Marketing free essay sample

They offer a wide variety of beverages such as beers, wines, spirits, sparkling drinks and table water. Malta Guinness is one of the products which is rich in protein, iron, vitamins (of the B complex) and calcium, is a non-alcoholic malt-flavored beverage from the Guinness family. It is the perfect source of natural energy that will recharge you both physically and mentally so that you ‘FEEL GOOD EVERY DAY. † They respect the packaging and labelling of the product and recently they have redesigned the product which is unique and appealing compared to the competitors. It is usually both businesses and consumers who use it. Customers spend time looking for the product but when they do not find it, they look for a substitute like redbull. 1. 1. 2 Current Pricing There are many competitors for Malta Guinness in the market, for example, Stag Beverages is one of them. However if there is a change in price of the product, consumer demand may decrease to some extent but currently the price is lower compared to competitors prices. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But consumers purchase Malta based on the product Quality and product image. The businesses cost depend on the company, if they lower the price of the product, then it will increase sales revenue and competitors would not be able to meet any price cut. . This means that the price elasticity of demand would be elastic and according to Kotler : â€Å"Elasticity is the responsiveness of demand in relation to changes in price† (kolter et al. 2008, 354). For example, the bottle Malta in urban areas is sold at a maximum price of Rs20 and the can at 22 whereas in rural areas it has been observed that the bottle can be sold up to Rs15 and the can at Rs18. 1. 1. 3 Current Distribution. The company has a broader range of products and recently we have noticed that one of them which is Malta,it is sold in both urban and rural areas even in local stores of the regions or in bars and restaurants where customers usually look for it and but it. Some of the locations are : in hypermarket like Shoprite, Super U-Grand Bay,in Winners-Goodlands and Flacq and in rural stores like in Roches-Noires, Riviere-du-Rempart, we can observe, that they are in demand and consumers buy it. This shows quite clearly that there is an extensive distribution of the product in Mauritius. However Consumers cannot buy it from Phoenix beverages but on the contrary businesses can buy it so that they can resell it to retail stores and so on. But now we can notice that Stag beverages and Redbull and there are other energizing drinks that are in competition with Malta Guinness. 1. 1. 4 Current Promotion There are two recent promotional message about Malta that is apparent, one of them is â€Å"Have you had your Malta today† and the other one is â€Å"Have fun with Malta† So these â€Å"Promotion strategies are very important in order to attain the greatest number of customers possible†. kolter et al. 2008, 224). the first promotional message was seen at Phoenix near Phoenix beverages and the other one was seen near the motorway to Port-Louis on a billboard. Thus, the business is trying to promote the product and its sales by capturing people’s attention. Therefore the promotions are sending almost the same message. 1. 2 Environmental Scanning 1. 2. 1 Political/Legal Environment Today we can see that the political and legal environments are the pillar in Mauritius so businesses must take into consideration the political aspect. There are organisations like the consumer protection authority who acts in the favour of the consumers. The Consumer Protection Unit (C P U) is a specialized section within the Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection for the protection of consumers in general. So phoenix beverages should be able to comply to marketing strategies so as they do not go against legal requirements in Mauritus. There should be fair dealing while deciding prices of product. 1. 2. 2 Economic Environment In the arena of current income, Mauritius is facing a positive economic growth. We can notice nowadays there are increases in incomes which are making consumers spend more than they are expected to do. And a decreasing rate of unemployment is positive while employment has change consumer spending patterns. The positive economic situation will help the company to invest more in their marketing strategies for the product so as they get an increase in sales. 1. 2. 3 Social/Cultural Environment There are institutions and other forces in Mauritius that are affecting the basic values and perceptions that may impact on marketing strategies. For example, Mauritius is a multicultural country and we have many subcultures. Therefore consumer may be influenced by their respective culture which may influence their choices and preferences for the product. Therefore, the marketing strategies should take into considerations all the audiences, that is, the hindus,muslims or Christians. The company must take into consideration all the segments before implementing their strategies. 1. 2. 4 Technological Environment Technological environment are ‘Forces that affect new technologies, creating new product and market opportunities’ (kolter et al. 008, 98). There are many technological improvements that can create new processes which may impact on the marketing strategies, for example, unsafe products are banned by the government, so the company must do innovation but at the same time they must pay attention to disruptive technology. 1. 2. 5 Natural Environment (1/4 page/2 marks) As Mauritius is not a developed country, the re are shortages of raw materials and increased cost of energy and other factors like government intervention in natural resource that may impact on marketing strategies of the product. While producing the product, the company may dump the wastage and pollute the environment as they used many negative raw materials. This may result in the pollution of air and water. As Kotler stated there are â€Å"many parts of the world are also facing water shortages. Renewable sources need to be used wisely (kolter et al. 2008, 99). There is much legislation in Mauritius for protecting natural resources. 1. 2. 6 Competitive Environment The competitive environment of the mineral water is getting more and more tough (kolter et al. 2008, 99). There are competitors like stag beverages who are going to produce their own Malta product for the Mauritian population and they are are getting more and more in the market share. Therefore Malta marketers must take actions so as they maintain their position in comparison with direct competitors. They must build staff and consumer loyalty in order to be able to face the current situation. 1. 2. 7 Demographic Environment The changing age structure of the population and the geographic shifts may impact on the product and it is the Mauritian culture, the ethnic diversity that may impact the marketing strategies. As Kotler said â€Å"Demography ‘is the study of human populations in terms of size, density, location, age, sex, race, occupation, and other statistics’ (kolter et al. 2008, 82). The demographic environment is crucial to marketers because they must consider their market, that is, the mauritian people. In Mauritius, Malta have targeted consumers around 16 to 20 (teenagers) 20 to 35 (Working class) and 35 to 45(Sportsperson). Youngster, the working-class and sportsperson, they care for their health and Malta is the best energizing drink. The Mauritian is also more educated and is directing itself towards a more white collar nation, along with the fact that more women in the workforce means more average income to the population. Crystal is also affected by the fact that there are more women in the workforce and marketing strategies have been developed to attract this segment. Again the focus on health for women can prove very beneficial to the company 1. 2 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis Table Strengths| Weaknesses| The brand name| Leakage of information| Customer loyalty| The sugar rate is high. Distribution channel more efficient than competitors | Was slow to react to increasing number of competitors| Appealing and positive effect| | | | Opportunities| Threats| With technology can have online command and better ways to expansion| Increasing pollution both air and water| New target market as teenagers and women because of work and stress, consumer and staff loyalty| Emerging competit ors like stag beverages| There can be improvement in production and distribution through research | There may be government disapproval on harmful technologies| 2. 0 Segmentation Theory . 1 What is segmentation? Segmentation means ‘Dividing a market into direct groups of buyers who might require separate products or marketing mixes; the process of classifying customers into groups with different needs, characteristics or behaviour’ (kolter et al. 2008, 217). 2. 2 Why is segmentation used? Market segmentation is used to determine a market segment through evaluation, which is in terms of size and growth, profitability and it must fit with the company’s objectives. Market segmentation is used to determine how businesses can be competitive and profitable in a market. However according to marketer’s market segmentation is cost effective even its implementation and this may lead to deficit. But it is mostly used for buyers who differ to product needs or buying responses. 2. 3 How can firms benefit from a multidimensional approach to segmentation? A market can be segmented through different variables so as to better view the market structure. The different variables used by marketers for market segmentation are geographic segmentation, demographic segmentation, psychographic segmentation and finally behavioral segmentation. The multidimensional approach is used by irms to see which market segments are more attractive to them. This can be determined by evaluating the segment in terms of size and growth, profitability. The multidimensional approach is used by firms to avoid costly deficit. Target Market Identification 3. 1 Geographical Traits The geographic location chosen are urban, rural and coastal areas. The regions are Roches-Noires coasta l areas, Port-Louis and St Julien. These geographical traits are relevant to the product as even the climate is good for consuming these products as Malta gives us lot of energy when we are stressed or to boost the consumers. Geographic traits means ‘Dividing a market into different geographical units such as nations, regions, states, municipalities, cities or neighborhoods’ (kolter et al. 2008, 218). In Port-Louis, there is a greater distribution of Malta which is the same in rural areas such as St Julien and mostly in Coastal area(see picture 1 for illustration).. This is because when people go to Port-louis, they tend to be tired and then they drink an energizing drink to be fit to walk in the sunny environment. In rural areas such as st julien, people are home and tend to drink malta when they do their households chores or while doing other activities which is the same around coastal areas. Even the climate at coastal areas influence people as it is hot while in urban areas it is cooler. (See picture 2 for illustration). For rural and coastal areas(see picture 3 for illustration). 3. 2 Demographic Traits ‘Dividing the market into groups based on demographic variables such as age, sex, family size, family life cycle, income, occupation, education, religion and nationality’ (kolter et al. 2008, 220). Demographic factors help segmenting customer groups as it’s easy to measure than most other variables. Gender is an important factor. Nowadays teenagers consume more energizing drinks as they study and do sports(see picture 4 for illustration). Second demographic variable that Malta can use is targeting customers according to their income.. The prices of Malta bottle are quite affordable as compared to the high income earners who will prefer to buy for example Redbull(see picture 5 for illustration). And final variable is actually targeting the more mature adults that are actually concerned with their health (see picture 6 for illustration). . 3 Psychographic Trait Dividing a market into different groups based on social class, lifestyle or personality characteristics’ (kolter et al. 2008, 221). The psychographic trait is the socio economic status. The major segment that is clearly targeted is the middle class and the lower population classes. The first psychographic var iable that is used is based on social class. The lower classes and middle class population are targeted by Malta that is determined by the prices(see picture 7 for illustration). Second psychographic variable is based on lifestyle. The customers wanting to stay to have healthy habits such as the customers who go usually to the gym are good targets to the marketers (see picture 9 for illustration). And final psychographic variable that will be based on personality . For example, those on diet and vegetarian. 3. 4 Behavioral Traits ‘Divides buyers into groups based on their knowledge of the product, their attitude towards it, the way they use it and their responses to it’ (kolter et al. 2008, 223). Behavior variables are the for building market segments. The first behavioural variable that will be used is the benefit sought. The benefit that the consumers will get that is,to stay in good health. (see picture 10 for illustration). Second behavioural variable that is taken into account is the rate at which the customers is using the product. (see picture 11 for illustration). And final behavioural variable is the loyalty status. It is always less costly to keep a customer than to grab new one (see picture 12 for illustration).

