Consumerism is Beneficial to U.S. Society free essay sample

Commercialization can be characterized in various manners. To begin with, it alludes to the strategies or development focused at controlling the administrations, items, procedures and standards of dealers, producers and publicists in light of a legitimate concern for the buyer. Such kind of control might be legal, institutional, or exemplified in a magnanimous code consented to by a particular industry, or it might happen by implication from the weight of purchaser affiliations. Commercialization additionally alludes to the hypothesis that a step by step predominant utilization of items is financially helpful. It can likewise allude to the adornment of cash situated qualities or assets which regret the uncontrolled industrialism of the cutting edge society (Twitchell, 2002). A few people contend that industrialism has a ton of pessimistic impact to the United States society yet more others contend that commercialization is really useful to the US society. I unequivocally accept that industrialism is incredibly gainful to US society on the grounds that the administration, through its administrative offices ensures there is purchaser assurance. Commercialization likewise upgrades monetary development, rivalry among partnerships and assorted variety of decisions. In any case, commercialization likewise makes the general public materialistic. Featured are a portion of the reasons why commercialization is critical in US and they are upheld with confirmations from various articles referenced. Reason A: Consumerism improves assorted variety of decisions Proof 1: There is a lot on the planet that causes individuals to appreciate life and in any event welcome the motivation behind why they are on earth. As per the article, Does Money Buy Happiness? composed by Don Peck and Ross Douthat, plainly things that satisfy individuals on earth incorporate beverage, food, diversion and product which are all procured with the accessibility of cash. Peck and Douthat contend that regardless of the way that cash can't accepting everything throughout everyday life, they encourage bliss. The creators give proof by expressing that more extravagant countries are commonly more joyful than less fortunate countries since they have stable economies while the more unfortunate countries experience the ill effects of insecure economies (Peck and Douthat, 2003). This is on the grounds that more extravagant countries offer its kin with the opportunity to secure a few things through credit which empowers them to purchase products or administrations in huge amounts. Utilization likewise empowers individuals to secure a feeling of status since they acquire various things and overhauls all through their life. Proof 2: a similar idea of assorted variety of decisions and joy is sketched out in the article, Enjoyment as an Alternative to Materialistic, by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly who contends that advancement has accompanied two persuasive factors in life which are delight and happiness. These are a portion of the things which satisfy individuals in light of the fact that once the economy of a country is steady; it contains bunches of organizations which contend underway of products and enterprises that become effectively realistic creation individuals glad (Csikszentmihaly, 2003). Happiness delivers fulfillment which is achieved by making utilization our lifestyle. This can possibly occur if there is assorted variety of decisions which is additionally achieved by an incredibly gainful economy. Proof 3: According to John Schumaker’s article, The Happiness Conspiracy: What Does It intend to be Happy in a Modern Consumer Society? Assorted variety of things and elements that advance joy has satisfied a few people on the planet particularly in more extravagant countries which stable economy. Schumaker contends that individual joy is amazingly critical and it is the motivation behind why there are the manner by which to be cheerful books, article, TV programs, sites recordings and foundations offering bliss courses, for example, satisfaction directing, joyology, life-lift and joy instructing among others (Schumaker, 2006). All these exist to help positive reasoning and upgrade the capacity to be fulfilled. By and large, decent variety offers individuals a wide scope of choices when buying items and administrations. Reason B: Consumerism encourages financial development Proof 1: James Twichell states obviously in his article, Needing the Unnecessary that an individual isn't what the individual in question makes yet what the person in question expend. The second an individual is allowed the chance to pick what the person in question will devour, everyone goes generally advantageous. The best methods what is beneficial for them regarding quality and advantages (Twitchell, 2002). The best can likewise mean fulfillment which characterizes commercialization. Twichell is certain that what individuals expend depends with the accessibility of assets in the nation and the monetary status of a country. A steady economy country for the most part has decent variety of items and administrations which makes it simpler for individuals to procure what their hearts wants for utilization. Proof 2: The article The Happiness Conspiracy: What Does It intend to be Happy in a Modern Consumer Society? speaks much about how to get cheerful in the advanced society. It expresses that the underlying thing that decides ones bliss is the dependability of the country. When the economy of a country is steady, everything turns out to be alright (Schumaker, 2006). For instance, if the economy of a country is steady, fundamental items like food, haven and garments are consistently accessible in huge amounts. Such items combined with administrations like upgraded security and effective water gracefully makes individuals live simple and acceptable lives. Shopper joy empowers individuals to grow in this manner expand on the economy of the country. Proof 3: Don Peck and Ross Douthat’s article Does Money Buy Happiness? obviously expresses that more extravagant countries are basically more joyful than more unfortunate countries and the more individuals are glad the more the economy develops (Peck and Douthat, 2003). Reason C: Consumerism upgrades making of business and encourages rivalry between organizations Evidence 1: Csikszentmihaly affirms in his article that financial development is tied in with balancing out the country through employment creation and improvement of creation. When individuals are happy with what the country offers, the move goes to the creation organizations which must be amazingly serious on the grounds that upbeat individuals will consistently go generally advantageous. Proof 2: Peck and Douthat additionally affirm that more extravagant countries have more joyful individuals than poor countries in light of the fact that the residents in more extravagant countries effectively get what they need including occupations and great items and administrations. Great items and administrations run over when there is solid rivalry between the creation organizations. Proof 3: Schumaker states that what fulfills individuals in the cutting edge customer society is there fulfillment with what they get (Schumaker, 2006). This squeezes organizations to create top notch items since poor items will never get showcase in such social orders. That is the reason US is a superior spot today in light of the fact that there are heaps of value items than in different countries. Nullification Reason: commercialization is an addictive way of life which makes individuals materialistic. Proof 1: According to Twichell (Needing the Unnecessary), individuals wish to carry on with a decent way of life since they don't comprehend the negative effect of such a real existence. Initially, he makes reference to that rich way of life makes individuals consistently be dependent on pointless things which they can manage without (Twitchell, 2002). Proof 2: Schumaker likewise specifies in his article that joy causes individuals to get materialistic since they embraces a culture which can lead them to go into superfluous obligations since they wish to buy stylish, best items in the market some of which they can't manage (Schumaker, 2006). Proof 3: It is evident that the fulfillment achieved by monetary development causes individuals to get materialistic and choosey. They as a rule embrace the way of life of going for the best so as to be fulfilled. As per the article Enjoyment as an Alternative to Materialistic, the issue of such habit is that since life isn't the equivalent consistently, individuals may once in a while endure a great deal when things go off to some far away place (Csikszentmihaly, 2003). For instance, when an individual looses an occupation and the person in question is utilized to an extravagant life, it gets hard for such a person to embrace a hardship life in this way making them leave in a great deal of torment and stress. Individual Experience Once in a while back when I was still at my initial high school hood, I likewise pondered wearing great and in vogue garments, living sumptuous life and getting a charge out of each snapshot of my life since my father was rich and could furnish me with all that I required. This implies I had become too materialistic that I was unable to manage without certain things. Nonetheless, my father was discarded from work after certain misconceptions. That is the point at which I understood that the craving for material articles is really a negative since it was unreasonably hard for me to receive the new existence of remaining without cash (Twitchell, 2002). The new life was tied in with making a decent living not gaining what my heart wanted. The main commitment my father stayed with was to ensure his family doesn't abandon food however the rest, well, we could manage without in light of the fact that we were unable to bear. It was very hard for me to modify on the grounds that I was at that point dependent on an upbeat life and the progress influenced even my presentation in school (Schumaker, 2006). All things considered, I don't lament that today since it was one way God used to give me that life isn't tied in with being materialistic. Taking everything into account, I accept that commercialization is incredibly gainful to our general public however it is essential to take note of the impacts of being materialistic. Individuals should leave glad lives since it makes them sound and dynamic despite the fact that they ought to be cognizant about the effects of getting dependent on industrialism. References Wear Peck and Ross Douthat, (2003) Does Money Buy Happiness? Atlantic Media, Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/document/2003/01/does-cash purchase joy/308430/John Schumaker’s (2006). The Happiness Conspiracy: What Does It intend to be Happy in a Modern Consumer Society? Retr

Modern Business Environment Essay

