Relocating Margaret Thatchers in the Workplace Essay

Working environments are dimensions in which the individual’s skills, talents and production capabilities are put into the test. The war-like situation manifested in corporate arenas continues to post a challenge to each and every individual. It is a legitimized jungle wherein only the strong remains and the weak perish. Thus, for every struggle that is addressed, this spells sweet victory for the triumphant warrior. It is for this aspect that Karsten described the workplace a source of one’s â€Å"sense of self, power and prestige (162). † As the individual continue to climb the corporate ladder, his or her â€Å"sense of self, power and prestige (Karsten 162)† continue to increase. This is most especially true in scenarios wherein leadership roles are assumed and performed. However, a critical examination shows that holding power, garnering respect and expressing authority have exclusively remained in the hands of men. The opportunity to lead has been an exclusive right of males and women, despite of the strong campaign to uphold equality, are continuously pushed to the periphery. Women leadership remains a critical issue in the corporate environment. Despite of the efforts to render equal opportunities to both men and women, the actions taken, remained futile. Women as leaders are still seen from a derogatory perspective. As Spade and Valentine described, work places are no less than â€Å"gendered institutions† that operate under â€Å"inequality regimes (341). † Under this context, it can be argued that the so-called â€Å"inequality regimes† mentioned in this discussion, is no less than the hegemonic and oppressive patriarchal orientations that are highly manifested in various work spaces. Drawing on Dahrendorf’s distribution of power and authority (Lemell & Noll, 52), it is evident that many working environments deprive women from having equal chances or access to positions that demand an exercise of power and control. Also, power legitimacy as for the case of women leaders are often questioned or blatantly ignored. While it is true that women have managed to acquire managerial positions, Ely et. al expressed that only 1 % of these females are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies or establishments (161). Likewise, Ely et. al mentioned that in terms of governmental positions and functions, only a small percentage of women can be observed. The seemingly under representation and to a certain extent—total absence of women leaders in the corporate world is triggered by society’s patriarchal culture. The practices seen in the business world reflect the manipulative and discriminating orientation of the patriarchal system. Under this context, societal roles and functions are highly determined by gender. Men are seen as the stronger sex whereas women are the exact opposite. Women are constantly confined into domestic roles. They are mothers and wives whose values and worth are best exemplified in the bedroom and kitchen. Thus, their entries into the workplace or business environments are often seen as a threat. In addition to that, this scenario highly contradicts the so-called â€Å"normative behaviors (Ridgeway 223)† of world. Leadership in business environments translates to performing firm decision, asserting authority and showing direct control, if necessary. Needless to say, these traits or characteristics are often played or portrayed by men. On the other hand, the idea of being a mere â€Å"follower† is relegated to women. Therefore, in the event wherein a woman leader practices authority, utilizes power and make decisions, these scenario is immediately dismissed as a violation of the canonical norms not only of the workplace, but also of the overall social structure (Ridgeway 223). The problem with women executives or leaders is that their socially-constructed roles are mixed with their corporate or work-related functions. The merit of their leadership skills and capabilities are based on how well they perform their overtly stereotyped duties and obligations. When women act like leaders, the patriarchal system immediately questions their efficiency via insisting the women’s highly biased and gender-based tasks (Ridgeway 223). As Ridgeway stressed, women leaders are initially seen as a woman, then a leader (223). Gender would always come first and leadership capabilities are only secondary. There are several ways in which women are prevented from acquiring leadership positions in the workplace. The first one is illustrated by the â€Å"glass ceiling concept (Goethals & Burns 77). Under this context, women are blatantly deprived of acquiring leadership positions via unequal distribution of chances and opportunities (Goethals & Burns 77). This is despite of eliciting commendable work-related achievements and success. The glass ceiling acts as a barricade that prevents women from being hailed as managers and executives despite delivering good results and performances (Haslett, Geis & Carter 128). In addition to that, it is also evident that women are placed into positions or departments in which they cannot possibly harness their leadership skills (Goethals, Sorenson & Burns 77). They are subjected into roles that do not engage into actual corporate management and decision making. Therefore, in the event in which women are recommended for promotions, their skills and experience readily lag behind. Or in such cases, a woman must shoulder the entire burden of exerting efforts and energy to prove themselves, but with no assurance that they will be selected. But then again even if some women were able to secure their positions on the corporate hierarchy, Goethal, Sorenson and Burns shared that this is no less than a defense mechanism used to avoid accusations of gender discrimination and inequality (77). Aside from the glass ceiling, the persistence of the seemingly omnipotent â€Å"old boy network (Goethals, Sorenson & Burns 77)† is also instrumental in the under representation of women leaders. A critical examination of the old boy network clearly shows the strong attempt of men to protect their own interests (Sanchez et. al 240). There is the intention to keep power in the hands of the few and eliminate new players. This basically explains the degree of favoritism in promotions. Men often receive high preference compared to women not because they are better or more productive. Instead, this is just a way to preserve the patriarchal rule. Since majority of senior executives are men, their power legitimacy is highly acknowledged and recognized. This kind of prestige is then used by males to control, manipulate and safeguard their interests. Thus, to ensure that their power and authority shall remain, these executives are more likely to choose male protegees—individuals, who like them, present a common set of beliefs, ideologies and value systems. Lastly, the limited access of women to building social networks lessens their chances of being corporate leaders (Goethals, Sorenson & Burns 78). Goethals, Sorenson and Burns mentioned that â€Å"informal gatherings† is a way for women to connect with other individuals in the business organizations (78). It is through these activities that women can further improve their social and communication skills—two of the most significant traits that leaders should acquire. However, these opportunities are hardly given to women. Other than obstructing women to create meaningful relationships and camaraderie, this scenario also inhibits females from having their own mentors and role models (Klenke 185). Mentors and role models serve as a support system. Through them, valuable knowledge and insights are shared and transmitted. Mentoring relationships help potential leaders devise sound decisions and appropriate solutions. Unfortunately, this right is highly exclusive to men. The struggles and challenges faced by women leaders in the corporate system is yet another gender issue that should be readily addressed. Leadership roles should not be equated to gender-based functions. Equal rights and opportunities should be provided to both genders and should not be an exclusive privilege of men. It should be stressed and remembered that leadership efficiency is determined by skills and performances, never by gender. Works Cited Sanchez, Penny; Philip Hucles; Janis Sanchez-Hucles and Sanjay Mehta. â€Å"Increasing Diverse Women Leadership in Corporate America: Climbing Concrete Walls and Shattering Glass Ceilings. † Women and Leadership Transforming Visions and Diverse Voices Eds. Jean Lau Chin; Bernice Lott; Joy Rice and Janis Sanchez-Hucles. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2007 Ely, Robin; Erica Foldy; Maureen Scully and The Center for Gender in Organizations Simmons School of Management. Reader in Gender, Work and Organization. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2003 Goethal, George; Georgia Sorenson and James MacGregor Burns. Encyclopedia of Leadership. California: Sage Publications Inc, 2004 Haslett, Beth; Florence Geis and Mae Carter. The Organizational Woman. New Jersey: Ablex Publishing Corporation, 1992 Karsten, Margaret. Gender, Race and Ethnicity in the Workplace. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006 Klenke, Karin. Women Leadership. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 1996 Lemell, Yannick and Heinz-Herbert Noll. Changing Structures of Inequality: A Comparative Perspective. Canada: Mc-Gill Queen’s University Press, 2002 Ridgeway, Cecilia. Gender Interaction and Inequality. New York: Springer –Verlag New York Inc. , 1992 Spade, Joan and Catherine Valentine. The Ka

Islam in Southeast Asia

In the 11th century, a turbulent period occurred in the history of Malay Archipelago, the Chola Navy crossed the ocean and attacked the Srivijaya kingdom of Sangrama Vijayatungavarman, Kadaram (Kedah), an important fortified city in the Malayan peninsula was sacked and the king was taken captive. Soon after that, the king of Kedah Phra Ong Mahawangsa became the first ruler to abandon the traditional Hindu faith, and converted to Islam with the Sultanate of Kedah established in year 1136. Samudera Pasai converted to Islam in the year 1267, and many other rulers follow suit. There are several theories to the Islamization process in Southeast Asia. The first theory is trade. The expansion of trade among West Asia, India and Southeast Asia helped the spread of the religion as Muslim traders brought Islam to the region. The second theory is the role of missionaries or Sufis. The Sufi missionaries played a significant role in spreading the faith by syncretising Islamic ideas with existing local beliefs and religious notions. Finally, the ruling classes embraced Islam which further aided the permeation of the religion throughout the region. The ruler of the region's most important port, Malacca Sultanate, embraced Islam in the 15th century, heralding a period of accelerated conversion of Islam throughout the region as the religion provided a unifying force among the ruling and trading classes. ( Do?n nay e k bi?t co nen d? th? nay khong, vi no la 2 gi? thuy?t nen nghe no c? k tin c?y). Islam in Indonesia. As we know, Islam is the dominant religion in Indonesia, but not many people know that the amount of Muslims in Indonesia is larger than anywhere else in the world, with approximately 202. 9 million identified as Muslim (88. 2% of the total population) as of 2009. To foreign observers as well as to many Indonesians themselves, Indonesian Islam has always appeared to be very different from Islam at most other places, especially from the way it is practised in the Arabian peninsula. The religious attitudes of the Indonesians, it was often said, were more influenced by the Indian religions (Hinduism, Buddhism) that had long been established in the Archipelago and the even older indigenous religions with their ancestor cults and veneration of earth gods and a plethora of spirits. Many contemporary Indonesian Muslims refuse to recognise them as Islamic because they conflict with modern conceptions of (universal) Islam. In many cases, however, they came to Indonesia as part of Muslim civilisation, even if they did not perhaps belong to the core of Muslim religion. They represent an earlier wave of Islamisation. Islam In Malaysia Malaysia is a multiconfessional country with Islam being the largest practiced religion, comprising approximately 61. 4% Muslim adherents, or around 17 million people. In the 11th century, a turbulent period occurred in the history of Malay Archipelago, the Chola Navy crossed the ocean and attacked the Srivijaya kingdom of Sangrama Vijayatungavarman, Kadaram (Kedah), an important fortified city in the Malayan peninsula was sacked and the king was taken captive. Soon after that, the king of Kedah Phra Ong Mahawangsa became the first ruler to abandon the traditional Hindu faith, and converted to Islam with the Sultanate of Kedah established in year 1136. Samudera Pasai converted to Islam in the year 1267, and many other rulers follow suit. The local population saw that Islam could extricate them from this bondage and provide the means for the extirpation of social evils. The new religion gave the small man a sense of this individual worth – the dignity of man – as a member of an Islamic community. Originally, the draft Constitution of Malaysia did not specify any official religion for the state. This move was supported by the rulers of the nine Malay states, who felt that it was sufficient that Islam was the official religion of each of their individual states. However, Justice Hakim Abdul Hamid of the Reid Commission which drafted the Constitution came out strongly in favour of making Islam the official religion, and as a result the final Constitution named Islam as the official religion of Malaysia. Islam in the Malay Archipelago in general and Malaysia in particular follows the Shafi Madhab (school of thought). However there are many Muslims in Malaysia who do not follow any particular school. In Perlis, the state constitution specifies that Perlis follows the Qur'an and Sunnah and not a particular madhab. Many Muslims in Perlis therefore do not follow any madhab, as is the case with the followers and members of the Muhammadiyah Organisation in Indonesia. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Southeast_Asia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spread_of_Islam_in_Southeast_Asia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Indonesia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Malaysia Global and Local in Indonesian Islam  by Prof. Martin Van Bruinessen,  Southeast Asian Studies (Kyoto)  vol. 37, no. 2 (1999), 46-63. http://www.islamcan.com/islamic-history/islam-in-malaysia.shtml

