Invent Your Own Religion

Skylar Mabe Religious Experiences Coffee Cult The Coffee cult was created as a unifying religion. Drinkers of the bitter liquid accept all kinds of drinkers: milk and sugar, honey, no sugar, no milk, black and even decaf. Members of the Coffee Cult, the drinkers, battled the likes of the tea, hot chocolate and soda drinkers for land and power since the beginning of time. In fact, the coffee cult was the most victorious among beverage worshipers. Because all pure beans have a bit of caffeine, the crusaders were able to stay awake longer than all the other thirsty ones.The coffee crusades took place over 100 years to conquer the holy lands of South America, where the sacred bean first flourished. Since then, the crusades continue over much land in Africa and some parts of Europe. The cult began in the 1400s when the bean was first discovered. The wealthy first had rights to the indulgent drink until a group of around the clock laborers caught wind of the side effects of The Bean. The l aborers worked from sun-up until sun-down but could never produce enough of anything to make a product. They stole The Bean and began experimenting. They cooked with it and crushed it into powder.They chewed it and put it on their skin but nothing could come close to The Bean and water. The ingredients were so simple, anyone could do it- and that’s exactly what they loved. The laborers didn’t have to be rich to experience the caffeine high, they just had to boil water and mix it with their stolen goods. â€Å"Coffee† as it would soon be known as was brewed at 6am, before nobility woke up and after the laborers had been awake for hours. They would brew it quickly and drink it slowly. Although it helped production by 200%, there was only a small amount of people who would go the lengths to steal it from the wealthy and bring it back.They were known as the Coffee Cult. One day the cult stole enough to brew and to plant so they traveled to the rainforests of South A merica, far away from the wealthy and began cultivation of what became one of the most sacred beverages in the world. The morning time is sacred to all Drinkers. All devout drinkers rise at 6am to enjoy at least 2 cups of coffee before starting their day; however, the only way to be looked down upon as a Drinker is to NOT have had a cup of coffee by 1400 hours. There are many different levels of the Coffee Cult; the highest and most respected are the coffee crusaders.They must learn all there is to learn about coffee in order to fight for it. In order to be a coffee crusader, you must first go through all stages of The Bean. The beginning stage is the first step in all coffee rituals and all rituals take place at 1400 hours. Stage One: Thirsty one becomes a Drinker The thirsty one must drink a cup of pure (black) coffee, and savor a bean- taking care of it all day until the dawn of a new day where the bean must be consumed. If there are any imperfections due to lack of care for the Bean, the thirsty one must wait 14 days to try the ceremony again.Once the bean in consumed the thirsty one is then considered a Drinker. Although there are many stages one can excel to, the common name for all cult members is â€Å"a Drinker. † Stage Two: Drinker becomes a Brewer In the second stage to becoming a crusader you must first learn how to reproduce the black gold. A ceremonial iron coffee maker is given to the drinker. The drinker carries the iron machine to his/her kitchen where he makes his first cup of coffee for his family and closest friends; they serve as the witnesses for this stage. On rare occasions, this stage is also used to convert a thirsty one to a drinker.It is considered a sacred and once in a lifetime experience when the new Brewer can brew coffee for a thirsty one to convert them to a drinker. Stage Three: Brewer becomes a Grinder Anyone can brew a cup of coffee but it takes an expert and lover of The Bean to be able to posses the knowledge to gr ind The Bean. To become a Grinder, there are 2 parts: Self-grinding and machine-grinding. The first part is learning the texture of The Bean. To learn the texture and smell the aroma one must grind The Bean with a mortar and pestle. A ceremonial 14 beans are self-grinded and kept beside the coffee maker for the life of the Drinker.The second part of becoming a Grinder takes place the next day at 1400 hours. A ceremonial iron grinder is again taken to the kitchen where close family and friends witness the brewer count out the number of beans it takes to make 12 cups of coffee and insert them into the grinder where they are used to brew the pot of coffee for the transformation cup. Not until the Brewer finishes his pure cup of coffee is he a Grinder. Stage Four: Public Dedication In order to become a Barista, one must first show their love and dedication, not only to their family and closest friends but also to all believers.The Grinder will wake up for 14 days (these days do not have to be in a row) at 5am to go to his or her local â€Å"coffeehouse† (an optional place with multiple brewers and grinders where all drinkers can meet and have coffee before they start their day) to brew and grind coffee for the other drinkers. Because those 14 days do not have to be completed consecutively, the public dedication could take anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months. Once this stage is finished, the Drinker is judged on his coffee by the members of his coffeehouse.Depending on his score, he may be able to attend Barista School. If the Drinker does not make a high enough score this step must be repeated until he is able to move on; however, many drinkers end their journey here. To be able to make coffee for a group of people outside of friends is a high honor. If the Drinker does make a high score, he is ready for schooling and could possibly get paid for public coffee making. Stage Five: Becoming a Barista School for the drinker lasts 14 weeks. It’s a rigorous course in which The Drinker goes home to home to learn of different types of coffee.After that The Drinker studies The Bean through science, religion, its artistic appearance and its aroma. The most important step in becoming a Barista is the reproduction of The Bean. Once the Drinker masters growing The Bean on his own, he is ready for the final stage: The Perfect Pairings. Some perfect pairing for the bean consist of warmed milk, water, caramel, chocolate and whipped cream. Once they graduate from their schooling and training, they become a Barista and are eligible for pay in the coffeehouse, if they chose that as a career.Stage Six: The Crusader arises The gap between a Barista and a Crusader is small but meaningful. If there is a need, any and all Baristas will be called into battle and immediately become a Crusader. If there is no need for battle, a Barista can chose to study under 2 past crusaders and begin a coffee farm. The act of growing a large amount of coffee beans for t he cult’s use can also make a Barista a Crusader. Only a Crusader can grow the bean, otherwise it will wilt and taste sour. Without coffee growing education, no Bean will grow properly.The Coffee Cult depends on the crusader to further their Coffee kingdom and keep The Bean in stock. Although not everyone can become a crusader, it takes almost ten years, everyone can learn a little about coffee through their family and the stages they wish to go through. Since the beginning of the coffee cult, the wealthy and the laborers have dissolved their problems and have learned to be connoisseurs of caffeine together. Recently there has been a great rift in the Coffee Cult. The Caffeinated drinkers and the Decaffeinated drinkers have differed in what they believe is the root of their religion.Some think it is the feeling of being stimulated, rather it be in the morning or afternoon, even at night. Some think it is simply the aroma and the taste that keep the religion alive. There has a lways been some disagreement between The Drinkers but never anything like this. Some Coffeehouses have split because of the separating beliefs; families have even been torn apart due to this widespread disagreement but one thing is certain, every Drinker, be it caffeine, or Decaff will fight for The Bean in its pure state and surrender their taste buds to the so bitter its sweet, black gold.

Modern medicine helps to live a longer life Essay

Modern medicine helps to live a longer life. Do you agree? The modern medicine is very important for living a long life. It is depend on new technology. People take very easy and quickly. Also modern medicine is very quick absorbing to human body. It is helps to back to normal for people health condition. Therefore I agree that the modern medicine is helps to live longer. First of all, the modern medicine can prevent incurable diseases. Doctors can find some diseases very early. Then doctors can give suitable medicines to patients. New modern equipments are helpsdoctors is going to correct way. Also intelligent people in the world live a long life on helps from modern medicine. That is very important in the human society because their creative things are coming with them and they can help others for a longer time when they are livingin long life with comfortably. Beside, old population is increasing in the country. It is badly effect incountry’s economy and especially for third world countries. But old people are very important in human society because their experience definitely helps to living safely and planning to new project. ‘Experience is better than qualifications’ However, old people are living a long life; it is helping others to live a long life because we can get advice from them and they are covering our culture and society. Moreover, modern medicine is being addictive for some people, so that they cannot live without medicine. They should take medicine all their lives. Also modern medicine is very expensive. Therefore most of poor countries couldn?t take modern medicine and it has taken a commercial shape, also it is depending on money. In the modern medicine have not facts of human kindness. People who have money can take modern medicine. But indigenous medicine has well human friendly shape. It does not depend on money. To summarize; in my personal view, modern medicine is helping to live a long life with comfortably. Modern technologies are being supported to find unburnable diseases very early. So doctors can takecorrect path immediately. Therefore, may I not hesitate to agree with the above mentioned statement.

The Economy of Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Economy of Today - Essay Example If the GDP is freed from the chances being affected by inflation, then constant prices need to be maintained. This also helps us to compare the status between two time periods. The resultant GDP reached is called real GDP (nominal GDP adjusted for price changes). GDP can be measured in three ways: by calculating the gross final goods and services produced within the nation at a given period of time; from the income side, by calculating the income generated at every stage and by summing up the value added at each stage of production. Its identity may be written as: The employment rate is the ratio of employed people to the total population. It is actually the percentage of potential employees actually employed. When a nation has a higher employment rate it is likely that it will have a higher standard of living. It is the capacity of a country to engage its people in work and thus generate income for itself. Unemployment is one of the major concerns of the governments of different nations. Another parameter which duly affects the economy and mainly the GDP is inflation rate which may be defined as the rate of growth of price index. This is equivalent to the rate of fall in purchasing power of money. If P1 is the price level in year 1 and P2 is the price level is year 2 (P2>P1), then the rate of increase in price level (inflation rate) from year 1 to year 2 is calculated by the following formulae: Interest rate in an economy essentially denotes the lending rate of banks. It is the opportunity cost of investing in a certain venture. The gain sacrificed by not investing the same amount in another alternative venture or scheme is the opportunity cost. When an individual X (say) lends money to another individual (Y), he is likely to charge an annual interest which is either equal or more than the return gained by investing the amount in some other venture, possibly the bank. If he charges less then he would be a loser. The households supply the factors

Annotated bibliography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Annotated bibliography - Research Paper Example The dimension which has been focused in this article is merely the framework on which this software works. The author of the article has used a literature review approach to help understanding the middleware approach to data integration. Also, readers will find this source credible because the author is from the field of network architecture. 3. Bramley, R., Chiu, K., Devadithya, T., Gupta, N., Hart, C., & Huffman, J. (2006). Instrument Monitoring, Data Sharing, and Archiving Using Common Instrument Middleware Architecture (CIMA). J. Chem. Inf. Model, 46(3), 1017–1025. The group of authors have conducted a vey systematic study which involves discussion based upon instrument monitoring which is undertaken with the help of middleware architecture. Also, the authors have noted that with the help of middleware architecture, software developers can easily conduct data sharing by software applications. Middlewae architecture is the simplest yet systematic model that can help software developers design software applicationsfor functions such as instrumet monitory, data sharing etc. The article is effective in terms of evaluating the usage of middleware in reinventing the software applications. The authors have claimed that with the aid of data integration architecture such as middleware, it is easier to transpose the updated versions of applications. The authors have allowed the readers to use the article as a reference to find out solutions for application in context. This article can be used as the most relevant source for the title selected for the research paper. The article is about the usage of middleware for the purpose of data processing. Information sharing and data integration for caches has been noted as one of the most complex aspect in software development. Thus, the authors of the articles help the readers to understand the claim that middleware can simultaneously be used for service co-ordination and data processing. Many system

Tangible and Intangible Brand Attributes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Tangible and Intangible Brand Attributes - Essay Example Intangible attributes plays a significant role in attracting more customers towards the products and services by the business. However, there is no clear outline of specific attributes that can achieve this aspect. This section will discuss various attributes that can be used by the restaurants in order to increase the number of clients. Pricing Indian social classes have a major impact on the success of the product in the market. In order for Starbucks to succeed in the Indian market, it needs need to distinguish the needs of people in different social classes. However, people in a higher social class rarely interact with those in a low social class. As a result, the pricing of the product should be unique to ensure that it segments the market and reaches the target market. For instance, outlets located in areas where majority of the people are poor should ensure that the prices of the products are friendly to the population (Kapferer 2012). Coffee Dates Starbucks should organize evening coffee dates for Indian couples. It should ensure that once in a week, it organizes a function to appreciate and make Indian couples feel good while in the outlets. During such days, the company should offer discounted products such as coffee and other meals. This is to ensure that money does not prevent people from enjoying their love (Wells, Burnett & Moriarty 2006). This day should be one when the firm experiences a very low number of customers.