What exactly degree is the ‘soft’ HRM model attainable and attractive for associations in the cutting edge business condition? The cutting edge business condition For as long as barely any hundred years the business condition has been for the most part dependent on transforming worker hours and materials into hard items (produce). What we are seeing presently is a move away from this creation by mass work, to a framework whereby products are delivered by machine and the administrations expected to encourage this are created by man. Accepting the UK economy for instance, the most recent financial figure by the TUC (Fig 2) shows a consistent decay of assembling for administration area occupations. This strengthens the view that the accentuation is moving from creating merchandise to offering types of assistance. â€Å"The just preferred position numerous organizations have are the capabilities and capacities of their people† (Dewe 2002). With firms utilizing similar machines upper hand (or weakness) is made by the information and abilities of the representatives. Tom Watson Jr, previous President of IBM perceived the move: â€Å"all the estimation of this organization is in its kin. In the event that you torched the entirety of our plants and we simply kept our kin and data records, we would before long be as solid as could be. Remove our kin and we may never recover† (People Management 1998:34). Information thusly is power, we are moving from a physical economy to one A UK government report (Competitiveness White Paper 1999) considers this to be condition as requiring â€Å"†¦greater openness to know-how and the capacity to see its business potential; enthusiasm to continue learning at all levels in a business; and a style in spotting new client needs and new business opportunities.† This recommends the cutting edge business condition is where information is vital. In his discourse to the Business Link yearly meeting, Peter Mandelson MP Secretary of State for Trade and Industry considered the to be economy as â€Å"transforming old occupations as much as making new, with suggestions for assembling and administration ventures alike.† This leads us to the possibility that the advanced business condition is where speculation is required in human money to deliver this information economy. In the cutting edge business condition, with the accentuation on estimation of human capital, security can no longer rely upon an occupation or association however upon the workers own expertise and abilities (Van Ruysseveldt 1995:3-4). Associations will most likely be unable to ensure long haul business, however to tempt laborers of value they should look to different methods. Hard and Soft HRM HRM can be separated into two methodologies: ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ (Fig.3). As we see from the outline ‘hard’ HRM is fundamentally monetarily determined, with a genuinely hard perspective on controlling the wages charge, laborers are viewed as an expense as opposed to as a resource for the association, the accentuation is on getting the best profit for their cash, making efficiencies. The organization position will take point of reference over the aggregate perspectives and worries of representatives. Such a method of overseeing HR was shown by ‘Fordism’ where the laborers on the sequential construction system were under close controls and even needed to reveal individual data to have the option to work for Ford (White Heat 1994). Crafted by Taylor (Taylorism) and the standards of logical administration were utilized in the late nineteenth century to permit manufacturing plants to be overseen through logical techniques instead of by â€Å"rule of thumb.† This thought additionally regarded the laborers as simply one more machine gear-piece in the wheel of creation and worked out the most ideal way that the specialist could work. The cutting edge business condition has changed incredibly since the days where all laborers were viewed as devices to be kept up, much like machines, with guidelines and tight controls. This was the hard school of HRM where fringe laborers are expendable and work is legitimately profitable (Beardwell and Holden 2001:98). This model can likewise be seen as ‘managing headcount in a judicious a manner with respect to some other monetary factor’ (Story 1987:6). The workforce was simply a factor of creation or gear-teeth in the wheel. This ‘hard’ HRM approach suits a workforce that is engaged with a redundant activity; each procedure is normalized to permit more tightly controls. The hypothesis is that the firm ought to boost human effectiveness similarly as some other asset. This was made a triumph by specialists like Henry Ford in the times of mass industrialisation. In any case, with the coming of high innovation apparatus a significant part of the monotonous work is currently done by robot leaving just employments for talented maintainers and agents, not leaving a lot of degree for hard HRM practices to endure. McDonaldisation has based upon the thoughts of logical administration and the triumphs of men like Ford. Each piece of the way toward carrying the food to the client has been deductively investigated and changed in accordance with make it progressively proficient. Because of this methodology, they have a controlled workforce and a lot of severe guidelines and systems that guarantee the workforce is working precisely as the businesses wish them to. McDonalds have perceived that there is as yet a spot for the untalented specialist, as machines can't be depended upon to do all the employments. In this occurrence there is as yet a spot for the hard school of HRM. ‘Soft’HRM (fig 3) rotates around the advancement of workers. Workers are seen as advantages for the organization, as opposed to as absolutely another expense of creation. This requires the administration to see the workforce as accomplices in the work procedure and sustain them to expand their yield. Heery and Noon (2001) recommends delicate HRM is a methodology perceiving the need to regard workers as resources that must be taken care of. A delicate HRM approach would in this manner place the accentuation on preparing and improvement so as to get the best out of the workforce rather than tight controls (Beardwell and Holden 2001:98). In this manner, an approach of ‘soft’ HRM tries to build creation by ‘communication, inspiration and leadership’ (Story 1987:6). Becker (1992 Nobel prize victor for financial matters) proposes that uses on instruction, preparing and clinical consideration could all be considered as interests in human capital. â€Å"They are called human capital, since individuals can't be isolated from their insight, abilities, wellbeing or qualities in the manner in which they can be isolated from their monetary and physical assets† (Donkin 2002) On the off chance that representatives have an innate capital incentive for their insight and abilities, it is sensible to expect that an association can improve its serious edge through the greatness of its kin (SHL bunch 2002). Crafted by Maslows goes some approach to clarifying the reasons why people need this turn of events and preparing. Maslow recommends that people have a chain of command of necessities (fig 1). Fig 1 layouts Maslows hypothesis that human instinct drives people to fulfill ‘instinctual’ needs. The hypothesis recommends that once an individual has accomplished one lot of necessities they are not, at this point roused to look for this (as they as of now have it) and will keep on needing all the more in this way ascending the chain of importance. Maslow’s hypothesis would imply that a firm should guarantee that employee’s needs are constantly met not just the wellbeing and physiological viewpoints (the lawful necessities of an employee’s contract) to expanding worker profitability. On the off chance that a firm needs to keep on meeting regularly expanding requirements to propel staff then this hypothesis would be a decent clarification of why firms use ‘soft’ HRM. Kinds of ‘soft’ activities * Flexible working, telecommuting or permitting laborers the selection of hours outside a center time of 10:00-15:00 for instance. * Job Sharing, by permitting representatives to become multi gifted (preparing) they can work in an assortment of jobs in this way causing their business to show up all the more intriguing yet in addition permitting a reinforcement if a worker were to be off work whenever. * Parental leave, with the expanded weights on family life numerous organizations presently offer extraordinary breaks for staff with youngsters, from permitting days off for emergency clinic arrangements to paid paternity leave. * Performance related compensation; this could be viewed as a hard or delicate point of view dependant upon perspective. On the off chance that an arrangement of rewards exists for good work this would be a delicate measure. On the off chance that (‘tele’ deals) you possibly get paid in the event that you hit certain objectives, this would be a hard measure. The essential contention for PRP is that it goes about as a help, through both giving impetuses as financial prizes and by perceiving accomplishments. Further advantages refered to incorporate the way that people can recognize intimately with their employers’ objectives and this can expand efficiency and empower quality, adaptability and cooperation (Armstrong and Murlis, 1991). As should be obvious from the above models ‘soft’ HRM is considerably more hard to measure than hard HRM. It is progressively a general way to deal with staff government assistance and advancement than an away from of rules and techniques. What makes it so hard to measure is that two firms may profess to be working the above ‘soft’ HRM approaches yet by and by they possibly altogether different frameworks. For instance, the idea of adaptable working can be deciphered as permitting representatives opportunity to decide to telecommute or the workplace, or the firm may utilize the arrangement of center hours (as above). These are two totally different frameworks yet both anyway go under the heading of adaptable working. To choose which strategy a specific firm is utilizing will require a wide gander at the compensation and conditions and the opportunity representatives appreciate. It is additionally valuable to take note of that it is only from time to time an instance of a business working one type of HRM, it is important for firms to permit their laborers some opportunity and yet hold control. A genuine model o

Groupon

Groupon © Shutterstock.com | Gil C Groupon is a daily deals website operating globally. It has remained a popular option for those looking to find great deals and offers. In this article, we will look at 1) what is Groupon?, 2) products, 3) business model and key components, and 4) learning from Groupon’s success.WHAT IS GROUPON?The CompanyGroupon began operations in 2008 from Chicago and shortly following this from Boston, New York City and Toronto. Within a year, the website began serving more than 150 markets inside the United States and about a 100 markets in Europe, Asia and South America.The name is a play on the words group and coupon signifying the business of the company. The website is a daily deals provider that features gift certificates at a discount from different types of companies. Groupon was created by Andrew Mason with financial backing from a former employer, Eric Lefkofsky. Mason ran the company as CEO till 2013, when he was asked to leave the company after a failure to meet targets and raise pr ofitability.After enjoying rapid success initially, the company went into a negative spiral and reported a fourth quarter loss of $9.8 million in 2011.History of GrouponMason’s project began as a campaign and fund raising website called ThePoint.com. The website used a system called ‘the tipping point’ which meant that a donation would only be charged if a certain number of people contributed to the campaign. When the business transitioned from ThePoint to Groupon, the same idea was used, meaning that a Groupon deal only went through if a certain number of people bought it. If this limit was reached, then Groupon would charge its fee otherwise it would not. This was a major point of encouragement for vendors to come onboard and offer different deals to draw in business.The first deal was an offer on pizza at half price from a restaurant on the first floor of the Groupon office in Chicago in October 2008. Twenty people bought the deal. Groupon quickly expanded within the US and went from calling multiple vendors every day to ask for deals to accepting only one in eight vendors that wanted to be featured on the site.Groupon continued its expansion by moving into international markets. One way of doing this was by purchasing and rebranding existing similar deal-of-the-day services. Some of these have been MyCityDeal in Europe, ClanDescuento in South America, Qpod.jp in Japan and Darberry.ru in Russia. Others have been Beeconomic.com in Singapore, SoSasta.com in India, uBuyiBuy in HongKong and GroupsMore in Malaysia. All of these were acquired between 2010 and 2011. In 2012, the company purchased Mertado, a Facebook based social shopping service and Breadcrumb which is a point of sale system and application for iPads targeting local restaurants. Based on these purchases, Groupon created access to other types of businesses to add to its repertoire. By the end of 2012, the company also purchased Savored which was a high end restaurant reservation and discount site. This gave the