Alternative Fuel Source

Small individual differences in our lifestyle can add up to large changes in society. There are many automobile companies exploring different types of energy supplies other than gasoline. Conduct research on these alternative fuel sources for automobiles. Discuss one alternative to gasoline for automobiles. Give some detailed background information on the automobile model that uses an alternative fuel source and please answer the following. †¢Would you consider buying one of these in the future?Why or Why Not? Yes, maybe. If I had the money for one. A dedicated natural-gas vehicle, like the Civic Natural Gas, runs exclusively on clean-burning natural gas. This guarantees 100% alternative-fuel use. Some other natural-gas vehicles use a â€Å"bi-fuel† system that doesn't offer the same economic and low-emissions benefits that a dedicated system offers. A bi-fuel vehicle has two different fuel tanks—one containing traditional gasoline, and the other utilizing an alter native fuel such as natural gas. ttp://automobiles. honda. com/civic-natural-gas/faq. aspx †¢How many gallons of gas would you save annually if you bought one of these vehicles? Weight-saving technologies, improved aerodynamics and engine modifications result in a new Civic Natural Gas with an impressive EPA rating of 27/38/31 miles per gallon (gasoline-gallon equivalent)[1]. The recent engine and transmission changes have another upside: an increased range of over 10 percent, up to 190 miles. 1] 27 city/38 hwy/31 combined miles per gallon (gasoline-gallon equivalent). Based on 2012 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle. Performance Features http://automobiles. honda. com/civic-natural-gas/performance. aspx †¢Why do you think there are not more of these vehicles in use? For one they cost to much. The price for one of these are $26,305

Human Factor in Aviation Maintenance Essay

Abstract In the aviation industry, human error is consider as a major factor in most aviation accidents. Maintenance tasks that are performed incorrectly or are overlooked by maintenance crew would cause human errors. Examples of human errors in maintenance are installation of incorrect parts, essential checks not being performed and failed to install wanted parts. Among all aviation-related threats, errors made by maintenance crew are more difficult to detect and have the potential to remain dormant, affecting the safe operation of aircraft for longer duration. Although maintenance crews are responsible for their actions, organization problems also contributed to the threat of maintenance errors. Since it is not possible to eliminate all maintenance errors, introducing safety management systems (SMS) to aviation organizations can help identify hazards and control risk. Human factors issues in aviation maintenance Maintenance tasks may be carried out in confined spaces, at heights, under burning heat or in freezing cold and worst of all, it is also physically demanding. Good communication, coordination, clerical and focusing skills are needed to perform well in this environment. Fault analysis and rectification have to be solved quickly in order to minimize turnaround time. In addition, there would be latent emotional stress on maintenance personnel whose work has been involved in aviation accidents. However unlike aircrafts, humans do not come with a set of instructional manuals that helps us to understand their performance and capabilities. Each and every individual varies in many ways, hence one will never know how one maintenance task attributed to errors. Aviation industries become aware of many unpredictable accidents coming from human errors due to different contributing factors (Refer to Figure 1 for a graphical illustration on human error vs contributing factors) (Takahiro S, Terry L, William D, 2008)  and have taken steps to implement preventive or control measures. Factors contributing to human errors in maintenance Statistics have shown that 80% of errors are contributed due to human errors while the remaining percentage is due to mechanical or other failures. (Refer to Figure 2 for a graphical illustration on human error contribution percentile) (â€Å"Strategic program plan,† 2007) There is also a breakdown showing which type of maintenance activities having higher rate of human errors. (Refer to Table1, Frequency of Human error vs Type of maintenance activity) (Goldman, 2002) The Pear Model Four important human factors of the Pear Model (Refer to Figure 5 for graphical illustration) are: People who do the job, environment in which they work, actions they perform and resources  necessary to complete the job. People Human factors program focus on people who perform the work and attend to physical,  physiological, psychological and psychosocial factors. Organization must focus on individuals,  their physical capabilities, mental state, cognitive size and circumstances that may affect their  interaction with others. Factors like each person ‘s size, age, eyesight, strength, endurance,  experience, motivation and certification standards must be taken into consideration before each  person is tasked to work. Sufficient breaks and rest periods must be catered  to ensure each  person is not overload. Organization should encourage more teamwork and communications  between colleagues so that work accomplished will be safe and efficient. Offering educational  programs on health and fitness can help encourage good health and help reduce sick leave.  Hence, a good human factors program will consider all the limitations of humans and designs the  job accordingly. Environment Physical workplace in the hanger/shop and organization environment are environments  that are focused on human factors program. Conditions like temperature, lighting, noise control,  cleanliness, humidity and workplace design are considered physical environment. Cooperation,  mutual respect, culture of the organization, communication, leadership, shared goals and shared  values are important factors in an excellent organizational environment. Actions The standard human factors approach to identify skills, knowledge and  attitudes to  perform each task in a given job is called Job Task Analysis (JTA). It helps to identify what  instructions, tools and other resources needed to perform each task. By following exactly to the  JTA, each worker will be properly trained and each workplace will also has the necessary  equipment and other resources to perform the job. Resources Resources are viewed from a broad angle, such as anything that is needed to get the job  accomplished. Resources that are tangible are test equipment, tools, lifts, computers and  technical manuals, and so forth. Amount of time given, level of communication among people of  different levels, the number and qualifications of staff to complete a job are considered resources  that are less tangible. The most important element under resources is to identify the need for  additional resources. Accidents linked to maintenance Japan Airlines Flight 123 In August 1985, Japan Airlines flight 123 claimed the lives of 520 people when it crashed into a mountain. It was bound for a short flight from Tokyo to Osaka but at the altitude of 24,000ft, the aircraft suddenly lost control due to the failure of the rear pressure bulkhead and caused the whole cabin to suffer a sudden decompression. The impact of the escaping air caused the separation of the vertical stabilizer, rudder, hydraulic lines and four pressurized hydraulic systems. Investigations revealed that the aircraft had encountered a tail strike incident a few years ago. The repair work done on the aft bulkhead did not comply with the OEM recommended procedure as two doubler plates instead of a single plate were used to do the splice. (Refer to Figure 3 for an illustration of the repair) Eastern Airlines Flight 855 On May 5, 1983, Eastern Airlines flight 855 was on a flight from Miami, U.S. to Nassau, Bahamas. The plane carried a total of 172 people. While making a descend, the low oil pressure warning indicator on the center engine lighted up. The flight crew shut-off the center engine and decided to return back to Miami with the remaining two engines. On the way back to Miami, the aircraft’s low oil pressure warning indicators for the remaining two engines lighted up followed by flamed out within minutes. Luckily the flight crew managed to re-start the center engine again after the aircraft descended from 13,000ft to 4,000ft without any power. After the aircraft landed safely at Miami airport with one engine, no live loss or injuries were claimed. The investigation board concluded the cause of the incident was due to all three magnetic chip detectors on the engines had been installed without O-rings (Refer to Figure 4 for an illustration of the Chip) causing oil to leak from the engines during flight. This accident could be avoided if the engineers involved were discipline and carried out the maintenance tasks professionally. British Airway Flight 5390 On 10 June 1990, British Airlines flight 5390 was on a flight from Birmingham, England to Malaga, Spain. Suddenly at about 17,300ft, the left windscreen on the captain’s side of the cockpit blew out from the cockpit. The captain was sucked out of his seat with half of his body hanging out of the plane and the other half resting on the flight controls. No lives were lost on this flight, but the captain suffered frostbite, bruising, and  fractures to his right arm, left thumb and right wrist while flight attendant who aided the captain suffered a dislocated shoulder, frostbitten face and some frostbite damage to his left eye. Investigators found that the maintenance manager who worked on the windscreen had used incorrect bolts during a windscreen repair. Other issues highlighted were failed to check tolerance specification of the bolts, staffing shortage during night shift, parts storage and involvement of supervisors in hands-on maintenance work. Safety Management Systems A safety management system (SMS) is a systematic way to managing safety, policies, procedures, accountabilities, and including the necessary organisational structures. The objective of a Safety Management System is to provide a structured management approach to control safety risks in operations. Therefore in order to have an effective safety management, the organisation’s specific structures and processes related to safety of operations must be taken into account. safety management requires planning, organising, communicating and providing direction. The first step of the SMS progession begins with setting the organisational safety policy. It lay outs the strategy for achieving acceptable levels of safety within the organisation and defines the principles upon which the SMS is built and operated. In order to mitigate and limit risk during operations in the designed processes, safety planning and execution of safety management procedures are needed. Only with these controls in place, quality management techniques then can be utilised to ensure the intended objectives are met by deployment of safety assurance and if fail, evaluation processes are needed to provide continuous montioring of operations and for identifying areas of safety improvement. Furthermore, SMS also provides the organisational framework to set up and encourage the development of a positive safety culture. Finally, the implentation of SMS provides the organisation’s management a structured set of tools to meet their respomsibilites for safety defined by the regulator. Conclusion Aviation industries have realized that it is not possible to entirely eliminate maintenance errors but to take an approach to identify, correct and minimize the consequences of those errors. And with the implementation of SMS, hazards could be identify and risks could be control. In conclusion, all these human factor studies help aviation industries to make continuous improvement and implementation of solutions to reduce maintenance errors. References Strategic program plan. (2007, August 01). Retrieved from http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/human-factors-in-aviation-maintenance/StrategicProgramPlan.pdf Takahiro Suzuki, Terry L. Von Thaden, William D. Geibel. (2008). Influence of time pressure on aircraft maintenance errors. Informally published manuscript, University of Illinois, Retrieved from http://www.aviation.illinois.edu/avimain/papers/research/pub_pdfs/miscconf/AAvPA_suzuki_final.pdf Micheal E. Maddox. (2007). Human factors. Daytona Beach, FL 32114: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Retrieved from http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/human-factors-in-aviation-maintenance/guide/chapter1.pdf LindaWerfelman. (2008, April). Working to the limit. AeroSafety World, 3(4), 14-18. Retrieved from http://flightsafety.org/aerosafety-world-magazine/past-issues/aerosafety-world-april-2008 Colin G. Drury. (2007). Establishing a human factors/ergonomics program. Daytona Beach, FL 32114: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Retrieved from http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/human-factors-in-aviation-maintenance/guide/chapter2.pdf Hobbs, A. Australian Transport Safety Bureau, (2008). An overview of human factors in aviation maintenance (AR-2008-055). Retrieved from Australian Transport Safety Bureau website: http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/27818/ar2008055.pdf SKYbrary. (2013, September 14). Safety Management System. Retrieved from http://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Safety_Management_System James T. Burnette. (2007). Workplace safety. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Daytona Beach, FL 32114. Retrieved from http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/human-factors-in-aviation-maintenance/guide/chapter3.pdf Micheal E. Maddox. (2007). Shiftwork and scheduling. Daytona Beach, FL 32114: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Retrieved from Micheal E. Maddox. (2007). Facility design. Daytona Beach, FL 32114: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Retrieved from http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/human-factors-in-aviation-maintenance/guide/chapter5.pdf James Reason. (2007). Human error. Daytona Beach, FL 32114: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Retrieved from http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/human-factors-in-aviation-maintenance/guide/chapter14.pdf FAA. (2012). Human Factors. Retrieved from http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/media/AMT_Handbook_Addendum_Human_Factors.pdf Terrell N. Chandler. (2007). Training. Daytona Beach, FL 32114: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Retrieved from http:/ /libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/human-factors-in-aviation-maintenance/guide/chapter7.pdf Figure 1. Human error vs Contributing factors. (Takahiro S, Terry L, William D, 2008) Figure 2. Human error contribution percentile. (â€Å"Strategic program plan,† 2007) Table 1. Frequency of Human error vs Type of maintenance activity. (Goldman, 2002) Figure 3. Comparison of the correct and incorrect method of the doubler plate repair. (Hobbs, 2008) Figure 4. Location of O rings on magnetic chip detector. (Hobbs, 2008) Figure 5. The PEAR Model (FAA, 2012)

