Book Review on Home by Marilynne Robinson Essay

Lost and alone, will Glory and Jack find themselves? Will they know what family truly means? Perhaps, all they simply need is one another and their father. Glory had been grief-stricken, being left by the man she trusted, leaving her with nothing but to return to the old house in Iowa, where her frail dad lives alone. There she was, feeling neglected and worthless while, along with her father, awaits the surprising return of her long lost brother, Jack. A man with a troubled past and in an uncertain state, Jack comes home looking distressed but grateful. He was different among his siblings ever since, enjoying the thrill of creating troubles but deep inside, he is a good and caring person. Unfortunately, guilt has eaten him. Remorse caused by the wrong decisions he had made towards his dear ones and the unwillingness to forgive himself. While the two are battling their own wars, their father is trying to make amends with them because he, too, is feeling like a failure as a dad, especially to Jack. He was not a perfect father but he tried to be, wanting what was best for his children. The return of Jack has turned the three lives around and also Ames and his family’s. It has opened the eyes and heart of each one, addressing to their many concerns and problems, internally and within the family. Jack and Glory had both found a confidant in each other, helping cure their personal pains little by little. The simple gestures and conversations they had had built a growing bond between brother and sister. The love and care shown to each other and their dad had compensated the past sorrows they had experienced. These have made Jack and Glory whole again, being the person they once were or hoped to be. After everything the Boughtons have gone through, all the troubles and heartaches, they were finally able to feel what happiness is through the realization that the family is the most important thing in one’s life because here, there is unconditional love and trust. Family is where they have found themselves, a place where they can truly call home. Analysis Nothing can compare to a family’s love for one another. Home is a novel about family. Robert Boughton had constant questions and worries about his children. He always seemed tired because of the sadness and guilt he feels for thinking he was a failure as a father. He has troubled children, showing that one raised in a Christian home has no certainty that he/she will lead a Christian life. It still depends on one’s own choice and apparently, Jack has not made the right ones. He has finally come home, but was almost unrecognizable and distant. He felt undeserving and surprised for being treated so well, though have caused much trouble, because he led a hard life while away. Jack is a good person, as mentioned by Ames who is evidently most irritated at him, knowing he has committed many mistakes and trying to become a better person. He struggles everyday with his dilemmas, feeling like a disgrace to the family, and wanting to be at peace but can’t seem to find it. Slowly, with his family’s help, he began to heal and change, but not wholly up until the end. Jack left, as suggested by his caring brother Teddy, for the sake of their ailing father. He did not want to cause anymore trouble and see his father suffer, but he did agree to come home if he needs help, realizing that families are forever. Both Teddy and Glory will be there. â€Å"But the soul finds its own home if it even has a home at all† Glory, like Jack, is lost, alone and bitter. She carries on life with a heavy heart, as she takes care of her ailing father and a problematic brother. Feeling hopeless, she seeks attention and fortunately, her two brothers show it to her. She understands Jack, but not completely because of his secretive character and he, too, understood her, her feelings and battles. As the story progresses, there was a growing bond between brother and sister, whether it was taking care of their father or sharing thoughts and opinions, though avoiding to bring up the pressing issues amongst them. Nevertheless, they became better individuals because of each other. The Lord truly is wonderful! The story was ordered chronologically, with the occasional recalling of the past. It started with the return of Glory and Jack until his leaving. It is equally about Glory’s and Jack’s internal conflict. The story revolves around overcoming the misfortunes each has encountered, due to appalling decisions, through the understanding and care of family. Another internal conflict was the minister, feeling like a failure as a dad. With these being the main plots, the subplots would be the relationship of Jack and Ames, together with his family, and the coming home of Teddy. The external problem was the coming home of Jack and Glory. He seemed distracted, causing worry to his sister and father and she, left unmarried, cheated, and alone. The narration of the story is character-based since the plot unfolds through the opinions and decisions made by the characters, not from having this setting to the next. No doubt that the story reflects religion, the uncertainty that everyone feels about it because there, as mentioned by Ames, is no absolute knowledge on what it really is. The stories among the characters parallel some characters and stories in the Bible such as David, Lazarus and The Prodigal Son. The plot evolved from the slight change in emotions. Glory began to feel needed and responsible in making her brother feel better and her father well, while Jack felt being part of the family. He saw and realized that his family would accept him for who he is and would try to do everything to make him feel welcome. In the outside, the plot was about the coming home and duties of both Glory and Jack, visiting of Ames and Teddy, and the parting of Jack. There were a lot of themes in the story such as guilt, loneliness, resentment and religion, but the main theme was the importance of the relationship among family members. It can help make everything much better, though slowly but surely. The theme is based from the belief of Robinson and I, definitely, agree with her. Family is the basic unit of society and is the foundation of every individual. The relationship among members should be strong in order for all of them to be stable and complete as each individual. Personal Application/Impression Home was a hard read. Though an avid reader, the book was more complicated and confusing compared to the fiction novels I normally read. The words have so much meaning and the plots were not written in a sequence, leaving me puzzled. I soon began to understand the context of the story and the meaning of those sentences that seemed too long after reading more. Marilynne Robinson writes Home in a reminiscing manner and with thorough explanations of the actions done by the characters. I have never read a novel as defined as this, enabling me to imagine the exact happenings in the story. Home has touched me, making me appreciate my family even more. I can feel the characters’ experiences when it comes to family, their effort to become closer and trying to offer help. It takes me from keeping my own problems to sharing it with my family because I now truly realize that they would accept me for who I am and help me with my troubles. The characters acted the way people actually do in real life and the settings were a possibility. Home truly is a beautiful and moving book, showing the importance of family. However; I did not enjoy the writing as much, though the storyline and intention of the author was wonderful. It was written with much effort, but a little too dragging and confusing. Maybe it was confusing because partly, I did not get to read the first book, Gilead, but the plots did jump from one to the other. Note that it is a must to read Gilead first for better understanding and appreciation of Home. The developing of the story was slow and some do enjoy that type of writing but I don’t so, it was a little dragging. It was hard to turn to the next page if the ending of a page is not as interesting. Robinson built a sturdy plot but bores some readers like me. It did not have action in every page but again, it is interesting for those who love to imagine being the character himself. A well-written novel, but no work of fiction is perfect for everybody.

Australia

Ukraine-Russia conflict effect on global commodity prices. There are Domestic Economic Risks, Business Investment- Transition from large drop- off of committed investment. Exports- Project delays, delayed production ramp-up Labor Demand- Weaker labor market conditions from declining resources investment.Housing- Growth will be weaker if dwelling investment does not recover strongly as forecast. Australia has an abundant and diverse range of energy resources. It has very large coal resources that underpin exports and low-cost domestic electricity production, ore than one third of the world's known uranium resources, and substantial conventional gas and coal seam gas resources. These can support Australia's domestic needs and exports for many years to come.Identified resources of crude oil, condensate and liquefied petroleum gas are more limited and Australia is increasingly reliant on imports for transport fuels. The expected advances in technology by 2030 will allow them to make a gr owing contribution to Australia's future energy supply. By this time Australia's energy consumption pattern is expected to change significantly. While fossil fuels (coal, oil and increasingly gas) will intention to dominate the energy mix, renewable energy sources, notably wind, are expected to become increasingly more significant.Korea is Australia's fourth-largest trading partner, and Australia is Koreans seventh largest trading-partner, with trade volumes of approximately $30 billion in 2013, so it's not surprising that both countries are trying to conclude a Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FAT). Given the fact that the energy and resources sector accounts for nearly half of that, it will be particularly important for industry participants to understand the main opportunities that will arise once the FAT is finalized. Lion of iron ore and concentrates, $1. Billion of crude petroleum and $700 million of liquefied natural gas. Koreans largest export to Australia was refined p etroleum, coming in at approximately $3 billion. Official estimates are that Australia provides approximately 75% of Koreans iron ore and around 40% of its coal. According to the Australian Government, the FAT could increase trade between the two countries by 23% by 2030, with 17% attributable to an increase in the trade of energy and resources products. This FAT will improve Australia-Korea economic ties and will protect Post-crisis environment.

