The Mysterious Bending of Trees Essay Example For Students

The Mysterious Bending of Trees Essay Birches, by Robert Frost, is an archetypical example of a Frost poem. Frosts poems are normally characterized by beautifully evocative descriptions of nature that form a very clear picture in the readers mind. On first reading, many of his poems seem to be just a portrayal of events that occur in nature. However, there is normally another deeper meaning to the poem, mostly relating to the human condition. Birches seems at first reading to be a description of how a line of birch trees becomes bent and bowed due to natures intervention, and then describes how Frost would rather have the trees becoming bent due to a little boy playing on them. Looking deeper into the meaning of the poem, Frost seems to be praising the resilience of the birch trees and also he describes how the young boy learns to amuse himself while he grows up. We will write a custom essay on The Mysterious Bending of Trees specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The first part of the poem describes what has actually happened to the trees, how they look and what caused the current bent over appearance. The birch trees have become bent over because of ice that has formed on the branches and leaves, which have, over a period of several years caused the trees to bend over. Frost describes how after rain has fallen on a winters day, ice forms on the branches, pulling them down with the weight of it. As the sun rises and warms the air, a breeze picks up which causes the ice to fall off the boughs and gather under the trees as if part of heavens dome had fallen to earth. This section of the poem is typical of Frosts vivid description of nature that he does so well in many of his poems. Frost does not seem to like this actual, colder version of the Truth. He would much rather the trees have reached their present bent over state because of the play of a young boy living on a farm. The boy lived too far from town to play sports with anyone, so he would have had to play by himself, making his own fun. This would seem to be a reflection on Frosts own New England upbringing, and he is narrating what he used to do when he was a boy, living on a farm away from town. He would climb to the top of his fathers birch trees and would overpower then one after another by bending them over with his weight and then jumping off before they would break. Eventually, the boy had vanquished the row of trees and they lined up, bent over, a testament to the boys loneliness growing up. In the last part of the poem, Frost reminisces about his own childhood, when he too was a swinger of birches. When he is tired of lifes tribulations he looks back o and yearns for the days when he would also play among the trees and enjoy himself. Frost seems to almost want to return to his youth, but asks that fate not take his request seriously, as deep down he would prefer to stay where he is in life. He would like to climb the trees again though, climb towards heaven and then fall down again, which would seem to be a satisfying way for him to pass the time. This poem is set in the countryside, much like where Frost grew up, so it is especially significant in providing the reader with a private picture into the poets childhood and how he matured. The poem has a cheerful tone throughout, first beautifully describing the birch trees then looking at a young boy playing amongst them. In this poem Frost makes use of his fooling to provide the reader with a descriptive picture of New England life which is also more than it seems, being a metaphor for his childhood life. .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 , .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 .postImageUrl , .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 , .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49:hover , .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49:visited , .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49:active { border:0!important; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49:active , .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49 .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue5a1be17726bba882642e160f2c9ad49:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Macbeth - GUILTY EssayBibliography:

Writing an Economics Essay

Writing an Economics Essay Free Online Research Papers Writing an Economics Essay Any type of communication implies a sender, a medium and a receiver. The sender is the one who sends the message, the medium is the means by which the message is sent, and the receiver is the one who receives and interprets the message. Let us look at this and apply it to Economics examination conditions. The exam paper, which is given to you by the examiner right at the beginning, is a set of instructions to follow during that period of time. At this point the examiner is the sender, the exam paper, in our case, written in the English language is the medium, and you are the receiver. As the receiver you expect the paper to have clear instructions, e.g. duration of the exam, how many questions to answer and from which section, etc., as well as clearly written questions in good English. Although you are sitting for an Economics paper, your understanding of English must be good, for how will you know what is required of you unless you understand the language, or as we have called it, the medium? From this point onwards, the roles are reversed. It is you, the student, who now become the sender. You will now communicate with the examiner through the answers to the questions set. You will express yourself through the medium of English on the writing paper provided and the examiner now becomes the receiver. The more you keep in mind the process of communication, the better your chances of succeeding in your exam. Essay Writing in Economics In order to write a good essay, you must keep in mind two very important considerations. One is that you have to have good presentation skills and the other is that what you write is relevant to the question or questions asked. Let us first consider the point of good presentation. Put it this way, what do you think when someone scribbles something and you cannot understand for the life of you what the scribbling means? Don’t you think there is a communication problem? Good presentation therefore means that your handwriting must be legible. The problem may be greater than you think. It’s not good enough that you understand what you write; others must also understand it. If you want to test yourself, try looking at something that you wrote some time ago, and see whether you can still read what you wrote. Even for those with normally neat handwriting, examination pressure may cause their handwriting to deteriorate. It is very easy for the student to get carried away and neglect legibility in an exam, especially if time is running out after one or two essays. Compare the first essay with the last essay that you write! Good presentation also involves the layout of your paper. A wide margin at the side will make the paper appear neater. Official exam writing paper usually already has wide margins. Try not to cram words towards the right hand side of the paper, either. The layout of a paper can be much improved by a greater use of paragraphs. Instead of presenting a whole block of words and sentences, split it up into smaller paragraphs. Skip one line between one paragraph and another. It makes for neater presentation and makes reading the essay less tedious. This also keeps the examiner happy. He or she is a human being. Keep him or her on your side. Content The other very important consideration in writing an essay is content. Content refers to the actual material that you write down. Putting it simply, you must answer the question that you choose with the proper material and in the required manner. Answers must be relevant, that is they must show what you know about what is being asked of you, not all that you know about a subject or a topic. Read the question well, think about it, write down all the points that come into your mind on a rough sheet of paper, number these points in order of importance and develop the most relevant ones while discarding the least relevant points. Voila, that is your essay plan, as easy and as simple as that. In writing an essay, your problem should be more of what you are going to leave out, rather than of what you are going to write down! Essay Skills Two types of essays questions are set by examination boards in A Level Economics, including the Matsec Board. These are structured and unstructured essays, and there is an increasing tendency for the local Matsec Board to set structured ones. While structured questions are divided into two or more parts, unstructured questions consist of one question, sometimes two, with one leading to the other. An example of a structured question is: a. Explain what is meant by the natural rate of unemployment? (5 marks) b. Evaluate the effects of demand-side and supply-side policies on the natural rate of unemployment. (15 marks) An unstructured question may look like this: How far may the law of comparative cost advantage adequately explain the existence of trade? (20 marks) A structured question is more straightforward and the different questions should be answered separately. However, an unstructured question may also be broken down into smaller questions, and the above example may be written as: a. Explain the law of comparative cost advantage. ( 7 marks) b. Show whether the law of comparative cost advantage explains trade or are there other reasons for the existence of trade? (13 marks) Research Papers on Writing an Economics EssayStandardized TestingResearch Process Part OneMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesMind TravelAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseHip-Hop is ArtBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XQuebec and CanadaWhere Wild and West Meet

