Monday, September 30, 2019

My Job, My Education

Electronic mail, instant messages, electronic documents and all other electronic records are a part and parcel of the world we live in today.   These are invaluable assets, if not resources for most organizations nowadays.   Organizations are required to safeguard these assets, given that a large number of electronic documents carry very important information.   Many electronic documents are also required by law, especially after the infamous accounting scandals that captured the headlines in the recent past.My organization, ABC, Inc., develops software products that capture, archive, and store all forms of electronic documentation and provide organizations with the ability to efficiently search and locate these documents on demand, should they be misplaced or deemed lost.   My major responsibilities on the job include designing software and orchestrating the development, quality assurance, and release activities; creating and maintaining the team project file, and managing t he time and resources for an ongoing project; and evaluating the evolving risks and communicating them to the upper management on a regular basis.An organization’s strategy is the foundation for the actions that its employees take to reach its goals.   This strategy must be aligned with the organization’s mission.   My organization’s strategy happens to be quality improvement, which is aligned with its mission to deliver high quality software products to its customers.   As an employee of ABC, Inc., I am proud to have an impact on the organization strategy, given that all the employees of my organization use this strategy as  he foundation of their actions.   In addition, I work on quality assurance, and hence, the impact of my work on the organization strategy may be considered greater than that of many others.My decision-making ability with the organization is also quite high.   After all, I am held responsible for the management of time and resour ces on the project that the entire organization considers extremely important.   What is more, I evaluate risks and communicate them to the upper management.   My organization relies on my evaluations and decisions to a certain extent.My EducationTom Kozicki, Director of Marshall's MBA Career Resource Center at the University of Southern California, has said that â€Å"Regardless of what is going on in the economy, the need for an understanding and mastery of business fundamentals will never change.†Ã‚   Perhaps this need is inherent in us all!In May of 2000, a year before I graduated with Masters in Computer Science, I had to choose between job offers from a start up technology organization and a well known software giant.   I chose the start up company at the time to become its fifth employee!   This decision called for a variety of challenges, including long working hours.   Had I joined the already established and popular software firm with over ten thousand emp loyees and successful processes in place, I would not have faced the challenges that I faced in the new company.The reason why I opted for the start up company was that I felt that I needed to have hands on experience with all pieces and parts of a technology company at the beginning of my career.   This kind of experience was only possible with a new company that would have been willing to trust and initiate me into all of its processes.   I required the kind of attention that the good old software giant could not have allowed me to get.I have never regretted my decision because the company that I joined permitted me to work on almost every aspect of software business.   I grew with my company and gained most necessary skills to start a business venture of my own!One of the most important customers of my company was a Japanese firm by the name of Matsushita Electricals (MEW), deploying my company’s software in almost all Asian countries.   Working closely with this c lient made me understand the Asian work culture besides the growing importance of Asian markets.After I finished my startup experience, I joined a mid-sized organization with software development and testing teams based in India, China, and Japan.   I was fortunate once again, for this time I was able to not only interact with the Asian teams but also to lead an offshore team.Today, I foresee my own career moving in the direction of Asian-American business, initially from a technical lead perspective and ultimately in a leadership role within the software industry, preferably with another start up organization.   This thought process has evolved from my past experiences in the software industry, and my perspective of the evolution and growth of the industry itself.Keeping in view the direction in which my chosen industry is headed, I believe that immense windfall gains and comparative advantages are in store for US-trained/thinking business leaders and managers in the Asian mark ets in the coming years.   I therefore seek to accelerate my career with great enthusiasm, trusting that an MBA degree from XYZ University would provide me with the ramp for my career at the same time as I continue to grow in my organization.I completed my Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from a reasonably reputed university in India before doing my Masters in Computer Science in the United States.   I know that I bring my rich culture and heritage with myself into the MBA program.   My technical and management experience with Asian and American businesses will certainly be of great help to my colleagues in the program.   What is more, I love to socialize and to share my ideas, enthusiasm and energy with others.   This, I believe, is of additional advantage to all the people I interact with.Bibliography1. MBACareers. â€Å"Up Close and Virtual Interviews with Leading B-School – The Marshall School, University of Southern California.† Available at http://ww w.mbacareers.com (26 January 2006).2.The Mihalik Group. 2005, â€Å"Organization Strategy and Goals.† Available at http://www.themihalikgroup.com/consult_org_strategy.html (26 January 2006).

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Is Thinking Displayed In Al-Qaeda Writings and Statements Primary Religious or Ideological In Form?

An armed Sunni Islamist organization that has the objective and intention to eliminate and eradicate foreign influences from the Muslim countries is Al-Qaeda, which is nowadays is the hot topic in every country and state. Who should be eradicated it depends upon them, whom they deem and consider being infidels. One of the main purposes of this militant organization is to reestablish the caliphate, which is the title given to an Islamic leader in the community of Islam. The philosophy of Al-Qaeda is based on Wahabism, an orthodox conventional Islamic movement started by Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab in the 18th century.Salafism is another orthodox Islamic fundamentalist movement and it followers are the prominent members and militants of this armed group. These two movements of Islam are very dominant in Saudi Arabia, the Western Iraq, and Qatar. The group is generally recognized by its leader, Osama bin Laden, whereas, Ayman al-Zawahiri had also influenced the practice and theory of thi s organization. A common cause of it is linking many collaborative and independent working cells, which may exist in more than one country, resulting in its operations to be un-centralized or not at one place.The September 11 attacks on New York’s World Trade Center, and the Pentagon were the result of the planning and execution of this group, who has committed multiple terrorism acts in the name of Islam. In response, various series of legal and military operations were launched against Al-Qaeda by United States, which were supported by many other countries, including the Islamic Republic of Pakistan – only Islamic country that posses declared nuclear weapons.The United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, NATO, and the United Nations, have officially designated this group as harmful and terrorist organization due to its continuous radical acts in the different parts of the world. In late October 2001, al Jazeera, a Middle-east television netwo rk’s journalist, Tayseer Alouni, videotaped Osama bin Laden’s interview, while he was explaining the origin of his group. In his interview, Osama said, â€Å"The name ‘al Qaeda' was established a long time ago by mere chance.The late Abu Ebeida El-Banashiri established the training camps for our mujahedeen against Russia's terrorism. We used to call the training camp al Qaeda [meaning â€Å"the base† in English]. And the name stayed†. In this interview of 2001, he used the world mujahedeen, which is used to describe the Muslims, who are ready to sacrifice their lives in any war or a meaning of struggle, in the name of Allah, often taken in the words, Jihad. In true Islamic context, it is an Islamic term that was derived from an Arabic root, which means to struggle or to strive.In religious terms, an inner effort and struggle for the mobilization of energies, in order to make one, a pious Muslim spiritually is called Jihad. Secondly, it is an attempt to serve the Islamic community and ummah through the capabilities. In extreme circumstances, it is regarded in military terms through the conquest of enemy’s territory or power. After knowing the true definition of Jihad in its Islamic terminology, a nonprofessional person can articulate that the ideology of Islam, which is being presented by these militant groups are fake and ridiculous.Islam is a religion of peace that requires Muslims to submit their wills to the Almighty Allah, one God. Whereas, no Islamic context or Allah’s words have ordered to kill innocent people and frighten them with the bombings and suicide attacks. Historically, if we investigate into the origin of Al-Qaeda, we come to know that it was originally established in the premises where training was given to thousands of mujahedeen, and they were recruited in Russia by the CIA. In January 2001, the U. S.Department of Justice used the term Al-Qaeda for the first time, when four men were accused in the case of the United States embassy bombings in East Africa, during the year 1998. Again, if we analyze the concept of Al-Qaeda for these militant acts, we can take the example of another part of the previously mentioned interview of October 2001. During the interview, the Al-Qaeda leader was asked regarding his economic sources as it was assumed that it was a fight between the United States and them. In reply, Osama bin Laden said, â€Å"This battle is not between al Qaeda and the U.S. This is a battle of Muslims against the global crusaders. In the past when al Qaeda fought with the mujahedeen, we were told, â€Å"Wow, can you defeat the Soviet Union? † The Soviet Union scared the whole world then. NATO used to tremble of fear of the Soviet Union. Where is that power now? We barely remember it. It broke down into many small states and Russia remained. God, who provided us with his support and kept us steadfast until the Soviet Union was defeated, is able to provide us o nce more with his support to defeat America on the same land and with the same people.We believe that the defeat of America is possible, with the help of God, and is even easier for us, God permitting, than the defeat of the Soviet Union was before†. According to this statement of Osama, this war is not with the United States, which is often assumed by the media, but with the global crusaders. Even if we accept this statement of this militant chief, do innocent people of New York or the students of the United Kingdom are regarded as crusaders in their opinions.This would have really made anybody feel ridiculous of the statement, or of the terrorist actions that are happening nowadays in the world. To take things more theoretically, we should try to gather around more facts. According to Diaa Rashwan, a senior researcher at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, in mid 1990s, a merger between the Bin Laden groups and the Zawahiri’s Al-Jihad groups was t he result of a new name of this group, Qa’edat al-Jihad that means a base provided for the Jihad (the struggle).Once again, the word Jihad was taken as the primary objective and purpose of this militant group, which was totally against the teachings of Islam. The young Muslims were brought into Afghanistan for the training purpose were being brainwashed by these militants, also they were turned into new the Afghani Mujahedeens. In August 1988, according to a document of the Defense Department of the United States, the organization was defined as the establishment of an organization for the recruitment of young Muslims, and turning them into the Afghani Mujahedeen as mentioned previously in our discussion.It was also stated in this document that the main objective of this group was instituting the Islamist states throughout the world, while overthrowing the un-Islamic regimes, which were taken as the enemies of the God. The expulsion of the US soldiers from the Gulf was their one of the targets, and in the end, it was their mission to capture the city of Jerusalem as a Muslim city. If we look into the past, wars have been fought in the name of religion. However, no religion and even in the history of Islamic wars, we have never seen a war, in which innocent people, women and children were killed.From the historical facts and the teachings of Islam given by Allah, a last option was given to the Muslims to fight in the name of their religion, if and only if, there was no other option remained in their hands. We can decide through these statements and discussions that it is a wrong thing to call this militant group as an Islamic militant group. The political and social reasons can be behind the establishment of this group. Personal benefits and leisure have been the cause and motive of this organization. However, it would be very ludicrous to relate it with Islam.The statements and writings of these groups may give a perception of a religion that gives the teaching of spreading blood and hatred in the world. However, their statements are very philosophical and illiterate in nature, if properly investigated and studied. In 1998, the Al-Qaeda leader was interviewed and the tape was shown to the whole world. If we analyze his statements during that interview, Allah was praised by him for the help, by which, America’s greatest buildings were destroyed. He was seen thanking God for His blessings on them, and causing humiliation that was tasted by Muslims since more than 80 years.According to him, Muslims children were being killed in Iraq, Israeli tanks were infesting Palestine, and the blood, honor, and sanctuaries of Islam were being abused by the infidels. Even then, nobody was seen moving a single limb against these infidels. In one of his statements, he said, â€Å"These events have divided the whole world into two sides. The side of believers and the side of infidels, may God keep you away from them. Every Muslim has to rush to make his religion victorious. The winds of faith have come. The winds of change have come to eradicate oppression from the island of Muhammad, peace be upon him†.If we look into this statement, according to him, his world was at the peak of division of the believers and the infidels. Secondly, he had asked every Muslim to wake up and rush out for the victory of his religion. Even if we accept it, the injustices caused to the Muslims, and the injuries borne by them, no Islamic teachings guided to response in this manner, even with the enemies. If we go back in the history, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last prophet of Allah (as per Muslims believe), and who spread Islam in the Arabia had also fought many wars during his life.We can see the examples of forgiveness which he used to do with the enemies, and even used to forgive those persons who had abused him on the face. From these examples, it can be analyzed that the militant and terrorist acts of this Al-Qaeda g roup is not more than acts of the political wars. The statements of Al-Qaeda group may be primary religious, but in some parts. More fractions were used to humiliate the enemy and disgrace the religion of Islam – this is the reason that makes the Islamic countries to support the war of terrorism.Injustices were also done during this war of terrorism and innocent people became the victims during this period. However, there is no difference between a person who slaps someone and the person who has just slapped him. Every religion that came in this world taught and guided to speak the truth, help the people, and serve the humanity. Therefore, if a group of extremists that arm themselves and kill innocent people and children of the so-called enemies, and call themselves as the true believers is completely wrong.Only radical and illiterate ideology of a religion is represented by these groups and once again, one may not deem them as the representative of Islam. In order to underst and their philosophy in more detail, we should examine their other statements too. A fatwa (binding religious proclamation) was issued and co-signed by Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Sumedh Gawai, and three of the other Islamist leaders on February 23, 1998. This edict was made under the banner of the World Islamic Front for Jihad against the Jews and Crusaders.Once again, it was very wrong step by them to use the world Islamic, as it only disgraced this religion, rather than giving it honor. In this declaration, it was announced that â€Å"[t]he ruling to kill the Americans and their allies civilians and military—is an individual duty for every Muslim, who can do it in any country, in which it is possible to do it, in order to liberate the al-Aqsa Mosque (in Jerusalem) and the holy mosque (in Makka) from their grip, and in order for their armies to move out of all the lands of Islam, defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim.This is in accordance with the words of Alm ighty Allah, ‘and fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together,' and ‘fight them until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah†. In the light of this pronouncement, it was compulsory for every Muslim to come out of his home and start fighting with any Jew that comes in front of him. Isn’t that a preposterous proclamation, or should it be taken as a dangerous edict?The most interesting thing that takes your attention is the traditional Islamic scholarly qualifications were possessed by neither Osama bin Laden or al-Zawahiri. However, the contemporary ulema (true interpretators of Islamic teachings) were rejected by these radical extremists and this responsibility was taken upon them by themselves. The September 11, 2001 attacks at New York’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon was the deadliest and the extreme ones in the American history. Almost 3000 people were killed, which include Christia ns, Jews, and Muslims.This act was an elevated operation of terrorism, and it changed the lives of thousand of Americans. In October 2004, a videotape was released by Al-Jazeera in which Osama bin Laden claimed his responsibility of these attacks and stated his inspiration to be the 1982 Israeli attacks at the high-rises in the Lebanon. Once more, he performed this act of repetition one’s wrong doing reciprocally. Even if Israel had done a devilish act, Islam had taught to forgive and pray for the blessings, even for the enemies. However, what happened was totally different and diverse from the Islamic teachings.In this videotape, Osama bin Laden said, â€Å"As I looked at those demolished towers in Lebanon, it entered my mind that we should punish the oppressor in kind and that we should destroy towers in America in order that they taste some of what we tasted and so that they be deterred from killing our women and children†. It seems from these terrorism acts and the ir statements that this would not stop in the near future, and a war may not be the solution of this issue. Their philosophy, ideology, and psychology are related to their hearts that tends them to react in this state of terrorism.One more example of their statements is the incident of July 13, 2006. In the Srinagar region of Kashmir, a man claimed to be the representative of Al-Qaeda and announced the Kashmiris and the people worldwide of their arrival in this region. The spokesperson also attributed the recent blasts to his group calling them a consequence of the Indian oppression, which was suppressed by the Muslim minorities. These series of different statements showed the image of Muslims and particularly, Islam as a religion of war rather than the peace.These acts can only be the motives of political benefits and advantages as no Islamic teachings guide the Muslims to do the struggle in this manner even against their enemies. Therefore, once again it would be better to declare that these statements and writings can only be a reflection of motives behind personal promotion rather than the religious beliefs and teachings. However, it is still confusing to decide the final decision, because the Al-Qaeda’s nature and extent of its working and operations throughout the world remains a topic of dispute.From the understanding of their statements, we can say that these acts and thoughts are the result of hatred against the United States, Israel, and the other western countries rather than an effort of struggling as per the teachings of Islam. According to their Islamic ideology, these abovementioned countries are taken as the infidels and enemies of Islam. They take it as these countries are trying to abuse the social, economic, cultural, and traditional values of their religion.Many of the Saudi scholars, which were the result of the previously mentioned Wahabism wrote about the United States as the country of corruption, despotism, evil, and aggression. It was considered as a state of spreading abomination and corruption in the world. The resources being used on wines, cigarettes, and sex channels were the cause of their hatred against these western countries. In order to dominate their desire of revenge against these states, they portrayed themselves as the true representatives, scholars, and believers of Islam.Young Muslims were brainwashed and persuaded to sacrifice their lives for the motive of Islam. However, the main objective was to humiliate the enemy rather than to honor the religion. The different proclamations of these extremists, such as, the future conquest of Rome and all of Europe; the state of confrontation with the west; civilians in the infidel states deserve to die; democracy as the religion of the infidels; and seeing the West as God’s enemy are some of the many and various statements given by these extremists.These statements only portray their personal motives behind these acts and not the Islamic ideo logy in any sense. Many experts, writers, investigators and analysts have tried their best to analyze the Al-Qaeda’s position, in the light of their statements and writings, but it is still a topic of argument due to its anonymity. In this discussion, we tried to examine and scrutinize the testimonials of this militant group to decide whether they are playing a role as an Islamic group spreading true religious teachings and beliefs or it is an extremist group that is trying to cope up its problems radically.Conclusively, according to the investigations done by different experts and facts available for the analysis, the Al-Qaeda network does not display or seems to be trying to portray an original picture and ideology, which was given by the Holy Quran and the Messenger of Allah, to the Muslims of the world. References Jason Burke. (2004). Al-Qaeda: a True Story of Radical Islam. I. B. Tauris. Daurius Figueira. (2004). the Al Qaeda Discourse of the Greater Kufr. iUniverse. Bra d K. Berner. (2005). the World According to Al-Qaeda. Booksurge Llc. Olivier Roy. (2004). Globalised Islam: the search for a new Ummah. C. Hurst & Co.Publishers. Robert O. Marlin. (2005). What Does Al Qaeda Want? : Unedited Communiques. North Atlantic Books. Paul J. Murphy. (2004). The Wolves of Islam: Russia and the Faces of Chechen Terror. Brassey's. Dele Ajaja. (2006). The Return of Al-Qaeda: When a Dreaded Terrorist Reaches the Turning Point. iUniverse. David Malone (2005). Bin Laden's Plan: The Project for the New Al Qaeda Century. Trafford Publishing. Phillip Margulies. (2003). Al Qaeda: Osama Bin Laden's Army of Terrorists. The Rosen Publishing Group. Al-Qaeda from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Al-Qaeda Retrieved November 30, 2006

Saturday, September 28, 2019

A Comparative Study of Professional and Traditional College Students Perception Towards Two Wheeler Brands

