Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Physicians Clash over Medical Ethics in Death Penalty Cases Essay Example for Free

Doctors Clash over Medical Ethics in Death Penalty Cases Essay The news cutting is basically about the difficulty specialists face. They are prepared to spare individuals. They didn't pick their calling to rebuff law-damaging residents. In particular, this point has been given promotion by Dr. Marc Stern who quit on his activity of being the head specialist in the province of Washington’s jail whose obligations included keeping up the deadly infusion table all together for the following capital punishment. In the previous quite a while, as indicated by the article, clinical morals and capital punishment has conflicted. There are various occurrences in the past where specialists rescued of the execution causing delay in capital punishment; a valid example: Michael Morales. The article additionally expressed that the issue doesn't stop here. This moral issue against proficient interest needs cautious and further examination. The death penalty and equity would be hard to serve if all specialists are worried about morals. Specialists went similarly as foreseeing the death penalty could end as a result of this moral issues. Moral problem The entire article is about moral situation. Specialists would prefer not to keep taking part in the death penalty (supervising capital punishments) as this postures moral issues for them. The vast majority of them belive the discipline is brutal and abnormal. Likewise, specialists are prepared to spare lives and not to end it. Individual considerations on the issue I comprehend that being an item to end another person’s life when one is prepared to help spare it could have extreme effect on one’s still, small voice. The human world has gotten humanized enough through the span of history to save each other. It is significantly increasingly accentuated in a doctor’s calling where conservation of humankind has been his picked field and vocation. Be that as it may, if all specialists feel along these lines, I can see the country revolting. Without a prepared proficient in capital punishment chamber, its absolutely impossible an execution will occur. I can anticipate different types of fights on the grounds that some way or another, equity must be served by the laws of the state. The individual in capital punishment was seen as blameworthy of an offense that bad marks him his life. The loved ones of his casualty/s have transformed into the law for help to the shamefulness done to them. The law can't bomb these individuals since specialists can't do their state-given obligations. There must be a few specialists out there that are happy to carry out the responsibility. I am not saying that the state must discover conscienceless expert with the goal that capital punishment can in any case be watched. There must be a few specialists in the field that comprehend their ethical commitments and their commitments to the state. Like it or not, the arraignment must be done. They can't give the indicted criminal bite the dust access the hands of non-experts nor would they be able to let the families and companions of the casualties live in bad form.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Essay --

John C. Maxwell once composed, â€Å"Leadership is the intensity of one tackling the intensity of many.† Rousseau, in The Social Contract Theory composes that administration is important to make law. A pioneer must be able to accommodate all, regardless of the case. In this manner, they should have the â€Å"power of many† so as to comprehend the desire of the individuals. A populace can't make laws for itself without direction from some higher force. A compelling pioneer must have the option to outfit the intensity of numerous so as to make successful laws and rules for the aggregate great. Rousseau utilizes a few instances of commendable pioneers so as to demonstrate that quality authority decides reasonable law in Book II, Chapter VI: THE LAW. Specifically, he talks about the job of God, lawmakers, and aides. To start with, the proficiency of lawmaking will be talked about, at that point the reasons law is basic, next the attributes per Rousseau of a perfect official, lastly the best kind of pioneer or guide will be discussed. Numerous things have changed since Rousseau’s time, anyway the requirement for a pioneer to decide reasonable law has continued as before, and will keep on being a huge piece of governments and social orders. Rousseau depicts the proficiency of lawmaking, saying: â€Å"So long as men are substance to connect to this word just powerful thoughts, they will keep on bantering without being understood† (p.178). Rousseau is basically contending that the connection between the quantity of pioneers and the profitability of those pioneers is a backwards one: the more chiefs, the less practiced. This is the reason it is important to have one in number pioneer as opposed to having the entire of the individuals lead the individuals. The distinction among pronouncements and laws is the contrast among States and republics. R... ...lways right. A guide who can edify the overall population and make laws is a genuine resource for the populace in view of a leader’s capacity to see articles and circumstances without an individual viewpoint. This is the reason there is consistently â€Å"need of a legislator.† A few heads accept that they are held to lesser gauges than their kin. This is one issue with placing certain individuals responsible for the remainder of the network. Be that as it may, laws apply to everybody, including the individuals who make them. This is the reason there is a different gathering that upholds the law, to make fairness for all. This is the reason heads and aides are advantageous for a network. So as to keep up a reasonable society, there is requirement for officials who are exposed to the laws they make. Without guides, the laws would not be viable or reasonable for all, and the State would not get the status as a republic.

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Analysis Of Online Auction Site Ebid Information Essay

Analysis Of Online Auction Site Ebid Information Essay Ebid is one of the most popular auction sites on the web. In fact, it ranks as number two right after Ebay which comes as the first one on the list. It was created back in 1998 in the United Kingdom and has been a huge hit ever since that time. And in this article, I will analyze this site from different angles. Target audience There is no one specific target audience of Ebid. The auction site is open for people from more than 100 states to buy and sell products at whatever price they find suitable. They work with customers and companies from New Zealand, Austria, Norway, Belgium, Italy, USA, UK, Spain, Sweden, South Africa, India, etc. To start selling and buying things at Ebid one has to register with the system. The process of registration is quite simple, though additional details might be requested for individuals willing to have a particular membership level on the site. How it works and its benefits The principle behind this site is quite straightforward. Customers are allowed to post items for sale as well as seek what they need on the website. They can interact and get in touch as there is no particular person in between them. So, whatever one finds for sale on the site, he is allowed to purchase as long as the conditions and price are suitable for both sides. This is the first benefit of this auction site. The second one is that since people are trying to have their products sell they are more willing to lower prices. So, one can get what he needs at lower rates. The third benefit is that Ebid has an extensive list of categories one can sell and buy items at. It is hard to find a product you cannot purchase on Ebid. The owners of this site strive to do their best to make it a platform attractive for businesses of all kinds. Another advantage is that the system is entirely transparent. One will not find hidden costs, so there is not the reason to worry that extra fees will be applied to his purchased. Considering the fact that some sites have them, transparency is Ebid’s advantage. Finally, it works around the clock. So, no matter where you come from, you can easily participate in the interrogations. This advantage is definitely huge, given that people now have to deal with time barriers all the time. As an answer to globalization process, Ebid offers unusual conditions for good deals. Ebid revenue Being the second biggest auction site, Ebid has quite an impressive revenue too. According to the official data, the company got around 684,000 USD in 2014, and that number grew significantly since that time. The price of the whole company was estimated to be around 1,3 million USD which is an incredible number for a business in this niche. Most of their revenue they get from subscription fees as well as the percent of the deals made on the website. For instance, there is a chance to get SELLER+ Lifetime membership only costs 49,99 EUR. That is only one option, and all such fees collected together add up to a real revenue the site makes. From everything we said above, it is clear that Ebid is a great auction site with stable income and beneficial offers. It provides its users with conditions which make trading and buying experience pleasant and smooth. Moreover, they even have an exclusive payment system developed which makes the process of paying even simpler than ever. Thus, one can pay through online banking offered by Barclays. Ebid is truly a fantastic choice for buying things online.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

My Semester Of Learning For Msmit Degree At Sul Livan...

Courses I Am Taking This Quarter I am Pavan Nidamanuru. This is my first semester of learning for MSMIT degree at Sul-livan University. I have enrolled in two courses this Semester. First course is â€Å"CSC560X Elec-tronic Commerce and Intranet Developmentâ€Å", which is a fully online course being taught by Professor Dr. Emmanuel Amadi. This course mainly teaches about how businesses can be done over internet or online. Second course is â€Å"MGT510Z Managerial Communication Skillsâ€Å", which is a hybrid course being taught by Professor Dr. Mohamed Abualhaija. This course re-quires in-class presence 3 times during the semester. This course mainly teaches different strategies to enhance the communication skills of an individual. Hynes (2005) stated effective business communication is the key to planning, leading, organizing, and controlling the re-sources of the organizations to achieve objectives, and may be formal or informal in nature. Applying Learning from Course #1 to My Workplace Some of the ideas and techniques I learnt from ‘CSC560X Electronic Commerce and Intranet Development’ were applied to my Company ‘Kaagaz’. I would like to share one example here. I own a corporate gifting company by name ‘Kaagaz’ which is a startup, located in Bangalore city of India. It is a very small company which was known only to few locals 3 months back. As I started learning E-commerce course, I understood how important a website is for marketing a company. It is stated that the two main objectives

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Essay on Gay Couples Marriage

Love Has No Gender If we consider any culture in our world, we are likely to know that the only universal feature that exists in each of them is marriage. For centuries a man has made a proposal to a woman he loves and wants to be with. But in the course of time, the social context of this or that phenomenon, however universal it is, changes. Nowadays more and more gay couples demand the legal permission to get married, claiming that marriage does not necessarily involves a man and a woman. So, should they be granted such a permission? On the one hand, a gay marriage can be seen as something destroying the basis of the human morale: since time immemorial, marriage has been the union of a man and a woman seen as the right course of life, being a role-model for children to follow. However, trying to identify the reasons for people to marry, psychologists found out that people get married mostly for security: one feels much more protected and secure having a partner for life. So, why do gay couples not deserve the same level of security? Doesnt a person need the feeling of protection and safety only because of the sexual preferences? Another popular argument against gay marriages is that homosexual relationship will be promoted in the society if their right to get married is legally determined. But are numerous films on TV promote violence and cruelty and are still shown every day? Order a Paper on any Topic at WriteMyPapers.org! You may be assigned to write an original paper on any possible topic, no matter you like it or not. And you will probably procrastinate till the last minute until your deadline comes to the due date. This is where our custom writing service can assist you in completing the work fast and without no delays at all. All we need to get from you are the specifications, if you have any of them about the topic, and order details like deadline, academic level, paper format, and any helpful additional materials. Also, remember to specify the number of pages you need. This will influence the price you will pay for your order. To determine properly how many pages you need, take into account that one page includes 275 words. If you need a little more words, this can be counted as two pages already. If you do not even have a topic that would sound properly, dont worry. Just ask the writer propose some of the topic names to you. When you are done with your order, we will check it and contact you as soon as possible to specify the details. Sometimes we may consider that the level of writing or the number of pages are determined not properly. If it happens that the writer will not be able to complete the paper in the time frame you included, well let you know. We want to deliver the paper that will meet all your needs. This is why the writer will go through the instructions you upload and give a feedback whether there are any specifications needed. We made it possible for you to communicate with your writer directly through the messenger. In your control admin panel you have an access to many features. You can get registered right away to see all of them and proceed with your order right from there. Still got questions? Contact us through the chat on the website, by email or just give us a call. We will assist you in any question.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Are Hybrid Cars Becoming Safer or More Harmful to the Environment Free Essays

