Theoretical Framework And Research Design Research Methodology Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 3128 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Research Methodology A formal and well-defined research methodology is very much crucial to the success of a research study. Most researchers understand that the quality of sampling and subsequent responses plays an integral role in determining the accuracy of the conclusions formed. The study undertaken will require a great deal of information to be extracted from the accounting professionals, thus requiring a great deal of personal and business communication techniques to be used wisely. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Theoretical Framework And Research Design Research Methodology Finance Essay" essay for you Create order Furthermore, the research purpose and objectives have to be aligned with the research methodology so that the study remains within the specified regulations (Kumar, 2008). This chapter will discuss in detail the theoretical basis and guidelines for this research and describe the research study design covering analysis methodologies, sampling size, sampling methodology, data collection methodologies and analysis guidelines. It also presents the methods of validity and reliability analysis of the data collected. Research Design Research designs are of different types and they depend on the type of research method chosen. Research designs can be experimental, quasi or non-quasi designs (William Donnelly, 2006). Experimental designs are the most rigorous designs of all with strong internal validity. But this type of research design only works for one variable at a time although linking this design with other designs can provide more accurate results (William Donnelly, 2006). Quasi experiments consider different groups for experiments with easy implementation. However, keeping the problem statement and the research questions in view for this research, none of the above-mentioned experimental designs will be used. Selecting an appropriate framework is essential in identifying the research concepts. The research design will be a non-experiment type research because the research is not an experiment about the firms employment in Egypt but rather is a descriptive research that will take into account a review o f literature backed by a small survey. No experiments are necessary to evaluate a cause and affect relation because the independent variables acting upon the dependent variable is a matter of different behavioral theories and perceptions of different individuals. In descriptive research, the accurate picture of the phenomenon will highlight the areas that need improvements in this type of research , and the analysis of will develop a better framework that manipulate the study (Kumar, 2008). The purpose of this research is to gather data from Egyptian accounting professionals and develop a conclusion on four different aspects of their accounting practices that are suggested to be affected by cultural factors native to the Egyptian society. This research will be exploratory and will be aimed at gathering facts and opinions to make an assertion and a suggestion. The objective of this research is not to make definitive or exhaustive conclusions because the problem has not been resear ched upon earlier. The study is geared towards describing the general characteristics of the influence of cultural factors on accounting practices of a large population. Thus, a viable approach in conducting this study would be define a sampling strategy and accordingly select a sample that would reflect the characteristics of the population as accurately as possible (Taylor, 2006). This design will certainly reach the desired goals in that the participants would be employees in financial sector and other related departments. Research Analysis For the purpose of this research, qualitative as well as quantitative research methods will be used. Mixed method research is appropriate for determining scalable findings while still getting an in-depth look at the data. Mixed methods are a design form of methodological triangulation (Creswell, 2009). An integrated research approach captures qualitative researchsÂÂ  descriptive richness andÂÂ  quantitative precision measurement (Singh, 2007). Mixed methods may be used effectively in a wide range of studies where trends need to be identified within the general population by using a large number of participants, while also incorporating their subjective views through numerical assessment of their subjective responses. The significance of the using both the research methods together can provide more accurate findings and results that can be used to make the recommendation that is one of the purposes of the research. Using only one research method cannot give an in-depth analysis of the research topic. Qualitative data can only provide a review of literature that is although very thorough but cannot be used to gain insight in the minds of people and their perceptions (Creswell, 2003). Quantitative data, on the other hand, addresses this problem, but alone it cannot provide a strong background for the research (Goddard Melville, 2004).Therefore, a combination of both the methods that is a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods will be used to carry out this research. The role and impact of cultural factors on financial reporting and compliance with IFRS of firms in Egypt can be analyzed by using quantitative and qualitative research. Qualitative and quantitative methods are important for this research. According to Sale, Lohfeld and Brazil (2002) qualitative research can be used to collect primary data or a firsthand knowledge on the research topic. Although qualitative research can take time to collect this information, qualitative data is usually very accurate. On the other hand, quantitative research method takes into account the secondary data resources such as review of academic journals, articles, books, newspapers, and Internet. This research can provide a deeper understanding of the topic and can be used to analyze the for and against arguments. The combination of both the research methods can help accomplish a more valid and genuine research conclusion. Research Methodology The research method of a study is a blueprint and plan undertaken to acquire information to complete the research. This research is exploratory because of its nature to define the research problem in an intuitive approach rather than supporting previous research material published on the subject. The research study will comprise of two stages: Stage 1: the respondents will be subjected to a questionnaire comprising of 12 questions, 3 per segment being tested. All the respondents will be asked to mark their opinions on a Likert scale (1-5) with the meaning of each question depending on the context and stance of the question itself. It is possible that two questions with equally opposite scores (1 and 5) may convey one meaning and vice versa. Stage 2: Once stage 1 has been completed, the responses from the questionnaire administration stage will be tallied and a bunch of 100 respondents will be selected randomly, irrespective of their responses. These will be subjected to a sem i-structured interview where a set of ten different questions will be administered to them, gauging their opinions and rectifying their answers in stage 1. The objective here would be to cross-match their responses and to identify any biases or hindrances restricting a comprehensive answer in print. There would be informal discussions in this stage which would form the interpretative portions of the research conclusions. Quantitative methodology Quantitative studies are limited to specific, pre-determined variables. A study should begin with clearly defined questions with the intent of generating statistically significant answers. Edmunson and McManus (2007) have noted that quantitative research begins with testing one or more specific, theoretical hypotheses with a random and representative selection of research participants. Quantitative research is appropriate for this research because it can be used to gain an insight into the attitudes, behaviors and aspirations of the Egyptian firms towards accounting practices. For this purpose, a questionnaire will be a central part of the research (Singh, 2007). Qualitative methodology Qualitative research methods are appropriate for this research as qualitative research will involve an account of different scholars views and ideas as well as reasons for the high rate of employment of Egyptian firms in financial sector. For this purpose, secondary methods of data collection such as case studies and literature from the journals, periodicals, articles will be taken into consideration (William Donnelly, 2006). In addition to this, Internet search will retrieve the latest reports regarding the literature review, and a survey questionnaire will be distributed to provide up to date information. Such an extensive amount of research is necessary to take into account the past and present information on the industry so that the evaluation of future can be objective and not subjective (Sale, Lohfeld Brazil, 2002). Population The population consists of all Egyptian accountants and reporting professionals across various industries. Every industry comprises of accounting and financial reporting functions, thus the population for this study would comprise of all accounting and reporting professionals across all industries in Egypt. However, Egypt as a country, has a large population of organizations scattered across its capital, Cairo, Alexandria, Giza, Luxor and Port Said. The geographical distribution of the population is large and it would not be a viable study if the entire population of Egypt were to be considered as a population for the study then the sampling strategy would have to ensure that there are selections from all of these cities. Thus, for the purpose of simplicity, and assuming an average distribution of the population across all the cities, we will define the population of this study to comprise of accounting and financial reporting professionals in Cairo. The underlying supporting argu ment to narrow down the population would be the fact that Cairo is an appropriate reflection of the entire Egyptian population of accountants and financial reporters and that the research outcome would not be significantly affected by this decision. Sampling Strategy The sampling strategy will be based upon the general principles of research governing an exploratory study. The sample will be selected using a stratified random sampling technique. This is to ensure that all groups and industries of Egyptian accountants are represented equally in the research. Furthermore, to increase the efficiency and reliability of this research, the sampling will include all the industries in Egypt banking, financial services, FMCGs, services, malls, importers, exporters, manufacturing concerns and charities in their proportions in Cairo. The sample will consist of 150 different organizations, where each organization must provide a minimum of one accountant as part of the survey, and can also provide as many as five different accounting professionals to act as respondents for this research. Therefore, the minimum number of respondents for this survey will be 150 while the potential maximum respondents can be 750. However, we would expect an average of 300 respondents to be part of the survey. It is true that a higher sample size would be more accurate and would reflect the characteristics of the population more closely, however, there needs to be made a balance between the objectivity of the research and the costs associated in dealing with so many responses. The sample will be restricted to 300 responses in the first stage of the study. For the second stage, a handful pick of 100 respondents will be selected from the questionnaire respondents and be made part of the second stage of the research. Once again, the objective is to balance the objectivity and the resources allocated for the research wisely. The respondents will not be discriminated on age, gender or seniority in the organization. This is because the main idea behind conducting the survey is to know why firms enter the financial sector. The responses from the respondents of other sectors will be analyzed to know their perception about the employment in the financial s ector. The respondents have a complete overview and the implications of the seriousness of the survey so that an objective answer is obtained. The respondents are given full surety about the confidentiality of their responses and the information is not shared with anyone except for the research purposes (Taylor, 2006). Accomplishment of Study Goals The proposed research method and the research design is the best choice for the accomplishment of the proposed research goals and objectives. This is because, this research design and method will cover every aspect of the topic and its variables using a simple but in-depth descriptive analysis of the firms in Cairo. The most important part of the research is the review of different literature available so that a comprehension literature is available to answer the research questions and findings of the survey can validate it. The findings are generalized to entire firms population in Egypt. Data Collection Data collection refers to the sources used for collection of data that depend on the type of research method chosen (Kothari, 2006). For instance, qualitative data collection will take into account the numeric data of the past and present whereas cross sectional data collection method will consider the data across different regions in a particular time frame (Saunders et al., 2006). Most researches focus on the primary and secondary information collection for data analysis. Primary information will consist of questionnaires from the firms in financial sector. Secondary research will consist of literature review based on academic journals, books, articles, and Internet search (William Donnelly, 2006). Methodological approach and design is a framework that binds a research together so that the research questions can be analyzed effectively. The reasons and future of the Egyptian firms employment in financial sector can be analyzed by using two most commonly research methods toget her known as qualitative method and quantitative method. This will be done to ensure a strong and authenticate research so that it can become a basis for future researches. The research design consists of questionnaire and literature review. The literature review comprises of academic journals, articles, books and reports related to the role of cultural factors and their influence on accounting and financial reporting in Egypt and in particular employment in the financial sector. The aim and purpose behind the collection of such an extensive data is to gain knowledge on the employment environment for firms and how it is shaping their career choices. Further, the objective of the research is not to form a definitive conclusion on the subject but rather provide suggestions and assertions that can either be affirmed or denounced by further researchers (William Donnelly, 2006). Data Collection Techniques For the purpose of literature review, the data collection will consist of pe riodicals, journals, articles, newspapers, books and, Internet for the last five years. Consideration of all these sources of secondary information is necessary because each source contains different type of information and literature to complete this research (William Donnelly, 2006). Because secondary research includes all these techniques of data collection, no other techniques is necessary. These techniques can provide the trends and changes in the employment world in Egypt and particularly in the financial industry. To provide more ground to the literature review findings, primary research will use questionnaire that is closed end survey so that verification of variables under study is done. The need to reduce bias and errors in data collection is necessary and thus care has to be taken when conducting the research. The data collection techniques should be independent of each other and any contrasting research material should not be hidden as a result of confirmation bias. Further, over-confidence bias should be eradicated to the largest extent possible by reducing a possible conclusion right at the beginning of the study and keeping all options for conclusions open till the end (Kothari, 2008). Data Collection The collection of data relating to the employment environment in the Middle Eastern countries is necessary that narrows down to Egypt and firms employment public financial sector in the country. The data collection will focus on all the industries existing in Cairo but on a pro-rate basis to ensure a fair reflection of the population in the sample. The data collection will be done in stage 1 by administering the questionnaire through email and by following up with the organizations to fill in their responses. The second stage would involve focus group sessions covering the respondents in a facilitating manner in groups of ten to incorporate a healthy dialogue. Instruments Different researches use different data collection instruments. The survey questionnaire is the most useful in terms of serving the purpose of this dissertation because it allows the collection of subjective participant attitudes in a numerical format through the use of a Likert style questionnaire. The questionnaire is a favored tool of many of those engaged in research, and it can often provide a cheap and effective way of collecting data in a structured and manageable form (Edmondson McManus, 2008). The purpose of the survey questionnaire that will be used is to collect data to measure the dependent variable, firms employment and the independent variables such as job empowerment, job security, society attitudes, and career choices. Time frame is limited for this study and thus it does not allow an elaborate process of collection of interview data with a large participant sample and subsequent qualitative analysis of the data (Kothari, 2008). Research Objectives Null Hypot hesis: Egyptian accountants are more likely to value statutory control. The effect of cultural factors affecting four accounting facets statutory control, uniformity, conservatism and secrecy on accounting practices. There is nothing called perfect data. However, what makes the extraction of information from data so tedious a process? Empirical Research Statistical Tools and Profilers Research Parameters Primary Research and First-hand data collection: Stage I: Questionnaire administered to 300 respondents. Stage II: Interviews of 100 respondents. IFRS accounting rules and regulations Literature Review Secondary Research: Books, journal articles, internet unpublished researches. Diagram 1: Conceptual Model Hypothesis 1 Research Objectives Null Hypothesis: Egyptian accountants are more likely to value uniformity. The effect of cultural factors affecting four accounting facets statutory control, uniformity, conservatism and secrecy on accounting practices. There is nothing called perfect data. However, what makes the extraction of information from data so tedious a process? Empirical Research Statistical Tools and Profilers Research Parameters Primary Research and First-hand data collection: Stage I: Questionnaire administered to 300 respondents. Stage II: Interviews of 100 respondents. IFRS accounting rules and regulations Literature Review Secondary Research: Books, journal articles, internet unpublished researches. Diagram 2: Conceptual Model Hypothesis 2 Research Objectives Null Hypothesis: Egyptian accountants are more likely to value conservatism. The effect of cultural factors affecting four accounting facets statutory control, uniformity, conservatism and secrecy on accounting practices. There is nothing called perfect data. However, what makes the extraction of information from data so tedious a process? Empirical Research Statistical Tools and Prof ilers Research Parameters Primary Research and First-hand data collection: Stage I: Questionnaire administered to 300 respondents. Stage II: Interviews of 100 respondents. IFRS accounting rules and regulations Literature Review Secondary Research: Books, journal articles, internet unpublished researches. Diagram 3: Conceptual Model Hypothesis 3 Research Objectives Null Hypothesis: Egyptian accountants are more likely to value secrecy. The effect of cultural factors affecting four accounting facets statutory control, uniformity, conservatism and secrecy on accounting practices. There is nothing called perfect data. However, what makes the extraction of information from data so tedious a process? Empirical Research Statistical Tools and Profilers Research Parameters Primary Research and First-hand data collection: Stage I: Questionnaire administered to 300 respondents. Stage II: Interviews of 100 respondents. IFRS accounting rules and regulations Literature Review Secondary Research: Books, journal articles, internet unpublished researches. Diagram 4: Conceptual Model Hypothesis 4

Piagets Cognitive Theory Essay - 1080 Words

Psychology Piagets Cognitive Theory Cognitive development is the development of thought processes, including remembering, problem solving, and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood. Historically, the cognitive development of children has been studied in a variety of ways. The oldest is through intelligence tests. An example of this is the Stanford Binet Intelligence Quotient test. IQ scoring is based on the concept of mental age, according to which the scores of a child of average intelligence match his or her age. IQ tests are widely used in the United States, but they have been criticized for defining intelligence too narrowly. In contrast to the emphasis placed on a child ¡Ã‚ ¦s natural abilities by†¦show more content†¦Not everything can be assimilated into existing schemas, though, and the process of accommodation must be used. In accommodation, existing schemas are modified or new schemas are created to process new information. According to Piaget, cognitive development invol ves an ongoing attempt to achieve a balance between assimilation and accommodation that he termed equilibration. He formulated a theory that systematically describes and explains how intellect develops. The basis of his theory is the principle that cognitive development occurs in a series of four distinct stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operations, and formal operations. In the first, or sensorimotor, stage (birth to two years), knowledge is gained primarily through sensory impressions and motor activity. Through these two modes of learning, experienced both separately and in combination, infants gradually learn to control their own bodies and objects in the external world. Toward the end of Piaget ¡Ã‚ ¦s career, he brought about the idea that action is actually the primary source of knowledge and that perception and language are more secondary roles. He claimed that action is not random, but has organization, as well as logic. Infants from birth to four months however, are incapable of thought and are unable to differentiate themselves from others or from the environment. To infants, objects only exist when they are insightShow MoreRelatedPiagets Theory of Cognitive Development1075 Words   |  5 PagesPiaget’s Theory of Child Psychological Development There currently exists a great deal of literature based on child developmental psychology from a variety of great psychologists, notably Freud, Erikson, Bowlby, Bandura, Vygotsky, and many others. However, this paper will focus on the theories of Jean Piaget. Jean Piaget, a Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher, was born in Neuchatel, Switzerland on August 9, 1896. After working with Alfred Binet in his children’s intelligence testsRead MorePiagets Theory of Cognitive Development959 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ The term cognitive development refers to the process of developing intelligence and higher level thinking that allows a person to acquire problem-solving skills from the age of infancy through adulthood. A Swiss philosopher by the name of Jean Piaget took an interest in in developmental psychology; specifically in children during infancy through pre-adolescence. This model developed by Piaget still has a modern-day relevancy. Contributions to Learning and Cognition Read MorePiagets Stage Theory of Cognitive Development647 Words   |  3 PagesThe Piagets Theory The Piagets stage theory of cognitive development is also known as the stage theory. It introduces that, in the expansion of our thinking, we act through an organized and certain sequence of steps. However, the theory focuses not only on compassionate how the children obtain knowledge, but likewise on the discernment of the substance of intelligence. According to the Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, there are two stages in the thinking pattern of a 3-year old preschoolerRead MorePiagets Theory of Cognitive Development Essays1715 Words   |  7 Pageswho had a lifelong interest in how individuals, especially children, use cognitive development to adapt to the world around them. Piaget published his first paper by the age of 10, completed his bachelor’s degree by the age of 18, and at the age of 22 received his PhD from the University of Neuchatel. Piaget spent many years of his life researching the developmental and cognitive knowledge of children. The The ory of Cognitive Development places focus on human intelligence and developmental thinkingRead More Major Challenges to Piagets Theory of Cognitive Development2134 Words   |  9 Pageschallenges to Piagets theory of cognitive development and what aspects still have value? To answer this question, Piagets theory of development should be explained along with Vygotskys theory and the connectionist theory of development, and then each should be compared with the others. Once this has been achieved the main similarities and differences will be summarized, and finally the areas of Piagets theory that have not been undermined by other theories will be reiterated. In Piagets opinionRead MoreThe Sensorimotor Stage of Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development 1125 Words   |  5 PagesThe theorist, Jean Piaget, was most interested in the development of children’s intellectual organization. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development begins with the sensorimotor stage. Sensorimotor intelligence is thinking by observing objects and acting in response to them. Throughout the stages the child understands that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen which is referred to as object permanence. When a child exhibits a behavior that creates an experience that leads to repetitionRead MorePiagets Theory of Cognitive Development1173 Words   |  5 PagesCognitive development is the development of thought processes, including remembering, problem solving, and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood. Historically, the cognitive development of children has been studied in a variety of ways. The olde st is through intelligence tests. An example of this is the Stanford Binet Intelligence Quotient test. IQ scoring is based on the concept of mental age, according to which the scores of a child of average intelligence matchRead MorePiaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development3150 Words   |  13 PagesPiaget’s Theory Of Cognitive Development Jaclyn F. Losquadro Hunter College, The City Of New York Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development Cognitive development is much more than addition of new facts and ideas to an existing store of information. According to Piaget, our thinking processes change radically, though slowly, from birth to maturity because we constantly strive to make sense of our world. He also believed that all people pass through the same four stages (sensorimotor, preoperationalRead MoreTheories Of Development : Piagets Theory Of Cognitive Development1363 Words   |  6 PagesPiagets theory of cognitive development In the 1960s and 1970s, the Freudian psychology was changed with the initiation of the empirical methods to study the human behavior. Psychologist and philosopher Jean Piaget empirically verified, moving towards the cognitive development theory to provide the new perspective to the individual in getting awareness about the developmental stages of the children. Just like Freud, Piaget thought that human development could only be described in stages. On theRead MoreDiscuss Piagets theory of cognitive development1235 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Discuss Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development Cognitive Development can be defined as the development of thought processes. This includes thinking, concept understanding, problem solving, and decision making and remembering from childhood on to adulthood. There are two theories of Cognitive development that offer us two different ways of understanding it. The first is called Domain general. This theory states that one line of development determines all of the changes in a child’s

