France Past Present and Future Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

France Past Present and Future - Research Paper Example It started with the formation of Occidental France which came into existence due to Treaty of Verdun in the year 843.The first kings were called the Capetians, who came into power with a lot of aspirations to expand their territories. They exerted much pressure on churches,towns and the people who existed in those days.This kingdom was regularly faced with challenges due to inflation from kings of England. The re-annexations of Languedoc and Normandy in the 13th century marked an important step in the unification of the kingdom. In the 9th century, France lost the County of Barcelona.Later, Louis XI re-captured it back together with his other prerogatives. The prerogatives gained back were Burgundy, Anjou and Provence which from 1481-1482 had been part of the Holy Roman Empire. Further unification of the kingdom came about when Anne of Brittany got married to Charles VIII first and later to the Louis XII. Earlier the two had remained as distinct regions but that marriage brought about the annexation of the two into the French Kingdom in the year 1532. Louis XIV and Richelieu from 1635-1748 embarked on a mission to further expand the territories of the French Kingdom towards the Rhine and the north.This is because after the French had lost the French Flanders in 1526, the Austrian royal houses situated near f the French Capital had started to pose some danger. Later between the year 1648 and 1789 other territories such as the Alsace, Franche-Comtà © and Artois were annexed into the French Kingdom.The annexation of Duchy of Lorraine came in 1766 and together with the purchase of Corsica in 1768 led to formation of a strong consolidated block. The period of French Revolution by the First Empire enabled French Kingdom toexpand temporarily on the left bank of River Rhine.The kingdom during this period remained somehow stable until 1789 when it became vague due to lack of a particular line.In 1815,

Napoleonic paintings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Napoleonic paintings - Essay Example The genre of this picture is history painting for it contains human figure besides representing the nature in its correct form. Moreover, the painting has a subject matter that is more significant to the viewer for instance; it reflects the history of the Napoleonic war era. Upright rectangular landscape elongated to feature other images of warring soldiers seen in the background. Besides the landscape is bear and has a climbing. The image is in dynamic energy, which is evident from the posture of the picture. Exaggerated moonlight achieved by the use of bright colours is evident intelligent use of brushwork to reveal the strong physiques of the horse, its rider, and propaganda words written on the ground.Through the little, natural, soft and direct light besides lack of shadow, the viewer is able to guess the time of the day. The viewer recognizes different obstacles or objects in the picture using varied colours ranging from bright to dark. The picture symbolises the Napoleon war e ra in whereby Jacques-Louis David uses the horse to cross to the war zone. The painting was done by Jacques-Louis David showing Bonaparte crossing the Alps waters in between 1800 and 1801 besides, which is an oil canvas done on a sheet measuring 260 by 221cm. The picture depicts a portrait painting in that the artist made the whole image to be the main or specific point of concern. It shows the full body of Bonaparte resulting to being a portrait painting. The artist uses an upright rectangular background that is enough.

