The Tourism Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Tourism Industry - Essay Example Urban tourism is a special kind of tourism which is linked to urban lifestyles in relation to a number of tourist activities existing in the cities. It is therefore defined as a set of established resources and activities found in a city and have been availed for the external visitors. The visitors may come with the aim of getting entertained or for business purposes or are on official duties. Other than urban tourism is a form of tourism, it is considered as a fundamental, traditional and characteristic feature of urban life. This is because most cities have changed from being places of population mobility offering tourists just a short break. They have therefore become cultural centers with relaxation and shopping places where people can meet their friends and effectively spend their free time. Tourism activities in cities differ in relation to differences in sizes, available resources and existing features for tourist attraction. The difference can also be in terms of disparity of lifestyles within the various cities. Hence urban tourism is a representation of the fascinating features of a city and resources aimed at attracting visitors and residents. The tourism activities contribute to the development of the cities and urban life. Moreover, it is a requirement for cities to have heritage values coupled with the modern state of the art infrastructure that fully meets the needs and desires of tourists. This means there is a need for aims to be directed at developing good infrastructural services and preserving the historic centers.

Consumer Ethics Essay Example for Free

Consumer Ethics Essay In this paper I will express my opinion on the thought that some marketers say that targeting any group of consumers who are willing and able to purchase a product is simply good marketing. I will discuss why I believe that this is a good marketing technique. I will also discuss whether or not I think it is important for college students to study the topic of consumer ethics. Good Marketing? I believe that it is a smart marketing technique to target any group of consumers who are willing and able to purchase a product even if it is fatty foods and soft drinks being marketed towards children. The reason that I believe this is because it is the marketer’s job for a company to get consumers to purchase the product that they are advertising. Although it may be morally wrong to target children for products like candy, they are most likely the group who will either be purchasing this product or influencing their parents to purchase it. This is why I believe it is a smart strategy for marketers, although it may be slightly questionable. Consumer Ethics I believe that it is important for college students to study consumer ethics. The reason that I believe this is because in order for us to fully mature as adults I think that we need to learn how to be completely ethical in all aspects of life, including being a consumer. Consumer ethics can teach us about software piracy, which I believe is a huge problem with many college students who illegally download music and films. I believe that this can help us in our lives so it is important for college students to learn about consumer ethics. This is why I think college students should study consumer ethics. Conclusion In this paper I discussed my feelings on two different topics. The first topic was about questionable marketing tactics, which I believe can be effective and is a good way to market. The second topic I expressed my views on was consumer ethics, and whether or not college students should study it. The main reason that I said college students should study consumer ethics is because of music piracy and how popular it is among college students. These are my feelings on these two important subjects. Bibliography Schiffman, Leon G., Leslie Lazar Kanuk, and Joseph Wisenblit. Consumer Behavior. Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall, 2010.

Hindu Gods in the Rig Veda :: essays research papers

The Hindu Tradition 1.) Agni Agni is mentioned as many different things such as: the household priest king god of sacrifice, most brilliant leader of all gods, wish granter, shines up in darkness, guardian of the order, lord of power and master of sacrificed food, always included in sacrifices to other gods, favorite priest, sharp sight of a poet, great speaker who inspires all with his shining speech, the first god to rejoice in human friendship, lord of tribes, the chief priest who finds riches and a combination of Indra (the strongest of all except Agni) and the wide striding Vishna who is worthy of reverence. Worshippers of Agni want to: hold a safe household, find riches and treasure, grow as a person in wealth and happiness, give animal (human?) sacrifice to him, be inspired by his speeches, protection of their tribes and always be granted what they wish for. Angiras Angiras was mentioned just once in this text as the mediator between heaven and Earth. This name is related to the English word: Angel. Varuna Varuna was said to have spread out the Earth, extended the air above the trees, put strength in horses, milk in cows, will power in the heart, fire in waters, the sun in heaven, Soma upon the mountains, caused rain by pouring his leather bag, moistened the Earth, to be the magic (maya) worker and measured the Earth to the Sun with a measuring rod. Worshippers of Varuna ask for reconciliation from him and forgiveness of sins or offenses. Mitra and Aryaman These two were listed but there were not any writings about them except that they did have powers. I wonder whether Aryaman is the Leader of the gods for the Aryan people or tribe. Manu The first man on Earth according to the Rig Veda, he is the Clan founder or Adam, Noah, Abraham or Moses. He is only listed on these texts. Indra Indra is mentioned in these texts as: the bull, the strongest of all that exist (except Agni), he is one of the most honored besides Agni, the warrior king of 33 gods of Manu, wielder of thunderbolt, a killer of dragons, killer of the first born dragon, overpowering the wily tricksters, the god who brought forth the sun, heaven and dawn, not having anymore enemies after Vritra, the greatest enemy of Indra, who challenged Indra, who is without shoulders. Indra killed Vritra with a thunderbolt, broke his nose and crushed him.

Case 5 consumer trends

In today’s world of rapidly changing consumer trends, it is only wise that companies try to keep up with these changes so as to remain in business. This is largely because the consumer is becoming more concerned with the products they consume e. g. effects of high calories. The analysis of the following case study affirms this change in consumer trends. 1. Consumer trends The changing consumer tastes is one of the driving forces behind product innovation. This is epitomized by the recent consumer trends like low ‘carb’ and going ‘green’.Trends like these have forced companies to come up with products/processes that meet consumer demands. Like the dot com craze of late 1990s, the low carb and environment awareness are largely fuelled by customer awareness. These trends are usually force companies to align their products with the changing preferences. And is rightly so because companies that defy these trends may suffer drop in revenues. An example is t he American carmakers that belatedly adopted hybrid technology when their Japanese counterparts were already benefiting from the technology.Such trends lead to the market flooding with similar companies has witnessed with the dot com bubble although the low carb and environmental preservation trends may persist because of the awareness of effects of high carbohydrates and environmental pollution. Most of the internet companies collapsed (Cable World 2001). 2. Threat to entrepreneurs The entry of industry giants like Dell and Gateway companies into the computer recycling business with present problems to Stampp Corbin in the sense that he might lack used computers to resale. Legislations may also be passed that does not allow the resale and disposal of used computers.Such laws may require that computers of a certain age cannot be resold. Laws governing electronic waste from computers can substantially affect the business. The recycling of the computers by manufacturers can lead to ch eaper production of new computers such that entrepreneurs like Stampp Corbin may lack the market for the used computers. The sensitive information in the used computers may also pose a serious threat of lawsuits if it accidentally falls in the wrong hands. The software used to delete this information may not be effective in the long run with the development of new technologies that could hold data permanently.All the above factors can affect Corbin’s business severely. 3. Competitive advantage Retro Box Company is one of the pioneers of the electronic recycling business and therefore the existence in the market for a long time leads to the company developing good business relations with the suppliers and customers also thus ensuring constant supply and availability of the market. Another advantage is the ability of Retro Box to safeguard itself from lawsuits that may result from leaked information. The company has done this by developing tailor made software that can erase su ch data completely.4. Protection from changing consumer preferences and laws One of the important factors that companies can do to avoid loss of business due to changing consumer preference is through innovation and anticipating future needs of consumers. Thereby the new product development will be guided by future consumer needs and expectations (PRNewswire 2008). The company also need to be aware of the effects that their products have on the environment and hence come up with innovative ways of dealing with there effects thus avoiding the need of regulations through laws which can be costly in the long run.Conclusion It is therefore paramount that companies embrace consumer trends through anticipating their needs and thus coming up with innovative products that keep up with changing preferences. References: Cable World (2001). MSO defies dot-com trend-Against the Grain. Retrieved on 30/4/2008 from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m0DIZ/is_/ai_80191576 PRNewswire (2008). Foo d marketers challenged to meet consumer tastes in 2008. Retrieved on 30/4/2008 from http://www. reuters. com/article/pressRelease/idUS187846+29-Jan-2008+PRN20080129