The Marketing Challenge Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Marketing Challenge - Assignment Example Carrying out marketing planning and operations strategies assist the marketing managers of GM to be innovative, challenge, authenticate their decisions and benchmark their organization so as to create operational marketing activities and compete effectively with other competitors in the market. Strategic marketing operations equip the marketing managers with operational intelligence that assist in making tactical and strategic decisions. The report comprises of marketing audit, marketing planning and marketing mix that should be adopted by any marketing executive. Contents Executive summary 2 Marketing Audit 5 Marketing plan 7 P.E.S.TE.L ANALYSIS 11 Marketing mix- The 4Ps 11 Business lifecycle 13 B.C.G Matrix 13 Conclusion 13 Reference list 15 Introduction The increase in gas and oil prices, continuous decline of mortgage/housing/credit sectors and the reduced consumer confidence for the last few years have greatly reduced the volume of sales of the automobile industry. This has left the strategic planners of several leading companies in dilemma on how to increase the sales and win the customer confidence. In today’s complex marketing environment, true strategic marketing managers should be equipped with expertise to capture critical messages that are sent by very essential yet mostly non-controllable external factors in the market and continuously using information as a way of changing the essential controllable internal factors of the business to effectively and strategically position the company towards achieving its objective (Solis, 2012). Furthermore, identifying external threats and opportunities by firms could put managers in a position of controlling these factors. Careful analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats will enable managers to position their organization for future success. In order to meet the change in market, shift in liestyles, shift in customer loyalty of GM, I recommend the following strategies to be implement ed by the newly appointed manager in the GM company. Identify what competitive position GM MOTORSÂ   Before doing anything as a newly appointed marketing manager, he should identify what kind of competitive advantages that the company has. For instance how competitive is the company as compared to other competitors in the same market? Is it a market leader or price setter? The manager has to come up with competitive strategies to outdo other companies like Toyota which have designed gas electric vehicle. Marketing Audit This is the process of analyzing and evaluating marketing activities, approach, aims and results of a firm. The process help GM marketing manager to determine new neglected or unknown markets focus their right messages to intended customers and to refine their plans and strategies to assist in increasing market share. In order to carryout effective market audit, the following processes should be adopted by the manager. 1. Assemble of the overall overview of GM compa ny The newly appointed manager has to understand the overall overview of the company may include the location of the company, sales history, date of establishment, key personnel, number of employees, and company’s chronology of events like divestitures, mergers and acquisitions. He should also know the history of the company since its inception 2. Describe the marketing goals and objectives

Full case study in Jobber, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2012) Principles

Full in Jobber, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2012) Principles and Practice of Marketing (7th ed). London, McGraw-Hill H - Case Study Example This would reveal the extent to which the company followed the formal process of marketing planning. Dixons was a product oriented company when it stated its journey in electrical retail segment. Their followed the strategy â€Å"stack-em high – sell-em cheap in brightly coloured stores.† This strategy validated the fact that Dixons focused more towards selling good product in well-designed stores, but customer satisfaction was overlooked and it did not occupy centre position in the strategic approach of the company. A general formal marketing planning process is segregated into four parts that is goal setting, analysing present situations, create marketing strategies and allocate the marketing monitoring system and resources. In the goal, setting segment companies set their mission and objectives. Dixons also established its mission to stock products and sell them in brightly coloured stores. Their objective was to offer variety of products and generate lucrative retur ns. However, the company missed customer service, which its competitors took advantage of. So it can be said that Dixons followed the first step of marketing planning process. The second step is to analyse current situation. The company came to know about its drawbacks during the economic crisis in 2006. It identified that there were major threats of recession in the global market and its competitors Best Buy started grabbing market share by providing better services to customers. At this juncture, Dixons revolutionised its move towards customers. This proves that the company followed the second step of marketing planning process too. The third step is to create marketing strategies, which Dixons rolled out in order to face the intense competition. It can be also called a transformation strategy of the company because it changed the focus of the company from being product oriented to customer oriented. The new business model also re-defined five specific objectives for the company. The fourth and final stage was to allocate resources and monitor the plan. The major focus was now on after-sales and support and customer choice, value and service was the major function in the new business model. This discussion proves how Dixons followed and applied marketing planning process for devising the strategies (Jobber and Ellis-Chadwick, 2012). Another superior marketing strategy that the organization applied is the integration of technology in their marketing strategy. In the company’s service-led business model the internet was a core component of the customer insight. Gay, Worth and Esen (2007) point out that online marketing is a superior tool for marketing in a technology driven society. In online marketing, Dixon employed a multi-channel approach to allow customers to research about the organization order their desired good, reserve and even purchase goods. To reach to this approach, the organization noted that those people who purchased goods online prefer red to collect them by themselves at a later date. Consequently, applying a multichannel approach provided a customer value method by allowing them to have a flexible purchase plan in the company. The success of this strategy can be associated with the global trends of internet penetration that is growing each day. By developing an information rich website, it is possible for an organization to roll out their products to their target customers

