3 Insider Tips to Turn a One-Off Freelance Writing Job Into a Recurring Gig

Is writing all you need to land a freelance writing job? For a lot of people, thats what they focus on when they try to land a writing job. If they can get As in school, then surely they can be a freelance writer. But, they soon wonder why they arent landing consistent work. Sure, they can land a project, write the piece, but after they get paid, they dont hear from the client ever again. If that has happened to you, doubt probably set in, right? You wonder if you really are cut out to be a freelance writer. If only you knew what editors or business owners really wanted in a freelance writer. Well, guess what? Ive been freelance writing for over two years, and in that time, Ive worked with editors, solopreneurs and small business owners. I asked some of my clients a while back what non-writing skills they look for when deciding on a freelance writer. Because if you didnt already know, theres so much more to being a freelance writer than being able to write. This is a whole business, not a hobby; you are replacing your job (hopefully) so think of freelance writing more as a business than just writing about your passions. There are skills, tools, and strategies you must learn to succeed as a freelance writer online. Ive said this before, but the majority of freelance writers never make it past the first year. They give up, quit, or no longer want to do this. Its sad really. These freelance writers probably struggled, had no idea where to find lucrative jobs, and once they did land a gig, it was either low-paying, ghostwritten or a one-off piece. New freelance writers may also be under the impression that this is normal – one-off pieces, ad hoc basis, and bulk writing projects. This is not what freelance writing is about. There are a lot of successful writers (particularly students in my course) that have a goal to quit their full-time job and make a living as a writer. Many are already living that dream. So, if you havent landed a recurring gig, here are three insider tips to help you out! 1. You Need Industry Knowledge Do you have a niche and are you an expert in it? This one thing can turn a one-off project into a consistent project. Industry knowledge is a huge factor in editors and business owners hiring decision. Just think about it: Freelance writer As niches are relationships, health, parenting and home decor. Freelance writer Bs niche is financial intimacy for newly married people. The editor of a new publication, Love Amore, is looking for a writer that understands the nuances of marriage and how forming a bond can make other roles harder like the division of labor, financial harmony, and parenting cohesiveness. Looking at the two candidates, which writer will the editor lean towards? Ding, ding ding!! Freelancer B come on down! This freelance writer only writes about financial intimacy for newly married people. This writer understands how theres a lack of communication between partners and a lot of confusion about  their money. The editor wants articles for married couples, and this fits the bill. So, as a freelance writer, have you looked at your niche and niched down? When I first started, I had three niches – parenting, health, and education. This helped me figure out what I liked writing about and surprisingly it was about digital marketing. Its okay to have several niches when youre new, but if youve been freelancing for a year and write on a variety of topics, its time to niche down. 2. You Can Work On Your Own Can you work independently on your freelance writing projects, or do you constantly email the client questions? One thing many of my clients told me that they liked about my work was the fact that I didnt have to email the client numerous times about the project details. Once the topic was given, I wrote the piece and submitted it. Of course, there were times when I submitted an outline first to make sure I was on track with what the client wanted, but other than that, it was my job to do the rest. Remember, a client not only hired you for their content but to make their lives easier. Work towards being more independent with your projects. Do your own research instead of asking the client. If you have a question about the company, look at their website and see if you can find the answer that way. You can also look on LinkedIn profile or even at their Facebook page to get more help. Another way to minimize questions is to scope the project out before you take it on. Ask questions during the interview (but not too many!) and do your research on the company or person. 3. You Have Connections in Your Niche Let me ask you this: Have you connected with at least five other freelance writers and are on social media sharing posts and interacting with influencers and potential clients? If you havent, now is the time to connect with the right people to boost your freelance writing biz. This might mean going out of your comfort zone and attending a Twitter chat or looking on MeetUp and attending a local event. You can start small though, and connect with other freelance writers and comment on some blogs that you would like to write for. Be consistent and grow your network. I know that a lot of clients hire me because they know Im connected with influencers, certain native digital companies and certain platforms like Huffington Post. Because of my connections and my social presence, most of my work comes to me or through referrals. I dont have to pitch much, if at all, and I can pick and choose with whom I want to collaborate with. Can this be you? For sure, if you put the work in, have the type of writing tone for your clients, and you have a strong marketing plan to work from. Because when you think about it, the best freelance writers are the ones that know how to market their services online. I Want to Hear From You Now its your turn – what skill do you think you need to land a recurring gig? Are most of your projects recurring or one-off? Let me know in the comments.

Of Mice And Man Essays - English-language Films, Of Mice And Men

Of Mice And Man Essays - English-language Films, Of Mice And Men Of Mice And Man The book that I have read that has really stayed with me is Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I really enjoyed reading it which is unusual because I usualy don't enjoy reading to much. There was something about George and Lennie's friendship that really made me think. Seeing how they were and how they shared life was really intresting. George didn't have to bother with Lennie, he could have abandoned him and gone on his own way. But he did not do that, he stayed with Lennie watching over him almost like a parent to a child. Even though Lennie always got Georege in trouble, George never stoped loving him and always stood by him. The friendship they shared went beyond what was transparent they each shared a dream and both knew they ment the world to each other. I felt that if these totaly different people could get along and look out for each other, why can't we get along with people who are different than us. They made me realize that I could learn something from how to treat people who are differnt than me. What I also liked about it was the way they never stopped trying to reach their dream. This made me think that if they could work hard for there dream why can't I. It showed me that it does not matter were you come from or what you do, it is okay to dream and work as hard as you can to reach it. For all it shows for friendship and loyalty it also shows how sometimes you have to do things you never thought you would do. For example in the end when George is forced to shoot Lennie in the head you would never have thought he would do that, but you can see that under the circumstances he had no other choice. He only had two choices let the other people get to him first and watch them torture Lennie while he died a long horrible death or do it himself and get it over quick were Lennie did not know what hit him. This is also true in life, many times we are faced with tuff choices and even though they may be the hardest you will have to go through, you know that that is the only way. You come to the realization that everything you thought you was about, can all change with a blink of the eye.

The Rock Cycle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Rock Cycle - Essay Example The rock cycle is a way of representing the relationship among the three main types of rocks namely sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. The rocks undergo a constant gradual transition from one form to another. The transitions depend on the physical conditions around them. This paper discusses the cycle and the way in which the rocks change from one form to the other.  The rock cycle is a way of representing the relationship among the three main types of rocks namely sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. The rocks undergo a constant gradual transition from one form to another. The transitions depend on the physical conditions around them. This paper discusses the cycle and the way in which the rocks change from one form to the other.  Under the earth surface, the conditions available do not allow the rocks to exist in their solid state. Instead, they exist as magma that is a hot liquid. As the magma moves upwards, cooling takes place, and it finally solidifies to for m the igneous rocks. Some of the magma under pressure during the process of volcanicity moves out as lava on the earth surface. The result is volcanic rocks, which are of fine grains (Mattern, 2005).   On the earth surface, igneous rocks undergo the process of weathering since their components do not stabilize at the surface conditions. Moving water and wind are the main factors of weathering. The rocks are broken down to pieces or sediments and carried away mixing up with other components. After quite a long duration of time, the sediments are finally glued together to form sedimentary rocks (Mattern, 2005). Exposing the rocks to high temperature and pressure on the earth surface causes a physical change on them. The high temperature cause hardening of large masses of rocks called metamorphic rocks. The metamorphic rocks are responsible for forming Mountains. Both the metamorphic and sedimentary rocks can melt again to form magma under high temperature. Weathering occurs again on metamorphic rocks, resulting to the formation of sedimentary rocks. The rock cycle starts over continuously (Mattern, 2005).

