Tata Motors International Business Strategy

Tata Motors International Business Strategy Tata Motors Tata motors is an Indians largest multi-holding company. It was established in 1945. This company caters to three market segment internationally. The passenger cars, Utility vehicles and commercial vehicles. The company produced the first mini-truck, first light and heavy vehicles and many more firsts in India, being an inventor in their industry. Tata motors has entered into strategic acquisition and joint ventures in its mid stage and launched new products at a rapid pace in various markets. Now a days, Tata motors enjoys the position of being Indians leading auto-mobile manufacturer with increasing presence in Europe, South East Asia, Africa, Australia, and the middle East with a total more of US $ 4 billion. The company focuses on providing customers the best value for their money meets European standards and environmental regulations through their advance technologies. A newer version of the car, named Indica V2, was a major improvement over the previous version and quickly beca me mass favourite. In United Kingdom a badge engineered version of this car was sold (Rover City Rover), which was big failure and declared the worst car ever driven on BBC Top Gear show. Tata motors also successfully exported large quantities of the cars in South Africa. The success of Indica in many ways marked the rise of Tata Motors. The proposal will include the current position of Tata motors and its international expansion, what are the things they have done to be successful? What are their weaknesses? How can they improve. Marketing factors effecting Tata motors. The companys Swot analysis, its Boston matrix, Its market planning and strategy will all be included in the proposal. (Yadong Lou 1999) suggests International Expansion is a process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global-spanning network of communication and trade. This report would not only define how Tata motors and tea expanded internationally but also what are the reasons of organisations to globalise, how complex this expansion is actually as it may seems to be mouth watering because of high profits and economies of scale but in practise it is not that easy. It is important to understand why Tata Motors did expand, though companies in the international arenas have experienced many benefits, however the complexity of the international business also brings a lot of risk with it. For Tata motors to justify international business activities, therefore, relied on the below reasons. International customers : Tata motors wanted to continue serving his customers who became international. To make them feel the same as when they were in the home country. New expanded market : New different market was available outside their home country; additional resources including management, skills just to name the few. Increase sales: Tata motors wanted to increase the sales of his vehicles. Because of this they had to go into markets where consumers had a very strong purchasing power. And also to industrialise courtiers where products such as heavy commercial vehicles were needed or demanded. Generally international expansion is not easy as it may sound since many factors have to be taken in to account. For example Tata motors started from India with an international view but faced problems like political new countrys legislation and laws. For example Nanos launch in October maybe delayed due to political issues related to plant land. Reference Free research report for 1Q 09 results. It should be taken in to account that Plant of Tata motors in India would be much more cost beneficial rather than a plant in Europe as there would be a difference in minimum wage laws. So to decide where a plant should be build lot of thinking is required. Economic factors were also taken in to account, since different countries would have different per annum income of the people hence to produce cars that would be affordable. Recession has not hit the third world countries as such but has hit European countries to much more effect so different international strategy is required. One of the reasons of Tata motors success is that they faced such challenges successfully. As it is shown above Tata motors expanded with consideration of a lot of factors and proved to be successful. To understand the concept it is important to know how did they market their products, what their planning was? What marketing strategy did they use. Marketing: Marketing is the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customer in return. Tata motors market their product differently when producing in different regions. (Gary Armstrong 2009) Market targeting is a process of evaluating each market segments attractiveness and selecting one or more segments to enter. Segmentation is dividing into distinct groups of buyers who have distinct needs, characteristics, or behaviour and who might require separate products or marketing programmes. As the Tata Group is a worldwide concern operating in more than 100 countries with thousands of products, there is almost no industry which seems to be untouched by the group. The focus of Tatas market entry will be UK. There were several reasons for selecting UK as the target market. These favourable factors were the status of India as the favourable economic agent, UK Car market dynamics and potential, language similarity. The other countries which were considered as potentially attractive were: the USA the largest market size in the world, Russia emerging market with significant sales potential. The option of the USA as target market was declined due to extremely high quality require ments and other non-tariff barriers which make it hard for a new entrant to enter this market ÂÂ   (Roger A. Kerin 1994) Through strategic planning, the company decides what it wants to do with each business unit. Market planning involves deciding on market strategies that will help the company attain its overall strategic objectives. A detailed marketing plan is essential for each business, product or brand. The plan begins with an executive summary, which quickly overviews major assessments, goals and recommendations. Tata Nano is the cheapest car in the world. It is sold in home country India around Rs 1-lakh i.e. approximately USD 2000. Tata Nano was first launched in India on 1st April 2009 and expected to be in Indian market by July 2009. Since launching, it has created a huge buzz all over India. Within the first two days of lunching, it has received 5500 booking. The figures keep increasing every day since the launching. What makes Tata Nano so cheap? Basically, by making things smaller, lighter, do away with superficial parts and change the materials wherever possible without compromising the safety and environmental compliance. It is said that Tata Nano has better mileage than Toyota Prius and same gas emission as a scooter. The planning of this car is that it will be imported to Malaysia in parts by Tata motors and is assembled in its two assembly plants. There are forty sale offices in Peninsular Malaysia nationwide. All Tata Nano cars will be distributed through these sale offices only. Order can be made vide these distribution centres or its web site. (Robert.E) Market strategy: Market strategy outlines the broad marketing logic by which the business hopes to achieve its marketing objectives and the specifics of targets markets, positioning, and marketing expenditure levels. How will the company the company create value for customers in order to capture value from customers in return? This section also outlines specific strategies for each marketing mix element and explains how each responds to the threats, opportunities and critical issues spelled out earlier in the plan. Product: Over the years Tata Motors have been successful in creating their brand image especially they use some famous stars as their spokesman. Other important marketing strategies are such as the packaging, innovations, and quality control. Tata Motors provide many innovative features to attract car lover. One of these innovations is the Tata Safari 4X4 Decor that has Reverse Guide System. A weather-proof camera is