms to market segmentation. It is a tool that highlights each and every thing of the market including customers, their behaviors and their changing product needs and wants. Grouping customers with respect to their needs and demographics all becomes possible by applying market segmentation (Ferrell Hartline, 2010).  According to the modern marketing literature, consumers are the target audience for any business and strategists use analytical tools just to anal yze their situation and response. Analyzing consumer behavior is very important for businesses especially for those, which operate in highly competitive environment (Ferrell Hartline, 2010). According to Berry and Kunkel, understanding customers need by assessing their preferences, perceptions, and behaviors is viably important for businesses. Without knowing of what consumers want and what they prefer, businesses cannot produce highly competitive goods (Foxall, 2001). This requires an assessment of consumer psychology, which can be done by assessing consumer behavioral models and theories. According to Utility Theory, consumers are natural interpreters; they judge products and services on the basis of the benefit they are going to retrieve. Similarly, consumers look after their self interest and this is the rationale they set for buying goods and services (Bray, 2008). According to Foxall (2001), consumers have different approaches on decisions. Some consumers are economic, psycho dynamic or cognitive due to which their buying preferences change and become diversified. This is a challenge, which modern marketers face, especially, when they are dealing with large population of customers and the continuously changing market trends (Bray, 2008). According to the modern literature, SWOT model is one technique that can be used for effective market analysis. SWOT model is a combination of internal and external factors analysis (Karppi et al., 2001). It includes analytical components of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that indicate the position of a business in any new market place.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In several empirical evidences, SWOT model provides a basis of business expansion (Karppi et al., 2001). It provides the stance and position to intrude into a new market system. According to Karppi study (2001), organizations use SWOT model to assess market segments. They use it to interpret market scenario, dimensions and the conditions in which they can bring the entire benefit (Karppi et al., 2001). Once the analysis gets completed, the next phase of marketing is formulizing strategies. One of the strategies includes the marketing mix model proposed by Neil Borden. As per Borden’s explanation, marketing mix is an extensive marketing strategy (Riaz Tanveer, 2012). It is a strategy that helps to sustain business products and services for a large aspect of time. Borden’s marketing mix model got an extension from Kotler, Armstrong, and Saunders who described it as a submerging marketing tool. According to Kotler and Saunders (2008), marketing mix is a set of controllab le submerging tools, which are used to generate response in a respective target market. These submerging tools are the 4Ps (product, price, place and promotion) which are controllable, adjustable, and can be redesigned according to the situation of the market (Riaz Tanveer, 2012). Marketing itself can be performed online or offline depending upon the nature of the business and the scope in which customers of a business lie. As per the modern literature, enterprises have adapted methods of online marketing. This is because of the increasing number of digital customers who require digital modes of marketing to get attracted and anticipated (Ferrell Hartline, 2010). In modern academics, e-marketing is viewed as a modern business practice. The literature describes e-marketing as a digital mode of marketing to promote ideas, information, goods, and services. According to Strauss and Frost (2001), e-marketing â€Å"is a use of electronic data and applications for planning and executing the conception, distribution and pricing of ideas, goods and services. This is to create exchanges, which are satisfactory for organizational and individual goals† (Gohary, 2010, pp. 216). Further literature highlights communication as an important function of marketing. It includes the model of marketing communication mix, which integrates the mix of advertisement, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing for customer response feedback and communication (Ferrell Hartline, 2010). Analysis – Starbucks Marketing Management Perspective Company Overview Starbucks was initially a small business enterprise – a company started off with a base store in Seattle Pike Place Market (1971). As time evolved the company pioneered bean coffee, tea, and spice selling, and it became one of the leading multinational companies. Today, the company has a established name, image, and repute in more than 50 countries across the world. Presently, the company is looking for expansion for which it has chosen Dubai coffee market as a new way forward (Starbucks, 2011).  Dubai is a recent target market of Starbucks, which is an open market with great opportunities for expansion and investment. The strategists have devised strong marketing plans for the company, which are going to be applied for marketing the company in Dubai. The analysis performed in this report will evaluate Starbucks’ approach to the UAE market. It is to assess how the company evolved with the market risk, challenges, and opportunities (Starbucks, 2011). Dubai Market- Segmentation (Strategic Options) For approaching Dubai market, Starbucks will first have to understand the market situation. Dubai is a busy place, which invites people from all around the world mostly Europe and Central Asia. Most of the people in Dubai are work oriented as vast majority of individuals come to Dubai either for jobs or doing business. In such busy place, there is a huge demand of coffee and te a. People working in white collar jobs prefer to have coffee at least once or twice a day (Euromonitor, 2012).  In the last three years, coffee and tea consumption has increased to a great level in Dubai. There is an increase in the consumption of coffee and tea by 85%. Individuals from all age groups (young and adult), genders (male and female) and cultures (multiple ethnicities) admire coffees in Dubai, which shows that it is a diversified coffee market that requires an extensive marketing approach from Starbucks (Euromonitor, 2012). Among strategic options there are different factors to be considered by managers. The target audience / population (valuable-compensable), blend of products (product mix), and the pricing mix are important strategic options for Starbucks’ managers. In Dubai’s perspective, the target audience should be both adult and young, office workers, students, and tourists respectively. The product mix should include both cappuccino and espresso a long with bakery products like muffin, pan cakes, and cookies, which are specialties of Starbucks. Similarly, the price should be with respect to Dubai market, which is extensively low and highly competitive (Euromonitor, 2012). Market Analysis In recent times, Dubai is projecting an extensive amount of growth in the Coffee retail sector. According to Euromonitor International, this market has shown the fastest growth rate of coffee by volume and revenues. As per annual projections, total coffee volume of sales will grow by 80% from 2009 to 2014, which is a great sign for new coffee brands of the region (Euromonitor, 2012). Presently, there are numerous international coffee brands, which are operational in UAE. They are selling bulks of coffee just to promote the coffee chain culture and tradition. This culture is precise in UAE where several international brands like Costa Coffee, Coffee bean and Tea Leaf, Barista, Blenz, and Starbucks are working to establish the trend. As per the Euromonitor’s report, brands are about to receive a heavy population of customers in the coming days. This recognizes a great opportunity and prospects for upcoming brands in the region (Euromonitor, 2012).  The market is demanding low cost producers. Dubai, which is the hub of Coffee making, cannot accept high cost producers. The trend is there for coffee making and hence, it does not allow high cost producers to survive or sustain. In this case, Starbucks will have to work on price cuttings. A deliberate cheap price offer will work out in Dubai and its large low price setting (Euromonitor, 2012). Marketing Mix and Extended Product Life Cycle As per the literature, marketing mix is a significant technique of marketing. It is a method that applies to communicating brand’s products and services to the respective target audience of the market. Dubai, which holds a cross-cultural setting, may require an effective marketing mix strategy. A strategy that can communicate Starbucks’ products to Dubai market will be the one that can carry the cross-cultural segment (Morgenstern, 2010). Considering people of all age groups, genders, and cultures will devise a strong marketing mix strategy. It should be precise with covering all customers’ population, their preferences and behaviors. This will align Starbucks products and services with customers’ perception and expectation, which will effectively extend the product life cycles of Starbucks in the region (Morgenstern, 2010). Product On the very first, Starbucks should offer Cappuccino and Espresso. These are strengths of the company and can hit as a success in the diversified cross cultural system of Dubai. The Italian Style Espresso with milked steamed topping and Cappuccino with Latte will definitely work out for customers. In the selection of premium teas, which are supplementary products of Starbucks, the company can offer lemonades and iced tea. This will bring a unique and valu able package for customers as they will find a blend of coffee, tea, and beverages all in Starbucks offerings (Morgenstern, 2010).  Excluding trademarks or specialties (Cappuccino-Espresso) never works out in marketing especially when a company (Starbucks) has to capture a diversified cross-cultural market â€Å"Dubai† (Morgenstern, 2010). Price In Dubai, where there are loads of coffee shops at each corner would hate to pay more than $3 for a coffee or tea. In this low price scenario, Starbucks will have to cut its prices which are perceivably high at other parts of the world. The popular $ 1.50 brewed coffee and $2 Cappuccino and Espresso of Starbucks will work out in this manner. Meanwhile, in labor and cost-intensive goods like coffee beans, dairy and raw materials the company can raise its prices which are generally raised by other producers as well (Morgenstern, 2010). Place Dubai being a place of travelers projects different places of marketing and placement. Starbuc ks as an intruder of Dubai market can pick the most popular places of the region. Opening convenience stores at Burj Dubai Boulevard, Marina, Oud Mina, Uptown Mirdiff, or 21st Century Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road will allow distinctive promotion of Starbucks in the region. Apart from targeting popular places, the company can access hotels, shopping malls, and city towers for direct marketing and promotion (Morgenstern, 2010). Promotion Being an internationally recognized company, Starbucks can subject to both modes of marketing (offline and online). In Dubai, where there is a huge population of customers Starbucks can acquire My Starbuck Website, which is already in place and is used by Starbucks administrators all around the world. Apart from all, there are different media gates like newspapers, magazines, and billboard advertisements, which can be utilized for offline marketing and promotion (Morgenstern, 2010). In strategizing promotional campaigns for Dubai, Starbucks administrato rs can also utilize channel management. It is an activity that maintains company status by developing interaction between customers and the company. By spreading network channels such as text messaging, internet, retail stores or franchises, Starbucks can develop interface communication which is viably important for promotion and advertisement (Morgenstern, 2010). Understanding Buyer’s Behavior Dubai is a diversified consumer market. People from different ethnicities and cultures come across to adjust in Dubai. All ethnicities such as European, Pakistani, Indian, Thai, Filipino, Syrian and Indonesian are found in Dubai and this situation diversifies buying range, needs, and behaviors of Dubai’s food customers (International Markets Bureau, 2010). Coffee is an important segment of the food. It is the most demanded food item in the region. In such diversified behavioral system, Starbucks will have to come up with a differentiated product range. A range which suits all cu stomers’ perceptions and behaviors will be the successive one in the region. Hence, a right product mix for Starbucks includes Cappuccino, Espresso, premium teas, and beverages. Such scheme will prolong and be well suited if offered with a sustainable pricing mix campaign (competitively low) (International Markets Bureau, 2010). Marketing Communication Mix Analysis Starbucks has been quite successful in its integrated marketing approach. The approach carries direct marketing, advertisement, sales promotion, and public relations at one row of application. The same integrated approach of Starbucks should be adopted in UAE as there is a need of multi cultural market interaction, which can be worked out via Starbucks integrated marketing communication (Sargent, 2012). SWOT Analysis According to the literature