Physics ISA Thermistor generalised Paper 1 guide Essay Example for Free

Physics ISA Thermistor generalised Paper 1 guide Essay 1. My hypothesis is that the resistance decreases as the temperature increases. I predict my results will have a negative correlation, and that as the temperature 2. http://www.gcsesciencemethods.co.uk/2014/05/thermistor-resistance-dependent-on.html http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-physics/effect-temperature-thermistor The first method contained a risk assessment as well as a choice of two methods, one with a digital multimeter as well as one with a power supply and an ammeter. The second method has an explanation as to how a thermistor works, but I chose the first method because it had a multimeter method, which is easier than using a power supply and an ammeter, as it reads resistance directly in Ohms. 3. The equipment I will use is an NTC Thermistor, Hot Water (200ml), Cold Water (200ml), Beaker (500ml), Thermometer (0-100c), Digital Multimeter, and Connecting leads. You will need to boil water (at least 200ml) and put it in a beaker of at least 250ml, and then the same with normal water. You will then need to use connecting leads to connect the digital multimeter to the thermistor. You will need to turn the multimeter on, and set it to read Ohms, which is the unit for Resistance (Pd/current). You will then pour the hot water in the 500ml beaker, and immerse the thermistor into the 500ml beaker. You will then wait until the hot water reaches 70c, and then measure the resistance in Ohms. You will then repeat the experiment, to increase accuracy and to spot anomalies that might affect your final results. You will take a mean by adding up both results and dividing them by two.

Eleanor Roosevelt Essay Example for Free

Eleanor Roosevelt Essay Eleanor Roosevelt will always be remembered in history as the first woman to make a difference in the status of first lady. She was born in 1884 and died in 1962 and all through her life showed tremendous courage in facing what happened to her. Her childhood may be seen as having influenced her later life. It is considered to have been influential in shaping her life and her approach towards the problems evident in society. She was born in a very wealthy family because both sides of her family were very wealthy and also renowned families. However, her adult life defied the expectations of her class in society. She did not behave as the rest of her class members did. She did what they would not do due to their status in society. She was born Anna Eleanor Roosevelt in 1884 to Anna Hall and Elliot Roosevelt in New York. Her mother was famous for her beauty and was disappointed in Eleanor’s looks because she was not as beautiful or graceful as she wanted her to be. As a result, they did not become close in the short time they spent together. Her father was the younger brother to President Theodore who later actually gave Eleanor in her wedding since her parents were already dead by then (http://www. pbs. rg). Her mother died in 1892 when Eleanor was only 8 years old. Her relationship with her father was a bit better because he did not criticize her looks. They were however not very close because of marital problems experienced between him and Anna and hence ended up not communicating a lot with Eleanor. After the death of her mother, she moved in with her maternal grandmother and hence, instead of closing the rift between her and her father this ended up widening it. He died in 1894 when she was 10 years old due to drinking related problems. His behavior had led to his being disowned by his family. She had private tutors until the age of 15 when she joined Allenwood a finishing school where she met her mentor Madame Marie Sourvesre. She traveled all over Europe with her and she was the one who taught Eleanor â€Å"the lifestyle of an independent woman† (PBS 1999). She returned to New York at the age of 18. She became a social worker and it is at this time that she met Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was her fifth cousin. She got married in March 17, 1905 to Franklin D. Roosevelt. She introduced him to the world of poor people during their courtship when she was working as a social worker. Due to her the emotional problems she faced in her childhood as a result of the lack of affection from both her mother and father, she was able to give unto others unconditional love regardless of their status in life. She was also greatly affected by the constant reference people made in regards to beauty and the fact that she knew she was not a great beauty. This was carried on even in her engagement where she was not sure if she could maintain a marriage to her husband who was handsome where she whereas she was plain (http://www. drlibrary. marist. edu). She had very many accomplishments that started early in life even before her status as first lady. Although earlier in life she had not been interested in politics, she later became interested because she did not want to seem ignorant among her peers. The presence of her domineering mother-in-law led to her having more time to dedicate to her functions because her 6 children were watched by Sarah the mother-in-law. She wanted to continue having the status that she had achieved under the tutelage of Madame Souvestre. She felt that as long as she was around Sarah she would not be able to accomplish what she wanted to and so would involve herself in many activities in order to escape her (http://www. fdrlibrary. marist. edu). During World War 1, she volunteered both in the American Red Cross and also in the Navy hospitals. She worked tirelessly to help those afflicted by the war even though she did not like the war or even the idea of war. In 1920, she became an active member of the women’s suffrage movement. In an effort to fight for women and also enlighten them on their rights, she joined the League of Women Voters and became the vice president of its New York branch. In this group, she was able to encourage women to become voters and fought for the right of women to vote. The law allowing women to vote was passed in 1920. This was also made possible by the Women’s Division of the Democratic Party of which she was also a member. She was also a member of the Women’s Trade Union League which looked into the working conditions of women and fought for the improvement of the same. It also fought for the acceptance of women in the employment field. She was very concerned about women issues and would fight for them in any way possible. She also went ahead to establish Todhunter which was a private school for girls only. She co-owned it with her friend and became its assistant principal and also a teacher of history yet she had no formal certificate. She did this because she had admired Souvestre and wanted to follow in her footsteps. This happened in 1927. In 1918, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was discovered by Eleanor to be having an affair with her social secretary Mercer. She discovered love letters between the two. She threatened him with divorce if he did not end the affair. He promised he would and hence saved the marriage albeit his mother was involved. Although the marriage was saved, Eleanor became a different woman who channeled her energies to many situations that both took her time and also enlightened her more to women’s independence. It is also at this time that she joined the various women organizations and became very close to the women she was working with. In 1921, Franklin suffered from poliomyelitis which left paralyzed in both legs and his mother advised him to become a recluse. She wanted him to remain in Hyde-Park but Eleanor encouraged him to keep interested in politics. He took her advice and Eleanor would act as his informant gathering information from the citizens and giving it to him and discussing the various issues with him. He appeared in public on crutches in 1924 to nominate Governor Alfred E. Smith for president. This was all Eleanor’s doing because she was the one who encouraged him (Lash J. P. Eleanor 1972 pg 550-680). In the process of becoming his eyes and ears, on the ground, she ended up becoming an independent woman and this helped her deal with the hurt of her husband’s infidelity. She realized there was a problem of unemployment and this led her to form the Val-Kill furniture factory. This was in New York and its aim was to provide employment especially to those who were suffering from unemployment yet could learn skills that would provide an income for them. Later on the industry widened its activities to involve weaving and also pewter work. This impressed her husband very much and in the long run encouraged her to spend more and more time there. Franklin through her encouragement ran for governorship of New York and he was elected in 1928. He served in office up to 1933. In all this time, Eleanor would help him make legislations that were progressive. She did this by ensuring that she corresponded with the New York residents an understood their problems. She would