Contemporary Tourism Trends Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Contemporary Tourism Trends - Essay Example 1), who refers to vacations in the 21st century as ''Das gekaufte Paradies'' (the bought paradise), the tourism industry is increasingly subsuming the identity of an ''experience industry'', with tourists willing to pay tourism organizers to help find optimal experiences within the limited time available. Opaschowski (2001) suggests that tourists are looking for emotional stimuli they want to buy feelings and not products. They want to personally experience the immaterial qualities, seeking ambience, aesthetics and atmosphere, looking for an experience full of varying intimacies, intensities and complexities. Cultural tourism such as the trip to Bath Since experiencing the 'other' is the great motivational factor in cultural heritage tourism, the search for unspoilt cultures inevitably becomes a natural choice because cultures unknown to or not yet experience by these seekers exist but constantly face the wipe out from modernization. The anxiety and eagerness intensifies that the chance to experience these cultures as pure as they are in the beginning can no longer be available if another day is let pass, so the increase to these areas will increase. Over the past years, trends in tourist demand and consumer behavior have revealed that tourists want to visit cultural and historical sites as well as to explore regions and landscapes as a whole. Tourists select destinations not based only on climate, art and historical heritage, human landmarks and environmental activities, but also according to eno-gastronomic resources. Tourist demands are increasingly shaping the gastronomic supply, meaning the potential of wine and gastronomic products has in Bath's national market and across. In many European countries, wine and gastronomic tourism seems complex and variegated, but also dynamic and rich in social, cultural and economic implications (Antonioli Corigliano, 1996a). According to Wearing (2002, p. 243), the tourist in the 21st century is ''searching for new and exciting forms of travel in defiance of a mass-produced product'' yet without ''actually having to involve themselves in any way'', a reflection of increasing commodification and depersonalization within modern and post-modern society (Beck, 1999; Giddens, 1999; MacCannell, 1976). Commodification has changed tourism experiences in the 21st century from that of the traditional search for the totally unknown, the utmost challenging and dangerous to that of safety and comfort, to that of ''gaze'' but also embodiment beyond individual's onsite experience. With commodification, the cultural experience is no longer authentic (Birgit Trauer, 2006). Authenticity is generally regarded as the highest importance for tourists interested in heritage (Moscardo & Pearce, 1986; Timothy & Boyd, 2003). A way to preserve such a goal is to facilitate the tourists to involve in exploring and searching by their own initiations without the need for interaction with any of the staffs. One of the challenges the managers face is the low degree of interaction with staff. As the visitor has a limited contact with staff, necessarily to make the visitors feel 'warm and exciting' (Schmenner, 1995) and this will involve detailed

Individual term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Individual term paper - Essay Example tinies of these huge corporations which in some cases have replaced national ruling classes as the determinants of what goes on nationally and internationally. Businesses that are able to control these factors are advantaged in expansion of market share and size, profit maximization and cost minimization, not to mention the increased efficiency among other competitive and comparative advantages. The main factors are the: objectives of the MNC, means of achieving those objectives, societal and physical influences on that society, and market or competitive influences. These main factors vary from one country to the other, and hence the MNCs have to tailor their strategies and operations to meet the specifics of each individual country. Such multinationals include giants in the service industries like McDonalds, banking institutions like Standard Chartered Bank, and manufacturers like Toyota. The consumer electronics company, Samsung will be used as a case study to illustrate how these factors determine the failure or success of MNC operations in countries other than their home countries. A multinational corporation is a business entity that operates across multiple countries and markets. Also known as transnational companies, they are conglomerates of business with branches in different regions of the world, most of them straddle different industries. It can either operate one core business throughout the world such as manufacturing, or it has diversified in different sectors such as operating in both manufacturing and service industry (Gooderham & Nordhaug 2003). Globalization has promoted the emergence of large companies that are able to take advantage of the opportunities by undertaking huge operations across national boundaries. Globalization is due to convergence of consumers’ tastes, thus creating a global market. Worldwide production of goods is sourced and manufactured globally, and with the technological advances connecting the world, employees are

Thematic Analysis- The scarlet letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Thematic Analysis- The scarlet letter - Essay Example The Scarlet Letter uses the difficult journey of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale to shed light upon the human condition and how human life is characterized by sin and suffering. An important characteristic of a human being is that he is not perfect and that from time to time he has a temptation to drift from the right path and turn towards committing a sin. This characteristic is depicted in the story by Hawthorne by the sin that Hester commits by sleeping with another man despite of being married. Hester becomes pregnant and she is questioned several times regarding the name of her lover but she does not reveal his identity. This feature of human condition (that is sin) is further strengthened in the story when it is revealed that the man who was also involved in this act of adultery with Hester was Arthur Dimmesdale, the minister of the Church. This revelation supports the belief that a human being can never be perfect no matter what position he holds in the society and that ev ery being can be sinful owing to the temptations of human nature. Nathaniel Hawthorne explains the nature of evil and good in the story. Hester and Dimmesdale are the two people who commit the sin but they display their goodness by repenting for their sins. Hester is punished in public for her act but she faces her difficulties with grace and does not run away. She rather becomes stronger and dignified in her period of punishment and this earns respect from the people owing to this. On the other hand, Dimmesdale faces his suffering alone and he pierces the scarlet A on his chest. He is not as strong as Hester to reveal his sin in public but he suffers deep down and falls ill. He finally reveals his act in public and dies. Their characters display the good side of human nature as they repent for their sinful act. Dimmesdale is a religious man who understands that their illegal unity by running away would yield them nothing in this world and the world hereafter. He explains this by sa ying, â€Å"I fear! I fear! It may be, that, when we forgot our God,--when we violated our reverence each for the other's soul,--it was vain to hope that we could meet hereafter, in an everlasting and pure reunion.† These lines are a display of his regret for his sin. The evil side of human nature is seen in the character of Roger Chillingworth. He is Hester’s husband who deserted her years back and left her alone and he returns at the time when she is being punished for her act of adultery. Chillingworth may be considered responsible for the position that Hester is placed in because it is probably her loneliness that drove her towards her act of sin. Despite of the sin being committed by her, she comes out of it gracefully. But Chillingworth works towards seeking revenge. The evilness of Chillingworth is explained by Dimmesdale when he says, â€Å"That old man's revenge has been blacker than my sin. He has violated, in cold blood, the sanctity of a human heart† . Chillingworth is an evil man who does not let Hester live in peace and spies on Dimmesdale as well and is ready to go to any depths for the attainment of his revenge. The Scarlet Letter is a perfect story written by Hawthorne which provides a depiction of the human nature. It throws light upon the aspects of sin, evil and goodness. A human being cannot be perfect and sinful acts are a part of the existence of human life. Hester accepts her sin and

The story about the Hannukah wish Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The story about the Hannukah wish - Essay Example The bus slowly started up as Ron made her way to any vacant seat she could find on the bus. She had hoped that she would be allowed to sit down this time. Her back pack was really heavy because she had Physical Education that day and she had to pack her uniform into the already heavy bag. But as she tried to sit down, the other children on the bus placed their bags on top of the seats. Without her bus mates ever uttering a word, Ron knew that she would spend the half hour trip to school standing at the back of the bus again. She had no choice, she had to get to school because it was expected of her. But each day that she had to go, she underwent an ordeal that she wished she could avoid somehow. Veronica Ziv, Ron to her family and friends, looked like any typical ten year old girl who went to Taft Elementary School, a public school that was closest to where she had been born and raised in the Jewish faith by her parents. It was not easy for Ron to attend classes at Taft because of th e public aspect of the school system. It seemed that everyone was welcome at this school except those of the Jewish denomination. Ron was daily living proof of that. It was not uncommon for Ron to stand at the back of the bus to and from school. Her classmates bullied her because they said she looked different from everyone else. So she must be from an alien planet. The first time she heard her classmates describe her that way was when she was 6 years old and in the first grade. When she tried to explain that she was not an alien but Jewish, Betty Jones, the blonde haired rich girl in her class declared that Ron was from the alien planet of Judaism and should be cut open and experiment on like their alien kind do to the human beings. The more Ron tried to explain at her young age about her family's religious belief's, the worse things got for her with her classmates. BBBBBB Ron was the only Jewish girl at the Taft Elementary school. As such, the school authorities never saw a need t o alter their holiday schedule just for one student whom, according to her classmates, stuck out like a sore thumb. Although she dressed the same as her classmates, spoke like them, and shared their interests in life, they refused to befriend her because their parents had told them that Ron was a â€Å"dirty Jew† and should be avoided at all cost. it was not uncommon for Ron to be told that her parents should have died when Hitler tried to wipe the Jews out all those decades ago. These were hurtful words that parents had told their children about Jews in general that they carried with them in life. Their parents had made the children anti-semitic and because there happened to be a Jew in their school, Ron became the chosen target for all the hatred that these parents fed their kids. â€Å"I wish I wasn't a Jew!† ron muttered under her breath during lunch break. She sat alone again, near the trash cans in the school cafeteria

The Black Holes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

The Black Holes - Research Paper Example In circumstances where the neutron star is extremely large, the 0forces of gravity outweigh the pressure gradient and this leads to a collapse. Such a neutron star collapses and shrinks until it finally turns out into a black hole. On such a scientific basis, this paper seeks to explain the properties, concepts, and space-time phenomena underpinning concept of the black hole formation. There are different types of black holes. The most common ones are; charged, rotating, supermassive, and static (Schwarzschild 150). Importantly, these four types of black holes are made up of the same fundamental elements; the singularity, the photon sphere, and the event horizon. However, the rotating black hole has an ergosphere which is a combination of two photon spheres. An interesting property about a black hole underlies the absorption of light and any other matter. Electromagnetic light once absorbed by a black hole cannot be reflected back. This originates from the most defi ning quality of a black hole which regards its emission of gravitational waves. A black hole emits strong gravitational waves that cause light to bend towards it (Schwarzschild 120). As suggested by Green (145), gravitational waves are disturbances in space-time curvature that are caused by the motion of matter. Being transmitted to a speed close to that of light, gravitational waves do not propagate through space-time. Even though gravitational waves travel straight through matter, the strength associated with them reduces as the distance from the initial source increases. As noted by Hengel (103), most black holes tend to be in a steady spinning motion as a consequence of the gravitational waves. It is this steady motion that absorbs matter and rotates it within the ring (the event zone) that is usually formed around the black hole. Such

