Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Communication In Business

Many f our historic brands such as Johnnie Walker and Guinness were built on the same corporate citizenship that we hold today. We agree to the fact that we cannot change the world on our own. With our participation and continuous support towards the UN Global Compact, we can learn from others and show leadership. Though, here at Adagio Pl, we recognize that there are still many changes and improvements that need to be made among us and also among our supply chains. This submission hopes to continue our commitment to the UN Global Compact policies by proposing recommendations based on our experiences and mistakes to the local network.Our local network region chosen will be India. The recommendations are based on two principles of the UN Global Compact. The principles are 1) Principle 2: â€Å"Businesses should make sure they are not complicit in human rights abuses. † (The Ten Principles/ Principle 2 2012). 2) Principle 8: â€Å"Businesses should undertake initiatives to prom ote greater environmental responsibility' (The Ten Principles/ Principle 8 2012). The recommendations are:- Encourage suppliers to Join the Suppliers Ethical Data Exchange (Sexed). Encourage other corporations to harness employee's power. Recommendation 1Our experience in developing countries has shown how complicity in human right abuses can arise when negligence occurred in the supply chain. We learned from our mistakes and come up with the following recommendation to prevent such thing from happening again in India. We Join the Suppliers Ethical Data Exchange (Sexed) (Adagio 2007). Through Sexed, suppliers will post a self-assessment of their practices and products. These can be accessed by any of their customers. At present we count 300 of our own suppliers in Sexed. The assessment of each supplier is then closely checked against the Ethical Trading Initiative standards of human rights.We encourage all suppliers of Adagio Pl to Join the Sexed. We also Join a group of food and dr ink manufacturers who have strong belief on the fact that their supply chains should operate in the highest standards towards human rights. We are currently working with suppliers assessed as non-compliant and try to make them improve. Incase there is no improvement from our supplier; we retain the possibility of seeking alternative sources of supply. This year, we stopped our business with one of our supplier in Asia because he was not willing to report his performance.Benefits and Implications Consumers: They are given information about the product that they will be using directly from our supplier. Moreover they will know whether or not the supplier is compliant with current human right policies. Suppliers: Getting involved in Sexed will definitely capture the interest of other companies in the product they made. Shareholders: By avoiding human rights controversies, the company will be protected against legislative and financial repercussion and as a result the company's profit w ill not be affected.Recommendation 2 Since we're been creating our 201 5 targets, we have been working hard to minimize our environmental impact. Targeting the obvious things can be straightforward. But to able to address our other impacts, we needed the knowledge and ideas of the people on the ground in our daily operations. We realized that the employee's involvement could be the missing link to achieve our environmental targets. We come up with the Greening as recommendation (Adagio Sustainability & Responsibility Report 2011). Greening is the codename for the strategy implemented to encourage employees to act in an environmental friendly way.The employees from different site will form teams known as the â€Å"GREEN TEAM†. Teams will compete to win Olympic- Tyler medals for completing environmental initiatives. These ranges from bronze medal projects to gold medal achievements. Winning sites will be chosen across the whole world and each winner will be awarded EYE,OHO to i nvest in the new environmental friendly project either on site or locally. Also depending on the success of the program, one idea is to launch a new platinum category to reward gold medal sites that will help another facility start a green team.Our business is about celebration and we try to bring that into everything we do. And also the reason why Greening will work is we tap our people's sense of community and also their nominative spirit. Benefits and Implications Employees: Capture the interests of 20,000 people working on all level of our business in 80 sites across 40 countries and also provide a platform for the employees to share their idea. Consumers: This will create an impact in the mind of our consumers. People are starting to care for their future generation.They want to deal with firms who are environmentally responsible. Greening will definitely create something positive for our company. Environment: The purpose of Greening is the impact it has on the environment whil st the main purpose of the whole program. The award winning project will be implemented throughout all sites in the world. We are expecting achievements like cutting amount of water used by 60% or reducing amount of carbon dioxide emission by 50% on our site. Greening will definitely be beneficial for the environment.Challenges The implementation of the proposed recommendations will be a challenging task. The problem with the first recommendation is that withdrawing from a non- compliant supplier will only displace the problem rather than solving it. Our action could affect the supplier's employees and owners. For small community, the loss in business of the supplier could have big economic implications. Our objective is to balance those risks and help the supplier to improve instead. The challenge faced due to the second recommendation is not all employees will be willing to take part in the program.Creating awareness among the employees is also of great concern for A success story We at Adagio Pl have responsibility towards our stakeholders and the environment. We continue to show our support to the principles of the UN Global Compact. We believe that the proposed recommendation could be used as a guideline by our local network and other corporation to fulfill their social contract towards their stakeholders. By creating innovative and smart CARS approaches, our business and our society will benefit hence continuing our success story.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Christian liberty Essay

According to the page, Martin Luther’s argument revolves around two basic proposition of liberty. Which states that: â€Å"A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none† (Luther). By this statement he meant that once a person is freed by Jesus Christ, there shouldn’t be any other thing that would have a true dominion on the person on earth. So if Jesus sets you free, indeed you are freed. He explained that man has two folds nature: the inner soul, the spiritual and the carnal, outward flesh. A Christian does not become righteous by doing anything that has to do with flesh but only by the faith in Jesus. Nothing on earth should have any influence on Christian liberty. The second principle was that a Christian â€Å"man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to everyone† (Luther). The two propositions appeared to be contradictory but Luther was able to explain further on both making it clear. He asserts that only one thing alone is necessary for a Christian liberty and that is the Gospel of Christ. He defines Christian liberty as the freedom from the law putting it that the law is not meant for a righteous man. It is the belief in Christ that brings peace and liberty. While Freedom of the soul and its justification comes by faith alone and not by work, he said â€Å"it is evident that by no outward work or labor can the inward man be at all justified, made free, and saved† (Luther). In conclusion, Freedom comes when one belief in the word of God, that is one’s soul get freed and one become saved. Whereas, one get liberty after one has believed wholeheartedly in the Gospel of Christ, it is the word of God that teaches liberty. The freedoms mentioned by Martin Luther all have an element in common: they are all divine freedoms from things of the world. In contrast, Christians should be voluntary servants to God and other men, motivated by love for God and the changes made by salvation. Reference Luther M, Concerning Christian Liberty. Retrieved May 09, 2010 From http://homepage. mac. com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/mlchrlib. htm

Monday, July 29, 2019

Analysis of the Sustainability of Nordic Welfare Model in Times of Essay

Analysis of the Sustainability of Nordic Welfare Model in Times of Economic Recession - Essay Example The first challenge for Nordic countries is the demographic shift. The population in the entire developed world is greying and Nordic countries are no exception. With the increase in longevity of people and reduced child births, the number of people above the age of 65 is rapidly increasing (Adema, 2001). All Nordic countries provide generous pension facilities to enable the old to live a life of dignity. Thus if the number of dependents increase, it becomes increasingly difficult to finance their pension out of the income of working population. It has been assumed that in the next 3 decades the old age dependency ration will increase from 0.25 to 0.40 in the Nordic countries. The dependency ratios over the next 40 years in three Nordic countries is shown in the graph below – Source: (Kvist & Greve, 2011) Thus it is clear from the above figures that it will be unsustainable for Nordic countries to provide pension to their elderly without significantly deteriorating their finan ces. It is assumed that Denmark will suffer deterioration of finances up to 4% of GDP; it will be 6% of GDP for Norway and up to 4.5% of GDP for Sweden (Kvist & Greve, 2011). Clearly no country can suffer such an impact on its finances. It is often said that the problems of a welfare state can be circumvented by ensuring a high GDP growth. The Nordic countries should focus on increasing their GDP growth rate to mop up extra finances for their welfare schemes. In this section I will discuss the challenges of achieving high GDP growth for Nordic countries in this era of recession and globalisation. The Nordic countries have historically seen higher growth rates as compared to other European economies. However...This essay examines, whether the Nordic welfare model is sustainable in these difficult economic times and the age of globalization. The Nordic welfare model is also called as the Nordic social democracy. The Nordic countries have been strictly pro trade and suspicious of any k ind of protectionism but at the same time they have made policies which ensure a large degree of equality and welfare of the children, unemployed, sick and the old. However, as it is shown in the essay, the Nordic model is increasingly become unsustainable due to pressures of an ageing population, globalization, immigration and the financial crisis which has engulfed the whole world. All Nordic countries provide generous pension facilities to enable the old to live a life of dignity. Thus if the number of dependents increase, it becomes increasingly difficult to finance their pension out of the income of working population. It has been assumed that in the next 3 decades the old age dependency ration will increase from 0.25 to 0.40 in the Nordic countries. It is often said that the problems of a welfare state can be circumvented by ensuring a high GDP growth. The Nordic countries should focus on increasing their GDP growth rate to mop up extra finances for their welfare schemes. In this section I will discuss the challenges of achieving high GDP growth for Nordic countries in this era of recession and globalisation. The problem for these open and free economies has been attracting investment in this climate of recession

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Select an organisation in the U.K. and critically assess the Essay

