To Keep Your Customers Keep It Simple free essay sample

Summary of Article Decision Simplicity; what’s the most important thing we can offer potential customers to move them from being interested to actually purchasing our product? The study described in this article suggests that it’s ‘decision simplicity’. The single biggest driver of stickiness, by far, was ‘decision simplicity’- the ease with which consumers can gather trustworthy information about a product and confidently and efficiently weigh their purchase options. What consumers want from marketers is, simply, simplicity. Researchers from the Corporate Executive Board analyzed results from multiple surveys totaled over 7,000 consumers, as well as interview with hundreds of marketing experts and executives, trying to figure out what makes a product ‘stick’. They looked at over 40 variables, trying to figure out what is most important in the choice of one brand over others. The key wasn’t frequency of interaction with the brand, nor was it price, nor was it the consumer’s initial perception of the brand. We will write a custom essay sample on To Keep Your Customers Keep It Simple or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the end, the purchasing decisions are most influenced by which company makes the decision to purchase simple. The article cites an example of two approaches to selling cameras to web searchers; one firm provides visitors access to extensive information about each of its products, while the other focuses on the user’s needs and steers the user to the most appropriate product. The latter approach would be far more successful in today’s marketplace, say the authors. The study showed that the ‘decision simplicity index’, a measure of ease of accessing the information needed to make decision, was highly predictive of sales success. Brands that scored in the top quarter in their study were 86% more likely than those in the bottom quarter to be purchased by the consumers considering them. They were 9% more likely to be repurchased and 115% more likely to be recommended to others. That is awfully dramatic. The answer to make customers purchasing decision simple has been described in three parts as follow: 1. Easy navigation – while every site can benefit from obvious paths to desired information, the best sites will attempt to determine consumer intent from information like search terms used by the visitor. If the consumer can be steered directly to information relevant to their stage of the decision process (e. g. initial product research or final product selection), they will be more likely to stay engaged with the site. . Trustworthy Information – Oddly, perhaps, the information consumers find most trustworthy isn’t impressive research or detailed product data. Rather, it’s commentary from other consumers in the form of reviews, descriptions of intended use, etc. If our site lacks this type of content, it may seem less trustworthy even if the brand itself is respected. 3. Ease of weighing options – Choices takes a toll on our brains. Offering consu mers more choices can actually reduce sales. Sometimes, many products are necessary to serve specific needs and market segments. The solution, according to the authors, is to provide an easy way to compare products and quickly find the one that is most appropriate. Authors also pointed that ‘Intuit’ has made a concerted effort in providing easy navigable, trustworthy information and helping customers weight their options in which eventually it makes their purchasing decisions far simpler though no company has fully integrated the three components of a decision simplicity strategy. Lesson Learnt / Conclusion On top of trying too hard to engage with consumers via social media, marketers are generally pushing out too much information, causing people to over-think purchase decisions and making them more likely to change their minds about a product, be less confident in their choices and less likely remain loyal to the brand. For years, we’ve heard about KISS: Keep it simple, Stupid. This study shows that advice is still highly relevant in appealing to the digitally aware consumer. It’s time to stop overwhelming consumers with marketing information and cut through the clutter. We should take an unconventional approach – forget engagement, increase simplicity.

Indoor And Outdoor Games Children And Young People Essay Essay Example

Indoor And Outdoor Games Children And Young People Essay Essay Example Indoor And Outdoor Games Children And Young People Essay Paper Indoor And Outdoor Games Children And Young People Essay Paper I have selected this subject because I have observed many kid s who are really fond of playing video games became aggressive and violent. They were used to play video games and so seek to use those techniques in existent life which they applied in games for illustration if a child had played racing game and did floating in it and acquire the compliment like Excellent, Nice e.t.c so he/she feels he/she was expert in it and he/she can make it in existent life excessively but when he make it in existent life it may do serious accident which may do his/her decease. While out-of-door games like cricket, football e.t.c. assist us to keep physical and mental wellness, create the spirit of assurance, subject and tolerance and we learn obeisance of regulation. These games promote peace and harmoniousness among people. Games and Human Behavior Games help us to keep physical and mental wellness, create the spirit of assurance, subject, tolerance and do us enthusiastic and some violent picture games can increase aggressive behaviour. In ancient times gymnastic exercises were the lone method of physical exercising. It was really dull and humdrum. Man wished to acquire mental pleasance during physical exercising so he invented many outdoor and indoor games with the transition of clip. The history of the athleticss and games likely extends every bit back as the being of people as purposive sportive and active existences. Sports have been utile manner to increase command of nature and environment for people. The history of athleticss can learn us about societal alterations and about the nature of athletics itself. Sports involves basic human accomplishments being and exercised for their utility. It besides help us to cognize how society has changed its beliefs and hence there are alterations in the regulations. In out-of-door games we have to obey all the regulations so we learn obeisance of regulations. We learn how to move with our comrade participants. In out-of-door games we learn sportsmanship and besides acquire the spirit of sportswoman so, we tolerate the triumph of the opposition party When we play out-of-door games we breathe in muss of fresh air and O which keeps us off from different sort of fatal diseaseaˆˆso it turn away one s head from all sort of tensenesss, jobs and concerns. Games are the of import beginning for the growing and development of head and organic structure. We acknowledge that sitting in forepart of video games, telecasting for hours and hours is non wellness good being out-of-doorss help our kids sleep more good. When they have played out-of-doorss we should non mind if our kids get soiled or foul due to playing out-of-doorss. We should promote them to play and prefer outdoor. The benefits of out-of-door drama can be found in both mentally and physically. We know the benefits, strength endurance and physiques coordination. Playing outside is a value able activity in many ways for babes, yearlings and kindergartners. It promotes their development. Babies, yearlings and kindergartners are centripetal nervus scholars. Besides all wellness benefits it stretches out kids cognition and thought. As grownups we know that we learn through making so we should admit that kids learn from gesture. Playing out-of-doorss cuts down emphasis in kids. Childr en express and work out emotional facets of every twenty-four hours experiences through unstructured drama. Children allowed to play freely with equals learn accomplishments for seeing things through another individual s position, collaborating, sharing, and work outing jobs. Outdoor games help us to command on different fatal diseases such as respiratory, bosom diseases and shot, high blood force per unit area, non insulin dependant, diabetes, fleshiness, back hurting osteoporosis and can better your temper, aid you to better manage emphasis, which besides keeps you off from different psychological issues. It keeps a individual off from smoking and other dependences which are bad for wellness. It deviates one s head from tensenesss, jobs and concerns. Outdoor games teach us different type of accomplishments which help us throughout our life and state us how to manage different type of state of affairs. It gives us assurance which adult male ever lacks and adult male ever need assurance in every state of affairs. It enhances our determination devising. It makes us crisp to pull strings the determination. We learn obeisance of regulations and Torahs, so it teaches us the subject. Tolerance is another factor which it gives us. When we are defeated by the opposite squad it teaches us the tolerance against the winning squad. It besides teaches us the sportsmanship passion and motive. When we are defeated it gives us passion and mark to win following clip. Peoples are so busy in their lives that do non cognize each other life in the same vicinity even they do non cognize their neighbours for old ages and old ages. So when people play together in squads so it gives us a better opportunity to cognize and to interact with each other. In a squad every participant has a different socio-culture background when participants meet each other they portion their moral values, beliefs and norms. Outdoor games bring integrity among people and supply a platform to interchange their civilization, tradition, imposts, positions, ideas and thoughts. Science has made a singular advancement in the field of engineering merely to supply comfort and to function humanity in a better manner. During the last few decennaries our society is confronting a serious job that our young person has involved excessively much in Bet oning at their places for hours and hours but it is really black for their wellness. As we know that Video games have been in being for last many decennaries and turning concerns about their negative influence are really high particularly harmonizing to study held in New York City that those Adolescents who play violent picture games over a figure of old ages become more aggressive and obstinate. Harmonizing to a recent research that violent picture games can alter the encephalon in merely one hebdomad and do participants more hostile and harsh. The most alarming state of affairs is that the offense rate is increasing phenomenally due to violent picture games we have most of the times what we have in those games for ca se bloodshed, monolithic violent deaths, bombardments, sex maltreatment and sexual contents. The biggest illustration of the game that stimulate greater force was the call of responsibility and Anders Breivik, the Norse who killed 77 people, claimed earlier this twelvemonth that he had played picture game Call of Duty to develop himself I have some recent illustrations which are adequate to turn out me right. A 13-year old male child jumped from the edifice s 24thA floor and committed self-destruction after playing War trade III for 36 hours directly. A adolescent went on a violent disorder and killed three work forces, two of them constabulary officers, after months of playing Grand Theft Auto A 17-year-old male killed his female parent and wounded his after they took Halo 3 off from him. A 15-year old ran off from place after his parents took his Xbox console off. His dead organic structure was found about a month after.1 Eric Harris and one of his freinds, Dylan Klebold killed 13 pupils at Columbine High School and so killed themselves on 20th of April 1999. Harmonizing to the statements of their female parents, both were large fans of the Doom, the first-person taw picture game. Is it excessively big of a spring in logic to infer that this violent picture game resulted the brace to execute this awful act of atrocity? 2 More than 130 researches have been carried on more than 130,000 participants around the universe ( Anderson et al. , 2010 ) . These studies prove that violent picture games increase aggressive thoughts, ferocious feelings, physiological stimulation, and aggressive behaviour. Violent games besides decrease helping behaviour and impressions of understanding for others.3 Child s who are really fond of playing video games became aggressive and violent. They were used to play video games and so seek to use those techniques in existent life which they applied in games for illustration if a child had played a racing game and did floating in it and acquire the compliment like Excellent, Nice e.t.c so he/she feels he/she was expert in it and he/she can make it in existent life excessively but when he make it in existent life it may do serious accident which may do his/her decease. It is said, Healthy organic structure creates a healthy head nevertheless, it is merely non possible for everyone to travel on making difficult work at surveies without a interruption. All clip difficult work and survey can ensue into great humdrum. Every pupil after a difficult work needs a alteration, some recreational activity etc and athleticss are the best for this intent. Outdoor games are every bit of import as surveies are. These games help a pupil to keep a good build and sound wellness. If a individual does non take portion in such sort of activities, this will non allow him/her to execute good in faculty members. Games and athleticss create a sense of leading, a sense of assurance in a pupil. At the terminal, out-of-door games are really of import in one s life. These games promote peace and harmoniousness among the people. A pupil must chiefly work hard on his surveies but he can non disregard games and athleticss. It is incorrect to state that playing games and athleticss is wastage of clip. Playing game is instead a originative use of clip but kids should non play violent games as by this he/she might became aggressive. Work CITED Measurements taken from New York times Published on 12 July, 2011 hypertext transfer protocol: //parrishco.com/academic/the-effect-of-violent-video-games-on-the-human-psyche/ Data retrieved on 25/12/2012. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ithp.org/articles/violentvideogames.html Data retrieved on 25/12/2012.

