Native American Movement Essay

The Native American movement of the 1960s and 1970s was the result of Native Americans coming together to claim, regain, or reassert rights to lands and to fight for more control over water, economic affairs, and education on native lands. Although the movement was all across the U. S. the most well known event of AIM; or the American Indian Movement was the occupation of Alcatraz island from 1969 through 1971. The first major intertribal association was the national congress of American Indians, or NCAI whose concerns were protection of Indian land rights and improved educational opportunities for Native Americans. Founded in 1944 in response to termination and assimilation policies that the U. S. forced upon the tribal governments in contradiction of their treaty rights and status as sovereigns. They joined the movement after being denied Indian land from the United States government. Many achievements were made; the first, in 1949 when they made charges against federal job bias towards the Indians. Again in 1950, 1952 and in 1954 when they won their fight against legislation that would have allowed the states to civil and criminal jurisdictions over Indians. They dealt with various topics like health care, employment, and safety issues on a nation wide scale. They were very successful in completing there goals and helping the cause. ( http://www. answers.com/topic/national-congress-of-american-indians) The American Indian Movement; or AIM was an American Indian rights group who occupied a number of sites. Founded in 1968, there goals were fostering a sense of unity and solidarity among American Indian and first nation groups in the U. S. and Canada. They joined the movement because in the 1960s, American Indians were the poorest minority group. They achieved many famous site takeovers from the 1970 occupation of a replica of the mayflower to the occupation of Mount Rushmore in 1971. There most famous occupation however was the one of Alcatraz island from 1969 to 1971, it started with just a few, then quickly grew to hundreds. ( http://www. conservapedia. com/American_Indian_Movement_Grand_Governing_Council) The group offered to buy the island from the federal government for $24 in glass beads and red cloth but there offer was denied and after 2 years and a lot hard times, the U. S. government finally removed the group from the island. ( http://www. digitalhistory. uh. edu/database/article_display. cfm? HHID=387).

GORE TEX Essay

Gore-Tex is a multinational textile company. It was first founded by Bill and Vieve Gore as W.L. Gore & Associates in 1958. The company started with serving the electronic products market. In 1969, Bob Gore independently discovered expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and introduced in the market as Gore-Tex. In today’s date Gore-Tex is more focused on electronics, fabrics, industrial and medical products. It is a company that keeps on sustain its business with innovative design and improving the quality and service by understanding customer’s need and requirement. It is one of the 200 largest privately held U.S. companies. It has also been awarded as 21st best place to work in overall â€Å"100 best companies to work for in United States† in 2013. As it is a multinational company it has revenue of $ 3 billion and overall 10,000 employees working for the company all over the world. (Gore, 2013) As we look into the company they function in a very unique way. They follow the inversion of traditional management principal through which there are no manager, bosses and fixed assigned job. They only have leaders that they have to follow as per their wish and contribute their knowledge and skills to make the project successful. At Gore-Tex people are free to come up with their own ideas and innovation. As there is no position hierarchy they are all fair to each other. They also encourage each other to grow in knowledge and responsibility as they believe growth within the staff member will help in the growth of a company. Gore-Tex Company once has hired outsider to work on project which had a negative impact on the company, they had to bring their existing staff member from other branch to help them improve. When associates are hired, they are guided by sponsor, growing understanding of opportunities and team’s goal. This all happens in an environment that combines freedom w ith cooperation and autonomy with synergy. (Gore, 2013) So, Building trust and organizing team work with the  employees is the one of the key success factor of the company. Leader at Gore-Tex â€Å"Leadership is a process whereby an individual influence’s a group of individual to achieve a common goal’’ (Northouse, 2013). At Gore-Tex Company there is fairness among all the leaders and associates. The leaders in Gore-Tex consult with other associates within the company before undertaking any action that would impact the company’s reputation. They have different types of leader some are leaders of project, some are team leader. When an individual survey was done at Gore 50% of the associates said they are leaders. Leaders at Gore are followers as well. They believe to be a leader you need to be a follower as well. Leaders can’t be leader without having any followers. As a leader when they come up with their innovative design they share with the associates and convince them to follow them. The leader can only influence people to follow them if they have earned respect with their knowledge and skills. The company believes that one should be able to convince other associates if they want to come up a leader. In other word they should earn their position as a leader. Being a leader in Gore-Tex is hard as compared to other organisation. In other companies they have their positional power as a leader. When it comes to Gore-Tex they should be able to convince their follower to maintain their position (Hamel, 2010). We can see there is a very high level of trust within the leader and associates in the organization. As today they may be the leader but tomorrow they will another leader. The leader of the team is also elected from the team member itself. The leader is not chosen to command the team members, but to act as the representative of the team and to create coordination among them to achieve goal. Leaders in Gore-Tex are seemed to be transformational leadership as they are energetic, enthusiastic and passionate and they seemed to be concerned about the growth of their team members. (Cherry, 2013) They are also emergent leaders as they are emerged with respect to the respond they get from group of employees that work in Gore-Tex. â€Å"When others perceive an individual as the most influential member of group or an organization, regardless of the individual’s title, the person is exhibiting emergent leadership†. (Northhouse, 2013) As we looked into the case study we can identify that company operates in a very distinctive way. There are no  managers or bosses in the company but only leaders and associates. When an independent survey was done 50 % of Gore’s associates said that they all are leaders. In Gore Individual employee become leader by convincing other associates about their ideas. They create their own idea and share among the associates and the people who believe in the idea will support and follow them. There are different types of leadership styles and theories like Transactional and Transformational. When we look into transactional leaders there are usually rewarding and punishment. Although the performance is based on the followers, both leaders and associates maintain their relation as give and take. When someone performs well then they will be rewarded and if they are not performing properly they will be punished. (Cherry, 2013) â€Å"Transformational leadership is the process whereby a person engages with others and creates a connection that raises the level of motivation and mora lity in the leaders and the followers†.(Downton, 1973) The concept of Transformational leader was introduced by James Burns, he explained Transformational leader are those who come up with their own creative ideas and innovation which will help to lead the top level management of an organization to achieve similar goal. It is also a process that changes, transforms people, concerns with emotion, values ethics, standard and long-term goal (Northouse, 2013). As in Gore-Tex there is no layer of positioning among the staff members. They have different team and the team are led by team members. They all show the characteristics of transformational leadership. They come up with their own ideas and strategy which they put among their associates and convince them to follow. Not only ideas, but the contribution or effort they put will help them to show the direction through which they can achieve goal. Comparing with the case study we can see that Gore-Tex influence there associates to come up with their idea and lead the group. Unlike in other company, associates in Gore-Tex do what is beneficial for the overall company. There is no pressure or fixed job assigned to the associates. So, they have to be leader when they come with their own innovative ideas. There is high level of trust among the employees within the company, which will help the leader to convince their follower. It is also said to be a leader you need to be a follower as well. We can also see when an associate come with a new idea, they share with everyone so that other employee interested in the idea will support and contribute. As a leader in Gore-Tex you should understand that their job is to unite team member and organize them to accomplish the objective. As we look into the Managerial Grid it helps us to give the idea about how leaders will help an organization to achieve its goal. This model is based on two factors that are â€Å"Concern for production† and â€Å"Concern for the people†. This theory was introduced by Blake & Mouton, where they stated that leaders are likely to be successful if there is a balance between concern for people and the common objective. It can also be taken as a graphical plot where leader should evaluate the importance of task and the employees. As shown in the above figure leader’s behaviour are separated in two dimension, concern of the production fall in x-axis and concern of people falls in y-axis. It helps us to show the different leadership style followed by the leaders. The managerial grid also helps us to rate the leaders according to their orientation towards the production and the people. The leaders who values the importance of their team and is also focused in the personal growth of their team members while moving forward towards the objective belongs to the concern for people. Similarly, the leaders who are more focused towards achieving the concrete objective falls in concern for the production. There are different types of leadership style shown by the Managerial Grid. They are as follows: 1) Country club leadership (1,9) :- In this leadership style, leaders are usually focused in the maintaining their relationship with their people. They are more concerned about the creating a friendly and pleasant working environment. In this leadership style the outcome level of production in low. 2) Produce or perish leadership (9,1):- In this leadership style, leaders basically focused on their work to be completed. There are less bother about the employees need and their personal development. Their main target is to achieve the objective. In this style the production will be high and the concern for the people will be less. 3) Impoverished leadership (1,1):- In this type of leadership, leader is neither much interested in maintaining relationship with people nor concerned about the production. This type of leadership style will lead towards less production and low satisfactory level of their people. It is likely to result in failure or dissatisfaction. 4) Middle of the Road Leadership (5,5):- In this leadership style, leader tries to balance both the relation with employees and production. These kinds of leaders are average performers as they tries to maintain and compromise both the concerning factors. 5) Team leadership (9,9):- The leaders are highly focused on maintaining both the production and satisfaction level of the people. This type of leadership will lead towards high production and satisfaction level. These leaders are also successful leader as they balances the both concerning factors to the maximum level. This kind of leadership will helps organization to achieve its objective. When we look into the case study we can see that leaders in Gore-Tex are highly focused in maintaining the outcome of production and the relation of their fellow employees. They also have a strong relationship between the company and the associates. The member of the team is also focused towards reaching their target. The team leader will balance everything thing in a very high level. They will increase the production as well as help their people in the personal growth. As we know the (9,9) managerial grid explains that the employees understand the value of the organizations objective and is determined to achieve it. So, these characteristics can prove that, leaders in Gore-Tex belong to the (9,9) Team management where leaders are highly concern about the production and their people. Motivation at Gore-Tex â€Å"Getting the best from people, achieving results through individuals and teams, maintaining consistent high performance, inspiring oneself and other into action is known as motivation† (Adair, 2004) In Gore-Tex motivation has been another key factor for the success of their business. They motivate their staff members by encouraging them to work in their own interested areas. The associates are allowed to choose their own work field. If you work at Gore-Tex you are not paid for your work but for the contribution you have made towards the project. In Gore-Tex the associates will evaluate the contribution made by their colleagues and hence the earning is determined. This will lead to self-motivation where all the associates will be satisfied and there won’t be any discrimination. If Gore-Tex makes more profit than the company’s expectancy, it is divided among the leader and the associate though which can motivate staff member to be more focused towards their work. Another motivating factor at Gore-Tex is there is no restriction for anything. The information freely flows within the organization and anyone can directly contact anyone and get what they needed to be successful. (Hamel, 2010)Bill Gore was influenced by the theory of Douglas McGregor, â€Å"The Human Side of Enterprise†. It explained the theory X as the traditional view of direction and control and theory Y as the integration of individual and organizational goals. (Hamel, 2010) Douglas McGregor has developed the above theory X and theory Y based from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. In this theory he explains that management should be aware of this given factors to motivate their employees. Both the theories have factors that belong to human behaviour, but if the management choose the theory Y rather than theory X then they will have a better result. (Adair,2004) This theory simply explains the human behaviour at their work place and towards their organization. Theory X:- Theory X explains that the human behaviour will try to ignore the work and will try to negotiate as much as possible. The reason for them to dislike or avoid the work is because they are controlled, pressurized, directed or used them to provide the adequate effort towards the organizational goal. As the employee is not willing to take the responsibility, a close supervision is required in form of supervisors and manager. When manager and supervisors take their action they mostly use directive style. In this way the employee will lose their working ambition. Theory Y:- This theory explains that supervision, punishment, control are not only the factors that will make people to add effort in their work to achieve the organizational goal. If people are committed to the work then they will be give their best without anyone supervision. It also says that average employee will not only accept the responsibility but they will look for more responsibilities. The people have their own style of creativity and understanding. Organization should be able to use people the creativity, skills as a means of resource and solve their problem. According to the case study, In Gore-Tex they are free to choose and work in their interested areas. There is no specific job assigned by their leader it’s only the contribution they make towards their work. They don’t have any form of close supervision to control them. There are only leaders and they help to guide them in moving forward towards their goal. The Gore-Tex follows theory Y as their motivating factor. People in Gore-Tex are highly motivated as there is independence in work and the environment within the company helps them to be responsible and to seek more responsibility. Groups, Teams and Team leaders at Gore-Tex â€Å"A group of individual who are united to achieve a common objective that is too large to achieve by single individual is known as team† (Boller, 2005). Team work is required in each and every business organisation. In Gore-Tex Team work Play a vital role in functioning and operating of the business. The team member in Gore-Tex plans own way of functioning, objectives and plans to achieve the goal. The team members are the ones who elect their leader. Although leaders will help them to facilitate the achievement of objective, the team member will have the knowledge of the product they are working on. In Gore- the team members will decide the earning of the colleagues according to the contribution they have made towards the project. If an employee is interested in a project and feels like they can contribute, the team members will discuss the commitment and decide their involvement in new team. The team members directly communicate between themselves easily and are aware of the changes happening in the company. Gore-Tex is a team based, Flat Lattice Organization where all team members are equally responsible to help each other to gain the objective. (Gore, 2013) Team work has always played a vital role in each and every organization. Team works helps the work to be more efficient, convenient, faster and easier. It also helps the work level to be divided among all the team members so that an individual alone will not be pressurized. An effective team work will lead an organization towards its goal. Now-a-days each and every organization is focused in creating effective teams. Teams are usually build with respect, trust, understanding and similar goals. A team can only be effective if each and every member of team contributes equally. There are different types of team according to its nature. They are as follows: 1) Functional teams 2) Cross functional teams 3) Self-directed teams 1) Functional teams: These are the teams that work on particular department with the vertical layers. These are the team that has a manager and his fellowship of a particular sector. For example, a team working on a marketing sector consists of a manager and the staff members who will be focused in marketing department only. Basically it is a layer of staff members from different hierarchy functioning together in particular sector to achieve a goal. 2) Cross-functional teams: The expertise of different department but will come and work together as a team to achieve the organization goal are known as Cross-functional team. The cross functional team are usually temporary. They have specialized skills and experience. They are bought together to achieve or complete a particular task. 3) Self-directed teams:- These are the team that works without any supervision. These team take relative action themselves to solve day to day problems. These team members also have access to information that helps them in making decision, operating day to day function and improving their operation. When we compare the different types of team with the case study we can see that the teams in Gore-Tex fall into self-managing team. They team member in Gore-Tex are self-responsible for the functioning and operating of the business. They don’t need any supervision and they are also allowed to access to all the information. The teams in Gore-Tex are also independent as they have greater flexibility. In Gore-Tex the team member has better response for their work done. It will help to increase more commitment towards their work and organization. We can also see that associates in Gore-Tex are self-motivated and they don’t depend on anyone. Recommendation & Conclusion:- From the above study we can see that in Gore-Tex leaders are using transformational leadership style to lead their people. They have been successful in motivating their staff to meet the company’s objective. Although we can see that in Gore-Tex they don’t assign any particular work for their associates the company is still doing well. They believe there should be trust and understanding between the team members. The leader leading the team should be admired by their followers. The leaders also influence and help their associate in their personal development. The team members are self-motivated and help each other to function properly. We can also acknowledge that Gore-Tex has a very distinctive working environment. Although they are successful in running their business they should still maintain some rules and regulation within the organization. They should also create a hierarchy level because money is not only the motivating factor. Employee can get motivated by their job position. As there is no seniority level in the company and if they hire a new staff member they might have misunderstanding which may lead to divided teams within the organization. As Gore-Tex is multinational company and they have branches in different part of the world. So, they should adjust their company’s policy putting diversity factors in account. They should at least have a department head that should be responsible for running day- to day operation. Gore-Tex doesn’t assign any task to their associates which may lead into missing of the task that was supposed to be competed. As in Gore-Tex people get paid according to amount of contribution they make towards their work. This sometime may be demotivating as the associates may not be satisfied with the  money they received for they contribution they made to complete the task. In overall, Gore-Tex should have a layer of hierarchy. They should also maintain some regulation which should be followed by all the associates. They should also introduce some professionalism such as formal communication in their organization. They use transformational leadership which might not work in each and every situation. As they are free to choose their task, associates who doesn’t like challenges will always choose easier task. So, the task level should be equally divided. References:- Gore-Tex company information available at www. gore.co.uk Gore-Tex leadership Style available at www.gore.co.uk Peter G. Northouse, (2013) leadership: theory and practice. 6th edition, California; Sega publications Neil Thomas Ed, (2004) The John Adair handbook of Management and leadership. Thorogood Garry Hamel, (2010) Innovation Democracy: W.L Gore’s original management model available at www.managementexchange.com Kendra Cherry,(2013) transformational leaders available at www.psychology.about.com Leadership image available at www.google.co.uk

