Evaluation of Lamaze® Stack n’ Nest Birds

The toy industry is one that has evolved from creating items made simply for fun, to educational wonders that are developed to exercise the ever-growing mind of a child. These days, the â€Å"age group† suggestion listed on a toy’s packaging is not just used for safety measures. Instead, toy developers have taken the industry a bit further, and have opted to develop toys tailored specifically for designated mind levels. As adults, we are able to look at a toy and figure out that to get â€Å"the clown out of the box1†, you must crank the lever.For a child, however, the solution is not so forthcoming. Depending on the child’s age, the mind comprehends a toy in extremely basic terms. Because of this, a child must depend on his or her unsuccessful attempts in figuring out how a toy works in order to master the toy’s purpose. An important developmental stage in a child’s life occurs between infancy and toddler hood (Young, 2006). During this time , what a child is exposed to may set the stage for how he or she will manage challenges in the future.Basic understanding of inside and outside, big and small, over and under, in addition to many other physical elements, can be credited to the types of toys a parent selects for their little one to not merely play with, but learn with as well. For example, observing how a child handles not being able to fit a square shaped block into a square shaped cut out can indicate how the child will handle similar situations throughout life. Is the child patient, or frustrated? Will he continue to attempt to solve the challenge this toy provides, or will he simply move on to another toy? The answer will vary for all.To better understand how a toy influences a baby’s development, this composition will review an educational toy. The toy selected was developed by Lamaze ®. The â€Å"Stack n’ Nest 1. A traditional children’s toy is the Jack-In-The-Box, where continuously â⠂¬Å"cranking† a lever will, at some point, reveal a surprising clown, which pops out of the box in which it is enclosed. Developmental Toy Review 3 Birds © were designed considering the developmental needs of the 9-24month old child. Its function is to sharpen the child’s cognitive, motor, visual and auditory skills through various features this toy provides.With the assistance of a nurturing adult, this toy has proven its function above and beyond expectations. Lamaze ® by Learning Curve ® Lamaze ® is a subsidiary of Learning Curve, a company that strives in creating toys that encourage a child to think, be adventurous and imagine endlessly (RC2, 2005). Lamaze’s  ® specialty is focused on babies and toddlers. Their philosophy is based on the premise that a child’s development is all about timing, and introducing the right toy at the right time is key in guiding growth without pressure (RC2, 2005).Every toy released has undergone testing not only from the users themselves, but their parents as well, to determine sturdiness, interest level, and safety issues. Stack n’ Nest Birds © The Stack n’ Nest Birds2 are designated for age groups 9 to 24 months. Included are 3 separate birds, packaged stacked from top to bottom smallest bird to largest bird, with an additional 4th â€Å"egg shaped† bird safely strapped in beside his counterparts. The age designation significance can be credited to the learning needs of children this age (RC2, 2005).This toy provides many developmental lessons beneficial to the varying needs of this group. With a bit of imagination, many learning activities can be created. Each bird features plush and satin-like fabricant, vivid colouring and contrasting textures. While the colours are vivid, they are not the only thing that makes this toy pleasing to the eye. 2. Due to copyrights, a photo of the Stack n’ Nest birds is not available in this composition, but may be viewed at the following link http: www. geniusbabies. com/stack–n-nest-birds-lamaze.html Developmental Toy Review 4 The contrasting material features exciting patterns. Three of the birds are dome-shaped and are hollow inside, and are able to be nestled inside each other due to their varying sizes. The forth bird is egg shaped, made of soft rubber, is the smallest of the birds and completes the nestled set. Fun, colourful ribbon is sewn to the fabricated birds’ right and left mid-sections to create the appearance of ever-necessary â€Å"wings†. The smallest of the birds is the rubber, egg-shaped bird.Its feature is to â€Å"squeak†. To activate its feature, the bird must be squeezed, and released quickly. The creative child will learn that in addition to â€Å"squeaking†, the bird can also get stuck to legs, arms, and little foreheads simply by squeezing the bird, placing its flat bottom on a body part, then releasing quickly. With a small bit of effort, the bird will make a kissing sound with a sucking after-effect when it is pulled quickly from the body part. The fabricant birds each differ in size, from small to medium to large.The smallest of the fabricant birds is yellow and green in colour and its feature is also to squeak. The squeaker is located in the bird’s cheek and can be activated when gently squeezed, then released. In addition to its squeaking ability, its soft, flexible body includes a crinkly inner-lining that allows it to sound when being handled by little hands. The medium-sized bird is turquoise on blue, and features a rattle sewn in its lining. Additionally, it includes a crinkly lining that sounds when handled.The large bird is red on purple and features bells sewn in its lining. It also features crinkly lining that sounds when handled. This bird includes a 3rd feature: its beak is extended and textured for the teething baby’s convenience. The concept of these birds is to provide knowledge of varying sizes, inside and outside, Developmental Toy Review 5 cause and effect and sound differentiation. The user will learn to stack the birds from smallest to largest then nestle them inside each other from largest to smallest.The colourful plush and satin fabric provides texture awareness, and the solid to pattern layout allows for visual stimulation. Safety Features The creators of the Stack n’ Nest Birds © definitely considered their user when they developed this award-winning3 developmental toy (GB, 2006). These birds are made of soft fabric and do not include any sharp edges, shaping wires, and are well sewn to prevent any fraying or dismembering. They are easy to care for and provide a lifetime guarantee.These birds can be purchased in most toy stores and average in cost at 14.00 (RC2, 2005). Developmental Needs of the 9-24mos Age Group The developmental needs of this age group vary due to the span of maturity from 9 months to 24 months. On the early end of this group, th e 9 month old is in the midst of gaining interest in everything around him. However, his attention span is short, and therefore is not able to retain many of the new things he has learned (Shelov, 2004). Constant exposure to new activities is necessary in order to assist this young person in gaining interest in the brightly coloured items placed before him.His cognitive needs at this point are greatly influenced by a loving adult’s assistance. The 9 month old is very much intrigued by cause and effect. Stacking the birds, and then assisting him to knock them down with a hand or a foot can help him in understanding that he can make things happen. Playing a game of peek-a-boo will also be a game of interest for him. Placing the large bird on top of the small, rubber, egg shaped bird to hide it, then removing the large bird to reveal the small bird can introduce object permanence to him. 3.Winner of the 2006 Oppenheim Toy Protfolio, an organisation that tests the safety, soundne ss and overall worthiness of a toy. The award categories range from toys to videos and age range from infancy to later school years. Developmental Toy Review 6 Additionally, because the mouth is such a sensitive organ at this age (and for months after) the texture of the birds will be another treat the Stack n’ Nest Birds ® provide (Shelov, 2004). From plush to satin to felt to textured rubber, this toy provides a mouth-watering good time for the ever-curious baby.As the child ages, so sharpen his motor skills. The ability to master his pincer grasp4 as well as whole-handed grasp, transfer an item from one hand to the other and play using more than one hand5 are all motor skills being perfected at this age (Shelov, 2004). Because there is more than one bird, all varying in features, the child has the opportunity to sharpen the aforementioned skills. Their size and light weight adds the convenience of easy grasp, as well as the lessened possibility of dropping the toy becaus e it is too heavy. The older the child becomes, the more his needs change.While the 9 month old is short on attention span, the 18 to 24 month old is peaking in absorbing the world around him. He is aware of others, and is mastering his emotions (Shelov, 2004). By now the child understands the concept of stacking and nesting. It is quite an achievement to stack these darling birds from small to large, and large to small. Let us consider the psychosocial, or the psychological and social, needs of a child this age (EWED, 2006). On the psychological side of this achievement comes a sense of accomplishment, as adult assistance is no longer needed to complete this challenging task.In fact, an adult may be swatted away if they interfere with this toddler’s new found ability. On the social side, while a child at this point does not really â€Å"socialize† per say6, he may be enticed to take one of the 4 birds to another child in the room. He may stand back and watch as the ot her child plays with the toy, observing how someone else uses it, but back to the 4. The ability to grasp items using the thumb and index finger. 5. The ability to hold on to more than one toy utilizing both hands. 6.Parallel play, when children play side by side rather than with each other, will continue until about midway through the 2nd year of life. Developmental Toy Review 7 psychological side, when the child is ready to have his bird back, he will take it without acknowledging the other child’s feelings, and continue to play with his birds by himself. At this point, the older the child is, the less interest he has in toys such as these birds. His interest may shift to a more imaginative state, rather than for their intended purpose. The Results of the ReviewThe needs of a child in the age range of 9 to 24 months vary tremendously. However, the Stack n’ Nest Birds © by Lamaze ® have proven to cover all bases. From early development, when the child is at a midw ay point in grasping activity, to later development, when the child has mastered many activities he did not understand just months before, the Stack n’ Nest Birds © seem to adjust quite easily and are still able to hold the interest of the child. Fun sounds, interesting textures and vivid colouring are all features that make this toy a winner to babies and toddlers alike. References: Definition of Psychosocial. (2006) Bloomsbury Publishing, Plc.: Encarta World English Dictionary (EWED). ( North American Edition) January 2007. www.encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861736125/psychosocial.html Developmental Milestones: Understanding Words, Behaviour, and Concepts. (July 2006) Baby Centre: Baby Centre Editorial Staff & Young, Paul. January 2007. www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babydevelopment/6575.html Our Story: The History of Learning Curve. (2005) Lamaze Infant Development System ®: Learning Curve/RC2 Company (RC2). January 2007. www.learningcurve.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4g3cdEvyHZUBACQDv8g. Shelov, Steven & Hannemann, Robert E. (1991, Rev. 2004). The Complete and Authoritative Guide: Caring For Your Young Baby and Young Child-Birth to Age 5. New York. Bantam Books. January 2007. Stack n’ Nest Birds. (2006) Genius Babies.com (GB). January 2007. www.geniusbabies.com/stack–n-nest-birds-lamaze.html

Assignment: Petition Letter

March 15th, 2013 Dr. the Honourable Peter Phillips Minister of Finance and Planning The Ministry of Finance and Planning 30 National Heroes Circle Kingston 4 Jamaica Re: Appeal letter for intervention in the financial regulations Dear Sir: This is with reference to the new regulatory regime for financial institutions. The Laguna Group is a small collection of financial establishments that are not regulated by the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) and have been self-regulated for the past sixty years.However, with the implementation of the new financial regulations, it is of strong belief that this will greatly impair the operations of the group. It is with this effect that we are calling upon your high esteem to intervene in this urgent matter. The Laguna Group has been vigorous investors in the country’s financial sector and the collective strength of the industry. As a result, the group currently controls fifteen (15%) and eighteen (18%) percent of the country’s total deposits an d personal loans respectively.The unwillingness of the BOJ to enter into negotiations threatens the stability of the funds controlled by Laguna. Minister, this is of grave urgency, the members of the group are willing to meet with you and BOJ to arrive at a mutually beneficial agreement to best serve the group’s existing one million working class clientele. The Laguna Group will seek to strengthen relationships with the government and the central bank; as such your collaboration would be vital in creating specific regulations that would serve the best interest of the group, the central bank, the government and the people of Jamaica.Again, with regards to the aforementioned, we are strongly beseeching your immediate intervention in the course of these regulations. The matter has already been discussed and deliberated among the group’s members; however it is your diplomacy that will yield absolution from this regime. We eagerly await your response. Thank you. Respectfull y, Frances Hibbert Frances Hibbert Group Corporate Executive Officer Laguna Group of Financial Institutions

