Tamil Media Industry

POST_ GRADUATION PROGRAMME IN PLANNING AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP_ {draw:frame} Submitted by .G. Raja Saravanan (09)-F1 Vasanth. G (39)-F1 .G. Alfa Bhandari (03)-F2 Ramya Santhanagopalan (30)-F2 BATCH – PGP/SS/2008 -2010 UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN Yours truly, (*Prof. K. *Sashi Rao) Chennai ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We also take privilege in honoring our institution IIPM for allowing us to carry out our project in our area of interest. We thank Raj Network, Sun Network, Star Vijay and Jaya Network for giving us this opportunity. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who helped us in getting the useful inputs which has gone a long way to increase our knowledge. We would be failing in our duty if we do not thank our parents and friends without whose well wishes, this project might not have become a success. Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION ABOUT STUDY The Study deal with three key areas of focus: (1) An analysis of how the mass media informally educate their audiences through their descriptions and presentations of significant information. 2) The results of a series of interviews with a theoretical sample of people that explores how they describe themselves and how they perceive the quality of information being provided and also they were asked to respond about their perception on different channels. Thus, resulting in analysis of how effective they are in terms of attracting and satisfying to the need of their viewers. 3) Strategies Adopted & Challenges faced by Channels for successfu l establishment. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: To study the consumers attitude towards the Raj Network To analyze the customer preference towards Raj Network. To study about how to help Raj Network to increase its Revenue. To study about how further strategies and investment could be followed to improve the Raj Network. SCOPE OF THE STUDY: This study is confined to Chennai. Further study can be made in other cities also. This study may help the company to find out about the attitude of the Raj Network. The findings of this study may help the company to implement proper strategies that would attract more viewers (audiences). COMPANY PROFILE It is being telecasted in 135 countries RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research methodology underlines the various steps involved by the researcher in systematically solving the problem with the objective of determining various facts. The major purpose of analytical research is to analyze the state affaires as it exists at present. Analytical research includes survey and in-depth analysis of variables. The research plan calls for gathering primary and secondary data. The Sampling Method adopted for the present study is Simple Random Sampling METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION Primary Data Secondary Data SECONDARY DATA DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION Table 1 The number of *hours a respondent watching television in a day {draw:frame} _From the above table it can be inferred that nearly half (46%) of the respondents watch television for 3 to 5 hours a day and the least population of about 8% spend time for watching television more than 5 hours a day. _ Table-2 The time slot preferred by respondents to watch television {draw:frame} _It can be inferred from the abo ve table that, 7 P. M to 10 P. M is the peak hours for watching television and with very less respondents being interested to watch television early morning and late night after 10 P. M which covers only 5%. _ Table-3 The respondents preference towards various programmes telecasted on Television {draw:frame} Table -4 The number of respondents watching various Tamil Channels {draw:frame} Table -5 The rating of various Tamil channels according to the preference of respondents Table-6 The perception of respondents to add more variety of programmes to the Raj NETWORK {draw:frame} Table-7 The attitude of respondents towards of watching Raj NETWORK {draw:frame} From the above table it can be inferred that _the only 15% of the respondents watch RAJ NETWORK daily and most of the viewers, covering about 26% are not very specific in watching RAJ NETWORK. Table-8 The respondents watching various Raj Network Channels {draw:frame} _The above table shows that only 33% out of 24 respondents watch RAJ NETWORK whereas RAJ VISTA viewers are almost negligible covering just 4% of the total viewership_. Table-9 The viewers feedback on the various parameters of Raj Network {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:f rame} {draw:frame} FINDINGS The survey revealed that Sun Network and Vijay TV is the main competitor of the Raj Network in Chennai. Most of the viewers prefer to watch the Mega Serials and Reality shows. People are also interested in Vijay TV’s innovative programs People watch Raj TV only when they surf the channels. Regarding Raj Network’s Performance, viewers gave different opinions. Regarding the quality factors of Raj Network (News Channel) most of the viewers had opinion that the news readers and reporters don’t have excellent personality and excellent interpersonal skills. SUGGESTIONS Raj TV can improve their technology standard. They can do some innovative programs to gain the new viewers and lost viewers. Promote information contribution from the people like sharing amateur video footage on public interest. Add more discussions on local issues regarding the welfare of the society. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY The scope of the study restricted to only few areas. Subscribers may not give an accurate data. Busy nature of the respondents. Sample size limited to 150 Respondent’s bias towards certain entertainment channels. Lack of response from customers & resistance was yet another factor that damped the spirit of the researchers. CONCLUSION It is clear that Sun Network and Star Vijay are the leaders in the Tamil Channels. Raj Network has to introduce more innovative programmes. Raj Network has to improve the picture and sound clarity to become as competitive as other Tamil Channels. Raj Network should target the Tamil audience as a whole, knowing their preferences. BIBILIOGRAPHY WEBSITES www. sunnetwork. org www. rajtvnet. in www. jayanetwork. in www. vijay. indya. com www. tamindia. com www. indiantelevision. com APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE *Do you have a NETWORK*? Yes b) No Yes b) No *For how many hours in a day, do you watch NETWORK*.? *When do you watch NETWORK*. generally? Which Tamil channels do you watch? Others _ Which programmers you watch most and regularly? Amongst the following channels which program you like the most? Kindly rank the Tamil channels according to your preference. Others (please specify) What do you like or dislike about the following channels? * How often you watch Raj NETWORK*.? Which Raj network channels you watch? Kindly rank Raj Network channels according to your preference. Raj Vista [ ] *How would you rate Raj NETWORK* on the following parameters? Kindly tick the appropriate box *Do you think Raj NETWORK* needs to add more Variety to its existing set of Programmes? Your suggestions about Raj NETWORK Name (Optional): Mother Tongue: Age Group (Tick the appropriate one) Competitors Profiles MAJOR BRANDS IN THE CHENNAI TELEVISION MARKET: Sun Network Jaya Network Raj Network Star Vijay Mr Kalanithi Maran, Chairman and Managing Director of the Sun TV Network Limited. SunTV Network's programming is a mixed bag. All the channels have a wholesome blend of †¢ Films †¢ Film-Based Shows †¢ Superhit serials †¢ NEWS Capsules †¢ Talk shows †¢ Children's hours †¢ Women Show. {draw:frame} Sun Network is being telecasted in Asia South Africa Australia Europe USA Canada It is being telecasted in more than 150 countries JAYA NETWORK J. Jayalalithya,*( Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu )* MD, Chairman and Managing Director of the *Jaya *Network Limited. {draw:frame} The Network runs a number of popular serials presented by some of the best names in South Indian films today. These in combination with a number of popular chat shows and game shows give the network an edge with the viewers. Tamil Channels: Jaya TV, Jaya Max, Jaya news & Jaya Plus Jaya Network is being telecasted in Australia New Zealand STAR VIJAY It is a popular Indian entertainment channel broadcasting in Tamil. The channel is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. It is best known for serving its viewers with a mix of content, not limited to mega serials/daily soaps like other Tamil channels. The main reason of success of STAR Vijay is its share of reality shows. Reality shows were first introduced to the audiences by STAR Vijay Star Vijay is being telecasted in Sri Lanka US Canada Secondary Data of Raj TV Raj Television defers expansion plans The Rs150-200 crore investment for launch of 12 regional channels has been put on hold for 12-18 months Vidhya Sivaramakrishnan Chennai: Media and broadcast company Raj Television Network Ltd has delayed plans to launch 12 regional channels and buy a Tamil newspaper by another 12-18 months, as the company waits for the economy to revive to raise funds, two top executives said. The Chennai-based broadcaster, which raised Rs52. 81 crore in an initial public offering in February 2007, had proposed investing Rs150-200 crore for the launches, with part of the funds coming from private equity firms. These plans are now deferred because of the current market conditions, M. Raajhendran, managing director of Raj Television, said in a recent meeting. Raj TV is already struggling with thin audience ratings in a crowded regional television market. According to TAM Media Research Pvt. Ltd, a viewership rating firm, mmands a 96% share, while Raj Digital Plus has the remaining viewership, TAM data shows. Raj TV currently runs four television channels in Tamil and one each in Kannada and Telugu, primarily in the music, news and general entertainment categories. Of the proposed channels, for which the company already has licences, three would be in Malayalam and two each in Kannada and Telugu. It is yet to decide on the other five channels. Within a span of one-and-a-half years, the global markets will also be good and we will raise funds,† Raajhendran said. â€Å"We are going slow. † Prakash Dharmarajan, Chennai president of advertising firm Ogilvy and Mathpwer, said Raj TV cannot depend solely on new channels to improve its business. â€Å"It (Raj TV’s success in other states) would entirely depend on their progra mming content. Is it easy? It is not. At the end of the day, people watch programmes, not channels,† he said. On the company’s print plans, promoter and whole-time director M. Ravindran said that though the company is in talks with a few people, a deal is not likely immediately. â€Å"We want to buy out some established print player, but it will take some time,† he said, without elaborating. Raj TV has since released two of the four movies it has produced so far, investing Rs23 crore. They made profits of 10-15% on an average, Ravindran said, but declined details. The studio and office complex, too, needs another year to be ready, he added. Raj Television’s revenue in fiscal 2008-09 increased to Rs62. 41 crore from Rs58. 69 crore in the previous year, but fell way short of its targeted 40-50% revenue growth. Net profit for the year ended 31 March fell to Rs3. 72 crore, from Rs13. 46 crore earlier. MUMBAI: The Sun Network has hit back at Raj TV's claims of having cornered the number two position in Tamil Nadu. MUMBAI: Raj TV seems to be in no mood to give up its claim as the second most popular channel in Tamil Nadu. A few months ago, the channel had cited TAM data to indicate that it was the number two channel after Sun TV. The credit to this, Raj gave to its Friday night blockbuster movies. However, the claim had sparked off a scramble for the slot. Eight months down the line, the big fight continues. Pointing to a survey initiated by The Hindu and conducted by TNS Mode (the fourth largest market information group in the world), Raj TV has again asserted its number two position in Chennai. This, of course, means that Raj is the most preferred channel after the undisputed leader Sun TV and its sibling KTV. The TNS poll was conducted in Chennai among 230 men and women. According to the survey, while a major chunk (77 per cent) respondents claimed to be loyal viewers of Sun TV and 5 per cent watched KTV, Raj was the hot favourite among four per cent television viewers. Of the rest, viewership for Vijay TV and Sumangali Cable Vision (which also belongs to the Sun TV stable) was two per cent each. The other channels – including Jaya TV – put together figures for only 10 per cent viewership, Raj claims. The survey indicated that 26 per cent respondents watched television for one to two hours. Only 13 per cent people said they watched the channel for more than four hours. Raj TV backed its claim to popularity with another significant aspect that the TNS survey revealed. According to the survey, Raj TV is the only channel besides Sun, whose daily serial ranks among the top five most popular shows in Chennai. The survey shows that Raj's Geethanjali is the fourth most popular serial in the metro. The number one serial Metti Oli, number two Annamalai, number three Kungumam and number five Appa are all aired on Sun. IREDATO Card Hello, I bought a Card through my relative as per advice of RAJ TV Sales personal in the month of June 09. The same card was personally hand carried to Australia. Upon arrival, i called up raj tv as per their advice that the card needs to be activated and that they require the decoder box number As per the advice again, i forwarded the box number. RAJ TV again came up with an email as below Dear Siva, Please send us your Receiving Box Number starting with 045 or 027 ( 11 digit number ) to activate the cards. Thanks, S. Swaminathan. Mob:092445 03555. I was then told that the card supplied was un-suitable and should be used only with RAJ TV supplied decoder box. How in the world can RAJ TV supply a card withouth any prior purchase details of a customer of a RJA TV Supplied Decoder BOX After insistant follow up by my self, I am still to get the correct card. Very Disappointed with RAJ TV and its Sales Person

