Final year project Essay Example

Final year project Essay Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in particular area such as engineering, medical, government, hospitality and more. in other words technology are an application of knowledge to the practical aims of human life or to changing and manipulating the human environment. Technology includes the use of materials, tools, techniques, and sources of power to make life easier or more pleasant and work more productive. Technology now days have played a big part in humankinds life. The more we are oming to the end of time, the more complex the technology gets. Nowadays, technology is important not to Just at certain age but also they have win a place in the youngsters heart. Even now parent needs to buy their three years old child an iPad or anything technology devices. The ppercentage of children age three to fifteen use more technology than adult does. Technology now days are important because it will increase our standard of living, furthermore technology has brought advancement in agriculture, engineering and architecture sector. We will write a custom essay sample on Final year project specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Final year project specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Final year project specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Other than that, the medical, tourism, education, entertainment ector also has increased due to the rising technology in our country compared to the 90th century, the technology in Malaysia has grown a little by little in many sector such as the education sector, government, medical sector, hospitality sector and many more. as we trying keep up with the country that have developed faster than us like, the United State of America, the Great Britain, Germany, and all the first class countries. Technology plays an important role in the hospitality and tourism sector. Both customer and business can benefits from advances in communication, reservation and guest service system. Technology allows continuous communication and streamlines the guest experience, from reservation to checkout. As the research that has been made by the developer, the old system using manual Torm Tor user to register ana 000K tne notel room. I ne data 0T guest InTormatlon are saved in many files. If the same guest want to stay at another time in the hotel, it will become hard for the staff of the hotel to find information that have been saved before because of many files were there. Besides that, the old system can be conclude as not systematic. It is because of using more space to place the cabinets or helves to store the data that have been needed from the guest. While using the new and improved system, company doesnt have the need to use many paper or plastic files to save and keep the information of the guest. Data Just need to be save in the systems database. Using the new system also makes it easy for company to avoid clash booking on the same room with another guest. It can also save time for the guest in which they do not need to fill any registration from and saving costs for the company as no paper used in term to fulfill the requirement form. The system that developer wants to develop is about Walk-in hotel reservation ystem which is name as GoldReservation. net. GoldReservation. net is one of the systems which will be developed especially to increase pproduactivity, work efficiently and arrange data requirement and management in smart order. It is also is the one of the system that offers modern of management styles to the guest and staff. . 2 PROBLEM STATEMENT Before the system is developed, our company used manual system in which all details about guest of the hotel, the hotel staff, and payment are kept on specifies Tiles, eltner It Is Keep In normal Tile In tne computer or Keep In tne paper 0T plastic iles and kept and arranged onto cabinets and shelves. We found that the system was not efficient and need to be improved and upgrade. So t hat, we intend to build and develop GoldReservation. net which the system can store data in one computer as a standalone system. These are some limitation about the old system we had used before:- 1. 2. 1 Time Using the manual system, guest will go the counter to make registration and book rooms for their staying. They must fulfill the registration form to book the hotel room. This can take many times in term of going to counter and fill the requirement needed. 1. 2. 2 cost Besides that, using the old manual system also tend to use a lot of paper to record the reservation details, staff profile, payment, and many more. Furthermore we need to store it as reference at secure place from uncertain difficulties. . 2. 3 Efficiency Slightly difficult to update, modify and delete the data rather than using database system. With the new system, it is easy to remove, add, or delete any data that we want to change. 1. 3 PROJECT AND SYSTEM OBJECTIVE We want to create an offline system for the staff of the hotel to make reservation for guest who comes to our hotel. Here are some of the objectives of this offline eservation system. 1. 3. 1 This system is creates to facilitates our staff into making reservation for the guest who come to our hotel. This system not only for room reservation but it can dividing the staff according to the guests. Each guest will be receiving their own hotel staff or chaperon to guide their vacation or business while they are staying in the Royal Gold Hotel. 1. 3. 2 Besides that, it is convenient for the staffs because the system help them on the working schedule. The staffs schedule will be given by the department of each staff represent like the department of room service will divide their staff according he room reserved in the hotel. With this system, it will make all staff happy because no more mix up schedule between all the staff. Furthermore, this system can create a good relationship between the guest 1 . 3. 3 and our staff as they have interacted with each others upon the guest staying. It can create a friendly environment in the hotel and make the Royal Gold Hotel the Trlenallest oe n Asla ana acn n OtelS o 1. 4 PROJECT SCOPE Hotel room reservation system is a system that had been developed to make easy practice for the staff and guest. This system is focus and built for hotel management on guest staying. Now days, people often reserve hotel room for their stay for their vacation and even for Jobs travelling, but they dont have enough knowledge and resources to develop the system. With this system, they can manage the reservation of hotels rooms like booking of the rooms, time of staying, and how many person can stay in one certain room and to have no redundancy on two guest booked one same room. 1. 4. 1 Registration and Booking The guest will be needed to go to the counter for booking and registration for the stay. With this new system, guest will no need to fill up any form, as the staff will fill a isual form in the computer while guest only need to give their identity card upon registration and booking. 1. 4. 2 Staff Work Schedule and Task There will no need for the staff to have a load of work as the new system will help them placed in their workstation and task. The new system provide work given to staff as a guest come and reserve a room, the guest will be given at least 4 staff form each department to help them through their staying in the hotel. . 4. 3 Payment and Receipt The only paper used for the receipt as the guest checking out, staff on the reception rea will print a receipt as the guest is making payment for their staying 1. 5 METHODOLOGY System development life-cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model used in project management that describe the stages involved in an information system development project from an initial feasibility study through maintains of the completed application . Various SDLC methodologies have been developed to guide the processes involved including the waterfall model (the original SDLC method), Rapid application development (RAD), and Joint application development CAD) the fountain model and spiral model. Mostly, several models are combined into some ort of hybrid methodology. Documentation is a crucial regardless of the type of model cnosen or aevlsea Tor any appllcatlon, ana Is usually nave In parallel wltn development process. Some method work better for specifies type of project, but in the final analysis, the most important factor for the success of a project may be have closely particular plan was follow. Our company uses Visual Basic and Microsoft Access because it is easy to manage the system. The image below is the classic waterfall model methodology, which is the first SDLC method and it describe the various phases involved in development. Figure 1. 1 Waterfall Model Feasibility Feasibility used to determine if the project should get the go- ahead. Feasibility describe problem or desired changes in process. The purpose of this phase is to perform a preliminary investigation to identify the nature and scope of business oopportunity or problem. A key part of preliminary investigation is a feasibility study reviews anticipated used, and benefits and recommends a course of action based on operational, technical, economics and factor. If the project is to proceed, the feasibility study will produce a project plan and budgets estimation for the future tages of development. Analysis At tnls pnase, tne aetallea steps or works plan Is developed Tor conauctlng tne remaining phase of the SDLC for the purpose system. By the time the analysis phase is concluding, the team should be ready for the designing phase of the system. Design During in the phase of designing the system, the developers have to determine the necessary spacification for the hardware, software, people, resources and the information package that will satisfy the functional requirement of the purpose system can be determine. The design will serve as prototype for the system and elps to detect problems. Implementation In this phase, the designs are translated into code. Computer programs are written using a conventional pprogramming language or an application generator. Pprogramming tools like Compilers, Interpreters and debuggers are used to generate the code. Different high level pprogramming languages like MySql is used for coding and databases. With respect to the type of application, the right pprogramming language is chosen. Testing The testing phase requires developers to complete various test to ensure the accuracy of programmed code. The inclusion of expected functionality and the nteroperability of applications and others network components. Furthermore, testing phase is critical because to ensure the system meets the developers and the end- user requirements. Maintenance Certainly the system will need maintenance. There are many reasons for the change. Changes could happen because some unexpected input values into the system. In addition, the changes in the system could directly affect the software operations. The software should be developed to contain changes that could happen during post implementation period. Technology has played a big part in every single human life in this new era of life. Statistic show, more than two over three of hotel room are being stay by their guest in one night. More technology are being used by hotels now day to be the best hotel in the traveling industry. Not only these technologies attract more people who come and stay but they also help on reducing paper usage and other earths resources to save the mother earth and be environmental friendly. However, the main cause of these hotels use the technology now days because of the guest satisfaction on the hotels services and ease up the hotels staff work apart from being the best in the world.

