Concept of Product Life Cycle Essay Example

Concept of Product Life Cycle Paper The concept of the product life cycle (PLC) is one of major tools used in developing marketing strategy. This theory is more and more popular in recent years, because many marketers desire for a tool to help them understand the products development which means all products have their own life time as they eventually decline and disappear. Based on that understanding of the product, the marketers can adapt their marketing strategy and find a new product to replace the dying one. According to Brassington and Pettitt (2003), the PLC concept explains the life of a product in terms of birth, growth, maturity, decline and eventual death which is based on the assumption that the product has a life like a human. During its life, the product goes through different stages, and in each stage it has different performance in the market which includes different market growth rates and different competitive conditions. This implies the marketer must set up different marketing strategy for each stag e to suit for the development of product. The aim of this essay is to discuss the concept of product life cycle which can give the marketer some basic information about this popular concept. Firstly, the general background of the product life cycle is given which includes the concept and the stages of PLC. Secondly, the strengths and weaknesses of the product life cycle are discussed. At the same time, some recommendations to mitigate the negative influences of the product life cycle are presented. Finally, a general conclusion is draw. Concept of Product Life Cycle The concept of PLC is a useful marketing tool to describe the change of the sale for the product during its lifetime. According to Armstrong and Kotler (2000), product life cycle (PLC) is the course of a products sales and profits over its lifetime. The product life cycle is a useful concept to describe how products develop from first introduction into the market to eventual obsolescence. The theory is that products, like living things, have a natural life cycle beginning with introduction, going through a growth phase, reaching maturity, then going into decline, and finally becoming obsolete (Blythe, J. 2001). The classic PLC involves four distinct stages: introduction, growth, maturity, and decline (Jobber, D. 1998). But Blythe (2001) thought there are five major stages of PLC, which are product development, introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. In this essay, the product development is introduced firstly which is seen as the first and necessary stage in product development process. The reason is explained in the following section. We will write a custom essay sample on Concept of Product Life Cycle specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Concept of Product Life Cycle specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Concept of Product Life Cycle specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer At the product development stage, it begins when the company recognises the customer need for a special product. Then the company design and develop the new-product idea based on that demand. During the stage of product development, sales are zero and the companys investment costs mount (Armstrong, G. and Korler, P. 2000). Although it seems useless to analyse the sale and cost in this stage, it is still a very important part of a product life cycle. Its length will affect the whole cycle in some way. Then, the product enter into introduction stage which the company push the product into markets. In this stage, only the marketers understand the characteristics of this stage, they can make the right decision about the product strategy which is suitable for the new product. Because the recognition of customer for the new product needs a period, this introduction stage is a period of slow sales growth as the product is just introduced in the market. Profits are negative because of the low sales and the huge expense in advertising and promotion. Advertising and promotion are the key activities for business to attract the customer to try the new product. That huge investment is reasonable and necessary. And also the company needs to consider the investment to attract the distributors and build the inventory. At the same time, it is few competitors at this stage. If the new product satisfies the market, it will enter a growth stage, which is a period of rapid market acceptance and increasing profits (Armstrong, G. and Korler, P. 2000). At the beginning of this stage, the sale and profit grow quickly. More and more customers accept the product and buy it, the investment of promotion and advertising is lower than the introduction stage. And market share is increased accordingly and quickly. At the same time, more and more companies recognise the product has big profit. Therefore, more and more competitors enter into this market. After the development of the market, profits may become to decline in the end period of growth stage as more competitors enter the market, driving prices down and creating the need for heavy promotional expenses (Jobber, D. 1998). In this stage, company has to choose between the high market share and high profit when they make the strategy decision. Fourthly, when the sale growth is slowdown, the product enters to the maturity stage of its PLC because the product has achieved acceptance by most potential buyers. Dibb and Simkin (1997) thought that this stage is characterized by severe competition, with many brands in the market. Competitors use many different strategies to gain the market share such as product improvements, advertising, sales promotion, dealer discount and price cutting. Finally, decline stage is the period when sales show fall off and profits erode (Armstrong, G. and Korler, P. 2000). According to Jobber (1998), sales and profits fall during this stage as new technology or changes in consumer tastes work to reduce demand for the product. In this stage, the market lost interest in this product and the companies are unable to up-grade and support it. Therefore, marketers may cut promotion efforts, eliminate distributors, and finally plan to walk out from this market. However, not all products follow the classic product life cycle which explained above. There are variations of the product life cycle. Some of the products may have more than five stages and more fluctuant curves. For example, the high-tech products which are more than one S-Shape curve. This type of product can be up-grated and development many times which lead the sales and profit up and down. When the customer accepts the product, the profits fall. When the product has been developed and improved, the profits rise. With the continuous process of products development and customers acceptance, the profits keep rising and falling such as computers, mobile phones. Although different products have different product life cycle and different products move through their life cycle at different speed, the theory of PLC still seem as a very useful method to help marketers identify the sales trends and plan appropriate marketing strategy and activities. Strengths and Weakness of PLC The product life cycle is a common and popular marketing concept that it appears at every standard marketing text. The strengths of the PLC are very obvious. Firstly, based on the theory of Jobber (1998) the PLC is benefit for the product planning. It can help marketers to develop product marketing strategy and it is also used as a forecasting model. PLC can forecast the future development of market and product which is big competitive advantage when the companies plan their marketing strategy for the product in every stage. However when the companies use the PLC concept to forecast product sale or to develop marketing strategies, they find many problems in practices (Korler, P. Armstrong, G. Saunders, J. and Wong, V. 1996). It is not easy to identify which stage of the PLC the product is in, especially the definitions of each stage is not very standard which could lead the confusion between stages. This is the precondition that the PLC concept can perform correctly. When the product enter to the next stage of PLC, if the company can not notices, the marketing strategy and plan will not appropriate for the new stage of the produce. Only when they recognise the change in PLC, they can make the right strategy based on the analysis for the crucial factors in the new stage. And in practice, it is difficult to forecast the sales level at each PLC stage, the length of each stage and the shape of the PLC curve (Jobber, D. 1998). The basic reason is this PLC concept can not help the marketer to understand the product and market in detail. It is theoretic and unclear. Secondly, the strength of PLC as a coordinating tool is to help marketers to coordinate 4Ps which include product, price, promotions and place. Thirdly, the PLC also can remand the marketers to pay more attention to the development of the product and its market. It warns the marketers that the product would not grow continually forever (Jobber, D. 1998). Normally, there is a danger that management may have high emotion in a particular product. The PLC can help the company understand that the product has its own lift cycle which means the company have to face the face that products need to be terminated and new products need to be developed to replace them. It also tells them that at the introduction stage, the phenomenon that the sale is low and expense is high are reasonable which is unnecessary to panic or give up. It is good for companies to recognise the realistic market, not through the book records only. Nevertheless, there are some weaknesses about the PLC. Although in the above, some of the problems are discussed. The following section explains very detailed concepts. Firstly, according to Jobber (1998), the duration of the PLC stages is unpredictable which is very difficult for marketer to identify the stages of product. The PLC outlines the four or five stages during a product life without defining their duration. Blythe (2001) states that the PLC is useful to describe what is happening, but is not much use for predicting what is going to happen, since it is virtually impossible to tell how long the maturity phase will continue. This weakness makes it difficult to use this concept as a decision-making tool because marketers can not easily know which part of the product life cycle the product currently in. The solution of this problem is to find a comparable product which seems as a template for predicting the length of each stage. There are two sources of comparable products. One is same product has already been on the market which is in other countries. The other one is that the similar products are in the mature or decline stages of their life cycle but they are thought to resemble the new product in terms of consumer acceptance . Of course, when the marketer use the comparable product to analyse their own product, it still many problems in reality, such as the different the economic and social conditions of countries which may effect the result of the analysis and make it invalid to transfer the duration of the stages from one country to another. Secondly, Jobber (1998) notes that the critics argue that the stylized marketing objectives and strategy prescriptions can be misleading. It is very difficult to predict how long the product will move from one stage to another stage in its life cycle. Because the products, companies and market are different, the length of the PLC is diverse. The problem is that the length of the PLC is affected by many factors which include the pace of change in the external environment and the companys marketing strategy of the product throughout its life (Brassington, F. and Pettitt, S. 2003). The companys objective and capability to make the correct marketing strategy in each stage of PLC for the product and to communicate effectively and efficiently with the consumers, and its method to develop and refresh its product will all affect how the PLC in some way. Thirdly, the weakness of PLC is that there is no common shape (Doyle, P. 1994). Through the analysis the data from different products, it is very clear that the PLC has not standard curve at all. In the real unstable markets, not all products follow the classic S-shaped PLC (Lancaster, G. and Massingham, L. 1993). Sometimes, although two brand products seem as same, they are in different types of PLC. Many factors determine the types of PLC for the product, which include the external environment changes and the strategy change of the company or the competitors. It is easy for marketers to analyse which curve their product belong to which lead confusion when companies use this theory to analyse their product. Fourthly, according to Doyle (1994), PLC has not clear implication which is a weakness every marketer knows. Although PLC concept defines the stages of the product life cycle for the common products and list all of the characteristics for each stage. But for some cases, the tradition has been proved as inaccurate. Some of the products have different characteristics compare with the tradition concept which will mislead the marketers conclusion about the products development. Finally, there is another weakness of the PLC has been revealed that PLC is a product-orientated concept. More and more marketers recognise the marketing is about how to satisfy the customers need. The company should pay more attention to analyse the change of the customers need, rather than focus on its products development. In other words, focusing on the product like the concept of PLC the company might not understand other key concepts of marketing such as the 7P. Product is just one of the important things of marketing, but not the core one. For the modern age, customer is the core thing that the company should focus on. Therefore, for the marketers, they need focus on the factors cause the change of the product stage not the PLC. Because of so many uncertain factors in the concept of PLC, some experts debate that PLC is a useless tool in reality. As Cowell (1984) state that it is not surprising that the life cycle concept has critics. Some attempts to derive the conventional S-shaped curve of the cycle with its stages of introduction, growth, maturity and decline have not been altogether convincing. In fact, some theoreticians have even suggested that the concept of PLC should be forgotten altogether (Dhalla and Yuspeh, 1976). Carman and Langeard (1979) argue that using the life cycle concept to build a product portfolio in services contexts is not very helpful. All those debates suggest that the concept of PLC is still immature and it still need to improve. Conclusion In conclusion, the product life cycle is a marketing tool, which is an aid for managerial decision-making. It can help marketers to do planning and think strategically. However, it also has many weaknesses which affect the practicability of the concept. Therefore, marketing managers must monitor the real changes that are happening in the marketplace before setting up the appropriate objectives and strategies for marketing. Using the PLC concept to develop marketing strategy can also be difficult because strategy is both a cause and a result of the products life cycle (Armstrong, G. and Korler, P. 2000). The products current PLC position suggests the best marketing strategies and the resulting marketing strategies affect product performance in later life-cycle stages. Of course, when it is used carefully by the marketers who understand it clearly, the PLC concept still a very useful theory in developing good marketing strategies for different stages in the product life cycle anyway.