Global Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global Business - Essay Example A cornerstone of this notion of International human resource management is the creation of linkage or integration between the overall strategic aims of the business and the human resource strategy and implementation. The aviation industry as a whole has faced the most challenging problems and competition in the global business (Thehindubusinessline.com.) Despite new and increasing challenges, the airline industry facilitates economic growth, global trade, and international tourism and continues to restructure, develop and adapt to counter them. The entry of multinationals has also brought in fundamental changes in the work culture, work ethics and remunerating patterns in many countries, all of which have a clear bearing on the career growth path of individuals. Added to this are the rapid changes taking place on the technological front, flattening hierarchies and making people come together more than ever before. Multinational companies such as telecommunications, Mobile phones Steel magnets, automobiles industries, oil companies, are driving and adjusting to globalization and innovation of change by applying many strategies, partnering with or acquiring others mergers and buyouts. The airline industry is going through a period of intense transformation. The airline industry is facing three transforming phenomena. The main reasons are: The decrease of soaring demand for air travel The appearance of a new fleet of low-cost carriers; The increased transparency of alternative airline offerings Internet and other technologies reduces the expensive itineraries (Warren, 2006, 262) 2. Structure of the Industry The changing business environment forcing airline companies to constantly innovate their strategies, as per customer's needs and demands to remain alive in the competition Six elements that define organization; Strategy Policies and Procedures Structure Systems Climate Culture (Source: Yvonne, 2000, p-5) The structure of an organization is defined as: The established pattern of relationships between the component parts of an organization, outlining both communication, control and authority patterns. Structure distinguishes the parts of an organization and delineates the relationship between them. (Wilson and Rosenfeld, 1990) Structure describes the hierarchy of authority and accountability in an organization. These formal relationships are frequently diagrammed in organization charts. Most companies use some mi of structures to accomplish their goals The advantages of a good structure in airline industries are

Financial Cost of Corporate Fraud in United States Essay

Financial Cost of Corporate Fraud in United States - Essay Example However, the study reveals that fraud training for employees and managers reduces the risk of fraud by 52% and 56% respectively (ACFE, 2009, p.37). Thus, ethical training may be employed as a control against fraud. However, this may not be adequate and other controls must be put in place for early detection of fraudulent activities. Financial statement fraud is the biggest category of frauds and the one associated with highest losses. Financial statements from different periods can be used to identify red flags, which may provide an idea that fraud may be occurring or a deviation from normal routine. Some of these components from financial statements are described below: Receivables can be booked fictitiously or increased without underlying trade/ transaction to show an overstated balance sheet and asset position. The management may want to show better results for the year, and thus may be tempted to overstate receivables. This was carried out recently by the CEO of Satyam, an Indian IT outsourcing company. He recorded receivables against selling to fictitious companies, and thus inflated the balance sheet. This type of fraud can be identified by carrying out the year to year analysis of changes in receivables, and their collection days.