Israel P.L.O. Peace Treaty essays

Israel P.L.O. Peace Treaty essays The Middle East has always been known as the Holy Land, the land of the Bible. For centuries, prophets have walked there, nations have collided and conquerors have come and gone. While Jews claim a three thousand-year-old attachment to this ancient land, Arabs also stake their devotion. In 1993, these two peoples, involved in a tragic conflict that has lasted more than half a century, saw the possibility of a new beginning. It was called the Oslo Accord, and it transformed the political realities of the Middle East (Peres, p.2) However, there have been many turbulent events that have followed the signing of the Accord, events that have undermined the agreement and are threatening to drive Israelis and Arabs apart once again. Since the founding of Israel in 1948, there has been continuous conflict between Israel and the Arab states. This conflict has been marked by six bloody wars. In 1867, during the six-day war of Syria, Jordan and Egypt, Israel captured the West Bank, Sinai and the Gaza strip. Subsequently, a population of over a million Palestinian Arabs, together with their land was now under Israeli control. (Spencer, p.70) It was during this time that a Palestinian leader emerged, Yasser Arafat. Labeled a terrorist by Israel and the United States, he and his Palestine Liberation Organization called for the eviction of Israel from the occupied territories by force of arms. In 1979, Israel returned Sinai to Egypt by a peace treaty. Although Egypts Prime Minister Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1982 by anti-peace forces, the peace still remained between the two countries. This paved the way for negotiations with Jordan, Syria, and the Palestines. (Hunter, p.17-20) However, Israels continued occupation of the Palestinian territories led to the uprising of Arab youth in the West Bank and Gaza, known as the Intifada. For the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, the Intifada provided them with a new and assertive Palestin...

Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Language - Essay Example The question of life and choice of the way we want to exist is challenged by the option of language oppression. Ethnic minorities are often prevented from a proper existence and their usual way of life in case their languages are suppressed and assimilated in accordance with â€Å"white standards† of European languages. On the basis of essays on languages and challenges of its functioning on the borderlands, we will focus on the important social and epistemological role languages play in our lives. Authors’ views on language Navarro Scott Momaday in his essay â€Å"Personal reflections† (1987) intends to show Native Americans and their attitude for language and the role it plays in their lives. Europeans and Native Americans show different attitudes in their story telling and these reflections are seen in the way they use language. He tries to show different world perceptions between Europeans and Indians. For example, he shows the way Native Americans use the ve rb â€Å"to live†. Very often it is used in a metaphoric way. This writer grew up in the Indian reservation near Oklahoma State and he realizes the Indians perceive the world. Thus, when they say that the sun â€Å"comes back to the Earth† they underline that the Earth is their homeland. The concept of time is endless and illusive for Native Americans. There is an essential linguistic diversity between Native Americans and white people. There is a well-developed oral tradition among the American Indians. There is a great respect shown towards the speaker. Consequently, the listener should be very attentive and comprehend every word, which is uttered when the story is told to him. The words are means for carrying liberty and the language reflects the nature of deep respect in the life of Native Americans. Gloria Anzaldua in her essay â€Å"How to Tame a Wild Tongue† (1987) discusses cultural differences, which are reflected in language as well. She talks about bo rderlands, where two or more cultures exist. There are essential linguistic differences not only between Spanish English or Standard English, but also between different dialects. If the native speakers are prevented from an opportunity to speak their native languages, this can be considered as violence. The author describes numerous controversies, when she was made to speak American language otherwise she had to go back to Mexico, where she belonged. At Pan American University the student had to get rid of their accents and speak American English language. Mother tongue becomes dry and people forget their speech. Chicano Spanish, she claims, is considered by the purist and the most Latinos a mutilation of Spanish. It is impossible to remove Chicago Spanish language, because it occurred in a natural way. People are heterogeneous creatures and it is natural of them to speak different languages. Pachuco is positioned as the language of rebellion. These varieties of Spanish languages ar e full of anglicisms. Therefore, we can see a clear tendency of language interference. A poor Spanish is positioned as illegitimate and a bastard language. The author also talks about books and films, which are created by Spaniards or Mexicans. For example, she mentions the novel â€Å"City of Night† written by John Rechy. There is a clear mixture of Spanish and English words. Moreover, in the films of Mexicans or about Mexicans, she claims, there is a clear sense of alienation and at the same time she feels like coming home. There is a great ambiguous feeling about pop art of the Mexicans. At least, the glimpses of native language are pleasant for the Native Speakers. Les Chiconos are people, who have Indian roots and they have their own tongue. Toni

Compare and contrast Pearl harbor Intelligence failure with Battle of Essay

Compare and contrast Pearl harbor Intelligence failure with Battle of midway intelligence success - Essay Example riority conflict between the battleship service and the carrier service departments in the US navy with each trying to reserve its independent identity. The carrier service, which had always been a subordinate to the battleship administration, was considered not very vital in naval strategy and there was a perception that an attack on Pearl Harbor was impossible. Unlike the Pearl Harbor attack, the Battle of Midway between Japanese and U.S found the United States prepared. However, the battle remained unpredictable until towards the end. In the attack that started on June 4 1942, the Japanese sought to capture the central pacific island of Midway, which was being used by the US as an airfield. The Japanese aimed to destroy the American fleet and use the island as their base. However due to Communications intelligence success, the United states Pacific fleet made a surprise attack on the Japanese sinking four of their carriers and losing one. This paper compares and contrasts the caus es of failure and success in the two battles. Prior to these attacks, there were clear signs of mistrust and suspicions by both Americans and Japanese. In addition, both Tokyo and Washington had been engaged in negotiations aimed preventing any event of war, but these later turned out as the strategies merely used to buy time as the military of the two nations put strategies in place. A clear sign of the inevitable war with Japan became evident when the American intelligence intercepted some sections of the Japanese diplomatic communications. Six messages wired from Tokyo to the Japanese embassy in Washington which communicated the deadline for the bilateral negotiations, and the consequences in case of the failure of the talks, should the US refuse to accept the terms so offered by Japan. For instance, â€Å"†¦and the messages illustrated the Tokyo’s fear or threat of rupture of the negotiations† (Lundstrom & John 2004). The other aspect of similarity is that during both the

Individual Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Individual Design - Essay Example As I reflected upon the ways and means by which I may achieve this simultaneously straightforward yet complex task, I found that I had two possible options. The first, which I immediately dismissed as a non-option, was for me to hold off until all designs were finalized, following from which I could design my furniture piece around them. This was an unrealistic notion since group members were committed to the same deadline and were I to wait until the last moment, not only would I be holding the group project back but, in essence, would not be leaving myself enough time to work on my design. The second option, therefore, imposed itself upon me as the only feasible one. As per this option, I had to remain within the boundaries of our selected logo and slogan, ensure that my furniture piece, in and by itself, complement and communicated the said logo and slogan, not to mentioned the ambience which we, as a group had decided upon. Added to that, I had to go through the relevant academic literature on the topic for the purposes of easing the task at hand through the provision of a guideline for furniture design and design ideas. As I was reading through the said literature and browsing through the Internet, I discovered that the concept of design detail was extremely important. A designer is not supposed to just focus on the overall appearance of the piece but must pay particular attention to every detail which contributes to the said appearance and which contributes to the functionality of the piece and the extent to which it satisfies its objectives. My piece (couch, sofa, chair, seating area) had to satisfy a number of objectives. It had to be inviting, comfortable, easy on the eyes, and in sync with the entirety of the lounge. The rationale behind the mentioned objectives is that the seating area has to be comfortable enough so as to encourage patrons to spend longer periods of time in whirlpool. It also has to be inviting and warm in order to motivate patronage of the place. In other words, I rationalized the listed design objectives as being integral to the promotion of Whirlpool as a comfortably, friendly and warm place where patrons cannot only be assured of quality service but of an ambience which helps them to unwind and relax. Additional objectives emerged from a consideration of the Lounge's theme, logo and slogan. Whirling, soothing water dominated the aforementioned and hence, it had to be somehow communicated through and integrated within the design of my piece. Whirls and swirling lines can do so and therefore, the structure of my piece included the stated just as the pattern include swirl images. It did so, however, in a subtle way so as to communicate the message without screaming it out loud, potentially disturbing and annoying visitors and distracting them from the entirety of the lounge. In other words, design subtlety was motivated by the imperatives of my piece fitting in with the rest and of forming part of a whole and of ensuring that it did not stand out from the rest. By adhering to the above stated guidelines and objectives, my furniture piece ultimately became part of a whole and combined with that whole to communicate the Lounge's theme. Journal Details are everywhere. They are born out of the materials or the construction process used. At times they become transitions between elements, where a closer examination of the type

Launching a product in energy drinks industry

Launching a product in energy drinks industry Gatorade is a brand of sports drinks, which is available in multiple flavors, and is manufactured by Quaker Oats Company, which is now a part of PepsiCo. Ltd. Gatorade is basically into the production of sports drinks which are used by athletes and non-athletes all around the world. Energy drinks are those non-alcoholic drinks that serve the purpose of an energy-booster and revitalization. These drinks usually do not emphasize on energy derived from the calories they contain, but rather through a choice of caffeine, vitamins, and herbal supplements that the manufacturer has combined. We have come up with a new product, an energy drink under the banner of Gatorade, Which is called as Powergade. The Energy drink that we plan to launch in the market, shall meet all the requirements that any consumer expects from such a drink. Unlike the other Gatorade drinks, this energy drink will be a carbonated drink and shall consist of all those ingredients like caffeine, sugar and other vitamins, which are present in an ordinary energy drink. But compared to other energy drinks, our product will have other features which make it suitable for consumers of all age groups. This drink will be initially launched in the Indian market, since the scope of promotion in this financial year in India is very good, because of the Common Wealth Games 2010 and also the soon approaching ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011. Branding through such popular and large scale events will definitely be a good advantage to the product, and large number of people can be made aware of the drink as these above mentioned events have a huge fan following. Marketing Objectives SMART Objectives: Setting objectives and milestones is of crucial importance for any planning activity and is the core of its success, or failure. Knowing how to set objectives is not exactly rocket science in terms of complexity, but any strategist should know the basic rules of how to formulate and propose objectives. SMART illustrates 5 characteristics of an efficient objective; it stands for Specific Measurable Attainable/Agreed/Accepted Relevant/Realistic Time1. For our new Energy Drink, Powergade; the following objectives are going to be taken into consideration, for an effective and goal-oriented marketing process: To increase the market share of our product in the Indian drinks market up to 10% till June 2011 To increase profit by 10% by the end of financial year 2010-11 To propagate the brand name and the product in all tier 1 and tier 2 cities in the first 3 months of the launch. To survive in the current recession and slowdown period in the Indian Market. To have a constant growth with of 10% each year To improvise sales by 25% quarterly. To increase the market share of our product in the Indian drinks market up to 10% till June 2011: This is one of the most important objectives, as the energy drinks market in India is increasing and improvising at a constant rate. A lot of companies and brands have come into this field of food and drinks industry, hence increasing the competition in the existing market. We plan to have at least 10% of the market share by the period of one year. This will be of a great advantage to meet our other objectives  [1]  . To increase profit by 15% by the end of financial year 2010-11: Profit is one of the most important aspects for any commercial organisation. We, by launching this new energy drink in the market; plan to increase the profit of the brand Gatorade. Since cheap and effective energy drinks have a high demand in the existing market, high profits from this new product can be expected. Hence we plan to increase the net profit of the company by a minimum 15% by the end of this financial year. To propagate the brand name and the product in all tier 1 and tier 2 cities in the first 3 months of the launch: It is a very important challenge for any brand to have a strong goodwill in the market. If the company is expecting to make profits out of the launch of new product, it is very much essential to have good promotion tactics, and to make the new product, as well as the brand name popular amongst the population of the market. Hence, we plan to promote our brand and our new product Powergade in the markets of tier 1 and tier 2 cities within the 3 months launch period of our product. This will give a boost to the sales and result in higher profitability and market share. To survive the current recession and slowdown period in the Indian Market: The recent slowdown in the world economy has affected a lot of industries in the global market. This has led to low income levels and failure of new brands and their products in its launch period itself. Hence, it is a great challenge to survive and maintain a successful launch in the current market conditions. We plan to have effective promotion and sales strategy, so that our new product Powergade can survive in the market. To have a constant growth of 10% each year: As one of our core objectives, we also plan to have a constant growth of 10% each year. By growth, it is meant that we can expand this division of the company. This means to increase production and hence improvise sales. By constant growth, employment can also be assured and new opportunities will be given to fresh ideas. Growth also includes coming up with new flavours and variations in our Energy Drink. That is why; the goal of having a growth of 10% each year has been set. To improvise sales by 5% every month: Sales is one of the most important aspects of any company dealing with manufacturing and selling of goods. Sales can be considered the heart of any organisation. If the sales are smooth, it generates higher profit, improves the goodwill of the company in the market, which leads to having a higher rate of market share in the industry. Hence it has been set as an objective to improvise sales by at least 5% each month to have a better productivity and profit. Target Market/s The Drinks Market Food and drinks industry is one of the largest industries in the world. Its basic target is to cater the population with energy supplement products, which are essential for the survival of any living being. Food and drinks industry consists of products which have inelastic demand for e.g. salt, sugar, water etc. as well as products with elastic demand such as protein supplements and expensive alcoholic drinks. Substantial part of the consumer income is spent on this industry worldwide. Today the drink market is booming in India and it has become a complete new segment in the Indian market. As per the climatic conditions in India, major part of the population tends to buy drinks, especially cold drinks t o quench their thirst. The sales of drinks gets at its all time high during the summer time, this is because the climate is hot and humid in most of the places in India, which exhausts people, which leads them to buy drinks. Drinks market is becoming very popular all around the world, since many people are now attracted towards the drinks market. There are many types of drinks that are available in the market, ranging from fruit drinks to alcoholic drinks. The Indian Drinks market can be categorized in to different sub markets. The following chart shows the various categories and sub-categories of drinks available in the Indian market. The drinks market is broadly classified into: Alcoholic drinks market Non- alcoholic drinks market Alcoholic drinks are those which have high concentration of alcohol content. It is generally considered to be harmful because of its carcinogenic and hazardous nature. Unlike countries having cool climates, the Indian climate is comparatively warm, hence the body cannot adapt to the heat that is attained from such drinks. That is why alcoholic drinks are generally considered to be leisure drinks and the number of regular customers is comparatively less in India. A few famous types of alcoholic beverages are as follows: Beer Vodka Champagne Rum Breezier The Non-Alcoholic drinks, as the name suggest, do not contain any alcohol and are generally considered to be a safe drink for all type of consumers. The non- alcoholic drinks market can be further classified into two type types: Non- carbonated Carbonated Non- carbonated drinks are not concentrated and have no fizz in them, they are like Fresh juices, even Gatorade is a non- carbonated drink which doesnt have fizz and caffeine. These non- carbonated drinks are health based drink, which help for a healthy body, and doesnt harm a person, but revitalizes them, and get back their energy. Examples of Non-carbonated drinks are Real juices Gatorade. Carbonated drinks are those drinks which are concentrated and have carbon content in them, which is generally called fizz. In carbonated drinks energy drinks also come in, which consists of caffeine, which is a certain type of drug, caffeine is there but in a small quantity, it does the work to keep the consumer active and energetic. Examples of carbonated drinks are: Pepsi, Thumbs-up Coke Redbull Cloud 9 Energy drinks are beverages that are meant to be a quick fix for the exhausted and sleepy. Energy drinks are canned or bottled beverages sold in convenience stores, grocery stores, and bars and nightclubs (in mixed drinks). Most energy drinks are carbonated drinks that contain large amounts of caffeine and sugar with additional ingredients. Energy drinks are beverages that also contain vitamins such as vitamin B, taurine and herbal extracts, which help us to gain energy  [2]  . Market Segmentation The whole market can be segmented into different target groups, which are shown in the chart below. Children, who are of age of 11- 15 years, can buy this product, but they may not be having enough money and knowledge about any energy drink to go on and buy an energy drink. And it should also be noted that energy drinks contain caffeine for which children should not be encouraged. Teenage youth will surely be attracted to a product, as they are the younger generation who are prone to experimentation, and they shall buy new products. The energy drink also benefit these people as they are very active and have a very hectic and stressful schedule, this energy drink can generate energy in them and remove all stress and exhaustion. Generally, youth of this age get allowances from their parents, so it depends on the amount they get to spend for a certain period of time.Consumers, who get low allowances, might not spend a lot of money for such drinks, but those consumers who get moderate or high allowances can certainly afford such energy drinks. Hence, it can be said that youth at this age can be divided into two different target groups. Same goes in for Young adults. Unlike the teenage youth, they may not go be so experimental with new products in the market, but this energy drink will surely be of an advantage to them as they also have a hectic and stressful life, this energy drink, will give them energy to work all through the day. These people will be working, so definitely they will have money to buy the product. Even still, the young adults can be divided in to two target groups depending on their income levels. Skilled executives are working class people who work all through out the day and have a very stressful life, they dont do any kind of physical activity, but they can still buy our energy drink to feel refreshed and energetic to work, and will have a complete different approach towards their work and shall be more time efficient. Their income level is generally good enough, so energy drinks will certainly be affordable by this target group. Unskilled Labor are also working class people but they are generally into physical labor, which requires a lot of energy to do work, they really need a energy drink to boost up their stamina and to work for longer hours. Yet again, the income level of such consumers plays a very important role, unlike the skilled executive, their income level is less, and hence affording such drinks is questionable, even though this drink is of much more use to these people. Last but not the least are the Sports athletes, they are recommended to have a energy drink, this is because their work is to participate in sports and physical activities, at the end of the day the sport makes them exhausted, so to take out the exhaustion they need to have an energy drink which not only makes them energetic but also provides them with proteins and vitamins, so that they perform their regular tasks for long hours. This energy drink also increases stamina of these athletes. Potential Segments So we can say that by the above consumers there can be five potential consumer groups which will buy our product, and so we shall concentrate majorly on these consumer groups and they are: Teenage youth with high spending capacity, Young adults of both income groups, Skilled executives, Sport athletes. We target teenage youth as they are risk takers and love to experiment new drinks, thus we will target them who are with high allowances so that they can buy more of our product. We target young adults as they work, and have a stressful lifestyle with work and some other extra curricular activities thus, this energy drinks will be very good for them. As they are working they can buy the energy drink. We target the skilled executives as they have high spending capacities and since they have tedious work procedures and long working hours, the energy drink is for their advantage. And the sports athletes, these we will target as they have to drink a energy drink because of their lifestyle and constant practice of their sport, these athletes have a rigorous routine of sports and for them to not be exhausted, they need to have a energy drink. Criteria for selecting target markets CONSUMPTION: Our energy drink can be consumed by youngsters, working people and sports athletes. Pregnant women are not encouraged to consume our product as it dangerous for them. The reason for consuming our product is because our product refreshes you and quenches thirst faster than other liquids (except water) and it balances our sugar and calorie intake. LIFESTYLE: As our lifestyle is changing day by day, consumers get influenced by new products in the market, especially young generation from the age group 15-25 years. This age group has the resources to buy a new product as they are innovators. They always try exploring new products that come in the market. There are few people who do not have the resources to buy the product but are eagerly wishing to have that product. The consumers of age, ranging from 25-35 is independent considering their spending, and these people have the capacity and resources to buy and consume our product. CONSUMERS ATTITUDE: Consumers attitude towards a new product consist of many things. Few criteria are listed below: Packaging. Taste Brand name Brand ambassador of the product Importance to Packing plays a major role as consumers get excited when they see a product which looks very attractive. BENEFITS: Our Product is comparatively excellent from rest of the drinks because it does not contain artificial flavors and it can be consumed by all age groups starting from 11 years and above. It contains caffeine, vitamins, and minerals which balances the sugar level in our body. For sport athletes our product is like an apple to their eye because our product acts like an energy booster for them. Caffeine after workout provides them with good amount of energy that they have lost during workout and re-builds it. DEMOGRAPHIC: Demographics play a major role which selecting out target market. Our product would mainly be launched in Metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata, which come under category of tier 1 and cities like Ahmadabad, Hyderabad, Goa and etc. come under tier 2 cities. Population of the mentioned cities is more and consists of innovators and early adaptors. So our initial target would have a strong consumer base in the markets of these cities. Applying Criteria to potential segments Potential Target Groups Criteria Teenage Youth (high spending capacity) Young Adults (Low income group) Young Adults (High Income Group) Skilled Executives Sports Athletes 1.Consumption 2.Lifestyle 3.Attitude Towards New Products 4.Benefits 5.Gographic Considering the above table, we have concluded that our major concentration would be on the following target groups: Teenage Youth, Young Adults with high income, and Sports Athletes. Customer Profile The above mentioned target groups consists of those consumers, who generally indulge into experiment with new goods and services in the market. They easily take the risk of trying out new products. These consumers also have high capacity to spend on such leisure products, since their allowances or income is generally high. These consumers are generally found in tier 1 and tier 2 cities as they have more exposure to the market and all the on-going promotional activities. They are benefited with our energy drinks, as for the teenage youth, most of their time is spent in their academics, and hence they have busy schedules. Other than that, they also indulge in various physical activities that is taxing to their bodies. The energy drinks help them keep fresh and energetic throughout the day, and hence the results in their respective endeavors is comparatively good Young adults are benefited with our product, as this is the group which is mostly indulged into hard work, be it office or on-site work. They work long hours, and especially in growing cities, travelling and cut-throat competition is also a factor that can tire any individual. Having our energy drink, which contains caffeine; it helps these consumers in being awake without actually affecting their health. The efficiency of these consumers is improvised and they can work longer hours keeping up with the task at hand. Sports athletes will have a complete different approach and usage for this drink. They are generally into more of physical work compared to the above mentioned groups. They need supplements to replenish their body and rejuvenate them. Energy drinks play an important role for such refreshment. Though, they do not prefer carbonated drinks during their games, but they certainly consume it during practice sessions and work outs. Customer perceptual positioning map For this task, our group performed a sample survey, by preparing a questionnaire. A sample of a blank questionnaire can be viewed in Appendix 1. In this survey, we asked different people questions relating to our existing brand Gatorade, its competitor brands and energy drinks. After the survey we could derive the following conclusions. In the survey, it was asked, that which of the attributes play an important role in an energy drink. The attributes included: Effectiveness Taste Packaging Style/Trends Flavor options. The conclusion derived from this survey gave us the following result. Pie chart 1. From this research we concluded that EFFECTIVNESS and TASTE are the appropriate attributes that the consumer keeps in mind to judge the product and to compare the product with that of the competitors. For the positioning process, for our product, we chose 5 brands which are popular in the Indian market, and decided to position of product on the basis of comparison with the following five brands: Redbull Burn Bling Xenia Cloud 9 The sample population was asked to prioritize these brands on the scale of their preference considering the above mentioned five attributes. The results for the attributes TASTE and EFFECTIVENESS is shown in the following pie-charts.We made these pie charts on the basis of the ratings and then derived the percentage of preferred brand for these attributes. A Perceptional-positioning mapping is a kind of visual tool which shows the customers perception of a product or brand in relation to others in the market relating to certain attributes. In our product of Powergade from Gatorade we have considered the most relevant attributes like Effectiveness and the Taste of the drink. The following graph was made on the basis of the ratings given by the sample population to each brand based on the above mentioned attributes of the brands product. They were asked to rate the attributes on the scale of 1 5 in which 1-3 was considered low and 3-5 was considered high. High Taste Powergade We did a primary research on the effectiveness and the taste of our various competitors. From the perception mapping in the above graph and table we got to know the standing of each of our competitors in the market. Red Bull being high in taste and high in effectiveness becomes a tough competitor for Powergade as our product aims to give best of taste and prove to be quickly effective. The marketing mix is a combination of elements needed to successfully market any product. The marketing mix is at the heart of marketing planning. It is used to review and develop marketing strategy. These elements are commonly known as the Four Ps of marketing Product-Our main focus is that our product must be exceptional in taste and quickly effective. Since Gatorade has an experienced research team, we will be able to achieve our goal efficiently. Price-Initially we will come up with a penetration pricing strategy to gain a good amount of market share and create awareness of our product. Keeping low price will help us against our premier competitor, Redbull. Place-As Gatorade is already an established drink worldwide, Powergade will take advantage of this and will use similar distribution channels as well as new distribution channels. Promotion-Since we have a good promotional budget, high scale advertisements will be made and shown on television; radio channels and huge hoarding will be put up all over the country. We will also be aiming to have celebrities to be the brand ambassadors of our drink. Other than that, we will take full advantage of the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup, scheduled to take place in February 2011 in the Indian subcontinent. Concentrating on all the four Ps of Marketing we will be able to achieve our desired position in the Perceptional-positioning mapping. Product Product Type: Energy Drink. The term product includes two things tangible and intangible. It also includes services, ideas, goods, people and a mix of various elements. Our product would come under category of shopping products and non durable goods. There are three product levels: Core product. Embodied product. Augmented product. Core Product: Core product means the core benefits and the reason why people would want to buy our product. The Youth age group (11-21) would buy our product because as they are prone for experiencing new product and they consider it as a style statement. Now-days young generation is facing a problem of very hectic, stressful and tiring schedule. Our product would relief them and provide with energy and necessary minerals. Age group (22-30) these people come under the category of Intense working people and they have a very stressful life, and as they devote very less to physical activity; for them our product would refresh them and would give them energy to work more efficiently. Last but not the least is Sport athletes which are our main target; would buy our product because as their major time goes in playing physical sports, the water and energy level drenches down very quickly and they become exhausted very fast. Our product will be a great beneficial for them. For people who are Chain smokers for them our product is like an apple to their eye and health because our product coconut pulp which works as a nicotine reducer. EMBODIED PRODUCT: Embodied means physical goods or delivery services that provides benefits. It consists of design, packing, ingredients and brand name. Logo of Powergade Description: C:UsersArchitDesktopbackprint.png Product can design front and back Ingredients: Coconut pulp, Water, sucrose, glucose, sodium citrate, taurine, glucuronolactone, caffeine, instol, niacinamide, calcium-pantothenate, pyridoxine HCL, Vitamin 612, artificial flavors, colors. Source(s)- (Red bull can) Durability of our product (Expiry of the product)-24 Months from the date of Manufacture. Augmented Product: Augmented product means post-purchase activity or services. In case of defective goods we will replace the defective goods within a period of 5 working days and would give cash back if defective quantity is more than 2%. Minimum order of 300 pieces. Discounts are provided if there is a bulk order. We will also have a scheme of lucky dip when you buy 4 powergade, and get 25% off. Core Product When a consumer wants to buy a product, what will he or she will look into, the uniqueness of the product, and will also differentiate between two products that how a product is different with its same type of competitors product. After comparing the consumer will buy the product which will give him maximum benefits and, also will give him maximum satisfaction. We see that there are many energy drinks in the market and all have a same thing to say, and same benefits to give that are- Increases performance Increases concentration Improves mental alertness Stimulates metabolism Our product powergade is a very unique type of product, and its uniqueness will take this product at the top of the Non-Alcoholic beverages market. You may think that how can an energy drink can be as unique as any other energy drink. Our product has all the benefits that all top energy drinks have in common, but we have added some more three features in our energy drink. Common benefits shared with the competitors will be- Increases performance Increases concentration Improves mental alertness Stimulates metabolism Unique features of Powergade- Nicotine reducer More of Vitamins Additional fibre (fruity taste as fibres will be taken from fruit nectar) The nicotine reducer will help those consumers who are addicted to cigarettes, while people have cigarettes nicotine automatically gets in their blood, whereas when that consumer will have our product his nicotine count will be reduced. We will use a pinch of coconut oil as coconut is the best nicotine reducer. Our product will also have more of vitamins which will help the consumer revitalize his mind, be active and energetic all throughout the day. Additional fibre is fruit nectar which will be used in our product; this will give a good and additional taste  [3]  . As we know today, the demand for energy drinks is increasing day by day in the Indian markets, there is tough competition between competitors, and every company is having a price war with its competitors to sell its products. Red bull in that case has kept its price of a can is Rs.85, and cloud 9 has kept the price of its can Rs.90. These drastic differences in prices will be because of many reasons as for example the ingredients which are there in the drink or mainly the packaging or manufacturing of product will be different from the others, or there may be a simple reason for high prices that will be the profitability of the company. For setting up a price for our brand powergade we need a certain pricing objectives which will help in our pricing decision, pricing objectives are goals that describe the role of price in an organizations plans, the objectives help managers as a basic guide line to develop further pricing and marketing strategies  [4]  . The pricing objectives which are required for this product will be- Market penetration Target rate of return Price stabilization Meet of follow competition Market share Profit maximization Cash flow Product line promotion Survival in the market.  [5]   Our price will overcome the cost and therefore earning us a good profit margin. The cost will include all the internal and external costs. Pricing will be considering the taxes also on the product. Customers will feel value for money for our product as they will be satisfied to the fullest. Our pricing will be complementing other Ps of the marketing mix. It should be complementing with the place it is marketed, the promotion used and the value of the product. Strategies Market Led Pricing Strategy Market led pricing strategy are based on the level of customer demand for a firms products or the level of demand in the industry in which the firm operates. Market led Pricing strategy include Penetration Pricing, Skimming price, Price Discrimination, Loss leader, Psychological pricing and Promotional pricing. In all the market led pricing strategies our product will be using Penetration pricing and Psychological pricing. Penetration pricing is a strategy used for a new product to help establish itself in the industry. This method involves setting a relatively low price in order to gain market share and awareness. Over time, as the product established itself, the price can be raised. This strategy is suitable for mass market products that sell in large enough volumes like our powergade. It will help Gatorade to enter a well established market efficiently. One drawback of using this strategy is that customers might consider the product of low quality as it priced low. Combining with Penetration pricing is the psychological pricing. Psychological pricing is a strategy that involves using numbers like, such as $ 9.99 to make price seem lower. Hence customers psychologically feel that they are getting a bargain or better price for the product  [6]

The Push Mower From Hell :: Personal Narrative, Autobiographical Essay

The Push Mower From Hell "It's time to get up, son. You've got work to do today." My father's gravelly voice brought my reluctant subconscious out of the realm of its peaceful slumber. How dare he, I wondered to myself, interrupt my rest and force me awake on the most sacred of days: the Cartoon Sabbath. Still slightly disoriented, I went into the kitchen to feed myself a bowl of Cheerios and plant myself in front of a "Winnie the Pooh" rerun. I had scarcely finished my third bowl when my father returned, somewhat angered. "I believe that I told you that we were going to do some yardwork today. How about coming out and lending a hand?" I agreed meekly, owing to the fact that I had no desire to risk conflict with my father. After brushing my teeth and slapping on a tee shirt, shorts, and shoes, I trudged outside. The hot summer sun beat down heavily on the back of my neck. Because of a combination of heat and fatigue, I felt as if I were drunk. I staggered over to the riding lawnmower, relieved by the thought of being able to sit down while appeasing my parents at the same time. My brother, the impish little troll that he is, having the same idea, had already confiscated the mower for his own selfish gain. He had left for the lot next door, which was easy to cut compared to the banks that I was left with. I gave him an evil glance that shouted my disapproval of his actions and marched towards the much hated, seldom used push mower. The push mower was an angry, rust ridden, hostile beast of ill intent. I don't think anyone in my family ever expected to have to use the beast, so it became more like a family joke to see whom we could stick it to each time grass needed to be cut. It was temperamental and took at least five minutes of heavy pulling on the unforgiving cord to finally get it started. It had at one time been a self propelled mower, but the chain broke long ago, leaving a free spinning gear rotating dangerously near the operator's low appendages. The machine gave off a low threatening growl, reminding us to approach it with a certain amount of animosity, if not respect.

The Impossible Trinity

The impossible trinity Stephen Grenville, 26 November 2011 The impossible trinity doctrine – that it is not possible to have a fixed exchange rate, monetary policy autonomy, and open capital markets – still holds powerful sway over policymakers and academia. But it does not reflect reality in East Asian emerging countries. Assets in different currencies and different countries are not close substitutes. Capital flows to emerging countries present serious challenges, but the trinity is not the best framework for analysing the policy options.Capital flows are rarely discussed without a genuflection in the direction of the impossible trinity, also known as the trilemma. For example, Magud et al (2011) write: â€Å"†¦ a trinity is always at work. It is not possible to have a fixed (or highly managed) exchange rate, monetary policy autonomy, and open capital markets. † According to the trilemma, a stable exchange rate without capital controls requires domestic an d foreign interest rates to be equal. Otherwise, ‘uncovered interest arbitrage’ will force continuous appreciation or depreciation of the currency.As such, nations without capital controls must choose between stabilising the exchange rate (by slaving interest rates to foreign rates) and stabilising the domestic economy (adjusting interests slaved to domestic macro conditions but letting the exchange rate fluctuate). Mechanically, this is enforced – according to trilemma logic – by substantial capital inflows or outflows and the impact of these on the money supply. Why this doesn’t fit the East Asia experience Since the 1997–98 Asian crisis, East Asian countries have clearly run their own independent monetary policies.   They have successfully set interest rates to broadly achieve their inflation objectives. As Figure 1 shows, they are most definitely not all slaving their rates to foreign rates. Figure 1. Despite this, their exchange rates have been fairly stable. They have managed their primary exchange-rate objective – leaning against the prevailing appreciation pressures in order to maintain international competitiveness (see Figure 2). Remember that according to the classic trilemma, the similarity in exchange-rate movements since the global crisis should have coincided with identical interest rate levels (all equal to, eg, the US nterest rate); comparing Figures 1 and 2, we see this isn’t the case. Figure 2. These attempts to restrain appreciation have involved heavy government intervention, resulting in very large increases in foreign-exchange reserves (Figure 3). This didn’t, however, cause excessive increases in base money (Figure 4), thanks to effective sterilisation by open-market operations and increases in banks’ required reserves. Figure 3. Foreign-exchange reserves as a share of GDP Figure 4. Growth in foreign-exchange reserves (y-axis) and base money (x-axis), Percent, 2001â €“07 Why doesn’t the trinity apply?There are four reasons why the trinity doesn’t work in East Asia. First, if uncovered interest parity held, markets would treat different currencies as close substitutes. An investor would know that the interest differential would be a good guide to where the exchange rate was heading and even small interest differentials would trigger large arbitrage flows. It is now abundantly clear that interest parity offers feeble guidance for the exchange rate–interest rate nexus (see Engel 1996). The parity condition often gets the direction wrong, let alone the quantity (Cavalo 2006), as it does for six of the seven countries illustrated in Figure 5.Figure 5. Annual average interest differential versus change in exchange rate 2001–10 Capital flows responding strongly to interest differentials are the core element in the impossible trinity story. But in practice: * Different currencies are not close substitutes; and * Capital flows are driven by many other forces besides short-term interest differentials. Second, instead of well-formed views on how different currencies will behave over time, there are fluctuating (sometimes wildly fluctuating) assessments of risk attached to cross-currency holdings.The higher interest rates generally available in emerging countries have encouraged carry trade–type capital inflows, but these were offset by official reserve increases (Figure 6). Figure 6. Net capital flows to emerging countries ($ trillion) Third, the impossible trinity envisages that any intervention to prevent these capital flows from bidding up the exchange rate will be fully reflected in base money increases which will, in turn, thwart the authority’s attempts to set interest rates as desired.But this sort of base money-multiplier view of monetary policy no longer corresponds with the way monetary policy works in practice. These days the authorities set the policy interest rate directly v ia announcement, while managing liquidity in the short-term money market through open-market operations, including an effective capacity to sterilise foreign-exchange intervention (Figure 4). In some cases (eg China) excess base money was effectively sterilised through increases in banks’ required reserves.Thus capital flows do not usually prevent the authorities from setting interest rates according to their objectives. Finally, the impossible trinity envisages that any official intervention in foreign-exchange markets will be taking the exchange rate away from its equilibrium, opening up arbitrage opportunities. But suppose, instead, that the authorities have a better understanding (or longer-term view) of where the equilibrium lies, and are managing the exchange rate to maintain it in a band around the equilibrium.East Asian countries have not, in general, prevented some appreciation of their exchange rates, but they have sought, through intervention, to prevent momentum-d riven overshooting. Is there a useful softer version of the impossible trinity? Even if the impossible trinity in its pure version does not hold, is it still a useful concept in a looser version, as a reminder that there are interconnections and policy constraints between interest rates, exchange rates, and capital flows?Frankel [2] As they become more closely integrated internationally, foreign investors will increasingly respond to this underlying profitability differential. How can this prospect of sustained higher returns be reconciled with portfolio balance for the foreigners whose initial portfolios are in the lower-return mature economies? This, not the short-term impossible trinity problem, is the policy challenge Conclusion The impossible trinity began as a useful theoretical insight into the nteractions of policy instruments. It is still a useful blackboard reminder that not all policy combinations are possible. The blackboard illustration, however, has been adopted as a d octrinal policy rule. This over-emphasis on a simple thought-experiment may have been because it served to support the arguments for free-floating exchange rates. The argument went like this: capital controls are not workable; if you want to have your own monetary policy, then you have to let your exchange rates float freely.But the impossible trinity was a stylised insight relying on simplified assumptions. The real world was always more complex and nuanced. Of course there is some connection between interest differentials and capital flows. But there are other forces motivating capital flows, and these are much more random and non-optimising than envisaged by the impossible trinity. The fickle changes in risk assessments, mindless herding, and booms and busts in the capital-exporting countries make international capital flows volatile in ways not envisioned in the trinity.Author’s Note: This column is based on ‘The Impossible Trinity and Capital Flows in East Asiaâ₠¬â„¢, Asian Development Bank Institute Working Paper 318 November 2011. References Aizenman, J, MD Chinn, and H Ito (2009), â€Å"Surfing the Waves of Globalisation: Asia and Financial Globalisation in the Context of the Trilemma†, Asian Development Bank Working Papers No. 180. Cavalo, M (2006), â€Å"Interest Rates, Carry Trades, and Exchange Rate Movements†, FRBSF Economic Newsletter 2006/31.Engel, C (1996), â€Å"The forward discount anomaly and the risk premium: a survey of recent evidence†, Journal of Empirical Finance (32): 305–319. Frankel, JA (1999), â€Å"No single currency regime is right for all countries or at all times†, Princeton Essays in International Finance 215. Magud, NE, CM  Reinhart and KS  Rogoff (2011), â€Å"Capital controls: myth and reality – a portfolio balance†, Peterson Institute Working paper 11-7 1 Except, of course, Hong Kong, with its fixed rate. Singapore is a special case, implementing monetary p olicy via the exchange rate rather than interest rates.Its capital market is open; it closely manages its exchange rate; and it has an independent monetary policy, achieving its objective of having one of the lowest inflation rates in the world. 2 Some might see this same argument in terms of growth rates. Interest rates will approximate the economy’s growth rate (whether measured in real or nominal terms). Thus the higher prospective growth rates of the emerging countries will be accompanied by higher interest rates. Share on linkedin Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email More Sharing Services 12

Criminal Personality essays

Criminal Personality essays In order to determine what makes a criminal a "criminal," you must first understand their personality. Behavior is largely a result of the way a person things. A personality is what makes a person. Even though a person might have the look of a criminal, the thought patterns of that person are what make them a criminal. In this paper I would like to identify key points which link criminals to their personalities. Criminals decisions to commit crimes come from abnormal thinking patterns, says psychoanalysts from St. Elizabeth's Hospital. Researchers Yocheleson and Samenow identify similar thought patterns found in crimes, which include: constant lying, fail to develop empathy, expect their desires to be catered to them, loving someone for doing what they want, black and white thinkers (no middle ground or moderation), blames other, etc. Criminals which have been tested are proven to be less responsible, intolerant, and deficient in self-control, according to the California Psychological Inventory. Dealing with personality Hans J. Eysenck spent years defining whether criminal behavior had any relationship with personality. He broke his theory into two parts, identifying that personalities have three dimensions. Psychoticism, which describes people as being aggressive, egocentric, and impulsive. Neuroticism describes people with low self-esteem, anxiety, and wide mood swings. The third is extroversion, which describes the personality of an individual who is sensation seeking, dominant, and assertive. A majority of these traits are found in the criminals, which have been studied and classified. "Finding what matters to a person is crucial to furthering change"*. A person is a lot like a clock. To really know how it works you have to take apart and put all the pieces together one by one. And even though a person is not at all like a clock, in order to figure out how one's mind works and wh ...

German Christmas Ornaments

German Christmas Ornaments What are all those things that you see for sale at the Christmas market? In todays article, youll get to know more about German Christmas ornaments and what they mean. Erzgebirge Decorations Although Christmas is a magical spectacle anywhere in Germany, one of its most famous Christmas regions is the Erzgebirge (the ore mountains) located in Saxony close to the Czech border. Most of the decorations in this article were invented in this region, so that the name now stands for the best and most beautiful Christmas decorations available in Germany.    Decorations for Advent In Germany, the season leading up to Christmas starts with erster Advent (1st Advent Sunday). This is the fourth Sunday before Christmas and is welcomed with the wonderful song Wir sagen euch an den lieben Advent. Adventskranz The Adventskranz (advent wreath) consists of an evergreen wreath and four candles. Every Sunday in advent, a new candle is lit and the wreath marks the passage of time and approach of Christmas in this way. Adventskalender German households rarely miss out on their chance to bring in an Adventskalender (advent calendar). Most of us know these products as commercial, chocolate-filled cardboard boxes, but in Germany its also customary for parents or couples to surprise each other with gebastelte (home-crafted) calendars made up of a small surprise for every single day. If you want to get involved with a slice of German christmas, Adventskalender basteln is a wonderful start. Note that a real German advent calendar will not include a compartment for 25 December, because the main event of Christmas in Germany is celebrated on Christmas eve (Heiligabend). This is when the presents are exchanged, relegating 1. Weihnachtstag (Christmas Day) to a lower level of significance. The beginning of advent also marks the right time to start the Christmas countdown. Its time to dig out the following ornaments: Schwibbbà ¶gen The Schwibbbogen is a traditional candle arch to be displayed in a homes window at Christmas time. The design is always round, indicating that it is a Bogen (bow). The word Schwib- originates from the German verb schweben (to float), because the candles are arranged to float on top of the bow.   Weihnachtspyramide (Christmas Pyramid)   This Erzgebirge design is one of my Christmas decoration favourites. The traditional Christmas pyramid uses Physics to create magic. The bottom of the pyramid features candleholders arranged in a circular pattern, and at the top you can find a wind-operated fan. As the candles heat up the air, it rises to the fan and starts to move its little wings. The result is a gentle spinning motion, creating a sense of calm and magic in any room. The Christmas pyramid was allegedly conceived by poorer households who could not afford Christmas trees. Today it is an integral part of German Christmas anywhere. Ruchermann (Smoker) These incense burners are extremely popular everywhere in Germany. Traditionally designed as wooden dolls that resemble a pipe smoker, many Christmas markets now sell a huge range of smokers that represent hobbies and professions. According to ore mountain lore, the creation of the smoker goes back to the 19th century when a crafty tree trunk convinced a poor lumberjack to free the figurine within.      Nussknacker (Nutcrackers)   Traditional German Nussknacker walk the line between Christmas magic and kitsch beautifully. Originally a household staple for colder days when nuts were a staple in the local winter diet. This guide to the nutcracker  goes into more detail about where the design originated.   A Magical Christmas I hope you have enjoyed this small window into the world of a German christmas. For those who really cannot get enough and want to experience all these decorations in action, the German Christmas Museum  offers an immersive Christmas experience all year round. But at this time of year, look no further than your next Christmas market and enjoy seeing everything while enjoying a mulled wine.

Recession in the United Kingdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Recession in the United Kingdom - Essay Example The causes of the recession in general cannot be determined but the onus falls on the administration and the financial system of the economy. (Recession, n.d.) The recession in the latter half of 2000 was severe and the effects were visible in various economies of the world. The focal point of the recession of the 2008-09 was on the USA and it soon spread to the different corners of the globe. The main reason for the recession can be attributed to the housing sector of the USA and the inability of the financial system of the USA to tackle the problem. The components of the financial system like the banks and the financial companies were many ways responsible for the origin of the recession. USA, being one of the financial epicenters of the world, had a control over the global financial system. Therefore, the effects of the recession were visible in many parts of the world and the companies were cutting their manpower to cut the costs. The global economy suffered and the Governments o f the various countries had to take severe measures to counter the effects of the recession. UK being another nerve center of the global financial world faced the severe effects of recession. Another cause for the recession in the UK was that the economy of the country was dependent on the economy of the US and after the globalization of the economy companies of the other countries started to function in the UK. The Government had to put some efforts and it had to renew the policies to control the effects of the recession. The paper will explore the issue recession in the UK with special emphasis on the impact of measures undertaken by the government to tackle the recession. As discussed in the earlier part the origin of the global recession was the USA and the reasons for the recession can be attributed to the failures of the banks and the financial companies. The sector, which contributed to the

Educational Program of the Graduate School of Computer and Information Essay

Educational Program of the Graduate School of Computer and Information Science at Nova Southeastern University - Essay Example Respectfully, the following paragraphs are the stories of my open -book life as I knock on my New Alma Mater's door with hope and understanding.My life has been focused on two major goals. First, my long-term goal in obtaining this degree will be to increase the intensity of my continuing contributions to the field of Information Technology (Mcginn, 2008). To this end, I will light that midnight oil as I engross myself in the exchange of intelligence information among my classmates and mentors as a graduate student at Nova Southeastern University. But, my ultimate goal is to inspire innovation and passion for Computer Science in the lives of my future students. For, I firmly believe that someday many will continue the fire burning in me to touch the lives people in all walks of life through the use of information technology. Definitely, both goals can be achieved faster because I have found the missing link.And, I learned that the unique educational program of the Graduate School of Computer and Information Science at Nova Southeastern University is one of the many features why many students study and research here. For, one of the main reasons for my selection of Nova Southeastern University is its Cluster classroom format. Since I am a firm believer in the concept of teamwork, I believe the cluster meetings will be beneficial for me as I network and team with others in my field with the guidance and wisdom of my instructors.