4 Problems With the Goals Youre Setting

4 Problems With the Goals Youre Setting We as a whole define objectives. Some are huge and delicious and motivating. (I need to be a space traveler when I grow up!) Others are increasingly commonplace. (I need to floss!) But paying little heed to the size and degree, our objectives will be nothing in excess of a wellspring of blame in the event that we can’t get them going. Regardless of whether you’re thinking beyond practical boundaries or simply attempting to gain consistent ground, in the event that you don’t set the correct objectives you’ll never arrive at the spot you need to be. So as to do this, occasionally you need to concede that what you’re doing isn’t working and tackle the wellspring of the issue. That being stated, here are 4 issues with the objectives you’re setting:1. Your inspiration sucksDon’t simply set an objective since you think it makes you look great via web-based networking media or in light of the fact that you’re attempting to intri gue somebody. Set objectives that are important to you and attainable with the correct equalization of penance so you make a point to finish them.We all need to be cool, and we as a whole battle with needing to do things we see others do. Be that as it may, objectives should be close to home. Ensure you know why you’re doing what you’re doing and it will make your objective that a lot simpler to achieve.2. You’re all discussion and no actionIt doesn’t matter how great your objectives look on paper on the off chance that you never figure out how to reachâ them. Don’t be one of those individuals who pronounces your goal and afterward doesn’t finish. Nothing is all the more irritating or straightforward. Everybody can tell if you’d preferably get the credit over really accomplish the work. Set your objective, find a way to finish it, and afterward don’t request an excess of praise.3. You quit too oftenIf you’ve set your ob jectives effectively and you have the energy to endure then you ought to have an entirely clear thought what your objective will require. You’re arranged to battle and to gaze intently at question. You’ve seen the hard parts coming. Some portion of this implies defining objectives that issue to you enough to keep up your commitment to them when the going gets toughest.4. You’re intimidatedMaybe your objectives aren’t sufficiently stupendous. Is it accurate to say that you are too frightened to even think about trying for what you truly need? Does dread of disappointment (or achievement) keep you away from what you genuinely need to do? Provided that this is true, take an exercise from the most dauntless business visionaries and set off strongly into the obscure. Don’t let yourself become involved with the what-uncertainties. Steer into the confounding bearing of your most out of this world fantasies. Do what alarms you most-it’s frequently p recisely what you ought to do.

Tissue types Essays -- essays research papers

Science Assignment 1. Tissue types and their properties! Body tissues! The four center kinds of tissues in the body are; epithelial, connective, muscle and apprehensive. Each is intended for explicit capacities. Epithelial Tissues! Epithelial tissues are spread out everywhere throughout the body. They spread all surfaces and furthermore line body cavities and empty organs. These tissues are likewise the significant tissue in organs. Epithelial tissues have numerous capacities including discharge, insurance, discharge, dispersion, retention, filtration and tactile gathering. Epithelial tissues have one surface free which isn't associated with different cells; this is on the grounds that the epithelial cells structure linings and surfaces. The contrary side of the tissue is appended to connective tissue. Between these two surfaces are cells stuffed firmly together. The shapes that the epithelial cells might be are: - sqaumous, cubodial or columnar they can likewise be masterminded in either particular or numerous layers. Basic cuboidal †found in glandular tissue and kidney tubules. Basic columnar †line stomach and digestive organs. Pseudostratified columnar †lines a portion of the respiratory tract and a portion of the male conceptive tract. Muscle Tissue. Muscle tissues incorporate cells which gloat the capacity to abbreviate or agreement to allow body parts to move. This sort of cell tissue likewise has a huge gracefully of veins. Like the epithelial tissue the muscle tissue is likewise encircled by connective tissue. Muscle tissue contains con...

Core ideas and Concepts of Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Center thoughts and Concepts of Leadership - Essay Example In another sense, administration may be viewed as an effort of intensity by the pioneer over their supporters. Nozick (2010) characterizes theory as an endeavor to characterize parts of society according to the structure inside which individuals in a given culture or condition act and/carry on. Initiative is a human and social action and in that capacity, it contains inalienable components of theory. Authority can be seen and characterized by a few principles and exteriors. Administration can be seen as â€Å"a complex social procedure, established in the qualities, abilities, information and perspectives of the two heads and followers† (Gallos, 2008). This definition explains a few factors in the meaning of the idea of initiative. Initiative can be characterized from the point of the pioneer. It can likewise be characterized by the connection among pioneer and supporter. It can likewise be seen from the edge of the social procedures and activities that are engaged with the wh ole procedure of administration. All the more critically, authority can be characterized from the value-based occasions that offer ascent to the idea of administration. In the meaning of administration, a value-based occasion is viewed as â€Å"any pertinent action in which a gathering or gatherings of individuals should be guided or affected in a manner to achieve an expressed objective† (Jansen, 2010 p17). ... This is on the grounds that in the severe sense, value-based occasions appear to set pioneers in a place whereby they consider their to be as an unfortunate obligation. Keith Grint recognizes that there is no single type of administration (2002). This affirms the way that value-based authority can't be the main type of administration. He expresses that there are four fundamental sorts of authority. The expansive groupings incorporate, character, procedure, authority and situational settings. Despite the fact that value-based occasions are significant in these four marvels, they are by all account not the only types of authority that exists. Value-based Events and Leadership In the more extensive sense, Bass characterizes value-based initiative as a â€Å"model for the investigations of kinds of administration dependent on hypotheses that attention on the connections among pioneers and followers† (1997). As such, value-based occasion model of looking at administration includes seeing authority from an edge whereby a conventional relationship exists between two gatherings in which one is to go about as a pioneer and other is to go about as subordinate (Stevenson, 2004). Bass proceeds to express that value-based occasions happen where there is a mutual system and inside the common system, one individual has the ability to apply impact over others (1997). This suggests value-based initiative twists in a circumstance or setting where there are authority structures and frameworks. Value-based Event, Leadership and Authority Weber recognizes three fundamental wellsprings of power which places an individual in an administration position in a value-based occasion (Walonick, 1993). Expressed in an unexpected way, administration positions in value-based occasions or value-based initiative

Can Professional Research Paper Writing Really Help You?

Can Professional Research Paper Writing Really Help You?If you are seriously in need of a career change, and you think that getting a degree from a reputed institution could lead to a higher salary, then professional research paper writing is for you. You can earn a high salary by working in government and private sectors as a writer.If you are an academic researcher, then you should know that with the increasing number of students opting for higher studies, there are more jobs available in the society. There are many degrees in education, science, business, etc, but they are mostly not that lucrative. If you are a non-academic researcher, then you must get creative about your career choice.It doesn't matter whether you are good at maths or humanities. You can still earn handsomely by writing research papers, reports, academic writing, and academic writing. There are many writing agencies available on the internet that can help you get your professional resume done. It doesn't matter whether you have completed your schooling or not.If you know how to complete a good research paper, then you can become a professional research paper writer. They will be there to help you out with all your needs in writing.These writers are able to handle research papers and journals in English and other language. These writers are also known as creative analysts, and they analyze information and write about it. They also get other types of works, reports, articles and books.The pay for a good research paper writer is relatively high. They generally earn in six figures annually. Most people get paid based on the length of the paper. To earn this kind of money, you should hire these writers in good repute.Their writing skill and ability are tested in online journals and social websites. With this kind of job, you can work anywhere.

