Free Essays on Vampirism

Vampires. Blood sucking beast shrieking through the night, or are they more. Vampires are said to be supernatural creatures roaming the night, but they can be much more as you shall see. This brings me to the reason and definition of a "Psychic Vampire". This actually has a double meaning. Satanically speaking, a Psychic Vampire is one who purposely will draw your emotions to them just to make themselves feel good. They will feel sorrow so that you will comfort them or they will show you love just for the purpose of receiving it in return. The second type of Psychic Vampire would be more directed along the line of mysticism and magick. A Psychic Vampire is not one who feeds on blood, but rather one who draws the energy force from their victims body. This can be voluntarily or without knowing it. A person who just seems to wear you out when you are around them would fall into this category. Psychic Vampire can also have malicious intent, but generally there's not much to fear as most are not very proficient and a "psychic draining" is not fatal. These two meaning indeed differ greatly. The first is a more obnoxious, annoying person who deserves a heart of stone to blo ck their worthless attempts. The second, however, is open to the mind of the individual. It's hard to say if this even exists, but many would say it does. If it is a true form of magick then there are ways to protect yourself. Either case, Psychic Vampires exist, so take caution. Actual Vampirism including drinking of blood is a much more different story. I have received various e-mails about people asking me what it is to be a vampire, how blood affects you, and if I personally believe in the many myths and legends. Well, I'll start off with a very simple fact. It is most dangerous to go around pretending to be a story-book vampire when you indeed are not one. As soon as you end up breaking your legs jumping off of a building, or being jailed for attempting to bi... Free Essays on Vampirism Free Essays on Vampirism Vampires. Blood sucking beast shrieking through the night, or are they more. Vampires are said to be supernatural creatures roaming the night, but they can be much more as you shall see. This brings me to the reason and definition of a "Psychic Vampire". This actually has a double meaning. Satanically speaking, a Psychic Vampire is one who purposely will draw your emotions to them just to make themselves feel good. They will feel sorrow so that you will comfort them or they will show you love just for the purpose of receiving it in return. The second type of Psychic Vampire would be more directed along the line of mysticism and magick. A Psychic Vampire is not one who feeds on blood, but rather one who draws the energy force from their victims body. This can be voluntarily or without knowing it. A person who just seems to wear you out when you are around them would fall into this category. Psychic Vampire can also have malicious intent, but generally there's not much to fear as most are not very proficient and a "psychic draining" is not fatal. These two meaning indeed differ greatly. The first is a more obnoxious, annoying person who deserves a heart of stone to blo ck their worthless attempts. The second, however, is open to the mind of the individual. It's hard to say if this even exists, but many would say it does. If it is a true form of magick then there are ways to protect yourself. Either case, Psychic Vampires exist, so take caution. Actual Vampirism including drinking of blood is a much more different story. I have received various e-mails about people asking me what it is to be a vampire, how blood affects you, and if I personally believe in the many myths and legends. Well, I'll start off with a very simple fact. It is most dangerous to go around pretending to be a story-book vampire when you indeed are not one. As soon as you end up breaking your legs jumping off of a building, or being jailed for attempting to bi...

Choose the Best Time to Study for Finals

Choose the Best Time to Study for Finals With finals coming up in just a couple weeks, a lot of students start planning their studying schedules. However, theres an important factor to take into consideration when making a plan: when do you study best? Youve heard of â€Å"morning† and â€Å"night† people, right? Some people simply function better in the morning than at night while others struggle to get out of bed in the morning but have no problem burning the midnight oil. Each individual has times during the day when their brain is more alert and theyre able to assimilate and process information as well as create and produce. Trying to push through during the other hours can not only be unproductive, it can also be counter-productive. Thats because the study session wont have been successful, leading to burn-out and discouragement. Finding out the best time to study can help you make the most of your limited time during finals season. Why It Matters During Finals During finals period, this concept is particularly relevant. By identifying when youre most alert, you can plan a study schedule that allows you to maximize your productivity. You can choose to rest or do other activities during your less productive hours to make sure you can make the most out of your â€Å"on† time. How To Identify Your Most Productive Time Most people have an instinct for when theyre most productive. If you tend to be bright and ready for the day in the morning but hit a slump after lunch, and tend to knock off early, falling asleep while reading at 9p.m., you can assume that mornings are your best time. If mornings are tough for you and you generally need a landslide of caffeine to get you moving, slowly working your way up to speed as the day wears on and peaking at night after dinner, then your nights will be your most productive times. Some people have slow mornings and early nights but tend to burst with energy in the afternoons. In that case, your most productive time will be during the afternoon. Of course, the best way to be sure is to test this theory out. Choose to study in the morning, afternoon and night and see which one works best for you. If you have the chance to give this a test drive before the finals season hits, it could really help you make the most out of your study time. How Can You Maximize Your Productive Hours? Once you discover your best working time, you should find ways to guard that precious time. Eliminate or at least limit your distractions as much as possible. A quiet, isolated place to study would be ideal so you dont run the risk of friends or family members interrupting you. Turning off phones or putting them on silent or vibrate is also a helpful way to keep distractions to a minimum. Dont tempt yourself with social media during these hours, either. Leave that for another time. Create a Pattern If you can create and stick to a schedule, it will be even more beneficial to your productivity. Adhering to a specific plan every day helps trigger the brain into â€Å"work mode† when its time for serious studying and can enhance your productivity even more. The more consistent you are, the better your work sessions will be. Dont just be consistent with your work, though. Being consistent with the things you do outside of your studying hours is also important. Exercise, eating, and sleeping routines also help keep the brain and body in top running condition. Many successful writers keep consistent schedules. Acclaimed author Haruki Murakami keeps a rigorous schedule of waking at 4am, writing for five or six hours, running or swimming or both and then reading and listening to music. Bed-time is 9:00pm. He describes this process of bringing himself into a kind of a trance with a repetitive pattern that he can rely on every day. Whichever time of day is best for your studies, make sure to get the most out of it by limiting distractions and making the most of your â€Å"off† time as well.

