Red bull strategies

Red bull strategies EXECUTIVE SUMMARY â€Å"Red Bull isnt a drink; its a way of life†, says Dietrich Mateschwitz, the co-founder of Red Bull GmbH (Kumar, 2004). In fact, for a product that didnt have any extraordinary quality, was made of repeatedly questioned ingredients, Red Bull holds a pretty significant 70% market share (Ingram, 2010). In 2007, according to company figures, 4.5bn cans of the drink were sold in over 130 counties with 3,903 employees generating over 2.6 billion euros in turnover (AFP, 2007). Its dominant position in the fastest-growing segment of the soft drink market is mainly attributed to the companys unconventional and innovative marketing strategies as well as its revolutionary operational and management approach. This paper study discusses the various strategies adopted by Red Bull, including the companys effective employment of buzz marketing, product branding, its sponsorship and unique distribution strategy. The paper also discusses the importance of individual skills and organizational toolbox that led to the companys success. The case concluded with a commentary on challenges the company faces as well as recommendations with regards to maintaining its current growth and market share. BACKGROUND Dietrich Mateschwitz experienced the stimulating qualities of a popular Thai energy drink, Krating Daeng (literally ‘red bull), while on a trip to Thailand. Shortly after, he started to work with a pharmaceutical company to adapt the Thai beverage for European market. Mateschitzs concept was to create a company selling its own energy drink worldwide at a premium price (Keller, 2004). In 1987, together with Chaleo Yoovidhya, the owner of Krating Daeng, he founded Red Bull GmbH. The partners agreed that Mateschitz would run the company, while the Chaleo and his son remained sleeping partners. Five years later, the drink entered neighbouring countries Hungary and Slovenia, followed by Germany and Switzerland. In 1997, Red Bull stormed the U.S. market. In less than three years, Red Bull solely expanded the sales of energy drinks from $12 million to $75 million in 1999 (Hein, 2001). Today, Red Bull is also Austrias most successful brand, worth more than â‚ ¬10.9 billion. In 2008, Forbes magazine listed both Chaleo and Mateschitz as being the 260th richest persons in the world with an estimated net worth of $4.0 billion. INNOVATIONS Red Bull is a great example of an ordinary product of doubtful worth that was transformed into a powerful brand through innovative marketing. In an interview, Mateschitz recalled: When we first started, we said there is no existing market for Red Bull. But Red Bull will create it. And this is what finally became true† (Dolan, 2005). Although the initial market research conducted by Mateschitz was quite devastating – unappetizing colour and disgusting taste (Johnson, 2002), he didnt give up but thrived in the end. How? By revolutionary approach to the product branding, well controlled and limited distribution, and unique ways of reaching out to the right customers. In general, the success of the company relied hugely on an original concept: a highly caffeinated and troublesome drink. But what makes Red Bull so unique is the companys revolutionary approach to classic marketing rules. The company claims the unique techniques were developed out of a demand. In terms of attracting new customers and enhancing consumer loyalty, Red Bull has a more effective branding campaign than Coke or Pepsi, says Nancy F. Koehn, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School (Rodgers, 2001). Red Bull is building a beverage brand without relying on the essential equipment of a mass-marketing campaign. Perhaps the indispensable tools of marketing arent so indispensable after all, she adds (Rogers, 2001). The main source of innovation in this case was pretty simple – as a self-funded start-up, the company could not afford a costly advertising. Additionally, Mateschitz has always believed in ‘functionality. They carefully select the sports they sponsor, the people they target and places they distribute their products to. The consumer promotions arent typical either. Red Bull invites consumers to creatively interact with the brand, by building their own ‘wings or sculptures. It makes Red Bull one of the very few brands that understands how precious a deep personal experience and â€Å"peers endorsement† is compared to a standard advertising campaign. Another great example of Red Bulls revolutionary approach to marketing is the fact that the company doesnt use print media, banners or billboards. Every promotion of the product needs to have a functional benefit. Even its TV spots are believed to be more amusable than educational or persuasive towards consumers. By avoiding the usual methods of marketing, the company concentrates more on what is called word-of-mouth or buzz marketing. The beauty of Red Bull is that its the antibrand brand, says Gobà ©. Red Bull doesnt have any of the commercial trappings of a traditional, off-the-shelf product. Its underground, even when its above ground, and that appeals to the young people who drink it , he adds (Rogers, 2001). Another remarkable thing about Red Bulls is its 8.3-ounce can and the fact that its the only size the company has ever offered. One size. One colour. One taste. Thats all. In such a competitive environment, its simply shocking to hear of a thriving company not keen on a constant brand extension. We are one of few companies around the world that can stay focused on one product, says Cortes in defence of Red Bulls narrow strategy. We do what we do best, he adds (Rogers, 2001). To sum up, Red Bulls revolutionary approach in contrast with ‘standard tactics has been details in the below table. Red Bull approach: Conventional approach: Positioning: Create a functional foundation; show how the drink fits into peoples way of life Create a socially aspiring image Advertising: Advertising airs only after the launch phase and plays a limited and specific role within the marketing mix Advertising launches the brand and stays the