High School and Competition Essay

Competition makes people try to be better than others and forces them to beat themselves. People will work on giving their best; therefore, they will always make their best effort. As a result, success will come. People will never stay the same when forced to compete; they will become better, improving themselves to be the best they can be. Cooperation is important, I can realize that, but isn’t the recipe to succeed. As you help other ones, they will help you; however no one can make you successful; success comes through individual determination. Cooperation makes you focus on the group, not in your objective that is to succeed. Cooperation could be helpful, but without competition it makes them forget where are you going to and where you want to get to while competition provides the opposite. An example of why competition grants more success than cooperation relates to children. In a world where competition is appearing more frequently, children must learn how to assert themselves. Although cooperation is taught in elementary school and used throughout their grade school lives, it doesn’t teach the child that in the real world, competition is used to determine whether they get a job or what college they go to. Obviously, cooperation helps a child develop social skills, but competition develops a drive to do better and succeed in everything that they do. The idea of competition will bring some benefits such as independence and self-confidence in their character and will develop as an important part in their future. Achieving success in competition is also prevalent in admission factors for colleges. As the rate of people that are going to college rises, so does the competition that helps you get into those colleges. For this, cooperation does not get you anywhere when going to college. Competition helps because it is based on many factors: GPA, SAT, extracurricular activities, and community service. These factors are not achieved by cooperation, but by individual determination. This makes applicants competitive to get into colleges. As a result, the more competitive you are, the greater the chance that a good college will accept you, and a greater chance that you will succeed in life. In conclusion, competition gives a person a greater chance at succeeding at life than cooperation. Without competition, everyone is the same and everyone lacks individuality. However, with competition, people are given the opportunity to rise above a person who is not achieving and eliminates equal academic standards. It lets people go above and beyond and gives the person more room to see more opportunities.

Cars enslave us rather than liberate us Essay

Cars have been in use since the year 1870. Since then the number of cars on the roads has increased many times over. Cars now seem to have made our live easier and more convenient. Nevertheless, in my opinion, more cars give us much more problems than their benefits.First of all, people must work much harder in order to afford a car. This also means that they have to earn a considerable amount of money. The prices of new cars are so high that they usually need to take a credit to buy one. Moreover, cars are not only expensive to buy, but also cost very much to run. In fact, the gas price gets higher and the cost of maintenance is overpriced. Therefore, you have to work more hours if you want to have a car and still be able to live a decent life. one has to work overtime if he or she wants to have a car and keep their car still useful. Second, the quality of life in our cities is made worse because of cars. There are many traffic jams every day and the number of accidents is on the in crease. Consequently, people almost are getting more stress when they drive on street and feel risky every time. Futhermore, cars have had an adverse impact on the environment, causing an alarming rise in the levels of pollution worldwide. In addition, the toxic gases that cars eliminate pollute the air we breathe and this seems to threaten our lives every day. To make the matter worse, the main reason that develops the number of lung cancer is the air pollution. There are many people who die from lung cancer every year. Thirdly, I think that people who own cars are worried about them, especially when their cars being stolen or damaged. In order to cope with this worry, they have to install expensive alarm systems and, to make matters worse, car-owners have to avoid areas of the city where cars get broken into or stolen. Finally, there are a lot of advantages of the cars. For example, you can set off to any place you want no matter what time of the day and if there is any public transport to there. Another advantage in my view that cars are very helpful in carrying things from one place to another. To conclude, it is clear that cars seem to have made our live easier and more convenient. In conclusion, cars have many advantages but enslave us even more. Cars take us much affordability, threaten our life and worry us about making the car safe.

