How to Write Powerful Headlines

There’s no denying the power of a good headline. It’s the first thing your audience reads, and it might also be the last thing they read if it’s not compelling enough to get a click. But what makes a good headline? The Four U’s It’s true that audiences have different preferences for headlines depending on if they’re browsing social, searching Google, or reading the newspaper. That said, there are a few tenets of good headline-writing can be applied across the board. For example, copywriters have long relied on the â€Å"four U’s† to generate powerful headlines: Urgent: The best headlines weave in a sense of urgency. Capitalizing on readers’ fear of missing out (FOMO) is a great way to capture their attention in a crowded social-media landscape. Unique: Let your brand’s personality shine through, and offer readers something that they haven’t seen a hundred times before. Useful: When readers look at your headlines and consider whether to keep reading, they’re wondering what’s in it for them. Your headline has to promise value, and your content has to deliver it. While the other U’s in this formula help to grab readers’ attention, usefulness is what convinces them to stick around. Ultra-specific: The more specific your headline is, the more unique and useful it will seem to readers. Being specific with data and statistics can also help you establish trust and authority with your audience. While an irresistible headline helps drive clicks, it’s should also communicate what the article is all about. The Headline Should Be Accurate Your headline needs to accurately express what your article is about. Too often, media companies will twist a headline to make an article say something it doesn’t say or to get attention in a way that the article doesn’t deserve. Unfortunately, this is a sure way to turn off your readers and get them to bounce. Your Headline Should Work Out of Context Your regular readers might understand any writing quirks or abbreviations that you use, but someone who stumbles onto your site or sees your headline from a Google search will not. For that reason, you need to make sure that anyone can understand the headline immediately. Headlines Should Be Concise Strunk and White once wrote that we should avoid any unnecessary words and this is especially important when writing a headline. Generally, you want to keep your headline under 80 characters, give or take, so make each word count. This means removing any unneeded describing words, or really anything that takes away from the main meaning of the headline. Tips for Writing Catchy Headlines Time spent creating content could be wasted if your headline isn’t compelling. A great headline can mean the difference between your article being read or ignored. It can give a good first impression of your writing skills and instantly improve the appeal of your content to clients. â€Å"On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.† – David Ogilvy. So how do you write better headlines to convince these content-hungry, time-limited clients to read your content? Hopefully, the following tips will set you up on the path to headline success. 1. Highlight the Benefits What’s in it for the reader? Conveying the core value of the content within the headline is key. You can use the word â€Å"you† or reference the target audience directly to make it sound personal: Are You a Freelance Writer? Write Better Headlines with These 10 Simple Techniques 2. Be Specific Include specific facts in the headline to build credibility. Statistics and names show you’ve researched the topic. For example: How Long is the Perfect Title? Here’s Why Your Headlines Should Contain 14 Words This is actually based on a study by HubSpot, where they found that on average, 14 word-titles get the most tweets and Facebook likes. 3. Include Numbers Numbers are also effective for the same reason. People are attracted to numbers and lists because they like predictability and certainty. For example: Use These 10 Powerful Techniques to Write Better Headlines Today 4. Establish a Human Connection If you don’t have any numbers in your title, try appealing to the reader’s emotional side. Mention something the target audience can relate to: If You’re Struggling to Write a Great Headline, You’re Not Alone 5. Appeal to Readers’ Aspirations Similarly, think about what the target audience wants to achieve. Promise how the reader can improve themselves in some way, such as learning how to be a better headline writer: Ten Strategies That Will Make You a Master Headline Writer 6. Be More Intriguing Withholding key information will encourage readers to click through to your content to find out more. So, leave an air of mystery: Here’s What We Discovered About the Highest Converting Headlines 7. Make it Sound Conversational When you only have a moment to capture the reader’s attention, try writing like you talk: So How do Successful Writers Craft a Great Headline? 8. Ask a Specific Question The last example used a more general question to sound more conversational. You can increase curiosity with more specific questions. The following example uses the first-person personal pronoun to personalize the headline and make the reader feel like they already â€Å"own† the question: How Do I Write Great Headlines That Increase Click-Throughs? Or you could ask an unusual question to add even more intrigue: Why Are You Still Writing Headlines that Don’t Actually Work? 9. Be Provocative Like the previous example, controversial statements or questions are a great way to get noticed, but you need to be careful not to alienate the audience. Still, introducing the shock factor into your headlines will almost certainly improve click-through rates: 10. Be Surprising You can tone down the controversy and just surprise readers with something unexpected. It captures attention in the same way because the human brain loves uniqueness. See how the following headline uses a surprising phrase to stand out: Oh my God. Every Freelance Writer Should Read These Headlines Hacks 11. Use a FOMO Headline Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a powerful motivational technique used by most marketers. Think about how you can change your headline to add urgency to the title. For example: Read This Article Before Writing Another Headline 12. Use Negatives In one study, Outbrain compared headlines with positive superlatives like â€Å"best† and â€Å"easiest† to negative ones, such as â€Å"worst† and â€Å"hardest.† It found that click-through rates on headlines with negative superlatives performed 30 percent better than those with positive ones. This might be because the negative approach is more unexpected. So try inserting some negative superlatives into your headlines, such as: Common Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Writing the Dullest Headlines 13. More Verbs, Fewer Adjectives When you’re writing a headline, every word counts. In one A/B testing case, changing just a single word of an email subject line boosted click-through rates by 46%. That said, action verbs tend to pack more of a punch than nouns and adjectives. In fact, two of the most famous taglines in advertising are short and verb-centric: Nike’s â€Å"Just Do It† and the American dairy industry’s â€Å"Got Milk?† How to Write Great Headlines 14. Get Feedback If you have a number of headlines and you’re not sure which one is best, ask other people. You could ask other writers on Twitter via a poll, or show your client multiple headline versions so they can pick out the best. Taking It Further Clients want headlines that will engage their readers, so it’s important to think about the audience of your potential client. Who will be reading the content? What do they really want to know? And crucially, make sure that your content always delivers on the promise of your headline. Stick to the strategies outlined here, and you’ll be on your way to writing more powerful headlines that give a great first impression of your writing skills and will ultimately boost your sales. Want to create better headlines? Check out our copywriting service.