Poetry from Other Cultures Essay

Poets who were born in Britain don’t usually write about slavery or how important water is to them. Many poets who are not originally into a traditional English culture use English in many different ways. Night of the scorpion, Limbo and Sacrifice all seem like they are poems that have been written to represent beliefs or a way of life. They have all got rhythms and beats and some even use nursery rhymes or chants as a basis for the poem. Language is extremely important to some people especially poets. Sometimes you can see by looking at a poem that it is not written in Standard English. At the beginning of Night of The Scorpion, a child is talking about how it remembers the night when its mother was stung by a scorpion. The child mentions â€Å"Ten hours of steady rain has driven him to crawl beneath a sack of rice†. Here, the child is describing the scorpion and the reason for its arrival. The child points out that the scorpion â€Å"parted with its poison† which literally means that the scorpion has stung someone. Throughout the poem, the scorpion is described as an evil being; â€Å"The flask of diabolic tail in the dark room† shows this. When the mother was stung, the villagers are described as â€Å"swarming flies†. This may mean they were running to help the mother or running away from the scorpion. The villagers chant the name of god to the mother, chanting the name of god in some cultures, is said to bring luck or hope to the person they are chanting for. In the poem it also states that the villagers used torches and lanterns to try and find the scorpion. As the villagers moved around with the torches and lanterns, the scorpion left shadows on the â€Å"mud baked walls†. The villagers could not find the scorpion so they started to make a â€Å"clicking† noise to try and draw the scorpion towards them. In one part of the poem, it mentions that the scorpion was controlling the poison that was inside the child’s mother. â€Å"With every movement the scorpion made, his poison moved around the mothers blood†. The villagers seem to believe that the scorpion controls the poison that is inside the mother so they think that if they capture the scorpion, the poison inside the mother will also stop moving. They state that they want to stop the scorpion on line 18, â€Å"May he sit still†. After line 18, a series of sentences are started with the word â€Å"may†. In Standard English, this word usually introduces a polite request. The villagers all sat round whilst the mother laid there. It is described that there is a look of understanding on all of the people’s faces, which shows that they are supporting the mother, hoping she will be fine. In some cultures it is believed that if you catch the scorpion that has poisoned someone, the victim will recover. This may be why the villagers were so keen to capture the creature. The poet then describes how everyone is trying to help the child’s mother recover. â€Å"My father, sceptic, rationalist, trying every curse and blessing, powder, mixture, herb and hybrid. He even poured a little paraffin wax upon the bitten toe and put a match to it†. â€Å"I watched the flame feeding on my mother† this is one of the most effective quotes in this poem as it’s dramatic and metaphorical. Again, the poet describes how people are trying to help the child’s mother by writing; â€Å"I watched a holy man perform his rites to tame the poison with an incantation†. The p poet gives the effect that the poison has been inside the mother for a long time by saying; â€Å"After twenty hours, it lost its sting† The last three lines of the poem have had a large amount of thought go into them, as it’s unusual to normally end a poem like this. The poem Limbo, tells the story of slavery in a rhyming, rhythmic dance. It is ambiguous and complex. There are two main narratives running in parallel; the actions of the dance and the history of a people – which is being enacted. Going down under the limbo stick is likened to the slaves going down into the hold of the ship, which carries them into slavery. In Roman Catholic tradition, Limbo is a place to which the souls of people go, if they are not good enough for heaven but not bad enough for hell, between this is Limbo. It has come to mean an unpleasant place or a state of mind or body from which it is difficult to escape. The story of slavery told in the poem is very easy to follow, yet full of detail and action. The poem has a very strong beat, suggesting the dance it describes. The rest of the poem tells a story enacted in a dance. These lines are greatly rhythmic and almost every syllable is stressed, until the very last line, where the rhythm is broken, suggesting the finish of the dance and the end of the narrative. This poem is suited to a dramatic performance – there is the dancing under the limbo stick and the acting out the voyage into slavery. The poem can be chanted or sung with a rhythmic beat to give the best effect. The poem refers to a â€Å"drummer† which may be suitable. The poem is laid out on the page in a very peculiar fashion; this is related to the poem being chant like. Parts of the poem are echoed or at least rhyming in a repetitive way to suggest that this may not be any song or dance, but one of an â€Å"African† like culture. From the start of the poem, it seems pessimistic, but as you read on towards the end of the poem, it gradually stats to change into an optimistic look onto what will happen. â€Å"The music is saving me† could mean that the songs of their cultures were what gave them hope or the fact that the drummer was beating a rhythmic beat was what got them to carry on. The first line of sacrifice is an unusual line to start with because describing a goat having a knife dragged across its neck isn’t the sort of image you would want to convey for the opening sentence. The person’s point of view throughout the poem seemed to switch between two characters, a young boy and a goat being sacrificed. â€Å"Two spadefuls of dirt will cover me up forever† & â€Å"I can feel its point on my throat†. Many cultures bless their house or have some kind of ceremony once the house is built. Also, there are still some cultures today that sacrifice animals to their â€Å"gods†. â€Å"We stand in a tight circle around the animal to be sacrificed† this short sentence is a great example of this. It seems that the child in question seems to dislike the idea of animals being sacrificed. â€Å"The heat and the smell of the blood make me dizzy†. Again, there is a whole paragraph describing just how the animal in question is sacrificed. The writer of the poem has made a strange choice by putting both children and the theme of sacrificing together, as usually a poet would not normally do this. â€Å"The children are fascinated by the tableau†. Here, a drama convention is used. A tableau is a still image that can be used at the beginning, during or at the end of a piece of drama. Again, the idea of ceremonies are used; â€Å"A white bearded man chants something holy†. â€Å"The cameras click.† This short sentence sounds wrong when put into context with the theme of the poem. The idea of people taking pictures of an animal that has just been sacrificed is disgusting. The ending of the poem is unusual because it seems that it is from the boy’s point of view because it describes the house as an unnecessary killing. â€Å"We are not laying the foundations of a house but another dachau.† A Dachau is a Nazi concentration camp where thousands of Jews were exterminated.

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance in Literature review

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance in Pancreatic cancer diagnosis and treatment - Literature review Example The first stage of the pancreatic cancer diagnosis is tumor detection. The tumor is not easily detectable and hence the increased mortality rate of the disease. The detection of the tumor is therefore an important stage in the efforts of treating and curing pancreatic cancer. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is a process that enables the early confirmation of the pancreatic tumor thereby increasing the curability of the disease. Contrast agents are used in the MRI process. The commonly used contrast images are Gadolinium based Contrast agents and Iron Oxide nanoparticle enhanced contrast agents. The contrast agents allow for the formation of distinct images subsequently allowing for better determination of Carcinoma cells. The research paper looks into the role that Iron Oxide Nanoparticles enhance the magnetic Resonance in the quest for pancreatic cancer diagnosis and treatment. The paper is broken down to the different MRI and its contrast agents, Nanotechnology, Iron Oxide nanoparticles, and their importance in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer and finally the effectiveness and dependability of the Nanoparticles in the curability of pancreatic cancer. The paper has clearly cut objectives, which should be addressed comprehensively throughout the paper. According to Zhou and Lu (2012), Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a powerful medical modality that displays the anatomical structures of the body. MRI is quite important in detecting and characterizing the diseased tissues in the body as well as solid tumors. MRI produces a three-dimension, high resolution and contrast images of the tissues or tumor and does not release ionization radiation in the process. MRI uses a variety of contrast agents in relation to the tissue or body part involved in the process. Over the years, since its inception three years ago, the

Btranding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Btranding - Essay Example An organization attracts and maintains a base of loyal customers by promoting their prestige, image, value and lifestyle through the efforts of branding. A number of studies have shown that proper branding leads to higher sales of the products and other services associated with the brand (Hill, 2008). For example, if a customer likes Dairy Milk, a brand of Cadbury, he or she is more likely to taste Bourneville as well. A good brand has the ability to deliver the messages of the company to its target audiences, influence and motivate the buyers, confirms the credibility of the firm and emotionally connects with the target population. However, to achieve success by means of proper branding practices, it needs to understand the needs and wants of the customers (Clarke, 2001). It is often argued that a brand resides in the mind and the heart of a consumer and positively influences customer purchase behaviour, but few academicians disagree to this fact and deem that a brand image can infl uence the purchase negatively as well (Knox and Denison, 2000). This report seeks to analyse the opportunities for development of a particular brand. However, prior to the identification of the opportunities of the brand, the study will review and identify the weak points and challenges of the brand. On the basis of the findings and analysis, the study will elucidate the required changes in the brand and rebranding will serve the purpose of the company. The brand chosen for this purpose is Benefit cosmetics. A brief synopsis of the brand is presented below in order to help the reader understand the same. Benefit Cosmetics: A Brief Synopsis Benefit Cosmetics is a brand named after its company, Benefit Cosmetics LLC. The company is presently headquartered in San Francisco, California and was founded in the year 1976 (Benefit Cosmetics, 2013). The company specializes in offering beauty solution to the customers across several parts of the world. One of the key selling points of the com pany is their creative and vibrant packaging. Presently, the company operates in 35 countries and has successfully delivered the required services to the customers. Studies have shown that the brand has been performing well since the last few years and their financial situation reflects the same. One of the essential characteristics of the products of Benefit is that they are manufactured with natural ingredients and as a result of that, the products hardly have any negative skin effects. According to the experts of this industry, it is the quality of Benefit and instant solution capability that has made the brand a household name and a ‘must-have’ beauty product across the consumers of the world. Brand Analysis In this section, analysis of the brand, Benefit Cosmetics, will be carried out in order to identify the possible challenges and weaker areas of the brand (Kautish, 2011). In addition with this analysis, the study also seeks to underpin the opportunities of the b rand. The brand will be analysed by considering certain parameters and factors that lead to higher brand value. Furthermore, brand analysis also has the ability to pin down the current state of a brand. This will help in satisfying both the aforementioned intentions. The factors to be considered in this context are emotional value, brand awareness, brand image, purchase intention, brand loyalty and perceived

Business GP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business GP - Essay Example Other areas are also important so explained briefly; the blind spot is what others know about a certain individual, but which the individual does not know about himself, the hidden area which is known only to the individual himself, and the unknown area consists which is unknown to the individual and the others as well. The open area can be used to communicate effectively within the organization. The open area is very important because this introduces the new team members, which in this case would be the Working Better group. When we work in this area, we are at our best and also productive. The open arena is actually seen where good cooperation and communications occur. Also when different teams are grouped, the size of the open area can be expanded horizontally into the blind space so that individuals can learn more about themselves. This can be done by seeking and actively listening to feedback from other people. This can be done by anonymous slips so as to ensure privacy. This cannot be done immediately until or unless the people actually get to know each other first. Ice breakers heighten the effectiveness of training sessions, which will be particularly significant in this conference. On the first day, everyone needs to introduce himself/herself and this can be done in a comfortable manner through the ice breaker exercises. One exercise that can be done effectively is that after everyone has stated their names, a manual can be handed out to any random person that he/she should start with any word. That same person will ask the next person to continue with any other word. For example, the person with the manual states ‘I’, the person next to him might say ‘am’ and this continues on. Not only it shows dependency on other team members which illustrates that team work is important, it creates humor when people can come up with any random words, hence breaking

Marketing planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marketing planning - Assignment Example In addition, there are approximately 20,000 garages and other service outlets, which involve in selling of new tyres as a segment of a broader service offering. The whole industry combined employs near about 16,000 people. The tyre retail sector is also engaged in the sales of replacement tyres. The value of sales amounts to about  £3.2 billion a year. Even though automobile tyre industry is an exuberant sector, which has witnessed an unprecedented growth over the past few years, concentration of internet retailers, often termed as e-retailers, remains quite small (3%). However, in the recent past, concentration of the same seems to be growing at a rapid rate with many players entering the already competitive market. With the scenarios presented above, it is quite clear that the competition that Guildford Tyres Co. Ltd. deals with is immense. They are tyre retail and automotive service specialist, who have been in service since 1967. It is a family owned and administered business, which has become the leading autonomous tyre specialist in the county of Surrey within the United Kingdom (Guildford Tyre Company,  2012a). The products sold by the company ranges from car tyres, 4x4 tyres,  van tyres, cycle tyres, motorcycle tyres, wheels, brakes, batteries to shock absorbers (Guildford Tyre Company,  2012b). The services offered by the company includes tyre fitting, mobile tyre fitting,  wheel alignment and servicing, puncture repairs, tyre wholesale and other associated services (Guildford Tyre Company,  2012c). The political landscape of the UK is established in the ethos democracy and steady framework of governance, which ensures a certain degree of uniformity in its policies. After the world wars, the UK established itself as a major global force, which was stimulated by a swift economic development. One of the major contributors of this development was the tyre industry and it continues to be the same in the contemporary society. UK’s strong trade

