Apple Case Answer Essay Example for Free

Apple Case Answer Essay Organization Overview; Introduction This case discusses the apples Inc. Apple Inc. is one of the worlds most successful and most recognizable companies, established by Steve Jobs and Steve Wazniak. Over its 30 year existence, the company had seen a lot of changes in the computer industry. During its life it faced many problems like changing of CEOs and shifting in its major strategies which costs lotto the company. But at last it was Steve jobs who saved the company and afterwards it started competing in the market. Steve Jobs Bring new era to Apple Inc. He shifted the strategies to differentiation strategy and launched many products like iMac, iPod, iPhone. On April 4, 2010, Apple Inc. launched the iPod; the companys third major innovation released over the last decade under its iconic CEO Steve Jobs. Apples strategy of shifting its business into non-PC products had thrived so far, driven by the smashing success of the iPod and the iPhone. Yet challenges abounded. Macintosh sales in the worldwide PC market still languished below 5%. Growth in iPod sales was slowing down. IPhone faced increasing competition in the smartphone industry. What would the future hold for the computer giant in a rapidly changing world? How should the company allocate resources between its more traditional offerings (computers) and its newer products (iPods, iPhones, Apple TV, etc.) in order to maintain and improve its market position? Also, how should Apples unique retail strategy be used to support the companys product decisions, and by capitalizing on new and emerging trends thus further maintaining its competitive advantage. * Mission Statement Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offering. * DEEPLIST Analysis: * Demographic Demographic factors highly affect the computer industry. As buyers are of all ages and different genders, also every individual have different choice like the use of iPod, iPhone and iPad is increasing in young generation. Literacy rate is increasing in our country and use of internet and computer in education as well as in homes also increasing. Children and teenagers are more interested in playing games on computers and increasing usage of social website, chatting etc. Information technology playing a vital role in business world due to these virtual organizations, are increasing. So demographic factors is plays important role in the industry. * Economical In the past few years, the industry has been affected by the slow economic and that resulted in low consumer spending. There is no sign of improvement, consumer spending and investment might decrease as well. Discount rate 13.5% from the central bank of Pakistan and it is the highest rate in Pakistan that negatively affecting this industry .Due to weak economic conditions, Pakistan’s educational is encountering large budget deficits. This factor has a negative impact over Apple’s sales in the educational segment. Sales of products that include components obtained from foreign suppliers can be adversely affected by currency exchange rate fluctuations and by international trade regulations. * Social Factors Social Factors also influence the industry as different segments of the society have different buying behavior and income so it affects the overall demand of the computers. The computer and internet usage is growing worldwide and is a good source of opportunities for the computer industry. Customers has become more experienced and computer literate in our country comparing with past. Education has become a prime issue for the new  generation, which is a key factor for the company’s business. * Political and legal Political uncertainties and terrorism activities are directly impacting the overall business of the company. Energy crisis more and more taxes badly affecting the industry. For instance, when government imply 15 % sales tax it becomes difficult for the companies to manage profits. The company has to comply with the environment regulations such as environment safe disposal or recycling. * Technological As computer industry is a technology oriented industry so Technological factor greatly influence the industry as well as Apple Inc. As the technology changes it affects all the production processes, People appreciate more more advances in their systems and are switching over to new information appliances. Technology is evolving at a rapid pace now days. Internet availability and usage is growing and leads to good opportunities for the industry. The traditional desktop and tower systems might become outdated by the entrance of new revolutionary products. New technology demand is increasing by schools and professionals. Problems: * Frequent changes in strategies and top management * Apple Mac, application softwares not easily available * Premium segment; requires heavy R D costs * Operates in Niche market Five forces (porter) that apple applied. Motorola Mobility v. Apple Inc. is one of a series of ongoing lawsuits between technology companies Motorola Mobility and Apple Inc.. In the year before Apple and Samsung began suing each other on most continents, and while Apple and High Tech Computer Corp. (HTC) were already embroiled in a patent fight, Motorola Mobility and Apple started a period of intense patent litigation. The Motorola-Apple patent imbroglio commenced with claims and cross-claims between the companies for patent infringement, and encompassed multiple venues in multiple countries as each party sought friendly forums for litigating its respective claims; the fight also included administrative law rulings as well as United States International Trade Commission (ITC) and European Commission involvement.[1] In April 2012, the controversy centered on whether a FRAND license to a components manufacturer carries over to an equipment manufacturer incorporating the component into equipment, an issue not addressed in the Supreme Courts default analysis using the exhaustion doctrine in Quanta v. LG Electronics.[2] In June 2012, appellate judge Richard Posner dismissed the U.S. case with prejudice and the parties appealed the decision a month later. * - Motorola Mobilitys suits In early October 2010, Motorola Mobility filed a complaint with the ITC against Apple alleging patent infringement.[6] The complaint allegations concerned six Motorola patents, and sought remedies of a court-ordered bar on U.S. imports of infringing products, and an injunction prohibiting Apple from importing, marketing and distributing infringing products. The ITC instituted its investigation a month later and Motorola subsequently dropped its patent claims with respect to two of the six patents at issue.[7]Motorola also filed two complaints for patent infringement against Apple in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Illinois Complaints), and another complaint for patent infringement against Apple in the U.S. District Court for the Southern  District of Florida (Florida Complaint). Both complaints alleged Apple infringed 18 Motorola patents. In November 2010, Motorola voluntarily dismissed the Illinois Complaints, (asserted as counterclaims in the actions brought by Apple on October 29, 2010 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin). Later that November, Apple also filed counterclaims in the Southern District of Florida, alleging Motorola infringed six Apple patents in manufacturing and selling mobile devices, set-top boxes and digital video recorders.