review, SWOT analysis is viably important for businesses. It is most decisive model as it uncovers company’s (Starbucks) real position to step into a new market place (Dubai). Strengths In UAE, the real strength for Starbucks is its image. In past, the company has been recognized for its quality products and services, which have made its name in the international business market. By maintaining conventional SOPs and brand image, Starbucks will have a full fledge chance to excel in Dubai’s market. These are fundamental strengths that should be sustained in the new market segment (Starbucks, 2011). Apart from brand image, Starbucks has competitive advantage in view of employee wages. The company pays above than the market level, which adds to the strength and repute of the company. Furthermore, access to high quality resources allows the company to hold its strength in quality coffee manufacturing and services (Starbucks, 2011). Weaknesses In conventional appearance, Starbucks lacks in low price market. Its brand image and repute makes its products relatively expensive in the market. This definitely is not going to favor Starbucks in Dubai where there are low price seeking customers who look for the cheapest coffee goods and services. Additionally, customers do not spend much time in gauging coffee bags or tea bags. They simply buy coffee, which is cheap and liked by the market. Hence, Starbucks products, which are traditionally high in price will have to be lowered in respect of Dubai’s low price market which demands for low price goods and services (Starbucks, 2011). Opportunities The recent rise of Dubai’s coffee retail market indicates that Starbucks has viable opportunities in the region. The place is a â€Å"Coffee Hub† which offers permanent doors to new brands and investors in the region. By asserting partnerships and mergers Starbucks can join the profitable region of UAE – Dubai. This may require experts’ opinion on how the investment can be made, planted, and organized (Starbucks, 2011). Threats Among all threats facing the company, one major threat is market entry by new rivalries. Many coffee brands are making ways in Dubai’s market, which is definitely a risk factor for Starbucks in Dubai. Apart from new entrants there are established rivalries such as Costa Coffee, Coffee bean, Tea Leaf, Barista, and Blenz, which are further threats for Starbucks and its products (Morgenstern, 2010). The risk is great but it can be minimized if managed through product differentiation, marketing mix, and pricing mix models. These are fundamentals of risk management essentially required by a company like Starbucks to proceed into large market segment – Dubai (Euromonitor, 2012). Conclusion and Recommendations Upon analyzing the literature and Starbucks case study, it can be concluded that marketing tools are highly significant for a business. When a company expands or plans to enter a new market place, it requires extensive marketing tools to analyze the new market system and situation. Market environments with have high competition, high risk, and si gnificantly cross-cultural setting may require extensive marketing tools for market orientation. This is what has been identified in Starbucks’ case study, which implies adaptation of marketing tools and operations. Models such as SWOT analysis, marketing mix model, marketing communication, and channel management are decisively recommended. Such models are important parts of a strategy and they should be utilized by businesses to formulize their effective marketing campaign. The same has been identified in Starbucks’ case where the company applied marketing models to expand into a new market region of Dubai. It used models of SWOT, marketing mix, pricing, and differentiation to intrude into the new market place effectively, and progressively. Hence, marketing models identified in the literature and in the Starbucks case study are highly recommended and suggested. List of References Bray, J. 2008, Consumer Behavior Theory: Approaches and Models, Research Report, Bournem outh University Publications: Dublin. Euromonitor 2012, Coffee in the United Arab Emirates. Web. Ferrell, O Hartline, M 2010, Marketing Strategy, Cengage Learning: Mason. Foxall, G 2001, Foundations of Consumer Behavior Analysis, Research Report, Sage: London. Gohary H 2010, E-Marketing- A Literature Review From a Small Business Perspective, International Journal of Business and Social Science,1, pp.215-44. International Markets Bureau 2010, The United Arab Emirates Consumer Behaviour, Attitudes and Perceptions Toward Food Products, Research Report. AAFC Canada: Ottawa. Karppi, I, Kokkonen, M, Smith, K 2001, SWOT analysis as a basis for regional strategies, Research Report, Nordregio: Stockholm. Kotler, P Keller, K 2012, Marketing Management, Pearson Education: New Jersey. Lamb, C, Hair, J McDaniel, C 2011, Essentials of Marketing, Cengage Learning: Mason. Morgenstern, K 2010, Marketing Mix of Starbucks, GRIN Verlag: Munich. Riaz, W Tanveer, A 2012, Marketing Mix, Not Branding, Asian Journal of Business and Management Sciences, 1, pp.43-52. Sargent, C 2012, Ten Most Intriguing, Research Report, National Resources Council of Maine: Augusta. Starbucks 2011, Company Profile, Company Document, Starbucks Coffee Company: Seattle. This case study on Starbucks – Marketing Management Perspective was written and submitted by user Elliott Tran to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. Starbucks Blonde Roasted Light Coffee For many years, Starbucks spent its time brewing black coffee to its consumers. The company promoted dark roasted coffee with rich and highly caffeinated taste than other coffee varieties found in retail stores, which consumers had become accustomed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company has been promoting black coffee for many years, but a significant number of â€Å"coffee consumers (nearly 40 percent) insisted that they preferred lightly roasted coffee† (Satran 1). Starbucks noted that most of these coffee consumers were coffee connoisseurs who had experiences with coffee for many years. This implies that this segment of coffee consumers consisted of opinion leaders, who could possibly influence other coffee consumers. They also held the view that dark roasted coffee lost its flavor during roasting (Satran 1). The company hoped that by introducing its Blonde Roast, it would gain a significant market share with a potential of over one billion USD in revenues (Satran 1). When Starbucks introduced the Blonde Roast coffee, it was targeting a segment of coffee consumers who did not prefer dark roasted coffee. Berfield noted that Starbucks executives believed that there were â€Å"more than 40 percent of coffee drinkers in the US, or some 54 million potential customers, who preferred a mild roast coffee† (Berfield 1). The company believed that this segment of coffee consumers did not prefer the original black roasted coffee of Starbucks. Obviously, this was a strategy to fight for the market share and increase competition for customers, who took their light roasted coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s. Starbucks has promoted its new Blonde Roast coffee through various ways. First, the company encouraged coffee consumers to taste its Blonde Roast coffee by â€Å"offering free samples in several venues for a limited time† (Satran 1). This free offer consisted of the new Vanilla Blonde Roast coffee too. Second, Starbucks used social media, Facebook to promote its new brand.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It offered, a free â€Å"tall cups of Blonde and Vanilla Blonde coffee via a new Facebook app for the purchase of eGifts† (Satran 1). Customers had to sign up for the app and get an electronic coupon, which they would then redeem for a free cup of the new Blonde Coffee. Finally, the company opened strategic pop-up stores in â€Å"Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago, and Dallas that offered free cups of Blonde and Vanilla Blonde coffee, together with coupons for a dollar of packaged beans of the two varieties† (Satran 1). A Price Premium Coffee Shop Starbucks continues to dominate the retail coffee business with relati vely premium prices yet its coffee products are almost like other coffee products from competitors. The company is a high-priced coffee retail outlet because it offers value, quality, and authority in the retail coffee market. Over the years, Starbucks has managed to differentiate itself from other coffee shops. Customers can easily note the differences in terms of coffee shop design, music, coffee machine, and Wi-Fi among others. The company uses latest technologies to promote its products and maintain premium prices (O’Farrell 1). The company started with black roasted coffee and positioned itself as the leader and authority in coffee retailing. This strategy has allowed Starbucks to charge its coffee at premium prices relative to competitors. On this note, when the company introduces a new coffee product at relatively higher prices, coffee consumers are willing to pay premium prices because they relate Starbucks coffee with quality and as the best coffee brand in the marke t. Starbucks believes in high value at slightly high prices. This makes consumers to believe that they receive quality products at Starbucks than at other coffee shops. The company maintains quality processes throughout its supply chain. Moreover, customer service has touted Starbucks as the best coffee shop. These realizations make Starbucks to maintain high prices.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Finally, Starbucks uses a pricing strategy based on relative value. The company provides premium coffee products, as well as low-end coffee products. Although many customers would prefer low priced coffee products, the company believes that highly priced coffee products have distinct advantages in terms of quality relative to other products in the market. Starbucks’ growth strategy in India Coffee consumption in India has surged significantly. India is a part of the BR IC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) with high growth potential for Starbucks (Loeb 1). This is a long-term growth strategy of Starbucks in emerging economies where it hopes to take the advantage of the huge growing middle class (Allison 1). However, Starbucks’ entry into India had its challenges. First, the company took into account the local taste of Indian coffee consumers. Starbucks had to localize its coffee to account for local tastes, which no Western brand has been able to escape† (Parameswran 1). For instance, when McDonald’s and Taco Bell entered India, they had to adapt some of their menus to account for the local market. In fact, they also adjusted prices downwards considerably. In addition, many coffee outlets in India also offer food items alongside coffee in order to draw traffic. On this note, the company has customized its coffee products, practices, and adjusted its prices to meet prevailing Indian market conditions and introduce some tea products (Allison 1). Starbuck did not face fierce competition in India as expected. In fact, long-term coffee retailers, such as Cafe Coffee Day and Costa Coffee, had to rethinking their strategies. However, these competitors believe that coffee market in India is huge and has high potential to grow. Starbuck had to improve on socialization and strategize the coffee shop as a meeting place. The company exploited its high quality products, excellent customer service, relaxed ambiance, and other competitive advantages to attract many coffee consumers. Indian culture is not about materialism or consumerism, which is common in the US and other western countries (Allison 1). Starbuck realized that it could not transform that culture. Hence, the company introduced lower prices as a â€Å"part of a long-term plan to operate stores beyond a handful of the major urban area† (Allison 1). This also gave the company an advantage to overcome high price fears among its potential cust omers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Happy employees at Starbucks actually lead to greater sales Since its inception, Starbucks management has focused on making its employees happy by paying higher wages than others have paid and providing benefits, which employees cannot find in other coffee shops or retail stores. This was a strategy of attracting well-educated employees, who could communicate the company’s passion for coffee to its customers (Hartley 29). Starbucks has used this concept to create happy employees who love their jobs and would like to grow with the company as Jinlong Wang, the President of Starbucks, Asia-Pacific notes (Veach 1). In turn, these employees communicate the company’s passion for coffee through superior customer service. Hence, Starbucks has managed to keep loyal consumers who generate high volumes of sales. Works Cited Allison, Melissa. Starbucks brews following in India where tea is supreme.  2013. Web. Berfield, Susan. No Jokes, Please: Starbucks Says Blonde Is Catching On.  2013. Web. Hartley, Bob. Management Mistakes and Successes, 10th Ed. New York: Wiley, 2011. Print. Loeb, Walter. Starbucks: Global Coffee Giant Has New Growth Plans.  2013. Web. O’Farrell, Renee. Starbucks Pricing Strategy.  Web. Parameswran, Prashanth. India is Starbucks’ cup of tea.  2011. Web. Satran, Joe. Free Starbucks Blonde Samples Aim To Sway Light-Roast Coffee Drinkers.  2013. Web. Veach, Emily. Good Brew: Happy Employees, Local Flair.  2012. Web. This essay on Starbucks was written and submitted by user Kayson Reed to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How to Write a Novel 5 Key Steps Every Good Book Needs [Template]