string(111) " increase the temperature of one cubic foot of air 55 degrees F \(â€Å"An Introduction to Efficiency†, 2006\)\." Hybrid cars have a very special technology because they boast two power sources: a regular gasoline engine and an electric motor powered by a huge battery unlike conventional cars which have only regular gasoline engine. These components generally work in tandem, though the exact mechanism varies depending on the car. When the car is at stop, the engine shuts off. We will write a custom essay sample on Are Hybrid Cars Becoming Safer or More Harmful to the Environment? or any similar topic only for you Order Now While you push the accelerator, the electric motor turns on to drive the car forward. When you need the power such as for climbing a hill, the gas engine gets a boost from the electric motor. The electric motor normally recharges itself by censoring the heat energy generated as you brake (Brown, 2008). Hybrid cars also help to reduce the amount of smog emission because of less working of gasoline engine. This does not mean that hybrid cars help the environment because they still have the issue of their batteries about being extremely harmful to the environment. Nowadays, there are more than 5 million hybrid cars around the world but this means that there will be also 5 million batteries from these hybrid cars. What would happen in the next few years if these batteries end up in landfills? According to environmental researchers, 90% of 1 million metric tons of lead which is produced every year is used for vehicle batteries (â€Å"Hybrid Battery Toxicity†, 2006). These batteries still have issues even though they are more environmentally friendly than the standard batteries. Nickel may cause cancer in human body because it is considered as a human carcinogen (Olberding, 2010). Therefore, many people are concerned about nickel mining as one kind of misuse of natural resources. According to the Environmental Defense, there are three main battery types such as lead, nickel, and lithium. The worst thing that harmful to the environment is lead battery, followed by nickel, and lithium (Banas, 2010). By the way, the rechargeable hybrid cars can force power plants to produce excessive amounts of electricity; therefore, power plant emissions can be just as harmful as exhaust pipe emissions. Running hybrid cars on the street can also contribute the amounts of greenhouse gases as same as running normal vehicles because hybrid system works effectively only on heavily congested streets (â€Å"Hybrid Cars Negative Environmental Impact†, 2007). Even though hybrid cars help the environment, they are still harmful to the environment due to battery use, use of natural resources, and ineffective use of motor systems. II. Opposing Arguments A. Batteries The batteries in hybrid cars give a better choice for the fuel economy and environment that have been becoming to the next generation of car’s technology. They provide the electricity for electric motor; hence, the motor uses less gasoline when they are working in an urban area. Hybrid cars are able to provide more than 35% in fuel economy (â€Å"Facts on Hybrid Cars†, 2012). The nickel metal hydride batteries have been using in every hybrid car since the first hybrid car was produced. Both lead battery and nickel hydride batteries are rechargeable batteries, but the environment impact of nickel is much lower than lead acid which are used in conventional vehicles. According to the article â€Å"Nickel-Metal Hydride† (2006), the nickel-Metal Hydride is a solid battery; more energy can be given for the amount of space. Density is an essential concern, as weight is a severe wall to efficiency. Hybrid cars are still sold in lowered numbers; therefore, the negative effects of hybrid batteries are not instant. B. Natural resources Today’s hybrid cars are shown up by many benefits; increasing fuel economy, and saving the fuel. Even though it is true that hybrid cars can save lots of gasoline, and we can get our tax back from them, the best thing of these benefits is the very less produced amount of gas emissions. Hybrid cars emit 80% less greenhouse gases than conventional cars (â€Å"Hybrid Cars Emissions Information†, 2012). This translates to less airborne pollutants and a cleaner earth. The important factor of negative effects of vehicles on the environment is greenhouse gasses. As a result, most of greenhouse gasses are from human activities and cause the temperature in the air and ocean to rise (Hybrid Cars and Pollution, 2012). In fact, the temperatures are increasing. The changes have observed over the last few decades are mainly because of human activities, but we cannot refuse that the important part of these changes is also a mirror of natural changeableness (Hybrid Cars and Pollution, 2012). Large metropolitan areas around the world are widely covered by this smog while many millions of cars are concentrated. This smog is made of nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and many evaporating organic compounds. Hybrid cars produce a much lower these gases than conventional vehicles. However, the size of the car can be a great different in emissions between the hybrid and conventional vehicles. According to Banas (2010), the average of compact hybrid cars emits 10% lower smog than their conventional counterparts. This means that the models of hybrid cars such as mid-size cars, mid-size sport-utility vehicles, and full-size SUVs help to reduce smog-producing gas emissions by 15%, 19% and 21%, respectively, more than their conventional counterparts. Hybrid cars are esteemed as being fuel efficient, and good for the environment. C. The efficiency of hybrid cars Nowadays, hybrid cars have been building to be more efficient than conventional cars; as we known, small cars could be run more efficient than big cars. According to the article â€Å"An Introduction to Efficiency† (2006), one of the easiest ways to show efficiency is to get your amount of work with regard to how much energy was taken in the initial place. The efficiency of conventional cars can be described as how much the power of the engine is producing and divide by the amount of energy that was produced by gasoline when it was consuming. The energy of one gallon in gasoline is 115,000 British Thermal Units (Btu), and one Btu can increase the temperature of one cubic foot of air 55 degrees F (â€Å"An Introduction to Efficiency†, 2006). You read "Are Hybrid Cars Becoming Safer or More Harmful to the Environment?" in category "Papers" Therefore, if a hybrid car’s engine had a 100 percent of efficiency about burning gasoline, then every single Btu worth of energy carried inside the gasoline would be used only to move the car onward. However, today, the best using of efficient gasoline engines is 30 to 35 percent. This is almost the same kind as the efficiency of a common light bulb, which uses the energy to produce light but gains more heat. If you touch the dense fluorescent bulb by your hand, you can feel why it is so effective: it produces abundance of light and less wasted heat. Conventional cars are comparatively inefficient at using the all amount of energy which stored in gasoline, and it is because of the engine’s mistake. Automatic transmissions can be infamously inefficient component in a car’s power train. Conventional cars are inefficient using of gasoline. Both aerodynamic and the engines utilize use very little of the energy contained in all gallon of gas when they are burning because they are too heavy. So, hybrid cars can rip out the less using of gasoline than conventional cars; as a result, they have designed to help increase the using amount of energy efficiency. Hybrid cars use electric motors to provide some portion of their driving force. Unlike gasoline engines, electric motors can be greater than 90 percent efficient at using electrical energy (â€Å"An Introduction to Efficiency†, 2006). As a result, if an electric motor consumed 100 kW/hrs of energy from the battery, 90 kW/hrs of energy would be turned into beneficial work. Some hybrid cars use manual transmissions, which they are much more efficient than automatic transmissions. As a result, hybrid cars do not have big electric motors and small conventional engines because electric motors are so much more efficient than conventional engines. This means that gasoline engines are the strongest point because they are completely developed and presently cost of efficient energy alternation device from a manufacturer’s standard system. However, big electric motors require huge energy storage like batteries. Big batteries are extremely expensive but that could be lower price if hybrid batteries are widespread to the world’s market, and being used by consumers as common as hybrid cars in today (â€Å"An Introduction to Efficiency†, 2006). The efficiency of hybrid cars is much more than conventional car due to the use of batteries and the transmission systems. On the other hand, hybrid cars are not good for all aspects of the environment. III. Why They Are Wrong The chemical material, which uses in whether hybrid car batteries or conventional cars’ batteries, is toxicity. There are three main battery types that many hybrid car’ companies are using or considering for using in hybrid cars such as lead-acid, nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), and lithium-ion (Li-ion). However, lead-acid is the worst toxic of the three, and it’s very bad to the environment (Fuller, 2012; Banas, 2010; Olberding, 2010). Nickel is better than lead, but it still have a big problem because it is potentially carcinogenic and the mining process is considered hazardous (Fuller, 2012). We should be concerned about the environmental impacts of nickel mining, and decomposition of the batteries. The types of power plants are the most serious cause of the environmental impact of hybrid cars that depend on where they are charged. California, for example, obtains 80% of electric power in its cities from pure sources, such as hydroelectric plants. Charging a plug-in hybrid vehicle in California cannot be good for the environment, since both the cars and the power plants produce harmful emissions (Banas, 2010). However, most states use coal burning power plants to generate electricity; therefore, charging a plug-in hybrid vehicle produces power-plant emissions that can be just as harmful as tailpipe emissions, according to an Ohio State University study (Banas, 2010). Not only hybrid cars but also the power plants are bad for the environment. An important issue is the process of production as it could be a somber side of hybrid cars. One thing that many people don’t usually think about consuming products is how much energy is expended to actually make them and move them around. For example, when people buy food from long distance, it requires burning lots of gasoline or diesel fuel to transport that food. If more people bought local food, it could reduce wasting fuel in progress (Fuller, 2012). This can ensure that, the process takes a lot of natural resources and energy to build a car and that include hybrid cars too. Every material that were used or parts of the car have to be make up and forged; therefore, it uses a lot of amount of electricity and the natural resources to make it. The issue of hybrid cars has caught the interest of the media and the public in 2007, CNW Marketing Research, Inc. reported that Dust to Dust: The Energy Cost of New Vehicles from Concept to Disposal. The article claimed that it is necessary to create the calculation of a dollar value for all energy, build the operation of a vehicle, and there is the surprising claim that the Toyota Prius costs more over the course of its lifetime than a Hummer H3 (Fuller, 2012). This made the Prius drivers become discomposed, since Toyota marketed hybrid cars and accentuated fuel efficiency and economic friendly driving. After many media and internet newspapers started mentioning about the paper and disseminating the information, many publications speedily criticized the information from CNW for ambiguous information and lack of evidence. Most of the energy used by a vehicle came from its design and production, several other studies have found that 80 to 90 percent of a vehicle’s energy is used during operation — in other words, when you’re driving it (Gleick, 2007). The most important thing is; it probably uses 13 % of their lifetime energy to become a car. Even though hybrid cars save the environment, but before they become a car, they have to pass many processes which are harmful to the environment. How hybrid car motor could be work effectively; they depend on the driver behaviors and driving styles and geographic areas. If drivers drive very fast, busy driver that commute to and have to go to work every day on long distances of highway, this does not help anything about saving the fuel. The Hybrid car motors only work in the startup. However, It is going to be fine even if you want to burn more fuel at times as when you are driving on the highway, the gas can be used to recharge your battery system (â€Å"All About Hybrid Cars†, 2012). This is a big concern about hybrid cars. If the drivers drive very long distances, they will not get the benefit from their hybrid cars. If they drive in the city; therefore, this process will be changed. Gasoline assisted hybrids are often started by the electric motor, so the stop or go of your commuting will largely depend on electric as opposed to gas. You can even expect to save about 15% in gas this way. However, you must be mindful that typically the electric motor will only run up to about 15-25mph before the gas engine kicks in (â€Å"All About Hybrid Cars†, 2012). If the drivers decrease the speed of their cars many times or rapidly, the gas will kick inattentively. However, the function of electric motor will not be work better on the highway and up hills and down hills areas. The electric motor typically assists in startup, but will kick in areas of high speed or when the engine needs run on the very fast speed (â€Å"All About Hybrid Cars†, 2012). Hybrid cars could be worked effectively in the urban area or city commuter. IV. Arguments for hybrid cars A. Batteries toxicity When these hybrid car batteries are dead, where will they end up? When batteries are disposed of improperly these metals can be detrimental to the environment. Lead and nickel sitting in a landfill can cause pollution to the groundwater causing acid rain and making it unsafe for drinking and also harmful to plant life (Bova, Goodwin, Marrs, Oliva, 2010). The effects of these toxicity batteries are human carcinogen, causing many diseases and reathing problem in humans. According to a study done by Environmental Defense, the more popular lithium-ion batteries found in most hybrids and electric vehicles are not as toxic as their lead and nickel counterparts, but still have negative effects on the environment (Bova, Marrs, Goodwin, Oliva, 2010). The big car companies such as General Motors and Toyota claim that hybrid car batteries can be 100% recyclable but the processes are too expensive. However, many companies are promoting the recycling of hybrid car batteries by motivating their customers. For example Toyota offers a $200 stipend and even provides a number to call printed on the battery itself. Even with these incentives there is no way to guarantee that owners will in fact recycle the batteries; leaving the window open for batteries to end up in the landfills causing further destruction of the environment (Bova, Goodwin, Marrs, Oliva, 2010). However, nowadays the numbers of hybrid cars around the world is still lower than conventional cars. If the number of hybrid cars is increasing over the year, landfills all around the world will be full of toxicity batteries, corrosive materials, and carcinogenic B. Overconsumption of natural resources Nowadays, the most essential problems in the world are global warming and rising oil prices; therefore, we should concern about the alternative energy, and especially friendly environment, which focus on hybrid car designs. The most accessible of these designs was the hybrid car, with working models already on the road. With their highly fuel efficient design, they deliver much of what they promise, but the hybrid picture is not entirely problem free (â€Å"Hybrid Cars Negative Environmental Impact†, 2007). Many hybrid car companies did a big problem because before they were going to be batteries and electric motors, they are very rare elements and don’t exist that much around the world, which go a long way to explaining their expense. Most of these elements currently come from China, and the supply as it exists today is not expected to last more than several years under even the most generous estimates (â€Å"Hybrid Cars Negative Environmental Impact†, 2007). Many efforts are going to find a new resource for these rare elements, but they will not be produced that much until they are becoming less and cause a shortage. Hybrid cars are complex vehicles and full of new technologies and high end technology; therefore, these make hybrid cars to be hard to build which use lots of energy to build hybrid cars. Some hybrids can charge their batteries from mains power, and this could be generated by a dirty’ technologies such as coal fired power stations or nuclear power (â€Å"Hybrid Cars Negative Environmental Impact†, 2007). This is the fact about hybrid cars on the market, and it means that different types of hybrid cars can use different types of power to produce electricity which affects the environment. C. Inefficiency of hybrid cars Once hybrid cars are built and spreading everywhere on the road, the important thing that will come up on drivers mind is, they are doing good for the environment. This is the fact because hybrid cars use less fuel than conventional cars but it depends on how they drive. Remember that a hybrid will probably never match the listed fuel efficiency because of the way the efficiency test is done, and because unless you only ever drive on heavily congested streets you won’t be utilizing the hybrid system effectively (â€Å"Hybrid Cars Negative Environmental Impact†, 2007). If hybrid cars are running on the high way, there will be only the gasoline’s engines that are working on the time and neglecting the effective of hybrid system. Even though hybrid cars regard as green environmental cars, hybrid cars with an internal combustion engine will still emit smog. Catalytic converters handle most of the contamination, but there’s still that good old greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. Even hybrids pump this out, they just pump lower amounts of it, and mostly because most hybrids have engines that stop when the vehicle comes to a halt (â€Å"Hybrid Cars Negative Environmental Impact†, 2007). However, driving hybrid cars is not saving the world but you have just been retarding your harmful to the environment. V. Conclusion Hybrid cars are not good for the environment at all. They are still bad to the environment. Even though hybrid car batteries are good for the environment right now but what if they end up in the landfills when they are expired in the future; therefore, our landfills will be full of toxicity. Many people think that hybrid cars are green environmental cars but they didn’t think about the process of building hybrid cars. Every process of making hybrid cars is bad for the environment due to the use of natural resources. However, when hybrid cars are shown up on the road, hybrid car motors sometimes cannot work effectively because they are working well only on the congested areas. The effective of hybrid car motors are also due to the behavior of drivers because if they always step on the accelerator, they will negate the efficiency on hybrid system. The price difference of a hybrid might not always benefit the gas deductions. Depending on how you drive, hybrids might not always be a match for your lifestyle. There is always the issue of the toxicity of the battery, even though they are not as harmful as standard car batteries to the environment. It is also beneficial to keep in mind that today’s EPA standards are slightly outdated. They will normally be on the lower end of what EPA estimates are, due to differing factors such as driver lifestyle, location, and the type of car it is. I strongly believe that hybrid cars are not that save the environment at all but they have just slowed down the impact on the environmental; therefore, do your researches before you buy a hybrid car. How to cite Are Hybrid Cars Becoming Safer or More Harmful to the Environment?, Papers