The Company Man Essay

In her article â€Å"The Company Man,† Ellen Goodman uses stereotypes about an average man to convey her attitude towards Phil. Phil is a character who works himself to death in his corporate job. Goodman reveals in her article that in order to be a â€Å"company man,† Phil sacrifices his everyday life. Ellen Goodman uses diction, syntax, and characterization to create a piteous tone in her essay â€Å"The Company Man.†Ellen Goodman uses diction to appeal to the readers’ emotion to create a piteous attitude. When Goodman states, â€Å"†¦ he always ate egg salad sandwiches,† makes Phil sounds boring, but makes the reader feel a little sympathy for Phil wishing had a little fun in life. In the passage she would call him a workaholic or say that he had no outside interests. Once again, Goodman’s diction is making the reader feel sympathy for Phil not having a fun filled life. The way that Goodman uses diction ties in well with her essay.Als o, Ellen Goodman uses characterization to appeal to the readers’ emotion to create a piteous attitude. In this passage she calls Phil a workaholic. She calls him this because he works six days a week, even on his off day. This shows Ellen Goodman’s her pity and sympathetic tone. She tries to convince her audience that feel was a good hardworking man.Ellen Goodman also uses syntax to appeal to the readers’ emotion to create a piteous attitude. Ellen Goodman states, â€Å"Phil was overweight and nervous and worked too hard.† This shows some pity that she had for him because of his condition. Also Ellen Goodman also states, â€Å"At the funeral, the sixty-year-old company president told the forty-eight-year-old widow†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This also shows her pity by putting the age in the passage so the reader can have sympathy.Ellen Goodman appeals to the readers’ emotions by using rhetorical devices such as syntax, diction, and characterization to create a piteous attitude towards Phil. Ellen Goodman is trying to get her audience to see that men, especially Phil, are good hardworking people.

Schistosomes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Schistosomes - Essay Example This article essays the implication of this unique physiological characteristic and its consequences on schistosome life history particularly their faithfulness while choosing a mate. Adult schistosoma lives in the mammalian blood but their life cycle requires a phase of asexual reproduction within a secondary host. The life history of the parasite begins when adult female deposit eggs in the veins surrounding intestine or bladder. The mammal then continues the life cycle by transmitting those eggs through urine or feces. Once in water, the eggs hatch into marcidia, which must find an appropriate snail host. Once inside the snail each marcidium produce several hundreds of carcariea which when released in water seeks the skin of suitable mammals to burrow into. There are many different species of schistosomes of which Schistosoma haematobium, S. mansoni, and S. japonicum clinically important parasites that infect humans. Schistosoma haematobium , commonly called urinary schistosomiasis, dwells in the vesical veins surrounding the urinary tract and therefore mammal host usually excretes its eggs in urine. It is found throughout most of Africa and in parts of Wester n Asia. Two species, S. mansoni and S. japonicum cause intestinal schistosomiasis. S. mansoni usually occupies the mesenteric veins around the large intestine,while S. japonicum usually occupies the mesenteric veins around the small intestine. The mammalian host excretes the eggs in feces and continues the life cycle. Figure 1: Life cycle of Schistosoma (Machen, Rogers n.d.) Gonochorism is a reproductive strategy that describes a sexually reproducing species in which there are two distinct sexes. It is a very unique characteristic exhibited by schistosomes and thus this unusual physiological state managed to raise considerable amount of curiosity amongst parasitologists over the past two decades. Loker (2006) in his most recent study has put forward a hypothesis to address the foundattion of schistosome gonochorism. He says that first, schistosomes were derived from hermaphroditic ancestors; second, the potential for gonochorism appeared in the spirorchiids, most notably with Griphobilharzia; and third, 'true gonochorism' appeared when schistosomes invaded their endothermic hosts (birds and mammals). The evolution of separate genders was supposedly beneficial in providing optimal genetic diversity against the sophisticated immune system of warm-blooded vertebrate hosts. Loker (2006) also suggest that the segregation of two genders was determined by the s pecialization of each gender for a limited set of 'domestic task' and this was further backed by the gender associated gene expression profiling study by (Hoffman et al. 2002). It was concluded that males primarily looks after the transportation while females concentrate on egg production. In such an interaction schistosomes, once paired, the male and the female worms remains in this state for a long time and the mating is assumed to be monogamous (Reed 1990). In most of the Schistosomes, pairing is essential for complete female growth and reproductive morphogenesis (Popiel 1986). Figure 2: A typical schistosoma pairing (Beltran 2008, p.2) Kunz (2001) demonstrated that virgin females (one sex females) are considerably smaller than paired females and it is already established that egg laying female

Job Description for a Retail Sales Associate Research Paper

Job Description for a Retail Sales Associate - Research Paper Example The three behaviors necessary for job performance are customer focused attitude, taking initiative, and excellent communication skills. All these behaviors are extremely important for job performance at the retail store. Customers focused attitude should be enforced in employees by rewarding employees on a per sales basis. Employees who take initiative should also be recognized and employee of the month competition should be used to encourage employees to take initiative. Taking initiatives involves doing something that is not a necessary part of their job description. Communication skills should also be rewarded and customers can be asked to fill a feedback form to evaluate communication skills of employees. Organization behavior modification is known to influence performance of employees and, therefore, can effectively be used to enhance performance of employees of retail store (Stajkovic & Luthans, 1997).  Evaluating Performance and Informing EmployeesPerformance of employees ca n be evaluated different techniques. One obvious way is to observe change in sales pattern in order to understand whether employees are exhibiting key behaviors or not. If employees have a customer focused attitude then sales should definitely improve. Also it is important to see whether employee behavior is having a positive financial effect on the business. The second method to evaluate employee performance can be to take customer feedback and observe results of ‘employee of the month’ competition. Employees who are lagging.... Employees who are lagging behind in such competitions are the ones who are not exhibiting key behaviors. Another method can be to take customer feedback as it can also provide first hand information regarding the performance of employees. It is also essential to inform employees about the new performance standards set in the organization so that they can also mend their behavior according to the new standards. One simple way is to email employees or give them a small pep talk in which manager can explain about the new performance standards and how employee performance will be measured from now on. A better approach would be to conduct training session in which all employees should be explained why new performance standards are implemented and how these standards might improve the overall business of the store. All small details of the performance standards should be explained and manager should communicate what he expects from his employees. It is important to communicate with employ ees in a detailed manner on a regular basis when any organization is going through a change process (Vakola & Nikolaou, 2005). This is why communication with employees regarding performance management is so important for managers. Feedback Plan and Methods to Reinforce Positive Behavior The two methods to provide feedback to employees will be through email and via face to face interaction. These two methods can be used together to communicate the employees about their performance. Email is important because employees should have a record of their performance. Also it is a personalized way to provide feedback as other employees will not know about the performance

Business Strategy Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Strategy Assignment - Essay Example Since then has undertaken a management course at Edinburgh Business School and tried to implement a number of organisational changes which could motivate his employees to perform better and add to the profitability of the agency. Kenneth tried to apply his learning from the MBA course to implement the transformational leadership style in ASL through different means and making radical changes through the introduction of many new policies. However, most of the new policies introduced by Kenneth did not prove to be fruitful for the agency and a number of issues were found to have crept up as a result of such initiatives taken up by Kenneth. This study entails analysing these issues and problems associated with ASL. Different recommendations have also been made in this study, which can help Kenneth in transforming the fortunes of ASL. This study would try to provide various alternative solutions to eradicate the existing problems faced by the organisation, and help it to increase its pro ductivity and perform better in the forthcoming years. Problem Identification and Analysis The analysis of various issues concerning ASL has been discussed in this section. Most of the issues are related to each of the new policies that have been introduced by Kenneth. First of all, he introduced a mission statement for the organisation. It stated that, â€Å"Our aim at Always Spot-Less is to be the preferred supplier to both our existing and future clientele. We will strive to achieve this by providing an exemplary service, attention to detail, competitive pricing and undertake that we can achieve excellent value whilst maintaining the highest standard in this industry. We will value and listen to our customers.† This mission statement was introduced by Kenneth with the objective of driving all the employees of the organisation towards working for a unified goal or objective. The mission statement of a company mainly highlights the purpose and what it intends to accomplish i n the forthcoming future (M3 Planning, 2008, p. 1). Developing a good mission statement and making it work for the company requires a good understanding of the organisational values and identifying concrete objectives for the company (Talbot, 2003). However, this mission statement is too complex and the organisational purpose is not clear. Moreover, the objectives of the company have also not been identified clearly. The Theory Y management style was introduced by Kenneth for his cleaners. The two factor theory was introduced by Douglas McGregor. This theory is on the basis of two views of X assumption and Y assumption. X assumption are conservative and Y assumption are modern in style (Hollyforde and Whiddett, 2002, p. 144). Implementing Theory Y in the organisation meant that the organisational staff in ASL were no longer being supervised by Kenneth. He thought that this might self-motivate the cleaners of ASL. However, it did not work and the workers of ASL were found to be poor decision makers and they were more concerned about earning money for themselves rather than thinking about achieving the organisational goals or objectives. Next, Kenneth also arranged for weekly meetings for all his staff to discuss the finances and latest developments at ASL. This was done with the motive of making the

Enterprise Info Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Enterprise Info Security - Essay Example This may result in erratic program behavior, including memory access errors, incorrect results, a crash, or a breach of system security. They are thus the basis of many software vulnerabilities and can be maliciously exploited Understanding the difference between data and programs is a very important element of avoiding various overflow attacks. When one understands that data is just computer information while a program is the software screen, he or she can be able to apply new defense systems. It’s easy for someone to understand how to use the modern security features like Data Execution Prevention (DEP) can be applied in modern operating system like Mac OSX, Linus and Microsoft Windows. For example DEP works in two different ways; either its hardware encoded or software encoded. Software-encoded DEP do not protect data pages from execution of codes, but from another type of attack. Knowledge about this security features and operating systems is very important when one is loo king for the best defense against overflow attacks. Question 4.2 Consider a system that writes event numbers to its audit log and uses a table to translate these numbers into messages. What is the potential advantage of using this level of indirection in log file entries? What are the potential dangers? This system is the Computer Aided Dispatch System (CAD System). Potential advantage CAD system is a greater boost to public communication. These include providing instant and reliable communication through alarm connections, mobile data systems, and time and records management systems. Potential Dangers The design, development, purchase, and installation of CAD systems can be a complicated for both a medium or large-size public safety agency. It involves not only the installation of computers and the CAD software, but usually connection to a wide variety of other systems: alarm inputs, mobile data systems, time synchronization sources, records management systems. This process is ther efore very expensive and complicated to handle (Computer-Aided Dispatch Software Resource, Para 2). Question 4.3 How spoofing can be performed When a particular machine claims to own a particular IP address and the first machine sends all its messages to that machine. Using this attack, a machine can listen to all the traffic that a machine wants to send out. This happens when two machines are on the same network. Normally one machine sends a packet to the other machine IP address and the network routes back to its destination. This kind of attack is called ARP spoofing. RP doesn't have any way to check if a particular responding machine does in fact own a particular IP address. This can be exploited by having other machines claim to be certain IP addresses. Defenses against spoofing Some of the defense mechanism against spoofing includes; Guarding algorithm for ARP spoofing Updating ARP cache method Checking the ARP cache each and every time Information encryption Controlling by th e use of switching equipments Configuration of static ARP cache (Li, B., Dong, K., Dong, L. & Yang L.) Question 5.1 Explain the concept of dual signature used in SET (Secure Electronic Transfer) Protocol and its Components. Secure Electronic Transaction (SET) is system of protecting electronic transaction using credit cards online. This process uses the concept of dual signature. Dual signature concept operates in the following procedure; The owner of the card will take the cards payment information

