Bariatric Surgery: Types and Applications

Bariatric Surgery: Types and Applications The rise of bariatric surgery is partly due to the epidemic of obesity in the United States. Because of this epidemic, the number of bariatric surgeries in 2003 was near 103,000. This number was up from 16,000 in 1992. Americans have increased in extreme obesity. Lack of exercise, failure of diets, the desire to want everything right now, has fueled the explosion of the medical procedure. There are so many obese people who are faced with weight induced disease and health complications such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, high LDL cholesterol, stroke, hypertension, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis (degeneration of cartilage and bone of joints), sleep apnea and other breathing problems. Those with these weight induced diseases have found that bariatric surgery can make many of these issues dissipate. Medical professionals are now even considering reducing the weight guidelines for bariatric surgery for people with these medical issues. Although the surgery has given a new lease on life to many, it is imperative that we remember that the procedure is a surgery. Basically, bariatrics is a field of medicine take specializes in treating obesity. When a patient undergoes bariatric surgery, they undergo a type of operation that should help promote weight loss. At this time, only those who suffer from severe obesity qualify for bariatric surgery. The results that are desired from bariatric surgery is to produce weight loss in the patient by restricting food intake by through a surgical process. There are currently four kinds of operations that are offered in the United States at this time. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch (BPD-DS), vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) and adjustable gastric band (AGB) are all types of bariatric surgeries. Each type of surgery has risks and benefits. Each patient must decide with their doctor which option will work better for them. Generally food will move along the digestive tract as enzymes and juices absorb nutrients along with calories. The stomach can hold aro und three pints of food at a time. After leaving the stomach, digestion speeds up. Food moves from the duodenum, to the rest of the 20 foot long small intestine. The food that has not been digested once the food reaches the large intestine is stored there until elimination. Bariatric surgery makes some type of change to this process, in order to promote weight loss. Jejunoileal Bypass was the first operation created just to cause a patient to lose weight. This surgery was first performed at the University of Minnesota in the 1950s. Physicians no longer recommend a Jejunoileal Bypass as a bariatric surgical procedure. The risk that come with global, permanent and severe malabsorption was thought to be too be to dangerous to the patient. This procedure must also be followed by vital, long term follow ups to be successful. Many patients had to have this procedure reversed in order to live. In this surgery, called JIB for short, the stomach is left intact. The bypass induces a state of malabsorption because it bypasses most of the intestines. This procedure may have given excellent weight loss to patients but many suffered from complications like vitamin A D deficiencies, protein calorie malnutrition, kidney stones and diarrhea. One major complication was the toxic overgrowth of intestinal bacteria. This caused problems like skin trouble, arthritis, flu-like symptoms and even liver failure. Thankfully, the jejunoileal bypass is no longer performed due to its life threatening metabolic consequences. Gastric Bypass was also developed in the late 1960s by Drs. Ito and Mason. It was developed from the observation of weight loss from patients that had undergone surgery for ulcers. In these surgeries, part of the patients stomach had to be removed. At first, surgeons performed the surgery with a loop bypass. It was soon recognized that this caused bile reflux. Physicians started performing the operation in 1977, with a piece of intestine that is now joined to a very small stomach. This is to keep bile from getting to the upper stomach and esophagus. This procedure is now called Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Procedure or RYGBP. It is a mixed restrictive and malabsorptive procedure. The amount of intestine that is bypassed in this particular procedure is not enough to cause malabsorption of nutrients and proteins but the portion of intestine that is bypassed is the site where most of the absorption of iron and calcium should take place. Because of this, the most common long term complicatio n of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Procedure is anemia and osteoporosis. Patients who undergo this procedure should prepare for using a mineral supplement long term. The way in which the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Procedure works is multifaceted. It is thought that many of the behavioral changes patients feel after surgery has to do with hormone alterations and neural signals that are produced in the GI tract. Many patients feel a reduction in hunger and after they eat, feel full sooner. Many no longer suffer from bad food cravings and take a liking to healthy foods. Then there is a syndrome called dumping which is a sensitivity to sugar, that most patients experience. This may include palpitations, diarrhea, and other symptoms. These results happen within ten to thirty minutes of eating foods that consist of high amounts of sugar. In 1994, the Roux-Y gastric bypass was performed as a laparoscopic procedure and has quickly enhanced the surgery. Most patients lose less blood, have shortened hospital stays and less down time when they undergo the laparoscopic procedure, although the operation in more challenging and takes longer than the open procedure. The most common weight loss surgery is now the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Procedure. Most patients say that they have an increase in their quality of life. It has been proven to result in a durable weight loss and improvement in obesity related comorbidities. Illnesses such as diabetes, high cholesterol, liver disease, high blood pressure and many more have been proven to be control, improved or even cured. There is a procedure that uses gastric rings to control the size of the stoma in vertical banded gastroplasty. It is called the Ring Gastric Bypass. Surgeons use these rings to maintain the size of stoma and reduce stretching. This procedure has become a rational operation that is used to control obesity. With the ring functioning as the stoma, postprandial emesis is limited. The patient has the opportunity to eat various foods like meats and vegetables without problems. This surgery results in much more weight loss than in standard gastroplasty. Some complications of ring gastric bypass are marginal ulcers, stenosis, incisional hernia and staple line breakdown. In the surgery, biliopancreatic diversion, there is a change in normal digestion by making the stomach smaller and bypassing part of the small intestine, so that you take in less calories. There is a biliopancreatic diversion with or without a duodenal switch. In the biliopancreatic diversion surgery without the duodenal switch, some of the stomach is cut away. The remaining part of the stomach is then connected to the bottom part of the intestine. When surgeons do the duodenal switch, only a little part of the stomach is taken away. The rest of the stomach stays attached to the duodenum and then the duodenum is attached to the lower part of the small intestine. It is thought that this process would help to prevent ulcers. Because the duodenum is more tolerant of the acids from the stomach it is much more resistant to ulceration. Cutting away part of the stomach should help reduce the presence of acid. This surgery increases the amount of gastric restriction, helps the patient get th e right amount of protein, and decreases the dumping syndrome. Dumping is associated with this surgery as well, although it occurs less often with biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. Introduced in 1978, Gastric Banding is a purely restrictive bariatric procedure. Dr. Wilkinson developed a nonadjustable gastric banding to go around the upper part of the stomach. Ultimately, the dilatation of the pouch resulted in unsatisfactory weight loss. Dr. Molina, retried the gastric segmentation procedure in 1980. The stomach pouch was made smaller than in Dr. Wilkinsons procedure and a Dacron vascular graft was used to go around the upper stomach. This was eventually replaced because the graft adhered to the liver. Dr. Kusmak in 1983, used a band of silicone to go around the stomach to create a smaller stoma and smaller gastric pouch. In order to make the band adjustable this band was modified later. In 1986, Kuzmak created a silicone and with an inflatable balloon. The device was attached to a reservoir that is beaneath the skin, so that medical practitioners could adjust the band. When the balloon gets blown up, the band gets tighter and reduces weight. When the opposite happens to the balloon, the band gets loose and weight loss is reduced. This device can also be inserted laparascopically. At this time there are many types of adjustable bands available in the United States, none have been seen to be better than the other. In an adjustable band procedure, an intestinal bypass is not a part. Weight loss from restriction of food intake is how this procedure works. The impact on co-morbidities and rapid weight loss is less favorable when compared to the gastric bypass. There are groups who have had to undergo re-operation for long term complications. Some of the complications from this procedure are perforation, band erosion, hernia, band slippage, and a need for a revision. In the early 1970s gastroplasty was designed as a safer alternative to the RYGBP and the JIB. The first purely restrictive operation to treat obesity was made possible by mechanical staples. Riginally gastroplasty was done hotizontal and involved stapling the stomach into a small part by only leaving a small opening for food to pass between the upper to the lower stomach pouchs. This had very poor results for long term weight loss and was stopped. The vertical banded gastroplasty was then introduced. In this procedure there is a low mortality and deficiencies of micronutrients is virtually an abscent. Because of long term studies, VBG is being performed less often. Research shows that cases of weight regain and severe heartburn are high when compared to other procedures. There are many new, up and coming bariatric surgeries and trends in development stages. In 1996, Gastric pacing was first introduced in humans but is still considered experimental. It is an attempt to provide durable and significant weight loss that is non-malabsorptive and nonrestrictive. The mechanisim disrupts normal gastric myoelectrical activity, called an IGS, implantable gastric stimulator. Pulses are used to disrupt eating, causing you to feel full earlier. There have been setbacks with gastric pacing because of mechanical problems with the electrical leads. Clinical trials for this procedure are ongoing. The EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner, also known as the endoluminal sleeve, is now in the late-stage clinical trials. It is thought that patients may get the benefits of surgery with a simple sleeve, incredible. Data shows that obese individuals achieved almost normal blood sugar levels in a week with uncontrolled diabetes using the endoluminal sleeve liner. As more benefits of bariatric surgery come to light, there has been a push to offer it to more people with lower body mass indexes. As diabetes continues to increase, more people will turn to bariatric surgery for its curative powers. Also we will see an increase in programs for obese teens as studies are showing that surgery quickly improves heart health for them. Less invasive bariatric procedures are currently being developed. There is a procedure being developed called Transoral gastroplasty. In this procedure, surgeons hope to change the stomach anatomy without any cuts, so that after a small meal, patients will have a feeling of fullness. As the waistline of Americans continues to get larger, bariatric surgery will continue to increase and flourish. With increased knowledge and research, obesity has started to be seen as a molecular disease that has potential molecular explanations. As study continues, bariatric