Biography of Mary Boleyn, the Boleyn Survivor

Mary Boleyn (ca. 1499/1500–July 19, 1543) was a courtier and noblewoman at the court of Henry VIII of England. She was one of the king’s earlier mistresses before being supplanted by her sister Anne and marrying a soldier with little income. However, her absence from court allowed her to escape blame when her sister fell, and she was permitted to inherit what remained of the Boleyn property and fortune. Fast Facts: Mary Boleyn Occupation: CourtierKnown For: Sister of Anne Boleyn, mistress of King Henry VIII, and survivor of the Boleyns downfallBorn: circa 1499/1500 in Norfolk, EnglandDied: July 19, 1543 in EnglandSpouse(s): Sir William Carey (m. 1520-1528); William Stafford (m. 1534-1543)Children: Catherine Carey Knollys, Henry Carey, Edward Stafford, Anne Stafford Early Life in England and France Because of the shoddy record-keeping in the Tudor era, historians cannot pinpoint Mary’s exact date of birth or even her place in the birth order among the three Boleyn siblings. Most agree, however, that she was born around 1499 or 1500 at the Boleyn family home, Blickling Hall in Norfolk, and that she was the eldest child of Thomas Boleyn and his wife Katherine, nà ©e Lady Katherine Howard. The couple soon had another daughter, Anne, and a son, George. Mary was educated at her family’s primary seat, Hever Castle in Kent, along with her siblings. Her education consisted of basic school subjects such as math, history, reading, and writing, as well as the various skills and crafts required of a lady of noble birth, such as embroidery, music, etiquette, and dancing. When she was about fifteen, Mary’s father secured her a position in the royal court of France as a maid of honor to Princess Mary Tudor, soon to be Queen Mary of France. A Royal Mistress Twice Over Although young, Mary quickly established herself in the new queen’s household. Even when Queen Mary was widowed in 1515 and returned to England, Mary was permitted to stay behind at the court of Francis I. Her father Thomas, now the ambassador to France, and her sister Anne joined her. Between 1516 and 1519, Mary remained at the French court. While there, she apparently gained a reputation for her romantic behavior, having multiple affairs, including one with King Francis. Modern historians question whether contemporary accounts of her affairs were exaggerated or not; it certainly didn’t help that Francis infamously called her â€Å"a very great whore, the most infamous of all.† The Boleyns (aside from Anne) returned to England sometimes in 1519, and Mary was married to a respectable and wealthy courtier, William Carey, on February 2, 1520. She was given a position as a lady-in-waiting to the queen, Katherine of Aragon. Although King Henry was still fairly happy in his marriage to Katherine, it was well-known at this point that he often had affairs with the ladies of the court. One such affair, with a woman named Bessie Blount, resulted in an illegitimate son: Henry Fitzroy, whom the king acknowledged as his bastard. The queen, who had suffered several miscarriages and stillbirths and was approaching the end of her childbearing years, had no choice but to look the other way. At some point, though historians are unsure as to precisely when, Henry’s gaze fell on Mary, and they began an affair. In the early 1520s, Mary had two children: a daughter, Catherine Carey, and a son, Henry Carey. The rumor that King Henry fathered Catherine, Henry, or both has persisted and gained popularity, but there is no actual evidence behind the theory. The Other Boleyn For a time, Mary was the favorite of the court and the king (and thus of her family). However, in 1522, her sister Anne returned to England and also joined the queen’s court, although she and Mary likely moved in different circles, given Anne’s intense intellectual interests which Mary was not known to share. Anne became one of the more popular ladies at court, and, like so many before her, caught the attention of the king. Unlike others, however, she refused to become his mistress. Many historians have interpreted this as an early sign of her ambitions to be queen, but other scholars have suggested that she simply was uninterested and would have preferred he cease his attention so she could make a good, legitimate match. By 1527, however, Henry had made up his mind to divorce Katherine and marry Anne, and in the meantime, Anne was treated as the de facto queen. Mary’s husband William died when the sweating sickness swept through the court in 1528, leaving her with debts. Anne took over guardianship of Mary’s son Henry, giving him a respectable education, and secured a widow’s pension for Mary. Anne was crowned queen on June 1, 1533, and Mary was one of her ladies. By 1534, Mary had remarried for love to William Stafford, a soldier and the second son of a landowner in Essex. Stafford had little income, and the couple was married in secret. When Mary became pregnant, however, they were forced to reveal their marriage. Queen Anne and the rest of the Boleyn family were furious that she had married without royal permission, and the couple was banished from court. Mary attempted to get the king’s advisor, Thomas Cromwell, to intervene on her behalf, but King Henry either never got the message or was not moved to action. Likewise, the Boleyns did not relent until Anne did; she sent Mary some money but did not reinstate her position at court. Between 1535 and 1536, Mary and William are believed to have had two children of their own: Edward Stafford (who died at the age of ten), and Anne Stafford, whose whereabouts as an adult are lost to history. Final Years and Legacy of Survival By 1536, Queen Anne had fallen out of favor, and she was arrested (along with her brother George and several male courtiers) and charged with treason, witchcraft, and adultery. Mary did not communicate with her family at this time – indeed, there is no record of contact after Anne’s brief gift following Mary’s exile. Anne was executed on May 19, 1536 (her brother had been executed the day prior), and the remains of the Boleyn family were disgraced. Mary, however, escaped notice. She and her family continued to live off their lands. Mary died on July 19, 1543; her specific cause of death is unknown. Mary never returned to court, but her daughter, Catherine Carey, was summoned by the head of the Howard/Boleyn clan to serve as a lady-in-waiting, first to Anne of Cleves, then to her distant cousin Catherine Howard. Eventually, she became the first lady of the bedchamber (a high-ranked lady-in-waiting) to her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. Through Catherine and her husband Sir Francis Knollys, Mary’s lineage remains in the British royal family to this day: Queen Elizabeth II is her descendant through her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Mary was mostly forgotten by history in favor of the more colorful and influential figures of the Tudor era. She featured in a few historical fiction and non-fiction texts, but she gained attention in popular culture following Philippa Gregory’s 2001 novel The Other Boleyn Girl and its subsequent 2008 film adaptation. Because many details of her life were not recorded (she was noble, but not especially important), we only know bits and pieces about her. More than anything, her legacy is not one of being the â€Å"unimportant† Boleyn, but of being the Boleyn who survived and thrived. Sources Gregory, Philippa. The Other Boleyn Girl. Simon Schuster, 2001.Hart, Kelly. The Mistresses of Henry VIII.  The History Press, 2009.Weir, Alison. Mary Boleyn: The Mistress of Kings.  Ballantine Books, 2011.Wilkinson, Josephine. Mary Boleyn: The True Story of Henry VIIIs Favorite Mistress. Amberley, 2009.

The Pros Cons of Becoming a Manager - 1190 Words

Are you deciding if management is right for your career path? This blog will discuss the pros cons of entering management. PRO S There are many positives to being a manager. Managers generally are paid more than others in the company. They appear to have more power. And the power and pay differences tend to give the position more status or prestige. Remuneration: Certainly the top manager in a company gets paid more than anyone else in the company. Managers are generally paid more than everyone in their group as well, but not always. For example an Architect in a project may get paid more than a Project Manager. Smart companies pay their people based on their value to the company, not on their title or position, and in that†¦show more content†¦You have several people within your own organization who want your job and more people on the outside who are after it as well. They may not agree with the decisions you made (see above) or felt they could have made better decisions. You may have actually made a wrong decision and they will use that as leverage to try and push you aside. The higher you go in any organization, the fewer positions there are at that level and the more competition there is for them. Legal Liabilities: Managers have legal liabilities that others don t. Managers frequently have to sign documents, they have to ensure the workplace is free from harassment; they have to keep their people safe. If a manager fails in any of these responsibilities, they may be held legally liable. Restrictions: Managers often have restrictions placed on them because of their position. For example, a normal employee can exercise stock options or trade in the company stock whenever they wish, but the top managers (even in most of the companies their closed ones also restricted) who are involved in making financial results are restricted to windows of time that exclude immediately before and after quarterly financial results are announced. 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Being a Teenager Free Essays

