Things Fall Apart Essays (1849 words) - Postcolonial Literature

Things Fall Apart The Ibo society in Africa is very different from the American society that I am used to. One of the major differences is the way women are treated. On page 37 of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo conveys that ?no matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and children (and especially his women) he was not really a man.? On page 94 Okonkwo's uncle says ?we all know that a man is the head of the family and his wives do his bidding.? This shows us that women in the Ibo society are considered subservient to the men of the society and are sometimes mistreated, however they are still very important to society. This is evident in many other places throughout the book Things Fall Apart. The way women are referred to in the book tells about their social standing as well. Many times women are referred to by their relationship to a man. There are many references to ?Nyowe's mother? and? Okonkwo's first wife,? but Ekwefi is seldom called by her name. The same goes with ?the wife of Ogbuefi Udo? who was murdered by the members of another African village near Umofia. In the first chapter of the book we see how women are expected to do what their husbands say with no questions asked. When Ikemefuna comes to Umofia and is put under Okonkwo's care he (Okonkwo) immediately calls for his first wife and says ?look after him,? when she asks a question regarding the boy, Okonkwo says ?do what you are told woman? to which his first wife responds by taking Ikemefuna into her hut, asking no more questions. The only two women who are consistently referred to by their name throughout the book are Ezinma and Chielo. That is because Ezinma is very special to her father, Okonkwo, and Chielo is the priestess of the oracle. On pages 122 and 123, Okonkwo thinks to himself that Ezinma is special because ?of all his children she alone understood his every mood.? On many occasions throughout the book, Okonkwo says, ?I wish she were a boy.? Sons are more respected in the Ibo society than daughters. There is a special bond between Ezinma and Okonkwo because, according to him, she has the ?right spirit.? When Ekwefi wakes Okonkwo up in the middle of the night, he is upset because he doesn't want to be bothered, but when he finds out that it is because Ezinma is dying, he springs up from bed and rushes out to get her some medicine. This shows that daughters are not without value in the Ibo society. Ezinma is special not only to her father, but to her mother as well. I think it is because Ekwefi had nine miscarriages before she had Ezinma and since the girl was considered an obanje, Ekwefi was extremely happy when her iyi-uwa was found so she would no longer die and be reborn in a horrible cycle. Although Okonkwo looks down on showing emotions (or weakness as he considers it) he is quick to follow his wife when she follows Chielo and Ezinma to the shrine of the oracle, and he tells her to go home and rest and he will wait for them to come out of the cave. The next morning he makes four trips to and from that same spot worried about Ezinma (although he is too proud to admit it). Chielo is well respected and feared throughout the village of Umofia because she holds a religious position that is very important to all members of the Ibo society. As the priestess of the oracle, the entire village depends upon her to relay messages of the gods and to do their (the gods) bidding. An example of this is when she takes Ezinma in the middle of the night out to the cave where the oracle lives, despite Ezinma's parents protest. Although women are somewhat looked down upon they are also portrayed as brave and important to their society, they are trusted with responsibilities, such as gathering firewood, cooking, cleaning, and child rearing. Women weed the farms three times during the growing season of the yams. They also

Principle of Equality before the Law in Nigerian Government and Politics

Principle of Equality before the Law in Nigerian Government and Politics Free Online Research Papers The application of the rule of law is the principle that governmental authority is legitimately exercised only in accordance with written, publicly disclosed laws adopted and enforced in accordance with established procedural steps that are referred to as due process. The principle of the rule of law is intended to be a safeguard against arbitrary governance, whether by a totalitarian leader or democratic leader. Samuel Rutherford was one of the first modern authors to give the principle theoretical foundations, in Lex, Rex (1644), and later Montesquieu in The Spirit of the Laws (1748). In his Law of the Constitution, Dicey identified three principles which together establish the rule of law: (1) the absolute supremacy or predominance of regular law as opposed to the influence of arbitrary power; (2) equality before the law or the equal subjection of all classes to the ordinary law of the land administered by the ordinary courts; and (3) the law of the constitution is a consequence of the rights of individuals as defined and enforced by the courts. This is the fundamental rules governing the conduct of government business. The emphasis here is on the principle of equality before the law. Every citizen – irrespective of educational qualification, social status, position, gender, religion, and age is expected to be treated equally in the event of breach of the law of the land. For example, if the president c of Nigeria stole a Goat, and an ordinary man on the street stole a Goat, the duo should receive similar punishment for the offence. In fact, the president should receive a more severe punishment their economic status and social placement. Many Americans might have been involved in raping unnoticed. But when the former American president, Bill Clinton was alleged of sexual harassment in the famous Monica Lewinsky saga, he was called for open interrogation and defense. This scenario is literally impossible in Nigeria. Here, contracts are awarded after close door ‘meetings’ in Sheraton Hotel, Bolingo Hotel, Hotel Presidential, or any other popular hotel in town. The same mess takes place in our institutions of higher learning where passing an examination is a function of meeting-up with the sexual and/or financial desire of lectures both male and female alike. In Nigeria, the atrocities of the leaders are