Obesity And Methods Of Prevention - 1631 Words

Malik Omer Professor Pozos Biology 100 9 December 2014 Obesity and Methods of Prevention In the United States alone, there are more than 78.6 million obese adults. Obesity is a disease that is growing rapidly and has the ability to rip families apart due to the massive destruction it causes to one’s health. Obesity is a very deadly disease and it needs to be stopped. But are there ways to prevent it and save many lives? In this essay, I will explain obesity from a biological perspective and state the different methods of preventing it. Obesity can be defined as a lack of energy balance. Energy balance occurs when an individual exerts the same amount of energy that was consumed. If an individual exerts more energy than consumed, weight loss occurs. On the other hand, weight gain occurs when an individual consumes more energy than exerted. There are many ways to prevent obesity which involve physical activity. A major factor in preventing obesity is by following the correct portions of food to consume daily. This prevents obesity be fore it has the chance to attack an individual. Nowadays, people do not follow these standards and that has an impact on their weight. Once an individual follows the daily amount of calories that are needed to be consumed, that reduced the risk of becoming obese. It doesn’t completely wipe out the risk because there are other factors that contribute to obesity which include genetics, and the environmental influence. To a great extent, the weightShow MoreRelatedChildhood Obesity Essay976 Words   |  4 PagesControl and Prevention (CDC), the prevalence of childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past thirty years. As well as having an impact on health, studies have cited a relationship between obesity and poor school performance as well as a child’s readiness for learning and education. This can be correlated with studies finding â€Å"obese children have a greater risk of social and psychological problems, such as discrimination and poor self-esteem† (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, paraRead MoreThe Rate Of Childhood Obesity1575 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction The rate of childhood obesity is on the rise. The negative effect of obesity on a child has been documented by health care agencies repeatedly. And yet, effective treatment plan to control the increase in obesity has yet to be discovered. Research examining the causes and intervention of childhood obesity has circled around understanding the reason behind a child’s weight gain as well as the key shareholders that have influence. The key shareholders such as the child, the family, andRead MoreChildhood Obesity Among Hispanic Children1729 Words   |  7 Pages Obesity among Hispanic Children Childhood obesity has increased dramatically during the past decade (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). Although the rise in obesity cuts across all of age groups, both genders, and all cultural and racial groups; statistics have demonstrated that Hispanic children are more likely to become obese than White or Black children in the United States. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (2011), childhood obesity is more prevalentRead MoreChildhood Obesity Is An Alarming Issue In Australia, And1434 Words   |  6 PagesChildhood obesity is an alarming issue in Australia, and there is not only a rapid national epidemic in Australia and around the world. Obese children are likely to develop detrimental problems in their health and have enduring social, health and economic effects that permeate throughout adulthood. Early detection and management of childhood obesity are critical in preventing obesity during adulthood, considering it is a significant co ntributor to the adulthood epidemic. Thus, there are several socialRead MoreCommunity Readiness For Adolescents And Obesity Prevention1022 Words   |  5 PagesThe article by Pradeilles et al., (2016) which is titled, Community readiness for adolescents overweight and obesity prevention is low in urban South Africa: a case study is a case study about teaching and obesity prevention in South Africa. A case study according to Wright (2014) is an approach which is used to describe a community, system, event or individual (p.108).This article explored the relationship between community interaction and teaching about healthy eating habits from religion organizationsRead MoreThe Impact Of Childhood Obesity In Trigg County1671 Words   |  7 PagesObesity is the next major issue affecting Trigg County. For the state of Kentucky, the childhood obesity rate in 2016 for children age 10-17 was 35% (reference). The rate for adult obesity was 34.2%. In Trigg County, the percentage of adult s that are obese is 28% (Kentucky Health Facts, 2016). The rate of adults which were physically inactive in Trigg County was at 28% (Kentucky Health Facts, 2016). Because of the population of low-income, there is a lack of accessibility to resources. TriggRead MorePreventing Childhood Obesity1689 Words   |  7 PagesPREVENTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY Preventing Childhood obesity in school age Children Lakeisha L. Jones Nursing 531 September 6, 2010 Abstract Childhood obesity has become a worldwide epidemic. The obesity rate among childrenRead MoreObesity Is A Global Problem. Obesity Is Becoming Common,1174 Words   |  5 PagesObesity is a global problem. Obesity is becoming common, costly, and deadly. Nearly 70% of Americans are overweight or obese. Kansas is the 13th most overweight state in the country. â€Å"More than a third of adult residents designated as obese† (Dunn, 2015). The obesity rate in the 45 states that the research was conducted in did not change, but the rate in Kansas raised. â€Å"The Kansas obesity rate has risen every year since the government started collecting data in 1995; back then the obesity rate satRead MoreDetermining Patterns Of Sedentary Behavior And Body Mass Index1104 Words   |  5 PagesCalifornia Lutheran University December 10, 2014 Ashley Marten Advisor Dr. Kelly Abstract OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to observe a possible correlation between sedentary activity levels and body mass index (BMI) in toddlers. METHODS: I assessed physical activity (PA) over three to seven days using the ActiGraph GTM1 accelerometer in 80 toddlers (mean age 1.88 years; 58% male; 38% Hispanic; and 43% overweight) defined by weight percentile (≠¥85th percentile for age and gender)Read MoreObesity in America Essay example906 Words   |  4 Pages Obesity has been a growing problem in the U.S. for more than a decade. Various reasons and theories are thrown around as to the cause of this severe problem by psychologists, dietitians, and professors trying to pinpoint a single cause. Due to America’s vast supply of resources, luxurious living standards, and moral of the country, there is no one cause for obesity contrary to advertisements offering a quick-fix drug. America’s obesity problem is rooted much deeper than just cheap fast food

Stages Of Alzheimer s Disease - 882 Words

7 Stages of Alzheimer’s Introduction: What is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s is a brain deteriorating disease which takes years to come full cycle. Alzheimer’s starts to deteriorate the memory portion of the brain causing short term memory loss then continues on through the brain deteriorating the emotions and your ability to determine right from wrong. Plaques and tangles are proteins that accumulate around the cells in the brain cutting off precious nutrients and eventually causing the cell to die. Its estimated that about 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s which usually develops after age 60 but can develop at any age before 60 known as Early Onset Alzheimer’s. Everyone who develops Alzheimer’s will experience it differently. The deterioration usually follows a similar path from the beginning through the end. Some experts follow the three-stage model of early stage, moderate stage and severe or the end stage. The Alzheimer’s Association and many healthcare providers follow a seven-stage model to help people better understand the regression as Alzheimer’s progresses through the brain. This seven-stage model was developed by Dr. Barry Reisberg of New York University. This model breaks Alzheimer’s into smaller stages which make the progression of the disease easier to understand. The seven stages of Dr. Barry Reisberg’s model are: Stage 1: Normal Outward Behavior Stage 2: Very Mild Changes Stage 3: Mild Decline Stage 4: Moderate Decline Stage 5:Show MoreRelatedThe Stages Of Alzheimer s Disease1154 Words   |  5 PagesCurrently, in the world, there are about 47.5 million people living with the neurological disorder known as Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease was discovered by a German scientist known as Alois Alzheimer’s in the 21st century. Alzheimer’s is a disease which develops in many people around mid-adulthood. Alzheimer’s disease is when an individual’s brain starts to degenerate because of neuronal loss and also when the neurotransmitters decline their function. Alzheimer’s is when an individual is losingRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease Treatments And Stages Of The Disease2283 Words   |  10 PagesWhen I began, I knew next to nothing about this deadly disease. All I knew was that it was a widespread and dangerous disease, capable of ruining the lives of many American people. When I found the topic, I had been researching about different forms of degenerative dise ases in the hopes of finding a suitable topic for my project. I saw Alzheimer’s was both the most common disease in the field and the most deadly, and immediately I decided. After finding the topic, I began researching the guidingRead MoreStages Of Alzheimer s Disease Genetics1201 Words   |  5 Pagesearly onset (which can begin at age 30) and his father, with late onset passed away with Alzheimer’s disease. 2. There is genetic testing to determine if someone carries the gene (Alzheimer s Disease Genetics Fact Sheet, 2014). 3. Both my father and I carry the Alzheimer’s gene. This means we are likely to develop either early on-set or late on-set AD. 4. Stages of Alzheimer’s a. stage 1: hard to notice 1. patients will have a loss of energy and minor memory loss 2. they will begin shyingRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : Symptoms, Probable Causes, And Stages Of The Disease1605 Words   |  7 PagesThis paper reviews studies about Alzheimer’s disease, the symptoms, probable causes, and stages of the disease, duration, and its treatment options. It is intended to support readers engaging them with literature about the disease and a summation of available research findings and descriptive studies that include analysis of outcomes and cognitive training, rehabilitation and stimulation. Its primary goals are to find out whether the disease can be prevented or delayed. In addition to highlightingRead MoreThe Effects Of Music Therapy On Different Stages Of Alzheimer s Disease1488 Words   |  6 PagesIndividuals who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease suffer from a loss of memories due to the deterioration of the brain’s wiring. Music therapy, although only deeply researched and experimented on during the past decade or so, ha s ignited new possibilities for treating agitation and anxiety in moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. This essay investigates how effects of music therapy of different cultures help alleviate different stages of Alzheimer’s disease through autobiographical memory renewalRead MoreEarly Onset Of Alzheimer s Disease1742 Words   |  7 Pagescommon form of dementia is Alzheimer s. Alzheimer s disease literally eats and attacks the human brain (Overview). It is a progressive disease that causes the brain cells to degenerate and die, which causes memory loss and affects other important mental functions (Mayo). Today in America, over five million Americans are living with Alzheimer s disease and someone develops Alzheimer s disease every 67 seconds in the United States. (Overview). A form of Alzheimer s diseases is early onset. EarlyRead MoreThe Disease Of Alzheimer s Disease1421 Words   |  6 Pagesengulfed by a mysterious disease. The neurons being cut off and destroyed by two abnormal structures. First memory is affected gradually getting worse. Then one is unable to think properly, reason, and lacks of self control. Gaps are formed in the brain s ventricles, due to the amount of dead tissue. In the end, it will lead to death. All of this may sound like something from a science fiction movie but infact its very real. These are all known possible symptoms of a common disease that affects aboutRead MoreSymptoms Of Alzheimer s Disease810 Words   |  4 PagesAlzheimer’s disease As the world becomes more happy and joyful, people haven’t stepped into the world of Alzheimer’s yet. Just imagine losing your ability to do normal things you do every day and then you can’t do them anymore. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes changes and differences in memory, behavior, and how the person’s brain works. The symptoms of Alzheimer’s worsen over time. (Alzheimer’s Association 2015). All of the family members will be affected if one person gets this disease. ThisRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease Is An Ongoing Condition That Destroys The Connection Of Cells1689 Words   |  7 PagesAlzheimer s disease is an ongoing condition that destroys the connection of cells in the brain. According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), it is estimated that as many as 5.1 million Americans have Alzheimer s disease today. Alzheimer s disease was discovered by a German physician named Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer saw changes in the brain tissue of a woman who died from what he presumed to be a mental illness. He described her symptoms as memory loss, language complicationsRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects1188 Words   |  5 Pages Alzheimer s disease is a cognitively degenerative disease with irreversible side effects. The disease was first discovered in 1901 by the late German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer while he was working with a fifty year old patient by the name of Auguste D. Since the disease s discovery, scientists, psychiatrist, and many other medical professionals have worked diligently to learn more about the disease s effects and potential treatments to hinder its rapid progression. Alzheimer s disease is

