In what ways television affects Essay Example for Free

In what ways television affects Essay AIM: I propose to find out what children say about how television affects their play. Socialisation is a very important concept in sociology and the role of the mass media is highly debateable. Many sociologists believe that media effects start by setting out an overall relationship between media and its audience. They are often called models of media effects. I will interview the children these interviews will be unstructured. The children will be interviewed separately. Gender will be a comparison I look at to and whether the gender affects whom the children imitate. CONTEXTS AND CONCEPTS: The study of Bandura Ross and Ross uses the term of social learning theory to assert that children copy behaviour another example of this is copycat violence found in Hagell Newburn’s study. In my research will ask the children whether they say they act violently due to the violent content they may have viewed and whether they have chosen to imitate these programs. Hagell Newburn’s study compared young offenders viewing behaviour with non-offending teenagers. They found the differences were few between the two groups and what they watched, with hardly any having seen the films that were causing the concern at that time. A few members of either group had an interest in a violent output. The young offenders had less access to different media types. Other factors instead of media could have been causing the differences in their behaviour. The other context being analysed is Bandura Ross Ross who looked at whether children learnt behaviour through observation. This is the idea of the social learning theory. Children were made to watch a violent model be aggressive towards a five-foot ‘bobo’ doll. Later the children were given an aggressive arousal and then taken to another room where they were monitored as to how they reacted towards the ‘bobo’ doll, after seeing a model do this. The different concepts are is copycat violence this is violence that occurs as a result of copying what is seen in the media. Catharsis another theory is the process where tension is relieved, for example violence on screen that provides a safe outlet for people’s violent inclination. The final concept is desensitisation some theorists argue that the constant media diet of violence makes them less sensitive to real human suffering. These concepts tie in with the idea children are passive sociologists believe this, children respond easily to everything. This is the reason for watershed on T. V at 9pm because what comes on television isn’t suitable enough for children and there is a fear that the children will imitate this behaviour. (337) MAIN RESEARCH METHOD AND REASONS: The method I will be using is by interviewing the children by asking them to explain the reason for their behaviour. The questions I will ask the children will be questions not only requiring the answers that I need but there will be a series of distracting questions so the children will not know the aim of the questions being asked. Interviews are an advantage because it is better to gather all the information needed for an interview because you get to understand what the interviewee’s true opinions are. Interviews are flexible and can be used in different ways; also the ethical advantage is consent of the participants the theoretical advantage is that at applies to the law of interpretivists (Action theory). You can use empathy to understand their opinions in depth; these methods generate higher levels of validity of these results. They give a general understanding of the problem, there is less pressure on the interviewee and their answers are more spontaneous. Important concepts are uncovered about the information that will help me conclude whether the children imitate what they watch. When interviewing the children I will be asking them which programs they imitate and this will give me an insight into whether there is a pattern with what they watch. The sample I will be using for the interviews are of children from the ages of five to ten years old, because at this stage of childhood where television will be their main interest and there is a large variety if television for children of these ages also this is the age children are most likely to be influenced by the media. The genders of the children being used are varied so I will be using five boys and five girls. The children all come from the Borough of Newham of East London. It is easier for me if the children are living in the same borough there will be an easier access to these children and it will be easier for me and the children. The sample of the children I will be studying is opportunity sampling as the sample depends on whether the adults agree to their children being in the sample. The consent for whether the child will participate will be the decision of the adults. In Bandura’s study he gave the children an aggressive arousal and in this study will not do this as the aggressive arousal means that the children could have acted violently because of the arousal given and not because they were imitating the models behaviour. (425) POTNETIAL PROBLEMS The interviews of the amount of children I will be looking at can be very time consuming. With this study I need to be aware that the sample isn’t appropriate enough to apply to the whole population because all the children are from the same background and all from a similar ethical background and there may be a pattern in their behaviour. The main practical issue is whether the adults will allow their children to take part in the study. These types of questionnaires are basically a conversation dominates by the interviewer. These unstructured interviews may also go off the initial idea of what is being interviewed. Also with the amount of children I will be looking at and the sample of children I will be looking at there will be a lot of activity so it may be difficult to record all of their behaviour. These interviews are more difficult to analyse, and there are less details provided on the concept being asked. Ethical problems are mental harm to the children if they don’t like the questions being asked of them. Right to withdraw will be an ethical issue also because the children may not feel they have the right to leave and stop asking the questions. The final ethical issue is informed consent, which will be coming from the child and not the parents. The children should be able to make the decision but when a child is involved the parents have the consent. Time consumption is a practical issue through finding time to interview ten children. Being able to get the children to understand the question and also to cooperate may be difficult. Likewise another ethical issue is the children may not understand the debriefing. If they don’t understand the debriefing there will be an issue of this ethical guideline and the parents will also have to also be debriefed too.