The meaning of life Essay Example for Free

The meaning of life Essay According to Saint Exupery in The Halo (2006), â€Å"Each man must look to himself to teach him the meaning of life. It is not something discovered: it is something moulded.† The meaning of life has a no specific definition; it depends on how each individual give meaning to their lives. It is a natural thing for an individual to curiously know about their life since their birth till death. Moreover, human beings are also curious to find out why they were put in this earth that is why babies keep touching everything in order to experience all their surroundings from the very beginning (Taylor, 2000). In this essay, the concept of meaning will be significantly analysed. Firstly, by defining the meaning which will secondly be followed by discussing the different types of needs an individual must meet to experience the meaning of life. Thirdly, the types of things that enhance and curb the experience of the meaning of life will be highlighted. Lastly, various practical steps will be described to enhance the experience of the meaning of life. This essay will be intertwined with personal reflections and aspirations that have enhanced the meaning of life for the writer. What is the meaning of ‘meaning’? Subjectivism: According to Eagleton (2007), everyone adds their own meaning to life. The meaning of life is never universal or complex. The meaning of life is very simple and people experience it when they understand the universe, themselves, their identity and their goal in life (Bennet, 2005). Subjectivists state that the meaning differs with individuals’ psychological and mental states and their desires and goals. For example one individual can find meaning of life in music or art while other may find it in attaining goals or in religion (REF). In addition to this, (REF) states that life only becomes meaningful when all the needs and wants are fulfilled and when the individual is content and satisfied with themselves. Super naturalistic views: On the other hand, spiritual beings consider their lives to be consequential and significant when they can reach the pious pathway God has set (REF). The God-centred view points out that the definitive meaning of life is holistically attained. Moreover, an individual will only figure out the meaning of life when they are not attached to the worldly desires (REF). Personal reflection: Personally, the meaning of life for me is constantly being in search for my identity and accomplishing the goals I have set in life. I explore my identity through my art work as it helps me express my feelings and emotions about everything. My art work makes me realize who I am as a person and what people interpret me as a person through my paintings. What types of needs must be met for a person to experience meaning in life? Searching the meaning of life is a motivational force in an individual however; the degree of motivation to which they search the meaning of life differs in all individuals (REF). Despite individuals having different degrees of motivation, there are some needs and conditions that must be met for the individuals to experience the meaning of life. Individuals do not necessarily have to meet the same needs and conditions to experience the meaning of life. Some individuals are inspired by other individuals like great artists, inventors and thinkers, some individuals need sense of belonging, some need to experience certain events to make sense of life while others need to attain autonomy and self efficacy to experience the meaning of life. In short, individuals can discover the meaning of life through social work, experiencing something or someone or reactions towards unavoidable circumstances (REF). For example, an individual who is very emotional needs to experience the need of belonging in order to experience the meaning of life. They need to have many friends and a good relationship with their family in order to satisfy their need of belonging; this helps the individual to live a happy and full life. However, if they do not feel the sense of belonging, they have no hope hence do not have anything to look forward to and see no point of living. Conversely, not all individuals need to meet the need of belonging to experience the meaning of life. Some may have to experience the need of autonomy and self efficacy. These types of individuals usually have certain goals and tasks in life which they believe  they can attain thus that would help them experience the meaning of life. For example, an individual whose goal is to become a doctor tries to attain that goal by being a hard worker and devoting all his time to attain their goal. They would experience the meaning of life when they achieve the title of the doctor as it would help them conquer a place in the community and gain some prestige. In addition to this, if an individual fails to attain this need might gain a very low self esteem which would then impact on the choices they makes in life. They would become very dependent on others and would not be able to cope with that leading them to suffer from various health issues. What types of things enhance the experience of meaning in life? The meaning of life can be enhanced by sustaining life, accepting a teaching, giving life or creating wisdom (REF). For example things that would enhance the meaning of life for mothers, doctors and nurses is when they deliver as links in a biological chain by giving life from one generation to the other. Young artists are inspired and enhance their meaning of life when they authorize and respect and accept their teacher’s work (REF). Personally, as an artist, the meaning of life for me is enhanced when I can appreciate the work of different artists and what they are trying to express in their paintings. Art work makes me understand the different feelings individuals go though and how they express it through drawings. It also makes me see different viewpoints of life and experiences people are going through. Despite all individuals having different needs to discover the meaning of life, there are certain things that all individuals require to enhance the meaning of life like: Hope Inspiration Goals High self esteem. What types of things curb the experience of meaning in life? Many individuals curb their experiences of the meaning in life due to: No inspiration or goals and failure: If an individual constantly fails and has  no potential and inspiration of achieving his goals may feel ineffective and hopeless. They may start feeling that they have no purpose in life and life is completely meaningless for them. Loss of loved ones: loss of a loved one through death or divorce may affect an individual mentally and emotionally. They may feel the are not loved and do not belong anywhere as their loved one does not exist anymore. The loss brings suffering and misery which makes an individual believe that like if meaningless. Lastly, experiences like these pushes an individual to have a low self esteem and become reserved (REF). Personal Reflection: If individuals are not open, emotionless or afraid to be seen as themselves due to low self esteem cannot enhance their meaning of life and hence would curb this experience. As an artist, my goal is to become an art teacher and help other children to express their feelings through painting if they cannot through words. However, I have a clear goal and always have been inspired by my father to attain this goal. If I had a low self esteem and did not believe in myself, I would have no hope hence that would curb the search of meaning of life as I would feel I am worthless Practical steps to enhance the experience of a meaningful life As mentioned above, many individuals curb their experiences of the meaning in life due to low self esteem, no inspiration, no goals and being reserved. However, they can enhance their experience firstly by accepting and believing in themselves. This would help them make a contribution to life and share their best. According to (REF) self-destructive behaviour can be conquered by increasing self-efficacy and self-esteem. This can be done through counselling so that they can start believing in themselves. Individuals who need the sense of belonging to experience the meaning of life should try and fit in and socialize with people they are close to and have good relationships with them all. Furthermore, individuals who are trying to attain a specific goal should always reward themselves every time they are a step closer towards the goal. This would keep them motivated and not lose hope. Personally, I enhance my experience by acknowledging the  great artists and how they are an inspiration to other young artists. Conclusion Finally as mentioned there is no specific meaning of life. All individuals need to meet different types of needs such as the need of belonging, experiencing life threatening incidents, need of autonomy and self efficacy to experience the meaning of life. An individual’s perception, values, needs and feelings centre him and help in organizing the world around him. Feelings help in expressing oneself. If an individual has a great skill in expressing himself, he can change the larger world. Great artists found expressions in their art work which helped them change the world that came after them. The creations around us are the different individuals trying to express themselves and their experiences of the meaning of life. All the inhibitors that we posses such as low self esteem and inner struggles should be resolved to make life more creative and enhance the meaning of life.

Smart Corporate Marketing Objectives

Smart Corporate Marketing Objectives Marketing objectives should be based on understanding strengths and weaknesses, and the business environment you operate in. They should also be linked to the overall corporate strategy and So before you start marketing, set some objectives, SMART ones. What do I mean by SMART objectives? Well, its one of those business acronyms taught in all business and marketing qualifications, but unlike many others, this one is actually worth bothering with. Specific Your SMART objectives should be specific, detailed, well defined and results orientated. They should include exactly what has to be achieved and by who. Measurable Objectives are far more effective when they have a measure. For example to increase sales has little effect, but to increase sales by 25% gives you a specific measure to work to. This measure can then be evaluated and used to help form new SMART objectives in the future. Achievable Your SMART objectives must stretch you, but at the same time be achievable. There is no point in setting objectives that you wont be able to achieve for years, as you will soon lose motivation. Realistic Closely linked to achievable, realistic relates more to resources. Do you have the man-power, money, time and opportunity to achieve the SMART objectives? Is there something else that has to happen before you can make a start on that objective Timed Perhaps most importantly set deadlines for achieving your SMART objectives time frames are great at prompting action. It is worth noting that the marketing plan objectives should always lead to actual sales revenue. If not, you need to re-examine your marketing objectives and restate them so that they relate to sales results. In simple words marketing objectives should be: Clear and specific Tangible and measurable Be time-based, with a target achievement date Linking marketing objectives to corporate strategy Your marketing objectives should also be consistent with and indicate the priorities of the organization. This means that objectives should flow from the mission statement of your business, towards the financial objectives and to the rest of the marketing plan. A linked marketing objective could be to add pre-packaged garden soil as a new complementary product line to be offered with plant sales. To grow the business as per the strategic goal and meet the financial objective of 100,000 in extra sales, it has been calculated that a total of 7,500 bags will need to be sold at their selling price of  £100 each. ACTIONS REQUIRED TO ACHIVE MARKETING OBJECTIVES To run a business successfully, today, one must consider the need for publicity, an online presence, direct marketing, advertising, brand identity, word of mouth advertising, networking, viral marketing, pay-per-click advertising, search engine optimization, positioning, market segmentation, html email campaigns, experiential marketing, etc. Many of these activities are phase I functions that need to be considered and begun from day one of marketing. Here are 5 main factors to achieve the marketing objectives: Marketing should be broken into stages. Every marketing activity should be weighted by how well it addresses business objectives, then by investment and how fast it delivers return on investment. Also, the chronology is important. For example, it would be ineffective to run an html email campaign before developing and launching your web site. Time will be in short supply early on. Working with one marketing firm will help to streamline communication, reporting and execution. Start with publicity. If you are able to achieve some quality article placements in key media, you will be able to use that publicity in coming months/years and in other marketing vehicles to build brand awareness and credibility. Set reasonable expectations for response and return on specific marketing activities. Remember that your company is an unknown entity to your marketplace until you are able to begin building brand awareness and identity. This will take time. Dont change course from a marketing plan that isnt broken, simply because youre growing impatient in other aspects of your business. Be realistic about your budget. In business, you might or might not be able to invest in simultaneous, integrated initiatives. Likewise, if your budget needs to be amended, let your marketing team know. They will adjust the plan and schedule to meet that new reality. Detailed Review of plans and programs At this stage, you will need to review your overall marketing objectives into detailed plans and program. Although these detailed plans may cover each of the 7 Ps, the focus will vary, depending upon your organizations specific strategies. A company will focus for the 7 Ps around each of its products. A market or geographically oriented company will concentrate on each market or geographical area. Each will base its plans upon the detailed needs of its customers, and on the strategies chosen to satisfy these needs. These plans therefore are: Clear They should be an unambiguous statement of exactly what is to be done. Quantified The predicted outcome of each activity should be, as far as possible, quantified; so that its performance can be monitored. Focused The temptation to proliferate activities beyond the numbers which can be realistically controlled should be avoided. Realistic They should be achievable. Agreed Those who are to implement them should be committed to them, and agree that they are achievable. The resulting plans should become a working document which will guide the campaigns taking place throughout the organization over the period of the plan Measurement of Marketing objectives Continuous monitoring of performance, against predetermined targets, represents a most important aspect of marketing. However, perhaps even more important is the enforced discipline of a regular formal review. Again, as with forecasts, in many cases the best (most realistic) planning cycle will revolve around a quarterly review. Best of all, at least in terms of the quantifiable aspects of the plans, if not the wealth of backing detail, is probably a quarterly rolling review. Performance analysis The most important elements of marketing performance, which are normally tracked, are: Sales analysis Most organizations track their sales results and marketing .The more sophisticated track them in terms of sales variance the deviation from the target figures which allows a more immediate picture of deviations to become evident. `Micro-analysis, which is a nicely pseudo-scientific term for the normal management process of investigating detailed problems, then investigates the individual elements (individual products, sales territories, customers and so on) which are failing to meet targets. Market share analysis Few organizations track market share though it is often an important metric. Though absolute sales might grow in an expanding market, share of the market can decrease for future sales when the market starts to drop. Where such market share is tracked, there may be a number of aspects which will be followed: overall market share segment share that in the specific, targeted segment relative share -in relation to the market leaders annual fluctuation rate of market share Expense analysis The key ratio to watch in this area is usually the `marketing expense to sales ratio; although this may be broken down into other elements (advertising to sales, sales administration to sales, and so on). Financial analysis The bottom line of marketing activities should at least in theory, be the net profit (for all except non-profit organizations, where the comparable emphasis may be on remaining within budgeted costs).