Sam Elzebak: Review of Resume and Cover Letter

Dear Customer: Regarding your kindly submitted resume and cover letter, I suggest the following adjustments and empowerments: Selection of a strong single font of 10 pt to 12 pt size for both resume and cover letter; supplementing this with varying sizes within the 10-to-12 pt for headings and body, bolding, and bullets for the various sections. Formatting the resume to make maximum best use of white area and dark print for eye-catching contrast. Add a very strong, empowering Objective that targets the sort of career position(s) that you want. Add an Executive Summary and a specific Qualifications section and use strong skills statements and strong verbs. Add specific numbers for accomplishments, including estimated dollars saved or increased in sales, percentages of time or other items saved, number of new products or processes designed, etc. Add a Certifications section to include any licenses or certificates you possess for your work, or which could be useful to it. Possibly add an Awards and Recognition section to highlight your accomplishments. Add a Special Skills section to include computer programs and software known, various equipment, any foreign languages (reading, writing, or fluent), and/or other skills that others candidates applying for these types of jobs you target may not have and which can make you a standout job candidate. Formatting the cover letter into a letterhead document. Using bullet points and more powerful specific language in the cover letter as a sharp, eye-catching display of your potential worth to new employers. Thank you for the opportunity to review your resume and cover letter. Best regards.

Parenting Websites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Parenting Websites - Essay Example In our day-to-day lives we come across various kinds of situations where we need some kind of advice from the experts or psychotherapist who can guide us to tackle with the situations. This site is a helping hand to those needful parents as it incorporates articles related to all subjects one can think and face in routine life. The articles are for all the age group starting from nursing an infant, toilet-training a toddler, helping a third-grader with homework, or buying a cell phone for a teenager, this website has advice and ideas to help parents of children belonging to any age-group. It provides various methodologies and ways for the parents to deal with the situations which they come across while rearing their child and formulating their personalities, as these children are the future of the nation. It helps parents to develop awareness towards the environment and changing trends in culture of the society. All parents want their child to be capable of tackling with the day-today life. To keep abreast with the trends it is imperative for the parents to provide their child/ children with the best possible commodities. This not only built confidence in the child but also enhance motor skills and knowledge to the child. This site provides toys right from vision fixation, motor skill development to interactive learning and games related with situations. The site provides the best toys and educational products. Apart from offering a range of the products it also offers tips on selecting and links to online toy stores. The website encompasses a little bit of everything – printable material for the kids, recipes, parenting articles for all ages, a message board, along with the complete information which a family requires for a progressive and cognitive development in the present era. The printable material enhances the gross motor skills as it contains coloring material to various activities which keep the child busy all

Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Reflection Paper - Essay Example The baby did not get angry at all, and did not sleep since he did not produce the cooing voice. The baby simulator would not change the mind of teens about parenthood. The baby simulator just helps the teens to appreciate the duties and responsibilities that parents have. However, the simulator helps the teens in realizing that they are not in a position to take the responsibilities and pressures that the parents have. The memorable moment that I experienced with the baby was during the feeding moment when the baby got choked. I did not know any first aid to give to the baby, who made me to be very scared, but luckily, for me, it was not a serious matter. The baby recovered in time. Having the baby for 24 hours made me desire more about having a baby. I think being a parent is an enjoyable experience, but only when the baby is happy. It also keeps one on his or her toes since one knows he or she has a responsibility, which is to take care of the

