Are sports hurting kids? Essay

Organized sports have a lot of effects on children, whether they be positive or negative. Children are still finding out who they are and what the world is like. I chose this topic because I wanted to know childrens’ motives to do organized sports, and what effects the sports have on the them. I wanted to know the reasons kids start playing sports and, while it may be different for every child, they all had to have had some say in it. Every sport has skills that benefit children such as learning leadership, creating realistic goals they can achieve and learning to get along with others. Children also learn about personal discipline. â€Å"What’s even more interesting is that kids derive those benefits whether or not they excel at their chosen sport† (Mary Forgione). When I first saw this quote I was really surprised over the fact that children learn these important life lessons even if they aren’t good at their sport. Ever since I had the chance, I played baseball. Why? I don’t really remember, but I do remember I enjoyed playing the entire time. Now, with my part-time job at Encore Gymnastics, I get to see kids clearly enjoying themselves while learning gymnastics So now I question my own reason for starting sports. So I want to know: What effects sports have on children physically, mentally and socially? In a lot of situations, parents force their children to do sports. They do this for a variety of reasons, including, learning to cope with defeat and staying humble with victories, making new friends, and gaining self-confidence. Or, for a less appropriate reason, perhaps hoping the child will get a scholarship so they won’t have to pay for college. Parents figure â€Å"My child will be a better person because of sports,† which most of the time is true. But if a child doesn’t enjoy their sport, in a lot of situations the child will become miserable. In some cases the child will go to extremes to make their parents happy, because the child thinks the parent only loves them because they play the sport their parent wants. When the child gets to choose that they want to start playing a sport, this is the best case scenario for a child to get all of the benefits that sports can provide for them. Sports also have an effect on the mindsets of children. â€Å"Youth who participate in organized sports during middle and high school do better academically and are offered greater job prospects than children who do not partake in sports activities†(Marilyn Price-Mitchell). As stated in this quote, children in sports usually do better in school and get better jobs. There are three main psychological aspects that affect children in sports. The intensity of child active in sports has a mental effect on them. The amount of time children spend doing sports each week is particularly important to whether they get positive or negative developmental outcomes from their participation in sports. Kids who spend more time in organized sports have greater benefits than children who participate at lower levels or not at all. With greater time commitment, children develop better mastery of skills and stronger knowledge of tactics and strategy than other children. This can lead to the development of strategic thinking which is helpful in all aspects of life, including the ability to find and excel in getting a job. No one can tell anyone how many hours of sports per week is the perfect amount. The important thing is that children who make a commitment to regular practice receive greater developmental benefits (Price-Mitchell). Another mental effect of sports on children is continuity. The stability and length of how children participate, both in practice and competition, across their adolescent years is also important. Studies suggest that intermittent participation during the middle and high school years is not as beneficial as continuous dedication. Making a commitment over time increases the likelihood that children will overcome challenges and obstacles in their performance. They also have greater opportunities to interact with teammates, learning to cope with the interpersonal challenges of working with others. This is an important aspect of developing an internal strength that lasts a lifetime (Price-Mitchell). The last main mental effect and possibly the most important aspect is balance. Achieving a balance between sports and other activities is what makes sports participation healthy. Studies show that greater developmental outcomes are obtained by children who spend time in activities other than their main sport interests. It’s not necessarily the numbers of activities in which youth participate but rather that they have activities other than sports. For example, one study found children who participated in sports and school clubs had lower rates of depression than kids who focused exclusively on sports. Other studies suggest that children who participate in activities that present real-world challenges, like volunteering in their communities, achieve greater developmental benefits. These activities encourage children to develop an identity and see a world beyond a game of winning and losing (Price-Mitchell). For parents and children to get desired effects from the child participating in sports, it requires the parent and the child to come to a middle ground of what they both want from the sport. Using this strategy allows the child to get the most out of the sport and stay close to their parents. If the child is only or mostly pleasing their parents with the choice to play sports, the child will not get all of the psychological effects explained above. On the other hand, if the child is only pleasing themselves with sports and their parents are disapproving. The parents may decide to stop financially supporting the child’s participation in sports, which will once again, stop the child of getting the most of the positive psychological effects explained above (Forgione). Children on teams find it easier to make friends with one another because of the camaraderie that occurs within the team. They also work together better when the kids on a team become friends, because they feel better when working with one another. Children on a team who also bond with one another will almost always play better. It you take a team with a lot of individual skill but not a lot of teamwork skills and place it against a team with less individual skill, but more teamwork skills. The team with teamwork will almost always come out on top. The reason for this, is the team with little teamwork won’t know how to work with one another and in turn, play worse than the other team (Development). Children in sports will more often adhere to rules compared to kids who don’t play sports. Kids in sports tend to follow rules because sports have fairly strict rules and people always watching to enforce the rules. Kids are more careful to follow the rules so the don’t get in trouble or get caught (Development). Parents should also be careful when signing their children up for sports; they should know their children’s attentiveness and physical readiness for such activities (Hughes). Sports should also not replace current free play activities of the child. For some children, informal play is much better for them. Not having set rules and harsh practice schedules is much better for these children. They flourish off of this kind of activity and putting these types of children into organized sports can actually harm them or cause depression. As I walked over to talk to Byron Beckes, my baseball coach from five years ago, he had just finished practice with his little league majors baseball team. I enjoyed the scenery with a bright blue sky and trees all around, and when I walked over to Byron he told the story to his team of when he was coaching me. We were in the finals of the in-house tournament. I walked up to bat with a man on second base and we were down one run in the bottom final inning with one out. First pitch came a little high and outside but I chose to swing anyway, As I ran to first base I saw the right fielder start to back up as fast as he could. But then he just turned around, stopped running and just stared at the ball as it flew over the fence. Coach Beckes still tells that story to some of the teams he coaches. I think it’s awesome that he still remembers me; he always says â€Å"How could I forget? † Then we started the questioning. Beckes proceeded to tell me that he has had many experiences with children fro the past 40 years or so and the one with me is one of the most memorable. â€Å"I love to help the kids develop skills that they can use to get to the next level,† he said. Beckes also told me that after being a coach for over 40 years, the aggressive competitive levels kids can get to can get really dangerous. â€Å"To the point where kids that are good friends off of the baseball diamond, could be very hostile toward each other on the diamond. † Beckes then explained that he definitely enjoys having a positive effect on kids while coaching them. He also thinks that being a good supportive coach that also makes the kids play their hardest is the best kind of coach one could be. He finished with saying â€Å"All kids can get their desired effects from sports as long as they exert themselves equally as hard,† Beckes explained. Kids can reduce their chances of become obese by playing youth sports. Youth sports promotes healthy habits that could last a lifetime. Staying active throughout their younger years can teach kids to stay active the rest of their life. Not only can they reduce body fat, but they can also build some muscles and boost metabolism (Morris). Participation in sports also get positive health effects like decreasing risks of high blood pressure, heart disease diabetes and some types of cancer. Kids who are successful usually go into more rigorous programs for sports which require long practice hours and pushing their bodies to the limit. The kids also, almost never realize the amount of stress they are putting on their bodies. Often when kids commit too much time into their sport then they are usually the ones who suffer from not being able to compete anymore. As long as kids are dedicated but don’t put their whole lives into their sport, the sport should be beneficial to the child and they should get the most out of their sport. Having children be overly intense in their sport at too young of an age can have bad effects on them for their adult lives and even not allow them to participate in their sport anymore (Ashley). Studies show sports have benefits in keeping kids positive, focused and in school. Kids in sports are less likely to use drugs, smoke and alcohol compared to kids who don’t participate in sports. Teenage girls in sports are also less likely to become pregnant. Sports and other physical activities activate the release of endorphins in the brain which boost mood and relieve depression. So children in sports are less likely to develop depression than kids not in sports. Sports also relieves anxiety. Girls who participate in sports have increased confidence and healthier bodies than girls who don’t. Children in sports develop better hand-eye coordination and balance than kids who don’t play sports. Better coordination leads to less problems with tendon and ligament injuries. Children who develop a strong core are less-likely to have injuries during their youth years. No matter how much athletes prepare for more serious injuries, such as fractures, dislocations and concussions, they can still happen. These injuries can all cause permanent damage and maybe even cause the athlete to have to stop playing sports. According to The Center For Kids First’s survey of 20,000 kids, 65 percent of them joined sports to spend more time with their friends and only 20% of kids said they joined sports to get better (Wilson). Professional sports has a lot of effects on the mindsets of children. Children get to thinking that professional sports is the way to the good life and how to get to riches and fame. In schools, sports are highly appreciated especially in high school. High school kids in sports are usually considered the â€Å"cool kids† and are considered that just because they play sports (Griffin). Well functioned recesses at schools can give more instructional time for the teachers because less recess-related problems between kids carry over into the classroom. Children with recesses that are longer than 15 minutes have less problems during class time and they behave better in class than kids that have shorter recesses. A well-functioning recess can support strong relationships among students, teach conflict resolution and other life skills. School principals are in a position of power for allowing students to have a strong and effective recess. â€Å"8 in 10 principals reported that recess has a positive impact on academic success†(Johnson) And â€Å"two-thirds of principals reported that students listen better after recess and are more focused in class†(Johnson). It has also been found that almost all principals say that recess has a positive impact on social development and general well-being. Even though recess has led to success, some schools cut recess time to meet testing requirements. Recess is linked to good student behavior but, most principals still take recess away for bad behavior. â€Å"When asked what would improve recess at their schools, they prioritized an increase in the number of staff to monitor recess, better equipment, and playground management training, in that order† (Johnson). This just shows how people just don’t realize how effective letting kids have physical activity time is. Recess time at schools is, in almost all cases, beneficial to the students. Schools should make recess time during school just as important as instructional time. Recess is the single biggest source of student disciplinary problems, But all it takes to fix that is to have the school manage their recess more effectively. There are simple steps in making sure children are kept healthy and flourishing off of sports and physical activities. When the parents and children are on the same page for what they want from the sport, the child will gain more from it. It is also proven that physical activity prevents some diseases and keep a child’s mind healthy. A child will also perform better in school if they do sports or have had a beneficial recess. As long as children enjoy their sport and keep free play activities alongside the sport, the child will mature efficiently and effectively.