Bilby Case Study- persuassive writing portfolio Essay

Bilby Case Study- persuassive writing portfolio - Essay Example The future, any future, hospital or no hospital, is built on the foundation of our past: Our natural history and our man-made heritage. A new hospital is a brilliant idea. Destroying our natural history and heritage to build a new hospital is nothing but a headlong rush into the future with a foundation of sand: A race to the future with no foundation in the past. Bilbys blessing, and its curse, is its persona as a byword for local tranquility. Located off the highway, a century-and-a-half after the Gold Rush, time had largely past Bilby by until the production of City Stress, Country Pleasures. Now, Bilby is famous as the home of local tranquility, and its future, is contingent on preserving that image. A new district hospital will do nothing to facilitate that image and, if anything, undermine it. The development of Bilby, in a sustainable manner, must be predicated on preservation of local tranquility. Visitors seeking pastoral peace and quiet not visiting hospital patients are the key to Bilbys future. Preservation and restoration of the natural environment not enhancing the built environment is the key to Bilbys future. Preservation and restoration of Bilbys built heritage, not new development, is the key to Bilbys future success. John Russell, founder of Bilby Landcare, will be hosting a special event at the entrance to the Bilby Cemetery on Saturday, January 8, 2011 at noon. It will kick-off Bilby Landcares campaign to protect the cemetery and the community from reckless development. Joining John will be Garrett Pietro of Grassroots who will be debuting his new song about preserving the natural and built heritage of Bilby. John Russells past, present and future are embedded in Bilby. Born and raised here he left Bilby for university and returned to take over Russell Native Nursery in 1993. His commitment to the community deepened further when he stood for election to the shire council. Johns personal, professional and political lives are all

Opion Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Opion - Case Study Example This case deals with how the company deals effectively with providing a service that is accurate and more than what the competition is offering. It is not very easy to give a verdict about a particular stock following its speculation in the market and people's perception but this is exactly what Opion set out to do in 2001 despite competition from the likes of a Vancouver based MindfulEye (www.mindfuleye.com) which provided a Moodscore for several stocks and Stockscores (www.stockscores.com) which provided clients with actual stock analysis based on technical grounds. Stockscores was actually superfluous because it did not provide analysis based on verbal speculation but Mindfuleye was more of a competition although none of these were considered actual competitors of Opion. Opion was a different ball game altogether. Its major product was Opion Financial Pro 1.0 which calculated hourly buzz scores on three major indices namely the Standard and Poor's 500, the NASDAQ 100 and the Dow Jones 30 Industrial Average. The basic work of Financial Pro 1.0 was to gauge fluctuations in stock values and help portfolio managers become better decision makers by analyzing how investors perceive a particular stock. Later, traditional methods were used to analyze the stock on more technical grounds. One of the major disadvantages of using such a method is inaccuracy. ... Hence Opion took three measures that advised a conjecture about a stock to be negative or positive. Relevance was of the utmost importance as trying to determine whether a particular posting is pertinent to the topic being discussed is of very high significance. Credibility came next as anyone can register on a forum and start discussions about something they may or may not know much about. So determining people who were actually familiar with the stock market lingo and characteristics was a challenge but a necessary one at that. Lastly, came influence. Any messaging or posts in a discussion forum are subject to influence from other people or even generally what is written in the forums. Influence gives wind to rumors and rumors blight credibility dramatically. These were some challenges that Opion had to face, which other companies may not have taken into consideration. Buzz scores, however may not be too accurate when looked at from a certain point of view. The case explains that there was high variance from day to day and stock to stock. While day-to-day variance may be taken into account and dealt with considering fluctuation volumes, stock-to-stock variance gave heed to inaccuracies. New economy stocks like Microsoft and Cisco obviously generate more talk and interest than old economy stocks due to the perception that these are essentially more profitable. Actually, this may not necessarily be the case. The major reason a new economy stock will be seen more optimistically is the fact that more people are talking about it and there is more speculation as to the trading of this stock. Old economy stocks may not be favorites here despite their market moving and index weight abilities. Hence, Opion was prone to get

Visit a museum or gallery exhibition or attend a theater, dance, or Essay

Visit a museum or gallery exhibition or attend a theater, dance, or musical performance - Essay Example There was something about the fact that they were elevated above my typical line of vision. Craning my neck, I enjoyed the slow natural rotation of each of the mobiles. Some of the shapes conveyed a sense of whimsy while others had a more threatening feel. After many minutes, I was ready to move on, until I notice how the light played on each of the mobiles and the resulting shadows that were cast upon the walls of the circular room. The shadows created by the lighting installation gave an entirely different dimension to the mobile installation. As the mobiles rotates freely, the shadows cast upon the walls displayed a motion that seemed to be more active than the perceived motion of the mobile. The slightest rotation of the mobile would send a shadow racing across the wall. In addition to this, the shadows were constantly transforming in shape and sharpness. Due to the play of the lighting and the three dimensional construction of the mobiles, some shadows were crisp edged and dark while others, cast from the same mobile resembled amorphous grey smudges. The constant interplay of shadows of different value created movement and action that belied the slowly rotating mobiles mounted above my head. The second exhibition I attended was the Matisse Cutouts in the next room. For the last fifteen years of his life, Matisse rediscovered his passion and creativity by constructing colorful paper cutouts and displaying them on the walls of his studio. Matisse has suffered several personal setbacks that had left him physically and mentally exhausted. He no longer felt inspired to create as a result. While resting, he began to work with the idea of cutting into color to create paper shapes that melded the ideas of painting, drawing and sculpture. The resulting work is interesting to behold, not just because the shapes are beautiful, but also because the scale of the paper cutouts is massive. The most interesting of the

Sales and Distribution Essay Example for Free

Sales and Distribution Essay Company Snapshot CEAT Limited RPG Tyre Industry Automobiles Born tough; Take it on Products are known for durability and superior quality Parent Company Category Sector Tagline/ Slogan USP Manufacturing units 4 Location of manufacturing units 3 in India- Bhandup, Halol, Nashik and 1 in Srilanka Total capacity 940,000 Tyres per month Distribution Coverage 186 Districts Clearing and Forward Agents 112 Dealership over 3500 Company owned showrooms 70(in 2012 to be increased to 200 by 2013) Total sales(in Rupees) INR 4492. 03 Crores (in 2012) Increase in sales y-o-y 27.35% (2011 to 2012) Business Markets segmentation (B2B, B2C, B2G): B2B B2G B2C Heavy-duty Trucks and Buses Cars Light Commercial Vehicles SUVs Earthmovers Forklifts Tractors Trailers Motorcycles and Scooters Auto-rickshaws IBS Hyderabad Page 3 Quotes to Quote â€Å"Quality for us is more than state-of-the-art, we would say its state-of-the-mind. When you think right, you always deliver right. † -CEAT. in Website â€Å"For the man who counts signals to reach home safely. For the woman who drops her child to school. For the vendor who has to reach the market in time. For the young rider who wants to race the wind we make quality our responsibility. And we take our responsibility seriously. † -CEAT. in Website â€Å"We believe that our brand must help our consumers in doing their businesses better or helping them in leading a better, safer life. † -Vinod Kumar, GM, Marketing, CEAT Ltd â€Å"We dont believe in flashing numbers, we let quality do our talking. And it is with reason that CEAT marks the highest exports from India in truck, OTR and LCV categories. † -CEAT, Network, Citation date- 16th Jan 2013, http://www. ceat.in/newsite/worldwide/network. asp IBS Hyderabad Page 4 II. Economies and Industry Overview i. Economy- Overview The recent financial year (2011-12) was challenged much by the critical waves from different geographies and has hit the world businesses at a large scale. The Europe sovereign debt crisis and its skepticism on its potential to become a global meltdown pushed the investor confidence again after the 2 008 crisis. Inspite of the government? s reforms and third party? s (UNO, World Bank, etc) assistance the economies are still fragile and recovering at a much slower phase. With US and other developed nations recover slow, developing nations has become the sweet spot for many. India sustained its growth estimates very close to that of the RBI estimates to 6. 9% in 2011-12 (CSO estimates). Still India has mounting challenges in infrastructure, inflation, fluctuations in the value of rupee, political instability etc. In reference to it the road map of 12th 5 year plans (2013-17) brings optimism, which expects the growth to 7. 4 to 7. 6% in 2013 (FY) and 8. 6 per cent in 2014 (FY) with some major policy reforms (FDI, taxation, etc) taken into account. Tyre Industry- Overview The demand for tyres globally by 2015 is expected to be in the value of 3. 3 billion units (USD 220 bn) with a 4. 7% annual growth in units. The APAC region (Asia Pacific) is the largest market for tyres and signals strong demand in the future. The increase in income of the developing countries would be supported with the demand for automobiles thus would ultimately create a demand for tyres (World Tyre Report). India has the organized tyre maket (apart from bicycle tyre industry) and is dominated by cross ply tyres. Major contributor to the industry is the Commercial Vehicle (CV) tyres followed by Passenger Vehicle (PV) tyres. Remaining share is taken over by the 2 and 3 wheelers, tractors, construction equipment and Off-The-Road (OTR) tyres. The size of the Indian tyre industry in 2011-12 was around Rs. 389 billion, and is estimated to reach Rs. 443 billion in 2012-13, with 14 per cent growth. One important segment of tyre industry, i. e OEMs (Automobile Manufacturers) are bound to grow in the future but frequent hikes in interest rates, rise in fuel prices, high inflation. Reviving the India Growth Story, Union Budget 2012 by PricewaterhouseCoopers IBS Hyderabad Page 5 etc slows down the growth of automobile sector. The sector that grew 30% in 2010-11 grew only to 2% in 2011-12. 2 (See table Categorywise Tyre Production Exports in India for FY 2010-11 and 2011-12 to have full picture of Indian tyre production and exports) The Indian tyre industry- Snapshot Total turnover Tyre Production (Tonnage) Total Tyre Production in all categories Number of companies Companies contribution Rs.389 billion Rs. 14. 88 lacs MT 1,192 lacs 39 Top 10 companies account for over 95 per cent of the total production Source: Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) There three broad areas through which Indian Tyre Industry creates demands (% contribution by each segment in 2011-12 are given below), The 2011-12 growth of tyre industry is completely attributed to the increased export contribution and particularly from the bus and truck segment. Different Segments % Con tribution to Indian Tyre Industry in 2011-12 Replacement Market 26 63 OEMs Exports a. Replacement market- The nature of the replacement market is the margin creator. This is the important spot through which the manufacturers has an upper hand (relative to other segments) and hence it dominates the Indian tyre industry. With the increase in number of driving licenses registered, with increasing self driving habits in India, whereby the tyre gets depreciated soon, there is a large scope for the replacement market? s growth. b. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)- The OEM segment has dominance over the tyre manufacturers due to the competition and uniformity in quality; hence it has thin margins but plays with high volumes. In this segment the tyre manufacturers reputation, 2 The Economic Times, January 2012 IBS Hyderabad Page 6 capacity to supply large orders, working together, quick delivery with customization and price plays dominant role in securing and retaining an OEM. Due to uncertain global conditions and job market it is expected to grow modestly at a rate of 11-13% in 2012-13.