Generation X Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Generation X - Essay Example urdles as well as stereotypes, the strong, appealing characteristics from the particular events, issues and people stem individuals born in generation X, making them extraordinary. Generation X is defined as the generation born in the years 1965 to 1980, immediately apparent in this generation after the baby boomers. This generation was named ‘X’ as the letter itself represents an unknown, mystery. This generation is better educated and more ethnically diverse (Rosen 4). In addition, this generation was raised at a period of increasing divorce rates, faltering economy, and two income families. From all generations, this is the only one that was pushed into early adulthood. The aspect of women liberation from traditional roles as only homemakers is broken in this generation. This is evident by several women joining the work force, leaving behind their infants. During this era women broke the traditional characteristic of being dependent to a man to being independent and self sufficient. The con of this move was the commencement of latchkey kids who had no choice, but to take care of themselves whilst their parents worked (Zustiak 32). I am a clear example of such children; both my parents worked, being the first born, I had the responsibility of taking care of my siblings. I can say that I took the role of my parents, and disciplined my siblings when they made a mistake. I lacked the emotional needs from my parents and turned out into an autonomous, self-reliant individual. The situation at home forced me to grow up faster, and also adapt parenting skills. This was a challenge, as I was struggling the balance of being a child, sibling and at the same t ime ‘a parent. This explains why individuals who are in this generation like I, demonstrate the values of resourceful, autonomy and contribution, attributes of the command of authority and structured work hours. I was raised at a time where there was the emergence of personal computers, television, and Atari

Procurement Management Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Procurement Management Plan - Research Paper Example No. Item Name Quantity Budgeted Amount ($) Expected Cost ($) Needed by 1. Shrubs 1000 11000 10000 +/- 1000 01-02-2012 2. Bricks 10000 2000 2000 +/- 200 01-02-2012 3. Ties 500 7000 7500 +/- 500 01-01-2012 Issues: There can be misjudgment here on the part of the management regarding the required products for the project. In order to avoid this issue, the reason for the procurement of these products should be stated. It should be very clear that these products are necessary for the successful completion of the project. Moreover, lead experts will verify the quantity demanded of each item. The expected cost of the required products can exceed the budgeted amount. Such issues should be dealt with before hand by increasing market knowledge and discussing with experts that can suggest alternative solutions to the problem. Procurement Team Hierarchy Following is the procurement management team that has the responsibility and authority of procuring the required products/services. Name Role Mr . X Project Manager Mr. Y Lead Expert on the required items Mrs. Z Procuring officer Issues: Procurement team members should be chosen carefully as they are entitled to both authority and responsibility. They may lack market knowledge and negotiation skill, which is why it is necessary to train them accordingly. The procurement team should be a mix of various specialized skills so that they can cater to the needs of the fulfillment of the project. Contract Type After sending out all the solicitations, the first step is to analyze all the vendor proposals to select the ideal vendors that satisfy the criteria laid by the project team. There are many types of contracts for instance fixed price, time and material and cost reimbursable. Therefore, the contract type will be chosen after careful examination of the vendor proposals. Issues: Here the issue of inappropriate contract type can arise. The contract type should be chosen on the basis of information such as quality, expected delive ry, cost and past experience. This should be approved by contract board members. Vendor Selection After approval from board members, the most suitable vendor is selected based on a thorough analysis of measurable evaluation criteria. Issues: From this point onwards many issues can arise. The vendor should be contacted on timely basis so as to minimize the risk of delayed delivery. The agreement with the vendor should clearly state the specifications of the required product so that there is no claim of insufficient information by the seller. All the negotiations should be recorded as a proof of settlement. Moreover, the terms and conditions of the contract should be reasonable and just. The team will need to minimize the risk of failure of fulfillment of contract. From the time of agreement, the procurement team should keep in touch with the seller to demand status updates of the goods in transit. This will help in ensuring timely delivery and high quality of the products. Contract C losure This part collectively acknowledged the product verification and administrative closure. This closure is subject to the terms and conditions of the contract. Issues: If all the precautionary steps have been taken than the risks associated with this part can be minimized or eliminated. However, the possibility of risks does exist. So upon delivery the team will examine and verify the product and take all the necessary steps required to fulfill the contract. The

Operation management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Operation management - Essay Example Slack and Lewis (2008) identified three basic verticals for companies such as finance, marketing and operations while finance and marketing activities have close linkage to operation management Slack & Lewis (2008, p. 4) defined operation management as â€Å"it is the management of systems or processes that create goods and/or provide services.† Consideration of research works of Slack, Chambers & Johnston (2007) and Hsu & Tang (2010) reveals the fact that operation management has close linkage with supply chain activities. Slack, Chambers & Johnston (2007) defined supply chain management as the sequence of activities in order to supply resources throughout every phases of value chain. As part of synchronization of supply chain activities and operation management activities; facilities, functions and activities are being used. Facilities- warehouses, processing centres, offices, factories, distribution centres and retail outlets are the place where operations are took place (S lack, 2004). Functions and activities- operation management is collective act and not only operation manager but also supply chain partners and workers play vital role in performing activities like delivery of the resources or final output to facilities, inventory management, customer service, scheduling of operational activities, information management, forecasting of future demand, purchasing of material, designing new product, quality assurance testing etc (Slack, 2004). While describing nature of operation management in context to manufacturing sector, Slack (2004) and Slack & Lewis (2008) used the following model. Figure 1: Operation Model (Source: Slack & Lewis, 2008) According to the above model, operation management is backed by three strategic verticals such as resources, capabilities of the firm and process that will be deployed in manufacturing new product or processing a service. As part of resources; equipments, financial capital, staff, sourcing from suppliers and tech nologies is being used in operation management. As part of capabilities of the firm; application of state of art technology, quantitative formulation of process and process diagrams are being used by operation managers and respective staff members. As part of process; job design, movement of goods in the facilities, process design, new product concept design, new product development etc are being used as part of operation management. So, what is the role or types of activities that operations managers are involved in operation management? Answering the question is not simple because types of activities of operation manager differ significantly with the change in nature of business for organizations. For example, operational activities of operations managers in manufacturing plan cannot be same operational activities in bank. However, some basic activities of operations manager for manufacturing facilities can be identified as, 1- managing the resources that are being used in differe nt phases of manufacturing, 2- developing and adjusting production schedule, 3- monitoring and controlling quality in

Book Review on Urban Poverty Essay Example for Free

Book Review on Urban Poverty Essay Urban poverty is the outcome of urban-bias development projects being predominantly financed by the external capital, either in the form of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or Aid. The urban-bias industrialization strategy performed as a pull factor for the rural unemployed. This strategy contributed to the expanding of urban informal sectors where unskilled as well as highly unorganized day labours remain concentrated in the urban and semi-urban areas. It is also debated that the redistribution of capital investment towards the rural based agricultural activities including plantation sectors through the coordinated efforts of both public and private sectors such as civil and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can go a long way to break the growing negative effects of over urbanization on poverty, moral and social crimes as consequent of unequal economic growth. The author, Pramanik discusses urban poverty in Malaysia cases. He begins with the overview of the poverty scenario followed by research methods and research findings along with summarization policy suggestions. This book contented five chapters including appendices, references and index. In the introductory chapter (pp. 1-5), Pramanik says poverty is a multi-dimensional phenomenon that is hard to come up with a universally acceptable definition of poverty. Most commonly argued issue on poverty is whether poverty should be looked at from absolute or relative perspective. Absolute poverty based on specific income level called poverty line income (PLI) that can be calculated either using the market value of a basket full of goods and services considered essential for reasonably acceptable standard of living. On the contrary, relative poverty arises when we talk about how good or bad one member is doing in relation to another member living in the same society. According to O’Boyle, poverty is a concept that is both absolute and relative because human beings are at the same time individual and social (O’Boyle E.  J, 1990). In chapter two (pp. 7-20), Pramanik talks about poverty scenario in Malaysia. He argues that the income poverty using official poverty line income seems near to the absolute poverty whereas the human poverty based on the degree of human deprivation resembles relative poverty, which is ensuing of unequal access to income earning opportunity. Because of this, the author focuses more on human aspect of poverty in terms of its long term implications of social factors. Micro level study (Pramanik, 2004) do suggest that family size either in urban or rural areas of the four concentrated states namely, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perak is quite above the family size used for the national level. Pramanik (1997 2000) examined that rural poverty in the four poverty-concentrated states on multi dimensional aspects of the problem such as, social, economic, demographic, psychological, political, moral, historical, attitudinal, and natural factors. In chapter three (pp. 5-20), the author discusses regarding research methodology. The study is based on the primary data as well as secondary information. The primary data collected through the administration of well-structured questionnaire in the middle of 2006. The sampling technique used is purposive as well as random and based on participatory observation method. Around 3112 households from 8 major cities living in poverty concentrated areas classified by squatters, low-cost buildings, longhouses etc. were selected for data collection. He defined â€Å"household† as an entity of those living under the same roof as well as eating from the same kitchen. In chapter four (pp. 21-97), he talks about the research findings. The author uses purposive and collecting sampling technique to identify the level of poverty suffered by those living in the squatters and in the area/blocks/buildings designed for the lower income groups in the major cities of Malaysia. This is because those who are living in these areas suffer different degrees and types of poverty measured by the level of deprivations. The household having less than RM 398(less than half of the poverty line) is called hardcore poor, household earning equal to RM 398 but less than 663 is called overall poor and more than RM 663 is called non-poor. The best performing state in terms of lowest incidence of overall poverty (0. 9) with no hardcore poor followed by KL (2. 6) and JB (8. 1) inclusive of hardcore and overall poor. While less developed states- KB, KT, and AS, KB experiences the highest incidence of poverty hardcore poor and overall poor of 33. 7 followed by KT (23. 4) and AS (14). On the other hand, Sabah and Sarawak are worst performing states reported in 9MP and his survey data. The author suggests that as far as poverty reduction is concerned Sabah and Sarawak are still the worst among all other regions states in Malaysia in 2007. The poverty is gender bias is a universal when hardcore poverty is concerned. In terms of hardcore and overall poverty, the female –headed households are more likely to be poorer by 50 percent compared the male-headed households. The higher dependency of more members on a few incomes of earners in the households also creates a constraint on resources allocation by the poor households. Approximately 60 percent of poor household’s more than two members depend on the income of one earner. The lower dependency has implication for the ability of the poor households to hold out poverty at times of economic recession or downturn since higher dependency manifest through the lower dependency ratio is positively related to higher unemployment. Pramanik found on the distribution of households based on the dependency ratio and cities seem to suggest that the relatively higher percentages of households (68. 8) from LDS are associated with higher dependency as emerged through the lower coefficients of DR (0. ) as opposed to a lower percentage of households from MDS (53. 3) experiencing lower dependency ratio. Human capital is considered as the most fundamental asset. The presence of economic opportunities created by the growth, an individual with one additional year of education acquires more ability to compete and derive benefits from the market. As for as the illiterac y, the author suggests that the percentage of households having no education in much higher for the three Least Developed States( LDS) as compare to the More Developed States (MDS). If the education level exceeding 6 years but less than 12 year are considered as a measure of better educational standard, the highest percentage of household members (72. 7) come from 3 MDS followed by the lowest (57) from the two LDS. The better quality of life achievable through higher level of education has convinced the younger generation regardless of race or geographical distribution of population to pursue education by all possible means. So that government spends money for education, skills and training. Dr. Muhammad Yunus claims that access to credit should be treated as a part of human rights. The access to credit empowers the poor households to make use of their survival skills thus unleashing their productive potentials. Every human being is imparted with some sorts of surviving skills by the Almighty –the creator. Dr. Yunus has proven that an access to small credit can significantly help the asset less poor to unleash their hidden potentials to earn more and combat poverty. The poor have nobody to talk to and no place to go. Sometimes, they have no work to do and no food to eat and finally none to depend on. They are always by-passed and looked down upon (Narayan, 2000). The poor are not even trusted because of lack of social status. Of the three races the Chinese seem to be more satisfied with their neighbors (69 percent as very helpful) followed by the Indians (46 percent) and Malays take a middle position (64 percent). The criteria of social capital there appear to be a positive relationship between the lower Mean Monthly Household Income (MMHY) of the Indians and the lower level of trustworthiness as a proxy for very helpful neighbors. The relationship between trustworthiness and success in trade seems quite obvious among the Chinese compared to the Malays and the Indians. There are lots of arguments regarding poverty. â€Å"We are so rich, because they are so poor† (Landes, 1998). It means the existence of poor is essential for survival for rich. Yunus believes that the poverty is created by the system (Yunus with Jolis, 1998). The poor in any society are best known for their simplicity, altruism, moderation, complacency, peaceful coexistence, moral, conservative as well as traditional values. The presence of high morality and the future uncertainty, the poverty stricken parents never consider additional babies as a liability. For the poor, children are always considered as assets and blessing of God because they are the ones the poor parents can really depend on in their old age. Old –age pension or insurance for all are hardly found in the developing world, traditional babies are always treated as insurance for the old age. The author found that in general, the respondents from low income urban households give higher priority to good values like the spirit of tolerance reflected through ability to respect other races or religion, ability to maintain one’s own culture, ability to live like a good human being, having good moral standard. The findings clearly suggest that they show least preference for blindly imitating the life style of the better-off. So, the poor who are known for their simple and moderate life are not the victim of the demonstration effects. Concentration of power, lack of transparency and good governance among many others, interact to perpetual corruption in less developed countries (Pramanik, 2003 2007). In last chapter in his book (pp. 97-106), the author summarizes his findings and gives policy suggestions. Firstly, poverty is gender based. As far as poor, inclusive of hardcore and overall poor are concerned the female headed households far outweigh the male headed households. Secondly, there is an inverse relationship between family size and incidence of poverty. Thirdly, higher dependency measured by lower dependency ratio seems to be positively related to the incidence of poverty across the regions. Fourth, the access to human capital in terms of level of education emerges as one of the most important determinants of poverty. Fifth, the access to financial capital in the form of loan made seems to be a good determinant of household income regardless of regional or racial consideration. Finally, based on the perception of the urban poor about development, Pramanik findings suggest that, the human capital such as easy access to education, social overhead capital encompassing good roads, good and owned house, water and electricity deserve the highest priority. The author gives some policy suggestions relevant to the policy-makers, planners and administrators. First, in line with three major strategies such as, enhancing the nation’s competitiveness, strengthening human capital development and ensuring the well-being of all Malaysians within the contexts of elaborate policy strategies under ninth Malaysian plan, that will be to help the primary and secondary level students from broken families, unemployed parents, low income households living in crammed and unhealthy housing conditions. Second, the plan to establish different growth corridors covering the less and the least developed states. Four, having the good record of NGOs in eradicating poverty and enhancing social-economic well-being of the target groups, the existing public level institutions may gradually encourage the NGOs/welfare organization/civil societies supported either publicly or privately to shoulder responsibility in overcoming poverty. Finally, efforts can be made to raise the status of Aim as a full-pledge bank for the poor as like Grameen bank of Bangladesh to deal with poverty eradication. In conclusion it can be said that the author, Pramanik expounded very well regarding the poverty of Malaysia. The urban poverty is indistinguishably linked to rural poverty. In fact, the former is caused by the latter. The Pull and Push factors can significantly explain the prevailing dismal conditions associated with urban poverty. Based on the details findings on the multi-dimensional aspects of urban poverty, it can be suggested that the development should be taken to the people and not the people to the development which is mostly confined to the urban areas.