How Is Virtue Ethics Different Philosophy Essay

How Is Virtue Ethics Different Philosophy Essay Recently there has been a revival in virtue ethics due to some philosophers like G. E. M Anscombe. In 1958, she suggested that modern moral philosophy is misguided, and therefore we should top thinking about obligation, duty and rightness and let virtue ethics take centre stage. (Rachels, 1999, p. 177a) Since the re-awakening of the theory of virtue ethics, it has been seen as being a rival with other moral theories such as, Kantianism (also known as duty ethics) and Utilitarianism (also known as consequentialist theory). The reason for comparisons is not farfetched the revival of virtue ethics has been perceived by some as a theory that is meant to take the place of the other two theories, however, this is proving to be very difficult since virtue ethics has also been found wanting on some grounds as well. The most significant difference between all three theories seems to me to be the centralised question they ask, which is the basis for each moral theory. Utilitarianism is a theory about actions and consequences, and all it asks is this: which action will produce the best possible outcome? Kantian on the other hand deals with rules and obligations, and asks this: what is the right thing to do? Virtue ethics on the other hand is fundamentally about character of the moral agent and asks the question: what is the right character to have? But it is not just limited to character, if not it would tag virtue ethics as character ethics. It is also about human flourishing. An intriguing aspect in the revival of virtue ethics is the fact that some deontologists and utilitarians have recognized its importance and have therefore added it to their own theories. For example, the revived interest in Kants Doctrine of Virtue (Hursthouse, 1999, p.3a) However, virtue ethics has not come this far without criticism; the list of criticisms is numerous. Amongst others the most popular is that virtue ethics does not give appropriate guidance. I shall start by defining virtue ethics and moving on to analyse the concepts surrounding it. Thereafter I will attempt to distinguish between it and other moral theories i.e. utilitarianism and Kantianism. Furthermore, I will talk about issues in global ethics and how virtue ethics may be applied to them, and finally, address the question on if there are any difficulties in doing so. What is Virtue Ethics? For a long time two methods of understanding morality have been taken up by two moral approaches which are Kantianism and Utilitarianism. Kantianism which is also known as deontology is a result of the work of the German Philosopher, Immanuel Kant which is concerned with ideals of universal law and respect for others; Utilitarianism, also known as consequentialism is known to maximise end results. However, recently, there has been a revival in virtue ethics, a theory which focuses on moral agents and virtuous character finds its roots in the ancient Greek philosophy, and has been neglected over the past years since the likes of Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato talked about it. (Baron et al, 1997, p.3) Virtue ethics is an approach to ethics which focuses on character and virtues and has its roots in Aristotle. The two most distinct features of virtue ethics are; it is agent centred, and makes use of areteic terms. According to Rosalind Hursthouse, it has been described as: an ethics which is agent centred, rather than act centred, and as concerned with being rather than doing, as addressing itself to the question, what sort of person should I be? rather than to the question what sorts of action should I do?; as taking certain areteic concepts (good, excellence, virtue) as basic than deontic ones (right, duty, obligation) (1999, p. 25) Other features are numerated by Oakley and Cocking as follows; firstly an action is right if and only if it is what an agent with a virtuous character would do in the circumstances (2001, p.129). Another feature is that goodness is prior to rightness. Virtue ethics claims that we need an account of human good before we can determine what the right action to take is; which makes virtue ethics a teleological rather than a deontological ethical theory. (Oakley, Cocking, 2001, p.19) Furthermore, virtues are seen as irreducibly plural intrinsic goods i.e. they are valuable for their own sake rather than as a means to promoting some other value. Virtues are also objectively good in the sense that is they can add value to a life (Oakley, Cocking, 2001, p.21). For example the virtue of kindness is in itself good independently Also, some goods such as friendship are agent-relative while others are agent neutral (Oakley, Cocking, 2001, p.23), and finally acting rightly does not require that we maximise the good. From the above description, it is easy to see the basic idea that virtue ethics promotes. It emphasizes on the moral agent; that is the character of a human; how the person acts, how the person behaves, how the person thinks, and the whole entirety of this person. For example, it focuses on who I am as a person, not on the things I do. It draws attention to the way I reason which in turns influences the way I behave. If I think about evil things long enough, I will eventually perpetuate such acts. If I have an ill will towards my neighbours and wish them dead, sooner or later, I will begin to act in an ill manner towards my neighbour. Virtue ethics focus on being the right person, and the train of thought follows that if I am a good person, I will do good things; if I am a bad person, it will be difficult and almost impossible to do right things because of the kind of personality and being that I am, It motivates people to work on their character, so that they can know the right action to follow. Hence, virtue ethics asks the question; what kind of person should I be? However, it will be difficult to know the kind of person one should be without knowing what the ideal person should be like. If you are a certain way, you would act a certain way. If you are greedy, you would steal, as a consequence of your greed (that is if you cannot meet your insatiable needs). So what is the kind of person we should be? According to virtue ethics, what kind of person we should be is a result of the virtues we possess because virtues play key roles in our lives. How then can we know these virtues, in other words, what is virtue? How can we differentiate virtues from vices? And why is it good to possess these virtues? Also, do these virtues apply to everyone? (Rachels, 1999, p.185) In answering the first question; what is virtue? Edmund L. Pincoffs, a philosopher who taught at the University of Texas suggested that: virtues and vices are qualities that we refer to in deciding whether someone is to be sought or avoided and that virtue as a trait of character is manifested in habitual action which is good for a person to have (Pincoffs cited in Rachels 1999, p.178). The above definition begs the question of what virtues are, and what kind of characters constitutes a virtue? There seem to be no definite answer for this question, however, there are list of traits which can be classified as being virtues. This is by no means a comprehensive list of virtues but just a summary of lists that are seen as basic virtues. They include; honesty, kindness, courage, generosity, loyalty, discipline, courteousness, fairness, friendliness, compassion, confidence, tolerance etc. In as much as there are categories of virtues, there are classifications of vices as well, some of which are; selfishness, laziness, arrogance, greed, jealousy, anger etc. (Rachels, 1999, p.178) There is a slight controversy on the question on if these virtues apply to everyone or not; some theorists believe that there are basic intrinsic virtues that all human beings should strive to acquire no matter what society or generation or way of life they have as opposed to different people having different classes of virtues. For example, instead of only soldiers possessing courage, all humans should possess that character. Aristotles view supported the above statement, he believed that one may observe in ones travels to distant countries the feelings of recognition and affiliation that link every human being to every other being (Aristotle cited in Rachels, 1999, p.186) However, this belief seems to be lacking credence because people and societies are different and what may be seen as virtuous in one society may not be the same in another; People who live in a particular society have live their lives according to the norm of that particular society. What was believed as virtuous hundreds of years ago may not be virtuous in these contemporary times. For example, if it was seen as virtuous for a woman to be married as a virgin in the ancient times, that may not be applicable now because of the change in our times, yet the fact that a woman does not get married as a virgin in these times does not connote that she is not virtuous. Virtues are good but why are they important for one to develop the virtues instead of vices and why is it necessary? Wallace states that: certain virtues play different roles and functions in a human life, some factors in many different ways contribute systematically to human good and virtues in specifiable ways so contribute as a part of such a system (1978, p.15). Also, Rachels says it depends on the specific virtue being talked about. Therefore we can say: generosity is desirable because some people will inevitable be worse off than others and will need help. Honesty is needed because without it relations between people would go wrong in myriad ways. Courage is a good thing because life is full of dangers and without courage we would be unable to cope with them (1999, p.184) We cannot give all the reasons why every virtue is important but we can analyse the above statement and see that they are important in their own way. Aristotle answered that the reason why being virtuous was important was because the virtuous person will be better off in life, not necessarily richer, and it is needed to conduct our lives well (Aristotle cited in Rachels, 1999, p. 185). Virtue Ethics and Utilitarianism The essence of utilitarianism is in getting the best possible outcome in any given circumstance; Utilitarianism believes in the greater good or maximising outcomes. How can an outcome be defined as good? How can it be characterised as producing the most happiness? If a gang of robbers go into a house and rob Billy of all his possessions, is it okay? Since it will give the robbers greater joy to rob poor Billy as opposed to the aggregate of the happiness Billy will get from not being robbed. For utilitarians, the end always justifies the means, and it does not matter if greater satisfaction is as a result of lying or cheating someone, as long as it satisfies more people. As Mill stated: the utilitarian doctrine is that happiness is desirable and, the only thing desirable as an end; all other things being desirable as means to that end (Mills cited in Rachels, 1999, p.108) Virtue ethics believes that if a person is good, their actions will be good as well, so instead of focusing on the outcomes one should focus on having the right character. Virtue ethics makes character essential to right action at least in the sense that its criterion of rightness contains an essential reference to the character of a virtuous agent, and this distinguishes it from utilitarianism which evaluate an act according to the consequence that it actually results in (Oakley, Cocking, 2001, p.11) Utilitarianism can be associated with some ideas which distinguish it from other theories. Utilitarian theories are welfarist, consequentialist, aggregative, maximising and Universalist (Scarre 1996, p.4). An action is okay if the greatest satisfaction is achieved. You count the consequences for human happiness of one or another course, and you go with the one with the highest favourable total (Taylor cited in Scarre, p.1) The major distinction between virtue ethics and utilitarianism is this; while virtue ethics is agent based, utilitarianism is agent neutral. For virtue ethics, Hursthouse states: It is agent centred in that it introduces the concept of the virtuous agent in its account of right action, where utilitarianism and Kantianism introduce the concept of consequences and moral rule respectively (1999, p.29). This is different for utilitarianism. Slote says: consequentialism is agent-neutral, ones obligations to oneself are no weaker or stronger than those to any other single person (1997, p.191) Scarre distinguishes utilitarianism further: It is clear that utilitarianism is a theory of moral justification, concerned to lay down conditions of right and wrong actions but should also be seen as a theory of moral deliberation, aiming to inform us how to decide which actions to perform and which to avoid (1996, p. 13) In addition, virtue ethics is also seen as being pluralistic, in as much as it insists upon the richness and complexity of the ethical while utilitarianism treats all values as ultimately commeasurable and of a single kind (Baron et al, p.201) Virtue Ethics and Kantian Ethics Kantian ethics which is another moral approach to morality that differs from virtue ethics, and can also be known as duty based ethics or deontology. It is a theory that focuses on rules not consequences like utilitarianism or character like virtue ethics. An action is either right or wrong not because of the consequences it produces, or the person in action, but because the act in itself is wrong. Kants ethics lays moral rules down that must be adhered to, for instance, do not lie, do not steal, and do not commit adultery. Kants ethics also follow that a person should do the right thing irrespective of the consequences that follow. For instance, if I had to tell a lie to save my life, it would go against Kantian doctrine. Immanuel Kant, believed that morality is a matter of following absolute rules rules that admit no exceptions, that must be followed come what may (Rachels, 1997, p.122). And according to the Kantian tradition, morality is based on a universal and impartial law of rationality (Crisp, Slote, 1997, p.1). The first point of differentiation is that while virtue ethics emphasize that persons rather than actions should be the primary focus of ethics and should address itself to the question, what sort of person should I be? rather than to the question what sorts of action should I do?