Cultural diversity research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cultural diversity research paper - Essay Example This has resulted mainly due to a lot of pressure under exerted by the human rights activist under the Howard Government in the past decade. The multicultural policy also results due to general repercussion against liberal social movements surrounding groups such as the native people, feminist, ecologists and trade unionist over the decades. Due to such advocacy, the Australian environment has witnessed a shift of governance and policy conceptualization from quasi-pluralist model of ethnic governance to civic nationalist steered by the leadership of Howard government. Australia Multicultural Population Australia has a unique population in that 25% of them were born oversees and 43% of the national population are either born oversees or have one parent born oversees making it a country of multicultural population (Skywirk, 2013). In addition, this has been witnessed since 1945 due to the planned immigration programs, which have resulted into 6million people coming to Australia from ov er 150 countries in the globe (Skwirk, 2013). People wishing to migrate to Australia will not be denied entry based on race, ethnicity, religion or gender since selection of immigrants has been non-discriminatory over the years (Dunn & Forrest, 2006). This diversity in Majority of the Australia Immigrants are from the U.K, which represent over a million immigrants since 1970s to date. The immigration program of Australia and the multicultural policy is accommodative since it also tolerates the religious diversity by allowing populations from diverse religious backgrounds. In addition, the religious diverse groups are represented by the people from turkey, Lebanon and India who are equally welcomed in Australia. By 1980s, the Australian population was so diverse that it contained people from Vietnam, Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Cambodia and china, both in significant numbers making it a country of all races (Australia Government, 2013). The official language in Australia is Eng lish but there are over 200 languages from different communities including the 48 languages from the indigenous people hence about 16% speak other languages other than English. The Asian countries form the largest chunk of Australian immigrants representing 7% of the Australian overall population (Skwirk, 2013). Most of these are Chinese and Vietnamese representing the fifth and the fourth largest population in Australia respectively. By 1901, the Immigration Restriction Act restricted most of the early immigrant groups leading to fewer populations of immigrants during that period and this was before the realization that immigration is crucial for the social and the economic future of Australia. Australian multicultural policy principles (Australian Government, 2013) Principle 1: Due to the diversity of the Australian population in terms of both ethnicity/race and religion, it makes it a multicultural nation with more vibrant and creative ideologies, which helps in nation building. An enduring theme of Australian multicultural policy is that everyone belongs and enjoys all the benefits that come with the rich diversity. Moreover, the Austrians celebrate the diversity and recognize that the expression of diversity is embedded within their

Transcendentalism was a cult or so to say, a rejection of God Essay Example for Free

Transcendentalism was a cult or so to say, a rejection of God Essay Transcendentalism was a spiritual, philosophical, literary movement that took place in the Boston area between the 1830s and late 1840s (Buchanan 1). The main idea was that the soul of the individual is identical to the soul of the world and that it contains what the world contains, and that the mind can apprehend absolute spiritual truths directly without having to detour through authorities and senses. This idea revolved around idealism, which is defined as any theory positing the primacy of spirit, mind, or language over matter (Campbell 2-3). Some have stated that Transcendentalism was a cult or so to say, a rejection of God. In reality, the movement was a preference to explain an individual and the world in terms of this individual. The individual was considered to be the spiritual center of the universe. Though not a cult, transcendentalism has ties to major religions. From Puritanism we get morality and the doctrine of divine light. From the Quakers, comes the inner light. Then, with Unitarianism there is the belief of the individual, the true source of the moral light (Reuben 2). Lockean philosophy, which involves all objects of the understanding described to be ideas, and ideas are spoken of as being in the mind, as well as Calvinist beliefs were used to underwrite the belief in Christianity and to focus on science and cognizance (Bickman 2). Ralph Waldo Emerson explains the name and the idea behind the movement with his profound statement, It is well known to most of my audience, that the Idealism of the present day acquired the name of Transcendental, from the use of that term by Immanuel Kant, of Konigsberg, who replied to the skeptical philosophy of Locke, which insisted that there was nothing in the intellect which was not previously in the experience of the senses, by showing that there was a very important class of ideas, or imperative forms, which did not come by experience but through which experience was acquired: that these were intuitions of the mind itself; and he denominated them the Transcendental forms. With the Unitarian church, came the optimistic and rationalistic ideas which lead to Transcendentalism. William Ellery Channing, Andrews Norton, and Edward Everett were ministers and philosophers of this time who were tied with the church. They pretty much made the transcendentalists who they were (Bickman 2). Those who agreed with the ideas of the church and the ideas of Emerson joined a club named, The Transcendental Club. Emerson was the head of it, and Hedge, Francis, Clarke, and Alcott would meet at George Ripleys house to form this organization. The organization was formed to exchange the thought of new ideas in philosophy, theology, and literature, but the members never decided to come up with a new form of religion (Transcendentalism 333). The taken philosophical meaning of this organization was that the mans practical and imaginative faculties play a part in his apprehension of the truth. In the art and literature world was a creation of works filled with the new passion for nature and common humanity and incarnating a fresh sense of the wonder, promise, and romance of life (327). Emerson was an educated man who studied at Harvard. He was a minister during the time of the Transcendental Club, and when his wife died, he decided to resign since he could not participate in communion. Emerson then decided to write poetic prose, essays with recurring themes (Emerson 1). He believed that reason is the highest faculty of the soul? what we mean by the soul itself; it never reasons, never proves, it simply perceives; it is wisdom (Campbell 4). With the ideas of oversoul, reason, wisdom, and perception, Emerson wrote what would be the most important essay in his life, Nature (Bickman 4). The focus of the essay was to describe the nature of life and how we are supposed to live. The essay helps to distinguish between macrocosm and microcosm, the difference in the world outside of an individual and that of the world inside (Campbell 4). The introduction expresses how a creature is to interact with God, how nature has no secrets, and how nature is divided between body and soul. After the introduction, Emerson divides the essay into sections titled as Nature, Commodity, Beauty, Language, Discipline, Idealism, Spirit, and Prospects. Throughout these chapters come this Transcendental / Romantic idea. There are no secrets in this form of intervention. Reality is split into nature and the soul (Steinhart 1). By going outside and looking at the stars, you can have a direct relation with nature, but your mind must be open. Emerson mentions, I become a transparent eye-ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God. He explains how open minded a person can be, and how they can connect with the oversoul through this process (2). Nature is only here to serve for our human needs, so it needs to be used wisely (3). Nature is also strict truth without ambiguity, and it can be perceived as an incarnation of God (8, 11). Emerson and other Transcendentalists believe that humans have the mental power and capacity to power over our own bodies (11). In other words, we control what goes on in our life by using our mind. And towards the end of the essay, comes the idea that when we are saved and restored, in the end we as beings will have the powers equal to those of God (13). Emerson was not the only Transcendental writer. Others included Margaret Fuller, Theodore Parker, Jones Very, Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, and the original Dr. William Ellery Channing. The closest known to Emerson would have to be Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau also grew up in Massachusetts and while in college studied Emersons Nature (Great? 1-2). The essay influenced Thoreau to keep a journal of his philosophies. The most influential journal published would be Walden (2). Walden is an autobiography / pastoral / extended familiar essay / literary excursion that pulls the reader into a mythic time that can be related to the present (6). Overall, the journal explains to the reader why the spiritual discipline is necessary for coming into the presence and possession of the sacred world (7). Transcendentalism was the living force that seemed to be extinguished as quickly as the flame started. Perry Miller, a professor at Harvard, says Parker killed himself with overwork, and Thoreau expanded himself; Emerson dissolved into aphasia, Ripley subsided into disillusion, Hedge became a Harvard professor? Brownsun became a catholic, as did Sophia Ripley, and Elizabeth Peabody became a ? character. In the end, Emerson and Thoreau were easily the most well known out of the Transcendentalists. Emersons essays and Thoreaus Walden seemed to be more popular than the rest of the group (Bickman 4). The thoughts of the Transcendentalists still live on, but as for the writing, it has pretty much ended. Personally, I highly recommend that everyone should read at least one piece from the Transcendentalism period. The reading is very influential and gets the reader thinking about life and how things fall together. The readings also change the readers perception of religion and could bring on an interest in theology. From reading Nature and Walden myself, I became hooked on the thought of the oversoul and the internal light within us. The stories impacted my spiritual being, as well as my mind. The philosophies of Transcendentalists also make the reader wonder where the thoughts come from and how they derive these thoughts. In all, it is in a way needed that everyone reads some of the Transcendentalists work, just for a change in thought. Works Cited Bickman, Martin. An Overview of American Transcendentalism. Internet. Available: http://www. vcu. edu/engwed/transcendentalism/ideas/definition. html 6 Apr 2004. Campbell, Donna M. American Transcendentalism. Literary Moments. Internet. Available: http://www. gonzaga. edu/faculty/campbell/enl311/amtrans. html 6 Apr 2004. Ralph Waldo Emerson. Internet. Available: http://www. poets. org/poets. cfm? prmID=205 19 Apr 2004. Great Thinkers of the World. HarperCollins Publishers, 1999. 372. Reuben, Paul P. Chapter 4: Early Nineteenth Century ? American Transcendentalism: A Brief Introduction. PAL: Perspectives in American Literature ? A Research and Reference Guide. Internet. Available: http://www. csustan. edu/english/reuben/pal/chap4/4intro. html 6 Apr 2004. Steinhart, Eric. Commentary on Ralph Waldo Emersons Nature. Internet. Available: http://www. wpunj. edu/cohssi/philosophy/COURSES/PHIL218/NATURE. HTM 6 Apr 2004. Transcendentalism. The Cambridge History of American Literature. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1917. 326 348.

