Consumer Oriented Market Positioning Marketing Essay

Consumer Oriented Market Positioning Marketing Essay Dictionary meaning of Positioning is an act of putting something in some ones mind and in market we put our product in prospects mind. A very simple term and if you are good enough it is simple to execute but the art is hard to develop. It is the process by which marketers grab a position or built a position in target audience for its product, brand or organization. In this consumer oriented market Positioning is a tool to cut down the noise and establish a real contact with the customer who results in customers opting for your product rather than your competition. As todays customer is overwhelmed with unwanted promotion and advertising it becomes very tough for a product or brand to get noticed and after being noticed an urge to get opted as a first preference in target customers. Its all about mindshare you hold in prospects intellect, better you position yourself greater you achieve what is called as coveted mind share. A product or brand should always try to have an aggregate perception which is higher than that of its competitor and those who dont have that kind of percentage should not lose hope as they can very well influence the perception and position their brand through enlightened strategic alliance. Its an ongoing process and doesnt stops at one place because you may get forgotten by your audience so repositioning is needed or if there is any shift in your business for example Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley shifted from investment to commercial banks hence their expectations from investors, clients, employees and regulators all need to shift as per the paradigm and hence the organization needs to reposition itself. Primary elements of Positioning are: Quality. Quality is a pre -requisite, it has to be provided by any means and later should be backed by incentives. Back your quality claim with return policy warrantees and customer-friendly guarantees. Service. Added value in customer service and after sales supports and if the product is customized and personalized. Pricing. Whether is it luxury, averagely priced or cheap in its sector or very cheap. Distribution. The channel or distribution and supply chain is part of positioning. Packaging. Packaging helps in delivering the message you intend for prospect. Positioning can be distinguished by: Functional-Solve problems and provide benefits to customers. Symbolic-self image enhancement, ego identification, affective fulfilment and social meaningfulness Experiential-Sensory stimulation and cognitive stimulation What makes this market full of surprises and unquestioned answers that there is no certain way to be a leader in the market .Not even high level of marketing acumen of the company assures success and even while trying positioning, companies end up somewhere else in prospects mind and not the place where they intended. CURRENT MARKET SCENARIO OF SMART PHONES IN INDIA: Mumbai based Gartners research analyst say that smart phones are on the rise and with introduction of new phones in new software, better applications, features and reliable hardware has made it challenging for already established brands in different parts of the market. With the record annual growth of 30% for next five year it is very vital not only for smart phone vendors but also for operators, and OS developers. India being the 3rd largest market of smart phones after China and Brazil is seeing an intense struggle between various handset providers like Nokia, Samsung, LG, Black Berry, etc. with their tie-ups with different service providers and operators as well as focusing on the software platforms like iPhone OS, BlackBerry OS, Windows Mobile, Android, Symbian and Palms. In 2009 India witnessed sales of 69 million smart phone handsets, doubling from the 32 million mark reached in 2008. As far as global market is concerned ,Mr. Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner, mentioned that this year saw RIM, a pure smart phone maker making its debut in top 5 mobile devices manufacturers, as well as there was increase its market share of Apple by 1.2 percent points. Android-based phones saw a peak rise of 700 per cent year-on-year which is proving to be a threat to other smart phone makers Mobile devices market is seeing a double-digit growth of smart phone sales in mature markets, and helped by wider product availability as well as mass market price tags that are in budget of average income group. And particularly in India white -box products has shown growth as per expectation of the manufacturers with healthy traits in future. http://dqindia.ciol.com/images010/smartphones02_15aug2k10.jpg If all the Smartphone manufacturers are combined together they share total of 75% of the Smartphone market alone in India and rest 25 % is shared by smaller or followers in the market and the presence is hence insignificant comparatively. So in this year if we refer to the record in India more than 18 percent of the phones sold are Smartphone. [Supposed+mobile+data+market.gif] Trend in sales of Smart phones in India is firstly sales start with the early adopters in the beginning as shown at the right, and then as prices drop everyone switches to Smartphones replacing there old phones as they have limited features. In India target segmentation is done on various factors but researchers are also considering or rather already have segmented their target consumers into 3 types i.e. Entertainment users, Communications users and Information users. Now it has been observed that in these segments people pay more or extra for great solutions if their needs are matched in a particular segment. Many failures in mobile market are due to either focussing at a single specific problem or feature or by disrupting the whole package by adding all of it. Now the numbers of Smartphone are to be doubled by FY11 and this boom is there for upcoming years .Emergence of Smartphones was more in the form of service device rather than just another application based model which was the earlier trend shown by the OEMs. RIM blackberry services saw some mass adoption whereas OVI apps tried to create the same magic but performed average. Despite the variety Symbian has still the monopoly with 72%share in Indian market followed by windows, android and blackberry OS but in upcoming future trend Symbian may lose its market share to its competitors. POSITIONING OF BLACKBERRY SMARTPHONES IN INDIAN MARKET: In this dog-eat-dog world, positioning a brand is the biggest priority for a product or brand. Creating awareness and then fetching that special place for your brand in the consumers mind will be the key in determining the fate of the brand and if brand is becoming a l success or fading away to obscurity and especially in India, Blackberry has done some extensive research as it is one of the fastest growing telecom markets and within high competition has managed to take up a prestigious position settling just after Nokia in market share. Blackberry is following a simple rule of combining product and service benefits at a fair price that creates value in the minds of customers   which is the key variable for the success in handheld device market. And in the current climate of new entrants in this particular sector and ever increasing competition with very less differentiation among service-product offerings, these manufacturing companies are facing problem in clear communication what makes their offerings special better than those provided by the competitors. Value Proposition: Features that makes BlackBerry stand apart from rest of the players and clearly stating that quality is inevitable supported by Innovative design and iconic styling that blends optimum display and weight length ratio without compromising ease of use that users expect from their BlackBerry Unrivalled Connectivity with BB messenger application GSM/EDGE/ CDMA warranties and after sales service Built in GPS Engine Rich Internet and Multimedia Experience Full Page Internet Browsing Including support for streaming audio and video. Instant Messaging support for multiple communities including Yahoo!, Messenger, GoogleTalk Social networking communities including FaceBook, Flickr, Picasa On 25 Sep 2008, number of BlackBerry subscribers reached to approximately 19 million all over the world and the figures in India over these years are so high that they cannot be overlooked because company was able t identify customers requirement of accessing internet specifically emails and social networks on the move . In start BlackBerry placed itself in minds of corporate executives who are always on the run and with addition of social networking cites and various online applications, brand provided interfaces which also attracted youngsters out of the corporate outlook. Biggest eye-catching proposition flaunted by BlackBerry Smartphones was the idea of remaining connected at all times. So the first grand step was to position itself as an business executive handheld device which in turn helped in carving out niche for the brand without giving a head on collision with any of its top competitors which was the smartest move of all Hence BlackBerry became the Corporate Executive phone which was comparatively less famous in youngsters initially. Now the second way was to enter into non-corporate world of handheld devices where even the uncorporate wanted to be in connection or online with their friends and family all the time .And they came up with an excellent promotion stating as We are the BlackBerry boys which not only included suited up corporate but also baby boomers ,women of every age and cross cultural personnels who all enjoy using blackberry as they are in continuous synch with their work as well as connected to family and friends at the same time. Absolutely brilliant advertising with the pinch of great music and excellent humour banging right on the message brand wants to spread to the target consumers. Now the song We are the blackberry boys has been trending into minds of youngsters and BlackBerry lovers. It has left same effect on mass as Vodafone Zoo Zoos had done it during IPL. Blackberry first with the Pearl and Bold and now with the Storm and Torch is attempting a change in positioning and moving more towards the Lifestyle segment space. This can prove counterproductive for the company because it directly placing itself to its other bigger competitors and directly taking a head on collision in competition with Nokia, LG, Samsung and Apple I phone. In fact the handheld Smartphone models are being actively compared to models of other competitor for example Samsung galaxy, Apple iPhone and Nokia E series. But the real fight is between Apple and BlackBerry for capturing the lifestyle segment and taking the position of that perception in prospect customers. Now inspired by the advantage of continuous connectivity even if the operators are non functional has allowed along with the host many other manufacturing brands to enter with different applications in order to attract market audience and the argument is on offering of similar features (connectivity) along with a host of other value adding features by the other.. Now these were all physical features of Blackberry and the physical presence always lead to the cognitive, physical cues which in turn act as hints for the mind to form interpretations or in other words positions itself as a highly technical ,functional and great to use device. So far I personally believe Blackberry could strategy of positioning is slick and feature laden but in order to expand market the company tried to play with the emotional proposition saying: Do what you love and love what you do Now this tagline covers all the market sector a handheld manufacturing company wants to because everyone loves to do something and even if they BlackBerry its always a non-boring, happy and lovable moments during work hours. It emphasizes on the idea no matter how hard you do something as long as you love to do it and you have a Blackberry with you ,you will do it right. In one of the advertisements an Asian guy is on his bicycle roaming around seems like a courier guy and uses BlackBerry Torch but he is not a normal courier guy ,he is the current president of SanFrancisco Bike messenger association who is very busy in his work and BlackBerry helps him to be in contact with his family and friends ,manage his work, Blackberry GPS helps him on unknown roads and ways and in the end he loves what he does. Now this leaves a very big message in mind of prospect even if you are a leader an entrepreneur in your small world, business or community you need a blackberry support because even BlackBerry loves what you do.