Child labor Essay Example for Free

Child labor Essay Children are the future of the nation. They are flowers of our national garden. It is our duty to protect these flowers. Child labour is a socio-economic problem. Child labour is not a new phenomenon in India. From ancient times, children were required to do some work either at home or in the field along with their parents. However, we find in Manusmriti and Arthashastra that the king made education for every child, boy or girl, compulsory. In those days there was a system of trade of children, who were purchased and converted to slaves by some people. The problem of child labour was identified as a major problem in the 19th century when the first factory was started in mid-19th century. Legislative measures were first adopted as early as 1881. Since independence there have been several laws and regulations regarding child labour. Child labour has been defined as any work done by the children in order to economically benefits their family or themselves directly or indirectly, at the cost of their physical, mental or social development. Child is the loveliest creation of nature. But it is the circumstances which force them to hard labour. They have to earn livelihood from early childhood, stopping their mental development. The nation suffers a net loss of their capacity as mature adults. Child labour is a global problem. It is more common in underdeveloped countries. Child labour, by and large, is a problem of poor and destitute families, where parents cannot afford education of their children. They have to depend on the earning of their children. The prevalence of child labour is a blot on society. It is a national disgrace that millions of children in this country have to spend a major part of their daily routine in hazardous works. The problem of child labour in India is the result of traditional attitudes, urbanisation, industrialisation, migration, lack of education, etc. However, extreme poverty is the main cause of child labour. According to the UNICEF, India is said to have the largest number of world’s working children. Over 90% of them live in rural areas. The participation rate in rural urban areas is  6.3% and 2.5% respectively. According to a recent report, 17 million children in our country are engaged in earning their livelihood. This constitutes 5% of the total child population of the nation. It is about one-third of the total child labourers of the world. In India, working children are engaged in different organised and unorganised sectors, both rural and urban areas. In rural sector, children are engaged in field plantations, domestic jobs, forestry, fishing and cottage industry. In urban sector they are employed at houses, shops, restaurants, small and large industries, transport, communication, garages, etc. In India, working children are also self-employed as newspaper, milk boys, shoeshine boys, rag pickers, rickshaw-pullers, etc. About 78.71% of child workers are engaged in cultivation and agriculture, 6.3% are employed in fishing, hunting and plantation, 8.63% in manufacturing, processing, repairs, house industry, etc., 3.21% in construction, transport, storage, communication and trade and 3.15% in other services. Child Labour is exploited in several ways. Preference of child labour by many employers is mainly due to the fact that it is cheap, safe and without any liability. Many children take up the job just because of the non-availability of schools in their areas and thus rather than sitting idle, they prefer to go to work. Illiteracy and ignorance of parents is also an important factor. These parents do not consider child labour as evil. Child labourers have to work more than adult workers. They are exploited by their employers. There are several constitutional and legal provisions to protect working children. At present there are 14 major acts and laws that provide legal protection to the working children. Notwithstanding, the evils of child labour is on the increase. The biggest cause behind its spread is poverty. It cannot be completely eradicated from society unless its root cause is not addressed. Child labour perpetuates poverty. Child labour is economically unsound, psychologically disastrous and ethically wrong. It should be strictly banned. The general improvement in socio-economic conditions of people will result in gradual elimination of child labour.