Select an organisation in the U.K. and critically assess the operational methods and strategies adopted to provide satisfactory products (or services) to custom - Essay Example The Department which I was involved in was the procurement department. The Purpose of this department was to ensure that there were adequate products in the store to fulfil customer requirements at that time. The role of the procurement section was to act as an intermediary between the process of selling and suppliers who dealt with the store. This department has to ascertain that there was back up stock in case there were any eventualities that occurred in the supply chain. Besides this, it also has to guard against overstocking. This is because of the fact that too much of a certain item could cause losses to the organisation. Their function contributes to customer satisfaction because the department ensures that customers get what they want whenever they want. (Tesco, 2007) The organisation has two categories of customers' i.e. external customers and internal customers. Slack et al (2007) describes internal customers as those who are found within the organisation. These are the various sections in the organisation that deal with the department under consideration. This comes from the concept of treating other parts of the organisation as separate entities or organisations. This means that the organisation ought to communicate effectively with its internal customers to maximise productivity. Some of the internal customers which the procurement section of Tesco has to deal include; accounting department, supplying department, personnel department, financial department. These internal customers will be examined in detail below; Marketing as an internal customer is one of the most crucial departments in Tesco. Their main objective is to promote and increase sales for Tesco. Basically, they are supposed to attract customers and come up with strategies that will keep them coming back. The marketing section expected four things from output in the organisation The numbers of products or services present are sufficient to satisfy consumer's demands i.e. should not be below optimum That products are available on time and customers do not have to wait for long periods of time before they can access them The type of products displayed is of reasonable quality i.e. they are in good condition The way products are displayed is attractive for consumers If the operation section of Tesco can fulfil all the above requirements, then marketers can coordinate between promotions and service delivery. (Ruffian et al 2000) It is quite essential for marketers to advertise only hat the Company can deliver otherwise their tasks will be rendered ineffective. The next internal customer with reference to output is the personnel section. This department deals with the coordination of human resource with the main aim of ensuring that all people in the organisation perform to their maximum level. This will therefore lead to achievement of the organisation's goals and objectives. The personnel section expects that output is sufficient in terms of quality and quantity. Their function is to ensure that everyone is performing and this also applies to the output section. (Tesco, 2007) The financial department or accounting section is another area that depends on the output sectio

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Understanding what it means to be a Christian Essay

Understanding what it means to be a Christian - Essay Example Did Jesus need to be born of a virgin as a condition of his being a savior? Virginity being a very personal and unseen condition, how did the bible determine if this was truth? Speaking of bible and the truth brings us to the third and last topic: does the bible have authority? Is it truly God’s word as Christians have been claiming from time immemorial? The classic story of a young boy illustrating the depth of the mystery of the Holy Trinity by attempting to fill a small sand pit with all of the water from the sea depicts the magnitude of God’s wisdom and the limits of human understanding. Jesus Christ was known to be the son of God, the only begotten son sent as the sacrificial lamb to save the whole world from the curse of sin by dying on the cross then resurrecting from the dead after three days. This sums Him up as being not only God nor only man but both. As Jesus Christ, he is totally human yet possessing Godly attributes and power setting him apart from ordinary men. His feats prove that He is â€Å"not of this earth† baffles the understanding of the people who witnessed him perform miracles and speak with power. Documented in the bible were many statements that concern the deity of Christ. From the old testament to the new testament, prophets have proclaimed his coming or exalted his name in praise. Isaiah, b orn hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth called Him â€Å"The Mighty God† (Isa.. 9:6). Paul was â€Å"looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ† (Titus 2:13). Paul also quotes in his teachings an early church doctrinal statement, â€Å"God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory† (1 Tim. 3:16). Jesus himself introduced that He was the son of God, although knowing his metaphoric language, He did not do so directly. He testified that â€Å"Before Abraham was, I

Female Gangs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Female Gangs - Research Paper Example However, researches in the past two decades by the United States Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) indicate that the existence of female gangs can be traced back to the 1800s (Moore & Hagedorn, 2012). Their roles have evolved from being alibis, sex toys, drugs and weapon holders to full gang membership. Studies have been conducted on gangs because gangs are of social concern. This paper will research on and discuss female gangs in three aspects. First, it will discuss the origin of female gangs and what drives females into forming or joining gangs. Secondly, it will discuss different types of female gangs and thirdly, how they play into male gangs. Although some of the earlier generalizations about female gangs still apply, there have been tremendous changes in their activities with their growing numbers. The OJJDP noted a police report from Boston that described a female gang as a growingly autonomous organization that plans and commits crime without any help from males (Moore & Hagedorn, 2012). It was feared that in Boston young girls were quickly adopting gang life rituals in the early 1990s. To integrate into gangs or form their own, females imitate the behaviors of male gangs (Moore & Hagedorn, 2012). In a bid to be like the males, they coordinate and take part in criminal activities, wear tattoos and clothing related to gangs. They borrow characteristics and styles of the dominant male gangs including patterns of violence, preferred weapons and use of graffiti to pass a message or declare their existence and presence in neighborhoods. Becoming a member is either by choice or forced initiation (Moore & Hagedorn, 2012). Forced initiation is in the form of being jumped-in by gang members. On the other hand, females who opt into gangs by choice offer themselves to be used sexually by gang members in exchange of climbing up the hierarchy. However, those who are

Friday, July 26, 2019

William Barton and the Australian Youth Orchestra Assignment

William Barton and the Australian Youth Orchestra - Assignment Example The ranges of the instruments are also different: the didgeridoo is unable to reach high pitches and, therefore, has a low range, whereas the orchestra with its instruments has a rather high range. The music has a compound meter. The didgeridoo also has no regular accents, it is possible to say that it is used in an impromptu music performance, while the orchestra has some of them and something similar to a structural organization. There are also no repeating rhythms in the music video analyzed, it is developed without them.  The contour of the melody is both ascending and descending, therefore, the overall contour of the melody of the analyzed music video is undulating. The music is disjunct because it contains leaps and intervals. The noticeable leaps occur when the didgeridoo fades and the orchestra starts playing, and the intervals are generally wide. The melody is also a wide-range one, combining the above mentioned low range of the didgeridoo and the high range of the orchest ra instruments.   It is possible to state that there is some dissonant present when the orchestra and the didgeridoo play simultaneously due to their different ranges and the ability to produce sounds of different pitches. The melody is also loud in dynamics, especially when the didgeridoo starts and goes on playing. There are also decreases and increases in loudness, when the orchestra is fading, the didgeridoo is louder, and the otherwise situation is also observed. The tempo of the music may be characterizes as moderate as there is no too fast.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

NITI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

NITI - Essay Example This trend does not however continue as it is soaked further. At 14 minutes, it is noted that the ultimate strength begins to rise again at a decline is again recorded as 21 minutes of soaking. In essence, soaking can be said to generally result into reduced ultimate strength. Niki titanium like other metals forms one of the periodic table elements. The metal, atomic number 22 has a silvery color, low density, and high yield strength (Donachie 11). Additionally, it experiences considerably high corrosion resistance. It can be alloyed by various metals including iron, aluminum and molybdenum, among others. The resulting alloy elements are often lightweight and strong enough for use in important equipment such as aerospace parts, military equipment, dental, implants, and mobile phones, among others. It is important to emphasize that the two most important engineering properties associated with niki titanium are corrosive resistance and highest strength to weight ratio than any other known metal. Some titanium match steel in strength but have more than half the weight of equivalent size of steel. Additionally, it is ductile and its high melting point allows both hot working and cold

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Comparison & Contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparison & Contrast - Essay Example ertain issues, he is mostly talking in general terms, on the other hand Harper lays out a clear plan as to what his party intends to do when it comes into power. It is important for political parties to explain just what they intend to do once they come into power and how they will go about achieving it, as well as mention what they have done in the past, this instils confidence in the voters that they are ready to run the country, as well as shows the commitment of the political party to the voters. The fact that a political party is not only committed to gaining power, but is sincere about working for the people should be made apparent to the voters as much as possible. When the leader of a political party simply talks in general and vague terms, the voters may feel disappointed because they do not find any solution to the problems that they face and they do not feel that their issues are being taken seriously. On the other hand, when it is shown to them just how serious the politi cal party is, by illustrating not only past performance, but also insistence on mentioning the party platform again and again, it shows the voters that the said political party and its leader are seriously considering the solutions to the problems the citizens face, be they economical or social. When it comes to explaining the steps that would be taken by the political party when it gets elected, it is easy to incorporate the message in campaign speeches. Interestingly enough, both leaders also agree that there is a need to bring Canadians closer and to build bridges between people. However, again, Layton is vague about how his party would accomplish it, even though he states his party is â€Å"ready for this change†, Harper is clear that it is high taxes, high spending, high unemployment, and high mortgages that creates resentment and divisiveness in the public. Interestingly, here Harper does not rely on any evidence to back his claims up. But on the other hand, he does lay out, and in quite a lot of detail too, how his party would achieve a more cohesive Canada – by keeping the taxes low and by creating more jobs. It is noteworthy that when a political party has not only planned a policy, but has also been running it with success, the voters have more confidence in it. Harper lays out the means through which the jobs will be created. The latter mentions the Economic Action Plan that his previous government has implemented and which resulted in job creation before and, thus, proven its worth. It is ingenious of Harper to use the success of his Economic Action Plan as a bid for reelection, because the people have seen the fruits the plan has borne, and, thereby, would be more amenable to his stance than that of others who have not laid out any concrete plans. It is also a good strategy to mention all the pamphlets and other written material available that will keep the voters more informed as well. Harper, in