An Investigation into the Effect of Organisation on Memory

An Investigation into the Effect of Organisation on Memory Research Previous research has been done by other psychologists into the affect of organisation on memory. In 1953 Bousfield asked participants to try and learn 60 words consisting of 4 categories, (animals, peoples names, professions and vegetables) with 15 examples of each all mixed up. Bousfield found that when participants free recalled (recalled in any order) they tended to cluster similar items, Eg; if someone recalled onion it was very likely that other vegetables followed. Although participants had not been told of the categories, the fact they recalled in clusters suggested that they had tried to organise the data. Bousfield called this trend categorical clustering. Another study took place in 1967 by Mandler, where subjects were given lists of random words and asked to sort them into a given number of categories (between 2 and 7). Once sorted the participants were asked to recall as many of the words as possible. The results showed that recall was poorest for those who used 2 categories and increased steadily by about 4 words per extra category. Those with 7 categories recalled approximately 20 more words than those who used 2. Mandler argued that the great number of categories used, the greater amount of organisation was imposed on the list. However my particular study is inspired and based on a later one by Bowers et al in 1969, in which data wads organised by conceptual hierarchy. In this study participants were required to learn a list of words which were arranged in a hierarchical structure. See appendix 1. The participants studied were split into 2 groups, on group were given the list in the correct hierarchical form, the other group were given the same words in a similar structure however the words were mixed up. Short-term memory is believed to have a capacity of 7 ±2 chunks of information, which can remain there for approximately 20 seconds without rehearsal. Chunking is a process that apparently increases the capacity of short-term memory by relating and combining the incoming information to knowledge that we already possess in long term memory. In chunking we organise information giving it a structure and meaning tit did not already have, so although we can only recall around 7 chunks a meaningful chunk can be very large Rationale ========= The results of Bowers study showed that the list organised by conceptual hierarchical order did indeed promote a higher recall of words than the list arranged in a random order. The organised list proved to have an average of 65% words recalled correctly whereas the disorganised list only recalled an average of 19% correctly. My study is based on the above conceptual hierarchy model. My model will mimic Bowers by having a main heading which splits into several subheadings in a hierarchical form, these headings will then have a list of appropriate words underneath. However, as Bower used the theme of minerals, splitting into categories such as alloys and metals etc. I am going to use the general theme of food splitting in fruits, salads and vegetables. Aim === The aim is to investigate the affect of organisation on memory by finding out if people remember more words from an organised list than they do from a disorganised list of words. Hypothesis ========== As there has been previous research into the affects of organisation on memory I will do a 1 tailed hypothesis.  ¨ People will remember more words from an organised list of words than from a disorganised, Null hypothesis ===============  ¨ There will be no difference between the number of words recalled from the organised list compared with the disorganised list. Any difference will be due to chance. Method Design ====== For this type of study into memory I will use an experimental method in the style of a laboratory experiment because I feel it is the most suitable method. It allows the precise control of variables and enables it to be replicated easily. It is the aim of this study to find out which variables are responsible for affecting memory. Its is only by the experimental method we can alter and control these variables. The design will be independent measures, which means that it consists of 2 groups of different individuals Therefore it is an independent measures design because we will obviously need 2 separate groups of individuals those who do the organised list and those who do the disorganised. The task takes place in the recreational centre in the college. This is in the participants own settings rather than in a laboratory. This should reduce the stress and pressure of the situation and promote natural behaviour. Variables ========= The variables are controlled whether the participant is given the organised list or the disorganised list to memorize.  ¨ Independent variable The independent variable is the factor which I have manipulated and controlled. In this case it is whether the list of words is organized into categories or whether it is disorganized.  ¨ Dependant variable The dependant variable is what is affected by the independent variable, it is also measurable. This is how successfully people remember. I can measure the dependent variable by recording how many words are recalled. *The two lists contain the same words, Universal words were chosen for the lists so that no one would have any expertise or advantage over anyone else. The theme of food is a universal topic that everyone has certain degree of knowledge about, less obvious everyday foods were also used to prevent people simply guessing at common foods. Sample and Participants ======================= In order to conduct my research I will need some people to study. The participants used are called a sample. The type of sample I have chosen to use is called an opportunity sample. This means that I will use anyone that is available at the time the experiment is conducted providing they are over the age of 16. I chose this method because it is the most convenient; I will study a total of 40 people. 20 will do the organised list (consisting of 10 male and 10 female) and the other 20 will do the disorgansied list (also consisting of 10 male and 10 female). The participants will all be students of Stafford College, therefore should be of similar ages and social background. Apparatus =========  ¨ Organized list Appendix 2  ¨ Disorganized list Appendix 3  ¨ Blank paper  ¨ Pen  ¨ Stopwatch Ethics ======  ¨ Participants must be over 16 years of age.  ¨ Participants should give informed consent to take part.  ¨ Confidentiality is of the utmost importance no names will be recorded  ¨ Subjects are free to withdrawn from the study at any point, even after it has been completed they can request their results are not used.  ¨ To avoid any psychological harm or damage to self-esteem, participants should be praised and thanked for taking part.  ¨ Subjects will be fully debriefed to the true nature of the study after completion. Procedure ========= The study is carried out in the recreational area of a college. Myself and my fellow researcher will approach students and by following the standard instructions (Appendix 4) will ask them if they would mind participating in the study. If they agree then they will be provided with either an organised list or a disorganised list of words to memorise. The participants are given 2 minutes to study the list of words, this is then taken off them and another 2 minutes is given for them to free recall and write down as many words as they can remember on a blank piece of paper. When this time is up each participant is fully debriefed. Each potential participant is approached addressed debriefed the same way using the prepared standardized instructions (appendix 4) This is so that what I say to each person doesnt have an influence on their behaviour or their ability to recall data. Controls All variables excluding the independent variable must be controlled and kept consistent for each participant. This will ensure the results obtained are as accurate and reliable as possible.  ¨ Each participant is given the same duration to memorize and recall the data, namely 2 minutes  ¨ The task will be carried out in the recreational area of the college for each participant.  ¨ The researcher will communicate with the participant using the prepared standardized instructions so all participants are treated the same.  ¨ Each participant will be debriefed and thanked in the same manner using the standardized instructions. Table of Results - The tables below show the number of words recalled by each participant for both the organized and disorganized list. Organized List Disorganized List Participant No. Words recalled Participant No. Words recalled 1 16 1 6 2 16 2 6 3 17 3 7 4 14 4 7 5 17 5 5 6 15 6 6 7 14 7 6 8 16 8 5 9 15 9 6 10 16 10 7 11 16 11 6 12 12 12 5 13 15 13 6 14 16 14 4 15 14 15 5 16 17 16 7 17 14 17 6 18 13 18 7 19 18 19 7 20 16 20 6 Measures of Central Tendency - Organized List Disorganized List Mean 15.35 6 Median 16 6 Mode 16 6 Range 6 3 15.35  ¾Ã‚ ¾ = 0.697 * 100 70% is the average number of words recalled from the organized list. 22 6  ¾Ã‚ ¾ = 0.272 * 100 27% is the average number of words recalled from the disorganized list. 22 Results Analysis The results displayed in the table clearly show that when words are arranged in an organized structure it does improve memory and the ability to store and recall information. The average number of words recalled from the organized list is 15.35, thats 70% of all the words recalled. Whereas the list arranged in a random order only recalled an average of 6 words, thats only 27% of the total words recalled. These figures show what an obvious effect organization imposes on memory. It seems to apparently increase memory capacity. Short-term memory has a limited capacity of approximately 7 ± 2 slots of information. This is supported by the fact that an average of 6 words were recalled from the disorganized list. However an average of 15 words were recalled from the disorganized list, this is much more data than can be stored in short term memory. This is evidence that a process called chunking took place. Chunking is a process which involves relating and combining information to knowledge already stored in long term memory. This apparently increases the capacity of short term memory by giving data a structure and meaning it did not already process therefore increasing the size of a meaningful chunk. So although we only have the ability to store 7 ± 2 slots of information in STM, A slot can be very large. In the case of the organized list, chunking would most likely occur by relating and combining the information into the already structured groups of salads, fruits and vegetables. From the results I have obtained I can confidently conclude that my hypothesis can be accepted that a greater number of words are indeed recalled from an organized list compared with the same list of words in a random order. I can therefore reject my null hypothesis that the results produced were not due to chance but due to the structure that organization imposes. Discussion -  ¨ Implications of the study My results support the hypothesis that people do indeed recall more words from an organized list than from a disorganized list. The average number of words recalled from the organized list was 15.35 compared to just 6 from the disorganized list, so this is clearly true. My study was based on a previous study by Bowers in 1969; The results I produced are comparable to those obtained by Bowers. Table comparing the result of my study and Bowers study My Study Bowers Study Average words recalled % of Words Average words recalled % of Words Organized 16.35 70% 16.9 65% Disorganized 6 27% 4.94 19% The results are quite similar although my results have a higher percentage of words recalled for both the organized and disorganized list compared to Bowers results, however it must be taken into account that more words were involved in Bowers list: 26 compared to the 22 words used on my list. This will have an affect on memory as the participant is challenged to remember more words. Also different themes were used, Bower used that of minerals Whereas mine involved food. This could affect the ability to recall especially if some of Bowers participants had more specialized knowledge then others, the same can be said for the theme of food. With these factors in mind, on the whole my results are similar to those obtained by Bowers.  ¨ Validity The study does show that organisation can aid how effectively we remember data and can be regarded as accurate and reliable. However the experimental method that was used lacks in ecological validity. Although the study took place in a recreational area, so therefore in the participants own settings, it is not however a natural everyday scenario to need to remember words in this manner, it is an artificial situation. Apart from these factors I did attempt to make the test as valid as possible. For example I tried to use everyday universal words that people would be familiar with and no one would have any particular advantage or knowledge over anyone else. Also I tried to make the variables as clear as possible because variables can affect peoples memory ie. Whether they are given the organised or disorganised list, However it is crucial that they werent told what the list is as itd give the participant some insight into the true nature of the experiment and give them an advantage. Overall, I think that my study is a good representation of the affect organisation has on memory.  ¨ Improving Validity To improve the validity of this research it needs to be performed in a more realistic scenario, an idea f this would be to change the method to make it more valid. I could do this by doing my research in the form of exam revision so it would be more like a field experiment. I could do this by creating a situation in which 2 groups are given one week to study for a small test. One group is encouraged to revise using an organised method, structured into categories and subheadings, whereas the other group are left to their own methods. Another idea is to use the same method used by Rubin and Olsen. They tried to create a valid test by asking university students to recall professor and they subjects they taught by giving one group an organised list to study and the other a list in random order.  ¨ Reliability I used the experimental method in the style of a laboratory experiment. This method is usually very reliable and accurate as it allows manipulation and full control over the variables (i.e. Whether the participant is given the organized or disorganized list) I can be fairly sure that if I repeated my research I would get very similar results to what I have obtained. I had strict controls and kept factors constant, such as time to memorize and recall, this should ensure that results recorded are accurate. I also used a set of standardized instructions and procedure which I followed when asking a student to participate, this was to make sure that what I said to each person didnt have any effect on their ability to recall words. However, the sampling method used called opportunity sampling can be seen as biased because the researcher chooses who to take part and who doesnt.  ¨ Improving Reliability To improve reliability I could have used the sampling technique of matched groups. This consists of 2 groups of people which are matched by age gender background etc. i.e. for every person there is someone to match them in the opposite group, Also I could use a wider range of participants of different ages and people from different parts of the country (they would still need to be matched for the other group) Also I could test a larger number of people than 20 per list.  ¨ Generalization of Findings A generalization could be made from my results that organization does indeed prove to increase the capacity of memory and the ability to recall. However it needs to be taken into account that the study was conducted in one small area and participants were all students of similar age and social background, so it can be argued that it is unreasonable and inaccurate to generalize and apply the results to everyone. For example, it would not be reasonable to apply the results of a small select group of young adults to the older generation. The study on the whole was not a natural scenario so it isnt reasonable to conclude that it is how people would behave in real life.  ¨ Application to Everyday Life This study could be applied to help people in everyday life. Some ideas of how it could be used is to aid in exam revision for example, by revising from notes arranged in an organised manner should organize the date in the brain and promote better recall in exams and therefore better exam results. Another idea is that it could help people with learning difficulties, if they learn from material arranged in an organized and structured format using subheadings etc it will give it a structure and meaning it did not already have and it should be easier to learn and store the information.

Punishment Quote in The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

Punishment Quote “Only the man who has enough good in him to feel the justice of the penalty can be punished; the other can only be hurt.'; This is a very interesting quote, and depending what you make of it, it can be very confusing. To most people this quote might not mean anything, but you must read it and try to understand it. Though this quote can relate to a persons personality, it also might not relate to a person at all. All people are different and think differently than others. Almost everybody in the world has a different understanding of what is wrong and what is right, and also of what should be punished and what should not be punished.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The quote “Only the man who has enough good in him to feel the justice of the penalty can be punished; the others can only be hurt,'; may have many meanings to many different people. To me this quote means that if a person does not know or does not believe that what they have done to be punished is bad, then the punishment will mean nothing to them. If the person thinks that they did nothing wrong, and thinks there is no reason for them to be punished, then the punishment will mean nothing to them. The person will gain nothing, they will gain no knowledge from their act or their punishment. There are a lot of reasons why people do not understand the concept of punishment in the world. People think very differently from others, therefore, people will have different beliefs of what is right and what is wrong. A person might consider one thing to be a wrong action and the need to be punished, while another person thinks the opposite. They might think it is not wrong and there is no need for punishment. If actions are not dealt with correctly, punishment will be of no use. People will become out of control and there will be nothing but chaos in the world we live in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This quote relates to the book, The Scarlet Letter, as well as all of its characters quite a bit. In fact the whole book, from what I have read, is mainly about punishment, while this quote is also about punishment. The main character of The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne, must deal with a major punishment for her actions. Hester Prynne realizes that what she did was wrong and she accepted the punishment willingly, she even made and sewed the “A'; herself.