Italian Restaurants in Lubbock Texas

Question: Using secondary data, evaluate the attractiveness of Lubbock Texas, as a location for an upscale (that is, relatively expensive) Italian Restaraunt? Answer: Introduction: In United States, Lubbock is the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas. The City is located in the northwestern part of Texas. The nickname of Lubbock County is Hub City. It is the seat of excellent education, economic and health care hub with wonderful cuisine culture. Lubbock Texas is known for its excellent Italian cuisine and the good taste of the people in food and other cultural aspects. The attractiveness of Lubbock Texas as a seat for upscale Italian restaurants Lubbock is known for its eclectic culture and people from all over the world. Tourists from all over the world visit Lubbock for its exorbitant culture and excellent cuisines presented by varied countries. Lubbock has wonderful Italian restaurants for many centuries now who has provided great attractiveness for tourists in visiting the place all over again. Some of the excellent Italian cuisines in Lubbock are as follows: Italian Garden One Guy from Italy Pizza Giorgios Pizza Manna Bread Wine Blue Oasis Italian Ice Orlandos Italian Restaurant Rain uptown Fazolis Cheezies Pizza Dorina Johnny Carinos Zios Italian Kitchen 20% of the population of Lubbock Texas is Italians; Lubbock has always been a favorite destination for Italians. Lubbock is known for its diverse cultures which reflect from the various kinds of restaurants in Lubbock(Mealey, 2015). The Italian restaurants focus on three aspects while choosing Lubbock Texas. First, its location, Secondly, Its Italian population, thirdly, Building the right product and striking a balance between what the customers would want today and what they would expect tomorrow. But location is the most important aspect, as if the restaurant is not located in the right location then there wouldnt be enough number of customers. The Italians know the style, the market and the challenges of the Italian cuisine in Lubbock. There is a familiarity with the providers of the products ranging from food, hood cleaning to linen washing. He most important thing is location. Lubbock is called the Hub City: for its enriching culture and varied kind of people living there. All the Italian restaurants are located in major cities of Lubbock where customers have exceptionally well convention. Italian food wins the hearts and minds of the people in Lubbock, The popularity of Italian restaurants in Lubbock woul d provide with that evidence. The service of Italian restaurants is exceptionally well, so it makes the people clamor for more Italian food in Lubbock. Apart from the location and culture of Lubbock the financial condition o f the state is also important. Lubbock is the home of many millionaires and rich people who have resided in Lubbock for ages and have great taste in food and other factors. The demography, the weather of the place is suitable for many foreign tourists to come in Lubbock during summers. The place has exceptional good natured people who have high sense of hospitability and who welcomes different cultures in their homeland. Lubbock is not only the residence of Italians but Mexicans, Americans, English, Indians alike who all reside in Lubbock in utter harmony (Quora.com, 2015). Conclusion: Lubbock Texas has been the choice of Italian upscale restaurants for its economy, location, foreign tourists and many other things. There have been many famous Italian restaurants in the areas for ages which have won the hearts of the people of Lubbock. References: Mealey, L. (2015). 10 Things to Think About When Choosing a Restaurant Location. About.com Money. Retrieved 19 February 2015, from https://restaurants.about.com/od/location/a/10-Things-To-Know-About-Choosing-A-Restaurant-Location.htm Quora.com,. (2015). Other than location, what are the most important factors to consider when opening a new restaurant? - Quora. Retrieved 19 February 2015, from https://www.quora.com/Other-than-location-what-are-the-most-important-factors-to-consider-when-opening-a-new-restaurant

The Comparison Between the Two Different International Editions of Vogue Magazine

