A Search on the Word Hysterical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Search on the Word Hysterical - Essay Example One of the sources for the word hysterical took up the psychoanalytic perspective of the word, explaining why a person would be hysterical through relating it with development especially during childhood.2 Here, the same symptoms of hysteria- lack of control of emotions- are seen as defining the personality. Hence, the concept of a hysterical personality arises, where the individual experiences the symptoms of hysteria continually rather than isolated. The hysterical person has a neurotic condition underlying the neurotic symptoms observed. The origin of the hysterical personality is traced from fixation at one point during the individual’s development. Here, the individual is seen to be fixated at the infantile stage from where they cannot achieve actuality as adult human beings. This source also argues that hysterical personality, just as compulsive personality, manifests in multiple ways and cannot be entirely described as a homogenous occurrence among the individuals. The very origin of the word in this case is the Greek word hyster which translates to uterus. A closer look at the role of language in culture explains the observation of the disconnect between the uterine Greek source of the word and the contemporary meaning. It is noted that, in the male dominated culture, language treats things of greater significance or value as being masculine and those of lesser significance as feminine.3 This is clearly manifested in the word hysterical; a lack of control of emotions is perceived as negative, and associated with femininity as indicated by the source of the word-uterus. In contrast, a positive aspect such as moral worth is described by virtuous whose origin is â€Å"vir† the Greek word for â€Å"man†. Here, it is clear that language helps mirror dominant social perceptions and even aids in their perpetuation as in the case of the word hysterical. Another perspective of the hysteria can be obtained through establishing the person usin g the language. For an individual not well versed in medicine or semantic development of language, hysteria bears a totally different and independent meaning4. To this population, arguably the majority, the original basic meaning of the word hysteria is lost. Whereas psychoanalysts and doctors historically viewed the word as conveying symptoms of psychiatric disorder, to the contemporary world the word means string emotional reactions. The original word loses its description of a personality status in a patient and describes a state of emotions even in a normal person. In daily use, hysteria even takes light meanings of â€Å"very funny† such as when used to describe a joke. Here, it is clear that the original meaning of the words is lost or difficult to trace for the majority of people, and the debate on the word remains constrained to sociological standpoint perspectives. The various views on the lexicology of the word hysteria bring forth the question of when persons who h old different meanings of the word interact. It is noted that although the word may have lost its Greek uterine original meaning, the Greek element still persists in English medical terms such as hysteroscopy and hysterectomy.5 However, the dominant meaning for the word hysterical is uncontrolled emotions by both men and women, without any reference to the uterus. Haliday and Teubert cite an example of a clash of meanings on the word; a witness had described a man as being hysterical to which the lawyer had brought forth the uterine source of the wor

Essays for Social Networks Essay Example for Free

Essays for Social Networks Essay Through her Amigas: Fifteen Candles novel, author Veronica Chambers demonstrates a picture of perfect unity that enables a group of friends to achieve otherwise insurmountable feats. Such exhilarating togetherness urges the involved parties Gaz, Alicia Cruz, Jamie, and Carmen to selflessly work towards ensuring that their colleague Sarita succeeds in her endeavors. It happens that Cruz encounters Sarita while the former is undergoing her internship. On learning that Sarita is about to celebrate her quincenera the customary fifteenth-birthday coming-of-age party, Cruz willingly offers to help her newfound friend. Consequently, Cruz mobilizes her three friends to assist in organizing Sarita’s party. Through the novel, Chambers explores Cruz impeccable networking skills coupled with her , as well as her three friends’ – utter unselfishness as the four work to make Sarita’s quincenera a vibrant success. For instance, Cruz is depicted to be a very experienced networking agent owing to the speed and precision with which she mobilizes her 3 friends to assist in executing Sarita’s party. To illustrate, after learning of Sarita’s upcoming quincenera, Cruz sets out to inform and persuade her friends to join in this cause. Soon, three friends are working hand-in-hand with both Cruz and Sarita to make the party a resounding success. Through this acts, the four friends demonstrate commendable unselfishness. This is because, although Sarita is relatively new to them, the 4 individuals wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to her cause. Cruz is the most notable unselfish individual because she momentarily sets aside her preoccupation with a just-begun prestigious internship program to give her undivided attention to Sarita’s party. In conclusion, from Chamber’s novel, the selfless nature and commendable unity that Cruz and her 3 friends demonstrate is evident. Thanks to Cruz’s excellent networking skills, the quartet quickly gangs up to aid Sarita in her party preparations. The Secret River by Kate Grenville A man’s undying determination for independence Through her The Secret River novel, author Kate Grenville describes the character called William Thornhill as depicting an endless quest to achieve autonomy. This autonomy is best explained by Thornhill’s desire to be free from poverty that has haunted him all his entire life. For example, a close examination of this character’s troubled life shows that he has endured extreme hardships. To illustrate, Thornhill has been rendered a petty thief due to the poverty that surrounds him. The man has to provide for himself as well as his family despite the shockingly little income that he manages to salvage. He thus engages in acts of petty theft so as to make ends meet. For this socially unacceptable behavior, Thornhill is apprehended, tried, and handed a life sentence that is soon reduced to the requirement that the convict spends his remaining days in Australia’s New South Wales region. Once in Australia, Thornhill demonstrates his true and noble intentions away from the troubles back in London. For example, the convict tries as much as possible to avoid engaging in any type of confrontations with the native Black residents in his new home. In addition, Thornhill strives to acquire and own land that would enable him exercises self-determination besides acquiring other possessions. Through such actions, Thornhill demonstrates that he desires to lead a quiet and peaceful life free from unnecessary troubles. Further, the character has a keen desire to be free from the yoke of poverty that formerly detained him. Grenville thus explores the character’s true identity and inherent peaceful nature. In conclusion, through The Secret River novel, Grenville traces Thornhill’s life history, showing that the character is intrinsically a peaceful and honest individual. For instance, the author shows that extreme circumstances have made Thornhill a dishonest person. Consequently, after being brought to Australia free from London’s hardships, Thornhill demonstrates love for peace and a desire to exercise self-determination. Argumentative essay: Money can break people According to an age-old saying ‘money makes humans mad’. This is especially true if persons allow their insatiable desire for money and associated riches to cloud their reasoning capacities. Consequently, such persons become captive to the allure of money and the associated perils. To name just one negative consequence of this habit, an uncontrolled desire to have more money can make one lose sight of more important things in life such as one’s family. The consequences that result from an inhibited pursuit of money and wealth are usually very disastrous. For example, one may have their marriage or even an entire family disintegrating beyond repair in case the central figure takes to a ridiculous search for money. Examining the very rationale behind one’s pursuit of money shows that an unbridled search for wealth can have consequences that amount to the metaphorical breaking of the person who depicts such a habit. To illustrate, it is obvious that one looks for money so as to acquire life’s necessities, thus making life enjoyable. Further, since no man is an island, every person desires to have pleasant company. Such wholesome companionship is mostly attained in a family setup. The concept of someone losing the very family which, coupled with wealth, would make their lives complete as they search for money thus constitutes a metaphorical breaking of someone. It is thus accurate to say that money breaks people. In conclusion, the ‘money breaks people’ statement takes shape when someone loses their family due to their insatiable greed fore more riches. This is because, the persons have lost one of the most important entities that can help actualize their enjoyment in the so-acquired riches.

Alternate Energy Sources :: essays papers

Alternate Energy Sources WINDMILLS The reason why I chose to do a project on windmills is because I would always drive out to Palm Springs and I would see these huge thing’s that looked like something out of a star wars movie. When I got closer to them I realized what they were. They were windmills. Once I knew what they were I wanted to know what they did, my mom told me that they provide energy. Windmills are made of parts such as the rooter electric generator, speed control system and the tower. When there is a large group of windmills, they are called wind farms. Wind farms are located in deserts. Because wind mill farms are usually in the desert the energy has a long way to travel to get to a town. Some advantages to the windmill is that it’s a renewable source of energy and it’s very cheap, the energy that comes will never run out because the sun gives off convection currents which the energy from windmills will never run out. Another great thing about the wind mill is it needs very low maintenance. Some cons to the wind mill is that they are not as people would like. Because the wind has no rules you can’t always depend on it. You can’t save up wind mills for when there is an energy crisis like right now. People complain that windmills are too noisy, but since not that many people live very close to them its not that big of an issue. A very bad problem with windmills and a sad one is that the blades of the windmills kill lots of migrating birds. In the olden days they used to use windmills for energy to grind grain. In factories they would use windmills to saw wood. During the 1800’s in America people would use the mills to pump water. Wind power is the fastest growing form of energy.

Explaining Laws in Special Relativity :: Science Mathematics Papers

Explaining Laws in Special Relativity Wesley Salmon has suggested that the two leading views of scientific explanation, the â€Å"bottom-up† view and the â€Å"top-down† view, describe distinct types of explanation. In this paper, I focus on theoretical explanations in physics, i.e., explanations of physical laws. Using explanations of E=mc2, I argue that the distinction between bottom-up explanations (BUEs) and top-down explanations (BUEs) is best understood as a manifestation of a deeper distinction, found originally in Newton’s work, between two levels of theory. I use Einstein’s distinction between ‘principle’ and ‘constructive’ theories to argue that only lower level theories, i.e., ‘constructive’ theories, can yield BUEs. These explanations, furthermore, depend on higher level laws that receive only TDEs from a ‘principle’ theory. Thus, I conclude that Salmon’s challenge to characterize the relationship between the two types of explanation can be met only by recognizing the close relationship between types of theoretical explanation and the structure of physical theory. The two leading views of scientific explanation, Salmon’s â€Å"bottom-up† view and the Friedman-Kitcher â€Å"top-down† view, give what appear to be prima facie incompatible characterizations of scientific explanation. According to the bottom-up view, we explain a given phenomenon when we uncover the underlying causal mechanisms that are responsible for its occurrence. The top-down view, on the other hand, maintains that we explain a phenomenon by deriving it from the general principles or laws that best unify our knowledge. In this paper, I focus on theoretical explanations in physics, i.e., explanations of physical laws. I first show that, as Salmon suggests (1989, p. 180-182), it seems promising to treat these two approaches not so much as different views about explanation but rather as descriptions of two distinct types of scientific explanations; there are clear cases of laws that have bottom-up explanations (BUEs) while others receive only top-down exp lanations (TDEs). I then argue, using explanations of mass-energy equivalence in Special Relativity (SR), that this disparity (why should some laws receive only TDEs after all?) is best understood as a symptom of a deeper distinction, first introduced by Newton, between two levels of physical theory. At one level, there is the collection of general principles and definitions of physical terms, i.e., a theoretical framework, from which one derives general constraints for all physical processes. At a lower level, there are laws that identify and describe specific physical interactions like gravitation and electromagnetism.