Inventing a Product Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Inventing a Product - Research Proposal Example Their product is of the highest quality and contains Vitamin B12, caffeine, Taurine and Glucoronolactone (Company website). It tastes like most popular energy drinks but without the after taste. They have varied products on offer and all their products are sugar free. The company has now started to bottle and can its energy drink formula as a co-packer for smaller companies (PRP, 2008). Their main product is "Bag in a Box" energy drink concentrate which is mostly bought by bar owners, nightclubs, health clubs, restaurants and convenience stores. They have consumers from all income levels and all ages. They also have energy drink for children and for women. However for the current product the target audience include both men and women from ages 18 till 55 years. The younger segment visits the gym more often early morning. There are plenty of energy drink brands available in the market. While Red Bulkl is leading there are other brands that are available - Wired X3000, Power Trip Energy Drink, Bliss Energy Drink, Gorilla Juice Energy Drink, Zoom, Sobe Energy, XS Citrus Blast, Hype, Wild Bull, and Pitbull. The energy drink market was expected to reach $17bn in 2007 as the market is driven by growing consumer awareness for healthier lifestyles (Merrett, 2007). This segment is expected to grow by 33.7 percent. Thus despite competition and especially because the new product is focused on catering to the segment that exercise early morning, it is envisaged that competition would not be tough for this product. 2. Marketing Objectives 2.1 Short and long-term sales objectives Since this is an entirely new concept, the objective is to derive the early mover advantages. It is envisaged that the company would enter and capture a sizeable market before competition steps in. Eventually, the company intends to enter the global market and no obstacles are foreseen as the product is innovative and demand is huge due to changed lifestyles. The goal is to become market leaders in the energy drink market with wide variety of products on offer. 2.2 Profit generation This is one of the main objectives. It is expected to increase the net profits by about 25% in view of the innovative product and no competition. Besides, the brand is well known and hence the new segment can be easily captured. 3. Strategy The firm's strategy is to attract the existing customers through brand image. This would make the market penetration easier. Based on the innovative product benefits, the marketing strategy has been devised. 3.1 Product strategy3.1.1 Product name The new product that is being introduced has some distinctive features. It is especially meant for those who intend going to gym or swimming early morning. It is supposed to give the consumer a kick-start to the day. When an individual wakes up after 7 or 8 hours of sleep the body glycogen levels are low and during a workout he would using up stored up energy. Thus this product would be able to provide the needed energy early morning and hence the demand is expected to be high due to the demand for healthier lifestyles. This would be the product package with the company logo Samson Energy Drink trademark being same as for all the other products. The product is called Samson Fit which itself

Buyer Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Buyer Behavior - Essay Example Globalization has contributed to the complete transformation of the fashion industry coaxing the fashion magazines to cater to a wider consumer base, and include articles, editorials and fashion insights which are globally competent and relevant. Vogue and Elle, are two of the oldest and most esteemed brands in the world of fashion which have the power to influence societal ideologies through their articles and depiction of women’s fashion. The magazines’ primary goal of catering to the huge female customer base, and their association with known international brands, by way of advertisements and sponsors, have contributed to the creation of a unique brand image. Clothes represent identity and the fashion magazines such as Vogue and Elle bank on their grasp on the industry, to promote their respective products by indulging in aspirational marketing tactics, and endorsing the concept of self-esteem and image of their female consumers (Tungate, 2008; Easey, 2009). Fashion, in contemporary times has assumed greater significance, and has become an inevitable part of our cultural identities. Clothes today are not mere pieces of garment but symbols of one’s self-image, personality, status and values as well (Craik, 2009). Recently there has been a slight shift in the target market segment for fashion magazines, which initially catered to a young female consumer. Due to changing cultural ideologies, the concept of fashion which was invariably associated with youth and beauty, has now begun to accommodate a wider age group, as is apparent from the marketing strategy of Vogue. Beauty and fashion are no longer restricted to age younger age groups. High end magazines such as Vogue for instance, are breaking this cultural conundrum by catering to women... The study of consumer behaviour that is presented in this essay helps the management in establishing a marketing strategies and in marketing their products to the specific target markets identified in the process. As observed in the case of Vogue and Elle magazines, that are used as examples in this essay, the fashion magazines mostly cater to high end fashion conscious female consumers, hence the target market for both the magazines, more or less, comprise of consumers with similar characteristics. The buying behaviour of the consumers is influenced by their perception of self, which is used as a fundamental frame of reference while buying any brand or a product. The final decision to buy a product is influenced by matching this self image with the qualities endorsed by the brand. The premier fashion magazines, have also included innovative marketing tactics, that were described in the essay, such as including intelligently scripted editorial sections, and simultaneously retaining t heir lavish fashion spreads by way of adverts featuring high end lifestyle brands such as perfumes. Almost all the fashion magazines bank on the revenues from advertising as their primary source of cash inflows, their brand positioning and market segmentation strategies, are of key significance to both the fashion stalwarts. In conclusion, the researcher states that Vogue and Elle, have so far successfully stayed afloat in the industry which is growing at a rapid rate, thus indicating their successful marketing strategies.

Management - Elements of Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management - Elements of Decision Making - Essay Example Management helps to overcome these problems at the time of making any effective decision (Monahan, 2000). In this paper, the complex problem of ethical concerns especially in decision-making relating to quality assurance and determining competitive market price will be taken into concern. Ethical Concerns in Decision-Making Every managerial decision affects the performances of the organizations by a considerable level. In general, ethical concerns in decision-making involve conflicts of interest in which individuals had to select and implement their own ideas. The issues relating to shareholders, customers as well as companies can be considered as one of the important ethical concerns in decision-making. Moreover, the other imperative ethical concerns particularly in decision-making encompass misuse of available resources, intimidating behavior of the individuals, discrimination, environmental issues, fraud, intellectual property rights along with privacy related issues. It can be st ated these ethical concerns can harm the overall performances of a company by a greater extent (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2012). Significant Areas of Ethical Concerns in Decision-Making There are certain crucial areas of ethical concerns in decision-making. ... In this competitive market, the organizations often face the challenge to provide quality products at a lesser price. The organizations must ensure the deliverance of quality products to their valuable customers by considering the significant ethical concern of price. The decision-making about the ethical concern towards pricing might support an organization to compete with its chief business market competitors at large (Harinder, Attracta, & Jimmie, 2004). Competitive Market Marketing decisions that undertakes by different organizations are considered to be quite uncertain. It has been viewed that the organizations determine competitive market price while offering their different products to the customers with the intention of attaining superior competitive position over the chief business market participants. With regard to the ethical concerns in decision-making, the organizations should remain fair in setting the prices of the products (Erkan & Tunker, 2007). Critical Evaluation From the overall analysis, it can be comprehended that management plays an imperative role in the process of decision-making. It possesses certain critical barriers that could be overcome. The decisions that adopts by the managers on behalf of an organization ultimately observed to affect the purchasing behavior of the customers and its overall performances. In relation to determine the ethical concern in decision-making, it is quite important for the business managers to keep in mind the interests of the people involved with the company. Apart from these, the organizations also need to keep in mind certain other major aspects that include issues related to business, production as well as marketing that will ultimately benefit the company in the long run. In addition, the

