Friday, November 29, 2019

The Night And A Long Way Gone By Ishmael Beah Essay Example For Students

The Night And A Long Way Gone By Ishmael Beah Essay Some of the most fabled stories of our time come from individuals overcoming impossible odds and surviving horrific situations. This is prevalent throughout the Holocaust. People are fascinated with this event in history because the survivors had to overcome immense odds. One, of many, of the more famous story about the Holocaust is Night by Elie Wiesel. Through this medium, Wiesel still manages to capture the horrors of the camps, despite the reader already knowing the story. In addition to him having to overcome difficult odds in order to survive for himself, he also had to care for his weakening father. A similar situation occurs in A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, however, Ishmael accepts the situation and is able to defend himself. While they differ in their ability to defend themselves, they both relate in that they need to fight, both mentally and physically in order to survive. In both Night and A Long Way Gone, Ishmael Beah and Elie Wiesel are stripped of their identity and are forced to change and adapt in order to survive a new and hostile environment which changes them for the rest of their life.During the Holocaust, the prisoners were stripped on who they really are, due to no longer being able to express who they are. This is due to self-expression not being accepted in the camps. We will write a custom essay on The Night And A Long Way Gone By Ishmael Beah specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now All of the Holocaust prisoners were forced to wear the same exact clothing, with no exception. â€Å"We were handed winter clothing: striped shirts that were a bit heavier† (Wiesel 77). Most people represent themselves by wearing clothing that express themselves, but this restricts that expression. If any prisoner was seen showing any sign of individuality, they were punished with harsh beatings. â€Å".a Kapo came in to check if, by chance, some. .a. He, like Wiesel, does speeches for the people who want to listen to his wise words and amazing stories. Elie Wiesel and Ishamel Beah, as well as many others, had to change their character and who they are as a person simply to survive another day. They were stripped of a basic human right, their identity and had to adapt to this. They also had to change their morals and priorities in order to survive. Even after all the hardships they face, how traumatizing the events were can be difficult to live with. During the events as well, they feel regret on how they could have avoided the entire situation. However, if they survive, they often become stronger and successful from the stories they tell and the lessons they learn. While many people enjoy criticizing how people could have done things better to survive, it is much easier said than done, just ask these people.

Monday, November 25, 2019

The impact of Climatic Change on the Decline of Black French Truffle The WritePass Journal