Due to the ongoing process of Globalization, the contents of the most popular media-products are now becoming increasingly uniformed. This simply could not be otherwise, because the earlier mentioned process presupposes standardization. In its turn, the latter allows companies to substantially increase the extent of their commercial effectiveness.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Comparison Between the Two Different International Editions of Vogue Magazine specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As Vrontis, Thrassou and Lamprianou pointed out: â€Å"The experiences of a growing number of multinational companies suggest that there are potential gains to be obtained by standardizing marketing practices† (480). At the same time, however, it is now becoming increasingly clear to marketing managers that, in order for a particular media-product to appeal to the targeted audience, it must be psychologically attuned to how the audience members tend to perceive the surrounding socio-cultural reality. This creates objective preconditions for the media-products’ content to be semiotically consistent with what happened the specifics of an ethno-cultural affiliation, on the part of potential consumers. After all, today’s psychologists are thoroughly aware of the fact that it is namely the particulars of how one positions itself, in the ethno-cultural sense of this word, which defines the concerned individual’s existential mode more than anything else does. Therefore, it does not come as a particular surprise that, as of today, marketing strategies utilized by the owners of transnational media-corporations in different parts of the world, do take into consideration the discursively relevant aspects of the targeted audiences’ cultural uniqueness. In this respect, we can only agree with Sinclair and Wilken, who noted that: â€Å"While the economic logic of globaliza tion might impel global marketers to seek the theoretical advantages of standardization, experience with the realities of linguistic and other cultural differences has obliged them to go some distance towards the ‘glocalization’ of their marketing campaigns† (147). In this paper, I will explore the validity of the earlier suggestion at length, while analyzing the discursive significance of the visual and textual messages, explicitly/implicitly conveyed by the covers of the UK and the US editions of Vogue Magazine (February, 2010). The most easily identified difference between the two covers is that, whereas, the US cover depicts a clearly Caucasian model (Jessica Biel), the UK cover depicts a model (Cheryl Cole) that can be best identified as a someone who has been born in the multiracial family. In fact, on the magazine’s cover, the latter appears to be at least partially Pakistani, in the ethno-cultural sense of this word.Advertising Looking for rese arch paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In its turn, this can be explained by the specifics of how the policy of multiculturalism is being implemented in the US, on the one hand, and in the UK, on the other. Whereas, in the US, the policy of the multiculturalism enjoys a rather semi-official status, in Britain it is in fact being enforced upon citizens. Moreover, whereas, in the U.S., the representatives of racial minorities do not exercise enough political influence, in order to be able to directly affect the process of the country’s domestic and foreign policies being designed and implemented, this is far from being the case in the UK. After all, it does not represent much of a secret that, as of today, a growing number of British socially prominent intellectuals, as well as religious figures, does support the adoption of the Islamic Sharia Law, as the British jurisprudence’s integral pa rt (Rodgers and Lindsey 8). This, of course, suggests that, due to the essence of demographic dynamics within the British society, the UK is on the path of becoming increasingly ‘traditional’ country, where more and more citizens are willing to affiliate themselves with the values of the religion-based morality. Partially, this explains the apparent dichotomy between the postures of the depicted models on the covers of the US and the UK editions of Vogue. For example, the cover-photo of Jessica Biel implies that the depicted model is an intellectually liberated woman, who is thoroughly comfortable with taking an active stance in life. This is because, as it can be seen on the cover, she is being represented in the manner that stresses out her emotional comfortableness with what happened to be her existential self-identity of a person, unaffected by the conventions of the ‘traditional’ morality. These conventions presuppose that women should present themselv es as essentially timid creatures, who can only realize their full potential while in the relationship with men. Yet, while understanding perfectly well the sheer power of her feminine charms, Biel does not seem to be willing to fetishize them, as if she wanted to say: â€Å"I am an independent woman and I am proud to be what I am†. This is the reason why Biel’s image conveys the subtle message of ‘liberation’ – the woman in question clearly thinks that there so much more to her individuality than merely her good looks.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Comparison Between the Two Different International Editions of Vogue Magazine specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The same, however, cannot be said about the photographic image of Cheryl Cole, featured on the cover of the UK edition of Vogue. After all, there can be only a few doubts as to the fact that the manner in whic h she has been photographed, implies her affiliation with the traditional virtues of womanhood, commonly associated with the notions of timidness, passiveness and shyness. The very defensive manner, in which Cole holds her hands (as if she wanted to protect its innate existential essence), suggests that on a subconscious level, she is aware of her own fragility, as an individual. At the same time, however, she appears to be simultaneously aware of the fact that it is specifically men, who can help her to realize the full extent of its existential potential – hence, the strongly defined spirit of a sexual seductiveness, emanated by the UK cover of Vogue. In this respect, Cole’s cover-image does seem to be discursively consistent with Weininger’s suggestion that: â€Å"A woman does not value herself by the constancy and freedom of her personality†¦ (she) can only value herself at the rate of the man who has fixed his choice on her† (123). It is needles s to mention, of course, that there are male-chauvinistic overtones to the above quoted suggestion. Yet, they resonate perfectly well with how monotheistic religions (such as Christianity and Islam) used to treat women. Given the fact that, as it was pointed out earlier, Britain is on the way of becoming nothing less of a quasi-Islamic state, it makes a logical sense for the UK-based publishers of Vogue to strive to appeal to the religion-driven aesthetic tastes of British Muslims, which will soon attain the status of the country’s actual ethic majority. The legitimacy of this idea can also be illustrated, in regards to what appear to be the qualitative aspects of how both models are dressed. For example, as it can be seen on the US cover of Vogue, Biel wears a man’s shirt and a denim-costume. In its turn, this signifies even further the depicted model’s emotional comfortableness with the idea that women are not restricted to wearing only ‘gender-appropria te’ attires. The reason for this is simple – denim-fabrics, in general, and jeans, in particular, have traditionally been associated with the masculine virtue of industriousness (Woodward and Miller 7). Therefore, by willing to wear clothes made out of denim, women unconsciously exhibit their subliminal desire to cease being subjected to a patriarchal oppression, the important element of which has always been prescribing the representatives of a ‘weak sex’ to refrain from putting on these kind of clothes. Despite the fact that, as we have noted earlier, the religions of Christianity and Islam are equally oppressive towards women, in the US, the majority of Christians cannot be referred as ‘true believers’, in the classical sense of this word. One of the reasons for that that, as of today, the religion of Christianity in Western countries has ceased affecting people’s lives de facto, because the sheer fallaciousness of this religion†™s dogmas is clear to even moderately bright Whites.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One of the reasons for this is that, due to its outdatedness, the Christian code of behavioral ethics no longer correlates with what happened to be the cognitive aspirations of modern people (Rawls 95).  Because in the US, fundamental Christians consist of intellectually marginalized outcasts, they are not in the position to apply any pressure upon those women who refuse to share their male-chauvinistic religious nonsense. The same can be said about Islamic fundamentalists in the US – the FBI is keeping them on a short leash. This is why, Biel’s decision to appear on the cover of Vogue, while wearing a denim-outfit, appears fully justified – she never had a reason to be trying to appease conservatively minded citizens, in the first place. In Britain, the situation in this respect is quite different. Because this country can no longer be considered thoroughly secularized, non-religious British citizens are now being unofficially required to refrain from positio ning themselves as intellectually liberated individuals, as the growing population of Muslims in this country may find it offensive. The validity of this statement can be well illustrated in regards to the recent incident of the British soldier Lee Rigby having been decapitated on the streets of London by the Muslim believer Michael Adebolajo in broad daylight. In the aftermath, high-ranking officials from the British army advised British soldiers not to wear a uniform, when they are off-duty, in order not to anger Muslims (Shiv 9). In my opinion, the earlier described socio-cultural situation in Britain partially explains the particulars of Cole’s appearance on the cover of the UK edition of Vogue. After all, as it can be well seen on it, even though she wears a clearly feminine yellow dress, due to being ‘lose’, it effectively conceals the model’s bodily curves. Yet, this is exactly what Muslim women’s traditional dresses are supposed to do, so th at when looking at women in these dresses, men do not get overly excited and consequently refrain from considering to commit the sin of adultery.  