Responsibility Of A Businessman

Responsibility Of A Businessman In the world of business, the paramount responsibility of the businessman has historically been to make profit and increase the shareholder value. In other words the motive of operating business has been the corporate financial responsibility. However in todays competitive world every company is striving to achieve competitive edge in the global market which is not feasible by achieving corporate financial responsibility In this modern era, the drivers of competitive advantage is not restricted to corporate financial responsibility but it also includes other issues such as brand loyalty, staff morale and motivation, reputational risk, environmental sustainability and many other. By keeping this knowledge in mind, in the last decade a movement describing wider concept of corporate responsibilities- for local communities, for ethical responsibility, for the environment, and for working condition, has grown and taken grip. This new driving force is CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) What is Corporate Social Responsibility? Particularly there is no universal definition of CSR , in general it means transparent business practices which are based on value of ethics along with fulfilling legal requirements and respect for the environment, community and people. Hence company is not responsible for profit only but also for the impact of their operation on people and the planet. Here the term people includes- companys stakeholders: its customers, employees, investors, business partners, vendors, and suppliers, the government and the community [1]. In business world, CSR is alternatively referred to corporate citizenship. According to South China Morning Post, 2002: The desire of companies looking beyond profits to their role in society is generally termed as corporate social responsibility .This term refers to a company linking itself with building employee relations, ethical values, compliance with legal requirements transparency, and all together respect for the communities in which they run. It goes beyond the occasional community service action, however, as Corporate social responsibility is a corporate philosophy that draws strategic decision-making, hiring practices, partner selection, and, ultimately, development of brand.[2] History of CSR The story of social and environment concern about business began with the story of business itself. There are many cases which indicate the presence of Corporate Social Responsibility in long time back. For example we can trace the Commercial logging operations and laws to protect forests around 5000 year back. In Ancient Mesopotamia in 1700 BC, under the rule of King Hammurabia there was a code which says builders, farmers, or innkeepers would put to death if their negligence cause any harm, inconvenience or death to local citizens. In 1622 disgruntled shareholders of Dutch East India Company used to issue pamphlets about the self enrichment and management secrecy. By the 1920s the Corporate Social Responsibility became one of the important issues for discussion this gave the beginning to the morden Corporate Social Responsibility movement [5]. Between 1900 and 1960 the corporate world slowly began to accept and adopt additional responsibilities towards society other than making a profit and obeying the law. Many believed that corporate world has the capability of avoiding social problems. Many legal mandates were designed for business related to product safety, equal employment opportunity, worker safety and the environment safety. In addition to this, society began to make expectation out of the corporate world that it would contribute towards the betterment of the society and will voluntarily participate in solving the problems related to the society. This expectation was based on the view that business should extend its responsibility beyond the economic and legal responsibility and should also cover responsibility towards the society. In this way Corporate social Responsibility came into the world of corporate and became one of the major and vital strategy for achieving and maintaing sustainability in this global world [6]. Corporate Governance is not the same as Corporate Social Responsibility There is a very fine line between Corporate Social Responsibility and corporate Governance. These two terms are extremely vital for the company. If the company has well designed Corporate governance programs then it would mostly cover all the issues related to Corporate Social Responsibility. In simple words corporate Governance means the system by which the organizations are directed and controlled. It is the way in which the top management executes their responsibility by using their authority and how they are accountable for it. It is concerned about openness, accountability and integrity in the decision making process of the organization. No doubtable it is important for all the organization regardless of whether is is private or public sector [10]. Need of adopting Corporate Social Responsibility by the companies Companies have start realizing that in order to be competitive, productive and relevant in a changing corporate world, they have to be responsible towards the society. In the world of globalization, how the company is maintaining its relationship with its employees, host communities, and the marketplace greatly affects the sustainability of the organization. To understand the need of Corporate Social Responsibility there are two aspects: moral aspect- business could not survive in isolation they rely on the society in which they exist. Society and business both are interconnected and inter dependent to each other. Business requires the infrastructure and source of employees that society provides. Corporate Social Responsibility is about recognizing the inter dependence between the corporate and society and a means of working on that obligation so as to giving mutual benefit to the business and to the society in which the business operates. It is analyzed on the part the business that for earning profit business do not exist in a vacuum and the success which it enjoy is mainly due to its healthy relationship with the society in which it operates. The motive of a business is not to make a profit, full stop. But the main motive is to make a profit so that the business can contribute for something more or better. That something is only the real justification for the business. It is a moral issue. To mistake the means for the end is to be turned in on oneself, which Saint Augustine called one of the greatest sins. It is useful and important to ask about any organization, If it did not exist, would we invent it? Only if it could do something good or more useful than anyone else would have to be the answer, and profit would be the means to that larger end.[4] Advocate of Corporate Social Responsibility believe that in advance economies the objective of business should be beyond the maximization of profit and efficiency. Society has an expectation out of businesses to have a responsibility and an obligation towards the society in which they operates, their customers and employees. The business should change its attitude towards its objective and should look beyond the narrow concept of shareholder concerns and traditional-bottom line. Business draw benefits from the society in which it operates in some or the other way like infrastructure, safe environment, employees from the society. economic aspect: In todays brand driven market Corporate Social Responsibility is a way of matching business operations with stakeholders demands and values. Its an economic self interest, there are many real economic benefits to businesses which are working upon the Corporate Social Responsibility. The corporations which are pursuing a Corporate Social Responsibility strategy are making there future bright because this will give the competitive and differentiation market advantage to the corporation. Corporate Social Responsibility covers almost all the day to day operations of the corporation. Whatever corporation does is in some way or the other way interact with the interest of stakeholders, the corporation needs to maintain its relationship with all its stakeholders. Success of the company is directly related to its brand royalty. Involving the large amount of money, time, and effort companies put in their brands, a good Corporate Social Responsibility policy is an best means of utilizing that i nvestment and maximizing its impact. 10 commandments of Corporate Social Responsibility Many companies are applying CSR strategy and getting involved in activities which they consider to be the part of CSR. There is a lot of misunderstanding relating to this term, so it is important to have a clear idea about CSR. To make a certain standards for the CSR, there are 10 commandments made for it: make ensure that corrective action is taken before it is required. Every company sets its own standards which should not be against the interest of other communities. Compliance of self imposed standards is always recommended to compliance with those standards which are imposed by constitution. The organization should work to establish industry-wide standards and self regulation. To follow Corporate Social Responsibility the organization should work with affected constituents to solve common problems. When ever if any mistake or some something against the interest of the society is conducted by the organization then it is recommended to publicly admit it because certain things are worse for organisations image than being caught red hand while trying to hide social irresponsible behaviour. Working for the society or doing anything for the society is not the rigt attitude for following Corporate Social Responsibility, what matters is that the organization should indulge itself into a approprita social programs. The organization should contribute in correcting the environment problems. In this global world the especially the developing coutries are changing their social environment, here comes the Corporate Social Responsibilty for the organization to monitor the changing social environment and shaping it in the better way. Corporate Social Responsibilty seeks for the code of conduct, so the organization should establish and enforce proper and clear corporate code of conduct. It is expected out of the organization that in case of social issues the organization should public stand. The organization should not be lost in enforcing the Corporate Social Responsibilty and get distract from its main objective of earning profit. It should try hard to make profit because an organization can not provide social benefit such as employment, if it is not in a condition to make profit on an on going bases [9]. Companies following CSR: Many companies are practicing CSR, they have made it as a integral part of the organization strategy many big companies are practicing the corporate and ethical practice. most of the companies are changing their product or innovating them in such a way that new product would be environmental friendly and make the sustainable development. An example of the company which is following Corporate social Responsibility Idea Cellular Ltd: This company is in telecom service, its mission is to delight their customers while meeting their customers communication needs any time and any where. This company is very active in Corporate social Responsibility, its CSR activity is mainly based in the area of education and rural development. This company is a responsible corporate citizen and it try hard to give back to the society in which it operates. The activities which this company has undertaken for Corporate social Responsibility are : Pocket Public Call Office project- this company along with International Finance Corporation has taken a step for making and implementing a Pocket PCO project in India. this will create a mobile phone which would have an additional feature of PCO software embedded in it. This device can be use for double purpose, for personal use and as a PCO for business opportunity. This company has made commitment to improve the lives of individuals by providing better quality access to telecommunication. FICCI-Aditya Birla Corporate Social Responsibility Centre for Excellence- as per the mission and corporate value of the company, this company along with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry , and other groups companies have launched a Corporate Social Responsibility centre. This purpose of doing this is to create the culture and concept of Corporate Social Responsibility among businesses, industries, institutions, which will benefit employees, their families in short to the whole society through training and welfare programs.[8] Recently this company came up with an idea of conducting Corporate Social Responsibility through advertisements. This new advertisement which mostly talks about democracy, rural development and education is a milestone in the journey of this brand. By doing this Idea cellular Ltd. In India is successfully gaining market share. this company has adopted Corporate Social responsibility because they believe that business sustainability depends largely up on the high ethical standards of the company. An example of the companies which are not to much serious about Corporate social Responsibility Corporate Social responsibility is not mandatory for the organization to adopt and apply it in its day to day working. There are certain companies which are not much bother about the Corporate Social responsibility, they believe that they can survive in the market without it. The companies which are consider as socially irresponsible are bp, Hallibrton, Dow Chemical, Glaxo Smith Kline, MERCK and many others. Kelloggs is consider as socially irresponsible company in its few products. The coco pops of Kelloggs contain 35% sugar which is too unhealthy for the children. The highly sugar concentrated Kellogs Coco pop cereal is unsuitable for the children. The advertisement of this product was done basiclly in front of school and bus stops, the target market were children. In the advertisement a monkey wearing school uniform which was aimed to encourage children to eat a high sugar cereal. Kellogs is a partner of Change 4life, a department of health initiative which help to reduce obesity. This Coco Pop cereal of Kellongs advertisement conflicts with this approach. This carelessness of Kellongs affected its image. But it did not affected to its profit much.[11] Benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility is one of the most important business strategies, consumers are interested in buying products of those companies on which they can trust, suppliers want to deal with those companies which are trust worthy and employees prefer to work for those companies for which they have respect. Satisfying these stakeholders of the company would maximize the commitment of the company towards its main stakeholders- investors, who get benefits the most when company meets the expectation of its other stakeholders. In the globalization era only those corporations can succeed who manages to handle conflicting interests of it stakeholders. Avoiding unnecessary resource use and reducing waste does not just protect the environment but also saves the money of the organization. There are many benefits attached to Corporate Social Responsibility: It builds the good reputed image of the organization, this make easy to recruit employees. Generally people want to work in that organization where they can have trust that they will get their pay and other benefits. This may hold back the employess in the organization which would further provide benefit to the organization by reducing the cost of recruitment and training. Corporate Social Responsibility makes the organization active and involve it with other local communities in a positive way, this creates an opportunity to make positive press coverage. Corporate social Responsibility encourage the invertors to invest in the organization, it provide assurity to the investors that the organization is favorite of the public so its save to invest in it. It makes the organization more competitive and also sustain the organization in the market. This reduces the risk of sudden damage to the reputation of the organization [7]. In order to satisfy the wants of present generation without compromising the ability of satisfying the future generation wants and needs is what we call sustainable development. Corporate Social Responsibility contributes for sustainable development of the economy. Cost of Corporate Social Responsibility Sometimes corporate social responsibility is also taken in a negative way or as a costly strategy for the corporation. Taking social responsibility is not economically feasible. Social issues should be some other societys responsibility to handle. Implementing Corporate Social Responsibilty might be expensive. Resources such as people, time, and money need to be allocated and requires training and reporting activities will likely raise the cost of operation. It is kind of burden for the organization, it requires more report works other then financial report now to practice Corporate Social Responsibility the organization has to make non profit report Conclusion Corporate Social Responsibility is a pure voluntary action, which depends on the organization to whether adopt it and follow or do not care for its responsibility towards the society in which it operate. It has gained a lot a attention in last decade, many companies are making non financial report. It is believe that Corporate Social responsibility contribute for sustainable development of the economy. It may at first appear to be a cost burden for the organization but at the end it found to be supportive of brand, sales, investor popularity and employee loyalty Government and non government organization along with the businesses are indulge in constructing a number of frameworks and guidelines which the company can practice to measure their commitment towards Corporate Social Responsibility The bottom line is this the combination of corporate financial responsibility and Corporate Social Responsibility makes the organization to realize its goal and enable it to sustain in the market for the long period..

