Franchisees are an important source of innovation Article

Franchisees are an important source of innovation - Article Example Next, it contemplates on how innovation has become a complex question and tries to explain it through the various models of innovation. Lastly, the various sources through which a franchising organization can practice innovation have been discussed. The franchising organization is one in which the franchisee has purchased the rights to use the business methods, ideas and values that the franchisor has built for his company, organization, product or shop. It is like a person sells his business philosophy to another. The franchisee usually opens up the franchise in some other geographical location than the one where the original brand exists. This actually lays the foundation for the franchisee to use innovation within the franchise. When the franchise will be in a different geographical location, the customers who will be coming to that franchise will be totally different, culture-wise, social-wise, and behavioural-wise. Thus, to bring changes within the franchise system would become easy. Examples of franchises are McDonalds (the food industry), Benetton (the clothing industry), the Starbucks (the food industry), television shows like Pop Idol, Who Wants to be a Millionaire (the media industry), Body Shop (the cosmetics industry), Onebiz Group (consultancy franchisee) and others. Therefore, be it be any industry, the franchising option is available to all and sundry. This is because franchising is a form of business beneficial to both the franchisee and the franchisor. The franchisee-franchisor relationship is complex, yet it is made up of basic components. Some of the basics of the brands of the franchisor need to be the same, so as to not eliminate the essence of the original brand. The various rights that the franchisee gets are that he can distribute the products of the franchisor, use the same techniques which they use to produce the products or market them. Moreover, even trademarks and patents are shared, since the franchisee becomes a representative of the franchisors product in some other geographical region. But when it comes to the invaluable intangible goods like trademarks and patents, the franchisee has to pay a certain amount of monthly fees for using them. This fee is separate from the fees that has to be paid for such rights in the first place. (Cox, 2007) Training is also one of the major things which the franchisor makes available to the franchisee as part of the rights that he gets. The franchisee-franchisor agreements will co ntinue for minimum five years and maximum thirty years, after which the agreement will have to be renewed, if felt suitable by both the parties. In cases where the franchisee does misuse of the rights granted to him by the franchisor, the agreement has such clauses through which it can be easily terminated, for the benefit of the franchisor. INNOVATION In a world of intense competition, where companies are going global and where numerous companies are making strenuous efforts to get the attention of the consumer, it is immensely important to differentiate oneself from the rest so as to become noticeable. Consumers are the one who decide the brand or the company which is the market leader. It is the sales of the product which will ultimately make a product gain market share and then declare itself as the market leader, chosen by the customers themselves. For this purpose, it is extremely essential to get inside the minds of the consumer so as to

Essay on video games violence Essay Example for Free

Essay on video games violence Essay The gaming industry greatly impacts how people, from young children to adults, spend their time. According to Health Magazine (2009), â€Å"90 percent of kids aged 8 to 16 play video games, and they spend about 13 hours per week doing so (more if you’re a boy). † Whether its educational, or just plain fun and entertainment video games have evolved greatly in the last 40 years. Today’s sophisticated games are in a class of it’s own with it’s realism and impressive graphics. With this ever advancing technology, comes better games with realistic situations. There’s no harm in playing video games for recreation. However, the problem lies within the violent video games and the aggression that these video games cause in children. For years researchers and experts have issued studies linking video games to aggressive behavior. It’s a controversial subject, nonetheless, it shows just how powerful the affect the games have on children. To illustrate, CBSnews. com reports a story of a 17 year who bought the popular game, â€Å"Grand Theft Auto†. In this game, the player is encouraged to do as much illegal activity and engage in as much violent behavior as they can to be rewarded with accolades and higher points. The more heinous the act, the higher you move up in the game. After playing this game for nine months, the 17 year old gunned down three men, two police officers and a dispatcher in a county jail, in the same style he was trained from the video game. In the kids statement to police, he said : â€Å"Life is like a video game. Everybody’s got to die sometime. † This is just one example of aggressive behavior as a result of violent video games, but there are many more cases. Children’s minds are very impressionable, and violent video games are harmful to their minds because of how interactive and realistic these games can be. According to research by child psychologist David Walsh, as further reported in the article, violent video games can be linked to physical aggressive behavior in children because of the brain. His study revealed that the teenage brain is not fully developed. Violent video games have a deeper impact on a teenage brain versus an adult brain. Walsh further states, it’s â€Å"largely because the teenage brain is different from the adult brain. The impulse control center of the brain, the part of the brain that enables us to think ahead, consider consequences, manage urges thats the part of the brain right behind our forehead called the prefrontal cortex. Thats under construction during the teenage years. In fact, the wiring of that is not completed until the early 20s. Therefore, since children’s mind are still underdeveloped, violent video games have a negative effect and cause children to believe aggression is appropriate. From the National Institute on Media and Family, six medical groups issue warnings as to the effects that violence has on children: (1) â€Å"Children will increase anti-social and aggressive behavior. (2)Children may become less sensitive to violence and those who suffer from violence. (3) Children may view the world as violent and mean, becoming more fearful of being a victim of violence. (4) Children will desire to see more violence in entertainment and real life. (5) Children will view violence as an acceptable way to settle conflicts. † From studies to real life examples of violent behavior, video games has shown to have an influence on children’s behavior. Violent video games will not be going away anytime soon. The only solution to combat the issue of violent video games is for parents to be actively involved in their children’s free time and take an interest in what their children play. Once parents are informed on their decisions to allow their children to play violent video games, they will know that if choosing violence, it will have an effect on the impressionable child mind.Parents beware. References Harding, A. (2008). Violent video games linked to child aggression. Health Magazine. Retrieved from http://www. cnn. com/2008/HEALTH/family/11/03/healthmag. violent. video. kids/ Bradley, E. (2005). Can a video game train someone to kill? Retrieved from http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2005/03/04/60minutes/main678261. shtml 2010. Fact Sheet. National Institute on Media and the Family. Retrieved from http://www. mediafamily. org/facts/facts_vlent. shtml.

Retrospective Narration in A Rose for Emily Essay -- A Rose for Emily,

Retrospective Narration in A Rose for Emily â€Å"Now and then we would see her in one of the downstairs windows—she had evidently shut up the top floor of the house—like the carven torso of an idol in a niche, looking or not looking at us, we could never tell which. Thus she passed from generation to generation—dear, inescapable, impervious, tranquil, and perverse.† (128) Because â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is narrated in retrospect, this description of Miss Emily’s relationship with the town possesses a kind of foreshadowing not always present in stories narrated as the action unfolds. Each word takes on added meaning given that the narrator already know about Homer Barron and the room upstairs. Thinking back, the narrator recalls, â€Å"Now and then we would see her in one of the downstairs windows.† Likely, it only occurred to the narrator after learning about Homer Barron that Miss Emily was always in a downstairs window. In fact, earlier in the story, the narrator only says that â€Å"a window that had been dark was lighted and Miss Emily sat in it† when the men of the won sprinkled lime around her house to kill the offensive smell that emanated from it. He does not specify where in her house the window was. Moreover, he declares that Miss Emily â€Å"had evidently shut up the top floor.† Obviously, it was only â€Å"evident† that Miss Emily had closed off the upstairs of her home after her death when the townspeople forced their way into the house, up the stairs, and into the tomb-like room where the body of Homer Barron lay. This passage also plays with the notion of seeing and being seen, the ambiguity of watching and being watched. The narrator states, â€Å"Now and then we would see her.† He goes on to explain that whether Miss Emily was â€Å"look... ...tate when she buys the arsenic to poison Homer Barron, nor is it her state when she refuses to let her father’s dead body be removed from the house. Finally, â€Å"perverse† confuses the reader until she reaches the end of the story. At the point where this passage occurs, Miss Emily seems a bit odd and, perhaps, insane, but there is nothing to indicate that she is â€Å"perverse.† The narrator already knows of Miss Emily’s â€Å"perverse† actions; thus, this serves as further foreshadowing of the townspeople’s discovering Homer’s body and apparent evidence of Miss Emily sleeping with it until her death. While a short passage, this one illustrates the nature of the story itself. The narrator tells the tale in retrospect, thus possessing knowledge that the reader does not. It is for this reason that the narrator reveals aspects of the story that foreshadow the grand finale. Retrospective Narration in A Rose for Emily Essay -- A Rose for Emily, Retrospective Narration in A Rose for Emily â€Å"Now and then we would see her in one of the downstairs windows—she had evidently shut up the top floor of the house—like the carven torso of an idol in a niche, looking or not looking at us, we could never tell which. Thus she passed from generation to generation—dear, inescapable, impervious, tranquil, and perverse.† (128) Because â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is narrated in retrospect, this description of Miss Emily’s relationship with the town possesses a kind of foreshadowing not always present in stories narrated as the action unfolds. Each word takes on added meaning given that the narrator already know about Homer Barron and the room upstairs. Thinking back, the narrator recalls, â€Å"Now and then we would see her in one of the downstairs windows.† Likely, it only occurred to the narrator after learning about Homer Barron that Miss Emily was always in a downstairs window. In fact, earlier in the story, the narrator only says that â€Å"a window that had been dark was lighted and Miss Emily sat in it† when the men of the won sprinkled lime around her house to kill the offensive smell that emanated from it. He does not specify where in her house the window was. Moreover, he declares that Miss Emily â€Å"had evidently shut up the top floor.† Obviously, it was only â€Å"evident† that Miss Emily had closed off the upstairs of her home after her death when the townspeople forced their way into the house, up the stairs, and into the tomb-like room where the body of Homer Barron lay. This passage also plays with the notion of seeing and being seen, the ambiguity of watching and being watched. The narrator states, â€Å"Now and then we would see her.† He goes on to explain that whether Miss Emily was â€Å"look... ...tate when she buys the arsenic to poison Homer Barron, nor is it her state when she refuses to let her father’s dead body be removed from the house. Finally, â€Å"perverse† confuses the reader until she reaches the end of the story. At the point where this passage occurs, Miss Emily seems a bit odd and, perhaps, insane, but there is nothing to indicate that she is â€Å"perverse.† The narrator already knows of Miss Emily’s â€Å"perverse† actions; thus, this serves as further foreshadowing of the townspeople’s discovering Homer’s body and apparent evidence of Miss Emily sleeping with it until her death. While a short passage, this one illustrates the nature of the story itself. The narrator tells the tale in retrospect, thus possessing knowledge that the reader does not. It is for this reason that the narrator reveals aspects of the story that foreshadow the grand finale.