Wood Polymer Composite (WPC) and its infiltration into Eastern European Markets

Wood Polymer Composite (WPC) has increased demand over the recent past due to benefits that these products possess. Countries such as the US have used these products over the last decade, but some countries are currently realizing the benefits that the products have in local markets. It is therefore very important to analyze the benefits that these products have over wood products and how they can be made available to countries that have realized their potential, especially those in Western Europe. This paper aims at analyzing the manufacturing process of Wood polymer Composite, the history of the same products and the benefits and costs that such products have over wood. The paper will also analyze the level of demand that WPC products have in Western Europe, the available opportunities and the challenges of expanding these opportunities. Finally, the paper will give a brief conclusion on the subject and give a recommendation on the same. Table of Contents Abstract 1 Introduction. 2 History. 3 How WPC is manufactured. 3 Benefits of WPC. 4 Weaknesses. 5 WPC demand in Western Europe. 6 Growth in the use of WPC 8 Countries to be targeted. 8 Distribution 9 Challenges of expanding the use of WPC. 10 Conclusion and recommendation. 11 Works cited. 13 Introduction. The use of WPC products has increased in several countries and this can be traced to the benefits that such products possess. WPC products have several qualities that make them superior to wood, and this is the major reason that makes them popular in several markets. They are usually used in the construction industry, and some countries use these products for outdoor activities. These products are also very useful in the automobile industry. It is important to understand the nature of the Wood Polymer Composite before analyzing it further . Wood Polymer Composite is a material that is manufactured through impregnation of wood with monomers, after which the resultant product undergoes polymerization. This enables the materials to be tailored to special needs, and this is necessitated by the resultant properties that such materials possess. These include enhanced mechanical characteristics and lightness, but these will be discussed at a later stage. WPC is used for a wide range of activities and these include automotive engineering, construction and building. WPC is used for a wide range of activities such as outdoor floors, indoor furniture, fences, railings, park benches, landscaping timbers, door and window frames among others. History. Karpov is reportedly the first person who did research on WPC and he did this during 1960. Other researchers such as Meyer, Kent and Kenaga also conducted various researches on the prospects of producing WPC in various countries. These countries include Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Sweden, UK, South Africa and Denmark among other countries. The use of atomic energy such as gamma radiation has been a major contributor to development of WPC. The expansion of petrochemical industry market policies has also been linked to the development of WPC. These materials are relatively new to the market, especially considering the long history that wood has been used. However, their superior qualities are increasing their demand by a variety of consumers. These qualities that the WPC materials possess will be discussed at a later stage, but can be broadly classified as aesthetic and usage qualities. How WPC is manufactured. A palleted compound is fed through a gravity bunker into extruder. This mixture is heated until it melts to form a mass that flows uniformly in the extruder's cylinder. There is a screw present inside the extruder and this presses the melt flow through the die's slit. The extrusion process subsequently undergoes cooling with the use of a water tank. It is afterward pulled through water by a tractor to cool it . The sudden temperature change makes the extruded blank cool and shrink. the size of the final product is not only decided by the cooling but also by the traction speed. The extruded blank is further pulled by the tractor at a uniform speed to the handling and cutting table. The cutter subsequently holds the extruded profile and cuts it to the desired length. Benefits of WPC. Consumers are increasingly choosing WPC over wood due to the many benefits that they possess, over wood. Although they cost more than wood, they have superior features that make consumers ignore the price and purchase them. The consumers ignore the price since they reason that the long term costs of maintaining wood materials will supersede the cost of purchasing the WPC. Some of the benefits of WPC will be discussed below. One benefit of the use of WPC is that these products are weather resistant and moisture resistant. Another benefit is that these products have natural feel, longevity and dimensional stability. They are also more attractive than the natural wood, and this is the reason that they are used as finishes to various products. This makes them more popular than wood. They are also manufactured using various colors, which makes them attractive without the need for them o be painted. These products have also the ability to retain screws and nails for longer periods of time compared to wood. WPC products, unlike wood, are immune to termite attacks. This is one major problem that many consumers of wood products complain about, since termite attacks render the wood weak. This necessitates the need to replace such wood, which is expensive. Since WPC is resistant to termite attacks, this makes it popular with consumers. WPC is more environmental friendly than wood, and this is because of the following reason. As has been discussed, WPC products require lesser maintenance compared to wood. This means that these products last longer than ordinary wood, which necessitates fewer cases of replacing them. This translates to fewer trees being cut and hence is more friendly to the environment compared to wood. These products are also seen to be friendly to the environment as compared to wood, since they are mixed with other products during the manufacturing process. This means that the amount of wood used to manufacture these products is relatively less, and hence helps conserve the environment. WPC products are resistant to splitting and cracking. This feature makes them have the ability to be molded into various shapes and sizes, whether or not someone has the details on the wood grains. This is one feature that is superior to that of wood, since wood is prone to splitting when being molded. They also possess cellulose that can be as high as 70%, which makes them have similar properties to wood . Weaknesses. When WPC is being manufactured, there are many elements that are added to improve the capabilities of these materials. Such materials include adhesives and polymers and these complicate the process of recycling these materials. WPC is considered to have many impurities that make the recycling process more difficult, which means that fewer WPC materials are recycled, as compared to wood. This has a negative impact on the environment. Another weakness of WPC materials is that they are prone to staining due to the porous nature of such materials. These materials are porous and can be stained by some solvents, which might affect their beauty. The process of altering wood to a form where it can be used more effectively when finishing exposes some weaknesses. Since nitrocellulose polymers come into contact with organic solvents when carrying out the finishing operations, this makes organic solvents to be released in air before they dry. This presents a host of problems mainly to people who work around such environments. One problem is the danger of explosion or flammability of the solvents. The other is the potential health problems to workers due to inhalation of the vapor. When the air is released into the atmosphere, it poses a problem to the neighboring community. This final stage also presents another challenge to producers and this involves the drying process. As has been stated earlier, during this process, some organic solvents are released to the atmosphere. This solvent is expensive and some producers are not willing to ‘waste' it, thereby ignoring the process. Dispersing the vapor and recycling materials, in order to acquire the solvents is energy intensive and costly. WPC demand in Western Europe. The demand for WPC has risen in Europe, and this was after the success of similar products in American markets. European producers have envied their American counterparts for many years and they currently have an opportunity to reap the benefits of WPC products. The demand for these products has increased mainly because of the fact that the high purchase cost is compensated by the low costs of maintenance. This makes the products cheaper in the long run. Their durability is also another factor that has led to massive increase in demand of these products in Europe. According to the Hackwell group, the projected growth rate for WPC products in 2009 is expected to be close to 10%, which represents increase from 100,000 tonnes that were purchased in 1999, to approximately 144,000 tonnes. This is equivalent to approximately 290 million Euro. In 2004, Germany was producing approximately 5000 tonnes of WPC each year. In 2007, Europe produced approximately 100,000 tonnes of the same product, with Germany producing 20% of this total. When these figures are compared to those of North America, it becomes clear that Europe is lagging in the consumption of WPC. North America produced over 700,000 tonnes in 2005 and by 2010, the production is widely expected to rise to 1. 6 million tonnes. Most producers are based in countries which consume WPC the most and these include France, UK and Germany. However, there is a growing trend where suppliers establish themselves in emerging markets for these products, and these markets include Italy, Sweden and Netherlands. Currently, the major European consumer of WPC, is the automobile industry. Germany is among the highest European consumers and uses WPC for manufacture of vehicles such as BMW, Daimer Chrysler and Audi. These companies use between 7 and 10 kg for each vehicle, and WPC is used for car parts such as headliners, acoustic panels, interior panels, parcel shelves and seat panels. WPC especially convenient for these car parts due to its good strength, lower cost, ease in processing and light weight. In fact, estimates show that 90 million Euro has been used on research by automobile industry in Germany over the last decade. The general automotive industry consumes over 50% of the total WPC consumed in Europe. This is a stark contrast with the worldwide consumption trends, which reveal that automobiles consume less than 7% of the total WPC consumed worldwide. This means that there is a lot of untapped potential for the WPC in Europe, since furniture and construction are among the major consumers of WPC worldwide. Growth in the use of WPC There is optimism that consumption of WPC will increase in Western Europe due to certain technical innovations that aim at reducing the inefficiencies of the current WPC products. For instance, Austria's Melamine International developed melamine resin which is one of a kind since it can be extruded. Its thermoset is created in such a way that it allows the use of wood flour and fiber mix of 70%. This mix improves on the weaknesses of the current WPCs that are thermoplastic based. Such weaknesses include lower levels of stability when exposed to high temperatures, and they are solved through combining the product performance, and processing behavior of this thermostat. Products created using this technology are reputed to have higher resistance to scratch as well as better mechanical properties. In Netherlands, Holland Colours has produced natural colorants which are dust free which will be used in pigmenting WPC profiles. These additives allow faster color changes to be made, as well as reduce tear around the edges of such materials. Countries to be targeted. As has been discussed, there is a major potential for the use of WPC in Europe. Most economies are growing at a fast rate and there are increasingly new investments in most of the European countries. There has also been considerable growth in the real estate and automobile industry. This necessitates the need to develop and use WPC materials in a majority of these countries. Russia is one country which has the potential to make a major investment in this sector. Going by the success of the WPC in the US, Russia has an opportunity to reap the benefits that have been enjoyed by the US for over a decade. Germany has been seen to have invested in WPC in its automobile industry. As has been discussed earlier, Germany is among the leading WPC consumers in Europe. However, the bulk of the investment is in the automobile industry. This has been seen to go against the global trend where most of the consumption of WPC goes to construction sector. Germany therefore has a chance to increase consumption of WPC through diversifying its use beyond the automobile sector into other sectors of the economy. Another country that has the opportunity to take advantage of the use of WPC is France. France is one of the leading vehicle manufacturers and is also Germany's largest trading partner. France therefore should invest in WPC through importing the technology from Germany through their trade agreements. This will help improve the automobile industry, after which WPC will be used for other industries. This will not only create jobs, but will improve the overall utility derived by the consumers from these products. Distribution When undertaking distribution activities, it is imperative that there is a form of outsourcing for the minor services and operations. Outsourcing involves delegating the minor operations or activities that a company undertakes, to a third party so that the company can concentrate on its core duties and responsibilities. In undertaking distribution, these countries should outsource the minor functions so that they are not distracted from their core activities. One service that the companies can outsource is the maintenance of the warehouse. Outsourcing this service will enable the vendors, who are professionals in this operation, to provide warehousing services for the products that have been produced or imported. This will increase efficiency and reduce costs since the company can now concentrate on its core business. The companies should distribute the products to the clients through retailers and wholesalers. These are people who have high information an knowledge on the market since they are closer to the consumers. There should however be as few middlemen as possible in order to prevent the prices from rising. This is also done to prevent chances of the WPC products experiencing pilferage. When selling the products, the companies dealing in WPC product should use the correct forms of advertising so that they might capture a large number of clients. They may sell the WPC products under the theme ‘saving the environment' and organize for support from the local environmentalists. Some people might be against these products given the fact that these products still make use of trees, but as long as the products helps conserve the environment, even if it is one tree, the members of the public will identify with the product. Challenges of expanding the use of WPC. There are several challenges that face the use of WPC, which thereby hinder investment in this market. These challenges stem from the nature of the business and also the behavior of the investors. These challenges will be discussed below. The first challenge is that some European manufacturers are hesitant to the use of WPC in manufacture of car parts since these materials go against the European Union's directive of End of Life, when manufacturing products . The EU requires vehicles to be manufactured in such a way that once the life of a vehicle is over, 85% of it should be able to be recovered. Such vehicles have their parts recycled and metals extracted for the same purpose. However, in spite of the legislation, the growth of the use of WPC in automobiles is still expected to rise by about 4% each year. European environmental groups also oppose the use of WPC in manufacture of various products due to the perception that it has contents which are toxic . Another reason given by the groups include the perception that the manufacturing process emits some fumes which negatively affect the environment. There are also very few WPC manufacturers in Western Europe, since most are not willing to take the risk and experiment with new products. In Western Europe, there are only about ten producers of WPC, yet there are more than fifty such producers in North America. Most potential manufacturers are observing the market trends before fully investing in the trade. Financial analysts believe that by the end of the next three years, may producers will have invested in the trade, going by the current market demand. There needs to be incentives that encourage entry of new players in this industry . There are also challenges that are faced due to the rising costs of wood flour. This is one of the materials that are used in manufacturing WPC. According to senior managers in the wood industry, German prices for wood flour have increased by over 30% during the past year. This has the effect of increasing the prices of the final product which will discourage consumers from purchasing them. It is important for the German government to regulate the prices of material used in this process, since WPC products have benefits that far outweigh the costs. Conclusion and recommendation. It is evident that WPC products play a very important role in conserving the environment . Not only do WPC products conserve the environment, they have many features that make them superior over wood. These have been discussed in the paper, and it clearly proves that WPC products are better than wood. However, the fact that these products conserve the environment, this should be a major reason why people should embrace these products. This is because the environment is very important and it goes beyond the needs of the present generation. Environmental groups should come together and look for support in order to encourage people to use these products. It has also been seen that there is enormous potential that exists in Western Europe but is untapped due to many factors. Many producers are not willing to venture into an untested market, but they should observe the model that worked for the US government. The US economic environment is relatively similar to the economies of most of the Western European countries. This should act as an incentive for the European countries to invest in the WPC product market . The European Union should consider changing the legislation that requires manufacturers to manufacture vehicles in such a way that 85% of it should be able to be recovered. This will enable the consumption of WPC by motor vehicle manufacturers from the current 10% to approximately 80% each year . European governments also need to offer incentives to producers willing to invest in WPC products since this will encourage many investors to venture into this field. The benefits of this investment will not only be felt by these investors, but they will trickle down to the general population. In developing a distribution means, the companies that venture into this market should aim to reduce the costs of the products as much as possible. This is necessary especially considering the fact that this is a new product in the market and high prices will discourage consumers from purchasing it . The reduction in price can be achieved through the reduction of middlemen in the distribution process as well as outsourcing some non-core activities to vendors. Finally, it is important for all stakeholders involved to realize that benefits of such a kind of investment will not only help the current generation, but will help the future generation. The current generation will benefit from economic growth, employment opportunities and improvement in the standards of living. On the other hand, the future generation will benefit from the conservation of the environment which will ensure their future survival.