lead marketing tool Distribution: Create strong demand and limit the product availability Wild availability is used to create demand Sampling: Focus on quality and product experience Sampling is all about quantity Celebrity Sponsorship: Pursue those celebrities that are fans of Red Bull, but dont pay them Celebrity endorsement has a steep price, but gets publicity Merchandising: Controlled and limited Tchotchkes rule! Network Relationships: Treat all stakeholders as partners Vendors are lucky to work for us! Corporate Leadership: Patience and investment Clear annual volume and profit objectives and fast returns Table 1: Based on: â€Å"Speed in a can† by Alex Wippenfurth, 2003, PEOPLE BEHIND THE SUCCESS Mateschitz, Red Bulls co-founder and its managing director, is undoubtedly the man behind the steering wheel in the company. In addition to his natural talent for selling, he is also known for his creativity as well as determination. Having worked in a highly competitive environment before, and conducted the initial market research, he was the one to come up with the extraordinary ideas, which implemented by a joint effort of his dedicated team, brought the company straight to the top. There is no doubt that his natural skills, innovative approach, determination and optimism paid a significant role in the companys success. Moreover, Mateschitz thrives on resistance. He is always ready to push the limits and devise spectacular new strategies that get the customers herd to events where extreme sports athletes and daredevils perform street acts. In fact, Red Bulls unconventional tactics and persistence has been evident from the beginning. To begin with, having great difficulties to launch its product in Germany, the company smartly used the rumours regarding the products potential health hazards and mystic content, by building a myth strategy. In his article â€Å"Liquid Cocaine†, journalist Jeff Edwards concludes: â€Å"the more rumours of Red Bulls potentially dangerous, over stimulating effects spread, the more the drink sells† (Edwards, 2001). In addition to that, Mateschitz strongly believed in the importance of physical consumption of his product. Therefore, the marketing strategies have been always focused on sampling and event sponsorship that match and enhance the spirit of Red Bull. â€Å"We dont bring the product to the people; we bring people to the product. We make it available and those who love our style come to us†, claims Mateschitz (Gschwandtner, 2004). Red Bulls success is also partially attributed to its internal culture. Red Bulls team embodies energy and stimulation in everything their do. It seems to be the main ‘theme which to direct and lead the companys actions. Every employee is totally on board with the current goals and challenges of the company. Red Bull thrives on its unique business structure as well. Little hierarchy – ‘management by organized chaos – as Mateschitz describes it. A fully committed team hired primarily for their passion and non conformism is ready to overcome any challenge they face. Mateschitz himself ensures to only work 3 days a week, to live the life of extreme sports his brand endorses. The unusual, personality driven leadership is also evident between the company and agencies it employs. Johannes Kastner, for instance, the head of Red Bulls ad agency, represents the strongest business relationship in its field, with the ad agency being a reliable, long-standing partner rather than dispensable merchant. ELEMENTS OD RED BULLS STRATEGIES The emphasis Red Bull places on marketing has been always extreme high the company spends around 30 percent of its annual turnover on marketing, compared with the average of 10% being spent by most of the competitors (Dolan, 2005). But what is really interesting about Red Bulls strategies is the lack of aggressive in-your-face push campaigns, price-offs, and instant ubiquity. Instead, its marketing is designed for the subconscious. One of the attractive seduction tactics the company employs is exclusivity – Red Bull makes it initially hard for the market to experience the drink. When Red Bull enters a new market, they initially select a limited number of outlets that can sell the drink. The companys sales units are totally decentralised. Each unit is responsible for sales, marketing and distribution in its own area. Sales reps insist that Red Bull be distributed exclusively by a dedicated sales force. They have a selective sales strategy as well. They target â€Å"hot spots† in their area such as clubs and bars, shops near universities and gyms. Such a selective and individual approach has a great advantage of being fast and effective. Sampling also focuses on exclusive sub-communities and carefully selected groups. Moreover, instead of traditional advertising, Red Bull relies on a strategy of word-of-mouth or â€Å"buzz† marketing. Another extremely effective tactic with regards to product positioning and promotion happens on the streets. Red Bull makes sure its silver can is widely noticeable: * Consumer education teams drive eye-catching trucks as mobile displays, painted blue and silver with a giant can on top of the vehicle; to promote the brand as youthful and slightly ‘on the edge; * Free cans of Red Bull are also given out to people on the street who had been identified as being in need of energy. * Red Bull is also provided to DJs, empty cans would also be left on tables in hot spots such as popular clubs and pubs. But whats really intriguing and admirable about the marketing strategy is the fact that it takes place on the street, with people. Red Bull ensures that customers dont feel under pressure to experience its product in a certain way. During the sampling, for example, they always provide a full and closed can, so that the consumers can decide when and how much to try. Additionally, all Red Bulls promotions are participatory. Rather than sponsor concerts like everybody else, the company has gone much further – they created Red Bull Music Academy for aspiring DJs to participate in workshops with some top DJs in the world. The company is also