Essay on American Airlines - 3778 Words

Table of Contents Abstract 3 Situation Analysis 3 Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats, and Opportunities 4 Re-Branding 6 Pricing Strategy 8 Service Marketers 9 Future 12 Summary 12 References 13 Abstract In this case study we will review the new strategic business plan of American Airlines, and how they are responding to changes in the marketplace to compete in the modern era. We will also analyze the advantages of rebranding efforts, the effectiveness of existing practices of the airline and how the airline may operate post merger with US Airways. By some measurements, the merger between American Airlines and US Airways will create the largest company in the world, thus positioning American Airlines to potentially become the most†¦show more content†¦A smaller airline is simple and can easily adapt to change. Smaller airlines field similar aircraft for interchangeability of maintenance workers and crew, they can quickly upgrade aircraft and they can easily adjust management, directly address minor issues and quickly respond to changes in the market place. While at a larger airline, bureaucracy slows these efforts, lengthily logistical and environmental issues prolong the ch ange process, what takes months for small airlines to adopt may take years for a large airline. In my time in the military I learnt a school of thought called the tenants of guerrilla warfare, I find it very similar to this circumstance (if theyre big and youre small, then youre mobile and theyre slow, youre hidden and theyre exposed etc etc). The threat of growing too large is a known issue that airlines like Southwest avoid by utilizing careful growth in their business plan. This new growth presents American Airlines to a new pool of customers, the untapped international community that has little knowledge of American Airlines and with the recent disasters of Air Asia and Malaysian Airlines the safety record of American is an advertising point that any flyer will greet with open arms. A complex marketing mix must be researched before entering a foreign market to ensure conditions like lifestyles, consumer behavior and political/legal environments can grant competitive position in the local market. (PeterShow MoreRelatedAmerican Airline2183 Words   |  9 PagesStrategic Management â€Å"American Airlines † Case Study Strategic Management Prepared By Fathi Salem Mohammed Abdulla 2009 37 Introduction American Airlines, Inc. (AA) is a major airline of the United States. It is the world s largest airline in passenger miles transported and passenger fleet size; second largest, behind FedEx Express, in aircraft operated; and second behind Air France-KLM in operating revenues. A subsidiary of the AMR Corporation, the airline is headquartered in FortRead MoreU.s Airways And American Airlines1125 Words   |  5 Pages On October 17, 2015, two of the largest airlines officially became one after two years of negotiations. These negotiations came under great scrutiny, whilst pulling one airline out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Continuing to use the American Airlines name, U.S Airways and American Airlines became the largest airline in the world. American Airlines was founded in the 1930’s, under the name of American Airways, after acquiring 80 small airline carriers (Koenig 2011), mainly used for mail servicesRead MoreHRM at American Airlines1470 Words   |  6 Pagescase examines the Human Resource Management system at American Airlines and its role in the airlines past and continued success. The case takes us through a time line from 1980 to 1992 of the company; of how the growth of the company was followed by changes in the strategy, changes in the HR policies at different time and finally their effect and impact on the employees and the company as whole. Events 1. 1978: Deregulations of the airline industry. 2. 1980: AAs growth plans called for ore planesRead MoreAmerican Airlines Financial Ratio1775 Words   |  8 PagesSummary of the Company American Airlines, Inc. (American) was founded in 1934 and is the principal subsidiary of AMR Corporation. American provides aircraft services to around 160 destinations around the world. American Airlines has connections to 3 regional carriers. Two carriers are owned by AMR (American Eagle and Executive Airlines). The third carrier is owned by a third party (Republic Airways Holdings) that has no connection to AMR. These regional carriers serve to connect feed fromRead MoreI Am Working For American Airlines1878 Words   |  8 Pagespaper explores American Airlines pit falls that made it behind in the market and it imposes the three principles that are used to reinforce and bring up the bankrupted Walton Works 2 by Peggy Sinclair through advises from Andy in the book Gung Ho! Turn on the People in Any Organization written by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowls. American Airlines concentrates only on acquiring most of the routes to establish themselves leaving no option to the cus tomers in the market. American Airlines vision is toRead More American Airlines Essay641 Words   |  3 Pages American airlines is a corporation that exhibits all of the characteristics of a firm in an industry where good tactical management is the key to success. This company and its regional airline partner American eagle serve almost 250 cities around the world and operate more than 3600 daily flights. Its goal is to provide safe, dependable and friendly air transportation along with related services, making a great effort to transform any experience into a positive one. All of the services that thisRead MoreAmerican Airlines And Its Company Culture And Organizational Performance Essay1499 Words   |  6 PagesI. Introduction An analysis will be done of American Airlines and its company culture and organizational performance. In February of 2013, American Airlines and US Airways announced the merging of the two companies into â€Å"The New American Airlines† (American Airlines, 2013). However, while mergers can create immense value for organizations, employees, and customers, they also pose specific challenges, particularly for the maintenance and strength of the organizational culture (Organizational BehaviorRead MoreAmerican Airlines Standards of Business Conduct Essay507 Words   |  3 PagesResponsible operation begins with a foundation of rigorous adherence to the highest standards of business ethics and compliance with the letter and the spirit of the law in everything that AA do and in every country in which they do business. American Airlines adopted Standards of Business Conduct that apply to all employees, no matter where they work around the world. These Standards also apply to all agen ts, consultants, contractors and others when they are representing or acting for the companyRead MoreEssay about American Airlines Competitive Strategy822 Words   |  4 Pages Evaluate American’s 1992 announcement of a new rate structure: a. What changes did American make? American Airlines (American) made four fundamental changes to its rates. First, it moved to a four-tier rate structure; American offered first-class rates and three tiers of coach: full-fare, 21-day advance purchase and 7-day advance purchase. Overall, it expected to reduce coach fares by 38% and first-class fares by 20% to 50%. Though full fare coach prices dropped by about 38%, advance-purchase faresRead MoreAmerican Airlines Flight 1572 Crash Analysis2986 Words   |  12 PagesThe Accident On November 12, 1995, an American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-83 type passenger aircraft, which was operating as Flight 1572, departed from Chicago O’Hare International (ORD); however, the aircraft got substantially damaged due to impact to the top of oak trees on Peak Mountain Ridge in East Granby, Connecticut. The aircraft also hit the Instrument Landing System (ILS) localizer antenna, which was on its way to Runway 15 of Bradley International Airport (BDL). The aircraft, lastly

Business Opportunities At The United States Of America

According to investopedia.com, â€Å"If the recession have proven anything, it’s that even corporate giants have to think outside the box to stay afloat. These companies show that with patience, innovation and occasional brutal change, you can beat recession and come away with a profit even during the roughest times.† An entrepreneur is someone who manages to open a business with a lot of risk and initiative. The United States of America have had very bad economic conditions for the past few years and now we are still recovering. Not only bad things come when the economic conditions of a country are bad, there are also good things. For example, entrepreneurs can get a good start from the recovery, take advantage of the opportunities and consider the entrepreneurial landscape. There are several business opportunities that I see now that may not have existed 5 years ago; app developer, sustainability expert and social media manager. One of the business opportunities that I see now that may not have existed 5 years ago, is the app developer, which brought a lot of new jobs in the technology world. There are several smartphones that were introduced around 2007; for example, the iPhone and the Android. These smartphones brought the revolution in the app world. Since their existence, millions and millions of apps are in the market in stores like App Store and Android’s Google Play. The statistics show that Apple made revenue of $15 billion because of all the mobileShow MoreRelated Immigration to the United States Essay753 Words   |  4 PagesImmigration to the United States Works Cited Not Included Immigration to the United States has been happening since the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in 1492. America is one of the most diverse nations in the world, attracting people from every corner of the globe in hopes of a better way of life. America in the past has relied on migrant workers to balance the economies growth when internal resources have been exhausted; moreover, the agriculture business has depended on the seasonal employmentRead MoreThe Progressive Movement Of The United States874 Words   |  4 PagesThe progressive movement was one of the greatest times in America’s history, not only was the progressive movement noble but also needed especially after the lasting effects of the Civil War. Although there were many problems still plaguing the United States the progressive movement provided some Americans with a sense of hope because of changes in politics. First of all, progressive Presidents like Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson would not necessarily fight for their own political parties, butRead MoreImmigrants Should Not The American Dream1305 Words   |  6 Pagesborn into, and immigrants positively contribute to the American business community. The United States of America is a free country where anyone can come and try to start a new life. People from all walks of life can come to America if they feel like they might find better opportunities. America gives people rights that other countries do not give their people. That is one of the reasons immigrants decide to immigrate here. In America, you have the right to free speech, equal justice under the lawRead MoreSamsung in America Essay1667 Words   |  7 Pagespaths for America.- Barack Obama (Kohan). This is a quote by Barack Obama during his election speech. In a democracy, citizens vote for their own opinions; they vote for what they believe is best for America which is a true democracy. It’s not just two candidates or two parties, they vote for what they believe is best for America. Having rights for freedom of speech and Foreign Employ Rights are very important for establishing a business with a fair democracy. Samsung should expand business and moveRead MoreI mmigration Is The Creation Of America938 Words   |  4 PagesImmigration is the creation of America Illegal immigration is one of the number one talked about topics in America, that no one does anything about. Throughout the years more than millions of immigrants have been deported from the United States to their motherland countries. What not many see is that America is made up of immigrants, immigrants help bring up the United States of America. Many Americans do not want immigrants to be in the United States mainly because they do not speak English correctlyRead MoreLand of Opportunity960 Words   |  4 PagesUnited States of America Land of Opportunity? United States of America is known as the land of opportunity for many immigrants who dare to dream of a better life. Since the beginning of American history, United States has focused more about equal opportunity than any other country. There are many people who strongly believe that once they come to the United States it is almost guaranteed to find success. For example, my relatives in Korea always ask my parents how much my family has earned so farRead MoreThe United States Of America1354 Words   |  6 Pages The United States of America was sought out by immigrants as a place of freedom and refuge. Throughout America s short history, people from all over the world looked to America as a land of opportunity. Immigrants from Eastern European countries such as Poland, Lithuania, and Hungary poured into the United States in the mid 19th century. The large amount of immigration from Eastern European countries to the United States between 1919 and 1924 was due not only to the oppor tunities of work and freedomRead MoreBenefits And Costs Of Immigration927 Words   |  4 Pageswill readily agree that both illegal and legal immigration is an issue in the United States. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of the economy. Whereas some are convinced that the United States economy benefits from both illegal and legal migration, others maintain there are costs in allowing immigration. Increased immigration would expand the American work force, and encourage more business start-ups. However, American anti-immigrant groups have long feared the possibilityRead MoreProblems Faced By Japanese Foreign Investments Relations Between U.s. And Japan1135 Words   |  5 PagesThis business study will define the problems in the United States due to Japanese investments. In the current global economy, the foreign investments relations between the U.S. and Japan have been one sided due to the inter-Asian business models of the Japanese markets. Japan has traditionally been cooperative with the United States in allowing its products to be manufactured and sold in the United States, which has provided some manufacturing jobs in the U.S. This causes problems for the U.S. becauseRead MoreMarket Share By Company And Brand1122 Words   |  5 PagesMarket Share by Company and Brand Wal-Mart has dominance in retail business of grocery in all over the United States of America because of large number of stores and low prices. There is almost 24 percent market share of Wal-Mart. The second highest share is of Kroger which is almost 7.4 percent and Safeway has 3.5 percent share. Kroger and Safeway lies in hypermarket categories. The most dominant companies have sustained their ranking in market due to large number of brands they are offering to