Opre 6371 Case 5-2

6Case 5-2: Rondot Automotive Name: Lovee Sachdeva, Bin Wen, Matthew Miles, Ryan Buxbaum ,Yuguang Wang, Shaoying Lu. Group: 3 Date: 2/22/2013 ————————————————- Situation: * Glenn Northcott is the purchasing planner at Rondot Automobile in Jackson, Mississippi. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rondot Worldwide, a leading global designer and manufacturer of electrical and electronic components. Note: You are Glenn) * Responsible for evaluation the outsourcing opportunity * Meet with Terry Gibson and purchasing manager to decide whether or not to take actions on outsourcing * Glenn had been approached by Greven E-Coating willing to provide electro coating services to Rondot Automobile * Goals of decision making: Reducing the total costs while maintaining and minimizing the risks from any changes made * Considerable global competition under severe cost pressure * Cust omer’s price reduction pressure expectancies from global competition * Total Sales and employment at the Jackson plant had steadily declined * Company is under significant pressure on cost reduction. The company’s current priority is to reduce operation costs * Rondot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rondot Worldwide, a leading global designer and manufacturer of electrical and electronic components. Rondot Automotive operated 85 plants in 25 countries. The purchasing organization at Rondot automotive had a hybrid structure and the Jackson plant’s purchasing department consisted of four people, including two buyers, a planner (Glen) and Terry Gibson. * Schedule with the purchasing manager, Terry Gibson, and the plant manager, Dick Taylor in one week, and both of them are under significant pressure to reduce costs at Jackson plant. * Greven E-Coating outsourcing opportunity * Greven E-Coating Company uses a system whereby a DC electrical charge is applied to a met al part immersed in a bath of oppositely charged paint particles. * Considered more cost efficient compared to traditional wet paint systems * Samples provided from Greven E-Coating Company Tests results: 5/6 of families of housings could be converted to e-coaring using Greven at a cost of 15 cents each * Parts for five of the six represents 60% of the Jackson Plant’s volume * Failure because of different methods of adhesion of a magnet to the housing. Hot –bond adhesion process fits e-coating while cold-bond adhesion process does not fit e-coating system Current situation: * Total sales and employment at the Jackson plant had steadily declined over the past five years. * The number of employees at the plant had dropped from 1450 to 600 and plant management was under pressure to lower costs and regain market share. * Glenn has the option to do outsourcing on cleaning and painting work to Greven E-Coating. Glenn needs to come up with an ideal recommendation on how to re duce the cost and propose that to Terry Gibson and Dick Taylor. * The cleaning and wet painting had been installed 17 years prior and undergone a number of upgrades, and the current painting method costs 25 cents for each housing. (There are six parts in a housing family) BASIC ISSUES 1. Company to take decision on insourcing or outsourcing 2. Higher costs related to painting & cleaning 3. Lack of advanced technology to compete in cost reduction for a lower price 4. A decision to make, once made, is often difficult to reserve. If Rondot Automobile decides to make agreements on e-coating system, The plant needs to convert 100% hot-bond adhesion system 5.Total cost of converting 40% of cold-bond adhesion system to the total cost savings: Long-Term estimation, not short term 6. Whether the use of e-coating will lead to sole source dependency: Is the e-coating system a common painting method in market? 7. The durability of e-coating VS. of traditional coating system 8. Cost benefits ana lysis on the process 9. Inexperienced decision making on outsourcing opportunity Tasks: * What does Richard Kaplan do? Richard needs to clarify and calculate the total cost savings and the cost of converting from cold-bond adhesion to hot-bond adhesion * 25 Cents * 6 = $1. 50 * 15 Cents * 6 = $0. 90 * Does the difference $0. 60 can cover the conversion from traditional wet coating system to e-coating system? The durability and re-paint rate is also needed to consider: If the wet-coating system has durability of 10 years while e-coating repaint rate is 8 years, The total cost of conversion from traditional wet-coating system to e-coating system will increase significantly * What are alternatives? * Negotiate with Greven E-Coating for a lower costs * Conduct a careful research on both advantages and disadvantages of E-coating system * Search for more options in potential sources and substitute items other than traditional wet-painting and e-coating * The challenge of maintaining long- term technological and economic viability for the possible 100% hot-bond adhesion system * The revision of policy of supplier selection Criteria of standardization and policies regarding the choosing of suppliers * An understanding of the market conditions in order to set appropriate expectations for the price provided from Greven E- Coating * Analyze data collected for cost and technical information * Identify the root causes of sales decline. If the sales revenue can be improved, the company can maintain the current painting process to avoid future external risks * * Determine that is the cold-bond adhesion system a necessary facility for the particular family to manufacture any specified electrical and electronic components * Dose this outsourcing plan fit the business goals and objectives? * What does the company’s top management think about the Jackson plant’s outsourcing plan? * Which level of management makes a final decision on outsourcing? Talk to manufacturin g manager and clarify more information about cold-bond adhesion * Talk to the manager in the family that uses cold-bond adhesion system. Clarify the reason why the family of housing choose to use cold-bond adhesion * Identify and estimate total cost to uninstall and setup the new bond system if the method of adhering a magnet to the housing is not mandatory SUGGESTED QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION; 1. How to make analysis of the cost of switching current painting process versus the cost of setting up a painting process? What kinds of training should be provided due to the new standards of temperature, air and etc? 2. If the result of outsourcing is rejected, is the subcontracting an alternative for the company?What are the benefits and risks of using reverse auctions for specialized OEM parts? 3. What risk management and contractual steps are necessary before moving company owned tooling to a new supplier? 4. What are the benefits and risks of outsourcing? Actions: * Determination of deta iled function & mandatory of Cold-Bond Adhesion system * Meet with both Manufacturing manager and the family manager in Jackson Plant. * Determine the total costs of uninstallation the current cold-bond adhesion system and the installation of hot-bond adhesion system * Total Cost Savings calculation * Identify the cost savings potential after the modification. With the newly modified standards, communicate with Greven E-Coating and analyze the decision based on the feedbacks from the supplier. * Determine whether the total cost savings can cover the conversion cost from cold-bond adhesion system to hot-bond system * Estimate the future necessity and future technological tendency of replacing traditional wet paint to E-Coating. If the company is going to replace the traditional wet painting in the future anyway, the cost of conversion can be ignored. * Talk with Betty McKinley again and determine the detailed cost of holding two more weeks of inventory * Make agreements on price and quantity, meanwhile negotiate the term of warranty and quality assurance with Greven E-Coating Results: If accept outsourcing opportunity * Cost savings:25-15-3=7 cents on each housing * Add another two weeks worth of inventory * Lower labor and material costs * Product price reductions i. e. ability to offer reduced price to customers. * Become more competitive and there will be a gradual increase in the profit and market share. * If not accepting outsourcing opportunity (i. e.. using the earlier system ) * No savings- no price reductions * Reduce risk for investment * Extra cost in upgrading the system * Spending on more labor in this operation which results in additional costs * May result in lower operating time * Extra time for testing upgraded system. If total cost savings is greater than the costs of uninstallation of Cold-bond adhesion + Installation of hot-bond adhesion + extra inventory carrying costs: * Prepare the agreements and contract documentation on outsourcing deci sion with Greven E-Coating * The contract content with Greven E-Coating tends to be short-term to avoid sole-source dependency situation. Reach out lower priced suppliers while maintain the quality assurance * If total cost savings is equal to or less than the costs of uninstallation of Cold-bond adhesion + Installation of hot-bond adhesion + extra inventory carrying costs: * Determine the importance of common tendency of using E-coating for other manufacturing companies.If the E-coating is not mandatory in the future market, reject the outsourcing plan to avoid extra possible risks * Find out other alternative ways to reduce total costs, such as reduction of labor costs, manufacturing overhead or the replacement of cost-efficient equipment or facilities Priorities: * Maintain cost reduction at the Jackson plant. * Increase sales volume and high market share. * Ensure a successful outsourcing decision. * Maintain company’s reputation-image for reliability. Conclusion: The pai nting process should be outsourced in order to achieve significant cost savings. Ensure supplier selection process is properly done, forecast and mitigate against outsourcing inherent risks and ensure quality standard is met at all times. These will help in achieving a successful outsourcing agreement.

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Position on the conroversial subject of poverty - Essay Example When a person lives in poverty he often does not have enough money to provide himself and his family with the basic human needs which include food, shelter, and medicine. The biggest victims of the poverty dilemma are children. Children are innocent by standards that are suffering. In a lot of countries across the world adults are exploiting children by forcing them to work. There are nearly 250 million children who are child laborers. The United States is not exempt from the war against poverty. There are nearly 44 million children on food stamps in the United States which accounts for 21% of the children population of the nation (Snyder, 2011). The high cost of living in the United States is one of the reasons a lot children and adults are living in poverty. The continents that are suffering the most from poverty are Africa and Asia. The overpopulation in Asia is one the reasons that this ethnic group is suffering so much from poverty. The root of the poverty problem is income disc repancy. The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income, while the richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income (Globalissues, 2013). Something has to be done in order to create a better balance of the global wealth. Another major issue associated with poverty is that the governments across the world do not have sufficient resources to help their citizens. The majority of the global wealth is in the hands of corporations. Approximately 40% of the global wealth is owned by a tightly-knit cluster of 147 entities (Doctorow, 2011). These companies along with the other millions of businesses across the world have to become more proactive in the fight against poverty. The United Nations has to step in and impose solutions that will effectively change the course of history in order to eradicate poverty forever. A potential solution that the U.N. can implement is to create a special tax with the purpose of using that money s olely to provide financial aid to poor people in need. The tax would be imposed on corporations whose annual net income surpasses $1 million per year. Corporations that move millions of dollars can afford to pay that special tax without hurting the financial performance of the firm or adversely affecting its shareholders. The special tax to be imposed by the U.N should be 2.5% of net income. There has to be a better coordinated effort in order to fight poverty worldwide. A lot of nonprofit organizations such as Feed the Children are doing a wonderful job of fighting hunger and poverty worldwide. A group of consortiums must be establish in which the leaders of non-profit organizations in different countries meet at least once a month in order to discuss the efforts of each entity so that better coordination can be establish by these entities. Every citizen in the world must become more actively involved in this tough battle. Donating $10 a month by people that are part of the middle class would make a huge difference in the lives of poor people. The fight against poverty is an issue that affects everyone. Any person that is working can fall on hard times if they lose their job and poverty can become a reality for them. Entrepreneurs must keep applying innovation in order to create new jobs that will help poor people get out of poverty. The proposed special 2.5% by the U.N. is a major tactic that would have a huge impact in helping eradicate

