Essay on Macbeth Irony - 1587 Words

MACBETH amp; DRAMATIC IRONY nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The story of Macbeth written by the infamous William Shakespeare is an excellent storyline known and taught as a great piece of literature. Even after the creation of this tale almost 400 years ago, this wonderful written work is still admired and known all over the world. It is an adventure of a noble and truthful hero who is overcome by the lust for power and by greed. His aroused hunger for authority and supremacy leads to him losing his path and turning to the way of malice. The play progresses, as this character plays deeper and deeper into Satan’s evil hand. Through the growth of this malevolent character, the story grows and develops as well. Each and every move this†¦show more content†¦This never- ending battle even happens today throughout the world. If you look at the crises in Serbia where different Serbs are fighting to gain power and even in Sudan where Arabs are slaughtering the blacks to gain control. These events prove that ma nkind has not completely evolved to a higher status than that at which it was at before. In the play through dramatic irony, the audience is aware that the King pronounces Macbeth thane of Cawdor. Ross is shown in the story as a nobleman of the king who announces Macbeth â€Å"an earnest of a greater honour, he bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor,† (I, iii, 109-110). This dramatic irony showed that Macbeth was promised thane of Cawdor even before he knew about it and his power grew even more. Even the witches in their first encounter with Macbeth welcome by â€Å"all hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor,† (I, iii, 51-52). These pieces of dramatic irony back up the theme of ambition and control. By showing that once Macbeth has a taste of more power, like the Serbs and Arabs, he will become obsessed with it. He will hunt for power as a vampire hunts for blood under the blanked of the night sky. Here dramatic irony shows his increase in power and growing ambition, which leads to a complete change in his lifestyle and results in his final doom. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In this story, most characters seem very sure of themselves and their power. This makes the story very exhilarating because in almost every partShow MoreRelatedIrony in Macbeth1655 Words   |  7 PagesDramatic Irony is the result of information being shared with the audience but withheld from one or more of the characters. Example: In  Act 1 Scene 4, line 50  , the witches hail Macbeth,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"thane of Cawdor!† Dramatic irony: At this point, Macbeth is unaware that the king has conferred this honor upon him because of his valor in battle, so he attributes his fortune to the witches’ prophecy. However, the audience knows Duncan made the pronouncement in Act 1, Scene 3. Purpose:  This dramatic irony is toRead MoreMacbeth Irony1610 Words   |  7 PagesMACBETH DRAMATIC IRONY The story of Macbeth written by the infamous William Shakespeare is an excellent storyline known and taught as a great piece of literature. Even after the creation of this tale almost 400 years ago, this wonderful written work is still admired and known all over the world. It is an adventure of a noble and truthful hero who is overcome by the lust for power and by greed. His aroused hunger for authority and supremacy leads to him losing his path and turning to the wayRead MoreDramatic Irony on Macbeth Essay1221 Words   |  5 PagesDramatic Irony in Macbeth Introduction: William Shakespeare effectively uses dramatic irony to intrigue the reader and deepen the impact of the consequences Macbeth ultimately faces. Dramatic Irony Definition: Dramatic Irony is a literary term that defines a situation in the play where the reader knows more than the character does. Thesis: Throughout the play Macbeth, the reader is given the advantage of knowing more things than the characters in the play through the literary device, dramaticRead MoreIrony in Act 1 of Macbeth Essay896 Words   |  4 PagesMacbeth Question – Discuss the irony in Act 1, Scene 4. Irony is very commonly used in literature. It is when something totally different from what was happened takes place. Irony is of three main broad types-verbal irony, dramatic irony and irony of situation. Verbal irony or sarcasm refers to the situation where the character deliberately means the opposite of what he or she is saying. Irony of situation or circumstance refers to a situation when the opposite of what is expected happensRead MoreEssay about Irony in Shakespeares Macbeth1143 Words   |  5 PagesMacbeth:   Three Forms of Irony    Macbeth, is a story of a man whose ambitions have caused him to commit treason and murder. Visions of power grew within his head until his thirst for power caused him to lose his life.   It is the ironic and symbolic elements such as this that contribute to the great depth of the play and transform it from a mere play to a literary art form. Three forms of irony may be found in the play, Macbeth: Dramatic irony, being the difference between what the audienceRead MoreClose Reading of Middleton and Rowleys The Changeling Essay1598 Words   |  7 Pagesdisguising his lustful intents as honesty aids in the damnation of himself and Beatrice. Although deceiving in nature only to Beatrice, through the insertion of asides, only the audience remains knowledgeable of these entendres, causing troublesome irony. Furthermore, it is the manipulation of language that really accentuates the effects of Beatrice’s ignorentia, causing her to descend the social order, and, incite her objectification. Hence, it is through manipulated connotations and differentiatingRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet977 Words   |  4 Pagesresponse, but tell you of the man known as William Shakespeare. He’s most popular for his drama play called Romeo and Juliet, but holds credentials in the literary department for much more than that. He’s written dozens of plays, many dramas such as MacBeth and Hamlet, with some noteworthy comedies for the time period like Much Ado about Nothing and A Midsummer s Night Dream. While some of his plays have straightforward storylines and the title is extremely revealing about the characters and meaningRead MoreAnalysis Of Shakespeare s Macbeth By William Shakespeare1351 Words   |  6 Pagesand romance, Shakespeare extends his boundary of prowess in the play Macbeth. The irony present in the play, the double-meaning of the characters’ actions, and the complexity of setting all contribute to a thrilling story of murder and looking beyond the superficial. Dramatic, situational, and verbal irony greatly contribute to the theme of things are not what they seem in Macbeth text and film. Shakespeare uses the contrast in irony to convey this in the character’s words, actions, and the audience’sRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare1090 W ords   |  5 PagesThe Tragedy of Macbeth Literary Analysis In the play The Tragedy of Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses satire as tone and irony as points of view to portray Macbeth’s unfortunately placed ambition and the manipulation that is used on him. His ambition to gain a higher status as king ends with consequences to himself and the others in his path. Shakespeare adds dramatic irony, verbal irony, and situational irony to keep the readers at the edge of their seats as well as engaged in each lie and mishapRead More Literary Techniques in Shakespeares Macbeth Essay1378 Words   |  6 PagesLiterary Techniques in Shakespeares Macbeth Without literary techniques most literature would be colorless. Therefore these techniques are very crucial in producing successful writing. Not only do they create interest, they also help in development of characters, this is especially depicted in the Shakespearean play, Macbeth. The characters developed from the different literary techniques such as irony, paradox, and imagery assist in conveying the many themes throughout the play. In

Wisma Atria Free Essays

Breadbasket Private Limited marks Its virgin birth at Parch Bugs Junction (retail outlet) on 1st July 2000. With a remarkable period of five months, on December 2000, it ventures into its second venue at Novena Square and further enterprise onto its third outlets closer to the HAD heartlands, Junction 8 shopping centre. Breadbasket has established a firm foundation In local market with Just three years, It Is a listed company on March 2003. We will write a custom essay sample on Wisma Atria or any similar topic only for you Order Now It has adopted 4 type generation concept design for retail outlets since year 2000 to 201 2, however there Is a constant In all outlets which is the transparent open kitchen. With just a piece of clear glass that separate the customers from the chefs, it is an apparent indication of its quality of the breads that are served fresh daily. (Breadbasket Group Limited, 2014) Since 2012, breadbasket team diverts its attention In strengthening their core competencies, broadening Its business to 15 countries, Including Mainland China, Hong Kong and Indonesia (737 bakery outlets, 58 food atria and 41 restaurants) Since its foresight in expanding into international market, it has initiated various house brand such as Breadbasket, Toast Box, They Mom Chant, Food Republic, Rampantly and The Icing Room; and also franchises Din ATA Fun from Taiwan and Carol’s Jar from USA. (Breadbasket Group, 2012). With Its long achievements lists. Breadbasket Group Limited Is a creditable International company who has great foresight in anchoring its stand beyond Singapore. Political Breadbasket Is Initiated by a Singapore named Dry George Queue who sees the stability of Singapore In her economic and development. Singapore Is one of the lowest corporate tax rates and smooth growth In business among Salsa countries. Singapore Economic Development Board, 2014) Economic According to the statistic reports on its refined annual breakdown, affirming Its Investor and public that It Is a stable company and has been consistently making increasing profit over the years. And, it has managed its cash flow well by investing in property, plant, equipment and joint venture. However in the recent years the dividends paid out to the shareholders of the company have fluctuated which may be due to the following factors such as the stiff competition between the many bakery stores blossoming over the years, short and long term loans that the company has. Breadbasket Group Limited, 2012) Social brands, four hundred and forty-eight outlets spreading over thirteen countries in South East Asia and Middle East. (Breadbasket Group Limited, 2014) Looking into microscopic aspect of the business; on the brand breadbasket in Singapore as it is one of the driving revenue for the company. To date as of 17th June, there are six branches in the north and west zones respectively, seven in the east and south zones respectively and fifteen branches in the central zones. It affirms the strategy that breadbasket Group Limited display to focus on the prime areas in the central zones where the higher income working class and tourists are, as for the remaining zones breadbasket is situated at the heartlands, which are more populated. Breadbasket Group Limited, 2014) Technological Living in a technological advance era, Breadbasket has keep up with the trend by having well- furnished website and faceable page that provides information in regards to the company and their products. Breadbasket is constantly making sure that they are on tracks with the latest trend, for example in line with the world cup 2014, it launch a series of bread with innovative names such as Go Goal, Surreptitiously, Dillon and Supersets. (Breadbasket Group Limited, 2014) Environmental Breadbasket has most of its ingredients imported from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Despite the high cost and short lifespan of the individual products, the top notch quality of ingredients give robust quality assurance and give the consumer value for money products. They also introduce seasonal products such as Sahara flower from Japan, chestnut from China and strawberry from Korea. (TRY EMERITUS, 2014) Legal Breadbaskets signature floss bread which has sweep Singapore by storm when it first launch, does not seem to have any copyright protection. However breadbasket the name of the brand and its logo rights are possess by Breadbasket Group Limited. The threats of new entrants The capital cost for a bakery in reference to its the production and equipment cost are low which eventually set a low barrier for new entrants. As there are no copyrights to the individual created breads, imitation to the variety breads are somewhat effortless. Products in the bakery industry are facing very substantial threat from F that caters to light snacks take away offering a different taste for the consumers to replace breads. The lower pricing for these light snacks remain very alluring. Suppliers The basic elements to make a bread are flour, eggs and wheat which are relatively cheap for any buyers to purchase. The quality of the products do not differ much across suppliers hence it creates more opportunities for new entrants to enter and compete with breadbasket. Due to this, breadbasket is not able to increase the price of its products. Customers Customers are spoilt with choices to unprecedented number of bakery stores. In Just a short walking distances, customers are exposed not Just to bakery stores but also light snacks stores such as Jellybean, Mr. Bean, Old Change Eke etc which are relatively similar in term of the price. Intensity of Rivalry With the low production cost; Breadbasket has very intense rivalry in the market with Akers stores such as Four Leaves, Prima Deli Bakery, Coddle, Swiss bakery and individual neighborhood bakery. Every single one of them have different innovative strategy to sell their products however the breads’ taste and quality do not differ much from each other. Conclusion Breadbasket has been constantly expanding its business, however that would mean an increase of cost in rental in particular in the prime areas and manpower in the midst of the intense rivalry. It will result in the decrease in its return of its profit revenue and relatively low sustainability in the long term. They might need to insider to either closing or lowering the scale of branches that have lower profit margin. Nevertheless we need to applaud on breadbasket for its continual effort in creating new products ( 10 products every 4 months ) and give a hearing ear to the public their prefer choice of breads which are evidenced in its new launch of people’s choice Floss Black Pepper Crab Bun (2014). It has also portray as a socially responsible company by introducing the Panda look alike buns where all the proceeds go to the terror of the 7. 8 magnitude earthquake in China. Fresh ideas for their retail outlets together with its open kitchens to showcase the reduction and skills of the bakers. It has also been investing increasing amounts of money on purchasing of property, plant and equipment to keep up with constant stiff competition. Lastly, Breadbasket Group has a very capable and experienced director Dry George Queue who has more than thirty years of F experiences to oversee the whole business and employing diversification strategy in expanding and franchising various brands besides breadbasket. With George and his team competency to keep up with the trends and foresight for fresh business opportunities are critical to the continual success of breadbasket. How to cite Wisma Atria, Papers