Challenges & Level Of Effective Management Decision-Making @Ikea

Question: Discuss about the Challenges Ikea Faced in the Global Market. Answer: Introduction Ikea is currently facing high competition from new companies which have ventured into the furniture business. Most of the newly developed companies mimic Ikea furniture designs to create more competitive products. Ikea has developed more cooperate strategies to add value to the production of their furnitures to keep up with the competition in the international. Ikea embraces adoption of cultural preferences as a cooperate strategy in different geographical locations to upgrade the current design of its furnitures to satisfy customers preference. Nevertheless, Ikea uses price factor as one of the best competitive strategies to outshine its competitors in the international market. Its furniture is known worldwide to be affordable to individuals of a different class. Other than that, the company is always creating new innovations to develop unique and classy furniture as a competitive strategy to make more sales to its clients. Ikea also uses operational strategies to locate resources u sed to develop their furniture by identifying cultural practices embraced in different geographical regions and implementing them to their furniture designs. This three strategy has enabled Ikea to manufacture furniture that meets their customers preferences in different regions worldwide and stand out in the dynamic consumer market. Evaluation the Differing Strategic Management Capabilities Ikea uses its internal capabilities, external capabilities and ceasing activities to incorporate strategies which make its furniture outstanding in the competitive furniture industry. The company focuses on market research by identifying consumers interest on culture embraced in the different geographical region to improve the design of its furniture. Ikea has managed to build and recombine its internal capabilities to develop more new furniture designs that stand out in the global market. (Lutz, 2015). The company relies on its R D (Research and development) department to create new designs that make Ikea's furniture give their customers a thrilling experience to enjoy comfort and ability to have high-quality furniture at an affordable price. Ikea uses price factors as a leveraging capability to stand out from its competitors. It's furnitures are sold at a relatively cheaper price compare to what its competitors offer in the international market. Nevertheless, the company embraces stretching its capabilities to build new products depending on cultural needs of clients from different geographical locations. Ikea can better stretch and leverage its resources by using its external capabilities i.e. production of modern and classy furniture at an affordable price. (Rodrigo, 2015). The company has an alliance with reputable clients to supply them with cheap high-quality raw materials to develop their furniture at a low price. This fact reduces the production cost of developing new furnitures and enables Ikea to get more profits out of selling the newly developed modern furniture. Levels of Effective Management Decision-making IKEA can manipulate and stretch its resources to the benefit of the organization by implementing the six level of management decision-making strategies to expand its business in the international market. The levels of effective management decision-making strategies include, co-operating level strategies, stability strategy, and competitive strategy. (Businessays, 2016). Cooperate Level Strategies Cooperate level strategies involve the management team making effective decisions regarding the direction of the business. The management team identifies threats affecting the business and growth objective strategies to meet consumers needs. Effective cooperate strategies to be used in IKEA strategic plan focuses on direction or growth strategy. The growth objective for IKEA furnitures is to open more branches worldwide. Effective growth strategies are classified into the concentration of a particular industry (furniture industry) or diversification on the same industry. This concept is practically applied in regions that embrace different social and cultural practices. For instance, IKEA branch in China should concentrate on the available furniture design that they developed by incorporating the Chinese culture in the production of modern furniture. However, in U.S.A, Europe, and Africa, the company needs to diversify in the development of unique furnitures that suits the cultural practice of individuals in those geographical regions. The most effective strategy to boost sales of their furnitures involves studying the cultural practices embraced on their newly formed branch and improve on their furniture current design to meet consumers needs interns of taste and preference. (Lutz, 2015). Concentration strategy is divided into two sub-categories; horizontal and vertical growth. Vertical integration is an ideal strategy to IKEA because its products are well known to be the most competitive in the consumers market. This strategy can be used when IKEA opens new markets in different countries where there is little competition from companies producing similar products i.e. furniture. The company is expected to make most sales of its products before competitors start mimicking their furniture designs. Horizontal growth is another strategy that can help IKEA make the significant growth of sales of its products within different geographical locations. This strategy involves the study of companies that offer similar services in a new geographical area. Ones the management team learns the culture, taste, and preference of consumers in a newly opened market, the company should work on a strategy to develop furniture of the same standards offered by competitors on their new location and use their unique raw materials to design and diversify the quality of their newly developed furniture. Individuals will purchase any unique product that suits their consumer needs. This strategy will generate more sales for IKEA furnitures in new branches opened in different countries. Stability Strategy Stability strategy is used when IKEA develops more competitive furnitures or when the company opens a new branch in a new geographical region. Stability strategy is used for a specified period of time to monitor the performance of the new product developed or monitor the performance of the business in a newly formed branch. If the business is doing well, the company can plan a secondary strategy for growth and expansion. However, if the newly designed furnitures or a newly opened branch is not generating good sales, the company can study a SWOT analysis of factors affecting the business and improve on their threats and weaknesses. There are three elements of stability strategies that affect the productivity of a business. They are; pause then proceed, no change and take profits while you can. (Twarowska, 2013). Pause then proceed stability strategy is used when a business needs a time-out to cater for special consumers need. IKEA can use this strategy when they get bulk orders needed urgently by co-operate clients. Ones they have cleared all the urgent orders, the company can proceed with its growth production strategy. If the business is doing well in an existing or a newly formed branch, IKEA can use no change strategy to continue production of its furnitures until further notice. This strategy is applicable in regions where there is no or little competition. In areas where there is high competition from competitors, IKEA can use take profits when you can strategy. When its competitors begin to manufacture similar products, the company can then develop more new products after making the massive sales from a specific product. Competitive Strategy The competitive strategy also affects decision making for business. IKEA has competitive furniture design that outshines most of its competitors in the global market. The competitive strategy involves a business formulating the best price for their products to outshine price offered by its competitors in the consumers market. The three main price theories that affect IKEA sales in the international marker are overall price cost, differentiation and price focus. Overall price cost is affected by the cost of production. The company can reduce the cost of production by making a good deal with the supplier of their raw materials to get a competitive price when purchasing bulk products to manufacture their furniture. This strategy will lower the total production cost. Product differentiation affects the price of furniture sold to the consumer market. Some clients love classy furniture. In this case, IKEA can create a price strategy to develop unique modern furniture design at a higher pri ce compared to the normal design to satisfy their consumer needs. Buyers will pay more for any substance that is of high quality. Price focus depends on the location where a business is established. This can be measured using economic performance of a given country. IKEA can adapt this strategy when opening new branches all over the world. The cost of production influence price focus. Self- Awareness, Openness, and Sensitivity to Diversity Environment Self-awareness, openness, and sensitivity to culture, ethical business, and responsible management issues are key factors that are affecting growth and development of IKEA. The business has embraced incorporation of dynamic cultural practices in the development of its furniture in the international market. The embrace of culture in product development enables the structures of its furniture to have a distinct class that satisfies consumer need in different regions across the world. The production team of Ikea is always working on improving their current innovations depending on consumers want and desire. In rare occasions, clients come up with their own design and request the company to incorporate their distinct ideas to build them unique and modern furniture. IKEAs production team has highly sophisticated machinery and professional carpenters who are in a position to develop any furniture design ordered by clients. This fact enables the company to outshine its competitor interns of delivering high-quality furniture to their clients. Ikea strategic plan is to reach everyone in different geographical locations. This dream is achievable considering price strategy they embrace to sell their furniture at a low price. Approach of Corporate Social Responsibility of IKEA to Increase Awareness Cooperate social responsibility affects the, suppliers, customers, investors, employees and the community that uses furnitures manufactured by IKEA. (Stolba, 2009). Cooperate social responsibility can be defined as a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interactions with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis" (Commission of the European Communities 2001). IKEA holdings have managed to improve in its CRS depending on the branches of its operational services. It's targeted consumers at the moment are individuals of age group (22 50) years. Most of working class teenagers have a consistent cash flow. They are always willing to spend their money to purchase classy household goods for their homes. IKEA uses this strategy to build furnitures that satisfy the needs of this group of individuals which intern generates profitable returns to the company. Other than that, Ikea is thriving to offer additional services s uch as door delivery of their furnitures to easily accessible areas to their clients. A competitive advantage of the production process of furnitures of Ikea is, furnitures is their production process is environmentally friendly. (Dudovskiy, 2012). Other than that, Ikea offers its employees safe workstations and also offer them good healthcare plan. The company has also managed to offer job opportunities to individuals and improved local infrastructure of different social class globally. Nevertheless, Ikea contributes to the plantation of more trees in different geographical locations annually to compensate on the trees they cut to manufacture their furnitures. How can Ikea assess its Performance and use Suitable Strategies? Ikea can access its performance over specific branches by doing a gap analysis of sales generated on a monthly basis or annually. Such data are stored in the invoices billed to the finance department. Data found in the invoices should be recorded on the ERP of the company. Ones a constant flow of data is created, the presentation can be made to the management team through the ERP. The management team is expected to study which type of furniture are being sold the most as per the data recorded in sales of products in the international market. The research team is then expected to go out in the market and conduct a research on the alternative style of furniture design that their competitor companies offer to clients. Ones the company identifies its strengths and weaknesses, IKEA can incorporate the use of competitive strategy to maintain its strengths and improve on its weaknesses to outshine its competitors. The company can develop more comprehended furniture design by mimicking other competitive designs in the market and maintaining its originality taste by using its distinct high-quality raw products to manufacture more competitive products. The marketing team is then expected to conduct a research of price offered by other competitive companies and come up with the best price for their newly developed furniture to boosts sales of their furniture in the consumers market. Conclusion and Recommendation Successful businesses are developed by formulating and implementing the best business strategies in the market. A continuous study of SWOT analysis helps a company to plan future prosperous objectives that enable a company to survive competition from the national and international market. IKEA has more opportunity to expand its business in developing and other developed countries. An effective market research will enable IKEA to build successful strategies to cover cultural and social effects that might affect their business in new locations. We have learned from the essay above that effective strategic planning not only boost the sales and performance of IKEA business but also reduces the cost of production. Low cost of production helps the company to create a competitive price strategy for their furniture which makes their products easily affordable to individuals of the different social background. Reference Lindgreen, A., (2017). Ikeas Road to Corporate Social Responsibility. (Online) Retrieved from: https://www.academia.edu/6069300/IKEA_s_road_to_corporate_social_responsibility Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017. Chu, V., Girdhar, A., Sood, R., (2013). Couching Tiger Tames The Dragon. (Online). Retrieved from: https://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/lbs-case-study/how-ikea-adapted-its-strategies-to-expand-in-china/story/196322.html Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017. Stolba, A., (2009). Ikeas Failure and Success on the Japanese Market. (Online) Retrieved from: https://pure.au.dk/portal-asb-student/files/7566/Afhandlinger Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017. Chew, J. (2016)., Ikea Is Facing Huge Problems In This Important Country. (Online). Retrieved from: https://fortune.com/2016/02/24/ikea-india-rules/ Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017. Milne, R., (2013). Ikea Faces Cultural Challenge As Flat-Pack Empire Expands. (Online) Retrieved from: https://www.ft.com/content/83389238-5819-11e3-82fc-00144feabdc0 Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017. Lutz, A. (2015)., Ikea's Strategy For Becoming The World's Most Successful Retailer. (Online). Retrieved from: https://www.businessinsider.com/ikeas-strategy-for-success-2015-1 Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017. Rodrigo, (2015). Global Marketing: An Analysis of Ikea and Ashley Furniture Industries Marketing Activities in the Furniture Market. (Online). Retrieved from: https://writepass.com/journal/2015/03/global-marketing-an-analysis-of-ikea-and-ashley-furniture-industries-marketing-activities-in-the-furniture-market/ Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017. Businessays, (2016). Logistics and Operations Management of Ikea Company. (Online) Retrieved from: https://businessays.net/logistics-and-operations-management-of-ikea-company/ Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017. Door natural, (2008). Ikea Case Study. (Online). Retrieved from: https://thenaturalstep.nl/ikea/ Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017. Dudovskiy, J., (2012). Ikea. (Online) Retrieved from: https://research-methodology.net/ikea/ Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017. Twarowska, K., (2013). International business strategy- reasons and forms of expansion into foreign markets. (Online). Retrieved from: https://www.toknowpress.net/ISBN/978-961-6914-02-4/papers/ML13-349.pdf Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017. Business Case Studies LLP. (2015)., SWOT Analysis And Sustainable Business Planning: An Ikea Case Study. (Online). Retrieved from: https://businesscasestudies.co.uk/ikea/swot-analysis-and-sustainable-business-planning/#axzz4Vv68ALDb Retrieval Date: 16th01/2017.