(Baron, 1997, p.34). Kantian ethics is believed to focus more on rightness of an action than about virtuous character based on its principle of the Categorical Imperative which is the basis of all other rules. This principle aims to provide the right guidance on actions that are morally permissible. Wood writes: a moral imperative is categorical because its function is not to advice us how to reach some prior end of ours that is based on what we happen to want but to command us how to act irrespective of our wants or our contingent ends (2008, p.67) Another distinction between Kantian ethics and virtue ethics is their different understanding of the nature of character and that of a virtuous person. Baron states: many virtue ethicist have as their model of the virtuous person someone whose dispositions and temperaments are ideal; someone for whom acting virtuously is a second nature, and whose desires, tastes, likes, and dislikes, interests and manner just naturally are those of a virtuous personfor Kantians, being virtuous involves more conflict between ones desires and what one sees one should do; less automatic responses and more reflection (Baron et al, 1997, p.40). Also, unlike virtue ethicist, Kantians are believed to act out of duty and obligation. Baron states that virtue ethicist favour areteic terms (good, bad, virtuous, vicious) over deontic terms (right, wrong, duty, obligation) (Baron et al, 1997, p.34). Furthermore, another distinction has to do with motivation; a virtuous person does not act from duty rather he/she is motivated because they have desires that virtuous people have. The virtuous person has virtuous desires, and a right action is one that issues from virtuous desires (Baron et al, 1997, p.34). Virtue Ethics and Corruption Corruption is a global ethical problem in the sense that corruption is multicultural and is found in every strata of a society and every race. It can also be distinguished into different degrees which can be either minor or major forms of corruption, but no matter the distinguishing of varying degrees, no one is better off than the other. Corruption is corruption and should not be condoned. No one can claim ignorance to it since it is something that can be found in different levels and at varying degrees. Elliott writes: It occurs in democracies and military dictatorships, and at all levels of development and in all types of economic systems, from open capitalist economies such as that of the United States to centrally planned economies such as the former Soviet Unions (1997, p.1). Corruption has globalised in the past few years and has emerged as a global issue. Corruption does not have a singular universal definition but several authors have come up with different definitions that will sum up the concept of corruption. Several scholars have sought to define it but corruption is not a concept that can be confined to one simple definition because different people and offices define it differently, as it relates to them. Corruption can be defined by public opinion, as well as official law of nations and also as it affects the general public. Therefore there are different definitions of corruption. However, I will prefer to focus on public corruption, which is corruption by public officials. Public corruption is defined by Neild as: the breaking by public persons, for the sake of private financial or political gain, of the rules of conduct in public affairs prevailing in a society in the period under consideration (2002, p.5). Features of corruption can include c ronyism, bribery, fraud, nepotism, embezzlement, favouritism, trafficking. There have been a lot of suggestions and ways on how to tackle corruption; different organisations such as the OECD, Transparency International (TI), and European Union have initiated a lot anti-corruption reforms such as taxation, development aid, and  governance, however, it has not been as effective as it ought to be. This is where the need for the application of virtue ethics emerges. I believe that virtue ethics once combined with other anti corruption initiatives will effectively reduce the rate of corruption because virtue ethics is the only moral theory that encourages individuals to develop positive character traits, and if people do have good character they will not be involved in vices such as corruption, and although moral practices differ globally, there are still some character traits that are consistent and valued globally. For instance, virtues such as respect, courteousness or friendliness are universal. In Africa for example, it is a sign of respect for one to greet elders by kneeling down before them, while in South East Asia, it is by bowing. Both are respectful acts and although both acts differ because of their custom, their actions are a representation of the same values. This goes to exemplify how universal the virtue of respect is. So now that we have laid down the ground work of what virtue ethics is and what core virtues really are, we can suggest that virtue ethics can combat corruption alongside other anti corruption policies. Khan suggested: reducing the discretion of public officials through liberalization and privatization, Improving salaries of public officials, thereby addressing their low living standards in many cases, but also increasing the opportunity cost of corruption since they stand to lose their positions if detected, improving the rule of law so that corrupt bureaucrats and politicians can be prosecuted and punished, and encouraging greater transparency of government decision-making through deepening democratization, decentralization and the creation and encouragement of civil society watchdogs (http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/gdsmdpbg2420064_en.pdf). Since corruption is an abnormally in the morality of a society, moral reasoning is also needed to treat this issue. Dramer suggested: an ongoing ethics programme containing two main parts: a character development part aimed at developing dispositions, attitudes, habits or virtues such as honesty, loyalty, fairness, benevolence, conscientiousness and more, and a reasoning ability part aimed at (1) sensitising public servants to moral problems, (2) improving their analytical skills, and (3) developing their ethical imaginativeness (http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/40/15/2093526.pdf). Other forms of combating corruption seem to be about coercion and enforcement, but virtue ethics is a non-coercive method because it encourages individuals to develop morally acceptable ethical behaviour, which consequently will promote integrity. There seems to be no hitch in applying virtue ethics to this global ethical problem. Virtue Ethics and Euthanasia Another problem in global ethics is the issue of Euthanasia also known as mercy killing. Euthanasia is the act of ending someones life, especially someone who is sick or terminally ill to end their pain and suffering, thus when we define euthanasia, it should be as: death understood as a good or happy event for the one who dies (Foot, 1979, p.15). Euthanasia can be justified only if the person involved is undergoing so much pain that even drugs do not relieve him or her and if the prognosis of their health is declining. Euthanasia is classified into different types such as; voluntary euthanasia (whereby the patient is coherent enough to request for it), involuntary euthanasia (the person is not capable of giving consent, e.g. people in comas) and non-voluntary euthanasia (whereby it is imposed on the patient). It can be further classified into passive euthanasia or active euthanasia (Ladd, 1979, p.8). However, my analysis will be based on voluntary euthanasia which has been characterized by Tooley as a situation whereby a person in his normal reasoning has chosen to end his/her life because living does not pay off in the long run based on available prognosis (Tooley cited in Brock, 1979, p.101). Euthanasia has been through many debates, is ending the life of someone in great physical pain regarded as paying them a favour? One school of thought believes that if the patient actively ends their life because they can no longer bear to go through pain, it may be considered as suicide. On the other side of the coin, is the school of thought that believes that if the persons life is ended by someone else, it can be placed on the same shelf as murder. The question is can virtue ethics be applied to euthanasia? Stewart suggests: If the focus is on the virtues in play, the character of the patient, their families and friends and the doctors involved-and if the desire to have euthanasia stems from a virtuous character then it would be a good thing, a noble act, where active or passive, voluntary or involuntary (2008, p.91) As long as the decision to have euthanasia comes from a virtuous person, then it is the right thing to do, because a virtuous person always does the right thing. Hursthouse says that in tragic dilemmas a decision is right iff it is what a virtuous agent would decide, but the action decided may be too terrible to called right or good. I believe we should live a life of happiness, people living in misery cannot be said to be living in eudemonia, and so in such cases I believe eudemonia is compatible with euthanasia. If not giving euthanasia to a patient is going to make their life more painful and full of misery then it does not tally with Aristotles concept of human flourishing. Brink suggests: a valuable life consist in the possession of certain character traits, the exercise of certain capacities, and the development of certain relations with others and the world (Brink cited in Scarre, 1996, p.6). Living can only be considered flourishing if the patient goes through less pain, and if euthanasia seems to be the only option, then by all means, we should go down that route. It is out of the virtue of compassion that euthanasia is applied, and it is a courageous thing for the patient to do also, virtue ethics would promote a painless, peaceful way to end the patients life to alleviate suffering rather than an exit full of anguish. Virtue ethics is fine with euthanasia as long as it is done virtuously. According to Aristotle: an action is virtuous only if it is the right sort of action performed for the right sort of motive (Brody, 1988, p.35) Stewart states that different virtues are necessary in order to apply euthanasia; the virtue of courage is needed when the patient makes the decision on when to die, also the virtue of pride, and the virtue of wisdom to know when the right time is. As for the medical staff, virtues needed are professionalism, compassion and also wisdom. Family and friends would also need wisdom to advice the patient if they feel he/she is making the wrong decision (2008, p. 92) There is a bit of difficulty in applying virtue ethics to the issue of euthanasia, due to the fact that it does not present what the right time is for a person to be euthanized. It just says that the virtue of wisdom will be applied and this answer does not seem sufficient based on the reason that virtue ethics does not gives rules or directions on how things ought to be done. Aristotles theory emphasizes only one moral appeal which is an appeal to the virtues, and this feature is both its strength and weakness. Its weakness, apart from the question on whether it adequately defined the virtues, is that it fails to take into account the other many moral appeals which must be incorporated into any adequate moral theory (Brody, 1988, p.9) Also, concerning the virtues, there might be some conflict, in the sense that, courage needed for euthanasia is considered a virtue, what if the patient decides to be enduring? Or exercise more patience? Courage and patience are classified as virtueswhat then, does one do? This question is insufficiently answered by virtue ethics as relying upon the virtue of wisdom to prevail. I agree with Hursthouse, who states that: Charity prompts me to kill the person who would (truly) be better off dead, but justice forbids it. So virtue ethics fails to give me any guidance over the rightness or wrongness of euthanasiavirtue ethics lets us down just at the point where we need it the most, where we are faced with the really difficult moral quandaries and do not know what to do (1999, p.43) CONCLUSION In the beginning of this essay, I defined and analysed the concept of virtue ethics, and in the following paragraphs I attempted to distinguish between the three moral theories which are, utilitarianism, virtue ethics and kantianism by enumerating the features. I also tried to apply virtue ethics to two issues in global ethics which are corruption and euthanasia. Virtue ethics can be applied to some problems in global ethics like corruption and euthanasia because virtues are relevant to the moral evaluation of individuals and their actions (Brody, 1988, p.35), however, it wont be without some difficulties. In summary, I believe virtue ethics was compatible with corruption because I discovered that an ethics of virtue can reduce the rate at which corruption is globalising if public officials possess or develop certain virtues however; there seem to be difficulty applying it to euthanasia because of the many criticism of virtue ethics that I stated earlier, the major being that virtue ethics does not provide guidance. It only tells us to develop ones character but it seems to be vague.