Business Level Strategy for Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

Question: Discuss about theBusiness Level Strategy for Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Answer: Attractiveness of the confectionary market Confectionary market is one of the most attractive markets in the world. It is mostly established in the North America and Western Europe. According to the report by Phan and Vincelette (2008), the USA was the strongest market for the confectionary and chocolates business in 2007. The confectionary businesses are now targeting the emerging markets in Asia, such as, India, Japan and China due to the growing affluence for chocolates and confectionaries. The attractiveness can be understood from the statistics of National Confectioners Association, USA candy markets experienced a hike in sales from $27.9 billion in 2005 to $29.1 billion in 2007. Average spending on confectionaries in USA was $93.92 and on chocolates was $52.16 in 2006. Profit margin was approximately 35% for the confectionaries in the USA. The data of 2002 shows, the Scandinavian and Western European countries are the largest consumers of the cocoa and confectionary products, followed by the Americas. Average annual chocolate consumption of 8kg per capita makes Europe a lucrative market. Tastes and preferences of consumers make this industry an attractive one. The confectionary market was developed first in the Europe and then in the USA. The affluence for the chocolates and confectionary products has been growing across the world since the past century. Hence, with the increasing consumption of cocoa, variety of chocolates and different types of confectionary products has made this industry a very lucrative one. Key Success Factors in the Confectionary Market The success of the confectionary market depends heavily on the tastes and preferences of the customers and it is important for confectioners to understand the trend of the preferences to thrive in the industry. Premium confectioners of the world are Godiva, Lindt, Nestle, Harsheys, mm, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Ferrero etc. and for a long period of time, these companies have been ruling the world market. The key success factors are as follows: Understanding the trend and pattern of the customers tastes is the primary factor for success. The nature of the market must be analyzed properly. The more mature markets prefer low calorie, healthier products, while the new and emerging markets prefer the basic products. Various demographic factors must be evaluated. Religion, culture, tradition, income level and standard of living are the determining factors for the sales of the chocolates and confectionary products. Some cultures prefer sweets while some prefer chocolates. The demand for gourmet chocolates and low calorie, healthier confectionaries are rising in the developed markets. In the emerging markets like India and China, the confectioners have to compete with the traditional sweets. Hence, demographic factors must be understood precisely. Fair trade practices should be adopted by the companies. Now a days, although the consumers prefer to consume healthy dark chocolate products, they are also conscious about the exploitation of the cocoa farmers in the Western Africa and usage of child labor. Competitions are increasing for the global chocolate and confectionary industry. Hence, the companies must make good strategies for selling their products. The retail stores, merchandise stores and their own factory outlets are reachable to the consumers and they target to make the prices affordable to all (Phan Vincelette, 2008). References Phan, A., Vincelette, J. (2008).Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc. (2008): Recipe for success.

Supply and Demand Case Study Cabbage Patch Kids Essay Example

Supply and Demand Case Study: Cabbage Patch Kids Paper Turning the Supply Chain into a Revenue Chain Turning the Supply Chain into a Revenue Chain by  Gerard P. Cachon  and  Martin A. Lariviere †¢ Print †¢ Email †¢ Purchase Article FEATURED PRODUCTS [pic] Guide to Getting a Job by Gill Corkindale, Daisy Dowling, David Silverman, et al. $19. 95 Buy it now  » [pic] Management Tips: From Harvard Business Review by Harvard Business Review $18. 00 Buy it now  » [pic] Lords of Strategy: The Secret Intellectual History of the New Corporate World by Walter Kiechel $26. 95 Buy it now  » †¢ Email †¢ Share †¢ Print In the summer of 1997, movie fans ? cked to their local Blockbuster video stores eager to rent The English Patient and Jerry Maguire, only to find that all ten or so copies of each had already been checked out. Blockbuster shared their frustration. It knew it was annoying customers and losing sales. It wasn’t that the company didn’t know how many copies it could have rented; demand could easily be predicted by looking at theater receipts. And it wasn’t that the company was inefficient at getting tapes into stores and returning rented tapes to shelves; its buying and replenishment processes were fine-tuned. The problem was that at $60 a copy, Blockbuster couldn’t afford to stock the number of tapes it needed to serve every customer, only to replace the mall a few weeks later with copies of the next hot movies. Its suppliers, the movie studios, had to charge a high initial price to earn enough revenue themselves. But at $3 per rental, Blockbuster had to rent a tape more than 20 times to earn a profit. Given that peak demand for a title lasts only a few weeks, the company couldn’t justify buying enough tapes to even come close to satisfying initial demand. We will write a custom essay sample on Supply and Demand Case Study: Cabbage Patch Kids specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Supply and Demand Case Study: Cabbage Patch Kids specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Supply and Demand Case Study: Cabbage Patch Kids specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The studios’ high wholesale price limited availability, and no one—not the supplier, not the retailer, not the customer—was happy. But in 1998, Blockbuster solved the problem by radically changing the way it paid its suppliers. It agreed to give the studios a share of the rental fees in return for a much lower up-front price on tapes. Here’s how it works. Suppose the supplier charges only $9 per tape instead of $60 but receives 50% of the rental revenue. Even though Blockbuster keeps only half of the revenue, or $1. 0 per rental, it breaks even after each tape has been rented a mere six times. It can now justify purchasing many more tapes. Having more tapes means more potential rentals. Combined with the drastically lower cost, this translates into a significantly higher profit for Blockbuster. For the movie studio, increased tape sales and the added revenue stream also result in more profit. Everyone goes home happy. (For a look at a plausible profit scen ario, see the exhibit â€Å"The Economics of Revenue Sharing. †) [pic] The new arrangement paid off immediately for Blockbuster. In the year after starting the program, the company increased its market share by about 5%, which roughly equaled the share of the number-two retailer, Hollywood Entertainment. Now, revenue sharing is common throughout the industry. Our research indicates that revenue sharing will work for many products but only when two conditions are met. First, the cost to produce the additional units must be less than the incremental revenue they generate. If it is, a greater availability will increase supply chain profits, so both parties will be better off. In the video rental industry, making a movie is xpensive, but copying a tape is cheap. Consequently, the supply chain can double or quadruple inventory, and the resulting revenue rise will easily cover the additional production cost. This condition is not satisfied in all markets. Chrysler could increase revenue by expanding supplies of its PT Cruiser, but the costs involved would be prohibitive, and the greater availability might end up und ermining the car’s cachet. The second criterion is that the administrative burden associated with revenue sharing must be small enough that the cost of running the program doesn’t eat up all the gains. For the video rental industry, this is a minor concern. Suppliers need only link into the point-of-sale systems that even the smallest video retailers already use. We suspect there are other industries whose products and services satisfy these requirements and for which revenue sharing would also work well. Consider, for example, distributing music in digital formats. The expense to copy a file is essentially zero—far less than the value it creates for customers (remember, we’re focusing on the incremental cost of expanding supply, not the sunk cost of creating content). The market is also likely to grow substantially with improved availability. Many customers find a list price of $18. 97 for a CD daunting when all they want is one song. Digitally distributing individual songs provides an opportunity to expand total industry revenues. Finally, monitoring usage is simple and easy if records are centrally maintained. In this light, Bertelsmann’s deal with Napster makes tremendous sense: Napster’s centralized structure allows for revenues to be tracked, and its 38 million users allow for rapid expansion of the market. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic]

How far is friar Lawrence to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet Essays

How far is friar Lawrence to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet Essays How far is friar Lawrence to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet Paper How far is friar Lawrence to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet Paper Essay Topic: Romeo and Juliet Friar Lawrence is the local Roman Catholic priest who is also an apothecary. He is the confident of both Romeo and Juliet and plays an important role in the fate of both. He is more than aware of the familys feuding and seems to be well thought of by everybody. Romeo respects Friar Lawrence very much and sees him as a father figure. When Romeo feels suicidal when he has just been banished from Verona, the Friar tells him to straighten up. `This is dear mercy, and thou seest it not. ` When Romeo confesses that he wants to marry Juliet, Friar Lawrence teases Romeo about how fickle in love he is. `Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken? ` But in spite of this he still agrees to marry the young couple as he hopes it will end the familys feuding. `For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households rancour to pure love. ` He only agreed to it because he had their best interests at heart. I dont think he is to blame for marrying them as he did what he thought was right. And even if Friar Lawrence hadnt married them, whos to say that another Friar wouldnt have married them? Romeo and Juliet both feel as if they can turn to him when they are in trouble. We see this when Romeo has been banished, because he stabbed Tybalt and Juliet has been told that she must marry Paris. Romeo doesnt seem as if he is very close to either of his parents but Juliet usually has her nurse to turn to, but even the nurse, in the end the nurse rejects her too. `I think it best u married with the county. ` So in desperation each one goes to Friar Lawrence for help. Romeo is helped by being giving him a hide out in Mantua until Juliet can meet him. Juliet, being ordered to marry Paris, has gone to Friar Lawrence in desperation and has asked for help. First of all the Friar has to help Romeo escape. He allows Romeo to spend one night with Juliet, but before dawn he must leave. It is at this time that Juliet has been told to marry Paris. So she goes to the Friar. Friar Lawrence then devises a plan that will ensure Juliet and Romeos happiness. In some ways this shows us the Friars cunning, we are also shown that he is quite a smart man. We know that the friar is also an apothecary, so he gives Juliet a potion, which will make Juliet look as if she is dead. When she is taken to the family tomb, the friar will wait until she awakens, and by which time Romeo will hopefully already be there and take Juliet away. While devising this plan he still has the families interests at heart. He is only doing this in the hope that the two families, Montague and Capulet will reconcile. Although it could be argued, that he only helped them because he wanted to save himself. I personally dont think so. I think he would have known that he would have had to `cover his tracks` before he married the couple. He seems like a prudent man, one that will think things through; he would never have married them and helped them elope for selfish reasons. But the Friar did deceive both the Capulet and Montague parents. And although this was wrong, it was also, in my opinion justified. I think this because he didnt really have much choice. If he had wanted to succeed with his plan then they would have had to be kept in the dark, there was no other way round it. If they had been told, neither parent would have agreed to let their child associate with the child of the enemy. Priests do have the best interests of their parishes at heart and they do not lie and deceive people needlessly, but I think in this case it was allowed. Even though everything didnt turn out the way it should have, it achieved the one thing the Friar wanted: peace between the families. And although the price paid was very high, almost too high, the motivation was honourable he genuinely didnt act selfishly. I think everyone, in the play recognised this including the prince.