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my papers my papers Official Florida Driver’s Handbook 2014 Disclaimer ment practices require the collection of certain personal information in the driver licensing process. This personal information identifies an individual and is used for records management, driver improvement, financial responsibility, and law enforcement purposes. The Florida Driver’s Handbook covers many condensed and paraphrased points of Florida’s laws and provides safety advice not covered in the laws. The handbook is not a legal authority and should not be used in a court of law. The Florida Driver’s Handbook is printed in volume and copies already obtained will not reflect any changes made by Legislature regarding fees or laws passed after the revision date. Failure to provide the required information will result in denial of a license or identification card. Falsification of information may result in prosecution. Florida law specifies that all documents or other material made or received in connection with the transaction of official business by any agency are public records. In addition to all documents, information taken from them is subject to public disclosure under Florida’s Public Records law. This personal information, including name, address and driver license number is confidential by law, but may be given to law enforcement agencies, insurance companies, credit bureaus, lending institutions, and any other entity exempted by statute. Medical information, social security number and emergency contact information are further protected and may only be released as specifically authorized by Florida law. Remember Driving Is A Privilege and Not A Right. Protect Yourself and Others By Knowing The Laws and Driving Safely. Warning Under section 322.212 (5), Florida Statutes, it is a third degree felony to use a false or fictitious name in any application for a driver license or identification card, or to knowingly make a false statement, knowingly conceal a material fact, or otherwise commit a fraud in any such application. Violators face immediate arrest and, upon conviction, penalties up to a maximum fine of $5,000 and imprisonment up to 5 years. The Division of Motorist Services strives to ensure the accuracy of information obtained in the licensing process and makes every effort to correct any incorrect information in its files. Incorrect information may be corrected by supplying your complete name, date of birth, driver license number, information on the nature of the error and proof that it is an error to the Chief, Bureau of Records, Neil Kirkman Building, MS 89, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0575, or telephone (850) 617-2000.. Certain information, such as conviction reports received from a court, can only be corrected upon notification from the court that the report was in error. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV)will suspend the driving privilege for one year of any person who makes a fraudulent application for a Florida driver license. Under section 322.36, Florida Statutes, it is unlawful for any person to authorize or knowingly permit a motor vehicle to be operated by any person who does not hold a valid driver license. Public Records Florida law and sound records manage2 Official Florida Driver’s Handbook 2014 Automobile insurance information is exempt from the Public Records Law. This information is provided to any party involved in the crash, their attorney or insurance company, law enforcement agencies and officers of the court, after receiving a written request and copy of the crash report. lane unless passing. s. 318.081 F.S. Revises due process procedures for red light camera violation. This change allows placement of a stop on any vehicle owned or co-owned by the offender. Establishes when a private entity may swipe a driver license or identification card and how the data may be used. Also establishes

The Protectionist Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930

The Protectionist Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930 The US Congress passed the United States Tariff Act of 1930, also called the  Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, in June 1930 in an effort to help protect domestic farmers and other US businesses against stepped-up imports after World War I. Historians say its excessively protectionist measures were responsible for raising US tariffs to historically high levels,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹adding considerable strain  to the international economic climate of the  Great Depression. What led to this is a global story of devastated supply and demand trying to right themselves after the terrible trade anomalies of World War 1. Too Much Postwar Production, Too Many  Imports   During World War I,  countries outside of Europe increased their agricultural production. Then when the war ended, European producers stepped up their production as well. This led to massive agricultural overproduction during the 1920s. This, in turn, caused declining farm prices during the second half of that decade. One of Herbert Hoovers campaign pledges during his 1928 election campaign was to aid the American farmer and others by raising tariff levels on agricultural products. Special Interest Groups and the Tariff The Smoot-Hawley Tariff was sponsored by US Sen. Reed Smoot and US Rep. Willis Hawley. When the bill was introduced in Congress, revisions to the tariff began to grow as one special interest group after another asked for protection. By the time the legislation passed, the new law raised tariffs not only on agricultural products but on products in all sectors of the economy. It  raised tariff levels above the already high rates established by the 1922 Fordney-McCumber Act. This is how Smoot-Hawley became among the most protectionist tariffs in American history. Smoot-Hawley Provoked a Retaliatory Storm The Smoot-Hawley Tariff may not have caused the  Great Depression, but the passage of the tariff certainly exacerbated it; the tariff did not help end the inequities of this period and ultimately caused more suffering. Smoot-Hawley provoked a storm of foreign retaliatory measures, and it became a symbol of the 1930s beggar-thy-neighbor policies, designed to improve ones own lot at the expense of others. This and other policies contributed to a drastic decline in international trade. For example, US imports from Europe declined from a 1929 high of $1.334 billion to just $390 million in 1932, while U.S. exports to Europe fell from $2.341 billion in 1929 to $784 million in 1932. In the end, world trade declined by about 66% between 1929 and 1934. In the political or economic realms, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff fostered distrust among nations, leading to less cooperation. It led toward further isolationism that would be key in delaying US entry into World War II.   Protectionism Ebbed After Smoot-Hawleys Excesses The Smoot-Hawley Tariff was the beginning of the end of major US protectionism in the 20th century. Beginning with the 1934 Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act, which President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law, America began to emphasize trade liberalization over protectionism. In later years, the United States began to move toward even freer international trade agreements, as evidenced by its support for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Rise and Fall of Empires Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rise and Fall of Empires - Term Paper Example tion and elevated levels of industrialization which may make a nation attain superpower status just like that of the People’s Republic of China (Fishman 112). In this essay, our focus will be on China as an emerging superpower capable of rivaling the status of the United States driven by its exemplary economic growth and military might. From our discussion, we find that China helped by its impressive economic growth can mount a successive campaign to become an important player capable of becoming a superpower in the world affairs. This is helped by the declining power of the United States as a major player in the international arena as it faces both domestic and international problems in its economy and policies. However, we will conclude that the People’s Republic of China is incapable of becoming the absolute global superpower to rival the United States due to certain inadequacies in its systems. For instance, China has poor governance and political situations that ar e not universally acceptable while it also has inferior military as compared to the United States of America. The People’s Republic of China has continuously risen to be a serious power as seen through its tremendous economic growth and transformation in its foreign policy aimed at increasing its power and influence (Shirk 77). The nation has used its growing influence to try and have a say on how the affairs of the world are run with the sole purpose of having the world serve its mainly economic interests. Through the increase of state power of China, it is increasingly becoming capable of creating and enforcing rules and institutions aimed at pursuing its interests and security as well as that of its citizens. Part of the reason put forward for China’s rise in global affairs can be attributed to the slow changes in its regime and its dissatisfaction of the old international order led by the United States. Though the rise of China had started during the Ming Dynasty, the foresight by the