Influence of TV And Radio :: essays papers

Influence of TV And Radio One of the most important means of communication by pictures and sounds is the television. Most of what we learn comes from television. Just think of all that we see in just one hour of television-commercials, educational programs, sitcoms, etc. The TV is another source that we can learn from about lands far away, people, and places. You can sit in your living room while visiting Europe, Asia, or even Australia. Television is a huge influence on our daily lives, as shown by how much time is spent staring at its screen. Unfortunately, the heaviest viewers of television are children. Of course, there are worthwhile programs on TV suitable for kids, such as Sesame Street and the Magic School Bus, but just imagine what a child would think if he saw just one episode of Melrose Place. Do we tell the children that this is acceptable? Radio is important, but is not used as frequently anymore due to the birth of television. We hear the news and can listen to different opinions of controversial subjects. Millions of families used to gather around the radio to listen to dramas, light comedies, variety shows, live music, and other programs. However, people can communicate a lot more quickly between any two points either on land, at sea, in the sky, or also in space, with the use of the radio. Politically, the radio made it possible for the people to be informed about government policies directly. Radio was "born" in the twenties, and "died" in the forties. Because the depression made listening the only amusement people could afford, the thirties were radio's finest years. Later, in the fifties television was making a breakthrough. By 1961, 88% of the United States' households had two sets which were in use for an average of 5 hours a day. Television killed off small-club boxing, minor league baseball, and practically any other activity that meant leaving the living room. Television is the perfect baby-sitter. We just plop our kids down in front of the set, while we go among our business. Television has spent more time raising our kids than we have. Children no longer play baseball or swing on the swings in the park or play tag in the back yard as much anymore. Television and radio have, obviously, been a huge influence on our lives. But the main question is: have they been a good influence or a bad

Goals in life Essay

It is the goal of every individual to adequately achieve his/her goals in life. It is what motivates them to strive and seek for something worthwhile. Each one uses this as a model for getting motivation and fulfillment in the things that they do. Amidst the setbacks that are in place, it is in here that they learn to appreciate what is important in life; hard work and determination. Moreover, our ability to transcend to other people and influence change can truly bring about capabilities to be adaptive and vibrant. Give this notion, I wish to present my intention to apply for a degree in Communication. Dialogue and exchange remain to be one of the instruments that shape man’s interaction among other people. It serves as an important determinant in molding and creating individuals who are both capable to adapt and conquer the challenges of professional practice. Given the complexities of today’s workplace, many students need to be formally trained to have the sufficient and necessary skills to cope in these changing times. By doing this, I can be competent and vigorous in the things I do. To supplement this, one must have the essential experience and leadership skills so that this relative facet be honed and cultivated. For my part, I believe that I have these necessary ideals to adequately address these challenges both in the educational environment and in the workplace. It is in here that I wish to point out my qualifications and traits that I believe can be vital towards my application in UC. At an early age, I was exposed into various endeavors that opened up my abilities and potential as a leader. Being immersed in these activities other than my study widened my horizons and opened new boundaries for me to explore. From my experience in Hong Kong to my community work in Santa Monica College, all these paved the way for such realization. At the same time, I was able to cultivate the service trait which I believe is an essential component of a good and adequate leader. Looking at my experiences, I had mentioned that I was not merely involved in academic undertaking. I too tried to develop my interpersonal skills by advocating numerous civic and extracurricular activities including sports. Back then, I was in the badminton school team since I was in grade 7(grade 7 to grade 11) I represent my school to entered many badminton competitions and came out with a good results. Moreover, I am proud to have been part of the â€Å"Duke of Edinburg Awards† (The DofE) and finished the Silver level. The DofE is a programme of activities that can be undertaken by anyone aged from 14 to 25, regardless of personal ability. In the end, all these endeavors contributed to what I am right now; competitive and vibrant. With your help, I can actively sustain this energy and create opportunities for me to create and respond actively to the needs of others. Prompt 2 I believe that determination and patience remains to be the defining factor in the way we do and handle things. It is in this light that we gain experience and insights that contribute to the way we do our tasks and responsibilities. Give the different struggles that we may encounter in these situations; we must continue to stand up and use these events as a way to facilitate a renewed effort to widen our horizons and learn from the process. It is with this adage that I come to combat every challenge that may come along the way. Coming from the United States as an immigrant, I too experienced difficulties in adjusting to the norms and culture. I had to cope up with the language barrier and effectively communicating with other people. However, this did not stop me from achieving what I wanted to be. Rather than giving up in the process, I developed my personal commitment to major in communication to help me bridge this gap and let other immigrants feel the same way. Though this task is never an easy one, I feel that my background and the way I was brought up by my father can give me the strength to tackle any challenge that may come along the way. Looking back, I am proud to say that my family raised me pretty well and gave the right norms and values to handle the pressures in the outside world. They gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent and skills in different ways. Each one did not hamper my growth but gave me the inspiration to focus on what I want. In addition, they imparted in me the lessons of patience and perseverance in everything. Now, I began to understand and appreciate what they gave me. As I brought these adages to practice, I became involved in numerous activities outside the academic realm. It has always been my belief that to achieve an element of satisfaction and fulfillment, one must go out of his/her comfort zone and serve other people. With this, I began to associate with individuals in different levels may it be in sports (badminton) or civic activities such as my participation in Duke of Edinburg Awards. Not only did these programs enhance my capabilities and skills as an individual, it also gave meaning in my life and purpose in everything that I do. My involvement as a vice president of my house was also a unique experience on my part. It proved vital for me to enhance my leadership and communication skills among other people. I became part of charity events and reaching out for disabled people. It motivated me because I am now seeing what I wanted to become and actively working harmoniously with other individuals. I learned useful skills which allow me to meet people and communicate with them. In all of these, I feel that the past five years of my life were a determining factor of what I wanted to be.

A million little Osamas essays

A million little Osama's essays The Image of Arabs in American Popular Culture Hollywood is arguably the most important ISA (ideological state apparatus) in modern America. More than from parents, school or church do children get their ideas and values from the celluloid. This imposes on the movie industrys executives the great responsibility of not only entertaining people, but also to be the guardians of the set of values the Western world holds dear: equality, freedom and maybe most importantly, respect for one another. According to Professor Jack G. Shaheen, Hollywood is not taking this responsibility when it comes to one ethnic group: Arabs. For Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies A People, Shaheen screened over 900 films that have come from the Mecca of American film since 1898 and he came to a dazzling conclusion: Hollywood depicts Arabs as evil villains. They are either crazed terrorists who want to destroy America or wealthy oil-sheiks with large limousines, who aim at taking over America by simply buying it. Shaheens argument is in concordance with the writings of Edward Said, who in Orientalism showed how Westerners view Arab culture as a whole, neglecting the fact that it is as diverse as European culture, and collectively feel threatened by the Orient and its people: the other. When one looks through the eyes of Shaheen at films like True Lies (1996), The Siege (1998) and Rules of Engagement (2000), his conclusion seems valid. These films indeed seem to have been made for the sole purpose of representing the Arab people negatively. As Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times said (about The Siege): Given how vulnerable Arab-Americans are to defamation, was this film really necessary? (Shaheen 430). To make a counterfactual link between Hollywoods vilification of Arabs (often wrongly used as a synonym for Muslims) and the hate crimes committed against Arab-Americans after 9/11 may be far...

Free Essays on Security

Mike’s backpackers web site for is committed to maintaining a sociable online community where all the customer despite the gender, race, age and technical background feel at they are in a hassle-free and comfortable environment. To maintain this comfortable environment we have implemented polices and procedures that our users must agree and abide by. To continue apart of the friendly community members must be considerate to others. Repeated violations of these polices will result in the member being banned from reentering the community forum. These forums persuade an extensive variety of opinions. We want to maintain that the posts focused on the topic of the forum in which you are submitting your message. These topics range from equipment, trip locations, safety and travel advice. Each forum has a different topic, so what is appropriate in one forum or thread may not be appropriate in another. All inquiries are to be answered in the forums and not answered by email. We want everyone to be able to benefit from the replies and its content. If you do not hold the copyright trademark it is illegal to post any content that dose not have trademark or is copyrighted. You will need the authorization of the author or owner of the copyrighted material to be able to content that is protected by copyrights. You will not be able to include full text of news from another source or articles. We recommend that if you wish to post information about a previously written document that you copy and paste the link into the forum. You may paraphrase the document as long as you give the source so that the members can read for them selves. If you violate this policy you will be banned from this community forum. We do not want to post false information. We want to uphold our reputation and become a reliable source of information. Promotion, advertising, or solicitation for XXX adult or sexually explicit work IS NOT permitted. Images posted that con... Free Essays on Security Free Essays on Security Mike’s backpackers web site for is committed to maintaining a sociable online community where all the customer despite the gender, race, age and technical background feel at they are in a hassle-free and comfortable environment. To maintain this comfortable environment we have implemented polices and procedures that our users must agree and abide by. To continue apart of the friendly community members must be considerate to others. Repeated violations of these polices will result in the member being banned from reentering the community forum. These forums persuade an extensive variety of opinions. We want to maintain that the posts focused on the topic of the forum in which you are submitting your message. These topics range from equipment, trip locations, safety and travel advice. Each forum has a different topic, so what is appropriate in one forum or thread may not be appropriate in another. All inquiries are to be answered in the forums and not answered by email. We want everyone to be able to benefit from the replies and its content. If you do not hold the copyright trademark it is illegal to post any content that dose not have trademark or is copyrighted. You will need the authorization of the author or owner of the copyrighted material to be able to content that is protected by copyrights. You will not be able to include full text of news from another source or articles. We recommend that if you wish to post information about a previously written document that you copy and paste the link into the forum. You may paraphrase the document as long as you give the source so that the members can read for them selves. If you violate this policy you will be banned from this community forum. We do not want to post false information. We want to uphold our reputation and become a reliable source of information. Promotion, advertising, or solicitation for XXX adult or sexually explicit work IS NOT permitted. Images posted that con... Free Essays on Security Securing Your Network Securing Your Network Can a network be secure in today’s changing world? Why do we need network security? Does the network security process ever stop? These are the big three questions asked by corporate executives all the time. Companies want to feel safe and secure that their files are safe. With all the computer attacks in the news these days, it makes companies wonder if they will be the next targets. Network intrusion can spell disaster for many companies. There are many things we can do to protect our networks. A good security plan outlining basic security measures is needed for quick response and disaster recovery. Auditing, tracking and monitoring a network can show leaks and intrusions. Firewalls and other software and hardware appliances can help deter network intruders. Making use of the different types of encryption can reduce your exposure to invaders. There are many ways that hackers can get into a network. Network security is vital to protect financial data, inventory, customer information, research, and last but not least network privacy. Network security never stops; it is an ongoing task to protect our data from prying eyes. Keeping a network secure is a time-consuming process that requires a lot of attention to detail. Similar to troubleshooting faulty equipment, tracking down security breaches in the network and finding their cause requires tools made for the job and someone trained to use them. To have security practices that make sense you must first define a security policy that spells out exactly what can and cannot be done on the network. Intruders who might penetrate the network and compromise data and programs do so in many ways. One of those is to exploit naive users who are on the network. A good security policy that is enforced can provide better insurance against the naà ¯ve user giving access to someone outside that may do harm to the network. Other tas...

Arab Woman to Gain Quotas

Arab Woman to Gain Quotas Free Online Research Papers Quotas are setting up a percentage of or number or the representation of a certain group, in this case it will be women, most frequently in the form of a minimum percentage, for example a 20, 30 or 40 percent. Quotas are used as a measure to boost the representation of excluded or under-represented groups in politics in the past. In most of the countries quotas are target mostly to woman. It is targeted towards woman because the county was woman to take part in the county’s politics and it also helps woman’s to bring out the problems they face in the society and what the county can do to help them solve their problems. Quotas have been introduced in many countries, for example â€Å"Latin American, Argentina was the forerunner with its introduction of legal candidate quotas in 1991. Since then this type of quotas has spread all over the Latin-American region. In Africa, South Africa has inspired other countries in the region to adopt voluntary party quotas, while Uganda has led concerning reserved seats. In South Asia gender quotas at the local level have been introduced in recent years in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, even if these three countries do not openly refer to experience made by their neighbors. â€Å"(Quota database, 2007) Pros Quotas for women do not differentiate, but compensate for real barriers that prevent women from their reasonable share of the political seats. Women have the right as citizens to equal participation. Womens experiences are needed in or should be addressed political life. Women are just as qualified and educated as men, but womens qualifications are looked down upon and minimized in a male-dominated political system. (Quota Database, 2007) Cons Quotas are against the principle of equal chance for all, since men are given less chance and woman are given more preference. Quotas are an undemocratic way; the voters should decided who should be chosen. Again a party should decide who should be in a party and who should be selected to represent a party. Quota again tells that people are elected on the base of their gender and not on their education qualification; and the candidates who are eligible for election are kept aside. (Quota Database, 2007) Many of the non democratic countries like the Arab countries and African countries do not allow woman to take part in politics. In these countries women’s groups have been actively involved to help woman to take part or get seats in politics. Let us now take a look at how woman in the Middle Eastern regions are treated. Woman in the Middle Eastern region have been seen as an oppressed group. From the sand deserts of Saudi Arabia to the hilly lands of Afghanistan, Arab woman have faced many problems in society. The role of any woman around the world is seen nurturing and meant to be taken care of the family, even in the Middle Eastern regions woman have been seen as nurturing and home makers. But many of the women have moved on to a more new outlook they have take roles as educators and laborers. Arab woman are threatening the traditional Arab family structure by moving to a modern view, however many of the woman are willing to make the sacrifice, to see the world has more to offer them than just family circle responsibility and childbearing. Islam religion allows their woman to be educated and also to earn a separate income from their husband. As Arab woman continue to seek education and continue their jobs, society’s anticipation over them, giving more power to those who are against these a ctions. In the past decades , the number of Arab woman in work force have rise, and have included a solid education in their early life achievements. The idea of an educated and successful woman started lond time back, it dates back to almost 1500 years when Prophet Muhammad wife Khadija, she owned her own caravan and was her own employer, and she was successful at that. After the death of the Prophet the status and important of woman started declining slowly. Due to this many feminist movements started taking place. Even though these feminist movements encouraged Arab woman to raise in society only a handful were able to attain that, many countries like Saudi Arabia still held their woman back. Muslims have taken Islam religion very seriously, while each Middle Eastern county has its own set of rules. Majority of the Middle Eastern countries take a few things from the Islam religion and a few things are thrown out just to satisfy with they want to achieve. This still happens in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. While a few countries do not permit woman to work, majority of the countries allow their woman to wok, therefore the number of woman in workforce has risen and also rate of woman achieving education has risen. There are still many factors which keep the number of woman in workforce low. In many of the Arab countries girls get married at a very young age, they barely even complete their high school. Therefore these Arab families consist of many children is not an uncommon sight. These two factors are the many cause of Arab woman’s participation in work force. The role of a woman in the house is seen is always viewed as a doubtful as to whether or not she can move up to a position of power or authority. Here in the Middle Eastern region especially Saudi Arabia, men and woman are not allowed to work closely, things like a hand shake with a man and a woman is prohibited. At restaurants there will be different sitting area for men and woman and one for family area where a man and his wife and children can sit. Culture like this has a large influence on woman and their upcoming in work force. One country that is slightly advanced than the other Middle Eastern countries is Lebanon; the Lebanon government does not force their woman to wear a veil, communication between male and female is allowed publically. Lebanese woman have been given the freedom to sexually express them self. In many of the Middle Eastern families the son is educated and independent and the girl is made to work alongside to the mother in the house. They domesticate the female child at an early age and tell them that this is what they need to know. Even some parts of India, Bangladesh, Sir Lanka, woman are seen as a home maker and not fit for outside the home jobs. Even if they are they are give job like a secretarial post, or a teachers post. In Iran, woman joined the revolution to remove the Shah’s rule and played a very important role in helping. The Iranian women are now fighting against wearing the veil, and this battle they have to fight on their own. It is now up to them whether they want their freedom or not. Arab woman have become more active in their societies, they have taken part from politics to feminist movements. In Kuwait, woman made history or wrote a new chapter for all other woman in the Middle Eastern region to get involved in politics and government positions. Kuwait Parliamentary finally allowed woman to participate in election, which means which means they will participate in 2007 elections. Also a Kuwaiti woman started a campaign to run for position in municipal council in Kuwait. This is the first time woman has taken part in campaign like this since 1962. This is the first time an election campaign was organized by a woman. In 2006 Najah-al-Attar from Syria is the first woman ever to be elected or appointed in such a high position. She will be responsible for the cultural foreign policy. President Hafez Al Assad who was the president for nearly 30 years, Attar was the cultural minister during his rule. This kind of news is rare but encouraging to see woman being assigned to such high position in the Syrian government. It shows some progress on the uplifting status of woman among the Arab countries. It is good to see woman working in government and achieving such high position, it is also good to see that woman are not just treated as a symbol of domestic role. On 25th of March 2006, a news article tells us, a large number of woman in Iran have also started in working in Iranian police force, and the government wants more woman to work under crime related issues. There are around 2000 police woman, but the head of the police says that they still need around 8000 more. A police recruiter said in a Islamic state like Iran men and woman have the same amount of rights and they both have equal rights. So as there as there is a need for having policemen there is need to have policewoman too. In countries like Jordan woman are fighting to get seats in the parliament. In Morocco woman are roughly given 10% of 325 seats. A demand of quota for woman in Jordan is high. In many of the other Arab counties men feel a strong opposition to quota system and feel that political process should not be interfered with. In the year 2002 in October, all eight women lost to men even when most of them who voted were woman. Some say that this is because of the culture; woman will not vote for another woman and will vote for a men as they feel that men should the one in power. Since 1970 the number of girls in school has doubled which means that more girls are being educated. (Arab women demand quotas) Sheikha Yousef Hasan Al-Gerifi ran for city council in 2005 in Qatar. She can across many problem other woman around the world would have never faced. Since Qatar is a conservative country like its neighbor like Saudi, Sheikha Yousef Hasan Al-Gerifi’d family did not allow her to put her picture on her campaign as woman there are supposed to be wearing the Veil. But the most important that maters here is she won the election. Political scientist Hala Mustafa of Egypts al-Ahram Foundation says that woman have a small or very little power in the field of politics. In Saudi Arabia woman are granted a few political rights as compared to other countries, recently two woman were introduced to the chamber of commerce, it might be a small step but to the Arab Woman it is a very important step. Although many achievements have been made yet so much more has to be done. Arab woman have a lot of oppression yet to overcome. Like we have seen before Islam has given many rights to woman, the ones have held these rights back from woman are the males in the society. Islam religion has given their woman to right to education and earn income separate from their husband. There is a major battle between religion and culture. How will this battle be resolved? Will Arab woman give way to independence and forget their traditional duties? Will they be able to turn society as a whole, or will they be able to give justice to both worlds and bring on a new generation? Research Papers on Arab Woman to Gain QuotasDefinition of Export QuotasInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceMind TravelHip-Hop is ArtAnalysis Of A Cosmetics Advertisement19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyResearch Process Part OneBringing Democracy to Africa

Hospitality Management Major-Dining Room Operation Class-Memo 3 Essay

Hospitality Management Major-Dining Room Operation Class-Memo 3 - Essay Example One gets ready to attend to the guests and to serve their needs in a customized fashion. This calls for one to understand their guests and to comprehend what their needs are (Holmes, 12). The second part is the attribute of effecting merchandising. This is where one takes the order of the meals. One gets to interact with the guests and get what their orders of the day or the time are. What it is they feel like having at that point in time. The third part of a meal is the action of practically getting to serve the meal. This comes upon getting what the guests would like to have and hence it is done in a fashion that is befitting the desires of the guests at the point in time (Hall, and Schulz, 43). â€Å"Having the chef explain particular items is a good way for the service person to learn the menu† (Strianese and Strianese, 161). The service person needs to be at the beck and call of the guests and hence needs to master the menu. â€Å"Guests often inquire about terms on the menu† (Strianese and Strianese, 164). Finally the last part is getting to present the check to the gusts. This is where they get the breakdown of what the fiscal implications of their service was and they are required to foot their bill before making their

Fighting for His Views Ron Paul 2012 Research Paper

Fighting for His Views Ron Paul 2012 - Research Paper Example Another one furthered that comment by saying: â€Å"There are few people in public life who, through thick and thin, rain or shine, stick to their principles. Ron Paul is one of those few.† (About Ron Paul No pg) Ron Paul has always upheld the constitution and he believes that Americans must face the harsh realities of the world. He believed that we need to tackle our problems using the principles of our forefathers which form the basis on which our great nation was built (Potter No pg). Pittsburgh was the birth place of Ron Paul and he was raised there as well. He grew up to become an obstetrician/gynecologist with more than 4000 deliveries under his belt. Furthermore, Ron married Carol Wells in 1957 and has been with her since. He is fathering five children with her. He has been active in politics for almost 50 years now and his views and ideals have not wavered an inch over these years. He is consistent, trustworthy and real and he is one of the most famous Presidential can didate for the elections of 2012(Potter No pg). Paul believes in the integrity of the Constitution and that is why he so vehemently opposes any act that encroaches on the freedom and privacy of American people. This is a refreshing change of pace for Americans who so far have only witnessed politicians who talk about honoring the constitution but completely ignore it when it does not fit their agenda. Ron Paul may not be as polished as other candidates but he likes to keep it real and this has been the reason for him fame. He says what he really believes in his heart and no amount of motivation can get him to change his beliefs. One of his followers sums it up best when she says: â€Å"What Ron Paul started is not going to go away. Republicans are in the midst of deciding what the GOP really is. He’s the only one standing on principles. And those principles are going to outlive Ron Paul.† (Potter No pg) Ron Paul’s thoughts and beliefs arise from the wide range o f experiences he has had over his long and colorful life. During the 1960’s, he worked for the Air Force of the United States as a Flight Surgeon. During his long and illustrious career as an obstetrician/gynecologist; he never once felt the need to perform an abortion, not even to save a woman’s life. He always found another way. This proved his strong conviction to uphold the sanctity of life. As a President, he will continue to fight for his pro-life beliefs that he has upheld in Congress throughout the years (Ron Paul on the Issues No pg). America is light years behind the rest of the world when it comes to health care. Our bureaucrats continue to force upon us their one-size-fits-all policies that will never lower costs or increase access for the common American. Paul plans on changing all that once he becomes President. According to Paul, the most effective strategy for ensuring better medical care is to ensure an effective doctor-patient relationship. Ron Paul w ill put health care decisions back into the public’s hands. He promises to remove unnecessary legislation, corrupt mandates, and thoughtless incentives and create a system where everyone can get the necessary health care (Ron Paul on the Issues No pg). Ron Paul is just as sick of the rising economic malaise as the rest of Americans. He is against the growing inflation, higher gas prices, huge budget deficits and completely immoral bailouts

Change and Development in the English Language Research Paper

Change and Development in the English Language - Research Paper Example There has been significant evidence which suggests that Milton "tried to indicate a distinction in spelling, for instance, between the stressed and the unstressed forms of the personal pronouns - mee, hee, see, and there for the emphatic forms, and me, he, she, their, for the weaker ones." (Wrenn, 170-1) Topic Sentence 3: Milton was the greatest master in English poetic language, next only to Shakespeare, but "besides being the master in poetic diction of so many who have followed, Milton has left some notable marks on the language which go far beyond this sphere." (Wrenn, 173) John Milton enjoys an outstanding position as a molder and exemplar of English poetic diction and as the greatest master in English poetic language, next only to Shakespeare. However, he has also played an exceptional role in the change and development of the English language and he has made an exceptional contribution to the growth of the language in the 17th Century.  Milton is highly regarded as a prominent figure in the development of the language through the century, mainly due to his ideas on spelling with which he experimented, his study and practice of the language, and for his contribution of a number of words and phrases to the literary vocabulary of English language. John Milton has an exceptional role in the change and development of the English language, apart from his outstanding position as a molder and paradigm of English poetic diction, and â€Å"he had ideas on spelling, with which he experimented; he was a keen student of the language and a supreme practitioner in it, and he has added a number of words and phrases to the literary vocabulary if not to the spoken.†Ã‚  Significantly, the first two paragraphs of his ‘Paradise Lost’ illustrate the English language of the 17th Century. His contribution to the growth English language through his epic poem ‘Paradise Lost’ includes the transformation of spelling, the contribution of a number of new words and phrases etc.

New Technique on Improving Writing Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

New Technique on Improving Writing Skills - Essay Example My recent discovery on how to improve writing is worth sharing so that other students who would like to improve their writing skills may also benefit from it. This may sound unusual but I learned that it is better to sleep on an essay and I mean literally to sleep on it. When I mean sleeping in an essay, I meant reading back the essay after a good sleep. Reading back an essay after a good sleep meant that we have fresher eyes and a clearer mind to look at the essay that we will notice the mistakes that we overlooked before. We will find areas of improvement on how the essay could be improved not only in terms of correcting its mistakes but also on improving its structure, organization, logic and flow of thought. By reading it back with fresher eyes and a clearer mind, I was able to develop my thoughts clearly and fully. After writing several essays, I learned that writing is just like any other skills that can be learned through practice and conscious effort to improve. With my exper ience in writing my essays, I learn that we get better at it every time we try. I see it be no different in playing basketball or any other endeavour that requires skill that we get better every time we practice only that learning how to write is more important because it is required in all of my subjects and is an indispensable skill when I become a professional someday. Having said this, it does not mean that I already learned everything. On the contrary, there is still a lot to learn and my writing skill still needs improvement.

Consumer behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Consumer behavior - Essay Example can be defined as â€Å"the broad concept that businesses are more than just profit-seeking entities and therefore also have an obligation to benefit society† (Werther & Chandler, 2006: 6-7). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumer attitudes about green and ethical marketing translating into their purchasing behaviour. Further, the impact of green and ethical consumerism on companies adopting corporate social responsibility measures, will be determined. During the 1980s, ethics started affecting purchasing habits due to increase in environmental awareness on the part of consumers, development of green products and the availability of green consumer guides (Doonar, 2005). The concept of green consumerism is related to environmental sustainability in which environmental quality and the conservation of nature’s assets are of prime importance. From the wise use of resources for the sake of future generations, the concept of sustainability evolved to include a focus on nature preservation for intragenerational distribution of nature’s bounty. Sustainability is a continuing process that needs careful planning and implementation to confront the problems facing â€Å"modern agriculture, natural resource management and land use† (Gunning & Holm, 2005: 129). Sustainability takes into account the human factors of production, manufacture and use along with environmental and ecological concerns such as global warming, acid rain, deforestation, ozone depletion and other occurrences (Strong, 1997). Consumers may opt for one product over another because of political, religious, social, spiritual, environmental or other motives, and may differ in opinion from one another. One common factor among ethical consumers is that they are concerned about the â€Å"effects that a purchasing choice has not only on themselves, but also on the external world around them† (Harrison et al, 2005: 2). Choosing organic foods because of a concern that pesticide use

Explain Washington landlord tenant law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Explain Washington landlord tenant law - Essay Example It is vital to note that the apartments allow for disability access. Pets are accepted in the apartments, but one has to pay a deposit of $400 to keep a pet and $200 is refunded when a tenant’s lease expires. However, there are breed restrictions on the type of animal one can keep. The tenant is also provided with one free covered parking space. The lease is one year long (McQueen 54). There are number provisions in the lease that comply with the law. For example, the lease provides the tenant with emergency maintenance and this ensures that the landlord repairs any damages to the apartment. This covers the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act RCW59. 18.230(1). I also find it interesting that the landlord expects tenants to pay a fee to keep a pet at the resident. This is an extra deposit to the security and damage deposit paid when one starts renting the apartment. This is a legal fee since the landlord has the right to charge for fees covering special cleaning. There is also a clause in the lease that the landlord can change the rules regarding the use of the community amenities like the swimming pool, fitness center, and tennis court. This is against the law since a landlord does not have the right to change the terms of a lease once the tenant has signed it. Change to the lease can only occur if the tenant agrees to it (Haupt and Kathryn 132). Another provision of the lease that I find interesting is that the landlord does not have to return the tenant’s security deposit if the apartment is damaged in any way. This is not legal according to the law of Washington State. The landlord is only allowed to keep the exact amount a tenant owes on repair costs. The rest of the money must be returned to the tenant (RCW 59.18.280). Another provision of the lease that I find interesting is the fact that if I move out before the end of the lease, I will be forced to pay all rent owed before the landlord can re-rent the apartment RCW

New Technique on Improving Writing Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

New Technique on Improving Writing Skills - Essay Example My recent discovery on how to improve writing is worth sharing so that other students who would like to improve their writing skills may also benefit from it. This may sound unusual but I learned that it is better to sleep on an essay and I mean literally to sleep on it. When I mean sleeping in an essay, I meant reading back the essay after a good sleep. Reading back an essay after a good sleep meant that we have fresher eyes and a clearer mind to look at the essay that we will notice the mistakes that we overlooked before. We will find areas of improvement on how the essay could be improved not only in terms of correcting its mistakes but also on improving its structure, organization, logic and flow of thought. By reading it back with fresher eyes and a clearer mind, I was able to develop my thoughts clearly and fully. After writing several essays, I learned that writing is just like any other skills that can be learned through practice and conscious effort to improve. With my exper ience in writing my essays, I learn that we get better at it every time we try. I see it be no different in playing basketball or any other endeavour that requires skill that we get better every time we practice only that learning how to write is more important because it is required in all of my subjects and is an indispensable skill when I become a professional someday. Having said this, it does not mean that I already learned everything. On the contrary, there is still a lot to learn and my writing skill still needs improvement.

Explain Washington landlord tenant law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Explain Washington landlord tenant law - Essay Example It is vital to note that the apartments allow for disability access. Pets are accepted in the apartments, but one has to pay a deposit of $400 to keep a pet and $200 is refunded when a tenant’s lease expires. However, there are breed restrictions on the type of animal one can keep. The tenant is also provided with one free covered parking space. The lease is one year long (McQueen 54). There are number provisions in the lease that comply with the law. For example, the lease provides the tenant with emergency maintenance and this ensures that the landlord repairs any damages to the apartment. This covers the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act RCW59. 18.230(1). I also find it interesting that the landlord expects tenants to pay a fee to keep a pet at the resident. This is an extra deposit to the security and damage deposit paid when one starts renting the apartment. This is a legal fee since the landlord has the right to charge for fees covering special cleaning. There is also a clause in the lease that the landlord can change the rules regarding the use of the community amenities like the swimming pool, fitness center, and tennis court. This is against the law since a landlord does not have the right to change the terms of a lease once the tenant has signed it. Change to the lease can only occur if the tenant agrees to it (Haupt and Kathryn 132). Another provision of the lease that I find interesting is that the landlord does not have to return the tenant’s security deposit if the apartment is damaged in any way. This is not legal according to the law of Washington State. The landlord is only allowed to keep the exact amount a tenant owes on repair costs. The rest of the money must be returned to the tenant (RCW 59.18.280). Another provision of the lease that I find interesting is the fact that if I move out before the end of the lease, I will be forced to pay all rent owed before the landlord can re-rent the apartment RCW

Dont give up on love Essay Example for Free

Dont give up on love Essay Shilpa’s heart was broken by the Khiladi of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar but she never gave up on love. The rumour mills were abuzz about her ‘relationship’ with director Anubhav Sinha, but she firmly denied them. After winning Big Brother, Shilpa went to launch her signature perfume S2 and met Raj occasionally for the launch preparations. On their first media appearance, Shilpa called Raj, her ‘business friend’ but their frequent meetings soon took a personal turn. Shilpa soon announced her engagement to the world and proudly showed off the 20 carat diamond ring which had been gifted to her by Raj. A firm believer of karma and past life, Shilpa went on to say in an interview that Raj was a part of her past life and now they are back together. Lesson Learnt: So girls, no matter how many boys break your heart; don’t ever settle for anyone except for your Mr. Right. Never embarrass your ex publicly You may be seething in anger and may want to kill your ex for two timing you, but in public, you must always be at your dignified best. Even though Shilpa was heartbroken after her break up, she has often said in interviews that there is no animosity between her and Akshay and they are good friends. Akshay and Shilpa have come face to face on a number of occasions, most recently on the celebrity dance show Nach Baliye, but Shilpa has always been pleasant to her ex-flame. Lesson Learnt: Your ex may be the devil’s incarnate, but you should never wash the dirty linen in public. Maintain dignity under pressure Life wasn’t easy for this gorgeous actress, but things took a turn for worse when she entered the celebrity Big Brother 5 in 2007. Racial slurs by her fellow contestants Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, Jack Tweed and Jo OMeara rattled her but she did not give up. She stayed in the house and soon emerged as Britain’s favourite with 63 per cent votes. Not the one to hold grudges, Shilpa soon forgave Jade Goody and other contestants. She told the host of the show Davina McCall, â€Å"People make mistakes and were all human beings, were all fallible. Lesson Learnt: In a high pressure situation, never let your attackers get to you. Keep yourself in positive spirits, maintain your dignity and always let bygones be bygones. Make time for family You may be swiftly climbing the success ladder, but don’t forget your family in all that excitement. Shilpa decided to take a break from her acting carrer for a year after her son Viaan was born. She signed up for a couple of endorsements, but ensured that her schedule would not take up too much of her time. 1. Dont give up on love Shilpa’s heart was broken by the Khiladi of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar but she never gave up on love. The rumour mills were abuzz about her ‘relationship’ with director Anubhav Sinha, but she firmly denied them. After winning Big Brother, Shilpa went to launch her signature perfume S2 and met Raj occasionally for the launch preparations. On their first media appearance, Shilpa called Raj, her ‘business friend’ but their frequent meetings soon took a personal turn.less 2. Shilpa soon announced her engagement to the world and proudly showed off the 20 carat diamond ring which had been gifted to her by Raj. A firm believer of karma and past life, Shilpa went on to say in an interview that Raj was a part of her past life and now they are back together. Lesson Learnt: So girls, no matter how many boys break your heart; don’t ever settle for anyone except for your Mr. Right. 3. Never embarrass your ex publicly You may be seething in anger and may want to kill your ex for two timing you, but in public, you must always be at your dignified best. Even though Shilpa was heartbroken after her break up, she has often said in interviews that there is no animosity between her and Akshay and they are good friends. Akshay and Shilpa have come face to face on a number of occasions, most recently on the celebrity dance show Nach Baliye, but Shilpa has always been pleasant to her ex-flame. Lesson Learnt: Your ex may be the devil’s incarnate, but you should never wash the dirty linen in public.less 4. Maintain dignity under pressure Life wasn’t easy for this gorgeous actress, but things took a turn for worse when she entered the celebrity Big Brother 5 in 2007. Racial slurs by her fellow contestants Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, Jack Tweed and Jo OMeara rattled her but she did not give up. She stayed in the house and soon emerged as Britain’s favourite with 63 per cent votes. 5. Not the one to hold grudges, Shilpa soon forgave Jade Goody and other contestants. She told the host of the show Davina McCall, â€Å"People make mistakes and were all human beings, were all fallible. Lesson Learnt: In a high pressure situation, never let your attackers get to you. Keep yourself in positive spirits, maintain your dignity and always let bygones be bygones. 6. Make time for family You may be swiftly climbing the success ladder, but don’t forget your family in all that excitement. Shilpa decided to take a break from her acting carrer for a year after her son Viaan was born. She signed up for a couple of endorsements, but ensured that her schedule would not take up too much of her time. 7. In an industry where actresses are always under the media scanner for their weight-issues, Shilpa says that she is no hurry to lose post-pregnancy flab. She believes â€Å"As we are in the glamour business, we are always scrutinised for our appearances and are bound to have insecurities. But for a mother, these first four months are very crucial for the childs health. You should not compromise with it.† 1. Dont give up on love Shilpa’s heart was broken by the Khiladi of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar but she never gave up on love. The rumour mills were abuzz about her ‘relationship’ with director Anubhav Sinha, but she firmly denied them. After winning Big Brother, Shilpa went to launch her signature perfume S2 and met Raj occasionally for the launch preparations. On their first media appearance, Shilpa called Raj, her ‘business friend’ but their frequent meetings soon took a personal turn.less 2. Shilpa soon announced her engagement to the world and proudly showed off the 20 carat diamond ring which had been gifted to her by Raj. A firm believer of karma and past life, Shilpa went on to say in an interview that Raj was a part of her past life and now they are back together. Lesson Learnt: So girls, no matter how many boys break your heart; don’t ever settle for anyone except for your Mr. Right. 3. Never embarrass your ex publicly You may be seething in anger and may want to kill your ex for two timing you, but in public, you must always be at your dignified best. Even though Shilpa was heartbroken after her break up, she has often said in interviews that there is no animosity between her and Akshay and they are good friends. Akshay and Shilpa have come face to face on a number of occasions, most recently on the celebrity dance show Nach Baliye, but Shilpa has always been pleasant to her ex-flame. Lesson Learnt: Your ex may be the devil’s incarnate, but you should never wash the dirty linen in public.less 4. Maintain dignity under pressure Life wasn’t easy for this gorgeous actress, but things took a turn for worse when she entered the celebrity Big Brother 5 in 2007. Racial slurs by her fellow contestants Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, Jack Tweed and Jo OMeara rattled her but she did not give up. She stayed in the house and soon emerged as Britain’s favourite with 63 per cent votes. 5. Not the one to hold grudges, Shilpa soon forgave Jade Goody and other contestants. She told the host of the show Davina McCall, â€Å"People make mistakes and were all human beings, were all fallible. Lesson Learnt: In a high pressure situation, never let your attackers get to you. Keep yourself in positive spirits, maintain your dignity and always let bygones be bygones. 6. Make time for family You may be swiftly climbing the success ladder, but don’t forget your family in all that excitement. Shilpa decided to take a break from her acting carrer for a year after her son Viaan was born. She signed up for a couple of endorsements, but ensured that her schedule would not take up too much of her time. 7. In an industry where actresses are always under the media scanner for their weight-issues, Shilpa says that she is no hurry to lose post-pregnancy flab. She believes â€Å"As we are in the glamour business, we are always scrutinised for our appearances and are bound to have insecurities. But for a mother, these first four months are very crucial for the childs health. You should not compromise with it.† 8. In another interview when she was asked what things she would grab in case there is a fire in her home, the gorgeous actress replied, â€Å"I would just make sure that my family escapes. Material things dont matter.† Lesson Learnt: Family comes first, always! And Ladies, enjoy each and every phase of your life. Motherhood is a blessing and do not let any nasty comments about your weight or appearance affect you.

Absolut Vodka Brand Positioning

Absolut Vodka Brand Positioning Absolut Vodka is one of the worlds selling premium spirits brands and achieved sales of 10.7 million nine-liter cases in 2007. Every bottle of Absolut Vodka is produced in Ahus, southern Sweden. Although the brand is the largest premium vodka selling in 126 countries, its market share is threatened by the constant growth of Bacardi and Smirnoff. In the turbulent environment Absolut Vodka facing nowadays, the organization needs to constantly search for ways to innovate and to meet the changing customer demands in order to maintain or strengthen the position of their products. Absolut Vodka, one of the most popular super-premium brands in the world, is the strongest brand for VS Spirits. Now, the company seeks to maximize its brands market share through constant innovation and adopting new marketing and distribution strategies. 2. Product Every bottle of Absolut Vodka is produced in Ahus, in southern Sweden where the wheat that gives Absolut Vodka its smooth grain character grows. Absolut Vodka is produced from winter wheat, a hardy wheat grain that centuries of experience have shown to produce superior vodka. Absolut Vodka uses a process called continuous distillation, introduced in Sweden in 1879 by The Vodka King Lars Olsson Smith (Pernod Ricard, 2009). The water it uses comes from our own deep well. Producing its vodka in one location using local raw materials gives VS Absolut Spirits complete control of all stages of production and ensures that every drop meets the companys high quality standard. Unlike other vodkas, the Absolut Vodka flavors are made by blending the vodka with only natural flavors and no sugar is added. In fact, Absolut is as pure as vodka can be. Still, that purity has a certain taste; rich, full-bodied and complex, yet smooth and mellow with a distinct character of grain, followed by a hint of dried fruit (2009). Absolut Vodka currently comprises its products within many flavors, such as vanilia, raspberri, apeach, ruby red, pears, and mango. All Absolut Vodka products can also be enjoyed neat or mixed in drinks. In addition, the shape of the Absolut Vodka bottle has made it one of the worlds most iconic products reinforces the brands strong design heritage. The bottle shape of the Absolut Vodka bottle has made it one of the worlds most iconic products reinforces the brands strong design heritage. It looked elegant, different, simple and very Swedish, and was decided that there should be no label not to hide the crystal clear liquid. Blue was decided upon as the most visible and elegant color for the Absolut Vodka logo. The flavor comes in a transparent bottle in order to show how pure and clear its vodka is. The brand values of Absolut are defined as Clarity, Simplicity and Perfection. All three are there, visible on the bottle. Absolut Vodka currently comprises the following products within the same quality framework: Year Product 1979 Absolut Vodka 1986 Absolut Pepper 1988 Absolut Citron 1992 Absolut Kurant 1999 Absolut Mandrin 2003 Absolut Vanilla 2004 Absolut Raspberri 2005 Absolut Apeach 2006 Absolut Ruby Red 2007 Absolut Pears, Absolut 100, Absolut Mango 2008 Absolut Los Angeles 2009 Absolut Boston 2010 Absolut Berri Acai, Absolut Brooklyn, 2011 Absolut Wild Tea, Absolut San Francisco Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolut_Vodka Creativity is what drives Absolut brand forward. That applies not only to the marketing and design, but also to the product development. When launching a flavour, the Absolut Company wants to make room for new cocktail experiences. 3. Brand Positioning Absolut Vodka is positioned as premium brand in the minds of the target consumers. The price of the product is high. Absolut is one of the expensive brands among the leading brands in the U.S. as illustrated in Exhibit 4. The company also tried to feature the product as a high end product. For example, Absolut had an identity campaign termed Smart, showy, sassy, sophisticated and stylish. By this kind of brand personality statement, the brand was associated with the fashion conscious, rich, desperate and dynamic lifestyle-namely the Absolut Lifestyle. Absolut entered Glamour world and tried to relate the brand with fashion world. In the Lifestyle magazines, the glimpse of a trendy tanned fashionable girl posing and wearing Absolut Vodka marked attire became widely visible. The brand personality of Absolut was communicated successfully with the help of a series of aesthetically designed advertisement campaigns both in print and in electronic media. The word Absolut was punned in conjunction with creative images of the bottle and with strong positive feeling awakening words or phrases. Absolut went for simple, but sophisticated ads a classy picture of the bottle accompanied by a witty caption (Facts Abusolut Ads, 2009). Those advertisements have not only broken advertising records year after year but also have captured the eyeball alongside the imagination of the general public. The advertisement campaigns were nice to look at, easy to understand yet had the spark of intelligence and smartness. The modes featuring in the advertisement had a tanned skin most of the times thus the brand tried to relate itself with a sense of sunny, urban and dynamic lifestyle. The brand was more inclined to lay emphasis on girls. Because vodka is an odorless drink and do esnt give any quirky sensation while drinking, this was assumed that girls would love this kind of product features. Absolut Vodka soon became news. The latest ads often started getting journalistic coverage in magazines and on TV. Everybody talked about Absolut campaigns be it the Absolut Manhattan ad portraying an aerial view of New Yorks Central Park in the shape of an Absolut Vodka bottle or 26 Russian painters creating their own most personal impressions of the bottle. Over the years Absolut has commissioned not only over 300 painters, but also leading artists in all fields like sculptors, glass designers, musicians and fashion designers. The main strategy of the brand was to avoid relating the product with only one particular lifestyle and the ads were to have a timeless but contemporary theme. Absolut Vodka can be proud of its ads in crossing the line between advertising and art using different medians such as paintings, limited edition bottles, shirts, and sculpture (Brand Spotlight: Absolut Vodka, 2010). Many famous artists worked for the company, including Andy Warhol and Keith Harris. TBWAs branding campaign for Absolut Vodka was listed as one of the top ten campaigns of the last century by Advertising Age and the campaign won many awards including an Effie and Kelly awards which are probably the most prestigious awards in the advertising industry (2010). Those highly accepted and widely popular advertisements campaigns could successfully del iver the main brand positioning ideas of Absolut Vodka, i.e. premium product, high quality and association with art and a good life. 4. Competitors and their Campaigns In addition to Absolut Vodka, there are over other 30 vodka brands in the U.S. market as shown in Exhibit 2. Those brands are original from nine countries such as Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia (Latvia and Estonia), and Sweden. Apart from American made brands existing in the market such as Popov, Gordon, etc. there was the emergence of new American made vodka brands in the past several year such as Skyy, a lovely San Francisco spirit, the newly arrived Teton Glacier, unique vodka made in Idaho, etc (Department of Liquor Control, 2009). In 2007, there were seven leading vodka brand in the U.S. market including Smirnoff, Absolut, Grey Goose, Skyy, Stolichnaya, Ketel One, and Svedka respectively as shown in Exhibit 3. These brands are made in different countries. However, the American made brand like Smirnoff was ranked the number one U.S. market share in 2007, followed by Absolut Vokda. A brief profile of five leading brands that were Absoluts competitors and their campaigns in 2007 will be discussed in next session. 4.1 Smirnoff Smirnoff is the #1 selling vodka in the U.S and the world. It had a 17.2% share in 2007. It is originally produced in Russia, the recipe found its way to America in the early 1900s. Smirnoff is one of alcohol brands of Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O), the worlds leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, JB, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines. In November, 2006, Smirnoff renewed its alliance with James Bond in the film Casino Royale. The alliance involved a multi-million dollar media campaign, which was activated in the U.S. and around the world. The campaign included a broadcast advertising campaign; on- and off-premise promotions and sweepstakes; a global public relations campaign; and a fully interactive Casino Royale microsite (Zydel, 2006). Smirnoff had the close partnership with Bond in 1962à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²s Dr. No. In a scene when the villain hands Sean Connery a Martini, shaken not stirred made with Smirnoff Vodka. This monumental moment in film made some impact on the way martini drinkers made their cocktails, shifting from the traditional gin to a vodka-based drink and popularizing the vodka martini the world over (2006). Exhibit 5 shows a cross-promotional ad for James Bond Casino Royale and Smirnoff Vodka and some scenes in James Bonds movie in 1962s. In August, 2007, Smirnoff launched its largest ever marketing campaign ( £5M) which was named Sea to promote the brand. It centers around a 60-second commercial created by JWT, which premiered on 17 August 2007 in showings of The Bourne Ultimatum at selected cinemas across the United Kingdom. There were various tie-ins launched, including the Smirnoff Purifier, an online game, point of sale Smirnoff purity kits, and a tour of a custom-built Smirnoff Purification Installation used to make drinkable samples of water taken from saline or otherwise undrinkable water at selected sites (Sea: Advertisement, 2010). 4.2 Grey Goose Grey Goose was imported to the United States by the Sidney Frank Importing Company which is located in New Rochelle New York. In 1997, the brand became national prominence when it was awarded substantially for its quality in the U.S. In 2004, Sidney Frank then sold the right of manufacturing to Bacardi. Grey Goose was the first prominent French vodka but has seen some competition from Nuage, Ciroc and Idol which are now on the market. Each of these vodka brands are premium brands sold in North America (Grey Goose Vodka, 2007). In 2007, it held a 6.3% share of the U.S. Market. In 2007, claiming itself to be the Worlds Best Tasting Vodka, Grey Goose launched its new Discerning Taste advertising campaign which was produced by New York-based @radical.media. The campaign was the brands first major advertising effort since its acquisition by Bacardi Limited in 2004. It consisted of four different print advertisements and three broadcast spots. Creative elements of the campaign capture particular moments, people, places, and events in the lives of Grey Goose consumers revealing their unyielding lifestyle of discerning taste. The theme of the advertising platform supports the brands commitment to represent more than just a spirit, but a luxurious lifestyle brand. The print composites reveals the back stories of Grey Goose drinkers by portraying images ranging from playing golf to a spontaneous late night dinner with friends. These snapshot moments suggest that a Grey Goose drinkers inherent eye for detail leads them to seek refined subtleties in more than just th eir vodka but in all aspects of life (Grey Goose Vodka 2007 Advertising Campaign, 2007). The advertising campaign commenced in conjunction with the U.S. Open Tennis Championships in which Grey Goose was the Proud Promotional Partner of the tournament. The advertisements surrounded broadcast coverage on the USA Network and appeared on target outlets such as the Golf Channel, ESPN, and HD Networks and in print outlets such as BlackBook, Departures, GQ, Golf Digest, Travel + Leisure, Vanity Fair and Wine Spectator (Grey Goose Vodka 2007 Advertising Campaign, 2007). 4.3 SKYY SKYY is one of the fastest growing spirits globally and the leading domestic super premium vodka in the United States (Baker Hearn, 2005). The brand was launched in 1992 by Skyy Spirits, LLC who is the US-based wholly owned subsidiary of Gruppo Campari (Milan: CPR.MI) and the definitive marketer and distributor of super-premium and luxury spirits brands in North America. It had 4.6% U.S. share. Skyy vodkas highest quality and ultimate smoothness are perceived by consumers due to the state-of-the-art process of quadruple distillation and triple filtration (2005). According to the good design of its distinctive cobalt blue bottle and award-winning marketing communications, SKYY is synonymous with quality, sophistication, and style (2005). SKYY Vodka let the worlds most accomplished and controversial photographers interpret the brands sexy image in bold and daring fashion (Press Release: Skyy Spirits Unveils Sexiest Ad Campaign in Skyy  ® Vodka History, 2010). In 2007, SKYY looked to acclaimed photographer and independent filmmaker David LaChapelle to shoot the powerful, tantalizing images that captured the essence of cocktail glamour and the jet set lifestyle which would constitute its third campaign. The national campaign was named Cocktail Moments and was available for national outdoor, print, and online. Exhibit 6 shows some ads for this campaign. The creative was launched outdoors beginning January 2007 in LA, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco (2010). Magazine insertions start in February of 2007 in men and womens entertainment and lifestyle publications, including ESPN, InStyle, US Weekly and People, as well as on www.SKYY.com. The ads also ran as banner ads on selected websites including ESPN.com, Evite.com, an d Gay.com, starting in mid-February. Due to its bold, sexy imagery, SKYYs ads have become collectible pieces of artwork (2010). 4.4 Stolichnaya Stolichnaya has its origins in the Moscow State Wine Warehouse No. 1 which was opened in 1901 by the authorities to ensure higher quality vodka production (Stolichnaya, 2010). It was the first vodka to be introduced and imported into the USA, in 1972. Stolichnaya was at this time a good choice to the USA-produced vodka brands as it tasted milder due to a more refined distilling process (2010). However, Stolichnayas popularity has been dependent on the political climate between the U.S. and the former USSR. In 2005, Stolichnaya was included in the Pernod Ricard portfolio. Pierre Pringuet, Managing Director of Pernod Ricard said We needed a major vodka to boost and balance our product range. Stolichnaya signalled our first step in the vodka market and we are proud of our achievements in developing this fine brand. But with ABSOLUT, we have now made a giant leap forward! (Pernod Ricard, 2008). Since 2005, sales of Stolichnaya grew up from 2.1 million to 3.4 million cases and it had a 4.2% share. In 2007, the brand received several awards including Best New Product in the U.S. and Best New Event in the UK. Additionally, its benchmark Ultra Premium Stolichnaya Elit also got the highest rating by the U.S. Beverage Tasting Institute (2008). While renovating the brand, Pernod Ricard launched a new advertising campaign for the Stoli family in order to remind consumers to Choose Authenticity on April 9, 2007 (Pernod Ricard USA, LLC., 2007). Exhibit 7 presents ads of this campaign. The campaign debuted in leading U.S. magazines as In Style, Rolling Stone, and GQ in May, 2007. The new campaign was in a visual style and based on a Russian artistic movement called constructivism, that celebrated the strong industrial structures of the early 20th century when there was the creation of Stolichnaya (2007). The campaign depicted positive Russian icons in a proud tone and humorous way. One of the first ad executions headlines was The Mother of all Vodkas, from the Motherland of Vodka. The new campaign was developed according to two findings of research that: first, that the remarkable history of Stoli hadnt been fully told; and second, that authenticity was a critical consideration in the purchasing decisions of sophisticated, young adult consumers at that time (2007). Patrick Piana, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Pernod Ricard USA said: Pernod Ricard has consistently demonstrated its ability to drive brands to achieve their potential, and we are confident that this new Stolichnaya campaign will resonate with the brands core consumers and build on our overall track record of success(2007). However, after the purchase of Absolut was completed, Pernod Ricard ended its agreement with Stoli. William Grant Sons USA signed an agreement to distribute Stolichnaya in the U.S. in 2009. 5. Consumer Behavior The comprehensive analysis of vodka by the Beverage Information Group and research by Simmons Market Research Bureau reveal consumer behavior of vodka as follows: Vodka is unlike any other spirit category. The proportion between male vodka consumers and female consumers are fairly equal. Furthermore, it is consumed by all adult age groups (Simmons Market Research Bureau, 2007). Due to universal appeal of vodka coupled with its versatility as a mixer and the cachet high end products, it has continued to attract adult consumers (Beverage Information Group, 2008). Females favor flavored vodkas while males take the lead among several brands-Absolut Kurant, Stoli Citros, Stoli Ohranj and Stoli Cranberi (Simmons Market Research Bureau, 2007). According to Simmons (2007), the older the brand the older the consumer. Stolichnaya drinkers tend to be older than Absolut drinkers. Also, Absolut drinkers tend to be slightly older than Grey Goose consumers. Belvedere scores highest in the 21-to-24 age group among unflavored vodkas. Younger adult consumers tend to be attracted by somewhat sweet flavors-vanilla and raspberry. Whereas older consumers prefer classic cocktails that are savory in nature (Beverage Information Group, 2008). All vodka consumers are moving toward a healthier lifestyle and a greener planet. (Beverage Information Group, 2008). It was found that several marketers are incorporating natural and green elements in their products. This is a trend that is expected to continue (Beverage Information Group, 2008).. Limited edition products that benefit local causes such as Absolut New Orleans and Absolut Los Angeles are another trend that is expected to gain a following (Beverage Information Group, 2008).. Overall, consumers are moving away from sweet cocktails into the savory area. This may not bode well for several flavored vodkas (Beverage Information Group, 2008). Review of publications about vodka brands uncovers that there are some significant factors that enhance customer decision making process when buying vodka as follows: Luxury: By definition, vodka is a clear, tasteless, odourless liquid-meaning that a basic level of quality distilling yields vodka on par with any other. Yet through clever ads and higher pricing, Absolut vodka became the premium vodka over Smirnoff in the 1980s. Then, i n the 1990s, Sidney Frank consciously decided to introduce Grey Goose vodka, which costs 50 percent more than Absolut, with reasoning that people would pay more for a brand they saw as more exclusive, just as they did with Absolut over Smirnoff. Since vodka is one of premium alcoholic drinks, it is considered a kind of luxury items (Rothbaum, 2009). Flavors: Several companies keep introducing more varieties for customers to choose from, this strategy has proven to be quite successful. Also, the U.S. is the worlds biggest market for flavored vodka and a new flavour can drive sales. For example, in the summer of 2007, Finlandia introduced grapefruit flavored vodka. The vodkas popularity has been so great that it has increased the brands overall sales of flavored vodkas by almost 10% (2009). Thus, there are still room for competition in the vodka category. Store shelves are now packed with new flavours and brand extensions from numerous well-established brands (2009). Price: Setting an inviting price to attract consumers seems to be successful for some brand vodkas like Smirnoff. For example, Smirnoff posted a 4.0% gain in 2008 and making it the top-selling spirit in the U.S., leveraging its rainbow of flavors as well as its inviting price (2009). This pricing strategy must be employed carefully for luxury goods like vodka, since consumers still perceive that Vodka should not be cheap. It is not a product of first necessity. Even though higher-priced brands are seeing slower growth, consumers are still spending a lot of money to purchase these prestigious brands. Reference Group: Vodka consumers use reference groups such as co-workers, friends, and family as a guide to select a brand, since vodka is a product that can be shared in social occasions and consumers tend to please all of those groups when they gather. Thus, group situations constitute their purchase decisions. Packaging: Packaging has always played an important role in developing brand image, and the vodka industry is not exceptional. According to Adam Rosen, the brand manager of Wyborowa Vodka, the vodka industry is much more image conscious than other liquors (Labbrand Consulting Co., Ltd., 2009). In addition to ingredients and taste, packing is another factor influencing vodka drinkers buying decision- the vodka they choose should make a statement to others. Thus, the bottle design should display sophistication and class. For example, Svedkas new bottle reflects their cheap chic positioning, allowing consumers to purchase a premium vodka at a competitive price (2009). This should appeal to hip night life lovers, but not older customers accustomed to having a casual drink at home. It was found that the older audience will appreciate a classic bottle design that looks nice in their alcohol cabinet (2009). As Svedka hasnt redesigned their bottle for over 10 years, the repeat customers like ly have a strong connection to the old brand image (2009). In short, packing can influence decisions made through constructive process at the time of purchase. 6. History of Brand Advertising Absolut Vodka has become famous mainly due to its advertising campaigns. The shape of the bottle of Absolut vodka is very unique and is emphasized in all their advertisements. For about 25 years, the focus on the product has been the main theme in advertisements for Absolut Vodka. They ran campaigns of humor featuring their unique bottle. It is the unique advertising campaigns that have made Absolut a popular brand going up to the heights of Coke and Nike. In 1981 they started the Absolut ________ campaign. Absolut Perfection which was created in 1981 was the first advertisement and it is still popular today. They had clever concepts like Absolut L.A. which showed a swimming pool shaped like a bottle or Absolut Warhol which showed the painting of a bottle by the artist. One of their popular ads is the Absolut London', which shows the door of 10 Downing Street resembling an Absolut bottle. In a 1988 feature of a playboy magazine they showed a bottle like a model and this ad was called Absolut Centerfold. Then there were issues Absolut Disco (2007) related to dance music in 2008 Absolut Masquerade under the theme Every night is a masquerade and in 2009 the Absolut Rock Edition as a tribute to rock and roll. They wanted to end this campaign in 1997 with the launch of an offbeat bottle campaign on April fools day and it was very popular. But it took 9 more years to come up with a different campaign due to its limited advertising budget. Th e Absolut ____ campaign enabled the brand to become the best-selling imported vodka in the United States as sales rose from 20,000 cases in 1981 to almost 5 million in 2007. In January 2006 they started a campaign called The Absolut Vodka which had a theme on the pun between the brand name and the word absolute. This multimedia campaign demonstrates the headship of Absolut Vodka as The Absolut Vodka and observes other classics that are absolutes in our culture. This campaign is an evolution of the brands iconic, 25-year-old advertising and one that underscores the brands marketing ingenuity and continuous creativity. This campaign was broadcasted on television in the United States. The campaign also featured online and print executions. The new execution was built on the brands existing campaigns. The broadcast depicts a collage of absolute moments and icons that bases modern culture. Pictures include The Absolut Morale Booster (Marilyn Monroe singing for U.S. troops) and The Absolut Road Trip (first manned trip to the moon). The print advertisement features an Absolut Vodka bottle levitating over a color-block table with copy that reads The Absolut Vodk a the image connotes an exclamation point. The print ad shows the genuinity of Absolut Vodka and conveys only one message that Absolut is The Absolut Vodka. The Absolut Vodka campaign targeted a new and increasing group of vodka drinkers in the United States. The broadcast is very interactive and is aimed at capturing in-the-know customers. The Absolut Vodka campaign was created by TBWA/Chiat/Day, the advertising agency of record for Absolut VODKA. 7. The In an Absolut World Campaign In 2007, Absolut Vodka began its In An Absolut World campaign in which the company posted various, often fanciful scenarios of what the target audience might think would constitute a perfect, or Absolut, reality. The campaign was handled by TBWA/Chiat/Day, part of the TBWA Worldwide division of the Omnicom Group. The In An Absolut World would elicit varying opinions and points of view of customers. It is designed to be an inspiring, humorous, and thought-provoking integrated campaign about what an Absolut World might look like and to initiate a discussion about both universal and everyday subjects, as well as to challenge consumers to express their own visions of the world. Its advertising campaign invites consumers to visualize a world that appeals to them one they feel may be more idealized or one that may be a bit fantastic. The campaign includes commercials and video clips as well as online ads, print ads, billboards and event marketing. Drinkers were invited to imbibe In An Absolut World, a fanciful, even surreal, place where common sense prevails and just deserts are always on the menu. For example, on planet Absolut, men can get pregnant, and lying leaders are exposed by their Pinocchio noses. In fact, Absolut was confronting the same problems as other market-leading brands in that everybody knows who they are, but what are they known for? Thus, The goal is to encourage a dialogue between customers and the brand. The ads proclaim, This is Absoluts view of the world; you respond, you react. Absolut ads aimed at minority consumers will also begin to feature the Absolut World theme. 7.1 Probable Marketing Objectives Since from 2003 to 2007 over 240 new brands of vodka came and many companies started focusing on the ultra-premium category, the marketing objectives of the In an Absolut World include robusting sales growth and re-establishing and re-cementing the Absoluts position in the vodka category in an extremely competitive environment. 7.2 Probable Communication/ Advertising Objectives The main communication of the In an Absolut World campaign is to provide the customers with an opportunity to interact, get involved and associated with the brand, since its customer survey found that the previous one never provided the opportunities for customers to interact and get involved with the brand. Furthermore, the campaign aimed at depicting that Absolut Vodka has a class of its own or a world of its own implicating that it is different and better than other brands. The idea is that Absolut Vodka is the quintessential vodka, the true vodka, and the standard by which you judge other things. 7.3 Target Market The target audience is 23 34 year urbanites. 7.4 Positioning Statement To inform urbanites that Absolut Vodka is the quintessential vodka, the true vodka, the standard by which consumers judge other Vodkas. 7.5 Creative Strategy The In an Absolut World advertising campaign requires that consumers imagine a world that appeals to them, something like a perfect world or a fantastic world, thus bringing about different opinions and points of view. Also it needs to these ads in countries worldwide with varying themes relevant to their region. 7.6 Creative Execution To achieve the creative strategy, they decided not only to show what an ABSOLUT WORLD looks like, but also to give consumers the chance to experience it in their daily lives. The idea was to publish the perfect newspaper and distribute it for free, with real editorial content that was entirely positive and interesting to read. Another idea was to perfect a taxi ride by supplying a fleet of free-of-charge Porsche taxis. The next idea was to make a unique experience at the nearest ATM cash machine by introducing the Happy Hour. 7.7 Media Strategy The campaign would be put in print ads, billboards, TV commercials, video clips as well as online ads (at absolut.com), and event marketing. Absolut turned its website into an online community where visitors can share and discuss their visions of an Absolut World, create and upload images, films, worlds, and sounds, create personal profiles; browse, comment, and develop the visions of others. 8. Evaluation of the In an Absolut World The campaign uses a combination of approaches in the major selling idea between creating a brand image, positioning and inherent drama. Absolut developed its strong, memorable identity through image advertising and positioned itself as the quintessential vodka in the consumers mind. The creative approach used in the campaign is appropriate for the target audience who is 25 34 year urbanites. The message can delivered to the target audience and executed in a combination of imagery and humor. For example, one of the ads shows an expectant couple and the husband is pregnant. Additionally, even though Absolut came up with many ads with different pictures, those ads were able to convey the message to the target audience effectively by using indirect headlines In an Absolut World as creative tactics for printing ads and TV commercials. Also, the message is short, clear, novel, and creative as well as provokes their thoughts. Most of the ads in the campaign use emotional appeal to attract the target audience while others create excitement and provoke thoughts. The ads and some TV commercials try to communicate with the target audience that people wish to see the world in a different manner according what an Absolut World means to them or their perceptions. For example, a TV commercial portrays a h