also travel very much and in these travels would inspect the state institutions and report to Franklin what was going on and in what ways the issues could be resolved. Her work is what led to the re-election of her husband as a governor for a second term and also his nomination to become president. This is because he sued the information she had gathered to help improve the lives of the common people. Franklin became president in March 4 1933 and consequently Eleanor became America’s first lady. She did not approach this situation confidently since she was apprehensive on its impact in her life as an independent woman. Despite this, she adapted to the role quickly and actually went down in history as the longest serving first lady because Franklin was president from 1933-1945. Once she became first lady, she continued providing various opportunities for women she did this by holding press conferences where only female reporters were invited. It is through these conferences that she kept the public informed about the policies in the white house especially the New Deal which was supposed to help in the recovery from the depression (http://www. lkwdpl. org). In line with the effects of the depression, she persuaded FDR to create the National Youth Administration. This organization was supposed to help young people who due to the effects of the depression could either not join or complete their studies. They could only manage to do this if they had jobs which in turn affected their studies. She became the adviser to those who held the administration posts and also spoke on behalf of the program. She was also involved with the American Youth Congress which was also concerned with matters of the youth. She got involved with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. This is because she no longer held the view of white supremacy and viewed everyone as equals. She understood the plight of the black people in America and worked hard to ensure their rights were recognized and respected. She also worked with the National Council of Negro Women to help the black women. Her stand was made clear when she resigned from being a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1939 because they had refused to allow Marian Anderson, who was a musician, to perform at Constitution Hall (http://www. pbs. org). At this time, the Second World War was starting off and although she detested war, she became involved in it because her sons were fighting in the war. During this time, she made numerous visits to England and also to the South Pacific. This she did in order to promote the good-will that was there among the allies. She also visited the United States troops that were abroad in order to boost their confidence and lift their spirits. She worked to rally civilian volunteerism to which she had been appointed as assistant director of the Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) a post to which she had been appointed by Franklin. She however resigned from it later on due to complaints made about the people she appointed to work with her. FDR died in April 12 1945 and although she had assumed that her public life was over, she was proved wrong by the then president Harry S. Truman. He appointed her as a delegate in the United States Delegation to the United Nation’s General Assembly. In this capacity, she worked hard to ensure that the issues that pertained to social, humanitarian and cultural issues were dealt with. She held this position up to 1953 when she resigned. In this period, she was also the chairman of the Human Rights Commission and it is during her tenure that the Declaration of Human Rights was drafted. The declaration was adopted by the General Assembly on 10th December 1948. Her greatest achievement can be said to be the Declaration of Human Rights. This declaration emphasized the equality of all people regardless of their race, creed, color or gender. It therefore protected the way people that Eleanor had spent her whole life trying to protect and also improve their lives. It declared the right to life, liberty and equality to all people. It therefore meant that the poor, minorities and the disadvantaged were to be treated the same as those who were previously deemed to be superior. Through it, she was able to help the blacks, the women and those who were poor (Lash J. P. Eleanor 1972 pg 550-680). In the same year of 1948, she helped in the establishment of the state of Israel. This she did because she had always been sympathetic to the experience of the Jews at the hands of Adolph Hitler during the Second World War. She did not harbor ill feelings towards the Jews as did the rest of the upper-class. She also provided her help because she viewed herself first and foremost as a United Nations delegate whose work was to promote peace the world over. As a UN delegate, she also tried to establish negotiations with the Soviet Union although she was very cautious. This failed because they did not respect the Human Rights Declaration. From 1953, she volunteered as a member of the American Association for the United Nations. She did this in the capacity of a representative to the World Federation of United Nations. Later on she became the chairman of the Associations’ Board of Directors. John F. Kennedy reappointed her to the United States Delegation to United Nation in 1961. He also appointed her as a member of the National Advisory Committee of the Peace Corps and also the chairman of the President’s Commission on the status of women. She took on these responsibilities gladly as she was well versed with the operations of each (http://www. bs. org). In her lifetime, she had been involved in writing a daily column in the paper, which started in 1935 up to a few days prior to her death in 1962. This column was called â€Å"My Day†. She also started some question and answer column in the newspapers. She managed to write several books during her lifetime which are: This Is My Story (1937), This I Remember (1950), On My Own (1958), and Tomorrow Is Now (1963). Her last book was produced post humously and in it she praised Franklin for the social reforms he had put in place. She died in Nov 7 1962 and thus did not see it published. She was a lady who affected the western civilization in many ways. She proved that a woman can be able to perform remarkably in politics while still maintaining her dignity. The fact that she was able to accept every person regardless of their status in life led to the formation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This declaration opened the people’s eyes to the fact that all human beings are equal even if they come from different areas in life. She established that one has to be able to deal with what they cannot change and should not be judged by what is beyond their power to correct or change (Lash J. P.  Eleanor 1972 pg 550-680). She also exhibited that regardless of how high and mighty one’s family may be and also despite the wealth they have, anyone can be able to make a difference in the lives of those who are victimized and destitute. The western people held a lot of prejudice towards Jews and blacks and she went a long way to try and bridge the gap that existed by not having such prejudices. She also set the role that the other first ladies in America and world over ought to follow. They are not supposed to just sit back and watch what their husbands do but instead should get involved and learn as much as possible and help them out. On the question of how she affected the society, she did a lot to help women get the right to vote. She also encouraged the women to seek employment and provided any opportunity possible to women to ensure that they succeeded. She was also very concerned about the youth and their education. She valued education and ensured that through the formation of the National Youth Association that the American youth would be able to access quality formal education without the problems of having to search for a job. The various trips she made to meet the common man made her understand the problems that they faced everyday. She got to understand the impact of unemployment and also that of the Great Depression. She would give this information to Franklin and also suggest the various ways in which he could help solve the problems (http://www. pbs. org). The creation of the Val-Kill was intended to provide employment to those in New York who needed it yet could not get it. She therefore helped uplift the living standards of many Americans by providing employment and also avenues through which they could provide employment for themselves and for others. The face of the government changed from her time to include more women. The fact that women become voters meant that more women had chances of being voted in because they were voted in by their fellow women. She proved that women can be very good politicians and diplomats. As a U. N delegate she kept making attempts to bring about negotiations between America and the Soviet Union. Although she never succeeded in bridging this gap, she tried her best.

