What Does Patriotism Mean to Me

The very definition of patriotism cannot simply be defined by a dictionary. In fact, no two people you meet will have the same explanation of what it means to them. From America’s Founding Fathers to courageous everyday heroes serving in our military at home and overseas, patriotism fills their hearts with the will to protect our country’s freedom. Patriotism is an immeasurable personal characteristic shown by unselfish acts in which a person serves their country and its people.I believe love for all people is why Neil Armstrong stated the infamous phrase, â€Å"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. † However, planting the US flag gave every engineer, fellow astronauts and millions of citizens on earth, an overflowing sense of pride to be an American. This act of not only symbolizes we were the first nation to visit the moon, but unified a patriotic spirit held deep inside us all. In my opinion, Mr. Armstrong recognizing the efforts of everyone at N ASA and the support of all Americans in one sentence was genius, and very patriotic.During World War II, there was a vast shortage of workers needed to produce munitions supplies to help the Allies win the war. Out of love for their men put in harm’s way, millions of women stepped up answering the call for their country. This grueling hard skilled labor included building ships, aircraft, vehicles and weaponry. What would you call the desire which filled their hearts, giving them strength and bravery to do so called man’s work?I would declare these women were just as patriotic as the 400,000 women served in the armed forces and 460 who lost their lives. Patriotism is in all our hearts, which is where I think â€Å"Red-Blooded Americans† clichà ©, must derive. From early colonists fighting the tyranny of England rule to fallen well known-veterans like Pat Tillman, they were driven by a common bond. You and I may not realize it within ourselves, but the most unsel fish act for one’s country or fellow people, can awaken the patriotism in all of us. What Does Patriotism Mean to Me The very definition of patriotism cannot simply be defined by a dictionary. In fact, no two people you meet will have the same explanation of what it means to them. From America’s Founding Fathers to courageous everyday heroes serving in our military at home and overseas, patriotism fills their hearts with the will to protect our country’s freedom. Patriotism is an immeasurable personal characteristic shown by unselfish acts in which a person serves their country and its people.I believe love for all people is why Neil Armstrong stated the infamous phrase, â€Å"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.† However, planting the US flag gave every engineer, fellow astronauts and millions of citizens on earth, an overflowing sense of pride to be an American. This act of not only symbolizes we were the first nation to visit the moon, but unified a patriotic spirit held deep inside us all. In my opinion, Mr. Armstrong recognizing the efforts of everyone at NA SA and the support of all Americans in one sentence was genius, and very patriotic.During World War II, there was a vast shortage of workers needed to produce munitions supplies to help the Allies win the war. Out of love for their men put in harm’s way, millions of women stepped up answering the call for their country. This grueling hard skilled labor included building ships, aircraft, vehicles and weaponry. What would you call the desire which filled their hearts, giving them strength and bravery to do so called man’s work?I would declare these women were just as patriotic as the 400,000 women served in the armed forces and 460 who lost their lives. Patriotism is in all our hearts, which is where I think â€Å"Red-Blooded Americans† clichà ©, must derive. From early colonists fighting the tyranny of England rule to fallen well known-veterans like Pat Tillman, they were driven by a common bond. You and I may not realize it within ourselves, but the most unself ish act for one’s country or fellow people, can awaken the patriotism in all of us.

