Avoiding Ice and Snow Damage to Trees

Avoiding Ice and Snow Damage to Trees Brittle tree species that retain dead, persistent winter leaves normally take the brunt of heavy icing after a winter storm. Knowing and managing your brittle trees and you can make it through a normal ice storm. Many of the elms, most true poplars (not yellow poplar), silver maples, birches, willows, and hackberry are tree species that simply cant handle the weight of the ice slurry coating their limbs, persistent leaves, and needles. They do well with the snows of the north but have problems in areas that have regular ice storms. Cold climate conifers like fir, spruce and hemlock can handle moderate icing. Southern yellow pines usually take a beating during major icing events that occur on the edge of their natural range. Brittle trees tend to be fast growers. Because of their desirable growth potential and the prospect of making quick shade, weak trees are sought out and planted by homeowners in late winter ice zones. Planting these trees will only exacerbate the problem of limb breakage during heavy icing. Fast-growing trees often develop weak, V-shaped crotches that easily split apart under the added weight of ice. Because these trees usually take some damage from storms throughout the year, internal rot, decay and included bark (some of which you cannot readily see) lead to weakened trunks and limbs (some callery pears). Multiple leader, upright evergreens, such as arborvitae and juniper, and multiple leader or clump trees, such as birch, are most subject to snow and ice damage. Smaller trees need to be wrapped and larger trees with wide-spreading leaders should be cabled in ice-prone areas. Here are things you can do in the yard or landscape to prevent ice damage: Plant Only Strong Trees in Your Landscape Certain trees are popular year in and year out for a reason - they show well and live well. Prefer these trees but eliminate those I have mentioned that door poorly in ice-prone regions.   Brittle Species Should Not Be Planted These species will not do well on sites where heavy ice and snow is a problem. Brittle species include elm, willow, box-elder, hackberry, true poplar and silver maple. Avoid Planting Species With Persistent Leaves Species  that hold their persistent leaves into late fall and early winter where early ice storms are common isnt a great idea. These trees are quickly damaged and removed where the ice storm is common. Wrap Small Multi-Leader Trees So you have a valuable, small specimen you want to preserve. If ice is predicted, secure the tree with strips of carpet, strong cloth or nylon stockings two-thirds of the way above the weak crotches. Always remove any wrapping during spring to avoid binding new growth and girdling limbs and trunk. Begin an Annual Pruning Program When Trees Are Young There is not much you can do with a weak crotch so use tip 4. Prune dead or weakened limbs and excessive branches from trunk and crowns. This reduces ice weight that can rapidly destroy the trees form. Hire a Professional Arborist The expense is worth it for particularly valuable susceptible or wide-spreading large trees. An arborist can strengthen a tree by installing cabling or bracing on weak limbs and split crotches. Favor Conical Formed Trees Trees like conifers, sweetgum or yellow poplar will be robust additions to your landscape. Species with less branch surface area, such as black walnut, sweetgum, ginkgo, Kentucky coffeetree, white oak, and northern red oak are preferred.

The Debate Over the Clearcutting Method

The Debate Over the Clearcutting Method Clearcutting is a method of harvesting and regenerating trees in which all trees are cleared from a site and a new, even-aged stand of timber is grown. Clearcutting is only one of several methods of timber management and harvest on both private and public forests. However, this single method of harvesting trees has always been controversial but even more so since mid-1960s environmental awareness. Many conservation and citizen groups object to clearcutting on any forest, citing soil and water degradation, unsightly landscapes, and other damages. The wood products industry and mainstream forestry professionals defend clearcutting as an efficient and successful silvicultural system but only used under certain conditions where non-timber issues are not degraded. The choice of clearcutting by forest owners is much dependent upon their objectives. If that objective is for maximum timber production, clearcutting can be financially efficient with lower costs for timber harvesting than other tree harvesting systems. Clearcutting has also proven successful for regenerating stands of certain tree species without damaging the ecosystem. Current Status The Society of American Foresters, an organization that represents mainstream forestry, promotes clearcutting as a method of regenerating an even-aged stand in which a new age class develops in a fully-exposed microclimate after removal, in a single cutting, of all trees in the previous stand. There is some debate about the minimum area that constitutes a clearcut, but typically, areas smaller than 5 acres would be considered patch cuts. Larger cleared forests more easily fall into the classic, forestry defined as clear-cut. Removing trees and forests to convert land to non-forest urban development and rural agriculture would not be considered clearcutting. This is called land conversion - converting the use of land from forest to another type of use. What's All the Fuss About? Clearcutting is not a universally accepted practice. Opponents of the practice of cutting every tree within a specific area contend it degrades the environment. Forestry professionals and resource managers argue that the practice is sound if used properly. In a report written for a major private forest owner publication, three extension specialists, one forestry professor, one assistant dean of a major college of forestry and a state forest health specialist agree that clearcutting is a necessary silvicultural practice. According to the article, a complete clearcut usually creates the best conditions for regenerating stands under certain conditions and should be used when those conditions occur. Check out these clearcut myths and facts developed by the Virginia Department of Forestry (pdf). This is opposed to a commercial clearcut where all trees of marketable species, size, and quality are cut. This process does not take into account any of the concerns addressed by forest ecosystem management. Aesthetics, water quality, and forest diversity  are the main sources of public objection to clearcutting. Unfortunately,  an often disinterested public and casual viewers of forestry activities have overwhelmingly decided that clearcutting is not an acceptable social practice simply by looking at the practice from their car windows. Negative terms like deforestation, plantation forestry, environmental degradation and excess and exploitation are closely associated with clearcutting. I have written a history of how forest ecosystems are now treated by natural resource professionals to include most foresters. Clearcutting in national forests can now only be done if it is used to further the improvement of ecological objectives to include wildlife habitat improvement or to preserve forest health but not for specific economic gain. Pros Proponents of clearcutting suggest that it is a sound practice if the right conditions are met and correct harvest methods used. Here are conditions that can include clearcutting as a harvest tool: When regenerating tree species that need full sunlight to stimulate seed sprouting and seedling growth.When dealing with sparse or exposed or shallow-rooted trees that are in danger of being damaged by  wind.When trying to produce an even-aged stand.When regenerating stands of tree species that are dependent on wind blown seed, root suckers or cones that need fire to drop seed.When faced with salvaging over-mature stands and/or stands killed by insects, disease or fire.When converting to another tree species by planting or seeding.To provide habitat for wildlife species that require edge, new ground and high-density, even-aged stands. Cons Opponents of clearcutting suggest that it is a destructive practice and should never be done. Here are their reasons, although not  every one of these can be supported by current scientific data: A clearcut increases soil erosion, water degradation and increased  silting  in creeks, rivers, and reservoirs.Old growth forests, which have been systematically clearcut, are healthy ecosystems which have evolved over centuries to be more resistant to insects and disease.Clearcutting inhibits sustainability of healthy and holistic forest ecosystems.Aesthetics and quality forest views are compromised by clearcutting.Deforestation and the resulting removal of  tree  from clearcutting  leads  to a plantation forestry mentality and results in environmental degradation.

Long Term Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Long Term Investment - Essay Example But for this expansion the selected company has to make some capital budgeting decisions. Merger is not an easy to do activity and involves incorporation of two big organizations. A company could decide for merge because of many reasons, like provide capacity utilization, to gain economies of scale, to gain access to new suppliers, distributors, customers, products etc. although merger is not always helpful to the society (Kaplan, 2006). Merger sometimes reduces competition and the most cited fact known by all is that consumers are always hard to attract in competitive environment (Saari, 2007). Mergers can often result in a great number of social benefits. They also can produce economies that can reduce cost, improve quality, and increase output. 1. Explain why government regulation is or is not needed, citing the major reasons for government involvement in a market economy. Provide support for your explanation. The Samsung Company is trying to expand and gain dominance, but there a re certain regulations that the company has to follow so as to ensure zero breach of law against the regulations settled by the government. The rules and regulations set by the government for merger policy are strict enough to ensure that the merger proves beneficial for the society. The regulations are set by the government on the basis that the merging companies eliminate the competition between them (Saari, 2007). Merger can be for the competitive reasons or for an attempt by the large firms to create enough activity and exercise higher power in the industry (Chatterji & Kuenzi, 2001). To determine the industry sensitivity government actually encourages mergers. The role of government in market economy is very important. The current economic situation did not come out thin air, rather, it is because of the growth of incorrect policies and most of the time because of lack of effective policies by the main entities that mainly empower manages of the economy. If the government fails to perform its functions than negative consequences might be expected. Major reasons for government involvement in a market economy: The following are some of the major reasons for government involvement in a market economy system. Provide economy with legal structure: This is one of the most important functions a government needs practice. In order to perform this function, the government needs to furnish economy with regulations, legislation and mean that ensure product quality. Maintaining competition: Government involvement is another important requirement in order to maintain competition. Government needs to fight monopoly power and non-competitive behavior. Thus anti-monopoly laws are designed to regulate business behavior and promote completion. Redistribution of income: The government needs to design relief programs for poor, handicapped and unemployed lot. This could be a good support for poor people and this program can help in transferring income from high income groups to these limited income people. Stipulation of public goods: When all the market fails to promote the basis and the needed goods the government fills in the space. Promoting growth and stability: The government should promote macroeconomic growth and stability through changes in fiscal and monetary policies. 2. Justify the rationale for the intervention of government in the market process in the U.S.

Customer Integration and Satisfaction Forum 5 TLMT 441 Assignment

Customer Integration and Satisfaction Forum 5 TLMT 441 - Assignment Example During the September 1 attack on the U.S, the terrorists hijacked a passenger carrier airplane sending worrying signals to customers regarding their safety. Customer’s reaction in relation to the safety concern is evident in all motor carriers within the U.S. In examining whether strategic change is essential for the long-term benefits of an organization, the study: To change or not to change, takes a close examination on customer’s feelings regarding all motor carriers’ firms’ response after the September 11 incident (Atwater et al, 2011). The data gathered indicates a huge disruption and downturns following the terrorist attack. For example, the normal operations in the motor carriers firms declined by more than half. Although, some carriers changed their strategies after the attacks, performance was still not impressing. All the carriers performed awful following the attacks as customers grew fear irrespective of any security measures the firms included (Atwater et al, 2011). As a matter of fact, a declined performance was achieved by firs that opted change their strategies as opposed to those that stuck with earlier strategies. In conclusion, adopting strategic measures after a strategic surprise is not a guarantee of developing customer satisfaction (Kotler, 2010). As evidenced through the change of strategy by the carrier firms that changed their strategy following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Other than adopting strategic changes, the study finds out that customer satisfaction and integration is a continuous

Biography of William Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

Biography of William Shakespeare Essay William Shakespeare was baptized on April 26, 1564, in Stratford-in Avon, England. From the year 1594 onward he was an important member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men members of theatrical players. Written records give little information of the way in which Shakespeare’s professional life was his artistry. All that can be said is that over the course of 20 years, Shakespeare wrote plays that intensify the range of human emotion and conflict. Even though birth records dont exist, church records were found that a William Shakespeare was baptized at Holy Trinity Church on April 26, 1564. From this, it is believed he was born on April 23, 1564, and this is the date known as William Shakespeares birthday. William was the third child of John Shakespeare, a leather merchant and Mary Arden. William had two older sisters Joan and Judith, and three younger brothers, Gilbert, Richard and Edmund. Before Williams birth, his father became a successful merchant and held official positions as alderman, an office resembling a mayor. there is no record of Shakespeare attending schools, students have written that he most likely attended the Kings New School in Stratford, which taught reading, writing and the classics. Being a public officials child, he could have had free tuition if he wanted too ,. But misbelieve regarding his education has led some to raise questions about the authorship of his work and even to wonder if he even was real or a made up character of a great writer whom just made up the name to hide behind the name and keep people wondering . William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway on November 28, 1582, in Worcester. William was 18 and Anne was 26 she got pregnant of Their first a girl they named Susanna, was born on May 26, 1583. Two years later, on February 2, 1585, twins Hamlet and Judith were born,. Hamlet later died of unknown causes at age 11. By 1592, there is evidence William Shakespeare earned a living as an actor and a playwright in London . In the September 20, 1592 edition of the Stationers Register there is an article by London playwright Robert Greene that takes a few jabs at William Shakespeare: there [William Shakespeare] is an upstart Crow, beautified with our feathers that with his tigers heart wrapped in a Players hide, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you and being an absolute Johannes factotum, is in his own conceit the only Shake-scene . Students differ on the interpretation of this criticism, but most agree that it was Greenes way of saying Shakespeare was reaching above his rank, trying to match better known and educated playwrights like Christopher Marlowe . Thomas Nash or Greene himself. In the 1590s, documents show William Shakespeare was a managing partner in the Lord Chamberlains Men, a acting company in London. After the crowning of King James the 1 in 1603, the company changed its name to the Kings Men. the Kings Men company was very popular, and records show that Shakespeare had works published and sold as popular literature. The theater culture in 16th-century in England he was not highly admired by people of high rank. However, many of the nobility were good patrons of the performing arts and friends of the actors. Early in his career, Shakespeare was able to attract the attention of Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton, to who he dedicated his first published poems Venus and Adonis (1593) and The Rape of Lucrece (1594). It was a four-day ride by horse from Stratford to London, so it is believed that Shakespeare spent most of his time in the city writing and acting and came home once a year during the 40-day Lenten period, when the theaters were closed. By 1599, William Shakespeare and his business partners built their own theater on the south bank of the Thames River, which they called the globe . Shakespeare was very innovative, adapting the traditional style to his own purposes and creating a freer flow of words. With only small degrees of variation, Shakespeare usually used a metrical pattern consisting of lines of unrhymed words , or blank verse, to compose his plays. At the same time, there are passages in all the plays that come from this and use forms of poetry or simple phrase . With the exception of Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeares first plays were mostly histories written in the early 1590s. Richard II and parts 1, 2 and 3 and Henry v dramatize the destructive results of weak or corrupt rulers and have been interpreted by drama historians . Shakespeare also wrote several comedies during his early period: the witty romance A and Much Ado About Nothing, the charming As You Like It, and Twelfth Night. Other plays, possibly written before 1600, were Titus Andronicus, The Comedy of Errors The Taming of the Shrew and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. DEATH Tradition has it that William Shakespeare died on his birthday, April 23, 1616, though many students believe this is a myth. Church records show he was interred at Trinity Church on April 5, 1616. In his will, he left the bulk of his possessions to his eldest daughter, Susanna. Though entitled to a third of his estate, little seems to have gone to his wife, Anne, whom he didnt seem to care much for This has drawn speculation that she had fallen out of favor, or that the couple was not close.

Methods For Studying Cells In The Lab :: essays research papers

Methods for studying cells in the lab Centrifugation A centrifuge is a device for separating particles from a solution according to their size, shape, density, viscosity of the medium and rotor speed. Centrifugation can be used to separate cells from one culture or to isolate an organelle from the rest of the cell. The process relies on speed; the faster and longer the particle is centrifuged, the smaller the particles are that will be separated. Separation occurs by causing the larger particles to separate to the bottom as a particle or pellet, and the smaller will remain suspended in the liquid, or supernatant. Due to smaller particles separating out first, centrifugation is often done in small steps so that the supernatant takes off all larger unwanted cells first. The basic process of centrifugation: 1) The tissue must be homogenized to allow it to separate. 2) A salt solution is added to the sample and together they are placed in the centrifuge. 3) The centrifuge is run once for every group of cellular bodies that need to be separated and the pellet is removed. 4) This supernatant is removed after each centrifuge until the time and speed that you need to remove your specific product is obtained. The last centrifuge done will remove specific products that are wanted specifically. The speed determines this, and all of the lager products must be centrifuged out first. The pellet contains what the researcher wants to study, and contains progressively smaller particles as it is separated out. The supernatant becomes progressively clearer until virtually all of the particles are removed. Density Centrifugation Although simple centrifugation removes most cell particles separately, at certain speeds particles with similar densities and particle size will all be removed at once. A different method is needed to remove these. Density centrifugation removes particles according to their density rather than their approximate size. Density centrifugation is much like normal centrifugation other than the re-suspended pellet is placed in a test tube containing at least 10 layers of glucose.

Development of a Multinational Personnel Selection System Essay

1. Based on your reading of the textbook chapter what strengths and what shortcomings do you see in the newly developed multinational personnel selection system? The newly developed multinational personnel selection system seems to be okay at first glance. It is great that the system is two-tiered, with the first tier consisting of three modules: viewing the applicants’ resume, an unstructured phone interview with the applicants, and three references from former employees. These three modules from the first tier are mostly related to background research of the applicant. Through the application documentations of the candidates, it is possible to screen out candidates with obvious mismatches related to the job and also screen through some important aspects like past experience and related skills. Next, by doing a phone interview, interviewers would be able to figure out some basic characteristics and impressions about the applicant. The last procedure of the first tier, references, will be very important because it would be to best source of information about the applicant. As stated in the textbook, references can provide â€Å"(1) education and employment history, (2) character and interpersonal competence, (3) ability to perform the job, and (4) the willingness of the past or current employer to rehire the applicant.† The second of the selection process consists of a panel interview, a biography oriented in-depth interview, a simulated group exercise, and a test. These modules will allow the interviewees to figure out competencies of the applicants and the validity of those skills and also some in-depth information. The in-depth biography oriented interview will most likely provide valid data about the candidates. The testing procedures will the test the candidate for â€Å"general intelligence† and the â€Å"big five.† Overall, the new procedure seems like it is able to take in to account most of the information that is mentioned in the textbook. However, there still are some blind spots to be used on a global level. To start with, the reference procedure may cause some unexpected problems. The staff members assumed that getting references from former employers and colleges would let them screen out cheaters and imposters. This may be true in western culture, however, considering Asian culture this may not be the case. As generally accepted, Asians tend to try to be in harmony with others and care a lot about what others will think about them. If this is true, there is possibility that the former employees will leave out negative remarks in the recommendation due to these reasons, especially if the applicants are able to see the references. Next, although the biography-oriented in-depth interview will provide much important data about the applicant, the interview should be oriented towards job requirements. If it is too general, the information will become more of a general explanation or impression of the applicant and may not be able to provide valid data. This way it will also be possible to reduce the chance of faking. Third of all, the simulated group interview seems to be insufficient. It is stated in the article that the candidate will have a group discussion with three other role-players. Although this may let the observers evaluate certain aspects, I believe that having role-players may diminish the applicant’s potential. Let’s say that the interviewee is good at brainstorming or developing new ideas. He/she may not be able to fully show his/her potential due to the fact that the other members in the group are just playing their role; they will not be convinced by the new ideas or provide improvements to raw ideas. This may not let the observers know the full potential of the interviewee’s abilities. Therefore I think that a leaderless group interview would be better in order to evaluate the candidate. Last, and most importantly, there is no mention about how the procedures will be adapted and implemented in different countries. Considering that this was a new procedure for a multinational personnel selection system, it seems like the staff has left out the most important part. Without any adaptation among different cultures, the new procedure would not be that different compared to any other local hiring procedure. To conclude, the new multinational personnel selection system seems to cover most of the important aspects that are mentioned in the textbook and the procedures seem mostly valid. However, unless there is a adaptation system that may work globally, the new system does not seem so ‘new’ compared to other hiring procedures. 2. If you were asked to consult with the project team, what would you recommend to them? The most important recommendation would be that the members should consider some cultural differences while in discussion. Throughout the meeting the staff members show typical characteristics of Asians and westerns. The Chinese employees have a hard time standing up to others and feel embarrassed when opposed. On the other hand the members from overseas, especially Mueller, show typical western character. They are strong in their opinion and openly disprove of others opinions if they think it is wrong. Even the leader of the team, Koch, seems to be part of this situation. In fact, he is irritated by the Chinese employees behavior and does not understand how serious it is. Under these kinds of circumstances it seems impossible to have a productive meeting. What the team should do first is try to understand and consider each other’s culture. This would be the first step to properly come up with system for multinational hiring. How would they make be able to make a system that considers different cultures if they don’t even understand their own team members? The next recommendation would be that the members should listen and respect what the others are saying. While reading through the article, it seemed like most of the members were just trying to appeal that their ideas are the best. Everyone opposed each other’s idea and backed their own suggestions. It was an endless stream of interruption. Unless they learn to listen and respect others’ opinions, the meeting would never be productive. Another recommendation would be to Koch. I would like to tell him to be in control of the situation. It is the leader’s role in a meeting the control the members. If Koch had been more involved in the meeting and was able to control the situation, the meeting would not have lasted that long. It would also have been more productive as there would not have been lengthy arguments. I believe that the leader’s role is very crucial in this kind of situation. He/she should be in charge of the meeting and not let it stray from its topic. The previous recommendations were related to the meeting. Now I would like to make recommendations about the new system. Although a new system that may be used globally sounds very tempting, it sounds almost impossible to make. The cultures of different countries are very diverse and some are extremely different from others. I would recommend making 2~3 systems for Asian and Western regions with similar cultures. This would be more efficient rather then trying to make one system that can be applied to everyone.

Nike Marketing Essay

Introduction Former University of Oregon track coach and co-founder of Nike Bill Bowerman once said: â€Å"If you have a body, you are an athlete!† (Nike Inc., n.d.) It is this way of thinking that describes the root of Nike’s approach to marketing. Every person is a potential athlete or â€Å"consumer†. This is a common thinking in the realm of athletics but when Bill Bowerman said this, it was in direct reference to the shoe industry. From their marketing strategies to their selling philosophies, Nike has developed one of the most recognizable and demanded names and logo ever. Nike, which is the name of the Greek Goddess of Victory, was born in 1972 when Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS) launched its first branded shoe at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials. A former University of Oregon track team member Phil Knight created Blue Ribbon Sports. At Oregon, Knight was coached by the legendary Bill Bowerman and then went on to become alumnus of the Stanford School of Business. BRS was crafted in 1962 when Knight made a deal with Onitsuka Tiger Company, a Japanese shoe company, to import their shoes to the United States. Knight had the idea to sell a low cost shoe with a very high quality, with high aspirations of taking Adidas out of the top spot in the athletic shoe market. In 1964, Bill Bowerman decided to join Knight as a partner at BRS to create a joint quest to be number one. Bowerman redesigned the Tiger shoes while Knight acted as the accountant/personal seller and the two went on the road to sell their newly crafted sneakers at track meets and local shoe stores. By 1966, Blue Ribbon Sports opened its first store in Oregon, which is where Nike is still currently headquartered. Knight and Bowerman managed the store with the only one employee, Jeff Johnson. By 1972 BRS was able to subcontract its own shoe line and began selling Nike Brand shoes. Over the next decade Nike expanded almost double its size each year from the previous year. BRS officially became Nike in 1978 and opened manufacturing plants all over the U.S. Nike was a household name for most athletes by early 1980’s. Today, Nike is the world’s leading designer, maker and distributor of athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a series activities, as well as sports-inspired civic shoes. The company’s target market is in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, with its headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Nike employs around 38,000 people to produce footwear for running, training, basketball and  soccer use. The company also sells tennis, golf, baseball, football, bicycling, volleyball, wrestling, cheerleading, aquatic activities, hiking, outdoor activities and other athletic shoes. The company provides these products for men, women and children. As the leading global footwear brand, Nike reported revenues of $7.0 billion for first quarter, 2014. Identification of Target Market(s) In its beginning Nike’s focus was primarily on track and field, and for the most part track athletes were their target market. One of the first individuals to endorse a Nike product was a man who exemplified their style and way of conducting business, Steve Prefontaine. Prefontaine was a household name in the late seventies and has gone down in history as one of the best American track and field athletes ever. Prefontaine was a friend of Knight and had been coached by Bowerman at the University of Oregon. Prefontaine embodied what Nike wanted as its differential advantage of other companies, due to his brash attitude, high talent level, and cavalier mentality. This is why Steve Prefontaine and Nike were a tremendous tandem in the early years of Nike’s existence. Athletes are still currently the majority consumers of Nike’s products. This is because of the usefulness that goes along with the items. Nike focuses on these consumers by means of agreements with sports team, college sponsorships, and endorsement with individual athletes. Through this, Nike is able to reach an extensive number of consumers and clients who are likely to purchase their products. Nike pays particular focus on the athlete more than other individual consumers. However, a secondary market came to light in the 1980s. During the period from 1985-1987, Nike dropped back down to number two in the running of the shoe market. Sales had dropped off because the running boom of the late 70’s and 80’s had begun to diminish, the NBA was becoming increasingly marketable, and consumers tended to wear their court shoes on the street. (Katz, 1993) Nike began to notice an entire market that the company had been avoiding, everyday athletic activities. These activities were things done by everyday people and not just the serious athlete. Fortunately for Nike, in 1985 their star was brought to light by a rookie basketball player with amazing talent and a nice smile, his name is Michael Jordan. Jordan came to Nike at a time when the marketability of the NBA was increasing. NBA games  were being nationally televised during prime time television hours and weekends. This gave Nike the perfect platform to develop and market their new star and the products that he endorsed. During the first few years Nike introduced Jordan to the public and Jordan familiarized himself with the American public. Nike ran a series of ads with Jordan and film director Spike Lee. These ads were aired during prime time television hours and were solely targeted for pre-teen school students. These ads displayed an expressed message to â€Å"Stay in School.† The ads presented kids with a national figure that was selling both school and Nike’s products, how could parents deny their children the shoes of such a virtuous spokesman? Jordan was a figure that children adored, looked up to and tried to the best of their ability to copy. Nike used this to display a positive image for their company and to sell their products. Consumer Decision Making Process â€Å"Consumers believe that the firm makes better shoes. Whether or not that is true, Nike has been a magician as a marketer.† (McIntyre, 2011) When a consumer purchases a product, usually there is a five step process in making a decision. The steps are need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase, and post purchase behavior. (Perreau, 2013) Nike tries to make this decision process easier with their advertisements. For example, the Nike fuel band is one of Nike’s newest products and people didn’t know much about it when it came out so Nike used an ad that caught ones attention, but that’s not all. Nike’s commercial explained what this product is in great detail. Just by watching the commercial, Nike completed the first three steps for you, making your life a bit easier. In many cases consumers skip steps one through three and buy products on impulse, as Nike would put, they â€Å"just do it†, but in this case Nike does the â€Å"leg† work for you. This is an example of the magic in Nike marketing. However, it’s obvious that Nike hasn’t actually used a wand on its customers and there is no proof which can measure that a Nike pair of shoes is better than an Adidas pair of shoes or another brand, so it must be magic, right? The answer is â€Å"No†, it’s the brand image and product position that is the driving force being Nike sales. The two concepts are why we buy Nike rather than another brand. Brand image refers to the schematic memory of a brand. (Hawkins, 2012, p. 335) Simply, it is what people think of and feel when  they hear or see a brand name and is the set of associations consumers have learned about a brand. (Hawkins, 2012, p. 335) Product positioning is a decision by a marketer to try to achieve a defined brand image relative to competition within a market segment. (Hawkins, 2012, p. 335) Lastly, the ability to benefit from a brand image is called brand equity. (Hawkins, 2012, p. 335) According to Aaker (2013) â€Å"brand equity has four dimensions – brand loyalty, brand awareness, brand associations, and perceived quality, each providing value to a firm in numerous ways.† The core of building the equity for Nike is brand association. Nike associates its brand with famous athletic celebrities that exemplify the personality of the brand; they are achievers, winners, determined, accomplishment oriented, and nontraditional. The most famous example for brand association ever was the collaboration between Nike and Jordan. This association personified Nike as a superior top performing brand. The depth of this personification became permanent, even after Jordan was no longer there. Also, Nike associates with top sport events by sponsoring many major league sports, including the National Basketball Association. Through its brand association, Nike increased its brand awareness. Nike communicated its celebrity associations through TV ads, which increased their sales dramatically. In addition, one of the most important sources of Nike brand equity is the high perceived quality. Although, in today’s market, most of Nike’s consumers are the public that use their shoes just for walking, Nike is committed to design their shoes according to the high standards of professional competition. Seeing a winning athlete wearing a Nike shoe in a professional competition authenticated the quality perception in the minds of the customers. Lastly, Nike has a good relationship with its customer, which creates s ome sort of brand loyalty. Recommendations Nike’s ideals and goals remain the same as those of the days of Steve Prefontaine and Bill Bowerman. Nike’s Phil Knight is not slowing down as he continually signs new colleges on as Nike endorsed schools, even purchasing a portion of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. Nike has reached a point where they can count on the Nike name promoting itself, and yet they continue to produce innovative ideas. These ideas have been productive and entertaining promotional tools. In the case of Nike, it should continue to market itself  towards people of all ages who wish to be active and still comfortable. This marketing strategy has been particularly successful as its capability to reach many athletes, and according to Nike that is anyone with a body. Nike focuses on the consumers who embrace product understanding and closeness, which allows the company to set a higher cost than its competitors. This is a marketing strategy of Nike which calls for superior pricing points in order to push the supposed value of the product. This strategy has also proven successful for the company. Lastly, the more reliable the distribution of the product is improves the sales and results in more profits. Product delivery at the required time to the consumer not only affects usefulness it also results in a high level of customer’s satisfaction as well as loyalty. It goes without saying that Nike’s customers are satisfied and loyal. References Aaker, D. (2013, September 13). What Is Brand Equity and Why is it Valuable? | Aaker on Brands | Prophet. Retrieved from http://www.prophet.com/blog/aakeronbrands/156-what-is-brand-equity-and-why-is-it-valuable Hawkins, D. (2012). Mp Consumer Behavior With Ddb Data Disk (12th ed.). Irwin Professional Pub. Katz, D. (1993, August 16). Triumph of the Swoosh. Sports Illustrated, 53-73. McIntyre, D. A. (2011, March 18). Nike’s Brand Strength: A Round Of Prices Increases – MarketWatch. Retrieved from http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nikes-brand-strength-a-round-of-prices-increases-2011-03-18 Nike Inc. (n.d.). NIKE, Inc. – About NIKE, Inc. Retrieved from http://nikeinc.com/pages/about-nike-inc Nike Inc. (n.d.). NIKE, Inc. – History & Heritage. Retrieved from http://nikeinc.com/pages/history-heritage Perreau, F. (2013, October 25). The 5 stages of Consumer Buying Decision Process. Retrieved from http://theconsumerfactor.com/en/5-stages-consumer-buying-decision-pro cess/

Free Essays on Breast Cancer

In this essay I will be discussing a very serious issue that affects thousands of women each year; breast cancer. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death of women between the ages of 40 and 49 in North America. This paper will go on to talk about the facts of the disease and who is at risk, prevention, detection and treatments. Although there is no known cure for breast cancer, knowledge of the disease is sure to save many lives. For many women, breasts are a very visible symbol of femininity, â€Å" a focal point of sexuality or fashion as well as a proud source of nurturing new life. For others, the breast is a body part shrouded by custom and religious taboos†. Breasts are made up of several kinds of cells: adipose (fatty tissue), stroma (connective tissue), and the epithelium that forms milk-producing glands. Breast size depends on heredity and body weight. A common misconception is that the larger the breast the greater the risk for breast cancer. VERY UNTRUE. There is not just one contributing factor to the existence of breast cancer. There are numerous causes and by studying these factors we can see who is at high risk. Women between the ages of 25-29 who have used or are using oral contraceptives are 16% more likely to develop breast cancer. As a woman’s age increases so does her risk. For example an 80 year old woman has a 1 in 10 chance of getting breast cancer, while a 25 year old woman has a 1 in 19,608 chance of getting the disease. Only 5-10% of women who develop breast cancer has a family history of the disease. The delivery of a child before the age of 20 causes hormonal changes in the breast tissue which provides modest protection against breast cancer. Delaying the first child until after the age of 30 or not having any children at all increases the risk of breast cancer 2 to 4 times. It could be said that having children might save your life as it has also been proven that breast-feeding... Free Essays on Breast Cancer Free Essays on Breast Cancer Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, it accounts for one of every three diagnoses in the United States. Breast cancers are malignancies, life threatening tumors that develops in one or both breasts. A female breast consists of fatty and fibrous connective tissues. The interior of the breast is divided into about twenty different sections called lobes. Each of the lobes is further divided in to lobules, which are structures that contain small milk-producing glands. These glands place the milk into tiny ducts. These ducts take the milk through out the breast and store in a chamber located below the nipple. Breast cancer can either be invasive (spreading) or noninvasive (non-spreading). An invasive cancer penetrates the wall of a duct. This type of cancer is the most common, constituting about seventy percent of all cases. Infiltrating lobular cancer that spreads through a wall of a lobule accounts for about eight percent of all breast cancer. This type is likely to appear in both of the breast, often in seven separate locations. The cause of breast cancer is unknown but researchers are suggesting that estrogen, a hormone produced by the ovaries, may be involved. Studies suggest that the longer a women is exposed to the hormone (i.e. If she starts to menstruate before the age of twelve or if she went through menopause after the age of fifty-five and/or had children after the age of thirty) are at a greater risk. Recently two breast cancer susceptibility genes have been identified. The first one is BRCA1 (a flaw in this gene is common to those who have breast cancer) and the second is BRCA2 (a defect in this gene is associated with breast cancer alone). People who have a mutated BRCA1 gene have an eighty-six percent risk of developing breast cancer by the age of seventy. Women are one hundred times more likely to get breast cancer than men. More than eighty percent of breast cancer occur in women over the ag... Free Essays on Breast Cancer In this essay I will be discussing a very serious issue that affects thousands of women each year; breast cancer. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death of women between the ages of 40 and 49 in North America. This paper will go on to talk about the facts of the disease and who is at risk, prevention, detection and treatments. Although there is no known cure for breast cancer, knowledge of the disease is sure to save many lives. For many women, breasts are a very visible symbol of femininity, â€Å" a focal point of sexuality or fashion as well as a proud source of nurturing new life. For others, the breast is a body part shrouded by custom and religious taboos†. Breasts are made up of several kinds of cells: adipose (fatty tissue), stroma (connective tissue), and the epithelium that forms milk-producing glands. Breast size depends on heredity and body weight. A common misconception is that the larger the breast the greater the risk for breast cancer. VERY UNTRUE. There is not just one contributing factor to the existence of breast cancer. There are numerous causes and by studying these factors we can see who is at high risk. Women between the ages of 25-29 who have used or are using oral contraceptives are 16% more likely to develop breast cancer. As a woman’s age increases so does her risk. For example an 80 year old woman has a 1 in 10 chance of getting breast cancer, while a 25 year old woman has a 1 in 19,608 chance of getting the disease. Only 5-10% of women who develop breast cancer has a family history of the disease. The delivery of a child before the age of 20 causes hormonal changes in the breast tissue which provides modest protection against breast cancer. Delaying the first child until after the age of 30 or not having any children at all increases the risk of breast cancer 2 to 4 times. It could be said that having children might save your life as it has also been proven that breast-feeding...

5 Common Errors in Punctuating Appositives

5 Common Errors in Punctuating Appositives 5 Common Errors in Punctuating Appositives 5 Common Errors in Punctuating Appositives By Mark Nichol An appositive is a word or phrase that refers to the same idea as another word or phrase in proximity. The phrase â€Å"my friend John† contains two appositives, because â€Å"my friend† and â€Å"John† are two ways of identifying that person I know well. For many writers, how to punctuate appositives is problematic. Here are some erroneous uses of punctuation with appositives: 1. â€Å"My sister Jane is a pain.† Whether this sentence is correct or not, actually, depends on specific knowledge: Does the writer have more than one sister? If so, the sentence is correct. If not, this sister’s name should be set off by commas, and a clarifying modifier like older (unless there are two or more sisters of greater age) preceding her name would be helpful. If you’re editing such a sentence, and you don’t have details, it’s best to omit commas. (Traditionally, father or mother would imply that the person in question is in a class all by himself or herself, necessitating commas, but it’s possible to have more than one of each.) 2. â€Å"This year’s spotlights include a tribute to Asian American film legend, Anna May Wong.† If the sentence referred restrictively to â€Å"the first Asian American movie star, Anna May Wong† (she is the only person in the class â€Å"first Asian American movie star†), the comma would be correct. But the adjectival phrase â€Å"Asian American film legend† is merely what is called a temporary epithet; it could refer to other people as well. The error perhaps derives from confusion with the correct construction â€Å"Anna May Wong, the Asian American film legend.† But as is, the sentence should have no comma. 3. â€Å"The typical manufacturing worker earned $44,680 last year, according to the New York-based research firm, Towers Perrin.† This error mirrors that in the preceding example; it can afflict references to inanimate entities as well as descriptions of people. The comma preceding the firm’s name erroneously implies that only one New York-based research firm exists, and it is therefore erroneous (unless there was a previous reference, not by name, to the specific company). 4. â€Å"The crowd was being seated for the performance artist’s newest show Say No More.† The opposite problem is on display here. The phrase â€Å"newest show† restricts the show title; only one show by the performance artist can be his or her newest, so a restrictive comma after show is necessary. The phrase â€Å"the performance artist’s show Say No More,† however, includes no qualifiers and therefore requires no comma. 5. â€Å"I read the book, The Chicago Manual of Style, from cover to cover in one sitting.† In trumpeting this masochistic achievement, the writer is suggesting that the volume in question is the only one in existence; it is â€Å"the book.† But bibliophiles have other options, so the writer should respect that fortunate fact by omitting both commas from this sentence. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them)Latin Plural Endings5 Examples of Misplaced Modifiers

The Historical Extension of the Federal Government's Power Over the Research Paper

The Historical Extension of the Federal Government's Power Over the States - Research Paper Example It attained this by prohibiting the states from infringing upon the rights and protection of the American populace. It also prevents the state from arbitral denial of the right to life and property without the due course of the decrees, and affords every individual within the jurisdiction of the state equal protection of the law. Over the years, the Supreme Court and the federal courts have adopted different interpretations of the fourteenth amendment. It is this reinterpretation, of the amendment, that has gradually changed the law of on the fourteenth amendment. This reinterpretation was reflected in various case laws that have been decided over the years. Barron v. Baltimore, 32 U.S. 243 (1833) This was the first judicial interpretation on whether the Bill of rights could limit sate powers. In this case, Baron had argued that the Constitution limited powers of both the state and federal governments, and proceeded to give the limitations on state power specified under Article 1 Sec tion 5 (Phelan, 2008). Marshal J, in a dissenting opinion, held that the Bill of Rights in any way did not limit state power, and if it was intended to limit sate power, it could have expressly stated so (Phelan, 2008). In his judgment, Marshal J applied the law as it was as opposed to what it ought to have been. He directly and strictly interpreted the fourteenth amendment to hold that it did not apply in limiting state power, but rather acted only to limit the power of the federal government. In informing his decision, Marshal J noted that the provisions that were sought to be relied upon were in the passive voice, as opposed to direct language, and the provisions under Article 1 could not be applied to limit state power. The use of passive voice, could not answer the question ‘by whom’ and it was thus incapable of determining whether the provisions of Article 1 were binding upon the states as well (Rosenkranz, 2011, 1010). Article 1, on which Barrron sought to rely o n, was framed in general terms, read passive voice, and could thus not be directly linked to limiting the state power because it could not answer the question; limited by whom? Had such provision been intended to limit state power, it could have taken a more direct tone. This, for example, could have been evidenced by the use of direct terminology such as ‘the state shall....’ or ‘No state shall....’ Although convectional wisdom may have dictated the fact that the use of the passive voice is ambiguous, Marshal J was undeterred in his stance as he applied the constitutional interpretation rule that the constitution ought to be read as a whole (Rosenkranz, 2011, 1012). In light of this therefore, if Article 1 section 9 were meant to limit state powers, then it would not have been framed in general terms. It should thus have been framed in a manner that answered the ‘by whom’ question. The logic applied in Barron is that when the Constitution seek s to limit power in passive voice, it is then limiting the authority of the government that it established. This logic is not necessarily correct because there is the horizontal dimension to separation of state power (Rosenkranz, 2011, 1015). If an interpretation were sought using this concept, then the court would have found that the Bill of rights could also limit state power horizontally. In other words, the strict application of the canon of grammatical consistency need not be construed so rigidly as to rule out flexibility in interpretation (Rosenkranz, 2011, 1016). Weeks v. U.S., 232 U.S. 383 (1914) This case sought to give an interpretation

Development of Brazil's Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Development of Brazil's Market - Essay Example The process of industrialization that took place around the year 1960 led to the development of economic sectors like the automobile industry, steel industry and the expansion of the infrastructure ventures. After world war two, the economy of Brazil rose and by the year 1975 it had an annual Gross National Product of 7.4%. On the other hand, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was ranging to 8.5%. Moreover, by around 1970s the per capita income of Brazil multiplied four times putting it at around US$ 2,200. Around the year 1980s, United States made a significant step that in turn affected the international trade market. It increased the rate of interest in the capital market. That factor made Brazil make an adjustment in the economy, which later translated to the economy of Brazil dropping so drastically. From the year 1990, Brazil made several reforms in the economy like privatization of certain industries, tightening measures in the economy that encourages foreign investment. Further more from this decade, Brazil resorted to supporting the internal economy; therefore it decided to encourage investors in the country. In an effort to implement new changes, Brazil experience inflation, until they decided to improve income distributing. The Brazilian exchange market for the year 2009 was at 25%, however, three years later BOVESPA showed negative deviation reduced to 20%. In the successive years, the stock exchange market has drastically dropped to the extent that most of the people do not want to talk about the market trend. The primary reason as to why there was a decrease from the year 2013 was because of low demand for the products of China that is the principal trading partner. In addition to that, the kind of leadership in China has also contributed the dwindling in performance in the stock exchange market. The female president who was elected in the year 2011 concentrated much on the on the banking and other