fixed to the rear car to help the driver while reversing the car. Pricing strategy: There are number of factors to determine the price of the car. Factors include like market condition for example it cannot be too low or too high with the prices of same vehicles of the competitors. Giving discount every month and special promotion for certain type of vehicle also one of the strong strategy use by Tata Motors. Discount can be made from Companys profit or from dealers profit at certain range. Place: It includes the company activities that make the product available to target customers. Channels of distributions, locations and sales is usually adopted. Vehicle should be distributed in a systematic way, from the plant to dealership and to end user. Tata Motors has an extensive dealer network covering Indian and International markets. Wherever you are, there is a Tata Motors Sales and Service dealership close to you Promotion: Personal selling: There is cold calling to customer, this is done by collection of customer data bases done by the sales officers. Hence there is minimum personal selling involved. Advertising is any paid form of non personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor. It is designed to promote the sale of a product or service. The various media that can be used for advertising are T.V, Newspaper, Magazines, Hoardings, and Internet etc. Tata Motors is responsible for the advertising of its products. The dealer conducts point-of-purchase displays to advertise the products. The advertisements done by the Co. help the dealer to capitalize on the market. Advertising is often used to make consumers aware of a products special low price or its benefits. But an even more important function of advertising is to create an image that consumers associate with a product, known as the brand image. The brand image goes far beyond the functional characteristics of the product. The products of Tata Motors have many special characteristics to them, but when consumers think of it, they not only think of its features, but they may also associa te it with quality, performance, and class. All of these meanings have been added to the product by advertising Sales promotion is a short term incentive to encourage the purchase or sale of a product or service. Its purpose is to supplement and coordinate advertising and personal selling. It is designed to persuade consumers to purchase immediately by providing special incentives to them for example extra product, prizes or gifts. During festivals such as diwali customers are given festive discounts. Public relations is building good relations with the companys various publics by obtaining favorable publicity, building a good corporate image, and handling or heading off unfavorable rumors, stories and events. The Co. takes serious measures to maintain good public relations. The Co. follows business ethics to ensure that the customer is satisfied and receives good service whenever and wherever he desires.(Edmund Jerome McCarthy). SWOT ANALYSIS: SWOT analysis helps a firm in strategy formulation, in responding strategically to the environment, the goal is to reduce identified threats and take advantage of the best opportunities. The following is the SWOT analysis of Tata motors Strengths The internationalisation strategy so far has been to keep local managers in new acquisitions, and to only transplant a couple of senior managers from India into the new market. The benefit is that Tata has been able to exchange expertise. For example after the Daewoo acquisition the Indian company leaned work discipline and how to get the final product right first time. The company has a strategy in place for the next stage of its expansion. Not only is it focusing upon new products and acquisitions, but it also has a programme of intensive management development in place in order to establish its leaders for tomorrow. The company has had a successful alliance with Italian mass producer Fiat since 2006. This has enhanced the product portfolio for Tata and Fiat in terms of production and knowledge exchange. For example, the Fiat Palio Style was launched by Tata in 2007, and the companies have an agreement to build a pick-up targeted at Central and South America. Weaknesses The companys passenger car products are based upon 3rd and 4th generation platforms, which put Tata Motors Limited at a disadvantage with competing car manufacturers. Despite buying the Jaguar and Land Rover brands (see opportunities below); Tata has not got a foothold in the luxury car segment in its domestic, Indian market. Is the brand associated with commercial vehicles and low-cost passenger cars to the extent that it has isolated itself from lucrative segments in a more aspiring India? Opportunities In the summer of 2008 Tata Motors announced that it had successfully purchased the Land Rover and Jaguar brands from Ford Motors for UK Â £2.3 million. Two of the Worlds luxury car brand have been added to its portfolio of brands, and will undoubtedly off the company the chance to market vehicles in the luxury segments. Tata Motors Limited acquired Daewoo Motors Commercial vehicle business in 2004 for around USD $16 million. Nano is the cheapest car in the World retailing at little more than a motorbike. Whilst the World is getting ready for greener alternatives to gas-guzzlers, is the Nano the answer in terms of concept or brand? Incidentally, the new Land Rover and Jaguar models will cost up to 85 times more than a standard Nano! The new global track platform is about to be launched from its Korean (previously Daewoo) plant. Again, at a time when the World is looking for environmentally friendly transport alternatives, is now the right time to move into this segment? The answer to this question (and the one above) is that new and emerging industrial nations such as India, South Korea and China will have a thirst for low-cost passenger and commercial vehicles. The range of Super Milo fuel efficient buses are powered by super-efficient, eco-friendly engines. The bus has optional organic clutch with booster assist and better air intakes that will reduce fuel consumption by up to 10%. Threats Other competing car manufacturers have been in the passenger car business for 40, 50 or more years. Therefore Tata Motors Limited has to catch up in terms of quality and lean production. Sustainability and environmentalism could mean extra costs for this low-cost producer. This could impact its underpinning competitive advantage. Obviously, as Tata globalises and buys into other brands this problem could be alleviated. Since the company has focused upon the commercial and small vehicle segments, it has left itself open to competition from overseas companies for the emerging Indian luxury segments. For example ICICI bank and DaimlerChrysler have invested in a new Pune-based plant which will build 5000 new Mercedes-Benz per annum. Other players developing luxury cars targeted at the Indian market include Ford, Honda and Toyota. In fact the entire Indian market has become a target for other global competitors including Maruti Udyog, General Motors, Ford and others. Rising prices in the global economy could pose a threat to Tata Motors Limited on a couple of fronts. The price of steel and aluminium is increasing putting pressure on the costs of production. Many of Tatas products run on Diesel fuel which is becoming expensive globally and within its traditional home market. These all factors held lot of importance for Tata motors to expand inte rationally. (Peter Jackson 1982). The strategic positioning of an organization admits the inventing the desired future position of the organization on the groundwork of present and predictable exploitations, and the constructing of programs to realize that positioning. Strategic positioning can be analysed by Porters SWOT analysis approach and Boston Consultants Group (BCG) Matrix (See Figure 2). BCG Product portfolio matrix indicates the Cash Cows refers to the industries with a high market share and low growth such as Power (Energy), Steel and Oil Gas. Dogs refer the industries with low market share and low growth such as Tata Sky, Tata Tele services etc. the stars shows the industries such as