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Learning Art Essay Example For Students

Learning Art Essay I am working on the structure of the human anatomy. Our teacher wants us to feel the structure through gestures and get the proportions correct. We have just finished working on the Human skull, have worked with the whole figure, and now we are moving on towards the hands and feet. The fine detail, of course, can not be captured exactly as is, but the objective of our assignment is to make the figure appear as human like as possible. I have a technique that has made me improve my work. I draw as if I have never seen what I am drawing and I have to present the work I do before a queen or someone of a high rank. It also helps to get total determination before you start your assignment to think you will do well. Be clam and relaxed to a point where you are comfy yet still alert for your work. Your drawings should have a guesture that is almost equivalent to the movement of your subject that you are drawing. I found out the easiest materials to work with are the most simple. Instead of newsprint paper, which is more oft, and harder to work with, I use sketch paper. The sketch paper is more rugged. I use a pencil instead of charcoal. The pencil gives you the advantage to get a more fine point as well to make your lines lighter if necessary. It is also easier to erase. In class, we usually either have a model to draw, or work with each others figure. I feel it is better to work with our classmates rather than the model because we have gotten use to each others appearances which makes it easier to draw. For our homework this week, we are assigned to raw the foot three or four times on the same sheet of paper, life size. I feel that my class and myself has an easier time doing the hands and feet than the human skull because if you slightly are incorrect on your drawing it doesnt make the drawing unrecognizable. With the face, you can be off in the slightest of ways and everything else will be thrown out of proportion. It is a well concentrated assignment. Before I came to Montserrat I had no experience whatsoever in drawing, so when I started in on this, it was a real challenge. I felt that I have been able to keep up and have learned more quicker than I thought I would. I adapted fast to what she was teaching to our class, and I must say I am proud of myself for that. The only experience I have had was art class in junior high, and even then it wasnt drawing the human figure, it was more like painting and ceramics. The previous summer, my grandfather who is an artist, brushed me up on some work that he knew I would be doing that has also helped. I have still a lot to learn, but I am patient about it.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