Dominoes vs. Pizza Hut Essay

The Indian domestic pizza market is growing rapidly with number of foreign brands entering into the sector to seek business opportunities. In the current scenario, Indian consumers are increasingly shifting towards varieties of Pizza offered by the well-known brands. Further, huge untapped potential in rural and semi-urban areas, quick investment recovery, simple equipment and small investment to open a pizza outlet also contributes to the development of domestic pizza industry in India. Thus, the domestic pizza market in India is estimated to grow with a CAGR of around 26% during 2011-2014. The two main contenders in this highly competitive market segment is Domino’s and Pizza Hut. Until 1996, Pizza in India was synonymous only a bready dough base slathered with some ketchup. Since 1996, there was a proliferation of ‘high-priced branded’ pizzas in the market, with the entry of international pizza chains. Domino’s and Pizza Hut, the two big US fast food chains entered India in 1996. Each claimed it had the original recipe as the Italians first wrote it and was trying desperately to create brand loyalty. Domino’s and Pizza Hut – tried to grab as large a slice of the pizza pie as possible. Domino’s and Pizza Hut expanded their market ever since they entered India. Domino’s had grown from one outlet in 1996, to over 500 outlets in April 2012. Pizza Hut too, which began with just a single outlet in 1996 has over 200 outlets in 2012. Domino’s entered India in 1996 through a franchise agreement with Vam Bhartia Corp. 3 The first outlet was opened in Delhi. With the overwhelming success of the first outlet, the company opened another outlet in Delhi. By 2000, Domino’s had a presence in all the major cities and towns in India. Pizza Hut entered India in June 1996 with its first outlet in Delhi. Positioning to customer needs. When Domino’s entered the Indian market, the concept of home delivery was still in its nascent stages. It existed only in some major cities and was restricted to delivery by the friendly neighbourhood fast food outlets. Eating out at ‘branded’ restaurants was more prevalent. To penetrate the Indian market, Domino’s introduced an integrated home delivery system from a network of company outlets within 30 minutes of the order being placed. However, Domino’s was not the trendsetter so far as home delivery was concerned. Delhi based fast food chain; Nirula’s was the first to start free home delivery in 1994. But where Domino’s stole the market was its efficient delivery record. GouthamAdvani, Chief of Marketing, Domino’s Pizza India, said, â€Å"What really worked its way into the Indian mind set was the promised thirty minute delivery. † Domino’s also offered compensation: Rs. 30/- off the price tag, if there was a delay in delivery. For the first 4 years in India, Domino’s concentrated on its ‘Delivery’ act. For its delivery promise to work, Domino’s followed an 11-minute schedule: one minute for taking down the order, one minute for Pizza-making, six minutes oven-time, and three minutes for packing, sealing and exit. Pizza Hut, on the other hand, laid more emphasis on its â€Å"restaurant dining experience. † It positioned itself as a family restaurant and also concentrated on wooing kids. Its delivery service was not time-bound. A company official said, â€Å"The Pizza making process takes about 20 minutes and since we don’t usually deliver to places which are beyond the reachable-in-half-an-hour distance, customers can expect home delivery within 45 minutes. † Moreover, analysts felt that Pizza was something that just was not meant to be delivered. Said Vivek Sure, Projects Manager, Pizza Express, â€Å"If you don’t eat pizza fresh, it turns cold and soggy. † However, Domino’s seemed to have overcome this problem through its delivery pack called ‘Domino’s Heatwave. Localizing the Menu Since its entry into India, Domino’s introduced nine new toppings for Pizzas to cater to the local tastes. Different flavours were introduced in different parts of India. Advani said, â€Å"The Indian palate is very definitive – people are extremely finicky and choosy, not too willing to experiment. Food tastes vary from region to region. To capture the market, we had to localize flavours. † Thus, Deluxe Chicken with Mustard Sauce’ and Sardines were confined to the East, Mutton Ghongura and Chicken Chettinad to the South and Chicken Pudina to Mumbai. Butter chicken, MakhaniPaneer and the ChatpataChana Masala were confined to the North. Very soon, Pizza Hut followed Domino’s and offered customized Spicy Paneer and Chicken Tikka toppings. Apart from this, it also opened a 100% vegetarian restaurant at Ahmedabad, a one-of-its-kind worldwide. The restaurant also offered a special Jain menu, which did not have a single root-based ingredient to fit in with the food habits of Jains. Another city-specific adaptation of its menu by Pizza Hut was the restaurant in Hyderabad, (Andhra Pradesh) which offered Halal meat and chicken only with no beef and pork products in the menu. MARKETING MIX 1. PRODUCTS PIZZA HUT a. Product differentiation: Worldwide and in India pizza hut has come to become synonymous with the â€Å"best pizza’s under one roof†. this is because at pizza hut the belief is that every pizza has its own magic thus making it a destination product which everyone seeks. It is this belief that has ignited the passion to create , innovate and serve the finest product the industry has to offer while setting standards for others to strive to replicate. Pizza hut is committed to providing uncompromising product quality, offering customers the highest value for money and giving service that is warm, friendly and personal. A critical factor in pizza hut’s success has been its unique dining experience. Crew members at pizza hut strive each day to provide ‘customer mania’ the kind of service that ensures that every visit of the customer is a memorable one. b. Pizza Features: Pizza hut has many unique features of their product due to which it attracts the customers. The product is classified into non-durable goods as it is a food item. Pizza hut differentiates itself with its competitors with respect to their wide range of offerings (menu items) one can find besides pizzas, range of pasta’s appetizers, cakes deserts etc. There are a large number of items to choose from. Some of the items are: * Pizza’s * Pasta and salads * Appetizers * Deserts * Beverages c. Mass Customisation: The main advantage of customisation is that one can customize his/her own pizza by selecting the bread and loading it with his/her choice of toppings. This creates variety in the customers mind and thus one can enjoy whatever he/she can imagine pizza hut can offer. The most unique feature is that there is ‘pan 4 all’ scheme where one can select 4 different types of vegetarian/no-vegetarian combination of pizza. This is a unique way of offering as there are many customers who come in groups where someone in the group may have different preferences. d. Conformance quality Pizza Hut products have high conformance quality all the products produced are identical and meet the promised specifications. e. Style Pizza is delivered in hot pans and served in style. The toppings are also dressed in a good fashion thus having ‘food in style ‘defines pizza hut experience. f. Service Differentiation * Dining: Once one enters a restaurant immediately the attendants initiates the ordering process by providing the menu. All associates are well trained in English and can take order from any type of customer. Pizza hut’s style of delivering the pizza is quite an experience. The restaurant is aesthetically designed. All the staff members are uniquely dressed, managers dressed specially. Also the tables and menus are all placed in a good manner. All orders placed are served within 15-20 minutes. * Delivery and takeaway:They have the concept of hot-dot in case of delivery, which means that the package is guaranteed to be delivered hot. There is a dot on the cardboard box that serves as a checking point as to whether the hot-dot status has been met or not. Also they place a tripod on top of the pizza at the centre so that the ceiling does not touch the toppings. DOMINOS a. Product Differentiation Domino’s pizza India has maintained its position in the market with its constant product innovation and maintenance of stringent service standards. More importantly it has established a reputation for being a home delivery specialist capable of delivering it’s pizza’s within 30 minutes to its community of loyal customers from its entire chain of stores around the country. As the name suggests ‘the pizza delivery experts’ customers can order their pizza’s by calling their hotline. Domino’s believes strongly in the strategy of ‘ think local and act regional’ . Thus time and again Domino’s has been innovating toppings suitable to the taste buds of the local population and these have been very well accepted by the Indian market. Also they have their promotional campaign ‘ hungry kya ? ’ which means call up Domino’s at any time of the day 24/7 whenever you are hungry and have the food in 30 minutes. b. Pizza Features. Dominos has many unique features of its product due to which it attracts its customers. The product is classified into non-durable goods as it is a food item pizza hut differentiates itself with its competitors with respect to their wide range of offerings (menu items) one can find besides pizzas , range of pasta’s appetizers, cakes deserts etc. There are a large number of items to choose from. The ‘chicken wings’ item has specially struck a chord with a lot of customers as such a kind of item is not available at any other pizza outlet. * Veg pizza * Non Veg pizza * Veg II pizza. * Non Veg II * Garlic breadsticks * Soft drinks (600 ml) * Chicken Wings * Choco Lava Cake * Butterscotch Mousse Cake c. Mass customisation The main advantage of customisation is that one can customize his/her own pizza by selecting the bread and loading it with