Nintendo Corporation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nintendo Corporation - Research Paper Example From this paper it is clear that the internal resources include the strengths and weaknesses while its external resources are the opportunities and threats. Nintendo Corporation should strive to maximize its strengths and opportunities while at the same time minimizing its weaknesses and threats. Nintendo Corporation boasts of strong, formidable and established brands in the world market. Most of its products are unrivalled putting it in a better position to command and dictate the taste of the market. For instance, the Nintendo 3DS that was initiated in the US in March 27, 2011 enables the users to view contents in 3D without necessarily using the special glasses. Additionally, the Wii that comes in different advanced revolutionary features has made the product the best selling in the world. The corporation also has a robust and steady escalation in its revenue. Although the company was founded in Tokyo, Japan, it now has branches in all major world markets of the world. As of March 2011, the conclusion of their economic year, the entire proceeds of the corporation was $ 4799.40. This shows that company stands in better grounds in terms of assets and strengths. Besides, Nintendo Co. Ltd. has a strong cash flow system. The operating cash flow indicates the amount of money in cash that the firm generates when it sells its products or renders the services. It is calculated by subtracting the firm’s taxes from the taxes. As of march, 2011, the cash flow for Nintendo was $ 1.19 billion. The major fault that this corporation faces is the shortages of inventories.  

Literacies for Learning Essay Example for Free

Literacies for Learning Essay The necessity for educational institutions to equip students with the skills to cope in a rapidly changing, culturally diverse and globalised 21st century society, has led academics, such as the New London Group, to encourage educators to acknowledge the various literacy forms utilised in the new millennium (The New London Group, 1996) and to adopt a pedagogy of multiliteracies. This essay will explore the components of a pedagogy of multiliteracies and identify the transformations needed for the successful implementation of multiliteracies into educational practice. Likewise, the notion of language as a social practice which influences teaching content and assessment practices in secondary education will be examined, as will the use of multiliteracies in the teaching of the Mathematics curriculum. To understand the role of multiliteracies in pedagogy theory development, it is important to define the term literacy. Literacy is an evolving term that refers to an individual’s ability to construct and comprehend meaning via the accepted symbol systems of one’s country or language group (Winch, Johnston, March, Ljungdahl, Holliday, 2010). These symbol systems include written and spoken language and visual information such as icons and other graphical information. While literacy was traditionally viewed as a cognitive process with a focus on reading, writing and numeracy identification, in recent years its definition has become broadened to encompass the burgeoning text types being generated via multimedia and information technology (Winch et al., 2010). These electronic text types have quickly established themselves as integral components of a diverse range of 21st century vocations and social interactions (Tan, 2006).  A pedagogy of multiliteracies encompasses multimedia and digital text forms as well as traditional written and spoken texts. Likewise, the central role of literacy in a diverse range of knowledge domains and vocations has resulted in educators being encouraged to view literacy as a vital skill underpinning successful teaching and learning in all curriculum areas. The New London Group (1996) viewed the role of design as an ever changing paradigm of three stage teaching and learning processes. The first step, ‘Available Designs’ is determining what resources are available. These resources include texts, symbols, audio and visual resources. The second step is ‘Designing’ which takes these ‘Available Designs’ and places them within a social context, such as the classroom or learning environment, and is facilitated by an individual such as a teacher. This step creates an output with new meaning for both the learning environment and facilitator. This knowledge or new meaning is known as ‘Redesign’ (The New London Group, 1996). Literacy is a social practice that is not just taught in secondary schools, it is something which is part of each individual’s everyday life. According to Anstey Bull (2000), the way in which an individual may read the world will be strongly linked to the contexts of their own life. The NSW Department of Education and Training (2006) maintains that literacy is a skill that continues to grow and develop and is fundamental to students’ success at school as well as for the rest of their life. For literacy to be successful in schools, it is planned in collaboration with parents and teachers. This collaborative approach reinforces that literacy is inherently a social practice. This approach must include a range of social influences and practices, in order to increase student’s knowledge and skill in the real world for real purposes (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2006). As literacy development is undoubtedly a whole school and community approach, it is essential that a multiliteracies pedagogy, be utilised in the teaching of all curriculum areas. The impact of societal and cultural change is clearly reflected in the mathematics curriculum through the use of digital technologies such as graphical programs and spreadsheets. This use of technology provides numerous opportunities for the teaching of multiliteracies. Through explicit teaching and learning  experiences of digital texts, students are provided with the skills to successfully navigate and comprehend information communicated digitally. These skills can be acquired through students being provided with opportunities to access information via Internet websites. Likewise, students can use information technology to construct their own texts, thus allowing them to communicate their understanding of concepts to others. This may be achieved by encouraging students to construct texts through the use of software programs such as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Visio, both of which allow students to communicate information graphically. These digital mediums allow students to acquire skills which will assist them in acquiring real world skills which they can utilise to gain and construct meaning, both in and out of the classroom. (Winch et al., 2010). Technology is an essential part of the transformations taking place in the social, political, cultural and economic spheres of contemporary society (Groundwater- Smith, Brennan, McFadden, Mitchell and Munns, 2009). Secondary school teachers need to prepare students with the skills necessary for life in a rapidly changing, technological world. In order to equip students with these skills, teachers must possess deep knowledge of relevant technologies (Treadwell, 2008). The Mathematics curriculum includes teaching of: statistics, probability, algebra, financial concepts, economics, technology, measurement and trigonometry. These strands include skills applicable to an individual’s school/work life, social life and personal life. Mathematics content areas, focus on aspects of society, reform, technology and life skills. It is important for teachers to link the social practice of literacy with the factors of a pedagogy of multiliteracies to create the best teaching environment they can (The New London Group, 1996). Walsh (2006) cites an example of successfully teaching his students literacy practices, through social relationships. Students worked in groups and were able to demonstrate specific social language structures. They were able to â€Å"enact, recognise and negotiate† in a social environment (The New London Group, 1996, p. 3) by design and re-design of Internet web pages. The created web pages were diverse, with each student using their own discourse to create what they believed the web page should contain. Prior to using multi-modal and digital literacy mediums in their teaching, it is essential that teachers be aware of cognitive and language factors in learning. The  ability to use multimodal learning, digital literacies and genres specific to each curriculum area must be carefully planned by the teacher. According to Winch et al., (2010) a multiliteracy pedagogy involves developing the ability to use language purposefully and skillfully in a range of social settings, rather than learning isolated segments of knowledge such as grammar conventions and spelling. Multiliteracy includes the use and creation of multimodal and multimedia texts (Winch et al., 2010). Multiliteracy seeks to address the rapid changes in literacy brought about by globalisation, cultural and social diversity and information technology (Winch et al., 2010). In response to these societal changes, The New London Group (1996), questioned the role of schools and outlined a need for change in literacy teaching due to key changes in three areas of life: working life, public life and personal life (life worlds). Central to these changes, was the need for schools to integrate learning with life experiences that students have both in and out of the classroom. â€Å"As these three major realms of social activity have shifted, so the roles and responsibilities of schools must shift† (The New London Group, 1996, p.18). The New London Group advocated for a change in the way, education was delivered, by enhancing the existing structures and overlaying with a new â€Å"what† and â€Å"how† of literacy teaching (The New London Group, 1996). The ‘how’ of pedagogy comes from a view of how learning is acquired, embedded and utilised. The New London Group (1996) proposed that a pedagogy of multiliteracies is a complex blend of four methods of design. The first is Situated Practice which involves learning by creating meaningful learning experiences that allow students be in an environment where the learning replicates the social use of what is being learnt. It is an environment where risks can be taken and ‘trial and error’ is used to gain mastery of skills or knowledge. It should be used â€Å"developmentally, to guide learners to the experiences and the assistance they need to develop further as members of the community, capable of drawing on, and ultimately contributing to, the full range of it’s resources.† (The New London Group, 1996, p. 33). Situated Practice should be designed to motivate students to want to know, and engage students in their learning in a safe environment . Assessment or evaluation is not considered part of Situated Practice. Overt Instruction is the second method of how a pedagogy of mulitliteracies is  implemented.  This involves teachers guiding and using effective teaching techniques such as scaffolding or explicit instruction to build student’s knowledge and confidence. Examination of the current secondary school’s Mathematics curriculum, (NSW department of Education and Training, 2010) reveals many opportunities for teachers and students to collaborate and engage in dialogue related to mathematical concepts which will guide and provide a scaffold for student learning. For example, the teacher makes links with prior learning, through asking open questions to the group, and uses multi-modal methods such as mathematical symbols, diagrams, charts and pictures to add to the learning. With each progression of new learning in the lesson, the teacher labels a new part of the diagram. Overt Instruction â€Å".includes centrally the sorts of collaborative efforts between teacher and student wherein the student is both allowed to accomplish a task more complex than they can accompli sh on their own and they are conscious of the teacher’s representation and interpretation of that task.† (The New London Group (1996, p. 20). Thirdly, Critical Framing focuses on the â€Å"how† of a pedagogy of multiliteracies, through the use and application of real world knowledge. This method is where assessment and evaluation of one’s self understanding can begin in relation to cultural, social, political and historical influences on what has been learned (New London Group, 1996). Teachers are able to encourage students to apply their learning in a practical sense and assess the transfer of student’s knowledge or skill. This knowledge is based on what they have previously learned, and requires students to â€Å"constructively critique it, account for its cultural location; creatively extend and apply it and eventually innovate own† and strengthen their ability to demonstrate what they have learned (The New London Group, 1996, p. 37). A mathematical example of this process is the conversion of degrees to radians. Its real life use is the calculation of the speed of a piece of machin ery. This calculation includes the formula in terms of radians rather than degrees. Finally, Transformed Practice is â€Å"where we try and re-enact a discourse by engaging in it for our real purposes† (The New London Group, 1996, p. 36).  Students need to think and learn outside their own discourse and think about how they can re-create their meaning, linking their own discourses to understand what they have learned. An example of this practice was where students were asked to plan and present a lesson including a Wiki activity and a Prezi (presentation tool) that teaches the concepts from a previous mathematics lesson. In groups, students collaboratively utilised the Internet to research topics, and create: work sheets for others to complete, interactive wiki activities, team tasks, and their own YouTube clips. The lesson included the use and creation of multimodal texts and scaffolding of existing knowledge. Students developed new knowledge through authentic multimodal texts such as image, sound, video and written text (Tan, 2006). Gunning (2002) explores the impact of reading and writing difficulties in a social stance, and highlights that poor instructions given by teachers can contribute to a student’s difficulties. Gunning’s (2002) observations and research serve as a reminder that teachers must be sure to provide the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of multiliteracies, to ensure each student has the opportunity to progress. Teachers need to evaluate their current practice and identify the text types typically used in the Mathematics content areas and consider the social needs and teaching strategies that will develop student’s literacy skills (Goos, Stillman., Vale, 2007). In a mathematics lesson, students were introduced to the ‘Simpson’s rule’ formula. The lesson’s aim was for students to measure the area beneath a real life object, gain an understanding of what is needed to complete the formula and how the variables are calculated. Students were required to work collaboratively in pairs, discussing various ways in which measurements were taken in order to obtain an accurate result in working out the area of the object. Likewise, students were required to engage in higher order thinking, in order to formulate possible solutions to the dilemma. These experiences provided students with the opportunity to be inclusive in their learning, and consolidate their understanding of key concepts that are relevant to the lesson goals (Prain Hand, 1999). Teacher observations and questioning during group work, guided the student’s discussions, with the teacher embracing a teaching style where multiliteracies were used. The New London Group (1996) have profoundly impacted on teaching practices, literacy research, policy curriculum and pedagogy (Mills, 2006). Gee (1991) explores  social literacy and the impact of a student’s discourse that are established outside the classroom, from their social group, fa mily and cultural ties. Their view of literacy as social practice and their emphasis on incorporating the rapidly increasing number of electronic and multimodal text types in 21st century society into teaching practice represents a clear break away from the single dimensional teaching of literacy. However, for multiliteracies such as digital literacies, multimodal resources and ICT to provide best learning for students, teachers must be prepared to embrace the view that literacy is a social practice and and an essential skill underpinning all curriculum areas. Teachers also need to recognise that each lesson they teach to students provides the opportunity to develop the student’s literacy skills. In order to facilitate this change in pedagogical ideology, teachers must be prepared to evaluate their current teaching practice and adopt a more holistic approach to developing literacy skills in their students. As a consequence, students should be exposed to participative learning experiences with re al life learning outcomes. References Anstey, M., Bull, G. (2000). Developing multiple and critical readings of text. Reading the visual: Written and illustrated children’s literature (pp. 201-214). Sydney: Harcourt. Gee, J. (1991) What is literacy? In C.Mitchell K. Weiler (Eds.), Rewriting literacy. New York: Bergin Garvey Goos, M. Stillman, G. Vale,C. (2007). Teaching secondary mathematics. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen Unwin. Gunning, T. (2002). Factors involved in reading and writing difficulties. Assessing and correcting reading and writing difficulties (2nd ed., pp. 26-62). Sydney: Allyn Bacon. Mills, K. (2006). Discovering design possibilities through a pedagogy of multiliteracies. Journal of Leading Design, 1(3), 61-72 NSW Department of Education and Training. (2010). NSW Department of Education and Training. (2007). Literacy K-12 Policy Retrieved from https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/curriculum/schools/literacy/PD20050288.shtml?query=literacy+policy New South Wales Department of Education and Training. (2006). State literacy plan 2006-2008: Equitable literacy achievements for all students. Retrieved from http://www.curriculumsupprt.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/literacy/guidelinies/plan/index.htm Prain Hand (1999) Tan, L. (2006). Literacy for the 21st Century. Retrieved from http://iresearch.osprey.url3.net/iresearch/slot/u110/litreviews/literacy4_21st_century.pdf The New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. In B.Cope M. Klantzis (Eds.), Multiliteracies, literacy learning and the design of social futures (pp. 9-37). London: Macmillan. Walsh, C. (2006). Beyond the workshop. Doing multiliteracies with adolescents. English in Australia, 41(3), 49-58 Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., Holliday, M. (2010). Literacy: Reading, writing and childrens literature (4th ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press Cope, Bill and Mary Kalantzis (eds), Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures, Routledge, London, 2000, 350pp. | link

The Epic Poem, Beowulf - Beowulf and Christianity :: Epic of Beowulf Essay

Beowulf and Christianity It was a dark time and the devastating effects of war had taken their toll. Many had given up hope entirely that things would ever get better, that the land of present day England would cease its bloodshed. From the conquests of the Romans, to the Germanic tribes, to the Vikings, the people of the British Isles had been battered. They needed a hero, someone who represented strength, decency, and bravery. So came the story of Beowulf. Beowulf is a fictional hero of this time. He is not only a hero, but also a man of faith. His exploits are described as events that are ordained of God to bless the people. Beowulf is an instrument of God, an instrument of righteousness called by God to perform His will for the Danes. In stark contrast to his good, is the enemy, Grendel, the incarnation of pure evil. He is an enemy of the people, and according to the text even an enemy of God. Grendel is a destructive and murderous "creature" that is completely opposed to all that is good. Fr om certain passages we can see that the writers or editors of Beowulf intended to draw a religious parallel between these two characters of Beowulf and Grendel and the religious ones. The premise of good versus evil is quite easy to surmise, but the writers intended to use the Bible to elevate the tone of the story to a more spiritual than natural one. There are a few passages that this can be seen in. The first is passages describing Grendel and his beginnings. The second is selected dialogue from the Danes and Beowulf. Below is a passage at the beginning of the story describing Grendel: This gruesome creature was called Grendel, notorious prowler of the borderland, ranger of the moors, the fen and the fastness; this cursed creature lived in a monster's lair for a time after the Creator had condemned him as one of the seed of Cain - the Everlasting Lord avenged Abel's murder. Cain had no satisfaction from that feud, but the Creator sent him into exile, far from mankind because of his crime. He could no longer approach the throne of grace, that precious place in God's presence, nor did he feel God's love. (102-113) Grendel is likened to Cain in this passage, but he seems to show characteristics of the devil as well.

MBA in Project Management Essay

Quality is having different meanings for different people. In spite of this any organization aiming for sustainable competitive advantage needs to assess customer’s needs to fix a quality objective. Immaculate planning is required to attain the pre decided quality goals. Proper monitoring and people’s involvement can ultimately enable an organization to achieve the desired results. In the long run the good quality always wins the customer’s heart. I have to agree with Ian on this one. Quality management is an odd field in that almost every type of industry has some form of quality management or continuous improvment component to it. However, the good news is that nearly all of the skills associated with quality managment are easily transfered to almost any industry. Theory of constraints is the same in automotive manufacturing as it is in retail sales or financial management. check out your favorite job board and type in continuous improvment and you can see the options available. MBA in Project Management What Are the Job Duties of a Project Management Consultant? In general, project managers assist companies in making sound business decisions. These people also oversee and manage business projects from inception to completion. In order to achieve financial goals and objectives, project managers plan, develop, and execute schedules in order to ensure timely completion of projects within an organization. Additional duties include hands-on involvement throughout the life cycle of a project, as well as communication with staff to make sure everyone is on track for completion. In a software environment, a project manager works closely with software developers to ensure that software coding and programming are completed on time. After that, project managers work with quality assurance personnel to make sure the code is bug-free and software tests are completed and documented on schedule. Finally, the project manager works with technical writers to ensure that the software documentation is completed on time as well. Overall, project managers coordinate all team activities. Project manages analyze data and identify trends and deficiencies in order to prevent any problems down the road. Project managers also develop and implement contingency plans during the course of a project. Although some project managers telecommute, most of them work in offices. Occasional travel to satellite offices and other facilities and other locations may also be required. What Types of Skills Do You Need for Project Management? Top employers are looking for project managers who are sharp, creative, and motivated. Since many of them are looking for specialized knowledge in areas of management, a degree from one of many fully accredited MBA Colleges is definitely in your favor. Career Opportunities in Project Management Graduates with an MBA in project management have no problem at all finding a job in their field. These people are able to find work in a variety of large companies—from construction to oil and gas and mining. Many experienced project managers find jobs overseas, where they work as independent contractors. Average wages for entry-level managers start at $107,000, and more experienced professionals earn over 186,000 per year. If you have the skill and the drive to become a project manager, don’t hesitate to get started on your new career. With so many colleges and universities offering MBA courses in project management, you should be able to find one that suits your needs.

How Did the Open Field System Work? Essay

When the community planted wheat year after year in a field, the nitrogen in the soil was depleted. Therefore, three-year rotations was introduced in order to retain the fertility of the soil. 3. Where and why did the agricultural revolution start? Include political, social and economic reasons. With the coming of the French Revolution, European peasants were able to improve their position by means of radical mass action. The agricultural revolution gradually spread throughout Europe beginning in the Low Countries, mainly the Dutch. The problem of soil exhaustion was solved using sophisticated patterns of crop rotation without using fallowing to increase land cultivation by 50 %. Economy was prospering because of trade and businesses. New ideas out of medieval age. 4. What was enclosure and was it a swindle of the poor by the rich? Enclosure is the term used to describe the need to enclose and consolidate scattered holdings into compact fenced-in fields in order to farm more effectively. It was not exactly a swindle of the poor by the rich because large investments were required and it imposed risks for the nobles as well. 5. What accounted for the increasing population of the 18th century? Increasing population in the 18th century was stimulated by commerce and overseas trade. 6. How was the grip of the deadly Bubonic Plague broken? Women were able to have more children because they married at a younger age due to new opportunities of employment. New improvements in water supply and sewage systems resulted in better public health and helped reduce diseases. Human beings became more successful in their efforts to safeguard supply of food in case of famine. 7. What was the putting out system? What were the advantages and disadvantages of this system for the merchant and for the worker? The putting-out system was used to describe the key features of the 18th century rural industry – for the new form of industrial production. Merchants advantages- large profits. Worker’s advantages- buy their own materials and work as independent producers before selling it to merchant.

Devine wind essays

Devine wind essays Very few novels change the way we think about an issue but they do help to inform and shape our view about that issue. In the narrative titled Divine Wind by Garry Disher racism against the indigenous people of Broome is a major issue portrayed through the narrative point of view, events and characters. The basis of racism is that the dominant group in society (white Anglo Saxon males) make assumptions based solely on skin colour. In the narrative Divine Wind these assumptions include that aboriginal people have lesser values and lack moral standards and decent behaviour. In the Devine Wind Derby an aboriginal character represents the aboriginal people of Broome in the 1940s and we are positioned as the reader to sympathise with them. Derby is portrayed in the novel as being rather shy, harmless and childlike. My first instinct was to conjure up a mental image of Derby Boxer and search for the violence in, but all I could see in my minds eye was a shy man who was scared of hard work and liked to watch cowboy films. The issue of racism is most apparent in the narrative event of Derbys trial where he is charged with the rape of a girl Kitty and a fabricated confession is made. Judge Killian assumes in the trial that aboriginal people are alcoholics and violent when under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol and the black fellow dont mix Another assumption that is made at the trial is that that aboriginal people are unable to control their feelings. When ONeil asked derby kitty why he hit her. Derby apparently responds, She was eyeing all the other blokes There is also an implicit assumption that aboriginal people are not gainfully employed and prefer to spend their time drinking with mates. These assumptions position the reader to sympathise with derby and the aboriginal because of the racist assumptions. Also in th ...

Business Communication Essay Example for Free (#11)

Business Communication Essay His vision to give young, fashion forward men and women a unique way to express their individuality through style resulted in millions of customers worldwide and propelled his designs to the forefront of the fashion industry. It all started in 1990, with a mere $1,100 in his bank account, Madden started crafting shoe designs from his Queens-based factory and the  Steve Madden  brand was born. With a lot of courage, years of experience in the footwear industry, and unique creative designs,  Steve Madden  formed his own successful enterprise. A year later, Madden introduced a redefined version of platform shoes, resulting in one of the most spectacular success stories in the early 1990’s. Inspired by his favorite rock and roll stars of the 1970s, the thick, chunky heel became  Steve Madden’s  signature and a phenomenon in women’s shoes. Madden’s footwear vision is continuously evolving. Steve once said, â€Å"What inspires me is what I see people wearing on the streets of the world from New York to London and beyond. I get my ideas and inspiration from pounding the pavement all over the world. Today, fashion is dictated by individual style. To me, the fashion of the future is anything that a young guy or girl feels good wearing as long as  it’s put together in the right way. † (www. stevemadden . com) Today, the  Steve Madden  brand represents a lifestyle. It is about embracing fashion while still maintaining that funky independence that first defined the brand 20 years ago. Expanding now into apparel and other accessories such as dresses, handbags, belts, sunwear, cold weather, outerwear and hosiery,  Steve Madden  is always looking toward to the future. As 2013 begins, more exciting opportunities are on the horizon including re-packaging, new store design rollout and expansion in global markets. The days when the future did not seem so bright In April 2002, Mr. Madden found that neither his investors nor federal judges take too kindly to stock manipulation and securities fraud. Steve Madden’s talents as a shoe designer helped him build a 240 million dollar empire in his own name. But by his own admission, that wasn’t enough — he was greedy for more. His greed cost him about eight million dollars and control of the very company that brought him such riches. Madden was sentenced in 2002 to 41 months in prison for his role in a stock swindle scheme coordinated by the now-closed brokerage, Stratton Oakmont. His wrongdoings include conspiring to manipulate the stock prices of more than 20 companies, including his own. And, he did it at the expense not only of the public but his own investors who lost more than 100 million. Besides paying restitution, Madden had to resign as CEO of Steve Madden Ltd and leave the board of directors. He is also barred from holding a position as officer for seven years. However, he did retain a creative position until his prison sentence began that fall and will likely fill that capacity upon release later this spring. Meanwhile, those left to keep the company going in his absence quickly started their damage control efforts. A new board of directors was quickly assembled. Among those elected were Madden’s brother and a corporate accounting guru. Once their former leader began repaying his debt to society, company heads began cleaning Steve Madden Limited’s financial house; making sure stock prices accurately reflected the health of the business. The company fully cooperated with the SEC’s investigation and hired an independent auditing company to keep watch over the process. Those days and even today, the company’s financial practices are an open and well-kept book. Anyone could get the latest financial news from the same site by loging on to for the latest shoe designs. After heading off anymore potential legal woes, management began to focus on keeping the business itself walking tall. If the company’s sales reports were any indication, not having â€Å"Steve† hasn’t really hurt Steve Madden Limited. While the founder has been in a Florida prison, the company’s management built on his vision by expanding into other areas. â€Å"Steve† by Steve Madden moved the company from the trendy 16 to 24 year old demographic into upscale footwear for a more mature crowd. The company licensed Candie’s and Unionbay footwear for men. Rather than try and replace or substitute Madden’s design eye, they took what they had and introduced it to new markets. It worked. According to company reports, nearly all of the brands have increased profit margins and inventory levels. In a press release, management expressed hope that their profits would have increased in 2005 as compared 2004 (which actually happened). 2. Corporate Communication after the Bad Publicity But prison didn’t break Steve Madden—or his company. Like so many of today’s celebrity convicts, from Martha Stewart to Paris Hilton, Madden says he emerged a changed person. He served out his sentence, doing yardwork, teaching business classes to other inmates, reading four books a week (from â€Å"The Devil Wears Prada† to David McCullough’s â€Å"Truman†) and pumping iron obsessively. I used to wear this tank top in prison,† he says. â€Å"And I’d stare at myself and flex. I never did that before. † He even got married, to a Madden employee who came for regular visits. And when he was released in April 2005, Madden says, he was â€Å"stronger physically, mentally, spiritually† than he’d ever been. After the return of Ste ve Madden from prison, he decided not to shy away from the imminent release of its namesake founder from prison. The company was promoting the return of its creative leader in a series of eye-catching posters and print advertisements, and is having some fun with it in the process. While the ads do not say where Madden has been, one suggests, in a wink-wink kind of way, that Mr. Madden has not been on a sabbatical, a secret mission or up the  Amazon  collecting snakes: â€Å"A new meaning for the word spring time. Steve returns. Spring 2005. † The company had launched a rather interesting press campaign celebrating Steve Madden’s upcoming release from prison. One features a girl wearing an ankle bracelet and another features an empty pair of shoes with the words, â€Å"There’s one pair of shoes that’s been impossible to fill. Steve returns Spring 2005. Others allude to Madden getting â€Å"sprung† in Spring 2005. Financial Dynamics, the shoe retailer’s investor relations agency, says the campaign is a positive way of dealing with the prison sentence. It makes light of the company’s troubles, sending a message that the board is over it and customers should feel the same way. It’s also a sure fire way t o get people talking about the brand. When it comes to sales, the only bad publicity is no publicity. Once upon a time, a company, particularly one that sold products to the public, would shun publicity if it possibly could when a senior executive encountered legal woes. The idea that a company – especially one like Steve Madden, which sells shoes mostly to teenage girls and women in their 20’s – would actually run ads calling attention to its leader’s prison past would have flabbergasted experts in fields like brand identity, advertising and public relations. â€Å"I love controversy; I love pushing the envelope, but when you have a younger customer you have a responsibility to take the law and authority seriously,† said James LaForce, partner at LaForce & Stevens in New York, a marketing communications agency specializing in fashion and entertainment clients. That was of course before Martha Stewart, whose public image has, by initial measures, seemingly gained in stature after her release from federal prison. A colorful paper flap decorated with a photograph of her cradling a chicken, declaring â€Å"Welcome home, Martha,† was attached to the cover of April’s Martha Stewart Living magazine, published by  Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Companies like Mr. Madden’s and Ms. Stewart’s may also be more likely to embrace their convicted executives, since those executives have plenty of influence in the boardroom. Reticence about an executive’s past also predates a world in which rappers can find the sales of their music increasing in seeming lock step with the severity of their scrapes with the law. â€Å"It’s in now to be out, out of prison, that is,† said Paul Cappelli, chief executive at the Ad Store in New York, an advertising agency that creates campaigns for brands like  JetBlue. â€Å"I could see myself suggesting something like this to a client,† Cappelli said, â€Å"that instead of ignoring the 5,000-pound elephant in the corner, you might as well bring it out into the open and make hay of it. Robert Passikoff, who has been tracking consumer response to the Martha Stewart brand as president of Brand Keys in New York, a brand and customer-loyalty consultant, said that his index of its value had recently risen. The index has climbed to 96, Mr. Passikoff said, compared with a bottom of 62 – â€Å"lower than  Enron,† he said – before she entered prison. (The peak was 122 in May 2002. ) Is the new badge of honor, I served my time? We are not sure it doesn’t ultimately hurt, even if the American public is largely forgiving when people serve their time. The campaign is trying to make him the face of the brand but who wants the face with numbers under it? † Steve Madden is different from Martha Stewart, because unlike her, he was never the brand. He was the label, so a lot of people don’t know who the guy was and didn’t know he went to jail. That has worked to Steve Madden’s advantage so far,, citing the history of the Madden brand index: It was 110 before Madden went to prison and fell only slightly, to 106. However, it is worth mentioning that consumers seem to be more forgiving about men than women. Brian Russak, a senior editor at Footwear News in New York who covers Madden, said: â€Å"It seems like an obvious play to Martha Stewart, but I have to wonder whether that resonates with Madden’s consumers. We often say here the target consumer doesn’t know there is a Steve Madden. † Trey Laird, president and executive creative director at Laird & Partners in New York, an advertising age ncy that creates campaigns for fashion and apparel brands like DKNY and Gap, also drew distinctions between Madden and Stewart. The Madden ads â€Å"are kind of cute and clever, but this is not a Martha Stewart situation, when the whole country is watching because she’s a cultural icon. † â€Å"I don’t feel most consumers know about† Steve Madden’s sentence, he added, â€Å"or if they knew, they forgot about it. † The Madden campaign can be perceived as a parody of Ms. Stewart’s story meant â€Å"to get people talking about the brand,† Laird said, particularly because â€Å"the Madden brand has never been a brand that has taken itself seriously. † For instance, a recent Madden campaign featured caricatures of its customers with comically oversized heads. A statement by Financial Dynamics read: â€Å"Steven Madden Ltd. looks forward to the much anticipated return of the unique talent and creative design expertise of Steve Madden in the spring of 2005. Further, the company believes the current advertising campaign embodies and enhances the Steve Madden brand. † If the rise in Martha Stewart stock is any indication, getting out of prison seems to be â€Å"in. † The publicity generated by Madden’s return could translate into increased exposure and, in turn, increase sales in the future. Plus, having him back at the head of the creative team will bring his company something it hasn’t had in a while†¦ his ability to give the millions of women who buy his shoes what they want. So, If there’s one thing Americans enjoy more than watching the mighty fall, it’s granting them forgiveness. â€Å"You have to go through a process. You made your mistake, you did your time,† Madden says. â€Å"You have to be a little contrite to get redemption. † To judge from the recent performance of his company, Madden’s been forgiven—at least by that segment of the population that favors shoes with animal prints, polka dots and four-inch heels. Sales were $475. 2 million in 2006, up from $375. 8 million the year he was released, while net income more than doubled to $46. 3 million. Madden is quick to admit that he’s made mistakes. But he says he wouldn’t change a thing about his life. â€Å"Everything I’ve done has gotten me to where I am today,† he says. His prison experience has clearly had an impact on his designs. The next offering from the prison groom: wedding shoes, called I Do. â€Å"It’s a huge market,† he says. â€Å"Marriage is sort of back on track. † And so is Steve Madden. . The Crisis 3. 1. Chain of events In summer 2004, Madden’s luck turned when he was indicted for stock fraud and money laundering in both the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. According to the charges, Madden secretly purchased stock on behalf of the principals of two corrupt penny-stock brokerage firms — Stratton Oakmont Securities of Lake Success, Long Island, and Mon roe Parker, of Purchase, Westchester — helping them manipulate 29 initial public offerings, including that of his own company. That same day, the Securities and Exchange Commission came after him with a civil suit alleging Madden had employed â€Å"devices, schemes, and artifices to defraud. † If convicted in either of the criminal cases, Madden would face up to more than twenty years in prison and several million dollars in fines. If he were to lose the SEC case, which was put on hold until the criminal cases were completed, he could be forced to pay millions more. Even worse, he ran the risk of being barred from serving as an officer or director of any public company, including his own. On the day of his arrest, while Madden was busy pleading not guilty to all charges and pledging his East Hampton country house and the Long Island homes of two friends in order to make bail, shares of Steve Madden Limited fell almost 15 percent to $11. 85 before nasdaq halted trading. Two days later, when the stock (which trades under the ticker SHOO) reopened, it fell to $6. 88. Though the stock has traded up as high as $13. 