Being a teenager The teenage years are the years were you try to find out who you are. It’s the best period in life. But it’s also one of the hardest. We will write a custom essay sample on Being a Teenager or any similar topic only for you Order Now By Frederik Handberg Hello I’m Frederik. I want to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being a teenager. My opinion is that it’s hard to be a â€Å"normal† teenager in 2011. It can get confusing whit all the different situations you have to deal with. But there are also many great things when it comes to being a teenager. And I think that that is very important to remember when you’re young and sometimes can feel a bit down over things in life. I think that teenager’s opinions are being heard in the public space. But they are sometimes being neglected. Because people just think we are a bunch of confused minors. Many teenagers have an opinion to how the world and life should be. But we don’t get influence on the decisions which is taken. People still treat us like a child. And that can sometimes get quite annoying when we try to grow up. Many teenagers see the school as a place where they are forced to be during the day. But that isn’t my opinion. Of course it can be irritating sometimes to get up a rainy day and go to school. But I mostly see the school as a place where you meet your friends. And meet new people. Another thing that approximately all teenagers have wondered about, I think. Is their popularity among their friends in the class. Sometimes you can feel like a complete idiot. And other times feel like you can take on the whole world. When you grow up you will also see that you get more responsibility and control over your own life. Although you can feel that your parents are being more irritating and over protective. And you don’t always see your parent’s decisions as a good thing. I guess that is a part of being a teenager and grow up. Sometimes you believe that your parents only are there to make life miserable for you. And set limits for your growing expression. You sometimes feel that your parents must have forgotten how it was to be a teenager. But in the end I think that you will see that you’re parents only tried to take care of you. And do the best thing possible for you. I think our parents would show us even more confidence, if we managed to have a good relationship to them. It is also in the teenage years that you try to define who you are as a person. In other words, what your identity is. That’s why many teenagers try many different things in these years. That not always is thought through. But if we don’t try we won’t move us and develop us in life. Frederik Handberg, 488 words. How to cite Being a Teenager, Essay examples

Growing Up Essay Example For Students

Growing Up Essay It was my last night at home with my family. My mother went out of her way to make my favorite meal, barbeque chicken. We all sat quietly as if I would never see them again. The time seemed to fly that night as my sister and I washed the dinner dishes and cleared off the table. My father and brothers were in their usual places, watching the evening news. There was very little conversation as we all headed for bed. I knew tomorrow was my big day. Everyone has to grow up sometime, but not everyone realizes they are grown up, until they get their wake up call. It was a dark dreary night raining continuously and storming as if something were telling me not to go. My bag was all packed and waiting by the front door. I lay there in my bed knowing that this was my last night of comfort and serenity in the safety of the home I grew up in. I have never been away from home for more than that week at summer camp. I was scared and couldnt sleep. The whole world seemed to open up to me that night. I tossed and turned listening to the crickets chirp, and the rain hitting the roof. All I could think about was what lie ahead of me. I wondered if I had made the right choice, but there was no way to back out now. My alarm rang at six a.m. I heard my parents rustling about downstairs getting ready to escort me to the airport. The smell of fresh coffee seemed to call to me. I rushed down stairs as usual and waited impatiently for it to stop brewing. My mother quickly pulled the cups out of the cupboard and called to my father to start the car. The road to the airport seemed short. My father pulled into the fire lane to let my mother and me out where he could park the car. I waited in line to check in my baggage and I was trembling in my shoes as the attendant told us, You are at Gate 6 that is around the corner and to the right. We walked slowly. My plane was not to depart until nine a.m. The time came and they began boarding the plane. It was all I could do to mutter Goodbye, Ill write as soon as I can. My mother just kissed me quickly and my father hugged me tight. I started to walk down the gangway, and I saw my mother drop to her knees in tears. I knew if I was ever going to leave, I could not go back; so I just walked straight ahead. I quickly found my seat, covered my face, and cried. As the plane departed, I felt a huge knot in my stomach. It was a nine hour flight to Orlando, Florida. The longest nine hours of my life. I felt like a scared and lonely child. I shut my eyes, and the next thing I remember was waking u p to hear the flight attendant say, Youre here. The wait for the bus seemed to last well into the night. There were several of us waiting for the bus when it finally pulled up to the curb. We had a two hour drive ahead of us which seemed to go pretty quick. I met a lot of new friends like myself, leaving home for the first time. The bus pulled into a long driveway and stopped. A tall, black man stepped on the bus and yelled at us to get off and stand in a single file line. I remember his words just as clear today, Welcome to the United States Navy, Youre children now, but in eight weeks you will leave here adults!It was at that moment it hit me, my wake up call if you will. I knew there was no turning back, no parents to help me. I will make it or I wont. I left home a child and I would return an adult. I was all grown up. .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 , .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 .postImageUrl , .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 , .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100:hover , .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100:visited , .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100:active { border:0!important; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100:active , .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100 .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8ee2355232d5ffb71e56d8c3f854f100:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Swimmer By John Cheever EssayEnc 1102, 8amJanuary 28, 2004Narrative EssayGrowing Up

Young Goodman Brown Goodman Brown Essay Example For Students

Young Goodman Brown Goodman Brown Essay Young Goodman Brown is a moral story that is told through the perversion of a religious leader. In Young Goodman Brown, Goodman Brown is a Puritan minister who lets his excessive pride in himself interfere with his relations with the community after he meets with the devil, and causes him to live the life of an exile in his own community. Young Goodman Brown begins when Faith, Browns wife, asks him not to go on an errand. Goodman Brown says to his love and (my) Faith that this one night I must tarry away from thee. When he says his love and his Faith, he is talking to his wife, but he is also talking to his faith to God. He is venturing into the woods to meet with the Devil, and by doing so, he leaves his unquestionable faith in God with his wife. He resolves that he will cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven. This is an example of the excessive pride because he feels that he can sin and meet with the Devil because of this promise that he made to himself. There is a tremendous irony to this promise because when Goodman Brown comes back at dawn; he can no longer look at his wife with the same faith he had before. We will write a custom essay on Young Goodman Brown Goodman Brown specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now When Goodman Brown finally meets with the Devil, he declares that the reason he was late was because Faith kept me back awhile. This statement has a double meaning because his wife physically prevented him from being on time for his meeting with the devil, but his faith to God psychologically delayed his meeting with the devil. The Devil had with him a staff that bore the likeness of a great black snake. The staff which looked like a snake is a reference to the snake in the story of Adam and Eve. The snake led Adam and Eve to their destruction by leading them to the Tree of Knowledge. The Adam and Eve story is similar to Goodman Brown in that they are both seeking unfathomable amounts of knowledge. Once Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge they were expelled from their paradise. The Devils staff eventually leads Goodman Brown to the Devils ceremony which destroys Goodman Browns faith in his fellow man, therefore expelling him from his utopia. Goodman Brown almost immediately declares that he kept his meeting with the Devil and no longer wishes to continue on his errand with the Devil. He says that he comes from a race of honest men and good Christians and that his father had never gone on this errand and nor will he. The Devil is quick to point out however that he was with his father and grandfather when they were flogging a woman or burning an Indian village, respectively. These acts are ironic in that they were bad deeds done in the name of good, and it shows that he does not come from good Christians. When Goodman Browns first excuse not to carry on with the errand proves to be unconvincing, he says he cant go because of his wife, Faith. And because of her, he can not carry out the errand any further. At this point the Devil agrees with him and tells him to turn back to prevent that Faith should come to any harm like the old woman in front of them on the path. Ironically, Goodman Browns faith is harmed because the woma n on the path is the woman who taught him his catechism in youth, and was still his moral and spiritual adviser. The Devil and the woman talk and afterward, Brown continues to walk on with the Devil in the disbelief of what he had just witnessed. Ironically, he blames the woman for consorting with the Devil but his own pride stops him from realizing that his faults are the same as the womans. .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 , .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 .postImageUrl , .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 , .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2:hover , .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2:visited , .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2:active { border:0!important; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2:active , .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2 .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue66f4d93154133b05d3954e564f128a2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Romeo And Juliet: Fate Or Free Will EssayBrown again decides that he will no longer to continue on his errand and rationalizes that just because his teacher was not going to heaven, why should he quit my dear Faith, and go after her. At this, the Devil tosses Goodman Brown his staff (which will lead

Man in the Mirror Essay

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An Ethical Analysis of the Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sport Assignment

