Colgate Marketing Plan analysis

Colgate Marketing Plan investigation Colgate has understood the importance of advertising plan in its 200 years of presence. This is fundamental towards understanding the field-tested strategies, points, and conveying the companys skyline inside the operational market. This report will concentrate on the showcasing plan for the new Colgate toothbrush called 360 Actiflex, as a component of Oral consideration and Health items which contains Tooth glue, Tooth brush, Mouth wash and dental floss. Oral consideration is significant on the grounds that examination show that a spotless mouth forestalls gum infection and forestall coronary illness. The arrangement will address the specialty market of dental expert which will prescribe the item to their customers and the item brand name will stay to be Colgate. Circumstance Analysis Colgate Palmolive has been in presence for more than 200 hundred years and they work in excess of 70 nations, for example, Brazil, America, Latin America, Asian and so on which will empower to infiltrate the new market without any problem. This is because of their image, understanding, limit in term of assets and existing structure. Item Classification The 360 Actiflex brush with adaptable head for cheek and tongue cleaner is configuration to clean all bearing, to expel microbes from your teeth, cheek, gum and tongue for more advantageous mouth. Clients need toothbrush that can give them solid clean teeth and inhale at a sensible cost. Market Summary Colgate Palmolive is planning to build its piece of the overall industry in toothbrush which is as of now at 30% in 2009 by exhibiting capability and polished methodology by serving new and existing clients. Through the RD, Colgate has had the option to improve their current items and present more items which meet the clients need in dental consideration. Market Needs As per research, clients just need a few toothbrushes per year. 65% of clients have more than one toothbrush, 24% keep brush at work 54% have uncommon toothbrush for voyaging. Purchasing Behavior Pattern Clients base their acquisition of tooth brush on how agreeable it feels in their mouth, regardless of whether it is sufficiently delicate and suits their mouth size or adaptable enough. Their buy is additionally base on the capacity of the toothbrush to evacuate food particles, plaque expulsion and gum incitement. SWOT ANALYSIS Qualities Colgate keeps up solid relationship with dental expert, wholesalers and retailers. Have a decent correspondence with the buyers through media and other social assets Broad industry information and mastery Very much structured preparing program. Capacity to persuade clients to spend all the more however nonstop rebranding and developing organization deals by discharging new turns on under set up brands. Shortcomings Increment rivalry where different contenders produce similar items. The ongoing downturn has sway on the decrease of arranged extension. Openings Oral consideration is a developing industry with the consistently changing clients taste. Ceaseless development utilizing the thought innovation challenge. Dangers Changes in return rates for outside monetary forms, which may decrease the U.S. dollar estimation of income, get from oversea market deals. Political or monetary shakiness or changing macroeconomic conditions in our significant markets, Absence of settled or solid lawful frameworks in specific regions where the Company works, Target Setting Colgate by presenting the 360 Actiflex toothbrush is planning to accomplish the accompanying goals: To hold the 20% existing faithful clients To expand current mindfulness level of brand from 5% to 15% in a year through incorporated battle of publicizing, deals advancement and sponsorship. To obtain more clients by focusing on the extravagance portions of the market. System Development The target of Colgate Palmolive is to situate the organization as nonstop market pioneer of oral consideration and Heath care, serving household advertise just as worldwide market. To enter the market Colgate will begin with our dental experts whom we have joint effort with in our current different regions of activity. The organization will make little adjustment upon on this item which will allow to spare expense. There will be a dispatch of the item in chose dental experts where the showing of how the item is use will be given. Strategies As a major aspect of strategy the enormous publicizing efforts will be propelled through advancement exercises which will incorporate promoting by banners, TV, open air adverts, online adverts. B: CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE MARKETING PLAN, IN PARTICULAR ITS MARKETING ENVIRONMENT. Showcasing condition involves the players and powers outside the advertising that influence the board consistent quality to construct and continue compelling associations with target clients. Prosperous Companies generally distinguish the fundamental significance of constantly watching and adjusting to the ever-evolving condition. The showcasing condition of an organization can be arranged into two regions this incorporate full scale condition and miniaturized scale condition, the large scale condition incorporate the primary on-screen characters of the organization associated with creating, disseminating, and advancing the contribution. The showcasing condition examination can give knowledge of on the web and disconnected serious situations. Utilizing Five Forces Model, Porter clarifies that in any industry there are five powers that impact what occurs inside the business, these five powers join to make up the business condition. By contemplating the structure of elements between these powers, the organization can find open doors for improving the showcasing techniques. When creating organization advertising plan which incorporate the showcasing, this can not be totally precluded techniques Colgate Palmolive can recognize the powers as: The Threat of new contestants There has been n o major new contestant to the business for as long as barely any years leaving the monster maker of shopper products like Colgate and others to overwhelm the scene. Be that as it may, no significant changes give off an impression of being existing hindrances to passage, for example, the economies of scale as of now profited by the Colgate as a player who have been in the business for long. Because of troublesome exchanging conditions the earth, capital necessities and reconciliation costs are high because of the downturn in the expansion loan fees rises. Intensity of provider More tight credit markets may prompt business interruptions for sure of the providers, contract producers or exchange clients which could, thus, unfavorably sway colgate business. Despite the fact that this look outlandish as the provider won't have any desire to misfortune Colgate business in light of its worldwide nearness around the world, this can't be completely precluded. Serious Rivalry Noteworthy rivalry in the business could influence the business, for example the thorough rivalry around the globe, particularly from the greater worldwide shopper item organizations who have more noteworthy assets than Colgate. The capacity to contend relies upon the quality of our brands also, on our capacity to ensure our patent, trademark and exchange dress rights and to safeguard against related difficulties brought by contenders. An inability to contend viably could unfavorably influence the development and productivity of the organization Confinement of the Five powers strategy The confinement of this strategy is the collaboration of the powers with one another particularly comparable to the restorative life cycle which influence the serious powers essentially. Media/IT Interference at Colgate Palm Olive In 200 years of presence, data innovation and media has helped to build up an energetic association at Colgate. As the pattern in IT changes throughout the years, it has additionally been reflected in each activity the association. Beginning with the antiquated IBM framework units of mid 1950s to the main shopper PCs of 1977 (Apple I, II III), Colgate has developed nearby to praise the progress with time. In the cutting edge time, portions of the positive effects can be found in release load up administrations, PC conferencing, PC yield on microfilm, correspondence arrange, choice emotionally supportive networks, Electronic mail (email), Electronic spread sheet, Telex, video talk, remotely coordinating and the preferences has been a significant commitment of IT and media to the business. Also the progressed electronic instrumentation for bundling and transportation that we could see at each phase of creation. Promoting to a layman would now be able to be found on twitter, facebook, youtube, text informing, google, eposters and the preferences. On a negative side, instability of information and records has been a significant misfortune of current IT and media in advertising. The significant dread here lies later on for the framework whether it despite everything present comparable favorable circumstances or negative importance. All the previously mentioned methods for advertising in th e cutting edge period has bunches of effects both decidedly and contrarily: Positive Impacts of Media/IT Advertising pace and Convenience Current IT/media has presented heaps of favorable circumstances on how quick data can be scattered. A SATA framework has an information move pace of 300Mb/s (Wisegeek 2011). It demonstrates that a tremendous information of the size of a plate could be conveyed to a huge arrangement of crowd in under one second. Promoting is currently conceivable 24 hours per day, 365 days every year. Clients would now be able to connect the lining issues at stores (Hollensen 2007). Less expensive spread courses Due to simple methods for information stream, the expense of dispersion has fallen significantly after some time. It beds as low as 50 pence to fax a page while a large number of pages will sent over the web/media at right around a free circulation cost. Aside from the way that the entire world gets the data on the double and at a similar quality, the effects are the equivalent with the impression communicated. Besides, it is conceivable to scan at the most minimal cost accessible for brands (Hollensen 2007). Online monetary administrations are additionally conceivable through these methods. Compelling correspondence Media a

ECO203 Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Distorted Thinking and Panic Disorder

Distorted Thinking and Panic Disorder Panic Disorder Coping Print Distorted Thinking With Panic Disorder By Katharina Star, PhD facebook linkedin Katharina Star, PhD, is an expert on anxiety and panic disorder. Dr. Star is a professional counselor, and she is trained in creative art therapies and mindfulness. Learn about our editorial policy Katharina Star, PhD Updated on December 07, 2019 sturti/E/Getty Images More in Panic Disorder Coping Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Related Conditions People with panic disorder  often experience negative thoughts  with self-defeating beliefs. This is especially the case during a panic attack when your inner voice may amplify your fears and anxiety. For example, when panic takes hold, you may believe that you really are going to stop breathing or that you truly are going crazy. Listed below are some irrational thoughts that are common among people with anxiety disorders. In order to change your thinking, you must first become aware of these thought patterns that are an underlying part of your panic. Forecasting When youre forecasting, youre predicting a future event that hasnt happened. People with panic disorder typical forecast that the worst will happen, which is known as catastrophic thinking.?? For example, if you’re afraid of flying, while on a plane you might think to yourself, “This turbulence feels scary, I know something is wrong with the plane.” Or if you have agoraphobia and fear leaving your home, you might think, “If I leave, I just know Ill have a panic attack.” The problem with forecasting is that it only feeds your anxiety, causing you to feel more afraid. As feelings of panic grow, your thought pattern only spirals further out of control. Your outlook may escalate to beliefs such as, “I just know this plane is going to crash” or “If I have a panic attack in public, Ill go crazy and have to be committed.” Self-Defeat Anxiety and panic prone people tend to use words should, ought, or must when describing themselves and their situation. You hold beliefs such as, “I should be calm on planes,” “I ought to be comfortable in public,” or “I must be a failure.” Such harsh self-judgments are not helpful in reducing your anxiety. Such all-or-nothing thinking leads to self-criticisms that simply feeds anxiety.?? Instead, you become overwhelmed with self-defeating thoughts. You may begin to blame yourself for having panic disorder, believing that its some sort of flaw on your part. You may also use name-calling, such as telling yourself that youre “pathetic” or “weak.” This can even lead to over-generalizations in which you think that you “will never feel okay in public” or you “will always feel uneasy.” All of these destructive thoughts add to feelings of helplessness, making panic disorder even more overwhelming. Mind-Reading Nervousness is often magnified when we believe that were being judged by others. Those with panic disorder often feel that others disapprove of them, further fueling feelings of guilt and worry. Even if theres no proof that others are critically evaluating you, you still believe that others have an aversion to you.?? You may be a people-pleaser, wanting to be liked and seen as perfect by others. You may also feel inferior to others, thinking that you just don’t measure up. When you mind-read, you have thoughts like, “I can tell by the flight attendant’s face that theres a serious problem with the plane.” Or, while out in public you think, “That person can tell I’m nervous. He thinks I’m neurotic. As you can see, these inner statements only make your apprehension grow. How to Change Your Thinking These destructive thought processes are contributing to your experience with panic disorder. Do you recognize your thought patterns in any of these belief systems? In order to change the way you think, you must first recognize your typical thoughts.?? To begin to change, keep a notebook and pen with you and throughout the day, try to jot down every harmful thought you notice. At the end of the day, you may be surprised by how many times you had negative thoughts similar to the ones listed here. Treatment Options for Panic Disorder Now that you have them down on paper, spend some time writing down a more constructive statement. For example, let’s say you wrote down “I should be less of a worrier and get a grip.” Try replacing that negative thought with a statement like, “Some days are better than others, but I know Im doing my best to overcome anxiety and panic.” While out in public you might think, “I know she just looked at me and thinks I am pitiful.” Replace that with, “She just glanced at me because I entered the store. Im sure she was thinking about her own life.” The more you become aware of your thought process, the easier it will become to change it. Over time, your views about yourself and the world around you will transform into a more optimistic picture. The 9 Best Online Therapy Programs

The Devil in Disguise Comparing and Contrasting the Devil...

The Devil in Disguise â€Å"Even before he reached me, I recognized the aroma baking up from the skin under the suit--the smell of burned matches. The smell of sulfur. The man in the black suit was the Devil.† (King) A common theme among depictions of The Devil is that of unusual physical attributes. The Devil is depicted in three different stories (Joyce Carol Oates’ ‘Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?’, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘Young Goodman Brown’, and Steven King’s ‘The Man In The Black Suit’) in three different ways, yet each description bares remarkable similarities in some aspects to the next. Themes common to the devil are that of his physical appearance or how he presents himself, his apparent supernatural†¦show more content†¦I know your name and all about you, lots of things,† Arnold Friend said. He had not moved yet but stood still leaning back against the side of his jalopy.  "I took a special interest in you, such a pretty girl, and found out all about you—like I know your parents and sister are gone somewheres and I know where and how long they’re going to be gone, and I know who you were with last night, and your best girl friend’s name is Betty. Right?’† (Oates) This quote shows that he knows everything about Connie. In ‘The Man in the Black Suit’ The Devil knows all about Gary and his family. He knows how Gary’s brother died. He knows why he died. Another thing that is universal in these depictions is the Devil’s victimology. In each story, his victim is young, naà ¯ve, and inexperienced. Gary is only nine years old. A nine-year-old is very gullible and easy to take advantage of. Young Goodman Brown is also naà ¯ve at least in his belief that all men and women are what they appear to be. Connie is a young, inexperienced, teenage girl. The devil can appear in any shape or form. He has been personified throughout history in literary works such as in Joyce Carol Oates’ ‘Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?’, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘Young Goodman Brown’, and Steven King’s ‘The Man In The Black Suit’. In each he hasShow MoreRelatedPractical Guide to Market Research62092 Words   |  249 PagesDevelopment and the Market Research Industry 3 5 19 39 59 75 94 112 129 150 164 177 187 1 2 Preface I was fortunate to find market research. It is the only work I have ever done and it has kept me interested all my life. My first job was with the Dunlop Rubber Company, where I had the title â€Å"Marketing Executive† and where I spent happy days researching markets for the General Rubber Goods Division. I remember, as if yesterday, my very first assignment; I was asked to research the market for

Hiv / Aids Growing Epidemic Among African Americans

HIV/AIDS the growing epidemic among African Americans April Hampton Excelsior College ILSE SILVA-KROTT October 11, 2015 Abstract In my studies I have found that HIV/AIDS is one of the largest growing epidemics among African American’s. Along with the stigmas individuals have to face, there lay the unspoken thought process of â€Å"It wouldn’t or couldn’t happen to me†. Poverty, severe drug abuse, unprotected sex, and lack of education are just a few contributing factors to the growing numbers related to this infectious disease among the African American communities. When you add all these factors into one community the results is just that of the soaring number of individual infected from young to old. Keywords: African Americans, HIV/AIDS, Epidemic, Infection HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is known as a lentivirus. Lentivirus is an intracellular parasite with either an RNA or DNA genome, which is surrounded by a protective protein coat. This particular virus can only infect humans, weakening their immune system by destroying important cells that usually are used to fight disease and infection. As the HIV infection progresses, the body becomes defenseless continuing to destroy white blood cells. Once the cells drop below a certain level, an infected person will then be classified as having AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). African Americans make up only 12% of the United States population, but 44% of those infected with theShow MoreRelatedHiv And The United States Essay1288 Words   |  6 PagesUnited States have HIV (about 14 percent of which are unaware of their infection and another 1.1 million have progressed to AIDS. Over the past decade, the number of HIV cases in the US has increased, however, the annual number of case s remains stable at about 50, 000 new cases per year. Within these estimates, certain groups tend to carry the burden of these disease, particularly the gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (MSM) and among race/ethnic groups, Blacks/African American males remain disproportionatelyRead MoreAids Prevention And Testing Of Hiv / Aids1205 Words   |  5 PagesLaMaack Mrs. Reaves Advanced Writing 8 October, 2015 AIDS Prevention and Testing â€Å"More than 1.2 million americans are living with HIV, including 156,300 who don’t realize it† (Kaplan). The HIV/AIDS epidemic hit a peak in the 2000’s. These diseases attack the immune system making them incapable of fighting off diseases. Specifically, HIV,human immunodeficiency virus, attacks the immune system, weakening it, and slowly making it produce more HIV-cells. AIDS,acquired immune deficiency syndrome, then takesRead MoreHiv / Aids : A Huge Complication Around The World1562 Words   |  7 PagesHIV/AIDS in Russia versus South Africa HIV/AIDS is becoming a huge complication around the world. 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Big Skinny Free Essays

string(91) " missing out on the people who want to try their product without having to pay full price\." In 2010, Big Skinny CEO Kiril Alexandrov was looking to transcend from retail distribution and print advertising to the world of online marketing to achieve maximum growth. The retail sales pitch was an easy one, as Alexandrov focused on the value of the wallet and the impulsiveness of consumers (Benjamin Kominers, 2012). Unfortunately, translating this type of sales pitch was much harder to do in the world of cyberspace. We will write a custom essay sample on Big Skinny or any similar topic only for you Order Now Big Skinny centered their online marketing efforts around display Ads, keyword searches, social media and relationships with online distributors and deep discounted sites such as Amazon and Groupon respectively. The expansion caused much hardship, as Big Skinny received negative feedback on the review website Yelp that stemmed from their Groupon experiment. They also faced a glitch in their online promotion that allowed 4,000 people to order free wallets from their online store. Big Skinny needs to refocus their online marketing strategy by getting rid of display Ads, refining keyword searches and severing ties with deep discounted sites. Big Skinny can create value for their product and manage their orders better by being more selective with who distributes their product and by keeping the price steady. A more seasonal approach surrounding keyword searches can create new revenue from those who are looking to make quick and impulsive purchases. Lastly, by being responsible for who distributes their products, Big Skinny can deliver their product in prompt and timely manner, which will resolve the majority of customer complaints against Big Skinny. Problem Statement Despite successful in-person sales campaigns, Big Skinny struggled to find an effective online marketing platform that would grow and connect them to their consumer base. Big Skinny also ran into glitches with their current online marketing campaigns that brought unwanted negative attention and resentment towards the company. Data Analysis When Big Skinny transcended into the world of online marketing, it had to develop a way to attract visitors to the website while attempting to convince these visitors to buy wallets. Since most of their wallets were being sold at trade shows or retail stores that centered on a straight-forward approach regarding impulse and value, the translation of this strategy to the internet proved to be a tall task. Big Skinny looked at various means of advertising such as display ads, algorithmic search, sponsored search, A/B Testing and social media. Display ads offered a two-frame animation; however, the click-through rate of general display ads in 2009 was only . 1% (Bejamin Kominers, 2012). Algorithmic searches use algorithms that the search engine deems most relevant to the user’s query. The websites that most resemble the query appear the highest on the search engine’s list. Sponsored searches use keywords that the advertisers specify that they want to target. These are mostly sold on a â€Å"per-click† basis; however the company loses money if the clicks aren’t converted into sales. A/B testing is a marketing technique that shows different advertisements to different users to compare the response rates between the two. Lastly, social media utilizes websites such as Facebook and Twitter to try and create an interactive relationship with consumers. Alternatives 1. Big Skinny could eliminate their means of online distribution and paid online marketing, only utilizing social media and their website to conduct advertising and business transactions. 2. Big Skinny could be more selective in their selection of online distribution, while tailoring their paid sponsored searches to generate interest and sales. 3. Big Skinny could scrap their online marketing plans, with the exception of social media, and reallot their advertising money strictly on deep discounted sites like Groupon and Living Social. 4. Big Skinny could focus their efforts on expanding in more brick and mortar retail stores by target marketing towards different demographics. They could use traditional media such as TV and radio to drive these efforts. Key Decision Criteria 1. Increase customer satisfaction and corporate image 2. Increase sales and market share 3. Improve (or at least maintain) profitability 4. Ease or speed of implantation 5. Be consistent with corporate mission or strategy 6. Within our present resources or capabilities 7. Within acceptable risk parameters 8. Minimize environmental impact 9. Maintain and build employee morale and pride Alternatives Analysis 1. By limiting their online marketing to free social media sites such as Twitter or Facebook, Big Skinny can greatly reduce their marketing costs. With display advertisements only getting clicked through . 1% of the time the money is essentially thrown away. Investing in A/B testing requires the hiring of a permanent person and huge overhead. Getting rid of online distributors allows Big Skinny to eliminate the 7-15% commission they pay to Amazon and eBay while being able to manage their order load. Social Media is more than enough because 71% of social media participants say they are more likely to purchase from a brand they follow online. 91% of local searchers say they use Facebook to find local businesses online (Bennett, 2013). The cons of this are that they are missing out on a lot of potential customers by eliminating Amazon and eBay. While online paid marketing can be expensive, there is still benefit to sponsored searches. Some of the cost per conversions are profitable and by completely eliminating these searches would be throwing away potential opportunities. 2. The pros of Big Skinny being more selective with their online distributors allows for a happy customer base. There have been several negative reviews on the Yelp site regarding slow delivery and non-existent customer service. By eliminating deep discounting sites such as Groupon, Big Skinny can manage their order load and keep customers happy. Big Skinny would also keep the revenue from the top paid sponsored searches rather than eliminating them all together. The negatives of this are that Big Skinny could miss out on a lot of revenue by not using Groupon or Living Social. They could also miss out on the repeat customers that are generated by these sites as well as missing out on the people who want to try their product without having to pay full price. You read "Big Skinny" in category "Papers" 3. Instead of eliminating sites like Groupon and Living Social, Big Skinny could embrace the huge influx of customers that it brings. According to the customer satisfaction and analytics company ForeSee, 91% of customers have already or plan to conduct business with the merchant since buying the deal (Bedigian, 2013). This strategy generates a large influx of customers in a short time while attempting to generate residual income by repeat customers. The cons of this are that company’s often lose money during the initial Groupon. The product is discounted by 50% or more and then Groupon takes a 50% commission on the sale price, which leaves the seller receiving only 25% of the original selling price of the item (which in some cases is less than the cost of the item). Forbes has found that 1/3rd of businesses have lost money on a Groupon deal and there is no guarantee that the customers ever return to pay full price from the merchant again (Gleeson, 2012). 4. The pros of using a more traditional advertising medium such as TV or radio would bring brand recognition for Big Skinny. Big Skinny has always had success selling in retail stores because they market their products based on value and impulse. By putting the product in more retail stores, there is a greater chance people will put it in their hands and buy on impulse. Instead of targeting just one big audience, Big Skinny should advertise by target market such as Big Skinny Sport or Big Skinny Women. By doing this they could partner with big retail chains to get into more stores and generate more revenue the old fashioned way. The average time an American spends watching TV is 5 hours compared to just 1 hour browsing the internet, which leads for greater exposure. The cons of doing this are that TV advertising is much more expensive than online marketing (Nielsen, 1997). Another con is Tivo allows people to record their favorite shows and then fast-forward past the commercials. The last con is that TV advertising seems to be a thing of the past, as the amount spent on TV advertising was only up 4. 5% in 2011 as compared to 21. 7% via online marketing (Gleeson, 2012). Recommendations Based on the data, it is best for Big Skinny to be more selective of their online distribution, while tailoring their paid sponsored searches to generate interest and sales. In regards to online distribution, Big Skinny should keep eBay and Amazon, however, should drop deep-discount sites such as Groupon or Living Social. To offer a Groupon deal, Big Skinny is guaranteed to be taking a loss. To be eligible to offer a Groupon, Big Skinny must discount the price of their wallet by at least 50%. This turns a $20 wallet into a $10 wallet. Groupon takes a commission of 50% on the sale price, which leaves Big Skinny walking away with only $5 for every wallet sold (Bice, 2012). Essentially, they are taking a loss with every wallet they sell on Groupon. The goal of a Groupon is to try and get repeat customers; however, the people that use Groupon are bargain-hunters. They won’t return to Big Skinny, but rather, they will return to Groupon again looking for another bargain deal. By using Groupon, Big Skinny also decreases the value of their brand (Gibbard, 2011). Why would a customer pay full price for a $40 wallet when they just bought it on Groupon for $15 or $20 just a short time ago? In addition to dropping Groupon, Big Skinny needs to manage their online distribution better because of customer satisfaction issues. On the review site Yelp, Big Skinny’s wallets are only receiving a rating of 2. 5 out of 5 stars. A lot of the reviews include gripes about not receiving their order for 3-4 weeks or non-existent customer service (most of the negative reviews are from users who bought a Big Skinny wallet on Groupon). If the online distributor doesn’t ship your product in a timely manner, your company risks a tarnished reputation. Whether Big Skinny didn’t have enough stock to fulfill orders or whether Groupon didn’t ship the products in a timely manner, Big Skinny is taking the fall and abuse from customers. When people do research for a product they are going to see Big Skinny’s products with poor ratings. These poor ratings can scare potential customers away. Big Skinny should only use Amazon, eBay and their website to sell their wallets. This allows them to manage their inventory, not get behind on orders and make sure their product gets shipped in a timely manner. Big Skinny has excellent Amazon ratings and should continue to grow their product through the sterling reputation of Amazon. They should sell the product for a higher price on their website so that people are encouraged to buy through Amazon. This is a win-win for Big Skinny because if people buy through Amazon then Big Skinny doesn’t have to waste time and effort fulfilling and shipping orders. If they choose to buy direct than Big Skinny receives a larger profit on their wallets. Lastly, Big Skinny needs to tailor their sponsored keyword searches. They need to eliminate the term â€Å"leather wallet. † They don’t manufacture a true leather wallet and the cost per conversion for this keyword is a sky-high $20. 26. Big Skinny should also bid less for the term â€Å"thinnest wallet. † The cost per conversion for â€Å"thinnest wallet† also has a high cost, which is $10.53. After replacing leather wallet and lowering the bid for thinnest wallet, Big Skinny should add keywords centered on holidays. Wallets are popular gifts on occasions such as Father’s Day and Christmas. Big Skinny should add season keywords such as â€Å"Father’s Day Wallet,† â€Å"Wallet for Dad,† â€Å"Best Wallet for Gift† and â€Å"Wallet for Christmas. † This will bring seasonal shoppers into the mix who are looking to spend quickly and impulsively. Action and Implementation Plan CEO Kiril Alexandrov will be responsible for delegating the following tasks. The Director of Marketing will pull any promotions or future plans with deep discounted sites such as Groupon or Living Social. The Director of Marketing in combination with the Director of Product Management will reach out to all of those who left negative reviews on Yelp to satisfy the customer complaints and retract the negative ratings. The Director of Sales will carefully select the online distribution channels which Big Skinny will sell through. Big Skinny will only sell through Amazon, eBay and any online outlets of the retail stores that they are currently featured in. The Director of Sales will also raise the prices of wallets on the Big Skinny Website by 10-15% to create value for the product and promote customers to purchase through the select online distribution. Doing this saves Big Skinny the time it would take to fulfill and pack orders, however, if a customer decides to purchase direct, then Big Skinny recoups the 10-15% it would pay Amazon or eBay to sell and fulfill the order. This new price point will be conveyed in a message from the Director of Sales to Big Skinny’s distribution channel. How to cite Big Skinny, Papers

Orporate Sustainability Strategies Sustainability Management

Question: Discuss about the Orporate Sustainability Strategies for Sustainability Management. Answer: Introduction Formed in 1993, Ecostore is a privately owned company that prides itself in being an environmentally conscious business that offers a collection of natural and eco-friendly products. The company is classified as a sustainable business as it matches the criteria set out that any company has to meet before being classified as a sustainable business. The company creates and stocks products that are focused on the health of the people and the environment. These products range from skin care, hair, and laundry as well as homecare products. With an annual turnover of around $33million, Ecostore is a fine example of a business that has grown exponentially since formation. The business model on which the company is built upon is not your typical organizational profit making business model as Ecostore prides itself in being a disruptive not-for-profit company. This is based on the fact that a percentage of the sales money raised goes toward its foundation called Fairground which is the charity arm of the company. Ecostore holds an importance to the Australian and by extension the international business landscape as it is an example of a business that is geared toward sustainability while being environmentally conscious. According to Chan et.al. (2001), it is noted that organizations that are passionate about the environmental responsiveness tend to remain competitive and increase their market share. In Australia, the market is experiencing a demand for sustainable products and with the eco-friendly products offered by Ecostore clearly sets them apart from the rest of the competition in the market. Their products are completely plant and mineral based thus have no negative effect on the environment mostly the Australian waterways. Chang and Fong (2010) laid it out clearly by saying that environmentally favorable products have positive effects on consumers that are equally passionate about such products. Based on the 2015 carbon trust report by the world bank, the cost of adapting to new warmer worlds are set to rise and this is where Ecostore has an edge over other global companies as it is already adapting to the sustainability goals thus in a better position not experience any disruptions when other companies go through the adaptation phase. Role of organizational behavior at Ecostore With Ecostore being a disruptive not-for-profit company, the organizational behavior at the company is geared towards the well-being of the customer. Organizational behavior encompasses management, employee motivation,worksatisfaction and team bonding. All these have an effect on the customer satisfaction and loyalty (Wiek et al, 2012). With a staff of about 60 employees, the company comes across as a closely knit organization with the founder as the chief executive. The well-being of the employees is entwined with the vision of the company and this is evident in the interaction between management and the employees. According to an article published by smartcompany Australia in May 2014, Ecostore is a company that holds ethics in high esteem and the organizational management focus is to make the employees better at what they are good at. Such an approach creates a relaxed environment and as recent studies show such environments enable employees to thrive and achieve their maximum pot ential. Human resource management practices at the company Human resource practices are vital to the foundation of how a companys employees interact with the company and brand as a whole. Ecostore places a lot of emphasis on the employee relationship with the company. When it comes to the aspect of sustainability based on the human resource management practices, comprehensive strategies that cover all aspects of the business are required. These business aspects encompass the board room, the employees, the company suppliers as well as the customers (Orlitzky et al, 2011). The company executive is known to be lenient with the employees and with such does not implement a hierarchical mode of management at the company. The employees at the company are consulted for their views on the business as well as any ideas that they may have. This has a positive effect on the utilization of the various talents in the company. Such an approach has an effect when it comes to recruitment and talent retention as most employees would prefer working at organizations where they feel valued. Role of international business at the company Being competitive in international markets are every companys long term vision. This can be attributed to the fact that there is an increase in the profit margins for a company once it is able to compete favorably and comfortable in markets outside its locality. Ecostore is rapidly becoming an international company with its products being sold in markets beyond Australia and New Zealand. As the company is always looking for new and better ways of sourcing raw materials, product development, packaging and distribution, the access and penetration to the international markets will definitely ease some of these concerns. Ecostores sustainability practices have an effect on the way the brand markets itself as well as its products to the international markets. An example of this is the entry of Ecostores products to the lucrative South Korean market that is quite particular on eco-friendly products (Van Bommel, 2011). The South Korean market is currently experiencing a demand for products that have an emphasis on healthy living as well as minimal toxic levels. Based on this, it can be noted that international business has quite an effect on the quality of products in that this has to be maintained or raised. In the case of a drop in standards, the brand is likely to suffer to in the international market due to the fact that the world is now a global village and how people perceive a brand based on its performance in different markets has a huge influence on their interaction with the brand (Lubin and Esty, 2010). With the partnership between itself and distributors in the different international markets, Ecostore has been able to push its products to a wider audience. This means increased revenue for the company and thus increased innovation and production to meet the demand for its products in the different markets. Role of technology management at the company In todays world, the use and management of technology plays a big role in the success of companies that are focused on innovation. Technology management can therefore be defined as the application of management skills to the development and proper use of technology, Khilesh (2013). This is crucial to an organization as it helps the company to improve its efficiency and effectiveness while solving problems. Based on the above definition, it can be noted that Ecostore has not been left behind as it is constantly innovating and using new technologies to produce new eco-friendly products while at the same time bettering the existing ones with no addition of harmful or toxic chemicals to the products or the environment. The company has a manufacturing facility that is ISO 14001 certified and this has played a massive role in minimizing the companys environmental footprint. It has to be noted that Ecostore is using technology to identify and improve its sustainability operations as well as identify and implement areas for improvement in operationswhilst factoring in power consumption and waste level management. Entrepreneurship and innovation at Ecostore Ecostore was founded by Malcom Rands and his wife in 1993 based on the discovery that they were being exposed to toxic chemicals in their cleaning and body care products. They realized that despite living the sustainable life and using sustainable organic products, the exposure to these toxic products was still real. The motivation behind the start of the company was to provide healthy and eco-friendly products as opposed to the existing products which had toxic chemicals and no positive bearing on the environment. Innovation places a lot of emphasis on learning so as to gain knowledge about the products to be delivered and this led the Ecostore founder to spend eight years learning about chemicals, their good side as well as the nasty side and decided to come up with something new for the market. This kind of innovation is what has led to the development of green products by Ecostore. This aspect of innovation shows no sign of slowing down as the company is constantly researching an d innovating new ways of developing its products while maintaining the green aspect of the business. An example of this constant and new innovation is the invention of proprietary packaging bottles made out of sugarcane. The company moved from the traditional plastics made from petrochemicals that are derived from scarce non-renewable fossil fuels to a renewable and more sustainable solution of using sugarcane to create its bottles. Innovation is key to the sustainability vision of Ecostore as it aims to be a provider of clean and ecofriendly products (Varadarajan, 2010). With the advancements in technology, it can be noted that the cost of these innovations is absorbed by the company and thus no extra cost is passed down to the customer. As evidenced earlier, this in return has a positive influence on the brand and the companys sustainability approach as a whole. Recommendations As Ecostore seeks to expand its reach to the international market whilst maintaining a stronghold on the Australasia market, it is important for the company to implement different management strategies for the different markets. The sustainability aspect of the company has managed to give it an edge over traditional chemical based producers. One of the management strategies that the company can implement in the future is an increase in the online marketing strategy of the companys products. Ecostores products are quite popular in the Australian and New Zealand shelves and one of the strategies that can be used as the company eyes more international market is an increase in its online visibility. Online marketing can grow a brand beyond its borders and enable customers in far flung areas to place orders as well as sample the companys products (chaltegger et al, 2012). The company website can also be revamped as it is the first point of contact with the online customers. A good website should be able to generate traffic and increase the number of orders placed via the online portal. With the advent of social media, the company can use this to create and maintain a healthy following of consumers who are yet to get to know about the company or its products. Achieving the desired growth in a business is crucial and it is the aim of an organization to have a target in terms of revenue and profitability. There are relevant issues that organizations need to adapt to achieve revenue and profitability. It is relevant to adapt to the necessary changes since there is need for growth. Some of the major reasons why there are inadequate consideration of opportunities where the main focus is on business and what sub-segments. Another concept that is realized is the way in which there are no successful execution. Leadership is very important and in management in the different companies can adopt the following strategies. There needs to be a systematic framework that is relative to the strategies making sure there are key elements that might increase the probability for success. The need to have an amalgam in terms of gathering experience is crucial when undertaking research. Conclusion The need to have strengthening leadership practices where there are different roles played. Some of the needs is relative to the following needs to promote growth. For example, there is the growth by the sub-segmenting customers. There is always the issue of growing core business as well as the growing adjacent opportunities. There is the issue of creating the customer focused strategies. In addition, there is the need to have building organizational capabilities and performance management scorecards where there is the need to be effective when executive strategies. Organizations need to have a system in which there is the need to have a structure to achieve objectives. The need to have the strength to have the need to have strategies as a way of investigating ways of investing in infrastructure. Regardless of which strategy is selected, there is always the ongoing research on what exactly is required relevant of the strategies deployed. Companies need to initiate the process to identify the chances for success relative to the strategies deployed. There are three customer strategies that need to be introduced in a company to make sure that strategies are achieved (Gond et al, 2012). The following strategies can be adopted by an organization. One of the needed strategies is growing of the core business. Another concept needed to be adopted is the growth of the sub-segmentation and most importantly the growth of nearby adjacent opportunities. One of the ways to ascertain is the way that management needs to consider the growth potential within the core business where opportunities and growth potential needs to be associated relative to the potential of an individual. As such, leadership is necessary to make sure strategies that can bring success need to be implemented. Another recommendation is the customer focused growth where strategies are the main focus. It is recommended that the identification of the profitable growth opportunities is crucial since the main focus is understanding core business. Products are necessary when making sure that the overall performance is ensuring that measuring and benchmarking of the profits. There also needs to be the revenue growth where the reputation of the firm is always at risk. Having the need for the assessment is crucial to make sure that direction is crucial when ensuring the correct assessment. Bibliography Baumgartner, R.J. and Bender, D., 2010. Corporate sustainability strategies: sustainability profiles and maturity levels.Sustainable Development,18(2), pp.76-89. Crittenden, V.L., Crittenden, W.F., Ferrell, L.K., Ferrell, O.C. and Pinney, C.C., 2011. Market-oriented sustainability: a conceptual framework and propositions.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,39(1), pp.71-85. Farla, J., Markard, J., Raven, R. and Coenen, L., 2012. Sustainability transitions in the making: A closer look at actors, strategies and resources.Technological forecasting and social change,79(6), pp.991-998. Gond, J.P., Grubnic, S., Herzig, C. and Moon, J., 2012. Configuring management control systems: Theorizing the integration of strategy and sustainability.Management Accounting Research,23(3), pp.205-223. Hahn, T., Figge, F., Pinkse, J. and Preuss, L., 2010. Tradeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ offs in corporate sustainability: you can't have your cake and eat it.Business Strategy and the Environment,19(4), pp.217-229. Kiron, D., Kruschwitz, N., Haanaes, K. and Velken, I.V.S., 2012. Sustainability nears a tipping point.MIT Sloan Management Review,53(2), p.69. Lubin, D.A. and Esty, D.C., 2010. The sustainability imperative.Harvard business review,88(5), pp.42-50. Orlitzky, M., Siegel, D.S. and Waldman, D.A., 2011. Strategic corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability.Business society, 50(1), pp.6-27. Rametsteiner, E., Plzl, H., Alkan-Olsson, J. and Frederiksen, P., 2011. Sustainability indicator developmentScience or political negotiation? Ecological Indicators,11(1), pp.61-70. Schaltegger, S., Ldeke-Freund, F. and Hansen, E.G., 2012. Business cases for sustainability: the role of business model innovation for corporate sustainability.International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development,6(2), pp.95-119. Sheate, W.R. and Partidrio, M.R., 2010. Strategic approaches and assessment techniquesPotential for knowledge brokerage towards sustainability.Environmental Impact Assessment Review,30(4), pp.278-288. Van Bommel, H.W., 2011. A conceptual framework for analyzing sustainability strategies in industrial supply networks from an innovation perspective.Journal of Cleaner Production,19(8), pp.895-904. Varadarajan, R., 2010. Strategic marketing and marketing strategy: domain, definition, fundamental issues and foundational premises.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,38(2), pp.119-140. Wiek, A., Ness, B., Schweizer-Ries, P., Brand, F.S. and Farioli, F., 2012. From complex systems analysis to transformational change: a comparative appraisal of sustainability science projects.Sustainability Science,7(1), pp.5-24.

Black Plague Essays (3039 words) - HIVAIDS, Duesberg Hypothesis

Black Plague As a young adult I must endure many scary realities of this world. Everyday a new challenge, obstacle, fear stares me right in the eye. The sugarcoated, innocent, ?never ?never? land is quickly shedding from my reality and I am faced with the truths of this cynical world. Truth. Do I know the meaning of this word? What if all I have trusted had been false, what if those endless nights I lied awake worried over the latest medical news, or any news for that matter, was all just a waste of potentially productive time? What if the world as we know it was all just a hoax and a set up to make the men in the white coats rich? According to Dr. Peter Duesberg, HIV as we know it is not the cause of AIDS or death, but rather the habitual use of hard drugs and or the treatments used for HIV, AZT a very harsh medication first developed for the treatment of cancer, that is causing the immune deficiency. Before I even understood completely what sexual intercourse or intravenous drug-use was, I was told what HIV was. The ?black plague? of the 80's and 90's, killing off people by the thousands spread by unprotected sex and dirty needles. But what if this scare was purposely inflicted as an experiment on the American people or what if was all just a human error. Dr. Peter Duesberg is a professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He has pioneered the studies in the phenomenon that HIV is not the cause of AIDS. Dr. Duesberg is the first to isolate the cancer gene through his work on retroviruses and mapped the genetic structure of these viruses. He is an outstanding investigator recognized by the National Institutes of Health, making him more than creditable for his claim. Dr. Duesberg has challenged the virus-AIDS hypothesis claiming that the public has been misinformed. The believers in this claim feel that HIV was invented for an explanation for AIDS, and equally the treatments used were even causing the AIDS illness. Let's begin by defining HIV/AIDS according to the World Health Organization (WHO), modern science and medicine and what is being taught in classrooms and clinics all over the world. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and like any other virus can only replicate inside cells. In short, it attacks the ?T-cells? which make up our immune system. In the final course of the virus the infected person ?becomes particularly vulnerable to the opportunistic infections and cancers that typify AIDS?(pg. 1 www.charweb.com). HIV is shown to be the cause of AIDS. AIDS stands for auto immune deficiency syndrome and is defined by a severe depletion of t-cells and over 20 controversial degenerative and neoplastic diseases, and is 100% fatal. But believers in the phenomenon claim that this information is misleading and incorrect. Dr. Duesberg has proposed the hypothesis that the various AIDS diseases are brought on by the long term consumption of recreational drugs and AZT, which is prescribed to prevent or treat AIDS. In the studies and research conducted the in the correlation between HIV and AIDS many cases of AIDS show no sign of HIV. ?In the United States and Europe AIDS correlates to 95% with risk factors, such as about 8 years of promiscuous male homosexuality, intravenous drug use, or hemophilia. Since AIDS also correlates with antibody to a retrovirus, confirmed in about 40% of American cases, it has been hypothesized that this virus causes AIDS by killing T-cells. Consequently, the virus was termed human immunodefieciency (HIV) and antibody to HIV became part in the definition of AIDS.?(pg1www.duesberg.com) In other words scientist pinned HIV on this virus because HIV kills t-cells and AIDS kills T-cells so they must be one in the same? When we exam the hypothesis that HIV causes AIDS we must look at classical conditions for viral pathology, in which HIV violates. A virus replicates inside cells very rapidly and the body fights the virus through the immune system. Supposedly HIV infects the T-cells and kills them, but about 5% of all T-cells are regenerated during the 2 days that it takes the virus to infect

Ethics Paper

Ethics Paper Ethics Paper Running Head: Women Having Abortions Viewed to be Morally Unethical 1 Tiffany Harris Ethics- Professor Christina Post University Thesis Statement: Considering American ethics and values, death is morally wrong. Therefore, the killing of unborn fetuses is morally wrong as well. Abortions, this unethical practice of terminated unborn fetuses should be outlawed because it can harm women, violates civil rights, and takes innocent lives. Women Having Abortions Viewed to be Morally Unethical 2 Real life stories demonstrate again and again that abortion harms women. Harm comes in a variety of forms; mental, emotional, relational, and physical. In some cases women lose their lives through abortion. Women can also experience the loss of their fertility or an increase in miscarriages after an abortion. The violation of civil rights is another unethical issue when involving abortion. Women who have had abortions suffer an increased risk on anxiety, depression, and suicide. A study published in an edition of the Journal of Anxiety Disorders found women who aborted their unintended pregnancies were 30 percent more likely to subsequently report all the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder than those women who had carried their baby to term. The rate of mental health claims for women who aborted was 17 percent higher than those who had carried their children to term. The risk of death by suicide is two to six times higher for women who had had abortions when compared again, wi th women who had given birth. (American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1994) The link between abortion and breast cancer has attracted much media attention. It is important to understand that there are two different mechanisms by which abortion can increase breast cancer- one is beyond dispute and the other hotly contested. Through abortion, a women artificially terminates her pregnancy at a time when her breast cells have been exposed to high levels of cancer-initiating estrogen but before those cells have matured into cancer-resistant cells( as they ultimately do in a full-m term pregnancy. Women Having Abortions Viewed to be Morally Unethical 3 Furthermore, an article wrote in 1994 in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology revealed that abortions performed at more than 16 weeks gestation have 15 times the risk of maternal mortality as those performed during the first trimester. More than forty years ago, the United States Supreme Court decided Roe Vs Wade, the landmark case that secured a women’s right to abortion. Since then, radical politicians have been trying to take that decision out of a women’s hand. In some stares politicians are pushing through laws that ban most abortions. In others, they are doing everything they can to shut down the health centers that many women rely on for basic reproductive health services, including abortion care. Some politicians are even trying to end programs that provide birth control, putting women at a high risk for pregnancy. The Roe majority ruling of 1973 holds that the government has a legitimate interest in protecting potential human life, but that this does not become a compelling state interest overriding women’s Fourteenth Amendment right to privacy and her subsequent right to terminate her pregnancy until the point of viability, then assessed at 24 weeks. The court did not state the viability is or is not when a fetus becomes a person; this is the earliest point at which it can be proven that the fetus has the capacity to have a meaningful life as a person. Most philosophies of natural rights would hold that fetuses have rights when they become sentient or self-aware, which presumes a neurophysiological definition personhood. Self- awareness as we generally understand it would require substantial neocortical

Moral & Cultural Relativism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Moral & Cultural Relativism - Essay Example One person may hold the opinion that strawberry flavor is sweeter than a Vanilla flavor. According to that person, no reasoning can be applied to decide whether his opinion concerning the taste is right or wrong. In this case, the opinions concerning ice cream tastes are relative. In the context of mathematics, when one presents a calculation like 3+3=5, we term the situation as wrong. We do not say that the calculations depend on the taste and perception of the person doing it but we say that the person is wrong. In this case, there are clearly defined standards that differentiate right from wrong. This mathematical example amounts to a context of absolutism. When extended to the contexts of morality, these contexts lead to the aspects of moral relativism and moral absolutism (Rauchut 349). Moral Relativism vs. Moral Absolutism Moral relativism advocates that there are no universal or defined moral standards governing social situations within any given social setting. Moral relativi sts advocate that there are no moral codes of conducts which apply universally at all times. With respect to this assertion, no one can say that someone is wrong or right because such a claim would amount to judging people based on some standards, which is contrary to the ideas of moral relativism. ... In the context of morality, absolutism asserts that moral codes of conduct are relevant at all times, regardless of the situation surrounding the same moral codes. However, moral absolutism allows for flexibility when evaluating morally violated contexts. Absolutists usually allow for the reasoning on the code of conduct with respect to the situation under consideration. For example, according to moral absolutism, the act of killing is wrong. However, the situation surrounding the action might justify the action as appropriate, but not as right. Therefore, moral absolutism acknowledges the existence of universal moral principles everywhere in the world (Rauchut 361). Arguments for Moral Absolutism In the context of morality, I will stand for the aspect of moral absolutism, and stand against moral relativism. In moral absolutism, one can judge a situation as right or wrong, irrespective of the situation under consideration. In the context of social interactions within any given human population, there are situations which are guided by some set of moral principles. For example, stealing is wrong. It is natural to see a parent disciplining a child because the child has stolen from a neighbor. According to absolutism, the act of stealing is based on the unnecessary economic predicament caused by that action to the victim. Therefore, moral principles advocate that it is absolutely wrong to steal, irrespective of the situation. If moral relativism were applied in such a situation, it would argue that the parent should not judge the child as right or wrong by the act of stealing; hence the child would not have been punished. Therefore, moral absolutism helps in developing

Plea bargaining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Plea bargaining - Essay Example However, if the criminal knows he will most likely be pleading guilty to a lesser crime than the crime he is committing, the punishment for the lesser crime might not be enough to prevent him from committing it. While I agree that it is certainly true that many criminals will get away with a lesser charge, I think the harm caused by this is mitigated by the fact that more guilty criminals will be convicted. This is because it seems that someone who knows they are guilty is likely to accept a lesser charge, even if there is a possibility they will be acquitted. The second issue has to do with the concern that innocent people will plead guilty to lesser crimes. Although the defendant may know he is innocent, instead of maintaining this position, he may feel coerced into accepting the plea bargain. The innocent person may feel it’s not worth the risk to face the greater charge, and feel almost forced to plead guilty to a charge he never committed. I agree this is a serious moral issue, for if large amounts of people are pleading guilty to crimes they did not commit, then the credibility of our justice system is undermined. Despite moral criticisms plea bargains continue to play a key role in our justice system. Prosecutors still often benefit from the ability to get more convictions, while defense attorneys benefit from being able to get their clients a better deal. Perhaps more regulation needs to be provided to prevent coercion of innocent people. It’s doubtful though, that plea-bargaining will ever be eliminated from our legal system completely, and it will likely remain

General Studies Essays Use of Torture

General Studies Essays Use of Torture Can the Use of Torture be Justified? This report aims to, in the first instance, define torture. It then examines the history of torture and looks at international law that relates to torture.  Ã‚   The main part of the study analyses ethical theories in relation to torture and uses these ethical viewpoints to examine whether or not torture can be justified in any circumstances.   In addition, the Algerian War and the Iraq War will be used as case studies to further discuss the ethical issues surrounding torture.   Conclusions will be drawn and the author’s answer to the question ‘can the use of torture ever be justified?’ will be given, based on the findings in the rest of the report. Limitations of Study This study has its limitations.   First of all, only two case studies are used.   There are numerous cases of torture throughout the world and throughout history that could be utilised.   In doing so, perhaps a different conclusion would be made.   As torture is such an emotive subject it is difficult to ensure that the facts are truly represented.   Before the nineteenth century some countries publicly acknowledged torture as an instrument of judicial inquiry, however today the vast majority of countries where torture is practised will blankly deny any knowledge of it.   This, of course, makes a study of torture difficult. In addition, as will be seen, there are numerous, conflicting ethical theories that can be applied to the topic of torture.   A person’s personal beliefs will influence how much credence they give to each viewpoint.   Consequently, the author’s opinions are likely to differ from the reader’s.   Definition of Torture Torture has a widely understood definition of causing someone severe pain or mental anguish, usually in order to gain some information from the person being tortured, most usually a confession.   Amnesty International state that ‘torture is the systematic and deliberate infliction of acute pain in any form by one person on another, in order to accomplish the purpose of the former against the will of the latter’ (Klayman, 1978, p482).   This definition encompasses both physical and mental pain.  Ã‚   It also notes that torture has a purpose, and does not allow torture for the sake of the torturer’s amusement.   The Commission for the European Convention on Human Rights defines torture simply as ‘deliberate inhuman treatment causing very serious or cruel suffering’ (Morgan Evans, 1999, p95).   It offers examples of forcing people to adopt a stress position in rooms where there is a continuous loud hissing noise, hooding, and deprivation of food and water. The Commission for the European Convention on Human Rights’ definition is the author’s preferred definition.   This is because it defines torture, not by the torturer’s intentions, but by the effect the treatment has on the tortured.  Ã‚   A Brief History of Torture The word torture often conjures up images of medieval torture instruments such a branding irons and head screws.   From the mid fourteenth century to the end of the eighteenth century torture was an accepted practise by armies, judicial systems and even churches (Maran, 1989, p vii).   Public opinion changed in the nineteenth century, but torture continued to be carried out.   Once the torture of Jews by the Nazis in the Second World War became public knowledge, numerous international laws were bought into effect to prevent the use of torture.   However, torture still continues to this day, but as its use is still widely condemned, details of torture are either kept non-public, are down played or justified by manipulation of public opinion.   So called civilised countries are just as likely to be the perpetrators of torture today as countries with a known poor human rights record (Kellaway, 2003, p34).  Ã‚  Ã‚   The International Context of Torture International law currently absolutely and unequivocally prohibits torture in all circumstances.   There are many international laws and conventions that define torture as a crime against humanity.   These include The European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and the European Convention on Human Rights.   These two pieces of law are intended to work side by side. The UN Committee Against Torture is a body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and other torture related law.   All member states are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights are being implemented (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights). Ethical Theories Applied to Torture There are many and varied ethical theories that could be applied to the question, ‘can the use of torture ever be justified?’   Theories that conclude that torture is never acceptable will be examined first. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) developed Kantian Theory. It is based on the belief that reason is the final authority for morality.   A moral act is an act done for the right reasons (Lovell Fisher, 2002, p314).   Kantian Theory is closely related to the doctrines of all major religions, the Bible states ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’.   At the centre of Kantian ethics is his categorical imperative, which is a set of universal rules that outline ‘that only the good will, a will to act out of a sense of duty, has unqualified moral worth’ (Pojman, 1998, p194). Using deontological theory, whereby actions are intrinsically right or wrong, torture can be seen to be unacceptable, whatever the circumstances and consequences.   Deontologists hold that one cannot undertake immoral acts like torture even if the outcome is morally preferable, such as the early ending of a war or the saving of lives. Edmund Burke, the late eighteenth century writer and politician, accused the British of suffering from what he termed geographical morality (Lee Smith, 2004, p16).   ‘Geographical morality’ is when people are prepared to be shocked by and to condemn torture in other countries while condoning its practice by their own authorities.   The British are not the only ones to be guilty of this, many countries, especially in the West can be accused of ‘geographical morality’.  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, there are many other theories that show that torture could be morally acceptable in some situations. John Stuart Mill (1808-73) put forward an ethical theory known as utilitarianism. Utilitarianism can be summed up in the phrase, ‘everyone should act in such a way to bring the largest possibly balance of good over evil for everyone involved’ (Almond, 1988, p127).   Using this theory, torture can be justified if it brings about a greater good for a greater number of people.   The ends justify the means.   Using Utilitarianism Theory, if the torture of one person means that several people are located and rescued from a dire situation, then that torture is justifiable.   Consequentialism offers the idea that torture is justifiable if the consequences of the torture are morally right.   Consequentialism is an ethical view that establishes the rightness or wrongness of actions by the good or bad produced by its consequences.   Interlaced with the question ‘can torture ever be justified?’ is the question ‘can war ever be justified?’   As torture is an agent of war, this seems appropriate.   Just War Theory can be used to justify torture on the grounds that it is acceptable in response to certain situations.   St Thomas Aquinas (1225-74) described ‘jus ad bellum’, the conditions that he believed has to be met for war to be justified.   War has to be ordered by a legitimate authority, it must be waged for a just cause and the intention of those who wage war should be the triumph of good over evil (Almond, 1998, p197).   Of course, the problem with utilising this Just War theory is that fulfilment of the conditions is subjective.   However, it is possible that torture could be morally justified using the Just War Theory if it was carried out by a legitimate government whose general aim is good and with the best of intentions. The concept of proportionality is found in Acquinas consideration of the Just War Theory. He argued that warring activity should be proportionate to the aggression made and therefore not excessive to that aggression.   This would imply that torture, an extremely aggressive warring activity, would be ethically acceptable in response to extremely aggressive actions.   It can be argued that the intentions of a torturer make a difference to the moral value of the action of torture.   In consequentialist theories of ethics, intention is important, as intention is what you hope to achieve by the action.   For Kant, intention can make all the difference between morally correct behaviour and morally incorrect behaviour.   Ideology can play a part in legitimising the use of torture.   Ideology is the body of ideas and beliefs of a group, possibly religious, or nation (Maran, 1989, p11).   If the ideology of the tortured is believed to be morally wrong and the act of torture prevents the spread of this ideology then torture can be deemed to be justified. So, in conclusion, there are ethical theories that both state that torture can never be justified and those that state it can be, in different, varying circumstances. Case Study: Torture in the Algerian War (1954-1962) The Algerian War lasted from 1954 to 1962.   The war was the final part of the process of the decolonisation of Algeria from France.   The war was one of the 20th Centurys bloodiest colonial struggles, and it continues to be the object of intense controversy, especially in France (BBC News, 2001).   It is now public knowledge that the French utilised torture against some Algerians.   This torture has been widely condemned in recent years.   However morality has a historical dimension and the morality of today cannot be used to judge the actions of fifty years ago.  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1955 a French civil servant, Williaume, was sent by the French government to investigate allegations of torture in Algeria by French military personnel. His report failed to unequivocally condemn the torture that he discovered (Nacquet, 1963, appendix). As a result, the period 1955 to 1962 saw an increase in the amount of torture, not only through Algeria, but also in France itself Paul Aussaresses, a retired French general is quoted as saying â€Å"as far as the use of torture is concerned, it was tolerated, if not recommended.† Aussaresses is unusual in that he openly talked about and wrote about the act of torture and his participation in it.   Although many others have reviewed the use of torture in the Algerian War, Aussaresses is one of the few who were involved and can give first hand accounts.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Therefore his comments that defend the use of torture will be used to form the basis of this part of the report.  Ã‚   Torture, Aussaresses said, was sanctioned at the highest level because of the need to extract urgent information from the enemy.   â€Å"It was a matter of stopping actions which were being prepared for deeds causing the deaths of my fellow French and Algerian citizens,† he said.   He claims to have stopped Algerian bomb makers from killing French civilians by extracting confessions though electric shocks and suffocation. (BBC News, 2001).   Aussaresses seems here to be using Mill’s Theory of Utilitarianism to justify the torture that occurred; he believed it bought about a greater good for a greater number of people.   Whether or not this torture can be considered justified in the light of his comments depends on whether or not the torture did indeed stop other deaths, and of course, whether the reader subscribes to the Theory of Utilitarianism.   Sources note that the effect of the torture of Algerians by French was a retaliation whereby Algerians took part in ‘killing and raping collaborators, rivals and settlers’ (Joly, 1991, p36).   So, in actual effect the torture that Aussaresses describes as the catalyst for saving lives, actually served to result in more life loss.   Therefore, regardless of the beliefs of the author or reader regarding the Theory of Utilitarianism, in this instance the act of torture was not justifiable on the grounds that it bought about the largest possible balance of good over evil for everyone involved. Aussaresses is also quoted as saying â€Å"the men I executed were always men guilty of blood crimes. They had blood on their hands.   I would do it again today if it were against Bin Laden† (BBC News, 2001).   Aussaresses seems to be utilising the concept of proportionality from Acquinas’ Just War Theory to justify the acts of torture and killing here.   He believes his acts were justified as they were in proportion to those perpetrated by the Algerians involved.   However, it is the author’s opinion that the concept of proportionality has no place in ethical thinking.   The old adage ‘two wrongs do not make a right’ is very topical here.   Indeed, may proverbs lead and guide ethical thinking.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Torture cannot be justified because other crimes have been committed by those tortured.   It can be questioned, what right did Aussaresses and his contemporaries have to dish out this punishment?   If people had committed cr imes they should have been tried in a court and justice meted out in that manner.   French people were led to believe that France was ‘crusading for the defence of Western values against the barbarians of the East’ (Hoffman, 1963, p.85).   It is clear, then that ideology was used as a justification to the public of the acts of torture that occurred.   However, the author subscribes to the theory that this justification is flawed due to ‘geographical morality’ as discussed earlier.   I believe this justification was simply used to ensure the public accepted the practise of torture.   Case Study: Torture in the Iraq War (2003 onwards) There has been some conflict in Iraq for the past couple of decades.   For the purposes of this paper the latest Iraq War, commencing 2003 and still continuing will be considered.   This war is a useful case study as it demonstrates, in these more recent times, when torture is seen to be less and less acceptable, how it both still occurs and is justified in different terms to previously.   There is much discourse as to whether or not the Iraq War itself is justified, so the use of torture as part of it questioned considerably.   Using Aquinas’ Just War Theory, the Iraq War is unjust and therefore any torture taking place as part of it is also so.   The War is not believed, by the author to be just as it does not Aquinas’ third condition, that those waging the war are dong it simply to triumph good over evil. There is no doubting that both American and British troops have been involved in some kind of torture of Iraqi nationals.  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Red Cross report, the Armys own Taguba report (British Red Cross, 2004), even the photographs published in newspapers all point to this.  Ã‚   In Camp Bucca during the period August 2003 to February 2004 the following acts have been reported; forcibly arranging detainees in various sexually explicit positions for photographing, and punching, slapping, and kicking detainees, amongst others (Observer, 2004). There is an aspect of ideology being used to justify torture.   It has been noted that the media portrays Islamic people as those who ‘will stop at nothing, including disgraceful acts of terrorism, to disrupt Western values’ (Lee Smith, 2004, p 215).   However, it is the author’s opinion that this does not justify torture.   It is also the author’s opinion that information gained through torture is likely to be unreliable due to this very fanaticism, and therefore make the ‘purpose’ of torture unobtainable. The Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill is the emergency legislation that was created in response to the US terror atrocities on September 11th 2001.  Ã‚   It has been accused of eroding civil liberties.   It has contributed to a heightened sense of vulnerability in the British public and perhaps, in part, although not its aim, it has contributed to making the mistreatment and torture of Iraqis more acceptable.  Ã‚   Bin Laden has been vilified in Western press and the torture of Iraqis can be seen as proportional to the atrocious acts committed by Bin Laden and his followers.   There is a real sense of ‘geographical morality’ in the justification of torture by the US and the UK.   When videos of kidnapped Westerners being tortured are viewed, there is universal damnation in the West, but Western personnel behind closed doors are practising similar acts. Conclusion This paper has explored the issue of torture and discussed whether or not is can ever be justified.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The definition of torture, a brief history of torture and the international context of torture have been discussed.   The main part of the report has dealt with the question ‘is torture ever ethical?’ by first exploring ethical theories in relation to this question, and then applying relevant theories to tow case studies, the Algerian War (1954-1962) and the Iraq War (2003 onwards).   It is worth noting that the justifications offered for torture in both cases were very similar, despite the two occurrences being fifty years apart.   Finally, the author would like to offer their opinion and draw to a conclusion the debate offered by the question ‘can torture ever be justified?’   It is the author’s opinion that torture can never be justified and can never be considered the ethically correct thing to do.   There is no ethical theory offered in this paper that the author subscribes to that can correctly be applied to any of the justifications offered in the two case studies used.   Not only that, but torture does not fulfil its intended purpose of gaining useful information and it often brings about more barbarity. Bibliography Almond, Brenda. (1998). Exploring ethics: a travellers tale, Bodmin: MPG Books. Badiou, Alain. (2001). Ethics: an essay on the understanding of evil, London: Verso. BBC News French general on trial over Algeria (2001). 14th April 2005. Available from World Wide Web: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1675992.stm BBC News Chirac condemns torture general (2001). 14th April 2005. Available from World Wide Web: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1312556.stm British Red Cross (2004).   13th April 2005. Available from World Wide Web: http://www.redcross.org.uk/uploads/documents/info%20sheet%20-%20iraq%20november%202004.doc Danner, Mark (2004). Torture and Truth: America, Abu Ghraib, and the War on Terror, New York: New York Review of Books. Evans, Malcolm D. and Morgan, Red (1998). Preventing torture: a study of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Oxford: Clarendon Press. Gray, John, Benvenisti, Meron and   Ehrenreich, Barbara. (2005). Abu Ghraib: The Politics of Torture, New York: North Atlantic Books. Greenberg, Karen J., Dratel, Joshua L., and   Lewis, Anthony. (2005). The Torture Papers: The Road to Abu Ghraib, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hoffman, Stanley. (1963). In Search of France, Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Joly, Daniele. (1991). The French Communist Party and the Algerian War.   London: Macmillan Press. Kellaway, Jean. (2003). The History of Torture and Execution: From Early Civilization Through Medieval Times to the Present, London: Mercury Books. Klayman, Barry M. (1978). The definition of torture in international law, v.51, London: Temple Law. LaFollette, Hugh. (1999). Blackwell Guide to Ethical Theory, London: Blackwell Publishers. Lee, Roger and Smith, David M. (2004). Geographies and moralities: international perspectives on justice, development and place, London: Blackwell Publishing. Lovell, Alan and Fisher, Colin. (2002). Business Ethics and Values, London: FT Prentice Hall. Maran, Rita. (1989). Torture: the role of ideology in the French-Algerian War, New York: Praeger Publishers. Morgan, Rod and Evans, Malcolm. (1999). Protecting prisoners: the standards of the European Committee for the prevention of torture in context. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Nacquet, Vidal. (1963). Torture, Cancer of Democracy, London: Penguin. The Observer – British quizzed Iraqis at torture jail. (2004).   12th April 2005.   Available from World Wide Web: 7http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1212769,00.html Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights UN Committee Against Torture. 17th April 2005.   Available from World Wide Web: http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/ Pojman, Louis. (1998).   Deontological Ethics, Moral Philosophy, Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company. Roy, Jules (1961). The War in Algeria, New York: Grove Press.

Problem Based Learning Essay

Students do not learn much just sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves. † Explain how you will conceptualise this principle in your classroom? | There is a saying that goes: â€Å"Give a man a fish; you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish; you’ll feed him for a lifetime. † As an educator, I hold on firmly to saying above. When I first started teaching, I told myself that I can either be a teacher who is only concerned about what need to be taught or I can be a teacher who is concerned about what and how something is supposed to be taught. I chose the latter. Why? Students had spent more than 12 years of learning in schools where most of the time, they sit and listen to what the teacher is teaching. Little or less participation on their behalf is incorporated during those 12 years. The main objective is to pass 3 ‘big and important’ examinations in 12 years. Sad to say, they soon forget a big chunk of what they had been learning for the past 12 years immediately after they finish their last paper for SPM. This is because students are only made to remember what they are taught; not to retain them. You can remember information for a specific length of time before you forget about it; but if you can retain that information, you’ll remember it forever. Let’s take mathematic as an example. We were taught how to do simple calculations such as addition since we were 6 years old. We not only learn how to add numbers in class, we also use it in our daily lives too. In a much simple terms, we practice what we learn in school and incorporate it into our daily lives. We retain the skills to do additions by doing and practicing. What about additional mathematics? Frankly speaking, if I was given a set of additional mathematics questions today, I would not be able to solve even the simplest question. Why? Because I did not use any of the formulas I was taught in school in my daily lives. I did not retain the information. Students are unique. They might not have the same way of learning. Lecturers and educators must be aware of their student’s ability in order to make the teaching and learning process a success. â€Å"Students have different levels of motivation, different attitudes about teaching and learning, and different responses to specific classroom environments and instructional practices. † (Brent and Felder, 2005) That is why, students learn best when they are incorporated and is actively involved during the learning process. The traditional method of teaching is more concerned on what the student should learn rather than how the student should be learning. In my class, I use Problem Based Learning (PBL) method. PBL is a new method of learning where there is a balance between what the students should learn and how they should be learning. â€Å"This new approach to learning is bringing about new ways in which students are involved in the learning process. Teachers know that students do not learn at their highest potential when they are in a classroom where the teacher stands at the front of the room and gives them knowledge. † (Utecht, 2003) During class, I encourage my students to speak and share information that they have on the topic. Before I start my lecture, I would first brainstorm the idea of the topic with my students. Initially, students would be reluctant to participate because they are afraid of saying the wrong answer. I encourage them saying that â€Å"if it is an opinion, there is no right or wrong answer†. Students in universities are andragogy learners; they are adult learners. As an adult, they would like to have more control of their own learning. â€Å"Andragogy reorients adult educators from educating people to helping them learn. The methods used may range from isolated instruction within a curriculum or integrated instruction. It may also encompass intentional and unintentional learning situations. † (Crawford, 2004) This type of students would be more interested to learn if they are given more power and control in the learning process. There are six assumptions on andragogy learners: 1. Adults need to know the reason for learning something (Need to Know) 2. Experience  (including  error) provides the basis for learning activities (Foundation). 3. Adults need to be responsible for their decisions on education; involvement in the  planning  and  evaluation  of their instruction (Self-concept). 4. Adults are most interested in learning subjects having immediate  relevance  to their work and/or personal lives (Readiness). 5. Adult learning is  problem-centred rather than content-oriented (Orientation). 6. Adults respond better to internal versus external motivators (Motivation). (Malcom Knowles, 1977) I planned and carry out my teaching and learning process using the 6 assumptions as my main guidance. Most of the time during class, I allow my students to voice out their opinion and share what they have to say on certain topics. I also let them know the objective of the learning and what they will acquire at the end of the class. If they feel that they did not achieve what they should at the end of the lesson, I encourage them to share their problems with their classmates so that they can come up with the solutions together. During my lecturer, I use simple examples which they can easily connect with in their daily lives. I usually share my experience and ask them to share theirs with the class. It takes the seriousness out of the learning process and students felt more comfortable sharing their problems and experience. For me, a relaxed and simple learning environment will encourage the students to be more active and not be reluctant to join in the discussions. A rigid classroom will make the students as cold as ice. Before I started teaching, I told myself to be the teacher that u have never had; the teacher I want to have but did not. I want my students to them around me and to not be ashamed to tell what they have in mind, because I believe the most valuable knowledge is the knowledge that we shared. References Brent. R, & Felder M. R. (2005). Understanding students’ differences. Journal of Engineering Education, 94(1), 57-72 Crawford S. R (2004). Andragogy – Malcolm Knowles. Retrieved March 21 from http://academic. regis. edu/ed205/Knowles. pdf Knowles, M. S. (1973). The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species. Houston:  Gulf Publishing Company. Utecht R. J. (2003). Problem Based Learning in Student Centred Classroom. Retrieved March 21 from http://www. jeffutecht. com/docs/PBL. pdf

Descriptive and Inferential Statistics2

Descriptive and Inferential Statistics The world of science would find itself lost without research. Research alone however, oftentimes will not answer the questions or solve the problems that scientists set out to solve. Statistics is where research becomes applied and scientists can make educated guesses about future outcomes. â€Å"Formally, statistics is a branch of mathematics that focuses on organization, analysis, and interpretation of a group of numbers† (Aron, Aron, and Coups, 2006). There are two main branches of statistics that we will explore; descriptive and inferential statistics. The main relationship between descriptive and inferential statistics is that they all include numbers from either actual given information or inferred assumptions that try to draw a conclusion or complete given data. Descriptive Statistics Descriptive statistics is a method of research used by psychologists. Descriptive statistics make statistics understandable and describes a group of numbers for a research study (Aron, Aron and Coups,2006). Descriptive statistics are used in summarizing large sets of quantitative or numerical information. If there is a large amount of information for measurement, the best way to show the information is by a graph (Boerre, 2005). Descriptive statistics provide a simple summary about the sample and the measurements. Descriptive statistics describes the data; it allows the researcher to understand a large amount of numbers or data in a simple way (Social Research, 2009). Central tendency refers to the idea that one number can summarize the entire set of measurement. This is a number that is in some way central to the set (Boerre, 2005). The mode is the measurement that has been found to be the most frequent. Although the mode, or greatest frequency number, is not used very often, it is useful when differences are rare or non-numerical (Boerre, 2005). The median is the number which is half of the measurement, or midpointof the numbers. The median is a good measurement of the centrality of the numbers and is a better measurement in centrality that the mean when the data is skewed (Boerre, 2005). The mean is the average. The mean is the sum of all the measurements, divided by the numbers of the measured. Mean is often used in central tendency (Boerre, 2005). Descriptive statistics may be used in measuring a person’s IQ. When intelligence testing is done, some of these tests are then shown in descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics might also be used in showing the GPA or grade point average of a class. Descriptive statistics makes information clear, concise, and easy to read (Social Research, 2009). An example of descriptive statistics would be tables and graphs which are used a lot in medical research studies. Descriptive statistics allow a researcher to describe or summarize their data. For example, descriptive statistics for a study using human subjects might include the sample size, mean age of participants, percentage of males and females, range of scores on a study measure, descriptive statistics are often briefly presented at the beginning of the Results†, according to, (Statistically Significant Consulting, LLC, 2003-2010). Inferential Statistics Conclusio n Statistics gives form to research in that it organizes, analyzes, and interprets the data collected. Descriptive statistics often describe groups or populations researched, whereas inferential statistics help its users draw conclusions about future events. Both of these statistical methods play valuable roles in science. References Aron, A. , Aron, E. , & Coups, E. (2006). Statistics for Psychology (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Statistically Significant Consulting, LLC, (2003-2010). Statistics Overview. Retrieved from http://www. statisticallysignificantconsulting. com/statistics101. htm