3G mobile war Essay Example

3G mobile war Essay The one that we have all been waiting for 3rd generation mobile phone. The capabilities of phones have been put into broad-spectrum classes that have features (both real and proposed). Digital phones with broadband capabilities.THE BATTLE: WINNERS AND LOSERS!The UK is the first European country to auction off its 3G spectrum. The UK government auctioned off five licences to create the networks and to operate the enhanced mobile phone services. Billions of dollars more than expected for the UK and German governments, were raised, earlier this year. Thirteen bidders had driven up prices well beyond the original estimate of a total auction value of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5bn. The money may not all be forthcoming at once as the licence winners have the option of paying in instalments over the 20-year licence period, with half paid up front.Winning Bids after 150 rounds:Licence A: TIW à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.384bnLicence B: Vodaphone à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.964bnLicence C: BT à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.030bnLicence D: One2One à ¯  ¿Ã‚ ½4.003bnLicence E: Orange à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.095bnCombined value of leading bids: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½22.47bnThe PrizeThe next generation of mobile phones will make the wireless Internet a reality for the UK. Phones, watches and other handheld devices will be powerful enough to show video on demand.Experts say that within a couple of years, more people will be connecting to the Internet on the move than via a bulky personal computer.TELECOMS SECTOR STARVED OF CASHInvestors and banks are becoming increasingly aware about their exposure to telecoms firms. Their fears have been fuelled by a steady flow of bad news from the sector and a warning from the UK financial regulator. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is writing to chief executives of banks, warning against lending money to the telecoms sector. The warning came amidst concern that the banks are over-exposed to the sector.Telecoms firms worldwide have long been borrowing money from anyone willing to lend. The money has been inves ted in expensive infrastructure; the development of ever-smaller mobiles or it has been used to pay massive fees for mobile phone licences.The FSAs warning coincided with the many problems that many telecoms firms were revealing. Share prices are falling, difficulties finding finance to pay for the new 3G mobile phone project. Motorola issued a profit warning, but indicated that it was an industry wide problem.One senior banker blames the problems suffered by mobile phone companies on governments. They have pulled money out of the sector by forcing up the price of the 3G licences, and also may have weakened the firms by encouraging them to overbid. But shifting the blame does not remove the problem; many telecoms firms are running out of cash.The Bank of England has joined financial regulators in warning banks of the risk of heavy lending to telecoms companies. The warning, contained in the Banks latest six-monthly review, comes under light of the very high prices telecoms firms are paying for 3G mobile phone licences in the UK and Germany. The Bank noted the companies heavy financing needs and said returns were some way in the future.It said awareness of the risks involved in lending to the sector had risen and some but not all banks had started to monitor or limit their exposure to the sector. In an article on the review, the Bank said, One risk is that income generated from the new 3G technology may be lower than expected, and insufficient to service the borrowing.Major international banks have generally underwritten their borrowing. But, increasingly, the banks are becoming wary about underwriting such debts. They are concerned about being over-exposed to this cash hungry industry that is proving slow to deliver sufficient levels of profits.Even the big investors are now sharing this view with the banks. They are now cautious about technology stock in general and are now questioning whether the telecoms sector is still in vogue.There are also risks that th e handset technology may take longer than expected to develop and that 3G technology may become obsolete more rapidly than anticipated.In all cases, the main reason for investor concern has been the huge level of debt the companies have built up acquiring 3G mobile phone licences and in investing in new mobile, data and internet services.Even when market conditions were favourable, some analysts questioned the wisdom of spending so much money on services where revenue and profitability were so uncertain.TELECOMS FIRMS CAUGHT IN COSTS SPIRALAnalysts said that companies would have a hard time generating a return on their investments. Some of the companies involved appear to have come to the same conclusion and may try to pass on the cost to the consumer.BT is one company that is reported to be considering sell-offs to help cut the rising debt burden. It is considering floating its mobile phone units in under to unlock value and is also talking about the possibility of merging with a U S company.Vodafone with its à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6bn bid now needs to generate some à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½600 each from a subscriber base of 10 million just to cover the auction cost. That ignores the investment requires to install, operate and market the new network.Analysts said that it could take many years to recoup the cost of the licence and the networks investments. Telecoms companies credit ratings, which are generally high, could also be knocked by the big debts being built up.Forrester Research says mergers and takeovers will be needed because 3G mobile phone services will not move into profit before 2013. It also says that the current generation of mobile phones is nearing saturation point in major markets. With fewer new consumers around, there will be fierce price wars to come. As this happens, operating profits will slide just at the time when huge sums are needed to build and market the next generation services.WHY IS 3G NECESSARY?All products on the market have a product lifecycle an d 3G are aware of this fact.The new 3G mobile phones are necessary for the next stage in development and advancement of the mobile phone. The operators feel that it is wanted and needed in the market place to satisfy new market demands. Evidence for these demands can be seen in the results of the questionnaire incorporated into this report (see page 7).WHO IS 3G AIMED AT?Segmentation information is aimed at directing the product at the right market and aiming to get the maximum output. 3G is aiming for more than one segment of the market. It is aimed at businesses and individuals, then it it is segmented again for paramount potential, looking at much more defined areas such as demographic: sex, age, and income, geographic: country, state and region, and psychographics: social class, lifestyle and personality.ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICAL ISSUESSensational headlines linking the use of mobile phones with brain tumours have failed to dent demand. Sales of protective radiation shields and ha nds-free sets, which reduce the amount of radio waves absorbed by the brain, have risen sharply. But research so far has not produced any hard evidence, and the mobile phone is just too useful to give up!The requirement to install a further 30,000 new masts to enable full coverage in the UK and provide a full service, is increasingly receiving public opposition. The public are concerned about the health and safety issues relating to these masts and feel that they do not want to have these blots on the landscape littered all over the countryside. But the fact is that these 30,000 new masks will need to be installed throughout urban areas and the countryside for 3G to happen and complete its mission by enabling the transmission of these signals. The building and erection of more mobile phone masts, under all the public pressure is giving cause for grave concern for mobile phone companies, as sites are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Therefore this is affecting the companies t hat are waiting for the new service to be put into practice in the UK and allow the widespread usage of 3G.Local authorities are also facing protests on similar grounds. Global Mobile Association (GSA), which represents the cell phone industry, is warning of rethought time limits and targets for 3G. GSA if fully aware that finding new sites is becoming more difficult and is hindering the implementation of the product. The government is also facing anger from the GSA as it is ha taken à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6.5 billion in revenue for the 3G licences in Britain; whilst leaving the problems of finding mast sites for the licensees. The government seems unresponsive now that it has its money from the auction.COMPARISONS OF TWO EXISTING BUT DIFFERENT MOBILE PHONESComparisons are shown for the following 2.5 G mobile phone companies:COMPARISONS FOR:T MOBILEO2Talk PlanFree time 750All callsMonthly Chargeà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½13.99à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½40Standard minutes included(Per month)750 minutes off peakà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 35 ; x-network callsStandard call charges (peak and off peak time)40p/5p10p/5pOwn mobile network to same mobile network charges(Peak and off peak)40p/5p8pOwn mobile network to other mobile network call charges(Peak and off peak)50p/30p35pText message(SMS) free10p50 free text messages per month and then 12p per minute for extra text messagesCaller line identityYesYesCall forwardingYesYesCall waiting and call holdYesYes1471 Service (last caller)YesYesInternational roaming agreements on networksYes200As above and amount of countries serving104Connection costFreeSpecial offersYesYesPeak times700 am to 700 pm -Monday to Friday8.00 am to 7.00 pm -Monday to Friday ;Weekends midnight Friday to midnight SundayOff peak timesAt all other times except Bank HolidaysAll other times including Bank HolidaysItemised billingFreeà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.99 on all tariffsVoicemailFreeFreeTariff changeFreeRoll over minutesYesFax and dataYesFree phone 0800YesInformation servicesYesInternational optionYesAdditional handsetsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15 line rental charge @THE NEW MARKETING MIX OF 3GIt is imperative that the 3G operators do their market research in order to be successful with their marketing mix. Therefore 3G also needs to go back to basics to promote consumer confidence and in doing so will have to incorporate the four Ps:Product: CharacteristicsBrand namePackagingServices offered on the productPositions on the product lineAdditions to the product linePrice: Price levelsConsidering consumer responseAffect of sales volumeCompetitorsPrice changesPromotion: Advertising nature and content, frequency, reach of target audience and media selectionSales promotionPublicityPersonal sellingPlace: nature and type of wholesale and retail outletsGeographical coverageMark up policyTrade supportPhysical distributionSales force size, territories, sales quotas and role of personal selling.WHAT IMPLICATIONS ARE THERE FOR THE NEW MARKETING MIX?By manipulating the Marketing Mix precisely, 3G should be able to win over the consumer, thus promoting confidence in the market. Equally it is vital to find out whether the public wants a 3G phone (this will be revealed when the operators carry out their market research whilst they are conducting their new marketing mix). If they dont work hard to promote their product and convince the consumer, it could prove to be a very difficult and expensive lesson for the 3G operators (for both the operators and the consumers).MARKET RESEARCHA survey was conducted for potential consumers in order to gain information on what the public has already got and what it expects from the new 3G mobile phone. Below is a table of the questionnaire conducted and concluded by the results that were answered by 100 random members of the public.At Appendix 1, examples of the 3 G mobile phone questionnaires that were completed by members of the public are shown.3G MOBILE PHONERESULTS FROM QUESTIONAIREQuestion 1Gender: Male FemaleResults46% 54%Question 2Age:16/25 26/35 36/4 5 46/55 56/65Results49% 25% 15% 10% 1%Question 3Which of the following applies to you?Employed/Unemployed/Self Employed/Fulltime Education/otherResults46% 13% 2% 34% 5%Question 4Do you own a mobile phone?Yes NoResults79% 21%Question 5Are you happy with your existing mobile phone?Yes NoResults49% 52%Question 6Are you pay as you go?Yes NoResults66% 34%Question 7Are you on a contract?Yes NoResults34% 66%Question 8Which mobile company are you with?Results30% = Vodapone 16%=one2one 43%=Orange 11%=BTQuestion 9How much do you pay per month for your existing package?ResultsRanges: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½65Question 10Is cost a factor when purchasing a mobile phone?Yes NoResults89% 11%Question 11What would encourage you to change your existing phone to 3G?ResultsLow costs. More gadgets. Better deal. Free insurance/phone.Keep it simple/easy to operate.Question 12What are your expectations of 3G services?ResultsHigh technology. Too pricey. Too much confusing.Question 13If 3G provided you with a package that was consistent with your expectations, then how much would you be prepared to pay?ResultsWhat ever I can afford at the time. A reasonable price. Not too much more than present mobile phone.Question 14What services would you like to have?Email * Internet * Speed dialling * Free phone * cheaper tariff * Worldwide usage of phone * More flexible packages * Video/camera facility * Navigating (travel) * Accessible information * Free directory/customer services * Personal warning alarm (for security purposes) * otherANAYLISIS OF THE MARKET RESEARCH RESULTSOwnership of mobile phones, amongst adults living in the UK is half the population, this included the 16 25 bracket which contains the majority of teenagers; who say that they buy more mobile phones now since the introduction of Pay as you Go pre-paid packages into the market. This is largely due to the fact that minors cannot sign a contract necessary to have a monthly-billed phone and a pre paid package is the only viable option. It is also due to the introduction of mobile phones into teenage fashion. Certainly, in this bracket, 49% own a mobile phone. It was noticed that the56 65 bracket were not interested in advanced technology and the mobile phone, this could possibly be due to the generation difference.The majority of the population in the highest income bracket, own a mobile phone, this was expected due to the relative expense of mobile phones. The prices may have reduced over the years, but a relative number of the population still consider them too expensive to buy. www.forrester.com/research/list/lensCosts are also a major factor, consumers are more conscious of the price they pay and are unwilling to stand for large price hikes. Although teenagers are less conscious of price and are willing to tolerate price increases.Consumers were wary of the new 3G, concerned that it would be too technical to operate and too pricey. www.forrester.com/research/list/lensThe consumer would like to obtain most of the extras that the 3G would provide, such as navigator and Internet, but stressed that they didnt want to pay more than what they pay at present.My conclusion is that I perceive that the 3G operators are going to have to come up with some extremely convincing marketing strategies in order to persuade the future mobile phone consumer.THE CONSUMER ; THE CONCLUSIONIt is predicted that the average revenue per user from mobile Internet services will be 106 euros a year in 2005. Some analysts agree, saying many mobile phones are now in the hands of people, such as children, who will not use the phones enough to justify the companies continuing to subsidise the price of the handsets.However, a survey conducted by Siemens Ireland suggests that Irish mobile phone users would be prepared to pay as much as 63% more for 3G services including high-speed internet connections. This might indicate a brighter future for the revenue streams of operators offering 3G services than has p reviously been widely assumed.There are also varying opinions on the implications for consumers. Consumer take-up may be slow, with the consumer market for replacement phones generally seen as a product of fashion, not technology. Although some argue that providing users with a wide mix of services creates a more desirable product. But the companies have some way to go convince potential users that there are enough attractive and accessible services available to make it worth buying.Some analysts said that fresh competition in the market would keep prices low and new exotic services would soon emerge offering consumers more choice. But consumer groups sounded a note of warning, saying that the high cost of the licences would inevitably be passed on to the consumers.How much network operators charge for the services will determine demand. Also the argument goes that the mobile operators wouldnt have paid hand over fist for the licences, if they hadnt been sure of their future revenue .