[7]Additionally, in October 2010, Motorola filed a complaint for a declaratory judgment against Apple and NeXT Software, Inc.[8] in the U.S. District Court in Delaware, seeking a ruling that Motorola did not infringe any claim of twelve patents owned by Apple and NeXT. In response, in early December 2010, Apple asserted these twelve patents against Motorola, Inc. and Motorola Mobility, Inc. in the Western District of Wisconsin and moved for a change of venue from Delaware to Wisconsin. Ulti mately, both parties patent assertions were subsequently transferred to the Northern District of Illinois. * - Apples counter-suits In late October 2010, Apple filed two complaints in the Western District of Wisconsin for patent infringement against Motorola, Inc. and Motorola Mobility, Inc..[9] The complaints alleged Motorola infringed six patents and sought money damages and an injunction. In early November 2010, Motorola filed counterclaims against Apple alleging Apple infringed twelve Motorola patents which Motorola originally asserted in the Northern District of Illinois. The Western District of Wisconsin transferred the actions to the Northern District of Illinois and trial was scheduled for June 2012 on six Apple patents and three Motorola Mobility patents. Also in late October 2010, Apple filed a complaint with the ITC for patent infringement against Motorola, Inc. and Motorola Mobility, Inc..[10] Apples complaint alleged Motorola infringed three Apple patents with Motorolas mobile devices offered in the U.S.. Apples complaint sought a court order barring imports of those devices and sought an injunction prohibiting Motorola from engaging in further activities related to the same mobile devices. The ITC began  investigation in late November 2010; in mid-January 2012, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) found no violation by Motorola for the three asserted Apple patents; Apple filed a petition to review the ALJs findings but the ALJ ultimately ruled for Motorola and against Apple in mid-March 2012.[11] In mid-March 2011, Apple filed counterclaims against Motorola in the ITC proceeding (which was subsequently removed to the Western District of Wisconsin court), and instituted a new action in the Western District of Wisconsin, Apple Inc. v. Motorola Mobility, Inc., alleging that Motorola breached standards commitments (see Context, below), with counterclaims including equitable estoppel, waiver, breach of contract, violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act, unfair competition and interference with contract. Apple sought declaratory judgments that Motorolas license terms involving standards-essential patents were unreasonable and discriminatory, that Motorola was not entitled to injunctive relief, and that Motorola committed patent misuse.[7] * - Context Components manufacturers and major patent holders such as Motorola and Samsung commit to licensing their standards essential patents to other industry participants through their participation in standard-setting organizations (SSOs), while other industry participants negotiate licenses to use those patents, including manufactures and sellers of smartphones and tablets.[12] North American technology companies treatment in the marketplace of their respective products and mobile operating systems (OSs) spans the spectrum from completely proprietary systems to open-source license systems: Apple and RIM manufacture and sell products that run on only their respective proprietary mobile OSs; Microsoft licenses its proprietary mobile OSs, (Windows Phoneand Windows Mobile), to non-affiliated wireless handset original equipment manufacturers (OEMs); and Google sponsors Android, an open-source mobile OS it distributes free to OEMs.[13] All these OSs provide platforms for software application de velopers as well as for a variety of products and services offered by  competing product manufacturers. Such products in turn rely on, and their patent holders commit to, SSOs rules for both standards essential patents disclosure and reasonable and non-discriminatory licensing (FRAND) grants for compatibility and interoperability of devices.[13] * - Further developments In March and April 2011, Motorola filed patent infringement complaints in the court in Mannheim, Germany, alleging that Apple Retail Germany GmbH, Apple Sales International, and Apple Inc. infringed three of Motorola Mobilitys patents, two of which are standards-essential patents. In December 2011 and February 2012, the court in Mannheim, Germany found that Apple products infringed two of the three Motorola Mobility patents, one standards-essential and one non-essential, and granted injunctions.[7] Between May and December 2011, Apple filed patent infringement suits in Munich, Dà ¼sseldorf and Mannheim, Germany alleging that Motorola infringed Apples utility and design patents. Apple asserted the design patents against Motorolas tablet products. In mid-February 2012, the Munich court found that a Motorola smartphone unlock feature infringed one of the Apple utility patents,[14] and granted an injunction.[7] Five days prior to the Munich court decision, Apple sued Motorola in the U.S . District Court for the Southern District of California.[15] Apples complaint sought a declaratory judgment and injunction based on an alleged breach of contract by Motorola, and alleged that Apple is a third party beneficiary under a patent licensing agreement between Motorola Mobility, Inc. and Qualcomm, Inc., and thus in reliance on that contract. Apple alleged that Motorolas rights under two patents it asserted against Apple in Germany were already exhausted under the licensing agreement and asked the court to enjoin Motorola from prosecuting and enforcing its claims against Apple in Germany. In February 2012, the European Commission, Competition Directorate-General, sent Motorola notice that the Commission received a complaint by Apple on the enforcement of Motorolas standards-essential patents against Apple, allegedly in breach of Motorolas FRAND commitments. Apples complaint sought the Commissions intervention with respect to standards-essential  patents.[7]

Introduction To Sports Among Women Spectators In India Media Essay

Introduction To Sports Among Women Spectators In India Media Essay Watching sport represents a predominant form of leisure behavior in todays society. Large numbers of people attend sporting events and think of themselves as sport fans. Traditionally, participation in sports as a spectator has been a male dominated activity. Women differ from men on various parameters such as physicality, psychographics, behavioral parameters, consumer behavior and consumption experiences. The differences between men and women on these parameters make it difficult for marketers to target them together as a unified segment. But, irrespective of the differences between men and women on various parameters, sports goods manufacturers and sports events marketers have pursued traditional male-oriented marketing policies. But in recent times due to a radical change in social and financial status of women, there has been an increased participation in and consumption of sports by women. This has caused marketers to add a female- oriented focus to their strategies. The recent introduction of female commentators in cricket to strategies to attract women in the latest IPL edition with attractive offers shows a definite change in the marketing strategies of media and marketing professionals. Also more