Change Management in Organizations dependency on Leadership Essay

This paper seeks to establish how change can be effectively introduced to the challenging global business environment of today. However, to establish this, one has to first understand what a change management strategy is and to critically analyze the key composition of an ideal change management strategy and figure out how they relate to the question at hand. Conspicuously, change management strategy is a systematic approach to making adjustments to the application of a set of tools, processes or skills during a project or initiative. Through the application of its controlled processes and a wide variety of set tools that are utilized for purposes of leading organizations into achieving their forecasted and desired outcomes. From the aforementioned definition, we are able to decipher that: the change management process is an integral aspect of performance of organizations that is vital in ensuring its success and on the offset; it describes the driving force towards adoption and the usage of new strategies so that results of a business can be realized CITATION Hor08 l 1033 (Hornstein, 2008 ). The change management strategy process consists of mainly 3 processes that are instrumental in realizing desired business results. The change strategy process has three components outlined as: preparing for change where, one is required to prepare for the change that is about to occur. It entails defining the correct management strategy that is best suited to achieving the desired results of the organization. One has to prepare his/her change management team that will be influential in achieving the desired results of the change management strategy CITATION Sur04 l 1033 (Surendra & Wulonng, 2004). The last thing is to develop a sponsorship model for the strategy. Secondly, there is change management; once the change management strategy has been invented, then the change management plans must be developed so as to realize the desired results in the change management strategy. This entails taking action and implementing plans that are in the change management strategy and instilling them with a great amount of discipline CITATION Aqu14 l 1033 (Aquila, 2014). Thirdly, reinforcing change where one has to collect and analyze the feedback from those that the change has affected. Diagnosing of gaps and managing of resistance is also of importance in reinforcing change. One should then implement corrective actions and celebrate successes that the change management strategy has brought about. A great deal of organizations embark on initiatives to ensure the success of their change management strategy with an inference to their commonly associated benefits that are outlined as cost reductions and timely product or service delivery, however, majority of these organizations come to acknowledge that a having a factual CMS in place does not in any way resolve their organizational operational issues CITATION Cap14 l 1033 (Capelli, 2014). In many circumstances, corporations are engaged in the hiring of only a select few project managers and in return expect that this bunch of professionals will magically transform their idea and deliver the beneficial aspects of contingent Project Methodology CITATION Dew12 l 1033 (Dewhurst, Harris, & Heywood, 2012 ). In actuality, a great deal of this organizations only get to learn that through inadequate planning their set projects do get delivered though they involve incoherent processes, are guided by ineffective methodology structures, not delivered in good timelines or their financial estimations are over budget and to top it all off, varied aspect of an implementation process are guided by poor management strategies and their performance reporting data is not recorded CITATION Kat14 l 1033 (Katz, 2014). Once the conceptualizing idea in a project is not clearly set out, several projects being guided a particular department will ideally exhibit the aforementioned aspects of poor change management process; the problems exhibited can only be remedied through exquisite leadership within organizations. In circumstances where a particular change management strategy is not being conceptualized, four basic issues are usually evident CITATION Agu14 l 1033 (Aguire & Alpern, 2014). Firstly, the organi zation lacks overall accountability envisions with regards lack proper recording of what exactly when into accounting and time delivery aspects of a project. The management departments of organizations that exhibit poor accountability in most cases are engaged in laying the blame of failure on someone else within the organization CITATION Kat08 l 1033 (Katzenbach, Rutrger, & Thomas, 2008). Secondly, there is the aspect of work effort of individuals undertaking a particular project is significantly overlapped thus pushing these people into a continuous rework process until desired results are attained. In this case, what usually leads to the development of this pattern is the fact that the knowledge base of an organization is not fully analyzed before the delegation of works according to the specific qualifications of an individual. It thus sets off a wheel of events which means that the organization will have to start again thus wasting labor and man hours CITATION Ken09 l 1033 (Kenflent, 2009). Inconsistent metrics and reporting comes third in this list where poor decision-making is highly probable thus making a benchmarking process in the implementation of a project virtually impossible. It is gambling with the investment of a company where one who is totally unfamiliar with the other players on a poker deck but still goes ahead to make play with the expectation of g obbling up the spoils. Therefore, this means that being a new player in a very different field will make it very hard for one to fit completely as many challenges will be posed. Lastly, this organizations exhibit all aspects if poor coordination of projects that involves cooperation between departments within an organization there envisioning equally poor organizational support CITATION Llo12 l 1033 (Llopis, 2012). The lack of teamwork and proper communication structures within an organization is a pivotal step that determines the failure or success of a project. Therefore, in order to establish how change can be effectively introduced to the challenging global business environment of today, one has to overcome the challenges that have been posed by implementing the key elements of a CMS. These elements are outlined as: the Need for Urgency-an organizational burning platform exists when maintaining the status quo becomes prohibitively expensive. Major change is always costly, but when the present course of action is even more expensive, a burning platform situation erupts CITATION Cus14 l 1033 (Cusumano, 2014). Create a sense of urgency based on the company’s financial performance, competitive edginess and proper market positioning and finally staying abreast with developments in technological trends. Second is proper leader identification. Organizations should be keen on sourcing the ideal change leader with their desired set of skills so that the initiative of change can be conceptualized in a professional manner where timelines of d elivery are given close analysis. However, success of projects is not only conceptualized through organizations having godly-leaders at the helm but with a combination of competent support professionals who will be instrumental in steering the organization to its desired achievements CITATION Kap13 l 1033 (Kaplan, 2013). Secondly, workforce motivation is something that organizations need to channel their concentration on so as to conceptualize change story that will impact on employees positively, for before you get buy-in process, people need to feel the problem that is at hand. People are not going to consider anything until they are convinced that there is a problem that truly needs to be addressed CITATION Din06 l 1033 (Dinsmore & Cooke-Davies, 2006). Establishing a motivational point is critical in establishing a correlation point for the implementation process that will involve people who are knowledgeable about the organization’s need for change. Once this has been established the company already established a buy-in and understanding for its employee thus they get acclimatized with the roles they play in the organization. Third, clearly setting out visions and values is influential in creating a picture of desired set goals for the future success of the organization. Corporations shoul d therefore go out of their way to give its employees as sense of corporate belonging thus establishing an enduring purpose for not only themselves but also the organization at large. The lack of a clearly defined vision could lead to misinterpretation of change efforts in an organization thus steering projects in the opposite direction. Communication is another aspect propelling requisite change management strategies within organizations in the current business industry. Throughout the implementation process of an idea within an organization, people within an organization need to be informed constantly so as to create an environment of inclusiveness thus steer them with the momentum for progress and success of their work CITATION Har12 l 1033 (Harrington, 2012). Communicate this information broadly and dramatically, especially with respect to crises, potential crises etc. To successfully implement change initiatives, leaders of organizations need to play the role of communicating to employees effectively about every development progress of a project. Next is line is the need for leaders to have an eye for inconsistency lookout where the change leader needs to be on the consistent lookout for any inconsistencies that may arise due to the results from the change. Whenever any inconsistencies arise, they should be proa ctively dealt with without any delay CITATION Sir05 l 1033 (Sirkin, Keenan, & Jackson, 2005). Lastly, the general aspect of implementation and reinforcement of ideas is what actually determines what succeeds and what fails. In most cases, moving away from the traditional ways and culture of undertaking business is a problem that comes up every now and then when a change management strategy is being conceptualized. It is therefore the duty of leaders to ensure that the operations of employees are monitored throughout the implementation process and guide them in the right direction in situations where they veer off the correct course. References Aguire, D., & Alpern, M. (2014). 10 Principals of Leading Change Management . Strategy + Business , 75-82. Aquila, K. (2014, January 9). Quotas for female board members look like a toad too far. Retrieved January 10, 2015, from The Financial Times : http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e06ac8bc-784a-11e3-831c-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2rEx8m1lp. Capelli, P. (2014, February 5). Work Classifiaction In the Work Environment . Retrieved January 10, 2015, from The Economist : http://www.economist.com/node/341352 Cusumano, T. (2014). Change Strategies of 10 Corporate Firms of UK . London : Puferntred Publications . Dewhurst, M., Harris, J., & Heywood, S. (2012 ). The Global Company’s Challenge . McKinsey Quaterly , 7-10. Dinsmore, P. C., & Cooke-Davies, T. (2006). The Right Projects, Done Right . San Francisco : Jossey Bass. Harrington, J. (2012). The Face for Organizational Change . Welton Planning Monthly , 12-17. Hornstein, H. (2008 ). Using a Change Management Approach to Implement Programs . Ivey Business Journal , 14-21. Kaplan, R. (2013). Leadership Skills for Change . Business Weekly , 23-42. Katz, R. (2014, August 19). The global talent index report: The outlook to 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2015, from Heidrick & Struggles: (http://www.economistinsights.com/sites/default/files/downloads/GTI%20FINAL%20REPORT%205.4.11.pdf Katzenbach, J. R., Rutrger, P. V., & Thomas, J. (2008). The Critical Few: Components of a Truly Effective Culture. New York: Barnes & Noble. Kenflent, W. (2009). Culture Blame within Organizations . London : Routledge . Llopis, G. (2012, April 11). 5 Most Effective Ways to Sell Change . Retrieved January 10, 2015, from Forbes : http:www.foprbes.com/5+mot+effectyive+ways/23eds54 Sirkin, H., Keenan, P., & Jackson, A. (2005). The Hard Side of Change Management . Harvard Business Review , 163. Surendra, G., & Wulonng, G. (2004). The Effect of Organizational Innovation and Information Technology on Firm Performance. Quebec : Welton Sox . Source document