Nevertheless, it is not only the visual subtleties of the discussed Vogue-covers that hint at the specifics of the cultural climate in the affiliated countries, but the textual ones, as well. For example, in the left upper corner of the US cover, we can read: â€Å"Not in the mood? The quest for a female Viagra†. It is needless to mention, of course, that the pharmaceutical term ‘Viagra’ has the clearly defined undertones of masculinity, as the drug in question was designed specifically for enhancing men’s sexual potency. In its turn, the notion of male sexuality cannot be discussed outside of how men go about adopting a particularly active stance, while looking for female sex-partners and having sexual intercourses with them. Therefore, the combination of the words ‘female’ and ‘Viagra†™ implies that women who are cognitively comfortable with it, do not necessarily think that passivity/submissiveness accounts for the integral element of their lifestyles – quite on the contrary. Given the fact that ever since the time of its founding, the US remained an essentially secularized state (the country’s Constitution proclaims the separation between Church and State), it is not surprising that in this country, even moderately religious women do support the idea that it is fully appropriate, on their part, to explore their sexuality actively. In this respect, the situation in the UK is quite different. After all, the UK Constitution openly states that Protestantism is even today considered the country’s state-religion (Madeley 275). Partially, this explains why, as compared to what it happened to be the case with American women, British women have traditionally been deemed much more ‘classy’ – that is, more passive and shy in thei r relationships with men. The latter presupposes that, as compared to American women, British women are much merely likely to overlook the discursively derogative sounding of a number of terms, to which they are being exposed, such as ‘chic’, for example. Predictably enough, one of the topics, advertised on the cover of the UK edition of Vogue, features the word ‘chic’ rather prominently: â€Å"Office chic. New weekday wardrobe†. Even though that this term means ‘style’, it clearly resonates with the word ‘chick’, which is a slang-word that derived out of the notion of ‘chicken’ – hence, degrading women, as being somewhat less human. There is, however, even more to it – because the mentioned topic features the word ‘chic’ in conjunction with the word ‘weekday’, the combination of these two words implies that the physiological specifics of women’s gender-affiliation, makes them less adequate, in the professional sense of this word. After all, this topic implicitly suggests that, even when addressing their professional duties (during the course of weekdays), women never cease remaining solely concerned with the matter of their physical appearance.  Essentially the same line of argumentation can be used, when it comes to discussing the discursive significance of other topics, mentioned on the covers of the UK and the US editions of Vogue. For example, one of the topics on the cover of the US edition of this magazine state: â€Å"Clothing to borrow from your boyfriend†. Apparently, it never occurred to those who came up with this topic that there could be anything wrong about women wearing men’s clothes. The reason for this is quite apparent – the very secularized realities of a post-industrial living in America naturally predispose women to think of the extent of a particular clothing-item’s appropriateness, as such, that reflects its functional subtleties. Why not to wear men’s shirts or trousers, if the circumstances call for it?  The same thought, however, would probably never occur to British women. This is because, being traditionally minded, they tend to deal with life-challenges indirectly – that is, they tend to rely upon men, when it comes to addressing these challenges. Therefore, as opposed to what it happened to be the case with their rationally minded American counterparts, the majority of British women believes that it is namely their feminine charms, which allow them to advance in life more than anything else does. Hence, the meaning of the question: â€Å"Can you live without mascara?†, featured on the cover of the UK edition of Vogue – the fact that this question is clearly rhetorical, suggests that it is quite impossible for women to enjoy living, while sparred of the opportunity to apply a makeup to their faces. Apparently, the article’s a uthor was perfectly aware of what happened to the innermost essence of British women’s subliminal anxieties, in this respect. Given what has been said earlier in the paper, these do appear to be dialectically predetermined.  There is another topic, featured on the cover of the US edition of Vogue, which can be discussed, as such that reflects American women’s tendency to indulge in pursuits, which have been traditionally been ‘assigned’ to men: â€Å"Close encounter. The tale of an almost adulteress†. This topic suggests that the publishers of the US edition of Vogue do realize what accounts for the actual nature of female sexuality, as such that is being physiologically rather than socially defined. This is because the suggestion that it is indeed possible for women to enter into the adulterous relationship with men implies that, contrary to what many women themselves tend to think, their sexual desires are being just as strong, as compared to th e ones of men. What it means is that a particular woman’s ability to enjoy sex as much as she wants, does not solely depend on whether she happened to possess good looks or not, but also on whether she is committed enough to end up in bed with the man she covets (Musser 23). It is needless to mention, of course, that this subtly conveyed suggestion parts away with the conventions of the religion-based patriarchal morality, which objectualize women. Therefore, we can well speculate that this topic’s prominent display on the US cover of Vogue signifies the validity of the idea that the American society is indeed more progressive than the British one – at least in respect of how it treats women. Had this not been the case, the UK cover of Vogue would not feature topics that do advocate the legitimacy of women’s willingness to objectualize themselves, as something fully appropriate. Yet, this is clearly not the case. For example, the topic seen in the UK cove r’s bottom right corner, states: â€Å"What it takes to get a supermodel’s body?†. This topic implies both: The measure of a particular woman’s de facto worthiness is solely concerned with her physical looks It is entirely appropriate for women to strive to be as thin, as possible, so that they would be in a position to successfully marry off, and to consequently attain the dubious happiness of pursuing the lifestyle of a pretty but brainless ‘doll’ – at the expense of being unable to give birth to healthy children. After all, it does not represent any secret for physicians that unnaturally skinny women (such as supermodels) do experience troubles at childbirth. Yet, male-chauvinistic societies could not care less about women’s physical well-being, but only about whether women can serve men as sexual toys, which is why in these societies; women are encouraged to take part in the ‘discourse of thinness’ (Neff 10). Therefore, the earlier mentioned topic can well serve as an indication of the fact that, despite its formal affiliation with the dogmas of political correctness, the British society remains rather oppressive towards women.  Quite clearly, this is not being the case in America, where women are being encouraged to explore their existential uniqueness, without paying too much attention to what happened to their actual physical shape. As another topic, featured on the US cover (‘The refreshingly real Jessica Biel’) suggests, it is namely the depicted model’s intellectual open-mindedness, reflected by the woman’s comfortableness with being who she is, which deserved her the right to appear in this particular edition of Vogue. It is understood, of course, that Biel is indeed sexy. However, what adds more than anything else does to the aura of sexiness, emanated by the model, is that, as it was mentioned earlier, her very posture implies that she has no psychol ogical complexes, whatsoever, in regards to being a thoroughly modern woman. In the UK edition of Vogue, however, the notion of modernity appears subtly ostracized, as one of the featured topics does encourage readers to adopt a cyclic outlook on what accounts for the essence of historical dynamics: â€Å"The return of 60’s glamour†.  Even though that as a ‘thing in itself’, this particular topic is best referred to as ideologically neutral, there are strongly defined discursive connotations to it, because it implies that it is possible for the ‘past’ to return. Because there are indeed a number of good reasons to believe that the British society is undergoing the initial phase of the process of deindustrialization/clericalization (induced by the ‘invasion’ of Muslims), we can refer to the mentioned topic, as such that is being metaphysically consistent with the society’s ongoing qualitative transformation. As it was stat ed in the Introduction, in regards to the covers of the UK and the US editions of Vogue, there is indeed a good rationale in believing that Globalization does result in the standardization of the media products’ content. The very laws of a historical progress predetermine this state of affairs. Nevertheless, the culturally defined specifics of how the members of targeted audiences tend to perceive the surrounding reality, do affect this content’s societal implications. Therefore, even though that the US and the UK based editions of Vogue do feature themes and motifs that the magazine’s publishers consider being potentially appealing to women, the discursive significance the covered topics cannot be discussed outside of what account for the specifics of the socio-cultural climate in America and Britain. This once again exposes the fallaciousness of those sociological theories that treat humanity in terms of a homogeneous compound, consisted of the representatives of Homo Sapiens species. Apparently, one’s ethno-cultural affiliation does affect the concerned individual’s cognitive inclinations rather substantially. I believe that this conclusion is fully consistent with the paper’s initial thesis. Works Cited Madeley, John. â€Å"Unequally Yoked: The Antinomies of Church-State Separation in  Europe and the USA.† European Political Science 8.3 (2009): 273-288. Print. Musser, Jamilla. â€Å"On the Orgasm of the Species: Female Sexuality, Science and  Sexual Difference.† Feminist Review 102 (2012): 1-20. Print. Neff, Jack. â€Å"Study: Stick to Skinny Models for Fat Profits.† Advertising Age 79.30  (2008): 4-28. Print. Rawls, Anne. Epistemology and Practice: Durkheim’s ‘The Elementary Forms of  Religious Life’. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print. Rodgers, Melissa and Cheryl Lindsey. â€Å"United Kingdom: Archbishop of  Canterbury Advocates Sharia for Britai n.† Off Our Backs 37.4 (2007): 8-9. Print. Shiv, Malik. â€Å"Woolwich Aftermath: ‘I am a soldier,’ Adebolajo Tells Old Bailey  Hearing.† The Guardian 6 Jun. 2013: 9. Print. Sinclair, John and Rowan Wilken. â€Å"Strategic Regionalization in Marketing  Campaigns: Beyond the Standardization/Glocalization Debate.† Continuum: Journal of Media Cultural Studies 23.2 (2009): 147-157. Print. Vrontis, Demetris; Thrassou, Alkis and Iasonas Lamprianou. â€Å"International  Ã‚  Marketing Adaptation versus Standardization of Multinational Companies.† International Marketing Review 26.4/5 (2009): 477-500. Print. Weininger, Otto 1906, Sex Character. PDF file. Web. Woodward, Sophie and Daniel.Miller. â€Å"Unraveling Denim: Introduction.† Textile:  The Journal of Cloth Culture 9.1 (2011): 6-10. Print. This research paper on The Comparison Between the Two Different International Editions of Vogue Magazine was written and submitted by user Felipe Nash to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Compare and Contrast of Two American Writers Hemingway and Faulkner