and more women are turning to sports for recreational purpose. With the sports industry turning more to women consumers, it has become necessary for marketers to research womens consumption behavior and consumption experiences to come up with gender specific strategies. Hence, this study would be to understand how the Indian woman consumes sports and the level of involvement or motivation achieved set in the context of the Indian society. Literature Review Sports as a genre is present in everybodys life, be it in terms of participation or watching. Sports has the power to inspire, build communities, to make people cry, laugh. In the hands of an ingenious marketer sports has an almost enigmatic pull towards the target consumer. Traditionally, sports participation and consumption was viewed to be masculine or a part of male dominion. However, with increasing number of women who have found economic and social independence the domain of sports is no longer completely a male bastion. Increasingly women are breaking the stereotypes of passivity and are actively consuming and participating in sports. Major strides have been made over the past few years in providing participation opportunities for girls and women in sports. Media visibility has increased for a number of women players both internationally and nationally like Venus Williams, Anna Kounikova or Sania Mirza. The consumption of sports and leisure by men and women is dependent on a lot of factors such as prevalent societal norms, beliefs and attitudes. In the context of sports and leisure, what is associated with men and masculinity is valued over what is associated with women and femininity. Hence, it is important to explore the underlying societal norms to understand the consumption patterns. A post modernistic approach In a postmodern society, the prevalent ideology is that what is considered masculine or feminine will break down as the boundaries between masculinity and femininity continue to blur and the different forms of gender multiply. Activities that conventionally convey clear meanings, such as combat conveying masculinity and gracefulness conveying femininity, will no longer be obvious. A postmodern vision of these categories blurring into one should be liberating because it lessens the likelihood of gender being used as a way to categorize. In the context of sports and leisure, this suggests that gender is less likely to influence participation or consumption of sports previously marked as masculine or feminine. Analysing literature would help us to understand historical trends of sports and leisure participation by gender in various scenarios. Home Vs Workplace Women have been historically been associated with activities conducted at home such as gardening, sewing and cooking, due to recent advancements in technology the efforts required for the chores have reduced immensely but the modern society still views it as a womans job. Unskilled tasks such as cleaning, eating, cooking, sleeping, leisure and child rearing were performed at home, Men were connected with activities in the workplace and less connected with the ones at home. Home for men essentially was a place to recoup from a hard days work. A similar separation exists in sports and leisure today. ( McGinnis, Chun, and McQuillan, 2003) According to Hendersons review (1990), leisure for women tends to consist of activities which is near or at home because it can be infused with household chores and because few opportunities for leisure exist outside the home. According to another research by Kane, It was argued that women tend to define themselves in terms of human relationships, hence, they consume within the context of home and family. The complexity increases for a career woman as then the leisure is dependent on family environments, especially children. Women use home as a primary place and means for leisure. And in case a leisure opportunity comes along which is out of home, then it is sort of offered in such a way as to not hamper household responsibilities. In this case, leisure itself can be seen as constraining, as it reinforces gender appropriateness (Shaw 1994). While it appears that leisure opportunities certainly exist for women outside the home, the literature suggests that leisure for women is still largely perceived as a secondary concern. Opportunities for leisure exist, but only when other duties and other concerns have been addressed first. Expectations of a women and her role in society appear to transcend the opportunities outside the home. Men face the same constraint, but can define what is expected of them more so than women. Spectatorship and Leisure time It is a common point of contention that men and women both enjoy watching sports on television, but their preferences differ, as men tend to prefer more competitive and aggressive sports as compared to women. We find evidences of media reinforcement of the gendered consumption patterns, for example NBC positioned the Olympics with storylines resembling soap operas. Men have generally dominated the consumption of organised sports. But the Spectator Gender Gap is reducing with more women watching conventionally male sports such as Golf, football. However, research suggests that attempts by women to increase their sports consumption in a way threatens the male dominion as sports is viewed as a masculine domain where men are allowed to bond with one another. Women entering this domain are seen as upsetting this setting (McGinnis, Chun, and McQuillan, 2003). Leisure is another area where the gender gap exists, women in general experience a lesser amount of free time as compared to men as their part of their free time is generally spent doing housework or taking care of children. Men can experience larger blocks of free time without worrying about other commitments. Role of the Indian Media Women are traditionally not encouraged to indulge in sports. Sports are men oriented, where men play and women watch. It is clearly visible in the Indian media too, be it films or advertisements. For instance, in an advertisement of Clinic Plus shampoo, a coach of a boys cricket team in school discourages a girl to play with the team by fearing, when he says, Baal kharab ho jayege (your hair will get damaged if you will play cricket in sun). Another advertisement of Tata sky featuring Gul Panag and Aamir Khan, she has been portrayed as a woman for whom sports is a nuisance. During the cricket matches and sports world cups, time and again, many news channels have shown how women have to sacrifice watching their saas-bahu dramas and newspapers also write about falling TRPs of TV serial and how these matches are a jeremiad for women. Because in the family, their husbands, brothers and father are glued tothe sports channel and the power of attorney for the remote control is transferred t o men for those few days when the matches are held. In addition, Some of the commonly held beliefs associated with female fans and women sports are explored below- Women are not interested in sports fact or fiction In terms of viewership, over 2.2 crore women watched the 2003 World Cup in India alone. Female viewership comprised an astounding 46% of the total World Cup viewing population and TRPS for female viewership for India matches climbed to a phenomenal 9.8, significantly higher than the 3.9 registered during the Nat West Trophy final played at Lords in June 2002(ESPNSTAR, Interesting history of womens cricket in India).The Twenty20 