Organizational Behavior Class Case Study Essay Sample free essay sample

Language can impact teamwork even when all those involved are native talkers of the same linguistic communication. In a multicultural squad. cultural differences create obstructions to effectual teamwork. The four barriers are: 1. ) direct vs. indirect communicating wherein some squad members use direct and expressed communicating while others use indirect communicating like inquiring inquiries alternatively of indicating out the job which can be seen as misdemeanor of certain communicating norms of a peculiar civilization ; 2. ) problem with speech patterns and eloquence – those who are non fluid in the team’s dominant linguistic communication may hold trouble pass oning their cognition which can forestall them from utilizing their expertness and create perceptual experiences of incompetency ; 3. ) differing attitudes toward hierarchy – squad members from hierarchal civilizations expect to be treated otherwise harmonizing to their position in the organisation. F ailure of some members to honour those outlooks can do humiliation or loss of stature. and credibleness ; and 4. We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Behavior Class Case Study Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ) conflicting decision-making norms wherein members vary on how rapidly they make determinations and on how much analysis they require beforehand. Person who prefers to do determinations rapidly may turn frustrated with those who need more clip to make up ones mind. ( Brett. Jeanne ; Behfar. Kristin ; and Kern. Mary C. ) However. cultural linguistic communication challenges are manageable if directors and squad members choose the right schemes and avoid enforcing single-culture-based attacks on multicultural state of affairss. The four schemes are: 1. ) version which is admiting cultural spreads openly and working around them ; 2. ) structural intercession which is altering the form of the squad by making smaller working groups of assorted civilizations ; 3. ) managerial intercession which is puting the norms early or conveying in a higher-level director to intercede ; and. 4. ) issue scheme which is the remotion of a squad member when other options have failed but this should be taken as a last redress. Situational conditions shall be considered in implementing the appropriate scheme. There should be a grade of flexibleness in managing challenges with multicultural squad members. ( Brett. Jeanne ; Behfar. Kristin ; and Kern. Mary C. ) Conflicts still originate even when all those involved in a squad are native talkers of the same linguistic communication. In this instance. interpersonal communicating accomplishments should be applied. Jack Gibb postulates a theory of communicating climes runing from supportive to defensive. where a supportive clime encourages openness and the exchange of thoughts with a feeling of trust. A defensive clime. on the other manus. stifles the communicating procedure as squad members tend to retreat instead than put on the line sharing their thoughts for grounds of rational bullying. Defensive comments cause bitterness or dislocations in communicating. On such instances. traditional rules of supervising can originate or reenforce defensive climes. If supervisors become cognizant of the elements involved in both supportive and defensive climes and how these affect communicating. they can so understand their subordinates’ reactions and seek to advance echt unfastened communicating. ( Beck. C. E. ) The team’s ability to utilize the version procedure can be strengthened by furthering a on the job environment wherein cultural differences are valued. This can be done by promoting an unfastened treatment of cultural backgrounds ; by extinguishing signifiers of laterality like hierarchy. map. race. gender. etc. that may suppress the squad member’s full part ; and. by instantly admiting and deciding the inevitable tensenesss that arise when employees from different backgrounds portion thoughts and emotions. ( Thomas. David A. and Ely. Robin J. ) Team members can besides beef up their version accomplishments by developing their cultural intelligence by cognizing how their other squad members think ; larning their wo nts and idiosyncrasies ; and. understanding their civilization. ( Earley. P. Christopher and Mosakowski. Elaine. ) Language. therefore. is an of import component for teamwork in an organisation. By non interrupting the barriers of communicating. particularly in multicultural groups. there can be no existent teamwork. And when there is no teamwork in an organisation. accomplishing ends and marks will be hard. Plants Cited Beck. Charles E. â€Å"Creating a Climate for Teamwork† .Air University Review.May-June 1985.21 March 2008 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //ieeexplore. ieee. org/xpl/freeabs_all. jsp? tp= A ; arnumber=347519 A ; isnumber=80 46 gt ; . Beck. Charles E. â€Å"The Open-Door Policy: Communication Climate and The Military Supervisor† .Air University Review.May-June 1985.21 March 2008 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. airpower. gold. af. mil/airchronicles/aureview/1985/may-jun/beck. hypertext markup language gt ; . Brett. Jeanne ; Behfar. Kristin ; and Kern. Mary C. Managing Multicultural Teams. Business Review. 2006. Earley. P. Christopher and Mosakowski. Elaine. Cultural Intelligence. Harvard Business Review. October 2004. Thomas. David A. and Ely. Robin J. Making Differences Matter: A New Paradigm for Managing Diversity. Harvard Business Review. September 1996.

APA Referencing †How to Cite a Journal Article (Proofread My Paper)

APA Referencing – How to Cite a Journal Article APA Referencing – How to Cite a Journal Article The American Psychological Association (APA) style guide is favored by hundreds of journals, textbook publishers and academic institutions. APA referencing is therefore one of the most widely-used citations formats, especially in the sciences, medicine and education. In this post, we cover the basics of citing a journal article using the APA referencing style. Author-Date Citations The basic format for all in-text citations in APA involves providing the author surname and year of publication for the cited source in parentheses: Development of golf tourism requires significant planning (Priestly, 2006). If the author is already named in the text, you only need to cite the year: According to Priestly (2006), planning golf tourism demands extensive infrastructure. If the article has three or more authors, provide all names in the first citation: A study by LeClerc, Che, Swaddle and Cristol (2005) shows that golf courses are viable nesting sites for bluebirds. After this, you only have to use the first author’s surname and â€Å"et al.†: Nest boxes on golf courses provide an excellent habitat for young bluebirds (LeClerc et al., 2005). Quoting Sources When quoting a source, APA citations should appear after the quoted text and include page numbers: As well as golf courses, golf tourism requires â€Å"hotels and other forms of property development† (Priestly, 2006, p. 170). If the author is named in the text, the year of publication should be given after the name, but the page numbers still appear after the quoted text: Priestly (2006) states that â€Å"essential to plan golf tourism regions carefully in order to make economic and social objectives compatible† (p. 170). Reference List APA requires all cited sources to be added to a reference list at the end of your document. Entries should include all relevant publication details, with sources sorted alphabetically by author surname. For a journal article, the information required includes: Author Name(s) and Initial(s) (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, Volume Number (Issue Number), Pages. The Priestly article cited above, for instance, would appear as: Priestley, G. K. (2006). Planning implications of golf tourism. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 6(3), 170-178. If you’re citing an online version of a journal article, you should also include the relevant DOI or URL in the reference list: LeClerc, J. E., Che, J. P. K., Swaddle, J. P., Cristol, D. A. (2005). Reproductive success and developmental stability of eastern bluebirds on golf courses. Wildlife Society Bulletin (1973-2006), 33(2), 483-493. Retrieved from jstor.org/stable/3785076

How to Copy a Row in Excel VBA

How to Copy a Row in Excel VBA Using VBA to program Excel isnt as popular as it once was. However, there are still plenty of programmers who prefer it when working with Excel. If you are one of those people, this article is for you.​ Copying a row in Excel VBA is the kind of thing that Excel VBA is really useful for. For example, you may want to have one file of all your receipts with date, account, category, provider, product/service, and cost entered one line at a time, as they occur- an instance of evolving accounting rather than static accounting. To do this, you need to be able to copy a row from one worksheet to another. A sample Excel VBA program that copies a row from one worksheet to another- using only three columns for simplicity- contains: An alpha column for textA numeric column - an automatic sum is created on the target worksheetA date column - the current date and time is filled in automatically Considerations for Writing Excel VBA Code To trigger an event that copies the row, go with the standard- a Button form control. In Excel, click Insert on the Developer tab. Then, select the Button form control and draw the button where you want it. Excel automatically displays a dialog to give you a chance to select a macro triggered by the click event of the button  or to create a new one. There are several ways to find the last row in the target worksheet so the program can copy a row at the bottom. This example chooses to maintain the number of the last row in the worksheet. To maintain the number of the last row, you have to store that number somewhere. This might be a problem because the user might change or delete the number. To get around this, place it in the cell directly underneath the form button. That way, its inaccessible to the user. (The easiest thing to do is enter a value in the cell and then move the button over it.) Code to Copy a Row Using Excel VBA Sub Add_The_Line() Dim currentRow As Integer Sheets(Sheet1).Select currentRow Range(C2).Value Rows(7).Select Selection.Copy Sheets(Sheet2).Select Rows(currentRow).Select ActiveSheet.Paste Dim theDate As Date theDate Now() Cells(currentRow, 4).Value CStr(theDate) Cells(currentRow 1, 3).Activate Dim rTotalCell As Range Set rTotalCell _ Sheets(Sheet2).Cells(Rows.Count, C).End(xlUp).Offset(1, 0) rTotalCell WorksheetFunction.Sum _ (Range(C7, rTotalCell.Offset(-1, 0))) Sheets(Sheet1).Range(C2).Value currentRow 1 End Sub This code uses xlUp, a magic number, or more technically an enumerated constant, which is recognized by the End method. Offset(1,0) simply  moves up one row in the same column, so the net effect is to select the last cell in column C. In words, the statement says: Go to the last cell in column C (equivalent to EndDown Arrow).Then, go back up to the last unused cell (equivalent to the EndUp Arrow).Then, go up one more cell. The last statement updates the location of the last row. VBA is probably harder than VB.NET because you have to know both VB and Excel VBA objects. Using xlUP is a good example of the kind of specialized knowledge that is critical to being able to write VBA macros without looking up three different things for every statement you code. Microsoft has made great progress in upgrading the Visual Studio editor to help you figure out the correct syntax, but the VBA editor hasnt changed much.

Edsons Ridge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Edsons Ridge - Essay Example The occupation of this location would give them the means to militarily attack United States. With the ridge in their control, they would be one step away from world dominion. From the moment the Allies descended on the ridge, it was a position that the Allies had to hold on to strategically maintain their balance of power. Turning back would mean heavy sacrifice in the war scenario that even in the closing period of the war could be disastrous due to the location of the ridge and the impact it could have on anyone who controlled the region. In the circumstances, it was necessary that the ridge remained in the control of the Allies. The failure of the Japanese to retake the ridge lay on the difficulties posed by the terrain and their miscalculation about the determination of the Allies to stay put. The region was topsy-turvy and dotted with jungles. The Allies, that is, the Americans had secured the area with 12,000 men while the Japanese reckoned they would have to contend with not more than a few thousand men. It was a bloody battle between the United States' forces and the Japanese men of war. The weapons of the battle were artillery as also bayonets. There were even hand-to-hand combats. The Japanese lost men in large numbers. Given the limited nature of maneuver and resource, the Japanese could not capitalize on the elements of time and surprise to overpower the enemy. The limited supply of artillery and means to travel meant that they had to depend more on strategy of surprise and intrigue to achieve their goals (Battle of Edson's (Bloody) Bridge). On 12 September 1944 Kawaguchi divided his forces, sending a thousand strong men to attack from the east of the mound, while his force struck from the west along the ridge that led to Henderson Airfield. An attack on the Japanese base at Taivu Point by Lieutenant-Colonel Edson at this juncture successfully destroyed most of the Japanese supplies. Information secured during this raid indicated a massive attack would be coming from the southwest of the perimeter along a ridge beside the Lunga River. The attack however was short-lived and failed to yield any ground as visualized by the Japanese. The Japanese coordination failed and it was not possible to have all the men in place for the fight. Further strategies to subjugate the U.S. forces met with resistance from well-entrenched positions and the Japanese were outflanked, outnumbered and gunned down with ruthless precision. Added to the miscalculations of the Japanese about the actual strength of the U.S. forces, the jungles made coordination and attack difficult to sustain. The movements of their men could not be synchronized and their attacking strategies lacked punch and depth. They lost men in large numbers and they did not get reinforcements to compensate their lost men. It was almost as if they expected the opponents to cave in to their attacks and when this did not happen they paid for it with their lives. Such tactics spell disaster. It is not advisable even in a state of war. However a battle is full of the elements of risk and intrigue. The Japanese pursued these elements with unequivocal zeal. The strategy of surprise and intrigue normally works if the opposition is less vigilant and less pro-active. The U.S. forces

British North America Secedes from the Empire Essay

British North America Secedes from the Empire - Essay Example Although such a question is necessarily broad and would require a thesis length response to capture the full depth and complexity exhibited therein, this brief essay will seek to establish the points as succinctly and efficiently as possible so as to provide the reader with a broad overview and analysis of key issues without becoming distracted by the sheer complexity that such an issue necessarily presents. In order to begin the discussion into the right of the people to secede and ultimately engage in violent struggle against their former government, the reader/researcher must first consider the situation throughout the rest of the British Empire prior to the outbreak of discontent and violence within the American colonies. Due to e very expensive Seven Years War, also known in the colonies as the French-Indian War, the British Empire found itself in a high level of debt. As with most governmental structures at that time, it was necessary for the British government to work to pay o ff this debt as soon as possible so as to give the Empire and the Crown a level of overall sovereignty and wealth (Cook 74). A little known fat with reference to the tax ratio in the colonies was the fact that it was in all actuality much lower than the tax rates of any other British possessions around the world. As a function of this, the royal review of parliament judged that it only made logical sense to add to the overall level of taxation within the colonies as a means of paying off this debt. As can be seen from history, this acted as a flashpoint of hardly subtle frustration that the colonists already harbored with relation to British rule. In this way, the political aspect of this taxation served to reignite the frustrations faced by the colonists at being what they termed as second class citizens. Whereas many historical interpretations have distorted the role that the taxes ultimately played in spurring the revolution onwards, the fact of the matter is that the taxes only served to provide the flashpoint upon which the other malcontents were able to focus their negative energies with regards to seeking to resist the British Empire and her influence over the colonies. Secondary and tertiary reasons for why the colonists decided to make the issue of higher taxation the proverbial line in the sand are concentric around the fact that the United States was a mercantile economy at the time and was highly dependent upon the British to continue to ignite the fire that kept the colony’s economies burning brightly. However, the situation appeared, at least to the colonists, to be one sided as they were forced to sell many raw materials and finished and unfinished goods back to the British without accruing any type of â€Å"clawback† tax; whereas, at the same time, the British were able to sell finished products within the American economy, as well as constrict the sale and transfer of â€Å"inter-American trade† by emplacing special taxes upon such goods (Porter 27). This of course led to a groundswell of anger that could only be channeled by the common derision and hatred for the increased cost of living that was passed along to all; both rich and poor. Adding insult to injury with