Law of the European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Law of the European Union - Essay Example Competition law promotes and enhances competition in a given nation. This is because once they exist, different entrepreneurs have an equal chance to set up businesses that can compete with existing businesses. This is because in a nation with a jurisdiction that preserves competition laws, there is a good chance that more and more businesses can be opened up and this will provoke innovation and help businesses to seek the best results. Richard Whish stated that "As a general proposition competition law consists of rules that are intended to protect the process of competition in order to maximise consumer welfare"3. This statement suggests that competition law ultimately seeks to protect the best interests of consumers. This paper examines the validity of this assertion through the examination of European Union Law. As a background to the examination of consumer interests, the research will examine the key component of market structures. The paper then goes on to explore European Union law to identify how competition law attains the end of protecting consumers. Market structures examines some key components of competition from the point of view of economics. The basic assumption of market structures is that in every market, there are two dominant groups: buyers and sellers. Sellers are the entrepreneurs who produce goods and services for buyers. Sellers have a strong relationship with buyers because buyers provide revenue for sellers to remain productive and in business. So a basic assumption of this branch of economics is that the higher the price the higher the quantity produced4. Buyers on the other hand seek to spend the lowest amounts of money on goods and services. So there is a kind of conflict between buyers and sellers. Whereas buyers seek the lowest prices, sellers seek to get the highest amount of revenue from buyers. This is the basis of

Historiography of Historains of a historical event Essay

Historiography of Historains of a historical event - Essay Example The more powerful amongst them built their own pyramids, some of them eliciting praises for the structures made with scientific and mathematical precision that defies human capabilities today. Egypt is based on five thousand years of history. This is where civilization began. The histories of Babylonia, Assyria, the Greeks and the Romans will be incomplete without Egypt. The Jewish, Christians and Islamic religions have their bases in Egypt. For over two thousand years, the mention of the name Egypt evoked strong feelings of recognition and respect. But the kingdom did fall into difficult times. Changes were occurring elsewhere and the monarchs who ruled in between could not face the onslaught of the marauding Hyksos. Also, internal strife led to civil wars. The obsession with the construction and maintenance of the pyramids was depleting the once-grand resources of Egypt. Gradually, the society that ventured out from its territories and established its power beyond its borders began to feel the effects of want. These factors combined to leave the majestic empire tottering and to its ultimate demise. The glory and tragedy is not limited to the political and militaristic prowess and its decline in Egypt. It is the overall scenario of disharmony and lethargy in the country that did it in. Strong external pressures and inner turmoil finally put paid to their vaunted positions on a number of occasions. However, Egypt kept rising after every fall. Nonetheless it was finally conquered by the Greeks and thereafter never rose again to their former glory. The story begins in 3200 B.C. with the unification of the Upper and Lower Egypt. This was the time when the 1st and 2nd dynasties consolidated the kingdom for the 3rd dynasty. The construction of the pyramids in Giza began with the 3rd dynasty. The history of Egypt is incomplete without the pyramids. The pyramids provide the fascination and weave the chain of events in the history of Egypt.

Na Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Na - Essay Example Many children mimic the television ads and would wish that their body conformation be the same to some popular celebrities in the advertisements they encounter daily in the social media, television, and the internet (Jennifer Siebel Newsom). In order to save the coming generation from various health issues related to underweight models it is recommended that underweight modeling be banned as a way of promoting good health among young adults and celebrities. According to recent news posted in the daily mail, Israel introduced a law in 2013 to burn ultra-skinny models as a way of fighting anorexia (Reynolds). Most women have refused to believe that they can get old and have engaged in facial make up in order to look good. In addition to this, some have been forced to enter into difficult diets that end up destroying their natural looks. It is no wonder that one out of 200 American women is suffering from anorexia just for beauty (Lauren Langman and Devorah K). On the other hand, one third of adults in the US are suffering from obesity due to misleading concepts of beauty from the advertisements. My opinion is that advertisements are doing more harm than good for the women to an extent that women are forced to change their diets to suit the advertisers and the social media. Reynolds, Emma. Underweight models BANNED in Israel to fight anorexia: New law forces women in ads to stay healthy (and faked images have to be identified too). 2 January 2013. 2014

The process of blacks in the Diaspora (Gambia) Religious Culture Research Paper

The process of blacks in the Diaspora (Gambia) Religious Culture - Research Paper Example Ghana sported thirty six out of the total forty two slave fortresses. In addition to Ghana, another eight African locations were utilised for shipping slaves. These included Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Bight of Benin, Bight of Biafra, Gold Coast, South East Africa, Central Africa and Senegambia. (Brown, 2000) The brunt of the slave trade was mostly borne by central and west Africa. West Africa alone contributed around three fifths of the total slave populations supplied. It is estimated that one half of slaves were exported to South America while 42% went to the Caribbean, 7% to North America and 2% went to Central America. The subsequent influence of these exported slaves was instrumental for culture in these regions. The focus of this text is to trace the religious influences of African slaves from the Senegambia region. African Americans were faced with two challenges. On the one hand they were trying to establish an independent identity and on the other hand they were cre ating various religious traditions. These religious traditions can be approximated in three articulate movements. The first stream represented results of the initial African contact with Christianity from Europe. The emerging religion was more African in character both liturgically and theologically. The second stream represented an extension of the first stream whereby religious practices developed in Africa migrated to the Americas. Though these beliefs and practices were modified in the Americas but the predominant influence remained African which aided in this stream being distinct. The third and final stream saw the amalgamation of borrowed ideals and concepts from Islam, Christianity and Judaism. These faiths and their concepts were woven as a novel fabric with visions of Africa as a historical power and in some instances as a future destination. These streams are discussed below to promote an understanding of religious influences under Diaspora. The first stream represented C hristian influences permeating into Africans often in direct proportion to the social class in question. The higher classes had lowest African influence and greatest Christian influence and vice versa. Traditional practices of hoodoo and voodoo as well as other derivatives of primitive West and West Central African religions crept into the newly adopted Christian faith. This was all the more apparent in the American South. Religious services saw the use of songs and dancing as well as the possession by the Holy Ghost during these services. Similarly the Caribbean witnessed Christianity imbued with overwhelming African content. This hybrid religion was connected with obeah, the use of supernatural powers to cause harms to others and to myalism, the use of herbs and spiritual resources in order to combat witchcraft and evil spells. Alternatively the religions of convince and kumina also took root. Convince involved respect for the Christian diety along with an active veneration of anc estors by spiritual healers known better as Bongo men. In a similar manner, kumina held ancestors in great veneration and ranked them after the sky gods and earthly deities. In contrast to the above, the second stream was more prominently experienced in Cuba and Brazil where reinvented African religion was the centre of religious attention. The various ethnic kinds of African slaves that were brought to Brazil maintained distinct identities by sticking to

Statement of Purpose Essay Example for Free

Statement of Purpose Essay I am determined to become a top engineer and researcher in radiology, advancing the development and application of this important technology. This is an era when information technologies, such as electronics and computer science, are mushrooming throughout the world. But how about radiological science? Is it a diminishing subject without a future? Of course not! It is a research area that has a unique and indispensable position in many fields such as industry and medical science. In my point of view, radiological science can be classified as a branch of information technology. Why? Combined with computer science and electronics, radiology provides us with information that was originally thought to be invisible such as the interior structure of metal, the image of the inside of the human body and even the existence of a celestial body far away from us. With the capacity of acquiring many kinds of important information, radiology is undoubtedly a promising research field. My initial interest in radiological science was sparked by a visit to the laboratory of the Large Container Inspection System (LCIS) when I was a freshman of Tsinghua University. LCIS, specially designed for Customs, was one of the key national projects taken charge by the Department of Engineering Physics. As a fruit of radiological science, it can present the image of the interior of a large container without even opening it. The seemingly magical power was really attractive to me, a young man with a keen curiosity and the ambition to fulfill accomplishments in engineering and applied technology. In the spring of 1999, I entered the (name) Laboratory and began to assist the professor in research. The assistants job offered me a great opportunity to work with and learn from the professors and graduates in the lab, who had not only taught me a lot of knowledge in radiology, but also impressed me with their enthusiasm and devotion to this field. To be competent in the job, often went to the library to read books and science journals on radiology, such as the Nuclear Instruments and Methods and IEEE Nuclear Science ; Medical Imaging. This reading, though a little bit difficult, brought to me valuable information of the state-of-the-art technology. With my broadening mind and growing interest, I am determined to become a top engineer and researcher in radiology, advancing the development and application of this important technology. While reading the journals, I discovered that the US is the best place to pursue my further study and research because of its favorable atmosphere of research in radiology. And the University of (name), one leader in nuclear engineering, has the graduate program that I most want to be associated with. From web sites and publications introducing the (university name), I learned that you are conducting a wide range of research in radiology, much of which I am interested in, such as radiation instrument design and radiation imaging. With the world-class faculty, advanced facility, nurturing and challenging environment, your graduate school is the best place where I can extend myself with the most advanced technologies. I know that the admission to your school is very competitive and challenging. But I am confident that I am qualified and well prepared for it. The undergraduate study in Tsinghua has built for me a solid academic foundation in mathematics and physics as well as in my major. Intelligent and diligent, I received outstanding records in the courses Ive taken and my overall GPA is in the top 5% of our department, for which I have been granted scholarships for 4 consecutive years. My research ability is also outstanding. In my college years, I took advantage of every opportunity to enhance my research ability and enrich my research experience in my major. I carefully and creatively planned and conducted the experiments in all the lab courses, such as Lab of Physics and Lab of Modern Physics. In the course of Modern Physical Electronics, I, with one of my classmates, designed an experiment to test the transmission feature of electrical cable used in the oil well nuclear logging system, and proposed some advice to make improvements. I also took part in the SRT (student research training) program, doing lab work on the application of virtual instrument in radiation detection and nuclear instrumentation. In the lab, I am appreciated by my advisor, Professor (name) for I am not only able to conduct research independently, but also understand how to cooperate with others. As a college student, I am well developed in many aspects. As the monitor of the class, I showed responsibility and leadership in my work. For my excellence in English ability (please refer to the Resume), I was selected as the editor of the University English TV Station and the broadcaster of the University English Radio Station. I love sports and take part in many fields of it: I am the captain of the basketball team of the class, the fourth place winner in the University Badminton Tournament and a good I-go player. In the annual Comprehensive Quality Assessment taken by the university to scale the students all around ability, I am always the top student of my class. I can not forget the days when I was in primary school, short and weak, always failing in the sports matches. With my enthusiasm in sports and the determination to become strong, I started to exercise. Each time when I was exhausted from running, out of breath and my legs aching, it was my perseverance that had kept me on the track. With my efforts paying off, my conviction became firmer: determination and perseverance is crucial in peoples success. With my perseverance and strong interest, as well as the academic background and the research ability, I am confident that I am a suitable candidate for your graduate program. My intended field of study is radiation measurement and imaging, medical physics and other related areas in radiology science. If I could be admitted and financially aided, I would like to pursue my PhD degree there. And after that, I will come back to China, to enter industry or research institutes to promote the research and application of radiological science

Systematic Research

Systematic Research Introduction This report is to critical review a journal article, titled as ‘The role of management characteristics in the internationalisation of SMEs by Karise Hutchinson and Barry Quinn, School of Business, Retail and Financial Services, (university of Ulster, Colearine. UK) and Nicholas Alexander, Centre for research in Marketting, School of management and Business, (University of Whales, Aberystwyth, UK). The research was published in International Journal of Small Business and Enterprises Development, Vol. 13, No. 4, 2006. According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2003), the research is defined as â€Å"something people undertake in order to find out things in the systematic way, thereby increasing their knowledge†, Ghauri Gronhaug (2002) in addition to it ‘Systematic Research it is based on logics and not relied on just beliefs (quoted in Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2003). For any type of research appropriate initial planning should be done for reaching expectation of the research objective. (Hague Jackson, 1996). So according to this research journal will be analyse in the report in orders to review that authors have conducted the research systematically by focusing on below key components: 1) Project Rationale 2) Literature Review 3) Research Paradigm Design 4) Research Methods 5) Research Results Presentation Project Rationale Research Rationale According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2003), while choosing any research topic or idea should be connected with ‘rational thinking and ‘creative thinking. In the given article the authors Hutchinson et. al (2006) have focus on internationalisation of SMEs in U.K retail sector. In this article author main focus on the evidence gathered from 9 establish international retail SMEs originating from the UK retail sector by Hutchinson et al. (2005). In this research the author have mentioned reviews of different author from different literature in relating to the internationalisation of SMEs. In supporting their literature review, author has taken the evidence of 9 established international retail SMEs companies case study within UK retail sector. In this article manager is presented as their main role because of the direct responsibility in decision making for SMEs, Also he is directly responsible for every decision. This article is highlighted the enlarging form of theor etical framework of Hutchinson et al. (2005). In the given article retailing is important for every country in between their production and consumption. If we go up in the past report from the last several years UK retail sector is keep growing and every year there is an increment of 15% from the next five years till 2011. (www.prospects.ac.uk). In the article the author states that international expansion is very important for every firm who deals in limited geographic area with their small financial base. Further study has also been recommended by many authors in internationalisation of SMEs like Iben (2003), Moini (1995). Moreover, this study is also highlighted the characteristics of founder and export relating decision in small firms Hutchinson et. al (2006). In this study multiple case approaches in argument to s single case used in their result, also the use of in-depth study can be seen in this article . For gathering the data author have used qualitative techniques in his research where the author has used face- to -face semi -structured interviews with open- ended questions from the relevant person, company reports, and archival information. For secondary data author have used important evidence, which were analysed on the basis of the study. Hutchinson et. al (2006). Research Aims and Objectives Saunders, Lewis Thornhill (2003) for every research researcher aim and objective should be clear at the same time it should provide purpose and direction of the research without setting aim and objective will divert the researcher from their study. The authors however showed the research aims and objectives in the research journal that can be summarised by the following: Aim: The aim of this study is to specifically explore the role of management characteristics in the internationalisation of SMEs Hutchinson et. al (2006). In order to reach his aim author have set the following objective: To investigate the importance and impact of objective and subjective factor in decision making in the internationalisation of SMEs. To explore the business skill, positive attitude to risk and the vision of the entrepreneur, ability to network can be useful valid indicators for the internationalisation of SMEs or not. To explain how the importance of decision maker in internationalisation of SMEs. . LITERATURE REVIEW : In this article author have conducted the literature review mostly from â€Å"secondary literature sources† i.e books, journals, article also ‘primary literature source from face-to-face interviews with relevant person, open-ended semi-structured approach, analysing their company report. Author has used all the relevant data, which is derived from the evidence of case study in UK retail sector. Author has done beautifully research, which is directly link up with their key words. This article clearly present the different reviews of many writers for internationalisation of SMEs. Also author has taken the help of previous research by Hutchinson et al(2005) and present their result in finding the role of objective and subjective factors in the internationalisation of SMEs. This article has presented some example [(such as The Body Shop (Anita Roddick), Virgin (Richard Branson), Laure Ashley (Laura and Bernard Ashley)] of people who have positive risk taking attitude which is important factor in globalisation of SMEs Hutchinson et. al (2006). Critical Literature Review Literature Review is important because it helps the researcher itself to make his research more clear and understandable in better way. For this purpose the researcher first needs to justify to himself that the study is worth conducting. Review of existing body of literature does precisely that. In addition to it, the researchers should have a clear cut idea what he wants to do achieve in his research (Remenyi, Williams, Money Swartz, 1998). By the term ‘critically analyse the literature review, Dee (2000) suggests that researcher should refer to work by 1) accepted experts or literature in that field, 2) select both supportive and unsupportive literature in a logical manner to the research area, 3) judge the importance of the literature by differentiating clearly between fact and opinion (quoted in Saunders, Lewis Thornhill, 2003). Strong Points By Critical Literature Review: By using different literature from different variety of sources, which make this research more understandable and clear towards the aim of the study. By indication of the key word in introduction parts is fruitful and helpful in exploring the same topic also at the same time study make it clear that the author has doing his research with in their related topic. By using the strong points of case study that the importance of manager in decision making in the internationalisation of SMEs Hutchinson et. al (2006). Weak points: In the given article literature used by the author is not up-to date most of the time article referred for the research are old. In the given article author for his research has used previous research of the different authors, old journals, articles are very limited source in supporting their research. He could have come up with more authors views for attaining their objective or make this study more effective. The author have selected for his research 17 different international retail SMEs out of which he has taken only the evidence of 9 international SMEs in his research Hutchinson et. al (2006). Research Paradigm Design Research Paradigm According to Remenyi, Williams, Money Swartz (1998) Research Paradigm it is of 4 types categories. First is Epistemology which focuses on the relationship between enquirer and known, second is Ontology which focuses on humanity and social reality. Third is Human Nature which focuses on human nature and environmental and last is Methodology which focuses on approaches to evidence collection. According to the article author have used Epistemology as research paradigm for his research. The reason behind is author has put focus on how does the decision of manager important in globalisation of SMEs. Moreover, to this by conduction face-to-face interviews, open-ended questions with relevant person is fully link in between the enquirer and known from this points research is interpretive (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 1989). Research Design A research design is a framework for conducting a research project as it contains the step-by-step procedure for obtaining important information to structure research problem. (Malhotra and brisks, 2007). Research design it contained many components like case study, experiments, survey, cross sectional studies, longitudinal studies, explanatory studies, descriptive studies, action research, ethnography, and grounded theory (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2003). In the referred article author collected the data mainly from secondary source of strong points of evidence of case study, also from books, journals and expertise in order to find out the importance of 5 factors in the success and development of internationalisation of SMEs. Moreover, to reaching his aims he applied ‘Exploratory, Descriptive and Explanatory Studies in research design. According to SaundersLewis and Thornhill (2003) ‘Exploratory Studies is useful for clarifying and exploring the perception in that research from the way of different literature, by taking advices and help form experts. For attaining the aim of this research author identifies the role of manager in decision-making in development also refer different books of many authors. ‘Explanatory Studies means a situation to indentify the relationship between their variables. In this regard author has mentioned a meaning full title to their work, which shows that research in done in international S MEs in retail sector Hutchinson et. al (2006). Research Approach Deductive and Inductive are two types of approaches. According to Carson et al. (2005) deductive approach is based on the theoretical structure development for testing with statistical methods. This approach allows to the researcher to test the theory by observation or survey. While inductive approach focus on the shift of theory to data observation which sufficient sample size and validity of data. (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2003). In this study author has used deductive approach because researchers has beautifully research with in their keyword also on the basis of evidence case study, by using exploratory study to connect with literature review in searching the data whether the business skills, positive risk attitude, ability to network, vision of the entrepreneur are factors in globalisations of SMEs. In addition to it author has clearly present different views of many authors thats makes this research more sensible Hutchinson et. al (2006). Research Methodology Research Strategy According to Creswell (2003) research strategy is of three types; Qualitative Approach, Quantitative Approach and Mixed Methods Approach, as all these approaches are different from each other for collecting data, for getting results and data analysis. In this article the researcher for reaching their objectives employed Mixed Methods Approach as research strategy as the researcher collected both quantitative and qualitative data. For Qualitative approach author have used several authors opinions, previous research report, face-to face interviews, open-ended semi-structured questionnaire in drawing their conclusion. For Quantitative approach researcher has taken 9 establish international SMEs case study Hutchinson et. al (2006). Data Collection Methods: According to the McDaniel and Gate (2001) there are two ways of collecting the data; 1) Primary Data: In this data is collected for the first time for the research such as observations, experimentation and survey research. 2) Secondary Data: It is the previously researched data collected from different types of sources such as, journals, internet database, company report or website or any researcher report etc. In this author has mainly use secondary data for gathering information from books, journals, previously and report on the same topic. Author also used evidence of establish international SMEs case study. Strength Weakness of Research Methodology: In the article the researcher for doing the research used Deductive approach as the research approach, for research design used Exploratory, Descriptive and Explanatory Studies, Qualitative research as research strategy and for collection of the data used secondary data for conducting the research. There are some strength and weakness in the research, which are as follows: Strong points: By using in-depth case study, multiple case approach make more understandable in achieving their aim and objectives of this research. Moreover, this study is in the context of small and medium size firm SMEs, which focus on aim of the study. Beautifully present the domestic and international activities of all 9 companies by dividing into 4 different retail sectors also put emphasis on formal contact because to avoid small size firm with in strange market. In the given article author have clearly mentioned the expand work of Hutichinson et al. (2005). In addition to it author has beautifully identify the gap in the study. Given study clears that both formal and informal contact is necessary for internationalisation of SMEs by using this contact he could have done it better or very easy in setting up firm branch overseas Hutchinson et. al (2006). Weak points: By using less quantitative and objective technique can be seen in this article. So we can say that there is lack of real information. In secondary research he could have done something more to add the data in his research to make his research relevant in terms of if someone read this article then he can easily understand the result derive from secondary data is relevant by using proper data. From the sample of 17 companies choosing only 9 established international retail SMEs whose sale turnover is less then 25 millions that make this research more difficult in drawing their result or not realistic. By using uneven samples categories in conducting their research such as small, medium and large, if he want to do research in my viewpoint he could have to choose one categories with one sector thats makes easy or clearer in understanding. None of the sample is similar to anyone, so on this basis it clears that the result arrive from research is not so relevant. If the make the sample of 17 internationalised companies then study prove to be more relevant. Also in primary research author he could have come up with more face-to face interviews, with more questioners so that the conclusion can draw easily Hutchinson et. al (2006). RESULT AND PRESENTATION Relative Value and Context result In this article authors research result has appropriate link to the key words of the topic that has been mentioned in the literature review by researcher. In the result author has successfully proposed their study in different section from their domestic turnover wise which provides total description for both domestic and international activities of all 9 companies and it is fully interpretive in nature. In addition to it author has clearly relate to objective managerial characteristics to decision maker ability, global experience and business skills, also choices of choosing foreign market defers from case to case in the expansion of internationalisation of SMEs. This study proves that the pivotal role of manager in the internationalisation of SMEs in UK retail sector. In this study author has also clear the importance role of both formal and informal contact are important factors in the early expansion and development of business overseas. Also author has taken uneven sample of com panies that some company has only two branches in overseas and some having more then 30 branch worldwide. All the 9 companies taken by author are in the favour of positive decision in the overall business performance. This research successfully proves the close relationship between characteristics of decision maker and inclination to initiate and develop international activity Moreover, after reaching the result author has also given implication for manger for both public and private support organisation. By giving importance to customer service which proves the importance of business skill in retailing and branding this asserts the importance of management knowledge of the international retail business environment Hutchinson et. al (2006). Presentation Structures In the referred article author presented very beautifully structure to his article so that it is easy to clear the main aim and objective of this research and after that he presented step-by-step link up with research topic and his key words that already clearly mentioned by researcher in the abstract part. In presenting all reviews of different authors turn his study in more realistic way then moved to explaining the objective and subjective factors in decision making in internationalisation of SMEs then gave their conclusion. For making his research more effective and authentic author has taken the help of good examples and with good arguments. In the given article researcher has used the strong points of evidence of case study that makes study more effective and easy to understand Hutchinson et. al (2006). CONCLUSION After completed critically analysis in this research, in my viewpoint this research gave us a lot of knowledge about the importance of decision maters in internationalisation of SMEs. Moreover, author has also given the implication for manager in both public and private support companies. He has also mentioned at what certain both formal and informal contact matters when company initially opening their firm in overseas. Moreover, to this results are very general. By making his research more effective he could have compare more then one sector but still this study is interesting and need a lot to do in further research. Author has beautifully identified the gap of the study. By adding regression analysis, graphs or charts or some other useful tool attached to he appendix in finding the result to get the idea easily and clearly Hutchinson et. al (2006). Bibliography Carson, D et.al (2005) Qualitative Marketing Research. London, SAGE Publications Ltd. Creswell, J., W. (2003), ‘Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, 2nd ed., California: SAGE Publications Ltd. Malhotra, N. and Birks, D. (2007), ‘Marketing Research: An applied approach. 3rd ed., Prentice Hall, Financial times. McDaniel, C. Gate, R. (2001), ‘Marketing Research Essentials, 3rd ed., Ohio: South-Western College Publishing. Remenyi, D., Williams, B., Money, A. Swartz, E. (1998), ‘Doing Research in Business and Management: An Introduction to Process and Method, London: SAGE Publications Ltd. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. Thornhill, A. (2003), ‘Research Methods for Business Students, 3rd ed., Essex: Pearson Education Limited. http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Explore_job_sectors/Retail/overview/p!egiLLL http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6TUuXQifwxoCpg=PA280lpg=PA280dq=any+books+on+internationalisation+of+sMEssource=blots=brYSpAWGAJsig=kh5oVONN4DAFAKze7rSioizjbnchl=enei=zj5wSuTZOMKZjAeLx7GSBQsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=9 Quinn, B., Hutchinson, K. and Alexander, N. (1998), ‘The role of management characteristics in the internationalisation of SMEs :Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development Vol. 13 No. 4

Buying Behavior In The Mauritian Supermarkets Marketing Essay

Buying Behavior In The Mauritian Supermarkets Marketing Essay To identify the different types of sales promotion used on the Mauritian supermarkets/hypermarkets. To analyze the awareness of sales promotion among the Mauritian consumers. To evaluate the different types of buying behavior that arises due to sales promotion. To examine the impact of different types of sales promotion such as coupon, free sample, buy-one-get-one-free, bonus pack, price discount on the buying behavior of consumers in the Mauritian supermarkets. 2.0 Introduction This chapter provides a review of past literatures on sales promotion and the different types of sales promotion, such as coupons, free sample, buy-one-get-one-free, bonus pack and price discount. It also relates consumer response towards sales promotional tools in the Mauritian supermarkets. 2.1 Sales promotion defined Sales promotion is a direct inducement or incentive to the sales force, the distributor or the consumer with the primary objective of creating an immediate sale. (Schultz and Robinson, 1882). Quelch (1989) defines sales promotion as temporary incentives targeted at the trade (trade promotions), or at end consumers (consumers promotions). Sales promotion is one of the four ingredients of the promotion mix. The other three are personal selling, publicity and advertising. According to Quelch, sales promotions differ both in role and nature from advertising. Sales promotions are typically viewed as an easily executed means of boosting short-term sales whereas advertising is seen as building brand image. Shimp (2003) stated that sales promotion refers to any incentive used by a manufacturer to induce the trade (wholesalers, retailers, or other channel members) and consumers to buy a brand and to encourage the sales force to aggressively sell it. Retailers also use promotional incentives to encourage desired behaviors from consumers. Sales promotion is more short-term oriented and capable of influencing behavior. The objectives of any promotional strategy are to increase sales; maintain or improve market share; create or improve brand recognition; create a favorable climate for future sales; inform and educate the market; create a competitive advantage, relative to competitors products or market position; improve promotional efficiency. (Rowley, 1998). 2.2 Types of sales promotion According to Smith (1998), there are three main categories of sales promotion: Customer promotions (Premiums, gifts and prizes) Trade promotions (Special terms, point-of-sale materials and free pens, diaries, and competitive prizes among others) Sales force promotions (Incentive and motivation schemes) Tellis (1998) brings further that, in practice, there two types of sales promotion: Monetary and Non-monetary sales promotions. Monetary promotions are for example, shelf-price discounts, coupons and sampling. They tend to provide fairly immediate rewards to the consumer and they are transactional in character. On the other hand, non-monetary sales promotions include free gifts, contests and sweepstakes for instance. It tends to involve delayed rewards and are more relationship-based. 2.3 Supermarkets and Hypermarkets defined A supermarket is relatively large, low cost, low margin, high-volume self service operation design to serve the consumers general needs for food, laundry and household maintenance products (Kotler and Armstrong, 2001). The area covered by a supermarket can be about 400 2500 square meters. Examples of supermarkets in Mauritius are Winners, Spar, Way and Dream Price, Value Max and Lolo supermarket among others. Hypermarkets are larger than supermarkets and offer a large assortment of routinely purchased food products, non-food items and services which meet the consumers total need. Hypermarkets can have at least 50,000 square feet of selling and can handle more than 40,000 products. These outlets are usually located on the outskirt of towns or cities and are complemented with 30 to 50 shops, specialized in various product lines. The hypermarkets and combination of shops thus offer customers a one-stop shopping. For instance in Mauritius, Shoprite, Jumbo, Super U and Intermart are categorized as hypermarkets. 2.4 Supermarkets and Hypermarkets of Mauritius It is no doubt that during the past decades considerable changes have been occurring in the Mauritian retail market. Unprecedented growth in new retail formats, changes in competition, consumers, technology and takeovers are occurring throughout virtually every corner of the Mauritian retail industry and many types of retail institutions have been appearing from corner shops to hypermarkets. There have been major developments in the retail sector of Mauritius. For instance, the arrival of Dream Price, Value Max and Lolo supermarket in different location of Mauritius have intensify the level of competition. 2.5 Consumer response towards sales promotions Promotions arouse two reactions in people. Firstly, it is an increase in consumption, that is, more quantity of a product is acquired. Secondly, it is the storage of the product for the future, that is, the consumer acts in anticipating his purchases. Promotions have been shown to affect consumers directly in a variety of ways, leading to: Brand switching Brand loyalty Purchase acceleration Stockpiling Product trial 2.5.1 Brand switching According to Gupta (1993), it is possible that consumers who do not buy a brand will want to acquire it because they are attracted by the sales promotion. But, Brandweek (1994) found that some people who change brand due to a promotion, change back to their favourite brand due to a promotion change back to their favourite brand when buying that category of product later. 2.5.2 Brand loyalty Brand loyalty is an important concept in understanding consumer buying behavior. It is a deeply held commitment to re-buy or re-patronise a preferred product/service consistently in the future, thereby causing repetitive same brand purchasing, despite situational influences and marketing efforts having the potential to cause switching behavior (Oliver, 1999) 2.5.3 Purchase acceleration Two aspects of purchase acceleration should be considered: Increased quantity and Decreased interpurchase time (Neslin, Quelich, Henderson 1982). However, there is a very important question on how these two aspects will influence each other due to the stockpiling effect. Purchase acceleration is predominantly exhibited in increased purchase quantities rather than shortened interpurchase time (Gupta, 1988) 2.5.4 Stockpiling Research has found that promotions have a negative effect on brand equity (Jedidi et al., 1999), increase variability and volatility in sales and thus increase inventory management problems, increase consumer price sensitivity which leads to increased purchases made on deals, and produce stockpiling behavior (buying in all volumes that decreases long-term sales volume). 2.5.5 Product trial Peter and Olson (1996) put forward that trial ability refers to the degree to which a product can be tried on a limited basis or divided into small quantities for an inexpensive trial. Banks (2003) wrote that with sales promotion, brands have a chance to quickly affect consumer choice and behavior by adding value through an on-pack offer, by achieving incremental display or by encouraging trial via sampling and/or coupons. According to the trial and repeat model mentioned by Thomas (1993), it is generally assumed that of all potential buyers in a given time period, only those who are aware of the new product could potentially try it (trial), and only those who try it could potentially buy it again (repeat). 2.6 Sales promotional tools 2.6.1 Coupons Coupons are easily understood by the consumer and highly useful for trial purchase (Cook, 2003). According to Blackwell et al. (2001), a manufacturer might utilize coupon incentives to encourage consumers to try a new flavored product at a discounted price, instead of buying the same flavor they normally do at full price. Cheong (1993) found that supermarket coupons increase the number of items bought without increasing the total amount spent. 2.6.2 Price reduction It is well-known that price reduction produces a short-term volume gain for the brand being promoted. After studying the effects of price reduction on the sales of 25 products in four countries, Ehrenberg et al. (1994) determined that short-term peaks in sales were due primarily t purchases made by occasional users of a brand rather than by new customers. Also, after taking advantage of the price reduction, consumers mostly return to their favorite brands in their portfolio rather than buy the promoted brand at full price. 2.6.3 Free sample Free sample is another important promotional tool often used by marketers. Marketers often mail free samples of products to consumers so that they can try the products for themselves, rather than just hear about the products (Kardes, 1999). But, Gilbert and Jackaria (2002) found that a free sample as a promotional tool often had no significance on consumers reported buying behavior. 2.6.4Bonus pack and Buy-one-get-one-free Lee (1963) mentioned that factory bonus pack is used to increase consumer trial of the brand. Since more of the product is included at no extra cost, consumers can be persuaded to buy the product if they feel it represents a deal that produces the greatest value for their money. According to Gilbert and Jackaria (2002), packs with Buy-one-get-one-free may not increase brand awareness before trial purchase because the customer will only come across the product once in the store (unlike samples or coupons), however, it the promotion is noticeable, it will facilitate brand recognition and brand recall for future purchases. Since an additional amount is given for free, consumers may be persuaded to buy the product if they feel it represents a fair deal that provides value for money. 2.6.5 In-store display In-store display is the product featuring and display in-store (Pramataris, 2001). Display promotions could be an important part of an integrated marketing communication programme. Good display material leads to better attention, especially for brands driven by recognition awareness. Percy et al. (2001) advised that display must be consistent with consumer promotion and advertising, eith the same look and feel, in order to increase recognition at the point of purchase. 2.7 Summary Due to high profitability, many retail outlets have entered the retail industry in Mauritius. The arrival of supermarkets and hypermarkets seems to continue to emerge and exist, but they are however facing greater competition. Distance is no more a problem in Mauritius since many people have their own transport facility and the local transport service is as well more efficient as compared to long ago. One main analysis in the literature is that little research has been carried out on the marketing tools in Mauritius. As such, this provides room for a thorough research to be carried out on several types of sales promotional tools adopted in our supermarkets/hypermarkets; and the responded behavior of the consumers towards the tools utilized.

India :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For more than 200 years before the Indian Mutiny of 1857, there had been a British presence in India. They began as merchant ventures and their holdings on the land were relatively small. Over the years they had expanded, creating forts for protection and larger trading stations. Eventually, to make certain that there would be stability and a successful trade business, Britain deployed many of its armed forces there and also raised forces of natives, thus becoming an active power in 18th Century India. Sometimes by their design but also sometimes by accident, the area of British control began to increase. Their expansion lasted until nearly the entire sub-continent was apart or effected by the empire by the year 1857.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The relationship of the British with their Indian subject gradually began to get worse as time passed. Many held the invention of the steamships responsible for the tension between the two peoples. By allowing the British officers a greatly reduced travel time from their English wives and their workplace, created less time with their Indian mistresses. Another very important aspect was the arrival of missionaries from protestant England. The missionaries cast their teachings upon the very conservative Indians, who preferred their own customs and institutions to other people. Indians especially preferred their own religions and Evangelical Christians had little respect, or understanding of, these ancient practices and beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The spark that started it happened in May of 1857 with a mutiny of Indian troops at Meerut, or a matter of religious principle. The new rifles, which had been issued by the British army, contained a cartridge that required the soldier to bite of the end in order to load the weapon. To make this process easier, the cartridges were greased with the animal fat of a cow or pig. The rumor quickly spread throughout the Indian regiment that this process was being used, and according to ancient Hindu and Muslim religion, this practice is unclean and according to Lord Roberts, â€Å"the affair betrayed and incredible disregard of the natives’ religious prejudices.†(Porter, 40) The mutineers took Delhi first with the help of more native regiments, and from there, the rebellion spread quickly but unevenly. Throughout the many battles at Delhi, Cawnpore, and Lucknow, the natives were never able to completely seize all of India. Britain did manage to survive the fourteen month long battle, but with severe losses. India :: essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For more than 200 years before the Indian Mutiny of 1857, there had been a British presence in India. They began as merchant ventures and their holdings on the land were relatively small. Over the years they had expanded, creating forts for protection and larger trading stations. Eventually, to make certain that there would be stability and a successful trade business, Britain deployed many of its armed forces there and also raised forces of natives, thus becoming an active power in 18th Century India. Sometimes by their design but also sometimes by accident, the area of British control began to increase. Their expansion lasted until nearly the entire sub-continent was apart or effected by the empire by the year 1857.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The relationship of the British with their Indian subject gradually began to get worse as time passed. Many held the invention of the steamships responsible for the tension between the two peoples. By allowing the British officers a greatly reduced travel time from their English wives and their workplace, created less time with their Indian mistresses. Another very important aspect was the arrival of missionaries from protestant England. The missionaries cast their teachings upon the very conservative Indians, who preferred their own customs and institutions to other people. Indians especially preferred their own religions and Evangelical Christians had little respect, or understanding of, these ancient practices and beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The spark that started it happened in May of 1857 with a mutiny of Indian troops at Meerut, or a matter of religious principle. The new rifles, which had been issued by the British army, contained a cartridge that required the soldier to bite of the end in order to load the weapon. To make this process easier, the cartridges were greased with the animal fat of a cow or pig. The rumor quickly spread throughout the Indian regiment that this process was being used, and according to ancient Hindu and Muslim religion, this practice is unclean and according to Lord Roberts, â€Å"the affair betrayed and incredible disregard of the natives’ religious prejudices.†(Porter, 40) The mutineers took Delhi first with the help of more native regiments, and from there, the rebellion spread quickly but unevenly. Throughout the many battles at Delhi, Cawnpore, and Lucknow, the natives were never able to completely seize all of India. Britain did manage to survive the fourteen month long battle, but with severe losses.

Fosters Accounting Assignment :: essays research papers

I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. Founded in 1888, Foster’s group is the result of a long history of amalgamations. Nowadays, regarded as a premium global multi-beverages company, Foster’s group possesses three main operating arms: Beringer Blass Wine Estate, Carlton and United Beverages, Foster’s Brewing International. The group delivers premium branded beers, wine spirits and entertainment products. With US$5.2 billion in total operating revenue, Foster’s group’s operates in Australia, New Zealand, China, California, Italy, Chile, Vietnam, India and Fiji. Besides, its products are sold in over 150 countries around the world. The report has analyzed the financial performance and financial stability of Foster’s Group over a three years period that is from 2002 to 2004 included. The Ratio Analysis technique was used to conduct the report. Therefore, comparison with industry averages and Coca Cola Amatil supplemented the analysis to complement the results. In 2002, it was found that profitability had increased significantly compared to 2001, this was mainly due to Foster’s group policy in expending its distribution and sales worldwide and Forster’s European partnership which increased its income. However, 2003 showed smaller profitability than 2002 mainly due to a non profitable foreign exchange rate, tough competition in California, adverse trading conditions in the US and the impact of global events restricting travels, tourism and leisure activities (Swan, 2003: 5). Foster’s group did however generate greater amount of operating cash flows, and made a considerable amount of acquisitions. In 2004, Profitability ratios did however increase but that was due to the selling off of ALH (Australia Leisure Hospitality) that generated $1.5 billion, â€Å"Excluding the impact of significant items, net profit after tax was $469.4 million, a decrease of 17.4% over the previous year’s result† (Foster’s Audit, 2004:61). On the three year basis, when compared to the industry averages, the stability ratios are actually lower, but when they are compared to Coca Cola Amatil the ratios are actually similar and even a bit higher. Due to the accumulation of consistent profits over the years, both companies do not need as much financial leverage as other companies would, which reflects the stability of the company. In fact, those companies rely more on equity than debt to generate their assets. Overall, Foster’s group is a relatively stable and performing enterprise. The results show that Foster’s performance and stability have moved in accordance to outside world events. However, the company continues to maintain its position as a leading group in the beverages industry. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  QUALITY, SCOPE, USEFULNESS,FORMAT AND READABILITY OF THE MOST RECENT ANNUAL REPORT.

R.L Stevenson shows many opposites in the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay

In the book Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde the two main characters are complete opposites. Dr Jekyll is a kind person however when he changes into Mr Hyde his attitude changes into a nasty, evil person. R.L Stevenson carries on the ‘opposites’ through the book keeping the readers guessing. The two doors to Jekyll’s house seem to be complete opposites. One is shabby and in a dark corner of a building which is described as a ‘sinister block’. By saying ‘it showed no window’ suggests that its dark and secrecy; maybe they have something to hide. The wall is described as discoloured and suffering negligence – lack of care and maintenance making it sound unattractive. On the door, the fact that there is no knocker or bell gives an unwelcoming feel and being described as blistered and distained would also make it appear uninviting. However the street, which the door lies on, is a contrast to what has just been described. The buildings in the street are described as ‘freshly painted shutters and well polished brasses’ making the whole street sound like it has an air of general cleanliness. In the First chapter, also ‘The Story of the door’ there is another opposite. This is between Mr Hyde and the young girl. It says ‘one little man .. stumping along at a good walk’ and ‘a girl of maybe eight or ten .. running as hard as she was able’ this is opposing because there are two different genders, ages and paces. In the chapter ‘Dr. Jekyll was quite at ease’ R.L Stevenson describes another opposite with Mr Utterson and the other people that had been to Dr Jekyll’s dinner. ‘In the man’s rich silence, after the expense and the strain of gaiety.’ This tells us that Mr Utterson is happy to be quiet, as the other guests that have left were quite loud and talked to him a lot. Also in this chapter and the following chapter, another opposite is the reaction and personality of Dr Jekyll. Speaking with Utterson, Dr Jekyll is put across as ‘every mark of capacity and kindness’, which makes him warm and loving, then in the incident of the letter he is rather shifty and reacts differently to Utterson that he did before. In the ‘Search for Mr Hyde’ there are two different characters in contrast, Dr Lanyon and Mr Utterson. For example it says ‘received his crowding patients’ referring to Dr Lanyon. This puts across to the reader that Dr Lanyon is a very open, friendly person, where as, as we can tell from the ‘Dr Jekyll was quite at ease’ chapter Mr Utterson is different, he is much quieter and would prefer to be on his own. Another opposite that R.L Stevenson puts in the book is in the chapter ‘The Carew murder case’. At the beginning of the chapter the setting is peaceful. ‘The details were few and startling’ this portrays that it was a very still, open night with only beautiful features. It describes a maid looking out of her window into the pretty night. Her views on the night we’re very optimistic and loving. ‘ She was romantically given’ by saying this it puts across to the reader that the night is quiet which would make it easy to think and by saying ‘romantically given’ puts across that she has romantic view on life. The scene then changes drastically. Before the night was calm but all of a sudden it transforms, much like the transformation of Dr Jekyll to Mr Hyde. The night turns dark when Mr Hyde enters the scene. It was like a presence of evil had come into the lane. ‘The horror of these sights and sounds’ this describes what the maid saw Mr Hyde doing to the old man. R.L Stevenson shows many opposites in the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. These help to keep the reader thinking and to surprise the reader.

Sample for Meeting Minutes

Minutes of Meeting of Events Organizer Team Date: 1 Nov 2012 Time: 12: 00 p. m. Venue: Bilik Kuliah 2, PBPI Present: 1. Phang Yuen Jun 2. Juani Eyat Juleng 3. Tiang Leh Mei 4. Tan Hooi Gia 5. Kanagah A/P Raman 6. Siti Fatimah Abduh Razak 7. Yap Paul Yin 8. Sam Chee Xin In attendance: Madam Nadiah bt Zainal Abidin 1. 0 Objective Determination The team discussed about the objectives and event to be held. As a result, the team decided to organize a new year party for 2013. 2. 1 Event Description Title: 2013 New Year Celebration Party Objectives: To celebrate and welcome the new year with UTeM big family and the community * To promote the interaction between UTeM citizens and non- UTeM citizens * To promote and introduce UTeM to the community Venue: Main Hall, Main Campus, UTeM Attendee: Anyone (Al l UteM Citizens and outsiders) 2. 0 Roles Distribution in the Team The roles of the team were determined according to individual’s willingness and team’s agreement. The roles dis tribution is as below: Chairman: Siti Fatimah Abduh Razak Secretary: Tiang Leh Mei Treasurer: Tan Hooi Gia Food and beverage: Juani Eyat Juleng (decide the menu)Set Designer: Phang Yuen Jun Event Planner: Kanagah A/P Raman Publicity: Sam Chee Xin Sponsorship: Yap Paul Yin 3. 0 Other items to be discussed and decided The chairman asked the team members to do research on their individual role’s corresponding tasks. For the coming meeting, each of the members is able to propose his or her plan for the food menu, set design, events and publicity. They need to plan for the budget for each related field too. 4. 0 Date of next meeting The next meeting will be scheduled on 8th Nov 2012, 11am at Bilik Kuliah 2, PBPI. 5. 0 Closing addressThe chairman summarized the decision made in the meeting and thanked the advisor and the team members for having commited themselves to the project. The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 p. m. UTeM Events Organizer Team-2013 New Year Celebration Party AGEN DA Date: 8th Nov 2012 Time: 11:00 a. m. Venue: Bilik Kuliah 2, PBPI Order of business: 1. Chairman’s address 2. Minutes of the previous meeting 3. Matters arising out of the minutes 4. Reports from each sub-committees: * Food and beverage * Set Designer * Event Planner * Publicity * Treasurer * Sponsorship 5. Special business 6. Any other business 7. Date, time and place of next meeting 8. Close

A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty-three

Catelyn The woods were full of whispers. Moonlight winked on the tumbling waters of the stream below as it wound its rocky way along the floor of the valley. Beneath the trees, warhorses whickered softly and pawed at the moist, leafy ground, while men made nervous jests in hushed voices. Now and again, she heard the chink of spears, the faint metallic slither of chain mail, but even those sounds were muffled. â€Å"It should not be long now, my lady,† Hallis Mollen said. He had asked for the honor of protecting her in the battle to come; it was his right, as Winterfell's captain of guards, and Robb had not refused it to him. She had thirty men around her, charged to keep her unharmed and see her safely home to Winterfell if the fighting went against them. Robb had wanted fifty; Catelyn had insisted that ten would be enough, that he would need every sword for the fight. They made their peace at thirty, neither happy with it. â€Å"It will come when it comes,† Catelyn told him. When it came, she knew it would mean death. Hal's death perhaps . . . or hers, or Robb's. No one was safe. No life was certain. Catelyn was content to wait, to listen to the whispers in the woods and the faint music of the brook, to feel the warm wind in her hair. She was no stranger to waiting, after all. Her men had always made her wait. â€Å"Watch for me, little cat,† her father would always tell her, when he rode off to court or fair or battle. And she would, standing patiently on the battlements of Riverrun as the waters of the Red Fork and the Tumblestone flowed by. He did not always come when he said he would, and days would ofttimes pass as Catelyn stood her vigil, peering out between crenels and through arrow loops until she caught a glimpse of Lord Hoster on his old brown gelding, trotting along the rivershore toward the landing. â€Å"Did you watch for me?† he'd ask when he bent to bug her. â€Å"Did you, little cat?† Brandon Stark had bid her wait as well. â€Å"I shall not be long, my lady,† he had vowed. â€Å"We will be wed on my return.† Yet when the day came at last, it was his brother Eddard who stood beside her in the sept. Ned had lingered scarcely a fortnight with his new bride before he too had ridden off to war with promises on his lips. At least he had left her with more than words; he had given her a son. Nine moons had waxed and waned, and Robb had been born in Riverrun while his father still warred in the south. She had brought him forth in blood and pain, not knowing whether Ned would ever see him. Her son. He had been so small . . . And now it was for Robb that she waited . . . for Robb, and for Jaime Lannister, the gilded knight who men said had never learned to wait at all. â€Å"The Kingslayer is restless, and quick to anger,† her uncle Brynden had told Robb. And he had wagered their lives and their best hope of victory on the truth of what he said. If Robb was frightened, he gave no sign of it. Catelyn watched her son as he moved among the men, touching one on the shoulder, sharing a jest with another, helping a third to gentle an anxious horse. His armor clinked softly when he moved. Only his head was bare. Catelyn watched a breeze stir his auburn hair, so like her own, and wondered when her son had grown so big. Fifteen, and near as tall as she was. Let him grow taller, she asked the gods. Let him know sixteen, and twenty, and fifty. Let him grow as tall as his father, and hold his own son in his arms. Please, please, please. As she watched him, this tall young man with the new beard and the direwolf prowling at his heels, all she could see was the babe they had laid at her breast at Riverrun, so long ago. The night was warm, but the thought of Riverrun was enough to make her shiver. Where are they? she wondered. Could her uncle have been wrong? So much rested on the truth of what he had told them. Robb had given the Blackfish three hundred picked men, and sent them ahead to screen his march. â€Å"Jaime does not know,† Ser Brynden said when he rode back. â€Å"I'll stake my life on that. No bird has reached him, my archers have seen to that. We've seen a few of his outriders, but those that saw us did not live to tell of it. He ought to have sent out more. He does not know.† â€Å"How large is his host?† her son asked. â€Å"Twelve thousand foot, scattered around the castle in three separate camps, with the rivers between,† her uncle said, with the craggy smile she remembered so well. â€Å"There is no other way to besiege Riverrun, yet still, that will be their undoing. Two or three thousand horse.† â€Å"The Kingslayer has us three to one,† said Galbart Glover. ‘True enough,† Ser Brynden said, â€Å"yet there is one thing Ser Jaime lacks.† â€Å"Yes?† Robb asked. â€Å"Patience.† Their host was greater than it had been when they left the Twins. Lord Jason Mallister had brought his power out from Seagard to join them as they swept around the headwaters of the Blue Fork and galloped south, and others had crept forth as well, hedge knights and small lords and masterless men-at-arms who had fled north when her brother Edmure's army was shattered beneath the walls of Riverrun. They had driven their horses as hard as they dared to reach this place before Jaime Lannister had word of their coming, and now the hour was at hand. Catelyn watched her son mount up. Olyvar Frey held his horse for him, Lord Walder's son, two years older than Robb, and ten years younger and more anxious. He strapped Robb's shield in place and handed up his helm. When he lowered it over the face she loved so well, a tall young knight sat on his grey stallion where her son had been. It was dark among the trees, where the moon did not reach. When Robb turned his head to look at her, she could see only black inside his visor. â€Å"I must ride down the line, Mother,† he told her. â€Å"Father says you should let the men see you before a battle.† ‘Go, then,† she said. â€Å"Let them see you.† ‘It will give them courage,† Robb said. And who will give me courage? she wondered, yet she kept her silence and made herself smile for him. Robb turned the big grey stallion and walked him slowly away from her, Grey Wind shadowing his steps. Behind him his battle guard formed up. When he'd forced Catelyn to accept her protectors, she had insisted that he be guarded as well, and the lords bannermen had agreed. Many of their sons had clamored for the honor of riding with the Young Wolf, as they had taken to calling him. Torrhen Karstark and his brother Eddard were among his thirty, and Patrek Mallister, Smalljon Umber, Daryn Hornwood, Theon Greyjoy, no less than five of Walder Frey's vast brood, along with older men like Ser Wendel Manderly and Robin Flint. One of his companions was even a woman: Dacey Mormont, Lady Maege's eldest daughter and heir to Bear Island, a lanky six-footer who had been given a morningstar at an age when most girls were given dolls. Some of the other lords muttered about that, but Catelyn would not listen to their complaints. â€Å"This is not about the honor of your houses,† she told them. â€Å"This is about keeping my son alive and whole.† And if it comes to that, she wondered, will thirty be enough? Will six thousand be enough? A bird called faintly in the distance, a high sharp trill that felt like an icy hand on Catelyn's neck. Another bird answered; a third, a fourth. She knew their call well enough, from her years at Winterfell. Snow shrikes. Sometimes you saw them in the deep of winter, when the godswood was white and still. They were northern birds. They are coming, Catelyn thought. â€Å"They're coming, my lady,† Hal Mollen whispered. He was always a man for stating the obvious. â€Å"Gods be with us.† She nodded as the woods grew still around them. In the quiet she could hear them, far off yet moving closer; the tread of many horses, the rattle of swords and spears and armor, the murmur of human voices, with here a laugh, and there a curse. Eons seemed to come and go. The sounds grew louder. She heard more laughter, a shouted command, splashing as they crossed and recrossed the little stream. A horse snorted. A man swore. And then at last she saw him . . . only for an instant, framed between the branches of the trees as she looked down at the valley floor, yet she knew it was him. Even at a distance, Ser Jaime Lannister was unmistakable. The moonlight had silvered his armor and the gold of his hair, and turned his crimson cloak to black. He was not wearing a helm. He was there and he was gone again, his silvery armor obscured by the trees once more. Others came behind him, long columns of them, knights and sworn swords and freeriders, three quarters of the Lannister horse. â€Å"He is no man for sitting in a tent while his carpenters build siege towers,† Ser Brynden had promised. â€Å"He has ridden out with his knights thrice already, to chase down raiders or storm a stubborn holdfast.† Nodding, Robb had studied the map her uncle had drawn him. Ned had taught him to read maps. â€Å"Raid him here,† he said, pointing. â€Å"A few hundred men, no more. Tully banners. When he comes after you, we will be waiting†Ã¢â‚¬â€his finger moved an inch to the left—†here.† Here was a hush in the night, moonlight and shadows, a thick carpet of dead leaves underfoot, densely wooded ridges sloping gently down to the streambed, the underbrush thinning as the ground fell away. Here was her son on his stallion, glancing back at her one last time and lifting his sword in salute. Here was the call of Maege Mormont's warhorn, a long low blast that rolled down the valley from the east, to tell them that the last of Jaime's riders had entered the trap. And Grey Wind threw back his head and howled. The sound seemed to go right through Catelyn Stark, and she found herself shivering. It was a terrible sound, a frightening sound, yet there was music in it too. For a second she felt something like pity for the Lannisters below. So this is what death sounds like, she thought. HAAroooooooooooooooooooooooo came the answer from the far ridge as the Greatjon winded his own horn. To east and west, the trumpets of the Mallisters and Freys blew vengeance. North, where the valley narrowed and bent like a cocked elbow, Lord Karstark's warhorns added their own deep, mournful voices to the dark chorus. Men were shouting and horses rearing in the stream below. The whispering wood let out its breath all at once, as the bowmen Robb had hidden in the branches of the trees let fly their arrows and the night erupted with the screams of men and horses. All around her, the riders raised their lances, and the dirt and leaves that had buried the cruel bright points fell away to reveal the gleam of sharpened steel. â€Å"Winterfell!† she heard Robb shout as the arrows sighed again. He moved away from her at a trot, leading his men downhill. Catelyn sat on her horse, unmoving, with Hal Mollen and her guard around her, and she waited as she had waited before, for Brandon and Ned and her father. She was high on the ridge, and the trees hid most of what was going on beneath her. A heartbeat, two, four, and suddenly it was as if she and her protectors were alone in the wood. The rest were melted away into the green. Yet when she looked across the valley to the far ridge, she saw the Greatjon's riders emerge from the darkness beneath the trees. They were in a long line, an endless line, and as they burst from the wood there was an instant, the smallest part of a heartbeat, when all Catelyn saw was the moonlight on the points of their lances, as if a thousand willowisps were coming down the ridge, wreathed in silver flame. Then she blinked, and they were only men, rushing down to kill or die. Afterward, she could not claim she had seen the battle. Yet she could hear, and the valley rang with echoes. The crack of a broken lance, the clash of swords, the cries of â€Å"Lannister† and â€Å"Winterfell† and â€Å"Tully! Riverrun and Tully!† When she realized there was no more to see, she closed her eyes and listened. The battle came alive around her. She heard hoofbeats, iron boots splashing in shallow water, the woody sound of swords on oaken shields and the scrape of steel against steel, the hiss of arrows, the thunder of drums, the terrified screaming of a thousand horses. Men shouted curses and begged for mercy, and got it (or not), and lived (or died). The ridges seemed to play queer tricks with sound. Once she heard Robb's voice, as clear as if he'd been standing at her side, calling, â€Å"To me! To me!† And she heard his direwolf, snarling and growling, heard the snap of those long teeth, the tearing of flesh, shrieks of fear and pain from man and horse alike. Was there only one wolf? It was hard to be certain. Little by little, the sounds dwindled and died, until at last there was only the wolf. As a red dawn broke in the east, Grey Wind began to howl again. Robb came back to her on a different horse, riding a piebald gelding in the place of the grey stallion he had taken down into the valley. The wolf's head on his shield was slashed half to pieces, raw wood showing where deep gouges had been hacked in the oak, but Robb himself seemed unhurt. Yet when he came closer, Catelyn saw that his mailed glove and the sleeve of his surcoat were black with blood. â€Å"You're hurt,† she said. Robb lifted his hand, opened and closed his fingers. â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"This is . . . Torrhen's blood, perhaps, or . . . † He shook his head. â€Å"I do not know.† A mob of men followed him up the slope, dirty and dented and grinning, with Theon and the Greatjon at their head. Between them they dragged Ser Jaime Lannister. They threw him down in front of her horse. â€Å"The Kingslayer,† Hal announced, unnecessarily. Lannister raised his head. â€Å"Lady Stark,† he said from his knees. Blood ran down one cheek from a gash across his scalp, but the pale light of dawn had put the glint of gold back in his hair. â€Å"I would offer you my sword, but I seem to have mislaid it.† â€Å"It is not your sword I want, ser,† she told him. â€Å"Give me my father and my brother Edmure. Give me my daughters. Give me my lord husband.† â€Å"I have mislaid them as well, I fear.† â€Å"A pity,† Catelyn said coldly. â€Å"Kill him, Robb,† Theon Greyjoy urged. â€Å"Take his head off.† â€Å"No,† her son answered, peeling off his bloody glove. â€Å"He's more use alive than dead. And my lord father never condoned the murder of prisoners after a battle.† â€Å"A wise man,† Jaime Lannister said, â€Å"and honorable.† â€Å"Take him away and put him in irons,† Catelyn said. â€Å"Do as my lady mother says,† Robb commanded, â€Å"and make certain there's a strong guard around him. Lord Karstark will want his head on a pike.† â€Å"That he will,† the Greatjon agreed, gesturing. Lannister was led away to be bandaged and chained. â€Å"Why should Lord Karstark want him dead?† Catelyn asked. Robb looked away into the woods, with the same brooding look that Ned often got. â€Å"He . . . he killed them . . . â€Å" â€Å"Lord Karstark's sons,† Galbart Glover explained. â€Å"Both of them,† said Robb. â€Å"Torrhen and Eddard. And Daryn Hornwood as well.† â€Å"No one can fault Lannister on his courage,† Glover said. â€Å"When he saw that he was lost, he rallied his retainers and fought his way up the valley, hoping to reach Lord Robb and cut him down. And almost did.† â€Å"He mislaid his sword in Eddard Karstark's neck, after he took Torrhen's hand off and split Daryn Hornwood's skull open,† Robb said. â€Å"All the time he was shouting for me. If they hadn't tried to stop him—† â€Å"—I should then be mourning in place of Lord Karstark,† Catelyn said. â€Å"Your men did what they were sworn to do, Robb. They died protecting their liege lord. Grieve for them. Honor them for their valor. But not now. You have no time for grief. You may have lopped the head off the snake, but three quarters of the body is still coiled around my father's castle. We have won a battle, not a war.† â€Å"But such a battle!† said Theon Greyjoy eagerly. â€Å"My lady, the realm has not seen such a victory since the Field of Fire. I vow, the Lannisters lost ten men for every one of ours that fell. We've taken close to a hundred knights captive, and a dozen lords bannermen. Lord Westerling, Lord Banefort, Ser Garth Greenfield, Lord Estren, Ser Tytos Brax, Mallor the Dornishman . . . and three Lannisters besides Jaime, Lord Tywin's own nephews, two of his sister's sons and one of his dead brother's . . . â€Å" â€Å"And Lord Tywin?† Catelyn interrupted. â€Å"Have you perchance taken Lord Tywin, Theon?† â€Å"No,† Greyjoy answered, brought up short. â€Å"Until you do, this war is far from done.† Robb raised his head and pushed his hair back out of his eyes. â€Å"My mother is right. We still have Riverrun.†