surgery will continue to advance. There may be a time when people will finally be able to avoid this intriguing and dangerous disease called obesity. Does Society Create Monsters? Analysis of Frankenstein Does Society Create Monsters? Analysis of Frankenstein Does Society create monsters or are we born that way? Society is the aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community. Does society create monsters or are they formed when someone is born? People in the world love to fit in and do everything one can do to be perfect. Children grow up watching elders and people in the world doing things whether it is good or bad. When people watch someone do something and that person gets attention for it, everyone runs to do that certain thing or wear that certain outfit or talk that certain way because people love attention and now days people are willing to do anything for it. The monster showed significant signs to prove he tried to be good, by trying to help people. The story Frankenstein by Mary Shelly is a story about tragic events that happen because a creature is in need of love and attention, only because the monster sees people giving others love and attention. Victor Frankenstein creates a monster without knowing that there would be negative sides effects to this powerful creation. Not knowing everyone Frankenstein loved would die because of him not making the right choice. The monster never understood what it was like to be treated normal, the only person who even treated him nicely was an old blind man who had no idea what he looked like until his children came home and told him. So should one believe that he was born a monster or did society make him this way? The story A Modest Proposal shows that society can create monsters. The towns people had many problems; the biggest one of all was the children. Many people couldnt afford to have them causing people to lose money and then being forced to live on the streets. Finding a solution to this problem was very difficult but one guy did come up with one and many took it seriously. Many people thought that eating the children and infants would lower the population rate and less people would be forced to live on the streets, because they would have less people/children to fend for.   These mothers, instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in strolling to beg for sustenance for their helpless infants, who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbados. (Jonathon Swift) The quote above shows how desperate the mothers and p eople were because of the children. There is an honest question though; if one person had not come up with this idea would anybody else have thought about it? Is society to blame? Although Frankensteins monster made many mistakes and did kill several people because he wanted Frankenstein to be as unhappy as he was, does not mean that he did not have a good heart.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner the man sailing on the boat shoots the albatross for no reason but because he wanted to. God save thee, ancient mariner! From the fiends, that plague thee thus! Why lookst thou so? With my crossbow I shot the albatross. (Samuel Taylor Coleridge) The mariner had no reason to shoot it, but because he thought it would be cool and a good idea, to please society. In all truths nobody really agreed with shooting the albatross and everyone got punished for this mistake that could have been prevented. Frankenstein was born and raised with parents who loved and supported him. Yes these people helped raise him and helped him become who he was but nobody forced him to be good or bad. A person could be born good or bad but society does have a big impact and helps one become who they will be for the rest of their life. The innocent and helpless creature bestowed on them by heaven, whom to bring up to good, and whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me. (Mary Shelley) So the question still remains, does society create monsters or are the born that way? With the evidence above could only make one feel that the monster tried to be as good as possible but with the events happening he couldnt truly be happy and every time he tried to find happiness something bad ended up happening. The monster wasnt treated the way he should have been, if society would have treated him better would the monster have hurt all the people he did? Citation Page Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein, Penguin Group, 1963 Swift, Jonathon., A Modest Proposal, Beverly Chin et, al publisher, Glencoe McCraw Hill 518-524 Coleridge, Samuel., Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Beverly Chin et, al publisher, Glencoe McCraw Hill 715-735

Effect of Culture in the Formulation of Marketing Strategies

Effect of Culture in the Formulation of Marketing Strategies Introduction As a student of business administration and having experienced the multicultural cosmopolitan life in London, U.K., marketing strategies of various multinational companies have always intrigued me. These marketing strategies are more challenging for small and medium sized enterprises. Hence I am motivated to research on various marketing strategies focussing on Culture to determine how well an organization working under stressful economical conditions can formulate successful marketing strategies. After careful research and study small and medium sized enterprises can focus their marketing by understanding how culture influences consumer psychology. Consumers are influences by various external factors like demographics, age, geographical location and culture is an outside influence on the consumer. According to Professor Lars Perner of Marshall School of Business the study of psychology of how the consumer is influenced by his or her environment is important for companies to improve their marketing strategies. (Perner) By understand culture, we can develop and better streamline marketing strategies/campaings to reach the customers more efficiently and aggresively. Aims The aim of the research effort is to better understand consumer behaviour which includes research of the buyers decision making process. It will include understanding the psychology, socio-economic background (from consumers in India) and other factors. There are two distinct influences acting on the consumer during the decision making process namely internal and external influences Internal Influences: These types of influences are caused by the consumer demographics, personal lifestyles, educational qualifications, financial conditions etc. External Influences: The outside factors that act on the consumer are referred as external influences. These are caused by culture and sub-culture, geographical location, gender, ethnicity and social class. As mentioned earlier Culture plays an important role in the consumer decision making process and the aim of this research is to better understand and possibly provide some suggestions so that small and medium sized companies can better formulate their marketing strategies. Objectives I hope to present a clear and definite picture on how various enterprises can attain better financial results by focussing and developing marketing strategies which are inclusive of all cultures, sub cultures and consumer social classes. By explaining consumer behaviour more clearly and making it adaptive to our fast changing economical and financial situation I hope to provide solutions for marketing successfully including possible consumer research methods. I would like to use the survey mentioned in the methodology section to understand consumer behaviour. Due to my inability to reach out to consumer/survey volunteers in U.K. and/or USA I might restrict my findings to India but I would hopefully be able to support my solutions using use cases of already successful marketing strategies. Literature Review Following globalization regional small and medium sized companies in India, USA and the UK are under increased pressure to formulate better marketing strategies. In India dimensions of marketing are fast changing. As literacy rate is increasing there is increased consumer awareness. Therefore industries face new challenges. Retail markets are now flooded with retail chains posing serious threat to traditional businesses. Consumers are now experiencing elevated service level as service sector is adopting market-focussed approach. These fast changing scenario is creating lot of changes are expected to take at a fast pace. In this context, it is important for small and medium sized enterprises for adopt and change rapidly. Changes come at a price and are not easily acceptable. It is my effort to provide struggling firms to follow simple steps to design efficient marketing strategies. Marketing is the key for successful businesses. My knowledge about different marketing strategies and related topics is based on my review of available research papers and books written by economists and philosophers. My research concludes with books and websites on consumer behaviour. I have also researched and understood the role of culture and subculture based on my finding and hope to bring a new perspective in formulating marketing strategies for small and medium sized enterprises. Lars E. Perner and is Professor of Clinical Marketing with University of South Carolina, USA. He motivates me with his research available on the web at http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/. In the introduction to Psychology of Marketing he presents some ideas which I have tried to explain further using additional references based on my research which are duly referenced in bibliography section. His work helped me build the foundation of this thesis. Consumer should be the centre and possibly the only point of focus of any marketing campaign. Perner briefly describes the role of culture and subculture. Though it should be understood from a different perspective for Indian enterprises, some of the thoughts can be applied generally. The idea that subcultures in India have distinct identity and can be identified uniquely from their heterogeneous group forms a major challenge for marketers. In the section Formulating Marketing Strategies, I have described in detail how one can ensure to include different major and minor motives that at acting on the consumer during the decision making process to design good and appealing marketing campaigns. I hope that this succinct attempt will motivate and encourage readers to focus their marketing campaigns using suggested methodologies to include various segments as mentioned in the Consumer Culture and Subculture section. Another primary source of my research and motivation is a book written by Matin Khan. It was published in 2006 and presents a perfect picture about Indian consumers and their influences. After reading this book, I have realized that it is very challenging to completely understand Indian consumers at any point. Yet, the complexity is resolved when they are segmented based on factors like geographical location and dialect. There are more factors which are useful in market segmentation and I have listed them under the section Application of Consumer Behaviour Information of my thesis. In his book Consumer Behaviour and Advertising Management, Khan discusses about consumer behaviour and its importance for companies. He writes in detail about its application and market analysis. In the chapter 2 Psychographic or Lifestyle Segmentation Khan writes in detail about Indias family structure and how marketers can use the familys socio-cultural behaviour in their favour in defining winning marke ting strategies. I am an Indian and Matin Khan helps me explore my heritage and culture by carefully exploring the hidden motives that influence my decision making process when I try to purchase any asset for my family. In his chapter Concept of Culture and Subculture, Khan made an attempt to draw a parallel and to find common characteristics amongst different Indian cultures and subcultures. My research however has helped me conclude that culture and subculture are in changing continuously and their likeliness and differences will vary from time to time. Hence, marketing strategies based on common characteristics in subcultures may not be relevant throughout the tenure of the product. In such scenarios, the strategies have to be evaluated time to time and changed accordingly. In order to further understand consumer behaviour I have further researched Ray Wrights book called Consumer Behaviour. Wright writes in detail about buyer behaviour. Examining the study of consumer behaviour is important to demonstrate the roles of customer and the market economy in designing successful marketing campaigns. Firms should compare, evaluate and analyze to relate consumer behaviour and natural and social sciences. It is necessary to individually research all the factors that influence the consumers decision making process. India is now a part of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and with Capitalism dominating all the leading economies of the world; it is becoming challenging for Indian firms to adjust to the pricing provided by the Chinese counterparts. However, the idea of swades [1] is becoming more and more relevant to Indias educated classes. Hence, there is an opportunity to design marketing strategies which exploit this consumer behaviour to increase market shar e and product line-up. The societal benefits includes adaptation and reengineering of various industrial equipment imported by India for its growing economy as the rules relating to intellectual property are not yet clearly defined and implemented by Indian legislation. Though this might change (I do not condone), it is worth mentioning how Indian companies have adapted and to sudden changes in customer behaviour following liberalisation of Indian economy. Wright also explains about the consumers central position within the free market system. India is not yet a product driven market[2] and therefore marketing campaigns designed for various countries may not be equally appealing to Indian consumers. After carefully designed marketing strategies are rolled out, it is important to maintain and sustain those efforts. Hence, marketing management small companies will have to look into as well. Robert D. Hisrich is a Garvin Professor of Global Entrepreneurship and writes about the challenges in managing marketing in his book Marketing. He writes in detail about various methods in marketing research, packaging, pricing scenarios, best practices in advertising and distribution. This secondary source is very essential to enhance my understanding of stages of marketing after strategies are rolled out. In various aptly laid out chapters, Hisrich discusses the small and medium sized industries and external marketing environment affecting them. Effective planning is super important. This book provides supporting information for my thoughts in market segmentation. Unfortunately, this book is published in the USA and does not consider Indian market scenario. Therefore, I have used this book a s a secondary reference. My emphasis for market segmentation can is extension of the information provided in Analyzing Markets and Target Marketing. This book has enhanced my understanding of consumer behaviour from business intelligence perspective. It has expanded the role of marketing by focussing only on the behaviour of the consumer. As a reader I am presented with insightful information that makes me wonder if I should keep track of every consumer motive to design better marketing solutions. Hisrich explains in detail about theoretical models in understanding consumer behaviour. This includes Stimulus-Response Model Learning Model. It is based on the sequential placement of the research steps like drive, motivation, stimuli, cu[3]e and response to fulfil consumer needs. In the psychoanalytic model we make an attempt to understand the complex consumer motives. Within one segmented market and for each product there exist different groups who buy the product for satisfying diffe rent needs. Some buy it for functional requirements and some for symbolic concerns. Maslows hierarchy of needs theory also explains how the needs of human beings can be categorized into physical, sociological and the self-actualization. Indian consumers are now starting to think more rationally on the lines of western consumers. They make decisions based on rationally perceived self-interests. They have range of products from Indian and foreign manufacturers and given the limited amount of money for attaining satisfaction by attempting to satisfy only limited number of wants from many needs. Indian firms, therefore, should make efforts to maximize these demands as mentioned in the book as utility maximization. Having understood the influences on the consumer, it is important to understand the Indian market and how it is different from the economies of the west. The biggest contrast is that companies outside India create a demand rather than responding to it. Unlike the west, Indian manufacturers are very quick to get into the market and exit as rapidly as shown by traders and their traditional trading mentality. Foreign companies should have a strong basis for understanding Indian domestic market. It will ensure they are able to best penetrate it. Indians are more welcoming to new ideas and approaches. The consumers are reasonably receptive and reasonably enthusiastic. More comparisons about western and Indian consumers are explained in detail using case studies in Paul Daviess New Business in India. In a guide to marketing in India, Davies has insights of an economist and the discourse of a writer. He writes about the Indian feeling about competition from China which is accounting for st range consumer behaviour. Such behaviour is making domestic Indian firms start thinking about hurdles while entering the Indian market. They are too high and very risky. Yet there is a opportunity to explore. Davies poses questions about Indian market to prospective firms in India, questions to ask yourself (while entering Indian market) are the one of whether you can either complement Indian businesses or offer a competitive position that will enable you to establish your business. Putting this in context of my example of Maruti Suzuki, though Maruti hold the key position since 1984, Hyundai Motors India Limited (HMIL) was successfully able to offer consumers with its Santro model, and has gain prominent market share. As of 2009, HMIL became the second largest automobile manufacturer and largest exporter of automobiles in India[4]. Similarly, scores of life insurance companies are setting up franchises to cater the needs of demanding Indian consumers. Indian manufacturers need to have some competitive edge over their competitors to capture and expand their market share. It is my effort to provide some guidelines and suggestions so that they can adapt accordingly. For traditional Indian businesses it is important to understand their areas of competitive advantages. India has vast amount of natural resources. According to P.N. Mari Bhatt in Indian Demographic Scenario 2025, Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi, there will be more than 882 million people in the age group of 15-64 years. The age of retirement in India is 64 years. So the workforce will near one billion Indians. Therefore I conclude that Indians to have superior skills, specialized knowledge, customer orientation, trade relationships and technical expertise. Indias abundant resources are made of extensive coverage, economies of large scales, availability of global financing schemes, and ease of foreign direct investments (FDI). This together with current cost and in tellectual property niche gives Indian manufacturers head start and leading ground. In the fifth edition of Marketing Book, the author Michael Baker makes these subtle rules for start-ups very evident. He includes notes and commentary on increasing focus on channel management, CRM, direct marketing, E-Marketing and communication integration. Indian manufacturers should also understand and develop methods to differentiate their products by providing superior product quality, more functionalities, impeccable after sales service, and wider range as discussed in the section Indian Consumer Characteristics of this thesis. Even for Indian manufacturers understanding the environment is the key to success. Constantly changing political scenario takes constant adjustments within the company to accommodate and comply with changing rules. Formal marketing audits should be carried out for market size and potential, customer behaviour, segmentation and supply channels. They should understand com petitors and should not assume their behaviour. There could be direct competitors, potential competitors, and their strengths and weaknesses. Side by product comparison helps in new design ideas. They should re-evaluate their own products and market position which will enable to compete aggressively. One of the biggest mistakes done by firms is their strategies and priorities are constantly changing and setting clear strategic priorities is necessary for continuous growth. Finally with products comes customer orientation. Baker writes (Companies should) develop customer orientation in all function. Ensure that every function understands that they are there to serve the customer, not their own functional interests. This applies best to all small and medium sized enterprises. They should focus on key indicators for performance and audit those often. Also in the same context it is implied that study of market needs market research. As a supporting document to my knowledge I have reviewed Introducing Market Research written by Paul Baines and Bal Chansarkar of Middlesex University Business School. After reading introduction I am now able to better articulate the marketing research and am able to appreciate the role that marketing research plays. In the chapters ahead, Baines and Chansarkar help me decide what and who should conduct marketing research for small and medium sized enterprises in the Indian market conditions. One common mistake firms in India repeatedly do is not being able to distinguish clearly between marketing research and market research. Market research is the research of the markets. Marketing research deals with analysis of marketing process. After market and marketing research it is time for strategic planning, which uses all the information collected during research. Strategic planning has five important elements; Product Strategy, Offer Strategy, Media Strategy, Distribution Strategy and Creative Strategies. India has Growing number of internet shoppers who necessitate small businesses to adapt these strategies in their favour. Edward L. Nashs Direct Marketing: Strategy, Planning, Execution is a great reference to understand each of these strategies. In its fourth edition, Nash explains how businesses can use internet and global marketing strategies to capture ground in this competitive marketplace. Internet is the newest form of direct marketing. Relying solely on the media can be catastrophic. Following the principles of strategic direct marketing we can create successful campaigns for any product and in any segment of market in India or any other country of the work. But it is very important to have a strategy clea rly defined. Earlier in India there was no co-ordination between product development team and the marketing team. The product development team rarely took information about the end user and the marketing team was responsible for selling it. Today, it is just the reverse. Product development teams are instructed to find products that can be marketed easily. The author takes example of Dell and Apple who allow users to configure the computers they would like to buy. The consumers tell the manufacturers what they want and it is made for them rather than buying preconfigured computers available in the market. This gives them the competitive advantage and greater market share. Something similar needs to happen in India. The author presents small businesses with retailing opportunity using the internet. There are many advantages associated with letting consumers buy products online. The physical store can be smaller but the online store can be vast with products that can be delivered just in time. Unlike traditional businesses where the consumers/end users are restricted, online shopping portals do not have geographical restriction. The online store is open almost all the time. Unlike physical stores, online portals can get a makeover almost instantly appealing to masses. It is very easy to gather consumer information as it is not a hassle when the shopping is being done online. Growing number of companies in India are switching to this model because of high cost of running physical stores. After speaking to business owners in Hyderabad and Kamareddy cities of Andhra Pradesh, India I have realized that businesses are looking for to a clearly and planned guide to marketing plan which is customized for them. Robert E Stevens, PhD is a Professor of Management and Marketing at University of Louisiana at Monroe. Along with his colleague David Loudan, PhD and Bruce Wrenn have collaborated to compose a Marketing Planning Guide. The book lays out step by step, wizard like actions for marketing planning. It introduces plannings importance in any organization and the formal marketing planning process. It has organizational considerations while marketing planning (organizational purpose, objectives and strategies, a look and current organizations structure, and market responsiveness). It introduces Indian businesses to database marketing planning using Hyundai Motor Company as an example. Types of data that we should keep information on and decision making process are well illustr ated. It also has steps one should have in any marketing research project. From the market analysis perspective we have to ensure thorough situational analysis, which has strategic implications of product and market analysis including sales and costs analysis of the product versus its competitor. As mentioned in my analysis, Professor Stevens lays strong emphasis on consumer analysis using market segmentation, lifestyle segmentation and introduces Market Grid Analysis to the small and medium enterprises. He also writes in detail about competitive analysis for establishing competitive advantage which is also discussed by Michael Baker. With increasing power to spend, Indias market is constantly increasing which gives every company an opportunity to succeed. An opportunity analysis should be carefully conducted identifying potential problems and opportunities. There exist internal and other risk factors that need to be considered. Companies should used data from situation analysis to set clear objectives for marketing. Companies should develop a strategy and also evaluate alternate marketing strategies. They should also evaluate other factors influencing the selected strategy. For manufacturers who offer variety of products, different product related decisions should also be made during marketing mix. Different product positioning strategies and quality based marketing should be initiated. Service strategy should be implemented and evaluated often. Improving customer service is the key to changing customers perception about the company. If the existing products need a makeover or change, relevant product line decisions should be taken. Distribution channels should be carefully selected and promotion decisions should be made only on the basis of target audience. Media and promotional media decisions should not be made without proper cause. For companies competing with Chinese manufacturers pricing also plays an important role in changing customers perspective about the company. Professor Stevens writes about penetration pricing and skimming pricing for making pricing decisions for new products. In designing successful marketing systems, companies should focus on the following four subsystems (departments) within the organization Organizational System: The super system which binds all other systems together and coordinates the interaction of all other systems. Marketing Planning System: This department identifies opportunities for marketing and should create consumer oriented plans. Marketing Control System: This system will monitor and audit performance of marketing plans to ensure marketing objectives are being met. Marketing Information System: This provides decision making information and data to all other departments of the company. Richard L. Sandhusen explains the importance of these systems in his book Marketing and explains why organization system harmonizes marketing efforts. It is because the organization system has infrastructure in which marketing analysis, marketing planning, implementation and controls can be efficiently coordinated. These can be customized for small and medium sized industries we have can more one or group of persons performing multiple tasks. These tasks should be divided once the company starts to grow. This books also talks about product design. The main consideration in product design is consumer preference. Companies should design what consumers want. Indian consumers are now expecting world class safety features in the cars they buy. Almost every car manufacturer now offers cars with air bags, and side impact bar. All those who were reluctant to offer have dealt serious loses. The main criterion for product competitiveness and profitability is pricing. Cost of labour and materia ls should be carefully used in the price of the product. Products should also be designed for compatibility as well. India is a large country with varied geographical and environmental constraints. There are different climates, and different measurements systems which should be considered during product design. The study of Indian marketing environment can never be adequate due to constantly changing dimensions. There are the forces that marketing managers should use to create and plan organization objectives. For Indian companies, microenvironment [Sandhusen, 2000][6] is the force that affects the ability of the company to serve its customers better than its competitors. The macroenvironment [Sandhusen, 2000][6] influence the microenvironment due to politics, economy, and changing culture and subculture. Finally, the game changing role is played by considering distribution systems. Unlike USA and UK, roadway and railway infrastructure is not very well maintained. Companies should make use of channel systems. In India, logistics are becoming the biggest deterrent to appealing marketing campaigns. Logistics requires material management and product distribution (packaging, transportation, storage, and inventory management) for bring products to the end users. These functions are interrelated. Indian companies should adopt structuring logistics into material management and product distribution for efficient logistics. If possible separate department should be created with greater communication between them. Sandhusen writes about the importance of logistics in marketing planning, and mentions marketing planning can be measured by a number of costly concerns: transportation, storage costs, number of (intermediate) channels in logistics, costs, etc. Methodology The primary aim of this research is to emphasize the impact of culture on marketing strategies for small and medium sized enterprises. Unlike large sized companies, small and medium enterprises face increased competition due to inadequate resources including capital, human resources and strategic assets. To better communicate with their target customer group the small and medium sized enterprises use various techniques in exploring existing or newer markets. I would like to limit my focus to the efforts in understanding the cultural impact on those marketing strategies and, to provide better solutions I would like to refer to the following ways of collecting information. The primary source of my research is books, magazines, historical articles and, other information available in hard copy. All references will be duly mentioned in the bibliography section. Information available on internet and white papers. While most of the information and statistics available on the web cannot be collaborated with strong facts, it secondary source of information which will act as supporting data for the information I would collect by preliminary research using books, journals and government provided economic data. Also, I would like to survey the existing marketing campaigns to find similarities and differences between different small sized enterprises. As the emphasis is on culture, I cannot limit my research to UK alone and would like to extend my survey to other countries including USA and India. The research poll will include a short questionnaire which can be an online survey and or a hand written copy. I would like to provide a parallel between the current trends in marketing strategies and the general opinion from the research poll. Though it is possible that there might be a difference in them, it is still valid as this effort is to better understand and streamline marketing. A sample questionnaire is enclosed for reference. Sample questions from research survey: 1. What is your age group? Answer choices: a. Between 18-24 b. Between 25-34 c. Between 34-44 d. Between 45-54 e. Between 55-54 f. Over 65 2. What is your gender? Answer choices: 3. Answer choices: a. UK b. U.S.A c. India 4a. For respondents in U.K. Do you feel London is an example of cross cultural metropolitan? Answer choices: a. Yes b. No 4b. If the answer is â€Å"yes† to question number 4a. Have you ever felt any commercial is particularly offensive to your culture/background? Answer choices: a. Yes b. No 5. If the answer is â€Å"no† to question number 4b. Will you be interested in purchasing a product of Company A if its marketing commercials portrays your culture/background in a positive way? Answer choices: a. Yes b. No 6. Have you recently been motivated to buy any product because its advertisement if inclusive and portrays your culture positively? Answer choices: a. Yes b. No 6b. If the answer is â€Å"yes† to the question number 6. Please mention the company name, product name and category if applicable. Answer choices: a. b. c. 1 What is your age group? a. Between 18-24 b. Between 25-34> c. Between 34-44 d. Between 45-54 e. Between 55-54 f. Over 65 2. What is your gender? a. Male b. Female 3. What is your primary country of residence? a. UK b. U.S.A c. India 4.a. For respondents in U.K.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Do you feel London is an example of cross cultural metropolitan? a. Yes b. No 4.b. If the answer is â€Å"yes† to question number 4a.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Have you ever felt any commercial is particularly offensive to your culture/background? a. Yes b. No 5. If the answer is â€Å"no† to ques

Discussing The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Essay

Frederick Douglass In the preface of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, written by himself, William Lloyd Garrison, Abolitionist and member of the Anti-Slavery Society, said of Frederick Douglass, after hearing him speak, â€Å"Patrick Henry, of revolutionary fame, never made a speech more eloquent in the cause of liberty than the one I had just listened to from the lips of that hunted fugitive.† Garrison and other abolitionist convinced Fredrick Douglass to continue to tell his story of slavery, but Douglass was not a free man and warily told, â€Å"only fragments of his life story, guarding always the details of names, places and means of escape which might have identified him to his master and exposed friends and accomplices who had helped him in his way.† The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass was Douglass’ first autobiography. In it he revealed all the details of his childhood that he could remember, which he had never spoken to anyone prior to writing the narrative because a slave with any knowledge of anything besides obeying his master was often punished by death. From listening intently to conversations of both his negro family and his white masters, he knew he was born in Tuckahoe, near Easton, in Talbot country, Maryland. Years later, when he thought he was about seventeen years old, he heard his master say it was 1835, so he at that time, set a near estimate of his own birth to be around 1818. Frederick was raised until the age of seven by his grandmother, Harriet Bailey, in a cabin with many of his other cousins, who were taken from their parents. It was the white master’s intent to separate slave families so the slaves would remain ignorant of who they were. Frederick knew his mother, Betsey B... ... Frederick change his last name from â€Å"Bailey† to â€Å"Douglass† to protect him from being identified. Frederick said in his narrative, â€Å"From my earliest recollection, I date the entertainment of a deep conviction that slavery would not always be able to hold me within its foul embrace, and in the darkest hours of my career in slavery, this living word of faith and spirit of hope departed not from me, but remained like ministering angles to cheer me through the gloom. This good spirit was from God, and to him I offer thanksgiving and praise.† Frederick Douglass became a vital aspect of the anti-slavery movement from 1841 until his death in 1895. Freedom for Frederick was bittersweet in that his freedom was precious to him, yet illusive in the bondage that he carried in his heart and mind for the daily terrors that continued to be suffered by his fellow slaves.

red scare :: essays research papers fc

The documents presented here are designed to be used in classes about Pacific Northwest history or US history. Although the documents deal specifically with events in Washington state, they are still potentially useful for a course about US history as a whole. As historian Richard Fried has observed, "'McCarthyism' is so often characterized in abstract terms that its meaning remains fuzzy. To sense the emotional bite of the Communist issue and to understand both how it affected life for those who ran afoul of it and how it shaped the nation's political culture, it is useful to look at specific cases." These documents allow students to explore such specific cases. Section II is a rather lengthy essay which tries to place the Cold War and Red Scare into historical perspective. It also analyzes the effect of the Cold War on Washington's economy and describes the major events of the Red Scare in Washington state. Much of this information is presented very briefly in a timeline in Section III. Teachers may wish to distribute photocopies of Section III to orient students to the main events of Cold War and Red Scare and to allow the students to place the documents in a chronological framework. Teachers may also with to distribute copies of the glossary in Section IV to familiarize students with Cold War terminology. The bibliography in Section V suggests books and videocassettes about the Cold War and Red Scare that teachers may find useful. The documents in Section VII can be used in a vast number of ways. Section VI offers suggestions for in-class and homework assignments based on the documents. The concordance in Section VII not only lists the source of each document, but also offers some possible discussion questions about many of the documents. II. The Cold War and Red Scare in Washington: Historical Context The Cold War created many aspects of modern Washington. Military spending sustained Washington's rapid economic growth after WW II. Although federal hydropower projects and WW II had initially industrialized Washington state, the struggle against the Soviets ensured that federal money continued to pour into the state. The Cold War left a physical legacy across the state that can still be seen today. Military bases were created and expanded. The production of plutonium at Hanford created radioactive waste that will exist for thousands of years. Even Seattle's most famous icon—the Space Needle—is a concrete monument to one aspect of the Cold War, the space race.

Civil Litigation Process For Sexual Harassment Essay example -- Sexual

Civil Litigation Process For Sexual Harassment Prompt: You are in charge of the human resources division of a large software development company. One of your responsibilities is to work with the company's retained law firm on suits against the company by present and former employees. A former employee has just filed suit against the company and one of its supervisor's for sexual harassment. The citation has been served upon the authorized agent for the company today. You have also been advised today that you are going to be promoted to senior vice president in charge of software development and that the new human resources director has little experience with matters related to civil litigation. You must orient the new director to the mechanics of how a civil lawsuit works its way through the legal system so that she can integrate her activities with that of the law firm in defense of the newly filed suit Prepare a three (3) to five (5) page memo to the new director generally describing the litigation process. To: Manager, HR department From: Vice President Date: 5/18/14 Subject: Litigation process for recent lawsuit of sexual harassment Over view The following document is a description of sexual harassment litigation process and my proposals to create a manual policy on sexual harassment cases. The Stages of Sexual Harassment Litigation 1. Beginning of Controversy and Attempts to Resolve Conflict "Having an litigation goal'' The goal of the case should be determined as early as possible, by the facts, witnesses, forum and client, because it will dictate how you will manage the litigation. For instance, if the forum, facts and client indicate that (1) summary judgment is ... ...uld establish, distribute to all employees, and enforce a policy prohibiting harassment and setting out a procedure for making complaints. In most cases, the policy and procedure should be in writing. Â · Small businesses may be able to discharge their responsibility to prevent and correct harassment through less formal means. For example, if a business is sufficiently small that the owner maintains regular contact with all employees, the owner can tell the employees at staff meetings that harassment is prohibited, that employees should report such conduct promptly, and that a complaint can be brought "straight to the top." If the business conducts a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation of any complaint that arises and undertakes swift and appropriate corrective action, it will have fulfilled its responsibility to "effectively prevent and correct harassment."

5 Benefits of Facebook

————————————————- 5 Great Benefits of Facebook Fan Pages for Local and Small Businesses Small and Local businesses are discovering the advantages of having a Facebook fan page and are beginning to learn the secrets to attracting new customers and website visitors with simple tricks that are classified as affordable and easy. With some effort, your great plan or product can be become a fan favorite on Facebook! We often hear the old adage, It’s an amazingly small world when coincidences occur or common acquaintances are discovered.With the growing rise in popularity of Facebook, the entire world seems even smaller in recent times, simply because this popular social network connects people around the world, building a global community of shared connections and interests that knows no cultural boundary. Facebook allows users to connect not just with old friends, however with people all over the world who share their interests and passions on fan pages created for them. These fan pages are fundamental to Facebook’s popularity and incorporating one into your marketing plan might just be your ticket to success.With just a few clicks of the mouse, you   can create a Facebook fan page to advertise your product, interest or passion. Without any effort or expense by you, Facebook’s search feature will yield your fan page as being a search outcome and those who share your interest will soon find you. To help get more website visitors to your fan page without any cost, you can spread the concept about your latest page to all your current client database and Facebook connections.Considering that the average Facebook user has 130 friends, there exists nearly endless potential for attracting new individuals to your page simply by reaching over to those you already know and asking them to assist you in making connections. Naturally, you also wi ll want to be sure to promote your fan page on your website, and vice versa. Proven Benefits of Facebook Fan Pages: 1. Attract more traffic to your site through fan page links- People who find you on Facebook will probably be interested enough into your product or service to click on a link that will take them directly to your website. 2.Effortless income potential- Through Facebook’s innovative advertising options, you can make an income by targeting certain demographics and like-minded potential customers for a very low cost. 3. Easier search engine optimization- A Facebook fan page does more than heighten your exposure within a social network; a fan page raises the odds of your name being found quicker on search engines, like Google. 4. Increased customer loyalty- Current customers who follow your Facebook fan page will develop an individual connection to your product or service, particularly if you are diligent about feedback and responses with their posts.Fan pages offer fans chances to post pictures, provide product reviews and with loyal fans to post feedback and comments that may possibly attract others and provide you with priceless insight into the wants and also needs of your projected audience. 5. Get to know your customers- With Facebook’s detailed analytics, you will get entry to valuable specifics about people who follow your fan page, such as their gender, age and also place. Gaining a more rewarding knowledge of the demographics of your respective group of followers can help you more effectively reach particular people with targeted, customizable advertising.Facebook is fast becoming the most popular element that links people from around the world. As friends connect on Facebook, they naturally share information about products and services they normally use and love. That is where a Facebook fan page and its great potential for business owners enters into play. Increasing your global exposure with a fan page for your product or s ervice provides a simple means for people to hook up with you and tell their friends about you.The great thing about a Facebook fan page is the benefits that are available to even the smallest business and it also takes simply passion and purpose to attract fans and initiate to reap all of the benefits Facebook fan pages have to offer. Business owners worldwide depend on Facebook experts for a bunch of their Facebook fan page needs, from Facebook marketing suggestions to information about how to monetize Facebook. Visit us online or call us at 206. 350. 3504 to learn more about the proven advantages of Facebook fan pages and how to use them to get results for your business. ————————————————-Facebook Business Basics (Lesson 1): Facebook Status Updates and How They Work So That You Can Better Understand How to Use Them to Your Advantage October 19, 2011 by  Lisa Santos    ·Ã‚  Leave a Comment 1 Welcome to the first lesson in the Facebook Business Basics Crash Course. Over the next few weekly posts you will receive several lessons that will help you learn a few basic ways that you can build your business and increase your profits with Facebook . In this first lesson let’s talk a little about Facebook status updates and how they work so that you can better understand how to use Facebook to your advantage.Because there are so many social network terms out there, let’s start this lesson by distinguishing early on what a Facebook status actually is. A Facebook status is a post that appears for your contacts to read. Whereas before, Facebook statuses were immediately broadcast for everyone, now there are plenty of privacy settings to protect the person by letting them choose who can actually read their messages. You can also interact through your Facebook status. Friends and other contacts are allowed to comment on the Facebook status or s imply Like the status. Recently, Facebook has added a tagging feature to Facebook statuses.Put @ in the beginning and you are allowed to tag as many as 6 people in a post. Friends and contacts that are tagged will be notified in the same way that they are also notified when somebody else or the status owner has replied a status he   commented on. How are Facebook statuses important for professionals, you may ask? Well, Facebook statuses are what many consider as the very essence of Facebook. Here, customers, potential customers and other interested parties can interact on a particular piece of information in a casual manner that is way more convenient and conversational than email or even Twitter actually will.With Facebook statuses also, almost everyone can join in the conversation (that is if you want them to) which makes for a casual promotion of your product, service or company. The Facebook status is a powerful part of using Facebook for your business. The number of Likes and comments for every Facebook status will help your page climb up in its search engine position. Facebook statuses can also help you with branding efforts. For your Facebook marketing to be successful it is important that you monitor your page carefully, that you keep your status posts enthusiastic and professional at the same time.While it’s tempting to place something instantly catching, hilarious or even shocking, you need to ask yourself first whether this will help the business reputation in the long run or will it just server as temporary entertainment? It is important to optimize Facebook statuses in order to make them more searchable for potential customers. A good feature to use is Facebook status tagging. What makes this so advantageous for business owners is that when you tag affiliated companies in the post, it will also appear on their page. Therefore exposing your company to customers who may be looking at a related site.You can also do this with community pages. When you tag a community page, you will gain access to millions of potential customers who may have the same interests as your business. While it’s important to organize your Facebook status updates, it isn’t recommended that you leave all the work to organizing sites like Hootsuite. Checking through a Profile or Fan Page that are dominated by RSS Feeds is a turnoff for most potential customers. Clients want to feel like they’re interacting with a real person in the company, so be mindful of interaction.We have a lot to go over in the next few days if you want to learn how to use Facebook for your business, so make sure you look for your next lesson soon. We will be talking about how you can use Facebook to attract new customers. ————————————————- —————————————à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- ————————————————- ————————————————- Facebook Business Basics (Lesson 2): How To Use Facebook to Attract New Customers 0 It’s time for your second lesson in the Facebook Business Basics Crash Course.I hope you found lesson one informative and that you now have a good understanding of how Facebook statuses work to your advantage. In this lesson we are going to talk about how you can use Facebook to attract new customers. Some business owners ask, why is it important to establish online presence through social networking sites particularly Facebook even when if you already have an official website? Simple, because Facebook is more accessible and to most, more user-friendly than any traditional website will ever be.It gives a sense of friendliness to business that puts prospects at ease and lends a sense of credibility to businesses who have no website to speak of. Aside from this, a Facebook page allows a business to be more interactive with present and potential customers, getting their feedback for everything from product reviews to testimonials. While it may seem scary because you can be given both positive and negative feedback, businesses should not be afraid because with Facebook it can be easily moderated. If you have a mind to you can retain the best feedback and hide the rest.This way, most potential customers will be able to read the positive testimonials of previous customers. Such feedback adds a touch of authenticity to your business, and can entice the potential customer reading it. Furthermore, customers who are tired of traditional online marketing such as email, newsletters and online ads will look to the Facebook page to have their questions answered. Having a Facebook page will give your busin ess access to over 500 Million users without even having to buy e-mail addresses like what traditional email marketing resort to.Interaction isn’t limited to Facebook updates and wall posts though. You can also use Apps to provide photos, notes and videos. When using a Fanpage which is the recommended page for businesses (instead of the more personal profile page), you can change the posting ability of fans which allow them to post photos, videos and links to the page. This way, potential customers will be able to see how other customers use the product or service. Again, this can engage the community to be more interactive as was successfully executed by the Pampers’ Facebook Fanpage.Other companies like Ben & Jerry’s go as far as polling customers. This gives customers a sense of power with regards to their products, which in turn will give them a sense of ownership and acceptance. Facebook is also a great tool to gain audience to promos, special prices and di scounts as in the case of the company rushIMPRINT, who use their page to feature their products for sale. The site easily leads back to their official website as well as their toll free number. Some even use Facebook to give exclusive deals to their customers. This is a good way to gauge the effectively of your page.Various incentives can be given exclusively to Facebook users which aren’t accessible by those who follow you through e-mail, Twitter or your official website. Other companies such as Baskin Robbins develop and use a Facebook application to make their Facebook page more interactive and enticing to customers. Through their account, they’re giving out a very enticing deal, a Buy One, get one promo that most enthusiasts will not surpass. Facebook is an easy tool to master and can add just the right sense of fun, differentiating you and your business from the rest in the market. That’s it for today’s lesson.In your next lesson we will be talking a bout how to use Facebook to advertise your business without spamming. ————————————————- Facebook Business Basics (Lesson 3): How You Can Use Facebook to Advertise Your Business Without Spamming November 18, 2011 by  Lisa Santos  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Leave a Comment 0 It’s time for your third lesson in the Facebook Business Basics Crash Course. Today let’s talk about how you can use Facebook to advertise your business without spamming. Using Facebook as the means for free advertising is probably one of the wisest moves any business person can make in this competitive marketing age.As we have been discussing Facebook offers plenty of opportunities for the business owners to launch develop and grow through its influential social network. Through Facebook, you can actually choose who to target just as easily as a paid system such as Google Ads does. Through Facebook, you can choose the location, interests, relationship status, gender, age and location of your target market. What a convenient way to start your marketing strategy online! The best part is that it can actually be free if you want it to be. Facebook gives you the option of running free or paid promotions.The paid aspect is through Facebook’s formal ads. Now, how do you run free promotions? Why, through your personal network, of course, or through your fan page. If you’re launching a product, service or brand, it is recommended to have a formal fan page. Nevertheless, personal connections such as friends, friends of friends, acquaintances and relatives will help greatly in building your business social network. Wall updates, photos, notes, group discussions and basically any other posts will help the product or service stay top-of-mind.As I mentioned in your last lesson, prospective customers want companies to have enthusiastic and informative updates. Tip: Don’t make the mistake of barraging your customers or potential customers with too many Facebook updates at one time, or worse, continuously flood their Facebook walls with the same message placed several times. Spamming is annoying no matter who does it, so take care that you avoid doing that to your friends and fans. The best way to avoid spamming others, however intentional or unintentional, is to choose your target market well.Nobody wants to receive a wall post that is a generic message of a product they’re not even interested in. You can control who sees your message by researching the person’s likes or dislikes which may be apparent in their profile page or you may also ask from a personal contact. You can even check out organizations or groups that they are affiliated with online which are related to your business or industry. Another way to place a wall post in that isn’t tantamount to spamming is to place it like a personal message. The less generic the message is,   the better.You may start with something like, ‘Hi. I just saw from your profile that you like Ice Cream and I though you may be interested in a free sample of our Homemade Ice Cream. ’ If this strategy is a bit too forward for you, then work on making Facebook applications that can insert advertisements into them or better yet, try Social Ads. Demographically speaking, these two are more effective and less time consuming than having to analyze your customers one by one. That’s it for today’s lesson. In your next lesson we will talk about using Facebook and Twitter together for your business. u are here:  Home  / Advertising ————————————————- Facbook Advertising for Local Business: 5 Benefits You Can Receive From It November 3, 2012 by  Lisa Santos  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Leave a Comment Facebook Advertising Local Business You’ve probably read this a million times, but one of the best things you can do to boost your business’ online performance is to participate in the world of social media. And what HOT social media platform do you know that can help you with that? Facebook of course! =) Facebook is your best avenue to start on this journey of advertising.It offers a lot of features that are especially helpful for  local business  owners like yourself. If you aren’t making use of  Facebook advertising  and timeline pages (aka fan pages), then you should be, no matter how small or localized your business is. Here are five benefits for  local business  from  Facebook advertising: ————————————————- 1) Highly targeted marketing – Facebook Advertising Local Business One of the best things about Facebook ads is that you can specify exactly who you want to view your ads, based o n things like age, interests, and geographic location.For example, if you run a mobile salon business, you may opt to target your ads to women in your area who have expressed an interest in beauty, hair care, fashion, and salons. ————————————————- 2) The Snowball Effect – Facebook Advertising Local Business Basically, any time someone clicks on your ad and lands on your page, they have the option of â€Å"liking† your page if they are pleased with what they find. Any time someone likes your page, that activity shows up in that person’s newsfeed.This means that all of that person’s friends are exposed to your page and have the option of liking it themselves. Facebook ads are a great way to attract attention to your page and gain fans on an exponential level. ———————————à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- 3) Broader Reach – Facebook Advertising Local Business The numbers don’t lie: Facebook is the world’s highest ranking website, and is viewed on a global scale. You may have a small local business, but there is no question that if you sell a product, your business could benefit greatly from having a broader reach. ) Smart Phone Users – Facebook Advertising Local Business Most people these days access the web from their smart phones on a regular basis. By using Facebook advertising, you are making your presence known to local smart phone users who only search for businesses while on the go. 5) Customization – Facebook Advertising Local Business In addition to the previously mentioned targeting, Facebook ads also allow for a lot of flexibility when it comes to customizing ads to your liking, especially when compared to Google ads (a very common advertising platform that you are likely already using).For example , the ability to have longer descriptive text and the ability to add images allows you create ads that best suit your needs and marketing goals. To make the most of your social media marketing, contact the professionals. We at  LS Virtual Assistant Services  can help take your Internet presence to the next level. Contact us by phone, at 757-204-5782, or  contact here. Filed under  Advertising,  Facebook,  Facebook Marketing  Ã‚ · Tagged with  facebook ads,  facebook advertising,  facebook advertising local business,  Local Business ————————————————- Ways to Boost Up Your Facebook Fan Activity October 26, 2012 by  Lisa Santos  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Leave a Comment Got a fan page for your business but it’s lifeless? Well, it’s time to shake things up on your fan page. With the popularity of social media sites like Facebook, there is a new way to mar ket: it’s interactive. You no longer have to figure out creative ways to relay messages that will somehow get peoples’ attention, and then sit back and hope it’s working. By marketing through social media sites like Facebook, you get to hear your customers’ reactions first-hand, and can tweak your marketing efforts accordingly.In my post today, I’m going to cover 5 ways you can wake up your fans and get them interacting on your fan page. Here we go†¦ The first way is by  interacting on other fan pages. Why is this important? Because you want to build credibility on Facebook and in order to do that you need to be an active participant on other fan pages related to your niche or business. Simply get involved in serious discussions, post useful bits of information, or even show your support for the page and people will reciprocate by participating more on your fan page.The second way is through  interactive type Apps. There are numerous apps on Facebook that are helpful in building up your fan page activitiy. An example of one is the â€Å"Fan of the Week† app which actually keeps track of your fans’ participation and acknowleges your top fan of each week. People love being recognized and this app will surely encourage your fans to keep hanging out on your fan page more often. The third way is very simple. Be GENUINE! Make your communication human and not like a robot. Be yourself. Interact on a personal level with your fans and they will respond.The fourth way is through  Fan Page partnerships. Get with other fan page owners and promote each other’s fan pages. You can promote other fan pages by sharing their pictures and posts, and by linking to their pages from your own page. And finally, another way, is by  having a contest. Create a contest of some sort and provide your fans with a chance to win a prize, based on their participation. You can set it up any way you like. It can be anything lik e a photo contest or answering a silly question and then advertise the prize and the deadline date.As you can see, there are some very simple ways you can take action on to increase your Facebook fan activity. If you want to get the most out of your social media marketing, contact the professionals. We at LS Virtual Assistant Services can be reached by phone, at (757)204-5782, or reach us on our  contact form. Filed under  Facebook,  Facebook Fan Pages,  Facebook Marketing  Ã‚ · Tagged with  faccebook activity,  facebook fan page activity,  increase fanpage activity ————————————————- How to Make Your Facebook Timeline Posts Stand Out May 1, 2012 by  Lisa Santos  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Leave a CommentIt seems that the new Facebook format, Timeline, really has people in arms. But don’t people always complain any time Facebook makes format changes? The truth is, F acebook Timeline has some great new features that truly broaden the Facebook user experience . . . and Timeline is not going anywhere. As of today, Facebook users will have no choice but to learn and adapt to Timeline since most all profiles have been converted. One great thing you can do with your Timeline is to make your most important posts (of your choosing, of course) stand out amongst the rest of your posts.How do you accomplish this? Read on for step by step instructions: Timeline Highlight. The new feature that allows you showcase any and every post you want to call special attention to is called â€Å"Highlight. †Ã‚   Highlight is super easy to access and use, as you will see in this breakdown. (Side note: the Highlight feature applies to Facebook fan pages only. The same feature is actually called â€Å"Feature† on standard profile pages. However, both Highlight and Feature work the same way. ) How does Timeline â€Å"highlight† your posts? Basically, when you choose a post to highlight, that post is xpanded to the full width of your screen (or the full width of the Timeline, that is). Where is the Highlight feature? This is easy. Simply hover your mouse around the upper right hand corner of your post and two buttons will appear: a star and a pencil. The star is your Highlight button. The highlighting process. Click on the star. Yes, that’s it. If you make a mistake and highlight the wrong post, or if you have a change of heart and decide that a post you highlighted is unworthy, simply click the Highlight star again to remove the highlighting.What can you highlight? Anything you post on Facebook may be highlighted. This means status updates, photos, videos, Timeline events, and much more. As a matter of fact, you may use Highlight to customize the look of your page in any way you like; for example, you may opt to highlight every one of your posts if you prefer that your page fans have a large, simplified view of everything you post. Facebook’s new Highlight feature can be a powerful marketing tool, if you know how to use it. To make the most of your social media marketing, contact the professionals.We at LS Virtual Assistant Services can help take your Internet presence to the next level. Contact us by phone, at 757-204-5782, or use our  contact form  here. Filed under  Facebook,  Facebook Marketing,  Facebook Timeline  Ã‚ · Tagged with  facebook timeline,  facebook timeline highlight feature,  highlight posts in facebook,  powerful marketing tool,  social media marketing ————————————————- The Importance of Using Customized Facebook Pages that are Built to Capture Leads February 7, 2012 by  Lisa Santos  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Leave a CommentMost business owners understand that fresh leads ultimately means more business. Therefore, having a powerful, steady stream of lead p ouring into your business is not an option – it’s a must. One way to accomplish this is with a customized Facebook Fan page that is built to specifically capture leads. I’m sure you’re heard of Facebook†¦ Yes, that site that currently has over 750 BILLION users? That’s it. Any smart business knows they need to have a strong presence on Facebook if they want to continue to grow and prosper. How does a lead capture Fan page work?Let’s say a business prospect lands on your lead capture Fan page because it’s clean, attractive, and professional-looking. They get just enough information to pique their interest so they decide to take your free offer in exchange for their email address. They now want to know more about you and decide to venture over to your website to get even more information†¦ Not only that, but now that you have their email address, you can start communicating with them on a regular basis and work on converting t hem into a customer. Can you see how this process can end up giving you an endless stream of new leads?Ensure that your business is on the front lines. A sleek, real-time and inspirational Fan page will draw in customers who did not know they needed what you have to offer. Put your advertising dollars in the right place. As a savvy business owner, harness the energy of social media fans who will â€Å"like† your business. When you customize your Fan page, whether you are a small business, non-profit or service industry, your web presence and reputation will catapult your bottom line to high profits and product longevity. Nothing motivates people more than liking what their friends like.When you use customized Fan pages to capture leads through social marketing, your business is sure to be a winner. Filed under  Facebook,  Facebook Fan Pages,  Facebook Marketing  Ã‚ · Tagged with  customized fan pages,  facebook fan pages,  facebook pages,  lead capture fan pag es,  lead capture pages ————————————————- Facebook: The Real Power Of â€Å"People See – People Do† January 24, 2012 by  Lisa Santos  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Leave a Comment In case you haven’t noticed, just about everyone is online these days doing a thousand different things.From paying bills, to arranging travel, to shopping for a new home, people spend a LOT of time online. People are even using the Internet more than ever to keep in touch with family, friends, and co-workers. Not only do they keep in touch with each other, but they recommend products and services that they like. For instance, when one person â€Å"likes† a product or service, they let other people know about it and they, in turn, â€Å"like† the product or service too. On Facebook, businesses build followers by getting them to â€Å"Like† their Facebook Fan pages. Imagi ne omeone being in love with your product or service†¦ so they tell everyone they know. Then, they come to your Fan page and â€Å"Like† you and now they get all of your promotions and become loyal customers. The process becomes viral and continues to go on and on†¦ Business owners are becoming aware that they also need to be online in a major way to capitalize on social network usage amongst consumers. It is a fact that your business success strongly relies on a solid, reputable online existence. If you do not have a customized landing page you are actually losing out on business.Your gross income is probably sagging if you are a small business owner without an online fan base or ability to capture leads. Imagine how much traffic you can send to your website if you provide surveys for your customers about that new product you want to launch? Not only will you get real-time data for market analysis, but your customers will be delighted and relieved to know they can find you, their friend, online 24/7. If you really want to effectively allocate your marketing and advertising dollars wisely, get a Fan page setup and start a viral explosion amongst your satisfied customers.

American Literature Questions Essay

21. The leader of the Irish National Theater Movement in the early 20th century was ______. A. W. B. Yeats B. Lady Gregory C. J. M. Synge D. John Galworthy 22. T. S. Eliot’s most popular verse play is ______. A. Murder in the Cathedral B. The Cocktail Party C. The Family Reunion D. The Waste Land 23. The American writer ______ was awarded the Nobel Prize for the anti-racist In- truder in the Dust in 1950. A. Ernest Hemingway B. Gertrude Stein C. William Faulkner D. T. S. Eliot 24. Hemingway’s second big success is ______ , which wrote the epitaph to a decade and to the whole generation in the 1920s, in order to tell us a story about the tragic love affair of a wounded American soldier with a British nurse. A. For Whom the Bell Tolls B. A Farewell to Arms C. The Sun Also Rises D. The Old Man and the Sea 25. With the publication of ______ , Dreiser was launching himself upon a long career that would ultimately make him one of the most significant American writers of the school later known as literary naturalism. A. Sister Carrie B. The Titan C. The Genius D. The Stoic. 26. Henry James is generally regarded as the forerunner of the 20th -century â€Å"stream -of-consciousness†novels and the founder of ______. A. neoclassicism B. psychological realism C. psychoanalytical criticism D. surrealism 27. In 1849, Herman Melville published ______ ,a semi-autobiographical novel, con- cerning the sufferings of a genteel youth among brutal sailors. A. Omoo B. Mardi C. Redburn D. Typee 28. As a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,______ marks the climax of Mark Twain’s literary activity. A. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn B. Life on the Mississippi C. The Gilded Age D. Roughing It 29. Realism was a reaction against ______ or a move away from the bias towards romance and self- creating fictions, and paved the way to Modernism. A. Romanticism B. Rationalism C. Post-modernism D. Cynicism 30. When World War II broke out,______ began working for the Italian government, engaged in some radio broadcasts of anti- Semitism and pro- Fascism. A. Ezra Pound B. T. S. Eliot C. Henry James D. Robert Frost 31. In 1915 ______ became a naturalized British citizen, largely in protest against America’s failure to join England in the First World War. A. Henry James B. T. S. Eliot. C. W. D. Howells D. Ezra Pound 32. What Whitman prefers for his new subject and new poetic feelings is â€Å"______ ,† that is, poetry without a fixed beat or regular rhyme scheme. A. blank verse B. free rhythm C. balanced structure D. free verse 33. The American woman poet ______ wanted to live simply as a complete independent being, and so she did, as a spinster. A. Emily Shaw B. Anna Dickinson C. Emily Dickinson D. Anne Bret 34. The Birthmark drives home symbolically ______ point that evil is a man’s birthmark, something he was born with. A. Whitman’s B. Melville’s C. Hawthorne’s D. Emerson’s 35. The Financier ,The Titan and The Stoic written by ______ are called his â€Å"Trilogy of Desire†. A. Henry James B. Theodore Dreiser C. Mark Twain D. Herman Melville 36. Disregarding grammar and punctuation,______ always used â€Å"i† instead of â€Å"I† in his poems to show his protest against self-importance. A. Wallace Stevens B. Ezra Pound C. Robert Frost D. E. E. Cummings 37. Though Robert Frost is generally considered a regional poet whose subject matters mainly focus on the landscape and people in ______ , he wrote many poems that investigate the basic themes of man’s life in his long poetic career. A. the west B. the south C. New England D. Alaska 38. Most critics have agreed that Fitzgerald is both an insider and an outsider of ______ with a double vision. A. the Gilded Age B. the Rational Age C. the Jazz Age D. the Magic Age 39. In the American Romantic writings,______ came to function almost as a dramatic character that symbolized moral law. A. fire B. water C. trees D. wilderness 40. The desire for an escape from society and a return to ______ became a permanent convention of the American literature. A. the family life B. nature C. the ancient time D. fantasy of love 21. The Renaissance marks a transition from ______ to the modern world. A. the old English B. the medieval C. the feudalist D. the capitalist 22. The great political and social events in the English society of neoclassical period were the following EXCEPT ______. A. the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 B. the Great Plague of 1665 C. the Great London Fire in 1666 D. the Wars of Roses in 1689 23. With the scarlet letter A as the biggest symbol of all, ______ proves himself to be one of the best symbolists. A. Hawthorne B. Dreiser C. James D. Faulkner 24. The author of Leaves of Grass , a giant of American letters, is ______. A. Faulkner B. Dreiser C. James D. Whitman 25. In Tender is the Night, ______ traces the decline of a young American psychiatrist whose marriage to a beautiful and wealthy patient drains his personal energies and corrodes his professional career. A. Dreiser B. Faulkner C. Fitzgerald D. Jack London 26. Melville is best – known as the author of his mighty book, ________, which is one of the world’ s greatest masterpieces. A. Song of Myself B. Moby – Dick C. The Marble Faun D. Mosses from an Old Manse 27. The theme of Henry James’ essay â€Å"______† clearly indicates that the aim of the novel is to present life, so it is not surprising to find in his writings human experiences explored in every possible form. A. The American B. The Europeans C. The Art of Fiction D. The Golden Bowl 28. During WWI, ______ served as an honorable junior officer in the American Red Cross Ambulance Corps and in 1918 was severely wounded in both legs. A. Anderson B. Faulkner C. Hemingway D. Dreiser 29. In order to protest against America’ s failure to join England in WWI, ______ became a naturalized British citizen in 1915. A. William Faulkner B. Henry James C. Earnest Hemingway D. Ezra Pound 30. Robert Frost described ______as â€Å"a book of people,† which shows a brilliant insight into New England character and the background that formed it. A. North of Boston B. A Boy’s Will C. A Witness Tree D. A Further Range 31. We can easily find in Dreiser’ s fiction a world of jungle, and ______ found expression in almost every book he wrote. A. naturalism B. romanticism C. transcendentalism D. cubism 32. As an active participant of his age, Fitzgerald is often acclaimed literary spokesman of the ______. A. Jazz Age B. Age of Reason C. Lost Generation D. Beat Generation 33. From the first novel Sister Carrie on, Dreiser set himself to project the American values for what he had found them to be: ______ to the core. A. altruistic B. political C. religious D. materialistic 34. The 20th -century stream- of- consciousness technique was frequently and skillfully used by ______ to emphasize the reactions and inner musings of the narrator. A. Hemingway B. Frost C. Faulkner D. Whitman 35. With the help of his friends Phil Stone and Sherwood Anderson, ______ published a volume of poetry The Marble Faun and his first novel Soldiers’ Pay. A. Faulkner B. Hemingway C. Ezra Pound D. Fitzgerald 36. The Sun Also Rises casts light on a whole generation after WWI and the effects of the war by way of a vivid portrait of â€Å"______. † A. the Beat Generation B. the Lost Generation C. the Babybooming Age D. the Jazz Age 37. Within her little lyrics Dickinson addresses those issues that concern ______, which include religion, death, immorality, love and nature. A. the whole human beings B. the frontiers C. the African Americans D. her relatives 38. H. L. Mencken, a famous American critic, considered ______ â€Å"the true father of our national literature. † A. Hamlin Garland B. Joseph Kirkland C. Mark Twain D. Henry James 39. In his poetry, Whitman shows concern for ______ and the burgeoning life of cities. A. the colonists B. the capitalists C. the whole hard -working people D. the intellectuals 40. In 1837, ______ published Twice – Told Tales, a collection of short stories which attracted critical attention. A. Emerson B. Melville C. Whitman D. Hawthorne 21. The work ________ by William Blake is a lovely volume of poems, presenting a happy world, though not without its evils and sufferings. A. Songs of Innocence B. Songs of Experience C. Poetical Sketches D. Lyrical Ballads 22. The plays known as â€Å"the Lawrence trilogy† are all the following EXCEPT ________. A. A Collier’ s Friday Night B. Lady Chatterley’ s Lover C. The Daughter – in – Law D. The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyed 23. Greatly and permanently affected by the ________ experiences, Hemingway formed his own writing style, together with his theme and hero. A. mining B. farming C. war D. sailing 24. â€Å"The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one -eighth of it being above water. † This â€Å"iceberg† analogy about prose style was put forward by ________. A. William Faulkner B. Henry James C. Ernest Hemingway D. F ·Scott Fitzgerald. 25. In Go Down, Moses, ________ illuminates the problem of black and white in Southern society as a close- knit destiny of blood brotherhood. A. William Faulkner B. Jack London C. Herman Melville D. Nathaniel Hawthorne 26. In Death in the Afternoon ________ presents his philosophy about life and death through the depiction of the bullfight as a kind of microcosmic tragedy. A. William Faulkner B. Jack London C. Ernest Hemingway D. Mark Twain 27. William Faulkner once said that ________ is a story of â€Å"lost innocence,† which proves itself to be an intensification of the theme of imprisonment in the past. A. The Great Gatsby B. The Sound and the Fury C. Absalom, Absalom! D. Go Down, Moses 28. Walt Whitman believed, by means of â€Å"________,† he has turned poetry into an open field, an area of vital possibility where the reader can allow his own imagination to play. A. free verse B. strict verse C. regular rhyming D. standardized rhyming 29. Herman Melville’s second famous work, ________, was not published until 1924, 33 years after his death. A. Pierre B. Redburn C. Moby-Dick D. Billy Budd 30. In 1920, ________ published his first novel This Side of Paradise which was, to some extent, his own story. A. F ·Scott Fitzgerald B. Ernest Hemingway C. William Faulkner D. Emily Dickinson 31. Unlike his contemporaries in the early 20th century, ________ did not break up with the poetic tradition nor made any experiment on form. A. Walt Whitman B. Robert Frost C. Ezra Pound D. T. S. Eliot 32. While Mark Twain seemed to have paid more attention to the â€Å"life† of the Americans, ________ had apparently laid a greater emphasis on the â€Å"inner world† of man. A. William Howells B. Henry James C. Bret Harte D. Hamlin Garland 33. At the age of eighty -seven, ________ read his poetry at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy in 1961. A. Robert Frost B. Walt Whitman C. Ezra Pound D. T. S. Eliot 34. Of all Herman Melville’s sea adventure stories, ________ proves to be the best. A. Typee B. Redburn C. Moby – DickD. Omoo 35. Man is a â€Å"victim of forces over which he has no control. † This is a notion held strongly by ________. A. Robert Frost B. Theodore Dreiser C. Henry James D. Hamlin Garland 36. With the publication of ________, Theodore Dreiser was launching himself upon a long career that would ultimately make him one of the most significant American writers of the school later known as literary naturalism. A. Sister Carrie B. The Titan C. An American Tragedy D. The Stoic 37. Nathaniel Hawthorne was affected by ________’s transcendentalist theory and struck up a very intimate relationship with him. A. H. W. Longfellow B. Walt Whitman C. R. W. Emerson D. Washington Irving 38. Among the following writers ________ is generally regarded as the forerunner of the 20th -century â€Å"stream – of – consciousness† novels and the founder of psychological realism. A. T. S. Eliot B. James Joyce C. William Faulkner D. Henry James 39. Walt Whitman wrote down a great many poems to air his sorrow for the death of President ______, and one of the famous is â€Å"When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’ d. † A. Washington B. Lincoln C. Franklin D. Kennedy 40. The Marble Faun by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a romance set in______, is concerned about the dark aberrations of the human spirit. A. France B. Spain C. England D. Italy [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic]