Music in the Late 90s and 2000s

Compare and Contrast Music in the Late 90s and 2000s As all of us know, music is the universal language. It is the art of expressing and interpreting an opinion or expression through the creation of sound; and it certainly has histories of many centuries and periods since the existence of human. The question is- would you consider music as a necessity in your daily life? Well, I would easily agree to it; with more quotes popping up recently that are related to music, such as, ‘No Music, No Life’, and ‘Music is the Essence of Life’.These quotes never fail to prove how strongly music influences in all our daily lives. However, music is created very uniquely and differently in every century and here we are now, to compare and contrast between music in the late 90s and in the late 2000s, in terms of the style, the presentation, and the genres. From J. S. Bach, to W. A. Mozart, to Ludwig Van Beethoven, to Claude Debussy, to Scott Joplin, to Miles Davis, to The Be atles, and then to the current Justin Bieber; these people are to be said as the ‘icon’ of their century.Each of them showed progression of music along the century; portraying individualistic in music of the century. As for music in the late 90s and 2000s, contrasts in their musical style and elements have been clearly shown through their music. Judging by the music in the late 90s music, musical instruments used seemed to be more original in the sense of its sound and timbre produced compared to the more technology infused music in the 2000s.This creates a huge contrast in both musical style as the sources of the sound produced is very much differ from each other. Besides that, the song lyric in the late 90s music can be judged as more meaningful compared to the 2000s- more insightful lyrics were incorporated in the 90s with more decent vocabulary compared to the more trendy lyrics style in 2000s with more foulness and wildness usage of vocabulary in expressing a music .This clearly shows the influences of generation in the past and in the present that indirectly influence their musical style in music of the century. Next, how do we audience perceive a kind of music? This is a general question with a general answer; which is presentation of the music itself. A presentation of the music is affected mainly by its outlook- recording. In the 90s, the quality of the music recording seemed to be not as excellent as the ones in 2000s; due to the progression of technology at that period.However, music in the late 90s provides and instills good vibes and awareness of quality music into the society with its positively contented music compared to music in the 2000s which concentrated more on catchy and trendy music videos for publication to attract more audiences while neglecting the education of music towards the society’s mind- videos are recorded with more sexual and violent actions incorporated are indeed deluding and corrupting the generation of the century.This shows how a presentation of a music recording affects the perception of the audiences towards the music in the late 90s and the 2000s. Last but not least, technology does play a critical role in music. Evidence could be seen with the increment of music genre that is well equipped with technology influences, especially through the music progress from the 90s to the 2000s.In the 90s, the music produced are played with more authentic musical instruments, such as piano/keyboard, drums, guitars, and etc; while in the 2000s, the music are more technology based with frequent usage of synthesizer which is capable of switching to many types of instruments’ sounds and even have a function to play the drum beats in the background while you play the synthesizer, thus replacing the role of few musical instruments.The dominance of contrast between music in the 90s and the 2000s is clearly seen with the genre of music the century focused on, which is pop/rap/rock music in t he 90s and trance/techno/rock metal music in 2000s which obviously prove the influences of technology in music of 2000s. Music is deeply engaged in our daily lives without any doubts, whether we are in the 90s or the 2000s.There is no ‘better’ music through comparison of music from different era. It is purely based on one’s preferences and understanding towards it. Music from the late 90s and the 2000s has strongly showed the musical style of their own with the contrasts found in their music, as stated above. Let us just embrace and appreciate music as it is instead of holding grudges towards them! Reference http://www. thepeoplehistory. com/90smusic. html

Why Pakistani People Have Lost a Sense of Nationality

Identity may be defined as a distinctive characteristic of an individual or a particular group of individuals. For one’s survival in this world it is very crucial to maintain his identity. If we expand the criterion of ‘identity’ to national level it is of utmost importance because it is nation’s identity which distinguishes its people from the rest of the world. The importance of national Identity can be better analyzed by the fact that it is the base of all the policies, i. e. domestic and foreign policy and hence the social. economic cultural and ethical development of any country partly depends upon its national identity. In other words actions of a nation are determined by its identity. As far as Pakistan’s identity is concerned, it may be divided into three phases, i. e. pre-partition, post partition and present day. The term ‘identity crisis’ is used to denote a particular situation where by an individual, group of individuals or a nation faces conflicts regarding its identity. These conflicts occur when one’s ideological basis and prevailing circumstances contradict in such a way that the prevailing circumstances dominate the ideological basis. . With reference to Pakistan the history of ‘identity crisis’ have its roots in the late Mughal dynasty. The comfort-loving attitude of the rulers, bloodsheds for the throne, abandoned faith, mismanagement of domestic economic and political matters, absence of updated foreign developments and other moral, ethical and social weaknesses were the major forces which contributed in the identity crisis of the Muslims of South Asia. In pre partition era where by Muslims of south Asia have lost their regime and British rule tighten the span of their social , cultural and political life. Actually they lost their rule just because of the ‘lost identity’. After a half century of submissive life they began to find the ‘lost identity’ and they succeeded. The second phase of identity crisis began very after the inception of Pakistan. The Shia/Sunni crisis at the time of partition was the first of all. But luckily at that time, the crisis was pragmatically resolved by Quaid-e-Azam, so it was buried in a hatchet at that time but later on it burst up from different grounds. The second case of identity crisis in the chronology is the crisis of East and West Pakistan. At the time of inception, Pakistan inherited East and West Pakistan with one and four provinces respectively. Population of East Pakistan alone was more than that of the total population of the four provinces of West Pakistan. The seeds of identity crisis were sown with the ‘language controversy’, where by Urdu was declared as the national language of Pakistan while Urdu was the influencing language only in West Pakistan. This language controversy and some other strategies which lead to the deprived feelings among the natives of East Pakistan and the ultimate consequence was an identity crisis in the form of separation of East Pakistan in 1971. Not only the separation of East Pakistan but, a variety of identity crisis cases stood in the post partition era. The list contains delayed constitutional development, unstable political conditions (due to personal likes and dislikes and lust of power), Social injustice and negative image of Pakistan on international screen. Constitution is the base of any new born state but in case of Pakistan this base couldn’t be established even after about a decade of the inception of Pakistan. So when there was no base for people, the process of identity development started very late. Latterly the termination of 1956’s and 1962’s constitutions fulfilled the remaining part of delayed identity development. All these factors further participated in corruption, national disharmony, rigid attitudes, misconceptions about the religion (partly the role played by ‘mullas’), blind practices on unnecessary customs and a list of moral dilemmas. The identity crisis after the partition threw Pakistan in an ignominious status both at domestic and at international arena. Domestically we couldn’t achieve the social status which we’ve dreamt during the Pakistan movement. Economically we stood at the back end of the global economic stage. And above all we were entitled as a ‘terrorist state’ due to some mismanaged and scattered groups. Even some of them really didn’t have the basic knowledge of their ideological agenda. In present day Pakistan, the situation is more hazardous than that of one discussed in the previous phase. Today’s identity crisis is ‘giant’ in nature aiming to nip our ideology form the bud. Now with changing global environment and with the changing role of Pakistan at international level, the nature of identity crisis has become more complex. The present day crisis may be classified as political, social religious and economic identity crisis. The social and religious crisis work in collaboration. On the religious part, the extremist group has developed misconceptions about the religion. On the other hand the society is facing the ‘cultural war’ through different media. In such a situation the nation, preferably the youth has contradictions with religious implications which is making them unaware of their ideological basis. In the second step the attractive evil (the weapon of cultural war) is becoming dominant. So the nation’s ideological basis is being deployed by the prevailing circumstances, creating identity crisis. In this case we can’t blame the young mind (as he’s not getting the proper guideline and he has not been trained in such a way that he can find the roots the purpose of his existence, secondly the so called knowledge of religion he gets is not authentic). The second type of present day identity crisis in Pakistan is political in nature. In fact our political system has always been ruled by reigns in hands of few influencing groups. No such political platforms were built for the coming generations, to ensure their participation in national or international affairs. It is very necessary to train the youth for the participation in national affairs because they are the people who have to run the country in the future. Unluckily our youth didn’t get any such training at any stage of our 59 years history. The ultimate result was that, the administrators belonged to a specific group, making others so annoyed that others even don’t care to have a look at the mismanagement. This imbalance in the political infrastructure restricted the educated youth to participate in the national policies and ultimately the process of policy making enjoyed the influence of un-educated and narrow minded policy makers, who couldn’t devise the identity goals of the nation till yet. At international political arena we are still facing the vicious circle of ‘terrorism’. Even our government ensured Pakistan’s contribution in the ‘war against terrorism’, but being an Islamic state we become the suspect of any international terrorist act. Here the policy of state is ambiguous, which aims to satisfy the western world but the integration of Muslim world is not to be seen any where. In my opinion we don’t know that where we are standing right now, where we have to go and where we are going? On the part of economy, no doubt our economy grew with in last half decade but only at macro level. The poor is still standing on the place where he was a decade ago. Increasing Unemployment, inflation, and poverty etc are not only contributing in social imbalances but because of these factors, a common man is not able to find the basis of his identity. The identity of a nation is its image, and our image today is ‘a tree whose roots have been cut’. This situation is actually showing our lost identity. We have become much concerned about our outer look but we have forgotten the basis on which we have to develop our inner self. If this process keeps on going with the same velocity, the time is not far when the existence of our identity will vanish. It is very crucial to have a breach of the peace against identity crisis. In this regard the most important step is identity education. The identity education should be provided at educational institutions as well as in temporarily organized seminars (seminars should be accessible for general public). Identity education will not work till we present a difference between different cultures. Media censorship should also be there in order to lessen the possible damages of cultural war. Media should also spread the knowledge of values among the common men. And last but not least we all should play our part to improve our religious image at international level. In this connection we can spread the true essence of our religion which is peace.