to describe both characters and setting. Examples of diction usage for setting are found in the title, â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† (Hemingway 141) and â€Å"pleasant† (Hemingway 143). The two waiters describe the customer as a â€Å"clean old man...a good client† (Hemingway 141). Hemingway’s choice of diction was blunt and to the point. The diction usage does not let the reader get funny ideas or leeway to think anything other than what Hemingway says. This element of Hemingway’s style reflects when the young waiter states the old man is â€Å"drunk† (Hemingway 141). The young waiter does not suggest he was tip... Free Essays on Compare and Contrast of Two American Writers Hemingway and Faulkner Free Essays on Compare and Contrast of Two American Writers Hemingway and Faulkner Styles of Two Great American Writers A writer’s style distinguishes him from other writers. The style a writer uses to write a story clearly indicates the tone of a story,vital for the reader to understand the story. The style of a writer is made up of different traits and characteristics used to write the story. These traits and characteristics include and are not limited to symbolism, characterization, and other elements. When evaluating a literature piece for style one should analyze the following five elements: diction, images, details, language, and sentence structure. Two well-known American writers with completely different styles are Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner. Hemingway and Faulkner’s similarities and differences in style become apparent when comparing and contrasting two of their famous short stories, â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† by Ernest Hemingway and â€Å"Barn Burning† by William Faulkner. Diction involve word choices a writer makes for his story. These word choices may be used to achieve an overall feeling from a reader toward a story. Diction also reflects the writer’s attitude toward his subject. Ernest Hemingway’s choice of diction in â€Å"A Clean, Wells of diction usage for setting are found in the title, â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† (Hemingway 141) and â€Å"pleasant† (Hemingway 143). The two waiters describe the customer as a â€Å"clean old man...a good client† (Hemingway 141). Hemingway’s choice of diction was blunt and to the point. The diction usage does not let the reader get funny ideas or leeway to think anything other than what Hemingway says. This element of Hemingway’s style reflects when the young waiter states the old man is â€Å"drunk† (Hemingway 141). The young waiter does not suggest he was tip...

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Book and Popular Essay

1. Introduction Popular Holdings is a Singapore-based company that is listed on the Singapore Exchange. Popular is best known for its chain of Popular Bookstores under the Retail and Distribution unit. The Group currently carries out its publishing activities through subsidiaries operating in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Canada. Its bookstore operations have a network of over 90 Popular Bookstores and 360 Popular managed bookstores with its core businesses in retail, distribution, publishing and e-learning. 2. History of the Company |1924 |Popular started in Singapore under the trade name of Cheng Hing Company, established by the late Mr Chou Sing Chu. It distributed | | |Chinese storybooks. | |1930 |Established World Book Company in Singapore to distribute Chinese books and later moved into the publishing business. | |1936 |Established Popular Book Company in Singapore to sell Chinese books. | |1949 |Incorporated World Publishing Company in Hong Kong to publish magazines and Chinese books for both local and Asian markets. | |1952 |Set up United Publishing House Pte Ltd in Singapore and Malaysia to publish textbooks. | |1975 |Started offering English titles in Singapore and was positioned as â€Å"The Bilingual Bookshop†. Business grew dramatically. | |1984 |Opened the first bilingual bookshop in Malaysia. | |1990 |Introduced the POPULAR Card to cultivate customer loyalty. | |1993 |Expanded the business scope by retailing music products and audio accessories under the brand name of â€Å"CD-RAMA†. | |1997 |Listed Popular Holdings Limited (â€Å"POPULAR†) on the Singapore Exchange. | |2000 |Set up joint venture, EdnoLand (HK) Limited, to provide interactive learning programmes to preschool children. This signified the start | | |of the Group’s e-learning initiatives. | |2002 |Entered the e-learning market of Mainland China | |2003 |Incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Popular Digital Products (Shenzhen) Ltd in January, leaving the first footprint in Mainland | | |China’s publishing market. | |2003 |Ventured into Taiwan publishing market. | |2006 |Successfully organized the inaugural BookFest@Singapore and BookFest@Malaysia, drawing over 400,000 visitors. | |2008 |Successfully organized the inaugural BookFest@Hong Kong 2008. | |2009 |Launched â€Å"UrbanWrite†Ã¢â‚¬â€a lifestyle stationery concept store that goes beyond the basics. | |2009 |Opened a new concept bilingual bookstore { prologue } at ION Orchard. | |2010 |Celebrated the 5th anniversary of BookFest@Singapore and BookFest@Malaysia. Both BookFests managed to achieve record turnouts of over | | |half a million visitors each. | 3. Management Structure Popular Holdings has a centralized organizational structure. Mr Chou Cheng Ngok is the Executive Chairman of the Board. In view of the Group’s single leadership structure, Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah was appointed as the Independent Director to lead and coordinate the activities of non-executive directors in circumstances where it would be inappropriate for the Chairman to serve in such capacity. The Independent Directors, Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah and Mrs Lim Soon Tze ensure that there is a good balance of power and authority to enable independent exercise of objective judgement of corporate affairs. All major decisions made by the Chairman are reviewed by the Audit Committee (chaired by Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah). The Nominating Committee (chaired by Mrs Lim Soon Tze) reviews his performance periodically and the Remuneration Committee (chaired by Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah) reviews his remuneration package. Hence, the Board believes that there are adequate safeguards against an uneven concentration of power and authority in a single individual. For management purposes, the Group is organised on a worldwide basis into business units based on their products and services, and has four operating segments as follows: Retail and Distribution, Publishing and E-Learning, Property Development and Corporate. Ms Lim Lee Ngoh and Mr Poon Chi Wai Ponch are the Executive Directors who are in charge of the performance of the businesses. [pic] 4. Markets Served 4. 1 Countries Served As of 30 April 2012, Popular had 148 bookstores – 63 in Singapore, 70 in Malaysia and 15 in Hong Kong. Popular is the biggest book retailer in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong (Chairman’s Statement, Annual Report 2012). Popular is making fast and extensive inroads into the Greater China market, especially in China and Taiwan. There have been marketing offices and subsidiaries set up in Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Taipei. 4. 2 Customer Groups Served Due to the various branches in its core business and the variety of products offered at retail stores, Popular serves different customers of all ages, including students who constitute a large portion of their customer base. Popular’s customers range from individual consumers to corporate groups. 5. Products Offered Popular has its core businesses in retail, distribution, publishing and E-learning. As stated in the 2012 Annual Report, â€Å"though the book business is often labelled a sunset industry, retail and distribution [of books] are one of Popular’s strong core businesses†. Popular’s bookstores have products such as books (textbooks, assessment books, storybooks, reference books), CDs, DVDs, educational software, computer accessories, art materials, stationery, electronics, toys, games and gifts. 6. Recent Performance of the Company Popular Bookstore has been achieving increasing turnovers for 3 consecutive years. As seen in Fig 1. 1, Popular achieved a turnover of S$439 million in 2011 in its Retailing and Distribution sector, improving from the past results of 2010 and 2011. The increase in turnover in the Retail and Distribution segment is mainly due to 9 new outlets opening in various locations in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong and the book voucher programme held in Malaysia, where Malaysian students were each given a book voucher worth RM$200 each as part of Malaysia’s government budget in the education sector. Also, the increased turnover is due to reduced costs – In 2010, Popular reduced costs by reducing its retail store space from15200m2 in 2009 to 13700m2 in 2010. Its Publishing and E-Learning sector is doing well as well, with its turnover increasing from S$69 million in 2011 to S$72 million in 2012. Go-Easel is one of Popular’s initiatives which led to this increase in turnover. Go-Easel features digitalised assessment books which provides instant marking and step by step solutions. It gained popularity among students and parents due to its convenient and effective way in helping students academically. [pic] Profits before tax (PBT) in the Retail & Distribution of Popular Bookstore experienced a positive growth as shown in Figure 1. 2, with PBT of S$29 million in 2012, improving from S$19. 1 and S$10. 9 million in 2011 and 2010 respectively. However, there was a drop in PBT in the Publishing & E-Learning sector, decreasing about 24. 7%, from S$9. 7 million in 2011 to S$7. 3 million in 2012. This was due to the closing of one of its magazine distribution business due to restructuring. However, because this closure is only a one-off cost, the prospects of the Publishing & E-Learning sector in Popular Bookstore still remains hopeful for future growth and greater profits. [pic] 7. Macro-Environment Analysis 7. 1 Political Forces Education policies implemented by the government can improve Popular’s sales. For example, in Malaysia, as part of the budget allocated by the government in 2012, every student in Malaysia received a one-time book voucher worth RM$200. This policy led to greater spending in bookstores by the Malaysian community. Popular was the biggest bookstore company with 70 bookstores in Malaysia, and so Popular experienced an increased turnover in 2012. However, governmental regulations may limit demand and reduce profit for Popular Bookstore. The Media Development Authority in Singapore prohibits any import of books, publication, audio materials that contains content that may be â€Å"objectionable on moral, racial or religious grounds, or deemed detrimental to Singapore’s national interest. † (MDA, 2011) Thus, Popular Bookstore is restricted in their range of books and media as it has to comply with these regulations, causing it to lose some of its competitive edge to online E-books retailers. Book readers in Singapore may be able to purchase the restricted materials from these retailers, as these retailers are based overseas and are not restricted by the Singapore law. 7. 2 Economic Forces The relatively high inflation rate in Singapore (4. 1%) and Hong Kong (4. 0%) in 2012 and the bleak global economic outlook is fortunately, not much of a stumbling block for Popular Bookstore, with it achieving positive growth in its Retail and Distribution sector. This could also be attributed to the items that Popular sells, which are mostly books (Eg. Assessment books, textbooks)and stationery. The demand for these items has a small, positive value of income-elasticity because they are necessities and normal goods for students. Hence, a decrease in incomes due to poor economic conditions results in a less than proportionate decrease in demand for Popular’s books , thus Popular has not been badly affected. 7. 3 Social Forces In today’s world, many deem education as an important tool towards a better paying job and a better life. Thus, the spending on education, which includes spending on textbooks, stationery and assessment books, is increasing. For example, in Singapore, the consumer spending on education has been increasing at a steady rate, from US$ 84. 1 million in 2008 to US$155. 4 million in 2011. (GMID,2012). This shows that Singaporeans are increasing willing to spend on education-related items, such as textbooks and assessment books, to supplement the learning. As a bookstore with a niche product market of assessment books and textbooks, Popular Bookstore is able to benefit from this trend of increased spending in education. With the relatively high inflation rates, especially in Singapore and Hong Kong, consumers are becoming more value conscious. Popular Bookstore has done well to cater to the demands of the consumers and projecting a ‘value for money’ image, by offering membership cards and promotions on their items on a regular basis. One of such promotions is the back-to-school promotion, allowing students and their parents to purchase stationery and books at discounted prices. 7. 4 Technological Forces The increasing connectivity of the Internet island wide (e. g. 4G mobile network and OpenNet in Singapore) has led to more online consumers. The size of the online shopping market is large, reaching S$1. 1 billion in 2010, and is expected to reach S$4. 4 billion in 2015. (Techinasia, 2011). This could possibly mean that customers who usually purchase from brick-and-mortar shops like Popular would now shop at online bookstores such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble. While Popular does have an online bookstore, it is not well-known or often-used. Thus, the presence of well-established international online bookstores become a substitute to Popular Bookstores. Also, the affordability of e-books can pose a threat to Popular’s sales of hardcopy books. The price of Kindle Fire, an e-book reader manufactured by Amazon, dropped to US$159, making it more affordable for consumers. Amazon uses the pricing strategy of loss leader, which involves setting the price of Kindle Fire at cost price, and making significant profit from the sale of e-books. Therefore, e-books have now become a substitute of hard-copy books, such as those sold by Popular. 7. 5 Legal Forces The introduction of the Lemon Law in Singapore in September 2012 could affect Popular Bookstores. With the lemon law, consumers can ask for an exchange or even a full refund if goods â€Å"do not meet standards of quality and performance. † (CASE, 2012). This could mean decreased earnings for Popular Bookstore if consumers keep returning to the bookstores to exchange their purchased goods. Without proper enforcement or monitoring, the Lemon Law could even be abused by consumers who repeatedly demand for an exchange or refund, leading to a loss of efficiency and profits. However, Popular is unlikely to be threatened by the Lemon Law, as it already has an exchange policy in place, where it allows its customers to exchange faulty products within 7 days of purchase. 7. 6 Impact of Macro-Environment Forces on Popular Bookstores Popular Bookstore still remains a strong name in the book industry. The fact that it has the majority of the market share in Singapore and that the company’s PBT has been steadily increasing proves that the company has been staying competitive despite the huge number of macroenvironment factors it faces. 8. Market, Industry and Competitive Analysis for Book Buyers in Singapore Our selected market is the market of book buyers in Singapore. These include customers who buy books from both physical bookstores and online bookstores. 8. 1 Market Size The market for book-buyers is that of an oligopoly, with few incumbent firms. Hardcopy book format is still a multi-million dollar industry in Singapore going strong in the face of stiff competition from online book stores. The total market size of brick-and-mortar stores is worth around $165million. In 2011, Popular Bookstores hold about 62. 5% of the total market share, with Kinokuniya (25%) and Times Bookstores (12. 5%) as Popular’s main competitors. 8. 2 Market Trends. Popular Bookstores is still experiencing a growing trend as its value sales grew from $4,106 million in 2006 to $5,107 million in 2011. This may be due to the growing affluence of the Singaporean population, resulting in higher demand for books for both leisure reading and education. However, this trend might not continue in the future. This is in light of stiff competition faced from e-books and online stores such as Amazon, Book Depository. Fortunately, Bookstores like Borders and Page One have all exited the Singapore market and thus there is less competition from these large, well-established firms with Popular Bookstores. 8. 3 Industry SWOT Analysis for Book Buyers in Singapore | |Positive Effect |Negative Effect | |Interna|Strengths |Weaknesses | |l |Popular has a widespread chain of stores throughout Singapore, |Low variety of books as compared to other bookstores such as | |Factors|especially in the heartlands. This makes it very accessible and |Kinokuniya | | |convenient for the customers. |Lack of awareness of its online bookstore | | |Wide range of textbooks and stationery with very strong monopoly power |â€Å"Limited choice† of books on its online bookstore (e.g. Twilight, | | |over assessment books and textbooks |Lord of the Rings, Animal Farm) | | | Existence of { prologue } and Epilogue ( a book cafe located in { |â€Å"Poor interface† (Survey, 2012) of online bookstore | | |prologue } ) to provide an alternative book-buying experience: ‘a novel|Absence of a proper feedback system on its online bookstore | | |brand of book retail therapy, distinctively designed to give a bespoke |Under-utilization of Facebook page resulting in inactivity and | | |multifaceted lifestyle experience’. |unresponsiveness | | |{ prologue } was awarded the Premium Service GEM Award for the Books | | | |and Stationery Category by the Singapore Retailers Association in | | | |recognition of POPULAR’s effort in delivering excellent customer | | | |service. (Chairman’s Statement, Annual Report 2012) | | |Externa|Opportunities |Threats | |l | Growing incomes of book-buyers lead to greater demand for books for  |Local brick-and-mortar competitors such as Kinokuniya are trying | |Factors|leisure and education |to improve their presence by setting up a fourth store in Jurong | | |Many of the target audience are tech-savvy but have yet to purchase |East MRT (JEM) to reach out to more customers. | | |e-book readers such as Kindle or Nook |Due to technological advancement, the Popularity and accessibility| | |Well-established firms like Borders and Page One have previously left |of online bookstores (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository) and| | |the Singapore market, reducing the amount of competition |e-books is decreasing the demand for hardcopy books at physical | | | |stores | | 8.  