Health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Health care - Essay Example Since, they deem politicians or administrators lack adequate medical experience useful in devising policies meant to upgrade medical field as necessitated (Williams & Torrens, 2008). The assuming of administrative roles by medical professionals is of great importance (Williams & Torrens, 2008). Since, they do possess adequate knowhow regarding their sector besides varied experiences, which they do posses. Therefore, while in the top, they will devise and execute policies as per their knowledge regarding various issues, which entail quick response, or undertaking (Williams & Torrens, 2008). This is contrary to the politicians or elected administrators who in most cases end up devising or implementing irrelevant policies. Since, they do not align with what may be of great essence at a particular period (Holmes, 2010). Mainly, these mistakes adversely affect service delivery thus extending to the patients and even practitioners (Williams & Torrens, 2008). The issue’s concern via the assistance of health professionals will improve medical field’s operations. Since, the field’s experts will be in a position to offer advice to politicians and ensu re certain essentials are in place. These essentials not only ease service delivery but also ensure that practitioners’ working conditions are secure (Williams & Torrens, 2008). Besides, the assuming of administrative roles by health professionals will aid in linking other related sectors effectively, which a politician could not have thought about them. For instance, suppliers, accrediting agencies besides devising policies meant to ensure suitable service delivery especially by varied health organizations (Williams & Torrens, 2008). Both the topic and issue of concern bear critical roles of ensuring HMO operations run smoothly (Williams & Torrens, 2008). This is because

The departed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The departed - Essay Example Well, the three characters involve in unethical behavior patterns driven by factors such as legal moralism, codes of conduct, universal responsibility, egoism, free will, and determinism. The discussion focuses on such factors in the two protagonists (police agent and the undercover police agent), reasons for corruption in the criminal justice system, how to use critical thinking in enforcing the law, and the necessity to differentiate between morality and ethics. Scorsese uses glowing money shots relating them to the key characters, to create an outstanding theme, and categorize these characters. The major theme in the story relates to the character's attitude towards money, which molds the behavior for each character (Sickels, 2011). In addition, he retains the viewer’s attention through matching on the scene and implementing blurry backgrounds. The shots taken with the story, the angle by which the producer took, and the glowing film background pointing the major characters , Billy Costigan and Colin Sullivan, whom the story revolves around, all assist in enhancing the storyline. More so, the story is all about the two double police agents, Colin and Billy, assigned to infiltrate the enemy camp of the other, which creates captivating actions. It is right to state that the story is classical regardless the fact that it is recent production. The plot is full of linear chronology, with limited or no flashbacks, because each action and plot precedes continuously in a forward motion (Sickels, 2011). Complete closure is evident at the ending of the story: the police kills all the â€Å"bad† agents without leaving a single of them. Consequently, Billy receives a respectful burial, memorable speech and several gunshots. Nevertheless, it is easy to categorize the characters into stereotypes. The three main characters featuring in the movie function symbolically in terms of the Superego, Ego and Id, while taking note that the ego behavior structure itself is self-permeable and fluid. Francis Costello, the key antagonist pretends to be the mafia â€Å"boss.† He acts in all unethical behaviors starting from trading illegal and illicit properties while at the same time teaching unethical behavior of the mafia members (Schoeffmann, et al., 2011). For instance, a statement in the story states his teaching to a young boy from the neighboring village, â€Å"You have to take what you want in life.† Costello is a perfect example of pure Id because he enacts his urges and primal drives without much remorse, reflection or restraint (Sickels, 2011). At the beginning of the story, it is evident of him stating â€Å"I never wanted to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me.† The audience soon grabs the idea of the naughty guys and the good guys, as well as, the crooked cop after watching the movie (Monaco, 2010). The objectives of the key character come out clearly in the movie: Colin has t he desire of getting successful and rich; he desires to stay as close as possible to the authority seat, which is evident in the way he fascinates with the â€Å"State House.† For instance, the story shows an incidence when he gazes at the seat for some time, after the greatest football game (Wernblad, 2010).. Consequently, a colleague,

