A Strategic Marketing Plan for the Coca

A Strategic Marketing Plan for the Coca Executive Summary This paper was written in order to develop a marketing strategy for the Coca-Cola Amatil group (CCL). The main focus was not on the entire product line of the group but for a new product, Coke Zero. The CCL has enjoyed a lot of success for its internationally known brands such as Coke and Sprite. It however lags behind in the energy drink and sport drinks department.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on A Strategic Marketing Plan for the Coca-Cola Amatil Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Following this, it was important to develop a marketing plan that will improve the sales of Coke Zero. First, we looked at the company and the current situation it is in, both internal and external. We noted that the company has a very good external environment that promotes investments, has good trade laws and the consumers hold the company in high esteem. We also noted that the company holds the largest market share in the country hence has consistently been making profits. After this we took a SWOT analysis on the Coke Zero product, analysing the threats that may impede the successful performance of the product. Once the threats and weaknesses were identified, a marketing strategy was developed to improve the total sales of the product. Strategic Analysis Company Overview Coca-cola Amatil is an Australian bottling company that markets products from the Coca-Cola Company. It is one of the biggest bottlers in the South-Pacific and also one the largest bottlers for the Coca-Cola company (Coca-Cola, 2010). Coca-Cola Amatil produces various products that include: carbonated soft drinks, flavoured milk, energy drinks, water, fruit juices, sport drinks and ready to eat products The company also has a joint venture, Pacific Beverages, with SABMiller. The joint venture is responsible for producing and marketing a variety of premium beer products within the country and in New Zealand. CCL also mar kets and distributes spirit products for Beam Global Spirits and Wines (Coca-Cola, 2010). The Coca-Cola Company owns 30% of CCL and is thus the majority share holder of the company. Situation Analysis-External An analysis of the company’s current position as well as the prevailing market conditions will enable the development of a marketing plan that can be applied with respect to both the current situation as well as expected changes in the future (Kotler, 1997).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Environmental Analysis The external environmental analysis is mainly concerned with those factors in the external macro-environment that may impact the ability of the business to meet its objectives or operate properly. The most important external elements include political, economical, social, and technological forces in the macro-environment. The analysis of the f orces is referred to as the PEST analysis. The PEST analysis looks at the different trends in the market highlighting their implications on the particular business. Political Trends The political and legal framework within a country usually affects how a business operates and its profitability (Payne, 2005). Coca-Cola Amatil operates in countries that have stable political systems as well as favourable trade laws that encourage business growth. The products that the company produces have all been approved by the relevant food licensing board in the country. Economic Trends Australia has enjoyed a stable economic growth over the ages. The country has been ranked as the 13th largest economy in the world and the 18th largest exporter (Dixon OMahoney). The country has enjoyed a steady growth at the rate of 3.6% over the last 16 years. The unemployment rate in the country stands at 4.9% and the inflation rate as per last year was 2.8% (Dixon OMahoney, 2010). According to the World Bank , Australia is ranked tenth on the ease of doing business. The base interest rate in the country stands at between 5 to 6%. Social Trends Over the years, there has been a health consciousness campaign warning people about over consumption of soft drinks. Various groups have frequently warned people that soft drinks are responsible for increase in obesity and other issues such as diabetes and rotting of teeth. Australia is also fascinated by sports. A survey on sporting claims that over 80% of young men are participate in sports in one way or another. Considering this, sport and energy drinks might increase in sales if sufficient marketing is carried out to penetrate the sports industryAdvertising We will write a custom report sample on A Strategic Marketing Plan for the Coca-Cola Amatil Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Technological Factors Australia is a developed country whose main revenue comes from the manufacturing indus try. The company has many professionals who engage in the development of new and innovative technological products (Svenson, 2009). The country also has many research facilities and those professionals seeking to undertake research are sponsored by the government, corporations and educational institutions. Market Analysis The soft drinks market in Australia is predominantly controlled by four main companies. These companies include; Coca-Cola Amatil, Nestle Australia, Cadbury Australia and Mars Australia. The Coca-Cola Amatil group holds about 56% of the market share in the non-alcoholic beverages, 40% market share in sports drink and 23% market share in bottled water (Greenblat, 2010). In market analysis, it is important to analyse the consumers, competitors, and carry out the five force analysis. Consumer Analysis Coca-cola products are usually enjoyed by people from all age groups. It has however been noted that a large percentage of people who consume products from CCL are those in the 16-32 age group making up 52% of the total consumers. The buying behaviour is mainly guided by attitudes and lifestyle of these consumers. The introduction of new products by the company usually receives positive reception while consumer satisfaction for our products has been generally high. Porter five forces analysis It is important to analyse the business micro environment in order to present a valid business marketing strategy. The Porter five forces are those forces that affect the ability of a corporation to make a profit or serve its consumers (Simon, 2006). The Porters five force analysis for CCL is shown in Fig 1 Figure 1: Porters Five Force Analysis for the soft drink environmentAdvertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Success factors From the external environmental analysis, the following key success factors can be identified The political, economical, social and technological trends all favour the success of CCL’s products The company holds a large percentage of the market share with the soft drink market The threat of new entrants into the industry is small The company mainly supplies most of its products and has a large network of suppliers hence threat of suppliers is small Situation Analysis (Internal) The internal situation analysis involves those factors within the company that affects its ability to operate and earn a profit. It includes the company resources, the objectives, corporate culture and mission (Williams Williams, 2007). Review of Current Strategy and marketing mix Coca-Cola Amatil current strategy involves availing beverages to people all over the country and the other four countries that the company operates. The company does this by setting up a network of partner s, acquiring new business, participating in the marketing and distribution of other beverages such as alcohol and by using various strategies to improve its marketing of products. Coca-Cola Amatil marketing strategy includes the use of advertisements, sports sponsorship deals, games and competitions and the use of the internet to promote its products. The current marketing mix can be well represented by the four P’s: Product: Coca-Cola Amatil produces a variety of non-alcoholic drinks as well as alcoholic drinks. The products include both internationally known brands and brands specifically produced for the country. Products include soft drinks, energy drinks, water, sports drinks, RTD tea and coffee, ready to eat fruits and flavoured milk. Product differentiation in most of these products is low hence there is a need for a unique product to retain competitiveness. Price: The current price for CCL products is low and very competitive. A large population can easily afford the se products on a regular basis. Promotion: CCL’s products are promoted through advertising and sales promotion. The strong brand name of the company has also propagated promotion of their products Place: CCL’s products can be purchased from many outlets all over the country. Supermarkets, shops, drink stands, gymnasiums and other local outlets usually have Coca-Cola products. Performance and Financial analysis Over the past years, the company has had significant success and has made a lot of profit. The company has had a one digit increase in profits for the last 10 years. Despite the economic recession, the company still had an increase in profit during the period. In 2010, the company had a net profit of $497.3 million, representing a 10% increase in profit from the previous year. The trading revenue for the year stood at $4490.3 million while the operating cash flow totalled $585.5 Million decreasing by 22% since the last year. The earnings before tax (EBIT) for th e company were $844.9 showing a 7.3% increase from that in the previous year (Coca-Cola, 2010). The company stock as of 2010 stood at $11.60 and has been showing a steady growth. As it can be seen, the company is in a very strong financial position and stands to gain more competitive advantage with the right marketing strategy. Table 1: Financial Analysis A$ million 2010 2009 % change Working capital 938.4 910.2 28.2 Property, plant and Equipment 1595.3 1457.2 138.1 IBAs intangible assets 1488.7 14780.3 7.9 Deferred tax liabilities (190.8) (157.4) (33.4) Non-debt derivatives 31.1 (32.5) 63.6 Other net assets/(liabilities) (339.9) (410.2) 70.3 Capital employed 3522 3248.1 274.7 Return on Capital 17.8% 16.5% 1.3 pts Resource Analysis Resource analysis involves the analysis of how the company’s resources and capabilities enable it to achieve its strategy (Schwartz, 1981). The resource analysis for the company is presented in Figure 2. Figure 2: Summary of the Coca-Cola Amatil resource analysis Determinants for strategic options Strategic marketing options may be constrained by both internal and external situations. In the case of Coca-Cola Amatil, determinants for strategic options include: Optimum utilization of the large amount of available capital Differentiation of products, producing a new product that differentiates it from its competitors Improving its promotional campaign; this involves increasing efforts in public relations and personal selling SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis involves a look at the company’s current position in respect to its competitors, market