Indian Ethos and Values Essay Example for Free

Indian Ethos and Values Essay This is the first truth thought to every child. Even a poor uneducated man living in a hut knows that God is in everybody and therefore there is sameness in all. The second truth is about a holistic universe. Where at a level of pervading consciousness everything is interconnected at WASTHI LEVEL (Individual level) my limbs, hands, legs, ears, eyes, heart, lungs. Everything are me. I live in all of them. Their sorrows and joys are my sorrows and Joys. Similarly at SAMASTHI level (the whole universe) I am not a single individual but I am a part of the whole universe Just as my limbs are part f me. Modern science has accepted that in this holistic universe all minds and matters are interconnected at a deeper level. The basic unity of life cannot be broken. Love, sacrifice therefore emerge as the only for a meaningful living. On the basis of this holistic vision, Indians have developed work ethos of life. They found that all work, physical or mental, managerial or administrative have to be directed towards single purpose. The manifestation of the divinity in man by working for the good of others, for the happiness of others. These Indian ethos are required all over he world in present scenario in managing business and industry effectively and efficiently. Some of these ethos are as follows: All work/Karma to manifest divinity, hence these must be pure, good, honest and sincere. Indian philosophy also teaches to perform every work without having any attachment to result, because results do not fall under the Jurisdiction of a doer. Such thinking and understanding will change the whole attitude. Now the results will become a PRASAD-gratitude coming from the God himself. You can now accept the result with open mind without apprehensions-Just as you accept members into Considering motivations as internal every human being has the same divine atman with immense potentialities within Vedanta brings infinite expansion of mind, breaks down all the barriers and brings out the God in man. Motivation is to be internal and not external. Such motivation involves the inner beauty and does not promote any greed in an individual to have more and more in return of his work. Such an understanding is essential before embarking on the task of building the indigenous system of management. These are: Essential divinity of human soul Essential owners and solidarity of universe and all Philosophy of an integral experience. Family is the basic unit of social system. Rishi and ashramiac culture. Purusharth the mission. Varna-Ashram system. Spirit is free enquiry, tolerance and selective assimilation. The characteristics of Indian culture are that attends to be pervasive and enduring. When an international company is setting up business in India, it will have to look for the acceptability of their management in its present form in the Indian situation. The four basic cultural dimensions which may account for differences in management and HRD practices across culture are: the extent to which a society empahises collective rather than individual activity. the extent of power distance or tolerance for social inequility the extent of acceptance of uncertainity the extent to which a society empahises masculine values and behaviour such as assertiveness,ambitiousness and dominance etc. In the above diagram, the basic or the fundamental requirement for a manager is his VISION and attitude towards the environment in its totality i. e. Cosmic view based on cultural values. Next comes the emotional stability of the manager. He must be a self- controlled and self-propelled man. This can come by the heavy input of sattvic gunas and the constant practice of niskam karm. Job skills is the last input. Which though important, is not the Core Requirement as the westerners view it. Hence any international company should imbibe above mentioned features seeking the business in India.

The Competitive Elements Of Illovo Malawi Business Essay

The Competitive Elements Of Illovo Malawi Business Essay Critically assess the strategic context within which your firm operates using any conceptual framework, which you think is appropriate, and explain which are the most important general business trends and competitive elements. Which of these should strategic decision makers in the company of your choice consider the most and why? Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Ltd is a subsidiary of a South African company Illovo Sugar South Africa. Illovo Sugar Malawi is the countrys largest sugar producer. There are two other companies that have just set up within the previous two years, however, they can not be acknowledged as of yet as they are yet to commence operations. Illovo sugar is a large multinational company that spans across six African countries that include Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa. They are the largest sugar producers within each respective country that they are present in. Illovo Sugar operates through subsidiaries within each of the mentioned countries. When we analyse to total volume of sugar produced amongst all the facilities that Illovo owns, it shows that they are the largest producer of sugar within the African subcontinent. Illovo Sugar is listed on the Johannesburg Stock exchange and on the Malawian and Zambian Stock Exchange respectively (as subsidiaries). The majority ownership of Illovo Sugar, 51% of it, belongs to a FTSE 100 Company Associated British Foods Plc. Illovo Sugar Malawi, along with its other subsidiaries within Africa, have shown year on year consistent growth for the entire Illovo Group in Africa, it is this level of performance which has labelled Illovo the largest sugar producer in Africa. PESTEL Analysis: I will now outline a PESTEL analysis for Illovo Sugar Ltd, within which I will cover all the political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal aspects that affect Illovo Sugar. Political: Political stability within Malawi has been an issue for Illovo Sugar Malawi during 2012. The autocratic rule of the former president came to an unexpected end when he died due to cardiac arrest. This meant that Illovo had to form new connections with the new president (former vice president) who had her own political party. Doing so, it would give Illovo access right to the top of the tree; it could therefore exercise this communion whenever it needed to. When the government attitude is looked upon, due to the economical problems in Malawi, the extreme lack of forex has led to many problems and it has crippled the economy. The current regime is on the move to increase exports in order to generate the much-needed forex, this being a direct presidential initiative. Due to Illovo Sugar Malawi being one of the top exporters within Malawi, it is therefore one of the favourable organisations directly from the offices of the president. Corrupt governments usually impact organisations when they make decisions at firm levels. The impact of corrupt ministers and even presidents in some cases prove to be a vital political problem to a large company such as Illovo Sugar. In this case, as far as it can be noted, it seems that Illovo Sugar Malawi has steered away from being influenced by such people or governments. Economical: Malawi is currently enduring one of the harshest conditions related to its economy. It has literally crippled, from being the second fastest growing economy in the world in 2008, it has fallen at such an alarming rate, at the expense of the autocratic rule of the former president who despised the western donor countries. It led to intense shortages of forex within Malawi, and with Malawi being a predominantly importing country, it crippled many sectors and inflation started to rise at an alarming rate. The biggest cause for concern is the devaluation of the Malawi Kwacha it will increase costs from all aspects for Illovo Malawi, however, due to the floatation of the currency within the international markets, it will therefore obtain better prices for its commodity on the international market. Credit availability and interest rates are also a problem for Illovo Sugar Malawi. The credit is available but due to liquidity shortages of the Malawi kwacha, the Reserve Bank of Malawi has put high interest charges on credit facilities. Due to this problem, Illovo Malawi will take out as little credit facilities as its needs in order to avoid high interest charges  [1]  . When the overall industry growth is analysed, it can be compared, volumetrically, that Illovo Sugar Malawi has continued to grow despite all the problems it faces. It continues to be the largest contributor to the Illovo Sugar Group at 39% of its overall operating profit  [2]  . Therefore, the industry continues to grow and the prospect for the future for Illovo Malawi looks good in terms of an economical aspect. Social: Illovo Sugar Malawi operates two relatively large facilities within Malawi. They employ approximately 5400 people fulltime and around 4500 seasonal employees. They provide employment to local Malawians with added benefits as part of their corporate citizenship scheme. Illovo Sugar Malawi also works hard in maintaining their corporate social responsibility image. They have built schools and medical centres within the local communities. Every employee has access to medical and educational care, with his or her dependants included too. Apart from this, they provide housing to over 4500 people with amenities such as running water, electricity and waste management services  [3]  . Apart from the above, Illovo also carries out other social acts of charity in the form of donations to hospitals and of aid to relief victims of natural disasters within Malawi. Apart from maintaining its own sugarcane growing facilities, Illovo plays a socially responsible role when it comes to purchasing sugarcane from local smallholder farmers. They account for up to 13% of Illovo Malawis total raw material volume  [4]  . Technological: Illovo Sugar, as mentioned is the largest sugar producer in Africa, therefore they are bound to keep their technological mind-set at its peak performance. In the current world, technology is known for making processes much simpler and carried out faster and efficiently. In regards to plant and machinery at Illovo, which is the core of the entire business, they will pay the highest attention to new technological entrants within the market. Efficiency, cost saving and speed is what drives any manufacturing business and it is the same with Illovo Malawi. New process technologies within this line of business can rapidly give the edge over competitors and Illovo can utilise this to their advantage. If a new technological concept is trialled on one site, if proven to be successful, provided all factors are considered, they can easily apply this to all their sites and reap the benefits. Illovo grows their own sugarcane and technological advances in farming methods are constantly advancing, therefore they are always developing and making the entire process easier in order for the stakeholder to gain maximum benefits, i.e. maximum output of raw material. Environmental: Illovo Sugar Malawi consumes a lot of electrical power, in order to be environmentally efficient, they use the waste material known as bagasse to generate the needed levels of electricity. The bagasse is a bio-renewable fuel source and it helps to keep the environmental impact of the entire operations at a minimum. In this way, Illovo is also totally self sufficient in terms of electricity supplies. Illovo also controls all wastewater from the sugar making process; it treats and recycles the water for use in its cane growing operations  [5]  . Both sites of Illovo in Malawi annually plant new trees in order to counteract environmental degradation and soil erosion that may be caused during the farming stages  [6]  . As a by-product of the sugar making process, various alcohols can be extracted from the process. Illovo Malawi therefore contributes to fuel alcohol distilleries in Malawi and they produce ethanol, which is an alternative bio-fuel. Legal: Health and Safety is one of the legal challenges that Illovo faces. They run a large health and safety campaign in order to prevent any incidents. They continue to influence the mind-set of all its employees on the various health and safety aspects to be safety conscious. They also design safety programmes for the wider communities spread across the two estates thereby increasing safety awareness and improving safety habits. General Business Trends: Within Malawi, Illovo operates on two tremendously large sites that are situated within the southern and northern districts of Malawi respectively. Illovo Sugar Malawi Produces, on average, 300000 Metric Tons of Sugar within the two sites combined. Almost 60% of this is sold within Malawi itself due to the high demand throughout the year. The remaining 40% is supplied to neighbouring markets, with Zimbabwe being the largest buyer. Through the remaining 40%, it either ends up within the European markets or within the local regional countries, i.e. Zimbabwe, Kenya and Uganda  [7]  . Illovo Sugar Malawi is the highest contributor within the entire Illovo group, by virtue of its operating profit. When analysed, it is the third largest out of six subsidiaries in terms of volumetric sugar production, however one can only come to the conclusion that Illovo Malawi is fetching better prices for its refined, non refined and speciality sugars within the international market. The percentage of internationally supplied sugar is expected to increase from 40% and valuable markets such as the EU are showing high potential due to good prices being achieved. According to the 2012 Annual report, market conditions were considered by strong demand from European importers who recognise Malawis quality standards and ability to deliver contracted consignments on time. (Annual Malawi reports 8). Competitive Elements: Identifying the competitive elements of Illovo Malawi will show that it has two main elements that prove to also be two valuable advantages over their rivals. The quality and standards of the products that are manufactured by Illovo Malawi are second to none, as mentioned above; it is one of the main factors upon which the European customers look for and value. Due to the differences between quality standards in Africa which are lower than European and worldwide standards, Illovo can easily sell the highest quality goods within the European and north American market and obtain high prices while at the same time sell medium quality products which in the African region are regarded as the top quality, it therefore puts them in a sort of win-win situation. The second element that gives Illovo Malawi a competitive advantage is the logistics system it has. As mentioned above, European buyers value commitments more than anything else. Receiving their shipments on time is of utmost importance when they are competing in strong markets where time and money play the most crucial goal. Abiding to their commitments is therefore the elements that gives Illovo Malawi the advantage in this scenario. Question 2: Identify the stock of internally developed assets, resources and competences in the company of your choice. In your view, how do these compare with the companys most immediate (maximum 3) competitor firms in the industry? Do they or do they not allow your firm to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage, and in which areas? Answer: Illovo Sugar Malawi has various assets that include two large sugar mills in the northern and southern districts of Malawi. Along with the two high capacity sugar mills, they also own their own sugar plantations at both respective sites. According to the 2012 annual report for Illovo Sugar Malawi, their valuation of property, plant and machinery stands at 8.6 Billion Malawi Kwacha and their sugar plantations are valued at 10.1 Billion Malawi Kwacha. When we look at the total area that has been leased from the government of Malawi for 99 years amounts to 34,250 Hectares approximately. When we analyse the resources of Illovo Sugar Malawi, we can split it and analyse it via financial, physical and human resources. Financial resources: Illovo Sugar Malawi is listed on the Malawi stock exchange and this plays a vital role when it comes to attracting investment or capital into the company. Apart from attracting investment, if Illovo were to increase production or output, they would require the financial resources to be able to meet that strategy. Financial resources therefore play an important role in aiding the overall strategy that the company may be implementing. If the strategy requires additional funds to be raised, Illovo Malawi would easily be able to raise the needed funds, simply due to the investment returns that current investors are receiving, it will seem like the most viable investment to new and potential investors. Therefore it can be said that the attractiveness of this particular market is high as can be seen from the continued year-on-year growth at Illovo Sugar Malawi. Human resources: Human resources play a vital role in any strategic decision that the company makes, since it is this very workforce that will endeavour to accomplish the strategy that it has set out to achieve. Human resources also identifies all the skills-base of a business, the skills it possesses through its workforce and whether or not they are sufficient enough to meet the strategy. When it comes to analysing the human resources at Illovo Sugar Malawi, upon reading the profiles of the senior management from the annual report, it is easily noticed that experience is a key denominator amongst employees at Illovo. Illovo employees have vast knowledge and experience, that is absolutely vital to this industry and it is highly possessed at Illovo. It is these vital factors that allow Illovo Malawi to perform at it level best and this is shown via its continual growth and the financial profits it achieves. Illovo also maintains a high business morale and reputation that it strives to maintain, as Africas largest sugar producer it has to have an immense reputation that allows it to dominate markets and give it an edge over its competitors. Apart from this, employees at Illovo also possess vast amounts of experience when analysed. The experience varies from business through to manufacturing, refining, farming and other key tasks within the business. People within each sector will possess varied amounts of experience that help it add value within the entire business. Illovo firmly believes in maintaining an employee development programme which will prove to be highly important in regards to the future sustainability of the business, it has therefore setup staff training programmes to further develop their technical skills. (Malawi report 8). According to Prahalad and Hamels work, they mention the following Core competencies are the glue that binds existing business. They are the engines for new business development  [8]  . In regards to competency at Illovo, the first major achievement that is being accomplished is the quality of the products manufactured. High quality products will meet high quality standards set by international regulatory authorities and Illovo Sugar Malawi is currently producing such products that continually meet the stringent requirements. It is this level of competence that attracts the right customers for its product; it therefore serves high profile customers who are willing to pay the price for value added high quality products manufactured by Illovo. The prices and profits therefore obtained from such customers help Illovo to grow year-on-year. It is the above reasons that give Illovo an edge over its competitors, they strive to produce high quality products, which therefore give them increased revenues as compared to their immediate competitors, and this is also the reason as to why Illovo Malawi is the leading contributor to Illovo groups operating profits. Illovo Sugar Malawis two competitors are small firms that have recently set up in Malawi. They have sugarcane plantations of both 850 (planned 5000) and 200 hectares respectively. Limphasa Sugar Corporation, the first and direct competitor will likely become the number two producer of sugar in Malawi and with an export market already lined up to be supplied, they are awaiting final installations and plan to produce 90,000 tons of sugar a year at full capacity, however upon analysing Illovos operations, its highly doubtful that they will achieve that level at such an early stage as they will not have enough sugarcane. The second competitor Mtalimanja Sugar Corporation have only 200 hectares of sugarcane and they are only a small producer, which also aims to support smallholder farmers. Mtalimanja has recently run into problems and they are awaiting engineers to fix their plant at the moment. Therefore, when we analyse the two direct competitors of Illovo Malawi, it is fair to say that Illovo is miles ahead in terms of production of sugarcane and sugar based products. They are fully capable of handling large volumes in both categories and that it would take a good number of years for their competitors to catch up to them. However, this does not guarantee that there are not any threats towards Illovo, if their competitors produce high quality products they will find themselves competing for customers. However, for the current outlook, its fair enough to say that Illovo still maintains the number one spot in the market and due to its experience and the strategies it sets out to achieve, it keeps itself ahead in the market. Conclusion: Upon further reading within the group report, Illovo group clearly outlines that their primary strategic objective is to improve earnings and remain as the market leader. Their secondary aims included increasing sugar production to 1.8 million tons, increase domestic market presence and increase revenues by sales to higher priced markets  [9]  . (main report 8).Increasing capacity and output at Illovo Malawi will help it to producer larger volumes which will help it serve higher priced markets better and obtain better prices and increase profits. References: (2012) Illovo Integrated Annual Report. [Report] South Africa: Illovo Sugar Ltd, p.10. 2 (2012) Illovo Integrated Annual Report. [Report] South Africa: Illovo Sugar Ltd, p.10. 3 (2012) Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Ltd Annual Report. [report] Malawi: Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Ltd, p.12. 4 (2012) Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Ltd Annual Report. [report] Malawi: Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Ltd, p.7. 5 (2012) Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Ltd Annual Report. [report] Malawi: Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Ltd, p.12. 6 (2012) Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Ltd Annual Report. [report] Malawi: Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Ltd, p.12. 7 (2012) Illovo Integrated Annual Report. [Report] South Africa: Illovo Sugar Ltd, p.10. 8 Prahalad, C. K. and Hamel, G. (1990) The Core Competence of the Organization, Harvard Business Review, (5). 9 (2012) Illovo Integrated Annual Report. [Report] South Africa: Illovo Sugar Ltd, p.8.

The Use Of Child Soldiers In Warfare Criminology Essay

The Use Of Child Soldiers In Warfare Criminology Essay When looked back upon our childhood, memories of playgrounds, games and friends are often remembered, not even in our darkest nightmares would we imagine having to fight in warfare. Instead of playing sports, many children are forced to carry weapons, act as spies, decoys, and assassins. In addition to traditional warfare, children clear minefields, act as suicide bombers, and serve as messengers and sex slaves. Almost 5,000 children are still in military groups within Sierra Leone, and Myanmar, also known as Burma, holds an estimated 50,000 child soldiers. Despite the fact that many humanitarian organizations like UNICEF and CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere) have focused on this issue for decades, it is only in the last few years that international media organizations started sending pictures of eight-year-old children carrying AK-47s in the jungle of Sudan to the living rooms of people in the United States and Europe. In the last decade, more than two million children have been killed due to participation in warfare. An astounding forty-one countries in the world have children under the age of 18, and sometimes much younger are used in warfare by rebel groups and even by governments. They are denied basic human rights and are often abused terribly, and the practice of training young children to destroy and kill perpetuates cycles of violence in war-torn countries. The chronic problem occurs when former child soldiers are rehabilitated into society and are unable to socially adapt with other people, for example, shell shock. Despite this sad reality that child soldiers face, it remains very difficult to enforce child soldier laws on an international, national and regional laws. When countries release child soldiers from military service, they often lack the resources to help them through the transition. Trained in war, children are psychologically damaged and need rehabilitation. They are often ost racized by their own families or communities. They will often return to violence unless they receive help. The Problem in Sudan Sudan, the largest country in Africa, with more than 10,000 children serving in military organizations, clearly illustrates all of the issues facing children in warfare. The Juvenile Care Council Sudanese, an official government agency, often takes children into custody directly off the street. Children out running errands or playing are scooped up and quickly forced into military camps. The government does not attempt to notify a childs family, who may not see the child again for several years. If a child manages to escape the clutches of the military, he or she is at risk of being picked up by the other side, Sudans rebel armyà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA). Childrens rights while they are serving as soldiers in Sudan are violated in a number of ways. Beyond the forcible capture, reports indicate that while in government custody children are denied their rights of religious freedom and forced to take a Muslim name and to convert to Islam. On the other side, the SPLA rebel organization often recruits with promises of food and then forces its new recruits to walk hundreds of miles from their homes. The problems in Sudan are deep rooted. The government denies any use of children and instead points to a Sudanese law that prohibits the recruitment of anyone under the age of eighteen into the military. the rebel group SPLA is hidden in the shadows of the country and out of the control of the government, international observers, and aid workers. Forced Recruitment Schools become a source of military manpower, and government forces as well as rebel forces often snatch children right from their desks. Although this kind of abduction is a common tactic, it is rarely documented and therefore difficult to regulate. During their recruitment children often experience extreme brutality, such as being forced to witness or participate in their parents executions, or suffering beatings from their captors. Tragically, in addition to losing their families, many lose their identity as they are forced to forget their names, ages, and the towns or villages they came from. Obedience Once captured, drafted, or volunteered, a child undergoes training that is often incredibly brutal and intended to desensitize him or her to violence and ensure compliance. Reports in Central America found that children are forced to kill animals and drink their blood. They are burned with cigarettes, beaten, verbally abused, and even killed if they resist. Children are also taught to abuse and kill each other for disobedience. Resistance to abide orders and attempts to escape are met with brutality, often losing an ear or limb for their actions. Since a childs home community may associate such injuries with violent rebel groups, the community often rejects the child, these scars in themselves can prevent children from returning home. In addition, child combatants often suffer from post-traumatic stress and may continue their violence outside of war, withdraw from social interactions, and suffer from nightmares and hallucinations. A child who has witnessed violence and brutality may need assistance in healing from guilt, anger, fear, and hatred to lessen the chances that he or she will return to violence. In many cases child soldiers have been written off as a lost generation with no hope of emotional and physical rehabilitation. Debating the Numbers Overall, the lack of agreement on the age of majority poses an obstacle for counting the number of children soldiers and also for establishing international guidelines to prevent child militias. estimates on the numbers of children active in some capacity of war range from 87 countries with close to one million children in combat, to 30 countries with 300,000 children active in war. Why Children? Causes and Consequences Economic Conditions: Economics also play a crucial role in the formation of child soldiers as families with the lowest incomes are most vulnerable to military recruiters and abductors. Lack of education, the inability to pay off the recruiters, being orphaned, the need of the family for income from the military, and many other factors of poverty make a child easy prey to harsh and dangerous military involvement. Children who grow up in poverty without clean water, safe shelter, and education are the most vulnerable. Forced recruitment tends to target poorer children. While poverty-stricken families have few resources and little recourse for finding and retrieving a child taken by a military organization, wealthier families can send their children out of the country for educational purposes, bribe authorities to release their child, or buy out their childs obligation to a military operation. in Sudan, the SPLA provides grand illusions of food and safety, causing parents to relinquish their children freely because they believe their lives may actually be better in a militia. On the other side, children appeal to military groups who are strapped for resources. They tend to be more economical, since they eat less and demand lower wages, if they are even paid. If a child is paid he may earn an important salary and contribute to the well-being and continued existence of an entire family. Political Situations: There are a variety of reasons why children are dragged into this horrific lifestyle and are unable to escape. Many of these reasons are internal conflicts, which may include ethnic conflicts, revenge for murdered family members and even due to propaganda promoting violence. However, the most likely reason is due to a shortage of adult fighters because of many long years of civil wars within war-torn countries. Government publicity actions in times of war can be an additional source of the problem. The use of parades, propaganda, rallies, and even anthems and pledges teach children that war is an honorable activity and that soldiers have exciting and rewarding duties. Good Things Come in Small Packages Unfortunately, the very nature of childrenà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬not being fully grown either physically or emotionallyà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬plays a contributing factor. physical size often contributes to capture; kids are easier to transport than adults. Children are also less likely to attract suspicion and can easily plant bombs and engage in intelligence-gathering operations. If apprehended, children often face less harsh punishments from the law than do their adult counterparts. An additional benefit for a military or rebel group is that adult soldiers of the other side may not fire on child soldiers. The International Arms Trade The international trade in small arms is intricately tied to the issue of children in warfare. Technology has in recent years created smaller guns, plastic explosives, hand grenades, and overall lighter weapons. Children are more able to handle the new instruments of warfare. For example, assault rifles like the Russian-built AK-47 and the American M-16 are easy to carry and to use. These new weapons are also less expensive. The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development found that in some African countries the guns sell for US$6 apiece. Some observers argue that countries that sell these weapons aggravate the problem as they continue their very profitable sale of small arms to governments or groups supported by governments who employ children as combatants. Preventions: Crime without Punishment Despite the fact that popular international attention is only beginning to focus on children in armed conflict, efforts to prevent children from participating in warfare are more than 70 years old. The issues revolve around what rights children have, if these rights compete with the rights of parents, and what rights countries have to form and recruit their own militaries. The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child prohibits the forced recruitment of all children under 18, yet still allows a government to accept volunteers at 16. The United States, like most countries, argues that it is its sovereign right to form an army of its choosing. Recent History and the Future The Future of Children in Combat: Good News and Bad Depending on where you look, the future for preventing the involvement of children in warfare is encouraging. In the spring of 2001 the SPLA in Sudan released 3,500 children to UNICEF, and in August 2001 all but 70 returned to their homes. A recent poll of Americans found that 75 percent of people surveyed felt that child survival should be both an American and an international priority. there are hundreds of international organizations and non-governmental organizations working on monitoring the use of children in warfare, negotiating their treatment while in combat, and assisting in their reintroduction to civilian life. Organizations like UNICEF, UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), the International Committee for the Red Cross, the World Food Program, and the International Rescue Committee, as well as private groups like Save the Children and CARE, employ hundreds of doctors, counselors, and researchers to address this problem. Children often prove themselves very adaptable. With medical attention, counseling, and vocational training, many former soldiers return to a normal life. In Sierra Leone, one representative from Amnesty International reports that the majority of them have really improved they are back in schools. Once they are in the right environment, we start to see the change very quickly.

Gertrude and Helen: Wantonness in the Trojan War and Shakespeares Hamlet :: Shakespeare Hamlet

Gertrude and Helen: Wantonness in the Trojan War and Hamlet      Ã‚  Ã‚   Hamlet is the melancholy Dane; Claudius, the smiling villain. Polonius is the oily courtier; Horatio, the loyal friend. Most of the characters in Hamlet are well defined and unambiguous; the character of Gertrude, however, presents us with many ambiguities and difficulties. Some critics see her as "well-meaning but shallow and feminine, in the pejorative sense of the word: incapable of any sustained rational process, superficial and flighty" (Heilbrun 10), while others see her as a stronger character, cool and calculating. The play presents many aspects of Gertrude's character ambiguously. Janet Adelman writes,    Given her centrality in the play, it is striking how little we know about Gertrude; even the extent of her involvement in the murder of her first husband is left unclear....The ghost accuses her at least indirectly of adultery and incest...but he never accuses her of nor exonerates her from the murder. For the ghost, as for Hamlet, her chief crime is her uncontrolled sexuality; that is the object of their moral revulsion, a revulsion as intense as anything directed toward the murderer Claudius. But the Gertrude we see is not quite the Gertrude they see. And when we see her in herself, apart from their characterizations of her, we tend to see a woman more muddled than actively wicked; even her famous sensuality is less apparent than her conflicted solicitude both for her new husband and for her son....Even her death is not quite her own to define. Is it a suicide designed to keep Hamlet from danger by dying in his place?...Muddled, fallible, fully human, she seems ultimately to make t he choice that Hamlet would have her make. But even here she does not speak clearly; her character remains relatively closed to us (Adelman 15-16).    In spite of the many ambiguities of Gertrude's character, one of her chief characteristics is wantonness, and like Helen of Troy, Gertrude's wantonness led to tragedy. Wantonness-a word that is little in use nowadays-suggests three characteristics: luxuriously rank extravagance, lack of discipline, and lustfulness. The treatment of Gertrude's character in Hamlet supports the argument that her chief fault is wantonness, for these three characteristics can be seen in her character.    The first characteristic, luxuriousness or extravagance, is not directly stated in the play but can be inferred from the actions of Gertrude. One possible reason for her remarriage after King Hamlet's death is a desire to maintain her position as queen, with all its luxury and comfort.

Just another Crazy Woman on the edge of Time :: Woman on the edge of Time Essays

Just another Crazy Woman on the edge of Time  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Woman on the edge of Time, by Marge Piercy, a middle aged Chicana woman from New York finds out that she a can communicate with the future. She finds herself able to be in more than one time. She is, as far as we know, the first to be able to do this. There were others, but they all closed themselves off, thinking themselves insane when the â€Å"voices from the future† began to speak. Connie’s connection was probably simpler because of the similarities between the world in which she lived now (in the mental hospital) and the world of the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The societal systems of the two worlds are very similar. If you exclude the doctors of the mental hospital, all are equal. Each ward can be a different village, with different cultures and governmental systems. Connie moves from ward to ward in her time as she moves from town to town in Luciente’s time. In each ward (as in each village) she learns something new. In the first, she gives up and accepts. In the second she survives and struggles to keep her sanity. In the third she learns the necessity of the fight. Each ward has something new to experience. In each village, she learns a new idea/concept/truth about the way her world (outside the hospital) really is instead of how she sees it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the mental ward, there is no economic system. Sure, money exists, but it doesn’t come from inside the ward. It is an alien thing; a luxury as are all of the others. The wards that Connie lives in are all filled with their own luxuries. In one, you find card tables and cards, puzzles and chairs. In another ward there are separate rooms and bathrooms with doors, all of which are shared by the general public (the patients). There is no special treatment. Who ever wants to use the cards or the puzzles can. Almost like the dresses/costumes that are rented from the library in Mattapoisett time. There, we use bicycles as we find them. â€Å"Any bike not in use, I can use.† (p 364). If the cards aren’t being used buy someone else, you have every right to use them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People are just as free. Relationships in the future are a bit more open than those that Connie has had. Just another Crazy Woman on the edge of Time :: Woman on the edge of Time Essays Just another Crazy Woman on the edge of Time  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Woman on the edge of Time, by Marge Piercy, a middle aged Chicana woman from New York finds out that she a can communicate with the future. She finds herself able to be in more than one time. She is, as far as we know, the first to be able to do this. There were others, but they all closed themselves off, thinking themselves insane when the â€Å"voices from the future† began to speak. Connie’s connection was probably simpler because of the similarities between the world in which she lived now (in the mental hospital) and the world of the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The societal systems of the two worlds are very similar. If you exclude the doctors of the mental hospital, all are equal. Each ward can be a different village, with different cultures and governmental systems. Connie moves from ward to ward in her time as she moves from town to town in Luciente’s time. In each ward (as in each village) she learns something new. In the first, she gives up and accepts. In the second she survives and struggles to keep her sanity. In the third she learns the necessity of the fight. Each ward has something new to experience. In each village, she learns a new idea/concept/truth about the way her world (outside the hospital) really is instead of how she sees it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the mental ward, there is no economic system. Sure, money exists, but it doesn’t come from inside the ward. It is an alien thing; a luxury as are all of the others. The wards that Connie lives in are all filled with their own luxuries. In one, you find card tables and cards, puzzles and chairs. In another ward there are separate rooms and bathrooms with doors, all of which are shared by the general public (the patients). There is no special treatment. Who ever wants to use the cards or the puzzles can. Almost like the dresses/costumes that are rented from the library in Mattapoisett time. There, we use bicycles as we find them. â€Å"Any bike not in use, I can use.† (p 364). If the cards aren’t being used buy someone else, you have every right to use them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People are just as free. Relationships in the future are a bit more open than those that Connie has had.

Education: United States vs. Ukraine Essay

There are 1.8 million people coming to the United States every year. According to U.S. census estimates, in 2006 there were 961,113 Americans of Ukrainian descent representing 0.33% of the American population. The Ukrainian population in the United States is thus the second largest outside the former Soviet Union. One of the reasons is that the education is more progressive and flexible, which makes it easier for people to attain their educational goals. In different countries and in different cultural environments, education has different forms, methods and meanings for people. Given the opportunity to attend schools in Ukraine and in the United States, I could not help but notice the differences between the two educational systems. The U.S. educational system is more liberal, comprehensive, and specialty focused when compared to the Ukrainian system. The educational system of Ukraine is continuously changing due to the transitional period of the country from the former Soviet Union . During the Soviet period, educational organizations in Ukraine were state-supported institutions, none of which had religious affiliations. As cultural environment changes, this is no longer true for the modern Ukraine. Nowadays, all schools, from pre-school to the institutions of higher education, have Christian classes in their curricular activities. Contrary to the state-sponsored education of the Soviet era, there are both public and private educational establishments, all of which must be accredited by the Ministry of Education of Ukraine. Primary and secondary education comprise pre-school through grade 11. The components of primary level of education are pre-school programs which are attended by two-third of all Ukrainian children. Children ages 6 months to 3 years are enrolled in nursery schools. Children ages 3 to 6 years are enrolled in kindergartens. Then starts secondary education: elementary in grades 1 – 4; lower secondary in grades 5 – 9; and upper secondary in grades 10 – 11. Grades 1 through 9 are collectively called Incomplete (General) Secondary Education, and grades  10 and 11 are called Complete Secondary education. Three types of institutions also offer the upper secondary school curriculum: the general academic schools, the secondary vocational-technical schools and the specialized secondary school. Regardless of the type of upper secondary training completed, Ukrainian students have the right to continue their education at a postsecondary institution. Applications are accepted from citizens who meet the following criteria: * students have completed secondary education; * for full-time study students must be under 35 years of age and there are no age limits for part-time or evening study; * students have passed a competitive entrance examination set by each institution of higher education. There are three types of grading systems in Ukraine. Ordinarily universities used a traditional 5-point scale: â€Å"5† = â€Å"excellent†, â€Å"4† = â€Å"good†, â€Å"3† = â€Å"acceptable†, â€Å"2† = â€Å"unacceptable†. Since 2006, university students are graded on a rating scale of 0 to 100. These grades can be transformed to the 5-point scale approximately as follows: from 91 to 100 means â€Å"5†, from 71 to 90 means â€Å"4†, from 51 to 70 means â€Å"3†, from 0 to 50 means â€Å"2†. Both the rating scale and the 5-point scale are used in university registers at the present. As for secondary schools, they also used the 5-point scale until 2000. Since 2000 secondary schools use a 12-point scale, which could be transformed into the traditional 5-point scale as follows: â€Å"12† = â€Å"5+†, â€Å"11† = â€Å"5†, â€Å"10† = â€Å"5-† and so on. Education in the United States follows a pattern similar to that in the Ukrainian system. Early childhood education is followed by elementary school, middle school, high school, and then postsecondary education. Postsecondary education includes non-degree programs that lead to certificates and diplomas plus six degree levels: associate, bachelor, first professional, master, advanced intermediate, and research doctorate. The U.S. system does not offer a second or higher doctorate, but does offer postdoctorate research programs. Contrary to the Ukrainian system, in the United States people can go to college at any age and also have homeschooling programs. The most common grade scale in the United States is the letter grade: â€Å"A† through â€Å"F†, which is derived from a scale of 0–100 points. The following table shows the transformation: A| B| C| D| F| | | –| | | –| | | –| | | –| | 100-97| 96-93| 92-90| 89-87| 86-83| 82-80| 79-77| 76-73| 72-70| 69-67| 66-63| 62-60| Below 60 Percent| One of the big differences between two systems is course schedule. In Ukraine students have to follow a particular schedule made to satisfy the educational institution program, while in the United States students have flexibility in scheduling their classes. For example, if I start any level of secondary or postsecondary education in Ukraine, I will be assigned to a group of 20-30 people (called a â€Å"class†), who have the same schedule and we don’t have to register for any classes, because everything is already prepared for us. Nowadays, in US I make my own schedule that satisfies my choice of degree requirements and my work hours. Another big difference is the availability and accessibility of technology to students. In Ukraine, schools and colleges are very underfunded which results in poor or no equipment. Students in Ukraine do not have as many resources as students in the United States have, unless they come from wealth. Some people say that lack of technology lowers the quality of education. I believe the use of technology is helpful, has a significant positive effect on students and is just more fun; however it does not affect the quality of education. Taking into consideration all the similarities and differences of both educational systems, the Ukrainian system dictates to students each step of the educational process, while the US system is more flexible, provides more freedom and advanced technology. Overall, learning in the United States is a great opportunity that not everyone has. Thus, those who have it should make the most of the chance to learn.

My Christmas and New Years Vacation Essay

On my new years and Christmas vacation started impinge on bad but towards the end it became good. I had a lot of fun turn outgo time with my family to be honest. We ate to more wish well Golden Coral , Cookies and draw , and The Christmas dinner. On Christmas Eve night we had the cookies and milk once you but the cookies in your verbalize they were so moist soon as they touch the tip of your tongue. On Christmas we went to luxurious corral and it be like they make sense more food in the stroke to be honest. For some reason it was many a(prenominal) types of tinctures. When we went to the m each in all, and soon as I walked in the mall aroma of the mall smelled like Topsy. On new years it seem like it was like a touch sensation of fireworks walking up and smooth by dint of the streets. In the house on that point was a smell of a vanilla standard candle that really smelled.Out of all of the unconvincing smells that I had taken in there was a bad smell awaiting for m e and that was the smell of chitlins, wooo that smell is no involvement nice. Thankful my mamma k outrights has to keep that awful smell down. When the solar day seems long I would lie in my comfortable bed. I was able to go over to one of my cousins house which was a cool thing to get away from the house. I would yet lie there and pet on the dogs muted haired coat. Once that was over back to the domicil front it was good to see my little brother.I gave him a hug and a rub on his curly soft hair. While on break the sleuth of the snow was amazing. Just reflection it comes down and hitting the ground was a sensibly sight. Then to watch some of the kids out playing making snowmen was a huge sight also. What wasnt a abundant sight was seeing the news and watching how people were wrecking their cars. After, seeing all that pretty snow the sight is non a good look now its dirty looking earreach to the good music and hearing jape filled my whole vacation. Watching my family rally down talking and playing tease was great. It was nice seeing everyone getting along was good laughter to my heart. Just having family together over my break bring all the laughter this world can give. .

Marketing Project

The bookstalls website fanny be establish at http//shop. Book set up. NCSC. Du/. The online book hold on sells the homogeneous app bel found in the bookstall and offers rake or pickup truck work for its mathematical products. The Go Pack online store fuel be found at http//kopeck. Escapologist. Com/store. CFML? Store_id=465. The Go Pack online store sells the analogous appargonl found in the store and offers delivery services as easy. mart Areas Sells To NC situate hoops gamy sells to some(prenominal) markets and attempts to incision their selling.The plaque concentrates its market local anestheticly in the triangle. The entireness market ara implicate The triplicity of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel hillock The westward function of sum Carolina The coastal comp anent Of northwestern Carolina The Piedmont region of coupling Carolina major northwest Carolina cities much(prenominal)(prenominal) as Charlotte and Greensboro The police squads tv inviter system broadcasts from the AC Ne devilrk sens be observen regionally across in the eastward Coast, in demesnes that feature an AC inform (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, etc. ) The ag root has over 50 radio receiver affiliates in the assign of North Carolina. every last(predicate) study North Carolina cities mystify an NC render radio affiliate, including Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Greensboro, Asheville, Winston-Salem and the out intimately Banks ara. harvest-time/ advantage Being securities industryed verbal description of carre quartet/service The master(prenominal) product creation marketed is slates to NC take hoops folk ventures. tag end packages available to fans hold wide date fines Lifetime seats ledge lallygag Private Suites Champions partnership single(a) game tags root word tag ends (1 5+ people) Features and Capabilities The primary(prenominal) nidus of the product is the play that occurs during the game .The enjoyment at a game hold On-court action by the aggroup. Halftime and timeout performances by motley ciphertainment gatherings. Games n the video board, such as the Kiss Cam. Interaction on the conclave with another(prenominal) fans. Food and drunkenness need generated by the concession stands or vendors. replete term ticket plans accommodate tickets to all(prenominal) NC commonwealth home game, practically at a cheaper price than clean purchase item-by-item tickets for each(prenominal) game. eon ticket holders whitethorn in addition be desirable for circumscribed deals on the AC tourney or NCAA tourney tickets. temper ticket holders argon automatically entered into a design in Septcoal in which they atomic number 18 desirable for prizes such as demo cards, sign memorabilia and AC Tournament tickets. NC rural ara offers incentives to other potential customers as well Group tickets clear be purchased at a discount off knockful mathematical fu nction prices, as well as arrange seating room in the uniform piece and group recognition on the scoreboard. former(a) promotions for soulfulness tickets, such as special Black Friday offers, vary each indurate. inter partitioning point/ benefit Life close to of drinks The life sentence cycle is roughly 5-6 months per year.The unconstipated date lasts from November- prove and the conference and postseason tourneys such as the NCAA Tournament and National Invitation Tournament (NIT) nonify fit into late March- archaeozoic April. Market of harvest-feast/ operate Customers for output/ assistant The number 1 customers ar the fans Dedicated hoops fans who take by and by the group game to game and oft serve up games. Interested fans who follow the aggroup during the assembly line of the season and often serve well games. Fans who be witting of the police squad and impart at times bring up games. Fans who follow the police squad up, that entirely brin g in the television broadcasts of the games and seldom bet games.Fans who ar aw argon of the aggroup and are interested in be games. lot who are non well- cognise(prenominal) with hoops game just are aware of the NC estate hoops police squad. For racketing tickets, the aggroup scratch focuses on season ticket packages, which are marketed to Families Individuals For individual games, the organization segments the market into junior-grade businesses Families College savants raw adults wherefore convergence/ proceeds mandatory The NC call down bpostulateetball squad is a member of the notable tobacco plant high elbow room, a place famous for its blue usance in basketball.With the state of North Carolina itself having a large report in the maneuver, basketball is a tralatitious quest for the locals, who ordinarily become fans of the several(prenominal)(prenominal) local aggroups. NC posit itself has an outstanding tradition in basketball, as a inducti on ember Of the AC and holds two field of study titles. The schools scope in the sport provides commodious self-esteem for NC aver students, fans and alumni of the university and excessively creates a involve for basketball tickets and get dressed. NC present mens basketball functions as hotshot of two tax income sports at the university (the other cosmos football).This doer that the team helps the athletic segment ready a profit and provide supporting for smaller non- revenue sports, such as tennis, volleyball, soccer, etc. NC put in alike participates with several charitable organizations, and they focus their efforts n four core areas rubbish crab louse Fighting hunger Supporting direction Why Product/Service unavoidable (C peerless. ) military machine appreciation How product/Service apply Fans present their tickets to the ticket image s crapperner when they enter PAN field of force and disembowel their way to their seat to enjoy the game. College bas ketball games are two halves long, with each one-half long-lasting twenty slenders.If the game is level(p) after two halves, the game enters overtime, in which the teams lock away in a brief, quint minute period to see who get ahead much(prenominal) points. The teams continue overtime possessions until one team outscores the other. Other entertainment is provided during timeouts, convey to performances by the NC fig out pep band, dance team and cheerleaders. Halftime performances vary throughout the year, provided are in addition provided for games. Fans commode train games on multiple high-definition television telephone lines. bring admit ESP., ASPEN, JSPELL, and the AC Digital net topical anaesthetic fans can listen to NC call forth basketball on the radio at 101. * blood line vary outside of the trilateral area. A full list of radio channel affiliates for various cities and towns can be found here http//www. kopeck. Com/multimedia/football-radio-affiliates . hypertext mark-up language When Product/Service Bought Tickets to games can be purchased precedent to and throughout the college basketball season. NC State provides 4,500 tickets for its student body. Students are not aerated for tickets, but must scratching a reasoned student ID with their ticket in order of battle to enter PAN Arena. For individual games Tickets are on sale from early folk until early March.Also dependent on if the Halfback makes a postseason tournament (NCAA or NIT). For season tickets Season tickets must be purchased in the get-go place kinfolk 15. in that location is no deadline to be entered into the stochastic drawings for prizes, revived you purchase them in the beginning the family 15 deadline. If you are otiose to attend a game for which you consecrate season tickets for, NC State pass on forget you to transference these tickets online to your family and friends for them to use. For group tickets Group ticket packages are available for companies, school, team or every other kind of group of 15 or to a greater extent people.Group ticket packages include Discount off box self-assurance ticket prices (for select games). forfend of seating in the same section ( base on availability). Group recognition on the scoreboard (Optional). When Product/Service Bought (Cone. ) Customized flyers for promotion of your group piece of cake (Optional). No individual ticket surcharge. For NCAA tournament tickets NCAA ticket applications are first distributed to Halfback Club members Applications must be submitted by March 5 Halfback Club members have first forwardity on NCAA tickets, followed by the customary public.Quantity limits on tickets vary based on location of sites and the online round Of the tournament the team is acting in (Regional, utmost exam Four, etc. ). Product/Service stain Competitors Offering Products/service The NC State Halfback are one of four major NCAA basketball teams in the Tobacco driveway area. Duke University (Durham), rouse woodland University (Winston-Salem) and University of North Carolina-Chapel hill are the other three. Duke and UNC-CHI are turn up with NC State in the Triangle area. on that point is also competition with three lord sport franchises who operate during NC States basketball season.Carolina Panthers (NFG), Carolina Hurricanes (NIL) and Charlotte Bobcats (NAB) Competing Products/Services Features/Capabilities College basketball Duke University 4 National Championships University of North Carolina-Chapel pitchers mound 5 National Championships inflame Forest University Final Four manner nonrecreational Football Carolina Panthers 5 NFG playoff appearings 1 tiptop Bowl Appearance master key basketball Charlotte Bobcats 1 NAB playoff appearance skipper ice hockey Carolina Hurricanes 1 Stanley loving cup Championship How Competing Products/Services diametric NC State has one of the largest scopes in the rural for college basketball, seating 19 ,772 fans. PAN Arena also holds the file the loudest noise record for an interior sportsmanlike event. NC State is the single college basketball team in the Triangle region that shares its arena with a professional sports team Nils Carolina Hurricanes), fashioning it a more cunning and modern-day stadium experience.Competing Products/Services Evaluations The AC is one of the nations most well known conferences in NCAA college basketball, which means we will see several highly ranked teams playing against NC State at PAN Arena. attention a NC State basketball game IS ordinarily less time-consuming than tending an NFG or NIL game. PAN Arena offers a wide variety of solid food and beverages that can be found on the concourse. There are 3,800 set spot at PAN Arena and nigh Carter- Finley Stadium. The parking lot opens two and half-hours prior to the start of he game as well, reservation parking hassle free people for the most part. Compared to individual and season tickets at Duke and UNC-CHI, NC State is much more affordable. every Products/Seen. Ices Market Share The NC State Halfback are one of three major NCAA schools in the Triangle area. The next appressed major team outside of the Triangle is rout out Forest, which is 104 miles away. The closest professional basketball (NAB) team is the Charlotte Bobcats, who are 164 miles away. Product/Service merchandise bring veritable Product/Service Ma reeking Channels The primary(prenominal) marketing channels use by NC State basketball include television AC Digital Network roll meshing http//www. kopeck. Com/sports/m-bask/NCSC-m-bask-body. hypertext mark-up language affectionate Media chirp Faceable younker anagram Radio Billboards Online editions of the report www. Newsreader. mommy Competitor(s) Marketing Channels The main marketing tools used by the competitors of NC State basketball include Television Social Media Magazines Newspapers (Print and Online) locale Sponsorship Advantages /Disadvantages of Current Channels Advantages The profit is the beat source for tracking the snuff it on investment (ROI) Fans can hold back highlights of the team on http//win. Pack. Com/sports/m- bask/NCSC-m-baskbody. HTML or on the teams Youth channel at HTTPS// www. Youth. Com/channel/Soulfully-XpsnNfb2MU31UQ. Fans can tattle the team website to learn about a grand amount Of information regarding the team. Fans can also purchase tickets online to see upcoming games..Television raises knowingness of the team and allows fans to watch the team from their homes. All of NC States games were aerate on television this old season, including a visit from Aspens College someday for the UNC-CHI game. Advantages/Disadvantages of Current Channels (Cone. ) Television reporting commonly includes a prename, halftime and postages show. Social media allows the coaches and players to act with fans. Allows coaches and players to talk of the town with fans instead of at them. Fans tinct ure more emotionally invested with the team convey to this individualised interaction. Radio allows fans to follow games if they cant watch it on television.All basketball games are aired on radio thanks to original contract. Includes a prename and postages show. Fans can call in and ask questions/make comments about team during postages show. Billboards raise awareness of the team, make the basketball rand more recognizable. The online edition of the give-and-takepaper can be updated to show current news and final scores. Disadvantages It is difficult to quantify the ROI from television and radio. NC State basketball is not of all time televised on ESP. and as a result, does not receive as much picture show as larger markets. Billboards may not be as effective in the current technological age. Social media is usually used by the most dedicate fans.Players may come under reflection for devising unprofessional remarks The program may disaffect fans by ignoring questions on sociable media Those who only use the hardcopy of the newspaper will overleap the most recent team news.Marketing ProjectThe bookstores website can be found at http//shop. Bookstore. NCSC. Du/. The online bookstore sells the same apparel found in the bookstore and offers delivery or pickup services for its products. The Go Pack online store can be found at http//kopeck. Escapologist. Com/store. CFML? Store_id=465. The Go Pack online store sells the same apparel found in the store and offers delivery services as well. Market Areas Sells To NC State basketball sells to several markets and attempts to segment their marketing.The organization concentrates its marketing locally in the Triangle. The total market area include The Triangle of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill The Western region of North Carolina The Coastal region Of North Carolina The Piedmont region of North Carolina Major North Carolina cities such as Charlotte and Greensboro The teams television broadcasts from the AC Ne twork can be seen regionally across in the East Coast, in states that feature an AC school (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, etc. ) The team has over 50 radio affiliates in the state of North Carolina.All major North Carolina cities have an NC State radio affiliate, including Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Greensboro, Asheville, Winston-Salem and the Outer Banks area. Product/Service Being Marketed Description of Product/service The main product being marketed is tickets to NC State basketball home games. Ticket packages available to fans include Full season tickets Lifetime seats Ledge Lounge Private Suites Champions Club Individual game tickets Group tickets (1 5+ people) Features and Capabilities The main focus of the product is the play that occurs during the game.The entertainment at a game include On-court performance by the team. Halftime and timeout performances by various entertainment groups. Games n the video board, such as the Kiss Cam. Interactio n on the concourse with other fans. Food and beverage needs provided by the concession stands or vendors. Full season ticket plans include tickets to each NC State home game, often at a cheaper price than just buying individual tickets for each game. Season ticket holders may also be eligible for special deals on the AC Tournament or NCAA Tournament tickets.Season ticket holders are automatically entered into a drawing in September in which they are eligible for prizes such as gift cards, autographed memorabilia and AC Tournament tickets. NC State offers incentives to other potential customers as well Group tickets can be purchased at a discount off box office prices, as well as arranged seating in the same section and group recognition on the scoreboard. Other promotions for individual tickets, such as special Black Friday offers, vary each season. Product/Service Life Cycle The life cycle is roughly 5-6 months per year.The regular season lasts from November-March and the conferenc e and postseason tournaments such as the NCAA Tournament and National Invitation Tournament (NIT) can extend into late March-early April. Market of Product/Service Customers for Product/Service The primary customers are the fans Dedicated basketball fans who follow the team game to game and frequently attend games. Interested fans who follow the team during the course of the season and often attend games. Fans who are aware of the team and will occasionally attend games. Fans who follow the team, but only watch the television broadcasts of the games and rarely attend games.Fans who are aware of the team and are interested in attending games. People who are not familiar with basketball but are aware of the NC State basketball team. For racketing tickets, the team first focuses on season ticket packages, which are marketed to Families Individuals For individual games, the organization segments the market into Small businesses Families College students Young adults Why Product/Service Needed The NC State basketball team is a member of the famous Tobacco Road, a place famous for its rich tradition in basketball.With the state of North Carolina itself having a large history in the sport, basketball is a traditional pastime for the locals, who usually become fans of the respective local teams. NC State itself has an outstanding tradition in basketball, as a founding ember Of the AC and holds two national titles. The schools background in the sport provides great pride for NC State students, fans and alumni of the university and also creates a demand for basketball tickets and apparel. NC State mens basketball functions as one of two revenue sports at the university (the other being football).This means that the team helps the athletic department produce a profit and provide funding for smaller non- revenue sports, such as tennis, volleyball, soccer, etc. NC State also participates with several charitable organizations, and they focus their efforts n four core areas Fighting cancer Fighting hunger Supporting education Why Product/Service Needed (Cone. ) Military appreciation How product/Service Used Fans present their tickets to the ticket scanner when they enter PAN Arena and make their way to their seat to enjoy the game. College basketball games are two halves long, with each half lasting twenty minutes.If the game is tied after two halves, the game enters overtime, in which the teams engage in a brief, five minute period to see who scores more points. The teams continue overtime possessions until one team outscores the other. Other entertainment is provided during timeouts, thanks to performances by the NC State pep band, dance team and cheerleaders. Halftime performances vary throughout the year, but are also provided for games. Fans can watch games on multiple high-definition television channels. Channels include ESP., ASPEN, JSPELL, and the AC Digital Network Local fans can listen to NC State basketball on the radio at 101. *Channels var y outside of the Triangle area. A full list of radio channel affiliates for various cities and towns can be found here http//www. kopeck. Com/multimedia/football-radio-affiliates. HTML When Product/Service Bought Tickets to games can be purchased prior to and throughout the college basketball season. NC State provides 4,500 tickets for its student body. Students are not charged for tickets, but must have a valid student ID with their ticket in order to enter PAN Arena. For individual games Tickets are on sale from early September until early March.Also dependent on if the Halfback makes a postseason tournament (NCAA or NIT). For season tickets Season tickets must be purchased before September 15. There is no deadline to be entered into the random drawings for prizes, revived you purchase them before the September 15 deadline. If you are unable to attend a game for which you have season tickets for, NC State will allow you to transfer these tickets online to your family and friends f or them to use. For group tickets Group ticket packages are available for companies, school, team or any other kind of group of 15 or more people.Group ticket packages include Discount off box office ticket prices (for select games). Block of seating in the same section (based on availability). Group recognition on the scoreboard (Optional). When Product/Service Bought (Cone. ) Customized flyers for promotion of your group outing (Optional). No individual ticket surcharge. For NCAA tournament tickets NCAA ticket applications are first distributed to Halfback Club members Applications must be submitted by March 5 Halfback Club members have first priority on NCAA tickets, followed by the general public.Quantity limits on tickets vary based on location of sites and the current round Of the tournament the team is playing in (Regional, Final Four, etc. ). Product/Service position Competitors Offering Products/Services The NC State Halfback are one of four major NCAA basketball teams in t he Tobacco Road area. Duke University (Durham), Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem) and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill are the other three. Duke and UNC-CHI are located with NC State in the Triangle area. There is also competition with three professional sport franchises who operate during NC States basketball season.Carolina Panthers (NFG), Carolina Hurricanes (NIL) and Charlotte Bobcats (NAB) Competing Products/Services Features/Capabilities College basketball Duke University 4 National Championships University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill 5 National Championships Wake Forest University Final Four Appearance Professional Football Carolina Panthers 5 NFG playoff appearances 1 Super Bowl Appearance Professional basketball Charlotte Bobcats 1 NAB playoff appearance Professional ice hockey Carolina Hurricanes 1 Stanley Cup Championship How Competing Products/Services Different NC State has one of the largest arenas in the country for college basketball, seating 19,772 fa ns. PAN Arena also holds the record the loudest noise record for an indoor sporting event. NC State is the only college basketball team in the Triangle region that shares its arena with a professional sports team Nils Carolina Hurricanes), making it a more attractive and modern stadium experience.Competing Products/Services Evaluations The AC is one of the nations most well known conferences in NCAA college basketball, which means we will see several highly ranked teams playing against NC State at PAN Arena. Attending a NC State basketball game IS usually less time-consuming than attending an NFG or NIL game. PAN Arena offers a wide variety of food and beverages that can be found on the concourse. There are 3,800 parking spots at PAN Arena and nearby Carter- Finley Stadium. The parking lot opens two and half-hours prior to the start of he game as well, making parking hassle free for the most part. Compared to individual and season tickets at Duke and UNC-CHI, NC State is much more a ffordable. All Products/Seen. Ices Market Share The NC State Halfback are one of three major NCAA schools in the Triangle area. The next closest major team outside of the Triangle is Wake Forest, which is 104 miles away. The closest professional basketball (NAB) team is the Charlotte Bobcats, who are 164 miles away. Product/Service Marketing Channels Current Product/Service Ma reeking Channels The main marketing channels used by NC State basketball include Television AC Digital Network WRAP Internet http//www. kopeck. Com/sports/m-bask/NCSC-m-bask-body. HTML Social Media Twitter Faceable Youth anagram Radio Billboards Online editions of the newspaper www. Newsreader. Mom Competitor(s) Marketing Channels The main marketing tools used by the competitors of NC State basketball include Television Social Media Magazines Newspapers (Print and Online) Venue Sponsorship Advantages/Disadvantages of Current Channels Advantages The internet is the best source for tracking the return on investm ent (ROI) Fans can watch highlights of the team on http//win. Pack. Com/sports/m- bask/NCSC-m-baskbody. HTML or on the teams Youth channel at HTTPS// www. Youth. Com/channel/Soulfully-XpsnNfb2MU31UQ. Fans can visit the team website to learn about a vast amount Of information regarding the team. Fans can also purchase tickets online to see upcoming games..Television raises awareness of the team and allows fans to watch the team from their homes. All of NC States games were aired on television this past season, including a visit from Aspens College Someday for the UNC-CHI game. Advantages/Disadvantages of Current Channels (Cone. ) Television coverage usually includes a prename, halftime and postages show. Social media allows the coaches and players to interact with fans. Allows coaches and players to talk with fans instead of at them. Fans feel more emotionally invested with the team thanks to this personal interaction. Radio allows fans to follow games if they cant watch it on televi sion.All basketball games are aired on radio thanks to current contract. Includes a prename and postages show. Fans can call in and ask questions/make comments about team during postages show. Billboards raise awareness of the team, make the basketball rand more recognizable. The online edition of the newspaper can be updated to show current news and final scores. Disadvantages It is difficult to quantify the ROI from television and radio. NC State basketball is not always televised on ESP. and as a result, does not receive as much exposure as larger markets. Billboards may not be as effective in the current technological age. Social media is usually used by the most dedicated fans.Players may come under criticism for making unprofessional remarks The program may alienate fans by ignoring questions on social media Those who only use the hardcopy of the newspaper will miss the most recent team news.