88 due to a recent rally in the footwear sector, it has yet to regain its pre-indictment momentum. â€Å"The story’s sad. It’s a great story. It’s a real American story. My old friends took me public, they turned out to be crooks, and I’m innocent†, Madden has been quoted to say. While the indictment has severely damaged Steve Madden Limited’s standing on Wall Street – there was a consolidated class-action shareholder lawsuit pending against the company, and it has hired Bear Stearns to explore â€Å"all possible strategic options,† including an outright sale — it hasn’t tarnished Steve Madden’s reputation as a design and marketing genius. â€Å"He has some special knack at figuring out what teen girls want to wear,† says Sanford Bernstein analyst Faye Landes. According to teen-market consultant Irma Zandl, who ranks Madden with Nike and Adidas in the top five brands that girls favor, his shoes are popular because they are fabulously over-the-top. â€Å"Steve Maddens are not for the conservative girl,† she says. â€Å"If he’s going to add leopard skin, he’ll do it ten times more outrageously than anybody else. It’s for people who think less is less. † Every week following his indictment, Madden used to get more than a thousand e-mails from his customers, only a handful of which referred to his legal predicament. In fact, the company not only refused to retrench, instead it was aggressively expanding. At that year’s Grammy Awards, the company made a bid for high-profile customers by giving out fluffy leopard-print slippers to special guests. Three days later, at the Western Shoe Association show in Las Vegas, Madden introduced his newest product line at the time: Steve Madden Mens. 3. 2. The players While Madden was working his way up in the shoe industry, his best friend, Danny Porush, was stuck in a rut. After five years at Boston University, he left without getting a degree and bounced from job to job, working for, and starting up, a variety of small businesses, including an ambulance company called SureRide Ambulette. In 1988, while watching his son in the playground of his Bayside, Queens, apartment complex, he met an unlikely mentor: a dental-school dropout and former door-to-door meat and seafood salesman named Jordan Belfort. A short, brash, young Jewish guy, Belfort boasted he was making $50,000 a month selling penny stocks out of a boiler room in Great Neck. As Porush would later testify, Belfort confided the business was â€Å"half a scam,† but the chance to increase his income tenfold was a siren call Porush couldn’t resist. Two days after they met, he closed down SureRide and joined the firm. Using fanciful scripts, the brokers — Belfort’s childhood friends from Queens, Porush’s golf buddies, money-crazed kids recruited from Long Island college campuses — sold and manipulated tiny, high-risk IPOs, according to testimony, by grossly exaggerating their prospects, boasting that they had inside information, and generally saying whatever was necessary to make a sale. Their underwritings encompassed a vast array of low-rent businesses and all had the same trading pattern — the stocks would soar when they touted them but then come crashing down when the brokers unloaded their stakes. In 1992, Steve Madden made a decision that at the time seemed natural enough: He hired his best friend’s firm to be his banker. While Madden knew that the SEC had already accused Stratton of engaging in price manipulation and employing high-pressure sales tactics, he considered it a legitimate company. â€Å"They cleared through Bear Stearns,† Madden recalls, pointing out that Stratton’s link to the giant firm gave it an aura of respectability. Besides, Stratton was not only willing to raise capital for Steve Madden Limited in the private markets, it wanted to take the tiny, unproven company public. Like his friend Porush, Madden was going to enter the big leagues. On December 13, 1993, only seven months after the first (and, at that time, only) Steve Madden shoe store had opened on Broadway in SoHo, Stratton Oakmont took the company public at $4 a share. The most active stock on the nasdaq on the day of its offering, SHOO closed at $8 a share, a huge gain in the pre-Internet era. Just a few months later, it sunk to $3. With only $5. 3 million in sales, a net loss of $900,000, and a boom-bust trading history, the company simply seemed to be nother one of Stratton’s overhyped IPOs. But it wasn’t. In 1994, Madden surprised his critics. With hardly any advertising, Madden increased sales by almost 40 percent. The next year, sales tripled to $39 million, prompting Madden to hire Rhonda Brown, the former merchandise president of Macy’s East, to become his chief of operations. Soon, Madden had celebrity customers — Carmen Electra, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nev e Campbell, Alyssa Milano, Mary J. Blige. By 1997, the company was generating $59 million in total sales, operating seventeen stores, and introducing a clothing line designed for â€Å"a customer who doesn’t break the law — but does break the rules. † That spring, in a lengthy profile in  Footwear News,  Madden compared his company to â€Å"an underground rock-and-roll band that gets its first hit single. † Meanwhile, over in lake success, Porush and Belfort were struggling to stave off failure. While they were still raking in tens of millions a year from stock manipulations, regulators were working to put Stratton out of business. In March 1994, they nearly did: As part of a settlement with the SEC, Belfort was barred from the securities industry for life. But Porush managed to garner a lighter sanction, barred for just one year from supervising other brokers. In the wake of the ruling, Belfort continued to control the firm through Porush. Inevitably, though, the relationship between the partners soured. In January 1997, the company eventually filed for bankruptcy. By that time, Gregory Coleman, an agent in the FBI’s securities-fraud squad at 26 Federal Plaza, had been investigating Stratton for several years. In 1995, under instructions from federal prosecutors, Coleman sent out a flurry of subpoenas to some of Stratton’s clients, including Madden, in an effort to create a panic that would culminate in a race to the government’s door. One year later, U. S. Customs officers in Miami arrested a young French private banker who worked for Union Banquaire Privee in Switzerland. The arrest was made as part of an unrelated money-laundering sting operation, but hoping to win a lighter sentence, the banker began to talk. By sheer coincidence, he had two clients who were of particular interest to the government: Jordan Belfort and Danny Porush. On September 2, 1998, just a few minutes after pulling out of the driveway of his Old Brookville mansion to take his 5-year-old daughter to the video store, 36-year-old Jordan Ross Belfort was arrested for conspiracy to commit money laundering and securities fraud. The next day, 41-year-old Daniel Mark Porush was nabbed down in Boca Raton. Faced with maximum sentences of twenty years in prison, both men came to the same conclusion: After only a week in jail, they decided to flip. â€Å"It was like taking down the heads of a major crime family,† says former assistant U. S. ttorney Joel Cohen, the prosecutor in the indictment. â€Å"But in this case, the organized crime was the brokerage business. † Porush and Belfort secretly wore wires to record their friends and dragged down dozens in their wake: lawyers and accountants, bankers and brokers. 3. 3. Effects For the government, Steve Madden was one of the biggest catches in the dragnet. The shoe mogul had been a focus of the investigation for some time; the SEC had cited his company’s IPO as one of those that had been manipulated, and believed that Madden was routinely getting, and flipping, stock in other Stratton deals. Although some of Stratton’s IPOs had grown into profitable businesses, only Madden’s company had become a significant success. But according to Belfort, the celebrity CEO was also a â€Å"rat hole,† a place to hide stock. Porush, his P. S. 1 buddy, didn’t hesitate to give him up either. Madden, as he recently testified at the trial of Stratton’s former auditor, was â€Å"deep into the fraud with us. † According to the Madden indictments, the designer’s personal connection to Stratton began in 1991, when Madden agreed to secretly buy and sell stock in Stratton deals on Porush’s behalf with â€Å"the understanding that he would incur no risk. (Porush, as a principal of the firm, was restricted in his ability to trade stock in these companies. ) The deal was that Madden would earn a â€Å"predetermined profit on each transaction,† then kick back to Porush a significant portion of the proceeds, either in cash or by purchasin g stock from Stratton that was deliberately overpriced. Once Belfort was barred from the securities industry in 1994, Madden allegedly entered a similar agreement with him regarding the Stratton spinoff Monroe Parker. But according to the SEC, Madden wasn’t only ripping off the general investing public, he was ripping off his own shareholders as well. In early 1993, the SEC alleges, Madden agreed that the IPO of his company would â€Å"be a manipulation similar to previous Stratton IPO manipulations . . . such as Master Glazier’s Karate International. † In exchange for his agreement to â€Å"follow Porush and Belfort’s instructions,† they allegedly promised â€Å"that even if SHOO . . . went bankrupt, Madden would make money on the SHOO IPO. † In addition, as Belfort recently testified at the Stratton auditor’s trial, Belfort â€Å"had a secret deal with Steve Madden to maintain control of his company after it went public. Because Belfort and his partners had financed Steve Madden Limited’s early development, they owned a majority stake in the company before it went public. But the National Association of Securities Dealers refused to list SHOO unless Belfort — then under investigation for securities fraud — dramatically reduced his stake. As Belfort testified, he agr eed to sell his shares to a corporation controlled by Madden to placate the NASD, but it was a bogus transaction. â€Å"Under the secret deal which we had written down and legally signed,† says Belfort, he was the true owner. Belfort exerted an extraordinary influence over the company. Stratton’s auditor, who was a friend of Belfort’s, also became Madden’s auditor. In 1994, after Belfort was kicked out of the securities industry, he even joined SHOO as a consultant. In addition, according to Porush’s testimony, key Madden employees were given stock in Stratton IPOs as part of their compensation. (A Madden spokesperson denies such an arrangement existed. ) As Porush explained, â€Å"Part of the package when we recruited people for Steve Madden was . . . because you’re in with us, you’ll make money on every new issue. In 1997, the Belfort-Madden friendship ended abruptly around the time Belfort asked Madden to sell some of the SHOO stock he secretly owned. Madden refused, and the dispute quickly turned into a bitter lawsuit, during which Belfort produced the deal they had signed. Madden admitted the signature was his but insisted he had been â€Å"manipulated† and â€Å"tricked† into signing by someone he had â€Å"trusted as my friend, business associate, underwriter, and confidant. † According to Madden, the demise of the friendship actually preceded the lawsuit, â€Å"when Belfort started showing up stoned for work. â€Å"I have no intention of allowing Jordan Belfort to ruin SML’s bright future by threatening me or by tarnishing the company’s reputation,† Madden vowed at the time. Ultimately, he settled the suit for $4. 3 million in cash, an outcome that favored his adversary. In the fall of 1999, around the time the government went public with the news that Porush and Belfort had been secretly cooperating, the U. S. Attorney’s Office approached Madden’s personal attorney, Joel Winograd, to discuss its case against his client. Soon, rumors that Madden might be indicted began wending their way around Wall Street. . Assessment As many people saw it, the fact that Madden had an account at Stratton doesn’t mean he knew what Porush and Belfort were doing, let alone that he was in any way involved. Madden â€Å"was buying stock and making money, buying stock and losing money. He made more than he lost, but he didn’t know what improprieties they were involved in. † As Madden himself put it in the course of his lawsuit with Jordan Belfort: â€Å"My strengths as a businessman lie in the design and sale of women’s shoes, and I have never been comfortable with complicated or technical legal or business documents . . . I have always relied on the people around me. † When asked why Madden employed Belfort as a consultant at Steve Madden Limited in 1994, after he was barred from the securities industry, his lawyer replies, â€Å"Steve Madden is a loyal friend and a devoted human being. He didn’t turn his back on Jordan Belfort in his time of need. † And what about the $80,000 cash kickback Madden allegedly gave to a Stratton golf buddy in the locker room of the Engineers Country Club in Roslyn, Long Island? â€Å"It’s totally ridiculous,† says Winograd. â€Å"Cash? The government can explain from here to kingdom come. There is no way Steve would have had that amount of cash, and he wouldn’t have had that in a bag walking around a country club. I think these fellows have watched too many spy thrillers. â€Å"Let’s say Steve was fooled,† Mr. Madden’s lawyer summarizes. â€Å"You can be savvy in business, but you may not be savvy in love and friendship. † In any case, â€Å"Steve will overcome,† he vows. â€Å"His company will continue to have record quarters of sales and earnings, and this will have a fairy-tale ending. † Perhaps. But even if Madden was acquitted in both of his criminal trials, he still lost the civil case and, control of his company. For Steve Madden Limited, such an outcome might be manageable. â€Å"Mr. Madden is extremely talented and a tremendous business partner, and he’s wonderful,† says the company’s president, Rhonda Brown. â€Å"But we could continue to grow our business profitably . . . whether he’s on the golf course, or whatever. † For Steve Madden the man, it could be devastating. â€Å"My life,† he says, â€Å"is my company. † 5. Conclusions Throughout the paper, we have researched and debated both sides of the issue and conversely presented both approaches by those involved or ever taking interest in the matter. Some say that the fashion mogul got what he deserved, bashing him for being a fraud under a publicly endearing persona, while others, close friends and devoted customers alike, stood behind him and helped if not the man, the company itself from disaster. Should a great visionary not content himself with being the image upfront and the genius behind the empire he built and instead take charge of other key areas that make a business successful rather than trusting others, trusted friends or proven experts with managing them? That may be true and perhaps this was where Mr. Madden made the biggest mistake of all. While the case was and still is controversial, the company succeeded in overcoming the crisis and continues to be among the most profitable and booming shoe fashion business in the States. Business Communication. (2018, Oct 18).