Lancôme Marketing Plan Essay

I. Executive summary: Lancà ´me is preparing to launch a new anti-aging cream concluding the perfect result of 10 years exploring in lab and be recommended as â€Å"A miracle elixir exists†, the Absolue L’Extrait, in Vietnam cosmetic market. Our product offers a competitively unique combination of the latest advanced technology in dermal stem cells and great beauty effects after testing and launching in other countries. We are targeting specific segments in the consumer and taking advantages of opportunities indicated by the huge demand for beauty in such a dynamic economic. The primary marketing objective is to achieve first-year Vietnam sales of 10,000 units. The primary financial objectives are to achieve first-year sales revenues of $3.5 million and break even early in the second year. II. Current market situation: Lancà ´me is founded in 1935 by Armand Petitjean in France. From the beginning till now, Lancà ´me has brought beauty for women in 160 countries worldwide through 28.000 retailers and stores all over the world. After gaining a large amount of market shares in European market and become a market leader, Lancà ´me turns the target into Asia, and Vietnam in special. Penetrating in Vietnam in 2006 through the only retailer channel- Parkson, Lancà ´me has gained a certain amount of market share and has occupied a strong position in the eye of the upper- class. However, we also have to compete with some strong brand names in cosmetic about pricing and gaining customer’s loyalty such as Clinique which is the pioneer in dermatologist-developed cosmetic brand. Exploring that most of Vietnamese women (about 75%) care much more about skincare than makeup, the newest product which is in the expansion of the premium ABSOLUE line – Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’extrait, will be about to launch into Vietnam market and possess a strong advantage to differentiate from other competitors. 1. Market description: Method: Concentrated marketing Absolue L’Extrait is a new- launched and luxury product, therefore concentrated marketing help the company gain a strong market position. Table 1: Segment Needs and Corresponding Features/Benefits of L’Extrait Cream Target Market| Customer need| Corresponding feature/ benefit| Upper- class women| A cream can slow down and push back the aging process.A therapy can bring them back to the confident and youth like they were before.| Rose stem cells extracted from the Lancà ´me Rose are claimed to be capable of â€Å"stimulating human dermal stem cells†. The formula will also contain Proxylane, a proprietary anti-aging active ingredient of L’Orà ©al.| 2. Product Review: Absolue L’extrait is the latest anti-aging cream of Lancà ´me as well as the first product to feature a high concentration of a kind of native cells-rose stem cell. Rose stem cells is said to be extracted from the Lancà ´me Rose- a species specifically created for Lancà ´me in 1973 and resisting various environmental aggressions (cold, insects†¦). It is claimed to be capable of â€Å"stimulating human dermal stem cells†. Each 50 ml jar of formula is claimed to contain â€Å"2 million rose stem cells†. Apart from the rose stem cells, the formula will also contain Proxylane, a proprietary anti-aging active ingredient of L’Orà ©al. The jar is sold with a massage tool – the â€Å"massage petal applicator† – developed with the Lancà ´me Institute. It is claimed to alternate hot and cold effects for stimulating the skin to invigorate it, activating microcirculation and promoting a better penetration of the formula’s active i ngredients. As a global anti-aging formula, it is claimed to have a significant efficiency on the â€Å"seven major signs of aging† said by Lancà ´me to be: – Forehead wrinkles – Frown lines – Crows’ feet – Under-eye wrinkles – Nasolabial fold – Wrinkles around the mouth – Facial slackening *The testing and trial process: The formula has been tested on 42 women, half of them having sensitive skin. Results were observed after 11 weeks. This is quite unusual, since most of skincare products are tested on a 4 week basis. This is a trick to obtain better results to claim – the longer you use a product, the better are the results. Since its creation, Absolue has always extended the limits of science and creativity to incarnate a quintessential and aristocratic femininity; one that is full of grace, sophistication and elegance. More than luxury, this is an inspiring philosophy for the most demanding women in the world. 3. Competitive Review: Recently, because Vietnam’s economic has a great development and living standard is gradually increasing, the needs to be beauty and health caring are rising rapidly. Because of the working pressure and environment pollution, women nowadays have wrinkle faster and faster. With these reasons, the anti-aging cosmetic market is really potential. Key competitors include the following: * Cle De Peau: A Japanese brand which was only established for the last 30 years. + Product: having knowledge about the Neuro Skin Theory: â€Å"Skin has a brain of its own† and the discovery of the leukemia network of the skin, it can be said that Cle De Peau anti-aging products are the most effective and best-seller anti-aging product in Vietnam at the moment. + Strong: ââ€"  Potential to be the most understanding Vietnamese’s skin (a Asia brand) ââ€"  A clean operation history ââ€"  High customer loyalty ââ€"  Advanced technology + Weakness: ââ€"  The most expensive product ââ€"  Small distribution channel * Està ©e Lauder: This America brand entered Vietnam only for 7 years (since summer 2005) but it already has a stable position in the cosmetic market with a convenient distribution channel (2 stores in Hanoi and other 4 in Ho Chi Minh City). + Product: applied the exclusive DNA technology, the anti-aging serial of Està ©e Lauder have a superior position which gains over 70 global awards and over 20 global certificates. + Strong: ââ€"  Està ©e Lauder is a company with bright and long history which creates a trustful strong famous global brand. ââ€"  The advantage of continuously improving technology ââ€"  Reputation products ââ€"  Convenient store in beauty places ââ€"  Wonderful employees and services + Weakness: ââ€"  Scandal of models representing as the face of Està ©e Lauder (Carolyn Murphy, etc.) ââ€"  Be doubted of using child-labors ââ€"  The CEO is doubted of poor executive ability which leads to the impaired of this brand. * Clinique: A brand developed by dermatologists of Està ©e Lauder Company but unlike Està ©e Lauder, Clinique already appeared in Vietnam from 2001 and having a larger distribution channel (9 official stores in the 3 biggest cities of Vietnam: Hanoi, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City) + Product: Clinique products can be suitable for every skin’s kind with its natural origins cosmetics. + Strong: ââ€"  Reputation brand in over 130 countries ââ€"  Developed by dermatologists ââ€"  Being a professional in online business, which even has a tracking and advising system for customers ââ€"  All products have been Allergy Tested and 100% Fragrance Free. ââ€"  The first one who approached Vietnamese customers ââ€"  Reasonable price ââ€"  Large distribution channel + Weakness: ââ€"  Average skin care product quality * Kanebo: Officially appeared in Vietnam in 2003 through Exclusive Distributors – Trade Co., Ltd. L & K. This Japanese brand already has 9 official showrooms in Vietnam (2 in Hanoi, 1 in Haiphong and other 3 in Ho Chi Minh City). + Product: According to Kanebo theory of the structure of skin, the â€Å"Adhesive Technology† is the way to have an excellence skin. + Strong: ââ€"  Over 110 years history brand which already presented in 51 countries. ââ€"  Finding out â€Å"Rhodomyrtus Tomentosa† essences which have oxidation activity that help rebuild DNA ââ€"  Large distribution channel + Weakness: ââ€"  Accounts scandal ââ€"  Still be a quite small brand in global market * â€Å"Hang xach tay†: Not really a specific brand, â€Å"Hang xach tay† is a new trend in commodity trading in Vietnam nowadays. â€Å"Hang xach tay† operations base on the products which flight attendants or pilots or even shop owners’ acquaintances brought back after each time they went abroad. + Product: Diversified brand names, products, origins and quality. In Hanoi, â€Å"Hang xach tay† has a venue at the â€Å"Aviation Street† (Nguyá »â€¦n SÆ ¡n St.) + Strong: ââ€"  Having stores in every cities and provinces of Vietnam ââ€"  Having many online retailers ââ€"  Lower price than official distributors of brands because the shop owners do not have to pay the tariffs and other non-tariff fees. + Weakness: ââ€"  Unclear origin (can be fake) ââ€"  A large amount of â€Å"Hang xach tay† is almost out-of-date or old fashion products. Despite this strong competition, Lancà ´me can carve out a definite image and gain recognition among the targeted segments. Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait is considered as a magical product which is produced by the most advanced and unique technology in the world nowadays. It is a breakthrough after 10 years searching and developing from Lancà ´me, a famous reputation brand. Thus, Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait will have an absolute competitive advantage among other products. The most potential competitor of Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait in Vietnamese anti-aging market is Cle De Peau. However, Cle De Peau’s La Cream U still has some weak side such as it is the most expensive cosmetic product in Vietnam market. Moreover, unlike Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait, even you have already used La Cream U for night care, you still need other lotion for day care for the best result. In short, Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait has the newest advance technology in cosmetic industry, more suitable price and gives better result. 4. Channel and Logistics Review: Because Lancà ´me has entered Vietnam for 6 years, the distribution channel is still quite small. 5. Retailer stores: Lancà ´me has been opened 6 stores (in which four stores in HCM city and two stores in Hanoi) at Parkson (the retail arm of The Lion Group): + Parkson Saigon Tourist Plaza – 35Bis-45, Là ª Thà ¡nh Tà ´ng St., Bá º ¿n Nghà ©, District 1, HCMC. + Parkson Hung Vuong Plaza – 126 Hung Vuong St., District 5, HCMC. + Parkson Paragon – 3 Nguyá »â€¦n LÆ °Ã† ¡ng Bá º ±ng St., Tà ¢n Phà º, District 7, HCMC. + Parkson Flemington – 184 Là ª Ä Ã¡ º ¡i Hà  nh St. , District 11, HCMC. + Parkson Viet Tower – 198 Tà ¢y SÆ ¡n St., Trung Liá »â€¡t, Ä Ã¡ »â€˜ng Ä a District, Hanoi. + Parkson Landmark – 72- Keangnam Tower, E6, Cá º §u Giá º ¥y new urban areas, Má »â€¦ Trà ¬, Tá » « Lià ªm, Hanoi III. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threat Analysis 1. Strengths: 2.1. Exclusive biotechnology process: Lancà ´me has now succeeded in cultivating stem cells from this rose, which can be multiplied infinitely by a biotechnological procedure called Fermogenesis, which provides each stem cell with a gentle growth environment, which preserves its own metabolic rate and all its regenerative potential. 2.2. Unique and precious components: The key component is a new active ingredient – Lancà ´me Rose stem cells – obtained through an exclusive biotechnological process. These rose cells are claimed to be capable of stimulating human dermal stem cells, which are found in the deepest layers of the skin, and play an essential role in the renewal of the fundamental layers of the dermis. In addition, the anti-ageing formula is delivered within a pearly pink cream-elixir, which changes its texture on application to melt into the skin. It is scented with notes of rose, bergamot, pink peppercorns, jasmine, freesia, woods and musk. 2.3. Extra â€Å"message petal† applicator: In addition to a superior anti-aging cream, there is a message petal applicator to motivate its benefits. Specially designed for a dual ritual, it features a black warm side to pick up and apply the elixir, and a golden cord side for smoothing and massaging the product in to skin. 2.4. Good distribution channels: From the successes in the first store in Ho Chi Minh City, up to now, Lancà ´me has been opened 6 stores (four stores in HCM city and two stores in Ha Noi) and have intended to open new store in Hai Phong. The market share in 2009 increased 3 times than 2 years ago. Lancà ´me store are located on well-known shopping centers such as Parkson, which are highly attractive and convenient for knowing and buying product. This factor is one of the most important factors that have assisted them to maintain their high market share in premium cosmetic market. 2. Weakness: 3.5. Small-scale targeted segment: Target only on Adults but not for Youngsters. Like some other products, Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait has target segment only of adults who have high standard not for youngsters who are the majority of Vietnam population 3.6. Pricing: The product is charged with the higher price in comparison with others in the same product line of our competitors. It is a result of unique and valued features of the product. 3. Opportunities: 4.7. Open market: The economy of Vietnam is growing rapidly and living standard of Vietnamese is improved very much. As a result, Vietnamese women will care more about their health as well as their beauty. They will spend more for skin-care products. It is an open market for Lancà ´me to develop their luxurious products. 4.8. Increasing targeted customers: The targeted customer of Lancà ´me is the upper class. As a result of development in economy and globalization, there are more and more the rich, who are willing to pay much for luxurious line of product, in Vietnam. 4.9. The development of distribution channel: * Parkson, the main distribution channel of Lancà ´me in Vietnam, is developing and becoming more and more popular here. It once succeeded in helping Lancà ´me increase their market share in some Asian countries, especially in China, where has some similarities in economy and society with Vietnam. * The development of the Internet makes it easier for customers to access to Lancà ´me’s website and find information about products. They also can buy products they want through the Internet conveniently and fast. 4. Threats: 5.10. Increasing competitors: More corporations with famous brands are entering Vietnam market with high-quality cosmetics that offer some but not all of benefits provided by Lancà ´me. Some of them have lower price in comparison with Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait. Beside these official competitive companies, the product also has to cope with another kind of competitor called â€Å"hang xach tay†, which provides cosmetic products from abroad with cheaper price and is very popular in Vietnam nowadays. 5.11. Effects of global economic crisis on Vietnam economy: The crisis on global economy has certain impacts on Vietnam. One of them is effects on people’s spending habit. Due to pressure on difficulties in economy, customers will buy fewer goods and they only buy necessary goods. As a result, luxury goods like Absolue L’extrait will not attract many people, even the rich. That will be a resistance to Lancà ´me’s revenue. IV. Market-Product Focus: This section describes the three- year marketing and product objectives for Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait Cream. It includes a description of our target markets and our product differentiation strategies. 1. Marketing and Product Objectives * Non-financial Objectives * Launch product by July 2012 – with distribution primarily in Parkson department. * Gain a 10% market share among existing anti- aging products. * Sell a minimum of 10,000 units in the first year, with at least 25% increase in sales in the next 2 consecutive years. * Financial Objectives * Generate at least $3.5 million in revenue during the first year. *Increase profit growth by at least 10% per year for the next 3 years. 2. Target Market For our product, we focus on targeting the end users, as these consumers make the decision to purchase. Our target market is professional women over the age of 30. These women are concerned with the signs of aging and trust Lancà ´me, as they believe Lancà ´me is devoted to quality skincare products. These professionals earn upper income and live in urban areas. They are buyers of fashionable clothing, premium products and shop in upscale department stores. 3. Product differentiation Product differentiation is the significant other half of product positioning: the two must work together to achieve success. Many manufacturers offer creams that are designed to reduce the sign of aging around the face. Thus, it is detrimental to the success of a product that it carries addition benefits and features that make it more attractive to the consumers than the industry alternatives. Absolue L’Extrait differentiates its self from its competitors through the advantages listed below: * Unique formula with our most powerful regenerating ingredient, Lancà ´me Rose Native Cells. * Well-research through 10 years. * Strong brand equity. * Easy to obtain through upscale department stores where our target customers usually go shopping. * Backing from strong parent company, L’Oreal Companies, Inc. V. Marketing Strategy: 1. Product Strategy: Our product strategy for Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait Cream is â€Å"Product differentiation†. Products designed by our competitors to reduce the signs of aging have over and over proved to be ineffective. With Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait Cream, we will change this notion. Women can experience Lancà ´me’s revolutionary skincare innovation and our most powerful regenerating ingredient, Lancà ´me Rose Native Cells. As described in the earlier Product Preview section, our star ingredient, Rose Stem Cells, is claimed to be capable of â€Å"stimulating human dermal stem cells†. The natural regenerating potential of plant stem cells and the self-renewal of the skin’s own dermal skin cells provide a double boost deep in the skin’s makeup, resulting in a smoother, more radiant and more youthful appearance. 2. Pricing Strategy: â€Å"Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait Cream is considered the most advanced product; it brings efficiency proportional to its value†, according to Youcef Nabi, president of Lancà ´me company. The suggested retail price for this product will be $385, the price that is slightly higher than our major competitors. The perceived benefits of our product are high with respect to the price, therefore Lancà ´me is taking on a value- pricing strategy. Figure 1 Price/Value Map for the Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait Cream As shown in Figure 1, our product is in the Fair Value Zone at the Premium point. We can use this value-pricing strategy based on certain conditions. First, the superior quality of our product and our brand, Lancà ´me, will support the higher price that our loyal customers will trust and buy this product. Second, our target customer, upper-class women, will care about the value rather than the cost of the product they purchase. Finally, competitors cannot be able to enter the market because of our unique formula in the cream, therefore they cannot undercut our price. By using this strategy, we believe we will be able to gain a considerable amount of market share. 3. Distribution Strategy: L’oreal Vietnam company is the main distributor of Lancà ´me in Vietnam. Our channel strategy is to use exclusive distribution, which enhances Lancà ´me’s image and allows higher markup. We focus on marketing the cream through our chain of Lancà ´me stores in Parkson department stores. Parkson has eight modern and successful department stores, 4 in Ho Chi Minh City, 2 in Hanoi, which are big cities of Vietnam with large proportion of high income people. Moreover, it is obvious that most of Vietnamese citizens perceive Parkson as a special location for shopping luxury, expensive and high quality goods, creating advantage for Lancà ´me to build strong brand in Vietnam and reach our target customers – upper class women.On the other hand, it is unfortunate that our company has not yet established Vietnamese official Lancà ´me website so we can’t serve customers direct purchase. 4. Marketing Communication Strategy: Our company will follow the concept of integrated marketing communications-blending the promotion tools into a coordinated promotion mix. 5.1. Advertising: Instead of using means like television or radio, we choose Magazine and LCD advertising as the main media vehicles. Regarding using magazine, the objective of our company is to take advantage of well-known, expensive magazines about beauty, whose readers are women aged average 27 years old. According to the recent research we have collected, the company decide to market through 3 famous magazines- Elle, Her World and Heritage Fashion: + Elle: a worldwide magazine of French origin with 140,000 readers over 20,000 publications in Vietnam. The age of reader is above 27, which is suitable for the company’s strategy. In this magazine, we will place our full-page advertisement about L’extrait cream in the fourth cover in order to take readers’ attention efficiently. + Her world: monthly special issues by Sun Media company who bought the rights transferred from Singapore Her World magazine .It is becoming more and more famous thanks to Vietnam’s Next Top Model contest. Our company will contract with Sun Media representative to launch our lasted product –Absolue L’extrait cream in the same position as we have in Elle magazine. + Heritage fashion: In-flight magazine for Vietnam Airlines .The purpose of ours in marketing in this kind of magazine is to reach female customers in domestic flight of Vietnam Airlines. To avoid missing key customers who don’t have time to read magazines as Elle and Her World, Heritage Fashion is an ideal choice to introduce to them our new product when they spend time to relax during their flights. *Months of publication: February, April, June, August, October, December. In addition, we plan to use LCD advertising in our marketing strategy. The video of product will appear on LCD screens of Parkson department stores, which are placed in elevators or the halls. The customers will passively access to our product without purpose. This method is more effective than Television advertising. 5.2. Direct Marketing: +Website: along with working with Elle in marketing in magazine, we also like to put banners about the product at the corner of the main website of Elle: http://www.elle.vn/ and Parkson: http://parkson.com.vn, which will lead the customers directly to our company Facebook page providing detailed product‘s information. Absolue L’extrait‘s features and price will be updated in Parkson website as well. Furthermore, the company will put the news of Absolue L’extrait in the front page in our Website so that our loyal, potential and first- time customers can easily approach to the product. +Online Social networks: Facebook is the best choice for online marketing in Vietnam because most of Vietnamese internet users have one or more Facebook account while Twitter seems to be ignored here for some reasons. Therefore, our company will place the introduction of Absolue L’extrait as special event on Facebook page and update as well as answer the questions about this product. 5.3. Sales Promotion: +Displays and demonstration: We will send each of our retail stores large color advertisement to display in the stores as well as small brochures explaining our product and its feature in Vietnamese. The display needs to emphasize that Absolue L’extrait cream is the most innovative and luxury product of Lancà ´me. +Sample: Another method is that samples will be available to consumers, this is a great way to â€Å"try before you buy†. Sampling develops a loyal consumer because the customer will only return to purchase the product if she genuinely liked it. Our company will give limited number of samples to customers who purchased over 3 million Vietnam dong. The sample will begin to be handed to consumer 1 month before the introduction of the product. 5.4. Personal selling: The company will provide salespeople about detailed information of the product such as superior features and advantages to give the useful advice to customers. Besides, since Lancà ´me entered Vietnam market in 2006, the brand has had substantial amount of loyal customers who have strong belief in our product. Lancà ´me salespeople are also well trained to build and maintain close relationship with those ones. These sale consultants will contact with the potential customers about the presence of the latest product- Absolue L’extrait anti- aging cream . Their interpersonal communication skills help them to deliver a clear, concise and consistent message to your prospects about the product and give the reasons why they should purchase it, basing on the salespeople’s understanding about them. Counter salespeople need to gather customer information and follow up with the each customer 3 days after the samples are given to insure effectiveness otherwise its money down the drain. 5. Marketing Organization: Marketing organization will reveal the overall outlook about how the marketing campaign operates and how it gains success. Ms. Sonia Chiu, the chief marketing officer at Asian Region, is in charge of planning and designing a general marketing strategies and handing it over to the subordinators within the supervision. * Marketing development and project manager, one of the sub-division of marketing organization, will work in collaboration with the advertising agency with whom they develop the advertising material for the launch (3 main magazines: Her world, Heritage fashion, Elle). This division also work with the packaging design agency, press relations and internal communications staff. * Regional manager are responsible for the sales targets set by the Group, pursue the sales promotion and need to have the capacity to analysis your results so as to allow you to imagine and to conceive corrective operational strategies when required. * Store marketing manager investigate any and every alternative distribution network opportunity (street merchants, Internet, etc.) and work on negotiations, for example about the promotional campaigns delivered through distributing brand stores. * Distributing manager is one subordinator who carries out the logistics and distribution of new- launched product through the only retailer channel – Parkson. This division will take action under the leading of store manager. VI. Action Programs: The company decide to launch Absolue L’extrait in July 4th, 2012. Following are summaries of the action programs we will implement in six next months since this June 4th, 2012 to achieve our stated objectives. June. Pre-launch action month: From June 4th, 2012. The campaign will officially begin in all 6 Lancà ´me stores in Parkson’s malls. The Vietnam L’oreal company will send representatives to each one to help decorating with the image of Absolue L’extrait appearing in the stores. The leaflets are going to be placed in cash desk. These actions are to be implemented early in order to attract the customers ‘curiosity. We also want to initiate the method â€Å"try before you buy† to our customers, therefore, the samples will be sent to V.I.P and customers with above 3 million product bill until the end of June. Counter salespeople need to gather customer information and follow up with the each customer 3 days after the sample was given to insure effectiveness. Moreover, our training staff will work with sales personnel at 6 shops to explain superior features as well as advantages of the cream. On Facebook, we will set July 4th as important event and provide the product’s information. We plan to write an article introducing new anti-aging cream of Lancà ´me -Absolue L’extrait and publish it on double page spread of Elle, Her World and Heritage Fashion with detailed information.Every LCD screens in each Parkson department stores will run video of Absolue L’extrait. July. Launch month: The program of handing samples need to be ended.The product will be put at an eye catching position in the stores and the Absolue L’extrait banner must be placed in front of each shop in order to attract customers passing by. The salespeople will begin to contact to their loyal customers through phone, e-mail or a close conversation. They will try to remind consumers entering store about the appearance of the product. Advertisement will be put in the fourth cover in Elle and Her World magazine. On the main page of Elle’s website, the product’s banner will appear once people access and lead them to our Facebook page. August. The company will register to do marketing in Heritage Fashion magazine with the same position as in those 2 magazines to target business women who usually get flights and V.I.P of Vietnam Airline that usually receive this magazine. September. In this month, because the Heritage Fashion will not be published, we will continue with August strategy. The comments of customers after using Absolue L’extrait will be posted on the Facebook. October. Salespeople continue to ensure the efficiency of the product by contacting with their customers. Advertisement on magazines still goes on following to the schedule and with publication of Heritage Fashion in this month. November. Advertisement campaign will continue as September. The results of customer satisfaction surveys and feedbacks will be analyzed carefully. We will begin to collect the reply from the customers and readers of 3 magazines about the campaign to get improvement for the next marketing activities. VII. Budget ( in one year from 7/2012 to 7/2013 ) By setting objective aimed at unit sale per year is 10,000, total first year sales revenue for Lancà ´me in Vietnam is projected at $3.5 million, with a selling price of $350 per unit (without VAT), and variable cost of $300 per unit (the cost included importing tax ). The first year profit are anticipated approximately $237,400. Break-even calculation indicates that Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait Cream will become profitable after the sale volume exceeds 5,252 units in this year. The break even analysis of Lancà ´me’s Absolue L’Extrait Cream assumes that revenue in this year is $3.5 million, variable cost per unit is $300, and the estimated fixed costs is $262,600. Based on these assumptions, the break-even sale volume is: $262,600à ·$350-$300=5,252 units Breakeven sales: 5,252 Ãâ€"$350 =$1,838,200 Note : †¢ Total Fix cost = $262,600 +Cost for rent and freight cost: $35,000 +Advertising: $90,200 +Direct Marketing: $42,000 +Sale promotion: $61,800 +Personal selling: $33,600 †¢ Variable cost: $300 per unit (included import tax) †¢ Selling Price: $350 per unit (not included VAT) VIII. Controls Through this marketing plan, our corporate goals have been projected and our methods for achieving these goals have been defined. To guarantee success, the company needs to re-evaluate the progress towards these goals in each quarter to determine if our marketing plan is working properly and profitably. If it appears that we are not meeting our goals each quarter, we will need to analyze our marketing plan and make adjustments. Source Background information and market data adapted from: http://stylist.vn/tin-tuc-lam-dep/lancome-sap-sua-ra-mat-dong-kem-duong-ky-dieu.html http://www.phunuonline.com.vn/thoitrang-lamdep/2009/Pages/Lancome-ky-niem-3-nam-hien-dien-tai-Viet-Nam.aspx http://www2.lancome.com/_en/_ww/index.aspx http://www.parkson.com.vn/vi/taxonomy/term/20 http://duhoc.dantri.com.vn/c23/s156-62983/estee-lauder-muon-chinh-phuc-viet-nam.htm http://www.esteelauder.com.vn/?q=website_admin%2Fevents&menu=316|339| http://www.ytuong.com.vn/?module=detail&pid=3&id=253 http://www.lantabrand.com/cat3news3023.html http://www.clinique.vn/?q=website_admin%2Fnode%2F14%2F&menu=133