Consumer Attitudes and Purchase Intentions in Relation to Organic Foods Essay Example for Free

Consumer Attitudes and Purchase Intentions in Relation to Organic Foods Essay Abstract The aim of this study is to find out the three (3) significant variables forming the positive attitude towards the buying the organic food in Peninsula Malaysia, which eventually lead to the ultimate intention in buying the organically-produced food. The different variables are focused on demographic characteristics on household income, product attributes and lastly the perceived value to the customers. This study shows that the household income is seemingly appeared to be an important predictor among the targeted segmentation in consuming organic food. Organic food attributes such as pricing, availability and environmentally friendliness of such organic food may influence consumer buying decision. Lastly, the perceived value from the customers towards organic food on its health effects, sensory appeal, nutrition-worth and belief of perceived benefits, often play an important role in cultivating the intention towards buying organic food. Introduction and Background of the Study Over the last two decades, there has been a remarkable increase in demand for organic-produced food or products. Organic food is often seen and marketed as health-conscious food which contains fewer contaminants, more nutrients and most importantly having a positive effect on the environment. It is known that some of these attributes are difficult to quantify, with the contrary that some of researcher has proved that they may cause such potential harm during the organic production. The organic market back in 80’s, while remaining a niche sector, has grown to be able to grab a share from the total spending on food in some countries in the recent years. Organic fruit and vegetables are amongst the products which have been expanding in the rapid production. The demand for organically-produced meat and dairy products has undergone the same rapid progress, with a corresponding increase in the need for organically grown forage and feed crops. This has led to a fast growth in consumer demand whereby the organic food sales have managed to gain a significant market share in the conventional food industry. The market for organically produced crops and commodities has become more structured, looking at the increased number of countries which have adopted uniform standards for organic food production. The standardization has also applied in the organic certification and labelling. While both the production and the marketing of the organic cultivation of temperate crops have developed, there is a trend to be seen whereby the developing country’s farmers are actively involved in the organic farming. Problem Statement and Importance of the Research Organic agriculture industry, no doubt, has offers most of the developing countries a wide range of economic, environment, social and cultural benefits. Certifies organic products have now been growing fast and in the mist of entering the global market. Malaysia, on the other hand, is still in the starting spark-point in adapting the organic-food consumption while the developed countries such as North America and Europe have already gained the biggest market share in this newest industry. Due to expanding markets and attractive price premiums, Malaysia should invent and invest in organically-produced food, taking into consideration of various significant variables which may form the consumer behaviour towards organic food. We would like to highlight that the ultimate goal of this study is to understand consumer’s motivations behind organic food products purchases in order to enable organic producers to develop a more effective strategic marketing plan. The results could be used for the marketing planning of organic food products to enable proper marketing strategies, a proper sales channel and promotion to be targeted to these groups of consumers. Research Questions The present study aims to answer the following questions: †¢ What are demographic characteristics of organic food buyers? †¢ How do demographic characteristics affect consumer attitudes towards organic foods? †¢ How product attributes effect consumer attitudes towards organic foods? †¢ How consumer perceived values influence consumer attitudes towards organic foods? †¢ What is the relationship between consumers’ attitudes towards organic foods and their intentions to purchase? †¢ How can results of the study be applied by managers and marketers? Research Objectives. Regarding to the significance of the growing market of organic foods in the world, and to the previous studies on consumer attitudes towards organic foods and its effects on purchase intentions in several countries (e. g. Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States and Denmark) we intend to carry out such similar studies in Peninsula Malaysia with objectives as the following: †¢ To report the descriptive analysis on the organic buyers’ demographic characteristics †¢ To identify the effects of demographic characteristics (specifically level of households income) on consumer attitudes towards organic foods. †¢ To determine effects of product attributes on consumer attitudes towards organic foods †¢ To investigate the relation of consumer perceived values to consumer attitudes towards organic foods †¢ To determine the relationship between consumers’ attitudes towards organic foods and their intentions to purchase †¢ To clarify implications for managers and marketers Literature Review Demographics Based on findings from previous research, demographic characteristics were evaluated as one of the major predictors in gaining intention to purchase the organic food in Peninsula Malaysia. According to Robinson R. and Smith C. (2002), the demographic of consumers consist of various characteristics namely the gender, age, household income and education level. Each element has been contributed in forming the valued attitudes towards buying the organic products. Hence, the demographic characteristics, especially on household income is seemingly significant and being the focus in this research. This will eventually lead to the desired intention in buying such products for daily consumption. Level of Household Income. Whilst referring to the studies done in the US, it is seemingly apparent that the demographic variables which herby refer as the income distribution, is significant predictors (Bartels Reinders, 2009). The research on this particular subject has proven that income positively influenced buying behaviour which in turn may cause the perceived buying behaviour towards the organic food. A same result has shown in Germany as well (Bartels Reinders, 2009). In Germany, demographic variables such as household income distribution have played an important role in developing significant effect on organic buying behaviour. However, the overall inevitability of the demographic characteristics was relatively different, taking into consideration of research carried in various Western countries. These findings verify the results of earlier studies by Clark Goldsmith (2006) and Im et al. (2003) proven that the intellectual practice on using the demographic characteristics such as household income distribution and domain specific innovativeness will be seen as strategic tools for market segmentation. In the Western countries, research has identified that the demand and willingness in expenditure on organic goods often affiliated closely with various socioeconomic and demographic variables (Wier et al. , 2008). In addition, Menghi (1997) found that the majority households with middle and higher income levels showed a greater tendency in purchase and consuming organic foods. However, it is shown that almost all of these studies are based upon hypothesized future behaviour rather than observed behaviour in both Denmark and UK. Hence, studies have been carried out by researchers to further invent on the influences of demographic characteristics especially in household income in guiding the intention of buying the organic goods. Through the research it is revealed that higher disposable household income (approximated by total food expenditure) will lead to higher positive intention in purchasing the organic food. Consumers with a lower household income alongside with lower level of education are found to be least likely to have heard of organic agriculture (Roitner-Schobesberger et al. , 2008). On a contrary, those who have a higher income and hold an academic degree are more likely to be the target segmentation in purchasing organic products (Roitner-Schobesberger et al. , 2008). It is also mentioned that the correlation between the household income level is very much linked to the level of education as well. As mentioned by Robinson R. and Smith C. (2002), intended purchases of sustainably produced foods did not differ for demographic characteristics such as household annual income educational attainment. Through the research carried out by Ross NJ.et al. (2000), they have suggested that consumers with a higher earning incomes were more likely to have purchased locally produced food, mainly focus on the organic consumption by various segmentations. Their research and findings were supported earlier by Govindasamy R. and Italia J. (1998) whereby the same results applied. Groups with a higher household income tend to have purchased foods produced with reduced pesticides. In UK particularly, social group is employed as an indicator of income brackets (Wier et al. , 2008). Research has revealed that the tendency in purchase the organic goods seem to increase in accordance to the given social status. However, the highest organic budget shares are observed for middle class households whilst shares in the upper middle class being in fact lower. Quite captivatingly, a similar phenomenon is observed to be happened in Denmark as well. Organic Food Attributes Organic food attributes influence consumer buying decision. Several empirical studies have been performed on customer perceptions of organic food attributes and how they formed the consumer attitudes towards food. In the present research, among different product attributes, we have selected: price of organic food, environmentally friendliness of organic food and organic food availability. Price of Organic Food Organic foods are often of a price premium above conventional products. According to Roitner-Schobesberger et. al (2008) in Thailand the price difference between organic and non-labeled conventional vegetables in Bangkok varied between 50 percent and 170 percent and in some cases even 400 percent. However, in some countries such as Finland there were not significant premium prices for organic foods (Tarkiainen and Sundqvist, 2005). As Roitner-Schobesberger et. al (2008) pointed out that despite the price difference of organic and non-organic food, nearly 60% of the ‘organic buyers’ said that the price of organic products was not a problem. In addition, ‘non-organic buyers’ ranked some other items as a reason of not purchasing organic food rather than higher prices. Chryssohoidis Krystallis (2005) claimed that while 100 percent of people would prefer organic to conventional products with the assumption of similar price, this percentages dropped by only 20 percent when the same question was posed regardless the higher price of organic food. In other words, higher price is an important obstacle for a limited percentage of consumers. Roitner-Schobesberger et. al (2008) found out that in Bangkok men were more likely to purchase organic foods than women and concluded that it might be due to the reason of men being willing to pay a higher price premium for organic products than women. Similarly, a study in Klang Valey, Malaysia showed that women werre more likely than men to agree that they would purchase more organic foods if they were less expensive (Ahmed, 2010). Additionally, heavy users were on average stage whereby they are willing to pay higher price premiums than medium and light users (Wier et. al, 2008). Environmentally friendliness of organic food Consumers are getting more conscious and concerned with the consumption of chemical substance used in farming and preserving environment is becoming a strong attitude among consumers. According to Tarkiainen and Sundqvist (2005), subjective norms’ effect on attitudes has been mainly found in behaviors, that involved some kind of ethical decision, and also buying organic food can be seen as ethical decision reflecting environmental concern. In addition, perceived quality is associated with environmentally friendly practices (Ness et. al, 2009). The perception of organic food products as environmentally friendly was a common intuition and has been examined in several studies (Ahmed, 2010; Honkanen et. al, 2006). It is believed that when the consumers have more concern about their health and environmental protection, they will be more likely to have a positive attitude to organic foods (Ness et. al, 2010). Honkanen et. al (2006) found that ecologically oriented consumers were more likely to form intentions to purchase and consume organic food. In other words, the more people are concerned about environment, the more positive attitude they have towards organic food. Organic Food Availability Lack of organic food availability and variety in store is considered as one of the barriers to consumer purchase. Fresh vegetables (which include fresh herbs) were considered the most widely available organic product group rather than other organic foods (Roitner-Schobesberger et. al, 2008). Chryssohoidis Krystallis (2005) stated that limited availability was the main factor that hinders organic purchasing. Although according to Roitner-Schobesberger et. al (2008), in Thailand, majority of organic buyers were satisfied with availability of organic products. Most of them reported that they would like to buy more organic products, especially a wider range of vegetables. Value to the Customer. In every product that consumer purchased and used, they in turn are expecting value from it. Value can be defined as a benefit that consumer is receiving by using a product. Benefits here mean sensory appeal of the product, taste, fun, freshness, quality and healthiness of the products. These are some main reasons that encouraged consumer to purchase the organic food. The value may vary from one consumer to another; however there will definitely be one value that effect the buying attitude which motivate the buying intention of consumers. Health Effect of Organic Food Several perceptions contributed to health attribute include the reason of being good for health, good for children, not containing pesticides, high in fiber, natural and nutritious and safer to eat (Roitner-Schobesberger, et. al, 2008; Saher et. al 2006; Lockie et. al, 2002; Ness et. al, 2009). The perceived potential hazards of modern agricultural practices such as the use of pesticides and their residues in food were perceived to be associated with long term and unknown effects on health (Miles and Frewer, 2001;Wilkins Hillers, 1994; Williams Hammit, 2001). Saher et. al (2006) revealed that there is very little scientific support for the common beliefs that organic food would be more healthy or nutritious than regular foods, but the belief that they have these properties remains quite strong in consumer’s mindset. The claim is debatable whether marketers can use the health claim for marketing purposes because most of the research concluded that there was no evidence that organic food was healthier or more nutritious than conventional food (Honkanen et. al, 2006). However, most studies in this area suggested that consumer’s perception of organic food as a healthy nutrition is one the most significant motives for buyers. Lockie et al. (2002) pointed out that health was the one aspect consumers are least willing to compromise. Roitner-Schobesberger et. al (2008) in Bangkok, Thailand, examined the motives behind organic food purchase and pointed out that the most important motive was the expected positive health effects. Similarly in Malaysia, organic buyers believed that organic food