How Internet Advertising Affects the Customer Essay

The World Wide Web has emerged to be one of the greatest revolutions to business advertising and other forms of advertisements. Internet advertising is the use of the Internet on the global basis to promote and market products, brands, services, business groups or even announcements through the communication with customers online. Businessmen focused on making higher profits have put a little more emphasis on the Internet advertising and this is due to the fact that many people are accessing the Internet for their business needs (Wasiak, 2010). Electronic commerce enabled by the Internet allows business transaction to be done online. Many products are sold online through the Internet and this is because of the massive advertisement that is done on the Internet. Advertisement is one of the most crucial processes in the marketing of a product or service. It serves as a tool for making decisions on what good or service is of good quality to the consumer and the households. Some times back, advertisement was done through mass media, bill boards and use of other communication media like the television and the radio (Sheumaker & Wajda, 2009, p. 14). Most people used the magazines to get information as it was what they could afford and most customers could read the new brand products in the market through the advertisements that were being done at the magazines (Clemons, 2009). This paper explores the merits and demerits in Internet advertising as it applies to the customers and seeks to provide recommendations and suggestions for further research. How Internet Advertising Affects the Customer Introduction The modern world of information age has seen the Internet as one of the widely used forms of communication. The Internet has also modeled trusteeship among large numbers of people even those from different continents. Today, businesses can now be transacted through the Internet with much ease and fast speed. In the present world, almost three quarters of the entire world population can access the Internet. This has made Internet advertisement to become common and has benefited sellers to sell their goods and services online. Internet advertising has brought significant impacts to the consumers. It has affected the customers both positively and negatively in several ways. Of specific importance, it should be understood that Internet advertisement has really pushed the financial markets of specific nations to a higher notch and thus leading to the growth of the economy (Clemons, 2009). One of the advantages of Internet advertising to the customers is the fact that it reaches a larger audience than any other form of advertisement. Majority of individuals, particularly the customers are at the peak of Internet use to find the best goods of the best quality to purchase. As advertisements reach a large number of customers, these same customers can share the information on a certain product discovering more about the benefits or the dangers of a given product. As Wasiak puts it, â€Å"Social media has changed the way people interact amongst themselves and with their media† (Wasiak, 2010). This is common among pharmaceutical products where Internet advertisements have provided a slot for patients’ forums. This is also beneficial to product makers as they realize privileges when a large number of customers from all parts of the world are able to have a look at their product type and makes purchases. Internet advertising is perhaps the most cost effective for producers and sellers. Since Internet tools used for advertisements are increasingly getting cheaper, customers can get access to information on a variety of products from different companies and make comparisons. Internet advertisements are usually done through many ways. A website can be created about a specific company and the goods and services that it offers can be listed on that website. The producers can also program pop-up windows that are programmed to pop up whenever specific websites are opened. At the same time, Internet advertising can be done by sending customers messages to their mail boxes telling them about the benefits or the quality of a new brand of good in the market (Wasiak, 2010). While messages and the pop-ups may irritate the users of the Internet, they mean so much to willing and interested customers to have a keen look at the product or service being advertised. A good businessman is one who uses the least cost possible in the production of his goods and services. Advertisement falls under the channel of production and Internet advertising is one of the least cost effective methods of advertising. The use of other forms of advertisement like the televisions and other media has become too expensive for a rational producer and more so, it reaches only local customers. The cheapness of Internet advertising has made it to be very popular among many people in the whole world (Clemons, 2009). With the Internet advertising, many companies and producers are able to establish various statistics that can be of help to the improvement of their services and quality of the goods. This implies that all the features of the Internet advertising can be traced by the people placing those advertisements on the Internet. These features can be tested and measured and consumers or consumers can find enough data for analysis in order to establish critical information about the companies they are trading with. Some websites allow consumers of a certain product fill a form of client satisfaction and this greatly improves on product quality improvement. The improvement of the quality of products is of direct benefits to the consumers or customers (Wasiak, 2010). Customers are able to access information on the number of people purchasing a particular product, the negative responses about particular goods and services, the recommendations posted on the websites by customers and many more. This data or statistics is very necessary not only to the producers or the advertisers but also the customers. Internet advertising helps to improve the standards of advertisement as information about a particular product is available and the customer can find more about the product with just a few mouse clicks. Unlike in bill board advertisement where customers can see a new brand of a product being advertised and plan to check the details later, Internet advertising is all about a click of a mouse and everything will be at the eyes of the customer(Clemons, 2009). While Internet advertising offers significant benefits to the customers, it has the capacities to ruin the tastes and preferences of customers. Although the advantages of Internet advertising overweigh the disadvantages, specific limitations of advertising through the Internet have to be appreciated as well. For instance, the customers suffer a lot of mind torture trying to create the real picture of the goods being advertised on the Internet. An eligible customer would want to touch, feel and even taste the good before deciding to go for it in the market. This is one capacity the Internet advertising is lacking which is very vital in the convincing the mind of the customer to buy the good. This however does not really affect the sales and purchases of goods and services that are advertised on the Internet. A customer builds trust of a website and trusts whatever he or she is being told about the good or service. The choice is still for the customer to decide whether he will buy the product or not (Wasiak, 2010). During the age of the radio and television advertisements, the marketing function gained a lot of popularity (Sheumaker & Wajda, 2009, p. 114). There have been many questions as whether the Internet advertising will have a big impact on the marketing of goods and services as the radio and television advertisement did. Many people still have doubts whether Internet advertising would ever be as popular as radio and television. Perhaps it may never bring a greater impact on the customers as radio and television advertisements have done. This observation can be justified while thinking on the basis of a developing world where Internet access is still a challenge. It should be well understood that Internet access among customers is key for successful marketing. Without Internet connection, the customers will not get critical information about a particular product the customers on the choice of good to buy (Sheumaker & Wajda, 2009, p. 114). Another effect the Internet advertisements have had on the customer is that they have been so successful in the persuasion of a customer to make a first instance purchase of a good or a service. It is so clear that a consumer can opt to buy a good or even a service at the first instance he or she sees the advert on the website. This is so unlike for the bill board advertisements and other forms of advertisements. The customer can see an advert of a commodity on a bill board advert, and decide to come back for the details later. But for the Internet advertising, the customer can choose to buy the product on the first instance he or she sees the advert on the Internet (Sheumaker & Wajda, 2009, p. 116). The problem is whether the customer will come back to another time for the second time to purchase more products. Retention of a customer is one of the motives of a producer or anyone advertising a specific product. It can be difficult for one to retain a customer online, but if, the customer decides to come back or not to (Clemons, 2009). Spending time online is another effect of Internet advertising to a customer. For a loyal customer, he or she must spend most of her entire life on the Internet trying to see and compare the brand types and prices of different goods and services in order to pick the good or service with the best quality at the least cost possible. This is one effect of the Internet advertising that most customers have grown to live with. Spending most time on the Internet has its own disadvantage to the lives of the customers. It really deprives them of time to do other things or activities of their lives. This means that even some very important schedules have to be ignored and one to concentrate on other important matters. A customer is to pick the best alternative, whether to be at the Internet and try to see whatever is being advertised or attend to other social matters. Statistics show that a customer spends 5. 3 percent of his entire life on the Internet (Sheumaker & Wajda, 2009, p. 118). This is not healthy for a normal individual. Internet advertising has made work very easy for many customers and clients in getting very essential services like the booking of flights and even the booking of hotels and lodges. With the Internet advertising, a tourist in America can now book his flight in the house, book his hotel lodge in Africa in his house. This is so unlike what used to happen long time ago when Internet advertising did not exist. Had the Internet advertising not been there, tourists would be forced to reach their destination first before heading to the hotel to book for their accommodation (Wasiak, 2010). Internet advertising has made it very easy for other clients to get services done at the most convenient time possible. This has often saved a lot of time and expenses for the customer he or she could have incurred if the Internet advertising had not been there. The occurrence of Internet advertising is possible due to the fact that there are many goods that are being sold on the Internet and so many services being offered. To create an awareness of the presence of such goods and services, the producers of the sellers of such goods and services must advertise them to their online customers. Conclusion and Recommendations In conclusion, Internet advertisements have taken the storm of all business advertising in the modern world. The contributions of Internet advertising to the customers have widely been appreciated. However, while customers online have gained extensively from the Internet advertisements, there are other negative effects that the Internet advertising has brought to them. Many companies have invested intensively in Internet business advertisements so as to reap the maximum benefits brought by the technology of Internet advertising. However, security threats emanating from malicious attackers and hackers have compromised the smooth development in Internet advertisements and purchases. In some cases, there are different personalities who personify themselves as sellers online and cheat people to rob them of their money. It is not so common but when it happens it is disastrous. Despite all these, many customers have been motivated to buy online. Women most especially who used to be very afraid of using their credit cards online today they are the most leading in number to use the Internet to buy products of their choice. Companies have therefore the responsibility of improving their sites by enhancing them with antivirus software such as McAfee to keep off attackers and make customers to buy and sell online without any fear of being robbed of their money. Generally, Internet advertising has brought a lot of impacts to the customers and the consumers in general. Despite a few cases of the disadvantages of the online advertisement, it has really helped in pushing the marketing sector into higher notches. It has really facilitated trade between continents on a greater perspective as it was never expected before and this has been due to the wider audience that receives the adverts that are being posted on the Internet. Therefore, Internet advertising can be said to have helped many customers in terms of purchases and in many other positive ways.

Don Pedro Paterno Essay Example

Don Pedro Paterno Essay Example Don Pedro Paterno Paper Don Pedro Paterno Paper He was the 13th child from the rich and well-known family of Don Maxima Pattern and Dona Carmen De Vera Gigantic. He finished a degree of Bachelor en Rates at Atone De Manila and graduated with honors. He continued studying at Unlaundered De Salesmans with a degree In Theology and Philosophy. Then he transferred to unlaundered Central in Madrid where he graduated with a Masters Degree In Law In the year 1880. When he came back to the Philippines, he served as a mediator during the peace negotiation between Spain and Philippines. He said that we should give Spain a chance because they were associated with us for more than a hundred years. But, the Flossing disagreed because they wanted to fully end everything In a violent way. He was a poet and a writer. He was the flirts Filipino to write an opera in the Filipino language entitled, Sandstone Panging. He also made some literary works such as, Sympathies y Poesies Varies and Poesies Lyrical y Dramatics. During the evolution, he became one of the most prominent persons during the proclamation of the First Philippine Republic. He was elected as in the Mammals Congress on September 15, 1898. He leads whenever there is a meeting and he always suggests that everything should be settled in a peaceful, diplomatic way to avoid conflicts within the government. When the Mammals government was turned over to the Americans, he suggested that the Filipinos should make a deal with the Americans. He tried to win the sympathy of the Americans by organizing a holiday for two days July 28 and July 29) wherein one of the guests of honors are General Arthur MacArthur and a few official of the Taft Commission. But he did not succeed because of the photos of President Gondola that were posted. In the end, the posters were confiscated and kept in the hands of the Americans. Don Pedro Pattern died In the age of 53 on March 11, 1911 because of cholera. Bibliography Gondola, T. A. (1960). Mammals: The Crisis of the Republic. Guenon City. Qualities of a Hero. (n. D. ). Retrieved from Ms. Marlboro. Du/dept/dad/psych/ eve/Payoff/hero/qualities. HTML Don Pedro Pattern By Reese Manila and graduated with honors. He continued studying at Unbraided De Salesmans with a degree in Theology and Philosophy. Then he transferred to Unbraided Central in Madrid where he graduated with a Masters Degree in Law in the year 1880. When he came back to the Philippines, he served as a mediator during the peace negotiation between Spain and Philippines. He said that we should give But, the Filipinos disagreed because they wanted to fully end everything in a violent He was a poet and a writer. He was the first Filipino to write an opera in the Filipino Lully 28 and July 29) wherein one of the guests of honors are General Arthur MacArthur and a few officials of the Taft Commission. But he did not succeed died in the age of 53 on March 11, 1911 because of cholera. Agonizing, T. A. (1960). Mammals: The Crisis of the Republic. Guenon City. Qualities of a Hero. (n. D. ). Retrieved from Ms. Mauricio. Du/dept/dad/psych/ deep/Payoff /hero/qualities. HTML

Spanish Phrases Meaning Unless

Spanish Phrases Meaning Unless A menos que and a no ser que are two of the most common ways in Spanish to express the idea behind the English conjunction unless. Because the verb following either one of these phrases refers to something that hasnt happened yet and may never happen, it typically is in the subjunctive mood. In a sense, these phrases are used in making negative conditions, or the opposite of si or if. In other words, these phrases are used to indicate that if a certain event (the one specified by a verb in the subjunctive mood) does not occur, then another event (using a verb in the indicative mood) will (or would, if the conditional tense is used). Here are some examples using a menos que: A menos que tengas pasià ³n en lo que haces, no vas a ser feliz. Unless you have passion about what youre doing, youre not going to be happy. No aprobars a menos que estudies mucho. You wont pass unless you study a lot. A menos que el mundo despierte, la humanidad no tiene futuro. Unless the world wakes up, humanity doesnt have a future. Generalmente no tengo problema a menos que coma alguna comida picante. Generally I dont have a problem unless I eat spicy food. A menos que estuviera muy enojado, llorarà ­a. Unless I were very angry, I would cry. No podemos tener salud a menos que bebamos unos ocho vasos de agua al dà ­a. We cant be healthy unless we drink some eight glasses of water a day. A no ser que is used in the same way and is nearly always interchangeable with a menos que: Va a ser difà ­cil, a no ser que nieve bastante. Its going to be difficult, unless it snows enough. La vida no es buena a no ser que uno tenga dinero. Life isnt good unless one has money. No tendremos à ©xito a no ser que tengamos una visià ³n global. We wont have success unless we have a global vision. La vida no es aceptable a no ser que el cuerpo y el espà ­ritu vivan en armonà ­a. Life isnt acceptable unless the body and spirit live in harmony. These phrases can also be used along with commands instead of a verb in the indicative in the independent clause: No lo haga a menos que comprenda todos los riesgos. Dont do it unless you understand all the risks. Cà ³mpralo, a no ser que tengas dudas. Buy it, unless you have doubts. Spanish also has several other less common phrases that have much the same meaning, as shown in boldface in the sentences below: Un cuerpo permanecer en un estado de reposo o de movimiento uniforme, a menos de que una fuerza externa actà ºe sobre à ©l. A body will remain in a state of rest or steady motion, unless an external force acts on it. Se recomienda no utilizarlo a reserva de que sea claramente necesario. Using it is not recommended unless it is clearly necessary. De no ser que lleves ya una dieta muy bien equilibrada, ser mejor que sigas estes consejos. Unless you follow a very balanced diet, it will be better if you follow this advice. Llegaremos a las nueve salvo que el autobà ºs se retrase. We will arrive at 9 unless the bus is late.

Desert Precipitation, Plant, and Animal Life

Desert Precipitation, Plant, and Animal Life Deserts, also known as arid lands, are regions that receive less than 10 inches of precipitation a year and have little vegetation. Deserts occupy about one-fifth of the land on Earth and appear on every continent. Little Precipitation The little precipitation and rain that falls in deserts is usually erratic and varies from year to year. While a desert might have an annual average of five inches of precipitation, that precipitation may come in the form of three inches one year, none the next, 15 inches the third, and two inches the fourth. Thus, in arid environments, the annual average tells little about actual rainfall. What does matter is that deserts receive less precipitation than their potential evapotranspiration (evaporation from the soil and plants plus transpiration from plants equals evapotranspiration, abbreviated as ET). This means that deserts do not receive enough precipitation to overcome the amount evaporated, so no pools of water can form. benedek / Getty Images Plant and Animal Life With little rainfall, few plants grow in desert locations. When plants do grow, they are usually spaced far apart and are quite sparse. Without vegetation, deserts are highly prone to erosion since there are no plants to hold down the soil. Despite the lack of water, a number of animals call deserts home. These animals have adapted to not only survive, but to flourish, in harsh desert environments. Lizards, tortoises, rattlesnakes, roadrunners, vultures, and, of course, camels all live in deserts. Flooding in a Desert It doesnt rain often in a desert, but when it does, the rain is often intense. Since the ground is often impermeable (meaning that water isnt absorbed into the ground easily), the water runs quickly right into streams that only exist during rainfalls. The swift water of these ephemeral streams are responsible for most of the erosion that takes place in the desert. Desert rain often never makes it to the ocean, the streams usually end in lakes that dry up or the streams themselves just dry up. For instance, almost all of the rain that falls in Nevada never makes it to a perennial river or to the ocean. Permanent streams in the desert are usually the result of exotic water, meaning that the water in the streams comes from outside of the desert. For example, the Nile River flows through a desert but the rivers source in high in the mountains of Central Africa. Where Is the Worlds Largest Desert? The worlds largest desert is actually the very cold continent of Antarctica. It is the worlds driest place, receiving less than two inches of precipitation annually. Antarctica is 5.5 million square miles (14,245,000 square kilometers) in area. Outside of polar regions, Northern Africas Sahara Desert is the worlds largest desert at more than 3.5 million square miles (nine million square kilometers), which is slightly smaller than the size of the United States, the worlds fourth largest country. The Sahara stretches from Mauritania to Egypt and Sudan. What Is the Worlds Hottest Temperature? The worlds highest temperature was recorded in the Sahara Desert (136 degrees F or 58 degrees C at Azizia, Libya on September 13, 1922). Why Is a Desert so Cold at Night? The very dry air of the desert holds little moisture and thus holds little heat; thus, as soon as the sun sets, the desert cools considerably. Clear, cloudless skies also help to quickly release heat at night. Most deserts have very low temperatures at night. Desertification In the 1970s, the Sahel strip that stretches along the southern fringe of the Sahara Desert in Africa experienced a devastating drought, causing land that was formerly used for grazing to turn to desert in a process known as desertification. Approximately one-quarter of the land on Earth is threatened by desertification. The United Nations held a conference to begin discussing desertification in 1977. These discussions eventually resulted in the establishment of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, an international treaty established in 1996 to combat desertification.

Avoiding Fallacies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Avoiding Fallacies - Essay Example From the reasoning presented by the characters in the book, there are different approaches to the issue of women and publicity. One of the fallacies would be that she would be putting on pants all over her time. Another one would be that Bill Clinton I never wore pants and that would lead us to question what he used to put on. Blair, one of the characters party to the question believes that there is an issue of economic status and women ability that would drive a woman to remain confident even in the face of controversy. Erin Bruno believes that the choice of such a slogan would be based on publicity that is required. The media, according to him reports stories with the audience in mind. When the perceived audience is large, then the chances that the, media will multiply publicity of the aspect in mind is very high. David Bositis presented an issue with the opinion polls not favoring the minorities. Clinton in this case would be described as a minority based on her being a woman. The refore, the fallacies about her slogans were purely meant to publicize her to the

New Strategy Related to Cost-cutting Assignment

New Strategy Related to Cost-cutting - Assignment Example This paper analyses as well as provide recommendations for reducing the quality standard issue of management and for improving the performance of the Brisbane branch along with the justification of the analysis. In the Brisbane branch, the managerial issue is one of the major management issues that have an adverse impact on the performance of the organization. The branch is identified to be facing the managerial issue in relation to the creativity of subordinates and lack of technical knowledge to enhance the quality of products as well as services. The management should support the subordinates, so that they can perform their work effectively and can improve the quality in terms of products and services, as in the present day context, customers focus on the quality of products and/or services. The management implementing the cost-cutting strategy relating to the replacement of personnel with technology has been identified to face complexities relating to resistance, skepticism and outright hostility from the end of the employees. If the management implements new strategy related to cost-cutting to improve the quality of products, then the management is able to meet the satisfaction level of the customers and accordingly may mitigate the quality problem. In this regard, the branch facing resistance and skepticism have an adverse effect on sale figure and performance of the organization as a whole. The quality of products and/or services depends on consistency as well as durability of products and/or services.

Fast Food, Gender, and Happiness Research Proposal

Fast Food, Gender, and Happiness - Research Proposal Example Most of them are of U.S. origin. The fast-food nutrition system has originated due to the expansion of the nutrition industry and the globalization. These improvements have altered the nutrition habits, tastes and preferences of the individuals. Those people who have busy schedules are provided ready, semi-ready or sometimes frozen food by the nutrition industry (Ãâ€"zcelik, Akan and Sà ¼rà ¼cà ¼oglu, 2007, p. 43).   The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between fast food and gender and its association with happiness. The importance of this study is to find out the correlation between eating fast food, gender, weight and happiness. The main objective is to check how the fast food centers appeal to the mass and to explore the causal relationship between the consumption of junk food and gender as well as the impact of fast food on weight.    According to Schofield (1989), it has been observed that there are differentiations in the gender culture in context of food. The authors highlight the way the fast food intervenes in the real life experience of taking a meal. The values and principles are circulated in the mass media. When we are talking about females and food, then we may consider fast food to be the source of separating women form their identity as the homemaker and cook. Since most women are generally working in the subordinate positions in the workplaces and their ultimate duty of the homemaker has to remain intact (where they do the household work themselves or they hire a servant to do the same), therefore they very soon undergo an identity crisis. The growth of fast food centers has even alienated the women from their otherwise household activity of cooking. (Schofield, 1989, p. 138) The development of industrialization has seen women negotiating their new relation with food. Their outlook has changed with the change in the trend. The middle-class women focus much on the nutritional

Executive Summary (Benchmark Assessment) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Executive Summary (Benchmark Assessment) - Essay Example The project will engage public health agencies and the public towards the achievement of the national goals for preventing and treating heart diseases and stroke through the next two decades (Velu & Lip, 2011). Heart diseases and stroke are among the leading causes of death in America today. They are also among the leading causes of disability meaning that they cost the country so much in terms of treatment and control and could cost more in the future if steps are not taken to address the problem. Therefore, this project will be a step and a vision towards contributing to the steps to combat the dangers of heart diseases and stroke in the country (Velu & Lip, 2011). The project targets both the adult and teenage populations. Adults are more affected by heart diseases and stroke. It has been estimated that every 37 seconds, an adult person in the US dies because of a heart related condition. This is a high rate of death caused by heart diseases. Today, the lifestyles adopted by teenagers in the US has also put them at risk of developing heart conditions and stroke early in their lives. For example, teenagers smoke, do not exercise, take alcohol and eat foods with high calories. This has seen more teenagers develop heart conditions over the years on top of the fact that some of them are at risk because of their genetic makeup (Heidenreich, et.al. 2011). Therefore, the project will target adults and teenagers to ensure that the two groups receive information and the care needed to ensure that their risk of developing heart diseases and stroke is significantly reduced and that they have a prolonged life and also can lead healthy lives (Ustrell & Pe llisà ©, 2010). The focus in the two groups has been informed by the rate of heart diseases and stoke recorded in them, which calls for immediate attention to ensure that the problem does not get worse than it is. The

Exam 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Exam 4 - Essay Example The state especially in the southern region devised and emphasized laws that augmented disunity among its citizens whereby whites felt they had the mandate to oppress others. This exceeded to the extent of natives claiming to have unrestrained desire of acquiring slaves whom they could use for their domestic and heavy tasks besides mistreating them. In that ancient era, the constitution and the union did not advocate or cater for Blacks’ needs in America. For instance, they were required to have written permits from their employers if they desired to pass through certain areas only preserved for whites. If they did not adhere to these requirements, they suffered severe consequences like fines, forced to work in roads or even imprisoned. This culture of slavery was more common in the southern America were civilization was the key issue then advocated to equal that of N. America. Consequently, more laborers were required who turned out to be Blacks. Southerners preferred servitu de because it was cheap in that they did not have to pay the enslaved thus ensured increased productivity. This prompted these regions being adamant in yielding to the demands of abolishing servitude to the extent of pushing even the Northerners to adopt the same mainly for economic purposes. However, Northerners disagreed completely about that issue and in turn sought its abolishment throughout America. The gap between the Northerners and Southerners’ territories slowly continued to widen due to these disagreements that remained unresolved. Initially, these disagreements about slave labor triggered civil war because the two territories failed to have adequate negotiable terms regarding the matter. Abolition of servitude spearheaded by Abraham Lincoln regime that aimed at advocating equality both socially or politically helped the entire America

Art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Art - Research Paper Example Installed in the original de Cordova’s mansion, which has now turned into a museum, Castles in the Air manifests a rich historical background that are not only meaningful to the artists, but to the owner of the museum itself, who was a tea merchant himself. He himself was amazed at the European culture, which led to the building of the mansion. De Cordova was also fond of the idea of leaving a legacy to the succeeding generation through monuments, which people would eventually remember him of. One distinct detail that the sculptural installations that the two artists created involves the intricately woven designs of the strings for which the tea bags hang accordingly at distinct places with appropriate numbers in each string. The light that is placed above the architecture illuminates the shadow of the inverted de Cordova mansion. With an aluminum frame that holds the entire architecture and an acrylic mirror that enhances the radiance of the strings outlining the structure of the community. Woven with two distinctive colors, the lighter one obviously shows the elaborate structure of the mansion. The darker strings serve as the foundation of the rest of the strings for which the mansion is formed. Gravity naturally pulls the strings straight down through the tea bags, which also creates a soft shadow that looks like clouds on the floor, all together creating a magnificent view in its

Exam 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Exam 4 - Essay Example The state especially in the southern region devised and emphasized laws that augmented disunity among its citizens whereby whites felt they had the mandate to oppress others. This exceeded to the extent of natives claiming to have unrestrained desire of acquiring slaves whom they could use for their domestic and heavy tasks besides mistreating them. In that ancient era, the constitution and the union did not advocate or cater for Blacks’ needs in America. For instance, they were required to have written permits from their employers if they desired to pass through certain areas only preserved for whites. If they did not adhere to these requirements, they suffered severe consequences like fines, forced to work in roads or even imprisoned. This culture of slavery was more common in the southern America were civilization was the key issue then advocated to equal that of N. America. Consequently, more laborers were required who turned out to be Blacks. Southerners preferred servitu de because it was cheap in that they did not have to pay the enslaved thus ensured increased productivity. This prompted these regions being adamant in yielding to the demands of abolishing servitude to the extent of pushing even the Northerners to adopt the same mainly for economic purposes. However, Northerners disagreed completely about that issue and in turn sought its abolishment throughout America. The gap between the Northerners and Southerners’ territories slowly continued to widen due to these disagreements that remained unresolved. Initially, these disagreements about slave labor triggered civil war because the two territories failed to have adequate negotiable terms regarding the matter. Abolition of servitude spearheaded by Abraham Lincoln regime that aimed at advocating equality both socially or politically helped the entire America

The ethical issues faced by human resource professionals Research Paper

The ethical issues faced by human resource professionals - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that human resource management is an important part of any business. Since the inception of industrialization, corporations are hiring and recruiting employees, and therefore human resource professionals are not something new. Managing human resource also involves many ethical considerations. In today’s dynamic business realm the job of an HR manager has become extremely difficult because of the increasing diversity in the workplace and bad economic situation all over the world. The present research has identified that human resource professionals are business graduates who specialize in human resource management. They may also take counseling courses in order to take a position of human resource professionals. The license is not required to become a human resource professional because it is a common business-related function. A doctorate can also be pursued in the field. There is no specific code of ethics that governs human resourc e profession. Every organization is free to choose its own ethical standards. The author has rightly presented that there are general laws that restrict organizations to conduct discrimination when hiring employees. There are also harassment laws that are a part of all code of ethics. But there is no universal code of ethics for human resource professionals. The four ethical issues in human resource management pertain to hiring, promotion, firing, and privacy of employees.

Porter Generic Stratey Essay Example for Free

Porter Generic Stratey Essay The key drivers of competitive advantage are cost leadership and differentiation product †¢COMPETITIVE STRATEGY- the means by which an organisation seeks to achieve and sustain a competitive advantage†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Porter suggests that competitive strategy means taking an offensive or defensive action to create a defendable position to cope with the competitive forces- this would lead to greater returns †¢Porter suggests that a firm’s strengths fall into two headngs; cost advantage and differentiation. By applying these strengths in a broad or narrow focus, three generic strategies result: COST LEADERSHIP, DIFFERENTIATION AND FOCUS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦they are generic because they are not specific to a firm or industry. †¢4 strategies to gain a competitive advantage: COST LEADERSHIP-(superior profits through lower costs), DIFFERENTIATION-(higher profits by adding value the products areas that are of real significance for customers who are willing to pay a premium price), FOCUS STRATEGY-(concentrate on a specific area on the market) †¢COST LEADERSHIP- concentrates on becoming the lowest cost producer through economies of scale. With this, the organisation can compete on price with the potential to earn higher unit profits. Cost reduction provides the focus for the orgaisations strategy. Competitive advantage is achieved by driving costs down. There is room for only one cost leader †¢Firms that succeed in cost leadership have the following strengths: access to capital to make big investment, design skills, high level of expertise in manufacturing process, efficient distribution channels †¦. EXAMPLES- RYANAIR, TOYOTA, TESCO, AND WALMART †¢Cost leadership is often seen as a strategy that aims to attract customers with low prices made by low costs†¦.. ut this doesn’t necessarily mean the lowest selling price, but due to low costs, the profit margins are higher †¢DIFFERENTIATION- this strategy calls for a development of a product or service that offers unique and valued attribute by customers. The customers believe that the product is different than rivals. the uniqueness gives a product added value which enables companies to charge a higher price premium. Successful differentiation- differentiating products from competitiors, charging a higher price†¦. an base differentiation on omage, durability, after-sales customer service/ needs strong RD †¢HOWEVER, adding value increases a firms cost base for a product which reduces the unit profit margin- these costs can only be recouped if the consumer is willing to pay the premium price. Also, customers must recognise these differences†¦. EXAMPLES: BMW, MIELE (HIGHER QUALITY DOMESTIC APPLIANCES), BANG AND OLUFSEN, MERC, ETC †¢Benefit a chance of charging a premium price, demand for differentiated less elastic, above average profits, additional barriers to entry? Risks difficult to sustain, higher costs, risk of creating differences, comsumers may become too price sensitive, compititors who attain a focus strategy may achieve greater differentiation. †¢FOCUS STRATEGY- Like differentiation, but organisation concentrates on one or more segments of the market, this may offer the firm more security for achieving its competitive advantage†¦. However there are specific requirements for the focus strategy†¦. Firms benefit form specialisation, differentiation on a lower scale, so the costs are lower than full scale differentiation

Prohibtition of Alcohol in Gujarat

Prohibtition of Alcohol in Gujarat LESLIE DO REGO FYBA B. SECTION 1: Gujarat has a sumptuary law in force that proscribes the manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition has been in place ever since statehood in 1960, originally in the purview of the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949, but now under the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 2011, following several amendments. The latest version, which followed 150 deaths caused by hooch in Ahmedabad in 2009, includes the death penalty for those found guilty of making and selling spurious liquor. The law allows for temporary and long-term drinking permits to foreigners, NRIs and tourists, with outlets and purchase limits specified. A resident can get a permit only on health grounds. At special economic zones, the government allows consumption against three-year permits.(service, 2014) SECTION 2: Inter-disciplinary approach: There are many ways in which we can analyse this issue, through different disciplines which give us greater perspective and gives us a better idea of the issue viewed from different angles. First, let me shed some light on the Political aspects of this law: Appeasement of the masses: When looking at a law or a bill, one has to ask the simple question: Why was this proposed? In this case, it’s very simple. The people in power want to appease the people of Gujarat. An alcohol-free state encourages a family state. When I say that I mean parents would be happy to raise their children in a state where it would be impossible for them to fall prey to underage drinking and all the harms that come with it. It becomes an environment which is conducive for children growing up healthy and it keeps the vice of alcohol away. Also, this law has been in existence for over 60 years. In that time, the culture of Gujarat has changed and it has been cemented in the values of the people and families. For now, people are so used to the idea of an alcohol-free state that they may not be willing to make way for a more progressive state of things, in which the laws are relaxed. The conservative population will do anything to maintain this Law. This is wh ere the politics comes into play. Politicians, being pro-Prohibition or anti-prohibition internally, will project themselves as Pro-prohibition in order to appease the masses and gain their support. Vote Buying: This concept is different from Appeasement. Instead of the people following politicians, it’s the other way around in Vote Buying. Politicians provide incentive for people to support them. The reason I’ve brought this concept up in my paper is because of study on the reality of things in Gujarat. There has been evidence of politicians or members from political parties offering alcohol to the people. People have been visited at their homes for these kind of exchanges. It is estimated that liquor demand increases manifold during the election season as many parties resort to supplying liquor to people anticipating favourable voting. This sort of under the table activity is an act of vote buying and it unfortunately occurs which is why I’ve put it into this paper. Booze for ballot: While no police official was willing to be quoted on record about the flow of liquor to specific pockets in the state ahead of elections, sources said that liquor for vote was a reality in several places. During polls, the quantum of seizures made by the Election Commission remains higher than that of the police (Times of India, 2014). However, due to the impending fear of seizures and consequent losses, the transportation of liquor from other states to Gujarat falls during elections. The bootleggers often increase their stock of goods before the poll date and release them gradually at a larger profit. Bribery and monetary gain: Theweekly payoffs flow continuously in government as well as police departments from the bottom to the top. Regular raids on liquor dens and bootleggers, and arrest and imprisonment of offenders, are mere drama which provide the police with some good publicity. For, the truth is that the liquor mafias ensure that families of arrested or jailed bootleggers are not short of money while the hafta collection continues. This has been a regular feature of prohibition in Gujarat from the beginning. It is estimated that the money involved in illicit liquor business is almost equal to the loss in excise and customs duty of the state exchequer. (dna, 2014) So it is glaringly clear that the higher-ups or the people in power benefit from the support of a large percentage of the people for keeping the law in place but also benefit from the under-the-table deals that are rampant in the State with respect to alcohol laws. Social Aspects: Demonstration Effect: Demonstration effects are effects on thebehaviorof individuals caused by observation of the actions of others and their consequences. The term is particularly used inpolitical scienceandsociologyto describe the fact that developments in one place will often act as a catalyst in another place (Wikipedia, 2014). If we look at the law optimistically, we see the behaviour of people as shown by the demonstration effect. Taking the law on prohibition, when alcohol is banned, most of the people stop consuming it. On seeing the behaviour of the people in question, others may stop as well, maybe people from outside Gujarat. So the law does not affect only the citizens of Gujarat. Through the demonstration effect we can see that the alcohol consumption of people from neighbouring states may well decreases thanks to the law. Consumption of spurious alcohol: It is an observed phenomenon in modern studies of human behaviour that when something is taken away from a person, their want for that object increases. We can equate it with the prohibition law. With the ban of alcohol, the demand for it does not go away. In the state of Gujarat a large portion of the population still demand alcohol. This demand is met by bootlegging activities (which I will elaborate on later). However, since the law prohibits the selling of alcoholic substances, the bootlegged liquor that one receives is at a higher price. The people of impoverished circumstances simply cannot afford the good stuff. But the demand remains. Therefore, the poor population resorts to alcohol of an inferior quality. This is often spurious alcohol which is incredibly harmful to the body and can also prove fatal. On 7 July 2009, ten people died inBehrampuraafter drinking spurious liquor.The liquor was brewed in the house of Arvind Solanki, who also died after consuming the liquor. The death toll rose to 43 next dayand crossed 120 by July 12.276 people were admitted in various hospitals with nearly 100 of them inintensive care units.More than 1000 litres of hooch containingmethanolwas brought to AhmedabadfromMohammadabad. (Wikipedia, 2014) Section 3: When one thinks of the economic analysis of Prohibition one’s mind goes to revenue. The revenue of a state under prohibition is significantly less than that of an anti-Prohibition state, obviously. The widespread consumption and purchase of alcohol by the masses provides huge income for the state through sale and tax. But, when we delve deeper into this issue, we see the many aspects of economics that comes into play. The economics of Prohibition and Addiction The relatively inelastic demand for alcohol by an alcoholic: To start off, I’ll explain in a few lines what the elasticity of demand is. It is basically the behaviour of a consumer’s demand with a corresponding change in price. It shows the relationship between the two and measures the extent to which the consumer’s demand changes. When we use the term relatively inelastic demand what we’re saying is the change in price doesn’t have a very big effect on the demand of the consumer. This is usually observed in the demand for essential goods. Therefore, when analysing the demand for alcohol of an alcoholic, he is psychologically and sometimes physically dependant on alcohol. Thus even when the price goes higher he still demands alcohol. So the bootleggers in a way have a direct impact on the welfare of the people, controlled with the prices that they charge for bootlegged alcohol. Also, the sever dependency of an alcoholic on alcohol can drive him into poverty due to his inelastic demand for alcohol and the prev iously mentioned high prices of bootlegged alcohol. We can also see this form the point of view of the sellers of liquor. Experience has shown that stricter the law against drinking, higher is the price of illegal liquor and greater are the profits. The existence of a huge black market of alcohol in the state of Gujarat: As I’ve said before, bootlegging in Gujarat is rampant. It is safe to say that even with the blanket ban, anybody who wants to can have access to alcohol and its products. There are over 300 listed bootleggers in Ahmedabad and over 3,500 in Gujarat. Half of them smuggle IMFL while the rest brew country-made liquor. As part of an unwritten understanding between bootleggers and low-ranking policemen, bootleggers are booked in small-time cases from time to time and sent to jail for short durations. A senior police official says that politicians-from the panchayat to the state levels-are greater beneficiaries of this illicit business. According to an unofficial estimate, the Ahmedabad police getRs.80 lakh toRs.1 crore as monthly bribes from bootleggers. It is believed that the Gujarat police get aroundRs.100 crore as bribes from bootleggers. Vadodara police getRs.50 lakh each year, Surat police getRs.70 lakh andRs.25 lakh goes to the Rajkot police. There have been instances where police officials themselves have created bootleggers to earn illicit money from them. Around a dozen major bootleggers operating from the border areas of Gujarat churn out an annual turnover of overRs.1,500 crore by selling illicit Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) in the state. Hundreds of smaller IMFL and country-made liquor bootleggers operate with impunity under the very noses of the Gujarat police and politicians. With the prohibition law becoming a farce, each year the state Government losesRs.3,000 crore in excise duty due to bootlegging. According to state intelligence sources, bootlegger Kailash Rathis gang alone pushes 10 trucks of IMFL worthRs.1 crore into Gujarat each day. Rathi, who was arrested in Ahmedabad recently, operated from Sanchor, Rajasthan. His annual turnover is pegged atRs.300 crore. Ramesh Patel alias Michaels turnover from selling illicit liquor is as much as Rathis. Patel operates out of Daman on the south Gujarat border. His brother is a district panchayat chief in Daman. That the police are involved in bootlegging is evident from the suspension of an Ahmedabad police inspector for accepting a bribe ofRs.20 lakh from Nagdan Gadhvi, one of Gujarats most active liquor smugglers. (Indiatoday.intoday.in, 2014) So the numbers don’t lie. Gujarat ropes in a huge amount of revenue from bootlegging. But unfortunately, Gujarat does not gain anything. In other states, through various taxes the State has a piece of the pie of this revenue. However, due to the ban, all the money brought in because of alcohol is black money which results in the loss of possible income of thousands of crores of rupees for the exchequer. Increased price of Alcohol: It is a common concept in economics that when supply goes down, price goes up. Now in a State which has a policy of prohibition, it is obvious that the supply falls dramatically. Since, again, it is a state under Prohibition, there can be no regulation in prices. The sellers of alcohol can freely decide the prices of the products they sell and the customers are powerless and have no choice but to accept these prices. And they are forced to pay these prices for their daily fix. Policy Efficacy and Section 4: The avoidance of alcohol consumption can be looked at as a noble cause. However, the government should not have the right to force it upon people. We elect the government to protect us and serve us for the good of the country. The attempt at legislating what is moral should not be encouraged. I feel that this law should be repealed. It is a law which is over 60 years old and is a hindrance to the advancement of India on a global scale. There are many direct losses due to this law. The state loses thousands of crores of excise duty which, in turn, has to be recovered by making other goods and services more expensive. Gujarats government has estimated that it loses Rs 30 Billion ($ 615 Million, â‚ ¬ 441 Million, Â £ 379 Million) a year in excise revenues from prohibition, hinting at the true magnitude of the states underground alcohol trade (1). Several other Indian states have tried prohibition in the past, but all except Gujarat have abandoned it. Gujarat is trying hard to promot e itself as a global investment destination and a tourist hub. For both these industries, the ban on alcohol has an adverse effect. Indians are ok with the hypocrisy of routinely breaking the law. Many foreigners are not. Foreign tourists do not find it exciting or normal to have bootlegged alcohol. Gujarat’s beach destinations, for instance, will never thrive unless the alcohol policy is lifted. Tourism creates jobs. With this law in place, we are preventing employment to thousands of Gujarat’s youth. Also, even as an investment destination, this policy isn’t helping Gujarat. There is no global finance city – be it London, New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Shanghai, Seoul or Mumbai — where alcohol is banned. World businessmen don’t wish to live in a place where they are doing something illegal when they attend a party. If Gujarat is serious about becoming a world class business destination, the need of the hour is to benchmark its laws to these locations. Looking at it from an economic point of view, even then, I feel it is imperative to repeal the law. As I’ve said above, Gujarat cannot hope to become a global financial hub if this law remains. The massive increase in revenue if the law is repealed can go a long way in improving the conditions in Gujarat and can finance a number of social welfare schemes. To end, I say that taking steps to address social problems such as alcoholism are welcome. But prohibition, especially if implemented in bits and pieces, may not serve its purpose. The Government should endeavour to educate people about the perils of excess alcohol consumption. An outright ban impacts not only people with a drinking problem, but also those who see alcohol as a recreational beverage and social lubricant. CITATIONS: dna, (2014).The punch of liquor lies in prohibition by Gujarat govt | Latest News Updates at Daily News Analysis. http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/report-the-punch-of-liquor-lies-in-prohibition-by-gujarat-govt-1626224 The Times of India, (2014).In dry Gujarat, booze demand soars before polls; EC’s largest liquor seizure in India was made in state The Times of India.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/In-dry-Gujarat-booze-demand-soars-before-polls-ECs-largest-liquor-seizure-in-India-was-made-in-state/articleshow/34223925.cms service, E. (2014).Prohibition: How Gujarat and other states fared. [online] The Financial Express. Available at: http://archive.financialexpress.com/news/prohibition-how-gujarat-and-other-states-fared/1283150 J Indian Acad Forensic Med. Jan- March 2012, Vol. 34, No. 1 Indiatoday.intoday.in, (2014).The price of Prohibition : NATION, News India Today. [online] Available at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/illicit-liquor-business-thrives-in-gujarat/1/130913.html [Accessed 29 Nov. 2014]. Wikipedia, (2014).2009 Gujarat alcohol poisonings. [online] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Gujarat_alcohol_poisonings Wikipedia, (2014).Demonstration effect. [online] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demonstration_effect

Grace OMalley :: Biography

Her Father was a main influence in her life. She is an infamous Irish rebel. She cut her hair short like a boy as a child because she thought it would show her parents that could survive the tough life at sea. Who was this wild Irish woman? Grace O’Malley, Queen of the Irish seas. Wild and dangerous, Grace O’Malley sailed the rocky Irish coast. Born in the year 1530, legend says, when her parents looked into her eyes they said they saw the light of the sea in her eye (McCully, 2). Grace’s Father was a pirate and Chieftain of the O’Malley Clan. Owen, her father, was away for many long trips. Grace thought being a pirate was fun. She asked her parents if she could tag along with Owen. Her parents found this quite funny. Frustrated, she ran off and came back with boy hair. Eventually, Grace proved to her parents that she could withstand the journey (Stanely, PAR 1). After Grace’s first voyage her parents had to face it, she was a pirate at heart. On her first trip her parents were glade she came. Reason being, she saved her father’s life. When the O’Malley Clan was heading back they were attacked. Her father made Grace hid if they were attacked. Grace, a young fearless child, didn’t do that. Instead, she watched from above. Grace, watching the attack from above, saw someone sneak behind her father. She leaped down and attacked him, saving her father (â€Å"Pirate King†, PAR3). O’Malley was a well educated person even though she was a pirate. She could read, write and speak a few different languages including Latin. This skill helped her get places and actually helped her gain respect (McCulley PAR 2). Grace was off and married at the age of 15. Not for love but for alliance. She married Donal O’Flahrety, leader of another powerful clan like the O’Malleys. Together they fought the English and other clans for one year. At the end of the year Grace released Donal. They both couldn’t bear to let each other go. Donal and Grace stayed together not for alliance, but for love this time (â€Å"Sea Queens† 31). Later he died, when is unknown. After the death of Donal she married Richard Bourke. Richard, like Donal was the leader of a powerful clan. Together they were extremely powerful. Grace mainly married Richard for more power over the West Coast of Ireland.

Mod a Essay Hsc

Analyse how Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and A Room of One’s Own imaginatively portray individuals who challenge the established values of their time. Literature is an evaluation of the established values of their time, a manifestation of the composer’s perspectives regarding key issues that characterised their zeitgeist. This is evident in Virginia Woolf’s polemical essay, A Room of One’s Own (1929), in which she portrays male anxiety towards women during the post-WWI period.Similarly, Edward Albee’s 1962 satirical drama, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Afraid) projects an analogous fear of female dominance, although in post-WWII American society. In a further comparison, both composers focus on the importance of wealth in society, where Woolf considers the significance of material security with regards to fiction writing in English society in the 1920s, whilst Albee criticises materialistic values in relation to social conformity in American society in the 1960s.Since the late 19th century female suffrage movement that empowered women, men feared being displaced from their traditional positions of authority. Woolf conveys these established patriarchal values through A Room of One’s Own, in her examination of the phallocentric literary sphere of the 1920s, where anybody could write literature, â€Å"save they [were] not women†. The symbolic title highlights women’s need for material security as a pre-condition â€Å"to writ[ing] fiction†, arguing that historically, men have denied women opportunities for achieving economic equality.Woolf’s ironic use of simile reinforces her hypothesis that â€Å"if only Mrs Seton †¦ had learnt the great art of making money and had left their money, like their fathers †¦ to found fellowships†. This highlights the historical lack of educational and financial opportunities for women. Furthermore, Woolf blames patriarchal value s for institutionalising discriminatory practices in English society. At the fictional â€Å"Oxbridge†, a Beadle indicates that â€Å"this was the turf; there was the path†, symbolising the established gender exclusion in academia. Her thoughts interrupted, she expresses disappointment â€Å"as they had sent my little fish into hiding†.Through this metaphor, Woolf implies that men’s â€Å"protection of their turf† denied women opportunities for creativity, portraying an ingrained contextual fear of female intelligence that was perceived as encroaching upon male dominance in every sphere of endeavour. Albee’s contemporary political satire, Afraid, also portrays male and female rivalry, incorporating textual features such as intense drama and blunt stage directions to convey the fierce gender conflict of his time. Whilst both texts were composed in post-war periods, Albee’s drama savagely critiques the established societal values of sma ll town American society in the 1960s.This is evident when Martha criticises George as â€Å"a great†¦big†¦fat†¦FLOP! † unable to rise up the departmental ranks. The use of crude colloquial language and aggressive stage directions accentuates her frustration as she â€Å"spits the word at George’s back†, reflecting Martha’s authority over him, which symbolises women’s growing influence in mainstream American society in the 1960s. Furthermore, Martha recalls the â€Å"boxing match we had† in an attempt to humiliate him, an allegory for the gendered power struggle.George reacts negatively, and to regain superiority, he â€Å"takes †¦ a short-barrelled shotgun †¦ aims it at †¦ Martha †¦ [and] pulls the trigger†. Coupled with this stage direction, Albee’s use of exclamatory punctuation in George’s childish point-scoring of â€Å"Pow! You’re dead! † signifies his desperation to recover his masculinity. In this way, Albee portrays the constant quarrelling between George and Martha as a symbol of anxiety and dysfunctionality in America in the 1960s, depicting the national paranoia associated with the Cold War and nuclear warfare.Just as Woolf and Albee represent the gender conflict in post-war societies, they also criticise the wealth inequality and the greed of their time. Whilst Woolf reasons that discrimination against women often prevented them from writing fiction, she also considers that poor material conditions likewise limited their contribution to literature. Through the use of the modal verb to emphasise the importance of financial security, she expresses her contention regarding material needs that â€Å"a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction†.The anecdote of the tailless cat is symbolic of the distractions that interrupted women in their writing, thus Woolf highlights the need for the privacy of a room of one’s own in order to â€Å"think of things in themselves†. Furthermore, she decides that â€Å"500 pounds a year for ever †¦ seemed infinitely more important† than the suffrage movement as it was more conducive to her writing fiction. No longer working â€Å"like a slave†, Woolf’s simile highlights that â€Å"food, house, and clothing are forever mine†, reflecting the value of financial security in English society in the 1920s.Thus, Woolf sustains her thesis and highlights the importance of money and privacy, conveying the established attitude that a secure income ensured creative and intellectual freedom in English society. Alternatively, Albee’s political allegory reflects his criticism of the materialistic mores of American society in the 1960s, portraying human shallowness in a dramatic appraisal of the American Dream, an idea which has resonated within society since the founding of America.It epitomises a conservative nati onal ethos that entailed the possibility of universal prosperity and the pursuit of happiness for all, thus many individuals sought to increase their wealth and social status. This materialistic idea is conveyed through Nick, who crudely boasts, â€Å"my wife’s got some money†. In characterising Nick as the typical shallow ‘jock’, Albee undermines this concept of the ‘self-made man’, dramatising a soulless aspect of the American Dream. Additionally, Martha criticises George’s salary, mirroring the contextual attitudes of middle-class America, when status was associated with high income levels.She sneers at George, advising him not â€Å"to waste good liquor†¦not on your salary†. Here, Martha’s mocking tone captures her disappointment as she â€Å"hope[s] that was an empty bottle†. However, the â€Å"empty bottle† also symbolises her despair as George is only â€Å"on an Associate Professor’s sala ry†. This brings to mind the social importance of income but unlike in Woolf’s society, where women’s economic security may liberate creativity, here economic success serves as a status symbol within the American Dream.Thus, literature, with its distinct forms and features, is influenced by varying contexts, portraying similar concerns that enhance our understanding of the established values of the time. Woolf’s polemic, A Room of One’s Own (1929), may differ textually and contextually from Albee's Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1962), which portrays a savage attack on American values, but both texts reflect male fear of women due to their growing influence in post war societies. Furthermore, they focus on the importance of wealth with regard to literary creativity in English society in the 1920s and the realisation of the American Dream during the 1960s.

8 C’s of business letter Essay

Clarity The first element of all business letters is that they should be clear. This includes the purpose of the letter and words used within the text. Clearly state your point near the beginning to allow the reader a clear understanding of the letter’s purpose. Conciseness Avoid using extra words in a business letter. The element of conciseness refers to stating an idea in the fewest words possible. Don’t add superfluous information or extra words to fill space. Simply state the information that’s important and pertinent, and leave it at that. Consideration A business letter should also be considerate. This element is important because you must think about the reader and his feelings and point of view. Make the letter about him and not you. Courtesy   Business letters should show respect to the reader and should demonstrate the writer’s personal respect for the reader and the company he works for. Concreteness Concreteness refers to using vivid wording within the letter that appeals to the reader’s senses. If a business letter is dull, the reader may skim through, missing important points. Cheerfulness When writing a business letter, demonstrate a positive attitude that expresses joy and cheer. Correctness A business letter must always be accurate. This means ensuring every word within the document contains accurate facts and figures. This includes proofreading the letter to check for grammar and spelling mistakes. Character Every business letter should show a bit of uniqueness from the writer. This gives the letter character and may make it more interesting. The Importance of Good Business Letter Format The basic business letter format is the same across a range of industries, with few variations for content and style. The letter should be left-aligned, single-spaced with a one-inch margin and a standard 11- or 12-point type size. The top line below the letterhead should be the month, day and year, followed by one line of space and the address of the recipient. Place one line of space after the recipient’s address and use a simple, professional greeting, followed by a colon and another line of space. Each following paragraph should be separated by a line. Insert one line after the last paragraph, followed by a closing and a comma; leave four lines of space for your signature, and type your name and title. Professionalism A well-formatted letter conveys an immediate sense of professionalism to the reader, particularly if it is printed on quality paper and folded neatly. It lets the recipient know that you took the time to craft a letter carefully, even before he reads the content. When it comes time to follow up, the reader will know where to look for the pertinent information, such as the date and return address. Communication Knowledge When you use the accepted format for a business letter, it lets the reader know that you have a basic understanding of standard business communication practices. A poorly formatted letter, on the other hand, sends an immediate message to the recipient that you do not have the knowledge or you view the communication as informal; as a result, the content might not get the attention it deserves. Showcases Content When writing a business letter, your main objective is to get a message across; the design of the letter itself should fade into the background. By using an improper letter layout, you immediately draw attention to the format rather than the message. By following the standard guidelines for the paragraph content — introducing your point and providing immediate support — you build your case quickly and concisely, making it easy for the reader to focus on the letter itself. Business letters are the unique form of business communication with all the stake holders of the company. The stakeholders include all those who are interested in the running of an enterprise. The business letters are used to convince these stakeholders or persuading them to agree with the writer regarding the topic under discussion. These letters are written as a way of persuading the customers or clients to accept the contract or proposal or enter into an agreement. It is a modern way of communication between both the parties. This is a method winning a contract or bringing business to an organization. A well-written and formatted letter represents the business identity as well as conveys the professionalism of a company. Formats and variation of business letter Proper Business Letter Formats Business letters in the United States, use four common letter formats. Variations differ for other countries such as the date is composed in another style. All proper business letter formats are acceptable but the block is more common. Block Letter Format: The common block letter format is formatted with all of your text flush with the left margin. Paragraphs are doubled spaced and all line text single spaced. The margins are a standard word processor setting of one inch. (see the image of Block Letter Format). Semi-block Letter Format: For the semi-block, the only difference between the semi and alternative block is as opposed to have the body text justified left, the first line of each paragraph is indented. Alternative Block Letter Format: The alternative block letter format moves the return address, date, closing, name, title and signature to the left side of the page. Simplified Letter Format: This format takes the same properties of the block letter with one exception, the greeting or salutation is eliminated. This is a helpful format when you don’t know the recipient’s gender is male or female, or Mrs. or Miss.