Free Essays on Stress A Fine Line

Stress: A very fine line We are all familiar with the word â€Å"stress†, but there are many myths about it. Some people believe it means an individual is weak and unable to handle things properly. Others think it is an illness. Moreover, stress is an adaptive response. It is the body’s reaction to an event that is perceived as emotionally disturbing, disquieting, or threatening. When we perceive such an event, we experience what a stress researcher has called â€Å"fight or flight† response (Farrintong). To prepare for fighting or fleeing, the body increases its heart rate and blood pressure; more blood is pumped out to your heart and muscles and your respiration rate increases. Prolonged stress can cause many disorders, from minor to life threatening. Therefore, stress is divided in to two categories: acute and chronic. Acute stress generally is not very harmful, as long as it does not happen too often and your body has a chance to return to normal. However, it can trigger an abnormal heartbeat and even a heart attack in those with heart disease. Researchers have found that stress activates the body’s hormone system, provoking headaches, sleep deprivation and weight loss. Tension may be the first recognizable symptom of stress and is an early sign that the body might not be recovering from acute stress. Muscles are tense, tight and feel "hard" to the touch. A tense mind makes you feel jumpy, irritable, and unable to concentrate. This could be a signal to do something about s tress, both for immediate comfort and to prevent the long-term effects of stress. Furthermore, chronic stress can be the result of many instances of acute stress. In people with higher levels of chronic stress, the stress response is longer, contributing to their physical stress. Over time, chronic stress affects the nervous system and the immune system. The body becomes more vulnerable to many illnesses, from colds and minor infections to major diseases such ... Free Essays on Stress A Fine Line Free Essays on Stress A Fine Line Stress: A very fine line We are all familiar with the word â€Å"stress†, but there are many myths about it. Some people believe it means an individual is weak and unable to handle things properly. Others think it is an illness. Moreover, stress is an adaptive response. It is the body’s reaction to an event that is perceived as emotionally disturbing, disquieting, or threatening. When we perceive such an event, we experience what a stress researcher has called â€Å"fight or flight† response (Farrintong). To prepare for fighting or fleeing, the body increases its heart rate and blood pressure; more blood is pumped out to your heart and muscles and your respiration rate increases. Prolonged stress can cause many disorders, from minor to life threatening. Therefore, stress is divided in to two categories: acute and chronic. Acute stress generally is not very harmful, as long as it does not happen too often and your body has a chance to return to normal. However, it can trigger an abnormal heartbeat and even a heart attack in those with heart disease. Researchers have found that stress activates the body’s hormone system, provoking headaches, sleep deprivation and weight loss. Tension may be the first recognizable symptom of stress and is an early sign that the body might not be recovering from acute stress. Muscles are tense, tight and feel "hard" to the touch. A tense mind makes you feel jumpy, irritable, and unable to concentrate. This could be a signal to do something about s tress, both for immediate comfort and to prevent the long-term effects of stress. Furthermore, chronic stress can be the result of many instances of acute stress. In people with higher levels of chronic stress, the stress response is longer, contributing to their physical stress. Over time, chronic stress affects the nervous system and the immune system. The body becomes more vulnerable to many illnesses, from colds and minor infections to major diseases such ...

Using the French Expression Oh làlÃÂ

Using the French Expression Oh l l The French phrase oh l l isnt so much an expression as an interjection. It can indicate surprise, disappointment, commiseration, distress, or annoyance. The phrase is used to express any moderately strong reaction to something that was just said or done, for example: Oh l l ! Jai oublià © mon portefeuille! Oh no, I forgot my wallet! You can strengthen the phrase by adding more  ls, but you need to do so in pairs. Using and Misusing Oh l l A native French speaker might use the expression as follows. Suppose this person is passing through Charles de Gaulle Airport, which is near Paris. Imagine that the man is looking at souvenirs and knocks over a small Eiffel Tower made of glass, causing it to shatter. He might exclaim: Oh l  l l  l l  l!  (Note how he inserted four extra  ls- two pairs of two- to heighten his expression of annoyance or mortification.) Another example might be a French native speaker playing poker. Suppose the card player draws an ace to give her four aces, generally a winning hand. She might use the phrase as follows:   Oh l l l l ! (a beat) l l! Note that in English, this expression is often used in to talk about something risquà ©. It tends to be misspelled in these occurrences and mispronounced as ooh la la. It is also usually said fairly slowly and with the first word comically elongated. That is not the way to use the expression correctly in French. Pronouncing and Defining Oh l l Click the link for [o la la] to bring up a sound file that will let you hear how to correctly pronounce the phrase. Click the link a couple of times, listen carefully, and then repeat the saying until you are able to pronounce it correctly. Though the phrase does, indeed, translate as Oh dear, Oh my, or Oh no, its literal translation is Oh there, there. That would make little sense in English, hence the generally accepted, and more emotional, translations. Using  Oh l l in Conversation According to The Local, there are many ways to correctly use this versatile interjection: For example, you show someone your new ring and they say, Oh l l cest trop jolie!  (Oh my god it’s so pretty!) It is high, light and happy. The Stockholm-based website devoted to European languages and culture, including French, warns that you should not use the phrase for particularly negative situations, such as  a car barreling  through a pedestrian crossing nearly knocking  you over, a biker ringing his bell at you, or someone cutting in front of you in line at the grocery store. There are other  French phrases  that are more appropriate for those kinds of situations. But the expressive phrase is really a useful one to employ if you are visiting France: (There are) moments when Oh l l l l l l  is really the only way you can express your frustration/anger/hanger (hunger anger). It is satisfying. If you live in Paris long enough, says the website, it will become an automatic part of your vocabulary, adding that at this the point, youll know youre really turning Parisian.