Cause and Effect Essay Essay

As a child my mom always taught me to be proud of who I am; to disregard all the negativity that was sure to come my way. As a constant reminder she bought books like Black Beautiful Me and Strong and Black to keep up my self-esteem. It was a good reminder, but because of all the negativity that surrounded me I started to feel bad about who I am. I never thought that I would have been a victim of discrimination moving to such an isolated place, but it comes to show that you will never be rid of the negativity in the world. Moving to a small town where African Americans are hard to find; a lot of racism was always targeted towards my sisters and I. Attending School was the hardest part; I always saw myself as being beautiful, but walking down the hall being called â€Å"that ugly black girl† started to take its toll on my self-esteem. Everywhere I went I ran into discrimination and stereotypes; I was constantly asked if I wanted fried chicken or watermelon, I would have guys tell me â€Å"I would date you if you had lighter skin,† or walking in the store and have the word â€Å"nigger† shouted and not know where it originated from. I didn’t understand why I wasn’t liked or given the chance to prove myself, but I felt unwanted, like I didn’t belong. When I had read â€Å"The Myth of a Latin Woman† I found it quite relatable to my situation when I had first moved to Cortez. Cofer talks about how she was stereotyped when she moved to America; how she wanted to fit in, but found it difficult because of her traditions and culture. She stresses the fact that nobody really understood her, that movies about Latin and Puerto Ricans were the closest understanding people got to her culture. Cofer then states that all the hard times that she had growing up made her stronger, and more successful. She tells the reader to take all the negative experiences and turned them positive so that nothing is stopping one from being successful. The negativity was a struggle for me, I wanted to quit public school and start homeschooling. But, I began to learn how to ignore people and not care how or what anybody thought of me. With that idea I became more at peace with myself. I started to look up when walking down the hallways, I learned  to just smile and at the negativity. Instead of the hurtful words putting me down I used it as fuel to my flame, motivation in other words, to do better and be successful.

Cell Phone Usage at Al Ittihad Model School Among Male Students

Cell Phone Usage at Al Ittihad Model School Among Male Students This study will utilize both qualitative and quantitative data since the study variables require that these two types of data be captured during the research process.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Cell Phone Usage at Al Ittihad Model School Among Male Students specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Questionnaires will be used to collect the primary data since the study concerns variables that cannot be directly observed such as opinions, perceptions, and feelings of respondents. Such implicit feelings will only be collected through writing, and the questionnaire will be the best tool to collect both structured and semi-structured questions. The questionnaire will be in two parts. The first part will seek information on the background of the respondents, while the second part will obtain specific information on use of cell phones by the respondents under study. Both set of information collected through this quest ionnaire will therefore be qualitative and quantitative in nature. The data collected through questionnaires will then be entered into a database where statistical analyses will be done. The quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and statistical programs such as SPSS while qualitative data will first be coded and then analyzed (Silver, 1993). After the finalization of data entry from the selected samples, the next step will be analysis of the data using descriptive statistics to determine the accuracy of the research objectives and hypotheses. In this case since our research study intends to investigate whether cell phone usage at Al Ittihad Model School among male students has any causal-effects, then my focus will be on analyzing descriptive statistics such as mean, Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Variance and Standard Deviation among others (Silver, 1993). Both variance and the standard deviation are used to measure the variability of a dataset i.e. h ow widely the data is dispersed. The standard deviation is the square root of the variance; this will be relevant for our study since there are numerical data involved.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Pearson Correlation Coefficient is a measure of linear dependence, referred as correlation between two variables of interest that occurs in a continuous format while mean is the average of a set of scores or measures (Silver, 1993); it is calculated by summing the scores and dividing with the number of observations. Study approach weaknesses Quantitative research method is mainly objective in nature and is largely concerned with research of the quantitative aspect of a study; as such it utilizes statistical tools in data collection, entry and analysis. The most widely used methods of data collection in this case are observations, tests, questionnaire, surveys and use o f existing statistical time series (Hoepfl, 1997). Qualitative research method on the other hand interprets, evaluates gathers and uses qualitative data study methods to examine qualitative facts; this method is very subjective when compared to quantitative method and is usually focused on the wider population than quantitative methods (Hoepfl, 1997). Case studies, observations and interviews are commonly used in collection of data in qualitative designed studies (Hoepfl, 1997). So because each method utilizes different tools in research, then each has also unique strengths and weaknesses and a combination of both approaches is the most ideal research design. Thus, by including both these methods in my research study, I have strengthened my research study. Weaknesses in qualitative research The data analyzed through the use of qualitative method lacks external and internal validity (Austvik, 2009). This is because the information generated is subjective in nature and it is paramoun t for the researcher to subjectively interpret the data including through use of their own experiences. Qualitative research method is mainly subjective; as such the research findings are subject to biasness of the researcher. In this type of research, the information generated may be impossible to validate since a large aspect of it is dependent on the experience of the researcher due to the subjective interpretation of the data that is involved. Data analysis in quantitative research is very challenging and time consuming since the data must first be coded before it can be interpreted. This requires skills and much experience to manage unlike the case in quantitative research A qualitative researcher must use natural setting which will be the context from which the data collection must be undertaken as this is essential because subjects of study in qualitative research cannot be investigated independently from their social environment. This is more challenging, costly and time con suming. Qualitative research lacks uniformity and reliability because responded have an option to ignore some concepts and chose others during data collection. Generally, qualitative research only uses small sample size in the research process since it does not largely base its findings on the sample size as compared to the quantitative research which mostly relies on large samples which is essential in this case because of its research design. The implication is that the data obtained is less reliable in the case of qualitative as compared to that of a quantitative research Weaknesses in quantitative research Quantitative research method is limited in analysis of subjective data since its focus is on numerical values/datasets Quantitative research method is limited in investigation of phenomena that requires postulation of hypotheses since the researchers in this case do not go beyond the data analyzed to find solutions to answers such as why, and how for instance In Quantitative research method it is very challenging to ensure generalization of results because of difficulties in ensuring randomization of sample is achieved and also due to lack of reasonable degree of population validity between the population itself and the selected cases. Plus given that the sample size is not a representative of the whole population.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Cell Phone Usage at Al Ittihad Model School Among Male Students specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Finally, like all research studies, quantitative research method is subject to bias. The major types of bias in quantitative research are undercoverage, non-response bias and voluntary response bias. Undercoverage bias occurs when a sample size does not meet the minimum number of cases of the larger population leading to under representation of the population. Non-responsiveness occurs when significant numbers of sample cases that have alre ady been chosen fails to respond by answering the required information. This compromises the quality of the research study and complicates the data analysis process. Finally, voluntary response bias occurs when sample cases are selected based on their voluntary choice. References Austvik, O. (2009). Strengths and weaknesses related to various empirical methods  in interdisciplinary fields like International Political Economy. Web. Hoepfl, M. ( 1997). Choosing Qualitative Research: a Primer for Technology  Education Researchers. Retrieved from https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n1/hoepfl.html Silver, D. (1993). Interpreting Qualitative Data. London: Sage Publications.

The Hippocampus in the Limbic System

The Hippocampus in the Limbic System The hippocampus is the part of the brain that is involved in forming, organizing, and storing memories. It is a limbic system structure that is particularly important in forming new memories and connecting emotions and senses, such as smell and sound, to memories. The hippocampus is a horseshoe shaped  structure, with an arching band of nerve fibers (fornix) connecting the hippocampal structures in the left and right brain hemispheres. The hippocampus is found in the brains temporal lobes and acts as a memory indexer by sending memories out to the appropriate part of the cerebral hemisphere for long-term storage and retrieving them when necessary. Anatomy The hippocampus is the main structure of the hippocampal formation, which is composed of two gyri (brain folds) and the subiculum. The two gyri, the dentate gyrus and Ammons horn (cornu ammonis), form interlocking connections with one another. The dentate gyrus is folded and nestled within the hippocampal sulcus (brain indentation). Neurogenesis (new neuron formation) in the adult brain occurs in the dentate gyrus, which receives input from other brain areas and aids in new memory formation, learning, and spacial memory. Ammons horn is another name for the hippocampus major or hippocampus proper. It is divided into three fields (CA1, CA2, and CA3) that process, send, and receive input from other brain regions. Ammons horn is continuous with the subiculum, which acts as the main output source of the hippocampal formation. The subiculum connects with the parahippocampal gyrus, a region of the cerebral cortex that surrounds the hippocampus. The parahippocampal gyrus is involved in memor y storage and recall. Function The hippocampus is involved in several functions of the body including: Consolidation of New MemoriesEmotional ResponsesNavigationSpatial Orientation The hippocampus is important for converting short-term memories into long-term memories. This function is necessary for learning, which relies on memory retention and proper consolidation of new memories. The hyppocampus plays a role in spatial memory as well, which involves taking in information about ones surroundings and remembering locations. This ability is necessary in order to navigate ones environment. The hippocampus also works in concert with the amygdala to consolidate our emotions and long-term memories. This process is critical for evaluating information in order to respond appropriately to situations. Location Directionally, the hippocampus is located within the  temporal lobes, adjacent to the  amygdala. Disorders As the hippocampus is linked to cognitive ability and memory retention, people who experience damage to this area of the brain have difficulty recalling events.  The hippocampus has been the focus of attention for the medical community as it relates to memory disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, epilepsy, and Alzheimers disease. Alzheimers disease,  for example, damages the hippocampus by causing tissue loss. Studies have shown that Alzheimers patients who maintain their cognitive ability have a larger hippocampus than those with dementia. Chronic seizures, as experienced by individuals with epilepsy, also damage the hippocampus, causing amnesia and other memory-related problems.  Prolonged emotional stress negatively impacts the hippocampus as stress causes the body to release cortisol, which can damage neurons of the hippocampus. Alcohol is also thought to negatively impact the hippocampus when consumed in excess. Alcohol influences certain neurons in the hippocampus, inhibiting some brain receptors and activating others. These neurons manufacture steroids which interfere with learning and memory formation resulting in alcohol-related blackouts. Heavy long term drinking has also been shown to lead to tissue loss in the hippocampus. MRI scans of the brain indicate that alcoholics tend to have a smaller hippocampus than those who are not heavy drinkers. Divisions of the Brain Forebrain - encompasses the cerebral cortex and brain lobes.Midbrain - connects the forebrain to the hindbrain.Hindbrain - regulates autonomic functions and coordinates movement. References Alcoholism: Clinical Experimental Research. (2006, October 25). Heavy, Chronic Drinking Can Cause Significant Hippocampal Tissue Loss. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 29, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061025085513.htmWashington University School of Medicine. (2011, July 10). The biology behind alcohol-induced blackouts. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 28, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110707092439.htm