The impact of Climatic Change on the Decline of Black French Truffle Introduction The impact of Climatic Change on the Decline of Black French Truffle ). However, the Tuber melanosporum is becoming scarcer, and there is a common idea that this scarcity is due to global change of the climate (Jolly, 2012). This has led to a sharp price increase of this rare commodity, but most of all is the concern of the gradual decline in its availability.   Europe, and more so, the Mediterranean basin has seen a steady decline of this rare species over the last 40 years (FAIR, 2000). This decline has been both in quantity, as well as quality, however this paper will examine the former. 1.3 Project Aims and Objectives This project’s principle aim is to collect and analyse data using both quantitative and qualitative methods to understand the increasing decline in the production of black truffles from France also referred to as Pà ©rigord truffle and Tuber melanosporum.   In this regard, the project will adopt cause-effect deductions, hypothesis testing, and observations to develop understanding this decline in truffle production and in particular whether it affects the natural occurring or cultivated truffles. A secondary aim of this project considers the reasons for the decline of production of the black French truffle. This project, through careful analysis of related research acknowledges the fact that there is a general decline in natural occurring truffle and that this decline is associated with various factors. The study seeks to identify the main reason for the decline in production and harvesting of black French truffles.   The study also aims at providing recommendations to ad dress the decline in truffle production. This study will be documented accurately in order to provide subsequent researchers with all the information necessary to further the development in this field of study. Literature Review In consideration of Truffles biological and ecological growth and development Smith and   Read (1997), assert that root symbionts are most significant in checking the ecosystem function   in most temperate forests of the world, and this includes the rare ectomycorrhizal fungi.   Their main function is the provision of the much needed trace minerals to the truffles as well as protection from drought, disease causing agents and pests (Garbaye, 2000; Govindarajulu et al., 2005). Smith and Read (1997) further add that truffles reciprocate provision of food and protection from disease with provision of carbon to the micro-organisms. The ecology in these temperate regions is complexly interconnected, the mushrooms that are produced by the micro-organisms and are significant sources of food for the animal populations in the forests (Carey et al., 2000). However, according to FAIR (2000), the black truffles production in Europe has dramatically declined over the last half century, this is both in quality as well as quantity.   Furthermore, efforts have been made to increase the vegetation that promote truffle growth, but the decline has persisted.   This trend had been identified earlier by Cherfas (1991), and in his research, he claimed that the decline had begun over 100 years ago in the natural habitat, in the temperate forests. The cause of this decline in the growth and development of black truffles has been the subject of inquiries and research. There is still little explanation for these long term decline in both natural and cultivated   truffle.  Ã‚   Research is needed to help understand this decline, the real difficulty lay in understanding the underground microbial since experimental environments fail to match the necessary real world conditions (Macdonald et al., 2005). As a matter of fact Lamon et al (2009) agree that there is scarcity of much needed extended observations of quantitative data generated from natural the natural setting. Chevalier et al. ( 2001), assert   that   both Tuber melanosporum and Tuber magnatum are the most valuable species in the market. These varieties are also the endangered species at the brink of extinction. Hall et al. (2001), in their findings explain that geographically, Tuber melanosporum naturally occurs   in France, Italy, Bulgaria and certain areas in Europe.   Martin, F. et al (2010), specifically examines the decline in the production of Tuber melanosporum, however, he also adds that they naturally occur in the Mediterranean   habitat.   Sourzat (2002), in the french publication, explains that T. melanosporum’s fruits best in its natural setting characterized by rocks, forests that are open that are generally warm with mild winter seasons, as well, as regular precipitation in the summers. In addition, best production is expected on the slopes where the produce receives protection from excessive cold and dry wind. According to Hall et al. (2001), research rev eals that truffià ¨res grown in rainy areas with lower temperatures and have not yielded any truffles. In fact, truffles of the T. melanosporum species grew best in climatic regions with between 600-1500 mm average precipitations, average temperatures of 18-21 degree Celsius in the summer and the winter, an average of 1-8 degree Celsius (Zambonelli Di Munno, 1992). It seems areas that continuously have frozen ground in the cold seasons are not suited for the growth of T. melanosporum because the fruits spoil when frozen. Fontana and Bonfante (1971) in their publication introduce the idea of growing truffle fungi in an artificial environment. They explain that this idea was to supplement the deficit of the produce collected in the natural habitat. This method was developed back in the 1970s indication that the decline of truffle had already been the cause of concern in the market. By the turn of the millennium,   truffle grown in orchards accounted for half of the truffle produced around the world (Hall et al., 2003). It also important to note that a majority of these orchards are developed within truffles natural geographic areas. Having highlighted the required natural habitats for the truffles, and in reference to their decline, there are several suggestions based on various research on this decline.   Cherfas (1991) traces back the history of this decline by asserting that the number of mushroom species gathered in every foray dropped from 72 to 38 between 1912 and 1982 in the Netherlands.   In the same publication, it is revealed that chanterelles in central European market in mid 1970s were found to have reduced in size 50 times than those in 1950s. Hall et al.(2003) in their publication reveal that, by the 20th Century, T. melanosporum in the French market had dropped to 2000 tons annually and a further decline was witnessed by the turn of the 21st Century by 150 tons. It is true that the truffle harvesting in France has been an affair by a small number of people who mainly collected them from their natural setting. As seen in the previous paragraph, there is an increase in production of truffles in orchards as a supplement to the dwindling natural supply. In a later publication Hall et al., (2007), affirm that the decline in natural truffle harvest has persisted and is at an all time low of between 12 to 150 tonnes per year from the 1000 to 2000 tonnes in the 1990s. The steady decline in the production of   truffle has led to the rise in price per unit over the last decade with an increase in demand (Lee, 2008). The decline of French Truffle has been a point of concern in the scientific research circles with some as Hall et al. (2003) in their study, pointing at water and air pollution, in addition to other factors including, the dynamism in forest structure and the lack of knowledge in traditional gathering as a result of world wars. Similar findings have been published in a report by Amaranthus (2007) citing destruction of truffle natural habitat, urban development, among the reasons for the decline. Such factors are most likely to continue reducing the production figures and specifically those in their natural settings (Amaranthus, 2007; Hall et al., 2007).   Garvey and Cooper (2004), in their report further allude that this decline in natural habitat has resulted in the production of truffles on cultivated farms where the trees or truffià ¨res are inoculated. However, these remedies cannot beat the native oak and hazel vegetation as the major producer of the French black truffles in F rance. In the recent years, the decline in truffle has been experienced in many regions of the world and especially the fast declining French black truffle or the Tuber melanosporum. However, it appears that most researchers are turning to climate as the main culprit. Bà ¼ntgen et al.(2012) in their study on drought induced truffle decline explains the effect of climate on the   production of truffle.   They claim in their research that the effect of climate can either be directly or through the truffles symbiotic host vegetation. This literature review delves much into this article because of its relevance to the topic. Bà ¼ntgen et al. (2012), provide in depth review on the yearly inventory of regional collection of truffle from Spain consisting of Aragà ³n, France mainly a Pà ©rigord or Tuber melanosporum, and Italy a combination of Piedmont and Umbria.   In this analysis, they indicate that the change in truffle production between 1970 and 2006 was similar between the species from Spain and France that is Aragà ³n and Pà ©rigord respectively. Their analysis also found a lack of similarities in changes of production between Pà ©rigord and Piedmont–Umbria from France and Italy respectively. This observation from the regional-scale coherency is consistent with Sourzat (2002) observation that western mediterranean basin is the home of truffle fruiting.   In addition, the harvests of Aragà ³n and Pà ©rigord have revealed significant correlation, this the authors relate to the similarity in summer precipitation, whereas lack of correlations was found between Piedmont and Umbria production and precipitation (Bà ¼ntgen et al., 2012). The difference in levels of sensitivity here is understandable because the Piedmont and Umbria experience double summer precipitation than Spanish Aragà ³n with Pà ©rigord ranging in between (Zambonelli Di Munno, 1992). The average of   the three, truffle production outcomes, their regional mean correlated both p ositively and negatively at higher significant level of 99.9 percent with between June and August rainfall totals as well as maxima temperatures. The authors, Bà ¼ntgen et al.(2012), posits in their analysis that both the natural and the cultivated truffles in the Mediterranean are seasonal and are subjected to the season between November and February a claim supported by Mello et al., (2006).   In addition, this is dependent on the summer condition with rainy and cold weather instrumental in the fruit body development as supported by Gallot, (1999) in his publication more than a decade prior to Bà ¼ntgen et al., (2012).   Bà ¼ntgen et al. (2012) postulate that given the relationship between fungi and host vegetation, there is bound to be competition for moisture due to the amount of rainfall in this season and this correlate significantly at 99.9 percent level with the yield. Fischer and Schr, (2010) present a suite of a dozen climatic models leading to rise in mean temperatures and decrease in rainfall totals for the Mediterranean region until the end of the 21st Century. This is indicative of the increased summer eva potranspiration. It is interesting to note that the simulated southwest European climatic conditions representing the last ten years are consistent to the drop in the production of truffle harvest (Bà ¼ntgen et al., 2012).   Nonetheless, Bà ¼ntgen et al. (2012),   state that it is unclear whether the truffle will reach tipping points as a result of the projected shift in climate, this is regard to their physiological and biogeochemical fruit body development. In their assumption, the expected or projected summer dryness will result in a sustained decline, in truffle yield, while the regions north of Alpine arc are most likely to provide suitable habitat for the truffle due to their calcareousness. Based on their observations, Bà ¼ntgen et al.(2012), are inclined to the idea that climatic change and more so reduced summer precipitation and   increased temperatures are the cause for truffle yields in the Mediterranean basin the natural habitat of T. melanosporum. Mello et al. (2006), in their analysis claim that the reduction in future summer rainfall coupled with summer aridity will result in drought resistant strain of T. melanosporum within its natural setting or distribution range. Samils, et al, (2008) in their research predict that the expected drop in truffle harvest in the Mediterranean   region, will have a significant impact not only on   the local tourism, but the agriculture as well as the global prices of this valuable commodity.   This is most likely to increase the value of other varieties with artificial metabolism and not specific to the requirements of their ecological niche   as the T. melanosporum (Mello et al., 2006;Gallot, 1999). This might see an increase in T. aestivum cultivation in areas where traditionally T. melanosporum was predominant as well as an increase in demand of truffle from non-traditional T. melanosporum producing regions outside Europe (Bà ¼ntgen et al., 2012). Splivallo et al. (2012), in their analysis of the Burgundy truffle, suggest that the change in climatic conditions that were said to have begun a century ago has no impact on the current burgundy truffle distribution.   However, they concur with Bà ¼ntgen et al.(2012) on the impact of climatic change on species with narrower ranges such as the French black truffle, Pà ©rigord or Tuber melanosporum, and Italy a combination of Piedmont and Umbria. They support this by claiming that if the climate fails to restrict the distribution of these two species, then even a slight temperature increase in northern Europe as predicted by Bà ¼ntgen et al. (2012) might result in its northern expansion. They confirm what Chevalier et al.