Week 3 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 3 - Article Example Besides, the emergence of information communication technology and expansive public-private partnership exposes corporates to public scrutiny hence need for integrity. The cut-throat competition that characterize this era of globalization emphasizes the need for ethical business practices. This is a multi-dimensional approach that would benefit corporates through offering a competitive level ground. It takes virtue to achieve this noble course lest the corporate world collapse into an avalanche of mayhem. Recent cases of corporate fraud by some firms and irresponsible observations are blamed on managers (Havard, 2007). For instance, the unfair Walmart labor practices, BP oil spill in Gulf of Mexico have all served as the examples of the cost of non-virtuous corporate leaders. There is need to emphasize virtue during selection of corporate managers as it serves as a critical tool in the modern business world (Havard, 2007). Virtue has been a key tool of organization progress in the long run from the past and in this era of a complex socio-economic and political dynamism, it is even more important. It is therefore worth to assert the need to consider virtue as a central corporate leadership selection

Financial Report on HUAYI BROTHERS MEDIA CORPORATION Essay

Financial Report on HUAYI BROTHERS MEDIA CORPORATION - Essay Example In 2011, the company’s current assets amount, 1403.42 was 3.99 times the amount of current liabilities, 351.91. On the other hand, the company’s 2012 current assets amount, 2,562.33 was only 1.66 times the amount of current liabilities, 1,544.15. The financial statement analysis indicates the company’s current ratio had declined between the 2011 and 2012, comparing their 3rd quarter business performances. The current ratio shows that the company has more than enough current assets available to pay the company’s current liabilities (Drury 496). The company’s gross ratio shows the relationship between the company’s net income amount and net sales figures (http://www.google.com/finance?q=SHE:300027&fstype=ii ). In terms of third quarter financial performance, the Huayi Brothers Media Corporation’s net profit margin ratio shows an unfavorable business performance picture. In 2011, the company’s net profit amount, 102.49 was 21 percent of the amount of net sales, 481.30. On the other hand, the company’s 2012 Net Income amount, 130.91 was only 18 percent of the amount of net sales, 707.80. The financial statement analysis indicates the company’s net profit ratio had dropped between the 2011 and 2012, when analyzing their 3rd quarter financial operations (Drury 185). The above return on investment graph shows how long the company will be able to recover its investments (http://www.google.com/finance?q=SHE:300027&fstype=ii). Recovering the investments in a shorter recovery time is better than a longer recovery time period. In terms of third quarter financial performance, the Huayi Brothers Media Corporation’s return on investment ratio shows an unfavorable business performance picture. In 2011, the company’s net profit amount, 102.49 was 7percent of the amount of Total Assets, 1,403.42. On the other hand, the company’s 2012 Net Income amount, 130.91 was only 18 percent of the amount of net sales, 707.80. The financial statement

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Discussion- ch1 - Coursework Example investing in important infrastructure, increasing access to finance to entrepreneurs, reducing regulations of doing business, encouraging local and foreign investment and increasing the country’s exports and decreasing what the country imports. This can be done by lowering interest rates to ensure business people have ready access to finance. Enacting less stringent laws on doing business and holding investment forums will also stimulate economic growth. I agree that that the measuring the economy is important for any government to establish the rate of economic growth. However, on the second point about protecting the business people and the society, I think the point needs further clarification. I agree that creating more employment opportunities and increasing exports will stimulate the economy. This is an excellent piece; however, the author needs to elaborate further the ambiguous point. I do not agree that measuring the economy will help the government avoid economic instabilities. Rather, measuring the economy will help a government know if any, economic instability exists and take necessary measures to solve the economic instabilities. I agree that reducing interest rates will stimulate the

Price Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Price Analysis - Essay Example R) promulgates which is a helpful guideline that assists both the parties to transaction regarding the correct price of any article (Subpart  15.4-Contract Pricing). There are different sorts of techniques that are highlighted in FAR, to correctly estimate the price of goods and services (Price Analysis Techniques: Procurement 2011). Some of them are listed below with brief description. This price analysis technique involves use of previous quotations in respect of the same item. However, this technique has the drawback in the form of not incorporating the element of inflation that normally increases with the passage of time. This method of determining the price utilizes the published list of prices in respect of goods and services, of similar types. Normally goods relating to general use are included in this category as the appropriate authority lists the prices of those goods for the general public. This technique refers to the determination of price through different laws. Normally government authorities fix some prices via law so that local producers can take benefit as well as the customers in order to avoid the danger of shortage. This technique is basically not a technique rather a way out to determine the prices when no such technique is available to determine the appropriate price. In this method, prices are sought by the personal judgment of the buyer based upon his past experiences and perception related to that particular product. Among these broad techniques, the most commonly used technique is the comparison of Bid Price Technique. In this technique, suppliers are asked to quote their prices and in the end, when best price is found, the tender is given to that particular supplier (Dahl and Hammond 1977). This technique is also useful as the true price prevailing in the market is sought and the element of monopoly is mitigated through the use of this technique. This technique basically erodes the importance of all other techniques as in this