Marketing Strategies Analysis Of Vodafone Marketing Essay

Marketing Strategies Analysis Of Vodafone Marketing Essay This report explores environmental evaluation and marketing strategies analysis of Vodafone. Referring to situational analysis, the SWOT analysis shows several important insights, such as fierce competition, high penetration rate, low differentiation and innovation. After defining two marketing goals, this study discusses marketing strategies of Vodafone from the perspective of marketing mix. Furthermore, there are two significant recommendations for Vodafone including social media and relationship marketing. Table of Content 1.0 Introduction This study will explain environmental evaluation and marketing strategies analysis of Vodafone. Firstly, this study will provide the situational analysis from the implementation of the SWOT analysis. Furthermore, segmentation targeting and positioning facilitates Vodafone to understand different needs of target markets. Secondly, the marketing objectives and goals will be defined and explained. Then, this study will introduce marketing mix to discuss marketing strategies. Finally, the recommendations will be given. 2.0 Situational Analysis This chapter will propose the situational analysis to evaluate the environment of Vodafone. The SWOT analysis including strengths and weaknesses of organisational environment and opportunities and threats of external environment aims to provide the comprehensive understandings of internal and external organisational environment. In the following, this chapter will employ the SWOT analysis to analyse and evaluate the internal and external environment of Vodafone. 2.1 Strengths There are several aspects of Vodafone strengths including brand recognition, emerging markets, solid foundation in major countries, strategic alliances and new service development. For instance, along with the economic recession severely influences the prospect of developed countries, such as European countries, UK, and North America, emerging markets increasingly contribute to the sustainable development of Vodafone. In terms of Table 1, during the period between 2009 and 2011, the annual growth of service revenue in emerging markets is more than 6%. However, there is comparatively slow growth of service revenue in Europe. Most telecom and internet service providers, like Vodafone, increasingly recognised that the exploitation and development of the global market, particularly emerging markets, considerably influence the sustainable development of telecommunications service providing companies partly because of the market saturation of domestic countries. Table 1: Key Revenue Performance Indicators 2009 2010 2011 Service revenue growth (0.3)% (1.6)% 2.1% Data revenue growth 25.9% 19.3% 26.4% Emerging markets service revenue growth 6.4% 7.9% 11.8% Europe enterprise service revenue growth (4.8)% 0.5% Fixed line revenue growth 2.1% 7.9% 5.2% Notes: (*) means that organic growth which presents performance on a comparable basis. Source: Vodafone (2011a, p.13) Furthermore, Vodafone has competitive abilities to develop new telecom service, such as 3G and data service. As Table 1 shown, compared with traditional service revenue growth, the data revenue growth is higher than traditional service revenue. Beside the higher growth of emerging markets and data revenue, the strong brand recognition and strategic alliances of Vodafone contributes to the sustainable development of Vodafone. 2.2 Weaknesses Several aspects of weaknesses, including uncertainty of revenue growth in data service and Euro market, gradually influence the development of Vodafone. For instance, there is a distinctive pattern of telecom service in emerging markets and developed countries. According to Figure 1, this figure implies that there are two significant results on mobile subscribers and penetration rates across regions. Firstly, the developing countries, especially rest of Asia, have over 800 million mobile subscribers, which is considered as the most potential mobile service consumption market. Secondly, compared with developed countries, rest of Asia and world has comparatively low mobile penetration. Hence, Vodafone, known as a pioneer of the global telecommunication service market exploitation and development, concerns its global market exploration. Figure 1: Total Mobile Subscribers and Penetration Rates by Region as of Mid-2007 Source: UMTS Forum (2008, p.6) 2.3 Opportunities Referring to Opportunities of Vodafone, the growth of emerging market and data service and telecom solution for corporates are described as two important opportunities. Firstly, as the previous analysed, the higher degree of mobile penetration in mature markets. Nevertheless, there is a growing space for Vodafone in emerging markets. Hence, emerging markets and relevant areas may gradually benefit the long-term development of Vodafone, since there are more opportunities. Secondly, Vodafone has its own business department for serving corporate client. Compared with consumer market, corporate client has their unique needs on communication and data service. For Vodafone, it not only is an opportunity, but also is considered as a challenge. 2.4 Threats There are several obvious threats facing Vodafone, such as high penetration rate in mature market, and powerful competitors. Firstly, as Figure 1 shown, compared with developing countries, mature markets, such as Europe and North America, have comparatively high penetration rate. In other words, the marketing environment in mature markets is more fierce competition than emerging markets. Secondly, in the UK mobile service market, there are three considerable competitors facing Vodafone, including Everything Everywhere (Orange and T-Mobile), O2 and Three. Everything Everywhere has more than 27.6 million subscribers (Everything Everywhere, 2011), which is separately more than each competitors. This competitor not only has the dominated position in the UK mobile service market, but also has the remarkable performance on international cooperation to explore global market. For example, it cooperating with Everything Everywhere in the UK market serves the Chinese tourists and residents dur ing the tourism period (Everything Everywhere, 2012). The following competitor is O2 that has over 22.2 million subscribers. For O2, it has the remarkable abilities to formulate and implement its well-defined marketing strategies. For instance, it provides the free Wi-Fi service suitable for consumers in McDonalds store (O2, 2012). These competitors exert their powerful influence on the competitive situation of Vodafone. 3.0 Differential Advantage/Competitive Edge This chapter will discuss the differential advantage/competitive edge of Vodafone, including solid foundation of innovation, innovative abilities for improve corporate client performance, and support of strategic alliances and cooperation. Firstly, Vodafone has its solid foundation in the telecom industry. In terms of the amount of the subscribers experiencing the telecommunication service, Vodafone is the second largest mobile telecommunications firm. Currently, Vodafone operates its telecommunications service in over 30 countries, such as UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, and Ireland, and, cooperating with domestic partners to provide telecommunication services in more than 40 countries, including Denmark, Singapore, Thailand, Russia, Finland and Ukraine (Vodafone, 2012a). In terms of Vodafone (2012c), the vision is to be the worlds mobile communication leader-enriching customers lives, helping individuals, businesses and communities be more connected in a mobile world. Secondly, in the corporate client market, Vodafone has its competitive advantages. For instance, Vodafone innovatively provides the TomTom with traffic data service and machine to machine communication solution (Vodafone, 2010). It not only makes traditional telecom service applied to business communication solutions, but also expands its market from consumer market to business client. Thirdly, the strong strategic alliances and cooperation of Vodafone facilitate Vodafone explore international market. For example, in 2011, Vodafone and Conexus created the relationship of strategic alliance for expanding the Asian market (Vodafone, 2011f). In fact, since strategic alliance has considerable abilities to understand local consumer behaviours, business environment and government regulation, these abilities helps Vodafone to effectively formulate and implement marketing strategies in foreign markets. 4.0 Segmentation Targeting Positioning Market segmentation is described as a market with the similar needs and behaviour of consumers. It is considered as a process of an organisation recognising its competitive advantages for serving market segmentation. After implementing strategy of market segmentation, Kotler Keller (2006) argued that target market is based on the understanding of specific needs, qualities and behaviours of market segmentation. In another hand, the determination of market segmentation may specific target market not available to competitors. The targeting and positioning is dedicated to understand what target market wants and how to provide suitable service satisfying their needs. Currently, Vodafone has two major target market including consumer market and corporate market. Referring to consumer market, for instance, young generation consumers, such as university and college students, are more concerned with mobile data service including mobile chat, quizzes, phone games, ticket purchase and others. For this specific target market, Vodafone may provide more discount for young generation consumers to make them become loyal consumers, which consequently benefits the long-term development of Vodafone. For corporate market, Vodafone incline to provide the customised service for specific corporate client, since different corporate clients have their specific needs. 4.0 Marketing Objectives and Goals The marketing objectives and goals contain two detailed orientations including marketing sales performance and marketing communication. Firstly, referring to marketing sales performance, there are several detailed predictors for Vodafone to determine the marketing sales performance in the following five years. In the next five years, the service revenue growth in emerging market should be kept at 20%, and in mature markets at 2%. Furthermore, new services, such as 3G and data service, should experience a considerable development, which should annually increase by 3%. Referring to cost of marketing activities, Vodafone should make more efforts to improve the performance of marketing activities. Secondly, marketing communication not only involves corporate communication and marketing communications, but also concerns branding and the improvement of brand image in the mind of consumers (Pelsmacker, Geuens Bergh, 2010). Hence, evaluating the performance of integrated marketing communication is considered as another important marketing goal for Vodafone. For instance, it may hire professional service consultants to assess the performance of Vodafones IMC from various perspectives, such as consumers attention rate, and frequencies of advertising. Moreover, the feedback from consumers and partners will be used for improve the future performance of IMC. 5.0 Marketing Strategies and Programmes The analysis and evaluation on marketing strategies of Vodafone from the perspective of marketing mix. In terms of Kotler, Armstrong, Saunders Wong (2001), marketing mix is described as an effective marketing analytic tool for determining and marketing products. Therefore, this section will use marketing mix to analyse and evaluate the marketing strategies of Vodafone. 5.1 Product Today, Vodafone has three major business categories including business solutions, personal solutions and branded phones devices (Vodafone, 2012b). The service for business solutions contains integrated communications, mobile solutions, productivity services, voice and messaging, roaming for your business and machine to machine solutions, which aims to provide the efficient communication environment for business and corporate clients. In regard to personal solutions, Vodafone desires to facilitate individual consumers communicate with family and friends through several channels, such as mobile, email, chat, and internet. Furthermore, Vodafone offers the retailing service of branded phones devices. Since there is an extremely similar mobile service among different telecom companies, Vodafone should concern more services beyond communication, such as apps downloads for individual consumers to experience the benefits and funs from smartphone. For corporate client, the technical suppor t and customised service may contribute to successfully attract and maintain corporate client. 5.2 Price From the traditional view, since there is a few telecommunications service providers in a country, this liberalised market particularly facilitates these providers become oligopolies (Cambini Valletti, 2003). These oligopolies have the competitive influence in the pricing decision in comparison with consumers. Along with the application of the internet-based technologies offers more choices for consumers, such as internet chat, consumers increasingly shape their own influence in this market. Nevertheless, Vodafone and its competitors provide the similar service package and prices for consumers. For Vodafone, there are two important price plans containing pay monthly and pay as you go. The plan of pay monthly includes several dimensions for consumer to choose their proper plan, such as plan type, contract length, plan type and monthly cost (Vodafone, 2012d). Hence, the mobile service providers play a critical role in the game of pricing. 5.3 Promotion Promotion, known as integrated marketing communications, plays an important role in the creation and delivery of the persuasive information for consumers and the establishment and enhancement of the interactive relationship between Vodafone and its customers. There are several strategies of integrated marketing communications developed by Vodafone, such as social media, advertising and internet-based platform. Vodafone, like most firms concerning their brand image and their interactive relationship with consumers, focuses on the application of social media. For example, Vodafone adopts Facebook, Twitter, and Yahoo to implement the interactive communication with target consumers. Furthermore, Vodafone establishes the internet-based platform to improve the engagement of consumers in mobile service and communications. For instance, several forums, including Apple forum, BlackBerry forum, HTC forum and others (Vodafone, 2012e), make each specific target market engage in these forums to e xchange feedback and experience on these products and relevant services. 5.4 Place Place is described as the distribution networking facilitating Vodafone effectively deliver services and products for consumers. In fact, the effective distribution networking can help firms to shape their competitive advantages. Currently, there are two major distribution channels developed by Vodafone, including online store and real store. Firstly, Vodafone launched the online store to offer several aspects of mobile products and services, such as mobile phones, accessories, apps downloads and mobile services. The online store can save consumers time and money. Secondly, Vodafone, like O2 and Everything Everywhere, operates real stores to improve customer experience. 6.0 Recommendations This chapter will propose two recommendations for Vodafone to achieve its sustainable development in the long run, including social media, and customer relationship and relationship marketing. The first recommendation on the application of social media concerns the implementation of integrated marketing communications. The second recommendation on relationship marketing contains four aspects to implement relationship marketing, such as service quality, price perception, brand image and value offers. In the following, this chapter will described relevant theories on social media and integrated marketing communications and relationship marketing and propose several detailed practices for Vodafone. 6.1 Social Media Vodafone adopted social media including Facebook, Twitter and Yahoo to enhance the interactive communication with target consumers. From the theoretical perspective, social media is defined as activities, practices, and behaviours among communities of people who gather online to share information, knowledge, and opinions using conversational media (Safko Brake, 2009, p. 6). Furthermore, these two researchers recognised that companies should integrate social media into their process of formulating and implementing marketing strategies. For consumers, social media plays a critical role in personal communication. Individuals enable to create and send their own understandings on Vodafone products and service, including good and bad feedback. However, compared with the traditional communications channels, such as advertising, sponsorship and public relations, Vodafone cannot control the contagion of user-generated information on the negative evaluation on Vodafone mobile services. Hence, it is difficult for Vodafone to manage social media. However, social media provides one of the most important measures, such as word of mouth. From the consumer perspective, the user-generated word of mouth may be more reliable and trusted in comparison with the Vodafone-generated information. For instance, Hanna (2008) stressed that more and more concerns review the online feedback on products or service experience from other consumers, which may exert its influence on their purchasing decision making. Based on the internet platform, individual consumers can share their experience and communicate with each other to become an influential opinion group. Vodafone should concern the development of these similar groups and engage in these groups to obtain their experience and information on products or service. The feedback and experience from consumers can help Vodafone to develop more effective marketing strategies. For the implication of social media for Vodafone, Vodafone should play an active role in the communication with target market under the circumstance of social media. For instance, Vodafone not only uses Twitter to send the information on products and services, but also employs YouTube to deliver the video on the practices of corporate social responsibility, such as social work for local communities. In particular, Vodafone should concern the contagion of the negative information and feedback and effective respond to these feedbacks. Furthermore, the resolution of the negative feedback not only may adjusts the negative attitude of consumers toward Vodafone and its mobile services, but also may recover consumer confidence and contribute to customer loyalty. 6.2 Customer Relationship and Relationship Marketing In terms of Tseng (2007), relationship marketing is described as the contemporary mainstream of marketing thoughts concerned with the establishment and maintenance of the strong relationship between firms and consumers. In this essence, the formulation and implementation of marketing strategies should be based on the comprehensive understanding on the changing needs of consumers. Compared with the traditional marketing thoughts, relationship marketing is more concerned with the long-term customer relationship, which consequently benefits both consumers and firms in the long run. Therefore, Vodafone should concern the building and maintenance of the strong relationship with consumers. In this section, there are several tactics contributing to the implementation of relationship marketing, such as service quality, price perception, value offered (Bansel, Taylor James, 2005) and brand image (Peng Wang, 2006). In the following, this section will explain the application of these four tac tics for Vodafone. Firstly, service quality distinctive from the quality of physical products contains several characteristics, such as intangible and produced and consumed simultaneously (Gronroos, 2000). Since service quality can be perceived by each consumer, each consumer may have different perception on the similar service quality. Hence, the trusted relationship between the frontline service employees and consumers plays a critical role in the enhancement of the perceived service quality. If consumer can perceive the superior service quality through the communication with the frontline service employees, the satisfied consumers can become the loyal consumers dedicated to the long-term mutual relationship with firms. Hence, Vodafone should concern the improvement and development of the frontline service employees to enhance the perceived service quality. Furthermore, there are various measures to improve the perceived service quality, such as service design and development and improvement of store environment. Secondly, price perception is more sensitive for consumers, since it considerably affects the final decision on purchasing behaviours. If consumers perceive the price beyond their expected, the higher price perception may exert its negative influence on their purchasing decision (Peng Wang, 2006). In terms of Cheng et al. (2008), there are two important dimensions determining the price perception, including reasonableness of price and comparison from competitors. For Vodafone, it should improve service quality to make consumers perceive the reasonableness of this price, but also concerns the fluctuation of prices developed by the competitors. Based on the fluctuation of prices developed by the competitors, Vodafone should evaluate the competitive situation and service of the competitors and make the reasonable decision to cope with the potential price war. Thirdly, referring to brand, Gronroos (2000) described brand as not first built and then perceived by the customers. Instead, every step in the branding process, every brand massages, is separately perceived by customers and together add up to a brand image, which is formed in customers minds (p.287). Hence, the building of brand image not only aims to marketing physical products and services through the predicted role of brand image, but also is involved in the sustainable development of a firm. For Vodafone, it is necessary for Vodafone to build and enhance the brand image of Vodafone. There are several detailed measures for Vodafone, including marketing communications and corporate social responsibility. The marketing communications measures contain advertising, sponsorship, and social media to enhance the brand image in the mind of consumers. In particular, the implementation of corporate social responsibility will significantly contribute to the building and enhancement of brand image of Vodafone, since most consumers believe that the practices and behaviours of corporate social responsibility can influence brand image in their mind and purchasing decision. Fourthly, value offers is that consumers will evaluate the value and cost of products and services. If consumers believe that they obtain value beyond the cost of products and services, they incline to purchase this product or service and produce customer satisfaction. According to Ravald Gronroos (1996), service providers should create and deliver the superior value for consumers through the enhancement of value offers, which consequently contributes to the improvement of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. For Vodafone, it should concern the creation and delivery of value offers. 7.0 Conclusion This report discusses three major issues of Vodafone including environmental evaluation, marketing strategies and recommendations. Referring to the SWOT analysis, there are several important insights, such as fierce competition, high penetration rate, low differentiation and innovation. After defining marketing objectives, marketing mix will be used for explaining marketing strategies of Vodafone.

Developing Leadership and Communication Skills Essay -- Interpersonal

In the academic exercise given, I have chosen to discuss the topic Leadership and Communication, in which recommendations on how to develop effective interpersonal communication skills will be conferred. According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, the word ‘leadership’ is defined as the quality of being good at leading a group, organization, country, and etc. The word ‘Communication’ as explained by Donald Clark (1997), means the exchange and flow of information and ideas from one person to another, and in the context of leadership and communication, I would suggest that communication is one of the essential elements of leadership. Effective communication between a leader and his or her members occurs when the group members catches the exact information or idea that the leader intends to convey. Many a time, physical and psychological barriers in communication filters the original message and causes misinterpretation among the group mem bers. However, there are several recommended ways on what a leader should do in order to improve communication in his or her organization. First and foremost, by keeping the language simple, it reduces the risk of confusion and misinterpretation of words to people of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and personal past experiences. The use of jargons within individuals from a society of similar profession is apparently inevitable, as it provides an easy way for people within the same field to discuss complex issues in a straightforward manner. For example, the use of jargons such as ‘PROM’ which is short for ‘Programmable Read Only Memory’ among computer programmers is common, as they are considered as ‘speaking the same language’. Unfortunately, people who do not belong ... ...e effectively done without a glitch. In conclusion, I believe that my suggestions above are able to mould one into a better leader, in terms of both speaking and listening. A leader should also keep his or her language simple and understandable to all parties to avoid any misinterpretations. One must also acquire good communication skills in order to successfully lead a group in fulfilling their task. Besides, a leader should also take up the role of a good motivator, coach, and counselor in order to bring out the spirit and joy of working together as a team. Words of encouragement and praise should also never fail to slip from the lips of a leader, and of course, feedbacks from all will forever be a vital aspect to advance and develop in all perspectives. Hence, I would like to conclude that a good leader will never fail to bring out the best of his people. Developing Leadership and Communication Skills Essay -- Interpersonal In the academic exercise given, I have chosen to discuss the topic Leadership and Communication, in which recommendations on how to develop effective interpersonal communication skills will be conferred. According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, the word ‘leadership’ is defined as the quality of being good at leading a group, organization, country, and etc. The word ‘Communication’ as explained by Donald Clark (1997), means the exchange and flow of information and ideas from one person to another, and in the context of leadership and communication, I would suggest that communication is one of the essential elements of leadership. Effective communication between a leader and his or her members occurs when the group members catches the exact information or idea that the leader intends to convey. Many a time, physical and psychological barriers in communication filters the original message and causes misinterpretation among the group mem bers. However, there are several recommended ways on what a leader should do in order to improve communication in his or her organization. First and foremost, by keeping the language simple, it reduces the risk of confusion and misinterpretation of words to people of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and personal past experiences. The use of jargons within individuals from a society of similar profession is apparently inevitable, as it provides an easy way for people within the same field to discuss complex issues in a straightforward manner. For example, the use of jargons such as ‘PROM’ which is short for ‘Programmable Read Only Memory’ among computer programmers is common, as they are considered as ‘speaking the same language’. Unfortunately, people who do not belong ... ...e effectively done without a glitch. In conclusion, I believe that my suggestions above are able to mould one into a better leader, in terms of both speaking and listening. A leader should also keep his or her language simple and understandable to all parties to avoid any misinterpretations. One must also acquire good communication skills in order to successfully lead a group in fulfilling their task. Besides, a leader should also take up the role of a good motivator, coach, and counselor in order to bring out the spirit and joy of working together as a team. Words of encouragement and praise should also never fail to slip from the lips of a leader, and of course, feedbacks from all will forever be a vital aspect to advance and develop in all perspectives. Hence, I would like to conclude that a good leader will never fail to bring out the best of his people.

The Strain of Mother-Daughter Relationships in Annie John Essay

The Strain of Mother-Daughter Relationships in Annie John Jamaica Kincaid accurately portrays how adolescence can strain mother- daughter relationships. The mother- daughter relationships are universal but "it is not clear why we avoid the topic"(Gerd). The father- daughter relationships and the mother- sons relationships are the issues mostly talked about. In Jamaica Kincaid's novel, Annie John, she explains and gives insight into mother- daughter relationships. In Annie John, there are events that make people think about their relationship with their own mother. Kincaid expresses this relationship through her main character Annie who tries to find her own identity. The relationship between Annie and her mother (also called Annie) was very strong and they do a lot of things together. By the time Annie turns twelve, she starts to go through some changes which many teenagers normally goes through. In order for Annie to mature and prepare for the world, Annie's mother told her to find her own way of life. Due to these new changes, the relationship between Annie and her mother begins to degenerate. Annie now did things her mother disapproved of. At the end of the story, their relationship was okay but not as strong as it was before. After reading this book I saw that the main issue discussed in her novel, is all the stages mother- daughter relationships go through. The mother- daughter relationships are intense relationships. This is a relationship most daughters have with their mother from birth. Both male and female children are attached to their mother from birth, but most male child quickly grows out of it. The daughter is so attached to the mother in a complex way in whic... ... Louis F. Caton. "Romantic Struggles: The Bildungsroman and Mother- Daughter Bonding in Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John." Melus. vol. 21, No.3. Fall 1996. 125-42. Rpt. in Literature Resource Center. Nagel, James. "Desperate Hopes, Desperate Lives: Depression and Self Realization in Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John and Lucy." Traditions, Voices, and Dreams: The American Novel Since the 1960s. Ed. Melvin J. Friedman and Ben Siegel. U. of Delaware P, 1995, 237-53. Rpt. in Novels for Students. vol. 3. Rpt. in Literature Resource Center. Phyllis NCTU. "The Images in Annie John." 4 May 2000. 10 Dec. 2000. William M. Smith. "Annie's Mother and "Mary": Motherhood in Various Literary Forms." 26 July 1999. 15 Dec. 2000.

The Power of Tuesday :: Definition Essays

The Power of Tuesday The word "Tuesday" originates from the name of the God of war, sky, and courage known as Tiw who was one of the Anglo-Saxon Gods. There are many different translations of his name, which are Tiwaz, Tyr, Ziu, or Tir (The Nordic Story, p.1). The Germanic translation of Tuesday was Tiwes-daeg or the day of Tiw (Tiwesdaeg, p.1). Tiw was one of the most powerful, original, and oldest gods known to the Anglo-Saxons and Germanic people. Tuesday to us today is the second day of the week. People also celebrate Mardi Gras, which is known as Fat Tuesday in New Orleans. There they celebrate by having a big feast. Tiw was one of the most powerful gods during the Germanic period but was eventually overthrown by other gods. Even though he was overthrown, he was still a strong symbol to the people. When the people went to war, they had a symbol of him stamped on their weapons representing his strong role as the god of war (Tiw, p.1). During the Roman period, Tuesday was known as "dies Martis" or the day of Mars (Tiw, p.1). There is also a story about how Tiw (in the Roman times known as Tyr) loses his hand to Fenris the wolf that many of the gods fear (The Nordic story, p.2). The story says that the gods try to tie up Fenris so that he can not hurt anyone, but they had to trick him with a string specially made. They finally get Fenris to allow them to tie him up by betting to see how strong he is. One of them has to put his hand in Fenris's mouth so that he would think they are not tricking him. Since most of the gods fear Fenris, the only god brave enough to put his hand in his mouth is Tyr.