company access to these higher end restaurants, as well as a separate independently run business.These acquisitions continued in 2012 with a real-time location sharing mobile application called Glassmap and a European travel application called Blink that provides short notice hotel reservations. In December 2013, the company reported the highest weekend of sales since it was founded in 2008, with billings up 30 percent year over year.MarketsAny new market targeted in first explored and mapped out by employees who identify successful local businesses. These are then approached with an explanation of the Groupon model and social media sites are used as promotional tools.At present, Groupon serves nearly 500 markets in 48 countries. These include markets in the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Peru Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Israel, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Russia, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Indo nesia, India, South Africa, Morocco, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, and Norway.In 2011, the company launched in China with a joint venture. Groupon and Tencent joined together to launch Gaopeng. The venture struggled initially and eventually merged with Futuan. In the same year, Groupon also expanded in the Middle East with the launch of Groupon UAE as well as into New Zealand.Groupon’s Indian expansion came about with the purchase of a local version of itself called SoSasta also in 2011. The new venture was named Crazeal later that year and with the acquisition of the relevant domain name it was once again renamed to Groupon by 2012.Learn How Groupon Works! PRODUCTSGroupon products are not targeted towards everyone as the offered deals are most often in the category of things people want rather than the things they need. The major target audience are young urban pro fessionals who want to explore the city they are in at an affordable manner. Groupon deals allow people to try out products and services that they may otherwise not have attempted to purchase. The most common types of Groupon deals are for:Restaurants, bars, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and getawaysSpas and resortsFitness centers and specific classes such as yoga, Pilates, or spinningHair and nail careCosmetic dentistry procedures and other cosmetic proceduresLaundry and dry cleaningAssorted classesSmall local retailersMost often, the deal is a 50 percent discount on a specific product or service. The deals can range from $20 to $2,999 for a variety of items. There are restrictions that apply to almost deals. There are expiration dates on usage or deals only for new users. Some restaurants may offer deals on a restricted menu excluding alcohol. For this reason, all fine print should be read carefully when deciding to avail a deal.BUSINESS MODEL KEY COMPONENTSThe Groupon business mod el has shown immense promise in the past. Though recently there has been some criticism based on the company’s inability to meet profit targets, a change in management could prove to be the solution needed by the business to continue its past success. Any business model is made up of several components that interact with each other. The Groupon business model has the following components.Business Model ComponentsKey PartnersMainly, Groupon’s partners are the companies that offer deals on the website. In addition to these, there are also the investors that have injected capital into the enterprise since it was a startup.Key ActivitiesKey activities for Groupon may includeAcquisitions of companies and negotiations of partner setupsCreative writing for daily dealsWebsite maintenance and upgradesCustomer communicationsCustomer data managementAdvertising decisionsKey ResourcesKey resources are those assists that are vital to keep the business going. For Groupon, these resources inclu de intellectual ones such as detailed customer databases. These databases allow customization of offers for the clients. The established brand name garners trust and is a vital asset. The people who work for Groupon are vital for their creativity and innovation. Financial resources are also necessary to continue to expand and serve clients in the best way possible.Value PropositionGroupon’s value proposition to its clients is the offer of low prices for items that the customer wants together with convenience and accessibility. The deals are localized to ensure that the right people are offered the right deal.For businesses, Groupon offers a connection to the right client base, offering a platform for advertising, as well as the opportunity to generate new clients. The time limit on deals ensures that people buy immediately when otherwise they would stop and think. The tipping point allows for the business to gain enough offers for a deal to make it viable for them to sell it.Custo mer RelationshipsHighly customized emails open a channel of communication with the customer that helps retain customer for future repeat business. Customers are offered items of their interest and kept updated on what is offered.Customer SegmentsBroadly, Groupon has two segments of customers. The first is the customer who wants to buy the deal on offer and the second is the business who is offering this deal. These two segments have drastically different motives and Groupon needs to work to create a balance between them. According to Groupon, a majority of their users are women. Generally, the segment is made of younger users who range in age between 18 and 34. The company further segments them based on their demographics, purchase history and interests.ChannelsGroupon uses various communication channels to reach clients. These include personalized regular emails. Another channel is regional and national advertising campaigns to reach even more customers and encourage them to use th e service. Other advertising channels include newspapers, magazines and even radio and television.Cost StructureOne of the main costs for the company are advertising. This includes the personalized and regular emails, as well as all other channels. Other part of costs are infrastructure which include office space, servers etc., as well as human resource which is the employees. Yet another aspect of the cost structure is the massive investments the company makes for expansion usually through acquisitions.Revenue StreamsGroupon’s revenue streams are based directly on the number of deals sold and the actual cost of the deal. Groupon charges for deals that meet minimum user criteria. Businesses are also charged a subscription fee while the service remains free for the customer. Ad space is also sold as a small revenue stream.Groupon USPGroupon has many competitors that offer a similar or competing product offering. What makes Groupon unique is their prices and the type of deals they o ffer. Groupon uses a large sales force that successfully negotiates deals from businesses for clients. As for the type of deals on offer, the company has managed to successfully create a business based on what customers want rather than what they need. Offering attractive discounts on these wants ensures that people remain tempted to keep coming back. Groupon has also leveraged excellent writing, humor and media such as email to maintain a connection with the customer base.LEARNING FROM GROUPON’S SUCCESSLessons to Learn for EntrepreneursCreating an Online Organizational PersonalityEssentially, Groupon relies on people to read through a daily deals newsletter. Most often, people are likely to get bored with these after a while and unsubscribe. Groupon has managed a series of steps that ensure that the likelihood of this happening is significantly reduced. Some of these steps are:Creating Personality: When a person clicks unsubscribe to a Groupon email, they get to meet Derrick. The photo below shows who Derrick is. This interesting, somewhat personal image may get a laugh out of people and encourage them to subscribe again.A likable online personality makes it relatively easier for a company to build and maintain customer loyalty and interest. This loyalty makes it easier to deal with any actions or events that may otherwise damage the brand. Most businesses can achieve this to some degree by adding some extra interest in their web based communications and their websites. Whatever attempt is made to create a personality however, should be in keeping with the brand’s identity and support overall long term goals.Create a Blog: A blog can be a great way to stay connected and show the human side of a business to its clients. A blog is more informal and allows a look into the people who are behind the brand. The level of customer engagement that can be achieved through a blog is difficult to achieve through other mediums. A blog starts a conversation that allows readers to join in to respond, critique and share points of view. In addition, a blog offers a great way to achieve organic search engine optimization.Focus on Website Content: Many companies may spend a lot of resources on having a fancy website designed and created, but not pay too much attention of what material is to go on it. Well written content that supports the company philosophy can help create an interesting corporate personality. Functional content is not enticing for viewers and will not be a source of repeat visits.Be Interesting on Social Media: Take Twitter as an example. There are many organizations that post in a generic detached sort of way. This can be boring and uninteresting for readers and they will not care about the brand at all. There should always be some basic organizational criteria to stay within when positing on social media, but beyond that, the people responsible for these pages and posts should be encouraged to inject personality into them by postin g interesting links, continue conversations, and be humorous â€" all in keeping with the persona that the company aims to create.Respond: A likeable company will most likely be one that responds to queries, criticism, feedback and observations in a timely way. This includes any mediums being used such as Twitter, Facebook, a blog, or other blogs where the company may be mentioned. An individualized response shows that there are human behind a brand who are sympathetic and caring.3 Business Lessons to Learn from GrouponThe Groupon business is not new or particularly innovative. It is the way the business is run that forms the basis of its popularity. There are three major lessons than any new business can learn from the Groupon example. These are:Keep it Simple: Groupon sells a simple product â€" great deals â€" in a simple way. The methods are easy to understand and the website is easy to use. This ensures that potential customers are not scared away by the need to understand a comp licated offer.Differentiate by Branding: Groupon can essentially be seen as a simple newsletter campaign that sells coupons. The most frequently used channel of communication is email which is not the most innovative form of reaching the customer in today’s world. However, by ensuring highly customized emails that are tailor made for the recipient and excellent writing to make them readable, the company has managed to create a differentiated image for itself.Solve a Problem: Groupon solves problems for both the vendor who offers a deal and the customer who buys it. The vendor is able to gain some publicity as well as new users or members. The customer is able to secure a great price for a product or service that they may want and is not a necessity. This ability to be a problem solver keeps it a popular intermediary.Andrew Mason: What Ive Learned at Groupon Potential ProblemsWhile Groupon continues to make sales and connect customers with vendors, its profitability remains a quest ion mark. The company fired its CEO and founder in 2013 in light of continued inability to become profitable and falling stock prices. Companies like Groupon are easy to setup but appear to be difficult to sustain. The challenge is to keep both customers and vendors happy and this is no easy endeavor as both have drastically opposite goals. These challenges will require the company to rethink its strategy and business model in order to remain relevant and profitable.