Literary Genre Essay Example for Free

Literary Genre Essay What is Literature? Language Department IPGK Pendidikan Teknik Based on your experience learning literature, what is literature? What are the characteristics of literature? Do you need to learn literature? †¢? Traditionally, literature is â€Å"imaginative† writing. †¢? However, the distinction between â€Å"real† and â€Å"fake† or â€Å"fact† and â€Å"fiction† isn’t always a good distinction; many classical works were non-fiction. Literature is Subjective †¢? Since the 1980’s, the â€Å"literary canon† of works – a group of works â€Å"agreed upon† to be â€Å"the best† by well-known scholars and critics, has been disputed. Why do you think the â€Å"canon† was disputed? †¢? The â€Å"Canon† excluded most works that were not by white, European males. †¢? Works of literature by women, homosexuals, and works by individuals of varied races, classes and ethnicities were marginalised. How did this happen? †¢? There are many ways of â€Å"writing† – but those in power recognised only one, formal way of â€Å"writing†, and this was given the higher value. †¢? Thus, the literary â€Å"canon† is a construct; it was fashioned by particular people for particular reasons at a particular time. †¢? There is no literary work or tradition that has value in and of itself †¦ †¢? †¦. even Shakespeare! †¢? In his era, Shakespeare was regarded as a hack! †¢? Time and circumstance has offered the value to particular text; and this â€Å"value† is a transitive term – it will change as the people in power change and are altered, and according to the context of the reading of a particular text. 10 years ago †¦. †¢? BLOGS were stupid. †¢? NOW, Iraq War Veterans’ BLOGS are considered vital historic and â€Å"literary† documents! Revisioning the Canon: †¢? All â€Å"literary† works are unconsciously rewritten by the societies that read them. Context †¢? Readers interpret literary works in the  light of their own concerns. †¢? Readers interpret literary works in the light of a given circumstances. †¢? Readers interpret literary works in the light of a given time period. The Diary of Anne Frank: †¢? Literature? Or Not? I Have A Dream: †¢? Is this speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. Literature? Or Not? Literature and â€Å"value† †¢? Each of us is constructed by experiences and backgrounds and emotions and ideas and prejudices and knowledge and lack of knowledge †¦ †¢? How we each respond to a particular text is deeply entwined with our broader prejudices and belief systems. Basic Definition of Literature †¢? Latin – litterae (plural for letter) †¢? Literally means â€Å"acquaintance with letters† Why Do We Study Literature? †¢? To obtain a window of the world and other cultures. †¢? To understand ourselves (how? ). †¢? To gain insights into a character’s inner thoughts, con? icts, aspirations etc. †¢? To actively shape culture through the active and articulate constructions of sociocultural realities. So †¦ what is literature? †¢? What constitutes a â€Å"literary† text? †¢? What qualities will help me to determine the â€Å"literariness† of a text? †¢? Read â€Å"What is Literature† by Jim Meyer for our class discussion this Thursday.

Othello Passage :: essays research papers

Act V, Scene ii., lines 122-134 Emilia. O, who hath done this deed? Desdemona. Nobody--I myself. Farewell. Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell! [She dies.] Othello. Why, how should she be murd'red? Emilia. Alas, who knows? Othello. You heard her say herself, it was not I. Emilia. She said so. I must needs report the truth. Othello. She's like a liar gone to burning hell! 'Twas I that killed her. Emilia. O, the more angel she, And you the blacker devil! Othello. She turned to folly, and she was a whore. Emila. Thou dost belie her, and thou art a devil. Othello. She was as false as water. Emilia. Thou art rash as fire to say That she was false. O, she was heavenly true! Othello's grief and his deep love for Desdemona led to a series of actions and dialogue located at the climax of the story. The chosen passage came near the end of this work--just after Othello smothered Desdemona with her pillow. Shakespeare, simply and probably tritely put, was a genius. His artful mastery of meter, diction, imagery, and tone is matchless and captivates interest and thought like no other. Meter in a literary work, just like all other components, can be a key factor in affecting the reader's thoughts and mood. Of course, this being Shakespeare, meter was utilized with a definite purpose. Because this portion of the play is dramatic and suspenseful, an erratic, loose structure is appropriate. The author "changed things up" and "kept the reader guessing" with regard to the structure and meter--thus causing even more suspense than what the plot had already provided. In this group of dialogue, Othello loses his usual poetic eloquence. His mental and emotional composure were compromised, thus impairing his diction. This temporary breach in character displayed his internal conflict and how it was affecting him as a person--for Othello's dignified speech, just as the way anyone speaks, was a part of him as a person. Displayed in many other works, contrasting imagery, or perhaps simply contrast in general, is present in my excerpt from Othello. For example, Emilia calls Desdemona an angel, while designating Othello a devil. Also, Othello says Desdemona was "as false as water" while, in the subsequent line Emilia accuses Othello as being "as rash as fire." By including these contrasts, Shakespeare heightened the intensity of the moment as well as expressed the mood and thoughts of the characters. There are many words that can describe the tone at this point in the play: chaotic, confused, angry, impulsive. Emilia's thought process is not so much shared by the reader as empathized by the reader--though we know what's going on, we can identify with her anger and confusion.

