Social Media and Sports

Has social media’s impact on the professional sports world been positive or negative? Social media has made a massive impact on our culture. One of the areas that has not been affected is professional sports. In today’s world, professional sports teams and players from around the world use social media to connect with their global fan bases. Sports teams attempt to build a larger, stronger fan base by engaging fans through social media sites. Additionally, social media sites allow professional athletes to increase their marketability.However, they can also severely damage their career, personal life, and their ‘brand’ if they do not handle their social media interactions with care (Van Schaik). Twitter and Facebook allow teams and players to be interactive and personal with fans. They can use these platforms to not only deliver basic team news updates, but to share information about autograph signings, charity events, or ticket specials too. One of the most important aspects of any sports team is that they have a loyal, growing fan base that feels like they are valued and appreciated. Therefore, these fans will stand by their team through thick and thin.Social media provides the perfect opportunity for that. Sports teams and athletes are becoming more and more efficient at using social media to create a positive impact on their team and their fan’s. One of the positive impacts of social media on professional sports is the ability to share news and information with fans through it. Social media websites are beginning to replace sports radio and cable networks as the dominant places to find the latest breaking sports news. It seems more and more sports fans are turning to the internet for the latest sports news, updates, and information about their favorite teams or players.More specifically, fans are utilizing social sites such as Facebook and Twitter. In fact, fans are 10 times more likely to check Facebook or Twitter for their sports news than sports radio. Also, an overwhelming 81% of fans prefer the Internet for their sports information over any other platform (Blakley). Fans just are checking social media before or after the games either. More than 80% of fans interact via social media while watching games (Altobelli). I can attest to these statistics because I am one of this growing majority. There are a few reasons I choose to use the Internet and social media for my sports news nstead of sports radio or TV. First off, with social media and the Internet I am able to find information about my favorite player or team instantly. With TV or sports radio, you basically have to take the information as it is given. For example, ESPN chooses to focus on teams from major cities like New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago. Very rarely will I be able to find daily updates on an injured Minnesota Twins player by watching Sportscenter. Instead, I can click on over to the Minnesota Twin’s Facebook page or Twitt er and find daily injury updates. Another upside to social media in this situation is that it is up to the minute information.Most sports radio shows or cable networks discuss what happened yesterday in the sports news world. Social media is constantly updating so there is a plethora of new information always streaming. Lastly, I prefer social media over the other forms of sports news because they are readily available to me. Sports radio and ESPN are not always as mobile as I would like. I am not able to take Sportscenter into the car with me. Also, I do not have a reliable sports radio station to listen to in my area. At times I can get KFAN from the Twin Cities, but not on a consistent basis.Therefore, any sports radio news updates come about once an hour and are quite brief. Additionally, I spend a lot of time at my girlfriend’s cabin during the summer months. At her cabin, they only have a few basic local channels. ESPN is not available. As a result, I turn to social med ia and my cell phone for sports news. Rarely do I miss a beat because of the efficiency and accuracy of the social media websites. Social media has already made a giant impact on how sports information is shared with fans. It is only going to keep growing as technology spreads and more fans get familiar with smart phones and tablets.Another way social media has affected the sports world is by bringing fans closer to the game. As a sports fan, I can agree that fans always want to feel closer to the game. That is why people still pay ridiculous ticket prices to attend ball games instead of watching them on TV in the comfort of their living room. Fans have an urge for that connection and closeness. They want to feel apart of the game. Social media sites provide teams and players the unique ability to directly connect with their fans. It used to be the closest you got to a favorite player was a post-game radio interview.Now, you can follow them on Twitter and have rare insight into thei r everyday world. Players use sites like Facebook and Twitter to give fan’s a behind the scenes look at what happens at home, in the locker room, and on the sidelines. Social media gives pro athletes the chance to interact and share data with fans in a way that was not possible in the past. Fans used to only know about a player from what they read in the paper or saw on TV (Van Schaik) . Now, fans can find out what their favorite player ate for breakfast or what music they are listening to.Fans have yearned for this kind of accessibility for years and now it is becoming a reality. I actually have friend’s that make it a daily ritual to check their favorite player’s Twitter. Actually, being able to follow players and coaches is probably the biggest reason why I created a Twitter in the first place. I love the inside look into their personal lives. It is very cool when you find out how much you do or do not have in common with them. One of the highlights of my Twi tter career was when I tweeted Kevin Love after a Timberwolve’s game and congratulated him on his performance and the team’s win.A few minutes later, I received what is called a â€Å"retweet† from Love basically saying thank you. I was blown away. It meant a lot to me to know that Kevin Love took thirty seconds out of his life to tell me, some nobody fan, thank you. It is almost as if social media has taken the place of autographs. Before, you wanted players’ autographs, now you want players to say something back to you on Twitter (Blakley). Social media is a great way for athletes to communicate and engage with fans. It allows players and teams to share information with them before it has been filtered by the news media.Twitter and Facebook have been instrumental in raising the profile of athletes in every sport. It allows them to give a personal perspective on all aspects of the competition, seemingly unhindered by various PR and marketing machines. Wh ile the majority of social media’s impact on professional sports has been positive, there is definitely a negative side that should be discussed. In the early age of social media, some sports leagues had trouble regulating player usage of it. People who grew up long before the Internet age govern most sports.This creates a problem when they try to tackle the issues surrounding sports and social media (Westhenry). First off, there was the problem with players actually posting on Twitter immediately following and even during their games. League officials found social media to be a distraction to their player’s. Accordingly, the NBA and NFL implemented policies that limited when players and staff could use social media. The NBA’s policy bans the usage of social media from 45 minutes before tipoff until after the players have fulfilled their other media duties following the game.The NFL stretched it to 90 minutes before and after games (Westhenry). The other major i ssue surrounding social media and sports is controlling what athletes post or say. Athletes are and should have the freedom to share their personal opinions and ideas through social media. In fact, it should be encouraged for them to do so. Like I’ve stated before, fans have a desire to feel connected with players and love that â€Å"uncensored† feeling. However, if not handled with care, social media has the potential to seriously damage a player’s private life, athletic performance, and possibly their career.All it takes is a split second of poor judgment and one senseless social media posting for a major incident to occur. Many athletes fail to remember the impact their social media activity can have. Others fall victim to the dangers of being provoked by obnoxious fans. When athletes dispose of their frustrations and anger online without thinking over the consequences, the results are rarely good (Van Schaik). While there are numerous examples of this happen ing, I will only share a couple. To begin with, we can look at the case of Pittsburgh Steelers’ running back Rashard Mendenhall.He posted controversial comments on his Twitter following the death of Osama bin Laden that caused him to lose an endorsement contract. Mendenhall had previously stirred up a controversy when he posted his opinion about the 9/11 attacks (Westhenry). More recently, there was the case of San Antonio Spurs forward Stephen Jackson. He was fined $25,000 for threatening another NBA player via Twitter (â€Å"Jackson Fined for Tweet about Ibaka†). Countless athletes fail to learn from the lessons of others. It is frustrating to me as a fan to see player after player get in trouble for something they said on a social media site.Many athletes fail to recognize the importance of their social media channels to their sponsors and their teams. Also, some seem to think that because they are using social media that it permits them to forgo traditional media p rotocol (Van Schaik). An athlete’s words reach far beyond just their fans and followers. They impact colleagues, friends and their family. One foolish tweet can instantly turn into a scandal with the capability to damage the athlete, their team, and their sponsors (Van Schaik). A big component here is sponsors. Many sports superstars are actually brands in themselves.They represent their team, league, city, fans and sponsors. It is important to note that while some of their income comes from their sports contract, a lot of their money comes from being a public figure (Van Schaik). Creating the wrong headlines and wrong type of publicity can cost an athlete not only thousands in fines, but millions of dollars in sponsorship money too. Every single athlete has to be aware of the social media pitfalls and consequences. While many stars have been forgiven for their online troubles, the problem is that the commonness of such mistakes is growing.If the trend continues, it will sure ly damage the positive impact that these communication platforms have had on professional sports (Westhenry). I feel that the best way for the sport’s world to handle these issues is through education and guidelines. Social media is still in its infancy. Therefore, leagues and teams must educate their players on social media and how to use it. As social media becomes a larger part of everyday life for millions of people around the world, people will also become more educated about how social media works. This will help alleviate some of these issues (Westhenry).Lastly, leagues and teams need to develop a social media code of conduct for their athletes. For example, if a player would get suspended for cursing or ranting at a team press conference, they should have the same consequences for a social media outburst. If they would get fined for complaining about officials to a TV camera, do the same if they complain about them on their Twitter (Westhenry). Like I stated before, t he more athletes and sports teams use social media, the more educated they will become. With a little common sense, some education, and a few regulations, these negative social media issues will fade away.Sport’s fans love social media. This can be illustrated by the millions of followers athletes have on networking sites. Moreover, athletes themselves seem to truly love social media. It allows them a platform to step away from the normal interview cliches and really have some freedom in what they say. Sites like Twitter and Facebook allow fans to get to know their favorite athletes on a deeper, more personal level. The increasing use of social media in the professional sports world can have a substantially positive impact on a player and an organization.While there is criticism surrounding its usage, the positives are overwhelming. There is no doubt that sports has and will continue to benefit from social media. Works Cited Altobelli, Diana. â€Å"The Rise of Social Media i n Professional Sports. † 1 SEO. N. p. , 7 Dec. 2012. Web. 19 Dec. 2012. . Blakley, Julie. â€Å"Sports and Social Media. † Postano. N. p. , 7 Aug. 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. . â€Å"Jackson Fined for Tweet about Ibaka. † NBA. com. N. p. , 10 Dec. 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 012. . Van Schaik, Thomas. â€Å"Professional Athletes on Social Media: Why Some Get Fans and Others Fines. † Sports Networker. N. p. , 19 Sept. 2011. Web. 19 Dec. 2012. . Westhenry, Rowanne. â€Å"Sports Stars on Twitter: Marketing Geniuses or Massive Twits? † Bleacher Report. N. p. , 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. .