Apple I-tunes Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Apple I-tunes - Case Study Example Surveys have proven that over the years the demand for digital music has increased by manifolds. Apple iTunes' market entry strategy into the UK is more likely to succeed if carried out with much more concentration on customer satisfaction and value creation fronts while at the same time focusing on a market penetration pricing strategy coupled with incremental growth strategies in niche market centric operations (www.apple/tunes.com). Apple i-tunes digital music company is in an oligopoly market with limited number of competitors including Sony, Warner, BMG and so on. Oligopoly is a market form where there are a few number of suppliers with similar identical products. Thus the digital music industry is evolving very fast. There is always the threat of a new company introducing something totally new to the market such as wireless technology that could replace the need for a physical music player. It's of paramount importance for Apple iTunes to invest a lot in research, and development and marketing in order to keep up with other companies that could introduce newer products to the market. Apple iTunes could improve the quality of their products. Then due to the greater quality of their music files, manufacturers of MP3, 4, 5 players would be compelled to manufacture their products to make them compatible with these files, because customers would be lured to buy Apple iTunes as they are of superior quality. The po pularity of iPod and Apple Mac are subject to demand. If economies are negatively affected the demand for these products would fall. However customer's interests change often. There is a possibility that a new company might come up with a totally new innovation and thus the demand for Apple iTunes may drop. In fact Apple i-tunes Company as in the oligopoly market requires strategic thinking unlike other market forms in the market such as perfect competition, monopoly and monopolistic competition. In fact oligopolistic competition can provide different range of outcomes. In some cases firm may employ trade practices that are restrictive. In other situations, competition between sellers in an oligopoly market can be relatively low prices and high production. There is always a threat to Apple iTunes from other manufactures who manufacture inferior quality music files at low cost and also the creation of pirated digital music (Presswire, 2007). Customers might be lured to buy these products as they cost less. Other substitutes such as Satellite radio for music, Entertainment media, media and music alternative sources for videos (cable, broadcast) and alternative means to acquire music (Music CDs, DVDs) are potential threats. Thus this could lead to an efficient outcome approaching perfect competition. However the competition in an oligopoly industry can be higher when there are more firms in an industry if, for instance, the firms were only regionally based and did not compete directly with each other.According to the behavior of the oligopolistic market, firm has to face a kinked demand curve at the existing market price for its widgets (products). In this scenario suppliers do not have the tendency to increase the price, because other competitors in the industry would not follow