Marketing 311 Study Guide Midterm 1

1. Managing customers as assets? – * Building the right relationships with the right customers involves treating customers as assets that need to be managed and maximized * Different types of customers require different relationship management strategies * Customer relationship management is the overall process of building and maintaining profitable customer relationships by delivering superior value and satisfaction * 2. Marketing Mix (4 P’s) * Product, price, place and promotion—the controllable set of activities that a firm uses to respond to the wants of its target markets * Product- goods, services and ideas Price-everything the buyer gives up (time, energy, money) in exchange for the product * Place- all the activities necessary to get the product to the right customer when that customer wants it. * Supply chain management- the set of approaches and techniques that firms employ to efficiently and effectively integrate their suppliers, manufacturers, warehou ses, stores, and other firms involved in the transaction, such as transportation companies into a seamless value chain. This allows merchandise to be produced and distributed in the right quantities, to the right place, and at the right time. * Promotion- Communicating the value of a product to its customers. * 3. Consumer decision making process- * Need Recognition- consumers recognize that they have an unsatisfied need and want to go from their needy state to a desired state. The bigger this gap is=the greater the need recognition. * Functional needs- pertains to the performance of a product or service. Psychological needs- pertain to the personal gratification consumers associate with a product or service. **shoes are needed to keep feet clean. $500 shoes satisfy a psychological need. * THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL MARKETING: establishing a balance between these two needs that best appeals to that firm’s target market * Search For Information- second step is to search for info about various options that will satisfy the need. The length of time spent on this will relate to how much risk is involved should you hoose the wrong option. * Internal search for information- the buyer examines his own memory and knowledge about the option. * External search for information- buyer seeks information from outside himself to make a decision. Talking with friends, family, sales people, research online†¦ * Factors the affect consumer’s’ search process * Perceived Benefits vs. Perceived Costs – is it worth the time and effort? If there is high risk (buying a house) people will spend more time researching. The Locus of Control – people with internal locus control believe they have control over the outcomes of their actions. These people do more researching. People with external locus of control believe that fate and external factors control outcomes. It doesn’t matter to them how long they spend searching. * Actual or Perceived Risk- Performance, Financial and psychological risks influence how long and how much research will be done. * Performance Risk - risk of getting a bad (poorly performing) product. Financial Risk- risk with money outlay. Warranties reduce that risk * Psychological risks- how people feel if a product does not convey the right image * Type of Product or Service- specialty, shopping, and convenience products * Specialty goods and services- people have a strong preference and will expend time looking for the best supplier (prius vs other hybrid†¦) * Shopping goods and services- going from store to store looking for a product (perfume, shoes†¦. * Convenience goods and services- things that do not require research and are often purchases without very much thought (bread, soap†¦) * Evaluation of Alternatives- sifting through the available choices they have gathered info on and evaluating the option available to them. Universal sets- all possible choices available to them for that product * Retrieval sets- brands or stores that can be easily remembered and always come to mind * Evoked set- alternative brands and stores that a customer states they would consider when making a choice(companies want to be here to increase likelihood of purchase and reduce searching in other areas). This is the group that the choice has been narrowed down to by specific criteria. * Evaluative criteria- a set of important attributes about a particular product. ( looking for a tv†¦picture quality, rightness, reputation, technical support†¦) * Determinant attributes- product or service features that are important to the buyer and where competing brands may differ. * Consumer decision rules- the set of rules and criteria that consumers use consciously or subconsciously to quickly and efficiently select from alternatives. * Compensatory- assumes that the consumer trades off one characteristic for another. * Non compensatory- when consumers choose a product or service on the basis of a characteristic regardless of the value of its other characteristics. Decision heuristics- mental shortcuts that help a consumer narrow down choices. Price, brand, product presentation * Purchase and Consumption- buying a product and â€Å"putting it to the test† * Ritual consumption- pattern of behaviors tied to life events that affect what and how we consume. Symbolic meaning and vary my importance and culture. * Post Purchase- marketers are interested in this because it involves actual customers rather than potential customers. Satisfied customers become repeat customers. Customer satisfaction- build realistic expectations, demonstrate correct product use, stand behind the product with money back and warranty guarantees and encourage customer feedback * Post purchase dissonance- the uncomfortable feeling produced by inconsistency between beliefs and behaviors, buyer’s remorse * Customer loyalty- marketers attempt to solidify a loyal relationship with their customers * Undesirable consumer behavior- negative word of mouth * 4. Maslow's hierarchy? Maslow’s Hierarchy of N eeds * Physiological- basic biological necessities of life – food, shelter drink and rest. In most developed countries these needs are generally met, but in less fortunate countries they’re not. * Safety needs- protection and physical well being (airbags, alarms, vitamins†¦) * Love needs- relate to our interactions with others * Esteem needs- satisfy their inner desires, (yoga, meditation†¦) * Self actualization – occurs when you feel completely satisfied with your life and how you live. You don’t care what others think. * 5. BCG matrix? – Boston Consulting Group Matrix * Provides a framework for allocating resources among different units. Things are explained as being in one of four areas of a grid: * Cash cow- a unit that has a large market share in a mature, slow growing industry. Cash cows don’t require much more investment * Star- a business unit that has a large market share in a industry that is rapidly growing. They produce a lot of cash and require a lot of investment to keep up their competitive advantage * Question mark (Problem Child)- unit that has a small market share in a quickly growing market. They require a lot of resources and their potential is relatively unknown * Dog- a unit that has a small share of the market in a mature stable industry. Does not require investment. But could this money be used in a better unit? 6. Marketing strategy options- Marketing strategy- identifies a firms target market(s), a related marketing mix—their four P’s, the basis upon which the firm plans to build a sustainable competitive advantage * Sustainable competitive advantage- an advantage over the competition that is not easily copied and thus can be maintained over a long period of time. * Customer excellence- achieved when a firm develops a value based strategy for retaining loyal customers and provides outstanding customer service * ? Having a strong brand, unique merchandise and great customer service solidify this. Operational excellence- through efficient operations, excellent supply chain management, strong relationships with their suppliers and excellent human resource management to yield productive employees. * Product excellence- involves a focus on achieving high quality products; effective branding and positioning is key. * THE MARKETING PLAN * Define the business mission * Conduct a situation Analysis(Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Analysis) * Identifying and Evaluating