Sustainable Economic Development And Trade - 1636 Words

Committee: ECOFIN Topic: Sustainable Economic Development and Trade, Improving International Credit markets Country: Indonesia School: The Masters School Delegate: Myles Ward Topic 1: Sustainable Economic Development and Trade The goal of this committee for many years for sustainable economic development has been to rapidly increase productivity and trade without overusing resources or sacrificing the future economy. Developing a country can get messy and the people at the top hungry for fast results or in this case looking to develop quickly to compete on a global scale will completely disregard workers human rights, strip citizens of their land, resources and destroy the environment. That is why Indonesia firmly believes people who are in poverty are affected most by unstainable development, therefore industrializing and trade must be done in a controlled and thoughtful manner. With Indonesia being the world’s largest producer of palm oil this billion dollar business is also mixed with corruption and inadequate law enforcement from our government. With vast amounts of deforestation occurring from various companies for the creation of plantations less than 10% of palm oil produced a year is actual ly sustainable. To be exact between 2000 – 2010 52 million cubic meters of wood have been cut down for plantations with an additional 39 million cubic meters being cut illegally. Indonesia urges ECOFIN to help workers sustain their human rights and dignity to the poor innocentShow MoreRelatedSustainable Growth and Economic Development1094 Words   |  5 PagesEconomic growth has been used with other terms such as development, modernization, westernization and industrialization. It is, in other words, a transition from a simple, low-income economy to a modern, high- income economy. Its scope includes the process and policies by which a nation improves the economic, political, and social well-being of its people. Though it is often measured by rate of change of gross domestic product, it is generally understood in terms of increase in per capita incomeRead MoreA List Of The Au Projects And Policies1508 Words   |  7 Pagesframework as the official African Union method for ec onomic intervention in Africa. NEPAD is the fusion of two plans the Millennium Africa Recovery Plan (MAP) and the Omega plan by former President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal. It was previously called the New Africa Initiative. The MAP originated from the G8 summit, Japan 2000.1 NEPAD’s key aims are to reduce poverty, and address developmental issues, Africa’s marginalization and women empowerment. Current economic projects of NEPAD for the continent include:Read MoreSustainable Development and Globalization Are Two Popular Concept with Respect to Present Context. Is Globalization Is a Threat for Sustainable Development ?1031 Words   |  5 PagesSustainable development  is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the  environment  so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for future generations. [pic] A representation of sustainability showing how both economy and society are constrained by environmental limits [pic] Scheme of sustainable development: at the confluence of three constituent parts â€Å"Let’s see the three overlapping circles: one representing environmental needs,Read MoreSustainable Development And Environmental Protection1577 Words   |  7 Pages Sustainable development that allows the present generation to meet our current needs, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. In other words, sustainable development is a inseparable system of economic, social, resource and protection of environmental which not only can attain the objective of economic development, but also it can protect the natural resources of atmospheric, freshwater, marine and environment. It can make the future generations live and workRead MoreHow Can An Ledc Sustain Its Business Endeavours In A Morally1502 Words   |  7 Pagesessay will examine the moral ethical principles of an LEDC and the perspective its entrepreneurial endeavours and the difficulties in applying sustainable and ethical business practices. An LEDC is an abbreviation for (le ss economically developed country. An LED is a country that lacks in financial resources that makes it a struggle in any sustainable economic growth. The backbone of an LEDC relies on its agriculture and civilian labour as opposed to industrial organisations. The effects of this requiresRead MoreThe Alliance : A Partnership Of Convenience Between Unionists And Environmentalists1396 Words   |  6 Pagesvaluable jobs in green industries (Glas, 1). The BlueGreen Alliance asserts that climate change is one of the greatest threats to both our economy and our environment, and the issue must be addressed in a way that does not stifle growth and economic development. However, though the BlueGreen Alliance has several noble and optimistic goals, including the pursuit of responsible environmental policies, there are only a few issues that environmentalists and unionists can agree to act on. Foremost, amongRead MoreEnvironmental Goods Agreement Essay858 Words   |  4 Pagesprotection, such as creating pure and renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, resource efficiency, reducing air pollution and waste, and monitoring the environment’s quality. Roberto Azevedo, the Director-General said: â€Å"This is not the usual kind of trade agreement as it is focused on protecting a common global good: the environment. The trading system should be in a position to make a positive and meaningful contribution towards tackling environmental degradation.† Of course, high pollution in KoreaRead MoreThe Role Of The U. S. State Department863 Words   |  4 PagesS. Ambassadors for economic reforms designed to level the playing field in entrepreneurship development. They hold countries to their international trade commitments and help with global networks of law, telecommunications, and transportation. The U.S. Trade Representative handles developing and coordinating U.S. international trade and overseeing trade negotiations with other countries. They serve as the president’s principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade issues. The U.S. TreasuryRead MoreSustainable Prosperity Essay1090 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"...the core values that underpin sustainable development - interdependence, empathy, equity, personal responsibility and intergenerational justice - are the only foundation upon which any viable vision of a better world can possibly be constructed.† Jonathon Porritt Globalization and sustainability are forces that are in constant competition. In this global game there emerges a clear victor and an inevitable loss. As a political, social, and economic force, globalization has expanded to encompassRead MoreWhat Is The Specifics Of The Indonesian National Single Window?867 Words   |  4 PagesStrategic Trade Controls: The Perspective of a Developing and Archipelagic Country.† In his paper, Rachmianto outlines the specifics of the Indonesian National Single Window (INSW), an important domestic policy our delegation hopes to promote during our Commission’s deliberations. The document’s clear language will strengthen our delegation’s ability to discuss issues of macroeconomic integration during conference. †¢ Our delegation has also uncovered a detailed report on Indonesia’s Sustainable Urban

Benefits Of Physical Exercise For Health - 1000 Words

Declining physical activity is surprising because in the West, it is often believed that many people do exercise. It is true that sports circles and newspaper articles devoted to the benefits of physical exercise for health are more numerous than ever but, overall, the information related to the usefulness of physical activity seem not lead to behaviour change (O Brien et al 2015). Sedentary lifestyles have serious consequences for public health. In particular, in recent years, obesity is increasing dramatically throughout the European Region. Obesity, which is not simply a matter of appearance, causes serious diseases and significantly increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (O Brien et al 2015). Surveys in various countries of the European Region show low levels of physical activity in many populations. Physical activity seems to be disappearing. We travel by car more than ever, take care jobs increasingly sedentary and spend our leisure by spending less and less energy. Due to technical progress, even the simplest tasks are mechanized and there is no need to strain to survive (O Brien et al 2015). The fitness and sports is a global social phenomenon, recognized by all. It is clearly growing from a few years worldwide, especially in Europe, America and Asia, comprising all sport activities carried out in gyms. From one point of view it is comparable to the process of hatching and development of modern sport in the 2nd half of the twentieth century.Show MoreRelated importance of physical activity in youths Essay1100 Words   |  5 Pages The Importance of Physical Activity in Adolescence nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Engaging in physical behavior during adolescence is very important to the overall health of a child. Regular physical activity is essential to both the mental and physical health aspects. Positive exercise habits formed in childhood tend to carry over into adulthood, thus helping reduce death and illness in the future. There are many other positive benefits that come through the form of exercise. Just as well, thereRead MoreWhile Joe Was Watching Tv One Day Eating Doritos He Was1555 Words   |  7 Pagesare the benefits of exercise?† He then took the time to research. A lack of physical activity leads to muscular reduction, weight gain, loss of bone strength, organ failure, and it can lead to an elevated risk for the leading causes of death, such as heart related problems and diabetes (Davis). An inactive life is bad for the human body, and very detrimental to one s health and lifestyle. On the contrary, many physical, mental, and health benefits come with exercise. Exercise has physical benefitsRead Moreâ€Å"Physical Activity Is Defined As Any Body Movement That1598 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Physical activity is defined as any body movement that is produced by skeletal muscles and expends energy,† (Ferrini, 2013, p. 276). Many health professionals would agree that engaging in physical activity is very beneficial at any age. In a sense, physical activity can be seen as a medicine, but it is a very different kind of medicine. Physical activity can be prescribed, but it isn’t something that can be taken orally with the expectation that all your troubles will disappear. An individual mustRead MoreBenefits of Exercise Outline Essay988 Words   |  4 Pagesmy audience about how exercise controls weight, combats health conditions and diseases, and improves mood. Central Idea: Exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, gain health benefits and have fun. Introduction You’re sweating, panting, and have a feeling of euphoria. You don’t know why you feel so good when there has just been so much stress put on your body (Attention-Getter). We’ve all gone through this feeling of exhaustion known as exercise. It can tire us out,Read MoreHealthy Aging917 Words   |  4 Pagespeople grow older, leading an active lifestyle is more important than ever. Regular exercise helps seniors maintain health, boost energy, and improve confidence. The good news is, no matter your age, your health, or your fitness level, you can benefit from moving more. Whether you are generally healthy or are managing an illness, there are big and small ways to get more active and boost your fitness level. Exercise is extremely important for everyone, no matter what age you are. However for seniorsRead MoreThe Importance of Health and Fitness1080 Words   |  4 PagesHealth and Fitness It has long been established in the world of medicine that physical fitness directly impacts overall health in people. In fact, it has only been in recent years that scientists and physicians are taking the research to the next level and discovering exactly how greatly fitness effects health (Presidents Council, 2012). With more and more individuals living a sedentary lifestyle and minimizing their physical activity, it has become apparent that fitness is not only useful forRead MorePhysical Activity At The Residency Training Programs Essay1261 Words   |  6 Pagesso many definitions of physical activity, for instance, physical activity can be defined as any body movement that works your muscles and that movement requires energy. Others have described the physical activity to be anything other than resting (Addy et al, 2004). A well-known example of or a particular type of physical activity is exercise. Exercise is a physical activity that is well structured and planned. Departmen ts of health and human services have defined physical activity as any movementRead MoreNegative Body Image Essay1032 Words   |  5 Pages Approximately â…“ of all Americans are unfit. Being unfit causes a poor body image, health issues, and a lower amount of activity, which can result in obesity. Being fit helps people have a positive body image, health benefits, and higher amounts of activity. Whether youre fit or not, both can greatly affect you. Being fit and unfit differs in many ways such as; body image, health, and the amount of activity each person does. Body image is defined as the subjective picture or mental image of onesRead MoreEffects Of Physical Activity On Children s Health1460 Words   |  6 PagesBenefits of Physical Activity in Youth Children’s health is something that is very important and people need to become more familiar with how to get their youth healthy and how to keep them healthy. Children need physical activity on a daily basis to stay mentally and physically fit. There are nine primary studies done between sedentary behavior and mental health. Having a high level of sedentary behavior negatively impacts your health. Physical activity has potentially beneficial effects for reducedRead MorePhysical And Mental Benefits Of Getting A Disease1331 Words   |  6 Pagesnot get enough exercise (CDC ). Due to that, there is a huge percentage of Americans who don’t get enough exercise therefore, I am going to create a gym for teens and adults to enjoy. Health is important in many ways. One reason why exercising is important is because it is a struggle for most teens to get a certain amount of exercise. Exercise has many benefits such as physical and mental benefits. Which help people get more a ctive and more aware of their surroundings. These benefits can help a person

The Indigo Spell Chapter Eleven Free Essays

string(29) " comrade on the battlefield\." MARCUS DISAPPEARED TO WHEREVER it was he was hiding out, and I drove home. What he’d said to me still seemed outlandish. I kept telling myself none of it could be true. We will write a custom essay sample on The Indigo Spell Chapter Eleven or any similar topic only for you Order Now It made things a lot easier to handle. Back at Amberwood, I found the usual buzz of evening student activity. It felt comforting after my shocking outing, far removed from fanatics and cryptic spells. My phone buzzed with a text message the minute I stepped into my dorm room. It was from Jill: Come see us when you’re back. I sighed. No rest for the wicked, it would seem. I left my purse in my room and then trudged down to the second floor, unsure of what I’d find. Jill opened her door, looking immensely relieved to see me. â€Å"Thank God. We have a situation.† â€Å"We always have a situation,† I said. I stepped inside and saw Angeline sitting on the floor, back against the wall and a miserable expression on her face. â€Å"What happened?† She looked up quickly. â€Å"It wasn’t my fault.† The sinking feeling in my stomach increased. â€Å"It never is, is it? I repeat: what happened?† When Angeline refused to say, Jill spoke up. â€Å"She gave Trey a concussion with an algebra book.† Before I could even start to parse that, Angeline leapt to her feet. â€Å"The doctor said it wasn’t a concussion!† â€Å"Wait.† I glanced between them, half hoping they’d burst into laughter at the joke they must be playing on me. â€Å"You did something to Trey that actually required medical attention?† â€Å"I barely touched him,† she insisted. I sat down on Jill’s bed and resisted the urge to crawl under its covers. â€Å"No. You can’t do this. Not again. What did the principal say? Oh, God. Where are we going to send you?† After Angeline’s brawl with a motivational group, it had been made very clear that further fighting would get her expelled. â€Å"Eddie took the blame,† said Jill. A small smile crossed her face as she spoke. â€Å"There weren’t really many witnesses, so Eddie said they were playing around in the library and tossing the book back and forth. He claimed he got careless and threw the book too hard . . . and that it accidentally hit Trey on the head.† Angeline nodded. â€Å"That’s kind of what really happened with us.† â€Å"No, it wasn’t,† protested Jill. â€Å"I saw it. You got mad when Trey told you it shouldn’t be that hard to understand that x always has a different value.† â€Å"He implied that I was stupid!† Variables didn’t seem like too hard a concept to me, but I could tell under Angeline’s bravado that she really was flustered. I always had the impression that back among the Keepers, Angeline had been a queen among her peers. Here she was constantly trying to keep up academically and socially adrift in a world very different from the one she’d grown up in. That would make anyone insecure. And while I questioned if Trey had ever said she was stupid, I could understand how some of his snarky commentary could be perceived that way. â€Å"Did Eddie get in any serious trouble?† I asked. I doubted he’d get expelled for something like this, but it would be just my luck that he’d get the punishment he’d saved Angeline from. â€Å"Detention,† said Jill. â€Å"He accepted it very bravely,† added Angeline. â€Å"I’m sure he did,† I said, wondering if either girl knew they were wearing mirror expressions of adoration. â€Å"Look, Angeline, I know the tutoring process must be frustrating, but you have to watch your temper, okay? Trey’s just trying to help.