Challenges international students face Essay Example for Free

Challenges international students face Essay Introduction: This report has been written to lay out the difficulties, those international students face in their desire to pursue further education in the United Kingdom. The challenges that are outlined in this report are by no means limited to the areas chosen. The justification for writing this report lays in the fact that firstly there is a need to sustain and increase the number of students that actually come into the United Kingdom for their studies, as this makes an income for the government (Michele Schweisfurth, 2009). The  second is that the quality of education being offered is the United Kingdom is being improved by the diversity of international students. The International students, who are studying at University College Birmingham (UCB) average in the 1100 students range and from 65 different countries, meaning there is a wide range of challenges involved in studying in the UK. Thus, this report was written to investigate the challenges faced and discuss those complications, to suggest possible solutions to make the transition period smoother. The four main areas that will be covered are teaching styles, financial difficulties, language problems and the weather in the United Kingdom. The report has 3 sections; Firstly, methodology to explain the methods which are used, secondly, finding and analysing data and finally, conclusions and recommendation for international students. Methodology: This report uses both primary and secondary sources. The primary research was carried out by the use of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed in a way which made it easy to analyse and less time consuming than other methods (Bell, 2005). The questions were of a specific nature, ensuring the sample gained was relative, as primary research, and allowed the author to research the specific areas selected. Denscombe (2007) states that a questionnaire, includes the fact and opinions of participants. 12 questions were asked, this is to reduce the time taken for respondents and does not allow them to be bored, as Denscombe, (2007, p.163) says â€Å"The questions will not be irritating or annoying for the respondents to answer†, this ensure that the respondents answer accurately and do not answer hastily, in order to finish the questionnaire swiftly. The target set by the university in terms of questionnaires to collate was 30, this allows the author to collate a relative sam ple, in terms of the amount of responses. Therefore I printed and handed out a total of 45 copies, using a random sampling distribution method and collated 30. For the most part, the questions asked were of a closed nature as they are easier to answer as they are not of a personal nature and have limited response choices (Tomas, 2009). There were a small number of closed questions which then followed with an open question, such as how does the weather affect your daily life, this allows further probing into the main issues, and to allow respondents to give their personal  reflective views. The questionnaire was tested by my peers to check its comprehension and grammar, it was found to be mostly comprehensive although some questions were amended to make them more specific and the correction of small grammatical errors. The secondary research was in the form of 6 academic journal articles, as directed by the University. The importance of secondary research is it is un-biased and can be very useful in supporting the author’s findings. They have all been utilised within my four main topics except the weather, as there is no information within them about this topic. The sources themselves are in depth and have covered some a wide array of issues with international students. The sources are current, valid and support authors opinions and they are readily available on the UCB online library, allowing access whenever it is needed. Findings and Research: English Language: Learning the native country’s language is higher on the list of priorities of international students, who wish to gain academic success. Andrade (2006) says even if it is over a short period of time, this positive motivation enables them to progress not only academically but also with the native culture. As a whole communication skills will be improved considerably (Zhang Mi, 2010), who mention, that acquiring English language focuses on four skills; Firstly, speaking, which is the ability to discuss, present and interact in lectures. Secondly, listening, that there is an understanding of the lecturer and the subject matter is comprehendible Third, reading, both with a good level of comprehension and a good level of speed. Fourth, writing, being able to take notes from lectures and then compose essays. The International students will expect that some complex situations may arise after their arrival to the UK that will resolve with time. For example, the bar chart (see figure 1, p.7) illustrates the result derived from question 5, that speed is the main problem relating to language skills, in addition Schweisfurth Gu (2009) did a survey to discover how many international students are apprehensive of speaking the natives language, before they leave for that country, the results showed that less than 10% were confident with their language skill level, which only slightly rose after the students settled, especially in the areas of discussion and answering questions from  the lecturers. Ramachandran (2011) argues, that even with additional English training or achieving a higher score in IELTS/ TOEFL, does not help them with problems in a learning environment, since they were instructed by a non-native speaker or not in a similar environment. Once students gained speed in conversing will they have the confidence of the host language, the confidence with the language would have most likely prevented difficult situations occurring, and thus reducing stress levels for the student. In contrast, Zhang Mi (2010) cite that speaking is the most difficult skill for example; participating in class discussions or performing