Opportunities using segmentation, targeting and positioning * Implement Marketing Mix and Allocate Resources Evaluate Performance Using Marketing Metrics * GROWTH STRATEGIES * Market Penetration- employs the existing marketing mix and focuses the firm’s efforts on existing customers. * May include: attracting new customers to the firm’s existing market, encouraging current customers to patronize the firm more often, * Requires efforts such as increase d advertising and additional sale and promotions, intensified distribution efforts in geographic areas where the product or service is already sold. Market Development Strategy- employs the existing marketing offering to reach new market segments whether domestic or international * International expansion is riskier because firms must deal with differences in culture, government regulations, supply chains and language. * Product Development Strategy- offers a new product of service to a firm’s current market. * Diversification strategy- introduces a new product or service to a market segment that currently is not served * Diversification opportunities may be either related or unrelated. When related the current target market and or marketing mix shares something in common with the new opportunity * Unrelated diversification lacks any common elements with the present business, so they do not capitalize on the cores strengths associated with markets or products. They are very risky. 7. Different types of Marketing Research options and their pros and cons? * Market Research Process * 1) Define the problem * 2) Develop the research plan * 3) Collect data * 4) Develop findings 5) Take Actions based on your findings * Sources of Data * Primary Research- original data collected by researchers themselves * Quantitative research is data analysis based on archival data, panel data or questionnaires from a large group of respondents * Qualitative research (e. g. ethnographic research) provides a holistic view of a research problem by integrating a larger number of variables, but asking only a few respondents * Secondary research- data collected and nalyzed by someone else * Ex ploratory Research- attempts to begin to understand the phenomenon of interest; also provides initial information wen the problem lacks any clear definition * Conclusive Research- provides the information needed to confirm preliminary insights which managers can use to pursue appropriate courses of action * Observation- exploratory research method that entails examining the purchase and consumption behaviors through personal or video camera scrutiny. In-Depth interview- exploratory research technique in which trained researchers as questions, listen to and record the answers and pose additional questions to clarify or expand on a particular issue. * Survey- a systematic means of collecting information from people that generally uses a questionnaire * Unstructured questions- open ended questions that allow respondents to answer in their own words * Structured questions- close-ended questions that proved respondents with specific answers to evaluate. How to evaluate the data- * Who co llected the data? * Would there be any reason to purposely misrepresent the facts? * For what purpose was the data collected? * How / when was the data collected? * Are the data internally consistent and logical in the light of known data sources or market factors? * Is the instrument available? 8. Coke Case? – After 99 years of Coca-Cola, executives decided to abandon their formula and start over. In the 1970’s people began preferring Pepsi to Coke during taste test groups. Coke conducted their own tests and found the same results. Looking to regain the market share, they decided to change their formula. Perception of this idea varied widely during focus group interviews. Secret tests of different coke formulas in cities across the country showed that 55% of people preferred the â€Å" New Coke. † Executives conducted a press conference to release this information. News spread quickly, and soon complaints came pouring in when people were aware. After this release only 30% of people preferred the new Coke. This is said to be the â€Å"Marketing Blunder of the Decade† 9. John Quelch's ideas on the â€Å"New Normal† (under lecture 3 or lecture 4? > slides)? * â€Å"New Normal† types of consumers Slam-on-the-brakes (sudden loss of income) Pained-but-patient(see light at the end, hope) Live-for-today(have job, party like 1999 Comfortably-well-offs(willing to postpone for now) * â€Å"New Normal† types of purchase Essentials (switch from organic to non-organic or switch brands). Treats (minimize quantity or frequency of purchases (e. g. , Haagen Daz). Post-ponables (e. g. , big ticket items like washers, TVs, remodeling, dental work, plastic surgery) Expendables (e. g. , multiple vacations per year, private schools, eating out, going out to movies) 10. Segmentation, target market, repositioning? * Types of Segmentation- * Niche Marketing * Focusing on meeting the needs of one specific target market * Often the best strategy for small companies in a large market * Can be risky if the niche is not large enough to be profitable * Differentiated Marketing Using several different marketing mixes to target several different target markets * Allows companies to target a larger number of customers * Can lead to higher market share overall * Can be difficult to maintain cost efficiencies with multiple marketing mixes * Individual Marketing * Customizing the marketing mix to meet individual needs * Ideal because marketers are meeting the needs of individual customers * Requires very detailed information on customers * Can be difficult/expen sive to implement Demographic Segmentation * Gender * Age * Race/Ethnicity * Income Level * Occupation * Education Level * Household size or composition * Psychographic Segmentation- * Based on social class, lifestyles, personality and beliefs * Often generalized from activities, interests and opinions * Can be difficult to categorize consumers but categorizations are likely to be more accurate than simple demographic segmentation * Criteria for good segmenting- * Consumers within a segment are homogeneous. * Consumers between segments are heterogeneous. The segment is profitable. * The segment is reachable. * Criteria for evaluating Segment Attractiveness * Size of the segment * Expected cost to reach the segment * Expected growth of the segment * Competition (ie: 5 forces framework) * Company objectives and resources (e. g. , synergies with other product lines or brands) * Targeting is evaluating each market segment’s attractiveness and selecting one or more segments to ent er. To do this, two steps are involved * Developing measures of segment attractiveness * Selecting the target market Positioning- * Goal: Show consumers that your brand can offer them more value than the competition can. * Positioning by competitors: Hertz- We’re #2, so we try harder * Positioning by attribute: Sendodyne- The toothpaste for sensitive teeth * Positioning by use or application: Nyquil- The nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever so you can rest medicine * Positioning by user: Pepsi- The Choice of the new generation * Positioning by product class: Taco Bell- Think outside the bun * 11. Reliability and Validity * Reliability – is the consistency of your measurement, or the degree to which an instrument measures the same way each time it is used under the same condition with the same subjects. In short, it is an estimate of the repeatability of your measurement. * Is an instrument reliable? * Test / Retest – in this appro ach you have the same subjects take the same survey multiple times. The idea behind test / retest is that subjects should get the same scores on test 1 and test two. * Internal consistency – in this approach you group similar questions together and measure how highly correlated they are with one another – Cronbach’s alpha is a measure of correlation used in this method * Validity – is more difficult to define than reliability but basically validity is a measure of how close we are to the truth when we conduct marketing research. Two examples: * Construct validity – are we really measuring what we think we’re measuring? e. g. , satisfaction, brand loyalty * External validity – will our results apply to other settings and contexts or are they limited to the subjects / contexts that we chose for our study? – e. g. , student subjects * * * * * *