Friday, March 6, 2020

Effects of Mobile Culture in Relational Maintenance and Behavioral Patterns

Effects of Mobile Culture in Relational Maintenance and Behavioral Patterns Mobile phone is critical in human communication due to its affordability, reliability, and connectivity. As the world steadily becomes a global village, communication experts have embraced mobile phone communication in providing communication solutions and enhancing interaction between socializing agents.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Mobile Culture in Relational Maintenance and Behavioral Patterns specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The prime principle is featured by interconnected holistic phenomenon. The conscientious citizenship need to perceive the global interrelationship with inclusive model of integration through phone culture. Therefore, the problem statement is which factors directly affect the mobile culture in relational maintenance and behavioral patterns in human communication environment? This reflective treatise attempts to explicitly applaud on the modes and behavioral patterns observed ac ross the gender divide and how the same can be related to mobile culture among socializing agents. These agents are drawn from different cultural divides, gender, age, and exposure. In order to comprehensively understand and interpreter the research question, the treatise reviews two previous literature on the topic by examining the article â€Å"IMing, Text Messaging, and Adolescent Social Networks† by Bryant, Sanders-Jackson, and Smallwood and the book, â€Å"Doing Cultural Studies† by Gay et al. Effects of Mobile Culture in Relational Maintenance and Behavioral Patterns The global mobile culture integration and its changing patterns has led to immense transformation of the world into a global village comprising of the current interdependent and networked of â€Å"global order†1. Though the world is marked by differences and identities that show how various endeavors of people, groups and communities affirmed their identities, the manifold layers of mobile cul ture concerning religion, gender, nationalism, class, ethnicity, and personal interests continues to define this century old means of encoding and decoding information. Literature Review The world is manifested with emergence of mass society in terms of social interaction, that is, mass culture, mass welfare, mass consumerism, mass communication, and numerical sense of unique population increase. Mobile culture is a shared means of interaction involving people who understand the various symbols of communication through use of mobile phones.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In order to understand the current research on this multi faceted topic, experimental study design is the best method to adopt since it inquires to establish whether an intervention had the proposed reasoned-impact on planned participants or not2. The aim of a culture is to build social work str ategy and practical matters, provide rapid support to social problems, sustain social programs to offer relevant resolutions to social crises in communities, hold up growth through promotion of education to tackle crucial life matters, and advance suitable relevance of new technology for performance of social work. Mobile phone communication industry is one of the fastest developing service industries in the entire world. Technological growth has enabled customers multiple access of information and entertainment services, and therefore has enhanced establishment of an intrinsic mobile culture. The article, â€Å"IMing, Text Messaging, and Adolescent Social Networks† by Bryant, Sanders-Jackson, and Smallwood dwell much on determinants of behavioral patterns in human communication. Through embracing maintenance strategy topology, the study identifies the aspects of self disclosure, positivity, and social networking as the assuring factors that promoted effectiveness of mobile c ultural modes used across the generational divide3. However, they fail to quantify the aspects of period of influence. Mobile Culture and Global Behavioral Patterns The global world is built with many diverse flows, that is, organizational interaction flow, capital flow, symbols, image and sound flow, technological flow and information flow. With an increasing global community, such flows are portrayed as extraordinary development in velocity, volume, and direction4. For instance, media flow has become diverse global audience that is a unique way of expressing information. Emergence of mobile phones offered an immediate solution for the need to maintain this velocity, volume, and direction. The global media is a multifaceted topography of multi-media, multi-vocal and multi directional flows.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Mobile Culture in Relational Maintenance and Behavioral Patterns specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Lear n More The propagation of satellites created by digital technology and the rising online communication have caused media firms to function in an enhanced transnational arena other than national dome; hence seeking and generating new customers globally. Establishment of mobile phones communication was a solution to this. However, the focus rarely matters in relation of media markets because producers perceive audience as primarily global consumers rather than local citizens. This change of nation-centric perception into international markets led to establishment of symbolic interaction among citizens who owned mobile phones. Mobile culture has generated professional occupations in the cultural and information industries5. The outsourcing of information for International Corporations has contributed to the momentum for establishment of significant global focus for creative industries. The operators of global media channels possess strong local presence through focus to get aud ience beyond their original local constituency. As a result, this is a subaltern flow of domestic ideas across the entire world has created an evolving geo-cultural and international networks facilitating the contra-flows of shared, internalized, and unique means of phone communication. Phone culture is important aspect in conserving cultural democracy; therefore the main aim of a nation is to provide broad alternative services to customers through enhanced privatization and liberalization. The international communication interaction has created diverse disjuncture that is beyond homogenized culture; it has also contributed to cultural ‘hybridity’ that is generated through the use of heterogonous media products to benefit domestic principles, languages and styles. For instance, mobile culture has exercised indirect domination over developing nations; politics and public perception of these nations. However, it has destabilized cultural sovereignty in many nations such a s Syria, Egypt, and Libya which have become states of anarchy. Before penetration of the mobile culture into the society, regionalization trend was perceptible in the development of domestic editions of magazines and newspapers, broadcast of television programs in domestic languages, and also in establishing local programming and domestic language websites6.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the last 20 years, mobile culture seems to have taken control of formal and informal communication. As a result, interaction with global cultures have provided diverse impacts since people need to filter and evaluate content products from heterogonous cultures to incorporate them with ideas that originate from domestic cultures when communicating7. Mobile Culture Integration and Its Changing Patterns Due to global interrelatedness, mobile phones opened the world and provided important features of globalization. However, global integration happened gradually for many centuries. Human evolving pattern involved various regional systems which promoted interaction. Reflectively, within the last century, mobile communication has replaced the traditional means of encoding and decoding messages. As a result, the whole process has become reliable and convenient. Apparently, mobile phone technology can be classified as the best miracle of the 21st century. By a click of a button, a Chinese student in Miami can communicate with parents back in Beijing. The diversity of media information only exists in the wider fresh liberal ideological agenda. Apparently, ideology of regionalization develops globalised perception which focuses on liberal democracy and market primacy. The mobile culture has emphasized on propagation of multilingual contents stemming from local creative hub. Adoption of deregulated, privatized and digital technology transmission network has contributed to enhanced flow of global media. Human population who lived in the twentieth century caused increase in mass community that was contributed by people’s interaction and movements for economic sustainability. All these implications were closely integrated that led to the rise of mass community. This immense transformation was an essential focus in the current society. Politics, youth culture, media, leisure and welfare are five distinctive features that are manifested in the modern phone culture so ciety8. Actually, mass society weakened traditional societal values; industrial revolution weakened aristocratic and traditional values. Mass phone culture is a society that has social, large scale and impersonal institutions. Identity and Difference Gradually human communities have become varied with great differences in beliefs, artifacts and languages of communication within the phone culture. Human cultures were comprehended based on symbols of various devices that people created. Such cultural icons lack boundaries and are marked with continues influx that compete and interact in each other9. For instance, messaging culture has created a ‘quarty’ culture among the youths across the globe. Special codes such as ‘LOL’ and ‘OMG’ have been internalized in the messaging culture and have universal meaning from America to Europe. In fact, messaging culture has transformed people who lived in remote areas; human interaction transforms people who a re perceived as barbarians and uncivilized10. There are many theories that justify possible pull factors of phone culture. Basically, these theories share sentiment on the fact that messaging culture has developed over a long period of interaction among people who share same thought patterns. Time is therefore an independent variable which fluctuates according to the period of interaction and share values of communicating people11. Messaging culture is actually influenced by dependent and independent variables in human activities. Findings The themes of mobile culture have brought ultimate query to prime of all historical world, particularly to the current globalization of mobile culture. Human interaction and sense of shared values has elevated visions of human society. Technological development particularly digitalization has discouraged governments from limiting imports of foreign media contents into local markets. Due to rising global interaction, the need of internationalizatio n, and easy communication accessibility, many nations are changing their regulatory policies, and therefore promoting their markets for global interaction which is responsible for the established mobile culture. The variety of cultural attributes embodied in messaging makes them a powerful medium through which to transmit cultural values and morals. Arguably, the world is experiencing a strong trend toward cultural globalization, and no one nation is immune from the influences of the cultures of other nations because mobile culture, in many respects, defies national boundaries. However, different cultures must be preserved and allowed to flourish, for it is a diversified global culture that benefits the worlds collective well being. Cultural diversification allows people to observe different views and attitudes, test their own biases, and learn from different experiences. Unrestricted homogenization of cultures should be avoided, and diversification of culture should be championed. Mobile culture that promotes National culture and local cultures should thus be protected by discriminating explicit and immoral communication. Conclusion From the literature review as indicated by the articles, the main factors that are associated with changed behavior due to mobile culture of communication are the aspects of social activeness, age, gender, purpose and relationship between the subjects communicating. Notably, it is apparent that cordial relationships would prefer assurance in use of mobile phones modes than casual acquaintances. Among the younger generation, that is adolescent and teenagers, use of mobile phones is highly influenced by confidence and social activeness. Therefore, in studying mobile culture, it is critical to factor in behavioral patterns noted in the above studies to create practical and reliable communication designs for reaching different gender, age, culture, and exposure. Bibliography Appadurai, Arjun. â€Å"Disjuncture and Difference in the G lobal Cultural Economy.†Ã‚  Public Culture 7, no. 2 (1990): 1-24. Bly, Van der. â€Å"Globalization and the Rise of One Heterogeneous World Culture: A Micro Perspective of a Global Village.† International Journal of Comparative Sociology, no. 48 (2007): 469. Gay, P., Hall, S., Janes, L., Mackay, H., and Negus Keith. Doing Cultural Studies: The Story of the Sony Walkman. London: Sage, 1997 Gerard, Goggin. Introduction: what do you mean‘cell phone culture’? in Cell Phone Culture. London and New York: Routledge, 2006 Jackson, A., Bryant, A., Smallwood, Anthony. â€Å"IMing, Text Messaging, and Adolescent Social Networks,† Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, no. 11(2006): 577–592. Mcchesney, Robert. New Global Media: The Global Transformations Reader: An Introduction to the Globalization Debate. Edited by Held Day. Cambridge: Polity, 2004. Sweetman, Paul, and Knowles Caroline. Picturing the Social Landscape: Visual  Methods in the Socio logical Imagination. New York: Routledge, 2004. Footnotes 1 Appadurai, Arjun. â€Å"Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy.† Public Culture 7, no. 2 (1990): 1-24. 2 Bly, Van der. â€Å"Globalization and the Rise of One Heterogeneous World Culture: A Micro Perspective of a Global Village.† International Journal of Comparative Sociology, no. 48 (2007): 469. 3 Jackson, A., Bryant, A., Smallwood, Anthony. â€Å"IMing, Text Messaging, and Adolescent Social Networks,† Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, no. 11(2006): 577–592. 4 Gay, P., Hall, S., Janes, L., Mackay, H., and Negus Keith. Doing Cultural Studies: The Story of the Sony Walkman. London: Sage, 1997 5 Gay, P., Hall, S., Janes, L., Mackay, H., and Negus Keith. Doing Cultural Studies: The Story of the Sony Walkman. London: Sage, 1997 6 Gay, P., Hall, S., Janes, L., Mackay, H., and Negus Keith. Doing Cultural Studies: The Story of the Sony Walkman. London: Sage, 1997 7 Gerard, Goggin. Introduction: what do you mean‘cell phone culture’? in Cell Phone Culture. London and New York: Routledge, 2006 8 Gerard, Goggin. Introduction: what do you mean‘cell phone culture’? in Cell Phone Culture. London and New York: Routledge, 2006 9 Mcchesney, Robert. New Global Media: The Global Transformations Reader: An Introduction to the Globalization Debate. Edited by Held Day. Cambridge: Polity, 2004. 10 Sweetman, Paul, and Knowles Caroline. Picturing the Social Landscape: Visual Methods in the Sociological Imagination. New York: Routledge, 2004. 11 Gerard, Goggin. Introduction: what do you mean‘cell phone culture’? in Cell Phone Culture. London and New York: Routledge, 2006