Content analysis of Sionil Jose Essay

Chapter I The Problem and Its Setting A.Introduction â€Å"Open a journalist’s desk drawer and inside you’ll find an unfinished novel.† This was what Scanlan (2004) wrote in his essay From Fact to Fiction: Making the Leap. He added that while there are people in the journalism industry who practice their expertise on news reporting, there are also those who are inclined to other forms of writing namely plays, poetry, and fiction. Based on Scanlan’s definition, Journalism is a profession inclined to writing facts. Brainworld Publishing (2011) supplements this description as â€Å"the work of gathering, writing, editing, and publishing or disseminating news, as through newspapers and magazines or by television and radio.† On the contrary, Brainworld Publishing describes fiction as the act of feigning or imagining an event, situation, and the like not existing in actual life. This includes allegory, fables, novel, romance, story, and tale describes. In relation, a fictionist is someone who writes fiction , mainly novels (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011). In the United States alone, well-known novelists or fiction writers began their career as journalists. These great writers started out as â€Å"reporters of facts† (Fishkin, 1985). In 1835, famous 19th century American author, poet, and literary critic Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), better known for his mystery and horror-filled detective stories, had previously been an assistant editor in the magazine Southern Literary Messenger. He also acquired the same post in Burton’s Gentleman Magazine in 1839, but left for Graham’s Magazine. Poe also wrote for the Evening Mirror. He then became an editor and eventually the sole owner of The Broadway Journal, according to Bio. A&E Television Networks, (2014). Another prominent figure in literature from the late 1800s, U.S. writer Walt Whitman (1819-1892), was an essayist, a poet, as well as a journalist. He initially found a job as a newspaper apprentice at the age of 11. In 1841, Whitman founded the weekly Long-Islander. He had been an editor of Brooklyn Daily Eagle in 1846. He also took charge of the editorial duty in Crescent then subsequently pioneered the Brooklyn Freeman, both in 1848. His practice in print continued for the following years until he resorted to and devoted the rest of his lifetime to realist poetry and mainly politically-influenced works (Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014). In the Philippines,  award-winning script writer Ricardo â€Å"Ricky† Lee, who is known for his fiction, worked as a journalist for the Philippine Press Freedom in 1970’s. Lee was also a part of Panunulat para sa Kaunlaran ng Sambayanan (PAKSA or Pen for the People’s Progress). His experiences as a fugitive during the Martial Law served as an inspiration for some of his works (Lumbera, 2011). Yabes (2014) says that 2001 National Artist for Literature, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, and three-time first-prize Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards recipient F. Sionil Jose, used to be a campus journalist while studying Liberal Arts in the University of Santo Tomas. He had been the editor-in-chief of UST’s official publication, The Varsitarian. Jose, whose novels are widely known for their epic depiction of the Philippine life throughout history, is a publisher as well, and holds editorial positions for several local and international magazines. The researchers wonder about how the background in Journalism of selected Filipino fictionists help them transit from writing facts to writing fiction. B.Statement of the Problem This study will primarily aim to analyze the journalistic experiences of selected fictionists and its relationship to their writing styles. Specifically, it will target to answer the following questions: 1.How is the demographic profile of respondents be divided in terms of: 1.1. age; 1.2. media affiliation or publishing company and 1.3. years in the book industry? 2.How do journalistic experiences help the selected local fictionists in their field of work? 2.1. What are the factors that influence journalists to also venture on fiction writing? 3.How does these journalists’ sense of reality (given that they report facts) affect the contents of their fiction? C.Significance of the Study The main purpose of this study is to change the perception of people, especially those venturing on journalism as simply reportage of facts. The researchers believe that this will broaden the perspective of people in journalism as well as the opportunities the said field can offer. Upon completion, the study will be of importance to the following: Media  practitioners. The study will give an option for practicing journalists to also venture on fiction writing since they already had a background on writing. Publishers. It will provide them new opportunities to invest on and hire journalists who can write fiction and the chance to introduce fresh writing styles to the market. In return, the publication will have more writers and eventually produce more stories. Aspiring fiction writers. Considering that taking journalism course will improve their writing style as future fiction writers, hence, they will be able to enrich their writing capacity. Readers. It will help them understand that journalism course does not solely focus on reporting news. It will also change their common misconception on journalists that the latter are only boxed in writing fact-based stories. Journalism students. It will open other avenues in writing aside from settling on the conventional technical writing. In addition, it will give them the idea to venture on other writing jobs and to maximize their writing abilities. College of Arts and Letters Faculty. It will give an idea to the faculty that apart from teaching technical writing to journalism students, they can also advice them to nurture their writing skills in other ways such as fiction writing. In addition, the professors and instructors will have an idea on how to further broaden their students’ writing capabilities. Future researchers. This study will serve as a reference material and a guide as well to those who will pursue a study related to this topic. D.Scope and Delimitation This study will cover five or more fictionists. The researchers will interview subjects who had previous background in journalism (i.e., campus journalist, columnist, newspaper researcher, etc.) but not necessarily graduates of the said course about the latter’s journalistic experiences and its probable influence to their fiction. The selection of the fictionists to be interviewed will be based on the following criteria: †¢Has been in the writing industry, particularly fiction, for 10 years or more; and †¢Is recognized in his/her chosen field. It will be limited to Filipino writers who had practiced journalism then turned into fictionists, excluding international fiction authors who have  also worked in the field of journalism. The methodology of the study will only last from October 2014 to March 2015. E.Definition of Terms The following words will be defined either conceptually or operationally: Book industry – the enterprise of producing and manufacturing books, particularly fiction Books – any printed fiction material on paperback, excluding e-books Crime Fiction – also known as detective stories. A work of fiction wherein unraveling and detection of the truth about a crime, usually but not exclusively murder, plays the central role in the plot. (Shephard and Rennison, 2006). Sport History – or sport fiction. A work of fiction that features the main characters’ struggle with issues related to sports. (Routman, 2005) Chapter II Review of Related Studies and Literature This chapter contains the researchers’ readings on the topic under study. A.Related Theories New Historicism New Historicism Theory proposes â€Å"several major ‘historicists’† to study a literature in social, political, and cultural history context. A nation’s literary history is an expression of â€Å"its evolving spirit† and consists of two approaches: one in the form of collection of archives and monuments of great people, and ‘historicist’ on the other, which â€Å"saw literary history as part of a larger cultural history† (Selden, 2005). The New Historicists, as Tillyard describes (1943), thus â€Å"establish the interconnections between the literature and the general culture of a period.† (Selden, 2005). The researchers will use the theory to analyze how historical events that the respondents witnessed during their journalism practice influence if their works. The theory will also serve as a basis on how the respondents perceive reality through their works. Postcolonial Criticism Postcolonial criticism delves into the existing relationship between the Western and Third World culture, with the former repressing the latter with its ethnocentrism. The primary goal of this theory is to trace the domination of Western culture, thought, and values over the marginalized as expressed through literature (Seldan, 1985). Said (1978, as cited in Selden, 1985) asserts the distinction made between the Occident and the Orient through Orientalism which has three overlapping areas: the 4000-year Europe-Asia relations, production of Oriental language specialists, and stereotyping the Orient as â€Å"the other.† Spivak (1976, as cited in Selden, 1985) deals with deconstructive method in criticizing and revealing â€Å"how truth is constructed rather than exposing the error† (Selden, 1985, p. 223). She further proposes how the Western tradition needs â€Å"the other† but does not readily admit it. The researchers will use the theory to interpret how the sele cted Filipino fictionists with journalism background express such repression and convey reality through their literary works. How the Humanities and Journalism Can Save Each Other Perlmutter and Dowling (2012) explain that journalism is vital in serializing fiction. They mention the 19th century best-selling novel Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin being first published in a periodical as an example. They assert that â€Å"Walt Whitman and Margaret Fuller nurtured their careers as fictionists through journalism.† They even suggested to reporters serializing â€Å"novels they always wanted to write about.† The same with the previous study, this study will focus on fictional works in print, but with different medium. Perlmutter and Dowling concentrate on American best-sellers published in newspapers, whereas the study will deal with selected Filipino fiction in a book publication. They analyze through observation and examples how journalism helps some notable American writers in producing their fiction, while the researchers of this study will conduct an interview to selected Filipino fiction writers with a journalism backgroun d, citing how their journalistic experiences help them write and publish their works. An Intersection of Fact and Fiction: A Study of Naipaul’s ‘The Middle Passage’ Pradhan (2014) explains the existence of a reciprocal relationship between fictional and factual writing. The researcher mentions the experiences of writer Naipaul being similar to that of Ernest Hemingway, who were both journalists turned fictionists before they ventured on nonfiction. Pradhan uses John Hellmann’s Fables of Facts in naming new journalism and nonfiction novel as contemporary genres in which journalistic materials are presented in the form of fiction. The previous study concentrates on how former journalists turned nonfiction writers benefit from their experiences in writing fiction, while the study to be conducted will deal with how the journalistic experiences of selected Filipino fictionists help them in their career. The two studies are similar in discussing the relationship of writing fact and fiction, but differ in focus. Reflecting the Detectives: Crime Fiction and the New Journalism in Late Nineteen-Century Australia In this study, Rachael Weaver (1892) explains the correlation of crime fiction to crime reportage in Australia in the late 19th century using the detective novels The Mystery of a Hansom Cab by Fergume Hume and Murder of Madeline Brown by Francis Adams and Australia’s most famous murder case, the Windsor tragedy in 1892, as examples. Weaver states that many of the newspapers had their own interpretation on the story, making it sensationalized during that time. Those newspapers released different speculations about the murder. For that instance, the speculated angles of every publication served an inspiration for writing investigative stories. â€Å"The intense, international media sensation that surrounded the Windsor murder provides an ideal opportunity for investigating popular print culture in late-nineteenth-century Australia†¦ At least six book-length studies of the case were published in the weeks before and after Deeming’s execution in May, some running to several editions, each embellished more extravagantly than the last. Their anonymous authors practiced a form of sub-literary bricolage that engaged diverse generic themes, mirroring a travel adventure one moment, a penny dreadful the next. However, the most frequently deployed motifs throughout the everyday reportage and the book-length ‘histories’ were drawn – often with great clumsiness – from detective fiction.† Weaver describes the relationship between crime journalism and detective fiction as â€Å"historical and enduring.† She mentions that reported crimes provided materials for writers of sensation fiction. She adds that Edgar Allan Poe’s The Mystery of Marie Roget was based on the reports of the real-life murder of Mary Rogers in New York. The analysis is similar to the study to be conducted because they both cite the experiences of writers to their outputs, but varies from the experiences. The essay discusses the connection of reading crime articles in newspapers of the Australian writers to their detective stories, while the study will deal with the link between the journalistic backgrounds of selected Filipino fictionists to their literary works. B.Related Studies From Fact to Fiction: Journalism & Imaginative Writing in America Fishkin (1985) found out how fact turned into art, as well as how journalism paved the way to American literature. She assessed the lives and careers of Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, Theodore Dreiser, Ernest Hemingway, and John Dos Passos, including their corresponding works in journalism and fiction. She related the journalistic experiences of these writers and their fiction, and the factors for their gradual shift in genre. Fishkin’s study focused on the American literature, whereas this study will deal with the Philippine literature, concerning the journalistic experiences of selected Filipino fictionists in relation to their fiction. She reviewed only the biographical accounts of well-known American journalists turned fictionists, while the researchers of this study will also conduct an interview to Filipino fiction writers with a journalism background, merely concentrating on their lives and careers before shif ting to writing fiction. Gà ³mez Alfaro: Pioneer of Interdisciplinary Studies on the Relationships between Journalism and Literature in Spain Rodrà ­guez (2010) evaluated that journalism and literature had been long linked with each other, which was later on merged together and coined as literary journalism. He used Antonio Gà ³mez Alfaro’s work in 1980’s and 1990’s, as an example. Rodriguez emphasized that Alfaro pioneered the concept of literary journalism by  conducting a study regarding the connection between journalism and literature which Alfaro finished in 1960. â€Å"This multi-focal approach is extraordinary considering at the time Journalism was not part of the Spanish university system; therefore, there was not a scientific platform nor were there academic precedents that supported in-depth, exhaustive research about journalism and literature, a reality that appeared forty years after the publication of the aforementioned precursor.† Rodriguez added that journalism was considered a part of literary genre in 1845. â€Å"The work conducts a historical synthesis of the nuclear and most considered speculations about the journalistic literary union, from 1845 until 1999, and describes the progression of such contributions, to grant an adequate context to the precursory contributions made by Antonio Gà ³mez Alfaro to interdisciplinary studies about Journalism and Literature in Spain.† The study already performed is theoretically related to the future study, both of them focusing on the relationship between journalism and fiction. The two studies both elaborate the differences and similarities of literary and journalism, but differ in scope. The previous study concentrated on Spanish literature, particularly Alfaro’s studies, while the current study will deal with Philippine Literature, specifically the works of selected Filipino fictionists with journalistic background. Text, Audiences, and Postmodernism: The Novel as Source in Sport History Johnes (2007) observed the recent demand to use fiction as reference for sport history. He delved into how postmodernism influenced and was received by historians in proposing fiction as a â€Å"social force† in shaping how people understands the world around them. He explored deeper into these postmodern ideas by analyzing Vernon Scannell’s 1953 novel The Fight. This study concentrated on putting such ideas into actual practice, and used fiction as sources for sport history while the study to be conducted will apply journalistic experiences in writing fiction. The previous study focused on how fiction was used as source materials for sports history while the current study will concentrate on how the journalistic experiences of  selected Filipino fictionists is used in their career. Theoretical Framework This study is theoretically anchored in New Historicism theory which states that there is a connection between the historical background of the place where the author originated or resided from and his literary works, the former being useful to understanding the latter. In this study, the researchers will investigate on the relationship between the journalistic experiences of selected Filipino fictionists and their literary works. Figure 1.0. Historical Criticism Diagram Conceptual Framework Figure 2.0. Conceptual Framework of the Study

Will money disappear and what will replace it Research Paper

Will money disappear and what will replace it - Research Paper Example The first debate of the possible disappearance of money was started when plastic money in the form of credit cards began taking rook. Now, there are expectations that hard cash will disappear and be replaced by plastic money (Bkatayama Para 1). The debate has now changed and now it is speculated that both plastic money and hard cash will be replaced by other forms of cash. Mobile cash Smart phones are becoming a big part of people’s lives every day. In many economies, SIM cards in mobiles phones have been linked to owner’s bank account which means that the owners of these phones can access their money in the bank directly to carry out everyday payments such as in shopping malls, paying utility bills and other payments. This is something that has spread even in the underdeveloped countries such as in Africa. In east Africa for instance, Kenya was one of the first countries in the world to use mobile banking offered by a cell phone network operator called Safaricom. This mobile phone money transfer allows users to deposit money, withdraw and most importantly pay directly from the phone. The phones don’t have to be smart phones since what is necessary is the SIM card which is registered in the name of the owner and then linked through a mobile network to the bank. This service, although originally offered as a standalone service without the involvement of banks, has now been linked with banks and users can now have a direct link to their bank accounts. This kind of money transfer continues to grace many economies around the world and users like the advantages of mobile money. The main advantage of mobile money is that a person does not have to carry hard cash with them or numerous credit card and debit cards. Due to increasing popularity of mobile money, it has been speculated that by the year 2020, hard cash and plastic money will have been replaced by mobile money (The Week). There are however those who dispute this argument and postulate th at it will be difficult to replace hard currency and plastic money. Some of these reasons include; Huge investment in cash and plastic money The argument is that that are too many organisations that have invested too much money in the system for hard cash and plastic money and they will not allow this form of cash to disappear because its disappearance would mean that they would lose their investment. Apart from this, the most formidable argument that has been given for the impossibility of hard cash and plastic money disappearing is the fact that most people will remain paranoid of new forms of payment and will prefer to pay using the traditional means. For instance according to (Fratianni, Salvatore, and Savona 515), the central bank can prevent the disappearance by setting high reserve rates and also stabilising its monetary policy. Advantages of hard cash Although hard cash has its advantages, it also has its advantages. A major good thing is that it is anonymous. One problem wi th digital money such as mobile money is that it always leaves a â€Å"paper trail† and therefore, some people may find it intrusive in terms of their privacy. More than fearing for their privacy, the other main concern that most people will continue to have is the issue of security of their money. Most people fear that digital money may not be very secure because sometimes it may only take a few clicks or a just a swipe for a thief to take all of a person’s savings. Although security has been tightened around virtual money systems, previous instances of people’s accounts being cleaned by hackers remain a big challenge in convincing people to use virtual money. Some have also argued that just in the same way that notes did not replace coins and plastic money

