Any topics is fine, as long as connected to microeconomic theories Term Paper

Any topics is fine, as long as connected to microeconomic theories - Term Paper Example Therefore, drawing on a variety of sources the paper will discuss how a decrease in price caused by an increase in the number of supplier shifts the supply curve to the right based on an article on oil prices reduction. Supply is the amount of goods manufacturers or suppliers are willing to sell at a certain price (Colander, 2008). The law of supply says that the higher the price of a product, the more the quantity suppliers or firms will be willing to produce and sell (Hall & Lieberman, 2012). Supply is usually plotted as a supply curve demonstrating the link between price and the amount of products producers are ready to bring to the market and sell. As a result, it slopes from left to right. There are various factors that affect supply, First is the technology used to produce the good. If a firm uses advanced technologies to produce the product, more products will be manufactured increasing supply. Secondly is the price of the product. There is a proportional relationship between price and supply. If the price of a commodity increases, it will result in a proportionate increase in the quantities supplied. Third is the number of firms. When the number of manufacturers increases, there are more suppliers in the market leading to a drop in the price of the commodities supplied. Next is the price of alternative goods (Varian, 2009). When the price of an alternative good rises, the manufacturers find it profitable increasing production. Fifth are the future expectations of the producers. When the producers are looking forward to an increase in price in the future, they can increase their production so as to earn more profits in the future (Perloff, 2007). Consequently, the s upply increases. Sixth is the price of inputs also affect supply. Goodwin, Nelson, Ackerman, and Weissskopf (2009) observe that an increase in the price of land, labor, and raw materials

Annotated Bibliography Essay Example for Free

Annotated Bibliography Essay An Annotated Bibliography: Stereotypes in Advertising August, Eugene R. Real Men Dont: Anti-Male Bias in the English Language. The University of Dayton Review Spring (1986): 336-347. Web. In Real Men Dont: Anti-Male Bias in the English Language, Eugene August states that men have been victims of negative bias equally if not more than women through gender restrictive language, which limits the roles men have, gender exclusive language, which excludes men from any type of consideration, and negative male stereotypes. Throughout the article August gives examples of ways in which males ave been forced to fit a certain role and if deviated from, they would be criticized and ultimately excluded from that party they were formerly attached to as an example of gender restrictive language. I agree with August in his arguments, but I would be a little more generous when finding victims on this subject. Women have been made victims Just as long, if not longer than men have. I feel as if the male community is lashing out against the women, almost I a way on giving then a taste of their own medicine. Yet in reality I shouldnt be structured as a war of the sexes, but ather an attempt on the part of all sexes, to acknowledge and condemn gender stereotypes. Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. 1972. London, Penguin, 1990. In the book, Ways of Seeing Ch. 7, John Berger tells us that the role of publicity has evolved from oil paintings. Publicity images draw on the visual language of oil paintings, but their purpose is to manufacture glamour. This is due to the fact that the spectator-buyer is always changing, publicity aims to sell us something, and in order to do this it must make the spectator-buyer appear incomplete to his or herself. It must make us think we are in need of something more. The more, is a dream that is created from the spectator-buyer, using the mystique and lure from what publicity has given them of how they can become more derisible, by imposing a false standard of what and what is not desirable. I have a similar opinion to that of Berger. I feel that publicity is not natural, but the product of a culture that defines an individual by what they possess. This idea of identity has been prostituted to a culture that tells an individual that they are no one if they do not buy the life publicized. The interesting point that Berger makes is that publicity never paints the full picture for the consumer. It only provides the tools and a canvas for which to paint. Publicity allows the spectator-buyer, to paint for his or herself of what he or she could be. It is not obscence to suggest that this has become the lifeblood of our publicity promise of transformation. Fowles, Jib. Advertisings 15 Basic Appeals. Mass Advertising as Social Forecast. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 1976. (16-27). Print. In the article, advertisings 15 Basic Appeals written by Jib Fowles, we learn that dvertisements make an attempt to reach out to one or more of our 15 basic emotions as outlined by Fowles. These are the fifteen basic emotional appeals that we as humans need, and if crafted correctly, might result in us engaging in the advertised product. As we learn of these essential needs, we learn that advertisements are not so thoughtless as we may have previously assumed. We learn that it is an art. The emotional appeals made in these advertisements act as the thin end on a wedge, when driven in to our conscious it then allows for the true message o flow in without almost any defense, thus accomplishing its purpose. I completely agree with the claim that Fowles made in his article. Advertisers seek to highlight and ultimately tap into our emotions to use them to persuade us into using the given product. One such emotion that is highlighted is the need for affiliation. Despite the fact that recent statistics have shown that people are doing things on their own more than ever before, the majority of advertisements are linked to this basic and fundamental emotion. This is because, Just as we as a people have an inner desire to chieve things on our own, we also need Just as much if not more than our independence, people to share in our achievements. Fowles does a great Job in highlighting this fact as well as many others in his article based on our 15 basic emotions. Kilbourne, Jean. Bath Tissue Is Like Marriage: The Corruption of Relationships. Cant Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel. New York: Touchstone, 1999. (76-94). Print. In the article, Bath Tissue Is Like Marriage: The Corruption of Relationships, Jean Kilbourne speaks out about how advertisements sink into our deepest needs for love and nurturing, and transfer them onto any given product. In order to accomplish this, advertisers must be able to capture our attention with something that the consumer yearns for, and then make the underlying message about how their product will achieve this goal. We learn that the roles of an advertiser not to care about the potential buyer, but to make the consumer feel as if they are loved. When an advertisement is able to lull us into a false sense of security, then it has ccomplished its Job. Kilbourne concludes with exposing that advertising has come to the point of promising that a product can deliver that which can only be given given by Kilbourne. In her article she sates that that advertisements exist to exploit or very real and inner human desires. As we look at advertisement in any medium, we find out that until we have associated ourselves with a certain product or brand, we are not enough. Whether it be ads replacing human relationships, men dominating women, or even that one cell phone is superior to another, all tug at the need to be n top, and without these products we are found wanting. But the hang up with the promise of accomplishment from a product is that it only last as long as the ads. Every time we turn on the television or the radio, we are exposed to hundreds of ads that dissect everything that is human about us and assigns a product to it. We shall ever be found wanting in the eyes in the world, the only escape is for us to search for what truly matters and stick to it. Wall, David. It Is And It Isnt: Stereotypes, Advertising And Narrative. Journal Of Popular Culture 41. (2008): 1033-1050. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Sept. 2013. In the article, It Is And It Isnt: Stereotypes, Advertising And Narrative. by David Wall, is claimed that stereotypes in advertising are still being used because they are still a viable way for advertisers to move a product because of familiarity. A point that Wall makes is that consumers see through the stereotype and the false climas made by advertisers, and the advertisers know this. So what the advertiser does is then play on manipulation of the mixed emotions of desire and anxiety. The product then ecomes, by the consumers own doing, the essence of happiness, freedom, and the channel to an altered paradisiacal reality. I agree with the claims made in this article. Interestingly enough Wall makes the accusation stereotypes will tell us much more about those doing the representing than those being represented(1037). This is interesting because in the rest of the article Wall discusses the fact of stereotyping and the reasons behind it, political, historical, cultural, and so on. But he never really comes back to his very strong comment. I would go a step further with this remark nd say that not only do stereotypes in advertisements reflect what the presenters think about different situation, but what the presenter believes the viewer-consumer believes about different situations. For the viewer not to be overly effected by the stereotypes they are exposed to, they need to learn, what Wall calls the language of analysis. Which is to allow those whom are targeted to see beyond smoke and mirrors of it all and understand stereotype as a form of cultural advertisement for the self that is inseparable from the wider cultural narratives that create it(1049).

Russian and Chechnyan conflict Essay -- essays research papers

Conflicts in a country occur everywhere in the world. Russia and Chechnya's conflict is one example.There were many reasons and factors that led this conflict to grow into a war. Both Russia and Chechnya had different goals and interests that they tried to achieve. This led them to oppose one another and see eachother as enemies. The following is a full analysis of the conflict, which explains the background factors, which contributed to it. The Chechnya- Russia conflict, can be more understood by looking to the past. The historical background is needed to display the whole picture of the war. The area in the southern Russia was called the Caucasus region. Many non-Russian ethnic groups lived there. It all began when the czars started a 300-year attempt to conquer the Northern Caucasus in 1560. They failed to take over Chechnya and other areas of the Caucasus because the Ottoman Empire had conquered them. The Chechens converted to Islam when they became under the Ottomans rule. Russia still did not give up. It made stronger attempts to invade the area and finally forced the withdrawal of the Ottomans by 1785.After winning the Caucasian War, the Russian government pressured many people to leave from Chechnya to different Muslim countries of the Middle East. In 1877,1920,and 1929 the Chechens made unsuccessful rebellion attempts against the czars and later Soviet powers. Their main goal behind this was to resist unification, anti-religion campaigns, and Russification. B...

