The Equal Rights Amendment

The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposal written in 1921 by Alice Paul, who was the founder of the National Woman’s Party. It was designed mainly to invalidate many state and federal laws that she felt discriminated against women; its central underlying principle was that sex should not determine the legal rights of American men or women. This proposed amendment to the U. S. Constitution stated that â€Å"Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex† and also that â€Å"the Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. The amendment was first introduced to Congress in 1923, soon after women in the United States had been given the right to vote. The U. S. Senate finally approved it 49 years later, in March 1972. It was then submitted to the state legislatures for ratification within seven years but, despite a deadline extension to June 1982, was not ratified by the required majority votes from 38 states. It would have become the 27th Amendment to the Constitution. Even though the ERA gained ratification of 30 states within one year of its approval by the Senate, escalating intense opposition from conservative religious and political organizations brought the ratification to a standstill. The main objections to the ERA were based on fears that women would lose privileges and protections such as exemption from compulsory military service and combat duty and economic support from husbands for themselves and their children. Among the opponents to the ERA, was a woman by the name of Phyllis Schlafly, a St. Louisan known for her opposition to the women’s liberation movement. She earned a law degree from Washington University and earned a master’s degree in political science from Harvard University. She worked as a researcher for several Congressmen in Washington, D. C. , and ran unsuccessfully for Congress herself in 1952 and 1970. She was largely opposed to the ERA as she believed that the amendment would require women to serve in combat, and because it would also take away legal rights of wives and would negatively influence family life. Schlafly also argued that the amendment would lead to unisex restrooms and the depravation of rights for women to not take a job, to keep her baby, and to be supported by her husband. She became a leading opponent of the ERA through her lobbying organizations such as Stop ERA and Eagle Forum, and by testifying against the ERA before 30 state legislatures. Advocates of the ERA, led primarily by the National Organization for Women (NOW), held that the issue was primarily economic. The position of NOW was that many state and federal laws amounted to sexual discrimination which perpetuated a climate of economic dependence among women and that laws determining child support and job opportunities should be designed for the individual rather than for one sex. Many advocates of the ERA thought that the failure to adopt the proposal as an amendment would cause women to lose many gains and would give a negative attitude to courts and legislators regarding feminist issues. Alice Paul, who I mentioned earlier as a proponent for the ERA, was a national leader of women’s suffrage movement, and founded National Woman’s Party. Public and equal justice for women was the basic entirety of her political goal. She was also involved with the militant wing of the English suffrage movement. She founded what was later to become the National Woman’s Party, which incorporated methods that originated in England to the struggle to pass the suffrage amendment. During WWI, she picketed the White House to protest against a government that she said, promised to make the world safe for democracy while denying half of its citizens the right to vote. Alice and others who were involved in this protest were arrested and imprisoned. She was very proud of the success of her efforts in getting the Nineteenth Amendment ratified in 1920, granting women the right to vote. But for her the ability to vote was not enough to guarantee women’s equal rights and she decided to concentrate her efforts for the ERA. Introduced in 1923, the Equal Rights Amendment finally passed Congress in 1972 but there it stopped as it failed to win ratification. Although it failed to become ratified by congress, currently since 1985 the ERA has been reintroduced into each session of Congress and held in Committee.

Risk Management In Spain Health And Social Care Essay

Pull offing hazard has become an of all time more increasing issue in every field. Its significance depends really much on the context that we are working in. In the veterinarian sector control systems have been developed to protect the wellness of animate beings to guaranty their safe ingestion. What they are and how they work in Spain will be discussed in this assignment. Hazard Analysis ( RA ) , what for? By and large by Risk we understand a state of affairs or action, which has different results, and about one of these is negative and poses a menace ( 1 ) . When menaces are identified, they are analysed and dealt with in order to cut down and eventually extinguish them. RA is a procedure or technique used to mensurate the consequence of unknown menaces. There are four phases to specify the RA system: jeopardy designation, hazard appraisal, hazard direction and hazard communicating. This technique is used by a wide diverseness of administrations, private and governmental 1s ( NATO, FAO, WHO, EFSA, OIE, ECDC ) , in the nutrient safety sector in Spain by AESA/AESAN. Definitions For a Hazard to be at that place has to be a jeopardy, which needs to be identified in the first case. A jeopardy can be described as a state of affairs, or a status that can do harm or some sort of loss, to human existences, animate beings or the environment ( 2, Apx1 ) Hazard designation is a procedure or stairss that we take to allow us place possible menaces in a state of affairs. It is possible to associate a peculiar jeopardy to a possible hazard, but it ‘s non possible to place all the jeopardies. Hazard appraisal can be understood as the appraisal, qualitative & A ; quantitative, of the hazard ensuing from the jeopardy. There are two chief procedures, qualitative and quantitative, that must be specific depending on the state of affairs. Risk direction is the application of the necessary steps to measure, proctor and take effectual control of the hazards, in order to minimise the possible negative impact of the development of this hazard ( 3 ) . Hazard communicating attempts to give a clear image about the hazard. This procedure requires a clear and open communicating between all the parties involved, ( stakeholders ) . This can merely be achieved if some necessities take topographic point: exchange of information, acknowledgment of the class and grasp of hazard, understanding the effects of options and make support for determinations. This can be achieved through meetings, treatments, interviews, web-blogs, Radio and Television. The undermentioned diagram shows the relationship between the three constituents of RA. ( 4, 5 ) ( 5 ) In Spain RA has become strategically of import in veterinary and carnal wellness ( 6 ) . It is now a common tool in veterinary public wellness and used by governmental organic structures that play a function in enforcing ordinances designed to protect animate beings or human wellness ( AESA, MARM, RASVE, SIR, etc. ) . In the veterinarian field RA can be conducted by two chief systems. They are based on two theoretical accounts, one adopted by the Office International des Epizooties ( OIE ) and the other used by the Codex Alimentarius. Under the umbrella of the FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, the Codex Alimentarius Commission was produced in 1963 to make processs and regulations to modulate the pattern of nutrient criterions ( 7 ) . The RA system in the Codex has these chief points: Hazard Appraisal Hazard Management Hazard Communication These definitions can be found in the Procedural Manual ( 13th Edition ) of the Codex. ( 8 ) The system used by the OIE, in its Covello/Merkhofer Model, comprises of the undermentioned constituents ( Apx1 ) : Hazard Identification Hazard Appraisal Hazard Management Hazard Communication. The OIE defines Hazard designation as â€Å" the procedure of acknowledge the pathogenic cause which might potentially be conveying in to the merchandise considered for importing † . Hazard designation is an added constituent in this system. It is a procedure used to place jeopardies in a given state of affairs that ‘may present a alteration in hazard to animal or human wellness ‘ ( 9 ) . Hazard appraisal can be described as the appraisal of the chance and the biological and fiscal effects of entry, adjustment, or spread of an infective agent in the part of an importing state. ( 9 ) Risk direction is the method of identifying, taking and using steps that can be practical to cut down the threshold of hazard. ( 9 ) Hazard communicating is the all parts active interchange of information on hazard between hazard assessors, hazard directors and other involved parties. ( 9 ) The chief difference between the two systems is that the OIE has the jeopardy designation as a phase of the RA. The Codex system has the jeopardy designation as a portion of the hazard appraisal. ( FAO, 2004 ) ( 10 ) The Codex hazard appraisal phases: The OIE hazard appraisal phases: Hazard designation Release appraisal Hazard word picture Exposure appraisal Exposure appraisal Consequence appraisal Hazard word picture Risk estimation ( 11 ) . The perceptual experience about jeopardy differs between the Codex and the OIE. The Codex determines the relation between cause/effect and the badness of the possible effects. The chief point of the Codex is the designation of the jeopardy, which is measured by descriptive classs ; high, medium, low. The aim of the OIE is the possible pathogens, which represent a possible jeopardy in animate beings and animate being merchandises, and the direction of this hazard. The OIE emphasises the appraisal of the Risk release. In the OIE RA is strongly linked with the cost /benefit of the step to command this hazard. The Codex highlights the relationship dose/response with the exposure appraisal and defines this as ‘hazard word picture ‘ . The OIE takes into history any harmful consequence, whereas the Codex considers the consequence of the effect of the alteration in the dosage of the hazard, ( pathogen, toxin, or antibiotics residues ) . In Spain the OIE system is used by the governments to develop qualitative RA of the hazards at the debut of infect contagious diseases into Spain and the remainder of Europe from Morocco, Africa. In this sort of analysis different parametric quantities are used: Prevalence of infection, volume of trade, capacity of the virus to last, the seasons and climatic conditions and potency for infection. The magnitude of the effects goes in manus with the chance of transmittal and spread. This is usually linked with costs and benefits of the determinations taken and the accordingly possible economic loss of no action. Normally RA takes topographic point during an eruption of carnal disease in counties near to their ain boundary lines. The quickest attack is a qualitative RA. The Codex is concerned about nutrient safety. The Programmes are designed to protect public wellness and to guarantee that moderately managed procedures in the nutrient trade are in topographic point and to advance harmonisation in nutrient criterions in the work undertaken by international governmental and private administrations. This analysis is usually quantitative. It uses different tools and methods, such as the ‘Monte Carlo ‘ methodological analysis. The information comes from different beginnings that are normally collated into a theoretical account to foretell prevalence and measure. This analysis takes into history the predictable exposures and other factors such consumer types, genders, wellness position etc. They include the consequence of the uncertainness and variableness in mathematical and probabilistic theoretical accounts developed by computing machines programmes.One illustration is the QRA of the impact on human wellness on opposition of Salmonella Enteriditis and S. Tiphimurium in domestic fowl merchandises and eggs. Here they investigate how the usage of antibiotic favors the emerging opposition in pathogens that could be transmitted to worlds and animate beings through the nutrient supply. ( 12 )This quantitative survey gives a numeral value to the hazard, because sufficient informations is available ( 13, 14, and 15 ) . There are different types of RA: From Qualitative ( descriptive ) , semi- quantitative to quantitative RA ( deterministic/ stochastic ) . Qualitative RA is used in countries of the nutrient security, homo and animate being wellness services. For every jeopardy established, an estimated hazard is made on the badness of the likeliness of the jeopardy happening. However, the categorizations used are frequently unequal as the likeliness of a jeopardy to happen is ne'er precise. Besides, a chance database is non required, but at that place needs to be sufficient information that let us set up the likeliness and the consequence of the hazard job. This method can be subjective, which reduces its significance. The envisaged end is of import to transport out the appropriate activities that will take to the expected results. The Quantitative RA system, used in the Covello – Merkhofer Model, works with simulation modeling. The Monte Carlo simulation is a dependable tool, flexible, is simple to prove and to depict and the procedure of this theoretical account is under less influence to human error. However, this method is subjective because the distribution during the description of the information is selective. So there is a demand to look into it to avoid a wholly unrealistic consequence. The semi QRA is a clear attack for the effectual control of a scope of hazard issues. It is normally used in commercial undertakings. The SQRA produces an arithmetical hazard appraisal based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative informations. The job is that due to a deficiency of gettable informations, merely inordinate hazard will be avoided with this method. It is hence non to the full acknowledged worldwide. All these theoretical accounts need to be reviewed after the first phase of the appraisal has been carried out. In Spain, as in the remainder of EU, RA is utilised in a assortment of countries such as instruction, technology, scientific discipline, environment, private and public governmental bureaus ( wellness service, military, banking, trade, etc. ) . Spain has to follow a specific EU statute law in activities related to nutrient production. The usage of the ARICPC, Spanish version of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point ( HACCP ) , became mandatory by the Real Decreto 2207 in 1995, on 28 December. The Regulation ( EC ) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and Council of 29 April 2004 are now really in force. HACCP is globally recognised as the most first-class system of guaranting merchandise preserve by commanding nutrient borne screen jeopardies. This statute law specifies the mandatory nature of the application of the hazard analysis of these sorts of procedures bearing in head the protection of the population. â€Å" The ( EC ) 178/2002, Article 6 ( Risk Analysis ) , Paragraph 1 provinces: â€Å" In order to accomplish the general aim of a high degree of protection of human wellness and life, nutrient jurisprudence shall be based on hazard analysis except where it is non appropriate to the fortunes or the nature of the step † ( 16 ) . In Spain the HACCP system is used by the regional authoritiess to modulate the nutrient industry in a wide spectrum of activities: Bakers, ice pick, piscary merchandises, dairy merchandises, meat and meat merchandises, pre-cooked repasts, H2O, preserved nutrient, beer, sugar, vino, oil, juice, veggies, eggs, catering, spirit, Sweets and pastries, butcheries, cutting workss, butcher stores, eating houses, java stores, bars etc. In all this activities there is a hazard to place, the hazard in nutrient or ‘agro nutrient ‘ hazards. There are nutritionary hazards, chemical hazards ( arsenic, nitrates, nitrites, Cd ) physical hazards ( temperatures, ionizing radiations ) , biological hazards ( Salmonellas, Campylobacter, E. Coli, C. Burnetii, TSE ) , pesticides, veterinarian drugs residues. The diagram below shows the residues from pharmaceutical production, from infirmaries, illegal drugs, Veterinary medical specialty usage, like antibiotics and steroids and farming activities ( pict1 ) . ( 17 ) Other countries, where RA is applied, are those derived from animate being diseases outbreaks. In March 2009 there was a high hazard that the Serotype 4 or the Bluetongue ( which had been eradicated from Spain ) could come back from the North of Africa because of the air current transporting the septic vector over. This was outlined in the last RA by Regional Veterinary service so they could take the necessary steps. By the Order ARM/575/2010, in all the South of Spain, all farm animal had to be vaccinated against the serotype 4 of Bluetongue, to halt the spread of the disease. Possible carnal wellness or animate being related human wellness jeopardies, that require RA, may include new or unusual infections in animate beings such as Bluetongue in the North European cowss, West Nile virus infection in Europe, or additions in endemic zoonotic diseases like Leishmaniasis, an infection caused by a protozoon parasite of the genus Leishmania ( 18 ) .DecisionThe sum of jeopardies both related to carnal diseases and nutrient safety signifier a long list. It is of import for the commanding organic structure, to place first which of the jeopardies are most likely to show an immediate menace. The undermentioned phase would be to explicate the right inquiry, which could be really simple and straightforward. For case: which hazards are you or your administration interested in? Is at that place a instance to make a Hazard Assessment? What result is expected? Zero hazard or acceptable hazard? The right inquiries will take to relevant information already made available. However, if the inquiries lack in timing and do n't present the right definition of the hazard/s involved, and this is non sorted at an early phase, the undermentioned portion of the appraisal could be biased or wholly compromised. The whole information and information accessible will specify the tract that ‘s taken. If the jeopardy is a disease, it is of import to obtain a broad scope of information from different beginnings to derive an overall image of the jeopardy presented and the possible hazards estimated from the consequence of the rating of informations collated. This procedure is clip devouring, demands expertise, resources and fiscal backup. Financial and human resources are cardinal to avoid unreported wellness position. Developing states do n't needfully hold the support and resources available to use the necessary systems efficaciously and rely strongly on outside support. By and large a deficiency of fundss stops the development of specializer colleges and establishments.â€Å" Prevention IS BETTER THAN CURE †Ã¢â‚¬Å" Adagiorum Collectanea † 1536, Erasmo de Rotterdam ( Roterdam, 1466/69 )