effects of drugs essays

effects of drugs essays Good morning! To start my presentation, (shut off lights) close your eyes, everyone think of a pleasant experience... walking on the beach, cuddling with a boyfriend or girlfriend, eating chocolate cake... Feel the pleasure Biologically, you are secreting dopamine into the amygdala region of your brain. Receptor sites open up to receive the chemical and cause that pleasure part of your brain to fire. Wow, isnt that nice! Most drugs do exactly this, but at much more intensity. They cause huge amounts of dopamine to flood the amygdala region. Today, I am doing my presentation on the effects of drugs on the brain. Even though drugs effect our body in different ways, it most horrifying effects our brain. Drugs of abuse are valuable tools for brain functions because they can mimic or block actions of neurotransmitters, which in return effects our homeostasis and behaviour. If your curious, drugs of abuse range from alcohol, to nicotine, to marijuana, to cocaine, etc. We have a specific region in our brain, called the amygdala region. This region regulates our feeling of pleasure and can be activated by drugs of abuse. Drugs of abuse produce the feeling of pleasure because they alter the neurotransmitter dopamine, a major brain chemical. Most drugs increase the release of dopamine from the neurons, this makes us feel good (reward us). The increased dopamine levels give drug abusers the rush or a high that they enjoy for a short period of time. The feelings of pleasure the drug creates only lasts for a short time, but drugs can cause changes in the brain that last a very long time. Drugs may alter synaptic transmission by directly affecting the receptors. Some drugs activate receptors, such as the THC, the main psychoactive chemical in marijuana, while others block them, such as cocaine and amphetamines. The synapse is extremely complex, there are a variety of sites at which drugs may effect synaptic ...

Impulsive buying in luxury consumption among Chinese consumers ( table Dissertation

Impulsive buying in luxury consumption among Chinese consumers ( table of contents ) - Dissertation Example The number of affluent households (whose annual income exceed RMB 250,000) in China is expected to reach 4.4 million by 2015. With the growing affluence in China and the demand for luxury brands on the rise, marketers need to evaluate the needs and wants of the luxury consumers. Thus, with the aim to evaluate impulsive consumer buying behaviour in the luxury segment in China, three objectives were stated and all the three objectives have been met. The study finds that consumer buying behaviour is influenced by the internal and external factors. The thought process and emotions behind consumer decisions, the environmental variables, the motivations, the individual differences and personal factors influence the purchasing decisions. The Chinese consumers associate luxury goods and consumption with culture and history, although some did associate luxury with price. Most Chinese consumers demonstrate Veblen, Snob and the Bandwagon effect, while some do lay emphasis on their own thoughts and feelings (hedonists). The Chinese consumers do attach importance to price but not too much significance to the CoO (Country-of-Origin) possibly because they follow what the others do. Culture influences the psychological factors in the luxury segment. The psychological factors include perception, attitudes, and motives towards luxury consumption. Chinese society is a collectivist society where conforming to the societal norms comes naturally to people. The growing affluence has enhanced the trend towards luxury consumption. The Chinese consumers find luxury brands deliver psychological values as it enhances their self-esteem and self-confidence. Since the Chinese consumers are affluent, status-seeking behaviour was found to influence luxury consumption. Such consumption satisfies their inner drives and gives them self-fulfillment. The Chinese consumers demonstrate impulsive buying behaviour in luxury consumption. Self-esteem and enhancing social status appear to be the strongest motivators in impulse purchase of luxury goods. Because of the impulsive tendencies they may become compulsive buyers as well. The study concludes that the consumerism has changed the way people consume. The definition of luxury too needs to be redefined as it is no more the prerogative of a few. As affluence has grown consumerism and materialism has grown which in turn has changed buying behaviour. The motives, attitudes and perceptions have undergone change and this change is ongoing. Consumers are becoming impulsive in their buying behaviour and this is predominant even in luxury consumption. The task for marketers is complex in trying to segment, target and position luxury brands. However, since impulsive buying does exist in luxury consumption, promotions can be designed to stimulate impulsive buying. The study concluded by suggesting area for further research on the subject. Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Rationale for research 2 1.3 Research Aims and Objectives 3 1.4 Structure of the Study 4 Chapter Two: Literature review 2.1 Chapter Overview 5 2.2 Consumer buying behaviour 5 2.3 Stages of consumer buying behaviour 9 2.4 Types of consumer buying behaviour 11 2.5 Factors affecting consumer buying behaviour 15 2.6 Luxury buying behaviour 18 Chapter Three: Methodology 3.1 Research Philosophy 22 3.2 Purpose of the research and phenomena 22 3.3 Epistemology 22 3.4 Research strategy 24 3.5 Data

Marketing Information System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Information System - Essay Example The technological opportunities are obviously highly appealing for Marketers to explore and use extensively and intensively. Technology has no inherent morality and the way in which it is utilized is what really matters. In this matter, both the deontological as well as the utilitarian view of ethics (Bergman, 1997) apply. Drawing coop concentration to the ethical facet of the use of web-based technologies in the area of marketing might comprise of differentiating force for proactive firms. Some aspects of information gathered are visible (such as self-divulgence of information for purchase, self-divulgence of information in accessing a web-site, self-divulgence of information for free merchandise) and some are less visible (such as anonymous profile data, IP, cookies). Owing to these possible uses and abuses of information, many consumers remain hesitant about Internet purchasing. The development of software allowing "private Internet experience" and "completely undetected surfing" is an indication of consumer concern regarding the invasion of privacy. There is room for the development of competitive advantage. The Issue of Marketing Tools Advertising is an important marketing tool on the Internet with a range of possibilities for customer interactivity and involvement (Ranchhod, 1998). Banner advertising has been an important tool for many Internet based advertisements with much research dedicated to its design elements. At the same time, marketing professionals try to comprehend how individuals surf through websites and consequently attempt to increase the CTR (click-through ratio). In this regard, researchers as well as practitioners attempt to recognize key variables like type and size of ad banners, animation, use of color, sounds, images, incentives, etc. Certain practices can be monitored and are endorsed as efficient ones like pop-ups, deceiving banners (computer-like messages, with "ok" button). Parallel to Internet advertising, the development of e-mail marketing and Spam are features of aggressive e marketing. However, there is still a long way to go before many companies put in place the best and most effective approaches to conduct an exceptional email marketing campaign.Companies already have the creativity, the magnificent deals on offer and the colourful landscapes of dreamy holidays to mention a few, but what marketers don't know is that sometimes this creativity can actually get in the way, preventing emails from making it into the inbox. If this is the case, what good does a top-notch creative campaign do if the email is never opened. Although marketers are often from a creative background, one cannot ignore the vital impact of analysis. The information convened from campaigns, such as click through rates and churn rates, is definatele key to gain the discernment about customer's likes and dislikes, and provides the preliminaries to make future campaigns more effective and pertinent. This lead to the conclusion that the emails that companies send are delivered and contain valuable information for customers. By targeting messages more closely and handling customer data more efficiently and effectively, not only will the possibility of fabricating a sale increase, but the overall costs can be cut, databases cleaned and a greater

The Changing Role of Trade Union Movement in UK over Ten Years Essay

The Changing Role of Trade Union Movement in UK over Ten Years - Essay Example Since their formation, trade unions have largely been concerned with the issues of workers, and the primary aim of these trade unions has been to advocate for better working conditions of workers. UNITE is one of the biggest trade unions of the 21st century and at the moment, the trade union enjoy a huge membership of about 1.5 million individuals. The union was formed after a merger of two big trade unions in UK and Ireland known as T&G and Amicus. Some of the primary objectives leading to the formation of the trade union were to address the issues facing its members in the 21st century in the most appropriate ways. The trade union has come out as the appropriate voice of reason in championing the needs of employees while spreading its services and membership rights to all people with no particular formal organisations. The trade union has continuously advanced for the issues of its members tireless and has tried to remain equal in its advancement initiatives where it prides in seeing the interests of its members addressed more appropriately. UNITE has not just confined itself in UK, but it has been active in global issues and today, the organisation has established global links with other trade unions in other countries and the primary goal of these partnerships is to see that, trade unions in contemporary world confront and address challenges of global world and economy in the most effective and benefiting manner. (UNITE, N.d). Therefore, the subsequent sections will look at the experiences and challenges of UNITE trade union and how the union has been to respond to them and how in the next ten years the trade union will be able to address the varied issues continuing to face the modern world. UNITE Trade Union: Challenges facing the Union When trade unions are formed, the basic objective is to defend and advocate for the rights of workers, and have a long history (Leverhulme Trust, 2002). In other words, the history of trade unions in UK is characterised by increased efforts aimed at bringing the issues of workers to l imelight where employers and government to address. At the moment, many employees in Britain are categorized as paid workers, and a large portion of them are members of trade unions while others remain unorganised in formal trade unions. However, in recent times, evidences are rife concerning the setbacks of trade unions and challenges they continue to face. Moreover, despite these, it has to be known that trade unions in the country remain the largest voluntary body in society, and their influence in improving the working conditions of workers cannot be underestimated. In this way, unions can be said to be particularly important in the welfare of employees in the country, and their role is still significant. UNITE trade union was formed after T& GWU and AMICUS resolved to dissolved their constituency unions and merger for the benefits of their members. As a result, UNITE was formed in 2007 and at the moment, the union is the largest union in the United Kingdom and republic of Irela nd (UNITE, 2008). The union has about 2 million members drawn from diverse sectors and professions. For instance, majority of the union members come from industries such as the; transport, public services, manufacturing, finance,

