Accused: Eye Color and Man

The small figure bent over a table place intentionally sideways in the center of a small, dirt-floored room. The only light source that allowed him to see was the little light that trickled In through the filth stained window. As his hands worked, sewing the soft, bristled fur, a chorus of childish voices found Its way Into the house from outside. â€Å"Ring around the rosy,† they sang. The figure couldn't help but to cringe at the intricate lyrics, knowing their horrible meaning. â€Å"Pocket full of posies. † The man stood up to straighten his back, plucking his new work up as he did so.Pinched gently between his thumb and forefinger was the inert body of a rat, its fur hardened with dirt. The rat, though no longer alive, was positioned with its back arched up into the air and its paws held up as if ready to leap, whether to strike or flee. â€Å"Ashes, ashes. † A small drizzle started to fall from the gray clouds outside. Fat rain drops thumped gently against the wooden door. The man placed the rat on the window sill, the heavy stains of dirt working as a sufficient background of his new masterpiece. The rain started to fall harder from the miserable sky, and then even harder still.The fat drops pounded harshly now against the door and with a distinct flash of lightning that illuminated the rat's eyes, lighting up its dead gaze, followed by the crack of raging thunder, it was almost as if death itself rapped upon his door. And as the small children fled back to their homes, their last chorus echoed through the wind, raising the hair on the man's neck and sending a cold shiver down his spine. â€Å"We all fall down. † Jonathan Merger, a tall, thin man with dark hair and hazel eyes, stood behind a small woman and her three children as he waited to meet the sorceress.It had started to rain an hour ago, and if he hadn't of had to come outside, he wouldn't have. HIS clothes were already soaked with rain water. The offer of protection I s what drove him to come. Protection Is what drove everything now, standing alone against misery and fear. Jonathan watched as two of the children played around their mother, splashing in the muddy puddles that now line the cobblestone streets, still bustling with activity despite the weather. A third child, the smaller one of the three, grasped the dress his mother wore with small hands and buried his face into its cough fabric.As if sensing someone watching him, the small boy looked up from his mother's dress. Jonathan felt a pang in his heart. The boy, who couldn't be older than five, had a small blister just visible on the side of his cheek. His face was flushed with fever and he looked out of breath, as if he had been running for quite a long while. The boy put his face back into his mother's dress. The woman looked down and gently ran her fingers through his hair with motherly affection. As she left the small vendor, her children followed. Jonathan walked up to the small, simp le stand.Various stones and bracelets were laid out before him In small wooden boxes. Small woven designs and triangular cards tied to simple string hung from a wooden stick down past her shoulders and shockingly green eyes set into a wrinkled face splashed with freckles. Jonathan exchanged a few words with the older woman, and then placed a few silver pennies into her palm. She smiled, revealing chipped and missing teeth, then turned and reached up for one of the small triangular cards. She plucked it down from off the small stick and stretched out her arm towards him, her hand hiking with old age.Jonathan took the intricate charm with a kind nod of his head, then turned away from the woman and walked down the flooded streets seeking shelter. A small figure caught his eye as he approached the local pub. He was cloaked in a black robe that hung heavily around his body from the rain. A hood was drawn up over his face, but it didn't do well to hide him from the crowd. People began to whisper in the ancient language of gossip to one another, telling rumors and profound stories that they had heard about the man.They told each other about owe he hardly ever left his home to appear out in public, much rather sticking to the loneliest parts of town. They murmured of his shady figure, how he never really talked of his past or personal life, or they whispered about the way he presented himself in the strangest of ways, nothing like a normal man would. The strangest part about this man, however, was the fact that he never seemed to approach any of the vendors that sold magical charms and trinkets of protection, seeming to ignore them all together.Everyone tried to get protection from this horrible plague, but the an seemed to Just carry on as if it were none of his concern. Still, Jonathan couldn't help but notice that today he had seemed even odder than usually. His fingers danced and interlocked in a nervous habit, and his feet seemed to shuffle around underneath him with small, almost unnoticeable movements. Usually Jonathan preferred to stay clear of the man, but his curiosity was taking over. Without actually realizing, he had begun to follow the man as he walked back to his home.Carl Oakley walked into his small home and eased the door shut behind him. He drew his hood back from his face, now heavy and drenched with water. He sighed quietly and looked around at all the small projects he had recently completed. Black rats stood in various positions all around the room. His most recent one was placed on his window sill. He thought it would have been a good idea to put it there as a way for him to distinguish it from the rest, but now he felt as if he had made a very unfortunate mistake.One of the people in town had stopped him as he was passing through, which was unusual due to the fact that many people preferred to avoid him, and asked him about the black rats in his house. He had been so shocked that he ad nearly remained speechless, but aft er a few moments found his courage to answer. To his relief, she had thought that it had simply been a normal rat that had found its way into his humble abode. Carl quickly moved over to the window and removed the rat, wondering how the child had been able to see it through the thick layer of filth covering the lower half of his window.When he looked closer, he could see tiny streaks where the rain had run down the window, looking as if a toddler had taken its finger and swiped the dirt away. It wasn't completely clean, but it was clean enough to where the small shape of the rat could be visible from up close. He gave At that moment, Oakley heard his door open, allowing the cold outside air to flood into the dark room. A man hurried inside, looking completely unabashed at the fact that he had Just entered another man's home without any permission. Oakley threw him a confused look, but the man wasn't focused on him. He was focused on the rats.His face had gone a pale color and his ey es were wide in horror as he looked around at all of them, all in different poses, as if their death had been frozen and prolonged o that they may suffer the pain of living. His mouth moved as he tried to form words. Finally he managed, â€Å"What†¦ What is this†¦ This†¦ † â€Å"What is your reason of entering? I do not remember allowing you in,† Oakley said, his own face going pale. â€Å"Sorcerer,† the other man said, barely above a whisper, and then he spoke louder. â€Å"Sorcerer! What black magic is this? † â€Å"l am not a sorcerer neither do I practice in the skill of Black Magic.There is no such thing,† Oakley said, trying to keep his voice level at the situation. The man looked around, his eyes showing a mixture of fear and anger, and rasped a knife that had been lain down on the center table. It was the knife that Oakley had used to remove the skin from the rats. Dried blood now covered its metallic surface. Muff†¦ L s hould have known†¦ It's you isn't it? † Oakley was taken off guard by the question. â€Å"It's me what? † â€Å"The reason this plague has fallen upon our heads, shadowing the entire continent in fear and death. I knew it†¦ Ever since you arrived on that ship.You were hiding something, I knew it, I knew it†¦. But no, I won't let this go on any longer,† he said, raising the knife so that the tip faced Oakley. Have you succumbed to the rancid plague as well, or are you Just as mad as you sound! † Carl said, his anger rising up. â€Å"My son was taken by this plague,† the man continued, as if Carl had said nothing. â€Å"But no more, no more death, no more fear. † â€Å"Stop making foolish accusations against me! † Oakley shouted at realizing the reason for the accusation. The man was seeking revenge for his son, and he wanted it any way he could. Carl spoke again, this time his voice was softer. Do you not see what I have d one? Look around you. † The man glanced warily around him. L can see very well what you have done. † â€Å"l have preserved these small creatures,† Oakley said, with a sense of excitement and awe in his own voice. â€Å"Don't you see? I have made them everlasting. Now they shall be preserved for all future generations. Everyone may know of this plague, but not in the way we must suffer it. What I have done is great. † Oakley spoke like an artist would speak of one of his new masterpieces. â€Å"What you have done is evil and unholy! And I will send you back to the deepest parts of†¦ Jonathan had begun, his eyes gleaming bright with fear. Off still don't see! I have done nothing to cause this plague! † Oakley replied in anger. â€Å"l have done something marvelous that will help us too†¦ † â€Å"No more! † the man cried in a shaky voice. Muff think you're innocent, let God decide. Let us abide to the laws of the church! † Oakley froze, his hands up in gestures that he had made while he had been Jonathan had heard enough. The insanity of anger had overcome him, and now he only wanted one thing. â€Å"God will let the guilty fall against the good, and now let us judge,† the man said, raising the knife over his head.Oakley looked at the gleaming metal, feeling fear wash over him like waves of the ocean. His hands fell to his side. In a soft voice, â€Å"Please, you don't†¦ ,† he began to say, but then looked at Jonathan. His Jaw was set in determination, and his eyes shone with something so pronounced, it scared Oakley. As soon as the fear came, though, it vanished. He raised his arms out, leaving a clear strike for the man. â€Å"It doesn't matter. I have already left my mark upon this world. My work will be remembered, and later on copied. I will not be forgotten. † There was a flash of metal, and then blood sprayed the walls.

Man Utd – Swot and Pest

Manchester united Manchester United (ManU) is one of the leading football clubs in the world. ManU has won many titles in the football competition making the club to be the most successful football club in the world. The success of this club is contributed by the good management of Sir Alex Ferguson who has been the manager since 1986 when Ron Atkinson left (Official website, ManU). Introduction The football industry in UK has become popular because of the first successes in the industry, an attribute that made it a viable business. The main aim of this report is to analyze the SWOT and PEST analysis of Manchester United.From this analysis, it will be possible to identify both the internal and external strengths of the company. SWOT analysis SWOT analysis can be used to know the success factors of ManU as well as to identify the strategies to be overcome the club's weaknesses. Moreover, SWOT analyses will enable the company to identify the opportunities to improve performance. SWOT a nalysis of Manchester United is presented below: Strengths The key strength of Manchester United is its well recognized brand all over the world. ManU has achieved such good brand name by heavy advertisement through the internet, TV and magazines (Andrews, 2004).This massive advertisement has made the club to get various sponsors. This means that whenever the company raises any merchandise in the market, indicating their name and symbol, it will be identified by its funs all over the world. Strength of the club is the presence of a big fan base which has improved the financial stability of the club. This big fan base has made a very high purchase figure whenever the tickets are being sold. Furthermore, Manchester United has various distribution channels which enable it to deliver new products introduced into the market.Furthermore, these channels can be used by the Manchester United to obtained feedback from the market concerning their products and performances. Weaknesses From the website of the company, it shows that the major weakness is the products and product variety. It is evident that the company has been introducing many diverse products at different occasions. All these diverse products have been introduced from the jersey to credit cards indicating that the company has exploited the available sources of income within the company.This action needs to be researched as soon as possible so as to help the company to situate and analyze it products, adopt the use of effective instruments such as the Boston Matrix which will help the company to identify that the products are doing well in the market. Lastly, the club has been so affluent, and it is still operating on such a high level, there is a worrying within the management of the company that it will loose its origin, which has a diverse concentration of the club from football to the proceeds.Such moves might have a great effect to its fans because the fans come from all over the world. Opportunities P enetration of the Manchester United to the American market has been one of the major opportunities to the company. The company will in future structure its club by entering into coalition with the New York Yankees. The New York Yankees is one of the well-off teams in the world. This will assist the company by ensuring that exclusive distribution channels are established in the United States of America. Through this the company will be in a position to enter and present their products in a new market.Furthermore, the Manchester United will be in a position to lead all the football clubs in the America, though there will be superior height of risks concerned. The managers believe that by entering a coalition with the Yankees, this threat will be reduced (CNN, 2010). Threats Manchester United operates under a great threat in this field because other big teams like Manchester City and Arsenal which are currently improving in their performances. These and other teams have become very big competitors to the club. Furthermore, the Manchester United FC has been facing internal threats to the team.There is a frequent change of leadership in the company making the club to be disunited. Nonetheless, this will affect the sale of merchandise. Lastly, the club is lacking enough finances for financing academies and junior football, so that they can train the best footballers to ensure smooth succession in the future. PEST Analysis of the Manchester United The club's decision has been affected by macro-environmental factors such as the changes in taxes, new laws, demographic changes and the changes in government policy. The managers of Manchester United can classify these as the political, economical, social and technological factors.Political factors This comprises of the laws which govern the issues affecting the activities of the club. Currently the team is undergoing a problem of paying out its debts which amount to $1. 5 billion, a figure which was misappropriated by the greedy owners. The fans of Manchester United from England are preparing to join their efforts to force legislators to consider pro-football legislation in parliament which will aim at fighting the total arrears which has not being paid because of corrupt owners who misuse the funds of the club. Such an action has exploited the loyalties of fans of Manchester United.Economical factors The club has boosted the economy through employment opportunities which have been created to the players and the officials. The positive effect of Manchester United FC is felt globally because they employ the best players globally. Secondly, this soccer club has been a catalyst in the regional development because of the positive financial flows which are generated by the supporters of the team across the world. Lastly, the club has a positive influence on the economy because its officials are thrown from all over the world.These officials spend an average of 15 ? on basic needs such as food, drinks etc . in a single match. If the supporters are from foreign countries they bring in foreign currencies which will eventually boosts the Balance of Payments in the country Technology Technology has contributed positively to the foot ball games since the players are capable of playing at night due to the availability of electricity. Furthermore, technology has facilitated various people from different parts of the world to watch football irregardless of there locations.Technology has facilitated fans of the club to obtain information from the internet concerning the performances of the company. This has benefited those Manchester United fans to get updates incase they had missed to watch the game. Social Manchester United just like any other football team has united many people especially the funs of football. People have interacted all over the world because of football. People from different age groups normally watch football because it is either their favorite game or because they want to watch just for leisure.Football has become part of the society in the current world, everybody in the world talks of football, either English Premier League or the world cup championships. This is very important since it has affected the society in a positive way i. e. it can create employment in the region. For example, the world cup will be in South Africa this year. The South African government will collect a lot of revue in terms of taxation, sales of tickets and any other taxable stuff. This will have close relationship with the social cultural factors though indirectly (Masterman, 2009).Manchester United has contributed a lot in the context of the social cultural factors as it employs players from different parts of the world. They normal select stars from different leagues and employ them. From a research done by Masterman, Manchester is the leading club in the payment package they offer to its employees. Business strategy The team has carried research concerning their pr oduct development in the market. This is very important as it will help the team to improve their performance in their product in the present market before strategizing on how to enter the new market.Conclusion Manchester United is the leading team in the football industry and to maintain this position, they have to focus on the market and the needs of its clients and followers. The company has further improved on their product through carrying research; these improvements have brought success in the club and improve the support of the team. The board of directors has also done their best by employing the best players to represent the club. This will make the team to perform well in the field whenever they have a game. Furthermore, these directors ensure that the discipline is well maintained n the company because the fans and its competitors are closely watching what is going on in the company. Bibliography ? Andrews, D. L. (2004) Manchester United: a thematic study. Routledge: UK. Barthold, D. 2009. The Business of European Football. GRIN Verlag, (3). Pp 36-38 Masterman, G. 2009. Strategic Sports Event Management: Olympic Edition Hospitality, Leisureand Tourism Series. Butterworth-Heinemann, (2). Pp 65-67 Manchester United. 2008. The Official Manchester United Annual 2009 Official Manchester Read more: http://www. ukessays. com/essays/business/manchester-united. php#ixzz2O7qrNL7L

Future of Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Future of Journalism - Essay Example People involved are a crucial factor for a continuous success of the collaborative blog and growing number of members on Daily Kos. Kos believes that future of journalism must be close to people, involving her in a more active way. People not only need to get information, they need to bringing and to discuss about it. Journalist must allow a person to count his histories about what occurs in its communities because nobody knows better and understand what happens. People have valuable information and they are possible to become into collaborator. The media must be near the people of active form, its interest is not only to absorb the information but to contribute with its information and to educate the others. Media need to "create tools that would allow greater engagement and discussion between editors, writers, and readers" (Moulitsas, 2009, para. 2) Journalists, reporters, editors and media professionals need to involve the people to achieve credibility and they are going to be more recognized and respected. Kos said "people become part of this collaborative media world" (Lopez, 2009, Podcast) Lopez, Eugenia, (2009, April 08). Moulitsas speaks about the future of journalism. X Press. Journalism Department - San Francisco State University. Retrieved May 21, 2009 from http://xpress.sfsu.edu/archives/news/012959.html

Types of Marketing Strategies and Elements of a Successful Marketing Term Paper

Types of Marketing Strategies and Elements of a Successful Marketing Strategy - Term Paper Example One should remember that marketing is not like mathematics, in which there are set formulae to derive results. However, goals are met on the basis of past experiences, and some trial and error. Marketing strategies are based on the principles of psychology and sociology and believes in one core value that customers come first; therefore, one needs to satisfy their needs. TYPES OF MARKETING STRATEGIES Marketing strategies are divided on the basis of the status of the organization in the market, its stage in the life cycle and also on the basis of different levels in the company. Strategies based on Market Dominance Market Leader Strategies Market leader focuses on expanding total market, defending market share or expanding market share. Total market can be expanded either by attracting new users, creating more usage or new usage. Market share can be defended through â€Å"position defense, flanking defense, pre-emptive defense, counter-offensive defence, mobile defence, market broade ning, and market diversification and contraction defense† (Smith, n.d). Market Challenger Strategies A challenger can attack the leader by making â€Å"a frontal, flank, encirclement, and bypass or guerrilla attack† (Smith, n.d). Other strategies available to a market challenges include â€Å"offering price discounts, offering goods at low cost, introducing prestige goods, doing product proliferation, bringing innovation in the product, improving services, bringing innovation in the distribution, reducing manufacturing cost or doing intensive advertising† (Ranchhod, Tinson, & Gauzente, Marketing Strategies, 2004, p. 182). Market Follower Strategies Market follower can either become a counterfeiter, cloner, Imitator, or adapter. Market Niche Strategies Market niche follows â€Å"market differentiation strategy† (McDonald, 1995, p. 50). Porter’s Generic Strategies Porter generalised marketing strategies in three broad types that companies can choose f rom in order to get a competitive advantage. These are â€Å"market segmentation, market differentiation and cost leadership† (Bradley, 2005, p. 152).  

Regional human rights instruments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Regional human rights instruments - Essay Example They can, however, have an ethical consequence and offer guidance to States about their responsibilities2. In Asia, the association of the 10 states of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) has acknowledged a regional human rights system for South-East Asia. In 2007, State leaders signed an ASEAN agreement, come into power in 2008 following endorsement by all 10 member states. The Charter offers ASEAN a bureaucratic basis that ascertains an institutional arrangement and forbids policy of course. In 2009, the ASEAN inter legislative Commission on Human Rights occurred in the 15th ASEAN meeting. The ASEAN Commission in 2010 for the protection and Promotion of the Rights of Women as well as Children (ACWC) was also acknowledged3. In Europe, the local preparations for protecting human rights are extensive. They involve the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Cooperation and security in Europe4. All these intergovernmental organizations have their own regional human rights instruments and mechanisms. ... all over the world have built up domestic law and constitutions that mirror elementary human rights values though there is major discrepancy among States in their advances6. The federal government in Peru goes into international treaties devoid of parliamentary consent. While it cannot necessitate the provinces to apply international human rights agreements in region falling in /territorial control, provincial, federal, and territorial governments usually share their human rights schedules and the federal government gets into treaties with provincial approval1. In Peru, a dualist approach is followed. This means that global human rights treaties must be included into local legislation to have impact in domestic courts. In general, global human rights agreements are not included into local legislation, posing a challenge to their implementation within the territories and provinces. Assessing Peru’s conformity with its treaty requirements and associated jurisprudence can be hard as there are two parts to consider: jurisprudence for normal legislation and jurisprudence for the constitution of Peru and the Peru Charter of Rights and basic Freedoms7. In the ordinary legislation, the courts have argued that judges should endeavor to interpret such laws according to relevant international requirements. If the express requirements of a domestic decree are dissimilar to or conflicting with Peru’s international requirements, the former overcomes. The judiciary is therefore not bound to apply the international human rights treaty requirements of Peru, even though they will be a pertinent and important factor in the courts' explanation of the Charter8. There can be vagueness among lawyers and judges about the connection between the international human rights treaties and the

How compelling do you find Ball,s argument in this 2011 article Essay

How compelling do you find Ball,s argument in this 2011 article - Essay Example In terms of the catalyst for the educational change, Ball indicates that the primary contributing factor is the new types of education sponsors and providers. In considering the text, one recognizes that while Ball provides a varying amount of supporting information, the article lacks grounded empirical support for many of its contentions. Additionally, there is the recognition that the researcher does not directly involve themselves in the research. Because of these aforementioned elements, there is the potential that Ball’s insights are ideologically motivated. Still, there are also a number supporting elements. Fletcher-Campbell & Brill (2008; Action 1.9) indicated that it is important to consider the changing nature of education in socio-historical contexts. The recent global recession, as well as the emergence of for-profit instructional institutions, have concomitantly presented necessity and motivation for the shifting structures Ball refers to. A further recognition is presented by Edwards, Sebba & Rickinson (2007; Action 1.4) who indicate the importance of a multiplicity of perspectives to expand the range of interpretations. Ball’s insights then operate within these frames of reference. As one considers the particular arguments of the text, it becomes clear that they include a variety of notable points. Ball begins in discussing leadership. One of the important distinctions in this section is his consideration of new leadership frameworks. Ball (2011, p. 50) states, â€Å"there is the rhetoric and sensibilities of business into state schooling and the production of various forms of ‘entrepreneurial headship.’’’ Ball seems to be indicating that the shifting sponsorship and control of schools has resulted in a new form of leadership influenced by entrepreneurial values. One recognizes that the very language Ball implements in this section, namely ‘entrepreneurialism’ of educational environments, is a mode of considering the subject from multi-disciplinary perspectives. This is an approach supported by Mary James (Action 1.5) in encouraging learning across professional communities. On a larger conceptual scale, one considers the linkage between the workplace and the educational environment. A thematic current throughout the article is that Ball is increasingly referring to the hybridization of the work and school environment. There is the recognition that a similar dichotomy is explored in Action 1.6. While Ball’s argument continues to be rooted in the context of the classroom, there is a clear parallel to Action 1.6’s expanded contextual investigation to the workplace. In both instances, there is an increasing exploration of learning as intrinsically linked with working. Even while Ball may be ideologically opposed to the intrusion business on education, it appears that this is an inevitable new direction in education reform. Ball’s own contention that the ownership of these institutions have increasingly refrained from sharing process information, while outwardly a detriment to progress, in actuality it may hold significant potential for educational research. Edwards, Sebba & Rickinson (2007; Action 1.4) indicate that a multitude of stakeholders is actually beneficial for refining ideas. While the lack of proprietary sharing may be a slight drawback, the diversity of stakeholders is

When is marketing a valuable social practice Term Paper

When is marketing a valuable social practice - Term Paper Example There are a myriad of ethical challenges faced by marketers across the globe. Brenkert, a philosopher, points out some of these key challenges. The first challenge is the use of sex and fear during marketing campaigns. A number of critiques believe that some of the marketing materials used to instill fear amongst the public from using a product or associating with other people. The second challenge is deception and invasion of privacy. Marketing has been criticized for aiding greed, providing misleading information as they persuade people to buy products and services they do not need and spent a lot of money that could be used in other areas. It’s also been criticized for neglecting the low-end people in the society and only focuses on the rich tycoons in the society. Since marketers are only concerned by those who are able to buy their products, they are seldom concerned about the poor people. Advertisements are directed to the poor people are very low-quality ones. Finally, it’s been accused of being intrusive and might distract attention of people. With the above challenges and accusations, critiques have regarded marketing as a waste of time, and spend a lot of resources convincing customers to purchase products and access services they don’t need. It has been blamed for promoting consumerism and materialism.

Education Inequality in Rural Areas of the United States Research Paper

Education Inequality in Rural Areas of the United States - Research Paper Example This discussion declares that  the buck does not stop at the quality of education that is provided, but also on its availability. In such areas, there is little access to educational facilities more specifically tertiary education. This has been attributed to the low penetration of higher education services in these areas. This has prompted many individuals to seek tertiary education in urban areas. Notably, there has been an exodus of persons more so of individuals who leave the region in quest for knowledge but never go back to apply that knowledge to their native lands. This further puts weight on the argument on inequality in the education realm in the countryside. In this argumentative essay, we will look at either side of the coin in regard to the different points of view in the question: is there inequality in education in the rural areas of the United States?This paper discusses that  statistics have indicated the presence of low test scores and the reduced rate graduatio n in specific fields. This information has prompted many taxpayers to take up arms in the expression of their dissatisfaction with the educational system. On   the other side, there are also adequate individuals who still express their confidence in the education system   ability to deliver the required education to the society. But both groups agree that there is a need for more efforts aimed at reducing the levels of inequality and the gap in education in both the rural and urban areas.

Education Assessment in Practice Research Paper

Education Assessment in Practice - Research Paper Example In my application of the ongoing assessments in my role as an educator I have decided to ensure that I meet all the five dimensions of a good and quality classroom assessment. In my role as an educator, I plan to explore different technologies available for assessment in assessing my students. This technology and instruments will be helping me to design an assessment that can attempt to reveal what my students are thinking. Various technologies that I am planning to adapt to help me with the assessments are in place. Some of these technologies are use of a response device designed to work with multiple-choice and true-false questions, use of group scribbles, and the use of a network-graphing calculator. I am also planning to be evaluating my applications of this assessment tools to ensure a continued improvement in the way I will be assessing my students. I will be using the simple response device designed to work in multiple-choice and true-false questions with information about my students. If this kind of device is carefully designed and used in a meaningful way, it is believed that answers obtained to these types of questions can give information that can be used to assess students and suggest on the measure that need to be taken to improve their learning (USDE, 2012). I will be posing multiple-choice questions to my class, ask my students to use response devices to answer the questions and then have them discuss those questions with their peers who have different answers. My main objective to using this kind of assessment will be trying to raise the levels of engagement of my students in the learning process. Another type of technology that I am planning to be applying in my assessment as an educator is the use of Group Scribbles. According to USED (2012), this is a more sophisticated system that supports peer instruction by capturing complex responses from students. This could allow my student to contribute in classroom discussions using the enhanced chan ces that the technology offers. If I plan to explain how an idea can be applied, I will be asking groups of my students to explain different ways in which this idea can be applied and share their explanations by placing them on a white board. This will ensure that my students learn by explaining their work to other students and through the feedbacks they receive or provide. I also plan to be using rubrics to express what is expected of them in any kind of assessment I decide to give them. This rubrics will be helping my student to understand how quality is judged in the different undertakings they are assigned to undertake in different fields they are working in. I could also use the rubrics to give assessment scores and ratings that will always be demonstrating the measure they are intended to measure and which will always ensure consistency no matter who is selected to mark the assessments. This will ensure that my students obtain the fairest assessment available thus motivating t hem to enhance their learning. Discuss which element of formative assessment is the most difficult to get right away According to Iron (2007), the four elements of a formative assessment are goals which are clear to students; the feedback which measures the student’s current learning state; formative feedback which can be used as a means for closing the gap between the student’

U03a1 Project Topic Choice and Rationale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

U03a1 Project Topic Choice and Rationale - Essay Example that traditional Fee-for-Service payment rewards piecemeal work and â€Å"volume† of services rather than prevention of illness and coordination of care. The more procedures a physician performs, and the higher the value of the procedure, the more the physician is paid† (Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative, 2007). The option chosen for this paper is Option B. The next section will provide an overview of the organisation and the strategic planning issue. The organization chosen for this study is Tufts Medical Center. The organization deal with providing healthcare for children and is a well recognized organization with a ranking within the top five percent of the institutions nationwide (Tufts Medical Center). The organization has been able to provide the customers with excellent care over the years. The strategic issue that is present in the organization is the lack of a good record keeping process for the employee injuries on the job. The organization’s strategy in a number of ways lacks a strong plan for the employees and care of the employees. This is clear from the recent news which reads, â€Å"The Nurses Association distributed a press release several weeks ago saying the hospital showed a lack of concern for the health and safety of its workers. The union also picketed the hospital earlier this year to protest changes in nurses staffing patterns† ( Altman & Altman ). Several theories that have been explained in the past which deal with both human resources as well as the strategic management in the health care industry specifically highlight the need for a safe working environment for the employees and it is by law needed for the organizations to keep complete records of the various employee injuries and on the job issues that might arise. In the case of Tufts Medical Center this has clearly been missed out and the organization has not been able to keep up the records in time and effectively. As explained by Beta – Research School for