Exploring Themes Of The Shawshank Redemption English Literature Essay

Exploring Themes Of The Shawshank Redemption English Literature Essay Life is a mystery for those who find it hard to live it their own way, for those who live it as if the fate has chosen it for them. That is more of a compromise rather than a choice that people make to their lives driven by the awful situations that life put on them. Few find it hard to survive, few find it hard to sail against and there are few who remain stagnant for a while busy preparing a ship all those days waiting to sail through the streams moving in the favorable direction one day leading to a way to a new life of their own choice. The movie portrays all the possible choices that someone may think of and act to implement one. No one actually could imagine what life has for him or her in the next moment. Things may be worse and even dreadful to imagine. Sometimes, we are bound to accept the thing that comes to our way. People left with no choices rather than to accept it as it comes. However, that is not the end of it. They are free to create an opportunity with their creative instinct. The lead character in the movie have actually proved it to many in there, The Shawshank Prison that in life irrespective of all awful situations, we do always have two choices either we get busy living or get busy dying. Life has several options for everyone. It is up to people to identify the options and be strong in their mind to find a way to get busy living. All that matters is the choice you make and implement your strategic moves silently and carefully to own your dream in reality. Freedom is not just the physical presence that we make in the outside world; it is as versatile in its nature as our mind or heart is. Music brings your soul to harmony as it stays in your mind as well as in your heart. Music provides you with a way to attach yourself to your soul, to listen to your mind and set yourself free inside away from all worries. The movie talks about the life in prison and the choice that prisoners do make. Few cage their minds forever in the dark of prison. It is because of the fear or most often because they lost their hope of living in real sense forever. They forget to trust their abilities or perhaps never realize that they have the potential to do different things. However, those who remain open to hope and do not let the fear of circumstances rolling over them, makes it worth out of their knowledge and cleverness. Part 2: Analysis of how the movie presents the message or theme: By creating the films solid groundwork, the carefully chiseled screenplay paved the way for this films success. Frank Darabont outdoes himself with the extraordinary adaptation of Stephen Kings equally noteworthy novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. In this novella, King demonstrates that he can break free from the genre he dominates and still produce a splendid piece of modern literature. The film mirrors the novella in many ways. While maintaining some of the poetic and touching dialogue of the novella, Darabont also proves that a films score can breed a great pact of emotional reaction from its audience, as dialogue does. The tale instigates with the trial of a young banker, Andy Dufrense, offended by incidental evidence, resulting in a conviction for the murder of his wife and her lover. After a quick conviction, Andy finds himself serving a life sentence at Shawshank prison, with no hope of promise. He exists in this prison only in outward show, keeping his mind free from the monotonous walls around him. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free. His quite way about anything along with his professional excellence results in the gaining of respect from his fellow inmates as well as the Warden and security men, but most of all from Ellis Boyd Redding. Norten(the warden): You enjoy working in the laundry. Andy: No. Sir, not especially Norten: Perhaps you can find something more befitting a man of your education. (Andy associated Brooks in Shawshank prison library) The Shawshank Redemption. Dir. Frank Darabont. Wri. Stephen King, Prod. Niki Marvin.Columbia Pictures, 1994 Ellis, generally referred to as Red perhaps because he was an Irish, finds lucrative use of his commercial spirit within the drab walls of Shawshank by dealing in contraband and commodities rare to the boundaries of prison. Andys character and undeniable sense of hope causes Red to take a deeper look at himself, and the world around him. Andy proves to Red and the other inmates that he could thrill the conservative walls of Shawshank prison with music and at times with a hope to live and to drill a hole big enough to reach out as a freeman. Andy: I had  Mr. Mozart  to keep me company. [Points and taps his head.]  It was in here [Gestures over his heart]. That is the beauty of music. They cannot get that from you. Havent you ever felt that way about music? Red: Well, I played a mean harmonica as a younger man; Lost interest in it, though. Didnt make too much sense in here. Andy: No, here is where it makes the  most  sense. You need it so you do not forget. Red: Forget? Andy: That there are places in the world that arent made out of stone. They cannot get to something inside. They cannot touch. It is yours. Red: What are you talking about? Andy: Hope. The Shawshank Redemption. Dir. Frank Darabont. Wri. Stephen King, Prod. Niki Marvin.Columbia Pictures, 1994 While both Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman shine as Andy and Red, respectively, the true display of acting lies within the plethora of remarkable supports from actors who easily disappear into their roles. James Whitmore, who portrays the elderly Brooks Hatlen, a man imprisoned for an unstated crime for so long that he finds himself attached to the Shawshank and the daily life he has lead. He finds it hard to manage with the outside world when set free from the prison. He commits suicide. Andy Red had a conversation over this Andy concluded. I guess it comes down to a simple choice. Get busy living or get busy dying. The Shawshank Redemption. Dir. Frank Darabont. Wri. Stephen King, Prod. Niki Marvin.Columbia Pictures, 1994 Andy had secret dream of getting away from the life of prison and he was continually gaining faith of the security men for almost 20 years with his financial tax saving tips along with the revival of Shawshank prison library. Nobody would have ever dreamt of what plans he carries on his mind. For 20 years, he kept digging a passage in his cell in night using a rock hammer and everything he did in those 20 years actually was a part of a long-term plan with the only objective of freedom. To live as a freeman was his right as he was innocent. He made his choice and lived up to it. Not only he planned things for him but also he did have a lot on his mind for his friend Mr. Red. Red has not been able to convince Rehabilitation officer of his innocence for last 20 years but after Andy proved his dreams to him. Red realized his abilities and been able to convince the officer with his mighty words. Rehabilitation Officer: Ellis Boyd Redding: your file says you have served 40 years of a life sentence. Do you feel you have been `rehabilitated? Red: `Rehabilitated? Well, now, let me see. You know, I do not have any idea what that means. Rehabilitation Officer: Well, it means that you are ready to rejoin society, to- Red: I know what you think it means, sonny. To me it is just a made-up word. A politicians word, so that young fellas like you can wear a suit and a tie and have a job. What do you really wanna know? Am I sorry for what I did? Rehabilitation Officer: Well, are you? Red: There is not a day goes by I do not feel regret. Not because I am in here; or because you think, I  should.  I look back on the way I was then: a young, stupid kid who committed that terrible crime. I want to talk to him. I want to try to talk some sense to him, tell him the way things are but I cannot. That kid is long gone and this old man is all that left. I have to live with that. `Rehabilitated? It is just a bullshit word. So go ahead and stamp your forms, sonny, and stop wasting my time. The Shawshank Redemption. Dir. Frank Darabont. Wri. Stephen King, Prod. Niki Marvin.Columbia Pictures, 1994 Part 3: Presentation of Analysis: An excellent piece of work by Mr. Frank Darabont, the proud director of a film with the name The Shawshank Redemption with a wonderful plot, a wonderful theme, the prominent music, visual script and acting. The Shawshank Redemption defines a genus, defies the odds, obliges the emotions, and brings an epoch of artistically high-ranking films.   To produce something of this scenery, a director must approach it in a most scrupulous manner, due to the delicacy of the process. Such an intimidating task requires an extremely capable artist with an indisputable managerial capacity and an acutely developed awareness of each element of art in the film to form a harmonious union, because this fusion determines the fate of the artists work. With work from vast display of talented scene designers, costume designers, composers, cinematographers, and various other Hollywood artists, the cast of The Shawshank Redemption had a muscular basis to work with. Anyone who trust his abilities and strongly desires to live his dreams and do have the courage to create an opportunity out of complex situations with the help of his skills win over the worst circumstances. The movie was a huge success as it got nomination for Oscars along with another 12 wins 13 nominations. In USA, the movie generated a gross income of $28,341,469.

Cross-cultural Experiences :: Personal Narrative Essays

Cross-cultural Experiences Question Answered: Present the ways in which cross-cultural experiences strengthen a continuous development of the world environment. Cross-cultural experiences can be defined in several ways. Some view these experiences as a way to interact with individuals who are diverse, often experiencing things unfathomable in relation to one's own life. Some view these experiences as an opportunity to strengthen world relations, promoting the idea of peace and worldwide togetherness. Also, some would say that cross-culture is a way to understand people of all races and circumstances, lowering the threat of war and misunderstandings. I believe that cross-culture envelops all of these ideas. It is an extreme responsibility that should never be taken lightly. It is a chance to share the American culture with others, often learning more about a foreign place in the process. Regardless, cross-cultural experiences are very significant and wonderful. They enrich the lives of those who participate by offering experience, knowledge, patience, and an understanding into one's own culture, as well as into that of those who share this be autiful world with us. Cross-cultural experiences allow the partaker to "walk a mile in someone else's shoes." This old adage is quite relevant when addressed to the experience of learning in another surrounding. One gets to encounter how another person lives his or her life. They get to taste the different cuisine, enjoy music, and interact with citizens who are dissimilar. By doing this, the individual is seeing what life is like in another atmosphere. They are becoming aware of the different plights and jubilant exercises someone across the globe views as normal. For instance, if someone from a relatively peaceful country visits a warlike realm, they will understand and see "firsthand" the variation of the two atmospheres. When focusing on the situation, it is easier to clarify why certain individuals behave in a different way. These experiences also teach one about oneself. It offers the chance to promote the great country from which one came. Often, America is stereotyped for all types of ideals, such as baseball and apple pie. However, once entered into a new culture, one can adequately portray America for the diverse melting pot and land of opportunity for all races that it indeed is. Cross-culture is a shared mutual respect for the world in which we live. It offers strong ties to other countries, while promoting the greatness of the red, white, and blue.