Maria Goeppert-Mayer, Mathematician and Physicist

Maria Goeppert-Mayer, Mathematician and Physicist Maria Goeppert-Mayer Facts:   Known for:  A mathematician and physicist, Maria Goeppert Mayer was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1963 for her work on the nuclear shell structure.Occupation:  mathematician, physicistDates:  June 18, 1906 - February 20, 1972Also known as:  Maria Goeppert Mayer, Maria Gà ¶ppert Mayer, Maria Gà ¶ppert Maria Goeppert-Mayer Biography: Maria Gà ¶ppert was born in 1906 in Kattowitz, then in Germany (now Katowice, Poland). Her father became a professor of pediatrics at the University at Gà ¶ttingen, and her mother was a former music teacher known for her entertaining parties for faculty members. Education With her parents support, Maria Gà ¶ppert studied mathematics and science, preparing for a university education. But there were no public schools for girls to prepare for this venture, so she enrolled in a private school. The disruption of World War I and the post-war years made study difficult and closed the private school. A year short of finishing, Gà ¶ppert nevertheless passed her entrance exams and entered in 1924. The only woman teaching at the university did so without a salary a situation with which Gà ¶ppert would become familiar in her own career. She began by studying mathematics, but the lively atmosphere as a new center of quantum mathematics, and exposure to the ideas of such greats as Niels Bohrs and Max Born, led Gà ¶ppert to switch to physics as her course in study. She continued her study, even on the death of her father, and received her doctorate in 1930. Marriage and Emigration Her mother had taken in student boarders so that the family could remain in their home, and Maria became close to Joseph E. Mayer, an American student. They married in 1930, she adopted the last name Goeppert-Mayer, and emigrated to the United States. There, Joe took up an appointment on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Because of nepotism rules, Maria Goeppert-Mayer was unable to hold a paid position at the University, and instead became a volunteer associate. In this position, she could do research, received a small amount of pay, and was given a small office. She met and befriended Edward Teller, with whom shed work later. During summers, she returned to Gà ¶ttingen where she collaborated with Max Born, her former mentor. Born left Germany as that nation prepared for war, and Maria Goeppert-Mayer became a U.S. citizen in 1932. Maria and Joe had two children, Marianne and Peter. Later, Marianne became an astronomer and Peter became an assistant professor of economics. Joe Mayer next received an appointment at Columbia University. Goeppert-Mayer and her husband wrote a book together there,  Statistical Mechanics.  As at Johns Hopkins, she could not hold a paying job at Columbia, but worked informally and gave some lectures. She met Enrico Fermi, and became part of his research team still without pay. Teaching and Research When the United States went to war in 1941, Maria Goeppert-Mayer received a paid teaching appointment only part-time, at Sarah Lawrence College. She also began working part-time at Columbia Universitys Substitute Alloy Metals project a highly secret project working on separating uranium-235 to fuel nuclear fission weapons. She went several times to the top-secret Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico, where she worked with Edward Teller, Niels Bohr and Enrico Fermi. After the war, Joseph Mayer was offered a professorship at the University of Chicago, where other major nuclear physicists were also working. Once again, with nepotism rules, Maria Goeppert-Mayer could work as a voluntary (unpaid) assistant professor which she did, with Enrico Fermi, Edward Teller, and Harold Urey, also by that time on the faculty at the U. of C. Argonne and Discoveries In a few months, Goeppert-Mayer was offered a position at Argonne National Laboratory, which was managed by the University of Chicago. The position was part-time but it was paid and a real appointment: as senior researcher. At Argonne, Goeppert-Mayer worked with Edward Teller to develop a little bang theory of cosmic origin. From that work, she began working on the question of why elements that had 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82 and 126 protons or neutrons were notably stable. The model of the atom already posited that electrons moved around in shells orbiting the nucleus. Maria Goeppert-Mayer established mathematically that if the nuclear particles were spinning on their axes and orbiting within the nucleus in predictable paths that can be described as shells, these numbers would be when the shells were full and more stable than half-empty shells. Another researcher, J. H. D. Jensen of Germany, discovered the same structure at nearly the same time. He visited Goeppert-Mayer in Chicago, and over four years the two produced a book on their conclusion,  Elementary Theory of Nuclear Shell Structure,  published in 1955. San Diego In 1959, the University of California at San Diego offered full-time positions to both Joseph Mayer and Maria Goeppert-Mayer. They accepted and moved to California. Soon after, Maria Goeppert-Mayer suffered a stroke which left her unable to fully use one arm. Other health problems, especially heart problems, plagued her during her remaining years. Recognition In 1956, Maria Goeppert-Mayer was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. In 1963, Goeppert-Mayer and Jensen were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics for their shell model of the structure of the nucleus. Eugene Paul Wigner also won for work in quantum mechanics. Maria Goeppert-Mayer was thus the second woman to win the Nobel Prize for Physics (the first was Marie Curie), and the first to win it for theoretical physics. Maria Goeppert-Mayer died in 1972, after suffering a heart attack in late 1971 that left her in a coma. Print Bibliography Robert G. Sachs.  Maria Goeppert-Mayer, 1906-1972: A Biographical Memoir.  1979.Maria Goeppert-Mayer.  Statistical Mechanics. 1940.Maria Goeppert-Mayer.  Elementary Theory of Nuclear Shell Structure. 1955.Goeppert-Mayers papers are at the University of California, San Diego. Selected Maria Goeppert Mayer Quotations For a long time I have considered even the craziest ideas about atom nucleus... and suddenly I discovered the truth. Mathematics began to seem too much like puzzle solving. Physics is puzzle solving, too, but of puzzles created by nature, not by the mind of man.   On winning the Nobel Prize in Physics, 1963:  Winning the prize wasnt half as exciting as doing the work itself.

How does photo Journalism impact the public awareness of humanity Essay

How does photo Journalism impact the public awareness of humanity - Essay Example They are the pictures that reflect what is going on in society and Americans see on the front page of their newspapers that compelled Americans to construct opinions and take action accordingly. If viewed and analyzed through the window of history, it transpires that photography has asserted itself to be a valuable medium for improving America both ethically and communally, thus revealing that photography is a form of communication that is evenly as well-built as any other type of communication. The Research Question The research question for this paper is â€Å"How does photo Journalism impact the public awareness of humanity?† The question needs be elaborated through multi-dimensional perspectives. At one side, it address the significance of photography in journalism, while on the other hand, it also corresponds various ways and means which are direct or indirect consequences of public awareness owing to photojournalism. Yet another importance is that of humanity which has u niversal implications. In media and communication, every image is full of meaning and message. Background of the Study Today, there are a vast number of people who are still skeptical of the invention and question whether it has resulted positively. The photograph has been an extremely valued invention, by allowing social advancement for minorities, allowing for a more valued news press, and giving artists the chance to steer away from portrait-painting and develop such movements as Impressionism. In general, life as we know it today would not be remotely close to what it is had photography not been invented, and we are able to see this since photography was first generated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the invention of photography, minorities, primarily women, were given an equal opportunity to excel in a hobby. Through out the eighteen hundreds, women were beginning to be more and more aware of the need for equality. Co-ed universities and schooling outside of the home were becoming more prevalent through out the United States, and women's activist groups were popping up with an intense velocity. The desire for equality had an equal or greater swiftness in itself, and women all across America were ready and willing to fight for it. Photography was a hobby that was easily done in the home, and although many women's pieces were not given proper recognition until years later the knowledge that women had the ability to do something just as well as men could, gave them inspiration to succeed in photography, as well as life. Objective of the Study This paper will respond and evaluate the question whether photojournalism has a considerable impact on public awareness of humanity. There are so many versatile ways in journalism to convey and spread news and information in society. Although photojournalism is an old method and apparently seems diminishing and dim aspect of media as compared to modern digital technology based ways of news presentation, yet nobody can deny its impact and significance and it is still influential where no other technology can meddle. For example, if we peep through history, we will come to know that in WWI and WWII, it was only photojournalism that narrated the atrocities and tactics used by the confronting parties of the war. Again, it was photojournalism that showed the dismal image of humanity during war and general people was convince to think

Human Resource Management PT 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Resource Management PT 1 - Essay Example as emphasized by Mueller & Baum (2011), â€Å"labor, like all organizational resources, is highly dependent on supply and demand of human talent in different occupations, professions and industries† (p. 140). The current discourse hereby aims to identify and discuss HRM concerns, such as organizational restructuring, staffing and selection, and other relevant HR issues in the healthcare setting. Restructuring in organizations are undertaken for varied purposes. Some organizations restructure to accommodate increased or specialized functions, departments, or divisions. Others deem that restructuring is needed to address inefficiencies and to minimize costs. In the study on restructuring, the authors revealed that it has the potential effects of leading to repercussive resignations, low morale from remaining staff, perceptions of insecurity, mistrust to management, low performance and productivty (Duffield and OBrien-Pallas 2002; Duffield, Kearin, Johnson, & Leonard, 2007). measured in terms of apparent effects on cost versus performance or productivity of the remaining workers, in the long-run (Bowes, 2009). According to Cascio (2009), downsizing has the following effects: â€Å"lost business as a result of fewer salespeople; lack of new products since there are fewer R&D staff members; (and) reduced productivity when high performers leave as morale decreases† (p. 1). As such, decreasing the number of employees does not always save an organization money because the organization would be incurring additional costs associated with hiring, training new personnel, and maintaining the current pool of human resources in a motivated and highly productive manner through the use of motivational techniques. Selecting a qualified person for a position necessitates application of acquisition strategies. The organization should have a well-designed job organization system that defines job positions according to qualifications of potential candidates versus the tasks and