his/her choice of toppings. This creates variety in the customers mind and thus one can enjoy whatever he/she can imagine domino’s can offer. The most unique feature is that ‘single slice pizza’ scheme where one can select any veg/non-veg pizza at a lower cost. This is a unique way of offering as there are many consumers e.g. Student segment who cannot always afford the premium price. d. Conformance quality Domino’s products have high conformance quality all the products produced are identical and meet the promised specifications. e. Style Pizza is delivered in paper boxes and served in style. The toppings are also dressed in a good fashion thus having quick service justifies the domino’s tagline. f. Service Differentiation * Dining: Though domino’s is mainly concerned with takeaway and home-delivery, to suit the Indian market it allows dine-in facilities as well. One can enter the restaurant and immediately place their order at the service kiosk and they would be provided with a token number and there is a led screen with indicated which order is ready for service. It’s mainly a self-help facility. Also pizzas are delivered in same cardboard boxes as in case of delivery, no such differentiation is there which is in stark contrast to that of the dine-in experience that customers enjoy at the more expensive pizza hut restaurants. * Home Delivery: Home delivery facilities in Domino’s are world renowned and super-efficient. The persons attending the customer calls are helpful in selecting the best economical orders as well. Also the delivery system is very efficient and very rarely has anyone complained about quality of delivery times. Also it is open 24/7 and this standard is maintained throughout India regardless of the livings standards of that place. 2. PLACE It is very important to decide where the marketer can deliver the value to the customer. This is done through effective marketing channels that make the product available to the consumer. India in 1996, with its first outlet in Delhi, has grown into over 101 outlets spread across 24 cities. In India, the majority of Domino’s outlets are delivery-based with only about 25% of the outlets being both delivery and â€Å"sit-down†. This is quite different from other retail food chains. Pizza Hut made its foray in India with a dine-in restaurant in Bangalore in June 1996. Starting with six restaurants in its first year, Pizza Hut has expanded to 73 restaurants in 19 cities and plans to scale up to 100 restaurants by end-2004 * At presentDomino’s has149 locations across India and (8,500). Worldwide * Dominos projection call for 500 stores by 2010 * The company has tied up with the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to set up pizza outlets in the latter’s petrol bunks and in the process save on real estate costs * The pizza chain will open such drive-in-drive-out outlets in around 100 IOC petrol stations in 16 different cities. It intends to invest around Rs. 40 crore to expand its network. Pizza Hut has 134 locations across India (and 13,000 worldwide); * Pizza hut projections call for 300 stores by 2012. † 3. PRICE. In India dominos is trying to attract not only the upper but also the lower and middle class people. So, it has a more widespread network of outlets even in suburban areas, whereas pizza hut is only present in major cities. These targeted customers are interested to spend on pizza but at a low price. They are eager to go for outing in any festival and as a cheap family restaurant dominoes will be most preferable. They do not need high class ambience or amusement in the restaurant So the establishment cost is low for the dealers and the price of the pizza is very reasonable for the customer. Company Price Range (Rs) Domino’s 39-265 Pizza Hut 75-350 Some of Dominos’ very successful pricing campaigns are * Fun meals for 4 @ 180 * Pizza mania @ 39 * Non-veg singles/doubles at 69/120 However pizza hut is not too far behind in targeting the lower income groups. The weekday meal @99 has been a major hit all over India attracting office goers and teenage students alike. However the main target segment for pizza hut is the rich and higher middle class people. They are offering an organised restaurant system with great ambience and for these demanding a higher price for pizzas. 4. PROMOTION DOMINO’S * Dominospizzas have decided to focus on the take-away market. * To give value to the customer Dominos came up with Rs 50 pizza * Dominos gave away a lot of free pizzas. Even today they give close to 1000 pizzas free during a week. * Dominos kept their promise of free pizza if it was late beyond 30 minutes. The company bore the cost * In November 2006 Dominos came up with double cheese crunch pizza. And it increased sales by 45 per cent * Besides that Dominos did a lot of ground activities in terms of alliances, radio advertising, etc. Dominos also have this program called the Rolex challenge. It’s a program run by Domino’s international where store managers are awarded a Rolex watch if the achieve a certain sales level in specified time. PIZZA HUT The advertising strategy for Pizza Hut is two-fold. Firstly, laying emphasis on it being an international brand with an Indian heart, Pizza Hut’s communication is reflective of family values, family bonding, etc. * Pizza Hut’s arranged marriage commercial in Indian settings, and the Palat pizza commercial in Hinglish. * Secondly, highlighting the premise that the pizza is a catalyst that brings people together ensures that this is a brand that connects with the Indian consumer. * The ‘Palat’ concept was launched in 2002, with the launch of Pizza Hut’s innovative range of ‘Stuffed Crust’ pizzas * An unconventional and fun product, the ‘Stuffed Crust’ pizza has a crust that is filled with a ring of mozzarella cheese that magically transforms the crust edge, compelling one to eat the pizza backwards – i. e. , crust first or ‘Palatke’. * Pizza Hut claims as much as 50% of sales from delivery in some stores, and ten of its outlets are takeout only. SEGMENTATION PIZZA HUT 1. Geographic Region: Pizza hut outlets in different parts of Indiaare a way of segmenting their markets according to region and finding out potential markets. City: They also segmented the cities as class I, classII, metros and small towns 2. Demographic Age: Under 10, 10-18, 18-25, 25-40, 40+ Family income: Middle class, upper middle class, high class Dual income earners: Yes/No 3. Psychographic Socio economic class: Urban 4. Behavioural Occasions: Birthdays, corporate lunches, parties, receptions Loyalty status: Low, medium, high User status: First time, regular, non-user DOMINO’S 1. Geographic Region:Domino’soutlets in different part of India are a way of segmenting their market according to region and finding out potential markets. City:They also segmented the cities as class I, class II, metros and small towns 2. Demographic Age:Under 13, 13-21, 21-35,35-50, 50+ Family income: Lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class, high class 3. Psychographic Socio economic class: Urban 4. Behavioural Occasions: Birthdays,parties,receptions,festivals, small office parties Loyalty status:Low,medium, high. User status:First time,regular,non-user TARGETING PIZZA HUT * In geographic segment they targeted countries where there were no pizza hut outlets. Initially opened in class 1 cities and then have now moved to sub-urban. * In demographic segment main target is young adults ranging from 25-40 and also dual-income earners. They basically aim the upper middle class and high class income segment. * In psychographic segment they targeted urban socio-economic classes. * In behavioural segment they targeted occasions such as birthday bashes and corporate lunches. They also targeted the first time users as they felt that the quality and taste would automatically make them a loyal customer. DOMINO’S * In geographic segment they targeted countries where there were no domino’soutlets. Initially opened in class II cities and then have now moved to class I, metros and smaller towns. * In demographic segment main targets are teenagers and college students ranging from 13-21yrs and young adults ranging from 21-35 yrs. They basically aim the upper middle class and middle class income segment. * In psychographic segment they targeted urban socio-economic classes. * In behavioural segment they targeted occasions such as festivals, hostel parties. They also targeted the first time users and also the regular users. SWOT ANALYSIS PIZZA HUT Strengths:1. Strong Universal image that customers easily recognise. 2. Successful customization3. Low competition in eastern part of the world4. Strong network with its franchisees| Weaknesses:1. Lack innovation2. High competition in western world3. Fixed overhead cost| Opportunities:1. Pizza as family dining option2. Pizza is a fast growing niche market3. Services on mobile and other electronic devices| Threats:1. Socio Demographic changes2. Consumers being price sensitive3. Competition from other brands| DOMINO’S Strengths:1. Worldwide Presence2. Leader in pizza delivery industry3. Strong brand image4. Strong network with its franchisees| Weaknesses:1. Declining in-store sales | Opportunities:1. Growth opportunities in developing economies2. Services on mobile and other electronic devices| Threats:1. Competition in the pizza delivery industry2. Increase in health awareness3. Increase in labour and food prices| CONSUMER PREFERENCES Primary Research Results RECOMMENDATIONS PIZZA HUT: 1. High quality personnel: Total cooperation of its employee’s thereby increasing productivity, beating competition and enhancing consumer satisfaction. 2. Pay more attention to untapped segment of Senior citizens. 3. Maintain the product quality by continuous innovations. 4. Emphasis on development of â€Å"Home Delivery† Network. DOMINOS: 1. Make more coupons available to customers: Offer specials for certain times or seasons 2. Improving online ordering procedures. 3. New products specific to location. 4. Customized pizza.