The Marketing Strategies Implemented By The Airline Easyjet Marketing Essay

The Marketing Strategies Implemented By The Airline Easyjet Marketing Essay This report has been conducted in order to clarify the marketing strategies implemented by the airline easyJet in order to gain a competitive edge over its rivals in the market for low-cost aviation. We researched in depth the European budget airline industry and looked at the various strategies used by easyJet, along with its main rivals. The main findings from our study suggest that easyJet has been very successful in its approach to its marketing campaigns, as it has built and sustained a strong image over the course of its operations at the top of the airline industry. The company however, must continually seek out new strategies and ideas as the industry becomes increasingly more competitive. Introduction EasyJet was established in 1995 by Stelios Haji-loannou and operates as a no frills low-cost airline, aiming to under-cut its rivals, such as, BMI Baby, Ryanair, and FlyBe. They all operate on a similar business model to that of the highly successful USA southwest airlines. The competitive advantage of budget airlines is maintained by achieving low operating costs, increasing revenue and using new economy technologies such as the Internet to sell their product. The low-cost airline sector currently has an 8.65% share of the total airline market with easyJet attaining 3.76% (Belfast Telegraph, 2004). EasyJet achieved a profit of  £62.2m in 2004 and announced major expansions into Central/Eastern Europe in an effort to apply their winning formula to a wider proportion of the airline industry (EasyJet, Company Overview 2005). The project will consult easyJets marketing and competitive environment to ascertain the position they hold in the industry, thereby constructing an analysis of the various strategies easyJet implements to achieve a competitive edge over their rivals. EasyJets Marketing and Competitive Environment EasyJets marketing environment will involve a PEST analysis, highlighting major influences upon the low cost airline industry. The competitive environment analysis will signify as Sanderson and Luffman confirms, current strategies of competitors, the potential of new competition to enter the market, the behaviour of suppliers and buyers, and the availability of substitute products (2001, p.20). Introduced in the form of a SWOT analysis. Marketing Environment Political In 1990 the European deregulation of commercial aviation coincided with the expansion of the low cost airline industry. The low cost carriers in the industry were able to take advantage of the relaxed laws and expand their operations. Economic Mercer Management Consulting (2002) reported that the low cost airline market conforms to the criteria of three components (Figure 1). Firstly, it provides a simple product consisting of no seat reservation, free seating, and adequate in flight service. They are a genuine no frills airline with a simple product offered to the market. Webster (2004) noted easyJets ability to maintain a high degree of customer focus through a new, user friendly website with an improved booking process. Figure 1: Source Impact of Low Cost Airline Mercer Management Consultancy 2002 Secondly, it is apparent that the low cost airline market is characterised by: mergers and acquisitions; the expansion of existing low cost airlines and finally, market exits as a result of bankruptcy e.g. Debonair. Furthermore, the low cost carriers operate short haul, point to point traffic with short frequencies, pursue aggressive marketing campaigns and deal with secondary airports. EasyJet, however, has differentiated in this respect by dealing with major hub airports e.g. Gatwick. Finally, the industry operates a low cost ethos, which is maintained by lean sales, high productivity of resources, low maintenance costs and low wages. The price of oil which is currently 50% more expensive than a year ago is a cause of concern for the low cost airline industry. Chief Executive of easyJet Ray Webster said: The price of fuel remains high and volatile. In spite of this, operating margins for the period are expected to be broadly in line with last year. The problem of high oil prices may be a cause for concern for smaller carriers who are not able to maintain low cost bases. Social The low cost carriers position their product to leisure travellers and non business travellers (See Figure 2), however easyJet has differentiated by targeting the business and leisure segments. This behavioural segmentation creates a more dynamic edge in comparison to their competitors who solely focus on leisure travel. Thus, easyJet must ensure that its strategy is tailored to a wider market. Walton (2005) confirmed that easyJet was presented as a European low cost airline with a current reading of 26 million passengers in 14 key countries. It has 190 routes to 58 airports and 163 million people live within one hour of easyJets airports. Figure 2: Source Low Cost Airlines Gaining Momentum in Europe Schneiderbauer, D. Fainsilber, O. (2000) Technological Low cost carriers have the ability to maintain a high degree of customer focus through user-friendly websites with improved booking processes. These websites have the capability of charging bookings with greater ease and utilising an easy to use fare finder to obtain the cheapest fares. Selling tickets via the technological medium of websites and hence by having no travel agents, they avoid paying agency commissions. Competitive Environment Strengths EasyJets core strengths according to Morgan Stanley relate to their ability to provide a simple fare structure with good value for money and maintain low unit costs. Furthermore, they have developed a strong brand through serving the Swiss and UK market and through strong corporate culture, whilst developing a broad multi base network. Weaknesses EasyJets weaknesses have become apparent in the fiscal year of 2003, whereby crew costs rose by 68% to  £97 million which accounted for 13% of operating costs. Additionally, advertising costs also increased by 43% to  £28 million, accounting for 3.7% of total costs and crucially, easyJets airport charges had surged to 103% to a staggering  £149 million. Opportunities The BBC (2005) highlighted easyJets acknowledgement of the opportunities that can become apparent as a results of the fierce competition from Ryanair. The new demand from business customers has forced the need for the provision of certain facilities such as airport lounges for the frequent flyer; one way of looking at the practicalities of developing better services. Meeting the demands of lifestyle changes is crucial and with the ever growing new routes such as to Rome and Berlin, this will help retain some competitive edge. Threats Some of the main competitors are Ryanair, Bmibaby and FlyBe. Ryanair were initially founded in 1985 and then re-launched in 1990-91. Their aim was to offer fares 50% or lower than those offered by the big flag airlines, specifically as a low-fares, no-frills operation. Mintel (2003) reported that Ryanair generated  £190 million profit before tax. They had acquired other rivals such as KLM and Buzz, hence in the 2004 3rd quarter results they stood in first position for passenger growth, with the lowest fares and lowest costs in Europe. It was apparent that recently, they have continued to maintain their position at the top of the industry. Ryanair have responded aggressively to easyJets home markets. They have lowered their prices in the newest markets such as Knock, Cork and Shannon. They are building up pressure in Liverpool and Luton with further rises in operating flights and with the development of new competitors such as Jet2 and Monarch, easyJet are facing potentially turbulent times. EasyJets Marketing Strategies to Achieve Competitive Advantage An analysis of easyJets marketing strategies, namely; product differentiation, mergers and acquisitions, location, the website, advertising and marketing campaigns and the Airline TV documentary will now be performed to depict how easyJet gains a competitive advantage in the low cost airline industry. The consumer matrix (Bowman and Faulkner, 1997) details perceptions that customers have with regard to the product or service offered to them and the prices charged. Applying this to easyJet we can guestimate the general perception generated by the market. EasyJets flights offer the consumer value for money as the benefits gained from the transaction relative to price appear favourable in comparison to their competitors. Perceived price Hi Hi Perceived use value Lo Lo West Heterogeneous views, with regard to the demands for the service, indicate that, one service meets all demands may lead to mistakes in the competitive strategy. Within the airline segment there will be consumers who are price sensitive and thus demand the low-cost alternative. Hence, easyJet are following the customer matrix price strategy in order to attain sustainable competitive advantage (maintaining benefit whilst reducing price): Location One of easyJets successful marketing strategies implemented is the location element of the destinations to which it runs flights. In order to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors, easyJet flies to all the main business and leisure airports in Europe so that customers do not then have to then transfer a long distance to their final destination. Other firms in the industry such as Ryanair for example, although attempt to compete at a price level with easyJet, do not operate nearly as efficient a route map. Arguably such rivals can only offer the low-cost advantage through flying to more remote destinations. EasyJet operate to the highest level of efficiency at the airports themselves with rapid turnaround times and can thus fully utilise their fleet system, whilst running extra flights for passengers. EasyJet has greatly expanded its hub airports, to now having bases in all parts of the UK and more recently, integration into European airports. Advertising and Marketing Campaigns