Free Essays on Dominos Pizza Operations Management

Domino’s Pizza is a service company that specializes in good food served quickly. It was the first large scale pizza franchise to offer speedy delivery. The company is famous for it’s thirty-minute guarantee, which has since been discontinued. Since it’s founding in 1960 the company has steadily grown to be one of the largest food franchises in the world. To stimulate this growth, the company has seen many menu changes over the years. With the introduction of new menu items, the company has had to change the structure of it’s operations in order to better serve it’s customers. Most orders that come into a Domino’s Pizza restaurant come in over the phone. This is because the company only offers delivery and pick up, there is no sit-down area in a Domino’s Restaurant. When a customer calls in to the restaurant, the phone person asks them if the order is for pick up or delivery. If the order is for delivery the phone person will take down the customer’s telephone number. If it is a new customer, the phone person will have to take down the customer’s address, but if the customer has called before, the information will already be there. From this point the printer will print out slips that can be stuck onto the individual pizza boxes and the order will move onto the next step. During the next step is when the food is actually prepared. Orders show up on a screen in order for the line people to make. Pizza needs to be rolled out from portioned dough, have sauce spread on it, get cheesed, and have toppings put on it. Bread Sticks, Cheesy Bread, and Cinnastix are all made using medium sized portioned dough and topped accordingly. Wings are pulled out of a bag and put on a metal sheet. All the food is put through the oven for six minutes and fifteen seconds after it is ready. From there it moves onto the next step. After the food comes out of the oven it is put into the proper packaging which already has t... Free Essays on Domino's Pizza Operations Management Free Essays on Domino's Pizza Operations Management Domino’s Pizza is a service company that specializes in good food served quickly. It was the first large scale pizza franchise to offer speedy delivery. The company is famous for it’s thirty-minute guarantee, which has since been discontinued. Since it’s founding in 1960 the company has steadily grown to be one of the largest food franchises in the world. To stimulate this growth, the company has seen many menu changes over the years. With the introduction of new menu items, the company has had to change the structure of it’s operations in order to better serve it’s customers. Most orders that come into a Domino’s Pizza restaurant come in over the phone. This is because the company only offers delivery and pick up, there is no sit-down area in a Domino’s Restaurant. When a customer calls in to the restaurant, the phone person asks them if the order is for pick up or delivery. If the order is for delivery the phone person will take down the customer’s telephone number. If it is a new customer, the phone person will have to take down the customer’s address, but if the customer has called before, the information will already be there. From this point the printer will print out slips that can be stuck onto the individual pizza boxes and the order will move onto the next step. During the next step is when the food is actually prepared. Orders show up on a screen in order for the line people to make. Pizza needs to be rolled out from portioned dough, have sauce spread on it, get cheesed, and have toppings put on it. Bread Sticks, Cheesy Bread, and Cinnastix are all made using medium sized portioned dough and topped accordingly. Wings are pulled out of a bag and put on a metal sheet. All the food is put through the oven for six minutes and fifteen seconds after it is ready. From there it moves onto the next step. After the food comes out of the oven it is put into the proper packaging which already has t...

Vulnerabilities of Organizational Networks and Internets Coursework

Vulnerabilities of Organizational Networks and Internets - Coursework Example This paper analyses and studies the various security weaknesses which hampers the organization’s information system. A brief study of the technical and non technical measures and methods are listed which would ensure that the company or the organization is protected from any unauthorized access to their system. Definition and Impact of Vulnerability on an organization The Organization of Internet Safety defines security vulnerability as â€Å"security vulnerability is a flaw within a software system that can cause it to work contrary to is documented design and could be exploited to cause the system to violate its documented security policy† (Telang and Wattal, 2005, p2). Vulnerability is security weakness in the software or the hardware on a system or a server that can be attacked or gained access to, by an intruder. The weakness or the loophole can be physical, technical or network related (Kizza, 2007). In today’s tough and competitive marketplace, it is imper ative for all the organizations to have strong measures against all anticipated vulnerabilities. Companies stand a risk to lose time, money and may hamper its future growth, if the concept of vulnerability management is not adhered to and practiced. For example, a security defect in any software may cause loss of millions of dollars in terms of downtime, integrity issues and interrupting the growth of the organization (Brackin, 2003). Vulnerabilities of Organizational Networks There are various sources of system vulnerabilities. Poor design flow, improper use of the firewall, the nature of intruder activity, improper security management, no restriction in the usage of internet, improper implementation of the security appliances are some of the major causes of IT vulnerability. In an organization, the two major components of a computer system, hardware and software are quite vulnerable (Kizza, 2007). An organization uses the computers for almost each and every sphere of activity. Thi s enables the companies to have the ability to use and practice internet in their day to day operations. The most common cyber security vulnerability IT mangers are facing in terms of their software design flows. Software are more prone to security losses for their less complexity, involvement of the human factors, lack of security equipments while testing and implementing the software programs. The software professionals often have a rush to finish the product. There are some attention failures possible on the part of the professionals, for example, if they forget to add some security verification questions, it becomes accessible to many unauthorized ones. A software program may have many possible outcomes. It is important to choose the best fit and the correct to be used. There might be some malice professionals in the company. Many viruses, bugs are downloaded in software and then are circulated and transferred from one computer to another. Some security software are difficult to locate and used. The software product needs to be thoroughly tested under all possible circumstances as no software product can fit in all environments. In almost all the organizations, Local area networks (LANs) is being used and implemented in meeting data processing and to work in tandem with other companies in the global

