Make Believe Play free essay sample

Pretend or make believe play has been associated with child development and mental cognition. Piaget and Vygotsky in particular contended that children learn constructively through their interaction with their physical, social and cultural environments and that make believe play enhances their development. Enculturation, language development, the zone of proximal development and scaffolding are aspects of developmental significance considered. Make believe play has been used successfully in educational settings; however, there are gaps between theory and application, in particular, with regard to culture. Make-believe play: theoretical origins, developmental significance and application in educational settings. Introduction Thinking of ‘play’ is often in the context of children and this brings to mind visions of children at school, kindergarten or at home engaged in self-directed, fun, unstructured and spontaneous activities such as playing dress ups or playing grownups with dolls at an imaginative tea party. While such activities may be looked upon with amusement and perhaps indulgence by parents or major caregivers, the concept of play has been the subject of theoretical discussion, some of which has recognized the significance of make believe play to overall child development and mental cognition (Berk, 1994). We will write a custom essay sample on Make Believe Play or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This essay discusses the origins of play and considers some aspects of developmental significance of imaginative play in early childhood through the major theories of Vygotsky and Piaget, specifically linked to enhanced learning in the educational setting. Theories of play Berk (1994) points out there is a plethora of literature exploring theoretical contributions to the understanding of children’s play, most of which views the concept from different vantage points. Stagnitti (2004) highlights the early influences of Spencer (1878), Lazarus (1883) and Groos (1985) who contended that play occurs because children have a surplus of energy to burn and play is an innate process linked to evolution and survival. Through his psychodynamic theory, Sigmund Freud (1961) took another approach and emphasized the role that play has in influencing emotional constraints in development due to problems hidden in the unconscious mind and that play provides an avenue for children to express these problems and control desired outcomes (Stagnitti). The above early accounts of play were precursors to the well known theories of Piaget and Vygotsky who made major contributions to cognitive development and learning (Matusov Hayes, 2000). Vygotsky and Piaget held similar views on learning and development, both contending that children learn and develop through internalising experiences presented in the environment and interacting with that environment (Berk, 1994; Gray, 2002). They both supported the notion that children start with a knowledge of ‘self’ and then through the integration of new ideas and knowledge gained through their physical, social and cultural environments, they become aware of others (De Vries, 2000). Even though they held some similar beliefs, the views of Vygotsky and Piaget originated from two different perspectives Vygotsky approached his theory from a combination of socio-cultural perspectives while Piaget focussed on a constructivist/cognitive view (De Vries). Piaget’s constructivist view contended that children are little scientists spontaneously reacting to and experimenting with stimulus (symbols or objects) presented in their physical environment (Rogoff, 1990 in Gray, 2002). For example, Piaget (De Vries, 2000) argued that a stimulus is not a stimulus until the child had acted upon it. In this case, children internalise their reactions and explorations of the object/stimulus and mentally categorise the functional and physical properties. These reactions are stored as internal representations or schemes, and the child is able to recall and apply the same actions to future objects/stimulus or restructure existing schemes to accommodate new information presented. Children progress through different stages of schemes to improve their ability to mentally ymbolize objects and this progression eventually equips them with the ability to proficiently symbolise objects which are not present: that is, engage in relational and representational thought (Gray, 2002). Piaget held that the representational thought process contributes to the emergence of spontaneous make-believe (Berk, 1994). Where Piaget regarded the child as a little scientist, Vygotsky saw the child as an apprentice who is part of a greater society and actively engages with others to learn from them (Rogoff, 1990 in Gray 2002). Vygotsky attributed significance to experience in the socio-cultural environment and also held that make believe play does not develop spontaneously but it is nurtured through the social interactions of other people (Berk, 1994). Children do not exist in a social vacuum: they are born into a pre-existing culture and their society is made up of family, peers and others, all of whom have an influence on how the child interacts with the environment (Gray, 2002). He contended that the socio-cultural environment provided the impetus for the child to realise the existence of other people and understand through cooperative interaction, the affects of his/her own actions on others. Through the child’s social interactions, exposure to language results and becomes the major communication tool used in that environment. Vygotsky linked language with symbolism and acknowledged the child’s ability to internalise the symbols into verbal thought (Gray). Vygotsky’s social and cultural environments promoted communication, social rules, self-control of actions and significance of culture (Gray, 2002; Berk, 1994) and he considered that together, all these aspects develop from make believe play (Vygotsky, 1933, as cited in Berk, 1994). Make believe play its significance to development Through the examination of the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, it is possible to draw some conclusions as to why make believe play is significant. For example, they both agreed that make believe play occurs as a result of the interaction of the child with its environment and vice-versa. While Berk (1994) contends that evidence from the socio-cultural viewpoint mostly justifies the importance of make believe play in cognitive development, both point to the significance of make believe play. Children learn the social norms and rules of society through the mechanism of make believe play, although Vygotsky and Piaget view the basis for this differently. Vygotsky contended society and culture dictate that implicit and explicit rules, morals and social norms exist to ensure acceptable behaviors. During infancy, the child’s main caregivers expose them to these rules and together with peers, help shape the child’s behaviors and competencies for acceptance and meeting social expectations (usually facilitated through verbal guidance and pretend play) (Gray, 2002). In contrast, Piaget argued that it is through their own intelligence that children know how to act and behave and as they are ‘solo thinkers’, the emphasis of social guidance (through mechanisms like pretend play) affects their thinking and not their actions (Matusov Hayes, 2000). Through their short-term longitudinal study comparing nonsocial peer play behavior with emotionality, regulation and social functioning, Spinrad et al. (2004) cautions against nonsocial behavior. They found that solitary play (nonsocial play) appeared to be linked with peer exclusion and rejection, thus resulting in anxiety problems. These studies therefore support the importance of the social contact given in pretend play to enhance growth of self-esteem and social acceptance. Research supports the notion that make believe play enhances language development and communication processes in young children (Berk, 1994). While Piaget believed that language is a side effect of the development of thought, and not essential to it (Gray, 2002), Vygotsky believed language to be major foundation for the development of thought and the main basis for social interaction. Lewis (2003), in a study considering the relationship between language and play, concluded that there is a connection, although this can be mediated by how parents and their children interact while they are playing. An area of importance to pretend play pertains to Vygotsky’s ‘zone of proximal development’ (ZPD): he believed that children increase developmental potential under the specific guidance of an adult/teacher or better skilled peer (Gray, 2002). Through interaction, the child learns from heir peers and advances their level of knowledge (Berk, 1994). Vygotsky’s view on educational practices connected with the ZPD saw the teacher as modeling the program, guiding the child through demonstrations and asking leading questions (De Vries, 2000). In contrast, Piaget felt that the concept of a ‘skilled peer’ or the teacher as the superior created the possibility of an abuse of power (Matusov and Hayes, 2000). He also considered the Vygotskian view of the teacher’s role a little directorial and not child-centered. His own model proposed ‘cooperation’ of equal partners instead (i. e. child and teacher on equal footing) in which the teacher asks guiding questions and offers hints, and essentially interferes as little as possible (DeVries, 2000). The various research on ZPD fluctuates between support and disagreement on what constitutes the level of competence needed to influence a child’s ZPD. For example, Vygotsky’s view was that the teacher/skilled peer is more competent than the child and this is supported through research conducted by Gray and Feldman (2004). They studied the interactions between adolescents and young children in terms of pretend play and other associations at the Sudbury Valley School in Massachusetts, USA, and found that after adolescent intervention, the children acted in advanced ways more so than they normally would have if they had been interacting with same-age peers. The implication is the child’s ability to act in their own ZPD is enhanced by the pretend play facilitated by the older peers. The concept of a ZPD is closely related to ‘scaffolding’, the process by which the more competent peer/ teacher assists or controls the less competent child to successfully complete an activity or problem that they would not have been able to do on their own (Matusov Hayes, 2000). Scaffolding contributes to successful social collaboration between the child and peer/teacher and therefore to make believe play (Berk, 1994). As the child becomes more competent at an activity, the peer withdraws their assistance bit by bit, until the child is competent in their own right (Gray Feldman, 2004). Piaget and Vygotsky supported the idea of scaffolding in different ways; however, the common theme was that the teacher’s role is to be encouraging and non-interfering. Make believe play in educational settings Scaffolding is an excellent enhancement in the educational setting, especially in a special learning environment. An example of this is in autistic education: due to congenital abnormalities, autistic children’s modes of social reasoning, emotions and understanding of others is not developed (Gray, 2002). Their language is usually compromised and they do not exhibit mutual social interaction skills. As a result, this fundamentally affects their ability to process or display imaginative or make believe play (Salazar Smith, 2004). Given that make believe play plays a significant role in a child’s social and cognitive development, a child with autism would find it difficult to function in the social world. Yang, Wolfberg, Wu and Hwu (2003) conducted research into the use of IPG (integrated play groups) models to promote play in autistic children. They emphasized a child-centered approach, which entailed evaluation of the child’s abilities and limitations, continual encouragement and systematically scaffolding to higher levels of unstructured social interaction and play. As a result of the study, the autistic children developed the ability to partake in social play and, notably, there was an increase in pretend play (Yang et al. , 2003). The importance of enhancing make-believe in the educational setting can be further supported by a longitudinal study conducted in Ypsilanti, Michigan (High/Scope, 2002, in Almon, 2002). Three groups of randomly selected young students were assigned to two curriculum approaches: child-initiated activities (play orientated) and direct instruction activities. All three groups did well with increases in their IQ, however, the study found that the groups who were assigned to the child-initiated activities excelled in social developmental aspects of personal and social responsibility (High/Scope, in Almon, 2002). While applications in educational settings can enhance and address shortfalls in social and cognitive development, sometimes there is a gap between theory and reality. Research by Cheng (2001), for example, shows that in attempting to apply the application of pretend play in Hong Kong, difficulties were encountered for both the teachers and the learners, the children of two kindergartens. These difficulties related both to the teachers’ understanding of pretend play theory as well as how ‘pretend play’ could work in a tradition that does not normally involve play in learning. One key issue identified by the researchers related to culture. In this case, there were clashes between the ideological underpinnings of the theory and the culture into which the theory was to be applied. For example, given a tradition of formal, didactic teaching, an apparent non-directive encouragement of ‘play’ instead of a focus on academic results was difficult to incorporate into the teaching curriculum and almost alien. Conclusion In summary, make believe play is important to cognitive development and functioning in children. Early theories established a survival-oriented approach to explaining the significance of make believe play, however, Vygotsky and Piaget established a developmental framework that emphasised the role make believe play has in enhancing social and cognitive development. While this essay has not explored every aspect, its role in developing social norms and rules, the connection with language, the implications for the zone of proximal development, and scaffolding are considered. While the significance of make believe play has been established in a western educational context, it may not be so easily transferable, in practise, to other cultures and this would seem to be an interesting avenue of investigation.