Ryanair: PESTEL and Porters Five Analysis

Ryanair: PESTEL and Porters Five Analysis 1.0 Introduction Ryanair is an Ireland based airline company and it involved in commercial aviation business since 1986, operating scheduled passenger airlines, serving short haul and point to point routes primarily between Ireland, Britain and Europe. It is the pioneers of low fare airline in Europe and even until now Ryanair is the only airline that offers cheapest air fare to passengers travel around Europe. Micheal OLeary is the CEO of Ryanair, holds 4.6% stake of the company, His dynamic low fare strategies along with the evolution of Ryanair have had led to burst of many budget airlines and some of them had been bought by Ryaniar around Europe, simply because of their inability to compete with Ryanair. European aviation industry is wider, but squeezed with many incumbents that are operating both short haul and long haul routes. As European short haul airline market segment is price sensitive, Ryanair handles no frills strategy and charges lowest price from its customers. In order to obtain bett er margin in the low fare demanding market Ryanair held in a position of cost leader and fundamental low fare strategy supports for rapid growth of its business. The strategic capabilities underpinned by its unique resources and core competences are the preliminary constituents for Ryanair to be a cost leader and offer low fares. This will be explained in detail under below topics about the feasibility of various strategic circumstances. 2.0 External Analysis: The analysis of Macro-environment explores core cause of factor; assess the nature of effects and immediacy. PESTEL analysis has been undertaken to evaluate the external environment of Ryanair. 2.1 PESTEL Analysis: (P)olitical/(L)egal factors: Preferential Treatment of home base airlines in some countries, at the same time they prevent thriving foreign companies and inflict them in more operational cost. Increased terrorists activities have prompted airline industry to tighten security measures and alleged terrorist plots will adversely affect flight turn-around time. Detrimental mental effects are also possible due to any terrorists plots targeted on Ryanair. The rapidly changing government rules and regulations are an inevitable legal factor for Ryanair. This will be discussed in detail under suppliers bargaining power. (E)conomic factors: The instability in fuel price cause major problem for airline industry. If they do not hedge, the fuel price hike is inevitable and they need to find cost savings in other spheres of business when the fuel price is soared. Ryanair was especially more vulnerable to fuel price rises in the past. For example: In the last quarter of 2008, when the fuel price was in its hike, Ryanair reported losses of $130 million dollar and it blamed a 71% increase in the price paid for fuel during the quarter due to the abnormal surge of fuel price of more than $ 1,100 a ton (K, Capel. Airline. The Telegraph, Feb 2 2009.). (E)nvironmental factors: As the world is heading towards more and more greener, all governments taking appropriate measures to control greenhouse gases from carbon emission which would lead to catastrophic human and economic consequences. Ryanair has network virtually in all European countries, so it is more vulnerable to all EU environmental rules and regulations. The mounting pressure on EU laws to tax aviation fuel and anticipated charges on environmental pollution by airlines would have direct impact to Ryanair. (T)echnological factors: Technological factors such as internet, innovative developments in telecommunications such as video conferencing, instant messaging, web conferencing etc. will mean less need for travel, especially on scenarios such as business meetings. 3.0 Industry environment: 3.1 Segmentation and positioning: Ryanair is positioned in the lowest fare segment and has least customer experience among other budget airlines in the European market. The market segment for its rivalries is broader with larger geographical area including operations to main airports, whereas Ryanairs networks are limited only to low cost secondary airports with smaller geographical area. Ryanair predominantly focuses on only people who are desperate for low fare and it has no separate segment for people who want luxury service or business class. Despite, Ryanairs continuous traffic growth, shows that the people wanting low fare in European market are tremendous and European market is for the low fare short-haul carriers. Perhaps, high air fare carriers neither cope up nor sustain against low fare carriers. The competitive position is deeply elaborated in section 3.2. 3.2 Porters five forces: Industry environment analysis figures out the foreseeing competitive pressure in European aviation and the profitability of the industry likely to be in future. It explores the magnitude impact of Threat of substitutes, Threat of Entrants, Rivalries in European market, bargaining power of supplier and bargaining power of customers. Rivalries: The high rivalry impacts for Ryanair are from Easy Jet, Air Lingus, Lufthansa, Iberia, SAS, Airfrance, KLM and Air Lingus. Few airlines (Easy Jet, Air lingus and Lufthansa) the first three of them are roughly more or less equal in size to Ryanair and some of their performances are even better in terms of customer service. This is considered as a significant threat to Ryanair. Despite, among all short-haul carriers Ryanair is the cost leader with having highest market share in the European market. Although Ryanair has firmly improving its competitive advantage, the core strategy of the company is to maintain the operational cost as minimum and offer low fare to customers, which is virtually same among its rivalries, but the outstanding scenario is Ryanair constantly creates new paths to bring down the operational cost . Threat of New Entrants: The short haul no frill airline market is a highly profitable business in Europe so far, while long haul market in Europe is experiencing huge losses like Air Lingus long haul airlines. So, the business scope in the short-haul market may attract new entrants. Although, European airline industry is de-regulated and open for both national and international companies, Airline business is not something like setting up a dot.com with minimum capital in anticipated profit. Hefty capital investment is required to acquire route, fleet, set up flight maintenance centre, building infrastructure etc in order to establish an operation. Industry knowledge and time associated with entry are significant for companies that want to start short haul airline business in Europe from other industries such as tourism and Rail way etc, but for airline companies from some other market like Asia, South America, North America and Australia can trace out the European market in some extent and such huge investm ents also may be affordable for them. Threat of substitutes: The threat of substitute is possible threat for Ryanairs traffic growth as passengers tendency to switch to other means of transport such as buses, trains and cruise. This kind of threat has medium effect over Ryanair, despite, the ubiquity of other means of transport to travel across European countries. Particularly rapid growth of railway network is considered to be a most influential substitute for short haul air travel across Europe. Congestion in airports and difficulties (such as boarding, airport journey) involved in air travel could cause passengers more likely to choose railway. Some government like U.K is substantially funding for the expansion of high-speed rail networks to and from Europe, especially to curb short haul carriers through heavier taxation due to the pressure arising from the environmental groups to cut down carbon emission by domestic aviation. The government intervention to establish better rail links in other countries such as France, Germany and the Nethe rlands is more vulnerable to Ryanairs routes in those countries (Dan Milmo 2009. The Guardian. 5th Aug). Bargaining power of supplier: Aircraft Supplier: In aviation Boeing and Airbus plays duopoly in manufacturing passenger aircrafts. Boeing is the main aircraft supplier for Ryanair, since its establishment. In terms of supplier bargaining power, Ryanair holds significant scale of power over Boeing, as it can easily switch to Airbus anytime in-case of high price charged by Boeing. The recent Micheal O Learys announcement of negotiation with Air Lingus evidenced the high bargaining power over its Aircraft supplier (Sarah Arnott., 2008. Ryanair looks to order 400 aircraft in plans for massive expansion. The Independent, 8th Aug.). Airports: The enforcement of new rules and regulations by airport authorities are inevitable, eventually they have more control on their bases with both short haul and long carriers airlines operating in any government airports. Ryanair has been either strongly protesting or recklessly withdrawing and switching its routes to alternative airports, at bases wherever it is experiencing significant problems. For example: Recently Manchester Airports Group refused to bring down its prices, which resulted Ryanair to pull nine out of its ten Manchester routes(Sarah Arnott., 2009. Price dispute sees Ryanair cut nearly all Manchester flights. The Independent, 18th Aug.). So, Ryanair can switch its destinations easily in case of its bargain does not take lead. Ryanair holds substantial power in the other spheres of suppliers such as staff recruitment agency, food providers and ancillary product suppliers etc due to substantial availability of those kind of suppliers in the market. Bargaining power of customer: European market is almost saturated with many airline companies including premium services to economy classes. Bargaining power of customers is high as low budget airline a commodity today and presence of more substitutes in European market. Ryanair had shrunken the bargaining leverage to its bottom with no other airlines could possibly offer such low fares, as the result that Ryanair is having extra-ordinary performance in traffic growth consistently year by year, but this growth is uncertain if Ryanair pushes its fare up. More people travelling on Ryanair, because they like the fare and can easily afford it. 3.3 Value Networks and Business Partners: It is necessary to analyse value creating areas in Ryanairs Industry value chain, which consolidates it competitive advantage by delivering those precious values to customers. According