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

The Lover Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Lover - Essay Example The backdrop of the story is set in Indochina during Marguerite’s childhood in the prewar period. The protagonist of this thrilling novel, Marguerite Duras, who also happens to be the author, unfolds in simple yet luminous prose, the tale of life, as lived on the borders of Saigon during the days of France’s colonial empire. The narrative focuses on the intricate and passionate relationship shared between two outcasts and their tumultuous love affair. Marguerite Duras’s scintillating novel is written straight from her heart and this is what makes reading it, all the more worthwhile. The author Brecht's Galileo (1940) uses a very emphatic quote that states – â€Å"Truth is the daughter of time, not authority† and in this essay we are going to examine different incidents in the life of Duras and see how they relate to the above quote. The aging author reminisces about the past and the impoverished life she had led with her mother and her belligerent b rothers when they resided in Saigon. The style used for her narrative is like that of a memoir as she unravels the harsh realities of her colonial existence of the 1930’s in French Indochina. During her childhood and even as a teenager, Duras had to face the harsh realities of life while co-existing with her â€Å"beggar family†. ... The trick works for her and she feels much happier when dressed in this fashion. â€Å"The Lovers† (1984) by Duras is a postmodern dreamy fantasy that helps her escape from the wretchedness of her life. This teenaged French girl tries to make good her escape from her demented mother whose life is steeped in utter despair, depression and jealousy. In a twist of fate, the young girl of fifteen happens to meet a Chinese millionaire, a financier who was 12 years her senior. This chance meeting took place as they happened to cross the Mekong River one day. The girl goes all out to surrender and lose herself in his wealth and passion in the hope that her family would be provided for. The millionaire, who though much older to her has traveled across the world and hence has an impeccable refinement about him. Describing him in her first glimpse she states – â€Å"Inside the limousine there’s a very elegant man looking at me. He’s not a white man. He’s wear ing European clothes – the light tussore suit of Saigon bankers. He’s looking at me†. (Duras, 17) Even though this teenager is surrounded and steeped in all that is cheap and humiliating, yet, her strength of character is poignantly etched by the author to be one of strength and great resilience. The protagonists strength of character is one of the most remarkable and memorable aspects of the novel. The courage she exhibits when dealing with matters relating to her demented mother is highly commendable. One of the clear incidents that portray her amazing capacity to help and love those who are weaker than herself can be seen when she interacts with her own mother. For example, when her daughter dresses in an interesting fashion, the bitterness

Monday, July 22, 2019

Benefits of Pets Essay Example for Free

Benefits of Pets Essay 1. Decreases stress In a 2002 study at State University of New York at Buffalo, researchers found that when conducting a stressful task, people experienced less stress when their pets were with them than when a spouse, family member or close friend was nearby. Promises Treatment Centers, which specializes in addiction, not only recommends its patients consider getting a pet, but even allows pets in its rehabilitation facilities, according to Dr. David Sack, CEO of Promises. â€Å"One of Promises core beliefs is that we need to remove obstacles that prevent people from getting help,† Sack says. â€Å"We are committed to making Promises a safe and reassuring homelike environment. And what could be more like home than to have your pet accompany you?† 2. Lowers blood pressure While some studies have found a stronger connection than others, having a pet has the potential to lower blood pressure, especially in hypertensive or high-risk patients, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). â€Å"If you have a dog around, your blood pressure is lower,† says Marty Becker, DVM, veterinary consultant for Good Morning America and author of the upcoming book, Your Dog: The Owner’s Manual. â€Å"A lot of it goes back to reducing stress: You might lose your job, your house, your 401(k) — but you’ll never lose the unconditional love of your pet.† 3. Eases pain Believe it or not, pets can be the best medicine, especially when a person is dealing with chronic pain such as migraines or arthritis, says Becker. â€Å"Just like Valium, it reduces anxiety. The less anxiety, the less pain,† he says. â€Å"Some studies about acute pain actually found that adults who used pet therapy required 50 percent less pain medication than those who did not.† 4. Lowers cholesterol According to the CDC, another heart-healthy result of owning a pet is lower cholesterol. â€Å"They lower cholesterol by about five points,† says Becker. It isn’t clear whether the pet’s presence decreases cholesterol, or if those who maintain a healthier lifestyle are more often pet owners. However, it is known that male pet owners, in particular, have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels than non–pet owners. 5. Improves mood A lot of the health benefits of owning a pet may stem from the mental and emotional benefits. â€Å"People who have pets are less harried; there’s more laughter in their life,† says Becker. â€Å"When you come home, it’s like you’re George Clooney. You’re a star.† This is a primary reason pets are used in various forms of therapy. â€Å"At Walter Reed Army Medical Center, they’re using dogs to help soldiers dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder,† says Katy Nelson, DVM, associate emergency veterinarian at the VCA Alexandria Animal Hospital in Alexandria, Va. â€Å"They’re finding the guys who have a pet are able to re-enter society a little bit easier. They’re showing a decreased suicide rate, one of the biggest health threats [veterans] face. These guys who have a pet have someone they’re responsible for, someone who cares about them. And they don’t have to explain what they’ve been through.† 6. Helps people socialize While it may seem a bit counterintuitive, owning a dog actually increases a person’s opportunities to socialize, according to Michael Landa, CEO of natural pet food brand Nulo and founder of Los Angeles–based dog-walking service The Pet Staff. â€Å"I take my dog for a two-mile walk every day, and I run into five to 10 people whom I stop and talk to,† he says. Christie Keith, the online and social media editor at PetConnection.com, agrees. A 1999 Canadian study found that pet owners were more socially engaged than non–pet owners, she says. In addition, an Austrian study â€Å"found that pet ownership led to an increase in social contact, more socialization within neighborhoods [such as neighbors chatting as they walk their dogs], and even a greater perception to observers that the neighborhood seems friendly.’† 7. Prevents strokes Although dogs are often touted for their health benefits, cat owners can see gains, too. Felines are just as beneficial to your health as dogs. â€Å"If you have a cat, you’re 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack, and you’re 40 percent less likely to have a cardiovascular incident like a stroke,† Becker says. In addition, pets can aid in the recovery of a heart attack. â€Å"If you have a heart attack and you have a dog, you are eight times more likely to be alive a year later,† Becker says. 8. Monitors blood sugar levels for diabetics According to the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Forecast magazine, a 1992 study found that one-third of the pets living with diabetics (mostly dogs, but other pets included cats, birds and rabbits) would change their behavior when their owner’s blood sugar level dropped. Most likely a reaction to chemical changes in the owner’s body, the behavior noted in the study has resulted in organizations like Dogs4Diabetics, which trains dogs to be companions for patients at risk of unstable blood glucose levels. 9. Prevents allergies and improves immunity Becker says pets can dramatically improve immunity and prevent allergies. â€Å"A study found that children ages 5 to 7 from pet-owning households attend school three weeks more per year than those who don’t have pets,† he says. He also says that the more pets you have earlier in life, the fewer allergies you will develop. â€Å"Kids who grow up on farms and around animals don’t have allergies,† he says. â€Å"That dander on that hair, that’s natural immunotherapy.† But he notes that this effect is not reversible: Getting a pet as an adult will not minimize allergies, it only helps prevent certain allergies from developing in children. 10. Helps children develop Children who grow up in a household with pets benefit in myriad ways, especially in their emotional development. â€Å"When a child is attached to a dog or cat, they learn to express themselves in more ways and they learn to relate better,† says Landa, who brings children to animal shelters to deliver toys and food. Pets are also hugely beneficial to children suffering from autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). For children with ADHD, taking care of a pet can encourage them to focus on responsibilities through a predictable routine. While the sensory experience of holding and petting an animal can be soothing for children with autism.