conditions, consumers, suppliers and government regulations (Pepall, Daniel Norman, 2005). The SWOT analysis will look at the situational factors affecting the business. Strengths Strong financial position enabling future investments Strong distribution channels that may reach consumers and suppliers from all over the country Strong brand name that is eas ily recognized thereby improving consumer confidence Weaknesses The product is very new to the market and thus sufficient information about consumer demand is yet inconclusive. Without proper marketing strategy, the product might fail. Opportunities The Coca-Cola brand name is widely known and revered. This will therefore boost consumer confidence about the product thereby improving sales. The new product (Coke Zero) also does not have any competition in the market as per this moment. The low diet drink that target young males as for now is unique as it deviates from other diet drinks and will therefore gain significant market share. Threats The internationally recognized brands are still etched in the minds of people hence a large group may ignore the new product and stick to that which they are familiar with. The Coke Zero product has also received negative reviews in some countries. This is because in several countries such as Venezuela, Sodium cyclamate a known carcinogen was used as a sweetener. Health concerns over consumption of soft drinks. Strategy Development This section deals with developing a marketing strategy that will enable the company to meet strategic marketing goals. The company has several sustainable competitive advantages which include: The Coca-Cola brand is very strong hence improving consumer confidence The company has a strong distribution channel that spans five countries The company is part of a global conglomerate therefore has access to top notch equipments, professionals and assets The company produces its own packaging hence can modify it with any problem The company already has a fierce reputation hence does not need to begin from the bottom in its promotional activities. Strategic Thrusts The Coca-Cola Amatil group main business strategy is to produce beverages for everyone in the country. The company strategic thrusts are as follows: Produce a variety of products to account for taste, preferences and lifestyles. En gage in intensive promotional activities through advertisement, sales promotion, personal selling and public relations Acquire new holding and business Penetrate other beverage industries such as alcoholic drinks and RTD drinks. According to Ansoff, for a company to be successful it should choose one of three generic strategies: cost leadership, differentiation or niche strategies In order to be truly sustainable and to maintain competitive advantage, the company has to implement alternative competitive thrusts that include: Production of a new sports drink that offers something other sports drinks lack (differentiation). Restricting access to distribution channels for the other competitors (niche strategies). Reducing cost of production by using innovative techniques of management and production (cost leadership) Sustainable Strategic Thrust Considering the initial and alternative strategic thrusts, the most appropriate thrust has to be the production of a new sports drink that is not available in the market. CCL should produce a healthy sports drink with very little calories, has high levels of proteins and vitamins and rejuvenate those participating in sports and the general population. This will not only target the young male population but also sportsmen and women. Marketing Goals The main marketing goals involve improving sales for the coke zero products. The goals are: Improve the sales of sports drink by 8% Attract more consumers (especially the young male population) Infiltrate the sports Industry Improve the market share in sports drink by at least 4.5% Product-Market investment Strategies Coca-Cola Amatil main products have performed very well in the market over the years. Most of the products are well known and are a major part in people’s diets. When Coke Diet was produced, most men felt that it was geared for women. It was for this fact that coke zero was made and was mainly meant to penetrate the young male market. The diagram below is a presentation of the Ansoff’s Matrix for Coca-Cola Amatil: Figure 3: Ansoff’s Matrix Retrieved from Sharp Dawes (2001) Market Penetration The CCL’s sports drink market currently lags behind its competitors. In order to improve its market share, the company should engage in large scale promotion activities that include sponsorship deals, competitions, advertisements and personal selling mainly through the internet. Market Development One of the main reasons CCL has not been able to capitalize on the young male population is that the sports drinks in the market are all similar and no healthy drink exists as of now. The Coke Diet beverage launched by CCL was largely viewed as feminine and most men ignored it. Coca-Cola has been able to modify this drink to produce Coke Zero, a diet drink that is geared to the male generation. Product Development In recent times, the soft drink industry has been growing slowly mainly due to health concerns that have arisen abo ut the consumption of soft drinks. It is therefore important to develop a new product that is not only health but also delivers the expected results. CCL has dominated the soft drinks market hence it should put more of its energy in the sports drink market. The intended product should be rich in proteins and vitamins as well as rejuvenating compounds that are common in energy drinks. The drink should also reduce the amount of calories present in the drink Product Differentiation The current products targeting the young male population are all similar. Due to health concerns, the soft drink industry growing very slowly. In order to maintain competitiveness, CCL should therefore develop a new product that differs from those in the market and meet the health expectations of the consumers. Another way will be through the development of a new innovative packaging. A coke zero grip bottle that has been innovatively design will be used to package the product and thus attract more of the ta rgeted consumers. Strategic Marketing Mix The marketing strategy mainly involves targeting and positioning (Aaker, 2007). According to research, over 80% of young men above the age of twenty participate in sports one way or another. This number is very high and may increase the market share for coca-cola products immensely. We shall first target sportsmen by highlighting that the company has a new range of sports drinks (coke zero) that not only meet the sports drinks requirement but is also healthy. Products The product being marketed is a new healthy beverage, a sports drink mainly produced for the young male population (coke zero). The product has very little calorie content and is high in vitamins and proteins. This combination makes for the ideal sports drink as it not only rejuvenates a person but it is also healthy. The product will be packaged in trendy bottles that convey sportsmanship. The marketing message will try to stress that the drink is healthy and is a new innovati on all our competitors envy (Sharp Dawes, 2001). Price The product will be cheap to buy and will generally cost less than those from our competitors. It will be available in most outlets throughout the country and stands in the stadiums. The pricing will be such that the company does not undergo a loss but low enough to make the product the drink of preference (Sharp Dawes, 2001). Place The drink will target the whole of the country. It will be available in supermarkets, shops, stadiums and gymnasium. In order to access the sports fraternity, the drink will mainly focus on sports related outlets until it stands out as the drink for the active sportsman (Sharp Dawes, 2001). Promotion As the drink mainly targets young men interested in sports, the drink will first of all be promoted through sports channels, and stadium advertisements such as banners and Advertisement slots in the stadium. Next, sports paraphernalia will be used as a means for promotion such as balls, t-shirts, shoe s etc. The drink will also be promoted through competitions in radio stations and television. The promotion will have a sports team e.g. granting a lucky winner sports gear or a fully paid access to an important sports event (Sharp Dawes, 2001). Sales Forecast and Financial Prediction We expect that after this marketing strategy, sales will increase by 6% in the first quarter and that by the end of the year a 10% increase will have been achieved. Table 1: Financial Prediction A$ 2012 (1stQuarter) 2012 (2ndQuarter) 2012 (3rd Quarter) 2012 (4th Quarter) Advertising costs 0.98 1.4 1.6 1.2 Expected Revenue 5.3 8.5 14.6 26.5 Operating Expenses 1.3 2.8 6.2 6.6 Evaluation and Control The article above has presented the strategic market plan for the Coca-Cola Amatil group. The sales target presented above will act as benchmarks to evaluate progress. The marketing techniques recommended (sports advertisements and sports related sales promotions) will be amended depending on the nature of the actual sales. The Coca-Cola company has enough capital to implement the program successfully hence the products will be released in all regions within a period of 2 weeks. The company have a large distribution channels with many trusted partners hence control is not a major concern as of now. Appendix Appendix 1: Income statement CCL retrieved from Coca-Cola Amatil (2011) Appendix 2: Balance Sheet retrieved from Coca-Cola Amatil (2011) References Aaker, D. (2007). Strategic Market Management, 8th ed. New York, John Wiley Sons Coca-Cola (2011). Annual Report 2010. Retrieved from: www.ccamatil.comreportsF9ECBDFAd01.pdf Dixon, T OMahoney, J. (2010). Australia in the Global Economy 2010. Pearson: Leading Edge Education Greenblat, E. (2010). Coca-Cola Amatil beats profit estimates as prices rise. SMH  Newspaper. Retrieved from: www.smh.com.au/business/cocacola-amatil-beats-profit-estimates-as-prices-rise Kotler, P. (2009). Principles of Marketing. New York: Prentice H all. Payne, A. (2005). A Strategic Framework for Customer Relationship Management.  American marketing association, 69: 168-170 Pepall, L., Daniel J. Norman, J. (2005). Industrial Organization, Contemporary Theory  and Practice. Ohio: Thomson South-Western Porter, M.E. (1985) The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. Harvard  business Review, (4): 12-16-January Schwartz, H. (1981). Matching corporate culture and business strategy. Organization  Dynamic, 24(2): 12-16 Sharp, B. Dawes, J. (2001). What is Differentiation and How Does it Work?  Journal of Marketing Management, 17, 739-59. Simon, H. (2006). Rational decision making in business organizations. American  Economic Review, 17(5): 42-45 Svenson, G. (2009). Globalization† of business activities: a â€Å"global strategy† approach. Management Decision, 7(13): 34-40 Williams, S. Williams, N. (2007). The profit impact of business intelligence.  NY: Publisher Morgan Kaufmann

How to negotiate maternity leave with your employer

How to negotiate maternity leave with your employer Whether you’re pregnant or merely thinking about expanding your family, it’s important to know how to address the issue with your employer. We know it can be tricky to navigate the discussion, so we’ve compiled some tips on how to approach the topic with your boss. Know what kind of leave you’re owedMany companies offer some kind of paid maternity or parental leave (which can include paternity leave or the time to care for a newly adopted child). The length of time can vary, so be sure to check your own company’s policies to see what the baseline is. With paid leave, the company pays for a certain number of weeks off.If your company doesn’t offer paid leave, or you want to take additional time off for parental leave, then you could be covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA). FMLA leave is unpaid, but it ensures that your job will be secure for up to 12 weeks’ absence. This kind of leave can be used flexibly for any f amily purpose- like maternity or paternity leave, or caring for a sick relative.Have a plan in placeBefore you go to your boss, know what you’re planning to do. How many weeks of paid (or unpaid) leave are you expecting to take? Will you have a mix of paid and unpaid leave? When will it start? When do you anticipate being back? Are you seeking a flexible work schedule once you’re back to work?When you’re planning for your leave, know what it is you want. If your company has a flexible policy or if you’re hoping to negotiate terms outside of the stated leave policy, knowing what your options are and what you want to get out of the discussion is key. The more you have figured out up front, the better you’ll be able to present a sensible plan to your boss and negotiate as necessary.As you prep for your meeting with your boss (in person is best, even if you’ll have to file a written parental leave plan later), it can also help to have informatio n and statistics about how parents and children benefit from that initial bonding time, and how self-care improves outcomes for new parents and their babies.Don’t wait too longIt’s better to start talking with your boss about your plans as soon as you feel comfortable disclosing your pregnancy status. You don’t have to announce it to your entire work world just yet, but kicking things off with a confidential discussion with your boss gives you (and your company) the time you’ll need to plan ahead for your leave.Negotiate to get the leave you wantNegotiating leave is pretty similar to negotiating your initial job offer or when you want a raise. Like with any other negotiation, it’s important to approach it with realistic expectations. Sure, in an ideal world you’d have, say, a year off with pay. In reality, most workplaces offer a limited number of weeks, so it’s unlikely you’d be able to negotiate a huge extension of existing p olicy.Instead, make sure your plan balances what you want and need for your family with your company’s expectations. It may be that you can get more time, but at a reduced salary. Or maybe you can create a flexible schedule where you work a different schedule or part-time for a certain period of time. If you’re seeking something above and beyond your company’s stated policy, be ready to compromise and have other options in mind (like unpaid leave beyond a certain point if your employer can’t or won’t extend a certain amount of paid leave).If you give yourself the time to hash this out with your employer and have all the necessary information at your disposal, you’ll be able to come up with a plan that works for you, while keeping your professional life on track. And don’t forget that haggling over these things now might seem stressful, but it can help you get the most out of your parental leave when the time comes.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 204

Assignment Example â€Å"My Papas Waltz† narrates a young son’s frightened encounters with his drunken father. As his father waltzes him around, the poem creates the same dizzying effect on the audience too. These poems evoke the senses to assert that, disorientation may be confusing at first, but they have their enlightening moments. The main subject of these poems is disorientation that can create a feeling of dread. â€Å"In a Station† is a metaphor of contrasting images about seeing an â€Å"apparition† (Pound 1) and seeing â€Å"petals† (Pound 2). An apparition is usually worrisome, while petals tend to evoke appreciation for their delicate beauty. Using these images create opposing emotional effects that result to a sense of disorientation for readers, as if the poem also wants them to feel the confused state of its speaker. â€Å"My Papas Waltz† talks about disorientation too. The speaker is merely a little boy, but his drunken father aggressively tosses him around as his dance ritual before putting his son to bed. The grace and aristocratic nature of a â€Å"waltz† conflicts with the working-class roughness of a father who smells like â€Å"whiskey† (Roethke 1), has â€Å"battered† knuckles (Roethke 10) and â€Å"palm caked hard by dirt† (Roethke 14) , and hurts his dance partner by scraping his ear with his buckle (Roethke 12). Again, this poem puts readers into the place of the speaker- a particularly physically and emotionally dizzying place. These poems have a powerful way of forcing their audiences to step into their shoes and feel their disorientation. To feel confusion, these poems stimulate the senses to create strong visual and emotional effects. The title itself of â€Å"In a Station† easily helps readers see the metro’s darkness, feel its coldness, and smell its wet, dank scents. Adding the description of the â€Å"apparition of these faces in the crowd† heightens the feelings of creepiness and fearfulness of the setting (Pound 1).

Discuss some of the ways in which Native Americans, and the European Essay

Discuss some of the ways in which Native Americans, and the European discovery of the New World, has influenced your life - Essay Example The Native Americans have their English language being more intricate compared to the European English, as stated by Dunn (1). This has improved my use of English language in communication because their English is simple to understand. Another influence by the Native Americans relates to how the American people treat women. According to the Native American culture, family lineage is traced through the females instead of the males, according to Delgado (1). This has as well influenced my perspective towards women as I can see them as more valuable to the society which was not what I originally thought. Similarly, the types of food consumed by the Native Americans have changed my diet to great extent. While initially I was used to the spices available back home, I have come to appreciate such things as wild ginger, juniper and miners’ lettuce. I have also gradually come to prefer Native American cuisines with their subtle flavors. Native Americans have a great deal of hospitality, which has been a vital tradition among the Native Americans, according to Cadwalader (1). Guests are highly valued and are served first whether there is something else for the family or not. Thus has influenced how relate with other people and to respect others as well. The Native Americans are friendly people who are always there to help and this has greatly improved my personal relations with other people. The mode of dress is also different from my home country and this has affected me. The American people do not place much importance in fully covering their body, as stated by Reynoldson (13). With many celebrities who most people tend to imitate, the mode of dressing is very different especially during the summer. During summer, people wear lighter clothes with women covering the most private body parts and most of them wearing shorts, a mode of dressing which has really impressed me. Last but not least, the hardworking nature of the Native American people

The Complete Works of Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

The Complete Works of Shakespeare Essay Helen Keller once said â€Å"The Fearful are often caught with the bold. † This was with reference to danger. She believed that those who avoided danger met danger as often as often as those who confront it. Shakespeare’s Hamlet has its share of the fearful and the bold, and both fearful and bold were met by a tragic death. There were numerous instances in the play that presented this. The whole cause of the plot of the play, the death of King Hamlet, is an example of this. He is known to have conquered lands and fought a lot of wars. He can be considered one of the bold for he faced death head on and yet the reason why he died was not through his wars but instead he got killed in his own backyard, literally. This example is a perfect specimen as to why Helen Keller made the statement. It is exactly this, wherein he was killed in his own home, that she has this belief. Death, need not be found in dangerous grounds, for it can standing right outside your door. Somehow, the proverb hints at some form of fate or destiny but in the case of Hamlet, the proverb is made true because of a miasma of actions between King Claudius and Hamlet. Due to their need to resolve the issues between them for Claudius to hide his crime and for Hamlet to avenge is father – collateral damage in the form of the lives of the people around them were affected, if not taken away. It is Claudius and Hamlet that face their destinies and yet, the ones fearful for them received the same fate. Ophelia is the most innocent character in the play. She followed her father’s advice after being told that Hamlet will just break her heart. For fear of it being true, she obeyed her father, but this didn’t save her from the sorrow that she will experience later. In the process of helping Hamlet, Polonius dies by his hand and this drives Ophelia insane due to the extreme sorrow that she felt. She couldn’t protect herself from emotional pain that she tried to avoid. Queen Gertrude, who just wanted her son and her new husband to get along, ended up being poisoned. She, too, wanted to help her son and protect him from whatever malady it was that he was experiencing. She was afraid for Hamlet’s health and life. In the end, she was poisoned by a drink that was meant for Hamlet. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are the dynamic duo that tried to help their friend. The reason why they went to Denmark was to try and console Hamlet for the death of his father and try to unite him with his stepfather and uncle. Unknowingly, they were bringing Hamlet to his death. In their minds, all they were doing was bringing Hamlet to England to allow him time to recuperate. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were killed instead. In the case of Hamlet, the proverb â€Å"The fearful are caught as often as the bold† applied to the people that surrounded Hamlet. This is what usually is called collateral damage, the damage that is inflicted on those beside the actual target. Also, these people who surround Hamlet are not at all mindful of their own danger. As a matter of fact, it never occurred to them that they will encounter death. However, they were afraid for Hamlet. Due to their affection for Hamlet, these characters tried to make him happy, protect him from himself, and protect him from others. In the end, all these people, afraid him, died tragically, even before Hamlet himself died. Therefore, those who were fearful for Hamlet were caught as much as the bold Hamlet in the tragedy of his vengeance. Reference: Shakespeare, William. â€Å"Hamlet†. The Complete Works of Shakespeare Ed. George Lyman Kittredge. Boston: Grolier Incorporated,1936: p. 1147

Essay on Evil in The Holy Bible -- Holy Bible Essays

The Purpose of Evil in the Bible      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   God looked at everything He had made, and it was very good (Genesis 1:31)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Five times in Genesis 1, God looks at that which He has created, and pronounces it "good". Then on the sixth day He creates Man, and says that His creation is now "very good". God's pronouncement of His creation, which would be everything around us and includes ourselves, as "very good" is hard to reconcile with that which we see on a daily basis -- a reality in which we experience much pain and cruelty from man and nature. These negative experiences we call "evil".    Evil, in this sense, is a very broad term, and needs to be defined. In general terms, "evil" is that which works against the life-giving power of God, and seeks to thwart God's will. In the Bible, the term "evil" is used to describe anything that brings sorrow, distress, calamity, and moral wrong-doing. In more modern times, "evil" has been associated with warfare, especially chemical and nuclear warfare, as well as problems associated with over-population, racism, ecological destruction, and worldwide disease. Indeed, evil is so much a part of our lives, the very term seems to have lost meaning. It is not uncommon in public debates to hear one side associate the other with evil, casually placing their opponents on the side of Satan and destruction.    So, what did God mean when He said that His creation was "very good"? Did He simply mean that He was finished, and that evil was an intentional part of His design? Or did evil come afterward, suggesting that it was beyond His control? This is a vexing question to those of faith, especially in the Judeo-Christian faith, who believe in an all-powerful, loving God. If God is good and lo... ...gardless of my worth to God, I know I will fall. If I choose to do wrong, I know that the responsibility is mine. If I catch a disease, I would not blame God, or ask why he chose me to suffer. If I am to accept all the possible good aspects of being a thinking, reasoning human being with freedom of will, I have to accept the fact that I live in an existence where evil can happen.    Works Cited   Dobson, James C. (1993). When God Doesn't Make Sense. Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Green, Joel B., & Longman, Tremper (Eds.). (1996). Holy Bible -- The Everday Study Edition. Dallas: Word Publishing. Hick, John H. (1990). Philosophy of Religion. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Kushner, Harold S. (1981). When Bad Things Happen To Good People. New York: Avon books. McFague, Sallie. (1987). Models of God. Philadelphia: Fortress Press.      

Different Research Methods Essay

â€Å"When it comes to their health, workers always know best.† (Workers Health International Newsletter No. 42).† Analyse the different research methods that unions and workers use to identify ill health caused by work. Introduction The topic I have chosen to look into for this assignment will be â€Å"When it comes to their health, workers always know best.† (Workers Health International Newsletter No. 42).† Analyse the different research methods that unions and workers use to identify ill health caused by work. I have chosen to look into this subject to see what different research methods are out there and what kind of information we can gather from them. I will do this by analysing and evaluating each known method, and then establishing which is more suitable for my own workplace. I intend to be able to use some of these research methods on my members and in my workplace, to see if there are any potential hazards in the workplace. After trying out some of these research methods I will collate the data and if an issue is raised create a plan of action to eliminate the problem. I also intend to share my findings with my members and present this data at the next health and safety meeting. What types of research method is there? A simple research method would be to â€Å"look and listen† by this I mean observe your surroundings, listen to members concerns, check things like the accident book or has there been a number of claims? Another type of research can be to do comparisons between different things in the workplace for example does one area have more accidents then another or does an area have additional hazards compared to others. A really useful research method for trying to find out if there is a specific health problem with your work is body mapping. Body mapping is a way of identifying common patterns of health problems amongst workers in a particular workplace or doing the same job. Whilst it is not certain that any such common ailments are work-related, it highlights areas for further investigation. A similar technique is risk mapping/hazard mapping where instead of highlighting areas of pain on the body like a body map does this highlights risks on a map of the workplace. From this map you will be able to build up a clear picture of where the hazards lie in the workplace. One of the most popular types of research is to do a survey, this may be because there are lots of different ways you can do surveys and you can tailor them to be as specific as you want. You don’t even have to come up with the questionnaire yourself as there are a lot of pre made ones online which may fulfil your needs. Another research method is to examine records to see if you can find any anomalies or similarities in the data. Records can range from asbestos registers to pesticide passports. Pros and cons of research methods Body mapping One of the pros of body mapping is that it is a simple starting point to be able to identify health problems within the workforce. Another advantage is that it is very easy to set up, and very quick to be able to participate in, even those with disabilities and those who are not English speaking can partake, which should encourage people to take part. The results can be swiftly obtained, and are clear and easy to present to management. A strength of using this method is that it can raise health and safety awareness in the workplace, and then finally body mapping can be anonymous, hopefully encouraging more members to get involved. A weakness of the body mapping method is that it is only a starting point for investigation, and it is hard to pin down to work issues, and so you would need to follow it up with different research methods, for example: surveys and discussions to try and highlight what the hazard may be. A disadvantage is that all employees’ who have taken part would need to do the same job in order for the data to work or you have to do multiple body maps (the hazards may vary from job to job). Surveys One of the advantages of using the survey method is that it can be conveyed in multiple ways, such as email, internet, paper or post. This style of research makes it easy to target large populations of people. Another pro is that the survey can be as specific or general as you like, dependent upon the questions you wish to ask. You can ask open questions which will give you detailed responses, or closed questions which are quick to interpret data from and you will get fast results. By using this method you can repeatedly use the same survey over a period of time to assess any changes that may be taking place. A disadvantage of this method is that survey design often requires special skills from the researcher in sampling proper question design and analysis. Another weakness is open questions can create a lot of data which is time consuming to analyse and it may also put people off participating. Surveys might not be accessible to all members, such as foreign workers or people with disabilities. Another drawback is that it is difficult to get people to participate as it takes too much time to complete or they cannot be bothered. Risk mapping By using the risk mapping method, it can highlight to workers any potential hazards that they may be exposed to, and any physical, chemical or biological problems that might arise when doing the job. Workplace risk mapping is a technique where workers can get together to get these concerns down on paper. This approach takes the control away from experts like health and safety professionals, by using the knowledge of workers and acknowledging the essential contribution they make, and are developed from everyday experiences. Risk maps can be enhanced if the hazards are coded using colours or symbols, it may even be possible to match these codes to areas with body mapping results. An advantage of using this method is that it can allow workers to keep track of management’s activities to remedy the hazards the map has identified. A disadvantage of the risk mapping method is workers may lack interest in the process, and wish to ignore hazards in their work area, especially if they have been doing the job for a long time, not wishing to change from what they have been doing (they may be scared of change). A weakness can be seen to be employers not enforcing the findings of the risk mapping, therefore encouraging members to work unsafely. There could be an issue with members not wanting to take part due to a worry of pressure from management to ‘get the job done’. A weakness could be that if there is a lack of commitment from employers once issues have been highlighted, there could be a delay in the risk being removed or controlled. Conclusion and recommendations After analysing various types of research methods, it is clear that no method is perfect. It seems that depending upon the type of data required, this may determine which method is best to be rolled out. Even the possibility that one research method might not be enough to get all data required (the body mapping method may only be a starting point), and so more than one method may be suitable in certain cases. From analysing this data, when approaching the workforce it may be better to use more than one approach in order to accurately report potential risks to management. This approach will not only make the data more precise, but also make the case more conclusive. After looking into all the different research methods I intend to recommend that either the TU or the company, or both utilise some of the research methods, starting with body mapping and leading on from there to other techniques.

Family Diversity Essay

The nuclear family is portrayed as the perfect family on most advertising. The ‘cereal packet’ family, dad, mum and two kids all perfectly bronzed and all smiles usually seen on TV adverts. Rapoport and Rapoport would suggest that this is not the case any longer due to increased family diversity. They identified five different types of family diversity in Britain. Organisational diversity refers to division of labour within the family and differences in the ways family roles are organised. Cultural diversity is diversity due to religious and ethnic influences. Social class diversity- there is differences between working and middle classes in terms of adult relationships, the socialisation of children etc. Life course diversity, as different stages in the life cycle will generate different patterns of structure e. g. newly weds have a different structure and life style to those with children. Cohort diversity refers to specific times in the past which could have had an effect on the family structure. Eversley and Bonnerjea identified six types of regional diversity. The ‘sunbelt’ – the affluent south with higher class two parent families. The ‘geriatric wards’ – coastal areas with retired couples. The old declining industrial areas of the north- traditional extended family structures. The inner city- single parent families and ethnic minorities. The newly declining industrial areas of the Midlands- dominated by diverse structures. Rural areas- typified by extended families. The New Right are not happy with the increase in family diversity seen above as they believe there is only one correct family which is the patriarchal nuclear family with a clear cut division of labour between instrumental (males) and expressive (females) roles. They see this family as natural and based on fundamental biological differences. The New Right argue that the increase in family diversity is the cause of lots of social problems such as higher crime rates and educational failure. They argue that family breakdown (where the family is no longer a patriarchal nuclear family) increases the risks to children.

Free Essays on Elderly Suicide

Free Essays on Elderly Suicide Elderly suicide is becoming a major problem in today's society. A case study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in January of 1996, proposed that the suicide rates among people age 65 and older has increased since 1980 (Devons, 1996). A study conducted in 1991 showed the suicide rates among the elderly were also 50% higher then those among younger people. Many people in society, however, still tend to devote much of their attention toward younger people who commit suicide (Futurist, 1991). Something needs to be done to get people to focus on elderly suicides, to save the lives of our grandparents and great-grandparents. After all, they hold the key to our future, with their good advice and words of wisdom. Elderly people have a greater desire to die and to insure that the act will be fatal. Compared to younger people who attempt suicide, elderly people are four times more likely to be successful (Leo, 2001). Most often, elderly people who attempt suicide truly want to die, while younger people who attempt suicide are usually calling for help or attempt the act as a way to manipulate their family and/or friends. Elderly people are not angry, nor do they want revenge. They simply want to leave the world and feel the peace that death will give them (Glass, 1993). Most elderly suicides take place at home while they are alone. Suicide notes may be left behind for family members, providing information regarding what to do with remaining finances, and information regarding his/her burial wishes. It usually gives no clue, however, as to why the person committed suicide (Leo, 2001). The number of suicides committed by the elderly may be greatly underestimated for a number of reasons. Some being: 1) they may overdose on prescribed medications which may go unreported, 2) they may commit what Devons referred to as "chronic" or "passive" suicide, which is when a person loses the will to live and stops taking care o...

The 7 Things That Really Look Good on a College Application

The 7 Things That Really Look Good on a College Application SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What looks good on a college application? It’s the question nearly every high school student will ask at some point while applying to college. But is there a clear answer? Fortunately, theanswer is yes! Read onto learn what colleges look for in applicants, what looks really good on a college application, and what kinds of myths there are about good things to put on a college application. What Are Colleges Looking for in Applicants? Everyone applying to college has wondered, "What exactly are colleges looking for in applicants?" In other words, what looks good on a college application? While all colleges are different, of course, with some valuing certain qualities or skills more or less than other schools, allcolleges generally look forsmart, studious, ambitious, and passionate students. Therefore, your college application should emphasize your best, most impressive qualities. For example, if you play the violin and want to study music in college, you’ll want to touch on this interest you have in different areas of your application. A good college application will also showcase your sincere interest in the school.You wouldn’t be applying to a college unless you had a reason to want to go there, right?Make sure to explain (especially if you need to write a "Why This College" essay) exactly how you became interested in the school and why you think it's a good fit for you and your goals. You don’t need to be the next Marie Curie or Stephen Hawking (though it certainly doesn’t hurt if you are!), but you should be open to new opportunities and willing to challenge yourself. Overall, the basic point of a college application is to make you stand out from other applicants in a positive, memorable, and unique way. This fact is especially important in light of how many first-year applications colleges receive each year.According to the 2018 report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the number of first-year applications received by US colleges increased by 4% from fall 2016 to fall 2017. The report found that "the average number of applications for each admission office staff member (excluding administrative staff) for the Fall 2017 admission cycle was 791 for public institutions and 426 for privates." These trends indicate that your application will definitely need to leave a lasting impression on the admissions committee if you hope to get into that school. The degree by which you must stand out from other applicants will depend on how selective a particular school is.In general, the more selective a college is, the more impressive and unique your application will have to be. Finally, what looks good on an application will vary depending on the college and what the college values.For instance, at colleges that don’t place a big emphasis on standardized tests, a high SAT score likely won’t be much of a factor in admissions. This is just a general overview of what colleges look for in applicants. So what looks really good on a college application? Up next, we look at the specific qualities you should strive to include on your application so you can raise your chances of getting accepted. What Looks Good on a College Application? 7 Key Elements In addition to key personality traits, such as ambition, passion, genuine interest, and academic curiosity, what looks really good on a college application? In general, a great application will have most or all of the following elements: A high GPA (relative to what admitted students have) and a rigorous curriculum Strong test scores (relative to what admitted students have) A specific, honest, and well-written personal statement A unique extracurricular interest or passion (a "spike," as we like to call it) Volunteering experience with measurable impact Compelling letters of recommendation written on your behalf Work experience, particularly jobs related to your academic or professional interests It’s OK if you don’t have every single quality listed above, but if you do, your chances of getting accepted to the college of your dreams will go way up! Now then, let’s take a look at each of these qualities in more detail. #1: Excellent Grades in Challenging Courses The first important part of the college application is the transcript, which consists of your GPA and the names and types of classes you’ve taken in high school. Most people believe a high GPA (the definition of which can vary at different colleges) will make an application stronger.And this is true! According to NACAC, 80.9% of colleges ranked grades in high school classes considerably important.In fact, this factor was ranked the most important of any in the report. What’s truly important, though, isn’t that you simply have a high GPA overall but rather that you have a GPA that's higher than the average GPA of admitted students at the college you're applying to. To find a college's average GPA, search "[School Name] PrepScholar admission requirements" on Google and then click our database link to that school.This page will show you what the school's average GPA is, in addition to other admission requirements. For example, if you want to apply to Notre Dame, you would search for "Notre Dame PrepScholar admission requirements" and click the link to our Notre Dame admission reqs page, which looks like this: As you can see, Notre Dame's average (weighted) GPA for admitted applicants is 4.04.As a result, if you're applying here, you’ll want to have a GPA of at least 4.04, preferably higher so you will be an above-average applicant. It’s not just about getting a high GPA, though; you must also take a range of challenging courses throughout high school if you really wish to impress an admissions committee.This means you’ll want to take not just basic-level classes but also someAP, honors, and/or IB courses, particularly in subjects you are good at and might want to continue to study in college or major in. The 2018 NACAC report found that a whopping 80.6% of colleges ranked an applicant’s rigor of curriculum moderately or considerably important. Think about it: though a perfect 4.0 might look great at an initial glance, if you got this high GPA by only taking the easiest classes available and didn’t challenge yourself with higher-level coursework, your transcripts aren’t likely to impress college admissions officers that much. Even if you started high school with lower grades, an upward grade trend is a great point to emphasize on your application.This suggeststhat you’re capable of bouncing back from any difficulties you might face and are willing to put in the work necessary for excelling in college. #2: High Test Scores Test scores, mainly SAT/ACT scores, are another key part of college applications (unless, of course, you’re applying to colleges that don’t require test scores). On the NACAC report, 83.1% of colleges believe admission test scores are at least moderately important.This is why it’s vital that you try to get as high an SAT/ACT score as you can, ideally one in at least the 75th percentile for your colleges. The 75th percentile means that 75% of admitted students at a particular school achieved this score or lower. Reaching (or surpassing)this threshold means that you’re scoring higher than most other admitted applicants are- and well above that college's average score. To find the middle 50% (that is, the 25th and 75th percentile SAT/ACT scores) for a school, search on Google for "[School Name] PrepScholar admission requirements."Click the link to our page for the school to see its requirements, including its average SAT/ACT scores. For example, say you’re planning to apply to NYU.Here's what the SAT scores section on NYU’s PrepScholar admission reqs page looks like: Here, we can see the average SAT score for NYU is 1410- that’s pretty high, in the 95th percentile! To really stand out as an applicant, though, you’ll want to aim for at least the 75th percentile. For NYU, that's1500, whichcorresponds to the 99th percentile, or the top 1% of test takers. Since you’re likely applying to more than just one school, you’ll need to set an SAT/ACT goal score, that is, a score high enough to get you into all the colleges you're applying to. To set a goal score, start by making a chart of all the schools you're applying to.You can make your own chart or download a blank template. Below is a sample SAT goal score chart: School Name 25th Percentile Score 75th Percentile Score Marquette University University of Wisconsin- Madison Michigan State University University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Next, look up the 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores for each of the schools you’re applying to using our PrepScholar admission requirements pages. (Follow the steps above for NYU to learn how to do this.) Once you've got these scores, write them in your chart as so: School Name 25th Percentile Score 75th Percentile Score Marquette University 1140 1370 University of Wisconsin- Madison 1280 1470 Michigan State University 1050 1310 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 1310 1480 Now, look at all the 75th percentile scores in your chart.The highest score will be your goal score, as this is the one most likely to get you into all the schools you’re applying to. With our example chart, the highest score is 1480, or the 75th percentile score for the University of Illinois.By getting a 1480 or higher, you’ll be getting an impressive score not just for this school but also for Marquette, UW Madison, and MSU, thereby raising your chances of getting into all colleges you’re applying to. #3: Sincere, Specific, and Well-Written Essays The personal statementis an important part of your college application as it’s one of the only areas where you can really showcase your personality. According to the 2018 NACAC survey, 53.6% of schools consider application essays moderately or considerably important.While some colleges don’t require essays, those that do usually place at least moderate importance on them. So how can you ensure your essay will impress the admissions committee? Generally,colleges are looking for three main qualities in a personal essay: Honesty: What you write about should have actually happened to you and should be how you actually feel. Exaggerating details and outright lying are big no-noes here! Specificity: Using concrete details to effectively convey your thoughts, view, and experiences will make your essay a lot more memorable, personable, and- most importantly- unique. Eloquence: Don’t expect to get accepted anywhere if your essay is poorly written and full of grammar and spelling errors. A great personal statement has a sensible organization, tells a compelling story, and is completely free of technical errors. Below are some steps you can take to guarantee that your essay will have all three qualities. Step 1: Brainstorm Significant Moments From Your Life What you write about for your college essay will vary depending on the prompt(s) you’re given from your school or the prompt you choose (for example, the Common App and Coalition App allow you to choose from among several prompts for your essay). In general, you’ll want to pick a topic that meets the following criteria: It really happened and was significant to you: If you’re writing about a specific incident, it should be something that actually happened and that had a large impact on how you define yourself, your goals, and/or your interests. It’s specific and interesting: Don’t write about a broad, universal topic that can apply to tons of other applicants as well. Instead, focus on an event, issue, person, or struggle that’s unique to you and your life. It reveals something important about you: The essay is meant to highlight something you think the admissions committee should know about you, such as a personality trait you have, how you overcame some sort of challenge, or how you became interested in a field of study. It has a positive lean: While you don’t need to pick a topic that’s overly light or cheery, it should still have an ultimately positive lean that reveals something good about you rather than something bad, controversial, or immoral. Step 2: Write Your Essay The next step is to actually begin writing your essay.Don’t worry too much about grammar and flow at this point; just get down your ideas and start deciding which details and examples might work well in your essay. As you write, remember to channel your inner voice.This essay should sound like the real you, not an imitation of what you think colleges want to hear.So if you’re the sarcastic type, you might want to include a joke or two, for instance. Don't forget that the essay is a way for the admissions committee to learn more about you, so don’t shy away from your true self! On that same note, it’s OK to get creative here. The essayisn't an academic essay you’d write for English class- it's a story. Feel free to inject your writing with various literary techniques, such as a non-chronological organization, realistic dialogue, and memorable imagery. Lastly, make sure you’re sufficiently answering the prompt and are abiding by all technical requirements (such as length).You can check a college's essay requirements by referring to its application requirements page or by reading the instructions on the Common App, Coalition App, or Universal College App websites (if submitting your application through one of these platforms). An essay that's too long might get cut off when you submit it electronically, so be sure it adheres to all the requirements. Step 3: Edit and Proofread Several Times Once you have a rough draft of your college essay, it’s time to polish it up for submission. The best way to edit is to put your essay away for a few days.This will give you some distance away from your writing, allowing you to look back at your essay later with a fresher perspective. As you reread your essay, mark any areas in it that are unclear, awkward, or irrelevant to the main point you're trying to make with it.You should also correct any obvious typos or errors,such as mistakes in grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Once you’ve done this process a few times, give your essay to someone to read.Ideally, this will be a person you trust, such as a parent, teacher, counselor, or tutor.Have the person you choose offer clear feedback on your essay and check that you've met all requirements.Edit your essay as needed in accordance with the comments you get. After you’ve finished all of this, you should now have a perfect college essay to submit with your application! #4: A Spike in Your Extracurriculars Almost every college will want to know what kinds of extracurricular activities you do or have done in your spare time. Indeed, 38.5% of colleges surveyed regard students' extracurricular activities moderately or considerably important.Ask yourself: what are your interests outside of school and how do you engage in them? The trick here is to provide not a list of all the random activities you've done but rather a detailed overview of one to two of your most passionate interestsand any big achievements you've made in them. In other words, you need to figure out what your "spike" is, a concept which PrepScholar co-founder and Harvard alum Allen Cheng describes in his expert guide on how to get into the Ivy League. To put it simply, aspike is deep accomplishment in and knowledge of a particular field. As an example, say you plan to major in biology. You’ll stand out as an applicant if you have tons of biology- or science-related experiences under your belt.Maybe you’re part of your school’s biology club, or maybe you volunteered at a local research lab, which taught you the basics of handling lab equipment. In addition to having a variety of experiences and sufficient background knowledge in the field, you want to highlight any relevant major accomplishments you have.For instance, maybe you won a science fair your sophomore year of high school; most recently, you submitted an award-winning invention idea to a national contest As you can see, this concept of the spike is the opposite of being well rounded, which most students assume they need to be (read the next section to learn more about this myth). If you’re not sure what your spike is just yet, take some time to try out new activities and explore any interests you have, both in and outside of school. Over time you should start to get a feel for what you're passionate about and what you can see yourself committing to in the future. #5: Compelling Letters of Recommendation Most colleges require at least one letter of recommendation from either your high school counselor or a high school teacher (or both). The 2018 NACAC survey indicates that 53.5% of colleges consider teacher recommendations at least moderately important, while a higher 56.9% consider counselor recommendations the same. Therefore, we can say it’s pretty important to secure great recommendation letters for your application. If you’re asking for a letter from a teacher, make sure tochoosesomeone whose class you got a high grade in (ideally an A) and who is familiar with your abilities, ambitions, and interests. Typically, you'll need to submit at least one letter from a teacher who taught a core class (so math, English, science, or social studies/history). It’s a good idea to also get a letter from a teacher who works in the field you plan to major in.So if you got an A in AP English and plan to major in English, asking that teacher for a recommendation letter would give a great boost to your application. While you don’t have to be best buddies with the teacher you ask, they should definitely know you well, beyond the classroom, so they can effectively explain to admissions committees what makes you special, that is, what makes you worth admitting. For example, if you did research with a particular teacher, are part of a club this teacher coaches or leads, or helped out this teacher with a project, this would be a good person to ask to write a letter for you. Once you’ve secured a recommendation letter writer, be sure to provide them with any materials or information they might need to help them craft a compelling letter. #6: Volunteering Experience With Measurable Impact Colleges love it when an applicant has not simply volunteered but has also made a measurable impact with their volunteering efforts.What does this mean exactly? If you have volunteered somewhere or for an organization, your assistance should have resulted in a noticeable, positive change to the group, community, or area you were aiming to help. For instance, say you volunteered at a local library.Maybe the library was struggling to get funds to continue operating, and you came up with the idea to hold a 24-hour reading marathon in order to raise money.The fundraiser ended up making more than $5,000, a figure that would be a concrete indicator of the positive impact your service had on the library. Withyour college application, then, you could specifically mention how your initiative allowed the library to remain open. Note that you don’t need to have assumed a leadership role in order to have made a positive impact through your service. That said, college admissions committees are often very big fans of students who show evidence of their budding leadership skills. #7: (Relevant) Work Experience Although you’re certainly not required to work a part-time job in high school, having some work experience on your college applications, especially any jobs that are related to what you want to study or do professionally, will help you stand out in a positive way. Even if your job isn't connected to a long-term academic or career goal you have, any (part-time) work experience you have will be great to put down on your application because itemphasizes your sense of responsibility, maturity, and willingness to work for your goals,key qualities that are usually considered important for success in college. Also, if you have any room on the application to elaborate on your job, I suggestexplaining why you initially took the job and what values or skills it's taught you, such as the importance of responsibility or how to work with certain equipment that you’ll likely use again in the future. 4 Myths About What Looks Good on a College Application What looks really good on a college application?Many students think they know, but the truth is that there are a lot of myths out there about what you should include on your application. Below, we introduce to you the top four myths about what looks good on college applications. Myth 1: Being Well Rounded Is Critical for Success One of the most pervasive myths out there about what looks good on a college application is the idea of being well rounded. Many students assume they'll need to have tons of extracurricular activities on their applications; this, they believe, will emphasize their array of interests as well as their knowledge of a variety of fields. But all this really tells admissions committees is that you’re stretching yourself too thin and (most likely) lack focus on a specific endeavor in your life. What colleges actually want to see is a spike,that is,a single passion. This allows colleges to get a clearer feel for who you are, what you’re interested in, and what your goals are. Having a spike lets you stand out in a truly meaningful way, whereas being well rounded will make you forgettable and seem too similar to other applicants. Spikes are especially important at highly selective colleges and universities, such as Harvard, Yale, and other Ivy League-level schools. You can read more about how to develop a spike in our guide to getting into the Ivy League. If you aim for well rounded, you'll start to look like everyone else. Myth 2: Essays Aren’t That Important After Time published a 2014 article onwhy college application essays don’t actually matter all that much, students began to fear that all their hard work on their statements wouldn’t mean much in the end, if at all. But while some colleges don’t require personal essays, most colleges do require at least one or two essays- and will place a decent amount of emphasis on it, especially if it is being used as a deciding factor between two otherwise equally qualified applicants. Even though you should approach the essay seriously, it’s still generally rare for an exceptionally well-written essay to make up for tons of low grades and poor test scores.On the flip side, if you have a great application but a badly written essay, that essay alone could get you rejected! Therefore, make sure that you’re following all the steps listed above so you can craft the perfect statement for your application. Myth 3: An A in an Easy Class Is Better Than a B in a Hard Class Many students believe it’s better to stick to the classes you know you’ll get As in, but this piece of advice is misguided when it comes to college applications. In general, colleges prefer students who challenge themselves by taking an array of difficult classes, such as AP and honors classes. And you don't have to get perfect grades in them.If you get a B in a tough AP class, for example, this will emphasize to the admissions committee that you are willing to take on new challenges and test your limits, traits that are necessary for succeeding in and after college. On the other hand, getting As in all easy classes, though not totally unimpressive, is not nearly as interesting to colleges, as it suggests you’re unwilling to push yourself and further hone your higher-level critical thinking skills. All of this being said, try to avoid getting very low grades in any classes you take (regular or honors/AP). C and D grades obviously won’t look great to an admissions committee, even if you got these grades while challenging yourself in AP classes. If you can’t get at least a B or B+ in a difficult class, it’ll probably be better for you to drop it and switch to either the regular version of that class or an entirely different class altogether. Myth 4: Only Perfect Applicants Get Admitted Many students assume that if they have one little flaw in their application, such as a below-average test score or slightly low grade in a class, their chances of getting admitted to college will be slim to none. This just isn’t true. Yes, a very low test score or a very poor transcript may cause you to get rejected from a college, but many colleges use a holistic admission process, meaningthey look at and consider each individual applicant as a whole. So even if your application has a not-so-stellar component on it, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be a reject. In fact, at particularly selective colleges, such as the Ivy League, you’ll often hear of cases in which ostensibly "perfect" applicants got rejected. This is most likely because they didn't have a spike in their applications (i.e., something that made them stand out). Overall, just try your best to produce the best application you can, and then hope for a good result! Takeaways: What Looks Good on a College Application Applying to college is tough, and knowing what to put on your applications to make yourself stand out is even tougher.What looks really good on a college application? Generally speaking, colleges want to see your passion, intellectual curiosity, willingness to challenge yourself, and academic accomplishments. More specifically, though, colleges typically prefer applicants who have most or all of the following characteristics: Good grades and a challenging course load Strong test scores Honest, specific, and eloquent essays A spike in your extracurricular activities Compelling letters of recommendation Volunteer experience with clear impact on the groups or places you’ve helped Any relevant or impactful work experience Finally, as you apply to college and try to think of good things to put on a college application, make sure you’re aware of the following truths about the application process: It’s better to have a spike than to be well rounded Essays are important! A B in a hard course is more impressive than an A in an easy course You can still get into your dream school even if your application isn’t perfect What’s Next? A great college application will get you admitted.Use our college acceptance calculator to get an estimated percentage of your chance of getting into your dream school, based on your SAT or ACT score and GPA. One thing a great college application can have is a high SAT or ACT score.Get expert tips in our guides on how to get a perfect 36 on the ACT and how to get a perfect 1600 on the SAT. Need help figuring out which colleges to apply to? Our guide teaches you how to narrow down your college choices so that you're applying to the best schools for you. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. 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The contribution of customer satisfaction of after sale service Dissertation

The contribution of customer satisfaction of after sale service - Dissertation Example Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturing company and is one of the largest car manufacturing companies in the world. The stated vision of Audi is â€Å"Audi – the number one premium brand†. As per a strategy document released by Audi named Strategy 2020, Audi aims to achieve the leadership position in premium segment, and wants to consolidate its leadership position in that segment (Audi USA, 2009, p.27). After sales service is one of the most important factors influencing brand loyalty. According to a survey conducted by Bain and Co, â€Å"one of the most powerful techniques for converting buyers into die-hard fans is providing exceptional after-sales service† (Flees & Senturia, 2008). This report will aim to evaluate the existing customer satisfaction level of Audi customers, identify how critical is after sale service towards overall satisfaction, and identify possible areas in after sale service where there is a scope of improvement. These will be eval uated by analysing data collected by administering a questionnaire to the customers who come to the Audi dealer for after sale service. This questionnaire will capture both qualitative and quantitative data. The data collection process will also include interviewing customer facing staff in the dealership and the service manager of the dealer shop. I will be able to have access to Audi Company through my friend who holds a position as a service manager. I will be able to provide a confirmation letter from the company with their approval, in order to carry out the project research proposal. 2. Research questions Explanatory Objectives RQ1: Investigate levels of customer satisfaction with Audi? (This objective will assess and quantify the level of satisfaction that an Audi customer has.) RQ2: Which specific factors in the provision of after sales service affect customer satisfaction? Explanatory Objectives RQ3: identify main reasons for low customer satisfaction of after sales service RQ4: identify the factors that influence customer service from after sales service Developmental Objectives RQ5: evaluate methods that can potentially improve customer satisfaction 3. Research Ethics â€Å"Ethical issues are present in any kind of research. The research process creates tension between the aims of research to make generalizations for the good of others, and the rights of participants to maintain privacy† (Orb, Eisenhauer & Wynaden, 2001, p.1). The entire data collection process will be voluntary in nature where all respondents, including customers, dealer staff and the service manager, will share their responses after explicitly agreeing to participate in the survey. Before the survey is conducted, each respondent will be informed about the nature and goal of the survey. Each respondent will be informed about their nature of involvement in the survey process. Additionally, each respondent will have the right not to participate further at any point of time. In dividual responses as well as the final results of the survey will kept strictly confidential, and all response forms as well as stored data will be destroyed once the analysis is completed to ensure complete privacy of participants. 4. Literature Review RQ1: Investigate levels of customer satisfaction with Audi? There are a multitude of factors that influence the levels of customer satisfaction for a premium, life style brand like Audi. Audi, as discussed above, is a premium car brand that sells high value cars. Till the late 1990s after sale service had been viewed by manufacturing