The Evaluation of TOEFL test

The test is used in college admissions for non-native English speaking students to an English- peaking country purposes. Although it provides scores of test takers so that college administrators can know their English proficiency directly, the test is not aim at ranking. The test divides criteria into four parts: reading, listening, speaking and writing. According to process, reading comprehension is the first part should be measured. This part tests test takers' ability to comprehend academic reading materials.In this section, the format of questions Is multiple choices and content of test questions Involves In various ways such as testing vocabulary, details, and mall Ideas. To avoid creating an advantage to examinees In any one field of study, sufficient context Is provided so that no specific subject can be used to answer the questions. It is a big advantage of the test. Moreover, other advantage is like that, due to diversified questions, it helps learners to know how to get inf ormation effectively in a limited time.It also encourages test takers to read more academic materials involving in different area and critically think how to read deferent academic articles when they are learning. However, the questions of reading test mostly adopt multiple choice rather than short answer. It may limit takers to think more about their own opinion. For example, when testing about vocabulary, the question Just gives four choices and asks examinees to choose the best one. Actually, there are also have a lot of words can be selected.The goal of the question Is to assess test takers about their understanding of this word. Therefore, I think If questions may ask examinees to write down their own words based on their comprehension that Is better. In the listening section, it involves in dialogues and academic talks. The purpose of this section is to test listening comprehension in academic environment. In other words, it measures test takers' ability of listening for basic comprehension, listening for pragmatic understanding and to connect and combine ideas presented in multiple information sources.Like reading section, the formats of questions also adopt various ways. Moreover, examinees' note taking can be practiced and improved from the listening test. Dialogues and lectures talking will last more than one minute. To most of them, they cannot memorize the whole content without noting. Therefore, how to write down key information in a limited time can be a skill for test takers who will study In an academic atmosphere. Furthermore, diverse formats provide a good opportunity for them to realize how to master essential Information with thinking different ways.The speed of listening Is normal speed and sometimes, the listening test involves in different voices of pronunciation to make test takers know and listening test as we discussed above. I think the way that listening test needs to improve is similar to reading test. It also means that using open questions replace multiple choices can be thought. Next part is speaking test. This section will test ability to communicate effectively in a variety of situations.The ability of synthesizing and summarizing what test takers have read in their textbooks and heard in and outside of the class, the skill of forming their own opinions in response to the information they have processed, well-developed, coherent and clear idea with effective use of grammar, and good pronunciation and intonation these are main goals to assess speaking ability. The strength of this part is to combine reading with speaking and to provide opinion-based questions. Moreover, the degree of each question be tested is gradually harder.The topic for examinees may also from familiar to a little hard to understand. In my opinion, the speaking test can be a bad section as well as a good one in TOEFL. The good way is that it not Just evaluates speaking ability in academic way but also involves in common environment. I t not just has output but input first such as reading, and then speaking. Nevertheless, due to the test is based on Internet, that is, speaking section also needs to be tested in the computer, and it brings a problem.Compared with talking to examiners, it is not flexible. It has no communication between examinees and examiners. For my perspective, test takers also may feel anxiety because there has no response when hey speak and feel nervous or without good preparation to speak due to time limited. The last component in TOEFL is the writing section. It measures ability to write in standard academic English. It divides into two parts: integrated writing task and independent writing task.The goal of the first part integrated writing task asks examiners to demonstrate that they have understood material coming from different sources (reading and listening) and to combine the information from those sources in a coherent, well organized, summarized written form to draw conclusions of the important points. The independent writing task aims to measure the students' ability to state their opinions or express their comments on topics which are based on their personal knowledge and experience. In general, if test takers want to get a higher score, they should know steps of essay and practice more in academic ways.The good thing of this TOEFL writing test is using academic materials to integrate reading and listening to write a summary. Although topic of independent writing task is not necessary referring to academic issues, the writing steps should follow in academic steps. Moreover, owing to computer-based writing, the score is not influenced by handwriting. Nevertheless, it may also be a problem due to time limit especially for some people who are not good at typing or have not well speediness. It is a little hard to deal with except