Music Analysis Essay Example for Free

Music Analysis Essay â€Å"Bitch Bad† is popular hip-hop song performed by Chicago native rapper, Lupe Fiasco. The song depicts the word bitch in the many forms that it is used in today’s urban society. The song starts with a dark weary synthesizer and a heavy deep 808 drum pattern that reflects the sound that is used in many of today’s popular club/party songs. The words to the song shine a stereotypical light on â€Å"bad bitches,† but there is a twist. Fiasco highlights 3 significant points which is the basis of the song, â€Å"Bitch bad, woman good, lady better† (Fiasco, Bitch Bad). By producing this song, Lupe Fiasco points out the relevance and impact that the term has on modern day youth. Fiasco also wanted to make an attempt to steer people in the opposite direction from the normal stereotype of the well-known and overrated term ‘bad bitch. ’ As the first verse starts, Fiasco brings listeners into the world of a young male, around the age of 4 or 5 that picks up on the music his mother listens to that has references of women as being bad bitches. Fiasco describes how the mother sings to the song playing and her son is listening to her sing along to the lyrics. Fiasco states the more the son hears his mother play this type of music, he develops a certain complex on how he views women that use the â€Å"bad bitch† phrase. By the son being such a tender age, he receives the song based on what he sees in his mother instead of the derogatory way the song is describing women. The young boy forms his own opinion of the bad bitch theory. His own mother, whom he looks up to and admires, calls herself a bad bitch, so he depicts the term â€Å"bad bitch† to be positive. To him it resembles a strong, independent, respectful woman because this is how he sees his mother, as opposed to a woman that is weak, dependent and unstable. The hook to the song â€Å"Bitch Bad† illuminates the 3 categories of women: bitch, woman, and lady. â€Å"Bitch bad, woman good/ Lady better, they misunderstood/ (Im killin these bitches)† (Fiasco, Bitch Bad). These lyrics are self-explanatory. This hook is saying that being called a bitch is a bad thing, being called a woman is better, but being called a lady is phenomenal. Lupe Fiasco is trying to tell young girls, or young women, what they should be trying to aspire to be instead of trying to be what they see on the television screens or hear on the radio. More recently in urban society being a woman or a lady has lost its value. The message that Lupe Fiasco is trying to send out to the audience of this song is that being a bad bitch is not a positive look. In verse two of the song â€Å"Bad Bitch,† Fiasco breaks down how a young group of girls in their pre-teen stage listen to songs and watch music videos on the internet. The videos are uncensored and because they know more about the internet than their parents, they don’t get parental consent. Children tend to know a lot more about modern day technology than their parents. This is how children such as the ones described in this verse, are able to watch uncensored items online. The young girls are at an age where they need a positive female role model, but instead they are influenced by the women they see in music videos. These young girls receive a different persona of a bad bitch than the young boy in the first verse. Bad bitches to them are women that have sex appeal, skinny with big butts, and wear sexy and revealing clothing. As the song states â€Å"High heels, long hair, fat booty, slim They don’t see a paid actress, just what makes a bad bitch† (Fiasco, Bitch Bad). The girls have this image in their heads, and without proper guidance, this is what they want to grow up to be. The third verse begins by Fiasco stating that he is not trying to teach children to use the term â€Å"bitch† but as a psychological way to let listeners know that he is against the use of the word. This verse combines the first two and it continues with the observation of how small the world really is and the young boy from the first verse and one of the young girls from the second verse meet. Fiasco continues on to illustrate how the boy is viewing the girl in an insolent way based on how she is dressed, but she is saying it in a sexual way. His viewing of a bad bitch is not what the girl is showcasing. Sure enough, in this little world/The little boy meets one of those little girls/And he thinks she a bad bitch/And she thinks she a bad bitch/He thinks disrespectfully/She thinks of that sexually/She got the wrong idea/He don’t wanna fuck her/He thinks she’s bad at being a bitch/Like his mother† (Fiasco, Bitch Bad). She is flaunting her half-dressed body i n front of him, yet he is telling her that his mother didn’t do things like that, and that is what he knows to be a bad bitch. The young man fostered his view on the term from what he saw in his mother, a respectful woman. They young lady obtained her view from the flashy video girls she saw in music videos. The term ‘bad’ back in earlier years portrayed a woman who had her life together and was sexy in a respectful way. She was the woman that didn’t need assistance from the male counterpart. Black moguls in the rap/hip hop community, such as Dame Dash, Russell Simmons, Nicki Minaj, and Jay-Z have taken the word ‘bad’ and made the ‘bitch’ addition and spread it through the black culture. Now a female who has lower standards perceives that she’s a bad bitch because she is being uplifted by the black urban community. Society today can take the term â€Å"bad bitch’ as being either good or bad. Marc Hogan, writer for Spin Magazine, stated â€Å"Clearly, something has changed in hop hop’s relationship with anti-woman slurs†¦and that’s ostensibly what Lupe Fiasco tries to address†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hogan). The perception of women slurs all depend on individual perceptions and how much impact social media has on an individual. This song released in August 2012. Upon its music video release, MTV did an interview with Lupe Fiasco. During this interview, Fiasco stated that he â€Å"just wanted to have a conversation,† (Fiasco, Interview). Lupe also suggested that because there is no solidification to the term bad bitch, â€Å"†¦it’s definitely something that I think we should talk about because it’s so prevalent in our culture right now† (Fiasco, Interview). Lupe is trying to get the world to understand that a bad bitch is a double standard as stated in the lyrics â€Å"Bad mean good to her/She really nice and smart/ But bad mean bad to him/Bitch don’t play your part/ But bitch still bad to her if you say it the wrong way/ But she think she a bitch/What a double entendre† (Fiasco, Bitch Bad). Rob Markman stated that â€Å"Lupe Fiasco knows all too well the power of words. † This is very true. Fiasco’s music is well known in the hip hop industry for relaying some kind of message. Lupe Fiasco did precisely what he set out to do, spark a conversation and produce different point of views. â€Å"Depending on where you stand, the term â€Å"bad bitch† may have positive or negative connotations†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Markman). Fiasco let the world know that is was more to being a ‘bad bitch’. What viewers see in music videos is only one perception. Needless to say, â€Å"†¦whether you consider â€Å"bitch† empowering or degrading, there is always something to ponder on† (Viera), and Lupe Fiasco definitely gave his listeners, and non-listeners, something to think about.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Kellers Model Of Customer Based Brand Equity Marketing Essay

Kellers Model Of Customer Based Brand Equity Marketing Essay How do consumers evaluate service brands: An investigation of the performance of Harrods as a service brand to get their brand image Background of the Research Branding has been one the most exciting yet phenomenal marketing concept of the 21st century. A brand can be viewed as a promise made with consumers, the promise of providing consistent quality and satisfaction (Balmer Greyser, 2003). Therefore the term brand can be defined as a name, symbol, design or a combination of these to identify a product in the marketplace (Keller, 2006). Brands have become very important in recent years and are part of our everyday life and with so much choice available it becomes difficult to choose a particular branded product. Usually consumers tend to select products that are familiar to them, products that tend to have a clear meaningful set of values, attributes and brand names that are trusted (Keller, 2006). Both physical goods and services can be branded, however there has been a vast focus towards the branding of physical goods and very little work carried out on the branding of services (OCass Grace, 2004). The growth of services has been rapid across the world and it has become important to understand the tools that can be used to brand a service to initiate differentiation. Branding of physical products tends to be simpler because the consumer is able to hold, touch and feel the end product. Branding a service is slightly more complicated due to its intangible nature, because youre not going home with an item but more of an experience that occurs with services. Many scholars such as de Chernatony and DallOlmo Riley (1999), Berry (2000), McDonald, de Chernatony and Harris (2001) and OCass and Grace (2003, 2004) have taken an approach to create a framework that can be used towards branding a service. Most of these frameworks are created to measure services that are intangible such as banks, hotels, airline, financial and consultant services. This study will be focusing on the branding of Harrods services. The study has been motivated by the nature of service branding and the frameworks that have been created by scholars previously mentioned. However not all of these frameworks are applicable for this study and therefore will be concentrating only on the framework created by OCass and Grace (2004). The main reason being the framework created by OCass and Grace (2004) is the only one that measures service brands from the consumers point of view. The service brand model by OCass and Grace (2004) will be used against services being offered by Harrods. Harrods is basically famous for the luxury and high class products it offers, however this research emphasises on the services it offers. The main services Harrods offers are as follows: Karim Fayed hearing centre Beauty Sports Fitness Financial and property services Home lifestyle The studio Interior Design Innovation Furniture and interior design Food Fashion and accessories Fine Jewellery Weddings Occasions Corporate gifting services Healthcare Airport Services This research is not particularly focusing on one service it provides, rather it takes all these services in general and the respondents would be the customers of Harrods who have used any of its services. Aims and Objectives The main aim of this project is as followed. What are the service branding factors taken into consideration by consumers when selecting a luxury brand service provider; Harrods? The following objectives have been suggested and need be reached for a successful achievement of the project aim a) To identify, examine and discuss the relevant service branding associations consumers hold towards service brands b) To identify and discuss all the relevant service branding associations directly linked towards Harrods Services c) To examine how important are the service brand association for Harrods service consumers d) To evaluate the influence these associations have on the purchase of services from Harrods Literature Review Overview What is Brand? A brand is basically a trademark or a distinctive name of a product or manufacturer, it conveys and portrays the image of the product; word brand refers to a name, term, symbol, sign or design used by a firm to differentiate its offerings from those of its competitors, to identify a product with a particular seller, Kotler, (1999) stated. Developing a good brand has become a major task for many organizations today because it provides a number of advantages. Strong brands help the firm establish an identity in the market place (Aaker, 1991). A successful brand has a recognizable name which provides specific attributes to the consumer (i.e. quality, elegance, value). According to The Economist (1988) the basic purpose of branding is to build the products image, this image will influence the perceived worth of the product and will increase the brands value to the customer, leading to brand loyalty. From the marketing perspective, Kotler (1994) believes brands convey a few meanings to th e consumers like: Benefit: The help and benefit sought provided by the firm to its consumers, which is transformed by its attributes Culture: The brand reflects an organizations image and equity Personality: The brand is regarded with certain characteristics Users self-image: The brand reflects or consistent with consumers self-image Brand Value: Both physical and mental values provided by the brand to its customers Attribute: The functions of the product brand provide Companies normally develop brands as a source or mode to attract and keep customers by promoting value, image, prestige, or lifestyle. Hence, a brand is not just a symbol but comprises of core product, packaging and marketing communication, which includes many important meanings and values of a firm; the objective of brand building is to develop more valuable profits and benefits to the company. Relationship of Brands and Their Equity According to Motameni and Shahrokhi (1998) today brands play an important part in marketing strategy because it has become an important marketing component for the company and a source of information for the consumers. Branding and brand equity has been a key topic of interest to the researchers of marketing for many years. The term brand can be explained as a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combinations of them which is intended to identify the goods and the services of a seller or a group of sellers to differentiate them from those of competitors (Kotler, 2005. pp 42). This topic of branding and brand equity has been a detailed research topic in the marketing literature. Aaker (1991) and Keller (1993) have gave some thorough insight into brand equity, and both have provided theoretical schemes that link brand equity with various consumer response variables. Brand equity has emerged as a marketing imperative, so too has the need to fully understand and manage brand associations (OCass Grace, 2003). Aaker (1996) has defined brand equity as a set of assets (and liabilities) linked to a brands name and symbol that adds to (or subtract from) the value provided by a product or service to a firm and/or that firms customers. Aaker has also identified five assets of brand equity: brand awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand associations and other proprietary brand assets. Aaker (1996) also presented brand isentity model which is very important in elaborating the concept of brand identity. Fig. 2.1 Source (Aaker 1996) The brand is a very important tool for marketers as consumers use it as a reminder to conclude certain product attributes such as quality (Krishnan Hartline, 2001). Lim OCass (2000) stated that brands are seen to be valuable assets and sources of differentiation that plays a vital role in marketing strategy. Branded goods make it simpler for consumers to identify the product in the marketplace (Lassar et al, 1995), brands also reduce the consumers search costs, perceived risk and signals the quality of the product (Keller, 2006). Kellers Model of Customer Based Brand Equity On the hand Keller (1993, 1998) has proposed a knowledge based framework which is a customer based brand equity model. The framework consists of two dimensions commonly known as brand awareness and brand image. The model consists of product related and non product related attributes (OCass Grace, 2003; Keller, 2003). The product related attributes are explained as the components of the core product or service wanted by consumers (Keller, 1993). The related attributes of service can be described as the process that takes place before, during or after receiving the service. For example when a customer uses a dry cleaning service they are paying for getting their clothing cleaned and the price charged is usually for the unseen elements such as the use of premises, detergent, cleaning equipment and employee expertise (OCass Grace, 2003). The non product related attributes refers to all other attributes that are external to the function or the process of the service offering (Keller, 1993). The four non product related categories are: price, user and usage imagery, brand personality and feelings and experiences. Price is considered a non product related attribute as it remains external to the purchase or consumption of a service (Keller, 1993, 1998). In terms of branding the price does not directly reflect the service or performance. Moreover price is established as an important association in brand image evaluation and a strong quality indicator (OCass Grace, 2004, Keller, 1998). User imagery is related to the type of person who is going to use the product or service (Keller, 1998). The attributes are usually formed by the consumers own experience via contact of brand users or by the image represented by marketing communications. On the other hand usage imagery illustrates the situational factors in which the brand is used (Keller, 1998). For example time of day, week or year, location, or type of activity. The user and usage imagery typically reflects the conventional users of a product or service in the context within which it is used. Brand personality has been defined as set of human characteristics or traits that consumers attribute to a brand (Keller, 2006, p.369). In simpler terms brand personality can be expressed by both demographic and psychographic characteristics, providing a concept upon which the brand can be positioned in the consumers mind. Brand personality or personality characteristics are used to target consumers, hence attracting that particular market where the people can relate themselves to how they see their ideal self (Keller, 2006, p.66). A well established brand personality has the ability to increase emotional ties with the brand along with developing trust and loyalty. According to Keller (1998) feelings and experiences which are also non product related attributes, have become important in terms of consumer evaluations of brands, often occurring through the evaluation of advertising. In the context of services, it is important to evaluate the feelings and experiences of service brands. For the reason that production and consumption occur simultaneously in services, the service experience is the active structure of meanings associated with the behaviours, thoughts and feelings that occur during consumption, which directly impacts on the consumers perceived brand image (Keller, 1998, 2006). The measurement of brand equity has also been a high interest area of study. There are direct and indirect measures for brand equity. The direct approach is an attempt made to assess the value added by the brand to the product (Keller, 1993). The indirect approach focuses on the identification of the potential sources of brand equity (Aaker, 1991; Keller, 1993). Both these approach can be given a merit, however Keller (1993) argues that direct and indirect approach to measuring brand equity are complementary and should be used together. Concept of Service Branding in the Marketing Literature Basically branding is basically an effective marketing strategy, tool and technique which have been utilized with great results for organizations and enormous success in the past (Rooney 1995). Nowadays, branding is facing a new popularity due to new and innovative applications. Though there have been times when branding was less than successful. Now marketers are working to get the appropriate applications in the given settings. All the problems regarding branding strategy in current time include the selection of a proper brand name. Coonan (1993) stated that this fundamental issue will impact on the success of a branding strategy. Marketers have to choose the advertising strategy to support and communicate the name, once a name is selected. Hence keeping the brand in a strong position is a critical concern. New areas of branding include corporate, industrial, and service branding. These non-traditional branding environments are becoming the future for marketers using branding strategy. To add to the new branding areas, there are new branding techniques. These techniques include brand extensions and ingredient branding. New strategies, techniques, and arenas for branding have to be managed. The organization must support and identify with the strategy. The goals, objectives, and mission of any organization should be in line with the branding strategy employed. There has been a lot of work carried out on branding and brand equity by academic researchers like Keller (1993, 1998) and Aaker (1991, 1996), but majority of their work has been focused on physical goods branding. In the last decade there has been many frameworks created to assist marketers to realise how consumers think about, and respond to brands, as a result enabling marketers to implement effective consumer centred marketing activities. Turley and Moore (1995) have stated that there is an increased growth of service economies throughout the world, but the branding literature has mainly explored branding in terms of physical goods, whereas the branding of services has been minimal and left out of the picture. Several researches have been done on services marketing that has focused on topics such as measuring service quality, service failure to service switching but the examination into branding of services has not been undertaken (OCass Grace, 2004). Keller (1993, 1998) and Aaker (1996) have suggested branding frameworks that can be applied to measure brand equity, however these frameworks are excellent when used towards physical goods but are not fully adaptable for service brands as some attributes need to be taken out or completely adjusted. Keller (1993, 1998) has created a construct known as dimensions of brand knowledge which is an in-depth analytical view of the brand from the perspective of the consumer. The model has been criticised because only a small section of the model has been empirically tested to date and the model overlooks the variations found in the area of consumer evaluation concerning goods and services (OCass Grace, 2003). Keller (1998) has however argued that hi s model can be applied to both branding of goods and services. With respect Berry (2000) has criticised that these models by Keller (1993, 1998) and Aaker (1996) have some aspects in common across the two domains of goods and services, but the application of these models can be questioned. The reason being the marketing principles of goods and services are inconsistent because the difference between the two domains. The core offering of goods is different from the offerings of a service, because core service offering of a service is more complex and largely compromises of elements such as processes, people and physical facilities (Tax Stuart, 1997 cited in OCass Grace, 2004). As a result the evaluation of service brands by consumers maybe different as there maybe the need for more or newer attributes required in examining service brands than physical goods brands, hence the models by Keller (1993, 1998) and Aaker (1996) are inconsistent and cannot be completely relied on when eval uating consumer perceptions of service brands. Service When exploring the concept of service Youngs contribution is very important. Youngs (2000: P 43) says, A service, combined with goods products, is experienced and evaluated by customers who have particular goals and motivations for consuming the service. Gronroos (1990) stated that service is an activity or series of activities of more or less intangible nature. He also stated that service normally, but not necessarily, takes place in interactions between the customers and the service employees and/ or physical resources of goods and/or systems of the service provider, which are provided as solutions to customers problems. Young (2000) has mentioned three areas of service, to elaborate it in much better way. First is that service takes place via interaction of consumers and the service provider, it can be a company or an individual. The other factors are the physical resources or the environments playing a vital medium role in the process of service production and consumption. Third service is needed by consumers to provide certain functions such as problem-solving. Boone and Kurtz (1994) have worked on services and according to them each of service characteristics is as follows: 1. Intangibility: Customer cannot sample a service before purchasing it that appealing to customers sense of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. 2. Inseparability: Customer perceptions of the service provider become their perceptions of the service itself. Often Customers are unable to judge the quality of a service before purchase. 3. Perish-ability: The organization cannot put an unsold service into storage. 4. Difficult to Standardizes: It is mostly impossible to standardize offerings among sellers of the same service or even to standardize the service of a single seller. 5. Buyer Involvement: It is very important that buyers are often involved in the development and distribution of services. 6. Service quality is actually high variable in all aspects. When goods and services are compared on the grounds of their characteristics following table can be helpful in doing comparison. Fig. 2.2 Comparison of products and services and service branding implications (Source Grace and OCass 2003) Kristen (2008) stated that when its about providing service, knowing the expectation of customers and the customers perception of the service encounter is a vital component to delivering superior service. Delivering superior service, especially in the hospitality industry creates a myriad of opportunities for the service organization to surpass the competitive and become a recognized leader in the service industry. It only stands to rationalize that the concept of the service encounter directly affects satisfaction, loyalty and future behavioural intensions; which in turn, has a direct affect on the organizations success and financial stability. There are four basic unique features of services: intangibility, inseparability of production and consumption, heterogeneity and perishability. Heterogeneity of Service Brands The advertising that positions the brand should be met by frontline staff as if imitating the brand. Regular planning, control, automation and regular reviews of performance improvement and consumer reaction should be made use of to overcome heterogeneity and quality control difficulties of service brands (Chernatony Riley, 1999). The human element in service condition cannot be subjected to quality control measures as a product from a factory, thus each service experience is potentially distinctive, where consistency can prove difficult to achieve on a regular basis (Berry, 2000). Berry (2000) believes the concurrent product and consumption of services can enable to customise the service brand to serve the needs of particular consumers better, thereby making the practice of marketing the responsibility of every employee. The previous branding strategy is unlikely to accommodate differing consumer needs because of the rigid structure and almost inflexible approach. By making brandin g an internal as well as external activity, may help ensure consistency across time and differing situations (Chernatony Segal-Horn, 2003). Internal branding also known as internal marketing, has received great deal of attention and an area of vast interest, which has created a consistent organisational culture revolving around the brand concept. Within the service company the brand concept needs to be understood, which allows the brand to become an internal cohesive device, enabling employees to retain flexibility to deal with different people and situations, while conforming to the brand concept. As a consequence employee relations and internal communications are essential means to motivate and retain consumer conscious employees and ensure greater consistency in service quality (Chernatony Riley, 1999). Employees with positive attitudes and behaviour can increase consumer satisfaction with the service brand, which results in increased market share and sales. Intangibility of Service Brands The factor of intangibility of the services of the organization makes it hard for customers to identify and assess the quality of a service and differentiating between other competing brands. There is also a concern to firms as they find it difficult to set accurate prices for services. To overcome this problem number of branding strategies can be implemented. It has been suggested the size and reputation of companies, which are perceived associations of the firms brand name, that are used by consumers as an indicator to measure the quality when selecting between very intangible services (Chernatony Riley, 1999). It has also been noted by Balmer and Greyser (2003) that consumers are willing to pay higher premiums for services of a company with a strong reputation. Moreover firms that recognise the company name as the brand name, categorised by a distinctive corporate identity, personality and image is considered an important service branding strategy, providing endorsements recognit ion and acceptance as well as making the service more meaningful hence tangible (Balmer Greyser, 2003; Berry, 2000). Another service branding strategy that has been encouraged is the use of unique logos or physical facilities that consumers can immediately associate with specific service providers by offering relevant tangible clues (Chernatony Riley, 1999). Many researchers have considered the branding of goods and services have their similarities; however specific nature of services requires tailored approaches (McDonald, de Chernatony and Harris 2001). Since every service is based on series of performances, service brands become a target of being perceived as commodities. To overcome this problem McDonald, de Chernatony and Harris (2001) have taken a different approach and recommended to make service brands more tangible to provide consumers with favourable set of perceptions. The authors have distinguished an effective way to carry this out is by using physical components associated with the service. For example making changes to the physical elements associated with the brand such as staff uniform, consistent office decorations to the type music played in store. However making these changes doesnt assure that consumers will have a positive view when assessing the service, because the actual service the company provides cannot be imp roved due to these changes being made. Inseparability of Service Brands As consumers are involved in services production, their expectation usually differ between encounters, mainly due to the fact how they interact with different service providers. The main influence of satisfaction with a service brand is caused by the similarity between expected and perceived behaviour, making it complex to control service quality (Summers, 1996 cited in Chernatony Riley, 1999). Moreover there is an increased emphasis towards selecting and training staff to provide a service that is consistent, however it has been argued firms should emphasis the use of corporate branding to establish a favourable consumer nature towards the company (Balmer, 1995). According to this perspective, the company brand provides consistency to the employees behaviour while maintaining consumers expectations. On the other hand it has been stated that by involving consumers in the production process, firms are better able to adapt services to individual needs. Perishability of Service Brands Service brands face a great challenge not only does the firm have to build a strong image and reputation to attract consumers (Balmer Greyser, 2003), but also preventing competitors from making promises that attract consumers away, even before the service brand has been experienced. Services cannot be stored and the service encounter often does not involve any transfer of ownership. In services such as life insurance or pensions the service is purchased long before the benefits have been received and evaluated. To overcome these difficulties it has been suggested the company should build strong brand image and reputation as one of the branding options available. Another problem arising from the characteristic of perishability is the difficulty in synchronising supply and demand. Service firms need to formulate strategies either to cope with fluctuating demand or make adjustments to match capacity and demand more closely, or they will not only face financial problems but branding iss ues as well (Chernatony Riley, 1999). The brand as recognised by consumers, encapsulates both the quality of the service and the efficiency with which the service is provided. Chernatony Riley (1999) have provided an example that the brand image of a supermarket chain depends not only on the price and the product they stock , but also how quickly and efficiently customers can pay for the good and exit the store. Long waits at queues can adversely affect the image, unless ways are found to speed up the queues or persuade consumers to shop outside peak times. Therefore organisation systems become part of the branding process that enable the delivery of promises with regards to service quality, speed and efficiency. Frameworks of Branding of Services Because of the unique features of services, consumers have a complex time evaluating the content and quality of a service prior to, during and after the usage of the service. It has been stated by Krishnan and Hartline (2001) branding is more important in services due to the complexity faced by consumers in assessing the purchase of a service. Branding of services is critical for the reason that consumers view services as a commodity. Branding of services has not been a well researched area; hence the literature is slow in development and primarily basic in nature (de Chernatony Segal-Horn, 2003; Grace OCass, 2002). Berry (2000) has suggested service brands should be distinctive, relevant, memorable and flexible and should be named same as the company rather than another name. The intangibility of services makes it difficult for consumers to evaluate the quality of the service. Regarding the growth of services across the world and the incompatibility of brand equity frameworks used for services, academics such as Berry (2000) Chernatony and Riley (1999) McDonald, Chernatony and Harris (2001) have tried to resolve this issue by creating a framework that can be examined towards consumer service branding. Chernatony and Rileys model Chernatony and Riley (1999) have carried out research with brand consultants about what they thought the difference is between goods and service brands and how they address this issue and in doing so they have come up with the double vortex brand model. The study was implemented using qualitative approach consisting of semi structured in-depth interviews with selected brand consultants in the UK. The purpose of the interview was to find out how brand consultants make sense of brands and do consultants have similar views regarding the components of the brand. The aim of this model is to find out can branding be equally used towards goods and services, and consultants perceptions towards the principle of branding a service is similar to branding for goods. In order to describe in simple terms the complex nature of brands the authors Chernatony and Riley (1999) had discovered that all participants had adopted a mental model of some description. Brand elements such as functional capabili ties, symbolic features, signs of ownership, distinctive name, service, shorthand notation and legal protection were all referred by consultants that were interviewed and these elements are used to make the double vortex model. Service Branding of Service Brand Equity Berry (2000) has taken a different approach by analysing strategies of 14 mature service companies and has created the service branding model of service brand equity. Berry (2000) believes that brand equity is made up of two components: brand awareness and brand meaning (brand image). The following has also been argued by Berry (2000) that the most important source of brand awareness is the companys presented brand, being the companys controlled communications. The controlled communications typically consists of advertising, service facilities, the appearance of service providers, the company name and logo (Brassington Pettitt, 2006). The secondary impact on brand awareness is the external communications, which is usually information consumers receive about the service that are uncontrolled by the company. Brand meaning on the other hand is said to be mainly influenced by customers experience with a particular service company (Berry, 2000). The reason being service businesses are sa id to be labour intensive, consisting of human interactions and performance, rather than machinery. Berry (2000) has emphasised that this construct plays a critical role in building the brand. The secondary influence on brand meaning is said to be the companys presented brand and the external communications. The service brand model by Berry (2000) has introduced new conceptual elements such as servicescapes, controlled and uncontrolled communications, which are significant towards branding of services. These are the typical elements which are missing from the brand knowledge model constructed by Keller (1998). Service Brand Model In response OCass and Grace (2003, 2004) have created their own version of the service brand model. This model has been constructed by adopting various measures from other branding models and potential branding dimensions applicable for services to create an integrated approach to resolve issues in consumer service branding. The authors believe by identifying the dimensions within the consumers consciousness they can gain greater knowledge of what brands mean to consumers as well as begin to understand to what extent such dimensions impact on the brand attitudes and purchase intentions of service consumers. This construct specifically gathers first hand responses of consumers evaluation of service brands in terms of how they see the brand, what expectations they have and overall feelings attitudes towards the service brand. This model by OCass and Grace (2004) includes the following dimensions: core service, interpersonal service, perceived values, se