The stakeholder relationships in this case, and why they matter Essay - 1

The stakeholder relationships in this case, and why they matter - Essay Example [Also] Any group or individual who can affect or who is affected by achievement of a firms objectives.† The purpose of this paper is to identify the stakeholder relationships in this case and discuss why they matter. The instructions identify five major stakeholder groups in this case, and these are CMC, the Food and Drug Administration, hospitals, operators, and patients. Other groups or subgroups exist, including the public, medical physicists, doctors, engineers, salespeople, Atomic Energy Canada Limited’s managers, other government regulators, AECL, CGR, each medical facility, associations of operators, and CRPB. Now that stakeholders have been identified and further supporting documentation has been reviewed, it is easy to see that the control system on Therac-25 was not adequate for its purposes (ComputingCases, 2008). This case tells the stories of six unfortunate patients who were injured or even faced death because of control failure in the Therac-25. They were Linda Knight, Donna Gartner, Janis Tilman, Isaac Dahl, Daniel McCarthy, and Anders Engman. They are the primary stakeholders that should be considered in this cased as they were either seriously injured or died as a direct result of the actions of some of the other stakeholders (Computing Cases, 2008). The stakeholders who have a business interest in the company which manufactures the machine all hold a duty to the public. Each of the regulatory agencies, the manufacturer of the machine, and the hospital staff owe a duty to the patients. The hospitals in the scenario hold duties both to upholding the requirements of the regulatory agencies and to their employees and those they care for. The operators are responsible for stopping treatment when a patient has been injured, regardless of whether or not a monitor and camera are broken. Medical physicists, doctors, engineers, and salespeople all hold a duty to the public and the patients. Engineers and

See below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

See below - Essay Example According to Feldman, individual rights must be balanced against social goals3 and he views human rights as being linked to the conditions necessary for a democracy; human rights â€Å"help to establish the conditions of free speech, tolerance, equality and mutual respect for people’s dignity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 4 Locke lays the foundation of a civil society upon the premise that people surrender their natural freedoms to a system of common laws in order that they receive the protection of the Government and it is this system of laws that restrains them from harming others to enforce their natural laws.5 In the aftermath of World War II and the Nazi atrocities, it was Winston Churchill who first pressed for â€Å"the environment of human rights† which led to the drafting and implementation of the Universal Convention of Human Rights.6 The Preamble to the Convention establishes â€Å"recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family† as the basis upon which its Articles are founded.7 There are 30 separate articles, all of which spell out the basic rights that are meant to be accessible to every individual, irrespective of the country to which he or she belongs8. The aim and objective of this dissertation is to examine the execution of human rights law and its application through the various regional instruments that have been spelt out in different parts of the world. This dissertation will also examine violations in human rights that have been taking place and how best such violations may be prevented. It will attempt to assess whether human rights are best protected on a universal, regional or national basis, from the point of view of the framework of the law and its execution. The Methodology that is proposed in this study is primarily a library based research effort that will examine existing international law and the developments in execution of human rights over the globe.

The stakeholder relationships in this case, and why they matter Essay - 1

The stakeholder relationships in this case, and why they matter - Essay Example [Also] Any group or individual who can affect or who is affected by achievement of a firms objectives.† The purpose of this paper is to identify the stakeholder relationships in this case and discuss why they matter. The instructions identify five major stakeholder groups in this case, and these are CMC, the Food and Drug Administration, hospitals, operators, and patients. Other groups or subgroups exist, including the public, medical physicists, doctors, engineers, salespeople, Atomic Energy Canada Limited’s managers, other government regulators, AECL, CGR, each medical facility, associations of operators, and CRPB. Now that stakeholders have been identified and further supporting documentation has been reviewed, it is easy to see that the control system on Therac-25 was not adequate for its purposes (ComputingCases, 2008). This case tells the stories of six unfortunate patients who were injured or even faced death because of control failure in the Therac-25. They were Linda Knight, Donna Gartner, Janis Tilman, Isaac Dahl, Daniel McCarthy, and Anders Engman. They are the primary stakeholders that should be considered in this cased as they were either seriously injured or died as a direct result of the actions of some of the other stakeholders (Computing Cases, 2008). The stakeholders who have a business interest in the company which manufactures the machine all hold a duty to the public. Each of the regulatory agencies, the manufacturer of the machine, and the hospital staff owe a duty to the patients. The hospitals in the scenario hold duties both to upholding the requirements of the regulatory agencies and to their employees and those they care for. The operators are responsible for stopping treatment when a patient has been injured, regardless of whether or not a monitor and camera are broken. Medical physicists, doctors, engineers, and salespeople all hold a duty to the public and the patients. Engineers and

Perfect competition and the consumer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Perfect competition and the consumer - Essay Example Thus the firms within this market become price takers. Freedom of entry: The market has a number of firms hence the entry into this market is absolutely open to all as the existing firms are unable to stop the new entrants. This however affects the market in the long run as the time taken to start a new business is time consuming. Perfect Knowledge: In these types of markets the producers have complete knowledge of the market. The producers are aware of all the aspects of the market like the prices, quality, and availability of product. The different competitions in the market affect the consumers in a number of ways. Every market has a structure very different from the other and the affects on the consumer are varied. In the assumptions that are mentioned above, it is clear how the market functions. The effects of perfect competition markets are many. Consumers of this market have a variety of choice since the product that is produced within these markets is homogenous i.e. identical products (Corchon, 2001). This gives the customers a better variety of choice and the customers do not need to choose between brands. Also since the companies are price takers, the chances of the companies charging extra for the product is completely mitigated and consumers can be sure of the pricing of the products. Also in these markets the consumers are fully aware of the prices, quality and availability of goods and cannot be cheated. This gives the consumers an upper hand as they are completely aware of the market conditions and the products within the market. In the case of monopoly, there is only one firm in the market. This makes the firms price makers. In this type of market the consumers do not have a wide variety to choose from hence they require accepting whatever is available in the market. This type of market structure is not very beneficial to consumers since the choice of products is not available and the

Character Analysis of Anne of The Thousand Days Essay Example for Free

Character Analysis of Anne of The Thousand Days Essay Thousand Days is a 1969 drama made by Hal Wallis Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures. Directed by Charles Jarrott and produced by Hal B. Wallis. In Anne of the Thousand Days, King Richard VIII plays the central role in the plot and progress of the play. As the king of England, Richard is the most prominent authority figure. It turns out that he is the main character and therefore the most important person in the play.Being the central character makes it easy for this character to progress the play. The main contribution to progress the play is King Richards urgent desire to have a son to take heir to his throne. This is what the entire play revolves around. There are several other contributions that he makes to move the play forward. Some of these include his infatuation with Anne Boleyn, manipulating his government to allow different women into his life, and Annes trial that leads to her eventual death. The playwright employed this character as the central story that the entire play is based upon. Being based on history, it seems to be a very interesting story about King Richard VIII and the playwright realized this. It only makes sense to make him the main character because the story is about him. This play absolutely could not have been made without the king.If I were cast into playing King Richard VIII, I would not change the central objectives of my role. Being that this play is mostly non-fiction, it does not make sense to try and alter history in a major way. In my opinion, retaining the true story as well as possible is the best way to tell a story that is heavily based on history. Bibliography Anne of the Thousand Days Tea at Trianon. 2008. 11 November 2008. http://teaattrianon.blogspot.com/2008/10/anne-of-thousand-days-1969.htmlAnne of the Thousand Days Wikipedia Encylopedia. 2008. 11 November 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_the_Thousand_Days