encouraging these persons to practice more about their typing.To sum up, I think TOEFL test is a good test though it brings some challeng e to me. There have a lot of benefits of this test. Firstly, it ensures that test- takers are being measured objectively on the same material. The grading is standardized based on rubrics provided by TEST, so test scores are the same no matter whom or what is scoring them. Secondly, there is no age, no gender and no nationality limit for taking the test. Anyone who wants to assess their English language performance especially for people who need to study aboard in English feedback.When persons received their result, score will definitely appear in their paper and evaluation of each section will be provided so that examinees are able to know the strength and weakness of themselves in general ways. Finally, the speaking and writing parts integrate some input tasks such as reading and listening to test rather than be measured separately. The integrated tasks may be considered more Hellenizing in the test will help learners build the confidence needed to communicate in the academic envi ronments they plan to enter because students need to be able to combine their language skills in the classroom.Appropriate challenge will improve learners to more think about their weakness of language learning and hence to find effective ways they can develop. However, there still have some limitations in the test. In the first place, although test takers can be offered some feedbacks from the organization, the feedbacks of scores Just simplify the degree of their performance. They cannot get more individual feedback about the strength and weakness they have according to the test. Likewise, each level still has its deviation.Even though examinees can get same level of sections for each test, they may confuse about the score why last time they can get a high score whereas this time is a low score. In the second place, I feel the time arrangement also has its problem. In general, the test will last three hours at least but Just ten minutes for break from morning to afternoon. For man y test takers, the time may make them feel exhausted and influence their performance more or less. In the third place, the procedure of the test may also have its weakness.In order to avoid cheating in the test, examiners require learners to answer extra section such as reading or listening based on different individuals randomly. Hence, it will result in the time of speaking section beginning different. It is unfair to the individuals who are doing speaking earlier while others who are still doing reading or listening part can have a chance to listen others' speaking and have more time to prepare during the break. The final point I want to mention is that there have a lot of test preparation for each section test.Learners will make more focus on searching or studying methods in order to get a higher score rather than improve their language ability. As we discussed above the limitation, not all can get right solution. But I think we still are able to find some ways to improve. First ly, the examiners can provide rubrics of each specific score for test takers instead of the level of performance. That is, I think they need to list more details of each point and make learners more better understanding about why they can get this point and why they cannot get. The feedback should mainly reflect individual's strength and weakness instead of general errors.The general problem also can be placed in the reflection but not in the domain way. Secondly, when talking about dealing with the procedure, I think administers may provide another place for test takers about test speaking. In other words, when finishing their reading and listening part, examiners need to go the place which dedicated to speaking test after having a rest. Finally, due to various test preparation, in my opinion, I believe that form of diversification can be a good way to assess. For example, applying more open questions instead of multiple choices may be helpful for improving learners high order thin king.

Essay on living circumstance

Essay on living circumstance Essay on living circumstance Everyone is a special sculpture in the world. Nobody can find another person who is exactly the same as itself. There are many different factors that can significantly influence an individual’s character, values, and beliefs. However, I think the most important one is the living circumstance surround a person. The living circumstance is a very huge topic, so I separate it into three parts. The first thing I want to emphasize is when and where was the person born and lived. There is an old Chinese saying says,† Different areas create different people.† It is obvious that different nations have different generalizations in different periods; everyone is made by a specific historical period. In the memoir Warriors Don’t Cry, the author Melba Beals and her special experience is created by the special historical period of the U.S. Secondly, education is another part of living circumstance. For students, they spend most of the day at school with their classmates and teachers. I have heard lots of stories about how does a teacher changed a student’s life. As for the responsibilities of a teacher, I think that transmitting the culture is very important for really young children up to teens. It is the golden period for a person to build up his or her own personality; teachers should lead students to the right way. In the article Becoming a Writer, Russell Baker is an actively example of changing by his teacher. Last but not least, family background maybe the biggest part of living circumstance. When we were born, we were not born with a set of values and expectations, so we learned them from our parents or adults who raised us,