Womens Sinister Roles in Shakespeares Macbeth :: Free Essay Writer

Women's Sinister Roles in Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚   In reading Shakespeare's tragic drama Macbeth, one meets only one good woman - Lady Macduff. The remaining female characters are basically evil. Let's consider mainly Lady Macduff and only briefly the three witches.    Blanche Coles states in Shakespeare's Four Giants that Macbeth's wife had considerable leverage over her husband's mind:    This was her opportunity to do as she had promised herself she would do after she had read the letter - to pour her spirits into his ear, to chasten with the valor of her tongue all that might impede him from the golden crown. We may be sure she took this opportunity to use all her monstrous powers of persuasion. Thus he goaded himself, or was goaded by his wife, into searing the terrible oath, whether he had any clear purpose of keeping it or not. (48-49)    In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson mentions the very wife-like manner in which the queen fulfilled her essential role in the tragedy:    It requires an extraordinary exertion of will and persuasion from Lady Macbeth to strengthen his wavering purpose. Professor Kittredge used to point out to his classes that Lady Macbeth, in urging Macbeth to act, uses the three arguments that every wife, some time or other, uses to every husband: "You promised me you'd do it!" "You'd do it if you loved me!" "If I were a man, I'd do it myself!" But Macbeth's mind is made up by her assurance that they may do it safely by fixing the guilt upon Duncan's chamberlains. (72)    In Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye shows that a lady is the actual driving force in the play:    That Macbeth is being hurried into a premature act by his wife is a point unlikely to escape the most listless member of the audience, but Macbeth comes to regret the instant of fatal delay in murdering Macduff, and draws the moral that    The flighty purpose never is o'ertook Unless the deed go with it. From this moment The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand.    That is, in future he will try to attain the successful ruler's spontaneous rhythm of action. (91)    L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" describes the unnaturalness in the thoughts and words of the plays dominant female force, Lady Macbeth:

Ban a Pit bull, Save a Life: Why the Ontario Ban against Pit bull Terri

â€Å"Mom! Mom! The dogs got Cody. The dogs got Cody† (Vancouver Sun, 2007). Just a few days after Christmas in 2004, these are the cries that awoke Sheri Fontaine. Fontaine raced from her bed into the living room to find her three-year old son, Cody Fontaine, savaged by the dogs that were staying temporarily in her house. Tragically, young Cody did not survive the attack. A young life taken, a mother’s life ruined. Sadly, this story is not as uncommon as one of violence against people, they exhibit highly stubborn characteristics that make them difficult to control, and such bans have proven to be extremely effective. In 2005, the Ontario Liberal government passed The Dog Owner’s Liability Act: a ban against pit bull terriers in the province. After the bill passed, Attorney General Michael Bryant said, â€Å"Mark my words, Ontario will be safer† (Ontario passes ban on pit bulls, 2005). The legislation prevented people from acquiring a number of breeds of dogs that would be classified as pit bulls. In addition, Ontario residents who already owned a pit bull terrier prior to the ban were required to neuter and muzzle their animals. Such policies against this breed of animal are not unprecedented. In fact, similar laws are already in place in Britain, France and Germany. In Canada, Winnipeg has had a ban against pit bull terriers in place for 20 years (Ontario passes ban on pit bulls, 2005). Ontario and other regions have imposed these sanctions because the evidence clearly indicates that pit bull terriers pose a much higher than average risk to people. Pit bull terriers have a long track record of attacks against people and animals. A 1987 study of a particularly savage attack against a child was documented by four doctors in the hopes... ... An Analysis of the Pit bull Terrier Controversy. Anthrozoos, 2-8. Raghavan, M. (2008). Fatal dog attacks in Canada, 1990–2007. The Canadian Verterinary Journal, 577– 581. Ruryk, Z. (2008, March 2). One endangered species: But pit bull attacks are down. Retrieved April 20, 2011, from Toronto Sun: http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/03/02/4887415-sun.html Smith, C. (2009, April 9). Media coverage of Surrey pit bull attack prompts protest by Vancouver pit bull owners. Retrieved April 20, 2011, from Straight.com: http://www.straight.com/article- 213929/media-coverage-surrey-pit-bull-attack-prompts-protest-vancouver-pit-bull-owners Vancouver Sun. (2007, February 6). Kids' cries woke mom of boy, 3, killed by dogs' bites. Retrieved April 20, 2011, from Canada.com: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=a79e501c-14a2-4964-aa02- f9a5ab25d2a5 Ban a Pit bull, Save a Life: Why the Ontario Ban against Pit bull Terri â€Å"Mom! Mom! The dogs got Cody. The dogs got Cody† (Vancouver Sun, 2007). Just a few days after Christmas in 2004, these are the cries that awoke Sheri Fontaine. Fontaine raced from her bed into the living room to find her three-year old son, Cody Fontaine, savaged by the dogs that were staying temporarily in her house. Tragically, young Cody did not survive the attack. A young life taken, a mother’s life ruined. Sadly, this story is not as uncommon as one of violence against people, they exhibit highly stubborn characteristics that make them difficult to control, and such bans have proven to be extremely effective. In 2005, the Ontario Liberal government passed The Dog Owner’s Liability Act: a ban against pit bull terriers in the province. After the bill passed, Attorney General Michael Bryant said, â€Å"Mark my words, Ontario will be safer† (Ontario passes ban on pit bulls, 2005). The legislation prevented people from acquiring a number of breeds of dogs that would be classified as pit bulls. In addition, Ontario residents who already owned a pit bull terrier prior to the ban were required to neuter and muzzle their animals. Such policies against this breed of animal are not unprecedented. In fact, similar laws are already in place in Britain, France and Germany. In Canada, Winnipeg has had a ban against pit bull terriers in place for 20 years (Ontario passes ban on pit bulls, 2005). Ontario and other regions have imposed these sanctions because the evidence clearly indicates that pit bull terriers pose a much higher than average risk to people. Pit bull terriers have a long track record of attacks against people and animals. A 1987 study of a particularly savage attack against a child was documented by four doctors in the hopes... ... An Analysis of the Pit bull Terrier Controversy. Anthrozoos, 2-8. Raghavan, M. (2008). Fatal dog attacks in Canada, 1990–2007. The Canadian Verterinary Journal, 577– 581. Ruryk, Z. (2008, March 2). One endangered species: But pit bull attacks are down. Retrieved April 20, 2011, from Toronto Sun: http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/03/02/4887415-sun.html Smith, C. (2009, April 9). Media coverage of Surrey pit bull attack prompts protest by Vancouver pit bull owners. Retrieved April 20, 2011, from Straight.com: http://www.straight.com/article- 213929/media-coverage-surrey-pit-bull-attack-prompts-protest-vancouver-pit-bull-owners Vancouver Sun. (2007, February 6). Kids' cries woke mom of boy, 3, killed by dogs' bites. Retrieved April 20, 2011, from Canada.com: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=a79e501c-14a2-4964-aa02- f9a5ab25d2a5

Analysis of the Effects of Product Cannibalism

PRICING STRATEGY – CANNIBALISM AND NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT – R. A. KERIN M. G. HARVEY J. T. ROTHE 1. My choice I have chosen to work on this topic for these reasons. For many years now, and mostly because of the economic crisis, a lot of « premium  » and mid-range brands have to compete against low-cost ones. In order to do this, some of these companies decided to launch low-cost brands to bring back lost customers.But I have already learned that this strategy can sometimes become a real threat for their premium brands: in fact, companies who do this can think that they bring new customers but unfortunately these customers are coming from their premium brand. Some real life examples are coming to me such as Coca-Cola Company who launched Coca-Cola light and Coca-Cola zero which was successful. How to avoid or reduce the brand cannibalization? What kind of strategy to develop? I hope that this article, even if it's a very old one, can answer these questions. . The su mmary The article starts be giving a definition of the cannibalization effect: we consider 2 different products (A and B) belonging to the same company – cannibalization means that (all other things equal), decreasing the price of product A will bring the sales decreasing of product B. This undesirable effect is occurring when the company, instead of launching a new product, prefer to reformulate one which already exists in an already created market. Authors are putting lights on two main consequences of cannibalistic strategy.The first one is positive, it allows to the company, through the new product, to open a new market, and thus gain market shares. The second seems to be negative, because customers of the first company's product can switch to the second, and it will not bring any additional revenue to the company. But, as authors underline, sometimes it's better for the company to see customers moving from the first product to the second one inside the same portfolio tha n reaching the competitor's product.So, cannibalism strategy can be a good way for the company to kill competitors, but the risk is huge if the new product creates an artificial segmentation which implies artificial needs. The distortion effect of cannibalism is the second main part of the article. Basically, it means that in order to appreciate the profitability of the new product, you must take in account cannibalization of the first one. Authors are talking about  « Pyrrhic Victory  » when one's overestimate the growth of the sales volume and market share due to the new product.Authors provide a solution to avoid this bas effect of cannibalism: the market test. For them it's the best method to know what need(s) the new product will fulfill when it will be launched. This method can help managers to identify (the most early as possible) what amount of the new product should be produced in order to reduce the cannibalization. The question of the  « acceptable  » level of can nibalization is evoked: the two main drivers to compute it are according to the authors the cost structure and market maturity. 3. My opinionOne of the main lessons I learned reading this article is that cannibalism can really be a positive thing for companies. Even if customers of the new product are indeed customers who switched from the previous one, they still not competitor's customers. Far to be a threat, the cannibalism strategy can really be useful and great for companies, especially, as I said in my first part, in time of crisis. Then I think, the article could provide more examples of  « positive  »or  « negative  » cannibalization. The example of Coca-Cola provided at the beginning of this memo is revelatory of the « positive  » cannibalization.In fact, a lot of different soda beverages belong to the Coca-Cola company (such as for instance Fanta, Minute maid or Coca-Cola). In 1983, Coca-Cola company launched Coca-Cola light, which tastes different from the ori ginal Coca-Cola but sugar free ; and then, at the beginning of 2000†², Coca zero was launched which was supposed to have the same taste as Coca-Cola original, and still sugar free. Even if Coca- Cola light lost many customers who switched to Coca zero, they still  « inside  » the same company and not moved to competition.This kind of strategy was learned in our Brand management course that sometimes it consists in creating a similar product can extend the market share of both products. Named the Flanker strategy, the two products are belong not only to the same company but also to the same product category. This strategy has many advantages: it's often almost free to market, as it's very close to the first product and using the same brand, and it was noticed that it's also a good way to promote both products and brands.

PESTEL Viet Nam Analysis Essay

A. Introduction of Viet Nam Vietnam is approximately 331688 km2 in area and occupied the eastern coast of the Southeast Asian peninsula. The northern part of the country part consists mostly of highlands and the Red River Delta. The south is divided into coastal lowlands and extensive forests. Because of differences in latitude and the marked variety of topographical relief, the climate tends to vary considerably from place to place. During the winter or dry season (November to April), the monsoon wind blowing from the northwest brings considerably moisture. Consequently the winter season in most parts of the country is dry. Major Vietnamese cities include Hanoi in the north, Da Nang in the mid coastal region, and Ho Chi Minh City (formally known as Saigon) to the south. Vietnam has considerable energy resources such as oil, gas and coal and its 41,000 km long waterways provide the basis for hydropower. The country is rich in minerals such as bauxite, iron ore, lead, gold, precious stones, tin, chromate, anthra cite, granite, marble, clay, white sand and graphite. In addition, Vietnam has a considerable fresh and saltwater fauna, dense tropical forestry resources and it possesses great agricultural potential. The history of Vietnam, reference to the Geneva Accord signed in 1954. The accord ended French colonial rule, and the country was partitioned into the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh and the Republic of Vietnam in the South. The capitals were Hanoi for the North and Saigon for the South. Fights led by Ho Chi Minh to unite the country started in 1959 and lasted until 1975. Hanoi became the capital of the country whilst Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. Following reunification, the Vietnamese government’s initial plan was to manage the economy via methods of central planning. Based on experiences gained during the 1976-1980 five years plan, subsequent central plans introduced more relaxed policies with respect to agricultural collectives, State Owned Enterprises and allowed more scope for private initiatives. These measures were instrumental in elevating poverty.  Growth rates during the early 80’s were higher than during the 1976-1980 five year pl an, however it became evident that further policy shift were necessary to enable the Vietnam economy to perform closer to its potential. Economic reform was the key point of discussion at the Sixth National Party Congress held in December 1986. The process then initiated of moving from a centrally planned economy to an open, socialist-oriented and multi-sector market economy known as Doi Moi (renovation). In 1992, the National Assembly revised the post-unification constitution to better reflect the aspirations articulated in the Doi Moi process. Economic performance since 1986 has justified the policy of relaxation of central control, the challenge faced by Vietnam has been the maintenance of rapid economic growth and integration into the global economy. B. â€Å"P.E.S.T.L.E† REPORT ON VIET NAM 1. Politics The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a single-party state. Its current state constitution, which replaced the 1975 constitution in April 1992, asserts the central role of the Communist Party of Vietnam in all organs of government, politics and society. In 2011, Viet Nam held the 11th Congress of Vietnam Communist Party, in which happened the Election of the Party Central Committee for the new term. Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong was elected to be the General Secretary. After the Congress, there happened the fist Congress of the Parliament, term 13th, in which Mr. Nguyen Sinh Hung was elected to be the President of the Parliament, Mr. Truong Tan Sang the President of the Country, and Mr. Nguyen Tan Dung was elected to continue the position of Prime Minister. This Congress also issued 4 degrees: first, approving the State Budget, second, agreeing on the program of building laws and ordinances in2012, third, beginning the study of the amendments and supplements of the 1992 Constitution and establ ishing the revised draft of the 1992 Constitution, and finally, the degree on the issuance of certain additional tax measures to remove difficulties for enterprises and individuals, contributing to economic development in 2011. In 2011, the disputes over the East Sea was the main cause of some changes in relations between Vietnam and some important countries in the world, especially the  Vietnam – China and Viet Nam – U.S. Tension in the East Sea has escalated due to China’s provocative acts in May, 2011. Then happened many anti-Chinese protests in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh city. In this context, the relation between Viet Nam and the U.S was proclaimed to be elevated to strategic partnership.4 And late 2011, the tensions in the Vietnam-China relations down to the visit by the senior officials of the two countries. In terms of politically domestic policy, the government kept a political stability, and showed some positive signs. For example, the freedom of the press seemed to be extended. In addition, the government was also more aware of its limitations and of the policy mistakes. Concretely, at the Fourth Conference of the Party Central Committee (XI), Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong said: ―Besides the achievements, the Party building work still has many limitations and shortcomings, weaknesses, even spanning multiple defects; these limitations would reduce people’s trust in the Party; if not corrected, they will be the challenge for leadership of the Party and the survival of the regime. 2. Economy The year of 2011 was important for the economy of Viet Nam because this is the first year in the latest Socio-Economic Development Strategy (2011-2020), with the goal of becoming an industrialized and modern economy by 2020. This strategy goes on to identify the country’s key priorities to meet this ambitious target: stabilize the economy, build world-class infrastructure, create a skilled labor force, and strengthen market-based institutions. According to Vietnam Development Report (VDR) 2012, meeting these aspirations will not be easy. In fact, the country has experienced bouts of macroeconomic turbulence in recent years—double-digit inflation, depreciating currency, capital flight, and loss of international reserves—eroding investor confidence. Besides, rapid growth has revealed new structural problems. The quality and sustainability of growth remain a source of concern, given the resource-intensive pattern of growth, high levels of environmental degradation, lack of diversification and value addition in exports, and the declining contribution of productivity to growth. Vietnam’s competitiveness is under threat because the power  generation has not kept pace with demand, logistical costs and real estate prices have climbed, and skill shortages are becoming more widespread. And these difficulties strongly existed in 2011. Concretely, the inflation in 2011 was 18.13%; the growth of GDP has slowed (5,89%). Domestic and international gold price gap increased. The Corruption index 2011 from Transparency International ranked Viet Nam at the position 112. This shows that Viet Nam has been faced one of the most difficult challenges of economic development. In terms of financial, according to the document of World Bank, in 2011, foreign direct investment inflows (to Viet Nam) continued at a steady pace, although new commitments declined. International reserves increased in the first half of the year while the Vietnamese dong benefitted from a period of relative calm. In the last quarter of the year, however, exchange rate fluctuations increased due to volatility in gold prices, deepening uncertainties and the seasonal increase in demand for foreign currency as the year end approaches. With approximate 9 billion U.S. dollars, the amount of money coming from overseas Vietnamese was one of the biggest sources of foreign currency in 2011. This amount is equivalent to the amount of FDI. Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japanese are the countries that contributed the biggest investment to Viet Nam in 2011. Hai Duong, Ho Chi Minh city, and Ha Noi are three places that has been most invested in recent time. The sectors that most attract the attention of foreign investors are processing industry, electricity supply, and accommodation and dining service. However, according to the analysis of a chief economist, Dr. Allan Pham, though facing the difficulties as mentioned above, the economy is coming to a better prospect in 2012, especially with a certain success in the fight against inflation of the country (the inflation has been trending down since the 4th quarter of 2011). Following is the figure of the selected macro indicators of the economy in recent years: Key Indicators 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 GDP growth (%) 8.5 6.2 5.3 6.78 5.8 6.0 CPI (%) 12.6 23 6.52 11.75 18.0 12-14 Trade deficit (USD) 12.5 17.8 12.2 12.4 12.1 13.3 Exports (USD) 48.4 62.5 56.6 71.6 80.2 86.5 Imports (USD) 60.8 80.3 68.8 84.0 92.4 99.8 FDI commitments (USD) 21.3 66.5 21.5 18.6 15.0 18.0 FDI disbursement (USD) 8.0 11.5 10.0 11.0 12.0 12.5 Credit growth (%) 54 21 37.7 27.6 15 18 SBV Base rate 8.2 8.5 8.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 Deposit rate (%) 7.0-8.0 7.0-8.5 9.5-10.5 10.0- 11.0 14 12.0 Lending rate (%) 10.0-12.0 10-12.5 10.5-12 13.0-13.5 18-20 14-16 USD/VND (bank rate) 16,016 17,468 18,600 19,500 21,500 22,500 Foreign Affairs At present, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 168 countries, and it has economic and trading relations with about 165 countries. Vietnam joined the United Nations in 1977. Vietnam became an official member of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1995, and has concluded a cooperation agreement with the European Community. Relationships with multi-national financial institutions such as the World Bank (WB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have been re-established. Viet Nam has been participating in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (â€Å"AFTA†) since 1996 and became a member of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) in 1998. Vietnam became an official member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 11 January 2007. In January 2008, the country started a two year term as an elected non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Vietnam signed the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the United Sta tes in 2000. Besides aspects of international trade, the BTA covers a variety of other areas, including intellectual property rights, trade in services, development of investment relations, business  facilitation and the obligation to ensure transparency of laws and regulations. The BTA essentially constitutes a commitment by both countries to open their markets to each other. Intellectual Property In recent years, the Government has taken various measures to increase the legal protection of intellectual property and has created an environment of respect for intellectual property as compared to other neighboring countries. Intellectual property rights are protected by the Civil Code (1995 and 2005), the Law on Intellectual Property (2005) and a host of subordinate legislation. Vietnam is a long-time signatory to the Paris Convention, the Madrid Agreement on International Trademark Registration, and the Patent Cooperation Treaty (â€Å"PCT†) and became a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization in 1976. On 27 June 1997, Vietnam entered into an Agreement on copyrights with the US. According to the Viet Nam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement, Vietnam is under the obligation to adhere to the Berne Convention. The National Office of Intellectual Property (â€Å"NOIP†) is the authority responsible for the registration of industrial property and for the resolutio n of disputes with regard to industrial property in the first instance. Foreign organizations and individuals seeking to register their industrial ownership should file their applications through an authorized agent, who will transfer their application to the NOIP. The Office of Copyright Protection under the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism has also been established and is responsible for the protection of copyright. Works may be registered with the Office of Copyright Protection; however, registration is not a prerequisite for copyright protection. Currently, patents are protected for a period of 20 years. A certificate of utility solutions may be granted for 10 years. A certificate of industrial design is granted for 5 years and may be renewed every 5 years. However, the total effective period of a certificate cannot exceed 15 years. Certificates of trademarks are granted for 10 years with no restrictions on the number of renewals. Investment Guarantees The Government of Vietnam guarantees fair treatment for investors. Capital and other legal assets of investors will not be expropriated or confiscated by law or administrative measures and businesses with foreign-invested  capital will not be nationalized. Foreign investors are allowed to remit abroad investment capital and profits, loan principal and interest, and other legal proceeds and assets. Expatriates working for businesses with foreign-invested capital or for a business cooperation contract are permitted to remit their income abroad. The Vietnam government respects intellectual and industrial property rights and the interests of foreign investors relating to technology transfers into Vietnam. Economic Risks Global Finance Crisis is the hottest issues that people discuss most in this few years. The global financial crisis that started from the United States raises a very broad impact to Vietnam. Inflation Inflation has been in double digits since 2007 and peaking at 28% in August 2008. The fiscal deficit accounted for 4.5-5% GDP in 2008 while trade deficit reached US$17.5 billion (or over 20% of GDP), a level that signals vulnerability to a sudden drop in external demand (Figure 2). A high rate of investment combined with a sizeable fiscal deficit resulted in rapid growth in aggregate demand in the first half of 2008. Massive capital inflows generated asset price inflation, especially in real estate and land prices. Export Decline Vietnamese exports have suffered the strongest negative impact. With economic problems in the US, EU and Japan, which together account for more than 60% of Vietnamese exports, Vietnam saw a significant decline in export revenues. Vietnam’s export revenues fell 6.5% in November 2008 and a further 24% drop in January 2009 (year-on-year) (Figure 3). Orders for manufactured exports including garments, footwear and furniture dropped quickly, while seafood5 producers are also under pressure. The decline of orders has caused great difficulties for exporting companies, many of them are at risk of closing down.6 Vietnamese exports’ growth is forecasted to decline from 30% in 2008 to 13% in 2009. Unemployment Unemployment has worsened. At February 28, 2009, 66,700 workers (out of 45 million workers) lost their jobs in 2008 with national unemployment rate of 4.65%. Thus, it is estimated that over 80,000 workers lost their jobs  nationwide in 2008. The latest forecast of Vietnam Labor and Employment Agency estimates the figure to hit 400,000 nationwide in 2009. Job cuts are rising especially in big cities11 with industrial, processing and exporting zones. The situation may worsen in 2009 with an unemployment rate of 5% and at a projected economic growth of 6.5%. High unemployment has already affected domestic demand and consumers’ sentiment in Vietnam, which are bearish in recent months. 