covered by presidential and parliamentary immunities while the common man on the street is exposed to untold harassment in the name of law enforcement. Equality before the law has been and will remain illusory in Nigeria. It is in Nigeria that governance is to the interest of few individuals and to the detriment of the ever-increasing mass of greatly impoverished, oppressed and depressed people. It is a point that has caused and will continue to cause mass exodus of people in search of greener aperture hence aggravating brain drain in the country. Some people are living as second class citizen in there country. Recently, I was traveling from Abuja to Lokoja and a man frankly told me that he prefers being a slave in somebody’s country that being a slave in his own country. That is the thinking of many Nigerians because of the ever-increasing misery and deprivation. When some people are sacred cows and others suffer for their mischief, the inevitable consequence may be the accelerating spate of armed rubbery and organized crime. For instance, an administration that introduced the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) shouldn’t have been enmeshed in a deep rooted crisis of $16 billion power sector scandal. But my worry with Nigeria and Nigerians is that such fellow will still escape the eagle eye of both the legislators, executives and even those ‘crime fighting institutions’. Somebody may ask why? Well you can answer the question yourself. What has happened to the likes of General Ibrahim Babangida, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and a whole lot of others that looted our treasury and send Nigeria to the comity of Highly Indebted Poor Countries of the World (HIPC). The truth is that Nigeria is not poor but has been impoverished by it l eaders. That reminds me of the comment made by Professor C. Achebe as far back as the 80s that the problem of Nigeria is the â€Å"problem of leadership.† The trial of Ministers involved in the sharing of N300 million is another trying period for Nigeria the Lawmakers and other stakeholders who partook in this unholy act should be brought to book as well. This is an onerous task of the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. I do hope that fairness, due process, accountability, respect for the rule of law will be vigorously pursued. The enforcement of the principle of equality before the law through an expression of dogged political will is expedient of a stable political system. We believed that as the present administration musters the desire political will and commitment, the whole notion of sacred cow which has hitherto privilege some few individuals above the avalanche greatly impoverished people will be drastically reduced. The declarations of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and his action hitherto have clearly proved that there is hope for Nigeria and Nigerians. PETER, Abraham, Ojoarome2003@yahoo.com, Nsukka, Nigeria. Research Papers on Principle of Equality before the Law in Nigerian Government and PoliticsUnreasonable Searches and Seizures19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraBringing Democracy to AfricaNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesPETSTEL analysis of IndiaCapital PunishmentThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Capital structure Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Capital structure - Research Paper Example ure of an organization; however, the uptake of debt has several implications to a business, first, debt leads to an organization having to increase the business risk. The enterprise’s business risk goes up due to its high contribution to the enterprise, in this case, the high contribution of debt such as in option one leads to the debt holders having a high control of the enterprise. As a result, the organization or investment becomes vulnerable for takeover, if the business does not meet the interest payments, as goes into bankruptcy. Secondly, reduces the stake of the enterprise shareholders in that they have to work on servicing the debt at the expense of making profits, which a business’s prime objective(Martin & Baker, 2013). In the consideration of debt options, it is important to consider the debt period, in most cases, long-range debts are highly favorable since the organization utilizes the funds for a long period before repaying the sum value of the bond. Hence, the organization is able to enjoy a return on the investment and even re-invest the excess funds or paid dividends to equity and other shareholders in the business. Short time range bonds such as option three, four and five negatively affects business shareholders, this is because, the business is forced to source for funds and pay the creditors irrespective of whether it has generated profits or not, the bottom line is that the business has a responsibility to repay the funds within the agreed period. Given the long-term nature of projects, the funding requirement leads to complications, as the return may not be realized in good time to pay the sum value as per that date. When this situation arises, the business becomes ripe for takeover according to the provisions of business law. In the light of these, careful considerations have to be made before the business can settle on certain kinds of financing and the activities upon which funding is needed. Careful evaluation can give the

Motivation In The Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Motivation In The Workplace - Essay Example For managers to set effective motivation strategies, they need to understand that they cannot make the employees do anything. What they can do is to create the right settings that will motivate the workers. Motivated workforces are more productive since motivation infuses positive energy into the organizational tasks. Motivation is applicable to the open-system perspectives, the organizational learning perspectives; the high-performance work practices perspectives, and the stakeholder perspectives. The high-performance work practices perspective Workplace motivation is a very complex issue to many managers since the system of motivation is not constant, but it alters. The workforces’ motivation can be looked in two perspectives, which includes the internal and external motivators (Stein 2007). All the motivators are the practices, which can lead to high performances in a corporate. Some of the motivators