Amadou Diallo Essay Example for Free

Amadou Diallo Essay Social cognition is the study of how people form attribution or judgments about themselves and the social world from the social information they received from their environment (Chapter Review, 2010). However, it was discovered often marked by apparent errors and biases. People make quick judgment based on their past experiences, hence at times leading to tragic endings. The Amadou Diallo case study was an example of the tragic error which was made by four New York City Police officers. The police shooting of an unarmed man was an act of automatic inferences which happens when people use mental shortcuts to simplify the amount of information they receive from the environment. Automatic thinking is known as the thinking that is unconscious, unintentional, involuntary and effortless (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). While, schemas are mental structure people use to arrange their information regarding the social world around themes or subjects: schemas affect what information we notice, think about, and remember (Chapter Review, 2010). During the incident February 4, 1999, Carroll had made a low-effort automatic thinking with schemas when Diallo reached into his jacket to get his wallet by assuming that Diallo was reaching for a gun in his pocket, and shouted â€Å"Gun! † to alert his colleagues. Officer Carroll’s action was due to his natural instinct or response as most criminal would reach into their pocket for gun during the detection of police officers. He had use schemas to form an expectation of the event in which made him to expect a gun pulling out of Diallo’s jacket rather than his wallet. As he attends to his schema-consistent knowledge: criminals would pull out guns from their jacket when they spotted police officers; his schemas filtered out any inconsistent information: Diallo reached in his jacket to get his wallet; had caused the NYPD officers to fire at Diallo. Besides that, there are also a few theories or concept under automatic thinking with schemas that had shown relevance to the Amadou Diallo case study, such as, accessibility. Accessibility is the ease with which schemas can be brought to one’s mind (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). The four police officers had practiced accessibility when they saw Diallo ran up the outside steps toward his apartment house doorway at their approach, ignoring their orders to stop and â€Å"show his hands†. When they saw Diallo ran after they claimed to have identified themselves as NYPD officers, they might assume that Diallo was the serial rapist they were searching for, as logically a serial rapist or a criminal would ran when approached by police officers to avoid getting caught. The ease of the thought that criminals would run when they spotted police officers, had made the four police officers to identified Diallo as a criminal, although that was not the truth in Diallo’s case. As a result, a firestorm had unfortunately occurred. Furthermore, the four police officers had practice priming in this case study. Priming is the process which related to recent experience that made schemas or concept to come to one’s mind more readily (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). For example, when Officer MeMellon fell down the steps, appearing to be spot, the other three officers might assume that Diallow had fire a gunshot towards Officer McMellon hence causing him to fell down those steps because they had linked it to their recent experiences of gunshot and thought that Officer McMellon had been spot and that Diallo had shot him with his gun. As one would logically fall back when shot. Perseverance effect was also shown in this case study. Perseverance effect is known as the tendency for people’s beliefs about themselves and their world to persist even when those beliefs are discredited (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). When the four NYDP officers thought Diallo matched the description of a (since-captured) serial rapist, it might be due to the fact that Amadou Diallo was an immigrant to the United States and the four police officers could have the belief that immigrants are the major causal crime increment in the Unites States. Hence resulting the police officers to think the worse out of Diallo when he ran and even though he was reaching into his jacket to get his wallet, the police officers had persisted that the square object had been of a firearm although in logical terms both wallet and gun do not share the same shape and size. On the other hand, people also tend to use mental strategies and shortcuts to organize and make sense of their social world, especially when they are lack of full processing time, lack of solid information to use for decision making, information overload, or when the issues are not important to them (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). Mental strategies and shortcuts help people to make decisions easier and allow them to get on with their lives and not turn every decision into a major hurdle. Four NYDP officers had practise judgmental heuristics when they made judgments about Diallo. Police officers thought Diallo had matched the description of a (since-captured) serial rapist. This might be because that Diallo was a dark skin immigrant which had logically matched the description of the serial rapist leading officers to made a quick decision so that they do not need analyse in detailed and make a major hold-up over the matter. Furthermore, the four police officers also did performed availability heuristic in this case. Availability heuristic is a mental rule of thumb whereby people base a judgment on the ease with which they can bring something to their mind (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). During the incident, Diallo had been mistaken that he was reaching into his jacket to get his firearm whereas he was actually reaching to get his wallet. Officer Carroll had shouted â€Å"Gun! † to his colleagues. His judgment might be due to his ease with which he can bring to his mind, which in this case, was automatically thinking that Diallo’s wallet was a gun, hence warned his colleagues about the matter. Attitude heuristic is the determination of what is â€Å"true† based upon an individual’s feelings towards or for a matter (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). The four police officers also had carried out attitude heuristic towards Amadou Diallo. For example, these police officers might dislike Diallo because he was an immigrant or ‘black’ person therefore assuming that Diallo’s intention, plan, or doings would also be bad too. This caused Diallo to be misinterpreted to be a criminal trying to escape from police detention rather than his true intention, which was believed to initially intend to show the NYPD officers his identification card in his wallet before he wrongly shot. Besides theories and concept of automatic thinking with schemas, the Amadou Diallo case had also displayed a few relevant theories of social perception. During the incident, the four police officers had displayed the attribution theory. Attribution theory is a description of the way which people explain the causes of their own and other people’s behavior (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). It is because that Diallo had run up the outside steps of his apartment after they claimed to identified themselves as NYPD officers, and that he had reached into his jacket, the police officers have made a cause and effect explanation towards Diallo’s behavior hence assuming that he was a criminal or the serial rapist they were searching for, therefore Diallo had run up in the attempt to escape and when he reached into his jacket for his wallet, they thought that he was reaching for his gun to defend himself. Due to this theory, it made sense of he reason four police officers have assumed that Diallo was a criminal and they had to fire back Diallo. All this might be due to the attachment of meaning they decode from Diallo’s nonverbal behavior. In addition, the fundamental attribution error was also shown in the incident when the four police officers have focus on Diallo’s action to run and reached into his jacket, rather than the situation causes of his action, which was intending to reached into his jacket to get his wallet to show the police officers that he was innocent when he was approached by the police officers and asked to â€Å"show his hands†. Fundamental attribution error is known as the tendency to overestimate the extent to which a person’s behavior is due to internal, dispositional factors and to underestimate the role of situational factors, one reason people make fundamental attribution error is because the observer only put their attention on the actor, while ignoring the situational causes of the actor’s behavior (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). Furthermore, Diallo had also displayed the spotlight effect in this case study. The spotlight effect is the tendency to overestimate the extent to which our actions and appearance are salient or clear to others (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). When Diallo had reached into his jacket to get his wallet, he might had assumed that the NYPD officers know or understand what he was doing, which in his case, was the probability to take out his wallet and show them he was not the criminal or man they were searching for. However, the four police officers were not aware of his action hence assumed that he has a gun, hence fired at Diallo. Moreover, police officers had also displayed the aggression objects as cues concept during the shooting event. Aggression objects as cue is an aggressive stimulus that act as an object that is associated with aggressive response, and whose mere presence can increase the probability of aggression (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). The aggressive stimulus in this Diallo case is the guns that the police officers possessed. When the police officers had encountered a threatening or violent stimulus, they were more likely to â€Å"shoot† regardless of what stimulus actually appeared (Baumann Desteno, 2010). Due to the possession of firearms, the four police officers had the higher possibilities to response aggressively towards Diallo, hence the gun act as the object that associated with their aggressive response. Without the firearms that the four police officers possessed, the act of aggression towards Diallo would decrease therefore the firestorm would not have happened. According to Correll et al. (2002), it was found that participants’ performance shown difference regarding race of the targeted person. When a decision making process was time limited, participants had made more errors shooting unarmed African American targets than unarmed White targets. Whereas, participants had made more errors not shooting armed White targets than armed African American targets. In other words, participants were more likely made errors evaluating African American targets as threatening compared to White targets. This means that because Diallo was a ‘black’ immigrant, it increases his rate of being shot. This is an act of stereotype as because Diallo was a ‘black’ immigrant, they assumed that he might be a criminal, hence the police officers thereby increasing the likelihoods for certain interpretations and ensuing actions during the crucial moment, resulting them to mistaken Diallo’s wallet as a gun, hence shot him. In another words, it is like the Arabs possess guns, resulting in more frequent mistaken â€Å"shootings† of Arab men within the context of the shooter bias paradigm (Unkelbach, Forgas, Denson, 2008). There are also group prejudices that had been displayed in the Amadou Diallo case study. The four police officers had shown prejudice against Diallo because he was a dark-skin immigrant, hence they have ordered him to stop and â€Å"show his hands† without confirming whether he was the serial rapist they were searching for. Seeing the suspect holding a small square object, Officer Carroll yelled Gun! to alert his colleagues, believing that Diallo had aimed a gun at them at close range, the officers opened fire on Diallo. Diallo was a West African immigrant with no criminal record (Cooper, 1999). It was clearly shown the act of prejudice towards Diallo, whom was misunderstood or misinterpreted just because of his race. Furthermore, discrimination was shown in the Amadou Diallo case when the four NYPD officers had opened fire to shoot Diallo without proper investigation on his identity and the square object that he was holding during the incident. The action carried out by the four police officers was unjustified and harmful towards Diallo because he was a West American immigrant in the United States. Finally, illusory correlation was also shown in the Amadou Diallo case. An illusory correlation is the tendency to see relationships, or correlations, between events that are actually unrelated (Taylor, Peplau, Sears, 2006). When Diallo ran up the outside steps of his apartment and pulled out his wallet, the police officers had correlated his action to a criminal’s doing hence leading them to assume that he was a criminal ready to open fire at them in short range. These two events are distinctive and hardly correlated. Because Diallo was a West African immigrant, therefore the police officers correlated the two events together, causing Diallo his innocent life.

The Good Life Essay Example for Free

The Good Life Essay What is the good life? This ambiguous idea differs for everyone. Americans may believe that to live the good life is to live the American Dream and achieve freedom, equality, and prosperity. Others may believe that the good life involves being very wealthy or famous. Over all, the definition of the good life varies for everyone. There isn’t one specific way that a person should live in order for it to be â€Å"good†. However, although the definition of the good life is very diverse and open to multiple interpretations, in order to live the best life possible, one should concentrate on doing whatever makes him or her happy, listening to his or her conscience and doing what it right, and establishing good relationships with family and peers. The most key piece to living the good life is doing whatever makes one happy. For most adults, this could mean having a job in their dream career field, and actually wanting to get out of bed to go to work in the mornings. Or, it could mean not having a job at all. Nonetheless, most adults would be happy by achieving success in their chosen careers, and having stable and loving families. However, a small number of adults actually achieve this ideal happiness. Regardless, the good life is still attainable. In order to live the good life, one has to strive to find happiness in whatever he or she does. According to Ralph Waldo Emerson in his essay â€Å"The Over-Soul†, one can achieve happiness through God and religion. He states that God is accessible to everyone, religious or not, and that religion is essentially the key to all happiness. For Christians, Emerson’s point of view may be correct. Many Christians believe that God can bring happiness to anyone who believes in Him. For non-Christians on the other hand, Emerson’s idea is irrelevant. Still, religious or not, people should strive to find happiness in whatever they do, and they should learn to accept their lives as they are. Even though no one lives a perfect life, people should aim to make the most out of their lives, and learn to find happiness in even the smallest situations. Doing so would allow one to become closer to attaining the good life. Another important part to living the best life possible is listening to one’s conscience and doing the right thing, and actually feeling good about the decisions that are made. If one’s life consists of doing bad things, he or she will ultimately feel bad about them, and many regrets will be left behind. However, if one does a lot of good deeds throughout his or her life, there will be minimal regrets and he or she will be able to work towards living the best life possible. Listening to one’s conscience is also an effective way of avoiding regrets. Many times, when one doesn’t listen to his or her conscience, regrets occur, because one looks back on the decisions made and realizes that they should have done something differently or listened to their conscience. Even though listening to one’s conscience might not always be the right thing to do or yield the best results, it will allow for one to live with few regrets. And, by living with few regrets, doing what is right, and listening to the conscience, one will become closer to achieving their good life, in whatever way it is defined. The last way to live the best life possible is through establishing good and meaningful with one’s family and peers. A lack of friendships and substantial relationships will most likely leave one feeling very lonely and outcast. However, if one can form positive relationships, they will be more social, happy, and closer to achieving the good life. In Gary Eberle’s text, The Geography of Nowhere, Eberle states that electronics and the media are preventing many people from establishing good, intimate relationships with others. Electronics are causing us to be very disconnected from each other: â€Å"The people spend so much of their lives connected electronically to someplace else that most of the time they hardly seem to be there, or anywhere at all, for that matter† (Eberle 2). Here, Eberle is showing how electronics and the media have caused society to be very disjoint, and they have hindered meaningful relationships from forming. So, in order to live the best life possible, we should strive to overcome the power of electronics and try to continue to make successful relationships with others, as healthy friendships are one of the most important pieces to living a good life. Still, working past the power of electronics is not the only way to secure good relationships. In addition, one ought to be a trustworthy person. Trust is essential to all relationships, and if one is trustworthy, he or she will have more satisfying relationships with others. Along with trust, in order to form good relationships, one could be understanding, generous, comforting, and more. Doing so will allow one to develop healthy relationships with their friends and family, and the good life will then be more reachable. Over all, the good life remains a very unclear idea, and there is no concrete definition on what the good life is, nor is there a definite way on how one is supposed to live it. Still, one can work towards living the best life possible by striving to find happiness in his or her life, as well as listening to his or her conscience, doing what is right, and establishing valuable relationships with peers. If one can do all of these things, they will be closer to achieving their definition of a good life.

A Case Study Of Barclays Bank Ghana Marketing Essay

A Case Study Of Barclays Bank Ghana Marketing Essay Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a broadly used and accepted strategy for nurturing a firms relationship with clients and business prospects. It involves the use of globally accepted technological tools to technically organise and synchronize work procedures, especially in the area of sales and marketing and technical support. The principal aim of CRM is to search, attract, and keep customers, grow and retain already existing ones and try to win back lost customers as well as cut down on costs of business service. For any firm to start, grow and remain in business the customer is vital and as such CRM is of key importance. Business success means that firms must see CRM as an area to invest in it is an investment and not be counted as a cost. However, if CRM is not handled properly it can be costly and detrimental to any firm. On the other hand, if well applied it will go a long way to enable any firm retain its clients base and subsequently grow its business. CRM to a very large extent affects the movements rate of customers in any industry, for the purposes of this research; the banking industry will be examined. Attrition rate is hugely dependent on CRM; customers in the banking industry have grown in terms of choice and control. A company therefore needs to strategise critically in its bid to retain customers. Of key importance in CRM is not just smiling faces but value in service delivery or superior product, leading to customer satisfaction and therefore customer loyalty and retention, which is the pivot of financial performance (Reichheld et al 2000; Hesket et al 1997, Reichheld, 1994). 1.1 GHANAS BANKING INDUSTRY ANALYSIS The Banking industry is highly competitive industry with 26 Banks currently competing for Corporate and Retail Clients. The industry is vastly capitalized with a total share holders fund of over One billion, Eight hundred thousand (GH ¢1,854,648,000), culminating to an average of over seventy one million of share holders fund per bank (GH ¢71,332,620.00). This may seem adequate per bank, regarding the upward adjustment of the Stated Capital by Bank of Ghana by 2012. The average share holders fund is however misleading as a number for banks are still struggling to even meet the twenty five million minimum capital requirement by 2010. In reality, it is only just about eight Banks whose capital is meets the Sixty million required by 2010. The Regulation to increase the minimum capital requirement of the banks comes on the back of the discovery of Oil in Commercial Quantities. This is required to position the banks strongly to take be able to take up larger transactions. While only f our (SCB, BBG, GCB and EBG) banks control almost 50% of the total assets held by the banking industry, the other twenty two banks are competing to increase their asset base to enable them compete with the larger banks. Profitability in the industry is quiet competitive as only four banks (BBG, FAMB, UTB and BSIC) made losses. The rest of the Banks made profit. With the developing new oil economy and the resulting expansion in the Ghanaian Economy, Banks are faced with a better opportunity to increase their profitability and consequently, their asset base. They are however faced with loan recovery difficulties resulting in an average of 18% of loans disbursed going bad. The Continual reduction of Inflation to 9.44% and the Policy lending rate of Bank of Ghana, has forced the base lending rate of the Bank Interest rates downwards. This however has ignited a price competition in the industry culminating into a debate on whether interest rates should reduce any further than it has, espe cially when loans default rate remains high (www.ghanaweb.com,www.bft.com) 1.2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON BARCLAYS GHANA Barclays Bank Ghana is one of the biggest and first foreign banks to enter the Ghanaian economy at a time in which the three major banks namely Barclays, Standard Chartered and Ghana Commercial Bank and enjoyed oligopolistic positions before other banks entered the industry. Barclays has operated in Ghana for ninety four years. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Barclays Bank PLC. Its vision is to become the best bank for every customer, in every branch, for every product and every time. Barclays Bank of Ghana Limited has an expansive retail and commercial banking network in the country with 92 branches and over 130 ATMs in all regional capitals and major towns. Its products and services are targeted particularly at the business and corporate, as well as retail customers. Barclays offers a wide range of commercial, Retail and Treasury products and services. It also offers local business banking product and services for Small Medium Enterprises and indigenous businesses (http://www.ba rclays.com/africa/ghana/barclays_in.htm). The Bank of Ghana in February, 2010 named Barclays Bank of Ghana Limited the biggest foreign bank and also the largest bank in terms of capacity to handle transactions in Ghana. In June 2009, Barclays launched its Bancassurance proposition in partnership with Enterprise Life Assurance Company Limited (ELAC) to enhance our product range with insurance product such as Term, Family Funeral Plan and Education Plan for the convenience of its customers. The Banks Premier Banking offers tailor made solutions and one-on-one banking to its high net worth. The Premier proposition amongst others offers; dedicated banking suites, financial planning, lifestyle alliances, global access to Premier lounges (airport) etc. In addition Premier Life, a new service proposition to replace Prestige Banking has been introduced. It is targeted at customers who require convenient banking, quick and efficient service as well as a level of privacy and recognition. The Barclays Offshore Banking Unit, the first of its kind in Ghana and indeed Africa South of the Sahara, continues to offer world class banking service to non-resident private clients and corporate. Industries financed by Barclays include cocoa, the backbone of the countrys economy; timber; gold and other minerals as well as business in the manufacturing sector and commerce. The banks sustainability programme focuses on three pillars. Banking for brighter futures; Looking after local communiti es and Charity begins at work. Barclays uses these key pillars to support developmental projects across Ghana. More than 80% of staff are involved in voluntary community programmes annually. Dubbed Make a Difference Day, it is the biggest corporate voluntary activity in Ghana. Barclays Bank of Ghana Limited is part of the Barclays Africa Group comprising ten (10) African markets under Barclays PLC(http://www.barclays.com/africa/ghana/barclays_in.htm) 1.3 RATIONALE OF THE STUDY In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift from transaction focused policies to customer relationship focused policies. This is because the fundamental task of business is to create and keep a customer in a sustainable way and at an acceptable return to a shareholder. Levitt, Marketing Myopia. Majority of industries all over the business world have made varying efforts to go along with this shift in order to be able to retain the largest customer base possible. Some have managed it successfully whiles others are still woefully behind, and as such unable to break even. This dissertation is therefore aimed at examining the impact of CRM on customer attrition and also uncovers most appropriate methods of application. As a matter of fact it has become necessary to pursue this field as research to boost efforts of industries in their bid to uphold CRM in their business operations in order to retain and grow their customer base. An in depth knowledge of CRM and its appropriate use re veals that it reduces attrition. Thus the aim of this research work is to critically investigate the strategies of CRM and how it can be used to boost customer retention. The outcome of this research will establish CRM as the lifeline to any industry and hopefully get firms to adopt to it and grow their business. 1.4 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Based on previous study, it has been established that bad CRM practise can be very damaging for any business. A recently released Harris Interactive study confirms that a bad customer service experience with your company is enough to make a majority of consumers run for the hills. The study reported that 80% of 2,049 US adults surveyed decided never to go back to a business/organization after a bad customer service experience. The study clearly indicates that an organizations customer service level is a defining factor that will make or break a company (www.crm2day.com/library/50483.php). Thus it is no doubt CRM is one of the main factors contributing to the rise or fall of an industry. CHAPTER TWO 2.0 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The purpose of this research work is to; Understand clearly the concept of CRM Provide reasons why industries need to invest in CRM Explore the extent to which industries focus on CRM Establish the merits and de-merits of CRM Suggest the methods of application of CRM 2.1 RESEARCH QUESTION As a follow up to the aims and objectives of this research, certain questions will be examined using the findings and suggestions of some experts in this field as background. Jankowicz (2000) advocates strongly that knowledge does not exist in a vacuum, thus the present research only has value in relation to the work already done by other people. With the above as a basis, this research work will aim at finding answers to the questions below; A definite description of Customer Relationship Management( CRM) How does CRM boost business success? What are the various ways of CRM application? Is CRM a field to invest in at all? How important are customers to any industry? Why do banks need CRM? 2.2 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY With recent developments in the concept of CRM and its impact on business industries Huber et al.(2001) state that many marketing strategists and industrial-organization (IO) economists emphasize that creation of superior customer value is a key element for ensuring companies success ; it has become crucial to re-examine by research work the whole area of CRM establishing its importance and highlighting reasons why industries need to give more focus to this area. The results of the research will significantly achieve the following: Contribute to the knowledge providing good understanding of the key factors in CRM Establish CRM as a field to be invested in Assist industries that want to adapt CRM strategically Constitute a useful addition to work already done in the field Provide a basis for further research 2.3 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY This research will be limited to the banking industry with specific focus on Barclays Bank. It would have been profitable to include other service industries but this will not be possible considering the broad nature of CRM and the costs and time constraints which relates to the time frame within which this results needs to be submitted. CHAPTER THREE 3.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 3.1 INTRODUCTION Customer relationship management (CRM) is bringing together of people, processes, and technology seeking to provide understanding of customer needs, to support a business strategy, and to build long-term relationships with customers. Successful usage of the integrated technology requires appropriate business processes and organizational culture to adequately address human behavioural elements. Because it is not simply a technology solution, success in CRM business is largely dependent on people. Customer relationship management (CRM) is a combination of people, processes, and technology (Chen and Popovich, 2003) that seeks to provide understanding of customer needs (Stringfellow et al., 2004), to support a business strategy (Ling and Yen, 2001; Bull,2003), and to build long-term relationships with customers (Wayland and Cole, 1997). Although enabled by information systems, CRM is not a technology solution (Rigby et al., 2002; Chen and Popovich, 2003). The core processes are handled b y people and requires clear understanding of the goals of key decisions and system-people interactions. To appreciate the concept of CRM an evolution of it needs to be highlighted. 3.2 EVOLUTION OF CRM From the 1980s to the 2000s the research of CRM have progressed tremendously (Ling and Yen, 2001; Goldenberg, 2006). The evolution of CRM started from target marketing (Prabhaker, 2001) and sales force automation (West, 2001) to relationship marketing (Gronroos, 1994) and has increased the demand for customer information management. However, as the scope of CRM grew, comprehensive emphasis on technology has become the focus. At the same time, the increased interest in CRM technology management has downplayed the importance of people issues, which are intimately responsible for successful CRM implementations (Goldenberg, 2006). New forms of competition and structural modifications of exchange processes have led to the emergence of the relationship paradigm for creating long-term relationships among customers and suppliers. This is partly due to the globalisation of business, internationalisation, deregulation, information technology advances, shorter product life cycles, and the evolv ing recognition of the relationship between customer retention and profitability (Morgan and Hunt, 1994; Zineldin and Jonsson, 2000; Chandra and Kumar, 2000; Sahay, 2003; Stefanou et al., 2003). Relationship paradigm refers to all activities directed towards establishing, developing and maintaining successful relational exchanges (Gro ¨nroos, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997; Gummesson, 1994; Morgan and Hunt, 1994, cited in Donaldson and OToole, 2002; Sahay, 2003). Through out the 1990s, in many organisations strategies, there was a shift from the need to manage transactions toward relationship management (Light, 2003). While enterprise resource planning (ERP) packages dominated the transaction management era, customer relationship management (CRM) packages lead with respect to relationships. The relationship between marketing strategies and performance has been studied from numerous theoretical perspectives, for example, transaction cost economics (Williamson, 1985, 1993; Park and Kim, 200 3), market orientation (Jaworski and Kohli, 1993; Harris and Piercy, 1999; Martin and Bush, 2003; Nielsen et al., 2003; Stefanou et al., 2003; Shapiro et al., 2003; Bigne ´ et al., 2004), and profit impact of marketing strategy (Kumar et al., 2000). The focus on the content of marketing strategies has been valuable in identifying performance-enhancing strategies (Goodhue et al., 2002; Plakoyiannaki and Tzokas, 2002; Chen and Popovich, 2003). While the concepts presented and discussed in the above perspectives are clearly valuable and have clear meaning, they also reflect a lack of accurate operating elements. Efforts made in this direction have failed to provide the concepts with sufficiently accurate and indicative operating elements (Grisi and Ribeiro, 2004). It is our view that past attempts of extant literature on implementation of customer relationship strategies have been insufficient and not gone far enough in the transition from the old to the new. According to Narayandas and Rangan (2004), empirical research in relationship management has tended to take a snapshot of a relationship at a given time and then attempted to project its trajectory (Croteau and Li, 2003). This gap has prompted researchers such as Anderson (1995), Jap and Ganesan (2000) and Lambe et al. (2001) to call for more field-based research based on case studies that draw on material from the multiple exchange episodes that constitute relationships and that offer insights into the processes of relationship initiation and maintenance (Narayandas and Rangan, 2004). Work on implementation of CRM strategy has focused on database management, direct marketing techniques, e-commerce and customer relationship mechanisms (Ling and Yen, 2001; Winer, 2001; Shoemaker, 2001; Gefen and Ridings, 2002; Fjermestad and Romano, 2003; Apostolou and Mentas, 2003; Croteau and Li, 2003; Bull, 2003; Park and Kim, 2003; Chen and Popovich, 2003; Kotorov, 2003; Scullin et al., 2004). This has been most noticea ble in business to consumer markets, and in services and financial services in particular. Donaldson and OToole (2002), indicated that though not all, many schemes are little more than sophisticated selling. According to Hertz and Vilgon (2002), many CRM implementation projects are fraught with difficulties in terms of technically not delivering the anticipated business benefits. Hertz and Vilgon (2002) indicate that up to 60 per cent of CRM implementation projects fail to live up to expectations. The study reported in this paper aims to contribute to the existing literature on the relationship marketing paradigm and the implementation of customer relationship strategy by examining both of these issues. This is accomplished by providing a better understanding of the components of CRM on the one hand, and the implementation of CRM strategy on the other. CRM systems have been used for a long time to automate processes (Ngai, 2005). However, the system process cannot manage customer re lations (Rigby et al., 2002; Chen and Popovich, 2003) because customer knowledge needs to be comprehended by business managers (Bueren et al., 2005), the face-to-face communication needs to be performed by front-line operators (Stringfellow et al., 2004), and a customer-centric culture needs to be formed by organization architects (Oldroyd, 2005). Although critical to the firm and dynamic in nature, the human side of CRM processes has gained little attention in CRM studies. Indeed, superior value of products/services delivered to customers leads to customer loyalty, the real driver of financial performance (see Reichheld et al., 2000; Heskett et al., 1997; Reichheld, 1994). Reichheld and Sasser (1990) show that, on average, a five percentage points increase in customer retention leads to between 40-50 percent increases in net present value profits. A few years later, Reichheld (1994) reports that a decrease in defection rate (or an increase in retention rate) of five percentage poin ts can increase profits by 25-100 percent and that this result is consistent across a wide array of industries. Satisfaction is a state of mind and it is only important as an indication of the intention of the most important behavior of repeat purchase, favorable word-of-mouth, and referrals. Reichheld (1994) states that customers who describe themselves as satisfied are not necessarily loyal. A cost benefit analysis reveals that huge resource allocation to CRM by businesses world-wide (estimated at $100 billion to date at the time of writing, see www.CRM-forum.com) has been primarily IT driven, not marketing driven. While CRM is meant to be about enabling a customer orientation, often it is not marketers pulling the strings: The serious question for the marketing profession is whether to respond to the challenges raised by new technology. The authors are not suggesting that one size fits all. The assertion by OMalley and Mitussis (2002), that where the ethos of relationship marketi ng does not exist in an organisation, it may be prudent for marketers to limit their CRM ambitions to advanced database marketing, is very sensible. But the disruption of new technology gives marketers, at the very least, opportunities to improve their internal influence. Many respondents in this research doubted whether CRM can control attrition rate in the business industry. My hypothesis suggests that CRM powered by technology and human involvement can control attrition rate in the business industry specifically banking where fierce competition is fuelling switching from bank to bank by customer. Are switching costs too low to dissuade clients from staying loyal to a particular bank? CHAPTER FOUR 4.0 METHODOLOGY The research seeks to explore the topic through the use of qualitative data. The choice of methodology will give the researcher an in-depth view, Easterby-Smith et al (2002), (Deshpande ´, 1983) on the extent to which CRM could go to control the attrition rate in the banking industry. This section extensively considers the research methods, tools and techniques available to achieve the aims and objectives and also to justify the use of the research method that will be employed in this study. Jankowicz (1995) describes methodology as the analysis of and justification for the part method(s) used in undertaking research. Furthermore, methodology seeks to explain the research procedure adopted by a researcher and should consist of the following: research design, data collection methods, sampling, field work, analysis and interpretation of data (Boyd, 1981). As asserted by Oppenhein (1992) for every social research there is the need to examine appropriate methodologies necessary for con ducting a particular study. As further stated by Oppenhein (1992) it is often seen that as research takes shape the aims of the research undergoes a number of subtle changes as a consequence of greater clarity in thinking, such changes may require a new or better design, which in turn will lead to a better specification for the instruments of measurement. Sources of data are the carriers of information and basically there are two sources of data- primary and secondary (Ghauri et al., 1995). Saunders et al, (2003) identified a third source as tertiary. However, it must be emphasised that while tertiary and secondary sources of data form the basis of the literature review, primary data sources are linked to the empirical research. As suggested by Kinnear and Taylor (1996), when research objectives include identifying problems or spotting potential opportunities, the use of exploratory research is the most suitable method. Easterby-Smith et al. (2002) argue that the knowledge of differ ent research traditions enables one to adapt a research design to cater for constraints. A qualitative research approach is used because it is a valuable means of finding out what happened; to seek new insights; to ask questions and assess phenomena in a new light (Robson, 2002). It great advantage is that it is flexible and adaptable to change, as in conducting exploratory research the researcher must be willing to change direction as a result of new data that appears and new insights that occur to the researcher (Saunders et al., 2003). As further reinforced by Adam and Schvaneveldt (1991) flexibility is inherent in exploratory research which does not mean there is no sense of direction to the enquiry but rather that the focus is initially broad and becomes progressively narrower as the research progresses. However, qualitative biases can also occur and result in inaccurate measurement and findings. 4.1 METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION/ SOURCE Both primary and secondary data will be used in this research. The primary data will be obtained from the semi-structured telephone interviews with some Barclays customers in Ghana. A semi-structured interview is suggested so as to obtain relevant information through the use of open-ended questions thus encouraging the interviewee to emphasize his/her point of interest (Easterby-Smith et al., 2002; Healey, 1991; Jankowicz, 2000). Individual in-depth interviews are deployed to provide the anonymity essential in allowing sensitive internal material to be revealed. It is also the most practical way of getting participation from busy Barclays customers. The interviews were semi-structured with a topic guide to provide some structure and consistency to the interviews, as advocated by a number of researchers (Miles and Huberman, 1989). The secondary data will be obtained from the companys website, published materials such as, academic journals, newspaper articles, search engines and books. Ghauri et al, (1995) says it all that the purpose of secondary data is to frame the problem under scrutiny, identify relevant concepts, methods and techniques and facts to position the research. 4.2 SAMPLE FRAME AND STRATEGY There will be sample size determination on the data collected. A total of 100 Barclays Bank customers will be interviewed. Also, due to time and budget constraints involved with the research, the sample would be a convenient size. Indeed. The interviews will be transcribed and analyzed with the use of a simple median. Thus the software Microsoft Excel will be used to calculate the percentage and numbers to clarify the data. It is worth emphasizing that due to the small size of the study, a deviance may appear in the result. CHAPTER FIVE 5.0 DATA ANALYSIS AND SAMPLING PROBLEMS As said above, there are limitations associated with the data collection through the means of semi-structured interviews. It is necessary to consider data quality issues such as reliability, bias, validity and generalizability which are seen as important to any qualitative research. According to Easterby-Smith et al. (2002) reliability in qualitative research is concerned with the probability of whether another researcher who has the same research will come up with similar information and findings. According to the authors (pp 53) reliable research tries to find answers to three questions. The first is will the measure yield the same results on other occasions? Secondly will similar observations be reached by other observers? Thirdly is there transparency in how the raw data will be analyzed? Thus for this study the researcher believes that reliability will be dealt with as previous research has been carried out on the small business sector which the researcher will be making use of including some materials through secondary data. Also, with the use of qualitative, non-standardised research, the result of the study implies that findings are not intended to be repeatable, as they reflect the reality at the time of collecting the data, which might be subject to change (Marshall and Rossman, 1999). In addition, bias on the side of the interviewee or interviewer can also affect the quality of the research; hence it should be noted that being aware of this, the researcher will ensure in the design of the interview questionnaire and also in terms of asking the right questions to get the required answers in line with the aims and objectives of the research. The researcher at all times Endeavour not to use any verbal or non-verbal behaviour that could affect the quality of the interview. Also a lot of readings will be undertaken in terms of text books, as well as obtaining guidelines from a professional interviewer and through practice. According to Saunders et al. (2003) validity is concerned with whether the results are what they appear to be. Oppenheim (1992) also notes that sample accuracy is more important than its size, in that there is a compromise between the theoretical sampling size and practical limitations such as time and costs. In terms of validity the researcher deems this to be high as the method used, that is, the in-depth interview will give the researcher a hands-on experience and the ability to see the reactions of the respondents through their interactions. The last issue will be the generalizability which according to Saunders et al., (2003) is the situation whereby findings of a research are applicable to other research settings. 5.1 ETHICAL ISSUES / CONSIDERATION Ethical issues occur when undertaking any kind of research and these have to be taken into consideration. Research ethics refer to the acceptability of a researchers behaviour towards the rights of subjects of research. To ensure this, researchers behaviour is guided by the code of ethics appropriate to academics and the profession or association of the researcher (Saunders et. at, 2003). The goal of ethics in research is to ensure that no one is harmed or suffers adverse consequences from research activities (Cooper and Schindler, 2003). According to Easterby-Smith et al. (2002) the ability to explore data or to seek explanation through qualitative methods will require a greater scope for ethical issues. This is particularly important when the data collected during interviews for example concerns sensible subjects or private stories, etc (Denzin and Lincoln, 1998). This issue is relevant in this research, as Barclays Bank customers will be asked about their finances and other privat e issues regarding possible attrition. The researcher however, is aware that when it comes to issues about finance, people are reluctant to give information. Hence the researcher will take the necessary action to avoid any such issues. Thus this research will consider the anonymity and privacy of respondents and accordingly would be based on the consent of respondents who will be provided with a cover letter, informing them of the purpose of the research and also providing assurance of the confidentiality of information given. Also, the name of the researcher as well as the University will be given in order to avoid any ambiguity. As a result, the researcher will be conversant with ethical considerations and both the researcher and respondents will be protected. 5.2 RESEARCH TIME TABLE 2010-2011 SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY Identification of research area 1ST    4th Formulation of research questions 6th Formulation of research strategy, 9th research design and selection 15th   methods Writing of the research proposal 20rd Negotiation of access 26th Literature review 29th 5th 27th Data collection 8th 24th Data analysis 28th 19th Writing the first draft 2nd 15th Writing the second draft 20th 2nd Writing the final draft 15th Dissertation due date 30th BIBLIOGRAPHY Rafaeli, A. and Sutton, R., (1987) Expression of Emotion as Part of the Work Role, Academy of Management Review, pp. 23-37

Speech of Pericles :: essays research papers

(63) 'Once more, you are bound to maintain the imperial dignity of your city in which you all take pride; for you should not covet the glory unless you will endure the toil. And do not imagine that you are fighting about a simple issue, freedom or slavery; you have an empire to lose, and there is the danger to which the hatred of your imperial rule has exposed you. Neither can you resign your power, if, at this crisis, any timorous or inactive spirit is for thus playing the honest man. For by this time your empire has become a tyranny which in the opinion of mankind may have been unjustly gained, but which cannot be safely surrendered. The men of whom I was speaking, if they could find followers, would soon ruin a city, and if they were to go and found a state of their own, would equally ruin that. For inaction is secure only when arrayed by the side of activity; nor is it expedient or safe for a sovereign, but only for a subject state, to be a servant. (64) 'You must not be led away by the advice of such citizens as these, nor be angry with me; for the resolution in favour of war was your own as much as mine. What if the enemy has come and done what he was certain to do when you refused to yield? What too if the plague followed? That was an unexpected blow, but we might have foreseen all the rest. I am well aware that your hatred of me is aggravated by it. But how unjustly, unless to me you also ascribe the credit of any extraordinary success which may befall you!36 The visitations of heaven should be borne with resignation, the sufferings inflicted by an enemy with manliness. This has always been the spirit of Athens, and should not die out in you. Know that our city has the greatest name in all the world because she has never yielded to misfortunes, but has sacrificed more lives and endured severer hardships in war than any other; wherefore also she has the greatest power of any state up to this day; and the memory of her glory w ill always survive. Even if we should be compelled at last to abate somewhat of our greatness (for all things have their times of