Heart disease Essay Example for Free

Heart disease Essay Before you start the rehabilitation programme you will have an initial assessment to find out how much exercise you can safely do. A physiotherapist or an exercise physiologist can then carefully work out a programme of exercises for you, tailoring the programme to your individual needs. At the beginning of each session you will do warm-up exercises which involve stretching your muscles. All the exercises will be carefully explained to you. The exercises will be aerobic (exercises that help to improve your heart and circulation). You will be encouraged to increase your exercise gradually over the weeks of the rehabilitation programme. It is very important that you work within your limits and follow the advice given to you. At the end of each exercise session you will do cool-down exercises to stretch out your muscles and prevent them from aching the next day. It is normal to feel anxious about exercise after a heart attack. However, attending rehabilitation classes can help give you the confidence to become active again. Relaxation You will be able to practice different relaxation techniques and find one that suits you. You will also find out how important relaxation is for people who have had a heart problem. If possible, encourage your partner or a family member or friend to go along with you. This will help lessen their fears as well and give them the chance to ask any questions. This may involve structured but informal sessions within your group. You may cover one or more topics in each session and will have the opportunity to ask any questions. Going back to work. People who have had an uncomplicated heart attack will usually be able to return to work. You can talk to a member of the cardiac rehabilitation team about the type of work you do. They will help to assess how easily you might take up your job again and when you should return to work. Attending cardiac rehabilitation classes gives you the opportunity to ask questions and talk about any worries you may still have.

Not Just A Rising Sun: Essay -- essays research papers

America is a Country based on diversity and immigration of many cultures creating a melting pot people from all over the world living together in freedom. The Asian American ethnic group is also based on diversity and different immigration patterns of different cultures all representing each other under one name Asian American. Asian Americans have a very diverse history and have different subgroups that have different social status. This essay will discuss and analyze the history of and how Asian Americans and subgroups are affected differently by discrimination and prejudices, and have different identities that can lead to different assimilation into American Culture and economy. This essay will discuss this through examining Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, Korean Americans, Filipino and other Southeast Asian Islanders. Waves of Migration The Asian American community achieved their status in America in many different ways throughout history; with different reasons for immigrating to America and suffering different challenges and prejudices along the way. There were 2 distinct waves of immigration to the United States from Asian Americans. There was the old Asian wave of immigration that consists of Asians that immigrated from the middle of the Nineteenth Century to the early years of the Twentieth Century. The second wave is Asians that have immigrated to the United States since 1965. Chinese History The Chinese were the AA first to immigrate to the United States. A series of wars, rebellions, civil disorders, floods, famines and droughts made earning a livelihood in China difficult. Also, China faced a disheartening defeat in the Opium War of 1840 against the British. When news of a gold rush on the west coast of America reached China there was a huge influx of young male peasants immigrating to the United States trying to better themselves economically and then return home to there families. These immigrants started off working construction and on railroads. This was recognized by the white workers as a threat. The Chinese were not only forced out of the there jobs, but there was also legal measures taken to keep the Chinese out of the American workforce; with the Chinese Exclusion Act, passed in 1882 by the U. S. Congress. This was the first time in American History that a specific ethnic group was completely barred from immigrating to America.... ..., Filipino and other Southeast Asian Islanders. Yet they are a threat to the dominant group economically as they overcome fierce discrimination. One of the most common themes in constructing this essay is that Asian Americans are growing as a social and economical force in America and are starting to be recognized for that. They are at the top and bottom of our economy, and come from many different countries with different identities. This diversity is what makes Asian Americans such an interesting and complex minority. Work Cited Marger, Martin M. 2003. Race and Ethnic Relations: American and Global Perspectives. Michigan. Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning Inc. Gudykunst, William B. 2001, Asian American Ethnicity and Communication. Thousand Oaks. Sage Publications Inc. Mary Yu Danico and Franklin Ng, 2004. Asian American Issues. London. Greenwood Press Le, C.N. 2005. "Anti-Asian Racism & Violence" Asian-Nation: The Landscape of Asian America. http://www.asian-nation.org/racism.shtml Le, C.N. 2005. "Socioeconomic Statistics & Demographics" Asian-Nation: The Landscape of Asian America. http://www.asian-nation.org/demographics.shtml

Introduction nokia Essay

The company that we choose from the list is Nokia. Over the past 150 years, Nokia has evolved from a riverside paper mill in southwestern Finland to a global telecommunications leader connecting over 1. 3 billion people. During that time, they’ve made rubber boots and car tires. They’ve generated electricity. They’ve even manufactured TVs. Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications and information technology corporation that is headquartered in Espoo, Finland. Its principal products are mobile telephones and portable IT devices. It also offers Internet services including applications, games, music, media and messaging, and free-of-charge digital map information and navigation services through its wholly owned subsidiary Navteq. Nokia owns a company named Nokia Solutions and Networks, which provides telecommunications network equipment and services. As of 2012, Nokia employs 101,982 people across 120 countries, conducts sales in more than 150 countries, and reports annual revenues of around â‚ ¬30 billion. By the fourth quarter of 2012, it was the world’s second-largest mobile phone maker in terms of unit sales (after Samsung), with a global market share of 18. 0%. Now, Nokia only has a 3% market share in smartphones. They lost 40% of their revenue in mobile phones in Q2 2013. Nokia is a public limited-liability company listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange. It is the world’s 274th-largest company measured by 2013 revenues according to the Fortune Global 500. Nokia was the world’s largest vendor of mobile phones from 1998 to 2012. However, over the past five years its market share declined as a result of the growing use of touchscreen smartphones from other vendors—principally the iPhone, by Apple, and devices running on Android, an operating system created by Google. The corporation’s share price fell from a high of US$40 in late 2007 to under US$2 in mid-2012. In a bid to recover, Nokia announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft in February 2011, leading to the replacement of Symbian with Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system in all Nokia smartphones. Following the replacement of the Symbian system, Nokia’s smartphone sales figures, which had previously increased, collapsed dramatically. From the beginning of 2011 until 2013, Nokia fell from its position as the world’s largest smartphone vendor to assume the status of tenth largest. On 2 September 2013, Microsoft announced its intent to purchase Nokia’s mobile phone business unit as part of an overall deal totaling â‚ ¬5. 44 billion (US$7. 17 billion). Stephen Elop, Nokia’s former CEO, and several other executives will join Microsoft as part of the deal.

Evaluating the Socio Economic Impact of the Structural Adjustment Program Essay

These have left most SSA countries with acute balance of payments (BOP) disequilibria and an inability to service their debts to foreign bodies. In an effort to tackle the economic crises and to stimulate economic recovery, most African countries had to adjust and re-structure their economies. According to Dasgupta (1998), structural adjustment was seen as a fact of life. Thus in the 1980s, most African countries initiated economic policies which were sponsored by the World Bank and supplemented by the International Monetary Fund(IMF) in the form of stabilisation and structural adjustment programmes (SAP). Between June 1986 and July 1987 alone twenty one SSA countries went through World Bank/IMF SAP. Generally, SAPs entail policies designed by the world Bank/IMF aimed at improving the socioeconomic conditions of implementing nations by restoring economic stability and achieving long term growth through addressing structural weakness, and disequilibria in among others government budgets and external sector. More precisely, they involve the adoption and implementation of policies such as currency devaluation, trade liberalization, privatization, and removal of subsidies etc. hich are perceived as means of reversing the pervasive social and economic problems of developing nations. There has been a considerable amount of literature on the effects of SAP measures on less developed countries (LDCs) with no apparent consensus. On the one hand, international financial institutions (IFIs) maintain that SAPs are vital tools for economic recovery and sustainable economic growth. On the other hand , many economists and social scientists argue that SAP measures have led to recessions and poor standards of living in developing countries (Jauch 1999). Thus, the impacts of SAPs remain highly controversial. Even though there are disparities as to the exact effects of SAPs, it is generally accepted that they have far reaching implications for not only the macroeconomic environment of the countries concerned but society at large (Mosley and Weeks, 1993, Riddle, 1992, Stein, 1992, El-Tom, 1994, World Bank, 1994). It is against this background that this dissertation attempts to study and analyse the effects of SAP on the Nigerian economy. The choice of Nigeria as a case study is due to the fact that it has implemented one of the most radical structural adjustment programmes in Africa. Thus the question which posed is, what impact if any has SAP had on the Nigerian economy. Before we proceed, it should be emphasised that this dissertation subsumes IMF stabilisation programmes under World Bank structural adjustment programmes. The reason for this is that the two programmes are intertwined and this is done also for simplicity. . 2 Aims and Objectives This paper aims to explore the role SAP has played in the Nigerian economy. The major objective of the project is to offer a better understanding as to why, what and how structural adjustment program in Nigeria evolved. The primary focal point is to inspect the basis for and causes of the reforms, formulation and implementation processes, and the reform outcomes. The precise objectives of the dissertation are as follows: First, to provide a better understanding of the backgr ound to the economic crises in Nigeria that led to SAP * Second, to outline the objectives of SAP and the reforms implemented by the Nigerian government * Third, to analyse the macroeconomic and social consequences of implementing SAP in Nigeria 1. 3 Methodology and data To evaluate the effects of SAP on the Nigerian economy, the dissertation applies so-called ‘before-after approach’ which in its essence compares the values of selected variables in the period before a program is implemented to those of post-implementation. This approach has been one of the most widely used when evaluating SAP. One of the main advantages of the approach is that it can give an insight into whether structural adjustment improved key economic indicators. The major shortcoming of the methodology employed in this paper is that it assumes that all outcomes are the result of the programme itself and thus does not take into account the impacts of others factors. Another limitation is that it does not reveal the causes of variable changes. However, in spite of the fact that the before-after approach may have some degree of bias as an estimation procedure, it nevertheless, has inherent objectivity and is relatively easy to employ. The dissertation relies on secondary data – mainly World Development Indicators. In addition, various government publications are utilised. In the case of Nigeria, the lack of data and the quality of data available had a major constraint on the study. The data were often found to be unavailable and there were discrepancies in the different data sources.