entail the positive reinforcement, right ways to discipline the workers, fair treatment, workers’ needs satisfaction, setting of goals, restructuring jobs, and setting the best reward systems (Stein 2007). Fair treatment The leaders of organizations should ensure that all individuals are treated fairly and equally. Fair treatment will motivate employees to partake actively in the work place tasks, and this augments their performance (Podmoroff 2005). Fair treatment augments cooperation, which increases the outputs too. If the managers treat the workers fairly, it will increase their loyalty to the organization. Workers loyalty is very vital in any firm since it makes the workers committed to their tasks. For example, an organization is fair when an employer asks for a special consideration and he, or she is denied because another employee was denied some times back. In addition, fairness in a firm can be shown when an employee who always comes to work on time daily, is not treated the same as the one who comes to work when late every day (Podmoroff 2005). Setting organizational goals In all companies, the leaders should sett goal so that the performance of the workforce is escalated. The goals are v ital since the workers will know what they need to produce and this can make them to devise new ways of production. Goals are effective in raising performance especially if they are difficult but easy to attain. Too difficult goals can demoralize the employees and this can make the performances suffer. In order to ensure that the workers are motivated by the goals and to increase their commitment, the managers should ensure that the workforces accept the goals. Goal setting is a useful way of motivating employees because the workers will work towards the set goals in a motivated way. For goal setting to be effective in motivating the workforce, the leaders should ensure that they regularly give feedbacks regarding the achievements. This is vital since the workers will be convinced that the goals they set are practicable. Additionally, the goals should be very specific and not vague or too general. For those workers who have realized their set goals, they should be recognized by rewa rding them to further motivate them. The realization of goals implies that the workers’ performances have increased (Salvendy 2012, p.413). Positive reinforcement Positive reinforcement is the way a firm strengthens the desirable behaviours by rewarding them. If the corporate leaders praise the workforce for behaving in certain ways, there are high chances the workers will continue behaving in the same ways so that they can get more praises. Positive reinforcement is vital in increasing the firm’s performance. If behaving in certain ways can make the organization realize its goals faster, the leaders of

Consumers decisions: Product attributes and branding

Consumers decisions: Product attributes and branding In this research, instant coffee purchasing is selected to study the buying decision of consumers. Three blind taste tests are experimented and proofing that participant tended to choose the popular brand of coffee. Surprisingly, people made different choices in each of the test. The result tells us that without knowing the brand name, their buying decisions are different when comparing with knowing the brand name. In conclusion, brand has a strong influence in consumers decisions. To better understand the blind taste tests, we executed a questionnaire survey immediately. As a result, the survey tells us taste is the most important factor in affecting their buying decisions whereas their second consideration would be price, brand, and influenced by advertisement. This giving an idea that except for the brand and taste, there are many factors should affecting the consumers buying decision. Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Literature Review 2 2.1. Brand name 2 2.2. Brand Image 4 2.3. Linking brands to consumer perceptions of product 5 2.4. Consumer buying behavior and decision making 6 2.5. Customer satisfaction and loyalty 9 2.6. Product attributes 10 3. Research Methodology 12 3.1. Pilot study 15 4. Findings and discussions 16 4.1. Participants 16 4.2. Relationship of brand, taste and decision 17 4.3. Post-tests evaluation 20 4.4. Buying behavior 23 4.5. Discussions 26 5. Conclusion 28 5.1. Recommendations 28 5.2. Conclusion 29 6. References 30 7. Appendix 33 7.1. Annex: The Blind Test and Questionnaire 33 Lists of Tables and Diagrams Table 4.1 Years of being Nescafe supporters 16 Table 4.2 The participants preference of instant coffee in Test A 17 Table 4.3 The participants preference of instant coffee in Test B 18 Table 4.4 The participants preference of instant coffee in Test C 19 Table 4.5 The No. of people continuing to purchase Nescafe coffee after trying the blind taste tests 20 Table 4.6 The recommendation of coffee to friends after trying the blind taste tests 21 Table 4.7 Satisfaction of Nescafe before the blind taste tests 22 Table 4.8 Satisfaction of Nescafe after the blind taste tests 23 Table 4.9 The factors affecting consumers buying decision of instant coffee 24 Keywords Branding, Brand image, Brand equity, Consumer buying behavior, Consumer buying decision, Customer satisfaction and loyalty, Product attributes Introduction Over the past few decades, a considerable number of studies have been made on the relationship of branding and consumer buying behavior (Fournier, 1994; Keon, 1983), i.e. how the consumer buying behavior affected by branding. Many companies devote lots of money and manpower to build up images for their brands. That is the reason why many studies have focused on this field. In this research will be figured out which factor, brand name or product attributes, plays a critical role in affecting consumer buying decision. In the economists normal approach, price is used as the main tool to explain the consumer buying behavior (Becker, 1996). We carry out blind taste tests and also conduct a questionnaire to find out the impact of branding on consumers preferences. . Literature Review This literature review is going to analysis what has been done in investigating the relationship among brand, consumer buying decision and product attributes. Such information will be digested and modified to be applied to instant coffee purchasing in the Hong Kong market. Brand name In recognition of the growing coffee culture that is sweeping