Prejudice vs Discrimination Essay

Typewrite a 1 ? to 2 page paper comparing and contrasting prejudice and discrimination. Relate the use of stereotyping and racial profiling to prejudice and discrimination. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines prejudice and discrimination as: Prejudice (1) : injury or damage resulting from some judgment or action of another in disregard of one’s rights; especially : detriment to one’s legal rights or claims (2) a. (1) : preconceived judgment or opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge b : an instance of such judgment or opinion c : an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics. Discrimination (1) a. : the act of discriminating b : the process by which two stimuli differing in some aspect are responded to differently (2) : the quality or power of finely distinguishing (3) a. : the act, practice, or an instance of discriminating categorically rather than individually b : prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment The main distinction between prejudice and discrimination is found in Michael LeMay’s definition of discrimination, where he says â€Å"Discrimination is applied prejudice†. As in the definition above, prejudice is some preconceived notion about an individual, a group, or a race that demonstrate some sort of judgment upon them. This idea of prejudice is usually kept inside of the individual, so as to have a quiet judgment among people. Discrimination, however, is prejudice put into practice. Those who discriminate actively practice prejudice; it is no longer kept inside, but rather openly practiced against the people. Prejudice is best described as an attitude towards a certain group of peoples based solely on their membership in that social or ethnic group, whereas discrimination are actions taken against those members, the behavioral manifestation of prejudice. The practices of prejudice and discrimination stem from an individual’s perception of a certain group ?these predetermined perceptions of a group usually come from stereotypes of a people, or racial profiling. LeMay’s definition of stereotypes is this: â€Å"Oversimplistic and Overexaggerated beliefs about a group, most often acquired second hand. These images are highly resistant to change†. Stereotyping often derive from social categorization and the idea of ? in’ group vs. ?out’ group. Social categorizations is sort of the lumping or classification of people into groups based on common characteristics among them, while the concept of the ? in’ group versus the ? out’ group is based on a ? we’ vs. ?they’ view, by Peter Rose. The difference between the two is that in social categorization, the person removes themself from their judgment, whereas in the ? we’ vs. ?they’ approach, the person is included among others in their judgment, but those judged are not part of their own majority group. This process of thought views ? we’ in favorable terms, and ? they’ negatively. The impact of stereotypes, as I have stated, directly affect the perceptions of a people in a negative light; when we think of those people, these traits come to mind ? when we meet people from this group, we will focus more on those traits and process them before others. Stereotyping affects our social judgments about a group of people: how much we like the person, our mood and attitudes toward the person, as well as our expectations from that person. Racial profiling is not much off from the principles of stereotyping. Racial profiling is the use of race as a consideration in suspect profiling or other law enforcement practices. This ties into stereotyping in that we suspect suspicious activity from a particular race or people based solely on their ethnicity. A common example of racial profiling would be â€Å"DWB† or â€Å"driving while black†. This is the practice of police or other law enforcement officers targeting African Americans for traffic stops because they believe that African Americans are more likely to be engaged in criminal activity (racial profiling, www. ethnicmajority. com). Overall, one could say that one instance leads to another. Stereotyping can lead to prejudice, which can lead to discrimination. Stereotyping fuels prejudice, though people are not willing to admit this ? they will not admit to stereotyping or being prejudiced, nor discriminating, yet all practices and beliefs of these are rampant today.

Project Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Project Risk Management - Essay Example They are present almost everywhere like in business, homes, and government agencies. Government agencies are using digital mediums to improve their governance style like filing of taxes, utility bill payments, pension payment etc. Through the use of e-governance the government is trying to speed up the process and reduce cost at the same time. Because of computers we can now use digital evidence to solve crime and prosecute the offenders at a much faster pace. Many a times the law enforcement agencies and judiciary can’t handle such evidences. There is an ample shortage of judges and attorneys who understand technology. Digital courtrooms refer to use of technology to run the courtrooms so that prosecution or trials can be done at a much faster pace and at considerably low cost. They use electronic evidence which can be effective at implicating the criminal. Electronic evidence refers to the information and data which of investigative value and stored in the electronic medium. With new advancement of technology digital forensic specialist will ensure that the evidence meets the standards. In such trials both the parties need not be present in the courtrooms. They can be connected via internet and use their laptops or other visual mediums to get connected to the digital courtrooms. It reduces the cost to a great extent. Risk Identification To make the judicial system digital, necessary infrastructure needs to be built upon; it means technical platforms are needed to be put in place for the data systems (software, equipment, networks and standard services). The aim should be that the same standard platforms should be able to serve the data systems which will be implemented in the coming years (Kendrick, 2009, p67). The users in the digital courtrooms will now require graphical user interfaces and easy to use systems should be installed. Else it would be difficult for all to comprehend and use the devices (Pmp and Knapp, 2010, p65). One of the most common f orms of digital devices to be used is audio devices. One needs to ask the question whether digital recording is better than human reporting or it may cause more trouble. There can be problems like botched recordings, microphone mishaps etc. can lead to a mistrial in the courtroom (Institution of Civil Engineers (Great Britain), 2005, p67). Also with the introduction of new digital courtrooms the pending cases must be first integrated to the system. It may result in few cases not making it through (Bartlett, 2004, p78). With the era of digital information comes the question of security and reliability. The reliability of the saved digital devices must be ascertained at first (Raftery, 2003, p99). It is not impossible to create a fake digital recording or fake videos to implicate someone. Again the security issue must also be looked at. Making the courtrooms digital implies that all of the data needs to be stored somewhere. With the advent of newer technologies it its becoming increas ingly important to keep the data secured from data theft (Grey,

Asian philosphy Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Asian philosphy - Article Example Ideally, establishing the distinctions between these two aspects enhances the understanding that one has pertaining to Asian philosophy. First, Advaita Vedanta philosophy humans have souls in them and despite the fact that humans live distinct lives physically; the souls are usually never separate. Advaita Vedanta philosophy is usually a key pillar in the study of Hinduism in temples and determines individual behaviors among individuals. Samkhya on its part, provides a different school of thought pertaining to Asian philosophy, as it maintains more realistic metaphysical perspective in the view of occurrences. It does this by the combination of the teachings and doctrines of the Sankhya philosophy and the physical practice of yoga and its significance to humans. In better understanding of the Sankhya philosophy works to provide the theory behind understanding the metaphysical reality of the world, while Yoga allows practicing individuals to actually apply in use all the internalized aspects pertaining to the philosophical teachings themselves. In summary, Sankhya can be termed as the motive power of the universe upon which the soul

Re-Educating Health Care Providers on Hand Hygiene Practice Essay

Re-Educating Health Care Providers on Hand Hygiene Practice - Essay Example Hospital Acquired infections (HAIs) present a serious challenge in provision of healthcare services to patients in hospital settings. Studies indicate that about 80 percent of patients who contract HAIs often succumb to the diseases and die while receiving treatment in the hospital (Ivers, et al. 2012). The numbers have since risen up and it has become increasingly difficult for researchers to point to the exact numbers of patients suffering from HAIs. Nevertheless, existing literature has produced a lot of evidence pointing to the role of hand hygiene practices in reducing the rates of HAIs. However, compliance rates to hand hygiene practices such as hand washing and gelling remain low, which makes it difficult to prevent HAIs. There is also a gap in available literature concerning the impact of specific hand hygiene programs in reducing the rates of HAIs. This project assesses how reeducation can enhance compliance to hand hygiene in hospital settings thereby reducing the rates of HAIs. Hand hygiene encompasses various technics and practices for cleansing hands before and after treating patients. Several agents such as antiseptic agents, anti-microbial soaps, alcohol based rubs, plain soaps, and antiseptic agents play a critical role in hand hygiene practices. The main underlying factor is that compliance with hand hygiene practices reduces the rates of related infections to a greater extent (Ivers, et al. 2012). However, inadequacies exist in the literature available regarding how to increase compliance with hand hygiene practices before and after attending to each patient according to the guidelines stipulated by the WHO (Dennison & Prevost, 2012).

Tsunami Disasters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tsunami Disasters - Essay Example In particular, the port of Chennai on the east coast of India sustained moderate damage. The local fishing fleet was affected, with a number of boats overturned or washed ashore within the harbor. Overall economic losses from the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami disaster are estimated at$10 billion, with 75% of the loss attributed to the damage inflicted by Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India. The Southwestern costal area of the island Hokkaido was affected by the earthquake. The most affected area was in east of island Okushiri and was 100 by 125 kms. Waves soared high. They were from 5 to 12 m high and inundated the area around the island. The highest wave run-up along the southwest coast and was about 30.5 m on a limited area. Most of the deaths were on Okushiri island. The number of missing was expected to be higher because it is a tourist area. Â  540 houses were destroyed by tsunami and fire caused by earth quake, 154 houses and other properties were heavily damaged and 1,826 were slightly damaged. 31 public buildings were damaged and some were severely destroyed. Highways were destroyed in at least 365 locations and Railway lines were completely damaged at 124 locations. Port facilities and all other infrastructure in direct path of tsunami were extensively damaged, including power, water, telecommunications, transportation, and sewage. Tsunami didn’t damag e the sewage treatment plant at Apnea. Naturally high sand dunes protected it The powerful Earthquake of Hokkaido occurred in south west, the Sea of Japan. The earthquake’s epicenter was at a depth of 34 km on the Sea floor and was very close to the Okushiri Island. The island was hit by tsunami in less than 4 minutes after the earthquake and that left no time for the people of the island to evacuate. Many homes were constructed along the sea side which explained the high toll of victims. Despite only

Brahms and Liszt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Brahms and Liszt - Essay Example Both these great composers had graciously accepted to lend their support for a charity concert in aid of the starving millions around the world. Brahms was an accomplished pianist whose compositions consisted of Chamber ensembles for different symphony orchestras and also for solo voice and chorus. Most of his compositions were complex and his innovative compositional techniques were deeply rooted in the Baroque and Classical style. Liszt too belonged to the Romantic era and was a thorough virtuoso at the piano and one of the most serious composers of his time. The venue was the grand (please fill in the venue you like) which was teeming with excited and enthusiastic crowds waiting to enter the hall. The people were ushered in by 7.45 because the concert was to begin at 8pm. Silence descended on the audience as the lights dimmed and the curtains began to go up. The opening number for the evening was by Liszt the great composer and his orchestra. The audience cheered and clapped as the orchestra was introduced and stood standing as composer took the stage at the piano. Silence descended as the music filled the concert hall. The opening piece was the very well known ‘Hungarian Rhapsodies’ which had formerly been written only for piano but later had been arranged for orchestra. The composer exploited the piano to such an extent while playing the arpeggios that it gave the audience the impression, that three hands were used for playing instead of two and at times he made the piano sound as if it was a huge Gypsy Band with its lavish rapid octaves in addition to the daring runs and leaps. Liszt’s originality and range of dynamics enthralled the audience no end as they gave him a standing ovation at the end of the piece. Brahms Violin Concerto followed after formal introductions of the orchestra were done and the concert hall resounded with applause from the audience as Brahms was welcomed. As the hall fell silent again,

360-degree feedback Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

360-degree feedback - Case Study Example Downward feedback is the feedback received from direct supervisors and also superiors from other areas. Upward feedback is the feedback received from individuals who are either directly reporting to the person who is receiving the feedback or feedback from other people in the lower hierarchy. The last one is feedback collected from the people at the same level i.e. peers, clients, and/or colleagues. At Landon, the 360-degree feedback is used to get feedback so that employees can work on all developmental areas; however, they are not appraised based on this feedback. Yet, 360-degree feedback is believed to be critical for the organization’s performance. . Ideally, 360-degree feedback is collected to assess the performance of a supervisor or an individual in terms of people management, process and client management. Also, 360-degree feedback helps to understand personality of the individual and perception that peers have on the individual. It would be a good practice if the name s of the feedback providers from downward, upward & from peer groups are not disclosed to the feedback receiver. In the present case, Sam shares the 360-degree feedback report with Alex along with the names of the people who provided the feedback. This is one of the reasons 360-degree feedback is not accepted by people and/or people hesitate to provide an open and honest feedback, especially when the feedback is for someone at higher level. The 360-degree feedback should be explained to everyone so that everyone understands the concept and purpose in the right manner. This can be further improvised if the feedback is backed up with strong data or information. Based on Alex’s notion about .360-degree feedback, it is clear that he is not fully aware of its importance in helping him perform better. Alex is unaware of the impact each feedback plays in helping him grow to higher levels of leadership. Therefore, he should be educated about the significance and purse of 360-degree f eedback before providing feedback collected so that he conditions his approach to receiving the feedback with an open mind. 2. What behaviors by Alex are having the greatest impact on the 360-degree data? Alex’s performance and behavior enticed positive and negative feedback from all groups that provided feedback. Firstly, Alex is recognized as an aggressive performer with high career aspirations. His strong educational background and little work experience that has been so successful have contributed to the aggression and the drive to achieve every milestone. This drive further reinforces Alex’s commitment to work and encourages him to work harder. His efforts to go extra mile is well appreciated and does whatever it takes to achieve his goal. Alex expects the same commitment and efforts from his subordinates as well. Alex’s confidence gained through immense efforts and utmost commitment is very evident based on the feedback received. He is recognized as very i mpulsive because his subordinates feet that he is not good listener. In the sense, he always provides instructions, but does not seek others opinion or ask for their inputs on business-related matters. Moreover, his aggression causes him to react impulsively, which the team members as well as peers feel is overpowering and ill treating. Similar feedback from his peers makes him less approachable; however, his immense knowledge and tactful dealing with business challenges makes him a popular and desired employee. It is evident that Alex Sanders is aspiring for higher roles in the leadership position and greater achievements. The 360-degree feedback from his superiors, subordinates and peers has much

Do something Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Do something - Term Paper Example Nevertheless, the organization faces significant challenges including raising enough funds for the smooth running of its activities, and commanding a global outreach. Despite this, the organization’s board of directors, the advisory board, and other well-wishers continue working around the clock to ensure the organization achieves its objectives (DoSomething, 2015). The main aim of this organization is to ensure social change and equity in the society. In addition, the organization aims at transforming people’s views about the need to care for the environment in which they live. The organization believes that bringing such a change will form the basis of a bright future for upcoming generations. The organization also aims at involving people across the globe in driving this change. DoSomething.org especially believes in utilizing the enormous power of the youth through campaigns in driving social change for a bright future (DoSomething, 2015). The marketing goals of DoSomething.org include mobilizing people through different social media platforms to join a cause for the positive transformation of the society. The organization believes involving people from various backgrounds and cultures will help in bringing in innovative solutions to the various social challenges facing the society. The organization seeks to increase the interest from various corporations and other well-wishers in supporting its campaigns. On the part of corporations, DoSomething.org aims at increasing the level of involvement of different corporations in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. DoSomething.org also aims at increasing its brand equity as a reputable non-profit making organization across the globe. The organization believes that such a reputation will serve as a basis of making it attractive to potential volunteers and other well-wishers (DoSomething, 2015). The organization has well-trained

Charities Essay Example for Free

Charities Essay The legal definition of charity has historically been somewhat elusive and stands distinct from any understanding of charity in a general or popular sense. As Lord Wright observed, in its legal sense the word â€Å"charitable is a word of art, of precise and technical meaning†[1]. Viscount Simmonds further remarked that, â€Å"no comprehensive definition of legal charity has been given either by legislature or in judicial utterance, there is no limit to the number and diversity of ways in which man will seek to benefit his fellow men†. The Preamble to the Charitable Uses Act 1601, also referred to as the Statute of Elizabeth I, contained a list of purposes which were then regarded as charitable. It assumed a central role for the courts as a reference point or catalogue of accepted instances of charity until almost 300 years later when Lord MacNaughten in the Pemsel case, famously classified charitable objects into four principal divisions: (i) trusts for the relief of poverty, (ii) trusts for the advancement of education, (iii) trusts for the advancement of religion, (iv) trusts beneficial to the community not falling under any of the preceding heads. These four heads of charity were used as reference whenever the inherent charitable nature of a purpose or institution was questioned until the Charities Act 2006 received royal assent. Section 2(2) of the 2006 Act now provides a modern statutory definition of charity by listing 13 descriptions of purposes deemed charitable at law. In order to be charitable, an organisation has to be established for one or more purposes within the descriptions recognised by the law as capable of being charitable, and for the public benefit. Charity law in England and Wales has developed within the context of the traditional monotheistic religions but it has embraced for many years religions other than Christianity and Judaism. In Bowman[3], Lord Parker effectively held that it was not just the promotion of Christianity that would be recognised but that the Courts of this country were not precluded â€Å"from giving effect to trusts for the purposes of religions which, however sacred they may be to millions of His Majestys subjects, either deny the truth of Christianity or, at any rate, do not accept some of its fundamental doctrines†. Furthermore in the Commission’s Scientology[4] decision it was firmly established that â€Å"The law does not prefer one religion to another and as between religions the law stands neutral†[5]. The English courts have, for a long time, resisted closely defining what makes some belief systems religious and others not. However in the Scientology case, the Commissioners accepted that there are various characteristics of religion which can be discerned from the legal authorities: †¢ Belief in a god or a deity or supreme being – R v Registrar General[6] †¢ Two of the essential attributes of religion are faith and worship: faith in a god and worship of that god South Place Ethical Society[7] †¢ To advance religion means â€Å"to promote it, to spread the message ever wider among mankind; to take some positive steps to sustain and increase religious belief and these things are done in a variety of ways which may be comprehensively described as pastoral and missionary†. United Grand Lodge v Holborn BC[8]. Having considered these characteristics, the Commissioners concluded that the definition of a religion in English charity law was characterised by a belief in a supreme being and an expression of that belief through worship. This definition is further refined in the 2006 Act where s2 (3) a gives a partial definition of the word religion. However, the law does not automatically recognise as a religion everything that may designate itself as a religion and there are some principles to which a purpose must conform if it is to be regarded as within the Charities Act’s description of ‘the advancement of religion’. These general principles are gathered from the common law of England and Wales but also take into account the body of law which has developed concerning the European Convention right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. As a general proposition, for its advancement to be capable of being charitable in this context, a religion should have a certain level of cogency, seriousness, coherence and importance[9]. Also, in order to be charitable for the advancement of religion, the content of any system of faith and worship has to be of a positive nature, impacting beneficially on the community. Sir John Wickens, V-C. in Cocks v Manners[10] observed: â€Å"It is said, in some of the cases, that religious purposes are charitable, but that can only be true as to religious services tending directly or indirectly towards the instruction or the edification of the public†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hence, to be charitable a religious purpose has to be serious, tend directly or indirectly to the moral and spiritual improvement of the public as well as being for the public benefit. In Holmes v Attorney General[11] Walton J commented: â€Å"†¦ It is not for the benefit of the adherents of the religion themselves that the law confers charitable status, it is in the interests of the public. † Hence, as a general proposition, in the case of charities for the advancement of religion the purpose must not simply be for the benefit of the followers of the particular religion. Formerly, the proposition stated that â€Å"as between different religions the law stands neutral, but it assumes that any religion is at least likely to be better than none†[12]. Plowman J in Re Watson[13] considered a case for the publication and distribution of the fundamentalist Christian writings of an individual where he quoted authority that the court does not prefer one religion or sect to another and said that where the purposes in question are of a religious nature then the court assumes a public benefit unless the contrary is shown†. He then went on to say that the only way of disproving a public benefit is to show that the doctrines inculcated are adverse to the very foundations of all religion, and that they are subversive of all morality. However, that part of the judgment being inconsistent with the judgment of the court of appeal and opinions given by the House of Lords in Gilmour v Coats, where it was held: â€Å"†¦the question whether a trust is beneficial to the public is an entirely different one from the question whether a trust is for the advancement of religion†, it is not regarded a binding. Since the Charities Act 2006, there is no longer any presumption that, because a purpose falls within the description â€Å"the advancement of religion†, it is for the public benefit. Section 3(2) of the Act provides: â€Å"In determining whether [the public benefit] requirement is satisfied in relation to any †¦purpose, it is not to be presumed that a purpose of a particular description is for the public benefit†. Hence, with the removal of the presumption and in the modern context the proposition may now be interpreted as meaning that advancing religion can be seen as a public good if such advancement can be demonstrated to be in relation to a system having a benign and positive content which is being advanced for the benefit of the public. Over the years, there are some purposes which, despite being beneficial and religious and indeed seriously religious, did not fall within the legal framework. For example, fostering private piety, although being a religious activity, is not a charitable purpose due to the absence of benefit to the public. In Cocks v Manners[14] (supra) it was said that â€Å"a voluntary association of women for the purpose of working out their own salvation by religious exercises and self-denial seems to have none of the requisites of a charitable institution. † In the Re Joy[15] case it was held that the real object contemplated by the testator was the non-charitable purpose of improvement of the membership of a society by prayer. Further, in Re White[16], it was held that â€Å"a society for the promotion of private prayer and devotions by its own members and which has no wider scope, no public element, and no purpose of general utility would not be charitable†. Lord Simonds in the Gilmour[17] case later confirmed the decision in Cocks v Manners and said that activities â€Å"good in themselves but solely designed to benefit individuals associated for the purpose of securing that benefit, which may not have some repercussions or consequential effects beneficial to some section of the general community† do not meet the prerequisites of a charitable institution. In Re Warre’s Will Trusts, on the matter of a retreat house, Harman J said: â€Å"Activities which do not in any way affect the public or any section of it are not charitable. Pious contemplation and prayer are, no doubt, good for the soul, and may be of benefit by some intercessory process, of which the law takes no notice, but they are not charitable activities. † Thus, in Re Hetherington[18] it was held that the celebration of a religious rite in private does not contain the necessary element of public benefit since any benefit of prayer or example is incapable of proof in the legal sense and any element of spiritual or moral improvement (edification) is limited to a private not public class of those present at the celebration. However, in the same case it was also held that the holding of a religious service which is open to the public is capable of conferring a â€Å"sufficient public benefit because of the edifying and improving effect of such celebration on the members of the public who attend. † There are also other purposes related to religion whose pursuits have not been considered as charitable because the purpose itself is not exclusively charitable. For example a trust ‘for Roman Catholic purposes’ may not be for exclusively charitable purposes furthering the Roman Catholic faith[19]. Also a gift to an Anglican vicar of a parish â€Å"for parochial institutions or purpose†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢[20] was not considered charitable. A bequest to an archbishop to be applied â€Å"in any manner he might think best for helping to carry on the work of the Church in Wales†[21] is not charitable either and neither is a generally stated purpose â€Å"for religious, educational and other parochial requirements†[22]. On the other hand, In Re Schoales[23], it was clarified that there is no distinction, from the point of view of validity as a gift for charitable purposes, between a gift to the Church of England and a gift to another Church. A gift for the general purposes of a particular church or denomination or faith community falls are considered in law as a gift which has to be applied only for such of its purposes as are for the advancement of religion for the public benefit, and hence charitable. As mentioned above, charitable purposes require some promotion or advancement that is to â€Å"spread its message ever wider among mankind; to take some positive steps to sustain and increase religious belief†[24]. Proselytising is one way of advancing religious purposes[25] but it may raise public benefit issues if it breaks the law or results in harm or detriment. Therefore, it would not be compatible with public benefit principles for an organisation to seek to inhibit anyone from their rights of freedom of thought, conscience or religion (Article 9 ECHR) and to manifest or change such beliefs. This matter was considered in Kokkinakis v Greece[26] and the court in considering attempts to forbid activities of a Jehovah’s Witness confirmed that a democratic society has a plurality of beliefs and held that freedom to manifest one’s religion includes the right to convince one’s neighbor. But, the court drew a clear distinction between bearing Christian witness and improper proselytism by stating that the former was true evangelism and the latter representing a corruption or deformation of it. Furthermore, proselytising being unlawful in some countries, the Commission dealt with the issue of whether it was possible to recognise a religious purpose as charitable in England and Wales which is not charitable and may be illegal abroad in its annual report in 1993 which mentioned: â€Å"One should first consider whether they would be regarded as charities if their operations are confined to the United Kingdom. If they would, then they should be presumed also to be charitable even though operating abroad unless it would be contrary to public policy to recognise them. Hence, an organisation whose purpose is to proselytize, even if its activity is carried out internationally, may be charitable in England and Wales unless it causes harm or detriment which outweighs the public benefit. The High Court considered the statement in the Sonsino case[27] in 2002 and upheld it. However, it still remains unclear as to what the courts would rule contrary to public policy. Another way of advancing a religion would be by means of undertaking pastoral work. However, where a charity is operating solely for the purpose of advancement of religion, then any secular pastoral work which it undertakes should be as a means of advancing the particular religion. A convent in Cocks v Manners[28] was held charitable and there the nuns were engaged in exterior works (teaching the ignorant and nursing the sick) as part of their religious work. In the United Grand Lodge[29] case, Donovan J said that taking positive steps to sustain and increase religious beliefs was something done â€Å"in a variety of ways which can be comprehensively described as pastoral and missionary†. More recently, the Pilsdon Community House, a religious community living according to Christian principles and giving practical help in cases of drug addiction, drink, having been in prison or loneliness was considered in Re Banfield[30]. The court held that the fact that a religious community makes its services available to those of all creeds and of none does not prevent it being a charity for the advancement of religion also that furthering the purposes of the community amounted to the advancement of religion.

Expanding The Market Share For Apples Iphone Marketing Essay

Expanding The Market Share For Apples Iphone Marketing Essay A Marketing Research project for the MSc International Marketing Management programme 2010/11 Executive Summary The purpose of this research was to determine how to increase the market share of the iPhone in China. In order to conduct the study, the marketing research problem was identified as to determine the needs and preferences of buyers of smartphones in the Chinese market. In line with the research problem six hypotheses were developed to be tested. In this project, several research approaches were used. Exploratory research was conducted to help the researchers obtain a basic understanding and insight into the problems facing Apple Inc., while conclusive research helped to build upon the findings of the exploratory research. Through searching and reading secondary data, the researchers identified the different factors, in terms of physical factors (e.g., price, quality, ease of use), social factors (e.g., fashion purchasing, group identity, symbol of status) and emotional factors (e.g., brand image, appearance, advertisement, etc.), that theoretically should influence purchase behaviour. Based on the secondary data, a questionnaire was designed and administered to 176 Chinese students in the University of Leeds from 11th to 22nd November 2010 to collect the primary data of their perceptions and satisfactions towards smartphones and the iPhone. The results were analysed using SPSS, and several statistical tests performed to check whether the hypotheses were accepted in the study. From the project, the researchers found that all the three factors (physical factor, social factor and emotional factor) individually were closely related to the perceptions of iPhone, and also that these three factors combined exerted influence towards the perceptions. Moreover, consumers perceptions toward the iPhone were found to be related to their post purchase satisfactions as well. Gender and income, as the demographic moderators, also have influence on the perceptions and satisfactions of iPhone, although the effect of gender was limited. As a result, the study could be considered as a reference of iPhone to identify their current problems in Chinese market and design corresponding marketing strategy to increase their marketing share in China. Table of Contents 1 A Marketing Research project for the MSc International Marketing Management programme 2010/11 1 Introduction 4 Background 6 SWOT analysis for iPhone in Chinese market 7 Problem Definition 7 Management Decision Problem 7 Market Research Problem 8 Research Components 8 Research Approach Development 8 Literature review 8 1.1.1Physical Factors 8 1.1.2Social Factors 9 1.1.3Emotional/Psychological Factors 9 1.1.4Demographic Factors 9 Conceptual Model 11 Research Question and Hypotheses 11 Research Design and Methodology 13 Research Design 13 Secondary Research 13 Primary Research 14 1.1.5Research Approach 14 1.1.6Sampling Design 14 1.1.7Questionnaire Design 16 Field work 19 Analytical Methods 20 Results and Hypotheses Testing 21 Profile of the respondents 21 Factors influencing mobile phone choices 21 1.1.8Factors influencing smartphone preferences 21 1.1.9Factors related to iPhones 22 1.1.10Post Purchase Satisfaction 23 Hypothesis Testing 23 7. Conclusions and Recommendations 29 7.1 Conclusion 29 The conclusion is shown in the following model: 30 7.2 Recommendations 30 7.3 Limitations of the Research 31 8. References 32 9.List of Appendix 34 Appendix 1: Questionnaire 34 9.2 Appendix 2: Respondents Profile Frequency 39 9.3 Appendix 3: Mean Value 41 9.4 Appendix 4: Moderator regression table 44 Introduction The market for smartphones has been growing continually. The proof of its popularity is that sales of smartphones to end users have reached 54.3 million units in the first quarter of 2010, an increase of 48.7 percent from the same period in 2009. smartphones hold 17.3 percent of worldwide mobile phone devices sales (Gartner, May 2010). There are currently more than 6 types of operating systems available in the smartphone market, such as Symbian, RIM, Apple iOS, Android, Windows Mobile and Linux. The Nokia Symbian holds the highest market share followed by RIM BlackBerry and Apple iOS in the year 2010 (Gartner, May 2010). The players in the market compete by introducing new innovations and adding value to their phones, since the consumers expect more from smartphones than from basic feature phones (Mintel, January 2010). Creating an image of being a state of the art technology provider may give the positive connotations in the customers head that allow them to set a higher price, as the strategy that Apple implemented with the iPhone has shown (Data Monitor, May 2010). Even so, according to the fact that 51 percent of the consumers will not buy the phone unless the price come down (Mintel, January 2010), price does clearly matter to them. The factors influencing smartphone purchasing decisions needs to be identified in order to develop new potential opportunities to create distinctive competencies. This study will cover factors influencing iPhone perception and iPhone post purchase satisfaction. This should give a guide to a successful marketing strategy in the future. Background Apple Inc. is one of the major companies of technology and innovation in consumer products in the world. They provide a wide range of products and services, from laptop and desktop computers to accessories and software services. The company recorded revenues of almost $43 billion during the financial year ending in September 2009 (FY2009), an increase of over 14% since 2008. The increase in revenues was mainly due to growth in sales of iPhone handsets and the related sales of third-party digital content and applications from the iTunes Store (Data Monitor, May 2010). But even though China has the highest number of mobile phone subscribers in the world, the sales figures for iPhone in China as reported by China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd. are far behind the rest of the big markets in the world. It took only 30 hours for Apple iPhone to reach over 200,000 sold units in the U.S. in 2007, but it took more than a month to reach the same number in China (The Economic Times, October 2010). One possible factor holding the iPhone back in China is its relatively high price. Apple and Unicom charge $730 to $1,020 for the iPhone, not including discounts on service, making it more expensive than grey market iPhones brought into the country through places like Hong Kong. There may be up to two million such grey market iPhones in China according to an estimate by Paul Wuh, an analyst covering China Unicom for Samsung Securities. In addition to this, the Wi-Fi Internet function was initially disabled on Unicoms iPhones to comply with Chinese government rules (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2009), which might also have contributed to the slow take-off of iPhone sales. NOTE Is this a reference SWOT analysis for iPhone in Chinese market Strengths Strong brand name Focuses RD driving innovation Provides State of the art technologies Opportunities Strong growth in smartphones market segment Continuing growth in demand for handheld devices Weaknesses Product recalls Patent infringement Expensive Price Threats Intense competition Dependence on specific suppliers Chinese Governments regulations High cost of internet bundle provider Reference: Data monitor 21 May 2010 Available at http://www.datamonitor.com Problem Definition Management Decision Problem Apple Inc. has encountered some potential limitations for the iPhone in the Chinese market, such as government regulations, grey market opportunities and the high price of the phone. Even though 100,000 iPhone 4s were sold in the first 4 days of availability (Sutherland, 2010), representing a high demand for the iPhone, the market share in China is still lower than anywhere else in the world. Hence, the management decision problem for Apple could be How to increase iPhone market share in China? Market Research Problem To answer the management decision problem it needs to be translated into a market research problem, which the researchers therefore define to be: To determine the needs and preferences of buyers of smartphones in the Chinese market Research Components To clarify consumers perceptions toward smartphones. To determine the factors that influence consumers decision to buy the iPhone. To evaluate consumers post purchase behaviour of iPhone. To discover potential influence of demographic factors on iPhone satisfaction Research Approach Development Literature review According to the secondary data that have been collected for this study, there are 4 main factors that should influence consumers technology buying decisions. Physical Factors Consumers would look into visible aspects (design) more than software specific aspects (operating system). Three main factors that consumers focus on are good design, the brand of the handset and quality of integrated camera. The consumers cannot always tell the distinction between the latest innovative phones and other phones. The companies attempts to position themselves, as high technology innovators may not be significant when consumers do not look for it (Mintel, January 2010). A better design leads to a sense of better usability and help to extend users emotional attachment to the device (Nanda, 2008) Social Factors As a rule, in the emerging markets of the world the penetration of mobile technology is higher in the high-income segments of a population. In the developed world a mobile handset is part of the everyday world, while elsewhere it is still considered as a luxury and a symbol of status. Thus, while income is less related to the ownership of a mobile handset in Europe, in China it is still a very important factor (Castells et al., 2004). To specify on teenage consumers, they want to keep up with the most recent trend so there is a quick turnover in their technology adopting behaviour. They were controlled by trend not technology and they fear to be excluded from their group because the lack of technology involvement (Mintel, August 2008). People were influenced by their own group about which phone to buy. The innovation and designs were developed to satisfy consumers social needs (Vincent, 2009). Young users are also more likely to use SMS rather than voice calls than other users, mainly because it is cheaper and because they usually have more time to master the technical skill of texting. For the older, working population where the employer pays the bills the opposite is the general rule (Castells et al., 2004). Emotional/Psychological Factors The role of the phones is more than just a communication tool. They become personal objects (Hallnà ¤s Redstrà ¶m, 2002). The common emotional responses among mobile phone users are being cool, chilled out and tuned into a mobile phone culture The thrill and the novelty of the mobile phone: What the phones can do for the users are the factors that enable and strengthen the relationship. Demographic Factors There is a positive relation between age and price concern. Older buyers would take price as an important factor when deciding to buy a new phone (Mintel, January 2010). As well as teenage buyers, they have a budget constraint due to their limited income. Consequently they would wait until they are certain about their choice so as to avoid making a bad purchase. This concern leads to a brand criterion. In order to reduce the risk of wasting their money, they would stick to the trusted brand only (Mintel, August 2008). Technology goods are a low elasticity product to men. During the recession men still buy new technology goods. Women are more prices sensitive than men and they are also interested in design more than men (Mintel, June 2009). Due to the two facts that in China ownership of a mobile phone is positively related to income, and that a larger part of the high-income earners are men, there is a gap between number of male and female users of mobile phones. However, there is a growing market segment targeted at women where the exterior design is the major selling point (Castells et al., 2004). There is also a difference in how male and females perceive and use their handsets; female users are not only likelier to see the phone as a fashionable accessory but also use it as a key channel to maintain personal relationships. This becomes evident in studies that show that even if more men than women use SMS, women are more frequent users of it than men (Castells et al., 2004). Conceptual Model Figure 1: Model of Smartphone Purchasing Decision H1 H3 H4 H5 H6 iPhone Perceptions Post purchase Satisfaction Demographic Moderators Physical Factors H2 Social Factors Emotional Factors Research Question and Hypotheses Q1: Is there any relationship between physical factors and the iPhone perceptions? H1: There is a relationship between physical factors and the iPhone perceptions. Q2: Is there any relationship between social factors and the iPhone perceptions? H2: There is a relationship between social factors and the iPhone perceptions. Q3: Is there any relationship between emotional factors and the iPhone perceptions? H3: There is a relationship between emotional factors and the iPhone perceptions. Q4: Is there a relationship between physical factors, social factors and emotional factors and iPhone perceptions? H4: There is a relationship between physical factors, social factors and emotional factors and iPhone perceptions. Q5: Is there a relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfactions? H5: There is a relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfactions. Q6a: Does the demographic moderator of income influence the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction? H6a: The demographic moderator of income influences the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction. Q6b: Does the demographic moderator of gender influence the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction? H6b: The demographic moderator of gender influences the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction. Research Design and Methodology Research Design Research design is a framework or blueprint conducting a market research project that specifies the procedures necessary to obtain the information needed to structure or solve the marketing problem (Malhotra, 2009: 94). The objective of this project is to improve the sales volume of iPhone in China. The first step here was to define the management decision problem and then apply suitable market research approach. There are two types of research designs; Exploratory: An exploratory research was conducted to gain a basic understanding and insight in the problems faced by Apple Inc. This was done mainly through secondary data. The exploratory research proved that there was some problem and further research was required in order to address it appropriately. Conclusive: A conclusive research was conducted to build upon the finding of the exploratory research. It is done mainly to test the formulated hypotheses. The conclusive research is of two types; descriptive and casual. The descriptive research was used to identify the relationship between the different variables affecting the buying behaviour whereas the causal research was used to determine the cause and effect relationships between the moderator and the variables. Secondary Research This is one of the most important elements of a market research project especially when there is time and cost constraint. Since the study revolves around a very new, unique and innovative product so the secondary data has been entirely sourced from the quality journals, newspapers and research articles. In order to maintain authenticity of the data, all the data was compared among each other and this lay the foundation for the development of the research model for the study. Primary Research Research Approach The survey method was used to collect the information from the respondents in this research. This method was chosen due to its advantages of ease, reliability, and simplicity along with the fact that it can simultaneously demonstrate the insights into who the actual consumers are, how the consumers behave, and why the consumers behave in certain way (Malhotra, 2009: p214). With the consideration of time and resource constraints, the questionnaires were distributed to Chinese students at the University of Leeds. In addition to distributing the questionnaire face to face to the respondents, an on-line version of the questionnaire was also made available by the researchers to collect data from the respondents. Sampling Design In this case, to understand the correlations between different types of factors and the smartphone purchasing decision of Chinese consumers and between demographic moderators and the customer satisfaction, the sample size was determined according to the four steps of the Sampling Design Process (Malhotra, 2009: p371). Defining the Target Population: Elements of the Sample: Prospective purchasers of mobile phones in China Sample Units: Chinese mobile phone users Extent: Chinese students study in the University of Leeds Time Period: November, 2010 Sample Frame: The Chinese students who study at the University of Leeds were the target population of this research. According to the web page of the University of Leeds (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/info/30313/asia/200/china), the number of Chinese students was 561 when the research was undertaken. Therefore, the sample size was calculated based on the population size of 561. Sampling Technique: Sampling techniques can be classified as non-probability sampling and probability sampling (Malhotra, 2009: p373). Non-probability sampling was selected for the data collection in this research due to the time and resource constraints; the selecting of sample elements was based on the research teams personal judgment and conveniencealecting of sample elements was survey was carried out among different income level.ch could expand the age interval of the re. Determining the sample size: The sample size of the research was calculated by statistical method with the formula below: n = where: n = sample size required N = population size Z = number of standard errors (Z=1.96 for 95% confidence level) (Anton, 1995, cited by Palihawadana, 2009) The sample size was calculated at 95% confidence level, therefore n = = 229 According to the calculation above, 229 questionnaires were required to be collected in this research. However, due to the time and resource constraints, instead 76% of the required sample size or 176 questionnaires were to be included in this research. Questionnaire Design A questionnaire was designed to collect the quantitative primary data. According to the literature review, three factors were embraced in the questionnaire to determine their relevance of smartphones purchasing decision. Besides, collecting basic information of the respondents helped to investigate whether the demographic moderators affected the consumer satisfaction. The questionnaire was designed on the basis of questionnaire design process (Malhotra, 2009 p.331). Information Needed: The first step is to make sure the information which should be collected and used to analyse the result. Thus, it is vital to clearly understand the research questions and hypotheses so as to help the questionnaire remain focused. As the respondents are students at the University of Leeds, the wording and style used in the questionnaire was appropriate to their level of education. Type of Interviewing Method: The survey was conducted mainly by using personal interviews, accompanied by an internet survey. As a result, complex questions were avoided and all the questions were made as detailed and clear as possible so as to avoid any ambiguity. Content of Individual Questions: All questions were designed based on six hypotheses. Reviewing the form and structure of related researches helped the questionnaire to be succinct and well-structured, and thus easy for young respondents to answer. Question Design: The questionnaire was designed to be as simple as possible to achieve raise the willingness to answer of the respondents. Moreover, the questions were oriented to require less effort and to avoid asking for sensitive information. Question structure and operationalisation of the variables Question design: 7-Attitudinal Scales Dichotomous Data Multiple-Choice Questions Questions Social Factors Physical Factors Emotional Factors Q: 3d, 3e, 3f, 7d, 7e, 7f Q:3g-i, 7g-i, 8a-g, 12a-g H1 H2 H3 Q4,Q10,Q14 Q1, Q2, Q5, Q: 3a, 3b, 3c, 7a, 7b, 7c Demo- graphic Moderators Q15, Q16, Q17, Q18, Q19 H6 Post- purchase Satisfaction Q13 Q6 Construct Item Reference H4 iPhone Percep-tions H5 Q11 The questionnaire included 19 questions in four pages. In this questionnaire, three formats of questions were designed, which are, respectively; multiple-choice questions, 7-attitudinal scales and dichotomous questions. Multiple-choice questions were designed in order to get the general information about peoples perception of mobile phones and smartphones, as well as respondents personal information. As respondents are familiar with phones, and the personal information questions are basic background questions, respondents could easily choose a preference choice from the several alternatives. In addition, since the questions were asked in an objective way, the data collected can be taken as reliable. Dichotomous data is that classified into either one of two mutually exclusive values. In the questionnaire, the dichotomous questions were about Yes or No questions about purchasing phones of respondents. Scale questions were used to indicate respondents attitudinal preference of the given items or sentences. In the questionnaire, scale questions were designed as the model of 7-attitudinal scale questions. Among most of these questions, 7 represented strongly agree or strongly satisfied while 1 represents strongly disagree or strongly dissatisfied, indicating respondents attitude in a much more detailed manner. All the factors that directly influence the hypothesis can be evaluated in on the 7-attitudinal scale question model, including physical factors, social factors as well as emotional factors. In this way the researchers found it easy to evaluate the factors that influence peoples preferences regarding smartphones according to the data. Question wording: Questions in the questionnaire were appropriate, simple and objective. While designing the questionnaire, special attention was given so that the questions did not mislead or prime the respondents in any way. This way the reliability of the data is enhanced. Sections of the questionnaire: The questionnaire was divided into four parts; Section A: Mobile Phones in the Market; Section B: Smartphones in the Market; Section C: iPhone and Section D: Personal Information. In Section A, it the respondents general perception about mobile phones was explored; in Section B, the questionnaire tried to get an idea of Chinese international students preferences towards smartphones at Leeds University; in Section C, the questionnaire focused on the attitude towards iPhone among Chinese students at Leeds University; and in the last part, Section D, it is appertained that all the respondents provide their basic personal information, which is an essential part of demographic factors as it would help the researchers to test Hypothesis 4 as a reference. Among the first three sections, equivalent attitudinal questions are asked in order to make a comparison among students attitude towards feature phones, smartphones and the iPhone. Also, all these three parts contained questions about physical factors, social factors and emotional factors that could influence peoples decision while buying phones. Form and Layout: The questionnaire was designed in a way that would inspire the respondents willingness and interest to finish it. This was done by way of keeping sections clearly defined, avoiding the title or questions within a section to be separated between alternatives in two pages. Additionally, certain care was taken to give the questionnaire an appealing look, and the university logo was added to give a serious and trustworthy impression. Pilot testing: Before collecting data from Chinese students in Leeds University, a pilot testing was made among five Chinese students at different schools, to test the practicability of the questionnaire. The suggestions from the five respondents were taken into consideration. The questionnaire was then complemented with some new alternatives, covering more situations and factors in a better way. While doing the actual survey, it was concluded that the respondents of the questionnaire perceived it to be much easier to answer all the questions after the views of the respondents of the Pilot project were incorporated. Field work The duration of data collection was between 11th and 22nd of November 2010, when 176 questionnaires were distributed by the six members of the research team. The researchers collected the data from Chinese students by requesting them to fill out the questionnaires on the campus of the University of Leeds. Analytical Methods In this study, a variety of statistical methods were used to analyse the data which had collected from 176 respondents, in order to understand whether the physical factor, social factor and emotional factor significantly relate to iPhone perceptions, whether these three factors combined together and affected iPhone perception, whether there is a relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction, and whether demographic factor could be considered as a moderator influences on the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction according to the conceptual model. The following are the methods adopted: Bi-variate regression analysis was used to calculate whether there was a relationship between the respondents preferences regarding the different factor (independent variable) and their perception of iPhone (dependent variable). This method was also used to test whether there was a relationship between the perception of respondents towards iPhone (independent variable) and the post purchase satisfaction (dependent variable). When measuring the importance of demographic moderating variables affect the satisfaction of iPhone (dependent variable), bi-variate regression analysis was be used as well. Multiple Regression analysis was conducted to analyse the degree of connection between three factors in terms of physical factor, social factor and emotional factor (independent variables) and the perception of iPhone (dependent variable). Results and Hypotheses Testing Profile of the respondents Among the 176 respondents, 63 of them (35.8%) were male while 113 of them (64.2%) were female. 72.7% of total sample are between the age of 20 and 23. Merely 13.1% of the respondents came from families with the family income level of less than RMB 5000 per month. 61.4% of all the respondents studied in Business School. 64.8% of the respondents have postgraduate educational level. The largest percentage of respondents came from East China, accounts for 43.8%, while only 5% of the respondents came from Northeast China. Factors influencing mobile phone choices Factors influencing smartphone preferences According to the questionnaire result, physical factors were the most important factors that influenced peoples purchasing of smartphones, with an average score of 5.77 on the attitudinal scale while social factors were the least important with an average score of 4.65. Among the physical factors that influenced respondents decision of buying smartphone quality was the most important with an average score of 6.21, while price was the least important with 5.17. Among social factors, pursuing fashion was the most important with an average score of 5.10 while group identity was the least important with 4.40. As to the emotional factors, the appearance of the smartphone was the most important in respondents mind with 5.80 average score, while advertisements were of least importance with 4.09. As mentioned about the functions of smartphones, which are part of emotional factors that influencing peoples decision of buying smartphones, the function of browsing the websites was the most attractive with an average score of 5.70 while the function of video was the least important with 4.51. Factors related to iPhones Regarding the iPhone, emotional factors were the most important factors affecting respondents purchasing behaviour with an average score of 5.26, while the social factors were the least important with 4.37. Among the physical factors, most of the respondents agreed with the sentence iPhone has a high quality, with this factor getting the highest score of 5.47. At the same time most of them think iPhone is expensive because the sentence iPhone has a reasonable price only registered the average score of 3.72. Within the social factors a majority of the respondents believed iPhone to be a symbol of fashion with the score of 5.65, while few people wanted to buy an iPhone just because their friends or family have one, this factor recording only 3.28. Among emotional factors, iPhone has a good design of appearance was the most agreeable sentence with the score of 5.61, and the sentence The advertisements of iPhone are attractive the least with an average score of 4.79. As to functions, included in emotional factors which influence peoples purchasing decisions regarding the iPhone, the availability of applications through which you can go over websites like Facebook or Youtube was the most attractive with a score of 5.91, while

Critique of the National Cirriculum in Britain :: Education Policy

Critique in a policy document During this essay I am going to look at one area of our educational system and discuss in detail the features of this policy. I have chosen to look at, in detail the National Curriculum, which was progressively introduced into the Britain in 1989. I want to get an insight into the way the National Curriculum has changed and the ways in which it now gives pupils an extra advantage at getting the best out of their education. The National Curriculum delivers the information pupils need to know in a balanced and manageable way, but at the same time it is hard enough to challenge them. I am going to also look at Japan?s Educational policy and see what advantages they give to pupil?s, I will then compare the two policies. The National Curriculum is split up into stages, these stages are determined by age groups, key stage 1 ranges from ages 5-7 which is the year group 1 and 2, then there is key stage 2 which ranges in ages 7-11 this is year groups 3-6. Key stages 3 and 4 are secondary stages, so at key stage 3 the pupils are 11-14. At the final stage of the pupils development through the National Curriculum, key stage 5 they are 14-16, at this stage they get more choice in which areas of the curriculum they want to continue in. However some subjects which are part of the National Curriculum such as, english, maths and science are compulsory. At each stage expectations are set as to pupils performance levels. Targets are laid out for programmes of study for pupils. The national curriculum helps the school create a working relationship, not only with the pupils but also with the parents. The curriculum is a way to create many more opportunities for all levels of achievement. It can help with building on certain strengths in a pupils ability. When we consider the different structures to which the curriculum can take on we must look at the way in which the information set out through the curriculum is put across to the pupils through content and organization. David Scott a Professor of Educational Leadership and Learning at the University of Lincoln?s International Institute for Educational Leadership. He is an expert in curriculum studies, David Scott identifies and depicts six curriculum ideologies. These are Foundationalism, Conventionalism, Instrumentalism, Technical Rationality, Critical Pedagogy and Post-modernism.

Times May Not Be A’Changin’ :: essays research papers

Times May Not Be â€Å"A’Changin’†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although portrayed in a particularly gruesome scenario, author Shirley Jackson conveys the importance of upholding tradition in her short story, â€Å"The Lottery.† While the climactic execution-by-stoning isn’t quite a modern example, it still serves to show us that some traditions are worth upholding. In our society today, it seems as if there is a growing movement to look forward and embrace the new instead of remembering our past. But to effectively make changes and plan for the future, it is essential that we turn to our history. One of the greatest issues in the world today is that of patriotism. In the immediate wake of September 11th, nearly all residents of this country proudly proclaimed themselves â€Å"Americans,† putting aside personal bias, differences in religion, and family roots to support the rebuilding of a nation. Lately, however (since our involvement in the Iraq War), this notion of unity and brotherhood has once again ta ken a backseat to personal agendas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the same way that the town is proud to continue its June 27th tradition, most people also take pride in feeling allegiance towards their country (specifically the United States). Perhaps it is deep family roots or a strong connection with constitutional ideals; whatever the reason, patriotism seems to stick with Americans. Even though our interest in our country has been at an ebb and flow since the beginnings of the Revolution, we tend to strongly identify with this nation. The small town has a grizzly ritual that leaves at least one person each year particularly unhappy, yet we do not hear talk of moving away. We only read of other towns that have done away with the lottery: â€Å"They do say†¦ that over in the north village they’re talking of giving up the lottery (McMahan 87),† and there is â€Å"nothing but trouble in that (McMahan 87).† Even Tessie Hutchinson, the unlucky ‘winner,’ claims that the practice is unfair, but nonetheless goes along with it. Analogously, a soldier who dies for his country does so for the greater good. The soldier is so passionate about the ideals of his nation that he is willing to die defending them. He does not want to die, but knows he is doing so for a good cause – that of liberty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The townspeople are not fighting for their freedom from oppressors or antiquated ideals; on the contrary, they are struggling to maintain their heritage.

Technology in Greg Bears Blood Music Essay -- Blood Music Essays

Technology in Greg Bear's Blood Music      Ã‚   Different genres of literature are particular responses to society; therefore, cyberpunk, as a genre, is a response to our contemporary society, known as the information age. One of the attributes given the genre is that it has an apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic tone, warning the reader of the perils of technology, while at the same time celebrating the possibilities of technology, usually through a strong character in the novel. In Greg Bear's Blood Music, technology is seen as having a destructive and creative forces as it reshapes the world biologically, and incorporates every living thing, including a slow girl named Suzy, into the system. Blood Music demonstrates the perils and benefits in a world full of diverse technology, typical of the cyberpunk genre, responding to frightening and powerful possibilities in the secrets of technology which are just on the brink of discovery.    First, a demonstration of the kind of technology available today would lend to a better understanding of some of the biological possibilities. Already we can clone and manipulate individual genes. We can replicate DNA patterns and build proteins. Information is available at the touch of a button on the newest technology, so that it can be ingested by the younger generations just by browsing the Net. Also, the beginnings of nanotechnology, manipulating individual atoms to create new structures, is beginning to develop. James Graves wrote in a paper focused on the technological advances in our time, that nanotechnology, not too unlike the theories behind Vergil's experiments in Blood Music, would allow us to create tiny "organisms" that could show us more about ourselves, r... ...ction is a particular response to society, and our society is in the information age, then it is incredibly appropriate to include Blood Music to the genre when we are making biological leaps and bounds today. Bear uses his characters to show that the effects may not be so bad for the individual, although technology will probably change the entire face of society as a whole. Perhaps someday cosmetic things will matter less, and we will be able to include a slow child into the ranks and make her feel whole, just like a part of each personal wants to feel at least normal, hopefully exceptional.    Works Cited Bear, Greg. Blood Music. New York: Ace Books, 1996. Graves, James C. "Technology and Its Effect on Society." Online. Purdue Lib. Internet. 9 October   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1997.(http://nonotech.rutgers.edu/nanotech/papers/graves.hist).      

Mrs. Mallard’s Heart Disease Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We are aware of different health problems, their causes and consequences. Mass media create favorable conditions in which we can find the required information and can be fully informed about our health. The information we get from television, newspapers, and online sources emphasizes the threat of heart diseases among women. We keep to the thought that heart diseases and strokes primarily hit men. Moreover, we cannot but admit that heart diseases are the major causes of human deaths. When reading the works of talented writers who lived earlier, we cannot but feel the impression of medical helplessness of that time. Many of us understand that the diseases described in earlier literary works are no longer threatening to the contemporary reader. Certainly, this does not mean that the discussed works lose their relevance, but modern state of medicine makes it possible to look at such works from a different angle. In The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin has depicted a young lady with a heart disease; she died of heart attack caused by extremely powerful emotions. I am confident that our modern technologies and medicine could have helped Mrs. Mallard to avoid such tragic and evidently, too early death. Mrs. Mallard’s heart disease Kate Chopin was very distinct and explicit in her descriptions of Mrs. Mallard’s disease: â€Å"Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously. She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will – as powerlessness as her two white slender hands would have been. When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: â€Å"free, free, free!† The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body† (Chopin) Mrs. Mallard was young (Chopin). Her disease was well known and other family members were aware of her physical and emotional vulnerability. From the viewpoint of modern medicine and technology, Mrs. Mallard’s sister Josephine had been very cautious when she had to inform Mrs. Mallard of her husband’s death. At the moment of revelation, the words â€Å"free† uttered by Mrs. Mallard could either refer to her feelings towards her husband, or to the physical pain which was overwhelming and almost possessed her. Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with heart disease, and the coming doctors could only confirm she had died of heart disease. They were unable to do anything to save Mrs. Mallard or to prevent such tragic outcomes. In this context, the issue can be discussed from the two different viewpoints. First, modern technology and medicine would have saved Mrs. Mallard from death which has become the result of the heart attack: modern emergency rescue techniques and transportation make it possible to save a person’s life even in the most serious life-threatening condition. Second, modern technology and medicine would have prevented heart attacks and would guarantee Mrs. Mallard long, stable, and relatively healthy existence with minor limitations. She would have been able to live a long life if contemporary medicines and technologies had been available to her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Women are at risk for heart disease and heart attacks, just like men. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death among women over 65. American women are 4 to 6 times more likely to die of heart disease than of breast cancer† (Family Doctor). The problem is that the majority of women still treats heart disease as the traditionally male problem, and does not realize the threats it creates to their health. As always, medical problems are easier to prevent than to treat. This is why it is critical that the patients are aware of their health problems and are involved into the process of continuous medical care, which will prevent serious health complications and will provide a person with a chance to live. In her story Kate Chopin makes the reader aware of the fact that Louise was sick; however, was Louise herself realizing the seriousness of her heart disease? Probably, she was not. It is clear that her sister was more realistic in terms of Mrs. Mallard’s disease, and even if Louise herself knew her health problems, she did not care much about them. This was the biggest mistake she could make towards her health.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The internet and other sources of information offer sufficient information on the methods of treating heart disease and preventing heart attacks. From the viewpoint of the continuous medical care, Louise could take several easy steps to make her life easier. First she could control her blood pressure and the symptoms of heart disease (Wilansky & Willerson 54). The blood pressure control can take several forms, but in case with Mrs. Mallard she could keep to a healthy diet, minimize the salt intake, and address the doctor for medicines which would lower blood pressure. Modern technologies make it possible to measure the cholesterol level; this option would provide Mrs. Mallard with the full information about her diet, and possibly adjust it to her health needs. There is one more essential aspect in treating heart disease: patients should be constantly alert when it comes to changes in their health or their perceptions (Orth-Gomer & Chesney 98). Patients are not to neglect the chest pain: â€Å"be sure to contact your doctor immediately if you suffer from pain in your chest, shoulder, neck, or jaw. Also notify your doctor if you experience shortness of breath or nausea that comes on quickly. If you are having a heart attack, the faster you can get to a hospital, the less damage will happen to your heart† (Family Doctor). Modern technologies and transport help reach the patient in the remotest area and provide the best medical assistance while the patient is being taken to the hospital.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To be objective, the discussed measures are also connected with significant constraints, and in order to guarantee the best health outcomes, Louise and her doctor would have taken these constraints into account. First of all, â€Å"women are more likely than men to have atypical heart attack symptoms such as neck and shoulder pain, abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue or shortness of breath† (Krantz & Mcceney 1013). It would be extremely difficult for Mrs. Mallard to identify the symptoms of a heart attack: it would practically impossible to visit the doctor each time she felt pain. However, we can conclude from the story that Louise was familiar with the symptoms of her heart disease; moreover, they were always similar or even the same. This is why it would be easy for her to prevent health complications in case she reported her pain and other symptoms in timely manner. The major threat heart disease creates for a woman is the threat of silent heart attacks, which are more probable among women, than men (Krantz & Mcceney 1015). As Louise felt the pain was coming and was embracing her chest, she could certainly prevent her heart attack.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Second, â€Å"women are less likely than men to have the typical findings on the ECG that are necessary to diagnose a heart attack quickly† (Orth-Gomer & Chesney 35). Yet, the mere awareness of the fact that the person has heart disease will lead medical professionals in the correct direction. They will know how to interpret the symptoms, and what to do to save the life of the patient. Women’s heart is unique both physiologically and emotionally, and even when it comes to science, medical specialists fail to explain the majority of the processes which take place in a woman’s heart. For example, â€Å"women are less likely to survive heart attacks than men. No one knows why. It may be that women don’t seek or receive treatment as soon as men, or it may be because women’s smaller hearts and blood vessels are more easily damaged† (Family Doctor). In any case, heart attack and heart disease is more threatening for a woman than it is for a man. This does not mean that for a woman to have sick heart means to be dead. On the contrary, numerous preventive measures are aimed at creating favorable conditions for those whose heart is vulnerable to emotions, stresses, physical exercises, and other related activities. If we take into account the extremely stressful situation in which Louise was, and neglect the reasons for which she had not addressed the doctors earlier in her life, she could have been saved. â€Å"Emergency percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or coronary stenting for acute heart attack is as effective in women as in men; however, women may have slightly higher rate of procedure-related complications in their blood vessels (such as bleeding or clotting at the point of insertion of the PTCA catheter). This higher rate of complications has been attributed to women’s older age, smaller artery size, and greater severity of angina. The long-term outcome of angioplasty or stenting however, is similar in men and women, and should not be withheld due to gender.† (Consedine, Magai & Chin 215) Taking into account Mrs. Mallard’s young age, she could have avoided the majority of procedure-related complications and would evidently have survived her heart attack. It is doubtless that Louise would be able to live a long life. Modern technology and medicine would supply her with several options. First, she would be able to go through the extensive medical investigation to discover the causes, implications, and possible risks of her heart disease. To be aware means to be alive when it comes to treating heart diseases. The results of investigation would provide Louise with the knowledge about possible measures to prevent heart attack or other related complications of her heart disease. Second, such investigation and medical analysis would help Louise adjust her daily life to the needs of her sick heart, and avoid significant stresses which have led her to death. Any extreme emotion is the stress for a weak heart, no matter whether it is sadness or joy, and a sick person must control such emotions to prevent the negative health outcomes (Consedine, Magai & Chin 214). Mrs. Mallard would have had access to preventive therapeutic solutions, which modern medicine offers. Preventive measures would significantly decrease health risks for Louise. Third, modern medical science possesses profound knowledge about the mechanisms of heart diseases and heart attacks; contemporary surgeons have numerous instruments and techniques available to restore the sick heart, and to guarantee long and full life to the patient after a heart attack. When combined with modern means of transport and emergency rescue, these instruments become invaluable in saving the lives of those who have suffered acute heart attack.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Kate Chopin’s story, Mrs. Mallard has died of heart attack, â€Å"of joy that kills† (Chopin). People may hold various opinions about her heart disease, but one thing is evident: Louise could have been saved in case she could use the modern achievements in medicine, technology, and science. Even if we assume that heart disease and heart attacks remain the major reasons of human deaths, more and more people are saved and receive timely medical assistance due to the latest advances in medical technology and science. Chopin has not presented us with all circumstances and objective conditions in which Louise’s disease had developed. The information in the story is sufficient to predict that the outcomes could have been much more favorable in case Mrs. Mallard could use telephone, transport, and medical equipment which are available to us. Heart diseases still create the majority of life-threatening complications, but the extensive scientific research has created vast opportunities for saving the lives of patients after a heart attack and other related health problems. The case of Mrs. Mallard was not connected with any other health complications: she was young, and her age would have made her recovery easier and faster. Female heart is extremely complex both physiologically and emotionally, but even such complications would not create serious obstacles against returning Louise to life. However, even if Louise had survived, no one knows how her family relations and continuous moral and emotional pressure would have impacted her future life. In certain conditions death can be viewed as savior. Works Cited Chopin, K. â€Å"The Story of an Hour.† 1894. Washington State University. 17 February 2008. http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/chopin.html Consedine, N.S., Magai, C. & Chin, S. â€Å"Hostility and Anxiety Differentially Predict Cardiovascular Disease in Men and Women.† Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 50 (2004): 214-18. Family Doctor. â€Å"Heart Disease and Heart Attacks: What Women Need to Know.† 2007. FamilyDoctor. Org. 17 February 2008. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/heartdisease/risk/287.html Krantz, David S. & Mcceney, M. â€Å"Effects of Psychological and Social Factors on Organic Disease: A Critical Assessment of Research on Coronary Heart Disease.† Annual Review of Psychology (2002), pp. 1012-1024. Orth-Gomer, K. & Chesney, M. Women, Stress, and Heart Disease. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1998. Wilansky, S. & Willerson, J.T. Heart Disease in Women. Churchill Livingstone, 2002.