World Cup had a strong, growing female audience for the sport and its not restricted to cricket alone. There is an overall 54 per cent increase in ratings for the three tennis grand slams-especially with regard to womens viewership where the growth has been significant. To reach out to this diverse market, most channels are developing a strong programming line-up that is a healthy mix of acquired and original content. (The financial express, Cashing in on sports). For the first time, a non-cricketing glamorous female host Mandira Bedi was brought in as a studio anchor. The experience was something which shocked cricket purists. But with a mix of elements for the purist as well as the novice and the fence sitters, Extraaa Innings combined academic cricket with mainstream entertainment like never before. This resulted in a whopping 50% increase in average rating of Indian matches and 37% increase in the rating of non-India matches, reached out to a record 78% of the Indian audiences in CS homes. More interestingly the female gross reach grew by an unprecedented 261%. Mandira Bedi became a celebrity and was soon a part of life even for women in conservative Indian households. Purists like Wisden, which condemned the experiment with women anchors during the ICC Champions Trophy in Colombo in September 2002, were forced to retreat. Women joined betting circles and housewives in Delhi and Ahmedabad formed clubs to enjoy the sport (ESPNSTAR, Interesting history of womens cricket in India). In terms of playing the sport, there has been significant increase in the number of professional sportswomen in variety of sports including Badminton, tennis, hockey, golf and athletics. The increase in the number of tournaments is a testament to that fact, recently an international basketball tournament the FIBA Asia Womens Championship was hosted by Chennai, Featuring the best players and top teams from across the continent, the tournament was a success. (Deccan Chronicle, India Wakes up to alternative sports) Female sports fans are different from male sports fans -fact or fiction? According to a research by Sargent, Zillmann, and Weaver, men and women enjoy distinctly different types of sports. Their findings revealed that males preferred watching combative sports on television whereas females were partial to stylistic sports. Sport socialization research examines the impact that environmental forces have on children and individuals from two different perspectives: socialization into sport and socialization through sport. This line of inquiry indicates that people are attracted to sport due to formal channels (i.e., parents, peers, coaches, mass media, teachers) and informal channels (i.e., school, church, and community-based programs), as researched by Kenyon McPherson . Media plays a primary role for introducing new teams and sport leagues to adults. According to a study by Bruce, Institutional, social, and familial contexts also shape viewers interpretations of sports broadcasts. He also found that women did not display strong loyalties to specific womens sports teams that are common with men and their favorite mens teams. This was attributed to the extensive sports information and media attention given to mens sports. In a study on cognitive development and socialization by James, in the initial development of team loyalty, it was found that children form preferences for sports teams early in life. Results of this study revealed and that the gender stereotype associating sports with males was prevalent among children and that fathers were the most influential socializing agent in introducing children to sports teams. In a study on experiences and effects of viewing televised sports, Gantz and Wenner found differences based on gender for 9 of the 15 motivation items examined; however, these differences were not dramatic. Most notable among their findings, women were more likely to watch televised sports for companionship and sharing the experience with family and friends whereas men watched to unwind and become wrapped up in the excitement and drama of the game. Men invested more time in reading, listening, watching, and talking about sports and they were more likely to experience emotional fluctuations from watching sports. Men also tend to display a fan behavior and identify more strongly as a fan according to Dietz-Uhler. However, an equal number of male and female college students considered themselves to be sport fans. Females reported being fans because they attended and watched sporting events with family and friends while males were more likely to consider themselves fans because they played sports and wanted to acquire sports information. Measuring Spectator Motives Various methods to research on sport spectators have been developed which utilizes a number of scales to assess the psychological motives related to attendance, media usage and interest at live sporting events. 1) One of the first methods was developed by Wann. He designed a comprehensive scale to measure eight factors observed to influence behavior; eustress, self-esteem, escape, entertainment, economic (gambling), aesthetic, group affiliation, and family. 2) Second method developed by Trail and James was the Motivation Scale for Sport Consumption (MSSC) to examine ten aspects of spectator behavior: achievement, acquisition of knowledge, aesthetics, drama, escape, family, physical attraction, physical skills of players, and social interaction. 3) Thirdly, McDonald, Milne and Hong (2002) utilized a scale to measure spectator and sport participant motives related to: risk-taking, stress reduction, aggression, affiliation, social facilitation, self-esteem, competition, achievement, skill mastery, aesthetics, value development, and self-actualization. Research Methodology Conceptual Framework or Problem Definition Till now through an extensive analysis of literature we have seen that men and women both consume sports in their own way and one cannot generalize the consumption pattern of women. The motivations and the level of involvement for women depend on a lot of factors. Research Gap : There is no study done in the Indian context to understand the women sports consumers, their stages of involvement and motivations to participate. Hence, this study is a step towards achieving an understanding of the same. Research Objective: The objective of the research is to understand the Woman sports consumer in terms of her involvement level and motivation to consume a particular sport. The study of motivation for predicting consumer behavior is very difficult as to understand the interrelation between motives and specific behavior. Also, to develop a list of consumer motives comprehensive enough to capture the wide variety of motivating forces that stimulate and shape behavior is challenging. To do the above, a framework could be constructed in the form of a social continuum which broadens the sport consumer motivation notion by using involvement as a motivational construct to distinguish between various levels. Factors like womans role in the society would also be a part of this construct. Hence, a study of the immediate environment becomes imperative for studying the consumption pattern. The level of involvement of women consumer of sports should form the basis of the framework of social continuum where the stages vary from viewership to acceptance to fan base to taking part or actively playing to encouraging others to play or advocacy. As shown