Group Communication

Group Communication Socializing Agents Video 1: Group Communication Video Cases The group comprised of three different professionals; a school nurse, a psychiatrist, and a social worker. This diversity in group makeup affected their opinion on resolving the issue. The treatment approach favored by the three professionals varied with a particular approach being seen as more important and useful by each respective professional.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Group Communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The diversity of the group affected the group members’ communication style since they exhibited varying levels of assertiveness with the psychiatrist being the most assertive of the group. In this case, diversity was a hindrance to communication since group members were keen to defend their position. The psychiatrist supported medication while the social worker advocated for a more holistic approach. Evidently, the communic ation was not effective since each member was only interested in advancing their preferred approach without giving due consideration to the suggestions made by the others. Written communication method would have been more effective in this case. This is because each member would have been forced to go through the ideas proposed by the other members to completion before reacting to him or her (Adair, 2009). Use of presentations would also have helped since each member would have been allocated time to give their opinions without interruption from other members. Video 2: Planning a Playground In the planning a playground video, verbal and nonverbal interactions occur among the members. The nonverbal cues were communicating a lack of conviction in some of the proposals being advanced by the members. However, the speaker did not respond to these nonverbal communications. The verbal communications are very well put and all members were able to properly articulate their issues and offer s olutions. The non-verbal communications also demonstrated attention to what was being said by the speaker. Constant nodding and eye contact facilitated the communication process among the members. Use of hand signals such as raising one’s hand when one had a point helped in the organization of the group. Non-verbal communications were also used to show disagreement with what the speaker was saying. While this communication was not helpful, it was backed up by verbal communication which helped to achieve effective communication. Presentation aids would have helped to better quantify the issue being discussed and help the members to understand the rationale behind the proposals on the playground money made. Keeping of written records of the meeting would also have been helpful for future reference (Hargie, 2006).Advertising Looking for report on communication strategies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Video 3: Virtual Miscommunication Listening involves receiving the sound waves and understanding what is being communicated by the speaker. Good listening skills are necessary for effective communication to take place. It also prevents misunderstandings and frustrations when the speaker perceives that they are not being listened to. Listening techniques were not properly utilized in the virtual miscommunication scenario. The listeners did not make use of any verbal affirmations to confirm that they were fully engaged with the communication process. In addition to this, the listeners were not paying proper attention to what the speaker was saying due to distractions. Another poor listening habit demonstrated in this video was interrupting a speaker while he is making a point. Techniques which could have facilitated the group process include active listening which is characterized by giving verbal affirmations to demonstrate that you understand what is being said would have helped confirm that the listeners were attentive and encourage the speaker to move on. The group members would also have made use of paraphrasing which involves repeating what the speaker has said in your own words (Cleary, 2004). Such a technique would ensure that there were no misunderstandings and in case they occurred, the speaker would have a chance to correct them. Personal Reflection Individual Strengths and Problem-Solving Techniques Paper Individual Strengths and the Group Process I was recently a part of a group whose task was to prepare for a wedding party for my friend. The group consisted of eight members including myself. The members of the group were of varying age groups, came from different backgrounds and possessed varying professional skills. Most of the group members did now know each other or have a relationship with each other outside of the group. A strength that I brought to the group setting was my enthusiasm for the project. Because of this enthusiasm, I was committed to the group and attended all meetings without fail. I also ensured that the group efficiency was increased by proposing that we appoint a chairperson and each member be given a role. I also took it upon myself to ensure that the group did not deviate into topics that were not relevant to the task at hand. I fostered effective communication among the members by making sure that the appropriate channels were used at all times.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Group Communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Because of these, instances of miscommunication were not there and no the group productivity was increased. I also ensured that each task was delegated to the most skilled person in that area. This meant that the tasks at hand were effectively completed due to the skills of the person in charge. There were some drawbacks which came about because of my strengths and skills. My insistence on sticking to the agenda had a negative impact on group cohesion. As I have noted, the group members were not familiar with each other. When someone tried to hold general conversations that were aimed at building a relationship among the members, I focused the group back to the issue at hand. Huszczo (2004) asserts that a good relationship among group members yields good performance by the team. My focus on the agenda therefore prevented members from building a relationship that would have raised commitment to the group tasks and brought about great results. My focus on the most skilled persons in the group also led to some members failing to participate in the group due to lack of confidence. Webne-Behrman (2008) observes that when this happens, the group suffers since it is denied a chance to benefit from the viewpoint of the members who refused to speak out. One skill that I could work on in order to foster a more effective group environment is to involve all the members of the group. By making all members f eel like important members of the team, the group will benefit from the insights of all the members. I can foster this skill by avoiding the temptation to focus only on the vocal members of the group and seeking ways to involve the members who appear to lack confidence. The group process was also affected by the strengths and skills of other members. On a positive side, the commitment exuded by the members. This commitment led to a deep determination to accomplish the goals and objectives that the group had set out to achieve. On the negative side, some members dominated the meetings and ended up making their issues the center of the discussion. Dominance derails the group from dealing with all the issues that need to be addressed (Kolin, 2009). Problem Solving Techniques and Group Decision Making Problem solving is one of the key activities carried out of the group and this solutions sometimes aid in the decision making process. Having good problem solving skills is therefore imper ative for the success of the group. There are a number of problem solving techniques that I frequently make use of. One technique that I make use of in problem solving is brainstorming in order to come up with a large number of ideas and then choose the best ones.Advertising Looking for report on communication strategies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Adair (2010) asserts that brainstorming is a very effective technique since it frees the participant from functional fixedness and gives a chance for new ideas to emerge. I also make use of abstraction to solve problem. This technique involves solving the problem at an abstractly in order to see how the solution will turn out. After that, I then apply the tested solution to the real problem. An advantage of abstraction is that it anticipates any adverse impacts of the solution proposed before they are implemented and changes can therefore be made. The last technique that I utilize is the trial and error means which involves applying each potential solution in sequence. This method is useful when a set of potential solutions have been decided but it is not yet clear which one works best. My techniques influence group decisions in a number of profound ways. Through brainstorming, the group is able to encompass numerous solutions and the best one is chosen for the given occasion. Throu gh brainstorming, the members of the group can be involved and this will lead to greater acceptability of the proposed solution. Abstraction also helps the group to simulate the impacts of the solution and therefore avoid the solutions that might lead to greater problems. Trial and error is very useful when the group members are fighting over which is the right approach to the problem. Straus (2002) elaborates that it is more productive to select one solution and see if it works. If it does not work, then another solution can be tried out until the right one is reached. There are other problem solving techniques that I could employ when making group decisions. I could also make of extensive research to solve problems. This method will look at similar problems and their solutions and then adapt this to the particular problem that our group is facing. By doing this, we will be able to build on what is already known to work and therefore get the best outcomes. I could also make use of the divide and conquer technique which involves breaking down a large problem into small solvable parts. This technique will help in solving problems which seem too complex to deal with. Splitting the problems into manageable chunks will ensure that the group is not overwhelmed as we try to solve the problem. Developing and improving my problem solving techniques will make me an even greater asset for my group. Straus (2002) stresses that problem solving skills can be learned through practice and exposure. I can increase my problem solving proficiency by reading case studies on problems and how to solve them. By doing this, I will be exposed to new and effective manners of solving problems and learn from experts. I will also be able to use the case study findings in my own problems. Playing puzzles and other mentally challenging games will also increase my analytical skills and therefore make me more proficient and solving problems. Keeping an open mind and being willing to try out other problem solving techniques proposed by other people will also help me to develop and further improve my skills. Group Motivation Inventory Paper Lessons learnt from the exercise Completing the Group Motivation Inventory exercise made me learn a number of things about myself. To begin with, I learnt that while I work very hard in my group, this dedication is mostly driven by the effort shown by the other group members. I also discovered that I do not spend too much time on group projects and mostly do only what we had agreed on with the other members. The exercise also revealed to me that I prefer working on my way since I would rather divide the tasks with the group members and then focus on my part individually. Even so, I observed that I appreciate the efforts made by other members of the group and easily commended them for their contributions to the group effort. Another lesson I learnt was that I prefer to avoid contentions and seek to preserve a cordial mood in the group setting. I therefore avoid issues that might result in strive with other members of the group. I also learnt that I am greatly concerned about the perception that other people have about my contributions. For example the appreciation I got from my group members inspired me to work even harder. It is likely that I would not have been as inspired had they not shown any appreciation for my efforts. Furthermore, I also noticed that I like taking initiative to ensure that the group objectives are met within the set deadlines. How the Knowledge affects my interaction with groups This knowledge affects the manner in which I interact in groups in significant ways. Groups are an invaluable tool for achieving significant results in many settings. The knowledge I gained made me realize that greater outcomes can be obtained from working together as a group. This is because each member of the group brings with him/her skills and expertise that can contribute to the generation of great ideas (Bro wn, 2000). I also need to develop intrinsic motivation and avoid letting my desire to work for the group be determined by the efforts shown by other members. The exercise also brought it to my attention that in many cases, I fall prey to groupthink and go along with the options forwarded by other members of the group even if I disagree. Groups achieve their purpose if they are able to come up with the best solution to handle a common problem. Guffey, Rogin Rhodes (2009) observe that groupthink damages the effectiveness of a group since it discourages open discussions and results in conformity which inhibits the best alternatives from being discovered and implemented. I will also be aware of any prejudice or bias I might have while interacting with group members. This awareness will keep me from derailing the communication process as a result of stereotypical views I might harbor (Greene Burleson, 2003). Different Approaches in Group Interaction From the results of the exercise, si gnificant weaknesses in my interaction in groups were highlighted. I therefore intend to act differently in some aspects. I will make use of good listening habits in order to facilitate communication efforts with others. Downs (2008) reveals that good listening skills can be acquired through lessons on effective listening. I therefore intend to overcome any poor listening habits I might have through training. For example, by acquiring active listening, I will be able to become an effective listener and also gain greater insights into the points being made by the speaker (Gottlieb, 2003). I will also work on looking interested in what the speaker has to say and adopting the proper non-verbal cues. This will encourage the members of my group to communicate more extensively and the group will gain invaluable information from each speaker. Actions to Increase my Motivation To be more motivated in the group efforts, I will engage in research on the subject matter before each meeting. By doing this, I will always have something to contribute during each meeting and I will not get bored as the other members get into detailed discussions about the matter at hand. I will make use of assertive communication to ensure that my opinions are heard by the members. Assertion will help me to maximize my satisfaction without violating the needs of the other group members and therefore promote positive interpersonal relationships in the group (Greene Burleson, 2003). By doing this, I will have a greater sense of ownership in the direction that the group is taking. This involvement will lead to greater motivation on my part. I will also set personal goals that I will seek to achieve for the group. Pynes (2008) asserts that the clear expectations which are characteristic of goal-setting theory result in high performance from individuals. Personal Incentives A number of personal incentives will help me to increase my commitment to the group. Having a sense of purpose will also ser ve as a great incentive in the group process. By having a clear objective and goal to achieve, I will be motivated to work hard in order to achieve the goals (Greene Burleson, 2003). My need to see any endeavor I take part in succeed will ensure that I have the proper motivation to work with the group. Greater participation in the group will invariably increase my influence in the group. The greater influence I will have on the decisions made by the group will also be a major incentive for me. Incentivizing Group Members The actions of each individual member will contribute positively or negatively to the success of the group. It is therefore important to foster a positive climate that encourages each member to make the necessary contribution to positively influence the outcomes of the group (Schneider, 2008).The motivations for group members’ may be deferent and this would call for different incentives to be employed. Encouraging intrinsic motivation in the group members wi ll be most beneficial. Sharbrough (2006) observes that internally motivated people yield the best results since they do not require any external factors such as promises of reward or threat of punishment to achieve the set goals. To drive the members, I will promote a culture where achievement is recognized and applauded. Jakobson (2007) reveals that by using simple methods such as acknowledging great performance from an individual member of the team during meetings, the member will be motivated to perform even better in future. Presentation Aids Presentation aids are tools that are used to enhance the group process by enhancing perception of the speaker and also helping the audience stay interested and remember what is being discussed. Computer generated slides such as Microsofts PowerPoint is the most favored presentation aids in group presentations. The speaker makes use of a computer program to create slides that may contain text, images, audio, and even video elements (Kolin, 2 009). In addition to this, the speaker may include notes to help him/her through the presentation. The slides are then presented through a projector to aid in the group presentation. Computer generated slides have a number of significant advantages. The end results look very professional, which increases the interest from the audience. It is also easy to make changes to the data and reproduce the slides if need be. The speaker can also maintain eye contact with the group members even as he/she presents. However, this presentation aid also has some demerits the most significant of which is that it can be distracting if funny images or too much color is used. Too much information on the slide will also reduce the efficiency of the presentation aid. In most cases, the room has to be darkened for the slides to be visible. This might cause some group members to lose concentration in the presentation. Another presentation aid used is handouts which are printed paper which contain the poin ts that the speaker is making. The handouts are offered to the group members and the can therefore help the audience to follow along with what is being discussed. A notable advantage of handouts is that they are very simple to make and use. Since they only require printing, they are cheap to implement. They also act as a lasting reference since members can go home with them (Schneider, 2008). The biggest disadvantage with handouts is that the audience may fail to concentrate on the speaker as they read ahead. These tools will therefore fail to enhance presentation by pulling attention away from the speaker. When the group is relatively large, handouts may be expensive since each member needs to have their own copy. Another presentation aid used in group presentations is the flip chart. This tool makes use of blank sheets of paper mounted on a board (Cleary, 2004). The speaker composes the desired visual aid by using markers or any other graphic material on the paper. The most obviou s advantage of the flip chart is that it is inexpensive and very easy to use as no special skills are required of the presenter. The aid is also easily portable to any location where the meeting is taking place. The speaker can add material to the charts in real time which makes it very good for interacting with the audience. There are some disadvantages associated with flip charts. To begin with, it is only useful for a small audience due to visibility. If the speaker uses illegible handwriting, the tool will not assist in the presentation efforts. Overhead Projectors are also popular presentation aids especially when a large group is being addressed. The overhead transparency projector machine is the only piece of equipment needed to utilize this aids (Guffey et al., 2009). The presenter can then project works, images, and illustrations to a screen. A significant advantage of overhead projectors is that they can be used in large auditorium without visibility being deteriorated. Th ey are also easy to use and do not require a lot of technical knowhow. On the downside, they are big and bulky and therefore not easy to transport. The presentations are also not very professional and may therefore not get the attention of the audience. References Adair, J. (2009). Effective Communication: The Most Important Management Skill of All. New York: Pan Macmillan. Adair, J. (2010). Decision Making and Problem Solving Strategies. NY: Kogan Page Publishers. Brown, R. (2000). Group processes: dynamics within and between groups. New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. Cleary, S. (2004). The Communication Handbook: A Student Guide to Effective Communication. New Delhi: Juta and Company Ltd. Downs, L. J. (2008). Listening Skills Training. NJ: American Society for Training and Development. Gottlieb, M. (2003). Managing group process. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group. Greene, J. Burleson, B. (2003). Handbook of Communication and Social Interaction Skills. New York: Routledge. Guffey, E. , Rogin, P. Rhodes, K. (2009). Business Communication: Process and Product. NJ: Cengage Learning. Hargie, O. (2006). The Handbook of Communication Skills. NJ: Taylor Francis. Huszczo, G. (2004). Tools for Team Leadership: Delivering the X-factor in Team Excellence. Texas: Davies-Black Publishing. Jakobson, L. (2007) Harrahs Teams Up. Incentive 181(2), 10-20. Kolin, P. (2009). Successful Writing at Work. NY: Cengage Learning. Pynes, J. (2008). Human Resources Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Strategic Approach. NY: John Wiley and Sons. Schneider, M. (2008). Groups: process and practice. NY: Cengage Learning. Sharbrough, W. (2006). Motivating Language in Industry. Journal of Business Communication, 43(4), 322-343. Straus, D. (2002). How to Make Collaboration Work: Powerful Ways to Build Consensus, Solve Problems, and Make Decisions. Detroit: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Webne-Behrman, H. (2008).The Practice of Facilitation: Managing Group Process and Solving Probl ems. Boston: IAP.