How to Write a Novel 5 Key Steps Every Good Book Needs [Template] How to Write a Novel: 5 Key Steps Every Good Book Needs [Template] If you misunderstand how to write a novel with the proper story structure, your book will never sell.Harsh, but true. And thats why were here to tell you the exact methods that skyrocketed the popularity of books like The Hunger Games and the Divergent series.Here are the steps for how to write a novel:The Setup for writing a novelThe Inciting IncidentThe First Slap of a novelThe Second SlapThe Climax of a novelBut before we dive right into those, we have to understand your unique writing methodin order for you to understandhow to write a novel in a way thats best for you.What is a Novel?A novel is a work of fiction told through narrative prose focusing on characters and a plot with at least some degree of realism.Essentially, a novel is a long story in which a message, theme, and plot are revealed slowly over the course of scenes and chapters that make up a bigger storyline.How Many Words in a Novel?The exact number of words that make up a novel varies greatly depending on the genre and personal taste, however, a book is considered a novel if it has more than 50,000 words.But that doesnt mean your book will be that long. You have to learn how many words are in your novel.Below is a table detailing how many words make up a novel in each respective genre, as some are typically longer than others.Type of WritingWord CountPages in a Typical BookExampleShort story100 - 15,0001 - 24 pages"The Gift of the Magi" by O. HenryNovella30,000 - 60,000100 - 200 pages"A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony BurgessNovel60,000 - 100,000200 - 350 pages"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone": by JK RowlingEpic Novel120,00 - 220,000+400 - 750+ pages"Game of Thrones" by George R.R. MartinKeep in mind that these are a baseline. You want to make sure your novel is in the ballpark word count for your genre and target audience but just remember that you can easily go over or under depending on how well the story is craftedand if it covers our 5 key milestones it will be craftedwell.How do you plan a novel? Your Novel Structure Breakdown ( Template)Planning a novel involves coming up with your plot, character development, knowing your audience, and outlining your book.Coming up with your plot involves knowing which genre you want to write or even utilizing a list of writing prompts to get your thoughts moving.Character development is one of the most vital parts of your novel. Take the time to know your characters and protagonist well before you start writing in order to better plot your novel to fit how they act.Your audience will dictate the type of content in your plot. You can always plot first and then decide if youll be writing young adult, new adult, adult, or even middle grade. Just make sure you categorize your novel correctly in order to reach the right audience.Once you know the above, youre ready to outline your novel. First, however, you have to figure out if youre a pantser, plotter, or somewhere in between before you can outline your book.If you want to hav e a solid fill-in-the-blank template, we have three story structures for planning your novel.Fill out the form below to gain access! Whats the Difference Between Pantser Versus PlotterA plotter is someone who plans out their novel with an outline before actually writing, whereas a pantser is someone who writes with seemingly no direction they write by the seat of their pants.Are you a plotter or a pantser?Fiction authors tend to fall into one of two buckets when writing their books.PantsersThese are writers who basically only have a few vague elements about the story in mind when they start writing, but nothing else.One of the most famous pantsers is Stephen King. In interviews, Stephen King has said that he often has an idea of the beginning, the premise, and a vague idea how it’s all going to end – and that’s all he needs to start writing his book.PlottersThese are writers who need to know every piece of their story, down to the minute detail, before they will write a single word. They have full, complete outlines that serve as a guide for their writing.They will know who each and every one of their characters are, what their motivations are, the chapters needed for the book, chapter sections, and in some cases, even paragraphs. Probably the most famous plotter out there is James Patterson.Knowing if youre a plotter or pantser will dictate your entire writing process.Clearly, it’s possible to be successful whether you’re a plotter or pantser. But here’s the harsh reality: whereas Stephen King and James Patterson sit on opposite extremes of the ‘Outline Spectrum’, most of us fall somewhere in between.But that still doesn’t answer the question:Are you a pantser or a plotter?My best advice is to be something in between. Someone who looks beyond the â€Å"outline† of a novel, and identifies something much more important in their story†¦the 5 key milestones were about to reveal to you. How to Write a Novel with 5 Key Milestones of Every Successful NovelMost novels and movies have five key points that make up the core of their story its a formula thats been around for longer than books have.This may not even be something authors do intentionally but rather, these are what make a story (even spoken) good and captivating.What’s more, these milestones are something that readers have subconsciously been trained to look for when digesting a piece of fiction. In other words, if you don’t have these five key moments, your reader is likely to turned off of your story because it didn’t meet expectations set by the hundreds (if not thousands) of stories they have already digested before yours.Lets get started.#1 The Setup when writing a novelThis is where you make your story promise and write an introduction that pulls readers in.Heres a solid resource for how to start a story if you need a few more tips.You tell your reader what kind of story it will be – a comedy, drama, mystery, fantasy, sci:In the Hunger Games, we meet Katniss. From her surroundings, it is obvious that she is poor, and as soon as she steps outside of her wooden shack we see hovering drones.Within the first few pages of this book, we have learned three essential things:This book is a dramaKatniss is our heroine and she has a miserable lifeSURPRISE! There are drones and other technologies that indicate this to be a sci:Katniss volunteers! In the Hunger Games, the inciting incident is irreversible because – quite literally – soldiers grab Katniss, whisk her away from her world, and into the world of the games.There is no escape.And even if she could get away, she would be hunted by the Capital for the rest of her life. With those two simple words, â€Å"I volunteer!† her life has changed forever.Note: There is an exception to this rule when it comes to romances.With romances, the inciting incident is almost always when the two lovebirds meet. (Not always, but for the vast majority of romances, this is the case.) With romances, try to create an inciting incident that si multaneously shows how perfect these two people are for each other while setting up the numerous reasons why they can’t be together.How to Write a Novel Action Step:Answer these questions in full and complete the brainstorming activity. What is your inciting incident? Is it strong enough? Are there ways you could up the stakes or shorten the timeline? How can you make it your inciting incident as impactful and irreversible as possible?Brainstorm several inciting incidents†¦ Don’t settle for one. Take a look at your inciting incidents and ask yourself this: Which one of these is the harshest, deadliest inciting incident of the bunch. Then pick that one.#3 The First SlapNow, we are away to the races for writing a novel!Over the next few chapters, your character should be making a series of gains and losses, where the aggregate result is that their situation is slightly better than what it was at the moment of the inciting incident.The reason why we need this up ward trajectory is because we are setting up the reader for the first slap.The first slap is the moment when everything that our hero has gained is lost in fell swoop. Your hero is brought down to zero. In other words, all gains are lost, and your hero’s situation has never been bleaker.The greater the fall, the more engaged your reader will be.First Slap Example:In the Hunger Games, Katniss’s world is brought down to zero when she actually enters the Games.Between the inciting incident on the first slap, Katniss has made several gains, garnering the attention of the Capital and making some friends along the way. But none of that matters the moment she enters the Games – and what a moment it is.How to Write a Novel Action Step:Brainstorm what your first slap can be. Like with the inciting incident, try to come up with 3:In the Hunger Games, the second slap is when the Game Masters announce that two tributes can survive the Games should they both be from the same district.Katniss goes looking for Peeta, only to find him mortally wounded – he is bleeding to death and won’t survive the next few hours, let alone the rest of the Games. We know enough about Katniss to realize that Peeta dying is the worst thing that could happen to her (besides her own death).But there is hope!An announcement is made that there is something at the cornucopia that the Tributes need, and Katniss just knows that there is medicine there for Peeta.How to Write a Novel Action Step:Brainstorm several seconds slaps and pick the harshest one. Then ask yourself: where is the hope and how will it lead into the climax?#5 The ClimaxThe rollercoaster that you’ve put your reader on is almost over.The reader has gone from an engaging setup where they get to learn about your characters and world to the inciting incident where everything is turned on its head.Then they are subjected to the first and second slaps where you embrace your inner sadomasochist in order to punish your hero and give the readers the thrills they so richly deserve.Now it is time to wrap it all up with the climax.There is only one rule to the climax. A rule that must be adhered to, no matter what genre you are writing in:Make it amazing! The climax should be the moment where your reader puts down the book and goes, â€Å"Holy S*%! That was awesome!†Novel Climax Example:The climax in the Hunger Games is the final confrontation between Katniss and the remaining Tributes, as well as the monsters that the Game Masters send after her. It is wrought with danger and excitement.But what makes the climax truly kickass is the poisonous berries at the end.If you don’t know what I’m talking about, pick up a copy of Hunger Games today and read it! You’ll immediately get why this scene is so amazing.How to Write a Novel Action Step:Brainstorm your kickass climactic scene! Show us how amazing, smart, resourceful, powerful your hero is when overcoming their final obstacles, but remember to make sure its realistic and makes sense for your character.There you have it: how to write a book is made much easier with your 5 key milestones. This method is particularly effective for first-time authors who are still finding their writing feet (or should I say typing fingers) and is an awesome resource that experienced writers can rely on time and again when planning their stories.The 5 Key Milestones combined with a spot-on Premise and A-Story will tell you where your story starts, where it is headed and how it will end.In other words, if you do the novel writing exercises above, you should have everything you need to get your novel to the finish line.