below, Identification of critical factors which defines each of the stages could be looked at and the motives of each stage should also be looked at. According to each stage a corresponding set of behavior would be associated. Understanding different spectator motivations and involvement levels can be of significant benefit to the sport marketer looking to boost team revenues and gate receipts. Of particular interest are both the marketing manager understanding the specific motivations that drive a spectator or fan to consume a sport and the subsequent development of marketing communications based on these motivations. These effective marketing communication plans can often help build groups of diehard fans, thus expanding the customer base for a team. Spectator and fan motivation can also be used as an effective psychographic segmentation method that can result in more effective marketing campaigns. Sub Research Objective: Involvement Involvement could be defined as a state of interest, stimulation or motivation towards an object, a product or even an activity. As put by a study done by Mitchell, Involvement represents an internal state variable that reflects the amount of arousal, interest, or drive evoked by a particular stimuli or situation that mediates consumer behavior. Application of the involvement construct to examine sport spectators and sport fans would provide a fuller understanding of motives and what stimuli and situations direct behavior (e.g., attendance, purchase of team merchandise, media consumption) and attitudinal formation (e.g., preferences, commitment, loyalty). Some parameters of study for involvement would be Importance of product as perceived by the consumer Pleasure or enjoyment provided by the product Risk of making the wrong purchase or participating in the non enjoyable activity Self expression it represents the identification of the person with the purchase or participation Centrality to lifestyle, encompasses socializing and interactions Motivation Theories and studies have been done by researchers on how to assess the motives for consuming sports. These motives can be generally classified into the broad categories of study as Entertainment Stress and stimulation seeking Social Interaction Achievement seeking Approach to Analysis According to the sample defined above, the research would be conducted two phases: Phase 1: This would be in the form of exploratory research which would be used to develop a conceptual model for examining involvement stages and their corresponding motives. The purpose of this is to identify any potential parameters related to spectator motives or involvement framework which were missed. In-depth interview of 5 respondents approximately would be taken in each market segment. Phase 2: This is the validation phase where the qualitative study would be validated by quantitative so that the result of the first phase could be extrapolated to a larger population if required. Sampling Universe: The sampling universe could be defined as young women who are primarily college goers or into the first 2-3 years of job, who follow at least one sport, belonging to SEC A or SEC B. Details of Phase I Sample Size: 15-20 (Qualitative study) The sample size setting is done with a non-statistical approach where the selection is done anticipating subgroup analysis. The anticipation is that 4 meaningful clusters (market segments) would emerge and each cluster will contain approximately 5 respondents in average. SEC A SEC B College Goers Urban Semi Urban Working Women Semi Urban Urban This is for the qualitative part of the research. Sampling Procedure: Convenience Sampling (Non- probability sampling) Care would be taken to ensure that heterogeneity of the entire population can be effectively covered in the sample. Details of Phase II The phase II methodology would depend on the data collected in the first phase. Scope The study would help marketers understand the woman spectator motivations and stages of involvement in consuming sports in India, in turn, help in predicting behavior This would help marketers tap into the growing woman spectator base. Expected Contribution There has been no study on understanding women spectators in the Indian context done till date. This research would help both the academia and industry to understand an upcoming segment. Understanding different spectator motivations and involvement levels is important for a sport marketer to tap the women consumer segment which is increasingly becoming independent economically and socially. Understanding the involvement and motivations that drive a woman spectator to consume a sport in India would help marketers target this segment with crisp and relevant marketing communications. The involvement stages and motivations can also be used as an effective psychographic segmentation method for forming effective campaigns.

Free Essays - Chronicle of a Death Foretold :: Chronicle Death Foretold Essays

The Understanding of Characters Through Relationships Relationships create strong holds in novels. They give a sense of what to base a character's acts and decision's on. Through how the author uses their tone and descriptions, relating to relationships, a sense of characterization can be developed. "Anna Karenina", by Leo Tolstoy, translated by Joel Carmichael, and "Chronicle of a Death Foretold", by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, translated by Gregory Rabassa, are no exception to this clause. Relationships form throughout these novels, by incorporating literary elements like characterization romanticism and realism, giving characters a sense of who they are, and the reader a sense of their role and reference to the story. In "Anna Karenina", relationships are built throughout the story helping for the reader to understand characters and who they are. One of the two major relationships taking place in the novel is between Anna Karenina and Levin. Anna Karenina, arguably the most important character to the novel, gets many of her key traits brought forth by relationship problems. Anna's search through her quest for love is purely emotional, and at the end of her character's life Anna's reason fails her. She has too much feeling and emotion, a trait shared by many of Tolstoy's characters. Her feeling from her relationship tend to overpower her thoughts and opinions, giving the novel a sense of romanticism. She becomes disgruntle. In the end, Anna can't hold her own wits. Tolstoy uses characterization to present Anna, through the relationships she has it can be understood her attitude and personal qualities. Levin, one of the main partners in a relationship with Anna, is the hero of Anna Karenina. Through Tolstoy's tone and description in the interaction between Anna and Levin it is almost gathered that Levin was created to merely point out his superiority, and his relationships with Anna does directly that. Where Anna continually maneuvers hysterically to achieve the perfect romance, Levin strives to find coherence in life and death, love and work. This can be discovered through the characterization directed towards Levin. Anna becomes a portrait of alienation through this relationship. Levin finds harmony with those around him. In Anna, you find a moral collapse, while in Levin, you see Tolstoy's hopes and joys of his future. Anna and Levin show a variation of character traits brought forth from their relationship. The second great relationship taking place forms between Vronsky and Kitty.