oral presentations within the first year, but that improves with the support from lecturers and peers, this is supported by the primary research which showed speaking was time after time one of the main responses given by respondents, as shown in figure 2. In addition, there is a 75% decrease over time of overseas students, who feel participating in discussions was useful for improving skill level (Schweisfurth Gu, 2009). In addition, Ramachandran (2011) records some additional studies in language skills, that shows that those students who are equipped with an advanced level in the skills, have fewer troubles, as they have already studied in their local provision, but their scope to progress any further in their country is limited. However after collecting the data from question 4, the results clearly show that writing is the most difficult skill for international students from UCB (see figure 2, p.7). Zhang Mi (2010) also found similar results that writing was the most difficult skill and it did not seem to improve significantly over time. Figure 1. The Main Language Barrier Figure 2. Most Difficult English Language Skill Financial Difficulties: In addition to the wide array of issues international students face, they also have the added pressure of the soaring costs of living (Smith Khawaja, 2011). The bBritish currency is fairly expensive, in comparison to the international students home currency, so understandably this is a major concern for them, not surprisingly the results for question 8 (figure 3,  p.9) show that less than 10% percent of the students find that the living cost are not expensive, these students were from affluent countries. Whereas just over 90% percent of students believe living in the United Kingdom is too expensive. Schweisfurth and Gu (2009) also validate that approximately 69% of students worried about finances before arrival, the results of the questionnaire clearly show this. Schweisfurth Gu (2009) state university fees in the UK are double what they would cost in comparison to their home country, and that 59% of international students make it to the end of the first term, the other 41% disco ntinued their studies due to financial pressures and returned home. Ramachandran (2011) recommends that the teaching team inform all students of the specific details of their programme and any other matters that would be helpful in managing their finances. For example renting an apartment that is not near the University because it is cheaper, but not factoring in the additional transport costs. However, most international students would prefer to live closer to the university and this is shown in the higher accommodation costs (figure 4, p.9) where a small amount of students are paying more than  £600 each month for accommodation, maybe for a number of reasons, either very close to the university or in a city centre location. So, the author found from question 9 that if students pay more in the rent, they will are more likely to be living closer to the university. Ramachandran (2011) mentions that students can reduce transport costs by living close to the university as well as other resources, such as the internet being available. Figure 3. Percentage of students who find the cost of living high Figure 4. Accommodation Costs Weather in the UK: The colder weather can be a culture shock for the international student, in comparison to their home countries weather, which will most definitely by warmer than the weather in the UK. Essentially, within the secondary research, there was no mention of this topic. As many international student come from hot climates, they would be an expectation that they would not like the weather in the UK, however, they were asked about liking weather in  question 10 and the results show that more than half do like the weather in the UK (see figure 5, p.11). Linking this onto question 11, where participants were asked if the weather affected their daily life, the results showed that three quarters of respondents answered yes to this question (see figure 6 p.11). International students may come from a climate where the seasons do not change as frequently as the UK’s. This then in turn affects things such as wardrobe issues, meaning having to purchase different clothes for different seasons. These are some of the responses for the question in hand: â€Å"It is cold, I cannot go for a run and the wind is also very strong† â€Å"I always have to carry an umbrella every day in my bag† On the whole the participants found that they preferred to stay at home, when the weather was cold, and it had an effect on their mood. Figure 5. Students who like the weather in the UK Figure 6. Does the weather affect you Teaching Style: The Teaching style, here in the UK, is very different to the teaching styles many of the international students are used to ;( see figure 7 pg.13) this can be in an already stressful time, something which the students struggle to adapt to, alongside other issues already cited. Smith et al (2010) found students found it difficult to adjust to the interactive teaching style and critical thinking approach within the UK, and also Students find lack of respect from home students to teaching staff unnerving, as in their home countries, teaching staff get the upmost respect. Narayanan T.Ramachandran (2011) many academic staff wonders why international students prefer to talk to them in private instead of raising academic issues in the class. When academic staff refuses to see students who attempt to meet them outside their office hours and without prior appointment, students may feel insulted or start believing that the staff are not forthcoming Ramsay et al. (1999) found that student’s difficulties understanding lectures  in terms of vocabulary and speed, and with tutors who spoke too fast or gave too little input. In home countries teaching styles will differ, something the international student will have to get to grips with sooner rather than later, further findings found international students dislike group work (Sarkodie-Mensah, 1998), referring back to the primary research it would appear the results were (see figure 8 pg.13) that within the sample listening to lectures was the most difficult, followed by discussions and seminar and finally note taking. This would support the secondary research statement. Amongst other issues found, it was cited that Professors did not recognise the emotional and psychological problems experienced and identified by international students such as stress, homesickness, isolation and finances, all of which are potentially detrimental to learning, Robertson et al (2000), it would appear that all the issues ultimately impact on the students learning and should be taken into consideration within at least the first year of study. (Figure 7) Is the teaching style in the UK, different to that of your country Figure 7. Is the teaching style in the UK, different to that of your country Figure 8. Teaching Method found difficult Conclusions and recommendations: In conclusion it was clearly notable that the main language barriers were speaking, however this was only a main issue at the start of the learning programme and it would then improve with time and support from teaching staff, but the real issue to be noted is that writing skills took a lot longer and only improved slightly, but with a noted effort. In the UK the cost of living is expensive however it should be fully researched in terms of what support they are entitled to and a realistic budget should be put in place, should they need to they can also work part time, which will not only help improve their English skills, encourage new friendships and stop them from getting homesick. With regards to the weather, it clearly showed that most the students did not mind the weather in the UK however it did impact on their daily life, and they had to adapt in terms of clothing. The author would like to recommend that students understand the UK has seasons and pack their wardrobe to this effect, as to not waste money on adjusting to the  climate on arrival. In terms of teaching style, there were some real issues notes here, students were struggling with the vast array of teaching methods and did not feel confident in lectures, discussion or note taking all of which have a direct impact on learning, the author suggests having some small group sessions introducing students to those methods, so they can raise any issues they find, rather than it go unnoticed. In summary the author advises for international student to research all aspects of studying in the UK, to be well prepared on arrival. Learners should also note that if they set goals, that all the hard work they pu t in will be worthwhile, upon successful completion. (2,437 words) References: Andrade, M. S. (2006) International Students in English-speaking universities: Adjustment factors. Journal of Research in International Education. Vol. 5, No.2, pp.131-154 Bell, J. (2005) Doing your Research Project, Fourth Edition. Open University Press, Maidenhead. Denscombe, M. (7007) The Good Research Guide, Third Edition. Open University Press, Maidenhead. Ramachandran, N. T. (2011) Enhancing international students’ experiences: An imperative agenda for universities in the UK. Journal of Research in International Education. Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 201-220 Schweisfurth, M. and Gu, Q. (2009) Exploring the Experiences of international students in the UK higher education: possibilities and limits of interculturality in university life. Intercultural Education. Vol. 20, No. 5, pp. 463-473 Smith, R. A. and Khawaja, N. G. (2011) A review of the acculturation experiences of international student. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. Vol. 35, No. 6, pp.699-713

Assignment on Training and Development within Vodafone

Assignment on Training and Development within Vodafone Human Resource Management (HRM), a relatively new term, that emerged during the 1930s. Many people used to refer it before by its traditional titles, such as Personnel Administration or Personnel Management. But now, the trend is changing. It is now termed as Human Resource Management (HRM). Human Resource Management is a management function that helps an organization select, recruit, train and develops. Human Resource Management is defined as the people who staff and manage organization. It comprises of the functions and principles that are applied to retaining, training, developing, and compensating the employees in organization. It is also applicable to non-business organizations, such as education, healthcare etc. Human Resource Management is defined as the set of activities, programs, and functions that are designed to maximize both organizational as well as employee effectiveness Scope of HRM without a doubt is vast. All the activities of employee, from the time of his entry into an organization until he leaves, come under the horizon of HRM. The divisions included in HRM are Recruitment, Payroll, Performance Management, Training and Development, Retention, Industrial Relation, etc. Out of all these divisions, one such important division is training and development. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT is a subsystem of an organization. It ensures that randomness is reduced and learning or behavioral change takes place in structured format. TRADITIONAL AND MODERN APPROACH OF TRAINING AND DEVLOPMENT Traditional Approach Most of the organizations before never used to believe in training. They were holding the traditional view that managers are born and not made. There were also some views that training is a very costly affair and not worth. Organizations used to believe more in executive pinching. But now the scenario seems to be changing. The modern approach of training and development is that Indian Organizations have realized the importance of corporate training. Training is now considered as more of retention tool than a cost. The training system in Indian Industry has been changed to create a smarter workforce and yield the best results TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES The principal objective of training and development division is to make sure the availability of a skilled and willing workforce to an organization. In addition to that, there are four other objectives: Individual, Organizational, Functional, and Societal. Individual Objectives help employees in achieving their personal goals, which in turn, enhances the individual contribution to an organization. Organizational Objectives assist the organization with its primary objective by bringing individual effectiveness. Functional Objectives maintain the departments contribution at a level suitable to the organizations needs. Societal Objectives ensure that an organization is ethically and socially responsible to the needs and challenges of the society. Role of HRD Professionals in Training This is the era of cut-throat competition and with this changing scenario of business; the role of HR professionals in training has been widened. HR role now is: 1. Active involvement in employee education 2. Rewards for improvement in performance 3. Rewards to be associated with self esteem and self worth 4. Providing pre-employment market oriented skill development education and post employment support for advanced education and training 5. Flexible access i.e. anytime, anywhere training The HR functioning is changing with time and with this change, the relationship between the training function and other management activity is also changing. About Vodafone Vodafone Group Plc is the worlds leading mobile telecommunications company, with a significant presence in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and the United States through the Companys subsidiary undertakings, joint ventures, associated undertakings and investments. The Groups mobile subsidiaries operate under the brand name Vodafone. In the United States the Groups associated undertaking operates as Verizon Wireless. During the last few years, Vodafone Group has entered into arrangements with network operators in countries where the Group does not hold an equity stake. Under the terms of these Partner Market Agreements, the Group and its partner operators co-operate in the development and marketing of global products and services, with varying levels of brand association. At 30 September 2009, based on the registered customers of mobile telecommunications ventures in which it had ownership interests at that date, the Group had 323 million customers, excluding paging customers, calculated on a proportionate basis in accordance with the Companys percentage interest in these ventures. The Companys ordinary shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Companys American Depositary Shares (ADSs) are listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market. The Company had a total market capitalisation of approximately  £71.2 billion at 12 November 2009. Vodafone Group Plc is a public limited company incorporated in England under registered number 1833679. Its registered office is Vodafone House, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2FN, England. Vodafone Training and development We provide training and development opportunities to help our employees gain new skills and experiences, and encourage them to reach their full potential. Vodafone offers a wide range of online courses related to specific aspects of the business or key skill sets. Performance Dialogues All employees complete an annual Performance Dialogue with their line manager, enabling them to review their performance annually and set clear goals and development plans for the year ahead. The process ensures our people can make a clear connection between their goals and Vodafones business objectives. Development Boards Vodafone employees with key skills are discussed at an annual Development Board, where their line managers rate their performance and potential. We use this information to identify employees with leadership potential in each local operating company. These employees are encouraged to complete leadership development training, such as Inspire. Inspire leadership development Inspire is a global programme designed to identify and develop high potential employees and accelerate their progression into leadership roles. Participants take part in a three-month international rotation and receive commercial training and personalised leadership development through Imperial College, Oxford Said Business School and the Hay Group. They also gain from exposure to and learning from members of our Executive Committee. The programme promotes cross-cultural understanding within Vodafone and encourages employees to take advantage of the breadth of experience across the Group. Promoting career opportunities within Vodafone We want people to develop at Vodafone and promote recruitment from within. This encourages people to progress their careers within the company, either through promotion or a change of role to broaden their experience. All vacancies across Vodafone are advertised on the job-posting page of our global intranet, which encourages the transfer of talent across the Group. Equal opportunities and diversity We believe employee diversity is an asset to our business. Men and women of various ages from different backgrounds and cultures, with a range of different experiences, help us understand and serve our customers around the world. We have a strategy to improve diversity and inclusion across the Group. It aims to ensure Vodafones workforce reflects its diverse customer base, and that the company has an inclusive working environment that embraces the benefits diversity brings. Vodafone aims to create a working culture that respects the value of differences among colleagues and encourages individuals to contribute their best within an environment that is inclusive, open, flexible and fair. We will not tolerate discrimination or unfair treatment on any grounds. Employees must act with integrity and respect for their colleagues and customers. We are committed to helping talented people from diverse backgrounds meet their potential at all levels of the company. Gender diversity We are working to improve gender diversity at Vodafone, as part of our diversity and inclusion strategy. This includes carrying out senior leadership training on inclusion and diversity. At Group level, we instruct our recruitment consultants to recommend a minimum of one credible female candidate for interview for every vacancy we advertise at management level. We recognise that women can often be more affected by family commitments than men and encourage flexible working to help employees balance their work with their family commitments. Cultural diversity With operations worldwide, Vodafone is not only multinational but multicultural. We encourage our managers to gain experience working in different countries and almost half our senior managers have international experience. International rotation is a key part of our Inspire programme for employees with high potential. See Training and development. Employees with disabilities We are conscious of the difficulties experienced by people with disabilities, and make every effort to ensure access to the Groups facilities and services. Disabled people are assured of full and fair consideration for all vacancies for which they offer themselves as suitable candidates. We do our best to meet their needs, particularly in relation to access and mobility. Where possible, modifications to workplaces are made to provide access for the disabled. Every effort is made to continue the employment of people who become disabled during their employment, through the provision of additional facilities, job design and appropriate training. Reward and recognition We aim to provide competitive and fair rates of pay and benefits in each market where we operate. This helps us attract and retain the best employees. Pay and benefits vary in each local operating company. Vodafone rewards employees based on their performance, potential and contribution to the success of the business. We want to ensure that our people feel their efforts are recognised. Our global short and long-term incentive plans reward performance. Health, safety and wellbeing The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees is a priority for Vodafone. We believe all incidents and injuries are preventable and we are committed to ensuring that our people can do their work safely. And we understand that employee wellbeing is vital for a healthy and effective workforce. Our wellbeing framework tackles significant issues such as attendance and stress management, as well as helping our people understand the importance of work-life balance and the benefits of healthy lifestyles. Many of our operating companies run programmes which aim to keep their employees healthy and free from stress, including flexible working initiatives. Flexible working enables employees to balance work and family commitments better and helps us to attract and retain the best people, as well as use space more efficiently. Our health, safety and wellbeing principles apply equally to Vodafone employees, our service providers, contractors and suppliers. We set consistently high health and safety standards across the Group, and have robust management systems to ensure these are implemented. Our Group Health and Safety Policy covers health and safety management, radio frequency fields and health, and driving safety. Each local operating company must comply with this policy and implement a health and safety management system that is consistent with local operating conditions and legislation. We also provide health and security advice for employees travelling abroad on business. Our Group Health, Safety and Wellbeing Board oversees implementation of health, safety and wellbeing management by local operating companies. Operating companies share information and advice through our Health, Safety and Wellbeing Network and at annual conferences. Employee volunteering Many of our employees give their time as volunteers to support good causes. This benefits charities and communities but also allows our employees to learn new skills. We encourage employee volunteering and help to raise additional funds from third parties. Most of our local operating companies have programmes to encourage employees to volunteer in working hours. Examples of employee volunteering programmes include: Refurbishing a residential care home for young children, by Vodafone Malta to mark its seventh annual Corporate Responsibility Day. Distributing blankets, clothes and food supplies to 10,000 needy families. Over 160 Vodafone Egypt employees volunteered three hours each on average to the cause. Giving blood at Vodafone Albanias Blood Donation Day, in co-operation with The Red Cross. Donors are urgently needed in Albania because 8% of the population carries Thalassemia, a blood condition that can be treated with blood transfusions. Vodafone Australias Beyondyou programme, to help employees make a personal difference to their community and the environment. Beyondyou offers individual and team volunteering, as well as career development opportunities with community partners. Employees can take one additional day of paid leave each year to volunteer.

How reliable a narrator do you think Nick is based on what you have Ess

How reliable a narrator do you think Nick is based on what you have read in chapters 1 and 2 Throughout the opening of the book we meet Nick Carroway and he exposes many strengths How reliable a narrator do you think Nick is based on what you have read in chapters 1 and 2 Throughout the opening of the book we meet Nick Carroway and he exposes many strengths and weaknesses as the narrator of the book â€Å"Great Gatsby†. In this essay I will explore what contributes to him being reliable as well as his drawbacks as the narrator. Nick is never directly involved in any of the events. He only ever observes what is going on and this leads to a very unbiased outlook on the events. If Nick was more involved he may not give the reader such a clear outlook on the story line. This also suggests Nick is possibly not used to being in social situations, like at Gatsby’s house party, and this could hinder his interpretations of the events. Nick continues to contradict himself throughout the first two chapters. He ironically claims ‘I’m inclined to reserve all judgements,’ yet...

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

As a graduation speaker, I'm supposed to stand up here reflectively gazing out upon the few, the proud, the chosen: the Class of 2012, and point in general directions while saying the clichà ©, "Among us I see the first female president and a future congressman and the next mayor of Everett." But besides that I would never in my most vengeful moments wish those positions upon any of you, I cannot make those assertions because I am categorically against campaigns of any kind. Inspirational speaker John Bytheway said, "Success is more likely to come naturally from living life fully than by a direct and pointed campaign to achieve that long-range goal." This asserts that it's better to achieve by living deliberately than by doorbelling. Maybe this is because of those things we associate with campaigning. Campaigning implies the pursuit of power or a position. Whistle stops aren't about smelling the roses or enjoying the view, they're about shaking as many hands and kissing as many babies as possible, never mind the names and faces. Campaigning implies competition. Some people don't go after opportunities because they wish to avoid the cannibalism involved, and it's really unfortunate that any of our high school experiences may have been less because of a fear of friction. Even more misguided were those who did compete, but only because there was the chance to become taller by standing on someone else's head. They didn't know the cause, they didn't really care; they just wanted the crown. And campaigning ends in one of two ways: you either win or you lose. Now I'm not trying to knock on goals. On the contrary, discover a goal worth working for, something you can be passionate about. Better yet, get yourself a project... ..., I get it." Those times are bonuses, because sometimes there's nothing: there is no thanks, there is no recognition. But we don't do it for the crown. We don't campaign. We do good things for the right reasons at Wilson so now, now I can gaze prophetically out upon the few, the anxious, the survivors of CE: the Class of 2003, and predict that among us is the parent who will endure bad weather and worse calls during a Little League game only to be thanked by muddy cleats on the seat of the car. Among us is the kindred spirit who will pick up the neighbor's blown-over trashcan every Thursday morning. Among us is the nine-to-fiver who will stick around until eight to cover for an overwhelmed colleague. We do good things for the right reasons. It may not be glamorous, but it's genuine. We may not build monuments, but we have and will continue to make memories.

Metabical: Case Analysis

Barbara Print, senior director of marketing for SSP, needs to analyze the market radically in order to decide the pricing and packaging strategy and forecast the demand for the product before it is launched. The demand forecast and the pricing and packaging strategies all plays a significant role in determining the long-term success of Metabolic because the drug market Is Intensely competitive and only those products which are marketed with Innovative strategies can survive In the market. Packaging decision is the first thing that needs to be taken care of.Since FDA trials showed that most of the people were able to achieve their weight loss goals by week helve, the drug would be approved as a twelve- week treatment plan. The major issue that Print needs to consider is the number of pills that would be included in each pack. Packing the entire twelve- week supply In one package does sound Like a good plan but SSP should not forget that packaging plan directly ties In with the pricing plan and can have a huge effect on the number of potential customers.Even though the twelve- week supply package will enable the customers to complete the twelve- week cycle without dropping out, it does limit the potential customers to only hose who can afford the entire medication program with one-time pay. Exhibit 1 shows that the highest percentage of obese people is in the lower income bracket. 32. 5% of the obese people earn less than $25000. This shows that most of Meatball's targeted customers earn less than $25000. Considering this fact, It would make sense to conclude that majority of Meatball's customers will not be able to afford the entire twelve-week package.It would be better to divide the package into three parts with each package consisting of 30 pills enough for a month. Customers loud have to buy the pills package three times because Metabolic is a three- month treatment plan and each package would have pills enough for one month. This type of packaging has one m ajor advantage. It would be able to attract more customers. Although Metabolic Is a prescribed drug, It Is still a new drug and consumers would not want to take the risk of paying a large amount and buying the entire twelve-day package when they are not even sure if the drug would actually work for them or not.They would be more interested in buying the product if it is packaged for one month cause they would not be spending a whole lot of money at once and they would not be wasting it if they happen to be allergic to the pills. The only issue with the one-Mont package would De Tanat tenure would a De no guarantee Tanat ten consumers will complete the entire treatment. However, this would not be much of an issue because Meatball's customers are people who desperately want to lose their weight and it is less than likely that they would forget to refill their pills.The next issue that Barbara Print needs to consider is the pricing of Metabolic. The pricing strategy also directly ties in with the demand forecast. Printer's first pricing strategy model was based on Allis's pricing model. This seems to be a reasonable approach considering the fact that All is the closest comparable drug that exists in the market. Print makes an assumption while determining the price of Metabolic using the first pricing model. She assumes that consumers will be ready to pay more for a prescription drugs compared to non-prescription drug.Would the consumers really be willing to pay more Just because it is a prescription drug and even if they do, how much more would they be willing to pay? Generally people trust prescribed drugs rather than non-prescribed ones. So, a higher price for a prescribed drug would be acceptable for them. However, setting the price too high would not be a good idea because exhibit 1 tells us that the buyers of this drug would most likely have lesser income. The price of $75 for a one-month supply of Metabolic seems pretty reasonable compared to Allis's $120 f or 50- day supply. 120 for 50 days means $2. 4 per day and $72 per month. Pricing Metabolic at $75 is absolutely reasonable in that it is Just $3 more than Allele and it has a comparative advantage of being a prescribed drug. Printer's second approach was based on a comparison of other SSP drug margins. Based on this model, Print came up with a price of $125 for a four-week supply. Her last approach focused on how much more over-weight individuals were ready to spend each year on health care. This approach resulted on a price of $1 50 for a four-week supply.A price of $1 50 would only be acceptable for the niche but if SSP wants to market Metabolic to a larger group it would not set its price as high as $150. A price of $75 is too low and a price of $150 is too high. $125 would be the right price for a four-week supply of Metabolic. Barbara Print should then forecast the demand for Metabolic in order to help the company set the sales targets. Demand forecast helps in planning the fi nancial requirements, inventory requirements and man power requirements. In her analysis, Print came up with three different approaches to forecast the demand.In her first approach, demand was forecasted based on the number of overweight individual in he US who were trying to lose weight and who were comfortable using weight-loss drugs. This approach enabled Print to conclude that Metabolic would be able to capture 10% of the consumers in the first year and 30% by the end of year five. Based on this approach, the number of potential users of Metabolic can be estimated. Exhibit 1 shows that 34% of the 209 million people were over-weight in the year 2000 which means 71. 06 million (34% of 209 million) out of the 209 million were over- weight.According to SSP study, only 35% of the 71. 06 million were actively trying to SSE weight and out of the 35% only 15% were comfortable using weight- loss drugs. This means that the 71. 06 million people can be narrowed down to 24. 871 million (35% of 71. 06 million) and eventually to 3. 731 million (15% of 24. 871 million). Print estimated that Metabolic will only be able to reach 0. 373 million consumers which is 10% of 3. 731 million, in its first year of operation. In her second approach, Print use ten result room SSP survey Ana concluded t weight individuals would be Meatball's immediate customers.Again, she made an assumption that Metabolic will only reach 10% of those individuals who were ready to use the product immediately. This gives an estimated number of 0. 853 million potential customers during the first year. Her third approach Just focused on the educated overweight females between the age of 25 and 30. This ideal target market comprised on 4. 3 million people and Print estimated that 30% of the 4. 3 million would be captured by Metabolic. This approach shows that the estimated potential users would be 1. 29 million in the first year.The three approaches show that the umber of Meatball's potential users ranges from 0. 373 million to 1. 29 million. Considering the fact that each individual would be buying 3 packs of Metabolic, the sales estimate for the first year would range from 1. 119 million to 3. 87 million. With a price of $125 for each pack, SSP would be able to earn between $139. 87 million to $483. 75 million in its first year of operation. It is important to come up with a suitable packaging and pricing strategy and the closest estimate of future demand in order to compare the product with the competing products and ensure that it survives in the