(2001) had outlined that rainfall, soil composition are also factors that contribute to the decline in the production of Pà ©rigord. Splivallo et al. (2012), concur with Bà ¼ntgen et al.(2012) assertion that other options will be needed to avert the looming sho rtage of this truffle species,   success cultivation lies in orchard farming as a change from the current empirical practices. They claim that cultivation of truffle in a bid to mitigate the effects of climate change which is a major cause of the decline should be based on scientific evidence. Therefore, the rise in temperature, in its self, will not be sufficient for the shift of truffle production in the northern European region (Splivallo et al., 2012). Methodology and Procedure 3.1 Research Design This study will adopt a mixed methods research design. This process entails collecting and analysing data using both quantitative and qualitative methods to understand the research problem comprehensively. When both qualitative and quantitative methods are combined in research, they supplement each other allowing a comprehensive analysis of the research problem (Tashakkori Teddlie, 2003). According to Charles Mertler (2002), quantitative methods deal with numerical data using cause-effect deductions, hypothesis testing, and observations to develop an understanding of the research issue. On the other hand, qualitative methods require the researcher to develop a complete picture of the research issues by conducting an in-depth analysis of words, as well as, compiled reports by the study participants. In this approach, the researcher adopts a constructivist approach to have a complete understanding of the problem centred on different contextual aspects (Charles Mertler, 2002). In the mixed research methods, the uses pragmatic philosophy by affirming that truth is what works. Therefore, mixed methods integrate both text and numerical data to give a clear overview of the research problem. In this regard, this study will use surveys and interviews since they are the most popular data collection research tools (Creswell, 2002). In the first step of data collection, a web-based survey will be used, and data analysed using discriminant function. The qualitative method will involve semi-structured interviews to collect textual data from people to regarding the decline of Truffles. 3.2   Research Sample The target population sample will be about 1,200 environmentalists and hoteliers in France regarding the decline of truffles. These individuals are people who have been working in the hotel and environmental sectors in France. For the first quantitative stage of the research, a convenience sample will be chosen comprising individuals studying truffles decline, locals, and environmentalists, as well as, hoteliers. For the qualitative phase of the research, a smaller sample will be used to   understand the main issue regarding the decline of French truffle (Creswell, 2002, p. 194). This is to ensure the selected participants will give appropriate answers to the research questions. Besides, for the qualitative part of the research, participants will be notified of their selection for voluntary follow-up individual interviews. Given the use of mixed methods research in the study, selection of participants for the qualitative part will rely on the outcomes of the quantitative stage. The use of this approach will ensure the researcher gets a multidimensional outlook of the research problem. For this research, the participants will be chosen centred on the statistically significant difference outcomes of the discriminant function analysis. 3.3 Data Collection For the quantitative phase of the research, a cross-sectional survey will be used; this implies that statistics will be gathered at one point in time (McMillan, 2000). The survey used for this research will be of different formats including multiple choices, yes/no questions, self-evaluation items, and open-ended questions. The questionnaire will comprise twenty four questions divided equally into six sections. The first section will contain questions regarding truffles and the participant’s understanding of truffles measured on a 7-point Likert scale. The second part will evaluate the participants’ awareness regarding the decline of truffles using a 7-point scale. The third part will provide information regarding the factors participants believe to cause a decline in truffles. The current issues regarding management of truffles will constitute the fourth part while the fifth segment will provide data answering how ecological factors influence truffles survival. Demogra phic questions will be in the sixth part of the survey regarding data about the participants’ age, residency, gender, and employment among others. Besides, the final question in the survey will be open-ended asking for additional information about truffles decline in France. The survey will be web-based accessible through a URL address given to the participants. For the qualitative method, in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews will be used to collect data. Half of the research sample will be interviewed regarding the research question. Historical texts will be further used to validate the data collected from the interviews. The interviews will include twenty open-ended questions pilot-tested before the interviews. The interviews questions will be formulated based on the results from the quantitative method. During the interview, the participants will be debriefed to obtain reliable information for the interview questions though, they will be issued with the questions prior to the interviews. The interviews will be tape recorded with the participants’ consent and a copy of the transcript emailed to them after the interview. The respondents will also be allowed to review their answers for the interview transcripts to ascertain their correctness. 3.4 Data Analysis Prior to the statistical analysis of the survey results, the data will be screened on both univariate and multivariate levels. This will help the research detect any multicollinearity in the collected data. Any data that shows a high probability in another category will be excluded during the analysis since they may give a poor model fit (Tabachnick Fidell, 2000). The research’s data screening will entail descriptive statistics for the variables, linearity and homoscedasticity, normality, multivariate outliers, multicollinearity and singularity. The descriptive statistics will be tabulated, and a frequencys analysis conducted to determine the validity of the survey questions. The discriminant function analysis will be used to determine the proportion by which the variables differ, and classify the functions into predictable groups. The results will then be reported in the form of discussion. Nonetheless, all the statistical analyses will be conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (SPSS) version 11.0. In most qualitative research, data collection and analysis progress concurrently. For the qualitative analysis, data collected from the interviews will be coded and analysed for premises using the Qualitative Software and Research (QSR) N6 for qualitative data analysis. Furthermore, a visual data display will be used to identify the relationship in the data collected from the interviews. Data analysis for this phase of the research will involve creating a comprehensive description of the results; the researcher situates the cases in its context to make the case descriptions, and premises related to particular activities in the study’s outcomes (Creswell Maitta, 2002). The researcher will construe the meaning of the results and describe them in the discussion section of the research proposal. Bibliography Amaranthus, M., 2007. Independent Truffle Expert’s Report in Product Disclosure Statement for   the Oak Valley Truffle Project. Oak Valley Project. Bà ¼ntgen, U. et al., 2012. Drought-induced decline in Mediterranean truffle harvest. Nature   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Climate Change, 2, pp.827-29. Carey, A.B., Colgan, W., Trappe, J.M. Molina, R., 2000. Effects of forest management on truffle abundance and squirrel diets. Northwest Science , 76, pp.148–57. Charles, C.M. Mertler, C.A., 2002. Introduction to educational research. 4th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Cherfas, J., 1991. Disappearing mushrooms: Another mass extinction?. Science, pp.254: 1448. Chevalier, G., Gregori, G., Frochot, H. Zambonelli, A., 2001. The cultivation of the Burgundy truffle. In Proc Second Intl Conf on Edible Mycorrhizal Mushrooms. Christchurch: Crop Food Research Limited. pp.1-12. Creswell, J.W., 2002. Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative approaches to research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Pearson Education. Creswell, J.W. Maitta, R., 2002. Qualitative research. In N. Salkind, ed. Handbook of research   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   design and social measurement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. pp.143-84. FAIR, 2000. Improvement of the organoleptic quality of European truffles (EUROTRUFFE). Cooperative Research Measures. Fischer, E.M. Schr, C., 2010. Nature. Geoscience, 3, pp.398–403. Fontana, A. Bonfante, P., 1971. Mycorrhizal synthesis between Tuber brumale Vitt.and Pinus nigra Arnold. Allionia, 17, pp.15-18. Gallot, G., 1999. La truffe. INRA. Garbaye, J., 2000. The role of ectomycorrhizal symbiosis in the resistance of forests to water stress. Outlook on Agriculture , 29, pp.63-69. Garvey, D. Cooper, P., 2004. Increasing the productivity of truffià ¨res in Tasmania. RIRDC. Govindarajulu, M. et al., 2005. Nitrogen transfer in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Nature   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   , 435, pp.819-23. Hall, I.R., Brown, G.T. Zamboneli, A., 2007. Taming the Truffle. The History Lore and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Science of the Ulimate Mashroom. Timber Press. Hall, I., Byars, J. Brown, G., 2001. The Black Truffle: Its History, Uses and Cultivation. Christchurch: New Zealand Institute for Crop Food Research Limited. Hall, I., Yun, W. Amicucci, A., 2003. Cultivation of edible ectomycorrhizal mushrooms. Trends in Biotechnology, 21, pp.433–438. Jolly, D., 2012. $1,200 a Pound, Truffles Suffer in the Heat. [Online] Available at: nytimes.com/2012/12/21/business/global/is-climate-change-shrinking-the-luxury-truffle-crop.html?_r=0 [Accessed 2 December 2013]. Lamon, L. et al, 2009. Environmental Science Technology, 43, pp.5818–5824. Lee, B., 2008. Taking Stock of the Australian Truffle Industry. Barton: Canprint. Macdonald, R.W., Harner, T. Fyfe, 2005. Macdonald, R. W., Harner, T. Fyfe, J. Sci. Total Environ. J. Sci. Total Environ., 342, pp.5–86. Martin, F. et al, 2010. Tuber melanosporum. Nature , 464, pp.1033–38. McMillan, J.H., 2000. Educational research: Fundamentals for the consumer. 3rd ed. New York: Addison-Wesley Longman. Mello, A., Murat, C. Bonfante, P., 2006. FEMS Microbiol.. Lett, 260, pp.1–8. Ruffles Estate, 2013. An Internationally Recognised Gourmet Experience. [Online] Ruffles Estate Available at:   HYPERLINK http://canberratruffles.com.au/ http://canberratruffles.com.au/   [Accessed 2 December 2013]. Samils, et al, 2008. Econ. Bot., 62, pp.331–40. Smith, S. Read, D.J., 1997. Mycorrhizal Symbiosis. London: Academic Press. Sourzat, P., 2002. Guide pratique de trufficulture. Station dexpà ©rimentation sur la truffe. Le Montat: Lyćee professionnel agricole et viticole de Cahors. Splivallo, R. et al., 2012. Is climate change altering the geographic distribution of truffles. Front   Ecol Environ, 10, pp.461–62. Tabachnick, B.G. Fidell, L.S., 2000. Using multivariate statistics. New York: Allyn Bacon. Tashakkori, A. Teddlie, C., 2003. Handbook on mixed methods in the behavioral and social   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   sciences. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Zambonelli, A. Di Munno, R., 1992. Indagine sulla possibilit di diffusione dei rimboschimenti con specie tartufigene: aspetti tecnico-colturali ed economici. Ministero dellAgricoltura e delle Foreste.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Lab5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lab5 - Essay Example The coal is received in chunk form and is then crushed into powder and blown into a burner where it combusts and produces heat of about 1000 degrees. The heat made is used to heat water into steam. The steam is then used to revolve the blades of a turbine. The turning motion then generates electricity by releasing electrons into a circuit (exp.lcc.edu). The smoke seen is coming from the plant is actually the gases of combustion e.g. carbon dioxide. According to (Edward & Grossman, 18) the two major concerns of burning coal includes pollution caused by emissions of contaminants like sulfur dioxide nitrogen oxides and mercury. To control this kind of gas pollution, the plant uses electrostatic precipitators that have electrically charged plates and wires. These are used to attract airborne contaminates as the hot air passes through it thus controlling pollution of the atmosphere (exp.lcc.edu). The cost of electricity usually depends on the number of people living in a house. My bill shows that we pay $1.50 per day for electricity. This cost can be reduced by turning off the lights when, not in use, also using energy saving light bulbs and electronics that are in good working condition in the house. The Lansing Board is a plant that supplies drinking water, fire protection and electricity to the citizens of Lansing. The board is a municipally owned utility, and it is different since it is a public utility and the customers own the system. The citizens of Lansing own the plant since they are the plant’s customers. The plant does not make any profit a quality that also makes it different from other power producing plants (lbwl.com). To conserve water, I would fix leaking faucets and use a cup when brushing teeth. A lot of water usually goes to waste when brushing since we leave the water running the whole time. Using a cup saves water that could otherwise be