Electoral College System Essays -- Political Science

Analyze criticism of the "Electoral College" system and the alleged advantages and disadvantages of various reform proposals. The Electoral College is a system in which the individual voter does not actually vote directly for the president. When a person votes they are voting for an elector that has pledged their vote or allegiance to the running party. The Framers realized that without widespread communications available at the time and with other varying factors an "each vote counts" or "the popular vote" system would not be practical. Because of this they formed the Electoral College system, Under Article II of the US Constitution, although this system was never called this in the Article. This system has survived for over 200 years, with only two changes to it. These would be Amendment 12, and 23 of US Constitution. Many people have throughout the years said that the Electoral College is antiquated and needs to be changed, where as many others defended the Electoral College system. Some people believe the Electoral College system have many flaws, these can include electing a minority president, faithless Electors, the Electoral College causing a decline in voter turnout, the inequality of votes from large to small states, and the disadvantages for third parties. One large issue is that a president could be elected without the countries popular vote. One way this can happen is if three or more parties run splitting the Electoral votes so no one party can receive the majority of the votes. This has happened in 1824 and almost happened in 1948, and in 1968. If this does happen Amendment 12 states that the U.S. House of Representatives would then select the president from the top three. Another big issue is Electors t... ...at would like the votes to be split between parties. One of the last proposed changes is the "drop two" Electoral votes. In this proposal each states Electoral votes would be equal to their state Representatives. This system would function the same but just remove two Electoral votes from each state. This would still allow small states to over represent but would lessen the effects. Even though the Electoral College system has many flaws, it has worked for well over 200 years. Many people feel that the system is old and needs to be updated but the system was well thought out by the Framers. Ref: http://www.fec.gov/pdf/eleccoll.pdf http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Electoral_College http://jceb.co.jackson.mo.us/fun_stuff/electoral_college.htm http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/case/3pt/electoral.html#pro

The Link Between Height and Personal Success :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Link Between Height and Personal Success Your height won't influence what you earn as much as your race or gender, but it may well be significant. In Britain and America, the tallest quarter of the population earns 10% more than the shortest quarter. A white American man averages a 1.8% higher income than his counterpart an inch shorter (1). Economics is not the only area in which taller people win: out of the US's 42 presidents, only eight have been below average height for the time. Most have been significantly taller than the average for white adult males of their eras (2). Tall men are also more likely to be married and have children (3). Outside of normal height differences, people with growth deficiency are much more aware of the role height plays in their lives. A study done through a growth clinic showed that children with growth deficiency are more likely to have social problems. The problems included lower social competance, increased behavior problems, and low self-esteem. Another study found lower rates of employment and marriage when children with growth deficiency grew up (4). One theory of why tall people are more successful is that there is stigma attatched to height, and thus short people are seen as easier to dominate (2). Another theory is that evolutionarily, tall people had an advantage in hunting and such and were thus associated with positive traits (5). Perhaps we still retain this association unconciously. The third theory is that taller people have a better-self image, and this increased confidence makes them more successful (2). A factor that may influence both earnings and height is one's family background. Shorter men tend to come from bigger families with parents who have less education than those of taller men. This shorter height may be a factor of poor childhood nutrition, and parents with less education are more likely to have children who also receive less education and therefore earn less. Family background is not the only influence, though, as shorter men still earn less than taller men from the same background (2). Effects that appear to stem from one's adult height, though, may have a different cause entirely. Participants in one study were asked to report their heights at ages 7,11, 16, and 23. The height that affected one's adult earnings, it turned out, was not the adult height but the 16-year-old height.

Accutane associated Depression

Acne vulgaris or acne as it is commonly known, is a common skin disease mostly found in adolescent teenagers above the age of 14 and at times it may extend through to adulthood.According to the Dermatological disease database, acne develops as a result of secretions of the skin sebaceous glands and blockage of skin follicles which leads to eruption of pimples, blackheads and scars on the skin1.   It is not caused by eating certain foods such as chocolate, French fries or pizza as commonly believed.It has been reported by the British Dermatology Journal that, although not much data on acne's epidemiology is available, it has been discovered that about 40 to 85% of teenagers are or have already been affected by this disorder, making it the most common skin disease.For instance in America, every one out of three teenagers is or has had this disorder and the disease prevalence is not dependent on the race, sex, skin color or ethnicity.This disease occurs earlier in females than in male s a fact which can be attributed to the earlier onset of puberty and maturity in females than in males2.   On the contrary, the severity of this disease is more in males than in females especially when it occurs during the late teenage years due to androgen hormonal influences.In adulthood, acne is more prevalent in females than in males.   Some studies have further indicated that the prevalence of acne can be seasonal especially in women where it occurs just before the onset of their menstrual periods.More over, acne has been found to be more severe during the cold seasons than in the warmer weather conditions although these findings are not yet proven.   Some epidemiological data released by the Dermatological department of Munich University suggests that there is a close relationship between smoking and acne prevalence although still, this has not been confirmed3.Background Information.The history of acne disease dates back to ancient days and its origin is believed to be s omewhere in ancient Greece where people infected by this disease were treated using hot water baths mixed with sulfur4.   This method of acne treatment was used all through the 19th century till early 20th century when Benzoyl peroxide treatment was discovered.In 1950s, the use of antibiotics to treat the disease was invented especially tetracyclines although such antibiotics are no longer effective due to resistance of the disease causing germs.   More powerful antibiotics such as Retin-A were later discovered in 1960s and the disease control became much easier.   Such antibiotics are still in use especially in the U. S5.In 1980, the famous Accutane anti-acne drug was invented and this drug although controversial, it is very effective and is still in use today.   The year 1990 saw the emergence of Laser therapy which not only treats the disease but it clears the scars as well.   This treatment is quite expensive although it is very fast and effective.In 2000, the blue/red therapy was invented and this combined with the laser therapy invented earlier, led to more improved methods of acne treatment6.   This evolution shows how acne treatment has evolved with time, making the disease more manageable and easily treatable4.Acne prevalence has been on the decline in the past few years mainly due to increased knowledge on the disease, improved methods of prevention and treatment and better management of the disorder7.

Leadership model

Malcolm Muggeridge, towards the end of his life, reflected: â€Å"Looking over my 90 years, I realize I have never made any progress in good times. I only progressed in the hard times.† While this may not be easily acceptable in today’s ears, in leadership, whatever progress in personal goals is made and sustained most of the time, not in good times, but during difficult times. Leadership Behaviors to Sustain Momentum Firstly, leadership has something to do with change, stimulation of ideas, enthusiasm and encouragement for the tasks, and influence. I wish to enumerate three vital traits, each one linked with a specific function for leaders (Beckhard, R. 1969). 1. The imagination to innovate To promote innovation, successful leaders assist in cultivating novel view, the ideas, paradigm, and applications of expertise that makes an organization distinct. During the course of the implementation this particular trait is important especially that there will be delays, resistance to the change process that normally occurs. A good leader is ingenuous to create something which will contribute to enhance and sustain the momentum. 2. The professionalism to perform. Leaders offer personal and organizational capability, assisted by personnel preparation and education, to implement impeccably and dispense worth to ever more difficult and exacting customers. There will be criticisms to come, many personal-all of which can possibly help if the leader knows how and what to do with them. He is a professional, and an important virtue that he should characterize is to be able to deliver and keep his cool whenever difficulties arise. 3. The openness to work in partnership. Leaders create associations and linkages with partners who can enlarge the organization's contact, improve its contributions, or strengthen its systems. Since an organization is composed of people, this leader knows a lot about human nature and behavior in group settings so he can appropriately anticipate and plan as well as adjust to various personalities. Authors Sullivan and Decker, wrote a very effective communication piece in the 2005 book Effective Leadership and Nursing Management in Nursing.   The authors tried to convey the idea that the practical application of the skills comes in two important aspects and that they are indispensable as well as distinct and inseparable. The authors identified that organizations are designed in their specific arrangements as they function and these are pertinent in how the people working in their specific areas are handled and led. According to Dr. Jacques (1997), there are prime values placed on every part of the organization which he postulated in his stratified systems theory. When he called for the individual responsibility, he meant that whether the person in the spotlight may be the rank and file individual or happens to be the plant manager, the type of leadership that is seen is expressive of this core value. Management then implies the adoption of accountability and this summarily implies leadership knowing as mentioned in the preceding page on influence and exercise of power, when a person exercises accountability, he actually exerts leadership; leading by example and it is fundamentally ethical and transferable. Management and leadership are seen then, as interchangeable essentials, and according to Dr. Jacques, the existence and continuity as well as the perpetuation of a successful team depend much on the kind of leadership exemplified in the theory he posited. This need has never been brought about only by factors which inevitably affect not only the established structures and ways of doing things within the personnel area but also by the more meaningful and substantial task of managing the organization’s most important asset – the human capital. Among these factors are: stiffer competition in business; rapid changes in technological, competitive and economic environments; the explosion of technical and managerial knowledge; spiraling wage and benefits cost and so many others. These factors have no doubt been responsible for the emergence of the personnel function as a vital area in the implementation of corporate strategy. Conclusion The leadership approaches are important to imitate and assimilate as I go about my own quest for the implementation of leadership behaviors in my own workplace. Certain people who have been visible today who are worthy to emulate include men like Collin Powell and women like Oprah Winfrey. Although not all of their decisions are acceptable or popular, certainly their manner of leading have taken the world’s notice and made them trailblazers for others to follow. Reference: Permissions Department, 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ07030 USA. Jacques, Elliot. 1997. Requisite Organization: Total System for Effective Managerial Organization and Managerial Leadership for the 21st Century. London: Gower. GBR Mulhauser, Greg. Management Skills and Leadership Skills. Accessed March 17, 2008. ;http://coaching.mulhauser.net/executive/manage-vs-lead.html#evidence; Sullivan, Eleanor and Phillip J. Decker. 2005. Effective Leadership and Nursing Management in Nursing, with Student Video (4th Edition). Leadership model I have never really had any father to emulate nor a family that could guide me.   Many would say that I was all alone and would never be a leader type because I never had any role models growing up.   Yet I beg to differ from the public stereotype of leadership role models because even given my difficult situation growing up I did find a leadership role model, my coach.   While this may not seem to be a conventional choice for most people, I firmly believe that it was because of my basketball coach that I have developed the leadership skills I have today and have become a leader myself.Before I relate why I think my basketball coach is the best leadership role model that I have had in my life, albeit arguably inexperienced, I feel that it is important for me to discuss just what I think a leader is and should be.Great leaders have been said to be catalysts of change because of their ability to motivate, to inspire and to make any group of individuals act as a cohesive working u nit (House, 2004).   While there are those who argue that a leader must always make waves in order to make a definite impact in any working environment, it has also been shown that an effective leader must be able to contextualize his actions and understand what the best course is given the environment he is working in (Warneka, 2006).Coach Smith, as we used to call him, was that type of leader.   He never insisted on making waves but addressed the needs of the players and motivated every single one of us.   Superstar egos on the team were shelved and the goals of the team always came first before personal glory.   