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) :: essays research papers

The organization I have chosen for this essay is CSIS ( Canadian Security Intelligence Service ). CSIS closely resembles The Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) or British Security Intelligence Service. I have chosen this organization because I have great interest in becoming an employee of CSIS in the future. This essay will provide brief history of CSIS, the responsibilities of CSIS for Canada, and the application process for an entry – level position. These will be further discussed in greater detail as the essay goes on. CSIS was created by the passage of an Act of Parliament ( Bill C-9 ) on June 21, 1984. The service began its formal existence on July 16, 1984. Prior to June 21, 1984, security intelligence was collected by the Security service of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Two different Commissions chaired by the Justice Mackenzie in 1969 and Justice McDonald in 1977 recommended that the security intelligence functions be separated from the RCMP and that a civilian service be formed to carry out those functions. Both commissions recognized that the problem of balancing the need for accurate and effective security intelligence with the need to respect democratic rights and freedoms could not be adequately resolved as long as security intelligence responsibilities remained part of the Federal police force. In 1970, following the report of the Mackenzie Commission, John Starnes, a Foreign Service officer with the Department of External Affairs, became the first civilian Director General of the RCMP Security Service. Although the RCMP became more flexible problem arose due to the different natures of security intelligence work and police work. In August 1981, the feral government announced that a security intelligence service, separate from the RCMP would be established. The first legislation to establish the security intelligence service, Bill C-157, â€Å" an Act to Establish the Canadian Security Intelligence Service ( CSIS )† was introduced in Parliament in May 1983. It passed by both Houses of parliament and given Royal Assent in June 1984. CSIS began its formal existence on July 16, 1984 with Ted Finn as Director. In addition to creating a civilian security intelligence service, the Cat also created SIRC, to review the activities of CSIS. CSIS is a government agency dedicated to protecting the national security interests of Canada and safeguarding its citizens. The main objective of the service is to investigate and report on threats to the security of Canada.