Through utilising to the full the marketing channels available, easyJet has been able to build and sustain a successful corporate image from the birth of the company 10 years ago. EasyJet advertisements can be seen everywhere, in cities all over Europe from giant billboards to public transport buses. The company has made sure that wherever there are potential customers for the airline, their presence is made known through advertising offers on flight costs, launch of new routes or merely to express why one should chose to fly with easyJet. In a highly competitive market, easyJets marketing team has had to sustain a strong advertising strategy and look to implement new marketing ideas so that they are not losing out to other airlines. In more recent years, they have taken much greater advantage of online advertising and with the increasing personal use of the Internet, this has considerably enhanced easyJets consumer reach. Although national media is an available marketing option, easyJet adopt a regionalised European approach to advertising (Dixon, 2005). Much of easyJets marketing campaigns have concentrated on making an impact at a local level and has proven to be a more personalised strategy, which has enabled them to adopt their methods of marketing to the regional customers they are addressing. Airline TV documentary series A marketing strategy implemented by easyJet which has contributed to their success, was the fly on the wall documentary series Airline broadcasted in January 1999. It was aired across the nation on prime time TV channels and was nominated for programme of the year in 2001 (BBC, 2005). Although the programme depicted easyJet in a bad light in certain instances, for example, refusal to allow passengers to board the planes, it acted as positive publicity for easyJet. EasyJet promoted themselves as a cheap and reliable airline, in a market where there were previously few competitors going for the low cost image. This clearly shows that according to Miles and Snows theory (1978), easyJet were acting as a prospector, as they were the first movers in the market place to try and unlock the low cost airline niche market. Website EasyJets website acts as a main distribution channel for e-ticketing with all flight information also accessible to customers online, thus reducing material costs. EasyJets website can be viewed in 15 languages in attempt to make their flights accessible to a wider audience. Sophisticated yield management systems have been implemented in order to maximise seat revenue which is seen as the largest area of competitive advantage (Jobber, 2004). The use of new economy technologies has improved flows of information, allowing easyJet to update prices immediately, thus maximising flight profitability. Porters theory in relation to easyJet clarifies that they are adopting a cost leadership strategy which is portrayed to customers via the cheap fares offered online. However, although technology provides advantages in terms of cost reductions for easyJet, its competitors have followed suit and have established websites of their own, offering consumers extremely competitive rates in comparison to easyJet. Consequently, easyJet needs to constantly adapt it strategies in order to retain a competitive advantage. Product Differentiation Porters theory details two basic types of competitive advantage: lower cost and differentiation (OShaughnessy, 1996). EasyJet achieves a competitive advantage by following the cost-leadership approach, transferring this low-cost advantage to the consumer in the form of low price. EasyJet have made notable attempts to make their product stand out from its low-cost airline competitors. McDaniel (2000) argues that a products differentiating feature acts as a competitive advantage and there will be no long-term survival unless it has one. Also, it is evident that easyJet is generally the trend setter for differentiation in its market. CNN reports that EasyJet has recently relaxed hand luggage restrictions which are 40% bigger than the current allowance (EasyJet, 2004). EasyJets no weight restriction for cabin baggage and flexible ticket scheme which can create earlier flight standbys highlights their ability to pursue consistent innovation for their customers. This may be an attractive prospect for business passengers and differs from other low-cost airlines, which maintain limits. Furthermore, they have implemented a 100% self check in with plans for self-handling to minimise disruption. EasyJet has also deviated from the typical pricing methods used by other airlines by implementing inclusive pricing instead of prices that exclude booking charges and taxes. This decision came after the Air Transport Users Council had highlighted consumers dislike of airlines trying to con them with low fares that do not exist, by offering a low fare up front, only to add a host of spurious taxes and charges later on in the booking process (Internet Travel News, 2005). On Thursday 1 August 2002, easyJet and Go completed a merger deal worth  £374 million. This represented a form of horizontal integration and indicated easyJets desire to increase its market share. By December 2002 easyJet had reached two further important milestones in its merger with Go by announcing a single Air Operator Certificate (AOC), and the launch of a unified sales channel. The integration costs incurred amounted to  £7.9 million, approximately  £3 million less than forecasted (EasyJet Financial report 2002/2003). According to Stelios, the deal contributed significantly to our objective to become Europes leading low-cost airline, by strengthening our position in important target markets(Financial Times, 2004). The Go acquisition was a major step away from easyJets own strategy of growing organically. By operating almost as a monopolist in the low fare airline market, the merger gave easyJet the option to raise prices and restrict supply in order to create supernormal profits. Additionally, the merging firms were able to exploit economies of scale to reduce cost. The purchase of Go has given easyJet a major presence at Stanstead, home of both Ryanair and KLMs buzz. Prior to the acquisition, their networks barely competed and they had rarely even flown out of the same airport. The following data was compiled a year after the deal completion which illustrates the success of the merger between EasyJet and Go: Airbuses willingness to support the costs of introducing the new aircraft type to the fleet far outweighed the costs of the complexity of running a dual fleet. The A319 provides a number of advantages for easyJet. It offers passengers more comfort, safety, travel quality, higher reliability and the opportunity for lower fares with its unbeatable operating economics. Additionally, the sizing of the A320 family allows easyJet to graduate up to the 180 seat A320 and even 220 seat A321, if they choose to do so in the future. Mathur and Kanyon (2001) proposed a matrix (see below) that identifies and classifies types of competitive positioning which creates differentiation. EasyJet, in terms of support differentiation, provide a differentiated service by offering many prime routes to major airports such as recent expansions at Gatwick airport (and other European airports) which shifts the focus to high yield traffic while abandoning economic and operative advantages of secondary aiports. In terms of merchandise differentiaton, easyJet provide variables such as self check in kiosks, ease of use for the websites and booking of tickets, unrestricted baggages restraints; such features of differentiation helps the consumers to make repeat purchasers with easyJet. Furthermore, easyJet use high quality Airbus A319s which provides customers with a range of benefits as listed above. The purpose of this report has been to assess how EasyJet has utilised successful marketing strategies through the various channels available, in order to establish and maintain a dominating position in the low-cost airline industry. One of the great business success stories of the past five years has been the launch of the easyJet airline company (Dixon, 2000). To facilitate our analysis of this objective, we not only researched EasyJet and its marketing campaigns adopted over the years, but also identified the main strategies used by the other leading competitors. EasyJet has constantly tried to identify itself to its consumer base as the best form of budget travel in Europe. The company recognised the demand for this form of travel and its marketing strategies have been primarily geared around providing more efficient, low-cost flights, whilst maintaining as a high a quality of service as possible. Through their clear, effective website, they have strived to make it increasingly easy for customers to deal with the company, whilst strategically positioning their advertising to be directed at the market served. Policies for expansion have been the driving force behind easyJets significant growth and have enabled them to eliminate key rivals from the industry. However, with the emergence of new, strong competitors in the industry and the increasing demand for low-cost travel, it is evident from the report that easyJet must remain innovative in its marketing and allocate sufficient resources to securing a long-term position as the market leader. Recommendations The low-cost airline industry is reaching maturity. Miles and Snows theory of the Four Business Strategies would suggest easyJet should move towards being an Analyzer from a Prospector. This therefore takes into account that easyJet needs to concentrate on maintaining its established market leadership. With regards to enhancing their market power both long and short-term, easyJet should look to move into newer mediums for advertising, primarily using television broadcasting. EasyJet need to further consider developing the levels of efficiency and motivation within their wide employee base and by fomenting such other dimensions of this business, will help maintain another key element which still, other rivals fail to recognise. Word Count: 3,195

Essay --

Throughout history, Term limits have been a very controversial issue as well as a powerful reform regarding politics. Term limits can best be defined as a restriction or a limit to a number of times an official may be elected or serve. For years, American politics have been dealing with the movement to limit political terms. Though there are some who disapprove of term limits for Congressmen, there are many Americans who have approved. There is widespread support on Term Limits, which shows us that the public is dissatisfied with what is occurring in Congress presently. In many states, cities and counties across the United States term limits have been established for state and local officials. Congress is currently running on a system of seniority. Individuals who have spent the most time in office gain more power. As a result, these Congressmen focus on how they can stay in office and that plan leaves limited room for fresh new officials to have a chance to make changes. Term l imits should be placed on our Congressmen and women because it would allow for a more efficient Congress. The problem with not having term limits is that one person in Congress exercise too much power. As John Adams said, â€Å"Without [term limits] every man in power becomes a ravenous beast of prey.† (Smith 73). Similarly, Thomas Jefferson once stated, â€Å"To prevent every danger which might arise to American freedom from continuing too long in office, it is earnestly recommended that we set an obligation on the holder of that office to go out after a certain period.† (Smith 73). Our country needs term limits in Congress for several reasons. Presently, in Congress there are members who serve very lengthy terms. Members in the House of Representatives ser... ...rse legislature.† (Epstein 855). Term Limits would make being apart of Congress more possible. Millions more Americans would find it an attractive option for them. To sum it all up, Term limits presently occur all over the country in state legislatures and they are working. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 15 states currently have term limits for legislatures. Term limits increase the likelihood of turnover in state legislatures. Term limits also weaken seniority systems in state legislatures. Term limits help non-traditional candidates such as Hispanic, African American and Asian to run for seats in state legislatures. It is time to change the system so that people who care about the future of our nation and our state can and will compete fairly to represent us. That is what democracy was meant to be, and that is what it can be again.

Health Policy

Value Dimensions of the Affordable Care Act President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) enacted in March 2010 will increase health insurance coverage to millions of Americans. This is the first significant reform in health care in over 40 years and targets closing the gap of uninsured Americans by mandating insurance. There has been debate over the individual health insurance mandate and whether it is constitutional. Opinions on the individual mandate and the values it impacts are conflicting among all stakeholders.This talk will concentrate on the following stakeholder groups: (1) Insurance companies and (2) uninsured individuals who might otherwise choose not to purchase health insurance or do not have the means to do so (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2012). It is no secret that health care has become increasingly unaffordable; cost of medical treatments and insurance premiums keep rising and society feels a moral obligation to insure that its citizens do not suffer from the una vailability of health care. The individual mandate provision has been and will continue to be one of the most controversial elements embodied in the ACA.This provision requires individuals to maintain minimum essential coverage each month or pay a penalty. This new law allows the American people to choose health insurance plans that work best for them by providing a short, plain language summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) as well as a glossary of commonly used insurance terms to all patients. Coverage includes those who, until now, have continuously been denied because of their existing health conditions Beginning (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, 2010). January 1, 2014, all U. S. esidents are required to maintain the previously mentioned essential coverage unless the individual falls into certain categories including the following: religious conscience exemption, incarcerated individuals, undocumented aliens, when contribution exceeds 8% of household income and individua ls with a coverage gap of less than 3 months, individuals in a hardship situation as defined by the Secretary of Department of Health & Human Services, individuals with income below the tax filing threshold, and members of Indian tribes (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, 2010).The Affordable Care’s Act does decrease the number of uninsured compared to if this legislation did not pass. The policy of mandating insurance provides an incentive for individuals to purchase insurance or face paying fines. Tax benefits induce employers to provide coverage to their employees. Employers may even provide more health awareness programs to reduce health costs. Provisions under this legislation also decrease the number of underinsured including the healthy young individuals who might otherwise choose not to purchase health insurance.The ACA will also eliminate barriers for interstate insurance providers and encourage more competition to provide a low-cost advantage for the uninsured. This may also lead to nonprofit agencies being developed to provide a low cost option for the uninsured. The Individual Mandate and the entire ACA will impact the health of all Americans. The ways the individual mandate may impact consumer access to healthcare, healthcare quality and costs and insurance companies is still debatable depending on which stakeholder group you are aligned with.The ACA will expand coverage to nearly 95% of consumers that reside in the U. S legally (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2012). Consumers previously not covered under government programs such as Medicaid will be able to receive healthcare benefits through those programs. In addition, preventive care will be free and seniors will have access to cheaper prescription drugs. The ACA also provides incentives to primary care providers to practice in underserved areas which will also expand consumers’ access to healthcare.On the other hand, cuts in Medicare will take place at a time when millions of bab y-boomers become eligible for Medicare and some Americans could lose access to their current health care plans as a result. The ACA also establishes several new rules and controls for insurance companies including requiring that they cannot deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, must spend a certain percentage of premiums collected on actual patient care costs.These new rules provide protection for consumers and ensure insurance companies are held accountable for the care and services provided to patients that are enrolled in their plans (Friedman & Becker, 2012). Another major issue that has raised considerable debate and even led to law suits being filed is the constitutionality of the ACA. Those who oppose healthcare reform argue that it is unconstitutional for Congress to require that every person purchase health insurance. However, the ACA improves ccess to healthcare which promotes the general welfare of consumers, and thus congress has the power to spend money to promote general welfare. Although the ACA has several short-comings that are currently being debated and others yet unknown, the bill’s potential to improve access to care for the uninsured, reduce healthcare costs and make insurance companies more accountable make it worth the trouble. As with any major change, working out the problems over time will be required to allow the ACA achieve the goal of improving the health status and overall life quality of consumers (Friedman & Becker, 2012).References Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island. (2010). Federal Healthcare Reform. Patient protection And affordable care act individual mandate & subsidy. Retrieved from: https://www. bcbsri. com/BCBSRIWeb/pdf/Individual_Mandate_Fact_Sheet. pdf Friedman, A. & Becker, N. (2012). Understanding the Individual Mandate’s SCOTUS Pivot Points. Justices ponder adverse selection, a potential death spiral and severability. Retrieved from: http://ldihealtheconomist. com/he000023. shtml Kaiser Famil y Foundation (2012). Health reform. Retrieved from: http://healthreform. kff. org/

Antigone vs Creon Essay

Antigone vs Creon Essay Antigone vs Creon Essay Kaylie Christy Mrs. Yoshiyama English 2; Period 1 30 October 2013 Loyalty or Morals: Which is More Important? Being a big part of a kingdom or being part of family forces one to have responsibilities and duties that are needed to be fulfilled. In Sophocles’ Greek tragedy, Antigone, Antigone has the responsibility of being loyal to her brother, Polyneices. However, Creon has the responsibility of being loyal to the people of Thebes. Therefore, both Antigone and Creon have been loyal to whom they have wanted to be loyal to; this is why both are equally correct. Antigone and Creon were equally loyal. Antigone was loyal to her family and the law of the Gods while Creon was loyal to his people and his word: â€Å"And now you can prove what you are: A true sister, or a traitor to your family†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Prologue). Antigone wasn’t afraid of the danger of Creon’s law, because being a loyal sister was more important to her than death. Antigone didn’t want her brother to be dishonored by Creon and his law for some grudge he may have against Polyneices. However, Creon was just as loyal as Antigone: â€Å"But whoever shows by word and deed that he is on the side of the State,-he shall have my respect while he is living and my reverence when he is dead,† (Scene 1). Creon states that he will only be loyal to those who are loyal and respect him. As the King of Thebes, Creon has to be loyal to his people, because he has to gain their trust as a new king; it is only fair that his people be loyal to him. Creon and Antigone b oth had too much pride in what their choice was. Antigone had a very strong opinion about the consequence of breaking Creon’s law. Antigone states, â€Å"this crime is holy: I shall lie down with him in death, and I shall be as dear to him as he to me. It is the dead Not the living, who make the longest demands: we die for ever...† (Prologue). Antigone explains to Ismene that they should bury Polyneices and forget about Creon’s law, because they will eventually going to end up dying anyways so why not take a risk and bury their brother so he isn’t disrespected in front of the kingdom. However, Creon has pride for his decision in not burying Polyneices. He explains to his people that â€Å"Polyneices, who broke his exile to come back with fire and sword against his native city and the shrines of his fathers’ gods, whose one idea was to spill the blood of his blood and sell his own people into slavery†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and that he is doing the best for his people by dishonoring Polyneices (Scene 1). He was not going to change the law for anybody, because he was so proud by his decision and thought he was doing the best for his kingdom. At the same time, Creon and Antigone both did things that were wrong. Antigone doesn’t have many reasons why she is wrong, but there are some reasons. Antigone broke the law to bury her brother. As a princess, she has to set an example for her kingdom, which she isn’t doing by breaking the law of the king. Even though the king is her uncle, she should still have enough respect for him and her kingdom to set a good example and follow the law. Antigone states, â€Å"Creon has sworn that no one shall bury him, no one shall mourn for him,† which proves that she knew about Creon’s law before burying her brother (Prologue). Creon also didn’t have many reasons why he was

Basin and Range Topography Overview

Basin and Range Topography Overview In geology, a basin is defined as a bounded area where the rock within the boundaries dips inward toward the center. By contrast, a range is a single line of mountains or hills forming a connected chain of land higher than the surrounding area. When combined, the two make up basin and range topography. A landscape comprised of basins and ranges is characterized as having a series of undulating mountain ranges sitting parallel to low, broad valleys (basins). Normally, each of these valleys is bounded on one or more sides by mountains and although the basins are relatively flat, the mountains can either rise abruptly out of them or slope upward gradually. The differences in elevations from the valley floors to the mountain peaks in most basin and range areas can range from several hundred feet to over 6,000 feet (1,828 meters). Causes of Basin and Range Topography The resulting faults are called normal faults and are characterized by rocks dropping down on one side and rising on the other. In these faults, there is a hanging wall and a footwall and the hanging wall is responsible for pushing down on the footwall. In basins and ranges, the hanging wall of the fault is what creates the range as they are the blocks of the Earths crust that are pushed upward during crustal extension. This upward movement occurs as the crust spreads apart. This portion of the rock is located on the margins of the fault line and moves up when the rock being moved in the extension gathers on the fault line. In geology, these ranges forming along fault lines are called horsts. Conversely, the rock below the fault line is down dropped because there is a space created by the divergence of lithospheric plates. As the crust continues to move, it stretches and becomes thinner, creating more faults and areas for rocks to drop into gaps. The results are the basins (also called grabens in geology) found in basin and range systems. One common feature to note in the worlds basins and ranges is the extreme amount of erosion that occurs on the peaks of the ranges. As they rise, they are immediately subject to weathering and erosion. The rocks are eroded by water, ice, and wind and particles are quickly stripped and washed down the mountainsides. This eroded material then fills the faults and collects as sediment in the valleys. The Basin and Range Province Within the Basin and Range Province, the relief is abrupt and the basins normally range from 4,000 to 5,000 feet (1,200- 1,500 m), while most of the mountain ranges climb 3,000 to 5,000 feet (900-1,500 m) above the basins. Death Valley, California is the lowest of the basins with its lowest elevation of -282 feet (-86 m). Conversely, Telescope Peak in the Panamint Range to the west of Death Valley has an elevation of 11,050 feet (3,368 m), showing the enormous topographic prominence within the province. In terms of the Basin and Range Provinces physiography, it features a dry climate with very few streams and internal drainage (a result of the basins). Although the area is arid, much of the rain that does fall accumulates in the lowest basins and forms pluvial lakes such as the Great Salt Lake in Utah and Pyramid Lake in Nevada. The valleys are mostly arid however and deserts such as the Sonoran dominate the region. This area also affected a significant portion of the United States’ history as it was a major barrier to westward migration because the combination of desert valleys, bounded by mountain ranges made any movement in the area difficult. Today, U.S. Highway 50 crosses the region and crosses five passes over 6,000 feet (1,900 m) and is considered The Loneliest Road in America. Worldwide Basin and Range Systems Western Turkey is also cut by an easterly trending basin and range landscape that extends into the Aegean Sea. It is also believed that many of the islands in that sea are portions of ranges between basins that have a high enough elevation to break the sea’s surface. Where ever basins and ranges occur, they represent an enormous amount of geologic history as it takes millions of years to form to the extent of those found in the Basin and Range Province.

Introduction to Personal and Preofessional Practice Essay

Introduction to Personal and Preofessional Practice - Essay Example As a student at the University of Central Lancashire, I got the opportunity to learn different things that were related to my academic and personal experiences. Responsibility and Initiative in the marketing class During the module, I have learned the importance of responsibility and initiative. Responsibility refers to being accountable for decisions and actions, and University students are expected to be responsible and take initiative in their tasks (Baker, 2009). I have had to initiate conversations with members of the faculty, make intelligent choices about the courses to take and critically decide which marketing-related clubs I needed to join. University is very different from high school, and as much as there were several advising programs in the University, many decisions were left in the hands of the students. I was faced with a responsibility over my life and I had to take initiative so as to ensure successful completion of my course. University was also quite different fr om home since I had been used to letting my parents make the choices for me. I needed to learn how to become independent, confident and accountable for all my actions. These needs were preparing me for the future since after school there are many opportunities that require responsibility and initiative: family life and working life. ... Also I ensured that I took a balanced diet since there was nobody to make the choices on my behalf. So far I have learnt about the best ways to choose activities that can contribute to one’s overall wellbeing. Being a vegetarian meant that I had to maintain a good balance of all food groups. I joined the Christian group so that I could get a religious identity, and this gave me spiritual nourishment. I participated in several Badminton and Chess competitions whereby I won five awards, and that success made me realize that I was good in those two sports. The process of making wise decisions about my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellness gave me a basis for future responsibility over my wellbeing and that of others. Course work and Time management I realized that the main obligation that I had in the University was my academic career. Marketing course required that I participate in community- based projects, school- based projects and all events organized by marketi ng department. It also needed more studying hours than other subjects since it covered a wide range of topics. I had several non- academic activities that would compete for my time but I realized that time management was key to ensuring that I balanced all of them. I had a problem understanding that my course required more than just the allocated class time. However, I talked to a faculty member and he advised me that I needed to do more personal studies so that I could research and understand what I had been taught in class. At the University, we had work-study jobs that students would do during their part time, and I decided to do them too since they would prepare me for employments in future. As I did my studies, I took up a part time job in

The Roman History of Cassius Dio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Roman History of Cassius Dio - Essay Example Suetonius and his work the â€Å"The lives of the twelve Caesars" gives us an insight into the character of Nero. While the emperor did not see any direct action in Britain, the causes for the revolt grew under his watch. Thus, one can argue that Nero's lack of concern or apathy towards the provinces and empire contributed to the revolt. As such, the main argument in favor of seeing Nero as responsible for the revolt is his lack of interest or complete disregard for the provinces. Accordingly, using the texts of the Dio, Tacitus, and Suetonius, this essay will first examine the circumstances surrounding the revolt of Boudicca and the manner in which Nero's behavior contributed towards it. The province of Britain did not have a very hostile population. In fact, Tacitus claims that "The Britons themselves submit to the levy, the tribute and the other charges of the empire with cheerful readiness†¦". Instead, the province, which was in charge of Suetonius Paulinus, revolted as a r esult of growing political and economic mistreatment by the Roman provincial administration. This reached a climax with the death of the King Prasutagus who ruled the Iceni autonomously. In his will, he divided his kingdom between Nero and his daughters in order to win approval with the imperial order. However, instead of winning favor, his queen, Boudicca, was flogged, his daughters ravaged and his family, along with those of other nobles were plundered. This incident, along with the abuses of the procurator and the governor, prompted Boudicca and a vast number of Britons to revolt. Further injustices against the Iceni included the takeover of their property by the procurator and the change in the status of their kingdom from autonomous to provincial. Furthermore, financial concessions made to the British earlier became void. Dio stated that the revolt cost approximately 80,000 Roman lives and almost destroyed the Ninth Legion.