The Distance that Separates us from Shakespeares Merchant of Venice Es

The Distance that Separates us from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice Without a doubt, Shylock of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice has been a subject of much controversy and debate for scholars and critics worldwide. Specifically, an element of his character that has been thoroughly reviewed is the harshness with which he proposes his bond with Antonio. As contemporary readers of the pound of flesh story we are naturally mortified by the fact that Shylock would call for such barbarous terms. What many of us do not realize is that while we might feel horror about the idea of the bond, the same is not necessarily true for an Elizabethan audience. This story has been a major source of misunderstanding for many of its readers, as it is often interpreted as a demeaning reflection of the nature of the Jew. However, a more careful look at this story, where it may have originated, and what it may have meant to a 16th century audience, may cause us to revaluate this very significant element of the play. The tracing of the possible sources of the story and the examining of the history of usury as well as its position in Elizabethan society may actually serve as testimony on behalf of Shylock and his Jewish identity. A careful look at the text In order to begin a comprehensive analysis of the pound of flesh story, it is important to first compare our reactions with those of the other characters in the play. Examining how Shakespeare has his characters respond can tell us a lot about how his audience most likely would have reacted to the same thing. If Shakespeare’s purpose for the bond was indeed to portray the Jew as vulgar and shockingly inhuman, then he would not have had his characters respond so calml... ...n our ages, the differences must be insisted upon.† He eloquently acknowledges the distance that separates us from Shakespeare and asserts that is, â€Å"When we disregard that distance, that the static of our desire to claim his as our contemporary disrupts his voice, and we listen less to his concerns than to his anticipations of our own.† Works Cited Charlton, Henry. Shakespeare’s Jew. Manchester: The Manchester University Press, 1970. Friedlander, Gerald. Shakespeare and the Jew. London: George Routledge & Sons LTD., 1921., Grebanier, Bernard. The Truth About Shylock. New York: Random House, 1962. Greenblatt, Stephen; Cohen, Walter; Howard, Jean; Maus, Katharine. The Norton Shakespeare . New York, London: W.W. Norton & Company, 1997. Watson, Alan. The Law of the Ancient Romans. Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press, 1970.

Plague - Bacillus Yersinia Pestis Essay -- Biology Medical Biomedical

Identification and Prevention of What Makes Life â€Å"Nasty, Brutish, and Short† Plague is caused by the bacterium bacillus Yersinia pestis, and is carried by rodents, fleas, and mammals. Plague takes three forms: bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic. Bubonic plague affects the lymph glands, while the pneumonic and septicemic forms affect the lungs and the blood. Today, plague can be prevented by antibiotics and strict public health measures. Three methods of controlling carriers involve sanitizing the environment, educating the public on how to prevent exposure, and using prophylactic antibiotics. â€Å"O happy posterity, who will not experience such abysmal woe and will look upon our testimony as a fable,† wrote the Florentian Renaissance author Francesco Petrarch to a friend in the midst of the Black Plague (Benedictow 3). Indeed, the Black Plague and its timeless infamy define when life was nasty, brutish, and short. Between 1346 and 1353, the Black Plague cast its dismal shadow over Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Western Asia. The plague also recurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in huge pandemics in Asia, and continues to be a threat today. The agent of plague, the bacterium bacillus Yersinia pestis, is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected fleas. Yersinia pestis is carried in the circulatory systems of chipmunks, prairie dogs, ground squirrels, mice, and other mammals. The plague is spread among humans by the inhalation of coughs of plague pneumonia. Although it is tempting to dismiss this pathogen as only active in outbreaks like the Black Death, and despite that the medical community found solutions to plague, plague continues to threaten those who live in areas of poor housing and sanitati... ...f Person-to-Person Transmission of Pneumonic Plague.† Healthcare Epidemiology. 27 July, 2006. 15 April, 2005. . Kopp, Elizabeth, and Medzhitov, Ruslan. â€Å"A Plague on Host Defense.† The Journal of Experimental Medicine. . â€Å"Plague Fact Sheet.† Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Department of Health and Human Services. 30 March, 2005. 26 July, 2006. . â€Å"Plague Prevention and Control.† Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Department of Health and Human Services. 30 March, 2005. 26 July, 2006. . VeriMed Healthcare Network. â€Å"Plague.† Medline Plus. 17 June, 2005. 26 July, 2006. .

Marriage in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Essay

The intricate nexus of marriage, money and love in Jane Austen’s society is unfolded through the development of plots and characters of her novel Pride and Prejudice. In the nineteenth century’s rural England, marriage was a woman’s chief aim, both financially and socially. Financially because of women’s dependent position marriage was the â€Å"only honourable position†, infinitely preferable to the dependence of precarious shabby-genteel spinsterhood. Money was, therefore, a very significant aspect of Austen’s society, especially when marriage was concerned. â€Å"A single man of large fortune† was naturally considered as â€Å"a nice thing† for the unmarried girls. Partners were chosen for what might now seem unemotional reasons: fortune and connections, similar to, but preferably better than one’s own. By representing a series of marriages, Austen in this novel unearths and elucidates different aspects of the role of marriage, money and love in her society. Austen was a realist and painted her time as they were. In this novel, love and money-based Darcy-Elizabeth marriage is the most successful one whereas the marriage of Elizabeth’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, is one of the faulty ones. Mr. Bennet married his wife being â€Å"captivated† and tempted by her â€Å"youth, beauty† and physical appearance. He forgot that the first appeal of a pretty face does not last long unless serenity of mind and sweetness of temper provide more enduring