Flannery O’Connor’s Short Story A Good Man is Hard to Find Essay

Flannery O’Connor’s Short Story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† Flannery O’Connor’s personal views on the justification of religion and the resulting world or corruption and depravity are apparent in her short story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†. She analyzes the basic plight of human existence and its conflict with religious conviction. The first two-thirds of the narrative set the stage for the grandmother, representing traditional Christian beliefs, to collide with The Misfit, representing modern scientific beliefs. The core of symbolism and the magnet for interpretation is at the end, the conversation between the grandmother and The Misfit. The conversation represents the examination of the clash between animal and metaphysical human nature and the Misfit is the literary depiction of the outcome of that clash. The grandmother is based on conventional Southern women. She dresses in her Sunday best so that noone would be mistaken as to her status as a lady, an issue at the heart of every true Southern woman. She related stories of old mansions and of the little ‘pickaninny’ by a door. This was not a racial comment because for it to be there would have to be an intent to insult an African American and there was not. This was written to further convey the notion of her embodying all the true characteristics of Southern women, including their adherence to devout Christianity. The Misfit exemplifies the cold, contemporary world. In the conversation The Misfit’s declar...

Individual Development Plan Essay

Life is a never-ending learning experience. One of the most important lessons we can ever learn from comes from within. As we go through life, it is essential that we learn who we are, and have the ability to recognize and grow from our own personal strengths and weaknesses. Knowing what we are good at and what we are weak in is the only way we can truly grow as individuals. This knowledge helps us to accomplish the goals we set for ourselves in life. Through taking these personal inventory tests of my strengths and weaknesses, I have determined what I need to do not only to better understand who I am, but how to improve my life. All my life, I’ve been known to be serious, dutiful, and reserved. My parents instilled a great deal of order and structure upon us so that if they happen to not be around we would know what to do. Coming from a family of four girls, me being the 2nd to the oldest, I had to be a good role model for my other sisters. While my parents worked, my older sister and I were responsible to watch the younger sisters, do choirs and then homework. Coming home from school, I always made sure that all these things expected of me is accomplished before I go out to play. We used to live in a big apartment complex with maybe 150 units so there were many kids around the neighborhood to play with. Our most favorite activity is to ride our bikes around the complex, racing at times, but most of the time just riding, talking and joking around. I was always a little older than most of the kids, but they loved hanging around with me because I always took care of them and made sure that know one dared them into doing something they couldn’t do. As a teenager, I was pretty down to earth. Being the responsible and thoughtful person that I am, I always try to do the appropriate thing at the appropriate time. I felt that each person should earn one’s keep and got a part time job to help the family out. More like so that I wouldn’t have to ask for money from my parents. They should only be responsible for the livelihood of the family. I often spent the money I made on practical things  that I needed instead of fashion like most of my friends. A person should be responsible for their own destiny instead of being totally dependent on someone for survival. At the age of sixteen, I started my first semester in college. This was the right path for me and the one that I’ve been planning for. My motivation to go and complete my college education, stemmed from the fact I will be the first person in my family tree to be educated and being able to accomplish a goal. Failure was not an option and was never able to understand why so many people decide to drop out. Being a freshman, I really didn’t know what I wanted to study. I knew that majors such as liberal arts would not be something I would chose because I felt they are not practical. What will I learn from it and what job will I do using those skills? So I chose biology. Within two years, I discovered this was not for me either because science never posed concrete answers to questions. There are specific steps you need to take to acquire an answer but the answers can be different when controls are moved around or changed. Business management was my next choice because the concepts were practical and useful. After taking all the self-assessment tests on personality styles, I’ve determined that the term ‘personality style’ generally means the ways in which one is most comfortable when reacting to different situations. I also discovered that while controversy surrounds the theories of personality style assessments, the practice of self-assessment with the intent of greater self-awareness can be helpful in maximizing my ability to understand what is really important to me and the traits which will impact my likeliness to succeed or fail at various careers. If we have a good understanding of our self we can make the most of natural strengths and build on skills in areas in which we are less confident. In order to fully assess my strengths, I first determined the areas that I am most competent in. I generally consider myself to be a well organized individual. Everyday, I prioritize my daily activities by reviewing my never  ending â€Å"to do† list. I am particularly strong and careful in keeping track of facts and details. At work, my job is to plan all the activities of the operations department and report on the activities of the engineering development to upper management. Therefore being systematic, thorough and sincere is important to accomplishing any task that I do. Hardworking and dependable is how most people describe me. Given any assignment, I will get the job done or completed on schedule. When a shipment date has been committed to the customer, I will make sure that the order gets shipped to the right place at the right time. I will often take on extra responsibilities in order to maintain what I think is important. Like the Lemuel Green case presented in class, my motivation is the feeling of existence within an organization. I need to feel that what I do is important to both the company and the people I work with. I consider myself a team player. I often provide assistance to fellow employees when they are in a bind. I am appreciated by my peers for always lending a helping hand when needed. I take pleasure in offering my skills, suggestions or perspective to my co-workers when I think it would be useful to them. According to the five factor theory, I rank highest at being conscientious and lowest at being extraverted. In between are emotional stability, agreeableness and openness to experience. I think this is also right about my personality because I tend to be very aware of my surroundings which allows for flexibility when adapting to any type of environmental or situational change. I’m also emotionally stable, can easily be approached, and always open for different experiences. This is important because Another method I used for assessing personality style is the widely known and recognized, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a test â€Å"derived from psychologist Carl Jung’s theory on psychological types† (Robbins, 2001). According to this test, I am an introvert, sensing, thinking, judgment or ISTJ. For each of the words or letters that I identify most strongly with, is an opposite trait that I have less association with. For example, I am definitely much more of an introvert than an extrovert, as evidenced in quiet and reserved  personality. I am also more of a sensor that an intuitor, because intuitors love ideas, broad concepts and meanings, whereas sensors focus on facts and details. I consider myself more of a thinker than a feeler, because I value critical and logical thinking over doing what I feel is right. And lastly, I see myself as being more a judger than perceiver because like judgers, I believe truth wins out over tact. Within each of my strengths lies a weakness. One of my most noticeable and possibly destructive weaknesses is overlooking the long-range implications of the actions I choose to take. I tend to get really excited about a task at hand and find myself half way through that I should have taken a step back, thought about it, and then take action. This can affect my performance and the ability to complete tasks efficiently and on schedule in this results-driven world. As described earlier, I am able to work well within organizational structures, however there are a few things I need to work on in terms of team dynamics. I am not very personable. When meeting with teams or people, I often focus on the purpose at hand. I seldom take the time to know people and often run the danger of inappropriately passing judgment on them. Also in relation to working in teams is my tendency to expect everyone to be as logical and analytical as I am. This is an unreasonable expectation because people are different and I should look at it as an opportunity to learn new insights and ideas. Another significant weakness for me is the inability to express myself creatively whether it is written or verbal. I have a realistic respect for facts and am extremely dependent on it when performing daily tasks. I don’t feel like I rebuff creativity, I tend not to pay much attention to it. When thinking or speaking I try to focus only on reaching my point. I usually a have a solid perception of the concepts or purpose but often run into problems when trying to build a framework that links all the parts together creatively. Whether it is Myers-Briggs or the five factor model, these methodologies all  showed me that I have several strengths, which I have used throughout my life. The fact that I’m realistic, systematic and organize enables me to work well within any organizational structure. I am very thorough, hard working, and careful with particulars and procedures. My practical judgment and valuing of procedure makes me consistent and conservative. I need to assemble all the necessary facts in order to support my evaluations and decisions.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Consumer Law Consumer protection laws are normally designed to make sure that fair competition exists and that truthful information is available in the marketplace. They are formed by the government to guarantee the rights of consumers. Such laws are always established to prevent businesses from engaging in fraud and other specified unfair practices which allows them to gain advantage over competitors in the market (Boya 1987, 279).