The Difference Between Plug-In and Standard Hybrid Cars

The Difference Between Plug-In and Standard Hybrid Cars A hybrid vehicle uses two or more distinct types of power, such as a gas-powered, internal combustion engine plus an electric motor on a battery pack. There are two primary types of hybrid cars on the market, a standard hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. Neither requires that you plug in the car to an electric source, however, with a plug-in hybrid you have the option to do so. The beauty of hybrid cars over gasoline-powered  cars is that they run  cleaner with fewer emissions, they get better gas mileage, which makes them more environmentally friendly, and depending on the model, you may be eligible for a tax credit. Standard Hybrids Standard hybrids are very much like regular gasoline-powered cars. The only difference is internal- the car can recharge its batteries by reclaiming energy through a process called regenerative braking or while driving on engine power. Standard hybrids do not need to be plugged in. A standard hybrid uses both a gasoline engine and an electric motor to help offset fuel costs and increase gas mileage. When the battery is heavily taxed by a lot of electric motor usage without a lot of braking, the internal combustion engine picks up the slack while the battery comes back up to charge. Hybrids still use gasoline as the primary source of power, you fill up the tank as you normally would. Popular standard hybrid models are the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. Luxury car makers like Porsche and Lexus in recent years have added hybrids to its fleet of vehicles. Plug-In Hybrids In order to increase electric motor cruising time, some manufacturers are creating plug-in hybrids that have more powerful batteries which can be recharged by â€Å"plugging in† the vehicle to normal household current. This feature allows the vehicle to perform more like a true electric car and less like a conventional gasoline car, all the while delivering exceptional fuel mileage. Plug-in hybrids, like the Chevrolet Volt, operate in much the same way as a hybrid by providing an all-electric driving range using a battery pack. Once the battery has been depleted, the vehicle can slip back to being a regular fuel-fed hybrid and recharge its batteries using the gasoline-powered motor as a generator. The big difference here is that you can also plug it in and recharge the electric motor instead of using the engine to charge it up. Depending on your driving needs, if you can plan your trips and just drive on electricity and then charge back up, you can go a very long time without having to gas up. All Electric Vehicles Although they are not considered hybrids since they run solely on electricity and are not a hybrid of anything, all-electric vehicles are worthy of mention if saving on gas is what you want to accomplish. All-electric cars like the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S, Ford Focus Electric, and Chevy Spark EV run on electricity and use electrons as their solitary source of energy. The more you drive, the more of the battery charge is depleted. The biggest disadvantage is that there is no gas engine built in to rescue you if you run out the battery completely. All electric vehicles must be recharged either at your home or at a charging station.

Patients with terminal and preterminal cancer- Evidence Based Practice Assignment

Patients with terminal and preterminal cancer- Evidence Based Practice - Assignment Example Round the clock administration of oral morphine for acute and chronic pain in patients with terminal and preterminal cancer is a widely accepted procedure. However, the need to administer the drug frequently and the increased risk of analgesic efficacy poses a problem in the management of pain in cancer patients. Several studies have reported other means of administration of opioid without altering the analgesic efficacy and without cumbersome dosing schedules. A couple of such important strategies are controlled-release morphine tablets and fentanyl-transdermal therapeutic system. To ascertain as to which is a better strategy for pain relief in cancer patients review of literature is essential. Making clinical decisions based on appropriate evidence is known as evidence-based practice. According to McKibbon (1998), "Evidence-based practice (EBP) is an approach to health care wherein health professionals use the best evidence possible, i.e. the most appropriate information available, to make clinical decisions for individual patients. EBP values, enhances and builds on clinical expertise, knowledge of disease mechanisms, and pathophysiology. It involves complex and conscientious decision-making based not only on the available evidence but also on patient characteristics, situations, and preferences." Literature review is the most critical exercise for EBP. Literature search for EBP can be done effectively by creating appropriate question in PICO format. In this assignment, literature review for an evidence-based answer of a clinical question will be discussed after deciphering the question in PICO format. The literature search will be performed in a systematic manner through electronic databases. Clinical Question "In patients with terminal and preterminal cancer, which is the most appropriate strategy for pain relief? Oral sustained release morphine or transdermal fentanyl?" PICO Population: Patients with cancer in preterminal or terminal stages with acute or chronic pain Intervention: Orals sustained release morphine Comparison: Intradermal fentanyl Outcome: Relief from pain Search Process The commencement of search in electronic databases was based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria and knowledge of the hierarchies of evidence. Hierarchy provides a confidence measure to the end-user (Evans, 2003). According to Evans (2003), random control trials can be considered of good standard and they are in fact labeled as the gold standard of research for providing optimal research designs to answer pertinent questions. However, systemic reviews and meta-analysis have topped the hierarchy list. The databases used for search were PUBMED, Google Scholar and CINAHL. The MESH terms used in PUBMED were cancer pain (AND), morphine (AND), fentanyl (AND), & pain (AND). The limits used were adults and