Food Tests Lab Report

Food Test 1: Test for Glucose – with Benedicts solution Benedicts solution is used to test for simple sugars, such as glucose. It is a clear blue solution of sodium and copper salts. In presence of simple sugars, the blue solution changes color to either green, yellow or brick-red, depending on the amount of sugar. Method 1)Mix smalls amount of each food sample (i. e. , Egg lumen, cylindrical piece of potato tuber, bread crump and crisps) in different test tubes with distilled water to make a liquid test.Take another test tube with glucose solution to act as a control so as to compare the difference in color after the completion of the experiment. 2)Label each of the test tubes with a marker for the substance. 3)Add 10 drops of Benedict's solution to each test tube. 4)Carefully heat the test tubes by suspending in a hot water bath using a 500 ml beaker at about 40-50 degrees Celsius for five minutes. 5)Note any color change. Positive test for Glucose: If sugar is present solut ion will turn from blue to green, yellow, or brick-red, depending on sugar concentration. A green precipitate means a little glucose was present. ?A red precipitate means glucose is present in vast amounts. Food Test 2: Test for Starch – with Iodine solution. Iodine solution is used to identify the presence of starch- a complex carbohydrate. Iodine solution (potassium iodide solution) reacts with amylase – a type of starch – whereby a blue-black polyiodide complex is formed. Method 1)Mix smalls amount of each food samples (i. e. , Egg lumen, cylindrical piece of potato tuber, bread crump and crisps) in different test tubes with distilled water to make a liquid test.Take another test tube with starch solution to act as a control to compare the difference in color after the completion of the experiment. 2)Label each test tube with a marker for the substance. 3)Add 5 drops of iodine reagent solution to each test tube. 4)Note any color change. Positive Test for Star ch: The brick-red solution of iodine turns to blue-black. Food Test 3: Test for Protein – with Biuret solution Biuret solution is used to identify the presence of protein. More accurately, it detects the presence of peptide bonds. Peptide bonds form a violet chelate complex with copper (II) ions present in the Biuret Reagent.Method 1)Mix smalls amount of each food samples (i. e. , Egg lumen, cylindrical piece of potato tuber, bread crump and crisps) in different test tubes with distilled water to make a liquid test. Take another test tube with protein solution to act as a control to compare the difference in color after the completion of the experiment. 2)Label each test tube with a marker for the substance. 3)Add 5 drops of Biuret reagent solution to each test tube. Shake gently to mix. 4)Note any color change. Positive test for proteins: the solution will turn from blue to pink/purple. Food Test 4: Test for Lipids – the ethanol emulsion test.Ethanol determines the pr esence of lipids – i. e. , fats and oils. The solubilities of lipid in ethanol and water are exploited in this test since lipids are soluble in ethanol but not in water. So, if lipids are present a milky/cloudy white suspension is formed. Method 1)Add all different food samples (i. e. , Egg lumen, cylindrical piece of potato tuber, bread crump and crisps) in different test tubes. Also, take another test tube with Vegetable oil to act as a control to compare the difference in emulsion of the lipids after the completion of the experiment. 2)Label each test tube with a marker for the substance. )Add 5cm3 of ethanol to each test tube. Shake the sample with ethanol. 4)Pour some cold water into this mixture in the test tube. 5)Note whether the different solutions become cloudy to prove the presence of lipid Positive test for lipid: The solution changes into a cloudy-white emulsion due to the suspension formed. Conclusion and Evaluation (CE) Conclusion This test reveals the hidden f ats, sugars, proteins and starch in food items. Compounds such as sugars and fats are present in living things. Though the food samples being tested had more than one compound present i. . , egg lumen contains starch, proteins and lipids; Potato tuber contains starch, glucose and lipids; Bread contains starch, glucose and slight lipids; and crisps contain starch, glucose and lipids. Hence, different food samples have different compounds present. Evaluation ?Limitations i. The time the test tubes were kept in the water bath was not accurate. ii. The volume of food samples differ in each test tube for the same test. ?Improvements i. By using a stop watch for more accurate timing. ii. Set a fixed volume of food samples in each test tube.

Aqa Psya3 Interventions for Addiction Notes

Interventions for addiction (Key: – = negative criticism/limitations + = positive criticism/support Biological interventions Methadone for heroin: Heroin addicts are given Methadone, which gives similar effects but is less addictive. Their dose is slowly increased to build up tolerance, then slowly decreased to wean the addict of it until the addict need neither substance. Some people just switch from being heroin addicts to Meth addicts – Statistics show more than 300 methadone related deaths in the UK in 2007 – Methadone consumption is often unsupervised, which has created a black market, where addicts can sell their doses for only ? 2 Potential drug treatments for gambling: not approved in the UK yet, but there is evidence that SSRI’s (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors which increase serotonin= good mood) or Naltrexone (a dopamine receptor antagonist, which reduces the reward of gambling by reducing dopamine) may be effective. Hollander found tha t gamblers treated with SSRI’s showed improvements compared to a control group – BUT Hollander’s study only had 10 participants; a larger, longer study by Blanco et al (32 gamblers over 6 months) showed SSRI was no more effective than a placebo + Kim and Grant showed that naltrexone led to decrease in gambling thoughts and behaviours after 6 weeks of treatment – Intervention bias of doctors: Cohen and Cohen suggest that clinicians don’t believe addictions are too difficult to treat, because they only come across them when the addiction is too advanced to respond to treatment Psychological interventions:Reinforcement: Sindelar did a study with addicts on methadone therapy (+ counselling). One group was rewarded every time they tested negative for drugs. By the end, the reward group had 60% more negative urine tests than the control (who weren’t offered rewards). + Sindelar showed it to be effective at reducing the addictive behaviour – BUT Reinforcement doesn’t address the underlying problems that caused the addiction in the first place, so as soon as the rewards are removed, addicts may just go back to engaging in the same, or another addictive behaviour again (eg an alcoholic may go back to alcohol, or develop an new addiction for sex). The rewards would have to be paid for by the NHS, which is a public service funded by taxes. The general public wouldn’t want their taxes being spent on giving addicts rewards CBT: CBT helps people change the way they think about their addiction and learn ways of coping effectively. (eg. in gambling addiction, the addict has a cognitive error in believing they can influence the outcome of the game, CBT would correct this wrong thinking by showing them that the belief is irrational) + Effective: Ladoceur et al randomly allocated 66 pathological gamblers to either a CBT group or waiting list.At the end, 86% of the treatment group were no longer classed as pathologica l gamblers, and had increased self-efficacy. + ALSO Sylvian et al looked at treatments that targeted both cognition and behaviour. Pathological gamblers were given cognitive therapy, social skills training and relapse prevention, resulting in improvements which were maintained at a 1yr follow-up. Research has tended to show that no psychological treatment to be superior, but that they are most effective when combined with pharmacological treatments. Public health interventions The NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Study:US government sponsored interventions such as the NIDA Collaborative Cocaine Treatment (CCT) study are designed to intervene in the cycle of drug-related personal and social problems. + The NIDA intervention led to a reduction in cocaine use, and subsequent reductions in related behaviours (eg. unprotected sex, which led to a reduction in HIV transmission) Telephone smoking ‘Quitline’: Stead et al found that smokers who received repeated Quitline c ounselling telephone calls were 50% more likely to quit than a control who only received brief counselling. Has real-world applications: Military personnel deployed overseas often take up, or increase smoking habits. Beckham et al found that combining Quitline services with nicotine replacement therapy was highly effective in treating US military veterans. Prevention of youth gambling: Messerlian et al proposed a prevention model based on research into teenage pathological gambling using denormalisation, protection, prevention and harm reduction principles. (eg. programme based on prevention would include early identification of ‘at risk’ youths, and attempt to avert them from escalating towards pathological gambling. + Public health intervention in gambling is proactive and addresses a potentially devastating social issue. Research shows that problem gambling as a teen can lead to subsequently adverse outcomes, (eg. strained relationships, criminal behaviour, depressio n and even suicide) so early prevention is essential. (Derevensky and Gupta)

An Author’s Life Is Reflected in Their Works

I strongly believe that an author’s life is reflected in their works. Well-known authors all over the world claim that important events in their lives are mentioned in the books they write. Tessa Duder said that her sailing experience inspired her to write about some children sailing together in her short story Too Close to the Wind, Patricia Grace wrote Beans based on the sports she played with her relatives when she was little, and The Lumber Room reflected the revenge Saki used to play on his aunts. Tessa Duder, Patricia Grace, and Saki are examples of authors whose lives are reflected in their works. Let’s take Saki, for example. His mother died when he was very little. Saki was looked after by his grandmother and two strict aunts Charlotte and Augusta throughout his childhood. Living with them was a nightmare for Saki, as he often took revenge on them when he was little, just like Nicholas in The Lumber Room and Conradin in Sredni Vashtar. Saki also cared for wild animals. His love for animals was shown in his famous short stories, The Lumber Room, Sredni Vashtar, The Open Window and Tobermory. Saki loathed people in mid-upper class in Britain in the 1900s. He thinks that all they care about are themselves. He didn’t write about them with kindness in The Easter Egg, and used a talking cat to embarrass them at a tea party in Tobermory. Saki’s health was very fragile when he was little. The doctor said neither him nor his siblings would survive into adulthood. His delicate health was reflected by the main characters in Sredni Vashtar and The Easter Egg. From all those examples, it is clear that Saki’s life is reflected in his works. Patricia Grace is another author who writes about her life in her works. Her writing career started when she was 25 years old with children. She has a large family and she displayed her love for her relatives in Butterflies, It used to be Green Once, The Trolley and A Way of Talking. Patricia also honoured her Maori culture by using Maori words in three of her short stories that I’ve read. A Way of Talking is a clear example of Patricia’s feelings about racism in everyday life. In the story, Jane was making disparaging comments about Maori people in front of Rose, the same thing that happened when Patricia Grace was at primary school because she was the only Maori girl there. Fun times in Patricia’s life were also shown between the lines of her writing. Meeting up with her cousins in the weekends, playing sports and doing physical things were mentioned in The Trolley; It used to be Green Once and especially in Beans. The events that took part in Patricia Grace’s stories are based on events that happened in her life. Most of Tessa Duder’s characters are created based on her personality. When Christchurch Children’s Library interviewed her, Tessa said that she was good at sports and literacy when she was young, just like Moana in Moana’s Secret, Cindy in Cindy Becomes a Star and Michael in The Violin. Her personal tragedy was reflected in the Alex quartet. Both Tessa and the main character, Alex lost someone they love; which in Tessa’s case is her daughter Clare, and in Alex’s case her boyfriend Andy. Activities Tessa did when she was little were also reflected in her stories. When she was five years old she sailed on a sailboat from New Zealand to England with her family. Sailboats were mentioned in her novella Too Close to the Wind and her short story, Person Overboard. Without knowing what sailing is and how to sail, it is not possible for Tessa Duder to write about sailing in her stories. As a swimmer who trained for six years in her teenage life and the first New Zealand woman to train seriously in the Dolphin-Butterfly stroke first introduced in the 1956 Olympics, Tessa Duder wrote about swimming in three of her short stories and the Alex quartet is about a girl who trained very hard in order to take part in the Olympic Games in Rome. Tessa Duder’s life is clearly reflected in her works from the examples shown. An author’s life is reflected in their works. This statement is clearly proven with the British author who wrote 100 years ago and two New Zealand authors who still spend their time working on new book drafts. The storyline, the personality of the characters and the twist in the stories are often related to the events that happened in the author’s life. Through the eyes of a reader, I believe that their love for writing inspires authors to write. An author’s life is reflected in their works.

Global Marekting and Ethics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global Marekting and Ethics - Coursework Example The success of the vehicle companies largely depends upon supplying vehicle models keeping in parity with the customers’ tastes and preferences. In this world of perfect competition, continuous innovation is ushering among the companies for building up new design of cars. Attracting customers along with product innovations, customers taste and preferences must be given prime emphasis for success. In 1980s and 1990s the main thrust of the automobile companies was to produce so called â€Å"world cars†. The term â€Å"world cars† mean that several automobile multinational companies like Ford, General Motors, and Toyota during that time targeted to sell cars in a same design produced in their centralized units in their overseas global market with a perspective that it would reap them huge benefit over their cost coverage. But the ultimate scenario in the reality was reverse. It was found that consumer in different market showed different taste and preference orienta tion as for example in North America the consumers demand were biased towards pick up cars while in European countries pick up cars were treated as utility vehicles purchased by firms for production use. Life style and preferences of the consumers can be referred to as a chief driving force in global marketing of automobile industries.... In many cases the firms may have to adopt unique mix in their marketing strategies in order to appeal purchasing behavior of a certain segment in a certain region. Management studies have revealed that African-Brazilian market is completely different from African-American market –the causal factor being the differences in social norms. In another example it was seen that group of people in China aged 45-55 who had few parallels in other countries during 1960s and 1970s were highly sensitive to price change and produced negative attitude towards entry of new products (Hill, n.d., p.491). So the firms had to rethink and formulate their marketing strategy mix in order to find a solution. Gender bias can also be regarded as a strategic factor in the global automobile industry. In the American society, in the automobile industry initially there was a trend in mixed workforce (both male and female) but gradually that trend changed and focus was diverted towards male dominance in the workforce and the famous Ford Company were in favor of this policy and promoted the same and gained unparalleled success. From table 1 (appendix), it can be seen that percentage women employment in Ford Company gradually declined (Robertson, 1999). Role of religion in global marketing of automobile industries Religion also acts a chief driving force in global marketing paradigm. In United States of America, there is predominance of small groups and they have deep belief in spirituality. There is no certain rigorous rigidity in joining different religious group only following few simple rules and some informal meetings (generally couple of months in that religious group) will suffice. These small religious groups rather behave like product

Call to reaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Call to reaction - Essay Example Some of the water from fracking always resurface and should be treated. Fracking affects underground water. The water becomes unfit for drinking due to large amounts of methane dissolved. People who live near the fracking areas are at greater risks. Continuation of the fracking process may lead to higher rates of water pollution in future. Some of the chemicals resulting from the process are carcinogenic and are most likely the cases of cancers may increase in the near future. Carcinogens released from the fracking process may also evaporate and cause air pollution. Pollution in the air may spread to other areas (Spellman 78). Based on the facts gathered about pollution regarding fracking, the cases of cancer will increase. Climate change may also occur as a result of the release of methane gas to the environment. Fracking produces mainly natural gas and oil. It is more expensive to use oil in production of electricity. Natural gas can not be used to fuel cars. It is therefore not ne cessary to boost the production of oil and gas from hydraulic fragmentation (Spellman et al 122). Several measures can be taken to limit the effects of fracking. Wastewater from the fracking process must be properly disposed. The disposal process should also include storm water and other wastes emanating from hydraulic fracturing processes. The waters should not be released to the environment before treatment. Water-treatment technology is recommended as it limits the pollution effects of the fracking process. The major objecting is to carry out the process of fracking in an environment friendly manner (Graves 321). Improved water treating method makes it possible to teat the wastewaters at the fracking sites. This saves the costs involved in transport of the water to disposal wells or water treatment facilities located. During fracking process, large amount of water under high pressure is pumped underground to release oil and gas trapped. Water that flows back to the ground is load ed with remnants of toxic chemicals used to fasten the fracking process and those released from the cracked rocks. This water is often recycled in the fracking process. Eventually, the water can not be recycled anymore. It is therefore necessary to transport the water to treatment plants usually located away from the fracking sites. This is expensive and the spills may cause pollution. At times, the water is injected deep into the ground. The underground injection causes earthquakes in the area. The proposed new technology eliminates the need to transport the water to treatment plants away from the fracking site. The technology works on the principle of desalinization using and low pressures to separate water and salts in the wastewater. The water comes out as vapour leaving behind salts. Waterless fracking technology is used as an alternative process to extract oil and gas trapped in rocks. The method uses a thick gel consisting of propane into the ground. The gel extracted from li quefied propane gas (LPG) turns into vapour while still underground then returns to the ground in a recoverable form. The gel does carry with it the toxic chemicals used in the fracturing process or those released from the cracked rocks. The waterless fracking technology is expensive but can be used as an alternative to the ordinary fracking process due to less impact it has on the environment. The information about the toxic chemicals that have been established to be preset in the cracking process is always hidden from the

Marketing Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marketing Plan - Research Paper Example The company has successfully launched various damage protection formulae because hair damage is the most pressing problem for females. C&A is a recent addition to the FMCG sector of America. Pro-Vitamin Shampoo is one of C&A’s major hair care brand, and the company uses various innovative advertising approaches to keep the product prominent with consumers. Since its inception, the company has offered consumers with unmatched quality products that have created a benchmark for other brands. There are four categories of Pro-Vitamin shampoo in the U.S: The packaging is simple with the Pro-Vitamin Formula written on the front side. This gives credibility and authenticity to the shampoo. The size of the bottle is normal-not very large and not too small. The lid is easy to open and close so that shampoo is wasted. Refer to Appendix 1. Pro-Vitamin shampoo is directly targeted towards adult women who are busy in their lives but want excellent care of their hair. These women are outgoing and social therefore they want their hair to look good and shine. Consumers of Pro-Vitamin shampoo want quick results, because what they see is what they will believe. Therefore, the product makes the scientific formula visible on all its packaging just to make the product look more credible. Pro-Vitamin Shampoo is targeted towards females belonging to the age bracket of 18-35 years. These females are either working somewhere or are housewives (Sharma & Mehta, 2012). The upper and middle classes can afford the shampoo bottles whereas small sachets are available in rural areas. The shampoo is preferred by women belonging to different work backgrounds. This is because the fragrance and feel of the product is excellent leaving the hair soft and shiny. Therefore, working women use it to look good in front of their colleagues. Pro-Vitamin Shampoo is directed towards socially active, beauty conscious females who want to be the centre of attraction. These

Discussion Board 1-1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussion Board 1-1 - Assignment Example Bio-psychosocial framework is an important tool in determining whether a child is age appropriately on track in development or delayed. With bio-psychosocial framework, counselors are able to understand life issues facing, children and that affects or influence their developments (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2013). The concept of genetics, heredity and diseases are important biological concepts to help in understanding variation of height, size and health with age of a given child. The concept of life cycle as contained under bio-psychosocial framework concerns the timing of processes and events in people’s life. There is particular standard time for something to occur in life of people. Psychologists and counselors may concentrate on the standards to analyze and predict issues affecting or influencing appropriate development of children. According to Kail and Cavanaugh (2013), the psychological aspect of bio-psychosocial framework dictates and explains behaviors and relationship of people with their environments. People exhibit different but almost standard behaviors at different ages in the course of their growth and development. Counselor and psychologists can analyze behaviors and other psychological definers as emotions and problem solving skills to understand whether a child is undergoing through appropriate growth process (Kail & Cavanaugh,

Leadership Styles Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership Styles Change - Essay Example Further more the definitions suggest that there need to be an" invisible force" to push people to do something in return. It could also be deduced from the definition that having a motivated work force or an environment in which high levels of motivation are maintained remains a challenge for today's management. This challenge may emanate from the simple fact that motivation is not a fixed trait -as it could change with changes in personal, psychological, financial or social factors Against this background, this paper examines this paper examines how different leadership styles changes with respect to the practical application of Theory X and theory Y. The first part of the paper examines theory X and Theory Y, while the second part if the paper looks at different leadership styles. In the third part of the paper, looks at and presents relevant conclusions and recommendations. According to Mac Gregory in this theory, management assumes employees are inherently lazy and will avoid work if they can. The researcher posits further that workers inherently dislike work need to be closely supervised through a comprehensive system of control. The theory X of Mac Gregory further assumes that, a hierarchical structure is needed with narrow span of control at each level. According to this theory, employees will show little ambition without an enticing incentive program and will avoid responsibility whenever they can. Leadership in Theory X tends to believe that everything must end in blaming someone. He or she thinks all prospective employees are only out for themselves (Friedlander, 1966). 1.2 Theory Y As opposed to theory X, Mac posits that, employees are ambitious, self-motivated, and exercise self-control. Mac stipulates further that employees enjoy their mental and physical work duties. A Theory Y leader believes that, given the right conditions, most people will want to put in the best effort to do their work effectively. Leaders of theory Y believe that the satisfaction of doing a good job is a strong motivation. Many people interpret Theory Y as a positive set of beliefs about workers. A close reading of The Human Side of Enterprise reveals that McGregor simply argues for managers to be open to a more positive view of workers and the possibilities that this creates. Theory X and Y are not different ends of the same continuum. Rather they are two different continua in themselves. Thus,

Research Methods for Social Epidemiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Methods for Social Epidemiology - Essay Example Observational research involves descriptive and analytical studies. First, participant observation (in which the observer is obvious to and involved with the subjects) is less valid than a questionnaire would be for sensitive data. Second, the observer's expectations affect what he or she sees and reports, reducing the validity of the data. Validity is thus diminished when the observer reports seeing either "everything" or "nothing." In its turn, observational epidemiology involves the following types of research: descriptive studies, ecological studies fallacy, cross sectional studies and cohort studies (Oakes and Kaufman 2006). In participant observation, the researcher is a regular participant in the activities being observed; while in non-participant observations, the researcher is not a participant in the ongoing activities being observed. Second, structuring the observation increases validity by focusing the attention of the observers on certain characteristics and events. Third, placing the observation on a scientific foundation by stating a hypothesis up front increases validity by avoiding distortion. Using observation only for studying those epidemiological phenomena that are appropriate to this method (e.g., nonverbal behaviors and social interactions) increases validity (Beaglehole et al 2007). In contrast to observational epidemiology, experimental design involves ra

History of Amlwch Anglesey Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History of Amlwch Anglesey - Case Study Example By the late 18th century Amlwch was on the most populated towns of Wales. By this time the harbor of Amlwch was extended to include ships to transport copper from the town. The copper from the mines of Amlwch was used to protect the ships of war from the growth of seaweed and boring by worms. But because of excessive export and use of copper, with time the reserves of the copper mines started to diminish. Also the competition from cheaper copper and other ores from abroad by the mid 18th century, led to the overall decline of the deep mining industry in Amlwch. The copper ore was initially extracted from shallow shafts and then through open pit mining in Amlwch. Later it used to be extracted from shafts up to three hundred meter deep. After extraction the ore used to be broken into pieces by hand and then transported to South Wales for smelting. The metal copper used to be extracted from the remainder with the help of furnaces that were present at the port of Amlwch itself. Many other chemical industries that were based on the by products of the mines were also established. These chemical industries included those of alum, vitriol, sulphur and chrome pigments. By the mid of the 18th century the popularity of copper mining industry had declined in the town, and ship building industry had gained popularity.

Work of Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Work of Art History - Essay Example At the same time he was developing his own style, Rodin was joined by Realists and Impressionists who brought new perspectives to painting, and thus public perception of art changed as well. In 1907, Rodin crafted The Hand of God, which he had modeled around 1896. The sculpture shows a single hand as its central subject, and it holds within it a raw stone. This stone also features the smooth figures of man and woman, who are being fashioned into organic forms from the rough material, showing God in the process of creation much as the sculptor goes through such a process. In analyzing this sculpture, it is first necessary to use one's eyes to see what it presents—the content, the subject matter, the forms and shapes. The sculpture, as mentioned, features a large, strong hand, set apart from the body so that the hand itself is the subject. The hand juts forth from a rough base, an uncut and unpolished piece of stone marble. Within the hand, we see a smaller version of the same c ontrast—there are two human bodies, intertwined, one man and one woman, and they are attached to a backdrop of raw marble with no deliberation alterations. Examining the sculpture from different angles reveals different contrasts, as one side shows only the fingers gripping the stone, while another angle would put the focus on the human figures within the stone and the hand. The texture of the human elements is smooth and curved, while the rest of the marble is straight, jagged, and not at all organic. The sculpture can be seen as divided into three parts—the largest part being the hand, the next mot important being the two human figures, and then the backdrop of uncut stone being the supplementary part. As a sculpture, color is not used, but form doubles its centrality by gaining a third dimension that is not quite present in any painting. The artist was able to create a center of a attention with ease by having the hand sit squarely in the center of its base and come upward, with the fingers slightly curled in order to create a cylindrical shape that also suggest motion. The lack of rigidity in the hand gives it a more lifelike appearance, just as the somewhat fetal and relaxed human forms of the man and woman give an impression that they are alive and movable, rather than striking any sort of pose that lacks life and flexibility. The artist also creates a contrast between the live and non live parts of the sculpture by having a deep groove between the body parts and the rough stone. In a way, there is a sort of trench, and this has the effect of making the body parts pop out from the stone, not specifically separated but still having a clear gap and change of depth. This is his way of establishing an aesthetic difference between the two elements, while the scale is used to develop a difference between the bodies and the hand. The texture of the body parts helps to create a beauty that is set apart from the stone as well, so the viewer clearly considers the difference between the two and realizes which is more attractive. The meaning of the sculpture is rather easy to interpret on the surface, but perhaps has deeper parts. Foremost, it shows symbolic process of creation of humanity by the more powerful and larger â€Å"hand of God†. The difference between textures shows that life comes from something raw, and God cleaves life out of what is lifeless. The lack of body for God shows that the hands are the focus, as the hand of God is the doing and creating part of him, the tools that he used to change earth into man. On top of this basic theme of creation by God from rough material into life and beauty, we also get a second meaning of creation—that of the artist or the sculptor. The symbolism about divinity is displayed in

Online Education vs. Traditional Education Essay Example for Free

Online Education vs. Traditional Education Essay Which type of education would fit a person’s life and ones family’s life the best online education or traditional education? When making a decision about furthering one’s education think about it hard and think about what type of life that person is living, is it calm and easy going? Or is the person always busy and running around doing something with one’s children or just always doing something? Choosing a type of education is a very important decision to make and should not be made quickly, one would need to think about it and research each type of education rather it be online or traditional before making that choice of which education would work best for that person. Compared to traditional education, online education is the new age of education, and also is much more convenient and less intimidating for most students. Traditional education is more on a set schedule and is more for the hands on learners. Traditional education is still a superior way to receive an education over the online education, but online education is the new, easier and more advanced way to also receive an education. Online education and traditional education are both awesome ways to receive an education, but also are both very different ways to learn. That person just has to decide which type of education would fit one’s life better online education with easier convenience or traditional education that is on a straight and narrow line. Choosing a type of education is one of the most important decisions that one can make in one’s lifetime, so just be careful over which type of education that one should choose. First we will start out by discussing online education. Online education is of much easier convenience than traditional education, because a person can do it at home or even on the go. Online education is ideal for the working parent, or the on the go adult. Many people choose online education over traditional education because for most students it is less intimidating. The student is in their own environment and it lets them feel more comfortable, so the student can participate and not be scared of what another student will say or do. Also it involves the students more because during online education the student has to post to other students or interact with them, and the teacher as well or the student does not get participation grade and that is important when doing online education. The shy type students feel more comfortable doing it online because the student is not face-to-face with all the other students they are hidden behind the computer so the student doesn’t have to worry about getting picked on or anything in that students own home. When one chooses to do education online it also contributes to the students to learn better computer skills and the new technology about the computer so they can keep up and be able to graduate the online classes. When one chooses to do online education you have to be able to use the computer to an extent to be able to complete the necessary work needed for online classes. Online education is for the self-paced learners unlike traditional education which is for the visual learners. Online education and traditional education are different ways of learning and it depends on the person and which one would be correct for that person. Now second let us talk about traditional education. Traditional education is on a set margin every day and nothing changes with the school schedule. In traditional education your attendance is mandatory and is required basically every day for that student’s participation. When in a traditional education class room it enables teacher and student interaction and encourages face-to-face communication. The student has no choice but to talk to the teachers and the other students to get that student’s opinion. When students are in a traditional classroom setting around other students or one’s peers it creates some competition between the other students, and that is a huge thing to have among student peers. A little competition among students only gets them to go over and beyond to be the best or at least on the same page as the other students. One student doesn’t want to be left behind the other students concerning grades or assignments. Traditional education is perfect for the hands on learners, the ones that need things to be in front of their face to learn things completely. In traditional education you are on a set schedule every day, where nothing changes except maybe the class, unlike with online education which is much more flexible. Traditional education is much more on the straight narrow line than online education is. When one chooses to go the traditional education route then you have to show up in class, and you have to sit through lectures from your instructor and cram all that information into notes or in your head. That is why a person has to make sure to make the perfect choice for continuing education if it would be online education or traditional education. Finally when it comes to concerning comparing the two types of education you can find the correct type of education for the type of person you are. Traditional and online education is so very different, but also is alike in many ways to. The two types of education both have classes, teachers, deans or principals, interaction with other students and teachers either face-to-face or over the computer, grades that you have to keep up to pass the class, plus there are many more. Differences in the two types of education between online and traditional education is what makes the choice of the right type of education for that type of person so hard to choose. Some of the things are like the tuition cost, the type of learner that you are, and some of the degrees that you earn from the college are accredited more than the others are. Online education tuition is usually cheaper than traditional education, but traditional education degrees are more accredited than online education in most places of business to receive a job. Like for example if two different people were applying for the same job and one had a degree over an online education university course, and the other person went to an university on campus, then more than likely the one that went to the college on campus will get the job. Not saying that online degrees are not accredited most of them are it all just depends on the university that you got the degree at, and the person over the job you are wanting to get. One of the biggest things about choosing which type of education is the best for that type of person is what type of learner that person is. If you can just read or research something and it helps you learn the subject then online education would be great for you. If you need visual and hands on learning or a teacher showing and instructing you on how to do something then traditional education would be the best option for that person. At last Online education and traditional education both has their own strengths and their own weaknesses in many different and similar ways. When making a choice of going back to school it is such an important decision to make, and one should never just jump into taking classes or continuing one’s education without making sure which type of education would be the best for that person and that person’s family. Online education is much more convenient and easier to incorporate into your everyday life, unlike with traditional education. Traditional education is on a set schedule and set margin. Every day is the same routine and you have to show up for class which could be hard for the working parent or even some students. When it comes to concerning tuition cost online education tuition is usually cheaper, although traditional education tuition may cost more, but there degrees are also more accredited by more businesses so you could get a job easier or faster. So just because online education is cheaper doesn’t mean it is better, but just because traditional education cost more doesn’t mean it is better either, it all depends on the person and the way that person’s life is. Each type of education has its good points and its bad points, so before choosing to go back to school think about it hard and rational so that each person can decide which type of education online education or traditional education is going to work the best for that person and that person’s family. References- www. isnare. com Author: Bob Willouby. Carl Rogers on Personal Power Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Freedom to Learn- Carl Rogers. Humanistic Education: Objectives and Assessment Maslow, A. H. The Farther Reaches of Human Nature- Carl Ed. Letters, and Glickman. What We Can Do About the Real Crisis in Public Education- David F. Labaree The Assessment Debate- Valerie J. Janesick.

The Creation Of The Spitfire History Essay

The Creation Of The Spitfire History Essay In 1931 the Royal Air Ministry issues a specification for a new modern fighter plane, which was to be both agile in combat as well as fast, included in the specification was the requirement of a top speed of 251mph. R.J. Mitchell, chief designer at Supermarine Aviation at the time, replied to this specification with his first initial prototype The type 224 was a huge disappointment. After the initial reaction to this plane was received Mitchell and his design team then began to design a radical new plane, The type 300 this plane was also rejected. However the design team of Mitchell continued to develop the plane and added new features into the plane such as; ( The Supermarine S6B 1931 ) An enclosed cockpit, oxygen breathing apparatus. Smaller and thinner wings and the newly developed more powerful rolls Royce PV-XII V-12 engine (1,Wikipedia, November 3rd ). This developed design was accepted by the Air Ministry. On the 1st of December the Ministry issued  £10,000 for the construction of the first Spitfire and the next specification was written based on Mitchells design on January 3rd 1935. On March 5th 1936 the first prototype spitfire took its maiden voyage (2,Wikipedia, November 3rd). After the first test flights went well, the spitfire was then issued for manufacture. One of the biggest icons of aviation was to be placed in massed production; Further official trials were held in May 1936, and in June the Royal Air Force placed a production order for 310, by which time the new fighter had been dubbed the Spitfire. (3. Taylor, Patrick 2010) After this initial order the Spitfires the pilots then began to there training on how to fly them, from here the Spitfire also became the plane which was loved by its pilots. The Creator and Design team R.J Mitchell was a chief designer at Supermarine Aviation before undertaking the challenge of the Air Ministry specification. Although R.J Mitchell was influence during the prototyping of the plane and was highlighted as the creator of the spitfire he died from illness in 1937 and the project taken on by Supermarines new Chief Designer, Joseph Smith. Mitchell never got to see the achievement that his creation would achieve. After Mitchells untimely death Smith and the design team continued to develop the Spitfire during the Second world war and unlike other planes of this period such as the hurricane. Mitchells design was so sound that the Spitfire was continually improved through the second world war whereas its contemporary, the hawker hurricane quickly became obsolete. Over 22,000 Spitfires and derivatives were built. (4,Wikipedia November 4th) Mitchells design was also so robust that the spitfire was redesigned and adjusted to suit many different situations. Out of all these variations the most famous was the Seafire, This plane was adjusted to fly off airplane carriers. Early marks of Seafire had relatively few modifications to the standard Spitfire airframe; however cumulative front line experience meant that most of the later versions of the Seafire had strengthened airframes, folding wings, arrestor hooks and other modifications (5, Wikipedia, November 4th ) The Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine spitfire is a single seating fighter aircraft that was used mainly in the British RAF. The Spitfire was designed as a short-range high-performance interceptor aircraft (6,Wikipedia November 4th) in conjunction with the Hawker Hurricane they were the basis of Britons air defence against any attacks. However the Supermarine Spitfire was also used for other tasks in the RAF, these would range from interceptor, photo-reconnaissance, fighter-bomber, carrier-based fighter, and trainer. ( 7,Wikipedia, November 4th) The versatility of the spitfires design allowed this to be done. The main event from were the Spitfire began to build its reputation as one of the greatest planes invented was during the battle of Briton off the cliffs of Dover. In the summer and autumn of 1940. (The Supermarine Spitfire in flight ) The German air force aimed attacks at factories, airfields, shipping centres such as Portsmouth were also targeted. The spitfire was one of the main reasons why the British Air forces won the Battle of Britain which highlighted it as a design icon in the future years. After the Battle Of Britain the Spitfire became the backbone of the RAF. And also saw action worldwide due to how successful and well they flew. As the war further progressed different versions of the spitfire were adapted for different missions and conditions. Up to 24 different variations of the spitfire were produced and 20,351 were produced in the 10 year period in which they were manufactured from 1938 to 1948, (8,Wikipedia, November 7th). The spitfire is the only plane that was built, before, during and after the second world war (9,EzineArticles, November 7th). All the spitfires were built to a certain specification and these could be adjusted and altered depending on the situation that the planes may face. The spitfire helped to save a huge number of lives in the period in which it served, regardless of which mission it undertook. R.J. Mitchell and his team had designed and developed one of the solutions that helped to win the second world war for Great Britain and the allying countries. The origin of the Spitfire and its production: The Supermarines were assembled in the west midlands in Castle Bromwich , this factory was equipped with the most specialist equipment available so that all Supermarines that were rolled out of this factory were flyable. It is estimated that this factory cost the government a total of  £2,000,000 however by the beginning of 1939 it was believed the factory may of cost double this. By the time production had finished at Castle Bromwich a total of 12,129 spitfires had been made.(10,Wikipedia, November 24th). However, the making of these planes was not the simple process in which the British government had hoped. As part of a plan to remove Britain of all its prized war resources German Luftwaffe ( The Germans version of the fighter plane during the war) attempted a vast number of air raids in hope of destroying the factories in the Southampton area. The two main factories here Woolston and Ichten provided the bulk of the airplane parts for the Castle Bromwich factory. On September 26th both factories were successfully bombed and wrecked with the loss of 92 lives, and many of the experienced work force injured. (11,Wikipedia, November 24th ) Knowing the inevitable would happen and the factories would be destroyed 6 days prior to the factories being bombed the British government dispersed and relocated many of the jigs and machinery used. The jigs and machinery were relocated to different parts of Southampton. These different parts and workshops became well known for being able to produced individual parts for the spitfire. The four most well known towns with satellite access were: Southampton and Eastleigh Airport Salisbury with High Post and Chattis Hill aerodromes Trowbridge with Keevil aerodrome Reading with Henley and Aldermaston aerodromes (12,Wikipedia 24th November) Without these factories the Spitfires production would not of been to the scale which it achieved. With careful guidance and supervision from the British government, who also funded the factories, the production of parts and the planes themselves were able to also avoid the attacks of the German air force. What made the spitfire a design icon: The spitfires design is noted as the main factor to making it a globally known design icon, one of the most known points of this was the Elliptical wing design. The elliptical wing design was aimed to solve two problems that arose during the designing of the spitfire in 1934, these problems revolved around the need for the wings to be thin, to help with manoeuvrability, as well as ensuring that it doesnt cause too much drag when the airplane is in flight. This provided a stern challenge for Mitchell and his design team with the added knowledge that the wings must be able to carry any extra ammunition and equipment. A feature of the wing which contributed greatly to its success was an innovative spar boom design, made up of five square tubes which fitted into each other.'(13,Wikipedia November 24th). This design allowed for incredible balance and strength in the wings. With the basis of the wings created the design team continued to test and modify during the war. They experimented wi th different angles of which the wings would be set at, and different tips which would be placed on the edge of the wings. A thin cross section on the wings allowed for a faster speed than all of the other contemporary planes at the time'(14,Wikipedia November 24th) . The RAF saw speed as the best form of defence against the attacking German Luftwaffe. Another of the spitfires features was how easily it could be developed adjusted and changed for different missions or conditions that the RAF may need the plane for. In its lifespan 24 different variations of models based upon the Spitfire Supermarine were created due to the design being so successful in terms of flying ability. One of the main reason the spitfire gained fame was how well they flew, the pilots of the second world war adored the spitfire for this reason. (Supermarine Spitfire in flight) The influence of the creation of the Spitfire Supermarine The main influence behind the creation of the Spitfire was the main planes in the German air force, the Messerschmitt Bf 109E and the Luftwaffe. The British government and the RAF saw these planes as a huge threat to Britain and a threat which the Hurricane (The British fighter plane before the spitfire) could not handle on its own. After issuing a specification on a new fighter plane , the British Government gave the engineers and designers of Britain the chance to provide a solution. Which R. J. Mitchell took up and created the spitfire it was a huge leap for British aviation design. The Supermarine type 224 was the first plane and design that Mitchell submitted to the British government. Although this design failed and disappointed it was the basis of the Supermarine Spitfire. After many Cleaned up designs and alterations the improved Supermarine Spitfire was accepted by the British governments and was then placed under test flying after an initial trial order was established. There was no previous plane that the spitfire based its design upon, it was designed by Mitchell and his team from the beginning until the first successful test flight and the further developments during the war, Although Mitchell was not to see his creation fly as he died during the testing process in 1937. What influence the Spitfire had on design. From the Spitfires initial design it helped to influence aviation in a whole new way. Many different variations of the Spitfire were created by the RAF for different missions and conditions. After the war had come to an end the spitfires were still placed into production as RAFs across the world used spitfires as there signature planes until they were placed out of service. The Spitfire also placed belief that British design was able of achieving great things and after the war the world of design took an upwards spiral due to belief in the designers of Britain. The influence of the Spitfire in terms of aviation was also notable, aviation designers paid more attention to the balance and handling of the plane, one notable factor was most aviation designers copied the spitfires wing pattern to increase both speed and stability. The influence of the spitfire was huge as it became a national and worldwide icon it helped aviation to reach new levels and develop further and faster than ever before. Due to the spitfire planes designers could place planes onto air craft carriers which could be designed to withstand long haul flights and carry the needed fuel. The Seafire was an example to this. Conclusion:

The use of innovative marketing and product concepts

The use of innovative marketing and product concepts Innovative marketing and product concepts made OSIM International Ltd a leader in the industry of Home Health-care products. Franchise agreements among most of the cross border operations are implemented to ensure capitalization of local marketing expertise and practices of the franchisees. OSIM International Ltd are now employing expressive marketing and distribution system which enables the management to analyze customer needs and preferences both on the regional and local market bases and customize product designs to exceed customer expectations and also in order to address the company weakness. Despite of this effort of the company, the current financial situation of the company is quite unusual, thus a need for financial situational analysis is a must. For most businesses today, the progress and development they created are recorded as basis of their success. These records also serve as essential thing in making decision in business and of course as a benchmark for measuring the firms performance for the period under scrutiny (Ali, A 1993 and Pike, R Neale, B 1999). A financial situation analysis is one such gauge that documents current and future financial situation in an attempt to determine a financial strategy to help achieve organisational goals. Objectives The objective of this paper of evaluates and analyses the business performance of OSIM by reviewing the financial information for the past 3 years. Actually, it attempts to examine the financial statements of the company by using tools such as Ratio Analysis and also to see what might be the other factors that can influence the companys growth and its decision making and than to see the limitations of the financial analysis. These performance indicators are better known as ratios and constitute the main tools of conventional financial analysis. This serves as a proof that more and more organisations are realising the importance the analysis of their financial situation in order to keep up with the demands of the business world. Basically, this paper will be discussing the financial status of OSIM holdings Ltd. in accordance to their financial ratios in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Corporate Profile of OSIM OSIM International Ltd was believed a global leader in healthy lifestyle products. The company was originally founded by Ron Sim in Singapore in 1980. During that time OSIM was under the name of R Sim Trading, an electrical and household appliance company. Using their small start-up capital, the company engages with the promotion of household products such as knife sharpeners, knife and mobile clothes drying rods. Apparently, in 1989, the company listed with the name Health Check and Care, and later on shifted their main focus to healthy lifestyle products. The time following this created great development for the company, and it manages to produce outlets in Indonesia and Malaysia. In 1993, the company officially introduced the OSIM brand name and its distribution network grown up to 60 point-of-sale outlets in Asia. By the year 2002, OSIM formed its global business headquarters in Singapore at 65 Ubi Avenue 1. The Business Headquarters Status (BHQ) was awarded to OSIM by The Economic Development Board. In 1993, the company opened its first concept shop in Shanghai, in the Peoples Republic of China. Currently, OSIM operates about 1,100 outlets in more 30 countries worldwide. Current/Future Trends Figure 1. 2007 to 2009 Business Performance of OSIM Source: www.ft.com As seen in figure 1, the performance of OSIM is at its peak in the 2nd quarter of 2007. But suffers from continues decline in year 2008 up to the 1st quarter of 2009 due the global recession experienced not only by OSIM but of most businesses around the globe. Despite of the recession, OSIM still devices some strategy that will enhance their business performance. As seen in the presentation, there is also a slight revival of business performance in 2009 and it seems that this trend will continue up to the end of 2010. As recorded in ft.com, OSIM International Ltd (O23:SES) set a new 52-week high during todays trading session when it reached 0.615. Over this period, the share price is up 692.04%. Over the last week OSIM International Ltd (O23:SES) outperformed the Straits Times index.. Competitors As indicated in the company report of OSIM, their primary markets are located in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan and currently no company poses a significant threat to them as a major competitor (Osim International Ltd. 2009). The company believed that they have the have a competitive edge over their competitors in their primary markets as their extensive distribution network of outlets is dedicated to home health-care products. As part of the business development of the company, they currently exercise the full control over their point-of-sales network and dictate to their distribution chain how to sell and not only what to sell (Osim International Ltd. 2009). Furthermore, OSIM also control their supply chain, from the design of the products up to the distribution and marketing of the products. In general, the company considers Sanyo and Omron as their competitors. Actually, Sanyo is a major electronics company and member of the Fortune 500 whose headquarters is located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo targets the middle of the market and has over 324 offices and plants worldwide. On the other hand, Omron is an old company which was established in 1933 and incorporated in 1948 by Kazuma Tateishi. Similar to Sanyo, Omrons core expertise is the manufacture and sale of automation components, equipment and systems, but it is generally known for medical equipment such as digital thermometers, blood pressure monitors and nebulizers. As seen, these competitors are not directly targeting the market of OSIM which are mostly home health-care products. However, in response to the competitors and in order to handle competitive pressures from manufacturers of low-priced products in the PRC market, the company have developed NORO as a secondary brand to sell lower-priced massage chairs and kneading massagers to the segment of the consumer market which are more sensitive to pricing (Osim International Ltd. 2009). While the barriers to entry into the home health-care products industry are not exorbitant, new entrants may possibly face high start-up costs and needed to compete against established brands. New entrants may also be short of the knowledge of how to sell and where to sell. Thus, the company is convinced that in this industry, strategic marketing and branding are crucial. Furthermore, new entrants might find it more complicated to set up a distribution network. For example, owners of strategic departmental stores and suburban shopping malls usually prefer the more well-established names. In addition, the comparison of financial values can will be discussed in the next secrtion. Ratio Analysis Characteristically, financial measures as well as the affiliations employed in performance depth are designed to stress outcomes with least or no consideration of the decision processes of the manager. The usual or conventional way of performance was based on episodic profitability gauges without the concern to particular variables that drive these measures (Daroca Nourayi, 2002). Performance in the past is mainly based on conventional accounting and measures based on market performance. In particular, these measures include the evaluation on net income, return on equity/capital employed, earnings per share as well as share-price return. Some financial outrages have put corporate governance in the business spotlight. Basically, the issues and interest in the subject corporate finance can be traced back at least to the eighteenth century and economists such as Adam Smith. Certainly, there is probably little new in the existing debate involving to financial negligence, except for the range of the financial and economic consequences which replicate the greater importance of finance in the current economy. As stated previously, the aim of this presentation is to scrutinize the economic and financial context of corporate governance of a home health-care products company i.e. OSIM. It attempts to evaluate the past, current and future situation of this business in terms of the financial reports. Basically, corporate governance has significant impact for the performance of the financial sector and, by addition, the economy as whole. Well-organised resource allocation is supported by strapping shareholder control rights, which assists investment in fresh development actions and confines the scope for corporate over-investment. Actually, investment decisions are further correlated to corporate governance insofar as investors prefer to invest in suitably supervised businesses and be fitting to avoid investing in uncertain environments. In this manner, the investor assertion created by sound corporate governance stipulations and the security of marginal shareholders encourages the financial market progress by encouraging share ownership and capable capital allocation across firms. Transparent financial reporting is necessary to sending efficient corporate governance. For the last several years, the home health-care products industries in Singapore have seen the rapid growth of the number of firms offering financial situation analysis services. This serves as a proof that more and more organisations are realising the importance the analysis of their financial situation in order to keep up with the demands of the business world. Analysis of Information Profitability Ratios As seen in figure 1, the Osim International Ltds 2009 revenues grew revenues 4.40% from 456.66m to 476.77m. This along with an increase in selling, general and administrative costs has contributed to a reduction in net income from a gain of 99.44m to a gain of 23.33m. From the record for 2009, the company actually suffers from profit decline due to the effect of global recession. As seen, their 2007 performance is expressive compared in 2008 or even in 2009. From these results, we can deviate that OSIM was not performing well in 2009 and 2008 as compared to their expressive 2007. Despite of some downturns in 2008 and 2009 due to the global business crisis, the year 2010 shows interesting trend. From the gathered information, it is expected that in 2010 both the revenue and net income of OSIM will be constantly moving upward. Figure 2. Summary of Profitability Ratios (Prices are in SGD) OSIM Sanyo Omron Source: http://www.ft.com From the given situation and results of revenue and net income of OSIM, the company not only needs to evaluate their business strategies but also the political, economic, and cultural factors of their host country i.e. Singapore. It is not whether the business is in a market oriented status or not. The business norms in Singapore have been changing and are becoming more compatible with international codes and norms after a series of economic reforms (Barton, D., Newell, R. Wilson. G. 2002). Given the nature of the Singapore economy and the large potential of the market, doing business with Singapore requires a continuous process of learning, caution for instability, and flexibility to catch opportunities. In terms of gross margin, OSIM surpasses both Sanyo and Omron. Despite of the large market of Sanyo and Omron, OSIM was still performing expressively. Liquidity and Debt Ratios In financial analysis, the balance sheets of company reports conform to the financial ratios (see Appendix for the complete details of balance sheets of OSIM). The purpose of ratios is to find out how profitable the company is, we can calculate if company has enough liquid resources to pay its creditors, employees and finance charges. It is a useful to shareholders to find out their value of shares. Ratios are most powerful and simplest tool to evaluate companys performance and its validity (Riahi-Belkaoui, A 1998). Atril Mclaney (2004) stated that by calculating a relatively small number of ratios, it is often possible to build up a reasonably good picture of the position and performance of a business. Ratios help to highlight the financial strengths and weaknesses of a business, but they can not, by themselves, explain why certain strengths or weaknesses exist, or why certain changes occurred. Just by details investigation will find the reasons. Ratios can be grouped into certain categories; each of them identifies a particular aspect of financial performance or, position. In this part of the paper, well be considering the liquidity ratios and debt ratio of OSIM. Liquidity ratios show how quickly the company can meet its short-term obligations using its current assets (Riahi-Belkaoui, A 1998). The following ratios are needed to determine the status of liquidity of the firm under analysis: Current Ratio; and Quick Ratio Each of them are calculated for OSIM as follows: The current ratio shows the ability of the company to pay its liabilities, i.e. debts and payables during the period (Pike, R Neale, B 1999). It is expressed as: As an alternative to the use of the current ratio, which may include financial statement items that are not easily liquidated and have uncertain liquidation values, the quick ratio does not include inventory in the computation of liquidity (Pike, R Neale, B 1999). In formula: Figure 3. Summary of Liquidity and Debt Ratios OSIM Sanyo Omron Source: http://www.ft.com It is evident in the computations that OSIM was always in good position to meet its short-term debt for the years 2007, 2008 and 2009 compared to 2005 despite of the global crisis. This means that OSIM is always bale to meet their current liabilities using their current assets (cash, inventory, receivables) as compared to both Sanyo and Omron. The figures are not high so as to make the shareholders fear that the assets of the company are not working to grow the business, and not low so as to drive creditors away with respect to the level of risk present. Since quick ratios are perceived as a sign of the companys financial strength or weakness, the figures in the previous table shows the relative stability of the financial strength of OSIM. A higher number would indicate stronger financial performance, and a lower one means weaker performance. Apparently, the high financial leverage ratios of OSIM provide an implication that the organisation is solvent in the long-term. With this regard, the debt ratio shows the OSIMs position to meet its long-term obligation or liabilities. Debt ratios are dependent of the companys classification of long-term leases and other items as long-term debt (Pike, R Neale, B 1999). Pike, R Neale, B 1999, stated that this is the gauge with which the financial strength of a company is a sign of the ratio of capital that has been funded by liability, counting preference shares. A higher debt ratio (which means the company has low equity ratio) does not give the firms creditors the security they require from an organisation (Pike, R Neale, B 1999). The firm would, as a result, find difficulty in raising supplementary financial support coming from outside sources if the firm wishes to take such action. Therefore it reveals that the higher the debt ratio, the harder it is for the company to raise funds from the outside. Market Share For the recorded 2007-2009 business performance of OSIM Holdings Limited, the company generated a worldwide group turnover of around SGD 477 million. This is an expressive market share in global home health-care products business. In Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan which is OSIMs largest markets, their combined domestic sales accounted for 85.6 per cent. of their Groups revenues. In Singapore, IPS Brothers Enterprise Pte Ltd and Goh Joo Hin Pte Ltd market akin home health-care products under the brands of Oto and Lifestyle respectively (Osim International Ltd. 2009). In Hong Kong, National and Omron are OSIMs competitors. In Taiwan, there are many retailers in the home health-care products industry and OSIM do not consider any company as a major competitor to them (Osim International Ltd. 2009). Actually, the claim of OSIM is valid since there are no published statistics or official sources of information on companies engaged in the retail and distribution of home health-care products in their primary markets, thus, the company are unable to determine their market share. However, the company assumed that they are one of the leaders in Asia in this business based on 2 market surveys in 1999 which they had commissioned international survey firms, The Gallup Organisation and ACNielsen (China) Ltd (ACNielsen), to undertake to determine their market positions in Singapore and Hong Kong respectively. The Gallup Organisations survey revealed that in Singapore, OSIM is the number 1 brand for electronic home health-care products when compared to other brands like National, Omron, Oto and Lifestyle, in terms of the following (Osim International Ltd. 2009): brand awareness market share perceived image in terms of quality, trustworthiness, brand preference, technology, designs and features, range of products, customer service and value for money. On the other hand, the ACNielsens survey revealed that in Hong Kong, OSIM was also number 1 in terms of overall brand preference for massage chairs, foot reflexology rollers, pulse massagers and pulse monitors (Osim International Ltd. 2009). Actually, in the ACNielsens survey, OSIM was compared with brands like National, Oto, Sharp and Philips. SWOT Analysis With respect to the given information in the company website, the following presentation will show the SWOT analysis of OSIM. Actually, SWOT analysis can provide a framework for identifying and analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threat. This can also provide an impetus to analyze a situation and develop suitable strategies and tactics, a basis for assessing core capabilities and competences. Moreover, this can provide the evidence for, and cultural key to change and a stimulus to participation in a group experience. Strengths Wide experience in apparels market as they have been in the business for almost 42 years now, their directors can consider their experience in operating venture as strength. Reasonable price offerings of products and services- since they able to keep their overheads low, this allows them to have better control of their prices. This is considered strength because naturally, people would look for a reasonably-priced place to stay in that equally do not sacrifice service and product quality. Already has developed a good reputation for value for money since they have been operating for great number of years, they already have built a name for themselves, attracting a number of loyal customers along the way. Good industry skills the directors of different divisions of OSIM are natural for the business that they ventured into, both being outgoing and friendly, the most important public relation skills that clients look for. Weaknesses Although, the company has seen much strength, OSIM also encompasses some weaknesses. One of its weaknesses is the declining confidence of some of its shareholders. Even though the group was successful, some of the shareholders are not confident due to the current crisis. The company should create ways to address this weakness. Another weakness of OSIM is their inability to have a system that will enhance their marketing and distribution processes. The advancement of technology nowadays is one of the weaknesses of OSIM. Although the company are now adopting different advance technologies, the room for improvement are still open. Thus, it is suggested for the group to have focus in their research and development department. Actually, the group was expressively dominating in the market of Singapore but with regards to the current global financial crisis, OSIM are dragged by the current condition of the country as seen in their financial ratios. Thus, another form of their weakness is their mutual bond to the economy of Singapore. However, if economic growth grows at a rate greater than inflation, then the total of business earnings should be dragged along as well. Opportunities To increase profitability in the face of increased demand for their business offerings this opportunity came from the social areas in the rise in the number of population and changes to consumer preferences. To better improve business performance due to the presence of more competitors, they have the opportunity to develop the business core competencies so that they can still get ahead of the game. To expand business coverage through excellent management and marketing activities, the OSIM could enlarge the business, not only increase the size of the physical facilities and improve offered amenities, but also to expand market scope, possibly to other countries. Threats Continued increase in the number of competitors. Increase in competition would mean tougher business development. Inability to cope up with modern developments this serves as a serious threat, as the competitors have shown that they have the capacity to include modern technology in their services and products offerings. Aggressive competitors as seen in the current environment of Singapore, there are numerous businesses that offer services and products similar to OSIM. This is, off the bat, the most aggressive competitor that the business has to face for the time being, aggressive with respect to the quality of product and services offerings. Porters Five Forces A Five-Force model (see Figure 4) was conducted in the context of the global cosmetic industry. Despite being a market leader, OSIM is not yet resting on its laurels of success, but instead, continuously innovating and developing their company in order to maintain what it has managed to achieve up to this time. Thus, they have constantly formulated competitive strategies in order to attain this. Forces outside the industry are significant primarily in a relative sense; since outside forces usually affect all firms in the industry, the key is found in the differing abilities of firms to deal with them. The most dominant strategic management paradigm in recent years is known as the strategies model (Fredrickson 1991). The state of competition in an industry, in this case the apparel industry, depends on five basic competitive forces, which will be here. The strength of the competitive forces in an industry determines the degree to which the inflow of investment occurs and drives the return to the free market level, and thus the ability of firms to sustain above-average returns. The underlying structure of an industry, reflected in the strength of the forces, should be distinguishable from the many short-run factors that can affect competition and profitability in a transient way (Porter 1998:3). For instance, variations in the economic environment over the business cycle manipulate the short-run productivity of the retailing industry, as can material deficiencies, strikes, and the like. Even though such factors may have strategic implications, the focal point of the analysis of industry structure is on categorising the basic, fundamental features of the industry rooted in its economics and technology that shape the arena in which competitive strategy must be set (Porter 1998). The five competitive forces suppliers, buyers, competitive rivalry among firms currently in the industry, product substitutes and potential entrants to the industry reveal the fact that the competition in the home health-care goes well further than the already existing business (Davies Lam 2001). Customers, suppliers, substitutes, and potential entrants are all competitors to firms in the industry and may be more or less prominent depending on the particular circumstances (Porter 1998). All five competitive forces mutually establish the amount of industry rivalry and productivity, and the most influential forces are prevailing and becoming decisive in terms of strategy formulation. In OSIMs case, even them who have a very well-built market leadership in the home health-care products industry where entrants have little or no threat will receive small returns on their profits if it has to face a superior quality and lower-cost alternative. Figure 4. Porters Five Forces Model Industry Competitors. In the global business industry, regulatory and technological changes are the main catalysts, making entrenched competitive structures obsolete and mandating the development of new products, new processes, new strategies, and new public policies toward the industry under analysis. Financial centres, in vigorous competition with each other, have undergone further regulatory change in their efforts to capture a greater share of international trade in financial services, even as common efforts at the regional and global level have tried to support safety and soundness and a reasonably level competitive playing field. Basically, there are numerous cosmetic players in the industry, included in the list is OSIM, who strive for market leadership in all their business aspects. As such, the level of industry competition is very stiff and very aggressive. Potential Entrants. Natural barriers to entry in the global apparel industry include the need for capital investment, human resources, and technology and the importance of economies of scale. It also includes the role of contracting costs avoided by a close relationship between the vendor and its client, which in turn is related to the avoidance of opportunistic behaviour by either party. The competitive structure of the industry therefore depends on the degree of potential competition. This represents an application of the contestable markets concept, which suggests that the existence of potential entrants causes existing players to act as if those entrants were already active in the market. Consequently, pricing margins, product quality, and the degree of innovation in this industry exhibits characteristics of intense competition even though the degree of market concentration is in fact quite high. Buyers. Home health-care products have a long historya history rich in product diversity, international scope, and, above all, continuous change and adaptation. These competitive changes have forced adaptations, and in general have improved the level and efficiency offer to clients, thereby increasing transactional volume. Coupled with these, the customers have become informed concerning clothing products that OSIM-like companies offer. They have required that service providers meet their very specific individual needs, therefore showing that clients to this industry have shaped what it is right now. This means, on an overall note, that buyers have a high influence on the workings of the global industry pertaining to home health-care products, as they have the ability to affect it. Suppliers. The suppliers to this industry are mainly the providers of technology and materials in home health-care firms use in the conduct of their businesses. There is an enormous variety of new hard and soft technologies at work within the said industry. Hard technologies include advances in telecommunications, computers, analytics, software tools, and video communications, which are enabling participants to have better information at lower cost; to integrate this information with thinking, communication, and analysis; and, finally, to use the resulting knowledge along with other technologies to distribute services to clients more efficiently, effectively, and economically. Soft technologies, or financial innovation things like, say, the use of derivative instruments such as interest rate and currency swaps often use these hard technologies to rethink the delivery of services. Out of these hard and soft technologies have come the securitisation and globalisation movements so oft en talked about in the press. From the above enumeration, it could be said that suppliers significantly affect the cosmetic industry through their tools of trade. Substitutes. There is a high level of substitutes for the healthy and lifestyle products industry, evidenced by the numerous numbers of major players in the global market. The cost to transfer to another beauty firm is also relatively low, so the substitution rate is pretty high. Conclusion The results of the analysis carried out on performance, financial and marketing indicated very significant effects on business sustainability, even amidst the threats of unrest. Therefore, we could conclude that the business strategies such financial and marketing could still be expected to improve business sustainability faster than average. The review of financial capabilities and resources towards business sustainability revealed very little inconsistencies regarding its strategies. This is coherent with its traditional inside-out approach. However, the need to reconcile both the inside-out and outside-in approaches becomes imperative now for marketing. Moreover, it can be said that OSIM is a company whose financial situation is stable and highly likely to improve in the years to follow. To sustain their development, the company should regularly assess the value of their portfolio of its business. They have to be positioned on fast-growing opportunities, whether geographically or by market segment through choosing to invest in businesses with long-term tail-wind profiles. If the current financial situation carries on consistently, OSIM would well achieve their vision of becoming the leader in their industry and a major player in each of their market segments and key geographical markets. The comparison of the past and present performance helped in bringing out pertinent bits of information which led to the conclusion that the Singapore offices adds value and contributes significantly to the progress of the firm as a whole. References: Atrill, P. McLaney, E. (2004). Financial Accounting for Decision Makers, 4th edn., Prentice-Hall, New Jersey. Ali, A. (1993). Decision-Making Style, Individualism and Attitudes toward Risk of Arab Executives, International Studies of Management Organisation, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 53+. Barton, D., Newell, R. Wilson. G. (2002). When Is a Good Time to Make Strategic Advances? during a Crisis, of Course. The McKinley Quarterly, pp. 77+ Daroca, F.P. Nourayi, M.M. (1996). Performance Evaluation and Measurement Issues, Journal of Managerial Issues, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 206+. Pike, R. Neale, B. (1999). Corporate Finance and Investment Decision and Strategies, 3rd edn., Pearson Education Limited, England. Riahi-Belkaoui, A. (1998). Financial Analysis and the Predictability of Important Economic Events, Quorum Books, Westport, Connecticut. Osim International Ltd. (2009) Company Report. Accessed January 12, 2010 from OSIM Ltd. (2010). About Us. Accessed January 12, 2010 from http://corporate.osim.com

The Outsiders :: essays research papers

"The Outsiders" is a story that deals with a conflict between two gangs, the "Greasers" from the East Side of town and the "Socs" from the east-side of town. This is a story that is told in the first person. Ponyboy Curtis is the one telling the story. Here is a summary of the story. Ponyboy has a dispute with his brother Darry and ends up running away to the park with Johnnycake. There, Ponyboy and Johnnycake get into a fight with Randy, Bob, and three other members of the Socs. The Socs try to down Ponyboy, so Johnnycake stabs Bob with a knife and ends up killing him. Ponyboy and Johnnycake run to a party where they meet up with Dallas, one of their close friends. He gives them a gun, money, and tells them to get a train out of town to an abandoned church. They are told to stay there until Dallas comes to get them. When Johnnycake and Ponyboy get the church they go right to sleep. When Ponyboy wakes up, he finds that Johnny has gone to the store to get them food. While there, they both decide to disguise themselves by cutting their hair. Ponyboy decides to bleach his hair with peroxide. Dallas finally shows up to get them. They all go to town to get something to eat. When they return to the church, it was on fire. Ponyboy and Johnnycake went in to save the children from the burning church. Johnnycake is trapped inside. Dallas goes into save him. Then, the church collapses. They are rushed to the hospital. Ponyboy and Dallas are okay, but Johnny is severely injured. Ponyboy talks with one of the Socs and they both discuss about how they are tired of fighting. Everyone should be equal. Later, the Greasers and Socs get into an enormous brawl , but in the end the Greasers win. Ponyboy and Dallas rush to the hospital to tell Johnnycake they won the brawl. Johnnycake tells Ponyboy to stay gold. Those are the last words Johnny spoke before he died. Darry goes crazy over Johnny's death and decides to rob a convenience store. The cops chase him, Dallas fires a few shots at them with his gun.

Philip Larkins Faith Healing Essay -- Philip Larkin Faith Healing Poe

How typical in terms of subject, theme, structure and versification is Faith Healing by Larkin? Philip Larkin's Faith Healing In 1964, Philip Larkin published his third book of poetry, entitled 'The Whitsun Weddings'. One of the many critically acclaimed poems was 'Faith Healing'. In this essay, I intend to explore how typical this poem is in terms of subject, theme, structure and versification. In Faith Healing, women flock to an American Faith Healer for a blessing. The persona of the poem is written from an outsider's point of view, looking in at this sight. Faith Healing is divided into three stanzas, each of ten lines. Iambic pentameter is used to give 5 major stresses to each of the 10 lines. The three stanzas actually contribute to the action of the poem. In the first stanza, the women go forward to the Faith Healer; in the second, they leave and 'Sheepishly stray'. Finally, the poem concludes with the third stanza where Larkin analyses the situation. This versification is indeed quite typical throughout The Whitsun Weddings. 'Here' is another poem from this collection, and Larkin again writes in iambic pentameter. He uses the traditional versification to describe a journey from an industrial city to a place where much more satisfaction can be gained. This journey was also mapped by the structure of the poem. Larkin wrote 4 stanzas and each one marked a progression in the journey. This is similar to Faith Healing where each stanza moves the story onto the next event or occurrence. It is a similar case for 'Mr Bleaney' where every line is written in iambic pentameter, with only one exception for the first line. This poem also tells a story with the first four verses being descriptive befo... ...t we really desire whereas Faith Healing suggests that if these women had realised their loneliness earlier in life, they could have loved and been loved in return. This is only a slight difference; but is worth considering when asking the question of the typicality of Faith Healing. Overall, I feel that the similarities outweigh the differences and it can be concluded that Faith Healing is infact quite similar to a selection of the other poems in Whitsun Weddings. There are some differences and Faith Healing is unique in some respects, such as Larkin not experiencing this event personally. However, overall Faith Healing is a typical Larkin poem, with deprivation and loneliness as themes, iambic pentameter and enjambment as language features and with initially descriptive stanza's before moving on to conclude with a reflective and thoughtful panorama.

Bible - Why Thirst :: essays research papers

Why Thirst John 4:13 states â€Å"Jesus answered, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.† Why Thirst I grew up in a church congregation that taught of God’s vengeance and not of God’s love. I spent the majority of my pre-teen, teen and adult years in fear of God. In fear of what would happen when I sinned. And of course I did sin. Instead of asking God for forgiveness for what I deemed unforgivable sins, I figured in my own mind, that since I was going to Hell, I might as well continue to sin. Today, I will share with you my life choices, my life circumstances and the plan that God had all along for my life to serve him. I Thirsted The summer before I went to fifth grade, my family moved. I was taken out of my comfort zone with my friends I had since before kindergarten and moved to an unknown. My Mom and Dad wanted me to be in a better school and since my mother worked for the Board of Education, she knew the school system she wanted me to be in. The neighborhood we had just moved to had just begun to be segregated. That year I was called the â€Å"N† word for the first time and really the only time I could think of. I did find a friend before school started. This friend and my choice to remain her friend would begin to mold my life early on. The funny thing is the harder I try, I cannot seem to remember my â€Å"friends† name. She moved within the first year of my being there and besides I have a horrible memory. We played with each other over the summer and went to school in the fall. Within the first week one of the â€Å"popular† girls told me that if I continued to be friends with this girl, I could not be in the crowd because they did not like this girl. I selected friendship over popularity and this affected my self esteem for the rest of my school years. The popular people begin avoiding me and out and out calling me names. They would taunt me telling me how ugly I was, how my face was filled with pimples, how I was smelly, how I looked like a giraffe, and so on.

Topshop Strategy

Top shop marketing plan essay Executive SummaryTop Shop is one of the leading retail brands known globally for its most up-to-date styles in clothing and other fashion accessories. Earlier only a low price clothing outlet primarily for the teenagers, Top Shop is now the hottest fashion clothing brand with its stores keeping the latest fashions and the exclusive and extraordinary designs that appeal to all age and socio-economic groups.The management has very carefully followed a perfect blend of cutting edge, highly fashionable styles with affordability by introducing new products and services in various countries worldwide under the new company called ‘TOPSHOP plus'.Realizing the importance of doing so, after repositioning itself, Top Shop will embark upon a carefully planned journey of simultaneous product and market development strategy as ‘TOPSHOP plus' Be it Kate Moss's exclusively introduced designer range, in-store ambiance, Style Advisor service or its sponsorship s for the young and aspiring fashion gurus, Top Shop stands out today amongst many other competing brands. The management must, however, bear in mind that while expanding into so many countries with its every increasing range of products, it would have to keep a very strict check on its supply chain.Furthermore, regular innovations are a key to success for this mighty brand. For as this growing company approaches maturity, it would run a greater risk of the competitors catching up until it commits to innovations that are hard to imitate or are at least time and resource consuming. Terms of ReferenceAim of the ReportThe report covers discusses ‘TopShop plus' an extension of the Arcadia chains conception and launch as an expansion to strategic measures taken since the time that transformed itself from being an ordinary low price clothing retailer for the teenagers to a hot fashion clothing hub for all age groups.It also brings forth various marketing promotions being undertaken by the company to maintain its current position and to gain on the market share. The in depth analysis helps understanding how each of its activities have been attempting to attract customers through provision of maximum value to them and not to the company only. The later part also suggests that despite being and extraordinary fashion retailer, there are a few areas where Top Shop would need to pay special attention in order to ensure long term growth and a sustainable bottom line.Scope of the ReportAs one of the businesses of the Arcadia Group, ‘TopShop plus' strategic marketing analysis has been provided in this report keeping in view all of its products and services. The services that make the shopping experience more of an entertainment are just as important a factor in Top Shop's success as are products that directly produce revenue for it. In a nutshell, the report analyzes Top Shop as a whole through its separate products and services which also act as tools for market ing for the company. 1.The CompanyWith an initial reputation of being a tacky low price clothing outlet, Top shop ‘plus' has now earned the fame of a leading store when it comes to fashion clothing. The success, however, came only with a change in its strategy; by going ‘upscale'. Top Shop ‘plus' will be one clothing retailer that stocks the most up-to-date fashion clothes and accessories before any of its competitors does in the market. Whereby the major focus earlier on was on price competitiveness, Top Shop ‘plus' products will arrive first in the market and will be of high quality and very low comparative price.Over time, Top Shop ‘plus' will come to be known not only as just the fashion accessory provider but much rather a trend setter especially with its in-house designer brands and those exclusively introduced and introduced by fashion industry leaders. Due to its various marketing efforts, innovations in the business and exclusive services for i ts customers, it is now the biggest and the most differentiated name in the fashion industry especially when it comes to retailers in the field. 2.The Fashion Retail Market at a GlanceA study showed that even while cutting down on other areas, the European consumers hardly cut down on their expenditure on clothes (Mintel, August 2003). Even when the year on year sales in the fashion industry slowed down in 2000 and 2001, the change was not as drastic as had been predicted by certain observers. During that period, Top Shop and some of its competitors caught up on the opportunity to provide fashion clothing at an affordable price.Few of the major players that have dominated the fashion retail industry with a reputation to preempt the latest catwalk designs include Top Shop, H;M. and Zara. Now, Top Shop is amongst the very few names that account for more than 60% of the total consumer expenditure on fashion clothing and accessories. 3. Current Marketing Activities:Arcadia group plc und er Top Shop has been engaged various marketing and promotional activities. The most major ones and their analysis with reference to the company's corporate & marketing strategy follow this section. . 1 New ImageLong ago, when Top Shop was only known as a low price clothing outlet, the increasing focus of the buyers on trendiness and the readiest availability of the new fashion accessories forced the managed to rethink its strategic position. Right at that time, the management decided to reposition Top Shop from being a discount seller to a hot trend setter brand. Initially, Top shop relied on copying the latest catwalk designs and releasing them in the market before any other competitor like H& M and Zara.Gradually however, while the other fashion brands focused following the same copying the strategy, Top Shop entered into the arena of introducing new self made designs initially under a brand named Unique. Since that time, Top Shop has been living the repute of being the high style up-to-date fashion god of the high street. Consider the following perceptual map taking bullet 1 as its initial and 2 as its later positioning with respect to certain other competing brands such as Marks & Spencer, H&M etc. Refer to 1c and 2c as the composite competitor positioning before and after Top Shop's transformation. . 2 High Price-High Quality Fashion ClothingPreviously, for quite some years, Top Shop had to experience low revenues and even lower profits primarily because of its excessive focus on price competitiveness. Later a shift its strategy helped the bottom line to sore up. The major factor contributing to such a result was the chain's new focus on female fashion clothing and accessories that it brought into the market before its competitors even if it had to pay more to the suppliers. Such a strategy assisted it in becoming a market leader where it came to the latest trends and fashion in the women-ware.It is also important to note that Top Shop offers products at usually a very low price even as low as three times comparative to the competitors. But because the customers get access to the latest fashion only here, the revenues at Top Shop are only positively affected. More so, with its discount offers such as those especially designed for the students, it can rest assured that even the young age groups can afford the trendy ware that it has to offer to its customers. Additionally, because ‘fashion' is this chain's selling point, the customers are often ready to pay a premium price for certain designs.In this manner, it is able to maintain an upscale image as well as smooth revenues. 3. 3 Celebrity EndorsementsKate Moss Collection by Top Shop has been another feather in the retailer's cap. This endorsement by the British super model would act to strengthen Top Shop's image as being first class in fashion clothing (Appendix 1). Furthermore, the hype and publicity that the mere fact of the supermodel introducing her own designer collectio n through Top Shop created would certainly reap long term benefits for the company. We intend to use same model for the brand awareness and project topshop‘plus' as a high end business.Primarily, it would further Top Shop's liking amongst the other celebrities who might have otherwise preferred some other retail brand. But with Kate Moss endorsing it, there is greater likelihood of the brand gaining on its recognition in the general public as well as the celebrity masses. Also, such endorsements are essentially important after the management's concern for maintaining Top Shop's fashion-focused upscale image. 3. 4 Discount offersOne of the most surprising consumer promotions offered by Top Shop is the student discount (Appendix 2).This proved to be a great success but with topshop ‘plus' because of Top Shop plus is an upscale fashion oriented global retail chain. However, such a discount can serve for Top Shop, two important purposes. Firstly, it would attract the young f ashion oriented members of the target market who have lower purchasing power comparative to any of its other targeted customers. Along side this, promotions of this nature would allow the management to explore opportunities related to the younger segment of the market in the long run by giving it first hand knowledge of the segment's preferences.Additionally, their preference for shopping at Top Shop today may continue to their later age thereby ensuring a smooth flow of revenues for the company. Secondly, and very importantly, such a discount offer is especially fruitful in times of recession. Where the sales of other upscale retail outlets may be going down due to high prices, keeping the young souls dressed in up-to-date trendy outfits obtainable at a special discounted price would prevent the sales going down beyond a certain acceptable level. 3. Membership cardsOne of the most distinguished promotions of this cutting edge fashion retailer is its exclusive membership for its cus tomers. The membership allows access to its superior fashion advice service, ‘Style Advisor' whereby its most loyal customers can reach to thousands of Style Advisors round the globe while seeking a hassle free shopping experience (Appendix 3). The membership can be rightly thought of as a promotion to ensure customer loyalty by inculcating in them a sense of pride being associated with Top Shop.Additionally, with preferred treatment in all the stores worldwide, such an initiative can ensure that the customers would help keeping the revenue flow smooth for this mighty fashion trend setter. 3. 7 Online PresenceIt is widely thought that a website primarily serves as a source of advertising and promotion for a brand. Additionally however, it also works effectively well in generating sales especially for an organization that has customers spread globally. Such a purpose is only served if the website allows the visitors to make order based purchases. Top Shop's online presence fits the aforementioned purposes.It not only contains information on the upcoming fashion accessories but also some very useful tips and fashion advice. This can actually be an attraction for Top Shop's target audience who seek such services to be available such that they can access it any time and with the least time spending. Along with its tailored -size ordering available online, the company can ensure least possible hassle caused to the customers (Appendix 4). Furthermore, the website would continuously allow Top Shop to be an online sales point for the young students whose life styles make such buying rather convenient.Although one cannot ignore the importance of its brick and mortar existence as well, the services available through its website may certainly add a lot of value to the business. It presence on Facebook and Twitter is another step forward in promoting itself far and wide. 3. 8 Sponsorships for the Rising Fashion TalentAs a gesture of its commitment to fashion and tre ndsetting, Top Shop has been closely associated with various initiatives for supporting and promoting young and aspiring fashion gurus. It provides title sponsorship for the Graduate Fashion Week.Also, it does a lot of work in support of the London Fashion Week and for launching the careers of various young designers through the endowment of a special award. Through this award many well known names such as Hussain Chalayan, Clements Riberio and several others earned repute in the fashion industry. Such activities do two important things for Top Shop ‘plus' directly and indirectly. Firstly, it promotes the brand amongst the youth and gains their support. Secondly, such efforts ensure Top Shop‘plus' customer, of its commitment and support for fashion and so helps strengthen its position in the industry. . Understanding the Product Life Cycle Currently, Top Shop ‘plus' should grow rapidly in early stage of the PLC model whereby as an early adapter of the strategy of p roviding high rated fashion clothing at an affordable price, it has been working towards maintaining its product quality and adding more and more services to increase value for the customer. Additionally, with a high market demand and comparatively easier competition due to its current position, it is able to maintain low prices and yet enjoys profits and a positive brand image.As it matures, it would certainly have to look into defending its market share since a lot of new entrants and existing players may catch up on its strategy. The future would therefore also require a very strong distribution network meshed with a extraordinary level of innovation in its products as well as its services. 5. SWOT AnalysisStrength:Topshop has been held in the UK market for over decades, it has created strong consumer loyalty over the time through unique taste, fashion and trends through the variety level on its product.Customers are perceive Topshop as a premium brand, so the brand image is a ke y strength for the company. Extensive marketing strategy includes various dynamic advertisements which targeted male and female youth. The negotiation of better promotions through retailers strengthens demand and different sizes of product packaging suits consumer needs and buying patterns are considered to be some of its key marketing strengths. Being a high street market leader in the UK creates the feasibility of inorganic growth. Weakness:Topshop has not been able to compete against its competitors due to lack of marketing strategy in the times of growth.The competitive advantage it once used to brush away the rivals was given away. M&S and others have taken the lead since. Opportunities:There has been a growth in the fashion industry even in midst of economic downturn. For a group like Arcadia, it gives an opportunity to expand its chain of businesses. With Topshop's existing brand name, it seems to be the logical and potentially good strategy. Threats:Threat of possible new en trant in the Britain market may increase for Topshop among people's attitude of American capitalism over Britain.Some people could possibly opt to their own country brand upon perceived imitation could reflect on changing purchasing behaviour. The increasingly cheap but trendy and fashionable products manufactured under the name of retail giants such as Tesco, Sainsbury's and ASDA are a threat to substitution of Arcadia's Topshop. 6. Strategic AnalysisAn attempt by the management, and a very successful attempt too, the revamped image of this fashion brand was a step towards repositioning Top Shop and changing consumer perceptions about it.After successfully doing so, Top Shop has been constantly at work to keep up its image as The Fashion Leader in the retail industry making shopping more of an entertaining experience for its customers through various other facilities, activities and services on its stores and online. Its association with fashion industry celebrities such as Kate Mo ss herself fortifies its position with reference to its brand values that blend up-to-date styles and affordability together. The shortest possible lead time industry wide, it further gains competitive advantage over so many other brands.Additionally, when its sponsors fashion events and financially supports the careers of the upcoming talent, its gains the loyalty and support of the youth that would give it revenues on a long term basis. Its presence online as not only a promotional banner but as a proper sale point is an advance towards more success as that can certainly help it reaching to its target market in countries where it is not present at least as yet. This is also an effective way to reach out to the teenaged members of its target market whose lifestyles would rather allow them to make purchases online more conveniently.For the matter of understanding, very simply put, the Ansoff's Matrix suggests that Top Shop is currently following a product-market growth strategy by f ocusing on both product and market development at the same time. However, the management must bear in mind that to maintain the current image of a cutting-edge affordable fashion provider, it must ensure a smooth supply chain system by which it would be able to carry on bringing in the latest fashion faster than any of its competitors. Also, now with its own designs out in the market, innovation and innovation only would be the key to its success.Loyalty programs such as the membership cards and sponsorships are of course going to supplement all these efforts. 7. RecommendationsThe current popularity and success status of Top Shop does suggest that it has been upholding its image really well with its promotional activities. To ensure long term success however, it may take a few steps at this stage. For instance, now that its membership program is already in place, it may introduce a member-get-member program by which each member bringing in a new member with his reference is rewarde d and acclaimed. This would help it in building upon its present clientele and lso on the loyalty level of the existing customers. As pointed out earlier as well, it is important that Top Shop pays attention to its supply chain. Its entry into self designed brands is a beginning but if it gains some control over its suppliers through backward integration, the risk may be greatly reduced. Otherwise, if the competitors somehow gain on this respect, it may cause serious damage to Top Shop's business. Therefore it is imperative that it pays attention to the factors that are a source of advantage for it now and are necessary for ensuring its long terms success. . ConclusionAs of now, Top Shop seems to be following a strong product-market growth strategy by focusing on increasing its worldwide presence alongside an increase in its products and services. Such a strategy would certainly prove fruitful when the competition paces up and a particular market for Top Shop reaches maturity. Howev er, only if Top Shop focuses on continuous innovation and provision of maximum value to the customer, taking its position in the market would be rather difficult for the competing fashion retailers.Furthermore, the various in-store services that it provides also act as an indirect way of diversification while being a part of the company's promotional strategy as well. References Baker, M. , 2003, The Marketing Book, 5th Edition, Butterworth-Heinemann,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   pp. 87-109 Kurtz, D. , 2009,Contemporary Marketing, 2009 Edition, USA, Neil Marquardt, pp. 363 Kotler, P. , Armstrong, G. , 2008 Principles of Marketing, 12th Edition,Pearson Education, pp. 338 Ferrel, O. , Hartline, M. , 2007, Marketing Strategy, 4th Edition, Thomson Higher Education pp. 282 David, F. 2007, Strategic Management,10th Edition, Pearson Education, pp. 196-210 Daniels, M. , May 4, 2009, Top Shop: Deconstructing the Retail Marketing Phenomenon Smith, A. , How Top Shop Changed Fashion, UK Available at http:// www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1625185,00. html [Accessed on Jan 19, 2010] Brand Republic, 2005, Super Brands Case Study: Top Shop Available at http://www. brandrepublic. com/news/474559/superbrands-case-studies-topshop/ [Accessed: Jan 23, 2010] Read more: http://www. americanessays. com/study-aids/free-essays/marketing/top-shop-marketing-plan. php#ixzz2A1VU1VWU