Final Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Final Reflection Paper - Essay Example These tools and methods when effectively and correctly applied, the goal is achieved and this can be obtained by also working with an expert researcher in the field. I have discovered through this study that the central theme in every research is in discovering the problem. This is the first approach in any research that calls for concise analysis of the problem described in a clear and precise term that is easy to understand (Leedy & Ormrod, 2013).Once this is done, the researcher can view literature that is related with the subject of study thoroughly and efficiently in order to gather enough information that would lead in the planning of research design. The research process, therefore, takes a course in which a researcher communicates his thoughts, objectives, plans, and methods in a manner that others can read (Leedy & Ormrod, 2013). Through this approach, it is imperative that any research collect adequate information and examine them keenly with a motive of constructing a rich and meaningful picture of a situation. In conclusion, the essence of research is not in merely collecting information but in arriving at a solution to the problem. Having garnered this wealth of information, it is easier for me to correctly undertake a research and achieve

Enron case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Enron case - Essay Example The companies’ acts usually serve to offer adequate regulatory approaches, that auditor and companied to adhere to. With this respect, it is a requirement of SEC that all public corporations should have outside auditors to undertake the auditing process. This implies that an outside auditor is supposed to offer opinions regarding the precision and reliability of the company’s accounting statements, taking into consideration the principle of objectivity, lack of biasness and avoiding the engagement in activities that are likely to result to lack of auditor independence (Haines 14). As a result, auditors are required to display utmost ethics and honesty in the code of duties, which requires auditors to display integrity, objectivity and independence. The regulatory oversight that resulted to the Enron fraud is a violation of the aspect of auditor independence as evident by Andersen having an office space in Enron’s headquarters that was permanent. This served to re veal lack of auditor independence (Hill & Cronk 10). In addition, there is a possibility that Andersen overlooked Enron Corporation’s compliance with the required accounting policies, procedures and practices. In addition, Enron Corporation had relied on the auditing services from Andersen, resulting to him familiarizing with the corporations accounting policies and practices. The Enron scandal served to reveal the significance of auditor independence; as a result, the fraud served to question the efficiency and the adequacy of the present audit independence regulatory frameworks. The auditing procedures prior to the Enron fraud were sufficient to ensure that there is high audit quality, but in some cases fails to identify misappropriations (Hodgetts & Luthans 33). There have been significant changes in accounting regulations after the collapse of the Enron Corporation with the main

Biology of health and illness - the digeative system Essay

Biology of health and illness - the digeative system - Essay Example Digestion starts in the mouth where digestive juices are produced to convert the different types of foods (Garrow, Ralph & Philip 2000). The relaxation and contraction of the wall muscles in the organs enables the easy movement of foods as well as mixing the contents of the food. The food is then stored in the stomach and blended with the digestive juice produced by the stomach walls and it’s later transported to the ileum. Here, the foods are mixed up and dissolved in the digestive juices produced by the liver, pancreas and the intestines. The final process the nutrients are absorbed by the walls of the intestines while the undigested food proceeds to the large intestines where stored and later released as feces. The transportation of nutrients to the other parts in the body is enhanced by the blood and nerves (Smith & Morton 2001). There are however some factors that have a negative effect on the process of digestion, one of these factors is malabsorption. Malabsorption is t he condition where the nutrients are not absorbed in the intestinal walls during digestion. After the breaking down of the foods, they are blend with the digestive juices to produce nutrients which are then absorbed by walls of the small intestines to generate energy. The various types of malabsorption include sugar malabsorption for lactose, fat malabsorption for which is mainly caused by a fault in either the bile ducts, small intestines or the pancreas. Nutrient malabsorption is caused by failure in transportation of nutrients such as iron and minerals. Malabsorption is mostly caused by disorders in the walls of the small intestines. The intestinal walls are made up of the villi and microvilli that are responsible for providing a large surface for absorption of nutrients. Therefore a fault in any part of the small decreases the surface for absorption. Faults in the intestinal walls are mainly caused by diseases such as celiac and Crohn's. However, some faulty intestinal walls are due to infections by bacteria, parasites, virus and certain drugs such as alcohol and antibiotics. Some of the external symptoms of malabsorption include loss of hair, swelling of some body parts and dry skin. Malabsorption causes illnesses such as anemia, heart failure, gallstones, rickets and Osteoporosis which affects the bone strength. The other condition that affects the process of digestion is malnutrition. Malnutrition is the situation where the diet that a person takes is not sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements in the body (Sizer & Whitney 2010). For digestion to take place efficiently the body needs adequate quantities of various nutrients which include minerals, fats, carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. One of the reasons for malnutrition is due to lack of food due to hunger. The other cause of malnutrition is when a person’s diet is limited to foods with no nutrients (Brynie 2002). Malnutrition may also be caused by situations where the body requires mo re energy than the body is generating. These factors lead to the lack of essential nutrients in the body. Malnutrition may also be caused by certain medical conditions that affect some organs of the digestive system. The lack of different nutrients in the digestion process cause different types of malnutrition thus varying symptoms (Sizer & Whitney). However the general symptoms of malnutrition are fatigue, loss of weight and fainting. The treatment to malnutrition is replacing the nutrients so

Land Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Land Law - Assignment Example The entire cost for this work was worth  £ 110,000. Ali unduly influenced Ben to signed mortgage forms that lead to release of some security in Valiant Villa to cover the costs. Ideally, not all mortgages are utilized to buy property. As in this case, it is apparent that Ali who also worked as a model scout and agent committed himself to fund Cait. However, since Ali had no sufficient money, he decided to use his right to the villa to take a mortgage with Cantander bank. According to the common law, Cantander bank has the right to repossess Valliant Villa in the event that any liability within which joint owners are liable is not honored. In National Westminster Bank v Skelton, the court held that the mortgagee has unqualified right to repossession in the event that the mortgagor defaults in mortgage repayment.2 Cantander bank has the right to repossesses the villa and either uses it to generate income or sell it to recover unpaid mortgage amounts. Surprisingly, Ben was not fully aware of the whole deal as he thought the second mortgage was a form of mortgage repackaging. Unluckily, Cait Miss was embroiled in a drug scandal which dented her image making it difficult to continue working in the model industry. Indeed Ali’s reputation as her agent was also shattered and could no longer earn revenues to cover mortgage repayments. Cantander bank is now seeking repossession of Valiant Villa which has indeed caught Ben unaware. Ben should understand that mortgage as a contact is primarily based on contract law in regard to formation, terms and termination. As such, a mortgage differs from an ordinary loan since the mortgagee has equal rights to the property as the mortgagor. A mortgage has a proprietary interest since a mortgagee has rights over the property and can therefore take possession of that property in the event of non

The Contributions of Mansa Musa to the Greatness of Mali Empire Essay - 3

The Contributions of Mansa Musa to the Greatness of Mali Empire - Essay Example Mansa Musa engaged in numerous conquest of the neighboring kingdoms after his return from pilgrimage which saw him expand the kingdom from all corners. During his journey, he got involved in lavish spending as well as well distribution of goods to the needy. The people in his entourage also took part in the distribution in the Egyptian city of Cairo leading to the collapse of the city’s financial market which was among the largest in the world. As a result, he gained large following especially from the key Islamic scholars and those who were responsible for the building of the city of Cairo. They followed him back to his empire after which he used them in the building of the major cities in the region. They first built the city of Timbuktu into one of the leading pioneers of Islamic academic and financial centers. As a result, Timbuktu became the leading trading center in Africa that can be compared to the present Wall Street. Trade in the city mainly involved gold, slaves, ko la nuts, cashew nuts among other items. This led into the city is at the same level with other cities in Europe such as Paris, Madrid, and Venice in terms of intellectual capacity, economic growth, population and political stability (Alexander, 201-321). Mansa Musa embarked on major construction initiatives that included the building and establishment of mosques and madrasas. Example include the Sankore Madrasah commonly known as the University of Snake which was built during his reign and have remained up to the present age. Musa brought about the modern educational system in the kingdom by re-staffing the University of Sankore with a team of learned astronomers, scientists, mathematicians and jurists who made a great influence in the University thus making it the center for learning and cultural experience.

Freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Freedom - Essay Example Freedom of speech is important in media and press since it heals with public. In a democratic state, of which most states in the world are, the interest and the rights of the state take priority. Politics and freedom to speech is inseparable since politics is the main component of democracy. Some argue that democracy is an idea of peoples self governance. The electorate in such a system must be properly informed and with no constrains for ideas and information to flow. If constrained, the electorate can easily be manipulated to avoid criticisms which are healthy. Accountability process and freedom of speech significantly impacts on the governance quality of a country. The worldwide measure and indicator of the freedom of speech is the freedom of association, freedom of expression and freedom of media. Debating and open discussions in democratic nations is important in the achievement of a stable and more adaptive community. This brings about consensus rather than imposition of laws. Through social interactions, stakeholders of a particular institution are able to engage in discussions that bears development in the direction of the community. Thus, the freedom of speech and expression plays a major role in the world today and it is one of the main pillars of the democracy building. Freedom of worship also means the freedom of religion or freedom of belief. It protects individual and gives them the liberty to choose to believe in the teachings and faith of their choice. Nobody in any part of the world is compelled to follow any specific religion. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Right covers the fundamentals of the freedom of worship. There are different religions in the world ranging from Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and even Judaism. In pursuit of democracy, a nation should strive as much as possible to tolerate and respect the people’s choice that allows them to worship freely. This was a universal full fledge after the United Nations G eneral Assembly passed a declaration on elimination of all forms of intolerance and religion based discrimination on 25th November 1981. Religion freedom was recognized as a fundamental human right henceforth. (John Winthrop, 2009), the government should allow people to choose religion freely so that long run societal interest to prevail. He pointed out that laws that prevent the freedom of religion seek to preserve belief and power in a particular religion. In a given religion, the way of worship is almost similar but sharply differs between religions. Since there are no laws that prohibit religion choice, it definitely means that the freedom of worship is also guaranteed. This freedom allows people to worship God in their own way and style. In as much as freedom of worship is universal all over in the world, there are no specific and outright laws that dictate and govern on how people should worship. There is also a limit beyond which worship freedom should not go beyond. In pursu it of worship, it musts be within the limits as not to conflict with other laws. In as much as the holy books such as the bible and the Quran being one of the sources of most constitutions in the world, it does not give them prevalence over the constitution. The constitution is the supreme law of any country and any other law that is consistent with it is declared void to the extent of inconsistency. People are free to switch

Telecommuting Essay Example for Free

Telecommuting Essay Historically, Americans have slavishly followed the corporate structure of working in an office and relaxing at home. In the 1980’s when computers begin to catch on so did the idea of a flexible work arrangement. In researching, one found that the implementation of telecommuting in the workforce has greatly improved the performance of businesses, increased employee satisfaction, and helped the environment. This research is based on historical data recorded from the 1990’s to present day in reference books, journals, and web based articles. This paper intends to expound on the ways telecommuting can be harmful or beneficial in the workplace. Telecommuting refers to workers doing their jobs from home for part of each week and communicating with their office using computer technology. Telecommuting is growing in many countries and is expected to be common for most office workers in the coming decades. This paper will discuss the origins of telecommuting, define the term telecommuting, and predict the future of telecommuting in the U.S. How will society be affected by the growth of telecommuting? One will discuss the benefits and hindering aspects of telecommuting in the work place. Will companies save money initially and hurt their business in the future? Often times before looking to the future it is helpful to glance at the past. States without labor laws relating to homework fall under the jurisdiction of the US Department of labor and its Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938. The work-at-home sourcebook by Lynie Arden discussed how the FLSA initially prohibited seven industries from using home workers. Congresswoman Olympia Snowe of Maine introduced the Home Employment Enterprise Act in the House of Representatives. Congresswoman Snowe told the House, â€Å"cottage industries play a vital role in the economy of the state of Maine, large parts of New England, and other areas of the nation. The independent nature of homework and the unavailability of alternative employment opportunities make working at home ideal. It is time to safeguard the freedom to choose to work at home† (Arden, 4). Before the bill was voted on, prohibitions on industrial homework in five of six industries were lifted by the U.S. Department of Labor in 1989. This along with Alvin Tofflers image of the electric cottage helped change the social construction of the workplace. Between 1980 and 1990 the annual consumption of personal computers rose by approximately 900 percent and expenditures on personal computers rose by 1100 percent (Biocca, 1993: 81). Professional occupations clutched onto the idea of using the computer as a space-flexible work tool. Eventually a new identity was carved out for this employee niche as well. People who work at home are enjoying a newfound respectability. In the early 1980s, many executives shied away from being called home workers. But it is now increasingly accepted behavior. With this acceptance the identity of home workers has changed (Braus, 1993a: 42). Respectability as a computer operator, according to this view, has been regained and has been transferred into the home as well as in the office. Ann McLaughlin, Secretary of Labor, said â€Å"Workforce flexibility is a critical element of our effort to create jobs, enhance the quality of work life for American workers and improve our competitive edge in the world markets. The changing workforce demographics demand that we provide employment opportunities that allow workers the freedom to choose flexible alternatives including the ability to work in one’s own home† (Arden, 5). Politicians with foresight were in tune with the coming change and the introduction of telecommuting into the workforce world. Many people define a telecommuter as anyone who works outside of a traditional office, whether at home, in a satellite office, or even out of a car. The Midway Institute for telecommuting education, a group that consults with businesses by conducting feasibility studies and implementation seminars, defined telecommuting as â€Å"an off-site work arrangement and that permits employees to work in or near their homes for all or part of the work week. Thus they commute to work by telephone and other telecommunications equipment rather than by car or transit† (Shaw, 6). Telecommuters can work from home, work from a telework center, or use a concept called hoteling. When working from home employees may have a home office that may contain the same kind of equipment that you get in a central office. Telework centers are typically satellite offices located some distance from the companys main office. Telework centers have an advantage over home offices in that technology and computer equipment can be shared rather than purchased separately for each telecommuter. Telecommuting employees work a couple of days a week from the telework center on a rotating basis, ensuring that computer terminals and workstations are in constant use. Equipment in home offices lies dormant when the telecommuter comes to work at the main office. Hoteling is a form of telecommuting used most often by sales staff who dont need a fixed desk in an office, but must have somewhere once a week to pick up mail, plug into the companys main database, or meet a client. This employee may check in an office in the north of a region one week, using a vacant desk or conference room for a couple of hours, and telecommute from the southern part of the region the next week. These three kinds of telecommuting are defined by location and structure. Telecommuting can have a downside and is not for everyone. Some people feel isolated without the regular social contact of the office and find it difficult to be motivated. Other obstacles include not being able to stop working at the end of the day, being distracted by the refrigerator or TV, and friends and family that don’t respect work time. There is no direct supervision of teleworkers, which could cause diminished productivity. The remote access needs of telecommuters could cause a security issue depending on the nature of the business. Sometimes removing the presence of a very positive or knowledgeable employee out of the office to telecommute could affect the morale of other team members (Career Builder). There are several reasons why employees and employers are thinking about telecommuting. The number one reason for employees is that people have begun to see that work isnt everything. They want to be better integrated with work and personal lives, and telecommuting is one way to free up more time. Other reasons include the desire to break through the glass ceiling, increased job stability, or just dislike for the traditional corporate structure. Telework give companies another avenue to do their part with reducing air pollution and being compliant with the Clean Air Act mandated by the federal government. One of the largest sources of pollution is the automobile. In heavy traffic automobiles are moving slower and causing even more problem to our environment. In most cities construction is taking place on roads to increase the size to help with this problem, but an even better solution is to encourage people who can to telecommute, so we will not need additional highways, parking lots, and airports in the future. Companies can enhance their recruiting efforts because they are not limited to hiring employees in a specific geographic area. Telecommuting helps companies achieve savings with real estate costs and overhead (Career Builder). Companies can grow without the need to create additional workstations or build new office spaces. The option to telecommute eliminates the number of employees who resign because they want or need to move to a new location. It is predicted that telecommuting will become an increasingly popular work option in many businesses and industries, and its usage is expected to increase in the future due to new innovations in computer and communication technology. This trend is driven by several factors. Linda Shaw, author of Telecommute! Go to Work without Leaving Home, wrote that the labor pool of employees with specific talents will shrink, making employers more willing to make concessions to keep valued employees happy. A smaller labor pool combined with an increasing demand for highly skilled laborers has fueled employee-driven change in working environments. Scarce, highly skilled workers have begun to demand more flexible work arrangements, especially as they choose to live farther and farther from their employers (Shaw 18). Shaw and other observers also note demographic changes within the American work force as a factor in the growth of telecommuting. These analysts contend that new generations of workers are less willing to sacrifice time with family than their counterparts of previous eras. This desire to spend more time at home and avoid long commutes is advertized as a key factor in making telecommuting an attractive benefit. Finally, new technologies have made working from home a viable alternative. With the advent of high speed modems, fax machines, voice mail, powerful personal computers, electronic mail, and cell phones to name a few, workers can now perform their jobs without losing touch with employers and customers. We are on the edge of a new era of telecommunications that will impact our lives and how we work and how we become productive in the 21st century. Society will be enhanced with workers that are happy with their work and life balance, the environment will be made better and companies that invest time in their telecommuters will continue to help their bottom line. Telecommuting may prove to be an effective means to enhance our lives and improve our productivity on this new frontier and I conclude that the strategy should be to find ways to enhance the capabilities for future telecommuters.