Psychological and Physiological Benefits of Physical Exercise Essay

Psychological and Physiological Benefits of Physical Exercise - Essay Example Physical activity is mainly undertaken to attain and sustain a healthy body weight. Its benefits incorporate a healthy mind, mood and improved general health of an individual. According to Gledhill (2007), the physiological and psychological significance of exercise are relevant to the current society. This is because sedentary lifestyles affect the health of the public leading to increased costs. Moreover, lifestyle diseases that can be prevented such as diabetes, coronary heart diseases and cancers have become frequent. This has amplified the mortality rates. The collective effects of inactive lifestyles, physical inactivity and excessive calorific intake significantly contribute to compromised health state. Furthermore, these trends lead to increased pervasiveness of obesity in developed nations. According to Gledhill (2007 p. 57), scientific evidence indicates that lack of physical exercise is a major risk factor that contributes to mortality rates, age related complications and compromised mental performance. Consequently, physical exercise has both psychological and physiological benefits that improve the overall health of a person (Gledhill 2007). Psychological benefits of exercise The psychological aspects of physical exercise are clear in the affiliation between the body’s physical movements and a person’s mental and emotional health. The biological fitness of a person influences their behaviour and mood. Consequently, an undisputed link exists between physical exercise and the psychological well-being. Psychologically, exercise triggers the release of vital hormones that promote the mental and emotional processes. Gledhill (2007) affirms that physical fitness stimulates the nerves; thus, enhancing glandular secretion. This helps to increase vivacity, speed, aesthetic appeal and physical agility. During exercise, critical endorphin hormones are released in the body (Fox, Biddle, & Boutcher 2002). These natural hormones make one feel energ ised and optimistic. Moreover, the endorphins block pain creating euphoric feelings in the brain cells. This is necessary for people coping with emotional or physical pain. Endorphins are mainly produced during stressful times; furthermore, they compliment the adrenaline hormones. Therefore, exercises are effective means of maintaining high spirits and motivation because it is a natural anti-depressant (Gledhill 2007). In addition to aiding mental recreation, physical exercise reduces anxiety by boosting a person’s mood (Buckworth & Dishman 2002). It promotes a general wellbeing in all the psychological functioning of an individual. For this reason, therapists employ it as a remedial treatment of anxiety neuroses, depression and mental illnesses (Buckworth & Dishman 2002). Therefore, maintenance of overall fitness is a vital component of promoting self-esteem and self-efficacy among individuals. This is because through exercise, moods are contained; thus, enabling a person to attain their goals efficiently (Fox, Biddle, & Boutcher 2002). Another psychological benefit is the promotion of IQ levels and cognitive alertness in individuals. Regular exercise improves short-term memory that improves fluid intelligence. This process boosts verbal reasoning and mental constructs that are vital in psychological health. Besides, exercise leads to the regeneration of new cells in the brain by facilitating

Green and Gracious Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Green and Gracious - Essay Example greases from machinery and equipment, used or leftover paints containing heavy metals or organic solvents, used or spent lead-acid batteries, used explosive tool cartridge. The responsible person (engineer or supervisor) shall determine the volume of concrete, in addition to determining the last balance area, to be used before placing an order. A material wastage control form shall be attached while ordering concrete. The responsible person (engineer or supervisor) shall ensure that the quantity of rebar delivered is in conformance with the order. Sub-contractors shall use cut and bent rebar on site as far as practicable. Shelter must be erected at site for safe storage of pre-packed cement by prevention of direct contact with sunlight or rain water. The responsible person (supervisor) shall be responsible for monitoring the quantity ordered and delivered on site. The responsible person (ECO or SO) shall record waste disposal, and maintain and update the waste register at each project. Wastes such as steel, concrete, or wood shall be recycled for minimization of waste disposal. The responsible person (ECO, SO, HS, SS) shall inform the PM or PIC if any irregularities such as mixing of wastes are discovered. The responsible person (PM or PIC) shall initiate EHS non-conformance, corrective and preventive action, and other necessary action for prevention of recurrence when there is failure in reduction of materials. The responsible person (QS) shall review and update the material quantity schedule based on project progress, and forward the revised material quantity schedule to the concerned personnel for monitoring. Metal formwork that can be re-used for several projects shall be used. Formwork shall be supported by aluminium â€Å"I† beams and steel rectangular hollow sections instead of timber sections. Precast pre-tensioned slab or hollow core slab shall be used as an integral slab system that also acts as a formwork system. The responsible person (PM) shall

Review of Karl Marx’s Capital (1867)

Review of Karl Marx’s Capital (1867) Review of Karl Marx’s article Capital Capital, published in 1867 instantly made its mark as one of Karl Marx’s most ‘detailed critique of economic life.’ (Rivikin Ryan, 665, 2004) In his article, Marx not only highlights that we ‘fetishize the objects that appeal most immediately to our senses’, (Rivikin Ryan, 665, 2004) but he also argues that we ignore the real exploitation of the workers who provide these commodities on the marketplace. In his article, Marx illuminates how the capitalist economic system structures human society. One of the ideas that he puts forward is how the relationship between ‘satisfying human wants’ for the value of a commodity contrasts with the invisible exploitation of labour. He states that man easily ‘changes the forms’ of the commodities in order to be ‘useful to him’, therefore demonstrating how the bourgeoisie owns the means of production thus highlighting how they are only interested in producing the maximum surplus value to suit their needs. Furthermore, Marx describes the capitalist as an ‘enigmatical character’ which further suggests they have the power and control over the world’s natural, economic and human resources to take advantage of the product of labour, as soon as it takes the ‘form of commodities’ which is of high value. Another idea put forward by Marx is the contrast between the social relations and the technical relations of production. Firstly, Marx states ‘their own labour is presented to them as a social relation’ which is of importance as it means it is the people who are associated to a relatively stable economic structure. However, Marx goes on to say the producer’s labour only exists ‘between the product of their labour’ which implies it is now the people that relate to objects; thus highlighting how the result of production determines your social class. In addition, he states that the qualities of the products of labour are ‘perceptible and imperceptible’ which links back to the idea of how we are not only ignorant to the producers of commodities but this opens up to the alienation of social relations. Following on from this idea, the social relations become less apparent as Marx argues that the value relation between the products of labour has ‘no connection with their physical properties’. Marx’s idea of commodity fetishism is highlighted here as it transforms how the production of commodities and money are exchanged in the market trade through secretly hiding the fact that someone was exploited to produce that value of commodity. Furthermore, Marx continues to illuminate the human alienation of the capitalist structure as he states man is drawn into this concept by ‘the fantastic form of a relation between things’. Marx believes that through reification, these commodities now seen as objects obscure the economic exploitation of the labourer’s (subjects) wages and the new value of product created by the worker themselves. In his article, Marx cleverly underpins how we are ignorant to the inefficient and exploitive system with the analogy of the ‘act of seeing’. He argues that from the ‘external object to the eye’, we see an ‘actual passage of light from one thing to another’, which implies the exploitation of labourer’s is not invisible; but we just choose not to see it as we live in a controlled society. In his article Marx demonstrates a contrast between the social and technical relation production and from this light analogy we can argue that there is a need for social dependency that capitalism feeds off; in order for economic power to overrule all political and social activities. Furthermore, the value of capital would deteriorate if labour is removed from the workplace, thus highlighting how the bourgeoisie are in effect dependent upon the proletariat labour-power. In his text, Marx also puts forward a philosophical concept which brings about the theory of alienation of the capitalist system. The analogy of the ‘mist-enveloped regions of the religious world’ is a highly effective idea as it illuminates that Christianity and the concept of God estranges the natural characteristics of our human desires. Marx essentially made use of Charles de Brosses concept of fetishism through his The Cult of Fetish Gods (1760) which suggests a materialist theory of the origin of religion which developed the idea of commodity fetishism. Marx gives reference to ‘men’s hands’ which arguably suggests that the whole system is corrupt as commodities are seen as more valuable than the labourer who produced it. Marx concludes with ‘This I call Fetishism’ which emphasises and summarises how unfair and corrupt the capitalist system works. Word count: 748 Marxism applied to Raymond Carver’s poem Shiftless There are many subtle concepts of Marxism found in Raymond Carver’s poem Shiftless, published in 1985. The first few lines highlight the idea that everything is masked in the capitalist system of control. He states the people who were higher up the social ladder ‘were comfortable’ (1) who were fortunate to live in ‘painted houses with flush toilets’ (2) and ‘drove cars whose year and make were recognizable’ (3). From the description given, the materialist goods illuminate the idea of conspicuous consumption; they purchase these costly good and publicly display them to impress people with their wealth of economic power. Furthermore, this idea of ‘painted houses’ could be symbolic for the fact that commodity fetishism is active as it shows these material commodities are of greater value than those who produced it. Also, ‘painted’ links in with Marx’s idea of how we are ignorant to acknowledge the exploitation of labourer’s. These material goods also link in with Marx’s idea of ‘satisfying human wants’ from his chapter on Capital. The consumer aspires to have the best of the best commodities in order to gain social, economic and cultural prestige. Marx argues in his chapter on The German Ideology that ‘those who lack the means of production are subject to it.’ (Rivkin Ryan, 2004, 656) This means depending on where you stand on the ladder of the capitalist system, you are put in a social class depending on the amount of means of production. Carver continues with ‘The ones worse off were sorry’ which links in with Mar x’s theory of how the working class are exploited and it further attacks the unfair capitalist market system. Carver gives reference to ‘strange cars’ and ‘dusty yards’ (5) to juxtapose the material goods in the first three lines. The poet cleverly shows the distinction between the value of commodities and the social classes in just one line. This links in with Marx’s alienation theory of the effect of the capitalist production on labourers. These material objects are there in the poem so that the reader can identify the clear contrast in social class; however those who are subject to it are under the false consciousness as it is the way a capitalist society works. According to Bertell Ollman, he argues that all classes are under some form of alienation, but it is ‘the proletariats affliction is the most severe.’ (Ollman, 2014) Following this idea, we can see the contrast of material commodities given in Shiftless, which highlights the exploitation of labour. The reference to ‘dusty yards’ suggests the capitalist system dominates the history of class struggle and the poem reflects the poverty that the proletariat undergo. In his poem, Carver cleverly represents his own opinion of life to mock the capitalist system of control as he stats ‘My goal was always / to be shiftless. I saw the merit in that.’(8 9) The poet Jim McGarrah states that ‘This constant state of flux and the battle for economic stability began to take a toll on Carver’s personal life’ (McGarrah, 2009) which highlights the domineering effect of the capitalist control. The idea of ‘doing nothing’ (11) links in with Marx’s view of ideology and how ideology is part of everyday reality. Terry Eagleton, a literary theorist, argues that ‘people invest in their own unhappiness’ (Eagleton, 1991, 13) which suggests why Carver experiences simple activities in the poem. The word ‘Spitting.’ (15) is positioned on its own to perhaps emphasise how this shiftless behaviour is seen to be more appealing than being a subject to an exploitive system where commodities are of m ore value. Marx uses a philosophical analogy of how the natural characteristics of human behaviour is estranged due to them being subjective to an ideological apparatus of a higher system; God in the religious world. Carver challenges this interpellation procedure by stating in the final two lines ‘â€Å"Don’t I know you?† / Not, â€Å"What are you going to be when you grow up?†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Carver highlights how controlled society is as everyone believes they have to be ‘something’ or ‘someone’ in order to attain social prestige. The pressure of a good reputation and a social status is what forces us into the idea of having to have the best commodities that we either buy or own in order to communicate a sense of social prestige. This poem highlights Marxist theoretical concepts in order to highlight how exploitive, alienating and inefficient the capitalist system is. Word count: 740

Ginseng :: Essays Papers

Ginseng Basis of the Asian Science of Consumption The Asian tradition of categorizing food is based on the observation of one’s reaction after consumption. It is rooted in the theory that food provides energy for the body and mind. The proportions and forms of energy vary, some are extremely energizing while others may even weaken the body and mind (3). The Asian word for energy is ch’i, however, its translation extends far beyond the Western understanding. It is basically thought of as the spirit or essential energy existing in all beings and elements of life (water, air, earth, etc). The ch’i of a healthy person is balanced. This notion of balance is the foundation of Asian thinking represented by the symbol of â€Å"yin and yang†. Yin is the equivalent of what is dark, cold, and moist; while yang is associated with light, warm, and dry elements; thus representing balance. The notion of balance exists universally in all elements and is represented or explained by this symbol. Therefore, since o ne’s energy must be balanced in order to stay healthy, and further, since it is food that provides energy, the Asians have created a science of consumption that fuels the mind and body from within. Foods that strengthen the body by increasing or decreasing energy levels according to need are considered pu foods, usually having a tonic and stimulating effect. Foods of this nature are rare and placed at very high prices, but since they are believed to be extremely important in balancing one’s ch’i many are willing to pay the high prices in order to attain them. Anderson points out in his article, Traditional Medical Values of Food, that pu foods are â€Å"famous worldwide as examples of the bizarre things human beings will eat and pay high prices for†. Ginseng is the most highly regarded and most expensive. It has maintained a heavenly context since ancient times. It is crucial to understand the extreme significance that Asians place in food for the purpose of maintaining balance in order to assure one’s health. It is also necessary to understand that attaining this balance represents the most vital concern of life and therefore extreme measure may be taken to achieve it. A Quick Introduction to Ginseng Ginseng is the common name of the two species of the panax family, Araliaceae. Panax is the Asian species and panax quinquefolius is the American cousin (2).

Motivation Letter Essay

Economics, as a field, had always fascinated me right from my school days. As I grew up, I gradually came to appreciate the importance of economics in the modern world. In the university, I was fortunate to have been exposed to many interesting and challenging fields. However, I ultimately chose to major in Accounting, which provides me with fundamental knowledge of many economic-related theories and concepts, as well as familiarity with statistics and data analysis. I also learned the basic tenets of Economics in courses such as Finance, Management, Accounting and Public Finance. Subsequently I enhanced it with CMA Certificate courses right after graduation in 2006 These courses revealed to me the importance of the economic sector in the society, besides that I realized that Economic and Finance professionals have the privileged opportunity of managing assets and analyzing risks to ensure the future success of a company or organization. In 2010 and after having three years experience as Customer Service and Letters of Credits and Guarantees Officer, Business Development Officer at Bank Audi, and One year as Senior Account Officer / Corporate Business Development at Bank of Jordan, I realized the importance of finance and investment, giving the fact that the main decision of any enterprise is where to invest money and how to evaluate investment opportunities. Therefore, I decided to pursue postgraduate studies in investment and finance that would ideally complement my academic knowledge and experience, but unfortunately the current sad situation in my country freezes all my academic chances. So I’m looking to be a part of a respectful program and an opportunity to meet people and economists in one of the world most developed nations. In 5 years, I see myself leading an investment and financial section where I am involved building fruitful international business relations, designing structured financial products and managing well-diversified and effective portfolios by incorporating cutting edge methodologies and sophisticated tools that offer a valuable investment opportunity to the potential investor. Throughout this course I will leverage my existing skills with the knowledge of finance and economics that will help me to achieve my medium-term career goals to manage capital, create portfolios, perform mergers and acquisitions, and ensure future economic stability for corporations, as well as helping financial services industry to make the right financial decisions that will lead to economic stability and high returns. In the long-term, such knowledge, skills and experience will help me assist the Syrian market in designing, implementing and monitoring financial policies, planning and executing the financing initiatives, and interfacing with the financial community and investors.

Aviation Safety Class

In our Aviation Safety Class we have been talking about how the FAA and the NTSB provide information and set standards to fly by. However, not much has been spoken on the behalf of NASA. Of course when the word NASA is mentioned, the first image that comes to mind is of a Space Shuttle or the launching platform it rests on. However, NASA is much more then just space exploration, its also thegroup that has discovered substantial information in aviation research. From our reading, we have learned that NASA is an impartial party that works with the FAA, NTSB, military, and the commercial aviation industry. We also know that NASA has two large research centers, one in Ames, California and one in Langley, Virginia. Most of the time, the Langley center studies the physiological measures of pilot workload and advanced cockpit elements. While, Ames works out problems dealing with operational implications when dealing with human factors. Some examples of that would be cockpit resource management, fatigue and communications transfer, along with the effect of advanced automation on flight proficiency. The Aviation Safety Reporting System is also maintained in Ames. This system offers information other then just NTSB reports. An example of this would be human-factors data that isnt distributed through the Federal Government. Another advantage that the Aviation Safety Reporting System has is that even though it has limitations, it can give out information about the influence of new technologies or airline management practices on human performances. NASAs Langley Research Center has also been selected to lead a national aviation safety initiative. Its goal is to reduce the aircraft accident rate by 5 times within then next 10 years, and 10 times in the next two decades. As one can tell this is a very bold, surprising idea and program that NASA has planned. "This is an exciting...

Past Perfect Worksheets for ESL Learners

Past Perfect Worksheets for ESL Learners In general, the past perfect is used to express something that had happened before something else in the past. The key to understanding the past perfect is that is used to express something which was completed in the past before something else took place. Past Perfect Positive Form Review Subject had past participle objects Examples: Alex had finished the test before Tom asked to see it.They had lived in France for 10 years before they moved home. Past Perfect Negative Form Subject had not past participle objects Examples: She hadnt eaten by the time he arrived.We hadnt bought the car when he told us the news. Past Perfect Question Form (Question Word) had subject past participle? Examples: Had you done anything before he arrived?What had she done to upset you so much? Important Note! Regular past participles in -ed, irregular past participles of verbs vary and must be studied. Already / Before Already is used in the past perfect positive form to something that something had been completed before another action occurred.Before is used in the past perfect in a similar sense to already, but in all forms. Examples: They had already completed the work when he arrived.She hadnt been able to eat lunch before he telephoned. For For is used to express the duration of time something had happened before something else occurred in the past. Examples: Susan had worked as an assistant manager for five years before she was promoted.They had lived in that house for ten years before he moved in with them. By the Time By the time is used to express the point in time up until which something had happened. Examples: By the time he asked me, I had completed everything he requested.They had eaten by the time he walked into the room. Past Perfect Worksheet 1 Conjugate the verb in parentheses in the past perfect tense. In the case of questions, use the indicated subject as well. They ____ (eat) before he arrived.____ (you finish) the report before he asked for it?Jennifer _____ (buy) the house before the market crashed.What _____ (she do) that upset him so much?Our boss _____ (not make) the decision yet when management changed their mind.The students _____ (write) the report, but the teacher made them do it again.Mark _____ (want) to go to New York, but his wife changed his mind._____ (they invest) in that stock before the market improved?Alex _____ (not do) the gardening before it started raining.Their decision _____ (make - passive voice) before conditions changed.We _____ (eat already) so we werent hungry._____ (Tom choose) the color for his room before he was asked to paint it black?Sarah _____ (drive) three hundred miles by the time she arrived in Tacoma.Few people _____ (understand) the news when the consequences began to appear.The reporter _____ (not tell) the cameraman to get ready when the president walked into the room.Bob _____ (purchase) the fir st generation iPad two weeks before the second generation was introduced. I _____ (print) the report before he gave me the updates._____ (Henry come) home before the called the police?She _____ (not complete) the article when the news changed everything.The coach _____ (reserve) rooms for everybody so there werent any problems. Past Perfect Worksheet 2 Choose the correct time or quantity expression used with the past perfect tense. How (much/long) had you known Peter before he proposed?They had (yet/already) eaten by the time he arrived.Cathy hadnt finished the report (when/by) the time he asked for it.Phillip had requested all the forms (as soon as/before) he began the application process.How (much/long) wine had they drunk before they were asked to stop?She had made the decision long (after/before) he asked her to marry him.They had always wanted to visit Amsterdam (so/as) they went!Jackson hadnt been able to read the book (when/as) the teacher asked him to quote from it.Susan had (yet/already) printed the report before her boss requested it.Had they (yet/already) heard the news or were they surprised? Answers For Past Perfect Worksheet 1 Conjugate the verb in parentheses in the past perfect tense. In the case of questions, use the indicated subject as well. They  had eaten  before he arrived.Had you finished  the report before he asked for it?Jennifer  had bought  the house before the market crashed.What  had she done  that upset him so much?Our boss  hadnt made  the decision yet when management changed their mind.The students  had written  the report, but the teacher made them do it again.Mark  had wanted  to go to New York, but his wife changed his mind.Had they invested  in that stock before the market improved?Alex  hadnt done  the gardening before it started raining.Their decision  had been made  before conditions changed.We  had already eaten  so we werent hungry.Had Tom chosen  the color for his room before he was asked to paint it black?Sarah  had driven  three hundred miles by the time she arrived in Tacoma.Few people  had understood  the news when the consequences began to appear.The reporter  hadnt told  the cameraman to get ready when the president walked into the room.Bo b  had purchased  the first generation iPad two weeks before the second generation was introduced. I  had printed  the report before he gave me the updates.Had Henry come  home before the called the police?She  hadnt completed  the article when the news changed everything.The coach  had reserved  rooms for everybody so there werent any problems. Answers for Past Perfect Worksheet 2 Choose the correct time or quantity expression used with the past perfect tense. How  long  had you known Peter before he proposed?They had  already  eaten by the time he arrived.Cathy hadnt finished the report  by  the time he asked for it.Phillip had requested all the forms  before  he began the application process.How  much  wine had they drunk before they were asked to stop?She had made the decision long  before  he asked her to marry him.They had always wanted to visit Amsterdam  so  they went!Jackson hadnt been able to read the book  when  the teacher asked him to quote from it.Susan had  already  printed the report before her boss requested it.Had they  already  heard the news or were they surprised?

Wildes play The Importance of Being Earnest Essay

Wildes play The Importance of Being Earnest - Essay Example It is said that satire gives rise to emotions which are not the best of humans. Such emotions would be anger, hatred, indignation and malice, as well as shame, guilt, and anxiety (Test 1). But satire also gives light to such negative emotions in the sense that it is combined with comedy, so that audiences could swallow reality better. It is also a common fact that people who are portrayed in satire are such that is a chore to be with, especially during the times that there is no choice in whom to be in company with. One of the most famous people who portrayed satire at its best is Oscar Wilde. Known not just for the plays that he wrote, he was also an icon, to the point that he and his flamboyant personality were far more famous than his works (Van Kirk 2). He was born into an affluent Victorian family and was surrounded by intellectuals. Eventually, he showed promise as a writer during his days in Oxford. But his times there were also the factors that made him the flashy person that he was (3). Unfortunately, due to the scandals that Wilde committed, his works became devalued and he was sent to prison, having his spirit and body crushed. He was never the same again, and he died an unloved man in 1900 (Gregory 2). However, his works were revisited in the 1960’s, and he was regarded as one of the best when it came to portrayals of his time (Van Kirk 9). Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest was a hit when it first opened on February 14, 1895. While it did poke fun at the morals and values of the upper-class society, it was well-written in such a way that the elite believed the play was a glimpse of what they really do, for the middle-class and lower-classes to see (Gregory 7). This kind of style that isn’t bitter satire made Wilde’s plays successful and widely accepted by the Victorian Era, while at the same time exposing the hypocrisy of the elite. Also, aside from poking fun at the superficial concerns of the Victorian societ y (which he is quite very much familiar with), Wilde made his characters rather charming so that people can relate to them well and love them despite their traits (Quintero 465). The characters in the play are mostly members of the upper-class Victorian society, which consists mostly of people of aristocratic origin, those who were able to acquire immense wealth, as well as the middle class which had professionals. The poor and working-class people were only portrayed as lackeys and footmen but were still visible in the play. Exaggerations of trivial matters by the elite were emphasized while the acceptance of virtues such as hard-work and patience were showed well by the working and middle-class. In a way, the play mixes such values and at the same time shows that there is an eventual change in the way society works: that eventually the middle-class would be taking over and that the aristocrats would be losing their voices, while the lower-class would still be at the lowest rung (G regory 7).

Treatment Of Diabetes During The Ramadan Fasting Time Essay

Treatment Of Diabetes During The Ramadan Fasting Time - Essay Example Current study examines the methods that can be used for the treatment of diabetes during the Ramadan fasting time. Regarding this issue several other themes – related with the specific subject - are going to be presented and evaluated. Under these terms, this paper is going to extensively refer to its main subject – as stated above – presenting at the same time the main aspects and the particular characteristics of a series of issues, which could be summarized to the following ones: a) What is diabetes and which are its main types? b) which are the most known – and the most developed – methods for the treatment of diabetes, c) is there any relationship between the development of diabetes and the nutrition habits of the population, d) the nutrition followed during fasting periods, especially the Ramadan, has been proved to have any impact on the progress of the treatment of diabetes and if yes, which are the main aspects of this impact? e) is the med ical staff prepared and trained appropriately in order to handle effectively the treatment of diabetes? A special reference to the competence of medical staff to adapt the diabetes’ treatment to the nutrition ‘ethics’ of the Ramadan fasting period is going to be made at this point, f) which are the prospects for the development of diabetes’ treatment during the Ramadan fasting period (reference to experiments made in the relevant field).