Marketing Plan Skylarknet a Wireless Essay

Wireless mesh networking is the latest tech in this field. Internet pro Wireless networks provide unprecedented freedom and mobility for a growing number of laptop and PDA users who no longer need wires to stay connected with their workplace and the Internet. Ironically, the very devices that provide wireless service to these clients need lots of wiring themselves to connect to private networks and the Internet. This wiring is expensive to install and change, and deployment must be carefully planned and timed to minimize disruption to normal business operations. Permits or permissions may be required, and then there are the laborious tasks of pulling, terminating and testing the copper wiring or fiber optic cabling. With all the work involved, it should not be surprising that wiring can be the most expensive part of a â€Å"wireless† network! Indeed, the many obstacles associated with wiring are now preventing or delaying the deployment of wireless applications that could deliver a real competitive advantage or a high return on investment—or both. This marketing plan provides an overview of implementing Wireless Mesh Network (WMN) service for the first time in the suburban areas of Bangladesh. Wireless Mesh Network is an exciting new technology which has tremendous potential especially for a developing country like Bangladesh. Quite a few African countries are already benefiting from this novel technology. Supported by the growing buying power, a number of desktop and laptop users in the suburban areas of Bangladesh are badly in need of high quality internet service. In the world of internet the best suitable option stands for the suburban areas is the wireless technology. We plan to act as a service and equipment provider for the local ISP dealers and some institutional market such as university campus, NGO, hospitals and nursing home etc. As we are the pioneer of this new technology we conducted an insightful analysis of the competitor’s position and their offerings. The marketing plan starts with the situational analysis of the current market. External and internal factor analysis (SWOT analysis) provides a clear picture of current scenario. Grameen Phone, Qubee, Banglalion, ZoomUltra are our main competitors. But the cost of their offering is much higher than ours. Because there lies a higher establishment cost. Eliminating wires dramatically reduces the implementation costs, and substantially simplifies on-going operations. Without wires, the network becomes far more adaptable and flexible. That’s why we focus on the cost effectiveness and performance of the WMN service. We identify our company as a market challenger and set some strategies suitable for the challengers. Some pilot projects are planned to create the awareness among target customers. Based on these projects success further promotional and pricing strategies are set. In the later part of the report the feasibility of this marketing plan is justified by the financial analysis. Expense and sales are forecasted for the next three years followed by a break-even analysis. Overall monitoring and contingency plan (in the case of failure) completes the total planning for our company. Introduction In this world of modern technology, most people prefer not to connect computers with Ethernet cables because excessive cables scattered throughout their office or home is unsightly. One can choose to install a wireless network to avoid excessive cabling. For a wireless network, there is no need to use Ethernet cables to connect your computers to the DSL or router. Moreover, WLANs are available anywhere in the world at an affordable cost. In the suburban and rural areas Wireless tech suits best. Wireless mesh networking is the newest tech in wireless field. Our objective is to identify the potential suburban customers of Bangladesh who can afford a cost-effective internet service. Origin of the Study This report has been prepared a requirement to fulfill the course. This report evaluates the business opportunity of latest wireless mesh network technology in the suburban areas of Bangladesh from service provider point of view. Objective of the Study The primary objective of this report is to fulfill the course requirement of â€Å"Marketing Management†. The secondary objective is to describe a detail marketing plan for a new technology. Limitation of the Study There is no authentic statistics about the potential number of internet users in the suburban areas of Bangladesh. As this is a new technology, the costs of the equipments vary depending on the different manufacturers. We are making a new entry, so the estimation of potential market is based on the secondary data of other existing competitors rather than the primary data. Sales and expense is forecasted on the discretion of our part that may vary widely in real case implementation. Unavailability of previous year’s financial report necessitates greater recourse to mere guessing in some cases. Situational Analysis What is WMN (Wireless Mesh Network)? Mesh networks represent an emerging wireless networking technology that promises wider coverage than traditional wireless LANs and lower deployment and operation costs than 3G cellular networks. For these reasons, network operators and service providers consider mesh networking to be a serious candidate to solve the so called last mile problem. Some network operators worldwide have already started to deploy mesh based access networks offering nearly ubiquitous and inexpensive wireless Internet connections to their customers. Examples are Ozone’s mesh network in Paris (www. zone. net/en/) and The Cloud in the City of London (www. thecloud. net). The real business potential lies in operator based mesh networks. By their systematic design, deployment, and maintenance, operator based mesh networks provide higher levels of Quality-of-Service (QoS), meaning larger coverage, higher speed, and more reliable operation. In addition, it can be argued that mesh network operators in a give n geographical area will cooperate in order to further optimize their costs and increase the QoS provided by their networks. The form of the cooperation can range from traditional roaming agreements to joint provision of specific services. Figure 1: Wireless Mesh Network Strategic planning is important because in well-run companies the goal from the very top of the organization down to where one is working should form a more-or-less unbroken chain (or â€Å"hierarchy†) of goals. At the top of the company the president and his or her staff set strategic goals. These goals should flow from top and make sense in terms of the goals at the next level up. Then the vice presidents’ subordinates set their own goals, and so on down the line. In this way, management creates a hierarchy or chain of departmental goals, from the top down the lowest-ranked managers, and even employees. Then , if everyone does his or her job-if each salesperson sells his her quota, and the sales manager hires enough good salespeople, and the HR manager creates the right incentive plan, and the purchasing head buysand CEO should also accomplish the overall, company-wide strategic goals. One could therefore say with great certainty that without a clear plan at the top, no one in the company would have the foggiest notion of what to do. Wireless Internet Market in Bangladesh Wireless Internet Service was first introduced to Bangladesh in public by cell phone giant Grameen Phone. Then other GSM mobile phone operators like Banglalink, Aktel and Warid follow suit. Citycell, the only CDMA based mobile phone operator in Bangladesh introduced the Zoom internet service, which was a little different from the other mobile phone operators in that consumers could connect to internet by using a USB modem included in the Zoom package. Later on Grameen Phone also introduced a package where they include an USB modem.

Product Pricing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Product Pricing Strategy - Essay Example Hence, it is very important that the organization should know all their costs in developing the products and in their marketing & inventory holding. Once the internal thresholds are known there are multiple additional factors that drive pricing decisions from market perspective. Monroe and Bitta (1978. pp414) presented a consolidated view of multiple models of product pricing decision classified as - new product models, product line models, price change models and price structure models. The indicated their choice for market comparisons based pricing - like related products, volumes in demands, number of discounted units, price differential with competition, etc. These factors have been empirically accepted by product strategists in pricing their products. However, the author agrees with a new theory presented more recently in 2000 by Thakur and Nair et al. (2000. pp90-92) on product pricing stating that products should be priced based on consumer preferences and not by the actual pr ices or consumer budgets. They reiterated that the products should be offered with the characteristics preferred by customers kept above thresholds and priced based on maximum welfare model such that consumers having wide variations of income can afford the product. This is particularly prevalent in automobile and consumer durables markets. Armstrong (1996. pp51-52) argued that prices should be kept variable as per customer preferences such that premium customers buying larger quantities are offered lesser prices and standard customers buying lesser quantities are offered more prices. However, it is observed that when customer preferences are combined with inventory levels, companies tend to increase prices irrespective of whether the customers are premium or standard. There are some concerns in such models that the author presents in the next section. Ethical considerations and other concerns in product pricing Ethical considerations are specifically required to be considered in monopolistic product pricing when dynamic pricing is carried out with fluctuating demands combined with inventory levels. Elmaghraby and Keskinocak (2003. pp1288-1289) discussed that, empirically, dynamic pricing has been one of the best practices in products and services due to change in customer demands (like urgent deliveries needed) or change in inventory levels (less inventory of products in more demand). This strategy is largely prevalent in service industries - like Airlines, Hotels, Transportation, etc. From the ethical perspective, the author hereby argues that dynamic pricing should not be carried out for essential commodities like food, clothes, medicines, healthcare, hospital beds, etc. Some companies increase prices substantially as soon as they witness customer orders with urgency. There are theories in operations research to maximize profits by taking urgent supply orders from customers at premium pri ces (example, Levin & Ma. 2004. pp217). While it may be a good practice to service customers with urgent

Manta rays Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Manta rays - Research Paper Example This huge ray has an incredibly slow growth rate, which presents a real problem for their struggling population. Interactions with people can be destructive for Manta birostris because of this, for many fishermen utilize them for their fins and meat. The fate of the manta ray is undecided, and relies almost entirely on the human race. â€Å"As manta rays move through their aquatic environment, they process information through many different sensory channels allowing for a complex repertoire of signals and behaviors to be used for finding food, mates, escaping predators, and to facilitate social interactions with conspecifics.† (Deakos,  M. 2011). Records state that manta rays can grow anywhere from 20-30 feet in length. That is, from the tip of one ‘wing’ to the other. The largest batoid fish on the planet, Manta birostris has a lot to live up to. It does this just fine by not only being the largest of its order, but by also being one of the largest fish in the world’s oceans. Their color can vary from shades of green to pure black. Each individual has mottles and spots around the abdominal area, and the shades of solid color can vary over the head and back of each animal. Their underbellies are pale, ranging from white to off-white, which makes the black speckles and mottled dots easy to distinguish. Biologists use these speckles and spots in order to identify each manta ray, and have a catalogue of individuals. Wounds and scars are also occasionally used, but after 12 months many of these heal. Chunks out of ‘wings’ or other missing parts are better to use as an identification tool. Aside from their coloring, manta rays have a long tail that grows thinner and thinner until it reaches the tip. Their tails are whip-like at the end and have a shorter length than that of their body. A manta ray’s tail is harmless, however, and has no spines or stingers. The tails, while short, are thought to help in direction, like a rudder on a ship. On the other side of their body, inside the mouth, both male and female manta rays have 300 rows of tiny teeth. The teeth have flat tops and edges, and are not used in feeding. Manta rays are filter feeders, and have no reason to chew their food. What the teeth are used for has been a baffling topic for biologists all over the world. Because so little is known about the manta ray, even small things such as teeth remain a mystery. One theory is that they are used in combat by males and females alike. ‘Combat’ can mean anything from defending territory to defending a mate. Manta birostris is found in all the world’s oceans. These include the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Artic, the Southern, and the Indian oceans. How many and what species occur in what oceans has yet to be discovered. There could well be even more species of manta ray that haven’t been discovered yet. Despite their gigantic size, manta rays prefer shallower inshore waters close to reefs and rocky areas as opposed to the deeper parts of the oceans. They use the more open areas of these shallower places to gracefully glide through the water. Some species of ray may travel into the depths in order to migrate, although evidence of this fact is scattered and not well documented. What little documentation there is, however, is very valuable. â€Å"An analysis of 79 underwater photographs of Manta birostris gathered over a period of nine years in a marine protected area suggests a high predictability of manta ray occurrences in the region during the austral winter

Our World in 25 Years Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Our World in 25 Years - Essay Example This makes it imperative to have a procrastination of the future and predict what new things we will have then, relative to how the discoveries have continued to shape the world (Cox). The vigorous researches that are being conducted on various areas of medicine today have created significant discoveries, which have made it possible to eliminate a number of conditions across the world. However, some condition have remained a thorn in the flesh of the scientist as no breakthrough has been discovered to enable scientist eliminate them. Despite the setbacks that have been witnessed in the area of medicine, the progress that has occurred over the last 25 years demonstrates that the 25 years holds a lot of potential for this field. With massive discoveries and development of new technologies for doing research, a number of changes will be witnessed in 2039 in the field of medicine (Davenport). AIDS remains a challenging disease to scientist today who has attempted to design a drug to eliminate it or to develop a vaccine to control its spread without success. However, in the next 25 years, the world will have the pleasure of using the AIDS vaccine, as the scientist will make a major breakthrough in their research. Just like polio was a major disease almost 25 years ago that eliminated and crippled a large number of people, AIDS is a major epidemiological condition. However, similar to the development of the polio vaccine several years later, the scientist will develop an AIDS vaccine in the next 25 year (Pelletier). Patients’ care has remained one of the core problems facing the world today due to the lack of hospital spaces and the large number of patients admitted daily. However, with the emerging technologies, the next 25 years may witness significant changes in the approach adopted towards patients’ care. A new health monitoring system will be in place that will ensure that most

SWOT Analysis of Apple Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

SWOT Analysis of Apple - Research Paper Example It could not be denied that this name has assisted them in becoming better pioneers of quality product and high-end service in the field of technological developments. As noted earlier in the discussion, Apple is a well-known brand worldwide. It is undeniable that this brand has naturally grown among the other brands that introduced high-end quality to the market. As an established brand, it could be observed that Apple Computer Corporation is already a well-known name in the industry that the market would likely be able to readily trust. (Carlton, 2000, 33) IT is also noticeable how the pioneering status of the organization was able to carry out its name in the field of global trade. Certainly, through this status, Apple has no problem penetrating any outside market besides the United States and the United Kingdom Territories. (Deutschmann, 2000, 43)From this particular fact, it could be observed that it is an essential asset of the corporation to take great concern of the fact that they were already able to establish the right kind of reputation for their carrier brand to make a great impact in the world market. Marketing the said brand to the worldwide number of target purchasers would become much easier to handle since the reputation of the organization has already been trusted within the global market. The proof for this fact had been continuously presented through the level of sales that the corporation annually makes worldwide. The level of profit that is set for the Weaknesses One particular mater that is serving as a weakness on the part of the business strategies adapted by Apple Corporation, as their primary asset against global competition, is that of loosing their contract with that of IBM and replacing their processor with Intel. This particular approach to change may cause a lot of troubles on the part of the confusion of the people as to what particular brand they are supposed to trust. Of course, both Intel and IBM have their own reputations in the industry. Over the years, there are some percentage of the major customers trusting Apple Computers simply because they trust IBM as a quality producer and distributor of processors. Hence, with the sudden change of provider, some of the customers may make different decisions when it comes to purchasing the products that they are offering today. OUTSOURCING is also one issue that may serve the Apple Corporation both the best and worst results of business. It could be noted that as the company began to outsource from China, India and Taiwan, the cost of expenses on the part of the company has decreased, giving them better chances of decreasing the rate of their products as offered to the market. However, it is also through this particular fact that some of the major clients of the organization may be lost simply upon knowing that the other parts of the gadgets distributed by the company was not made from the United States or UK. This situation cannot be controlled simply by saying that the works from other countries where the company outsourcers its programs and hardware parts from are of high-edge quality. Some consumers could not be robbed off from their belief on the brand and manufacturer that they trust. Opportunities With the growing number of technological gadgets released in the market every now and then, it could be

Mini-Project (Third) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mini-Project (Third) - Essay Example This made Cashman â€Å"forced to scramble for an additional line of credit in project financing at prime plus 2-1/2%†, which was an excessive premium (due to Woody’s credit rating). Proper budgeting would have avoided the ‘fire fighting’ mode they had to resort to when they found themselves â€Å"throwing money at every problem in an effort to get the plant operational†. The project failures concerning financial planning, cash flow, cost control, costs incurred etc. are listed in section two. Recommendations are then given on how this should have been conducted properly so that the mistakes could have been avoided. Kim Cashman’s cash flow chart was improperly drafted. The amount of expenditure was only assumed i.e.  £1 million each in first and last months and  £1.4 million in each intervening 10 months. Secondly, the chart was locked away and the details were not divulged to the people concerned. The costs associated with the project were recorded as part of the company’s normal book-keeping whereas it should have been kept separate not least because the costs could be easily identified and controlled. EID’s initial fixed-price quotation was not deliberated upon. It could have been a more economical option than allowing the cost plus alternative that EID implemented with a high level of uncertainty. Moneysworth did not justify why he thought that the hourly rate was reasonable. He also thought that the hours could be monitored effectively but this proved not to be the case. The hourly rate was perhaps the largest contributor to the spiralling costs. Changes in project planning led to costs becoming uncontrollable and some of these were major. For example, software for the production train had to be rewritten and the building could not house the production train. The lack of schedule planning not only wasted time and caused delays but also resulted in the loss of income. For example, the several weeks that were lost in

Financial Aid and its Affect on Grade Point Average Research Proposal

Financial Aid and its Affect on Grade Point Average - Research Proposal Example Using an exploratory research design, the researcher will investigate whether merit-based financial support to the students has any considerable effect on the class and exam performances of students or not. Problem Statement The problem statement for the research paper is: "Financial aid plays a significant role in improving the grade point average of first year students of both private and public higher education institutes". Conceptual Framework Aim of the Research Merit-based financial aid programs help both poor and academically brilliant students to study in prestigious institutes and prove their academic skills and potential. Such schemes not only provide a chance for the students with high academic potential to get higher education but also play a valuable role in improving overall class grade point average. The researcher believes that when students having academic brilliance will get a chance to study in high quality educational settings, they will also provide academic supp ort to other students which will consequently increase their GPAs as well. Therefore, the research in this area holds great importance. The aim of this research is to identify whether financial aid programs play a considerable role in improving the academic performances of students or not. The researcher will also examine the structure of financial aid being provided to students in both public and private institutes. The researcher will examine the data collected from 3 public and 2 private institutes and will analyze them to come up with the final stand point. Literature Review There has been some research in the area of student retention and higher education access through the implementation of financial aid programs in higher education institutes. According to Alon, the results of previous researches in this field provided all sorts of effects, which include positive, negative, and mixed (122). However, positive effects overshadow the negative effects as provided by the research. The main reason behind positive effects as provided by Alon in this regard is that students get the time to concentrate on studies instead of finding ways to earn money. A recent research aimed at identifying the effects of financial aid programs found that the retention rate of aid recipients is usually high which may be because of the fact that students like to be the part of the institute which provide them with financial support during the whole duration of the course (Kuh et al. 545). As Curs and Harper state, â€Å"merit-based financial aid has a positive and significant effect on first-year collegiate grade point average† (627). Other researchers studying the effects of both need-based and merit-based financial aid programs have also found that merit-based programs have more significant effects as compared to the need-based programs (Stater 782). Merit-based financial aid programs are also associated with a number of positive outcomes, such as high rate of retention, increased motivation among students, creation of a collaborative learning environment, completion of the study program, and increased academic competition among students (Dynarski 285). Methodology The researcher will perform a deep analysis of the data gathered from 5 public and private

Modern Family Essay Example for Free

Modern Family Essay Modern Family is a documentary-style comedy about three branches of the extended Pritchett family: Dad Jay has married a younger woman and is now raising a teenage stepson; his daughter Claire has a husband and three kids of her own; and his gay son Mitchell has just adopted a Vietnamese baby with his partner. Modern Family premiered on ABC in September 2009 as part of the networks new Wednesday comedy lineup, and was immediately met with positive reviews and strong ratings, becoming the breakout show of the night. Modern Family was created and is executive-produced by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, who worked together as writers and producers on Frasier, and co-created the short-lived sitcom Back to You; Levitan was also the creator of Just Shoot Me. This investigation will highlight the key aspects which has made Modern Family a very likable program over the last few years. the way in how the show appeals to viewers will be discussed as well as the values and attitudes of society are re? ected through the main characters. I Will also indicate some of the controls and constraints that Modern Family has to deal with in order to make their show successful and appropriate. Also featured will be the discussion of some of the obvious stereotypes which the show portrays and the impact of Modern Family on Todays society. But to be able to understand all these aspects, you will need to familiarise yourself with the main characters ? rst. Characters Jay Pritchett: The father of Claire and Mitchell, husband of Gloria, grandfather of Lily, Luke, Alex, and Haley, and the stepfather of Manny. He is the owner of a construction ? rm and is presumably the wealthiest family member. Jay has a dry and sarcastic sense of humor. Like both his son and daughter, Jay is generally more realistic, mild mannered, and sensible than his partner, Gloria, who is unashamed of the fact Jay is many years her senior. A recurring plot involves Jays relationship with his son Mitchell, which became more complicated due to Jays reaction to Mitchells sexual orientation. Gloria Pritchett: Jays wife and Mannys mother. She is from a small village in Columbia. She is a very loving wife and mother despite the age difference between her and her husband. Her voluptuous ? gure and overall beauty is often remarked or noticed by other characters on the show. One of her most distinctive traits is her very thick Colombian accent, which sometimes leads her to mispronounce English words, such as ultimatum as old-tomato and earrings as hair-rings. She often supports Manny when Jay tries to tell him to be less sensitive or hide his cultural background. Manny Delgado: Glorias 14-year-old son from her ? rst marriage. He is very outgoing and not the least bit self-conscious. He is very intelligent, mature and intuitive for his age and is often shown doing adult-like things, such as having conversations with Claire about her marriage and kids, and drinking coffee. He has inherited his mothers passion for life, though Gloria has also said, Manny is passionate, just like his father. This causes Manny to be very romantic. Manny is not afraid to take chances, leading him to ask out older girls, and develop a crush on Haley. Phil Dunphy: Claires husband of 20 years who sees himself as the cool dad. He dotes on his wife Claire and constantly tries to ? nd ways to bond with his three kids. He is seen as very competitive, one example being his nature of always beating his son at basketball. He has a very juvenile attitude, and is referred to by Claire as the kid [shes] married to. He uses a parenting method that he calls peerenting, which is a combination of talking like a peer but acting like a parent. He is a real estate agent who is very con? dent in his work, once saying I could sell a fur coat to an Eskimo. Claire Dunphy: the daughter of Jay, Mitchells older sister, and the helicopter soccer mom of the Dunphy family and its three very different kids. She was once a wild-child who made a lot of mistakes over the years, and she is fearful that her children could make the same mistakes, especially her oldest daughter, Haley. She is often exhausted from stress created by her family but is still a loving mother. When it comes to her kids she has dif? culty controlling Haleys independence and irresponsibility, Alexs manipulative nature, and Lukes lack of common sense. She also gets annoyed with her husband, Phil, constantly. Claire is a very competitive person, much like her husband, and is portrayed with a personality that causes her to freak out easily, and get angry. She is very strict about a clean house. She is seen as an experienced parent by Cameron and Mitchell, so she is called upon for her parenting advice Haley Dunphy: the daughter of Claire and Phil, who is portrayed as the stereotypical teenager who is often embarrassed by the presence of her parents. Haley is 15 at the beginning of the series, and is a freshman in college as of Season 4. Haley is depicted as being a bit of a bimbo, who focuses more on social status than studies. She is a little naive, especially when it comes to arguing with her parents. She is concerned about her popularity at school, as well as her social and sexual life, which contributes to her being embarrassed by her parents. Alex Dunphy: the 15-year-old daughter of Claire and Phil, and also the most erudite and intelligent of the three siblings. She is very bright and cares much more about her studies than friends/social life and boys. As the middle child to a shallow big sister and a goofy younger brother, she enjoys messing with them when they are rude to her, which is fairly often. Often taking advantage of their naivete by fooling them into believing unrealistic things, she at one time convinced Haley and Luke that they could charge electronics by rubbing the battery on their heads (Haley) and putting it in their mouths (Luke). She, as a stereotypical precocious kid, displays a sense of superiority because of her erudition, constantly putting her accomplishments on display and demanding recognition for them. Luke Dunphy: Phil and Claire? s 14-year-old son, who is often doing his own thing. At times, he can be a troublemaker, once shooting his sister with a toy gun and getting into a ? ht with Manny at school. Luke is playful, very innocent and does not always understand the repercussions of his actions, like most children; he once announced at a family gathering that his mom thought her dads new wife was a gold digger, although he misheard it as coal digger. Mitchell Pritchett: Also referred to as Mitch, is Jays son, Claires younger brother, Luke, Alex and Haleys uncle, one of Lilys fathers, and partner of eight years to Cameron. He is a low-key, mild-mannered person. At most times he is the exact opposite of Cameron which usually causes disagreements. Cameron acts as a counterbalance to Mitchells uptight, worrying ways. He usually responds to homophobia (whether real or perceived) by giving speeches. Because of his mild-mannered, uptight nature, he is sometimes embarrassed by Camerons ? amboyance. Cameron Tucker: Also referred to as Cam, is Mitchells partner of eight years, and one of Lilys fathers, who has a very big dramatic personality. His bubbly outgoing personality contrasts to Mitchells uptight manner, which causes them to have opposing character traits. Cameron was born on February 29, 1972 and grew up on a farm in Missouri. Lilly Tucker-Pritchett: the adopted Vietnamese daughter of Cameron and Mitchell. When she was introduced to the family, they accepted her with open arms, although Mitchell originally wanted to wait to tell them about her. She is at times doing activities with both of her fathers but remains with Cam at home while Mitchell works. How Does It Appeal? A key aspect of the show? s appeal is the similarities people ? nd between the extended family and their own family. Some characters from the show are Phil Dunphy, Claire Dunphy, Jay Pritchett, Gloria Pritchett, Mitchell Pritchett, and Cam Tucker. There are many other characters that make up this family, which make for much more diversity. The dynamic between these different immediate families and their values (including traditional, gay, straight, and multicultural) are what gives Modern Family its large demographic. The diversity of the Pritchetts helps reach a large audience. The ? rst part of this family is the Pritchett-Delgado family. This consists of Jay, the family patriarch, Gloria, the younger second wife, and Manny, her son. The fun part in watching this family is the culture clash between Jay and Gloria. Gloria and Manny are Hispanic, while Jay is white. It is interesting as they try to make sure that Manny gets a combination of both cultures in his life. Next in this family is the Dunphy family. This has Claire, Jay? s daughter and mother of three, and Phil, Claire? s fun husband. Their children are also in the show. First is Haley, the epitome of some teenage girls who seem to only care about their social lives as opposed to spending time with their family. Second is Alex, the smart child and Haley? s opposite. Last is Luke, the youngest and most rambunctious of the three. He is very close to Manny. The Dunphy? s are a very traditional family, but has had some of the more memorable moments in the show. Some of them come from Phil, who is known for having a very fun sense of humor. Finally there is the Pritchett-Ticker family. This is made up of Mitchell, Jay? s gay son and Claire? s younger brother, Cam, his partner, and Lily, their adoptive daughter from Vietnam. It is fun to watch their family and see how different they are from the other two parts of the family. It? s also important because it helps to put the similarities into perspective for many viewers, and that is very valuable these days. Stereotypes Stereotypes are an inevitable part of modern culture. They are standardized and simpli? ed views of groups and minorities based on prior assumptions. â€Å"Modern Family† constantly utilises and plays with the notions of Stereotypes. â€Å"Modern Family† attempts to create a new stereotype by conforming and altering old stereotypes. There is Jay, the Grandfather who remarried to a beautiful, busty Colombian woman Gloria and her son, Manny. Jay? s daughter, Claire, married to Phil, who have 3 children, Haley, Alex and Luke. Finally, Jay? s on Mitchell has an adopted Vietnamese daughter with boyfriend Cameron. The entire program works by challenging and changing stereotypes, in particular that of Gay parents, Cam and Mitch. Cameron and Mitchell are, in a way, a stereotypical gay couple. However, the humour and the message is portrayed through their confrontation of that stereotype. In one episode, they are confronted with the notion that one of them in the couple is â€Å"the woman. † This stereotypical view, that society is asking them to conform to, forces not only a humorous situation, but also challenges the characters? Gender and Identity. The show cleverly alters the ideas of stereotypes, and plays to into them, but also puts â€Å"name to a face† as it were. Stereotypes are not necessarily formed solely on against minorities, and this show challenges every one. Each character is a â€Å"stereotype† in their own right – be that â€Å"the dumb socialite,† or â€Å"the only child† or â€Å"the loud Colombian woman†. In season 4 there is an episode titled â€Å"Fulgencio† Which con? rms the perception that Latinos working in America are poor and struggle for money but still work very hard. Gloria? family comes to visit the new born baby in the family and the Columbian family endeavors the entire episode to clearing the house, especially Gloria? s sister. it is a positive representation of Latinos because they want to work even if they are on a holiday. But the beauty and hilarity of Modern Family is that each character confronts each of their stereotypes and we, as an audience, see that there is a lot more than meets the eye. Instead of simply accepting some of these stereotypes, Modern Family challenges some of these and in doing so creates a new opinion on the viewers Controls and Constraints There are many controls and constraints that will affect any media production, and Modern Family is no exception. Time: Time is one of the main factors that affects the production. Each episode is meant to run for approximately 20-23 minutes excluding ad-breaks. This means that the group of people who are putting together an episode, must avoid making a very long plot and address the main issue of the episode almost immediately. Another constraint of the show is its budget. Budget: The budget of any program is an outline of how much that production will cost, or how much the director is willing to spend. In its ? st three seasons. There has been episodes ? lmed in Hawaii, and a ranch. These episodes were have been ? lmed in these locations and not a studio with a backdrop of that location. This would have possibly meant that the budget for those 2 episodes would have been greater than some of their other episodes. It is also rumored that the ABC is planning to ? lm a future episode in Columbia in which the viewers will be introduced to Gloria Pritchett? s family. Taking into account the budget of a normal episode, and adding to that international ? ights for the cast and crew, this could very well be the most expensive episode yet. Rating/Audience: One of the most important controls and constraints which affect a media production, is the audience and their expectations. The producers of the show will give a classi? cation or rating so that viewers have some idea of what to expect. Modern Family has a rating of PG13. A PG-rated motion picture should be investigated by parents before they let their younger children attend. The PG rating indicates, in the view of the Rating Board, that parents may consider some material unsuitable for their children, and parents should make that decision. The more mature themes in some PG-rated motion pictures may call for parental guidance. There may be some profanity and some depictions of violence or brief nudity. However, these elements are not deemed so intense as to require that parents be strongly cautioned beyond the suggestion of parental guidance. There is no drug use content in a PG-rated motion picture. Since people under the age of 13 are still likely to watch the show, The writers of an episode must be very careful about any potential jokes that might affect a child. E. g. Modern Family is not allowed to make a joke about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or the tooth fairy not existing because a young person watching the show who believed they existed could end up being very upset. An example of this is from an episode from season 1 when Cameron and Mitchell take their adopted daughter Lilly to go an see Santa Claus at the local mall. The reason all types of ? lm media have these ratings, is to protect the viewer from seeing something they might not want to see. Values and Attitudes Re? ected Through Characters In mainstream media, there seems to be different views on gay marriage, but it seems to be slightly more in favour of accepting the life choices made by these people. In Modern Family, there is a gay couple called Cameron and Mitchell. The way that they positively re? ect the values and attitudes of society is the fact that they are very open about being gay. Another way it is positively re? ected is through the other main characters. They all seem to be very accepting even the Patriarch of the family Jay Pritchett, he accepts his sons choice even though he is uncomfortable with it. In one of the early episodes of season 2, the couple shared a kiss which pleased the audience. Ultimately, then, the show re? ects the experiences and insecurities of its creators and assumed audience, middleclass, middle-aged straight white men. Also in its Pilot episode, Cam and Mitch announce to the family that they have adopted a baby from Vietnam and the whole family (Including Mictchell? s homophobic father Jay) are very accepting of their choice. It reassures them that being tolerant is as good as being inclusive and that heterosexual white families with shrill stay-at-home wives are the norm. Its exploration of the pressures of feminine ideals is considerably less sympathetic meaning that Phil? s wife Claire Dunphy is arguably the least likable character, and story lines have included three women getting their period at the same time and going crazy, and ? ery Latina Gloria needing to be chaperoned because her pregnancy brain makes her too forgetful to function. Modern Family is one of very few to feature main characters who are gay (one of whom is played by a character who is actually gay outside of the production) and people of color, and it shows Cam and Mitch to be caring, capable parents. t challenges some of the values and attitudes which are evident, and the fact that Modern Family presents this unit in such a non-threatening way may be the key to its acceptance. Impact On Society Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Casted as Mitchell Pritchett) said that Modern Family might be doing a lot to change the views on gay marriage. The actor said he has had several people approach him and remark how the show has had an impact their lives and their views. Its impossible to measure how wide the impact is, but the fact that even one person changed their mind says a lot about the depth of the show. Modern Family is hardly the ? rst show to feature gay characters. However, it is one of the ? rst that doesnt really make an issue out of it. In fact, it is easy to forget that Cameron and Mitchell are a gay couple. There are no political statements or agendas. They are just two people living their lives. The fact that it has affected the views of other people indicates that it is a very important show. It takes something special to alter the mindset of an individual. This show ? ts the bill. They keep doing what they do. Modern Family shouldnt try to change the world. However, if they change a few minds while carrying on as normal then there is nothing wrong with that. Modern Family has also made people who watch the show feel better about themselves because viewers now know that there own family isn? t the only family who has troubles. It is happening all around them. This helps us to understand that Modern family is one of the most realistic television sitcoms going around at the moment. Conclusion It is quite evident that Modern family has had an impact on todays society in a positive way along with providing the viewers with plenty of laughs along the way. For people to want watch a program and understand some of the meaning it constructs, then the show must appeal to the viewer in the ? rst place, and Modern Family does this by creating a storyline that most people can generally relate to. Once people become immersed in the show they start to pick up some of the stereotypes that are evident, e. g. Gay couple, loud South Americans etc. Because we relate with the characters, we feel inclined to display the same values and attitudes that the characters do which is respecting people even if they? re gay or of a different nationality. This leads to its impact on society which is without a doubt a positive one. Perhaps Modern Family is changing the views towards gay marriage and it is better that they? re doing it in a way where people can watch a television program that people can enjoy, but also learn from it. It is amazing to consider how successful a TV show can be due to the controls and constraints it faces, and Modern Family perfects it.

Processes and Applications of Fermentation

Processes and Applications of Fermentation Hort-312 (1+1) Topic: Fermented Food Dr. Ananta Saikia Sir, Murchana Malakar Introduction Fermentation is the process of producing a fermented product by the mass culture of micro organisms involved in it [14]. It is derived from the Latin word fevere meaning â€Å"to boil†. Biochemically, fermentation is a process in which an agent causes an organic substance to break down into simpler substances; especially, the anaerobic breakdown of sugar into alcohol. It is the oldest most which is the most economical method of preserving food [2]. The local people have been using the microbes without knowing their effects to produce the fermented products [10]. For household purpose, fermentation is followed with simple processing methods. Due to the lack of sterility, the end products often contain mixed microbial population [8]. Fermentation promotes digestibility and improve the health of human beings [6]. It promotes the shelf-life reducing volume, less cooking time and higher nutritive value. It helps in the detoxification of undesirable compounds such as phytates, polyphenols and tannins[11]. It also enhances the aroma and flavour of the fermented food. For industrial purpose, it is carried out on a large scale for manufacturing of the product. But in the second phase Microbiology evolved as a science for the first time in the history of fermentation [3]. Processes involved in fermentation:[7,13] Acetic Acid Fermentation: Acetobacter spp. is the main microorganism involved in this process. It aerobically converts the alcohol to acetic acid. Examples: Wine, Cider and melt honey. Lactic Acid Fermentation: It is carried out by lactic acid bacteria. Examples: Pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi Alcoholic fermentation: Yeast is the main micro organism involved in this process which yields ethanol. Example: Brandy, Beer, Whiskey Alkali fermentation: It occurs in case of fish and seeds which are used as condiment.Example: Fish sauce, bagoong. Types of fermented food: Cereal based fermented food: Cereal grains are considered to be on one of the most important source of carbohydrate, protein, vitamin and mineral. It improves the texture, aroma of the end product. Most common type of cereals (such as wheat, rice, sorghum or corn) is used for the preparation of fermented foods. The bacteria species involved includes Leuconostoc, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Pediococcus, Lactobacillus, and Micrococcus. Fungi genera include Fusarium, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Trichothecium. The yeasts include Saccharomyces[10] (Steinkraus, 1998). Table 1: Commonly used cereal based fermented food and beverages [1,4,5,9, 12]. Anarshe Rice India Ang-kak Rice South East Asia Bagni Millet Caucasus Banku Maize Ghana Bogobe Sorghum Botswana Brem Rice Indonesia Busa Rice Egypt Chee-fan Wheat China Chicha Maize Peru Chonju Rice Korea Dalaki Millet Nigeria Dhokla Rice/Wheat India Dosa Rice India Darassum Millet Mongolia Hamanatto Wheat Japan Idli Rice India/Srilanka Injera Wheat/Sorghum Ethiopia Jalebies Wheat flour India/ Nepal/ Pakistan Kanji Rice India Kaffir beer Kaffir corn South Africa Kisra Sorghum Sudan Lao-chao Rice China/ Indonesia Me Rice Vietnam Miso Rice and soybeans Japan/ China Nan Unbleached wheat flour India/ Pakistan Nasha Sorghum Sudan Ogi Maize/Sorghum Nigeria Puto Rice Philippines Pozol Maize Mexico Rabdi Maize India Sorghum Beer Sorghum/Maize South Africa Sake Rice Japan Takju Rice/Wheat Korea Torani Rice India Tape ketan Rice/ Cassava Indonesia Uji Maize/Sorghum Kenya Vada Ceral India Legume Based Fermented Foods: Pulses are the chief sources of proteins. The micro organisms involved in it are: Mucor sp., Aspergillus spp., Lactobacillus sp. , Saccharomyces sp. Table 2: Fermented foods of legumes [6]. Aagya Soybean India Chee-fan Soybean China Dawadawa African locust bean Nigeria Kecap Soybean Indonesia Khaman Bengal gram India Meju Soybean Korea Natto Soybean Japan Soybean Milk Soybean China Tempeh Soybean Indonesia Waries Black gram India Fermented Milk Products: The fermented milk products have higher nutritive value, better keeping quality and it has a strong therapeutic potential. Micro organisms involved are: Lactobacillus sp, Saccharomyces sp, Acetobacter aceti, Yeast. Table 3: List of Fermented milk products [6] Buttermilk Bovine USA/ Australia Chhurpi Yak India Curd Bovine, Buffalo India Cultured cream Bovine USA Koumiss Horse, Mare, Camel Russia, Asia Kefir Bovine, Goat Russia Laktofil Bovine Sweden Lassi Bovine India Leben Ewe, Goat, Sheep Labenon, Iraq Quark Bovine Germany, Europe Viili Bovine Finland Yoghurt Bovine/ Goat Turkey Fermented Fish Meat Products: Meat and fish are the rich source of proteins. Fermentation helps in increasing the shelf life and also gives unique flavour and texture to the final product. It involves the micro organisms such as Actinomycetes, Pseudomonas, Yeast, Penicillium, Lactobacillus, and Micrococcus. Table 4: List of Meat and fish products [6] Bacon Cured Meat Europe Bagoong Fish Philippines Fish sauce Fish South East Asia Ham Meat Europe Katsuobushi Fish Japan Fermented Fruits Vegetables: Fermentation is the oldest method of extending the shelf life of perishable products. Table 5: List of fermented fruits and vegetables [6] Gundruk Radish India Kimchi Radish Korea Olive Olive Spain Pickle Vegetable India Yan-taozih Peach China Sauerkraut Cabbage Internatinal Soidon Bamboo shoot India Yan-tsai-shin Broccoli Taiwan Benefits of Fermented Foods: Variation in the types of fermented products Important ingredients can be prepared from it Quality is increased to a great extent. Preservation increases the shelf life. It helps in the recovery of a disease free life. Raw materials can be digested to a great extent. Conclusion: Fermented products which are associated with several cultural and social aspects contain a wide range of probiotics. The tactics which are practised by the ethnic groups reveal the correlation of nature with the people including the micro flora. Value added methods are practised by genetic improvement, strains of micro organisms, using of immobilised systems which will lead to industrialization of the food products. Hence, the fermented products can be maximised and commercializing the technological development in terms of financial support by the governing agencies. References: [1] ] Adams, M. R. (1998). Fermented weaning foods. In J. B. Wood (Ed.),  Microbiology of fermented foods (pp. 790–811). London: Blackie  Academic. [2] Billings, T. (1998). On fermented foods. Available: http://www.living-foods.com. [3] Caplice, E., Fitzgerald, G. F. (1999). Food fermentations: role of  microorganisms in food production and preservation. International  Journal of Food Microbiology, 50, 131–149. [4] Chavan, J. K., Kadam, S. S. (1989). Critical reviews in food science  and nutrition. Food Science, 28, 348–400. [5] Harlander, S. (1992). Food biotechnology. In J. Lederberg (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of microbiology (pp. 191–207). New York: Academic Press [6] Jeyaram, K., Singh A., Romi, W., Devi, A.R., Singh, W.M., Dayanithi, H., Singh, N.R. and Tamang, J.P. 2009. Traditional fermented foods of Manipur. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 8(1): 115-121. [7] Modi, H.A.(2012). Aavishkar Publishers, Distributors, Jaipur, pp-1-203. [8] Nout, M.J.R. and Sarkar, P.K. 1999. Lactic acid food fermentation in tropical climates. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 76: 395-401. [9] Sankaran, R. (1998). Fermented food of the Indian subcontinent. In  J. B. Wood (Ed.), Microbiology of fermented foods (pp. 753–789).  London: Blackie Academic and Professional. [10] Sekar, S. and Mariappan, S. 2007. Usage of traditional fermented products by Indian rural folks and IPR. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 6 (1): 111120. [11] Sharma, A. and Kapoor, A.C. 1996. Level of antinutritional factors in pearl millet as affected by processing treatments and various types of fermentation. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition 49: 241-252. [12] Soni, S. K., Sandhu, D. K. (1990). Indian fermented foods: microbiological  and biochemical aspects. Indian Journal of Microbiology,  30, 135–157. [13] Srivastava, R.P. Kumar, S(2002). Fruit and Vegetable Preservation.CBS Publishers and Distributors Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, pp-81-82. [14] Stanbury, P.F. 1999. Fermentation Technology. In Stanbury, P. F., A. Whitaker, and S. J. Hal (Eds), Principles of Fermentation Technology, 2nd Edition, p 1-24. UK: Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford. [15] Steinkraus, K. H. (1998). Bio-enrichment: production of vitamins in  fermented foods. In J. B. Wood (Ed.), Microbiology of fermented  foods (pp. 603–619). London: Blackie Academic and Professional.