How Stereotypes Affect Us Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How Stereotypes Affect Us - Assignment Example The safety and equality of the blacks are still not unconditional. Steele writes, â€Å"They come from the way a society, at a given time, is organized around an identity like me. That organization reflects the place, as well as the ongoing individual and group competition for an opportunity and the good life.†(3) An undeclared engagement is going on at every stage, in every segment of life of blacks and whites. Its emphasis and intensity may vary, nevertheless it is there, and it has not been erased from the social norms of the people of America. This position gives room for some to enjoy at the cost of suffering of others. Those others are mainly blacks. Defined and undefined activities related to ethnic segregation move together at the cost of the blacks. Stereotype threat is real. Its impact is more in the educational institutions, the abode of combustible younger generation, both whites and blacks. They have the knowledge of American history, whose pages are daubed in the bloodshed of racism. Explaining through an example, the author elaborates the nature of fear psychosis born out of stereotype threat, by citing the experience of Brent Staples, a psychology graduate student walking down the streets of Chicago’s Hyde Park neighbourhood. â€Å"I became an expert in the language of fear. Couples locked arms or reached for each other’s hand when they saw me. Some crossed to the other side of the street. People who were carrying on conversations went mute and stared straight ahead, as though avoiding my eyes would save them.†(6) By educating an individual, you are educating a generation. Therefore, educational institutions, where students of different ethnic groups, blacks and whites meet for a common purpose, are t he right places to initiate the process of reconciliation. Steele also highlights the importance of role models and argues, â€Å"They dramatically reduced stereotype threats impairment of women’s math performance by reminding them just before the test, the positive women role models.†(94)  Ã‚  