A RESEARCH REPORT ON â€Å"A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL AND TRADITIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS PERCEPTION TOWARDS TWO WHEELER BRANDS† CONTENTS 1. HISTORY OF BAJAJ ? Profile ? Key Person ? Bajaj Introduction ? Company History ? Timeline Of New Release 2. HISTORY OF HERO HONDA ? Board Of Directors ? Company Profile 3. HISTORY OF TVS 4. OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH 5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ? Data Source ? Research Approach ? Sampling Unit ? Data Completion And Analysis ? Scope 6. LIMITATION OF RESEARCH STUDY 7. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 8. FINDINGS 9. CONCLUSION 10. RECOMMENDATION 11. BIBLIOGRAPHY 12. QUETIONNAIRE Bajaj Auto limited is one of the largest two wheeler manufacturing company in India apart from producing two wheelers they also manufacture three wheelers. The company had started way back in 1945. Initially it used to import the two wheelers from outside, but from 1959 it started manufacturing of two wheelers in the country. By the year 1970 Bajaj Auto had rolled out their 100,000th vehicle. Bajaj scooters and motor cycles have become an integral part of the Indian milieu and over the years have come to represent the aspirations of modern India. Bajaj Auto also has a technical tie up with Kawasaki heavy industries of Japan to produce the latest motorcycles in India which are of world class quality The Bajaj Kawasaki eliminator has emerged straight out of the drawing board of Kawasaki heavy industries. The core brand values of Bajaj Auto limited includes Learning, Innovation, Perfection, Speed and Transparency. Bajaj Auto has three manufacturing units in the country at Akurdi, Waluj and Chakan in Maharashtra, western India, which produced 2,314,787 vehicles in 2005-06. The sales are backed by a network of after sales service and maintenance work Shops all over the country. Bajaj Auto has products which cater to every segment of the Indian two wheeler market Bajaj CT 100 Dlx offers a great value for money at the entry level. Similarly Bajaj Discover 125 offers the consumer a great performance without making a big hole in the pocket. Bajaj Auto is a major Indian automobile manufacturer. It is Indias largest and the worlds 4th largest two- and three-wheeler maker. It is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Waluj near Aurangabad, Akurdi and Chakan, near Pune. Bajaj Auto makers motor scooters, motorcycles and the auto rickshaw. COMPANYS HISTORY Bajaj Auto came into existence on November 29, 1945 as M/s Bachraj Trading Corporation Private Limited. It started off by selling imported two- and three-wheelers in India. In 1959, it obtained license from the Government of India to manufacture two- and three-wheelers and it went public in 1960. In 1970, it rolled out its 100,000th vehicle. In 1977, it managed to produce and sell 100,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1985, it started producing at Waluj in Aurangabad. In 1986, it managed to produce and sell 500,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1995, it rolled out its ten millionth vehicles and produced and sold 1 million vehicles in a year. Timeline of new releases ? 1971 three-wheeler goods carrier ? 1972 Bajaj Chetak ? 1976 Bajaj Super ? 1977 Rear engine Autorickshaw ? 1981 Bajaj M-50 ? 1986 Bajaj M-80, Kawasaki Bajaj KB100 ? 1990 Bajaj Sunny ? 1994 Bajaj Classic ? 1995 Bajaj Super Excel ? 1997 Kawasaki Bajaj Boxer, Rear Engine Diesel Autorickshaw ? 1998 Kawasaki Bajaj Caliber, Legend(Indias first four-stroke scooter) ? 2000 Bajaj Saffire ? 2001 Eliminator, Pulsar 2003 Caliber115, Bajaj Wind 125, Bajaj Pulsar ? 2004 Bajaj CT 100, New Bajaj Chetak 4-stroke with Wonder Gear, Bajaj Discover DTS-i ? 2005 Bajaj Wave, Bajaj Avenger, Bajaj Discover ? 2006 Bajaj Platina ? 2007 Bajaj Pulsar-200 Scooters ? Bajaj Sunny ? Bajaj Chetak ? Bajaj Cub ? Bajaj Super ? Bajaj Wave ? Bajaj Legend Motorcycles ? Kawasaki Eliminator ? Bajaj Pulsar ? Bajaj Kawasaki Wind 125 ? Bajaj Boxer ? Bajaj CT 100 ? Bajaj Platina ? Baja j Caliber ? Bajaj Discover ? Bajaj Avenger ? Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi Upcoming Models Bajaj Krystal ? Bajaj Blade ? Bajaj Sonic ? Bajaj XCD String New Image The company, over the last decade has successfully changed its image from a scooter manufacturer to a two wheeler manufacturer, product range ranging from Scooterettes to Scooters to Motorcycle. Its real growth in numbers has come in the last 4 years after successful introduction of a few models in the motorcycle segment. The company is headed by Rahul Bajaj who is worth more than US$1. 5 billion. India has the largest number of two wheelers in the world with 41. 6 million vehicles. India has a mix of 30 percent automobiles and 70 percent two wheelers in the country. India was the second largest two wheeler manufacturer in the world starting in the 1950’s with the birth of Automobile Products of India (API) that manufactured scooters. API manufactured the Lambrettas but, another company, Bajaj Auto Ltd. surpassed API and remained through the turn of the century from its association with Piaggio of Italy (manufacturer of Vespa). The license raj that existed between the1940s to1980s in India, did not allow foreign companies to enter the market and imports were tightly controlled. This regulatory maze, before the economic liberalization, made business easier for local players to have a seller’s market. Customers in India were forced to wait 12 years to buy a scooter from Bajaj. The CEO of Bajaj commented that he did not need a marketing department, only a dispatch department. By the year 1990, Bajaj had a waiting list that was twenty-six times its annual output for scooters. The motorcycle segment had the same long wait times with three manufacturers; Royal Enfield, Ideal Jawa, and Escorts. Royal Enfield made a 350cc Bullet with the only four-stroke engine at that time and took the higher end of the market but, there was little competition for their customers. Ideal Jawa and Escorts took the middle and lower end of the market respectively. In the mid-1980s, the Indian government regulations changed and permitted foreign companies to enter the Indian market through minority joint ventures. The two-wheeler market changed with four Indo-Japanese joint ventures: Hero Honda, TVS Suzuki, Bajaj Kawasaki and Kinetic Honda. The entry of these foreign companies changed the Indian arket dynamics from the supply side to the demand side. With a larger selection of two-wheelers on the Indian market, consumers started to gain influence over the products they bought and raised higher customer expectations. The industry produced more models, styling options, prices, and different fuel efficiencies. The foreign companies new technologies helped make the products more reliable and with be tter quality. Indian companies had to change to keep up with their global counterparts. Hero Honda Motorcycles Limited is an Indian manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters. Hero Honda is a joint venture that began in 1984 between the Hero group of India and Honda from Japan. It has been the worlds biggest manufacturer of 2-wheeled motorized vehicles since 2001, when it produced 1. 3 million motorbikes in a single year. Hero Hondas Splendor is the worlds largest selling motorcycle. Its 2 plants are in Dharuhera and Gurgaon, both in Haryana, India. It specializes in dual use motorcycles that are low powered but very fuel efficient. [Models] Bikes ? Hero Honda Splendor Plus ? Hero Honda Passion Plus ? Hero Honda Karizma ? Hero Honda CBZ ? Hero Honda Super Splendor Hero Honda CD Dawn ? Hero Honda CD Deluxe ? Hero Honda Achiever ? Hero Honda Glamour ? Hero Honda Ambition Hero Honda Splendor Model COMPANY PROFILE â€Å"Hero†, is the brand name used by the Munjal brothers in the year 1956 with the flagship company Hero Cycles. The two-wheeler manufacturing business of bicycle components had originally started in the 1940’s and turned into the wor ld’s largest bicycle manufacturer today. Hero, is a name synonymous with two-wheelers in India today. The Munjals roll their own steel, make free wheel bicycle critical components and have diversified into different ventures like product design. The Hero Group philosophy is: â€Å"To provide excellent transportation to the common man at easily affordable prices and to provide total satisfaction in all its spheres of activity†. The Hero group vision is to build long lasting relationships with everyone (customers, workers, dealers and vendors). The Hero Group has a passion for setting higher standards and â€Å"Engineering Satisfaction† is the prime motivation, way of life and work culture of the Group. In the year 1984, Mr. Brijmohan Lal Munjal, the Chairman and Managing Director of Hero Honda Motors (HHM), headed an alliance between the Munjal family and Honda Motor Company Ltd. HMC). HHM Mission Statement is: â€Å"We, at Hero Honda, are continuously striving for synergy between technology, systems, and human resources to provide products and services that meet the quality, performance, and price aspirations of our customers. While doing so, we maintain the highest standards of ethics and societal responsibil ities, constantly innovate products and processes, and develop teams that keep the momentum going to take the company to excellence in the new millennium†. This alliance became one of the most successful joint ventures in India, until the year 1999 when HMC had announced a 100% subsidiary, Honda Motorcycle Scooter India (HMSI). This announcement caused the HHM stock price to decrease by 30 percent that same day. Munjal had to come up with some new strategic decisions as, HMSI and other foreign new entry companies were causing increased intensity of rivalry for HHM. GROWTH The business growth of Hero Honda has been phenomenal throughout its early days. The Munjal family started a modest business of bicycle components. Hero Group expanded so big that by 2002 they had sold 86 million bicycles producing 16000 bicycles a day. Today Hero Honda has an assembly line of 9 different models of motorcycles available. It holds the record for most popular bike in the world by sales for Its Splendor model. Hero Honda Motors Limited was established in joint venture with Honda Motors of Japan in 1984, to manufacture motorcycles. It is currently the largest producer of Two Wheelers in the world. It sold 3 million bikes in the year 2005-2006. Recently it has also entered in scooter manufacturing, with its model PLEASURE mainly aimed at girls. The Hero Group has done business differently right from the start and that is what has helped them to achieve break-through in the competitive two-wheeler market. The Groups low key, but focused, style of management has earned the company plaudits amidst investors, employees, vendors and dealers, as also worldwide recognition. The growth of the Group through the years has been influenced by a number of factors: Just-in-Time The Hero Group through the Hero Cycles Division was the first to introduce the concept of just-in-time inventory. The Group boasts of superb operational efficiencies. Every assembly line worker operates two machines simultaneously to save time and improve productivity. The fact that most of the machines are either developed or fabricated in-house, has resulted in low inventory levels. In Hero Cycles Limited, the just-in-time inventory principle has been working since the beginning of production in the unit and is functional even till date.. This is the Japanese style of production and in India; Hero is probably the only company to have mastered the art of the just-in-time inventory principle. Ancillarisation An integral part of the Group strategy of doing business differently was providing support to ancillary units. There are over 300 ancillary units today, whose production is dedicated to Heros requirements and also a large number of other vendors, which include some of the better known companies in the automotive segment. Employee Policy: Another Striking feature within the Hero Group is the commitment and dedication of its workers. There is no organized labor union and family members of employees find ready employment within Hero. The philosophy with regard to labor management is Hero is growing, grow with Hero. When it comes to workers benefits, the Hero Group is known for providing facilities, further ahead of the industry norms. Long before other companies did so, Hero was giving its employees a uniform allowance, as well as House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Leave Travel Allowance (LTA). Extra benefits took the form of medical check-ups, not just for workers, but also for the immediate family members. Dealer Network The relationship of Hero Group with their dealers is unique in its closeness. The dealers are considered a part of the Hero family. A nation-wide dealer network comprising of over 5,000 outlets, and have a formidable distribution system in place. Sales agents from Hero travels to all the corners of the country, visiting dealers and send back daily postcards with information on the stock position that day, turnover, fresh purchases, anticipated demand and also competitor action in the region. The manufacturing units have a separate department to handle dealer complaints and problems and the first response is always given in 24 hours. Financial Planning The Hero Group benefits from the Group Chairmans financial acumen and his grasp on technology, manufacturing and marketing. Group Company, Hero Cycles Limited has one of the highest labor productivity rates in the world. In Hero Honda Motors Limited, the focus is on financial and raw material management and a low employee turnover. Quality Quality at Hero is attained not just by modern plants and equipment and through latest technology, but by enforcing a strict discipline. At the Group factories, attaining quality standards is an everyday practice a strictly pursued discipline. It comes from an amalgamation of the latest technology with deep-rooted experience derived from nearly four decades of hard labor. It is an attitude that masters the challenge of growth and change change in consumers perceptions about products and new aspirations arising from a new generation of buyers. Constant technology up gradation ensures that the Group stays in the global mainstream and maintains its competitive edge. With each of its foreign collaborations, the Group goes onto strengthen its quality measures as per the book. The Group also employs the services of independent experts from around the world to assist in new design and production processes. Diversification Throughout the years of enormous growth, the Group Chairman, Mr. Lall has actively looked at diversification. A considerable level of backward integration in its manufacturing activities has been ample in the Groups growth and led to the establishment of the Hero Cycles Cold Rolling Division, Munjal and Sunbeam Castings, Munjal Auto Components and Munjal Showa Limited amongst other component-manufacturing units. Then there were the expansion into the automotive segment with the setting up of Majestic Auto Limited, where the first indigenously designed moped, Hero Majestic, went into commercial production in 1978. Then came Hero Motors which introduced Hero Puch, in collaboration with global technology leader Steyr Daimler Puch of Austria. Hero Honda Motors was established in 1984 to manufacture 100 cc motorcycles. The Hero Group also took a venture into other segments like exports, financial services, information technology, which includes customer response services and software development. Further expansion is expected in the areas of Insurance and Telecommunication. The Hero Groups phenomenal growth is the result of constant innovations, a close watch on costs and the dynamic leadership of the Group Chairman, characterized by a culture of entrepreneurship, of right attitudes and building stronger relationships with investors, partners, vendors and dealers and customers TVS MOTOR COMPANY The TVS group was established in 1911 by Shri. T. V. Sundaram Iyengar. As one of India’s largest industrial entities it epitomizes Trust, Value and Service. It all began way back in 1984 when Sundaram Clayton Limited (A TVS Group company) introduced its 50 CC mopeds in the arena of road racing, notching up unbelievable speeds of 105 kmph. Since then, there has been no looking back for TVS Motor Company. TVS Racing was established in 1987 with the objective of improving the performance of its bikes. Over the years it has provided valuable data, design inputs, development of reliable motorcycle models, excellent vehicle dynamics handling etc. The true evidence of it is seen in todays TVS Victor and TVS Fiero. Today, there are over thirty companies in the TVS Group, employing more than 40,000 people worldwide and with a turnover in excess of USD 2. 2 billion. With steady growth, expansion and diversification, TVS commands a strong presence in manufacturing of two-wheelers, auto components and computer peripherals. We also have vibrant businesses in the distribution of heavy commercial vehicles passenger cars, finance and insurance. TVS Motor Company Limited, the flagship company of the USD 2. billion TVS Group, is the third largest two-wheeler manufacturer in India and among the top ten in the world, with an annual turnover of over USD 650 million. The year 1980 is one to be remembered for the Indian two-wheeler industry, with the roll out of TVS 50, Indias first two-seater moped that ushered in an era of affordable personal transportation. For the Indian Automobile sector, it was a breakthrough to be etched in history. TV S Motor Company is the first two-wheeler manufacturer in the world to be honoured with the hallmark of Japanese Quality – The Deming Prize for Total Quality Management. OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH 1. To analyze the customer satisfaction. 2. To analyze the customer preference. 3. To know which manufacturer is providing better services. 4. To analyze after sales services of bikes. 5. To study the behavioral factors of consumers in motor bikes. 6. To suggest various factors to improve sales. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY It is well known fact that the most important step in marketing research process is to define the problem. Choose for investigation because a problem well defined is half solved. That was the reason that at most care was taken while defining various parameters of the problem. After giving through brain storming session, objectives were selected and the set on the base of these objectives. A questionnaire was designed major emphasis of which was gathering new ideas or insight so as to determine and bind out solution to the problems. DATA SOURCE Research included gathering both Primary and Secondary data. Primary data is the first hand data, which are selected a fresh and thus happen to be original in character. Primary Data was crucial to know various customers and past consumer views about bikes and to calculate the market share of this brand in regards to other brands. Secondary data are those which has been collected by some one else and which already have been passed through statistical process. Secondary data has been taken from internet, newspaper, magazines and companies web sites. RESEARCH APPROACH The research approach was used survey method which is a widely used method for data collection and best suited for descriptive type of research survey includes research instrument like questionnaire which can be structured and unstructured. Target population is well identified and various methods like personal interviews and telephone interviews are employed. SAMPLING UNIT It gives the target population that will be sampled. This research was carried in Indore (Distt. Indore). These were 90 respondents. DATA COMPLETION AND ANALYSIS After the data has been collected, it was tabulated and findings of the project were presented followed by analysis and interpretation to reach certain conclusions. SCOPE My project was based on the A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL AND TRADITIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS PERCEPTION TOWARDS TWO WHEELER BRANDS and data was taken in the City Indore only. LIMITATION 1. Research work was carried out in one Distt of U. P. (INDORE) only the finding may not be applicable to the other parts of the country because of social and cultural differences. 2. The sample was collected using connivance-sampling techniques. As such result may not give an exact representation of the population. 3. Shortage of time is also reason for incomprehensiveness. 4. The views of the people are biased therefore it doesn’t reflect true picture. Q1) Which bike do you have? Hero Honda |30 | | | | |Bajaj |30 | | | | |Any other |30 | | | | INTERPRETATION: Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 30 customers are of Hero Honda, 30 are of Bajaj and 30 customers of TVS bikes are taken into consideration. |Q2) Which Model do you Have? | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda | |Bajaj | |TVS | | | | | | | | | |Splender |13 |CT 100 |5 |Flame |4 | | | | | | | | |Passion |5 |Discover |11 |Star City |9 | | | | | | | | |Karizma |2 |Pulsar |10 |Apache |7 | | | | | | | | |Any othe r |10 |Any other |4 |Any other |10 | | | | | | | | HERO HONDA INTERPRETATION: In Hero Honda mostly the customers are having splendor while the ratio of the customers using Passion, Karizma and other bikes are comparatively low. BAJAJ INTERPRETATION: In Bajaj the customers are giving more preference to Discover and Pulsar models. TVS INTERPRETATION:- In TVS Bikes the customers are givig more preference to the other models rather than Flame,Starcityand Apache. |Q3) In which family Income level do you Fall? | | | |100000-200000 |22 | | | | |200000-300000 |45 | | | | |300000-400000 |23 | | | | |above 400000 |10 | | | | INTERPRETATION: The maximum numbers of customers that are using these bikes fall in the income group of 200000-300000. While this ratio is minimum in case of customers whose income level fall between 300000-400000. |Q4) For how long do you own a bike? | | | | | |0-1 year |34 | | | | | |1-2 year | |29 | | | | | |2-3 year | |26 | | | | | |above 3 year | |11 | | | | | INTERPRETATION: It is observed that mostly the customers are having new bikes. | |Q5) For what purpose do you use your Motor Bike? | | | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda | |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | | | | |Office Purpose |13 | |42 |38 | | | | | | | | | | | |Personal purpose |17 | |15 |27 | | | | | | | | | | | |Joy Purpose |10 | |18 |10 | | | | | | | | | | | |Other |40 | |15 |15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | INTERPRETATION:- The customers are using their bikes mostly for official and personal purpose. | |Q6) How do you come to know about this Motor Bike? | | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | | | | |Newspaper |28 |33 |22 | | | | | | | | | | |Television |22 |28 |18 | | | | | | | | | | |Magazine |8 |16 |28 | | | | | | | | | | |Friends Relative |37 |13 |22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | INTERPRETATION: It is observed that the awareness of Hero Honda bikes mostly comes from friends while of Bajaj and TVS the awareness comes from newspapers and televisions. Q7) Does Advertisement Influence your decision in choosing a Motor Bike? Yes |65 | | | | |No |15 | | | | |Can’t say |10 | | | | INTERPRETATION: Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 65 customers agrees with the fact that advertisements play a very significant role in influencing their behavior to choose the bike. On the other hand 15 customers do not agree to this fact. While remaining 10 customers are not sure about it. Q8 Are you satisfied with the performance of the bike that you are currently havin? Yes |55 | | | | |No |28 | | | | |Can’t say |7 | | | | INTERPRETATION:- Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 55 customers says that they are satisfied with the performance of their bikes. On the other hand 28 customers are not satisfied with the performance of the bikes that they are having. While the remaining 10 customers are unable to say anything. |Q9) Do you have full knowledge about Bikes before buying? | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | |Yes | 42 |34 |37 | | | | | | |No |37 |27 |22 | | | | | | |Can’t Say |11 |29 |31 | | | | | | INTERPRETATION:- It is observed that most of the customers are having full knowledge of the bike before purchasing. |Q10) Which Factor below Influence your decision? | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda | |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | |Price |17 | |22 |28 | | | | | | | |Mileage |28 | |15 |15 | | | | | | |Quality |11 | |20 |16 | | | | | | | |Resale Value |12 | |14 |17 | | | | | | | |Status symbol |32 | |19 |14 | | | | | | | HERO HONDA INTERPRETATION:- In Hero Honda bikes the mileage of the bike and the value that it adds to the status symbol of the customers influences the decision criteria of most of the customers. BAJAJ INTERPRETATION:- In Bajaj bikes customers gets more influenced by the price and quality of the bike and also they think that it adds value to their prestige. TVS INTERPRETATION: In TVS bike the economic price of the bikes influences the buying behavior of the customers. |Q11) How would you rate the following factors of Bikes with respect to different | |company? | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj TVS | | | | | | |Mileage |74% |72% |68% | | | | | | |Price |68% |65% |47% | | | | | | |Pick up |70% |80% |62% | | | | | | |Maintenance |58% |62% |74% | | | | | | |Look Shape |85% |80% |72% | | | | | | |Brand Image |53% |55% |69% | | | | | | INTERPRETATION: It is observed that in rating of different features of different bikes people give maximum rating to the look and shape of the bike. At the second level they give their rating to the pick up. At the third level they rate mileage. And at the fourth level they give points to maintenance. At last they rate price and brand image. |Q12) If new Bike with good features comes in, then would you like to change your bike? | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | |Yes |10 |16 |14 | | | | | | | | |No |16 |11 |11 | | | | | | | | |Can’t say |4 |3 |5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | INTERPRETATION:- It is observed that the customers of Hero Honda bikes are not ready to change their bikes even if a new bike comes in with good features. While majority of the customers of Bajaj and TVS are ready to change their bikes if new bike provides some good features to them. FINDINGS During this research project I came in to contact with many customers who are having bikes. It has been found that in Hero Honda mostly the customers are having splendor while the ratio of the customers using Passion, Karizma and other bikes are comparatively low. In Bajaj the customers are giving more preference to Discover and Pulsar models and in case of TVS Bikes the customers are givig more preference to the other models rather than Flame,Starcityand Apache. The maximum numbers of customers that are using these bikes fall in the income group of 200000-300000. It has been observed that the customers are using their bikes mostly for official and personal purpose. It is observed that the awareness of Hero Honda bikes mostly comes from friends while of Bajaj and TVS the awareness comes from newspapers and televisions. Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 65 customers agree with the fact that advertisements play a very significant role in influencing their behavior to choose the bike. On the other hand 15 customers do not agree to this fact. While remaining 10 customers are not sure about it. When the customers are asked that are they satisfied with the performance of their bikes then most of them agrees to the fact. Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 55 customers says that they are satisfied with the performance of their bikes. On the other hand 28 customers are not satisfied with the performance of the bikes that they are having. While the remaining 10 customers are unable to say anything. It is observed that most of the customers are having full knowledge of the bike before purchasing. It has been seen that In Hero Honda bikes the mileage of the bike and the value that it adds to the status symbol of the customers influences the decision criteria of most of the customers. In Bajaj bikes customers gets more influenced by the price and quality of the bike and also they think that it adds value to their prestige. While in case of TVS bike the economic price of the bikes influences the buying behavior of the customers. It is observed that in rating of different features of different bikes people give maximum rating to the look and shape of the bike. At the second level they give their rating to the pick up. At the third level they rate mileage. And at the fourth level they give points to maintenance. At last they rate price and brand image. It is observed that the customers of Hero Honda bikes are not ready to change their bikes even if a new bike comes in with good features. While majority of the customers of Bajaj and TVS are ready to change their bikes if new bike provides some good features to them. Conclusion 1. Most of the Flame, Apache, Pulsar, CBZ Karizma are purchased by young generation 18 to 30 years because they prefer stylish looks and rest of the models of Hero Honda, TVS and Bajaj are purchased more by daily users who needs more average of bikes than looks. 2. Hero Honda is considered to be most fuel-efficient bike on Indian roads. 3. Service Spare parts are available throughout India in local markets also. 4. While buying a motorcycle, economy is the main consideration in form of maintenance cost, fuel efficiency. 5. Majority of the respondent had bought their motorcycle more than 3 years. RECOMONDATION 1. Bajaj should introduce some more models having more engine power. 2. Hero Honda should think about fuel efficiency in case of upper segment bikes. 3. More service centers should be opened. 4. Maintenance cost and the availability of the spare parts should also be given due importance. 5. They also introduce some good finance/discount schemes for students. 6. The price should be economic. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. www. herohonda. com 2. www. google. com 3. www. bajaj. com 4. www. twowheeler. com 5. www. extrememachines. com QUESTIONNAIRE |NAME: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ | | | |CONTACT No. .†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. | | | | | | | |20-25 | | |AGE:- | | |15-20 | | | | | | | | | | |Above 30 | | | | | | |25-30 | | | | | | | | |Employee | | |OCCUPATION:- | | | |Businessman | | | | | | | | | | |Other | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Student | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q1) |Which Bike do you have? | | | | | | | | | | | | | |TVS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q2) |Which Model do you have? | | | | | | | | | |Passion | | |Hero Honda: | | |Splendor | | | | | | | | | | |Other | | | | | | | | | | |Bajaj: | | |CT 100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |TVS:- | | |Flame | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |200000-300000 | | | | | | | | | | |1-2 year | | | | | | | | | | | |Personal Purpose | | | | | | | | | | | |Television | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q7) |Are you satisfied with the performance of the bike that you are currently having? | | | | | | | | | |Can’t say | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Can’t say | | | | | |Yes | |No | | | | | |Q9) |Do you have full knowledge about Bikes before buying? | | | | | | | | | |Can’t say | | | | | |Yes | | |No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q10). Which factor below influence your decision? | | | | | | | | |Quality | | | | | | | | | |Price | | | | | |Resale Value | | | | | | Q11) How would you rate the following factors of bikes with respect to different companies? Hero Honda |Bajaj | | |Mileage | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Price | | | | | | | | | | | |Pick up | | | | | | | | | | | |Maintenance | | | | | | | | | | | |Look/Shape | | | | | | | | | | | |Brand Image | | | | | Q12) If new bike with good feature comes in, then would you like to change your bikes? |Yes | | | |Can’t say | | | | |No | | | | | | | | | | Q13) Any Suggestions for Company †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦

Friday, September 27, 2019

Speech Outline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Speech Outline - Essay Example social networking tools have worked against the societal norms that define the young generation behaviour, because mot believe if they are not using social media, they are outdated. The ‘Fakebook generation’ no longer respects their culture nor their elders, they want to fit in a society that they believe is the best for them without factoring the ideas and guidance from their elders. To some extent, I agree with Mathias, and in most cases I disagree with her. Yes, the â€Å"Fakebook Generation’ could have decayed morals, but exactly what has contributed to that, Facebook alone? Or is it a combination of many factors that have created a fake generation? I believe the society has a lot to do to ensure the youth are not totally lost and that Facebook and other social networks do not make them forget their societal values. Despite most of them believing that they need to use social media to have a sense of belonging among their peers, parents and the society at large has a role to play to ensure the social norms are not thrown to the dogs. Mathias believes in a world view that tends to make a general assumption of the youth, which is not always correct as different countries and different cultures have people behave differently (Kirszner & Mandell,

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Economic Integration within the EU Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economic Integration within the EU - Essay Example (Arestis, P. et al 1999) DG ECFIN economists are playing vital role in the ongoing forward-looking review of the European Union single market that the European Commission is chalking out. The barriers still exist in the internal market of the Union. Which indicates that many benefits have yet to be realised The potential of the single market is to be contributed to a more dynamic, innovative and competitive EU From the economic perspective of the single market review, DG ECFIN analysts advised that it is time to move towards a more economics-based and results-oriented approach using the targeted monitoring of selected markets and sectors. It would bring real improvements to the operations of the single market. The objective is to realize the four freedoms enshrined in the treaty. . At present, this vision is a successful reality in many spheres. The individuals can live, work, study or retire in any EU country. The Consumers would have an extensive choice of products and services at lower prices. The businesses would have lower costs and more opportunities to flourish in a Europe of close to 500 million customers without internal boundaries. The expected gains for the EU economy from the single market inducts an extra 2.2% on GDP and more than 2.75 million jobs created between 1992 and 2006. The The single market may be deemed as a natural coefficient of economic and monetary union (EMU). The euro is not only substitutes the single market by removing the costs and inconveniences of multiple currencies, but it is also the concrete expression of the willingness of the euro-area Member States to work together within EMU. This is a strong, united and sustainable EU economy that can defend Europe's citizens against global catastrophe and turbulence. Many policies for a single market Using a constitutional political economy approach, this paper attempts to demonstrate that both the "principle of integrity" and the "principle of efficiency" of collective action appear to be violated by the European economic constitution. This occurs, respectively, because its provisions are not neutral, nor revisable, and because they do not sufficiently allow for the possibility of cooperative collective decision (leading to convergence in welfare) in a more than ever numerous and heterogeneous EU. Essential argument in this respect regards the implications of the structurally different economic performances and incentives of small and large countries under the European economic constitution. (Laurent, E., and Cacheux, J. L. (2005), From the very beginning, the single market mechanism was more important than an economic policy decision. The ongoing crucial negotiations on an EU patent to defend European innovations; and a common trade policy. It would gives flawless access to the single market for our global trade partners while promoting EU exports and our social and environmental standards globally. It was expected to launch a more dynamic, innovative and competitive EU economy. This has not materialized: economic growth in the EU, determined by GDP per capita, has been below that of the US over the last ten years. Fabienne Ilzkovitz, one of the report's authors, who clarifies the economic

The Capital Budget Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Capital Budget - Research Paper Example Furthermore, better compensation increases the employee morale, generally, given that the increase is awarded in an equitable manner. In other words, employee morale is boosted if the increase in compensation is awarded in respect to the level of productivity of individual employees rather than granting a blanket increment Figure 1: Projected increase in Revenue to to increase in compensation Trend Analysis As shown in figure 2, annual expenditure has been greater than revenues for the past several years until 2002 when an opposite trend was observed. Generally, the expenditure has been declining since 2008. This rate of decline has been most drastic from 2011, but the management seems to be effectively controlling the operating expenses because the gap between revenues and expenditure seems to be closing up. It is very important for the management to ensure that as the cost declines, good measures should be put to ensure that the contribution margin does not decline as well (City of Cincinnati Ohio, 2012). 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Expenditure 365,000,000 356,000,000 356,000,000 354,000,000 334,000,000 Revenue 357,500,000 338,500,000 337,000,000 337,000,000 337,000,000 Table 1: Expenditure trend Figure 2: Expenditure Trend Expenditure Forecast The health expenditure, which finances the services by the city’s health clinics to those patients that are qualifying has been declining since 2010 and it is expected to maintain a slight decline to 2017. This cost should be approached because, although it consumes a substantial proportion of the council’s budget, health services are very fundamental and furthermore the decline shows that the council has been undertaking a cost cutting measure (City of Cincinnati Ohio, 2012). 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Health 23,574,570 19,450,210 20,128,510 19,256,458 19,126,895 19,100,568 18,458,000 18,456,123 Fire 92,832,430 98,662,160 94,358,450 93,125,145 92,125,256 92,125,365 91,125,458 90,125,456 Public servivce 22,291,010 20,015,980 19,963,240 19,256,125 18,125,456 18,125,100 17,124,896 17,100,125 police 139,110,860 146,175,220 132,888,620 135,568,456 125,456,256 120,124,562 119,136,100 118,256,362 Figure 2: Four of the highest expenditure (5 years forecast) The fire expenditure seems to be consuming a very big proportion of the council’s budget, however, this expenditure has reduced since 2010 and the forecast exhibits the same trend of reduction. Therefore, this budget will be approved. Public services have a trend very similar with health and the cost cutting measures are evident, therefore, it is likely to be approved. Finally, the police takes the highest share of the council’s budget. Given that security is very essential as it determines the success of all other activities, the high budget is justifiable. It is also evident that this figure has been on the decline since 2012 and there it is likely to be approved (Weiss & Mark, 1989). Capital Budget There are t wo methods of predicting the cost of needed repairs including qualitative and quantitative methods. The qualitative forecasting methods make use of judgements to predict cost. This method is most suitable when used in situations where the historical data is not available. Furthermore, availability of historical data is sometimes considered irrelevant because of significant changes that take place in the environmental conditions afflicting the pertinent time. For instance, it

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Leadership Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Leadership - Case Study Example nd avoidance/passive styles) and different features of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, diminishment of personal accomplishment) were made by authors. Out of these five hypotheses only two were fully supported: the one - about positive association between passive leadership style and both depersonalization and emotional exhaustion; the second – about positive correlation between transformational leadership and personal accomplishment. The highest achievement of the authors and therefore the best feature of the article is the fact that the article provides a thorough literature review. A lot of sources providing research on the different styles of management as well as the research on different features and reasons of burnout were analyzed. The analysis of correlations between leadership styles and burnout which already exists in the literature is also presented by the authors of the article. However, the empirical researches as well as the conclusions made in the article contain certain limitations. First of all, taking into account the fact that out of five hypotheses made by the authors of the article only two were fully support with the data, their conclusions about the connections between styles of leadership and burnout as a whole seem somehow overgeneralized. Those hypotheses which were fully supported with the data present just one side of the burnout. Besides that, there are limitations connected with the sample which is used for the research. Even though the authors of the article argue that the response rate of 26.2 percent is normal for this area of research as it involves sensitive issues, it is still very low and as we don’t know anything about the remaining 73.8 percent of the planned sample, the results of the research may be seriously biased. Such a small number of answers (131) provides doubts about the credibility of research results. Even though the study contains certain limitations, especially from the methodological

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Dialogue between an Atheist and a Theist on The Problem of Evil from Speech or Presentation

Dialogue between an Atheist and a Theist on The Problem of Evil from Hick - Speech or Presentation Example Amy: Uhh...I guess so. Why do you ask? John: Well, a retired old man doesn’t have much to do these days, and I want to see what these professors are teaching you kids these days. But let me ask, how come you are reading Russell? Are you an Atheist? Amy: Yes. John: May I ask why? Amy: See, my main problem with believing in God, is that when you look around the world, there are so many problems. Not just small problems, but real, serious, heartrending problems. There is world hunger and starvation. There is violence, hatred, war and genocide. There are natural disasters like earthquakes, floods and volcanoes, which wreak havoc and cause terror amongst fellow humans. There are egregious crimes we commit against each other, like rape, kidnapping and murder. If God really exists, how could he ever allow all of these terrible things? John: Ah, I as most other practicing Christians have ran into some of these existential type worries, which have caused me to doubt my faith. But in th e end, after working hard and maintaining my relationship with God, the answers have been revealed to me, and my faith has in turn become stronger. Amy: That’s all well and good to the practicing Christian. However, I admit that I am not too familiar with the bible, many of your religious teachings, and your personal esoteric spiritual experiences, so before we can have this discussion, we are going to have to define God in purely ontological terms. Exactly what sort of entity is God? What are his characteristics? John: Fair enough. As a theologian, I had to read many of the works of the great metaphysicians back in divinity school, so I am comfortable having this sort of discussion. It seems to me that God would have to be the best possible being, with all the best possible characteristics. Amy: And why is that? John: Because as the creator of the Universe and all of being itself, God must be the best possible being because nothing created can be greater than its creator. Am y: But certainly you have seen instances where a child grows up to be far more powerful and noble than his or her parents. Is this not an example of a creation being greater than its creator? John: Well in my opinion God created humanity. So even though a child may be born from parents, they descend from a long line of human history that started with God’s creation of Adam and Eve, and thus are technically God’s creation. Amy: Well, that theory may work for you. But it assumes the existence of God, and that God created Humanity. However I do not believe in God, and I believe that life evolved on Earth. John: Touche my friend. It’s good that you caught me in my assumptions. I must point out though, that even if you believe in the theory of evolution, their parents do still not create children. Rather, human genes are passed on through Natural Selection. If the female attracts a strong mate with good genes, and the chance combination of those genes results in stro nger offspring, then it seems it’s not the case that the parents are creating the children. The situation can better be described as resulting from the biologically necessary process of natural selection, combined with luck in the genetic lottery. Amy: Wow, I must say I am impressed by your knowledge of Biology! You are certainly no ignorant believer, who detests science and seeks to explain everything strictly through religion. And I admit that what you say is true. Furthermore, I cannot think of any more counterexamples to the assertion that no creation turns out

Monday, September 23, 2019

A Comparative Analysis of 18th Century French and English Chairs Essay

A Comparative Analysis of 18th Century French and English Chairs - Essay Example These were heavily inspired by the reigns of kings Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. Elsewhere in England, 18th century brought prosperity of unprecedented scale that led to a huge increase in the production of furniture with a distinctive English style. These styles are the Queen Anne style, Sheraton style and Chippendale style (Harwood, May and Sherman). The French chairs during this time were characterized by different leg styles. During King Louis 14th reign, French cabinet maker Andrà © chalets Boulle created revolutionary furniture that had legs which were figural, baluster and claw. Also, Louis 15th chairs retained the same leg formation of figural, baluster and claw. Furthermore, the Louis 15th rococo style chairs had a signature ‘S’ shaped cabriole leg, shaped like an animals hind legs. The chairs during King Louis the 16th however had straight fluted legs (Stevens). Meanwhile, the primary construction material that was used in Louis 14th chairs during the baroque period was wood from chestnut, walnut or oak. These were sometimes left natural or were painted bright colors such as red, green or coated silver and even gilded. In addition, precious woods and ebony were imported into Paris to be used as construction materials while pear and natural woods were used in the provinces. The finish often consisted of various metal and animal materials such as pewter and silver, along with tortoise- shell, horn and ivory (Clauston). Louis 15th rococo style chairs also used some of the material found in Louis 14th chairs including wood crafted from oak or walnut. In addition to oak and walnut, cherry, ash, plum, chestnut and olive were also used. Louis 16th neoclassical chairs used walnut, ash and burled. Other construction materials used include steel, copper and bronze (Clauston). The posture and form of the 18th century French chairs was varied. During the era of Louis 14th, the chairs had modest curves and straight lines were prominent (Stevens).

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Reading Comprehension Essay Example for Free

Reading Comprehension Essay Robots serve as entertainers, servers, greeters and receptionists at the Dalu Robot restaurant. Service with a smile also comes with an electronic voice at the Dalu Robot restaurant, where the hotpot meals are not as famous yet as the staff who never lose their patience and never take tips. The restaurant, which opened this month in Jinan in northern Shandong province, is touted as Chinas first robot hotpot eatery where robots resembling Star Wars droids circle the room carrying trays of food in a conveyor belt-like system. More than a dozen robots operate in the restaurant as entertainers, servers, greeters and receptionists. Each robot has a motion sensor that tells it to stop when someone is in its path so customers can reach for dishes they want. The service industry in China has not always kept up with the countrys rapid economic growth, and can be quite basic in some restaurants, leading customers in the Dalu restaurant to praise the robots. They have a better service attitude than humans, said Li Xiaomei, 35, who was visiting the restaurant for the first time. Humans can be temperamental or impatient, but they dont feel tired, they just keep working and moving round and round the restaurant all night, Li said. Inspired by space exploration, robot technology and global innovation, the restaurants owner, Zhang Yongpei, said he hopes his restaurant will show the world China is a serious competitor in developing technology. I hope this new concept shows that China is forward-thinking and innovative, Zhang said. As customers enter the dimly lit restaurant lined with blinking neon lights to simulate a futuristic environment, a female robot decorated with batting eyelashes greets people with an electronic welcome. During the meal, crowds of up to 100 customers, are entertained by a dancing and talking robot that looks more like a mannequin with a dress, flapping its arms around in a stiff motion. Zhang said he hopes to roll out 30 robots which cost $6000 each ($NZ8000) in the coming months and eventually develop robots with human-like qualities that serve customers at their table and can walk up and down the stairs.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Music And Its Effect On The Psychology Of Teenagers Media Essay

Music And Its Effect On The Psychology Of Teenagers Media Essay There has been a massive amount of research, trying to identify the psychological and behavioral effects of music on a teenager. Society stigmatizes different genres with common belief and misconceptions, such as listening to classical music makes someone smarter and heavy metal and hardcore rap causes uncontrollable rage and hostility. Stereotypes, misconceptions, and the tendency to interpret observations and research too broadly have tainted the true essence of musical psychology, which is the analysis of how different musical aspects react with the behavioral and emotional aspects of teenagers. Deeha (2008) [online] According to brainyquote.com (n.d) [online], Music is defined as The science and the art of tones i.e., sounds of higher or lower pitch, begotten of uniform and synchronous vibrations, as of a string at various degrees of tension; the science of harmonical tones which treats of the principles of harmony, or the properties, dependences and relations of tones to each other; the art of combining tones in a manner to please the ear. Music is also defined as vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. Oxforddictionaries.com (n.d) [online] Music is universal and yet it is also relative and subjective. What may be music to one may not be so to another. Estrella (n.d) [online] Definitions.net defines music as an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony and dynamics. Definitions.net (n.d) [online] Merriam-Webster.com (n.d) [online] defines psychology as the mental or behavioral characteristics of an individual or group or the study of mind and behavior in relation to a particular field of knowledge or activity. Dictionary.com (n.d) [online] defines psychology as  the  mental make-up  or  structure  of  an  individual  that causes  him  or  her  to  think  or  act  in  the  way  he or  she  does. There are many theories regarding when and where music originated. Many agree that music began even before man existed. Historiographers point out that there are six periods of music and each period has a particular style of music that greatly contributed to what music is today. Estrella (n.d) [online] Medieval/Middle Ages Music during the Middle Ages is characterized by the beginning of musical notation as well as polyphony. During this time, there were two general types of music styles; the monophonic and the polyphonic.Estrella (n.d) [online]. Monophonic means one note  at a time  while polyphonic means two or more  different  notes  at the same time. wiki.answers.com (n.d) [online] Renaissance Renaissance means rebirth and in music this period brought about many changes in the way music was created and perceived. Estrella (n.d) [online] Classical The music of the Classical period, which spans from 1750 to 1820, is characterized by simpler melodies and forms such as the sonatas. The piano was undoubtedly the primary instrument used by composers during the Classical period. Estrella (n.d) [online] Romantic Historiographers define the Romantic Music period to be between 1800 to 1900. It is characterized by using music to tell a story or express an idea, and the use of various instruments including wind instruments. Melodies are fuller and more dramatic. Estrella (n.d) [online] 20th Century Music during the 20th century brought about many innovations on how music was performed and appreciated. Artists were more willing to experiment on new music forms and used technology to enhance their compositions. Estrella (n.d) [online] TYPES Music is of different types. We have; Classical Music Rock Blues Jazz RB Hip-Hop Reggae Country New Age. Bhattacharyya (2012) [online] Rock and roll is a form of music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, with roots in mainly Blues, Country, RB, Folk and Gospel music, and quickly spread to the rest of the world. Acesandeights.com (n.d) [online] Classic rock and roll is played with one or two electric guitars (one lead, one rhythm), a string bass or an electric bass guitar, and a drum kit. In the earliest rock and roll styles, either the piano or saxophone was often the lead instrument, but these were generally replaced or supplemented by the guitar in the middle to late 1950s. The massive popularity and eventual worldwide view of rock and roll gave it a unique social impact. Far beyond simply a musical style, rock and roll, as seen in movies and in the new medium of television, influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes, and language. Acesandeights.com (n.d) [online] Jazz is an American musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions. The styles West African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation, and the swung note. Acesandeights.com (n.d) [online]   From its early development until the present, jazz has also incorporated music from 19th and 20th century American popular music. The word jazz began as a West Coast slang term of uncertain derivation and was first used to refer to music in Chicago in about 1915. Jazz has, from its early 20th century inception, spawned a variety of subgenres, from New Orleans Dixieland dating from the early 1910s, big band-style swing from the 1930s and 1940s, bebop from the mid-1940s, a variety of Latin jazz fusions such as Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazz from the 1950s and 1960s, jazz-rock fusion from the 1970s and late 1980s developments such as acid jazz, which blended jazz influences into funk and hip-hop. Acesandeights.com (n.d) [online] Hip-hop  music, also referred to as  rap music, is a music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rap which is accompanied with backing beats. Hip hop music is part of culture, which began in the Bronx, New York City in the 1970s, predominantly among African Americans and Latinos. The term rap is often used synonymously with hip hop music. Acesandeights.com (n.d) [online] Rapping is a vocal style in which the performer speaks rhythmically and in rhyme, generally to a beat. Beats are traditionally generated from portions of other songs by a DJ, or sampled from portions of other songs by a producer, though synthesizers, drum machines, and live bands are also used, especially in newer music. Rappers may perform what they have written down ahead of time, or improvise on the spot with or without a beat which has become known as free-styling. Though rap is usually an integral component of hip hop music, DJs sometimes perform and record alone and many instrumental acts are also defined as hip hop. In the 1990s, a form called gangsta rap became a major part of American music, causing controversy over lyrics which were perceived by some as promoting violence, promiscuity and drug use. Nevertheless, hip hop continued to increase in popularity, and by the year 2000, it was a staple of popular music charts. Acesandeights.com (n.d) [online] Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady. Reggae is based on a rhythmic style characterized by regular beats on the off-beat, known as the skank. Reggae is normally slower than ska, and usually has accents on the first and third beat in each bar. Reggae song lyrics deal with many subjects, including religion, love, sexuality, peace, relationships, poverty, injustice and other social and political issues. Acesandeights.com (n.d) [online] Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. It has roots in traditional folk music, Celtic music, gospel music, and old-time music and evolved rapidly in the 1920s. The term country music began to be used in the 1940s when the earlier term hillbilly music was deemed to be degrading, and the term was widely embraced in the 1970s, while country and Western has declined in use since that time, except in the United Kingdom and Ireland, where it is still commonly used in the United States. In the Southwestern United States a different mix of ethnic groups created the music that became the Western music of the term country and Western. Acesandeights.com (n.d) [online] All these types of music have different effects on different teenagers; both positive and negative. The average person spends several hours a day listening to music, whether they see it as a main activity or just as something to take up space in the background. It is not surprising, then, that music has a great effect on how humans think and act, possibly even affecting intelligence. Several studies have been conducted on this theory; though some results are questionable, the consensus view seems to be that music has the capacity for both positive and negative effects. Andrew (n.d) [online] In America; Researchers found that people could make accurate judgments about an individuals levels of extraversion, creativity and open-mindedness after listening to ten of their favorite songs. Extraverts tend to seek out songs with heavy bass lines, while those who enjoy more complex styles such as jazz and classical music tend to be more creative and have higher IQ-scores. Another study conducted by researchers at Herriot-Watt University looked at more than 36,000 participants from all over the world. Participants were asked to rate more than 104 different musical styles in addition to offering information about aspects of their personality. Cherry (n.d) [online] Also, music can have a positive therapeutic effect. Musical therapy uses music and all aspects of music to improve and maintain physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health of an individual and is defined by the Music Therapy Association as an evidence based music intervention to accomplish individual goals within a therapeutic setting. People of all ages can reap the benefits of musical therapy, especially those who suffer mental health disorders, developmental disorders, Alzheimers disease, substance abuse, brain injuries, physical disabilities, or chronic pain. Pediatrics.aapublication.org [online] The lyrics of music also affect the psychology of teenagers. Music lyrics have undergone dramatic changes since the introduction of rock music more than 40 years ago. This is an issue of vital interest and concern. Pediatrics.aapublication.org [online] Rock music lyrics have become more explicit-particularly with reference to sex, drugs, and violence. Recently, heavy metal and gangsta rap music lyrics have had the greatest concern. In some cases, the lyrics communicate potentially harmful messages such as drug use, sexually transmitted diseases, injuries, homicide, and suicide have all become part of everyday life for many American teens. Pediatrics.aapublication.org [online] In the U.K; Heavy-metal music has been a source of controversy since its origin in the 1980s. Heavy metal typically contains aggressive music, accompanied by violent lyrics, leaving many to claim that it can have certain negative effects on the teenagers that listen to it. There have been several studies done to test the effects that heavy metal actually has on teenagers. Godard (n.d) [online] One of the most vocalized claims about heavy-metal music is that it makes its listeners, especially its young listeners, more violent. A study done by Loyola University has found that this is, in fact, not true and there is no direct relationship between heavy-metal music and violence in teenagers. In fact, it was found that participants that listened to heavy-metal music were less violent than those in the control group. The reason is unclear, but one guess is that since the listener is exposed to violent music, they become adverse to it and decrease their desire to be violent. Godard (n.d) [online] Also, the Calgary Herald has reported that teenagers with higher levels of intelligence are naturally drawn to heavy-metal music, specifically because it relieves the pressure of a stressful life. There is also a large sense of community and solidarity among fans of heavy-metal music, something that intelligent people prefer. Listening to heavy metal is seen by most teens as a way of releasing their internal anger and can actually help relax teens, leading to more hard work and increased academic performance. Godard (n.d) [online] Furthermore, it has been found that there is a link between the amount of heavy-metal music a teenager listens to and the so-called macho personality. Teenagers that listen to heavy metal a lot are more likely to fall into a personality type that craves constant sensation and thrills from life. These will be generally extroverted individuals sexually, though they may not be socially. Godard (n.d) [online] Lastly, all kinds of music have an effect on mood. Heavy-metal music was tested to see if it evoked positive or negative emotions in its listeners. A study by Shaleen L. Coss of the psychology department at Loyola University found that participants who listened to heavy-metal music with violent lyrics and music were less likely to feel depression afterward than those who listened to non-violent songs. They also found that heavy-metal music listeners had higher self-esteem than other participants because of the rush one feels from violent music. Godard (n.d) [online] In Nigeria; Akpogena (n.d) [online] says Music captures the heart. It is a powerful spiritual force. It can be a tool of great good or a weapon of great destruction. Too much of our popular music is not even singable. Not only is it often without recognizable tune, pitch, cadence or tenor and even without melody, harmony or regular rhythm but it is also so profane that it is unrepeatable. Many rap and rock songs have gone far beyond the mere bounds of pornography to vile brutality, scatological filth, sadistic nihilism, blasphemous irreverence and provocative decadence. Previously, pop music was almost always sentimental, sappy and insubstantial. Now, it is nightmarishly barbaric. With the advent of grunge rock, hip-hop, goth rock, gangsta rap, death metal and speed metal, a new wave of wildly angry music with minimal melody lines or hooks, harsh and distorted electronics, incessant syncopations, and vile lyrics has swept onto center stage. Steeped in a hopeless worldview of suicide, occultis m, sexual abuse, self-mutilation, brutal sadism and random revenge, the music is depressing, dark and deleterious. ANALYSIS The works above shows that music that music has both positive and negative effects and the type of music that a teenager prefers can create a significant effect on how the teenager behaves. It also shows that classical music, specifically Mozart, can cause an increase in the academic performance of a teenager. Furthermore it also shows that the lyrics in the songs teenagers listen to affects the way a teenager behaves and thinks. As the lyrics become more explicit, so does the teenager. CONCLUSION Music has both positive and negative effects and it differs from one teenager to another.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

America Is in the Heart: A Personal History :: Carlos Bulosan

America Is in the Heart: A Personal History (Journal) Part One:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Allos was a young boy from a little province of Binalonan located on the central part of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. He lived with his dad, who farms on their own land, which is the primary source of their living. His mom, living in the town, selling goods in the market. They were among the peasants who worked very hard for the rich landlords just to feed their family. When his brother Leon came back form a war in Europe, he met a girl from another town who he liked. They got engaged and married. There was a tradition during those days that if the girl wasn’t a virgin, the man would have to return her to their village. And when the people found out that the girl deceived Leon, they tied them on a tree and started beating them. Allos’ dad stopped them and when it was over, Leon left the town with his bride and started a new life. Amado, the youngest of his four brothers, who was attending grade school in town living with his mother and the ir baby sister. His father brought him to the village to help them on their farming. His other brother, Luciano was on camp serving the United States. They all worked so hard for his brother Macario, who was attending high school at the province capital. They needed money for Macario’s education so his father sold a hectare of their four-hectare land. When they needed more, they sold more land. They gave up almost everything they owned just to make their son Macario go to school. One day when his father and his brother Amado were farming, Amado started beating up the carabao. His father stopped him and Amado told his father that he couldn’t live like this anymore. So he ran away from home, leaving Allos as his father’s only helper on the farm. When his brother Macario went home to visit, Allos was speechless. He’s not used to see an educated man. He dressed formal, talked and acted like a real gentleman. When they all gathered on house, Macario said that he needed more money to finish three more months of school. But the money wasn’t enough for three months. So their father decided that they will sell the remaining hectare of their land telling his son not to worry at all.

Historical Misconceptions About Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy :: American America History

All Presidents have faced the challenge of keeping people united in times of conflict and turmoil; this specifically applied to Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. They were faced with solving delicate situations involving segregation and the civil rights of American citizens in two different centuries. While there has been the enduring impression that both presidents held high ideals with regard to the African American population, a closer examination of history could lead one to believe that Lincoln was the false freer of the enslaved and Kennedy was the false figurehead for the Civil Rights movement. Abraham Lincoln entered his first term as president following the leaders Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. Pierce was known as "an outspoken critic of federal involvement in state and locale issues" (http://www.npr.org). His veto of a bill which would have provided services and support for the mentally handicapped "established the rationale behind government uninvolvement in public health issues into the twentieth century" (http://www.npr.org). This climate of governmental uninvolvement persisted into the term of James Buchanan, a time well-known for the Dred Scott decision, which stated that "congress had no constitutional power to deprive persons of their property rights in slaves in the territories" (http://www.whitehouse.gov). Later, Buchanan "reverted to a policy of inactivity that continued until he left office" (http://www.whitehouse.gov). Therefore, upon entering office, Lincoln found the stage set for an uphill climb with a sharply divided country and a government unused to active leadership by a president whose main agenda was to unite the country, even if this meant an involvement in previously "untouchable" states rights. The issue of slavery was at the center of the controversies, and decisions in the previous two administrations only compounded the difficulties encountered in any actions that Lincoln might make. The issue of segregation continued even up to one hundred years later when Kennedy became president following Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. However, unlike Pierce and Buchanan, the decisions and actions of both of these presidents should have made any stand that Kennedy would take for the civil rights movement easier. After World War Two had ended, Truman proposed twenty-one main policy points for the betterment of America in an attempt to calm the unrest among the American workers, as this was a time of many labor strikes and problems involving citizens who were unsatisfied with the economy. These twenty-one points included innovations such as minimum wage, guaranteed employment, medical insurance, housing aid, improving benefits for war veterans, and price and wage controls. Historical Misconceptions About Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy :: American America History All Presidents have faced the challenge of keeping people united in times of conflict and turmoil; this specifically applied to Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. They were faced with solving delicate situations involving segregation and the civil rights of American citizens in two different centuries. While there has been the enduring impression that both presidents held high ideals with regard to the African American population, a closer examination of history could lead one to believe that Lincoln was the false freer of the enslaved and Kennedy was the false figurehead for the Civil Rights movement. Abraham Lincoln entered his first term as president following the leaders Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. Pierce was known as "an outspoken critic of federal involvement in state and locale issues" (http://www.npr.org). His veto of a bill which would have provided services and support for the mentally handicapped "established the rationale behind government uninvolvement in public health issues into the twentieth century" (http://www.npr.org). This climate of governmental uninvolvement persisted into the term of James Buchanan, a time well-known for the Dred Scott decision, which stated that "congress had no constitutional power to deprive persons of their property rights in slaves in the territories" (http://www.whitehouse.gov). Later, Buchanan "reverted to a policy of inactivity that continued until he left office" (http://www.whitehouse.gov). Therefore, upon entering office, Lincoln found the stage set for an uphill climb with a sharply divided country and a government unused to active leadership by a president whose main agenda was to unite the country, even if this meant an involvement in previously "untouchable" states rights. The issue of slavery was at the center of the controversies, and decisions in the previous two administrations only compounded the difficulties encountered in any actions that Lincoln might make. The issue of segregation continued even up to one hundred years later when Kennedy became president following Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. However, unlike Pierce and Buchanan, the decisions and actions of both of these presidents should have made any stand that Kennedy would take for the civil rights movement easier. After World War Two had ended, Truman proposed twenty-one main policy points for the betterment of America in an attempt to calm the unrest among the American workers, as this was a time of many labor strikes and problems involving citizens who were unsatisfied with the economy. These twenty-one points included innovations such as minimum wage, guaranteed employment, medical insurance, housing aid, improving benefits for war veterans, and price and wage controls.