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Optical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Optical - Essay Example Since the future demands a high speed networking, plastic optical fibre can be a possible option in the next generation. Â  There are different types of plastic optic fibres. These types arise due to the attributes that determine any type of transmission media. The main attributes are; the length over which data will be transmitted and the speed at which the data will be transmitted over a given length. There can be loss of data during the transmission process, and this arises from scattering the light or absorption of the light by impurities in the fibrelike molecules of water or metals, fibre defects like voids, interfaces of core cladding and the end faces. Any one of the loss mechanisms is usually a function of the transmission wave’s wavelength (Weinert, 1999). One type of a plastic optical fibre is the PMMA. The PMMA loss spectrum has 530 nm, 570 nm and 650 nm transmission windows. All these windows are in the visible range. The 650 nm window is more sensitive because it is narrow. If a 650 nm source shifts with temperature, there could be arousal of problems in this window. On the other hand, the 57 and 530 windows are broader hence less sensitive to source wavelength shifts due to temperature variations. The PMMA plastic fibre is limited to transmitting light of less than 100 m. this is because the losses at 650 nm are 125dB/km while the loses at 570 nm and 530 nm are less than 90dB/km (Plastic Optical Fibres and Applications Conference (Paris)), 1992). Another type of plastic optical fibre is made from perfluorinated polymers. This newer type of plastic optical fibre exhibits greater light transmission over a wider range of wavelength. There are two notable features that are seen when comparing the loss spectrum of perfluorinated polymer to that of PMMA. One is that the spectrum for the perfluorinated polymer ranges from 650 nm to 1300 nm. This range is notably higher than the range for PMMA. The second outstanding

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Developing an Integrated Marketing Mix Plan

Developing an Integrated Marketing Mix Plan The fruit juices and juice drinks market sector has enjoyed steady growth up until the last few years. However, the market has now stalled due to the economic recession. Juice drinks are less expensive than fruit juices and this latter segment of the market has consequently grown whilst the fruit juices segment has declined, a trend that is expected to continue for the next few years at least. New product innovation and advertising expenditure are also in decline but in-store promotions are increasing as brands fight for market share. Established brands are paying more attention to the growing childrens market with specially positioned and targeted products. The Food Standards Agency has actively promoted healthier eating and pressurised the drinks industry to do the same. However, tough economic times and unemployment are affecting both consumer confidence and the ability of consumers to finance a healthier eating lifestyle. Even so, there is undoubtedly a market gap for a new brand to exploit. A healthy juice drink aimed at children, for consumption at breakfast time, would have little direct competition, in terms of its brand positioning, and would satisfy the need parents have to monitor their childrens five-a-day intake. Equally, it could also compete effectively in school lunch box market segment, which is an identified growth area. A new brand in this market segment would need a strong brand name and a distinctive brand position that resonates with consumer needs and stands out amongst the plethora of well -known brand names, which include Tropicana and Innocent smoothies. The new brand will also have to spend heavily on promotion during its launch phase to establish a sustainable market share. The promotional plan will need to deploy communications tools such as TV, which can deliver the right audience in sufficient numbers to achieve this goal in the shortest time possible. Other support media, such as online advertising, public relations, and sales promotion, will be required in order to support the TV advertising and extend the coverage and frequency of the promotional campaign. The positioning of the new brand is crucial in relation to all aspects of the marketing mix plan, as is the integration of both these activities and the key communications messages, all of which will help to ensure, as far as it is possible, the success of the new product launch. The market sector consists of two distinct segments, namely fruit juices, which are 100% pure fruit juice and juice drinks, which contain ingredients other than pure fruit, such as water. The value of the market sector in the UK grew in 2010, compared to 2009, with an annual increase of just over 3% to  £3.2 billion (Euromonitor, 2011). However, it only recovered to 2008 levels (Mintel, 2008) following a dip in sales value to  £3.1 billion in 2009 (Mintel, 2010). Whilst both overall volume sales and values have grown steadily in recent years, the effect of consumers trading down, together with a reduction in advertising expenditure and new product innovation and development by all brands, the market sector, in terms of product life cycle, appears to be reaching maturity (Mintel, 2010) see Figure 1 below: Figure 1: Product Life Cycle (Source: adapted from Kotler, 2001, p. 349) 1.2 Sales Trends Fruit Juices Vs Juice Drinks In 2010, there was a notable shift in consumers buying value-for-money juice drinks rather than premium fruit juice products. Volume sales in the fruit juices segment declined whilst the juice drinks segment increased its volume sales by 1% and its value by just over 3% in 2010, compared to 2009 (Euromonitor, 2011). This has resulted in a narrowing of the gap between the volume sales of fruit juices versus juice drinks see Figure 4 below. Mintel (2010) expects this trend to continue to at least 2015. Table 1: Volume Sales Trends Fruit Juices Vs Juice Drinks (Source: Mintel, 2010) 1.3 The Competitive Environment 1.3.1 Fruit Juices The brand leader and dominant player in the fruit juices market sector is Tropicana with an estimated 30% share followed a long way behind by Princes with just 3%. Tropicana has achieved its success through maintaining a balance between its premium brand positioning and a pricing strategy that is both appropriate for a premium brand and sufficiently appealing to consumers. Tropicana also benefits from being the UKs most recognised brand in this market sector (Euromonitor, 2011). Orange remains by far the most popular flavour in the fruit juices market segment accounting for about 58% of total sales volume in 2010 (Bainbridge, 2011). 1.3.2 Juice Drinks The major brands in this market sector are Oasis, Ribena, Capri Sun and Robinsons, which together account for about 50% of all sales. For juice drinks, according to Mintel, blended flavours are the most popular (Bainbridge, 2011). Tropicana has also extended its brand into this sector with its Tropicana Go! product for children. 1.4 Consumer Targeting According to TGI, the fruit juice and juice drink market sector is strongly associated with families with 83%, penetration of those UK households with children aged from five to nine. This is believed to be because parents and housewives in particular, are aware of the perceived health benefits of products in this market (Bainbridge, 2011). In addition, children account for one third of the consumption of all juice drinks (Euromonitor, 2011). 1.5 Media Advertising Expenditure The following three tables detail media advertising expenditure for fruit juices and juice drinks overall, by main monitored brands, and by main monitored products. Date Expenditure 2009/10 Index 2005/06=100 Adspend: Sales  £m Ratio (%) 2005/06 28 100 0.9 2006/07 29 104 0.9 2007/08 30 107 1.0 2008/09 23 82 0.7 2009/10 18 64 0.6 (Note: year is from July-June. Main monitored brands only excludes smoothies). Table 2: Total Overall Media Advertising Spend 2005/06-2009/10 (Source: Nielsen Media Research, 2010) Advertiser 2007/08 2007/08 2008/09 2008/09 2009/10 2009/10 Total Total  £000 %  £000 %  £000 %  £000 % Coca-Cola Great Britain 4,656 16 6,675 29 4,853 27 16,184 23 Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd 8,106 27 3,693 16 2,284 13 14,083 20 PepsiCo Intl Ltd 4,872 17 2,122 9 3,036 17 10,031 14 Ocean Spray Intl Inc 4,457 15 2,053 9 1,846 10 8,355 12 GlaxoSmithKline Plc 2,307 8 1,573 7 989 6 4,869 7 Gerber Foods Intl 1,211 4 1,815 8 1,386 8 4,412 6 Nichols Plc 1,104 4 1,089 5 1,332 7 3,525 5 Rubicon Products Ltd 892 3 1,138 5 411 2 2,441 3 British Sugar Plc 661 2 973 4 633 4 2,267 3 Sunsweet Growers 158 1 132 1 411 2 701 1 Others 1,092 4 1,707 7 610 3 3,409 5 Total 29,516 100 22,971 100 17,791 100 70,278 100 (Note: year is from July-June. Main monitored brands only excludes smoothies). Table 3: Media Advertising Spend by Advertiser 2007/08-2009/10 (Source: Nielsen Media Research, 2010) Brand Advertiser 2007 2007 2008 2008 2009 2009 Total Total  £0 %  £0 %  £0 %  £0 % Oasis Drink Coca-Cola 2,260 8 2,676 11 2,135 11 7,071 9 Ocean Spray Cranberry Ocean Sp. 2,235 8 2,604 10 1,751 9 6,590 9 Tropicana Pure Premium PepsiCo 5,129 17 1,134 5 6,264 8 Tropicana Pure Premium Orange PepsiCo 322 1 1,961 8 3,331 17 5,613 8 Capri-Sun Coca-Cola 755 3 674 3 2,521 13 3,950 5 J2O Fruit Drink Britvic 1,659 6 21 2,179 11 3,859 5 Robinsons Fruit Shoot Britvic 2,720 9 348 1 743 4 3,812 5 Vimto Soft Drinks Nichols 1,197 4 1,305 5 1,121 6 3,623 5 Welchs Purple Grape Gerber 341 1 2,230 9 966 5 3,537 5 Robinsons Drink Range Britvic 2,333 8 1,136 5 3,469 5 Others Others 10,416 35 11,000 44 5,390 27 26,806 36 Total 29,367 100 25,089 100 20,138 100 74,594 100 (Note: Main monitored brands only excludes smoothies). Table 4: Media Advertising Spend by Brand 2007-2009 (Source: Nielsen Media Research, 2010) 1.6 Distribution 1.6.1 Off Trade Most off trade sales take place through the large supermarket chains. Tesco sells more fruit juices and juice drinks than any other retail off-trade outlet accounting for around 18% of all sales in 2010 with Asda accounting for just over 11% (Euromonitor, 2011). 1.6.2 On Trade The key on-trade distribution channels in the UK are fast food and other restaurants, plus pubs, bars and clubs, where juices are typically used as mixers. However, the adult  juice  brand J2O is positioned as an alternative to alcohol in pubs, bars, and clubs and is increasing its sales year-on-year (Euromonitor, 2011). 1.7 Price Unit prices vary considerably depending on whether the drink is a fruit juice or a juice drink, and its fruit content if it is a juice drink. In addition, unit price varies according to the products positioning i.e. if it is a premium, supermarket own label standard or budget product. A selection of typical retail prices are shown in the two tables below. Positioning Brand Retail Price Premium Tropicana Orange Fruit Juice 1L  £2.18 Supermarket Own Label Standard Tesco Apple and Mango Fruit Juice 1L Litre  £1.60 Supermarket Own Label Budget Tesco Value Apple Juice 1L  £0.62 Table 5: Fruit Juices Typical Retail Prices (Source: mySupermarket.co.uk, 2011) Positioning Brand Retail Price Premium Prices Cranberry Juice Drink 1L  £1.42 Supermarket Own Label Standard Tesco Exotic Juice Drink 1L  £0.90 Supermarket Own Label Budget Tesco Value Apple Juice Drink 1L  £0.53 Table 6: Juice Drinks Typical Retail Prices (Source: mySupermarket.co.uk, 2011) Unit prices in 2010 were reported as being stable even though some brand owners passed on cost increases associated with fluctuations in currency exchange rates between the euro and the pound. However, this move was counterbalanced by discounting and promotional offers for private label and leading brand in the retail marketplace (Euromonitor, 2011). Generally, consumers were inclined to trade down to  juice drinks from fruit juices, due to price considerations. Whilst the recession undoubtedly encouraged discounting and sales promotions, it is evident that both own labels and leading manufacturers offered discounts and promotions long before the recession actually started. This practice is forecast to be a permanent strategy in the market sector in the future as brands jostle to establish and consolidate their competitive positions in an increasingly price sensitive market (Euromonitor, 2011). 1.8 The Macro Environment PESTEL Analysis Organisations can examine their external macro-environment by using the PESTEL analysis framework (Gillespie, 2007). A PESTEL analysis for the fruit juices and juice drinks market sector appears below: Political This refers to any government policy that may cause an intervention in the marketplace. In 2004, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK stated that it had a mission to convince consumers to adopt healthier food options for a healthier lifestyle. The FSA also required that the food and drinks industry support it in trying to achieve its aims (Food Standards Agency, 2004). The FSA suggested that organisations should include healthy eating strategies for their customers as part of their overall corporate social responsibility programmes rather than simply as a marketing tactic. In addition, the government has promoted healthier eating through an increased intake of fruit and vegetables with its 5-a-day campaign. This has been successful with 74% of those consumers questioned claiming they were aware of the campaign and nearly 60% having taken some action as a direct result of being exposed to the campaign (Food Standards Agency, 2008). Economic This includes such factors as interest rates, taxation changes, economic status and growth prospects, inflation, and exchange rates. Interest rates remain at an all time low with correspondingly low mortgage servicing costs for the majority of homeowners. However, unemployment, together with the threat of unemployment, is negatively affecting consumer confidence, which, in turn, is causing middle-income consumers to trade down higher priced, premium and luxury products (Warc, 2010). Social and Cultural This covers social and cultural trends that can affect consumer demand. There is a noticeable trend towards healthier eating habits in the UK. The importance of this to brands owners and marketers was highlighted in the Health of Britain Survey conducted in 2008 when Giles Quick from the research company, TNS Worldpanel UK said: It is unlikely that we will ever put health before taste, but brands that manage to combine great taste with practicality as well as a positive health proposition, are in an ideal position to win full marks from the consumer'(Quick, p. 3, 2008) Technological This looks at how new technologies can help create new products and new processes. The ubiquitous internet and the growth of mobile electronic communications devices will have an increasing influence over the way in which consumers interact with, and buy, brands, products, and services (Ericssson White Paper, 2011) Environmental Includes the weather and climate change and how these may affect the marketplace. Global warming and climate change are affecting the UK inasmuch as climatologists expect a generally warmer climate in the future. This may result in consumers drinking more water and, equally they drink more fruit juices and juice drinks (just-drinks, 2011). Legal This includes the legal framework within which the organisation and its competitors operate. There are currently no legal issues that may affect the market. 