Porter’s five forces analysis on shipping industry

Objective of the report The main purpose of this report is: To have an overview of the Strategic Management of PAL. To assess different strategies applying different analytical concepts, tools and techniques of Strategic Management To provide suggestions for possible strategic erection for the Shipping industries in the coming days based on findings of the report. 1. 3. Methodology The company websites, annual reports, vision & mission, values and objectives, other booklets & manuals etc were studied to identify the strategies of the Shipping industries.Top level executives and other employees were also consulted to have their opinion on the rationale of different strategic moves of the company. The theoretical bases for the reports are primarily those taught as part of Strategic Management course. The industry competitiveness and outlook have been reviewed. The tools and techniques such as Strategic group mapping,PESTLE analysis, Porter's five forces model of competition, SOOT analy sis, Key Success Factors (SF), five basic generic business strategies and other strategies like alliance, diversification, etc were applied. . 4. Scope and limitations This report has covered key business strategies of the Shipping in relation to target customers. It also covered strategies in network expansion, operational strategies The report also has attempted to give insights in the strategies of product offering and differentiations, customer services, strategic alliance with other partners, verifications, industry competitiveness, Ethics and CARS, Corporate culture and leadership etc. The report also has certain limitation too.It has not been possible to managed due to time constraint. 2. Organizational Overview PAL is the world's seventh largest ocean carrier and global top 100 plushy chain solution provider in shipping which has the same Mother Company Neptune Orient Line (NOEL) About Neptune Orient Lines: Neptune Orient Lines (NOEL) is a Singapore-based global transportati on company, with core businesses in container transportation and supply chain management. Global strength of over 12,000 employees 0 Revenue amounting to US$8. Billion in 2013 Mol's shipping and supply chain businesses synergies to create total value chain' for its customers. PAL Liner: Container Shipping & Terminals 0 World's 7th largest shipping operator O SUDS. B revenue (IFFY) 0 160 + years of continuous operation 0 Global network serves 33,000+ locations in 150 countries 0 130+ vessels, 6. MM Tees, 10 terminals. PAL – Moving Business Forward PAL is the world's seventh largest ocean carrier, offering more than 80 weekly services and over 500 calls at more than 140 ports worldwide.We provide container transportation and value added supply chain management services through our international shipping network which combines high-quality intermediate operations with state-of-the-art information technology, equipment and e-commerce. Transportation and logistics company. With ov er 160 years of experience, PAL has the knowledge and the expertise to help our customers grow their businesses and negotiate in an increasingly complex and ever-changing global marketplace – whether that is venturing into new territories or growing in already developed markets.With our highly competitive transit times, petition for service reliability and excellence and commitment to sustainable global trade, shippers the world over place their trust in us to provide them the value they need to compete in today's global economy. Services Shipping services spanning the world's major trade lanes Extensive U. S. Intermediate network to facilitate inland reach Priority access to PAL owned and operated terminals on the U. S.West Coast and strategic terminals in Asia Vertical expertise o Refrigerated and climate-controlled cargo o Garments on Hanger PAL Fleet PAL has one of the international shipping industry most technologically advanced and environmentally friendly fleets PAL in vests in our equipment to ensure we provide customers with the most efficient services. We operate a modern fleet of approximately 150 vessels. In line with our environmental commitment, we continue to improve the performance and efficiency of our ships.The strength of our container fleet is closely matched to the demand for both lineal and feeder routes. Our own vessels are complemented by services with alliance partners and slot charter agreements that provide flexibility to adjust capacity and respond quickly to customer needs and new opportunities. The average age of PAL container ships is less than 9 years and every vessel is certified with the latest ISM (International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention) standards.

Free Essays on Outline The Challenges Faced By The Government In Abolishing Child Poverty

Outline The Challenges Faced By The Government In Its Bid To Abolish Child Poverty â€Å"Because a fair society and the strongest possible economy depend upon leaving no one behind, Britain must build on the reforms taking nearly one million children out of poverty and give every child the best possible start in life. So our ambition is - by the end of the next decade - child poverty reduced by half - on our way to ending child poverty within twenty years.† - The Chancellor of the Exchequer, pre-budget report November 1999 Poverty rates in Britain rose sharply in the 1980s. In 1979, 12% of the populations were poor. Poverty here is defined as having net household income below 60% of the median income, after housing cost. By 1999 this had risen to 24%. The situation is even bleaker for children, with almost a third of children living in poor households in 1999. Shortly after taking office the New Labour Government made a commitment to halve child poverty within a decade and to abolish it within two decades. The guiding principle in achieving this goal was the belief that the best route out of poverty is through work. Consequently, the government introduced a plethora of social policy reforms designed to â€Å"make work pay† for individuals who had languished on benefits for too long. The primary policy introduced to change work incentives was the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), but other important policies such as the National Minimum Wage, the various New Deals, refo rms to the National Insurance system, the lower rate of Income Tax and a National Childcare Strategy were all designed as part of a package of welfare to work policies. In addition, the government is tackling the poverty issue by raising benefits for non-working families. Distribution of poor children by work hours of household Total hours worked by all persons in household Actual poverty patterns 1999 Projected poverty in 1999 if wo... Free Essays on Outline The Challenges Faced By The Government In Abolishing Child Poverty Free Essays on Outline The Challenges Faced By The Government In Abolishing Child Poverty Outline The Challenges Faced By The Government In Its Bid To Abolish Child Poverty â€Å"Because a fair society and the strongest possible economy depend upon leaving no one behind, Britain must build on the reforms taking nearly one million children out of poverty and give every child the best possible start in life. So our ambition is - by the end of the next decade - child poverty reduced by half - on our way to ending child poverty within twenty years.† - The Chancellor of the Exchequer, pre-budget report November 1999 Poverty rates in Britain rose sharply in the 1980s. In 1979, 12% of the populations were poor. Poverty here is defined as having net household income below 60% of the median income, after housing cost. By 1999 this had risen to 24%. The situation is even bleaker for children, with almost a third of children living in poor households in 1999. Shortly after taking office the New Labour Government made a commitment to halve child poverty within a decade and to abolish it within two decades. The guiding principle in achieving this goal was the belief that the best route out of poverty is through work. Consequently, the government introduced a plethora of social policy reforms designed to â€Å"make work pay† for individuals who had languished on benefits for too long. The primary policy introduced to change work incentives was the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), but other important policies such as the National Minimum Wage, the various New Deals, refo rms to the National Insurance system, the lower rate of Income Tax and a National Childcare Strategy were all designed as part of a package of welfare to work policies. In addition, the government is tackling the poverty issue by raising benefits for non-working families. Distribution of poor children by work hours of household Total hours worked by all persons in household Actual poverty patterns 1999 Projected poverty in 1999 if wo...

Introduce, Discuss and Analyze The New Language of the Internet essays

Introduce, Discuss and Analyze The New Language of the Internet essays The Internet has changed the way we work, the way we play, and clearly the way we communicate. Some experts might even say the Internet has spawned its own dialect, with words such as "dot com," "blog," and "Web site" non-existent before the advent of the Internet. Some might call this a substandard form of English, but one linguist maintains, "'Nobody speaks "nonstandard" or "substandard" language,' Preston explains, 'unless they are regarded as nonstandard or substandard human beings'" (Fox 683). Therefore, the language of the Internet is just as viable and any other form of English spoken or used today. The language of the Internet is still forming, and evolving, and so, it is an interesting and even vital piece of language study, for it is not often that linguists get to study the very beginning and early evolution of a language or a dialect. Clearly, people communicate differently, and on different levels. This is true in everyday speech, and online, too. Teenagers speak a different dialect with their friends than they do with their parents, and bloggers online usually speak a different language than academic or news Web sites. Probably the biggest constant in language is that it is always changing. Someone that spoke and communicated in the same form of language that was used two hundred years ago, we would sound stilted and quite formal in today's world. One writer notes, "Fewer questions these days can effectively be answered with yes or no, while at the same time, a tidal surge of hype and mindless blather threatens to overwhelm old-fashioned conversation" (Johnson 689). Written language also changes with the times. The written language of an academic paper may resemble the formal English of earlier times, but the written English of a newspaper or magazine article may be more formal than spoken English, but it is still far less formal than the language us...

Updating Cookies in JavaScript

Updating Cookies in JavaScript Actually updating a cookie is slightly different from just replacing a cookie in that the new value we want to place in the cookie is dependent in some way on whether the cookie already exists and if so on what it contains. This means that we need to read the existing cookie before we can write a replacement for it. One thing to note is that when we read a cookie we have no way of telling when the existing cookie is due to expire or whether the cookie is restricted to a specific folder or available across the entire domain. You need to set a new retention period when you replace the cookie and need to keep track of what scope you want the cookie to have within your pages so as to apply the same domain or path option each time. The only thing that you are actually able to read when updating rather than just replacing a cookie is the actual value of the data stored in the cookie. In this example, we are going to use a cookie named accesscount to count the number of times that our visitor has accessed our page where no more than seven days has elapsed between visits. Should more than seven days elapse between visits then the cookie will expire and the next visit will restart counting from zero. We are using the allCookies() and writeCookie() functions from the prior examples so the only piece of new code we need in order to actually do the update is in the last two lines. var cookie;allCookies function() {var cr, ck, cv;cr []; if (document.cookie ! ) {ck document.cookie.split(; );for (var ick.length - 1; i 0; i) {cv ck.split();cr[ck[0]]ck[1];}}return cr;};writeCookie function(cname, cvalue, days,opt) {var dt, expires, option;if (days) {dt new Date();dt.setTime(dt.getTime()(days*24*60*60*1000));expires ; expiresdt.toGMTString();} else expires ;if (opt) {if (/ substr(opt,0,1)) option ; pathopt;else option ; domainopt;} else option ;document.cookie cnamecvalueexpiresoption;}cookie allCookies();if (cookie.accesscount ! null) writeCookie(mycookie, cookie.accesscount 1,7);else writeCookie(mycookie, 1,7);

Pro-Choice Versus Pro-Life Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pro-Choice Versus Pro-Life - Research Paper Example There is no end in sight to the pro-life versus pro-choice argument. The pro-life argument is against the practice of abortion and the legalizing of abortion. In the pro-life argument, the main point of view is surprisingly supported both by religion and science. The religious perspective is that life begins at conception. It is a gift of God and human beings do not have the right to deny this life from seeing the light of day. This makes abortion tantamount to murder. Science supports this argument through its findings that the fetus starts to display several determinants of life at a very early stage. Thus the main basis of the argument against abortion is based on the fetus as an individual life separated from that of the mother, and that it is wrong to destroy such life. It also goes on to argue that abortion is the denial of the right to life of the fetus, and by abetting abortion, society would be guilty of denial of the rights of the fetus The other perspectives against abortion include the harm that abortions cause the mother and the impact of abortions on society. Abortions are unsafe and can lead to severe complications for the woman immediately after the abortion, or in terms of long term complications, including the dreaded breast cancer. Other complications could be demonstrated at the time of delivery of a child, should the woman choose to have a baby later. The impact on society lies in two arguments. The first is the economic costs to society as a result of abortion. The second argument is that if the fetus is morally expendable, child abuse is bound to arise. Instead of abortion, avoidance of unnecessary pregnancies could be brought about through the use of contraceptives or abstinence from sexual activity. (2) Â  

Connection Journal about Mutualism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Connection Journal about Mutualism - Essay Example Facultative mutualism is a relationship that exists between two species that depend and benefit from each other by living in close association. However, this two species do not need each other for survival. One species can live without the other but it isbeneficial when both species live together.A good example is the relationship that exists between the cleaner fish and the large fish. The cleaner fish feeds on small organisms and the parasites found on the bodies of larger fish. The larger fish in return is relieved of unwelcome guests which affects their body fitness.  Obligate mutualism, on the other hand, is a relationship that exists between two individuals that depend on each other for survival. Both species must live close to each other so that they can survive. A good example is the bees and the flowers. The bee must obtain nectar and propolis from the flowers so as to make honey and feed the colony. In return, the bee transfers pollen aiding in pollination thus reproducti on in the flowers.  Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship that exists between two species where one species (parasite) benefits at the expense of the other (host). A slight difference exist between mutualism and parasitism. Mutualism will only exist as long as benefits acquire by each species outweighs the cost. When the opposite holds,mutualism becomes parasitism. In many cases, were mutualism exists, one species benefits more than the other thus it is similar to parasitism.  Trillium grandiflorumis dispersed by insects.

Comparison & Contrast on Romanticism and Realism literary movements Essay

Comparison & Contrast on Romanticism and Realism literary movements - Essay Example Consequently, as industrial revolution progressed, these poor working conditions raised a lot of concerns and people started to advocate for changes. Artists and writers were amongst the people who were championing for the changes (Dahiya 4). They responded to these conditions in many different ways and as a result, romanticism and realism artistic movements emerged. Romanticism movement originated from Europe in the mid of the 18th century and was concerned with emotions and imagination (Morris, 169). It opposed aristocratic social and political ideologies of the age of enlightenment and the scientific rationalization of nature (Mendelowitz 153). Romanticism was highly centered on visual arts, literature and music but had greater impacts education and natural history (Morris, 49). During the 18th century, romanticism was common and popular (Reynolds 81). However, in the second half of 19th century it lost its popularity and was overtaken by realism movement. Realism movement was bas ed on real life and unlike their immediate predecessors (romantics), the practitioners of realism sought to portray real life, both good and bad. They were far more interested in science and in civilization, and far less interested in nature and the occult. Realists, like Romantics, were very moral writers, but moral causes changed with the times as new conditions dictated new issues (Richardson 56). Both romanticism and realism gathered a lot of fame during the era of industrial revolution. However, it was realism that was more popular from mid 1800s on. Romanticism only dominated from mid 1700s to the mid 1800s (Dahiya 4). Romanticism artists and writers put passion and emotions in their work. The works created by these writers and artists often dealt with themes that bring hope and inspiration or reflected nature’s beauty (Ferber 15). The works were always based on nationalism, spirituality and mankind. The works of the romantic artists gave the people an escape from the p roblems and challenges that they faced during the industrial revolution (Reynolds 111). The works of literature that are usually associated with this movement are the poems of William Wordsworth and William Blake. Other works include Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, which was a story about a scientist who tried to create human but created a monster, Alexandre Dumas’s work, The Three Musketeers and Victor Hugo’s novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Richardson 67). The works of realists were based on real life. The art and literature developed or made by realists exposed life as it was. They clearly pointed out the difficult living and working conditions that were eminent during the era of industrial revolution. Most of the writers and artists of realism were activists who used their works to reveal the evils of society in the hope that they would be reformed. Realists had hopes that their works would bring inspiration to the politicians and other people in powe r thus enable them make lasting changes in living and working conditions (Herman 11). The realists were also referred to as social critics since they used to criticize the society. In US, the realists were referred to as muckrakers since they raked the muck that was in the society. The criticism of the realist was always on specific cause such as child labor, living conditions and working conditions in industries. Realists’ literature writers created factious works but their plots were real. The most known realist author is Charles dickens who was a British

Case Analysis - Political Interaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Analysis - Political Interaction - Essay Example nstitution; however, there are multiple restrictions, in form of regulations limiting how lobbyists can appeal national administration for the reparation of criticisms(Ramanna et. al, 2015). Breaking the set rules, even for the corporations guarantees serious consequences including prison sentences. Nonetheless, corporate management is among the core facilitators of financing and lobbying the government; playing roles that have positive and negative influences. Among the core roles of corporate management, lies in campaign finance that entails distribution of available financial resources as contributions and expenditures throughout the campaigning period. Typically, most of the candidates agree that tackling this successfully depends on prominent determinants such as an understanding of the geography and having excellent strategies(Ramanna et. al, 2015). However, without corporate management, most of the executed approaches eventually fail. Corporate management, even outside financing and lobbying the government has most of the practices based on implementation and execution of the best strategies. Resultantly, it enhances the effectiveness of strategies and also comes ups with approaches on handling the expenses relative to campaign finance i.e. salary for the staff and consultants, rented properties, advertisement and purchasing of the utilities. Moreover, in most cases, corporate management applies in reduction of these expenses throug h review and development of better campaigning strategies(Ramanna et. al, 2015). Typically, corporate management enables a significant percentage of campaign efficiency through the inclusion of protocols, policies, approaches and other practices that are mostly prevalent in the corporate world. On the other hand, corporate management has a negative influence through relative practices in financing and lobbying for the government. In fact, most of the critics and negative perceptions of campaign finance and lobbying have the

Career Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Career Development - Essay Example My acumen on the technical skill rapidly becomes well established each day to an extent that they were delegating very technical and intricate work to be done. I easily I adopted to the Chinese working culture. The roles that I widely worked on included the following: When repacking the bearing for the wheel of car, I was involved in, jacking up the car and removing the wheels. Then checking the drum and ensures it is rubbed. Then prying the grease drum and also removing the cotter pin, and sliding all the castellated nuts off the spindles. In addition, I used to slide the outer bearing, with the washer in front of it, off the spindle and check the grease availability in all the spaces between the bearings. The second contact that gave a wealth of experience in my field of automotive was very satisfying. It was in a very renowned club of Manchester that involves international countries in racing competition of Manchester. I used to work for 2 hours per day earning a wage of 100$ per hour. It is contract that lasted for three years that is from September 2007 to September 2010. I finalized by getting a contract of supplying the very Manchester club with the spare parts. The contracts were for two years. I have registered with professional bodies that are affiliated with car repackaging to ensure that I get any updates involving the field of car repackaging I am at abreast with the knowledge. I have registered with the following professional bodies that allow keep me updated with the very current knowledge. Communicating ones conviction can be hard verbally compared with written. In my resume, words have been given power to communicate my convictions. In my resume I have one single conviction in life that has been the drive of my life. The drive that I intend to impact with on the institution that I place my bid for employment. The

Work place diversity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Work place diversity - Research Paper Example Consequently, to become more open to change and innovative, all organizations require diversity. Capitalizing and maximizing on diversity in the workplace has become a significant subject for today’s management (Kelli, et al., 2012). This paper delves into workplace diversity, its importance in creating a productive and healthy work environment, as well as policies and actions for improving the situation. Introduction Workplace diversity is an issue concerning people, which concentrates on the similarities and variations that individuals bring to their place of work. Esty and co-authors (1995) define diversity as recognizing, appreciating, valuing, accepting, and celebrating disparities among individuals with regard to gender, ethnicity, age, mental and physical ability, class, sexual orientation, race, public assistance status, and spiritual practice. Apparently, the broad definition of workplace diversity goes beyond those aspects that are legally stated in affirmative actio n non-discrimination as well as equal opportunity bills. The interpretation of diversity normally incorporates aspects that affect the perspectives and identities that individuals bring for instance geographic location education, profession, and parental status. Diversity as a concept is deemed to include everybody. More often than not, diversity initiatives match non-discrimination conformity programs through the formation of the organizational culture and workplace environment for making disparities work. Diversity is all about the creation of workplace practices and environments that promote learning from other people and capturing the benefit of varied perspectives, it is about respect and dignity for all, and about learning from other individuals who are not the same (Woods, Bormann & Joseph, 2010). Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace Workplace diversity is not only beneficial to employers but it is also beneficial to associates. Even though workplace associates are co-depen dent, respecting differences among persons can boost productivity. Workplace diversity places an organization at a competitive advantage in several ways. To start with, it ensures the retention of business. Esty and co-authors (1995) explain that a good number of organizations tend to be keen on the demographics of institutions/companies with which they do business. Municipal governments and federal agencies particularly have taken the lead in declining prospective clients and suppliers who fail to demonstrate a clear commitment to diversity. A good example is one of the Midwestern cities that declined to purchase computer equipment from a high-tech company whose entire sales team was white. Workplace diversity also brings about increased productivity. As Mor (2006) explains, this is attributable to job satisfaction, which is true in the sense that in such a work place, people feel valued, respected and included, which helps them to stop acting like outsiders thus making productivit y go up. Another competitive advantage of well-managed workplace diversity is increased marketing capabilities. A group of diverse employees is capable of providing insight into the establishment of a wide range of customers. Attracting new customers makes a critical difference between going out of business and survival of a business. Moreover, as markets become more and more differentiated, smaller market segments are imperative (Esty, et al., 1995). A diverse workplace also builds the largest possible pool of talent for recruitment. This is more important especially with the present-time’s increased competition that calls for every organization to hire

Career Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Career Development - Essay Example My acumen on the technical skill rapidly becomes well established each day to an extent that they were delegating very technical and intricate work to be done. I easily I adopted to the Chinese working culture. The roles that I widely worked on included the following: When repacking the bearing for the wheel of car, I was involved in, jacking up the car and removing the wheels. Then checking the drum and ensures it is rubbed. Then prying the grease drum and also removing the cotter pin, and sliding all the castellated nuts off the spindles. In addition, I used to slide the outer bearing, with the washer in front of it, off the spindle and check the grease availability in all the spaces between the bearings. The second contact that gave a wealth of experience in my field of automotive was very satisfying. It was in a very renowned club of Manchester that involves international countries in racing competition of Manchester. I used to work for 2 hours per day earning a wage of 100$ per hour. It is contract that lasted for three years that is from September 2007 to September 2010. I finalized by getting a contract of supplying the very Manchester club with the spare parts. The contracts were for two years. I have registered with professional bodies that are affiliated with car repackaging to ensure that I get any updates involving the field of car repackaging I am at abreast with the knowledge. I have registered with the following professional bodies that allow keep me updated with the very current knowledge. Communicating ones conviction can be hard verbally compared with written. In my resume, words have been given power to communicate my convictions. In my resume I have one single conviction in life that has been the drive of my life. The drive that I intend to impact with on the institution that I place my bid for employment. The

Teresa Reifs Insurance Fraud Case Research Paper

Teresa Reifs Insurance Fraud Case - Research Paper Example Report also shows that occupational fraud is the most common. Nevertheless, white-collar fraud is also reported being on the rise. This call for organizations to put strong control measures to prevent and detect any fraudulent act in an organization. Pest, janitorial company fraud case of 2011 is one of the most publicized fraud cases of recent times in which the owner of the company was charged with insurance fraud. This paper will provide an analysis of this insurance fraud case in light of the environmental factors in which the fraud occurred, how the fraud was an accomplished, as well as how it was discovered. Finally, the paper will provide recommendations on how best a fraud of this type may be prevented in the future. In this case, Durand (2011) reports that the proprietor of San Mateo pest and janitorial services was accused of under-reporting over $10 million of payroll in a bid to avoid paying over $2 million in the employee’s compensation insurance. After the accusation, Terasa Reif aged 31 years voluntarily presented herself to the police at Redwood City on a $1 million warrant but was set free soon afterwards after having pleaded not guilty to 44 counts of insurance fraud according to Durand (2013). However, she was required to present herself back in court on 26 May for a review conference and a subsequent preliminary hearing on July 13. Durand (2011) reveals that Reif used to purchase employees compensation insurance between 2004 and 2009 from the State Compensation Insurance Fund and Redwood Fire & Casualty Insurance Company for her business known as Genesis Building Services.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Essay Example for Free

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Essay The conditions causing the psychological condition, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD has continued to become a puzzle to psychologists. Overtime, the symptoms for ADHD have undergone numerous diagnoses. Although the main cause of ADHD remains unknown, present evidences show that ADHD is genetically acquired (Lilly, 2007). ADHD is a mental disorder characterized by problems of hyperactivity and impulsiveness. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV, inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity are either or both of the two syndromes associated with this psychological disorder (House, 2002). ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders among children in the United States and it is believed that it affects 4 to 5 percent of the children in the country (Coile, 2004). ADHD often affects the school performance of the children. Because of the lack of attention and hyperactivity of children, it is difficult for them to concentrate on learning or educational activities (House, 2002). One of the speculated roots of ADHD is through heredity and genetics. Researches presented that ADHD runs in families. According to the Pediatric Annals, there is a 25 percent chance that the child of an adult with ADHD will also acquire the disease (Lilly, 2007). At present, since there is insufficient evidence on the real and exact cause of ADHD. Most researches consider the genetic explanation of ADHD as the most valid. It is believed that a particular gene is passed on from parents to children; this may be the inherent cause of ADHD. This can be well explained in identical twins. If one of the twins has ADHD, there is a greater risk that other will have it too (Driscoll, 2007). Researches firmly suggest that ADHD occurs in cluster within families. ADHD occurs in biological relatives of children or adults with the disorder, implying the strong hereditary cause of the disorder. An ADHD twin studies found out that identical twins are most likely to manifest symptoms of ADHD, and this finding is consistent in all studies conducted (Joseph, 2006). One of the comprehensive reviews in the twin studies is made by Jay Joseph where he examined the continued misinterpretation on the findings of the twin studies. He firmly believed that the similarities manifested by the twins are not presenting the possible genetic influences on ADHD but this may lie on the environmental factors experienced by the twins (Southhall, 2007). The twin studies are crucial theoretical assumptions. Some researchers claim that the studies are not supported by sufficient evidences. The study merely focused on identical twins, but there are fraternal twins and considered that the environmental factors are equal, there are changes in the findings. Since the evidences is deeply anchored on identical twins who are treated more alike and spend more time together and has a greater tendency to experience confusion and closeness, thus, in a controlled environment, it is expect that the identical twins will correlate higher than the fraternal twins on ADHD measures (Joseph, 2006). ADHD twin studies are based on unsupported theoretical assumption and offer only a possible genetic influence on the symptoms of ADHD. These studies recorded are based more on the psychological bond, more similar treatment and same environment experienced by identical twins than fraternal twins (Joseph, 2002). Another method of study used to discover the roots of ADHS is the adoption study. The difference of this approach on the twin studies is that, it is able to disentangle genetic and environmental influences on psychiatric disorders due to the genes that came from one family and was raised in the environment of another. The rules of hereditary and environmental influences or the nurture and nature influences are relevant in this study of ADHD causes (Joseph, 2002). In this approach, participants are obtained from families with adopted children and families with their biological children, who both have ADHD and same type of families without the psychological disorder. However the research is proven to have a flaw; it is unable to consider the biological parents and relatives of the adopted children. This may contain pertinent information on the genetic influence of ADHD. Therefore, the researchers were not able to make a definite comparison on the foster and biological families of the adopted children. Another flaw of the research is that hyperactivity of the parents is solely based on recollections of the parents if they experienced symptoms of ADHD when they were young. This method and data are unreliable for the having the possibility of giving false accounts (Joseph, 2002). The fundamental assumption of the adoption studies is that ADHD is more prevalent in biological families than in families with adopted children. The studies found higher rates of hyperactivity in children and their biological parents than children with adoptive parents (Joseph, 2002). It is reasonable to dismiss the conclusions of the adoption studies since it did not perform blind diagnoses and introduced a genetically-biased research with conclusions favoring genetics. The control group is unable to serve its purpose if the researchers know the participants related to the cases and which belongs to the control group (Joseph, 2002). Now, psychiatric geneticists see children inheriting a predisposition that will eventually develop into ADHD in the presence of unknown environmental factors which might include viruses and toxins (Joseph, 2002). Though the genetic influences are believed to be the most valid cause of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), they seem to only give possible genetic assumptions and add to the incomplete puzzle of the real cause of ADHD, as the root cause of the psychological disorder targeting most of our children is still unknown.

Brand Loyalty in purchase of Sports Apparels

Brand Loyalty in purchase of Sports Apparels Purpose The following paper tries to determine whether brand loyalty is a mediator between brand name, product loyalty, price, store environment, promotion, service quality and the intention of a customer to purchase sports apparels. The study presented uses Brand Loyalty to investigate the relationship between brand name, product loyalty, price, store environment, promotion and service quality and consumers intention to purchase. Design/Methodology/Approach A questionnaire was distributed to students of B-schools India in the age group of 18 30 years of age asking about their preferences when purchasing sports apparels. The results of the questionnaire were analyzed using the four step method for mediation analysis Findings Brand Loyalty partially mediates brand name, product loyalty, price, store environment, promotion, service quality and the consumers intention to purchase. Research limitations/Implications The biggest limitation was that the study was confined to the age group of 18-30 years of age. Also it doesnt explore the factors which constitute the independent variables. Future study needs to widen the scope of study by including consumers in the age group of 30 plus. Also it needs to incorporate the factors which influence consumer to recommend the product to others. Practical Implications The managerial implications of the research are immense. It guides mangers to choose the most important factors while opening up a new store as the study establishes that service quality is the most important factor which influences the consumers decision to buy sports apparels Originality/Value This paper is one of the first studies which examines how brand name, product loyalty, price, store environment, promotion and service quality translate into intention to purchase. Paper Type Research Paper Introduction Indians nowadays have developed a fetish for sportswear. This impact can be seen across all age groups; Be it youngsters in the nascent stages of skill-development in the area of interest in the sports domain, athletic adolescents, young men and women with their addiction to gymnasiums or mid-aged and old people who try and look trendy when they go for their daily walks or perform light exercises. This has resulted in a huge demand for sports apparels and it can be seen in the huge variety of sport apparels developed by major brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma etc. A positive trend was observed in Italy in purchase of sportswear in summer/spring. (Dusi, 1999). Though there are very few retailers of sportswear in the market but the competition is very fierce among them. A paper by Wernerfelt in 1991 shows that customers are willing to buy more if the brand name is considered to be superior. (Wenerfelt, 1991) Managers realize that brand retention is a very important factor that decides consumer behavior. They also consider customer retention as a very important factor that actually decides performance of a particular brand (Sasser, 1990). Hence knowledge of brand loyalty is a must for managers. Factors of Brand Loyalty: The independent variables Brand Name ( (Aaker, 1996); (B.D., 2000); (R.W., 1978): Brand name plays a pivotal role in customer retention of advertisements in comparison to a product which is not endorsed by any brand, A brand name may influence a persons buying behavior since hard core followers of a brand purchase all products of a particular brand irrespective of the intrinsic factors. Such dedication to a particular brand is decided by both emotional and physical attributes of the brand name. The complete importance of a brand comes into picture when a choice is to be made between 2 similar products. In such cases the product with a better brand name would be preferred. Product Quality (G.S., 2005), (D.A., 1988), (C., 2000) Consumer may return to a brand repeatedly if it scores high on product quality. The factors which decide the quality can be fitting, size measurement, color, function and performance of merchandise. Fitting is of paramount importance in apparels since they actually define the comfort level of an individual using them. Material once again is important since it defines the durability of the product. Some customers also relate to a particular color. Also how long it takes for the color to fade also determines its quality. Functional attributes like breathable, water-resistance, easy to wash are other parameters which decide the quality of the product. The performance of the merchandise also effect customer psyche since a merchandise having huge sales would make the customer think that the quality of the product must be good to generate such sales. Price ( (B.D., 2000): (Rayner, 1999); (Krishnamurthi, 1991)): Price is another important factor in consumer behavior. If a customer is a hard-core loyalist then he would be willing to pay a premium for the brand in consideration and would be relatively less sensitive to prices. A customer has a perceived value of a product in his mind and a favored brand name enhances this value by leaps and bounds. Hence here the customer is willing to pay more than the expected price if the brand name is preferred. A loyal customer is less price sensitive. Store environment A stores environment, its location and the number of outlets it has also influence the consumers shopping pattern ( (Evans, 1996); (Milliman, 1982); (Grewal, 2002)). If a consumer is satisfied with the variety of products available in a store and the services provided to him then e becomes loyal. Also characteristics of other shoppers, the behavior of salespersons, the displays, the store design, and the advertisements displayed, signs, colors etc. are other factors that affect consumers. Also if the store is attractive from the inside, the shopper would be encouraged to spend more time inside the store and may purchase more which ultimately would affect his loyalty to the brand which owns the store. Perceived store image also has a direct impact on the intention to purchase. Promotion ( (Czernawski, 1999); (Evans, 1996); (Komal)): Promotion forms one of the most important components of the 4 Ps of marketing. It includes advertising, sales promotion and personal selling. Advertising includes print media, electronic media and billboards. The paper by Evans shows that how advertising shapes a key role in determining whether a person becomes loyal to a brand or not. A lot of times advertisements are the first point of contact between a person and the product and hence the image and perception of the product is formed in the mind of the customer through this mode only. Thus good advertisements in any form are a way to attract brand switchers and generate loyalty among them. A research paper by Komal Nagar lays emphasis on the fact that consumer promotions have a positive impact on brand switchers but not on brand loyalists. Service Quality ( (Yonggui)Service quality is a form of personal selling only since it includes direct contact between a salesperson and the customer. A lot of time impulse buying is motivated by salespersons only. If the salespersons are friendly enough then such kind of stores is generally preferred others. If a bonding develops between the salesperson and the customer then it gradually spreads over to customer and the brand/store. Also personalization in the form of personal attention the customers gets at a store significantly influences loyalty. In banks and other financial institutions service quality is the most important factor that determines reputation. Research Background and Hypothesis Price and Brand Loyalty Wakefield and Inman (2003) define price sensitivity as the extent to which individuals perceive and respond to changes or differences in prices for products or services. Further, Jin and Suh, (2005) define Price consciousness or price sensitivity as the degree to which the consumer focuses exclusively on paying low prices. Customers are generally seen to be price sensitive, and sales promotions have a significant effect on their choice behavior (Gazquez-Abad, 2009) characterizing the deal-proneness of consumers by analysis of price sensitivity and brand loyalty: an analysis in the retail environment. Brand loyalty towards clothes in a leading market, sometimes called Generation Y is also significantly influenced by price consciousness It was one of the three variables recognized as having a positive influence on brand loyalty. According to Cadogan and Foster (2000), price is probably the most important consideration for the average consumer. But Consumers with high brand loyalty are willing to pay a premium price for their favored brand, so, their purchase intention is not easily affected by price. Other studies also suggest that Brand loyal customers tend to be less sensitive to price. Further, research suggests that price shows a positive relationship with brand loyalty Price has also increasingly become a major point in consumers judgments of offer value as well as their overall assessment of the retailer In addition, customers have a strong belief in the price and value of their favorite brands and they compare and evaluate prices with alternative brands (Evans, 1996); Consumers satisfaction can also be built by comparing price with perceived costs and values. If the perceived values of the product are greater than cost, it is observed that consumers will purchase that product. Ho: There is no significant and positive relationship between price and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. Ha: There is a significant and positive relationship between price and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. Product Quality and Brand Loyalty Quality is relatively tough to define. If Japanese philosophy is to be kept in mind, then quality is zero defects. According to another definition, quality is conformance to requirements (Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry 1985). Here a difference needs to be made between perceived and objective quality. Perceived quality has been defined as the consumers judgment about a products overall excellence or superiority. Perceived product quality is a global assessment characterized by a high abstraction level and refers to a specific consumption setting Objective quality refers to the actual technical excellence of the product that can be verified and measured (Monroe and Krishman, 1985). Romano and Vinelli (2001) state that quality must be guaranteed in apparel sector for customers to remain brand loyal. Consumers today are becoming more and more quality conscious. Quality Consciousness is defined as the tendency of consumers to intentionally search and get the highest possible quality products in their purchases (Sporles and Kendall 1986). Brand loyalty towards clothes among a leading market called Generation Y is significantly influenced by quality consciousness. (Ertekin.) Functional attributes in sportswear include quick-dry, breathable, waterproof, odor-resistant, lightweight, and antimicrobial and finally, durability which is the use life of garments. For instance, some consumers wear their sportswear for heavy work and some for leisure and sports, as they need a lot of movement, while durability is an important consideration in purchasing sportswear (D.A., 1988) Perfectionist or quality consciousness is defined as an awareness of and desire for high quality products, and the need to make the best or perfect choice versus buying the first product or brand available. (Sproles, 1986) This indicates that quality characteristics are also related to performance. Also notable is the fact that consumers may repeat purchase a single brand, or switch between different brands depending on the product quality offered. Ho: There is no significant and positive relationship between product quality and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. Ha: There is a significant and positive relationship between product quality and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. Store environment Brand Loyalty Retail store perceptions such as store image and familiarity are extensively studied for apparel brands. (Forney, Park and Brandon 2005) Brand reputations and evaluations are built up over time evoke sales as consumers tend to be brand loyal and brand driven under the influence of store attributes such as staff, layout, location atmosphere. Fulberg (2003) adds that using merely music in a store to create attitudinal loyalty for the brands can be possible. Further Omar (1999) emphasized that the store environment was the single most important factor in retail marketing success and store longevity. If consumers find the store to be highly accessible during their shopping trip and are satisfied with the stores assortment and services, these consumers may become loyal afterwards (Evans et al., 1996). The stimuli in the store, such as the characteristic of other shoppers and salespeople, store layout, noises, smells, temperature, shelf space and displays, sign, colors, and merchandise, affect consumers and serve as elements of apparel attributes. (Abraham, 1995) Also background music played in the stores affects attitudes and behavior. The slow-beat musical selection leads to higher sales volume as consumers spend more time and money in a conducive environment. Research also suggests a positive and significant relationship between store environment and sportswear brand loyalty. Ho: There is no significant and positive relationship between store environment and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. Ha: There is a significant and positive relationship between store environment and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear Brand name Brand Loyalty Famous brand names can disseminate product benefits and lead to higher recall of advertised benefits than non-famous brand names. (Evans, 1996) In case there are a lot of brand names in the market, many of which are unfamiliar, consumers may prefer and trust the major brand names. Also brand personality provides links to the brands emotional and self-expressive benefits for differentiation. This is important for brands which have only minor physical differences and are consumed in a social setting where the brand can create a visible image about the consumer itself. This is an especially valid point for sports apparels industry. Brand name is the creation of an image or the development of a brand identity and is an expensive and time consuming process. Consumers generally tend to perceive the products from an overall perspective, associating with the brand name all the attributes and satisfaction experienced by the purchase and use of the product. Ho: There is no significant and positive relationship between brand name and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. Ha: There is a significant and positive relationship between brand name and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. Promotion Brand Loyalty Promotion is a marketing mix component which is a kind of communication with consumers. Promotion includes the use of advertising, sales promotions, personal selling and publicity. Research suggests that if one brand is sufficiently stronger than the other and if advertising is cost effective, then the stronger brand loyalty requires less advertising than weaker brand loyalty, but a larger loyal segment requires more advertising than a smaller loyal segment. Moreover, stronger brand loyalty requires more trade promotion spending under these conditions. (Aggarwal, 1996) According to Rowley (1998), promotion is an important element of a firms marketing strategy. Promotion is used to communicate with customers with respect to product offerings, and it is also a way to encourage purchase or sales of a product or service. Sales promotion tools are used by most organizations in support of advertising and public relations activities, and they are targeted toward consumers as final users. Advertising is known to be a non-personal presentation of information in mass media about a product, brand, company or store. It greatly affects consumers images, beliefs and attitudes towards products and brands, and in turn, influences their brand loyalty (Evans et al., 1996). Ho: There is no significant and positive relationship between promotion and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. Ha: There is a significant and positive relationship between promotion and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. Service quality Brand Loyalty Service quality is commonly defined as the service which should correspond to the customers expectations and satisfy their needs and requirements (Gronroos, 1990). Service quality is a kind of personal selling, and involves direct interactions between the salespeople and potential buyers. Consumers shop at specific stores because they like the services being rendered and are assured of certain service privileges. The impact of salespeople-consumer relationships more often than not result in long term orientation of consumers towards the store or brand. Trust in salespeople appears to relate to overall perceptions of the stores service quality, and results in the consumer being totally satisfied with the stores in the end. Additionally, personalization (i.e. reliability, responsiveness, personalization and tangibles) significantly influence consumers experience and evaluation of service, and in turn, affects the brand loyalty of consumers (Mittal, B. and Lassar, W.M., 1996). Gronroos (1990) notes that the quality of a service as perceived by customers has three dimensions attached to it: functional (or process) dimension, technical (or outcome) dimension, and image. Ho: There is no significant and positive relationship between service quality and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. H1: There is a significant and positive relationship between service quality and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. Brand Loyalty as a mediator and Intention to purchase Brand loyalty is defined largely as a consumers strong commitment towards a particular brand to the extent where the consumer will be motivated to obtain that brand exclusively on every purchase transaction and is constantly looking out for any marketing activities related to the brand (Baldinger, 1996). Loyalty is one factor that many studies have shown to have a strong influence on purchase decision (Alvarez et al., 2000). Research suggests that brand loyalty is the main variable which influences the purchase decision process of both national and store brands. Loyalty does not only influence the decision of store choice, but also the brand choice and the quantity of products purchased. Studying purchase intentions is very important in the retail segment, including sports apparels. Several studies have reported a positive correlation between purchase intentions and purchase behavior. (David, 1996) Impulse purchase is also very important for a segment such as sportswear. (Armstrong, 2006)revealed that approximately 30% of the total purchase of university athletic teams licensed merchandise was impulsively purchased by the universitys students. Ho: There is no significant and positive relationship between brand loyalty and intention to purchase on consumer sportswear. H1: There is no significant and positive relationship between brand loyalty and intention to purchase on consumer sportswear. The model illustrating the constructs is given below: Methods Measures The constructs were measured with the help of Likert scales. They responses ranged from 1(strongly disagree) to 5(strongly agree), except in the case of intention to purchase scale which ranged from 1(strongly disagree) to 7(strongly agree). Sample The sample was collected using an online questionnaire. A total of 146 people responded to the questionnaire. No personal information of the respondents was collected, apart from their age, as the study focuses on the age group of 18-30. Intention to purchase: Intention to purchase was measured with a three-item scale found in a paper by Baker, Michael J. and Gilbert A. Churchill, Jr. (1977). A sample item is If you needed a sport apparel would you prefer this brand if you saw it in a store longer? Brand name: Brand name was measured with a four-item scale found in a paper by Cadogan, J. W. and Foster, B. D. (2000). A sample item is the prestigious brand name and image attract me to purchase this brand Product Quality: Product quality was measured with a five-item scale found in a paper by Sproles, G.B. and Kendall, E. L. (1986). A sample item is the materials used by the brand of the sportswear are comfortable Price: Price was measured with a two-item scale found in a paper by Cadogan, J. W. and Foster, B. D. (2000). A sample item is the increased price would not hinder my purchase decision Promotion: Promotion was measured with a three-item scale found in a paper by Wong Foong Yee and Yahyah Sidek (2008) A sample item is advertisements of the brands attract me to purchase more frequently. Service quality: Service quality was measured with a four-item scale found in a paper by Mittal, B. and Lassar, W.M. (1996). A sample item is the salespersons of the stores are well trained and knowledgeable Store environment: Store environment was measured with a four-item scale found in a paper by Dhruv Grewal, R. Krishnan, Julie Baker, Norm Borin. A sample item is the brand has good store locations and easy to access Brand loyalty: Brand loyalty was measured with a four-item scale found in a paper by Odin, Yorick, Nathalie N. Odin, and Pierre Valette-Florence (2001). A sample item is the brand name is the first thing I look for when I purchase sports apparels Step 1: It summarizes the results of a regression analysis using intention to purchase as the criterion variable and the six independent variables as predictor. It is clear that the independent variables are significantly related to intention to purchase of sports apparels. The values achieved are R2 = 0.374, F = 13.846, p Service quality and Store environment were most significantly related to intention to purchase. Step 2: It summarizes the results of a regression analysis using brand loyalty as the criterion variable and the six independent variables as predictor. Results signify that independent variables are also significantly related to brand loyalty. The values out of regression are R2 = 0.358, F = 12.913 and p Service quality again was most significantly related to brand loyalty. Step 3: It summarizes the results of a regression analysis using intention to purchase as the criterion variable and brand loyalty and six independent variables as predictor. From the results obtained we can see that all the independent variables and brand loyalty are significantly related to intention to purchase. The values out of regression are R2 = 0.391, F = 12.650 and p Brand loyalty and store environment were more significantly related to intention to purchase than other variables. The values of beta for all the independent variables in step 1 were greater than their values in step 3. This signifies that the relationship, although still significant, is reduced in magnitude. Hence there is a partial mediation effect. Service quality was most significantly related to intention to purchase out of all the six independent variables. Price and promotion, on the other hand, were least significantly related. Discussion and Implications The current study explored the intention to purchase vis a vis Brand Loyalty. Brand name, Product quality, Price, Service Quality, Store environment and promotion as independent variables. The mediator here was Brand Loyalty. The study was unique in the sense that it explored the intention to purchase while considering the factors of brand loyalty. This study provides an effective tool to apparel makers while opening up a new store in the sense that it enables them to exploit the major factors to leverage upon the buyers intention to purchase by focusing more on the factors which affect the Brand Loyalty the most. Among the factors of Brand Loyalty service quality emerged as the single biggest factor which partially mediated by Brand Loyalty influences the customers intention to purchase. The results entail that sales person consumer relation will more often than not result in long term association of the consumer with the brand. Also it is clear from the results obtained that users dont consider promotion as a factor while deciding upon the apparel to purchase as it has the lowest correlation with the consumers intention to purchase. Also price considered as an important factor in previous researches emerged as another factor which is insignificant compared to other variables except for store environment. This can be explained on the basis that the consumers already have an image of the brands. This is enforced by factors like service quality, product quality etc. and the price factor is not given any weightage. There is also a second reason for this. This is that all the brands we included i n the consideration set of the people filling up the survey are priced similar. This is a very important result in the sense that it guides the apparel stores to provide better service. Another important result which emerged was the insignificance of promotion. Promotion here comprises both advertisements plus the discounts given in the form of clearance sales, sweep stakes, coupons etc. This doesnt contribute to consumers long term brand loyalty. Although it can lead to sudden interest in consumers mind regarding the particular brand offering the discount but it certainly doesnt translate into long term brand loyalty. Brand name is another factor which emerges as a strong variable which important influences the consumers intention to purchase. Consumers tend to perceive the products from an overall perspective, associating with the brand name all the attributes and satisfaction experienced by the purchase and use of the product. But it is clear from the research that it cannot be attributed as the single biggest factor which influences the consumers brand loyalty or intention to purchase. Limitations The biggest limitation of the study which stems from the design of the research is the focus on the age group 18 to 30 years of age. We controlled this variable consciously to study the behavior in this age group. But the age group 30+ is a very big chunk of consumers who buy sports apparels. Taking into account their preference is bound to change certain findings in the study presented above. Another important limitation of the study is that the study doesnt explore the factors which make up the independent variables i.e. factors like promotion entail a multitude of factors like advertisements, personal selling, discounts, clearance sales and sweepstakes. All these factors in promotion and many more in factors like store environment, service quality could not be explored. This stemmed from the fact that if we had decided to explore all these factors then the questionnaire would have been very long. Another thing where the study lacks is that it doesnt explore how to retain customers . Although brand loyalty is very important factor in retention of consumers but this is not the only factor. Scope for Future Research There is a lot of scope for improvements and enhancing the results obtained in the research presented. The biggest perhaps is to include the consumers in the age group above 30 years and above. This is because that they form a big chunk as consumers in the sports apparels. The inclusion of consumers in this age group will provide a holistic study of their preferences. Another way forward is to incorporate in the study the factors which influence the consumers to recommend the product to other. Word to word mouth is very important factor especially in the peer group in the age group of 18 30 years of age. Also as stated in the limitations study we could not include the factors which make up the independent variables e.g. exploring which factors influence the most in service quality so that the store owner can concentrate on those factors more in order to provide customer an enriching experience so that long term relationship between consumers and the brand.

The Theme of Humanity in the Time Machine Essay -- H.G. Wells Time Mac

The Theme of Humanity in the Time Machine H.G Wells was born in Bromley Kent on the 21st September 1866. He had attended school called Midhurst Grammar in 1883, soon after he had gone to the normal school of science in London. There he had learned biology, which could lead to why he had written science fiction novels. He had left the school without the qualifications to become a writer. He began his career as a writer in 1893 and then continued to create stories, such as the Time Machine. H.G Wells had studied the fourth dimension as he felt very strongly about this issue. The fourth dimension was about moving back and fourth in time. H.G wells had tried to create his own time machine. He had stated â€Å"anyone enters the fourth dimension must have extension†. Another way of looking at the fourth dimension is just looking at time. H.G Wells was always looking into the future and had come across many theories which he had expanded on. H.G Wells was attracted to the future. He thought there should be a division, doom and salvation. He had predicted the 20th century precisely; that the streets would be overflowing, a new deadlier weapon of mass destruction would exist and the creation of bigger buildings. H.G Wells had hated the difference between the rich and the poor as he felt that this gap between them was growing. In his childhood H.G Wells was classed as being part of the poorer community, because his mum and dad were both domestic servants. In the Victorian days domestic servants was looked down upon. He strongly disagreed with the Victorian society that he joined in political parties against them. As he aged he became part of the upper class community. From his experiences of both divisions... ...ich is why they didn’t want to learn the English language. The time traveller found this difficult to overcome because in the Victorian times they was accomplishing and trying to discover more. The time traveller then continues travelling into the future, and he could see the earth ending because of the effects of global warming. The global warming had not even been discovered in the Victorian times and yet H.G Wells was thinking forward once again. The time traveller then returns home he won’t sit down to dinner with his friends until he has had a wash because in the Victorian times this is what they considered to be in a lower class, not being clean. Throughout this essay I have explored the humanity in the time machine and have related it to the social and historical influences that would have affected H.G Wells at the time it was written. The Theme of Humanity in the Time Machine Essay -- H.G. Wells Time Mac The Theme of Humanity in the Time Machine H.G Wells was born in Bromley Kent on the 21st September 1866. He had attended school called Midhurst Grammar in 1883, soon after he had gone to the normal school of science in London. There he had learned biology, which could lead to why he had written science fiction novels. He had left the school without the qualifications to become a writer. He began his career as a writer in 1893 and then continued to create stories, such as the Time Machine. H.G Wells had studied the fourth dimension as he felt very strongly about this issue. The fourth dimension was about moving back and fourth in time. H.G wells had tried to create his own time machine. He had stated â€Å"anyone enters the fourth dimension must have extension†. Another way of looking at the fourth dimension is just looking at time. H.G Wells was always looking into the future and had come across many theories which he had expanded on. H.G Wells was attracted to the future. He thought there should be a division, doom and salvation. He had predicted the 20th century precisely; that the streets would be overflowing, a new deadlier weapon of mass destruction would exist and the creation of bigger buildings. H.G Wells had hated the difference between the rich and the poor as he felt that this gap between them was growing. In his childhood H.G Wells was classed as being part of the poorer community, because his mum and dad were both domestic servants. In the Victorian days domestic servants was looked down upon. He strongly disagreed with the Victorian society that he joined in political parties against them. As he aged he became part of the upper class community. From his experiences of both divisions... ...ich is why they didn’t want to learn the English language. The time traveller found this difficult to overcome because in the Victorian times they was accomplishing and trying to discover more. The time traveller then continues travelling into the future, and he could see the earth ending because of the effects of global warming. The global warming had not even been discovered in the Victorian times and yet H.G Wells was thinking forward once again. The time traveller then returns home he won’t sit down to dinner with his friends until he has had a wash because in the Victorian times this is what they considered to be in a lower class, not being clean. Throughout this essay I have explored the humanity in the time machine and have related it to the social and historical influences that would have affected H.G Wells at the time it was written.

Moni Lisa Smile Andralogical Model

Movie â€Å"Moni Lisa Smiles† Related to Andragogical Style of Teaching The movie begins with Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts), in 1953, accepting an art history teaching position at the prestigious New England school for women. She is a liberal and a feminist who was inspired to come to Wellesley to â€Å"make a difference†. After a semester of teaching a progressive, less traditional teaching style, she is given conditions by the alumni that, if she is to stay at Wellesley, she will teach the outlined syllabus and submit her lessons plans for prior approval.This demonstrated the hard core traditional style view that governed Wellesley’s educators. The students were expected to memorize the textbook. The administrator made the statement, â€Å"You didn’t come to Wellesley to help people find their way; you came to help people find your way. † To compare the behavior of the students in the film, I’ll start on the first day of class; the stude nts embarrass Ms. Watson, the teacher, in front of the class evaluator by knowing everything she had prepared. The character, or teacher, seemed to demonstrate two different educational or behavioral positions.At the end of the movie, you find numerous assumptions of the andragogical model. Ms. Watson appeared as a feminist who refused to fall under the traditional educational objectives or educational theories. Therefore, she changes her educational model or theory to the andragogical style of teaching. This was a change from the beginning of the movie when she first entered the classroom with the traditional power point. Thus according to Knowles (2011), she originally followed the pedagogical model. This model is clearly defined in The Adult Learner written by Knowles, Holton, and Swanson, 2011.It explains the pedagogical model assigns the teacher full responsibility for making all decisions about what will be learned, how it will be learned, when it will be learned, and if it ha s to be learned (2011, p. 60). This is the style of teaching the administrative staff at Wellesley believed to be the best. Historically this model has been found to be less effective than the andragogical style for adult learners who have specific educational needs. The assumption that the andragogical model is based on includes: (Knowles, 2011 p. 63-67) Principals of teaching 🙠 Knowles, 2011 p. 63-67) . The learner’s need to know. -The first task of Watson was to help the students become aware of the need to know by making or demonstrating an intellectual case for the value of learning by giving them the potential tools, thus improving the quality of their lives. As an educator her goal was to help them discover the gaps between where they were and where they wanted to be. She demonstrated that there is much more to art that memorizing a textbook. This was demonstrated best in the movie when she talked to Joan about pursuing law school and seeking a career. 2. The l earner’s self-concept. Educator Watson was fully aware the girls had arrived at the self-concept that they were more than capable of reading the book and memorizing the information as they had been previously taught in the past. Educator Watson was approached with resentment and resistance by the girls demonstrating they had previously read the text. The attitude was, â€Å"We know this so just let us go out in smoke and socialize. † Watson was on top of the situation by coming to the second class introducing new thought stimulating ideas; she utilized a power point presentation that included a picture of Soutine’s â€Å"Carcass. She presented several other power points of art not found in the text and challenged the students to transition from being dependent learners, to think outside the box, transitioning and becoming self-directing learners. She also challenged them to become more than the traditional art students. Katherine tries to get the students to ex plore ideas by a metaphorical demonstration in the paint-by-numbers of the Van Gough painting ‘Sunflowers’, in which the whole class in this scene paints their own painting individually. 3. The role of the learner’s experiences. Educator Watson took teaching to another level by utilizing different learning strategies. She loved group discussions, problem solving and simulation exercises. She taught the importance of art related to individual expression and the students demonstrated their knowledge of this by each painting their own sunflower portrait. This was a demonstration of the role of the learner’s experience. With this example, she opened their minds to new approaches, encouraged expression of values, sensitivity training, and mediation through self-expression of art.She took them to her place where she had a collection of various artists that included modern to historical portraits. 4. The readiness to learn. -Ms. Watson’s new andragogical a pproach and thought provoking ideas stimulated a readiness to learn that changed from the original attitude in the first class. The girls with high expectations and obvious intellectual history became excited and ready to learn. The new approaches used by Watson changed the attitude toward the non-ivy league teacher. She encouraged them to use their experiences and valued their ideas and accepted them as people. . The orientation to learning. -Watson’s education style included real-life situations, and she taught them how art could help them to deal with problems. She used her personal history and collection to explain the importance of expression. She challenged their minds to analyze paintings and to paint for pleasure and therapeutic and social interactions. Watson wins them over when she introduces paintings not in the text, encouraging thought provoking ideas that really stimulated the minds of these students. . The motivation to learn. -Watson was an excellent motivator in the film. She never let the girls think for once that just memorization of a book was acceptable. She encouraged learning to go above the ideas of tradition. (Again; with the example of Soutine’s â€Å"Carcass† and more†¦) She motivated them to keep learning and encouraged them to be career oriented. Several times she told the students that they could be the housewife of their dreams, but to look at further education to fulfill their career dreams.When you look at the movie and the leading students, you realize at first they refuse to go along with the free thinking ideas and they think the textbook contains everything they need to know. Katherine is appalled at the fact that they actually think of their education as a way to pass their time until they are married. The behavior of three main students include: Giselle Levy (Maggie Gyllenhaal), the student that in the beginning of the movie abruptly spoke out and said, â€Å"We’re a far cry from Oakland, † in a snotty tone. She appeared to represent the class attitude.She appears to also be the most self-destructive of the students and does not seem to confront Watson’s ideas like the other two. She displayed a characteristic most would look at as being promiscuous; the film displayed her behavior as being the most feminist and she was exhibited as a student who liked to control men with her body, leading you to believe she traded sex for favors and sometimes just plain fun. The second student, Elizabeth (‘Betty’) Warren (Kirsten Dunst), whose mother is the head of the alumni, heads up the editorials for the school newspaper.Her viscous description of Ms. Watson’s roommate gets her fired. She is a malicious gossip that utilized her editorials like a knife to publicly downgrade others and doesn’t agree with Watson’s feminist ideas. This conflict of ideas is presented during the movie; they had many heated discussions. Betty strongly beli eved in the popular cultural idea that the woman’s place was in the home. Wellesley College, a prestigious New England women’s school, expected you to memorize course contents much like the pedagogical model or theory of adult model of learning.The women of that day attended prestigious schools expecting to prepare to become superb mothers, with the ultimate goal to take care of their husbands, only the elite males, and be home to care for the children. The third actor is Joan Brandwyn (Julia Stiles), who appears to be very open to the suggestion of Watson to pursue her dreams of attending law school. She struggles with the societal expectations of a woman in the 1950’s, to marry and have children, which were glorified as the ultimate prestigious goal.She is actually given a C on an assignment and goes to visit Ms. Watson when she is asked, â€Å"What is your plan after graduating? † â€Å"Just for fun,† questioned Watson, â€Å"if you could go to any law school in the country, which school would it be? † Joan told her Yale and explained Yale leaves five slots open for women and one of those five slots is for a Wellesley girl. Watson gets her an application, which she submits, and to her amazement she is accepted. She makes the decision in the movie to get married, and Ms.Watson continues to educate her that she can do both and ultimately gives her a plan on how she can be married and go to school. Watson pushes her students not to settle for the lifestyle of a housewife, but have career oriented goals. To analyze the role of the teacher promoting the conditions of learning, according to Knowles, is to look at the learning environment, not only the physical environment, but the mutual trust, respect, helpfulness, including freedom of expression and the acceptance of differences (2011, p. 92-93).The students must perceive the goals of the learning experience as their own goals. Educator Watson developed mutual trust and respect with the students. She demonstrated this in the movie when they decided they wanted her to be included in a social event. At the girls’ social, she was encouraged to drink alcoholic beverages and answer personal questions about her private affairs with men. She was open, honest and interacted with them, building a trust and demonstrating and expressing her commitment to teaching â€Å"to make a difference†.She again encouraged education to be a career building tool and iterated the goals of learning needed to be their career goals. She encouraged planning and commitment toward these goals in the movie, especially in one example where she actually got an application for Betty to Yale law school. According to our text, in review of the theories applied, Malcolm Knowles first introduced the andragogy concept or theory as an honest attempt to focus on the learner (2011 p. 2). The strength of andragogy is the fact that its six core adult learning principles can app ly to all learning situations (2011 p. ). It is a transactional model that enables those designing and conducting learning to build more effective learning processes (Knowles, 2011 p. 2). Knowles iterates the andragogy concept, when applied properly, will do everything possible to ensure the learner takes part in their learning process. This theory is best for the adult learner as their needs and capacity to learn are fully developed. We can utilize our experience and the fact that we have become responsible workers and learners.The pedagogical model assigns to the teacher the full responsibility for making all decision about what will be learned, how, and when it will be learned (Knowles 2011 p. 60). This model leaves to the learner the submissive role of following instructions and memorization. The characteristics of the prestigious Wellesley College for woman in 1953 included a satirical review of stuffy attitudes of the alumni and administration. They had rigid rules and goals f or the students. At the top of the list was getting married and college was just a place to go until that happened.Furthermore, Katherine Watson, a feminist teacher from California, whose unconventional adult teaching style was acquired from Berkeley, was shocked to learn that students viewed their education as a prerequisite for getting married. The progressive thinking taught in California was not accepted well by the staff at Wellesley. The new teachers’ class is hit and the students’ enrollment in her class increased, but the strict rules and guidelines put in place by Wellesley were not easy to swallow by Katherine who came to â€Å"make a difference. † It was obvious the institution and the educator were in conflict.At the close of the movie, Katherine decides to leave and go to Europe. Betty dedicates an editorial to her teacher claiming that Katherine is â€Å"an extraordinary woman who lived by example and compelled us all to see the world through new eyes. † As the movie ends, the students follow the taxi Katherine is in on their bicycles. Betty seems to be struggling and peddling the hardest as if to thank her for changing her life. If I was in the educational environment in the movie, I would promote learning by utilizing the framework of the six principals displayed by Knowles.The first step in acceptance of administration is to make them an active part of decision making when her new syllabus was created. As the teacher, I would empower administration with Knowles ideas and let them see my new ideas through his ideas and history. They certainly seem to feel that they must have the upper hand and make decisions and this would give the control feature they appear to need. Historically Knowles has proven himself. In the 1950’s he was the Executive Director of the Adult Education Association of the United States of America (Smith, 2002 p. 1-13).He had already published his first textbook that was a guide for educato rs and this textbook was followed by many more. If administration wanted to stay the prestigious college of the nation, they would realize it was time for change. According to the article by Smith, Knowles was responsible for a number of important ‘firsts’; he was the first to chart the rise of the adult education movement in the United States, the first to develop a statement of informal adult education practice, the first to develop a statement of informal adult education practice, and the first to attempt a comprehensive theory of adult education via the notion of andragogy) (Jarvis, 1987 p. 185). I firmly believe the administrative staff may need some education and redirection. After all, they are one of the most prestigious schools in the nation. I cannot see administration accepting to follow a less than the best for their girls, wives and future mothers. I am sure it would take patience and persistence. But if you look at the principles listed above and included the administration and persistently made them aware of the need to change to keep up with the ‘educational political hierarchy’ you would slowly ‘make a difference’.Empowerment often promotes change and Knowles was the leader in adult education of the 1950’s. When you review this film and similar films, it helps you comprehend the contemporary and historic constraints imposed on teachers and the contexts of dealing with alumni and administration. I had never really thought about the politics and social involvement of schools and teachers in the past and I can see what a dilemma it could create. I loved the movie and watched it more than once. I plan to purchase it to use for future educational reference.I can see that schools are sites of politics and culture, but as educators we must provoke the expression of students’ future identities and possibilities. References Knowles, M. S. , Holton, E. F. , & Swanson, R. A. , (2011). The adult learner . (7th ed. ). Amsterdam: Elsevier Inc. (Part I, Chapters 1-6). Smith, M. K. (2002) Malcolm Knowles, informal adult education, self-direction and andragogy’, The encyclopedia of informal education, Retrieved from: www. infed. org/thinkers/et-knowl. htm. Image Source Page: http://web. utk. edu/~start6/knowles/malcolm_knowles. html

One offers a sliding fee and charges $110 to $119 per session

As a very concerned friend and one that has the background to realize that what my friend is undergoing is bordering on severe depression, I   know that she should really seek professional help. Although therapy is expensive, there are certain measures that could be used as an alternative to therapy, but I would be more comfortable if she will go to counseling.This is why I researched a number of internet resources to really identify the best sources for reputable and accredited psychologists, as much as possible I would want her to not be under medication because in counseling she would have a better chance of developing the skills she would need for healthy adjustment to life’s challenges.In psychotherapy, she would be given anti-depression drugs and sometimes it is not as helpful as it is meant to be, and I fear that she may only become dependent on the drugs instead of really learning and realizing her problems and issues.I found the Psych Central website very informativ e and helpful. It has a list of help centers where the fees are not that expensive and some of the sessions can be done online, on the other hand, it also has a list of accredited psychologists and psychiatrists and their contact and office numbers as well as descriptions of their fields of expertise and work experience.I simply went online to find the resources, aside from Psych Central, I also found that San Jose, CA has a list of psychiatrists and psychologists on the yellow pages, but unless I have someone who can refer them, it is not much help.From the Psych Central resource list, I found two probable psychologists that are within the San Jose area, they both offer the first session free of charge and present a very comprehensive introduction to their practice. I feel comfortable with the approaches that the psychologists have on treatment and they have outstanding credentials.One offers a sliding fee and charges $110 to $119 per session and can be bargained if financially inc apable, likewise there is no need to pay for the sessions in advance which would suit my friend’s needs. The other site however does not indicate the schedule of fees.They both work with individuals in counseling and specialize in depression and adjustment problems. The first psychologist however accepts payment sessions through health insurance and she says that the client just have to contact the insurance provider before arranging the first session. This could be advantageous to my friend if she decides to use her insurance plan but I doubt that she would, but it is good to have options.The second therapist however requires that a personal call or an email be sent to her to settle the business side of the counseling sessions, which is basically positive in the sense that my friend would get to communicate with the therapist before she commits to visiting her and her practice is also within the San Jose area and can be checked out anytime if the need arises.I think that my friend would really benefit with the first counselor, she would be given the counseling that she very much needs within her own budget constraints, as well as be able to stay in her apartment and job for the psychologists are within her residence and job. If there is a need for her to be institutionalized, or if she thinks that she might be safer there, and then there are some available institutions in the area, but as for now, I am confident that she would work well with counseling.Resources:Psych Central.com for list of therapy centers found at: http://psychcentral.com/resources/Psychotherapy/Treatment_Centers/Dr. Lisa Shieldshttp://cms.psychologytoday.com/usnews/prof_detail.php?profid=40512&sid=1178634615.479_19565&city=San+Jose&county=Santa+Clara&state=CaliforniaSan Jose Therapy and Counseling.org with Maria Lloyd, MFT Therapist License #38399 check:http://www.sanjosetherapy.org/#depression