Stereotypes about Homelessness in America in Dumpster Diving by Lars Ei

Stereotypes about Homelessness in America in Dumpster Diving by Lars Eighner Lars Eighner's short essay, "Dumpster Diving," reveals the stereotypes about homelessness in America. In order to confirm these known stereotypes about American culture, Eighner includes autobiographical accounts of the economically inferior class, as well as revealing his elitist rules that governs the life of a homeless person. According to Eighner, homeless people fall into the following categories, 'can scroungers', 'Dumpster divers', and 'scavengers.' (Eighner, 1993). In addition, Eighner's blatant demonstration of his superiority to the people he scavenges from reveals his true character of snobbery. Although Eighner reveals that his chosen lifestyle was to live on another's refuge, he kept in accordance with his acts of superiority and snobbishness by excluding himself from the term "Dumpster Diving." Instead, he preferred to be called a "scavenger because of its frankness in the term." (Eighner, 1993). Furthermore, Eighner, explains that there are rules to abide by when successfully "scavenging" through dumpsters, "using the senses†¦knowing the dumpsters of a given area†¦. [and] Why was this discarded?" It is the explanation of the three guidelines Eighner asserts to be superior to 'can scroungers' (Homeless people who rummage through the dumpsters for money). The author further elaborates his snobbishness by revealing that he has tried the heinous lifestyle of "can scroungers," and deduced that only a few dollars could be obtained. Moreover, Eighner states, "one can extract the necessities of life from the dumpsters directly with far less effort than would be requir ed to accumulate the equivalent of cans." (Eighner, 1993). The author stereoty... ...ghner, 1993). It is the authors belief that consumers are aware of their consumption, as well as realize how wasteful they are with food in general For the students who do not fit into Eighner's wasteful category, he presents a grouping of frugal consumers who, "carefully wrap up even the smallest leftover[s] and shove it into the back of the refrigerator for six months or so before discarding it" (Eighner, 1993). Through the essay, "Dumpster Diving," Eighner impresses his superiority by illustrating disinterested people and their lack to complete certain tasks the author is skillful at. His disdain and impudence of students†¦ Eighner's autobiographical essay not only shows the degradation homeless people indure, but his personal snobbery of those around him Works Cited Eighner, Lars. Dumpster Diving. http://www1.broward.edu/~nplakcy/docs/dumpster_diving.htm

The Voice of An Old Mans Winter Night :: Old Mans Winter Night

The Voice of "An Old Man's Winter Night" Perhaps the most haunting poem in Mountain Interval is "An Old Man's Winter Night," a poem about an old man dying in the wintry climate of New England and alone. Here, more so than in "The Oven Bird," the comfort of a warmly human subject is held out; no one who ever responded to a Norman Rockwell magazine cover could but be taken by the old man, alone in his house ("All out-of-doors looked darkly in at him"), unable to summon up the resources to hold the winter night at bay: What kept his eyes from giving back the gaze Was the lamp tilted near them in his hand. What kept him from remembering what it was That brought him to that creaking room was age. But if lovers of Rockwell had paused over these lines and tried to read and listen to them, they might well have noted how odd is their disposition. The "sense" of them is that the old man can't see out because the lamp won't permit him to see out -- all he gets back is an image of himself. And if he cannot see out, neither can he see in; he is so old that he can't remember how or why he is where he is. But what, in the prose paraphrase are concerned and sympathetic insights into the plight of old age, sound rather different when experienced through the sing-song, rather telegraphic formulations of the lines. As with "The Oven Bird" there is a heavy use of the verb "to be": "was" occurs three times in four lines, something a novice writer of poetry would try to avoid. And there are also three "whats," two of which occur in a single line ("What kept him from remembering what it was"), designed to make it hard to indulge in sad feelings about old age -- one notices the way that "age" i s quietly buried at the very end of the next line. Apropos of his sister Jeanie, Frost claimed that as he grew older he found it easier to lie awake and worry about other people's troubles. But he is at least as much a critic of such sympathetic identification with others -- lonely old men or oven birds -- as a practitioner of it. Or rather, some of the best poems in Mountain Interval derive their energy from the play of movement toward and withdrawal from the subject contemplated, play such as can be seen in two lines further on which summarize the old man in his setting;

Self-Assessment Final Reflection

Is one always in the process of learning? Of course! Every experience a person has makes them grow and develop. Through these experiences, they learn new materials, and at the same time, they learn about themselves as well. Learning to write is equally alike. As a person reads and writes more and more, a person is able to grow and develop their reading and writing skills. This summer was a growing experience for all students taking the writing 100 class. Personally, I believe I have grown as a writer.At the beginning of the bridge program, my CSP class was asked to write a paper. The topic was about why we decided to choose U of M as our college of choice. Writing the paper was a breeze and I felt confident that I would get a good grade. Unfortunately, when I was handed back my paper, I realized I earned a B on the paper. However, during the period of time where my professor was checking our papers, my Writing 100 class read David Bartholame’s article, Inventing the University .The first time I read this article, I did not understand what he was talking about and what his central theme way. However, after reading the article numerous times, breaking it down, outlining it, diagraming it, and writing about it several times, I was able to understand what he wanted the readers to know; a light bulb went off in my head. I saw the mistakes I made when writing my first paper for my CSP class. My essay demonstrated my lack of knowledge of the many various activities, and events held by the university.I was stuck in my common place, talking about only what I knew instead of seeking out information in order to expand my writing capabilities. I did not look on the internet to learn of any other information I could have used in the essay. Instead, I only wrote about what I knew. I also realized that organization was a key when writing an essay.   The largest critique I had on my essay was my organizational skills. My professor took off several points for jumping f rom topic to topic.Although my organizational skills were terrible when writing that essay, I believe I have gotten much better. This is due in part to Mrs. Allen. Throughout the writing course, she constantly encouraged us to think about our organization when writing essays, journal responses, and other writing activities. I’m grateful I learned how to better organize my papers, because during the second to last week of the intensive bridge program, I was asked to write a last journal for my CSP class. This time, we interviewed our parents and were asked to write about our experiences while nterviewing them. While writing this paper, I paid close attention to my organization. I made everything flow into each other. I also made sure that my paper went in chronological order so that it was easier to read and follow. My professor took about a week to grade my paper. During this time, I was able to ponder upon my essay. I knew what my professor was looking for, and I wrote for h im. I knew that I had done my best on the essay; my organization was solid and I had a nice flow. I finally received my essay back on August 10th, receiving a 25/25.I was ecstatic when I had received my grade. This is all thanks to my Writing 100 class and the hard work that I put into the class. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to take this class and learn to develop my organizational skills. Through taking this class, my writing skills increased immensely. When I wrote my first CSP essay, I had no idea that my organization was skewed and that I could improve. In my eyes, I thought that I did not need any help and that my writing was â€Å"perfect†, or at least, close to.However, I was able to learn that I needed to improve my organization in order to succeed as a college writer. Without this course, it would have been difficult for me to adapt to the college level writing required for an English class. The assignments we were required to read and write about taugh t me about my writing; I could see where I needed improvement. My experience demonstrates that with constant reading and writing, a person is able to continue learning more about their own writing in order to improve. There is always room for improvement.

Playmobil Toysâ€the Secret to the Years of Toy Craze Essay

A junior-grade over a century ago, you wouldnt believe that Playmobil, hotshot of the most love toy companies, started out as a pursue and fitting company in the beginning c all in alled Metallwarenfabrik. It was founded by Andreas Brandstatter, a locksmith in Zindorf, Germany. It had a few years of great chase record and was not only manufacturing locks, they were sluice manufacturing cash registers, telephones and other various woodworking plane metal products co by the way to be utilise for toy establishments. In the 1950s, the current proprietor of the company, Horst Branstatter shifted the company into plastic manufacturing and joined in on the Hula Hoop Craze, which is incidentally the start of an international craze for Playmobil Toys. only one question comes to mind, why do kids and parents go crazy for these Toys?For one, the companys ideal for toys stem from its roots of lock and metal fittingcollecting all the right alternates and fitting them together to exculp ate a set. Its collectability is one of its greatest merchandising strategy. Same for the kids, it is a matter of reserve once you manage to complete a set. Typically, most toy sets would deal one center piece for the set and have multiple accessories. Each and every piece would have its individual uniqueness. The diversion of having a toy is being able to stop into a world of imagination utilize it as a medium. A item-by-item piece has complete functionality to fulfil its lineament on the sets storyline, having operate parts that can interact with its faller toy pieces. This allows children of all ages to use their imagination to its full extent, giving never-ending fun on the part of the kids and a quelled smile on their parents lips.