2.0 Identification of the Market Opportunity 2.1 Rationale for the Market Opportunity As has been seen from the analysis in Part 1.0, the ongoing economic difficulties in the UK have caused consumers in the market sector to trade down from fruit juices to juice drinks. This has been borne out by volume sales figures showing a decrease in fruit juice sales and an increase in juice drink sales over the last three years with the trend forecast to continue to at least 2015 (Euromonitor, 2011). However, fruit juices and juice drinks targeting children have seen their volume sales increase. For example, in 2010, Innocent saw sales of its childrens Wedge Cartons grow and subsequently launched a new product for children, Pure  Fruit  Squeezies, designed as a snack to go in childrens school lunchboxes. Feel Good Drinks for Kids and Tropicana Go! were also launched to target the school lunchbox market (Euromonitor, 2011). For juice drinks, breakfast time is when 50% of all such drinks are consumed (Euromonitor, 2011). All fruit juice and juice drinks, even if they contain no added sugar, contain natural fruit sugar. Consequently, for children, it is especially important that they consume juice drinks at mealtimes, such as at breakfast, as this is less likely to damage their teeth than if they sip at juice drinks during the day (Food Standards Agency, 2011). Equally, parents can monitor their childrens intake of juice drinks at breakfast and ensure that they clean their teeth afterwards before they go to school. In addition, parents are becoming increasingly aware of the need to provide a healthy diet for their children and this message is being actively promoted by government through the Food Standards Agency (2004). Research by Euromonitor (2011) has identified a specific market gap for products targeted at children and believes that brands in this marketplace need to strengthen their five-a-day mess ages. 2.2 Defining the Market Opportunity The gap in the market, therefore, is defined as: A high fruit content (50%), healthy juice dink for children to consume at breakfast as part of their five-a-day needs. 2.3 Competition Competition for such a product will come primarily from those brands that have developed, and successfully marketed, products specifically aimed at children. The identified competitors in this respect are: Innocents childrens wedge cartons and Pure  Fruit  Squeezies, Feel Good Drinks For Kids Tropicana Go! 3.0 Marketing Mix Plan 3.1 Marketing Objectives To generate sales worth  £120 million within 12 months of launch. To achieve a 4% share of the overall fruit juice and juice drinks market sector within 12 months of launch. 3.2 Marketing Strategy 3.2.1 Launch Strategy According to accepted marketing theory, for a new product launch in a competitive and price sensitive marketplace, such as for fruit juices and juice drinks, a brand needs to build consumer awareness quickly and achieve rapid market penetration to establish itself successfully (Kotler, 2001, p.355). Consequently, it is proposed to launch the new juice drink product using a rapid penetration strategy, which is one of four identified strategies for a new product launch- see figure 2 below: Figure 2: Marketing Strategies in the Introduction Stage (Source: adapted from Kotler, 2001, p.355) The rapid penetration strategy involves launching the new product at a relatively low price, compared to competitor products, with heavyweight promotional support in order to achieve the fastest possible market penetration and to gain the highest possible market share. This is a sensible strategy in a market with a number of established competitors where a new, and by definition, unknown brand has no consumer awareness. It is also a strategy more likely to succeed where there is price sensitivity in the market, as there is for fruit juices and juice drinks. In terms of cost, then the unit manufacturing cost falls with the volume production scale and with accumulated production experience (Kotler, 2001, p.356). 3.2.2 Competitive Position There are four basic competitive positions that the new product could adopt as follows: Market Leader Market Challenger Market Follower Market Nicher As this is a new product launch targeted at a segment of the overall market, which, although relatively immature, has some established players, it is proposed that the product is positioned as a Market Challenger. This competitive market positioning is relatively high-risk but also high-gain and helps to build a sustainable competitive advantage (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010) 3.2.3 Analysing Competitors The fruit juices and juice drinks market sector is characterised by intense competition between organisations, many of which now operate on a global scale. In view of this, even though the main competitors have been identified, it is crucial that the new brand gains a detailed insight into the nature of these competitors if it is to consolidate its long-term competitive position following its launch (Wilson and Gilligan, 2005, p. 223). According to Kotler and Keller (2006) there are a number of strategic steps that need to be undertaken in order analyse competitor actions in the marketplace. See Figure 3 on the next page. Figure 3: Strategic Steps in Analysing Competitor Actions In the case of the proposed new product, with its Market Challenger position, it is proposed that all fruit juice and juice drink brands competing within its market segment are attacked -see 3.2.3 Brand Positioning below. However, the brand needs to constantly monitor and evaluate the activities of its competitors. 3.3 Product Strategy 3.3.1 Product Specification A blended*, high fruit-content (50%) juice drink with no added sugar or colouring available from the soft drinks section of the supermarket (not chilled). * Actual flavour blend to be determined through research and pre-testing with consumer sample. 3.3.2 Brand Name The proposed brand name is START! The product targeted at children will be called START! for Kids. This name is intended to help position the brand as a product for consumption at the start of the day i.e. at breakfast. It is also a short and memorable name, which will help the product to stand out in a crowded marketplace and will also help facilitate the establishment of the brand in the consumer consciousness. In addition, the brand name has connotations of a healthy start to the day for kids. The brand name START! is also not exclusively for children and lends itself to extensions into other market segments, such as for the adult market. 3.3.3 Brand Positioning Positioning a brand has been described as an attempt by a business to influence the way in which consumers perceive and behave towards that brand in the marketplace (Perreault and McCarthy, 1999). For example, a brand could position itself to appeal to a particular consumer segment by promoting a particular attribute of the brand that would appeal to that segment (Pechmann and Ratneshwar, 1991). The following two figures illustrate the proposed brand positioning for the new product. High Price Juice Drink Pure Fruit Squeezie Childrens Wedge Fruit Juice/ Smoothie s START! For Kids Low Price Figure 4: START! Brand Positioning Childrens Fruit Juice/Juice Drinks Price per 100 ml/100 g and Pure Fruit Juice Content School Break Times Juice Drink Pure Fruit Squeezie and Childrens Wedge Fruit Juice/ Smoothie START! For Kids Breakfast Figure 5: START! Brand Positioning Childrens Fruit Juice/Juice Drinks Price and Consumption Time 3.3.4 Packaging The packaging will be a Tetra Classic Aseptic pack in two pack sizes 100 ml and 200 ml (Tetra Pak Website, 2010). This is to enable it to be used primarily as a breakfast drink in (200 ml size) and secondarily as a snack drink (in 100 ml size) at school break times. The tetra pack is easy to drink from and is also easy to pour into a cup or glass. The pack is also stable on the kitchen counter and on the school desk. See Appendix I. For retail distribution, the individual packs will be sold in rectangular multi-packs of 10 for the 100 ml and 5 for the 200 ml. The rectangular packaging will assist ease of display and stacking in the retail environment 3.4 Distribution Strategy In line with the rapid market-penetration strategy, the product will be sold though all supermarket chains and convenience stores in the UK with a heavy intensity. In view of the target audience, it will not be sold through the on-trade. The product will only be available for retail sale in multi-packs at the prices shown in Table7 on the next page. 3.5 Pricing Strategy Unit prices in the market segment are currently stable and subject to discounting on promotion (Euromonitor, 2011). The rapid market penetration strategy determines that the pricing strategy for START! will be highly competitive and challenging to the market leader and to other brands in the market segment. Brand/Product Retail Pack Size Price per 100 ml/ 100 g Lowest Retail price per pack START! For Kids 5 x 200 ml  £0.20  £2.00 START! For Kids 10 x 100 ml  £0.22  £2.22 Tropicana Go! 4 x 200 ml  £0.25  £2.00* Feel Good Drinks For Kids 1 x 400 ml  £0.32  £1.27* Innocent Childrens Wedge cartons 4 x 180 ml  £0.41  £2.92* Innocent Pure  Fruit  Squeezies 6 x 40g  £0.83  £2.00* Table 7: Retail prices for START! and Competitor Products (*Source: mysupermarket.co.uk, 2011) 3.6 Consumer Segmentation and Targeting Kotler, (2001, p.286) suggests that consumer markets can generally be segmented in three ways as shown below for the new product: Socio-demographics Primary: Housewives with school age children from 4 to 11, male and female. Secondary: The children themselves. Psychographics families with a healthy lifestyle or intending to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Behavioural factors Parents of children who have a positive attitude to the benefits of a healthy diet. 3.7 Marketing Communications Strategy 3.7.1 Marketing Communications Budget The average advertising spend to sales ratio over the last five years has been 0.82%. In order to achieve the marketing objectives stated and implement the rapid market penetration strategy it is proposed that the budget for the first year for START! For Kids be set at double this ratio i.e. 1.6%. This will result in an advertising budget of  £1.92 million. A summary of the overall marketing communications budget by activity appears in appendix II 3.7.2 Marketing Communications Tools According to Kotler (2001), there are five main categories of marketing communications tools:- Advertising Sales Promotion Public Relations Personal Selling Direct marketing 3.7.3 Marketing Communications Tools Characteristics/Objectives According to Fills 4Cs model (2002), the five main communications tools, are characterised by four principal dimensions: Communications Impact Credibility Costs Control See Figure 6 on the next page, which shows how these dimensions apply to the various component of the communications mix. Figure 6: Fills 4Cs Model As has already been established, START! needs to gain rapid penetration through the use of high impact promotional activity that delivers a large audience within the identified consumer segment. In view of the target audience definition, and the need to create high levels of product acceptance, it is proposed that the consumer promotional activity includes a mix of tools including advertising, sales promotion and public relations. 3.7.4 Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) The concept of IMC was acclaimed by Moriarty (1994) as being one of the most significant developments in the marketing communications business in the 1990s. Kotler first discussed IMC back in 1997 but it was not until 2003 that defined the concept thus: Integrated marketing communication is a concept according to which the company integrates and coordinates its communication channels to send a message clearly, consistently and convincingly about the organization and its product (Kotler, P, 2003, p. 672). Fills promotional planning framework (2006, pp.174-176) summarises all the aspects of the marketing communications planning process see Figure 7 below. Fill categorises the tasks achieved by communications activity into three areas namely, Push, Pull, and Profile, as follows:- Push The activity is pushed from the product provider to the supply chain intermediaries to help develop relationships. Pull The activity is from the product provider to the end consumer to generate a call to action either a purchase or an enquiry. Profile The product provider implements a mix of communications strategies to build brand reputation with all of its target audiences. Figure 7: Fills Promotional Planning Framework (Source: Fill, 2006, pp.174-176) If a formally structured approach to marketing communications planning, such as that detailed above, is not followed there is a risk that the goals and strategy of the marketing communications plan will not link to the high-level corporate goals, or to the marketing goals of t

DBQ on Western Front Essay -- essays research papers

DBQ: Settlement of the Western Frontier   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the years between 1840 and 1890, the land west of the Mississippi River experienced a wild and sporadic growth. The natural environment contributed greatly to this growth spurt and helped shape the development of the trans-Mississippi west. The natural environment dictated and facilitated the development of the west by way of determining who settled where, how the people survived, why people wanted to settle, and whether they were successful or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many Americans packed few belongings and headed west during the middle to the late nineteenth century. It was during this time period that the idea of manifest destiny became rooted in American customs and ideals. Manifest Destiny is the idea that supported and justified expansionist policies, it declared that expansion was both necessary and right. America’s expansionist attitudes were prominent during the debate over the territorial rights of the Oregon territory. America wanted to claim the Oregon territory as its own, but Great Britain would not allow that. Eventually the two nations came to an agreement and a compromise was reached, as seen in document B. The first major party of settlers that traveled to the west settled in Oregon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To many families the prospect of owning land was the central driving force that brought them to the land known today as the wild Wild West. Much propaganda wa...

Exploring Reliability and Validity Essay

The Values and Motives Questionnaire, also known as the Values and Motives Inventory, is designed to examine a person’s motivation in relation to his values and activities. In order to ensure a comprehensive understanding of values, the VMQ assess three distinct areas, including: interpersonal, intrinsic, and extrinsic. Interpersonal values, according to the VMQ refer to one’s relationships with others. Intrinsic values contain one’s personal beliefs and attitudes. Finally, extrinsic values are one’s motivating factors at the workplace. Each of these three areas contain twelve topics addressed during the test. While the VMQ can be used for a variety of reasons, it is typically used in the workplace as a guidance tool. When exploring the Values and Motives Questionnaire, it is important to understand its reliability and validity. This paper will address the measurement’s reliability and validity, including its coefficients, strengths, and weaknesses. Type of Reliability and Validity According to Whiston (2013), â€Å"reliability refers to the consistency of such measurements when the testing procedure is repeated on a population of individuals or groups† (pg. 40). In its simplest form, reliability refers examines the dependability of the scores. It also measures the standard error of measurement (SEM) within the instrument. The SEM is a hypothesis of what the scores would be if someone took the test more than once. Whiston (2013) continues on to explain the various types of reliability, including: test-retest, alternate or parallel forms, and internal consistency measures. The designers and authors of the Values and Motives Questionnaire explain that the measurement used internal consistency reliability with the sample (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d). Internal consistency of reliability simply means that the test is divided into different sections. The scores are than correlated. This form of reliability assess the measurement internally to determ ine its reliability (Whiston, 2013). Another important area of the measurement to understand is validity. Whiston (2013) argues that validity addresses â€Å"what an instrument measures and how well it does that task† (pg. 58). Whiston (2013) explains that historically, validity has been separated into three distinct types: content-related validity, criterion-related validity, and construct validity. The first, content-related validity, addressed the degree to which the results of the test adequately represented the specific behavior. In order for a measurement to be valid, it must be appropriate for its intended use (Whiston, 2013). This form of validity is evident in the VMQ, because the data is comparable to other instruments that measure both motivational and values factors (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d). Next, criterion-related validity focuses mainly on the degree to which the measurement predicted the specific criterion (Whiston, 2013). The correlations within the VMQ appear to be average and independent of one another (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d). Finally, construct validity is concerned with the degree to which the test measures the intended behavior or construct. This entails that the instrument is appropriate for the test taker (Whiston, 2013). The Values and Motives Questionnaire accurately measures motivating factors and values among individuals. It appears the test provides the validity for both content and construct but not for criterion-related validity (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d). Areas of Strength and Concern The Values and Motives Questionnaire gave us internal consistency reliability and SEM. The internal consistency of this measurement used the coefficient alpha. The coefficients were all over .5, but they each had various ranges. Because the scale had such varying ranges, one could wonder if this could indicate a problem with errors? The VMQ shows an overall internal dependability and a low level of SEM. The internal consistency does surpass the requirements for a reliable instrument. According to authors of the VMQ (n.d), â€Å"†¦the scales approximate or exceed acceptable levels of internal consistency† (pg. 16). However, it is important to note that the scores of this test are not normally distributed, which impacts the standard deviations of the scores. While the deviation of the scores is acceptable, the test results did not have an extremely high correlation. The VMQ also  demonstrated the validity scales having lower correlations (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d). One weakness of the reliability to consider is that the test was only compared to other tests that examined values. It did not compare values to those of other countries/cultures. Specific cultures and/or family systems have specific values that are instilled in them throughout the years. It would be beneficial to use this instrument in comparison to different demographic backgrounds. In doing this, one will be able to gain insight into how these differences can affect the results and ensure all persons are adequately represented. Sample Size and Nature of Population The Values and Motives Questionnaire studied a specific population. It consisted of 159 MBA and psychology students (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d). While research does need to start somewhere, this limited population will not produce results that represent the population as a whole. Using this specific population may lead to skewed results, specifically in the areas of achievement considering the total population that was studied were all continuing their education. Clearly, not everyone in the general population has had the chance to pursue a college degree, let alone and MBA. This high level of achievement would certainly skew the results. It is important to note that the sample size was relatively small and well over one third of the small sample was psychology students. These variables need to be taken into consideration when assessing the results of the Values and Motives Questionnaire. Personal Opinion Overall, I found the Values and Motives Questionnaire to be very interesting. Assessing one’s subjective feelings and value systems is not easily empirically proven. However, the idea of the test seems beneficial. However, I do believe the designers of the VMQ would gain more insight if they were to compare the results to various cultures’ values. Using the results from varying cultures will have totally different results than a small group of 159 college students. I do believe further research is needed to provide more concrete information on the topics of the VMQ. Although the instrument proved to be both reliable and valid, it is pertinent that further research be conducted to find higher correlations. References Values and motive questionnaire: The technical manual. (n.d). Bedfordshire, UK: Psytech International. Whiston, S (2013). Principles and applications of assessment in counseling. (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Letter to Government Essay

I am writing to you on behalf of your article in this weeks paper I think the curfew is a fantastic idea I am in full support of the Council proposing this great curfew. Where I live under 16’s are taking over my neighbourhood me and the other residents in the area are feeling threatend by these gangs of ‘yobs’ hanging around our area. All they do is go around drinking and creating uneeded noise which I and the rest of our neighbourhood would agree on. While we adults are staying indoors scared of going out they are out commiting crimes and going round doing under age drinking and under age sex and if the parents of these children could see what I see nearly every night then I’m sure they would be in support with me. As I said before I am scared to go out of my house to go to the shops or to the pub or anywhere! because I am scared of getting jumped or mugged or even killed. Also this curfew would be a good idea because it would give new employees in the police force good experience of dealing with these situations so they are confident and experienced when it comes to a really big proper crime. Also if this curfew goes through then once all of the under 16’s are indoors then it will make life easier for the police patrolling to catch the proper criminals because they won’t have to put up with the cheek and disrespect that they recieve off the under 16’s, also the under 16’s need to respect the police force and realise that they are trying to protect them but they are just trying to show off in front of friends.

A Literary Review of Everyday Use by Alice Walker

A Literary Review of Everyday Use by Alice Walker American writer and activist Alice Walker is best known for her novel The Color Purple, which won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. She has written numerous other novels, stories, poems, and essays. Her story Everyday Use originally appeared in her 1973 collection, In Love Trouble: Stories of Black Women, and has been widely anthologized since. The Plot of 'Everyday Use' The story is narrated in the first-person by a mother who lives with her shy and unattractive  daughter, Maggie, who was scarred in a fire as a child. They are nervously waiting for a visit from Maggies sister, Dee, to whom life has always come easy. Dee and her companion  boyfriend arrive with bold, unfamiliar clothing and hairstyles, greeting Maggie and the narrator with Muslim and African phrases. Dee announces that she has changed her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, saying that she couldnt stand to use a name from oppressors. This decision hurts her mother, who named her after loved ones. During the visit, Dee lays claim to certain family heirlooms, such as the top and dasher of a butter churn, whittled by relatives. But unlike Maggie, who uses the butter churn to make butter, Dee wants to treat them like antiques or artwork. Dee also tries to claim some handmade quilts, fully assuming shell be able to have them because shes the only one who can appreciate them. The mother informs Dee that she has already promised the quilts to Maggie. Maggie says Dee can have them, but the mother takes the quilts out of Dees hands and gives them to Maggie. Dee then leaves, chiding the mother for not understanding her heritage, and encouraging Maggie to make something of yourself. After Dee is gone, Maggie and the narrator relax contentedly in the back yard. The Heritage of Lived Experience Dee insists that Maggie is incapable of appreciating the quilts. She exclaims, horrified, Shed probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use. For Dee, heritage is a curiosity to be looked at and something to put on display for others to look at, as well. She plans to use the churn top and dasher as decorative items in her home. She plans to hang the quilts on the wall, [a]s if that was the only thing you could do with quilts. She even treats her own family members as curiosities. She takes numerous photos of them, and the narrator tells us, She never takes a shot without making sure the house is included. When a cow comes nibbling around the edge of the yard she snaps it and me and Maggie and the house. But Dee fails to understand that the heritage of the items she covets comes precisely from their everyday use their relation to the lived experience of the people whove used them. The narrator describes the dasher as follows: You didnt even have to look close to see where hands pushing the dasher up and down to make butter had left a kind of sink in the wood. In fact, there were a lot of small sinks; you could see where thumbs and fingers had sunk into the wood. Part of the beauty of the object is that it has been so frequently used, and by so many hands in the family, suggesting a communal family history that Dee seems unaware of. The quilts, made from scraps of clothing and sewn by multiple hands, epitomize this lived experience. They even include a small scrap from Great Grandpa Ezras uniform that he wore in the Civil War, which reveals that members of Dees family were working against the people who oppress[ed] them long before Dee decided to change her name. Unlike Dee, Maggie actually knows how to quilt. She was taught by Dees namesakes Grandma Dee and Big Dee so she is a living part of the heritage that is nothing more than decoration to Dee. For Maggie, the quilts are reminders of specific people, not of some abstract notion of heritage. I can member Grandma Dee without the quilts, Maggie says to her mother. It is this statement that prompts her mother to take the quilts away from Dee and hand them to Maggie because Maggie understands their history and value so much more deeply than Dee does. Lack of Reciprocity Dees real offense lies in her arrogance and condescension toward her family, not in her attempted embrace of African culture. Her mother is initially very open-minded about the changes Dee has made. For instance, though the narrator confesses that Dee has shown up in a dress so loud it hurts my eyes, she watches Dee walk toward her and concedes, The dress is loose and flows, and as she walks closer, I like it. The mother also shows a willingness to use the name Wangero, telling Dee, If thats what you want us to call you, well call you. But Dee doesnt really seem to want her mothers acceptance, and she definitely doesnt want to return the favor by accepting and respecting her mothers cultural traditions. She almost seems disappointed that her mother is willing to call her Wangero. Dee is possessive and entitled as her hand close[s] over Grandma Dees butter dish and she begins to think of objects shed like to take. And shes convinced of her superiority over her mother and sister. For example, the mother observes Dees companion and notices, Every once in a while he and Wangero sent eye signals over my head. When it turns out that Maggie knows much more about the history of the family heirlooms than Dee does, Dee belittles her by saying, Maggies brain is like an elephants. The entire family considers Dee to be the educated, intelligent, quick-witted one, and so she equates Maggies intellect with the instincts of an animal, not giving her any real credit. As the mother narrates the story, she refers to Dee as Wangero. Occasionally she refers to her as Wangero (Dee), which emphasizes the confusion of having a new name and also pokes a little fun at the grandness of Dees gesture. But as Dee becomes more and more selfish and difficult, the narrator starts to withdraw her generosity in accepting the new name. Instead of Wangero (Dee), she starts to refer to her as Dee (Wangero), privileging her original given name. When the mother describes snatching the quilts away from Dee, she refers to her as Miss Wangero, suggesting that shes run out of patience with Dees haughtiness. After that, she simply calls her Dee, fully withdrawing her gesture of support. Dee seems unable to separate her new-found cultural identity from her own long-standing need to feel superior to her mother and sister. Ironically,  Dees lack of respect for her living family members as well as her lack of respect for the real human beings who constitute what Dee thinks of only as an abstract heritage provides the clarity that allows Maggie and the mother to appreciate each other and their own shared heritage.

Hierarchical Database Models Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hierarchical Database Models - Research Paper Example Along with this the data related to the children of an employee would be considered as child data segment. These segments would be linked with the employee record on the basis of 1:n mapping. Further collective instances of records are like tables in relational model. This arrangement contains parent records or nodes which further linked with children data segments, row wise. The popularity of hierarchical databases was established in late 1960s. Network Database Model In the network database model it is allowed to create parent-child relationship on many to many basis. This model follows the organization of graph in which there can be multiple interconnection of a node with other nodes. A conference named CODASYL (Conference on Data Systems Language) was held in 1971 to formally state the properties of network database model. This data model gained a side by side popularity along with the hierarchical model almost. The concept of set is the basic construct in this model. A set compr ises of three components namely, owner type record, name and member type record. A member type record is allowed to be associated with multiple sets. This enables the implementation of more the concept of more than one parents. In this database model the network of records’ relationships is indicated through pairwise sets. Relational Model The relational database model is the basis of Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). The theory and concept of relational model was given by a statistician named E.F. Codd. At the core of the relational model lies the process of normalization. There are more than 5 levels of normalization but usually a 3 levels normalized database is considered as a relational database. The basic procedure comprises of the following steps: Gathering related data in a tabular manner as a flat file. Each row has to represent a unique record. Identification of separate columns and fields to manage data properly. Splitting the flat file into multiple ta bles in order to curb redundancy. Establishment of relationship by declaring and link primary and foreign keys. Enforcement of referential integrity constraints is the part of relationship establishment. There are certain properties of Relational Database Tables which are as follows, Atomic values (the values listed under a single field cannot be decomposed further) Unique records (The data in a rows represents a unique instance of an entity and duplication is not allowed). Homogenous field data (The type of data listed under a field is always same). The columns can be arranged in any manner. Same rule goes with the rows. The results of queries do not get effected due to the any sequential arrangements of either columns or rows. The label of each field is always unique. This assures correct referral of fields in queries. Fields can be set as keys to identify records uniquely. A key may also be composed of more than one field. There are three types of relationships namely One to One, One to Many and Many to Many. The Many to Many relationship is implemented via two decomposed One to many relationships with an intermediate joining table. One to Many relationships are usually represented through the association of two related tables connected in a Master/Transaction fashion. Collective and comprehensive results can be acquired against the queries performed on joined tables (multiple connected tables). The key in a table (Master table) is referred to as

Is Globalization Beneficial for Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Is Globalization Beneficial for Canada - Essay Example China like communist countries earlier visualized globalization as a strategy by capitalist countries to exploit the wealth and resources of other countries. However, the scenario has gradually changed and now most of the countries in the world accept globalization as a blessing rather than a curse. China is the number one exploiter of globalization at present. It is difficult for a country to progress properly with the help of individual capabilities alone. Globalization helps countries to mobilize its resources more effectively with the help of other countries. Collective growth is the major slogan put forward by globalization. Globalization affects almost the entire segments of human life. It affects economic, social, cultural, political and legal aspects of human life. Canada is one country which still keeps some reservations about globalization. Many of the Canadians still believe that globalization may help only rich countries whereas poor countries may not get many benefits ou t of it. In their opinion, globalization may destroy social, cultural, environmental and political values. However, it is an accepted fact that globalization can not only increase the cooperation between countries and but also it can reduce the conflicts between countries. It definitely sounds good that Canadian companies can operate in any part of the world and sell their products anywhere in the world without much barriers because of globalization. Moreover, Canadians may get better products for cheaper prices because of globalization. This paper analyses the pros and cons of globalization and argues that globalization is definitely beneficial to Canada in the long run. Globalization brought many positive political changes in the world. â€Å"Globalization opens up new possibilities for democratic influence on essential common issues which by their nature are about the notion of the nation’s state† (Torres, p.364). According to Lieber and Weisberg (2002), â€Å"Glob alization is a vital step toward both a more stable world and better lives for the people within it"(Lieber and Weisberg, p.274). It should be noted that the totalitarian administrations in countries like Libya, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain are on the verge of destruction because of agitations from the public. Globalization helped people in such countries to realize the extent of oppression they are facing and they started struggle for democracy in their countries. â€Å"Globalization is a multifaceted process and can be characterized as a systematic decline in the barriers to the cross-national flow of products, factors (capital and people), values and ideas†(Kaplinsky, p.46). In countries like America, Britain or Canada, manpower shortage is a big problem whereas in countries like India, China etc skilled manpower is excess. Exchange of workforce and outsourcing like activities help expensive labor oriented countries to exploit cheap labor markets. A work which is costing $ 100 in Canada can be executed in countries like India for $ 50 with the help of outsourcing. Moreover, immigrant communities in Canada always ready to work for cheap wages which help the industries or organizations in Canada to compete effectively in international market. Canadian products cannot reduce the price or compete effectively in the international market if Canadian organizations employ only highly paid locals in their firms. â€Å"Rises in international trade openness have exerted some pressure on policy makers to lower business cost through tax reductions. Tax rate changes improve the international price competitiveness of firms regardless of their level of mobility†(Weiss, p.75). Tax reduction is another major advantage of globalization.

Discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Discussion - Research Paper Example Both pieces are white and have columns and arches, and are decorated by sculptures. Similarly, they both are examples of representational art. However, the subject matters of the two pieces are different. The Temple of Athena’s purpose is to help the Greeks in war, while the Arch of Constantine celebrates the war that has already been won. The Temple of Athena had a religious function of worshiping the goddess of victory. The statue of Athena inside the Temple held a pomegranate in one hand, which was a symbol of fertility, and a helmet, a symbol of war, in the other hand. In addition, Athena had no wings, as usual. She was depicted without wings in order not to ever leave the city, as the people believed (Ancient-Greece.org, 2013). On contrast, the Arch of Constantine had a social and political function of celebrating, immortalizing and commemorating Constantine’s victory over his enemy. The use of materials from the monuments of Marcus Aurelius, Hadrian and Trajan, who were considered good emperors, also created positive associations between them and

Principles of Banking and Finance Essay Example for Free

Principles of Banking and Finance Essay What does Sub-Prime Crisis means? Sub Prime lending which is also known as near-prime, non-prime and second chance lending, means lending to people who might have trouble repaying the loan due to income ability or credit ratings which previously would not have been available to them. Credit ratings that might be not favorable to them with the standards set up initially by Financial Institutions slowly dwindle to less strict under-writing of loans. which could also due to an influx of foreign capital making lending easier to these group of people, the investment banks that sold the repackage mortgages to the consumers which is one of the way to fund for capital, and the Housing Urban Development of America policy to ensure that its citizens has access to mortgage loans easily. The cheaper interest rate packaged by the Financial Institutions which seems more affordable for the consumer for the first 1 to 5 years and the thereafter interest rate would have jumped significantly. The loans here generally referred to mortgage loans. The Crisis started or snowball into what it was in 2007 in my opinion was due to greed. Greed into thinking that the property boom would continue in perpetuity so that the borrowers could cash out more from their current property market valuation, with this cash out in terms of personal loan they could fund or finance their lifestyle be it buying a new property for investment purposes, to flip or for rental. For the luxury in life they choose to enjoy now, spending future money. As the economy slowed, jobs are being taken away from corporation in America to other countries which have a cheaper source of overhead expenses and manpower. People are being retrenched thus causing them to start defaulting on their loan repayments. A statistic done has shown that the American households do not have any savings but was laden with debt instead. The housing bubble burst, the market does not have that much capital as it used to have to continue to push property prices up anymore, thus causing the market to slow overall, foreclosures of their properties was happening. Consumers was also unable to obtain a refinancing which they had planned previously to lower their interest rate again when it went up, as financial institutions feel the pinched and controlled its lending. How did the Financial Institutions played a part in this? In the past banks have financed their mortgage lending activities through the deposits they receive from their customers. This has confined the amount of mortgage lending they could do. In recent years, banks have designed a new model where they repackage these mortgages to be sold to the bond markets. This has made it a lot easier to fund additional borrowing from the investors and interest rate was low. But it has also led to abuses as banks no longer have the incentive to check carefully the mortgages they issue to the lenders. The failure to check and curb lending in return for the possibility of profit was one of the causes. The first sign of the sub-prime crisis was as early as 2007 when HSBC Finance which is part of the banks north American subsidiary has to write off 880 million in sub-prime lending. The business has become unsustainable as borrowers started to default. The new model which we have come to know is known either as Mortgaged backed Assets or Collateral Debts Obl igations. The repackage mortgages are being sold to the bond markets, before they can be sold, credit rating agency will determine and give the model a rating. A credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness example its ability to pay back a loan, and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued. These MBS or CDOs as it has come to know are usually marketed to countries which has a surplus in its balance sheet as it was generally known that Asians believe in savings rather than spending future money thus the products were usually marketed in Asia, It is allege that the rating agencies experienced from conflicts of interest, as they were paid by investment banks and other firms that organize and sell these structured securities to investors. If there are not to give favorable ratings to these products they risk the underwriter of these securities to another rating agency. It would be hard to sell these products if they are not being given a rating to begin with. Once they are sold the banks have in a way diverted part of the risk to the consumers. Investors should not rely too heavily on these ratings agencies opinions but instead carry out their own homework in the safeness of debt level as well as others related securities. Probably the opinions of the agencies enable them to get a conclusion, however based on past decade of event, it can only be consider as off base when it comes to the risk of credit event. Investors should try to put themselves in the shoes of the product pushers, asking themselves very important points like, why do you need to sell these products? Do you own any of these products yourself? If it is as good as you mention have the private investors bought and participated a substantial amount of their savings in it? Perhaps there need to be some form of intermediaries whereby no conflict of interest will affect their opinion and report of these products. A case study in Singapore itself which has made headlines during this crisis was the minibond saga which was being sold in Singapore by a couple of Financial Institutions. The originator of this series of structured products was the now defunct Lehman Brothers. The Minibond was being illustrated to the local consumer as a bond which is not the case it is actually a Collateral Debts Obligations. The relationship managers in banks are eager to sell the product because of the high commission and the consumer who are eager to buy because the returns are much higher than the fixed deposit being offered by the banks. An estimated of 500 million Singapore dollars was purchased for the Minibonds by consumers. It stirred a series of conflicts with the Financial Institutions that sold these products, the consumers cried fouled into being mis-sold of it, some of the consumers managed to get back part of their investment and vowed not to touch these structured products ever again. We can take a look back into the 1990s where one of the policy set up and enforce by the Housing and Urban Development of America, was one of the cause of the sub prime crisis. With the support of the government, HUD has less mortgage restriction requirements on its borrowers. The mandate was that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac which was regulated by HUD, was to generate up to 8 million more homeowners in America. It was known as the â€Å"National Homeownership Strategy†. No down payment was required, 100% financing for the property was the norm. This was partly possible due to the influx of cheap money in the market, wit h this cheap money consumers speculated with the market, they kept buying new homes thus the good years of where the appreciation of the property keep going up. Financial Institutions dare to lend due to the market confidence that it can only keep going up, borrowers confidence that the market too can only keep going up. A check with HUD official website, apparently the US government is still supporting home ownership program without first addressing a stable income issue. Only with a stable income can a person make regular commitment to his or her housing loan commitment. Kudos to the Singapore government for taking appropriate actions during the last few years when their economy was recovering, the measures taken to prevent over speculation of the property market in Singapore. Homebuyers with the extra cash were snapping up properties, either for owner’s occupation or for investment purposes. The government either learned from the Sub-prime crisis or foreseen that if it continues the way it is going, a market crash might be imminent or the crash will be too fast and hard, no soft landing for the consumers. As they knew that property market have its up and down. Steps was taken, it used to be 90/10. Whereby the buyer have to come up with 10% cash and the remaining 90% can be financed through a financial institutions regardless of the number of property they currently owned. It was changed to 80/20 rule, 20% of which is the owner’s own cash an 80% through financing. Surprisingly it did not deter the consumers, the market still kept soaring. The next rule implemented was the 80/20 rule for first time buyers, meaning buyers without any current mortgage loan, for buyers with an existing mortgage which was not yet paid up; they are only eligible for 60/40. 60% financing for their new property and an increased in the stamp duty to be paid for to the government if it was their 3rd property for Singaporean. The hardest hit was the foreigners who are seeking to invest their money in Singapore properties as they have to pay additional 10% stamp duty which is likely to deter most of them. P rices still kept going up, the latest ruling was much more complex than the previous few. If one is looking at 80% financing one can only borrow up to the age of 65 years old and tenure of not more than 30 years. Which was not the case previously, in previous scenario it was dependent on different Banks guideline in Singapore, they could lend up to the age of 70, 75 or 80. They stepped in and put a cap at 65 as they believe that is the retirement age. If you want to extend your loan tenure your financing amount will drop to either 60% or 40%. I believe the government did this as they knew that the US is going ahead with Quantitative Easing 3, they want to prevent too much hot money from landing in Singapore shore. To sum up, we learned from our mistakes and grow not to make the same mistake twice. A healthy economy is based on real economic goods with value. Hopefully US can still continue to create innovative products like Apple and keep their manufacturing production in US soil, get employment rate up. The citizens have to maintain their expectations in terms of salary wise and spend within their means. Tighten up their way of lending and controlling Banks to a certain extent, a culture that is profit driven but with ethnics. Can heed the investment guru jim roger’s advice to focus on farming as there will be a food shortage in time to come. Induce good saving habits in everyone to save up for a rainy day. http://www.ethicalquote.com/docs/SubprimeMortgageCrisis.pdf http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7073131.stm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_policies_and_the_subprime_mortgage_crisis http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/09/AR2008060902626.html http://www.thetruthaboutmortgage.com/mortgages-with-no-money-down/ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2816291/HSBC-hit-by-sub-prime-crisis.html