Point And Click Adventure Games Film Studies Essay

Point And Click Adventure Games Film Studies Essay The intentions of this dissertation are to delve into the depths of a much-loved yet dwindling genre of video game, the Point and click Adventure. Setting out to investigate what made the genre so popular in the 1990s and discuss the mystery surrounding what game theorists and fans refer to as The Death of The adventure game. Point and Click adventures are all but a dusty book in the archive that is todays hugely successful gaming industry. However its position in the minds of the people that experienced it that singles out point and click as not only important to its fans but to the video game industry itself. Many games since the mid 80s have come and gone, leaving very little, if any impact on the gaming industry. Developers today hold the genre in high regard. In an interview with Claas Paletta of Daedalic Entertainment, I asked him about his experiences with the point and click genre: Point and click had a huge impact on me and my friends as teenagers in the 90s. I remember waiting for the next LucasArts or Sierra title to be on the shelves. Its what made me want to be where I am today, I just wanted to be involved in video games. I still play them all to this day, If I can get away with it. Claas, like many involved in the gaming industry have shown just what an impact the genre has had on their careers. Point and click is a genre that inspired a generation of game developers, with their witty humor, mind-bending puzzles and in-depth story. This ability that point and click had to tell a story was in no small part due to the biggest developer in the genre and of the 1990s, LucasArtsà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢. Founded under the name LucasFilm Games in 1982, they were originally set up as a research development company, however in 1984 they announced themselves as a developer and publisher of entertainment software. After several years of development a member of the LucasArts team developed the SCUMM engine, which stood for Script creation Utility for Maniac Mansion, a game that begun the revolution in Point and Click. His name was Ron Gilbert, he would go on to be a driving force behind the point and click generation of games at LucasArts, with titles such as the famous Monkey Island series and Day of the Tentacle; a sequel to Maniac Mansion. It was this engine that rejuvenated what was at the time parser driven adventure genre. The player would have to type commands into the game to achieve progression, however with the advent of the SCUMM engine Point and Click was born. With the experience of many successful movies in their arsenal, LucasArts and their development team, were able to create in-depth story and complex narrative that could only be comparable to that of the movie industry. Games at this time simply could not compete with the complexity of some LucasArts titles. The likes of Sierra who some would say kick started the adventure genre in the 80s with titles such as the Kings Quest series (1984-1994) were unable to create anything to get near the sales levels that LucasArts achieved. The first Monkey Island sold around 44,000 copies in the US alone, with estimates claiming Europe tends to double that number. According to an interview with Tim Schaefer (2007), co-creator of the monkey Island series: In 1990, Monkey Island took nine months to make and cost $200,000. In the early 90s, we were really excited if we sold 100,000 copies of a PC graphic adventure. This would leave sales at an estimated 150,000 units Worldwide. So considering the context of the time, and the money spent on the development of the game, Monkey Island was a huge success. Moreover, taking into account the ownership of PCs in 1990, in which not every household would own a PC, this figure was considered to be a very high and successful number despite it being vastly overshadowed in todays market. These sales were no fluke, of course the standard of game was the main contributor to its success, nevertheless LucasArts had one main advantage over their main rivals Sierra, an already huge captive audience. This audience was due to the huge success of the film franchises Star Wars and Indiana Jones. George Lucas had built a huge fan base due to the success of these movies, a fan base that were hugely excited by the prospect of video game versions of their favorite movies. Poss quote. With such a huge following LucasArts were able to create videogames that would appeal to the masses. They could call upon their already established film franchises to excite and connect with the player. For example the use of subtle references to the StarWarsà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ saga in the second Installment of Monkey Island, Monkey Island 2: LeChucks Revengeà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢(1995). During the climactic fight scene near the end of Monkey Island 2, LeChuck proclaims to be Guybrushs father, a twist taken directly from the Star Wars Movies in which you discover Darth Vader is, in fact Luke Skywalkers father. Its this innovative ability to interweave story, narrative, humor and in some cases popular culture into a single entity that set LucasArts and the genre it helped to re-mould, apart from other games of the time. Narrative within games had never been so advanced, it created mass appeal for PC gamers, a generation that played games before they progressed into the mass consumer market that they exist in today. So is narrative in question today? With titles being churned out much like in the movie industry, is narrative in modern gaming not what it was in the early to mid 1990s? Methodology When investigating this area of media it is important to take into account the ways in which I will tackle research surrounding the subject. The majority of the dissertation will be reliant on looking into the History of not only the point and click genre but the history of video games overall. Monkey Island and the point and click genre was a period in gaming, in which, I as a participant was heavily involved. This is a vital consideration when it comes to charting the events of The Death of The adventure game One Research model that will be useful for my investigation is the somewhat controversial method of Auto-ethnographic research. This is the process in which the writer or author writes his or her own personal narrative exploring their experiences within a certain field, rather than relying on the beliefs and findings of others. This is wholly the case in this dissertation due to my exposure and experiences with the subject matter. Despite the process becoming more widely used within the spheres of new media and journalism it is still thought somewhat controversial as a reliable method of research. Many Qualitative researchers have expressed concerns with the validity of the method, expressing concerns that all analytical texts should in some way connect to something larger element of life, rather than stating its importance through personal belief. Conversely Chang(2008) argues the benefits of Auto-ethnography. He claims that it allows for a research method that is friendly both rese archers and readers because of the texts engaging qualities, allowing the researcher to gain a cultural understanding of self in relation to others, on which cross-cultural coalition can be built between themselves and others. In summary, Auto-ethnography, used in conjunction with other forms of research, will allow this dissertation to become more engaging and allow, what are considered, important self-experiences to be communicated to the reader. One factor that must be considered if this method is going to be executed correctly is the coherent understanding that subjective opinion of the subject matter can be somewhat skewed by the fact that my relationship with it was established at a young age. The genre was what I grew up playing, it is important not to make drastic claims, solely based upon personal experiences of enjoyment interacting with the genre. The form that this dissertation will take, heavily relies on the recollection of historical events, breaking down these events and uncovering potential reasonings for the fall of the point and click genre. This makes hands-on research a somewhat tenuous subject in uncovering truths. Nevertheless, by employing an ethnographic approach that will coincide with the aforementioned Auto-ethnographic method I will endeavor to perform interviews with industry insiders, people that have in some way been involved in some element of the video game industry during the time period in question. One potential pit fall with interviewing could be the structure of the questions asked. It is important that I set out to ask no leading questions, and leave the participants response to be entirely reflective of their experiences. One potential issue I have encountered during the interviewing process was the location of the interviewees. The majority of the people of whom I wished to speak to are based in either the USA or Europe, this meant that interviewing face to face was implausible, this meant all interviews would have to be conducted via email. Potential problems with this process of interview include the inability of the interviewer to probe any interesting responses, Cowen(2001) tells of the importance of interview technique, she talks of the importance of empathy and rapport, listening and questioning, restatement, clarification and persistence. Many of which cannot be adhered to in an email-based interview. Chapter 2 The secret mythology of Monkey Island It is vitally important to single out and identify what it was that made Point and Click adventure games so popular in the 1990s. One of the most successful titles released in this period of escapist gaming was the work of a small team at LucasArts. In order to understand their success, we must understand the roots of the games; their inspirations, intentions and results. LucasArts video games had the advantage of two hugely popular and highly praised film trilogies to call upon when developing their Star Wars and Indiana Jones games. These aforementioned box office hits were all inspired by the works of Joseph Campbell, a prominent figure in the analysis of heroic myth throughout civilization. Campbell was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer who endeavored to break down the structure of myth. Most importantly in the context of this essay, was his analysis of the many faces and intentions of the Hero. Campbell (1968) explains the basic structure in his book The Hero With A Thousand Faces like this: A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man. In October 1990 a videogame emerged as one of the most unique and critically acclaimed adventure games of the decade. It also, like many of Lucas films, relied on this same myth structure but placed it in a completely new and unique setting. The Secret Of Monkey Island (1990) takes these same principles of the heroic myth as laid out by Campbell and delivers an interactive experience packed with wit and humor that has become a classic in its own right. Monkey Island is one of the best examples of interactive narrative that was released during the point and click era of gaming. It achieved this by using varying techniques of narrative and video game design to deliver a Joseph Campbell experience. Whilst other games in 1990 were helping you build railways or guide two plumbers to save a princess, Monkey Island was setting out to tell a story of Love, laughs and a mans endeavor to become Guybrush Threepwood, A Mighty Pirate. In the opening moments of the game the player is introduced to their setting, Melee Island. This is where the adventure really begins. We are then introduced to Campbells archetypal Old Wise Man in the form of the blind Island lookout; this is where the player and hero, Guybrush Threepwood, are given their instructions to complete the quest of becoming a mighty pirate. Our protagonist, Guybrush, is already on an island inhabited by pirates much mightier it would seem than he. So this initial opening chapter begins his quest to become a member of a pre-existing society; much like Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars trilogy. Campbells concept of proving your worth to the tribe before setting out on your journey. This is done by a series of trials in which Guybrush must prove his credential as a pirate, again connecting with Campbells outlining of the heroic myth. Campbell states that the ease with which a Hero defeats these challenges demonstrates how great of a person the truly are. This same argument can be easily transferred onto the puzzle solving element of Monkey Island, and in fact any adventure game. However it also coheres well with narrative idea that the protagonist, Guybrush, must struggle from the beginning in order to prove himself. Anything but the mighty pirate he dreams of being, Guybrush and the player must solely rely on their wits, and the puzzles and game design reflect this. To beat the swordsman, you have to participate in learning based puzzles. Learning insults by fighting various wandering pirates around Melee Island, then using logic to work out the correct insults to beat the sword master. Another challenge is to plunder some buried treasure from a dark forest, relying on either a guide or stumbling around in the woods until you by chance achieve your goal. Such decisions to solve puzzles or aimlessly wander are often ones faced by various heroes in their journeys through similar darkness. For example, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the first known pieces of literary work, the character of King Gilgamesh chooses to descend under the mountain in his quest for the Fruit of Immortality, stumbling around until he finds his way out before the Sun reaches him. The third and final quest is to steal an idol from the governors mansion, a test of wits and man-eating poodles this trial similarly harks back to ancient legend and myth. The previously mentioned man-eating Poodles, are a reflection of the beast guarding the prize. Guybrush must find a way past this defender before he is able to venture into the governors home, which represents the cave or temple of many ancient myths. Whether its the three-headed Cerberus defending Hades or the dragon protecting the Princess (as the governor eventually turns out to be) the beast plays a large role in the structure of mythology. LucasArts game design allows the player to be challenged in ways that mimic the patterns and conventions of the heroic myth by testing various skills that allow the overarching quest of the game to be embarked upon. One of the ways that LucasArts made the story of Monkey Island so compelling was the use of cutscenes to tell the story and fill in the gaps that were unobtainable during initial game-play. During the opening stages of the game a cutscene reads Meanwhile, deep beneath Monkey Islandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This is where we get our first glimpse of our storys Villain The Evil Ghost Pirate LeChuck and his ghost ship anchored deep under Monkey Island in a place that can only be described as Hell. The player is exposed to the undead crew of the ghost ship ominously discussing your arrival. The glowing blues and reds of this nightmarish locale are equally off-putting and are a stark contrast to that of the colors of Melee Island. This place is equally the subject of myth for all of the characters you meet throughout your journey, they tell Legends of doomed journeys to Monkey Island, ships returning without their crews. These cut scenes and NPC enabled narrative progression is what allows the player to gain an air of excitement and intrigue. They must venture to this Hellish place, yet have no idea how they will get there. Such an idea of the goal or part of the quest being some distance from home is a convention noted by Propp(1968) in his work Morphology of the folktale, he stated: Generally the object of search is located in another or different kingdom. This kingdom may lie far away horizontally, or else very high up or deep down vertically. The trigger for the main quest to begin is LeChucks kidnapping of Governor Marley. The players relationship with Marley is dependant on the order in which the trials are completed, Guybrush will either have a jilted romantic exchange with The Governor due to his not being a pirate or she is taken away just as the relationship with Guybrush has begun. In either circumstance Governor Marley takes the role of the desirable female figure that everyone desires. Numerous NCPs will talk of their admiration for Governor Elaine Marley, whilst she complains of her annoyance at having to continually turn away their advances. The Villain of the piece, LeChuck is also driven by his lust for Elaine, leading him to kidnap her and take her to the illusive Monkey Island. The female figure or love interest is an important convention of any myth Campbell explains that part of her value is to serve as both a goal for the hero but also one that can be attained through spiritual purity, in the rather skew ed case of Monkey Island this is represented by Guybrush proving himself as a mighty pirate. Campbell explains the female goddess figure as follows: She is the paragon of all paragons of beauty, the reply to all desire, the bliss-bestowing goal of every heros earthly and unearthly questà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦she is the incarnation of the promise of perfection; the souls assurance that, at the conclusion of its exile in a world of organized inadequacies, the bliss that once was known will be known again. This has never been truer than in The Secret Of Monkey Island and its sequel Return to Monkey Island The unattainable female character drives the plot of both games. This however was lost in the subsequent games in the series, highly criticized by the games creator, Ron Gilbert, for having Guybrush and Elaine Marry. Part of the function of her role in the story was lost when this decision was made. Guybrushs endless pursuit of Elaine whilst she laughs him off was one of the key driving forces behind what made the story and characters so successful. When she is kidnapped, neither Guybrush nor the player once hesitates in their need to rescue her. The transition from the pirate Island of Melee to the high seas in pursuit of Monkey Island coincides with a shift in chapter but also backdrop. It becomes daytime for the first time in the game, suggesting a new dawn, a new adventure. This theme continues with the discovery of Monkey Island, which is framed and explored during the day time. However before actually reaching the island the player must again fulfill another convention of fairytale and myth. Described by Propp as The Acquisition of a magical agent the Hero receives some sort of magic, which helps progress the story. This comes in the form of a potion that Guybrush must put together using inventory items. Once the potion is complete Guybrush enters a Rip Van Winkle-like state. This concept of the Hero entering a dream like state during his journey into the mythical realms is a key element of many myths that Campbell outlines. Once Guybrush has awakened he has reached his destination. This all works towards emphasizing th e mythical and mysterious aura surrounding the island, portrayed earlier in the story. Exploring Monkey Island allows for the skills learnt earlier in the game to be finally tested, albeit applied in new ways. Just as Campbell stated: The initial trials will dictate how difficult the heros journey will be The players ability to puzzle out this section of the game has fundamentally already been tested. Those skills now only need to be refined and adapted to suit the new puzzles. The earlier insult based swordplay becomes collecting bananas to please a monkey enough to hold a gate open for you. Wandering around the dark forest evolves into exploring an enormous island, finding a way to the other side and eventually down under the island, cohering with the earlier mentioned convention of the goal being far away above or below where you start your journey. Prior to this our wits are tested as we attempt to find a way around the Vegetarian Cannibals that inhabit Monkey Island. Eventually the player finds themselves in the depths of Monkey Island, it soon becomes clear that guybrush will require a guide for this particular leg of his journey. There is only one route through the twisting passageways of Hell, and in order for us to follow this path we must rely on the decapitated navigator. Once the player reaches the Ghost Pirate LeChuck and his ghostly pirate ship, that was shown in earlier cutscenes, the player finally can feel the satisfaction described by Joseph Campbell of the Hero as he reaches the mythological setting. Once onboard the ship after much jostling with a rather obnoxious severed head, Guybrush must recover a magic root that enables the player to mix a potion that has the power to defeat the ghost pirates. This idea of obtaining a magical agent is representative of the fruit that Gilgamesh pursues a convention also seen in countless other myths. It is described by Campbell as a Symbol of knowledge and life, however in Monkey island it is of course a way to make some root beer, which we all know is deadly to ghost pirates. This discovery and return to Melee Island coincides with the return of the Villain, LeChuck. Along with the return of LeChuck comes with it the feeling of terror and danger, this neatly coincides with the return to the darkness of M elee Island, creating a daunting scene for the imminent and fast approaching climax. This meeting of the Hero and Villain is often depicted as a battle, which only the Hero can overcome. However with the wit and satire that LucasArts bring to the genre of point and click, we learn that in fact Governor Marley is still more competent that all the other characters combined. This further cements her place as the divine female, whilst Guybrush defeating LeChuck reflects his role as the hero of the piece. In his book The Hero With A Thousand Faces, Campbell goes on to explain: It is obvious that the infantile fantasies which we all cherish still in the unconscious play continually into myth, fairy tale, and the teachings of the church, as symbols of indestructible beingsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦but the circumstance is obstructive too, for the feelings come to rest in the symbols and resist passionately every effort to go beyond. And this could be described as the result of Monkey Island. It explains why it is ultimately such a well loved and critically acclaimed game. It has taken the conventions and structure of Mythology that we all subconsciously know, love and understand and combined it to create a comedic, fulfilling and rich story for its audience. The creators understood what makes story work due to their extensive experience in the film industry, in the creation of Monkey Island they crafted an interactive experience that breathed further life into conventions and structure that have been integrated in mans stories for thousands of years. They proved that games arent necessarily all about the graphical elements, by allowing the player to truly engross themselves into a story and character they felt that they already knew they could create a game that would be permanently associated with a genre and a generation for years to come. SECTION 3 Failings of the PAC genre, 3d gaming. During the mid 1990s society was very much engrossed in emerging technologies and the age of the computer. Technology was progressing faster than ever before, with home PCs becoming more and more powerful. Computers were beginning to really show the world, specifically the mass media audiences, just what they could achieve. In 1995 Toy Story was released as the first solely 3D rendered feature film. It set a benchmark for the industry and firmly put a stamp on the market, showing just what computers were able to achieve. Meanwhile, in the games industry, the market at this time was in somewhat of a battle between the home consoles. At the time the only real contenders in the race to win the hearts of the consumer were the firmly established Nintendo and new kid on the block, Sega. Nintendo had dominated the market of home consoles since the advent of the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) in 1985, some 5 years later Nintendos command of the home video game business appeared unassailable. However in the early 1990s a challenger emerged. Armed with much faster technologies, riskier games and a more aggressive marketing strategy, Sega arrived on the scene with the MegaDrive. As Kline, Dyer-Witheford and De Peuter explain in their book Digital Play (2003), this console war pathed the way for the future of home video gaming: The contest between Sega and Nintendo revolutionised video gaming, propelling new extremes of technical innovation, marketing intensity, and cultural audacity and opening the way for other contenders This new competitive edge to the video game industry had never been seen prior to this first big clash between rivaling factions. The point and click genres main contributors, companies such as LucasArts and Sierra, began to get left in the wake of these quickly growing gaming giants. In an interview with the gaming blog Rock Paper Shotgun, Ron Gilbert, one of the original co-creators of Monkey Island and inventor of the SCUMM engine, aired his feelings on how the rest of the industry took off and left action adventure behind. He stated that games such as Doom and Tomb Raider appeared and injected adrenaline and new types of energy into video games, an energy that Point and Click simply wouldnt be able to contend with. This suggests that within the inner circle of those involved in developing point and click it was felt that the genre was beginning to dwindle. As Monkey Island writer Tim Schaefer stated in an independent interview: It felt very much, as if the genre we loved and helped to create and nurture had been infected. We all knew what was wrong but were powerless to help However, before the effects of the console war could be felt, whilst the home console was in its early years, The Action Adventure genre was allowed an environment in which to flourish. With its already established SCUMM system, created in 1987, LucasArts led the way in cutting edge narrative based action adventures. With titles such as Maniac Mansion being such a huge success, the genre continued to go from strength to strength whilst not paying too much attention to the ongoing battle between the Japanese contenders. As a genre, Point and Click offered something to gamers that, at the time, only the movie industry could offer, its ability to connect with its audience through the use of in-depth and immersive story and narrative. However they offered something new in story-telling, the unique quality of video games meant for a potential revolution, breaking the shackles of the standard linear storytelling. LucasArts had a strong team of developers behind the titles such as Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle. The likes of Ron Gilbert and Tim Schaefer were strong believers in story telling. Story as a medium of communication has been on this earth since the dawn of our species, so the implementation of this fundamental value of human society should be an easy one. However, this isnt always the case. Many games created after the point and click generation in some circles are thought to have neglected these story-telling elements in favour of highly polished graphics or over indulgent gameplay elements. This was never more apparent than in the period after the boom of the first fully 3d games. With the release of hugely successful titles after their first release Maniac Mansion, including Day of the Tentacle, Monkey Island and Sam and Max it could be said that LucasArts and other leading point and click developers were sitting pretty at the top of the pile of PC game developers. However, the video game industry is not one where a company is allowed to rest on their laurels, there is always someone waiting in the wings to challenge you and take the top spot. This landed in the hands of another Japanese technological giant, Sony. In 1995 the Sony Playstation was released with huge commercial success. This was the beginning of the boom in home consoles and the eventual progression into fully 3D gaming environments. The first major title to bring the concept of 3D environments to the forefront was Core Designs Tomb Raider, released in 1996 on three platforms, including PC, Tomb Raider would become one of Playstations most successful titles, whilst playing a large role in the 3 D revolution of video gaming. In order to fully comprehend the success of 3D video games, it is important to understand why the consumer wanted to be a part of them. As mentioned in the earlier chapter, Video games up until this point were 2D based arcade games, or more narrative driven titles such as the point and click. What the 3D revolution allowed developers to do was to take this story based game type and mould it into something with higher levels of realism. The creation of 3D worlds arguably allowed for a greater level of immersion for the player. Realistic soundscapes, voice-overs and sound effects, also worked to heighten the players sense of involvement. Immersion is a word banded about within the arena of video games, but it is important to fully understand its different forms and how they affect the player. Were Point and click games just not immersive enough? Or did the marketing led phenomena of progressively increased visuals and graphical aesthetics bring about the end for the un-advancing genre? When looking at where the point and click failed, it is important to focus on how the industry changed. As previously mentioned with the advancements in 3D graphics, PC games were slowly being left behind, requiring a multitude of upgrades in order to play titles that were easily running on the more compact home consoles such as the Playstation. With the advent of 3D gaming, came a new generation of gamer. It was the era of instant gratification. Conclusion There is no government approved starting place. Sometimes its story, other times its setting or a lead character. It all evolves in concert with each other. (Ron Gilbert, 2007) These are the words of Ron Gilbert one of the co-creators of Monkey Island, arguably the most popular Point adventure game ever made. Much like his hypothesis for creating video games, this Dissertation doesnt necessarily begin with a setting or a main character

Commanding Heights :: essays research papers

The role that the government played in chapter two, â€Å"The Curse of Bigness,† of Commanding Heights in relation to the rest of the world was to create regulations. The New Deal was what was created to establish the rules and regulations in the United States, in regards to the stock market. It also created jobs by using government programs such as TVA. The TVA program was initiated in order to create jobs, which they were hoping would help boost up the stock market. Luckily as they had planed it did in fact create more job availability which did in turn boost the stock market thus helping the entire economy, as it was trying to crawl out of the depression. By the late nineteenth century the United States was on its way to becoming an industrial nation. This is due to the creation of the interstate commerce commission (ICC). The ICC was the first major attempt by the government to control the economy. The economy at this time was based on the railroads across the country and the ICC was created to regulate the railroads. The ICC regulated rates as well as required just treatment of shippers and communities. The ICC became the model for future regulatory commissions. The government found regulation necessary only after the local newspapers bashed the country because of its industrial setting. The term â€Å"muckrakers† was use by President Theodore Roosevelt in order to insult the media that was bashing America’s image. The majority of the government regulation was focused on one issue. The issue the government was worried the most about was bigness and monopolies. The monopolies appeared to have only one intention and that one intention was to extinguish the atomistic world of small, family-owned enterprises. The monopolies were referred to as â€Å"the red hot event.† What the muckrakers were saying by this is that the number one focus at this time of the economy was definitely the monopolies. President Roosevelt felt that not all monopolies were bad. He separated the monopolies into â€Å"good trust and bad trust.† He felt that monopolies should be scrutinized under the publics’ eye.

The Ethical Continuum :: Essays Papers

The Ethical Continuum An April 2002 ethics survey conducted by Zogby International included the question, â€Å"which of the following statements about ethics was most often transmitted by †¦ your professors,† but it provided only two answer choices: a general definition of absolutism and a specific definition of relativism.1 The pollsters, along with many who contemplate the issue, commit a false dichotomy and blind themselves by seeing relativism and absolutism as black and white. Contrary to the beliefs of moral nihilists and Kantians, ethics need not be ruled by extreme definitions of relativism or absolutism. If, instead, the two theories are juxtaposed as opposite ends of a continuum, then a more moderate approach to ethics becomes visible which represents a true compromise between relativism and absolutism. For purposes of this essay, the ‘most â€Å"enlightened† approach to ethics’ must be intellectually sound and promise positive moral progress. Deontological theories, â€Å"which take right and wrong as primary,† stand at the extreme end of the absolutist side of the moral continuum, and the most well known of the ultimate principles embraced by moral objectivism is Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative.2 In his Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals, Kant undertakes the absolutist’s quest for a â€Å"supreme principle of morality,† and after meticulous consideration of human will and rational decision making, he declares that people should only commit acts â€Å"that [they] could also will that [their] maxim should become a universal law†.3 The categorical imperative is one of philosophy’s best attempts to provide an absolute principle, but when scrutinized, this famous dictum is not universal or logical. As one of the Enlightenment’s greatest proponents, Kant heralds the presence of equivalent rational thought in all men and develops his theories with an optimistic assessment of â€Å"the moral knowledge of common human reason†.4 This proposed parity creates problems with the categorical imperative because Kant believes that common reason produces common decision making, void of emotional considerations. However, the categorical imperative requires people to will certain actions, and what people will is unquestionably determined by desire, a purely emotional thought. Although Kant attempts to ensure the universality of his principle by removing â€Å"all subjective motives,† such as emotion, he incorrectly associates the human will with rational thought instead of desire.

Behavior Changes Essay

Behavioral changes and strategies can be taken in consideration in order to control obesity. Monitoring of food/calorie intake and changes in general eating habits may help control obesity (CDC, 2007). Change in physical activities like decreased television time and more time spent outside, engagement in sports activity to enhance and promote weight loss (Wolf et al, 1985). It can also be noted that parent participation is essential in order for any program for children to work as it was noted by Epstein et al (1987) that behaviorally based therapies that include parents are essentially more effective. Graves, Meyers, and Clark (1988) in their studies used problem-solving drills in a parent-child behavioral program and established that children who are in the problem-solving group, but not those in the behavioral treatment-only group, considerably reduced percentage of overweight and continued reduced weight for at least six months. Problem-solving training involved identifying possible weight-control problems and, as a group, discussing solutions. †¢ Diet Management Extreme weight loss solutions like fasting or heightened calorie reduction is not advisable for children in the sense that such moves might hinder the normal progression of growth in the child in question (CDC, 2007). It can also be mentally stressful for the child to be deprived of the normal eating habits and may hinder growth. A good knowledge of nutrition maybe a good thing to possess and consultations with a dietitian maybe considered in order to accurately know the right way to go in dieting and reducing weight especially if a child is involved. †¢ Increased Physical Activity Increase physical activities like engaging in sports or simply adapting a more active lifestyle may be a good predictor in reducing and ultimately avoiding obesity (CDC, 2007). A good exercise program if followed routinely is known to be a good way to eliminate fat and increase energy not only in children but in adults as well. One may opt to start more slowly; little changes can be done in order to increase activity, to increase outdoor playing time and activities with their guardians or parents to encourage them. And adapt a fun and enjoyable outdoor activity that can encourage the child to doing more of it rather than sit idly in front of the television or play video/computer games for hours on end. Extreme Obesity For extreme cases of obesity several pharmacological treatments and intervention are available. Pharmacotherapy is suggested for individuals with a BMI equal or greater than 30 kg/m2 or with a BMI equal or greater than 27 kg/m2 but with two or more weight related illnesses like coronary artery disease or diabetes or sleep apnea and who is not able to lose weight satisfactorily with the more conservative approaches (NHLBI, 1998). There are two drugs of choice either sibutramine (Meridia) or orlistat (Xenical), these are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the induction and maintenance of weight loss (Yanovsky & Yanovsky, 2002)