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Business models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Business models - Essay Example In this essay an attempt has been made to explain this aspect of the business model with the help of different examples. For this purpose, different research articles and publications have been used. While designing or redesigning the business model it is important to keep in consideration several points like the needs of the customers, what activities will fulfil or satisfy those needs, how the activities will be linked, who will perform those activities, how the value be created for different stakeholders, and what revenue models will be integrated. Hence, it can be said that ultimately the business activities and model should be designed in such a way that there is high value creation for all stakeholders along with delivering high financial performance. Stakeholders’ credibility and financial viability tend to bring in or combine both; financial and social constraints while formulating and designing the overall business model. The business model has two broad factors: on the one hand it keeps in consideration the financial factors and characteristics of the organisation including the methods of revenues, the overall structure of cost, the balance sheet, income statement etc, in order to make sure that all these financial factors are associated with the opportunities and limitations associated with the overall activities and actions of management in order to cut down the costs, increase the revenues, improve the balance sheet and income statement etc. However it is important to understand here that the business model is not only formulated for fulfilling the financial objectives and achieving certain financial returns like specific profit level, return on capital, or other financial goals which reflect overall financial viabi lity. So, on the other hand, business model should also keep in consideration the role of different stakeholders in the overall process of opportunity definition,

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 1999) and The Idiots (Lars Von Essay

All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 1999) and The Idiots (Lars Von Trier, 1998). Compare and contrast how these two movies rep - Essay Example A film can depict what are the morals of the country and what is going on at the moment, and what cultural issues are being addressed by the common public of that nation. As Mohandas Gandhi has said â€Å"A nation's culture resides in the hearts and the soul of its people† (Wederspahn 32). Film is an appropriate medium to portray culture of a nation. Two movies from the European region have been chosen to be compared about how art can depict a nation’s culture, identity and past. First movie All About My Mother (1999) revolves around the norms of Spain where as the second one The Idiots (1998) revolves around the regions of Denmark and Scandinavia. As it is very important to first summarize the whole plot on which the two movies are based upon, a brief summary together with points that have been highlighted in these movies. All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 1999) Summary The main actors in this film are Cecelia Roth and Penelope Cruz. The story starts with a woman n amed Manuela i.e. Cecelia Roth, who is a single parent and a â€Å"medical transplant coordinator†, taking care of his son who is 17 years old named Esteban. She takes him to attend a stage performance on "A Streetcar Named Desire." When the show ended Esbteban expressed the desire to meet his favorite actress, â€Å"Huma Rojo†`, so that he could get her autograph, but as he was going towards his favorite actress a terrible accident happens, Esteban gets hit by a car and is killed, this was the most devastating point of Manuela’s life. In bereavement, for placing her life back in order, Manuela wanted to do certain things which she should have done a long time ago, in which the first thing that she includes is a journey to Barcelona to enlighten the boy's unknowing father about the loss. Later the father, named Lola, was found to be an â€Å"HIV-positive transvestite†. As the story unfolds it is also shown that Manuela runs into an old acquaintance called Agrado, a transsexual who was unexpectedly appointed as Huma Rojo’s personal assistant; the star Esteban had always admired and helps administer her co-actor and lover Nina. Manuela also happened to meet Sister Maria, a young nun role performed by Penelope Cruz in the movie, who works in a nonprofit organization, that helps battered prostitutes, and intends to visit El Salvador, but soon discovers that she is pregnant. Sister Maria came to know that she has also been contaminated with AIDS; Cecilia makes a decision to help the nun by letting her stay in her home. Points About national identity and national past The points which have been highlighted in this movie, that depict the nature of the past and identity of Spain, are as follows (smith 28-30): anti-government strikes the celebration of democracy the spread of AIDS Manuela’s journey in search of herself identifies a great number of things which can be also identified as the national marks of Spain and at the det erritorialized frontier of national identity and sexuality. Manuela finds that a transvestite can bring a lot of things together because he is neither from here nor from anywhere else, he is somebody in between and could help things to reconnect, especially the masculine and feminine sense together. Here, the best