Free College Essays - The Setting of Venice in Shakespeares Othello :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Othello

The Setting of Venice in Othello Othello is a fundamentally different character to all others in the play [1]. He is an outsider to Venice and therefore an outsider to the customs and society of Venice. In one way this is good for him. He is a renowned strong general who is much in demand from the Venetians. Rather than fight the war against the Turks for themselves, they hire Othello to do so, indicating that he is respected by the Venetians but not considered, as a civilized Venetian would be, above having to fight wars barbarically. This lack of cultural acceptance is indicated by the way Brabantio is willing to Îloveâ, invite to his house and ask him to tell battle stories. However, when there is the possibility of Desdemona marrying Othello, Brabantio is vehemently opposed, exclaiming; "Destruction on my head".[2] Venice is a haven of civilization, on the border with the land of heathenism and disputes. When Brabantio is told he has been robbed, he answers inconsistently; "What tellâst thou me of robbing? This is Venice; My house is not a grange." This not only shows that Venice is a quiet, civilized, uneventful place, but that its inhabitants (or at least Brabantioâs generation) believe it to be themselves.[ LINK TO 3] They live by a code of behavior and upbringing which views someone like Othello as barbarous, uncivilized, and almost amusing in a superior cultural kind of way. Every time a character calls Othello "the Moor" a sense of derision and superiority is conveyed and all the other feelings of distance inherent in Venetians.[4] Iago says that Desdemona is a "supersubtle Venetian"[5] as if the calculatedness of her thoughts and deeds were not too a feature of himself, which they certainly are. The implication is that civilised people are conniving and scheming people, and are in that sense understood to one another while this adds to the irony of the constant reference to Iago as "honest Iago". It also contrasts the Venetian way of social dealing with the open nature of Othello. Othello is clever, as his style and military prowess show but is to content of Venice he is na†¢ve. He is too trusting and misunderstands the subtleties of Venetian society it is the combination of his openness and decisiveness, pride and trustfulness that allows super subtle Iago to destroy him, powerful as Othello is. Free College Essays - The Setting of Venice in Shakespeare's Othello :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Othello The Setting of Venice in Othello Othello is a fundamentally different character to all others in the play [1]. He is an outsider to Venice and therefore an outsider to the customs and society of Venice. In one way this is good for him. He is a renowned strong general who is much in demand from the Venetians. Rather than fight the war against the Turks for themselves, they hire Othello to do so, indicating that he is respected by the Venetians but not considered, as a civilized Venetian would be, above having to fight wars barbarically. This lack of cultural acceptance is indicated by the way Brabantio is willing to Îloveâ, invite to his house and ask him to tell battle stories. However, when there is the possibility of Desdemona marrying Othello, Brabantio is vehemently opposed, exclaiming; "Destruction on my head".[2] Venice is a haven of civilization, on the border with the land of heathenism and disputes. When Brabantio is told he has been robbed, he answers inconsistently; "What tellâst thou me of robbing? This is Venice; My house is not a grange." This not only shows that Venice is a quiet, civilized, uneventful place, but that its inhabitants (or at least Brabantioâs generation) believe it to be themselves.[ LINK TO 3] They live by a code of behavior and upbringing which views someone like Othello as barbarous, uncivilized, and almost amusing in a superior cultural kind of way. Every time a character calls Othello "the Moor" a sense of derision and superiority is conveyed and all the other feelings of distance inherent in Venetians.[4] Iago says that Desdemona is a "supersubtle Venetian"[5] as if the calculatedness of her thoughts and deeds were not too a feature of himself, which they certainly are. The implication is that civilised people are conniving and scheming people, and are in that sense understood to one another while this adds to the irony of the constant reference to Iago as "honest Iago". It also contrasts the Venetian way of social dealing with the open nature of Othello. Othello is clever, as his style and military prowess show but is to content of Venice he is na†¢ve. He is too trusting and misunderstands the subtleties of Venetian society it is the combination of his openness and decisiveness, pride and trustfulness that allows super subtle Iago to destroy him, powerful as Othello is.

Business Entities Essay

As the manager of Acme Fireworks, I need to gather information to help the owner determine whether or not he should continue to be a sole proprietorship or if he should switch to another business entity. I will help him do so by explaining each entity and how they relate to his business situation. I am the manager of Acme Fireworks, a fireworks retailer who sells fireworks, puts on ground display fireworks, and large aerial display fireworks. The company started in the owner’s garage two years ago and now has 15 employees that you manage. The company started as a sole proprietorship, and the owner has never changed the entity. The owner has informed me that the company has received inquiries from several large businesses wondering if the company could create several fireworks displays on a regular basis. The owner told the inquirers that the company could fill such display orders, and a price per display was agreed upon. It was discussed that most of the cost for a fireworks display is for skilled labor, insurance, and the actual service of setting off the fireworks. No other details were discussed. The owner is anticipating that new employees will need to be hired, but he is worried that if the large orders for fireworks displays do not continue, the company will not have the funds to pay the new employees. The owner is now considering changing the business entity, but he does not know what entity to form or how to form it. The owner has asked me to do the following: Determine if the contracts with the businesses will be governed by common law or the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), and explain why. Analyze whether the owner formed a contract with the businesses, and apply the five essential elements of an enforceable contract. Explain the potential personal liability to Acme Fireworks if a spectator is injured by a stray firework  from a fireworks display. Discuss the different employment types and relationships relevant to agency law, and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each type specific to Acme Fireworks. Explain why Acme Fireworks should not operate as a sole proprietorship. Recommend a new business entity, and provide rationale to support your recommendation. To address the first concern the owner’s contract should be Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) rather than Common Law due to the following: â€Å"Contracts law principles in general are uniformly understood and applied across the United States. Contract Law is governed b y the common law and the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC Contracts vs Common Law Contracts, 2014).† â€Å"Common Law would lead to rejections if any changes were made to the contract (quantities, counter offers, etc.). Its terms include quantity, price, performance time, nature of work and identity of offer. Common Law does not allow revoking of the option contracts† (UCC vs Common Law, 2014). â€Å"Common Law is primarily used in real estate and the law is made by the decisions of judges in individual cases† (Rogers, 2012). â€Å"In Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) minor changes do not have any impact and the original contract does not get canceled. The quantity is the main focus of the term in UCC. Offers made by a firm are irrevocable if the deal is made in writing in UCC† (UCC vs Common Law, 2014). â€Å"Uniform Commercial Code is a statutory law for certain types of commercial transactions, including sales of goods, which has been adopted by all 50 states. Many of its rules are similar to Common Law, but it contains important differences† (Rogers, 2012). After reviewing both types of contracts I would advise the owner of Acme Fireworks to enter into a Uniform Commercial Code contract rather than a Common Law contract because it is a better type of contract for commercial needs. The next thing I am supposed to do is to analyze whether the owner formed a contract with the businesses, and to apply the five essential elements of an enforceable contract. â€Å"A contract is a legally enforceable agreement. A contract comes into existence from the voluntary assent of two or more individuals to enter into a legally binding agreement. Mutual accord is crucial to the formation of a contract. One party, referred to as the offeror, makes an offer –a business proposition- to another; the other, known as the offeree, accepts. Provided that the other three requirements are present (consideration, capacity, and legality), a valid contract is formed.† (Rogers, 2012) The  five elements of a contract are as follows: 1. Offer 2. Acceptance 3. Consideration 4. Legality 5. Capacity According to the owner of Acme Fireworks, an offer was made and accepted, they discussed price and display orders, labor and insurance, and they were all of sound mind. Whether or not the owner of Acme Fireworks realizes it or not, he has entered into an enforceable contract. The next thing I will get into is the personal liability aspect. At this moment in time Acme Fireworks is a sole proprietorship; this means that if a spectator is injured by a stay firework from a firework display the owner is fully responsible. In other words, his personal assets are not protected and could be sold to pay for the injuries that occurred. There are several different types of business entities that would better protect the owner’s assets if something like this would occur. â€Å"A sole proprietorship is the simplest form under which one can operate a business† (The Basics of Sole Propreitorships, 2014). It is not a legal entity and the person that owns the business is personally responsible for its debts. A partnership has at least two partners. In a general partnership, both parties would be equally liable for the businesses debts. In a limited partnership one partner would be the liable party and the others would just lose their investments. A Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) is sort of the middle ground. In an LLC the business is responsible for its own debts and the people that make up the LLC are not. (LLC Basics, 2014) This means that all of the businesses assets can be liquidated, but the owners personal assets cannot. A Corporations liability is equal to that of an LLC, but it is normally very large businesses that are interested in marketing that run corporations. It is for people who want their business or idea to go public. â€Å"A corporation is the most common form of business organization, and one which is chartered by a state and given many legal rights as an entity separate from its owners† (Investor Words, 2014). A Corporation is the most expensive form of business entity. According to all of the data that I have gathered about this business, I believe, as the manager of Acme Fireworks that it is best to change the business from a sole proprietorship to a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC). I think that this is the best way to go because the product that we are selling does have some potential danger and someone could get injured. As of right now if someone was to get injured then the owner of Acme Fireworks would be held responsible. If the owner was to switch to an LLC then the business would be liable and the owner would not. References: Investor Words. (2014, 12 1). Retrieved from What is Corporation: http://www.investorwords.com/1140/corporation.html LLC Basics. (2014, 12 1). Retrieved from Nolo: http://www.nolo.com/legaencyclopedia/llc-basics-30163.html Rogers, Suzy. (2012). Essentials of Business Law. San Diego : Bridgepoint Education Inc. The Basics of Sole Propreitorships. (2014, 12 1). Retrieved from Entrepreneur: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/77798 UCC Contracts vs Common Law Contracts. (2014, 12 1). Retrieved from The Presser Law Firm: http://www.assetprotectionattorneys.com/legal_business_counsel UCC vs Common Law. (2014, 12 1). Retrieved from Differences Between UCC and Common Law: http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/politics/