3. Socio-Culture 3.1 Education Viet Nam’s population enjoys a relatively high standard of education. In fact, Confucian ethics has strongly influenced upon Vietnamese’s viewpoint of social values, and education has always been considered as one of the best values that a person should desire to achieve. Nowadays, education has been still considered as one of the most important issues that the country has to pay great attention. Recently, at the 11th Party Congress, the government is determined to develop a national education policy as one of the priorities of the country. As a result, the country has gained big success in education. Concretely, according to the 2009 Census results, there are only nearly four million people who have never attended school (5.0% of the total population aged 5 years and over) and as compared with the 1999 Census this number has decreased 5% (6.9 million people, account for 10.0% of population aged 5 and over). This shows the significant progress of Vietnam’s educat ion sector in minimizing the number of people who never go to school. The official figures also point out that the literacy rate for the population aged 15 years and over increased by 3.7% (from 90.3% in 1999 to 94.0% in 2009). The female literacy rate increased 4.9%, while the male literacy rate increased 2.2%, significantly narrowing the literacy rate gap between men and women. Ha Noi, Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City are three provinces having the highest literacy rate (97.9%) while Lai Chau has the lowest (59.4%). This data shows that the literacy rate was not only increased quite rapidly but also express successes of Vietnam’s gender equality work in the education sector.13 Certainly, besides such successes, Vietnamese education system also has faced many challenges,  including poor infrastructure, lack of equipment and teaching materials, low wages precipitating an acute shortage of skilled teachers and academic staff, a relatively poor linkage of higher education with research, production and employment, and some contradictions of the system. As the analysis of RFA, the situation of education in Viet Nam in 2011 had some notable points as following: There were three positive points of the education in Vietnam in 2011. The first point is the plan of â€Å"reducing the load of textbooks† from primary to secondary school of the Ministry of Education and Training. The second is the plan of achieving universal preschool education for children of 5 years old. In this plan, the Ministry of Education will build public kindergartens for children at age 5 in the mountainous areas; and the poor students will be exempt from tuition fees, with the plan of over 95% of children enroll in 2 sessions / day by 2015. And the third is the policy of training and vocational training in poor areas such as the Highlands. On the contrary, there were also many crucially negative points of the education in 2011. First of all, there was the imbalance in enrollment in universities and colleges between students with practical needs. The sectors of social sciences, agriculture, forestry and fishery were registered by only 2.5% of exam registration reco rds (while Vietnam has up to 70% of the population are farmers). And the sectors in demand such as business, tourism †¦ had to be encountered the difference between training and recruitment practices; and this leads to the fact that graduates get difficulty to find job. Secondly, teacher’s salary does not meet their living when inflation is high; and this leads to some problems: the teachers could not focus on their business as they had to find extra jobs, or to open extra classes. Thirdly, there has existed the problem of the degradation in social ethics of many students, due to lack of paying attention on humanity teaching, which can be proved by many cases of students committed violent guilty or crime. 3.2 Human Resource The national average population in 2011 estimated 87.84 million, up by 1.04% compared to 2010, including male population 43.47 million, (49.5%), and female population 44.37 million, (50.5%). Urban population is 26.88 million,  (30.6%); rural population is 60.96 million (69.4 %). According to the official report, the population structure by age in Vietnam is in a positive change. The population in the working age is 46,48 million, increased 0,12% compared to 2010. The proportion of workers in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries declined from 48.7% in 2010 to 48.0% in 2011; in industry and construction rose from 21.7% to 22.4%; and in the services maintained at 29.6%. The unemployment rate in the working age was 2.27% in 2011, of which the urban areas account for 3.6%, the rural areas 1.71%. This is the period of the country with advantages in labor force, also known as the â€Å"demographic window period†, which began in 2003 and may last from 30 to 50 years. This is cons idered as a big advantage for the industrialization and modernization of the country, if it takes advantage of the superiority Vietnamese on the labor force. 3.3 Traffic: Conditions And Problems Highway system The road system consists of over 200,000 km network including over 10,000 bridges. However road conditions are not ideal, less than half of the national highways have two lanes or more. In addition, road congestion is increasing in major cities. In recent years, the Government has mobilized a significantly large amount of capital to upgrade the highway system with financial support from international lending agencies. Railway The rail network consists of about 2,600 km of single–track line covering several routes. There are about 260 stations in the network. The longest and most important route is the Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City line, which stretches for 1,730 km. This line is now serviced by an express train, which makes the journey in approximately 29.5 hours. The lines connecting Vietnam to China were re-opened a few years ago. Inland Waterways Often overlooked by foreign investors, the inland waterway system offers a cheap and flexible mode of transport. Vietnam has more than 2,300 rivers and canals with total length of 198.000 km. Currently, the inland waterway has a system of over 61,000 km. The two major inland waterway systems serve as major transportation outlets. The first major inland waterway system is in  the Red River area in the north which stretches for approximately 2,500 km. Along this system there are five main ports, of which Hanoi is the largest. The second major inland waterway extends 4,500 km along the Mekong River and its tributaries in the South and boasts about 30 ports, including Ho Chi Minh City. The larger river vessels are tug-drawn barges. Official estimates put the fleet capacity at about 420,000 tons with speeds ranging from 2 to over 20 km an hour. Smaller, wooden barges are mostly privately owned. Ports Vietnam has eleven major seaports. Ho Chi Minh City serves most of the South and now boasts modern container loading facilities. Just a few hours’ drive from Hanoi, Hai Phong serves much of the North. Given the rapid rise in trade volume, increasing port capacity is a national priority. Airports and Civil Aviation There are three international airports: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang. Currently, the Government has significantly upgraded international airports to handle the increase in the volume of traffic associated with Vietnam’s invigorated economy. A new international terminal of the Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, capable of handling up to 10 million passengers a year was opened in December 2007. Noi Bai airport in Hanoi was upgraded, enlarged and completed for operation in 2002, construction of a second terminal is expected to start in October 2008 and completed in two years. Four new international airports are planned to be constructed in Phu Quoc, Dong Nai, Lao Cai and Quang Ninh provinces. Preparations for the new Long Thanh International Airport, 40 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City in Dong Nai province is underway. The airport is scheduled to open in 2010 and by 2015 it will be further expanded to reach an annual transportation capacity of 80 to 100 million pass engers, becoming one of the biggest airports in the region. In addition, there are 16 other domestic airports around the country. Culture and Social Vietnam is a country located in Southeast Asia, Vietnam is a culturally rich country whose distinct history played a role in the development of the modern day state. Vietnamese practices of Confucianism and showing reverence towards ancestors are evidence of China’s historical influence on Vietnamese  society. Vietnam became an independent state in the tenth century but was colonized by the French in the mid 1800s. Vietnam gained independence in the mid twentieth century but still retains traces of French culture which are visible in the way people communicate verbally and nonverbally. Though Vietnam has struggled over the past century through colonial rule, the Vietnam War and recent economic upheavals, it is now rebuilding itself to be able to compete on a global scale. Having a comprehensive understanding of Vietnam’s unique cultural values and traditions can allow the company to develop strong and successful business relationships with Vietnamese counterparts. Language Vietnamese is the official language, although there are distinct northern, central and southern dialects and accents. It is a tonal language, with each syllable; there are six different tones that can be used, which change the definition and it often makes it difficult for foreigners to pick up the language. There are other languages spoken as well such as Chinese, Khmer, Cham and other languages spoken by tribes inhabiting the mountainous regions. Although there are some similarities to Southeast Asian languages, such as Chinese, Vietnamese is thought to be a separate language group, although a member of the Austro-Asiatic language family. In written form, Vietnamese uses the Roman alphabet and accent marks to show tones. This system of writing called â€Å"quoc ngu†, was created by Catholic missionaries in the 17th century to translate the scriptures. Eventually this system, particularly after World War I, replaced one using Chinese characters (chu nom), which had been the u nofficial written form used for centuries. Non-verbal communication For certain feelings, Vietnamese people favor non-verbal communication. Vietnamese do not express feeling of thankfulness of apology in verbal communication, but non-verbal through silence or a smile. The proper respectful behavior is to avoid eye contact when talking to person who is not equal status or of the same gender. The smile is another non-verbal symbol conveying the feeling of respect in Vietnamese culture. It is used as an expression of apology, or as expression of embarrassment. For the Vietnamese a smile is a proper response in most situation in which verbal expression is not necessary, or appropriate. Confucianism The teachings of Confucius influence the Vietnamese describe the position of the individual in Vietnamese society. Confucian teachings emphasize the importance of relationships, responsibility and obligation. This philosophy is still a vital component of Vietnamese society and is prevalent in Vietnamese business culture in conserving the harmony of the collective good. The basic tenets are based upon five different relationships: Ruler and subject Husband and wife Parents and children Brothers and sisters Friends Hierarchy As like other group-oriented societies, Vietnam hierarchical structures are very much based upon age and status. This derives from Confucianism, which emphasizes social order. Everyone is seen as having a distinct place and role within the hierarchical structure, be it the family or workplace. An obvious example is seen in social situations where the oldest person in a group is greeted or served first. Within the family the head would be responsible for making decisions and approving marriages. Therefore companies that want to invest in Vietnam are made sense to give more authority to local managers to control the subordinates. The organization structure can be designed as hierarchical, with power derived from prestige, force, and inheritance. Collectivism Vietnam is a collectivist society in which the needs of the group are often placed over the individual. Family and community concerns will almost always come before business or individual needs. Family in particular plays an important role in Vietnamese society. You will notice that close ties between extended families and communities can have a major influence on individual behavior and oftentimes there are multiple generations living under one roof. For this reason, the company of the investor can pay more attention to their employees’ family members for example provide free medical treatment, childcare leave, family trips, etc. This can increase the employees’ loyalty to the company. Besides, in order to increase efficiency of Vietnamese employees, the company should assign tasks to them by group rather than individual. Religion Religion in Vietnam is closely related to the history of Vietnam and most importantly the culture of Vietnam. The earliest established religions in Vietnam were Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism (called the ‘triple religion’). These religions have been co-existing in the country for centuries and mixed well with the Vietnamese tradition of ancestor worship. This special mix explains why the Vietnamese people find it hard to say exactly which religion the belong to. They usually classify themselves as non-religious, despite visiting religious temples several times every year. At the year 2006, the major religious affiliations amongst Vietnam born people were Buddhism (58.6%), Catholics (22.1%), other (4.6%), and no religion (11.03%). From the data, we were found that Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism have greatly affected the Vietnamese’s behavior. The foreign investors should take note there are quite a large number of vegetarian in Vietnam, because of th e Buddhism religion. Food of Vietnamese Food is a very important part of Vietnamese culture. The Vietnamese not only enjoy eating but believe eating good food can bring harmony and closeness to the family and relationships. The types of foods are chosen to bring luck and these vary from province to province. Buying daily for fresh food is essential for all Vietnamese cooking. In general, Vietnamese people are not as concerned about nutrition as Westerner. They are more concerned with the quality of the foods. Concepts of Time Like most Asians, the Vietnamese have a more extended concept of time than that of most Americans. The agrarian nature of their traditional society focuses on seasons rather than days or weeks. And this tradition is reinforced by the Confucian tradition of respect for earlier generations. Americans measure time by the clock, Vietnamese by the monsoon. Although this is changing somewhat, Vietnamese can still be expected to take a longer view of time and be suspicious of the need for urgency in making decisions  or culminating a business deal. Patience remains the ultimate Confucian virtue in personal life as well as in business. Personal Relationships In Vietnam, propriety and courtesy play a major role in personal relationships. Vietnamese are generally more interpersonally formal than are Americans. This formality decreases the uncertainty surrounding interpersonal contacts in Vietnamese society and is carried over into the business realm for the same reasons. During initial meetings with Vietnamese officials, you can expect little real business to be accomplished. The Vietnamese will concentrate on getting to know you–your background, your expertise, your character. In their high-context communication culture, they will depend heavily on non-verbal clues to assess meaning. By becoming acquainted and establishing a personal relationship with you, they are merely trying to understand you better. Vietnamese society is comprised of an interconnected network of personal relationships, all of which carry obligations on both sides. These mutual obligations are the underpinnings of social order in Vietnam, so they are taken very seriously. Americans need to understand and be sensitive to the serious nature of what may seem to them to be casual business relations. Failure to do so could easily result in a loss of trust or credibility, with obvious implications for longer-term relationships. 4. Technology In terms of technology, Viet Nam is a rapidly developing country. The year 2011 was the beginning of the strategic plan of economic and social development, period 2011-2020, in which infrastructural building is considered as one of main targets. With this plan, the country has been building many expressways and will let the local transport network be eventually upgraded to meet the requirements of rural industrialization and modernization, and connect itself with the national system. In addition, the above plan also includes a project which will work to narrow its scientific and technological gap with the world in some key fields by 2020. To launch this project, the Government will give top priority to enhancing the competence of scientists and related managers while encouraging the organization of training courses partnered with foreign competent partners. According to the project, the Government will focus on scientific and technological renovation to sharpen the competitive edge of local products and assisting businesses to purchase patents in some prioritized areas: biotechnology, information technology, new materials technology – Nano technology , manufacturing technology and automation. 5. Legislation The communist party-controlled government of Vietnam has ruled under four state constitutions. The first was promulgated in 1946, the second in 1959, the third in 1980, and the current in 1992 (amended in 2001). Significantly, each bore the mark of its time. On paper, all these constitutions seem to establish a solid democracy. In fact, the purpose of the 1946 constitution was essentially to provide the communist regime with freedom of speech, the press, and assembly. The second constitution was explicitly communist in character. Its preamble described the Democratic Republic of Vietnam as a â€Å"people’s democratic state led by the working class,† and the document provided for a nominal separation of powers among legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. The 1980 Constitution concentrates power in a newly established Council of State much like the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, endowing it nominally with both legislative and executive powers. Many functions of the legislature remain the same as under the 1959 document, but others have been transferred to the executive branch or assigned to both branches concurrently. The executive branch appears strengthened overall, having gained a second major executive body, the Council of State, and the importance of the National Assembly appears to have been reduced accordingly. The role of the Council of Ministers, while appearing on paper to have been subordinated to the new Council of State, in practice retained its former primacy. Having inherited the previous constitutions with substantial and basic changes, on the one hand, the 1992 Constitution continues reaffirming the basic principles in the constitutional history of Vietnam. First, it reiterates the target of socialist construction in Vietnam and the popular nature of the State. Second, the 1992 Constitution continues affirming the Communist Party of Vietnam’s leadership over the State and the society.  Third, it continues affirming the mechanism of State powers performed by the people through the National Assembly and the People’s Councils, the organization and operation of the State under the principle of concentrated powers; the concentration of State powers uniformly into the National Assembly with the division of responsibility among State bodies for the exercise of the legislative power, executive power and judicial power. On the other hand, the 1992 Constitution sees big changes: Vietnam decided to take economic renewal as the cent ral task, First, building the multi-sector and multi-ownership market economy along the socialist orientation. open-door policy and international economic integration. In reality, however, final authority on all matters rested with the Political Bureau; especially, the guarantees provided by the constitutions for freedom of speech, the press, and assembly has been never intended to be carried out. The constitutions eventually show its limitations since Vietnam has joined the stream of globalization, especially in the field of human rights and land-ownership law. In a report made public at the Conference on the Rule of law for human rights in the ASEAN region held by the Human Rights Resource Centre for ASEAN (HRRCA) in Jakarta, Indonesia on 30 April 2011, Mr. Vo Van Ai, President of Que Me: Action for Democracy in Vietnam and the Vietnam Committee for Human Rights called on Vietnam to urgently reform its legal system and bring domestic legislation into line with international human rights laws. Mr. Vo Van Ai declared: ―36 years after the end of the Vietnam War, the rule of law exists only in theory in Vietnam. The government has incorporated human rights into its 1992 Constitution. Yet it has also adopted a whole arsenal of Laws, Decrees, Ordinances and Decisions which restrict or even nullify the exercise of these rights, in total violation of the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Vietnam adhered in 1982â€â€". At the beginning of the New Year 2012 (Jan 1, 2012), there happened The Tien Lang land withdrawal case: in Tien Lang district (on the outskirts of Haiphong, a port city east of Hanoi) a fish farmer, Doan Van Vuong, and his family had resisted a large force moving in to enforce an eviction order. With an improvised mine and muskets bought on the black market, they’d wounded two soldiers and four policemen, including the local police chief. Prime  Minister Nguyen Tan Dung himself had to meet the Haiphong City authorities to resolve the case; and finally came to the conclusion on Feb 2 that the Haiphong government was absolutely wrong in the case; and he ordered the Haiphong City authorities to review their wrong works as and repair the situation. This case is just one among so many cases that show matters association with the land law. And this shocked case has raised the question of reforming the land law, which has been ambiguously claimed by the constitution as ―land is possessed by the whole peopleâ€â€". Mr. Dang Hung Vo, former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, comments that ―it’s possible to see the recent incident at Tien Lang as a climactic demonstration of the faults in our Land Law and how it is implemented at the local level. A good farmer, pure, simple and hardworking, who’s driven to defend his right to his land with home-made weapons – what misery! Everybody believes that there’s such a thing as justice and that the law ensures it. Certainly that’s what the farmers who built the fish ponds at Tien Lang believed. They went to the court expecting fair play, but the simple truths they understood proved elusive. The hopelessness of their situati on drove them to take desperate measures. As mentioned above, the 11th Congress of Vietnam Communist Party held in 2011 issued four degrees; and one of them is beginning the study of the amendments and supplements of the 1992 Constitution and establishing the revised draft of the 1992 Constitution. This is urgent and necessary for the development of the country. 6. Environment Viet Nam is blessed by the nature, with a great ecological and hydrological diversity. The country is made up of equatorial lowlands, high, temperate plateaus and cooler mountainous areas. It lies in the inter-tropical zone and local conditions vary from frosty winters in the far northern hills to the year-round subequatorial warmth of the Mekong Delta. At sea level, the mean annual temperature is about 27 °C in the south, falling to about 21 °C in the far north. Geographically, it stretches over 1600km (1000mi) along the eastern coast of the Indochinese Peninsula; and has two main cultivated areas, that are the Red River Delta (15,000 sq km/5400 sq mi) in the north  and the Mekong Delta (60,000 sq km/23,400 sq mi) in the south. Vietnam also has diverse wildlife, with rare and precious fauna such as elephants, rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, black bear, snub-nosed monkey, crocodile and turtle. Forest area accounts for 2% of total forests in East Asia and Pacific. Fish catch is amon g the 10 highest countries in the world, with 1,451,800 tons per year. However, as the report of the World Bank on the environment in Viet Nam, ―Rapid economic growth in Vietnam over the last ten years, and its associated industrialization, urbanization, as well as increased exploitation of natural resources, has created significant pressures for the environment.â€â€"35 For example, the diverse wildlife is in precipitous decline because of the destruction of habitats, illegal hunting and pollution. In fact, Viet Nam Rhino was officially extinct in 2011. One of the most obvious examples for illustrating the environmental pollution is the phenomenon of getting narrowed of the lakes in Ha Noi. According to the Hanoi Construction Department, there are 111 ponds and lakes in Hanoi which cover a total area of 1165 hectares. The total area of lakes has decreased sharply during the urbanization, while a lot of them have disappeared. It is estimated that 80% of the lakesides have got polluted, 71% of lakes have suffered from pollution, 26% of the lakes still do not have embankments, while 8% of lakes have partial embankments. Environmentalists have called on to take urgent actions to protect the remaining lakes, or they would also disappear one day. Vietnam is among the countries that can be seriously affected by climate change. And the fact shows that the increasing deterioration of environmental conditions is emerging as a barrier to growth and development in recent years. In fact, according to the General Statistics Office, domestic natur al disasters occurred in 2011 has made 257 people dead and missing, 267 wounded; nearly 1.2 thousand houses collapsed and swept away; 391.8 thousand houses were submerged or damaged; more than 760 km of dykes, and the 680 km road motorized traffic bursts, landslides; 867 power poles broken or poured; nearly 54,000 hectares of rice and vegetables has been lost; more than 330,000 hectares of rice crops were flooded or damaged. Total value of damage caused by natural disasters in 2011 was estimated at over 10 trillion VND. Thus, this is really a big challenge of the country; and it needs a national and urgent action to prevent an ecological and hydrological catastrophe. C. BRIEF CONCLUSION With the aforementioned analysis of ―P.E.S.T.L.Eâ€â€", we see that in 2011, on the one hand, Viet Nam constantly attempted to keep its strategic plan of development, and also has obtained some important goals; on the other hand, the country had to face many difficulties and challenges which came both from outside and from inside. In my opinion, there are some main issues that the government should pay great attention in the coming years: reforming the education system, fighting against corruption (especially, promoting fiscal transparency and the public availability of economic data and information), reforming the state-owned sectors, amending laws, narrowing the gap between the Kinh, the Hoa and the ethnic minority groups, and improving environmental conditions.