An In Depth Interview Psychology Essay

An In Depth Interview Psychology Essay What is research. When asked, most people would answer questionnaires or surveys. These kinds of research people more familiar with are quantitative research. However, in this article, the main focus is on qualitative research, which is widely used in academic and professional areas (Holliday, 2002). So, what is quantitative research? Mason (2002:1) believes that: â€Å"Through qualitative research we can explore a wide array of dimensions of the social world, including the texture and weave of everyday life, the understanding, experiences and imagining of our research participants, the ways that social processes, institutions, discourses or relationship work, and the significance of the meaning that they generate.† Therefore, from this perspective, it could be derived that for qualitative research, pure statistic and numerical data are not sufficient. It needs more description evidence to discover the subjective qualities that govern human behaviours (Holliday, 2002). The so called ‘thick description’, which could be collected through interview, observation or other methods, is the basis for qualitative researchers to understand and explore the social world(Draper, 2004). Due to the complexity of modern society, there are many problems emerged when conducting qualitative researches, for instance, the ethical dilemmas. In order to get a more critical view of qualitative research, the distinction between qualitative research and quantitative research will be highlighted first. Then two typical qualitative research methods, in-depth interview and participate observation, will be critically examined. Followed by that, three examples will be used to further illustrate the challenges of qualitative research. In the end, a conclusion regarding the merits and demerits of qualitative research will be drawn. Two paradigms Primarily, the philosophical basis for qualitative research and quantitative research are different. Both Holliday (2002) and Dra per (2004) state that quantitative research believes that by using right quantitative measurements people could reveal objective facts, while qualitative research rooted in interpretive tradition, which focus on exploring the underlying meanings of social phenomena. As a result, qualitative and quantitative research differ in their analytical process, research design, methods of collecting data and the approach to analyse and interpret data(Draper, 2004). Rather than by using a deductive process, qualitative research prefers inductive procedure (Gephart, 2004). Therefore, qualitative research provides extra opportunities for researchers to discover insight views and get new understandings of social phenomena (Willig, 2008). Also, Gephart (2004) states that the ‘thick description’ provided by qualitative research enriches the basis for understanding the social world. However, qualitative research also has its own limitations. As Willig (2008) points out that qualitative research do not ensure certainty, the objectivity of researcher is not realistic and the results are not predictive, since qualitative studies always carry out with small sample size but in depth. Moreover, similar qualitative studies due to the different use of methods are impossible to compare or integrate (Willig, 2008). As a consequence, Draper (2004) suggests, although qualitative and quantitative researches are different from their ontological foundation, they could complement each other. In addition, recent studies (Bryman, 2006; Kinn and Curzio, 2005; Sherman and Strang, 2004) show that there is a growth trend of combining these two methods together, in spite of the continuation of debate about integrating qualitative and quantitative methods. After examining the merits and demerits of qualitative research, it is the time to discuss the two dominant methods used in qualitative research, in-depth interview and participant observation.

Argument Paper#2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Argument Paper#2 - Essay Example GM food products should be labeled because it is the right of the citizens to decide what they eat, because this will enable informed decision making and because this will increase the profitability of the smaller business owners. GM food should be labeled as food processed and produced through the method of genetic alteration because this would provide consumers to decide what they want to eat and what they want to avoid. If GM foods are not labeled, the consumers will feel that they are being forced to purchase goods and services that they do not want to consume. If GM foods continue to be sold in the markets without being labeled then it would clearly give an impression to the consumers that they are being coerced in to purchasing food items that they perceive to have a negative impact on their health. According to Runyon, the majority of the citizens are in favor of labeling GM foods as the author cites a panel review in which 11 votes were casted in the favor of labeling (Runyon, 2014). GM foods should be labeled because this would allow consumers to make informed choices. Consumers have become very concerned about what they consume due to increase in awareness of health issues. Many consumers are of the perception that GM foods can affect their health and wellbeing in a negative manner. Even several researches have proved that GM foods can impact the health of human beings in a negative manner. According to a research cited by Bronner in his article, herbicides that are highly toxic in nature are being sprayed in the fields where GM food crops are being produced and these toxic herbicides can have a major impact on the health of consumers (Bronner, 2014). GM foods should be labeled because labeling will allow promotion of production of food products in a healthier and organic manner and will even increase the profitability of small businesses. Those who oppose labeling believe that the cost of labeling would

Ddp3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ddp3 - Essay Example According to Cambridge Dictionaries Online (2003), a research is â€Å"a detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new) information or reach a (new) understanding.† Clearly, I have gained a better understanding of organisational research and more importantly its usefulness to the organisation. I have come to appreciate the fact that the growth and development of an organisation depends largely on the amount of effort that is put into researching on issues that concern the organisation. My thinking about the structures of an organization and how they operate has greatly been affected. Due to lesson taken in this module, I have come to learn about organizational structures, division of labour and the need to respect organizational protocols. This means that in practicality, I am going to be a better functionary of any organization I find myself. Clark (2010) has it that â€Å"Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent.† As a leader of people and as a manager of an organizational, I have learnt out of this module that organizational leadership is all about team work. This is to say that as a leader, I am not supposed to assume that I have the power to get all things done. Rather, I have to believe in the competences of my subordinates and give them much room to also put their capabilities to use. My major original contribution has to do with supportive coexistence. In my opinion, organisations can be managed better if each member of the organisation lived and worked the proverbial ‘being each other’s keeper’. Organisational structures must work must each person must be available to support the other

Put the best subject you fell its good Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Put the best subject you fell its good - Essay Example This may involve the frequency with which earthquakes are experienced in certain regions. In addition, seismicity may refer to the type of earthquake as well as the size of the earthquake experienced in certain regions. Earthquakes are characterized by the shaking of the earth surface, leading to deaths, destruction of properties as well as changes in the physical features of the landscape. Earthquakes can manifest in several fault types. These include the reverse fault, the normal fault as well as the strike-slip faults (Sinvhal, 2010). Each type of fault is associated with a range of earthquake magnitude. Earthquakes majorly occur in volcanic regions. In such regions, tectonic faults as well as magma movements mostly cause them. It is of crucial significance to note that earthquakes are measured through the use of seismometers. These instruments are quite beneficial in measuring the intensity of the earthquake whenever they occur in any region. In addition, the seismometers are also beneficial in measuring other aspects of earthquakes relating to the magnitude of such an earthquake (Sinvhal, 2010). The earthquakes of very low magnitudes are measured using special instruments specifically adapted for such earthquakes of lower magnitudes. One of these instruments for measuring low magnitude earthquakes is called Ritcher scale, which is a part of the seismometer. It is of crucial significance to note that earthquakes occur when the rocks underground break and move under intense pressure and stress. The vibrations associated with the earthquakes makes the rocks underground to break. This leads to release of lots of energy from beneath the ground. This energy is very strong and is capable of causing massive destructions to the landscape itself, infrastructure, structures as well as property (Brumbaugh, 2010). Moreover, the energy released from the underground following the incidences of

Primary and Secondary Research in Marketing

Primary and Secondary Research in Marketing Critically analyse the effectiveness of primary and secondary research applied to product development (looking at qualitative and quantitative research). Market research can be understood in terms of how the activity is carried out, designing questionnaires, planning respondent samples, methods of data collection and analysis etc, in other words the techniques of the discipline. The purpose of market research is to assist and improve marketing decisions; selecting the optimum alternative or even setting the decision-making agenda, i.e. what are the real marketing issues facing us? In any field, the basis of good decision making is having effective and accurate information available and using it accordingly. Almost any information required in or contributing to marketing decision making and the methods used to acquire that information, can be considered to be market research but, as a distinct and specialized activity, it is the provision of information about the market that is usually the central concern. People and organisations regularly need to understand the markets that they find themselves in, including the needs of consumers that make up these markets. This understanding can be intuitive and based on common sense, where many successful decisions have been and continue to be based on no more than instinct. However, in competitive markets where implementing a decision may require major financial resources and where the costs of failure are high, there is a need for decision making based on more rigorous and reliable data. Additionally, many features of modern markets and marketing such as consumer diversity, internationalization and the ever accelerating pace of change, increase uncertainty and make the informal and intuitive approaches to understanding less secure. The more formal techniques of market research, which have been developed and matured over the last few decades, generally offer a basis for increased confidence in decision making and so reduce some of the risks that always will be present in markets. The primary purpose for market research is risk aversion, to understand what the market wants, and not just what a few customers want and reduce the risk of developing the wrong product. THE MEANING OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Product development is the phase in which the organisationdetermines if it is technically feasible to produce the product and if it canbe produced at costs low enough to make the final price reasonable. To testits acceptability, the idea or concept is converted into a prototype, orworking model. Concept cars for example are used in the development of newvehicles. The prototype should reveal tangible and intangible attributesassociated with the product in consumers minds. The products design, mechanicalfeatures and intangible aspects must be linked to wants in the marketplace.This includes the service aspects of the product, which are a vital componentof many products. Failure to determine how consumers feel about the productand how they would use it may lead to the products failure. For example, the Sinclair C5 electric buggy car, was developed as a serious on-road, single seater car for city or country use. However, drivers felt unsafe in a small buggy, and campus students ended up using the remaining stocks on-pavement runabouts. The development phase of a new product is frequently lengthyand expensive; thus a relatively small number of product ideas are put intodevelopment. If the product appears sufficiently successful during this phaseto merit testing, then during the latter part of the development phasemarketers begin to make decisions regarding branding, packaging, labelling,pricing and promotion for use in the test marketing phase. With this in mind we can now move on to talk about theeffectiveness of the use of primary and secondary research in productdevelopment. COLLECTING DATA There are two types of data collection methods, they areprimary data collection and secondary data collection. Primary Data Collection: this type of datacollection are usually observed and recorded or collected directly fromrespondents. This type of data must be gathered by observing phenomena orsurveying respondents. Primary data collection can be deemed as bespoke andtherefore time consuming and costly. This process is more lengthy and complex, it is typicallymore costly, involving experimentation, sampling, survey methods, andquestionnaire construction. The acquisition of primary data often requires anexperimental approach to determine which variable or variables caused an eventto occur. Experimentation: this involves keeping certainvariables constant so that the effects of the experimental variables can bemeasured. For example, when Apple tests a change in its AppleWorks wordprocessing computer program, all sales and marketing variables should be heldconstant except the change in the program. Sampling: by systematically choosing a limited numberof units, or sample, to represent the characteristics of a total population,marketers can project the reactions of a total market or market segment. Theobjective of sampling in product development, therefore, is to selectrepresentative units from total population. Sampling procedures are used instudying the likelihood of events based on assumptions about the future. Survey Methods: This includes interviews by mail,e-mail, or telephone and personal interviews. Selection of a survey methoddepends on the nature of the problem, the data needed to test the hypothesisand the resources, such as funding and personnel that are available to theresearcher. Questionnaire Construction: A careful constructedquestionnaire is essential to the success of any survey. A questionnaire is abase document for research purposes that provides the questions and thestructure for an interview or self-completion and has provision forrespondents answers. Questions must be designed to elicit information thatmeets the studys data requirements. Observation Methods: This method enables a researcherto record respondents overt behaviour, taking note of physical conditions andevents. Direct contact with respondents is avoided; instead, their actions areexamined and noted systematically. Observation is straightforward and avoids acentral problem of survey methods: motivating respondents to state their truefeelings or opinions. Secondary Collection Data: These types of dataare normally compiled inside or outside the organisation for some purpose otherthan the current investigation. Secondary data include general reportssupplied to an enterprise by various data services. Such reports might concernmarket share, retail inventory levels and consumer buying behaviour. Commonly,secondary data is already available in private or public reports or have beencollected and stored by the organisation itself. Because secondary data arealready available, which does save valuable time and money, they should beexamined prior to the collection of any primary data. Marketers often begin themarketing research for product development by gathering secondary information.They may use available reports and other information from both internal andexternal sources to identify a marketing problem. Internal sources of secondary data can contribute to productdevelopment. For example, an organisations marketing databank may containinformation about past marketing activities, such as sales records and researchreports that can be used to test hypothesis and pinpoint problems.Organisations accounting records are also an excellent source of data, butstrangely enough tend to be overlooked. The large volume of data that anaccounting department collects does not automatically flow to the productdevelopment area. Secondary data can also be retrieved from periodicals, censusreports, government publications, the World Wide Web and unpublished sources.Periodicals such as Investors chronicles, Marketing, The Economist, Campaign,Marketing Week, Wall Street Journal, and Fortune, print general informationthat is helpful for defining problems and developing hypothesis. Other external sources of secondary data are Trade journals,trade associations, international sources, commercial sources, governments,books in print, periodical indices and computerized literature retrievaldatabases. TYPES OF MARKET RESEARCH METHODS Broadly speaking there are two types of marketing researchmethods, they are qualitative and quantitative methods. The names describe thebasic difference in the results. Quantitative methods use samples large enoughthat there is statistical confidence in the results. Qualitative methods usevery small samples with no statistical significance. A complete research planincludes both categories of research. The mix depends on the stage ofdevelopment, the research objectives available funds, and other variables. Often, qualitative such as a focus group can be used to better identify what the issues are to do with a new product. Quantitative research is then employed to determine how prevalent the issue or need is. Qualitative research is the term applied to research that is considered exploratory or conceptual. Qualitative research will provide context,insights, and ideas for more research. The idea for the use of this type of research method is to get the participants to talk about their experiences,give opinions about situations, and to react to scenarios or prototypes. The basic characteristics of qualitative research are, broad objectives; small samples, results tend not to be generalizable or target population; and it is best used early in order to identify issues and again later in the process to validate. The following methods under qualitative methods are the most commonly used. They are: review of secondary information, focus groups and related techniques (brainstorming sessions), and observations/ ethnographic studies (insetting where the product is actually used. Quantitative research is the term applied to researchthat is considered conclusive. A researcher might use quantitative research totest hypothesis, describe the market or target population characteristics, andcheck relationships among variable. The results lead to formal conclusions andrecommendations to inform decision-making. The idea is to get enough responsethat the research will feel confident that the results reflect the market. The basic characteristics of quantitative research are:defined objectives that include hypothesis, focused research design identifieswho, how, what, why and when, large enough sample to allow for generalization(projection of results), and heart of the research. The most common quantitative research methods are: Surveys,which could be mail, telephone, online; usability studies; field testing;laboratory testing and conjoint analysis. Quantitative research is alsoconcerned with measuring aspects of a market or the population of consumersmaking up the market. This includes soft phenomena such as consumer attitudesas well as the hard things such as market size, brand shares, purchase frequenciesetc. Quantitative research and sampling: Quantitative data on a market or consumer group can be obtained through carrying out a census on the general populace, so as to obtain the relevant measures from every single consumer or (in the case of business-to-business research) player in the market. In practice market research through a census is very rare; for one thing it is usually prohibitively expensive to obtain data from every individual (the government only carries out a population census once every 10 years) and even when the money is made available the timescales involved are likely to be too long to meet commercial deadlines. Quantitative market research is, therefore, nearly always based on more or less rigorous sampling methods which have in common the assumption that the data from samples can betaken to represent, within estimated levels of accuracy, the population or universe from which they are retrieved from. Types of Quantitative Data: The range of information which can be and is collected through quantitative research is enormous if not infinite. In relation to deciding how data should be collected, all possibilities can be slotted into a simple threefold classification. They are: market measure; customer profiles or segmentation; and attitudinal data. Market measures quantify and describe a market. Common examples include: market and sector size; shares of the market held by suppliers or brands; penetration levels (what proportion of all potential consumers own or buy a product); purchase and consumption frequencies; patterns of consumption and seasonality. A vital concern in any marketing is knowing and understanding the potential customer base, what type or organisations are they? What other types of products or services do they own or use? What is required to meet this need is customer profiling or segmentation data and it is quantitative in nature because reliable breakdowns are needed for the whole market or population Additionally attitudinal data is also used in a quite general sense to cover concepts such as awareness, perceptions, beliefs, evaluations,preferences, and propensities. In other words they are, in their various forms, subjective and reside in the minds of individuals (attitudinal data is collected in business-to-business research but in the end it is still attitudes of individuals within organisations or companies, as such, do not have attitudes). Much of market research is concerned with attitudes and attitude measurement because attitudes are assumed to influence if not determine behaviour; understand consumer attitudes and the marketing may mould consumer choice in the products favour. Level of Measurement: Depending on the stage of product development, research measurement can be used to focus on particular market levels and use techniques appropriate for find out the possible level of satisfaction that will be gained from using the product. For example,manufacturers passing on sales figures, in confidence, to a third party (e.g.trade association) which collates them. Retail sales and brand shares are likely to be collected most accurately at the retail level through a retail audit. Patterns of consumption and profiles of consumers, however, will require data collection at the final level through some type of interviewing programme. The market level from which data is required, therefore, has an important bearing on the research methodology. The size of a market, for example, can be estimated by grossing up the consumption levels among a sample to the total population within the market. With adjustments (e.g. for imported products, shrinkage through the retail chain, etc) estimates also can be made of manufacturers and distributors / retail sales. However, in making such estimates various uncertain assumptions nearly always have to be made and this affects the reliability of the final data. Frequency of Measurement: Market research data is often required at only a single point in time; the current market, the shares held now by each brand, the profile of current consumers etc. In such cases the research methodology is commonly designed as a one-off and the project(i.e. product development). It is also possible that at some future date it may be decided be the organisation to collect the same sort of data again and a similar research design maybe used but at the time the first project is considered this not to be of significant importance at the time. In terms of research expenditure, most market research budgets are taken up buying repeat measures through continuous research. Continuous data allows important measures to be tracked overtime; movements in brand shares for example show progress (or decline) against competitors and changes in the trend provide an early warning to take action. Discrete trends also can be interrelated to other measures taken in the continuous research programme (e.g. media exposure) or independent variables such as economic indicators and all the data ca be integrated into a model which allows for predictions to be made or enables what if questions to be answered. Continuous data can be collected from matched samples (each made up of different respondents) and in some applications this is the preferred approach. Due to the high costs associated with conducting continuous research, much of the wok tends to be syndicated with costs shared among a number of subscribers. The nature of the respondent: The location of potential respondents may for example, influence any decision to use phone or visit interviewing. Other considerations may favour face-to-face methods but if the selected sample of say 50 potential buyers of a product is spread allover Western Europe, phone interviewing maybe ruled out if an important part of the sample is seldom found there; e.g. older people. Respondents personal attributes may also influence the research design. Self completion surveys are not appropriate among an illiterate or semi-literate respondent group or where interest in the subject of the research is likely to be low. Similarly, the wording of questions may need to reflect respondents language skills and familiarity with terminology: computer jargon may have a place in a survey of IT workers but not among the general population. Where as is common, the sample is mixed in these respects, the design must actually work lowest common denominator assumptions. Access to communications and the status of respondents are also relevant to an appropriate design. While most business-to-business respondents can be contacted by phone, this will be less the case where shop floor attitudes need to be established or where workers are very mobile. In such cases respondents may need to be recruited away from their place of work. THEDIFFERENCES BETWEEN QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH IN PRODUCTDEVELOPMENT The roots of the words qualitative and quantitative imply that one is based on quality and the other on quantity. There is some truth in this. Qualitative research is centrally concerned with the understanding rather than the measurement of things. The trouble is the lack of measurement means that it is never possible to be absolutely sure that the findings are correct. It is his inability to validate qualitative research that causes some consternation in relation to its use in product development. For example, the government recently commissioned little qualitative research as it is worried that the findings would not stand up to public scrutiny. More recently, though, since the 1997 General Election, interest by government in focus groups and similar had become a news item. The focus on quality and small numbers of respondents allows the research consultants to collect much of the data themselves in contrast to qualitative surveys where the numbers of interviews are too great for any single person to make more than a dent. One of the strengths of qualitative research is that it deeply involves experienced and skilled practitioners in the subject who can lift data and turn it into creative research findings. Here too there are problems as well as advantages. Much of the information gathered through qualitative research depends on the skills of the practitioner. Small numbers of respondents and just one or two people carrying out the interviewing allows more open-ended questions than in quantitative surveys. Open-ended questioning is the fabric of qualitative researchers. There is no hard and fast rule as to the break in sample size between qualitative and quantitative research. Most researchers would agree that 30 or fewer respondents would certainly constitute qualitative work.Others would argue that any sample much below 200 interviews is verging on the qualitative method because such low numbers produce findings with extremely large bands of error. According to Goodyear (1990), qualitative and quantitative research differs in four important ways, they are: in the type of problem that each can solve; the methods of sampling; the methods of sampling; the methods and style of collecting information; and the approach to and techniques of analysis. THE RESEARCH CYCLE The research cycle is different depending on what stage of product development the research is done for. A typical research cycle would include most or all of the steps mentioned below. These steps should be regarded as categorised as a combination both primary and secondary research.They are: Secondary Literature Search: An astonishing amount of information exists here, or is being collected about consumer needs, wants their behaviour, about markets, prices, opportunities, etc. A list of questions and assumptions is required at this stage to identify what customers would see in the product. One could use the internet to locate studies that relate to it. This is an inexpensive way to prepare for the other research steps. At this point the primary concern for the researcher are,opportunities, and potential of the product, and identifying information to help in formulating plans. Exploratory Focus Groups: These groups enable the researcher to hear about peoples needs, wishes, current products (especially the strengths and weaknesses), how they compensate for what they dont have, attitudes about the markets, etc. At this point the researcher is still thinking about opportunities, potential, etc, and looking for information to formulate plans. Ethnographic Study: One may want to observe people using related products and services in real time. This helps clarify what is gathered in research studies and heard in focus groups. At this point the latter of opportunities still holds. Large Scale Survey: The survey allows one to collect quantifiable information about assumptions, questions raised by the focus groups, planning, and general market conditions of the product from the general populace. At this point the researcher would already have concrete assumptions about potential customers, their needs, and the market in general. In this situation one is looking to verify those assumptions and ideas, with statistical confidence. Additionally one may want to conduct surveys throughout the development process to clarify issues, help you make choices etc. Usability Testing and Laboratory Testing: the test here helps one to refine various features of the product as it is being developed. Are the buttons in the right place, etc? At this point a prototype is being built, according to the information already gathered through primary and secondary sources using qualitative and quantitative methods of research.As the major components of the new product are being put together, its best to test their functionality with real customers. Prototype Focus Groups: These groups test the researchers execution of plans gathered previously. For example, do the features of the prototype meet their needs of the market? At this point specific information with regard to feedback about the look, feel, feasibility,etc of the prototype is gathered. (The researcher should expect at least two or three rounds of groups to refine the new product). Field Test: This enables the new product to betested. Users put the prototype through its paces. One might want to makesure that the product is tested in a variety of settings to make sure theproduct goes through the range of possible experiences. At this point the producthas been designed and built. Now is to see how good the product is with regardto its market category, in which substantial evaluation has already beencarried out. SUMMARYAND CONCLUSION This paper has looked at the meaning of product development, thetwo types of data collection methods namely, primary data collection andsecondary data collection methods. Under primary data collection itidentifies, the type of primary data collection, namely, experimentation,sampling, survey methods, questionnaire construction and observation methods.Under secondary data, we have identified the use of periodicals, census report,government publication, trade journals and the World Wide Web as being the mostused method under this type of data collection. We have also described thetypes of market research methods, namely, qualitative and quantitative researchmethods Under quantitative research we have looked at sampling, the types of quantitative data used, level of measurement, frequency of measurement, and nature of respondent or potential customers for the new product. Additionally, we have also identified a few differences in the use of research methods for product development such as the measurement of the concluded findings for a research etc. Finally, we looked at the research cycle with regard to what point of the cycle a new product would be evaluated and tested in real markets. The research cycle tells us about the use of secondary literature search, exploratory focus groups, ethnographic study, large scale survey, usability testing and laboratory testing, prototype focus groups, and field testing in product development. It is worthwhile to conclude here that although secondaryresearch, which is based on already existing data or information; i.e. datafrom primary research is one that is collected directly from the source, whilesecondary research builds on primary research already gathered, one should notethat information gathered for secondary research might not be as accurate asone might expect. The reason for this is that, a secondary data collectionresearcher might not have been part of the primary research team, and thereforethe outcome of the results of secondary research to do with quantitativeanalysis might prove to be inaccurate in its use for product development. Further work is required to develop this approach to see if the potential benefits can actually be realised in practice. Additionally, there should be a greater consideration of the issues involved in secondary analysis of single, multiple, and mixed data sets. Finally, some more specific guidelines are needed for researchers about the ethical issues to be considered when undertaking qualitative work that maybe re-used in the future such as being biased and not taking on board important issues that would affect the outcome of the product in the final stages of development. REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY Achenbaum,A.A., (1993), The future challenge to market research, MarketingResearch: A magazine of Management and Applications, 5(2), pp. 12-18 Albaum,G., (1987), Do source and anonymity affect mail survey results?Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 15(3), pp 74-81 Baker,M.J., (1993), Look before you leap, Research for Marketing,Macmillan, London, Chapter 1, pp. 1-40 Bhaduri,M., De Souza, M., Sweeney, T., (1993), International qualitativeresearch: A critical review of different approaches, Marketing andResearch Today, 2(3), pp. 171-178. Brown,M., (1994), What price response?, The Journal of the MarketResearch Society, 36, pp. 227-244. Byers,P.Y. and Wilcox, J.R., (1991), Focus groups: a qualitative opportunityfor researchers, Journal of Business Communication, 28(1), pp. 63-78. Chisnall,P., (1992), Role and development of marketing research, MarketingResearch, 4th edn., McGraw Hill, London, Chapter 1, pp. 3-22. Colwell,J., (1990), Qualitative market research: a conceptual analysis andreview of practioner criteria, The Journal of the Market Research Society,32. Dibb,S., Simkin, L., Pride, W.M., Ferrell, O.C., (2001), Marketing, conceptsand strategies, Fourth European edition, Chapter 10, pp.301. Freeling,A., (1994), Marketing is in crisis can market research help?,The Journal of the Market Research Society, 36, pp. 97-104 Hooley,G.J. and West, C.J., (1984), The untapped markets for market research,The Journal of the Market Research Society, 26(4). Mason,N., (1990) EPOS, Birn, R., Hague, R., and Vangelder, P. (Eds), Ahandbook of Market Research Techniques, Kogan Page, London. Sweeney,J.C., (1997), Collecting information from groups, a comparison ofmethods, The Journal of the Market Research Society, 39(2), pp. 397-411. Swires-Hennessy,E., and Drake, M., (1992), The optimum time at which to conduct surveyinterviews, The Journal of the Market Research Society, 34(1), pp. 61-78. www.mori.co.uk www.forrester.co.uk