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Australian Competition and Consumer Commission specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They are also designed to protect the weak and who are not able to take care of themselves (Department of Trade and Industry 2006, 3). The Australian Consumer Law is mostly derived from the provisions that had been previously provided in the Trade Practices Act of 1974 (Australasian Legal Information Institute2011). The Commonwealth Competition and Consumer Act of 2010 which bec ame operational in January 2011 replaced the 20 different consumer laws which had existed in the various territories and states within Australia. The Australian government aims to ensure fair trading legislation and consumer protection across all the jurisdictions in the country (Kelly 2010). The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) as well as the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) are charged with the responsibility of enforcing the Australian Consumer Law (Consumer Affairs Victoria, 2007(a)). They are considered to be a sovereign power in Australia. When considering whether o not to begin enforcement action against a trader the provisions of the Trade Practices Act of 1974, the enforcement body has to consider instances of unfair trade practices or contract terms as provided for in the Act (Consumer Affairs Victoria 2007(b), 3). Defining goods and services The enforcement body which may be the national or the local enforcement body has to consi der whether or not the good or service in question is covered under the regulated goods and services in line with the Australian Consumer Law. According to the Commonwealth Competition and Consumer Act of 2010, a person is accorded the right to file for a complaint if he or she had obtained service(s) or good(s) as a consumer provided that the sum paid (payable) for the service(s) or good(s) is below $40,000 or as laid down in the agreement (Brody 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on consumer law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One is also taken to be a consumer if the good(s) or service(s) obtained are generally for consumption, personal or domestic use. Finally, one is considered to be a consumer if the good(s) comprise a vehicle or trailer that had been obtained primarily for use in the transportation of goods on public roads. Establishing whether the person is a consumer A consumer in this case is a person who obtains a good or service for the purpose of ownership or direct consumption, but not for other reasons such as resale, further manufacturing or production. On the other hand, according to the Act, a person is not considered to be a consumer if he or she obtained in order to re-supply. In addition, any person who acquires good(s) for the purpose of transforming it/them or for use in trade is not considered as a consumer (Averitt Lande 1997, 713). Transformation may mean production or manufacture process. Transforming could also mean repairing or treating some other good(s) or fixture on land. Thus, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has to establish that the person is a consumer before it enforces any proceeding. It has to determine whether according to the terms of the contract, the good(s) or service acquired was for direct consumption, was below $ 40,000 or if it is a vehicle, then its purpose was for doing transportation along public roads. This helps to determ ine whether the person is a consumer or not. However, the commission cannot enforce any proceedings in case the contract in question was an insurance cover or policy (Gans 2005, 40). According to Brody (2011) insurance contracts are exempted from the relief under the Australian Consumer laws. The Australian Commission Laws part 3, section 2 exempts some gas, electricity and telecommunication services from coverage (Brody 2010). These are covered by the Electricity Act of 2000 Gas Industry Act of 2001. General Protections Determining deceptive and misleading conducts The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission also has to establish whether or not the trader was engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct. Section 18 of the Australian Consumer Laws prohibits a business person or company involved in trade or commerce from engaging in any misleading or deceptive act (Consumer Action Law Centre 2008, 18).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Australian Competit ion and Consumer Commission specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although misleading and deceptive acts have not been defined in this Act or in other Acts that apply the same provisions, the general meaning is any conduct or act that comprises misrepresentation of any kind. The commission not only establishes that the business person, corporation or organization had set to deceive or mislead the consumer/buyer, but also investigates whether the person, business or corporation could have engaged in deceptive or misleading acts despite having acted reasonably or honestly (O’Shea Rickett 2006, 139). Since the deceptive and misleading conducts have not been defined by the courts, an objective test has to be conducted by the court or tribunal. This is done to come to a decision on whether the act was deceptive or misleading. This court or tribunal has to decide whether the action or behavior was likely to deceive or mislead the general public or a specific group of people whom the conduct was targeted at. The commission and the tribunal/court may consider silence as act of deceit or misleading conduct in certain circumstances. For example, the tribunal or court may hold that failure to disclose information to the general public or certain demographic population was misleading if it was deliberately withheld for the benefit of the trader or corporation. Establishing misrepresentations The Competition and Consumer Commission may also open up a case against a person or trader who makes unfounded claims about the future. The Commonwealth Competition and Consumer Act of 2010 prohibit any act of misrepresentation regarding future matters (Brody 2010). According to the Fair Trading Act of 1999, any person who makes claims regarding the future must provide reasonable basis for doing so; otherwise, it is considered as misleading (Victoria Consolidated Legislation 2011). This means that before the commission institutes a legal ac tion against such a person or organization, it has to inquire the validity of the source of the claim. It can only commence a legal action against the individual, organization or institution if the information or projection is not likely to mislead or deceive the general public or a section of the public.Advertising Looking for essay on consumer law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Before the commission institutes a legal proceeding against a person, organization or corporation accused of deceptive and misleading act based on exclusion clause, the commission, tribunal or court has to investigate and find out whether the allegations made express disclaimer, and exclude liability on the person or organization for making deceptive and misleading statements in the particular advertisement. If an advertisement which contains the disclaimer is found not to have originated from the trader or company, then the person or organization is not liable for the misleading information found in the advertisement. However, if claims are made against a person or organization concerning disclaimers which do not prevent the act from being deceptive or misleading, then legal proceedings are instituted for communicating misleading information to prospective customers (Brody 2010). The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission does not initiate an enforcement action against a tr ader if it is found out that the trader had engaged in puffery. Puffery is defined in the Australian Consumer Laws as claims which could be exaggerated or are enthusiastically expressed in advertisement made by a trader, organization or corporation to promote their products and services, even though it is obvious that what is claimed in the advertisement cannot be taken seriously. The courts have often held that puffery cannot be considered as deceptive or misleading act. A statement is taken as mere puffery if any logical or sound person would not take the message seriously or even consider acting upon it. Brody (2010) presents an example of â€Å"best ever† as among the advertisement sentences which are considered as puffery. This means that the commission has to establish whether the statement used by the trader to make the advertisement constitutes puffery or was misleading and deceptive. It is assumed that consumers have the common sense to judge statements which have be en exaggerated and does not represent the reality. As such, the commission does not enforce any action against a trader who applies such tactics in an advertisement; unless there is other instances in the advertisement which constitute deceptive or misleading conduct (Jenkin Sylvan 2007). The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has to consider whether the provisions of section 29 of the Act have been abused by the person, trader, organization or corporation before instituting a legal proceeding against the accused. Section 29 of the Act prohibits any individual, person or corporation from making false representation concerning various aspects of goods and services (Brody 2010). It is illegal according to the law to make any false representation as regards price, need, quality, standard, value, and desirability (Katy 2002, 277). It is also unlawful to provide false information regarding approval or affiliation of the product, service or company. False assurance on warranty , guarantee and the right to remedy or availability also constitute misrepresentation as defined in section 29 of the Act. The person, organization or corporation making the sales or production is prohibited from lying on the sponsorship details of the product, services or company, performance characteristics as well as uses of benefits that potential customers are to gain from the good(s) or service(s) (Consumer Action Law Centre 2008). Finally, a company or trader is not allowed to provide false information concerning the place of origin, history or the age of the product or that of the company manufacturing the product or providing the service. Section 30 of this Act further prohibits any misrepresentation concerning the sale or award of an interest in land. According to the provisions in the Australian Competition and Consumer Act, a person, organization or company should not make representation about a sponsorship or affiliation to a land that he/she does not own. The section f urther states that a person, organization or company is not allowed to make misleading or false representation as regards the location, price, and the details of interest in land, its characteristics and potential use, as well as, availability of facilities on it. Thus, the commission has to determine whether the allegations made constitute misrepresentation as defined in the Act or not, before instituting legal proceedings against the person or organization. Establishing unconscionable conducts The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has to determine whether the transaction constituted what is defined in the Act or interpreted by the courts as unconscionable conduct. The Act defines two types of acts which are considered as unconscionable. The first type is the unconscionable conduct as provided for in the â€Å"unwritten law† (Brody 2010). The Act prohibits a person, organization or company involved in trade or commerce from engaging in unconscionable conduct as described in the unwritten law. Such dealing may occur when unfair transaction or contract is made with a person with special disability. In that case therefore, the party that takes charge of the transaction or contract is not allowed to take unfair advantage of the disability of the person due to his or her disability or assume the disability situation (Consumer Action Law Centre 2004, 4). The commission institutes a legal proceeding against the trader or company if it is found that transaction or contract is very disadvantageous to the person with the disability. Unconscionable conduct consists of taking advantage of a person because of his or her age, sex, illiteracy, sickness as well as infirmity of mind (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission 2005, 2). Failure to provide explanation or assistance where necessary while making the transaction or contract also constitutes unconscionable conduct as is defined in the unwritten law. The commission also has to determine wheth er the contract or transaction process violates statutory unconscionability. Section 21 of the Act bars anybody or company involved in trade or commerce by supplying of goods or services from providing products or services to person in circumstances which constitute unconscionable conduct (Brody 2010). The commission or court has to establish the bargaining strength of each party involved and find out whether the consumer was made to fully understand the terms of contract or details of the transaction (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission 2009, 17). For the commission or court to begin a legal proceeding against the trader or company, the body also has to find out whether any unfair tactics or unwarranted influence were applied on the consumer (Consumer Affairs Victoria 2006, 15). In some instances, the consumer may be required to comply with the conditions stated by the supplier or trader, but it may not disadvantage the consumer. Thus, the commission or court has to anal yze the instance to be able to conclude whether the process is unconscionable under statutory law or not. In some cases, the product or service could have been acquired from a third party provider meaning that the trader or company may not be responsible for the terms of the dealing. It has to investigate matters leading to the formalization of the contract or transaction. Establishing unfair contract terms Finally, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has to consider whether the terms of the contract or transaction constituted unfair contract terms as defined in the constitution. A contract term is taken to be unfair if it leads to considerable imbalance in the rights of the parties involved in the contract or causes financial or non-financial disadvantage to the consumer involved in the contract (Consumer Affairs Victoria, 2008, 3; Hugh 1999, 73). It may not necessarily protect the legal interests of the company or supplier. Therefore, the commission must establish the transparency of the terms of the contract before instituting a legal proceeding against the trader, supplier or company (Geraint 1997, 257). Generally, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has to consider various factors which include whether the person (complainant) is a consumer or not, whether the good(s) or service(s) in question are covered and the consumer laws or not. After ascertaining that, it can then establish conducts in the contract or transaction process which violate consumer laws before instituting legal proceeding against the trader or company. Specific Protections False or misleading representations about goods or services When selling or advertising products, businesses should not provide misleading or false information that the good in question is of a given value, grade, standard, model, or style. For example, in 1975, Sharp Corporation made the false claim that the Standards of Australia had tested and approved every sharp microwave. According to the court’s decision, this was a false representation and as a result, a fine of $ 100,000 was imposed on Sharp (Australian Consumer Law 2011). Bait advertising A business is said to take part in bait advertising when it rues consumer to buy a certain product by offering an attractive price in full knowledge that the product in question has the likelihood of running out of stock (Australian Consumer Law 2011). In 2005, an investigation of Repco by ACCC revealed that the company had been involved in bait advertising for some products that had run out of stock. Wrongly accepting payment Businesses are prohibited from receiving payment from buyers if they have no intention of supplying them with the products within the specified time. For example, in 1981, World Travel Headquarters received a tour booking to Singapore from a client in the full knowledge that the tour had been changed form a 2-day trip to an overnight trip (Australian Consumer Law 2011). According to the deci sion made by the court, WTH had disobeyed the ban by accepting payment with the intention of supplying the service. Inertia selling Inertia selling involves spontaneously sending goods to an individual after which one coerces the individual to make payment for the goods. Businesses are prohibited from engaging in Inertia selling (Australian Consumer Law 2011). In addition, a person does not have to pay for an unsolicited good. Pyramid schemes This is a form of product distribution scheme in which participants earn a commission or profit once they have sold a product to a buyer. In addition, participants are encouraged to recruit other participants and for their efforts, they earn a commission as well. The more participants one introduces, the larger the commission. Contingent referral selling It involves giving buyers a commission, rebate or other benefits by a business so that the buyer can give the business constant details for other buyers. The ACL does not prohibit referral sell ing (Australian Consumer Law 2011). However, businesses are forbidden from participating in continent referral for later events, like referral for the purchase of products. Consumer transactions ACL intimately controls unwelcome consumer agreements, implying certain guarantee, and enforces certain minimum requirements with regard to the established agreements. Consumer guarantees The ACL endeavors to protect consumers by implying certain guarantees. In the case the consumer is being supplied with goods, the guarantees entails the ownership of the goods shall be passed on to consumers, that the consumer shall posses the goods wholly, and that the quality of such goods is acceptable (Australian Consumer Law 2011). In addition, the consumer should be guaranteed of goods that are in line with their descriptions. Unsolicited consumer agreements This agreement entails the supply of services or goods of approximately $ 100. Such an agreement is unsolicited conducted over the phone outside the business premises and over (Australian Consumer Law 2011). The consumer has also not received any invitation from the seller to negotiate over the supply of the goods or services. Evidence of transactions When a consumer orders for goods or service, he/she is at liberty to obtain evidence of the ensuing transaction. This is mandatory for transactions exceeding $ 75. The consumer can also request for proof of transaction for goods and services below this amount. Safety of consumer goods ACL Part 3-3 is charged with the responsibility of controlling consumer products. Product safety standards The ACL support the establishment of product safety standards. As a result of these standards, businesses are supposed to fulfill certain requirements regarding composition, contents, performance, design, and packaging (Australian Consumer Law 2011). The requirements also take into account testing of consumer goods, as well as the content and form of warning instructions, and markings on cons umer goods. Bans The ACL issues interim bans products and services that may cause injury to consumers. Interim bans should end after 60 days but can be extended (Australian Consumer Law 2011). The ACL prohibits businesses from selling products and services capable of injuring consumers, and which have received a permanent or interim ban. Recalls The ACL can recall goods failing to comply with the established product safety standard and which are capable of causing injury (Australian Consumer Law 2011). Once issues with a notice, businesses are required to recall products at once, and at the same time, inform the public of the defect and potential risk associated with the use of such products and services. Reference List Australian Competition and Consumer Commission 2009, Debt collection practices in Australia: Summary of stakeholder consultation, asic.gov.au/asic/pdflib.nsf/LookupByFileName/REP155-debt-collection-report.pdf/$file/REP155-debt-collection-report.pdf Australian Competi tion and Consumer Commission 2005, Don’t take advantage of disadvantage: A compliance guide for businesses dealing with disadvantaged or vulnerable consumers, accc.gov.au/content/item.phtml?itemId=704340nodeId=a372b4f5e79 c8e75c25a6e22999bfeebfn=BS%20Dont%20take%20advantage%20.pdf Australian Consumer Law 2011, Australian Consumer Law Update, nt.gov.au/justice/consaffairs/documents/Australianconsumerlaw update 4_2011.pdf Australasian Legal Information Institute 2011, Competition and Consumer Act 2010: Schedule 2, austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/caca2010265/sch2.html Averitt, N W Lande, R H 1997, ‘Consumer sovereignty: A unified theory of antitrust and consumer protection law’, Antitrust Law Journal, vol. 65, pp. 713. Boya, U O 1987, ‘Consumer usage of unit pricing’, Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, vol. 13, No. 1, p. 279. Brody, G 2010, Australian consumer law. The Law Handbook, lawhandbook.org.au/handbook/ch12s03s01.php Consume r Action Law Centre 2008,The consumer protection provisions Part V of the Trade Practices Act of 1974: Keeping Australia up to date, consumeraction.org.au/downloads/PtVProjectReport.pdf Consumer Affairs Victoria 2008, Application of unfair contract terms legislation to consumer credit contracts: Consultation paper, consumeraction.org.au/downloads/Submissiononapplicationof unfaircontracttermstocreditcardcontracts.pdf Consumer Affairs Victoria 2007a, Preventing unfair terms in consumer contracts:  Guidelines on unfair terms in consumer contracts, Consumer Affairs Victoria, Melbourne. Consumer Action Law Centre 2007b, Submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Australia’s Consumer Policy Framework, consumeraction.org.au/downloads/ConsumerActionSubmissionto ProductivityCommission22June07Final.pdf Consumer Affairs Victoria 2006,The report of the consumer credit review, consumer.vic.gov.au/ca256902000fe154/lookup/cav_review_submissions3/$file/14cclsandclcvcrreportsub mission.pdf Consumer Affairs Victoria 2004, Discussion paper: What do we mean by vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers?, consumer.vic.gov.au/CA256902000FE154/Lookup/CAV_Publications _Reports_and_Guidelines/$file/vulnerabledisadvantaged.pdf Department of Trade and Industry 2006, Representative actions in consumer protection legislation: Consultation, bis.gov.uk/files/file31886.pdf Gans, J S 2005, ‘Protecting consumers by protecting competition: Does behavioural economics support this contention?’, Competition Consumer Law Journal, vol.13, No. 40. Geraint H 1997, ‘Seeking social justice for poor consumers in credit markets. In Iain Ramsay (ed).Consumer law in the global economy’, National and international dimensions, vol. 257. Hugh, C 1999, Regulating contracts, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Jenkin, M Sylvan, L 2007, Consumers and competition: Makingpolicies that work together. Presentation to the National Consumer Congress, Melbourne 15 March 2007, t reasury.gov.au/ncc/content/congress_proceedings.asp Katy, B 2002, ‘The uneasy position of unjust enrichment after Roxborough v Rothmans’, vol. 277, no. 23. Kelly, J 2010, ‘Shoppers and parents among those to benefit from law changes at midnight’, The Australian, 25 November, theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/shoppers-and-parents-among-those-to-benefit-from-law-changes-at-midnight/story-fn59niix-1225979359030 O’Shea, P Rickett, C 2006, ‘In defence of consumer law: The resolution of consumer disputes’, Sydney Law Review, vol. 28, n. 1, p. 139. Victoria Consolidated Legislation 2011,Fair Trading Act 1999, austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/fta1999117/