Hong Kong, different tastes of coffee have been rolled out on the market. For example, Nescafe has newly released a new series of coffee Latte in which the image is totally different from the original Nescafe coffee. Old Town coffee has introduced a new series called white coffee. Why do they give new brand names for the new products? Why do they have different images? Is there any advantage for them to do so? According to Armstrong and Kotler (1999), brands can be described as a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of these, which identifies the maker or seller of a product or service. Later, Olins (2000) gives a supplement to the definition of brand. He suggests that brand is a device that helps differentiating products from different sellers, without clear branding, in some fields, we literally could not tell one product or service from another. By using brand names, consumers can easily distinguish products from different sellers. Brand Image In the words of Keller (1998), marketers can build up an image for the product to draw customers attention so as to induce more sales (Keller, 1998). Randall (1997) says Brand image is the whole image of the brand existing in the minds of consumers. It is the total information that the consumers have received about the brand. Some scholars think that the brand image can influence consumers buying decisions. Furthermore, Ogilvy (1983) suggests that consumers do not buy products; rather they buy products with a personality. Ogilvy (1983) also suggests the fact that a brand can have a personality or image reflecting that people not only want the basic function offered by the product, but also psychological benefits. If a brand image matches with an individuals image, he/she will purchase that product and may stick to that brand in future (brand loyalty) (Levine, 2003). From the above statements, it seems that consumers are concerned more about the brand image rather than product attribu tes. In the research, we will use the product of instant coffee to test the validity of the above statements. After reviewing the sections of 2.1 and 2.2, we can say that there is an intimate relationship among brand name, brand image and the consumers. Linking brands to consumer perceptions of product In the research, we will investigate how consumers make buying decisions. Perception of a product is crucial in making the buying decision; therefore, it is necessary to find the linkage between brand and consumer perceptions. Olins (2000) suggests that people can have a relationship with a brand: they have an immense emotional content and inspire loyalty beyond reason. Besides, Keller (1998) suggests that what distinguishes a brand from its unbranded commodity is the sum of consumers perceptions and feelings about the products attributes and performance, brand name and what it stands for and the company associated with the brand. In the past, there were only a few instant coffee brands available in the market. In recent yeas, a lot of new instant coffee brands appear in the market, such as Indocafe and Old Town coffee. The traditional branding strategy which has emphasized on product offerings and associated functional and utilitarian benefits is no longer workable in the market. People are now paying more attention to the brand (Levine, 2003). Therefore, it is no wonder many companies create a strong and distinctive brand image for their products so as to differentiate himself from other competitors (Keller, 1998). Advertising is widely used by the companies to build up a brand image. In Hong Kong, many coffee brands have been advertised on TV and in magazine, such as Maxwell house, Nescafe and Mr. Brown. Most studies have found that there are inter-relationships among brand, advertisement and consumers buying decisions (MacKenzie et al., 1986). Besides, that the affective and cognitive-based attitudes towar ds the brand can affect the consumers buying decisions (Homer et al., 1992). Advertising is the primary device used to build the image of a brand and most of the customers usually rely on advertising messages when they make an infrequent purchase for an unfamiliar product (Dowling, 2001).Well-established brands attract increased preference and usage (East, 1997), produce greater emotional ties (Biel, 1993), and boost trust and loyalty (Fournier, 1994). If the statement is true, it indicates that customers perception of products derive from marketing effort such as brand images and brand differentiation in addition to the physical characteristics of the product. What about the product quality? Can product quality influence the perception of product? Consumer buying behavior and decision making In our study, consumer buying decision is our key focus. We will focus on how the consumers make their buying decisions in purchasing instant coffee. We want to know which factors, brand or product attributes, influences most in the process of buying decision making of consumers. Therefore, we must understand the consumer buying behavior and how they make the buying decisions. In the past, consumers were more concerned with a products function- efficiency, reliability, value-for-money, durability and convenience todays customers are prepared to pay more for a stylish product as they become more affluent and visually sophisticated (Henley Centre, 1989). It is no wonder companies put much effort on packaging, product design and advertising. In the words of Bayley (1989), the ambience, the layers of imagery, the texture, the decoding- all of these are vested interests leading to the only rationale: a purchase. Consumer buying behavior refers to the buying behavior of final consumers, individuals and households who buy goods and services for personal consumption (Armstrong et al., 1999). Consumers have to make decisions when there is more than one choice. However, how do the consumers make their buying decisions? Foxall (1980) suggests that consumers will make the buying decisions according to perception, personality, motivation and attitudes. He says that consumer behavior is a process of learning and it depends on how you perceive the product. The process is modified according to the customers past experience and the objectives he or she has set (Foxall, 1980). Besides, Foxall (1980) also suggests that consumers personality and self-image is important in studying consumer buying decision as he believes that consumers only choose