Advertising and Marketing Research

Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or customers. It is a very important component of business strategy. [1] The term is commonly interchanged with marketing research; however, expert practitioners may wish to draw a distinction, in that marketing research is concerned specifically about marketing processes, while market research is concerned specifically with markets. [2] Market Research is the key factor to get advantage over competitors. Market research provides important information to identify and analyze the market need, market size and competition. Market research,as defined by the ICC/ESOMAR International Code on Market and Social Research, includes social and opinion research, [and] is the systematic gathering and interpretation of information about individuals or organizations using statistical and analytical methods and techniques of the applied social sciences to gain insight or support decision making. [3] Market Research is a systematic, objective collection and analysis of data about a particular target market, competition, and/or environment. It always incorporates some form of data collection whether it be secondary research (often referred to as desk research) or primary research which is collected direct from a respondent. The purpose of any market research project is to achieve an increased understanding of the subject matter. With markets throughout the world becoming increasingly more competitive, market research is now on the agenda of many organisations, whether they be large or small. The Market Research Process To conduct market research, organisations may decide to undertake the project themselves (some through a marketing research department) or they might choose to commission it via a market research agency or consultancy. Whichever, before undertaking any research project, it is crucial to define the research objectives i. e. what are you trying to achieve from the research? and what do you need to know? After considering the objectives, Market Researchers can utilise many types of research techniques and methodologies to capture the data that they require. All of the available methodologies either collect quantitative or qualitative information. The use of each very much depends on the research objectives but many believe that results are most useful when the two methods are combined. Quantitative Research Quantitative research is numerically oriented, requires significant attention to the measurement of market phenomena and often involves statistical analysis. For example, a bank might ask its customers to rate its overall service as either excellent, good, poor or very poor. This will provide quantitative information that can be analysed statistically. The main rule with quantitative research is that every respondent is asked the same series of questions. The approach is very structured and normally involves large numbers of interviews/questionnaires. Perhaps the most common quantitative technique is the ‘market research survey’. These are basically projects that involve the collection of data from multiple cases – such as consumers or a set of products. Quantitative surveys can be conducted by using post (self-completion), face-to-face (in-street or in-home), telephone, email or web techniques. The questionnaire is one of the more common tools for collecting data from a survey, but it is only one of a wide ranging set of data collection aids. Qualitative Research Qualitative research provides an understanding of how or why things are as they are. For example, a Market Researcher may stop a consumer who has purchased a particular type of bread and ask him or her why that type of bread was chosen. Unlike quantitative research there are no fixed set of questions but, instead, a topic guide (or discussion guide) is used to explore various issues in-depth. The discussion between the interviewer (or moderator) and the respondent is largely determined by the respondents' own thoughts and feelings. As with quantitative techniques, there are also various types of qualitative methodologies. Research of this sort is mostly done face-to-face. One of the best-known techniques is market research group discussions (or focus groups). These are usually made up of 6 to 8 targeted respondents, a research moderator whose role is to ask the required questions, draw out answers, and encourage discussion, and an observation area usually behind one way mirrors, and video and/or audio taping facilities. In addition, qualitative research can also be conducted on a ‘one on one’ basis i. e. an in-depth interview with a trained executive interviewer and one respondent, a paired depth (two respondents), a triad (three respondents) and a mini group discussion (4-5 respondents).

Supply Chain 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Supply Chain 2 - Essay Example Question 1 The product design for personal computers was mainly developed by way of analyzing the need for that particular product in the business market. Specifically, there were certain product design decisions that were made during the simulation. In this regard, the major decision was about determining the manufacture of products that are user led product decisions. It can be affirmed that these sorts of decisions have been made in order to serve the best interests of the consumers and comply with their requirements. Before making the product design, the requirement of personal computers was analyzed in an in-depth manner. Based on this analysis, it had been found that personal computers were in high demand given the IT industry booming at a significant level. It was thus decided to penetrate the market with a high amount of sales of personal computers by ABC Limited. In terms of product design decisions, it was determined to sell personal computers, laptops, desktops, and hard d rives as these products were in high demand, as revealed by the market analysis. It had been determined that in the past decade there has been a rapid development in demand of such products due to an increase in the number of information technology users such as students, office users and other general business users. Thus, it can be said that this product design decision influenced the branding as well because the company felt that the focus on such high demand products in terms of branding will certainly lead to high end business outcomes. Regarding the branding decision pertaining specifically to the developed computers, the company needs to taken into concern certain important factors. These factors comprise generating a loyal brand team, establishing the objectives relating to branding and advancing concept development among others. In the simulation, development of brand image was given significant priority as in the modern competitive world branding can create the ultimate di fferentiation and can render competitive advantage. As these products are high in demand, these have been selected while making the product design decisions. Also, the simulation method was used in making the product design and for adopting and executing appropriate marketing strategies. It can be affirmed that the above discussed analysis would broadly influence branding decisions such as standardization and customization of personal computers through determining the factors favoring customization along with standardization of the product. Specially mentioning, the decision of launching the concerned product was made after conducting a proper simulation analysis. Question 2 The decision pertaining to selection of target market would be considered by taking into concern the location of sales offices. The sales office location should represent the major cities along with towns in a particular country. In addition, if provided with the opportunity to repeat the simulation process, the decision of changing the target market i.e. the location of sales offices should not be made. This might be owing to the reason that the sales offices are strategically situated at the heart of the big towns along with cities in the nation proving much beneficial for the company to attract maximum number of customers and most vitally to enhance its overall productivity. It can further be reiterated that no changes in