The Asthma Trap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Asthma Trap - Essay Example The cause of asthma is not known but there are a few factors or social forces that can safely be said are the major causes of asthma. Genetic factor is one of the most common factors that say that it is hereditary and runs in the family. Next is the environmental factor that suggests that pollen, house dust mites, animal dander and tobacco smoke if present in the environment are allergens that trigger asthma. Irritants in the workplace like chemicals, dust, gases etc are major causes of asthma in adults that are due to the occupation which gives exposure to such allergens as in the paint factory or where dealing with raw cotton is done etc. A healthy lifestyle is very important as if dietary habits are not correct then asthma is likely to happen due to increased intake of processed foods and high use of salt. Less exercise and leading a very sedentary life is also one of the causes as reduced exercise means less stretching of the airways due to which abnormal contraction is observed even upon exposure to the minor irritants. Asthma is related to multiple factors which are beyond patients' control. Asthma has become the most common chronic illness among children in USA, affecting some 6 million kids, and its prevalence is growing at a rate that some public health experts find alarming. Since 1982, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, the number of asthma sufferers in the United States has doubled. Sara Corbett Like any other disease asthma too burdens the patients and their families both emotionally and financially. Particularly asthma in children takes a toll on the entire family as parents miss work to care for their children and struggle to pay hospital bills, children's grades fall off as absenteeism from school increases hence lower productivity at work. Patients dependent on inhalers have to carry it with them all the time and using it in public makes them conscious and socially misfit and some patients due to this often go into social recluse. Asthma burdens the patient financially as well. According to a study childhood asthma costs the nation $3.2 billion annually in health care expenses also the constant fear of a severe attack and the fear of death is always associated with asthma. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 5,000 Americans die this way every year. Sara Corbett My brother is asthmatic and I personally have seen him going into social hermit and avoiding social gatherings because of the fear of asthma attacks or public usage of inhalers when suffering shortness of breath. As a child he felt chained while playing with kids his age who freely used to bike or used to indulge in strenuous activities as my brother took every step very cautiously because of asthma attack fear as in the past he had suffered when he was just having fun with people his age and doing things of his age. An interesting finding is that factors such as race, ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic can influence child health and have its impact on asthma. Let's discuss each factor: Gender Boys as compared to girls are more prone to asthma. However, in adolescence it's the reverse and asthma is more severe in females and is under diagnosed and undertreated. This change is seen around the time of puberty and could possibly be due to hormonal changes and differences in environmental