Friday, July 19, 2019

The Cold War :: American America History

The Cold War A war that has created controversy amongst two of the greatest world leaders, United States of America and The Soviet Union, is known as The Cold War. A dispute between once allied countries arose in the Post-WWII era. The United States and the Allied Powers faced many challenges at the end of WWII. America's policy was one that contained the spread of communism in Eastern Europe. Russia, under Lenin's rule called for a world revolution and brought the United States into it. It was not until after WWII, that the cold war really began, when the political power of the world shifted from the center of Europe to Moscow and Washington. The Cold War began after the collapse of Germany in May 1945(http://www.coldwar.org/indexrus.html). The creation of the cold war came from the disagreements for postwar Europe and the Far East. Each superpower, the United States, Britain, France and Russia had their own idea of how postwar Europe should look, and many of their ideas clashed. The Cold War arose not from one isolated event, but from the different ideologies and interests between the Soviet Union and the west. Also the Russian government was seeking revenge on the United States because the United States did not enter the war effort soon enough and that caused for more Russian casualties. After WWII After WWII, Germany was divided into four zones and occupied by Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union. Berlin itself was occupied by the western powers; however, it was surrounded by the Soviet zone. Between 1947 and 1948 cooperation between these powers broke down. The west decided to create a separate government in their zones. To prevent this, the Soviet's increasingly harassed the western traffic to and from Berlin. Russia was trying to spread communism, abolish democracies, and spread poverty. Thus creating the Berlin Blockade, which forced America to create the Berlin Airlift. This created a greater controversy between the United States. This controversy's caused spies to enter into the opposition's country. Russia V.S. United States The most visible part of the cold war was the arms race. Massive and expensive militarization movements, especially nuclear weaponry on the part of both nations involved caused a new psychology to develop. The theory of total destruction of the other country was based on three ideas. One: both nations have enough weapons do destroy the other, two: both nations can detect a first strike before it arrives, and three: both nations are able to respond adequately before they are hit by the first strike. The Cold War :: American America History The Cold War A war that has created controversy amongst two of the greatest world leaders, United States of America and The Soviet Union, is known as The Cold War. A dispute between once allied countries arose in the Post-WWII era. The United States and the Allied Powers faced many challenges at the end of WWII. America's policy was one that contained the spread of communism in Eastern Europe. Russia, under Lenin's rule called for a world revolution and brought the United States into it. It was not until after WWII, that the cold war really began, when the political power of the world shifted from the center of Europe to Moscow and Washington. The Cold War began after the collapse of Germany in May 1945(http://www.coldwar.org/indexrus.html). The creation of the cold war came from the disagreements for postwar Europe and the Far East. Each superpower, the United States, Britain, France and Russia had their own idea of how postwar Europe should look, and many of their ideas clashed. The Cold War arose not from one isolated event, but from the different ideologies and interests between the Soviet Union and the west. Also the Russian government was seeking revenge on the United States because the United States did not enter the war effort soon enough and that caused for more Russian casualties. After WWII After WWII, Germany was divided into four zones and occupied by Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union. Berlin itself was occupied by the western powers; however, it was surrounded by the Soviet zone. Between 1947 and 1948 cooperation between these powers broke down. The west decided to create a separate government in their zones. To prevent this, the Soviet's increasingly harassed the western traffic to and from Berlin. Russia was trying to spread communism, abolish democracies, and spread poverty. Thus creating the Berlin Blockade, which forced America to create the Berlin Airlift. This created a greater controversy between the United States. This controversy's caused spies to enter into the opposition's country. Russia V.S. United States The most visible part of the cold war was the arms race. Massive and expensive militarization movements, especially nuclear weaponry on the part of both nations involved caused a new psychology to develop. The theory of total destruction of the other country was based on three ideas. One: both nations have enough weapons do destroy the other, two: both nations can detect a first strike before it arrives, and three: both nations are able to respond adequately before they are hit by the first strike.

A Surreal Land :: Mathematics Papers

A Surreal Land "To infinity and beyond!" These were the inspired words of Buzz Lightyear in the Disney movie Toy Story. Granted, one would not expect to find much mathematical content in an animated film directed toward children, but these words raise an interesting issue that mathematicians and the general public struggled with for many years. Can one go beyond infinity? How can such a concept be possible or even imaginable? These questions led to the development of many new theories and even a new system of numbers. Disney's Buzz Lightyear A study of infinity must begin with an introduction to set theory. A set is merely a collection of objects. Georg Cantor was the sole creator of set theory; he published an article in 1874 that marks the beginning of set theory and has come to change the course of mathematics. Cantor's theory was met with a great deal of opposition due to its assertion of infinite numbers. The famous mathematician Leopold Kronecker was especially opposed to Cantor's revolutionary new way of looking at numbers. Kronecker believed only in constructive mathematics, those objects that can be constructed from a finite set of natural numbers. Despite this opposition from influential thinkers, set theory laid the foundation for twentieth century mathematics. Although there were some flaws in Cantor's theory, sets became an essential part of new mathematics and therefore set theory was adapted to eliminate its original paradoxes [2]. Georg Cantor Cantor's set theory incorporated infinity in the form of infinite cardinal numbers. Cardinal numbers are those which measure the number of objects in a set, as opposed to ordinal numbers, which are numbers with a fixed predecessor and successor. If two sets have equal cardinality, then they contain an equal number of objects. One way to determine this is through "one-to-one correspondence." Two sets are said to be in one-to-one correspondence if each object, or element, of the first set can be paired with exactly one element of the second set, and vice versa [1]. Cantor compared the cardinality of the set of all positive even integers to the set of all positive integers and found them to be equal. Thus the infinite cardinal number of these two sets is the same and is defined to be aleph-naught. This is the first transfinite number. The set of rational numbers also has a cardinality of aleph-naught, and thus is the same size as the set of integers.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Management employee relations