Research Methodological Approaches free essay sample

It is also often confused with epistemology, which is about knowledge and knowing. Ontology is one of core areas of philosophical study, which research as the nature of being, reality and existence, it also discuss about the relationship between each categories of being. ‘An ontology is a specification of a conceptualization. ’(Gruber, 1993: 199). Objectivism ‘Objectivism is an ontological position that asserts that social phenomena and their meanings have an existence that is independent of social actors. It implies that social phenomena and the categories that we use in every day discourse have an existence that is independent or separate from actors’ (Bryman, 2007: 22). Objectivism is a philosophical terminology that refers to an attitude of people to look at things, to think about things without particular point of person, means the properties of the thing itself without personal views. Further, objectivism also means the existence of natural and social properties of things (Saunders, 2007; Bryman, 2007). Subjectivism An ontological position that asserts, that entities are created from the perceptions and consequent actions of those social actors responsible for their creation’ (Saunders, 2007: 612). According to Saunders (2007), subjectivism is the consciousness and spirit of people, it is opposed to objectivism. Subjectivism means that people participate in to observe some things, at this time, the nature and social properties and rule of the observed things will vary with different views from different people. Positivism The epistemological position that advocates working with an observable social reality. The emphasis is on highly structured methodology to facilitate replication, and the end product can be law-like generalizations similar to those produced by the physical and natural scientists’ (Saunders, 2007: 606). According to Saunders (2007), positivism is an ontological position, one or the main determinants in research questions research philosophy. Positivis m is attribute with the naturel sciences. It reflects scientific laws by summarize the phenomenon. Interpretivism ‘The epistemological position that advocates the necessity to understand differences between humans in their role as social actors’ (Saunders, 2007: 600). Interpretivism is a philosophical viewpoint formed from human scientific process, mainly common in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Interpretivism is based on idealism, it advocates that human experience of the world is not the passive perception and acceptance on the material world, but takes an initiative to the increase understanding and interpretation. The interpretivist ontological basis of the real world is the human explanation for the different behaviour and condition of the product. In other words it attempts to understand the truth of the real world, which is built the subjective idea of humanity (Schwandt, 1994). Quantitative Approach ‘Take a quantitative approach to addressing their research questions and design a study that involves collecting quantitative data and analyzing them using statistical methods’ (Collis, 2009: 7). According to Bryman (2007), the quantitative approach is a research strategy or process that emphasizes quantification in the collection, analysis and explanation of data. It uses questionnaires to achieve the purpose by set up the research questions and is predetermined. Qualitative Approach The qualitative approach addresses research questions by examining the consciousness and spirit of people (Collis, 2009). The qualitative approach is a research strategy or process that usually emphasizes words rather than quantification in the collection, analysis and explanation of data (Bryman 2007). Qualitative research is likely to lead to a greater range of ethical concerns (Saunders 2007). Interviews are often used to gather reliable and valid information for the research. It is a purposeful discussion between two or more people (Kahn and Cannell, 1957, cited in Saunders 2007). The focus group method is a form of group interview in which: there are several participants, there is an emphasis in the questioning on a particular fairly tightly defined topic; and the accent is upon interaction within the group and the joint construction of meaning (Bryman, 2007: 511) The focused group can be separate into individual interview and group interview (Merton et al. 1956, cited in Bryman 2007). Pragmatic Approach ‘An ontological position that argues that the most important determinant of the research philosophy adopted is the research questions. It applies a practical approach, integrating different perspectives to help collect and interpret data’ (Saunders, 2007: 607). According to Saunders (2007), pragmatic research is a practical approach, it employs the thinking of both the Interpretivism and Positivism. Using both quantitative and qualitative approach, integrating different options to help collect and interpret data. Conclusion Compare with qualitative and quantitative research, I found that using quantitative approach, the aim is to classify features, build statistical models to explain what is observed, and researcher should know specifically what information is looking for and tends to keep objectively during the research. The data collect by use questionnaires, and the quantitative data is more efficient. Different with quantitative approach, for qualitative approach, the aim should be complete and detailed statement, researcher may only know roughly what information is looking and he/she may be subjectively immersed in the research process. The data gathering by use interview or focus group, but the qualitative data may be less able to be generalized. The research project has been decided to review the Apple Inc. development strategy during last 10 years.

1. Definition of Down Syndrome Essay Example For Students

1. Definition of Down Syndrome Essay Down Syndrome, congenital malformation accompanied by moderate to severe mental retardation, and caused by a chromosomal abnormality. The chance of getting Down syndrome is approximately one in 700 births, but the risk varies with the age of the mother. The incidence of Down syndrome in children born to 25-year-old mothers is approximately 1 in 1200; the risk increases to approximately 1 in 120 for women older than 40 years. Prenatal tests like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling can be used to detect the chromosomal abnormality causing Down syndrome. Maternal blood tests can also suggest the presence of a fetus with Down syndrome when levels of alphafetoprotein are lower than usual, or when levels of unconjugated estriol and human chorionic gonadotrophin are abnormal. The chromosomal abnormality which generally causes Down syndrome is trisomy-21, or the presence of three 21st chromosomes. As a result, the affected person has 47 chromosomes in all body cells instead of the normal 46. Scientists assume that the reason for the abnormally is the fertilization of an ovum having 24 chromosomes by a sperm with a normal assortment of 23, but they have also found that the sperm can carry the extra chromosome as well. The abnormal ovum or sperm is derived from a germ cell in which the pair of 21st chromosomes holds together and passes into the same sperm or ovum instead of separating. There are two types of Down Syndrome: translocation and mosaicism. Down syndrome can not yet be treated, but medical care of the disease results in an almost normal life for the persons affected. In the past, many children with Down syndrome were put in institutions. Today, Most children with Down syndrome participate in public-school programs, and most adults with Down syndrome hold jobs of different types in our society. Persons with Down syndrome are often short in stature and have a small, round head with a high, flattened forehead. A typical feature is a fold of skin, the epicanthic fold, on either side of the bridge of the nose.. Such persons are also subject to heart defectsmany of which can be corrected surgicallyand are more likely to develop leukemia than normal people. 2. Life with Down Syndrome 1. The ostracism related to Down Syndrome First of all, even if it sounds very logical, its important to say that Down Syndrome isnt usual; its not something that occurs in everybodys life . A minority of people have this disease, and therefore, were not used to this. Maybe it scares us, maybe it makes us laugh, or maybe it makes us feel sorry. Anyway, we feel uncomfortable in these peoples company. Were not used to confront them in our everyday life ,so it makes it difficult for us to share our lives with them in the same unique society. This is when the phenomenon of ostracism makes its entrance. Here are two major factors to this ostracism: People with Down Syndrome are mentally handicapped, and can therefore not accomplish the same intellectual tasks as normal people. Of course, it depends on how severe the handicap is, but in most of the cases, this is true. So the society does not accept from the intellectual point of view. Persons with Down Syndrome dont look the same way as we do. Sometimes, theyre even physically handicapped. This makes it difficult for them to participate in our physical activities , which sometimes even run our lives. Sports are one of these activities. One can say its a good thing there has been arranged games for these people, but doesnt this attend to separate them even more from our society ?In a way ,it does. I will conclude by saying that its a fact , this ostracism really exists . But isnt it human ? Sometimes one just cannot control their feelings. .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 , .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 .postImageUrl , .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 , .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691:hover , .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691:visited , .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691:active { border:0!important; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691:active , .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691 .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u163da0b86a484fb745280fe2ab7d7691:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Homeless Essay Its nature, its the way we are .And actually , theres nothing more to it . At least , for the moment .A change of mentality is a long process. The people concerned must in a way accept this, as long as theyre not made fun of or discriminated. And again, as in the issue of racism, tolerance is the key. We cant be asked to like them, but .

Capitalism and Social Responsibility free essay sample

Business is important to a country’s economy because it is its backbone. It is a constant battle for a better means of living. The economy gives individuals jobs and the ability to sustain themselves. 2. What is a private enterprise? What four rights are critical to the operation of capitalism? Why would capitalism function poorly in a society that does not ensure these rights for its citizen? An economic system that rewards firms for their ability to identify and serve the needs and demands of customers, (capitalism). minimizes gov’t interference in economic activity. 4 rights are private property, profits, competition, and freedom of choice  3. In what ways is entrepreneurship vital to the private enterprise system? Entrepreneurs take risks in our private enterprise system;driving economic growth and force current companies to continue to satisfy consumer’s wants. Entrepreneurs often times bring a new product or service to the market(jobs) Entrepreneurs are a main force that propel private enterprise. We will write a custom essay sample on Capitalism and Social Responsibility or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Entrepreneurs possess the desire to start a business despite the risks involved, â€Å"An entrepreneur is someone who sees a potentially profitable opportunity and then devises a plan to achieve success in the marketplace and earn those profits† (Kurtz). The private enterprise system would not function correctly if not for the entrepreneurs that pressure previous companies to compete for customers. Entrepreneurship is also a vital part of the free enterprise system because it creates job opportunities, â€Å"Every year, they create more than one of every five new jobs in the economy. † (Kurtz) The new start up companies also create more jobs by allowing business owners to be self employed. New technology and innovations are often produced by these companies the most in areas that are new and have a low level of competition. Because of their limited resources, small businesses are forced to think of new and cheaper ways to do things, â€Å"Often, they do this because they have to—they may not have enough money to build an expensive prototype or launch a nationwide ad campaign. † (Kurtz)Due to their small size, these companies are able to adapt quicker and easier than a big company. 4. Define partnership and strategic alliance. How might a motorcycle dealer and a local radio station benefit from an alliance? Partnership-association of two or more persons who operate a business as co-owners by voluntary legal agreement. Strategic alliance partnership formed to create a competitive advantage for the businesses involved. 5. What do the terms business ethics and social responsibility mean? Why are they important components of a firm’s overall philosophy in conducting business? Business ethics are the standards of conduct and moral values governing actions and decisions in the work environment. Social responsibility is the enhancement of societies welfare through philosophies, policies, procedures and actions. It is crucial for businesses to gain the trust of consumers. Business ethics are essential if a business wants to grow and succeed. Ethics are important because they are â€Å"the standards of conduct and moral values governing actions and decisions in the work environment. † (Kurtz). These decisions have an impact on the environment, employees, and customers. Social responsibility supports the welfare of a society by promoting ethical philosophies, policies, procedures, and actions. In an ethical business decision, â€Å"businesses must find the delicate balance between doing what is right and doing what is profitable. † (Kurtz). Everybody involved with the business should benefit. Usually, businesses go about ethics and social responsibility in three ways. They do this by embracing traditional corporate philanthropy, anticipating and managing risks, and spotting opportunities that profit and benefit the society. 6. In what ways do firms demonstrate their social responsibility? By providing equal employment opportunities, respecting the cultural diversity of employees, responding to environmental concerns, providing a safe and healthy workplace, and producing high quality products that are safe to use. 7. What are the five major areas in which companies have responsibilities to their employees? What types of changes in society are now affecting these responsibilities? The 5 major areas in which companies have responsibilities to their employees are; workplace safety, quality-of-life issues, ensuring equal opportunity on the job, avoiding age description, and preventing sexual harassment and sexism. 8. How does a company demonstrate its responsibility to investors and the financial community? A company demonstrates its responsibility to investors and the financial community by announcing information to the public, rather than first to selected major investors. The SEC rule of â€Å"fair disclosure† levels the playing field for all the shareholders. 9. How does microeconomics affect business? How does macroeconomics affect business? Why is it important for business people to understand the fundamentals of each? Microeconomics is the study of individual consumers, families, and businesses. Small decisions made by individuals such as deciding what shampoo to buy or what car you want has a huge effect on businesses. Macroeconomics is the study of a country’s general economy. Laws made by the government can help or hurt what a business is doing. Even laws passed in other countries can have a ripple effect on international transactions. It is important for business people to understand these terms because they shape everyday decisions that are made. 10. What are the four stages of the business cycle? In which stage do you believe the U. S. economy is now? Why? The four stages of the business cycle are prosperity, recession, depression, and recovery. A recession is a contraction that last longer than six months in which consumers stray away from frivolous spending. Businesses also make changes by slowing production and making cuts in the workforce. If a recession continues a country will fall into a depression. In a depression, the spending habits of consumers and businesses that were taking place in the recession become commonplace. Food and necessities are difficult to get and jobs are hard to come by. The recovery phase is entered when consumers start to spend more money again. As consumers give more money to businesses, the businesses in term hire more employees. Both benefit the economy greatly. I think that the U. S. is in the recovery phase because i have noticed more frivolous spending in the last few years. People are vacationing again and spending there money on things they don’t necessarily need.

Definition and Examples of Agents in English Grammar

Definition and Examples of Agents in English Grammar In  contemporary  English grammar, the agent is the noun phrase or pronoun that identifies the person or thing which  initiates or performs an action in a sentence. Adjective:  agentive. Also called actor. In a sentence in the active voice, the agent is usually (but not always) the subject (Omar selected the winners). In a sentence in the passive voice, the agent- if identified at all- is usually the object of the  preposition  by (The winners were selected by Omar).The relationship of the subject and verb is called agency. The person or thing that receives an action in a sentence is called the recipient or patient (roughly equivalent to the traditional concept of object). Etymology From the Latin agere, to set in motion, drive forward;  to do Example and Observations Broadly the term [agent] can be used in relation to both transitive and intransitive verbs. . . . Thus the old lady is the agent both in The old lady swallowed a fly  (which can be described in terms of actor-action-goal), and in The fly was swallowed by the old lady. The term can also be applied to the subject of an intransitive verb (e.g. Little Tommy Tucker sings for his supper).The term clearly makes more sense when restricted to a doer who, in a real sense, initiates an action, than when applied to the subject of some mental process verb (e.g. She didnt like it) or of a verb of being (e.g. She was old). Some analysts, therefore, restrict the term, and would not apply it to the noun phrase the old lady if her action was unintentional and involuntary.(Bas Aarts, Sylvia Chalker, and Edmund Weiner,  The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2014)   The Semantic Roles of Agents and Patients Though semantic roles influence the grammar profoundly, they are not primarily grammatical categories. . . . [F]or example, if in some imagined world (which may or may not correspond to objective reality), someone named Waldo paints a barn, then Waldo is acting as the AGENT (the initiator and controller) and the barn is the PATIENT (the affected participant) of the painting event, regardless of whether any observer ever utters a clause like Waldo painted the barn to describe that event.(Thomas E. Payne, Understanding English Grammar. Cambridge University Press, 2011) Subject and Agents Sentences in which the grammatical subject is not the agent are common. For instance, in the following examples the subjects are not agents because the verbs do not describe an action: My son has a very good memory for songs; This lecture was a bit special; It belongs to her mum and dad.(Michael Pearce, The Routledge Dictionary of English Language Studies. Routledge, 2007) Some weasel took the cork out of my lunch.(W. C. Fields, You Cant Cheat an Honest Man, 1939)Man serves the interests of no creature except himself.(George Orwell, Animal Farm, 1945)I write entirely to find out what Im thinking, what Im looking at, what I see and what it means.(Joan Didion, Why I Write. The New York Times Book Review, December 6, 1976)Mr. Slump hit the horses twice with a willow branch.(Grace Stone Coates, Wild Plums. Frontier, 1929)Henry Dobbins, who was  a big man, carried extra rations; he was especially fond of canned peaches in heavy syrup over pound cake.(Tim OBrien, The Things They Carried.  Houghton Mifflin,  1990)When I was two years old my father took me  down to the beach in New Jersey, carried me into the surf until the waves were crashing onto his chest, and then threw me in like a dog, to see, I suppose, whether I would sink or float.(Pam Houston,  Waltzing the Cat.  Norton, 1997)  Early in the  20th century,  parasols of lace lined   with chiffon or silk, or in chiffon and moirà © silk often matching the dress, with exquisite handles of gold, silver, carved ivory or wood with jeweled knobs, were carried by women.(Joan Nunn,  Fashion in Costume, 1200-2000, 2nd ed. New Amsterdam Books, 2000)   Walter was kicked by a mule. The Invisible Agent in Passive Constructions In many situations, . . . the purpose of the passive is simply to avoid mentioning the agent:It was reported today that the federal funds to be allocated for the power plant would not be forthcoming as early as had been anticipated. Some contracts on the preliminary work have been canceled and others renegotiated.Such officialese or bureaucratese takes on a nonhuman quality because the agent role has completely disappeared from the sentences. In the foregoing example, the reader does not know who is reporting, allocating, anticipating, canceling, or renegotiating.   (Martha Kolln and Robert Funk, Understanding English Grammar. Allyn and Bacon, 1998)The function served by a passive- that of defocusing an agent  (Shibatani 1985)- is useful in a variety of circumstances. The agents identity my be unknown, irrelevant, or best concealed (as when Floyd merely says The glass was broken). Often the agent is generalized or undifferentiated (e.g. The environment is being seriously degraded ). Whatever the reason, defocusing the agent leaves the theme as the only, and thus the primary, focal participant. (Ronald W. Langacker, Cognitive Grammar: A Basic Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2008) Pronunciation: A-jent

Weapons of Mass Destruction Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Weapons of Mass Destruction - Research Paper Example encompasses activities, agencies, authorities and resources required to respond once it is recognized that Anthrax has been released as a result of terrorist activities. A. Immediate contact and consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Relevant samples of identified Bacillus anthracis will be isolated and prepared for evaluation to determine strain and potential lethality in coordination with CDC officials. E. Cleaning and disinfection of medical equipment will be considered and coordinated using the Principles of Standard Precautions guidelines. Immediate procurement of germicidal agents should be coordinated with relevant supply chain vendors and through consultation with local and state government actors. F. Pathology departments and laboratories providing clinical services must be informed of the relevant infectious dangers of post-mortem services, inclusive of procurement of eye protection instruments and masks. B. Coordination with the Food and Drug Administration to receive approvals to procure Anthrax vaccinations under the Emergency Use Authorization legislation for victims 18 and older. For children, approvals generated by the FDA under the Investigational New Drug protocol. A. Local law enforcement officers will maintain responsibility for coordinating isolation procedures, establishing barricades which prevent access into and outside of Anchorage during the disaster period. B. State authorities will declare a state of emergency, temporarily halting operations of the city public transit services, the Alaska railroad, and the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Coordination with the Department of Homeland Security will ensure that air traffic is properly re-routed and all waterway transport re-directed to other non-affected ports of call. A. Assign relevant health personnel to provide routine medical exams for injured responders or those illustrating symptoms of Anthrax exposure, consisting of

Film Clip Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Film Clip - Movie Review Example In the latter part of the clip, the sounds from the set gets more and more clearer. Noises from the outside of Uncle Jean's room can be deciphered by anyone. The sound of the voices in the other rooms, the noise of dishes clanging to the unexplainable sounds emerging from Uncle Jean's radio. The makers of this film wanted it to be more realistic, so they opted to choose the natural sounds coming from the set itself instead of using sound effects and dubbing the characters' voices. None, absolutely none of the sounds in the whole of the film was altered, omitted nor edited. The director captured the heart of the film by doing so. Employing sound effects would make an impression of the film as unrealistic, commercial or will make it seem as if it was overdone. If the viewer listens very thoroughly to all of the film's sounds, even the slightest and the most unimportant of those, he will get a feel of what it is like to be in that hospital room with the beautiful Carmen and her eccentric Uncle Jean. Style / Mis-en-scene/Editing/Plot The 5-minute French film clip, when initially judged by a viewer, looks like a film made in the late 1980's or the early 1990's, the hairstyle of one of the two characters. The quality of the picture states out the hint that the film was probably shot in the 1970's. Other than that, one can not interpret when the movie was made. The style of the scene location is undeniably bleak, it was obviously shot wholly in the hospital room of Carmen's Uncle Jean. The color of the hospital room even adds to the gloom of the purely conversational and poignant film. It looks like a working class hospital in France because of the way his room looks, it doesn't look dirty and shabby, and neither does it look clean and hygienic. Well, it is not that important to dwell on those aspects of the film. Humans express themselves and their emotions in a variety of modes. Whether it be actions, words, pictures, speeches and the like. Each and every one of these modes may be branded as a "language" (mode of expression and communication). In the film, the characters expressed themselves very clearly, from their gestures to their facial expressions. Uncle John is obviously depressed and bored with his situation, so the visit of his niece Carmen felt like utter relief from him, a refuge from his boredom. In his dialogue, he is confusingly reluctant to grant his niece's request to borrow his apartment unit in Trouville. On the set, the lighting did an almost perfect job in blending with the overall ambience of the hospital room, there was barely any light other than sunlight outside the room. Most probably, the scene was morning, so the overall appearance of the room contrasted with the lightness, eagerness and the joyful atmosphere of the morning. The conversation between the two is not movie-like. It was realistically executed and delivered by the characters as if they were really their characters, as if they weren't

Supply Chain Management in Tehindo Tea Manufacturing Company Case Study

Supply Chain Management in Tehindo Tea Manufacturing Company - Case Study Example The company has implemented a vertical integration model where a company within the Tehindo Corporate Organization supplies tea leaves, one of the main raw materials of producing their products especially the fruity tea. The company has big parts of land, which they grow tea thus supplying over eleven sale centers with various sales offices in Indonesia. Integrating the supplier’s actions on its own has become unachievable by several companies given the need for the company to minimize inventories and be able to deliver customers’ demands on time. This has been very helpful to the company since they have been able to concentrate more on the production and distribution sections of the company. The other responsibility of the manufacturers is ensuring that the products are safe at the design stage, where they can eliminate the hazards and any potential misuse in this stage. On the other hand, the manufacturer receives the raw materials from the suppliers and produces good s as per the market segment and those products that will satisfy the consumer needs. In addition, the manufacturers sometimes when they sell their goods direct to the consumers that they tend to control the prices of their products. The manufacturer also receives information from the distributors, wholesalers, and retailers about the products sales thus it becomes helpful in forecasting or making a decision of which product to invest more.The company has implemented a vertical integration model where a company within the Tehindo Corporate Organization supplies tea leaves

Positive Effects Of Social Networking Media Essay

Positive Effects Of Social Networking Media Essay The first type of social networking created was Email, which was invented in 1975 (Email). Since then social networking has advanced into a profile with numerous features that can be used and has integrated the use of email. Now social networking is changing the way the world interacts with people, and has provided many useful tools for the world to use. Still these social networks are continuing to advance to provide better features for users, and these popular sites will continue to grow in size. Even though social networks can have negative effects such as wasting time, it also affects people positively by allowing people to communicate and remain in contact with friends in a much easier way. In the article Are social networking sites good for our society? (2009) social networking is defined as an online community that allow people to develop profiles of their backgrounds and interests, communicate with friends and strangers, and share thoughts, photos, Internet links, music, and more (p.1). Once a social network is joined users are prompted to identify others in the system with which they have a relationship known generally as friends. Social networking sites vary greatly with the features they have to offer, and is what makes each site different from the other. Six Degrees was the first major social network, similar to social networking today, to be launched and was launched in 1997 (Bhutkar, 2009). Social networking as it is today did not become popular until 2003 when Friendster MySpace and LinkedIn were launched. Then in 2004 Facebook was launched but was only open to college students with a valid university email. Facebook remained a college only network for two yea rs before it opened to the general public in 2006. Since then Facebook has become the number one social networking site (Bhutkar, 2009). Social networking sites allow people to communicate and remain in contact with friends as well as meet new people. These sites allow people to find others with similar interests that they can create a relationship with and get to know one another. Groups can be joined or formed to meet people with similar interests, and views. Social networking allows for creative expression by using tools such as blogging and messaging to post ideas and stories (Are social networking sites good for our society, 2009). Users also share poems, interest in music, TV shows, hobbies, photos, and many other things (Jasson). Event invitations can be made and sent to friends rather than having to mail invitations and friends can also rsvp for an event on the site. Not only is it used to talk to friends, but it is also used to discuss educational topics. Social networking is said to increase a persons quality of life, and can reduce health risks. Many people report that they have not had any negative experiences with social networking, and schools are starting to look at it as an educational tool (Thelwell, 2006). The use of social networking helps improve technological skills of students, and exposes them to many diverse views about things. It also has helped with communication skills, and allows the learning of cultures from users all over the world. Also students use social networking to discuss homework topics with peers online, and to get help on assignments (Reid, 2009). Sixty percent of students on social networks have said that they talk about education, and 50 percent specifically talk about school work assignments. These students seem to have an extraordinary set of traditional and 21st century skills including communication, creativi ty, collaboration, and leadership skills and technology proficiency. Parents are expecting schools to take advantage of using online social networking to educate children, but to do so in a safe way. Some public schools have created a secure social network for its student to be able to communicate with other students, and to do so in a more safe way (National School Board Association, 2007). Social Networking does not just benefit individuals, but it also benefits businesses as well. These sites allow businesses to advertise and market services to a large audience, and a profile is free to set up (Gillin). Numerous businesses have created profiles that provide detailed information about the business to advertise in a low cost way (Roberts, 2008). Businesses will gain more attention on social networks because the business profile is available to for all users of the social network to see. Also businesses like to use social networks to learn what potential employees are like, and make decisions based on the information provided on the persons profile (Ellison, Steinfield, Lampe, 2007). Social networking has already completely changed the way people interact in the world, but also it is advancing more to make it easier to access. Now social networking is becoming mobile and can be accessed through the use of a cell phone. It is thought to be a great idea and would increase the use of social networking since a lot of people carry cell phones with them at all times. People can use mobile phones to update their status, post comments, upload photos, send messages, and update profile from just about anywhere (Kharif, 2006). This allows people to be able to get things done as well as take some time to log onto social networks. Making social networks accessible through cell phones is also expected to increase the number of users by a significant amount (Gillin). So far mobile social networking is being used more than social networking from pc computers. The top sites that are being visited using mobile phones are Facebook, MySpace, and Bebo. Being able to access social net works from the cell phone unlocks the full potential of social network, and makes it more convenient for people to use. Since it is more convenient to use the number of users has increased and the mobile social networking has increased significantly (Hamblen, 2008). Social networking does have negative effects as well, but are nothing compared to the advantages of using it. These sites reduce the amount of face to face socializing and replace it with online interaction which is believed to result in low quality relationships with other people (Mikami, Szwedo, Allen, Evans, Hare, 2010). Teens over share information to the public that can hurt them in the future when trying to get a job, and deleting the information is not good enough. Cyber bullying occurs as well, which is bullying people online in a public way, but occurs at a small percentage. People that frequently use online social networking are also prone to social isolation which can lead to depression and decreased social skills (Mikami, Szwedo, Allen, Evans, Hare, 2010). A false sense of security leaves social networking site users vulnerable to security attacks such as hacking, leaking sensitive information, and sending viruses. Identity theft can occur when a cybercriminal uses the network to gather personal information posted about people (University of the Pacific). It also has been said that social networking sites endanger children by allowing pedophiles to seek out children (Are social networking sites good for our society?). Also since they are becoming mobile it might encourage people to use cell phone to access these sites while driving just like text messaging was a popular thing to do while driving. Social networking becoming mobile use will increase cell phone use and the problem with that is that cell phones have been found to emit electromagnetic radiation that is absorbed by the brain and body. This absorption disrupts the brain sites for memory and learning and can cause confusion and forgetfulness (Thomas, 2004). It is also been reported that cell phones can cause cancer from the electromagnetic exposure to other parts of the body, but little emphasis has been placed on it. The cause of cancer in the brain has been the main health concern with cell phones, which social networking by mobile phone is not exposing the brain to the waves. Also, cell phones give small amounts of radiation off and would require a lot of use and over a long period of time for it to start to cause cancer. Research is needed to provide evidence to determine that actual health risk of cell phones. Social networking has its advantages and its disadvantages like everything else does. The sites are continuously advancing, and changing to fix the negative problems. One example would be accessing social networking sites using cell phones so that people can access the site on the go rather than sit at home on a computer. Most users have stated that they have had only positive experiences with social networking, and very few people experience cyber bullying. There are still problems that need to be fixed, but it seems that the positive effects outweigh the negative effects. Social networking is a very valuable tool that can be used to meet new people, and allow people to remain in contact with friends. Even though it can waste time, social networking positively affects the world by allowing people to communicate, and remain in contact with friends in an easy and convenient way.

Comparing Everyman and The Second Shepherds Play :: comparison compare contrast essays

Everyman and The Second Shepherds' Play remind the audience that good deeds are necessary for redemption, however, they reinforce the idea that we must shun material concerns to be redeemed. Both plays seek to reinforce these aspects of redemption to insure that all may be redeemed. The world is imperfect, and the only way we can make ourselves perfect and worthy of redemption is by not worrying about our material well being and performing good deeds. It is by disregarding our material concerns that allow us to perform good deeds. Everyman places his faith in material things, his friends, relatives and goods. These material things do him no good. Fellowship claims he "will not forsake thee to my life's end" (Everyman 213), yet when Everyman asks Fellowship to accompany him on his journey for redemption and ultimately death he "will not go that loath journey- / Not for the father that begat me!" (Everyman 268-269). By placing his faith in man rather than God, he does not receive "any more comfort" (Everyman 304). The same discouragement greets Everyman after his talks with Cousin and Kindred. Kindred claims that they "will live and die togither" (Everyman 324), but abandons him soon after making this statement. After Kindred and Cousin leave him, Everyman realizes that "fair promises men to me make, / but when I have most need they me forsake" (Everyman 370-371). Since man will not help him, he turns to goods. Everyman realizes that the goods he has loved his whole life "to thy soul is a thief" (Everyman 447), they do nothing but hinder his eternal happiness. His reliance on people and goods has left Everyman's soul in a precarious condition. The shepherd's lives are similar to Everyman's, because they too devote their time to worldly concerns. By fixating on their material well being, they follow the same path as Everyman, the path away from salvation. At the beginning of The Second Shepherds' Play all three shepherds, Coll, Gib, and Daw, seek to relieve their pain by complaining. Their complaints are many, and justified, yet they accomplish nothing. Although Coll thinks that It does me good, as I walk Thus by mine one, Of this world for to talk In manner of moan. ( Shepherds' Lines 66-69) He really does not get any closer to redemption by doing this, although it may ease part of his emotional burden, his spiritual failings remain.

Psychology and Information Making Decisions Essay

Taking The MBTI test is a good step that provides insights into behaviour help people understand themselves as well as understanding other people that they are in daily contact with, so that they can find a way to making things work properly. The MBTI measures four preferences: Focus of attention, Acquiring information Making decisions, and External orientation. In my opinion this test is a very important step if you were in a position to select a team members or if you were a project manager and you want to select your employee or you were the project manager and want to know your team composition, knowing their BMTI results will help you know if they are the right people for the job or not; or you can even put together people who you think will work better together because their personality are convenient. This test is not only useful in your professional life but also in your personal life, it can be used in personal development like when you find yourself in a certain position that you don’t know how to deal with you can use the test indicators to explore yourself and find the points of weakness you have and try to find a way to overcome them. Also it can be used for marriage counselling, leadership training †¦etc. Although this test can be used as a way to measure behaviours but you cannot fully depend on it, because sometimes behaviour depends on certain situation that surprise you of the way you behaved. Finally, this test is just a general guide, the percentage you get in it does not mean that you have a strong or weak personality; it is just a way that simplify the way you deal with different matters in your life.

Holocaust The Holocaust and People Essay

Holocaust The Holocaust and People Essay Holocaust: The Holocaust and People Essay How Could the Holocaust Happen? When learning about the holocaust you learn about the horror the Jews faced, the atrocities that occurred, and who committed the atrocities. But one aspect of the holocaust is not often explained, not for a lack of care, but because it is a question that cannot be easily answered or summed up. That question is "How could this happen?". We often portray the Nazis as typical movie villains, not just doing evil things for their own profit, but doing evil things for the sake of being evil. We portray them as these larger than life monsters that were beyond being compassionate and incapable of love. But we know this is obviously untrue. These people were mere humans, they could be my descendents, they could be yours. The questions that Elie Wiesel's book Night often implies is what are the conditions of human culture that manifest themselves into situations like the Holocaust, Armenian Genocide, or even modern genocides such as the situation in Rwanda in t he mid 90's? Memoirs of genocides such as Night are extremely important because they bring awareness to the genocide itself, but also can give clues to what were the causes of the atrocities like The Holocaust. To begin the process of answering the question of "How could this happen?" one must first ask themselves whether human kind is inherently evil or not. I believe that humans are not naturally evil. This has been proven throughout time that different people's can get along. I do not think that humans "want" to hate anyone else. With that assumption, the next question is why do some groups of people hate others then? While humans are not naturally hateful, we are greedy and do want resources for ourselves. When we see a threat to our way of life from another group of people who can potentially harm us, often times violence ensues. A perfect example of this is the Jewish Holocaust. German Jews typically kept to themselves and made themselves an easy target to be considered "the enemy". Germany was in a very tough time after WW1 and Hitler and the Nazis found a perfect enemy to unify the Germans against. The Nazis saw Jews as a threat and with the use of propaganda, found a way to turn the entire nation against the Jews. Once the nation had identified its enemy, it was easy to get the populous to go along with the extermination or turn a blind eye. They also had to begin the exterminations without massive Jewish revolt, which was done through deception and secretive actions. Wiesel talks about how the Jews of Sighet were told only the Jews of Budapest would be deported, which was obviously a lie. Then, in order to keep the Jews calm, they were deported in small chunks. Nobody notices if a small amount of the population is taken, but it quickly adds up until no one is left. Even the Jews were resistant to the idea that the Nazis could be so evil. "Annihilate an entire people? Wipe out a population dispersed throughout so many nations? So many millions of peo ple! By what means? In the middle of the twentieth century!"1 No one fathomed that those trains led to death camps and they had no reason to believe they did. Nobody that ever went to those death camps left alive to tell the tale. This was a time before the internet and cell phones, people could not quickly and effectively communicate which left tons of Jews vulnerable to being deported to the death camps without any prior knowledge. Mass lies and deception are what allowed a genocide to happen in front of the world and have nobody notice. While I believe the times of mass genocide are coming to an end, one must look at the genocides that occurred after the

Strategic Markeitng Managemnt(Carrefour) Essay Example

Strategic Markeitng Managemnt(Carrefour) Essay Example Strategic Markeitng Managemnt(Carrefour) Essay Strategic Markeitng Managemnt(Carrefour) Essay Strategic marketing management Company Information Carrefour Group, in the past 40 years have grown to turn out to be one of the world’s leading distribution groups. Carrefour began its journey in 1959 which was established in France by the Defforey families and Fournier. The name Carrefour came into existence as shops were located on thoroughfare, which literally means a place where it’s convenient to shop. Carrefour hypermarket was first opened outside France in Belgium and the first in Brazil, outside Europe. The group currently operates in three major markets: Latin America, Europe and Asia, also including China, Brazil, Indonesia, Poland and Turkey. Carrefour has set its foot in 34 different countries. Carrefour Group is number 2 worldwide and number one in Europe with over 476,000 employees with four main store formats like: Hypermarket, super market, discount stores and convenience stores. Ambition and everyday values: With one ambition, that is ‘making Carrefour the preferred retailer wherever in operates’ with three pillars which support and make it happen : Client- Oriented Culture, Transformation and innovation, which is followed by everyday values which are: Committed, Caring and Positive which in turn help Carrefour to achieve their value which is ‘ to make Carrefour a business that is recognised and loved for helping its customers and consumers enjoy a better quality of life, each and every day’. 1. Discuss the role of strategic marketing in an organisation John Scully defined strategic marketing as ‘a series of integrated actions leading to a sustainable competitive advantage’. Another definition of Doyle (1998) defines, ‘strategic marketing as planning for the organisation to utilise the optimum resources and make tactics to achieve the overall objectives of the organisation’. The strategic marketing brings the following advantages to an organisation: 1. Brings competitive advantage to the organisation by making themselves different from the competitors (Doyle, 1998). Carrefour group in case of pricing use ‘everyday low prices’ strategy, which ensures cheaper good with superior quality, which pulls in customers. 2. Increase the business capability by guiding the managers with the clear direction (Doyle, 1998). Carrefour knowing both their internal and external strength and weakness sets strategies which guide the employers and employees in the right direction. 3. Helps in analysing the market, competitor analysis, product/service analysis, classify the segments, target the customers, and position to the audience what they offer (Doyle, 1998). Carrefour group uses strategic marketing to investigate not only competition but also the competitive advantage the others have and along with it analyse the market growth and potential of retail industry. 4. The best approach to increase the sale, communicate and deliver the value is strategic marketing (Doyle, 1998). Carrefour interact and communicate through their customers by getting feedback, advertising, promotions which attract new customers, which helps to increase brand value at the same time create a position for itself in the customers mindset. 2. Explain the processes involved in strategic marketing and evaluate the links between strategic marketing and corporate strategy Marketing Planning Process Market Planning Process Market planning is the process in which the organisations monitors and control the internal and external opportunities and challenges to maximise the profit by delivering the value to the customers. This is called as situational analysis. The market planning process should be aligned with corporate strategy to achieve the corporate objectives (McDonald, 2008). Market Planning Process: Figure 1: Market Planning Process (McDonald, 2008). Corporate strategy Carrefour group aims to satisfy every customer expectation and satisfaction with professionalism and offer best possible prices (everyday low prices) for high quality products and services and grow to become the number one hypermarket in the world. Internal analysis Strength 1. Wide market presence 2. Skilled labourers 3. Multi-format strategy 4. Strategic acquisitions 5. Presence in 34 countries 6. Expanding and growing market. 7. Strong brand in world retail industry 8. Pioneers in hypermarkets. Weaknesses . Decline in operating margin. 2. Entry of competitors with new strategies. 3. Low like-for-like sales in domestic market. 4. All countries may not accept the pricing strategies(JAPAN) 5. Strategies are same throughout different countries, which may not be acceptable by the customers. 6. Poor E-commerce performance. 7. Weak positions in Asia and Middle East countries. Opportunities 1. Rebranding the champion b rand stores 2. Entry into emerging markets like China, Poland, Turkey, etc. 3. Focus to boost non-food sales 4. Strategic acquisitions and joint ventures 5. Development in discount stores. 6. Maintain better labor relations Threats 1. Low consumer confidence (since low price, customers have a notion it may be low in quality, especially Japanese customers). 2. Fierce competition 3. Wal-mart low prices is a threat 4. Rising labor cost. 5. Terrorism and instability in Africa and Asia 6. Entry of new players. External Analysis Ansoff Matrix Ansoff matrix is tool to find the market position of the organisation in the current market. This matrix will to find about position of the organisation serving the particular target market (Hannagan, 2002). Market penetration |Product Development | |Market extension |Diversification | Existing Market New Existing New Products Source: Adapted from Hannagan (2002). According to IMAP retail report published in September 2010, it says there were around 1409 transactions which valued at $17. 1 billion. Two major transactions: Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Lotte Shopping Co. , represented alone around $2. 7bill ion which is nearly 15. 8percent of total dollar volume. In geographical terms, United Kingdom had the highest transaction volume of $3. 9billion with a total of 161 transactions in last 12 months till September 2010. United states fall second to a total value of $3. 4 billion USD. This report ultimately shows that the retail industry is growing worldwide at tremendous rate. Carrefour group along with the competiton made strategic acquisitions as below: Acquired 4 hypermarkets in Spain(2006) Acquired 6 hypermarkets in Taiwan. In 2005, acquired 10 hypermarkets in Brazil and 2 Turkish retail banners, including 12 hyper nova hypermarkets in Poland. They followed a pricing strategy called ‘everyday low price’ strategy where they provide goods at low rates each day and low when compared to other retail chains. They attract almost every new customer with ease due to their pricing strategy, but Japanese customers where the only ones who didn’t accepted the strategy and Carrefour at the same time was not able to keep up with the fashion trends of Japan. Marketing Strategy Carrefour aims at giving customers the best where ever it operates. By meaning preferred retailer it means drawing customers to shop to which they are loyal. It also means making customers want to visit, keep visiting the stores. For this very purpose Carrefour puts a low price for their products and keeps promotion and exhibitions for their shops which attract new customers keeping in mind their social commitment and corporate social responsibility. All strategies implemented or decided are always in line with the corporate strategy which is to achieve results. Implementation, Monitoring, Control and Forecast After setting the top level strategies, they analyse the business internally and externally and set the market strategies. They will communicate their plan to the stakeholders (agents, lecturers, staffs, etc). They will allocate their resources like finance, HR and physical resources to achieve their strategies. They monitor the progress of the plan through means of number of students, profit, and other key performance indicators. If the plan is not going in their way they make alternative plans or they try to control the situation as much as possible. With current analysis and market growth they forecast the future of their institution. Carrefour has B2B strategy in which implementation has three different levels, which are: local approach, regional approach with global co-ordination and finally global approach which have standard processes and shared tools. Monitoring and control is done by strategic partnership, advanced collaboration and entry ticket. Forecast at Carrefour is done by analysing the financial accounts and looking into the daily achievement of targets and set goals. 3. Assess the value of models used in strategic marketing planning SWOT analysis According to Johnson et al (2005) â€Å"SWOT analysis is used to identify the internal capability or strength and weakness of the organisation, deals with exploring and capitalising the opportunities and threat involved in the changing business environment. † Based on the internal analysis of the organisation CAMS can plan their strategic marketing, if they are strong the make offensive strategy (expansion and penetration) if they feel that they need to improve more than they should go with defensive strategies (retention, pricing, promotions, etc). Refer 2. 2 where the Ansoff matrix can be used a tool to identify position of the CAMS in the market. Situation analysis can be used along with market analysis to make the effective marketing planning. Carrefour strengths and weakness: Strength: 1. Largest hypermarket chain in terms of size. 2. Wide market presence 3. Ranked third in terms of profit in industry after Tesco and Wal-Mart 4. Multi-format strategy 5. Operating in 34 countries 6. Selling number of products with its own private brands. 7. Strategic acquisitions 8. More than 50% sales of the company come from France. Weaknesses 1. Reduce operating expenses. 2. Decline in operating margin 3. Weak position in Asia and Middle east countries. 4. Low like-for-like sales in domestic market. 5. Poor E-commerce performance 6. Too much time in opening new stores. Opportunities 1. Joint venture acquisitions for more expansion. 2. Rebranding champion stores 3. Improve sale performance 4. Reduce operating cost 5. Maintain better labor relations 6. Entering emerging markets 7. Focus to boost non-food sales 8. Develop discount stores. Threat 1. Fierce completion 2. Wal-marts low prices. 3. Low consumer confidence 4. Entry of new players 5. Slow expansion outside France. 6. Rising labor cost 4. Discuss the links between strategic positioning and marketing tactics Ansoff matrix is tool to find the market position of the organisation in the current market. This matrix will to find about position of the organisation serving the particular target market (Hannagan, 2002). Market penetration |Product Development | |Market extension |Diversification | Existing Market New Existing New Products Source: Adapted from Hannagan (2002). Carrefour group presently is running with around 495,000 employees and operating in 34 countries world wide. Carrefour offer a wide range of products like cosmetics, groceries, bakeries, every house hold items, including food items. Strategic positioning is positioning the organisation in the target market (image of the industry or organisation to the target audience) (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). Marketing tactics is logical actions performed to position themselves in the markets (actions or steps taken to position themselves) (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). The marketing strategy of Carrefour is mainly to offer goods at low prices and great quality and hence attract more customers. The group also provide promotions and exhibitions for its customers at various outlets. Now Carrefour has entered the Asian markets and also Poland, Turkey, etc. Also the B2B strategy which has been implemented gave out a positive result. 5. Analyse the merits of relationship marketing in a given strategic marketing strategy Relationship Marketing According to Payne et al (1998) the relationship is attracting, enhancing and maintain good customer relationship among the customers. The relationship is maintained between the existing customers and organisation through services and selling, by retaining the old customers they can grow in the market by getting new customers. The merits of having relationship marketing in Carrefour are a) they can get more customers through after sales feedback, b) offer bonus points and discounts for loyal customers which is possible by providing them with loyalty cards, c) advertising and promotion costs could be reduced through word of mouth marketing which is possible through loyal customers, d) market expansion, technology implementation, maintaining corporate social responsibility all is possible retaining existing customers, e) close relationship with existing loyal customers in form of special discounts for loyalty card holders, and f) which in turn ensures more customers due to referencing from old customers which saves cost on finding new customers. 6. Use appropriate marketing techniques to ascertain growth opportunities in a market Segmentation and targeting: According to Kotler and Armstrong (2010) segmentation is dividing the entire market according the buyer potential. Some of the types of segmentation are demographic, behaviour, psychographic, and geography. This technique is used to find out the potential users of the product or the service that we target to sell or produce. Targeting is selecting the clients to serve from the various segments selected (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). Carrefour group can develop the existing stores located in Asia and Middle east countries which are facing problems. This may be done by having mergers or acquisitions with the retail chains established there. This provides Carrefour an ease to enter the market as well as use the raw materials or any transport medium which the merged company used. It also help to build contacts with suppliers and customers of the merged company, which brings new customers and increase in revenue can be guaranteed. Entry in Japan was failure, but they could again study the market in Japan and re-enter with a big bang which will help them capture the market in no time, but a different pricing strategy should be adopted in order to change their notion that ‘cheaper goods are low quality goods’. 7. Plan how to use marketing strategy options in a market Cost leadership: Porter (1985) said that when the organisation aims to provide the products or services at the minimum price, their strategy becomes cost leadership. They will compete with pricing from the other competitors. Mostly this technique is used when the clients are highly sensitive towards the price. Customers in today’s world are very price conscious as well as quality conscious. They are ready to pay higher price but without compromising on quality of the product. But Carrefour has product for all types of customers be it rich, middle class or poor. All good keep up their quality in low price too. This satisfies the middle class people’s needs to a certain level. Higher class customers may opt different or same goods at higher price. Giving product at low price is possible due to mass production as the customer base is huge. Own production plants act as a competitive advantage for Carrefour which puts the new entrants to re-think is their entry correct or not. 8. Create appropriate strategic marketing objectives for a market Marketing strategies for 7 P’s McDaniel and Gates (1998) defined marketing mix as â€Å"the unique blend of products, price, promotions, place and distribution to meet the specific demands of the customer. † They said the organisation or the marketing manager should focus on the 4 P’s and frame their plan according to their marketing strategies, each element should be focussed by the manager’s else entire plan will be failed. But now as technology got advanced and also the advancement in marketing areas and emergence of new theories, the 4 basic P’s of marketing mix has become 7 P’s, which are namely: product, price, place, promotion, people, physical distribution and process. Considering the product, price, place and promotion aspect of marketing mix, Carrefour has a wide range of product line and product extension. They see that there is no compromise on the quality of the product and since they produce most of the products in their plants, they are able to produce it at cheaper rates, which make them easy to sell at lower rates. The pricing strategy of Carrefour that is everyday low price is a niche in those times which they were able to implement with ease. Place and promotion of the stores and products are of vital importance. Access to market and customers convenience have to be checked before finalising the location and continuous promotion of stores and product should be there in order to keep up with the market. People, physical distribution and process are the latest in the marketing mix. People in general mean the, customers. Carrefour see’s that they meet their customer requirements and expectations when they do shopping. Distribution handling of Carrefour is done by themselves with the large trailers they have which they move to each stores in particular areas and delivering the products. 9. Report on the impact of changes in the external environment on a marketing strategy Marketing strategy Carrefour group share a common dream of a business that is recognised and loved for helping its customers and consumers enjoy a better quality of life, each and every day. This is ensured by three main pillars of Carrefour which are: commitment, caring and positive nature. Rising expectations: The number of consumers, consumer’s needs and fashion too is having a changing trend. One can say this is as a result of globalisation, which increases customer expectations and their standards. Customers prefer high quality goods with reasonable price. In case of luxury items it’s different, as potential customers go for high priced products and quality is in-compromisable. Carrefour carefully understands the customer needs and requirements with the change in trend and then produces which are in budget for them. Target market of Carrefour in general is the whole market where ever they are. Segmentation is possible in areas where its price sensitive. When we take the case of products, they avail products for different age. Let it be a baby, child, teenager or an adult, there are products that suits everyone. Customers are given suggestion box to give their feedback on products as well as the service rendered for them at time of shopping. This helps Carrefour improve its existing method of executing plans. Keeping a close eye on competitors pricing strategy and customer retention method, boosts Carrefour to think of innovative ideas to tackle their rival. 10. Conduct an internal analysis to identify current strengths and weaknesses in a marketing strategy Marketing strategy: Carrefour sees that their service and product as well, satisfies their customer in all ways and are meeting their expectations. This is not only to increase customer base and revenue, but also maintain and achieve their corporate social responsibility. Carrefour also integrates sustainable Strength and Weakness of Carrefour based on marketing strategies: Strength Wide market presence: presence in almost 34 countries helps them to have a wide span in the worldwide market. Multi-format strategy: means having everyday low price strategy and B2B strategy at the same time Joint ventures/acquisitions in different countries like Taiwan, Brazil, Turkey and Poland was a part of their marketing strategy which helps to expa nd their market. Employee base of approximate 495000 around the globe shows its wide network. Being a pioneer in hypermarkets give them additional competitive advantage among the rivals. Ranked third in terms of revenue in the retail industry after Tesco and Wal-Mart. More than 50 percent of revenue come from France which means they have a strong market base in France which makes them a pioneer in the French market. Strong brand in world of retail industry. Weakness One main weakness is that Carrefour takes too much time in opening new stores. Poor performance in E-Commerce Lack of maintaining labour relations. Rising labour costs make it difficult for retaining all labours Sometimes consumers may have low confidence; this is clear from failure of Carrefour in Japan market. Low like-for-like sales in domestic market. Weak own brand sales. 11. Propose strategic marketing responses to key emerging themes in a marketing strategy Proposal for Strategic Marketing: Carrefour c an target growing countries like India and China to set up a market base as both the countries are in growing stage with a tremendous growth rate. Rather than acquisitions, strategic alliance could be made with another company which enables Carrefour to reach a wider market. Maintain more close relationship not only with customers but also with suppliers as the chain with suppliers should not be tangled. Study of market, its customers in essential in order to enter a new market without fail. Failure in Japan is because of lack of market research and study. Strength and weakness of rivals should be found out which can be overcome by making it as the opportunities. Political and economical changes and involvement should also be noted before implementing a plan or strategic decision. References Doyle, P (2008) Value based marketing, John Wiley and Sons, United Kingdom Hannagan, T (2002) Mastering Strategy Management, Palgrave publishers, Great Britain Johnson, G, Scholes, K, and Whittington, R (2005) Exploring Corporate Strategy, Pearson Education Limited, United Kingdom Kotler, P and Armstrong, G (2010) Principles of Marketing, Pearson Prentice Hall, USA McDaniel, CD and Gates, RH (1998) Marketing research essentials, Ohio: Thompson Publishing McDonald, M (2008) Market planning and expert systems, Marketing Intelligence and Planning 7(7-8): 16-23. Porter, ME (1985) Competitive Advantage: Generic Strategies, Free Press, New York Websites IMAP retail report [online]. (2010) [Accessed 13/05/11]. Available from: imap. com/imap/media/resources/IMAPRetailReport8_23CB9AA9C6EBB. pdf. finance. world of maps [online]. (2010) [Accessed 13/05/11]. Available from: . Bottom of Form finance. world of maps [online]. (2010) [Accessed 13/05/11]. Available from: . carrefour swot analysis [online]. (2010) [Accessed 13/05/11]. Available from: . carrefour swot analysis [online]. (2010) [Accessed 13/05/11]. Available from: . carrefour [online]. (2010) [Accessed 13/05/11]. Available from: . Corporate Strategy Internal Analysis External Analysis Marketing Objectives/Strategy Plan Implementation and Control