Analyzing The Electoral College Essay

Introduction – There is not one perfect model for the electoral process. All of the varied electoral processes conducted around the world have some kind of flaw or problem. If there was a perfect electoral system, the world now would have been bereft of any concerns involving the electoral processes. The United States, for all of its advancement in thinking and its study and use of new knowledge in the field of analysis and social sciences, still is unable to define what a perfect electoral system is, and until now, the country is still bombarded with concerns about the possible inconsistencies and the presence of bias or unfairness during the electoral process. Two of the most common election problems include the general problems of the faulty electoral system in place in the country and the growing problem about the efficiency of the Electoral College. There must be some logic or some prevailing election custom or tradition that paved the way for the creation and constant use of the winner take all system, because if the people generally are not in favor of such a system, then how can the system of winner take all during elections take place in the US election system? For someone who thinks the winner take all makes sense to identify the rightful representation for the electorate, the system is the way to go and thinking of a new way which would replace the existing system of winner take all in the election is something that is not only arduous but is also impossible to implement in such a short period of time, considering the fact that elections does not even happen in an annual basis. Analyzing the electoral system and the Electoral College – There maybe some individuals and organizations as well who frown at the idea of the winner take all, while there may also be some people and some groups who believe that the election system and the Electoral College is on the right track by using the winner take all scheme during elections. For those who wants to venture deeper into this issue, the real issue is getting at the bottom of the concern that anti-winner take all scheme voices out, and weigh its relevance and significance vis-Ã  -vis the reasons that people put forward about how the existing winner takes all is a good style in the election process. In the analysis of the winner takes all scheme, those who may agree for its continuance may revert to the thinking that if it is happening and is allowed by almost everyone, then it is considered as socially acceptable and therefore generally something that is ok. The role and influence of the selected electors or members of the electoral college – The electoral college members which are selected representatives of the electorate of a particular state, holds an important role if there are any serious efforts towards the recreation and reconstruction of some of the election process in the country. Like political parties and interest groups, the Electoral College is a collection of individuals which holds an important power in their hands that can dictate the outcome of the process of leader-selection inside the US government for seats taken only by elected officials. Another important aspect to discuss when it comes to the analysis of the problem in the electoral process particularly in the Electoral College and the problem found in the winner take all scheme is the privilege being enjoyed by the members of the Electoral College. Â  For those who are wondering why even despite the presence of those who are arguing against the use of the winner takes all practice during election, the scheme is still in place, the reason behind it maybe the maintaining of the source of power and influence especially among the usual members of the Electoral College. Like any other groups to which important outcomes are dependent on, the groups of individuals forming the electoral college, like the congressmen and the senators, are also experiencing the perks of being placed in a position wherein there is a possibility that the candidates for local and national positions would court these members of the electoral college, resulting to favors and personal debts which electoral college members may find useful, even profitable. Because the winner takes all tradition rests heavily on the continued support for such practice by most of the members of the electoral college (who will have to make do without the ‘favors’ coming their way should the winner takes all scheme is removed), the members of the electoral college themselves might be guilty in undertaking conscious efforts to ensure that the public policy and public opinion at worst is apathetic to such practice. Another problem that haunts the Electoral College is the fact that many do not consider it as a true ally and feature of a country that exercises a democratic form of government. The bias can be seen on how representation through the Electoral College is highly dependent on the state population counted every 10 years by the national census agency of the country. The Electoral College, the electoral system and the winner-takes-all scheme: Is there a better way? – Considering that those who are lobbying for a change in some aspects of the electoral system, starting with the change in the Electoral College and the winner-takes-all scheme, the important question to face here is this: what are the changes needed to complete the election system facelift? So far, there are no groups or individuals who have a concrete solution that can be adopted and implemented so that the electoral system in the country should improve. There are lots of criticisms about the Electoral College and the winner-takes-all scheme, but so far, there are not as many solutions being put to light to replace the electoral features which maybe detrimental to the exercise of a democratic country. The only explanation is that these features are effectively in place even until today despite the criticisms is because they serve the ends of those who are powerful enough to initiate the changes should the faulty features become detrimental to their interests as well. For example, if the winner takes all scheme is indeed a breach of the ideals of the democratic country to exercise fair representation in local and national governance, why is it in place and being observed even until now? In place of the winner-takes-all scheme, others suggest the designing and use of more proportional voting methods that actually put in counting the real statistics of votes and not the collective rounding off of votes during the preliminaries allowing for the change in campaigning strategies, which shifts direction away from the real voters and more towards earning the favor of the members of the Electoral College. Conclusion – When the forefathers of the country first thought of giving the rest of the society the privilege of picking the one person or the set of persons who will be responsible for looking after the welfare of the rest of the society, they immediately established the foundation of a sound democracy. Unfortunately, the design of the ideal democracy did not end there. Until today, the people should not stop in pursuing the elimination of the aspects of democracy that is more detrimental that beneficial, and that includes the problems found in the electoral system. The people should take a pro-active stand in fixing the problems found in the electoral system. Those who are responsible for this particular aspect of social link and interaction should re-evaluate the essence of some of the aspects of the electoral system, like the features and design of the Electoral College. They should be capable of providing the public an unbiased assessment on how the Electoral College is still capable or is not already capable of meeting the ends for which it was created for in the first place. If the Electoral College is being manipulated to serve the best interest of a select few, then the electoral system as a whole is in jeopardy, and drastic actions leading to the formulation of solutions and better alternative should be clearly defined and be set in motion.

Debt/Equity Ratio

Debt/Equity Ratio What Does Debt/Equity Ratio Mean? A measure of a company's financial leverage calculated by dividing its total liabilities by its stockholders' equity; it indicates what proportion of equity and debt the company is using to finance its assets. http://financial-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/debt%2Fequity+ratio ‘Debt/Equity Ratio' A high debt/equity ratio generally means that a company has been aggressive in financing its growth with debt. This can result in volatile earnings as a result of the additional interest expense.If a lot of  debt is  used to finance increased  operations (high debt to equity), the company could potentially generate more earnings  than it would have without this  outside financing. If this were to increase earnings by a greater amount than the debt cost (interest), then the shareholders benefit as  more  earnings are being spread among the same amount of shareholders. However, the cost of this debt financing may  ou tweigh the return that  the company  generates on the debt through investment and business activities and become too much for the company to handle. This can lead to bankruptcy, which would leave shareholders with nothing.The debt/equity ratio also depends on the industry  in which the company operates. For example, capital-intensive industries such as auto  manufacturing tend to have a debt/equity ratio above 2, while personal computer companies have a debt/equity of under 0. 5. Read more: http://www. investopedia. com/terms/d/debtequityratio. asp#ixzz2DQ7bp1aa The debt to equity ratio is a financial metric used to assess a company's capital structure, or â€Å"capital stack. † Specifically, the ratio measures the relative proportions of the firm's assets that are funded by debt or equity.The debt to equity ratio (also called the risk ratio or leverage ratio) provides a quick tool to financial analysts and prospective investors for determining the amount of financial leverage a company is using, and thus its exposure to interest rate increases or insolvency. Knowing how to analyze the debt to equity ratio can help you assess a company's financial health before investing. Steps 1. 1 Determine the debt to equity ratio for the company in question. The ratio is calculated simply by dividing the firm's total debt by its total shareholder's equity.These balances can be found on the company's balance sheet. Ads by Google Free Annuity Calculator Up To 40% More Income To Retire On. Try Our Free Online Calculator Now! AgePartnership. co. uk/Annuity-Report * Generally, only interest-bearing, long term debt (such as notes payable and bonds) is included in the ratio's calculation. Short-term liabilities, such as accounts payable, are often left out, as they don't provide much information about the company's use of leverage. * Some large, off-balance sheet liabilities should be included in the ratio's calculation, however.Operating leases and unpaid pensions are 2 common off-balance sheet liabilities that are large enough to warrant inclusion in the debt to equity ratio. 2. 2 Perform a cursory assessment of the firm's capital structure. Once you have determined the debt to equity ratio for a particular company, you can get an idea of their capital stack. A ratio of 1, for example, indicates that the company funds its projects with an even mix of debt and equity. A low ratio (below about 0. 30) is generally considered good, because the company has a low amount of debt, and is therefore exposed to less risk in terms of interest rate increases or credit rating. . 3 Consider the financing needs associated with the specific industry in which the firm operates. Generally, a high debt to equity ratio (2, for example) is worrisome, as it indicates a precarious amount of leverage. However, in some industries this is appropriate. Construction firms, for example, fund their projects almost entirely with debt in the form of construction loans. Thi s leads to a high debt to equity ratio, but the firm is in no real risk of insolvency, as the owners of each construction project are essentially paying to service the debt themselves. . 4 Determine the effect of treasury stock on the debt to equity ratio. When a company issues stock, shares are usually held on the balance sheet at par value (often only $0. 01 per share). When the firm buys back stock, the treasury stock is recorded at the purchase price; this results in a massive subtraction from shareholder's equity, increasing the debt to equity ratio. A troublingly high debt to equity ratio may simply be the result of stock buybacks. 5. 5 Augment your analysis with other financial ratios. The debt to equity ratio should never be used alone.For example, if a company's debt to equity ratio is quite high, you might reasonably worry about their ability to service their debt. To address this concern, you can also analyze the firm's interest coverage ratio, which is the company's oper ating income divided by debt service payments. A high operating income will allow even a debt-burdened firm to meets its obligations. Capital Structure Total Debt to Total Equity 40. 13 Total Debt to Total Capital 28. 64 Total Debt to Total Assets 17. 66 Long-Term Debt to Equity 31. 57 Long-Term Debt to Total Capital 22. 53