was healthier compared to conventional grown food (Ahmed, 2010). In Thailand, the health aspect was closely associated with the residues from synthetic chemicals used in agriculture (Roitner-Schobesberger et. al, 2008). In fact, organic products often have a lower level of pesticide residues (Baker et al. , 2002). Lockie et. al (2002) revealed that although price was an important factor, organic consumers consider health has appeared as a more significant factor for purchasing organic food in Australia. These organic food consumers also believed that industrial methods of food processing constitute a threat to customer’s health. Another research by Schifferstein Oude Ophuis (1997) illustrated that well-being was rated among all other motives by organic food buyers. On the other hand, Tarkiainen and Sundqvist (2005) by examining specific organic products (bread and flour) claimed that health consciousness did not explained the general attitudes towards organic food, although they believed this results might be different by examining different organic products. Sensory Appeals Sensory appeals of organic food are part of the factors that provides value to customer. Sensory appeals include the taste, odor and also the texture of the organic product (Prescott et. al, 2002). Sometimes sensory appeals of the organic food need to be combined with the non-sensory factors such as organic food related expectations to create a value to customer which will affect their attitude towards buying organic food (Prescott et. al, 2002). Sensory factors are also influenced by cultures and background of consumers. For example, consumers from Western countries eat less spicy food compared to those from Asia. Spicy organic food might produce high value to consumers in Asian countries compared to Western. Intrinsic cues or sensory appeal that are associated with physical characteristics of the product such as taste, size, color, appearance, smell, feel and flavor were commonly used as indicators of quality on the organic food (Schifferstein et. al,1997). Quality is also value that consumers experiencing by consuming an organic food. Better sensory appeal of organic food will portray a better quality which will influence the attitude of purchasing an organic food and later increase the intention of buying the organic food. One of the most prominent sensory appeals that yield more value to consumer is taste. According to Roitner-Schobesbergeris et. al (2008), taste was the third important motives that consumers purchase organic food (Roitner-Schobesbergeris et. al, 2008). Others studies also emphasized that many organic food buyers believed that organic food products taste better than conventional food even if sensory evaluations have yielded inconsistent results (Fillion and Arazi,2002; McEachern and McClean,2002; Zhao et al. ,2007). Perceived Value. One of the studies conducted in eight countries concluded that individual attitudes towards buying organic food are primarily based on the belief about the benefits (Thogersen, 2000). Benefits or value to consumers such as healthy, taste better and environment friendly supersede all the other factors such as belief about the cost. The same proven in one of the study conducted in Klang Valley. Most of the respondents reported that they choose to buy organic food products because they perceived organic food as very healthy, fresher and natural (Bayaah Ahmad et.all, 2010). As such, value of organic food towards customers’ effect their attitudes towards buying which will motivates their intention of purchasing the organic product. Consumers also value organic food as nutritional food since it is produced using traditional method whereby the original nutrition from the food is preserved. Nutrition belief was one of the reasons that made people appeared to have different food styles and often express themselves as having food adventurousness or pickiness (Chen, 2007). Organic food adds value to consumers who has such belief and it will influence their intention of consuming it by affecting the buying behavior. Besides, Chen (2007) points out that an individual’s personal interests or traits act a part in establishing personal food choice criteria through the values held by the individual. These values comprise nutrition beliefs, weight control concerns, and so on. For instance, people seem to have different food-styles and often express themselves as having food adventurousness or pickiness. Another important motive to purchase organic food as reported by Roitner-Schobesbergeris et. al (2008) is the consumer’s search for new, trendy and attractive food products. Attitudes towards Organic food and Intention to purchase Basically, consumer attitudes are found to be the most important predictor of intention to buy (Honkanen et. al, 2006). Several studies have found that higher perceived product quality leads to more positive re-purchase intentions (Bou-Llusar et. al, 2001; Hult, Kandemir 2004; Tarkiainen Sundqvist, 2005). Chen (7007) highlighted that if the consumer’s attitude towards organic foods is positive, the consumer’s attitude to purchase organic food will be more likely to be positive. This is also consistent with another study performed by Honkanen et. al (2006) indicating that relation between attitude and intention is positive and quite strong, indicating that consumers with positive attitudes towards consumption of organic food are more likely to form intentions to consume such food, therefore converting positive attitudes to intentions. Methodology Theoretical Research Framework [pic] Figure1. Theoretical Research Framework Hypothesis Development: Hypothesis 1: There is a relationship between demographic characteristics of consumers and their attitudes towards organic foods. Hypothesis 2: There is a relationship between organic food attributes and consumer’s attitudes towards the organic food. Hypothesis 3: There is a positive relationship between values of organic food to customer with attitudes towards buying organic foods. Hypothesis 4: When the consumer’s attitude towards organic foods is positive, the consumer’s intentions to purchase organic foods will be more likely to be positive. Research Design. The questionnaires are only designed in English; since the respondents are assumed to be relatively high educated they will be able to answer the questions without any difficulties. Furthermore it will help to keep the original meaning and understanding that respondents perceived to have towards the questions. Types of questions in questionnaires are mostly closed ended question and only two open ended question. This will only consume little time for the respondent to complete the questionnaire which will encourage them to participate in this study. There are three main categories in the prepared questionnaires. The questions in the first category are more towards understanding demographic details of the respondent such as on the age, income level, ethnicity, religion and educational level. This is useful to confirm the background of the organic food consumers. There are also questions on the product attributes which the respondents are asked to identify what are the main attributes that attract the purchase and also to determine whether this factor have a positive effect towards consumer attitude on organic food. Last part in the questionnaires is designed to understand the value of organic food to customers. All these questions are to test four hypotheses of this study. Data Collection The target population consists of organic food buyers in Peninsula Malaysia. In order to carry out the sampling Peninsula Malaysia is divided in to 3 major regions namely Northern, Central and Southern region. Northern region will be represented by Penang, Central region will be Klang Valley and Southern region of Peninsula Malaysia is represented by Johor Bahru. These three areas are chosen based on the economic development and availability of the organic products. From each region shopping complexes and supermarkets that provide organic products are identified. By using random sampling, three shopping complexes and supermarkets in urban areas are selected. Since target respondent with higher educational level and purchasing power are scattered around these urban areas, these will be perfect places to conduct this research. Those three supermarkets and shopping complexes are ensured to be far from each other so that the collected samples will be more accurate in representing the population in each region. Total sample size comprises of 540 individual respondents is collected using convenience sampling and respondents will be approached randomly. Since this study is conducted in large scale, convenient sampling will be more cost effective compared to other types of sampling. Furthermore conducting other types of sampling will be time consuming and the accuracy of the collected samples to represent the actual population will be questionable. In order to collect the data, 60 self-administered consumer questionnaire surveys are distributed in each shopping complexes which will result in 180 questionnaires from each region. Considering the validity of the data, we are expecting a total of about 500 questionnaires to be usable in the later part of data analysis. Although there is no way of knowing if those included are representative of the overall population, the survey is still expected to give a first overview of relevant issues and to allow to derive insights into the perception of organic food buyers in Peninsula Malaysia. Data Analysis After data is collected, data will be edited and coded. Editing data is very essential part of data analysis especially when researches involve open ended questions. Editing is done immediately after data is collected so that the respondent can be contacted if any clarification needed. The edited data are identified through usage of different fond and colors. Coding is done before data processing is conducted. Since most of the data collected involve ordinal scale, coding becomes prudent. By doing this data accurately keyed in and avoid wrong interpretation of data. Base on the three sections in the questionnaire, data is also coded in three main groups. Data processing is done using a software program called SPSS version 17. First of all the edited and coded data is checked and scanned through. Wrongly entered and coded data will be identified using the software through methods like identification of the maximum value. Values like variance, standard deviation, mean and range are used to understand the effectiveness of the questions asked in the questionnaire and how respondents reacted to the questions. The reliability and validity test is done to check the credibility of the data. The reliability test also conducted to test the relationship of the variables through the reliability coefficient. Validity test is done to assess all three factorial validity, convergent validity and also discriminant validity. References Ahmed, S. N. B. , 2010, Organic Food: A Study on Demographic Characteristics and Factors Influencing Purchase Intentions among Consumers in Klang Valley, Malaysia, International Journal of Business and Management 5, No. 2, Baker, B. , Benbrook, C. , Groth, E. , Benbrook, K. , 2002, Pesticide residues in conventional, integrated pest management (IPM)-grown and organic foods: insights from three US data sets. Food Additives and Contaminants 19, 427–446. Bartels J. and Reinders M. J. (2009). Social identification, social representations, and consumer innovativeness in an organic food context: A cross-national comparison, Food and Quality Preferences,1-6, Elsevier Ltd. Bou-Llusar, J. C. , Camison-Zornoza, C. , Escrig-Tena, A. B. , 2001, Measuring the relationship between firm perceived quality and customer satisfaction and its influence on purchase intentions, Total Quality Management, 12, 719–734. Chen, M. F, 2007, Consumer attitudes and purchase intentions in relation to organic foods in Taiwan: Moderating effects of food-related personality traits, Food Quality and Preference 18, 1008–1021. Chryssohoidis, G. M. , Krystallis, A. , 2005, Organic consumers_ personal values research: Testing and validating the list of values (LOV) scale and implementing a value-based segmentation task, Food Quality and Preference 16, 585–599. Clark, R. A. , Goldsmith, R. E. (2006). Interpersonal influence and consumer innovativeness. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 30(1), 34–43. Govindasamy R, Italia J. (1998). A willingness to purchase comparison of integrated pest management and conventional produce. Agribusiness. 14:403-414. Honkanen, P. , Verplanken, B. Olsen, S. O., 2006, Ethical values and motives driving organic food choice, Journal of Consumer Behaviour 5, 420–430. Fillion,L. ,Arazi,S. ,2002. Does organic food taste better? A claim substantiation approach. Nutrition and Food Science 32, 153-157. Im, S. , Bayus, B. L. , Mason, C. H. (2003). An empirical study of innate consumer innovativeness, personal characteristics, and new-product adoption behavior. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 31(1), 61–73. Keillor, B. D. , Hult, G. T. M. , Kandemir, D. (2004). A study of the service encounter in eight countries. Journal of International Marketing, 12, 9–35. Lockie, S., Lyons, K. , Lawrence, G. , Mummery, K. , 2002. Eating ‘green’: Motivations behind organic food consumption in Australia. Sociologia Ruralis 42, 23–40. McEachern,M. ,McClean,P. ,2002. Organic purchasing motivations and attitudes: are they ethical? International Journal of consumer studies 26, 85-92. Menghi, A. (1997). Consumer Response to Ecological Milk in Sweden. Swedish Agricultural University, Uppsala. Miles,S. , Frewer, L. J,2001. Investigating specific concerns about different food hazards. Food Quality Preference, 12, 47-61. Ness, M. R. , Ness, M. , Brennan, M. , Oughton, E. , Ritson, C. , Ruto, E., 2009, Modeling consumer behavioral intentions towards food with implications for marketing quality low-input and organic food, Food Quality and Preference 21, 100–111. Prescott, J. , Young, O. , O’Neill, L. , Yau, N. J. N. , 2002, Motives for food choice: a comparison of consumers from Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and New Zealand. Food Quality and Preference 13, 489 495. Robinson R. and Smith C. (2002). Psychosocial and Demographic Variables Associated with Consumer Intention to Purchase Sustainably Produced Foods as Defined by the Midwest Food Alliance, Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Volume 34 (6), 316-325. Roitner-Schobesberger ,B. , Darnhofer, I. , Somsook, S. , Vogl, C. R. , 2008, Consumer perceptions of organic foods in Bangkok, Thailand, Food Policy 33, 112–121. Ross NJ, Anderson MD, Goldberg JP, Rogers BL. (2000). Increasing purchases of locally grown produce through worksite sales: an ecological model. J Nutr Educ. 32:304-313. Saher, M. , Lindeman, M. , Koivisto Hursti, U. , 2006, Attitudes towards genetically modified and organic foods, Appetite 46, 324–331. Schifferstein, H. N. J Oude Ophuist, P. M.A, 1997, Health-Relatede Determinants of organic food Consumption in the Netherlands, Food Quality and Preference 9, 119-133. Tarkiainen, A. Sundqvist, S. , 2005, Subjective norms, attitudes and intentions of Finnish consumers in buying organic food, British Food Journal 107, No. 11, 808-822 Thogersan. J, 2000, predicting consumer choices of organic food: Results from the CONDOR Project, Wier, M. , Jensen, K. , Andersen, L. M. , Millock, K. , 2008, The character of demand in mature organic food markets: Great Britain and Denmark compared, Food Policy 33, 406–421. Wilkins, J. L. , Hillers, V. N, 1994. Influences of pesticide residue and environmental concerns on organic foods preference among food cooperative members and non-members in Washington State. Journal of Nutrition Education, 26, 26-33. Williams, P. RD. , Hammit, J. K, 2001. Perceived risks of conventional and organic produce: Pesticides, pathogens, and natural toxins. Risk Analysis, 21, 319-330. Zhao,X. ,Chambers,E. ,Matta,Z. ,Loughin,T. ,Carey,E. ,2007, Consumer sensory analysis of organically and conventionally grown vegetables, Journal of Food Science 72, 87-91.