Slavery in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Slavery in America - Essay Example The strength of the agriculture was that it remained the core of the economy and wealth accumulation. In the 1850s, the main advantage of the South was its developing agriculture, which supported the rapid economic growth of the country. Owners of the cotton plantations were interested in cheap labor in order to extend their crop areas. African slaves were the only source of cheap labor supply meeting the needs of growing economy. Africans were strong and able to work long days in the plantations. Also, "Tobacco, cotton, and rice, which require many hands to tend, stimulated slavery" (Chronology on the History of Slavery and Racism, 1999). Another economic cause of slavery was decline in immigrants labor supply connected with changing economic situation and urbanization. Many European immigrants settled in the North or returned to Europe where the processes of urbanization and distribution of wealth were faster than in the South. The North economic development and new wave of industrialization was higher and more stable attracting white immigrants and poor from the South. Industrial development and new production modes required cheap labor supplied from Africa. Another economic factor was importance of trade between Europe and America which demanded rapid industrial and agricultural growth of the Southern and Northern states, and transatlantic slave trade which became the important source of power and wealth accumulation for European and American sl

Definition assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Definition - Assignment Example Notably, the continuum development is the ground to understand the development of every child. Therefore, continuum of development must not be regarded as a tool for assessing progress in children based against certain benchmarks or outcomes. Moreover, it should not be used to analyze or screen children to identify their developmental difficulties. Nonetheless, the continued development should be applied by the practitioners to outline the sequential development steps that a child or children should be followed and the same must be developed from what is observed to be common among the majority of the observed children. However, the process should not block the use of the universally known skills and patterns that are being achieved as per specific timetables (Best Start Expert Panel on Early Learning, 2007). Hence, it is a process that aims at providing guides towards identifying sequences that form the foundation in child development that are in turn are incorporated in the early childhood curriculum. Moreover, it should provide pedagogy that verifies the setting of the developmental curriculum. The main essence of the continuum of development is to help adults every child’s growth, strengths, and challenges in order to provide them with supporting plan as an individual child or as a group (Best Start Expert Panel on Early Learning,