products that are consistent with their perceptions of themselves. By using Foxalls (1980) idea, it is not difficult to understand the relationship between brand and consumer buying decision. Once the brand image and consumers image is matched, consumer will purchase that product. Besides, Foxall (1980) also claimed that consumer buying decision is motivated by something more than awareness. It depends on the consumers needs and drives, his tastes and aspirations, plus his attitudes, personality and social environment (Foxall, 1980). Furthermore, Foxall (1980) says that attitudes and buying decision are related and each may influence the other, however, they are not always entirely consistent. Customer satisfaction and loyalty Although our key focus of the research is how the consumers make buying decisions in purchasing coffee, customer satisfaction will also be investigated. In our study, satisfaction refers to the situation when consumers expectations are matched by perceived performance (Blackwell et al., 2001). After purchasing a product, consumers will have a post-purchase evaluation (Foxall, 1980). Consumers will continue to purchase the product if they are satisfied with it. It is called loyalty. Sometimes, they may recommend it to their relatives and friends. In the research, the blind tests will be used to find out how the consumers perceive the product, that is, to see if consumers can recognize the taste of the brand that they have chosen. Previous study has found that customer satisfaction has a positive effect on loyalty and they will repurchase the product again (Oliver, 1997; Mittal et al., 2001). If the consumers are satisfied with the taste of coffee in the blind tests but it is not the brand the consumers used to buy, we can say that brand influences consumers much and the consumers only loyal to the brand but not the product itself. Product attributes According to Armstrong and Kotler (1999), product attributes can be defined as something that can deliver the benefits offered by the product and can add value to the customers. In the words of Keller (1998), product attributes are the ingredients necessary for performing the product or service function sought by consumers. They refer to a products physical composition and are what determine the nature and level of product performance (Keller, 1998). It can be further characterized according to important and optional features, either necessary for a product to work or for allowing customization and more versatile personalized usage (Keller, 1998). In the research, we will focus on the study of instant coffee and we will regard taste as the most important attributes of coffee. Some studies have carried out in which consumers perceive the products they buy and the brands they regularly choose. Taste is used to determine the effect of brand identification on consumers reactions to and evaluations of products (Allison Uhl, 1964; Makens, 1961). The studies conclude that Participants in general did not appear to be able to discern the taste differences among the various brands, but apparently labels and their associations did influence their evaluations. To sum up the literature review, many studies (Allison Uhl, 1964; Keon, 1983; Makens, 1961) have shown that consumers are influenced by branding. However, to what extent will the consumers make their buying decisions according to product attributes? The research will find out the answer. Research Methodology I used the technique of triangulation (White, 2000) in my research in which two techniques, blind taste test and questionnaire, were used. Before conducting the actual survey, I randomly selected 82 people outside a supermarket in Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong and asked them if they had the habit of buying instant coffee. 39 of them stated that they buy instant coffee regularly but 18 of them said that they do not drink instant coffee. In the 39 people, 33 (84.6%) of them said that they usually buy Nestlà ©s instant coffee, Nescafe. 4 (10.3%) of them buy Maxwell House instant coffee and 2 (5.1%) of them buy Old Town instant coffee. I invited the 33 Nescafe instant coffee buyers to do the blind taste test and questionnaire as they were the majority (84.6%) of the respondents. I believed choosing Nescafe instant coffee buyers to be the sample was more representative as they represent the majority of the coffee drinkers that I have asked. However, only 30 of them agreed to participate in the test. The 30 Nescafe instant coffee buyers were my sample population. The sample consisted of 8 males and 22 females who have the habit of buying instant coffee on their own. The blind taste test was carried out in order to find out how the consumers choose coffee. The test was divided into three parts and each part would have 10 participants. In the three blind taste tests, Tsit Wing instant coffee (TW), Maxwell House instant coffee (MH) and Nescafe instant coffee (NC) were used. I chose the three coffees as their price is more or less the same. Every participant had tried the Tsit Wing instant coffee (TW), Maxwell House instant coffee (MH) and Nescafe instant coffee (NC) before. In Test A, three cups of different coffee were given without brand labels. NC was the brand that the sample population used to buy. The participants were asked to taste the coffee and choose one that they would purchase. The data collected in the Test A would serve as a base reference. If the participants like the taste of NC, they will also choose the NC in the test. In Test B, three different cups of coffee were given. Each cup of coffee had a label showing the brand of coffee. The aim of the Test B was to see if there was any difference between Test A and Test B. If they really like the taste of NC, the results in the Test A and B would be consistent. If the results in the two tests are not consistent, it shows that brand influence consumers decision. Test C was carried out to determine if the consumer buying decision was independent of the brand name. The Test C was the same as Test B, except the name of the coffee brand were labeled wrongly. I labeled the cup of MH as TW, the cup of TW as NC and the cup of NC as MH. By comparing with the result obtained in the three tests, we hoped to find out which factors, brand or taste, has a greater influence on the consumers. If the data obtained in the Test A does not match with the data obtained in the Test B, it tells that brand has an influence on consumers decisions. The reason is in Test A, the participants only know the taste of the coffee and they can only choose the coffee according to the taste of coffee. In Test B, however, the participants know both the taste and brand. If their decisions are different, that means the brand affects their buying behavior. For the Test C, the three different coffees were used again. However, their brand names were labeled wrongly this time. Comparing the result obtained in this test to that of in the Test B, if the result has a big difference, that means the brand has a greater influence than the taste on the decision of participants. Besides, questionnaire (Annex 7.1) was also used to obtain data. The questionnaire, used immediately after the blind taste tests, consisted of five questions with choices given. Pilot study The pilot study made me realize that what I need is to observe their buying behavior which cannot be asked but observed. Therefore, I decided to do the blind taste tests and questionnaire instead of doing an interview which allowed me to focus on measuring the influence of brand and taste on the consumers decisions. Afterwards, I decided to carry a three blind taste tests with three groups of people. I enjoy to take this chance tend to do all blind taste test is they will remember the taste of the coffee in the test, and finally affect their choice in the next following tests. Findings and discussions Participants Of the total number of 30 respondents, 8 (26.7%) were males and 22 (73.3%) were females. All of them were NC consumers. More than a half people had 1 to 3 years NC purchasing experience and 70% of them had at least 1 year purchasing experience. From the data, we can assume that some participants are experienced in purchasing instant coffee and the results obtained from them are valuable to discuss and analyze. Relationship of brand, taste and decision In the research, blind taste tests were used to find out how the consumer made decisions regarding brand and taste in purchasing instant coffee. Three tests were carried out. In each test, participants were given three cups of different coffee. In Test A, three cups of coffee without brand name were given. In Test B, brand name was given to each cup of coffee. In Test C, brand names were given but placed wrongly on each coffee. In Test A, three cups of coffee without label were given to participants to taste. Surprisingly, the result was not consistent with our expectation. In other words, taste was the only reason for their choices in the Test A. The result told us that without knowing the brand name, their preferences were different when comparing with knowing the brand name. In this test, the result was changed because the participants knew the brand name when comparing with the result of the Test A. There was a 30% increase in the NC and a 30% decrease in the MH. The data showed that the brand really influenced participants when deciding the coffee. In Test C, the participants had to taste three cups of different coffee in which the brand labels were placed wrongly. The result was very close to that of Test A. That means they chose as if just chose by the taste only. It gave us a hint that with a different label on the cups, their choices were different. What we can conclude is that the brand plays an important role in affecting buying decision of participants. Post-tests evaluation After the three blind taste tests, the participants in Test A and C were told about the correct branding of the coffee they had tried. All the participants were asked if they would continue to purchase the NC after trying the tests. As shown in the Table 4 .5, only 30% of the participants would firmly say yes. Half of them had a second thought of their decisions. It told us that they started to think about their perceptions of NC coffee. It implies that the participants will also consider the taste when purchasing instant coffee. Participants were asked to choose one coffee to recommend to their friends after trying the blind taste tests. The result was shown in Table 4 .6. The result was very interesting that about half of them recommend NC to their friends while another half suggested MH, was most people voted due to the taste in the Test A. It implies that branding and taste also have a strong influence in consumers buying behavior. Participants were asked if they were satisfied with the NC. Before the blind taste test, over 40% of the participants were satisfied with the NC. However, after the blind taste tests, only 17% were satisfied with it and there was 13% of participants were dissatisfied. From the result in Fig. 4 .7 and Fig. 4 .8, we can see that the participants were influenced by the blind test. We can say that beside the factors related to the products, there are some other factors may affect our buying decision. Buying behavior In the research, participants were asked immediately after the blind taste tests about how they made the buying decision when purchasing instant coffee. Factors affecting buying decision In the research, the participants were asked to give factors they thought were influential in making the buying decision in the questionnaire. The answers were shown in the Table 4 .9. In Fig. 4 .9, it shows the most influential factor affecting buying decision. 63% of the participants regard Taste was the most influential (Table 8.1), 13% voted for Influenced by advertisement, 10% for Brand image, 7% for Price and 7% for Word-of-mouth. Nobody voted for brand in the questionnaire. Comparing to the results obtained in the blind tests, the results were inconsistent. In the blind tests, it was found that the influence of the brand was greater than the influence of the taste. In Fig. 4 .10, it shows the top three influential factors affecting buying decision regarding to instant coffee purchasing. Nearly one-third of the whole population voted for the Taste, the second one was Price (20%) and the third were Brand (13.3%) and Influenced by advertisement (13.3%). The Fig. 4 .10 shows that Price is also an important factor in making the buying decision. The data gives us an idea that beside brand and taste, there are many factors should be considered in making the buying decision. Discussions According to the three blind taste tests and the questionnaires done by the participants, we can see that the brand influence was strong to the participants. In the Test A, participants did not know the brand but the taste. They chose the coffee according to the taste. More than 50% of the NC buyers chose MH. However, when the brands were labeled on each cup of coffee in Test B, 50% of the NC buyers choose NC. In Test C, three cups of coffee were given with the wrong brand labels, the result showed that participants tend to choose coffee according to the brand name as 60% of the NC buyers chose MH which was labeled with a NC label. The three test results indicate that brand affects consumers decisions and which is supported by Olins (2000) and Keller (1998). Olins (2000) suggests that brand helps people to differentiate products from different sellers. Besides, Keller (1998) suggests that brand is an external aspect of product and it can affect the purchase or consumption procedure. Besides, the participants were asked if they were satisfied with the NC before and after the blind taste tests, Over 40% of the participants were satisfied with NC. However, after the blind taste tests, the number of satisfied people decreased and there was 13% of participants dissatisfied with the NC. From the results, we can see that the participants were influenced by the blind test and there are some other factors may affect our preferences. As we mentioned in the literature review, consumers will buy the product again if they are satisfied with the product (Foxall, 1980). From the results, we can see that the brand influences consumer buying decisions a lot. From the data in Table 4 .9, there were 63% of participants chose Taste as the most influential. However, nobody voted brand as the most important factor. Compared that to the results obtained in the blind taste tests, in which brand had a strong influence in consumers decisions, there is a contradiction. The inconsistency shows that people do not understand what influences their behavior very well. Conclusion Recommendations The result obtained from the tests and the questionnaire is not consistent in some way. If the answers from participants are truly reflecting their preferences, the obtained result should be consistent. So we should not trust the result given from the research and we should be critical in reading other research data in the future. Furthermore, if it is feasible, we may observe their actual buying behavior after trying the blind taste tests over a period of time in order to get an accurate result. Conclusion In this research, we carry out three blind taste tests and find out that participants tended to choose coffee according to the brand name. 60% of one of the instant coffee brand supporters chose another brand of coffee which is wrongly labeled as their favorite coffee brand by me. Surprisingly, 80% of them do not choose their favorite coffee brand in another test when the labels are gone. The only factor which affects their decisions if the labels are gone is the taste of the coffee. In other words, taste is the only reason for their choices if no labels are provided. The result tells us that without knowing the brand name, their buying decisions are different when comparing with knowing the brand name. The result shows us that brand had a strong influence in consumers decisions. I conduct a questionnaire immediately after the blind taste tests. The statistical result shows that taste is the most important factor affecting their buying decision while price, brand, and influenced by advertisement come second, third and fourth respectively. The data gives us an idea that beside brand and taste, there are many factors should be considered in making the buying decision. References Allison, R. I., Uhl, K. P. (1964). Influence of beer brand identification on taste perception. Journal of Marketing Research, 1, pp. 36-9. Armstrong, G.., Kotler, P. (1999). Marketing: an introduction (5nd ed.). Upper Saddle River. NJ: Prentice Hall. Bayley, R. (1989). Commerce and culture. London: Design Museum. Blackwell, R. D., Miniard, P. W., Engel, J. F. (2001). Consumer behavior (9th Ed.). Ohio: Thomson Learning. Biel, A. L. (1993). Converting image into equity in brand equity. In D. A. Aaker A. L. Biel (Eds.), Brand equity advertising: Advertisings role in building strong brands (pp. 67-82). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Dowling, G. (2001). Creating corporate reputations. Oxford: University Press. East, R. (1997). Consumer behavior: Advances and applications in marketing. New York : Prentice Hall. Fournier, S. (1994). A consum er-brand relationship framework for strategic brand management. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Florida. Foxall, G. R. (1980). Consumer behavior: a practical guide. New York: Wiley. Henley centre (1989, March 5). Planning for social change. Design Week ,31. Homer, P. M., Yoon, S. (1992). Message framing and the interrelationship among ad-based feelings, affect, and cognition. Journal of Advertising, 211, 19-33. Keller, K. L. (1998). Strategic brand management: Building, measuring, and managing brand equity. NJ: Prentice Hall Keon, J. W. (1983). Product positioning: TRINODAL mapping of brand images, ad images and consumer preference. Journal of Marketing Research, 20, 380-392. Levine, M. (2003). A branded world. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, Inc. MacKenzie, S. B., Lutz, R. J., Belch, G. E. (1986). The role of attitude toward the ad as a mediator of advertising effectiveness: a test of competing explanations. Journal of Marketing Research, 23, pp.130-143. Makens, J. C. (1961). Effect of brand preference on consumers perceived taste of turkey meat. Journal of Applied Psychology, August 1961. Mittal, V., Kamakura, W. A. (2001). Satisfaction, repurchase intent, and repurchase behavior: Investigating the moderating effect of customer characteristics. Journal of Marketing Research, 38, pp. 131-42. Ogilvy, D. (1983). Ogilvy on advertising. London: Pan Books. Olins, W. (2000). How brands are taking over the corporation. In M. Schultz, M. J. Hatch, M. H. Larsen (Eds.). The expressive organization: Liking identity, reputation, and the corporate brand. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Oliver, R. L. (1997). Satisfaction: A behavioral perspective on the consumer. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Randall, G. (1997). Branding. London: Kogan Page White, B. (2000). Dissertation skills for business and management students. London : Cassell, 2000.