Apple Function and Form

Apple Function and Form Introduction Apple Inc. is a publicly listed American company specializing in the production of high technological electronic products, computer hardware, and software. The company sells software, Smartphone, e-Book readers, Electronic music, Computers, and other consumer electronics. An entrepreneur named Steve Jobs started up the corporation in the fiscal 1977 (Rich, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apple Function and Form specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Even though many products urbanized under his watch including PowerBook G3 and iMac online store, the company continues to rely on electronics and box computer to prevail in the market and make sales. The company has been bringing out cut-price versions of its Smartphone. Looking even further, the company is staking its future on new products that could take electronics and computing power even deeper into everyday lives of consumers (Antrs Helpman, 2004). The marketing aim of Apple Inc is to achieve a 20 percent market share in the next five years while the financial aim is to increase profitability by 15 percent through increased sales. This is anticipated to occur through a marketing plan as well as opportunities and problems that the company has researched on and identified. The marketing model involves five forces analysis that an organization uses in positioning the product. The functions of Apple are steered by specific organizational structure comprising of experienced marketing and sales officers. The success is measured through measurement controls and close monitoring of the implementation process. Nevertheless, Apple Inc anticipates changes in the market trends to come up with effective contingency plans (Mallin Finkle, 2011). The Apple business level strategy Marketing strategy is referred to as the process that allows firms to focus on limited resources and greatest opportunities to reach a sustainable competitive adva ntage that would augment sales or profitability. Apple marketing strategy is based on the positioning of Smartphone through differentiation.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The major consumer targets are professionals and students who need a state-of-art, convenient, secure, and internet-enabled Smartphone. The secondary consumer target entails the rural population who need quality but state-of-art Smartphone (Schonfeld, 2010). The Competitive advantage The growing technology in manufacturing and price threats has made Apple Inc to add new features and lower prices of Smartphone. The earlier establishment of strong brands and cheap cell phones by competitors such as Chinese Mobile is a factor to consider. Major competitors include Nokia, Samsung, HTC Corporation, LG, Motorola, and Sony Erickson. Though the market is highly competitive with new models entering the market, Apple Company is venturing into newly exploited market and innovative products that increase its competitive advantage (Apple Inc, 2010). The Model used at Apple Inc The Five force analysis The buyers’ power When the company opened its doors into the Smartphone industry, it offered the consumers innovative technology that disrupted the electronic industry. The products changed the platform requiring competitors to change their marketing strategies in order to remain relevant in the industry. The Smartphone industry presents the company with competitive forces (Debajani, 2012). Threat from new entrants The entrants present a threat to the existing market. It requires Apple to invest huge amounts of money to gain economies of scale that would enable it to make the entry of new firms almost impossible. This helps the company to maintain its domination of the market through new Smartphone. Any new company has to integrate technological advancements in the software markets (Ashcroft, 2011). Threat of Substitution The threat of substitute products is a challenge that Apple faces. All the competitors have a huge range of computing designs developed for different types of users. This requires the company to be continually innovative and be conscious of the prices. The users have the choice to decide whether their Smartphone are handheld computers or not (Barrios, Gà ¶rg Strobl, 2005). The purchasers’ power The company focuses on developing differentiated products. This makes the products to be outstanding and customers are offered products that suit individual tastes (Biswas, Fraser Mahajan, 2007). This makes customers to be less price-sensitive when buying products such as iPod, iPhone, and Macintosh as it is difficult to find a product with same features and style.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apple Function and Form specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apple uses a variety of suppliers in the manufacturing of Smartphone and portable music players. This translates to less bargaining power by suppliers since it is not limited to a single supply of computer components. Competitive rivalry Regardless of the intense competition, Apple Inc has won substantial market share and strengthens its brand image among the targeted market segments. The 3-G network system and touch interface are the important point of differentiation in the competition. Offering a variety of Smartphone models is also a strong competitive edge to win a wide customer base. Besides, the entire world recognizes Apple brands thus it can exploit this position to compete (Linzmayer, 2006). The Marketing Strategies at Apple The only business target Apple Inc has is the entrepreneur or small business owners. These persons need to convey and store information frequently through cost effective means. Their taste for phones is Smartphone that can allow internet access and other small functions ak in to calculations. These consumers also use the phone for other purposes other than for business. The phone is also the family phone and ease of use is particularly important to this market segment. The authors have a good say on several strategies put in place by the corporation (Ruckman, 2004). Positioning Through Smartphone differentiation, the iPhone Xi is placed as the most suitable, cost efficient, value-increased, and technological phone for proficient and personal use. The marketing strategy underlines the ease of use, integrating touch interface, internet enabling, Linux operating system, and GPRS differentiating the Apple Smartphone. Product strategy The Smartphone models include all the characteristics described in the product review part and differentiated according to the differing needs of the target markets. The Smartphone iPhone Xi is offered with a one-year warranty.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More All the models are produced with an emphasis on Apple quality mark. An important part in the product strategy is to strengthen Apple brand image. The brand and logo are displayed in all Smartphone models and reinforced in the marketing campaign. Pricing strategy The Smartphone iPhone Xi ranges between 200 and 800 dollars as the estimated price per unit phone depending on the model. This price is lowered from the earlier price of 1,000 dollars since the product introduction in 2010. As Apple expands the product line, it is expected to reduce the price per unit phone. The pricing strategy aims at attracting emerging consumers due to economic boom and increased market share from major competitors. The combinations of pricing strategy and mark of quality have a contribution in winning customer loyalty (Dziri, 2011). Place strategy The distribution strategy is to open various distribution subsidiaries in the market and vend products directly to consumers. The new channel of distribution is enhanced through continued mini-campaigns across the market. The firm continues to uses agents when the implementation process rises. Subramanian observes how the world population is becoming more sensitive to IT. The company has opened an online store to exploit the opportunity created by online shoppers (Blonigen, 2001). Promotion strategy For Smartphone promotion, the corporation implements two different strategies. The Company appointed DDB Mudra Group and used print media aggressively to advertise new Smartphone models. This has helped in building brand awareness by focusing on the greatest and latest advertising campaigns meant for Smartphone, iPhone Xi, and implementing a communication adaptation strategy.Through the integrated marketing strategy, Apple expects to create much anticipation about the iPhone Xi and increase brand awareness in the marketplace. Marketing Research Through extensive market research, Apple identifies the needs, specific features, and expectations that market segments value. The primary research is through surveys, market tests, and focus groups that are carried out in all the potential market areas. The company also determines and analyzes customers’ perception towards other competing brands. The secondary market research involves brand awareness research and customer satisfaction studies. Feedback from the primary research helps Apple in developing Smartphone models (Arregle, Hebert Beamish, 2006). Through brand awareness research, it is possible to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization marketing campaign. The strategy strengths Apple Inc has grounded its strategies based on three important strengths as discussed below. Strong brand portfolio Apple Inc has a wide range of cell phones that are recognized and respected across the world. The iPhone Xi in particular comprises of a variety of models designed according to the varying needs of the customer (Apple Inc, 2012). Robust production capab ilities Being the largest manufacturer of Smartphone in the world, the firm suggests its powerful production capabilities. This is important in ensuring the balance of demand and supply of the company product (Gormley, 2010). Strong focus on RD The active involvement in research and development ensures that Apple Inc. differentiates its product through innovation. This strength is also imperative for enhanced quality as the Unique Selling Propositions. The advantages Apple Inc draws several advantages from the applied marketing strategies. However, the firm faces a number of disadvantages. Hasten demand for Smartphone Apple economic explosion has resulted in increased changes in consumer behavior. The low-income earners who could not have afforded to buy a Smartphone have enough to do it presently (Marco, 2013). Mounting use of the internet Apple can exploit these strategies to combine the production capabilities with research and development. Thus, demand is increasing with very fe w manufacturers responding to it (Chen Mujtaba, 2007). Continued economic growth Apple economy keeps growing hence increased incomes and job opportunities. This enables new consumers to enter the Smartphone market and expand prospects (Henry, 2008). The disadvantages Listless performance Apple Inc suffers from slow performance in some marketplaces compared to other competitors. The focus of Apple has been on large cities, which denies the firm the opportunity of exploiting the upcoming rural populace. Frail brand image The latest brand image of Apple is extremely weak among consumers like Indians. The weakness is highly effective since the brand image is decisive in a competitive milieu (Blomstermo, Sharma Sallis, 2006). Meager cash flows All through the growth stage of the product lifecycle, Apple Inc invests in an enormous awareness campaign. The funding therefore causes imbalance between the expenses and returns achieved from rummage sales (Bernard Jensen, 2007). Recommendatio n The changing consumer trends and market shifts require corporate strategies that will respond to these dynamics and ensure that the firm achieves competitive advantages. Among the trickiest industry is the electronic industry that is characterized by big firms that are swift in responding to the marketing changes. In this industry, Apple Inc. can only adopt the best-cost strategy to increase its competitive advantages since consumers are increasingly becoming price sensitive and many competitors are pursuing low-cost strategies. The firm should also integrate the developmental and marketing plans in order to focus on the best value while reducing the prices of products. Within this strategy, the firm should retool its products to attract a wider range of consumer segments as it maintains low prices for the majority low-income earners. Avoidance of the unexpected risks from natural calamities is also important. Therefore, Apple ought to include stakeholders like OEM partners to dis tribute the impacts caused by such calamities (Mallin Finkle, 2011). Conclusion Apple Inc. has been competing with the other marketing players for dominant shares. In order to increase its market shares, Apple uses diverse marketing strategies including advertising, public relations, and sales promotions. The company is using innovative advertising to attract and inform the customers about products both in mass and digital media. The firm uses corporate social responsibility to appeal to many people as a method of maintaining public reputation. The success of Apple Inc. in marketing improves its goodwill and attracts public attention. Apple Inc thus provides special offers as a good way to stimulate and retain customers’ loyalty. References Antrs, P, Helpman, E, 2004, â€Å"Global sourcing,† Journal of Political Economy, vol.112 no.2, pp.552-580. Apple Inc 2012, The new, faster MacBook air, https://www.apple.com/. Apple Inc. 2010, 2010 annual report, United States Se curities and Exchange Commission, Washington, DC. Arregle, J, Hebert, L Beamish, P 2006, â€Å"Mode of international entry: the advantages of multilevel methods,† Management International Review, vol.46 no.5, pp.597-611. Ashcroft, J 2011, Apple Inc. the case study 2000-2010. Web. Barrios, S, Gà ¶rg, H Strobl, E 2005, â€Å"Foreign direct investment, competition and industrial development in the host country,† European Economic Review, vol.49 no.1, pp.1761-1784. Bernard, A Jensen, B 2007, â€Å"Firm structure, multinationals, and manufacturing plant deaths,† Review of Economic and Statistics, vol.89 no.1, pp.103-204. Biswas, R, Fraser, D Mahajan, A 2007, The international market for corporate control: evidence from acquisitions of financial firms, Global Finance Journal, vol.8 no.1, pp.33-54. Blomstermo, A, Sharma, D Sallis, J 2006, â€Å"Choice of foreign market entry mode in service firms,† International Marketing Review, vol.23 no.2, pp.211-213. B lonigen, B 2001, â€Å"In search of substitution between foreign production and exports,† Journal of International Economics, vol.53 no.2, pp.81-104. Chen, L Mujtaba, B 2007, â€Å"The choice of entry mode strategies and decisions for international market expansion,† Journal of American Academy of Business, vol.10 no.2, pp.322-344. Debajani, S 2012, â€Å"Strategic change of campaign at Apple Inc,† The Indian Journal of Management, vol.5 no.2.), pp.38-48. Dziri, R 2011, Avoiding strategic drifts in a hypercompetitive market: analysis of apple’s position in the mobile phone industry and suggestions, GRIN Verlag, Munich. Gormley, T 2010, The impact of foreign bank entry in emerging markets: evidence from India, Journal of Financial Intermediation, vol.19 no.1, pp.26-51. Henry, A 2008, Understanding strategic management, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UKt. Linzmayer, O 2006, Legend of Apple, Qinghua University Press, Beijing, China. Mallin, M Finkle, T 2 011, â€Å"Apple Inc: product portfolio analysis,† Journal of the International Academy for Case Studies, vol.17 no.7, pp.63-74. Marco, T 2013, How Apple stretched its wings with the iPhone 5s, Macworld, vol.30 no.12, pp.24-25. Rich, K 2012, â€Å"Apple without jobs first trillion-dollar company,† Forbes, vol.190 no.8, pp. 34-34. Ruckman, K 2004, Mode of entry mode into a foreign market: the case of U.S. mutual funds in Canada, Journal of International Economics, vol.62 no.2, pp.417-432. Schonfeld, E. (2010). SmartPhone sales up 24 percent, iPhone’s share nearly doubled last year, https://techcrunch.com/.

Fount of Wisdom

Fount of Wisdom Fount of Wisdom Fount of Wisdom By Maeve Maddox Kathryn Doyle writes: Ive heard or read this expression and its taken up residence in my subconscious. But Im not finding it in Websters. Where did it come from? Is it font or fount or do I need to exorcize it? Ex. Font of wisdomor Font of information. My immediate response was fount, of course! Fount is a poetic form of fountain. The expression fount of wisdom immediately makes me think of this quotation from Alexander Pope: A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: Pope was writing for readers who knew their classics. Pieria is a district of the Greek region of Macedonia just north of Mount Olympus, regarded as the home of the Muses in Greek and Roman mythology. Hence: of or relating to the Muses, or (by extension) poetry and learning; poetic. Pierian spring n. the fountain or source of poetic inspiration (usu. in figurative context). OED So, fount of wisdom is the only correct spelling for me, but the answer to Kathryns question is not so simple, as can be seen in these definitions: fount: [fount] 1. a. A spring or source of water issuing from the earth and collecting in a basin, natural or artificial; also, the head-spring or source of a stream or river. Now arch. or poet. exc. fig. font: font   [fÃ… nt] 1. basin, O.E. font, from L. fons (gen. fontis) fountain (see fountain), especially in M.L. fons baptismalis baptismal font. 2. typeface, 1683, from M.Fr. fonte, fem. pp. of fondre melt (see found (2)). So called because all the letters were cast at the same time. (In England usually fount.) Since even a font of type can be spelled as a fount of type in England, I dont think that any hard and fast rule can apply. Image and pronunciation can probably be allowed to prevail. Do you see the figurative source of wisdom or information as a welling spring of water, or as a filled basin? Are you saying the word with the /ow/ sound of fount or the short o of font? Ill stick with fount, but Id hesitate to fault the speaker/writer who goes with font. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who†Telling a Good Poem from a Bad OneWood vs. Wooden

Censorship an argument for censorship of media on violence against Research Paper

Censorship an argument for censorship of media on violence against women - Research Paper Example While liberalists argue that censorship is an infringement against freedom of expression, the paper takes a stand that unrestricted depiction of violence against women will only fuel the patriarchal superiority of men in a particular society. Hence a certain level of restriction, even if it is an apparent infringement of freedom of expression is deemed necessary. Introduction: Gender equality is a term that one often hears nowadays. The concept has been around for decades, even though its practical relevance even in modern societies is circumspect. Women’s rights group have, over the years, made great strides in empowering women in various activities of human endeavor. Jobs and tasks, once the exclusive prerogative of men are now being opened up to the ‘fairer sex’ as well. ... This embodiment is inflicted on almost every part of the body. Women wear lipstick, curl their eyelashes, do all sorts of things with their hear like dyeing, curling, straightening etc, eyes are shadowed or lined, use high heel or ill fitting shoes, resort to body piercing and even cosmetic surgery and silicon implantation, all in the name of beauty. The author argues that most of these practices are not only physically and mentally harmful, but also degrading to women. These practices are encouraged by the fashion industry, the art world and even women’s and girlie magazines. Moreover, writing against them results mainly in resentment and opposition even from the so called feminists. Jeffrey says that â€Å"Beauty and Misogyny could well fit into precisely those feminist writings which are criticized because I am arguing here that ideologies of beauty and fashion such as those circulated through popular culture do subordinate women, however passionately those women may adher e to then and cut up their bodies in response† (Jeffreys, 15). Violence against women: The above argument was given just to show the element of male superiority and female inferiority in today’s societies. Violence against women is not just passion, but an act of dominance (Riley). The author argues that the aspect is much deeper than pure censorship of media portraying violence against women. The lack of choice in a male dominated society makes women more vulnerable to violence in various forms (Berry. 13). Other arguments over the power of the media to influence males to be influenced by media are also available. The basic argument is that there is no â€Å"simple, direct and casual relationship between the media and

Nike Inc. Company Profile Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nike Inc. Company Profile - Research Paper Example In total Nike has over 300 stores worldwide excluding independent distributors, dealers and whole sellers. (Shareholders’ Report, 2010) Nike Incorporation popularly known as Nike is a USA based world’s largest manufacturing company, formed in 1968, of sports apparel, shoes and accessories having mammoth 67% share in international market. Indeed, the company has become a pioneer designer, producer and seller of, primarily, sportswear, equipment, bags, and athletic footwear products. The global player supplies it products in 180 nations having 323 stores outside USA and has been actively participating in promotion of sporting and leisure activities, since its very inception. Nike recorded phenomenal growth during 1970s and 1980s because of sound business strategies and practices of its major strategic planners. Indeed, the major reason behind Nike’s phenomenal success is focus on quality and excellent marketing that persuaded the customers to switch toward Nike’s premium brands. (Shareholders’ Report, 2010) Since, Nike has been operational in over 180 nations, it has employed highly educated, experienced and professional personnel who administer, manage and control entire production and supply chain. The Board consists of 10 independent Directors and ‘one outside director who is not independent’. The Chairman of company is Philip H. Knight, while Mark G. Parker enjoys the responsibility of President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Here is the list that includes names of all 13 top managers. (Shareholders’ Report, 2010) To become world’s leading supplier of sports apparel, equipment, shoes and related accessories by producing and selling top quality premium products across the globe. To value our customers so that they receive satisfaction from our want-satisfying optimal quality and durable branded