Coffee preparation Essay

1. Introduction 1. 1 fig Coffee  is a  brewed  beverage  with a distinct aroma and flavor, prepared from the roasted seeds of the  Coffea  plant. The seeds are found in coffee â€Å"cherries†, which grow on trees cultivated in  over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial  America, Southeast,  South Asia  and  Africa. Green (unroasted) coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. Coffee is slightly acidic (pH 5. 0–5. 1) and can have a stimulating effect on humans because of its  caffeine  content. It is one of the most consumed drinks in the world. Wild coffee’s energizing effect was likely first discovered in the northeast region of Ethiopia. Coffee cultivation first took place in southern Arabia;[4]  the earliest credible evidence of coffee-drinking appears in the middle of the 15th century in the Sufi  shrines of  Yemen. In East Africa and Yemen, coffee was used in native religious ceremonies that were in competition with the Christian Church. As a result, the  Ethiopian Church  banned its secular consumption until the reign of Emperor  Menelik II of Ethiopia. The beverage was also banned in  Ottoman  Turkey during the 17th century for political reasons  and was associated with rebellious political activities in Europe. Coffee berries, which contain the coffee seeds, are produced by several species of small  evergreen  bush of the  genus  Coffea. The two most commonly grown are also the most highly regarded  Coffea arabica, and the â€Å"robusta† form of the hardier Coffea canephora. The latter is resistant to the devastating coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix). Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed, and dried. The seeds are then roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor, before being ground and brewed to create coffee. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways. An important export commodity, coffee was the top agricultural export for  twelve countries  in 2004,  and it was the world’s seventh-largest legal agricultural export by value in 2005. Some controversy is associated with coffee cultivation and its impact on the environment. Consequently,  organic coffee  is an expanding market. Many studies have examined the  health effects of coffee, and whether the overall effects of coffee consumption are positive or negative has been widely disputed. The method of brewing coffee has been found to be important in relation to its effects on health. For instance, preparing coffee in a  French press  leaves more oils in the drink compared with coffee prepared with a paper  coffee filter. This might raise the drinker’s level of â€Å"bad cholesterol. † Etymology The first reference to â€Å"coffee† in the English language is in the form  chaoua  and dates to 1598. In English and other European languages,  coffee  derives from the  Ottoman Turkish  kahve, via the Italian  caffe. The Turkish word in turn was borrowed from the  Arabic: ,  qahwah. Arab  lexicographers  maintain that  qahwah  originally referred to a type of  wine, and gave its  etymology, in turn, to the verb qaha, signifying â€Å"to have no appetite†,  since this beverage was thought to dull one’s hunger. Several alternative etymologies exist that hold that the Arab form may disguise a  loanword  from an Ethiopian or African source, suggesting  Kaffa, the highland in south western  Ethiopia  as one, since the plant is indigenous to that area. However, the term used in that region for the berry and plant is  bunn, the native name in  Shoa  being  bun. History Ethiopian ancestors of today’s  Oromo people  were believed to have been the first to recognize the energizing effect of the coffee plant,  though no direct evidence has been found indicating where in Africa coffee grew or who among the natives might have used it as a stimulant or even known about it, earlier than the 17th century. The story of  Kaldi, the 9th-century Ethiopian goatherder who discovered coffee, did not appear in writing until 1671 and is probably  apocryphal. Other accounts attribute the discovery of coffee to Sheik Omar. According to the ancient chronicle (preserved in the Abd-Al-Kadir manuscript), Omar, who was known for his ability to cure the sick through prayer, was once exiled from Mocha, Yemen to a desert cave near Ousab. Starving, Omar chewed berries from nearby shrubbery, but found them to be bitter. He tried roasting the seeds to improve the flavor, but they became hard. He then tried boiling them to soften the seed, which resulted in a fragrant brown liquid. Upon drinking the liquid Omar was revitalized and sustained for days. As stories of this â€Å"miracle drug† reached Mocha, Omar was asked to return and was made a saint. From Ethiopia, the beverage was introduced into the Arab world through Egypt and Yemen. The earliest credible evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree appears in the middle of the 15th century, in the Sufi  monasteries around  Mokha  in Yemen. It was here in  Arabia  that coffee seeds were first roasted and brewed, in a similar way to how it is now prepared. By the 16th century, it had reached the rest of the Middle East,  Persia,  Turkey, and  northern Africa. Coffee seeds were first exported from Ethiopia to Yemen. Yemeni traders brought coffee back to their homeland and began to cultivate the seed. The first coffee smuggled out of the Middle East was by  Sufi  Baba Budan  from  Yemen  to India in 1670. Before then, all exported coffee was boiled or otherwise sterilised. Portraits of Baba Budan depict him as having smuggled seven coffee seeds by strapping them to his chest. The first plants grown from these smuggled seeds were planted in  Mysore. Coffee then spread to Italy, and to the rest of Europe, to  Indonesia, and to the Americas. In 1583,  Leonhard Rauwolf, a German physician, gave this description of coffee after returning from a ten-year trip to the  Near East: A beverage as black as ink, useful against numerous  illnesses, particularly those of the stomach. Its consumers take it in the morning, quite frankly, in a porcelain cup that is passed around and from which each one drinks a cupful. It is composed of water and the fruit from a bush called bunnu. —Leonard Rauwolf,  Reise in die Morgenlander  (in German). From the  Middle East, coffee spread to Italy. The thriving trade between  Venice  and North Africa, Egypt, and the Middle East brought many goods, including coffee, to the Venetian port. From Venice, it was introduced to the rest of Europe. Coffee became more widely accepted after it was deemed a Christian beverage by  Pope Clement VIII  in 1600, despite appeals to ban the â€Å"Muslim drink. † The first European coffee house opened in Italy in 1645. The  Dutch East India Company  was the first to import coffee on a large scale. The Dutch later grew the crop in  Java  and  Ceylon. The first exports of  Indonesian coffee  from  Java  to the Netherlands occurred in 1711. Through the efforts of the  British East India Company, coffee became popular in England as well. Oxford’s  Queen’s Lane Coffee House, established in 1654, is still in existence today. Coffee was introduced in France in 1657 and in Austria and Poland after the 1683  Battle of Vienna, when coffee was captured from supplies of the defeated  Turks. When coffee reached North America during the Colonial period, it was initially not as successful as it had been in Europe as alcoholic beverages remained more popular. During the  Revolutionary War, the demand for coffee increased so much that dealers had to hoard their scarce supplies and raise prices dramatically; this was also due to the reduced availability of tea from British merchants. After the  War of 1812, during which Britain temporarily cut off access to  tea  imports, the Americans’ taste for coffee grew, and high demand during the  American Civil War  together with advances in brewing technology secured the position of coffee as an everyday commodity in the United States. Coffee consumption declined in England, giving way to tea during the 18th century. The latter beverage was simpler to make, and had become cheaper with the British conquest of India and the tea industry there. During the  Age of Sail,  seamen  aboard ships of the British  Royal Navy  made substitute coffee by dissolving burnt bread in hot water. The Frenchman  Gabriel de Clieu  brought a coffee plant to the French territory of  Martinique  in the Caribbean, from which much of the world’s cultivated Arabica coffee is descended. Coffee thrived in the climate and was conveyed across the Americas. The territory of San Domingo (now  Haiti) saw coffee cultivated from 1734, and by 1788 it supplied half the world’s coffee. The conditions that the slaves worked in on coffee plantations were a factor in the soon to follow  Haitian Revolution. The coffee industry never fully recovered there. Meanwhile, coffee had been  introduced to Brazil  in 1727, although its cultivation did not gather momentum until independence in 1822. After this time, massive tracts of rainforest were cleared first from the vicinity of Rio and later Sao Paulo for coffee plantations. Cultivation was taken up by many countries in Central America in the latter half of the 19th century, and almost all involved the large-scale displacement and exploitation of the indigenous people. Harsh conditions led to many uprisings, coups and bloody suppression of peasants. The notable exception was  Costa Rica, where lack of ready labor prevented the formation of large farms. Smaller farms and more egalitarian conditions ameliorated unrest over the 19th and 20th centuries. Coffee has become a vital  cash crop  for many  developing  countries. Over one hundred million people in  developing countries  have become dependent on coffee as their primary source of income. It has become the primary export and backbone for African countries like Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and Ethiopia,  as well as many Central American countries. World production In 2011  Brazil  was the world leader in production of green coffee, followed by  Vietnam,  Indonesia  and  Colombia. Arabica coffee seeds are cultivated in  Latin America,  eastern Africa, Arabia, or Asia. Robusta coffee seeds are grown in western and  central Africa, throughout  Southeast Asia, and to some extent in Brazil. Seeds from different countries or regions can usually be distinguished by differences in flavor, aroma,  body, and acidity. These taste characteristics are dependent not only on the coffee’s growing region, but also on genetic subspecies (varietals) and processing. Varietals are generally known by the region in which they are grown, such as  Colombian,  Java and  Kona. 2011 Top twenty green coffee producers| Rank| Country| Tonnes| Bags x1000| 1|   Brazil| 2,609,040| 43,484| 2|   Vietnam| 1,200,000| 20,000| 3|   Indonesia| 495,000| 8,250| 4|   Colombia| 468,000| 7,800| 5|   Ethiopia| 390,000| 6,500|. 6|   Peru| 326,580| 5,443| 7|   India| 319,980| 5,333| 8|   Honduras| 270,000| 4,500| 9|   Mexico| 258,000| 4,300| 10|   Guatemala| 225,000| 3,750| 11|   Uganda| 192,720| 3,212| 12|   Nicaragua| 126,000| 2,100| 13|   Costa Rica| 107,940| 1,799| 14|   Ivory Coast| 96,000| 1,600| 15|   Papua New Guinea| 84,900| 1,415| 16|   El Salvador| 70,500| 1,175| 17|   Cambodia| 64,980| 1,083| 18|   Ecuador| 64,500| 1,075| 19|   Democratic Republic of the Congo| 63,360| 1,056| 20|   Venezuela| 60,000| 1,000| Total|   Ã‚  World| 7,875,180| 131,253| 1. 1 (table) Biology 1. 2 fig (Illustration of  Coffea arabica  plant and seeds). Several species of shrub of the genus  Coffea  produce the berries from which coffee is extracted. The two main species commercially cultivated are  Coffea canephora  (predominantly a form known as ‘robusta’) andC. arabica. C. arabica, the most highly regarded species, is native to the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia and the  Boma Plateau  in southeastern Sudan and possibly  Mount Marsabit  in northern  Kenya. C. canephora  is native to western and central Subsaharan Africa, from  Guinea  to the  Uganda  and southern Sudan. Less popular species are  C. liberica,  excelsa,  stenophylla,  mauritiana, and  racemosa. All coffee plants are classified in the large family  Rubiaceae. They are  evergreen  shrubs or small trees that may grow 5  m (15  ft) tall when unpruned. The leaves are dark green and glossy, usually 10–15  cm (4–6  in) long and 6  cm (2. 4  in) wide. The flowers are axillary, and clusters of fragrant white flowers bloom simultaneously and are followed by oval berries of about 1. 5  cm (0. 6  in). Green when immature, they ripen to yellow, then crimson, before turning black on drying. Each berry usually contains two seeds, but 5–10% of the berries  have only one; these are called  peaberries. Berries ripen in seven to nine months. Coffea arabica  is predominantly self-pollinating, and as a result the seedlings are generally uniform and vary little from their parents. In contrast,  Coffea canephora,  C. excelsa, and  C. liberica  are self-incompatible and require  outcrossing. This means that useful forms and hybrids must be propagated vegetatively. Cuttings, grafting, and budding are the usual methods of vegetative propagation. On the other hand, there is great scope for experimentation in search of potential new strains. 2. Coffee Production Processing Coffee berries and their seeds undergo several processes before they become the familiar roasted coffee. Berries have been traditionally selectively picked by hand; a labor intensive method, it involves the selection of only the berries at the peak of ripeness. More commonly, crops are strip picked, where all berries are harvested simultaneously regardless of ripeness by person or machine. After picking, green coffee is processed by one of two methods—the dry process method, simpler and less labor intensive as the berries can be strip picked, and the wet process method, which incorporates fermentation into the process and yields a mild coffee. 2. 1 fig -Coffee sorting in Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). 2. 2 fig – Coffee berries from Kerala, India Then they are sorted by ripeness and color and most often the flesh of the berry is removed, usually by machine, and the seeds are fermented to remove the slimy layer of mucilage still present on the seed. When the fermentation is finished, the seeds are washed with large quantities of fresh water to remove the fermentation residue, which generates massive amounts of coffee wastewater. Finally, the seeds are dried. The best (but least used) method of drying coffee is using drying tables. In this method, the pulped and fermented coffee is spread thinly on raised beds, which allows the air to pass on all sides of the coffee, and then the coffee is mixed by hand. In this method the drying that takes place is more uniform, and fermentation is less likely. Most African coffee is dried in this manner and certain coffee farms around the world are starting to use this traditional method. Next, the coffee is sorted, and labeled as green coffee. Another way to let the coffee seeds dry is to let them sit on a concrete patio and rake over them in the sunlight. Some companies use cylinders to pump in heated air to dry the coffee seeds, though this is generally in places where the humidity is very high. Some coffee undergoes a peculiar process, such as kopi luwak. It is made from the seeds of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets, passing through its digestive tract. This process resulted in coffee seeds with much less bitterness, widely noted as the most expensive coffee in the world with prices reaching $160 per pound. Roasting 2. 3 fig – Roasted coffee seeds The next step in the process is the roasting of the green coffee. Coffee is usually sold in a roasted state, and with rare exceptions all coffee is roasted before it is consumed. It can be sold roasted by the supplier, or it can be home roasted. The roasting process influences the taste of the beverage by changing the coffee seed both physically and chemically. The seed decreases in weight as moisture is lost and increases in volume, causing it to become less dense. The density of the seed also influences the strength of the coffee and requirements for packaging. The actual roasting begins when the temperature inside the seed reaches approximately 200  °C (392  °F), though different varieties of seeds differ in moisture and density and therefore roast at different rates. During roasting, caramelization occurs as intense heat breaks down starches, changing them to simple sugars that begin to brown, which alters the color of the seed. 2. 4 fig – The appearance of unroasted, green coffee seeds. Sucrose is rapidly lost during the roasting process and may disappear entirely in darker roasts. During roasting, aromatic oils and acids weaken, changing the flavor; at 205  °C (401  °F), other oils start to develop. One of these oils, caffeol, is created at about 200  °C (392  °F), which is largely responsible for coffee’s aroma and flavor. Grading the roasted seeds. Depending on the color of the roasted seeds as perceived by the human eye, they will be labeled as light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark, or very dark. A more accurate method of discerning the degree of roast involves measuring the reflected light from roasted seeds illuminated with a light source in the near infrared spectrum. This elaborate light meter uses a process known as spectroscopy to return a number that consistently indicates the roasted coffee’s relative degree of roast or flavor development. Roast characteristics The degree of roast has an effect upon coffee flavor and body. Darker roasts are generally bolder because they have less fiber content and a more sugary flavor. Lighter roasts have a more complex and therefore perceived stronger flavor from aromatic oils and acids otherwise destroyed by longer roasting times. A small amount of chaff is produced during roasting from the skin left on the seed after processing. Chaff is usually removed from the seeds by air movement, though a small amount is added to dark roast coffees to soak up oils on the seeds. Decaffeination Decaffeination may also be part of the processing that coffee seeds undergo. Seeds are decaffeinated when they are still green. Many methods can remove caffeine from coffee, but all involve soaking the green seeds in hot water (often called the â€Å"Swiss water process†) or steaming them, then using a solvent to dissolve caffeine-containing oils. Decaffeination is often done by processing companies, and the extracted caffeine is usually sold to the pharmaceutical industry. Storage Once roasted, coffee seeds must be stored properly to preserve the fresh taste of the seed. Ideally, the container must be airtight and kept in a cool, dry and dark place. In order of importance: air, moisture, heat, and light are the environmental factors responsible for deteriorating flavor in coffee seeds. Folded-over bags, a common way consumers often purchase coffee, are generally not ideal for long-term storage because they allow air to enter. A better package contains a one-way valve, which prevents air from entering. In 1931, a method of vacuum packed cans of coffee was introduced, in which the roasted coffee was packed, 99% of the air was removed and the coffee in the can could be stored indefinitely until the can was opened. Today this method is in mass use for coffee in a large part of the world. Brewing 2. 5 fig – Espresso brewing, showing desirable dark reddish-brown crema Coffee seeds must be ground and brewed to create a beverage. The criteria for choosing a method include flavor and economy. Almost all methods of preparing coffee require the seeds to be ground and mixed with hot water long enough to extract the flavor, but without over extraction that draws out bitter compounds. The spent grounds are removed and the liquid is consumed. There are many brewing variations such as the fineness of grind, the ways in which the water extracts the flavor, additional flavorings (sugar, milk, spices), and spent ground separation techniques. The ideal holding temperature is 79 to 85  °C (174 to 185  °F) and the ideal serving temperature is 68 to 79  °C (154 to 174  °F). The roasted coffee seeds may be ground at a roastery, in a grocery store, or in the home. Most coffee is roasted and ground at a roastery and sold in packaged form, though roasted coffee seeds can be ground at home immediately before consumption. It is also possible, though uncommon; to roast raw seeds at home. Coffee seeds may be ground in several ways. A burr grinder uses revolving elements to shear the seed; a blade grinder cuts the seeds with blades moving at high speed; and a mortar and pestle crushes the seeds. For most brewing methods, a burr grinder is deemed superior because the grind is more even and the grind size can be adjusted. 2. 6 fig – (An Ethiopian woman preparing coffee at a traditional ceremony. She roasts, crushes and brews the coffee on the spot. ) The type of grind is often named after the brewing method for which it is generally used. Turkish grind is the finest grind, while coffee percolator or French press are the coarsest grinds. The most common grinds are between the extremes; a medium grind is used in most common home coffee-brewing machines. Coffee may be brewed by several methods: boiled, steeped, or pressurized. Brewing coffee by boiling was the earliest method, and Turkish coffee is an example of this method. It is prepared by grinding or pounding the seeds to a fine powder, then adding it to water and bringing it to the boil for no more than an instant in a pot called a cezve or, in Greek, a briki. This produces a strong coffee with a layer of foam on the surface and sediment (which is not meant for drinking) settling on the bottom of the cup. Coffee percolators and automatic coffeemakers brew coffee using gravity. In an automatic coffeemaker hot water drips onto coffee grounds held in a coffee filter made of paper, plastic, or perforated metal, allowing the water to seep through the ground coffee while extracting its oils and essences. The liquid drips through the coffee and the filter into a carafe or pot, and the spent grounds are retained in the filter. In a percolator, boiling water is forced into a chamber above a filter by steam pressure created by boiling. The water then seeps through the grounds, and the process is repeated until terminated by removing from the heat, by an internal timer, or by a thermostat that turns off the heater when the entire pot reaches a certain temperature. Coffee may be brewed by steeping in a device such as a French press (also known as a cafetiere, coffee press or coffee plunger). Ground coffee and hot water are combined in a cylindrical vessel and left to brew for a few minutes. A circular filter which fits tightly in the cylinder fixed to a plunger is then pushed down from the top to force the grounds to the bottom. Because the coffee grounds are in direct contact with the water, all the coffee oils remain in the beverage, making it stronger and leaving more sediment than in coffee made by an automatic coffee machine. The coffee is poured from the container; the filter retains the grounds at the bottom. 95% of the caffeine is released from the coffee seeds within the first minute of brewing. The espresso method forces hot pressurized and vaporized water through ground coffee. As a result of brewing under high pressure (ideally between 9–10 atm), the espresso beverage is more concentrated (as much as 10 to 15 times the quantity of coffee to water as gravity-brewing methods can produce) and has a more complex physical and chemical constitution. A well-prepared espresso has reddish-brown foam called crema that floats on the surface. Other pressurized water methods include the moka pot and vacuum coffee maker. Cold brew coffee is made by steeping coarsely ground seeds in cold water for several hours, then filtering them. [85] This results in a brew lower in acidity than most hot-brewing methods. Serving 2. 7 fig Presentation can be an integral part of coffeehouse service, as illustrated by the common rosetta design layered into this latte. Once brewed, coffee may be served in a variety of ways. Drip-brewed, percolated, or French-pressed/cafetiere coffee may be served as white coffee with a dairy product such as milk or cream, or dairy substitute, or as black coffee with no such addition. It may be sweetened with sugar or artificial sweetener. When served cold, it is called iced coffee. Espresso-based coffee has a wide variety of possible presentations. In its most basic form, espresso is served alone as a shot or with hot water added, known as Caffe Americano. Reversely, long black is made by pouring espresso in water, which retains the crema compared to Caffe Americano. Milk is added in various forms to espresso: steamed milk makes a caffe latte, equal parts steamed milk and milk froth make a cappuccino,[86] and a dollop of hot foamed milk on top creates a caffe macchiato. The use of steamed milk to form patterns such as hearts or maple leaves is referred to as latte art. Coffee can also be incorporated with alcohol in beverages—it is combined with whiskey in Irish coffee, and forms the base of alcoholic coffee liqueurs such as Kahlua, and Tia Maria. Coffee is also sometimes used in the brewing process of darker beers, such as a stout or porter. Instant coffee A number of products are sold for the convenience of consumers who do not want to prepare their own coffee. Instant coffee is dried into soluble powder or freeze-dried into granules that can be quickly dissolved in hot water. Originally invented in 1907, it rapidly gained in popularity in many countries in the post-war period, with Nescafe being the most popular product. Many consumers determined that the convenience in preparing a cup of instant coffee more than made up for a perceived inferior taste. Paralleling (and complementing) the rapid rise of instant coffee was the coffee vending machine, invented in 1947 and multiplying rapidly through the 1950s. Canned coffee has been popular in Asian countries for many years, particularly in China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Vending machines typically sell varieties of flavored canned coffee, much like brewed or percolated coffee, available both hot and cold. Japanese convenience stores and groceries also have a wide availability of bottled coffee drinks, which are typically lightly sweetened and pre-blended with milk. Bottled coffee drinks are also consumed in the United States. Liquid coffee concentrates are sometimes used in large institutional situations where coffee needs to be produced for thousands of people at the same time. It is described as having a flavor about as good as low-grade robusta coffee, and costs about 10? a cup to produce. The machines can process up to 500 cups an hour or 1,000 if the water is preheated. 3. Coffee beans A coffee bean is a seed of the coffee plant. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit often referred to as a cherry. Even though they are seeds, they are incorrectly referred to as ‘beans’ because of their resemblance to true beans. The fruits – coffee cherries or coffee berries – most commonly contain two stones with their flat sides together. A small percentage of cherries contain a single seed, instead of the usual two. This is called a peaberry. Like Brazil nuts (a seed) and white rice, coffee seeds consist mostly of endosperm. The two most economically important varieties of coffee plant are the Arabica and the Robusta; 75-80% of the coffee produced worldwide is Arabica and 20% is Robusta. Arabica seeds consist of 0. 8-1. 4% caffeine and Robusta seeds consist of 1. 7-4% caffeine. As coffee is one of the world’s most widely consumed beverages, coffee seeds are a major cash crop, and an important export product, counting for over 50% of some developing nations’ foreign exchange earnings. The United States imports more coffee than any other nation. In 2009 the average person in the United States consumed 4. 09 kg (9 lbs) of coffee. Cultivation of the coffee seed originated in Ethiopia, in approximately 850 C. E. Farming of the coffee plant then spread to the rest of Arabia, where it was first mentioned in writing around 900 C. E. The Yemenites guarded it carefully, but some plants were eventually smuggled out to the Dutch, who kept a few plants for gardens in the Netherlands. The Americas were first introduced to the plants around 1723. South America is now responsible for approximately 45% of the world’s total coffee exports. Most of this coffee is made in Brazil. Significant dates * First cultivation in Europe (also first cultivation outside of east Africa/Arabia) – 1616 * First cultivation in India (Malabar) – late 1600s * First cultivation in Java – 1699 * First cultivation in Caribbean (Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico) – 1715–1730 * First cultivation in South America – 1730. * First cultivation in Dutch East Indies – 1720 * Roasted seeds first sold on retail market (Pittsburgh) – 1865 * Important spray-drying techniques developed in 1950s Coffee plant The coffee tree averages from 5–10 m (16–33 ft) in height. As the tree gets older, it branches less and less and bears more leaves and fruit. The tree typically begins to bear fruit 3–4 years after being planted, and continues to produce for 10–20 more years, depending on the type of plant and the area. Coffee plants are grown in rows several feet apart. Some farmers plant fruit trees around them or plant the coffee on the sides of hills, because they need specific conditions to flourish. Ideally, Arabica coffee seeds are grown at temperatures between 15–24  °C (59–75  °F) and Robusta at 24–30  °C (75–86  °F) and receive between 15–30 cm (5. 9–12 in) of rainfall per year. Heavy rain is needed in the beginning of the season when the fruit is developing, and less late in the season as it ripens. The harvesting period can be anywhere from three weeks to three months, and in some places the harvesting period continues all year round. Content of green coffee seeds The term â€Å"green coffee seed† refers to unroasted mature or immature coffee seeds. These have been processed by wet or dry methods for removing the outer pulp and mucilage, and have an intact wax layer on the outer surface. When immature, they are green. When mature, they have a brown to yellow or reddish color, and typically weigh 300 to 330 mg per dried coffee seed. Nonvolatile and volatile compounds in green coffee seeds, such as caffeine, deter many insects and animals from eating them. Further, both nonvolatile and volatile compounds contribute to the flavor of the coffee seed when it is roasted. Nonvolatile nitrogenous compounds (including alkaloids, trigonelline, proteins and free amino acids) and carbohydrates are of major importance in producing the full aroma of roasted coffee, and for its biological action. * Nonvolatile alkaloids 3. 1 fig – Coffea canephora green seeds on a tree in Goa, India. Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethyl-xanthine) is the alkaloid most present in green and roasted coffee seeds. The content of caffeine is between 1. 0% and 2. 5% by weight of dry green coffee seeds. The content of caffeine does not change during maturation of green coffee seeds. Lower concentrations of theophylline, theobromine, paraxanthine, liberine, and methylliberine can be found. The concentration of theophylline, an alkaloid noted for its presence in green tea, is reduced during the roasting process, usually about 15 minutes at 230  °C (446  °F), whereas the concentration of most other alkaloids are not changed. The solubility of caffeine in water increases with temperature and with the addition of chlorogenic acids, citric acid, or tartaric acid, all of which are present in green coffee seeds. For example, 1 g (0. 035 oz) caffeine dissolves in 46 ml (1. 6 US fl oz) of water at room temperature, and 5. 5 ml (0. 19 US fl oz) at 80  °C (176  °F). The xanthine alkaloids are odorless, but have a bitter taste in water, which is masked by organic acids present in green coffee, however. Trigonelline (N-methyl-nicotinate) is a derivative of vitamin B6 that is not as bitter as caffeine. In green coffee seeds, the content is between 0. 6% and 1. 0%. At a roasting temperature of 230  °C (446  °F), 85% of the trigonelline is degraded to nicotinic acid, leaving small amounts of the unchanged molecule in the roasted seeds. In green coffee seeds, trigonelline is synthesized from nicotinic acid (pyridinium-3-carboxylic acid) by methylation from methionine, a sulfur-containing amino acid. Mutagenic activity of trigonelline has been reported.