The impact of employee participation in decision making on job Research Proposal

The impact of employee participation in decision making on job satisfaction - Research Proposal Example In the last section, the questionnaire for the primary survey is given. The dependent variable is job satisfaction. It is defined as the positive feeling or emotion resulting from the appraisal of an employee about how much his needs are fulfilled from the present work role and place( Wagner,1994;Bhatti and Qureshi,2007 etc). Hence, job satisfaction results from many factors like the nature of responsibilities assigned to the employee, balance between life and work to the employee, autonomy for the job , affection orientation towards the organization where the employee is working, attitude of colleagues etc. Therefore, job satisfaction is measured in terms of two major indicators in this study, the job functionality and organizational fit following many studies like Verma (1995), Wagner (1994), Scott etal(2003),Bhatti and Qureshi(2007) etc. Job functionality includes questions on job responsibilities, job life balance and job autonomy. Organizational fit includes questions on trust in the organization, trust in other employees; support from colleagues and authorities, and motivation for work. All these questions are on a scale 0 to 4.. Employee participation is defined as sharing of influence among persons who are otherwise hierarchically unequal (Bhatti and Qureshi, 2007, p3) . It includes involving both managers and their subordinates in decision-making, information processing and problem solving processes as well as making a balance between the involvements of both. Hence, the attitude of management and influence of employees at workplace are two important indicators of employee participation. Therefore, employee participation is measured in terms of these two indicators attitudes to current job and influence at workplace. The attitudes to current job include questions like performance and attitude of management as well as employee involvement