4 Detailed Industry Analysis of Bookstores | | |Physical Stores |Online Stores | | |Kinokuniya |Second-hand Bookstores |Amazon/Barnes & Noble |Book Depository | |Description |Kinokuniya bookstores are located in central city |Various second-hand bookstores in Singapore |Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble are American online retail |Book Depository is a UK-based | | |locations, with its flagship store located at Ngee Ann |sell many classic and contemporary titles at |giants specialized in selling books in both hardcopy and |independent online bookstore | | |City. Kinokuniya offers a wide range of titles and also a |extremely cheap prices. |e-book formats. They are grouped discussed together in this |which sells mainly hardcopy | | |cafe within its store. |There are many second-hand bookstores in Bras|table due to their similar characteristics. |formats. | | | |Basah Complex. (Eg. Evernew Bookstore, Pro | | | | | |Saint Bookstore, Book Point, Knowledge Book | | | | | |Centre) | | | |Strengths |Offers a wide selection of titles in various languages | Extremely cheap prices will attract |They own an ecosystem of their own through their Kindle and |Provides free shipping services, | | |including English, Chinese, Japanese, French, and German |consumers looking for a good read. |Nook tablet products that allow readers to buy e-books and |which allows prices of books to | | |Successfully marketed itself as a premium bookstore in |Good for casual reading, if the reader is not|download it to their tablet reader immediately. |remain cheap | | |Singapore with majority of its stores in the city area. |looking for a particular title |Online stores result in decreased operational fixed costs such|Occasional discounts of up to 90%| | |Niche market focus on casual book readers | |as rental charges and staffing costs compared to |makes books very cheap | | | Premium membership strategy i.e. More expensive membership| |brick-and-mortar stores. Therefore, they are able to sell | | | |card ($21) offering limited discounts to entice consumers | |both e-books and hardcopy formats at a discounted rate. | | | |to purchase more titles to get back their money’s worth. | |Extremely wide collection of titles. | | | | | |It is easy to search for titles because the search process is | | | | | |automated. | | |Weaknesses |Books are priced higher than its competitors due to its |Limited range of titles, especially newer |Penetration of their respective ecosystems are not widespread |It is relatively unknown to the | | |premium branding and higher rental costs in the city |titles, consumers looking for specific books |in Asia |crowd in Singapore. | | |Limited market penetration due to its limited number of |may not be able to find what they want. |Shipping costs and waiting time negates the benefits of online| | | |stores. | |shopping as price of shipping from America is usually high. | | | | | |Asian titles are not as diverse / rich as they are | | | | | |America-based. | | 8. 5 Competitive Analysis –Using Porter’s Five Forces 8. 5. 1 Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants in the physical bookstore industry is relatively low because there are low barriers to entry. This is due to strong customer loyalty to established players like Popular and Kinokuniya dominating the market, high sunk costs and economies of scale setting in late. Also, the book industry is also deemed as a â€Å"sunset industry†, which is less attractive to firms as this is associated with low profitability, so firms are less likely to enter the market. However, these low barriers to entry only apply to the industry of physical bookstores. Popular still faces a different kind of competition from online bookstores, which are close competitors with physical bookstores. 8. 5. 2 Degree of Substitutes There is a high degree of substitutability. In terms of physical bookstores, book buyers in Singapore have many alternatives to turn to – such as big industry players like Kinokuniya and Times and second-hand stores at Bras Basah Complex. Kinokuniya and Times are strong competitors because they offer a greater variety of books from different countries, and have marketed themselves as premium bookstores due to their location in the city area. Second-hand bookstores at Bras Basah Complex (Eg. Evernew Bookstore, Pro Saint Bookstore, Book Point, Knowledge Book Centre) are also a threat because they offer very cheap books. Besides physical stores, online bookstores like Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Book Depository are dominating the book-buying market in Singapore. These online bookstores offer a quick and easy way to purchase books without being physically at the store, and the benefit of having purchases delivered to customers’ doorsteps. E-businesses can also offer more competitively-priced books than Popular because there is no need to pay for rental, which takes up a huge proportion of fixed cost. For example, Amazon sells a book titled â€Å"Act of Valour† at $9. 99, whereas Popular sells the same book at $17. 00. Furthermore, with an increased access to fast and free internet services such as those offered by Wireless@SG, and the availability of safe and convenient electronic payment, e-businesses are becoming closer substitutes to physical bookstores than ever before. 8. 5. 3 Bargaining Power of Buyers The bargaining powers of buyers are relatively low in terms of physical book stores. They have little access to information such as the prices of books, because physical bookstores do not openly publish their prices online, except when there are promotions. Also, most bookstores located in a certain region would sell books at similar prices, so customers who are unwilling to travel would have a low tendency to switch to other physical bookstores if the switching cost exceeds the savings gained from only slightly cheaper books. However, the increased popularity of online bookstores is likely to increase the bargaining power of buyers. Buyers become less dependent on existing channels (ie. Physical bookstores) and can now switch to purchasing books online instead. 8. 5. 4 Bargaining Power of Suppliers There is low bargaining power of suppliers. In terms of the book-buying market, Popular Bookstores’ suppliers are mainly publishing firms. Because there are many suppliers in the market that engage in publishing work, there is a low supplier to firm ratio. This means that Popular Bookstore can switch suppliers easily. Furthermore, there is low switching costs for Popular because they can easily turn to their own subsidiaries such as Novum Organum Publishing House Pte Ltd and Educational Publishing House Pte Ltd. Also, there is low supplier competition because it is hard for suppliers to vertically integrate and sell the products to buyers directly. Therefore, suppliers have a low bargaining power, which strengthens Popular’s position and authority. 8. 5. 5 Degree of Market Rivalry Amongst Existing Competitors There is a strong intensity of market rivalry amongst existing competitors like Times, Kinokuniya, and second-hand bookstores. This is because there is a lot of room for differentiation in terms of the four elements in the marketing mix. Product differentiation can come in the form of the variety of books, in terms of the subject matter and country of origin. Price differentiation can also be present as some bookstores have higher priced books due to their well-known brand name or location. Place differentiation can be in terms of the store environment and store location, while promotion differentiation can be in terms of level of advertising, frequency of discounts, customer access to publicity materials and staff service standards. Therefore, bookstores face much competition amongst themselves because there are so many ways that they can differentiate themselves in providing the optimal book-buying experience for book-buyers in Singapore. 9. Customer Analysis and Segmentation for Book Buyers in Singapore 9. 1 Customer Profile: Book Buyers in Singapore The selected market of focus for Popular is book buyers in Singapore. Potential book buyers are any literate customers in the country, from 6 years-old onwards (Stuart, 2010). This customer base is continuously growing, albeit at a slow rate due to the low fertility rate in Singapore (Wong, 2012). Majority of Singaporeans are literate (Department of Statistics Singapore, 2012) as they have basic primary education which is mandatory for all citizens (Ministry of Education Singapore, 2011). In addition, an influx of foreign talents from other countries to support Singapore’s infrastructure and economy (Yeoh & Lin, 2012) also increases the number of book buyers in Singapore. The incomes of book buyers can be inferred from the Singapore Department of Statistics. The average monthly household from work including employer CPF contributions among resident employed households in 2011 was S$9,618, while the average monthly household income from work per household member including employer’s CPF contributions among resident employed households was S$2,925. These incomes have a generally increasing trend from past years, and were the highest in 2011, reflecting the increasing affluence of book buyers. Because books are normal goods, an increasing income of customers would increase the demand for books. However, since the selected market of focus is solely referring to individuals, businesses or organizations are not included and revenues are not considered. To develop an effective marketing strategy, it is essential to understand the targeted customer base and its segments. Comprehensive profiles of a company’s target customers are often required, and this is done by expending resources to segment these target customers. Book buyers can be segmented according to demographic and psychographic factors. 9. 2 Demographic Segmentation Popular segments its market by key variables such as gender, age, education, race, nationality and the family life cycle. For the identification variable of gender, books relating to beauty and the domestic sphere such as recipe books cater more to women, while the genre of sports and cars appeal more to men. In terms of age, segmentation is characterized by one’s life cycle, as exemplified by pre-school books, children books, teenage fiction and magazines, adult fiction and self-help books, etc. The company’s philosophy of knowledge and education (Chua, 2010) has been manifested in the common sentiment that Popular’s niche is in assessment books and textbooks (Survey, 2012) and is a large portion of the customer base of book buyers. This demonstrates how the market is segmented by education, as books are tailored to the needs of students in each stage of education – primary, secondary and tertiary, and also for students in different disciplines – business, finance, management, etc. The market is also segmented by race, as there are books in different languages such as English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The variety of books in the Singapore & South East Asia and Asian Collections also show that the market is simultaneously segmented by nationality as well. Finally, the family life cycle is also an important variable as Popular’s books cater to the needs of different families at different parts of the cycle, providing books on sports and leisure for families without children, and books on parenting and health for families with children, etc. 9. 3 Psychographic Segmentation The identification variables of personality, lifestyle and social class also come into play for the selected market of book buyers. Based on the variety of genres provided by Popular such as fiction, classics and literature, comics and humour, astrology and new age and self-improvement, it can be seen that Popular designs its catalogue to appeal to different people with distinct personalities. Likewise, in the culturally diverse Singapore with an inherent cosmopolitan lifestyle, Popular recognizes the importance of suiting the needs of various individuals by offering a selection of books for every lifestyle, such as books on cooking or food and wine, outdoors and nature, photography, travel, etc. The different social classes have also led  to Popular’s expansion in the market, as illustrated by the novel brand of book retail therapy seen in { prologue } (Popular Holdings Limited, 2009) to cater to the higher-income class, which has an â€Å"upscale identity† that is â€Å"quite different from the family-oriented, fluorescent-lit heartlander look and feel that Popular bookstores have come to embody† (Lui, 2009). 10. Marketing Objectives Popular’s main objective is to establish a strong regional presence by becoming a Central Clearing House for both English and Chinese books in the Asia Pacific Region (Popular’s Strategic Vision 2012). As such, their marketing objective is to offer a wide variety of books with relevant, unique, and good quality content at value-for-money prices. (Popular’s Strategic Vision, 2012). Next, Popular aims to differentiate itself from both brick-and-mortar bookstores and online bookstores which both serve the same book-buying market. This is especially important because Popular is in an oligopolistic market and faces strong competition. These brick-and-mortar bookstores include the well-established Kinokuniya, Times and Big Bookshop, and second-handbook stores, while online bookstores include Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Thus, Popular’s marketing objective is to capture a larger market share through differentiation. Lastly, in terms of the variety of books, Popular aims to be the largest and most innovative publisher of bilingual books (Popular’s Strategic Vision, 2012). It attracts publishers like Seashore Publishing (M) Sdn. Bhd. to Singapore, which dominates the market for bilingual cookbook and general-interest Mandarin books. Through its books, Popular also intends to promote the Chinese language, heritage and culture. For instance, Popular organised the National Chinese Creative Reading Competition during the BookFest@Singapore 2011 to ‘make students more aware [of] and stimulate their interest in Chinese culture and heritage through creative reading’ (Chairman’s Statement, Annual Report 2012) 11. Marketing Strategy / Mix 11. 1 Branding and positioning Popular portrays an image that it is a one-stop station where consumers are able to find whatever they need. This image is especially relevant since Popular’s main target group is the masses who usually read best-selling books written by well-known authors. To capture a larger consumer market and establish a strong regional presence, Popular has also ventured into overseas markets such as Malaysia, Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. 11. 2 Price Popular has adopted different pricing strategies for Popular and Prologue. Prologue has adopted a premium price position for their products. This strategy of prestige pricing is appropriate as Prologue is targeted at the higher end consumers who would be willing to pay higher prices. On the other hand, Popular has adopted mainstream price position for their products. The products offered by Popular is at a rather affordable price since it is mainly targeting the majority of the population. Furthermore, Popular offers products at competitive prices compared to other bookstores. With its membership card, Popular offers further discounts on the prices of its products and this further enhances its competitiveness in the industry. In addition, Popular’s membership card can be acquired at a low cost (e. g. $20 for 3-year membership for students), as compared to other bookstores, such as Kinokuniya ($55. 60 for 3-year membership). 11. 3 Product  Popular believes that in order to stay relevant with changing consumers’ taste and preferences, they should continue to innovate by selling new products. Hence, in 2009, Popular opened ‘UrbanWrite’ and ‘{ prologue }’. UrbanWrite, â€Å"a lifestyle stationery concept store that goes beyond the basics†, offer slightly different products such as scrap book materials, stationaries that are not available at Popular Bookstore. With new concept stores under Popular, such as { prologue } and UrbanWrite, it is pertinent to ensure that Popular does not lose its identity as a one-stop station to avoid confusion amongst its consumers.