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Case solution Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Solution - Case Study Example However, this initiative was not successful and the league died after one season leading to a loss in the club. In addition, the company has also engaged in movie production through use of the varied characters in the WWE. Further, the company has also launched smart phone applications for the WWE programs aimed at boosting the company revenue. However, despite these ambitious business strategies, WWE has faced various strategic problems. To start with, the increased focus on social media has had a negative impact on business strategy of the company. Many non-televised shows were introduced in the official WWE website, You Tube and Facebook attracting a large number of viewers. As a result of the excessive online focus, other extension brands were limited. Secondly, there is reduced number of divas matches that have been focused on non-televised dark matches hence not receiving enough reaction from a wide WWE fan base. The competitive forces surrounding the WWE are vast but limited considering the fact that WWE is a sports entertainment industry. To start with, the supplier power in relation to the number of well known actors used to perform live performances is limited. This is because other rival firms such as TNA and WCW (later bought by WWE) also compete for the few outstanding performers. Secondly, WWE has a wide customer base hence reducing the buyer power. This was mainly achieved by expanding their audience by making shows that were more acceptable among families. Thirdly, WWE faces limited competitive rivalry in the industry because of adopting business strategies that have been hardly matched by other competing firms. On this note, the WWE was able to compete WCW effectively and even bought the firm later. Of more significance, WWE faces minimal substitution threat in the market. This is because the firm presents wrestling as a form of

Monday, November 18, 2019

Personality psyc research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Personality psyc - Research Paper Example Jung believed that personality formation was due to archetypes in the unconscious mind that contributed to the development and balance of the psyche. Erikson's theory of psychosocial development places a strong emphasis on social development in conjunction with sexual factors. In contrast to Erikson, Jung believed that personality formation was shaped by memories and feelings that are stored in the individual's unconscious mind. Similar to Freud, Jung felt that there is a connection between the conscious and unconscious mind. In comparison, Erikson placed a stronger emphasis on environmental factors that affect the individuals' personality development. According to Dacy, Lennon & Kathleen (1998), "The whole (conscious and unconscious mind) then becomes an unusual believed that this process lends continuity to human existence while providing progressive advances to the human journey" (213). Both Erikson and Jung emphasized the development of the ego in different ways. Jung believed that the ego was the unconscious mind (Boeree, 2006). Erikson's theory of personality development concurs with Jung's on the notion of the ego. However, Erikson believed that parts of the ego are able to work independently of both the super ego and the id. In further, Erikson believed that the ego was able to adapt to situations. ... According to Boerre (2006), "It is the reservoir of our experiences as a species, a kind of knowledge we are all born with. And yet we can never be directly conscious of it." The collective unconscious effects the way people behave as the collective unconscious stores unconscious memories and feelings. Jung observed that the collective unconscious is similar in individuals regardless of cultures. For example, near death experiences are described summarily by individuals of different cultures. In many cases people that have a near death experience describe a happy place or seeing their passed loved ones. Erikson concluded that the individual's personality was formed based upon the resolution with eight psychosocial stages of development. Through the completion of the stage which is developmentally appropriate the individual either learns to accept the task or develops neurosis. In comparison to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, Erikson believed that the personality is continuously forming. Throughout each of the eight stages a new virtue is learned. The various virtues include hope, willpower, purpose, competence, love, care, wisdom and fidelity. However, the ego is never fully developed. According to Clifton (1995), "Developing trust is the first task of the ego and it is never complete." The first task of the ego is developed in trust vs. mistrust, Erikson's first stage of psychosocial development. At the resolution of this stage the new baby will either develop trust or mistrust. Differences: Jung's Archetypes in the unconscious mind/Erikson Jung believed that people had archetypes. Archetypes are parts of the collective unconscious. Archetypes further explain the unconscious drives people experience. Jung believed that

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Public Speaking Anxiety for ESL Students

Public Speaking Anxiety for ESL Students Findings The purpose of this research is to determine the primary factors of public speaking anxiety and speaking English as a second language amongst students from LG221 and LG241. Besides that, to check upon the gender differences between these students when it comes to public speaking anxiety, whether gender differences have an impact towards the level of public speaking anxiety. Last but not least to find out the relationship between students’ public speaking anxiety as well as fears for negative evaluation by their peers and educators. Upon completion of both the questionnaires, the data was tabulated and analyzed by calculating the mean values in order to obtain needed information. In addition to finding the connection between students’ public speaking anxiety together with their fears for negative evaluation, Karl Pearson’s correlation method is used. Result Figure 4.0 illustrate the demographic data of this research. Samples for this research consist of students of Bachelor of Applied Language Studies (Hons.) Malay Language for Professional Communication, also known as LG221 and LG241 of MARA University of Technology (UiTM), Shah Alam. Participants are at the ranging of 20 to 24 years old. The total numbers of participants are 50 students consisting of 27 male and 23 female. Figure 4.0 Factors of Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA) To determine the underlying factors behind both male and female students public speaking anxiety, factor analysis was accomplished on the of the 34 item in the PRPSA questionnaires. All 34 items are then characterized onto six different factors that are related to making public speaking. These six factors are as followed: Positive speaking perceptions. Emotional effects of speech anxiety. Physical effects of speech anxiety. Lack of preparation. Feeling vulnerable. Perfectionist. Out of 34 items in PRPSA, 12 items are put into the first factor which was labelled positive speaking perception (Factor 1). Items loading on this factor pertained to the positive feeling a person has during the preparation and actual speech presentation. Students with this kind of attitude tend to have little or no problem when giving a speech. Besides that, six items are put into the second factor which was labelled emotional effect of speech anxiety (Factor 2). Items loading on this factor pertained to the supposed emotional consequences a person feels during the preparation of the speech, as well as when asked to give a speech. The third factor is labelled physical effects of speech anxiety (Factor 3) with six items loaded into it that pertained to the supposed physical consequences a person feels during the preparation of the speech. The fourth factor is labelled lack of preparation (Factor 4) and is loaded with three items from PRPSA. These three items pertained to the perceived consequences of insufficient speech preparation. Meanwhile, the fifth factor is labelled vulnerability (Factor 5) with four items put into it. Items loading on this factor pertained to the perceived feeling of helplessness during the preparation of the speech. Lastly, the sixth factor is labelled perfectionist (Factor 6) with three items from the PRPSA that pertained to the supposed consequences of being perfectionist. The mean value of each items scored by both male and female students as well as the total mean value were calculated to check upon the real reason to the occurrence of public speaking anxiety amongst students as well as to distinguish the differences in public speaking anxiety between the two gender as shown in Table 4.0. Table 4.0 Within these six factors of the PRPSA that has been characterized, the factor Emotional effects of speech anxiety scored the highest with a mean of 3.52. Although the result is moderate, it still shows that most students tend to have public speaking anxiety because they have a sense of nervousness together with uneasiness when giving a speech and this can negatively affect students’ speech by making them seem unsure about what they are saying. The next factor resulting in students’ public speaking anxiety is Perfectionist with a mean of 3.13. Students who are considered themselves perfectionists tend to have a tendency to set standards that are so high that they either cannot be met, or are only met with great difficulty. Perfectionists tend to believe that anything short of perfection is horrible, and that even minor imperfections will lead to catastrophe. This is followed by the third factor which is Vulnerability. Factor vulnerability scored a mean of 3.13. This factor shows that students think about an upcoming encounter negatively and may intensify feelings of anticipatory anxiety associated with the encounter. Besides that, speakers’ will also have depressive thoughts about their speech and this may contribute to public speaking anxiety before, during, and after a speech performance which lead to them believing they will not succeed when giving a speech. Factor Lack of preparation is found to be factor number four with a mean of 2.93. The level of preparation determines the level of students’ success in giving speeches. Most students hardly prepare enough for their speeches. This is often because they do not start their preparation early as to why they resort to a last minute approach, which then lead to them feeling unprepared and unready for a speech. The final factor that leads to students having public speaking anxiety is Physical effects of speech anxiety with a mean of 2.89. Speech anxiety can overwhelm the senses, the thoughts, as well as the body. Some of the common symptoms of speech anxiety include shaking, sweating, butterflies in the stomach, dry mouth, rapid heartbeat, and squeaky voice. The first factor which is Positive perceptions towards speech anxiety is not an underlying factor to students’ public speaking anxiety. This factor is actually the opposite of it. Positive perceptions towards speech anxiety factor scored a mean of 3.34. This proves that students’ public speaking anxiety is not that serious. However these students need improvement as it is hinted that students are still not that keen towards the importance of English speech proficiencies. More importantly, it is known that the students still felt uncomfortable and unsure of their own potentials and that that they are still not capable of handling themselves during speeches. Gender Differences in Public Speaking Anxiety On the other hand, to determine whether there is a difference in public speaking anxiety between male and female student, the mean value for PRPSA of each gender is distinguished. Results are as shown in Table 4.1. Table 4.1 The above table revealed that although both male and female students fell in the moderate level of PRPSA, female students tend to have a higher public speaking anxiety level as their mean value is bigger as compared to the male students. On Figure 4.1, it can be seen on which aspects students, whether male or female, face their difficulties when giving a speech. This figure is based on the factors that have been deducted from PRPSA. Figure 4.1 Despite the female students monopolizing all factors, there are some items from PRPSA that the male students scored higher mean values as compared to the female students. Examples of these items include; Statement 13: â€Å"I am in constant fear of forgetting what I prepared to say.† From the statement above, 28 out of 50 students agreed to it with 16 of them being male students. It can be concluded that male students experienced more anxiety compared to male respondents in terms of forgetting to say things they know even though the result is quite similar. Statement 30: â€Å"During an important speech I experience a feeling of helplessness building up inside me.† On the hand, 17 out of 50 students agreed to statement above with 10 of them being males students while the other 7 are female students. In this statement, it can be said that the male students can still be nervous and more anxious compared to the female students. For the gender differences in public speaking anxiety, it can be indicated that both male and female students are equally anxious when involve in giving speeches although the male students show less significant anxiety as compared to the female students. Correlation between Public Speaking Anxiety and Fear of Negative Feedback In order to determine the correlation between two variables and they are students’ public speaking anxiety together with their fears of negative feedback, Karl Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient method is being used. Karl Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient In statistics, the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r) is a common measure of the correlation between two variables X and Y. When measured in a population the Pearson Product Moment correlation is designated by the Greek letter rho (Ï ). Whilst computed in a sample, it is designated by the letter r and is sometimes called Pearsons r. Pearsons correlation reflects the degree of linear relationship between two variables. It ranges from +1 to -1. A correlation of +1 means that there is a perfect positive linear relationship between variables whereas a correlation of -1 means that there is a perfect negative linear relationship between variables. A correlation of 0 means there is no linear relationship between the two variables. Correlations are rarely if ever 0, 1, or -1. The result of the correlation could indicate whether correlations are negative or positive. Mathematical Formula: The quantity r, called the linear correlation coefficient, measures the strength and the direction of a linear relationship between two variables. The linear correlation coefficient is sometimes referred to as the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient in honour of its developer Karl Pearson. The mathematical formula for computing r is: n = number of pairs of scores ∑xy = sum of the product of paired scores ∑x = sum of the x scores ∑y = sum of the y scores ∑x ² = sum of squared x scores ∑y ² = sum of squared y scores The strength and significance of the coefficient. The following general categories indicate a quick way of interpreting a calculated r value: Results for the relationship between public speaking anxiety and fear of negative feedback were displayed in a graphical representation Figure 4.2. From the table 4.2, it can be seen that the result showed a weak correlation between the students’ public speaking anxiety and their fear of negative evaluation as it only scored 0.256. This proves that the relationship between two variables is weak and not very significant. Table 4.2 Figure 4.2 The mean value for fear of negative evaluation score was 51.5. This demonstrates that the average for fear of negative evaluation level is in moderate level. However, out of 50 students that answered the questionnaire, 9 students fell on the high level for fear of negative evaluation, 27 students are on the moderate level while the remaining 14 students have low level for fear of negative evaluation as illustrated in Figure 4.3. Figure 4.3 The students average anxiety level also fell on the moderate level that is at mean value 106.02. From the 50 students that answered the questionnaire, none of the students fell in highly active category. Meanwhile, 94% of the students are in the moderate category while the remaining 6% are in the low category. This can be illustrated as shown in Figure 4.4. Figure 4.4

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Of Mice And Men :: essays research papers

OF MICE AND MEN Should George have shot his friend Lennie? George probably did the right thing by shooting Lennie. How can we condemn George for sparing his friend Lennie the pain and fear of being killed by someone else? He did something society sees as wrong, but he did it for a good reason. Lennie didn’t deserve to die, but there was no other alternative. Curley wanted to kill Lennie, and since George cared for Lennie, he figured the best thing would be for him to put Lennie out of his misery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lennie deserved to be punished for what he did, but not to be killed. Lennie was a handicapped person with below average intelligence. He didn’t really understand what he had done, but he didn’t really fit into society either.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Curley and the others were looking for Lennie and wanted to exterminate him; they were angry and hated Lennie. If Curley would have found Lennie, he would have shot him. But that way, Lennie would have died afraid and sad. His death would have been very violent. George knew this and that’s why he did what he did. George also knew that Lennie had dug a hole for himself and could never get out. He knew they were looking for Lennie and wouldn’t stop until they killed him. He decided to do it himself in the kindest way he could. It’s like when Candy said about his dog, “I should of shot that dog myself.'; meaning it would have been kinder to the dog. Lennie was lying down, facing away from George and didn’t know he was going to be shot. He didn’t know what was going to happen, just like Candy’s dog.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Murder is never the right answer, but George didn’t really commit murder.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Exploratory Research on Pizza Heaven Essay

1. Exploratory research is a form of research conducted for a problem that has not been clearly defined. It helps determine the best research design, data collection method and selection of subjects. Even from the definition of exploratory research we can see, that it is done in order to define the problem and to help understand in which direction the further research should go. Exploratory research is preliminary, and is not conclusive, the quality of information provided is not perfect, and also the focus group chosen(40people) was not really representing the whole of the students at West coast. Therefore they should not yet implement the findings, because the data provided by 40 students might not be applicable to all student at West coast. 2. The problem Pizza Heaven has faced is that their sales have slipped. That could be due to competition from national chains such as Pizza Hut or Domino’s, so questions about competition should be asked. (Because potential clients might like something about the competitors more e. g.pizza itself, delivery, atmosphere in restaurants) â€Å"also, they noted that the selection was often poor† Sales could have slipped, because of the range of products Pizza Heaven offers, so that topic has to be covered as well, including questions about new possible pizzas. (Because it may be that competitors are offering some types of pizza that Pizza Heaven don’t have) A decrease in sales can also be due to poor customer service, so that topic should also be covered. People said that â€Å"pizzas were usually dry and cold† why? maybe delivery took too long, that should be explored in more details. 3. Step One: Establishing the Need for Marketing Research The need is already established, as there is a decrease in sales Step Two: Defining the Problem So the problem is a decrease in sales, due to what ? Step Three: Establishing Research Objectives Hard Competition? Poor range of products? Need better customer service? those are the questions to ask. Step Four: Determining Research Design. Descriptive and Causal Research should be done. Step Five: Identifying Information Types and Sources Primary data should be collected, but also secondary data could be of a little use, for example if the sales dropped overall and not only by Pizza Heaven, due to crisis or some other reason Step Six: Determining Methods of Accessing Data We should have people asking the question, and also questionnaires coming with each pizza could help. Step Seven: Designing Data collection Forms Can be questionnaires(must be worded objectively, clearly, and without bias in order to communicate with respondents), surveys, or both can be done through email (although there is only a 5% response rate) Step Eight: Determining Sample Plan and Size Sample Size should surely be more than 40 people from one location. Also a sample should be representative, e. g. not only student of age 18-20, but also every other age groups. Step Nine: Collecting Data Step Ten: Analyzing Data Step Eleven: Preparing and Presenting the Final Report.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

5 More Dangling Modifiers

5 More Dangling Modifiers 5 More Dangling Modifiers 5 More Dangling Modifiers By Mark Nichol Judging from the relative ease with which I accumulate real-world examples of dangling modifiers introductory phrases that provide additional information but do not integrate grammatically with the sentence’s subject I conclude that this error is among the most common of grammatical sentence-construction flubs. Here are five more examples from my overstuffed vault. 1. â€Å"A culmination of eighteen years of work, Jones admits he realized he was ‘basically making the same movie over and over again.’† The writer has hidden the key component of this sentence a reference to a film Jones directed after the revelation that his previous work had been repetitive. Any effective revision of this sentence must explicitly refer to the latest project, but the sentence should also begin by identifying the filmmaker and then parenthetically referring to the newest film: â€Å"Jones, whose film is a culmination of eighteen years of work, admits he realized he was ‘basically making the same movie over and over again.’† 2. â€Å"Delivered in Smith’s soft-spoken, nurturing manner, students can paint along with the master.† As in the previous example, this sentence only implies the context this is a description of an audio recording of an artist teaching people how to paint. For the sentence to make sense, the educational materials must be explicitly mentioned: â€Å"Using these lessons, delivered in Smith’s soft-spoken, nurturing manner, students can paint along with the master.† 3. â€Å"Tall, still lean, and still performing at eighty-three, Taylor’s legacy has not diminished with time.† Taylor, rather than his legacy, is described in the introductory phrase, so the two ideas must be separated, and Taylor must be associated with the descriptions, while the reference to the legacy can be appended at the end: â€Å"Tall and still lean, Taylor is still performing at eighty-three, and his legacy has not diminished with time.† 4. â€Å"For Lukas’s mom, playing in the school band has given her son a chance to stretch himself and see what he is capable of accomplishing.† This sentence reads as if Lukas’s mother is playing in the school band and implies that her participation has had the stated effects on her son. But he, not his mother, is in the school band, and her role in the sentence is merely to provide the information. This sentence can easily convey the writer’s intent with a straightforward attribution: â€Å"Lukas’s mom says her son’s participation in the school band has given him a chance to stretch himself and see what he is capable of accomplishing.† 5. â€Å"A brutal dictator, his regime was unchallenged until the uprising that began in February.† According to this sentence, someone’s regime was a brutal dictator. The revision should simply identify the regime as â€Å"belonging† to the tyrant: â€Å"The brutal dictator’s regime was unchallenged until the uprising that began in February.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Meaning of "To a T"60 Synonyms for â€Å"Trip†Threw and Through

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Analytical View Of James Joyces Araby Essays - Araby, James Joyce