Poems essay

Poems essay 'Poems studied share common concepts, theses, issues and/or ideas'Select at least two poems studied in class and compare how effectively each poet communicated their message to their audience.In your response you must make detailed references to your chosen poems.Poems are developed to communicate an important message or theme, some which can include journey, change and crossing cultures. 'The Door' is a poem by Miroslav Holub that involves an imaginative journey taken by the persona as to what is behind the door. Holub also effective communicates the numerous possibilities of change that come with opening the door. Similarly the theme of journey can be revealed in the poem 'Past carin'' and the concept of crossing cultures is common when compared to the poems 'No more Hiroshima' and 'August 6th'. The poets all effectively communicate these themes through numerous literal techniques.The result of a journey is never known but it is a risk that all have to take.English: poemIn 'The Doo r' the persona is being persuaded by the speaker to 'go and open the door', a decision that could hold unlimited opportunities, down paths that have no specific outcomes. The persona takes an imaginative journey as they work though the endless positive or negative events and experiences that could lie behind the door. The speaker prompts this journey with repetition of 'Maybe' indicating to the audience that a journey can lead you anywhere, to even 'a garden, or a magic city'. No physical journey is actually taken by the persona but the poet or speaker is constantly referring to the certain possibility of a real, physical journey if they open the door. The persona is hesitant and by the end the poet is almost pleading with them to take the chance, and expresses that 'if there's a fog...

George A. Custer - American Indian Wars

George A. Custer - American Indian Wars George Custer - Early Life: The son of Emanuel Henry Custer and Marie Ward Kirkpatrick, George Armstrong Custer was born at New Rumley, OH on December 5, 1839. A large family, the Custers had five children of their own as well as several from Maries earlier marriage. At a young age, George was sent to live with his half-sister and brother-in-law in Monroe, MI. While living there, he attended McNeely Normal School and did menial jobs around the campus to help pay for his room and board. After graduating in 1856, he returned to Ohio and taught school. George Custer - West Point: Deciding that teaching did not suit him, Custer enrolled at the US Military Academy. A weak student, his time at West Point was plagued by near expulsion each term for excessive demerits. These were usually earned through his penchant for pulling pranks on fellow cadets. Graduating in June 1861, Custer finished last in his class. While such a performance normally would have landed him an obscure posting and a short career, Custer benefited from the outbreak of the Civil War and the US Armys desperate need for trained officers. Commissioned a second lieutenant, Custer was assigned to the 2nd US Cavalry. George Custer - Civil War: Reporting for duty, he saw service at the First Battle of Bull Run (July 21, 1861) where he acted as a runner between General Winfield Scott and Major General Irvin McDowell. After the battle, Custer was reassigned to the 5th Cavalry and was sent south to participate in Major General George McClellans Peninsula Campaign. On May 24, 1862, Custer convinced a colonel to allow him to attack a Confederate position across the Chickahominy River with four companies of Michigan infantry. The attack was a success and 50 Confederates were captured. Impressed, McClellan took Custer onto his staff as an aide-de-camp. While serving on McClellans staff, Custer developed his love of publicity and began working to attract attention to himself. Following McClellans removal from command in the fall of 1862, Custer joined the staff Major General Alfred Pleasonton, who was then commanding a cavalry division. Quickly becoming his commanders protà ©gà ©, Custer became enamored with flashy uniforms and was schooled in military politics. In May 1863, Pleasonton was promoted to command the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Though many of his men were alienated by Custers showy ways, they were impressed by his coolness under fire. After distinguishing himself as bold and aggressive commander at Brandy Station and Aldie, Pleasonton promoted him to brevet brigadier general despite his lack of command experience. With this promotion, Custer was assigned to lead a brigade of Michigan cavalry in the division of Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick. After fighting the Confederate cavalry at Hanover and Hunterstown, Custer and his brigade, which he nicknamed the Wolverines, played a key role in the cavalry battle east of Gettysburg on July 3. As Union troops south of the town were repulsing Longstreets Assault (Picketts Charge), Custer was fighting with Brigadier General David Greggs division against Major General J.E.B. Stuarts Confederate cavalry. Personally leading his regiments into the fray on several occasions, Custer had two horses shot out from under him. The climax of the fight came when Custer led a mounted charge of the 1st Michigan which stopped the Confederate attack. His triumph as Gettysburg marked the high point of his career. The following winter, Custer married Elizabeth Clift Bacon on February 9, 1864. In the spring, Custer retained his command after the Cavalry Corps was reorganized by its new commander Major General Philip Sheridan. Participating in Lt. General Ulysses S. Grants Overland Campaign, Custer saw action at the Wilderness, Yellow Tavern, and Trevilian Station. In August, he traveled west with Sheridan as part of the forces sent to deal with Lt. General Jubal Early in the Shenandoah Valley. After pursuing Earlys forces after the victory at Opequon, he was promoted to divisional command. In this role he aided in destroying Earlys army at Cedar Creek that October. Returning to Petersburg after the campaign in the Valley, Custers division saw action at Waynesboro, Dinwiddie Court House, and Five Forks. After this final battle, it pursued General Robert E. Lees retreating Army of Northern Virginia after Petersburg fell on April 2/3, 1865. Blocking Lees retreat from Appomattox, Custers men were the first to receive a flag of truce from the Confederates. Custer was present at Lees surrender on April 9, and was given the table on which it was signed in recognition of his gallantry. George Custer - Indian Wars: After the war, Custer reverted back to the rank of captain and briefly considered leaving the military. He was offered the position of adjutant general in the Mexican army of Benito Jurez, who was then battling Emperor Maximilian, but was blocked from accepting it by the State Department. An advocate of President Andrew Johnsons reconstruction policy, he was criticized by hardliners who believed he was attempting to curry favor with the goal of receiving a promotion. In 1866, he turned down the colonelcy of the all-black 10th Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers) in favor of the lieutenant colonelcy of the 7th Cavalry. In addition, he was given the brevet rank of major general at the behest of Sheridan. After serving in Major General Winfield Scott Hancocks 1867 campaign against the Cheyenne, Custer was suspended for a year for leaving his post to see his wife. Returning to the regiment in 1868, Custer won the Battle of Washita River against Black Kettle and the Cheyenne that November. George Custer - Battle of the Little Bighorn: Six years later, in 1874, the Custer and the 7th Cavalry scouted the Black Hills of South Dakota and confirmed the discovery of gold at French Creek. This announcement touched off the Black Hills gold rush and further heightened tensions with the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne. In an effort to secure the hills, Custer was dispatched as part of a larger force with orders to round up the remaining Indians in the area and relocate them to reservations. Departing Ft. Lincoln, ND with Brigadier General Alfred Terry and a large force of infantry, the column moved west with the goal of linking up with forces coming from the west and south under Colonel John Gibbon and Brigadier General George Crook. Encountering the Sioux and Cheyenne at the Battle of the Rosebud on June 17, 1876, Crooks column was delayed. Gibbon, Terry, and Custer met later that month and, based on a large Indian trail, decided to have Custer circle around the Indians while the other two approached with the main force. After refusing reinforcements, including Gatling guns, Custer and the approximately 650 men of the 7th Cavalry moved out. On June 25, Custers scouts reported sighting the large camp (900-1,800 warriors) of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse along the Little Bighorn River. Concerned that the Sioux and Cheyenne might escape, Custer recklessly decided to attack the camp with only the men on hand. Dividing his force, he ordered Major Marcus Reno to take one battalion and attack from the south, while he took another and circled around to the north end of the camp. Captain Frederick Benteen was sent southwest with a blocking force to prevent any escape. Charging up the valley, Renos attack was stopped and he was forced to retreat, with Benteens arrival saving his force. To the north, Custer too was stopped and superior numbers forced him to retreat. With his line broken, the retreat became disorganized and his entire 208-man force was killed while making their last stand. Selected Sources PBS: George A. CusterCuster in the Civil WarBattle of the Little Bighorn

Visit museum and discuss this photo with your own words Essay

Visit museum and discuss this photo with your own words - Essay Example This part of the wall has elaborate edges. Moving to the bottom of the picture, the room is well-carpeted. At the left side is a bookshelf filled with books. At the further back, there is an ornately-designed cabinet with a flower vase. A door is beside it with a cherubim carving on top, like an angel guarding its inhabitants. A chair could be near it with fur hanging on it, which seems to have a sinister face. The wall beside it has mirror or a painting. There is another cabinet with a flower vase. The centerpiece where the light falls is the drawing board. This must be a table for an architect, painter, or engineer. An unlit candle is beside the table. A small book is on it, on top of ruler or a long thin object, with a tiny man on top of it. He goes to the direction of the door. On the top of the room is an open roof with slightly dark clouds. It is a cloudy day, but the sun peeks from the left. It is the sun that provides light for the shadows inside the room. I chose this work because it shows openness that is critical to mindfulness. The sky and the sun are symbols of openness. Their entrance into the room removes the boundaries of the world. The clouds are a bit dark because to learn is a difficult task. The man coming out of the books means that, through knowledge, he is reborn. He has become more mindful of his identity and mission in life. The sun shines on him because his path is clearer. He goes to the door, where his destiny waits for him. The man is

Geographic development of New England Colonies and affects of Research Paper

Geographic development of New England Colonies and affects of Mayflower Compact - Research Paper Example The New England Colonies was a result of the lack of religious freedom in England. When the Puritans immigrated to America, they started colonies where there leaders emphasized Christianity. This group of people were referred to as Puritans since they sought to purify the churches in the New England (Pastoor 388). The authorities banned those who did not agree with them from the colonies to go and initiate their own colonies. Rapid growth of New England colonies was a result of rebels who built colonies of their own. Currently, the New England states are Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire as well as Rhode Island (Bremer55). The geographical location of the Puritans was defined as the part of America that in breath was from 40 to 48 degrees of the north latitude (Bremer 550). The location in length was across the mainland from sea to sea. Agriculture practices of the Puritans went hand in hand with the nature of the environment they lived in. The Puritans cultivated most of their food. They also began fishing and lumbering also took charge. The soil was however thin and rocky hence they could not cultivate cash crops. Because of the nature of the soil, they believed it was a sign from God that encouraged them to work harder in their farms (Pastoor 388). They also kept dairy cattle and the geographical layout supported this economic activity. The Connecticut River valley provided water as well as pasture for the cattle (Bremer 55). The native species of grasses in the bottom and upper locations of the river grew in red sandstone soil, which was the best of soils (Bremer 55). While religion and politics w as the centre of attraction, the Puritans sough to concentrate on the higher pastures, the good soil and practical agricultural use of the same soil. The Puritans were industrious and built a strong economic base. They participated in slave trade; they made and sold iron, pots, kettles and a variety of tools in other

Influence of Advertising Essay Example for Free

Influence of Advertising Essay The Influence of Advertising The Influence of advertising on our lives for both children and adults has been enormous. In today’s society, it stands for communication, motivation, opportunities, information as well as art. However at the end, the purpose of all of these factor is business. Every advertisement has a clear purpose, no companies will put out an ad on tv or radio without a clear purpose because the cost for putting out an ad in today’s society is immense. In today’s society, beauty ads have large party of advertising, beauty ads not only have effects on the older generation, they also have effects on the young generation. For the young generations, beauty ads convey the message of the secrets or methods to stay young, and for the older generations, beauty ads convey the message of how to become and look young again. The beauty ads today are not only advertising their product but advertising the belief they’re trying to sell to the people, mostly females. The companies are trying to make their customer believe that if they use the product they’ll look ten years old younger even though it is not true. For those people who are old â€Å" To age is to learn the feeling of no longer growing, of struggling to do old tasks, to remember familiar actions. As curtin mentioned. However As the belief of beauty product can make people stay young, more and more older generations started to forget their ages because of their temporarily younger appearance . For those people who are young, the companies are trying to sell them the idea of the secret of retaining young. It is a false method to make the young generation to believe they can stay young forever because eventually one day they will wake up and realize all the money they spent on their beauty product was a waste, and there is nothing that can keep them young forever. The negative effect of beauty products that apply to all generations is the obsession of buying these products, and pay too much attention about their physical appearance. This negative effect will create a false sense of needs in people, when in fact they do not really need the items and the products that they are buying. and thanks to advertisements, this illusion is easily perpetrated, The products being offered through advertisements appear to be the tickets to happiness and ageless.

Aylmers Sin and Guilt Essay -- Character Analysis, Georginas Birthmar

The sin that Aylmer shows throughout the story is in relation to Georgina’s birthmark, which dramatically and suddenly grabs hold of his character. Aylmer becomes egotistic in the ways of his actions and thoughts, not considering that he himself has a problem but that his wife’s imperfection is the problem. By Aylmer’s immoral and obsessive desire for perfection, he took Georgina’s liberty and self-confidence away, which reveales his sins. First, before the marriage, Aylmer had not been bothered by the birth-mark on Georgiana’s cheek. James Quinn and Ross Baldessarini note that â€Å"[s]oon after marrying, however, Aylmer discovered that he can think of little else but the birth-mark,† and that it disturbed him and took away from her true beauty. In relation, it is implied that this omission in Aylmer â€Å"seems to suggest that insights into human behavior are likely to be subjective, imperfect, unsatisfying† (Quinn and Baldessarini). Subsequently, Aylmer’s sin is presented through a dream in which he is conducting a surgery on Georgina to perfect her beauty. Aylmer’s idea of having a perfect wife â€Å"is characterized by Hawthorne as a mark of ‘original sin’† (Quinn and Baldessarini) or even that mankind’s race is born with imperfection. This is stated by Hawthorne as â€Å"the fatal flaw of humanity, which Nature, in one shape or another, stamps ineffaceably on all her production . . . to imply that they are temporary and finite† (120). Most considerable is with the intention of Aylmer’s dream, clearly â€Å"suggests the intense, violent and remarkably sexual reaction the birth-mark evokes in Aylmer† (Quinn and Baldessarini). Alymer is so wrapped up in his own world that he forgets reality, for he â€Å"senses that escape from the human condition is hubr... ...n Aylmer’s obsession of removing her birthmark, so she encourages him to do what is required so that their lives won’t be torn apart by this birthmark of hers, as to have it removed, even if it is to take her life. Through the actions of Aylmer’s obsession, greed, guilt, sin, his intolerance to imperfection and his ability to not except himself for who he is, he must therefore, reap what he sowed. Giving Georgiana the poison to drink, watching as the mark faded away; Aylmer feels he had successfully rid himself from the imperfection that troubled him so, unknowing the birthmark was actually the key to Georgiana’s heart and her life. As the poison took hold of her life she said to Aylmer â€Å"do not repent that with so high and pure a feeling, you have rejected the best the earth could offer† (Fetterly 172) and then she died, leaving Aylmer alone and empty.

Wilma Rudolph

Expository Piece Wilma Rudolph Wilma Rudolph is indeed one of the most inspirational people in America. She seemed to help set a new era of going after your dreams and conquering goals. She had a lot of success but it was not easy getting there for Rudolph. There were many hardships she had to face as well. She overcame every obstacle because she had a lot of determination; this inspiration is why she is an important person that should be remembered from history. Wilma was born in Clarksville, Tennessee on June 23rd, 1940. She was African- American so at this time segregation was still prevalent.She was born prematurely and didn’t get the medical attention that she deserved due to being in a white hospital. This led to one illness after another without medicine; measles, mumps, scarlet fever, chicken pox and double pneumonia. The hardship that altered her whole childhood and rest of her life was being diagnosed with polio after her left leg had become weak and deformed. She wa s told that there was no cure and she would never walk again. This news was devastating to her and her poor family. Wilma was the 20th child out of 22 children and they were living through the Great Depression.Wilma’s parents Ed and Blanche Rudolph were very hardworking people the support there large family and the whole family helped out with taking care of Wilma; their young sister in need of a more normal childhood.. It was at age 12 when she finally got her big metal leg brace off and started learning to walk. It was like a miracle. It was in junior high school that Wilma followed in her sister Yolanda’s footsteps and joined the basketball team. Finally three years later the coach put her in her first game. Her sophomore year she became the starting guard.It was at a state basketball tournament that the track coach of the University of Tennessee Tigerbells, Ed Temple saw the potential in Wilma. HE invited her to Tennessee State that summer for a summer camp because Burt High School (where Wilma attended) was a poor school that did not have enough money to fund a track team. After high school she received a full ride scholarship to Tennessee State. In 1956 Wilma went to her first Olympic games where she won a brinze medal in the 4Ãâ€"4 relay. In 1960 she went to the Olympics in Rome and became the first US women to win three gold medals in a single Olympics.Not only was she a black woman that had overcome polio but she was in the Olympics setting records! She won the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and ran the anchor on the 400-meter relay team. Her victories in sport represented the ideals of America; ideals that celebrated the accomplishments of African-American women in a democratic nation. She helped to show the concept that if you work hard, you will be successful, regardless of your skin color, gender or economic standing. Wilma Rudolph was an example of someone changing and benefitting the future America using determination to insp ire.

Marketing Research Energy Drink Market Brazil Essay

The purpose of this research was to evaluate potential opportunities of distributing new energy drink V-Fusion+Energy ® in Brazil. Having performed secondary market research, we were able to analyze economic, political, legal, cultural, and social factors that affect Brazil’s business environment. We also explored current market opportunities in Brazil and performed detailed analysis of energy drink industry in Brazil and competition. During the research we gathered secondary data published by US and Brazilian government agencies, US Commercial Service, marketing research agencies, as well as information from business news and private companies’ web sites (such as Coca-Cola, Red Bull, etc). Based on gathered information, we concluded that although there is a number of challenges in the Brazilian market that create complex business environment and obstacles for US exporters, energy drink industry in Brazil is in inception stage and thus offers a good growth potential. After selecting and defining the target market, we were able to develop proposals for international promotional strategy, to describe business and marketing challenges and to provide detailed solution alternatives. INTRODUCTION V-Fusion+Energy ® is a new energy drink made with fruit and vegetable juice and green tea extract. It is a healthy alternative to high-caffeine and high-sugar energy drinks because it contains one combined serving of vegetables and fruit, is an excellent source of B vitamins, has only 50 calories and no added sugar or artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The product currently distributed in United States (Wal-Mart and other grocery and retail stores). The purpose of this research is to explore opportunities of distributing V-Fusion+Energy ® in Brazil. We selected Brazil as a potential market because it is Latin America’s biggest economy accounting for 60% of its GDP and seventh largest economy in the world with population of about 200 million, strong domestic demand for American goods and growing middle class. With GDP growth of nearly $2. 5 trillion in 2011 according to The White House (2012), we believe this market offers excellent growth opportunities for US companies. Its middle class and consumption has grown tremendously in past decade – as per Searchlight Process (2012) 40 million people has joined middle class between 2003 and 2011 and 20 million are expected to be included by 2014. In addition, there is a clear preference for American-produced goods to domestic goods in Brazil – they demand brands for all products from high tech and apparel products of Apple and Nike to beverages of Coca Cola. The improvement in infrastructure is expected in the next 2 years as Brazil prepares for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016 – it will spend billions in infrastructure development of its roads, railroads, ports, and airports. According to US Commercial Service (2011), despite signs of improvement there are a number of challenges in the Brazilian market create complex business environment and create obstacles for US exporters, such as uneven income distribution, problems in public education, disproportion of market concentration, and â€Å"grey economy† that hinders tax collection and keeps economic growth from reaching its full potential. In addition, doing business in Brazil requires understanding of local business practices such as implicit costs of doing business referred to as â€Å"Custo Brasil† – costs related to distribution, government procedures, employee benefits, and complex tax structure. Complex customs system along with high tariff barriers that increase consumer prices up to 100%, and overloaded legal system with lengthy processes is another challenge US companies are facing. As per US Commercial Service (2011), The World Bank ranks Brazil 127 out of 183 economies in the world in terms of ease of doing business. Nevertheless, if these challenges are accounted and approached with proper solutions, we believe entrance in Brazil market may be extremely profitable and beneficial for US companies in general and Campbell with its innovative product V-Fusion+Energy ® in particular. CURRENT ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIAL AND LEGAL ENVIRONMENT IN BRAZIL Economic Environment. Brazil is Latin America’s most influential country and one of the rising economic powers together with Russia, China and India (also known as BRIC nations). Almost double size the European Union (8. 5 million square kilometers), with rich in reserves of natural resources (iron ore, manganese, bauxite, nickel, uranium, gemstones, oil, wood, and aluminum, and 14% of the world’s renewable fresh water), and with over 300 million hectares of agricultural land in favorable climate conditions, Brazil takes a relevant position in global market. According to Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2011), Brazil’s consistent growth from 2002 to 2009 when its real GDP almost doubled (from US$ 724 billion to US$ 1. 5 trillion), and economy’s solid performance during 2008 financial crisis followed by strong recovery (including 2010 growth of 7. 5%) contributed to countries transition from a regional to global power. Although GDP growth in Brazil slowed down (2. 7 % in 2011 vs. 7. 5% in 2010) and according to the Colitt (2012) its industrial output has contracted 3. 4 % from last year, the economy is the world’s seventh-largest and is expected to rise to fifth within the next several years. As noted by Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2011), during the administration of former President Lula, surging exports, economic growth, and social programs helped lift tens of millions of Brazilians out of poverty. For the first time, a majority of Brazilians are now middle-class, and domestic consumption has become an important driver of Brazilian growth. President Dilma Rousseff, who took office in January 2011, has indicated her intention to continue the former president’s economic policies, including sound fiscal management, inflation control, and a floating exchange rate. Colitt (2012) states that Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is implementing policies aimed to protect Brazilian industry – increasing duties on imported goods like shoes, textiles, and electronics, but not putting enough effort into fixing local infrastructure. The financial sector is secure and provides local firms with a wide range of financial products, yet interest rates remain among the highest in the world. Due to high interest rates investors that have been buying Brazilian high-yielding bonds have driven up the Real making it a very strong. This in turn, has made imports more favorable for US companies and exports more expensive for Brazil, which increased Brazil’s trade deficit to $92. 5 billion in 2011. As per The White House (2012), U. S. goods exports to Brazil have more than tripled since 2002, growing from $12. 4 billion in 2002 to $42. 9 billion in 2011 (largest categories are machinery, aircraft, and plastics). As noted by Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2011), Brazil has one of the most advanced industrial sectors in Latin America. Accounting for roughly one-third of the GDP, Brazil’s diverse industries include automobiles and parts, machinery and equipment, textiles, shoes, cement, computers, aircraft, and consumer durables. Brazil continues to be a major world supplier of commodities and natural resources, with significant operations in lumber, iron ore, tin, other minerals, and petrochemicals. However, high inflation (7. 3% in October 2011 – above the upper limit of the government’s target of 2. 5%-6. 5%) is a cause of extremely high cost of operating the manufacturing (due to high prices of energy, raw materials and wages), which makes it very hard for Brazilian industries to be competitive in the world markets. According to Alberto Ramos, chief Latin America economist at GS, manufacturing industry is not a competitive advantage of Brazil and it should redirect its resources into fields where it is competitive, like services, agribusiness and commodities. Brazil has a diverse and sophisticated services industry, including developed telecommunications, banking, energy, commerce, and computing sectors. And most importantly, Brazil is generally open to and encourages foreign investment -it is the largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Latin America, and the United States is traditionally the top foreign investor in Brazil – United States is a major supplier with over 15% of Brazil’s imports. Political Environment. The current structure of the Brazilian government is a Federative republic with 26 states and feral district, governed by a presidential system in which the president is both head of state and head of government (elections are based on a four-year term). Brazil has become independent in September 7, 1822 and promulgated its constitution in October 5, 1988. The 1988 constitution grants broad powers to the federal government, made up of executive, legislative, and judicial branches. As summarized by Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2011), there are 81 senators, three for each state and the Federal District, and 513 deputies. Senate terms are 8 years, staggered so that two-thirds of the upper house is up for election at one time and one-third 4 years later. Chamber terms are 4 years, with elections based on a complex system of proportional representation by states. Each state is eligible for a minimum of eight seats; the largest state delegation (Sao Paulo’s) is capped at 70 seats. This system is weighted in favor of geographically large but sparsely populated states. In Congress, fifteen political parties are represented making it common for politicians to switch parties. The largest political parties are the Workers’ party (PT), Democrats (DEM), Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB-center), Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), Progressive Party (PP), Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), Liberal Party (PL), Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), Popular Socialist Party (PPS), Democratic Labor Party (PDT), and the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB). Major labor union federations include the Workers’ Unitary Central, the Workers’ General Confederation (CGT), and the Forca Sindical (FS). As listed in World Guide (1997), there is a variety of labor unions and national, religious and professional associations that people in Brazil belong to: Brazil is one of the founding members of the United Nations, the G20, CPLP, Latin Union, the Organization of Ibero-American States, and Union of South American Nations. One of its main goals is to provide aid to developing countries and is estimated to be $1 Billion per year. As per Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2011), to further increase its international profile (both politically and economically), the Rousseff administration is also seeking expanded trade ties with developing countries, as well as a strengthening of the Mercosul (Mercosur in Spanish) customs union with Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. Brazil is a charter member of the United Nations and participates in its specialized agencies. Cultural and Social Environments. The official language of Brazil is Portuguese and it is most widely used language. However you may find less common languages like Spanish, German, Italian, and Japanese. But many Brazilian executives speak English, since many of them have studied abroad in the United States or Europe. Understanding Brazilian culture, social environment and business etiquette is essential for successfully doing business in Brazil. Anybody who is doing business with Brazilians should be aware of the various cultural and structural barriers which might confront them. According to study made by University of Illinois (2010), concepts of class and status are very strong in Brazil and can determine the position a person may take in the company, which implies that Brazilians allow inequality in their companies. Although communication between high and low level employees is often informal, everyone is aware of social hierarchies. When conducting business it is important to remember that the Brazilian family (often family members working for the same company) is the foundation of their social structure and it forms the basic stability for most Brazilian people. Because of this, Brazilians need to know whom they are doing business with before they can effectively work together, so questions about person’s personal life, family, and company should be expected. Relationships are extremely important to Brazilians, by building close personnel relationships and building trust, foreign businessmen and investors will have a greater chance of success in doing business in Brazil. According to the information gathered and provided by Kwitessential (2010), although the communication is very informal, some simple rules of etiquette must be followed. Although business appointments can be scheduled on the short notice, it is best to schedule them two to three weeks in advance and confirm them in writing since it is not uncommon for appointments to be cancelled or changed at the last minute. It is important to appear on time for meeting in Sao Paulo, however, in Rio de Janeiro and other cities it is acceptable to arrive a few minutes late for a meeting. During introduction it is very important to be prepared for a lot of handshakes when saying hi and bye or a kiss in the cheeks between men and women. It is important to note that since business in Brazil is hierarchical, so decisions are made by highest ranking person which may not be always present – senior managers usually attend only initial meetings (and expect to meet someone higher ranked as well). According to study in Ethisphere (2008), people in US and Brazil differ in ethical orientation and therefore, before entering Brazil we should be aware of ethically challenging situations and establish strategies on how to deal with potential corruption ahead of time. It is important to understand Brazillian â€Å"Jeitinhio Brasileiro† way of thinking – their tendency to look for alternatives to do something that in our eyes seems improper, which rarely require bribes and is not considered corruption, but more like an alternative way of accomplishing objectives when confronting overly rigid rules. Legal Environment. Brazil is organized as a Federal Republic and its legal system is based on Roman civil code, which implies that all laws that discipline all kinds of situations are previously written and made public. Besides the Federal Constitutions, which consists of 250 articles that outline citizens’ fundamental rights and guarantees, the political and administrative organization of the Federal Republic of Brazil, the individual spheres of authority of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches, tax system and the fundamental labor rights, there main legal documents are the Codes: Civil Code, the Tax Code, the Penal Code and the Civil Procedure Code. The Civil Code comprises over 2000 articles regulating matters such as Obligations and Contracts, Businesses and Corporations, Real Estate and related property rights, and many others. The Tax Code defines the main Brazilian tax regulations, which are complemented by many Federal, State and Municipal laws. The Penal Code brings the definitions of conducts considered crimes and the punishments for anyone fitting the respective legal descriptions. Finally, the Civil Procedure Code regulates the due process of law. There is a variety of legal restrictions for foreign companies conducting business in Brazil, which pushed many companies towards partnerships with qualified agents or distributors when entering the Brazilian. First, a foreign company must obtain written permission to operate a branch in Brazil, thus joint ventures are usually more popular than independent entities. To avoid potential legal problems, US Commercial Service (2011) recommends U. S. companies have a written agreement to help exporters limit liability for product defects, protect a trademark, better ensure payments, and define warranty terms, and consult with a Brazilian law firm before signing any agreement. Taxes in Brazil are actually favorable compared to the U. S. The current corporate income tax rate is 15% regardless of the corporation’s business but with a 10% supplementary tax on the portion of net profits that exceeds R$ 20. 000,00 per month. The main stock exchange in Brazil is the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange (â€Å"Bovespa†). â€Å"Securities, such as shares, commercial papers, debentures, investment fund quotas and derivatives, are traded on Bovespa. † Also, it is important to note that, according to a business survey conducted by PriceWaterhouse Coopers (2009), 70 percent of firms in Brazil report having spent at least 3 percent of revenues on bribes. Most of these bribes are to expedite procedures, special treatment or access to traditional transactions. Although nowadays many companies in Brazil, especially those that operate internationally, are fighting against corruption (for ex: companies signing Brazilian Pact for Integrity and against Corruption), and Federal agents have been effective in policing illegal behavior (which helped Brazil achieve â€Å"moderate† rating in 2009 Global Integrity Report), corruption, governmental inefficiency, legal and bureaucratic complications remain real and very sensitive issues in Brazil that cause a great frustration to the international business people. INDUSTRY AND COMPETITORS OVERVIEW. Energy Drink industry in Brazil is in inception stage and thus offers a good growth potential for a company distributing new energy drink products like V-Fusion+Energy ®. According to Russell (2012), energy drinks was the fastest growing soft drinks category in Brazil in 2010, with 33 percent growth in value term. Moreover, Brazil is still a small market for energy drinks with off-trade volume sales of 31 million liters in 2010, which corresponds to 1% of global volume. As Russell (2012) points out, new product launches with new positionings and lower price points, and increased availability, mean that the market is tipped for growth. Although some health concerns have been voiced regarding energy drink consumption, particularly when associated with alcohol, there is no indication that the category is acquiring a negative image in Brazil, Russell (2012) explains. There new trends in Brazil’s population proportion and its consumption patterns also create opportunity in energy drink industry: middle class and consumption has grown tremendously in past decade – as per Searchlight Process (2012) 40 million people has joined middle class between 2003 and 2011 and 20 million are expected to be included by 2014. As of today, out of 200 million Brazilians over 52 percent are a part of middle class, whose combined monthly family income ranges between US$600 (R$1,000) and US$2,400 (R$4,000). Moreover, according to Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of Brazil (SAE) middle class is predominantly comprised of young people less than 30 years old, with formal employment and disposable income, mostly residing in urban areas and expressing strong preference for American brands. With this in mind, according to Russel (2012), Euromonitor predicts that multinational manufacturers will start to invest more in the country to offset sluggishness in other markets. Brazil could be one of the top five markets worldwide for energy drinks, according to Euromonitor. Sales of energy drinks are predicted to grow in total volume at 14% per year on average between 2010 and 2015. The biggest challenge in energy drink industry for US exporter is the price structure due to complex customs system along with high tariff barriers that increase consumer prices up to 100%. As per US Commercial Service (2011), in some cases costs are so high that a simple calculation may indicate that US exporter’s margin will not allow them to compete with local products. Thus, some US companies work on low margins and implement efficient supply chain systems aimed to lower operation costs. Red Bull, for example, whose drink already holds lead position in Brazil’s energy drink market with 59. 6 percent volume share, is building a production plant in Brazil to remove high tariffs from its price structure and be able to increase its profit margins while lowering retail prices and increasing sales volumes. Besides Red Bull, who dominates Brazil’s energy drink market with 59. 6 percent volume share, the main competitors are US based multinational giant The Coca-Cola Co. with its product â€Å"Burn Energy† taking 11. 7% share and German Lizur Trading’s â€Å"Flash Power energy† taking 4. 8% share, and new Gladiator with no sales figures available but with promising results. According to Euromonitor International (2010), the newer brand Gladiator is one of the fastest growing soft drinks brands. As the company has massive distribution infrastructure, it can become the toughest rival in the industry in the medium term. Marketing activity and optimization of logistics and distribution channels are likely to be explored by the main players in energy drink industry over the next few years. Austrian company Red Bull has created the global market for energy drinks, and the pioneering Red Bull brand became synonymous with energy drinks for a large number of consumers, including Brazilians. According to Euromonitor International (2010), despite rising competition, Red Bull GmbH continues to comfortably lead the global energy drinks market by both volume and value. Red Bull is produced at a single facility in Austria and then distributed around the world via a network of local subsidiaries and external importers and distributors. Thus, Red Bull imports its product to Brazil through a distributor and adds high costs of duties, energy and logistics cost to its prices, which makes it unaffordable for some low-income consumers in Brazil. Also, Euromonitor International (2010) advises that the company aims to capitalize on the current consumer trend towards â€Å"natural† ingredients, and targets an older consumer group that is typically more interested in product ingredients than younger consumers. Thus, it is clear that industry leader sees opportunity in expanding its product portfolio to target health conscious consumers, which means that V-Fusion+Energy ® has a great opportunity in this market if introduced first. Coca Cola competes on Brazil’s energy drink market with Burn Energy – a new Swedish high-energy drink oriented on young population (20-24) with its stylish design and promotion associated with famous dj’s, parties in famous clubs in Brazil and music festivals. Besides the attractive image, added native Brazilian high caffeine guarana extract appeals to Brazilians. Coca Cola has very efficient distribution network in Brazil and 46 manufacturers strategically located in all regions of the country ensuring the supply of about one million points of sale. To summarize information provided on official web site of Coca-Cola in Brazil, Division Brazil is one of the four major operations of Coca-Cola performing in Brazil since 1942. Besides Coca-Cola, there are 16 independent business groups, called authorized manufacturers, in addition to the Junior Lion and Del Valle, who draw up the final product in its 46 plants and distribute them to retail outlets. This structure allows Coca-Cola to gain efficiency in manufacturing and distribution, avoid high tariffs and bureaucratic import barriers, thus minimizing costs and consumers retail prices. SELECTION AND ANALYSIS OF TARGET MARKET As we mentioned earlier, health and energy segment of beverage market has been growing strongly in Latin American countries including Brazil. Studies have shown that the change in consumer wealth and behavior has driven the health and energy markets to be viewed as the most promising segment of the beverages industry. More than two-thirds of Brazilians are concerned with their energy levels and try to manage tiredness. With the new V8+Energy people can look forward to enjoying a combined serving of vegetables and fruit with the amount of caffeine that is comparable to the leading energy drink or a cup of coffee. By targeting upper and middle class we will be able reach out to over 80 million of people living in Brazil. Huge difference between rich and poor is the direct reason why social classes have such relevance for segmenting demography in Brazil. Novias (2011) classified contemporary Brazilian society from letters A-E, as follows: 1. Educational Level †¢ Classes A and B: usually composed by those who completed higher education. The younger generations of these classes tend to be fluent in several languages. †¢ Class C: most people in this class have finished high school and there is also a significant quantity of people who completed higher education or at least have a technical level degree. †¢ Class D: people who have not finished high school. †¢ Class E: people who have not finished elementary school and illiterate people. 2. Occupation. The educational levels previously presented support the level of submission among five different classes. This employment relationship is presented as: †¢ Class A: composed by bankers, investors, business owners, major landowners and people with extraordinary skills for the industry they operate in. †¢ Class B: composed by directors and managers, politicians, judges, justices, prosecutors, well graduated professors, doctors, well qualified engineers and lawyers, etc. †¢ Class C: composed by those who provide services directly to the wealthier groups, such as teachers, managers, mechanics, electricians, nurses, etc. †¢ Class D: composed by people who provide services to Class C, such as housemaids, bartenders, bricklayers, people who work for the civil construction companies, small stores sellers, low-paid drivers, etc. †¢ Class E: composed by people who earn minimum salaries, such as cleaners, street sweepers, and also by unemployed people. Our primary target is classes A-C. Consumers in these classes are hardworking people (ages 18-35) that have proper education to know the benefits of drinking V-Fusion+Energy ® and want a smart, healthy, and effective way to gain their energy back. In terms of the geographic locations there are some regions where there is a strong dominance of classes D and E like the North, Northeast and Central-West regions in which we will not focus on. However, it is the larger cities such as Sao Paulo in which social differences are mostly visible and is where many of the upper classes are found, as well as Brasilia, capital of Brazil. Our age segmentation can vary mostly because the V-Fusion+Energy ® drink can be consumed by almost anyone at any age. Made with natural ingredients, it is healthy for any age group to drink including young teens from ages 12-19 as well as for seniors. However, our primary target is working social classes A-C that belong to 18-35 age group and teenagers who are following newest trends , interest and youthful lifestyle. PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY Introducing Acai Berry Flavor. In order to localize the product to the Brazilian people, we will introduce a new flavor of V8 Fusion Energy: Acai Berry. Acai is the most popular fruit in Brazil, and it is enjoyed throughout the year by both young and old. By creating an acai flavor, we will be able to expand our market, because our product will appeal to all Brazilians. We will also attract more customers to our target market, mostly healthy individuals who exercise regularly. Acai is one of the healthiest fruits in the world: it contains powerful antioxidants that can help defend the body against life’s stressors. It also contains anthocyanin and flavonoids, which play a key role in the body’s cell protection system, help slow down the aging process, and may promote fat loss. All these health benefits are the reason why acai is often referred to as a â€Å"super fruit† by nutritionists. Processing the acai fruit into an energy drink does require time and resources, but considering that Brazil is an upper-middle-income country with a newly, rapid industrializing economy (Keegan), we have determined that the acai strategy will be successful. Localizing our product by including something that everyone in Brazil is familiar with and enjoys will be a successful initial promotional strategy. It will define our target market, because of acai’s health benefits. It will also expand the market, since many people will buy and drink our product, simply because they enjoy the flavor of acai berry. Carnival. The Rio Carnival is the perfect place to market out V-8 Fusion Energy drink. We will be considering a couple of strategies at the Rio Carnival: 1) we will have our sales employees offer people the drink for free, and 2) we will occupy small vendors, located around the carnival and sell our product there. Free sampling will initiate the promotion of our drink. We have strong belief in the quality and taste of our product, which is why we believe that once people try it, they will be returning customers. The second strategy will be used for customers wanting to try the other great flavors of our product: Peach Mango, and Pomegranate Blueberry. This strategy will also be used as primary research. We will be closely monitoring our sales, considering factors such as: location of vendor and flavor of drink. Employees will collect the data electronically, which will be used to determine which flavor is more popular in which area. We will also have employees conduct observational surveys. They will be writing down data of approximate age of customers, as well as their facial expressions after drinking, to help determine if customers enjoyed our product. Soccer – Campeonato Brasileiro. The most popular sport in Brazil is soccer. It is so popular, that it is not even considered a sport; it’s a way of life for most Brazilians. Soccer is played everywhere: on the streets, on the beach, in parks, and in professional soccer clubs. Professional soccer players in Brazil are the most famous and recognized people in the country. This is why we plan to promote V8 Fusion Energy through professional soccer teams We will offer a contract to the professional team – Santos to place our product name on the front of their uniforms. Santos is currently the team with the best-selling jerseys and apparel in Brazil, and we would like to be associated with a popular, winning team. Research has showed that when a product is associated with a successful team, sales increase as well. We will also offer personal contracts to one or two star players from the team. They will play a key part in our advertising commercials and promotional campaigns throughout the country. Our vision is to promote V-Fusion+Energy ® as a healthy source of energy and gain strong position on energy drink market in the country, thus we see tremendous potential to market our product in the professional soccer league. Brazil does not have a specific drink associated with sports (such as Gatorade in the United States). We will use an aggressive market strategy and make our V8 Energy Fusion the official drink of Brazilian soccer possibly sports in general. Our product will be placed on the sidelines of all games. Players coming in and out of the game will drink our product for energy and hydration. Our goal is for people to associate our product with energy, success, and health, which is exactly what V8 Fusion Energy is – a healthy energy drink for success! BUSINESS AND MARKETING CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS To achieve a successful outcome in launching the V-Fusion+Energy ® product in Brazil, it is essential to highlight the barriers to entry and marketing challenges. We have identified three key areas that present a challenge; un-even income distribution, public perception and consumer education, and a foreign judicial system that includes a complex tax system and testing custom laws. First, un-even income distribution in society refers to the possession of the production factors and the price the owners get in the market. Focusing on this issue results beneficial considering we can’t put our product out there if the consumer population does not have a stable income in the different cities or areas, and the production cost are unknown . Therefore, in order to reduce production costs we can create a joint venture with a pre-existing Brazilian beverage companies. furthermore, we will focus on the local agriculture; I. e invest in local agriculture.

Courage

Courage In this, the last newsletter of 2015, the best gift I would give you for 2016 is courage. The most common concern I receive from writers is how to weather the insecurity and fear of putting yourself out there in the world. I dare say it stops many from submitting, and many others from submitting seriously. Lack of courage keeps us writing for free (or two cents per word). Lack of courage keeps us from attending a conference and asking questions. Lack of courage keeps us from joining a critique group. Lack of courage keeps us from pitching an agent. Lack of courage keeps us from entering contests. Lack of courage keeps us from speaking to groups. Lack of courage keeps us from writing daily, for fear the investment is for naught. In making your plans for 2016, set a plan for becoming courageous. Decide to step out with your writing. I know. It sounds easier than it is. I understand. Having written The Shy Writer Reborn from personal experiences, fears, and misgivings, I have experienced most anything you can throw at me. Speaking stumbles, pitch embarrassments, submissions rejected with debasing phrases. List some steps youll take to be courageous with your writing next year, such as: Pitching a local magazine. Speaking locally to a small group. Submitting to presses in your town or state. Entering a small contest once a month instead of the national big ones. Reviewing someone elses book on Amazon in a serious, thought out manner (shows your writing skills without being direct). Joining a writers group. Introducing yourself to the librarians in your area. Attending a one-day writers conference or retreat locally. You dont have to go national with your work. Selling 5,000 books within thirty miles of your house is just as great as selling across the country. The number is the same. Less travel, less stress, less stranger-danger feeling. Can you imagine how creative wed be if we were fearless? That gives me shivers just thinking about it. But thats what I wish for you . . . more courage in 2016. Im not asking you to tackle the universe; just be bolder doing little things, so that you then become bolder about the middle-sized things. Ba Take a moment to listen to the podcast interview I did with Dorit Sasson about this very subject. It was a fun session and might help you in your journey. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all. Giving Voice to Your Story podcast How to Overcome Fear. blogtalkradio.com/givingvoicetoyourstory/2015/12/10/the-courage-to-promote-your-book-with-c-hope-clark

Alternatives on Making Better Homes

Turbular Skylight Skylight is a solution for buildings that may be exposed to sunlight, with no openings on the sides and back. However, the skylights used at home are slightly different than usual. The skylight is in the center of the building and extends from the front to the back. Under the skylight there is a blank area to separate the left and right of the building mass. As you enter the house, skylights will draw attention sooner especially during the day. Did you know that there are other ways to deic or ice off lanes and sidewalks that you find or create at home? It is more convenient and economical than buying rock salt at a shop. Some are environmentally friendly. Please look at your cabinet this winter and use your own homemade cryoprotectant to slide the ice. You can sprinkle a thin layer of cold salt, not cold salt. The chemical reaction between salt and water generates heat, which lowers the freezing point of water in the snow. Since it may harm grass and plants in the spring, be careful when using large amounts of salt. A safer alternative is Epsom salt, but it is time consuming and more expensive If you can manage it, leaving your car at home will bring a lot of financial and environmental awareness. There are nine ways to move a short distance here - shops, friends, beaches, others etc. (Alternatives to commuting are themselves topics and we will promote it on a different day.) Walking speed is surprisingly fast. If you are walking: You will never be trapped behind a parking city bus, you do not need to worry about stopping your car at stop-and-go traffic. A dorm There are two basic principles to keep in mind when creating alternatives. First of all, the choice you make will never be better than the best choice you have to choose Secondly, you can not choose an alternative that you are not thinking about. When you consider deciding, you want to say that you have created an innovative list of alternatives. Think outside the box and repeat severa l original alternatives to better choices. There are too many bad alternatives in your list that are far better than not having enough substitutes. At the end of the day, it is much easier to make a good decision if you want to make a decision between several good choices.

The Story of the Last Hippie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Story of the Last Hippie - Essay Example The paper will cover elements of Greg's condition and how it has influenced his lifestyle and how it may affect his future. It will cover the neurology and psychology of Greg's memory loss and how it comes to be that Oliver Sacks classes him as such an important case. The Story of the Last Hippie â€Å"The Last Hippie† refers to a man known by the name Greg F., who participated in many of the things associated with the 1960s, including the use of drugs to achieve higher consciousness and political activism. In this way, Greg can be said to have been a typical 1960s teenager, experimenting with counter culture and many things that had been unavailable or undesirable to previous generations. Oliver Sacks suggests that Greg enjoyed the music of the 1960s, attending concerts by the Grateful Dead and other such typical musical bands at the time. It was during this phase that Greg became interested in religion, and decided to attend a Hare Krishna temple and eventually became a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. It was here that some of Greg's neurological symptoms became evident, although the members of the temple interpreted these as signs that Greg was a particularly holy member of the congregation, dedicated to meditation and Krishna. Greg was defined by those at the temple for his lack of 'worldly concern' and his freedom from desire, both physically and materially. These are two important things to the Hare Krishna community and many of those who are involved in the work of the temple strive for many years to achieve this state. In the case of Greg, he began to develop these traits almost immediately after joining. He also became known for his 'transcendent smile', something which was reminiscent of the very holiest people within the Hare Krishna community. After being a member of the temple for some time, Greg became revered and admired. Greg even began to go blind, and his eventual total blindness was seen by the community as further evidence of his holiness and his full and true participation in the community and its ways. Whilst the Hare Krishna community was in full admiration of this Buddha-like character, there were those who were wary and even concerned for Greg's health. His parents had been watching h is progress within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and noticed the differences in their son. Whilst they were pleased that their son had stopped using drugs to achieve higher states of consciousness, and pleased that he seemed to have found his place in the world, they were concerned that his state was evidence of something more sinister. They were also concerned that all communication from the New Orleans temple had stopped, and they were no longer in continuous contact with their son. His eventual blindness was the straw that broke the camel's back, and they decided to contact the health authorities and Oliver Sacks to see if there was anything lurking behind the 'transcendent smile' that their son had adopted permanently. They were right in their concern, as it turned out that Greg had a massive brain tumour which had resulted in all the symptoms that the Hare Krishna community mistook for holiness. Greg's Disorder & Future After this intervention from Greg's parents, it is