Conan Doyle creates mystery Essay Example for Free

Conan Doyle creates mystery Essay Conan Doyle creates mystery and suspense in a variety of ways. The setting and atmosphere formed in a mystery story are vital and often one of the most effective ingredients. The desired effect, which in the case of these short stories is mystery and suspense, depend largely upon the setting and atmosphere. The major events that take place in The Speckled Band occur at the home of Dr Roylott in Stoke Moran. Watson describes the two uninhabited sections as a picture of ruin. The description of the two thirds of the house that are in ruin, raises questions in the readers mind as to what is occurring in the two areas of the house which are uninhabited. When the shape of the building is compared to the claws of a crab, it creates a perturbing simile for the reader. The reader may ask the question, Are Holmes and Watson about to be trapped within the claws? The major events that occur in The Speckled Band take place during the night. This creates an overwrought atmosphere as the night is thought to heighten emotions. During the night it is harder to see, and many perceive this as potentially dangerous. The fact that Stoke Moran is in a remote and secluded location, separate from the village, also indicates that no one could hear a murder or be able to help the victim. Therefore this is a perfect setting for a murder. The setting that is created also generates many decoys that could possibly throw the reader completely off the scent. The first being the gypsies. Roylott allows them access to his fields and therefore there are nearly always some there. In Victorian times you were thought badly of if you consorted with gypsies as they were thought to be social outcasts and were often feared by people due to curses and the magic they supposedly practiced. Not only do the gypsies provide a decoy and a slight edge to the story, they also create an unusual setting. The final element that dramatically adds to the setting, and that creates suspense in the atmosphere, is the wild animals that Dr Roylott allows to roam free. He has a cheetah and a baboon, which are feared by the villagers almost as much as their master. Personally I feel that Roylotts pets almost represent his character. The atmosphere around Stoke Moran must be one of tension and fear, and this is clearly illustrated through the setting that Doyle devises. The atmosphere and setting is also greatly influenced by the weather. On the eve of Julia Stoners death,It was a wild night. The wind was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing against the windows. Here Conan Doyle uses the technique pathetic fallacy as the weather mirrors the terrible events that are about to occur. Suddenly, amid all the hubbub of the gale, there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman. The use of literary techniques such as these adds to the foundations of the story and makes it a great deal more exciting. Personally I like the way suspense is created throughout this story. I thought this example was one of the most exciting parts. Conan Doyle uses detail to build up tension when Watson and Holmes must make their second visit to Stoke Moran in the dead of night. The atmosphere, while Watson and Holmes make their secret entrance, is on edge. There is a chill wind which gives the effect that it is eerie and ghostly, the pair are almost waiting for something to happen, when they see what appears to be a hideous and distorted child. Although it is only the baboon, it creates a heightened sense of suspense. When they realises the cause of their panic they find it humorous, and tension drops slightly as the foremost event has not yet occurred. Even though they are laughing, they are both still concerned about the cheetah roaming the grounds and the fact that they have to be totally soundless.

Factors Affecting Consumer Buying Preferences

Factors Affecting Consumer Buying Preferences The definition of consumer buying behavior by Kotler describes a person who buys goods and services for their individual needs as for Peter and Olson, (1993) say that consumer behavior is simply an interaction between peoples moods, feeling and affections. The study of purchaser performance has evolved in early prominence of rational choice to focus on irrational buying behavior and the use of logical models to understand the consumers mind set. From the very beginning, researches have been carried out; to replica the effects of advertising mix variables such as income, social groups, lifecycle stage, buyers impulse and access to media, however gradually, the variables affecting consumer behavior kept ever-increasing as researchers came across new factors affecting behavior. Numerous models have been formed to understand consumer behavior, which have been modified, discarded, criticized upon, adjusted, and used over the years. The latest approaches have come up with many consumer behavior models to understand the motivation behind the purchase, information processing model (Bettman 1979) according to this theory the consumer is viewed as a logical thinker who makes purchase decisions. The variety of models thus now includes stochastic models, mathematical models, sociological models, psychological models, economic models and business models; all to define consumer for the manufacturers and service providers. The black box model of human behavior is forever unpredictable; the model has been named as black box, suggesting human mind is like the black hole of the universe. The model revolves around responses of consumers to different stimuli. The model aims to list factors that can define buying decisions by explaining human behavior. Formerly a lot of study has been conducted to identify the consumer response to various marketing strategies, what makes the consumers actually go and buy a product. There have been studies to measure the factors that affect consumer buying behavior. Studies and theories have also been conducted against organization buying behavior (Webster, JR., Fredericke, and Yoram Wind, 1972). Studies have also been conducted to see the long term effect of some factors such as income, age and gender on consumer behavior and how these factors were seen in post purchase and post purchase behavior. Studies related to interpersonal factors and personal factors have also showed a correlation between consumer behavior and these variables. Measurement of Consumer Susceptibility to Interpersonal Influence (William O. Bearden, and E. Tee, 1989) they had developed a two-dimensional measure of informational and normative interpersonal influence and examined its reliability and validity. A 12-item, two- fact or scale was developed with factors counting to interpersonal influence, susceptibility, value expression, informational influence and self esteem. A questioner was administered and five different studies were conducted to out figure the relationship of normative and informational influences measures of attention-to-social-comparison information (ATSCI) susceptibility to interpersonal influence. The results corresponded as ATSCI was expected to correlate strongly with normative factors then with informational measures, the limitations to their study was more work had to be done in the area of interpersonal influences to further make their scale more reliable. Social Comparison Information: An Individual Difference Factor Affecting Consumer Conformity (William, 1990) attention-to-social-comparison-information (ATSCI) is identified as a variable that can help separate personal from social reasons that influence consumer behavior. The variables involved in this study were neuroticism and fear of negative assessment. If a person scores high on ATSCI, they are well attentive of what people around him think, and thus his decisions are affected by external factors. The papers lay out different studies that were carried out to find out the level to which the clients are sensitive to social cues involving their purchase and consumption patterns. These studies stated that measure of ATSCI is internally constant. The paper thus concludes that the ATSCI internal measurement is consistent valid and reliable. This paper thus reinforces the previous studies which helped identify social reason as one of the main factors affecting consumer behavior. It mo ves on to identify a measure which can help marketers to identify to what scale the social factors affect consumer choices, and thus a combination of strategies can be concluded out from the findings to cater to consumers in their specific market. ATSCI is concerned with normative influences that effect the persons perception in making a decision the study of Normative Influences on Impulsive Buying Behavior (Dennis W. Rook Robert J. Fisher, 1995) explains that normative views are accompanied by a view that spin around large impulsive spending that put forwards that consumer normative evaluations have the potential to manipulate their buying patterns. Consumers impulsive buying traits depends on their normative judgments. The study evaluated consumers impulsive traits with consumer buying behavior, thirty five items measuring buyers impulsiveness were measured by looking at the literature of impulsive buying phenomenology (e,g, Rook 1987). The results explain the hypothesizes that consumers with higher normative values act absolutely well with the degree of impulsive buying traits they posses example even consumers with low cash reserves tend to buy products on impulsive due to their normative influences. The limitations to th is study propose another study suggesting that even when an impulsive purchase is viewed as bad they are still likely to buy things on their impulsive traits due to their normative backgrounds. The normative influences consists of social factors, when a person tries to copy someones judgments worry about societal impressions as compared to informational influences they consist of gaining the knowledge through family friends and option leaders and then making a comprehensive decision to buy a product. The lifecycle stage of a person influences the buying decisions they make which in return reflect the informational influences as well, in Family Members Perceptions of Adolescents Influence in Family Decision Making (Ellen R. Foxman Patriyas. Tansuhaj Karin. Ekstrom, 1989) they demonstrate that the changes in demographics of a house hold structure have shifted towards childrens impact on their parents decisions. There are limited studies that have dealt with the extent of influence children have on family. (Atkin 1978; Belch, Belch, and Ceresino 1985; Darley and Lim 1986; Moschis and Mitchell 1986; Roberts, Wortzel, and Berkeley 1981). Children from all ages were tested to see which age of adolescent effects the most in purchase decisions. They survey with different consumer related items that a family buys, expensive and complex items were chosen because almost most of them have been used in the previous husband and wife decision related studies. Influence on decision process related to five different areas ranging from price, taking part in shopping, suggesting super markets, suggesting different products and paying attention to new products being launched. Multi-trait/multi- method analysis (MTMM; Campbell and Fiske 1959) was use to find patterns of discrepancy among purchase decisions. The study showed the results that mother, father and children all had a significant role in the decision process; the study suggested that spouses decisions were closely linked with each other as compared to their children. Two directions for further research concern the connection between supposed influence in purchase process and supposed influence for unambiguous pr oducts, as well as measurement of house hold decision making needs to be clear. From house hold family decisions researchers have also introduced different theories related to consumer buying behaviors all these theories consist of different factors such as culture, social, personal and physiological. Social factors are considered one of the most important factors that influence consumer behavior. In a research paper, Social Factors in Consumer Choice: Replication and Extension (Gordon, 1975) the studies of Rich and Jain (1968) are challenged which concluded that life cycle stages and social class may not have a direct relation with consumer behavior as many studies point out. The paper uses empirical methods to stand against the general hypothesis; a sample was generated using the random walk sampling method, the main aim being replicating the methods of Rich and Jain but extending the product categories from fashion to food items and domestic appliances. With independent variables, social class and family life cycle, Rich and Jain used dependent variables like different interest in fashion, where do they get there shopping influences and interpersonal influences and the Newcastle study used pre-purchase information, the shopping trips people made and different patterns of interpersonal behavior. The country of origin also differed among the two experiments. Rich and Jains first hypothesis was that there is no difference between different social classes in pre purchase decisions about domestic appliance, as if there was a difference. A very small quantity of the inferior and middle class used newspapers as source of information compared to the high proportion of the upper class. This dissimilarity may be because of the different products that were used in both researches. The second hypothesis stated that there is a difference between classes when it comes to shopping trips, which was refuted since percentages showed that there was a difference between lower and middle classes since trips of shopping were greater in number for the latter. The third hypothesis which was challenged by this replication of study was that there is no difference between women at different life cycle stage when it comes to shopping for groceries, which however is not true, since women over 40 tended to shop more than younger women, plus the presence of children also increased shopping trips for housewives. The fourth and last hypothesis stated that there is no difference in classes with respect to acquaintances on shopping habits. The study showed that lower class seemed to discuss their purchases with their husbands and other family members compared to middle class women who mainly shopped on their own. This paper thus concludes that there may be a lot of reasons that caused this diversity in results, like the area where the research was conducted, the definition of class and the products that were different from one another. Both researches thus had their limitations, its thus obvious that these researches cannot be generalized to all pr oducts and all kinds of consumers, however in their area of focus they may provide insight for firms dealing in that product and area. Social Class and Income as Indicators of Consumer Credit Behavior (John, 1970) is another study which further tested social class as a main factor influencing consumer behavior in the credit card market compared to another important factor, income. The researcher said that the consumer would go for installments if they differ in different social classes. Although social class is considered as a very significant factor while segmenting consumers, and the hypothesis stated that being involved in a social class above their income standing would result in greater use of credit card. A questionnaire was sent out to 25000 credit card holders which used occupation and educational level as variables that comprise social class. The survey helped conclude that consumers attitudes can be understood by income and social class. This study is limited to credit card users, however it helps identify income as another important factor which can be used to segment consumers and identify their differin g buying habits. According to the communication note (Gordon, 1975) social class was the main reason why consumer buying habits changed, but in this paper, it is income which may be a reason why the use of credit cards differs. This study is again not all encompassing, as it cannot go on and explain the correlation of income and social class. Social factors are important but they need to be persistent with the marketing and advertising so the marketers can gain some understanding of their target groups. In a study of Coca-Cola or Pepsi; that is the Question ( Andersson, and Arvidsson ,2006) the researcher have studied the influence of different cultural, social, personal influence, media variables on consumer buying behavior. With these factors they also studies the brand equity of Coco Cola and Pepsi with various factors such as brand strength, brand performance etc. They also looked at sponsored events with celebrity endorsement campaigns. They used the quantitative approach as their methodology by using questioners they gathered information specific to Coco Cola and Pepsi consumers, trying to know what drives people to have Coke or Pepsi. They divided there sample in three different age groups and saw the life cycle stage of every respondent. The conclusion they reached was that their analysis, that they have drawn sho ws the following conclusion that advertising, social factors, brand and age all affect consumer preferences to some extent. The limitations to this study were that the researcher had preconceived notion about Pepsi and Cokes advertisement however there research focused more on advertisement as compared to other cultural and social factors. Reference groups and formal groups form part of the social factor that influences consumer buying behavior. In Social Comparison and Informal Group Influence(George, 1976), according to a theory of Festinger which states that individual have a habit of comparing themselves with others and see the consequence of their behaviors. With social comparison ones evaluation about themselves increases or decreases and due to this people give themselves internal rewards. A consumer can thus use two ways to approach his group, either through a reflected appraisal, or through a comparative appraisal. The study was carried out by sending out questionnaires to 408 females who used cosmetics. The hypothesis that were tested by this survey was that is a positive relationship between consumers communication with informal groups and a need to obtain information from them, secondly, theres a positive relationship with the credibility of the source and thirdly the greater the consumer is associated with the group the greater the influence on purchase decision. The information gathered supported all of the above hypothesis, thus the findings can be useful for marketers in the sense that if they want to penetrate a market, they need to find out if similar characteristics exist in it, since consumers then are significantly exaggerated by the behavior of their social group, or people they find are similar to them. However, this study cannot be used by the marketers who cant operate in such a market where no similarities among customers. Social factors such as price, quality, product attributes and other factors influence a persons mind set for purchase decisions. Explaining the Choice of Organic Produce: Cosmetic Defects, Prices, and Consumer (Gary D. Thompson and Julia Kidwell, 1998) explains how consumers decision differ in buying organic or normal quality products. The researcher used random utility and discrete choice models to see how consumers choose between organic verses a predictable product. Choice between the two items was measured on a scale of price, attributes of the product as well as a persons income, quality of the product and traits of random components, Data was collected through observation of two utility stores in different areas the loyalty towards a store was also looked upon. Information about the consumers demographics and social economic status was also gathered. Researcher wanted to gather that does cosmetic defect in items, price or other factors motivated the consumer to buy organic or conventional items. Some significant results were deduced that age and gender has little significance, however house hold with more children bough organic food. Effects of education on organic food purchase were mixed, the store choice played an important factor in the decision process, nevertheless there were some restrictions to the learning there was geographical concerns, and further studies related to organic produce needs to conduct. All these researches however focus on consumers as the target market, few pieces of literature are found on industry buyers as their area of focus. A General Model for Understanding Organizational Buying Behavior (Frederick, 1972) provides a general model to help understand organizational buying behavior. According to the paper, organization buying decision is a process which involves interacting with other people. The organization is thus affected by four main factors; individual, social, organizational, and environmental. Organizational buying decision is a process rather than a single act and is way more complex. This paper devolves a model called skeleton identifying the major variables that must be selected for planning strategies. The model however fails to point out which factor takes precedence over another, and thus it is obvious that organizational buying behavior is an area needs more detailed analysis, which can help firms point out the glitches in the general model and c reate a more comprehensive model for planners. Many theories have been provided above with the researches point of views on how to interpret consumers buying behavior patterns, what consumers do when they purchase a product. More research needs to be carried out in Consumer Behavior physiology under separate variables to see which variables effects the most in consumer physiology. Different views and some consumer related models need to be test more to gain a deeper understanding of the consumers mind set. By focusing more on consumers reasons to purchase a product, marketers can gain a deeper understanding of the consumer, which will help them in capturing their target market. Judgment making needs to be simplified for marketers, which can only happen if adequate information is presented regarding consumer buying behavior. REFERENCES http://www.jstor.org/stable/1250972 http://www.jstor.org/stable/2489047 http://www.jstor.org/stable/2489543 http://www.jstor.org/stable/2489616 http://www.jstor.org/stable/1244500 (Eva-Lena Andersson ,Evelina Arvidsson ,Cecilie Lindstrà ¶m )Coca-Cola or Pepsi; that is the Question A study about different factors affecting consumer preferences http://www.jstor.org/stable/3150733 http://www.jstor.org/stable/2489457 http://www.jstor.org/stable/2489544 http://www.jstor.org/stable/1250840

Bresson’s A Man Escaped Essay -- Robert Bresson

Evidence of an Auteur: Bresson’s A Man Escaped Robert Bresson’s A Man Escaped follows the confinement and eventual escape of political activist, Lieutenant Fontaine. The movie’s theme is blatantly clear: freedom at all costs. Fontaine must not only save himself from imminent death, but from the fear of parched sanity. Bresson, an â€Å"auteur† by the standards of colleagues and the Cahiers Du Cinema group, creates suspense melded with hope through the scarcity of music and sound, the restricted establishment of setting, the daunting acting of Francois Leterrier, the exposition of time, and the heavy reliance of a narrator. After first viewing of the film, one might be quick to say that the film is completely devoid of music. It is used so scarcely that it appears to make no impact. Yet, it is that scarcity and exclusion that creates the sullen tone of the film. Bresson relies heavily on ambient, diegetic sound that, in this case, is going to be the silence or the rustling of prisoners’ or guards’ feet within the walls of the prison. Careful scraping of the spoon handle on the floor, the creaking of the wooden door as it is pried open, and the light tapping on the cement walls all lend to the solitude and determination of the prisoner. Sound very much plays a role as a symbol; the clinking of the keys against the railing represents not only authority but raises the tension of the film, the viewer knowing that Fontaine’s exposure as an attempted escapee would lead to sudden death. In combination with the random firings from the death squad, Bresson leads the viewer to really f eel the hopelessness and disparity of the situation. Later in the film, during the escape, the train whistle plays parts as both a warning and ... ...war), but in a way that really strove to show the effects of war on one man from his point of view (far more personal and disheartening). Bresson’s other films are made much in the same vein. Though, for example, L’Argent was made in 1983—far from the reaches of the New Wave era—it still has the Bresson-typical ambient sound, tortured main character, and dreariness about it. Jack C. Ellis says that Bresson’s â€Å"search for ever greater clarity and simplicity of visual-aural statement, his concentration on only those themes that most deeply concern him, place him among the very select company with which he is being considered.† So, while some directors may be debated upon continually as an auteur, it is clear from the consensus of historians and critics, as well as his consistent work in his thirteen films, that Robert Bresson has secured his role as an auteur. Bresson’s A Man Escaped Essay -- Robert Bresson Evidence of an Auteur: Bresson’s A Man Escaped Robert Bresson’s A Man Escaped follows the confinement and eventual escape of political activist, Lieutenant Fontaine. The movie’s theme is blatantly clear: freedom at all costs. Fontaine must not only save himself from imminent death, but from the fear of parched sanity. Bresson, an â€Å"auteur† by the standards of colleagues and the Cahiers Du Cinema group, creates suspense melded with hope through the scarcity of music and sound, the restricted establishment of setting, the daunting acting of Francois Leterrier, the exposition of time, and the heavy reliance of a narrator. After first viewing of the film, one might be quick to say that the film is completely devoid of music. It is used so scarcely that it appears to make no impact. Yet, it is that scarcity and exclusion that creates the sullen tone of the film. Bresson relies heavily on ambient, diegetic sound that, in this case, is going to be the silence or the rustling of prisoners’ or guards’ feet within the walls of the prison. Careful scraping of the spoon handle on the floor, the creaking of the wooden door as it is pried open, and the light tapping on the cement walls all lend to the solitude and determination of the prisoner. Sound very much plays a role as a symbol; the clinking of the keys against the railing represents not only authority but raises the tension of the film, the viewer knowing that Fontaine’s exposure as an attempted escapee would lead to sudden death. In combination with the random firings from the death squad, Bresson leads the viewer to really f eel the hopelessness and disparity of the situation. Later in the film, during the escape, the train whistle plays parts as both a warning and ... ...war), but in a way that really strove to show the effects of war on one man from his point of view (far more personal and disheartening). Bresson’s other films are made much in the same vein. Though, for example, L’Argent was made in 1983—far from the reaches of the New Wave era—it still has the Bresson-typical ambient sound, tortured main character, and dreariness about it. Jack C. Ellis says that Bresson’s â€Å"search for ever greater clarity and simplicity of visual-aural statement, his concentration on only those themes that most deeply concern him, place him among the very select company with which he is being considered.† So, while some directors may be debated upon continually as an auteur, it is clear from the consensus of historians and critics, as well as his consistent work in his thirteen films, that Robert Bresson has secured his role as an auteur.

The Tragedy of Eugene O’Neill’s Play, The Hairy Ape Essay -- Hairy Ape

The Tragedy of Eugene O’Neill’s Play, The Hairy Ape Eugene O’Neill’s The Hairy Ape is the story of an alienated, low-class stoker named Yank. Yank’s life becomes a whirlwind when Mildred, the daughter of a wealthy steel owner, looks at Yank like he is a hairy ape. This action creates the withdrawal Yank exhibits. The remainder of the play is Yank’s journey to find his place in society’s realms. He searches for his place in a stokehole, at Fifth Avenue, and in jail. Ultimately Yank’s trek ends as a gorilla squeezes the life out of Yank—O’Neill’s suggestion that Yank can only belong in death (O’Neill 57). Eugene Gladstone O’Neill was born on October 16, 1888, in New York City. His father, James O’Neill, was a popular actor, and introduced Eugene O’Neill to the theater at an early age. After being expelled from Princeton in 1906, O’Neill worked as a gold prospector in Honduras and later as a seaman in the New York area. Soon O’Neill became a regular at bars and clubs in New York City. In 1912, O’Neill contracted tuberculosis. It was during his recovery that O’Neill began to write plays. He wrote many plays and is one of the greatest American dramatists. O’Neill won four Pulitzer Prizes—Beyond the Horizon (1920), Anna Christie (1922), Strange Interlude (1928), and Long Day’s Journey into Night (1957). Eugene O’Neill also received the 1936 Nobel Prize for Literature. O’Neill was given the Nobel Prize, â€Å"for the power, honesty and deep-felt emotions of his dramatic works, which embody an orig inal concept of tragedy† (<http://nobelprizes.com/nobel/literature/1936a.html>). Some critics point to The Hairy Ape as a satirical play. These critics suggest that "clearly O’Neill is a critic of American society and ... ...mploys a chorus, and has an evident tragic flaw—hubris. Works Cited: Alexander, Doris. â€Å"Eugene O’Neill as Social Critic† in O’Neill and His Plays. Oscar Cargill et. al. eds. NY: New York University Press, 1963. Colley, Bryan. Eugene O’Neill. <http://www.kc.net/~bryanc/apebackground.htm>. O’Neill, Eugene. â€Å"Memorandum on Masks† in O’Neill and His Plays. Oscar Cargill et. al. eds. NY: New York University Press, 1963. O’Neill, Eugene. â€Å"The Hairy Ape† in Four Plays by Eugene O’Neill. New York: Signet Classic, 1998. Rollyson, Carl E. â€Å"Eugene O’Neill: The Drama of Self-transcendence† in Critical Essays on Eugene O’Neill. James Martine, ed. Boston: G.K. Hall and Co, 1984. The Nobel Prize Internet Archive. Almaz Enterprises. <http://nobelprizes.com/nobel/literature/1936a.html>. Turner, Ron. Ron’s Place. <http://www.connect.net/ron/oneill.html>.

War? :: essays research papers

Owen’’s poem serves to uncover the lie that "it is sweet and becoming to die for one’’s country." Owen's use of diction, vivid language, and graphic imagery emphasizes his point. The poem describes the fatigue, blindness, evil, obscenity, death, sufferings, and disgust of war. It shows the true life of a soldier, lying low, ill, endlessly trudging through mud with bloody feet, away from and into the pain of gas poisoning of comrades, and away from the injured and dead, but never away from the memories. It ends with a bitter attack on those who see glory in the death of others. The only beauty in this poem is an idea that rest will come. Unfortunately, it is pointed out that the only rest is an undignified death; for those who sleep, sleep restlessly. The ugliness of war is described as low "like old beggars under sacks", diseased "coughing like hags", "blood-shod. All went lame, all blind", exhausting "drunk wi th fatigue", pointless "flound’’ring . . . Dim . . As under a green sea . . . drowning", careless of living or dead "flung" aside, evil "like a devil’’s sick of sin", disgusting like "eyes writhing . . . blood gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs. . . vile, incurable sores", "bitter as the cud", and merciless "on innocent tongues." The comparisons of lines 1, 14, 20, and 23 through 24, describe the soldier as someone the reader can see and war as the disease Owen wants the inexperienced to understand. 1 Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, 14 As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. 20 His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; This places the reader in the soldier’’s place——drowning, stumbling, and fumbling--and shows the lack of glory in war. These lines tell the reader what a man becomes once he has been to war——less than an admirable human, drowned in evil deeds, and emotionless. Lines 23 and 24 give war a character. 23 Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud 24 Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,-- They create a tangible entity for the reader. They show the truth of the creature of war——cancerous, bitter, incurable——and its eternal, undignified effect on the innocent. Owen uses plural pronouns and the past tense to describe what cannot be undone. He uses "we" and "our" to include the reader as part of the ill-equipped troops——as tired marchers and witnesses to death and pain. War? :: essays research papers Owen’’s poem serves to uncover the lie that "it is sweet and becoming to die for one’’s country." Owen's use of diction, vivid language, and graphic imagery emphasizes his point. The poem describes the fatigue, blindness, evil, obscenity, death, sufferings, and disgust of war. It shows the true life of a soldier, lying low, ill, endlessly trudging through mud with bloody feet, away from and into the pain of gas poisoning of comrades, and away from the injured and dead, but never away from the memories. It ends with a bitter attack on those who see glory in the death of others. The only beauty in this poem is an idea that rest will come. Unfortunately, it is pointed out that the only rest is an undignified death; for those who sleep, sleep restlessly. The ugliness of war is described as low "like old beggars under sacks", diseased "coughing like hags", "blood-shod. All went lame, all blind", exhausting "drunk wi th fatigue", pointless "flound’’ring . . . Dim . . As under a green sea . . . drowning", careless of living or dead "flung" aside, evil "like a devil’’s sick of sin", disgusting like "eyes writhing . . . blood gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs. . . vile, incurable sores", "bitter as the cud", and merciless "on innocent tongues." The comparisons of lines 1, 14, 20, and 23 through 24, describe the soldier as someone the reader can see and war as the disease Owen wants the inexperienced to understand. 1 Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, 14 As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. 20 His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; This places the reader in the soldier’’s place——drowning, stumbling, and fumbling--and shows the lack of glory in war. These lines tell the reader what a man becomes once he has been to war——less than an admirable human, drowned in evil deeds, and emotionless. Lines 23 and 24 give war a character. 23 Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud 24 Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,-- They create a tangible entity for the reader. They show the truth of the creature of war——cancerous, bitter, incurable——and its eternal, undignified effect on the innocent. Owen uses plural pronouns and the past tense to describe what cannot be undone. He uses "we" and "our" to include the reader as part of the ill-equipped troops——as tired marchers and witnesses to death and pain.