McDonalds Marketing Plan Essay

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY McDonald’s Philippines is a subsidiary of the Filipino-owned Golden Arches Development Corporation. The first Filipino McDonald’s to open for business was in the Morayta university districts in Manila during 1981. These days McDonald’s is operating over 150 restaurants throughout the islands of the Philippines. Being a 100% Filipino-owned franchise allows McDonald’s Philippines to be more agile and take quicker actions, making them an even more competitive force in the Filipino fast-food market. It is one of the leading fast-food chains internationally as well as in the Philippines, with a rapidly developing consumer brand and growing customer base. . It is a place for family togetherness organized around a common love of the traditional food. Its operating system is characterized by focusing on uniformity for consistent quality, the formation of partner relationship with its franchises and supplier to improve operating system innovatively and last but not least the introduction of new products. With its steady drive for improvement and consistently high quality, McDonald’s revolutionized the entire supply chain. Instead of regimenting its supplier and franchisees, McDonald’s expected commitment from them in terms of adherence and experimentation. The implemented, smooth operating chain of suppliers, McDonald’s corporate management and franchisees balances each other, creates an entrepreneurial spirit that added value, innovation, economics of scale, the bargaining power for advertising and purchasing, as well as new product and process ideas to the company. Additionally, all involved parties maintained a collective emphasis on disciplined quality standards. As years passed by, McDonald’s needed to adapt to industry changes by accomplishing some process design innovations in fruitful collaboration with its suppliers and franchisees. In this context, McDonald’s improved the chain’s chicken and fries’ quality and consistency by switching from raw to frozen delivered fries as well as the productivity of employee. Another major process enhancement was the introduction of the breakfast at McDonald’s. In this way, the corporation expanded its operating hours since it had to pay for rent, utilities and insurance 24 hours a day, anyways. The generation of a totally new business came along with the nice side effect that it again distinguishes itself from its competitors. This marketing plan is used in outlining the product, pricing, and distribution and promotion strategies to be implemented and executed during this time. It proposes a revitalization of the McDonald’s philosophy so as to focus on the quality of products and services for customer’s value and a healthy lifestyle, healthy eating habits, smart choices and education. The plan also outlines the structural issues that may arise during its implementation and execution, tactical initiatives to turn strategy into action. II. CHALLENGE Problem: Before, the company use grilled direct system. Which becomes the problem of the company because the customer always complaining about the quality of the product like chicken mcdo, when it is served to the customers it is not crispy because it stays longer in the warming bin, and also the patty of the burger, it is not juicy because it is not hot. The access of McDelivery to the call center is another problem of McDonalds because some times the information about on the location of the customer is wrong. Solution: Now a day the McDonald’s uses the Made for You (MFY) system. †¢ Food is made or prepared to actual customer demand, providing each and every burger only when it is needed just in time (JIT). †¢ It standardizes assembly of all sandwiches to one or two at a time. †¢ Requires minimal Human Decisions Making. †¢ It requires Behavioral change ⠝â€" Quality ⠝â€" Complete waste ⠝â€" Equipment ⠝â€" Standard procedure III. SITUATION ANALYSIS Company Analysis †¢ Goals – Develop a solution to improve kitchen layouts, people positioning and operational procedures for a better guest experience. In simple terms: our goal is to have a happy and satisfied customer. †¢ Focus – the company should focus on products and services. McDonald’s is a customer-oriented company that strives to offer Filipinos a combination of great tasting, quality food productions at value prices with excellent service. †¢ Values – Customer – driven, Malasakit, Integrity, Teamwork and Excellent. †¢ Strengths ⠝â€" Quality of the product, services and cleanliness of the store. ⠝â€" The service of the company is fast and accurate, and we believe that taking good care of our customers is the first vital step toward effective sales building. ⠝â€" Patents and Trademark ⠝â€" Branding such as through the use of logos, colours, slogan and other images. A key part of the McDonald’s brand is its ‘M’ logo otherwise known as ‘The Golden Arches’. †¢ Weaknesses ⠝â€" The competitors like Jollibee, Mang Inasal, Burger King etc. ⠝â€" Lack of cooperation between the management and in the crews. †¢ Market Shares – McDonald’s has captured more than 40% share of the hamburger market in the Philippines. Customer Analysis †¢ Number – 30% is ages 60 and above, 20% is ages 1-15, 50% is ages 16 and above. This is the percentage of customer who are eating at the McDonald’s everyday especially during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. †¢ Type – Class B & C †¢ Value Drivers – a part from our product and services. McDonald’s gives back to the community through the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). RMHC supports children’s development and well being through Bahay Bulilit and Bright Minds Read (BMR). Every happy meal purchase gives 50 centavos to RMHC. †¢ Decision process – The customer have a lot of decision making it is base of what they needs and wants, also the customer decide to buy a discounted product like in coupon and the mcsaver meals. Competitor Analysis †¢ Market Position No. 1 (Jollibee) No. 2 (McDonald’s) †¢ Strengths Lasang Pinoy Raw materials are environment friendly †¢ Weaknesses Jollibee has a poor service †¢ Market shares – Jollibee has captured more than 52% share of the hamburger market in the Philippines. SWOT ANALYSIS Strength †¢ Risk diversity †¢ Large market share †¢ Strong supply chain †¢ Promoting ethical conduct †¢ Competitive fast-food chain †¢ Attentive and friendly staff/crew’s †¢ Rigorous food safety standards †¢ Good reputation among customer †¢ Decentralized yet connected system †¢ Strong brand name, image and reputation †¢ Strong financial and performance and position †¢ Affordable prices and high quality products †¢ Nutritional information available on packaging †¢ Strong global presence and performance in the global marketplace †¢ Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University †¢ McDonalds Plan to Win focuses on people, product, place, price and promotion Weaknesses †¢ Unhealthy food image †¢ High staff turnover including top management †¢ Customer losses due to fierce competition †¢ Lack of access to the best natural resources †¢ Lack of access to key distribution channel Opportunities †¢ Growing health trends among consumers †¢ Joint ventures with retailers †¢ Consolidation of retailers likely, so better locations for franchisees †¢ Respond to social changes by innovation with in healthier lifestyle foods †¢ Strengthen its value proposition and offering, to encourage customers who visit coffee shops into McDonalds †¢ The new â€Å"formats†, Mccafe, having wi-fi internet links should help in attracting segments. Also installing children’s play-parks and its focus on educating consumers about health, fitness. †¢ International expansion into emerging market’s of other country †¢ Growth of the fast-food industry †¢ Low cost menu that will attract the customers †¢ Providing many promotional activities Threats †¢ Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonald’s of contributing to the country health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity †¢ McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically †¢ Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies †¢ Affordability of the competitors products †¢ Similar flavors and products of the competitors †¢ Competitors endorsers are much popular when it compares to McDonalds IV.Market Segmentation Market Segmentation is the process of splitting customer in to different groups, or segment within the customers with similar characteristics have similar needs. Geographical Segmentation Mcdonalds offered their services based on certain country basic food. Like Philippines McDonalds realized that Filipino basic food is rice which with fried chicken as its local basic food. Demographic/Psychographic Segmentation Demographic segmentation divided the market into groups based on variables like gender, age, nationality, religion; family life cycle and family size McDonald offered their services by segmented their customer base on age, religion and family life cycle. To offer the best service McDonalds still concern about variations due to differing tastes and cultural issues for their customer over the world. Behavioral Segmentation Behavioral segmentation focuses on dividing consumer based on their knowledge, attitudes, uses, benefit sought, or responses to company’s product. One of the best forms of segmentation is to divide buyers according to the different benefits that they want to get by purchasing the product. Usually people who look for in their product class or look for each benefit. For example, McDonald provide McDelivery for 24 hours, this is the only one delivery service that not stop even once in a while a day by just call it and order, after that within a minute it comes to your place with the food that still hot and fresh. V. Alternative Marketing Strategies McDonalds has seen recent success through a careful implementation of its â€Å"Plan to Win† strategy, which focuses on several key aspects of the business, namely increasing traffic to restaurants, providing everyday value to customers, innovating the company through the creation of new menu items, re-imaging the company’s look, as well as its marketing campaigns. McDonald’s Plan to Win is based on a core set of four main goals: †¢ Acquire more customers †¢ Get these customers to eat at McDonalds more often †¢ Develop more brand loyalty for the McDonalds brand †¢ Ultimately become more profitable Increasing restaurant visits Current market condition help the appearance of McDonalds as a low cost alternative to eating at more expensive restaurants in the minds of customers, which has consequently led to an increase in foot traffic at McDonalds franchises. McDonalds has addressed these conditions through an increase in advertising, specially displaying the company’s attention toward a diversified menu of low cost items. Such advertising serves to satisfy all four of goals of Plan to win program, drawing customer interest through a short display of the plethora of new menu options recently added, while also helping to change the look and feel of McDonalds in the minds of customers. Providing everyday value In order to create an overall feeling of value for customers to experience, McDonalds has released a modular value meal, where customers have the benefit of both low prices coupled with increased freedom when deciding on a meal. While traditional menu options emphasize a trade-off between ordering freedom and price, the McDonalds value menu provides customers with both all at once, helping customers associate the brand with good value. Innovating new menu items At the same time as their menu choices have become modular and less expensive, McDonalds is also creating value for customers by providing a diverse menu with many more ordering options. Customers can now expect an increase in health-conscious options by adding some vegetables in the burger and also they provide some dessert like apple pie or pineapple pie. McDonalds also provide a mccafe like ice mocha, ice latte, and cappuccino, Americano to provide some different variety of coffee to satisfy the customer. Marketing campaigns As well as considering the important of keeping customers informed of the continuing changes to the company through advertising media and social media dialogues, McDonalds also recognizes the value of maintaining an ongoing support system and training structure for each of its franchise operators. As mentioned above, McDonalds uses well defined, and measurable milestones to help their constituents meet company goals with as few inconsistencies as possible. McDonalds’ training programs have been continuously recognized for their excellence, and with the continuing changes being carried out throughout the company, this attention to the value of training is a terrific asset to the company. Re-imaging the restaurant Directly benefiting the company’s goals of brand development for the company, McDonalds is reenergizing their brand through an understanding of â€Å"brand power†, which is built on the cultivation of four key areas of the brand, brand identity, familiarity, specialness, and authority. Brand identity is defined as the set of characteristics that customers recognize your brand by; in McDonalds’ case these are speed, consistency, value, and variety. Brand identity works with brand familiarity, helping to expand the message that symbols of the company, or even the overall impact of advertisements themselves in reinforcing the identity of the brand in the minds of customers. If carefully managed, McDonalds can use their brand identity to make their investments in advertising go much further. Beyond this, brand specialness and authority continue the process, representing the perceptions of McDonalds as the company appears to customers. Ideally, McDonalds should leverage brand specialness and authority to clearly stand out as a distinct and trustworthy source of value, allowing customers to increase the value of the McDonalds brand through their positive interactions with the company. McDonald’s adopts different strategies to attract customers of different age groups, but still the main target remains to be children. So in order to attract them, McDonald’s use a key tool: the Happy Meals, which seem to fascinate children due to the toys included in the menu. In addition to this, they have a tie up with The Walt Disney Company for the Disney characters included in the menu, in order to make sure that they offer the kids a wide range of toy options. Moreover, McDonald’s provides the children with a special facility, unique for food venues and fast-food restaurants: a playground. This strategy is aimed at making McDonald’s a pleasant and fun environment for both kids and parents. Even the exterior of every restaurant is also strategically designed using bright colors to invite in the customer, especially kids who can easily be influenced by these aspects. So not only that the children like it, it is a chance for the parents to spend some â€Å"quality time† with their kids. Another aspect of their marketing strategy is the fact that every McDonald’s restaurant provides Wi–Fi facilities, a detail that adds to the attractive qualities and is aimed at teenage customers. In addition to this, what is representative for this chain is their clown mascot, Ronald McDonald, who is essential for creating the bond with children and entertaining them. They can even have private birthday parties in the facilities, again part of McDonald’s aim to induce happy memories in children’s minds, and to make them associate the McDonald’s brand and logo with happy moments. VI. Selected Marketing Strategy Product Suppliers are dedicated to providing McDonald’s with top quality material that is continually monitored for freshness and safety. McDonald’s uses regional suppliers to ensure that the freshness is delivered to customers in every product they buy. Food quality is keys at McDonald’s. They seek out fresh lettuce and tomatoes, onions and pickles, quality buns and potatoes, pure ground beef, select poultry and fish and wholesome dairy products. All of the beef, chicken and pork that are used are purchased from federally inspected facilities to ensure freshness, wholesomeness and peak quality when served to customers. Non-Vegetarian Ingredients Chicken The chicken products are made from high quality boned rib and leg meat and are covered in a specially seasoned, lightly battered coating. They are shaped in uniform sizes to ensure consistency in weight and value. Fish The fish products in McDonald’s Filet –O- Fish are 100% pure whole white fillets that are lightly breaded. Their exacting quality standards for fish surpass federal requirements. The ocean-fresh quality of Filet-O-Fish is a result of the process and ability to freeze the fish at sea to maintain freshness. Vegetarian Ingredients Vegetables McDonald’s use freshly shredded lettuce, onions, pickles and tomatoes in their restaurants. All their vegetable products are processed from high quality graded vegetables in a 100% dedicated vegetarian plant. Potatoes McDonald’s French fries are famous around the world. To make French fries, McDonald’s uses only the best potatoes available from their own potato farms. Their potato suppliers make many of the same nationally recognized brands of potato products to make customers feel that they are with their family at home. These potatoes are cut, blanched and processed on state-of-the-art processing lines to ensure maximum retention of nutrients. Their French fries and Potato Wedges are cooked at the plant in 100% vegetables cooking oil. Other Ingredients Cheese and other Dairy Products All dairy products like cheese, McShakes and Soft Serves are made from fresh dairy milk. All dairy products including cheese have a role to play in balanced diet because they contain a wide variety of essential nutrients such as protein, calcium, fat solubles, phosphorus, etc. McDonald’s uses a special blend of pasteurized American cheese to complement the flavor of their sandwiches. Buns McDonald’s uses buns made from locally grown wheat flour. They are baked locally and delivered fresh, several times each week to McDonald’s restaurants. Cooking Oil Food preparations are done in 100% refined vegetable oils at the restaurants plants. They use liquid oil and not hydrogenated oil. This means there are no TFAs or Trans Fatty Acids in the French Fries or any other products. Additionally, these vegetable oils contain some essential fatty acids necessary for growth. Quality Food quality is the crucial element at McDonald’s. Despite extensive and meticulous quality test at the suppliers end, all products are once again carefully scrutinized at the restaurant. Immaculate of quality allow for nothing but the best to reach customer’s tray. Their products are sourced from the highest quality ingredients, prepared hygienically and treated to regular quality checks such as the McDonald’s Inspection Program (QIP). Scope of Product Line Distribution (Place) Place, as an element of the marketing mix, is not just about the physical location or distribution points for products. It encompasses the management of a range of processes involved in bringing products to the end consumer. McDonald’s outlets are very evenly spread throughout the cities making them very accessible. Drive in and drive through options make McDonald’s products further convenient to the consumers. Intensive Distribution Distribution arrangements tend to be long term in nature. Because of this time horizon, channel decisions are usually classed as strategic, rather than tactical or operational ones. Many of McDonalds restaurants are open 24 hours per day which satisfies the customers needs and wants, especially for exists their hunger. This kind of distribution strategy is called â€Å"intensive distribution†, means marking the product available for sale through all possible channels of distribution. â€Å"Intensive distribution is stocking the product in as many outlets as possible.† Promotion The promotions aspect of the marketing mix covers all types of marketing communications One of the methods employed is advertising, Advertising is conducted on TV, radio, in cinema, online, using poster sites and in the press for example in newspapers and magazines. Other promotional methods include sales promotions, point of sale display, merchandising, direct mail, loyalty schemes, door drops, etc. The skill in marketing communications is to develop a campaign which uses several of these methods in a way that provides the most effective results. For example, TV advertising makes people aware of a food item and press advertising provides more detail. This may be supported by in-store promotions to get people to try the product and a collectable promotional device to encourage them to keep on buying the item. At McDonalds the prime focus is on targeting children. In happy meals too which are targeted at children small toys are given along with the meal. Apart from this, various schemes for winning prices by way of lucky draws and also scratch cards are given when an order is placed on the various mean combos. VII. Conclusion Since the problem of McDonalds is about the customer that keeps on complaining for the quality and freshness of the products that is being served. Therefore I conclude that the company should use the MFY (Made for You) system, so that the food is made or prepared for the customer just in time with a good quality for a reasonable cost. The company should also provide a large number of riders to avoid late delivery.