Free Essays on Description Of An Ad

I’m going to start this off as simple as I can. I guess it’s the only way I know how. After I describe a section, I’m going to move into more detail about that until I can go no further. I figure the best way to do this would be the general idea of the image, then move onto the who, what, where, when and why of it. I pray to God that I hit five pages, heh. The image is contained in an eight and a halve by eleven space. It’s a full color photo. Within the image are four men at a round wooden table. The two men on the outside of the foursome are cropped. They are all drinking alcohol, rather it’s suggested by the shape of each of their glasses. Three of them are laughing, as if a joke was just told; their attention focused on the second man from the right, who happens to be a very life-like dummy dressed in clothes that mimic that of the men around him. The blond haired caucasian man on the extreme left hand side is wearing a dark blue or black suite with a white or light blue collared shirt on. He is also wearing a grey tie with yellow stripes, or visa versa. He is holding a drink in his right hand that contains a cherry in it. His hand is raised into the air, very close to his face.He has a jovial smile, his attention is focused on the man, rather the dummy to his left, the viewers right. He appears as if he is in his mid to late thirties. The dummy, who is situated next to the man on the extreme left looks to be crafted after a caucasian man, or another lighter skinned ethnicity. The facial features don’t give away too much. It, rather, he, has short black or dark brown hair. His age is rather hard to distinguish. It appears that if he was a real person, he wold be in his late twenties to early thirties. He is also wearing a dark blue or black coat atop a white collared shirt with blue stripes. He is not wearing a tie. The collared shirt is not buttoned all the way up. His right hand is resting on the wooden table ... Free Essays on Description Of An Ad Free Essays on Description Of An Ad I’m going to start this off as simple as I can. I guess it’s the only way I know how. After I describe a section, I’m going to move into more detail about that until I can go no further. I figure the best way to do this would be the general idea of the image, then move onto the who, what, where, when and why of it. I pray to God that I hit five pages, heh. The image is contained in an eight and a halve by eleven space. It’s a full color photo. Within the image are four men at a round wooden table. The two men on the outside of the foursome are cropped. They are all drinking alcohol, rather it’s suggested by the shape of each of their glasses. Three of them are laughing, as if a joke was just told; their attention focused on the second man from the right, who happens to be a very life-like dummy dressed in clothes that mimic that of the men around him. The blond haired caucasian man on the extreme left hand side is wearing a dark blue or black suite with a white or light blue collared shirt on. He is also wearing a grey tie with yellow stripes, or visa versa. He is holding a drink in his right hand that contains a cherry in it. His hand is raised into the air, very close to his face.He has a jovial smile, his attention is focused on the man, rather the dummy to his left, the viewers right. He appears as if he is in his mid to late thirties. The dummy, who is situated next to the man on the extreme left looks to be crafted after a caucasian man, or another lighter skinned ethnicity. The facial features don’t give away too much. It, rather, he, has short black or dark brown hair. His age is rather hard to distinguish. It appears that if he was a real person, he wold be in his late twenties to early thirties. He is also wearing a dark blue or black coat atop a white collared shirt with blue stripes. He is not wearing a tie. The collared shirt is not buttoned all the way up. His right hand is resting on the wooden table ...

Best Practice HRM in Taiwan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Best Practice HRM in Taiwan - Essay Example The aim of the paper is to the transition of human resource management in Taiwan, and to propose recommendations for MNCs that are facing human resource management shift. The best practice model is usually applied to reward system management. Pfeffer develops and describes the impact and importance of HR policies for effective performance and motivation. Following Pfeffer (1998a), "labor markets are far from perfectly efficient, it is nonetheless the case that some relationship exists between what a firm pays and the quality of the workforce it attracts" (p. 80). The aim of this model is to attract and retain the best employees able to create competitive advantage and meet the needs of organization. Motivation factors are the core of this theory. "If the organization enjoys increased profitability and performance as a result of the efforts of its people, then considerations of equity virtually demand that the entire workforce, not just some senior managers share in the returns through higher pay' (Pfeffer 1998a, p. 220). The "best practice" approach helps to achieve effectiveness of performance and specific goals including maintenance of high standards in order to deliver customer satisfaction. Unique talents among employees, including superior performance, productivity, flexibility, innovation, and the ability to deliver high levels of personal customer service are ways in which people provide a critical ingredient in developing an organization's competitive position (Chandler and Mcevoy 2000). People also provide the key to managing the pivotal interdependencies across functional activities and the important external relationships. It can be argued that one of the clear benefits arising from competitive advantage based on the effective management of people is that such an advantage is hard to imitate. An organization's HR strategies, policies and practices are a unique blend of processes, procedures, personalities, styles, capabilities and organizational culture. "Pfeffer (1994) maintains certain employment practices, including internal career ladders, extensive training, worker discretion, extensive training, generally contribute to high levels of organizational performance" (Lawler et al 2003, p. 4). Discussion Section The transition of human resource management in Taiwan is based on the need to adapt the economy and HR practices to changing economic and political environments and create strong workforce. Multinational corporations are often regarded as a potential source of convergence in international HRM in that they are expected to use their international perspective to promote the diffusion of 'best practice' HR techniques. One of the most important consequences of 'best practice' in joint ventures has been the introduction of a more systematic management approach in that the systems were defined in writing, standardized and operated on a regular basis (Chandler and Mcevoy 2000). "Taiwan is particularly noted for its small and medium-sized firms, both in the high-technology sector and in more traditional industries. One advantage of being small is that such organizations can be highly flexible and thus much more responsive to rapidly shifting and unpredictable economic conditions" (Lawler et al 2000, p. 5). A majority of MNCs have placed a

Policy analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Policy analysis - Essay Example 1st Amendment The 1st amendment to the constitution of the United States was proposed on 25 September 1789 and was enacted on 15 December 1791. The 1st amendment guarantees the freedom of religion, speech and press and protects the citizens’ right to assemble and petition the government. Since its ratification, the 1st amendment has successfully sustained over a period of more than 200 years, without any major changes or alterations being affected to it. The 1st amendment has effectively played a crucial role in the history of America, both in the contemporary and earlier ages (Fleming 372). America being a nation founded by immigrants, the freedom of religion enshrined in the 1st amendment certified throughout that the great melting pot called America accommodated citizens with diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, without being resorting to discrimination or state supported hatred or persecution. The right to expression and petition facilitated by the 1st amendment was t he statutory backing that enabled many luminaries and suppressed groups within the nation, to raise a voice for equal rights and opportunities (Fleming 372). For example, when Martin Luther King Jr. pursued the struggle for the civil rights of the African Americans, it was the rights protected by the 1st amendment that extended a legal relevance to his struggle. The right to assemble and petition led to the constitution of history changing groups like the National American Women Suffrage Association and it was the freedom of press that accounted for the attention and coverage extended to the sidetracked and suppressed sections of the society. The 1st amendment has been valuable to the society in the sense that whenever some individuals or groups felt the need to change government or discriminatory laws, the 1st amendment came to their rescue. 2nd Amendment The 2nd amendment was proposed on 25 September 1789 and got enacted on 15 December 1791. This amendment safeguards the constitut ional right to keep and bear arms. Owing to many reasons, the 2nd amendment has lost its relevance. Its goes without saying that the 2nd amendment was meaningful in the context of the times in which it was enacted (Barnett 238). During the days when this amendment was ratified, an organized and well trained militia was essential to safeguard the freedom of the state and the liberty of the people (Barnett 239)). So, to achieve the objectives necessitated by this strategic cause, the right to keep and bear arms was utterly essential. Secondly, the days in which the 2nd amendment was passed, America was still a quintessentially agrarian society and people do relied on hunting to sustain and survive. Hence, in those times, guns were a necessary household item that served many purposes in the daily life of the masses (Barnett 2239). However, the 21st century is a different lot, and hence the 2nd amendment has directly or indirectly been the cause of much violence and bloodshed. In modern America, with its organized law and order framework, guns positively have no practical relevance for the common citizenry. People do not need guns to sustain themselves or to carry on with their daily life. The spurt in urban violence and organized crime in recent days has in fact shattered the very

Trait of Effective Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Trait of Effective Communication - Essay Example Not to forget though, that effective communication may also be defined as the way a person uses his body language in order to convey his message. This can be done through the nod of the head, raising of the eyebrow, hunching of the shoulders... Any of these aforementioned method of communication can be taken to define what effective communication is all about. 2. There are two traits that are necessary in effective communication. The first trait is speaking clearly. By speaking clearly and properly explaining what it is that you wish to have another person understand, he will be able to get a clear grasp of what it is that you are trying to say. Being sure to use words that you are sure the person one is speaking to can understand, one can be sure that his message will definitely be received and understood. The second important trait of effective communication has everything to do with the ability of a person to listen attentively and actively. By listening attentively, one is able t o concentrate on the message being delivered by the person speaking. It will also allow for a better analysis of the discussion and active participation as one will be able to properly pose clarification questions whenever the need arises. 3. An example of a communication break that can occur which can result in the distorting of a message often occurs with the written word. This is because the written word can change its meaning depending upon the punctuation used or the mistaken context of a message. Something as simple as â€Å"Dont rush me! Im leaving now!† in a text message can either be taken as an angry message by the receiver or as a message of excitement. All depending upon the way that the message was perceived by the other side. On the other hand, a message such as â€Å"Dont bother. I can do it.† when spoken can be taken as either exasperated, angry, or simply a statement by the person hearing it. All depending upon the vocal intonation of the speaker.

Entering the Fast Food Industry

Entering the Fast Food Industry Introduction Pull open the glass door, feel the rush of cool air, walk in, get on line, study the backlit color photographs above the counter, place your order, hand over a few dollars, watch teenagers in uniforms pushing various buttons, and moments later take hold of a plastic tray full of food wrapped in colored paper and cardboard. The whole experience of buying fast food has become so routine, so thoroughly unexceptional and mundane, that it is now taken for granted, like brushing your teeth or stopping for a red light. Eric Schlosser from the book Fast Food Nation The food that people always eat or dont it was always determined by some economical and environmental forces. And the big growth of the Egyptian fast food market occurred according to some main changes in the Egyptian society. One of the main changes was the huge entering the women the workforce, which increased the request on some service which women usually do like cooking, cleaning, and child care. And now you can see the double income of the household which make an increase of the requested fast food. Socially, these fast food chains created many changes within the Egyptian behavioral patterns as well. Cleanliness and quality allowed families to feel safe and comfortable, permitting their children to go out on their own. A cheerful atmosphere and fun promotional items and gifts available at these chains attracted children and the younger generation began to frequent them more often, meeting friends and planning parties. It gave the Egyptian youth a safe acceptable place to go to. From here was born the concept of home delivery, a hugely profitable business today. Now, one can order virtually any consumer product by telephone for delivery and thousands of young people are employed in this sector. As consumers became frequent customers, the database developed into a very important asset. Promoting sales and keeping information classified was a must, not to mention boosting an already-escalating competitive environment. Entering the fast food market can be done in several ways that each one of them differs from the other. There are two main choices; first is acquiring a franchise license from an international-branded fast food chain, the second is to create a new brand that is developed locally and independently. Each one of them has their own advantages and disadvantages, and choosing an entry strategy heavily depends on several factors which will be analyzed in this paper. Before choosing an entry strategy the market has to be assessed extensively and to do so Porters Five Forces and the PEST (Political, Economical, Social Technological) analysis models represent the perfect harmony in analyzing the heavily saturated and very competitive Egyptian fast food market. Office of government commerce, (2006) Definition of alternatives Before proceeding with the market analysis we have to understand clearly what is meant by each one of the entry strategies to avoid any misunderstandings; According to (Treas, 1973) franchising can be defined simply as a business relationship between two entities; the seller (franchisor) and the license buyer (franchisee). The franchisee buys a royalty license from the franchisor to have the permission of doing business and opening fast food chains under the brand name of the franchisor. However, the franchisees are still independent and the chains are under full supervision and management by them but they have to abide to certain quality standards and regulations set by the franchisor to help them maintain and save the brand image of their trade mark. (Treas.1973) (Kaufmann Dant, 2001) On the other hand, opening an independent (locally branded) fast food chain is the total opposite of franchising. Instead of buying a franchise license from a well known established brand, the founder decides to create a new novel brand enduring all of the associated costs and taking the risk of creating a new brand image that requires time to gain the desired reputation. Some of the successful franchises in Egypt could be: McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC, Burger King, and Sbarro. While Successful examples of independent in Egypt could be: Cook Door, Smileys, Momen, Amo Hosny, Bon Appetite, and Prego. Porters five forces analysis Michael Porter in this analysis suggested a frame that industry influenced by five forces. These forces can determine the competitive intensity and therefore the attractiveness of a market and attractiveness means the overall industry profitability. These forces represent the micro-environment side which is more specific than the more general macro-environment one; they consist of those forces close to a market that affect its shape and stability. (Figure 1: Porters Five forces Model) (Michael E. Porter 1980: 31) Rivalry among existing competitors The first component of the five forces analysis focuses on the competitive rivalry. Competitive rivalry is one of the key areas for an industry, because in many cases it may determine the marketing strategies that will be developed and implemented. The purchasing power of the Egyptian consumers is quite strong and naturally those consumers have high expectations. That is the reason why fast food chains constantly compete for better products and more attractive promotions. For instance, McDonalds was the first fast food chain in Egypt that offers toys and games with meals to trigger childrens interest and this was hugely successful where most of the children buy McDonalds happy meal in order to get the offered toy. Rivalry can be found in many familiar forms such as advertising campaigns, price discounting, new product introduction and service improvement. The more the degree of rivalry the more it becomes an obstacle for profitability, and the degree of rivalry is determined through the intensity of the competition and on how they compete. The intensity of rivalry is influenced by the following characteristics: Large number of competitors: The huge existing numbers of food chains makes the competition more intensified where they have to compete for the same customers and resources in order to gain more market share. The market includes two main categories of chains; local branded fast-food chains which include (Momen, Smileys Grill, Cook Door and El-Shabrawy), and international branded fast-food chains such as (KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and many more) Slow market growth: If the market growth is slow the fast-food chains will fight more for the existing market share. On the other hand, if the market growth is fast, the fast-food chains will be able to improve revenues simply because of the expanding market. Egypt is considered the largest in both Africa and the Middle East in the fast-food service industry where it represents US $7 billion and is expected to reach US $10 billion over the next five years (Schaefer 2008: 1) and due to this the fast-food market in Egypt is very fast growing. Highly perishable products: Food products is considered highly perishable where it urges the seller to sometimes lower the prices and sell the product while it is still consumable, thus it intensifies the rivalry. Low switching costs: When a consumer can freely switch and choose from one product to another there is a greater struggle to capture consumers and since most of the fast-food chains meals prices are nearly similar the threat for competitors is high where consumers can switch to another competitor at any time and this creates a pressure on the fast-food chains to create a competitive edge. Low levels of product differentiation: The low levels of product differentiation tends to increase the levels of rivalry thats why fast-food chains tends to increase their brand identification to maintain their market share since they are all serving relatively the same target customers with relatively similar products. Industry shakeout: The growing market of the fast-food industry and the potential for high profits encourages new competitors to enter the market and the existing competitors to increase their size. A point is reached where the industry becomes crowded with competitors and demand cannot support the new entrants and the resulting increased supply creating a situation of excess capacity with too many goods chasing too few buyers. Exit barriers included the issue of asset specialization which can determine how easy a fast food chain can exit the market without having difficulties in liquidating its assets. Due to the fact that most of the fast food chains require some tailor-made equipments that serve their specific needs and helps in maintaining their brand image throughout their products, the degree of asset specialization is quite high in the fast food market which subsequently creates many exit barriers. (Edward 2010) (Yacoub 2010) (Hamza 2010) When a rival acts in a way that draws out a counter-response by other competitors, the rivalry intensifies. The intensity of rivalry is commonly based on the chains aggressiveness in attempting to gain an advantage. In pursuing an advantage over its rivals, a fast-food chain can choose from several competitive moves: Changing prices: Raising or lowering prices to gain a temporary advantage, and many chains try to offer money saving combo meals that sounds more economically to the consumer. Improving product differentiation: Providing innovative and new products and improving the production process itself. For example, Pizza Hut has recently introduced interesting new types of pizzas that helps them to build a strong product differentiation. Using new channels of distribution: McDonalds was the first fast-food chain to introduce the drive-thru chains that conveniently have suited many consumers helping them to co-op with the fast paced lifestyle. Threat of substitute products or services Porter describes substitute product as it is another product that can be chosen as a substitution of the required product. The elasticity of demand could be affected by more than one variable like the price, quality, availabilityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The consumer buying decision can be changed to substitute products according to the change of the price, this change increase the demand on the substitute products. Also the consumer behavior now increased to healthy food which will affect the fast food market negatively. The threat of substitutes is increased if: The substitute product offers more convenient price or performance rather than the fast-food industry because consumers always choose the alternative that offers him greater value. For example, many consumers could choose eat-in restaurants because it can provide them with more food quality rather than the fast-food chains but eating in a restaurant can be more expensive. The switching cost is low and minimal, the threat of substitution becomes higher and the consumer has the ability to switch between alternatives easily with no extra charge and this is the case in the fast-food market Bargaining power of buyers There are several types of buyer power. The first is related to the customers price sensitivity. If each brand of the fast-food chains is similar to all the others, then the consumer will base the purchase decision mainly on price which will increase the competitive rivalry, resulting in lower prices and lower profitability. For example, some consumers would choose McDonalds rather than Burger King for being cheaper. Also the more number of substitutes is available for the buyer, the more powerful he becomes. The other type of buyer power which is not strongly relevant to our market analysis is the negotiating power where larger buyers tend to have more leverage to negotiate prices. Bargaining power of suppliers The fourth part of the five forces analysis focuses on the power of the suppliers and how is it easy for them to drive up prices. This is driven by the number of suppliers available for each key input. The uniqueness of their product or service and the cost of switching from one to another determine how powerful they are. Powerful suppliers can squeeze profitability out of an industry that is unable to pass on cost increases in its own prices. The supply power in our case is represented through the people who provide materials used for the fast-food production such as bakery, poultry, vegetables and packaging. To determine how much the suppliers are powerful we have to asses several aspects; The supplier will become less powerful if he depends heavily on a certain buyer for revenues. For example, Farm Frites-Egypt supply McDonalds for their French Fries, and McDonalds represent a major revenue resource for them where they cannot afford to lose such a strong customer, and this is the case for most of the fast-food chains in Egypt where the suppliers for the materials depend heavily on fast-food chains willing to offer convenient prices for them to become his exclusive supplier for a certain material. (Aly 2010) (Eslam 2010) Changing suppliers for fast-food chains have relatively high switching costs because choosing a supplier comes after several quality tests and approvals by the fast-food chain. Also most of the fast-food chains require exclusive materials and products to be made especially for them like for instance the packaging. (Edward 2010) The supplier will become more powerful if there are no substitutes for him, but in the fast food market in Egypt each key entry has several substitutes that a fast-food chain can choose from. As mentioned before, McDonalds depends on Farm Frites-Egypt to supply them with French Fries, but at the same time McDonalds has the option to choose another supplier with the same standards of Farm Frites such as UniFood. (Aly 2010) Barriers to entry/ Threat of entry It is not only the existing rivals that represent a threat for competitors in the fast-food industry; the possibility that new firms may enter the industry also affects competition. In theory, any competitor should be able to enter and exit a market. In reality, however, there are several aspects that can represent an obstacle for entry and these are called entry barriers. Entry barriers are unique industry characteristics that define the industry; it can reduce the rate of entry new rivals, thus maintaining a level of profits for those already in the industry. These barriers arise from several sources: Government creates barriers Present days, the procedures a fast food chain under-go to open a new outlet is very excruciating, time wasting and requires lots of paper work. This includes; safety regulations, health inspections and taxation procedures. And due to the high levels of bureaucracy in Egypt, the task is never easy. (Aly 2010) (Edward 2010) (Eslam 2010) In the past, the regulatory authority of the government in restricting competition is evident in Egypt during the era of Gamal Abdel Nasser in the sixties, most of the consumer products where locally produced by governmental companies. For example, consumer durables where locally produced by the Ideal national company. Anwar El-Sadats shift of alliance from the Soviet Union to the western world in the early seventies was followed by the Open door policy, or privatization at the expense of the public sector state monopolized large scale industries. The shift from Nassers State capitalist era to full integration into the world capitalist system went hand in hand with encouraging consumerism and franchising activities in Egypt.(Oweiss1988:73-76) b. Patent rights Ideas and knowledge that provide competitive advantages are treated as private property when patented, preventing others from using the knowledge and thus creating a barrier to entry. KFC has their own patent rights for the chicken recipe which positions them aside from other competitors as the leading fast-food chain serving chicken making it hard for competitors to compete in the same market. (Hamza 2010) c. Customer switching costs It becomes harder for new entrants to enter the market if the switching costs are high because it makes it harder for the consumer to switch their decision, and since switching costs between different brands of fast-food chains is low, then it is easy for consumers to switch their decision, thus, making it easy for new entrants to enter the market and gain market share. d. Capital requirement. Since entering the market requires huge financial capital requirement therefore the new entrants will decrease. Capital may be necessary not only for fixed facilities but also to extend customer credit, build inventories and fund start-up losses. There can be two types of start-up costs in our case; the first one is the cost of starting a locally branded fast-food chain, the other one is the cost of franchising an existing internationally branded fast-food chain which sounds easier than starting a locally branded one but can be more costly. Further details will be discussed when comparing between the two market entries alternatives. PEST Analysis. While starting the franchising or broadly speaking starting an international business the new market that the company wants to start business in should be analyzed to make sure that the company operations would work effectively in this market. One of the important tools that companies uses in the analysis process is the PEST analysis which analyze the market considering four factors Political, Economical, Social and Technological factors. In the coming words the four factors will be discussed. Office of government commerce, (2006) (Figure 2: PEST Analysis Model) The Times100 (2008) PEST Analysis of Egypt. 3.1. Political factors Examining the political factors is a very important task any company should do before entering a new market while focusing on the Egyptian case we can find that Egypt is politically stable compared to many countries, however sometimes companies faces some political issues there are many incidents that we can find people trying boycotting specific company because of the home country of the brand as for example USA, In many times there are people boycotting American restaurants therefore we can find many companies as for example McDonalds building on the local identity of the brand by producing a product locally as for example McArabia, McFalafel, etc and that helps in building the feeling that it is a local brand. Waguih (2002) 3.2. Economical factors As mentioned previously the change in the economy in the period of Sadat to his open door policy and globalization helps franchisors to work in Egypt because it is a healthy economy. While starting the business franchisors were used to import every ingredient, but after several years of success, they began in building food factories licensed by the international brands. Consequently, factories became so efficient in the production of quality goods that after fulfilling the local demand, they began exporting their products to countries throughout the Middle East and Europe. Aboul Fath, (2008) In the past few years there were a growth in the Egyptian economy the figure 3 below shows the increase in the GDP per capita which shows that economically the market is attractive for investments. Ministry of Finance Macro Fiscal Policy Unit (2008) (Figure 3: Annual Percent Change %) Ministry of Finance Macro Fiscal Policy Unit (2008) The Egyptian government has identified foreign investments as a critical component to sustained economic growth. As a result, investors are given special exemptions and incentives. However, several barriers to investment remain including a high level of bureaucracy, complex tax systems and customs procedures. To overcome these obstacles, the Egyptian government is currently directing its effort to increase privatization and fiscal transparency, and to improve tax regulations thus encouraging foreign investments and easing the path for franchising. Aboul Fath, (2008) 3.3. Social factors Demographics The group of consumers in Egypt consist of low income families, middle and high income this may secure the success in Egyptian fast food market. In addition to that there is about 50% of Egyptian population young consumer which presented in figure 4. That may make an opportunity for the fast food chains as their young group becomes more targets to the American and European chains. There is also the percentage of the working age where they representing the purchasing power are nearly 62% showed in figure 4 below. The middle aged is seeking fast food as a solution for a ready meal. Awad, Zohry (2005) Shaefer(2008) (figure.4: Egyptian Population by Broad Age groups 1950-2010) Awad and Zohry (2005) Fast food expenditure and consumption patterns: In a study conducted by Fabiosa and Soliman (2008) they focused on explaining the impact of income changes on the expenditure behavior for the households, . Another study by Fabiosa (2008) shows the household food-away-from-home (FAFH) expenditure pattern in Egypt. When reviewing the life style of Egyptians, we can find that Egyptians eats three main meals, traditional Egyptians meals is made of rice or pasta and vegetables. Meat is also included depending on whether they can afford its cost or not. However in the past decade there were rapid increases in the interest of the Egyptians in the fast food especially in the American and European food. However, high class families usually are aware about healthy food and may choose products with lower fat and cholesterol. Fabiosa and Soliman, (2008), Fabiosa (2008) Average income families usually can afford to eat once a month outside, although dining outside of home is increasing in popularity among many consumers. More well-off households and single people may eat out more than once a week. The young consumer segment, especially wealthier segment, typically eats out more than it cooks at home and the consumption can reach as much as four or five times a week. Fabiosa, (2008) 3.4. Technological factors The several advancements in technology have allowed the food production to grow massively and at much lower costs than it used to be. Now, there are several ways a person can order his food; through telephone, internet, and drive-through fast-food chains. All of these ways are of course available beside the traditional way of ordering fast-food which is take-away. Due to technological advancements, buying fast-food is one of the easiest tasks a person can do nowadays. Technological advancement also reached the food itself, now with the increased health awareness, fast-food chains try to focus on producing healthy food and reducing all the harmful ingredients. For instance, KFC announces that they are using Trans-Fat free ingredients which raised many health concerns among consumers. Also technology offers wide array of flavors that can be added to make food more appealing to consumers. A.Hamza, (Branch Manager Hardees Restaurants. Personal Interview. 1st of Feb, 2010). 4. The Egyptian fast food sector Entering the fast food market in Egypt can be successfully done in two main ways according to the successful stories in Egypt which will be explain later; first is acquiring a franchise license from an international-branded fast food chain, The second is to create a new brand that is developed locally and independently. Opening an independent (locally branded) fast food chain is the total opposite of franchising. Instead of buying a franchise license from a well known established brand, the founder decides to create a new brand enduring all of the associated costs and taking the risk of creating a new brand image that requires time to gain the desired reputation. Aboul Fath ,(2008) 5. Franchising as an international business tool Internationalization became one important way of doing business allover the world.1980s shows the increasing in distribution number of international retailers. The retailers were acquired and forced to move and enter international markets as the domestic market gave them a limited option to distribute their products or services. By this increasing numbers of distributing in international markets which continued in 1990s the retailers considered developing themselves to enter new markets outside, Quinn Alexander, (2002). To enter a new market there are three main ways which are first is independent as to invest in the new market and work directly from there. On the other hand there is two ways which are distributorship and formal relationship and these two ways are to work throw another party which could be in many ways, figure 1 briefly explain this ways. Entry modes Independent Distributorship Formal relationship Joint venture Acquisition Franchising Licensing (Figure 5: Modes of entry) Distributorship theory which is having a relation with the supplier, the distributor buys in bulk quantities and sell in smaller quantities, this independent distributor can work with many suppliers and he may not receive training or support from the supplier and the relation simply is to buy the product from the supplier no more. Formal relationship: Elaborating more on the facts showed in the chart, there are other options in this case is to join another party as acquisitions, joint venture, licensing and franchising. 5.1. Franchising Concept Many people think that fast food restaurants like KFC, Pizza Hut, MacDonalds or Burger King are the only examples of franchising but already there are many types of franchising and as Mr. Sidney J. Feltenstein the chairman of international franchising association says one out of every three dollars spent by Americans for goods and services is spent in a franchised business. Homes we buy can be throw franchised business, cars we buy clean or cared also can be through franchised business. We can travel from country to another through franchised business transportation firms so there are many types of franchising. (Beshel, 2000). Beshel, (2000) defined franchising as an agreement between two parties or two independent persons which give that: one from this two parties (franchisee) get the right to trade or to work by the trade mark of the second party (franchisor) Franchisee gets the right to use the operating system of franchisor and his obligation to pay fees to the franchisor. Franchisors obligation to provide rights to support franchisee. So franchise is a continuing relation between the franchisor and the franchisee. This relation depends on the franchisors experience, history, image and success. Also franchisor technique in doing business is important point to be consider when use franchising. The agreement of franchise can be made using several arrangements. It can be by fixed fees, percentage of sum of sales or the franchisee purchasing the product from the franchisor. Rothenberg, (1976). Independent vs. Franchised Comparing between the two routes for analyzing the effectiveness of franchising on food market in Egypt, some points considered to show that. To gather such in-depth information, interviews were conducted with several fast food chains managers and supervisors (franchised and local) to help us compare and choose the most appealing strategy for market entry. 6.1. Start-up Capital To acquire a franchise license is a very difficult task, the reason is that the franchisor expects from his franchisee to be withholding a respectable amount of monetary resources that can enable the franchisee to be up to the franchisors expectations and standards. For instance, the franchisee can be subject to some strict conditions set by the franchisor asking him to open a minimum number of chains with certain quality standards or else the franchise contract will be voided. Kaufmann Dant, (2001) (Calhoun 1975) A.Aly. (CEO of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb, 2010) On the other hand, starting up an independent local fast food chain can be much easier and much less in terms of cash resources required. You can start small and then expand and grow gradually without having the limitations and strict conditions of a franchise contract that can be in terms of: Huge initial franchise fees Previous experience Quality standards Size vs. time frame available for growth Thus, keeping up with the franchisors conditions and standards require huge capital investments at the beginning which can be a drawback for choosing the franchise route as an entry strategy for the fast food market. But in some cases, financing a franchise can be easier because are sometimes more likely to offer loans to buy a franchise with a good reputation. O.Eslam, (General Manager of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb, 2010).H.Anis( Founder of Harris Cafà ©. Personal Interview. 28th of Feb,2010). 6.2. Established Name A franchise opportunity provides its franchisee a well established and internationally recognized brand name and image that can acquire customers. In other words, buying a franchise can be like buying a business with built-in customers. Franchising a brand also doesnt carry the same risk as building a new one because when considering the option of entering the fast food market with an independent brand chains, founder will be struggling at first to achieve a good reputation and strong brand image that can earn the trust of consumers without having any doubts related to health or quality issues because one of the most difficult things to do when starting a business is to develop a recognizable presence with customers. This usually only happens over time and franchises eliminate this obstacle which saves both money and time. Also the franchisees will capture the benefits of the parent companys national marketing campaigns and advertising. A.Aly. (CEO of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb, 2010) S.Edward, (CEO of Future Franchises. Personal Interview. 13th of Feb., 2010). O.Eslam, (General Manager of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb., 2010). M.Yacoub,.( Branch Manager of Cook Door. Personal Interview. 25th of Feb., 2010). (Peterson Dant, 1990) 6.3 Access to Technology and Training When buying a franchise, the franchisor gives you support usually including training and orientation to help setting up the business and they provide you with manuals telling you how to run the business and ongoing advice. Also, most of the times the franchisor provide you with all the equipment, supplies and materials needed to conduct the business so you dont have to worry about acquiring assets that include state of the art machines and equipments like you do when opening an independent new chain. (Peterson Dant, 1990) M.Telleb,. (Branch Manager Starbucks Cafe. Personal Interview. 28th of feb, 2010). 6.4 Operating cost The franchisee will be able to acquire all necessary supplies at much lower costs because the prices are negotiated by the company with the suppliers in behalf of all the franchise units. Because of the size and regular occurrence of orders, the franchisor is able to get huge discounts on supplies. This gives an advantage compared to the route of entering the market with a new local independent brand. M.Yacoub,.( Branch Manager of Coo

China As Most Favored Nation Essay example -- essays research papers

What is the debate on weather or not China should retain favored-nation trading status all about? Is it really a decision on what is best economically for the United States, and China. Or is it: the issue of Chinese human rights violations and the fact that if the United States where to revoke the favored nation status of China it would have a profound negative impact on the U.S. economy alone. (+)Most-favored-nation trade status started in the United States as a version of the European preferential trade system. The Carter Administration first granted most-favored-nation trading status to China in 1980, following the historic efforts of President Nixon during the 1970’s to restore diplomatic ties. Historically, a significant difference existed between the unconditional most-favored-nation clause in European trade law and the American version of conditional most-favored-nation. Under unconditional most-favored-nation status, one country's extension of tariff concessions guarantees the same concessions to all nations associated with it through commercial treaties. American conditional most-favored-nation status provided treaty signatories only the opportunity to negotiate most-favored-nation status when most-favored-nation status was extended to another trading partner. Thus meaning that the United States gives significant economic advantages to one nation in the form of most-favored-nation trading status. Under the Trade Act of 1974, most-favored-nation status could only be granted to China through a Sino-American bilateral commercial agreement and satisfaction of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment requirements. The Jackson-Vanik amendment states that the President of the United States may grant a communist country such as China most-favored-nation trade status if it was in conjunction with a trade agreement and upon proper improvement that China would permit emigration. Also China would have to satisfy that they are moving toward improving current policies. The conclusion of the US-PRC commercial accord in July 1979, and the initial waiving of the Jackson-Vanik requirements, and with Congressional approval, most-favored-nation status was granted to China. This action sealed the successful efforts of the Carter Administration to create social and economic ties through Sino-American relations. The renewal of China’s most-favored-nation trade status has been s... ...t-favored-nation status. By giving stats and other figures that show just how this issue has the ability to effect the economies of both the United States and China. Works Cited: (-)Morrison, Wayne M. â€Å"91121: China-U.S. Trade Issues† Updated November 27, 1996 <a href="http://www.fas.org/man/crs/91-121.htm#summ">http://www.fas.org/man/crs/91-121.htm#summ (+)Robertson III , Grayson R â€Å"The China-MFN Controversy: The Case For Maintaining China's MFN Status Part 1† <a href="http://www.china-net.org/CCF94/ccf9409-3.html">http://www.china-net.org/CCF94/ccf9409-3.html (=)â€Å"MARKET ACCESS AND PROTOCOL COMMITMENTS† <a href="http://www.ustr.gov/releases/1999/04/ch-memo.html">http://www.ustr.gov/releases/1999/04/ch-memo.html Delay, Tom â€Å"China-U.S. Trade Issues† <a href="http://www.majoritywhip.house.gov/China/980717CRSTradeRelations.asp">http://www.majoritywhip.house.gov/China/980717CRSTradeRelations.asp Faison, Seth "U.S. And China Reach Late Agreement on Textiles," New York Times, February 3, 1997 <a href="http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/chintex.htm">http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/chintex.htm

Anti Discriminatory Practice: Gender and sexism

Anti discriminatory practice is about taking positive action to counter discrimination. It is about being pro active and presenting positive images of the diversity of people that make up our society and also challenging any discriminatory or oppressive language and behaviour. There are several kinds of discrimination, such as more commonly known, racism, disablism and ageism. One of the things we do when meeting people is to make assumptions about them. This is partly based on how we see ourselves as similar or different to other people. We may respond to these similarities and differences positively or negatively. This booklet will be looking at gender inequality and how we can perhaps overcome and diverse the discrimination in sexism. SEXISM. The Sex Discrimination Act (SDA) is written in terms of discrimination against women but it applies equally to discrimination against men. These guidelines are written as if the discrimination applies to a woman but they should be read as also applying to a man. There are three types of discrimination which can apply to services. (Source from www. equalopportunitiescommission. o. uk). Direct sex discrimination Where a woman is treated less favourably than a man in similar circumstances because of her sex (s. 1 (1) (a) SDA). It is direct sex discrimination if: * financial institutions insist that a married woman who wants a loan must apply jointly with her husband (unless all married applicants are always required to apply jointly with their partners) Indirect sex discrimination Where a condition or requirement is applied equally to both women and men but, in fact, it adversely affects more women than men and is not genuinely necessary (s. 1 (1)(b) SDA). For example, it may be indirect sex discrimination if: * A mortgage provider only gives mortgages to people who work full-time. Although this condition would apply to both sexes it is likely to adversely affect more women than men since more women work part-time. Many part-time workers are in permanent, secure, well-paid jobs and some can earn more than full-timers, so a refusal to give mortgages or loans solely because the applicant works part-time is unreasonable. Victimisation Where a person has been treated less favourably compared to others because he/she made a complaint of sex discrimination. It also applies to those who assist the person. For example: A woman who took a sex discrimination claim under the employment provisions of the SDA against an amusement arcade was banned from using the facilities of the arcade. Witnesses who appeared for her at the employment tribunal were also banned. The woman and the witnesses would have a claim of victimisation against the owners of the arcade. (www. equalopportunitiescommission. co. uk) GENDER INEQUALITY. Sexism is a set of beliefs, practices and institutional structures which reinforces and is reinforced by patriarchy. A longstanding definition of sexism is: a deep rooted, often unconscious system of beliefs, attitudes and institutions in which distinctions between peoples intrinsic worth are made on the grounds of their sex and sexual roles (in Bullock and Stallybrass, 1977, p. 571). *†The achievement of equality between men and women is a matter of human rights and a condition of social justice†. Fourth UN World Conference on Women, Beijing, September 1995 (Department of Education and Employment, 1995). Sexism operates within a system of patriarchy. Patriarchy is one of the structural dimensions of society which is strongly associated with the sexist culture. This demeans and disempowers women and sows the seeds for the prejudice of women in terms of both attitudes and behaviour. Weber (1947) had used this concept to describe sexism. He used the term â€Å"the law of the father† to refer to the dominance of men within the family. The use of this term however, has been extended to describe the dominance of the males within the employment area and its reflection in the distribution of power. For example in the military forces, technology, universities, science, political and even religious sectors. (Such as the pope is and has always been male). So therefore, this suggests male dominance in most areas. Richard Webb and David Tossell (1999) report the following statements; *Women are an oppressed majority. *They represent up to 51% of the UK population, yet they do not have the same rights as men nor do they have the same access to resources as men do. * Women are less likely to obtain the same sort of jobs as men or positions of power. They earn less then men and are a lot more vulnerable to employment. They tend to be in less prestigious jobs and less secure forms of employment. This is mainly due to the discrimination that women are seen as the main â€Å"carer† role of the genders, being seen as the mother and the role to be the homemaker rather than the breadwinner, which is stereotypically seen as the male role. However, the biological differences within the roles are as such, that men are not able to conceive or give birth to children. Women, however do have that capability in being able to give birth and breast feed children. Barrett and McIntosh have argued that the family is oppressive to women and that it is an anti social institution. (Barrett and McIntosh 1982). They argue that the nuclear family promotes individualistic rather than social or collective values, and its privatised nature excludes those outside of it. *Women do more housework than men. The discriminatory process is known as structural sexism. This begins at birth and is maintained through childhood. Stereotypical roles are played within the family. While society is constantly changing and the attitudes towards equality are constantly being changed the ground in attitudes and beliefs are so firmly rooted the change is only very gradual. The gender role stereotyping in families are still abundant. For example, the mother stays at home to nurture the children whilst the father is out at work providing for the family. The girls tend to follow the role of the mother helping in household chores, such as cleaning and cooking, whilst the boys tend to follow the fathers role in helping fix the car or watching football! These social roles are defined within society, but because of the nature/nurture debate, they do appear to be biological differences and are therefore accepted and appreciated more easily. It is not just a matter of differences within the sexes. Abercrombie et al. 2000) argues that issues of gender (and gender inequality) now occupy a central place in sociological discussion. He quotes: â€Å"Gender is the social aspect of the differentiation of the sexes. Sociological discussion in this area recognises that social rather than biological processes are the key to understanding the position of women (and men) in society. Notions that a woman's biology, such as her capacity to bear children, determined the shape of her life have been replaced by complex debates as to how different social processes interact to produce a great variety of patterns of gender relations. Emphasis shifted towards understanding the diversity of the social practices which constitute gender in different nations, classes and generations. (p. 193). This statement clarifies that there are inevitable differences between the sexes. The roles that societies define are not going to change dramatically because of this huge, yet inconceivably big difference of males and females. Although the roles of women in society are changing in the aspects of work and relationships, the biological aspects of women are always going to remain the same. GENDER STEREOTYPING IN YOUTH GROUPS. The Brownie and Girl Guide Movement was set up as a youth group for girls. Originally, they were named the Rosebuds. The idea behind it was that the girls were fed up that the boys were allowed to have their own group, (the Boy Scouts) and the girls were left out of all the fun. The Rosebuds originally had to do menial feminine tasks, such as cooking, cleaning and sewing for the Scouts. Eventually the girls were not happy with the name Rosebuds and had the name changed to the Girl Guide Movement. The name Rosebuds in itself suggests the sexist views of women and girls, as the name is very feminine. The original tasks the girls had to do were based around helping the Boy Scouts, which also suggests the sexist way in which society viewed girls and women. The ideas and values which were instilled into the girls was that they were the homemakers. The Girl Guides had to make sure they always had their uniform clean and always came â€Å"prepared†. This still is a big motto within the movement. Years ago â€Å"being prepared† meant having certain items in your purse which included a safety pin and small sewing kit. This was not something the Boy Scouts had to do. The earning of badges is encouraged in the Movement as a way of setting up your independence for the future. However, the contrast in the types of tasks involved in the badges between the males and females are still quite divided. There are more homemaking badges within the girl guides, such as textiles, homemaking, which is the cleaning and organising of your home/bedroom for some weeks, childcare badge, tea badge, which involves the preparing of cakes, biscuits and tea for a fundraising event. These are still the most popular badges which are given out to the girl Guides. This is because the values and ideas within the movement have still not changed a huge deal from being the homemaker as they are females. The Movement now as it stands has changed immensely. The Girl Guide movement now encourages independence and camping as the Boy Scouts have been doing for many years. As a voluntary Youth Group the Girl Guide Movement empowers the girls to lead independent lives, encourages social relationships with both sexes, shows positive regard for each young person and provides opportunity for personal growth. This is quite a contrast from the once quite feminine ideas, role forming and principles which were once held. ANTI DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE The way in which this is done is through a number of different policies that the youth leaders have all adhered to within the movement. The following are some suggested guidelines that could be given in order for the Youth group to be effectively run in a way that there may be less discrimination in the group. 1. Respecting individuality. 2. Trusting people 3. Encouraging good interpersonal and communication skills 4. Promoting positive social relationships 5. Young girls being involved in decision making 6. Providing a range of group work and social activities, including community involvement and more involvement within the Scouting activities. 7. The use of youth's meetings to enable people to have an opportunity to influence and assist with planning, especially the young females, who have been previously excluded from or uninvolved in other activities. 8. Principles of inclusion independence and enablement are key issues. Alongside these principles, a staff team that is working together, receiving supervision opportunities for learning and development, is required. Also to understand the need to work collaboratively by supporting multi professional and agency working. I feel that these policies are very important in all work. However with the involvement of young girls and women, it is important not to categorise their roles into somewhat of a homemaker role. To allow the girls to develop and flourish their own ideas and principles within the group they are involved and to develop these attitudes within their home environment is a positive way of diversing the discrimination females have within society.

Precambrian - The Timeline of Biological History

Precambrian - The Timeline of Biological History The Precambrian (4500 to 543 million years ago) is a vast period of time, nearly 4,000 million years long, that began with the formation of the Earth and culminated with the Cambrian Explosion. The Precambrian accounts for seven-eighths of our planets history. Numerous important milestones in the development of our planet and the evolution of life occurred during the Precambrian. The first life arose during the Precambrian. The tectonic plates formed and began shifting across the surface of the Earth. Eukaryotic cells evolved and the oxygen these eary organisms exhaled collected in the atmosphere. The Precambrian drew to a close just as the first multicellular organisms evolved. For the most part, considering the immense length of time encompassed by the Precambrian, the fossil record is sparse for that time period. The oldest evidence of life is encased in rocks from islands off of western Greenland. Theses fossils are 3.8 billion years old. Bacteria that is more than 3.46 billion years old was discovered in Western Australia. Stromatolite fossils have been discovered that date back 2,700 million years. The most detailed fossils from the Precambrian are known as the Ediacara biota, an assortment of tubular and frond-shaped creatures that lived between 635 and 543 million years ago. The Ediacara fossils represent the earliest known evidence of multicellular life and most of these ancient organisms appear to have vanished at the end of the Precambrian. Although the term Precambrian is somewhat outdated, it is still widely used. Modern terminology disposes of the term Precambrian and instead divides the time before the Cambrian Period into three units, the Hadean (4,500 - 3,800 million years ago), the Archean (3,800 - 2,500 million years ago), and the Proterozoic (2,500 - 543 million years ago).

King Ramkhamhaeng essays

King Ramkhamhaeng essays Throughout history, there have been many great rulers of many great ancient civilizations. Some of them might be Julius Caesar, Ramses II, Hammurabi, or Octavian Caesar. The list of them could go on forever. One of the most influential of his civilization, known for his wisdom, was King Ramkhamhaeng or Rama the Valiant, of the Thai people. He claimed to be the sovereign lord of all the Thai. Researchers guess that he lived from 1239 AD to after 1317 AD. During his lifetime, King Ramkhamhaeng invented the modern Thai script, expanded his kingdom far and wide, and made the Sukhothai Kingdom one of the greatest in Thai history. When the ancient Thai people moved into mainland Southeast Asia, they came across a people speaking the Mon-Khmer languages who had inhabited the region for a long period before then. During the first millennium, strong Indian and China influences brought Hindu and Buddhist beliefs to the area. Some of the groups that adopted these beliefs were the Mon of Myanmar who were the first people of Southeast Asia to adopt Buddhism. Between the sixth and ninth centuries, the Mon established several small Buddhist civilizations within modern-day Myanmar and Central Thailand. From their two capitals, Nakhon Pathom and Lop Buri, they extended their power east across the Khorat Plateau and north as fat as Chiang Mai. They extended their civilization northeast to present day Laos. This period was known as the Dvaravati period of Thailand. It was a period that was noted for its artwork; particularly its Buddhist sculptures made of terra cotta or stucco. When the Thai people moved south into the mainland of Southeast Asia, they also came across the Khmer from Cambodia. Between the 9th and 13th centuries, Khmer rulers expanded their civilizations from their capital of Angkor, establishing an empire that at its height, extended over approximately half of modern Thailand. This kingdom wa...

Knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Knowledge - Essay Example The question of the justification of beliefs also arises in the study of epistemology. The mainly applied theories that are trusted in epistemic justification include reliabilism, foundationalim and coherentism. Epistemology also looks at our perception to the world that we live in and the environment that surrounds us. Perception involves our senses and our attitudes towards what we see and interact with. The process of perception though complex helps us in understanding our environment and how we live in it better. Our interaction with the environment is so important as it determines how friendly we will be or how destructive we will be. This makes it an important field in the study of knowledge. Philosophical skepticism is the question that tries to answer the question whether we even know anything. This paper will address the questions that arise in epistemology and compare the description of the same from different philosophers. The paper is aimed at looking critically at the to pic and come up with the best explanation of the theory of knowledge as it pertains to epistemology. Plato projected the tripartite theory of knowledge which I support in what one should have in order to possess knowledge. In this theory knowledge is analysed and brought out as a justified true belief. The theory proposes that for a person to believe in a certain thing then you must have justified it\. In the justification you end up knowing it and hence the theory holds water. According to Plato, the first condition one should have to have knowledge is belief. Believing in a certain thing is a process that is cultured by excellent, emotional free reasoning and weighing of situations. When you believe in a thing then you know it due to the justification you did regarding the issue. Truth is the second condition to uphold knowledge. Even if a belief is sincere and well justified, if it is not true then it cannot be

Is it morally permissible for data companies to collect and sell Essay

Is it morally permissible for data companies to collect and sell information from peoples public social media profiles - Essay Example Is it morally permissible for data companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles? The roles, uses and other practices originating as the effects of social technology really determine the consequences of the system as far privacy of information is concerned. There is always significant importance placed upon the acquisition and utilization of the customer information. During the 1980’s customer revolution was the in thing in many organizations. The main aim for this was to capture and store the data of customers using an advanced system. Establishing an intimate relationship between the customer and the corporations was the main target of the entire system on capturing the customer information. From the utilitarianism philosophical point of view which states that one should act in a manner so as to maximize on the amount of happiness in the world. Since most of the people all over the world are not happy with the organizations divulging their information to the public, it is therefore wise for the company’s to respect the people’s wish. By doing this the greatest rule of greatest happiness for greatest number of people will be upheld. In as much as the selling of data information obtained from people’s social media could be profitable to the companies but at the expense of the people’s interest. This should instead be ridiculed and objected in the best way possible so as to ensure that both parties very happy without necessarily stepping on each other’s toes.