strongly associated with extreme sports, more recently with prestigious F1, motorcycle racing and their own adventurous events. In that way consumers can get deeper experience of the product which keeps the brand relevant in terms of its stimulating mind, not just the body. Against the odds, Red Bull brand was directly marketed to Generation Y, the so-called millennial who were believed to be sceptical of traditional marketing strategies. Part of the strategy involved recruiting student brand managers who would be used to promote Red Bull on university campuses and then report back to the company, providing some useful market research data. What is also extremely fascinating about the company is the fact that the Red Bulls contents are not patented, and all ingredients are clearly listed on the can. Yet, Red Bull has had achieved a leading market position in over 100 countries worldwide. Many competitors have tried to employ similar marketing strategies and tactics in order to grab sales from the market leader. Not all have been successful, of course. THREATS TO FUTURE SUCCESS The main problem Red Bull needs to deal with is the ability to maintain its incredible sales growth. In the light of the brand becoming more and more mature and the market even more saturated, the company faces some of the most serous challenges ever: * The loss of its original consumer base, as the Generation Y becomes working adults; * Health concerns, associated with high intake of caffeine, that have emerged in several countries (ban imposed in Denmark and France; classified as a medication in Norway; until recently available only in pharmacies in Japan); * The energy drinks market has attracted some of the global biggest beverage companies, such as Coca Cola and Pepsi, seeking to win a competitive advantage over the current market leader; * Red Bull is well known for its revolutionary advertising however the product could be in danger of becoming stale; * Unlike their major competitors, Red Bull is limited to one product, leaving the company with no back up product to cover any potential loss; * The beverage market shows strong trends toward healthy options of soft drinks; FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS Red Bull has gone through a lot in the past two decades. Starting on a practically non-existent marketplace, today it faces extreme diversity of similar products and a significant number of competitors. Taking into account the fact that Red Bulls brand is still very strong and his market leading position not yet threatened, the company should focus its market strategies on the following objectives: †¢ Maintain the leading position According to companys figures, the product is still widely recognized (over 60% of the under 30 year old Germans can easily distinguish the brand). In general, people are happy with the product. It is the image that needs to be enhanced. As far as the price is concerned, it is recommended that it should stay the same a high price will help keep the image of a high quality product. In addition to that, some new promotion campaigns can add further value to the image. As Red Bull is a utility drink, which means it is only bought occasionally. Therefore it may be worth considering to redirect the future marketing campaign to petrol stations, off-licences, convenience stores. †¢ Expand the product Red Bull should try to extend its product range by creating further consumer needs for some other Red Bull products such as: â€Å"White Bull† which could represent soft high quality mix drink of Vodka and Red Bull. Energy bars and â€Å"mini power-size† bottles of Red Bull that will be small enough to fit into pocket; aimed at those in constant hurry. A small selection of Red Bull extraordinary sports clothes. Since the company is widely acknowledged for its extreme sports sponsorship, they should provide its fans with unique outfits. It is a great opportunity to gain some extra returns as well as attract attention through people wearing the clothes. Taking into account the â€Å"healthy† trend in the soft drink category, as well as the actions taken by the closest competitors, Red Bull should also diversify its products into â€Å"organic energy drinks† and try to create a matching â€Å"lifestyle† in order to enter a new market for the â€Å"health-conscious consumer†. Another option for Red Bull is an expansion into new and developing countries, which may not only help to spread the name but also boost the sales. In that way, Red Bulls may again show the market hot to spread its wings†¦ REFERENCES: Energy Pumps up Soft Drinks Trade, Sunday Business Post (Ireland), 1999; Hein, K., (2001) [online] A Bulls Market Brandweek, available at , accessed 15 March 2010; Johnson, Branwell, Has the Energy Drinks Market Lost Its Fizz? Marketing Week, August 29, 2002; Potterton, L., Red Bull Gives Its Creator Financial Wings, Scotland on Sunday, 2000; Brandweek, (2001) [online] Red Bull Takes Extreme Sports by the Horns†, available at , accessed 15 March 2010; Dolan K., (2005) [online] â€Å"The Soda With Buzz†, available at , accessed 16 March 2010; Funding Universe, (2002) [online] Red Bull GmbH Company History, available at http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Red-Bull-GmbH-Company-History.html, accessed 16 March 2010; History Of Red Bull Energy Drinks Soft Drink Marketing Beverages And Advertising [online], available at http://www.speedace.info/red_bull.htm, accessed 18 March 2010; Ingram F., [online] Red Bull GmbH, International Directory of Company Histories, available at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5202/is_1989/ai_n19121811/, accessed 15 March 2010; Forbes (2008), [online] The Worlds Billionaires, available at , accessed 16 March 2010; Gschwandtner, G., (2004) [online] â€Å"The Powerful Sales Strategy Behind RedBull Selling Power† available at http://www.redbull.com/images/historysection/ pdf/1/Selling_Power_DM_Sept.pdf, accessed 18 March 2010; Keller, K., (2004) [online] â€Å"Building brand equity in non-traditional ways†, available at , accessed 14 March 2010; Kumar, H.K., Linguri, L.S., Tavassoli, N.T., (2004) [online] â€Å"Red Bull The anti-brand†, London Business School, available at , accessed 10 March 2010; Rodgers A., (2001) [online] Its a (Red) Bull Market After All, Fast Company, available at , accessed 19 March 2010; Edwards J., (2001) [online] â€Å"Liquid cocaine†, available at , accessed 19 March 2010;

Self-absorption in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

Self-absorption in Heart of Darkness  Ã‚     Ã‚   The story Heart of Darkness is a study in the benefits , and setbacks, of self absorption. Through out the story there is a constant emphasis on the fact that self absorption will get you what you want and help you to survive. At the same time there is the constant moral objection. Almost the entire book is spent showing the positive aspects of self absorption. The life it will give you and the ability to keep that life going as long as possible. This type of thinking, however, can catch up to you in the end.    The lesson that self absorption is the means of self preservation is one that is taught to the reader, and more specifically to Marlow, gradually as the story progresses. The very first lesson in this thought process comes very early in the story. I occurs as Marlow is going over in his mind exactly how he came to get the opportunity to be a river steamer captain. It appears the Company had received news that one of their captains had been killed in a scuffle with the natives. This was my chance, and it made me the more anxious to go...However, through this glorious affair I got my appointment, before I had fairly begun to hope for it.(Conrad 13)    Right away Marlow begins to think about himself and what this mans death can bring to him. He describes the incident, and every now and then throws in a "The poor fellow" so that he is not completely devoid of any compassion. This is Marlow's introduction into the way of the successful person in the Ivory trade, or any business for that matter.    The next lesson that Marlow gets in self absorption he actually has provided for him. As he is riding the french ship down to the belgian congo there are several stops made to let off soldiers at various posts up and down the shore.    We pounded along, stopped, landed soldiers; went on, landed custom- house clerks to levy toll in what looked like a God-forsaken wilderness, with a tin shed and a flag-pole lost in it; landed more soldiers to take care of the custom-house clerks, presumably. Some, I heard, got drowned in the surf; but whether they did or not, nobody seemed particularly to care. They were just flung out there, and on we Self-absorption in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays Self-absorption in Heart of Darkness  Ã‚     Ã‚   The story Heart of Darkness is a study in the benefits , and setbacks, of self absorption. Through out the story there is a constant emphasis on the fact that self absorption will get you what you want and help you to survive. At the same time there is the constant moral objection. Almost the entire book is spent showing the positive aspects of self absorption. The life it will give you and the ability to keep that life going as long as possible. This type of thinking, however, can catch up to you in the end.    The lesson that self absorption is the means of self preservation is one that is taught to the reader, and more specifically to Marlow, gradually as the story progresses. The very first lesson in this thought process comes very early in the story. I occurs as Marlow is going over in his mind exactly how he came to get the opportunity to be a river steamer captain. It appears the Company had received news that one of their captains had been killed in a scuffle with the natives. This was my chance, and it made me the more anxious to go...However, through this glorious affair I got my appointment, before I had fairly begun to hope for it.(Conrad 13)    Right away Marlow begins to think about himself and what this mans death can bring to him. He describes the incident, and every now and then throws in a "The poor fellow" so that he is not completely devoid of any compassion. This is Marlow's introduction into the way of the successful person in the Ivory trade, or any business for that matter.    The next lesson that Marlow gets in self absorption he actually has provided for him. As he is riding the french ship down to the belgian congo there are several stops made to let off soldiers at various posts up and down the shore.    We pounded along, stopped, landed soldiers; went on, landed custom- house clerks to levy toll in what looked like a God-forsaken wilderness, with a tin shed and a flag-pole lost in it; landed more soldiers to take care of the custom-house clerks, presumably. Some, I heard, got drowned in the surf; but whether they did or not, nobody seemed particularly to care. They were just flung out there, and on we

Sop How to Write

How  to  Write   How to Write a  Statement  of  Purpose a Statement of Purpose for  the  KAUST  Discovery  Scholarship for  the Prof. Reima Al-Jarf College  of  Languages  &  Translation KAUST  Scholarship  Candidates’  Workshop. King  Saud  University. Malaz Campus. May  11,  2008 Aims  of  Workshop p At  the  end  of  the  workshop,  attendees  will  be  to: identify  what  KAUST  is  looking  for  in  the   statement  of  purpose. p p make  an  outline  of  topics  and  subtopic  to  be   included  in  the  statement  of  purpose included in the statement of purpose write  an  introduction write  body  paragraphs write body paragraphs write  a  conclusion revise  the  essay write  the  final  draft 2What  Is  a  Statement  of  Purpose? The  Statement  of  Purpose  is  the  single  most   The Statement of Purpose is the single most important  part  of  your  application   It  will  tell  the  admissions  committee:   who  you  are   who you are what  has  influenced  your  career  path  so  far your  professional  interests   where  you  plan  to  go  from  here y p g 3 What  Do  Universities  Look  for   in  a  Statement  of  Purpose? in a Statement of Purpose? A  mix  of  interesting,  confident  and   enthusiastic  people  who  will  make  the  class  a   enthusiastic people who will make the class a stimulating  place. Academic  achievements  and  good  test  scores. Don t  try  to  be  something  you  are  not.Don’t try to be something you are not. Be  honest,  look  inside  yourself  and  do  your   best. b t 4 Stages  of  Writing  Your  Statement  of  Purpose Before   Writing  the  essay †¢ Questions †¢ Bra instorming †¢ Making an outline Making  an  outline †¢ W iti Writing  an  introduction i t d ti †¢ Writing  body  paragraphs †¢ Writing  a  conclusion ii l i †¢ Revising  the  essay †¢ Writing the final draft Writing  the  final  draft Writing  the  essay After   Writing  the  essay Writing the essay 5 KAUST  Requirements  in  a  Statement  of  Purpose Please  write  an  essay  that  describes  and  provide  examples for  the   following:   following: your  grades,  courses taken,  academic  honors  . our  research experience  through  your  school  work,  papers,   your research experience through your school work papers projects,  internship  or  work experience. your  personal  motivation to  attend  KAUST  and  personal   your personal motivation to attend KAUST and personal goals   your  extracurricular  activities  in  your  community  and/or   your extracurricular activities in your community and/or school   international  experience   Essays  must  be  submitted  in  English. Please  limit  your  response  to   fifty lines  of  text  and  leave  a  1  1/2  inch  (4  cm)  top  margin  on  every   page  of  your  uploaded  essays. 6Making  an  Outline Part  1: Academics  achievement grades   grades courses  taken   honors   h Part  II:  Ã‚   Research  Experience papers Projects   internship   internship 7 Making  an  Outline Part  III: work  experience: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Part  IV: Personal  Goals/motivation   to  attend  KAUST: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 8 Making  an  Outline g Part  V:   extracurricular  activities: 1. 2. 3. 3 4. 5. Part  VI:   international  experience: 1. 2. 3. 3 4. 5. Making  an  Outline g Part  VII: Personal  Traits 1. 2. 3. 3 4. 5. Part  VIII: Language,  C omputer   skills  &  research  skills 1. 2. 2 3. 4. 4 5. 10 Writing  the  Essay g y IntroductionBody For  each  question,  write  a  paragraph  that  combines  all  points. For each question, write a paragraph that combines all points. Conclusion 11 Tips  for  Writing  a  successful  Essay Your  introduction: Must  be  interesting. Ask  yourself:  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"why  a  reader  would  want   Ask yourself: â€Å"why a reader would want to  read  my  entire  essay  after  reading  my   introduction? †Ã‚   Don't  Summarize  in  your  Introduction. If   y you  summarize,  the  scholarship  officer   need  not  read  the  rest  of  your  essay. need not read the rest of your essay Create  intrigue  in  your  Introduction. 12 Tips  for  Writing  a  successful  EssayAnswer  the  Questions  Ã‚   Be  Original Be  Yourself: B Y lf Write  about  somet hing  meaningful. Describe  your  feelings,  not  necessarily  your   actions. actions Big  words  do  not  make  good  essays. Use  imagery  and  clear,  vivid  prose. 13 Tips  for  Writing  a  successful  Essay Body paragraphs  must  relate  to  introduction. Use  transition within  paragraphs  and  between   p g p paragraphs  to  preserve  the  logical  flow  of  your   p g y essay. The  conclusion is  your  last  chance  to  persuade  the   The conclusion is your last chance to persuade the reader  or  impress  upon  them  your  qualifications. Don t  summarize. Don’t summarize 14After  Writing  Your  Essay language tone Editing   Reviewing Flow structure 15 After  Writing  Your  Essay Spend  a  week  or  so  away  from  your  draft  to   p y y decide  if  you  still  consider  your  topic  and   approach  worth while. approach worthwhile. Give  your  draft  to  others   with  these  questions  in  mind:   ih h i i i d Is  my  sentence  structure  varied or  do  I   y use  all  long  or  all  short  sentences? Do  you  detect  any  cliches? Do you detect any cliches? Do  I  use  transition appropriately? 16 After  Writing  Your  Essay Do  I  use  imagery often  and  does  this   g y make  my  essay  clearer? What s  the  best part  of  the  essay?What's the best part of the essay? What's  the  worst part  of  the  essay? What  parts  of  the  essay  are  unclear? What  parts  of  the  essay  do  not  support What parts of the essay do not support your  main  argument? Is  every  single  sentence  crucial t th I i l t i l to  the   essay? 17 After  Writing  Your  Essay What  does  the  essay  reveal  about  your   y y personal ity? What  is  your  strongest personality  trait? What is your strongest personality trait? Do  you  a  philosophy? How  would  your  friends  characterize you? 18 After  Writing  Your  Essay What  have  you  done  outside of  the   classroom that  demonstrates  qualities   g y sought  after  by  universities?What  are  your  most  important   extracurricular or community activities? or  community  activities? What  made  you  join these  activities? What  made  you  continue to  contribute  to   them? them? 19 After  Writing  Your  Essay What  are  your  dreams of  the  future? How  does  this  particular  scholarship  fit   into  your  plans for  the  future? into your plans for the future? Will  a  scholarship  officer  remember your   topic  after  a  day  of  reading  hundreds  of   t i ft d f di h d d f essays? What  will  the   officer  remember  about   you? you? 20 21

Gender Development

Gender shapes the lives of all people in all societies. The term ‘gender’ refers to the social construction of female and male identity. It can be defined as more than biological differences between men and women. It includes the ways which those differences, whether real or perceived, have been valued, used and relied upon to classify women and men and to assign roles and expectations to them (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Gender_and_development). Gender influences our lives, the schooling we receive, the social roles we play, and the power and the authority we command. Population processes – where women and men live, how they bear and rear children, and how they die – are shaped by gender as well (Riley, 1997). Several theories of gender development have generated most of the research during the past ten years: social learning theory, cognitive-development theory, and gender schema theory. Proponents of social learning theory believe that parents, as distributors of reinforcement, reinforce appropriate gender role behaviors. By their choice of toys, by urging boy or girl behavior, parents encourage their children to engage in appropriate gender-related behavior. Thus children are reinforced or punished for different kinds of behavior. They also learn appropriate gender behavior from other male or female models such as those in television shows. A second explanation, quite popular today, is found in cognitive-development theory, which derives from Kohlberg’s speculations about gender development. It is known that from Piaget’s work that children engage in symbolic thinking by about 2 years of age. Using this ability, Kohlberg believes, they begin the process of acquiring gender-appropriate behavior. A newer, and different, cognitive explanation is called gender schema theory. A schema is a mental blueprint for organizing information, and children develop gender identity and formulate an appropriate gender role. Consequently, children develop an integrated schema or picture, of what gender is and should be (Elliott et al. , 1996). Gender and Power Gender refers to the different ways men and women play society, and to the relative power they wield. While gender is expressed differently in different societies, in no society do men and women perform equal roles or hold equal positions of power. Power is basic fabric of society and is possessed in varying degrees by social actors in diverse social categories. Power becomes abusive and exploitive only when independence and individuality of a person or group of people becomes so dominant that freedom for the other is compromised. Women and children have open been on the abusive sides of power. Some causes that are often referred to are: the greater the physical strength that men tend to have creates the imbalance of power between men and women resulting from social structures and historical practices in regard to finances, education, roles of authority and decision making; the abuse of power by men and the failure of cultural pressures to prevent such abuse; and distorted view the sexuality and the objectification of the female. Max Weber in his ‘Essays in Sociology’ defined power as the likelihood a person may achieve personal ends despite possible resistance from others. Since this definition views power as coercive, Weber also considered ways in which power can be achieved through justice. Authority, he contented, is power which people determine to be legitimate rather than coercive. As a group, women are at a distinct advantage when considering both power and authority. Several factors act as determinants of the amount of power a person holds or can use in his/her relations with others: status resources, experience, and self-confidence. Males and females traditionally have had differing amounts of power at their disposal. By virtue of t6he male’s greater ascribed status in society, men have more legitimate power based on rank or position than do women. The serious social issue today is the relative inequities in social power between men and women. The issue of women’s power, relative to men, is not merely academic. Gender differences in power have real consequences for women. For example, although women have made significant gains in the workplace, with more women working than in the past and women possessing approximately a third of all management positions, women continue to experience wage discrimination, be excluded from the most powerful executive positions, advance more slowly in their careers, and experience fewer benefits from obtaining education or work experience, and are included in fewer networks and exert less authority (Colwill; Lyness and Thompson, 1997) than men in similar positions. A number of researchers have linked career advancement and access to benefits and resources within organizations to an effective use of power. An understanding of women’s power, relative to men, is therefore essential to overcoming women’s disadvantage in the workplace and other domains (http://www. find articles. com/p/articles/mi m0341/ is 1 55/ai 54831711). Gender and Education The past decade has witnessed a significant increase in the importance accorded to education, with both instrumental as well as intrinsic arguments made for increasing financial investment and policy attention to education provision. Investing in education is seen as one of the fundamental ways in which nation states and their citizens can move toward long-term development goals and improve both social and economic standards of living. The education of women is seen as providing the key to securing intergenerational transfers of knowledge, and providing the substance of long-term gender equality and social change. Although significant gains have been made in women’s education as a result of global advocacy, more often than not the gains are fragile, vulnerable to changes in economic and social environments, and lagging behind in male rates of enrolment and achievement. Achievements are particularly visible in the primary education sector, whereas gaps are still large in the secondary and tertiary sectors (unrsid. org/inrisd/website/nsf). Schools also reinforce gendered social roles. Researchers have documented the differential treatment accorded males and females in the classrooms that reinforces a sense of inferiority and lack of initiative among female students (Sadker and Sadker, 1988). Boys are far more likely to be given specific information that guides improvement of their performance (Boggiano and Barrett, 1991).

Good nutrition: Striking the Right Balance

Of the many things one can do to enhance one’s state of health, none is more important than maintaining proper nutrition. The mind and body cannot function optimally without the proper supply of nutrients and energy obtained from food.A key tenet of the holistic approach to health is that each person must take responsibility for his or her own health. Making intelligent decisions about nutrition—about what and how much to eat—is an important part of this responsibility, because the diet one chooses and follows can keep one healthy. In the words of Philip Lee (1977) professor of social medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine:As a nation we have come to believe that our medicine and medical technology can solve all our major health problems†¦ But the problems can never be solved merely by more and more medical care. The health of individuals and the health of the population is determined by a variety of biological (host), be havioral, sociocultural, environmental factors. None of these is more important than the food we eat (Burkitt et al. 1974).Good nutrition: Striking the Right BalanceWhat is the best argument for following a good nutrition in one’s life instead of eating all the junk food one can consume. Every person’s body has a unique chemical and physical composition that corresponds to a state of optimal wellness, because the human body is constructed of atoms and molecules that are arranged in particular combinations and proportions that are unique to each person. One’s body contains few of the same atoms and molecules it had even a few weeks ago, because its chemical constituents are continually replaced by different atoms and molecules acquired from the food one eats.There are about forty known essential nutrients and perhaps others are not yet identified, that must be continually resupplied to the body (Ricciuto). Failure to obtain enough of one or more of the essential nutrients can result in a nutritional deficiency disease, such as goiter (enlarged thyroid gland), which may be caused by too little iodine, beri-beri, a disease characterized by weakness and wasting away that is caused by too little thiamine (vitamin B1), anemia (too few red blood cells) from insufficient iron; and blindness from vitamin A deficiency, the most common cause of blindness in children, world-wide. Since all nutrients act in concert, a deficiency of one may impair the utilization of others even if the others are acquired in adequate amounts. Thus, a proper nutritional state is a matter of maintaining a complex balance of the essential nutrients.One can argue that one eats a little of everything in the proper amounts just to keep fit. But still it does not work that way. This is because poor health can result in eating too much of certain kinds of food, or from eating too much in general. For example, overeating is the principal cause of obesity, which contributes to the development of such serious diseases as high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and some forms of cancer.Cancer of the colon may be related to eating too much meat and processed foods and not getting enough fiber or roughage that may be essential to maintain a healthy colon. High salt intake is related to high blood pressure and high sugar intake is related to tooth decay (the most prevalent disease in the industrialized world). Much of the tooth decay could be prevented if people followed very simple nutrition rules (Breslow & Enstrom 1980).Physiological Benefits of Body WorkOur industrial society depends on an enormous variety of machines that free people from an equally enormous number of physical tasks. Some of these tasks, such as heavy construction work of large-scale farming, would be well-nigh impossible without the help of machines. Others, such as traveling to work or school, getting to the seventh floor of a building, or washing clothes, could be accomplished without the a id of machines (and some people argue they ought to be), but few of us are likely to give up the use of cars, elevators, and washers. They simply make the task of daily living easier. As a result, few people do much moving around under their own muscular power. That is, many of us get little exercise.According to William B. Kannel and Paul Sorlie (1979) who have studied the effects of lifestyle on the occurrence of heart disease:â€Å"Over the past quarter of a century, there has evolved a growing suspicion that the transformation of man by modern technology from a physically active agrarian creature to a sedentary industrial one has exacted a toll in ill health. The evidence on which this is based comes from epidemiological studies, clinical observations, and the work physiologist. Most of the attention has been focused on the possible contribution of physical indolence to the development of cardiovascular disease, the chief health hazard of affluent societies and their leading ca use of death.†In addition to the physiological benefits, regular physical activity has psychological and spiritual benefits as well. Fr example, a study of middle-aged university professors found that regular exercise made them more self-sufficient, more persevering, less likely to experience mood swings, and more imaginative (Ismail and Trachtman, 1973). In another study, both men and women university students who engaged in regular physical activity were found to have greater self-control, to have increased self-awareness, and to be more self-directed. They also demonstrated a positive self-image (Jeffers, 1977).One of the principal psychological benefits that can come from regular body work is experiencing periods of relaxed concentration, characterized by reduction in physical and psychic tensions, regular breathing rhythms, and increased self-awareness. This experience is often compared to meditation. Tennis instructor Tim Gallwey (1976) describes four stages for obtainin g a state of relaxed concentration through body work. The first stage, â€Å"paying attention,† occurs at the beginning of a body work session and involves riveting your concentration on your body work and excluding all other thoughts. The stage of paying attention requires a certain degree of self-discipline—the desire and ability to say â€Å"no† to other demands on your time and energies and to say â€Å"yes† to yourself.WORKS CITEDBurkitt, D. P. Walker, R.P. and Painter , N.S.   â€Å"Dietary Fiber and Disease.† Journal of theAmerican   Medical Association, 229 (1974), 1068-1074.Breslow, L. and Enstrom, J.E. â€Å"Persistence of Health Habits and Their Relationship toMortality.† Preventive Medicine, 9 (1980). 469-483.Ismail, A.H. and Trachtman, I.E. â€Å"Jogging the Imagination.† Psychology Today. 6(1973), 78-82Jeffers, J. M. â€Å"The Effects of Physical Conditions on Locus of Control, Body Image andInterpersonal Relationsh ip Orientations. University Males and Females.Dissertation Abstracts, 37 (1977) 3289.Kannel, W.B. and Sorlie, P. â€Å"Some Health Benefits of Physical Activity.† Archives ofInternal Medicine, 139 (1979) 857-861.Ricciuto, Anthony. What Power Nutrition can do for you. Retrieved April 19, 2007 at:http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/anthony26.htm

Education - A Way To Wisdom Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education - A Way To Wisdom - Research Paper Example Most of his quotes attract the attention of the reader towards the fact that more the man follows his heart, the more he opens to learning new things and in learning new things, he becomes an ideal human being. Some of Confucius’s quotes that give an idea about his opinion about education and the way he thought the human being should learn are discussed below.Quote 1â€Å"What does the heaven ever say? Yet the four seasons go round and find their impetus there, and the myriad creatures are born from it. What does heaven ever say† (Mou 114)? Reflection on this quote reveals that Confucius believed in education that teaches the students to make learning a natural process. In the above saying, he draws the reader’s attention towards the way the universe functions. Confucius’s students were worried about his silence and thought that if the master does not say anything, how will the students learn (Mou 114)? In response to this worry, Confucius said the above s tatement. What he meant was that when things are taught through silence, there comes a harmony in the society (Mou 114). What he meant was that the observation of the behavior and the rituals followed by the master imparts more knowledge to a human being than the words of the master and the words in the texts. Knowledge is made by man. Men who ‘experience’ certain things try to spread it through words. However, the knowledge can become wisdom only when students go beyond words and try to experience what is being taught.

Advance Software Engineering Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Advance Software Engineering - Term Paper Example We need to incorporate the awareness regarding the state of the art in project management, risk assessment models and management, of the software development process. Here we will also spotlight the duties and responsibilities of a professional Software Engineer. This whole analysis of the situation will provide a better insight into to determining appropriate criteria against which to select development strategies for specific circumstances. As introducing the company (OF-FACsystems Ltd) we find out that this company established in 2002 as a small specialist software house. Initially the company has stared the software development through the â€Å"off-the-shelf† system development methodology. In the starting days of the business of the OF-FACsystems Ltd has not adopted some better project management and development methodologies, but they were successful in the overall customer satisfaction and client convenience. As time passed the company size evolved and now company has a more bigger and better working setup regarding the development and implementation of the software products. For taking a better competitive edge and capturing the overall local software development market we need to implement better systems development methodologies and procedures for the enhanced software working and quality. This report is aimed to provide a better and deep insight into the overall better methodologies implementation and incorporation in the organization working system development areas. This section will provide a better overview of the main quality assurance and implementation criteria for the enhanced awareness of quality assurance and QMS. These implementations of the quality assurance parameters in the organization system development areas will ensure the better working style and effective management of the software development projects. Here we need to develop a critical awareness in system developer