Impact of Culture on Consumer Behaviour

Impact of Culture on Consumer Behaviour China is the fastest growing and most dynamic economy and is becoming one of the most important markets in the world. With a total population of 1.3 billion and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$10.2 trillion, China accounts for 12% of the worlds GDP. Luna Gupta (2001) noted that the key factors contributing to the significant economic growth in China encompass: Integration into the global economies and export growth; Being the world manufacturing hub; Expansion of Chinas domestic market and inland China growth; and Commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO). To excel in China, the understanding of Chinese culture is important. Culture is human activities and environment where sets of values and norms followed by a group of people with inherited ethical habits that are symbolic, meaningful and identifiable whether abstract and material (Blackwell et al., 2007). It is to be noted that every form of the culture elements (materials, social institutions, beliefs and value systems, aesthetics and languages) cannot be viewed singly as they are intricately intertwined as each has its synergistic effect with the other. The national culture of any country is shaped by its core values and is the source of considerable amount of mental programming (Hofstede, 1991; Banerjee, 2008). Therefore, it is imperative for marketers to better understand Chinese consumers behaviour (Cui Liu, 2000; Zhou et al., 2009). The impact of national culture is derived and measured from Hofstedes Dimension of Culture Individualism versus Collectivism; Power Distance; Masculinity versus Femininity; Uncertainty Avoidance and Long-term Orientation versus Short-term Orientation. National culture has considerable influence on consumer behaviour (Jaishankar, 1998; Banerjee, 2008) and is outer stimuli, influencing the diffusion of product across countries (Kumar et al., 1998; Banerjee, 2008). China being a large and complex society with 56 ethnic groups each with its own culture and values, there are different mindsets and values in different regions in China (Ralston et al., 1996; Zhou et al., 2009). It has thus been observed that China is a heterogeneous consumer market and not a homogeneous market (Dou et al., 2006; Zhou et al., 2009). Coastal regions of China have long been the gateway to the West through the import and export activities whilst the vast inland has traditionally relied on agriculture with all related industries depended on the natural resources (Veek et al., 2007; Zhou et al., 2009). Therefore, there are two important cultural differences between the two regions the residents from the coastal regions are more open, individualistic and innovative whereas the inland regions are more conservative and collectivistic (Cui Liu, 2000; Zheng, 2006; Zhou et al., 2009). The different regional subcultures are definitely reflected in the different patterns of consumers shopping behaviours. Therefore, it is pertinent to understand the influence of culture of the regions to avoid confounding the cultural dimension. Luna Gupta (2001) noted that culture affects consumer behaviour which reinforces the manifestation of culture. An individuals consumption behaviour is a result of the individual culture value system developed over time as they socialise in a particular group which is in turn influenced by regional sub-cultures and familial values. The first stage of understanding buyer behaviour is to focus on the factors that determine the buyer characteristics in the black box. These can be summarised as follows: The 7Ps of marketing Product, Price, Promotion, Place, Process, People and Physical Evidence shall be conceptualised and operationalised in a culturally-sensitive environment. Such analysis on consumer behaviour provides to marketers the basic and underlying motives for consumption that helps in understanding the fundamental needs, wants and different forms of the consumers decision making variables. This paper aims to review the impact of culture on the consumer behaviour in China focusing on three of the culture elements which are values, languages and aesthetics and how culture elements shape the purchasing patterns of the Chinese. 2.0 The impact of values on consumer behaviour 2.1 Definition of values Values can be defined as moral or professional standards of behaviour. Literally, it means a set of emotional rules people follow to help make the right decisions in life. It instils a sense of integrity, honesty and diligence in people. As reported by Rokeach, (1968, 1973); Tai, (2008), value is defined as an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct personally or socially preferable. 2.2 Overview of Chinese values Values, attitudes, lifestyles and consumption patterns for the people of China have been deeply influenced by their long historical and cultural traditions. It is therefore important to have a comprehensive understanding of the significant aspects of Chinese cultural norms that have been shaped and formed mainly from interpersonal relationships and social orientations of the Chinese people. Religion has been diffused throughout the society and the term religionà ¥Ã‚ ®- à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã¢â€ž ¢ (zÃ…Â ng-jià  o) did not even exist in the Chinese lexicon until the 19th century. It is highlighted that the above behavioural pattern has its origin from the works of Confucius, whose doctrines constitute the basic pillars of the Chinese life and ways of living (Bhasin, 2007; Qian, Abdur Razzaque Keng, 2007). Bhasin, (2007) also recognised that Confucianism had the most profound and lasting effect on Chinese society, where it promoted harmony through moral tenets at all levels of human rela tionships, especially the family and nation. 2.3 Values are regional Industrialisation which began on the coastal areas of China was unevenly spread and hence most of the inland regions were isolated from industrialisation. People in coastal regions with higher industrialisation levels have more interaction with imported products compare to the inland people and thus, adopt more western values. While Chinas coastal and inland regions share the same overall Chinese culture, they may also have their own distinctive values and norms (Huo Randall, 1991; Zhang, Grigoriou Li, 2008). As a result of that, coastal consumers are more individualistic compare to their inland counterparts which are more collectivistic. 