Pricing and the UK Supermarket Industry

Pricing and the UK Supermarket Industry In this chapter the background of the topic and the discussion about research problems of the thesis are introduced as well as the purpose and delimitations of the study. They will be described and examined in order to enhance the understanding of our intention for the research and its boundaries. 1.1 Background Pricing is an exercise ,rather an integral part of economic decision making regarding what the seller or the producer can expect to receive in exchange for the manufactured products or the intangible services. (reference) In economic sense, a lot of micro and macro factors go into bearing their consequences for price determination vis a vis the level of demand in the particular market. Pricing theory ,since its inception has researched the absolute and evolving nature of pricing decisions to be made and executed by various stake holders in the economic system.(reference) In business enterprises ,the pricing decisions are no doubt the most significant decisions which not only have consequences for marketability, ability to meet or not to meet the current levels of demand ,the level of competition ,the sustenance and survival of the entity, but also in turn determines the cash inflows, business viability and the very economic supply chains, value chains and virtually the entire economic system and its performance over periods of time as well. The financial modeling in financial analysis as well as the marketing mix, all insists on just the right pricing to capture consumers surplus and in turn generate the monetary resources for enterprise to sustain and evolve . The pricing is the sole decision which brings in money, everything else is just cost  [1]  . The British Super Markets A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments. It is larger in size and has a wider selection than a traditional grocery store and it is smaller than a hypermarket or superstore  [2]  . (journal/book reference rather than Wikipedia) Supermarkets have their roots in the 19th century Co-operative movement through which groups of local retailers would come together to sell affordable food under the control of consumer members (reference). The first co-operative was founded in Rochdale, Lancashire in the 1840s. Subsequently co-operatives across the North of England came together to form the Co-operative Society in order to allow the purchasing goods in bulk  [3]  . In the United Kingdom, first supermarket emerged under the new Premier Supermarkets brand in 1951, taking ten times as much per week as the average British general store of the time. Other chains caught on, and after Galvani lost out to Tescos Jack Cohen in 1960 to buy the 212 Irwins chain, the sector underwent a large amount of consolidation, resulting in the big four dominant UK retailers of today: Tesco, Asda (owned by Wal-Mart), Sainsburys and Morrisons  [4]  . (reference apart from Wikipedia) The major chains have been opening ever-larger format stores, with Asda and Tesco in particular opening hypermarkets. The major grocery retailers have diversified into non-food retail, online shopping, and other activities unrelated to shopping.The industry structure has now evolved. The on going consolidation and mergers and acquisitions as well as development of monopoly is rendering a new shape to the industry. The bigger the supermarket chain, the more ability it has to abuse its market position and put pressure on other parts of the food chain  [5]  . (reference apart from tescopoly) The Leading supermarkets Tesco – Tesco became the market leader in 1995 and has continued to increase its market share ever since, reaching a staggering 31.5% market share in 2006 Asda – Asdas business is more focused on hypermarkets and out-of-town stores than the other UK chains, in the model of Wal-Mart, which bought it in 1999. Sainsburys – neck and neck on market share with Asda, Sainsburys slipped since being the top retailer in the UK but is now doing well. Morrisons Morrisons became the fourth supermarket chain when it acquired the majority of Safeway stores in 2005. Marks Spencer – MS has 450 stores in the UK, and a further 150 worldwide. The Co-operative Group – The Co-op has a total market share of around 5%. Retailers today face many challenges: keeping costs low and supply chain efficiencies high; protecting their brand and reputation; responding rapidly to changing consumer tastes; expanding their reach to penetrate new markets and compete from a position of strength; and greening their operations . (reference) Approaches to pricing Change has become the universal constant. There were times in British organized retail industry ,when the economic dominance over global economic systems was unchallengeable. In the post-recession period since the 2008,the economic realities have undergone transition. The same pricing decisions now needs re interpretation in wake of emerging economic complexities and financial crisis. The economic questions remain the same yet environment is different .The most basic question is regarding the quantum of allocation of manufactured product or the service or the probable creation of value for consumer. Then comes the objectives and the motives before cornering on a specific price.(reference) Profit maximization or cost-plus pricing or demand based or value-based pricing or rate of return pricing, or competitor indexing. The intentions to provide local flavor-different prices at different locations can be another strategy.(reference) The efficient market mix calls for market share development ,incorporating the information and demand based asymmetries as well as cornering the competitor. Marketing age and dependency of consumers herald yet another dimension in pricing. Oligopolistic attempts to retain market share can be visible in form of price maintenance, price collusion, or price discrimination. More than that the microeconomic factors like production costs, extent of competition , role of state and demand elasticities do creep in.T he value chain costs and methods of payments as well as associated lateral costs can also figure up. (reference) After all , a well-designed pricing strategy needs to help the organization achieve the economic objectives and financial goals. Along with this it should make the business motives achievable .In addition to this it needs to support a products positioning and be consistent with the other variables in the marketing mix . Evolution and Prevalence The capitalistic – socialistic economic divide is no longer feasible. The market structure is in itself much more complex than ever. The attempts to single out one strategy no longer seems to be practical.Thinkers and philosophers are coming up with new theoretical inputs to the change. The law of one price (hereafter LoP) , one of the most basic laws of economics and yet it is a law observed in the breach  [6]  . Demanding two prices for same product in one market for exactly the same good—is so simple as to invite complication. Changes in ways to approach the problem do happen. Economists come up with new theoretical rationale behind the current problems . LoP has undergone restatement  [8]  .The dynamics of information availability or non-availability seems to be the under current behind price variability. The philosophy of price variation seems to have revolutionized after the Barzels innovation. Most commodity exchange agreements consist of an explicit, objectively measured contractual component enforced by the state, and an implicit, subjective component enforced by reputations. Becoming informed about the former is relatively easy, but becoming informed about the latter is not  [9]  . Buyers do not fully adjust for differences in the reputational component of similar commodities. This gives sellers discretion in setting prices, and we expect prices to diverge even at equilibrium. Costless information, along with competition, yields the LOP. LoP is based on greed , homogeneity of goods and speed to equilibrium  [11]  : A. Multiple sellers at one spot to ensure competition at each location. B. Standardized, bulk sale commodities with specialized traders, for which ready credit is available. C. Rapid attainment of equilibrium. Yet the practical observation clearly suggests that , even if all commodities were goods, the sheer volume of goods makes the collection, compilation, storage and transmission of data so costly that we will never get individual data, only indexes and aggregates. Then the trend of modern consumerism is toward more personalized products, which not only increases the number of goods to be considered but also makes price discrimination more likely. Further , all modern economies are moving away from mass produced manufactured goods and toward services. This clearly complicates the pricing tactics . it appears to be in the interest of sellers to acquire one degree of information beyond that acquired by consumers—-hence there will always be some room for the sellers to manipulate consumers and violate the LoP in the process  [12]   1.2 Problem Definition The master thesis covers the topic of how same product-†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. being priced at three different retail chains(†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦) , in †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..area in †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. In todays environment customers are becoming more demanding in terms of better service, including reliability and faster delivery. Pricing in itself is being viewed with competitive advantage aspect. Yet the availability and non-availability of information can bring about the LoP. There seems to be no validity for the argument that increasing information processing capacities will bring about the end to price variation across the considered retail chains in †¦..area in †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. An underlying reason for the importance of the chosen topic lies in evaluating the reasons behind the price variations across the †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦as well as providing superior pricing strategy inputs which is the main foundation for a sustainable competitive advantage. 1.3. Research Methodology In this paper, the researcher will investigate into product differentiation used by the retailers to charge different prices for same products to different customers, using the case of supermarkets†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. in †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Area across †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..city. The study will adopt triangulation method to carry out the research. Given the time and resource limitation, a convenience sampling method will be used. Observations regarding the prices of different products sold by the three leading supermarkets – Tesco, Sainsbury and Waitrose will be made and analyzed. The final result will be achieved by combining the existing qualitative theories with the observation and analyses of the data collected. 1.4 Research Objectives The paper intends to carry out an assessment of product differentiation used by different supermarkets in order to charge different prices for the same products. The basic research objectives of this study are: To understand the rationale behind pricing To understand what affects pricing in the chosen supermarkets in the designated area of study To discover different pricing strategies To critically evaluate previous academic studies on pricing theories To understand what theories retails use To understand the extent to which retailers use product differentiation to charge different prices from different customers. To understand the limitations in this study However, the main objective of the study will be to understand the pricing theories that exist in writing and the observation made about the pricing theories used by the supermarkets in reality. 1.5. Thesis Organisation Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Price Variation .. . . . . Real economies are subject to a succession of exogenous shocks. The discovery of new products, new processes, new sources of raw materials, new demands, and new ways of organizing production are, as emphasized by J. Schumpeter (1911), the driving forces of economic development and growth. It is unreasonable to suppose that such Schumpeterian shocks are all foreseen and can be incorporated as part of equilibrium. 2.2 Factors affecting pricing . . . . . . 2.3 Theoretical framework Chapter 3 Research Methodology Chapter 4 Data Analysis Chapter 5 Findings Chapter 6 Conclusions Appendix

Gawains Departure from the Peregrinatio :: Essays Papers

Gawain's Departure from the Peregrinatio The journey that Gawain takes from Arthur's court to Bertilak's castle, then to the Green Chapel, and back to Arthur's court clearly fits the pattern of a medieval peregrinatio. Writers of the Middle Ages used the peregrinatio or pilgrimage to describe spiritual progress through a worldly metaphor. The motif is used by Dante in the Divine Comedy (where the narrator, on his "journey through life," is diverted from the earthly world to a pilgrimage through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise); and Chaucer uses it in the movement of his pilgrimage from London to Canterbury. Dante's journey to Beatrice and Chaucer's from the sinful Tabard Inn to the tomb of St. Thomas Beckett a place where the pilgrims can receive absolution for their sins obviously represent spiritual as well as literal movements in the traditional peregrinatio. The Gawain-Poet, clearly familiar with the tradition of peregrinatio as we can see by his use of it in Pearl, uses it here not to demonstrate his hero's movement toward spiritual perfection (which was traditionally the aim of the itinerant), but rather to parody the notion of the possibility of such progress. Gawain is supposedly the purest of Arthur's knights, yet his preoccupation with Christian doctrine and with Mary (both shown in the device on his shield and inhis frequent Christian prayers) is undercut by his more urgent concerns retaining his life and his worldly reputation. In the Gawain-Poet' s handling of the peregrinatio motif, Gawain falls short of his reputation as a faultless knight and fails in the goal of his journey. Yet as he comes less to embody knightly ideals, he becomes more individual and finally can represent, if anything, only a picture of a solitary human being in a difficult world. In the disjunction between the conventions of the peregrinatio and the actual events of Gawain's journey is revealed a shift away from the pilgrimage fable towards realism, a movement also discernable (as Sacvan Bercovitch shows1) in the romance elements of the poem. It will be useful here to sketch briefly the traits and various ramifications of the peregrinatio motif in the Middle Ages. Though the motif was used literally, it was more often described in moral terms. Every man's life is a journey from birth to death, from the temptations of the world to one's symbolic reward, from a bodily to a spiritual existence, from sin to salvation (or damnation). Gawain's Departure from the Peregrinatio :: Essays Papers Gawain's Departure from the Peregrinatio The journey that Gawain takes from Arthur's court to Bertilak's castle, then to the Green Chapel, and back to Arthur's court clearly fits the pattern of a medieval peregrinatio. Writers of the Middle Ages used the peregrinatio or pilgrimage to describe spiritual progress through a worldly metaphor. The motif is used by Dante in the Divine Comedy (where the narrator, on his "journey through life," is diverted from the earthly world to a pilgrimage through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise); and Chaucer uses it in the movement of his pilgrimage from London to Canterbury. Dante's journey to Beatrice and Chaucer's from the sinful Tabard Inn to the tomb of St. Thomas Beckett a place where the pilgrims can receive absolution for their sins obviously represent spiritual as well as literal movements in the traditional peregrinatio. The Gawain-Poet, clearly familiar with the tradition of peregrinatio as we can see by his use of it in Pearl, uses it here not to demonstrate his hero's movement toward spiritual perfection (which was traditionally the aim of the itinerant), but rather to parody the notion of the possibility of such progress. Gawain is supposedly the purest of Arthur's knights, yet his preoccupation with Christian doctrine and with Mary (both shown in the device on his shield and inhis frequent Christian prayers) is undercut by his more urgent concerns retaining his life and his worldly reputation. In the Gawain-Poet' s handling of the peregrinatio motif, Gawain falls short of his reputation as a faultless knight and fails in the goal of his journey. Yet as he comes less to embody knightly ideals, he becomes more individual and finally can represent, if anything, only a picture of a solitary human being in a difficult world. In the disjunction between the conventions of the peregrinatio and the actual events of Gawain's journey is revealed a shift away from the pilgrimage fable towards realism, a movement also discernable (as Sacvan Bercovitch shows1) in the romance elements of the poem. It will be useful here to sketch briefly the traits and various ramifications of the peregrinatio motif in the Middle Ages. Though the motif was used literally, it was more often described in moral terms. Every man's life is a journey from birth to death, from the temptations of the world to one's symbolic reward, from a bodily to a spiritual existence, from sin to salvation (or damnation).

Cover Page Format Essay

Bangalore Aditya Kumar Jha 10RNSB5030 THE OXFORD COLLEGE OF SCIENCE (Affiliated to Bangalore University) BANGALORE – 560102 DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS CERTIFICATE The forgoing software entitled â€Å"Car Showroom Management System† is presented in manner satisfactory to warrant its acceptance prerequisite to the award of Bachelor of Computer Applications degree, for which it has been submitted. It is understood by this approval that the undersigned do not  endorse or approve any statements made, opinion expressed or conclusion shown therein but approve the software for the purpose it has been submitted. Signature of faculty in charge Signature of Head of the Department Mrs. Vinita Tapaskar, MCA Dr. J Sebastian Nixon PHD, MCSE Name of ExaminerSignature of Examiner 1. 2: Acknowledgment We are extremely grateful and remain indebted to Mrs. Vinita Tapaskar (Project Coordinator) for being a source of inspiration and for her constant support in the De sign, Implementation and Evaluation of the project. We are thankful to her for her constant constructive criticism and invaluable suggestions, which benefited us a lot while developing the project on â€Å"CAR SHOWROOM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM†. She has been a constant source of inspiration and motivation for hard work. She has been very cooperative throughout this project work. Through this column, it would be our utmost pleasure to express our warm thanks to her for her encouragement, cooperation and consent without which we might not be able to accomplish this project. She has given us constructive suggestions and encouragements in developing the â€Å"Car Showroom Management System†. Thanks are also due to Dr. Prof. Elsamma Thomas Varicatt, Principal, The Oxford College of Science, our H. O. D Mr. J. S Nixon and all my teachers for their valuable guidance and their tireless effort in supporting us throughout the course of our study here in the institute. Without their kind support and inspiration, this project would not have resulted the way it is now. We also express sincere thanks to our friends and classmates who were always there for us to help in every possible way. Above all we would like to thank The Almighty God for all the blessings that he had bestowed upon us for giving us the courage and wisdom to face challenges. Thanking you, Aditya Kumar Jha Reg. No: 10RNSB5030 The Oxford College of Science (Affiliated to Bangalore University) Bangalore – 560102 Preface This project â€Å"Car Showroom Management System † gives us the complete information about the Car Showroom. We can enter the record of new cars and retrieve the details of cars available in the showroom. This project is a software application that aims to automate and minimize the traditional way of record keeping, tabulating in particular to Car Showroom’s and hence named as â€Å"CAR SHOWROOM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM†. Well this project incorporates the idea of automation and tries to reduce the man power involved in a showroom. With the help of this software one can easily retrieve all the information regarding a particular car or a particular member that has been registered in the system. It is also possible to retrieve the records of cars that are available or not. The software also enables a user to monitor and access information with just a click of a mouse. Throughout the project the focus has been on presenting information and comments in an easy and intelligible manner. The project is very useful for those who want to know about Car Showroom Management System.

Free Essays on Pauls Case

of his teachers could not harm Paul; he was simple outside their reach. This sort of belief held by Paul Reimer-2 leave's him to judge himself. No amount of discipline could ever change his set ways unless Paul did so of his own free will. Paul’s... Free Essays on Pauls Case Free Essays on Pauls Case In Willa Cather’s short story Paul’s Case we learn of a young man who is fighting what he fears most: to be as common and plain as his world around him. How others perceive Paul only encourages him to fulfill his dream of escaping his monotonous lifestyle. Paul feels he is drowning in his everyday environment and his only breath of air is his savior: the theater. Paul has very little interest in his class studies. This leaves him open to distraction and eventually criticism. Although Paul’s appearance is that of a perfect gentleman, his teachers find his behavior inappropriate and unacceptable. The narrator draws particular attention to Paul’s eyes describing them as â€Å"remarkable for a certain hysterical brilliancy†(Cather 245); this is followed by the response of his teachers who find it â€Å"peculiarly offensive in a boy†(Cather 245). Paul’s meeting with the schools principal continues as each of his teachers get an opportunity to voice their disgust with Paul. The whole time Paul stands there never losing his smile. This is dubbed â€Å"irritating to the last degree† (Cather 246). For Paul this is his sign of strength. He refuses to allow his teachers, of such simple minds, to tear at his soul. They have no understanding of Paul’s behavior and do not wish to learn. After the meeting his teachers felt remorse for their onslaught against this mere boy. One remarked on the similarity to a â€Å"miserable street cat set at bay by a ring of tormentors† (Cather 247). However none of this affected Paul. He was untouched and unscaved by his teacher’s cruel remarks. That was just his way. Paul was in another world, above all these petty judgments. The words of his teachers could not harm Paul; he was simple outside their reach. This sort of belief held by Paul Reimer-2 leave's him to judge himself. No amount of discipline could ever change his set ways unless Paul did so of his own free will. Paul’s... Free Essays on Pauls Case In the short story â€Å"Paul’s Case† we are first introduced to Paul in the school principal’s office, and we see him, not through the eyes of his peers, but through the eyes of his teachers. Paul is, in his teacher’s opinion, a little odd. On what is supposed to be sort of a begging mission a week after his suspension, his appearance is a little ostentatious, with â€Å"something of the dandy about him†; he wore a carnation in his lapel and an oval stud in his tie, and had â€Å"hysterical brilliant† blue eyes, which infuriated his teachers. Paul presented himself in this manner due to his fear of being watched. Because of this fear, Paul was forever on edge and wearing a frozen smile with â€Å"†¦something sort of haunted about it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  that antagonized his teachers almost as much as his attitude. Paul tried to set himself above others, condescending to all whom he met, he possessed â€Å"†¦the itch to let his instructo rs know how heartily he despised them, and how thoroughly he was appreciated elsewhere†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He wanted people to perceive him as someone different, someone of importance. Paul would not allow his fellow classmates to think that he â€Å"took these people seriously,† so he repeatedly tells them â€Å"the most incredible stories,† like how he is â€Å"going to Naples, to California, to Egypt.† But Paul seems to be burdened by a greater unnamed but ever-present fear, the fear of falling into a middle-class life of obscurity and anonymity. In no way does Paul find contentment in the realm of his existence. Upon returning from work, Paul describes his â€Å"hopeless feeling of sinking back forever into the ugliness and commonness,† and not wanting to return into the â€Å"monotony in which they lived.† When Paul leaves the house on Sunday evening, after spending the day at home with his family, he speaks of â€Å"shaking off the lethargy of two deadening days, and to live again.† While standing infront of the music hall, â€Å"Paul w...