The Eastern Shore of Virginia :: essays research papers

The Eastern Shore of Virginia, a peninsula located east of mainland Virginia, not noticed on many maps. The Eastern Shore has grown in the past year, putting up new shops and fast food restaurants. There are some interesting town names such as Temperanceville, Exmore, or Accomac. The name Temperanceville was brought by Christians who burned the four bars on the corners of Saxis road and Lankford highway. A new road was made named Temperanceville road. Temperance means no alcohol and that’s why the Christians burned the bars. Interesting stories are found all across the eastern shore.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the past few years many shops and stores have been built. These stores have provided many citizens of the shore less traveling miles on their cars and less troubles of finding what they need. Food Lion in Oak Hall has made many people happy because now they don’t have to go to Exmore, Onancock, or Princess Anne to get all their shopping needs. There are landmarks that people talk about it New York, like T’s Corner for example. T’s Corner is going 69 years in the summer of 2005 and is the Eastern Shore’s first cigarette outlet. A Sonic’s America Drive In ® was recently built and has its best business ever in its first month. The shore is becoming more industrialized as Verizon ® DSL spreads across the shore.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The shore has many unique smells like low tide, marsh mud, Perdue, Tyson’s, the Clam Factory, and Saxis which many tourist take for granted. On Chincoteague Island, the best time to go is at low tide because all of the tourists are trying to avoid it. Many recreational activities can be done on the island like going to the beach, going put-put golfing, watching a movie at the Island Roxy, or getting your hair cut at Barber Bob’s. Chicken houses found up and down the shore make it feel like home, because it makes the shore unique from the city. Many great schools are found on the shore like Arcadia High and Middle, Chincoteague Combined, and Nandua High and Middle. Not many high schools across America teach the college class Botany. Botany is only taught at Arcadia High School on the shore.

Effects on plastic surgery

Purpose: The audience will know about the effects of the plastic surgery. Thesis: Effects on plastic surgery. Introduction A. Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the â€Å"correction† or restoration of form and function. B. There are many types of plastic surgery such as cosmetic surgery, reconstructive surgery, hand surgery, microsurgery, and the treatment of burns. C. However, plastic surgery can have positive and negative effects. Transition: Let me start explaining about the positive effects on plastic surgery. Body 1. Re-contouring A.This is the process of plastic surgery that includes procedures such a liposuction, which involves the removal of fat from the body. B. Not only does this make you look more attractive, but controlled liposuction can remove safe amounts of fat from your body to aid in overall health. Transition: Another positive effect of plastic surgery is†¦ 2. Confidence A. This is a big benefit that comes along with plastic surgery. B. Confidence makes people psychologically fit and happy, and generally improves their style of life. Transition: Now let me turn to the third effects which are†¦ . Wounds & Accidents A. Many people go to a plastic surgeon because they have been in some kind of accident. B. In order to reduce major scarring, plastic surgery is required Transition: Lastly, the positive effects on plastic surgery are†¦ 4. Age-Deflance A. The affects of aging can be prolonged or reversed with plastic surgery. B. Wrinkles can be removed as well as age spots and sagging skin. C. When kept toa minimum, plastic surgery can take years off your apparent age. Transition: Now, let me proceed to the negative effects on plastic surgery. 1.Cost A. When people decide to undergo cosmetic surgery, they often consult a rofessional who gives them an estimate as to the cost. B. This estimate isn't a binding contract, but a guess as to how much the procedure will cost. C. The actual cost can rise dramatically over this estimate, leading patients to suffer pressure to pay the entire amount even if they cannot afford it. D. When the cost is spread out over a payment plan, it can cause more stress. Transition: Now, let's turn to a second negative effects on plastic surgery†¦ 2. Emotional Effects A.The emotional effects on patients' well-being are one of the negative effects of osmetic surgery. B. While they go under the knife to fix a problem they see on the outside, this sometimes only serves as a bandage on the larger problem. C. After the surgery they continue to sutter trom a body image distortion . D. A small number ot patients continue to go back to the surgeon to fix other problems they see instead of trying to find a real solution to the problem. Conclusion Before I end my speech, I would like to review that†¦ Plastic surgery can have either negative or positive effects. We should know how to evaluate it wisely.