powers of attraction. Moreover, Mrs. Bennet inherited no property. So, form every point of view, this marriage is a failure. Mr. Bennet, therefore, always has to endure her â€Å"weak understanding†, vulgarity to such and extreme degree that he has nothing to revel in except confining himself to his library all the day, and thus eluding the necessary rituals of family and society. Charlotte’s loveless matrimony for financial security with the pompous Collins is another interesting marriage. Being twenty-seven and plain looking and realizing that it is her last chance, she accepts the grotesque Mr. Collins, to whom the role of romance and love in life is beyond the reach. He only wants a wife, because in the eyes of the society it is time for him to settle and be married. Charlotte knows that apart from some kind of security and happiness, marriage gives a woman a position. She has few hopes of happiness in marriage beyond the material comfort it can give and so she marries Collins who is inferior in intelligence, only for the ‘home and position’ he offers, as she believes â€Å"Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance†. The marriage and money theme operates in a baffling way when Elizabeth herself comes to marry. When she sees Pemberly, her ‘prejudice’ against Darcy begins to be ‘subdued’ and later by accepting him she makes the most glorious match of and of Austen’s heroines. The fact that Darcy has then thousand pounds a year is not to be ignored; it emphasizes the perfect adjustment between personal and social ambition achieved by Elizabeth. [Actually Jane Austen understood better than any other of her contemporary English novelists the degree to which social and personal behaviors and even emotion depend on the economic framework of the society.] Moreover, in her marriage with Darcy, affection and understanding, financial security and social engagement are juxtaposed. But to achieve all these material things she has never turned herself into a â€Å"husband-hunting butterfly† despite her mother’s inducement. Although she is aware of the fact that in her society a senile spinster, without any fortune, is faced with the prospect of a bleak future full of deprivation and humiliation, still she is the bold heroine who at first showed courage to refuse two marriage proposals. To Austen, sexuality was far less vital to relationships than its counterpart, affection. Therefore, Lydia’s ex-based marriage with the seductive but penniless Wickham later turns out to be an unsuccessful ones. Wickham’s plausible appearance even overwhelmed Elizabeth once. His former interest in Miss King and her â‚ ¤ 10,000 dowry alludes to the role of money in marriage. He only takes Lydia to London only for physical enjoyment. As a consequence, their marriage ends in his going â€Å"to enjoy himself in London† and Lydia’s patent failure in managing her household financially despite Darcy and Elizabeth’s continuous help. The Bingley-Jane marriage is another example of good marriage, like the Darcy- Elizabeth marriage, where mutual understanding, romance and financial  stability are combined. Their affection-based marriage works as both are perfectly amiable, modest and gentle. The established marriage of the Gardiners is too shadowy to have a dramatic role. We are only dimly aware of it as a satisfactory relationship between two apparently similar type of persons. In â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† we experience different marriages in the light of one another. Austen presents all the material for an al-round understanding and view: Jane and Elizabeth, combing love and marriage, Charlotte marries for safety, Lydia repenting at leisure. The married couples are equally varied, from well-matched like the Gardiners to ill-suited like the Bennets. The novel says in effect that the real object of love and marriage is not only financial security or physical passion or romance, but also the self-development that true relationships bring about. A marriage can only become an institution when it provides for the fulfillment of both men and women’s aspirations, sanctified by love and validated by prudence that both Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Collins can live on, the former drinking deep draughts of life’s fullness, the later continuing to sip its littleness. The richness of Pride and Prejudice lies in that exploration of life and marriage by Jane Austen.

Teenage pregnancy in Croydon – literature review and research outline

Research studies have suggested that teenage pregnancy is a major global issue and it needs to be addressed accurately due to the health, social and economic risks associated with this issue (Baker, 2007; Roth et al., 2009; Kamberg, 2012). Decline in the number of teenage pregnancies have been reported as a result of the strategies undertaken by governing bodies across Europe to reduce the number of unplanned teenage conceptions. However, England still has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies which are mostly unplanned (Teenage Pregnancy Associates, 2011). Teenage pregnancies are a major cause of poor health conditions in teen mothers and their babies, it have an adverse economic impact and play a crucial role in increasing child poverty (WHO, 2012). According to a recent press release, London Borough of Croydon recorded 50% reduction in the teenage conceptions; however, the borough is still amongst the regions with highest teenage pregnancy rate (Croydon, 2012). In order to further reduce the rate of teenage pregnancies in Borough of Croydon it is crucial to identify the factors causing the increase in teenage conceptions. Therefore, the aim of this research study is to effectively recognize the factors causing increase in teenage pregnancies in the London Borough of Croydon and the chosen organisation is Croydon Health Services NHS Trust. The research objectives are: * To identify the factors causing increase in teenage pregnancies through literature. * To identify the factors causing increase in teenage pregnancies in the London Borough of Croydon. * To identify the strategies that could be adopted by the governing bodies in London Borough of Croydon to address the issues of increasing teenage pregnancies. 1. LITERATURE REVIEW 1. Individual Factors Research studies have suggested that individual factors play an important role in teenage conceptions (Imamura et al., 2007). Children of teenage lone mothers are more vulnerable to become teenage parents (Botting et al. 1998). Members of some certain ethnic groups such as Caribbean and Asian are more likely to become teenage parents in comparison to white teenagers (Botting et al., 1998; Berthoud, 2001). Underperforming children at school who show little or no interest in learning and eventually drops out at early ages are also at a risk of becoming teenage parents (Kiernan, 1995). Research evidences have suggested that increased number of teenage pregnancies have also been observed in young children living in care or those who leave care (Imamura et al., 2007). According to Haldre et al. (2009) alcohol abuse in the family and lower levels of sexual knowledge also lead to higher number of teenage pregnancies. 1. Socio- Economic Factors According to Baker (2007), socio-economic disadvantages are one of the major causes of teenage pregnancies. Teenagers who are detached or detach themselves from the society as a result of discrimination or lack of support from the society are highly vulnerable to early pregnancies. Social disadvantages as identified by England’s Social Exclusion Unit includes unemployment, poor quality of health, living in deprived areas, having lower levels of skills, poor housing facilities, family fall outs and low income (SEU, 2001). Gruber (2009) argued that individuals become socially disadvantaged when they are denied their basic rights and the opportunities to become an active part of the society which leas to involvements in crimes and other illegal activities. Research studies have suggested that children of socially disadvantaged young parents live in poverty (Baker, 2007). However, not many evidences are present in the literature about the contribution of poverty to teenage pregnancies and this area needs more exploration. According to a research study by Arai (2009), poverty is common in households where the head of the household is a teenager. MacPhail and Campbell (2001) identified that poverty pose an influential impact on the decisions of teenagers to buy contraceptives leading to unintended teenage pregnancies which further leads to lack of finance and support. Trapani (1999) found out that in most cases of teenage pregnancies boyfriends of teenage pregnant girls hesitate from taking the responsibility of the child due to its impact on their educational and employment opportunities. This rejection from partners can cause depression in teenage mothers and their children could significantly suffer in many ways as a result of this depression. It is clear from the preliminary literature review that individual, social and economic factors play an important role in increased number of teenage conceptions. Recent reports published by NHS suggest that government has taken a number of steps to reduce teenage pregnancies; however, despite of these measures the success rate is low. This leads to the formulation of the research question for this study which is to understand why is teenage pregnancy increasing and what more factors are contributing to this problem in addition to the ones identified by previous research studies 1. METHODOLOGY 1. Research Philosophy and Approach Positivist research philosophy has been adopted for this research study. Positivist research philosophy will allow gathering quality data, having high validity in a natural setting (Belk, 2008). Research approach can be inductive or deductive depending upon the type of the research study and for this qualitative research study inductive research approach has been adopted. The advantages of inductive research approach include its flexibility and its supportive framework that effectively allows the formulation of new models (Monsen and Horn, 2007). 1. Research Strategy An exploratory case study research strategy has been undertaken for the accomplishment of the aim of this research study because of its effectiveness in exploring the problem understudy and because of its proficiency in unveiling new issues (Walsh and Wigens, 2003). This research strategy is extremely time consuming and provides no control over the information provided by the participants; however, according to Kumar (2008) the researcher can effectively overcome these problems through his/her competent research skills. 1. Data Collection and Analysis Primary as well as secondary data will be collected for this research study. Secondary data will be collected from the reports published by NHS, books, journals and news articles. Both the qualitative and quantitative sources of information will be explored. The advantages of include time effectiveness, cost effectiveness and the ease of access to the information. Invalid or incomplete pieces of information and possible confusion due to the availability of huge amount of information are few limitations of this data collection method (Kumar, 2011). Primary data will be collected by conducting semi- structured interviews because of its efficacy in establishing an informal two way conversation between the researcher and the participant (Carter and Thomas, 1997). Data will be analysed in a step wise manner (Maykut and Morehouse, 1994). Firstly all the responses will be carefully examined followed by the unitization and categorisation of different pieces of information. Finally the responses will be interpreted. 1. Target Population and Access The target population for this research study are the pregnant teenagers attending antenatal clinics in Croydon and the sample size would be 15. Initially contact over the phone was established with a supervisor of midwives to arrange a meeting in order to explain the benefits of this research study. It was decided in the meeting that the invitation for participating in the research study will be given to the pregnant teenagers by the midwives attending antenatal clinics in local medical practices. Pregnant teenagers willing to participate will be given a date and time for the interviews after consulting the researcher and all the interviews will take place in a room within the medical practices so that an assuring environment could be provided to the participants. 1. Ethical Considerations Participation will be voluntary, anonymity will be maintained, information about the study will be provided to the participants and written consents will be taken prior to the interviews. Information collected will only be used by the researcher. 1. Validity, Reliability and Generalisability To maintain the reliability and validity of the data all the measures will be taken to avoid the chances of errors during face-to-face interviews and when analysing the data. Generalisability is the potential limitation of the research study as the results might not completely reflect the condition in other Boroughs of England. 1. CONCLUSION In conclusion, despite of the limitation this research study will effectively contribute towards the information present in the literature about the factors causing the increase in the number of teenage conceptions.