Evaluate the different interpretations of the role of the state Essay

There are many different views about what the role of the state is and should be. All mainstream parties have concluded that there is some need for welfare provisions in a modern day liberal democracy. However with historical variations to each ideology it is sometime difficult to group an ideology as one. Also many variations agree with other ideological variations. The role of the state is a controversial issue with many differing ideas. Traditional conservatism stresses the importance of a strong state in order to maintain and uphold society. Authority and tradition are embedded in the state and act as the state to hold it together. Although Burke is a strong advocator of this view it is clear that from such a role the state could become a totalitarian state, especially with Conservatives believing that being born into society simply means you must follow its rule. A criticism of this view would be found in classical liberal ideology, with theorists such as Locke and Hobbs that would argue that by having a strong state individual freedoms were being eroded away. Also by no having any welfare provisions they were upholding a strong state that was full on inequality and exploitation of the working class especially during industrialisation. A one-nation approach then emerged that tried to solve some of the criticisms of traditional conservative ideology. Having a state as a welfare provider was a key principle to this variation. It is much he same as modern liberalism in the idea of protecting the working classes. However where as modern liberals wanted to liberate the working class from social evils to give them back their freedom, one-nation conservatives were more concerned with a social uprising by the lower orders (Disraeli) and therefore called for a more paternalistic approach to the state in order to protect the very make up of society. Never the less this improvement of welfare can be criticised mainly by classical liberals who state that individual freedoms were being restricted once again because of the welfare provisions being placed on individuals. As a result the criticism of a ‘nanny’ state caused the New Right conservatives to emerge. They believed in have the state as night watchmen, with free markets. However they have an inconsistent set of ideals as there are too different strands of New Right conservatism. Neo-conservatives call for a strong but minimal state, two things that contradict each other, where as neo-liberals call for minimal state and free markets. It is clear that this most recent form of conservative ideology is not coherent. Modern liberal ideology is one that has been subscribed to by both one-nation conservatives and social democrats, and is clearly a viable choice of role for the state. Green and Hohouse call for a need for a welfare state to free those who are exploited through industrialisation. It answers the criticism of Classical liberalism, that doesn’t provide any safe guard against social inequality, by providing a welfare state. It also avoids the possibility of unrest and revolution from the lower orders. Anarchists would argue that no state is required and put trust in the good nature of humans in running a society. I agree to some extent with Paine (classical liberal) that the state is a ‘necessary evil’ but I see the state as more of a safety net, there to protect when needed. Modern liberals believe that a welfare state answers the question of removing social inequalities, where as Marxists believe that removing the state initially is the answer. By radically redistributing wealth among society and eventually dissolving the state, it aims to eradicate an unfair class system, as it sees itself. However in order to achieve this stateless state, a strong state is required in order to implement it! Another ideology that doesn’t have a consistent set of ideas. I also believe that Marxism goes too far and encroaches too much on individual freedom. Never the less Gramsci would argue that because we are living in a liberal democracy we do not know what are actual needs are. We have our felt needs such as the vote and welfare provision, but we lack freedom for class oppression. This line of argument is flawed however because there is in this case then no-one who has no been influenced by a liberal democracy to inform us of what our actual needs are. Marxist ideology does have some credit in that they are attempting to eradicate class oppression which I believe is a credible aim but on the other hand the ideology is incoherent and difficult to imagine people subscribing to. Less radical forms of socialism are influenced by Marx but take a more practical approach to implementing his ideas. Social democrats see the capitalist economy as a part of the state but wish to humanise it to eradicate exploitation. Much as modern liberals attempted to do by implementing a welfare system. However a gradual change is required, and equality of opportunity is focused on; which is contrasting to democratic socialism who believes in a radical redistribution of wealth by taxation and nationalisation, with a focus on opportunity of outcome. Classical liberals would criticise this because by imposing such a large state, individual freedoms are being ignored. However feminists may argue that a radical change to the state may allow them to adapt the state to promote more equality for women. Clearly the aim to eradicate social inequality is plausible but the amount of state intervention into the economy in order to achieve this aim is just too greater price to pay for total e quality. In conclusion there is a clear consensus that a welfare state has its merits in a liberal democracy. It is the modern liberal approach, that both one-nation conservatism and social democrats have been influenced by, that protects its citizens whilst still allowing them individual freedoms. Although there is a clear argument that by imposing a welfare state individual freedoms are eroded but this is a small price to pay in order to protect against rebellion and unrest. But as Hobhouse and Green would highlight, a welfare state s needed to protect the individual freedoms that are eroded away through free capitalist societies. Although social democrats have a strength to their argument for a full remake of the economy and the framework of society I believe this goes too far. To remove the class system, would be to remove tradition and that is not necessary in order to protect individual freedoms, it could even go some way to eroding them further. A welfare state that doesn’t seek to become a ‘nanny’ state such as one-nation conservatism, but one that puts protection of individual freedoms at the forefront of its ideas would be a desirable way to run a state.

Marketing transportation homework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing transportation homework - Essay Example Q15. A global sourcing development model has the following components: planning (finding the global sourcing opportunities & challenges), specification (quantifying and qualifying current resources), evaluation (Whether the supplier is matching the selection criterion), relationship management (building mutually beneficial long term relationship in cross cultural dimensions), transportation and holding costs (tradeoff between them), implementation, and monitoring and improvement (if any). Establishing a sourcing strategy is one of the most difficult tasks for procurement function. Hidden costs associated with procurement change the expected benefits significantly. These hidden costs must be taken into account during sourcing - a. Ocean carriers and international airlines have direct relation with nation’s economy, because they affect the nation’s balance of payments. Countries with weak balance of payments may impose license or permit on goods

Module 3 SLP Assignment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Module 3 SLP Assignment - Coursework Example This information is compiled in the form of a report. When the full record of the report has been compiled together, the decision of acquiring the inputs, their marketing, financial costs, tablets production and even how to handle competitors in the market place is determined. This is done through different approaches that are based on the costs, volume and profit margins so as to give greater focus on the features of the products that will meet the desires and need of most customers. These set of decisions will ensure that the company maximizes production of products that is mostly needed by the customers while at the same time minimizes cost as the profit margins are maximized. According the cost and profit aspects, the company decided to change the value of the brand so as to exercise a different strategy that will help the company to minimise the cost of manufacturing the products as the increase their profit margin. Following the need and desire of the potential customer, the company revised and set the values of each and every brand. The value of X5 was set at $300 while that of X6 and X7 was set at $450 and $ 200 respectively. This change of price will also reduce the R&D by about 10% that eventually will cause an increase in the volume of the products so that the profit margin to increase by the same value. These set of values can be very useful in the generation of the profits of the year 2016. To make effective strategies in marketing of the products, the department that is in char of marketing must make some improvement so that the strategies can be set in such a way that they ensure profitability. The table below shows the results of the revised strategies These decisions are majorly based on the cost, revenue and profits of the company. The main contributing factor will be profit margins as this is the unifying set of goals and objective

Drug abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Drug abuse - Essay Example Drug abuse is common especially among the youth in the underprivileged societies and the effects of drugs, though many can be successfully combatted and dealt within the community. The major aim of the essay is to investigate the effects of drug abuse in the poor neighborhoods and come up solutions to counter this problem in any way possible. Drug abuse is most common among the poor societies. Poor people get involved in drugs due to various reasons and the major reason is peer pressure especially among the youth. Most youths believe that taking drugs make them look and appear cool among their peers. They feel the pressure to take drugs so that they can fit in with the rest of their friends. They mostly get into drugs without looking into the repercussions. Others are influenced by their family member especially in families with a history of drug abuse. The child in a poor society does not get to have proper role models to advise them and to lead them to a more peaceful and drug-free life. Other people take drugs so that they can forget their problems if only temporarily. Drugs offer a temporary solution to forgetting the deeper issues that they need to deal with. According to Fiellin and Sindelar, drug abuse causes a lot of problems where the medical and psychological impacts of drug abuse are very obvious. A drug addict cannot operate and function in the same way that other human beings do. The effects of drugs cloud their judgment and they are bound to make mistakes and wrong choices in the society. For instance, a drug user is likely to engage in crime in order to buy drugs. Alternatively, they are also likely to engage in sexual activities that they would not engage in under normal circumstances. Drug users do not take care of their families and they do neglect their duties such as taking care of their children. The urge to take drugs takes precedence over everything else in their lives. If the drug addict is the bread winner of the house, then the

Julius caesar-shakeaspere Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Julius caesar-shakeaspere - Essay Example All the qualities of a tragic hero are embodied in the persona of Brutus. The nobility of Brutus was proven by no less than Mark Antony, the Roman general and friend of Caesar, when he exalted Brutus after his death. Antony referred to Brutus as â€Å"the noblest Roman of them all: All the conspirators save only he. Did that they did in envy of great Caesar; He only, in a general honest thought. And common good to all, made one of them. His life was gentle, and the elements. So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up. And say to all the world 'This was a man!† (5.5.74-81). Another example of Brutus’ selflessness is his concern for his wife Portia whom he decided to shield from their plan against Caesar by not letting her know about it. He feels that Portia has problems of her own already and she does not need to worry more of Brutus’ concerns. He exhibited her love and affection for Portia when he expresses his love for her by saying, â€Å"You are my true and h onourable wife, As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart† (2.1.300-302). As a tragic hero, Brutus exhibited several tragic flaws. Brutus has a very idealistic view of the world. By agreeing to the conspiracy against Caesar, Brutus felt that he was doing something sublime for Rome. Brutus explains, â€Å"It must be by his death: and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general† (2.1. 10-12). This line clearly shows that Brutus believes that the death of Caesar is for the good of Rome and that he has no personal issues with him. In fact Brutus proves that he loves Caesar when he said to Cassius, a co-conspirator, that â€Å""What means this shouting? I do fear the people do choose Caesar for their king...yet I love him well" (1.2. 85-89). This depicts Brutus as an honorable man who loves Caesar but cared for Rome and its people more. Another tragic flaw portrayed in the personality of Brutus was that he was so trusting an d gullible. He was so naive in thinking that his co-conspirators’ intentions were as pure as his, that is to save Rome from the tyranny of Caesar and that there was no personal grudge or ambitions for power involved. Both Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus are often seen as the two tragic heroes of the Shakespeare play. It is interesting to note the differences between the personalities of these two characters. Both Caesar and Brutus are of noble descent. Caesar is a shrewd and ambitious politician although he refused to be crowned emperor three times because he wanted the Romans to believe that he was not ambitious. Unlike Brutus, Caesar’s tragic flaw was his excessive pride, which the Greeks called â€Å"hubris†. He was even too proud to listen to his wife, Calpurnia’s plea to stay home because of her premonition of his death. Caesar’s pride is clearly depicted when he said, â€Å"The gods do this in shame of cowardice: Caesar should be a beast wit hout a heart, If he should stay at home to-day for fear. No, Caesar shall not: danger knows full well. That Caesar is more dangerous than he: We are two lions litter'd in one day, And I the elder and more terrible: And Caesar shall go forth† (2.2.43-50). Caesar even ignored the soothsayer’s warning two times. This is proof that Caesar’s personality is one which could not easily be swayed. It is very much unlike Brutus whose honorable ideals were manipulated by Cassius; thus, his agreement to the conspiracy. However, it is also Caesar’

Responding to Pop Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Responding to Pop Culture - Essay Example he average Joe themes that illustrate contestants in very pertinent terms to audience lifestyle and then appropriating excitement to make positive emotional connection to human behavior related to needs for excitement and enrichment that most of the target audience shares psychologically. What makes â€Å"Wheel of Fortune† a practical example of effective pop culture is in the show’s ability to turn audience dreams into practical reality by illustrating the notion that fantasies of materialism and pleasure are achievable for the average Joe consumer lifestyle, thus making a positive collective connection to everyday life. After the contestants have offered their rather humdrum, typical lifestyle attributes and family connections, the audience establishes a bond with the players related to their lifestyle similarities and builds an immediate sense of empathy built on common bonds which is a strength of this particular medium of pop culture. The show concept also illustrates a sense of adventure through the provision of glamorous prize packages that fit with most audience psychological profiles related to exploration and lifestyle diversity. However, where the show is weak as a pop culture icon is in lack of diversity of show concept, thus creating opportunities for audience boredom or perceptions of monotony. Despite these structural weaknesses in presentation, the show is popular as it presents greed and wealth as potential for instantaneous opportunity while the viewing audience is forced to labor to achieve similar self-indulgence. This makes it appealing to the middle-class audience as it can prom ote a perception that life does not have to always be lackluster. Psychological theory defines salience as the relevance or importance of a particular sign, a symbol that stands out from others in an unambiguous way (Heath, Ho & Berger, 2006). â€Å"Wheel of Fortune† provides salience as an exciting medium for instant wealth accumulation and rapid lifestyle

In cold blood pt.2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

In cold blood pt.2 - Essay Example They are lodged in separate jail cells in the same building. During the course of next rounds of questioning, the evidence is put forth. The sets of footmarks taken at the scene of crime are similar to those of two pairs of shoes in the possession of the two accused. In panic, Dick breaks down and names his friend of the murders. The people of Holcomb take the developments of the case leading to the arrest of two men stoically. They have doubts whether they are to be blamed for the murders exclusively. Truman Capote writes about their mixed feelings, â€Å"Some day they’ll get to the bottom, and when they do they’ll find the one behind it. The one wanted Clutter out of the way. (231) Once the detectives succeed in creating confusion between the two accused on the basis of the evidence in their possession, they have achieved the obvious. Both the accused become suspicious about each other and wish to save one’s own skin and escape from the clutches of law. Look a t the plight of Perry en-route to Garden City when Dewey, the Chief Investigator, mentions to him the episode of the bicycle chain killing. In cold†¦.2 Perry concludes that Dick has made a clean slate of the issues. He panics and makes a detailed confession and avers that of the four Dick is responsible for two killings. The sequence of events was: The duo reached River Valley, being sure that Clutter kept a safe with 10 thousand dollars.

An Analysis and Review of West Virginia's Governmental Fund Research Paper

An Analysis and Review of West Virginia's Governmental Fund - Research Paper Example However, the implementation of governmental programs and services depends primarily on the allocation of the fund to different sectors. On the other hand, the preparation of its financial statements is in accordance to the â€Å"generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP)† in the U.S (â€Å"Audited Financial Statements,† 2007, p. 15). While the necessities and nature of activities from various agencies differ, so does fund allotment, must conform to the purposes it intends to provide. According to the 2007 West Virginia audited financial statements, the methods for reporting governmental fund are the â€Å"current financial resources measurement focus and the modified accrual basis of accounting† (â€Å"Audited Financial Statements,† 2007, p. 16). It is through these financial statements where â€Å"property taxes, franchise taxes, and interest† that accompanied the present â€Å"fiscal period† are acknowledged as the cash reserve for the period (â€Å"Audited Financial Statements,† 2007, p. 16). This essay seeks to analyze and review the financial statements and audit report of Kanawha County, West Virginia, using the general fund and all the other funds of the government. II. Method of Accounting The government reports the fund in three categories. First, the governmental fund, which includes the general fund and the capital-project fund, integrates the current financial resources management and a modified accrual basis of accounting, where it does not have depreciation expense and long-term debt. Second, the proprietary fund, which includes the entertainment and the internal service fund, utilizes the economic resources measurement focus and the accrual basis of accounting, where it requires a â€Å"statement of net assets, statement of revenues, expenses, and cash flow statements.† Lastly, the fiduciary fund employs the economic resources focus and the accrual basis of accounting, where it may not have the provision to fund other programs as the government functions as the trustee (U.S. Department of Transportation, 2000, pp. 10-11). All these funds use the accrual method of accounting. Under the requirements of the â€Å"Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB),† the application of the accrual method is suitable to maintain a balanced set of account where the expenditures correspond to the finances in the conduct of governmental operations. This is particularly significant since the accrual basis provides a comprehensive detail in the â€Å"understanding of economic reality† especially in determining the consequences of budget allotment (Ball & Pflugrath, 2012, p. 7). III. Compliance of GASB Statement 34, and Evaluation of MD&A for State and Local Government GASB Statement 34 requires a complete accrual method, which aims to have long-term capital assets consisting of infrastructure. It also covers the Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) of the go vernment’s monetary operation in recognizing its entire economic status (U.S. Department of Transportation, 2000, p. 8). As for the case of Kanawha County, the challenge it poses for compliance with GASB Statement 34 will depend on the cost and duration of time before its complete implementation in the local government. Additionally, if this would manifest a genuine thrust for transparency and accountability, this would strengthen its audit reports and economic condition in terms of financing governmental and business-type

The Work of Discipleship Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Work of Discipleship - Research Paper Example Majorly, Christology bases on the Apostolic Age of the gospel that is during the days of the apostle Paul. The themes and ideas of Paul were built on the worship of Christ as Lord and Christ’s pre-existence, forming the epicenter of Christology. There have been arguments to the fact that there are several Christophany cases in the Old Testament and that the numerous biblical records account for the preexistence of Jesus Christ. In this aspect, the term Christophany is a term that is considered to be more appropriate as compared to the term Theophany because of the belief that God’s visible manifestations represent the pre-incarnation of Christ. 1There have been arguments pointing to the fact that the Old Testament’s records of the appearing of the Lord’s Angel were Christ’s pre-incarnate. The Angel of the Lord is understood by many to be a theophany that is true. Over the years, especially after the Apostolic Age, the early church was thrown into debates that often got politicized and fierce concerning issues that are interrelated in Christianity. Among the issues that were being debated was Christology, with the matter finding its way to the ecumenical councils as a contentious issue. These coun cils were dubbed as the Christological councils that base their focus on the teachings of the condemnation of interpretations that were incorrect regarding Jesus Christ’s life and works. St. Thomas Aquinas was the first to provide a systematic Christology in the 13th century. His view was instrumental in the resolution of a good number of issues that were there at that time. Aquinas in his Christology focused on the championing of the view of the perfection of the human attributes of Christ. Through the middle ages, there was the witnessing of the emergence of a different view of Christ as being a source of comfort and love and true living friend in addition to being the Lord. 2Modern Christology, therefore, seeks to

No to same-sex marriage Essay Example for Free

No to same-sex marriage Essay Everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible, but not everything builds up. I Corinthians 10:23 Against Same Sex Marriage The Six Point Case Each of these six points against same sex marriage will be explained in detail in the following articles. Click on each link for more explanation. Natural marriage is the foundation of a civilized society. Homosexual behavior is inherently destructive. The law is a great teacher, and it encourages or discourages behavior. Government-backed same-sex marriage would encourage and normalize homosexual behavior, and it would harm natural marriage, children, adults, and homosexuals themselves. The law should promote behaviors that are beneficial and prohibit (or at least not endorse) those that are destructive. Therefore, the law should promote natural marriage, and it should provide no option for government-backed same-sex marriage or civil unions. Against Same Sex Marriage The Executive Summary Same-sex marriage is a very emotional issue for many people. However, when one separates emotions from facts, it is clear that the state has compelling reasons to endorse natural marriage and not same-sex marriage or civil unions. Natural marriage is the immune system of civilization. When our marriages are strong, our civilization is strong; when they are weak, individuals and communities suffer. Legal endorsement of same-sex marriage would destroy the institution of marriage, resulting in negative effects on children, crime rates, health and health-care costs, tax rates, and religious freedom. Same-sex marriage activists want to redefine marriage as simply a personal relationship between two committed parties, but marriage is much larger than the two parties involved in a marriage. Marriage is a social institution of long-established rules (based on the natural design of the human body) that provides society with the very foundation of civilization—the procreating family unit. That is, marriage is fundamentally about children and the civilization of society both now and for the future. Only natural marriage can procreate and consistently provide a nurturing and stable environment for the growth and maturation of children. In this sense, the most basic and effective â€Å"form of government† is the natural two-parent family. Statistically, children and adults inside of natural marriage are much better off socially, physically, financially, mentally, and emotionally than those outside of natural marriage. Those outside of natural marriage are not only worse off personally by those measures, but they cost society billions of dollars in social welfare and law-enforcement expenses. The law is a great teacher—it encourages or discourages behavior. Since the law is a great teacher, government-backed same-sex marriage or civil unions would put society’s stamp of approval on same-sex relationships and behavior. This endorsement would fundamentally change the institution of marriage to our detriment. It would do the following: Equate same-sex marriage with natural marriage, thereby teaching citizens the socially disastrous ideas that natural marriage is no better than any other relationship and that marriage is not a prerequisite for children. Disconnect marriage from childbearing by making marriage just about coupling. This will result in soaring cohabitation and illegitimacy and painful costs to children and society. Encourage more homosexual behavior, which is medically destructive to those who engage in it and financially burdensome to the public in general. Result in higher medical, health insurance, and tax costs to the general public. Provide legal grounds to  restrict or prohibit religious freedom and free speech. Much of this is already happening in countries that have government-backed same-sex marriage. Natural marriage is weakest and illegitimacy strongest where same-sex marriage is legal. Most homosexuals are not interested in marriage—approximately 96 percent of homosexuals in countries with same-sex marriage do not get married. They want government-backed same-sex marriage because it would validate and normalize homosexuality throughout society. (Homosexuals can already marry privately and many of them do—what they want is government endorsement.) Some homosexual activists admit that they would like to destroy natural marriage by legalizing same-sex marriage. Since they refuse to live by society’s standards, they will only feel validated if they beat down those standards to the level of their own behavior. If they succeed, everyone in our country will be harmed in some way. This House Bill may seem to be very good in its outward appearance but it will simply gave way to the Promotion and Acceptance of Homosexual Lifestyle in the Philippines. If this bill will be approve in Congress who knows whats next. Lets Fight Against this Bill to protect the Divine and Natural Institution that God himself Pre-ordained ever since the beginning of time. Lets make sure that the Philippines will be secure from any danger of accepting a Culture that will go against the Balance of Nature and propagate a lifestyle that will be harmful both today and the Generation to come. A Culture that will be a potential Treat to the Divine Institution of Marriage and the Family. Lets be vigilant and make sure this Bill will not be approved by participating in this Signature Campaign.

The History Of National Curriculum Education Essay

The History Of National Curriculum Education Essay First and foremost, I am Rubatarshne d/o Vasu as a student from Kirkby International College would take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to my guide Mr. Danapalan for his exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant encouragement throughout this assignment. The blessing, help and guidance given by God towards my assignment enable me to complete my assignment successfully. I would also like to thank my friends in helping me by giving support. In this assignment I have gain abundant knowledge and experiences. I have increased my level of confidence when I met headmistress, senior assistance and teachers. As a future teacher, I also learned that there are two types of activity that had been conducted in school which are school activities and class activities. Besides that, a strong bond of relationship formed between me and my former teachers. I would like to thank once again to my lecturer for giving me a task regarding on National Philosophy of education (NPE). Lastly, I would like to thank to my teachers that willing to spend time with me to conduct interview. Teachers such as Mrs. Vasugi, Mrs. Chitra and Mrs. Devanagi from Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil, Hicom, Shah Alam and Mrs. Rahinun bt Mohd Noor from Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Uda, Alor Star, Kedah Darul Aman. I learnt about their teaching and learning method which will be useful for me in future. CONTENT TOPIC PAGE National Philosophy of Education (NPE) Elements in NPE National Curriculum KBSR AND KSSR School Activity Sports Day Motivational talk Qiamullail Excell program Gotong-Royong Class Activity Role play Playing games Spelling routine QA activity Lady Bird Conclusion Appendix References 1.0 National Philosophy of Education Education play a pivotal role in Malaysia especially politically, economically, and socially ever since the independence of Malaya in 1957 and the formation of Malaysia in 1963. Since then, several education policies were being drafted and altered to meet the education needs of the people of Malaysia from time to time. In 1988, National Philosophy of Education (NPE) was formulated based on ideas and principle of policy documents. It is guide for all educational activities in Malaysia and sets the values and principles of the Malaysian education system from primary to the tertiary level. (NPE) consist of several elements to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and physically balanced and harmonic. The first element of (NPE) is education as an on-going effort that acquiring and transferring knowledge skills and noble values which start from an early age till death. It is vital to shape personality of children which will assist them to adapt various types of changes. Next, is (NPE) also develop individual potentials. Each human being has their own hidden talents which can be nurtured and developed, abilities that should be tapped, and enhanced through social interaction with environment. Belief and obedience to God is another element of (NPE) which one must admit the existence of God and accept him as the Creator. Every individual should be fully responsible for his deeds and actions. The last element is to produce knowledgeable Malaysian citizens. We as a Malaysian citizen should have love for knowledge and strive to foster knowledge a nd implement reading culture in our daily life. So, it clearly shows that if each and everyone in the education fraternity uphold (NPE) when carrying out their tasks with full responsibilities, our educational goals will become reality. 2.0 National Curriculum There are three time types of changes in curriculum such as Old Primary School Curriculum (KLSR) before 1982, New Primary School Curriculum (KBSR) and Standard Primary School Curriculum (KSSR).Firstly, Old Primary School Curriculum. (KLSR) was implemented since the country attained its independence. In 1960, the Subject Review Committee has been established is also known as Rahman Talib Report. In addition, this level of education system is oriented to the eradiation of illiteracy. Traditional classroom is a place where a group of students will follow the learning process. In this type of classroom, students usually sit in the order of chairs and tables that are arranged line by line. For instance, students who are tall should sit at the back whereas students who are short or have poor eyesight should sit front. In accordance with the aspects of Rahman Talib Report, all students must pass in Bahasa Melayu public examination which the paper is written in Malay Language. It aims to fos ter unity among multiracial society. Next, is New Primary School Curriculum (KBSR) which was implemented in 1982 as a trial basis of new curriculum. So, in 1983 government fully implemented Integrated Primary school Curriculum which also known as (KBSR). The curriculum design based on three areas which are communication, man and environment, and development of individual (KBSR) emphasizes students study in group and interaction between teacher and students, students and students are very stressed in this (KBSR). In terms of teaching strategies, student-centered is actively approach in the process of teaching and learning. This is because it raises an interesting environment in classroom and stimulates the process of teaching and learning. The evaluation in (KBSR) emphasize in basic skills (3R) that students should be mastered which are oral, reading and writing. Students who could not master any subjects, the student will be sent to remedial classes. Remedial  classes are often used to stress the basics in a subject s uch as math or language. Lastly, Standard Primary School Curriculum (KSSR) curriculum design based on six spikes which are communication, spirituality, attitudes and values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹of physical and aesthetic development of humanities, science and technology and appearance. From 2011, the primary school curriculum start to apply (KSSR) which involves changes in design, organization, content, pedagogy, time allocation, assessment methods, materials and management of the school curriculum. (KSSR) emphasized the use of different teaching approaches learning (P P) that give more emphasis and impact on students. For example, teachers teach the students by approaching to inquiry findings, solution and problem, constructivism, contextual, teaching based on future and learning based on project. Therefore, the three elements of value was added and introduced in the (KSSR) the element of creativity and innovation, entrepreneurship, information and communication technology (ICT). In short, changes in the era of globalization require a change in the balance of the education curriculum like (KLSR) before 1982, (KBSR) and (KSSR).These changes improve the quality of primary education to be more relevant to the challenges of the present and of the 21st century. It is very vital to conduct activities according to (NPE) especially in schools and universities and guides to a standard curriculum. By implementing the curriculum effectively in schools, it can develop the students cognitive, affective and psychomotor (physical) with other potentials (JERIS) in students. Here, there will be challenging round among students to compete each other. By implementing activities which are in integrated manner will make the students to think out of the box. 3.0 School Activity Recently, I have interviewed headmaster and senior assistance in two schools which are Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Uda (SKTU) at Alor Star, Kedah and Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Hicom (SJKT) at Dengkil, Selangor. The purpose of these interviews is based on the national curriculum of the school which reflects the objective of (NPE). According to the interviews that conducted in both schools, I identify that there are two types of activities are organized in schools which are school based activities and classroom activities. Various types of activity that are organized in school aligned with (NPE). There are five main activities that carried out in school like Sports Day, Motivational Talk, Qiamullai, Excell Program and gotong-royong. First and foremost, Sports Day is carried out during the month of February annually. All the teachers and student from Standard 1 until Standard 6 are involved in this activity. A few weeks before Sports Day, student start to give their names for participate events like high broad jump, 100m race, shot put and others. After the school hours, students will start to practice the activities at school field. The importance to organize this activity is to develop students who are healthy. Sports can build up muscles and bones which eventually will make the students to become healthy. Sports day is the time where student is taught and expose to   various types of sports and learning to be cooperate in team games, be discipline as to follow the rules for each game or sport and so much more. Sports are a very healthy activity that can keep away a lot of unnecessary disease such as obese. Students can maintain their personal well-being which is aligned with (NPE). This activity can help to develop psychomotor skills in students. Another activity that was conducted in school is Motivational Talk which was given by the Sir Ismail who is one of the counselors in that school. This talk is to cater the stability of students emotions and self management for their excellence. All students are involves in this talk and given knowledge to prepare themselves for exams. It is carried out in three phases which are learning techniques, time management and emotion control. Students take the importance key features and try to improve self weakness and making use the strength to ensure excellence in their students. This activity helps to produce students who are high moral standards and responsible which is in lined with (NPE). Here, students can stabilize their emotions in a right path. Qiamulail is also one of the activities that were conducted in schools. All the Muslims students were involved in this activity while non-Muslims students were involved in Moral class. Muslims students stayed in hostel for one day to complete their prayers. Their prayers will start at early in the morning which is at 4 in the morning and ends at 5 in the evening. This activity brings a strong spiritual life and is a way to get closer to God which is highly demanded. The students also have an opportunity to build the spirit of appreciating religion and have faith in God. This activity mould students to believe in god as stated in (NPE). In this activity, students can high spirituality within themselves and avoid them to involve in immoral activities. Activity like Excell Programs which is mean by extra classes are organized in school. Participation of all students is compulsory for this activity. It has two phases which are drilling students understanding in each chapter and techniques to answer questions. Phase 1 is to improve students understanding in each chapter so that they can understand and perform well in exams while phase 2 is to give them the correct strategies to answer the questions according to exam standard. Phase 1 is done with the help of teachers at class after finishing each chapter. Phase 2 is carried out after the final assessment. The teachers will give proper techniques of answering to each subject. Here, the students will master the answering techniques when they were given to answer past year questions and exercises. Those students who improved in a particular subject they will be given reward by the headmaster. This will create enthusiasm in learning. Here, students improve their cognitive skill which hel ps to produce students who are knowledgeable and competent as stated in (NPE) The last activity that was conducted is gotong-royong. The spirit of gotong-royong is a core of culture that students should follow. Students were divided into groups to clean different types of area in schools like filed, garden, classrooms, hall and others This activity was held to nurture students to well-behave, co-operate with others, love and responsible to take care of their school, and to give awareness to students about healthy body, mind and environment. After the gotong-royong event, students will pick up rubbish on the floor anywhere in the school if they see it. It is important that cleanliness and beautification will keep the environment to be conducive and comfortable so that the teaching and learning process would be more effective. Besides, the activity actually is in line with (NPE) which is to produce balanced individual from the aspect of emotional. They love and appreciate the school, the nature, have a sense of belonging and solidarity and lastly they will becom e mature in thinking. 4.0 Class activity Besides school based activities, there are also classroom activities which are effective to students. Classroom activities should be built primarily on creating opportunities for students to express and understand meaningful language. However, the activities are based on form-focused instruction and corrective feedback which is essential for the development of students in the classrooms. Lesson plan is the guide for teachers to prepare activities for students and put varieties in order to create fun learning environment. The activities that conducted in the class are role play, playing games, spelling routine, QA activity and Lady Bird. The most interesting activity that student enjoyed is role play. Role play is an integral part of the curriculum for speaking and listening. The use of role play provides students to develop speaking and listening skills when they speak as a character, plan scenes, use dialogue and evaluate their own performance and that of others. For instance, the teacher wants to teach about occupation. The teacher can ask their students to act a teacher, doctor, shopkeeper, lawyer and others. Here, students will brainstorm their ideas to act as one of the occupation. Students get to wider their knowledge and experiences when they start to engage with other students while using signs, props, menus, and so on. The school teacher also states that this role play activity can build students confidence level when students are brave to present in front of their friends. High moral standards can be created among students to mould good behavior and produce personal well-being as stated in (NPE) Another amusing activity that carried out by teacher in classroom is playing games. There many types of games that students participated which were jigsaw puzzle, online interactive games, word a day and others. These games are great exercise for brain. It helps the students to improve their memory, spatial and pattern recognition and spelling skills. Game like word a day can create a reading environment in the classrooms. Students were told to bring newspaper cutting during English class. First, students were given instructions by teacher to look for word which they do not understand. After that, they have to look up for the meaning in dictionary and construct them into sentences. In this activity, students who collect a lot of words will be given award as a token of appreciation. Besides that, this activity also emphasizes students to read independently and wider their knowledge in terms of vocabulary. Teachers and students are putting their effort as on-going effort for excellence in order to produce knowledgeable Malaysian citizen as stated in (NPE) Next, is spelling routine which is conducted by teacher in the classroom. The most helpful way of giving spelling is to write the word down for the students using the look, cover, write, check routine which is originally devised by Peters and Cripps (1980). First the teacher writes the word for the students to look at the word and to memorize it. This can be done by tracing or copying it. The correct version is then removed or covered and asked the students to write the word from memory without any help. The students spelling is then checked against the correct version. If the spelling is correct, students can incorporate the word into their writing. If the word is incorrect when comparing the two versions, identify where the problem lies and repeat the whole procedure. This strategy helps students to memorize the correct spelling by looking at the whole word. Besides that, it helps students to get the overall visual pattern of the word which they can easily remember it. This activit y helps to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent as aligned with (NPE). Another activity that can carried out in class is Q A activity which is stand for question and answer. This activity is organized it is easy to be carried out in the class but the activity is able to create the two way interaction between teacher and student efficiently. The questions given by teacher require students to think and able to evaluate what has been taught by teacher during the lesson. In addition, the questions must be organized and good quality because it will help students to sharpen their thinking as well as to create more dynamic and effective learning environment. For instance, teacher gives questions regarding on Mathematic subject. Teacher can vary the questions into objective and subjective form which will evaluate students thinking skill. The aim of the activity is to encourage students to think creatively, innovative, logical and critical thinking in line with National curriculum which is to mold students behavior and thinking from the aspects of intellectual. Last but not least, the activity that carried out in class is Lady Bird. This activity creates for students who are slow learners. It is one the way to grab slow learners attention to study smart. Teacher lays a vital role here by giving endless support to students as they can be a good learner like others. First, it is conducted by providing a text with number of questions. The question should vary from 3 levels of aspects which are easy, average and hard. Students need to search for key words in the text and highlight or underline the key features that enable them to answer the questions. Students who are fast learner will be junior teacher for those who are slow learners. Slow learners will feel free to ask questions or clarifications to their friends without hesitations. After this session carried out, there are slow learners who are able to read after involve in this activity for three months and showed increase in each school examination. This activity persist in (NPE) by a lea st number of slow learners which will contribute in producing literacy nation in Malaysia. 5.0 Conclusion In conclusion the National philosophy of Education (NPE) gives a very big impact on the development of education that involves the ministry of education, formation of various new concepts in education, curriculum, co-curriculum, schools, teachers and students. Overall this causes a great improvement of the citizen of the nation as mention in the (NPE) in the formation of balanced and harmonious individuals physically, intellectual, emotional, spiritually and socially, citizen that lives in harmony, believes in god and others. As a future teacher we should apply (NPE) in teaching and learning process so that it produce a better Malaysian citizen. 6.0 Appendix NAME BIODATA 176.JPG MRS VASUGI 45 YEARS OLD SEKOLAH JENIS KEBANGSAAN TAMIL, HICOM, SHAH ALAM HEADMISTRESS 15 YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCES 180.JPG MRS. CHITRA 30 YEARS OLD SEKOLAH JENIS KEBANGSAAN TAMIL, HICOM, SHAH ALAM SENIOR ASSISTANTS 5 YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCES 184.JPG MRS. DEVANAGI 35 YEARS OLD SEKOLAH JENIS KEBANGSAAN TAMIL, HICOM, SHAH ALAM ENGLISH TEACHER 10 YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCES DSC_0095 Copy.JPG MRS. RAHINUN BT MOHD NOOR 58 YEARS OLD SEKOLAH KEBANGSAAN TAMAN UDA, ALOR STAR, KEDAH DARUL AMAN HEADMISTRESS 38 YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCES

Importance Of Audience Research Media Essay

Importance Of Audience Research Media Essay Market Research has become one of the most lucrative career option and is among the highest growing fields in todays scenario. The high growth of the sector is a testimonial to the growing demand of research across all industries, then be it FMCG, Automobiles, Finance or Media. With the new breed of young MBAs coming through, the focus now is on Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning. Thus most businesses want to reach only their Target Audiences and filter out the excesses as they consider it as a wastage of resources, both in terms of money and time. This is particularly true for the media industry, where we have a variety of products like IMRBS TAM, IRS, . This is because a major chunk of media revenues come from advertisements which again depend on audience measurement in reaching to their decision as to which channel to give their ads on. Thus a high TRP in a TAM would ensure that you land up with the best of the sponsors and command highest of the prices. The need of Audience research can be traced in the Psychology studies done by Kellner in 2007. Different people purchase the same items but for a variety of reasons referred to as necessity, social pressures , family pressures , convenience , inadvertence and economic reasons . The field of Psychology has provided ample explanations through theories made from researches and studies to make the understanding of consumer behavior , and its applications in a variety of ways , what it is today (Kellner , 2007) . Media research is done primarily to observe study and analyze the pre-behaviours of the viewing population as well as the specific human behaviours that are evident as a result of the influence of media post the media exposure. The study may be carried out by researchers which may include organizations and individuals who may benefit out of the study either through government mandated projects or private agencies or companies whose interests may have their greater impact by how their businesses Ideas or products may have their impact on certain populations targeted or reached by media. Reasons/Advantages of Audience Research There are several advantage for doing audience research. Depending on which reason applies in a particular situation, a different type of research should be chosen. To help in making a decision The research may involve a few very specific questions or a main area covered, through a small survey, or a set of 3 or 4 focus groups. To understand the audience Research may involve either a set of focus groups, or a detailed survey. In general, a survey will provide precise results, but will be less informative. Also, a survey will cost a lot more, and take more time. To demonstrate facts to outsiders Commercial media owners want to attract advertisers to advertise on their medium. Thus it helps to have data showing the size, demographics, and interests of their audience. A related purpose is a special-interest organization, seeking support from a funding body, and providing survey data to show the extent of public support for that organization. This type of information should come from a research, conducted by an impartial third party. To provide material for programs The research data about the audiences can be used by media organizations, to generate content for the programming. For this purpose, all research methods are suitable, including surveys, consensus groups, and informal interviews. To design your communication You need to know your listeners, if you wish to persuade them, as it helps to shape your message in a way that may be acceptable to them. You may also need to know about their specific interests or the relationship among the audience members. This is particularly important when the communication goal is to persuade, and not just to create awareness. Also you need to identify the issues that may trigger strong emotions in your audience. Media Strategy: Media Planning, Media Buying and Media Selling Thus audience research and analysis is essential in determining how you will build your strategy so as to reflect their specific interests and concerns. And the more likely is the strategy to succeed. Components of Audience Research What you should know A major component involves the social situation of your present and potential audience. These can include their experience, education, job or professional background, age, gender, ethnic background, cultural differences, and more. Here are some of the key questions that are to be covered as a part of the research. What is the coverage area of your media vehicle? What other media, and activities are competing for your audiences time? How are these people distributed across the coverage area? What proportion of the area population use your media? How often do they use it? At what times, on what days? What is your stations share of their available time? What types of people use your media most? In what circumstances do people use your media? Do your listeners share common interests? Whats their relationship to one another? What recent experiences, if any, have they had that could affect their readiness to accept your argument? What will your listeners expect from you? Are you prepared in any case to address those expectations? What do they already know? Acknowledge audience attitudes and concerns. If the audience hold a positive view about your topic and your messages, the focus of the research will be on reinforcing the views and the benefits your audience may get. If they hold negative views, youll have to anticipate their objection in preparation of your research. You may have to limit what you ask of your audience. Determining what can trigger strong emotions in your listeners-whether positive or negative-is an essential step, you need to take those concerns into account and through that, thus showing your own awareness and sensitivity. How much to spend on audience research Audience research can cost a little or a lot. The cost is largely proportional to the sample size and the amount of labour involved: there are few economics of scale with audience research. Some research programs specially permanent panels with TV meters can cost millions of dollars. As a guide, many large broadcasters spend around 1% to 2% of their total revenue on audience research each year. For an individual project, which needs more detailed research than usual, its common to spend around 5% to 10% of the projects cost on research. Exposure: The basic measurement of the Media Audiences Ways that Media Audiences can be measured Technically exposure means open eyes or listening ears facing the medium. Practically it is the measurement of people who say they are sure they have looked into or read a vehicle within a given period of time. Exposure measurements are different for different mediums. Media Measurement What it measures What it means Vehicle Exposure Exposure to TV or print media Open eyes facing a vehicle(or opportunities to see ads) Print Media circulation No. of copies distributed People or families receiving newspaper vehicles(no exposure counted) Advertising exposure Number of ads exposed per issue or per TV program. A gross counting of the total number of ads exposed in a vehicle. Advertising Perception Number of ads that consumer remembered having seen in a vehicle The smallest amount of communication remembered of ads in a vehicle. Advertising Communication The total amount of recalled material from ads in a vehicle Feedback from ad messages in a vehicle. Response function: media effectiveness The number of responses to specific advertising in a vehicle The effect of advertising on consumers (responses such as sales, brand awareness, attitude change, and recall of messages) * The Relationship among Media, Advertising, and Consumers, Principles of Media Planning, Basant Rathore. Three methods of measurement Diaries: The diary was one of the first methods of recording information. However, this is prone to mistakes and forgetfulness, as well as subjectivity. Data is also collected down to the level of listener opinion of individual songs, cross referenced against their age, race, and economic status in listening sessions sponsored by oldies and mix formatted stations. Electronic: More recently, technology has been used to track listening and viewing habits. Arbitrons Portable People Meter uses a microphone to pick up and record subaudible tones embedded in broadcasts by an encoder at each station or network. It has even been used to track in-store radio. Software: There are certain software applications being developed to monitor cable TV operators with full passive and permissive viewer measurement functionality to monitor television channel ratings. The system tracks every time the channel is changed and records it accordingly. It allows what was being viewed at the time and which channel the viewer changed to. This information allows operators, broadcasters and advertising media to monitor audience TV usage habits. Media Planners use Cost per thousand as a comparative tool, to compare one medium or media vehicle with another to find those that are most efficient. It can be used for intermedia or intramedia comparisons. For print media (when audience data are not available): CPM= (Cost of 1 page * 1000)/ Circulation For print media (when audience data are available): CPM= (Cost of 1 page * 1000)/ No. of prospects readers reached For broadcast media (based on homes or audiences reached by a given program or time): CPM= (Cost of 1 page * 1000)/ No. of homes or persons reached by a given program or time For newspapers: CPM= (Cost of ad * 1,000)/ Circulation Advance Measurements and Calculations in Audience Research Reach- is a measurement of audience accumulation. It tells planners how many different prospects or households will see the ad once over any period of time the planner finds relevant. It differs from GRPs in the sense that each person is counted once, thus it is an unduplicated number. Frequency- It tells the planner the average number of times or the extent that audience members were exposed to same vehicle or a group of vehicles. It is a measure of repetition. Effective frequency- can be defined as the amount of frequency, the planner judges to be necessary for advertisements to be effective for communication. Sources of Market Data Size and share of market for a brand and its competitors, and other information contained in a situation analysis, can be obtained by a number of syndicated research services. Other data can be obtained from periodicals, association reports, govt, and media. The most widely used syndicated research services are those of A.C. Nielsen, Information Resources Inc. , Audits and Surveys Inc., Mediamark Research Inc., Simmons Market Research Bureau., IMRB, TAM, TNS etc. Some of the audience measurement tools are as follows: aMap, aDex, TAM, RAM, WAM, IRS etc. Methods of doing Research Audience Measurement for each medium National TV: TAM peoples meter (w/ 8,000 homes) TAM and aMap Nielsen Media Research/IMRB TNS Radio: Diary in radio markets RAM(Nielsen Media Research/IMRB) Magazines Recent-reading techniques w/ in-person interview and a long questionnaire about their product use Indian Readership Survey Newspapers Yesterday reading (Which NP did you read yesterday? typically use circulation figures) Indian Readership Survey Audits and reports the circulation of various publications Internet Use national sample of respondents Measure the number of visitors, how long people stay in each page, how far they go, how many times they return Nielsen/NetRatings or IMRBs WAM Out-of-Home the number of cars passing each billboard on the average day (daily circulation) Case Studies Case Study 1: Kheda Communication Project *Source: http://www.indianetzone.com/42/kheda_communication_project.htm The Kheda Communications Project or KCP is a field laboratory that aimed at the development and local communication in Kheda district of Gujarat. This project began in 1975 and continued till 1990. The site chosen for the experiment was Kheda district, which is an area near the SAC headquarters in Ahmedabad. Thus Kheda Communication Project could broadcast either local television programmes or national satellite television programmes. Around 650 community television sets were provided to 400 villages and also installed in public places like schools, where village audiences gathered in the evenings to view the broadcasts. The research team involved Prof. Arbind Sinha and his team from ISRO living in the village for around 18 months, and doing an ethnographic study so and studied their media consumption habits. The stay was important so as to understand the reasons for their media behaviour. The project was a first of its kind experiment by the Indians in the field of audience research. Kheda Communications Project is believed to be a milestone in the history of Indian television. The Development and Education Communication Unit managed this project and produced the development and educational programmes that involved the local audience. Case Study 2: CNN America *Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500486_162-929913-500486.html In the early days of television, news directors had little use for audience research it was far more the province of entertainment programming. The network news was only 15 minutes, and with so little time, the focus was almost exclusively on which stories had the most journalistic merit. But by the 1970s and 1980s the news was changing: Local stations were expanding their broadcasts to an hour or longer, and the compelling stories of the day no longer filled the time. Producers needed to know what kinds of stories would keep the audience. And so they embraced research. Viewers, researchers concluded, wanted useful information stories that were relevant to the way they live their lives in addition to the traditional news. Suddenly, stories about health, finance, and consumer concerns began popping up on the local news. Soon the network morning shows turned to research as well. They had plenty of reasons to do so. Like local newscasts, the morning shows had longer running times, and research helped producers figure out which lifestyle-type stories best held an audience. The morning shows also relied on a team of correspondents instead of a lone anchor, and audience research allowed producers to see the audiences response to various on-air personalities, who in some cases played a larger role in the broadcast than the content itself. (Examples of this type of personality abound, though perhaps there is no better than NBC weatherman Al Roker.) And the research helped producers better understand the audience, which, in the morning, is divided into two distinct segments with very different needs: People who are in transit and watch briefly before beginning their day, and people who stay home and are more likely to be there for the whole two hours. The television advertising industry in India is a complex and dynamic one with media choices increasing everyday. New channels are launched; new genres are established; brands are targeting niche audiences. In this scenario there is a need to find a perfect channel fit for the brand. The financial risks are too high and one needs to take action immediately to make the best of every rupee spent, therefore, the need for an overnight measurement system. The heterogeneity amongst consumers and their diverse spending patterns call for a more robust system for audience measurement on a much larger sample size. Case Study 3: All India Radio *Source: http://india.gov.in/knowindia/radio.php?pg=2 AIRs Audience Research Unit(Largest Feedback and Research Support Network)- In the era of market driven broad casting, it may not be possible for any media organization to survive without feeling the pulse of their audience and knowing the market. This compelled the media organisation, particularly electronic media, to get the syndicated media research done to know the viewership/listenership of their programmes market potential for them. No broadcasting agency can afford to move faster without the viewership/listenership data in hand. The case of radio broadcasting is not different, the competition is intensifying day by day due to opening of more and more private radio stations but none of the upcoming radio broadcasting agencies across the country, other than All India Radio, has such a large in house audience feedback and research support network. The Audience Research Units of All India Radio provide instant feedback and research support not only to the in house programme planners producers but also to the sponsors, advertisers marketers. With the changing mass communication scenario particularly market oriented broadcasting, Audience Research Unit of AIR has also reoriented itself. Efforts are on to create the ripple of changes to curve a niche for itself among the sponsors, advertiser marketers. This is evident from the studies assigned to the Audience Research Units in the recent past by the various agencies. Besides the sponsored studies, the network of audience research continuously conducts radio listenership survey (RPL) in order to provide updated data to the programmers as well as the advertisers interested in mounting advertisements on AIR.

Insincerity is a Lie :: Communication Emotions Essays

Insincerity is a Lie â€Å"Aaargghhhh!! Ughh†¦. Daggonit†¦ That freakin hurts†¦. Etc, etc, etc†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Leesa the lovely roommate exclaimed. â€Å"Are you alright?† I chimed in a slow, mechanical, absolutely unfeeling response from my bedroom. You see, Leesa always has a gripe and complain. She seemed to think that her experience of putting in a nose ring qualified as yet another reason to distract the entire apartment from homework, and simply our own peaceful lives at the moment, and engage us in sympathies for her all-important life. Leesa now receives the attention of insincere roommates as to not drain us of our sanity and energies that should not be interrupted every two minutes to help her with things, and to ask her to elaborate upon her frequent gripes and complains about life. Granted, the girl has had a rough life, but the constant request for attention wears on us! The insincerity of the response in this situation arose from the fact that the situation was predictable and allowed for a mechanical reaction. The â€Å"caring† reply to Leesa’s distress cries came from someone that did not care. In this way, insincerity is a blatant lie. I did not really want to hear her elaborate upon the situation—to tell me that she was not alright and why. I knew Leesa was complaining about another of her perceived life crisis. I knew what she would say in response to â€Å"Are you alright?†. She would tell me that indeed, as she had just been yelling, something that she did to herself, perhaps bumped her knee or hit her head, hurt. The insincerity backing my words to Leesa allowed for her to do what she wanted to do. Insincere responses serve purposes well when the goal of the person eliciting the response is accomplished in the process. Leesa only wanted to speak out loud to express her importance and let her existence be known to everyone in the apartment. It let Leesa know where everyone in the apartment was located ( Laura, bedroom, Jenny, kitchen!) and perhaps what they were doing while she was putting her nose ring in. It gave Leesa control because a response would center all action in the apartment on her.

Short Story :: Free Essays

Short Story Joe stepped out of the revolving doors. His sigh could easily be identified as one of relief. The dreary London rain could be seen disturbing the image of the people on the other side of the road. People's breath could be seen in the cold air. Many people were hurrying down the street armed with umbrellas like they were defending against the invading rain. Joe put up his umbrella and joined the rest of London rushing down the streets. One guy could be seen running down the road cradling what looked like his only belongings in his arms. He was soaked to the skin with the rain his body visible through his wet shirt. He walked directly into Joe and his papers all fell to the floor. He immediately buckled to one knee to retrieve them. He looked up at Joe and stared at him for while with a look of recognition. He stared for a few extra seconds, then picked up his papers and began running again, leaving with so much as an apology. Joe continued walking down the street and for sum unknown reason he was unable to set his mind free of the image of the man that collided with him. Joe called in the newsagent and the lady behind the counter handed him his cigarettes, to which he placed the exact change on the counter, without a word exchanged between the two. He finally arrived at his block of flats; he walked up the four flights of stairs the walked to his room, 403. Rather than take a key out of his pocket Joe reached above the doorway and grabbed the key from there, he placed it into the lock, opened the door and returned the key to its home. He then switched the light on. The room was plain, simple and more than anything run down. There were only enough utilities for a persons basic needs. The walls were undecorated and damp marks were visible, there were three certificates on the wall, apart from that, they were

Market Segmentation of Coca Cola

Business communications In this assignment I will be talking about the types of information used in Tesco. A I will start by defining information. Information is defined as the knowledge of specific events or situations that have been gathered or received by communication, intelligence or news. The first type of information I will talk about is verbal. Verbal communication is part of the day to day activities of Tesco. VERBAL: verbal communication entails the face to face expression of views and ideas or sometimes across the telephone.In Tesco verbal information is obtained from both managers and employees as they both work together and need to be aware of certain pieces of information that are related to either their business or job role as a whole. An example of verbal information is a store manager giving instruction to a grocery staff as to how to arrange promotion stocks on the shelves. This is a practical example of verbal information because the staff initially did not know ho w to go about the arrangement but he obtained it from the face to face interaction with the store manager.Verbal information is internal because it is obtained from employees and other staff inside the business. In Tesco verbal information is used to invite support for activities because the support must come from the employees in the business. For example, if Tesco need more staff for their night shift, they speak to couple of staff who work in the day to seek for their help. The purpose of verbal information is to elaborate more on key issues which are vital to the business because for example, issues like getting staff to do overtime needs to be verbal as the company is trying to persuade staff to do extra work for them.WRITTEN: Written communication involves any type of interaction that makes use of the written word. It is one of the two main types of communication, along with oral or spoken communication. Written communication is very common in Tesco, so it is will be the inter est of the business for managers to develop effective written communication skills. Some of the various forms of written communication that are used internally for business operations include memos, reports, bulletins, job descriptions, employee manuals, and electronic mail. Written information also sometimes the form of diagrams, graphs and charts.For example Tesco always gives out pay slips to employees every month which contains their monthly salary and other deductions. This is written information which gives both managers and employees in Tesco the gist about how much they were paid. Written information can be said to be an internal source of information in Tesco because the Human Resource department comes out with written internal job vacancies as well as the job description to get interested applicants. Tesco uses written information for the purpose of informing the management and the staff about future developments.For example if they want to expand, they will write to worke rs and tell them what they expect from them to help the business expansion. ON SCREEN: This is where information may be produced on-screen. This can be seen in multimedia TVs and CD-ROM’s that combine text, graphics, animation, audio and video. Tesco uses on screen information during induction of new recruits into the business. The new recruits watch video of how to use equipment such as flat tops, cages etc. as well as to stay safe in case of fire outbreak etc. also the information used by the Checkout Assistants in Tesco are also on screen . n screen information used by Tesco is internal because the on screen information used by the Checkout Assistants are provided by the Price Integrity department to inform the workers about current prices of stock and the video they show in the induction is also acted and recorded by the Tesco employees. The purpose of the on screen information is to invite support for activities because Tesco have set their own standards in the business and through onscreen information; they are able to show it to other people who are not aware of these standards in relation to price, health and safety etc.MULTIMEDIA: multimedia means multiple forms of media. Media can be text, graphics, video, data etc. Tesco always do their advertisement on the Television and also in the newspaper and that is a form of multimedia information. This type of information is external because the Tesco advertisement ids designed and presented by someone who is not part of the organisation. The purpose of using multimedia information is to communicate sales promotions. Tesco uses variety of information to communicate their sales promotion to customers.For example they place information about their Groceries, food and other products on offer in the newspaper or on the television to target a lot of customers. WEB BASED: web based are basically information found on a website. Tesco as a business have a business website to supplement the stores they have. C ustomers can also buy products and services from the website. The web based information is internal because it is a provided database by the company. The purpose of Tesco web base information is to update knowledge of their own market such as the performance of the business in recent and previous years.Also in the case of recruiting staff, Tesco upload the person specification and job description of the related vacancy on their website so that applicants can update themselves with the information on the website before applying. Task 2 Businesses use different kinds of information for their day to day activities. The information they use gives them a lot of merit as it contributes to effective communication and the smooth running of the business. In this part of the assignment I will analyse the different types of information used by Tesco and the reason why they use such information as well as their related drawbacks.Verbal In Tesco, verbal information is via the mouth. It includes managers and employees conversing with each other. In other words it also entails a telephone conversation between Customer Service staff and customers who wants to make an enquiry or at times customers who want to locate certain products at the shop floor. Tesco uses verbal information because it is from a reliable sourcing which from either the management or the employees and hence they can rely on it. There is high level of understanding and transparency.Tesco as a business embark on a lot of discussions as they have to deal with catalogue of duties in the shop and also work together as a team. Teamwork will enable them get the job done and this cannot be possible without verbal information. For example if the Stock Control Department of Tesco wants to embark on stock counts, the manager of the department will have to speak to the staffs of that department to give them all the necessary gist about the job and how it can be done.In this case there is flexibility and that is anothe r benefit that is why Tesco use verbal information because the staff of the stock control department will also give the manager feedback about what they think and this will help the department and the entire Tesco team to get their job done. Tesco also use verbal information in problem resolution. Sometimes there are certain disputes, disagreements and conflicts between staffs, staff and customers etc. and this can be put to an end by talking over them.For example Tesco has an administrative team known as Listen and Fix; they resolve problems amicably through verbal information. It’s easier to communicate verbally than any other way because you get to understand every detail that is being spoken by the other person. In Tesco customers communicate with the staff members this is an advantage because they get to ask questions if they don’t understand the instructions clearly. As discussed above, there are a lot of benefits associated with verbal communication that is why Tesco use it to enable them solve problems and to achieve their stated aims and objects.Verbal communication is time saving for Tesco as far as daily interaction is concerned, in contrast, in case Tesco have a management meeting or an annual meeting, it consumes a lot of time and that is a drawback of verbal communication as it entails a lot of speeches. Also under this meeting, there are sometimes misunderstanding as they embark on a lot of debates making it difficult to arrive at a conclusion and sometimes information from the management in the course are not clear as they do not follow any formal procedure but just talking over them.Besides, verbal information has a short period of longevity making it difficult for receivers to recollect what was discussed. For example, if a customer comes up to a customer assistant in the shop floor to address a complain, the customer assistant will promise the customer to forward the issue to the management but it can occur that he might not re collect the information and hence the complaint will not be dealt with. Written Written communication has great significance in Tesco business.It is an innovative activity of the mind. Effective written communication is essential for preparing worthy promotional materials for Tesco’s development. Written information is more unique and formal. Effective writing involves careful choice of words, their organization in correct order in sentences formation as well as cohesive composition of sentences. Written information helps in laying down apparent principles, policies and rules for the running of Tesco business.Tesco as the number one retailer in the UK always set high principles and policies to enable them be on top, and all these principles are passed on through the entire staff through written information because it is more formal and precise. For example, last Tesco came up with a policy to enable them control the amount of stock lose in their various shops by doing an unan nounced staff search. Tesco got their message across to the staff in the store through written information because that was formal and it breaks down every detail of the policy to the staffs.Also in the case of recruitment, Tesco written information to delegate responsibilities to new employees into the business because talking through responsibilities is not adequate and both Personnel manager and the employee might forget what is said but written information in the form of employment contract is proper for record keeping. Written information adds up to Tesco cost of production as written information entails purchasing huge sums of stationary talk less of the manpower employed in writing and delivering letters.The feedback of written information is not spontaneous making it hard for communication in Tesco to be effective. Communication needs quick and effective responds to be effective and further helps in the decision making process of Tesco. For example, Tesco relies heavily on t heir suppliers because they bring in their stock on daily basis. If Tesco runs out of stock, they quickly scan the information of the products and send them quickly via email to their suppliers. In this case the suppliers are meant to respond quickly to the email.The suppliers sometimes take time to respond to the email thereby making the written communication ineffective. Tesco usually sends out emails and letters to their valued customers to inform them about their already existing special offers or impending ones. This information can easily be read and understood by most customers but sometimes customers from other countries who do not understand the English language may not understand the information and may regard it as useless.When this happens, Tesco marketing strategies will not achieve maximum results because some customers do not get the whole point of the written sales promotion send to them. On screen On screen is an advantage to Tesco because a large number of people c an watch the presentation for example electronic paying tills they can get information if the tills are not working or if there is any discounts or and new system introduced by the organisation. Another advantage of onscreen information is that a large number of people can access information from it to help them upgrade their knowledge in an organisation.The government has influenced a lot of businesses to keep up with health and safety at their workplace to ensure the wellbeing of their workers and customers. Tesco usually show health and safety videos on screen to their workers. The video covers issues like how to react in case of fire outbreak, how to use Tesco equipment like cages, flat tops etc. the idea behind this video is to educate the workers on how to stay positive in the work place.The video is shown onscreen to a large number of workers at a go making it easier to educate mass group of people in less time. Also the managers of Tesco do a monthly conference meeting with the Managing Director of the entire Tesco Company via the screen which really relieves the company the cost of arranging meetings because they can have a discussion with the manager without inviting him over. However the disadvantage of this type of communication is that people with disabilities like blind people won’t be able to communicate using this method.I made mentioned that Tesco’s cost is reduced because they can have a meeting with their Managing Director without inviting him over. However the disadvantage towards the onscreen meeting is that in case of technical failures like inability to connect equipment, the meeting will be affected or might not come on at all. In other words, the Managing Director can monopolize the decisions to be made under the meeting because it is not a face to face meeting to enhance free social interaction and influence of certain decisions under the meeting.Tesco self-service is onscreen which gives information to customers on bett er ways to pay for the items they have purchased in store without joining the long queues at the checkout however there is a disadvantage towards this form of communication because the information is written in English Language and customers who do not understand the language cannot follow the steps listed on the self-service machine. Multimedia Tesco fancy multimedia as it is able to help them target their target audience with their special offers . ultimedia can be television, audio, video, newspapers, billboards etc. for example billboards are good for communicating because they are situated in busy places. Tesco normally show their best selling items on their billboards to attract or inform passing drivers and other customers about their special offers in store. Besides, Tesco’s advertisement are mostly done on the television because most customers watch television at their work places, homes etc. so the advertisement can be seen by customers to know what is going on in t he business.To Tesco, multimedia is more appealing over traditional advertising methods. For example in the olden days, businesses use word of mouth as an effective advertising tool to tell customers about their businesses and the products or services. That was really time consuming and in other words targeted few audiences. Tesco by using multimedia like Television, Newspapers and Radio stations are able to inform the customers and the entire public about their recent or impending sales promotions. However competitive businesses in the retail sector such as ASDA, Sainsbury etc. ses multimedia in their operations hence it makes it difficult for customers to understand the positioning of Tesco’s products. Tesco incur a lot of costs by advertising through the media such as radio stations and television channels, besides advertising through the media to win the target audience attention requires strategic planning to make it effective. For example if Tesco is advertising a produ ct to target students on the television, they will have to have to do it in the evening as students are most of the time available in the evening.Another disadvantage of multimedia information is that it is not only expensive but also advertisement through some media formats has short life. For example, Tesco advert will only be current in a newspaper throughout a day or two and afterwards becomes history. This makes multimedia information less effective. Web based The internet is used to allow people to shop from home at any time on their computers using Tesco online. They simply connect to the internet and then send the order. Websites are used to store lots of information for customers, for example, latest CDs sold in Tesco.Wines, information on a baby and toddler club etc. Club-cards are a form of internal communication because Tesco stores every item that you have bought when your card is swiped; this means that they know what have been selling the most and the least in the sto re. Besides, the most obvious advantage of web based information is the potential for reaching a wider audience. The internet is used by literally millions of people; all of them are looking for something to buy. Tesco having a website enables them to operate over a wider area meaning they can now get in touch with their unreachable customers.With web based information customers can easily access information about Tesco. They can see what products or services they sell, their prices, location and much more. The advantage here is that whatever Tesco decides to tell customers, they can find it with a few clicks of a mouse. Frequent system breakdown makes Tesco web based information inaccessible for both customers and Tesco. Customers will be frustrated if they cannot access Tesco website or find it difficult to find other information and they will resort to other business website.This will really bring down Tesco’s reputation and sales as well. The security issue on Business we b can be a disadvantage because it can be vulnerable to hackers who can use deviant means to shop online or in other words use someone’s credit card to purchase stuff online which can create customers and business problems. Task 3 In this final task, I will be evaluating the appropriateness of business information used to make strategic decisions in Tesco. I will write this in relation to two functional areas in Tesco namely Finance Department and Marketing Department.Strategic decision is defined as the grand direction of the business. That is to say they are decisions which the business makes in relation to where they want to be in the future. The finance department of Tesco generates a variety of financial information that is helpful in decision making, including: Profit and Loss accounts providing details of whether Tesco is making efficient use of financial resources. Sales and purchases information setting out particular types of trading and accounts with particular cus tomers and suppliers. A budget serves as a plan for the future development of Tesco.Managers are able to monitor budgets in order to spot variances and make on going adjustments to plans. Financial statements such as the profit and loss account and the balance sheet provide information about past performance of Tesco. Finance department are able to compare the performance of the business in one accounting period to the other. For example, on the 25 of February, Tesco were able to compare their profit and total fixed assets through the information in the profit and loss account as well as the balance sheet of the business.In 2011, the annual turnover of Tesco was ? 60455. 0m and a profit of ? 2777. 0m the total fixed asset was 35167. 0. In 2012, the turnover is ? 64539. 0m and the profit is ? 2956. 0m. The total fixed asset is 379180. Tesco was able to track the business as successful through their balance and profit account because the turnover and total fixed assets in the year 201 2 is greater than that of 2011. This was brought to their notice through the information they recorded in their accounts.The finance department of Tesco can now make a basic forecast by following the trend of their turnover and profit/loss accounts to help them in the effective allocation of money. The balance sheet information helps Tesco’s strategic decision because the balance sheet summarizes Tesco’s assets, liabilities and shareholders’ equity at a specific point in time which can attract investors to invest in the business to increase the revenue of the business. Investors can analyse the performance of Tesco by looking at the balance sheet to see how much Tesco owes and owns.In contrast the information used by the finance department of Tesco in the profit and loss account and balance sheet can be manipulated and this makes the information not accurate or reliable for making financial judgements. Tesco as a PLC prepare financial statements for their extern al stakeholders, like creditors and shareholders, and for external auditors. Unfortunately, it is simple enough for the company to manipulate the statements. The management of Tesco may choose to overinflate profits to lure prospective shareholders into investing in the company.Also care must be taken when using financial documents such as profit and loss account. This is because the financial information is not current since it was prepared years back and Tesco cannot really rely on it to make decisions in terms of the success and failure of the company at present time. It is obvious that profit and loss as well as balance sheet of Tesco can be manipulated however it can be suggested that the profit and loss account really help Tesco to make strategic decisions such as investing in profitable ventures to boast the profit margin of the company.For example, The Tesco website, in which it has invested heavily in during recent years, saw profits leap by 21 per cent to ? 48 million, on the back of an almost equal percentage sales rise. Online grocery orders lifted by 10 per cent to ? 7. 5 million. The marketing department of Tesco on the other hand uses information from the Tesco club card to make decisions such as positioning of certain products. It has been able to use the Club card very effectively in addressing different customer segments and in attracting and retaining customers of all types.Club card is Tesco’s membership scheme which allows customers to save money on shopping by providing them price-off vouchers. Customers get a point on every pound they spend shopping at any stores of Tesco group of companies as well as at stores of their partner companies. Once a customer accumulates 150 points, these are then converted into Club card vouchers which enable the customer to save money on shopping. For getting a Tesco Club card customers have to register by filling in a form and sending it by post or they can also register online as well as over the p hone.Anytime customers shop at Tesco, their club card is swiped. This means that the Club card acts as a tool for Tesco’s marketing department for collecting useful marketing data related to the buying habits of individual customers. Once the marketing department have observed the buying habit of customers, they then apply the information in their marketing strategies. For example, if more customers in Barking purchase pet food, then the marketing department will send vouchers to these customers to enable them buy more to increase sales.Besides as part of secondary research conducted by Tesco, then company makes use of government statistics to find information about the external environment. For example government statistics shows the current state of the economy such as inflation, recession etc. Tesco knowing what is going on in the economy can then make vital decisions on their pricing and other ways to promote their brands. For example, if the economy is in recession, Tesc o will then embark on sales promotion to enable them sell more products to customers as well as reducing their prices to target more customers.Looking at the above advantage, it would be easy to draw a conclusion that government statistics are in fact very useful as a source of data for the marketing department of Tesco; however there are also important disadvantages to official statistics so care must be taken when using information from government statistics because they are not always produced in a useful form, making them harder for a Tesco to analyse and draw any trends and patterns from it.The information from the club card used by the Marketing department of Tesco can be described as unreliable because most customers have the view that the club card is a violation of rights and they do not comply. Besides, some customers who have registered for the club card do not even bring it along when they shop so it is sometimes difficult for the marketing department to make headway in determining which goods are selling and those which are not.My personal opinion is that the club card information on the Tesco database has actually helped Tesco to track the buying habits of 13 million British families. these buying habits has also in turn boasted Tesco’s relationship marketing as well as promoting customer loyalty in the business.