Automotive, Tea, and Chemicals with high market share and high growth. However; the each industry position in the matrix is an opportunity open to business (Sutherland and Canwell, 2004, p 16; Stacy, 1993, pp 48-49, Thompson, 2002). For example; in cash cows, Tatas acquisition with Corus (UK) and gained a big share of market . In stars Tatas acquisition of Daewoo (Korea) and achieved a high market share in the Korean automobile market. Figure: 2 Tata motors takes in to account the value proportion of what is proposed in the market and also make sure that target customers segments also are addressed by the value proposition. For example; the Tatas recent announcement, of launching the cheapest cars for the Indian market for the target market of two wheeler owners such as motorcycle and scooter. Tata motors has developed effective distribution channels to reach the customers and to develop relationship with them (David Mercer)It is very important for a company like Tata motors which is a global company that it considers its environment before beginning the marketing process. In fact, environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of planning. The macro environments that can affect Tata motors include political, economical, Socio cultural and technological factors. Political arena: Political arena can have a lot of influence upon the regulation of businesses and also one the spending power of the consumers and other businesses. The political factors that can affect Tata motors are, strong tax incentives for inbound investors, different countries would have different laws so company has to take in to account what they are dealing with, strong motivation and trust, there was a negative effect on the IT industry after 2009 because the governments initiative of Tax holiday under STPI expires (Thinking street 2007) In order to be successful marketers need to consider the state of a trading economy both in the long and short term. It would be essential when Tata motors plan to do international marketing. As interest rates, Inflation, employment level per capita and gross domestic product per capita would all play important roles. Tata motors would also be affected by competitive labour cost model and highly mobile work force. Social and cultural factors: Social and cultural factors influence the business varies from country to country. It includes factors like, dominant religion in the area? The attitudes to foreign products and services? How much effect language has upon the diffusion of products onto markets. Technology: Technology is one thing which is very important in the car industry. Since technology will give Tata motors a competitive advantage over others and is a major driver of globalisation. For example technology can allow the products to be made cheaply hence reducing cost and increasing revenues, It offers new innovative products to the consumers that will make sure that the product dont get obsolete, Tata motors internet site provides all the information about the cars, 3d view and videos can be seen making information easily accessible to the consumers. It also adds the concept of customer relationship manager who will be in touch with the consumers even after the car has been purchased. Thus consumer will feel themselves part of the organisation. So to be competitive Tata motors have to do strong R D culture and facilities, strong tie-ups with western technology companies and be adaptive to new technologies. The various motives behind buying an automobile are Need, Prestige, Comfort, Fashion, Jealousy and Novelty. The R D Department continuously strives to bring new innovations in their product. Tatas have an industrial experience of over 100 years and they are well known with the Psychology of Indian customers, who desire more at less price. This experience has helped them to develop products which fulfil the expectations of Indian consumers. Porters 5 Forces Analysis: Porters 5 forces analysis deals with the factors outside an industry that influence the nature of competition within it. According to Porter (1985), competition is at the core of the success or failure of firms. The intensity of rivalry will determine the extent to which competing companies will give away the value that they have created. They will either pass this value to the buyer in lower prices or it will be absorbed by higher costs of competing (Porter, 1991). Michael Porter has provided a framework that models an industry being influenced by the five forces which will give below. That helps the strategic business manager to develop an edge over rival firms as this model helps in understanding the industry context in which firms operate. Figure 1 shows the five forces model: Barriers to Entry: Time and cost of entry: When launching a product time is the most essential thing. The launch of NANO is a good example since demand for small cars is on the rise of the market. Cost of entry actually means the initial capital that would be required to setup a new firm is very high. Knowledge and technology: It is from knowledge and technology that firms get competitive advantage over others. Tata motors have great knowledge and technology because of the experience they had and also from the fact that they have done few mergers and acquisitions over the last few years. Product differentiation and cost advantage: The new products should be attractive and different to be accepted by customers. Attractiveness can be measured by feature, price etc. NANO car price is one of its things which are very attractive for customers at the moment. Buyers: Switching costs: In the case of NANO the switching cost from bike to car is high. Thus increasing the demand of the car. Number of customers: Few buyers can dictate their terms. The bargaining power of buyer is higher if there are a lot of choices available to the buyers. In the case of NANO the price tag that it has got no compromise have been done at front. Brand Image: The brand image of Tata company is one of their strength in the market. Suppliers: Number of size of suppliers: Suppliers give raw material to the company, if there are few suppliers then they can set high prices to capture the profit. The NANO car has 128 suppliers in all. Unique product/service: Suppliers industry is dominated by few substitutes. Some parts of the Tata motor cars are obtained from few suppliers and limited substituted are available to their product. Competitive Rivalry: Price competition: Advertising battles can increase the demand in the industry, but may be costly to small competitors. NANO is the only player so it has the price competition but as the Maruti and Honda are planning to launch a car in the same segment so price competition will start. Product quality and number of diversity of competition also effect the competitive rivalry. (Charles Hill 2009)Strategies can be made but the real thing is to make sure that theory works in practicality, for this purpose monitoring and evaluation system is used for an organisation to have a check on policies and procedures through out the time. If an organisation does not care about how well it is doing or about what impacts it is having, why bother to do it at all? Monitoring and evaluation allows you to assess the quality and impact of your work, against your action plans and your strategic plan. In order for monitoring and evaluation to be really valuable, you do need to have planned well Conclusion: Given the intensity of competition and fast changing business environment in the segment, the world over, the acquisition, undoubtedly, is a strategic fit for Tata motors, as far as its globalization gambit is concerned. And, the number one spot, which it is aiming at, may not be far away. But of course, it would have to put its best cup forward. The hybrid strategy is used by the company in various industries, it involved a higher degree of organisational excellence and integration of all the departments. Here the strategy of the group is to maintain the cost of raw materials as lowest as possible and to achieve the lowest cost of final products. The group also invested a huge amount in research and development in order to achieve the highest degree of quality at the lowest price.

Life in a Small Village in Greece :: essays papers

Life in a Small Village in Greece This paper is based upon the biography of a couple that is living in Playiari, which is a village 25 km from Thessaloniki, Greece. The couple is three years married, after being four years engaged, and now they are living at a house of their own. They do not have any children, so far, but they have a dog whose name is Lambros. Their names are Tasos and Efi. He is the owner of a cafà © and she is working at a branch of an insurance company. I met them almost six years ago when I got hired by Tasos as a waiter in his cafà ©, and I chose them for my paper because first of all I feel really comfortable with them and second because they are young so the research that is going to be done to be more vivid and up to date. What is going to be presented in this paper are the various information that I have obtained from them, for several aspects of their lives. Furthermore, what is to be accomplished is the comparison of their lives with those of their grandparents and alongside with this the comparison and contrast of these information with the ones in the articles that were covered in class. Firstly what is to be conferred are information about Tasos family. Tasos family originated from Kallipoli which was a suburb of Constantinople (Instanbul). They were living there before the destruction of Asia Minor and the exchange of population between Greece and Turkey taking place. When the exchange of the populations took place his grandfather moved straight to Playiari, which basically is a village composed of immigrants who came from there and at that point in time was nothing but a complex of 4-5 houses. Their residents were locals, who had conflicts with the incoming people, because they did not want others to claim land in that territory. Finally most of the immigrants got to claim and own a piece of land. Tasos was born 32 years ago in Edessa, a city close to Thessaloniki. When he was two years old his family moved in a village, which was located in the district(nomos) Pelas and it is called St.George. They remained there for about nine years, until Tasos became 1 1 years old, and after that they moved to Lakoma, a village in Halkidiki. Life in a Small Village in Greece :: essays papers Life in a Small Village in Greece This paper is based upon the biography of a couple that is living in Playiari, which is a village 25 km from Thessaloniki, Greece. The couple is three years married, after being four years engaged, and now they are living at a house of their own. They do not have any children, so far, but they have a dog whose name is Lambros. Their names are Tasos and Efi. He is the owner of a cafà © and she is working at a branch of an insurance company. I met them almost six years ago when I got hired by Tasos as a waiter in his cafà ©, and I chose them for my paper because first of all I feel really comfortable with them and second because they are young so the research that is going to be done to be more vivid and up to date. What is going to be presented in this paper are the various information that I have obtained from them, for several aspects of their lives. Furthermore, what is to be accomplished is the comparison of their lives with those of their grandparents and alongside with this the comparison and contrast of these information with the ones in the articles that were covered in class. Firstly what is to be conferred are information about Tasos family. Tasos family originated from Kallipoli which was a suburb of Constantinople (Instanbul). They were living there before the destruction of Asia Minor and the exchange of population between Greece and Turkey taking place. When the exchange of the populations took place his grandfather moved straight to Playiari, which basically is a village composed of immigrants who came from there and at that point in time was nothing but a complex of 4-5 houses. Their residents were locals, who had conflicts with the incoming people, because they did not want others to claim land in that territory. Finally most of the immigrants got to claim and own a piece of land. Tasos was born 32 years ago in Edessa, a city close to Thessaloniki. When he was two years old his family moved in a village, which was located in the district(nomos) Pelas and it is called St.George. They remained there for about nine years, until Tasos became 1 1 years old, and after that they moved to Lakoma, a village in Halkidiki.

memo for motion against summary judgment :: essays research papers

I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Introduction and Standard for Opposition to Summary Judgment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Crowell Academy, Inc. and Arturo Gomez, (hereinafter, collectively â€Å"Crowell†) were grossly negligent and used willful misconduct in their responsibilities involving the fencing club. The bargaining power of Crowell was so grossly unequal so as to put Lajuana Barnett at the mercy of Crowell’s negligence. Lastly, the exculpatory clause contained in the release form (see release form) is void as against public policy. Consequently, under Maryland law, it is up to the trier of fact to determine if the exculpatory clause is unenforceable. As such, there is a dispute as to the genuine issue of material fact related to Crowell’s Answer, Crowell can be liable to Lajauna Barnett for negligence, and Crowell is not entitled to Summary Judgment as a matter of law.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Summary Judgment should be granted only upon a showing that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact. Fireman’s Fund Ins. Co. v. Rairigh, 59 Md. App. 305, 313, cert. denied, 301 Md. 176 (1984). If there is a conflict between the inferences which may be drawn from the evidence before the court, summary judgment is not proper. Boucher v. Riner, 68 Md. App. 539, 543 (1986) (quoting Coffey v. Derby Steel Co., 291 Md. 241, 246-247 (1981)). Unless the facts are so clear as to permit a conclusion as a matter of law, it is for the trier of fact to determine whether a defendant’s negligent conduct amounts to gross negligence. Jacob v. Davis, 128 Md.App. 433, 465 (1999) (quoting Artis v. Cyphers, 100 Md.App. 633, 652 (1994)). Generally, exculpatory agreements otherwise valid are not construed to cover the more extreme forms of negligence-wilful, wanton, reckless, or gross. Winterstein v. Wilcom, 16 Md.App. 130, 136 (1972). II.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Statement of Undisputed Material Facts 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Defendant Arturo Gomez is the fencing coach at Crowell and at all times relevant to this matter acted as Crowell’s servant. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Crowell provides weapons and electronic scoring devices for club members; club members provide their own protective equipment, including mask, glove, jacket, and plastron. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the fencing Club meeting prior to October 16, 2001, Gomez instructed team members in footwork preparatory to allowing them to handle weapons 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the October 16, 2001 club meeting, Gomez instructed club members to don their protective equipment for their initial experience with using their weapons. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plaintiff’s nerve was severed under her left arm when an epee sliced through plaintiff’s jacket. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plaintiff had put the plastron on her right arm.

Service Learning And Integration Within Community Education Essay

The impression â€Å" community † is interpreted as the extent at which pupil instructors would travel in lending their services to the community. Service acquisition is an integrating of academic survey with community. It means pupils can use what they have learned during service larning to their academic life. Group Endeavours in Service Learning ( GESL ) was made compulsory to all freshers in an attempt to advance service larning in National Institute of Education ( NIE ) . Student instructors are indiscriminately grouped together to organize a squad and are led by an assigned coach. They so meet up on a regular basis to be after an event for a non-profit organisation of their pick. Point to observe that Service learning/GESL defers from community service. Community service involves voluntary work for the community. GESL on the other manus, is a mandatory group attempt to supply service through acquisition, reflecting and learning the community. Therefore, GESL can be reall y good for pupil instructors as they are able to lend back to the community. Unfortunately, I find that clip is a factor when be aftering an event. It farther adds on to the work load a pupil instructor already has. Therefore, does making a good cause seems like a load to student instructors now? If NIE makes GESL non-compulsory, would student instructors still take up this service larning on their ain or as a group? Student instructors have to take a stance for themselves as to whether GESL is good or merely a waste of clip. As supported by ( Butin, 2005 ) , a pupil can non stay impersonal when prosecuting in service acquisition as that would place oneself in a immune individuality. In this state of affairs, we tend to oppugn the effectivity of service acquisition in impacting a pupil ‘s academic life. Since GESL completion is necessarily required within a twelvemonth, a pupil instructors ‘ part may look nonvoluntary. Furthermore, GESL has no recognition unit awarded after its completion. In this paper, I sought to find whether the chief aim of service acquisition is lost through the procedure. In add-on, I will besides happen out factors that hinder a pupil ‘s engagement in GESL. Hence, if there is no accent on GESL, would student instructors volunteer for service larning throughout their academic life in NIE? This inquiry will be examined farther in this paper.Methods and MethodologyA questionnaire was designed to happen out the impact of service acquisition ( GESL ) on first twelvemonth undergraduates at National Institute of Education ( NIE ) . The mark sample comprises 10 Bachelor of Humanistic disciplines pupils majoring in different academic topics. GESL was introduced to all freshers in NIE and hence first twelvemonth pupils were chosen for this study. The study was conducted through a face-to-face meet up session and participants were required to finish a questionnaire signifier on the topographic point. Students were surveyed on their willingness, unde rstanding and outlook of GESL. Five inquiries were included in the questionnaire. The first inquiry asked pupils whether they knew the difference between service acquisition and community service. A â€Å" yes † and â€Å" no † options were given to them. The responses from this inquiry will reflect pupils ‘ apprehension of these two services. A misunderstanding could be a conducive factor to GESL being involuntarily completed. In the 2nd inquiry, pupils were required to take one out of four options given. The inquiry asked them on what they expect to derive from GESL. The four options were â€Å" Experience/Satisfaction † , â€Å" Academic Credits † , â€Å" Certificate † and â€Å" Good repute ( Example, for sketch ) † . Additionally, a 5th open-ended option was made available for them to stipulate any relevant reply. This inquiry was intended to happen out the intent or benefit that a pupil expects from GESL. Collated consequences for this inquiry were compared with the chief aim of service larning to reflect a consistence throughout the procedure. The 3rd inquiry asked pupils whether they would desire GESL to be made non-compulsory. A â€Å" yes † and â€Å" no † options were given to them. This inquiry was chosen to back up the forth inquiry that asked pupil instructors on how long they are willing to perpetrate to GESL. The forth inquiry had four options and they were â€Å" one twenty-four hours † , â€Å" one hebdomad † , â€Å" one month † and â€Å" one twelvemonth † . Students ‘ acuteness in lending their services will be determined by both inquiry three and four. Last, the fifth and the 6th inquiry were open-ended inquiries. Student instructors were asked â€Å" what they enjoyed most about GESL † and â€Å" what they enjoyed least about GESL † in inquiry 5 and 6 severally. Both inquiries aimed at happening out what pupil instructors gained from GESL and what are the possible factors that hinders them during the procedure.Findingss and DiscussionThe per centum of pupils ‘ responses to oppugn 1 is shown in Table 1. It can be seen that 70 % answered â€Å" yes † and 30 % answered â€Å" no † to this inquiry. The high per centum of â€Å" yes † is perchance due to the changeless briefings and negotiations on GESL by NIE, which has enabled pupils to better understand the differences between these two services. However, the little per centum of 30 % indicates that there are pupils who still misinterpreted service larning to be similar to community service. Even though there are a high per centum of pupils who knew the differences, so to what widen do they cognize about GESL? The fact that GESL has to be completed within a twelvemonth, pupils might desire to merely acquire it over and done with. This is supported by ( Clark & A ; Young, 2005 ) who states that service larning without deep reliable battle would merely be a normal field trip for pupils. ( Clark & A ; Young, 2005 ) besides highlighted the limited position or apprehension of service acquisition: â€Å" When viewed as merely assisting those â€Å" less fortunate, † pupils may neglect to see the function that their ain privilege dramas in the kineticss of power † ( p. 72 ) The manner pupils view service-learning will as such determine what they do with it and how they do it. Students with equal cognition on service acquisition would be able to hold a deeper apprehension and grasp for GESL as compared to pupils with minimum position of it. Therefore a pupil ‘s intent and aim were non wholly lost during the procedure but it was non even established at the start. In Table 2, it shows the responses from pupils on what they expect to derive from GESL. A high per centum chose â€Å" experience/satisfaction † , followed by â€Å" academic credits † and â€Å" good repute † . Indeed experience and satisfactions are one of the expected results of GESL. This is supported by ( Group Endeavours in Service Learning, 2005 ) which quotation mark: â€Å" GESL is an experiential acquisition experience for trainees to get and develop accomplishments in undertaking direction, self- and team-development, and community service. † Table 2 besides shows that 30 % of pupil expects to derive academic credits from GESL. Unfortunately, GESL is mandatory and has no recognition units awarded after its completion which make pupils experience burdened. With mention to inquiry 6, the same 30 % of pupils who expect to derive academic credits from GESL provinces that what they enjoyed least about GESL is it being very clip devouring. Hence, we can see that this 30 % wants their clip to be rewarded alternatively of interchanging it for valuable experiences. Surprisingly, the same 30 % of pupils ‘ responses to oppugn 5 was non consistent with inquiry 2. They expected to derive academic credits but alternatively what they enjoyed most about GESL was the â€Å" ability to run into new friends † and â€Å" meaningful experiences † . Therefore, this shows that to appreciate service larning better, one has to travel through the fuss of planning and forming foremost. They would so be able to harvest the priceless wagess from this undertaking. Ultimately, the pupils did interchange their clip with meaningful experiences. Next, the pupils were asked on whether they want GESL to be made non-compulsory. As seen in table 3, 60 % of the pupil answered â€Å" yes † and staying 40 % answered â€Å" no † . The difference between the per centums is instead little, which mean there are pupils who still want GESL to be made compulsory. Why do pupils desire GESL to be made compulsory? The ground could perchance be them seeking to avoid the incommodiousness of registering for GESL on their ain. They do non mind assisting out but it is non something they are passionate about. This is supported by ( Jones, Gilbride-Brown, & A ; Gasiorski, 2005 ) : â€Å" Like volunteering for a specific organisation when ( pupils in his leading and service bookmans plan ) in general merely like assisting out and volunteering, non because they want to endeavor to rectify a societal job, merely because they like assisting out. † ( p. 15 ) However, the high per centum showed that GESL should be non-compulsory, but would student instructors still contribute their service to the community? GESL has a undertaking life of one academic twelvemonth. With mention to postpone 4, merely 20 % are willing to perpetrate to serve larning for one twelvemonth. A figure of 20 % is exceptionally low. On the contrary, 40 % of the pupils are more willing to make service larning for one twenty-four hours, which defeats the intent of GESL. Furthermore, the aims of GESL can non be accomplished in one twenty-four hours or one hebdomad. Due to the deficiency of pupils ‘ engagement for the past few old ages, NIE had to do GESL compulsory for all freshers. As for the twelvemonth 2011, doing GESL compulsory will merely ensue in nonvoluntary part but higher engagement rate compared to old old ages. Therefore, doing GESL non-compulsory will merely take to similar tendency that happened in the yesteryear ; lower engagement rate. Students would instead prioritise on their academic faculty alternatively of GESL.DecisionTo reason, I looked into possible factors that are impeding pupil instructors during GESL and how this minimizes the impact of service larning on them. Through the study consequences, I was assured that clip was decidedly the chief factor refering pupils. From experience, it was hard to hold on a common timeslot for a meeting as everyone had different academic timetables. Hence, alternatively of sing GESL as a good undertaking, pupils find GESL to be really clip consuming. A pupil who engage in GESL with a mentality that planning and organizing is merely a waste of clip ; GESL will so be that manner. Therefore, it is of import to re-iterate the importance of holding a constructive position of GESL before being involved. Another lending factor was the rejection pupils received from the non-profit organisations themselves. What is surprising here is that pupils want to supply their services but these organisations were non acute in accepting their proposals due to certain restraints. On a whole, with all these factors impeding them, would pupils still volunteer for service larning throughout their academic life? From my position, they will take part in service acquisition, provided NIE do alterations to GESL so that pupils view it more positively. As suggested by ( Clark & A ; Young, 2005 ) : â€Å" Devoid of any brooding activities that require pupils to link their experiences in service sites to their schoolroom work, service-learning becomes, at best, volunteerism and at worst, simply the logging of hours toward a community service graduation requirement. † ( pg. 72 ) Normally, after the completion of GESL, pupils had to finish a simple self-reflection signifier. NIE should supply a deeper reflective activity whereby pupils can use their experiences to their academic work. This is supported by ( Torres, n.d ) that province, â€Å" Without contemplation, pupils merely describe on experiences alternatively of analyzing what they do impact themselves and those they serve. † ( p. 3 ) In this manner, GESL will non be perceived as merely a waste of clip but a undertaking that is relevant and impactful to their academic life. GESL could so be promoted as a instruction method that bonds both theoretical cognition and educational experiences together. Since some factors are inevitable, it is still of import to guarantee that pupil instructors ‘ service larning journey is a smooth and meaningful 1. As future instructors, it would be much easier for them to promote their pupils to follow suit when they themselves understood and experienced how informative service acquisition can be. Furthermore, service acquisition can be promoted as a pedagogical tool when they venture out to learn in the hereafter.

Personal Dilemma Paper Essay

In February 2014, Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice and his fiancà ©e Janay Palmer (now wife) were arrested, charged and later released in Atlantic City on what was called simple assault charges. The details were not clear at the time. However, what was known was that Rice and Palmer got into a some form of an altercation inside the Revel Casino. Rice’s lawyer stated in was just a â€Å"minor physical altercation.† Not long afterward video footage surfaced showing Rice dragging an unconscious Palmer out of an elevator. The Ravens organization as a whole defended Rice after he was arrested and reiterated he would continue to be the team’s running back. Steve Bisciotti, the team owner, praised Rice and his good character and noted that Rice had no prior off-field trouble. The charges against Rice were elevated to aggravated assault after prosecutors presented the case to a grand jury. At that point, the charges were dropped against Palmer for simple assault (AP, 20 14). Palmer stated she did not wish to proceed with prosecuting Rice. However, that did not keep the state of New Jersey from moving forward with prosecuting the case. Rice did not accept a plea deal that would keep him out of jail in exchange for going through anger management and the successful completion of probation. Instead, he decided to plead not guilty and apply for a first-time offender program that might remove any charges in as little as six-months. Under this program, Rice would need to keep out of any trouble and partake in counseling on a regular basis. Prosecutors did allow Rice into this program instead of going to trial. If he stays out of trouble and completes the 12-month program, his record will not reflect the case. Interestingly, this program is normally only used for non-violent and victimless crimes. Also, entry into the program has been granted in less than 1% of all domestic violence cases in the state of New Jersey (AP, 2014). The National Football League (NFL) claimed it had not seen any video of an altercation within the casino elevator. A law enforcement official stated the elevator video was sent to the NFL in April and he had proof in the form of a 12-second voicemail with a number within the NFL offices that confirmed the videos arrival. The league office denied ever receiving it. The league claims it requested the tape, but was denied. The Ravens also claimed not to have seen the video until it was released by TMZ (AP, 2014). Rice is basically assured of not going to jail, but was not able to keep the NFL commissioner from laying down a little justice of his own. He originally suspended Rice for a mere two games. This decision was met with considerable public outrage. Goodell had to admit that his initial punishment was wrong and beefed up the NFL’s policy on domestic violence in reaction to the public outrage. The new policy would suspend a player six-games with no pay for a first offense, and lifetime banishment for a second offense. After seeing Rice knocking his wife unconscious, the Ravens terminated his contract. Allegedly, the team made this decision because Rice was not honest with them. Shortly after his release from the team, the league suspended him indefinitely. Since the league had previously suspended Rice (the initial two-games), the commissioner needed justification to indefinitely suspend him. The commissioner notified the Players Association that an indefinite suspension resulted from Rice telling them something different than what appeared on the video of him hitting Palmer. Contrary to the commissioner’s statements, there were several sources (including Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome) who stated that Rice was being truthful (McManus, 2014). By all accounts, Rice was known as a good guy. The commissioner said seeing the video changed everything. But, why? Everyone knew what happened before the video was released. Rice knocked out his then fiancà ©e in an elevator. Nothing changed before or after the video was released. Goodell stated they should have seen it earlier and should have pursued their own investigation more vigorously. That is true. So, why didn’t they? The question still remains. Why would seeing the video change their minds about his punishment? Initially, it was only worth a two game suspension. Remember,  nothing changed. After the video was released, he is suspended indefinitely. Since this is his first offence, shouldn’t he be suspended for only six games? Why should he lose his job and income. Wouldn’t it be better of the NFL and the Ravens organization to help this man and his family instead of just tossing him away like trash? Rice was clearly tried and found guilty by the court of public opinion. It is amazing how fast we are as a society to be publicly correct, jump to conclusions, and show our willingness to take away a person’s livelihood. References AP, (2014). Timeline of Key Events in the Ray Rice Case. Retrieved on 13 Sep 14 from http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/timeline-key-events-ray-rice-case-25441413 McManus, J. (2014). How the NFL’s new domestic violence stance came to be. Retrieved on 13 Sep 14 from http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/11464303/how-nfl-new-domestic-violence-stance-came-be

Cross Symbol

A cross represents many things to different people. Some view it as simply a‘t’. For others, it is their way of life. Many in America feel this way. A cross is the main symbol for Christianity, and as Christianity is the main religion in America, it can be considered a symbol of American culture. A cross is more than just a t-shaped piece of wood. A cross is the representative symbol of American culture. One morning, a long while ago, there was a man. This was before crosses had the present day meaning. He was to be crucified on a wood-shaped t contraption.It was called a cross. Forwarding to the present day, when most people think of or hear the word cross, they think of a battered old wood piece that is in the shape of a lower case t. While that is generally what a cross will come in, it can take the form of many things. It can be made of metal, wood, plastic, cardboard, or even by crossing one’s fingers. A cross can be fancy, new, battered, or old. No matter th e look of it, though, the cross always seems the same in the hearts and minds of those who cherish it.Perhaps the most thought provoking image of a cross is when Christ is on it, nails in his feet and hands, with a pierced wound in his side, his head bowed to heaven. The cross is both a symbol of happiness and sadness. One of the main reasons that pilgrims and settlers came over to the future site of the great United States of America was to avoid religious persecution in their homelands. America was the place of all things new and reborn, and what better way to practice their outcast religions. Most of the religions, however, shared one thing in common: they were all Christian-based religions.They just had different ways of practicing how to worship their Lord, Savior, and God. Being in the church-run country of England, however, was difficult because of these different practices. They united and came under the banner of one object, the cross. Many people view the cross as excludin g and not open to everyone everywhere. This is far from the truth. The cross accepts any and all who wish to worship under it and be one with the rest of the Christian nation. Those that pervert the word and message of the cross and its religion aren’t the true bearers of Jesus’ word and message.Sometimes the cross is perceived as a bat that beats the message into your head and does physical damage to them. This is far from the truth. A cross is like a pillow, that can be snuggled and used for friendly pillow fights, but it always comforts when it is needed. A cross needs to be thought less of as an animate object, and more of an inanimate object that encompasses a broad scope of items. One of these objects could be considered a pen and quill. When the founding fathers of the United States assembled in Philadelphia, they penned the words â€Å"endowed by their Creator. While Creator can have a broad variety of meanings depending on background, upbringing, and current value system, one can infer the implied meaning of what that statement was supposed to mean. America had religious upbringings. If it wasn’t for religion, America could possibly not be here today, or not be as successful as it is. The pilgrims could have stayed in England and Mainland Europe, and America may not have been settled until a much later date. In current times, many will argue that the cross is an obsolete and inaccurate representation of American culture.While it is true that church attendance and overall religiousness of the country is going down, the greater majority, even ones who don’t attend church on a regular basis, still view the cross as a symbol of greater things. It symbolizes the resolve of the American people. When in doubt, they look up, hoping for a sign of greater things to come. A cross may not be as fancy as a tasseled flag, or as popular as a roaring lion, but do those items have a deeper meaning to it? Americans have never been about bei ng the fanciest, or being the best.Americans care about what is important to them, and they fight for it. Present day fights to keep the cross and other Christian-related materials are a constant effort. Many should re-read the Declaration of Independence, and see the word Creator. It may refresh and jog their memories. The cross is one of the symbols of the American culture. Religion plays a large part in many lives in the country, and this is a representation of that. Perhaps if more people come under the wings of the cross, America can be great again.

Real Beauty Sketches Essay

In April 2013, Dove launched a â€Å"Real Beauty† campaign after performing marketing research and discovering that only 2% of all women consider themselves to be â€Å"beautiful†. In an effort to boost self-esteem and moral, Dove introduced a television ad in the form, which incorporated a powerful and touching social experiment. In this commercial, several different women are asked to describe their physical appearance to a forensic sketch artist, who cannot see them as he sketches their physical descriptions. They are told to use neutral terms, and to â€Å"stick to the facts† when describing their own self-reflections. Next, the same women are described to the same forensic sketch artist by a complete stranger, whom they had only met the day before. The strangers are given the same instructions. At the end of this unknown experiment, both descriptions are drawn by the artist and then compared. Upon comparison, it is incredibly obvious that the stranger’s physical descriptions of the subject are more flattering, and more accurate depict the subject’s true appearance. The commercial sends a very inspiring, real message to the women: to be less critical of yourself, and to embrace the natural beauty of womanhood. After the experiment took place, one woman admitted, â€Å"I should be more grateful of my natural beauty. It impacts the choices and the friends we make; the jobs we apply for; how we treat our children; it impacts everything. It couldn’t be more critical to your happiness. † To the same point, another woman added, â€Å"we spend a lot of time as women analyzing and trying to fix the things that aren’t quite right, and we should spend more time appreciating the things that we do like. † The commercial ends with a powerful and honest message: â€Å"You are more beautiful than you think. † The â€Å"Real Beauty Sketches† ad resulted in widespread reactions worldwide- some positive, some negative. Many praised the commercial for its ability to acknowledge and accept natural beauty and what society may traditional deem as physical â€Å"flaws†. But there were many negative critics as well. Despite the good nature behind the commercial’s intent, many criticized the ad for its heavy emphasis on physical appearance. Critics claimed that Dove’s advertisement still focused too heavily on the physical appearance of woman, and its remaining influence as the single-most defining element of a woman’s worth; as opposed to her personality or personal achievements. Which led me to question: How could this advertisement be improved to focus on the â€Å"true beauty† and essence of a woman’s worth? The message is a refreshing change from the typical message that beauty supply companies often send; instead of shaming women into purchasing things to make them more â€Å"beautiful†, Dove takes a non-traditional approach by supporting the natural beauty, without the enhancement of material products. Although this may seem to counter-act their ultimate goal of selling beauty products, Dove gains seeks to gain more than just revenue- they seek to gain self-confidence and acceptance. But in order to overcome the heavy emphasis of a woman’s physical appearance as the defining element of a woman’s worth, I think it is important to emphasis how the woman achieved her â€Å"beauty lines†, wrinkles, or â€Å"flaws†. Perhaps pulling on the viewer’s emotional heartstring of laughter and love would prove to play a beautiful part in the development of a woman’s wrinkles around her eyes, or expression lines in her forehead. By approaching the beauty from this marketing angle, marketers are focusing on the internal beauty that a woman envelopes, and justifies their natural beauty with self-worth and personal accomplishment. By casting very â€Å"average† and â€Å"typical† looking women, marketers sought to appeal to the majority of women, in an effort to reflect a more realistic depiction of women. By refraining from using â€Å"traditionally† beautiful women, viewers and women find the message to be more relatable to themselves. Marketing Applications: In April 2013, Dove marketers applied a story-like short film to their Real Beauty campaign, in an effort to reveal each woman’s true natural beauty. Marketing Relevance: Marketing emphasis: to encourage the improvement of self-image and confidence among women worldwide. Dove marketers sought to prove that â€Å"we† are our own worst critics, and that our own self-image is often skewed and far less beautiful than our true natural beauty suggests. Intangible elements: Dove focused on producing a moral campaign that reflects the ideals and beliefs of their corporate personnel. In this powerful, thought-provoking message, Dove effectively used an emotional story to â€Å"make a culturally positive difference†. Marketers drew upon an emotional appeal in an attempt to attach these positive ideas to their own product line. In doing so, Dove successfully attached an extension of their own feelings to their product, as well as their corporate image. Many accredit the campaign’s success to its ability tap into deep-seated emotions and â€Å"hit on a real human truth for women. Many women undervalue themselves and also the way they look. † In this ad, Dove focused on the emotional appeal, rather than simply â€Å"communicating a particular product or service benefit. † As a result, consumers will be more likely to remember the positive emotions that the advertisement evoked, and thus, â€Å"associate them with Dove products. † Discussion Questions: