What to Do When Your Work Is Stolen

What to Do When Your Work Is Stolen The unthinkable happens. Your work is published without your knowledge, consent or compensation. Whether it is large slushpiles, lack of time, memory lapses or non-existent ethics, theres no excuse for unprofessionalism or deceit. If the publication gets away with it once, they may do it again! Sure, you challenge them. You take the moral high ground, argue facts logically, point out copyrights, escalate to publishers or web domain owners; but your remonstrations fall on deaf ears. When editors dont remedy the situation early and sufficiently, heres how you can take action. Publicize Reputations carry businesses, but are fragile. Social media is a powerful tool, but an untamed beast. Nothing travels faster than bad news. Use Facebook, Twitter, blogs, or your own mailing lists of writers/editors/sources to make noise. However, before you bandy about anyones good name, remember publicity is a two-way street. Choose your words carefully. Dont post on a public forum in a passion. Defamation charges can be difficult to defend, and the last thing you need is to have your life stolen too. Invoice anyway What have you got to lose? Invoicing a publication that has published your work without permission sends a clear message that you are a professional who knows the industry. PayPal has a professional template and a reminder system. Make your invoice due on receipt and clearly state terms and conditions including penalties for delayed payments. Join forces Yours may not be a solitary incident. Ask around. Someone may have experience dealing with the publications idiosyncrasies and may be able to advise you. Hit them where it hurts Magazines exist for sales. Contact the retail outlets where the magazine is sold and inform them of the transgression. They may stop stocking it. Go to court Before you recourse to judiciary as your last resort, consider: a) Money: Lawyers fees are ruinous. Unless you claim Donald Trump as a relation or have engaged a lawyer to work pro bono, think twice. b) Time: Court battles can drag on for years. You may end up resigning your great-grandchildren to life revolving around courthouse working hours. c) Effort: Meetings, filing forms, understanding the law, dealing with red tape there are an awful lot of legal hoops to jump through that drain energy. Will your court battle drain you of the sheer physical stamina to attend your daughters graduation ceremony, steal the mental inclination to host that long-overdue dinner party, rob you of the emotional wherewithal to cope with a friends illness? d) Scandal: Court cases are open affairs. You may think truth and public interest are on your side, but theres no guarantee how the case will develop. Your reputation may emerge out of the ordeal smelling like a bouquet of roses, or it may crawl out looking like something the cat dragged in. Can you live with the local garbage-man and that cute shop assistant at your favorite boutique knowing all about your dirty laundry? e) Practicalities: If you live in the US and the publication is based in Singapore, how do you propose to duel? So weigh pros and cons, calculate cost versus benefit and take action. Or finally, write off the loss and move on. Its great to be principled and fight for fairness. Its also natural to feel to want to get even. But is the article worth the tumult? If not, consider it an occupational hazard and move on. Lesson learned. Whatever you do, hope for the best and be prepared for the worst. Remain positive, proactive, and dont stop writing. As freelancer Judee Fong says, Thieves steal only from the best! 🙂 ID: 181074Â © Abdone | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Whistleblowing Ethics Essay Sample

Whistleblowing Ethics Essay Sample Whistleblowing Ethics Essay Perhaps, one of the most difficult things to do when inside an organizational setting is saying when â€Å"enough is enough†. Although it is true that every organization, workplace, or community has their own flaws, just as how they have their own rules, delineating what is ‘going beyond’ is not exactly as easy as it sounds like. Therefore, any individual regardless of his/her rank, gender, class, age, etc. must know when to blow the whistle. In order to do this, one must first know what is enough and even this is subject to limitations. As for many experts out there, the belief is that the threshold for any flaws or mistakes that are committed within an organization is if it poses certain threats to the organization and the people around it, or if it crosses and undermines the ‘rule of law’ as established by the society. In this equation, one might ask about the ethics of whistleblowing in doing this, since at times conflicts might arise in terms of â€Å"loyalties† especially if the one doing the mishaps is a friend, colleague, or even a family member. However, by looking into it, it is also more unethical to let someone get away with their wrongdoings since it might not only damage the system or the organizations as well as the people around them but even the people that someone cares for. Nevertheless, this debate is still ongoing today with plenty of people being subscribed to both sides. In other situations, it might still be harder to blow the whistle, even if ethics is not on the line. This is most likely due to inefficiencies and other difficulties in the system itself such as the method or channels of reporting or even the hierarchy with which to do things. Perhaps, the system is too bureaucratic that it takes a long time for these reports to go to the right people who could and would do the necessary steps to cull these mishaps. In these cases, people how directly sees the action might feel a little bit frustrated and ‘unethical’ since their actions are not reaping what is needed. Thus, this is the time when these people do unnecessary steps which, instead of helping improve the situation, lead to conflicts and other actions which lead to other circumstances that make matters worse. These actions are usually outside of simply â€Å"whistle blowing† (which is healthy in the correct circumstances) are now also considered unethical since they tr y to circumvent the established laws are regulations which are designed to deal with these matters. Although there are other people who believe that these are acts of heroism, most of the times stepping out of these established notions could just lead to more trouble and are not exactly the best thing to do in order to bring peace and harmony to each and every member of the organization. Nonetheless, ethics in itself is a very complicated matter. What might seem ethical for one person, might not be for another. This is exactly the case for whistleblowing and thus for any individual who experiences this dilemma, it is important to know that when confused and frustrated about what to do, the best way might be to stick with the pre-established channels and methods of dealing with conflict. By doing this, not only are these individuals doing their part for the betterment of society, they are also doing a part for both the betterment of themselves (as a member of a collection of individuals) and at times, the betterment of the people whom they â€Å"blow the whistle† for.

Aristotle Quote Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Aristotle Quote - Essay Example Aristotle implies that every person should carefully analyze the circumstances of each situation and apply this advice, seek for an even solution. What is important is finding a mean of solving a situation, not necessarily by following blindly the general moral principles, but by carefully equilibrating one's hopes and desires in relation with the social demands. Aristotle suggests that circumstances dictate and sometimes even stand as an excuse for our behavior, but passion should not influence the core values of courage or boldness, depending on the case. Emotions and passions cannot be silenced and they do shape our life as humans, but the deliberation over a situation in a reasonable manner grants, if not always a clear solution, at least a better and, certainly ethical, aim in life; that aim is to make the best of our 'practical reason' that we can only acquire by learning how to act far from anxiety and pure instinct, under the influence of ethical values.

Business Planning-The Twist Kettle Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Planning-The Twist Kettle - Assignment Example Twist Kettle was basically designed to address these problems and introduce in the mainstream market a more improved kettle. The product is designed along the lines of eco products; preventing energy waste while at the same time is distinguished by the ease of use. According to Blackwell, pricing is normally a very vital aspect of any product.T he market price of the twist kettle makes it affordable for the average household, thus providing adding value. The project is extremely competitive and the commercialization process is expected to gain significant market share. This was after intensive market research was conducted investigating consumer attitudes to sustainable products with the intention of knowing what exactly consumers had in mind in regard to a sustainable kettle that could appeal to the wider market rather than just environmentalists. An aspect that Rogers recommended greatly in his written works about innovations. Before venturing into any business, in one's plan, ther e must be a rationale to as why they have decided to venture to that said business. The group sat down and came up with a design that embodied sustainable features but within a conventional kettle form which the content of this report is about. Â  Here is a brief summary of some of the key elements in this Twist Kettle business plan devised by our group. It largely talks about our product which is the kettle and of what importance and benefits it has over what has been on the market. The whole concept of marketing it and the concerned team and not forgetting other closely related aspects like the financing.

The Internet brand MusicWorld.com. Essay Example for Free

The Internet brand MusicWorld.com. Essay The paper presents e-commerce business idea that could be realized at the Internet brand MusicWorld.com. Mission Statement of MusicWorld.com It is MusicWorld.com’s goal to enhance the development of electronic music by being the premier, comprehensive resource on the Internet for electronic music aficionados and producers of MusicWorld.com will democratize music, creation, distribution and consumption by: assisting artists in the production of their music by providing samples and sound fonts at no cost giving talented artists with few connections or resources the chance to distribute their music giving small record labels the chance to distribute their music online, increasing their viability allowing a fan of the music anywhere in the world instant access to a huge selection of releases from across the globe at very reasonable prices. Executive Summary A formidable opportunity has arisen from the combination of the advent of the Internet as a medium for music distribution, and the rise in popularity of a genre of music that is entirely composed with computer software electronic music. This genre has been largely ignored by most mainstream retailers and labels because of its non-traditional song formats that make it non-conducive for radio play. It is MusicWorld.com’s plan to market the electronic genre of music via a web site whereby consumers will download the music to their PCs. As a convenience, MusicWorld.com will write the purchased songs to CD and ship them directly to consumers who are not yet equipped to download music. The web site is designed for maximum user-friendliness, unlike any other music site today. MusicWorld.com’s unique web design allows users to browse the selection effortlessly, while being able to automatically hear excerpts from each virtual CD. The electronic genre of music is ideal for online distribution for the following reasons: There is a proliferation of artists worldwide within this genre because of the low price and accessibility of the necessary equipment and software The music is created on PC; artists simply send MusicWorld.com music files via the Internet from anywhere in the world Even very popular artists within this genre are accessible to negotiate contracts with since they tend to be self-distributed, or own small record labels Because of the genres rapid evolution and its individualistic nature, aficionados constantly demand new material MusicWorld.com is distinguished from its competitors in that: The site uses flash software, the latest generation in web site technology that allows users to view complex graphics and animations, and hear high-quality audio It uses a push marketing approach in that there is no need to download individual music files It combines the advantages of CD-quality, piracy-protected downloadable music, custom-mixed shipped CDs, an electronic focus, event information, and musician resources The market The market for electronic music is largely composed of University students. According to Jupiter Communications: College students, typically have free broadband access that makes digital distribution much more feasible, not to mention the highest penetration rate of any online demographic. This audience is the first that will be compelled to purchase writable drive peripherals specifically for the digital delivery of commercial music. (3) Aficionados of electronic music are raised in the age of the World Wide Web, making Internet distribution in tune with their lifestyle. Offer and Use of Proceeds The estimated net proceeds to be received by MusicWorld.com from the sale of common shares, is GBP 166,666 (including GBP 16,666 of expected expenses associated with the offering). MusicWorld.com intends to allocate GBP 27,777 of the net proceeds towards the purchase its web site design, and the balance, in the amount of GBP 138,888, towards funding salaries and working capital. The investor will receive 10% of the common shares in exchange. Capitalization The following table sets forth the capitalization of MusicWorld.com as at the dates indicated, before and after giving effect to the issue of common shares contemplated hereby. Shareholders equity Pro forma as at April 30, 20## Pro forma as at April 30, 20## after giving effects to the Common shares No. of common shares (without par value) 1,650,000 1,833,333 Book value of equity (in GBP) GBP 165 GBP 183,498 Summary Financial Information 1,833,333 outstanding shores 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Revenue GBP 405,752 GBP 1,622,987 GBP 4,900,662 GBP 12,964,445 GBP 30,145,945 Net Income (GBP 56,483) GBP 232,377 GBP 1,051,891 GBP 3,275,671 GBP 8,034,936 Net Book Value GBP 39,468 GBP 271,846 GBP 1,323,738 GBP 4,599,409 GBP 12,634,346 Return on Ave. Equity GBP 103,743 GBP 156,368 GBP 812,923 GBP 2,982,460 GBP 8,790,386 Gross Margins 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% Earnings per share (GBP 0.28) (GBP 0.016) GBP 0.07 GBP 0.31 GBP 2.43 The Opportunity The music industry is experiencing two major changes: Music has been traditionally sold in a physical format that required manufacturing, including the record, the eight-track tape, the cassette, and the CD. Recently, with the advent of the Internet and increasing bandwidth, music has been reduced to a digital entity as witnessed by the proliferation of MP3. This is the biggest change the recording industry has possibly ever seen. As we look ahead, we anticipate that the convenience of digital delivery of phonorecords may soon make digital transmission services the music distribution method of choice for many consumers.(4) Music used to be classified into a narrow range of genres. These included classical, pop/rock, country, and jazz. Tastes have fragmented over the last decade, such that there are many more genres of music today most likely due to the proliferation of low-cost technology that allows artists to self-publish. This phenomenon was virtually unheard of in the past due to the enormous costs involved. Once upon a time, people bought pop music. Then they bought rock music. Now, they buy grunge, ambient, illbient, acid house, acid jazz, drum n bass, Eurodance, hip-hop, trip-hop, lounge, techno, glam, industrial metal, lo-fi, dream pop, psyche rock or riot grill. Digital technology encourages this fragmentation by giving each new splinter genre easier access to the means of producing and distributing its wares.(5) Despite its growing popularity, electronic music has been practically ignored by mainstream record labels and radio stations, which are just beginning to catch on. Internet radio stations are discovering that the genre can be lucrative however. One of these is amino Radio: AminoRadio is a 24-hour station devoted completely to music including techno, drum n bass, house, turntablism, and other forms of electronic music. AminoRadio is The Eclectic Radio Companys answer to the huge demand for techno electronic music that is not being provided by any other form of broadcast media. (6) Launched in August 1998, amino Radio now has over 15,500 listening sessions per month, and is growing at a rate of 300% each quarter. The lack of electronic musics traditional radio play is possibly due to the unusual format of the songs, which have erratic lengths. Some tracks are ten seconds long, while the majority are at least seven minutes long. This does not fit well with the traditional radio format of three and four minute songs. With virtually no radio play, record labels do not want to risk the investment of producing electronic artists music. The result? An invisible community of electronic music lovers who hear the music through Internet radio, at dance clubs, and buy it from specialized record stores at a premium. The record stores are supplied by small record labels, which have grown out of the success of certain artists. MusicWorld.com plans to take advantage of the resulting opportunity by positioning itself as the premier online source for electronic music and culture. The Music History Whether we are prepared to admit it or not, technology has always defined popular music. From the development of the microphone that allowed Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra to croon softly on top of a big band to Keith Richards discovery of the pleasures of an overdriven guitar amplifier, the excitement generated by pop music is often the thrill of exploration and the sense of possibility provided by the use and misuse of new technology. Electronic music is about the era of the proliferation of digital technology; an age in which the boundaries between human and machine are becoming increasingly blurred. (7) Possibly the most significant difference between electronica and other musical genres is the importance of the DJ in reinterpreting and re-mixing what artists produce. Indeed, there is a significant shift in recognition from the musicians themselves to the DJs who perform it live, and who also record their work. This began in Chicago with the advent of House music, which was pioneered at a local venue called the Warehouse. The tradition continued later in Detroit, the birthplace of techno. The importance of the DJ can be attributed to the fact that the music is disseminated by being played live, and by the fact that only a professional working full-time could possibly afford the time and cost involved to gather such rare music from various countries. In Germany, where electronica occupies a significant portion of the Top 40, it is bona fide pop music. (8) Music production process The following explains how electronic music is created using current technology: The minimum equipment needed is a computer with at least a 150MHz processor, 32 Megs of RAM, a MIDI-compatible sound card (e.g. Soundblaster), 1 gig of hard disk space, and music composition software (MIDI), e.g. Cubase already affordable. The sound card is capable of generating sounds which fall into 2 categories: synthesized, and sampled Synthesized sounds are generated from simple tones, whereas sampled sounds are recorded from various sources, often using a microphone Using MIDI software, the musician creates a score which plays these sounds, which effectively act as instruments (think of the MIDI score as sheet music, the sound card as the instruments, and the computer as the musicians) The result of the MIDI file playing these sounds is a WAV file. This file can then be uploaded to MusicWorld.com. The Products and Services A comprehensive electronic music web site has been designed for maximum user-friendliness, unlike any other music site today. The unique design allows users to browse MusicWorld.com’s musical repertoire effortlessly, while being able to automatically hear excerpts from each virtual CD. The site uses Flash technology, the new generation in web site design that allows users to view complex graphics and animations, and hear high-quality audio by streaming the content to them as they browse the site. Music fans can: Listen to various tracks/clips of their favorite artists and/or DJs Download a complete CD in 10 minutes through use of a high bandwidth connection for GBP 4.00 (this includes downloading the cover art as well). They then have the choice of burning the file to a CD, or playing it through their computer. Have a custom CD burned by MusicWorld.com’s staff, and have it shipped for an additional fee (GBP 3.00) Find out about electronic music events in their area, or elsewhere Read/listen to interviews with their favorite artists/DJs Electronic artists can: enter into a distribution agreement with the site whereby their music is available for purchase download (and post) musical samples which are used to create their music at no charge agree to be interviewed to increase awareness of their work DJs can: sample songs/clips of various artists before buying have access to the latest tracks from even the most obscure artist from anywhere in the world virtually instantaneously enter into a distribution agreement with the site whereby their music is available for purchase agree to be interviewed to increase their recognition post tour information Labels can: use MusicWorld.com as an additional distribution vehicle for their talent, at no marginal cost use MusicWorld.com to run promotions for new releases (e.g. sneak previews, etc.) By making sure the site offers not only music to consumers, MusicWorld.com is ensuring authenticity. Web sites that only aspire to be stores, forget why people surf the Internet in the first place: for information. MusicWorld.com intends to provide high-quality information on the topics that interest the target market to ensure frequent visits to the site, and a positive brand image. The intent is to be the premiere resource for electronic music and related information on the Internet. A site of this caliber does not presently exist. Operations Technology   Site Operations Standard operations for MusicWorld.com consist of three major facets: updating the site with new information, adding musical content to MusicWorld.com’s repertoire of products, and distributing such content to online customers. The addition of musical content to the MusicWorld.com site consists of: Artists submitting their music (and cover art, created on their home PCs) to MusicWorld.com’s submissions department as a digital audio file, or on a conventional CD MusicWorld.com screening musical content for quality and appropriateness (a qualified Artistic Director, see the Employees section on page 25) Artists signing a digital distribution contract, whereby they earn 50% of the sales price (before shipping) of each full album or individual track Converting content into a format (Liquid Tracks) that can be played by customers Liquid Music Player or Real Player using the Liquifier Pro music publisher Uploading it to our server The second facet involves distributing content to customers: Hosting the site through a dedicated server Providing samples of music, which are streamed with the Liquid Music Server software. Providing this music for purchase via a secured credit card transaction. This is provided by a third party that specializes in this service, iBill see www.ibill.com) Delivering the selected content from MusicWorld.com’s server (managed with the Liquid Music Server software) MusicWorld.com will be paying a one-time licensing fee (GBP 16,666) for the use of Liquid Audios Liquid Music System, a commercial hosting package that includes the Liquifier Pro (copy-protected music publisher), Liquid Music Server (music delivery management software), and the Liquid Music Player (digital audio listening software). The Liquid Music System not only meets our requirements for efficient, trouble-free software to manage and publish musical data, but also equally offers superior performance and flexibility. The Liquifier Pro is the first professional software that allows MusicWorld.com to prepare and publish CD-quality, copy-protected music for purchase and delivery via the Internet to PCs and Macs everywhere. It transcends audio features by providing the capability to include lyrics, credits and artwork all contained within one file, the Liquid Track. Furthermore, Liquid Audio uses Dolby Digital encoding, resulting in the highest quality audio for streaming and downloading of CD-quality music on the Internet. To ensure audio quality, regardless of different connection speeds, the Liquifier also provides a unique preview capability before publishing to the Liquid Music Server. Target Markets MusicWorld.com target market is very specific, as it comprises those people who already listen to electronic music. MusicWorld.com conducted a survey of 100 respondents, mostly in the UK area, with approximately 10% of respondents were from abroad, (surveyed via the Internet). As this market research revealed, the target market is young (average age 25), well educated (average 1-3 years University), and predominantly male (65%). They have computers at home (81%), Internet access (97%), and spend more time on the Internet than most people (9 hrs/wk). They also are more likely to have access to a high bandwidth connection (31%) than average Internet users, and are also more likely to possess a CD burner (29%). They also buy more CDs than the average consumer. A high proportion (12%) of electronic music fans actually compose their own music, which supports the fact that a high proportion of them (75%) would like to support a retailer, which rewards artists at a higher level than the industry average. This is part of MusicWorld.com’s marketing strategy. Possibly the most important characteristic of electronic music listeners is that they are dispersed all over the globe. For the purposes of marketing communications, however, MusicWorld.com’s main target markets are in the U.S., Germany and the UK. This is because the consumers in these countries are either English speaking or highly fluent in English, have the highest sales of CDs per capita, and the highest concentration of electronic music fans for historical reasons. Since MusicWorld.com’s main distribution channel is via the Internet, an English speaking person anywhere in the world with Internet access can be attracted to our site and make a purchase. Product MusicWorld.com conducts an electronic commerce that aims to fulfill all the needs of electronic music fans and artists. The site will have an image that fits with that segments lifestyle and tastes. This will come naturally, given that MusicWorld.com’s founders are part of the target market. Thus, in the very short term, MusicWorld.com’s goal is to become the most complete online resource for electronic music lovers, regardless of whether the people frequenting the site actually purchase anything. The idea is to get consumers used to using the site for information such that when they are in the market for a new CD, they use MusicWorld.com’s site as opposed to another that has not served their needs so well. After this initial period, the site must continue to innovate and respond to the consumers needs. Even beyond this, it must anticipate what customers want before they want it. This way, it will be hard to take away the first-mover advantage that the site will have in this niche market. MusicWorld.com will rely on some independent, unsigned artists for the sites content, however, MusicWorld.com will also target certain small electronica-focused record labels in order to add their roster of artists to MusicWorld.com’s repertoire. These small labels have much to gain from partnering with MusicWorld.com. Partnership offers a way of earning 40% of sale price while incurring no marginal cost whatsoever. In fact, MusicWorld.com’s site can be seen as a way of popularizing the labels roster of artists. MusicWorld.com will find unsigned talent through posting on Internet Newsgroups, which is free of charge. In fact, MusicWorld.com already has found numerous artists through market research who are enthusiastic about the possibility of the online distribution of their music; f(y)u, for example, whose CD is included at the back of this document. MusicWorld.com will have a qualified artistic director screen submissions, and only make the highest quality music available in order to preserve   brand image. Distribution In terms of the delivery of music, MusicWorld.com’s primary market research showed that our potential customers are mainly concerned with the following: Security of transactions (5.72 on a scale of 1 to 7) Speed of download (5.48 on a scale of 1 to 7) Technical problems (5.17 on a scale of 1 to 7) The site will provide secured credit card transactions as well as alternative modes of payments to satisfy all customers. In the first three months these aspects are taken care of by Liquid Audio, by being a part of the Liquid Music Network. Download times will be reduced as high bandwidth connections become the norm. MusicWorld.com will ensure that the customers who so choose will be able to download their CD without running into any of the above-mentioned problems through the use of proven, easy-to-use software from Liquid Audio. As the customer profile suggests, the target segment is very narrow and would be difficult to reach with traditional distribution methods. The spread of customers has so far made this market very small and unattractive. However, the Internet overcomes the obstacles of geography in the sense that almost everybody can be reached from a web site. Pricing MusicWorld.com’s primary market research showed that its customer have a large amount of disposable income (average income of GBP CAD 15,000, yet many are students), spends money on technology (81% have computers and 92% have Internet access) and is not particularly price sensitive (average importance of price on a scale of 1-7 was 4.8). The average downloadable CD price suggested by respondents was GBP 5,50 CAD. At the time of the survey (Feb. 1999), there were no sites offering whole CDs available for download. Sites were offering individual tracks for GBP 0.55, however. Now, Good Noise Inc. is offering full albums for GBP 4.99, although they do not have any electronic (genre) music, which tends to be more expensive because of the high import rate. The selected price-point for MusicWorld.com’s album downloads will be GBP 4 /unit, as compared to the price of actual CDs (physical copies) sold in retail outlets for GBP 6-8/unit domestic, or GBP 9-16 for imports. This GBP 4 price is composed of GBP 2.48 profit margin (56%), GBP 1.70 in artist/label royalties, and GBP 0.18 credit card processing fees. Such a cost structure is made possible by the online nature of MusicWorld.com’s distribution, which bypasses many levels in the distribution channel, and thus many overhead costs normally incurred by wholesalers/retailers. MusicWorld.com is selecting the GBP 4 price point for several reasons: To encourage first time purchases To discourage new entrants from entering the niche A very competitive introductory price will encourage loyalty. This cost structure allows not only offering a better price to consumers (with a faster speed to market), but also better royalties to artists. Under the traditional record label contracts, artists can expect to earn 10% of sales at the most. With MusicWorld.com’s method, unknown artists gain worldwide distribution overnight, and royalties of GBP 1.70 per album sold. This offers significant incentives to artists who either arent known enough to sign major record deals, or dont have an interest in dealing with major labels. There is also a significant opportunity for labels to be able to distribute their artists work worldwide risk-free, with no marginal costs, no marketing costs, and no administrative hassle. Promotion MusicWorld.com will use public relations, advertising, personal selling and an Associates Program to meet sales goals. Public relations Post MusicWorld.com to all Internet search engines (e.g. Excite, Altavista, etc.,) (free) with the help of analytical software, Webposition Gold, which optimizes meta tags for each search engine, as they all have different preferences Post links to MusicWorld.com on smaller related sites, such as hyperreal.org and Technoindex.com (free) Post newsgroup messages in the appropriate newsgroups, e.g. alt.emusic, alt.music.techno, alt.music.house, alt.music.jungle (free) Send press releases to all relevant media, including electronic music print and Internet magazines, campus radio stations, and alternative newspapers in urban areas Sponsor electronic music events, by posting signage, passing out flyers, and video Advertising MusicWorld.com will advertise in several print publications, which cover the UK and Germany, the U.S., and Canada. Respectively, they are: Mixmag, XLR8R and Tribe. MusicWorld.com will also advertise on the Internet, primarily on Technoindex, an index site which lists all relevant electronica sites, and on aminoRadios Internet radio site (exclusively electronica) Positioning Electronic music fans should view MusicWorld.com as the comprehensive one stop shop for all of their electronic music related needs. This means their actual musical needs, their need for information on artists, DJs, upcoming events, films, etc., and their need to contact other fans of the music. Composers of electronic music should view MusicWorld.com as a source of samples and sound fonts to create their music with, and as a fairly remunerated means of distributing their music and gaining recognition. DJs should view MusicWorld.com as a source of the latest in cutting edge material for their repertoires, and as a means of gaining exposure via actually distributing their music or by consenting to be interviewed, and/or posting tour information. An important note to make is that it is essential that MusicWorld.com reaches all three of its positioning goals, as it is the combination of the three that will lead to success. By having the site supported by leading DJs and talented artists, it gains credibility as an authentic place to purchase music. This puts it way ahead of a simple retailer who is merely selling music. In contrast, MusicWorld.com should become a part of the consumers lifestyle. Competitors and Substituting Products Online Players Downloadable Music CD Quality Piracy protected Custom CD shipped Event Info GBP 11 or less Push marketing Electronic focus Musician resources MusicWorld.com x x x x x x x x x CDuctive x n/a x x raveworld.net x x thewomb.org x x MP3.com x x x CDnow n/a Amazon.com n/a hyperreal.org x x x technogenesis x x x a little x X-radio.com x Astralwerks x GoodNoise x x   To compete with these firms, MusicWorld.com must successfully bundle these three characteristics greater source of information, greater variety of innovative electronica, and downloadable content and build brand equity to be recognized as THE electronica site. MusicWorld.com will continue to offer online order processing for regular shipping to accommodate electronica fans that have not yet acquired the latest technology. MusicWorld.com’s greatest competitors generally offer real-time streaming audio of sample tracks (to listen to directly with RealAudio), or downloads of single tracks, mostly using MP3, and online ordering of conventional CDs. Most are small, independent outfits, formed over the last three years, and appear to be privately owned. Competitors generally price conventional CDs at GBP 5.55-8.88, and downloadable tracks at GBP 0.55 each, plus a base price of GBP 2.772 GBP 3.3285 for a custom CD. The market for online music is already consolidating, as big players merge to create bigger entities with wider revenue bases (e.g. CDNow and N2K), in hopes of protecting themselves from new entrants. Investors belief in the explosive potential for online (downloadable) content distribution is reflected in market capitalization of these companies shares. This threat of new entrants is very real, as witnessed by the extension of Amazon.coms retail mix into CDs for home delivery, and the recent creation of online mega-distributors such as Spree.com and Buycomp.com. The next logical step for such distributors is to offer online downloads. Meanwhile, a variety of small, independent sites are also appearing with alarming frequency. Major record labels such as Warner and Sony Records have recognized the digital threat and are moving to develop competitive alternatives. Some have even begun to recognize the potential of the electronica market, and are signing contracts with major artists (e.g. Fatboy Slim and Virgin Records). Some are even developing separate labels to cover electronica Virgin Records Astralwerks is now a significant player in terms of variety offered. They have not given any indication that they plan to offer downloadable music. The speed with which this industry is moving can cause MusicWorld.com’s window of opportunity to close rapidly. Any investment initiative that is to be undertaken in this venture will have to be taken now. References: Jupiter Communications, Music Industry and the Internet, p.5 Techno Tackles the Net, Niall McKay and Christopher Jones, http://www.wired.com/news/print version/culture/story/16764.html?wnpg=all Jupiter Communications, Music Industry and the Internet, September 1998, p.9 National Music Publishers Association, http://www.nmpa.or2/nmpa.html The Music Industry. A Note of Fear, The Economist, Oct. 31, 1998. AminoRadio press kit. http://www. Aminoradio.com Modulations treatment (Caipirinha productions), Peter Shapiro, available at: http://www.modulations.com/ Quantum Fireball as quoted on www.egghead.com on April 20, 1999. http://www.gvu.gatech.edu/user surveys/survey-1997-04/graphs/purchase/OnIine Seeking And Purchasing.html Calculated from lFPl and Statistics sources. Prices obtained from www.CDuctive.com on April 20,1999. Prices obtained from www.technogenesis.com on April 20, 1999.

Readers Find Simple Faith in Karons Books Essay -- Jan Karons Mitfor

Readers Find Simple Faith in Karon's Books Since 1994 Jan Karon's Mitford series of novels has sold more than three million copies, with the latest, A New Song, occupying the number one position on Amazon.com's list during the last week of April this year (Jones 71). The Mitford books focus on inspirational stories, spiritual themes, and small town humor. Readers identify with the realistic characters in the stories. Rogene Kellar, 83, in a Newsweek article said she has read each book four times. Kellar further remarked, "I think you feel better having read them, but it's not goody-goody." Kellar's daughter, Carol Montgomery 57, said, "It gives you peace." The Mitford books enjoy a following of devoted readers and have also become marketable in another way. Hallmark plans to release the Mitford collection of greeting cards and collectible knick-knacks soon. Penguin Books publishes a quarterly Mitford reading group discussion guide and the newsletter, More from Mitford. Additionally, respected women's magazines such as Victori a have retained Karon as Writer in Residence publishing pieces of short fiction about Mitford. However, despite all of the attention, some readers want more of Karon. Lauren Winner in a recent article, "Karon's Agenda," published in Christianity Today finds: The Mitford books are strikingly bereft of anything controversial--no women priests or church wardens, for example, are ever mentioned, nor is the issue that is currently threatening to divide the Episcopal church in America--homosexuality. . . .I believe Karon would only do her readers a service by tackling these admittedly explosive questions head-on. (Winner 65) Winner asserts Karon avoids such issues in the books "presumably because they... ..., but they remain the issues that most, common, citizens face in their communities. So perhaps a simple, "day-to-day" faith is sufficient after all. Works Cited Jones, Malcolm. "Touched by Angels." Newsweek May 3, 1999: 71-72. Karon, Jan. At Home in Mitford. New York: Penguin Books, 1994. Karon, Jan. A Light in the Window. New York: Penguin Books, 1995. Kaorn, Jan. These High, Green Hills. New York: Penguin Books, 1996. Karon, Jan. Out to Canaan. New York: Penguin Books, 1997. Karon, Jan. A New Song. New York: Viking Books, 1999. The Student Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1986. Tompkins, Jane. Sensational Designs: The Cultural Work of American Fiction 1790- 1860. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985. Winner, Lauren. "Karon's Agenda." Christianity Today July 12, 1999: 64-65.

Recruitment and Selection Process Essay

Executive Summary In todays competitive world every company tries to get best possible candidates for the competitive advantage so, recruitment and selection of right candidates is important for all companies. It is a major function of the human resource department. For IT companies’ recruitment and selection is an integral part as attrition in IT companies is very high. Recruitment is the process of searching the candidates for employment and stimulating them to apply for Jobs in the organization. The basic purpose of recruitments is to create a talent pool of candidates to enable the selection of best andidates for the organization, by attracting more and more employees to apply in the organization. The project named Recruitment Life Cycle was carried out at Persistent Systems Ltd. There are two types of recruitment at Persistent, campus and lateral recruitment, campus recruitment is conducted once in a year at the respective colleges and lateral recruitments are conducted as per the requirements. For lateral recruitment recruiter needs to understand the Job description to find the right candidates for the job then recruiter needs to source the candidates from different Job portals like Monster, Naukri etc. After sourcing, candidates are screened by different interviewers at different levels. If candidate clears all the round of interviews then an offer is made to employee depending upon the grades specified by the interviewer. The recruiter also had to meet targets, i. e. he had to see to it that a certain number of candidates sourced are Joining the organization. The conclusions that can be drawn from the project are the recruiter must understand the importance of that particular Job posting to find the best fit candidates. Also the automation in recruitments is the need of an hour. The Option of employee reference must be used properly to attract the right candidates. Thus, it was a very dynamic and challenging Job that demanded tremendous efforts, persistence, professional ism, and continuous efforts on the part of the recruiter. . Overview of IT Industry The Indian information technology (IT) industry has played a major role in placing India on the international map. The industry is mainly governed by IT software and facilities for instance System Integration, Software experiments, Custom Application to NASSCOM’s findings Indian IT-BPO industry expanded by 12% during the Fiscal ear 2009 and attained aggregate returns of IJS$ 71. 6 billion. Out of the derived revenue IJS$ 59. 6 billion was solely earned by the software and services division. Moreover, the industry witnessed an increase of around IJS$ 7 million in FY 2008-09 i. e. USS 47. 3 billion against USS 40. 9 billion accrued e,’ 2008-09 | IT Outsourcing in India As per NASSCOM, IT exports in business process outsourcing (BPO) services attained revenues of IJS$ 48 billion in FY 2008-09 and accounted for more than 77% of the entire software and services income. Over the years India has been the most avorable outsourcing hub for firm on a lookout to offshore their IT operations. The factors behind India being a preferred destination are its reasonably priced labor, favorable business ambiance and availability of expert workforce. Considering its escalating growth, IBM has plans to increase its business process outsourcing (BPO) functions in India besides employing 5,000 workforces to assist its growth. In the next few years, the industry is all set to witness some multi-million dollar agreements namely: * A 5 year agreement between HCL Technologies and News Corp for administering its information centers and IT services in I-JK. As per the industry analysts, the pact is estimated to be in the range of IJS$ 200-US$ 250 million * IJS$ 50 million agreement between HCL Technologies and Meggitt, UK-based security apparatus manufacturer, for offering engineering facilities. * Global giant Wal-Mart has short listed there Indian IT dealers namely Cognizant Technology Solutions, UST Global and Infosys Technologies for a contract worth IJS$ 600 million India’s domestic IT Market India’s domestic IT Market over the years has become one of the major driving forces of the industry. The domestic IT infrastructure is developing contexts of technology nd intensity of penetration. In the FY 2008-09, the domestic IT sector attained revenues worth IJS$ 24. 3 billion as compared to IJS$ 23. 1 billion in FY 2007-08, registering a growth of 5. 4%. Moreover, the increasing demand for IT services and goods by India Inc has strengthened the expansion of the domestic market with agreements worth rising up extraordinarily to IJS$ 100 million. By the FY 2012, the domestic sector is estimated to expand to IJS$ 1. 7 billion against the existing from US$ 1 billion.