HR management Essay Example for Free

HR management Essay HR management forms a valuable and effective administration concerned mainly with working category. It evaluates the steps to be implemented to make the working category into further industrious, satisfied and happy. As an integral fraction of society of human resource management policies, the team have supported that the strategies need to encourage the companies to provide pioneering and flexible plans that are highly benefit. The work-life policies laid forward by the SHRM proved to be highly beneficial to employees. However, there are several human resource factors, which influence an organization to adopt the work-life plans as a vital division of SHRM practices and plans. Majority of the factors that stressed upon work life policies incorporates the demographic variation occurring with the prospective workforce, variation in social characteristics, role and responsibility changes in organizations and other governmental factors. Women make an essential part of almost all types of organization in the most modern era. Most of the working class woman wishes to conjointly take the responsibilities of their family as well as the employment terms. This was considered as an apparent factor that resulted in the emergence of family friendly plans. This plan was further termed as work life policies and rapidly gained importance in the area of SHRM. The next vital factor associated with demographic variation forms the ageing employees that raised the value of the work life policies. As per the plan, the aged workgroup may remain in the organization. However, they only need to work for very few hours or may change their shift timings as per their comfort. Most of the working people hold the responsibilities for bringing up their kids and take equal responsibilities for their aged parents. The plan allows even the aged people to support their children with their responsibilities. With the advance of modern technology, the labor market gets tightens and requires more and more skilled laborers. The organization needs to implement the work life policies to influence and regain employers who might have left the organization previously due to some or other cause. As per a study conducted by IRS, the most important motive behind the management to initiate the work life plan is strongly associated with recruitment of staffs as well as retention. As majority of leading organizations work on a 24 hour per day basis, increasing the working hours. However, there is strong requirement of flexible plans to cover these elaborated hours with efficiency. Surveys shows that adaptation of faster work pace has lead to organizational stress and most of the workers experience severe problems such as anxiety, stress, workload and inadequate personal time. These variations make the organizations to breach the government induced rules. Evaluating with respect to a legal outlook, all the working categories have a role on self care and protection and work life policies influence this particular concept. With the policies of work life, every employee may endorse a healthy and happy job environment and understand more about their social errands as a working personality. Thus, the policies offer high benefits to the employees as well as appropriate guidance with proper management to the employers.

Marketing Strategy For The Chevy Volt Marketing Essay

Marketing Strategy For The Chevy Volt Marketing Essay In November of 1911, Louis Chevrolet, William Little and Edwin Campbell integrated the Chevrolet Motor Company. Chevrolet offers an assortment of motorized vehicles to the general public such as subcompact cars, sports cars, luxury cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans. Chevrolet made the cut and will continue to serve its customers for years to come, stated Nick Kalapos the Times leader in a documentary about Chevrolet being the leader in their community (15). Chevrolet continues to be on top with performance, price, fuel economy, and value leader for General Motors North America (13). Many people are becoming more aware of global warming and they are trying to find various ways to become more environmentally friendly. Record oil prices have pushed consumers toward fuel efficient vehicles and have prompted many governments to consider electric transportations as a way of traveling (5). Research shows that consumers want eco friendly cars. About 68 percent people say that they are willing to buy an eco friendly car within the next couple of years (1). Will Buss said that in reference to Newtons Third Law of Motion, consumers have reacted to gas prices, which have soared to record levels, by buying fewer gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles and more of the fuel-efficient and hybrid-powered variety. As consumers become more aware of how harmful emissions are and how much oil prices continue to rise they will be more willing to buy and the need for electric cars and hybrids will take over the automotive marketplace (1). Chevrolet is searching for those who are willing go the extra mile to be early adopters for the new Volt that will hit the market in late 2010. The people who are going to be more interested in the Eco friendly cars are the Generation Y consumers, says James Schroer. As Generation Y grows up they are going to demand for their vehicles to become more environmental friendly. Gen Y consumers have grown-up up to be technology savvy and they are known to be more familiar with technology than any other generation (1). By developing high technology that could be appealing to the consumers it would entice drivers to plug in rather than filling up (5). Chevy Volt has soaring technology that will give buyers a smart phone application that will let the owners control key vehicle functions along with On star. I phones, blackberries and android phones will be available with the electric car. Remote access will also be possible from a cell phone web browser that will have applications for starting , locking and unlocking the doors, security system arming and disarming commands, and trunk popping. Also there are applications for honking the horn so people will be able to locate their cars easily. The Chevy volt has new technology innovations for the generation Y. As this generation matures and gains more power, their influence will spread across the country (4). There are also some cultural issues to deal with when it comes to electric cars. Some Issues about the electric car depends solely on the time the vehicle will come out, the cost of the Volt and most importantly the consumers (5). Americans want to do good things for the environment, as long as they do not have to compromise performance, convenience, or comfort which causes a major issue (1). Americans only want to do what is suitable and as long as it does not affect their everyday life. Many Americans have a large family which requires them to need a bigger vehicle like a SUV making a gas eating vehicle more suitable than a small electric car. Bigger issue that arises is the lack of batteries that are available. Many car manufactures have been slow to commit to their decisions about electric vehicles, because they are unsure about how many people will want to purchase the electric car. Without orders being placed battery manufactures cannot invest in the time and money that is necessary to produce the batteries at a timely fashion. Gassenheimer says that he has concern that the United States will trade their dependence on the Middle Eastern oil for a reliance on Asian batteries (5). Many experts say that Western companies have more experience in technology and Asians are the leaders in producing Lithium-iron batteries for electronics. A concern for the U.S is that they really dont know if they have the resources or capabilities to produce mass loads of Lithium-iron batteries and the same concern goes for Europe. So a major concern arises about where the Lithium-iron batteries are going to be made. This is a huge issue due to Asians being the only ones that are experienced in making loads of Lithium-iron batteries. An issue about shipments of the Lithium-iron batteries is that its on a strict International Regulation that would be placed on goods making these goods being labeled in the dangerous goods category. Tollefson stated, When the first generation of anything comes out, to a certain extent car manufactures are rolling the dice and this is the biggest roll of the dice anybody has ever made (5). With the rising gasoline prices and consumers growing preference for environmentally-friendly technologies, the hybrid car market has grown tremendously. Toyota, being a huge competitor to General Motors captured the largest percentage of the hybrid car market. Automobile companies such as DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors (GM) have agreed to double their annual production of energy efficient vehicles by 2010. With all the environmental issues going on, nearly all automobile companies are scrambling to be the first and best new electric or hybrid on the market. Shane Donahue stated, Our competitors and others are pursuing similar technologies and other competing technologies, in some cases with more money available. There can be no assurance that they will not acquire similar or superior technologies sooner than we do. With that being said, it can be recognized that General Motors feels that their competitors are one step-ahead of them in the hybrid car market. The GM Chevy Volt will enter the market as a direct competitor to the Toyota Prius hybrid and the Honda Insight hybrid. The Toyota Prius is only a conventional hybrid, the Volt is essentially a plug-in car that has to affirm the companys ability to innovate and turn the company around. However, Nissan has announced that it will beat the Volt to market in fall 2010 with its Nissan Leaf, which boasts a 100 mile range on a charge. The Leafs target launch date will beat General Motors Volt plug-in hybrid, and while Japans Mitsubishi and Subaru both launched EVs for sale to fleets in Japan last month, the cars are smaller, lower-speed, city cars with far less range than the 100 miles-per-charge, claims Nissan for the Leaf. With the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf threatening to steal the green car market, Nissan is accelerating its plans for a plug-in version of the Prius (19) Ford has also announced that it will produce a battery-powered version of its Focus, called Focus EV, in late 2011. As well as many other companies are working on electric cars such as the BMW City, Dodge Circuit, Tesla Model S, and Chinas BYD E6. Although they are way more expensive, Tesla has actually sold a few of its cars, which gives it some advantage. Another eco friendly competitor of Chevrolet is Zenn. Their marketing slogan is Zero Emission and No Noise. The Zenn does not use gasoline but is all electrical The Zenn companys idea on eco friendly cars is about purity and original feeling. The