to porter, 1985, Value chain of any organization comprises of two activities, primary and secondary activities. Primary activities are directly concerned with delivery of service and that includes inbound logistics, operation, outbound logistics, marketing, sales and services. The support activities include administrative infrastructure management, human resource management, technology and procurement. Inbound logistics: Stock control of Food, beverages and Ancillary sale items: Although, Ryanair is a no frills airline, it is making huge profit through the sales of food, beverages and Ancillary items. Ryanair manages strong relationship with various foods and beverages suppliers, in-order to receive quality standard goods and on time delivery, which adds value throughout its value chain. Route selection and airport base: Ryanair only selects low cost route with the anticipation of traffic growth. Ryanair has strong relationship with various airport authorities around Europe, thus they provide subsidies in exchange for high traffic and low fares. Jet fuel: This is the most significant input that Ryanair has to scrutinize, as jet fuel contributes around half of the operating cost. Well hedged contracts will minimise cost, so recent hedging arrangements adds value to get control of fuel cost in some extent. Aircrafts and Maintenance: Deployment of single type aircraft Boeing 737-800. Operation: Ryanairs operational activities includes passenger check-In, loading ancillary and catering items in the flights, baggage check-In, Hospitality, In-flight services and daily flight operations. Contemporary online check-in system reduces cost associated with staff and avoids passenger queues in airports, thus it provides convenient journey for passengers. This adds value by enabling quick turnover of flights and prompt minimum waiting time of flights at airports. Additionally, Ryanair has contractors at certain airports for ticketing, passengers and aircraft handling (Includes loading various goods into aircraft) as well as for engine repairs and heavy maintenance at competitive rates. (Ryanair, 2004. Annual Report 2008-2009. [Online]. Available at: http://www.ryanair.com/doc/investor/2009/Annual_report_2009_web.pdf. [Accessed 10 Jan, 2010) This third party contracts are more cost-efficient than Ryanair perform these activities itself. Productivity-based incentives, this includes sales bonuses for on-board sale of products by flight attendance to increase ancillary revenue through reward mechanism and pilots are remunerated based on number of hours or sectors flown, which c uts unnecessary staff cost. Ryanair facilitate the usage of onboard mobile and electronic device for its passengers in order to add value for customers. Marketing, Sales, Services and Outbound Logistics: Ryanair advertise its seasonal fares and other company related commercial advertisements on its fleet with zero advertisement costs. Furthermore special ticket offers are being advertised on its website to promote sales. In order to curb substantial operational cost and tackle high number of booking, Ryanair has introduced new Online Reservation System in addition to the host system. The system new has been provided and maintained by an outside contractor, Navaitire. (Ryanair, 2004. Annual Report 2008-2009. [Online]. Available at: http://www.ryanair.com/doc/investor/2009/Annual_report_2009_web.pdf. [Accessed 5, Jan, 2010) It adds value for passengers by increasing system speed and avoid Ryanair is being on exposure to the risk of resolving system failure issues. There is no sales agent commission adds value on passengers fare and it adds value in terms of the distribution cost aggregate nearly to zero and convenient journey for passengers. Online baggage claiming system for baggage l ost passengers, which adds value to passengers as it is an easy way to claim their bags. 4.0 Resources and Capabilities: 4.1 Resources: Resources allocation and capabilities development are the source to gain competitive advantage for a company, while the market and environment establish constraints and pressures. Resources of Ryanair are basically what it holds as productive assets and can be differentiated into three different forms, tangible, intangible and human resources. Capabilities are what it can achieve by exploiting opportunities in the external environment and efficient deployment of its unique resources that exist within the company to achieve competitive advantage. Tangible Resource: Ryanair had 181 aircrafts in operation as of March, 21, 2009, among which 109 aircrafts were funded by The Export and Import Bank, 43 aircrafts were in operating lease, 20 of the aircraft in the fleet were treated as financially leased by Japanese operating leases with call options, 6 of the aircraft in the fleet were encumbered with commercial debt financing and three remaining aircrafts are entirely owned by Ryanair without any finance related encumbrances. Ryanair also owns and operates six Boeing 737-800 flight simulators for the purpose of pilot training. All the above are long-lived assets virtually all of them were aircraft totalled to 3.6 billion Euros. [Ryanair, 2004. Annual Report 2008-2009. [Online]. Available at: http://www.ryanair.com/doc/investor/2009/Annual_report_2009_web.pdf. [Accessed 4 Jan 2009]. Even though many aircraft are encumbrances, ownership accompanied with the bank loan gives greater independency and financially the cost involved in leasing arrangements i s higher than being owner of aircraft. In addition to aircraft, administration offices in Dublin and East Midlands Airport, simulator and training centres are entirely owned by Ryanair. It also has leasehold property in eight airports for the purpose of flight maintenance and an office building in Dublin Airport Business Park. The recent investment of 702 million Euros for the purchase of property, plant and equipment in 2008 is remarkable. [Ryanair, 2004. Annual Report 2008-2009. [Online]. Available at: http://www.ryanair.com/doc/investor/2009/Annual_report_2009_web.pdf. [Accessed 4 Jan 2009]. Ryanair serves over 1000 routes across Europe and Morocco from 40 airport bases, which is considered to be high in numbers compare to its rivalries. (http://www.ryanair.com/doc/investor/2010/q3_2010_doc.pdf, accessed on: 15th Jan 2010). Airport bases served by Ryanair are ultimately considered as strategic assets due to its low cost. Financial Resources: The huge cash reserves held in the company of over 2.5 billion Euros will allow having abundant cash flow for its operation. Cash pile would financially leverage to take strategic decision in future expansion of business. Ryanair holds 93.15 million Euros worth of available-for-sale financial assets, which are not considered as an investment in an associate company due to insufficient power of Ryanair to influence over the investee. And also, Ryanair is the biggest investor on its rivalry Aer Lingus with the acquired stake of 29.8% of Aer Linguss share capital through private acquisition with the total aggregate cost of 407.2 million Euros. Ryanairs long term debt totalled to 2398.40 million as of 2009 annual report, which is an increase of 131.9 million from 2008 annual report. The latest debt increase is primarily due to financing of new aircraft, which will be delivered within two years as per the schedule. [Ryanair, 2004. Annual Report 2008-2009. [Online]. Available at: http://www.ryanair.com/doc/investor/2009/Annual_report_2009_web.pdf. [Accessed 4 Jan 2009]. Intangible resources: Ryanairs climbing traffic growth and established brand name are most consolidated and valuable intangible assets for the company that embedded in its relentlessly flowing low fare strategies to make huge profit. In terms of operational prospective, minimum aircraft age of 3.77 years average age of all its Boeing 737-800s is a unique intangible asset and no aircraft is more than 9 years old. The company also holds considerable intangible asset of landing rights that flows future benefit into the company. Human Resources: There are 6616 staffs working at Ryanair as of March 2009, this includes 1041 additional experienced pilots contracted from employment agencies to satisfy short term pilot requirements. The employees figure is constantly increasing year by year due to rapid expansion of the company. Ryanairs top management comprises of eight boards of directors, all of them are having more than 7 years of experience with the company and their remuneration including different share options scheme are available and based on experience, as well as their job position. David Bonderman, Chairman of the Board and Director, who has served more than 13 years with the company. CEO and Director of Ryanair, Micheal OLeary is the most valuable human resources in the company and he has been successfully leading the company for nearly two decades, as CEO since 1994. (Ryanair, 2004. Annual Report 2008-2009. [Online]. Available at: http://www.ryanair.com/doc/investor/2009/Annual_report_2009_web.pdf. [Accessed 20 Jan, 2010]). 4.2 Capabilities: In this section, we will discuss about the special knowledge and a skill possessed by Ryanair in order to gain competitive advantage and the key success factors that positioned the company as cost leader. The companys innovative pioneer strategies to keep the operating cost low and its ability to carrying passengers at lowest fare demand are the special capabilities it posses. Apart from these, the table below contains Ryanairs last three years operational data up to March 2009, which will demonstrate the operational capabilities during that period. The average yield per revenue passenger mile and average yield per available seat miles are decreased in 2009 due to the intense competition and further reduction of average booked passenger fare by approximately 4 Euros compare to the previous years. Yield management is crucial for airlines as the gross profit of the company mainly depends on it, so achieving better yield would perhaps maximise Ryanairs profit. The fares of Ryanair need to be continuously monitored in a way that would create demand, at the same time that would maximise companys profit. Ryanair has only little control over the fuel fluctuations like many other airlines, so increase in fuel cost is an unavoidable increase in operating expenses. The remarkable factor is the recent fuel hedging arrangements increased Ryanairs power to some extent to influence those cost aroused due to high fuel price. The next factor is cost per available seat miles, which is operating cost by available seat miles. This is one of the mo st success factors that gain competitive advantage for Ryanair, as it always being low compared to all other short haul airlines in Europe. In the table above, the increase in the operating cost in 2009 is mainly due to the rise in fuel cost. The low fare strategy is embedded in the companys capability and it is most valuable for the company by creating demand for its service. The constantly increasing load factors year by year, while the average booked passenger fare is decreasing indicates that the unique capability of Ryanair to make the traffic grow and how well it filling its seats through creating demand by stretching its fare to lowest possible. So the increased load factor is mainly due to decrease in the fares. One of the main mottos of companys CEO, Micheal OLearys is to maximise profit through selling ancillary products. Ryanair is the highest ancillary revenue making airline in Europe, which add extra profit for the company. Motivating cabin crews through commissions to sell ancillary product, consistently increasing and introducing various ancillary products and having many commission based related business are the main source for ancillary revenue. The number of airport served and average flight utilisation hours are some other measurable capabilities of Ryanair. The best service to the passengers in terms of punctuality of its flights and less baggage missing scenarios are in Top Priorities and it makes competitive advantage for Ryanair in its operation. In fact it has the policy of publishing its customer service statistics every month to show the leads from its competitors. The table below shows that the Ryanairs capability in terms of punctuality, Bags handling and journey completions among its few rivalries. 4.3 Strength and intellectual assets: All routes are point to point rather than transitional. Although it is easy to establish point to point routes for a short haul carrier, it enhances convenient journey to the passengers. Ryanair has entered into fuel hedging arrangements followed by the huge losses on 2008. The unprecedented hedging arrangements will provide substantial protection against fluctuations in fuel prices, generally through forwarding contracts covering certain periods in the future. Ancillary services including non-flight scheduled such as Car hire, Hotels, Travel Insurance, in-flight sales, rail and bus ground transport services in its business model adds extra revenue for the company. Ryanair has direct sales channels; the only way to book ticket nowadays is via the website or via Ryanair direct call centre. It helps to take out sale agents commission and special offers would directly reach the customers without any discrepancies. Ryanair has been deploying Boeing 737-800s, same fleet community in all its routes. The company can save training cost as all staffs are only be trained for one type of aircraft and also saves on maintenance supplies and labour as only one type of parts and skills needed. High seat density of 189 seats per aircraft accommodates more passengers (compare to its older version Boeing 737-200A, which had only 130 seats per aircraft) and it tends to extra revenue for the company. The use of Secondary Airport with frequent transport medium to populated cities for the purpose to keep its airport charges low and for high turnaround times. The well known scattered strategy of no frills such as, free food, drink, and lounges etc 4.5 Weakness: Even though its fares are far cheaper than any other airlines in Europe, it is being severely criticised by many people for its extravagant hidden charges. The basic reason for this criticism is advertising fares without the disclosure of most basic inevitable charges such as, taxes, online check-In or airport check-In charge(which is outrageously costlier than the online check-In), card surcharge other than master card (only possible way to pay as the booking can feasibly done through either website or call centre), administration fee etc Ryanairs deliberate controversial advertisements and statements by its CEO such as charging one pound to use the toilets in flight, are practically generate additional free publicity for the airline, but significantly it depletes brand reputation and it often perceived as bad impression among peoples mind. The poor customer service by its staffs employed and disgrace treatment of passengers by its CEO, Micheal O Leary and the company are misleading companys reputation for not even providing the basic services and rudeness involved in customer query replies are the weakness that embedded in its system. According to the comments analysed from 280 websites, Ryanair came bottom of the ranking with minus 40 points. Poor customer service and extra cost the airline charge for check-in bags are the major complaints. [Lisa Minot, 2008. Sun Air News: Ryanair suffer Over Service. The Sun, 2nd Aug.] The company is heavily addicted for traffic growth and rivalry led in European short haul market. Because of that growth, Ryanair is not able to identify the reputation and loyalty in its brand among passengers. 5.0 Strategic situation: Perhaps, I have mentioned about 2.5 billion cash reserves in its financial resources. It has announced plans of start paying dividend from its cash pile to their shareholder from 2013. (Sarah Arnott, 2010. Ryanair to pay dividend from 2013. The independent, 8th Jan). Instead of paying dividend out of its cash reserves or by using companys profit, it should decide to deploy its cash reserves in its on-holding strategy towards long haul routes. The company will get significant future growth by launching long-haul transatlantic routes. According to CEO, Micheal O Learys statement, if Ryanair introduces long haul routes from Europe to six US destinations, two segments of seat will be offered, one lowest unprecedented economic class and ever high fare business class with extravagant services. This rational strategy will generate huge profit by luring middle economic-class passengers; perhaps transatlantic passengers will want something cheaper in their tickets. The cheapest fare no frill for economic class passengers with onboard sale of everything from breakfast to dinner, beverage to entertainment would create substantial ancillary revenue. In spite the airline destinations must be in populated area or rich cities such as Chicago Midway Airport, Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport etc to fill up business class seats, Otherwise there is no logic in adding business class seats in long haul routes. Alternatively, it can choose rural destinations in US, but the business class passengers firmly transited to populated cities without any delay and inconveniency by having alliance with US luxury short haul carriers. Although, I have mentioned Ryanairs 29.8% stake over Aer Lingus, its first bid in 2006 to acquire entire share capital of Aer Lingus was firstly blocked by European commission on competition grounds and the second bid in 2007 was also failed after the Irish Government (25% stack holder on Aer Lingus) said Ryanair undervalued the company, while the offer totalled  £701 million. So, Ryanair is not yet planned to make any further bid in recent future, rather it aims to boost its cash reserves. [Pilita, C, Vincent, B, 2010. Third Ryanair bid for Aer Lingus unlikely. Financial Times, 7th Jan.] Perhaps, the acquired stakes consolidate its financial position over Aer Lingus for convenient takeover in the future, in case of any failure or the acceptance of further bid by Aer Lingus. In consideration to Ryanairs future growth in the existing market and anticipated transatlantic expansion, it has to press hard for a horizontal integration over Aer Lingus by raising the offer price from its last bid of  £701 million. The acquisition of Aer Lingus is more likely to see tremendous expansion in European market by acquiring market share and implementing low cost operating strategy over it rivalry. In a situation when a competitor disappears in the market, the competition gets ease for some instance. The acquisition also allow Ryanair to get easy access into the transatlantic routes, as Aer Lingus already operating flights to some major airports in the United States such as, Houston (HOU), Houston (IAH), Indianapolis (IND), Columbus (CMH) and San Francisco (SNF) etc 6.0 Strategic Choice: Identification: The first choice what I suggest is Ryanair can expand its market through Related Diversification by the launch of new international routes from Europe to Selected Asian countries, such as India, Malaysia and Singapore. Ryanair will be able to grow its traffic by selecting core destinations such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Chennai and New Delhi in India, Kualalampur in Malayasia and Singapore. In the other end, Ryanair would be able to cover travellers and tourists from all European countries by setting up transit hubs in selected airports in Europe such as Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan, Glasgow and Dublin (So, flights from the new market will land in those transit hubs and then passengers can reach their end destination by Ryanairs local network flights through transit from these airport) travelling to our selected destinations in Asia, as it already has firm and established operation in Europe. The above selected strategic choice would be demonstrated under Ansoff Strategic Direction Matrix Market/product choices. According to Ansoff Matrix (developed by Igor Ansoff, 1957) the above selected business is launching of new service in new market, so it will be categorized under Diversification. Although, Ryanair has an on-holding plan of introducing transatlantic routes, but not yet lunged, the new strategic choice is to flourish market share in developing nations. The assumed service in those markets is clearly business to consumer type of activity, as Ryanair directly engaged in carrying passengers or providing service directly to the customers. Ryanairs main targeting customer segment in the above three countries are tourists and passengers who are looking for low fares, as well as high fare over luxury service. The differentiations in fares with price premium for passengers perceive it as on luxury segment and without price premium for passengers perceive cost benefit under low fare segment. All the three countries are developing nations with low income, middle class and rich people. Among them, people who afford to travel to Europe are

Night World : Spellbinder Chapter 2

The crowd erupted in panic. Everything was happening at once; Thea couldn't sort out the different impressions. Half the people in front of her were running. The other half were yelling. â€Å"Call nine-one-one-â€Å" â€Å"It got Eric-â€Å" â€Å"I told you to kill it!† The red-headed boy was darting forward with his stick. Other kids were rushing around, looking for rocks. The group had become a mob. The snake was rattling wildly, a terrifying sizzling sound. It was in a frenzy, ready to strike again at any moment-and there was nothing Thea could do. â€Å"Hey!† The voice startled her. It came from Eric, the boy who'd been bitten. â€Å"Calm down, you guys. Josh, give me that.† He was talking to the redhead with the forked branch. â€Å"It didn't bite me. It just struck.† Thea stared at him. Was this guy crazy? But people were listening to him. A girl in baggy shorts and a midriff top stopped hefting her rock. â€Å"Just let me get hold of it†¦ then I can take it out into the brush where it won't hurt anybody.† Definitely crazy. He was talking in such a matter-of-fact, reasonable way-and he was going to try to pin the snake down with that stick. Somebody had to act fast. A flash of ruby-color caught Thea's eye. Blaise was in the crowd, watching with pursed lips. Thea made her decision. She dove for the snake. It was watching the stick. Thea grabbed for its mind before grabbing its body-which kept it immobilized for the instant she needed to seize it just below the head. She hung on while its jaws gaped and its body lashed. â€Å"Grab the tail and we'll get it out of here,† she said breathlessly to Eric the crazy guy. Eric was staring at her grip on the snake, dumbfounded. â€Å"For God's sake, don't let go. It can twist in a second†¦.† â€Å"I know. Grab it!† He grabbed it. Most of the crowd scattered as Thea wheeled around with the snake's head held tightly at arm's length. Blaise didn't run, she just looked at the snake as if it smelled bad. â€Å"I need this,† Thea whispered hastily as she passed her cousin. She snatched at Blaise's necklace with her free hand. The fragile gold chain broke and Thea's fingers closed around a stone. Then she was heading out into the scrub brush, the weight of the snake dragging on her arm. She walked fast, because Eric didn't have much time. The grounds behind the school sloped up and then downward, getting wilder and more gray-brown. When the buildings were out of sight, Thea stopped. â€Å"This is a good place,† Eric said. His voice was strained. Thea glanced back and saw that he looked pale. Brave and very, very crazy, she thought. â€Å"Okay, we let go on three.† She jerked her head. â€Å"Throw it that way and back up fast.† He nodded and counted with her. â€Å"One†¦ two†¦ three.† Giving it a slight swing, they both let go. The snake flew in a graceful arc and landed near a clump of purple sage. It wriggled immediately into the brush without showing the slightest hint of gratitude. Thea felt its cool, scaly mind recede as it thought, That smell†¦ that shade†¦ safety. She let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Behind her, she heard Eric sit down abruptly. â€Å"Well, that's that.† His own breathing was fast and irregular. â€Å"Now could I ask you a favor?† He was sitting with his long legs straight out, his skin even paler than before. Perspiration beaded on his upper lip. â€Å"You know, I'm not really sure it didn't bite me,† he said. Thea knew-and knew Eric knew-that it had. Rattlers did sometimes strike without biting, and did sometimes bite without injecting venom. But not this time. What she couldn't believe was that any human would care enough about a snake to let a bite go untreated. â€Å"Let me see your leg,† she said. â€Å"Actually, I think maybe you'd better just call the paramedics.† â€Å"Please let me see.† She kept her voice gentle, kneeling in front of him, reaching slowly. The way she'd approach a scared animal. He held still, letting her roll up his jeans leg. There it was, the little double wound in the tanned skin. Not much blood. But surrounded by swelling already. Even if she ran back to the school, even if the paramedics broke every speed law, it wouldn't be fast enough. Sure, they'd save his life, but his leg would swell up like a sausage and turn purple and he'd have days of unbelievable pain. Except that Thea had in her hand an Isis bloodstone. A deep red carnelian engraved with a scarab, symbol of the Egyptian Queen goddess, Isis. The ancient Egyptians had put the stones at the feet of mummies; Blaise used it to heighten passion. But it was also the most powerful purifier of the blood in existence. Eric groaned suddenly. His arm was over his eyes, and Thea knew what he must be feeling. Weakness, nausea, disorientation. She felt sorry for him, but his confusion would actually work to her advantage. She pressed her hand to the wounds, the carnelian hidden between her tightly closed fingers. Then she started to hum under her breath, visualizing what she wanted to happen. The thing about gems was that they didn't work on their own. They were just a means of raising psychic power, focusing it, and directing it to a certain purpose. Find the poison, surround it, dispel it. Purify and eliminate. Then encourage the body's natural defenses. Finally, soothe away the swelling and redness, sending the blood back where it belonged. As she knelt there, feeling the sun on the back of her head, she suddenly realized that she'd never done this before. She'd healed animals-puppies with toad poisoning and cats with spider bites-but never a person. Funny how she'd known instinctively that she could do it. She'd almost felt that she had to do it. She sat back on her heels, pocketing the bloodstone. â€Å"How are you feeling?† â€Å"Huh?† He took his arm away from his eyes. â€Å"Sorry-I think I sort of blanked out there for a minute.† Good, Thea thought. â€Å"But how do you feel now?† He looked at her as if he were struggling under pressure to be gentle. He was going to explain to her that people who got bitten by rattlesnakes felt sick. But then his expression changed. â€Å"I feel†¦ it's weird†¦ I think maybe it's gone numb.† He peered doubtfully at his calf. â€Å"No, you were just lucky. You didn't get bitten.† â€Å"What?† He scrambled to roll his jeans leg up higher. Then he just stared. The flesh was smooth and unmarked, with just the slightest trace ot redness left. â€Å"I was sure†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He lifted his eyes to hers. It was the first time Thea had really gotten a chance to look at him. He was a nice-looking guy, lean and sandy-haired and sweet-faced. Long legs. And those eyes†¦ deep green with gray flecks. Just now they were both intense and bewildered, like those of a startled kid. â€Å"How'd you do that?† he said. Thea was shocked speechless. He wasn't supposed to respond like this. What was wrong with him? When she could talk again, she said, â€Å"I didn't do anything.† â€Å"Yes, you did,† he said, and now his eyes were clear and direct, full of an odd conviction. Suddenly his expression changed to something like wonder. â€Å"You†¦ there's something so different about you.† He leaned forward slowly, as if entranced. And then†¦ Thea experienced an odd duality. She was used to seeing herself through the eyes of animals: a big, hairless creature in false skins. But now she saw herself as Eric saw her. A kneeling girl with yellow hair falling loose over her shoulders and soft brown eyes. A face that was too gentle, with a very worried expression. â€Å"You're†¦ beautiful,† Eric said, still wondering. â€Å"I've never seen anybody†¦ but it's like there's a mist all around you. You're so mysterious†¦.† A huge quivering stillness seemed to hang over the desert. Thea's heart was beating so hard that it shook her body. What was happening? â€Å"It's like you're part of everything out here,† he said in that wise, childlike voice. â€Å"You belong to it. And there's so much peace†¦.† â€Å"No,† Thea said. There was no peace at all in her. She was terrified. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew she had to get away. â€Å"Don't go,† he said, when she shifted. He had the stricken expression of a heartbroken puppy. And then†¦ he reached for her. Not roughly. His fingers didn't close on her wrist. They just brushed the back of her hand, sliding away when she jerked. But it didn't matter. That light touch had raised all the hairs on Thea's forearm. And when she looked back into the gray-flecked green eyes, she knew he'd felt it, too. A sort of piercing sweetness, a dizzying exhilaration. And-a connection. As if something deeper than words was being communicated. I know you. I see what you see†¦. Almost without knowing what she was doing, Thea raised her hand. Fingertips slightly outspread, as if she were going to touch a mirror or a ghost. He brought his hand up, too. They were staring at each other. And then, just before then- fingers made contact, Thea felt a jolt of panic like ice water. What was she doing? Had she lost her mind? Suddenly everything was clear-too clear. Her future stretched out before her, every detail sharp. Death for breaking Night World law. Herself centered in the Inner Circle, trying to explain that she hadn't meant to betray their secrets, that she hadn't meant to†¦ to get close to a human. That it was all a mistake, just a moment of stupidity because she'd wanted to heal him. And them bringing the Cup of Death anyway. The vision was so clear it seemed like a prophecy. Thea jumped up as if the ground had lurched underneath her, and she did the only thing she could think of to do. She said scathingly, â€Å"Are you nuts? Or is your brain just overheated or something?† He got the stricken look again. He's a human. One of them, Thea reminded herself. She put even more scorn in her voice. â€Å"I'm part of everything; I did something to your leg†¦ yeah, sure. I bet you believe in Santa Claus, too.† Now he looked shocked-and uncertain. Thea went for the coup de gras. â€Å"Or were you just trying to put the moves on me?† â€Å"Huh? No,† he said. He blinked and looked around. The desert was the ordinary desert, gray-green and parched and flat. Then he looked at his leg. He blinked again, as if getting a fresh grip on reality. â€Å"I†¦ look, I'm sorry if I upset you. I don't know what's wrong with me.† Suddenly he gave a sheepish smile. â€Å"Maybe I'm kind of weird from being scared. I guess I'm not as brave as I thought.† Relief trickled through Thea. He was buying it. Thank Isis that humans were stupider than chickens. â€Å"And I wasn't trying to move in on you. I just-† He broke off. â€Å"You know, I don't even know your name.† â€Å"Thea Harman.† â€Å"I'm Eric Ross. You're new here, aren't you?† â€Å"Yes.† Stop talking and go, she ordered herself. â€Å"If I can show you around or anything†¦ I mean, I would like to see you again†¦.† â€Å"No,† Thea said flatly. She would have liked to have kept it to that monosyllable, but she wanted to crush this new idea of his completely. â€Å"I don't want to see you,† she said, too rattled to think of any more subtle way to put it. And then she turned and walked away. What else was there to do? She certainly couldn't talk to him anymore. Even if she would always wonder why he'd been crazy enough to care about the snake, she couldn't ask. From now on she had to stay as far away from him as possible. She hurried back to the school-and realized immediately that she was late. The parking lot was quiet. Nobody was walking outside the adobe buildings. On my first day, too, Thea thought. Her backpack was on the ground where she'd dropped it, a notebook lying beside it on the asphalt. She grabbed them both and all but ran to the office. It was only in physics class, after she'd handed her admission slip to the teacher and walked past rows of curious eyes to an empty seat in the back, that she realized the notebook wasn't hers. It fell open to a page that had Introduction to Flat-worms scribbled in sloping, spiky blue ink. Below were some pictures labeled Class Turbellaria and Class Trematoda. The worms were beautifully drawn, with their nervous systems and reproductive organs shaded in different colors of highlighter, but the artist had also given them big goofy smiling faces. Grotesque but lovable in a cross-eyed way. Thea turned the page and saw another drawing, the Life Cycle of the Pork Tapeworm. Yum. She leafed back to the beginning of the notebook. Eric Ross, Honors Zoology I. She shut the book. Now how was she going to get it back to him? Part of her mind worried about this through physics and her next class, computer applications. Part of it did what it always did at a new school, or any new gathering of humans: it watched and cataloged, keeping alert for danger, figuring out how to fit in. And part of it simply said, I didn't know they had a zoology class here. The one question she didn't want to ask herself was what had happened out there in the desert? Whenever the thought came up, she pushed it away brusquely. It must have had something to do with her senses being too open after merging with the snake. Anyway, it hadn't meant anything. It had been a weird one-time fluke. In the main hallway at break, Blaise came rushing up, quick as a lioness despite the high heels. â€Å"How's it going?† Thea said, as Blaise drew her into a temporarily deserted classroom. Blaise just held out her hand. Thea fished in her pocket for the carnelian. â€Å"You ruined the chain, you know,† Blaise said as she shook back midnight hair and examined the stone for damage. â€Å"And it was one I designed.† â€Å"Sorry. I was in a hurry.† â€Å"Yes, and why? What did you want with it?† Blaise didn't wait for a response. â€Å"You healed that boy, didn't you? I knew he got bitten. But he was human.† â€Å"Reverence for life, remember?† Thea said. † ‘An ye harm none, do as you will.† She didn't say it with much conviction. â€Å"That doesn't mean humans. And what did he think?† â€Å"Nothing. He didn't know I was healing him; he didn't even realize he got bitten.† It wasn't exactly a lie. Blaise looked at her with smoky, suspicious gray eyes. Then she glanced heavenward and shook her head. â€Å"Now if you'd been using it to heat his blood, I'd understand. But maybe you were doing a little of that, too†¦.† â€Å"No, I was not,† Thea said. And despite the warmth that rose in her cheeks her voice was cold and sharp. The horror of that death vision was still with her. â€Å"In fact, I don't ever want to see him again,† she went on jaggedly, â€Å"and I told him so, but I've got his stupid notebook, and I don't know what to do with it.† She waved the notebook in Blaise's face. â€Å"Oh.† Blaise considered, head on one side. â€Å"Well†¦ I'll take it to him for you. I'll track him down somehow.† â€Å"Would you?† Thea was startled. â€Å"That's really nice.† â€Å"Yes, it is,† Blaise said. She took the notebook, handling it carefully, as if her nails were wet. â€Å"Okay, well, I'd better get to my next class. Algebra.† She made a face. † ‘Bye now.† Suspicion struck as Thea watched her go. Blaise wasn't usually so accommodating. And that † ‘bye now†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ too sweet. She was up to something. Thea followed the ruby of Blaise's shirt as Blaise went back into the main hallway, then turned without hesitation into a locker-lined corridor. There, searching through one of the lockers, was a lean figure with long legs and sandy hair. Fastest tracking I've ever seen, Thea thought sourly. She peered around the Mediterranean-blue door of a broken locker. Blaise walked up behind Eric very slowly, hips swaying. She put a hand on his back. Eric jumped slightly, then turned around. Blaise just stood there. It was all she needed to do. Blaise reeled guys in just by being. It was the glorious dark hair, the smoldering gray eyes†¦ plus a figure that could stop traffic on the freeway. Curves galore, and clothes that emphasized every one. On another girl it might have been too much, but on Blaise it was just breathtaking. Guys who thought they liked the waif look dropped everything to follow her just as fast as guys who thought they liked blonds. Eric blinked at her, looking hazy already. He didn't seem to know what to say. That wasn't unusual. Guys always got tongue-tied around Blaise. â€Å"I'm Blaise Harman.† The voice was low and liquid. â€Å"And you're†¦ Eric?† Eric nodded, still blinking. Yes, he's dazed all right, Thea thought. The jerk. She was surprised at her own vehemence. â€Å"Good, because I wouldn't want to give this to the wrong person.† Blaise produced the notebook from behind her back like a magician. â€Å"Oh-where'd you get that?† Eric looked relieved and grateful. â€Å"I've been looking everywhere.† â€Å"My cousin gave it to me,† Blaise said carelessly. She held onto the notebook as he tried to take it, and their fingers touched. â€Å"Wait. You owe me something for bringing it back, don't you?† Her voice was a purr. And now Thea knew, without a doubt, what was going to happen. Eric was doomed.

The Treaty of Versailles Essay

Treaty of Versailles Essay During World War One, there was massive devastation done to the Allies and the Central Powers and will be remembered for many years to come. The peace treaty that ended the war was called the Treaty of Versailles and its consequences would have far reaching impact. The Great War was fought using trench warfare and a stalemate was created. On the Western front France was fighting Germany, there were many casualties, 15 million soldiers were seriously injured, 7 million were permanently disabled and 8 million were killed.There was major destruction to land, property and empires were destroyed: The German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian. It was a total war; it took all resources from countries and caused food shortages. By the end of the war, famine had killed millions of people and diseases flourished in the wartime conditions. In 1917 the Americans came into the war and the Russians left. Finally the stalemate is broken and Germany made an extremely h arsh treaty with Russia. The victorious countries were furious, they blamed Germany for starting the war and causing so much devastation to their countries.They wanted Germany to pay, so the Allies created a treaty which held Germany responsible for WW1. The second cause of the Treaty was the Big Three setting the stage for the treaty with their aims and attitudes. Woodrow Wilson (President of the U. S) wanted to end war by making a fair peace. He wanted disarmament and a League of Nations set up, where countries could settle their problems without war. David Lloyd George (Prime Minister of Britain), wanted justice, not revenge. He said the treaty must not be harsh because that in return would just cause another war in a few years time.By far the harshest of all the Big Three was George Clemenceau the Prime Minister of France. Most of the war had been fought in France, so he wanted revenge and to punish the Germans for the massive destruction they had done to France. He also wanted Germany broken up (weakened), so that France couldn’t be invaded again. Basically Clemenceau’s aim was to completely shatter Germany. The terms of the treaty include – blame for the war (cause 231, war guilt), high reparations, army restrictions and loss of territory.In addition to the huge loss Germany had already suffered, the worst of it all had to be the extreme amount of reparations. A figure was set in 1921 of ? 6,600. 000 million. Germany was seriously disadvantaged, because reparations economically crippled them. The first of the payments were made in 1922 (only just), and in 1923 Germany falls behind on payments. France gets angry and invades the Ruhr, in the Ruhr the German workers go on strike and to pay them the government prints more money, which creates hyperinflation. This meant it was cheaper to burn money than firewood.The economy was hugely suffering and as a whole so the country. The Germans were angry for having to take blame for starting the war. Another consequence of the treaty was the League of Nations, which was apart of Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points. The league was very weak because the three big powers were not involved and they needed the big, powerful nations to strengthen the league. This was so they could have more authority, because hardly anybody listened to the League. It was pointless because there weren’t very strict penalties and if countries didn’t agree with the League they would just drop out.However the League did have a few successes, such as when they freed 200,000 slaves in Africa and Burma after they attacked slave traders. The League also worked to prevent malaria and leprosy as well as taking home half a million World War One prisoners of war. In addition to those successes the league also set up camps and fed Turkish refugees and sent economic experts to help Austria and Hungary. Although the League was relatively weak, they had a number of successes, but even the successes didn’t seem to overcome the failures of the League.Eventually when war broke out in 1939 the League closed down and ultimately failed to prevent war from happening. In conclusion World War One was the major cause of the Treaty of Versailles, along with the aims and attitudes of the Big Three, which caused an awfully harsh treaty to be created. This in turn economically crippled Germany, because of the huge reparations and also left the Germans feeling angry for having to take the blame for starting the war. The final consequence of the treaty mentioned in this essay was the formation of the League of Nations, which in time closed down because of more failure that success to prevent war.

Free Essays on At Home

Mom was in the kitchen cooking a Christmas Eve breakfast when I woke up. Through the aroma’s I could make out the smell of fried bacon, buttermilk biscuits, and Moravian sugar cake. As I drifted into the kitchen, still half asleep, Mom turned and smiled as I did the same. â€Å"Good morning, Charlie. Are you ready for breakfast? I cooked some blueberry pancakes for you and your brothers,† came cheerfully from Mom’s mouth. â€Å"I was going to wait for James and William to get out of bed.† Then I turned to Dad who was reading the paper in the den, â€Å"Dad, have you eaten yet?† â€Å"I ate a piece of sugar cake, but other than that, no.† â€Å"Oh, ok.† I then looked back at Mom and responded with, â€Å"I can wait, so we can sit down together to eat.† I proceeded into the den where I took a seat on the couch with Dad. I sprawled out with my head on my father’s lap, trying to go back to sleep, but he wanted to play. As he tickled me and I would try to fight it, but I never had any luck because of his strength compared to mine. â€Å"Quit,† I yelped with agonizing despair. â€Å"MOM! Get Dad off of me!† â€Å"Jimmy quit bothering him. He just woke up and I don’t want you to wake up the boys.† â€Å"It’s time for them to get out of bed, anyway,† Dad said with a stern voice (trying to make it sound that he is the man of the house. â€Å"Charlie, why don’t you and I go wake up William and James.† â€Å"Ok, but I’m not waking James because he will beat me up,† I said to my Dad to make sure that my oldest brother wouldn’t get angry with me. As we walked up the steps I was astounded with the joyful fulfillment of waking my brothers. It was as if it was the highlight of the day. Dad and I walked into my brothers’ room, anticipating that they might wake up. As Dad crept up on James, I was closing in on William. Dad signaled to me, 1, 2, 3, and we both hurled ourselves on top of them. James had no chance of wi... Free Essays on At Home Free Essays on At Home Mom was in the kitchen cooking a Christmas Eve breakfast when I woke up. Through the aroma’s I could make out the smell of fried bacon, buttermilk biscuits, and Moravian sugar cake. As I drifted into the kitchen, still half asleep, Mom turned and smiled as I did the same. â€Å"Good morning, Charlie. Are you ready for breakfast? I cooked some blueberry pancakes for you and your brothers,† came cheerfully from Mom’s mouth. â€Å"I was going to wait for James and William to get out of bed.† Then I turned to Dad who was reading the paper in the den, â€Å"Dad, have you eaten yet?† â€Å"I ate a piece of sugar cake, but other than that, no.† â€Å"Oh, ok.† I then looked back at Mom and responded with, â€Å"I can wait, so we can sit down together to eat.† I proceeded into the den where I took a seat on the couch with Dad. I sprawled out with my head on my father’s lap, trying to go back to sleep, but he wanted to play. As he tickled me and I would try to fight it, but I never had any luck because of his strength compared to mine. â€Å"Quit,† I yelped with agonizing despair. â€Å"MOM! Get Dad off of me!† â€Å"Jimmy quit bothering him. He just woke up and I don’t want you to wake up the boys.† â€Å"It’s time for them to get out of bed, anyway,† Dad said with a stern voice (trying to make it sound that he is the man of the house. â€Å"Charlie, why don’t you and I go wake up William and James.† â€Å"Ok, but I’m not waking James because he will beat me up,† I said to my Dad to make sure that my oldest brother wouldn’t get angry with me. As we walked up the steps I was astounded with the joyful fulfillment of waking my brothers. It was as if it was the highlight of the day. Dad and I walked into my brothers’ room, anticipating that they might wake up. As Dad crept up on James, I was closing in on William. Dad signaled to me, 1, 2, 3, and we both hurled ourselves on top of them. James had no chance of wi...

Free Essays on Laws

Why People Obey the Law By Tom Tyler The main question addressed in Tom Tyler’s essay is, obviously, â€Å"Why do people obey laws?†. The essay tackles two main reasons. These include social relations and normative values. Social relations refers to the way social groups influence people. They do so through rewarding and punishing members of their group â€Å"either by withholding or conferring signs of group status and respect, or more directly by channeling material resources toward or away from particular members (475).† Also included in social relations is the fact that people do not commit crimes because their family and friends would look down upon them if they did. Second, a person’s normative values include â€Å"the sense of what is right or appropriate (475)† to that individual. These are sometimes referred to as internalized obligations. Internalized obligations are two-fold; first is personal morality and second is legitimacy. Personal morality has to do with a person’s compliance to laws due to the knowledge of right and wrong. The essay contributes compliance to the second part of internalized obligation: legitimacy. Legitimacy, according to Tyler, â€Å"is regarded as a reservoir of loyalty on which leaders can draw, giving them the discretionary authority they require to govern effectively†¦(477).† Legitimacy has three possible objects including authorities, the regime, and the community. Cooperation with those in power is legitimacy of authorities. Legitimacy of regime is the support of institutions. When an authority belongs to a certain social group, that social group will view that authority as â€Å"one of them† and therefore that authority will have legitimacy of that social community. A study was done in Chicago that focused on why people obey the laws. First of all, it found that legitimacy does influence compliance to laws. The study found â€Å"that normative concerns are an ... Free Essays on Laws Free Essays on Laws Why People Obey the Law By Tom Tyler The main question addressed in Tom Tyler’s essay is, obviously, â€Å"Why do people obey laws?†. The essay tackles two main reasons. These include social relations and normative values. Social relations refers to the way social groups influence people. They do so through rewarding and punishing members of their group â€Å"either by withholding or conferring signs of group status and respect, or more directly by channeling material resources toward or away from particular members (475).† Also included in social relations is the fact that people do not commit crimes because their family and friends would look down upon them if they did. Second, a person’s normative values include â€Å"the sense of what is right or appropriate (475)† to that individual. These are sometimes referred to as internalized obligations. Internalized obligations are two-fold; first is personal morality and second is legitimacy. Personal morality has to do with a person’s compliance to laws due to the knowledge of right and wrong. The essay contributes compliance to the second part of internalized obligation: legitimacy. Legitimacy, according to Tyler, â€Å"is regarded as a reservoir of loyalty on which leaders can draw, giving them the discretionary authority they require to govern effectively†¦(477).† Legitimacy has three possible objects including authorities, the regime, and the community. Cooperation with those in power is legitimacy of authorities. Legitimacy of regime is the support of institutions. When an authority belongs to a certain social group, that social group will view that authority as â€Å"one of them† and therefore that authority will have legitimacy of that social community. A study was done in Chicago that focused on why people obey the laws. First of all, it found that legitimacy does influence compliance to laws. The study found â€Å"that normative concerns are an ...

Theories of Crime Causation Unit 1IP Research Paper

Theories of Crime Causation Unit 1IP - Research Paper Example Criminologists study feminist criminology an area that considers the subject on women and crime. There is penology where criminologists focus on the study of the prison system at large. Criminalists are physical scientists they are known as crime scene investigators, or crime lab technicians. According to Roberts, the task of criminalists involves recognizing, collecting, analysing, interpreting, preserving physical evidence from crime scenes (Roberts, 2013). Criminalists usually testify in courts regarding their scientific findings. Roberts explains that many times the work of a criminalist revolves around the laboratory. Roberts clarifies that criminalists do not fight crime as shown in criminal movies. A Criminalists’ field of study is rather wide there are areas, which focus on firearms, and tool marks. This section deals with weapons, bullets, found in crime scenes. A study on DNA and serology involves examination of biological materials in crimes scenes that contain DNA. Criminalists study trace evidence, which include hair, soil, fibres, and other objects from crime scenes, which can provide information related to the crime. A study on drugs alcohol and toxicology empowers criminalists with the knowledge on how to utilise analytical chemistry in identifying pills liquids, body fluids among other substances in a crime scene (Roberts, 2013). Forensic psychologists utilise human understanding to perform various tasks in the legal and civil systems. Atlaf explains that forensic psychologist assists in criminal investigation by performing criminal profiling tasks. Forensic psychologists can observe a crime scene and deduce the characteristics of the person who created the crime scene. Atlaf mentions that forensic psychologists can work in police stations where they provide counselling to police officers. Forensic psychologists also provide crisis counselling for crime victims. In judicial systems, forensic psychologists perform a number of tasks. For i nstance forensic can determine whether a defendant is able to stand trial, they can also determine the mental state of a defendant when he was committing a crime. Atlaf explains that in American systems Forensic psychologists serve in family law where they perform the role of mediators between divorcing parents who have disputes the needs and interests of their children. Forensic psychologists examine criminals and determine if they are dangerous. They provide information that is vital in the sentencing process. Sutherland (1949), states that white-collar crimes are illegal acts committed by persons of a high social status. According to Barnett (2010), white-collar crimes are illegal acts that are non-violent in nature. The United States department of justice argues that people engage in white-collar crimes for financial gain, to avoid payment, to secure personal or business advantage. White-collar criminals utilise sophisticated means to conceal their acts of deceit. White-collar c rimes include the various types of fraud, embezzlement, computer crime, bribery, forgery, antitrust violations. White-collar crimes cause massive financial losses to states, local government, private organisations and individuals. For example when a company shuts down due to financial losses resulting from a fraud case we have people who lose jobs, investors who lose their money, consumers who feel disappointed by the

The Social Network Movie Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Social Network Movie Analysis - Essay Example The social network gives us the price of the need for acceptance when it changes into the blind ambition of social climbing. This movie rejects the tropes of money and power. It explores the moment of time at which facebook was invented, via the perspectives of clever youthful men who acclaim to be present at its inception. Plot In the fall of 2003, Mark Zuckerberg (Jess Eisenberg) tries to explain to her girlfriend (Rooney Mara), the significance of being a member of one of Harvard University’s 8 prestigious all-male social societies called ‘final clubs’. Mark describes these social societies as being exclusive. Mark Zuckerberg is not good at articulating himself in person. He first distances himself from his girlfriend, who feels that communicating with him is like working the 'Stairmaster' while taking strong exemption to his haughty remarks towards her. This leads to his girlfriend dumping him. Mark’s first effort to create a website in film, a site whe re photos of female Harvard students are placed beside each other, and then users click on the girl who they think is the hottest. This site is wildly accepted and admired but results in every campus girl considering him as a sexist pig, and their boyfriends constantly threatening him. Together with his friend, Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), they both copy a proposed website for networking from Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra, which was made solely for Harvadites, and renaming it, 'The Facebook'. This website which they come up with, connects students, express what drives life in college, who is single, and how to connect with girls in school. They are then approached by Napster-fame Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), and following his advice, 'The' is removed, thus giving rise to the now-innovative and revolutionary,’Facebook’. This website, Facebook can be accessed by any individual worldwide, and not just some elite campuses. His communication ina bility, urge to emerge number one, and competitiveness, will distance him. This results in two lawsuits, one from his best friend Eduardo, and the other from the Winklevoss twins. (Www.imdb.com). in this analysis, I will use Mark Zuckerberg, his girlfriend Rooney Mara, and his best friend Eduardo Saverin, to explore on the interpersonal variables. I will use the variables of, electrically mediated communication, and, ingratiating. Interpersonal Concepts and Variables By definition, interpersonal concept is when the needs or ideas of two individuals are opposing to each other. Electronically Mediated Communication refers to any form of communication that takes place through the use of two or more electronics, such as computers, and websites. This concept of communication applies to forms of text-based interaction such as text messaging, or those communications that take place through formats that are computer-mediated such as chat rooms, and websites. This term encompasses both ICTs (information communication technologies), and computer-mediated communication. Computer-mediated communication is the style of online communication and the message it conveys. ICTs, on the other hand, means machines themselves, mobile phones, PDAs and computers.( www.netlingo.com) Ingratiating, on the other hand, refers to what an individual would actively do in an attempt to make another individual or individuals to like him or her.(faculty.Babson.edu) Electrically Mediated Communication In the movie, this variable was widely used. We see that Mark Zuckerberg first