2.4 Core Chinese values Understanding basic cultural competence is important when doing business in China. The Chinese core values which affect the consumers behaviour are conversed below. Family and group orientation Chinese society is made up of network of families with cultural values derived exclusively from the same. It strengthens the thought that the Chinese in general are collectivist. It is the family and kinship relations that pass on the heritage to the children and not the educational institutions (Qian, Abdur Razzaque Keng, 2007). Guanxi (à ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ³ à §Ã‚ ³Ã‚ » guÄ n xà ¬) Literally consists of two Chinese characters; guan refers to a gate or a hurdle, while xi means a tie. Taken together, guanxi means pass a gate or a hurdle and get connected (Ambler, 1994; Zhuang, Xi Tsang, 2010). It is an interactive behaviour or tie between two or more individuals that established the closeness of one relationship. The larger ones guanxi network is, the more powerful the person becomes (Qian, Abdur Razzaque Keng, 2007). Renqing (à ¤Ã‚ ºÃ‚ º à ¦Ã†â€™Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ rà ©n qà ­ng) Renqing is a social relationship concept according to an implicit set of rules. It can be interpreted as kind of resources, assistance or favour that one gives others and one should return the assistance given once the opportunity arises. Lee Dawes, (2005); Zhuang, Xi Tsang, (2010) explained that Renqing requires that, in a group, all members should help those in need and that all assistance or favours should be repaid. Those who do not repay assistance are considered untrustworthy. Renqing also can be termed as reciprocity. Mianzi (à ©Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢ à ¥Ã‚ ­Ã‚  mià  n zÇ ) Mianzi can be directly translated as face. (Zhuang, Xi Tsang, 2010) indicated that one is given face when he or she is made to feel respected or important. The fact that saving face is so significant to the Chinese, a person is more concerned with other peoples perception of him or herself and with maintenance of his or her own status (Lee Green, 1991; Qian, Abdur Razzaque Keng, 2007). The strong notion of face saving to a certain extent discourages consumer from voicing their products dissatisfaction, where one loses face in front of others if no positive outcome from the complaint is obtained. Yuan (à §Ã‚ ¼Ã‹Å" yuà ¡n) Yuan can be interpreted as karma or destiny. Chinese believe that there are predetermined things that are beyond ones control. Generally they have low expectations towards the purchased products and tend to attribute failure of the product to fate rather than to the manufacturer. Thrift Thrift has been identified as one of the core Chinese values. Faure Fang (2008) recognised that thrift has a functional impact on social life. Traditionally, Chinese people would bargain over the price when buying goods (Faure Fang, 2008). Chinese in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai put half of their annual per capita earnings into savings (Orr, 2004; Wang Lin, 2009). Traditional creeds Traditional creeds take place in Chinese society due to absence of faith and deep spirituality. The Chinese are characterised as extremely superstitious but not religious (Fang, 1999; Faure Fang, 2008). Chinese tend to believe in all sorts of supernatural powers that can intervene in their daily life (Faure, 2000; Pye, 1986; Faure Fang, 2008). Astrology and geomancy (feng shui) are believed to have direct effect on life, from the date of birth to marriage or buying a new office to the choosing of the opening date. Long-term orientation Traditionally, time is not a main concern for the Chinese. Faure Fang (2008) cited that time is perceived as an unlimited resource such as the air that people breathe. Companies and people could have a long term and continuous perspective about life and time. The long-term orientation relevant to the study of consumer behaviour is exemplified with the habit of saving for the future by the Chinese and hence they may spend less on unnecessary items. The case of Procter Gambles Crest toothpaste which entered the Chinese market in 1997 with green tea flavoured toothpaste that built on the traditional Chinese belief that green tea is healthy and good for teeth, resulted in their revenues increased in China by 24% per year between 2002 and 2006 (Suessmuth-Dyckerhoff, Hexter St-Maurice, 2008). On the other hand Starbucks, despite having more than 400 coffee shops in China failed to recognise the cultural sensitivity of the Chinese when they opened an outlet inside Beijings Forbidden City. Starbucks represents low context culture and are not compatible with the refined taste of cultural legacy condensed in the Forbidden City (Han Zhang, 2009). As a result, the shop had to be closed down under tremendous public pressure. The examples presented clearly show that values do impact consumer behaviour in terms of consumption patterns, lifestyles and the priority of needs. Urbanisation and industrialisation do give some influences on the values but Chinese do not seem to have given up its cultural characteristic, especially in deciding on a particular product. They tend to make judgments in the most traditional manner, thinking about issues of face, respect, trust and even guanxi. Thus, marketers need to engage in different approaches when dealing with the Chinese consumers with different value orientations. 3. The impact of Languages 3.1 Overview of Chinese Language China official language is Mandarin or Putonghua (common language) where an estimate of around 80% of the urban population in China use as their main language of communication (Zhou, 1999; Li, 2004) and there are also numerous major Chinese oral dialects as depicted in Table 3. The complexity of Chinese language is due to one of its attributes, which is a tonal language that relies on four distinct tones with 5 levels of pitch range (Chan Huang, 1997). Table 3: The Sinitic language (Han Chinese) as observed by Swanson, 1999, p.35 Language is arguably the most distinct differences when it comes to culture. For Chinese as observed by Alon, Littrel Chan (2009), they associate written name with the long history of written communication in China and beautiful crafted characters can yield positive brand perceptions. Due to the numerous dialects in different regions within China, communication within different regions are not fully understood, for example, Northern Chinese (who speak Mandarin) may not fully understand Southern Chinese (who speak Cantonese) and vice versa. This results in complications when it comes to making a universal Chinese branding strategy to market in China, and care must be taken when products brand names are being transliterated so that they will have positive appeal to consumers. 