10 Tips on How to Write the Perfect Blog Post

10 Tips on How to Write the Perfect Blog Post 10 Tips on How to Write the Perfect Blog Post 10 Tips on How to Write the Perfect Blog Post By Guest Author You have a story that everybody wants to hear, but how do you get people to your blog? The perfect blog post is about more than just great content. In fact, the way you format your post is almost paramount to the actual content itself. Readers may not even realize that they like these formatting nuances, but a well organized and designed post can help keep them reading and sharing. Here are ten things you can do to turn your content into the perfect blog post: 1. Pick the Perfect Title Coming up with a direct but enticing title is the most important part of your blog post. You want readers to find your article easily with a simple search. Picking a title that will accurately match what the reader is searching for is obviously important in this age when nearly every Internet experience begins with Google. The tricky part is striking the perfect balance between a relevant title and an exciting one. The perfect blog post title will be fun, funny, ironic or controversial while still keeping the core point of the article clear and present. 2. Make the Main Point Clear The perfect blog post will let readers know what they are about to enjoy right away. Unlike a novel or movie, you don’t want the crux of the blog post to develop slowly. Internet readers have notoriously short attention spans, so make sure you open with an intro paragraph that lays out the post and lets the reader know he or she has come to the right place. 3. Make a List One easy formatting trick is to organize your post as a list. Make your different arguments into numbered or bulleted points, or include bolded subheadings. Top-ten lists and rankings are interesting to readers and give the post a clear reason to be read to the end. It also makes the post organized and clearly shows the reader what the key points will be. 4. Linkbait The perfect blog post will have content that other bloggers want to link to. Posts with â€Å"How to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"Top 10† in the title tend to get a lot of blogosphere attention. A great blog post also needs to have a large number of outbound links in the body. This is will help other bloggers notice your work and give you a return link, and will also give readers a feeling that you have done your research before writing your post. 5. Make It Attractive Making your post look nice is a quick and easy way to make readers happy. Before making a post public, take time to go back and format it to your liking. Make keywords bold, form organized or bulleted paragraphs, cut out unnecessary content to shorten up the post, enlarge titles and subject lines, and so on. A perfect post will be a pretty post. 6. Include Multimedia Even if your writing is the richest on the Internet, adding images or videos is crucial to breaking up the text and keeping things interesting. If you are writing a travel post, include attractive images of the destination. If you are writing an editorial piece, embed a fun video clip that helps illustrate your point. Multimedia livens up a post and is a critical part of the perfect blog post. 7. Stick to the Point For a blog post to be perfect, it needs to be concise and it needs to stay on topic. As stated before, blog readers have a short attention span. When they search for a specific subject, they want the post to deal with that subject and not meander between several topics. Unless your post is about a Hollywood star or political scandal, mentioning such an event will only draw readers who are really looking for a post on a different topic. 8. Use Keywords The perfect blog post will be constructed with keywords in mind. A simple search using Google AdWords on a subject will let you know which related keywords are most commonly searched. Keeping those words in your title and throughout the body will make it easy for your audience to find your post and will make it clear to them that they have come to the right place. 9. Keep Length in Mind Though it depends on the nature of your blog, keeping your post to an appropriate length is crucial. There is no optimal post length, but if it is too long, you risk readers getting impatient and leaving before they are done. In general, keeping a post under 1,000 words is a good rule of thumb. Keeping it between 500-800 words is ideal. 10. Be Original Make your post unique! Don’t simply say what everybody else is saying. Add your mark by mixing it up and making your post stand out in some way. The perfect blog post will make your audience stop and think. It will conjure some sort of emotion and make readers talk amongst themselves. A good indication that you have done your job is a post with a lot of engagement. If a post has readers commenting or arguing, you know you have given your audience something valuable to talk about. While the perfect blog post starts with compelling content, there is clearly much more to the formula. Use these ten tips when you write your next post and sit back and enjoy the results! About the Author: Sarah Fudin currently works in community relations for the University of Southern Californias Masters in Teaching program, which prepares teachers to earn their teaching credential. Follow her on twitter @USCTeacher. Outside of work Sarah enjoys running, reading and Pinkberry frozen yogurt. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Dialogue Dos and Don'ts3 Types of HeadingsParataxis and Hypotaxis

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Defining the Big D Defining the Big D Kill the fatted calf: it seems we do now have a definition of the word Depression. (See Whats in a word?, below.) According to the Economist, its: a slide in peak-to-trough of real GDP of 10% or a decline lasting more than three years. Im glad we sorted that out. So were not in one yet, even if the latest estimate is for 4 per cent negative growth in GDP. Now, if we could just start talking ourselves out of whatever it is we are in

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Ronald Reagan - Research Paper Example In both this institutions, Reagan remained as a leader and a sportsman. After finishing college, he managed to get a position as a radio presenter. Later in 1937, he managed to get a place as an actor in Hollywood contributing to his successful ventures. 3 years later, he married Jane Wayman, and then divorced her 8 years down the line. In 1952, he married Nancy Davis (Cannon 13). Reagan managed to become president of a society that managed fought for the rights of actors. He went around United States during that time supporting liberalism. As years went by, he changed his views to conservatism. In 1966, he became elected governor of California, the again in 1970. In 1980, he got elected as the 40th president of United States as a Republican candidate. The book describes Reagan as the president associated with Reaganomics, a policy that helped improve the economic situation at the time. In March 30th 1981, Reagan became assassinated, though later recovered and returned to office. In 1984, Reagan became re-elected in office with a landslide victory. Reagan played a significant role in encouraging peace in the world. For example, he initiated a peace agreement with the soviet regarding intermediate range missiles. In regard to foreign policy, Reagan gets depicted as a man that despised terrorism and did all it took to stop it (Cannon 112). He also sent U.S troops to various countries that needed help, for instance Grenada and Lebanon. The book hence provides a detailed account of the life of Ronald Reagan. Joseph, Paul. Ronald Reagan. New York: Abdo, 1999. The author, Paul Joseph, in his book describes the history surrounding Ronald Reagan life starting from childhood, education, Hollywood career and political career. An account of the early life of Ronald Reagan gets narrated by Joseph from the day he became born in February 6th, 1911, his parents and his social life (Joseph 14). Furthermore, his academic life gets revealed by the author as Reagan passed from ju nior to high school to college. In these various academic institutions that Reagan went, an account of the subjects and overall achievement in extra curriculum activities also become given in this book (Joseph 34). The author continues to write about Reagan’s life when he became an actor in Hollywood in 1937 and describes to the readers regarding some of the movies Reagan featured. A detailed account of Reagan’s career as an actor gets described in the book. In addition, some of the jobs Reagan did become described in the book, for instance, television host, spokesman, radio presenter and many more. During his life as an actor, Reagan managed to get many people to support him in his career and therefore, got a background support when he shifted to politics (Joseph 49). Furthermore, the author talks about how Reagan got political interest and his bid for the governorship. A history regarding his life as a governor of California starting from 1966 becomes accounted in th is book. Paul continues by giving a history of Reagan’s life when elected president in 1980, his inauguration, and then the events that surrounded his assassination (Joseph 89). Finally, an account of the achievements and downfalls Reagan’s rule brought to the United States of America. Majorly, Reagan often becomes remembered due to his Reaganomics that helped curb inflation that existed at the time Reagan took power. Furthermore, Reagan played a key role in initiating peaceful talks with the

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Tim's Coffee Shop Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Tim's Coffee Shop - Research Paper Example This write up is an analytical paper focusing on the Tim’s Coffee Shoppe, a small sole proprietor business with 10 employees who are currently working and serving the customers visiting their coffee shop. Since the business is situated at a prime location and as a result the customer footfall quite high. Moreover, the service hours offered by the shop acts as a competitive advantage for the firm.   However, there are certain areas where the company needs to improve. For instance, the vision statement can be modified and the company can clearly define its long term and short term goals. The vision statement of the company can be to provide the perfect cup of coffee in the perfect ambiance. This would mean that the shop will provide good quality coffee. The store will provide a good strategic location and the ambiance of the store will provide the customers with the ability to socialize or relax and pampered by the excellent customer service. To meet this vision the company ne eds to improve its present state of performance, improvise the quality of coffee and customer service, maintain the store ambiance and provide additional value to the customers. Scholars such as Drucker, emphasizes that management denotes both â€Å"a function† and â€Å"the people† who discharge it. The importance of management in an origination cannot be denied; thus, organizations have dedicated departments for managing the workforce. Tim’s Coffee Shoppe is a small sole proprietor business with 10 employees who are currently working and serving the customers visiting their coffee shop. Since the business is situated at a prime location and as a result the customer footfall quite high. Moreover, the service hours offered by the shop acts as a competitive advantage for the firm. However, there are certain areas where the company needs to improve. For instance, the vision statement can be modified and the company can clearly define its long term and short term g oals. Action Items The vision statement of the company can be to provide the perfect cup of coffee in the perfect ambience. This would mean that the shop will provide good quality coffee. The store will provide a good strategic location and the ambience of the store will provide the customers with the ability to socialize or relax and pampered by the excellent customer service. To meet this vision the company needs to improve its present state of performance, improvise the quality of coffee and customer service, maintain the store ambience and provide additional value to the customers. Short Term Goals 1. The first goal of the company in the next year should be to increase the market share by attracting new customers which will in turn help to generate higher revenue. 2. The companies in the industry constantly strive for innovating new products based on customer demands in order to attract consumers and differentiate them from the competitors. With increasing health consciousness a mong customers, the companies are introducing healthy alternatives. Differentiation gives the companies a competitive advantage. 3. According to the survey records of the customers, majority of them mentioned that the customer service was poor. So it would be important for the company to improve customer service in order to attract new customers and retain existing customers. Long Term Goals 1. The quality of coffee is crucial for any coffee shop to become successful. But through the customer surveys it was found that the quality of coffee was average. So the company should focus on improving the quality of coffee and offer more competitive products. 2. The employees’ opinions reflected that they were satisfied with their jobs but were suffering from low morale. Some of them were planning to leave the company and join the competitors. So in the next 3 years, the company needs to develop a strong retention plan and provide customers with career growth opportunities. Federal an d State compliance Issues Some of the Federal and State compliance Issues that the company might face are as follows:- Multiplicity Issues. Code issues (Community Development Law Center and Fair Housing Council of Oregon, 2009). Now in order

How use of Tone, Imagery & Form in Emily Dickersons poems help to Research Paper

How use of Tone, Imagery & Form in Emily Dickersons poems help to represent her feelings about life & death - Research Paper Example What critics might interpret as depression, Dickinson intended it to be wise insight. The tone of â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death† wavers between serenity and longing. As the protagonist of the poem is led away into death, which is symbolized by the carriage passing by the school and fields, there is a sense of calm and peace, almost relaxation. The protagonist is not only accepting that her death is taking place, but she is almost welcoming of it. â€Å"We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away My labor, and my leisure too (Dickinson & Vendler 42).† Though Death is the one driving slowly, the protagonist is still sitting back and allowing the journey to happen. Similarly, even though the protagonist was unable to stop for death, when death stopped for her she did not try to fight against it. However, as they passed the school and fields, a sense of longing took over as the protagonist realized all of the life that she was leaving behind her.  "We passed the school, where children strove [...], We passed the fields of grazing grain, we passed the setting sun. Or, according to Emily Dickinson and Helen Vendler (42), Death passed the protagonist (Dickinson & Vendler 42).† The protagonist included herself among those that Death was passing, revealing that she was not quite ready to go. As such, Dickinson may have been ready to accept death, but she was unable to completely let go of life. â€Å"I Felt a Funeral in My Brain† conveys the tones of aloneness and terror. Even though the poem immediately reveals that there are mourners present at this faux-funeral, the protagonist admits to feeling alone. â€Å"And I, and Silence, some some strange Race, Wrecked, solitary, here (Dickinson 97).† Since this poem discusses both death and life, there is an admittance to aloneness in both states (Farr 76). In death, the protagonist will have no one; in life, they had no one. It is in this way that Dickinson shows th ere is no difference between death and life. The tone of terror is also sensed as the protagonist descends into madness, which is what she meant by â€Å"I felt a funeral in my brain (Dickinson 97).† The protagonist is not really dying, but she is slipping into madness, and the journey is terrifying to her. Through this poem, it is revealed that life is lonely and terrifying, and death is the same way, especially because they are both being undergone alone. Despite the amount of company, life and death are independent matters. Emily Dickinson used imagery in her poems to bring new life to her own feelings. In â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death,† death is personified as a man or a suitor. Instead of the cliche grim reaper, Death is a civilized, welcoming man (Raina 11). The protagonist feels no fear accepting the ride from him, which shows how she does not fear death. Furthermore, the carriage ride displays the journey from life to death. Carriages are often conne cted with royalty or pleasant outings, and this was the method of transportation for death instead of a hearse, making it a comfortable ride to death (Baker 215). The house that the carriage arrives at represents the final resting place of the protagonist. Rather than a coffin or even a mausoleum, Dickinson picks a place that signifies warmth and comfort. All of these images provide a very calming experience of death as opposed to the horrid depictions

Meaning Of a Family Essay Example for Free

Meaning Of a Family Essay Everyone has their own meaning of a family. However, all families share some common characteristics that are outlined in a family definition essay. As per the dictionary definition of a family, all its members live in a common house and are linked together with each other economically. All family members are also emotionally linked and have a strong bond. A family consists of adults of both the sexes who are married to each other and have children. A family definition essay must highlight these aspects in an interesting manner and describe each element or constituent of a family. On Getting Family Essay Ideas There are several aspects to a family, such as the intricacies of relations, values, and the love and affection amongst its members. Hence, family essay ideas are also numerous; choices include education, jobs, house work, and the responsibilities and duties of each member. So, to get more interesting family essay ideas and top-quality content for the same, you can seek the expert help of professional writers and writing companies. Custom writing agencies have subject experts who offer guidance in choosing and writing effective essays for all your requirements. Choosing Family Essay Topics Several types of families exist in our society. So, there is ample choice when it comes to writing essays on issues associated with each type of family structure. Family essay topics can cover the family structure, organization, responsibilities and the bond shared among family members. Writing about the family can be an intricate task, which calls for the need of expert help. Professional writers with expertise in different essay writing styles, formats and subjects can help simplify the task of selecting family essay topics and make them more relevant. Writing Essay about Family Writing an essay about family can be a touching experience; albeit a daunting one, as the writer has to effectively express his/her feelings for the family members. The essay about family can focus on instances that depict the family’s togetherness and the bond between its members. One can also write about the family’s contribution during difficult times. For expert help on essay writing in varied subjects, help is right at hand with professional writing services. Companies like BookwormLab.com have a team of specialists to write on a variety of subjects in the most authoritative manner. And you shouldn’t break their heart. From one hand it’s great to be the only child in a family but in some cases it’s not. On the plus side parents always ready to help you but on the contrary when there is too much care it seems not to be good, because you cannot show your independence, do something yourself. Also you can feel lonely and bored. But your parents often do whatever their child want and if it’s necessary they help you and warn. They always spend their time doing something together with child to make him happy or teach something. And you have to appreciate their care and love. Because nobody except them love you so much and know a lot about you. As for me, I am the only child in family. And sometimes I think about how will I live if I have a sister or brother. Sometimes it is so boring to be at home along. I think about my parents, that all my childhood they helped me and did everything for me. But it doesn’t mean that I’m the main person in my family. Family it’s also our grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles. And the family tree has a long history of generations that sometimes are so ancient that we cannot remember the member of it, the name and occupation. And of coarse we know about our forefathers from our grandparents. As for me it’s really interesting to know who lived before me. And when I begin to ask my parents about forefathers I find for myself a lot of interesting things. For example some features of character which I have or part of appearance. But it’s a pity that I know not a lot of people in my family branch.

Social Media And The Small Business

Social Media And The Small Business Social media has gained significant momentum as a business tool in the past five years. In the following study will analyze how selected small businesses currently use social media, how the businesses may expand the use of the social media medium and precautions small businesses should consider when utilizing social media. The business owners interviewed for the research study vary in their product and service offerings: personal training, music, systems consulting and a karaoke machine retailer. The conclusion of the research will include recommendations for how small businesses may consider the utilization of social media as a strategy to gain or maintain competitive advantage. Social Media and the Small Business Purpose of the Report Social media outlets such as Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and Twitter have widespread, worldwide popularity. According to Facebooks Press Room statistics, there are over 300 million Facebook active users worldwide, and more than six billion minutes are spent each day, by users, online (Facebook, 2009). The allure of social networking is tremendous, making it possible for people to connect globally, with ease and free of charge. Many small businesses utilize social media as a marketing tool because it costs nothing and it reaches a large audience. The purpose of this study is to reveal the strategic implications social media and networking provide for small businesses seeking competitive advantage. The research team will first analyze how social media advertising differs from traditional marketing and advertising. Interviews conducted with four small businesses, currently using social media sites, will identify how they currently use social media in terms of marketing. The conclusion o f the report will include recommendations for how small businesses should utilize social media for competitive advantage. Background of the Topic In order to conduct a study on social media and networking, the concept of social media and social networking must first be defined. S. Boyd, of Socialmedia.biz states, Social Media are those forms of publishing that are based on a dynamic interaction, a conversation, between the author and active readers, in contrast with traditional broadcast media where the audience is a passive consumer of content' (Boyd, 2009). Through the social media platforms, such as Facebook.com, MySpace.com, LinkedIn.com, and Twitter.com, users create connections, or networks, as further explained by Laudon, Social networking is the practice of expanding the number of ones business or social contacts by making connections through individuals. Social networking sites link people through their mutual business or personal connections, enabling then to mine the friends (and their friends friends) for sales leads, job-hunting tips, or new friends. MySpace.com. Facebook.com, and Friendster.com are for people who are primarily interested in extending their friendships, while LinkedIn.com focuses on job networking (Laudon, 2009, p. 417). Social networking stems from a persons desire to connect and interact with others who may be related or share similar interests. Private and public forums were the first form of social networking on the Internet (Borders, 2009). Created in the 1990s, they quickly grew in popularity, spurring millions of community sites where people logged in and conducted discussions, typically around specific topics of a special interest website. Around the same time, real-time chat applications came into play, like ICQ and AOL instant messenger. The real-time chat option required users to log onto a website or download an application to talk to other people who were online at the same time. Blogging gained popularity as well, and these online diaries were put on sites like LiveJournal.com and WordPress.com. In the late 1990s, SixDegrees introduced the first social networking website that allowed the user to create a profile and trace friendships through people (Borders, 2009). SixDegrees premise was that individuals are all connected to each other somehow though direct and indirect relationships. By connecting with friends and family, then connecting with friends of friends and family members, the platform enabled users to meet new friends and potential love interests through a network. It had short-lived popularity, followed closely by Friendster in 2002, an online community that connects people through networks of friends for dating or making new friends. (Borders, 2009). Since its conception, Friendster has become well known in the Asian communities, and in the United States newer social media forms have replaced it, such as MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and, more recently, Twitter. The popularity of a given social media site and the abandonment of another appears to be connected to a sites functionality. Six Degrees gave way to Friendster, which was then replaced by MySpace because the earlier social media platforms had slow server speeds, and once the initial novelty of connecting with friends and family wore off, there was little else to do on the sites. With both Six Degrees and Friendster, users lost interest. MySpace and, later, Facebook offered more, not only to individuals, but functions that businesses could utilize for little to no cost. MySpace.com launched in January 2004, and now has over 65 million users in the U.S. alone. According to the creators of MySpace.com, it is a technology company connecting people through personal expression, content, and culture. MySpace empowers its global community to experience the Internet through a social lens by integrating personal profiles, photos, videos, mobile, messaging, games and the worlds largest music community. MySpace was the first site to allow users to explore public profiles, and users could utilize it as a virtual bulletin board to post information, pictures, music and video. Like Friendster, MySpace offers its users the ability to customize their personal pages, making the site very popular among teenagers and those in their twenties. As a business platform, bands and filmmakers use the site because of its ability to post material and get instantaneous feedback from known and unknown MySpace users. In less than three years, it became one of the most popular webs ites on the World Wide Web (Random History, No Author, 2008). TheFacebook.com also started in 2004 at Harvard University, as a personal network between students. It quickly extended to other universities and then in 2005, it became Facebook.com, garnering worldwide recognition. Facebook appeals to a different audience than MySpace, focusing on navigation capabilities and a uniform appearance in contrast to the high degree of variability displayed on MySpace. Users have access to free games, videos, links, and fan pages that continue to grow daily. The companys overview states, Facebooks mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. Millions of people use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet. Fan pages are becoming increasingly popular on the Facebook site. This is a page made by a business, cause, or individual that users may connect to as a fan. The fan page is then displayed through an indivi duals profile to his connections, and that individual may encourage his connections to also connect to the fan page. A fan page allows for an individual to post information about her business separately from her personal page. For users in search of a business networking platform, LinkedIn.com is a professional social media website. First launched in 2003, users may add business contacts, provide recommendations and create a strong business network. The LinkedIn mission states, Relationships Matter and that Your professional network of trusted contacts gives you an advantage in your career, and is one of your most valuable assets (LinkedIn, 2009). LinkedIn provides value to the small business because it allows for an individual to share professional information with people he does business with, and make contacts with an associates network through introductions or an InMail function. Twitter.com is a combination of previous networking sites. It is a mini blog that has the ability of active updating to Facebook, which also has SMS or instant-messaging capabilities. The original concept of Twitter was initially inspired by the concept of an away-message merged with the freedom and mobility of [Short Messaging Service] SMS. Twitter began as an experiment in 2006. When value as an instant communication network during shared events like earthquakes, conferences, and festivals emerged, Twitter began to grow (Milstein, 2009). The goal of a tweet is to get a point across in 140 characters. Twitter allows individuals and businesses to broadcast an announcement or status in real time. It enables users to pick whos information they want to follow, who they want to allow to follow them, and if they want to be a part of any groups that they might find interesting. MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are just a sample of social media formats available to todays Internet users. Through social media, individuals and businesses find a way to connect on a virtual platform. People spend hours surfing pages, checking out other members, and exchanging messages and they reveal a great deal of information about themselves. Businesses harvest this information to create carefully targeted promotions that far surpass the typical text and display ads found on the web. They also use the sites to interact with potential customers. The ability to deliver digital goods and digital content over the Web has created a new alternative to traditional print publications and broadcast media (Laudon, 2009, p. 417). For the analysis of how small businesses may use social networking, MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are the focus in this study. Discussion of Current Issues Social media is a popular marketing medium for small businesses because it costs little to nothing. A. Gooding, owner of Inspire Fitness, states that she chooses her advertising media based on anything that is free. I use Facebook, word of mouth, and I write a column for our local paper. I have handed out fliers at schools, and I have had a booth at a local health fair. Im also a contestant for Best of Western Washington, personal trainers, and even if I dont win, its great publicity (Appendix A). When asked about how he advertises, Rex James Bands co-founder, D. Powell replied, Were doing [Facebook], Hotmail, [MySpace], newsletter, website, Sonic Bids for bands, help you get bids, help you update your calendar. Artist Direct just recently currently in BETA currently free, they have a lot of cool tools to format calendar and they update [Facebook] and [MySpace] for you one stop shop. (Appendix D). For R. Mickler of Mickler and Associates, I chose Twitter because of its phenom-qua lity and its growth its fairly popular and has the greatest sticking power out of all of them, I think. I chose LinkedIn because its a more professional site than Facebook, and conveys the professional information in a way that I can control (Appendix C). Small businesses have limited advertising budgets, and social media provides a free venue for marketing. In addition to being free, social media provides an interactive forum for the small business to meet its customers. In traditional advertising, the advertiser broadcasts to an audience, but does not get immediate feedback. Social media facilitates a conversation between the small business and its customers. It is through these conversations that social media provides a business to consumer electronic commerce (B2C). B2C involves retailing products and services to individual shoppers (Laudon 2009, p. 420). Social media provides a forum where businesses may start a conversation with potential clients, creating a relationship that allows for both the business and customer to decide if and when they will do business together. Unlike large businesses, a small business may not have the capacity to serve a large customer base. When asked about his business growth, Mickler responded, Ill start from 2004 I acquire about 7-10 additional customers a year (roughly a 15-20% growth rate) and thats been fairly consistent. Growth rate is tricky for a company my size: too much growth and Id have to hire a staff, and thats not in my business plan; too little growth and I cant keep up with attrition and my competitors. Generally, 20-percent of my customer base are cornerstone assets that I spend my most time with. The other eighty-percent are potentially new cornerstones (Appendix C). A business like Mickler and Associates must be able to be selective about who it sends its marketing message to, because the businesss size limits the number of clients who may be helped at any given time. In traditional advertising, a marketing message is broadcast through radio, television or print. In the past, to prevent an overwhelmi ng response to advertising, a small business may have selected a direct marketing campaign to communicate with past and potential clients. Social media allows businesses to decide whom they want to advertise to, essentially picking out their niche market. On Facebook through a profile they can provide information to friends family, with the creation of a fan page they can push it a bit further as friends of friends view profiles. Twitter allows a business to be selective on who gets messages, or a business can join groups to help get their name out there. LinkedIn allows businesses to connect through their colleagues, so that they are only offering their services to those already a part of their network. Growth is not the only element a small business may want to control. If an individual starts a home-based business, the business owner wants to know her clients. Social media provides a means to communicate directly with friends and friends friends, rather than casting a wide net. According to A. Gooding, Because I have a gym studio in my house, I am very careful with whom I hire as clients. Therefore, I would much rather market to those who I know, in hopes they know someone who needs a personal trainer (Appendix A). Gooding created a fan page on Facebook and invited her friends and family members to connect to the page. As friends of friends also connected to the page, she could learn more about the potential clients by looking at their profile information or asking friends and family about the person. For a small business that wants more exposure, search engine optimization (SEO) is a benefit of social media presence. Search engines started on the Internet as simple keyword indexes of all the pages they visited (Laudon 2009, p. 293). In 1998, the launch of Google introduced a new facet to the index, This search engine was different; Not only did it index each Web pages words but it also ranked search results based on the relevance of each page (Laudon 2009, p. 293). As search engines continue to evolve, small businesses benefit from appearing in unsponsored search links (links that were not paid for), because the more presence a small business has on the Internet, the more likely it will appear in a keyword search. The Rex James Band recognizes the benefit of more exposure, The more places your music and keywords are on the Internet, the better chance people will find you on the Internet and search engines can correctly categorize your website with the keywords when people do sear ches, this is all part of a technique that large companies spend millions on each year to increase their search engine ratings (Appendix D). We see this in Russell Micklers experience as well, Its very useful. Content pushes more search engine results my way, making me look like a good authority, and that improves people finding me on the web (Appendix C). The small business owners interviewed for this study largely described the benefits of social networking, but there are negative aspects in the utilization of social media. L. Nguyen of VitekUSA explains why he will not use MySpace, There are just too many ads on that people dont pay attention to any type of advertisement. I believe people are programmed to filter out any type of ads on MySpace (Appendix B). The sites, while free for users, need to make money to support growth and development. One key way the online social media sites make money is through paid advertising. On MySpace, animated banner ads run along the top and side of a users profile. As a result, the user is bombarded with advertisements, and eventually learns to ignore them. Nguyens concern raises the question regarding how long it will be before Facebook users ignore business fan pages, because the person feels bombarded with marketing messages. Nguyen states that he feels multi-level networking is the best busine ss model, but when asked if he would expand his use of social media, he replies, My long term advertising strategy is to push more advertisement on forums and blogs that has to do with karaoke, less of social media (Appendix B). Another negative aspect of social media is the potential loss of an individuals privacy because much of the information placed on a social media web site is publically available through search engines. R. Siciliano, an internet security analyst, writes, Privacy issues and identity theft in social media are a growing concern. Most people who post their personal information about themselves do not recognize the potential consequences of their actions, or maybe they simply dont care if their entire life is an open book (Siciliano, Huffington Post, 2009). Gooding mentioned that her use of advertising on Facebook is strictly targeted towards friends and friends friends, because she conducts business from a home-based gym. However, friends of friends friends also have the ability to view some content she posts, diminishing the security of her page, should she use her personal page to promote her business. To limit the information available to those interested in her business, Gooding creat ed an Inspire Fitness fan page. Fan pages allow anyone who is interested to link to a companys profile, but not access an individuals personal information. Finally, there is the risk of misleading or controversial information on social media sites that may present risks to a business. Social media is largely unregulated. Users of Twitter, for example, may face lost business or legal troubles if a disgruntled client voices an opinion that is defamatory. Entertainer, Courtney Love, is being sued by a clothing designer for posting 140 character rants about the designer, including name calling such as liar and thief. The designer alleges her business has suffered due to Loves posts (Reuters, March 2009). And, while Facebook and MySpace creators encourage users to report abuse of the sites, it does not prevent the presence of controversial content. [MySpace has] many teenage subscribers [who] post suggestive photos of themselves and lie about their age. About one-fourth of all MySpace users are registered as minors under 18 years of age, but that number could be larger. Parents, politicians, and police worry that sexual predators use MySpace to stalk potential victims (Laudon, 2009, 418). Recommendations The interactive relationships developed between customers and businesses through social media provide businesses with a competitive advantage. When used wisely, social media enables the small business to gather information about and respond to customer needs faster than through traditional marketing. The key to obtaining and maintaining competitive advantage through social media is to find a medium that is manageable and positively reflects the product or service offered. When a business does not select the correct venue, the advertising may lose value or tarnish a companys image. For the Rex James Band, MySpace provides a platform for sharing music and allows the band to interact with its fans. It appeals to a twenty-something audience, as well as other bands and entertainers. But, because of the ability to post messages on a connections page, businesses that use MySpace and Facebook must monitor their pages frequently, and remove posts that may offend or dissuade potential customer s. A high-traffic, highly interactive platform like MySpace or Facebook would not work for a professional service, like Mickler and Associates, who may desire testimonials, but not a steady stream wall posts that require frequent attention. Mickler wisely selected LinkedIn to reflect his business image of professionalism and uses Twitter as a real-time interactive tool to engage current and potential customers. Once a small business selects an appropriate social media platform, it should make initial connections with people already familiar with the company or product. If a small business asks current customers to add the fan page to their social media, not only will other customers see it, but their friends and other contacts will see it as well. This phenomenon of obtaining business through social networking is called word-by-mouse rather then word-of-mouth advertising. D. Scott, author of Viral Marketing Success explains Word-of-mouse is the single most empowering tool available to marketers today (Scott 2008, p. 8). He provides an example of how the process worked for the opening of the new Harry Potter theme park for Universal Orlando. C. Gordon, the Vice President of New Media and Marketing Partnerships, did not broadcast the event in a traditional manner through television or print. Gordon and her counterpart at Warner Bros. chose to launch The Wizarding World of Harry Potter by firs t telling the exciting news to a very small group of rabid fanThese seven [fans] were invited to participate in a top-secret Webcast held at midnight on May 31, 2007. (Scott, 2008, p. 6 7). By relaying the announcement through seven die-hard fans, then family and friends, previous customers and bloggers, Gordon reached an audience 350 million through social media. Powell describes how word of mouse benefits Rex James on MySpace, You can get new contacts without spending any effort, people will find you if you are participating in the same circles, and with a little bit of effort you can build your friend lists greatly in a short time (Appendix D). A business owner must make the decision on how much or how little online exposure he desires to obtain. On Facebook, business owners may elect to steer current and potential customers to a fan page. The fan page gains a following through word-of-mouse networking, and a dedicated business page will keep the focus on the business, rather than the business owners personal information. Social media users must also remember that once they publicize their pages, it is open to anyone that performs a web search. For example, when performing a search for Inspire Fitness on Facebook, both the Inspire Fitness fan page and Goodings personal page appear in the search results. If Gooding prefers to be excluded from the search results, she would need to remove all references to Inspire Fitness on her personal page. Business owners should perform frequent searches on Google and Yahoo search engines to observe what content are in the public forums. A business owner may also elect to receive email or mobile text alerts when their name or their business name makes a new appearance in a search engine. For a new business trying to create a presence on social media site, like Twitter, online resources can help. Geekpreneurs Geeks Guide to Promoting Yourself with Twitter, provides several tips for obtaining followers, and driving followers to the business web page. When asked if he would explore social media options beyond Facebook, L. Nguyen responded, My long term advertising strategy is to push more advertisement on forums and blogs that has to do with karaoke, less of social media (Appendix B). Rather than abandoning social media, Nguyen should consider establishing a website and utilize Twitter to drive business to him. A savvy business owner understands that the social networking mediums are ever-evolving. According to d. boyd, Online communities are more like nation-states than technological tools. There is a master behind the architecture, a master who controls the walls of the system and can wage war on her/his people at any point. People know this. They have to trust that the creators have their best intentions in mind. They invest a lot of time and energy into creating an identity in the system they want to believe that it is worth it (boyd, 2006). If a social media site fails to meet the changing expectations of its users, people will move on to another medium that serves their needs. For the small business, depending on social media to obtain and retain customers, it is important to watch the interaction between the creators of the media sites and the users. A small business should not count on any one platform to carry its marketing message because social media sites will come and go. Conclusion The initial intent of this study was to find ways social media could help small businesses compete with larger businesses. As the research progressed, the project team realized small businesses do not typically want to compete with larger businesses, but social media gives them key advantages in their target markets. Some of the businesses interviewed had already found appropriate social media platforms, experiencing success in reaching their intended customers. For businesses not connecting with their target audiences to the degree desired, the recommendations resulting from the project teams research may provide social media solutions not previously explored. Regardless of the solution selection, small businesses must be flexible, as new technology and online platforms evolve rapidly. While social medias advertising benefits small businesses through low or no-cost marketing, it should still only be a small part of what makes up a larger marketing plan. Through the project teams res earch, the study concludes that the best business practice is to find multiple ways to connect to customers and always deliver on the companys promise.