Monday, January 27, 2020

Dietary Supplements And Consumer Behaviour Psychology Essay

Dietary Supplements And Consumer Behaviour Psychology Essay Dietary Supplement is becoming a fast lucrative industry, according to a study published by the Journal of Nutrition. 54 of all American adults took Dietary Supplements in 2006. In a global view, Dietary Supplements increased their combined retail value by 16% in the 2006-2011 year period to reach $97.6 billion. The aim of this literature review is to define and describe all terminologies regarding Dietary Supplements and Consumer Behaviour. We will also look at the different studies and theories regarding consumer buying behaviour. This study will also identify the factors influencing the consumption of Dietary Supplements. 3.1 Dietary Supplements This section helps in understanding what is a Dietary Supplement, what are the different types of Dietary Supplements available and why people generally consume them. We will also cover the pros and cons of consuming Dietary Supplements. 3.1.1 Definition of Dietary Supplements Dietary Supplement is any product which is designed to supplement the diet and that bears one of the following ingredients: a vitamin, a mineral, an herb, an amino acid, or a weight loss supplement (Main et al., 2004). According to the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act of 1994 of the United States, Dietary Supplements is defined as a product (other than tobacco) which is ingested and contains a dietary ingredient with the purpose of supplementing the diet. These dietary ingredients include minerals, herbs, botanicals, vitamins, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, glandular organ tissues, metabolites, extracts or concentrates (FDA, 1994). Dietary Supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, meal supplements, sports nutrition products, natural food supplements, and other related products used to boost the nutritional content of the diet (Anon, 2011). 3.1.2 Types of Dietary Supplements There are two main types of nutrient supplements namely Micronutrient and Macronutrient. Micronutrient is that nutrient which our body needs in low quantity to function properly but macronutrient is nutrient which is required in a large amount to enable our body to function correctly (Reimer, 2009). Another key difference noted by Reimer (2009), is that macronutrients provide the body with energy whereas micronutrients play an important role in detoxifying the body and warding off harmful diseases. Proteins,  carbohydrates, and fats are examples of macronutrients, and vitamins and  minerals  are examples of micronutrients. Both types of nutrients can be obtained from the diet and supplements. Micronutrients Multivitamins Multivitamins are a combination of many different vitamins that are normally found in food and other natural sources (Cerner, 2012). Vitamins are organic substances that the body needs to function properly. Vitamins help the body to develop, grow and stay healthy. They strengthen the immune system, assist in forming bone and tissue, regulate metabolism, help convert fats and carbohydrates into energy, and protect cells (Rinzler, 2010). Multivitamins are used to provide the body with vitamins that are not taken in through normal diet; multivitamins are also used to treat vitamin deficiencies caused by illness, pregnancy, poor nutrition and digestive disorders (Boyon, 2012). According to Grotto (2009), taking a daily multivitamin with minerals has long been considered as a nutritional insurance to cover dietary shortfalls. Macronutrients Meal Replacements A meal replacement acts as a substitute for a solid food meal. A meal replacement is a prepared product, such as a bar, shake or powder which can substitute a regular meal. Available in various forms, these products are intended to provide healthy amounts of vitamins, minerals and nutrients to make up for those an individual does not get by eating a normal meal (Zangwill, 2008) Sports Nutrition Supplements Sports Nutrition Supplements is a broad category which includes both sports performance and weight loss supplements (Wilborn, 2010). It includes pills, powders, formulas and drinks formulated to enhance physical activity. Some examples are creatine, amino acids, protein formulas, and fat burners. Creatine supplements  are athletic aids used to increase high-intensity athletic performance. (Wikipedia, 2011) Amino acid is a molecule which is necessary to create protein. An inadequate intake of amino acids can result in extremely serious health consequences (Tresca, 2012). Protein supplements are large molecules composed of one or more chains of amino acids. Protein is required for the structure, functioning, and regulation of the bodys cell. Protein supplements are mostly purchased and consumed by individuals involved in body building (Rogers, 2007). Fat burners are supplements which help to burn calories by increasing the rate of the bodys metabolism. People who are under diet often use fat burners to reduce their body fat more quickly (Stoppani, 2012). 3.1.3 Reasons for Consuming Dietary Supplements The main reasons highlighted for consuming Dietary Supplements are: Health Purposes Taking supplements can provide additional nutrients when ones diet is lacking or when certain health conditions cause the body to develop an insufficiency or deficiency. In most cases, multivitamin supplements provide all the basic micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) the body needs (Jegtvig, 2013). Dietary Supplement is perceived as a prevention and as a protection against future health issues (Peters et al. 2003). According to (Sadovsky et a/ 2008)., American consumers often cited that they purchased Dietary Supplements because of health promotion. Improving Athletic Performance Athletes often purchase supplements in an attempt to meet or exceed the nutritional demands of sports competition (Antonio, 2010). Dietary Supplements are very popular among professional and recreational athletes, body builders and fitness enthusiasts; they do so mainly for sports nutrition and to seek better performance (Samadi, 2011). Often protein is required to increase the building or repair process of muscle in the human body. The use of high-protein diets has a long history in the sport field; it was reportedly popular with athletes in the Olympics of ancient Greece. According to (Tarnopolsky, 2007) protein intake of strength athletes or bodybuilders should be around 50% to 100% higher than the average population. According to Maughan (2007), knowledge about the composition of foods among athletes is not generally good, which result in a restricted choice of food and Hawley (2006) on the other hand stated that most sporties think they are achieving their protein intake goals. Protein supplement offers athletes the possibility to achieve an adequate level of protein intake without changing too much their eating habits. Protein supplement are easy and quick to take, they can be taken before or after training (Tipton et al., 2006). Improving Personal Appearance According to (Berens, 2008), modern high-fat, high caloric diets combined with physical inactivity have contributed to the epidemic of overweight and obesity in America. In a study conducted by Ogden (2012), it has been found that 57% of the general population of New York were considered overweight or obese. Studies carried out revealed that many consumers purchase and use Dietary Supplements to help them lose weight (Blanck et al., 2008). A large number of Dietary Supplements manufacturers have seen an opportunity and have created weight loss Dietary Supplements to help to combat obesity. Weight loss supplement varies from calcium, fibre, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), green teen extract, meal replacement and Orlistat, an over-the-counter weight loss drug (Parker, 2011). A nationally representative survey found that 33.9% of people who were making a serious weight loss attempt admitted to have used Dietary Supplements (Pillitteri et al., 2008). Some nutritional studies have reveale d that people who use Dietary Supplements generally have a higher nutrient intake from food. According to Mehdi (2007), nutritional Supplements (protein and amino acids) play an important role in the muscle building, hence improving the appearance of the body (muscular body) Avoiding Pharmaceuticals Individual nutrients such as vitamins may be used to treat a simple deficiency, such as an iron deficiency, but sometimes they are used therapeutically to treat specific health conditions or risk factors. Studies have shown that Dietary Supplements is common among people with chronic or recurrent condition (Jacques, 2009). Other factors for use are financial. During the recession, the rise in unemployment and subsequent loss of health has led consumers to turn to Dietary Supplements in an attempt to avoid expensive insurance coverage and minimise cost with dollars and drugs (Mintel, 2009). Main Survey Findings about Dietary Supplements The FSA (2005) research found that: Women are more likely to purchase Dietary Supplements than men. Older people and people caring for their health benefit are more likely to consume Dietary Supplements. The market for dietary is not only exclusive for Adult, 51% of the consumers are children. 3.1.4 Pros and Cons of Consuming Dietary Supplements According to Duran (2011), the following are pros and cons associated with Dietary Supplements: PROS Correction of Nutrient Deficiencies Nutrient deficiencies can lead to serious medical problems, such as anemia, bone fragility, poor immune system function and nervous system abnormalities. Dietary Supplements can help correct the deficiencies and reverse the medical abnormalities associated with the condition. Disease Prevention Specific types of dietary supplements can help reduce the risk for certain types of diseases and medical conditions. CONS Not a Replacement for Food Dietary supplements are not a replacement for food. Food contains a complex constellation of nutrients, including substances called phytochemicals, which biomedical researchers believe provide health benefits. Getting nutrients from wholesome foods is more healthful than relying on Dietary Supplements to meet nutrient needs. Potential for Toxicity When it comes to Dietary Supplements, more is not necessarily better. The fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E can accumulate to toxic levels in the body if taken in doses that significantly exceed the recommended daily allowance. Additionally, certain herbs and botanicals may prove toxic if one is having underlying medical problems, such as chronic kidney or liver disease. Side Effects and Interactions As with any medicinal product, Dietary Supplements sometimes cause side effects and may interact with prescription medications. Serious and potentially life-threatening supplement / drug interactions can also occur. 3.2 Consumer Behaviour This section brushes the main definitions and theories pertaining to consumer behaviour. It also covers the main factors influencing consumer behaviour. 3.2.1 Definition of Consumer Behaviour Consumer behaviour is a complex, dynamic, multidimensional process and all marketing decisions are based on assumption about consumer behaviour (Khan, 2010). A number of different approaches have been brought forward in the study of consumer behaviour. The five approaches are namely Economic Man, Psychodynamic, Behaviourist, Cognitive and Humanistic Approach. 3.2.2 Approaches to Consumer Behaviour Consumer behaviour has been the subject of analysis by economists, psychologists, and management expert. Economists have taken up the study of consumer behaviour in the nineteenth century, while psychologists and management experts are late entrants (Intriligator 1985). Each stream of thought and approach differs from other in view point, contents and thrust of analysis. 3.2.2.1 Economic man Approach According to (Richarme, 2007), work in this area began around 300 years ago, the early research considered man as an entirely rational individual, making decisions based upon the ability to maximise utility whilst doing the minimum effort. In order to behave rationally, the consumer must be aware of all the available consumption options, must be capable of correctly rating each alternative and be able to select the best option (Kanuk, 2007). According to (Simon, 1997) customers rarely have the sufficient information, motivation or time to make the best decision and often make decisions based on influences such as social relationship and values. 3.2.2.2 Psychodynamic Approach This approach was first developed by Sigmund Freud. The psychodynamic approach suggests that behaviour is subject to biological influence through instinctive forces or drives which acts outside the conscious thought (Robertson et al, 1991). The main point in this approach is that behaviour is determined by biological drives, rather than individual cognition or environmental stimuli. 3.2.2.3 Behaviourist Approach Behaviourists regard all behaviour as a response to a stimulus (Sammons, 2005). In other words, they assume that the action of an individual is determined by his environment he is in, which provide a stimuli to which he responds. According to Sammons (2005), the behaviourist approach can be much effective due to the methods it uses, which are the insistence on objectivity, control over variables and precise measurement; thus meaning that the studies carried out tend to be quite reliable. However, Sammons in his article explained that the scientific method used by psychologists must be studied under artificial conditions that often do not reflect the real-world contexts. 3.2.2.4 Cognitive Approach The term cognitive psychology came into use with the publication of the book  Cognitive Psychology  by Ulric Neisser in 1967. Cognitive Psychology revolves around the notion that if we want to know what makes people tick then we need to understand the internal processes of their mind (McLeod, 2007). He also added that the cognitive approach focuses on the way humans process information, looking at how we treat information that comes in to the person (what behaviourists would call stimuli), and how this treatment leads to responses. There are two main types of Cognitive models namely analytical models which provide a framework to explain the behaviour of consumers. These models identify a number of influencing factors and their relationship in the consumer decision making process. These models follow five step classification namely outlining problem recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, choice and outcome evaluation in the consumer decision process (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2007). The two most common known analytical models are the consumer decision model (Blackwell et al, 2001) and the theory of buyer behaviour (Howard and Sheth 1969). The second Cognitive model is the prescriptive model. According to (Moitial, 2007) prescriptive models provide guidelines or frameworks to organise how consumer behaviour is structured. The most widely known models are theory of Reasoned Action who was developed by Fishbein and Ajzen in 1975 and the Theory of Planned Behaviour which was developed by Ajzen in 1985. In the next chapter of this literature review, we will look at the planned behaviour in more details. 3.2.2.5 Humanistic Approach There are a growing number of marketers who believe that the cognitive approach has some major limitations. According to Nataraajan Bagozzi (1999) the first limitation of the cognitive model is that it neglects the role of emotion in decision making. There is a pressing need in the field to balance the rational, cognitive side of marketing thought and practice with new ideas and research on the emotional facets of marketing behaviour (Nataraajan and Bagozzi 1999 p. 637) The second limitation of the cognitive model is that it does not take into consideration the concept of volition (Rey, 2011). According to the Oxford Dictionary, volition can be defined as the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms or a gradual development. The third limitation is that the cognitive model does not take into consideration egoism; there is a lack of research that has examined the influence of altruistic motives on any consumer behaviour. Humanistic Approach priority is to understand peoples subjectivity, try to put oneself in the mind of the individual. As a result, it rejects the objective scientific method as a way of studying people (Sammons, 2011) 3.2.3 Theory of Planned Behaviour The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB; Ajzen 1991) is one of the mainly used cognitive models. The Theory of Planned Behaviour has been introduced by Ajzen in 1991 due to the rising limitation of the previous cognitive model; the Theory of Reasoned; which was developed by Ajzen and Fishbein in 1975. The Theory of Planned Behaviour is based on the assumption that the human being normally behave in a reasonable and sensible manner, when making a decision or undertaking an action; an individual would seek for available information and the implication in doing such action. According to this theory developed by Ajzen, a persons intention to perform or not to perform a behaviour is the most immediate determinant of that action. According to the Theory of Planned Behaviour, intention and behaviour are a function of three determinants; one personal in nature, one reflecting social influence and the third dealing with control (Ajzen, Pg 117). The first determinant that is personal factor is simply the individuals attitude (positive or negative) towards a particular behaviour of interest. The second determinant is the persons social pressure to perform or not to perform such behaviour. It is generally referred to subjective norm (Ajzen, 2002). The third determinant is the sense of self- efficacy or the ability of the individual to perform such behaviour which has been termed by Ajzen as Perceived Behavioural Control. The main difference between the Theory of Reason and the Theory of Planned Behaviour is the control component of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Conner Spark, 2005). As it was mentioned in the previous paragraph, the Theory of Reason assumes that human social behaviour model is under volitional control and thus it can be predicted from the intention only. Ajzen (1985) found that often, the individual does not have complete control, hence the Perceived Behavioural Control was added to the Theory of Reason. Ajzen named it the Theory of Planned Behaviour where Perceived Behavioural Control could be used to predict the non-volitional behaviours. Perceived Behaviour Control is when a person expecting that the performance of the behaviour is within his/her control and has the confidence that he/she can perform the behaviour (Coner, 2010). This is similar to the concept of self-efficacy developed by (Bandura, 1997). The theory of Theory of Planned Behaviour has been largely tested and has also been successfully applied to understand the different types of behaviour (Conner and Sparks, 2005). Armintage and Corner (2001) reported that, across 154 applications; attitudes, subjective norms and Perceived Behavioural Control accounted to 39% of the variance intention. Perceived Behavioural Control accounted for 27% of the variance in behaviour across 63 applications. Figure 3.1: The Theory of Planned Behaviour, adapted from  Ajzen (1991). 3.2.3.1 Limitations of Theory of Planned Behaviour According to the Theory of Planned Behaviour, intention is determined by three classes of behavioural beliefs (normal norms, subjective norm and perceived behaviour control), however these assumptions are highly debatable. Generally the combination of attitudes, social norms and perceived behavioural control leads to a reasonable prediction of behavioural intention. However, (Schwenk and Moser, 2009) reported that: Although the inferred correlation (between intention and behaviour) is substantial, one should not expect to be able to explain a third of the variation observable in environment behaviour. This indicates that the strong causal of the Ajzen Model is not met in realityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Ogden (2003) noted that the Theory of Planned Behaviour is a conceptual based model and discussed several limitations of Ajzens theory. Based on literature review, Ogden observed that some of the studies carried out under the Theory of Planned Behaviour reported no role for subjective norms; others showed no predictive role for perceived behavioural control and some shows no roles for attitudes. Several suggestions have been put forward within Attitude Theory to understand, explain and reduce the attitude-behaviour gap. A general approach is the extension of the Theory of Planned Behaviour with additional explanatory constructs. The main additional approach which was brought forward was the perceived availability and the importance of price. Ajzen (2002) reported that the perceived behavioural control could be divided into two subclasses namely perceived self efficacy, which refers to the ease or difficulty of performing the behaviour and perceived controllability which refers to the extent to which performance depends on the individual. Perceived controllability deals with consumers external control to buy; the perceived self efficacy deals with consumers internal control to buy (Conner Armitage, 1998). Regarding the importance of prices, higher prices may be an obstacle, especially for low income group consumers to make a purchase (Tarkiainen Sundqvist, 2005) 3.2.4 Factors Influencing Buying Behaviour The stimulus-response method is based on the work of classical psychologists such as Pavlov and Watson (1870), who found that all organisms have psychological drives directly related to their need for survival. According to Hisrich (2000) drives can be divided into primary and secondary drives whereby primary drives refers to the need to avoid pain and the need for belonging whereas secondary drive refers to guilt, pride and acquisitiveness in attempt to satisfy primary drives. As you can see below in the stimulus diagram, Marketing and Environmental stimuli enter the buyers consciousness. The buyers characteristics and decision process will lead to a purchase decision. For my study I will concentrate only on the buyers characteristic to understand how these characteristic affect the decision to purchase or not to purchase a product. 3.2.4.1 Buyers Characteristics Consumer Behaviour can be influenced by buyers characteristics. These characteristics are cultural, social, personal and psychological factors. Those factors exert a certain influence in the mind of customers when buying a particular product according to Kotler (2001) Cultural Factors Cultural factors can be classified into culture, subculture and social class. Those factors are particularly important in understanding the buying behaviour of customers. The factors represent a hierarchy of social influences, ranging from broad, general effects on consumption behaviour such as those imposed by the culture we live in to more specific influences that directly affect a consumers choice of a particular product or brand (Boyd et al, 1998) Culture According to Kotler (2001), culture is the most fundamental determinant of a persons wants and behaviour. Culture is the total way of life of a society, passed from generation to generation, deriving from a group of people sharing and transmitting beliefs, values, attitudes and forms of behaviour that are common to that society and considered worthy of retention (Chisnall, 1985). Kotler reported that a growing child acquires a set of values, perceptions, preferences and behaviours through his or her family and other key institution. Riley (2012) reported that a cultural shift is an important opportunity for marketers. He also argues that a shift towards greater concern about health and fitness has resulted in more industries servicing customers with low calorie foods, health related products, exercise equipment or Dietary Supplements. Subculture Each culture contains subculture, according to Kotler (2001), he defines subculture as nationalities, religions, racial groups and geographical regions. According to Schouten and Mc Alexender (1995), subculture is a distinctive subgroup of society that self-selects on the basis of shared commitment to a particular product class, brand or consumption activity. According to Jim Riley (2001) the young culture has quite distinct values and buyer buying characteristics comp-are to the older generation. Nevertheless, subculture is usually identified through race, nationality, religion, geographical region and age (Hawkins et al, 1989). Social Class According to an article published by the Princeton University (2010) a  social class  is a group of people who have the same social, economic, or educational status in society. According to Kotler (2001), social classes differ in dress speech patterns, recreational preferences and among others. He reported that there are four main types of characteristics which define a social group. Those within each social class tend to behave more alike than persons from two different social classes. Persons are perceived as occupying inferior or superior positions according to social class. Social class is indicated by a cluster of variables (occupation, income, wealth, social class) Individual can move from one social class to another one (up or down). Social Factors Apart from cultural factors, consumer behaviour is also influenced by social factors such as reference groups, opinion leaders and family Reference Groups Kotler (2001) defines reference groups as all the groups that have a direct (face-to-face) or indirect influence on an individuals attitude or behaviour. Another definition of reference groups is those groups the consumer identifies himself with and wants to join. Opinion leaders   Opinion leaders  are people with expertise in certain areas. According to Bergstrom (2008), an opinion leader is anyone who has an active voice in a community; it is somebody who speaks out and who is often asked for advice. Brenna (2013) reported that health and fitness movement is now influencing many industries including food, travel, clothing, footwear, entertainment and among others. OptiMyz Magazine (Sport and Nutrition Magazine, 2013) revealed that their readers are educated, affluent and focused; they tend to be opinion leaders in their social groups. Readers would recommend their siblings to use the supplements advertised in the magazine. Family According to Kotler (2001), the family is the most important consumer-buying organisation in society. The individual members who make up the family unit exercise an influence over each others behaviour and therefore the activities which form part of consumer decision-making (Cox, 1975). Kotler (2001) stated that in countries where parents live with their grown children, their influence can be substantial. In the United States, the husband-wife involvement has traditionally varied widely by product category. Psychological Factors Even if two consumers have equal involvement with a product, they often purchase different brands for different reasons. The information they collect, the way they process and interpret it and their evaluation of alternative brands are influenced by psychological variables. Those variables are motivation, perception, learning and belief and attitudes (Boyd et al., 1998). Motivation Motivation is the force, which energises behaviour, gives direction to it and underlines the tendency to persist (Barton et al, 1996). According to recent studies carried out, it has been proved that motivation may affect reasoning through reliance on a biased set of cognitive process (Eagly Chaiken, 1993). Therefore understanding motivation is very important. Learning Learning is to gain knowledge, understanding or skill by study, instruction or experience (Arbib et al., 2005). Osselear and Alba (1999) further laid down that consumers learn the relationship between product attributes and quality and they will differentiate among brands that possess different attributes and treat as commodities those brands that share the same attributes. Personal Factors A buyers decisions are also influenced by personal characteristics. These include the buyers age and stage in the life cycle, occupation and economic circumstances, lifestyle and personality. Age and Stage in the Life Cycle Age has an impact on consumers buying decision. The type of leisure activities they participate in, the likelihood of their being in education or at work, their need for health care and their preferences for style and fashions will change them. (Crown, 2009) Occupation and Economic Circumstances People who function in higher status occupations have characteristics personalities, motives and values that set them apart from those in less prestigious positions (Kohn Schoenbach, 1983; Kohn et al. 1990). Lifestyle Lifestyle is defined as a pattern in which people spend time and money. People from the same culture, social class and occupation may have very different lifestyles, expressed in their own activities, interests and opinions. Lifestyle as such influences the consumer in his purchase of products (Chellum Esson, 1999). 3.2.5 Buyers Decision Process In this model, the consumer passes through five stages: problem recognition, information search, evaluation and selection of alternatives, decision implementation, and post-purchase evaluation. The diagram below depicts the process which goes in the mind of a buyer when deciding to effectuate a purchase. Figure 3.2: The Consumer Information Processing Model Source: Adopted from Kotler (1997) Problem Recognition The consumer buying process begins when the buyer recognises a problem or need (Ken Matsuno, 2007). Typically, researchers seek to identify consumer problems by analysing the factors that widen the gap between the actual and the desired state. The desired state of the consumer is inspired by their aspirations and circumstances. Culture, sub-culture, reference group and lifestyle trends can cause people to change their desired state. Information Search When a consumer discovers a problem, he/she is likely to engage in internal and external information searches. It has been recognised that information search often precedes brand preference formation and that search behaviours may vary according to individual characteristics (Block et al., 1896). Usually educated people are more likely to engage in more meaningful search for information, thereby contributing to a higher level of search (Kiel and Layton, 1981; Marvel, 1996; Newman Staelin, 1971) Evaluation of Alternatives Consumers may apply a variety of criteria in evaluating purchase alternatives, which will vary in importance of influence in shaping alternative evaluation and selection (Black et al, 2001). According to Matsuno (2007), by gathering information, the