Michael Moore Loves Rhetoric

Jeffrey Lee Professor Lewis English 2 10 February 2010 Michael Moore Loves Rhetoric One of the most effective ways Moore draws our attention is by using real testimonies. By interviewing Americans who have been wronged by the health care system, he cleverly intertwines rhetoric to create a strong argument for universal health care. For example, after he presents the audience with a logos appeal, an ethos and/or pathos appeal will follow, or vice versa. Like a chain reaction, the appeals go hand in hand, making the viewer feel as if what they are seeing is real and not exaggerated. From the beginning, â€Å"Sicko† relies heavily on ethos and pathos to show that the health care industry is not sympathetic to the medical needs of Americans. One example of this is the story of a man named Tracy who had kidney cancer. His hospital refused to perform surgery on him and Tracy died soon after his wife challenged the hospital on the issue. Tracy’s wife, Julie, says that Tracy wanted to know why a good person like him had to be put into such an unfortunate situation. Here, Moore uses different techniques to get the audience to feel sympathy for this family. When the film first introduces us to Tracy and his family, we see segments of home videos depicting a happy family. As Tracy’s wife gives the interview, she tells an unfortunate story of Tracy’s death and how their health insurance failed them which further grabs the audience’s sympathy. She is interviewed in such a way where we feel as if she is in the living room with us; she seems like a friend or neighbor, and we sympathize for her loss. We are made to feel that his death was preventable. Further, we learn that despite Tracy’s wife being employed in the very hospital that provided them with so-called health care, they were denied treatment even though Tracy’s brother was a perfect donor. Essentially, she was working for the very people who were denying her family the care they need. Through the use of ethos and pathos, Moore makes the audience feel mournful for Tracy, while making the American health care system seem out of touch with common ethical values. Tracy’s story is followed by another ethos and pathos appeal told by Dawnelle Keyes, a woman whose daughter, Mychelle, died due to the low value that insurance companies lace on people’s lives. The hospital claimed that certain portions of Mychelle’s treatment could not be paid for by the hospital. In order to cover these expenses, Keyes would have to take Mychelle to a different hospital. Keyes did not want to do this, and she recalls, â€Å"I just continued to ask them to treat her and they refused†. Finally, Keyes took her daughter to an alternate hospital, but because of the delays, Mychelle went into cardiac arrest and died. After Keyes was done talking about her tragedy, she cried for her lost child. Just like the scene with Tracy’s widow, this scene prompted the audience to sympathize with the victims. Again, this is a clever use of ethos and pathos. Moore also chooses his background wisely in order to appeal to the audience’s emotions even more. Notice when Keyes tells her tragic story of Mychelle, the interview takes place around a playground with children playing in the background. This is an effective way of appealing to our pathos because we are reminded of children and their innocence. Keyes’ testimony further persuades the audience that insurance companies are merciless and should therefore be replaced by mandatory universal health care. Not only does â€Å"Sicko† have many scenes of Americans describing the hardships that insurance companies have put them through, the movie also criticized the way health care workers are forced to work. For instance, Becky Malke works for an insurance company and describes the distress she experiences at her job. Becky answers phone calls for the company and tells the story of one phone call that disturbed her. Becky cries through most of her story. As she cries, Moore slowly zooms the camera onto her face, allowing us to see all her emotions, almost making the audience want to cry with her. This is a great technique for the film’s message here – that even those who work for the health care industry are emotionally distraught by how uncharitable and inhumane medical insurance companies can be. We are left to feel that the current system should be overthrown in favor of universal health care. Yet again, Moore strengthens his argument through the use of personal testimonies that evoke our emotions. As the film progresses we see Moore display himself as the â€Å"common man† in an effort to appeal to the audience the genuineness of his own character – his ethos. He is casually dressed wearing only jeans, T-shirt, and a baseball cap. His message is more acceptable to the audience when he is perceived as an everyday type of guy. The audience’s guards are down. Where if he was dressed in a suit, the audience would surely view him differently, possibly feeling more distant and requiring Moore to defend his viewpoints. Instead, Moore’s stories are believable because he makes the audience relate with him and his storytellers. Another form of pathos used in â€Å"Sicko† is the association of happiness with universal health care. For instance, Alexi Cremieux was recovering from chemotherapy that treated his tumor. Because Alexi lived in France, where there is universal health care, Alexi was given three months of paid vacation time to get well. Moore flashes images of Alexi relaxing with friends during his vacation, smiling in all his pictures. Through pathos, we are made to believe that Alexi is happier because he was assisted by universal health care. In turn, we too are left to feel that universal health care can help achieve our happiness, versus the U. S. counterpart that can only put people through hardship. Furthermore, Moore also uses humor as a form of a pathos appeal. For example, Moore visits a British hospital, which is managed under a universal health care system, and tries to find out how the hospital’s patients pay the bills for their stay. Moore asks a pregnant patient at the hospital, â€Å"So what do you pay for a stay here? † She replies, â€Å"No one pays† with a chuckle. Next, Moore asks a couple walking through the hospital with their newborn baby, â€Å"What did they charge for that baby? † The baby’s father answers, â€Å"You know, it’s not America† and the couple laughs. This is a powerful scene because it mocks the U. S. system in an amusing fashion. It makes the viewer think â€Å"hey those people don’t have to pay for health care, why should we? † Their humorous attitude towards the idea of paying for health care makes the viewer believe that the current system is ridiculous and that the U. S. should adopt universal health care. Lastly, the music Moore uses also ties into the humorous appeal. He emphasizes an issue by accompanying it with a soundtrack. If it is a humorous scene, he will use sarcastic, over the top sounds; if he wants to shock the audience, he plays something more melodramatic. For example, while telling the story of a woman who was eligible for health coverage but was later denied because of a mere yeast infection, when the film got to the yeast infection part, it was followed with a â€Å"buh buh bum† and a crow screeching. The use of these sounds dramatizes the ridiculous fact that this woman was (and should not have been) denied over a simple yeast infection. Through the use of each rhetoric appeal, ethos, pathos and logos, Moore effectively convinces the audience that universal health care is more charitable than the current U. S. system and should therefore be replaced. He presents us with real-life people who the audience can easily identify with. The unjust manner in which these people are treated causes us to sympathize for them. And the facts given to us appear to be supported and convincing. All three appeals are blended together in a way that conveys a powerful message to those watching it. After watching â€Å"Sicko†, it is hard not to be convinced that universal health care is essential. With that said, are you convinced?

Discuss how federal policies towards band government (Aboriginal Essay

Discuss how federal policies towards band government (Aboriginal Band's) have changed over time, especially during the 20th c - Essay Example Apparently, it is evident that the development of the Indian status has sidelined the recognition of communities that were historically identified as aboriginals from their rightful status. This status may be considered essential to the identification of an individual, however it does not carry the main concerns centred along the governance if the aboriginal bands. Evaluation There exists an overwhelming list of aboriginals in the records of Canada. The subsequent treatment accorded to these individuals formulates the centre of attention that accords its evaluation. However, the first concern that calls for address is the interference if the federal government tone the running of the policies adopted by the aboriginals developed programs. Such programs are developed at the central governance level. The general contribution imposed by this perception is that the central government constantly fails to allocate sufficient funds that are necessitated in the realization of policies adopte d towards the favour of the aboriginals and other ancient groups. An evaluation on the performance of the aboriginal programs initiated at the lower governance levels seems to be fully out of existence. This includes policies that seek to ensure political, social and economical stability of these individuals in the nation. Evaluations of the policies that can be identified at the regional government level are identified at the commencement of the late phase of the 20th century. This century had witnessed the developed of the Indiana act that sought to identify and address the challenges experiences by the members of various aboriginal bands in the nation. Apparently, there exists a differing perception on the contribution of the governing authority towards the realization of these policies. The chief question is centred on the exact input that should be pegged to the execution of the authorities, especially the central government. Initially, the central government was tasked with th e role of ensuring that the regional governance access funds to support various aboriginal programs. Unfortunately, hiccups in logistics and delivery of services marred the whole process. Apparently, the bureaucracies of accessing the funds designated for the funding of aboriginal programs had proved to a rather cumbersome effort. This implied that there desired a need to establish a new set of instruction upon which the realization of the aboriginal programs can be ascertained. This may be described as the fuelling factor that has promoted the development and the subsequent adoption of various legislation that seek strengthen the Indiana Act. Several new assumptions have been enlisted into the act. The central concern has been the diversity of the act in terms of covering the stretching needs of the aboriginal community. The central challenges that were first addressed by the evaluation team include the quantification of the groups that fall under this category. Apparently, some co mmunities shared the perception that their constitutional and national privileges were challenged upon the failure of their inclusion in the list of the recognized members of the aboriginal community. The intense efforts of enlisting all the communities that are interlinked under the aboriginal recognition bracket has been placed in consideration all along. The previous century has witnessed increased

Gateway art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gateway art - Assignment Example She adds voice to her portraits by including calligraphy on the images, one of the calligraphy is a poem by feminist contemporary Iranian poet. Farrokhzad was one of the renowned Iran female poets whose work enticed Neshat to include in her paintings. Artistically works and poems were the main channels the Muslim women could use in revolution against their frustrations with the social and cultural restrictions. Following Iranian unveiling in 1936 the Irans women bodies were unveiled, subsequently female poets and artists like Neshat started revealing their thoughts, emotions and desire (Meskimmon, 2012). Neshat portrays Iranian women determination in executing their mission by the picture of her self-cladding in a black chador with her rifle aiming at the viewer. This portrait is unlike the others that do not direct their weapons at the audience the black veil leaves only the upper part of her face visible. Neshat grew up in an era before the Islamic revolution when Shahs government was trying to promote secular culture. She employs the art of photography in self-expression when she displays the characteristics of Iranian society culture and traditions. All the images covered in the women of Allah illustrate the theme of bound restriction, silence, old-fashioned and the violent Muslim women (Sheybani, 1999). Historically Islam religion and believes hold it that a womans body is a battleground for several kinds of rhetoric and political ideology. Neshat uses photography in exploring the relation between a Muslim woman and the positions that she inhabits. The traditional arrangements of the western democratic society were making efforts in eliminating difference and boundaries, comparatively contrary to Islamic culture where Islamic men and women holding different spaces are meant to come together to create a cohesive unit. Women of Allah series was Neshats artwork after visiting Iran in 1990 she makes a

