Merengue En Boca Chica Essay Example

Merengue En Boca Chica Essay Merengue en Boca Chica, reveals a bright and moving piece of work that makes native Puerto Rican music come to mind.In the painting there is a group of three Hispanic males playing various instruments.These three figures are painted in such a way that they appear to be moving to the rhythm of the music.Their posture suggests rhythmic movements, as their arms are moving to play these instruments.Their legs are apart while their heads seem to be still while concentrating on their individual parts in the music.Their hands and overall body language shows content and satisfied performance of their indigenous music.In addition to the three men, there is one woman who seems to be relaxing in front of them as if listening to the music. She is dressed in a bathing suit with her feet elevated on a chair and footrest.Her left hand is slapping her thigh gently to the rhythms she hears while she enjoys the surroundings of nature. The setting for this painting is a pueblo, or a small village sur rounded by palm trees.The presence of what looks like sand suggests that the village may be at or in front of a beach.So, this painting puts the audience either in the water facing the figures and village, or just in front of the water facing the village/ figures. Other things seen in the picture besides people are cigarette butts, lounge chairs, palm trees, lounge chairs (2), houses, musical instruments, clouds, sky, grass, debris, and various types of leaves and dead palms.The instruments in the painting are the guira, the tambora, the guitar, and a cajon. In Merengue en Boca Chica, many colors were used.The painting is exuberant and bursting with various shades of red, yellow, blue, brown, aqua, green, pink, beige, and gray.The lightest color is yellow, which one can clearly see in the clouds, cigarette butts, and souls of sneakers.The darkest color is black, which can be found prim