6 Things to Consider when Applying to Study in the U.S.

6 Things to Consider when Applying to Study in the U.S. 6 Things to Consider when Applying to Study in the U.S. The U.S. is the most popular destination for international students in the entire world. And why not? As well as a great higher education system, the U.S. is the home of freedom, equality and competitive eating (and we’re proud of all of them, for better or worse). God bless America! [Photo: Seattle Municipal Archives/wikimedia] But competition to study in the U.S. is high, so if you’re planning to apply, there are some things you’ll need to know about first. 1. Setting a Schedule Applying to study in the U.S. can be a lengthy process, so it’s vital to set aside time accordingly. It can help to create a timeline for each step in the application process, from initial research into courses right through to making travel arrangements for when you start your studies. 2. Admission Tests Most U.S. colleges use standardized admission tests, so you’ll need to check which tests are favored by the institution at which you’re planning to study. Common tests required for undergraduate students include the SAT, the TOEFL English proficiency test, and the American College Test (ACT). Make sure to prepare for the exam properly, too! 3. Soft Factors As well as test scores and academic qualifications, most American colleges look at â€Å"soft factors† when assessing an application. These include extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, application essays and other relevant experience you might have. 4. The Common Application The Common Application (or Common App for short) is a standardized, online application used by more than 600 colleges. Using this can make the application process much simpler. 5. Finance Many U.S. colleges operate on a â€Å"need-aware† basis for international students. This is unlike the â€Å"need-blind† approach used for U.S. citizens (wherein a college will not consider ability to pay as part of an application and may offer financial aid to successful applicants). As an international student, you’ll need to check whether your college uses a â€Å"need-aware† or â€Å"need-blind† approach for applications. You may find the application process is quicker if you’re able to pay tuition fees yourself, without needing financial aid. Its funny how piles of cash can make things simpler. 6. Get In Touch! When picking a college, it’s a good idea to get in touch with their international student advisor to ask about the application process (every college is a little different). They should also be able to answer any questions you have about the institution at which they work.

Alone on the sea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Alone on the sea - Essay Example As more and more data are collected, retrieved and stored on these social media sites and internet, the concerns for its privacy and repurposing has been increased immensely. This superfluous information and data needs intelligent and sophisticated data base management systems, making this sensitive information prone to the advertising agencies etc. Advertising agencies lure these social media networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, Twitter, Skype, Whatsapp etc to sell this personal sensitive data for marketing and advertising prospects. Highly customized, targeted and dedicated advertising campaigns have been designed by the advertisers managed by their back end running systems to reach their target markets. Highly targeted and specified advertising campaigns endanger the personals of individuals threatening the prospects of privacy violation. The goal of these advertising campaigns is unified that is to make their way to their target prospects that causes privacy violations. An advertising system has been established linking the middle users and the advertisers supported by the social media and internet so that they can display their ads and market their offerings. Moreover many of the internet tracking companies is also inclined towards gaining access to the private data of individuals through Facebook apps. The p oor infrastructure and least sophisticated systems of social media sites also cause privacy violations. As with the increased susceptibility of private data of internet users most of the renowned and gigantic social media sites have strengthened their privacy controls facilitating the users to gain trust in their platforms and services. For instance, Facebook, Instagram, Skype etc frequently make changes in their privacy control systems and proposing tight restrictive options in privacy setting for their users. Moreover they give options

What was the most important factor behind Saladin's series of Essay

What was the most important factor behind Saladin's series of successes - Essay Example Saladin was one of the important warriors in the history of Islamic world who has great influence on the West also. Due to his successes in crusades, Saladin has remained one of the important historical figures for West to study and explore specially the reasons and key factors behind his success. He was a Kurdish Muslim who became the first Ayyubid ruler of Egypt and Syria and also the major force behind the recapturing of the Jerusalem from the European crusaders. It was mostly because of this reason that he is a very well known figure in Islamic history and is considered as one of those individuals who could muster the courage and strength to recapture Jerusalem. (Hamblin)1 A closer analysis of his successes however, would reveal many important facets of his rise to the power and glory. His success against the crusaders in Jerusalem is mostly attributed to the internal conflict between the Crusader States. Further, his own ambitions to create an alternative Ayyubid dynasty in Arab world and use of Jihad as a tool to gain military power are other important reasons which could be considered as the key reasons behind his rise to the success. The lack of interest by the Franks as well as the failure of the agreements with the Byzantines can also be considered as the different factors which provided Saladin a perfect environment to establish his own authority and might. This paper will attempt to discuss the key success factors behind the success of Saladin and his rise to the power Saladin’s rise to Power It is important to discuss briefly as to how Saladin actually rose to the power in Arab world and became the force which actually defeated the Crusader States. Saladin’s father, Ayyub, was in military services for the Turkish Military Leader Zangi who was controlling Aleppo and Mosul. At the early age, Saladin joined his father and uncle in the army at Aleppo which was at that time controlled by Zangi’s son Nur al-Din who also emerged as on e of the strongest personality within Muslim world to successfully challenge the threat posed by the Crusaders. (Davenport)2 Saladin’s real chance for success came when Nur al-Din sent army to Egypt when the Fatimid Empire in Egypt was weakening due to the internal conflicts as well as the constant invasions from the Frankish States. It was during this campaign that Saladin’s uncle, Shirkuh, leader of Army, died and Saladin started to take control. He was first appointed as the Vizier in Egypt and than subsequently overtook the Egyptian government in the name of Nur al-Din. (Lane-Poole). 3This episode is also considered as the starting point of the rising conflicts between Nur al-Din and Saladin and on the death of Nur al-Din, Saladin went on to capture the Syria from the heirs of Nur al-Din also. (Meri and Bacharach)4 This brief recapture of Saladin’s rise to the power indicates that he actually attempted to take advantage of the internal conflicts which were e xisting within Muslim dynasties at that time. Fatimid Empire weakened not only due to the internal strife within the empire but from the constant invasions and threats posed by the Frankish States. This not only weakened the State but also allowed alternative forces like Saladin to take make their move to the throne. It is also important to note that Saladin’s rise to become the Vizier of Egypt was also based upon the fact he was Sunni Muslim and due to his age and family background, he was preferred over others as it was considered that he was too weak to pose a significant challenge. His rise to this position is also considered as a political maneuvering by the existing regime to undermine other stronger forces within the Muslim Empire. It was during his tenure as a Vizier in Egypt that Saladin started to use religion as one of his weapons to start consolidating his power. (Azzam)5 It is also important to note that Nur al-Din also emerged as one of the strongest forces agai nst the Crusader States and also help widening the conflict between the Crusader Stat