† She looked skeptical. â€Å"He’s got kind of an attitude sometimes.† â€Å"I know, but people aren’t exactly lining up to fill his position. We need you here. Jill needs you here. Eddie needs you here.† I saw some of her indignation fade at the mention of her friends and duty. â€Å"Please try to work with Trey.† She gave a weak nod, and I stood up to leave. Jill hurried after me into the hallway. â€Å"Hey, Sydney? How was your outing with Marcus?† â€Å"It was fine,† I said, certainly not about to dredge up Marcus’s alarming revelations. â€Å"Informative. And I learned how to play Skee-Ball.† Jill almost looked offended. â€Å"You played Skee-Ball? I thought you were supposed to be learning about the Alchemists’ secret history.† â€Å"We multitasked,† I said, not liking her tone. I left before she could comment further and texted Eddie when I reached my room. I heard what happened. Sorry. And thanks. His response was quick: At least it wasn’t a concussion. I braced myself for snark when I went to meet Adrian the next day. Jill had probably told him about my arcade trip, which would probably elicit a comment like, â€Å"Nice to know you’re so dedicated to crack the Alchemists. Way to keep your eye on the ball.† When I pulled up in front of Adrian’s apartment building, he was already waiting out front for me. As soon as I saw his grim face, my heart stopped. I jumped out of the car, just barely pausing to grab the keys as I went. â€Å"What’s wrong?† I exclaimed, jogging up to him. He rested a hand on my shoulder, but I was too worried to care about the touch. â€Å"Sydney, I don’t want you to freak out. There’s no lasting damage.† I looked him over. â€Å"Are you okay? Were you hurt?† For a moment, his somber expression turned puzzled. Then, he understood. â€Å"Oh, you think it’s me? No, I’m fine. Come on.† He led me around the back of his building, to the private parking lot used by residents. I came to a halt, my jaw dropping as I took in the terrible, ghastly scene. A couple other residents were milling around, and a police officer stood nearby taking notes. Around us, seven parked cars had their tires slashed. Including the Mustang. â€Å"No!† I ran over to its side, kneeling and examining the damage. I felt like I was in the middle of a war, kneeling by a fallen comrade on the battlefield. You read "The Indigo Spell Chapter Eleven" in category "Essay examples" I was practically on the verge of shouting, â€Å"Don’t you die on me!† Adrian crouched beside me. â€Å"The tires can be replaced. I think my insurance will even cover it.† I was still horrified. â€Å"Who did this?† He shrugged. â€Å"Some kids, I guess. They hit a few cars one block over yesterday.† â€Å"And you didn’t think that was worth mentioning to me?† â€Å"Well, I didn’t know they were going to come here too. Besides, I knew you’d flip out and want to set up twenty-four-hour surveillance on this place.† â€Å"That’s not a bad idea.† I glanced up at his building. â€Å"You should talk to the landlord about it.† Adrian didn’t seem nearly as concerned as he should have been. â€Å"I don’t know that he’d go for it. I mean, this isn’t really a dangerous neighborhood.† I pointed at the Mustang. â€Å"Then how come this happened?† Even though we could take Latte to Los Angeles, we still had to wait around to finish up with the police and then get a tow truck. I made sure the tow truck driver knew that he better not get a scratch on the car, and then I watched mournfully as it was hauled away. Once that sunny splash of yellow disappeared around a corner, I turned to Adrian. â€Å"Ready to go?† â€Å"Do we have enough time?† I looked at my cell phone and groaned. We’d burned up a lot of time handling the vandalism aftermath. And yet, I hated to wait until tomorrow, seeing as I’d already lost time yesterday while dealing with Marcus. I called Ms. Terwilliger and asked if she’d cover for me if I came in after curfew. â€Å"Yes, yes, of course,† she said, in a tone that suggested she couldn’t understand why I’d even bothered calling her. â€Å"Just talk to more of those girls.† Ms. Terwilliger had given me six names. We’d already taken care of Wendy Stone. Three of the girls lived relatively close together, and they were our goal tonight. The last two were closer to the coast, and we hoped to reach them tomorrow. Adrian tried making conversation with me throughout the drive, but my mind was still on the Mustang. â€Å"God, I’m an idiot,† I said, once we’d almost reached our destination. â€Å"That’s never a term I’d use to describe you,† he said promptly. â€Å"Articulate. Well dressed. Smart. Organized. Beautiful. I’d use those terms, but never ‘idiot.'† I nearly asked why â€Å"beautiful† had come after â€Å"organized† and then remembered the actual concern. â€Å"I’m obsessing about that car when girls’ lives are on the line. It’s stupid. My priorities are messed up.† My eyes were on the road, but I could tell he was smiling. â€Å"If your priorities were really messed up, you would’ve followed that tow truck. Yet here you are, off to help perfect strangers. That’s a noble thing, Sage.† â€Å"Don’t rule yourself out,† I said. â€Å"You’re pretty noble too, going on all these outings with me.† â€Å"Well, it’s not the same as Skee-Ball, but it’ll have to do. How was that anyway? Did you really learn anything?† â€Å"I learned a lot – some pretty unbelievable stuff, actually. I’m still waiting to get some proof, though.† Luck was with us initially. The first two girls were home, though their reactions were similar to Wendy Stone’s. This time, I’d had the foresight to bring the newspaper article, in the hopes it would make a stronger impression. That ghastly picture at least gave them pause, but I left not knowing if they’d really take me seriously or use the agate charms. Our good fortune ran out when we reached the last name. She too was a college student, meaning we had another campus visit. Her name was Lynne Titus, and she lived in a sorority house. I admit, as I knocked on the door, I was fully prepared to find a group of girls dressed in pink, having a pillow fight in their living room. But when we were shown in, we discovered an orderly home not all that different from Wendy’s building. Some girls were coming and going, while others sat around with textbooks and papers. â€Å"Lynne?† asked the girl who’d let us inside. â€Å"You just missed her.† I knew this shouldn’t be a surprise. These girls had lives. They wouldn’t all be waiting around for me to come by and talk to them. I glanced uneasily at a window, taking note of the purpling sky. â€Å"Any idea when she’ll be back?† The girl shook her head. â€Å"No, sorry. I don’t know where she went.† Adrian and I exchanged looks. â€Å"You’re free from your curfew,† he reminded me. â€Å"I know. But that doesn’t mean I want to spend all night waiting for Lynne.† I did some mental calculations. â€Å"I suppose we could wait a couple of hours. Three at most.† Adrian seemed supremely delighted by this, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was more excited at hanging out on a college campus . . . or at spending time with me. â€Å"What’s fun to do around here?† he asked our hostess. He glanced around at the quiet academic environment. â€Å"No raging parties here, huh?† The girl put on a disapproving expression. â€Å"We’re a very serious sorority. If you’re looking for parties, I guarantee there’s one going on just down the street. Those girls have one every night.† Adrian shot me a hopeful look. â€Å"Oh, come on,† I said. â€Å"Can’t we find some nice museum?† â€Å"We want to stay close, in case Lynne comes back,† Adrian said. Something told me if the party had been all the way across campus, he still would’ve pushed for it. â€Å"Besides, if you want to go to college so badly, you should see the full scope of what it has to offer. And aren’t you a fan of Greek stuff?† That was hardly what I had in mind, and he knew it. I reluctantly agreed but warned him he couldn’t drink. I was sporting the brown wig and presumed he was using spirit to mask us further. Alcohol would diminish his ability to pull it all off. Plus, I just didn’t want to see him drunk. It was easy to find the party house because we could hear the music blasting from it. A guy and a girl openly drinking beer from plastic cups challenged us at the door. â€Å"This is Greek only,† the girl said. She looked as though she might fall off her stool. â€Å"Who are you with?† I pointed vaguely toward Lynne’s sorority. â€Å"Um, them.† â€Å"Alpha Yam Ergo,† said Adrian, without hesitation. I expected the door squad to point out that most of those weren’t even Greek letters. Maybe it was because Adrian spoke so confidently – or because they’d had too much beer – but the guy waved us inside. It was almost like being back at the arcade, an overwhelming flood of stimuli. The house was crowded and loud, with smoke hanging in the air and alcohol flowing freely. Several people offered us drinks, and some girl invited us – three times – to play beer pong, forgetting that she’d already spoken to us. I regarded it all in amazement, trying to keep the disgust off my face. â€Å"What a waste of tuition. This is ruining all my collegiate dreams,† I shouted to Adrian. â€Å"Isn’t there anything to do that’s not drinking or being stupid?