Business to business marketing Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business to business marketing - Article Example The Coca-Cola Company is one of the largest organizations in the world. It has many branches and franchises across the world that do the production on its behalf. Once the production is completed, the company normally distributes the finished products to the various wholesalers. The wholesaler organizations normally make their buying decisions based on the areas they are located and their sales turnover. For instance, if the sales turn over is low, the organizations will not buy much of the drinks. The space they have available for storing the goods will also influence their buying behavior. In most cases, the Coca-Cola Company does most of the marketing but indirectly on behalf of the wholesalers. The company markets directly to the customers. The customers will in turn buy more from the wholesalers who will then be able to make a buying decision from the producers and the various franchises. Therefore, the company stimulates its business to business sales by directly marketing to t he customers and the ramification of this is that the wholesalers and retailers will be influenced to buy the

The significance of cross-cultural negotiation skills for the success Essay

The significance of cross-cultural negotiation skills for the success of international mergers and alliances - Essay Example This is where the term ’cross-cultural’ acquires significance in discussing negotiating skills essential for the success of international mergers and more specifically for success in acquisitions and alliances. More often than not, mergers and acquisitions are types of corporate businesses which amalgamate to form one single legal entity. The word alliance may cover activities like joint ventures, technology sharing agreements, and (seemingly in danger of violating anti-trust laws by price fixing) cartels, but not necessarily forming a single legal entity. Mergers and acquisitions among business firms have occurred within state boundaries before they became an international phenomenon. It perhaps speaks volumes for the lack of negotiating skills by one party or the other, when it is reported that 60 - 70 percent of M&As failed to deliver on what had been expected financially, as the outcome of the liaison. Less than a fifth of international M&As are said to create added value to the resulting organization. At the least, domestic mergers and acquisitions can expect shared traditions, regulatory laws, and custom and practice, which presumably make it easier for two or more parties to agree on common business aims and work towards achieving them.

Evaluating A Guideline Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Evaluating A Guideline - Research Paper Example Keywords: wrong site surgery, universal protocol, time out. Evaluating a guideline: Universal Protocol (Timeout) The universal protocol for preventing wrong site, wrong procedure and wrong person surgery was approved by the Joint Commission Board of Commissioners in July 2003. However, it took one year before it was effective in July 1, 2004 for all accredited hospitals, ambulatory care and office-based surgery facilities. There was an increasing and continuing occurrence of wrong site, wrong procedure and wrong person surgery that prompted the creation of the universal protocol of the Joint Commission. The university protocol incorporated a series of requirements under the Joint Commission’s 2003 and 2004 National Patient Safety Goals. The universal protocol involves a number of steps, viz: 1.) A preoperative verification process which entails verifying a checklist to confirm that the relevant and appropriate documents (e.g., medical records, imaging studies) are available. P referably, this process should take place when the patient is awake and aware. 2.) Marking the operative site which entails involving the patient in the marking process of the surgical site. In this process, make sure to use unambiguous marks. 3.) â€Å"Time-out† or â€Å"Surgical Pause† immediately before starting the procedure. This process helps the surgeons to correctly identify the correct patient, procedure and site (Joint Commission, 2003). In hospitals and surgical centers, it should always be ensured that the patient feels safe and confident. This can be possible through the use of the universal protocol. Nurses who are involved in this should help maintain patient safety by utilizing the universal protocol. Literature review In the search strategy, databases used were from Jacksonville University online resources. The databases included EBSCO and ScienceDirect. Both PubMed and CINAHL PLUS databases were systematically searched between 1990 and March 2007 to i dentify both theoretical and empirical data that discussed the implementation process for the universal protocol recommendations. Searches were also conducted from January 1, 1999- October 31, 2008. The search terms used were: wrong site surgery, universal protocol, time out, and universal protocol implementation. A review of literature shows that an effective implementation of the Universal Protocol will tremendously reduce cases of wrong patient, wrong site and wrong procedure. It will increase the safety of patients in hospitals and surgical centers. Rogers (1989) developed one of the most adopted theories of nursing, the concept of â€Å"Science of Unitary Human Beings and Principles of Homeodynamics.† In her theory, Martha Rogers postulates two major nursing ideas. These include: 1.) Nursing exists to serve people- it is a science and at the same time an art that is humane and humanistic. 2.) Nursing Science seeks to promote how persons co-exist with and interact with th eir environments. Rogers’ model of the Science of Unitary Human beings has some concepts that provide a framework for nursing practice. To start with, the Unitary Human being (person) is regarded as a unified whole which cannot be predicted from knowledge of the parts and having its own distinctive traits which cannot be perceived by looking at,

Strategic Management - Assignment for TNC Case Study

Strategic Management - Assignment for TNC - Case Study Example TNC is a diversified entertainment enterprise functioning in eight industry segments, including; Television; Filmed Entertainment; Direct Broadcast Satellite Television; Cable Network Programming; Magazines and Inserts; Newspapers; Book Publishing, and Other. The News Corporation functions mainly in the United States, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Australia, Asia and the Pacific Basin. It is engaged in the operation of broadcast television stations, and the development, production and distribution of network and television programming through its subsidiaries (Johnson, Scholes, & Whittington, 2008). The Company is involved in the direct broadcast satellite business through its subsidiary, SKY Italia. It also owns interests in BSkyB and DIRECTV, which are engaged in the direct broadcast satellite (DBS) business. It is also involved in the newspaper and magazine publishing business in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and the United States through its various subsidiarie s. Through HarperCollins Publishers (HarperCollins), its wholly owned subsidiary, the Company is engaged in English language book publishing on a worldwide basis. TNC has shown consistent revenue and profit growth in recent years. ... They have a strong library content consisting of film achieves in the 1940s to present. Opportunities In the first instance many of its opportunities arise from the very nature of the competitive environment. Opportunities that are literally available to TNC in the television and print media market are many and varied. Especially its strategically important acquisitions have played a very big role in determining its success. TNC acquired Dow Jones & Company. This has helped place TNC on a firm footing. It allowed the company to expand its online presence and tap into the higher growth rates than many of its core traditional businesses. This will allow TNC to maintain their solid earnings growth without the downside of a pure growth company. TNC has benefited from the emerging markets in Asia, especially that of India and China. The combined population of the two countries equal approximately 2.5 billion. This is the economic reality and TNC has much to gain from its expansion into this region. Alternative media outlets such as the television, cable network programming, direct satellite broadcast and the print media such as magazines and newspapers. Therefore it can reach the market using any of these alternatives before or on par with their competitors. There has been a growth in High Definition Television (HDTV) in recent years and TNC has a sizable percentage in this technology. TNC is looking at new technologies that promise to improve spectrum efficiency or otherwise increase available capacity so that DIRECTV could expand the amount of HDTV content. Options such as the use of Ka-band capacity, higher order modulation schemes, such as the 8PSK technology FOX uses for its broadcast distribution