Analytical View Of James Joyces' Araby Essays - Araby, James Joyce Analytical View Of James Joyces' Araby # Goldstein ## Sara Goldstein Ernst Narrative Fiction 22 October 2000 An Analytical View of Araby Viewpoints from which stories are written are used to enhance the overall point a story is making. James Joyces Araby is no exception. Narrated by a young boy of about twelve or thirteen, it depicts his personal coming of age. The usage of a first person narration allows the reader to see things the way the boy sees them; be as innocent and wistful as he is, thus feeling the incredible intensity of his eventual realization. In addition to this coming of age theme, intricately woven throughout are hints to Joyces contemptuous view of Roman Catholicism, as well as many biblical allusions. Araby takes place around the turn of the century in Dublin, Ireland. At this time in history the Catholic Church had a great hold on the country. James Joyce held an immense dislike for the Roman Catholic Church and the strains it put forth, however these were not feelings that could be shared openly. Instead Joyce wrote about them in a symbolic fashion, using his writing as a tool to speak out. The opening paragraph of this story sets it up as one that will do just that. He states, ...it was a quiet street except at the hour when the Christian Brothers School set the boys free, suggesting that their religion had imprisoned them. The former tenant of the boys house, a charitable priest, had died inside and left his money to institutions and his furniture to his sister. This could be a symbolic reference to the fall of Roman Catholicism; his house being the country of Ireland, the priest being the religion. It is also interesting to note that the priest passed on with a lot of money- basically a contradictory situation (though the narrator fails to question this due to his naivet. How would a priest end up with so much money? This is a possible stab at the hypocrisy and dishonesty of the church. Religion, as a whole comes up symbolically many times throughout the story. Joyce makes obvious reference to the Garden of Eden when describing the wild garden behind the house [which] contained a central apple tree. This is a parallel to a well known fall from grace, as the boy will soon experience. In addition, nearly all the boys thoughts of his silent admiration can be identified as religious references. Many of them happen to be sexual desires stifled by religion. The girl is most certainly used as a representation of the Virgin Mary. One night, before the bazaar, the boy watches out the window the brown clad figure cast by my imagination, touched discreetly by the lamplight at the curved neck, at the hand upon the railings and at the border below the dress. More specifically, when the uncle has not yet returned to take the boy to the bazaar, the aunt suggests that he put off the bazaar for this night of our lord. This night being Saturday, the service which is dedicated to veneration of Virgin Mary- sort of what he is doing by going to Araby for the girl. It is also interesting to note that there are multiple times when he refers to his infatuation in religious terms, such as her name coming to him in prayer, or her words playing him as if he were a harp. Due to strong religious obligations, sexuality was greatly repressed during the time of this story. This idea was vividly sketched in the paragraph which states All my senses seemed to desire to veil themselves and, feeling that I was about to slip from them, I pressed the palms of my hands together until they trembled, murmuring O love! O love! many times. The intense sexual undertones of this passage are unmistakable. It illustrates the boys confusion of religion and sexuality. A more straight forward example of sexual themes occurs when the girl and boy actually speak. Her obligations to her religion (the retreat) override her more sexual desires, while she releases her nervous sexual tension through twirling her silver bracelet around her arm. Furthermore, the boy seems to create a sexual image of the girl

Monday, November 4, 2019

IMC PLAN For Door to Door Transportation Service Essay

IMC PLAN For Door to Door Transportation Service - Essay Example The target customers are concerned with â€Å"get† component and monetary price are not mainly of monetary concern. Thus Double M will adopt the pricing strategy based on the perspective of customer â€Å"Value is everything I want in a service† and adopts the prestige pricing strategy (Zeithaml, 550). Prestige pricing is a form of demand based pricing strategy which offers high quality services; Double M also aims to provide its target customers with high quality service along with a sign of status. The demand increases as price increases because it is believed that the costlier the service is the more value it has. Analyzing the customer base, it can be assumed that they are willing to spend in order to travel comfortably for daily activities, for their families and the senior members along with the institutional. Therefore the price charged will be high by Double M and will aim to provide value for its service to the target customers. If a normal rate of bus service is $10 assuming it to be the minimum fare, Double M would charge $20-$25 as its minimum fare for its door to door service and maximum would amount to $45 to $50 depending upon the distance and service. The primary pricing objective of Double M is to build demand and achieve minimum level of revenue and build a user base which is extremely important for service such as door to door transportation service as its new and it needs to generate revenue so to maintain itself in the industry. Pricing objective are important as pricing strategy depend on pricing objectives of the company. The pricing objective should be in line with the goals and objectives of the organizations (Petzer, 221). 25 cost items which tends to make up the price of the product includes, price of raw materials such as automobile parts, tiers, set covers, paint, design, lights, electricity, labor, fuel, terminals, maintenance, administrative, roadways, construction charges, salaries of lower level which varies, fuel taxes, weight mile taxes, trolls and marketing cost such as advertisements, promotional cost, printing cost for hoardings and pamphlets. Since the company has an option of online business other cost would include, website cost, design, up gradation and maintenance cost of the website. The target customers of Double M are not price sensitive because they want a service that will provide them with comfort and with an accurate satisfaction level. Since the target customers are mainly the daily commuters and their families, the need of safety and comfort will be valued highly by the customers. Similar is with the organizations, who would value the service rather than the price of the service charged. Hence it can be said that the target customers are not price sensitive and demand is inelastic. Irrespective of the prices charged or any changes taken place the customers would prefer to travel through door to door transportation service. Pricing strategy tends to include various promotion al techniques in order to attract the target customers and create a place in the market and in the minds of the customers. Double M would also adopt the promotional techniques as part of its marketing plan. During the launch of the service, Double M would go for promotional pricing and would offer certain percentage of discount for its travelers during the first month of its service along with added facility such as dropping the family members at 20% discount rate. This way the

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Quality Management in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Quality Management in Business - Essay Example minimum errors in the operational procedures and improvising production services as per customers’ demand (Arab British Academy for Higher Education, n. d.). Specifically, in terms of hotels such as ‘The Rose and Crown’ that relies on customer service rather than selling products, errors can be of multiple forms. These can be providing the customers with inadequate levels of service or poor customer response time. All these forms of errors are normal in case of hospitality industry but the main concern lies on the management about how they deal with such issues and how fast they rectify them (Arab British Academy for Higher Education, n. d.). Quality, in terms of service in hotel industry is a process where the management team focuses on assessing the expectations of the customers for the services that they are offered with (AbuKhalifeh & Som, 2012). Customers’ expectations can be evaluated in terms of ‘reliability’, ‘assurance’ ‘responsiveness’ and ‘empathy’. In case of ‘The Rose and Crown’ hotel, the degrading quality of service towards customers can be stated as the cause of emerging major problems. Services provided by the hospitality organisations towards its customers can be segregated into multiple categories that together contribute towards the overall development of maintaining greater association with the customers (AbuKhalifeh & Som, 2012). Quality assurance and quality control are duly considered to be the subparts of total quality management (TQM). These two assessment tools provide both qualitative as well as quantitative data and thus play decisive roles in inspecting and assuring an organization’s quality service management. The data accumulated through these two processes eventually helps in developing and initiating strategies for improvising the quality of service and thus providing customer satisfaction (Shahin, n. d.). For bringing about improvement in ‘The Rose and Crown’ in terms of service, which is