3.2 Standardised Written Chinese Characters The solution to unite language in China is the introduction of standardised Chinese writing to either Traditional (primarily outside Mainland China) or Simplified (primarily within Mainland China). The Government officiated Simplified Chinese or pinyin in 1958, which relies on effort to Romanised the pronunciation of Chinese characters. Marketers have long acknowledged the importance of localising their brand names, so that their brand names recall highly amongst Chinese consumers, as this is one of the best ways to attract attention. Coca Cola transliterated its name to à ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ £Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¹Ã‚  (kĆº-kÇ’u-kĆº-là ¨) which means to allow the mouth to be able to rejoice is a clear example of localising brand name as indicated by Alon, Littrel Chan (2009). It can be further noted that in selecting brand names, it is essential that they are easy to remember, spell and pronounce (Li Shooshtari 2003; Alon, Littrel Chan, 2009). In a clear adherence to this, German automakers BMW can be transliterated to à ¥Ã‚ ®Ã‚ Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ©Ã‚ ¬ (bÇÅ ½o mÇÅ ½), meaning treasure horse and Mercedes Benz can be transliterated to à ¥Ã‚ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ©Ã‚ ° (bÄâ€Å"n chà ­), meaning dashing speed. The knowledge of naming products which have meaningful words in China woul d ensure the acceptance and success in the Chinese market. 3.3 Two-Syllable Brand Names Due to the complexity of Chinese characters, the work of Alon, Littrel Chan (2009) noted that out of 9,400 morphemes which relate to one syllable, a combination of these morphemes, rather than individually used, created a 70% Chinese words comprising of two morphemes or syllables. Ideally, two-syllable brand names are preferred as they are easier to pronounce and remember (Chan Huang 2001; Alon, Littrel Chan, 2009). In the case of Coca Cola, when it was first launched in China in 1928, people called by its four syllables brand à ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ £Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¹Ã‚  (kĆº-kÇ’u-kĆº-là ¨) and as its popularity and acceptance grew, Chinese consumers started calling the brand by its two syllables as à ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¹Ã‚  (kĆº-là ¨) as noted in the report of Chan Huang (2001). In the case of another popular soft drink, Sprite, it is a one-syllable brand that has been popularly known by its two-syllable name in China as à ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ª à §Ã‚ ¢ (xuĆº-bà ¬) which means snow-blue, which coincidentally also denotes coldness-related word which are very positive words in China for drinks (Chan Huang, 2001). 3.4 Word-Of-Mouth Communication China is predominantly a high context culture country, whereby information on purchase decision is usually referred to family members and friends. With 67% of Chinese consumers rely on word-of-mouth communication to know about a new brand as observed by Nunes, et al. (2010), and Chinese consumers rate word-of-mouth communication seven times more credible than television advertisements (Suessmuth-Dyckerhoff, Hexter, St-Maurice, 2008). Online discussion on the internet is also an effective tool of word-of-mouth communication albeit in a different forum. This leads to companies launching internet campaigns like KFCs China website focusing on interactive discussion with a Chinese web portal, QQ.com which is accessible at kfc.qq.com (Alon, Littrel Chan, 2009). The role of language in consumer behaviour relies heavily on getting a meaningful name in brand naming. Cross cultural translation must be approached sensibly to better understand culture of China. This is often a difficult task as direct translation is not easily achievable due to the fact that Mandarin is radically different from Roman-alphabet-based language. However if done correctly, the combination of chosen Chinese characters can play an important role, thus able to communicate product attributes and benefits, traditional or modern values, beliefs and customs (Fan, 2002; Alon, Littrel Chan, 2009). 4. The impact of Aesthetics on consumer behaviour: 4.1 Definition of Aesthetics Aesthetics relate to beauty and what the senses feel, see, touch, smell and appreciate. Aesthetics are of particular interest to the marketer because of their role in interpreting the symbolic meanings of various methods of artistic expression, colour and standards of beauty in each culture. The uniqueness of a culture can be spotted quickly in symbols having distinct meanings (Ghauri Cateora, 2006 p. 87). In the perspective of marketing and consumer behaviour the term aesthetics relate to the consumers five senses of vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell in response to an object and has a direct bearing on consumer behaviour. 4.2 The relevance of aesthetics for the Chinese Market To create an impact and succeed in China market and attract consumer by culturally adapting brand names to help the product become a success in China. Various industries need to take into consideration the Chinese rich culture. Colours Colour has significant value for the Chinese due to cultural superstition in terms of product logos and package designs. The colour red (especially when combined with the colour gold) became a symbol of good luck and prosperity (Toronto Star Newspapers, Ltd., 2010), however the colour black is deemed to bring bad luck or symbolises death. Logos Logo perception and designs can lead to attraction or distraction for the Chinese Consumer. Brand name, symbols and designs should not offend the local culture. Logo designs and shapes indicate the following: Even shapes like round and symmetrical signify prosperity, dynamism and harmony while uneven shapes indicate conflicts to the Chinese consumers. Numbers Numbers can be deemed to bring good or bad luck. Certain numbers such 8, 11 and 13 have positive connotation while 4 has been associated with bad luck in the Mandarin language (Fletcher, 2006). Good example for auspicious number: 6, 8 and 9 like the official opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics 2008 began at 8.00pm on 08/08/08 and non-auspicious numbers: 1, 4 and 7 denote bad luck where pronunciation of Si in Mandarin refers to death. Long-term brand viability is more likely as design is not based on of the moment creativity, but rather strategically timeless aesthetics that depict brand attitudes (Blumenthal, 2001). Henderson et al. (2003) suggest that the role of logo design in contributing to brand equity is of primary importance in less industrialized countries, when operating abroad, or in countries with logographic writing styles. India and China, for example, have diverse dialects, making language a significant barrier to communication. (Pittard, Ewing Jevons, 2007). Aesthetics and application to local Chinese customs is important for the success of international companies entering China. Consulting local Chinese experts to strategize market penetration in terms of aesthetics looking at wording, logo, designs and meaning will further enhance their success to Chinese consumers resulting in long term customer satisfaction. 4.3 Aesthetics and Brand Names Mobile phone industry where the aesthetics and looks of the product is important to enhance customer satisfaction and long term commitment is a good example. In China, study was done conducted to test the customer behaviour towards selected brands within the Chinese mobile phone market. The outcome indicates brand image influences Chinese consumer behaviour but the study is not conclusive as factors like language and location of study could limit the bigger picture. (Ogba Tan, 2009) Chinese consumers have readily embraced global brands such as Louis Vuitton, BMW, Nokia, Starbucks and McDonalds. Customisation and localisation are the key words in the strategies of foreign companies catering to the needs and preferences of Chinese consumers. (Euromonitor International from trade sources/national statistics, 2008). 5. Conclusion The impacts of culture on consumer behaviour from the perspective of values, languages and aesthetics in China have been proven to be complex and challenging tasks to the global marketers. Thus, a thorough understanding of culture is a necessary ingredient in the development of effective marketing strategy (Yaprak, 2008). The result of rapid industrialization has prompted the emergence of consumer market and culture. Consumer preferences are also changing in tandem with higher disposable income, increased consumer information and wider product selections and distribution channels which highlights the emerging growth of hedonic consumption values. The upshot of this is that the Chinese consumers are looking for more fun, gratification and pleasure in their consumption experience and it is found that hedonic values have a positive impact on the choice and consumption patterns of the Chinese consumers especially for brand consciousness and preference for foreign brands (Wang Lin, 2009). Although cultural characteristics in China often seem to be permanently enduring, a closer analysis reveals that cultural inclinations change from time to time since societies adopt and adapt to different lifestyles and priorities. This is due to the fact that individuals which constitute a particular culture continuously alter their perceptions, attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviours in light of societal and global changes. These perceptions, attitudes, values and behaviours are typified by the buying patterns of the Chinese. During the Mao era, the word sexy was completely forbidden from general use by the public. This is because a sexy attitude was held to be synonymous with shamelessness (Faure Fang, 2008) and the wearing of short skirt by women was banned. However, these days not only the Chinese media freely discuss and portray sexuality in its colourful variety but the Chinese people confidently flaunt their freedom of dressing with all sorts of skimpy fashion. The annual China Sex Culture Festival in Guangzhou exemplifies how open China has become and is a testament to a major cultural shift. It would not go out of context to highlight here that during the infamous Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), the Chinese were all wearing grey and green Mao uniforms and that the roads were all full with black bicycles as the famous mode of transportation. These images remain only in grainy black and white photographs of the yesteryears since these days the Chinese, at least in the coastal megacities like Shang hai and Guangzhou clad themselves in fashionable dresses and drive big imported cars. These examples show that the shift in value perception and attitudes do have their impact on the consumer behaviour in China in the sense that culture does evolve from time to time and its evolution alters the preference of the buying masses. Cultural evolutions must then be understood by the international marketers so as to develop relevant, suitable and effective marketing strategy in the Chinese markets. In conclusion, culture and its various core elements including values, languages and aesthetics must be seen in a constantly growing perspective. This is the reason why the understanding and appreciation of culture and its limitations in the context of consumer behaviour needs to be broadened. Culture must thus be viewed as a dynamic and holistic force that constantly shapes and reshapes its elements according to the variables of time. The ability of globalisation and modernisation in impacting the Chinese consumer values are almost limitless in its scope and intent. However, China seems to have never given up its single most important cultural characteristics, which is the ability to manage paradoxes (Faure Fang, 2008). Therefore, whilst certain aspects of the culture are still adhered to, other values closely associated with that same culture is slowly or rapidly losing ground. Word count = 3995

Hiv: The Search For A Vaccine Essay -- essays research papers fc

In 1985, over 10,000 cases of AIDS were reported worldwide (White and Fenner 1986). Just over a decade later, in 1998, the Global AIDS Policy Coalition estimated that 30.6 million people were infected with HIV worldwide. It has also been projected that by the year 2000, between 40 and 70 million adults will be infected with HIV (New Generation Vaccines 1997). Over 90% of all HIV-1 infected individuals live in developing nations: 50% in Southeast Asia and 40% in sub-Saharan Africa. However, even with all of these alarming statistics and projections, there is hope for the future of humanity. This hope is a potential anti-AIDS vaccine. An anti-AIDS vaccine is the best bet. Among other factors, the large costs associated with therapeutic drugs do not allow many AIDS patients receive them. This is especially true in the developing nations, constituting over 90% of all HIV infections worldwide (Bloom 1995). Before discussing the development of a potential vaccine, it is imperative to briefly discuss characteristics of HIV itself and also the immune system that these vaccines would target. HIV, a retrovirus from the Lentivirus subfamily, contains ssRNA nucleic acid. Some of its other characteristics include: an icosahedron capsid, various enzymes (including reverse transcriptase), and envelope with the glycoproteins gp 120, gp 41, and gp160. The genes of HIV-1 can be placed into 3 general categories: structural, regulatory, and accessory genes. The structural genes include gag, pol, and env. The regulatory genes include tat and rev. The accessory genes are nef, vpr, vpu, and vif (Vaccines 1999). There are two major branches to the immune system in primates: a humoral or adaptive branch and a cell-mediated or innate branch. The cell-mediated immune response operates through MHC I via CD8+ (cytotoxic T cells). Antibodies are not secreted through this branch of the immune system, and the cell-mediated immune response generally targets viruses and other intracellular antigens. The humoral immune response operates through MHC II via CD4+ (helper T cells). The humoral branch secretes antibodies, which generally target extracellular antigens like bacteria and fungi. There are many obstacles in the way of HIV vaccine development. First, since HIV often mutates its surface glycoprotein (gp120), it has many strains, and the immune response cannot target all of the poss... ...type of vaccination could be enhanced in conjunction with subunit vaccines. In conclusion, there has been a great deal of progress in the development of an anti-AIDS vaccine. The research and knowledge for HIV vaccine development has made great strides in the last decade. Since there are many limitations associated with classical vaccine strategies that incorporate attenuated viruses or inactivated viruses, most efforts in the development of an HIV vaccine are utilizing innovative approaches. Many of these innovative vaccines are very promising, such as the subunit vaccines and the recombinant vector vaccines. Hopefully, it is only a matter of time before a vaccine will be discovered from which all of humanity can benefit. Works Cited Bloom, Barry R. "A Perspective on HIV Vaccines." Science. 272: 5270. (1995) Kuby, Janis. Immunology. 3rd Ed. W.H. Freeman and Company, 1997. Plotkin, Stanley A. and Orenstein, Walter A. Vaccines. 3rd Ed. W.B. Saunders Company, 1999. White, David O. and Frank J. Fenner. Medical Virology. 3rd Ed. Orlando, FL: Academic Press, 1986. "The HIV Vaccine: Situation Analysis." Information for the AIDS Treatment Educator. v. 1, Oct. 1996.

Poetry Difficulty :: essays research papers

Poetry Difficulty   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poetry unlike fiction is solely based on the author’s personal take on a certain subject. The tone, diction, syntax, and mood of a poem are all determined by the author of the poem. For some readers, to interpret a poem or explain the plot can be a difficult task. Other forms of literature such, as fiction is much easier to understand and discuss.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One reason fiction is easier to understand and discuss is that it has a plot, setting, a cast of characters, and a theme. Most fiction books follow the same common outline when it comes to structure. Poetry does not fit in this category. Poetry can be written about something or about nothing. A reader can interpret a poem in more than one way. On occasion, a poem may be difficult to discuss or understand because the reader doesn’t know what the author is writing about.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fictional stories are usually longer than poems. Poets also utilize literary techniques such as alliteration, assonance, and repetition in their poetry to influence the way a reader feels when reading the piece of literature. Fictional stories may also have some of these techniques in them, but they are lost amongst the plot and story line.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every author whether poet or writer has their own personal style of writing. Poets have more flexibility with their style. Long stanzas, rhythm, punctuation, no punctuation, fragments, and repetition are just a few options a poet has when creating their masterpiece. These tools may make it difficult for a reader to understand the full meaning of a poem. Diction can also play a role with problem in understanding poetry. A reader may need to research where the author is from and what year the poem was written in, in order to get the full effect of the poem and the underlying meanings in it.

Bernard Marx - Brave New World Essay -- essays research papers

Bernard Marx, being a male Alpha, is the type of person who just doesn’t really fit in. While just about all people are very open about their thoughts and personal feelings, Bernard is very secretive about many of his thoughts and actions. For instance, when Lenina tries to talk to him about â€Å"having her,† his face goes pale and he insists that they discuss it in private (pg 58). He seems to be very concerned about what people would think if he started talking about that kind of stuff in front of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frequently Bernard sets himself off from the rest of the Alphas because he believes he is very different than the rest of them. It is rumored that he accidentally got alcohol while he was being born causing his stunted growth. Because of this, he is constantly extremely frustrated with his craving to fit in with the rest of the Alphas and not be considered different. His most distressing experiences come when he has to give orders to members of lower castes (pg 64). Having the physique of the average Gamma, he frequently finds himself having hard times getting the lower caste members to listen to him. His physical inadequacy caused woman to laugh at him if he made a proposal to â€Å"have† her, men would joke to one another, and constant mockery caused him to feel like an outsider. Another interesting oddity in Bernard is his dislike of soma. When meeting with Benito Hoover, he was offered a gramme of soma, to which he quickly turned and walked away (pg...

How to Be a Good Muslim

Garrett Waidelich October 8, 2012 Islamic Civilization Dr. McGrath How to be a Good Muslim In the Quran and the Hadith of Bukhari there are many descriptions of what it takes to be a good Muslim. God gives very specific details to Muhammad about what Muslims need to do and what they can’t do if they want to get to paradise. The five pillars of Islam created a base for Muslims to follow in order to be a good Muslim. The five pillars are that there is no god but God, to offer prayer, to give charity, perform the hajj and to fast during Ramadan (HB 1: 7).The Muslims that follow the five pillars and follow Muhammad’s teachings will reach paradise. The first pillar is to accept that God is the only god and that he is the only one worthy of being worshiped (HB 1: 7, 25, 50, 63, 2: 594, Q 2: 176). This first pillar is very important in Islam because Islam is based around the idea of submitting to God and being God’s slave. God is the most powerful being that there is an d he created the Earth and all its inhabitants (Q 2: 163). God also hears and knows everything, including people’s thoughts and intentions (Q 2: 180).This pillar is so important because God is all powerful, righteous, and merciful. Disobeying this pillar is a terrible deed and Muhammad also said that the worst sin is to worship another god (Q 2: 190, HB 3: 821). The second pillar is to offer prayer perfectly five times a day. There are a lot of rules about how to pray and things that must be done for prayer to count as a good deed. Because God knows and hears all, a Muslim must be completely focused on God while they are praying and not be distracted by other things (HB 2: 307, 4: 504).Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day at specified times (HB 3: 115). Prayer is also better when it is done consistently instead of praying for a long time and then not praying again until the next week (Quran 23: 5, HB 1: 41). Muslims should not get drunk and especially should not pray while drunk (HB 1: 50). Cleanliness is also important when praying. It is good to clean your teeth before prayer and when women menstruate it is considered unclean and they should not pray (HB 2: 12, 1: 247, 1: 817, 3: 172, Quran 2: 222).Men are also not supposed to pray or be around women when the woman is menstruating (Quran 2: 222). Women were also told not to watch men pray because the sheets they wore were short and showed their private areas (HB 2: 306). Prayer is also considered better, 27 times better, when done in congregation than alone (HB 1: 618). Prayer also can reduce the bad deeds that a Muslim might commit, for example a man came to Muhammad and said he had kissed a woman unlawfully and Muhammad told him to pray and the prayer would remove the bad deed (HB 1: 504).Praying to please God and not to impress other people also will lead to all of your past sins to be forgiven (HB 1: 34). Charity is also a very important part of Islam. There are many different references to charity from Zakat, to the alms levy, to giving to the poor. It is considered a god deed to help the poor and it is required to give Zakat. Muhammad says that giving Zakat is one of the best deeds that a Muslim can do (HB 1: 7, 25, 50, 54, 502).Not only is paying Zakat a good deed but also giving to charity and helping the poor is a good deed (HB 1: 11, 27). There is a charity that can be given every day, called Sadaqa, and this charity consists of doing good deeds (4: 232). These good deeds count as the charity. Muhammad told a woman that giving the alms levy is especially important for women because a majority of the people in hell were women (HB 1: 301). Helping orphans, beggars, travelers, and anyone in need is considered a good deed (Quran 2: 215, 2: 177).Giving to help people in need has many benefits for Muslims. When a woman gives charity from her husband’s belongings without hurting his belongings, both the woman and her husband will be rewarded (HB 2: 518, 520, 5 21). While giving to charity is a good deed it is bad for someone to hoard their wealth and money for their personal benefit and can lead to punishment from God (HB 2: 513, 514, 515). If a person does keep all of his money instead of spending it in God’s cause, God will withhold his blessings from that person (HB 2: 513, 514, 515).Another form of charity is buying the freedom of a slave, or setting your own slave free. Freeing a slave can remove the worst of bad deeds including killing someone or breaking your oath (Quran 4: 92, 5: 88). It is good to pay for the rest of the freedom of a slave if you own a part of the slave and partially free him (HB 3: 672). Performing the Hajj at least one time during a Muslims life is another pillar of Islam. Hajj is the pilgrimage from Medina to Mecca that occurs every year in the last month of the Islamic calendar.Hajj is to be made during the specified months, and while on the hajj a man should not have sexual intercourse, should not swe ar, or get into disputes while on the pilgrimage (2: 197). If someone is ill or too weak to perform hajj, someone else can make the pilgrimage on their behalf, with the ill person receiving the reward (HB 2: 589). Muhammad also tells women that instead of participating in Jihad, a women’s Jihad is performing the hajj (HB 4: 43, 127). The final pillar is fasting. Fasting is best when it is done three days a month and during the whole month of Ramadan (HB 2: 274).When someone is ill or on a journey, they can fast the same number of days later when they return or when they are healthy again (Quran 2: 183). It is also possible to substitute feeding a poor person instead of fasting if a person is unable to fast, but fasting is the better of the two (Quran 2: 183). During fasting, you are allowed to eat and have sexual relations at night when the sun is down (HB 3: 139). Women that are menstruating when they fast do not get the rewards because they are considered unclean (HB 3: 172 ).The five pillars are the basis for Muslim actions that will get them into paradise, but there are also a few other things that make a Muslim good. Jihad is another very important thing for a Muslim to participate in and there are many benefits to Jihad. The Quran states that everyone has an obligation to take part in Jihad, but they should never be the aggressor (Quran 2: 216, 2: 190). Fighting for God’s cause is basically fighting to defend Islam and to make it superior to all other beliefs (Quran 1: 125, 22: 78). Jihad has many rewards for Muslims that participate in it.Some of these rewards are booty that is taken if you survive and for the martyr a place in heaven right beneath God (HB 4: 48). If a Muslim did not want to fight, Muhammad said that to equal the good deeds of Jihad that person would have to fast and pray during the entire time the soldiers were on Jihad (HB 4: 44). This would be impossible and enforces the idea that Muslims that participate in Jihad are co nsidered better than those that don’t, unless someone is injured and unable to (HB 4: 84). Women were not supposed to participate in Jihad but instead their Jihad was the hajj (HB 4: 127).Although women’s Jihad was hajj there are numerous stories of Aisha and other women helping the wounded and watering the soldiers during battles (HB 4: 130, 131, 132, 133, 134). Muslims are given very specific directions and helpful tips to be good Muslims. If Muslims accept and admit that God is the only God, pray, offer charity, make the pilgrimage, fast, and do other good deeds they will be considered good Muslims and will get into paradise on Judgment day. Doing good deeds also wipes away or cancels out bad deeds and will also help Muslims be better people and increase their chances of getting into paradise.