Differential Association Theory

The paper discusses Edwin Sutherland’s Differential association theory. The nine principles of Differential association theory are discussed. The paper aims to connect fighting to Sutherland’s Differential association theory. Based on Sutherland’s theory, fighting is a form of deviant behavior, which young people learn via face-to-face communication with other people. Individuals choose to fight, when group beliefs that favor fighting overweigh group beliefs that do not favor violations of law.Whether individuals choose to fight or not to fight depends on the intensity and duration of messages that favor this form of deviance. Those who fight and those who do not fight usually express the same values and beliefs; the only difference is in the means they choose to pursue their goals. Differential Association Theory Crime and deviance have always been the objects of the peer sociological analysis. Dozens of theories were developed in an attempt to explain what crim e is, how it develops, and what can keep people from committing a crime.The list of possible explanations of deviance is endless – from genetics and social status, to television, oedipal complexes and severe mental deficiencies; yet, Edwin Sutherland’s Differential association theory remains one of the most important theoretical foundations of sociology. According to Differential association theory, individuals learn deviant behaviors through face-to-face communication with other people.As a result, fighting is a form of deviant behavior individuals learn from other people and use to achieve their goals. Differential Association Theory: The Basic Principles Differential association theory reflects Edwin Sutherland’s beliefs about the origins of crime: Sutherland was confident that crime and deviance were not biologically or economically driven, but learned through various socialization processes (Finley, 2007).Generally, the theory of differential association co mprises nine different principles: (a) delinquent behavior is learned; (b) delinquent behavior is learned from other people via face-to-face communication; (c) learning usually occurs in intimate groups and small face-to-face gatherings; (d) in these intimate groups, individuals learn techniques for committing crime, as well as appropriate attitudes and rationalizations for doing so; (e) individuals learn to direct their motives, based on whether they consider the legal code as favorable or unfavorable to crime; (f) individuals learn deviant behaviors and crime when definitions favorable to deviance overweigh the definitions unfavorable to violating law; (g) specific tendencies toward delinquency will depend on the frequency and duration of learning experiences; (h) learning delinquency is similar to any other form of learning; and (i) deviant and non-deviant behaviors usually express the same needs – the only difference is in the means individuals use to pursue their goals ( Regoli, Hewitt & DeListi, 2010).These are the principles that can readily explain any form of deviant behavior, including fighting. Fighting As a Form of Deviant Behavior: Making Connections Fighting is a popular form of deviant behavior among youth. Nine principles of Sutherland’s theory help to explain fighting in terms of communication, socialization, and peer influence; however, to make the explanation more plausible, some important connections should be made.The fact is that Sutherland’s nine propositions are grouped around three important concepts – normative conflict, differential association, and differential group organization (Matsueda, 2000). As a result, the roots and origins of fighting are easy to trace through the societal, group, and individual levels (Matsueda, 2000). At the societal level, crime is always rooted in normative conflict – a conflict of attitudes toward specific norms, beliefs, and ideas (Matsueda, 2000). Different segments of society hold different beliefs about law: some consider law as the set of rules to be followed under all circumstances, while others view law as the set of rules to be violated under certain circumstances (Matsueda, 2000).These are favorable and unfavorable attitudes to deviance, which Sutherland mentions in his theory. Fighting is a form of deviant behavior, which develops under the influence of excessive beliefs that favor fighting. Fighting will be uncommon in societies that do not consider it as an appropriate form of behavior. The question is in how these beliefs transform into individual fighting acts. According to Sutherland, fighting is always the act of learned behavior (Regoli, Hewitt & DeListi, 2010). Fighting is learned via face-to-face interactions with other people. For example, individuals will choose to fight if their parents welcome this form of deviance. However, peer influence alone cannot suffice to make individuals fight.Individuals must learn (a) specific fi ghting techniques; and (b) definitions favorable to fighting (Matsueda, 2000). The latter are, actually, the rationalizations which individuals use to justify their fighting acts. Some individuals justify fighting by telling that everyone fights. Others view fighting as the best expression of true masculinity. Certainly, fighting can be easily offset by definitions that do not favor violations of law, e. g. â€Å"Fighting is bad† or â€Å"Fighting causes pain and sufferings to other people†. Whether a person chooses to engage in or refrain from fighting depends on the duration, frequency, priority, and intensity of presenting these definitions.Here, group influence is of critical importance: Sutherland’s theory assumes that â€Å"when groups are strongly organized against crime, they will present an abundance of definitions favorable to crime and few definitions unfavorable to crime† (Matsueda, 2000, p. 131). Individuals growing up in groups that favor fi ghting will be more likely to fight, than those who live in groups strongly organized against fighting. Through the intimate interaction with groups that favor fighting, individuals will learn techniques and rationalizations for doing so. The process of learning to fight will be similar to any other form of learning. The goals of those who fight and those who do not fight will be similar, too. What will be different is the means fighting and non-fighting individuals choose to pursue their goals (Regoli, Hewitt & DeLisi, 2010). ConclusionFrom the viewpoint of Sutherland’s Differential association theory, fighting is a form of deviant behavior learned through face-to-face communication. Such learning usually occurs in intimate groups, where individuals learn specific fighting techniques and rationalizations for doing so. Fighting prevails in groups, where definitions that favor fighting overweigh the definitions that do not favor this form of deviance. Whether individuals choos e to fight depends on the frequency, duration, priority, and intensity of messages and beliefs that favor fighting. Learning to fight is similar to other forms of learning. Those who fight and those who do not fight express similar ideas and values. The only difference will be in the means these individuals choose to pursue their goals.

Critique a photography show Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critique a photography show - Essay Example He was trying to put across excitement. Looking at the way the woman’s hands are spread out, one gets the feeling of balance and exactitude. The woman’s hands are positioned in a way to give her perfect balance as she tackles the wave. Looking at the wave that the woman in the image is riding, one could say that the roughness of the wave is intended to portray challenges and she appears to be taking the wave head on. One could further say that the image portrays one who is facing life’s challenges head-on while knowing full well how to go about it; they have achieved balance in their life. Looking at another image of a lady who is clasping her hands, closing her eyes and tilting her head to the sky as if in prayer, one gets a feeling of innocence. The artist was trying to convey synergy. This can be shown by the simple way the lady is clasping her hands, the simple way she has closed her eyes as she is not doing it forcefully, and the serene environment that seems to surround her. All these coupled with the warm radiant colours of her clothing serve to convey calmness. She seems to be tilting her head to the sky as if seeking something that she knows is there. Looking at another image, this one of a painted man’s face, one gets the feeling that the artist was trying to convey aggression. From the use dark colours to paint his face, and the pattern employed in the painting; diagonally across his face, one gets the feeling that the man is getting ready for combat. From his untidy hair, one gets the feeling that the artist was trying to convey hostility. This is also achieved from the dark colour of his t-shirt. The grey background also adds to the feeling of aggression. In all the three images, the artist has beautifully used colour and shape to put across different emotions that one instantly connects with on examination of the images. The first image seems to

Johnson Controls Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Johnson Controls - Research Paper Example Information systems are also considered long-term capital investment projects. The following are some of the traditional capital budgeting models used to evaluate capital projects: The payback method The accounting rate of return on investment (ROI) The net present value The cost-benefit ratio The profitability index The internal rate of return (IRR) These methods rely on measures of cash flows into and out of the firm. Capital projects generate cash flows into and out of the firm. The investment cost is an immediate cash outflow caused by the purchase of the capital equipment (capital outlay). In subsequent periods, the investment may cause additional cash outflows related to repair and maintenance that will be balanced by cash inflows resulting from the investment. Cash inflows take the form of increased revenues generated from the improved facilities or reduced costs in production and operations. The difference between cash outflows and cash inflows (net cash flows) is used for ca lculating the financial worth of an investment. Once the cash flows have been established, several alternative methods are available for comparing different projects and deciding about the investment. Financial models assume that all relevant alternatives have been examined, that all costs and benefits are known, and that these costs and benefits can be expressed in a monetary terms. When one has to choose among many complex alternatives, these assumptions are rarely met in the real world, although they may be approximated (Aggarwal, 2002). Tangible benefits can be quantified and assigned a monetary value. Intangible benefits, such as more efficient customer service or enhanced employee goodwill, cannot be immediately quantified but may lead to quantifiable gains in the long run. Shim and Siegel (2008) argue that traditional capital budgeting has a number of challenges. The models do not express the risks and uncertainty of their own costs and benefits estimates; cash flows are unce rtain; inflation may affect costs and benefits differently; technology—especially information technology—can change during the course of the project, causing estimates to vary greatly; intangible benefits are difficult to quantify. These factors wreak havoc with financial models. The difficulties of measuring intangible benefits give financial models an application bias. Traditional approaches to valuing information systems investments tend to assess the profitability of individual systems projects for specific business functions. Theses approaches do not adequately address investments in IT infrastructure, testing new business models, or other enterprise-wide capabilities that could benefit the organization as a whole (Gregory, 1999). The traditional focus on the financial and technical aspects of an information system tends to overlook the social and organizational dimensions of information systems that may affect the true costs and benefits of the investment. Howeve r, there are other modern methods that can be used as alternatives to the traditional methods. One of the approaches is the option pricing or real options theory recognizes the interactions among option holders’ optimizing behavior, asset uncertainty, and market disciplines. Recently, the option pricing theory has been applied in the evaluation of nonfinancial assets or ‘

Behavioral economics & game theory in managerial microeconomics Research Paper

Behavioral economics & game theory in managerial microeconomics - Research Paper Example Consequently, rules are set in a complex manner to ensure a win-win situation for all. This creates difficulties and necessitates systematic analysis prior to the actual occurrence of the situation. In some cases, challenges might arise when a situation is in progress, creating much complexity leading to multiple systems being set up to counter the challenge. In managerial microeconomics, managers face similar situations especially in marketing of products and services. Competitors may keep changing their tactics, in order to keep up with the changing trends in the market. Competitors actions as well as micro and macroeconomic factors beyond the control of firms such as government policies on taxation, social corporate welfare, interest rates, and currency deflation or inflation creates complexity in the business world. In addressing the above challenges among others, managers must thus adopt a game like approach. Representing and Solving Games by Managers in the Business World Assum e the following payoff scenario Company a’s actions High price Low price Company B’s action High price 200A 200B 200A -40B Low price -40A -120B 100A 50B Solution If company B has set a high price then A chooses low price, the B high/Ahigh approach can be ignored. If B sets a low price, then A chooses a low price, the Blow/ Ahigh branch will be impractical. Consequently, B is forced to choose between high price (-40) and a low price (50). In these two scenarios, A must follow B price strategy because they are the dominant strategies. The above scenario illustrates a number of key ideas for managers. In decision making, a set of strategies such that each is best for each player, given that the others are playing their own equilibrium is the...This research paper analyzes the place of game theory and behavioral theory in managerial economics in isolation, then integrates them together, in applying their arguments in addressing real business situations Game theory is complex and involves a lot of difficulties in reasoning A game is any circumstance comprising interdependence amongst players. There are different types of games. This study focuses on co-operative versus non-co-operative games because they involve competition among economic entities, challenging leaders and their management skills. They are characterized by aggressive competition in the business world. Behavioral economics assimilates psychology and economics by recognizing systematic inconsistencies in decision making. These are now recognized to be an essential basis of error in business decisions, they deliver the underpinning for both marketing and finance. At the principal of behavioral economics is the principle that increasing practicality of the psychological underpinnings of economic exploration will improve economics on its own terms, creating theoretical insights, making better predictions of field phenomena. Managerial economics encompasses use of economic approaches of thought to scrutinize business condition. It is the incorporation of economic theory with business practice for the resolve of aiding decision making and accelerative forecasting. In attempts to making optimal decisions, managers should be open minded and extremely flexible, as there is no individual with optimal knowledge.

Why College is important for a successful career Essay

Why College is important for a successful career - Essay Example Students who have attended college stand a better chance to succeed in their careers than those who do not attend college. Based on this notion, this paper will raise an argument that supports why attending college is crucial for career success. College can be regarded as a crucial institution that ought to be attended by students owing to the various benefits, which can be attributed to attending college. College is important because it offers students with significant exposure, which helps them significantly during their job search. By attending college, students get well equipped with the requirements of the job market and can, therefore, navigate through the job market with a lot of ease. Unlike students who have not attended college, college students can face interviewers with a lot of confidence and determination. The exposure attained in college makes students competent and this enables them to stand high chances of getting the jobs, which they may seek (Gardner, Jewler, and Barefoot 11-15). College helps students become successful, both in their careers and life, in a number of ways. When students attend college, they are assured of getting jobs immediately upon graduation. Students who attend college have better credentials than students who do not have any qualifications, which match college education. As a result, they are better placed to be preferred by employers than high school graduates. This means that job prospects for college students tend to be higher than those of other students. Employers maintain that college students have the potential than high school graduates. With this in mind, college students have a high probability of getting jobs. With jobs, they can improve their lives significantly, and afford high standards of living; as opposed to those who lack a college education (Gardner, Jewler, and Barefoot 11-15). The other way in which college helps students become successful is because they can earn a high income with a college education. It is eviden t that college graduates earn a higher income than their high school counterparts. With college education qualifications, employers will give a reasonable package to graduates. As such, they will get a considerable income that will help them improve their lives significantly. Thus, college education determines success in life; as the graduates can achieve their dreams with a lot of ease. Graduates who have attained college qualifications can drive good cars and live in decent houses. In most societies, success in life is defined by the ability of a graduate to drive a vehicle after graduating, as well as afford to shop in esteemed destinations and live in high class estates (Gardner, Jewler, and Barefoot 11-15). College can be termed as advantageous in a number of ways; in college, students can get a scholarship to engage in sports. Getting sports’ scholarship can be termed as one of the advantages of attending college. Scholarships for students who engage in sports is crucia l since it helps students gain motivation to study. Thus, attending college can help athletes and students engaging in sports get endorsements from media companies and other large companies. Such endorsements can be beneficial to the graduates since they earn a lot of money when they receive endorsements. College is also advantageous since it gives students an opportunity to interact and share with other students and professionals. As a result, the students gain exceptional expertise in their respective

Management Decision Support System (DSS) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Management Decision Support System (DSS) - Essay Example s this system uses internal sources of information but it also use external sources of information that are vital to the organization for instance reports regarding current stock prices and reports which give competitors information. The fundamental difference between Decision Support System and other information systems is that Decision Support System has more analytical capabilities. It has multiple models to analyze and synchronize large amounts of data. This action of Decision Support System allows decision makers to view the data in a form which allows data to be easily analyzed. This has far reaching consequences because the decision that comes out is more justified and rigorously tested (Sauter, 159). Decision Support System employs interactive and user-friendly software. This software allows the user the luxury to ask multiple questions, modify key assumptions and add new data set into the scenario. Some Decision Support Systems are heavily model drive whereas other Decision Support Systems are model-driven and are focused more on extracting vital information from heaps of data to enable mangers to take effective decisions. It is this very reason why Decision Support Systems are also known as business intelligence systems because these systems focus on helping users to make better business decisions (Laudon and Laudon, 490-505). Since high quality decision making has become imperative for the survival of an organization therefore organizations these days are investing heavily on Decision support systems, more renowned as business intelligence systems. These systems consist of technologies and applications which enable better decision making. Business intelligence systems provide firms with the capabilities to collect large amount of information and using this generated information to develop new knowledge about operations and bring changes in the decision making behavior of people so that they achieve success in achieving profitability target and

Course Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Course Project - Research Paper Example Walmart is regarded as America’s largest grocery store. It is claimed by the company that more than 245 million customers visit the 10800 Walmart stores in more than 27 countries across the globe (Walmart, 2013c). The company offers electronic commerce website in more than 10 countries and employs more than 2.2 million staff worldwide. The company generated revenue of $466 billion in the fiscal year 2013. In the year 1945 the concept of goods being offered at lowers prices was evolved by Sam Walton. He opened the first Walmart store in the then year 1962 in Arkansas which was a result of his visionary leadership (Walmart, 2013b). The company has categorized into 3 major divisions; Walmart stores, Sam’s club and Walmart International. The author has been asked to serve for the post of the finance manager in the reputed company. Although the company is one of the most profitable companies of USA it is still facing certain dilemmas in allocation of budget and expenses. 1.2 Problem Statement Although, Walmart is regarded as one of the most reputed and largest retailer of the world it has sparked controversy regarding its management practice. Some of the human resource issues that has made the company a target for criticism are gender discrimination, wage inequality, bribery etc. It is observed that Walmart are facing various challenges due to lack of implementation of an effective human resource system. The wage inequality system is often a result of lack of well defined wage and salary system in Walmart. More than 2000 women employee of Walmart in 48 states have claimed that the management of Walmart practiced gender discrimination (Hines, 2012). In the year 2011 the women employee had filed suit against the company management for denial of promotion and low pay (Levine, 2012). The women employees had even claimed that the men who held less seniority position than the women employee were promoted first. The US Supreme Court had declared that the wage system was not systematic and smooth in Walmart. This is because the regional polices for wage administration are different in the stores of Walmart. Walmart had agreed to their varied wage incentive plans in different regions and had to pay compensation damages worth $111.7 million to women employees of London(Hines, 2012). 1.3 Research Questions Based on the problem statement and objectives of the study the following questions were formulated. Each of these research questions will be addressed accordingly. 1. How can an effective salary and wage administration improve the efficiency of the employees? 2. How can an incentive plan improve the morale of the employees? 3. What contemporary human resources theories can help in promoting a congenial work environment? 1.4 Literature Review Wage &Salary Inequality in Walmart Wages and Salaries are linked to the productivity of the organization and have a direct influence on the efficiency of the employee. Walmart has been accused of wage and salary inequality practices several times in spite of being one of the most profitable companies of the world. It has been observed that the Walmart management pays $8.00 on an hourly basis with 32 works per week which equals to $256 per week (Santa Clara University, 2004). This calculation shows that

Prokaryotuc and eukarytotic cell & endocrine and exocine glands Essay - 1

Prokaryotuc and eukarytotic cell & endocrine and exocine glands - Essay Example Prokaryotic cells only have a plasma membrane while eukaryotic cells have organelles with membranes such as nuclear membrane (Campbell and Farrell 15). No nucleus is present in prokaryotic cells but there is a nuclear region with the help of which, the cell takes all its controlling directions. In addition, prokaryotes also have a single molecule of DNA that is circular in shape. Nucleus is the most important and unique part of eukaryotic cells and maximum DNA of the cell is present in the nucleus and multiple molecules are present (Campbell and Farrell 16). In prokaryotes, DNA is located in the nuclear region that does not have any membrane while in eukaryotes, DNA is enclosed in Nucleus covered by nuclear envelope (Black 80). Cell division in prokaryotic cells takes place through binary fission while in eukaryotic cells, reproduction is with the processes of mitosis and meiosis. In prokaryotic cells, only asexual reproduction takes place while in eukaryotic cells, asexual as well as sexual reproduction take place (Black 80). Prokaryotes as well as eukaryotes can be autotrophic (generating food themselves) as well as heterotrophic (getting food from other sources). Examples of prokaryotes are bacteria while plants and animals can be taken as examples of eukaryotes. Human body contains a system called endocrine system containing glands responsible for discharging their secretions. Endocrine glands are responsible for discharging their secretions within the body while exocrine glands secrete on the body surface. Endocrine glands secrete internally while exocrine glands secrete externally. The secretions that are secreted by the glands are the hormones (Clark 229). Exocrine glands secrete with the support of ducts while in endocrine glands, no distinct ducts are present for transferring secretions due to which, endocrine glands secrete

University of Phoenix Online Learning System User’s Manual Essay Example for Free

University of Phoenix Online Learning System User’s Manual Essay The University of Phoenix Online Learning System is a web-based education program that offers students to earn degrees in the most convenient and efficient way possible. Students would have to be enrolled first in the University of Phoenix before they can register to the University’s Online Learning System. To access the system, students would have to login to https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/login. asp and enter their specified user login name and password. The user login name and password could be specified by registering to the website. First time users would have to register. To do this, users would just have to click on the link that states â€Å"New Users SIGN UP here† found at the upper-left hand corner of the page and fill out the form that appears on the next page. Note that the user could choose his or her preferred login name and password. Once the user has successfully registered, he or she could now login to the University of Phoenix Online Learning System. The user would have to input the user login name and password to access the system. The user login name and password must match those that were specified during registration. Also note that the password is case-sensitive. Once successfully logging in, the system will direct the user in his or her main page where current enrolled courses are listed. Links to other services like publications, site tools, resource information and others are also listed on the left side of the page. There are also links to important messages in the right side of the page. There is also links where users could pay his or her bills, access his or her learning resources, view the grade report, and access the learning team. However, the most important is being able to enter into the class. Clicking on the â€Å"Open rEsource† link allows the users to view lectures. Lecture topics are organized by week. Each topic listed per week is a link where resources for the lectures are displayed under the â€Å"Materials† section. Topic objectives and assessments are also displayed. Clicking on a resource found under the â€Å"Materials† section opens a new window where the lecture is displayed. Note that some lectures are from an e-book collection and may or may not be able to be viewed using the browser. In cases where it does not allow to be viewed on the browser, the e-book must be downloaded. Users could download the e-book by clicking on the â€Å"Download eBook† link found on the upper part of the page. Users could also choose to buy the book by clicking on the â€Å"Buy This Book† link, and choose to print the current chapter by clicking on the â€Å"Print Chapter† link. These links are found at the upper portion of the page, along with the â€Å"Download eBook† link. Also note that some e-book collections are in protected PDF format from which username and password are required. Users could use the same user login name and password used to log into the system to view the contents of a protected PDF resource. Users could now read at their convenience the resource for the lectures. As already specified, the user’s main page displays classes currently enrolled in by the user. The details include the course name, schedule, and the instructor’s name along with other information. Each course has a button or link that states â€Å"Go To Class. † Users would have to click on that link to enter the class and access class discussions and lectures. Students enrolled in online courses could also collaborate with a working team. The link that states â€Å"Learning Team† found with each course listed on the main page allows users to access their learning team. The University of Phoenix Online Learning System allows students t complete coursework through electronic forums. This is accessed by entering a class from the user or student’s main page. The Online Learning System also allows students to receive lecture notes, questions, and assignments electronically. Students who are enrolled in online courses have therefore the luxury of studying at their convenience by choosing the time and place to study—that is, students could avoid conflicting schedules.

Aging and Disability Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Aging and Disability Worksheet Essay Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. †¢ What is ageism? How does ageism influence the presence of diversity in society? Ageism is defined as prejudice and discrimination against old people. Schafer writes that for the ageist, elderly persons reflect the image of disease, death, and dying as well as a reminder that we all be old one day (2012,pp. 395-396). Another stereotype of the elderly is that they are slow and mentally dysfunctional. All of this is further emphasized by society’s fixation with youth. †¢ What is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)? How does the ADEA address issues for the aging population? The Americans with Disability Act is a law that prohibits discrimination based on disability and only disability. It is somewhat similar to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Our textbook defines this law as In many respects, this law is the most sweeping antidiscrimination leg- isolation since the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The ADA went into effect in 1992, covering people with a disability, defined as a condition that â€Å"substantially limits† a â€Å"major life activity† such as walking or seeing. It prohibits bias in employment, transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunication against people with disabilities (Schaefer, 2012). The ADA addresses issues for the aging population by how our text book stated basically, we can see it taking a civil-rights view of disabilities that seeks to humanize the way society sees and treats people with dis abilities (Schaefer, 2012). Which is by not discriminating them. †¢ What is being done to address the issues you identified? There are senior citizen centers that have been working to provide activities to bring the elderly together for social interaction. Most elderly look to family as their main source of support system. Many of these elderly try to stay living as close to their children have been known to live with their parents during this time to provide the best care to their aging parents. Retirement is an issue that some employers try to help by letting employers â€Å"step down† so that they may retain some of their benefits from still being employed. The media has started depicting some more of the elderly to be active people that are as bright as young people as opposed to times when they made old people appear to be shriveled and wrinkled up people that cannot do much at their age. †¢ Is the number of aging population expected to rise in numbers or decrease? The world population has experienced continuous growth since the end of the Great Famine and the Black Death in 1350, when it stood at around 370 million. The growth rate peaked at 2.2% in 1963, and had declined to 1.1% by 2011. Current projections show a continued increase in population (but a steady decline in the population growth rate). †¢ What types of legislation may or may not be affected by the aging population? In the midterm, anti-age discrimination legislation, better health and a statutory rise in the retirement age to manage the cost of the state pension bill will see more older people working for longer, whether they want to or not (see changes to retirement and pensions). This will decrease the number of old but active volunteers. In the long term, especially as baby boomers become the older old, there will be a rise in demand for health services and long term care, possibly combined with constrained public spending, creating a challenge for the funding of public services and pensions and increasing pressure on families and friends to support retirees. †¢ How does poverty affect the aging population? Poverty affects the aging population by them not being able to afford medical insurances and many other expenses such as housing. An increase in the numbers of older people at 80 plus, will mean more with complex needs. The baby boomers are more assertive, put more emphasis on lifestyles, and do not consider themselves old. Part II Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. †¢ What does the ADA provide for people with disabilities? The ADA makes it illegal to discriminate based on disability in several different areas in life. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in: employment, services rendered by state and local governments, places of public accommodation, transportation, telecommunications services. Under the ADA, accommodative services for these disabilities are usually the same as those offered to people with physical, psychological, sensory and cognitive disabilities. †¢ How have people with disabilities been treated in the past? People in the past treated people with disabilities as if they were a disease themselves. In some countries people with disabilities would be murdered to lessen the burden and â€Å"ease their pain† but as time progressed people started to treat them as if they were a lost kitten, and have become more affectionate towards us or them. †¢ How has the attitude toward people with disabilities changed over time? The disabled were placed in institutions (by the government) and were often forgotten about thus forcing them to live in unsafe/ unsanitary conditions. In conditions that would be construed as â€Å"animal cruelty† if a kettle owner made their animals live in those very same conditions the disabled were forced to live in. Many were abused, neglected, and murdered either by family members or at the hands of institution workers. The word â€Å"retarded† was used to describe everyone with a disability, regardless of the type of disability or the severity. While discrimination toward the disability is still rampant and the government shows little interest in eliminating disability discrimination. †¢ What are some unique circumstances or issues encountered by people with disabilities? When I was younger I remember going into stores that still had those turning things, gosh what are they called? They were made of metal and you had to turn them and go through them in order to get into the store. I would see how that was a huge issue for the people in wheelchairs or many other disabilities.

Emerging New Luxury Brands Marketing Essay

Emerging New Luxury Brands Marketing Essay Let us imagine that we have gone back a decade in time. There is a woman in some part of the world flipping through the pages of a high-fashion magazine. The minute she opens the magazine she is bombarded by images of luxury goods. Luxury brand names like Versace, Chanel, Gucci and Christian Louboutin shout out to her. All she desires is to own at least one piece from these luxury fashion goods. Unfortunately, the woman earns a middling income and can only dream about owning a Versace dress or a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. Luckily for her, in 2004 Hennes Mauritz (HM) came up with a brilliant collaboration which made all her dreams come true. For a long time access to luxury fashion goods had been limited to the elite classes. Since the 1990s there has been a boom in the luxury market because as times progressed traditional luxury brands such as Christian Dior started facing competition from emerging new luxury brands like Jimmy Choo. These new luxury brands brought in new branding and positioning strategies (Truong et al., 2009). The result of these strategies was the materialisation of masstige brands. Even though masstige brands are priced lower than super premium or traditional luxury brands, they still hold a place above conventional products and enjoy a high level of prestige (Silverstein et al, 2005). In order to tackle competition faced from these masstige brands, certain traditional luxury brands took an unconventional step. In June 2004 Hennes Mauritz (hereafter referred to as HM) announced that they would be releasing a limited edition collection designed by none other than Karl Lagerfeld, chief designer of Chanel (HM, 2004). With this step, HM began a fresh trend of co-branding in the fashion industry between high-street and luxury fashion brands. Since then HM have undergone an annual collaboration project with some of the biggest names of luxury fashion, the latest being French label, Maison Martin Margiela. With HM making continuous headlines in the fashion industry for its collaborations with luxury fashion brands, the need to study the science of co-branding, especially in fashion, is becoming vital. Thus, this dissertation aims at exploring and investigating the term co-branding and the role it plays between high-street fashion and luxury fashion brands. As HM are the contemporary of this trend in the fashion industry, the issues discussed in this dissertation will be mainly based on them. 1.1 Company Profile Company name H M Hennes and Mauritz AB Industry Retailing Sub Industry Fashion (clothing, accessories) Headquarters Stockholm, Sweden Employees 94,000 Key People Founder: Erling Persson Chairman: Stefan Persson CEO/Managing Director: Karl-Johan Perrson Table : Company Profile of Hennes Mauritz (HM, 2012a)H M Hennes and Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail company, functioning in the clothing industry. The company is known for designing fast fashion i.e. chic styles at cheap prices. The first store was opened in Sweden in 1947 under the name Hennes, selling only womens clothing. In 1968 the company bought Mauritz Widsforss, a hunting and fishing equipments store, changing the company name to Hennes Mauritz. This was also the year the company started selling mens and childrens clothing. Today, HM have branched out into five independent brands which are globally recognised HM, COS, Monki, Weekday and Cheap Monday. Besides clothing, today the company also offers footwear, accessories, cosmetics and furniture. As of 2012, the company operates around 2600 stores across 44 countries. HMs top two competitors are Spanish fashion group Inditex (who own Zara and Bershka) and American retail giant The Gap, Inc. From 2004 HM started collaborating with some of the biggest names in the luxury fashion industry, a tradition they have since followed every year. Besides HMs annual collaboration with some of the biggest luxury fashion houses, the company also has a long-standing tradition of getting together with super models and popular music artists to either design or be the faces of their seasonal collections and campaigns. 1.2 Problem Definition and Purpose Co-branding is a relatively new concept in the field of marketing. The concept has been in practice for only the past few decades and the collaborations have often yielded mixed results. Co-branding has taken place in all sectors and industries from tobacco to automobile to retail to film-making to consumer goods. Co-branding is a moderately new term in the business vocabulary which is used to describe integrated marketing activities involving two or more brands (Blackett, Boad, 1999). It is important to analyse and understand the practice of co-branding as it has been gaining recognition in the recent years and can have a considerable impact on the future of branding. More and more consumer product manufacturers are becoming interested in co-branding strategies as it is a means to gain more exposure in the marketplace, fight competition and threats innovatively and at the same time share expensive promotional costs with a partner (Spethmann, Benezra, 1994). Co-branding gives compani es a great opportunity to create something new, while sharing costs, and also provides them with an opportunity to present consumers with a market they may have not explored before. Besides undergoing classical brand extensions and other brand alliance strategies (like advertising alliances and dual branding), co-branding is a strategy which presents a brand an added method to differentiate themselves in a competitive environment (Helmig et al., 2008). While co-branding in other sectors has returned mediocre results, co-branding in fashion has generally been extremely well appreciated. American discount retailer, Target, has often collaborated with designers such as Jason Wu, Issac Mizrahi and Neiman Markus, offering their designs for a slightly higher price than Targets usual rate. These attempts have been very well received by the mass consumers. HM, especially, have a high success rate when it comes to this business practice. More than 1000 people entered New Yorks Fifth Avenue store in the first hour when Karl Lagerfeld, Chanels haute couture and ready-to-wear chief designer, created pieces for HM (de Chernatony et al., 2011). Another example would be the success of HM and American designer Stella McCartney coming together. Queues were reported outside several HM stores all across the world, forming from the night before the collection was launched (Okonkwo, 2007). However, as successful as HMs attempts at co-branding have been, this practice of luxury brands and high-street brands coming together has lead to a lot of debate and even criticism. According to the critiques, co-branding often hampers with the companys original brand equity and confuses the consumer. Although the names of the brands that come together are familiar to the consumer, the actual co-branded product is completely new. Thus, unable to make out what to think of the new product, the consumer makes a judgement based on the known brand names involved (Washburn et al., 2000). There have also been questions raised regarding the effect of co-branding on the image of one or both of the parent brands. Some critiques believe that co-branding hampers the reputation of highly ranked brands. There have been sufficient works as well as research conducted on co-branding which are available to us. Considerable research has been conducted on co-branding in the retail sector. However, there has not been much detailed research on co-branding specifically between high-street fashion brands and luxury fashion brands. There are questions still left unanswered in this particular area. Therefore, this dissertation aims to investigate and study the practice of co-branding in this particular field and hopes to give a better understanding of this phenomenon. 1.3 Research Objectives Taking into account the purpose of this dissertation, the main research objective that this study will try to answer is: Exploring and understanding co-branding between high-street and luxury fashion brands. In order to help present relevant answers for this dissertation, the main research objective can be further divided into the following sub-objectives: To understand why co-branding occurs between high-street fashion brands and luxury fashion brands To analyse the perception of consumers regarding co-branding in the fashion industry To analyse the effect of such a collaboration on the brand image and reputation of both parties involved To understand whether co-branding between a high-street and a luxury brand can yield successful results 1.4 Relevance of the Research The following section provides a justification about the relevancy of this study. Arguments for both, academic and practical, relevance are discussed. 1.4.1 Academic Relevance This dissertation surely has academic relevance in todays time. In order to study co-branding in the fashion industry, this study has merged various branches of marketing. Brand alliances, brand equity, brand leverage and consumer behaviour are combined and discussed together to help understand the phenomenon of co-branding. Although there is significant work already done on co-branding, only a few discuss the area in which co-branding has gained the most success fashion. Thus, this dissertation tries to give a clear and more detailed explanation of why and how co-branding in fashion occurs and the effects it has on the consumer. 1.4.2 Practical Relevance The practical relevance of this dissertation is also of significance. Co-branding is being frequently used as a strategy to stand out in a crowded market place (Dieleman, 2010). By understanding the science of co-branding, not just for general understanding, but especially for the fashion industry, more retail clothing brands can partake in it. By studying consumers perception towards the collaboration of high-street and luxury fashion brands, managers can decide on whether or not creating a co-branding strategy is the right approach for them. Managers can also have a better appreciation of the effects of co-branding on their brand equity and brand reputation. 1.5 Limitations As mentioned in the company profile, HM have also collaborated with popular music artists like Madonna and Kylie Minogue to conceptualise and be the faces of limited edition lines and collections. Also, the fast-fashion company has collaborated with Finnish textile company, Marimekko, in the past to use their fabric designs on their products (Wettergren, 2010). These celebrities and companies are also brands in their own; however, this dissertation will not be discussing them. Only HMs collaborations with luxury fashion brands will be taken into account. Thus, this dissertation only examines the relationship of a high-street and luxury brand, and not between other categories of brands. This dissertation does not discuss the process of co-branding between HM and the luxury brands, but the motive and effects of the collaborations. The questions this dissertation tries to answer are why co-branding occurs and what are the possible outcomes of it. How co-branding occurs is a question this study does not venture into. Also, this dissertation does not go too deeply into the marketing activities of the co-branded products and retail collections. Thus, answers to these questions will not be available in this study. 1.6 Structure The following section of this dissertation talks about existing concepts, theories and research conducted that led to the formation of this studys research question. The section is a review of existing literature as well as a presentation of the theoretical framework. Concepts such as brand management, co-branding, fashion marketing, co-branding strategies, fashion strategies and so on will be discussed. The third chapter talks about the methodology selected to conduct this research. The chapter talks about the justification of choosing the research method as well as the possible limitations of the same. Chapter four represents the findings of this research as well as gives a discussion for each of the findings. This chapter evaluates the relevant research findings for each of the research sub-objectives. The final chapter of this dissertation presents a general discussion of the entire study, highlighting the key areas and important research findings. At the end of the dissertation is a list of references; sources which helped with the research of this study as well as sources one can look into for the purpose of further reading. 2. Literature Review 2.1 The Concept of Branding Branding building is an important concept in the science of marketing and several definitions of this concept exist. The official definition of branding given to us by the American Marketing Association is that a brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors. This means that even though a product or service may satisfy the same need as another, a brand provides it with an element which differentiates it from other products or services of the same kind (Kotler, Keller, 2011). The process of brand building is imperative for almost all companies, products and services because building successful brands promises future income stream and profit. Brands help build consumer loyalty which means that consumers will keep coming back to buy the brands and will support them even during crisis situations (de Chernatony et al., 2011). However, the profile of the consumer is changing from what it used to be. The market place is getting more and more crowded with the constant addition of new products and services. Not only does this mean that there is a lot of fierce competition, but also todays consumer has a lot more choice than from a decade ago. Thus, it is extremely necessary to make ones brand stand out. This is where the concept of brand management comes in. Appropriate and effective practise of brand management can lend a hand in leveraging a brand, which leads to the making of a successful brand. The concept of brand management was created by Procter Gambles Neil McElroy (Harvard Business School, 2000). Effective brand management can lead to high brand equity. Brand equity is the additional value which products and services are seen to have, besides the functional value that they possess. This value is measured on the basis of what consumers feel and think about the brand as well as the market share and pr ofitability that the brand enjoys (Keller, 2008; Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000; Aaker, 1996; Aaker, 1991). Proper practice of brand management can also do wonders for the brand image. Brand image is impression of the brands personality (real or imaginary) that has been developed in the consumers mind (Business Dictionary). Various techniques can be applied under brand management in order to leverage a brand. One of these techniques is brand extension. Brand extension is a marketing strategy wherein a company uses a brand name which already exists in order to penetrate into a new, different product category than which it is established in (Swaminathan, 2003). A somewhat new development has been formed from brand extension in recent decades which is known as the process of co-branding. 2.2 Co-Branding Co-branding is a brand leveraging technique where two or more brands, each having significant recognition in the eyes of the consumer, co-operatively come together to create a single unique product while retaining the names of all the brands involved (Blackett and Russell, 1999; Leuthesser et al., 2003). This term is also referred to as brand alliance and composite branding. Co-branding provides marketers with the choice of opting for a short-term alliance, thus making it an attractive opportunity. It is not necessary for co-branding to be a long-term affair, as along other benefits, marketers are mainly looking for a quick sales boost (Spethmann and Benezra, 1994) As discussed by Nunes et al. (2003), co-branding can be divided into four different types. They are as following: Promotional/sponsorship co-branding Here a company co-brands by being a part of an events activities so as to link its image to that particular event in the mind of the consumer. Example: Conseco the official financial services provider of NASCAR Ingredient co-branding In this type there is a primary brand, which acts as an important component of the secondary brand. Example: Sony Vaio laptop with an Intel microprocessor Value chain co-branding Here two or more companies come together in order to create a brand new experience for the consumer to increase differentiation. It can be further divided into three types: Product-service co-branding Yahoo! and SBC Communications coming together to form SBC Global Networks Supplier retailer co-branding Architect Michael Grave creating a line of co-branded products specially for American retailer, Target Alliance co-branding Airline alliances such as Star Alliance and SkyTeam Innovation based co-branding In this type two or more companies come together in order to present a brand new product or offering, to increase customer value as well as corporate value. Example: Boating shoe manufacturer Sperry Top-Sider collaborating with New Balance to create an athletic boat shoe It is a known fact that brands play an important role in influencing culture in consumer societies. They not only satisfy ones utilitarian needs, but also serve some hedonic purpose. It is not in the power of the marketer to create the hedonic value that the brands hold. It is only the consumer who is in control of the feelings and meanings associated with a particular brand. Thus, it is safe to say that a part of the brands equity is in hands of the consumers. Thus, the reason marketers decide on a co-branding strategy is to not only access the utilitarian benefit which a certain brand offers, but also to generate the hedonic value which the association with that brand would bring. There is a transfer of status, imagery and reputation of one brand to the other. Co-branding also reduces costs, as the RD, production and marketing expenses get shared between the parent brands. Thus, co-branding is a quick way of improving all the aspects of marketing related issues (Askegaard and Bengt sson, 2005; Nunes et al., 2003). There are also risks and disadvantages to co-branding. There is the risk of dilution, where a brand loses meaning for a consumer because of the co-branded product. There is a chance of a co-branding strategy resulting in a potential competitor. This happened when IMB partnered with Microsoft to develop DOS. Microsoft then had very low brand equity, but today they are a giant in the computer world. There is also the risk of devaluation. When aligning with a low valued brand, a high value brand may lose its reputation in front of the consumers. Co-branding may also limit a brands market reach as they might be targeting the same consumer group with the new product as well (Nunes et al., 2003; Leuthesser et al., 2003). Many theories and research have been conducted on brand alliances and their possible spillover effects. One of the first ones was by Simonin and Ruth (1998). A study was conducted by them to evaluate the change in the attitude of consumers due to the spillover effects of co-branding. The results of that study have matched the results of many other newer studies conducted on brand alliances. Baumgarth (2004) created a brand alliance study, based on Simonin and Ruths study. The results of the study matched with the hypotheses presented by Simonin and Ruth. Baumgarths model added improvements by giving importance not only to the brand fit, but also to the prior attitudes consumers have towards the brands. In a study conducted by James et al. (2006), it was found that the personalities of the two brands involved have an impact on the perception of the consumers towards the co-branded product. Bouten et al. (2011) too conducted a study, basing it on the Simonin and Ruth paper. The result of their study was that a perfect fit of both, the brand image as well as the existing products of the parent brands is required for a successful brand alliance. As brand alliances started getting popular, researchers started concentrating on the term co-branding. Abratt and Motlana (2002) devised a five-step brand transition process for companies who wanted to undertake co-branding. The process stresses on the importance of understanding consumer perception as well as the fit of the brands involved. The same result was seen in the strategic framework for co-branding created by Leuthessar et al. (2003) which would help marketers assess co-branding opportunities in order to leverage their brands. On the basis of this framework, possible co-branding can be assessed by the nature of the parent brands as well as their target audiences. Co-branding was slowly starting to be seen as an important marketing strategy. As a result of this, an ontology based co-branding strategy system, called OnCob, was created by Chang (2008). This system helps marketers and brand managers research the co-branding phenomenon based on the concepts of aim, category and effect. Co-branding was further researched by Chang (2009) to present a roadmap and guide for companies wanting to co-brand. Different industries were discussed wherein some results were successful, while some were a complete failure. Also, a co-branding matrix was presented, which gives researchers a better understanding of this emerging science. The effects of co-branding on brand equity were studied by Washburn et al. (2000). The research results showed that co-branding is a win-win situation for both the brands involved, irrespective of their perceived brand value. When a high equity brand is paired with another high equity brand, the final co-branded product is perceived to have high value as well. Also, Washburn et al. found that in the case of a low equity-high equity brand pairing, it is the brand with a lower value that benefits the most from the co-branding, and although the positive effects might be less for the higher valued brand, co-branding does not have any negative effects on it. Motion et al. (2003) conducted a research on corporate co-branding and its effect on corporate brand equity. The research was conducted by studying the sponsorship of rugby team, All Blacks, by Adidas. The result of the study was that co-branding has a positive effect on the corporate brand equity, however as concluded by other studie s, it is important that the parent brands have a common vision and similar brand values. Besharat (2010) undertook a study combining the strategies of co-branding and brand extension. A comparison between co-branding and brand extensions with respect to brand equity was carried out. The final result of the study matched the results of many previous studies i.e. the success of a co-branding strategy depends on the existing brand value of the parent brands. However, there was no significant difference between consumer perception of co-branded products or brand extensions. As long as the consumers saw a fit between the new products and the brand, they accept the new product positively. A research was conducted by Thompson and Strutton (2012) to find out the effects of co-branding when one of the parent brand co-brands into a product category where it does not exist. However, the analysis showed that such an alliance is not likely to be successful. For a co-branding strategy to be successful, it is important for consumers to perceive a high level of fit between the brands involved. Another finding is that if a low value brand collaborates with a brand that is perceived highly in the eyes of the consumers, the co-branded product is likely to be viewed favourably. Thus, the brand fit plays an extremely important role in the success or failure of co-branding strategies. Erevelles et al. (2008) conducted a study on ingredient co-branding in the B2B sector, an area which does not have much research done. The finding of the research is that ingredient co-branding occurs in B2B sector usually when there is a threat of entry from a more fiscally rich competitor. Thus, brands get into an ingredient co-branding strategy to block out this competition. Besides this, the secondary brand also has monetary benefits as the ingredient supplier provides their component at a reduced cost. Askegaard and Bengtsson (2005) proposed the importance of cultural meaning in co-branding. Compared to the conventional approach to co-branding, their paper provides us with a new perspective. They suggested that each brand characterises certain symbolic and cultural meanings to the consumers, ones that may not be visible to us directly. The cultural meanings of the parent brands have a heavy influence on the meaning that the co-branded product represents. However, the interpretations provided by Askegaard and Bengtsson are far too imaginative and descriptive. No matter how creatively brand managers develop cultural meaning for a co-branded product, at the end it is only the consumer whose interpretation of brand image and meaning count. 2.3 Fashion 2.3.1 Luxury Fashion Luxury brands consist of those products and services which are generally associated with the affluent and the elite class. The luxury fashion industry is a global multi-billion dollar sector. Hundreds of brands are a part of this industry, some of them being Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Prada. Besides being valuable, luxury brands are some of the most influential in the world. For luxury goods, branding plays an extremely important role and is the core competence. This sector places high importance on branding and marketing strategy development by the use of human emotions and psychology (Okonkwo, 2007) Tynan et al. (2010) sought out to address the nature of the value of luxury brands and how value can be co-created. Instead of taking the more common managerial perspective, they took into account the perspective of the consumer. They developed a theoretical framework and researched case studies to find out what types of value consumers look for in luxury branded goods. The result was that although a utilitarian value was a must for all luxury goods, it was the hedonistic or symbolic value which acted as drivers for the purchase of a luxury good and was seen as the differentiating factor by the consumers. Reddy et al. (2009) studied the prospect of brand extensions for a luxury brand. In order to do so, they fashioned a Premium Adgency Grid, which measured the extent to which a particular brand extension matches up to the values embodied by the core brand. The luxury brands were divided into the four quadrants of the grid Star Brand, Aspiring Star Brand, Waning Star and Dying Star. With the help of this grid, marketers could measure their luxury brands brand adgency and then consider expansion opportunities and the possible risks. A framework was created by Moore and Fionda (2009) illustrating the various dimensions of the luxury brand to guide its marketing in the fashion sector. Their model identified nine key components which were deemed important for the creation of a luxury brand. Each of the nine components included sub-categories, which according to them, must be consistent for the successful creation of the brand. All of these components must be managed simultaneously for the creation and maintenance of a successful luxury fashion brand position. Thus, the Moore and Fionda model states that the management of a luxury brand should be consistent and coherent. However, the case companies in this research were all British and thus, the results are geographically and culturally narrow. A cross-cultural investigation would have provided a firmer insight in the marketing of luxury fashion brands. A five-factor model and brand luxury scale was designed by Vigneron and Johnson (2004) to provide luxury product marketers with an instrument to measure the amount of luxury a certain brand contains. According to Vigneron and Johnson, luxury is contained in brands in a matter of degree. Some brands have a very high level of luxury, while some very low. The brand-luxury scale helps measure the level on luxury in a given brand. The research found that luxury is a multidimensional factor and this can be proved by the five-factor model. These dimensions can be established and monitored by using the brand luxury scale in order to create a lasting luxury brand. However, Miller and Mills (2012) argue that more than anything else, it is the perception of brand leadership that counts. In order to attain clarity on the subject of luxury brand marketing, they developed a conceptual model the Brand Luxury Model (BML). This findings of this model state that trendy, up-to-date and visionary brand s and perceived to be more luxurious than brands that try to be unique, imaginative or original. The BML also showed that consumers perceive a match between themselves and the image of the luxury brand users with psychological or symbolic value. This finding is in sync with the research carried out by Liu et al. (2012) Liu et al. (2012) explored the effect that the various concepts of self-congruity theory have on the consumer. Self congruity theory was developed by Sirgy (1986), which refers to the likeliness of a potential consumer to psychologically compare themselves with other objects and stimuli (brands in this case). This theory has been widely used to understand brand purchase behaviour (Sirgy, 1986). The three concepts studied by Liu et al. are Brand Personality Congruity, Brand User Imagery Congruity and Brand Usage Imagery Congruity. The relationship of these three types of self-congruity to the customer attitude and loyalty toward a luxury brand are studied in this paper. The study focuses on two brands CK and Chanel to understand the effect of a potential consumers self congruity in the purchasing of luxury brands. The study found that Brand User Imagery Congruity and Brand Usage Imagery Congruity are much stronger predictors of attitude and loyalty than Brand Personality Congruity i n either of the brands. It was found that the consumers own self-image and perception of a typical users image as well as usage imagery play an important role in a consumers purchase intention and attitude towards a brand. The findings of this study were similar to the previous claims made by Sirgy et al. (1997), Liu et al. (2008) and Sotiropoulos (2003). 2.3.2 High-Street Fashion High-street fashion describes the clothing retailers who cater to the mass-market. These retailers design and sell clothes which are affordable and are used for mass-consumption. The brands either have independent stores, franchises or are a part of chain stores. As the high-street fashion market started getting crowded with the introduction of more and more brands, competition started running high. In order to combat this competition, many of the high-street brands started the concept of fast-fashion. These are brands like Zara, HM and Mango who create affordable, trendy and disposable items to cater to the consumers demands. Fast-fashion gives brands a competitive edge as they turn the latest runway designs to chic disposable clothes that the mass-market can afford (Tungate, 2008; Hines and Bruce; 2001). Following the success of fast fashion, Cachon and Swinney (2

Heroism In Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

There are many traits that are possessed by those who seek heroism. Whether it is in real life or in fiction, every hero desires these character traits in the past, present, and future. IN my opinion, the two traits that are most prominent in the poem Beowulf are bravery and goodness. In this poem, Beowulf exhibits the trait of bravery by defeating the monster, Grendel. This monster was a very powerful monster that plagued the town of Herot. â€Å"He slipped through the door†¦ Snatched up thirty men, smashed them/ Unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies/ The blood dripping behind him, back/ To his liar, delighted with his night’s slaughter. (11)† The society that he terrorized was happy and always rejoicing. â€Å"As now warriors sang of their pleasure/ So Hrothgar’s men lived happily in this hall†¦ (11)† Bravery today has changed from that of Anglo-Saxon times. In the poem, Beowulf uses his bare hands to defeat the evil, monstrous Grendel. He believes that it would be braver and mightier if he were to defeat Grendel without use of a weapon. â€Å"My lord Higlac/ Might thing less of me if I let my sword/ Go where my feet were afraid to, if I hid/ Behind some broad linen shield: my hands/ Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life/ Against the monster (15).† However, in modern times, bravery is associated and accompanied by weaponry. In the movie â€Å"Jaws†, which is a 20th century film, the preying shark terrorizes the beaches of New England. After he is finally trapped, he is killed- but not in the same fashion as Grendel was. The shark was shot in the mouth and then blew up to do a CO2 tank he had swallowed. The way in which each antagonist was killed was in two very different ways: with and without weaponry, respectively. These two scenarios from Anglo-Saxon and modern times are similar, as well. They are similar because of the continuity of â€Å"monsters† terrorizing a society being a great influence among audiences of the past and present. The two works of both eras demonstrate the continual interest in defeating villains and â€Å"feeding† it’s listeners with tales such as these. Bravery is not the only trait in which a hero possesses. A hero needs and has more than one heroic quality, just like no flower is complete without its vibrant colors and sweet smell. Goodness can be compared to that of a flower’s vibrant colors and sweet smell.

The Death Penalty and the Extradition of Terrorists :: Essays Papers

The Death Penalty and the Extradition of Terrorists Should terrorists be extradited to face capital punishment in the country a crime was perpetrated in? This question has been frequently repeated, especially after the events of September eleventh. Everyone seems to have a different opinion as to whether or not the death penalty is a viable punishment. There are also exhaustive discussions regarding who should judge the proceedings. I believe that if an offender commits a crime in a foreign land, and is apprehended, then they should be charged in and be subject to the laws of that country. If it is expected that we respect the customs of a particular country, why should abiding by the laws be any different? The events of September eleventh 2001 became an excellent example of the conflicted opinions that the countries from which the offenders came from had. The hijackers who commandeered the planes were from a different country with very different rules and mores. When these hijackers decided to fly into the World Trade Centers and The Pentagon and potentially kill thousands of people, it would be understood that had they survived, they would be tried on American soil under American laws. Logically, the co-conspirators of the attacks as well as the heads of the organizations which supported them should be subjected to the same responses. In the article titled â€Å"Ashcroft soothes Europe’s Death Penalty Objections,† Lofti Raissi and Zacarias Moussaoui discuss other countries concerns as to whether or not their citizens will face the death penalty. Reporters asked Ashcroft whether he was willing to give a guarantee that terrorist suspects who were extradited to the U.S. would not face capital punishment, but he concluded that it is a case-by-case decision. The article further states that European countries have abolished the death penalty and will not extradite suspects who face the death penalty in another country (Johnson 1). I believe it is every country’s right to vote and draft a law deciding whether of not it should allow the death penalty, but if one decides that they are going to commit a crime in a country which allows the death penalty, they should recognize that they must face the consequences. Two foreigners who are going through similar proceedings are described in the article. They are Zacarias Moussaoui and Lotfi Raissi. Zacarias is a French citizen who was arrested in the United States and was the first person charged for involvement in the nine-eleven attacks (Johnson 1).

Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart - Internal Conflict Leading to the Do

In Chinua Achebe’s 19th century Nigerian novel Things Fall Apart, the Ibo culture has internal problems, which ultimately cause of the downfall of the clan. These problems include a poor social system, superstitious beliefs, and a lack of suitable decision-making. These few problems are essential. One of the flaws inside the Ibo culture that eventually leads to their downfall is the social system. The weaker people join the church as a way to gain acceptance. The osu, or outcasts who lived in the Ibo culture want to feel accepted and as a result, follow the Christians. â€Å"The two outcasts shaved off their hair, and soon they were the strongest adherents of the new faith† (157). These two outcasts never have the feeling of being a part of the clan. The church welcomes them. The osu cannot cut their hair, marry, or receive a title in the clan. They are â€Å"cast out like lepers† (157). The church welcomes the osu and treats them like human beings. This is where the Ibo social system is at fault. An ideal job is to be a farmer and since not everyone can afford seeds and a barn...

The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Four

Meredith tilted an ironic glance at Matt. â€Å"Hmm,† she said. â€Å"Now, who do you think Elena would call in time of trouble?† Bonnie's grin gave way to a twinge of guilt at Matt's expression. It wasn't fair to tease him about this. â€Å"Elena said that the killer is too strong for us and that's why we need help,† she told Matt. â€Å"And I can think of only one person Elena knows who could fight off a psychic killer.† Slowly, Matt nodded. Bonnie couldn't tell what he was feeling. He and Stefan had been best friends once, even after Elena had chosen Stefan over Matt. But that had been before Matt found out what Stefan was, and what kind of violence he was capable of. In his rage and grief over Elena's death Stefan had nearly killed Tyler Smallwood and five other guys. Could Matt really forget that? Could he even deal with Stefan coming back to Fell's Church? Matt's square-jawed face gave no sign now, and Meredith was talking again. â€Å"So all we need to do is let some blood and cut some hair. You won't miss a curl or two, will you, Bonnie?† Bonnie was so abstracted that she almost missed this. Then she shook her head. â€Å"No, no, no. It isn't our blood and hair we need. We need it from the person we want to summon.† â€Å"What? But that's ridiculous. If we had Stefan's blood and hair we wouldn't need to summon him, would we?† â€Å"I didn't think of that,† Bonnie admitted. â€Å"Usually with a summoning spell you get the stuff beforehand and use it when you want to call a person back. What are we going to do, Meredith? It's impossible.† Meredith's brows were drawn together. â€Å"Why would Elena ask it if it were impossible?† â€Å"Elena asked lots of impossible things,† Bonnie said darkly. â€Å"Don't look like that, Matt; you know she did. She wasn't a saint.† â€Å"Maybe, but this one isn't impossible,† Matt said. â€Å"I can think of one place where Stefan's blood has got to be, and if we're lucky some of his hair, too. In the crypt.† Bonnie flinched, but Meredith simply nodded. â€Å"Of course,† she said. â€Å"While Stefan was tied up there, he must have bled all over the place. And in that kind of fight he might have lost some hair. If only everything down there has been left undisturbed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I don't think anybody's been down there since Elena died,† Matt said. â€Å"The police investigated and then left it. But there's only one way to find out.† I was wrong, Bonnie thought. I was worrying about whether Matt could deal with Stefan coming back, and here he is doing everything he can to help us summon him. â€Å"Matt, I could kiss you!† she said. â€Å"All the girls say that,† he replied calmly at last, with a shrug of mock resignation. It was as close as he'd gotten to lightheartedness all day. Meredith, however, was serious. â€Å"Let's go. We've got a lot to do, and the last thing we want is to get stuck in the crypt after dark.† The crypt was beneath the ruined church that stood on a hill in the cemetery. It's only late afternoon, plenty of light left, Bonnie kept telling herself as they walked up the hill, but goose-flesh broke out on her arms anyway. The modern cemetery on one side was bad enough, but the old graveyard on the other side was downright spooky even in daylight. There were so many crumbling headstones tilting crazily in the overgrown grass, representing so many young men killed in the Civil War. You didn't have to be psychic to feel their presence. â€Å"Unquiet spirits,† she muttered. â€Å"Hmm?† said Meredith as she stepped over the pile of rubble that was one wall of the ruined church. â€Å"Look, the lid of the tomb's still off. That's good news; I don't think we would have been able to lift it.† Bonnie's eyes lingered wistfully on the white marble statues carved on the displaced lid. Hon-oria Fell lay there with her husband, hands folded on her breast, looking as gentle and sad as ever. But Bonnie knew there would be no more help from that quarter. Honoria's duties as protector of the town she'd founded were done. Leaving Elena holding the bag, Bonnie thought grimly, looking down into the rectangular hole that led to the crypt. Iron rungs disappeared into darkness. Even with the help of Meredith's flashlight it was hard to climb down into that underground room. Inside, it was dank and silent, the walls faced with polished stone. Bonnie tried not to shiver. â€Å"Look,† said Meredith quietly. Matt had the flashlight trained on the iron gate that separated the anteroom of the crypt from its main chamber. The stone below was stained black with blood in several places. Looking at the puddles and rivulets of dried gore made Bonnie feel dizzy. â€Å"We know Damon was hurt the worst,† Meredith said, moving forward. She sounded calm, but Bonnie could hear the tight control in her voice. â€Å"So he must have been on this side where there's the most blood. Stefan said Elena was in the center. That means Stefan himself must have been†¦ here.† She bent down. â€Å"I'll do it,† Matt said gruffly. â€Å"You hold the light.† With a plastic picnic knife from Meredith's car he scraped at the encrusted stone. Bonnie swallowed, glad she'd had only tea for lunch. Blood was all right in the abstract, but when you were actually confronted with so much of it-especially when it was the blood of a friend who'd been tortured†¦ And then, thought Bonnie, she faked her own death to get Stefan and Damon to stop fighting over her. But it didn't work. They hated each other more than ever, and she hated both of them for that. She'd gone back to the vampire who made her, and over the years she'd turned as evil as he was. Until at last all she wanted to do was destroy the brothers she had once loved. She'd lured them both to Fell's Church to kill them, and this room was where she'd almost succeeded in doing it. Elena had died stopping her. â€Å"There,† Matt said, and Bonnie blinked and came back to herself. Matt was standing with a paper napkin that now held flakes of Stefan's blood in its folds. â€Å"Now the hair,† he said. They swept the floor with their fingers, finding dust and bits of leaves and fragments of things Bonnie didn't want to identify. Among the detritus were long strands of pale gold hair. Elena's-or Katherine's, Bonnie thought. They had looked much alike. There were also shorter strands of dark hair, crisp with a slight wave. Stefan's. It was slow, finicky work sorting through it all and putting the right hairs in another napkin. Matt did most of it. When they were through, they were all tired and the light sifting down through the rectangular opening in the ceiling was dim blue. But Meredith smiled tigerishly. â€Å"We've got it,† she said. â€Å"Tyler wants Stefan back; well, we'll give him Stefan back.† And Bonnie, who had been only half paying attention to what she was doing, still lost in her own thoughts, froze. She'd been thinking about other things entirely, nothing to do with Tyler, but at the mention of his name something had winked on in her mind. Something she'd realized in the parking lot and then forgotten afterward in the heat of arguing. Meredith's words had triggered it and now it was suddenly all clear again. How had he known! she wondered, heart racing. â€Å"Bonnie? What's the matter?† â€Å"Meredith,† she said softly, â€Å"did you tell the police specifically that we were in the living room when everything was going on upstairs with Sue?† â€Å"No, I think I just said we were downstairs. Why?† â€Å"Bonnie, if you're trying to suggest Tyler was the murderer, it just won't wash. He's not smart enough to organize a killing spree, for one thing,† Meredith said. â€Å"But there's something else. Meredith, last year at the Junior Prom, Tyler touched me on my bare shoulder. I'll never forget it. His hand was big, and meaty, and hot, and damp.† Bonnie shivered at the recollection. â€Å"Just like the hand that grabbed me last night.† But Meredith was shaking her head, and even Matt looked unconvinced. â€Å"Elena's sure wasting her time asking us to bring back Stefan, then,† he said. â€Å"I could take care of Tyler with a couple of right hooks.† â€Å"Think about it, Bonnie,† Meredith added. â€Å"Does Tyler have the psychic power to move a Ouija board or come into your dreams? Does he?† He didn't. Psychically speaking, Tyler was as much a dud as Caroline. Bonnie couldn't deny it. But she couldn't deny her intuition, either. It didn't make sense, but she still felt Tyler had been in the house last night. â€Å"We'd better get moving,† Meredith said. â€Å"It's dark, and your father's going to be furious.† They were all silent on the ride home. Bonnie was still thinking about Tyler. Once at her house they smuggled the napkins upstairs and began looking through Bonnie's books on Druids and Celtic magic. Ever since she'd discovered that she was descended from the ancient race of magic workers, Bonnie had been interested in the Druids. And in one of the books she found a ritual for a summoning spell. â€Å"We need to buy candles,† she said. â€Å"And pure water-better get some bottled,† she said to Meredith. â€Å"And chalk to draw a circle on the floor, and something to make a small fire in. I can find those in the house. There's no hurry; the spell has to be done at midnight.† Midnight was a long time coming. Meredith bought the necessary items at a grocery store and brought them back. They ate dinner with Bonnie's family, though no one had much of an appetite. By eleven o'clock Bonnie had the circle drawn on the hardwood floor of her bedroom and all the other ingredients on a low bench inside the circle. On the stroke of twelve she started. With Matt and Meredith watching, she made a small fire in an earthenware bowl. Three candles were burning behind the bowl; she stuck a pin halfway down the one in the center. Then she unfolded a napkin and carefully stirred the dried flakes of blood into a wineglass of water. It turned rusty pink. She opened the other napkin. Three pinches of dark hair went into the fire, sizzling with a terrible smell. Then three drops of the stained water, hissing. Swift on the heel thou comest, Thrice summoned by my spell, Thrice troubled by my burning. Come to me without delay. She read the words aloud slowly, three times. Then she sat back on her heels. The fire went on burning smokily. The candle flames danced. â€Å"And now what?† Matt said. â€Å"I don't know. It just says wait for the middle candle to burn down to the pin.† â€Å"And what then?† â€Å"I guess we'll find out when it happens.† In Florence, it was dawn. Stefan watched the girl move down the stairway, one hand resting lightly on the banister to keep her balance. Her movements were slow and slightly dreamlike, as if she were floating. Suddenly, she swayed and clutched at the banister more tightly. Stefan moved quickly behind her and put a hand under her elbow. â€Å"Are you all right?† She looked up at him with the same dreaminess. She was very pretty. Her expensive clothes were the latest fashion and her stylishly disarrayed hair was blond. A tourist. He knew she was American before she spoke. â€Å"Yes†¦ I think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her brown eyes were unfocused. â€Å"Do you have a way to get home? Where are you staying?† â€Å"On Via dei Conti, near the Medici chapel. I'm with the Gonzaga in Florence program.† Damn! Not a tourist, then; a student. And that meant she'd be carrying this story back with her, telling her classmates about the handsome Italian guy she'd met last night. The one with night-dark eyes. The one who took her back to his exclusive place on Via Tornabuoni and wined her and dined her and then, in the moonlight, maybe, in his room or out in the enclosed courtyard, leaned close to look into her eyes and†¦ Stefan's gaze slid away from the girl's throat with its two reddened puncture wounds. He'd seen marks like that so often-how could they still have the power to disturb him? But they did; they sickened him and set a slow burning in his gut. â€Å"What's your name?† â€Å"Rachael. With an a.† She spelled it. â€Å"All right, Rachael. Look at me. You will go back to your pensione and you won't remember anything about last night. You don't know where you went or who you saw. And you've never seen me before, either. Repeat.† â€Å"Good. Do you have money to get back? Here.† Stefan pulled a fistful of crumpled lire-mostly 50,000 and 100,000 notes-out of his pocket and led her outside. When she was safely in a cab, he went back inside and made straight for Damon's bedroom. Damon was lounging near the window, peeling an orange, not even dressed yet. He looked up, annoyed, as Stefan entered. â€Å"It's customary to knock,† he said. â€Å"Where'd you meet her?† said Stefan. And then, when Damon turned a blank stare on him, he added, â€Å"That girl. Rachael.† â€Å"Was that her name? I don't think I bothered to ask. At Bar Gilli. Or perhaps it was Bar Mario. Why?† Stefan struggled to contain his anger. â€Å"That's not the only thing you didn't bother to do. You didn't bother to influence her to forget you, either. Do you want to get caught, Damon?† Damon's lips curved in a smile and he twisted off a curlicue of orange peel. â€Å"I am never caught, little brother,† he said. â€Å"So what are you going to do when they come after you? When somebody realizes, ‘My God, there's a bloodsucking monster on Via Tornabuoni'? Kill them all? Wait until they break down the front door and then melt away into darkness?† Damon met his gaze directly, challengingly, that faint smile still clinging about his lips. â€Å"Why not?† he said. â€Å"Damn you!† said Stefan. â€Å"Listen to me, Damon. This has got to stop.† â€Å"I'm touched at your concern for my safety.† â€Å"It isn't fair, Damon. To take an unwilling girl like that-â€Å" â€Å"Oh, she was willing, brother. She was very, very willing.† â€Å"Did you tell her what you were going to do? Did you warn her about the consequences of exchanging blood with a vampire? The nightmares, the psychic visions? Was she willing for that?† Damon clearly wasn't going to reply, so he went on. â€Å"You know it's wrong.† â€Å"As a matter of fact, I do.† With that, Damon gave one of his sudden, unnerving smiles, turning it on and off instantly. Damon tossed away the orange. His tone was silky, persuasive. â€Å"Little brother, the world is full of what you call ‘wrong,' † he said. â€Å"Why not relax and join the winning side? It's much more fun, I assure you.† Stefan felt himself go hot with anger. â€Å"How can you even say that?† he flashed back. â€Å"Didn't you learn anything from Katherine? She chose ‘the winning side.' â€Å" â€Å"Katherine died too quickly,† said Damon. He was smiling again, but his eyes were cold. â€Å"And now all you can think about is revenge.† Looking at his brother, Stefan felt a crushing weight settle on his own chest. â€Å"That and your own pleasure,† he said. â€Å"What else is there? Pleasure is the only reality, little brother-pleasure and power. And you're a hunter by nature, just as much as I am,† Damon said. He added, â€Å"I don't remember inviting you to come to Florence with me, anyway. Since you're not enjoying yourself, why don't you just leave?† The weight in Stefan's chest tightened suddenly, unbearably, but his gaze, locked with Damon's, did not waver. â€Å"You know why,† he said quietly. And at last he had the satisfaction of seeing Damon's eyes drop. Stefan himself could hear Elena's words in his mind. She'd been dying then, and her voice had been weak, but he'd heard her clearly. You have to take care of each other. Stefan, will you promise? Promise to take care of each other? And he had promised, and he would keep his word. No matter what. â€Å"You know why I don't leave,† he said again to Damon, who wouldn't look at him. â€Å"You can pretend you don't care. You can fool the whole world. But I know differently.† It would have been kindest at this point to leave Damon alone, but Stefan wasn't in a kind mood. â€Å"You know that girl you picked up, Rachael?† he added. â€Å"The hair was all right, but her eyes were the wrong color. Elena's eyes were blue.† With that he turned, meaning to leave Damon here to think it over-if Damon would do anything so constructive, of course. But he never made it to the door. â€Å"It's there!† said Meredith sharply, her eyes on the candle flame and the pin. Bonnie sucked in her breath. Something was opening in front of her like a silver thread, a silver tunnel of communication. She was rushing along it, with no way to stop herself or check her speed. Oh, God, she thought, when I reach the end and hit – The flash in Stefan's head was soundless, lightless, and powerful as a thunderclap. At the same time he felt a violent, wrenching tug. An urge to follow- something. This was not like Katherine's sly subliminal nudging to go somewhere; this was a psychic shout. A command that could not be disobeyed. Inside the flash he sensed a presence, but he could scarcely believe who it was. this was a psychic shout. A command that could not be disobeyed. Inside the flash he sensed a presence, but he could scarcely believe who it was. Stefan! It's you! It worked! Bonnie, what have you done? Elena told me to. Honestly, Stefan, she did. We're in trouble and we need- And that was it. The communication collapsed, caving in on itself, dwindling to a pinpoint. It was gone, and in its aftermath the room vibrated with Power. Stefan and his brother were left staring at each other. Bonnie let out a long breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and opened her eyes, though she didn't remember closing them. She was lying on her back. Matt and Meredith were crouched over her, looking alarmed. â€Å"What happened? Did it work?† Meredith demanded. â€Å"It worked.† She let them help her up. â€Å"I made contact with Stefan. I talked to him. Now all we can do is wait and see if he's coming or not.† â€Å"Did you mention Elena?† Matt asked. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Then he's coming.†