Education And Capitalism

Max Weber was a German sociologist and economist who contributed very much on economic and quite a durable and brilliant work on administrative system. Maxweber tried to provide ways to the people through which they could avoid oppression by suggesting ways and means like inciting people to encourage others to work hard and develop enterprises as well as making investments. This could enable them to grow economically. He also established theories like bureaucracy that addressed to better administrative methods that involved no authoritarianism. Capitalism. This can be defined as a means through which economic relations involving production means are organized. These may include enterprises, firms, knowledge or factories. A theory is a systematic organized knowledge as thought that explains some phenomena. It is an endeavour to understand each and a rational explanation of how something is put together or why it works and why it works that way. An idea is a concept, notion that one has on something. Capitalism according to Weber came into existence when the Protestants put influence on so many people to get motivated in working and work hard, developing so many big and prosperous enterprises. They also encouraged the people to participate largely in trade and make savings for investment. I also suppose that availability of free markets and opportunities for innovation are guaranteed. This essay is going to express the theories and ideas that were manifested on education and capitalism by Max Weber. Discussion. Max Weber suggested that strength of capitalism in a country or state is determined mainly by the power manifested by the country or state. This means that more powerful countries have stronger controls over their education and hence their education systems are well established and very worth. They also have a wide control over their worker regulations and therefore in relation to education, educational staff is well treated and motivation is ensured. This leads to improvement in education. According to Weber, capitalism evolved when the protestant ethnic influenced large numbers of people to engage in work in the secular world, developing their own enterprises and engaging in trade and the accumulation of wealth for investment. If a few become systematic in pursuit of money, others will end up as their employees. Max Weber’s theory of capitalism being a very strong tool used by the people to develop economically as well as socially has a very strong influence on education. This is related in that more educational institutions will be established in line with strong and stable economy. In addition, more people will be able to access education and this result to a more learned society where technology and innovation will be in abundant. Max Weber’s idea that bureaucracy should be ended in firms and such as industries and educational institutions that impacted a lot on education. Workers in educational institutions could now work freely without intimidation and even merit was employed in employment. Max Weber also is for the idea that capitalism in a major power system that any society or organization adapts. When adapted by a school which is an organization, a lot of activities like research and teaching will be on their way up. The capitalists also have a strong influence on the government and funding will be provided to the learning institutions. Funding to research activities will also be possible and hence growth in the learning institutions will be experienced. According to Max Weber’s ideas, capitalists were very hardworking people committed to seeing growth in economy and investing widely. Job opportunities were thus provided to those who acquired education and this led to very fast growth of learning institutions, both lower and higher. Generally, Max Weber’s ideas and theories have revealed that capitalism had many positive outcomes on education. The fact that it involved strong education to working hard towards economic and social growth, suggests that a strong base was built for development of education. Through establishment of strong economic base, it has been established that funding to the educational institutions was easy and this enabled conducting of researches building of learning resources like laboratories and acquisitions of learning materials to be very easy (Weber, 1978). He also goes further to address on the social, political and economic functions that resulted as evidenced in the increasing sense of conflict between individuals and organizations like schools. He used bureaucracy theory to do this and this led to a fairer, more impartial, more predictable, more rational and orderly organizational systems (Whimster, Sam, & Lash, 1987). The workers in the educational systems could now be comfortable in their work. Authoritarianism in the capitalistic institutions was very much avoided. For a state or country that has a very strong capitalism, it has been established that their education background and development is quite easy since financial support is readily available. Mawebers theories and ideas on education and capitalism are still relevant to presently society. This is evidenced by the fact that those countries and states that have a strong economic growth are the ones likely to have prospered well in education. This is depicted in the technologies and innovations that are available in a country or a state (Political Writings, 1994). However, this does not lock out those developing countries. Capitalism is still taking effect in this countries and education on way up. This suggests that at one point t, these countries will be well established and education systems and background will be strong. Capitalism is a very strong tool in every society and it is this capitalist that influences the formation of policies and rules in any organization, institutions like schools as well as the entire governments. (Joseph, & Jonathan (2003). They do this in capacity of politicians in the presently society making laws, policies and implementation still have a very strong influence from the politicians. Capitalism according to Maweber led to a strong economic base, which saw establishment of so many business enterprises and organizations. This led to increases need for labour and as a result many people had to provide labour in the enterprises something, which led to most people dropping their education. This is a negative effect of capitalism on education. Capitalisms also according to Maxweber insisted on division of labor (Runciman, 1972). This led to participation of the workers and consequently decline in performance. Conclusion. Capitalism as have been found out had and still has a very strong impact on education. Through capitalization, education finds a very strong base on which it grows to reach most of the people. This is ensured by strong economic ground that capitalism establishes whereby people as a result can access all the requirements necessary for acquiring education. Resources like learning materials are easily available and also schools and other learning institutions are widely established. Through capitalism, education is able to thrive very well and this means that people get educated which can be explained in terms of technological advancement of a country or state. This educated people will be able to discover new things through conducting researches as well as innovating new ideologies. Capitalism has also contributed to job opportunities through education. For example people learn new ideas and ways of doing things from maybe industries or other business enterprises. Those who pass knowledge to these people are themselves employees of these organizations and have acquired their jobs through intensified capitalism. Although capitalism somehow affected education earlier in that most people ended into providing labour in developing enterprises and industries failing to access education, the positive impacts are much more. Capitalism thus have a very great positive impact on education.

Where The Heart Is Essays - Films, Where The Heart Is, Free Essays

Where The Heart Is Essays - Films, Where The Heart Is, Free Essays Where The Heart Is Novalee is unlucky. She's seven months pregnant, homeless and headed to California for an unknown reason. Her dreams of houses, family and love seem far away. Willy Jack wants money. He craves boozes, sex and freedom. He finds himself jobless, with a pregnant girlfriend, and a beat up Plymouth destined for California. In the Billie Letts novel, Where the heart is the American dream involves family, friends, and material goods. Both Novalee and Willy Jack are in search of their dreams, the success of which relies on the decision they make along the way. Family is an important part of Novalee's dream. Novalee's childhood was filled with sadness. Her mother deserted her when she was young and thereafter, she bounced between foster homes until she met Willy Jack. In Willy Jack, Novalee believes she finds love. To her disappointment she does not. However, she finds happiness the baby that they made. Her baby becomes center of strength and her good fortune. She ran her fingers across her navel and thought of the baby attached to the other side of it, imagining it could feel her touch so that it might even reach out to her. Page 53. Americus brings Novalee, the love and family she wants. Willy Jack sees family as an obstacle to pass in achieving his dream. He has a narrow view of his life. He desperately wants money and believes nothing else matters but it. Willy does not realize that he needs the love of others to help him through life. Willy passes up the option of family early on his quest for his dream. He deserts his pregnant girlfriend in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart. Leaving her with only $7.77 and the clothes she is wearing. She could see herself running, calling his name- the parking space was empty, the Plymouth gone. He was going to California and had left her behind Page 16. Willy's desire for money compels him to ditch his family. Novalee cherishes the help and support friends provide during her pursuit of the American Dream. Through the help and guidance of her friends she is able to excel all aspects of her life. From Moses, a strong, black photographer she is explores her creative flare. She gains respect from her community by winning the Greater Southwestern Kodak photography contest. She was named Employee of the Week at Wal-Mart, the First National Bank sent a card of congratulations, and the art teacher at the high school asked her to come to his classes to speak. Page 216. Novalee takes picture of her friends who helped her towards her dream, so she never forgets them. Willy Jack uses his friends as tools, to achieve his dream. When Willy Jack is thrown in prison, his moneymaking ideas change. He decides he wants to become a country music star. With the help of the prison librarian he obtains a guitar, and performing experience. Shortly after his release from prison he meets Ruth Meyers. Ruth is a talent agent who sets Willy Jack on the path to stardom. However, Willy Jacks greed over-powers his judgement. Behind Ruths back Willy Jack tries to bargain a deal with Johnny Desoto, a big time talent agent. Then Ill get right to the point. Willy Jack leaned closer to the table, his tone confidential. I think Ruth Meyers has gone about as far with me as she can She cant make me rich. Page 256. Willy Jack soon learns that Ruth Meyers should not be toyed with. She learns of Willy Jack unfaithful ways, cancels his contract and proclaims hell never work in show business again. In search of material goods, Novalee dreams of a house for her family. Novalee does not wish for large mansions, extravagant cars or designer clothes. All she wants is house to keep her child safe and warm. Novalee dreamed of houses-two-story houses, log cabins, condominiums, ranch houses-anything fixed to the ground. She had never lived in a place that didnt have wheels under it. Page 7. Novalee receives her house as a gift from her friend Sister Husband. Willy Jack pursues enormous wealth at the sacrifice of his health. His first moneymaking scheme had him