Political Science Syria Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Political Science Syria Government - Essay Example However, this was not the case because in a rare show of unity between the Republicans and Democrats, there was widespread opposition to any strikes against the Syrian government, or any direct involvement of the United States in the conflict, hence ensuring that the government remains accountable to the American people. The fact that there was widespread opposition to United States involvement in Syria from both parties is a true statement of the sensitivity towards this issue that the American public feels (McDonnell). In a rare instance of unity, the representatives of both parties seem to have, almost unanimously, chosen to set an agenda that represents the true feelings of their constituents, who are for the most part weary of war. In fact, polls showed that the United States should stop concentrating on the solving of external conflicts and instead concentrate on solving the growing number of problems on the domestic scene. Despite the seeming unity of the two parties concernin g Syria, the fact has all along remained that the United States government does not have a clear policy concerning Syria and this is perhaps the reason why the conflict has continued for the last two years. This conflict has, however, also created a situation where it has become difficult for the United States to deal with the diverse consequences such as the development of the refugee problem (Sly). It is more likely than not that the continuation of the Syrian conflict will create a refugee problem, as Syrian refugees seek to settle in the United States. The fact that Syrian refugees will likely seek asylum in the United States has become a worrying subject in both parties and this is likely to be another issue which will unite the Democrats and the Republicans in a bipartisan way. In addition, the Syrian war has caused the allies of the United States in the region, such as Turkey and Jordan to have an influx of refugees which has created a sad situation in these countries (Araabi ). The fact that the Democrats and the Republicans, despite proving that they can work together, have yet to coordinate their efforts to come up with a clear policy concerning Syria, which should involve the ouster of the Syrian government and president, is most disturbing. The United States Congress should put pressure on the government to ensure that it creates a clear policy that will enable the bringing the Syrian conflict to a conclusive end that will provide lasting peace for the Syrian people. Both the Democrats and the Republicans believe that the Assad regime has lost its mandate to rule over the Syrian people and because of this, it must go. This has been a standing position of both of these parties since the beginning of the conflict, but despite this, there has yet to develop a clear means through which the Assad regime can be ousted (Kostyaev 54). In addition, both parties have found that the continued rule of the Assad regime will be detrimental to the refugee situatio n in the country. This is mainly because of the fact that there will be an increase, not

Critically evaluate the role of e-Business adoption models to assess Essay

Critically evaluate the role of e-Business adoption models to assess exisiting eBusiness capabilities of SMEs and make recommendations for future strategy and investment - Essay Example In the olden stages of business, the manufacturer used traditional methods of marketing with advertising in the print and electronic media (Shima & Varfan 2008). And traditional methods uses different channels of distribution such as â€Å"wholesalers and retailers† (Bernard et al. 2010). Thus it involves a huge cost of distribution. The functioning of the business based on the â€Å"Internet and web based technology† is termed as E-business (Andam 2003, p. 5). As the technology advances day by day, it is better to adopt these changes to be successful in the business sector in terms of production and marketing. E-business helps in marketing through reducing the advertisement cost by reaching out to the people â€Å"globally† through the internet by search engines such as Yahoo, Google etc (Chapter 1: Introduction to E-business and e-Commerce n.d.). Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have low man-power and low capital compared to large scale companies. Usually SMEs face difficulties at their initial stage of establishment. Since SMEs play a major role in the economic development of the country, a special â€Å"priority† has to be provided (The New SME Definition User Guide and Model Declaration 2005). Hence a study has to be made on the E-business model and the best among them can be adopted for the enhancement of SMEs. The cost of production and distribution is applicable to both large scale and small scale organizations. But the â€Å"SMEs† face more difficulties in raising funds as their amount of investment is very low (Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovative SMEs in a Global Economy: Towards a More Responsible and Inclusive Globalisation 2004). At present the big and branded companies use â€Å"online marketing† as a selling method, which reduces their huge marketing cost (Eriksen & Hemmingsen n.d.). This technique can be also used by the SMEs. It involves the â€Å"electronic transactions† between a company and the third party (Myers, Fletcher & Gordon

History of Japanese Painting Odano Naotake Essay Example for Free

History of Japanese Painting Odano Naotake Essay Odano Naotake (1759 – 1780) was a painter from the Akita Ranga art school. This art school was a by-product of the ‘rangaku’, the ‘Dutch learning’. Rangaku was an important movement in eighteenth-century Japan. It is the study of Holland and the Dutch during the time that the Dutch trade post on Desjima the only connection was with the outside world and the west. Through this contact, Japan stayed informed about Western developments, such as health care and other technologies. This made Japan capable of fast modernization after the opening of the country in 1854. The Rangaku painters painted traditional Japanese themes with the use of Western techniques. The difference from the traditional paintings was the use of shadows, perspective and reflections. The painters also started using the color blue for the sky and sea. Naotake was also influenced by this new intellectual movement through Hiraga Gennai, a natural scientist and student of the Rangaky. He inspired Naotake to study these new Western painting methods as well. He moved to Edo (Tokyo) to continue his studies there. Through contacts with other painters, Naotake mastered the painting of ‘bird and flower’, which is a traditional Jananese style painting with the use of Western perspective and depth. These methods brought these paintings to a higher level, more than just decorations. Naotake also illustrated Japan’s first anatomy book, the Kaitai shinsho. This book was a Japanese translation of the Dutch book â€Å"Ontleedkundige Tafelen†, which was imported from Holland. Together with Gennai and Lord Satake Shozan (1748-85), Naotake started the Akita Ranga school of Art. When Gennai was arrested for killing a student and died shortly afterwards, Naotake was send away from his post in Edo. These developments made the school fall apart. ? Works Cited Johnson, H. Western Influence of Japanese Art: The Akita Ranga Art School. Amsterdam: Hotei Publishing, 2005.

Chaucer and Religion Essay -- essays papers

Chaucer and Religion It is very rare that a book is written without the opinions of the author being clearly expressed somewhere within that book. Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is one such book. In the General Prologue alone, by viewing Chaucer’s description of the Knight, the Prioress, and the Friar, the reader is able to pick up on Chaucer’s satirical humor toward the church of the 14th century. The first male traveler mentioned is the chivalrous Knight. It is interesting that Chaucer chooses to introduce The Knight as the first character. He possibly does this because during the era, Knights were strong, truthful and were to fight the good fight. This tactic would fit in to Chaucer’s goal of relaying the overall message that nothing of the time was as enchanting as it were to appear. Chaucer describes his Knight as a man so honored due to his loyalty in battle. He states, â€Å"And evere honoured for his worthyness †¦ No Cristen man so ofte of his degree (2).† This whole statement is hypocritical because the Knight is being viewed as Christian when he kills men and p...

The Medicine Wheel (Lakota Sioux)

Symbols, such as the medicine wheel, are common among Sioux Indians, especially the Lakota Sioux. The Lakota Sioux believed each section of the medicine wheel had some spiritual significance. To them, the medicine wheel represents enlightenment, growth, strength and knowledge. Each color on the medicine wheel signifies a different season and lifestyle. Inside the circle is a cross shape. The cross symbolizes the four directions, and also the Four Lakota Virtues. The shape of the wheel represents the never ending circle of life and death.It means the Alpha and the Omega, Beginning and End, and to the Lakota Sioux, represents unity in the Great Spirit. One of the four sacred colors found on the medicine wheel is red. It is located at the top left hand side of the four corners. Red symbolizes several things, including north; this (north) symbolizes the passing of the ancient and ancestors. â€Å"North brings cold harsh winds of the winter season† ( ). This cleansing wind causes t he leaves to fall and buries the earth underneath a blanket of snow. Lakota Sioux believed â€Å"..If someone had the ability to face these harsh winds, like the buffalo, they have learned patience and endurance† ( ). The element of the North is Air. Air is movement and†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ freedom – the clearing of thoughts and the carrier that allows us to manifest our dreams† ( ). Air represents the mind. The color red and that section of the wheel also symbolize wisdom. They believed wisdom to be of one of the best qualities, and is usually met in or after death. Red also represents the last part of the lie cycle: afterlifeWhite is the second of the four sacred colors found on the medicine wheel of the Lakota Sioux. It is located at the bottom left corner on the medicine wheel. â€Å"White stands for youth and friendship† ( ). It represents the south. This direction is for warmth and growth since the sun is at its highest peak in the southern sky. â€Å"The sun’s rays are powerful in drawing life from the earth† ( ). The Lakota Sioux believed life of all things come from the south, so this section also represents the second phase of the llie cycle. † The South is where our journey through life begins – with the knowing of self† ( )Yellow is the third of all the sacred colors found on the medicine wheel. Yellow signifies the east where the sun rises. This brings us the energy of adventure. The Lakota Sioux believed this to symbolize family and newborns. This is also the beginning of a new day and a new understanding of life and people. â€Å"On a deeper level, east stands for the wisdom in helping people live good lives† ( ). This section is located at the bottom right corner of the medicine wheel. The element of the East is Fire. Fire is the radiant energy of transformation. Fire contains the great power of expansion† ( ). They believed this section of life is to help us find innocence and p urity. It is a great path among the rode to spirituality. Black is the last color section in the medicine wheel. It is located in the top left hand corner.Black signifies the west, where the sun sets and the day ends. The color is black, not in nothingness, â€Å".. but the black of â€Å"all things†Ã¢â‚¬ ( ). It is the color of mystery and of the unconscious. The Lakota Sioux believed the west the be the source of all water, so this section is vital. The great thunderbird lives in the west and sends thunder and rain from this direction† ( ). Back represents solitude, reflection and growing old. The direction of South was our beginning of knowing who the â€Å"self† is. â€Å"The direction of the West deepens this knowing through dreams and visions of the future† ( ). They believed the element of the West is earth. Earth is passive, receptive and nurturing. A deep connection with earth is needed to bring ourselves into balance with Universe. Black is the second to last part of the life cycle: death.

The Existence of God

The Existence of God Kimberly Mongold PHI 208 Ethics and Moral Reasoning Instructor Kenneth Mentor April 07, 2013 ? Since the beginning of time people have often questioned the meaning of life, how the universe was created and the purpose for the wildlife and creatures that roam the earth. These things often lead us to question the existence of God. In order to even begin to answer these complex questions we must uncover the source of all of these occurrences. In this paper I will discuss the issue of Gods’ existence; present one basic dispute and clarify the arguments on multiple sides of this issue.I will structure an argument that supports the side of the issue I find to be better defended while explaining why I find my side of this debate stronger. In conclusion, I will state my own view and defend it with an argument. Does God exist or did the â€Å"Big Bang theory† or other natural theories play a role? Even though it is absolutely impossible to prove Gods’ existence, I personally believe that the presence of God is so evident that we do not need solid proof to verify that he is our creator. When it comes to the issue of Gods’ existence, everyone has his or her own view of whom or what â€Å"God† really is.Some people believe that there is one God while other believe in multiple Gods or even Goddesses. Most believers do not feel that is necessary to prove that God exists however, there are others that believe that it is essential to provide proof since there is no scientific evidence of his existence. People are often skeptical when it comes to this issue since God cannot be seen. This dispute often raises a very puzzling question. Should people be expected to provide proof of Gods’ existence or should we just accept that he exists based on faith alone?Skeptics believe that simple having faith that something is true without actually seeing it with their own eyes is meaningless. Most skeptical people center their b elief system on evidence presented in order to better judge certain claims. According to Queensborough Community College (n. d. ), â€Å"Physical or phenomenal evidence to validate religious beliefs is impossible to produce because religious experiences usually occur privately and are subjective, making it impossible to be justified and scrutinized rationally and honestly†.Since skeptics have not seen any type of proof about Gods’ presence, they will continue to disbelieve claims of his existence. Most people that question Gods’ existence often lean more toward science because they believe that evolution and other scientific theories make more sense. In this day and age scientific developments are increasing at a rapid pace, which often creates arguments against the notion that God is our creator. Many skeptics believe that natural causes contributed to our existence such as the â€Å"Big Bang Theory†. The big bang theory states that at some time in the d istant past there was nothing until a process known as vacuum fluctuation created what astrophysicists call a singularity and from that singularity, which was about the size of a dime, our universe was born† (Shestople, P. 1997). Skeptics are more accepting of natural theories because they seem to produce more accepting results than supernatural ones. If faith is centered on reasoning, analysis and proof, then it is very unlikely that skeptics will accept the assumption that there is a supernatural existence of any kind.Also there is so much evil present in the world, which can often cause a skeptic to form opinions against Gods’ existence. Occurrences that cause despair happen every day, which can make one question the reasons behind them. â€Å" In addition to the kinds of events that are caused by human beings, there are other events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, tornadoes, fires, and other natural disasters that have taken the lives of millions † (Mosser, K. 2010). Skeptics often wonder why these type of things occur if there is a God.If God is so powerful why would he allow these horrific things to happen which cause people to suffer? They believe that if an almighty and perfect God existed, he would prevent evil as well as natural disasters that often cause pain, suffering, and even death. Most skeptics believe that proving Gods’ existence is vital in order to find the answers that they are looking for. Faith in something that is invisible will never be enough to sway a skeptic. True believers in God do not feel that it is necessary to prove Gods’ existence because they have faith in his presence. God is hidden only to our body and our soul, but God is not hidden to our spirit, we must look for him† (Harvard Computer Society, n. d. ). Supporters believe that we must seek God with our spirit in order to contact him since we are unable to see, hear, or touch him. â€Å"When people believe in Chri st they receive his life into them† (Harvard Computer Society, n. d. ). Believers do not rely on science or any other proof of Gods’ existence because they do not need physical evidence to distinguish His existence.Believers do not think that we appeared here on earth from natural causes or from the â€Å"Big Bang† theory. A supporter of God believes that God is the creator of the universe as well as every living being. People that have trust in Gods’ existence believe that there are many examples that can demonstrate that we did not just appear here naturally. For example, the universe is designed so perfectly that there is no way that this happened by chance. The universe and the life forms in it all depend on each other for the existence.One example of this is the ecosystem; plants breathe in carbon dioxide and expel oxygen, while animals breathe in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide; plants feed animals while decomposed animals feed plants; this is the cy cle of life. â€Å" Consider how complex a single organism is†¦Each organ and tissue has purpose, all of which shows signs of an intelligent creator, there is no other possible explanation for it† (University of Houston, n. d. ). Believers in God have faith that God is our maker and that we are not here by chance. When it comes to evil things that often occur, believers in God do not think that God is responsible.God gave us the freedom to make choices and we choose to do the things that we do. â€Å"God has given us the ability to choose good and evil, and when we choose evil he allows us, and those around us to suffer the consequences of evil† (Eby,D. n. d. ). We have the ability to choose whether to commit good deeds or evil ones. â€Å"The evil that does exist is that caused by human being who possess freedom† (Mosser, K. 2010). Supporters believe that God does have the power to overcome evil as well as natural disasters, but he may not have the desire to do so for his own reasons that many of us do not understand.The argument that I find better defends the existence of God is that we do not need proof of Gods’ existence, our faith alone is good enough. Just because we cannot see him does not mean he does not exist. â€Å"His presence is no longer in his earthly body; it is rather in his spirit abiding our hearts† (Loyola University, n. d. ). I believe that the people that doubt Gods’ existence do so because they are unable to see the beauty and wonder of the world around us.When it comes to the evil in the world, I believe that God has given us the freedom to make choices and to learn from our mistakes while also dealing with the consequences. If we do not experience the aftermath of our bad choices we will not learn from our mistakes. â€Å"God cannot overrule every evil choice of man and every evil consequence there from without contradicting his own purposes in creating being with free will† (Mattis on, M. M. , n. d. ). This is part of the price we pay for freedom, and which God himself pays for creating us. God did not create evil, therefore, he should not be held responsible for it.In conclusion, although several people have attempted to dispute the existence of God with the advances of science and technology, there is still an excessive need to prove Gods’ existence. Since we cannot see him it is difficult for many people to believe he exists. Believers is God do not require any type of proof because they have faith of his presence. Gazing at the stars, observing the beauty of nature, believe that the laws of the universe seem to have been framed in such a way that stars and planets will form and life can emerge.Many constants of nature appear to be very finely tuned for this, and the odds against this happening by chance are astronomical. Understanding the complexity of the universe points to an intelligent designer, which is God. We do not need to see God with our e yes or even touch him in order to know that he exists. It is through our faith in him that we know he is real. I believe that God has surrounded us with so much evidence that he exists, but we must seek him in order to feel his presence. References Eby, D. (n. d. ). â€Å"Why Does God Allow Evil? † Retrieved from http://my,unbc. du/discussions/2026 Holy Spirit (n. d. ) Loyola University of Chicago. Retrieved from: http://www. luc. edu/faculty/pmoser/idolanon/Holyspirit. html Mattison, M. M. (n. d. ). â€Å"Don’t Doubt God† Auburn University. Retrieved from: http://www. auburn. edu/allenkc/openhse/theodicy. html#Power Mosser, K. (2010). â€Å"Philosophy: A Concise Introduction†. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. San Diego, CA Retrieved from: https://content. ashford. edu/books Proof of God (n. d. ) LeTourneau University Retrieved from: http://www. letu. edu/_Academics/Arts-Science/chem-phys/documents/ProofofGod. html

Advertisement and Promotion in Business The WritePass Journal

Advertisement and Promotion in Business Abstract Advertisement and Promotion in Business ). With the ongoing increase in competition across all industries, companies that fail to advertise or promote their products and services risk losing their competitive edge regardless of how proper the other elements of the marketing mix are (Reynolds Lancaste, 2013). This paper covers different issues of advertisement and promotion. These include the marketing communications’ scope and below the line advertisement approaches that can be used to promote Pringles, one of their products. It also designs a plan for an integrated promotional strategy for Pringles. Task 1 – Scope of Marketing Communications 1. Explain the communication process that applies to advertising and promotion. Communication in advertisement and promotion aims to ensure that that the messages that businesses intend to pass to their consumers are effectively relayed (Shimp Andrews, 2013). There are different steps through which these messages undergo before arriving to their target audiences. In promotion and advertisement, the sender – in this case, the advertising company – encodes the message and relays it through a transmission device (Wharton, 2013). Encoding is the creative creation of cues that can either be verbal or non-verbal that will pass the intended message to customers in the most effective manner and also attract the highest possible attention among the target customers (Reynolds Lancaste, 2013). After the message has been encoded, ideal transmission devices or avenues are used to pass the message (Wharton, 2013). With the different customer segments being targeted by companies, it is important to select the most ideal avenue through which the advertisement can be passed (Pride, 2013). The message is then decoded by the receiver, where it will trigger different actions in response to the advertisement, which include making purchases of the advertised products or services (Reynolds Lancaste, 2013). Whereas companies expect the communication processes of advertisements to lack barriers, there are several that may limit the attainment of the intended advertisement objectives (Wharton, 2013). One of these is the presence of many other adverts by competing companies that may divide the attention of target consumers this is mainly referred to as clutter (Kaser, 2012). 2. Explain the organisation of the advertising and promotions industry. The advertising and promotions industry comprises of different entities. These include advertisers, advertising agencies, media organizations and external facilitators (Friedlein, 2014). The roles played by all these parties contribute towards the success of the industry. To ensure effectiveness of this industry, different countries have different approaches of managing these involved parties (Oguinn et al., 2011). In the United Kingdom and Europe, there are different bodies that are involved in the running of the industry. These include the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA), and the Promotional Marketing Council (PMC) (Warc, 2014). EACA represents media agency associations and full-service advertising across Europe (EACA, 2014). It is based in Brussels, Belgium, and focuses on the promotion for responsible effective and honest advertisement. The organisation also promotes high levels of professionalism and fosters close cooperation among different advertisers, a gencies and media outlets in Europe. PMC, on the other hand, represents the sales promotion industry. Some of the parties represented include suppliers, clients and agencies across several countries in Europe (Warc, 2014). 3. Assess how promotion is regulated. Regulation involves the creation or certain rules and regulations to govern different activities in advertisement and promotion. In the United Kingdom, an advertising self-regulatory system for non-broadcast advertising was set up in UK in 1961. This step was taken to ensure that advertisements are responsible and achieve the purpose of making customers aware of products and their repurchase of the products. The UK regulates the promotion industry by using a combination of practice and legislation codes (Advertising Standards Authority, 2014). There are two regulatory committees that create, revise and monitor advertising codes. These are the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP). The BCAP code creates broadcast advertising rules while CAP creates rules for non-broadcasting advertising, direct marketing and sales promotion (Farrell Gordon, 2012). These rules are enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). With the changes that are always taking place in advertising, these rules are regularly revised to increase effectiveness (Kaser, 2012). However, keeping up with this pace is quite challenging because of the increase in advertisement avenues that has been made possible by technological advancements. As a result, increasing numbers of customers are falling prey to advertisers that advertise inexistent or poor quality products (Cho et al., 2014). 4. Examine current trends in advertising and promotion, including the impact of ICT. The current trends in advertising and promotion have majorly been influenced by the increase in the use of the internet and social networking among target customers, which has largely been as a result of ICT development (Friedlein, 2014). There are various internet related trends in product advertising and promotion. These trends include; social media, online display advertising and mobile advertising. Advertisements on the social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, are on the rise and are referred to as sponsored content (Seth Kapoor, 2014). Companies are taking advantage of the growing number of people using these avenues because in total, there are approximately 2 billion people signed up to different social media platforms (Tuten Solomon, 2012). Online display marketing is on the rise, and involves the advertisement of company websites on other websites that target consumers frequently use (Kaser, 2012). According to Persaud and Azhar (2012), an increase in the use of smartpho nes has also given rise to internet mobile advertising. This is where advertisers reach consumers personally through platforms, such as social media or sending links to company websites, in the form of text messages (Persaud Azhar, 2012). Whereas these developments provide a convenience of reaching a wide range of clients in a short time and on a smaller budget, there are also different associated demerits (Friedlein, 2014). One of these is the information risk that customers and companies may be prone to because of hacking (Cho et al., 2014). Social media has been regarded by some researchers as one of the fastest avenues through which information passes. Thus, any mistake by a company that may tarnish its reputation can be detrimental to its brand (Tuten Solomon, 2012). Task 3: Primary techniques of below-the-line technique of sales promotion 1. Explain primary techniques of below-the-line promotion and develop a BTL campaign for the brand, â€Å"Pringles† Below-the-line promotion Below-the line advertisement is a promotional strategy that tends to use other mediums apart from the typical ones like the internet, broadcast, print and billboards (Kaser, 2012). Many companies in the present-day business environment utilize this strategy alongside above-the-line and through-the-line advertisement (Reynolds Lancaste, 2013). One of the main attributes of this approach to advertisement is that it is less expensive. However, many companies combine this with above-the-line promotions so as to maintain a better market position, below-the-line promotion being just as complement (Gautam, 2013). Several below-the-line advertisement techniques are discussed hereunder. Field marketing or promotion: It is a process through which salespeople target customers on a one-on-one basis with the aim of promoting certain products and services (Stone Desmond, 2007). One of the advantages of this approach is that it provides customers with a close interaction with the product being promoted and the salesmen. However, this is time consuming and some customers may not be quite welcoming to the salespeople (Sigala, 2010). The use of coupons: this below the line approach to promotion involves handing coupons to prospective purchasers of commodities and offering incentives or discounts to attract customers, especially those who are price-sensitive (Wharton, 2013). Given that such approaches often offer product at reduced prices for a short duration, there is always a risk of reduced sales when the company resumes its original prices (Kumar Rajan, 2012). Loyalty programs: These are packages that offer rewards to the frequent buyers of commodities due to their loyalty to the retail outlets (Grewal et al., 2011). Such programs are common in the airline industry, where frequent flyers of a given airline numbering a specified number of flights are awarded for their loyalty in different ways, which may also include free flights. These programs are however more ideal for customers with easy accessibility to the company products (Kaser, 2012). A below-the-line campaign for Pringles Pringles is a potato and wheat manufactured snack owned and run under the Kellogg Company (Pringles, 2014). Below-the-line advertisement can be used to compliment the current promotional strategies used. One of the below-the-line approaches that can be used to market Pringles is the field promotion or field marketing approach. To effectively implement this promotional strategy, it is vital for the company to recruit salespeople that have the experience and skills needed to enable them convince people they have never met before to choose the Pringles over competing products in the market (Kaser, 2012). Small samples ought to be distributed for free or be sold at a lower price. Considering that the company mainly targets teenagers and students (Gillespie Hennessey, 2010), it is advisable for the company to use younger salespeople who are more aware of how to approach and appeal to teenagers. The most ideal places that promoters of this product can target are those with high population of teenagers, like schools, colleges or recreational parks. Though this marketing approach provides an excellent avenue for building a relationship between the target customers and the brand, companies have to invest heavily in training salespeople or promoters to enable them deal with customers of diverse tastes and backgroun ds (Sigala, 2010). 2. Evaluate other techniques that can also be used in this BTL campaign. Apart from the above below-the-line approach that can be used by Pringles, there are several other methods that may be adopted to boost sales and promote the product. They are examined below. Pringles can use the Intercept method, where trained sales personnel are positioned at retail outlets besides the shelves holding Pringles in retail stores and supermarkets (Stone Desmond, 2007). Their main role is to persuade incoming buyers into the stores to purchase Pringles by highlighting their advantages over other competing products. Whereas this approach can increase the sales for the company, it has been criticized for causing impulse buying among customers (Pride, 2013). Sponsorship is also an ideal below the line promotional strategy that can be used by Pringles. This is whereby the company supports events and activities through provision of funds and other resources that are valuable to the success of the event (Woisetschlger Michaelis, 2012). For Pringles, this strategy can be implemented by sponsoring sports for schools and youth concerts. Awareness of the company or products can be increased by ensuring by printing T-Shirts, caps or any other apparel to be worn by those attending the event. Even with this convenience that the strategy offers to customers, it can be quite cost intensive for the company depending on the size or magnitude of the event being sponsored (Lee et al., 2012). This may have an adverse impact on the company’s return on investment. Task 4: Plan Integrated Promotional Strategies 1. Follow an appropriate process for the formulation of a budget for this integrated promotional strategy An integrated promotional strategy refers to an approach to promotion where a company uses different avenues to and tools to increase the awareness of products (Kaser, 2012). This section presents a plan for a promotional strategy that can be used to market Pringles. Even with the current success that it enjoys across the markets that it operates (Gillespie Hennessey, 2010), there is still a need for the company to penetrate more in the market and further increase its market share. To implement a successful promotional strategy, it is vital for the company to identify the resources or activities that will be involved. After they are identified, the appropriate budgetary allocation will be done to facilitate the strategy (Reynolds Lancaste, 2013). The avenues that will be used in this promotion strategy are TV commercials, billboards and online advertisement through social media outlets. The budget is summarized as below. Promotional Techniques Budget allocation TV commercials  £1 million Billboards  £100,000 Social media promotion YouTube video advertisements  £50,000 Facebook  £50,000 Twitter  £50,000 Total  £1.25 million    23: Carry out the development of a promotional plan for the Pringles and plan the integration of promotional techniques into the promotional strategy for Pringles The table above represents the promotional techniques that will be used in the promotion of Pringles. TV commercials will be used by airing advertisements of the product on channels that air programs that are mostly viewed by the company’s target customers, who are teenagers and the youth (Saxena, 2010). The most ideal channels on which to air these advertisements are music or sports channels. Billboards will be effective if they are located in areas that are densely populated and are located close to outlets of the products. With an increasing number of people who have signed up on Facebook and Twitter social networks, advertising products on these sites also increases their visibility among the target audience (Tuten Solomon, 2012). It also enables the company to actively engage with the customers that it is targeting. Thus, it will be imperative for Pringles to consider utilizing these avenues for promotion. 4. Appropriate techniques for measuring campaign effectiveness There are different approaches that can be used by companies in measuring the effectiveness of their promotional campaigns. One of these is the amount of feedback from customers. This is usually mainly in form of inquiries through different avenues about the product being marketed (Pride, 2013). When inquiries are high, it means that the advertisement strategy was effective, and vice versa. Another approach that can be used is the estimation of sales prior to and after the launch of the promotional campaign or the return on investment (ROI) (Kaser, 2012). Successful promotional campaigns ought to result in an increase in sales levels of the company and create revenues that surpass the investment that was put in the promotional activity. For social media advertisements, tools such as SentiStrength can be used to assess the reception of consumers to the advertisements. SentiStrenth is a sentiment measuring tool that evaluates the level of positivity or negativity of short texts that ar e mainly used in commenting on social media sites (SentiStrength, 2014). Conclusion Advertisement and promotion are vital components of the marketing mix. Some of the roles that they play include increasing of awareness among target customers about a company’s products and attracting new customers. This paper has addressed different issues that relate to this component of marketing. Under the scope of marketing communications, the paper has explained how the communication works process in promotion. It has also discussed how the organisation and regulation of the advertisement industry in the United Kingdom. The concept of below-the-line advertisement and an integrated promotional strategy that can be used to market Pringles have also been presented. For companies that intend to maintain their competitiveness in the market and attract a wide range of customers, it s vital for them to ensure that their promotional strategies are relevant to their target audiences. Whereas this paper has provided an in-depth understanding on the concepts of advertising and prom otion, in future, primary research can be incorporated, with members of the marketing department and a section of its target customers as respondents. References Advertising Standards Authority, 2014. About Regulation. [Online] Available at: asa.org.uk/About-ASA/About-regulation.aspx [Accessed May 2014]. Cho, S., Huh, J. Faber, R.J., 2014. The influence of sender trust and advertiser trust on multistage effects of viral advertising. Journal of Advertising, 43(1), pp.100-11. EACA, 2014. About Us. [Online] Available at: eaca.eu/ [Accessed 31 May 2014]. Farrell, T. Gordon, R., 2012. Critical social marketing: investigating alcohol marketing in the developing world. Journal of Social Marketing, 2(2), pp.138-56. Friedlein, A., 2014. Six trends in advertising you need to know for 2014. [Online] Available at: marketingweek.co.uk/opinion/ashley-friedlein/six-trends-in-advertising-you-need-to-know-for-2014/4009135.article [Accessed May 2014]. Gautam, A., 2013. A study on (below the line) promotion strategies of telecom industry in western (Up) circle (India) with special reference to Reliance Communication. European Journal of Business and Management, 5(22), pp.74-79. Gillespie, K. Hennessey, ‎.D., 2010. Global Marketing. Mason: Cengage Learning. Grewal, D. et al., 2011. Innovations in retail pricing and promotions. Journal of Retailing, 87, pp.43-52. Kaser, K., 2012. Advertising and Sales Promotion. Mason, USA: Cengage Learning. Kumar, V. Rajan, B., 2012. Social coupons as a marketing strategy: a multifaceted perspective. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(1), pp.120-36. Lee, D.-C., Hung, L.-M. Chen, M.-L., 2012. Empirical Study on the Influence among Corporate Sponsorship, Organizational Commitment, Organizational Cohesiveness and Turnover Intention. Journal of Management and Sustainability, 2(2), pp. 43-53 Mishra, P., 2009. Sales Management: Keys to Effective Sales. New Delhi: Global India Publications. Oguinn, T., Allen, C. Semenik, R., 2011. Advertising and integrated brand promotion. Mason: Cengage Learning. Percy, L. Rosenbaum-Elliott, R., 2012. Strategic Advertising Management. Oxford: Oxford University press. Persaud, A. Azhar, I., 2012. Innovative mobile marketing via smartphones: are consumers ready? Marketing Intelligence Planning, 30(4), pp.418-43. Pride, W.M., 2013. Marketing 2014, 17th ed. Mason: Cengage Learning. Pringles, 2014. Products. [Online] Available at: pringles.co.uk/products [Accessed 31 May 2014]. Reynolds, P. Lancaste, ‎G., 2013. Marketing. New Jersey: Routledge. Saxena, R., 2010. Marketing Management 4E. London: McGraw-Hill Education. SentiStrength, 2014. Sentiment Analysis. [Online] Available at: http://sentistrength.wlv.ac.uk/results.php?text=Luois+Vuitton+have+nice+clothes+but+i+hate+their+pricessubmit=Detect+Sentiment [Accessed 19 May 2014]. Seth, S. Kapoor, K., 2014. Fostering Creativity Innovation In Marketing Communication through Social Media. The International Journal Of Business Management, 2(1), pp.19-24. Shimp, T. Andrews, J.C., 2013. Advertising promotion and other aspects of integrated marketing communications. Mason: Cengage Learning. Sigala, M., 2010. The Handbook of Field Marketing: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Outsourcing Face-to-face Direct Marketing. Journal of Product Brand Management, 19(1), pp.67-68. Stone, M.A. Desmond,J ‎., 2007. Fundamentals of Marketing. London: Routledge. Tuten, T.L. Solomon, M.R., 2012. Social Media Marketing. New York: Prentice Hall. Warc, 2014. Promotional Marketing Council. [Online] Available at: warc.com/ContentandPartners/PromotionalMarketingCouncil.info [Accessed May 2014]. Wharton, C., 2013. Advertising as Culture. Bristol: Intellect. Woisetschlger, D.M. Michaelis, M., 2012. Sponsorship congruence and brand image: A pre-post event analysis. European Journal of Marketing, 46(3/4), pp.509-23.

Nushu, a Woman-Only Language of China

Nushu, a Woman-Only Language of China Nushu or Nu Shu means, literally, â€Å"woman’s writing† in Chinese.   The script was developed by peasant women in Hunan Province, China, and used in Jiangyong county, but probably also in nearby Daoxian and Jianghua counties.   It nearly became extinct before its very recent discovery.   The oldest items are from the very early 20th century, though the language is assumed to have much older roots. The script was often used in embroidery, calligraphy and handicrafts created by women.   It is found written on paper (including letters, written poetry and on objects such as fans) and embroidered on fabric (including on quilts, aprons, scarves, handkerchiefs).   Objects were often buried with women or were burned. While sometimes characterized as a language, it might better be considered a script, as the underlying language was the same local dialect used also by the men in the area, and usually by the men written in Hanzi characters. Nushu, like other Chinese characters, is written in columns, with characters running from top to bottom in each column and columns written from the right to the left.   Chinese researchers count between 1000 and 1500 characters in the script, including variants for the same pronunciation and function; Orie Endo (below) has concluded that there are about 550 distinct characters in the script.   Chinese characters are usually ideograms (representing ideas or words); Nushu characters are mostly phonograms (representing sounds) with some ideograms.   Four types of strokes make u the characters: dots, horizontals, verticals and arcs. According to Chinese sources, Gog Zhebing, a teacher in South Central China, and linguistics professor Yan Xuejiong, discovered calligraphy used in the Jiangyong prefecture.   In another version of the discovery, an old man, Zhou Shuoyi, brought it to attention, preserving a poem from ten generations back in his family and beginning to study the writing in the 1950s.   The Cultural Revolution, he said, interrupted his studies, and his 1982 book brought it to the attention of others. The script was well known locally as â€Å"woman’s writing† or nà ¼shu  but it had not before come to the attention of linguists, or at least of academia. At that time, about a dozen women survived who understood and could write Nushu. Japanese professor Orie Endo of Bunkyo University in Japan has been studying Nushu since the 1990s. She was first exposed to the existence of the language by a Japanese linguistics researcher, Toshiyuki Obata, and then learned more in China at Beijing University from Professor Prof. Zhao Li-ming.   Zhao and Endo traveled to Jiang Yong and interviewed elderly women to find people who could read and write the language. Orie Endo: 1999 research report (English): Endangered System of Women’s Writing from Hunan China (presented at the Association of Asian Studies Conference, March, 1999.Orie Endo: Nushu in 2011, including information on a Japanese-made documentary â€Å"The Chinese Women’s Script for Writing Sorrow.† The area where it has been used is one where the Han people and the Yao people have lived and intermixed, including intermarriage and mixing of cultures.   It was also an area, historically, of good climate and successful agriculture. The culture in the area was, like most of China, male-dominated for centuries, and women were not permitted an education.   There was a tradition of â€Å"sworn sisters,† women who were not biologically related but who committed to friendship.   In traditional Chinese marriage, exogamy was practiced: a bride joined her husband’s family, and would have to move, sometimes far away, not seeing her birth family again or only rarely. The new brides were thus under the control of their husbands and mothers-in-law after they married.   Their names did not become part of genealogies. Many of the Nushu writings are poetic, written in a structured style, and were written about marriage, including about the sorrow of separation. Other writings are letters from women to women, as they found, through this female-only script, a way to keep in communication with their female friends.   Most express feelings and many are about sorrow and misfortune. Because it was secret, with no references to it found in documents or genealogies, and many of the writings buried with the women who possessed the writings, it’s not authoritatively known when the script began.   Some scholars in China accept the script not as a separate language but as a variant on Hanzi characters. Others believe it may have been a remnant of a now-lost script of eastern China. Nushu declined in the 1920s when reformers and revolutionaries began to expand education to include women and to raise women’s status. While some of the older women attempted to teach the script to their daughters and granddaughters, most did not consider it valuable and did not learn.   Thus, fewer and fewer women could preserve the custom. The Nà ¼shu Culture Research Center in China was created to document and study Nushu and the culture around it, and to publicize its existence.   A dictionary of 1,800 characters including variants was created by Zhuo Shuoyi in 2003; it also includes notes on grammar.   At least 100 manuscripts are known outside of China. An exhibition in China that opened in April, 2004, focused on Nushu.   China to reveal female-specific language to public - Peoples Daily, English Edition

Trade patterns in China and Hong Kong Research Paper

Trade patterns in China and Hong Kong - Research Paper Example (National Council on Economic Education) But some countries like Hong Kong plays an intermediation role for the trade of land lock countries such as China. Hong Kong acts as an entrepot for China. Hong Kong supplies semi-manufacturing goods as well as raw materials to Mainland China by importing from rest of the world. In exchange, it re-exports the manufactured goods from China to rest of the countries of the world. (Schoen, 2010) The two basic theories of trade flows are the absolute advantage and comparative advantage. Absolute advantage believes that a country should only produce those things which it can by using least possible resources. The absolute advantage China has in comparison to Hong Kong is China’s low-paid workers who are very beneficial in production of labor-intensive goods. Hong Kong comparatively have high cost of living due to which people of Hong Kong are hardworking. However, sometimes the effects of comparative advantage theory outweigh Absolute advanta ge as countries focus on goods with least opportunity goods as mentioned above. In this situation, a country with a comparative advantage can export same goods to a country in which the later country have an absolute advantage. Hong Kong does have a major comparative advantage over Mainland China in Publishing Industry, Demonstration Industry, Cultural Experience tourism industry and Child rearing industry. (Liu) China, being the leader of low-priced manufactured goods obviously does have a comparative advantage over Hong Kong because of its cheap labor. These labor-intensive processed goods allow China to produce almost anything from house hold products to daily usage goods, and clothing, electronic items etc. Almost all day to day products are manufactured by China today. (Oblad, 2009) Both the governments of Hong Kong and China should encourage the development of those industries in which they have a comparative advantage so that their exports should flourish and trade among them would increase. China should rely on its clothing industry, low cost electronic items and daily products from battery cells to laptops to sell them at a cheap rate to Hong Kong and attract people from there as Hong Kong relatively has a high cost of living as compared to Mainland China. (China Global Trade). The Government of Hong should play a proactive role in development of Demonstration Industry as Hong Kong does have an advantage over China in this sector. People from China can visit Hong Kong for Demonstrations for human rights, etc. and in exchange Hong Kong can take rent from Chinese people for these demonstrations. There are a lot of books which are not allowed to be published in Mainland China and thus Hong Kong can produce these books with its growing Publishing Industry. Also, the people of China can have as many children they want in Hong Kong as there is no restriction as such one-child-policy of China in Hong Kong. The Government of Hong Kong will take care of raisin g the child but Chinese do have to pay fees obviously. Â  The cultural experience tourism industry also offers to Chinese the books, newspapers, movies, and websites that are banned in China. Thus both the countries could benefit by focusing on their comparative advantages (Xanga. 2012). The Government

Spanish immigrantion to United States from 1800's to the 1865 Essay

Spanish immigrantion to United States from 1800's to the 1865 - Essay Example The aim of this paper is to analyze the Spanish immigration from 1800 to 1865 in the lights of broad and diverse academic resources. Furthermore, it will analyze the impact of Spanish immigration on the economics of United States. As mentioned earlier, United States of America was the land of opportunities for the Spanish immigrants. The main aim of the Spanish immigrants was to find jobs in order to improve their living conditions. In the eighteen century, Spanish speaking countries had weak markets with extremely low wages. Some of them were experiencing political and economic stability and did not have jobs. Thus, Spanish immigrants moved to United States. During that time, Spanish immigrants were in demand because they possessed â€Å"good work ethic and little political voice† (Bankston & Hidalgo, 45). The creation and introduction of the steam engine in the nineteenth century called for the need of labor in order to place and put the track. Therefore, Spanish immigrants were allowed to migrate to USA. The invention and adoption of railway transport changed the structure of the United States in the nineteenth century. It concentrated on creating working opportunities and therefore, United States became the hub for immigration. Large number of Spanish immigrants migrated to US because of better working conditions and better wages as compared to their country of origin (Alexander, 159). The Spanish immigration proved to be beneficial for US in terms of economics as Spanish labor was readily available. Throughout the 1800s, Spanish immigrants were employed in construction industries, steel industry, etc. The expansion of rail road business meant for railway tracks and soon, majority of the Spanish immigrants were employed as labors in placing railway tracks. They also entered the agricultural domain and continued to work in industries. Research suggests that from 1800 to