Government Rights in Homes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Government Rights in Homes - Essay Example Yet, what goes on behind closed doors does affect everyone. Today's world of globalization, mass media, communications, and transportation has bound the public more tightly as a social unit. The private lives of citizens have such a great affect on society as a whole that the government has a right to know what goes on in peoples' homes. It is the obligation of society to prevent children from being exploited, abused, or exposed to drugs, pornography, and firearms in peoples' private homes. These children will grow into adults and become a part of mainstream society. In addition to the duty that society has to the children to protect them, it is also self-serves society and protects it against future aberrations. A recent case at the Yearning for Zion Ranch in San Angelo Texas has sparked a controversy over excessive government intrusion when authorities took over 400 children into state custody due to suspected child abuse. Judge Walther, who presided over the case made it clear that, "her decision was preliminary and that "a safe environment" for the children was paramount, now and in the future" (Johnson & Dougherty, 2008). The government was taking responsible action to assure that the children were being shielded from harm. The government was simply exercising its obligation to the children. A judicial system that works protects people from an over invasive government's right to know what goes on in private homes. The government's right has not eliminated our nation's treasured individual liberty. In fact, that liberty and freedom only extends to the point we do no harm to others or society. When it is judged that the person is obeying the law, or at least doing no harm, the case runs its course through our deliberate system of law. Recently the 460 children were returned to the Yearning for Zion Ranch but, "The judge in the case also imposed a lengthy list of caveats pending the conclusion of the investigation, including surprise home visits by caseworkers, possible psychiatric evaluations of the children and a ban on travel outside Texas" (Johnson & Kovach, 2008). This is not the rule of a government gone astray. This is a judicial system that is cautiously protecting the rights of the children and society's best interests. For decades and centuries critics have been warning the public that we are vulnerable to too much control by the intrusion of the government into our private homes. George Orwell's book 1984 is the archetypical fear that people have of the government's right to examine our private lives. Orwell describes life in 1984 and says, "There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork" (p.3). The book was written over 50 years ago, the year 1984 has come and gone, and we still do not have the Thought Police. We have a conscientious society that is dedicated to protecting the lives of children and serving the functional needs of society. The fears that Americans will over-react, or the government will over-respond, are baseless and have not proved to be the case. In conclusion, the government not only has a right to know what goes on in peoples' homes, they have an obligation to find out. The lives of children are at stake and it is in the beat interest of society to protect this vulnerable segment of our society. After all, these

Executive Summary - Xtreme Gymnastics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Executive Summary - Xtreme Gymnastics - Essay Example There are also programs catering to mature enthusiasts and former gymnasts. The goal is to come up with a sustainable path for Xtreme Gymnastics moving forward with this differentiation positioning, alongside a credible business plan focused on sustainable and profitable growth (Taylor, 2003). The situational analysis reveals, meanwhile, that the overall macroeconomic and macro demographic indicators point to the continued potential of the American market overall to sustain and nurture business concerns such as Xtreme Gymnastics, offering the kinds of programs that it has outlined (Amadeo, 2012a; Kotkin, 2012; Moffatt, 2012; Newman, 2012). The wisdom of segmenting the market by gender and age is validated meanwhile, by data showing that female children and young people dominate the enrollment in gymnastics programs nationally and in almost all geographies. Combining insights from the external market analysis and the characteristics of the most active market segments, it is clear that long-term prospects continue to support a healthy growth for successful players in the market for differentiated, private gymnastics programs. The target market has been identified as young females aged 6-16 years, with emphasis on the market segment defined by females aged 11-12, historically the single largest demographic by degree of participation (US Gymnastics, 2007). The marketing objective shall be to grow the business with the target markets using high staff qualification and safe, friendly, high quality programs and facilities as points of differentiation (usagym,org, 2012). Marketing strategies and tactics shall be aligned with this quality and differentiation-driven marketing objective, and shall include information campaigns to heighten brand awareness and awareness of the programs on offer at Xtreme Gymnastics; promotional activities leveraging social media to do the same; complementing the programs offerings with

Online Learning versus Traditional Learning Essay

Online Learning versus Traditional Learning - Essay Example Assessment in some cases is done online whilst in other cases, students go to a place to sit examinations under supervised conditions. Personally, I find out that online learning is convenient. It enables people to learn at any location and at anytime. This convenience is borne out of the fact that all what a person needs is access to the Internet and from there, the person can access all course materials at the convenience of his home or on his laptop anywhere in the world. This is a convenience that is not available to people who study in campuses where they are required to put aside other things and attend lectures to meet the requirements for graduation. Dosckocil (2008) states that online learning is very popular with adults who seek to study. This is because online learning allows older people to balance their career and family commitments with education. This is very convenient and allows people who do not have the opportunity to put aside some important elements of their live s to go back to school to also access education. This can come in handy when one wants to gain some career improvement through the attainment of better qualifications. Personally, before enrolling in this online course, I had a lot of responsibilities and thought it will be difficult for me to balance a traditional learning system. I dreaded the idea of enrolling in a traditional course since that would cause me to put aside a lot of important things in my life to meet the attendance requirements and other enrollment demands that such courses have. This course has allowed me to kill two birds with one stone because I can study and also make time to do important things in my life. Also, online learning gives an individual the opportunity to use sophisticated tools and techniques to support his studies. For instance, online learning courses often give an array of important study resources like online libraries and journals that can add up to the potentials and abilities of the student . Additionally, the use of computers enables an individual to build important skills and potentials like typing and computer usage which are imperative skills for employment in our era today. Traditional Learning Traditional learning on the other hand is far from being extinct. There are numerous reasons that imply that people will continue to patronize the normal brick-and-mortar classroom study for a long time to come. Hall (2007) identifies that some courses like natural sciences, teachers education and psychology are not suitable for online learning. This is because such courses require important skills that can only be studied in an environment where there is a concentration of support services and infrastructure. For instance, a medical student cannot graduate by studying online only. This is because the student needs to be accustomed to a schedule that will require him to go to the laboratory, go for lecturers offered by specialists and access traditional libraries. This ther efore makes it imperative for such students to move to a traditional university campus to get a balanced education. Also, traditional study systems solicit for more commitments and promote important elements of studies which cannot be made available through distance studies. This is because there is some kind of personal rapport that exists between the student of a traditional course which is missing in an online course. Additionally, students in a

Discusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Discusion - Essay Example To illustrate this, when people get into a building they would clearly mark the entrances and the exits as a matter of instinct. Unfortunately, what they do not notice would be the fire exit points as they obviously assume that the common entrance or exit points may be the safest exits when a fire occurs. Individuals fear using the emergency exit points mainly due to the unfamiliarity to the route since they did not use them when accessing the building (Clarke, 2002). Secondly, uncertainty of the whether the route would lead to safety in that they may not be open is also another reason why these routes are not used during an emergency. Moreover, a trait that came out during these researches is the different reactions between men and women when confronted by a fire. For women, the most obvious thing that they would do would be to evacuate infants or the elderly, if any. Ironically, for their male counterparts trying to fight the fire would be their immediate response instead of scampering for safety. On the other hand, the reaction by toddlers would be very different to that of adults, as children tend to hide and await rescue by people who are older than they are (Clarke, 2002). Children perceive those older than them to be more able to lead them to safety as they have been around long enough to know what to do and when. Even when being led to safety, children would feel the need to carry with them something that they hold dear, like a toy or a doll, and then feel as if they also rescued something. These clearly depict the various reactions that different age and genders would have in the event of a fire. On the contrary, many tend to think that commotion would awake people when they are in deep sleep but the opposite would do, soothing and peaceful sound. Therefore, in the occurrence of a fire those sleeping would consider unnecessary noise to be a nuisance, ignoring the imminent danger present as

100 Words Essay Examples Essay Example for Free

100 Words Essay Examples Essay Essay about Red Nose Day The purpose is to entertain and change lives in the UK and Africa. The money spent to aid young who live on the street and protect people living with domestic abuse. In Africa for vaccines etc. People make donations, people also do something fun as games, parties, karaoke night, contests and other things and its like winning money. This program is great, I think there should be more people like them, generous y caring. This type of action I love. It is best to help and if it is fun and with love is better. 99 words Her Majesty The Queen Buckingham Palace London SW1A 1AA Her Majesty the Queen, My name is Leslie Monserrat Martinez Hernandez, I have 16 years old, Im Mexican and I am student. Im from the state of Hidalgo Mexico but I live in Teotihuacan City of Gods Mexico, I live with my family, my dad, my mom and two younger brothers. Im going to talk about the beautiful place where I live. Teotihuacan is an archaeological site as are the beautiful Pyramids of the Sun and Moon and the Teotihuacan was one of the most important and ancient cultures of Mexico. The food is very tasty, very friendly people and is a quiet, well this Animal Kingdom a great zoo where the animals are free. Teotihuacan is a charming town. I say goodbye without thanking your attention. Greetings and kisses from Mexico. Essay about The British Museum The museum is free, open daily 10.00-17.30 Friday until 20.30. In this museum one of the most important objects of the museum is the Cyrus Cylinder. This museum is very interesting and very important for the United Kingdom You can reach the museum by car, bicycle, subway and bus. The purpose of the museum is to share his collection with the world. People can donate items and museum receives them in order to make the collection bigger. I imagine this museum is very cute and very interesting because it has a variety of information and objects with great meaning. 99 words Essay about Poppy Day Remembrance Day also known as Poppy Day, because it is traditional to wear a poppy artificial. Sold by the Royal British Legion a group dedicated to helping veterans. It is a remembrance of those who died in the war so that people were free, some people prefer to wear a poppy on the left side above his heart. The first day of Poppy Day was in Britain on November 11th, 1921. This commemoration is very beautiful and interesting because it is a nice touch to remind the people who gave their lives in the war. It is an example of love, respect and solidarity. 100 words Essay about St. Patrick’s Day St. Patricks Day is celebrated annually on March 17 to commemorate the death of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. It is a national holiday in Ireland. Many people celebrate the festival by dressing green with Irish food, drink and parades. This festival demonstrates the creativity, professionalism and sophistication of Ireland. The origin of this holiday is in commemoration of the arrival of Christianity to Ireland, one of the traditions of St. Patricks shamrock. This custom is very funny because I think people are going green and all the country of going green and other things that represent this special day. 100 words Essay about Millennium Stadium Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, where rugby and soccer practice. It is located in the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales, in the UK. There may be 74,500 people. The total construction cost of the stadium was  £ 121 million and was built by Laing in 1999. Opened in June 1999, also the second largest stadium in the world. Its a great stadium, cool and important because it is the largest stadium second the world but to me the history of this stadium did not like, I like football but it is important for me to know him. 100 words

Los Angeles Kings Marketing Plan Essay Example for Free

Los Angeles Kings Marketing Plan Essay I. Executive Summary The NHL has seen its fairs share of storied franchises, but non-however may stick out more than the Los Angeles Kings. At one time the Kings had acquired arguably, the best player to ever lace up his skates in Wayne Gretzky and were competing for the Stanley Cup year-in-and-year-out. The Kings have been long regarded as one of the better ran franchises in sports, thanks to managements commitment to winning. However, the Kings have not managed their ultimate goal of a Stanley Cup, they manage to remain competitive every year. The closest they came was in 1993, where they lost to the Montreal Canadians in the Stanley Cup Finals. Behind the play on the ice though comes a marketing strategy that ties it all together. This strategy will be developed in conjunction with, Vice President of Marketing Jonathon Lowe, and team owners Philip Anschutz and Edward Roski Jr. The following strategy will include sales, promotions, merchandising, advertising/sponsorships, public relations, and then of course community relations. The Kings came to the NHL in 1966, as apart of the â€Å"new 6† that doubled the size of the NHL and brought a franchise to Southern California. Then owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kent Cooke brought his passion for the sport of hockey, and for the city of Los Angeles together when he created the organization. After 44 seasons of hockey the Kings are now one of the more storied franchises in the NHL today. This past season the Kings enjoyed a great fan turnout averaging 18,803 fans filling the building to an average of 99.8% capacity, up 6% from the previous season. The Kings do not have to compete with the LA Lakers or Clippers of the NBA so much being as how all three teams play out of the Staples Center, but in a city like LA where the entertainment dollar is more competitive now than ever, it is important for the Kings to stay ahead of the rest of the competition. Fans need to know that they have the opportunity to catch the most exciting game on ice, every time the Kings play at home. If there is one thing LA fans are notorious for it is only coming to â€Å"important† games. That is why we need to branch out to new fans and make sure old fans still know the Kings run this town. II Sales: Sales, the lifeblood of any organization, the biggest factor that separates a successful franchise to a non-successful franchise. The Kings currently have their season ticket plan broken up into several different categories they include, full/half season ticket plans, along with 10-game deals, a Wild West package, and then single/group ticket sales. Also there are Royal benefits made available to full/half season ticket holders, and 10-game ticket holders. By becoming a season ticket holder be it full, half, or a 10-game plan the fan is entitled to Royal benefits that include but are not limited to: * Stanley Cup Playoff Ticket Priority * Significant saving on tickets * Flexible interest free payments * 10% off at the team LA Store * Ability to purchase advance tickets to other events at the Staples Center, Home Depot Center, LA LIVE and more * Ability to purchase Staples Center pre-paid parking They also include Royal Service Programs that include: * Access to a personal Season Ticket Service Executive * Kings CARE donation program (this gives the ticket holder the opportunity to donate unwanted tickets to the Kings CARE foundation) * Ability to upgrade account or add tickets to account * Access to LAKings.com/seasontix this website give the fan the option to view their account, access tickets, make payments, renew tickets, and sell tickets on Ticketmaster’s TicketExchange They also include Royal Treatment: * Receive invites to exclusive Team Member events like, a Meet the Players Party, State of the Franchise, private practices, listen in on conference calls, and much much more * Refer a friend to season tickets and receive free Team LA gear. The Kings play 82 regular season games in the Western Conference, Pacific division. Of these 82 games 41 are played at home, the rest on the road. For all 41 home games the ticket sales are as follows: The Kings offer great deals to buy tickets in bulk, i.e. season tickets and are willing to sacrifice some profits to bring fans into the arena. The only thing that the Kings lack in their season ticket packages are names that people can get excited for. The full season ticket holder package will be renamed the â€Å"King’s Royal Court†, this is something that will help the fan feel more connected to the team. The half season ticket holder package will be known as â€Å"the Royal package of the Crown†. The 10-Game packages needed names with a little more spunk so instead of the 10-Game, Big Game package, it will be known as the â€Å"10-Game War† to because it is war on the ice and the team will be playing some of the best competition the NHL has to offer. The Weekend Plan could be renamed â€Å"Time Away From the Throne†, because it is a weekend and people typically do not have to work. I like the name of the Flex package because it tells the consum er exactly what they are getting. Following package sales are individual ticket sales and group ticket sales. Single game tickets can be purchased through the box office or the team’s website via Ticketmaster. Pricing for tickets are based on demand, opponent, day of week, and number of days before the game. Prices may vary from week to week and will go up or down each Wednesday based on these factors. The way the price for tickets is determined is very interesting, it is good for the fans and bad for the fans, because the system relies heavily on what games being played and there performance of the team. This gives fans with a lower level of income the ability to catch a Kings game, even though the opponent might not be that good. Group tickets are available to groups of 15 or more and offer value priced seating based on the game. The idea behind group seating is to bring the groups, pride, passion, and power to the Staples Center to support the LA Kings. The Kings work with multiple youth hockey organizations, along with other organizations throughout the area to achieve group sales. III Promotions The Kings do an excellent job with promotions to get fans into the arena, different nights of the week have a different theme, all of which appeal to the people who live in the Los Angeles area. The promotions schedule is as follows: * Oct. 18: Opening Night * Oct. 22: Law Enforcement Appreciation Night * Oct. 25: Kroq Tailgate, Hockey fights cancer * Nov. 3: Canadian Heritage Night * Nov. 5: Waste Management â€Å"Green Game† * Nov. 8: Native American Pride Night, USC vs UCLA * Nov. 12: Boy Scout Night * Dec. 1: Career Night * Dec. 10: Legends Night, Firefighter Appreciation Night * Jan. 2: Legends Night * Jan. 5: Faith Family Night * Jan. 9: Russian Heritage Night * Jan. 12: Waste Management â€Å"Green Game† * Jan. 19: Jewish Pride Night * Jan. 23: Armenian Pride Night * Feb. 18: Legends Night, Black History Night * Mar. 3: Waste Management â€Å"Green Game† * Mar. 22: Law Enforcement Night presented by Enterprise Rent-a-center Along with these promotions that are geared towards promoting community bonding there is Military Mondays which honors those who have served in our military, Website Wednesdays which offer different deals on Wednesday of ever week, and Student Nights which are games that offer discounted tickets to all students with valid ID. IV Merchandising Merchandising deals with all aspects of the game, it is the difference between any old game and a sporting event. The fact that when a fan enters the Staples Center they are welcomed to a sea of black and purple and blinded by the Kings crown is what makes a Kings game a Kings game. The Kings are fortunate to have a very intensive website dedicated to Merchandise that includes jerseys, tee shirts, golf shirts, sweatshirts, and much more. The goal behind the Kings merchandising techniques is that everyone who walks into Staples Center better be wearing some type of Kings memorabilia and if they are not they better walk out with something on. In the arena itself there is a store dedicated to offering women’s apparel. The store had pink and form fitting hockey jerseys for women because the normal jerseys are too big. The store also had Kings shirts that are a little more flashy than normal and would appeal more to a women’s eye. Along with the women’s store there are several stores in the arena that are designed for children. These stores have Kings toys and mini hockey sticks, plus clothes and jerseys designed for children to wear. All along the arena there are places for men to buy merchandise they include jerseys, hats, tee shirt, sweatshirts, hockey pucks and much more. Some of the more popular items are the shirts designed for women, golf balls and hockey puck with the Kings logo on it. The Kings have a very recognizable brand and are amongst the top teams in revenue generators for the NHL. V Sponsorships The Kings have formed multiple corporate sponsorships that help fuel their organization. Most notably is Staples, whom own the naming right to the arena they play in but that is also in conjunction with the Lakers, Clippers, and city of Los Angeles. On top of that the Kings have teamed up with Verizon Wireless and Wells Fargo both of which are huge national organizations. The Kings also pair up with corporations to bring events to games. The Kings have deals wit h Pizza Hut to sponsor events, Waste Management sponsors â€Å"Green Games† for the Kings, and Kroqs also sponsored a themed game promotion. Sponsorships are a huge part of revenue and the best way to attract new sponsors is to attract fans. Some suggestions that the Kings could use would be to get a company to sponsor some type of ticket deal, it would reduce the cost to the consumer, and could come with coupons to use at the sponsoring company’s facilities. Another sponsorship idea is to have corporate sponsored events like a golf outing for charity or something of that nature. The Kings have the luxury have having a giant billboard that surrounds the ice they play on so corporate sponsors are not too hard to come by. Some notable sponsorships are Delta, Carl’s JR, Hooters, Toyota, and the Penalty Box, which is a bar located in South LA dedicated to the Kings. Another way the Kings could promote corporate sponsorship is through some type of wellness card. All card carriers would receive benefits to participating companies, and could include money off food, gas, or clothing. The card is something that can purchase through the LA Kings and will offer deals to its card carrier. VI Public Relations Public Relations are important to any organization and the Kings are no exception to this. The Kings already do an excellent job with their PR. The teams website is more than informative and gives fans a very hands on approach to press releases, game notes, and player stats/news. The idea behind good public relations is that by being perceived as good in the public’s eye will equate to more ticket sales and more support of the team. No one will support a team that is full of classless thugs, and that is why the website is so interactive. The fans have a chance to read up on their favorite players, see where they are from, and their career stats. That is fairly basic though, I propose each player prepares a short, quick, bio about themselves answering some fun questions like â€Å"what’s your favorite movie?,† â€Å"what’s your favorite food?†, â€Å"who is your favorite band?†. Questions that when answered will give the fan one more possible way to connect to their favorite athlete. Not only that, but by doing this it will give fans the chance to get to know new players. Another big part of PR is getting team new out their fast before the media gets the wrong story out there. The Kings have all updates on player personnel available on the team website and also through the teams’ Twitter and Facebook accounts. The Kings have 165-thousand Facebook fans and 49.6-thousand followers on Twitter. The Kings have really utilized social media as a positive tool while dealing with Public Relations. VII Community Relations Community Relations is similar to PR but deals more with the local community at hand rather than the view of the team under the national spotlight. For the Kings the city of LA has been very gracious hosts and the Kings have returned the favor significantly. The Kings have been in the area for the last 44 years and have maintained an excellent presence in the city. In 1996, the Kings started the Kings CARE Foundation, which is dedicated to helping less fortunate kids get through school by providing educational support the Kings were able to raise $3.5 Million since being started. This includes a $250-thousand donation that was used to help fund the Children’s Museum of Los Angeles, and another $250-thousand donation that was dedicated to AIDs victims. Another thing the Kings do is Kids Ice Knights, which donates over 10,000 tickets a year to kids who cannot afford to go to Kings games. The Kings Care Foundations hosts a silent auction every year that benefits the Children Cancer Research Fund, the items up for auction were tee shirts designed by team players and those associated with the Kings. The players all designed a dog bowl that were auctioned off, all proceeds of this went to the Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles. The 2006-2007 campaign gave the Kings the opportunity to work with Carmen Electra’s fundraiser, Head to Hollywood, which benefits survivors of brain cancer/head trauma. The team sponsored events at their home games where Miss USA and other celebrities shot pucks into an empty net to raise money. Every Wednesday the Kings feature children up for adoption in the greater LA area. In 1998, the Kings began a scholarship fund for fallen friend Michael Jund, and has been changing the lives of its recipient for over a decade. Finally the Kings pair with Toys for Tots around the holidays to bring holiday cheer to children. The Kings take a very active role in the community. On top of all of this players are constantly visiting the less fortunate and making sure the community knows the Kings care. It is important for the Kings to maintain their strong community ties because every season starts with the off-season.

Customer Satisfaction And Loyalty In Mobile Phone Industry Marketing Essay

Customer Satisfaction And Loyalty In Mobile Phone Industry Marketing Essay A customer is the person who brings us his wants. He is not an interruption of our work, but the purpose of it. We are not doing a favor by serving him; he is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so (Sara Gustafson, Erica Lundgren 2005). Customer satisfaction is the degree to which customer expectations of a product or service are met or exceeded (BNET Business Directory). The term customer loyalty is used to describe the behavior of repeat customers, as well as those that offer good ratings, reviews, or testimonials (WiseGeek). Consumer satisfaction and loyalty plays an important role in the success of any business. Therefore these are considered as priority task for many businesses (Kotler et al, 2002), as satisfied and loyal customers bring in profitability and competitive advantage to an organization (Bowen and Chen, 2001). As Gould (1995) proposes that no company can survive in business without satisfied and loyal customers. This is the reason, that organizations put efforts to develop and provide offerings to satisfy their customers and maintain their loyalty. Loyal and satisfied customers not only increase the value of the business, but also enable it to maintain the costs lower than those associated with attracting new customers (Beerli et al, 2004). 3. Industry Background The mobile phone service industry provides network services for communication of voice or data signals through wireless mode. There are more than 74 million mobile phone subscribers in U.K. in which 85% of the adults have a handset. UK represents the most competitive market in Europe and there is a huge war among the service providers to differentiate themselves from their competitors (Mintel 2008). Subscription levels are expected to continue to grow, however, it should be noted that while there were 73.5 million subscriptions in UK in 2007, it has been cited that nine million subscriptions are for SIM cards that are inactive and a further 7.7 million that are barely active. Mobile phone subscriptions are forecast to increase in 2008 to 76 million subscriptions. Currently the UK represents approximately 9% of the European market and by 2010 it is forecast to have 78 million subscriptions. (Mintel 2008) There are five mobile phone networks currently operating in the UK : O2, T-Mobile, Orange, Vodafone and most recently 3. Vodafone and O2 (formerly BT Cellnet) are the largest and oldest. These two networks were joined by T-Mobile (formerly One 2 One) swiftly followed by Orange. All of these companies now operate digital networks. In addition, there are many virtual networks operating on these major networks, packaged under a different name. e.g. Virgin, OneTel, Lycatalk etc. All the above mentioned facts shows that there is a huge market for Mobile service providers in U.K. Mobile phone is everyones need and there is a large customer base who uses the services of more than one network provider. 4. Justification for the choice of research Over the last decade organizations of all types and sizes have increasingly come to understand the importance of customer satisfaction. It is a renowned fact that it is far less costly to keep existing customers than to make new ones. It is becoming accepted that there is a strong link between customer retention, customer satisfaction and profitability. In a large area of public sector customer satisfaction itself is the measure of success (Nigel Hill, 2002). Mobile phone network industry is a giant industry in U.K. I chose this research topic because I personally observed there is a huge competition in this industry, and the industry is prone to face problems of customer decay. The average business loses between 10 and 30 percent of its customers each year; but they often dont know which customer they have lost, when they were lost, why they were lost or how much sales revenue and profit this customer decay has cost them (Nigel Hill and Jam Alaxender, 2002, p 3). A loyal customer fe els committed towards the organization and results in profit and growth to the organization. In this highly competitive era, every company tries to offer uniqueness and best value for money, an educated and smart customer has some determinants to choose which organization to stay committed with and which company to switch over. 5. Research objectives 5.1 To find out the right service gap Service gap is the difference between the present quality of service and ideal quality of service. It is very important for an organization to know the right service gap so as to focus on narrowing down that service gap and offer better services to the customer. Nigel Hill and Jim Alaxender have specified five types of service gaps (Nigel Hill and Jim Alaxender, 2002, p 5.): Promotional Gap -When what is said about the service differs from the standards actually delivered. Understanding Gap when managers perceptions of customers expectations are inaccurate Procedural Gap when customers expectations are not translated into appropriate operating procedures / system. Behavioural Gap When the service delivered is different from the specifications of the service. Perception Gap When the level of service perceived by customers differs from the service actually provided. 5.2 To find out the degree of customer loyalty There are different levels of customer loyalty referred as a ladder of pyramid in literature. These levels of loyalty vary from the customer perspective. These are defined as follows (Nigel Hill and Jim Alaxender, 2002, p 16.): Suspects When suspects are unaware of the product or have no inclination to purchase it. Prospects When customers have some attraction towards the organization, but they have not yet taken the step of doing business yet. Customers usually one-off purchaser or may be sometimes repeat buyers, but no real feelings towards organization. Clients Repeat customers having positive feeling towards organization, but their support is passive rather than active. Advocates Actively supporting clients who recommend organization to others. Partners Strongest form of loyalty, where both parties see mutual benefit in partnership. Predicting the right level of customer loyalty towards an organization helps in strategically planning the measures to enhance customer trust and shifting from bottom to top level of the loyalty pyramid. There is usually a homogenous segment of customers lying at each level. Identifying that segment and planning accordingly will help in increasing customer retention. 5.4 To analyse the factors that affects customer satisfaction and loyalty. A questionnaire will be designed with an aim to find out first two objectives and carrying out customer expectations from their mobile service provider. In-depth analysis of the data obtained will bring out the factors that affect customer satisfaction and loyalty. The organization can thus underpin those factors in their customer relationship process and try to retain customer commitment. A committed customer stay longer, buy more often, buy more range, spend more, recommend more, consider competitors less and feel committed. (Nigel Hill, Jim Alaxender, 2002) 6. Research Methods The research is clearly classified as exploratory study. This kind of study is a valuable mean of clarifying the understanding of a problem (Saunders et al. 2003, p.96). The above research objectives will be achieved using qualitative primary data in the form of unstructured questionnaire. The primary data will be collected from the below mentioned sample size in the form of unstructured questionnaires. The research strategy that will be carried out will be Survey in the form of unstructured questionnaire. The research will be exploratory study as the precise nature of the problem is not sure (Saunders et al. 2007, p.138). 7. Data collection and analysis Both primary as well as secondary data will be used for this research. Secondary data will be obtained from various sources to obtain theoretical background for carrying out the research. The secondary data collection source would be :- Research Methods for Business Students Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill, 2003. Handbook of customer satisfaction and loyalty measurement Nigel Hilla and Jim Alexander, 2002. Online library resources e.g. Mintel, Emerald etc. After getting the theoretical background for carrying out the research, Primary data would be collected from the sample size in the form of unstructured questionnaires. Unstructured questionnaire would be preferred as compared to other survey methods as it will be less complicated and deems fit for carrying our research like this. . 8. Time scale and resources I have sufficient resources to carry out this research. I have divided my research plan into activities with clear completion time frames and my tendency would be complete the research within the designed time frame. Month Day Activities March 1-15 Further reading on key theories and concepts involved in research and drawing relevant information for the literature review. Mid March to April 20-30 Commencement and finishing of critical literature review drafts May to June 5-30 Collection and compilation of research data July to mid August 1 17 Analyzing the data and writing the first research draft. Mid August to Mid September 17 30 Compiling the final research and carrying out conclusions and recommendations. References Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrain Thornhill (2003) Research methods for business students 3rd Edition. FT Prentice Hall Financial Times Pearson Education U.K) Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrain Thornhill (2007) Research methods for business students 4th Edition. FT Prentice Hall Financial Times Pearson Education U.K) Nigel Hill and Jim Alexander (2002) Handbook of Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Measurement. 2nd Ed. USA : Gower Publishing Company. Mintel (November 2008) UK Mobile Services and Network Providers.

Kevlar and Nomex Fibers :: kevlar nomex fiber

Kevlar fibers are 5 times stronger than steel. Since the introduction of Kevlar technology, industries have used Kevlar for many applications. Kevlar is most commonly used in safety applications such as bullet-proof vests for law enforcement agents, helmets for military infantries, and as protection from fire. Kevlar is a synthetic (person-made) material known as a polymer. A polymer is a chain made of many similar molecular groups bonded together called monomers. A single Kevlar polymer chain could have anywhere from five to a million segments bonded together. Each Kevlar segment or monomer is a chemical unit that contains 14 carbon atoms, 2 nitrogen atoms, 2 oxygen atoms and 10 hydrogen atoms. The hydrogen bonds greatly strenghten the polymer chain. The pattern shows that the aromatic components of Kevlar have a radial (spoke-like) orientation. The radial orientation is important because it allows the polymer chains to be well-ordered and symmetric like the atoms in a crystal. Because of this highly ordered structure, a fiber of Kevlar has few structural flaws or weak places. This lack of flaws or weak places is the biggest reason for the exceptional strength of Kevlar. Kevlar is a magnificent material due to the way that it can disperse the energy and force of an object by its chemical composition. As we know from physics, the pressure that an object exerts on another object is equal to the force divided by the area. Kevlar is remarkable at absorbing and displacing the pressure of an object. Pressure = Force/Area F = (mass * gravity) The ability to absorb energy and displace the pressure of an object makes Kevlar so useful in protecting us from knives, bullets and infinite types of sharp objects. Military helmets today are much lighter and much stronger than helmets of the past. Helmets of the past consisted of metal. As you know metal can get heavy, especailly after long durations of time. Kevlar is also five time stronger than metal. The new Kevlar helmets help keep our troops safe, and do not cause fatigue on their heads. Combat vehicles use composite panels made of Kevlar liners mounted to the inside of the vehicles structure. With the combination of other metals or ceramics, they greatly increase the survivability for the crew members. Kevlar does not melt or shrink when exposed to extreme heat. It is also extremely resistant to cuts, punctures, ans chemical substances. Many new canoe makers make their canoes entirely out of Kevlar.

Equal Partnership Rights for America :: Gay Marriage Essays

Equal Partnership Rights for America The president has often indicated that he would support a constitutional amendment against gay marriages. The Supreme Court has not yet seen a case dealing with marriage rights of homosexuals, and therefore the constitutionality of laws banning gay marriage have not yet come into question. Homosexuals would argue that they are seeking marriage rights equal with that of heterosexual marriage under the eyes of the law. Some people feel very strongly about this issue and see support for gay marriage as a governmental intrusion on a religious practice. Others see no correlation between mandates on marriages and religious freedoms. All opinions aside, this is an issue that the public simply isn’t very well informed about because there are other issues that have been seen as much more important, because they affect a greater amount of people. Despite other issues being in the public’s attention, the problems aroused by the prospect of gay marriage will soon make their presence known. The forefathers of our country inserted a clause into the Constitution known as the â€Å"full faith and credit† clause. Said clause (Article IV, Section 1, United States Constitution) insures that â€Å"full faith and credit† be given to the laws and judicial proceedings of all the states by all other states. That is, if a contract is signed in Arizona, one cannot simply move to Texas and the contract become null and void. The reason this clause can be a problem for those opposed to gay marriages is that some states are pushing to legalize or have legalized same-sex marriages or civil unions. The reason the national government cannot simply declare gay marriage illegal and thereby prevent the states from legalizing it is: 1. No authority is given to the national government (legislative branch) to make such a law; and 2. The legislation would likely not pass in the house and the senate. If any state were to pass a law declaring same-sex marriage legal in that state, all other states would have to recognize the legality of that contract and the rights that went along with it. So thousands of homosexuals would flock to that state (be it Hawaii, or Vermont) to be married, then be legally married everywhere in the United States.