Middle East Militarization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Middle East Militarization - Essay Example The whole concept of militarization in Iran brought its own doomsday. Though there has been many international arms control process and there has been numerous discussions on the weapons of mass destruction-free zones in the Middle East, the key powers in the province have seen biological, radiological, chemical, and nuclear arsenal as means of power. The same holds true for the long-range rocket systems, like missiles. Iran has been quite aggressive towards the United States since fundamental, spiritual forces overthrew the administration in 1979. Iran is primarily an Islamic Republic which has ties with the Soviet Union, from whom it purchases most of its military arsenal. However, during the 8-year Iraq-Iran war, the United States gave support to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in order to topple the Iranian administration. And in a bizarre turn of events, the United States solicited Iran for support of Operation Desert Shield. However from the year 1987 to 1988, the U.S. warships made certain that the tankers that carried oil through the Persian Gulf had a safe passage. The U.S. forces engaged in combat with the Iranian navy and also attacked the Iranian oil sited in the Persian Gulf. The most spectacular use of the arms of mass annihilation in the Middle East took place between the years 1980-1988 during the Iran-Iraq War. Iran had an armoury of the Soviet SS-1 (Scud-B) missiles and wanted to develop their own surface-to-surface missile system. Iran had plans to purchase the Chinese M-9 missile, which has a 600-kilometer range. Iran claimed that they can manufacture their own adaptation of the SS-1. They had produced an edition of the Chinese Type 53 missile rocket, which they called the Oghab, which had a range of 40-kilometers. Iran was also building an unguided missile which they called â€Å"Iran 130†. This had a range of 130-kilometers. All these missiles are being manufactured to be custom fitted with the chemical

Google's Strategic and Human Resource Management and Planning in a Essay

Google's Strategic and Human Resource Management and Planning in a Global Environment - Essay Example It is important for leaders in the 21st century to have the knowledge of how to treat employees so that they can be able to realize the organizational goals together and faster. Strategic human resource management aims at helping leaders’ to use their human capital effectively as they make decisions daily and plan for employment programs. Many companies have sought cheap labor from different countries but the strategy seems to fail in achieving the goals of the organization thus has called for the need to come up with the global ways of practicing the human resource strategies. The Google management is yet to meet more challenges in the current century. It is important for it to be flexible, easily adapt to changes and appreciate team work with its employees. Today, very many people are looking for working environments where they can exercise their skills and knowledge but not where they can only follow instructions and not grow in their careers. For this purpose the global human resource planning has been brought forward in the Google Company to help the management to know how they can adopt to changes to avoid the future challenges it is yet to fac e (Goodman, chapter 4 ). The business world is becoming more global than before thus there is need for the organizations to ensure that the human resource strategies meet the global requirements of the labor market. Google is an international company and it has international labor. Thus the management faces a lot of changes especially in their organizational culture. Organizational culture can be defined as the specific beliefs and values of an organization. Google like any other organization has a way of doing things and it faces the challenges of changing its culture due to technological changes and other changes such as people being more aware of their rights. When an organization is rigid thus keeps its culture without changing it to cope with the current changes, then that

Financial part of group case study about material Assignment

Financial part of group case study about material - Assignment Example Generally, business firms require capital for meeting long term financial needs and for meeting working capital needs. Long Term Financial needs include cost for purchase of building and plant and machinery. Roberto (2007:2). This amount would remain blocked for more than one year. It may even remain blocked for the entire life of the project. Hence, the purchase of plant and machinery, Land and Building that is, Fixed Assets has to be funded through Long Term Sources of Finance. All these capital expenditure decisions involve huge investments, however the benefits of the same can be perceived in the Long Term only. Moreover, these expenses are irreversible in nature; this means that once the expenses are incurred they cannot be altered. Hence, these expenditures need to be planned carefully to avoid liquidity crises. The firm has planned to meet the Long Term Capital needs through Owner's Capital and long term debt from relatives. We conclude that this is a sound decision as it redu ces the liquidity risk. Firms also require capital for meeting short term financial requirements include working capital which means the capital required for meeting the short term cash requirements for purchase of raw materials etc. Robert (2001:3). These are generally held in form of cash, for meeting short term requirements. ... Moreover, money can be blocked in accounts receivables, customers to whom goods are sold on credit basis. Liabilities are economic obligations of a business towards others to pay money or provide goods or services. Ronald (1986:4). There may be short term liabilities which need to be paid such as accounts payables, bills payable, outstanding expenses etc. The current assets and liabilities have to be managed efficiently. The firm is kept 1000 for meeting working capital needs, in order to fund the purchase of raw material and meeting short term manufacturing expenses. Cost of Capital The capital of the firm includes 40,000 loan (debt) and 10,000 as owner's capital (equity). The cost of capital of a business is the minimum rate of return it should earn to satisfy the various categories of investors who have contributed to the capital of the company. We have to determine the Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Roger, Shannon (2008:5). Here, we take debt and equity as weights. The rate of return required by equity investors is higher than the return required by debt holders. This is because there more risk associated with equity capital than debt capital. The debt capital holders will receive a fixed interest income every year and the equity shareholders receive dividends only in case there is profit. Hence, the rate of return required by equity shareholders is assumed to be 20% and the interest cost on debt is @ 8% p a. The interest cost is tax deductible. Hence, it reduces the cost of capital significantly. The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is determined by the following formula: D/(D+E) X Kd (1-T) + E/(D+E) X Ke Here, D = Debt Capital E = Equity Capital Kd= Interest rate on Debt T = Tax

Outsourcing Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Outsourcing Management - Essay Example Currently Information Systems (IS) Outsourcing Management it's a familiar concept that all of us have already heard something about. The Big Boom of IS Outsourcing Management started with the "Kodak Effect". Outsourcing Management of Information Systems it is a reality since 1963 when "Ross Perot with his company Electronic Data Systems signed an agreement with Blue Cross of Pennsylvania for the handling of its data processing services". (Dibbern, 6)The cases of IS outsourcing continued thought the years until 1980s when Kodak have made a successful " strategic alliance" with is IS partners led by IBM, DEC and Business Land to outsource its information systems. From this moment on no longer was possible to say that "IS is strategic and hence cannot be turned over to a third party ", because if Kodak a renowned company who considered IS to be a strategic asset and was outsourcing it in a successful way, then others could follow the same steps. This really happened like for example wit h: General Dynamics, JP Morgan, BP, and many others around the world. (Dibbern, 07)The following are a list of the three main types of outsourcing management.Total Outsourcing All operations have been contracted to another provider. This is common in generic, non-strategic businesses like food or janitorial services.Partial Outsourcing  This is when certain activities are kept in house such as customer service while other more specialized activities are sourced out. Plants and telecom offices would typically engage in this type of outsourcing.

Argue that Austen's novel is a reflection of its revolutionary age Essay

Argue that Austen's novel is a reflection of its revolutionary age - Essay Example Sandwiched between her older sister Elizabeth who stands in for her mother in her widowed father’s esteem and affection and her younger sister Mary who has made and advantageous and fruitful marriage to a young man due to inherit his own landed estate, Anne’s curious social position allows her a possibility of social mobility that echoes the social shifts taking place across Europe. As a woman, Anne’s social position would be inherently precarious, dependent on her father first and then on the man she married. The undefined nature of an unmarried woman’s social standing gave young women a certain social mobility that was universally acknowledged. A young woman could marry her way into improved social standing – as Austen’s two Miss Bennets do with their marriages to Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice – or, as Lady Russell warns Anne Elliot in Persuasion, a bad marriage could plunge a poor young woman â€Å"into a state o f most wearing, anxious, youth-killing dependance.† (1158) As a member of the early-nineteenth century aristocracy, Anne is a member of a landed gentry that makes dubious claims about the inherent nobility of birth. For every prudent, thoughtful aristocrat like Emma’s Mr. Knightley, there is an equal an opposite aristocrat in the style of Anne’s father. Sir Walter takes inordinate pride in his ownership of Kellynch Hall and his storied family tree, but he himself has frittered away his family fortune to the point that he must lease his ancestral home in order to maintain his lifestyle. Tellingly, Sir Walter’s lessee is no landed gentleman or wealthy second son of a gentleman but a professional man, an admiral in the British navy, who can afford the rent and upkeep of the estate. Perhaps most interestingly, as a rational person, Anne is willing to be persuaded, as the novel’s title suggests. Though she has a healthy appreciation for tradition, Anne a ppreciates – and responds to – plain good

Innate Ability on Universal Grammar Essay Example for Free

Innate Ability on Universal Grammar Essay Language is a very important aspect of the lives of the people. Because of language and the interaction of people, communication transpires and it enables everyone to connect with everyone else. It is with the use of language that simple whims and requests to more difficult conversations and negotiations which concern the nation’s affairs or economic and business transactions can be granted. Moreover, language reflects the history and culture of a certain nation—it can mirror the characteristics and attitudes of a person. However, no matter how helpful land useful language is, there are instances when language causes disputes and misunderstandings as there are over a hundred of languages of different nations which lead to confusion on meaning. In addition, even if the same people share the same language, miscommunication can still arise due to the fact that there are confusing meanings and different interpretations that vary from person to person. However, there is something very integral in language in which, no matter what country a person belongs to, he or she is still able to practice. No matter what language it is, there should always be a form or order of words which enables the receiver of the message at the other end to comprehend the message. This is the semantic aspect of language which encompasses and is integral to all languages. Even if there is a tremendous difference in the languages of each country, semantics ties them all together and is greatly connected to the one which this paper is actually going to explore—grammar. The Concept of the Universal Grammar Grammar is defined by many different people and according to different contexts. Students and younger kids may have the opinion that it is something so complex, tedious, and monotonous. On the other hand, academic people, scholars, and linguists may have an opinion that it is something so enthralling and exciting. Though different in their perceptions, one thing remains the same: It is imperative for a person to fully use it with accuracy and appropriateness as to ensure that effective communication is made. While grammar and linguistics is indeed complex, this paper will only focus on one aspect of these subjects which connects not only grammar and linguistics but also includes the fields of psychology, neurology, and history: the concept of Universal Grammar. There have been many speculations about the theory of universal grammar (UG) and its existence in the first place. There have been a couple of people of people who rebuked Chomsky’s theory of universal grammar and that â€Å"UG is a theory which provides constraints on linguistic representation† (White 1). According to the Merriam-Webster Online, however, Universal Grammar is defined as: â€Å"the study of general principles believed to underlie the grammatical phenomena of all languages ; also such principles viewed as part of an innate human capacity for learning a language. † The first definition is actually more appropriate with regard to the introduction of this essay, but the latter is more apt with regard to the genuine focus of the paper—the capability or ability of humans on language-learning and the amazing naturalness of it that it actually seems innate in everyone. It is with the person of Noam Chomsky to whom the theory of universal grammar can be traced. Chomsky is the famous linguist who theorized the concept of universal grammar which actually leads to a whole other dimension on languages and linguistics: UG is a theory of knowledge, not behavior; its concern is with the internal structure of the human mind. UG theory holds that the speaker knows a set of principles that apply to all languages Each principle of language that is proposed is a substantive claim about the mind of the speaker and the nature of acquisition. the importance of UG is its attempt to integrate grammar, mind, and acquisition at every moment. (Cook qtd. in Herman 17-18) If, according to Chomsky, universal grammar already exists, then why do people need to further study it anymore and why is it that many people are finding difficulty with stringing sentences together to enable them to produce grammatically flawless and perfect language? Perhaps, one should look at the point of the whole theory and the evidences that underlie it. It is imperative to note that according to the theory, universal grammar simply means that it holds the belief that there is an â€Å"internal structure† within the confines of â€Å"the human mind,† and because of this structure which is so innate in a person, he or she is able to recognize and produce sentences or a language which has an obvious structure. Language Acquisition and the Feral Children However, a counter argument can be made stating that people only learn such grammar because of the language produced around them. After all, what can be seen, heard, or done by adults are most often emulated by younger children, as what Albert Bandura’s experiment on Booboo Dolls show. As such, this can be also applicable to language acquisition of the younger children. Stephen Krashen, another linguist, even formulated that effective second language acquisition can be fully realized if it follows the same natural pattern of first language acquisition wherein it enables the learner to converse in a natural environment and with the native speakers. In simple terms, the logical way in explaining this universal grammar that a person or (in the most often cases) a child innately has supposedly is through the learning acquisition he or she has made through his or her surroundings. However, Timothy Mason has different ideas. Citing Chomsky and other situations in the history of psycholinguistics, he concluded that there are people, most specifically children, who are able to form language with little or absolutely no interaction at all with other people. There are famous accounts of wild children who are called the feral children—they are what Mason calls as â€Å"tragic figures, offering glimpses of what might have been, of fully human intelligence that somehow does not enable them to live a social life. † There are numerous personalities who became famous for being one of the feral children; one of them is Genie. In a gist, Genie is a thirteen-year old young girl who has been locked up by his father from the outside world with absolutely no interaction with people who may have caused her to acquire a language whatsoever. The surprising thing is Genie does exhibit language acquisition even if it is in a very minimal way. Other personalities who have undergone the same history can be plenty, ranging from the â€Å"Victor, the wild boy of Aveyron† to Genie’s case in 1970 (Mason). How did these children then learn their very own primitive language if they are unable to interact in a normal environment? Thus, the theory of universal grammar may indeed hold some truth in it. The Neurological Connection of the Brain and Language Another basis of the universal grammar is the neurological explanation behind the theory. According to Mason, there are certain evidences that the â€Å"language functions† of a person seem to be located in a â€Å"localized [area] in the brain. † These areas are proven to be affecting the language functions of the brain. The studies of brain illnesses and diseases have proven this as what appears in Norman Geshwind’s essay: †¦the most fruitful has been the study if language disorders, followed by postmortem analysis of the brain, in patients who have suffered brain damage. From these studies has emerged a model of how the language areas of the brain are interconnected and what each area does. Thus, ever since a person is born, his or her brain is already working to acquire and learn the language that a person needs to produce. Conclusion In conclusion, although there are still speculations about the authenticity of the universal grammar and even if it is still a theory, there should be no reason to rule out the possibility that it may indeed be true. Perhaps, in the near future, someone may be able to fully find out the truth and prove that there is indeed a universal grammar existing within the confines of each person. Works Cited Geshwind, Norman. â€Å"Language and the Brain. † First Language Acquisition: The Essential Readings. Ed. Barbara Lust and Claire Foley. Oxford, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell, 2004. 109–122. Herman, David. Universal Grammar and Narrative Form. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1995. Mason, Timothy. â€Å"Lecture 3: The Evidence from Acquisition in Extreme Conditions, Didactics 3: Chomsky the Evidence II†. Didactics of English. 2002. Universite of Versailles St. Quentin. 11 May 2009.

What attracts you to the field of social work?

What attracts you to the field of social work? 1. What attracts you to the field of social work? I have always been deeply committed to helping others, especially helping those who come from similar backgrounds such as mine. Several experiences have stimulated my attraction to the field of social work. The first step towards my passion to study social work was formed when I was about four. My parents were unfit to raise my siblings and me, which consequently led to foster care. At age four I had no idea that day would lead me on the path of becoming an effective agent for social work. While in foster care, I met some amazing social workers who went beyond the call of duty. My social workers were talented, committed, and hard working. As I became older, my interest in social work grew. I started asking my social workers how do I become a social worker. In so many words, they explained that I have to do well in school, and go to college. While in college, I can major in the field of social work or closely related field. My social workers were my first insight to what a social work er is and what a social worker does. The fact that my social workers were committed to my well-being and pushed me to my full potentials demonstrated their concern for me as well as their ethical commitment. Secondly, are the three premises on which social work is based on. Which are very straightforward. First is that the person or group is important. The person or group has a problem that may arise from many different factors, and lastly finding a solution to help solve those problems so that person or group can live a better life. Finally, is the range of opportunities for a social worker in the field of social work. Social workers can be found in hospital, schools, community health agencies, and international organizations just to name a few. I give my social workers credit for the knowledge they have shared with me as well as encouraging me to reach my personal goals to become a social worker. 2. What influences, persons, or work/life experiences guide your choice of social work as a profession? I have not always been the strong confident person I am today. My outside involvements were my social workers, and independent living coordinator. They play a huge role in my influence to study social work and to become a social worker. Sometimes I often wonder how different my life would be now without my social workers involvement. I adopted many things from my social workers, things such as how to be compassionate and caring towards others, how to set and reach my goals, as well as how to be a hard worker. Some people fail to realize the impact of encouraging words to others. I can remember when I was in the twelfth grade my social worker Tameko was picking my sister and me up from school to help us fill out some important paper work for college. On the way home, she explained to us that we are smart and beautiful girls who can be anything we put our minds to. Do not let our circumstances define who we are. That moment of encouragement has not only stuck with me but has changed the way I think about my life. I then realized that I determine my future and should not be ashamed of my parents mishaps. Studies show that the cycle of poverty repeats it self for at least three generations. I new at a young age I did not want to repeat the cycle of abuse, poverty, and addiction so I worked hard to accomplish my goals. In practice, I have had an opportunity to work with Independent Living Program. Which is a program that helps youth ages 14-21 with career training, educational opportunities, p ersonal finance, job-hunting skills, independence skills, and so much more. I also took a Counseling Practicum class, which gave me an opportunity to observe and experience working within the Augusta Pregnancy Center. Which is a non-profit agency that provides services to women who are facing challenging situations? In this course, I was able to learn the specific skills required to care for the women and their unborn child, ethical principles, and ethical standards. These experiences has only increased me love for the field of social work and given me valuable experiences working with women and children. 3. Discuss personal strengths you possess which will make you an effective helping person. I chose social work, but in retrospect, I think social work chose me too. I often wonder what kind of career I would be interested in if I was never in foster care. My own personal background would make me an effective helping person. Growing up in the foster care system I will be able to relate to the youth and families I will be serving. I know what it feels like to be sent to different foster families. I know how it feels being afraid to trust people and being afraid to talk about being in foster care. I believe that children who have been abused and neglected find it difficult to trust people. I believer children in foster care would feel a sense of understanding, being that I have came from similar backgrounds. My personal strengths that I posse are the willingness to help others unconditionally. My social workers were very committed to me, and I want to share that same commitment with others who are vulnerable. My experience has taught me how to be non-judgmental, how to demon strate empathy, and how my improbable journey can inspire others. In addition, my undergraduate study in Psychology-Counseling has provided me with a better understanding of why people think, feel, and act the way they do. I believe that understanding the behaviors of people is very important tool to posses in the fields of social work. I also understand the importance of volunteering to help improve my community and neighborhood. I am currently a foster care club member as well as an on line message board member for foster care. I also volunteer in the Jefferson County Public School system and Woodhaven Place social committee. Volunteering is one of my most rewarding experiences for me and it gives me an opportunity to help my community as well as gaining skills to better help others. With my experiences during my undergraduate studies and currently I know that social work as a profession is ideal for me. 4 Discuss your vulnerabilities as these influence your development as a professional social worker. Specifically discuss any history of substance abuse, problems in a work setting, criminal activity, and/or help-seeking for personal issues. We are all vulnerable at any given point in time because of life circumstances. For example, illness, humiliation, harassment, natural disasters, poverty and abuse; however, some of us are more vulnerable than others. In my case, I was susceptible to physical abuse and neglect which has made me a strong person. My life experiences has not crippled me, but has inspired my concentration in public welfare so I can serve others. My past vulnerabilities will help me because they provide me with a better empathy of what children and families are going through in disadvantage situations. I thank God for my fears. One of my biggest fears in life was to end up like my parents. My fear has led me to never have an interested in drinking or using drugs. I never had any problems in a work setting nor have I had any criminal activities. I never seek any professional help for any personal problems that I have had in the past, however, there was a group that I was involved in call ILP that stands fo r Independent Living Program. This organization is amazing. This is where I met my Independent Living Coordinator who has been such an influential role model. The Independent Living Program is where I got my voice. In this program, I learned how to be more confident as well as how to share my life story with other youth that were in similar situations as me. I think this program help me cope with the personal issues that I was experiencing at that time. 5. Describe your special work practice as you anticipate it five years from now. Five years from now I see myself helping abused and neglected children who are in need of a positive social worker. This is with out a doubt the right vocation for me. I am passionate about working with this selected group, because of my own personal experience as an abused and neglected child. I have a special place in my heart for children especial those who are suffering because of their parents inability to protect and provide for them. I often wished I had a magic wand to protect the kids who are being abused, but realist I do not. However, what I can do is take the necessary steps to become an accomplished social worker, which will enable me to help protect children from all forms of child abuse. In the years ahead, I also see myself volunteering to help educate foster parents on how to be equipped foster parents. To often there are foster kids placed with families who are not properly trained. In order for me to succeed in my endeavors towards protecting children, I realize th at a masters degree in the field of social work is essential. After attending your information sessions, I had the opportunity to better understand how Spalding University can help me reach my academic and personal goals. I became more aware of the importance of social work principles. I was able to learn more about your Masters in Social Work program. I was so impressed with Spaldings devotion and history to their Social Work program. I am very excited about learning the fundamentals which will help me sharpen my skills as I pursue my dream of becoming a professional social worker as well as sharing my knowledge. I look forward to using the knowledge and skills that I will develop at Spalding University to help abused and neglected children reach their greatest potentials. I promise to uphold and exceed all that is expected of a student at Spalding University, as well as a professional social worker.

Definition Essay - Art and Excellence :: Expository Definition Essays

Definition Essay - Art and Excellence Art is why I get up in the morning, but my definition ends there, ya know, it doesn’t seem fair that I’m living for something I can’t even define, and there you are right there in the meantime. –Ani DiFranco, â€Å"Out of Habit,† Living in Clip Art seems to be such an all-encompassing word it defies definition. The artist Ani DiFranco blatantly says in her music that she cannot define art although it is intimately and passionately tied into her life and interpersonal relationships. Ani Difranco is an artist, but why is she an artist? What about her and her music make her an artist? What makes her music art? What is the difference between this enterprise and that of being a world-class physicist? Was Einstein not a true artist? Is physics not an art? If it is an art, is it art? When one attempts to analyze and define art, these sorts of questions inevitably arise, making any objective notion of what art is exceedingly difficult to determine. In fact, we find that nearly everybody has his or her own unique conception of art. Of course, it may be argued that everybody also has his or her own unique conception of a spoon or any other idea, but art seems something over and above this. The incredible depth , richness, and complexity of art do not merely allow for, but seem to necessitate the myriad conceptions of art we find in the world around us. I believe the level to which anything can be considered art depends on the level of originality, skillfulness, effectiveness, and other such relative characteristics providing opportunities for the excellent performance or unbelievable creativity we typically associate with art. To begin explaining what is meant by art’s reliance on relative characteristics, let us analyze the word deep. How do we know when something is deep? Should we consider any body of water greater than four inches in depth deep and anything less deep shallow? It seems fairly obvious that the word depth refers solely to relative phenomena. Deep is a fairly simple property to which we make the switch from shallow at some arbitrarily and relatively defined level on the gradient of depth.

Comparison of Kate Chopins Story of an Hour and William Faulkners A R

Historically, women have been treated as second class citizens. The Napoleonic Code stated that women were controlled by their husbands and cannot freely do their own will without the authority of their husband. This paper shows how this is evident in the "Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin and " A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner. In both stories, the use of literary elements such as foreshadowing, symbolism, and significant meaning of the titles are essential in bringing the reader to an unexpected and ironic conclusion. The background of both authors, which was from the South, we can conclude how they could described the situations that they faced such as political and social presumptions problems especially for women at that time. The story explains how Chopin wrote how women were to be "seen but not heard". "The wife cannot plead in her own name, without the authority of her husband, even though she should be a public trader, or noncommunicant, or separate in property." (Kreis 1) This is one of the Code Napoleon that shows women have no right and position at that time. However after World War II, most of the men were going to war and left the women, who make them finally, could get their freedom to do anything or their own because they have to do it to survive. Chopin's stories seem very modern in different ways even though it was written about two hundred years ago. Chopin says that it "..does not always find that marriage necessarily requires that a wife be dominated by their husband,.."(Oklopcic 19) and she was trying to show that women can get along just fine without having man interfere. The story represents a disdain for the way women are treated in some relationships and in society as well. "Her concern w... ...usual life such as Emily who turned into a murderer, killing her own boyfriend and Louise Mallard dead after living her "real life" for one hour, feels her feeling free from repression during her husband death and finally died of heart disease when she knew that her husband is alive. Works Cited Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Heritage of American Literature. Ed. James E. Miller. Vol. 2. Austin: Harcourt Brace Jovanich, 1991. 487. Print. Faulkner, William. â€Å"A Rose For Emily.† An Introduction to Fiction. 10th ed. Eds: X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. New Yorkk: Pearson Longman, 2007. 29-34. Kreis, S. (2001). The History Guide. Lectures on Modern European Intellectual History: The Code Napoleon. 15 July, 2010, http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/code_nap.html Oklopcic, Biljana. Faulkner and the Native Keystone: Reading (Beyond) the American South

The Beauty of Language Essay -- Personal Reflection Essay

Your heart cannot be simply defined as an anatomical organ. Although it functions to pump blood throughout the body, the true essence of the heart is much deeper than science. The true essence of the heart lies somewhere within the limitless realm of art; submersed in the passion that runs through your veins, it fiends desperately to be admired. My heart is filled with a love for writing. Besides writing to complete tasks and assignments, I write to unveil the beauty of language. This beauty, created simply with words, meaning, and punctuation, is one that is uniquely crafted by its author. I, like many writers, have learned what it means to truly craft a piece of work. Before entering college, I had become accustomed to writing one draft essays. I never appreciated or understood the need for multiple drafts and peer review. Interestingly enough, in my Introduction to Rhetoric course with Dr. Mary Lamb, we discussed the difference between one-drafters and multi-drafters. One-drafters, as the name might imply, usually complete writing tasks in one shot. They revise and edit during the writing process and oftentimes consider their work to be complete; multi-drafters, on the other hand, write multiple drafts of their work and are continuously revising. As I have learned, neither writing style is necessarily better than other. This is because both types of writers are actively thinking about ways to better their work, whether it is by correcting grammatical errors or creating new ideas. Needless to say, I was a devoted one-drafter, but for some of the wrong reasons. I was always convinced that my first draft was always my best work. This was mainly because I did the majority of my revising and editing while writing (as I am doing ... ...elpful start to building my professional writing career. With each of these projects, I was given at least some, and in many cases, a lot of flexibility to be creative. I learned the functions of different types of documents and audiences. I now appreciate and understand the significance of rethinking my work and allowing change. I know that there is always room for improvement as every writer strives for some kind of perfection. Since entering college I have definitely witnessed my growth as a writer. I understand how words, grammar and usage each play a part in the meaning of language. However, as I continue to write, I know now that the true essence of writing comes from the heart. It is the passion that guides language; although the brain allows us to function, it is the heart that keeps us alive; and my heart while forever be filled with a love for writing.

Objectives of Punishment Essay

The objective of punishment in the criminal justice system it to enforce a particular penalty on a person who is in violation of the law; such enforcement should have an effect so great that it will deter that person from continuing to violate the law and prevent other offenses (Foster, 2006). Punishment is based on four major objectives; deterrence, incapacitation, reformation, and rehabilitation. Deterrence is based on discouraging a person from committing a criminal act, the pain and fear of punishment are enough to scare a person from following through with such acts. Incapacitation is achieved by protecting society from the criminal by incarcerating the person so he or she can no longer be a threat to others. Reformation is the act of changing a person while he or she is incarcerated in order to help a person become a law abiding citizen. This happens through programs that are put in place to help a person understand the law and that it is there to protect society. Rehabilitatio n is gained by therapeutic and educational programs that help the offender become more aware of the rules and regulations so he or she can be prepared to be a part of the society again. The rehabilitation process may help the offender find a job so that he or she may feel as if they are a part of society and this is a more permanent solution to this issue; whereas, reformation may be a temporary fix to the problem (Foster, 2006 pg. 67). Punishment assists with achieving institutional objectives in the criminal justice system by offering and incorporating programs that can deter criminals from further committing crime. Some of these programs may consist of therapeutic, educational, and work-related punishments that help reform and rehabilitate the offender; by doing this, the criminal justice system is showing the offender how to become an active part of society while knowing right from wrong. These programs can have temporary or long-term effects on the offender, either way; they are productive in refining justice. Reference Foster, B. (2006). Corrections: The Fundamentals. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Discuss How the Concepts of ‘Race’ and ‘Ethnicity’ Essay

Australia is known for its multicultural society, but race and ethnicity are a huge factor of persistent racism and inequality in this country. The driving force behind this is the strong belief that some of the population still hold against people who appear different to themselves. To gain a clear understanding of this sensitive topic one must look at the origins, forms and effects of racism. This essay will look at how the concepts of ‘race’ and ‘ethnicity’ perpetuate inequality in our society, a brief history of Australia in relation to racism and how people experience these inequalities today in a society that we call multicultural. Modern Australia was established as a ‘region of recent settlement’ in 1788 which was a small part of a larger process of European colonisation (Bessant & Watts, 2002, p. 219). They had a set of ideas, values and beliefs and assumed that aborigines had no system of land ownership, agriculture, animal husbandry. Indigenous people have been in Australia for more than 100,000 years (Bessant & Watts, 2002, p. 222). The White Australia Policy in the 20th century encouraged immigration only from Britain, but didn’t allow ‘Asians’ and ‘Non-whites (Economou N, 1998, p.363). By 1950’s people from all countries were allowed to migrate into Australia to help post war reconstruction. The colonial immigration saw a mass migration of European people mostly from Britain to Australia. It is said that between 1788 and 1852 approximately 170,000 people moved to Australia, and the gold rush era after 1851 made it a highly desirable country for migrating (Bessant & Watts, 2002, p. 231). By end of World War two, as war forced Australia to get closer to other countries, which resulted in the first significant weakening of the policy in 1951. Later in the 1950s and 1960s other parts of the White Australia Policy were gradually dismantled. By the 1970s the federal government had removed all racial restrictions from its immigration law (Bessant & Watts, 2002). Various writers have contradictory approaches and ways of looking at racism, making it a complex topic. It takes many different forms, ranging from physical violence to derogatory language. A person or group’s belief that their race is superior or inferior, or their moral and social traits are predetermined, based on biological differences can be termed ’racism’. A group of people sharing the same skin colour, same values, coming from the similar backgrounds may constitute as ’race’. One of the most common forms of racism found today is Institutional Racism, which stems from established corporations, and other powerful forces in society, thus making it hard to question and faces less public condemnation. Examples include housing, employment, businesses, education, religion and media (Healey, 2002). Typically, the basis of this type of discrimination is from irrational fear of people at the receiving end who belong to a different culture or ‘race’. Although, there have been ongoing debates about racism all around us for centuries, it is an assault on human rights as it methodically refuses people of different caste, colour, race, sex or their country of origin basic values underlined by Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which states that human rights are everyone’s birthright and apply to all without difference (Healey, 2002). Common perception of shared origins, culture, lifestyle and traditions amongst a group of people or society is the universal definition of ethnicity (Bessant & Watts, 2002). People can share the same nationality but have different ethnicities. A few writers have put forward fascinating explanations of ethnicity. Edward Shils in his ‘primordial approach’ argues that he believes everyone has a primordial attachment to their motherland, people and religion which brings out strong emotional ties by socialising, which further gives rise to the need to have a separate identity and belonging. Then the ‘Mobilisationist Approach’ suggests that nothing is predictable or normal about ethnicity. Rather, ethnic identities come into sight and are toughened in political contexts where groups struggle to get access to inadequate and valued resources (Van Krieken et al, 2000, p. 519). The basis of ethnocentrism is a conscious or unconscious belief that one’s ethnic group, culture, religion, custom or behaviour is superior to another ethnic group. Politicians boast that Australia is a multicultural, open and classless society. Despite the well known image of Australia’s everyone have â€Å"a fair go†, the country is still full of both institutional and popular racism. Education has always been very important when it comes to moving up in class and has been very liberating in Australian society. However, indigenous and ethnic groups have been somewhat disadvantaged in opportunities to acquire education. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics only five Indigenous Australians per 1,000 obtain tertiary qualification, compared to 70-80 per 1,000 for Anglo Australians. In the 1990s welfare, health care and education support for Aborigines accounted only to 2% of total budget outlay (ABS 2000:21). In order to receive an education a person requires an income, but to get an income one needs a job, and a job is challenging to find without an appropriate level of education. Therefore an individual’s chance of education is influenced by the socio-economic status of one’s parents which is a cyclic social inequality hard to break. Migrants and their children often find it challenging to adjust to the Australian school system as they often come from countries that have a poor education system, and even if they have tertiary qualifications they mostly are not recognised, resulting in them taking lower paid and lower status jobs. Working class children often attend schools in working class suburbs where pupils are directed into working-class jobs. A high number of students leave school early and the expectation that they will attend university is low. In comparison, upper-class children attend private schools, and the expectation that they will attend university is high. Migrants and ethnic groups are often at a lower end of the socioeconomic scale (Aspin, 1996, p. 87) Migrants arrive with little money and few skills. Already at a disadvantage with language barriers, migrants and ethnic groups are also faced with racism and discrimination in their search for employment. In 1996, One Nation political party leader Pauline Hanson made a speech that claimed that Australia was being overwhelmed by ‘Asians’ and feared that Asians were taking over jobs. The fact is that Asians at the time only accounted for 5% of total population and ‘there is little evidence to support the claim that high rates of immigration ‘cause’ unemployment or ‘cause’ Australians to lose their jobs’ (Bessant, 2002, p. 219). Indigenous people had a 24. 3% unemployment rate according to 1996 census (ABS 2000:23). Indigenous people are usually poorer than most non-indigenous Australians and receive a lower income on average than the total population. The household income for Aborigines in 1994 was $158 compared to $310 for white Australians (ABS 2000C:23) This also reflects the fact the there is a higher reliance by the Aboriginal population on social security payments (ABS 1996b: 122-4) Socioeconomic status is a major determinant of inequality as it influences access an individual has to the economic resources of a society. L. J. Aspin (1996) explains that white Australian-born males have a better chance of obtaining access to the resources of society. Inequality is also reflected in the differential access to housing and health services. For people who are paying rent and on a low income, it is almost impossible to save for a deposit on a house at the same time. Aborigines and migrants suffer discrimination in rental accommodation, where landlords preferring a two-parent, white, Anglo-Saxon families. Only 10% of Aborigines own housing compared to 70% of white Australia population (Aspin, 1996, p. 87). Most Aborigines live in rural and provincial Australia (Bessant, 2002, p. 226) far from big cities where there are more jobs, higher paid jobs, better education, better housing, good water and sanitation services, hospital medical services and other community amenities. Some ethnic backgrounds are still not accepted in our society and are treated differently and unequally. We see and hear about them on a day to day basis. In recent months the Indian community in Australia, especially students have become a vulnerable target for attacks, whether racist or not. On 31 May 2009 in Melbourne, about 5000 students marched through the streets of Melbourne protesting against these attacks on Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi students. 25-year-old Sravan Kumar Theerthala was in a serious condition in intensive care after being stabbed in the head with a screwdriver one week earlier (Bolton & Peterson, 2009). In an article in The Age newspaper on February 19 Victorian police claimed that these attacks are not racially motivated, but opportunistic where Indian students are â€Å"over representing themselves as victims† and can be looked upon as soft targets. The police also advised them â€Å"not to speak in their native language loudly† or display signs of wealth. Attacks on Indians aren’t the only allegation Australia has faced over the years. It seems that anyone in power, including police, politicians or the media has had the tendency to somehow flare these attacks. In the Herald Sun on 11 June 2009, 3AW’s Neil Mitchell said: â€Å"Australians are also bashed and die in India, which does not provoke parades of chanting ocker backpackers in the streets of Mumbai†. In 2007, the then immigration minister Kevin Andrews referred to the Sudanese community when he said â€Å"Some groups don’t seem to be settling and adjusting into the Australian way of life as quickly as we would hope. † A spate of violent attacks were then unleashed against Sudanese migrants, and one was bashed to death by a group of white men (Bolton & Peterson, 2009). As Australia continues to argue that it is a just, tolerant, open and classless society, there is still evidence of race and inequality among us and affecting the many lives of migrants and Indigenous people. It is interesting to note that the very determinants of class – power, money, education, family background, occupation, health and general way of life are also the same factors where others experience inequalities. Race and ethnicity perpetuate inequality, and in any country including Australia, one would find that there are always some people with very strong values of racism, and media outlets which help in manipulating the views of general public. There still needs to be a massive drive by communities and governments on racism and inequality and it will be long before we will be a â€Å"happy multicultural Australia†. Bibliography Aspin, L J 1996, ‘Social stratification and inequality’, Focus on Australian society, 2nd edn, Longman, Melbourne. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2009, Australian Bureau of Statistics, viewed 28 November 2009, < http://www. abs. gov. au/ >. Bessant, J & Watts, R 2002, ‘Neighbours and nations: ethnic identity and multiculturalism’, Sociology Australia, 2nd edn, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, NSW. Bolton, S & Peterson, C 2009, Indian students speak: Stop the racist attacks! , viewed 28 November 2009, < http://www.greenleft. org. au/2009/798/41083>. Economou, N 1998, ‘The Politics of Citizenship: identity, ethnicity and race’, in Alan Fenna, Introduction to Australian Public Policy, Vol 1, Addison Wesley Longman, Melbourne. Healey, J 2002, ‘Racism: Beyond Tolerance, A Fair Go’, Racism in Australia, Vol 180, The Spinney Press, Rozelle, NSW. Van Krieken, R, Smith, P, Hobbis, D & McDonald, K 2000, ‘Migration, ethnicity and Australian Aboriginality’, Sociology: themes and perspectives, 2nd edn, Pearson Education, Frenchs Forest, NSW.

Project On Bajaj Auto Limited

November 14, 2009 Project On Bajaj Auto Limited Submitted by Team TiTanS -Amit Sheth -Anand Dube -Darshna Chande – Mrinal Kaul -Subrato Das -Vinay Chaudhary Page 1 of 23 1 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 Index 1. 0 Introduction 2. 0 PRODUCT PORTFOLIO. 2. 1 Product life cycle of the various products. 2. 2 A BCG Matrix of Various products. 3. 0 Key Brands – Top Three in terms of volume and revenue 3. 1 Bajaj Pulsar. 3. 2 RE (3 Wheeler). 3. 3 Discover. 4. 0 Positioning of the top three brands of the company. 4. 1 Pulsar. 4. 2 Discover. 4. Bajaj Auto (Commercial Vehicle). 5. 0 Competitors and the differentiation of each based on positioning. 5. 1 Pulsar key Competitors. 5. 2 Bajaj Auto Commercial Vehicles. 5. 3 Discover key Competitors.6. 0 Key marketing communications and the evolution of the same since 1995 7. 0 The Future. 7. 1 Recommendations. 8. 0 Graphs. 8. 1 Sales data of BAL and Industry Comparison. 8. 2 BAL in International Market. 8. 3 3 Year Projection for Comme rcial unit of BAL 8. 4 BAL projection for Domestic Sales 9. 0 References. Page 2 of 23 2 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 BAJAJ AUTO LTD 1. Introduction Bajaj Auto is India's largest and the world's 4th largest two and three-wheeler manufacturer. It is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Akurdi and Chakan (near Pune) and Waluj and Patnagar in Uttaranchal. Bajaj Auto produces and exports scooters, motorcycles and auto rickshaws. Over the last decade, the company has successfully changed its image from a scooter manufacturer to all round two wheeler manufacturer. Its product range encompasses scooters and motorcycles. Founded in 1926, at the height of India's movement for independence from the British, the group has an illustrious history.The integrity, dedication, resourcefulness and determination to succeed are characteristics of the group even today and can be traced back to its birth during those days of relentless devotion to a common cause. Jamnalal Bajaj, founder of the group, was a close confidant and disciple of Mahatma Gandhi. In fact, Gandhiji had adopted him as his son. This close relationship and his deep involvement in the independence movement did not leave Jamnalal Bajaj with much time to spend on his newly launched business venture.His son, Kamalnayan Bajaj, then 27, took over the reins of business in 1942. He too was close to Gandhiji and it was only after Independence in 1947, that he was able to give his full attention to the business. Its’ real growth in numbers has come in the last four years after successful introduction of a few models in the motorcycle segment. The company is headed by Rahul Bajaj who is worth more than US$1. 5 billion. Bajaj Auto came into existence on November 29, 1945 as M/s Bachraj Trading Corporation Private Limited. It started off by selling imported two and three-wheelers in India.In 1959, it obtained license from the Government of India to manufacture two and three-wheelers and it went public in 196 0. In 1970, it rolled out its 100,000th vehicle. In 1977, it managed to produce and sell 100,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1985, it started producing at Waluj in Aurangabad. In 1986, it managed to produce and sell 500,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1995, it rolled out its ten millionth vehicles and produced and sold 1 million vehicles in a year. Kamalnayan Bajaj not only consolidated the group, but also diversified into various manufacturing activities.The present Chairman of the group, Rahul Bajaj, took charge of the business in 1965. Under his leadership, the turnover of the Bajaj Auto the flagship company has gone up from Rs. 72 million to Rs. 46. 16 billion (USD 936 million), its product portfolio expanded and the brand has found a global market. He is one of India's most distinguished business leaders and internationally respected for his business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit. Page 3 of 23 3 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 2. 0 PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Product Portfolio Two Wheelers Three Wheelers Entry Level Mid Level PeformancePassenger Carrier Goods Carrier Platina 100cc & 125 cc DTSi Kristal DTSi XCD 135 cc DTSi Discover 100cc & 135 cc DTSi Pulsar 150, 180, 200 & 220 cc DTSi Avenger 200 DTSi RE-2 Stroke 2 Diesel & CNG RE – 4 Stroke Diesek & CNG GC MAx Diesel & CNG In 1972, it introduced Ba Bajaj Chetek. The company formed a joint venture with . Maharashtra Scooters in 1975. Bajaj Auto established Waluj production plant in Aurangabad, in 1985. In the following year, the company entered into the technical tie-up with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Japan to produce a range of two up Japan two-wheelers in India.The company signed agreements with Kubota, Japan for the development of diesel engines for three-wheelers, and with Tokyo research and development for un wheelers, ungeared Scooter and moped development, in 1995. In 1999, Bajaj Auto commenced the production at Chakan plant. The company introduced Bajaj Saffire in 2000. In the following year, Bajaj Auto launched Eliminator and Pulsar bikes. Bajaj Auto launched Bajaj Wind 125, Pulsar 150cc and 180cc sports styled bikes, in 2 180cc 2001. In the next year, Bajaj Auto launched Bajaj CT100 and Bajaj Discover DTS The company DTS-i. aunched Bajaj Discover, Bajaj Avenger DTS i, and Bajaj Wave DTS in 2005. In DTS-i, DTS-i, the following year, it launched Bajaj Platina. Bajaj Auto launched 200 cc Pulsar DT DTSi, and Bajaj Kristal DTS-i in February 2007. Bajaj Auto started a new plant at i Pantnagar, Uttarakhand in April 2007. In the following month, the company demerged to form three separate entities: Bajaj Auto (automobiles); Bajaj Holdings and Investment Limited (an investment company); and Bajaj Finserv Limited (wind ited power and financial services company).Bajaj Auto launched its ‘XCD 125 DTS DTS-Si', a 125cc motor bike in September 2007. In May 2008, Bajaj Auto, Renault and Nissan Corporation formed a joint-venture company to develop, produce a nd market the car ure code-named ULC with wholesale price range starting from $2500. The joint named joint-venture company would be 50% owned by Bajaj Auto, 25% by Renault and 25% by Nissan, and to construct the plant in Chakan (Maharashtra state) in India with an initial (Maharashtra planned capacity of 400,000 units per year. In February 2009, Bajaj launched XCD Page 4 of 23 4BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 135 cc DTSi. Bajaj Auto has a distribution network in 50 countries and presence in India, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Bangladesh, Mexico, Central America, Peru and Egypt. The company has global partnerships with the shipping lines of Maersk Sealand, P&O Nedloyd and APL. The company's subsidiaries include: Bajaj Auto International Holdings, a 100% Netherlands based subsidiary; and PT Bajaj Indonesia which assembles and markets Pulsars in Indonesia. 2. 1 Product life cycle of the various products is shown below.INTRODUCTION STAGE: Products like Discover 100 DTSi and Pulsar 220cc. GROWT H STAGE: Products like Discover 135 cc have a great potential to grow and become market leaders in their segment. MATURITY STAGE: Products like Bajaj Pulsar 150 ; 180cc are at their maturity stage. DECLINE STAGE: Bikes like Avenger, Platina, Pulsar 200 cc market have ready substitutes available resulting in lower demand and lower market share. 2. 2 A BCG MATRIX OF VARIOUS PRODUCTS ARE SHOWN BELOW STARS BAJAJ PULSAR SERIES DISCOVER 100cc COWS DISCOVER 125CC DISCOVER 135CC Page 5 of 23 5QUESTION MARK XCD 125CC PLATINA 100cc DOGS AVENGER KRYSTAL BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 3. 0 Key Brands – Top Three in terms of volume and revenue 1. Bajaj Pulsar 2. RE (3 wheeler) 3. Bajaj Discover 3. 1 Bajaj Pulsar It is a motorcycle brand owned by Bajaj Auto in India. It was developed by the product engineering division of Bajaj Auto in association with motorcycle designer Glynn Kerr, Tokyo R;D. Currently there are four variants available with engine capacities of 150cc, 180cc and two var iants with capacities of 220cc. More than a million units of Pulsar were sold by November 2005.Pulsar 200 variant was discontinued in July 2009. With monthly sales of more than 48,000 units in June 2009, Pulsar is the leader in the 150 cc + segment in India with a market share of 43%. The following is the sales data of Pulsar Brand for the last five months. Month Sales (Units) June 48062 July 49621 August September October 65000 55413 56000 3. 2 RE (3 Wheeler) The leading three wheeler manufacturers in India are Bajaj Auto, Mahindra ; Mahindra and the Italy-based Piaggio. In the three wheeler segment, the classification is broadly in terms of carriage and passenger vehicles.Since the former does have a very limited capacity to carry goods and is not preferred by many, the three wheeler manufacturers are more into the passenger three wheelers. Bajaj Auto has a range of models for passenger three wheelers namely RE 2S,RE 4S,RE 4S CNG,RE 4S LPG,RE Diesel and RE Diesel mega . Page 6 of 23 6 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 TVS Motor has recently entered the fray with its own model of a three wheeler and with the market recording an impressive 18% CAGR rate over the last fiscal, the three wheeler manufacturers still have plenty to laugh about. 3. . Discover The Bajaj Discover a motorcycle made by Bajaj Auto in Chakan, India, debuted in 2004. This is the second indigenous bike from Bajaj. During mid 2005, the Discover was made a single variant model. It was revamped with new graphics, and other features like sns(spring in spring) suspension, self-start, etc. The Bajaj Discover has been the highest selling 125 cc bike in India since the day of its inception and has proven to be a very popular executive commuter. 135cc model has recently released which features a front disk brake, auto-start and black alloy wheels.The following are the sales figure for the last two months for Bajaj Discover. Month Sales (Units) September 94000 October 95139 4. 0 Positioning of the top three brands of the company 4. 1 Pulsar Pulsar was launched in direct competition to the Hero Honda's ‘CBZ' model in 150 cc plus segment. The campaign bore innovative punch line of â€Å"Definitely Male† positioning Pulsar to be a masculine-looking model with an appeal to the performance sensitive customers. The Pulsar went one step ahead of Hero Honda's ‘CBZ' and launched a twin variant of Pulsar with the 180 cc model.The model was a great success and has already crossed 1 million mark in sales. The Big Idea was to position the bike as World's first bike endowed with a gender. Page 7 of 23 7 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 Pulsar changed its tagline to â€Å"The Fastest Indian† for its 220cc bike. After dumping the â€Å"Definitely Male† tagline, Pulsar advertisements never were a thriller. The product qualities made the brand a huge success. The new ad and new tagline gives a remarkable boost to this brand. It is very wise for the brand to own th e highest superlative.Pulsar has owned the â€Å"Fastest† superlative, which means another brand cannot be faster than the fastest. This is a powerful positioning strategy adopted by the brand. Pulsar has become synonymous with Bajaj. It single handedly brought Bajaj from a state where it was thought that it would be sold or it was running for family prestige. Pulsar Mania was supposed to be the answer to MTV hero Honda roadies which had become synonymous plus a huge success between the youth. Target Audience Bajaj targeted the 18-24 with Pulsar but later found that the brand appealed to a much older audience.This helped Bajaj to change its target audience to 21-35 years 4. 2 Discover Pulsar helped Bajaj to establish itself as a serious player in the Indian motorcycle market. Bajaj had failures in establishing its presence in the executive segment where Hero Honda's Splendour rules. Hence Bajaj launched Discover DTSI with Page 8 of 23 8 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 much f anfare. The brand ambassador was none less than the legendary Jackie Chan. Things were perfect for a bestseller. But had Discover delivered? Still, No.This was partly because Bajaj was still struggling with the positioning of its brand. The same mistake was done with Calibre. Bajaj was trying to sell Discover by its looks. But then the new commercial suggested something else. The new commercial with a Harry Potter look alike was well executed but had no marketing significance. What was being communicated to the customer? Just like the Hoodibaba campaign involving cartoon characters which actually killed the product, Discover campaigns was based on fantasy. Positioning has to be realistic and hould differentiate the product from its competitors. That is the theory and it works also. So, Bajaj decided that the platform at which Discover is going to be placed is going to be sold as both stylish and performance bike. This bike is the perfect choice for the people with average height as people with more six feet of height may face some difficulty in adjusting their knee position on the tank. Otherwise, this bike offers the great comfort and handling due to its well placed seat and handles. It offers a good mileage of 70-80 kmpl. Therefore it is positioned as a fuel efficient bike.Also, Bajaj wanted to make this bike for masses, so it launched Discover in different variants of 100cc, 125cc, and 135cc. Next year Bajaj is also planning to launch the Page 9 of 23 9 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 bike in 150 cc to cater the needs of the power hungry people who can’t afford Pulsar. So overall Bajaj is trying to position Discover as a bike for each segment of people. 4. 3 Bajaj Auto (3-Wheeler) Talk of passenger vehicle, and first thing that comes to mind is Bajaj Auto. It is very popular throughout India, and people use them in quite frequently as daily means of transport.Bajaj in auto rickshaws, is already the global market leader. In the domestic market of app roximately 6 million motorcycles annually. Bajaj Auto launches eco-friendly auto rickshaw the vehicle incorporates the latest Gasoline Technology – the Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engine, to achieve substantially lower emissions than even alternative clean fuels like Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Combusted Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles 5. 0 Competitors and the differentiation of each based on positioning 5. 1 Pulsar Key Competitors: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Apache CBZ Hunk Karizma Pulsar is the Flagship brand of Bajaj.It has been the great success story of modern Bajaj from â€Å"Hamara Bajaj â€Å" to â€Å" Distinctly Ahead â€Å" . The basic differentiation strategy, loaded with the first movers’ advantage, was the technological edge it had over others (Using a patented technology). It mixed performance with killer looks, unlike any of its predecessors was targeted to capture the minds of youth which it did with great success. It was the first bike w hich took India towards full auto-ignition and power bikes. Every now and then it comes with something new and innovative and no doubt Bajaj bikes have mass appeal as well.TVS: With its presence in 160 cc and 180 cc market it is the most potent threat to Pulsar, but erratic nature of TVS motors may pull it down in the longer run. Honda / Hero Honda: The real first mover in 150 cc segment, with CBZ has been the traditional rival, has always been there but has never been really able to really challenge pulsars supremacy. It has launched Hunk and Karizma but never lived up Page 10 of 23 10 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 to the expectations because of its steep price as against the brand of Pulsar that has a presence across all the segments (150, 180, 200, 220) ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 80,000. 5. 2 Bajaj Auto Commercial Vehicles: Key Competitors: †¢ Mahindra and Mahindra †¢ Piaggio In the three wheeler segment, the classification is broadly in terms of carriage and pass enger vehicles. Since the former does have a very limited capacity to carry goods and is not preferred by many, the three wheeler manufacturers are more into the passenger three wheelers. Bajaj Auto has a range of models for passenger three wheelers namely RE 2S, RE 4S, RE 4S CNG, RE 4S LPG, RE Diesel and RE Diesel Mega while its existing carriage three wheeler is called GC 1000.It has enjoyed monopoly in this market. In this segment it achieved differentiation on basis of trust and reliability from its competitors; moreover it had a huge first movers’ advantage. The basic customers for this product are low end business men. Mahindra ; Mahindra has got the Champion range of three wheelers. There are Champion pick up and Champion delivery vans while the Champion Passenger carrier is mostly seen in the western parts of the country. The Alfa three wheeler carriages of the M;M has a wide and tall cabin, heavy duty gear box, unique designed chassis and hydraulic shock absorbers.Th e Italian auto major Piaggio manufactures Ape 50 in association with Bajaj Auto at Pune with a 150cc engine. This three-wheeler has different body forms and matches the specifications of various countries wherever it is produced. TVS Motor has recently entered the fray with its own model of a three wheeler and with the market recording an impressive 18% CAGR rate over the last fiscal. 5. 3 Discover Key Competitors: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Ambition ( Hero Honda ) Splendor CD Dawn Star City Page 11 of 23 11 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 The Discovers as of now seems to enjoy a bull run in the market as there is no visible completion from anyone.It beats its competition on both looks as well as power; in fact it doesn’t have any direct completion in 135 cc segment. The target customer for this bike is the middle aged middle class who are looking for a bike with a bit of looks a bit of power, a bit of economy as well as an affordable price. 6. 0 Key marketing communica tions and the evolution of the same since 1995. Bajaj was the undisputed ruler of the Indian 2-wheeler market . It continued its domination in through the 1980 into mid 1990’s. Then the tagline used to be â€Å"HAMARA BAJAJ â€Å".This brand image was employed to instil a patriotic fervour in the minds of the middle classed dominated Indian society. With this campaign they tried to reach the masses, which had dreams and aspirations to become big. â€Å"Hamara Bajaj† †¦. Became a household jingle and Bajaj marched to become the leading two wheeler manufacturer in the absence of any significant completion. During this phase Bajaj had a monopoly over the scooter market with its flagship brand Chetak. But by the beginning of 1990 things started to change; new players were entering the market in JV with the local entities.New and advanced technology was now available. Honda aligned with Kinetic and Hero group of Munjals while Suzuki partnered with TVS. Hamara Bajaj w as facing the brunt without any partners and new technology to harbour them. They were continuously focusing on continuous reduction of production cost, thus overlooking the threat of new entrants consequently their market share kept on declining. Page 12 of 23 12 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 Declining market Share of Bajaj The biggest problem faced by the Bajaj was that it was losing the scooter market. People were no longer interested in scooters as the market was looded with many new models and variants. Honda was gaining momentum in the Indian market. By 1998 Bajaj was looking right down the barrel. They were facing a tough choice â€Å"To replace a legend is never easy. To replace a legend when the legacy needs a major overhaul is even more difficultâ€Å", but desperate situations call for desperate measures, Bajaj auto decided to go big time into motorcycles and do away with its flagship brand of Chetak. During this passage they launched several products †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Boxer Caliber Wind 115 Saffair Legend Page 13 of 23 13 BAJAJ AUTO LTDNovember 14, 2009 But somehow they all failed to capture the target market. Ever since losing its leadership position, Bajaj Auto Limited (BAL) was trying out new strategies including use of new technology and new marketing communication campaigns. For instance, in the early 2000s it started focusing more on the motorcycle market with new product launches, complemented by new communication campaigns to inject vibrancy into the Bajaj brand. The ad spots launched in late 2001 showed ‘slice of life' situations of â€Å"new age â€Å"India. . Porter’s 5 Forces for Bajaj during 1990’sBy now Bajaj had come a long way from Hamara Baja to its latest message, trying to capture the new India, the young India, the fast paced India, and The ever changing India. With this intention Bajaj made a last effort re-launch itself, repositioning the Hamara Bajaj in the minds of the young v ibrant India. Page 14 of 23 14 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 But it failed to gel in the market. The Bajaj was dying. Its JV with Kawasaki was falling apart and the killer blow came from Hero Honda CBZ in 1999. First time in its lifetime the market share of Bajaj went below 40%.The Change in the Brand message of Bajaj From Hamara Bajaj they transformed to Inspiring Confidence, thus trying to emphasize on the fact they are such an old name in the market and their name inspires confidence. But unfortunately this did not work for them and within two years they again changed their tagline to Distinctly Ahead. This time around they emphasized on the fact that they had better technology than anybody else in the market. And it worked. For that they went for a complete overhaul. Page 15 of 23 15 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009Bajaj logo : Brand transformation They underwent a complete change in the brand image; they changed their logo, which was done in 2004. The reason behind Bajaj cha nging its logo was that people used to associate Bajaj with its old image of â€Å"Hamara Bajaj† and carrying that image Bajaj was not able to communicate its message that effectively to the youth who is its major target customer now as the market for the scooters is almost over and 80% of the 2-wheeler market is covered by bikes. The new logo flying B as it has been named represents style and technology.It connotes speed and open for denotes transparency. Today Bajaj is known with â€Å"Distinctively Ahead â€Å". The recent ad campaigns for Bajaj are associated with stunts and modern gizmos. The concept of Definitely Male was well accepted by the people and Bajaj came out with some astonishing ads. Though the DTSi technology was new, people accepted it very well. It easily conveyed the message it wanted to. The following picture strips conveys the advertisement: Getting on to his bike, a man gets all set to make a move. As he puts his helmet on, a message appears on the w indshield,While the biker cruises through the city, some army men are out for their jog. Just before they cross a road, a zebra crossing forms ahead them and disappears after them, while the biker waits patiently. Page 16 of 23 16 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 A young lady talks to her beau on the phone, while an image of his forms before her. She switches the phone off and the image disappears, in time for her to catch a glimpse of the bike. Riding on, he spots a child playing with a remote controlled toy. In the next shot the toy turns out to be a roller coaster, with children inside enjoying the ride.On arriving home, the biker is greeted by a As he takes off his helmet everything turns robotic dog. back to it's usual self. MVO: â€Å"Imagine a world as advanced as the new Pulsar DTSi†¦ After these ads were successful, Bajaj came out with a second ad wherein a man is shown performing various stunts on his DTSi Pulsar. Even this one was an outstanding one. . The Latest Pu lsar Campaign Page 17 of 23 17 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 DTSi came out to be a good one with proper publicity advertisements and that too without any highly paid brand ambassadors.Unlike its rivals who have highly paid actors or cricket stars as their brand ambassador. 7. 0 The Future Although the avalanche of motorcycles offered Indian consumers a wide variety of models to choose from, it also resulted in increased pressure on the companies to concentrate on cost-cuts, technology enhancements, upgrades and styling. Their margins came under pressure as marketing costs escalated. The companies were forced to reduce prices and offer discounts to survive the competition. Moreover, analysts were skeptical about the segment's ability to maintain the growth rate in the years to come.One of the major assumptions underlying the motorcycles rush was that if the market was considerably large and was growing at a constant pace, there was room for a profitable existence for all brands. I n 2001, there were over 30 motorcycle brands in the market. However, with the top five brands accounting for more than 60% of the market, only 40% of the market was available for all other new brands put together. Despite the launch of more vehicles, the survival prospects of many of the individual brands were deemed to be rather bleak. Page 18 of 23 18 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 SWOT Analysis for Bajaj AutoFurther, the growth in the motorcycle segment was dependant on continuing favorable market conditions. Analysts claimed that to sustain this growth rate, the segment would have to completely cannibalize the market for scooters and a considerable part of the market for scooterettes and mopeds. Considering the fast growing scooters segment, with high demand from female customers, followed by the moderately growing moped segment and the restructuring in the scooter segment with major national and foreign players reinforcing their presence, it was unlikely that the entire growt h in the two-wheeler sector would be due to motorcycles.Analysts also commented that as the two-wheeler industry had grown steadily for eight years, stages in the product life cycle would apply to the field sooner, rather than later and the decline stage would invariably come some day. There was little differentiation between the brands being launched apart from styling as most companies had introduced their four-stroke vehicles. Focus on High Margin Products: Around 50% of the two-wheeler consumers buy high quality products (products of executive and premium segment motorcycles). Margins on these products are higher. Page 19 of 23 19 BAJAJ AUTO LTDNovember 14, 2009 BAL should adopt a deliberate strategy of focusing on executive and premium segment motorcycles and three-wheelers, and a couple of brands on lower-end of motorcycles (to grab the market share) and scooters segment. High margin products – Pulsar, Discover, Three-wheelers, Avenger. Low margin products – Plat ina, Scooters, Mopeds. Second Hand Market: Second hand market in 2-wheeler is one of the most un-tapped market without any competitor. BAL must try and establish a unit dealing with the sales of Second Hand Vehicle something on the lines of Maruti True value and Mahindra First.Car Market: With the launch of the low budget car it can capitalize this market as there are not many players in this market and they already have the network and the knowhow of the elements of the local market as well as the technology (from its foreign partners). 7. 1 Recommendations: Below are the recommendations: †¢ Company should keep focusing on the fast growing motorcycle segment. †¢ In view of the new threat posed by Honda Motors in the scooter segment, the company needs to review its products line-up and launch new products to cater the changed demand. The company needs to take a look at its ungeared scooter offerings and need to adapt to the latest trends(compete with models like Honda Acti va) †¢ The company needs to tap the export market more efficiently as there is a huge potential to make India as the world's two-wheelers production base. For this, it needs to look for joint ventures abroad. †¢ Look to expand their base outside further. It already has a strong presence in Africa and other South Asian Countries. †¢ It needs to target the young age group more effectively as this group is extremely trend savvy.The advertising should have a fresh look and the product should live up to the Gen-X's expectations †¢ Focus on Easy Credit Lending – In the present economical crisis, Bajaj can utilize its subsidiary, Bajaj insurance in coming up with schemes that will help consumers buy two wheelers on friendly terms. †¢ BAL needs to scale up its service centers both in numbers and in capacity. Keeping in line with its growth target for the next 5 years, its service centers should not only cater to two wheelers but should also be upgraded to cat er to the needs of four wheelers that Bajaj plans to launch.Page 20 of 23 20 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 8. 0 Graphs 8. 1 Sales data of BAL and Industry Comparison. 8. 2 BAL in International Market Page 21 of 23 21 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 8. 3 : 3 Year Projection for Commercial unit of BAL 9. 1 BAL projection for Domestic Sales Page 22 of 23 22 BAJAJ AUTO LTD November 14, 2009 9. 0 References. Marketing Management by Philip Kotler & Kevin L Keller www. wikipedia. com www. Bajajauto. com www. howstuffworks. com www. bikeadvice. in BAL Annual Report www. youtube. com Page 23 of 23 23