At the same time however, he made the person who contributed to the success of the team feel and know that it was his great performance which made a difference and in doing so inspired that person to work harder, not only for the good of the team but for himself as well.This leadership style employed by Coach Smith is also quite similar to another great leader who achieved impressive results, Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines, the company he created, consistently fared better than its competitors, surviving the tough times for the aviation industry. One of the secrets to the company’s success is its unique culture that differentiates it from its competitors. At Southwest, there is a great emphasis on the people aspect of the business. In fact, Herb Kelleher in an interview with Babson Insight vividly demonstrated his commitment to the staff of the company by calling them People – in this way, written with a capital letter (Herb Kelleher, 2004).Coach Smith empowered people.   He never sought to tow people in line and force them to do their bidding.   In a way he inspired me and the other members on the team to do better, much like Kelleher who made people feel that they played a major role in the success of the company.   This quiet but inspiring leadership style proved to very effective as our team w on the local tournament.I realize know just how pivotal his leadership methods were for our team.   A leader does not necessarily have to make waves in order to make to facilitate change.   There are many types of leadership styles that do not call for the application of any drastic actions or forceful management techniques.   The problem with the idea that making waves is necessary to facilitate change is that the outcome and effect on the other members on the team may not react as intended and it may even have a negative effect (Torbert, 2004).   This may result in team members being unable to communicate properly with the leader or with decreased productivity due to the sudden changes and major changes in the working environment brought about by the waves.This was exactly the problem that Coach Smith was able to avoid when he took over the team and inspired us with his quiet leadership.   12 strong willed and capable individuals, each person playing for his own personal glory, to rack up the most number of points or even the league Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy, would hardly make an efficient and effective team.   Yet Coach was able to harness the individual talents of each player but still make the unit function as an effective team.In popular leadership models such as Situational Leadership which was developed by Blanchard and Hersey in the late 1960s, the need for a flexible leader who was able to adapt leadership practices to suit the needs of the working environment was emphasized (Argyris, 1976).   A good leader must be able to assess the situation and determine what the best approach is, whether it is by making waves or quietly empowering and inspiring the team members.   Leaders do not need to make waves to facilitate change.   Other flexible and more effective means of quietly inspiring change are available and may even prove to have more of an impact than simply making waves.I like to believe that my leadership style today is similar to that which my Coach practiced or that of Herb Kelleher.   I have consciously patterned my leadership methods with the way that these great leaders have led others and inspired them.   The reason I have done so is because I believe that a person cannot motivate a team to feel good about their work if you, as their leader, do not. Similarly, team members will not feel ownership or go the extra mile if you do not. You must set an example by demonstrating passion about your work and displaying confidence in the team to do a good job.   Leaders must practice personal integrity and fairness. Model it and expect it from others. People who feel they can tell the truth, without fear of reprisal, grow as they experiment and experience success and failure (Cran, 2003).This approach to leadership of mine has as much to do with the great influence that Coach Smith has had on me as has my background.   As I mentioned earlier, I come from a broken family and my mother has been battling with cancer since I was young.   This led me to grow up in an environment that was all but bereft of role models and leaders.   There was no support and I had to work for everything that I had and still continue to do so.   It is this that has also led me to choose this style of leadership for myself because I believe that everyone had potential in them and with the proper motivation and inspiration it can be brought out, not only for the benefit of the team, the business or the company but also for the individual himself.Today’s follower-leader relationship shows that followers want trust and are not motivated by what the leader think they want, but rather by what each specific follower wants (Bain, 1982).   Motivation is generated internally, and a leader merely taps into the internal power of the follower (Thach, Thompson, and Morris, 2006).   Followers determine their commitment to organizations by reflecting on how hard they will work, what type of rec ognition and reward they might receive (transactional), and if that reward will be worth it (Strebel, 1996).Today I am a leader, I may not be a great leader but I am confident that I can develop my leadership skills to be one.   My leadership style is in motivating people and in quietly inspiring change and developing the talents and abilities of the people around me and in my organization.   This is the style that I have chosen because I feel that it is the most effective method.   I do not choose to be excellent or wealthy or powerful, I choose to lead and that makes all the difference.References:Argyris, C. (1976) Increasing Leadership Effectiveness, Wiley, New YorkBain, D. (1982). The productivity prescription.   New York: McGraw-Hill.Cran, C (2003). Eight Ways to Motivate Your Team. Retrieved 11/14/2006, from   http://www.refresher.com/!ccmotivate.htmlHouse, R. J. (2004) Culture, Leadership, and Organizations: The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, SAGE Publications, Thousa nd OaksNorthwestern University. (2004). Herb Kelleher. Retrieved November 11, 2006, from http://www.transportation.northwestern.edu/programs/patterson/lecturers/97kelleher/kelleherBio.htmlThach, E. C., Thompson, K. J., and Morris, A. (2006).   A Fresh Look at FollowershipTorbert, W. (2004) Action Inquiry: the Secret of Timely and Transforming Leadership, San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.Warneka, T. (2006). Leading People the Black Belt Way: Conquering the Five Core Problems Facing Leaders Today. Asogomi Publications Intl. Cleveland, Ohio