In today’s working environment, one of the most critical responsibilities that management holds is to ensure that employees’ performance is both effectively and efficiently carried out to the best of their abilities (Bray, Deery, Walsh and Waring, 2005). Nowadays, there is the view that the practices and policies that management holds within organizations in Australia are used against the employees, for instance the decrease in wages and conditions, through means of the Governments Industrial Relation laws. To explore this issue further, this essay will examine whether there is a link between HR strategies and practices and the Australian Industrial Relations legislation (work choices). In doing this, the link between ER regulation and HR policy and practices will be made by focusing on how HR strategies are formed and developed within organizations. Seeing that the HR strategies used, subsequently shape and form the working environment, this allows management to practice the types of employment relations that are promoted under work- choices, for example, AWAs and unfair dismissal rules, more closely or on the contrary to be driven away from them. As concluded by Bray, Deery, Walsh & Waring (2005), Management implements different managerial strategies depending on the organizations labor market position, the skills and also the expectations of different groups of workers to control the working performance of employees. There are two strategies that were introduced by Friedman (1977b), which were used as a guide to employers and managing bodies of many organizations. The strategies that were implemented by Friedman included direct control and responsibility autonomy. Direct control deals with non co-workers and mostly relies on management controlling their employees with tight supervision. Furthermore, employers seem to simply advocate on allowing for the decrease in employees say and discretion. Issues related to the strategy of direct control include numerical flexibility and minimal training and development programs for employees to participate in. Responsibility autonomy, on the other hand, deals with co-workers. This strategy allows for workers to adapt to different situations as they change in ways that are relatively in favor of the organization by way of encouragement and support from managers. This can be seen as being somewhat opposite to direct control as employees are given authority and responsibility to make decisions by management. Matters concerning the strategy of responsibility autonomy include employment security, high wages and also having great opportunities for training and development. Discussion In Australia, political and economic developments internal to the country intermarried with globalization have resulted in deregulation of the previous institution-based system of IR (industrial relations). As a consequence, the labor force has now become more casualised, highly qualified and diverse than at any previous point in history of Australian industrial relations[1]. Amazing though, is that the strategies used by managing bodies to achieve their objectives differ throughout all organizations and these approaches, in turn, have an impact on organizational structures and the management of employees. Various approaches can be adopted to obtain a competitive advantage in the marketplace (Boreham and Hall, 1996). Greater effort is devoted to performance and to explore new forms of supple work arrangements and furthermore increase adoption of computerized human resources management systems. In response to this, human resource practitioners have placed great emphasis on siding HR (Human Resource) strategy with corporate strategy at the same time devoting more effort to performance and exploration of new forms of flexible work arrangements. A study conducted in 2005, (Barbara H. et al. 2005) to determine best employers in Australia indicated that best employing organizations had a typical characteristic of demonstrating high level of employee engagement and a powerful alignment of the workforce with the organization’s brand and strategy. In addition, best employers were different with others in which they delivered on promises and contractual terms. Employees in such an organization with a strategy geared towards worker satisfaction showed higher level of satisfaction. Hence a good organization strategy produces a better management and effective service delivery. Through this evolution, a perfect senior leadership/ management is developed. In such cases employees may be willing to enter into workplace agreements without any undue pressure or duress. It is forthrightly imperative then that the most valuable weapon an industry can have is a strategy which ensures fairness in terms of bargaining grounds, arrangements on working conditions and the terms that rule the contract. Effects of employers using governments to drive down employee wages and conditions Employers have deeply taken advantage of the John Howard’s AWA to throw a lethal poison in the industrial relations and end up undermining fundamental rights of the employee through destabilization of the bargaining power, cut-down on the employee wages, cut on work conditions and rid fairness and decency from the workplaces. With the outcry from the public, these policies do deserve nothing other than rejection, (also Verona Burgess, 8 April 2005).[2] Another amazing issue is that through the adoption of the governments’ strategies, the companies have gotten rid of collective bargaining or agreements, encouraged statutory individual contracts hence leading to unfair bargaining within the setup of the working environment. This of course discourages hard work and harmony at the workplace (Buchanan & Chris, June 2000). However, recent developments indicate possible abolishment of the Australian Workplace Agreements as they have been seen as an attempt to undermine the collective employee bargaining power, (Harley & McGraw 2003). Donaldson, (2006), observes that workplace relations in Australia have tremendously changed over the past five years and he reiterates that this is due to political changes in administration. He notes that these changes led to sweeping away of government’s workplace relations reforms. In the same light, changes to iniquitous dismissal laws could not pass but rather were blocked several times.   In support of this, the research survey carried out by McGraw and Harley (2003) reveals a significant difference in IR-HR practice between overseas-owned workplaces and Australian based ones. In order to strike a balance between IR strategy and other workplace policies, one powerful tool which is of strategic importance is effective management. Conversely, Australia is a highly competitive labor market and thus it should take organizations whatever cost to attract and retain highly valued employees. The surprise here is that there has been little achievement in aligning the HR strategies with workplace policies. This is because while companies and business organizations will want to develop a strategy for building a combination of motivational factors to attract the best out of the market, impediments still hinder recognition of the importance IR strategies. Therefore substantial challenges still remain despite the fact that some achievements have been made. Major impediment is the dilemma which arises from the fact that it is the very organizations which apart from attracting the full potential of the workforce take advantage of existing government legislation to thwart the very goal they should be geared towards achieving- Dietz and Boselie, (2005). Human Resource Management Practices in Australia Because of the prevailing labor market issues in some parts of the economy in Australia, for example in the tourism industry, (Boon & Dietz 2005), which are prevalently affected by seasonal guest market thus creating quite conscious management strategies and high employee turnover due to casualization of employees to achieve flexibility and short term costs or even as a show of desperation.   Some large organizations in Australia have found it a wise move to internationalize their employees by rotating them through their regional properties so that these employees are well exposed to various standards. This happens more so in the tourism and hospitality industry in large hotel chains like Mandarin and Hilton- (also see Nankervis, Alan, 2000)[3] Point of Conflict between AWA and Industrial Relations Policies Foremost to the point of discussion as we have seen above, AWAs are viewed by the Australian Union of Certified Agreements as effort to undermine the collective bargaining power of trade unions the concession for better pay and improved working conditions on behalf of their members, (Buchanan & Briggs, 6 June 2000)[4]. This is a critical point of divergence between the views of the two sides though some companies promise some extra consideration in terms of pay for employees who sign the AWA. While the companies do that, most unions caution their members against signing them. They maintain that though the employee might sign the Agreement, such ordinary worker has no (or little if any) bargaining power by herself or himself to effectively stage a bargain for the contract, hence there is intrinsically unequal grounds for the contract between the employer and employee. Very important as well is that it is universally believed that AWAs try to entrench inequality between employees and their employers as far as working conditions and pay are concerned. This is criticized because the main aim of the commercial law and even common law is to provide for equality of bargaining power and fairness. Therefore, it is thought, the AWAs are as good as abolished. At this point therefore AWAs tend to conflict with the commercial law and even common law of contracts. This is because its mode of operation neither goes in line with the expectations of the common law nor those of the commercial law. Sympathizers of AWAs contend that these agreements give flexibility to the employees and their employers when it reaches time to set wages, terms and conditions of work hence enabling them to agree on agreements which can suit their individual preferences and workplaces. Conclusion As much as AWAs may provide the flexibility to the employer and the employee when setting the agreements on contracts or terms and conditions, there is still inconsistency with the common law and also with employer HRM strategy and practice which provide basis for fair and level bargaining grounds. This inconsistency clearly reveals their inability to give both employee and the employer level bargaining grounds to enjoy the benefits that a fairly executed work contract should have. This flaw therefore renders them of little or no help to the harmonious development of any meaningful relation between employees and the management. Since the impacts of AWAs are quite retrospective, (for example trading off of penalty rates without proper compensation and overtime loadings) they should be abolished- (Boon & Dietz 2005) References Patrickson, M. & Hartmann L. 2001, ‘Management of Human resources in Australia’ – International Journal of Manpower Vol. (22) 3; p 99 – 205. Dietz, B. P. & G., Boon, C. 2005. ‘Contradictions and Commonalities in HRM’. Human Resource Management Journal 15(3): 66-04. Cieri, De H.; Barbara H. et al. 2005. ‘Pettit Human Resource and Personnel Management in Australian Organizations’, Journal of Human Resource Management, Volume 16, (1) pp 90 – 106 Harley & McGraw, 2003. ‘Human Resource Management Practices and industrial Relations in Australia’; Industrial Relations Journal. (46): 1-21. Agarwala, T. 2004. ‘An Empirical Investigation into organizational commitment and Innovative human resource practices’, International Journal of Human Resource Management 16(4): 176-198. Arthur, B. J. 1994. â€Å"Effects of human resources systems on manufacturing performance and turnover† Academy of Management Journal 37(3): 671-689. Harley, B., Boreham, P. and, Hall, R. 1996. ‘Work Organization and Industrial Relations Decentralisation in Australia’, Work, Employment and Society, 10, 3,   pp. 449-68. Chen, S.-j., et al. 2003. ‘Human resource strategy and firm performance,’ Human Resource Management International Journal 14(9): 1309-1323. Buchanan, J. & Chris B. June 2000 ‘A Critical Assessment and Commerce, Economics and Industrial Relations’ Australian Labour Market Deregulation: Research Paper, Group 6 [1] McGraw and Harley (2003) Human Resource Management Practices and industrial Relations in Australian; Journal of Industrial Relations. (45): 1-22. [2] Burgess, Verona April 2005. Union gets ready for hostile Senate, Australian Financial Review, CPSU bulletin [3] Nankervis, A. R. (2000). Human Resource Management Strategies as Competitive Advantage: A Case Example Research and Practice in Human Resource Management, 8(1), 111-133. [4] Chris Briggs, Buchanan J. 6 June 2000 Australian Labour Market Deregulation: A Critical Assessment Economics

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Surrealism

Surrealism Surrealism started as a revolt against the intellect of Cubism, Formalist art, imposture for Arts sake ( dad) and abstraction. It is an attitude to disembodied spirit and hostel rather than a zeal of art. It was a painting style that confine the dream into physical existence. Individualism and closing off was a core value of the movement. They investigated the nous for artistic inspiration.Origins of Surrealism Andre Breton Was dissatisfied with DADA wanted a more organized and pragmatic He explored automatic righting and discussed the incoherent and the inadvertent Hough process in painting He published a manifesto in 1924 (statement of humors about the movement) Was based on Freud the idea of the conscious mind struggling against the irrational and the unconscious Implemented the idea that the individualist is free to express their personal desires comment of Surrealism Thought is expressed with the absence of reason, esthetical (visual), moral concerns.Sur realism emphasizes words more than the delineation and was dominated by the written plant and ideas. The influence of Sigmund Freud Worked with Psychoanalysis, and how hypnosis allows an individual to remember motional experiences that have been forgotten. The importance of memories and experiences in the unconscious is core to Surrealism Hypnosis liberates the imagination Through the dream, universe is solved.Political situation of the time Breton was a communist The surrealists were anarchists like the Dadaists of WWW Surrealist thought that non-government was better(irrational vs. the rational) Russian revolution Tribal art Dada chance, irrational, disgustedogical Art of children and the mentally ill Freud and Jung (importance of dreams and the symbols used to understand dreams) Sub ThemesThe humanity condition Surrealism deals with the subconscious, dreams and irrational thought becharm of technology- Meaning in media Surrealism involves symbolism, meaning with the use of paint Reflection of society comment on anti warfare etc Two Schools of Surrealism Bibliographic Surrealism Ray, Dali,Yves, Migrate enlarge Automatic Organic surrealism Mirror, Manson Recognizable objects in different contexts Images of the mind Precise reproductive memory Juxtaposition (placing next to each other) change by reversal (placed over) Displaced(put out of place) Mutated (altered) Visual pun/ threefold meaning Hidden Meaning witness Close to abstract