August Wilson’s Fences Essay Example for Free

August Wilson’s Fences Essay August Wilson’s Fences The immigration of Africans to America as slaves has had a great effect to many things including literature. Despite their experiences in this foreign land, they brought with them a different culture that had not been experienced in the American society. The stories and experiences of African-Americans have seen authors write books and plays being staged with large audiences. This is due to the different but almost similar stories that these people have to tell regarding their journey to America and how difficult it was for them to fit in the society they found. Introduction In 1983, the American playwright August Wilson released a play titled Fences. The play has a setting of the 1950s and it explores the evolving African –American experience with race relations as one of the many themes depicted in this play. The play revolves around a 53-year-old man named Troy who is an African-America. He is struggling to provide for his family and although he is a baseball player his color is a barrier for him being able to join professional baseball thus receiving little money to support his family. This paper seeks to analyze the play and check on why it was given the title Fences (Wilson). Analysis of the play Fences by August Wilson As earlier stated, the play is about a man named Troy. The play shows how Troy is struggling to not only provide for his family but also to fit in a society in which people are judged by their skin color. The theme of race discrimination is portrayed well throughout the play. First, in the 1950s in which the play is set, people of color were seen as those who do not deserve any good thing in the society. They were associated to social crimes and ending up in jail for a crime not committed was a normal phenomenon (Wilson). However, emotional disconnect with the society they lived in and failure to secure a job so as to earn a living was greatly contributing to them ending up being involved in these social crimes. In the play, Troy is shown as a baseball player a game he had learnt and played while in prison. He had ended up in prison for an accidental murder he had committed during a robbery. From this act it is evident that due to his failure of securing a job, Troy had ended up involving himself in robbery so as to earn himself a living but this time it turned out ugly and he ended up in prison. Further, discrimination is seen at work place where some jobs could not be done by an African-American but instead they were reserved for the whites. This is seen when Troy manages to secure a job with a garbage collecting firm and he is heard asking Mr. Rand; who he refers to as the boss, why black men were not allowed to drive garbage trucks. This shows that indeed there was race discrimination at work place where African-Americans could not be bestowed with some responsibilities. The act of being denied an opportunity to drive a garbage truck can be seen as a sarcastic event. It can be viewed in the way that even if garbage collection was being seen as dirty work that could only be done by those who were seen as less fortunate in the society, the fact that driving a garbage truck was seen as â€Å"literary driving a vehicle†, an African-American would not be allowed to drive the truck since they were restricted to do so during that time (Tamura). In addition, the play shows Rose who is Troy’s wife with whom they have a son named Cory, however, Troy has a son Lyon from a previous marriage but he does not leave with him. Gabriel is Troy’s younger brother who has notable psychological damage after he suffered head injuries when he was serving as a soldier. This new development of Gabriela having served as a soldier brings contrast of sentiments of race discrimination and at the same time it can be viewed as one way in which discrimination of people of the color was being cemented. First as a contrast, this play shows how certain jobs were being reserved for whites. Soldiers were people who not only deserved respect from the society but also received a good pay. Therefore, Gabriel’s employment as a soldier, contrasts the theme of discrimination where some jobs such as a being a soldier were being reserved for those the society thought they owed respect to. However, it can be viewed differently in the sense that owing to the tasks, experiences and challenges that faced soldiers in the battle fields, African-American men were seen as the right people for the job. This follows, the understanding that most of those who served in the army died in war or if one was luck to survive they would come home having sustained severe injuries like in the case of Gabriel. This can be seen as a form of discrimination where those who were less regarded in the society were being recruited as soldiers since the society would be seen not to worry even if it lost them (Tamura). The play unfolds on a payday when Troy and his friend Bono are drinking and chatting. His son Lyon comes to him asking to be lent 10 dollars promising to refund the money soon since his girlfriend had secured a job. Troy gives him a hard time but after persuasion from his wife Rose, he finally lends his son the money. From this scenario, one can see that the family is really struggling to survive owing to Lyon’s inability to raise even 10 dollars thus leading him to borrowing from his father. This shows that African-Americans were struggling a lot so as to survive in a society where living standards were high and a society where job opportunities were rare given the much rooted racial discrimination (Wilson). Further, as the play continues, Cory tells his parents of an opportunity for a college football scholarship. Troy vehemently condemns his son’s thought of applying it and they argue. Troy does not want his son to play basket ball since he does not him to experience the racial discrimination he went through during the time he was playing baseball. The man does not back down his argument and following his experience with racial discrimination he is not ready to watch his son go through the same. As a result, Troy even approaches Cory’s coach and tells him that his son will no longer be playing football. Upon discovery of his father’s lies, Cory confronts him and they end up in a fight that causes Cory to be thrown out of the house by his father. This scenario shows the effect that racial discrimination had to Troy’s life. Following him denying his son the opportunity to play college football with an excuse of racial discrimination, one can see that indeed Troy had gone through tough time due to racial discrimination and he was protecting his son. Despite his time of playing baseball and that of his son playing football being different, Troy could hardly believe that racial discrimination could have melted away, thus, the unmoved stand exhibited by him(Wiggins Miller). Consequently, after Cory is kicked out of the house, they no longer get along with his dad. This can be seen during the final act when Troy dies and Cory refuses to attend the funeral due to the long-standing resentment. However, after his mother’s persuasion, Cory attends the funeral to pay respect to the man who had tirelessly struggled to provide for them even if he was hard headed. The rivalry between son and father can be traced back to have been caused by racial discrimination. This is due to the fact that if Troy had not suffered through discrimination, he could not have denied his son to take the college football scholarship and as a result they could not have argued to the extent of later not setting eyes on one another. One can see the indirect effect that racial discrimination had to people’s lives (Wiggins Miller). Further, during Troy’s burial, Cory had just come from the military training. This can be analyzed as a positive step towards fighting racial discrimination. This follows the fact that during his father’s youth days, certain jobs opportunities such as joining the military were mostly given to the whites. Therefore seeing Cory coming out of the military training it is evident that with time, racial discrimination had come to reduce thus allowing African-Americans be able to get job opportunities which earlier being people of color they could not easily get. In addition, throughout the play, Troy is shown as a man who had a different cultural influence or different socialization. First, this can be seen through his son Lyon who was from an earlier marriage. Further, in the play, Rose discovers that his husband has been having an affair with a lady called Alberta and he had made her pregnant. However, Alberta dies during childbirth and Rose accepts to adopt her daughter Raynell whose father Troy dies when she is seven years old. Being an African-American, the act of having more than one wife is not out of the norms owing to African culture with him. However, finding himself in a society where polygamy is viewed as a thing past by time, Troy could not marry Rose while still having the first wife and he could not bring Alberta as another wife thus he ended up having an affair with her other than coming to the light (Sofola).. In the African culture, to which Troy can still find some association, most communities allow polygamous marriages as this is seen as wealth as the man will have many children from these wives. Traditionally, in the African culture having more than one wife was seen as a public sign that a man had more resources that would allow him to marry as many women as he pleased. However, the culture was against adultery and a man would not be allowed to bear children outside marriage unless he would later end up marrying the lady (Sofola).. Therefore, although the African culture among the African-Americans was fading away, its influence continued to affect them for years. Consequently, Troy was a man who had been influenced by this culture but the society which he currently lived in was not in support of the culture. Therefore, this explains his act in life of having a first marriage, then marrying Rose and finally having an affair with Alberta. Troy’s case shows the effect that migration to the West had to African-Americans; it did not only give them a hard time trying to fit in a society where they were less regarded but it also eroded their cultures and presented them with a different and difficult socialization (Sofola). Having analyzed the play, one would seek to answer the question on why it was given the title â€Å"Fences†. First, the theme of racial discrimination can be seen to have portrayed the title Fences. This is seen throughout the play where lines of racial discrimination were used to deny Troy and other African-Americans job opportunities. This judgment on bases of color is a fence in itself since it prevented them from getting good money to support their families. In addition, Troy could not join professional baseball playing due to the ‘fence’ of racial discrimination. However, to Cory, his father is the fence that does not allow him to get the college football scholarship after he refused him on the grounds of racial discrimination. In addition and to the literal meaning, Rose wanted to build a fence and forced Troy to start so that she could protect what is hers in the inside and leave what belongs to the society outside the fence. Conclusion Throughout the play, racial discrimination is shown as the cause of anything that Troy’s family is going through. One can appreciate the writer’s overemphasize on this issue owing to the fact that this play is set in the 1950’s when racial discrimination was still evidently being experienced. The play assists one to understand the effect that racial discrimination had on the lives of African-Americans as well as the influence of Western culture to their socialization and culture. This play will assist in keeping the history of the experience of African-Americans in the American society and it will remain to be a crucial part of literature.

Brand extension for leveraging brand equity

Brand extension for leveraging brand equity Brand extensions are one of the most popular strategies for leveraging brand equity. By launching new products under popular brand names, firms hope that consumers will respond more favorably to the new offering, due to their familiarity with the parent brand, positive feelings toward the parent brand, and positive attribute and non-attribute associations they have with the parent brand. A brand is the identity of a specific product, service, or business. Brand extension denotes to the corporate activity in which companies bring in new products, new product variants or product improvements by leveraging the brand equity of the existing parent brand. It is believed that compared to launching a new product under a new brand name, brand extensions can increase the efficiency of promotional efforts, improve access to distribution channels, and reduce consumers perceived risk of purchasing a product or service (Keller, 2002). Another major factor for which Companies prefer to use brand extension is lower cost. Introducing a new brand into consumer market can be relatively much higher than introducing new product or product variants under the same brand name. This cost can range above millions of rupees and can not guarantee of any success. So instead of launching entirely a new product, most companies prefer brand extension. Successful examples such as Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke benefited from the brand franchise of their parent products. Coca-Cola introduced six extensions and captured a larger market share than the original brand. For example, Cokes extension, Cherry Coke, was successful even without considerable advertisement. On the other hand, the potential of brand extension problems can ranger from failure of the brand or partial failure such as brand Dilution and brand cannibalism. Instead of success, the failed extension might tarnish the image and reduce the market share of the parent product. Associations that are unique to the brand, strongly held, and favorably held, are vital for success. However, since the specific associations a consumer holds are dependent on personal values and individual purchase situations, managers must learn what they are and when they operate. For example in case of new Coke, Coca Cola did not pay attention to what the core brand meant to stand for. It mainly focused on the taste and thought that the taste is the only factor which consumers are looking for. This concept was wrong. Coca cola was unable to identify the attachment of the consumer with the original coke before launching New coke, even though Coca Cola spent a lot of money on conducting research before launc hing New coke. Brand dilution occurs when consumers loss the original grasp of brand perception on their minds and no longer associate the brand with a specific product. For instance, Sunsilk may experience brand dilution by loosing its strong identity of hair care and shampoo range by running a number of different categories like mashed potatoes, powdered milk and soups. Too broad varieties of product categories run under same brand can frustrate consumers in thinking which variations of products that actually fit to their perceptions. For Example, too many ranges of Sunsilk shampoo include Sunsilk black, pink, white, yoghurt, dandruff can make customers confused in buying a suitable product which actually fit to their needs. Even though todays consumers are selective in their buying habits and expect innovation, the reality of brand extension success is still low. This is because most of new product extensions are not unique and do not satisfy consumer needs. There are some factors that lead to b rand dilution. Among those include perception in consumer minds comparing between parent brand and product extension, level of familiarity with parent brand, fit level transferred from parent brand to extension and consumers perception to new product. Level of brand loyalty shown by a customer can switch to radical degree for brand extension case. When loyalty and level of familiarity with parent brand is high, new product extension failure may greatly diminish trust level to entire brand portfolio. In turn, low familiarity to brand affects low dilution when product failure occurs in new extension. As per early research regarding brand extension leads to brand dilution, Aaker and Keller (1990) found insignificant evidence between unsuccessful brand extension leads to brand dilution. Conversely, in a research Loken and Roedder-John (1993) pointed that inconsistency of product and brand beliefs may lead to brand dilution. Brand dilution and failure of brand can occur when consumer find it difficult to associate the extension with the parent brand, a lack of similarity and familiarity and discrepancy between Integrated marketing communication messages. Brand extension is a strategy which most of the companies are using, to minimize risk associated with introducing a entirely new brand and maximize their profits from the new brand. But in some of the cases brand extension fails, and the reason is the weak brand equity of the parent brand that bear upon the success of the brand extension. If the equity of parent brand is strong, brand extension can be successful and vice versa. Both Functional and non functional attributes of a brand can harm and eventually dilute the equity of an integrated oriented brand, which means due to the weak brand equity, brand dilution can occur across the parent brand. Such kind of failures of extensions can make customers to create a negative association with the parent brand or even with the brand family. These failures can also agitate and blur the original identity and meaning of a brand even positioning as well. Managers seem to be aware of the dangers and benefits of extending their brand franchise. Yet the number of failed extensions in the past few years indicates that some refinement in our knowledge of the brand extension process is needed. What factors determine whether or not a brand extension will be successful? The most important factor identified by prior research is perceived fit. Consumers respond more favorably if they are able to perceive a fit between the extension and the parent brand and this leads to the success of the brand extension. Conversely, If consumers are unable to perceive a fit between extension and the parent brand, the brand extension might become a failure and may lead to brand dilution. According to Martinez and de Chernatony (2004) brand image has two types: the general brand image and the product brand image. According to them there would be no negative impact on general brand image if the brand image is strong. For example, Nike or Sony. Dilution effect would be more on product image instead of general brand image. Therefore, mostly the customers would stick to their beliefs about the parent brand with respect to its attributes and feelings. Nevertheless their study shows that brand image can be diluted by brand extension, and beliefs and association with the parent brand can also be changed. In developing countries like Pakistan it is even more convenient for multinationals to try brand extensions. The reason is that most of the multinational companies come from developed countries like America, United Kingdom and Japan. Products from these countries enjoy positive country of origin effect in mind of consumers due to their previous track record in terms of customer satisfaction. This as a result lowers the amount of money spend over awareness creation and since they already enjoy good market and media presence, therefore more affordable for them to launch brand extensions in Pakistan. For instance, Pakistan Tobacco Company Limited (PTC) which is a part of British American Tobacco who sells their brands to millions of consumers in 180 countries worldwide. They were the foremost brands entering Pakistan as early as 1947. Ever since then they have launched new reputed brand extensions such as Benson Hedges, Embassy, Gold Flake, Gold Leaf and recently Capstan brand of cigarettes (Business recorder.com). STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The failure rates of new product over the last few decades have increased tremendously; therefore, firms have resorted to brand extensions, because of inherent advantages including its acceptability, low promotion cost and comparatively lesser degree of failures. Despite these advantages, the failure rate of brand extension has remained significant in the last one decade. Therefore, the researchers have been focusing in identifying the factors that consumers use for evaluating the brand extension, or the factors that are contributes towards the success or failure of brand extensions. The focus of this study is to identify whether the brand extension is favorable or lead to brand dilution. Researches on brand extensions have focused mainly over consumer evaluation of brand extensions. However as a matter of fact consumers generally cannot assess brand extensions in undifferentiated manner (Aaker and Keller, 1990, Keller and Aaker, 1992; Dacin and Smith, 1994; Smith and Andres, 1995). In spite of the extensive body of knowledge on consumer evaluations of brand extensions, very little or negligible attention has been paid as to what is brand or marketing managers view point over brand extensions strategy ( Nijssen and Agustin, 1999). The lack of brand managers view point input in the literature is odd as their analysis of consumer and competitors reactions coupled with their personal preferences are a fairly good indicator of success of a brand extension strategy. Therefore along with consumers perception about brand extension, viewpoint of brand managers of couple of companies will also be considered in this thesis. Over the past couple of decades we have witnessed a great number of companies both domestic and multinationals engaging in brand extensions in Pakistan. For example a few of the well known domestic brand extensions deals in retailing and fashion (Chen One Pvt Ltd), health care products (Z-Jans Pvt Ltd), Medicam tooth paste and Sweetener (Medicam Pvt Ltd Pakistan), Rafhan pudding mix and Custard (Rafhan Best Food Ltd), National Pickel, Salt and Spices (National foods Ltd), Haleeb Milk Pack, Yogurt and Cream (Haleeb Foods Ltd Pakistan). As far as multinationals are concerned Nestle and Uniliver Pakistan have carried out most of the brand extensions. For example, Nestle (Mineral Water, Milk Pack, Cream Yogurt), Uniliver has brand extensions (Lifebuoy Shampoo Soap, Express Surf, Colgate toothpaste, Walls Ice-cream). In this relation a study of brand extensions from brand managers perspective is important to find out successful practices which are prerequisites for a brand extension in Pakistan. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The significance of this thesis is to explore the use of brand extension strategies in the Pakistan context. Whether the strategy of brand extension is favorable or not, or due to brand extension, brands gets diluted or cannibalized? Since brand extensions is one of the most popular strategies for leveraging brand equity, this study will also focus on brand extension effect on brand equity. This thesis will focus on brand extension strategies of products from various companies which include Z-Jans Pvt Ltd, Haleeb Foods Ltd Pakistan, Servis Shoes, Lakson Group, and Chen one, Nestle, Sunsilk, Pakola and Fair Lovely. Various companies insights regarding brand extension will help us to study favorability or unfavorability of brand extension in a well manner. We will try to achieve this purpose by answering the following research questions. Brand extension is more beneficial than launching new products with respect to customers know how about the parent brand. Brand extension is beneficial in Terms of Consumer Knowledge and Consumer Trust about the quality and association of Parent brand? Brand extension is beneficial in terms of refreshing Parent brand. Brand extension can result in dilution of Parent Brand. Brand extension can lower the credibility of Parent Brand. Brand extension can result in cannibalization of Parent Brand Sales Brand extension can be a disaster and may lead to brand dilution if extension is not fit (Similarity and consistency) as per the concept of Parent brand. Moderating factors like brand quality, customer know how, customer certainty and brand equity affect brand extension? By answering above question, we will come to know whether brand extension is favorable or it leads to brand dilution, and whether brand extension is favorable for those companies who prefer extension and are involved in brand extension from couple of decades. This thesis will be beneficial in indentifying the success rate or failure rate of brand extension of those companies which have been chosen for this thesis. SCOPE AND DELIMITATION The study is carried out from a viewpoint of brand extension in our home country (Pakistan). The research conducted for this thesis is based on limited and chosen product category and Another constraint confronted during the course of research was the fact that majority of multinationals (MNEs) formulate brand extension strategies at their head quarters abroad. Finally, it was learnt that since the concept of brand manager in Pakistan is in infancy stages therefore normally it is the marketing manager who carries out the responsibilities of brand manager when it comes to brand extensions. DEFINITIONS Brand According to (American Marketing Association 2007 brand is: A name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competition. Brand extension Using an established name of one product class for entering another product class (Aaker 1991). Using a successful brand name for launching a new or modified product or line is known as brand extension strategy (Kotler 1991). An expansion strategy in which firms use already established and successful brand name for introducing a new or modified product (Kotler Armstrong 1990). Using an established brand name for introducing a new product into product category which is new to the company is known as franchise strategy (Hartman Price Duncan 1990). Product Line Extension A product line extension is the use of an established products brand name for a new item in the same product category. Line Extensions takes place when a company stretches its product line and introduces extra items in the same product category under the same brand name for example new nips, forms, colors, added ingredients, package sizes. This is a little different from brand extension in which a new product is introduced in an entirely new category, While Line extension occurs when the company increases its product line outside its current chain. Product line can also be stretched as down market stretch and up market stretch. Brand Dilution Brand dilution is the subverting of a brand though its overutilization. This often happens when brand extension is done poorly. Price cut can also bring a brand down and can damage the brand, even though it increases the volume of the product. Brand dilution can be a severe headache for companies that rely mostly on their strong brand for higher profits. Companies who possess strong brand image wishes to leverage its equity to sell and earn as much profit as they can, but the same strategy to leverage a brand equity can also lead to damage a brand name and eventually result in brand dilution. Brand Cannibalization Brand cannibalization pertains to a decrease in volume, revenue of sale and diminution of market share of a product which results from the introduction of new products by the same producer. For example, when diet coke was introduced by Coca Cola, sales for original coke diminished, but eventually it led in expansion of diet soft drink market. Brand Equity Brand equity is a relationship between customers and brands, resulting in a profit to be realized at a future date (Wood 2000). Kotler and Armstrong (1996) were of the opinion that measuring brand equity is a tedious job. Nevertheless, a powerful brand means high brand equity that helps in achieving higher brand loyalty, name awareness, perceived quality, and strong brand associations. Some of the major benefits of brand equity are brand awareness and consumer loyalty which helps in reducing marketing costs. Brand is an important equity; therefore, it should be carefully preserved by adopting strategies that would help in maintaining or improving brand awareness, perceived brand quality and positive associations. (Kotler Armstrong 1996) Brand Association Brand association refers to level by which a brand is recognized by a consumer in a deep manner. If a brand is deep seated in the mind of the consumer in a positive manner, it will be recognized positively. Brand associations are the properties of a brand which consumers recall whenever brand is talked about. Consumer relates a brand name with its implicit or explicit meanings. Brand association can also be termed as the level to which a specific product/service is acknowledged amongst its product or service family. When choosing a brand name, it is important that the name selected must reinforce an essential dimensions and specification or benefit association that forms the position of a product.

Personalisation And Its Key Elements

Personalisation And Its Key Elements In this easy, I will be discussing personalisation in considering its key elements. Looking at the impact of Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) in meeting service user needs. How it contradict in particular the notion of choice, control and independence for old people. I will also the implications for social work practice, and my own personal practice in an anti-discriminatory point of view. The adult transforming agenda is focused on the development of personalisation of support. The 2006 Community Services White Paper, Our Health, Our Care, Our Say, announced the piloting of Individual Budgets. Personalisation had its beginnings in Direct Payment which was introduced in 1987, were people who are eligible for social care can choose to receive a cash sum in lieu of services (Henwood Nigel, 2007). The development of Transforming Social Care is driven by the demographic pressures and changes to public expectations. According to Chandler (2009, p2) by 2022 20% of English population will be over 65 and the number of those over 85 will have increased by 60%. The development of better housing options and extra care housing will be crucial for the future. Majority of older people will expect to live in their own homes for as long as they possibly can. And with more people living longer and requiring support, an increasing number of families will feel the impact of these demographic changes (Chandler,2009) [online]. One of the objectives of Putting People First was to champion the rights and needs of older people in their local authority and public services within a policy, which will involve them as active citizens who may or may not need support. However, these expectations cannot be met through traditional approaches to delivering of social care services. A fundamental change in Adult Social care is required in order to ensure that the needs of each person can be met in a way that suits their personal individual circumstances. Putting people first (DOH 2009), laid out the vision for change in social careà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ this vision is of a new social care system that helps people stay healthyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ through a focus on prevention, early intervention and enablement, and high quality personally tailored services for those who need ongoing care social care support This new policy is referred to as personalisation. According to Lloyd (2010, p 189), the term personalisation is very contentious she further cited Boxall et al (2009) distinguishing between personalisation which focuses on the particular needs of individuals to the preference of one size-fits-all approach of services. The self directed support is about the control that service users can exert over the definition of their needs and the ways in which these should be met. In policy terms, personalisation is both the way in which services are tailored to the needs and preferences of citizens and how the state empowers citizens to shape their own lives and the services they receive (according to the Department of Health, document Transform Social Care, Local Authority Circular 2008, p4). Personalisation was introduced in government policy in 2007 when the Putting People First: A shared vision and commitment to transformation of adult care (DOH, 2007) Concordat was published. This outlined the reforms for social care. The key elements in the document where; Self Assessment, Individual Budget, Choice, Control, Independence. However, because personalisation is only a policy it is implemented differently across social care services. Proponents of personalisation argue that the need to personalise services arise because, services were institutionalised and driven by professional, managerial and economic agendas, rather than those of service users (Lloyd, 2010). Historically and currently, a person in need of social care services is assessed by a social worker and other agencies. Then they decide the type of support the service user will receive, who from, where and when. For a couple of years now the government has been moving towards changing that system to one which the person in need of social care gets to decide the type of support they need and how, and this is now known as personalisation. The drivers behind personalisation are found in the Our Health, Our Care, and Our Say White Paper (DOH). It suggests that people will be happier, healthier, and have better prospects for the future if they are put in control of their social care support. According to Harris White () a milestone in the pronounced shift by new labour towards personalisation was the Adult Social Care Green Paper, Independence, Wellbeing and Choice. This saw the introduction of individual budgets as the principle route to personalisation (Harris White). The Department of Health describes personalisation as an approach in which every person who receives support, whether provided by statutory services or funded by themselves, will have a choice and control over the shape of that support in all care settings Brody(2009) [online]. One key issue identified by Griffiths (2009, p3) is that individual budgets offers a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a chance to empower service users in their dealings with public services and it puts the service user at the heart of public service reform. This is one of the key values of Putting People First (2007), to ensure people in need of social care have the best possible quality of life and the equality of independence living. Griffiths (20009, p2) further argues that individuals budget will give service users a greater choiceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. by giving money to the service user to purchase services from a plurality of providers. However, Forster (2002.p, 85) identified that there is little or no choice for elderly people. They can only have choice if the cost of their care is within the amount allocated by local Authority (LA) or if social workers agreed that it is suitable. This was also highlighted by Hudson Henwood (2008), in the CSCI document Prevention, Personalisation, and Prioritisation in social Care, that the coexistence à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ of self directed support alongside the Fair Access to Care (FACS) criteria have create some tensions while personalisation is concerned about promoting and maximising the choice and control of service users. it fails to determine how the eligibility of those groups is defined (Dodd, 2009) [online] The FACS policy guidance was publish in 2002 as a Local Authority Circular LAC (2002) 13. That Provides local authority with an eligibility framework for setting and applying their local criteria with the aim of ensuring fairer and more consistent eligibility decisions across the country (DOH). As Crawford Walker (2004), points out this system is failing to distribute resources to people who will benefit from early intervention. For example there are a growing number of old people with lower level needs who are likely to develop higher needs in the absence of responsive support. According to Dodd (2010), using one of the four levels within the Fair Access to Care services (FACS) banding as a threshold for rationing resources is too rigid an instrument for fairly and responsively allocate social care budget. He goes on to argue that currently, people with proven care needs are not receiving the services they need. Therefore as long as the FACS criteria remains in place as a rationing mechanism, it will be impossible to realise the universal model of self directed support envisaged within the personalisation agenda(Dodd,2010)[online] The CSCI report argues that as the government is concerned to hold down public spending eligibility criteria are a key mechanism, serving to regulate service provision in line with available resources and identified priorities. In the current financial climate were resources are tight, these criteria can be adjusted by the local authority in order to narrow access to care support. Lloyd (2010), policy makers are more focused on the economic challenges than the needs of older people. The implications for social workers according to Adams (2009, p145) is the amount of time they will have to spend with service users and carers who have individual budgets to help them gain the necessary knowledge and skills they may need to manage their budgets. Also, another limitation to personalization and individual budget has been identified by Griffiths (2009) that the current economic climate may pose a threat for individual budgets and may not survive the planned government spending cuts for the next few years.

Integrating Technology in the Language Arts Classroom Essay -- Teaching

Integrating Technology in the Language Arts Classroom School leaders today are under extreme pressure to improve student achievement levels. Yet, in the face of tight budgets, threats to cut extra-curricular activities, and an extensive shortage of textbooks in the schools, exactly what are teachers supposed to do to ensure that â€Å"no child is really left behind.† Despite what looks like a dead end, there is hope. By integrating the usage of technology in the Language Arts classroom, students are presented with a wide range of opportunities for improving in writing, literacy, and cultural awareness. According to the article, â€Å"Are we there yet?† a survey issued by the National School Boards Foundation says that many schools nationwide have made great progress in connecting classrooms to the Internet. Yet, this is not exactly enough. Today, the focus must be on integrating this technology as an integral tool for instruction and administration, not as just an extra â€Å"if-time† activity. By doing this, the core educational priorities that are set by the federal, state, and local governments will match the goals, interests, and objectives of students in diverse learning communities. In addition to this, the usage of technology is viewed by parents to have a positive impact in children’s lives. Although parents understand that there are dangers associated with the Internet, they mostly believe that the positive implications for it are much stronger. For school leaders, however, the correct installments of filters, firewalls, and honor codes are the only p rotections that they have against providing students with more positive than negative images. Having said all of this, what are technologies implications for improving the La... ...thers, they will develop a more complete sense of themselves and the world around them at the same time. In conclusion, technology in the Language Arts classrooms will provide students and teachers with a wide array of opportunities and options for broadening instruction and assessments. Increased usage of technology will act as a supplement for traditional instruction, and thus strengthen the effect that it will have in the lives of students everywhere. Therefore, where there are tight budgets, and shortage in textbooks, the usage of technology gives communities hope and a stronger belief that no child will be left behind. Works Cited â€Å"Are we there yet?† http://www.nsbf.org/thereyet/fulltext.htm â€Å"A Friend for the Language Arts.†www.electronic-school.com/0198f4.html â€Å"Using Virtual Learning Space to Promote Multiculturalism† http://www.techlearning.com

Effects of Television Violence on Children and Teenagers :: essays research papers fc

Effects of Television Violence on Children and Teenagers Does violence on television have a negative effect on children and teenagers? The violence shown on television has a surprisingly negative effect. Television violence causes children and teenagers to become less caring, to lose their inhibitions, to become less sensitive, and also may cause violent and aggressive behavior. Television violence causes children and teenagers to be less caring, to lose their inhibitions, and to be less sensitive. In a study on the connection between violence and television done with 1,565 teenage boys over a six-year period in London, William Belson, a British psychologist, found that every time a child saw someone being shot or killed on television they became less caring towards other people (Kinnear 26). William Belson also discovered that every time a child viewed this violence on television, they lost a fragment of their inhibitions towards others (Kinnear 26). In addition to William Belson’s study, studies done by many scientists and doctors show that seeing violence on television causes viewers to become less sensitive to the pain of others (Mudore 1). Furthermore, television violence causes aggressive behavior in children. Many people believe that children who watch violent television programs exhibit more aggressive behavior than that exhibited by children who do not (Kinnear 23). According to the results of many studies and reports, violence on television can lead to aggressive behavior in children (Langone 50). Also, when television was introduced into a community of children for the first time, researchers observed a rise in the level of physical and verbal aggression among these children (Langone 51). The more television violence viewed by a child, the more aggressive the child is (â€Å"Children† 1). Television violence is also a cause of both violent and aggressive behavior in teenage boys. According to the evidence in a study done by Turner, Hesse, and Peterson-Lewis, it was concluded that watching television violence had a long-term increase in aggression in boys (Hough 1). In addition to this study, Dr. William A. Belson evaluated fifteen hundred boys, aged thirteen to sixteen years, and he determined that boys with heavy television exposure are more likely to commit violent acts than other boys (Langone 51). In Belson’s study, he discovered that the effect of each violent act on television was collective, and over time, Belson discovered that the boys engaged in many aggressive acts, including painting graffiti, breaking windows, aggressive play, swearing, and threatening other boys with violence (Kinnear 26).

Avons First Female CEO: Ms. Andrea Jung :: Avon Business CEO Management

Each year Fortune magazine publishes its list of the top 500 U.S. companies ranked according to reported gross revenues. In the highly competitive world of business, the CEO's of these companies are responsible for making decisions that allow a company into this elite group and remain on the list year after year. Avon Products Inc. first appeared on the Fortune 500 list in 1955 inaugural year, ranked at number 455. Over the years, Avon has moved up and down the list of 500 managing to remain there since its first appearance as a top grossing corporation. In the mid 1990's the company was on the verge of falling back to its 1955 ranking. Hired as Avon's first female CEO in 1999, Ms. Andrea Jung, one of only 10 female CEO's listed on the 2006 Fortune 500 list; led the overhaul of Avon Products Inc. and brought the company from number 308 in 1999 to number 281 on the recently published 2006 list. Born in Toronto Canada to first generation Chinese immigrants in 1959, Andrea Jung credits part of her success to her family upbringing. Raised with traditional Chinese values and parents who placed an emphasis on education, Ms. Jung excelled in most of her endeavors. Growing up in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Ms. Jung flourished by earning top grades in academics, excelling in piano, and becoming fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Her formal education was completed in 1979 after graduating magna cum laude from Princeton University with a bachelor's in English Literature. Ms. Jung has two children. A nine year old son she adopted with former husband Michael Gould and a seventeen year old daughter from a previous marriage. When her busy schedule allows, Ms. Jung frequently plays the piano as a way to relax. Her favorite piece of jewelry, a white pearl choker, has become one of her fashion trademarks. On a fun note, Ms. Jung was presented with a Barbie custom made by Mattel in recognition for her efforts in a cross promotional project between Avon and the toymaker. The Barbie features Ms. Jung's likeness complete with long black hair, dark pantsuit, and of course, a pearl choker. Upon graduation, Ms. Jung entered the management training program at Bloomingdale's and quickly rose through the ranks to vice president and merchandising manager by the age of 26.

Hegemonic masculinity

Hegemonic masculinity refers to the culturally normative ideal behaviours of males. This concept is based on the assumption that there is a hierarchy of masculine behaviour, suggesting that most societies encourage men to exemplify a dominant version of masculinity. Hegemonic masculinity is competitive and reflects an inclination for males to pursue domination over other males and subordinate females. Contrary to feminism, anti-femininity demonstrates a male's strong aversion and fear of being attributed to feminine characteristics.Men's identity strategies are stablished through their complicit or resistant stance to prescribed dominant masculine styles. Masculine characters are not given. Rather, a range of possible styles and personae emerge from the gender regimes found in different cultures and periods of time. It is undeniable that the definition of a man is the same today as it was a decade ago. Among the possible ways of being masculine, some become winning style and it is th is with which men must engage.This manufactured image of the male projected the appearance of an educated man, the talented athlete, hardworking good family man, with the ability to always provide. This has become the standard definition of manhood. The workplace became the arena that allowed manhood to be tested and, proving to other males. It provided the space for which men could prove opposite characteristic of women, although women were one of many vehicles available to males for the purpose of exhibiting levels of success.Through the gender identity model, demonstrated by Christopher T. Kilmartin, this paper will view the different dimensions of male and female gender roles. Moreover, through the work of Ann Ferguson, the crucial interpretation of gender performance nd transgressive acts will be fundamental in identifying how hegemonic masculinity is identified as anti-femininity. In all societies the obvious biological difference between men and women is used as a Justificati on for forcing them into different social roles which limit and shape their attitudes and behavior.That is to say, no society is content with the natural difference of sex, but each insists on adding to it a cultural difference of gender. The simple physical facts therefore always become associated with complex psychological qualities. It is not enough for a man to be male; he also has to appear masculine. A woman, in addition to being female, must also be feminine. However, once the contrast between men and women has been increased and accentuated in this fashion, it is usually taken as a further manifestation of biological differences, which confirm the need for different social roles.Thus, from an early age, boys are helped to acquire a masculinity that allows them to assume and maintain that position. By the same token, girls are taught to cultivate a submissive femininity. The resulting difference in the male and female character is then described as inborn and used to defend t he existing power rrangement. Only those who accept it are normal, and only they can expect to succeed. The male social role is designed to reward masculine men, while the female social role offers its relative advantages only to feminine women.Gender identity is ultimately derived from both chromosomal makeup and physical appearance, but this does not mean that psychosocial influences are missing. Socialization, or the process whereby a child learns the norms and roles that society nas created tor his or her gender, plays a significant role in the establishment of her or his sense of emaleness or maleness. If a child learns she is a female and is raised as a female, the child believes she is female; if told he is a male and raised as a male, the child believes he is male.Beginning at birth, most parents treat their children according to the child's gender as determined by the appearance of their genitals. Parents even handle their baby girls less aggressively than their baby boys. Children quickly develop a clear understanding that they are either female or male, as well as a strong desire to adopt gender-appropriate mannerisms and behaviors. This normally occurs ithin two years, according to many authorities. In short, biology sets the stage, but children's interactions with the social environment actually determine the nature of gender identity. The gender identity model also carries the assumption that, ‘being like a woman' is a negative outcome in personality development† (Kilmartin, 39). Early psychoanalytic theorists were quick in assuming that poor motherhood was the primary drawback in a male child being overly feminine. Other Justifications point to an absent father who was away often or very distant from his children. The feminine male has been demonstrated as a scary unwanted image. A teenage boy is not supposed to cry during a romantic movie.If a young boy associates with too many feminine things, he may end up identifying more with wo men than with men. All females are not necessarily feminine and all males are not necessarily masculine. We are never provided with a definitive answer to what constitutes masculinity, but instead we are provided with details and examples of how an why masculinity cannot be reduced to the male body and its effects, asserting as well that dominant asculinity relies on alternate masculinities, such as female masculinity.Masculinity in this society inevitably conjures up notions of power, legitimacy and privilege, a fact which closely ties the idea of masculinity to conceptions of race gender, sexuality and class, yet this power is only recognizable in opposition where masculinity only become legible as masculinity only in certain social settings. Ann Ferguson highlights three strategies in which males display masculinity. Heterosexual power; â€Å"always marked as a male† (Ferguson, 81). This refers to the social theory that men ave unearned advantages or rights granted to them solely on the basis of their sex, but usually denied to women.In societies with male privilege, men are afforded social, economic, and political benefits because they are male. Second involves role reversal, which is described by Ferguson as the disruption of the normal direction of the flow of power. Girls are outperforming boys at every level of education; women are overtaking men in the workplace in both status and pay. More men are becoming househusbands. Girls are becoming more assertive and aggressive whilst boys are becoming more feminine. Females are graceful in becoming the dominant gender. Third, Ferguson identifies violence as a strategy in displaying masculinity.This displays the conflict between authority and masculinity. These masculine strategies reassert the notion that gender is a performance. Contrary to feminine behavior, males are at constant battle to upkeep the masculine image. C. J. Pascoe's representation of the anti-feminine male exemplified the anxiety mal es have of being labeled as feminine. She implied through her research that it is acceptable to be gay, under the conditions that you are masculine as well. Her rendition ot the tag discourse argues that labeling other's as a tag is central to boys' joking relationships.Joking about the â€Å"fag† both strengthens relationships among boys and soothes their social anxiety. The high school boys from Pascoe's study bond by throwing the fag nickname at one another where boys call their peers fag for a number of reasons, such as being incompetent, showing emotion, caring about appearances, dancing or expressing interest in other guys, all these trait subjective to the female identity. Another aspect of fag discourse is the enactment of the fag, in hich high school boys would act out exaggerated femininity or pretend to be sexually attracted to men.Through this behavior, boys reminded themselves and each other that at any moment they could become fags if they were not sufficiently masculine† (Pascoe, 60). The notion of compulsive heterosexuality is based on the idea that one's sexuality is not chosen, but rather forced through society. This term does not refer to a sexual orientation. Rather, it refers to a variety of behaviors, social interactions, and institutional structures. This is a good umbrella term for a lot of different physical, erbal, and emotional actions.Pascoe describes how male students exhibit compulsive heterosexuality verbally when referring to their sexual interests. It is all about â€Å"the ability to exercise mastery and dominance literally and figuratively over girls' bodies† (Pascoe, 78). Whether a boy is objectifying, privately or publicly, a woman's body directly at her or in the company of other men/boys, these are forms of compulsive heterosexuality. Pascoe examines how masculinity is present in not only in media, sexual practices, and desire but also in politics.This leads to how it also ffects economics and gender i nequality in both physical and emotion ways. It can be seen in television shows, clothing ads, or unequal pay wages between men and women. In terms of anti femininity, hegemonic masculinity is the display of behaviors opposite to those deemed feminine. A hegemonic male will allow himself to suppress feelings of emotion and vulnerability to qualify as a manly man. Through the works of Pascoe, Ferguson and Kilmartin we have understood that the social construction of a male is what defines hegemonic masculinity rather than biological features.The egemonic male is seen as anti-feminine because of the social pressures he is presented. A male's fear of being labeled as feminine is primary in defining hegemonic masculinity as anti-femininity. The competitive male who seeks dominance over others and especially females, demonstrates the strong aversion a male has over becoming a subordinate himself. Through Kilmartin's gender identity model, it was argued that being like a woman is negative in any way, shape or form. Ann Ferguson's three strategies argue that gender is a performance and one that must be up kept through constant displays of power.Pascoe's fag discourse and ompulsive heterosexuality concepts present the anti-feminine in males through name-calling and, again, displays of dominance.