Internaional intercultural manangement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Internaional intercultural manangement - Essay Example Therefore, it is through culture that the world is organized into different spectrums, since culture comprises of diverse societal aspects, such as language, fashion, food and cuisines, religion, festivities and celebrations, and political-economic issues (Davis, 2004 p102). Additionally, it is through culture, that the understanding of values, assumptions, beliefs, customs and norms are defined, while also shaping the nature of institutions that are operable in the country and region. Simply put, the world is a chaotic place where there are several conflicting systems that renders the world prone to conflicts, and it is only through culture that order in the world can be established (LeBaron, 2003 n.p.). In the business realm, culture defines the nature of leadership within organisations, through stipulating what is expected of the leaders and their subordinates, what the leaders and their subordinates can and cannot do, and the nature of the influences that the leaders may have wit hin organisations (Hall, 1990 p55). ... Culture of Nigeria The fundamental aspect that shape and define the Nigerian culture is the multiplicity of ethnic groups and subsequent dialects, with the country having over 50 languages that are commonly spoken, and above 250 dialects (Kwittesential, 2013 n.p.). However, the largest ethnic groups in the country are the Igbo, the Yoruba and the Hausa-Fulani, each of which occupies a different region of the country, with the Igbo occupying the southeast, the Yoruba occupying the southwest, while the Hausa-Fulani occupies the north region of the country (Kwittesential, 2013 n.p.). The rest of the small communities are distributed throughout the country, but mostly placed within the central region, with all the ethnic groups in the country consisting of a total population of 170,123,740, according to the estimates of July 2010, with the Hausa-Fulani accounting for 29% of the total population, Yoruba 21% and the Igbo 18%, while the other 47 ethnic groups form the rest of the 42% of the country’s population (Kwittesential, 2013 n.p.). The country has many dialects and languages that are currently spoken, while some have subsequently been absorbed by others and eventually become extinct. However, the major language that defines Nigeria is English, which is laced with dialectical lexicon of pidgin forming an Anglo-African language that is characteristic of the Nigerian culture, a language that is not shared by many other countries, except for some few countries who are in the West African region of Africa, and who neighbours Nigeria (Osakwe, 2012 p7). In terms of religion, Nigeria has two major religions, with Muslim accounting for the majority of the population in the country, with close to half of the Nigerian

Biography of Copernicus Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Biography of Copernicus - Research Paper Example After attaining the age of eighteen, Copernicus was sent for further studies in the University of Bologna (Weatherly 47). His uncle had excellent connections not only in Poland, but also in other foreign countries around Europe. This made it easier for him to secure Copernicus’s place at the prestigious University of Bologna. Astronomy was widely considered as one of the most important subjects of study among priests and clerics. Roman Catholics believed that astronomy would enhance the priests’ abilities to forecast the future. Additionally, it was considered as an essential area of knowledge for interpreting events. This ensured that Copernicus gad to study astronomy. While at the University of Bologna, Copernicus also studied mathematics and advanced sciences. It is during his time in Italy that he questioned some heliocentric principles that had been formulated by other scholars. This formed an excellent basis of his research. He learnt a lot from his professor at the university and also applied this knowledge in his research work after moving back to Poland. His findings and theoretical formulations on the heliocentric model were not published until a few days to his death in 1543 (Andronik 69). While his findings had some flaws, they were immensely crucial towards future studies in astronomy and earth sciences at large. The contributions of Copernicus to astronomy are evident in his heliocentric theory. Within the framework of this theory, Copernicus stipulated that the earth revolves around the sun. This is one of the most significant aspects of astronomy. During the 1400s and 1500s, people believed that the earth was the center of the universe. However, the extensive research work of Copernicus was instrumental towards addressing this misconception. At first, this stipulation was considered as highly controversial. However, additional research and studies by other scientists helped in validating

Business and Professional Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business and Professional Ethics - Essay Example a company should be to maximise its profits and consequently return a part of these profits to the shareholder group as the reward and return for the risks that they have borne by investing their money in the company. Milton Friedman’s view advocates that the shareholders of a company can decide what social responsibilities they want to take part in. This report is prepared with the aim of evaluating the pros and cons of these arguments by referring to the theoretical works presented by different scholars and practitioners in this domain. The report is concluded by presenting a view as to whether the arguments presented by Friedman still hold ground in the current corporate world. The arguments proposed by Milton Friedman suggest that a company does not have to have any kind of social responsibility towards the community and society because the only concern of the company should be to increase its financial gains and returns for the shareholders who have invested in the company (Friedman, 1970). Nevertheless, as per the contemporary theories of business ethics and corporate social responsibility, focusing on giving back to the societies and communities in which the companies operate is a necessity for achieving sustainable competitive advantage. Also, the use of suitable corporate social responsibility initiatives is mandatory for ensuring that the company remains ethically, morally as well as socially compliant (Kerr, Janda and Pitts, 2009, pp. 22-25). As per the theory proposed by Friedman, the focus of the profit oriented businesses on adding value to the society may lead to totalitarianism which is a particular type of political system in which the  federal or state authorities have total control over the community and society and thus, seeks to control all the relevant aspects of both private and public lives whenever and wherever possible. But, it can be seen in the global corporate environment that totalitarianism as a political system does not prevail

Marketing communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing communications - Essay Example Marketing communications involve creating a message that is used in the marketing tools. Baker, Graham and Harker (1998, p.348) indicate that, marketing communication comprises of promotional activities for a product or service. In addition, marketing communication communicates the benefits of a service or product, and as a result, a consumer is able to weigh the options and choose wisely. Paragon Software Limited has been experiencing a decline in sales, which has promoted the CEO to implement an advertisement campaign worth ?100,000 on trade publications. However, as the company’s sales director, I feel there is need to change our marketing communication strategy, as advertising alone cannot generate sales. The following report will explain the capabilities and limitations of advertisement as a marketing communication vehicle. Recommendations on how advertisement and other communication tools can be employed in order to increase sales will be discussed as well. The Capabilit ies and Limitations of Advertising as a Marketing Communications Vehicle Capabilities Advertising is one of the marketing communication tools, reaching geographically dispersed public. ... First, advertisement enables the brand name to be well known among consumers; indeed, organizations practically advertise their products for several reasons - increasing their sales, meeting certain target, and attracting more customers among other reasons. The continuous repetition of a company’s product may create trust from the audiences. Generally, marketing effectiveness is dependent on communications effectiveness. A market is comprised of information flows. The manner in which a buyer perceives the seller’s market offers is heavily influenced by the amount and kind of information he or she has about the product offering, and the reaction to that information. Marketing relies heavily on information flows between the seller and the potential buyer; as a result, the market is filled with many organizations that use marketing communications. Therefore, marketing communication is probably the most preferred form of marketing activity that affects everyday life. Advert ising is cost effective, since it reaches many audiences; nevertheless, advertising involves huge spending. According to Frankenberger and Graham (2004, p.18), advertising is capable of creating an asset through influencing the organization’s future cash flows, and as a result, guaranteeing benefits in the future. Therefore, despite the high expenditures on advertising, the possibility of future high earnings is high. Needless to say, persuasive advertisement builds an image for an organization, and as a result, increasing sales simultaneously. Quinn (2012) adds that, advertising in a daily or weekly newspaper is beneficial, as it targets different types of customers in a section related to an organization’s operations. In addition, newspapers can be reviewed after some period, and as a

Health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Health care - Essay Example Nevertheless, the business takes a period to reach break-even-point in order to make profits; in fact, there is a need for a financial security for the viability of the new business. Therefore, the paper will focus on comparing various forms of equity and debt financing alternatives, thereby elaborating of their advantages and disadvantages. The paper will also identify the steps involved in determining the financing to undertake, and the stage of the business where Equity and debt financing is most appropriate. Comparing Types of Equity Financing and Debt Financing Alternatives One of the forms of equity and debt financing is the use of personal savings, whereby an entrepreneur uses money saved for a given purpose. There are not expectation of troubles related to drowning draining of an account with saving that are set for financing equity and debt. Therefore, there are plans made to reserve his savings accounts for financing the equity or debt; hence, troubled by an emergency. The other alternative of financing is the use of bank loans, whereby the private banks are approached by the entrepreneurs as sources of financing debts. In this case, the small ventures secure a personal loan or line of credit for various financing their equity or debts, and they leverage their assets real estates, equipment and inventory as collateral to secure their loan. Therefore, the banks are used as an option of small businesses for raising funds, though the final decision of securing the funds depends on the balance established by the entrepreneur about the pros and cons of the bank loan as a source. The other source of financing equity or debt is government grants, whereby the government offers loans and grants programs to entrepreneurs in order to assist them the effort to expand their venture. The grants are in the form of free money while the government guaranteed loan has interest rates that are below the private banks. Therefore, grants are sources of free financing offer ed by the government organizations and entities, and it can be a substantial source of financing equity and debt in a business. Advantages of Each Form of Financing Available to Entrepreneurs One of the advantages of personal savings as a form of financing is low acquisition cost, whereby the entrepreneur is not bound to pay interest on bank loan. Moreover, using personal savings for financing the business where is a feeling of flexibility in the financing (Jennings, 2012). The other alternative of financing the equity and debt is the use of a bank loan whereby it enables the entrepreneurs to maintain their cash on hand, as they finance their equity and debts in order to survive in the period of the business. There is situation when the business experiences problems and the bank loans can contribute significantly in protection of personal assets and bankruptcy. Government grants are extremely beneficial to the entrepreneurs since the funding has not financial responsibility; thus, i t can be an effective source of financing equity and debts. The government grants are associated with the benefits of being derived from the tax income that is having been paid by the seeker. Furthermore, the government grants offer a way of tapping the past tax payment for receiving debt-free funding from the government. Disadvantages of Each

Toward a Moral Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Toward a Moral Economy - Essay Example Moral norms as used here refer to the general statements or rules, such as always being truthful, while moral values are expressed as statements that describe features or objects as having worth (Velasquez, 2013). The focus of a moral economy, therefore, deals with achieving understanding of these practices and institutions, as well as on desirable and feasible possibilities for change. Judgments concerning the justice in society have their basis on moral principles that come up with fair ways for the distribution of economic burdens and benefits among all members of a specific society (Velasquez, 2013). In the same society, judgments concerning the violations of rights of its members revolve around moral principles that identify the aspects on which the individuals’ wellbeing and rights to freedom and liberty are respected by the authorities. The moral, economic society should also be guided by the utilitarian morality standard, which is a moral principle contending that various acts are right only to the extent that they increase the economic benefits to society, while also decreasing the economic costs to society. In addition, this moral economy must also possess an ethic of virtue, which refers to the ethic that places emphasis of ensuring the concrete wellbeing of other individuals in society, rather than only oneself (Velasquez, 2013). To evaluate the moral character of individuals in this moral economy, the ethic of virtue is used. Capitalist justice is based on the contribution of individuals in society and acts as a possible starting point for a moral economy. In this case, the benefits are distributed according to the individual’s contribution to society, raising the question about how distributive justice’s contributive principle can allow for the measurement of each individual’s contribution on the basis of work effort (Velasquez,

The Meaning Of Family To The South Asian (Indian) Male Essay Example for Free

The Meaning Of Family To The South Asian (Indian) Male Essay The family is traditionally the core of all Asian societies. Decisions are often carried out while taking into consideration the immediate family, as well as the external family. But in the context of Asian society, the family â€Å"is not a particularly loving social unit.†[1] In most Asian societies, the family is used as a means of safeguarding property, continuing bloodlines and acquiring more wealth.[2] Indian society is one such example wherein this reality exists. Sons are granted preferential treatment over their sisters, because the former is expected to run the family business and continue the family name. In addition, customs such as the dowry system provide instant fortune to a groom’s family. The Indian male, therefore, views the family as a venue wherein he can exercise control and obtain material prosperity. This belief is not without cultural reinforcements. Friends and relatives exclaim congratulations whenever a baby boy is born to Indian parents. In Indian society, a son is regarded as insurance[3] – he will inherit his father’s property and will help support the family by getting a job. In sharp contrast, daughters are seen as additional expenses[4] – their only place is in the home. The bias against daughters is deeply ingrained in Indian culture that people in some parts of India use the expression â€Å"The servant of your household has been born†[5] when greeting a family with a newborn daughter. In the Indian family, the father is the provider and the dominant authority figure. He must treat his wife like a servant and be stern and aloof towards his children. The wife, on the other hand, must be loyal, obedient and subservient to her husband. She is supposed to tend to his needs like a faithful and devoted servant. Such a rigid and hierarchical family structure often leaves wives feeling neglected and abused. To get rid of these sentiments, they lavish all their attention to their sons.[6] In doing so, they become the provider and the dominant authority figures in their respective families.[7] The Indian mother gives her baby, especially if it is a boy, constant nurturing. The baby is constantly handled, overindulged and is responded to at every whimper. Growing up, male Indian children are made to believe that they deserve to be the center of attention simply because of their gender. Their mothers exempt them from chores, as the former regards housework as a girl’s job. Upon reaching adolescence, male Indians are encouraged to prove their masculinity by drinking, smoking, gambling and having sex with prostitutes. This societal expectation is not without support from the family – there are cases when fathers and uncles are the ones who bring their sons and nephews to the brothel for their first sexual experience. Because of its overemphasis on indulging sons, the aforementioned child-rearing technique produces very irresponsible males. Pampered from infancy, most Indian men end up as wastrels, misusing the resources first of their mothers and later of their wives. Worse, they marry women who were raised to tolerate the capriciousness of their husbands. The conjugal family, as a result, is transformed into an extension of the husband’s immediate family. The wife, meanwhile, becomes the husband’s replacement for his mother – a woman who will cater to his every whim and will overlook even his most serious transgressions The wife has no choice but to accept and live with this situation – society dictates that she shifts her loyalty to her conjugal family upon marriage. Not only is she to take care of her husband; she is also to look after her parents-in-law. Indian parents-in-law, especially mothers-in-law, take advantage of this societal obligation by ensuring that the marriage of their sons will provide their family with material benefits. The dowry system is one way of achieving this goal. Although it was already outlawed in India in 1961, the practice of paying and accepting dowry is still customary in the country. India’s illegal dowry system leaves women vulnerable to abuse and even murder. Every year, an estimated 25,000 women[8] in the country are maimed or killed over dowry disputes. Dowry-related crimes are often perpetuated by grooms and mothers-in-law who are not satisfied with the dowries that the bride’s family gave them. Victims of dowry murders are usually killed by being doused with kerosene and set aflame with a lighted match. The family of the groom will then say that the death was a â€Å"suicide† or a â€Å"kitchen accident.† Police are oftentimes bribed into corroborating the claim. Families who are able to afford very expensive dowries, on the other hand, are often left impoverished and with extremely heavy debts. In pre-colonial India, upper-caste families observed the dowry system in order to help defray marriage expenses and to enable the bride to live on her own should she leave an abusive marriage.[9] But the British introduced homogenized and codified laws into the country, resulting in male domination of the local economy.[10] Only men were allowed to own land and work outside the home. In the process, boys gained higher social worth than girls. These social, political and economic conditions led to the transformation of the dowry system from a wedding gift to a form of payment[11] to a man for marrying a woman. Because Indian women were no longer capable of owning land or working outside the home, parents wanted to do away with their daughters as early as possible. As a result, they lured potential husbands with expensive dowries. The families of these men, on the other hand, viewed the dowry system as an opportunity to pay off heavy land taxes that the British imposed on them.[12] Dowries took on a new form in the 20th century. During this period, families of prospective grooms demanded costly dowries in order to keep up with the consumerist lifestyle associated with capitalism.[13] To convince families of potential brides into paying, Indian men, particularly those from the upper classes, capitalize on their eligibility, social prowess and caste.[14] The higher the qualifications and the caste, the higher the dowry required. Indian families regard marriage to a higher caste as the fastest way to social advancement.[15]

Assessment for Teacher Essay Example for Free

Assessment for Teacher Essay The primary purpose of assessment is for the learner to provide evidence of learning by demonstrating the understanding of content and achievement of learning outcomes. This gives an insight of their strengths and areas of development. Whereas for teacher, it provides a moment to review their assessment strategies in terms of effectiveness and facilitate progression by giving constructive feedback. It also informs the curriculum board, managers, and relevant staff to evaluate learning programmes for any improvements. Learners are assessed through various stages of learning journey by using variety of methods and strategies. They are usually assessed formatively before or during the course and summatively near or the end of it. Formative assessment provides a continuous source of information about students’ progress, improvement and problems encountered in the learning process. It could be an â€Å"Initial Assessment† to determine prior knowledge or â€Å"Diagnostic Assessment† to find areas of development and strengths. Feedback is an integral part of it. (NCFOT, 1999) said it â€Å"occurs when teachers feed information back to the students in ways that enable the student to learn better, or when students can engage in a similar, self-reflective process†(Principle 4). It has also been supported by several educationists such as Scales (2008 p. 179), Black and William (1998: 17) and Reece and Walker (2007 p. 325). Formative assessments are not graded which allows flexibility to modify and adjust the teaching practices and reflect the needs and progress of learners as well as motivating them. However, formative assessment in its purist form is seldom used (Brookhart, 1999). I feel that teachers should be given training to as â€Å"how† and â€Å"when† to employ it successfully. There are variety of methods by which students are assessed formatively such as Accreditation of prior learning (APL), Observation, Oral Questioning, Discussion, Role play, Case study, Essays, Projects, Assignments, MCQs etc. which when used in combination has proven effective in measuring a variety of complex learning outcomes (Reece and Walker, 2007, p. 326) It is useful for development of â€Å"Cognitive†, â€Å"Psychomotor† and â€Å"Affective Domains† of learning as explained in Bloom’s Taxonomy and could assess higher order skills of these domains. Some teachers are predominantly concerned with cognitive learning with some use of psychomotor skills but affective learning can be a useful tool in changing attitudes i. e. gender, culture etc. even if it’s not a requirement of a course. Summative Assessment happens at the end of the course, unit etc. and is for grading and decision purpose. It is used for informing employers, institutions etc. about learner’s overall performance. It does not however, give information about detailed abilities of learner and there is no feedback so it is debated for its complete reliability and validity. (Scales, 2008 and Rust, 2002). Learners are assessed summatively mostly by Examination, Assignments, Portfolios, and Essays. They develop the skill levels of ‘cognitive and psychomotor domains’ depending on how effectively they are set out and the type of course. ‘MCQs’ and ‘Viva’ for instance can provide better coverage of syllabus as well as assessment of deeper knowledge whereas essays does not serve the same purpose but assess higher levels of cognitive domain i. e. synthesis and evaluation. Feedback is an important element of assessment and is directly related to motivation. In order to accelerate learning process it has to be timely, positive and constructive. â€Å"Maslow’s hierarchy makes us think about the total experience.. From physiological factors. to relationships (do we give positive regard and development feedback? ) to self-esteem needs (‘I’m no good ’), his hierarchy provides a useful device to help us understand learning and motivation(Scales, 2008 p. 72). We need to keep records to track and monitor the progress of our learners. They are many different types of internal, external and formal and informal records. Internal records include mark books, matrix, learner progress sheets/ reviews and results of mock tests. In ESOL, we keep records of Initial interview, Initial assessment, spiky profile, ILPs, Diagnostic assessment, Formative assessment, observation reports, feedback reports, peer/self assessments and Summative assessments to assess the progress of learners and efficacy of programme and teaching. The external records include all the evidence in form of written work or internal verification to sent to external bodies i. e. exam board, auditing bodies, other educational organisations, support staff, etc.

Digital Convergence Processing and Transferring Data

Digital Convergence Processing and Transferring Data Introduction Digital convergence (DC) is the proliferation of information in digitized form (bits) and the efficient flow of information in the digital network. Digital convergence is the various ways in which digitized data are processed and transferred [1]. The Knowledge economy is driven by DC where digital systems are embedded ubiquitously in the business processes that help the users to exchange information, store and access data, collaborate, communicate, learn and trade in real time. The digital information can also be accessed from and stored in a remote location which supports workers that are mobile and/or located in distant locations. DC is facilitated by internet, access networks (like 3G,4G, wireless LAN, wireless broadband) and high network connectivity ; leading a surge in virtualization of computing and storage functions of digitized data [2]. Easy communication, information exchange and collaboration made possible over the global digital network with the aid of Digital Convergenc e has caused a surge in Cloud Computing; which is where digitized data, computational platform and infrastructure to compute enabled by the digital platform is stored in the cloud outside the walled premises of the organization on a sharable platform [2]. Digital Convergence is the current trend in Pervasive Computing which follows the mantra of access to information anywhere, anytime. Gartner Research states that worldwide cloud services revenue enabled by digitized data is estimated to exceed $56.3 billion in 2009, which is a jump of 21.3 percent from the $46.4 billion spent on the cloud last year [3]. Furthermore, Gartner analyst predicts by the year 2013, the Cloud service revenue will reach $150.1 billion[4]. Hence, Digital convergence (DC) is an important paradigm in information technology. Theory of digital options suggests that IT indirectly supports agility by offering firms with digital options [5], which are described as a set of IT-enabled capabilities in the form of digitized work processes and knowledge systems. This theory emphasizes that IT enhances the reach and richness of a firms knowledge and it is processed to help the firm improve its agility i.e. its ability to sense and respond to environment change. The term digital options denote that a firm may apply its IT-enabled capabilities in the form of digitized work processes to emerging opportunities, or they may remain unused depending on the dynamic capabilities of a firm [6]. In a dynamic environment; competitive advantage is short lived; hence firms continuously generate competitive actions to achieve series of short term competitive advantage and firms with greater number and variety of competitive actions achieve competitive position [7-9]. Attempts have been made to identify the factors that lead to competitiveness but there are no formal empirical study so far that investigates the link between Digital Convergence and competitive advantage. Research justification and research questions Dynamic capabilities of a firm are composed of Adaptive, Absorptive and Innovative capability[10]. Prior research has shown that Knowledge sharing and absorptive capability of the firm (ability and motivation of the firms employees to utilize knowledge) improves innovation capability of the firm[11]. Review of the previous IS research suggests that continuously generating competitive actions , Knowledge Management and Agility is important in achieving competitive position but there has been no formal empirical study that examines the role of innovation capability in improving firms business process agility and the role of Digital Convergence in leveraging innovation capability in competitive actions. There have been several calls for research to examine relationship between Organizational capabilities, Agility, digital systems and competitive actions. The specific research problems include examining the relationship between digital systems and competitive actions and Firm and network capabilities for leveraging digital systems in competitive actions[12] and examining what IT capabilities are vital to business success in contemporary digital environment? [13].There has been call for research to study the next wave of nomadic computing including Digital Convergence that enables organizations to: mobilize information, share the information, develop new forms of organizational structure, capability, and agility [1]. In response to these calls this study proposes to study the following research questions and the research model is illustrated in Fig 1. 1. Does Innovation capability of the firm help in making a firm more Agile? 2. What role does digital convergence play in influencing the strength of the proposed relationship between Innovation capability and Agility? 3. Does Digital Convergence help in developing the digital collaboration (both external and internal)? 4. What role does location of the partner play in building the innovation alliance network or in other words Digital collaborators of a firm are more locally dispersed / more globally dispersed / are they somewhat equally dispersed between local and global locations? Digital Convergence inhibits or facilitates Digital collaboration between partners that are local and global? 5. Does Digital Collaboration (like between competitors) have any role in shaping business process agility? 6. Improving the business process agility of the firm makes the firm more competitive? 7. Which type of digital collaboration is perceived to be the most valuable for enterprises innovation activities? Literature Review Digital convergence Prevalence of digitized data has resulted in Digital Convergence (DC) [14]. The Digital network today is connected with IP phone, IP camera, IP TV, Point of sale systems, digital learning devices, portable medical and other technologies that provide unified communication and collaboration tools even to those workers who are mobile. When all media is digitalBits co-mingle effortlessly. They start to get mixed up and can be used and re-used separately or together.[15] or in other words DC makes use and reuse of information easier. The definition of digital convergence (DC) has evolved over time. The assimilation of concepts on Digital Convergence from the review of literature is outlined below. In the year 1977, Japans NEC Corporation first defined DC as communications merging with computers. Digital convergence requires ubiquitous and powerful computers that can handle communications with digitized content[16, 17]. DC is the convergence of content ( character, sound, text, motion, picture into a bit stream ) and convergence of transmission ( bits can be managed and transmitted quickly and efficiently and in large volumes) enabled by distributed computing and internetworking [18]. DC can also be classified as Network convergence: Fixed to mobile convergence (FMC) is the seamless distribution of digitized content over mobile and fixed technologies enabling the collapse of boundary between fixed network operator and mobile network operators. It provides access to the digitized service irrespective of location and device. FMC means that a single device can connect and be switched between wired and wireless networks. [19]. Digital convergence can also be viewed as Business Process convergence or integration: It is the ability to represent audio, video, text and other media in digital form, manage this rich digital content and tie it to transactional capability and interactive services [20].For e.g. In a doctors office the patient signature can be captured digitally, all the business transactions like patient scheduling, recording of the information about the procedure performed and the rate for the services performed, payment collection, processing for insurance claim, patient medical records can be managed digitally and later those records can be accessed by management to track the performance of the clinic efficiently. Also the business process convergence can help business provide personalized interactive products for the consumers. DC is the ability to integrate and converge enterprise wide business process with single point of access to it, 247, where digitized data are stored in a shared repository and managed by enterprise wide software like the Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. DC is Device convergence where same digital device can be used for multiple forms of digital content used for complementary services like mobile phone can be used as video player, music player, and sound recorder, GPS, email and web search[16]. It is defined as the convergence of computing, communication and consumer electronics [21] In the current scenario, future digital convergence means producing digital environments that are aware, receptive and adaptive to humans connected in a network. The interacting computational devices connected to such pervasive, human-centered computing network are able to commu nicate with each other [22]. Digital convergence can help working from home, conduct live meeting without travelling using video conferencing. Based on Past research, Digital convergence can be summarized as convergence of: a) digital content, b) network/transmission, c) business process/service, d) digital devices and e) infrastructure supporting pervasive computing. Innovation Capability Past research on Innovation capability of a firm has concluded that it includes the ability of the firm to have product innovation capability, process innovation capability and market innovation capability which are summarized below. The role of environmental innovation capability and organizational innovation capability in shaping firm agility has not been studied so far. Product Innovation capability: Innovation capability is the ability to develop new products or services [23-25], ability to be first mover in the market [26] and ability to introduce more new products than other firms [26]. Process Innovation capability: This is the ability of the firm to develop new methods of production [23-25], develop new organizational forms[23], seek new and novel solutions to problems[23] and to discover new methods and sources of supply[23]. Market Innovativeness: This is the ability to identify new markets[23]. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is headquartered in Paris and administers Community Innovation Survey (CIS). The Community Innovation Survey (CIS) was updated recently in the year 2008 and it lists Organizational Innovation Capability and Environment Innovation Capability as new measures for innovativeness [27]. Innovation surveys were first experimented with in several Western European countries but have since been conducted in many other countries including Canada, all EU countries, Switzerland, Russia, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, South Africa and most Latin American countries. Organizational Innovation Capability As per the CIS 2008 [27], organizational innovation capability is the ability of the firm to have new organizational method in the business practice. The new methods includes new business practices for organising work or procedures (i.e. supply chain management, business re-engineering, lean production, quality management, education/training systems, etc), new knowledge management systems to better use or exchange information, knowledge and skills within and outside the enterprise, New methods of workplace organisation for distributing responsibilities and decision making (i.e. first use of a new system of employee responsibilities, team work, decentralisation, integration or de-integration of departments, etc) and New methods of organising external relations with other firms or public institutions (i.e. first use of partnerships, outsourcing, alliances or sub-contracting, etc.) Environmental innovation capability: As per the CIS 2008 [27], this is the ability to produce new or signi ficantly improved product (good or service), process, organizational method or marketing method that generates environmental advantage compared to alternatives. CIS 2008 also suggests that firm marketing innovation capability of a firm includes ability to make significant changes to product design or packaging, ability to develop new media or techniques for product promotion, develop new sales channel and develop new methods of pricing goods. Product Innovation capability also includes the ability of the firm to develop products adaptive to the needs of the customer. Process innovation capability includes ability to develop new or improved supporting activities for business processes and ability to provide new method of providing staff welfare (employees are provided incentives and encouraged to behave in novel and original ways) and key executives are encouraged to take new risks [27]. Competition: Knowledge Management (KM) theory and the Science of competitiveness suggests that KM improves competitive position by improving productivity, agility, innovation and/or reputation PAIR [28, 29]. In dynamic markets knowledge assets become critical as a source of competition [30]. Along with KM , greater Agility will breed superior organizational performance [31].Entrepreneurial agility (the ability to anticipate and proactively take competitive actions) and Adaptive agility (the ability to sense and react to change) are both significant predictors of sustainable competitive advantage[32]. There is also significant relationship between sustainable competitive advantage and profitability [32]. Dynamic capabilities: In fast evolving markets, competition is a moving target and firms should have dynamic capabilities to gain competitive advantage [6]. Drawing on previous research findings, Dynamic capability is composed of adaptive capability, absorptive capability and innovative capabilit y[10]. Review of literature has defined Competitive action [and response] as externally directed, specific, and observable competitive move initiated by a firm to enhance its relative competitive position[33]. Previous research has concluded that Knowledge Assets, Agility, Dynamic capability are important for being competitive but the key question that this study investigates the relationship of digital convergence with Innovation capability, building innovation co-operation, Business Process agility and competitive advantage. Agility The different types of Agility identified in the literature are : Operational (internally focused initiative), Partnering (Supply chain initiative) and Customer (demand side initiative) [5], Entrepreneurial and Adaptive[32], Strategic[34], Business-Process [35]. Operational agility has been defined in the literature as the ability to sense and seize business opportunities quickly, accurately, and cost-efficiently. Customer agility is the ability to adapt to customers, identify new business opportunities and implement these opportunities with customers; and the role of IT in customer agility is to facilitate the development of virtual customer communities for designing new product, feedback and testing. Partnership agility: is the ability to leverage partners knowledge, competencies, and assets in order to identify and implement new business opportunities. Individual firms do not have all the resources required to effectively compete and value creation for the firm can be leveraged be tter through pooling of assets between partners. The role of IT in partnering agility is to support Inter organizational networks for collaboration, communication and integration of business processes. Organizational agility is important for business success [36]. Agility of an organization is significantly determined by the operational ability of the organization. Greater agility is achieved when the Inter-organizational system used has a task and strategic fit, has been assimilated into the organization and the system is adopted network wide [31]. Organizations that are agile i.e. to be able to take competitive actions continuously perform better than organizations that dont [37]. Business-processes agility can be classified as : process-level agility, which is how quickly an organization can add new capabilities into its standard processes (E.g. how quickly a company can acquire AJAX capability into its ordering process) ; and transaction-level agility, which measures the how good the organization is in customizing capabilities for individual customer transactions (For example, how well a company can customize AJAX ordering capability to include bar-code label on the box, an RFI D tag on a certain type of container, and paper invoice with bulk billing based on the individual transaction with a customer)[38]. Theory and Propositions Resource based view (RBV) of the firm [39, 40] suggests that valuable, rare, inimitable and non substitutable (VRIN) resources and capabilities as the source of competitive advantage. The extension to this is the theory of Dynamic capabilities. This theory emphasizes that development of organizational capabilities over the time and their constant renewal by management influences can be a source of competitive advantage. In contrast to the earlier view that IT infrastructure and IT investment provides the source of competitive advantage, dynamic capabilities theory emphasizes that consistent development of the capability to apply IT , allows firms to be flexible and innovate continuously, looking put for emerging opportunities, and countervailing threats from competitors to help shape a superior firm [41]. Theory of capability state competition lists Dynamic capabilities, core competencies and resources as a basis for superior performance of a firm [42] According to the Dynamic capabi lities theory it is not just the availability of resources that matter, but also the high performance routines operating inside the firm and embedded in the firms processes that utilizes them [43]. The theory proposes that a firms IT application can be imitable across firms but the firms capability to apply IT strategically can be inimitable [44]. Based on this theory the innovation capability of a firm cannot be easily replicated by other firms and will help the firm achieve competitive advantage. Innovation was described by Schumpeter (1934) as development of new products, new methods of production, new sources of supply, opening of new markets and new ways of organizing businesses. As per OECDs CIS 2008 survey innovation ability is the ability to implement new or significantly improved product (good or service), or process, a new marketing method, or a new organisational method, or a new environmentally friendly product or process in business practices, workplace organisation or external relations. It has been suggested that firms radical or incremental innovation drives the firm to respond to market changes and opportunities[45]. This study investigates this empirically by proposing the following. Proposition 1: Innovation capability will be related to Organizational Agility. Digital systems are pervasive and can make knowledge accessible through intranets, digital knowledge repositories and databases and can make the knowledge richer by video conferencing and digital collaborative facilities. Digitization offers firms significant opportunities to achieve greater agility [46]. Digital convergence allows for transfer of digitized information in different ways. Information theory provides completely rational explanations for competitive action: those who have the information will be most aware, motivated and capable of responding. ICT use on Multifactor productivity (MFP growth) are typically linked to firms experience in innovation [47]. It has been suggested that several firm capabilities like the firms digital platform is an important enabler of agility [5]. Thus this study proposes that Innovation Capability will drive agility more for firms that have Digital convergence than for firms that do not. Proposition 2: Relationship between Innovation capability and organizational Agility will be moderated by digital convergence Firms that have digitized their process have digital options that can help create new channels to access customers, build real-time integration within supply chain network , gain efficiencies in internal operations and offering new digital products or services [48]. This study proposes that firms that have digitized their processes will have digital convergence that can help digital collaboration with customers, other members in the supply chain network, other firms in the industry, competitors and other firms within the enterprise; both locally and globally. Proposition 4: Digital convergence will promote both local and international innovation partnership. It has been suggested that Digital collaborations will result in Co-evolution among businesses which implies flexibility in the asset mix , capabilities and knowledge resulting in Agility [49]. Knowledge management is related to organizational agility [50] and conducting knowledge management leads to five types of knowledge manipulation activities: knowledge acquisition, selection, generation, assimilation, and emission[28]. Proposition 5: Digital Collaboration for Innovation has a direct relationship with Agility. Proposition 6: Organizational Agility will be related to a higher level of competitive position/competitive advantage. Research Design Data Sample The proposed research model will be empirically tested using a data gathered from managers of companies. The target respondent list will be compiled from the Dun Bradstreet database consisting of large organizations both public and private operating in North America that has a certain level of market uncertainty and competition. As per OECDs definition there are two types of innovation intensive industries comprising of a) High tech industrial companies like Manufacturing and b) companies that provide knowledge intensive services like IT consultancy, Telecom services, Banking and Financial, Retail, Insurance, Health Care, Education etc . The diverse sample from both the public and the private sector will help increase the generalizability of the results from this study. The focus of this study is digital convergence. Although the surge in digital convergence with variable strength is seen across all industry sectors and all size firms; this study focuses on medium to large companies with large number of employees. The reason being, for large size companies the availability of finance makes it easier to invest in digital systems. Methodology A pilot study with IS academics and graduate students will be conducted for the preliminary assessment of the proposed scale for each construct and to identify ambiguous questions and instructions. Cronbachs alpha (a) coefficient will be computed for each multi item scale to test for reliability. Alpha greater than 0.7 is generally considered to be acceptable reliability[51]. It is important to assess the biases that results from using a single method, a mail survey administered at a single point in time, to measure the constructs proposed in this study due to Common Method Variance (CMV). The Harmons one factor test will be used to assess CMV[52]. Measures are being taken to elicit information about all the variables that are being studied. Whatever possible existing scales will be used but new scale to measure digital convergence will be developed. A seven point likert scale (1= very Weak, 7=Very strong) was used to measure the constructs. This study adapts the previously validated scales used in the past to measure organizational innovation capability [25-27, 53]. The adapted scale in the study consists of : Product innovation which has 3 questions, Process Innovation has 4,organizational innovation has 4,Marketing innovation has 4 and Environmental innovation has 2 questions as shown in the Appendix. Digital Collaboration for innovation is active participation with other enterprises or non-commercial institutions on innovation activities using a digital platform. This type of collaboration does not require for the collaborator to benefit commercially. Pure contracting out of work with no active co-operation is excluded in defining digital collaboration for innovation. The measure is adapted from the OECD community innovation survey, 2008. It consists of selecting the different types of collaborators and their location as shown in Appendix. Eight measures of business process agility was used from a previously validated instrument [35] which was developed based on conceptual framework provided by prior research [5, 54]. These items measure how quickly and well the firms can undertake key business actions such as responding to changes in aggregate demand, customizing a product to a specific customer or market, reaction to new product or service launches by competitors, change prices or product mix, move into or retrench from markets, adopt new process and redesign the supply chain. Little empirical work has been done on Digital Convergence and this proposal synthesizes concepts from the current IS literature on Digital Convergence to help develop the operationalization of the Digital convergence Construct. This study proposes breaking down DC into 6 first order constructs consisting of content convergence, transmission convergence, Network convergence, Business Process convergence or integration, Device convergence and Pervasive digital environment; which will be easier to operationalize . The Next step will be operationalize these variables, transform the propositions into formal hypotheses for the purpose of empirical testing. This study proposes to measure competitive position of a company based on performance of their company relative to their major competitors using a seven-point Likert scale( 1-significantly decreased, 7= significantly increased) in terms of : Market share, Sales volume and Customer Satisfaction. The results from the self reported will be validated by calculating correlation with the results from accounting related measures available from Financial Reports. Previous literature supports the use of accounting measures such as Return on Sales (ROS), Return on Assets (ROA) often used as proxy for efficiency, operation income to measure a companys position to compete Data Analysis This study proposes to use PLS to estimate the research model as it is common in behavioral literature to use multiple item measures for latent constructs. Path model using PLS will be used for interpreting the main results of this study because this study uses perceptual measures coming from one respondent for constructs that require multiple item indicators. Significance of this research Innovation and Agility are seen as being important across many industries, especially those operating in a dynamic and globally competitive environment. The impact of Digital Convergence upon a firms ability to compete in such an environment has important implications for managers. The relationship between Innovation capability and Business Process Agility has not been studied empirically in context with competitive advantage. The results from this proposed study can provide guidance to managers to answer questions like: Should managers develop environmental innovation capability, organizational and marketing innovation capability to gain more Agility? Should Managers invest in digital convergence for building digital collaboration for innovation? Is there any gain in collaboration for innovation (even with competitors) in improving firm agility? Does business process agility provide competitive advantage for large companies? Will the benefit in developing innovation capability increase by investment in Digital Convergence? This proposed study is important to researchers as it adds to the growing body of literature linking a Firms capability and Agility. It draws from resource-based view of the firm and dynamic capability theory to explain the relationship between firms innovation capability and its competitive performance. This study provides an empirical test of relationship between business process agility and competitiveness. The study also provides identification of Digital Convergence. Finally, the results of this proposed study is important to respondents as it answers if the leverage of innovation capability for competitive advantage is contingent on investment in Digital Convergence.

Spike Lee Essay -- Biography, Shelton Jackson Lee

Shelton Jackson Lee was born in Atlanta, Georgia March 20, 1957. Born to teacher Jacqueline Carroll and jazz musician William James Edward Lee, Shelton grew up in Brooklyn, New York where he was provided with a rich cultural upbringing that included plays, movies, and music (Gale 1). At a young age, Lee was nicknamed â€Å"Spike† by his mother who noticed his rough nature and the nickname stuck well into his adult life. He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia where he gained an interest in film and then graduated with a Bachelors degree in Mass Communication. Lee went on to attend New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where he created his first student film and graduated in 1982 with a Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television. Being one of the few black students to attend Tisch School of the Arts, the aspiring filmmaker’s first year at New York University was a particularly difficult one. Lee’s experiences, race, and upbringing have al l led him to create controversial films to provide audiences with an insight into racial issues. Spike Lee’s first student production, The Answer, was a short ten minute film which told of a young black screenwriter who rewrote D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation. The film was not well accepted among the faculty at New York University, stating Lee had not yet mastered â€Å"film grammar.† Lee went on to believe the faculty took offense to his criticisms towards the respected director’s stereotypical portrayals of black characters (1). For his final film project, Lee wrote, produced, and directed Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads. The film won him the 1983 Student Academy Award for Best Director and the Lincoln Center chose the film as its first student production. The film was lo... ...d violence (Biography 1). While black oriented films have veered away from racism and focused more on humor and sex to attract the new younger audience, Lee has continued to focus on racial issues, keeping the door open for other directors to follow. One of the most original, innovative, and without a doubt controversial filmmakers in America, Lee admits he has been blessed with the opportunity to express the views of black people who otherwise don’t have access to power and media (IMDb 4). Lee uses this motivation coming from his passion of being able to express the views of many, along with Malcolm X himself and his philosophy that blacks need to build their own economic base, to continue contributing to Hollywood (Gale 4). There is no doubt that Spike Lee will continue to find ways to impact audiences with his controversial actions, statements and racial films.

Physics Behind Why Rockets Fly :: physics rocket rockets fly

In order for any rocket to fly, it must obey some basic rules of physics. No rocket can escape the cardinal rule that the center of gravity must be in front of the center of pressure. Center of Gravity The Center of Gravity or Cg is the point that behaves as if all the mass was concentrated in that one spot. Simply put it is the point at which you could balance the rocket on your finger. The Cg is also the point around which the rocket rotates. This becomes very important for the rocket's stability as you will soon see. Center of Pressure The Center of Pressure or Cp is similar to the Cg. The Cp is the point at which the forces from the air pushing on the vechicle seem to be focused. What is a Cg or a Cp? Basic Rocket Why Does This Matter ? When a rocket is in flight, the force of the air pushing on it keeps the Cp behind the Cg. This is important because the rocket is pushed by the force of the exhaust coming out the back. If the Cp was in front of the Cg, the rocket would want to spin around (so that its back was pointing forwards).. However, because the exhaust is always pushing the rocket forward, it spins around again and again... and you get the picture from there. Fins So now that you know all about Cgs and Cps, it should make perfect sense what fins are for. Still a little confused? The fins are extra surface area near the back of the rocket. This brings the Cp further back on the rocket without significantly moving the Cg.. Calculating Cp Calculating a Cp is rather involved. The easiest way to do it is by using Barrowman's Equations, although these are still fairly complicated. I was going to explain them, but I found a site that does a better job than I could ever do. The UAF Student Rocket Project builds and flies sounding rockets with help from Wollops Flight Facilty. Our latest mission, SRP4, is a student designed and built payload. It will be carrying a science instrument designed by students and professors at Toyama Prefectual University in Japan. Our goal is to measure the D-region of the ionosphere. SRP4 will fly atop an Orion sounding rocket motor that will be supplied by NASA's Wollops Flight Facility. We expect to launch from Poker Flat Research Range in March of 2002.