Personal Statement Essay Example for Free

Personal Statement Essay In rerouting my life for a better future, I have chosen to pursue computer science. Upon setting foot in Houston Community College (HCC), I enrolled in engineering chemistry. However, I have decided to seriously take computer science in the prestigious school of University of California (UC). My desire to switch course and school has been influenced by the fact that I find less satisfaction with the present course I am taking. Until, I realized that computer science is my professional call and UC will be the best school that will fully educate me and will develop my skills and capabilities to its maximum potential. My intention and interest to take computer science is brought by the fact that today’s era is marked by computer and technology. The technological innovation is unstoppable and drastic. Through which, the demand for computer scientists has also intensified. In addition, my interest in computer science is molded by my innate interest in math and chemistry. Even as a kid, I had been excelling in math. I believe that my talent in loving and easily grasping the complexities of math is a God’s given ability that will eventually lead me to the life I had always wanted. As such, I want to blend my talent with the demand in the society in the field of computer science. Furthermore, I have considered that having a career in technologically- innovated field would effectively make me a better person and a contributor to the society. As an ordinary person, I also wished to be of help to other people, especially to the needy. In this era, I have seen many who are still striving to adopt the culture and to learn computer. For some students and other unemployed, they find their innocence and ignorance to technology as an adversity that hinders them to change their life for the better. Among the unemployed, they have admitted having been denied work due to their inadequate knowledge in computers. As a good citizen, I want to help in minimizing this common problem in the society. This could also be my chance to help in giving hope to those who are discouraged because of their ignorance in technology. For this reason, I have made a firm decision to pursue computer science. Interestingly, the church has been one of the major influences in my life and to my decisions. In church, helping other people is always reiterated. Even to an ordinary person, it is natural to extend help to others. At church, I had been an active member of the band as a singer and sometimes playing the drums. During services, our band leads the song. Through my membership in church activities, my self-esteem and socialization skills have been improved. Significantly, leading the whole church to sing and maintaining the momentum of praise is not an easy task. Taking the lead in singing is important in order to give the expectation of the church-goers and try to persuade them to sing in chorus. Aside from that, it is also important that the message of the song is being delivered well and understood by the attendees. In doing so, it is necessary that the songs that are being played correspond to the mood of the people. In addition to my membership in a band, the church to where I am affiliated also exposed us to charity works and volunteering activities. Some of the activities include mentoring children about values and religious teachings. We also initiated programs for the underprivileged by going to their places and provide foods and clothing. My experiences and membership in a group greatly improved my perception about friendship and trust. Significantly, my involvement in community services has nurtured my idea on grace and benevolence. As a band member, I had the chance of meeting real friends I can truly trust for every simple secret shared. In doing community service, I felt the satisfaction that any material things can ever offer to me. Having seen a smile among the children happy in receiving our aids brought joy to my heart. From there, I committed myself to maximize my capability in helping other people. I also realized that it is through extending financial and emotional help and eventually changing other’s life for the better is a way by which I can truly say to myself that I am an asset of the society. For these noble reasons, I decided to pursue computer science. As a human being, mere experiences and perception of the future is not enough motivation or factor in achieving goals. Values and characters are also important for it helps one in making his decisions and on how he looks at things. In life, there are plenty of struggles that everyone has to meet. These struggles may comprise of problems and temptations. As for me, I have plenty of struggles that have kept on pulling me down from fulfilling my dreams. The diversity factor is one thing that usually weakens my self-esteem. Aside from that, I am also living away from my family which makes me feel alone most often. However, I have to overcome these adversities in order to achieve my dreams. In having this kind of thinking, being optimistic has helped me a lot. Since childhood, I always viewed things in the positive light. I try not to be discouraged by any disappointments that may come in my life. My battles with diversity have been won through optimism and courage. Furthermore, in surviving the trials in life and in ensuring success in the future, I believe that it is vital to be honest, persistent, and determined in everything that I have to do. Before coming here in United States and since childhood, my parents have reiterated the importance of these values in life. As I grew old, I realized that my parents are right. At this stage of my life, I need to be persistent and determined so that I will be able to fulfill my purpose in life.

The Chevrolet Case Study In India Marketing Essay

The Chevrolet Case Study In India Marketing Essay Introduction: Marketing is an integrated interactive methodology of planning, processing and practising the entire chain of advertising, awareness, pricing, promotion, distribution and selling of any product or services serving the individual and organizational objectives of client satisfaction and profit maximization. Web or online marketing is the phenomenon of establishing and perpetuating consumer relationships through internet branding, awareness building and selling in order to encourage and expedite exchange of merchandisable views, commodities and services for mutual advantage. [Source: Imber, Jane and Betsy-Ann Toffler. 2000. Dictionary of Marketing Terms. 3rd ed. Barrons Business Dictionaries] To implement a successful marketing case study it is necessary to winnow all information to strategize and integrate the various marketing management steps taken to derive the solution as enlisted below: a background and introduction to acquaint with the marketing prospects circumstantial scrutiny about the product marketed or service rendered elaborative analysis of the marketing action plans adapted absolute affirmations to substantiate the case study and information [Clemes, Michael D. (2002) p.35] The marketing case study illustrated here is the first hand experience of the writer while working in middle management team of Chevrolet group of General Motors in India successfully strategizing the brand even through web marketing in midst of the companys uncertainties and global recession. Background and the Chevrolet Case Study in India: The global economic recession and probable bankruptcy of General Motors urged the US Government to formulate the Bail out Policy by the White House under the able and diplomatic administration of the United States President Mr. Barack Obama thus reinstating the companys progress and popularity and saving it from the present recession which has affected its other competitors hugely. This case study accounts the direct experience while actively working in India amongst the aggressive marketing team of GMs Chevrolet pioneering marketing and web marketing strategies to attain market leadership through ingenious brand awareness intelligently programmed in line with the vision and values thus steering them successfully in face of global economic melt down. General Motors considered as the colossus of American capitalism has become synonymous with the American lifestyle showering warmth of living in opulence. Moreover, the recent plans and strategies of General Motors to revive the company concentrates focus on their four brands, namely, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. GM vis-Ã  -vis Chevrolet champions itself as a prestige brand targeting the affluent and aspiring community to position them amongst the renowned stature. Chevrolet additionally advocates brand image for the common corporate class familiarizing them with the brand which is well-acclaimed by the rich and the famous. Hence Chevrolet curves a class of its own synonymous with the prestige and the power of position. With the current fast forward lifestyles and the growing trend to attain social visibility especially in the emerging markets like India consumers generally cannot escape the incessant attraction of gaining conspicuous prominence in the community by possessin g prestige and luxury commodities like classy cars. Conspicuous Consumption depicts the consumers intention to exhibit prominence in affording luxury goods to attain social visibility (Piron, 2000, p.309). Displaying abundance, people who enjoys Conspicuous Consumption aims to achieve greater social distinction amongst the common (Wang and Chen, 2004). Conspicuous consumption in India is no longer confined to rich class merely, with easy communication finance accessibility at any point of time this affluence is desired amongst all income groups even the economically backward working class. In India the advertising, campaigning techniques adopted by General Motors are product-based group-targeted aiming at dynamic-branding strategies aiming at the flourishing corporate class branding especially through online audio visual marketing. The free test drive campaigns and extravagant road shows especially organized in India by Chevrolet at principle prospective points with propaganda of least maintenance cost for three years have instantaneously increased sales and immensely strengthened their market share. Niche luxury car section of Chevrolet also aims at targeting high and medium income groups in India through practising a more specialized privately customized publicity strategy through email or internet Invitation Only Marketing. Overall Chevrolets strategy in appealing the Common Working Man or locally termed as Aam Admi from diversified classes of income groups in India has proven to be so effective that Chevrolet has seen a sales boom in India even in the face of globa l recession, at the same time Chevrolet Spark and the Aveo U-VA have bagged the prestigious J.D. Power Asia-Pacific awards in addition to many other accolades in its bouquet. Chevrolet in India amidst the economic meltdown has proven to be the market leader through formulating innovative, decisive brand awareness aiming to glorify and transform lives of their loyal enthusiastic followers and prospects. In India, Chevrolet through its enterprising marketing, branding masterminding has conquered billions of loyal and prospective consumers paving enlightened path for flourishing historically important path-breaking strategies. Analysis of Internal and External Issues: The consumers behaviour can be broadly studied under cognitive, affective and normative determinants depending on the approach, preference, prejudice, perception and conspicuous consumption of the existent community. The purchasing graph in automobile industry is always an exception. Though the car prices are in decreasing mode in accordance to Indias vision for her citizens to own at least one car per person, yet the possession of car in emerging countries like India is still a luxury capital purchase. All the above affecting consumer behaviours vary with time due to financial condition, age, gender, educational background and lifestyle which induce two reactions, namely, the rational attitude and the experienced outlook. While purchasing luxury goods like cars in India, consumer acquires in-depth knowledge of the market and the company offerings rationally analysing and evaluating all information. According to Kotler, Armstrong, Saunders and Wong (1999), in addition to the cultural phenomenon, there are social, personal and psychological aspects which govern the purchasing power of the people. Across India, the globalization has ushered in an open door market and economic boom leading to easily accessible information, technological advancements, communication systems, international social networks these global trends enormously influence both the markets and the consumers (Borg, 1996). Following the Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, to analyse and evolve the human psychological factors configuring and constituting their needs and motivations the determinants are categorized into five classifications in a pyramid such as the lowest level shows physiological demand to appease basic hunger and thirst, the second level arouses an individual to look for safety and security, the third level pacifies an individuals desire for social belonging, the fourth level influences the person to q uench his esteem to attain social status and finally the fifth level inspires to achieve self-actualization accomplishing ones ultimate potential and independence. In developing countries like India significant determinants exist for the increasing demands of high involvement products like automobiles. India being the second most populated country has emerged as one of the most preferred nations by foreign multinational investors in automobile sector like Chevrolet of General Motors- mostly attracted due to the huge demand naturally created by Indias growing population through the extensive expanse of qualitative talent and competitive labour pool available. Principal credit of publicizing and popularizing of Chevrolets vast Indian expansion is contributed by the creatively sophisticated advertising market especially the web advertising and marketing strategies which has not only inspired its very own Indian population but also attracted the audience worldwide. The secret formula be hind Chevrolets marketing success in India dwells upon communication and the extent to which a consumer recognizes and recalls a brand. In this context it is appropriate to quote Aaker (1991, p 63), A name is like a special file folder in the mind which can be filled with name-related facts and feelings. Without such a file readily accessible in memory, the facts and feelings become misfiled, and cannot be readily accessed when needed. Accordingly it depends on the Levels of Awareness as illustrated below: (Source: Aaker; 1991, p 62) Unaware of Brand->Brand Recognition->Brand Recall->Top of Mind A direct extraction from the Summer Internship Report on Role of Advertising in Brand Communication through Television Media submitted by Sumantra Ray (A0102207185) of Amity University Uttar Pradesh the following useful information can be considered: The above graph shows the number of people who have given the corresponding ranks to the mediums according to the time devoted. The total is calculated by adding up the product of the number of people and corresponding ranks. [Example for television: it is (1X35) + (2X30) + (3X26) + (4X9) =209] The medium getting the lowest score is one getting the highest average rank. Hence the ranks are: 1- Television, 2 internet, 3 radio, 4- print. Next probing deep into the impact of the electronic media rising amongst which is the internet advertising and its influence on auto-sales in India, the following extracted international statistics can be cited and then Indian variables be derived with present research data as explained below: [The above tabular graphical data directly extracted from the source Ong, Jessica (April 21st, 2009) Archive for Advertising Effectiveness, Big Domain or Big Homepage? Homepage Visitors at the Top Publisher Sites [online] (Cited 4 February 2010) Available from: http://blog.compete.com/topics/advertising-effectiveness/page/2/] [The above pie-chart graphical data directly extracted from the source Coad, Chris(March 3rd, 2009 ) Hyundai (pronounced like Sunday) Accelerates into 2009, [online] (Cited 4 February 2010) Available from: http://blog.compete.com/2009/03/03/hyundai-assurance-sales-increase/ ] In India as per the scrutiny conducted the internet is generally browsed by the younger generation and the corporate class, and it is also seen that while purchasing a brand new first hand car people most often do visit websites and collect feedbacks or news updates from the internet in addition to the conventional method verbal consultation with friends and relatives. But in the current scenario with the rewarding publicity awareness created in India by the social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, etc even amongst the oldest generations, political leaders, celebrities, public figures that the common mass in India are transforming more or less as net savvy and net dependent while finalizing on the high involvement purchase and the older generations, conservative classes or house-wives as well are now consulting the internet rather than discuss out with friends and relatives. Thus for the internet users advertisements do play a central conclusive role in aiding them to take the ir decisions. The creative agencies in India are not only involved in advertising in the conventional methods they are always inventive in venturing into innovative vistas like arranging for symposium, conferences or just meeting points to interact the advertisers with the prospective consumers and spread the global views for a promising prospective and prosperous future. Search engine Optimization, Pay per click, Invitation Only Marketing and Exclusivity advertising strategies are all implemented to establish as a successful brand intelligently utilizing the web marketing effectively. The advertisements of automobile sectors in this passing phase of global economic recession are also targeted to reinstate and reinforce the renewed presence of the auto brands and proclaim the word of assurances for their stable support and thus honouring their brand loyalties with perpetual guaranteed services. This is evident in the extracted instance of press release of a credibility reassurance c ampaign related to the General Motorss US Bankruptcy case in which GMs President and Managing Director (India) Mr. Carl Sym is featured as rightfully justified: Piyush Rathi, business director, Quasar Media, the digital agency which has conceptualised the campaign, tells afaqs!, It is an assurance-building campaign, aimed at informing consumers that India and the US are two separate operations of GM. And the Indian arm is debt-free and self- sufficient and consumers will continue to get after-sales services. [Kapil Ohri (June 03, 2009) Digital reassurance by GM India, New Delhi, http://digital.afaqs.com/perl/digital/news/story.html?sid=24156] This induced the big honchos in the auto industry like Chevrolet to invest in the enormously prospective emerging market of India as evidenced in the Chevrolet Aveo U-VAs Bada Dil. Badi Car ad of Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan depicting through online advertisements and electronic campaigns the friendly responsible Indian common man popularized as Aam Admi which at once wins the hearts of millions of Indians. (http://www.prdomain.com/companies/G/GeneralMotors/newsreleases/20066733214.htm) Broadly there are four interdependent perspectives to collectively contribute towards giving the product its brand essence, namely, product, people-organization, product-personality and signature-symbol all the factors together have proven to be a revolutionary hit even in the case of web marketing for the Chevrolet brand in India. Web Marketing Action Plans Behind the Success Story: The Web Marketing Strategy implemented in this case is illustrated below: FRAME MARKET OPPORTUNITY FORMULATE MARKET STRATEGY DESIGN CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CRAFT CUSTOMER INTERFACE DESIGN MARKETING PROGRAM LEVERAGE CUSTOMER INFORMATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY EVALUATE The Web Activities of Consumers are enlisted below (Source: Advertising Age, Digital Marketing Fact Book 2007): Activity Internet Users Used e-mail 70.5% Got Latest News 40.2 Made Purchase, Personal 34.2 Paid Bills 30.7 Used Instant Messenger 26.8 Got Financial Info 24.8 Got Sports News/Info 23.8 Played Games 22.4 Made Travel Plans 19.8 Got Medical Info 17.4 Download Music 15.7 Visit TV Website 14.1 Tracked Investments 13.2 Got Real Estate Info 12.3 Looked For Job 12.1 Watched Video 11.4 Listened Radio 10.9 Made Purchase, Business 10.7 Got Info for Car Buy 10 Visit Blogs 6.7 In marketing of high involvement purchase like cars in India, informative web advertisements through public sharing of the sensational package, affordable prices, vehicular features, outstanding mileage, spare-parts accessibility, world-class presence are proven to be the focus of attraction in communication strategies as successfully illustrated by Chevrolet in its powerful persuasion of forceful advertisements as evidenced in Saif Ali Khan playing the brand ambassador. In India, with rising fuel costs and thinking green becoming buzz words amongst people; Chevrolet of General Motors has progressed immensely with innovations exclusive in fuel efficient and environmental-friendly cars of world standard. The Brand Awareness strategies of Chevrolet are a grand success on adopting the following steps as advocated by Aaker (1991): Be different, Memorable: To differentiate amidst the competitive market, Chevrolet manifests outstanding, sensational, attention-pulling successful web campaigns and e-ads to attract the exclusive consumer community. Classy, hyped ramp walks during new series launch with cocktail celebrations in grand presence of dignitaries and celebrities are added crowd-pulling sensations practised universally in India by the automobile giant brand Chevrolet which are all posted in the websites and internet advertisements to attract buyers. Involve a slogan or jingle: To augment the effect of visual practical impact of the brand, the witty attractive slogan in Chevrolet ads has achieved unimaginable popularity since the most successful innovative pioneering one-liner captivates a million hearts as in Bada Dil. Badi Car meaning Big Heart. Big Car. Symbol Exposure: Popularizing of Chevrolets unique attractive golden cross symbol has further magnetized the consumers and pulled the brand from its grass root level to the current acclaimed glory the symbol sometimes be seen as ads at different news, informative and sports websites. Publicity: In this era of fast, speedy communications Chevrolets prime achievement in India dwells in advertising, especially in electronic and internet media, which are timely organized and strategized thus capturing millions and billions of consumers at a time. Event Sponsorship: The free test drive campaigns, extravagant road shows organized by Chevrolet in India at principle prospective points with propaganda of least maintenance cost for three years to attract the targeted mass of consumers have been highly successful in establishing the dominant effect of the brand values and ideology thus creating a recognition augmentation phenomenon which are widely advertised throughout the web. Consider brand extensions: Chevrolet is renowned in India to popularize its brand assets in trademark symbol to identify in a faster, broader horizon worldwide utilizing the internet since human memory recalls small symbolic visuals instantly and familiarize it with daily lifestyle. Using cues: The close to heart marketing package of Chevrolet in India targeting the youth, active working class, fashionable, classy yet loving and caring community is the supreme determinant, the first interaction or synergy point with the consumer. As the saying goes, The first impression is the last impression, hence during launch of the first brand communication through innovative emails and web campaigns, utmost consideration is inculcated for the brand appearance to be attractive and pervading the right message. Recall requires repetition: Chevrolet in India adopted continued marketing strategies to achieve the supreme recall senses in the minds of the consumers through repeated transmission via emails and e-advertisements or reminders through innovative style such as online sponsorships, events, competitions, rewards etc., to create an imagery of the brand in the subconscious mind of target consumers. To accomplish a top of mind recall, Chevrolet has implemented immense endeavour to be recapitulated, reiterated time and again to impact permanently in consumer minds to the extent that the brand loyalty inspires consumer to forgo his own desires in interest of the brand. The recall bonus: Reminders through regular e-promotions, publicities have created a strong fortification for the Chevrolet brand in India to take over its other competitors, to attain the vertex in market share through intelligent masterminding, hosts of hallmarks and repetitive net broadcasts with consequent online market surveys and positive promotions fetching an added bonus and dividend in the long run. Chevrolet in India goes to such great extent to embolden and energize their existing as well as prospective customers by treating them with emails, e-greetings, e-cards, gifts and flowers at very special moments of life such as birthdays, weddings, marriage anniversaries, and all the delightful events that make the occasion ever more memorable. This makes Chevrolet truly global, distinctive and exceptional. Thus the international brand Chevrolet implements dynamic online strategies to inspire brand loyalties amongst their diversified classes of consumers with varied preferences in India. Strategizing brand equity of Chevrolet in India has proven to be an indispensable factor to gauge market dominance, and consumer appreciation and loyalty equating with the charisma and values the brand endorses. According to Aaker (1992, p 17) brand equity can be measured under five dimensions, namely, Brand Loyalty, Brand Cognizance, Brand Quality, Brand Association and Brand Assets. India being an emerging nation, its people aspires and is influenced by the prosperous epitome of capitalism exhibited by the United States of America. General Motors is esteemed to be the titan brand upholding all the values and virtues of American capitalism and experiencing changeover under the visionary leadership of the dynamic and charismatic US President Mr. Barack Obama to revitalize, reincarnate and reinstate it to its hallowed glory. This perceived quality creates a halo effect to strengthen life-time association of the consumer with the brand despite its premium pricing thus spreading the goodwill for the brand through word of mouth advocacy, enhancing the brand equity, hence adding to cash flow appreciation and increased revenue generation of the company in India. Further, since they are exclusive in nature, their marketing and advertising also needs to be unique and limited to a few of the affluent and exclusivity conscious segment. This demands that the marketing and advertising events be planned and executed minutely to maintain an aura of exclusivity which is achieved through Invitation Only Marketing strategies adopted by Chevrolet for its prospective customers. In other words, it can be seen as the highest level of service offered to make the customer feel the differentiation in products as well as service. Hence, it requires a strategic plan for the marketing event to be a success which evolves a concept where consumers are indulged to think of a product as being in scarcity due to the high demand and hence inspires them to desire to own the product. This brand alliance inspires amongst closely networked online consumers to invest in an authenticated quality and name, and also motivates them to share information amongst their close associates which not only elevates the value but also curtails expenditure on additional advertisements and publicity campaigns. Web Marketing Activities and Life Cycle: Firms have realized the importance of the right tools for promoting their events and their products to the niche segment and note that it has to be subtle. Bohdanowicz and Clamp (1994) note that for the upcoming niche industry, the efficiency both the short-term and long-term marketing plans increases with the use of Information Technology and without it marketing becomes product-cantered (pp 151,152). Since any established brands as well as luxury items, relies on customer loyalty which in turn depends on referrals and invitation-only concept, inefficiency in using Information Technology can hamper the efforts of marketing. TRAFFIC BROWSERS PROSPECTIVE CONSUMERS BUYERS LOYAL CONSUMERS KEY IDENTIFIERS IN WEB MARKETING: WEBSITE DESIGN SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PAY PER CLICK ADVERTISING EMAIL MARKETING MOBILE ACCESS TARGET SLOPE Here, it is to be noted that although the two kinds of customer base in the industry form the major segment, the small percent of networking activists can be considered to promote the products at a faster rate by the use of Information Technology and further, this small but important customer base called Initiators have the potential to trigger sales as they are found to be more active users of Information Technology along with being the patrons for a number of exclusive products (Hardie, n.d.). Also, this segment, as they are called initiators, is true to the name and can be tapped and relied on to initiate the further sales and also attracts a more loyal customer base. Here, it should be noted that a closely networked customer base can be easy to reach and sustain than attracting a non-communicating customer base. However, it is to be noted that there is the risk of losing out on competition should the service disappoint the closely knit group. This would mean losing out on a large mass at one time. Hence, there needs to be a continuous effort to market web branding of products to the niche segment. With the exclusive products marketed to the niche segment, the pricing is also kept high and although this is limited to a small segment, is growing due to the increasing number of brand conscious segment with their increasing incomes and identity needs. This also requires innovative ways of marketing to all prospective segments which necessitates the cause for an exclusivity which in turn is accentuated by the trend of by-invitation-only marketing strategy. It is also observed that there is an online presence for these companies and the exclusive customers for the exclusive products usually are invited or more often seek to be invited to special and exclusive marketing events for these brands. Further, it is noted that social networking has added to the success of this by-invitation-only marketing concept. It is seen that Gmail is the first one to experiment online marketing for some of its VIP customers (Cornes, 2007). Source: Advertising Age, Digital Marketing Fact Book 2007, eMarketer Feb. 07 projections against IAB/PriceWaterhouseCoopers data for which the last fully measured year was 2005. [Directly extracted from: Akehurst, G. E-Marketing Planning and Strategies [online] Viewed 04 February 2010 Available from: ] [Directly extracted from: Akehurst, G. E-Marketing Planning and Strategies [online] Viewed 04 February 2010 Available from: ] In web marketing due to its global presence since price cannot be a constraint in marketing these goods, it can be seen as a way to introduce new products based on the feedback from the customers. This is also a good way to keep in business and evolve. Special online advertisements of events such as fashion weeks, charity shows, are also a trend among the affluent. Further, it is observed that companies use the services of a third-party advertising agent or Public Relations (PR) agent to manage also, a Push-Pull strategy is being adopted for marketing of luxury goods (Hines Bruce, 2007, p 146). However, with the use of Information Technology, the World Wide Web (WWW) and the intranet have enabled a pull process to the distribution of data as opposed to the push process (Yeoman, Robertson, 2004, p 99). Another marketing strategy for luxury goods is sample sales which are also by invitation only. As Sherman observes, the Web is an important tool for such marketing and there are a numb er of online channels that arrange invitation only sales where often the membership is free and customers can request to be invited (2008). Thus through web marketing the prime focal points are the aspects of offering exclusive products, enhanced customer service, mix of marketing strategies both intensive and extensive online presence, use of efficient tools for communication and push-pull strategies, organized monitoring and feedback system amongst others. Pay Per Click Advertising Campaign: Pay per click is an intelligently engineered advertising tool where web-hosts are sponsored by the advertisers every time the web-visitors click on the advertisements thus promoted mostly by the search engine overtures, as in the case of Googles AdWords Select, AOL Search and many more. It is sometimes seemingly advantageous than the SEO campaigns due to its operational simplicity since also the websites need not be customized without any specialized expertise and much faster in use. However the disadvantages are evident in generalization of positioning and hence lowering of existent importance, sometimes rampant competition can make the entire affair highly expensive and further if not effectively identified the visitor worth the entire process can also pose as utter loss. To accentuate this campaign it is imperative to evaluate visitor worth on dividing the profit by the visitor numbers for the specified time period. Further selection of appropriate key phrases, relevant and useful descriptions, and finally regular insight and monitoring is absolutely essential in such cases. The best advantage of PPC is that it can reach enormous amount of targeted visitors in little time. Conclusion and Managerial Recommendations: The web marketing lifecycle thus conclusively commences with creating an online profile of the organization globally advertised through a skilfully and strategically designed website. Then marketing strategies are farmed, formulated and focused in order to build an online campaign with the help of search engine optimization such that the most popular keywords are identified to impart frequent visibility of the website and hence the organization to any online users. Then branding and further marketing is pursued through varied social media networks and pay per click activities further popularizes the vision and mission of the organization through frequent web users who exchange information, ideas, news and views through the net. Email marketing and web-to-mobile connectivity can further commercialize the entire process and impart it as an exclusive affair thus enhancing the return on investment on a steady growth. Further to sustain this productivity one must have a customized report formulation, regular identification of the best sales leads, evaluation testing and tweaking of the most popular pages, positive transformation of prospective customers, sustenance and perpetuation of loyal consumers, online promotions sponsorships campaigns and competitions, regular checking of site-conversion site-performance and market-return, insightful reports with comparative corporate analysis and intelligence for further improvement at every stages of development. Hence such unconventional attractive, larger than life tradition made innovative, avant-garde at the same time classic and eternal by touching hearts of millions of consumers from every walks of life is the true success secret of the global branding and web marketing.

Internet - Fight for Survival of E-Commerce :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Fight for Survival of E-Commerce      Ã‚   Abstract:   How can e-businesses be successful in the new millennia?   This paper looks at both the industry-wide and individual company trends that are developing, from what it takes to remain competitive, to public assurance in security.    It hasn't been an easy year for e-commerce.   With so many e-businesses failing, and just as many emerging, the key to survival has been the attraction and retention of customers.   Different companies need different approaches, however, with one being the use of online coupons.   At the same time, the industry is getting a better image as security is addressed - more specifically, the confidence of buying online with credit cards.      Creating and retaining a customer base on the Internet is not an easy task.   Different companies need to have different approaches, depending on what their product is, and who their competitors are.   To analyze these companies, we split them into type types - the niche competitor and the direct competitor.    The niche competitor is exactly what its name implies.   These are the companies with a specific niche - their customer base comes from the fact that they offer a one-of-a-kind service.   An example of this is the online auction site Ebay.   Ebay provides a service that when first introduced, was non-existent on the Internet.   Today, there is no other online auction site that even begins to rival Ebay in either its number of users and/or hits per day.   Boasting over 10 million registered users as of December of 1999, Ebay had over 3 million items listed for sale in an excess of 3,000 categories that very same month [3]. PC Data Online, a service that rates websites by the amount of traffic received, placed Ebay 8th in their monthly Top 100.   No other auction-oriented site appeared on the list [6].   For a niche competitor to be successful against similar niche competitors, however, it must offer both a good product and good advertisement.   Ebay succeeded by satura ting the market with advertisements early and quickly, and by providing an easy to use and attractive interface.   Ebay's early competitors did not do so well - while Ebay advertised on television, most did not, and most auction sites simply did not look as good as Ebay's.   Even today, Yahoo! Auctions pales in comparison to Ebay, aesthetically.   Indeed, Ebay is both a well-tuned site and household name and thus has been able to fend off and retain customers from would-be competitors such as Yahoo! Auctions, and AuctioNet.