Dell Inc Company Strategic Marketing

Dell Inc Company Strategic Marketing Abstract This research paper will delve into a scrupulous analysis and discussion of the modern drift in strategic marketing probing deeper into how it interlocks with the overall organizational goals and objectives.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Dell Inc Company Strategic Marketing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For the purposes of this study, Dell Inc, a colossal company offering a wide assortment of computer products and services will be reviewed bringing forth its kind of products and services, suggestions will be offered on how its marketing programs should be generally manned and executed. The study will however veer towards the researcher’s attained views and concepts, thus the information used will not necessarily second copy the actual data from Dell Inc. A keen attention will be given on how the suggested marketing plan will garner a complete overhaul of the business processes and profitabil ity. The paper will further analyze the risks involved in the marketing plan and how to counter those risks by implementing control measures in the wholesome business plan. Finally, a reflective section elaborating on the significance of undertaking this assignment will be highlighted followed by a brief conclusive section to summarily capture the key points established in the research paper after which the research will be wrapped up. Introduction In order for a marketing plan to succeed it must be based on the key goals established in the business plan. This call for the strategy formulating staff to sit down have a thorough review and understanding of the business plans in order to have a formula on how to blend the marketing plans with the business plan. Many first-time business industrialists hold the fallacy that by appending an ad on a local dairy or on a commercial television channel would have the potential buyers flocking into their premises to purchase goods and services offered. This trend is true, but only to certain degree. A cluster of people may well learn of the business enterprise, purchase products for some period but a huge latent clientele base may never learn about a business if it fails to develop and implement a passable marketing program. Any potential business owner who intends to stay germane in the business arena must design a thorough marketing program, maintain it, understand it and maximize on it to extract myriad advantages form the market place.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The key to acquisition and holding on to numerous and loyal client lies in the strategic marketing plan. The business owner must gyrate over diverse strategies and techniques until he fully understands them. After understanding the strategies it is important for the business owner to customize them and fit them in his business situa tion. Once the strategies a re implemented and maintained they help a business enterprise to attract and retain a stable group of loyal customers. Moreover, the business garners innumerable advantages such as reduction of risks accrued to market shifts and augmentation of profit margins. How Marketing Plan Supports Strategic Objectives Organizational Strategy And Marketing Plan Practitioners in the marketing field are mired by innumerable tasks. Often marketers find themselves entangled with the responsibility of running and maintaining marketing programs, staff supervision and sales this may sometimes obliterate their thinking from the real picture; however marketers are advised to gain little perspective via engaging in serious strategy formulation. The broad spectrum of business plan considers details like the products and the services being offered by the particular company, the numerous markets being served by the products, environmental factors, the production process, the com pany finance, research together with the other elements necessary in order for a business to succeed. The American Marketing Association defines marketing as a planning process comprising of execution of the conceived ideas, appending the right prices to the products, promoting and distributing goods and ideas for the purposes of satisfying the organizational objectives (Fill 2005.p.23) In essence it can be stated that the marketing plan endeavors achieve the overall organizational goals by ensuring that products are offered at the right price to the accurate potential customers. Once implemented, a marketing plan plays a crucial role in ensuring that the business attains success since it ensures business continuation and sustenance of business competitive edge in the market place. A business plan sets a pace for the business, determining the direction in which the business will be steered. In order for the overall plan of a business to succeed it must work in harmony with the marke ting strategies and tactics implemented in the business. A marketing plan works in consensus with the strategic objectives of the overall business.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Dell Inc Company Strategic Marketing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Its is the marketing plan which determines the degree of business promotion (Davies 1998.p.82) According to Kotler a marketing plan designs structures and devices tactics on how the business will be advanced and propped up (2006, P.67) This element helps the marketing plan to supplement the overall goals and objectives of the business. Fill established the fact that marketing plan is the driving force behind client base build up (2005.p.56). Marketing plan goes into the details on how the percentage of the clients will be increased and how the degree of loyalty will be augmented. Moreover, a marketing plan comes up with the right tactics on how the business will gar ner more profits to enhance growth. Thus the business growth intent is further bolstered through the marketing plan. The strategy on how to capture new market opportunities is intrinsically interwoven in the marketing plan and this aids the business in growth and advancement. Components Of A Marketing Plan. Each business designs it’s a marketing plan depending on its size, and the stage of growth it’s going through. The process of preparing a marketing plan is acutely important as it determines the effectiveness of the plan laid down. Preparation of a marketing plan plays are major role in establishing what the business goals would be and how those goals can be attained. As a business organizer I would design a marketing plan in the following systematic steps. Executive Summary: This will form a preamble into the whole marketing plan and will highlight the major points of the over all plan. In nutshell, the summary brings into light the major services offered and the p roducts of the company. Finally, the summary states the overall mission and the objectives of company (Kapferer 1997.p.45) Current situation:Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Current Situation: This section offers information concerning the business locality, the customers targeted to purchase the product together with the competitive environment. Further, this section offers information on the business viability in the locality and the encompassing threats which are likely to daunt its operations. Competitor Analysis: This facet includes the information on the other businesses operating on the same wavelength as the business under review and the competitive advantage or disadvantage they have over the business being analyzed. In this section, the business highlights other similar businesses offering similar products as your business. Other potential challenges to the business such as government regulations could also be high lightened on this section. Marketing Objectives And Strategy: In this section the aims of the business are written and the formula to attain them is explained. Further, the game plan on how to achieve profitability through marketing is noted. The marketing strategy explains how the stipulated objectives will be attained (Kotler 2006.p.17) Product: This offers detailed information on the product or service offered for sale and its features and the benefits garnered by using it. Price: This section offers detailed information on how much the customer will offer in order to get the product, payment policies are also indicated here. Promotion: This is detailed information endorsing the product to the potential buyers bringing out the salient features which give the product an edge in the market place. Place: This is the locality of the business in relation to the competitive environment. Action Programs: These ere rigorously structured and planned agendas stating what the company plans to do concerning the promotion of a product, and how and when they will be put into use. Budget: this offers the total cost that is going to be incurred in order for the marketing plan to be implemented. Measurements: This is quanti fication of the numerical targets for measuring achievement of the targeted results such as sales increase by 5% in 3 months. Supporting Documents: These are documents offered to back up the information provided in the marketing plan, such documents include research results, spreadsheets, budget sheet amongst others. Risks Within A Marketing Plan. In a time of finely tuned sensitivity to marketing competence a momentous effort should be made to ensure that the money pumped into the marketing plan achieves the best returns possible. Time and again, the best laid plans fail or are derailed by sudden or under-estimated forces that despoil the projected returns razing professional reputations. The negative forces which endeavor to thwart the marketing plan are termed as risks. As Davies elaborates risks are likely events that will considerably decrease the quantity base, hoist the expenditures and affect margins of the market share in adverse ways (1998.p.59) Myriad factors raging bad w eather to marketing channel interference and financial gaffs could sap the acuity of a well calculated marketing plan. Some factors which pose great threat to the success of the marketing plans include: Competitive actions, once a product or service is launched in the market place for instance in the case of Dell Inc after launching a plasma screen monitor for the computers. Chances are very high that Hewlett Packard, and Compaq will do the same; they would try to duplicate the product and add on some extra accessories which could easily cause the Dell’s monitors to be discredited. In order to avoid being choked up by competitors Dell has to endeavor to produce perfect products which will be hard to duplicate and which will stand out in the market place to give them edge over the competitive computer markets. Financial Blunders, Poor budgeting could lead to paucity in the money allocated to implement the marketing plan and this could deter the performance of the whole project or cause compromise in the quality of the expected results. Poorly managed and unmitigated risks sap the credibility of a well planned marketing plan and this could disappoint the company and frustrate the efforts of the marketers as they try to steer the organization into a fruitful territory. Operational risks are also known as the short term risks and they cover the pricing strategy and the quality of the product or service offered in the market place. Poor pricing could stall the rate at which the product or service is consumed, it could also garner losses for the business if the returns obtained from the product or services are too low (Chisnall1997.p.54). Poor quality products give the competitors a chance to trample over the business since customer always seek to buy the best products which are offered at their convenient prices. Strategic risks, these risks concern the business in relation to the immediate environment. They concern the producer as he relates to the longer t erm forces (Brassington 2006.p.98) some key risks entombed in this category include poor buyer power. For instance if Dell Inc wants to launch a new and sophisticated power saving, fast and reliable computer machine in order to cater for the production cost incurred it will have to hike the price and this will be difficult for the buyers since they may not be acquainted with buying computers at high prices. Evolution of consumer demand, is also another strategic risk, the market demands keep on changing due to increased technological changes in the market place hence a product might be phased out due to buyer’s disinterest or change of preference causing the business to incur massive losses. Policy changes could be another bottleneck to the marketing plan. Some government policies implemented such as increased taxes on the production materials or regulatory measures on how the product is sold and transported could deter the rate at which a service or product is consumed. In o rder for the ill effects of risks associated with marketing plan to abate marketing planners should device a contingency plan to buffer any ill effects accrued to the marketing process (Booms Bitner 2001.p.74). Although the planners have very little to do to avoid the occurrence of the risks they are supposed to be prepared financially, and be psychologically prepared and have action plans on what should be done incase of uncertainties. Construction Of Marketing Plan. Executive Summary Dell Inc is a complex IT multinational company which offers a wide assortment of computer products and services. Further it sells computer servers and other accessories used to aid in computer networking. The marketing plan endeavors to market Dell servers in Middle East where the competition has not yet taken root. The company will be working on a budget of approximately Three million dollars for a period of six months in order to break even in the virgin market Business Overview. Dell servers are po werful computer machines used to offer back up for other computers in a networked computer environment. Servers provide a link through which computers networked though a LAN (Local Area Network) or WAN (Wide Area Network) can communicate, share information and achieve data. A typical server capable of supporting 50 computer work stations goes for $400. The companies which pose competition to this kind of product is the Microsoft inc and Hewlett Packard. In the Middle East the company projects to acquire a pool of over five hundred thousand users since computer usage is gaining prevalence in the region. Target Market. The market cluster targeted for this kind of product include the ISP’S (Internet Service Providers), colleges and learning institutions, producing companies, government institutions and the religious institutions. In the case of the ISP’S who need to offer a lot of services to the initial customers, the company will offer high specialized servers to ensure that they can hold innumerable Gigabytes of data. Marketing Goals. To increase computer usage in Middle East by introducing highly powerful servers this could aid in provision of internet bandwidth to the potential clients. To bolster clientele base by venturing into new markets. To offer more training programs on computer usage in Middle East in order to create a viable market for the company servers. To establish a permanent working legal relationship, with the Middle East Information regulatory department. Marketing Strategies. The strategies will be used to venture in Middle East with new products include, customer incentives whereby for every Dell server machine purchased customers will be given free training on how to use them and also get free programs for running the server. There will also be free laptop offer for the first hundred clients in order to increase the rate at which people will purchase the products. Implementation Tactics. Foremost the Dell Company will advert ise on Television channels and News Papers the presence of its chiefly available products and the advantages accrued to usage of its products. Moreover, the clients will be compelled to know that it is the best offer in the market. Budget The whole practice which is supposed to last for three years is supposed to cost $six billion dollars. The budget is projected on the assumption that the potential customers will embrace and purchase the offered products (Blythe 2004.p.65). Further, it is assumed that the legal regulatory mechanisms will not inhibit the Dell Company from carrying out its business objectives in Middle East. Result Evaluation. The company will be able to realize the acquisition of its goals if there will be 10% reception of the product in the first three months. Further, if the company will be able to acquire five hundred clients inn two months it will be in a course of achieving its goals. The Importance Of Each Marketing Plan Component The executive summary of the marketing plan offers brief summary of all the activities which will be carried in order to make the whole plan a success. Business overview will be the second part of the plan explaining the general operations of the business and the objectives in relation to the outlined marketing plan (Baker 2000.p.43). The targeted market curves a niche for the business to identify the needs of the people who need to purchase the product. Marketing goals and strategies will help the business to have a vision on what it aspires to achieve and how it will achieve it. The marketing tactics are the procedures which will be followed in order to realize the set goals. The budget will highlight the overall cost of the marketing plan. Result evaluation will help to gauge the credibility of the plan. Mitigation Strategies For High Risk Components High risk components include the budget and the targeted customers. The budget may be minimal in comparison to the needs established, the planners will have a c ontingency plan by budgeting for hidden costs and uncertainties. Further, the team will have a reserve of finances for miscellaneous costs like training costs and the verbal promotion costs. Customers And Competitors The targeted customers who are likely to buy the Dell server machine include ISP’S government institutions and learning institutions this is because they are likely to have numerous computers in their working environments which are networked. The companies which are likely to offer stiff competition include Microsoft Inc and Hewlett Packard. Promoting Marketing Plan In Support Of Strategic Objectives Supporting Dell’s Strategic Objectives Dell has got a strategic objective of venturing into a new virgin market to promote its servers. The driving force behind the move is in endeavor to attain more customers and also to improve awareness of its products. Moreover, Dell will assert efforts towards improved sales and customer relations. My marketing plan will help to create awareness of the product through Television promotions and the Daily newspapers hence increasing customers’ proclivity towards Dell’s commodities. On the other note the marketing plan will offer incentives like free training and free laptops a factor which will create customer loyalty and bolster improved sales. Approach To Gain Agreement For The Marketing Plan In order for my marketing plan to gain credibility to the business managers I will foremost project to them the anticipated benefits of the whole marketing program. I will convince them that the move to market products in Middle East will help the company to dominate the computer servers market before competitors creep in. I will keenly establish the significance of marketing as it will help to give the company an edge in the cutthroat competitive computer market. Publicity And Promotion Strategy The strategy to embrace in order to gain publicity for the product is by using mass media channels lik e the internet, the Television channels and the daily Newspapers this will ensure that the information will reach numerous potential clients within a short period. Reflective Statement This research paper has stretched my credulity helping me to develop a different perspective towards the marketing facet of the business. I have realized that in the contemporary business hurl, a business’s constancy in the market place is determined by its knack to formulate and implement strategies in order to remain at par with the demands exerted by both internal and external environments. A business must devise a strategic plan which looks far beyond the instantaneous circumstances bringing to clarity the focal point of the business and its vision for the future. Strategic marketing considers the customer’s point of view when planning a marketing campaign. Moreover, it blends the customer’s situations, such as what they want and why they want a product or service, with the ge neral company’s direction. I have realized that marketing plan plays a massive role in aiding the entire businesses attain its core objectives. It offers positive solutions on how fast and effectively the business can achieve its projected project margins. The success of any business endeavor is so depended on the marketing plan that it why it should be formulated so accurately giving a key consideration to both the external and internal parameters. The existing customers are well retained through marketing plan when loyalty schemes are established, again new customers are acquired and retained thorough the plan if it is properly formulated. All the businesses which intent to remain afloat in the highly competitive arena must have on their fingertips all the information concerning their consumer needs and how to satisfy those needs. Marketing veers towards the consumer needs and how to satisfy them this is the surest way of making sure that the brands produced have credibilit y in the market and address the urgent consumer needs. Marketing is all about devising products which intrinsically satisfy the needs of the potential market at the same time offering a challenge to the competitors. Conclusion Business success depends on formulation of attainable strategies and achieving the specific objectives of the strategies. In order to achieve the objectives in accordance to the stipulated timeline is important to have a marketing plan which blends with the business goals and objectives. The plan will cultivate an ample environment through which goals will be achieved. A marketing plan must put into consideration the targeted market its needs and preferences (Hoyer 2001.p.34). The plan should bolster both loyalty and increase customer satisfaction which will draw in more customers and augment the business growth. The secret of success in business is devising a realistic marketing plan, executing it in relation to the business goals steering the business into f ruitful terrains. Reference List Baker, M. (2000) Strategic Marketing And Management (2nd) edition. NY: Macmillan press. Blythe, K. (2004) Essentials of Marketing (Ist Edition) 2nd edition. Chicago: Prentice Hall publishers. Booms, C.H. and Bitner, D.J (2001) Strategies In Marketing Ventures and organizational structures for service. American Marketing Association. Vol 6 Brassington, F.G. (2006), Principles of Marketing Management. (1st) Edition. Chicago: Prentice Hall Publishers. Chisnall, K.P. (1997) Key Issues In Marketing Research. (3rd) Edition. London: McGraw-Hill. Davies, M. (1998) Understanding The Heart Of Marketing.(1st) edition. London: Sage Publishers:. Fill, C (2005) Marketing Contexts, communications and applications. Harlow: Prentice Hall Publishers. Hoyer, J.K (2001) Consumer Behavior, (2nd Ed) NY: Houghton Mifflin printing press. Kapferer, J. (1997) Strategic Brand Management. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Kotler, P.V (2006) The Principles of Marketing. (4th) Editi on. Harlow Prentice Hall.

7 Reference Resources for Writers and Editors

7 Reference Resources for Writers and Editors 7 Reference Resources for Writers and Editors 7 Reference Resources for Writers and Editors By Mark Nichol What guides and handbooks does a careful writer (or editor) rely on? I’ve consulted many resources, but the ones on this list have pride of place and show the most wear and tear. 1. The Associated Press Stylebook Associated Press style and Chicago style (see below) differ in some respects, but many of the listings in this alphabetically organized resource will set you straight about how to treat many common and proper nouns. 2. The Chicago Manual of Style This is the primary resource, after a house style guide, for many American publishing companies and other companies that produce publications, providing guidance about grammar and usage as well as topics like abbreviation, capitalization and other emphasis (such as italics or boldface), numbers, and punctuation. It’s only one of many, but it’s preeminent. 3. The Copyeditor’s Handbook This paperback guide, originally conceived as a companion to Chicago, is similar in organization but formatted more like a textbook (I’ve used it as such with great success), with exercises at the back of each chapter. It’s more accessible but not as comprehensive than the preceding book. 4. Garner’s Modern American Usage Language maven Bryan Garner’s authoritative, encyclopedic tome about proper use of words is the definitive specimen of this type. 5. Merriam-Webster’s Biographical Dictionary This is a handy resource for double-checking names of famous people or their life spans (and years in office or on a throne). The publisher’s general dictionary includes in its appendixes both biographical and geographical dictionaries, but the listings in the stand-alone publications are much more extensive. 6. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Actually, I generally use Merriam-Webster Online, but the print version is handy for finding all the words that start with a certain prefix, or coming up with an alliterative adjective. 7. Merriam-Webster’s Geographical Dictionary Find out the current spellings of foreign cities and the official names of countries and their land area and population. The latter figure will be out of date, and you can find this information (and that available in the biographical dictionary) online, but you may prefer flipping pages to clicking through sites. This list is not a purchasing guide don’t blindly buy any of these books. Visit your local library and take a look at them, then decide which are good investments for your needs. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Book Reviews category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a US Business LetterUsed To vs. Use ToPrepositions to Die With

Employees Morale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employees Morale - Essay Example Therefore, the company should employ a comprehensive exposure strategy for employees to ensure that they develop skills compatible with emerging trends in the rental car business (Bruce, 2003). The company should practice workforce exchange programs with other organizations offering car rental services in order motivate employees to appreciate the company’s working environment. The employees should be given attractive remuneration to promote loyalty and energize their working potential (Bowles, Cooper & Palgrave, 2009). The company should plan for reasonable allowance strategy to ensure that hardworking employees are reward proportionately to their contribution to the company’s success. The employees should be awarded attractive entertainment allowance to facilitate adequate refreshment when on holiday. The company working schedule should be well structured ensure that it is convenient for all employees. The employees should not be made to report very early and leave late from work. Overworking the employees lowers their working morale and sometimes pressures them to produce substandard results (Amar, 2001). In this regard, the company should consider restructuring the work program and allow workers to operate in shifts to minimize fatigue and work pressure. The company should focus on appreciating the hardworking workers to encourage them to put more efforts in their endeavor.. For instance, the employees showing distinguished performance should be promoted to higher ranks and their salaries to be reviewed to boost their working spirit. Research has shown that promotion is a significant booster of employees’ morale. Employees will always work hard to get to high levels of their career. The company should not interfere with employee freedom at the work place. The employees should be allowed to mingle and share experiences

Review of the Service Setting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Review of the Service Setting - Essay Example The organization also sells various types of confectionary as well as pastry items along with equipment for coffee such as coffee beans, travel mugs and other such coffee related items. The company has further grown and ventured into several other options such as selling its coffee beans in retail stores operated under the name of Starbucks. Moreover, Starbucks also produces premium quality ice cream along with Frappuccino as a labeled specialty drink through its subsidiary parties. In addition, Starbucks has a sister concern by the name of Tazo Tea Company that sells premium quality tea products in retail. Starbucks works under the premise that each country and each neighborhood should know the name of Starbucks and associate it with positive feelings particularly towards the food products that the company sells. The paper will focus primarily on the customer service elements of Starbucks coffee retail outlets that focus on selling hot and cold coffee drinks along with food items su ch as pastry items (History of Starbucks, 2003). Review of the Service Setting Starbucks is a global organization with its retail outlets in a large number of countries across the world. The root of success for Starbucks has primarily been the quality of service it provides to its customers, which has helped the company to gain loyal consumers in the longer term. The channels that Starbucks uses are critical in developing a holistic customer experience thus gaining the company loyal customers (History of Starbucks, 2003). As a customer, the service experience that I had with Starbucks included several elements including a greeting, listening to my order and noting down the details about what I specifically wanted, and providing me with the service and my coffee with a smile wishing me a good day. As a customer I believe this was very important because it made me feel that they were taking time out to understand my order and make me feel involved and a part of Starbucks. Verheof et a l. (2009) believe that retail stores particularly service related retail stores consider service quality towards consumers extremely important because it helps in keeping customers involved, allowing for a stronger customer base that can bring in larger amounts of revenue. Management of customer experience is now becoming part of organizations’ longer term vision and mission because products, channels and services can become brands with their own personality through effective management of this customer experience (Michelli, 2007; Badgett, Boyce & Kleinberger, 2007). Frow and Payne (2007) suggest that the effective management of customer experience is through exceptional customer service and this can only be done if the correct touch points of the customer are managed effectively. At this point, the Starbucks staff tried to greet me nicely and wished me a good day which I felt was important as not many people are inclined towards it; as most people are too busy with their wor k. Thus I feel that Starbucks did cover some of the touch points which are important to a customer. The key touch points of the customer’s experience have to be noted for each scenario in case of a service setting and then targeted in such a manner that the customer experience can be enhanced positively towards the service or retail brand. Starbucks is one such popular example that many scholars and authors (Enquist et al., 2007; Fang & Yu, 2009) try to

Student-Relations Officer Essay Example for Free

Student-Relations Officer Essay I am proud of my achievements because I worked hard to earn all of these. In Secondary Three I earned the semester award for the highest history average. I receive the said award 3 consecutive times, marking me as the student with the highest history average in the entire school. I was also awarded with the highest English average twice, with both of the classes being an equivalent of Grade 10 History and English, respectively (although chronologically only an equivalent of Grade 9). In addition to the aforementioned awards, I also achieved an A on English during the Second Language IGCSE Examinations, an A on E Math IGCSE examinations, and a B in the History IGCSE Examinations. All the said examinations were all taken a year earlier than normal (I was in Grade 9, and 14 years old, the regular being at the completion of Grade 10 and 16 years old) – all the IGCSEs the equivalent of Grade 11 subjects relative to their counterpart subjects in Canada. I also bagged the third prize during the Science Forum with my team around the same time. Additionally, I was elected as a Student-Relations Officer, wherein my responsibility is to hold forums for students and votes and statistics on student views and opinions. In spite all of my achievements, I pride myself more on the distinction I have here in Canada. If any of the accomplishments stand out, I believe it is my completion of grade 11 with five subjects at the age of fifteen with a nineties average that truly counts as a special achievement. It is in hardship, dedication and passion that one person can succeed. As I look back and recall all of my achievements, I believe I have what it takes to be successful in my chosen field someday.

Democracy Essay -- Politics Voters Voting Essays

Democracy In the 2000 presidential election, less than 59% of our population saw fit to even vote. 80.5% of those voting were white, that's roughly 60% of the white population. Of the meager 19.5% of the vote the non-white population represented, less than 51% of non-whites able to vote actually did (Census). What does this mean? How can democracy – a republic like ours – correctly function without a more complete representation of opinion from its people? Former UCLA Law professor Julian Eule argued in his essay â€Å"Judicial Review of Direct Democracy† that the framers of our constitution set up the republic to in effect protect us from ourselves, to protect us from this sort of majority rule.(Eule) I believe that this misrepresentation is responsible for racist legislation and legislators. A recent NAACP resolution stated "The American people deserve political leaders who make clear, concise and well-reasoned decisions based on fact and clearly informed by all people involved, not leaders that perpetuate erroneous assumptions and ill-informed deductions based on racial and ethnic stereotypes," in reference to North Carolina Representative Howard Coble's remarks supporting former president Roosevelt's internment of the Japanese during World War II. (NAACP) The japanese internment has long been a dark blot on American history, but this legislator, this elected legislator seems to not represent a majority opinion of the people he represents. As well, NAACP president Kweisi Mfume remarked "President Bush continues to nominate right-wing extremists to the federal bench," in reference to the proposed confirmation of Jeffrey S. Sutton as a 6th Circuit Appeals Court judge, a position that demands a truly neutral position. Jeffrey S. ... ... the Total Voting-Age Population, by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin, for States: November 2000 US Census Bureau 27 Feb. 2002 <http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/voting/p20-542/tab04a.txt> Julian N. Eule, â€Å"Judicial Review of Direct Democracy, â€Å" 99 Yale Law Journal 1503 1990. Anti-Affirmative Action Proposition Passes In California CNN AllPolitics 6 Nov. 1996 <http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/news/9611/06/ballots. california.209/index.shtml> University of California Engineering Enrollment Rates (Undergraduate) Career Recruitment Media, Inc. 2003 <http://www.graduatingengineer.com/articles/minority/05- 01-01-t1.html> ACLU Says Expected White House Brief Opposing Minority Equality in College Admissions Shows Lack of Commitment to Racial Justice ACLU 15 Jan. 2003 <http://www.aclu.org/RacialEquality/RacialEquality.cfm?ID= 11620&c=134>

“Life of Pi” Analysis

Life of Pi: The Importance of Storytelling What is the importance of storytelling? What are stories for? In the novel Life of Pi, Yann Martel considers these questions as he writes about a boy who survived in a lifeboat with a Bengal Tiger. Martel elaborates on the theme of storytelling as a coping mechanism. â€Å"That’s what fiction is about, isn’t it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence? † Martel writes this within the first few pages of the Life of Pi, and this idea is carried throughout the novel.He goes into vivid detail of an unbelievable story of Pi and Richard Parker stranded on a life boat together, however it is not until part three that the reader learns that the story they first think to be true is in fact a fictionalized version of an animal-less story. Pi twists the reality of the last 227 days to cope with what has happened to him since the sinking of Tsimtsum. It is a more efficient way for Yann Mart el to bring out the essence of Pi’s story through fiction.Martel twists the reality of the humanistic story to bring about the animalistic essence of Pi in a better light, and in this better light Pi is able to deal with the tragedy and be able to move past it. Pi also finds himself through religion or rather, three religions; Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. He is guided by curiosity and through his fascination of God he learns many stories that guide his morals and actions throughout life. With this, Pi takes on many overwhelming issues and questions that he has to deal with.These religions use many variations of one Story to show other life lessons, and although the details contradict each other, Pi chooses to believe in their similar essence. In doing this, he is coping with and responding to his philosophical search. For example, when the three religious leaders meet, they begin to disagree. The Priest argues that Hinduism believes in multiple gods whereas his religion , Christianity, only believes in one, so therefore Hinduism should not be a religion Pi should practice. In response to the noisy quarrel in the street, Pi refutes, â€Å"All religions are true.I just want to love God. † Earlier in the novel, when Pi is atop the hill with Father Martin and hears an unpleasant story, he explains, â€Å"I asked for another story, one that I might find more satisfying. Surely this religion had more than one story in its bag—religions abound with stories. † Pi found the first story displeasing and to cope with this, he asks for another one. In the end, Pi turns it around and now questions Mr. Chiba and Mr. Okamoto, â€Å"So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you can’t prove the questions either way, which story do you prefer?Which is the better story, the story with animals or the story without animals? † and they both state that the story with the animals was the better story. Through the storyte lling of the adventures of Pi and Richard Parker, Martel shows a tragedy in a more human light because it is easier for one to cope with the hurt of a different living creature than it’s kin. Instead of sharing the horror of his mother’s head flying into his arms, Pi tells the Japanese officials of Orange Juice dying in a fight, because his mother is more important to him than an orangutan.Yann Martel uses symbolism in his novel within the prominent stories to convey the importance of storytelling. Martel wants to show that storytelling is a way of life for Pi, within his religions, and his tragedy. Pi is able to see religion in a more abstract and meaningful light, which he does in his tragedy as well. He uses this as a coping mechanism, so he may be able to understand the essence behind the reality of what happened to him and, to some extent, the significance of life.On a larger scale, Martel is saying that the importance of storytelling in general is to cope with th e all encompassing question of the â€Å"meaning of life†. The stories of religion and faith try to tackle this question through the twisting of reality. Zooming in on a microscopic level of life, Martel shows that stories can help one cope with tragedy because hearing a â€Å"better† story can help one understand the more factual story. An altering of the truth can make the meaning of almost anything more understandable and bearable to explain or hear.

Race and the Sociological Imagination Essay

For generations African Americans have been disadvantaged in America and effects of these injustices have made a lasting impression. Education is one of the leading problems in the black community. Though there have many reforms in education over the years, racial injustices still exist because no attention in placed on how legislature affects people of color. I was raised in a middle-class family of educators. My entire life I’ve been told to â€Å"stay in school, get an education, and work hard so that you can beat the system. † Recognizing the structural forces in my life has helped me understand my place in society. Being able to â€Å"understand everyday life, not through personal circumstances but through the broader historical forces that structure and direct it† (Desmond and Emirbayer 43) has really had an impact on me. My father was born in 1968, the year we consider then end of the civil rights movement. He went to Luscher Elementary during the 70s and at that time the school was integrated. He had mostly White teachers and schoolmates. He received a quality education because of the resources given to whites were now available to blacks. He chose to attend St. Augustine High school. The Archdiocese of New Orleans constructed St. Augustine High School with funds solicited from Catholics of the Archdiocese through the Youth Progress Program. The Archdiocese of New Orleans placed the school under the patronage of St. Augustine of Hippo, a preeminent Christian and scholar of Africa, and a Father of the Church. This was appropriate since from its inception the school was designated for the education of young men from Black Catholic families of New Orleans. St. Augustine High School led the way in battling segregation in New Orleans. The successful legal challenges mounted by the school resulted in the de-segregation of the high school athletics in the state of Louisiana. The famed Marching 100 was the first African-American high school band to march in the Rex parade on Mardi Gras Day. My grandfather and father attended St. Augustine High School and through the education they received along with athletic scholarships and financial aide they both went on to attend Loyola University. My position in society was shaped by my economic position, which was an effect of my grandfather and father’s educations. My grandfather was able to attend college but this was not true for his parents. Depending upon a persons situation social welfare programs can either enforce progression or plateau disadvantages. I was able to attend Isidore Newman School and I lived in an integrated neighborhood where resources such as schools, hospitals, parks and grocery stores were better than those in other parts of New Orleans. My integrated neighborhood provided me with a good education. Blacks in poor neighborhoods are inhibited from achieving the same education as whites because of zoning legislation, transportation and lack of funds. My family was able to establish themselves financially because of social welfare programs such as war bonds, Pell grants, and the integration of schools. My grandfather was able to own their own home and provide for our family. He had a career as a school administrator they paid well. He provided opportunities for his children to attend college and for his wife. Desmond and Emirbayer argue that , â€Å"If we hope to drive racial domination from the gates of our schools we must continue the work of confronting whiteness in the curriculum† (346). I understand that as finding ways to end institutional racism and raising awareness of ideologies that will end prejudices. Until I attended Loyola I had a naive impression of racial awareness. Personally, I believe education is the key to combating racism. We must education our peers on our cultures. We must explain that â€Å"colorblindness† in society is not what’s best. Only by embracing and recognizing each other differences we will be able to break the social bubbles we live in. I’ve gained a stronger sense of racial awareness through this course. I have the ability to challenge and change other people’s ideologies and understand my own. I know because of my social position have scholarships, financial aide and the values of hard work and education instilled in me by my parents and grandparents. I’m also aware that many people are not able to gain that same access. Because of my racial awareness there is so much more I want to find out about the contributing factors that led to my family’s social position in New Orleans. It is through my racial awareness I plan to beat the system.

Budget Cuts and Teacher Planning Time

Budget Cuts and Teacher Planning Time Teacher planning and preparation is a key part of effective teaching. However, this is an area that often faces cuts when dealing with issues like increasing the number of periods in a day, reducing the number of days each week that students come to school, or putting schools on double schedules. It almost appears that there is a lack of concern over the importance of planning time. In school districts across the nation, many teachers already get too little time to accomplish too many tasks before any cuts are made. Educational policy makers fail to see why more than a few minutes of before-class preparation is necessary. The general lack of concern for teacher preparation time is probably due to misconceptions about what goes on during class and planning periods. Educational policy makers, who were in high school 20-30 years ago, remember a classroom that no longer existsone with students quietly reading while the English teacher grades essays and one with students checking each others math papers while abiding by the honor system. A Teachers Changing Role Today, instruction is more active with increased focus on problem solving and teamwork. The teachers role has transformed into one of facilitating learning as opposed to presenting knowledge. Further, teachers are no longer able to grade papers while students read textbooks. In some school districts, teachers can no longer allow students to check each others papers due to parents complaints. In addition, because so many of todays students are unwilling to work without getting credit, the number of papers per student has increased dramatically. Thus, papers that were once graded during class now proliferate into rapidly growing piles which must be dealt with after class. The amount of work to be graded is also impacted by class size. Given a teaching load of five classes of 35 students, a one-hour writing assignment requires almost nine hours of grading if the teacher averages three minutes each. Even grading assignments that take only one minute may be difficult to manage since just under 3 hours would be needed to grade one per student, and other tasks must also be accomplished during the planning period. Another likely cause of widespread disregard for planning time is that the teachers planning activities vary from day to day making it difficult to explain what they do, and why the time is insufficient. To clarify this point, I have provided five unremarkable planning period examples. What the Sample Planning Periods Show These real life examples show that a large percentage of the teachers preparation time is dedicated to paperwork and conferencing. During the sample week of planning activities, it would be impossible to grade even one class set of essays during the allotted planning time. Thus, a teacher who gives writing assignments to five classes of 35 students and who works efficiently during her five 60 minute planning periods, will be unable to give timely feedback to students unless a substantial amount of work is brought home. Teachers have traditionally been expected to bring work home because the job cannot be done any other way. In fact, early in U. S. history, teachers were not allowed to marry because of the time their families would require. But nowadays, teachers do marry, and they do have children. Because many teachers also have second jobs, they no longer have the option of working an extra 20 to 30 hours grading papers. Negative Effects of Reducing Planning Time By scheduling too little planning time, policy makers cause students to receive fewer writing assignments and more machine graded tests. Although several effective teaching strategies have evolved that decrease the paper load, such as peer evaluation with rubrics and cooperative learning, students must eventually get teachers feedback. Of necessity, many teachers lesson plans are made with primary consideration given to how much grading the assignment will require. For this reason, insufficient planning time makes attaining higher standards less likely and deprives students of a quality education.

Direct Managers Letter of Recommendation for an Employee

Direct Manager's Letter of Recommendation for an Employee SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What does a good recommendation letter look like? Below you’ll find a sample letter written by a direct manager for an employee who works in software sales. If you’re responsible for managing or leading a team, chances are you’ll be called upon to write similar letters. Read on to see how this manager endorses one member of his sales team, and then check out the breakdown of what this letter does well. Sample Letter #1: Written by a Manager for a Full-Time Employee Ms. Greta JohanssenSales ManagerStreambase Corp.66 Western BoulevardSanta Fe, New Mexico 87500 Dear Ms. Johanssen, It’s my pleasure to provide this letter of recommendation for James as he seeks employment in software sales with Streambase. As James’s sole direct manager at Waretech, I’ve worked closely with him over the past three years, sharing the same open office space the majority of the time. James showed excellent communication skills and consistently exceeded company quotas. On a personal level, he’s charismatic and well-spoken, both qualities that have served him well in his role as software sales professional. Due to his wife’s cross-country transfer, James is seeking employment out west. All of us at Waretech will be sad to see such a valuable employee go, but our loss is truly your gain. Allow me to point out three examples of James’s strengths. First, James brought great value to Waretech by consistently exceeding quotas and selling in the top 15% of his peers. James has an understanding of market trends and instincts for identifying and pursuing qualified leads. Not only does he provide stellar service to existing clients, but he’s established a number of new business-to-business and business-to-customer accounts during his time at Waretech. Last fall, for instance, he added Voxacorp to our client list, a huge acquisition, and has been working closely with its IT department ever since. James has the combination of business acumen and communication skills that makes him an outstanding salesperson. Second, James has a very strong grasp of technology. He knows our software inside and out and helps relay technical information to customers in an accessible way. He explains our products clearly to customers and makes the most of technological avenues to gain new leads and customize his sales pitch to clients. During an early review, I observed him discuss in detail with a prospective client the specific ways that our software could boost the sales of her online bakery. By monitoring clients’ presence across our website and blog, he provides each one with personalized service to meet his/her needs. James makes the most of technology to find new prospects, provide modern solutions, and drive results. Finally, James has proven himself to be a strong cultural fit here at Waretech. He’s always ready to lend a helping hand to his teammates and contributes during brainstorming sessions and meetings between the sales and marketing teams. Last month, James co-led an enlightening meeting on content marketing and account management. Outside of official events, James also takes turns leading weekly spin classes at our in-house gym. James is an active member of the Waretech team and supports his colleagues professionally and personally (not to mention athletically!). In closing, I’d like to restate my strong support for James’s application to the role of software sales professional with Streambase. I’m confident that he will surpass your expectations in this new role. James is driven, self-confident, proactively helpful, and smart, and I know he will continue to find success in sales. Please feel free to contact me at (866) 8-5546 or ssaasman@waretech.com with any other questions. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Samuel SaasmanSales ManagerWaretech, Inc.ssaasman@waretech.com(866) 8-5546 Based on this letter, should James pack his bags and get ready to move out west? Recommendation Letter 1: The Breakdown This first recommendation letter sample represents a common type of letter,one written by a direct manager for an employee who’s applying to a new company. Right off the bat, the writer gives a strong statement of support for James by saying that it’s his great pleasure to provide the recommendation. If he started by simply saying, â€Å"I am writing this letter of recommendation for James,† it wouldn’t have quite the same impact. Samuel Saasman incorporates the first key feature of strong letters by stating who he is and how he got to know James. He also indicates the reason that James is applying elsewhere. Including this information can be useful for the hiring manager, especially if it’s followed by a statement of support like, â€Å"Our loss is truly your gain.† Samuel structures his letter by presenting three of James’s major strengths: his sales record, his use of technology, and his relationships with his co-workers. This structure can be an effective one for recommendation letters; some writers might choose to use bullet points to clarify their thinking. Samuel writes about James’s qualifications while incorporating specific examples in each paragraph to illustrate his work performance. Since James is applying to a similar position in software sales, all of the strengths described relate directly to the requirements of his target job. Samuel recommends James with highly positive language. He repeats his strong support of James several times and his confidence in his future success. He seems to have chosen with words carefully, using strong descriptors like â€Å"charismatic,† â€Å"driven,† and â€Å"proactively helpful.† As is the custom for recommendation letters, he concludes by inviting the hiring manager to contact him with any further questions. Overall, Samuel writes a glowing letter for James’s application to a new job in software sales. His high opinion is evident, and his examples prove that James has the qualifications to excel in his next position. What's Next? Ready for the next recommendation letter sample? Click hear to read a sample letter written by a principal for a teacher applying to a new school. Want to learn more? If you want to readabout what goes into a strong letter of recommendation or find additional samples, you can head tothe full guide here. Want to provide a strong recommendation for your employee, but don't have the time to craft the perfect letter? PrepScholar's new recommendation tool, SimpleRec, takes you from good intentions and a blank page to a fully written and formatted letter of recommendation in under 5 minutes. All you need to do is give us some simple pieces of information about your employee and your experience working with them, and we'll do the rest. Try out SimpleRec risk-free today: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Rebecca Safier About the Author Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Current Event paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Current Event paper - Essay Example There has been an emergence of longitudinal evidence showing that legal unions of same-sex marriages are likely to remain in a committed relationship. It is suggested that legalized relationship status often impact positively on the longevity of the relationship over time. Scientific research has not found any evidence that would justify the likelihood of discrimination against same-sex couples. In comparison to the heterosexual couples, it has been proven through scientific research studies that same-sex marriage is less stable. However, the ABA policy has remained consistent in its assurance that same-sex couples are healthy, functioning societal contributors who should not be discouraged or discriminated upon. There has been a consistent urge to the society to eliminate the stigma and discrimination against same-sex marriage. There has been a lot of grappling for over twenty years on the question of extension of legal rights and protections for same-sex couples. State courts and legislatures have been considering the issue of equality that is pertinent in the constitution as they are aligning the laws pertaining to same-sex marriages (Hull, 2006). The topic of same-sex marriage has been a thorny issue for over a long period in the American society. There has been concern over the issue for a long period on the issue since it seems to go against the human and religious morals of all the religions all over the world. On religious principles across different religions, marriage is viewed as a platform of childbearing and upbringing. As such it is only prudent for people of opposite sex to marry and bear children. Same-sex couples do not have the will power to raise children live alone to bear. As a child grows, he/she will be contented with the fact that he/she was born by a mother and a father. From the names alone the child would naturally believe that the mother is female, and the father is male. How would a child, who is barely getting to