Volt needs at least 8 hours for it to charge fully, but the Zenn can take as little as 4 hours to get a full charge. The price of owning a Zenn is half the cost of the 2010 Volt which has not even hit the market yet. The Zenn has been stated in Time magazine as small, inexpensive electric vehicles that can be charged to cover enough miles to handle the daily commute. (20) The Zenn is a Canada based company which has already launched the car in Canada and in the United States. Its sales are increasing with the concerns of a bad economy. A Zenn has significantly less parts than a regular vehicle that will have to be maintained on a regular basis. The owner will never have to worry about changing the oil, replace a filter or muffler and there i s absolutely no need for an emission test. Chevrolet has many routes to take its new innovations with its worldwide channels of production and distribution. GM has organized its brands into four channels: Chevrolet, Buick-Pontiac-GMC, Cadillac-Hummer-Saab and Saturn. Now it has changed the job responsibilities and titles of several of its channel leaders (3). A channels brand name depends on where the vehicles are being produced and sold in. Channels use different brand names to make their vehicles appear more localized. Many of the changes made to the cars are designed specifically to meet the customer needs of where their production is being made. GM took over bankrupt Daewoo Auto and technology to help regain Daewoo reputation at home. GM received a big achievement with Daewoo with their exports. Chevy Europe is a swiss-based firm that sells rebranded products of the GM Daewoo. Chevy Europe sold few United States domestic markets that were modified to suit the European regulations. Chevy Europe sold the Camaro, Beretta, Co rvette, Blazer and the Trailblazer. In 2005 Chevy Europe rebranded its ownership to the Ssangyong, however the Daewoo name retained its name in South Korea and Vietnam after 2005. The Suzuki badge is in the U.S and Canada, Pontiac Badge Canada, the Holden badge in Australia and New Zealand, and the Buick badge in China for some certain GM Daewoo models. Marketed in different distribution channels operated by the Netherlands-based Kroymans Corporation group are the Corvette and Cadillac. Kroymans Corporation going to sell German GM vehicles such as the Opel and they will also sell Netherlands and Belgium made brands. Kroymans is going to stay focused only on importing, distribution, marketing car and retail sales in the Netherlands. The reason for this is because the Chevy Brand represents value-driven cars in Europe. The Corvette name was made into different brand for Europe and Japan. With this World wide vast coverage GM will be capable of designing and marketing vehicles to diffe rent parts of the world. By having this wide coverage GM will be able to draw knowledge and cultural differences from engineers around the world (2). Market Approach The Chevrolet Volt is a hybrid electric automobile. The cars main source of power comes from lithium-ion batteries stored underneath its hood. The batteries can receive charge through one of two ways. They can store electrical energy from the small, gasoline powered engine, or can be charged by using 120-240V AC outlets. On a full battery charge, the Volt is capable of traveling over 40 miles (22). A study found that this distance satisfies nearly three quarters of Americans daily commutes. In addition, Chevrolet expects the batteries to last for up to ten years. The Chevrolet Volts main target market is middle class families that share similar opinions, interests, and hobbies. Segmenting the market and choosing this group is reflected within GMs marketing strategy. They will adapt a strategy that is tailored to attract consumers with related lifestyles and purchasing behaviors. With all the Green Marketing focus in todays world, many consumers are looking for vehicles that are environmentally friendly. Also, with the recent state of the economy, many consumers are seeking a car that provides good value and quality at a fair price. The Volt is a new kind of hybrid that runs primarily off of electricity which greatly reduces its fuel consumption. With increasing gas prices and a poor economic state, this makes the Volt attractive to these eco-friendly customers. As GM seeks to be a part of the Go Green initiative, many consumers who value this idea will begin to become loyal to General Motors. When GM set out to price the Volt, they had a good idea of where to position their product. Some other big automobile companies have already dipped into this market and give the Volts marketers a good idea of a fair price for this type of vehicle. Nissans Altima Hybrid is priced at $34,000, followed by Hondas Accord ranging from $35,000-$40,000 (23). The Toyota Camry Hybrid rounds off this vehicle class with a standard price tag of $37,000 (24). These prices made it apparent to Chevrolet that for the Volt to be competitive it should be priced somewhere in the range of $30,000 to $40,000 depending on available options. The anticipation of the introduction of the Volt is growing, according to Chevrolet. They have over 30,000 potential buyers that cannot wait to drive one of these fascinating cars. Chevrolet wants consumers to see the car as more than just an inexpensive way to travel. They want to the vehicle to reflect style, and be a car that people aspire to own (24). However, some automakers are skeptical of the Volt. Some of the more luxurious competitors feel that most consumers will not pay a higher premium for a car that really doesnt offer much more than a basic automobile. Chevrolet hopes to shock them as well as the consumers it captures with the Volts release. Chevy and GM have worked hard to make the Volt a user friendly and customizable car. One of the features they are offering will be a few different gauge interfaces from which the driver will be able to choose. One set contains a standard, traditional gauge set with all normal gauges placed directly over the steering wheel, while a second set displays the gauges from the center of the dash. This second set is impressive, in that it uses touch screen technology and backlit LED lighting for a bright, clear display. Both sets allow drivers to see how they are using the cars energy, which can let them adjust driving patterns to reduce lost energy (25). Still, the location of the interface is strictly up to the driver, and consumers like the idea of being able to customize a vehicle to their liking. Another advantage the Volt has over foreign electric vehicles is its federal rebate program. The government offers $7,500 off for buying the Chevrolet brand. This becomes quite a bargaining chip when talking about a sticker price of 30-40K. General Motors is planning to produce tens of thousands of these new vehicles to be sold around the world. An actual price has not been set but the pricing strategy and final MSRP will factor in gasoline prices (26). Chevrolet offers many services that other companys lack. An important service that Chevrolet has is a life saving service called On-Star. The Chevrolet Volt will be equipped with On-Star, but not just any On-Star, it will come with On-Star EV Lab. This version is offered to give the Volt a more high tech appeal (6). One of the features includes communicating with the Volt by telling it to charge during the night at off peak times to take advantage of lower rates; this technology is called smart charging (6). On-Star automatically runs hundreds of diagnostic and maintenance checks on your vehicles key operating systems and deliver a summary report right to your inbox every month (7). Chevrolet has been a loyal company that has always been superb when coming up with new ideas for vehicles. Chevrolet has been working hard to process this new advanced automobile. Volt is an electric vehicle with a range extender. Volt runs on electricity from its battery, and then it runs on electricity it creates from gas. Depending on the weather, the electrical features that are turned on and how you drive, you can drive up to 40 miles on the electricity stored in the battery totally gas and emissions free(8). After this takes place, the range-extending generator automatically kicks in to provide the electrical power. This allows the Volt to go for several hundred additional miles, until it is plugged in again. Chevrolets brand is becoming more solid after GM filed for chapter 11 bankruptcies and has just recently emerged. Chevrolet is one of the leading automobile brands in America. The automakers are continuing to launch fuel efficiency options, while also introducing safety and security packages for the new models. Trailing the American urban congestion, the Chevys hybrids are poised to surpass their mainstream competitors. Above all, the most visually arresting feature for the brand of Chevrolet vehicles is the Chevrolets corporate logo that creates a distinct look for the exterior(9). Financials: The Chevrolet Volt has an estimated price of around $40,000, in the U.S. market. Due to the capacity of the Volts battery pack it qualifies for the maximum US $7,500 federal tax credit. The former vice president Bob Lutz initially wanted the Volt to be sold at around $30,000. Electricity is an extremely affordable way to power a car the average American pays less than 12 cents per kilowatt hour. If the average American drives less than 40 miles, it will cost about a dollar a day for electricity (8). This is about the same cost as running a basic household appliance. To save even more, some utility companies recommend charging overnight for off-peak rates and may even offer incentives to customers who do so (8). The Volt is being endorsed by Dalton McGuinty and the Ontario government in Canada. The province will provide a $10,000 subsidy, and will purchase 500 Volts for the Ontario Public Service fleet. The subsidies are part of McGuintys target to have electric vehicles make up 5% o f all cars in Ontario by 2020. (10) At the Sydney Motor Show in October 2008, Holden stated that the Volt would be available in Australia by 2012 for more than $30,000. At the U.S. average cost of electricity (approximately 11 cents per kWh), a typical Volt driver would pay about $2.75 for electricity to travel 100 miles, or less than 3 cents per mile. GMs average annual sales growth over the past five years is a low 0.7 per cent. It has accumulated losses of $51 billion (U.S.) since 2005, and the shareholder value of GM, with 2007 sales of $297 billion, is a humbling $12 billion. (21) An analysis of the financial statements of the Chevrolet Volt show that the accounts receivable remain at about $500,000 throughout the year; not including a seasonal fluctuation in sales. The accounts receivable turns over once every 60 days. The inventory on the other hand remains about $800,000 and turns over every 90 days. The accounts payable remains at $400,000 and turns over about once every 45 days. With an accounts receivable collection period of 60 days and an average balance outstanding of $500,000, results show that $750,000, is the amount that should be collected on the receivables in 90 days. If the inventory of $800,000 valued at cost turns over once in 90 days and if the average markup is about $200,000, cash sales should amount to about $250,000. If there is no seasonal factor, the total amount divided by four should be an approximate test on the amount budgeted for the next 90 days. A Chevy Volt owner could theoretically drive 15,000 miles for less than $300.00 a year, assuming current rates for electricity stay the same. Volt uses about 2500 kWh annually, which is an extremely affordable way to power a car as the average American pays less than 12 cents per kilowatt hour. In other words, if you drive 40 miles or less that could work out to be about a dollar a day. And that can add up to big savings. (27). Depending on the weather, the electrical features that are turned on and how you drive, you can drive up to 40 miles on the electricity stored in the battery totally gas and emissions free. After that, its gas-powered, range-extending generator automatically kicks in to provide electrical power. Assuming the EPA estimates $2,000 a year in fuel cost for a compact car, like the Chevy Cobalt or Honda Civic cost savings in fuel would go a long way toward offsetting the cost of a $40,000 electric vehicle. Battery and size and vehicle cost should fall rapidly as pr oduction rises.   (27). In Flint Michigan, General Motors Company is investing more than $230 million in four different GM plants in the greater Flint area to support the production of the fuel-efficient 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and Volt, according to the automaker.   The four GM plants include Flint Engine South, Flint Metal Center, Flint Tool Die, and Grand Blanc Weld Tool Center.   At the Flint Engine South nearly $202 million dollars have been invested to renovate the former I5/I6 manufacturing operations for production of a 1.4L four-cylinder engine generator for the Chevrolet Volt.   In the Flint metal center, $1.7 million has been invested to refurbish press lines that will produce sheet metal stampings for the Volt.   All dies for the Chevy Volt were engineered at Flint Tool Die. Approximately 50 percent of dies for the Volt were designed at this facility. At the Grand Blanc Weld Tool Center, approximately $30 million invested in this facility to build the robotic weld tool cells that will ass emble the Volt body at the Volt assembly plant. Grand Blanc Weld Tool Center also built the robotic weld tool cells for the body shop to assemble the Chevrolet Cruze at Lordstown (Ohio) Assembly (28). When GM CEO Rick Wagoner testified that the Volt is being pushed into production for 2011, he added that, It will not be at that point fully cost competitive.   GM has actually spent about three quarters of a billion to develop the Volt, and much of that is in battery research. GM recognizes the importance of staying ahead of the competition in developing new technology. They are willing to take the risk of spending a large amount of money even in these desperate times of recession. Without doubt, some of that money will eventually be spread across the automobile industry when the Volts power train and battery advances get shared with other GM models. However, it is still unlikely that the Volts addition will bring down the bottom line until a second generation model is introduced, which may not be until 2014 to 2016   (29). Electricity is defiantly the way of the future when talking about the automobile. Electricity runs clean in a vehicle, therefore there will be no tailpipe emissions. And if the electricity is generated using alternate power sources such as wind, hydro, solar or bio-fuels, there is the potential to considerably reduce the emissions associated with personal transportation. Advancements in electricity production along with reduction in emissions from electric-powered driven cars can make our world a cleaner place.(30)   General Motors Corporation will open the first lithium-ion battery pack manufacturing plant in the United States in Michigan with production expected by 2010. The lithium-ion battery cells will be supplied by Compact Power Inc., a subsidiary of South Koreas LG Chem based in Troy, Michigan for Volt prototype vehicles until GMs battery facility is operational. GM has also signed a joint engineering contract with Compact Power and LG Chem to develop Volts lithium-ion batt ery technology. The advanced battery strategy is expected to strengthen GMs capabilities to develop hybrid and electric vehicles (30). By using the battery as a power source, we will in the long run help cut back our dependency from other countries. Since almost all of our electricity is produced domestically, its a great way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. The U.S. has a variety of electricity sources, all with the potential to help us become more energy-independent. (31) Because the market of electric cars is still forming, there is not any real information available about cash flows.   There are a few known factors, though.   First of all, GM has spent about $750 million to develop the Volt, and will probably still spend even more.   For another, there is no way to break even on this investment for at least another several years (and several models) have passed.   Only time and 2011 income statements will tell how well GMs bottom line fairs with its new Volt.

World Wide Market Essay -- Globalization

Few causes can unite agriculture corporations, labour unions, and industrial lobbies, but anti-globalization is one of them. Economic globalization is the process of creating one world wide market through freer trade, flow of labour, and flow of capital. It is a phenomenon inseparable from today' economy, and is a trend that will continue for the foreseeable future. There is much discussion in the academic community about the political ramifications of economic globalization. However, I will be solely discussing the economic aspects of globalization and how it effects the prosperity and living standards of people around the world. Though the current international economy faces many challenges, the idea of trade liberalization is superior to its alternatives. Economic globalization improves the world and is ultimately good. By integrating markets, globalization generates economic growth by fostering efficiency and specialization. In addition, globalization uplifts those in poverty and creates more technologically advanced societies. Moreover, many of the problems associated with the process of economic globalization can be solve through adjustments in how trade liberalization occurs. Ultimately, the gains of economic globalization far outweigh the costs. The integration of economies benefits all those involved as larger markets ultimately create greater growth and efficiency – an assertion that is grounded in both theory and practical experience. Economic theory states that larger markets are more efficient by nature because they allow for the realization of greater economies of scale. Furthermore, the free trade brought on by economic globalization allows countries to specialize and exercise their comparative advantage – ra... ...better. Works Cited Bhagwati, Jaghish. In Defense of Globalization. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2004. Easterly, William. â€Å"The Rich Have Markets, The Poor Have Bureaucrats,† in Globalization: What's New, ed. Michael M. Weinstein. New York: Columbia University Press, 2005. Frank, Matthew, Lisa A. Hyland, Sarah O. Ladislaw, Frank A. Verrastro. â€Å"The Geopolitics of Energy: Emerging Trends, Changing Landscapes, Uncertain Times.† Report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, October 2010. Frieden, Jeffry A.. Global Capitalism: Its Fall and Rise in the Twentieth Century. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006. Legrain, Philippe. The Truth About Globalization. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 2004. Moyo, Damisa. Dead Aid. Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre, 2009. Wolf, Martin. Why Globalization Works. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004.

Hamlet Insane or Sane :: essays research papers

Hamlet- Sane or Insane   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet the main character Hamlet experiences many different and puzzling emotions. He toys with the idea of killing himself and then plays with the idea of murdering others. Many people ask themselves who or what is this man and what is going on inside his head. The most common question asked about him is whether or not he is sane or insane. Although the door seems to swing both ways many see him as a sane person with one thought on his mind, and that is revenge. The first point of his sanity is while speaking with Horatio in the beginning of the play, secondly is the fact of his wittiness with the other characters and finally, his soliloquy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After talking with the ghost, Hamlet, comes back to Horatio and Marcellus and tries to explain to them never to let anyone know what has happened. Both are very scared but agree to the prince’s, but both are still looking to find out what happened between the ghost and him. Further on in the evening Hamlet takes Horatio to the side and explains to him that no matter how odd he acted that Horatio say nothing. (And therefore as a stranger-you most need help you Act1 sc5 line 187-202) He basically explained to Horatio that he was going to be acting much differently than normal, and he told him not to ask questions. This here proves he knew what he was going to have to do. It shows that he was willing to get his revenge by any way possible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second point showing his sanity is the fact that he was able to match wits with the other characters in the play. If he was an insane person why would he plan a way to let Claudius know that he knows about the death of his father. Most insane people don’t have the mind for that type of thing, but he was able to do it. He was able to let Claudius know without saying a word. He had the players act it out for him and what a job they did to let him know. He even knows when his good friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, show up that they are they to spy and find information about him to give to the king. (Act2 sc2 Line293-298). If he was insane why would he recognize the fact that his friends are turning on him.

Gender Identity and Social Structures Essay -- Gender Socialization So

Gender Identity and Social Structures What is meant by identity? Firstly this essay is going to explore what is meant by identity. Identity is made up of individual characteristics by which a person is known. Internal factors such as physical appearance, personality, mental ability and sex would have an effect on a person’s identity. Then there are the external factors such as family, class, religion, culture, occupation and nationality which would influence one’s identity. Then, even beyond all these personal and social structures, societal opinions about gender, race, culture, ethnicity and nationality must have an impact on identity. Many attributes of identity are formed from childhood experience, adolescence, early adulthood and are ever forming. Identity can therefore be ever changing externally according to the life experiences through which a person goes through. Births, deaths, marriage, divorce, abuse, immigration, good or bad fortune for example are likely to cause change, and therefore influence change to identity. These may ultimately result in a change to the internal identity: physical, mental etc Gender identities are formed by several different factors, i.e. individual and collective; social and biological. Biologically, it would be quite easy to look at the body of a person and be able to distinguish between a male and a female, from their genitalia. A female would be identified by the absence of a penis. The problem with defining gender identity by simply using anatomical evidence is that is this day and age, we live in a society where most of our bodies are generally covered by clothing, so judgement can also be obscured by the unisex clothes that are worn by both men and women. Most of us are always manipulating our outer appearance according to the latest trends or fashion. It is more acceptable for a woman to wear clothing that is generally thought of as more masculine, but it is seldom that a man can wear clothing that is thought of as feminine. In such case where a man was to wear feminine clothing such as dresses, skirts, frilly blouses, stockings or high heels this would be known as cross dressing. Women on the other hand can wear trousers, jackets and even ties and this is considered completely normal. The same can be said for make-up and hairstyle. Traditionally, woman generally had long hairstyles and men had s... ...cupation such as hairdressing, fashion or beauty, you would dress in a more trendy fashion as you are selling an image to your clientele. The colleagues with whom you work often become a part of your social group of peers. It is more likely that people will socialize in circles of people with common occupations or similar earning power. As well as â€Å"putting food on the table, clothes on our backs and a roof over our heads†, employment provides us with a sense of worth, it feeds our pride. Someone who is unemployed, whether or not by choice, may be labeled as lazy and useless, and have a general lack of respect from society. Especially if it is not by their own choice, they probably feel worthless. Although it is now common for women to go out to work, men still see their roles as the main breadwinner. Where once that was their role, and the women stayed at home to look after the needs of their husbands and children, women are now holding down high-powered jobs, as well as still seeing to the general needs of their families. Occupation and income are both important aspects of identity, who we are, how we see ourselves, how we represent ourselves and how others see us.

What Is the Future of Social Media

What is the future of social media? In research for this discussion, I came up with a few insights on what I foresee coming up next in the world of social media. †¢ The physical and digital worlds will be more highly connected than ever before – already today we are able to run in the park and track our progress online while sharing it with our friends or track our weight loss, or even our ovulation (well, some of us, that is) with iPhone apps that connect to our Facebook and twitter profiles and enable us to keep track of our progress as well as share the data with our friends. Facebook, Twitter and other major social networks will become increasingly what Fred Wilson coins â€Å"Social Dashboards†. In essence, Facebook and Twitter are social channels on which other companies can grow and develop their own technologies and businesses. Both Facebook and Twitter have created economies far larger than many nations. †¢ Until now, brands have been very concerned w ith bringing as many people as possible to their pages. Consumer brands can now finally reap the fruits and build social commerce stores where Facebook users (all 700 Million of them) can purchase products on their favorite social network without needing to go to any destination site. Facebook will become one of the major channels of future online shopping. †¢ Companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon are currently collecting information about each and every one of us: Our likes and dislikes, our interests and disdains. Soon in an age of Web 3. 0, an age of Semantic Web, we will no longer need to search for information on the Web as information will find us based on all this data which companies are collecting. The right information will be served to the right people at the right time, saving us all a lot of time, effort and energy. †¢ Mobile technology will become more dominant and NFC technology will be developed further enabling it to offer us special promotions, coupons and ips based on our geographical location and the interest graph. †¢ Human Relationships will no longer be as physically dependent and we will befriend and hang out with people from all over the world and all walks of life, all ethnicities and all beliefs, creating a worldwide melting pot. †¢ We will no longer be passive media consumers. Media will interact with us in dynamic ways on all platforms. Just like gamers playing WOW today, we will all become a part of a virtual world unknown to us yet where we will all be avatars in the game of life. †¢ As the Web is overloaded with more information, the content that we are exposed to will become more and more customized to our needs as companies will large sums of money to companies like Facebook and Google, making sure that the information we are exposed to is highly targeted to our interests. Rather than experiencing information overload, we will actually experience the opposite effect. †¢ Companies will understand better how to measure the ROI of social media and realize that social media is not about the number of people brands have in their communities but rather the amount of engagement that they see on their page and the overall online sentiment they faced this month as opposed to the last. †¢ Services will become increasingly crowd sourced. Whether it be the way that we get from point A to point B (Waze), the way that we find answers to our questions (Quora), the manner in which we test our Websites (uTest), the way that we get things done (Fiverr) or the way that we share information (Wikipedia). Source: www. http://thenextweb. com http://blog. hubspot. com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/7850/What-Is-the-Future-of-Social- Media-Marketing-Marketing-Cast. aspx http://www. slideshare. net/derickson/the-future-of-social-media-marketing http://irclay. hubpages. com/hub/The-Future-of-Social-Media-for-Hotel-Marketing-Travel-and-Tourism