† He scanned around, able to see more of the room from his greater height. He brightened. â€Å"That looks promising.† He caught hold of my hand. â€Å"Come on.† In a surprisingly nice and spacious kitchen, we found several girls sitting on the floor painting blank T-shirts. Judging from the sloppy job and paint spills, they too had been indulging in alcohol. One girl had a cup of beer next to an identical cup of paint, and I hoped she wouldn’t mix them up. â€Å"What are you doing?† I asked. One of the girls glanced up and grinned. â€Å"Making shirts for the winter carnival. You want to help?† Before I could say no, Adrian was already on the ground with them. â€Å"Do I ever.† He helped himself to a white T-shirt and a brush with blue paint on it. â€Å"What are we putting on these?† The girls’ shoddy work made that a valid question. â€Å"Our names,† said one girl. â€Å"Winter stuff,† said another. That was good enough for Adrian. He set to work painting snowflakes on the shirt. Unable to help myself, I knelt down to get a better look. Whatever his faults, Adrian was a decent artist. He mixed in a few other colors, making the snowflakes intricate and stylized. At one point, he paused to light a clove cigarette, sharing one of the girls’ ashtrays. It was a habit I didn’t really like, but at least the rest of the smoke in this place masked his. As he was finishing up the shirt and writing out the sorority’s name, I noticed that all the other girls had stopped to stare. â€Å"That’s amazing,† said one, her eyes wide. â€Å"Can I have it?† â€Å"I want it,† insisted another. â€Å"I’ll make each of you one,† he assured them. The way they looked at him was an unwelcome reminder of the breadth of his experience with other women. I shifted a little closer to him, just so they wouldn’t get any ideas. He handed the white shirt to the first girl and then set to work on a blue shirt. Once he fulfilled his promise to each girl, he sifted through the T-shirt stack until he found a men’s-size black one. â€Å"Gotta pay tribute to my fraternity.† â€Å"Right,† I scoffed. â€Å"Alpha Yam Ergo.† Adrian nodded solemnly. â€Å"A very old and prestigious society† â€Å"I’ve never heard of them,† said the girl who’d claimed the first shirt. â€Å"They don’t let many people in,† he said. In white paint, he wrote his fake fraternity’s initials: AYE. â€Å"Isn’t that what pirates say?† asked one of the other girls. â€Å"Well, the Alpha Yams have nautical origins,† he explained. To my horror he began painting a pirate skeleton riding a motorcycle. â€Å"Oh, no,† I groaned. â€Å"Not the tattoo.† â€Å"It’s our logo,† he said. Adrian and I had once had to investigate a tattoo parlor, and to distract the owner, he’d gone in and pretended to be interested in a tattoo that sounded very much like what he was drawing now. At least, I assumed he’d been pretending. â€Å"Isn’t it badass?† â€Å"Badass† wasn’t quite the word I would’ve used, but despite it being such a ridiculous image, he actually did a good job. I made myself comfortable, drawing my knees up to me and leaning against the wall. He soon stopped with his banter and grew completely absorbed in his work, meticulously painting the skeleton’s bones as well as that of a skeleton parrot sitting on the pirate’s shoulder. I studied his features as he worked, fascinated by the joy in his eyes. Art was one of the few things that seemed to anchor him and drive that darkness in him away. He seemed to glow with an inner light, one that enhanced his already handsome features. It was another rare and beautiful glimpse of the intense, passionate nature lying beneath the jokes. It came through in his art. It had come through when he kissed me. Adrian suddenly glanced up at me. Our gazes locked, and I felt like he could read my mind. How often did he think about that kiss? And if he really was crazy about me, did he imagine more than just kissing? Did he fantasize about me? What kinds of things did he think about? His lips on my neck? His hand on my leg? And was that leg bare . . . ? I was afraid of what my eyes might betray and quickly looked away. Desperately, I groped for some witty and nonsentimental comment. â€Å"Don’t forget the ninja throwing stars.† â€Å"Right.† I could feel Adrian’s gaze on me a few moments longer. There was something tangible to it, a warmth that enveloped me. I didn’t look back until I was certain his attention was again on the shirt. He added the stars and then sat back triumphantly. â€Å"Pretty cool, huh?† â€Å"It’s not bad,† I said. In truth, it was kind of amazing. â€Å"You want one too?† The smile he gave me stirred up those warm feelings again. I couldn’t help but smile back. â€Å"We don’t have the time,† I managed to say. â€Å"We’ve got to check on Lynne.† â€Å"I’ll make you a fast one.† â€Å"Not the pirate,† I warned. He found a small purple shirt and began painting on it in silver. â€Å"Purple?† â€Å"It’s your color,† he insisted. A thrill ran through me at his words. Adrian could see auras, the light that surrounded all people and was tied into their personalities. He’d told me that mine was yellow, a color most intellectuals had. But he’d also said I had flares of purple, which indicated a passionate and spiritual nature. Those weren’t qualities I usually thought I possessed . . . but sometimes, I wished I did. I watched, enthralled, as he painted a large silver heart with flames edging one side. The whole design was Celtic in style. It was beautiful. â€Å"Where did you get that from?† I asked in awe. I’d seen a lot of his work but never anything like this. His eyes were on his heart, completely caught up in his work. â€Å"Just something kicking around in my head. Reminds me of you. Fiery and sweet, all at the same time. A flame in the dark, lighting my way.† His voice . . . his words . . . I recognized one of his spirit-driven moments. It should’ve unnerved me, but there was something sensual about the way he spoke, something that made my breath catch. A flame in the dark. He swapped out the silver paintbrush for a black one. Before I could stop him, he wrote over the heart: AYE. Underneath it, in smaller letters, he added: HONORARY MEMBER. â€Å"What are you doing?† I cried. The spell had shattered. â€Å"You ruined it!† Adrian regarded me with a mischievous look. â€Å"I figured you’d be flattered at being accepted as an honorary member.† â€Å"How can I get in?† asked one of the girls. In spite of my outrage, I took the shirt when he offered it to me. I held it up gingerly, careful not to mess up the paint job. Even through the ridiculous words, the fiery heart was still stunning. It shone through, and I couldn’t stop admiring it. How could someone so irreverent create something so beautiful? When I finally looked up again, I found Adrian watching me. That earlier thrall seized me, and I found myself unable to move. â€Å"You haven’t painted anything,† he said softly. â€Å"That’s because I have zero creativity,† I told him. â€Å"Everyone’s got some creativity,† he insisted. He handed me the silver brush and slid over to join me against the wall. Our legs and arms touched. He laid out his own AYE shirt across his lap. â€Å"Go ahead. Add something, anything.† I shook my head in protest and tried to hand him the brush. â€Å"I can’t draw or paint. I’ll ruin it.† â€Å"Sydney.† He pushed the brush back into my hand. â€Å"It’s a pirate skeleton, not the Mona Lisa. You’re not going to decrease its value.† Maybe not, but I had a hard time imagining what I could possibly add to this. I could do a lot of things, but this was out of my league – especially compared to his skill. Something in his expression drove me, however, and after a lot of thought, I gave my best shot at drawing a tie around the skeleton’s neck. Adrian frowned. â€Å"Is that a noose?† â€Å"It’s a tie!† I cried, trying not to feel offended. He laughed, clearly delighted at this. â€Å"My mistake.† â€Å"He can go to a boardroom meeting,† I added, feeling a need to defend my work. â€Å"He’s very proper now.† Adrian seemed to like that even more. â€Å"Of course he is. Proper and dangerous.† A little of his mirth faded, and he grew pensive as he studied me, holding me in his gaze. â€Å"Just like you.† I’d been so worried about the artistic challenge that I wasn’t aware of just how close he’d moved to me until now. So many details came into focus. The shape of his lips, the line of his neck. â€Å"I’m not dangerous,† I breathed. He brought his face toward mine. â€Å"You are to me.† And somehow, against all reason, we were kissing. I closed my eyes, and the world around me faded. The noise, the smoke . . . it was gone. All that mattered was the taste of his mouth, a mix of cloves and mints. There was a fierceness in his kiss, a desperation . . . and I answered, just as hungry for him. I didn’t stop him when he pulled me closer, so that I almost sat on his lap. I’d never been wrapped around someone’s body like that, and I was shocked at how eagerly mine responded. His arm went around my waist, pulling me onto him further, and his other hand slid up the back of my neck, getting entangled in my hair. Amazingly, the wig stayed on. He took his lips away from my mouth, gently trailing kisses down to my neck. I tipped my head back, gasping when the intensity returned to his mouth. There was an animalistic quality that sent shock waves through the rest of my body. Some Alchemist voice warned me that this was exactly how a vampire would feed, but I h ad no fear. Adrian wouldn’t hurt me, and I needed to know just how hard he could kiss me and – â€Å"Oh my God!† Adrian and I jerked apart as though someone had thrown cold water on us, though our legs stayed entangled. I glanced around in a panic, half expecting to see an outraged Stanton standing over us. Instead, I looked up into the terrified face of a girl I didn’t know. She wasn’t even looking at us. â€Å"You guys won’t believe what happened!† she exclaimed, directing her words to our fellow artists. She pointed vaguely behind her. â€Å"Over across the street at Kappa, they found one of their girls unconscious, and they can’t wake her up. I don’t know what happened, but it sounds like she was attacked. There’s police out front and everything.† Adrian and I stared at each other for one shocked moment. Then, wordlessly, we both stood up. He held my hand to steady me until my trembling legs strengthened. I’m weak because of this news, I told myself. Not because I was just making out with a vampire. But those dangerous and intoxicating kisses faded almost instantly when we returned to Lynne’s sorority. It was busy with frightened people, and campus security moved in and out, allowing us to step right inside the open door. â€Å"What happened?† I asked a brunette standing nearby. â€Å"It’s Lynne,† she said, biting her lips. â€Å"They just found her in an empty auditorium.† Something in the way she spoke made me uneasy. â€Å"Is she . . . alive?† The girl nodded. â€Å"I don’t know . . . I think so, but they said there’s something really wrong. She’s unconscious and looks . . . well . . . old.† I met Adrian’s eyes and vaguely noticed he had silver paint in his hair. I’d still been holding the brush when I’d wrapped my arms around him. â€Å"Damn,† he murmured. â€Å"Too late.† I wanted to scream in frustration. We’d been so close to warning her. She’d allegedly left just before we’d arrived. What if we’d come sooner? What if we’d visited her before the other two girls? I’d chosen the order randomly. Worse, what if we’d been able to find her instead of having art time with the drunken sorority girls? What if I hadn’t been all over Adrian? Or maybe he’d been all over me. Whatever you wanted to call it, I hadn’t exactly resisted. The more we learned, however, the more unlikely it seemed we would’ve been able to do anything if we’d stuck around Lynne’s house and investigated. Nobody knew where she’d gone. Only one person had seen her leave, a girl with curly blond hair who frustrated the campus police with her vague answers. â€Å"I’m sorry,† she kept saying. â€Å"I just . . . I can’t remember the girl she left with.† â€Å"Nothing?† asked one of the officers. â€Å"Height? Age? Hair color?† The girl frowned, looking as though she was using every ounce of mental effort. At last, she sagged in defeat and shook her head. â€Å"I’m sorry.† â€Å"Did she have black hair?† I suggested. The girl brightened a little. â€Å"Maybe. Er, wait. It might have been brown. No. Red, maybe?† Adrian and I stepped away, knowing we could do no more. â€Å"That girl seems awfully confused,† I said as we walked back to my car. â€Å"She certainly does,† he agreed. â€Å"Sound familiar?† â€Å"Very,† I muttered, recognizing the signs of magic. No one could deny it. Veronica had been here. And we’d been too late to stop her. How to cite The Indigo Spell Chapter Eleven, Essay examples

The Critical Thinker and Culture free essay sample

The Critical Thinker and Culture R. Steve Terry American Sentinel University BSN 43611-A May 30, 2011 Margaret Lowenthal Abstract Using the textbook: Rubenfeld, M. G. Scheffer, B. K. (2010). Critical Thinking Tactics for Nurses: Achieving the IOM Competencies, 2nd Ed. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7637-6584 Using the checklist in Box 3-2, reflect on your culture and how it might affect your critical thinking habits of the mind. Then think of someone you work with who comes from a culture different from yours. Think of a patient from a different culture.How do you think those persons would answer the questions? Introduction: Taken directly from my first paper, â€Å" â€Å". Thinking as a Critical Thinker Critical thinking is something we do every day in our nursing jobs, and yet we dont put names to the parts and pieces of just what it is we are doing while making those decisions. Reading the first two chapters of our text book has opened my eyes, not only to what I do on a daily basis, but has given me insight on how to breakdown the process of critical thinking into manageable parts, with definitions for each phase. We will write a custom essay sample on The Critical Thinker and Culture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This breakdown of the process will not only help me in my day-to-day duties but will also help me communicate the process more easily to my peers. Now what would happen to the critical thinker when you add his or her cultural aspects to the way they put together and analyze their information gathered as that critical thinker? Do you think the influences of one’s upbringing may enhance or impair critical thinking in the nursing field? Let’s start out by investigating my culture of youth where I was born into the Appalachian area of West Virginian.Appalachian Culture Appalachian is a land of high mountains and green forests, abundant springs and rivers, varied plants, animal and bird life. Its Cumberland range is big coal mining country. Its farms are traditionally small operations. The area to which you will be traveling is one of rich history and tradition (Commission on Religion of Appalachia, 1992). Being brought up in West Virginia, I have many memories of a style of living that my grandparents and their parents taught me about.One of the funniest traditions we have is a distrust of doctors. Where I’m from in South Central, West Virginia, people only go to the hospital to die. It’s my belief that this came about because most people from the hills only made it to the hospital at the last stages of disease so it was felt it was the last place to go before one dies. And this is not just in West Virginia it’s in all the Appalachian area. The geographic boundaries of Appalachia include portions of 13 states, reaching from southern New York to northern Mississippi.It contains 398 counties in the following states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. West Virginia is the only state that the region completely covers. The region is rural and urban, rich and poor (Frank S. Riddel, ed, 1984). Process of Learning Trust If you had asked me what critical thinking was before today, I would have probably explained in terms that resembled the nursing process, because that is what I have been educated about for eighteen years; but, don’t think it’s been easy for me.On the contrary, because of my cultural upbringing and the distrust in medicine that has long plagued not only Appalachia but my family as well, it was very difficult in the beginning of my nursing career to learn the subtle truths about creating a â€Å"trust† atmosphere between myself and members of my cultural community. According to Rubenfield and Sheffer, critical thinking is the metaphorical bridge between information and action (Rubenfield ; Scheffer, 2010).That’s exactly what it has been for me, a bridge to bring trust to members of my communi ty. One of the biggest areas of difference in Appalachia and most other cultural areas is the distrust of anything that is outside of the community (Frank S. Riddel, ed, 1984). I believe as a critical thinker that knowing this has helped me understand how to communicate trust to this community and by knowing first the culture of my community it has helped me discern area’s that I can control and areas that I cannot.I know to use the habits of confidence and perseverance to reckon with my community to build trust, because these are areas that my culture see’s as important, although they live in present tense at most times, I feel that I can help them understand, â€Å"the tomorrow†, if not getting treatment today type of concept. Conclusion Culture is just one of many aspects one must consider before jumping to any conclusions about communication. This is also true about critical thinking. This is why flexibility, open-mindedness and perseverance are such import part s of the Critical Thinking habits of the mind. Without them we may decide to just give up because we don’t understand why someone may not understand our end goals and why we want to help them. References Commission on Religion in Appalachia, â€Å"Economic transformation: The Appalachian Challenge†(Knoxville, TN C. O. R. A. , 1992). Frank S. Riddel, ed. , â€Å"Appalachia: Its People, Heritage and Problems† (Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 1984), xi. Rubenfeld, M. G. ; Scheffer, B. K. (2010). Critical Thinking Tactics for Nurses: Achieving the IOM Competencies, 2nd Ed. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.