Effectiveness of Matatu Saccos a Case Study Ofnairobi County

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Background of the Study The transportation industry sector is comprised of a wide range of service providers covering all modes of transport; air, road, sea and rail. In Kenya, both private and public providers offer transportation to the public.Due to the diversity of the transport sector in Kenya, the infrastructure group; the department of Price Waterhouse Coopers-Kenya that deals with researches on industries and infrastructures, had classified roads as the prime link between all the economic sectors since they account for 80% of Kenya’s total passenger and freight transportation as well as value of output (PWC Kenya 2009). The word matatu is derived from the local kikuyu vernacular word mang’otore matatu which means â€Å"thirty cents† which was the standard charge for every trip made. Chitere. O and Kibua. N, 2004). Majority of Kenyans do not own private cars, thus they use matatus as their mode of transportation. By 2003, the nu mber of matatus operating in both urban and rural areas was estimated at 40,000 and they provided employment to 160,000 people and paid up to Ksh. 1. 09 billion per annum to the government in taxes (Chitere and Kibua, 2004). The origin of matatus in Kenya can be traced back in the late 1950s. After Kenya’s independence in 1963, Africans migrated to Nairobi to search for employment opportunities.Informal settlements began to expand in areas where there was limited transport. These people were too poor to own private vehicles. Recognizing the opportunity for financial gains while providing the much needed service, mini-bus taxis (which were largely owned by middle-income people) began offering transport services from rural areas and informal urban settlement around the city. Due to high demand, the number of matatus increased but was operating illegally until 1973 when the then president (Mzee Jomo Kenyatta) issued a decree officially recognizing matatus as a mode of public tra nsport.This made them to be the main mode of transportation in Nairobi metropolitan up to today, with an estimated number of 15,000 matatus. (Graeff J, 2009). The benefits that are attached to matatus as a mode of transport by various parties include: Owners get income inform of profits, workers such as drivers, conductors and stage workers also get income in form of salaries, passengers get mobility and safety, other road users such as cyclist, motorists and pedestrians also get safety, and institutions such as local authorities get revenue.Despite all this, there is still a struggle for regulatory and economic sphere of influence in the matatu sector (Khayesi. M, 1999). It has been reported that there is insufficient consistent data about matatus. If any, there is limited access to the database and can only be found through SACCOs (Graeff. J, 2009). Since the official recognition of the matatu as a means of transporation in 1973, the sector grew to the extent that the owners forme d a national association to control the operations of the sector and also advocating for their rights and demands.All matatu operators were expected to belong to this association, that is, The Matatu Vehicle Owners Association (MVOA). They had a rule that forced new matatu operators to register with the association in order to be allocated a route of operation. The association attracted the attention of both the Government and political opposition groups who saw the association as an important ally to advance political moves. The association was disbanded by the Government and was accused of having been penetrated by rich individuals who were oppressing the weak members by assigning them to routes that had fewer passengers.The Government then left individual members to operate on any route although it did not end the influence and support that politicians had for the matatu owners and operators (Khayesi. M, 1999). The Government then introduced SACCOs in the matatu sector as one of the reforms strategy that targeted to manage transport systems (Graeff. J, 2009). These SACCOs played an important role in addressing the concerns of the stakeholders and integrating the matatus into a comprehensive system. They are the professional transport firms as they act as the key takeholders. They act as the liaison between the members of the SACCO and the other stakeholders including the Government. They have the ability to unify the industry and strengthen the voice of the stakeholders which is an important incentive. Although SACCOs are important, they compete with each other thus creating a dangerous and stressful environment (Graeff. J, 2009). A Savings And Credit Co-Operative (SACCO) is an association of like-minded people registered under the ministry of cooperatives.It is owned and operated by its members, according to democratic principles, for the purpose of encouraging savings, providing credit facilities and other related financial services (The SACCO bill, 2005) . In Kenya people are eligible to form a SACCO if; they have a similar occupation or profession or are employed by a common employer or within same business district or market area; they have common membership in association or organization including, but not limited to: religious, social, cooperative, labor or educational groups; who reside, worship or work within the same defined community (the SACCO bill, 2005).It extends to any form of industry, not exclusively transport. In the case of matatus, a group will register to become a SACCO identifying itself mainly with the route where it is operating, although many people refer to the SACCOs as route associations (Graeff. J, 2009). 1. 2 Statement of the Problem There have been several benefits that have been accrued to the use of SACCOs as a mode of matatu management in Kenya. They include; creation of employment and additional revenue in form of taxes to the Government (Chitere. O and Kibua.N, 2004), professional management, financ ial support and reduced conflicts to the owners and employment benefits, credit services and employment contracts (Khayesi. M, 1999). The proponents of managing matatus individually argued that, operating matatus individually earns a lot of profits due to reduced costs such as SACCO contributions, the taxes paid to the Government and the salaries paid to the professionals and employees and poor financial management (The Citizen, 2010). There has been an argument that operating matatus on individual basis makes it easy to reach decisions faster than when in SACCOs.This was based on the argument that in the SACCO; there will be a split of decision among the members on different issues concerning the SACCOs thus delaying the decision making process. The financial management in SACCOs can be poor simply because the leaders who manage the finances have no basic knowledge of financial management with the addition of poor working environment and increased political interference (The Citize n, 2010). While the benefits of matatu SACCOs are undisputed, there have been several concerns about its success in terms of financial benefits, handling matatu industry challenges and improving road safety.Investors and other stakeholders need guidance concerning this. This study was used to guide the entrepreneurs interested in the matatu sector on the mode that would bring full benefit to them which took the form of studying the performance of matatu SACCOs, before and after their formation and that of individual management. 1. 3 Objectives of the Study 1. 3. 1 General Objective To assess the effectiveness of SACCOs in the management of matatus in Nairobi 1. 3. 2 Specific Objectives To find out the difference in the financial revenues and costs before and after the formation of matatu SACCOs.To examine the role of matatu SACCOs in handling the challenges facing the transport industry. To find out the level of road accidents before and after the formation of matatu SACCOs. 1. 4 Re search Questions What are the financial benefits that come with SACCOs as a mode of matatu management? How do matatu SACCOs handle the challenges that face the transport industry? Has matatu SACCOs helped in dealing with road safety? 1. 5 Significance of the study Matatu SACCOs operate in environments surrounded by communities who depend on them for jobs, tax revenues and quality services.All stakeholders have interests in the well-being of their SACCO. This SACCOs also operate in environments which are characterized by political interests, markets existence, culture, values, technology, regulations and taxing authorities (Agumba. N, 2008). This study would be of great benefit to the matatu owners as it found out the challenges that matatus and matatu SACCOs face in these environments. This uncertain environment leaves doubt in the stake holders. This study would also benefit the stake holders as it would aid them to make decision in order to improve the services of this industry.Th ere is SACCO leadership for efficiency and probity and that SACCOS are responsible, responsive, accountable, transparent, competitive and sustainable. Through the study, the new entrepreneurs would want to be reassured that; Matatu SACCO enterprises are viable, sustainable and competitive; are held accountable and not left to run amok; are competitively attractive to investments; are responsible corporate citizens and that they comply with legal framework and remain relevant and legitimate in society (Agumba. N, 2008)The majority of matatu owners has reasonable educational and training qualification and occupational experience in fields such as banking, accountancy as well as teaching and is well informed of about the industry. Mostly they have other sources of income and can use credit to improve their vehicles. This shows that the industry still attracts new entrants and entrepreneurs with funds to invest in the industry, they will therefore need some guidance on which form of man agement they should use for their business. 1. 6 Scope of the StudyThis study was conducted to find out the financial gains that matatu owners get when they are operating their business through SACCOs. This covers credit facilities to acquisition and maintenance of the mini-buses, repair costs, level of income and generally the issue of security in order to help the owners acquire loans from the financial institution. The study also covers how productive the SACCOs manage the matatus better than if it was to be managed on individual basis and if there are any savings made if the matatus are managed through SACCOs.This study also found out the benefits that SACCOs give to other stakeholders in the matatu industry, the differences that SACCOs have brought to the welfare of the workers in the matatu industry, the levels SACCOs aid in the reduction of road accidents and how far they aid the road traffic department in bringing order to the roads, the safety that the users (customers) fee l while using the SACCO owned matatus in comparison to the individually run matatus and the challenges that matatu SACCOs face during their operation.This study also covered the transport industry in Kenya, and because of the diversity in the industry, the research will focus on the road transport in Nairobi. This was through finding out how effective the matatu SACCOs have been in the management of the matatu industry. 1. 7 Limitation of the Study For a general conclusion to be reached, this research needs to be conducted within the whole country, but in this case, the study is limited to Nairobi alone. As an addition, there are other factors that can be used to measure the effectiveness of the matatu industry other than the ones that this research has used.The results of this study did not put in to consideration the other variables that affect the functionality of the matatu SACCOs. Usually, it is always difficult to make people reveal the amount they benefit from a given busines s or enterprise. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 1 Introduction The matatu as a means of transport has an array of businesses and individuals who are involved in it. Apart from the regulatory dominance that has been shown, there are economic interests pursued by the owners and operators.The matatu is not just a business for the low-income and the self- employed workers, it is a big time enterprise now involving the affluent in the society (Khayesi. M, 1999). There are cases where one individual owns several matatus. There are also other businesses that are linked to the matatu industry, for example insurance firms, motor vehicle body builders, vehicle assemblers, vehicle importers, garages, petrol stations, driving schools and commercial banks/ money lenders but in this case SACCOs will be our main concern.This means of transport employs drivers, conductors and stage workers. All these people are stakeholders in the matatu industry and therefore they have benefits that they attach to the industry hence a need for effective management of the industry (Khayesi. M, 2002). This chapter explores what other researchers have found on how the stakeholders have gained from managing the matatus on individual basis in comparison with SACCO mode of management. 2. 2 Conceptual Frame Work The management of the matatu industry in Kenya has taken two main forms of management.These are management through SACCOs and managing the matatu business as an individually. This research took the matatu SACCOs as the dependent variable on to which the effectiveness of the industry will be measured through the factors as the independent variables. These are the financial benefits of using SACCOs as a mode of managing the industry. In this case, costs and gains, access to credit and other financial benefits, effectiveness in terms of handling of matatu industry challenges, effectiveness in improving road safety and reducing road accidents.The outcomes of the results can be affected by the i nvolvement of the Government but during this research its effects were kept constant. Figure 1 Conceptual Framework | | |Financial Benefits/Revenues | Independent Variables (Factors) Dependent Variable (Outcomes) | | |Effectiveness Of Matatu SACCOs | | | |Matatu SACCOs | | | Road Accidents | Source: (Researcher, 2012) 2. 3 Theoretical Review According to Aline. J, (2011), the first Kenyan co-operative society, the Lumbwa co-operative society was formed in 1908 by the European farmers with the main objective of purchasing farm inputs at radically reduced prices because of their numbers and on friendly terms to the members who paid in installments or when they harvested and then market collectively market their produce. Lumbwa was replaced in 1930 by the Kenya Farmers Co-Operative to take over the role of farm input supply.After seeing the success of European co-operatives, the smallholder African farmers fought for the formation of their own co-operatives, in which they were allowed to form in the late 1950s and register co-operatives for cash crops like coffee and pyrethrum. Consequently at independence in 1963, there were 1,030 co-operative societies with 655 being active with total membership of 355,000(Aline. J, 2011). Since independence investment in Kenya has empowered and energized by the existence of the co-operative sector where pooling of resources was closely linked to Mzee Kenyatta’s call of Harambee.Presently, matatu SACCOs are dominating the city route in form of route associations (Graeff. J, 2009). In Kenya, SACCOs are co-operatives which are formed by an association of people who come together with a common purpose of pooling together resources for mutual economic and social benefit (Aline. J, 2011). According to Mikwamba. E and Ng’ombe. W (2003), a SACCO is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic and social needs through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise or busi ness.The objectives of forming SACCOs include; organizing and economic interests of its members; promoting thrift among members opportunity for accumulation of savings, loans at fair and reasonable terms; providing opportunities for members to improve their economic and social conditions; and perform the functions that they were formed to (Aline. J, 2011). According to the SACCO society’s regulatory bill, 2005, a SACCO is registered by writing an application to the registrar of SACCO societies who will register the SACCO if it has complied with the provisions of the Act.This research found out if the objectives of forming SACCOs in the matatu industry are being realized by using them in the managing of the matatus in the Nairobi’s transport sector and their effectiveness. 2. 3. 1 The Management and Operation of SACCOs According to Mikwamba. E and Ng’ombe. W (2003), members are the heart of the SACCO and the reason for the SACCO’s existence. The members ar e the owners and the only â€Å"users† of the SACCO and no more persons has the monopoly in a SACCO regardless of one’s share and savings.Usually SACCOs are democratically run and controlled organizations. According to the SACCO society’s regulatory bill, 2005, one thing that is clear is that the affairs of a SACCO are managed and administered by a board of directors elected at annual general meeting. It is this board of directors which will hire a manager and support staff to run the day to day operations of the SACCO. In most cases the manager and the staff hired are qualified and competent people with skills and knowledge of SACCOs (Chitere. O and Kibua.N 2004). According to Mikwamba. E and Ng’ombe. W (2003), a SACCO is a financial business and it has to be managed as such. Its major commodity is the money the members bring in as their savings for the safe keeping, convenience and as a form of investment. The savings earn competitive interest rates. Me mbers who have established their credit worthy can borrow from the SACCO. The interest on loans, investments and the other income is used to cover operational costs as well as paying interest on members' savings.The next surplus is used to pay dividends to the members and the building of SACCO capital reserves. Specific duties and responsibilities in a SACCO are assigned to different committees to ensure smooth running and coordination of SACCO activities. All the committee members are elected from the general membership. According to Chitere. O and Kibua. N, (2004), owners of the matatu are employees and professionals in different fields like, banking, accountancy and teaching and thus they don’t involve themselves in the hand on management of their matatu businesses.This study found out how effective the employees of the SACCOs will be effective in the running of matatus on behalf of their employers and ensuring that they receive the benefits they are entitled to as provide d in their values. 2. 3. 2 Effectiveness of SACCOs SACCOs create the opportunity for people to take responsibility for their own financial organization, these is facilitated through democratic processes. SACCOs pay dividends on shares to their members once the SACCO is established and profitable. Members therefore take pride in owning their own SACCO.SACCOs educate their members on financial matters by teaching prudent handling of money, how to keep track of finances, how to budget and why to keep away from hire purchase and loan sharks, this encourage saving culture for their members. Loans of SACCOs are usually insured thus death of a member the estate will not have to repay the outstanding loans to the SACCO. After deducting all the working expenses from the income, the profit is usually shared among members according to their patronage (South African Reserve bank, 2011). . 3. 3 Effectiveness in Terms of Financial Benefits According to Mudibo. E, (2006), SACCOs have been in exist ence for a long time starting with the Raffeissen movement in Germany in the middle of the 19th century. The movement has since spread to most countries, both developed and developing world and throughout the decades they have been important for small-scale savers and borrowers. This has been embodied in the co-operative and SACCO principles which was summarized as: user-owned financial services.In this case the savers/ borrowers own and govern their institution which provides them with the financial services that they need. This was the fundamental quality of the SACCO since its set-up provides for demand-led services decided by members in a democratic and participatory manner. It is the clients who are the members, as well as the owners themselves, who decide on which type of financial services to benefit them, how these are to be provided and where the external forces cannot take advantage of members need for the services.Not only did SACCOs provide savings facilities from their formation but they also generally applied a holistic approach to the needs of their members. Loans were provided for productive purposes and variety of needs for example for welfare and consumption purposes (Mudibo. E, 2006). This research reflects these financial benefits to the case of matatus, whereby according to Chitere. O and Kibua. N, (2004), the initial capital to invest in matatus is large and hence difficult to rise together with the insurance costs and taxes.The other benefits will be in terms of operating costs like fuel, costs of repair and maintenance which can be reduced when operating in SACCOs (Chitere. O and Kibua. N, 2004). 2. 3. 4 Challenges of Matatu SACCOs Cartels have positioned themselves in the name of SACCOs to take advantage of new operators seeking to join the industry. The high financial requirements demanded from new by established SACCOs have forced some operators to miss out on this business while some operators use fake stickers of unregistered SACCO s (Mwaniki, W 2011).Some SACCOs have invested in other line of businesses and when a new member comes it becomes a challenge. 2. 3. 5 Effective in Terms of Handling Challenges According to Agumba. N, (2008) SACCOs operate in an environment surrounded by communities who depend on them for jobs and tax revenues and customers for quality products and services. All stakeholders have interests in the well-being of their SACCO. These SACCOs also operate in an environment which is characterized by political interests, markets existence, culture, values, technology, regulations and tax authorities.Despite these challenges, SACCO values under the principle based model – voluntary membership, democratic member control, member economic participation, autonomy and independence, education, training and information, cooperation among SACCOs and concern for community are key to enhancing performance in handling challenges within and out of the SACCO (Agumba. N, 2008) According to Chitere. O , (2004), most drivers and conductors do not observe traffic rules and are responsible for many accidents in both rural and urban areas.Other problems include harassment of owners and workers by the police, corruption, government and local authority taxes, lack of control of the industry by the vehicle owners and exploitation by cartels. A larger study was carried out that examined policy, legal and regulatory framework; institutional arrangements; costs and benefits; and the internal capacity of the industry at the local level and their training was weak and conditions of work poor (Chitere. O, 2004). This research found out how effective the matatu SACCOs have been in the handling these challenges. 2. 3. 6 Road Safety in KenyaThere has been a rapid increase in the number of matatus on Kenyan roads from the time they began operating till today. Unfortunately, the industry’s vast growth has been accompanied by increasing road traffic accidents that have threatened the safety of Kenyan passengers. The accidents tripled from 3,578 in 1963 to 10,106 in 1989, and 11785 in 1994 (Chitere. O and Kibua. N, 2004). In these accidents, 2,014 persons were killed, 6,650 were seriously injured and 11,094 had minor injuries. The cause of these accidents are majorly reckless driving, driving non-roadworthy vehicles and poor conditions of the road.Research by Odera, Khayesi and Heda (2003) found that 3,000 people are killed annually on Kenyan roads, which translates to 68 deaths per 1,000 registered vehicles. This is the leading trend in whole world (Chitere. O and Kibua. N 2004). Transport Licensing board (TLB) is supposed to license all PSVs, allocate them routes and regulate their operation timetables. It has been unable to allocate routes and monitor or even ensure PSVs have operation timetables which might be as a result of the board not being conversant with the routes (Chitere. O and Kibua. N 2004).Due to this the Government has tried to put in some measures in t he form of the famous Michuki rules in order to reduce the rate of accidents on roads. These reforms included; Fitting speed governors to all PSV and commercial vehicles to a speed of 80km/hr. Fitting seat belts to all vehicles (both public and private). Issuing of badges and uniforms to all drivers and conductors. Indication of route details for purpose of easy identification. Re-testing drivers after every two years. Displaying of drivers passport photograph together with the identification details.These rules (Michuki rules) proved difficult to maintain owing to the level of expenses attached to it. This research found out how the SACCOs have helped in the reduction of reckless driving through enforcing the reforms that were put in place by the government and also found out how far the SACCOs have gone to reduce accidents in Nairobi. CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. 1 Introduction This chapter looks at the methodology used to conduct the study. It highlights and expounds on the research methods employed in conducting the research, methods that were used in collecting data, how the data was analyzed and reported. 3. 2 Research DesignResearch design is the plan and structure of investigation so conceived so as to obtain answers to research questions. The plan is the overall program of the research and includes an outline of what the investigator did from writing the hypothesis and their operational implications for the final analysis of data. Cooper and Schnielder (2003) summarize the essentials of research design as an activity and time based plan; always based on the research question; guides the selection of sources and types of information; a framework for specifying the relationship among the study variables and outlines the procedures for every research activity.In conducting this research, descriptive research design was used in collecting the data from respondents. The design was preferred because it was concerned with answering questions such as who , how, what, which, when and how much (Cooper and Schnielder, 2001). A descriptive study was carefully designed to ensure complete description of the situation, making sure that there is minimum bias in the collection of data and to reduce errors in interpreting the data collected. 3. 3 Target PopulationThis research considered all matatus operating in Nairobi County. Those operating on the routes that ferry people to the city were the main target population. This gave the researcher easy access to the workers of the matatus as they were at their respective stages (matatu terminus). In the sample frame, more consideration was awarded to the major matatu SACCOs with offices in Nairobi metropolitan operating large occupancy vehicles. This was efficient and effective in terms of cost and accessibility to the researcher.Table 1 Target population | Route |North of Nairobi (a) |East of Nairobi (b) |South of Nairobi (c) |West of Nairobi (d) |Long | |(Population Size) | | | | |Distances (e ) | |Capacity | | | | | | |(Population Category) | | | | | |High Occupancy | | | | | | | |30 |30 |30 |30 |30 | |Low Occupancy |40 |40 |40 |40 |40 |Source: (Researcher, 2012) 3. 4 Sample Design Majorly stratified and clustered sampling was used to select a sample that will represent the entire population. Stratified sampling was the best procedure as it gave the chance to group the matatus in accordance with their capacity i. e. , high occupancy and low occupancy. In addition, clustered sampling supplemented stratified sampling.This technique helped in accessing all routes (Nairobi County has several routes) which gave a fair ground for the acquisition of different opinions since different routes have different matatu SACCOs that have varying strategies in attaining their goals. This method was the major source of primary data. Table 2 Target sample size Route |North of Nairobi (a) |East of Nairobi (b) |South of Nairobi (c) |West of Nairobi (d) |Long | | |(50%) |(50%) |(50%) |(50%) | Distances (e) (50%)| |Capacity | | | | | | |High Occupancy | | | | | | | |15 |15 |15 |15 |15 | |Low Occupancy |20 |20 |20 |20 |20 | Source: (Researcher, 2012) 3. 5 Data Collection InstrumentsIn this research, the use of both primary and secondary sources of data was adopted. Personal interviews were done through appointments with the managers or phone call interviews in case an appointment failed, questionnaires which were given in a period of one week and then collected by the researcher and direct observation on physical basis were the source of primary data. The use of relevant literature like; Matatu SACCO’s website, business magazines, daily newspapers and government authorities (traffic department) journals available for the public was an ideal source of secondary data. 3. 6 Data Analysis and Presentation The data collected in this study was both qualitative and quantitative in nature.This was for the analysis of data to show the effectiveness of SACCOs in the managemen t of the Matatu Industry. The analysis applied the use of percentages to show the effectiveness of SACCOs. This analysis made it possible to draw appropriate conclusion about the study and pave way for reporting and documenting the study. In order to infer the data that was collected into a form that is understandable to the users of this study, the researcher used tables for quantitative analysis and cross comparison analysis and pie charts that depict the trends and frequency distribution of the research. CHAPTER FOUR DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND INTEREPRETATION 4. 1 IntroductionThe study aimed to establish the effectiveness of SACCOs in the management of the transport industry in Nairobi County. This chapter discusses data analysis and findings of the research. Descriptive analysis was used and represented by the use of tables and pie charts. Qualitative analysis was used to summarize the respondents’ final comments in the questionnaire so as to get a better insight on their opinions on Matatu SACCOs as a mode of transport industry management. 4. 2 Respondents The sample size comprised of 100 respondents drawn from selected Matatu SACCOs. Out of the 25 SACCOs that were given questionnaires, 5 of them gave their feedback. Table 3 Sample and number respondents MATATU SACCO |Sample size |Returned |unreturned |percentage | |MWI Sacco |20 |18 |2 |90% | |Double M |20 |20 |0 |100% | |Super highway 45 Sacco |20 |15 |5 |75% | |City hopper |20 |16 |4 |80% | |KBS |20 |18 |2 |90% | |TOTAL |100 |87 |13 |87% | The research targeted the owners, managers and employees (drivers, conductors and stage workers) of the SACCOs to provide information. Table 4 Type of respondents |SACCO |OWNERS |MANAGERS |WORKERS | |MWI SACCO |5 |5 |8 | |DOUBLE M |2 8 |10 | |SUPER HIGHWAY 45 SACCO |4 |3 |8 | |CITY HOPPER |3 |4 |9 | |KBS |0 |6 |12 | |TOTAL |14 |26 |47 | 4. 3 Findings The financial revenue benefit was indicated by 85% of the respondents saying that there are financial re venues gained by the use of SACCOs as a mode of matatu management and 15% supported individual management and that the financial status before SACCOs were formed was the same as that of individual management which was prominent in the past. Figure 2 Pie chart presentation on increase in financial benefits [pic]When it comes to the reduction of the operational costs, 83% of the respondends accept that there is a significant reduction in the operational costs of the matatu sector. This is attributed to the fact that some SACCOs have their own petrol station thus reducing the costs. On the other side, the remaining 17% don’t see any reduction in the operational costs as there are contrubutions made by the SACCO every morning or evening of the day. Figure 3 Pie chart presentation on the reduction of operation costs [pic] In reference to the level of profitability, 25% of the respondents said that the profitability of the SACCOs was high compared to individual management. 58%, of the respondents said that the profitability of SACCOs is medium but etter than individual management, and 17% retained that the profitability of the SACCOs was low compared to individual management since daily contributions are made by the SACCO which reduces daily production. Figure 4 Pie chart presentation on the level of profitability [pic] To the challenges facing the transport (matatu) sector, majority of the respondents at 50% still maintain that SACCOs have done nothing to manage the challenges. They attribute this to the fact that the SACCOs are just a statutory requirement and not a free will initiative while others state that the challenges facing the transport industry is a responsibility of the government for example, bad roads and that the work of the SACCO is to support them financially not in terms of handling challenges. 2% of the respondents said that the management of the challenges by SACCOs is better than individual management. This is mainly due to the fact that finances are also a challenge and that the services offered by the SACCOs are part of the solution to the challenges. 18% of the respondents are satisfied with the way SACCOs are handling the challenges that face the industry. Figure 5 Pie chart presentation on the level of handling challenges by SACCOs [pic] In response to the level of accidents, 54% of the respondents support that SACCOs have reduced road accidents supported by the fact that they ensure that their drivers maintain road safety while others said that they service their vehicles in order to enhance safety standards. TThe remaining 46% of the respondents said that accidents have not reduced because they are not only caused by public service vehicles alone but others like personal cars, long-distance Lorries, motor cycles, and other users. Figure 6 Pie chart presentation on the level of road accidents [pic] In terms of general effectiveness, 85% of the respondents said that the SACCOs have been effective in the manage ment of transport industry and have brought order in the matatu industry. 13% of the respondents said that matatu SACCOs are not effective in the management of the transport industry. Figure 7 Pie chart presentation on Effectiveness of SACCOs [pic] 4. 4 Qualitative analysisFrom the findings we can see that the introduction of SACCOs as a mode of transport industry management has benefited the owners, workers and other stake holders of the matatu industry with 85% of the respondents supporting that SACCOs have been effective in the management of the transport industry. To the owners, there has been a benefit in terms of accessing credit facilities, sharing of operation costs with other matatu owners and monthly or yearly dividends received from the SACCO with or without operation since 83% of the respondents supported that the SACCOs have reduced operational costs. Drivers also get financial support from the SACCO as a means of self -help.They gain credit facilities from the SACCOs a t an affordable rate as compared to the other financing institutions like banks. The Owners and other stakeholders like the Government also benefit financially in terms of taxes and profitability since 85% of the respondents supported that SACCOs have increased financial benefits and the profitability gained through them are as follows: High-25%, Medium-58% and Low-17% The other beneficiaries of the Matatu SACCOs are passengers, who enjoy safety and quality services and other road users benefit from the relatively good order on the roads and discipline in both conduct and service with 54% of the respondents who have supported that SACCOs have reduced road accidents and have increased road safety.Unfortunately, the SACCOs have not been able to curb certain challenges within the transport sector such as corruption, harassment by the police and reckless driving by their drivers with 50% of the respondents saying that they have not done enough to handle these challenges. CHAPTER FIVE DI SCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5. 1 Introduction. This chapter presents the summary of the research based on the analysis of the responses received from the relevant respondents. It is a summary of the main findings of the research and how they relate to the nature of the study. This chapter also includes suggestions for further action and research. 5. 2 Discussion of the Findings Matatu SACCOs have been effective in the management of the transport industry at 85%.This is attributed to the increase in financial revenue benefits at 85%, reduction in the operation costs at 83%, level of profitability being medium at 58% and reduction of road accident at 54%. Despite being unable to manage the challenges facing the industry, SACCOs are still able to manage the challenges of the industry at 32% – better and 18% – best, 50% of the respondents indicated that SACCOs are worst managers of the challenges facing the industry. The passengers indicated that the use of matatu SACCOs as a mode of transport industry management has set standards of service in order to satisfy the customers. Other road users indicated their satisfaction towards the improvement in the level of order and road ethics. In comparison to management by Matatu SACCOs, the effectiveness of management on individual basis stood at 15%.This was indicated by the financial revenue benefits at 15%, reduction of costs at 17%and profitability at 42%. Generally, passengers were dissatisfied with the services offered by the matatus and they saw the industry as a house of insanity and disorder. This was attached to reckless driving and high level of accidents as a result of this. 5. 3 Conclusion With use of Matatu SACCOs as a mode of transport industry management, there is a sign of relief to the stakeholders of the matatu industry. SACCOs give the owners professional service in terms of management. Therefore, the profitability of SACCOs is medium and it gives satisfaction to the owners since they benefit financially from the SACCOS.In the long run, there is anticipation by all stake holders that the problems and challenges facing the industry will be handled through the SACCOs and in turn this will improve the Matatu Sector. 5. 4 Recommendations The challenges facing the SACCOs can be helped by the government. This includes improvement of road networks. This will help reduce the cost of maintaining the vehicles. The Government should put the right structures in the right places in order to reduce the procedures regarding the registration and legislations of the SACCOs. The dealers in the petroleum industry, should try to reduce the cost of fuel. This will be of great benefit to the other stakeholders.To reduce the level of road accidents, that should be taken as a responsibility of everyone who makes the use of the road from motorists to pedestrians. The government should enforce the road safety (the famous Michuki rules) to the latter. To the SACCO man agement, there should be additional training to the staff in areas such as financial management and customer service. The drivers and other workers should be employed on relatively permanent basis for better accountability. 5. 5 Limitations No SACCO accepted to give their financial report. The SACCOs termed the financial reports as private and could not be issued for research. Most of the Matatu SACCOs are new (less than 3 years old) since the government legislated them.Therefore it is difficult to obtain financial information covering the whole period. 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