Marketing plan in mortgage services

Owning a home is an American dream that mortgage services is positioned to a lucrative business investment.   However, there are several factors that influence market decisions where market research can be useful.   One important area is researching about the historical and forecasted changes in market value.   When values are expected to rise, the firm has greater potential to be successful in its expansion plan.   People are motivated to mortgage home purchase when there is a likely price gain.Similarly valuable is to determine other economic indicators such as trends of wage rate, income taxes and also mortgage rate, down payment and monthly payment limits.   In expanding to four other states, there may be local policies and regulations that can modify economic characteristics from Idaho which could trigger different marketing strategies.   For example, declining salaries in one state can reduce ability of the market to pay monthly installments.There are also other alt ernatives to purchasing a primary or secondary home that minimizes the market for mortgage services.   In effect, the advantages and disadvantages of decision substitutes should be compared to home mortgage.   Factors to consider are the costs and tax benefit of home improvements, profitability of real estate investment trust (REIT) and buying-versus-renting performance.   There might be a need for the firm to search for other lenders that can offer more attractive provisions to outweigh the benefits of decisions substitutes.For example, longer mortgage period may be necessary to bring down monthly installments and be competitive to comparative monthly rental fees.   It is also helpful to gather information on population mobility (i.e. tendency to transfer to other states or countries) or the visitor performance on the four states.   When they are people have high mobility or the state does not receive substantial visits, the location is less attractive for homeowners whic h can suggest new strategies to the firm.Marketing MediumIn its expansion, the company is required to inform the market of its existence including its market position and branding.   Inability to establish good faith credentials to the market can lead to business failure.   It can tap useful business partners.   Local authorities and agencies that administer the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Administration (VA) loans are the primary channels of the firm since it offer services for FHA and VA loans.The firm can be also referred by home sellers to their clients which can lead to a win-win situation for all parties.   The company and home sellers can develop their market while clients are provided with value-added services with the opportunity to get financial support.   REIT and landlords can also supply the needed campaign because they too necessitate home appraisal for investment decisions.   Although they are not included in the customer list of the company, citing the firm as cost efficient provider of mortgage services is a mechanism in better servicing the interest of their investors/ occupants.Publicity can also provide the necessary marketing medium.   It can advertise the company on a wider scale without the communication to several parties rather than single marketing agency.   As an alternative, the company can develop its own publicity by designing an advertising or promotional campaign.   Local newspapers can highlight the services offered, target market, average mortgage rate and service fee that are offered by the firm.This can create initial perception about its positioning (e.g. low-cost service provider).   Feedback is important in any campaign to determine if the market has gained perception similar to what the company intends to be.   In this view, it is important to include in the newspaper ad contact details such as telephone number, website and address.   Getting the feedback is important since b eing a low-cost service provider can create impression that the service is inferior to others offering higher prices.Target MarketsBeing a low-cost service provider, the firm is expected to attract the low-income segment and parts of middle-income segment.   This is concretized by the fact that the firm is offering a start-to-finish approach where clients can have full services from loan application, home appraisal and contract delivery.   The work-oriented lifestyle of these segments can receive significant benefits of this approach since they can save time, money and simplify issues associated with home purchases/ loan.Primary and secondary homeowners are also target market.   The former are inexperienced and the consultancy services can serve as guide in decision-making.   In the contrary, the latter are experienced but are in need of refinancing services as they find a more attractive loan contract from different lender or have changed their mind regarding their initial home purchase.   Acquirer of leisure properties are also target market because the company has a portfolio of different lenders who can meet the requirements of such loan.As FHA loans will likely consist of low- and middle-income segment, VA loans bring forth a new segment.   This includes retirees and at least fifty year old people or their widows who intend to marry again.   The service that can be offered to them is advisory particularly on issues such as enjoying â€Å"double† exemption for capital-gain tax in case of selling a home which subsequently mean getting the exemption first before remarrying.   Further, older people have less time to manage their properties particularly researching, monitoring and evaluation of economic trends.As a result, most of their decisions are based on experience and judgment.   The company can intervene in this case in offering valuable services to contribute the missing link of older people’s considerations.   Lastly, the company can attract potential market that places their investments in stocks, bonds and mutual funds.   With lowest fees and integrated service, real estate investment has relatively lower transaction costs than other investment choices.4Ps and SIVA on Marketing PlanThe market research provides information that will shape the products of the company as they require adjustment based on state-specific factors.   It also contributes on pricing the service as low-price services may not appeal to the local market making the current position less effective.   Therefore, necessary promotions that can add value to the service can be initiated.   In using each marketing medium, the company can increase its presence and market penetration to each state.It can rationalize the need for publicity and additional expenses for advertising depending on the market behavior and strength of local housing authorities in influencing them.   For example, if housing is strictly regulated or supporting mechanisms are minimal, the company may likely opt to use the media in increasing awareness and demand.   By determining target markets, the scanning done in market research and identification of potential marketing medium will be evaluated based the characteristics of the market.   Target markets is the most crucial part of the marketing plan because it simplifies consideration of the factors in general environment and marketing medium to those that are only significant in influencing market behavior.Satisfaction of the market is addressed when the company offers products and services that are relevant to their current needs.   This includes augmenting loopholes of local housing authorities in providing related services and incentives.   Their interests are activated by actively establishing business partners through local housing authorities, home sellers, REIT and other parties related to housing sector.   Word-of-mouth marketing is acquired.   The value fo r money regarding the services of the company is aligned to the income situation of its target market which assures an effective strategy.   On the other hand, well-off segment would see the low-price service as opportunity to get a second opinion and increase lender alternative.   Finally, convenience in accessing the firm’s services is supported also by various marketing medium.ReferencesGeller, L. (2002) Response: The Complete Guide to Profitable Direct Marketing. New York: Oxford University Press.Hitt, M., Hoskisson, R. & Ireland, R. (2003) Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization. 5th Ed. South Western: Thomson Learning.Kotler, P. (2003) Marketing Management.11th Ed, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Nandos Successes and Failures Essay Example

Nandos Successes and Failures Essay Example Nandos Successes and Failures Paper Nandos Successes and Failures Paper Nodes * Its success Is due to Its commitment to encouraging and developing the skills of Its workforce. Of management used to be cashiers or grilles. Communication and implementation of its core value systems is important. * one part chicken; one part people * Combining the right people with a winning product has got Nodes to where it is Nodes Vision: To keep exploring new territory. Nodes justified its vision by keeping an underachieving store open. They franchised the store, and with the right people in charge, the underachieving store made a complete turnaround. Advantage or Disadvantage: 30% company owned 65% franchisee owned * 5% Joint venture operations Franchisees can become complacent and not treat the brand with the same dedication as the owners. Advantage: * Risky decisions are commonplace In Nodes culture. * Opportunities arise and Unhands makes decisions to capitalize on them. Is an ethos that forms the entrepreneurial lifeblood of the company. Disadvantage: This * The risky decisions tend to make franchisees nervous, as some franchisees might not be risk takers by nature. This can be turned Into an advantage, as Unhands promotes open communication and transparency between the owners and raunchiness. General * Everything at Nodes is designed to support its people. Evidence that Ands is more than Just a business for profit. * Franchisers transfer their beliefs and excitement about the brand to Its franchisees. * Unhands management lead by example a good entrepreneur knows that this Is essential. * Monads wants to attract people who share their core values, pride, passion, courage and integrity. They attract vibrant, adventurous people and strive to keep them. Ands in AS is looking at moving into the fast-casual market in order to differentiate themselves. True entrepreneurs always strive to stay ahead of their competition, by moving into new markets, or changing their product offerings. * Ands strives to show customers true excellence Ana GAO value rate in AS. Overseas markets Nanas NAS a Trances success * Nodes aims to have 25 restaurants in the USA b y 2015 successful in Australia, I-J, Singapore, Malaysia The Entrepreneurs: Borzoi and Treated * Franchises are highly Borzoi had no experience in the food industry he saw an opportunity and capitalized on it. Treated was born in Portugal, and introduced Borzoi to a Portuguese stature in Johannesburg. They took the risk of buying it, despite being warned that the fast food industry was unprofitable, flooded by too many role players. Nodes Advertising * Entrepreneur Borzoi identified the importance of marketing as a key factor in Nodes strategy. * Nodes developed a unique and irreverent style of external communications. * This allowed them to stand out from their conservative competitors and to achieve greater effects at a lower cost. * Their advertising is rooted in their in-depth understanding of the local markets psyche. Nodes definitely has a good sense of humor! This sets them apart from other fast food giants as their style is unique and it would be difficult for competitors to copy their style. * Nodes approach: Marketing efforts focus on establishing our distinctiveness. * As part of its strategy, Nodes identified adventurous brand building as a core component. * Their advertising is always provocative, topical, interesting, generating public comment and debate. * Managers believe strongly in the brand, focusing their energies on building brand equity. Their marketing is extended to community level, each store is encouraged to be involved in local remissions that support communities and simultaneously promoting the Nodes image. Problems experienced going abroad * In the mid asss entrepreneurs from Asia became interested in Nodes concept. * Borzoi was informed that Nodes did not have the infrastructure to handle a global expansion successfully. * The south African operations had grown and the st ructure was becoming more difficult to manage. * Borzoi realized that a change in approach was needed (entrepreneurs need to be strategic in their thinking. In this case, Borzoi showed this by realizing that the change was needed in order to be successful). * Nodes international was formed in 1995 to leverage international business. Mike Denton-Stevens was appointed as the group development strategist. * Denton-Stevens was directly responsible to Borzoi for the formulation and monitoring of global strategies and the development of systems, models and manuals. * He spent more than 2 years building models, writing manuals. Very thorough planning indeed! Generalness Take wilt International expansion * Nodes struggled with the idea of how to retain their culture and values while expanding abroad. It was challenging to build critical mass in overseas markets. In most countries people were not familiar with Portuguese food. Nodes thought it would be a simple matter of using their advertising style in AS in the overseas markets. They realized that their advertising would have to be more educational in nature. Humor is a cultural thing and Nodes assumed that humor and irreverence were good positioning strategies worldwide. * Marketing manuals for the overseas markets were written as do it yourself manuals. Countries had to market at store level, in order to gain a feel for their market.

Fickle French Adjectives - Adjectifs qui changent de sens

Fickle French Adjectives - Adjectifs qui changent de sens Most French adjectives must be placed after the noun they modify, except for the BAGS exceptions (learn more). There are also a number of French adjectives which have different meanings depending on where they are placed. Generally speaking, when the adjective precedes the noun, it has a figurative or subjective meaning, whereas the adjective which follows the noun has a literal or objective meaning.Here are the most common fickle French adjectives. Fickle French Adjectives ancienFigurative or subjective meaningmon ancienne à ©cole - my old (former) schoolun ancien chà ¢teau - an old chà ¢teau (now a hotel)Literal or objective meaningmon à ©cole ancienne - my old (aged) schoolun chà ¢teau ancien - an ancient chà ¢teau bonFigurative or subjective meaningune bonne rà ©putation - a good reputationLiteral or objective meaningun homme bon - a good (charitable) man braveFigurative or subjective meaningun brave homme - a good (decent) manLiteral or objective meaningun homme brave - a brave man certain Figurative or subjective meaningun certain regard - a certain (type of) lookun certain à ¢ge - old age (euphemism)Literal or objective meaningune victoire certaine - a certain (assured) victoryun à ¢ge certain - old age (rude)Word play: Certain à ¢ge et à ¢ge certain cherFigurative or subjective meaningun cher ami - a dear friendLiteral or objective meaningun pull cher - an expensive sweater chicFigurative or subjective meaningune chic fille - a nice, decent girlLiteral or objective meaningune fille chic - a classy girl curieuxFigurative or subjective meaningun curieux homme - a curious (strange) manLiteral or objective meaningun homme curieux - a curious (nosy) man dernierFigurative or subjective meaningla dernià ¨re semaine - the last week (of the year)Literal or objective meaningla semaine dernià ¨re - last week (the one before this one) diffà ©rentFigurative or subjective meaningdiffà ©rentes idà ©es - various ideasLiteral or objective meaningune idà ©e diffà ©rente - different idea diversFigurative or subjective meaningdivers à ©tudiants - various, several studentsLiteral or objective meaningdes à ©tudiants divers - varied, diverse students douxFigurative or subjective meaningune douce musique* - sweet musicun doux parfum* - sweet perfumeLiteral or objective meaningla moutarde douce - sweet mustard  Ã‚  Ã‚  la peau douce - soft skin drà ´leFigurative or subjective meaningun drà ´le didà ©e - strange ideaLiteral or objective meaningune histoire drà ´le - funny story faibleFigurative or subjective meaningune faible chance - weak, poor, slight chanceLiteral or objective meaningun homme faible - a weak man fameuxFigurative or subjective meaningun fameux problà ¨me - a heck of a problemLiteral or objective meaningun vin fameux - first-rate wine francFigurative or subjective meaningun franc imbà ©cile - total idiotLiteral or objective meaningune diffà ©rence franche - clear difference grandFigurative or subjective meaningun grand homme - a great manLiteral or objective meaningun homme grand - a tall man grosFigurative or subjective meaningun gros problà ¨me - big problemLiteral or objective meaningun homme gros - fat man honnà ªteFigurative or subjective meaningun honnà ªte homme** - a gentlemanLiteral or objective meaningun homme honnà ªte - an honest man jeuneFigurative or subjective meaningune jeune femme - a young womanLiteral or objective meaningune femme jeune - youthful woman *For this meaning, the adjective can precede or follow the noun **Somewhat archaic maigreFigurative or subjective meaningun maigre repas - skimpy, meager mealLiteral or objective meaningun garà §on maigre - skinny boy mà ©chantFigurative or subjective meaningun mà ©chant cigare - great big cigarLiteral or objective meaningun homme mà ©chant - mean (cruel) man mà ªmeFigurative or subjective meaningle mà ªme jour - the same dayLiteral or objective meaningle jour mà ªme - the very day modesteFigurative or subjective meaningun modeste repas - small, simple mealLiteral or objective meaningun homme modeste - modest, humble man nobleFigurative or subjective meaningnobles aspirations - noble, worthy aspirationsLiteral or objective meaningune femme noble - imposing, respected woman nouveauFigurative or subjective meaningun nouveau produit - a new, alternative productLiteral or objective meaningun produit nouveau - a new, original product pauvreFigurative or subjective meaningun pauvre homme - a poor (pitiful) manLiteral or objective meaningun homme pauvre - a poor (penniless) man platFigurative or subjective meaningune plate excuse - a humble excuseLiteral or objective meaningun pays plat - a flat country premierFigurative or subjective meaningle premier problà ¨me - first problemLiteral or objective meaningle problà ¨me premier - fundamental, basic problem prochainFigurative or subjective meaningla prochaine semaine - the following weekLiteral or objective meaningla semaine prochaine - next week propreFigurative or subjective meaningma propre chambre - my own bedroomLiteral or objective meaningune chambre propre - a clean bedroom pureFigurative or subjective meaningla pure imagination - pure, total imaginationLiteral or objective meaningleau pure - pure water rareFigurative or subjective meaningdune rare beautà © - exceptionally beautifulLiteral or objective meaningun oiseau rare - rare bird rudeFigurative or subjective meaningune rude tà ¢che - difficult taskLiteral or objective meaningune barbe rude - rough beard sacrà ©Figurative or subjective meaningun sacrà © menteur - a damn liarLiteral or objective meaningun objet sacrà © - a sacred object saleFigurative or subjective meaningune sale ville - a nasty townLiteral or objective meaningune ville sale - a dirty town seulFigurative or subjective meaningla seule fille - the one/single/only girlLiteral or objective meaningune fille seule - lonely girl, a girl who is alone simpleFigurative or subjective meaningun simple homme - a mere (plain, ordinary) manLiteral or objective meaningun homme simple - a modest, honest man tristeFigurative or subjective meaningun triste individu - a sad (mean, bad) personLiteral or objective meaningun individu triste - a sad (crying) person uniqueFigurative or subjective meaningun unique fils - an only sonLiteral or objective meaningun fils unique - only child (who is a boy) và ©ritableFigurative or subjective meaningun và ©ritable problà ¨me - serious problemLiteral or objective meaningun problà ¨me và ©ritable - genuine (not fake) problem vertFigurative or subjective meaningmes vertes annà ©es - my green (fruitful) yearsLiteral or objective meaninglà ©gumes verts - green vegetables vilainFigurative or subjective meaningvilains mots - bad wordsLiteral or objective meaningun garà §on vilain - ugly or naughty child vraiFigurative or subjective meaningun vrai ami - a real, true friendLiteral or objective meaningune histoire vraie - true story

The Space Shuttle Challenger Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Space Shuttle Challenger - Personal Statement Example Seven occupants died innocently in the incidence that occurred on 28th January 1986. That was tragic, putting accountability and integrity of the designers into question. The scientists, having been warned of the danger that lay in wait if they opted to carry on with the launch questions their credibility and concern for humanity. It was evident that they cared little about the safety of the crew, and their anxiety to make headlines for launching the much talked about the space shuttle. There had been early warnings of the dangers that lay ahead if the idea was carried out. The space shuttle had structural failures, with an expert raising a rather worrying alarm concern. The O-rings of the shuttle could only survive temperatures at only 40 degrees. Any temperatures below that, safety and survival of the shuttle were not guaranteed. On the morning of the launch, the temperatures were as low as 18 degrees. The expert termed the idea of launching the shuttle on such a day as absurd and ridiculous. It was bound to explode anyway. This raises a rather disturbing question, why the ignorance by the scientists? Why were they so eager to launch the shuttle? The incidence calls for personal accountability of all parties involved in the success of any project. Every party ought to play its part in the project, making sure that nothing goes wrong during the whole project. Team spirit is portrayed by this incidence, where it is the responsibility of every member of the group to play their individual roles for the success of the project. If there is no proper articulation of ideas and thoughts, if there are flaws in one section of the implementing group, the project is likely to be a total failure, just like the space shuttle incidence. The importance of other team players exhibiting accountability and diligence in their work is a clear indication of their readiness to protect the end user of the product in question.  

Benefits of Going Green. Improving the Environmental and Ethical Image Essay

Benefits of Going Green. Improving the Environmental and Ethical Image of a Restaurant - Essay Example It is practically one of the biggest business trends of the last quarter of a century alongside adoption of computers and the internet. This then begs the question; what has prompted organizations to take up green ways? Investigations into the issue point to the fact that going green is not just empty trend, but a powerful strategy to gain competitive advantage for organizations in modern times. It enables a company to create a good corporate image and reduce costs thus maximizing profitability. Although there is evidence to support this, several companies have still not found going green a strategy worth pursuing. Hence, this part of the paper explores what going green entails and the benefits it accrues to businesses especially in the automobile industry, the food industry and the accounting/audit industry, which can be extrapolated to any other businesses. What is â€Å"Going Green?† Going green in a business is usually defined as the practice of monitoring, reducing and measuring the environmental and social costs of conducting business (Polimeni et al. 2010). Going green generally involves reducing wastes, decreasing use of energy and adoption of recycling techniques. Depending on the industry, strategies for going green include cutting on paper work, encouraging employees to car-pool, giving incentives to employees to adopt green technologies such as buying hybrid vehicles, reusable water bottles and using alternative sources of energy among others. A company that wishes to go green needs to make it a policy and communicate this to its employees. The policy should contain the company’s commitment to go green and the proposed strategies of doing this as appropriate to the company. The management should be committed to adopt these strategies in order to make employees follow suit. Benefits of Going Green The benefits of adopting green strategies are wide and varied across all industries, especially with the recent global economic melt-down. Case examples of industries that have adopted these strategies and the benefits they have accrued are studied and general benefits accrued discussed at the end. One of the biggest sectors that is directly affected and directly influences all other organizations in terms of the environment is the automobile industry. Vehicle manufacturers are at the forefront of adoption of green technologies, and thus the increasing emphasis on hybrid and electric vehicle. Robinson’s and Schroelder’s (2009) study of Subaru Indiana Automotive Inc. illustrates that through green principles and efficiency improves not only environmental conservation but also profits plus competitive advantages. Employees at every level in the company continuously pursue strategies to increase efficiency, reduce production of wastes and also reduce energy consumption. The strategies have resulted in 14% reduction of ele ctricity consumption since the year 2000, plus the company has not taken any wastes to the depository since 2004 as of 2009. The company has saved on costs in both long term and short term basis, with habits such as dimming lights when workers are on a break reaping immediate savings on costs. Other strategies such as redesigning processes initially increased costs but they have over time resulted in cost-saving. The two authors also found out that going green in the company involves detailed scrutiny of operations and new perspectives, which lead to innovations that create competitive advan