Accounting Laws Memo Essay

Re: Process and Laws that apply in Puerto Rico to establish a business corporation. It is a pleasure to help and guide you through the process of regulations and steps in establishing a community pharmacy in Puerto Rico. This type of business is very regulated and includes both state and federal laws. -The first thing that must be done is to get incorporated in the Department of State in accordance with the corporations law 164 of 2009 with a company name that is not registered yet and offering a physical address into which municipality will be the headquarters. Then a business social security issued by the Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Services must be obtained. This number will identify the corporation when doing business among other business and when paying taxes to the state and municipality. See more: My Writing Process Essay -A merchant registry number (Registro de comerciante) must be obtained also by the department of treasury, here you will specify the exact mailing and physical address and what type of business will be conducted under that corporation. Additional documents are needed: Lease Contract Use Permit (Obtained in the municipality if it is autonomous, if not in OGP offices) and is granted by ARPE Fire Department endorsement (Extinguishers and emergency exits) Health department endorsement. (Requires a minimum of two bathrooms and at least one with the dimensions for handicapped persons.) Structure blueprints Explicative letter CRIM certification (Centro de Recaudaciones de Ingresos Municipales) -With a provisional patent issued when completed the above steps, then you will need to get the permits for the pharmacy licenses at the Health Department of Puerto Rico and AMSCA (Administracion de Servicios de Salud y Contra la Adiccion) and DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) Requirements for Pharmacy permits: Regent or Ruling certified Pharmacist endorsed by the College of Pharmacist $75 biological License fee $100 Pharmacy License fee Requirements for AMSCA: Health and Pharmacy permit Lease Contract Medicine cabinet for controlled drugs Security Cameras Pharmacist Permit $200 fee Requirements for DEA permit: Fill all documents at the DEA website $500 fee – Once completed you must go to the municipality where the business is going  to be and request the final patent to operate. Under the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, accounting principles are established by FASB (Financial Accounting Standards board). It is very important to follow these standards and laws established by the government to avoid any penalties and fines. Accounts and deposits must be made under the same name of the corporation. (Act 981m) Funds, Accounting, and tests accounts must be specified and communicate how the funds should be managed. This is verified by the Controller of Puerto Rico (Act 671i) With the Commercial Registry (Registro de comerciante) a sales tax must be paid by the 10th of every month. Income tax and employee social security must be informed every three months and the contribution retained of the employees is paid every month to the department of treasury. Employee social security contribution is paid monthly to the IRS. Every three months unemployment insurance fee and incapacity is paid to the Department of Labor. Every six months insurance to the State Insurance Fund (Fondo del Seguro del Estado) must be paid. This is in accordance with Act 45, approved on April 18, 1935, known as the Compensation System for Occupational Accidents. This protects employees and covers the monthly payment to them in case of an accident in the workplace. Public responsibility insurance to protect the corporation against third party accidents is highly recommended. If you follow these steps and suggestions, I can assure you that you can get your business running and be assured that the laws are being followed. The process may take some time, but it is worth the time and money in the future. PYMES are needed in the country for the local economy to progress, and I am more than welcome to help you in the process. My ultimate advice is to get a certified CPA to work with you in the accounting functions of the business to help minimize errors and fines when is time to pay.

Miss Evers’ Boys portrays the emotional effects Essay

Miss Evers’ Boys portrays the emotional effects of one of the most amoral instances of governmental experimentation on humans ever perpetrated. It depicts the government’s involvement in research targeting a group of African American males (â€Å"The Tuskegee Experiment†), while simultaneously exploring the depths of human tragedy and suffering that result, as seen through the eyes of Eunice Evers. The viewer watches as a seemingly innocuous program progresses into a full-blown ethical catastrophe—all the while taking Miss Evers through a moral journey, with her decisions having ramifications on the life and well-being of her best friends—her â€Å"boys. † I. Structure This movie deals with the ethical considerations present in human experimentation. The government, wanting to mimic the Oslo Experiments, intends to study a population of AfricanAmericans inflicted with syphilis. The movie takes place in alternate settings, transitioning between a 1973 Senatorial hearing and the site of the actual study in Alabama, beginning in 1932 and moving forward. Miss Eunice Evers, a nurse at a local Tuskegee hospital, is the centerpiece of the movie. II. Setting & Plot Summary With an ominous lead-in quote, Miss Evers’ Boys begins to tell the tale of an emotionally courageous young woman and her struggle to protect her â€Å"children. † Within the first few frames  of the movie, the viewer is automatically entrenched into the already tenuous history of racial tension in America—except, this time, under the auspices of segregation founded upon disease. The movie begins, placing the viewer as an observer of a 1973 U. S. Senate Hearing, where we are first introduced to Miss Eunice Evers. Miss Evers is testifying as a nurse, one who took the nurse’s oath to protect the health of those in her care. The claimed Senatorial goal is to discover the truth underlying the â€Å"Tuskegee Study. † Miss Evers worked in the study from 19321972. The movie progresses throughout the course of the hearing, with testimony by Miss Evers and reminiscent scenes telling the tale of the study. In the beginning, Miss Evers firmly supports the goal of the initial plan—to provide care and treatment to those suffering from syphilis. â€Å"It was the dawn of a new day,† explains Miss Evers. At this point (pre-study), she believes that the government is sending her patients, and her city, the best funding and medical support available. The viewer is then introduced to Miss Evers’ Boys—a folk music group. 1 The musicians (four of them) are the first patients to provide blood samples, one of them being Caleb, an eventual love-interest of Miss Evers. Each of the men test positive for syphilis. At this point in the movie, everyone (including Miss Evers) is still under that assumption that â€Å"bad blood† is the culprit for the disease. Ultimately, the funding for the initial study disintegrates. After a visit to Washington, various gentlemen confront Dr. Brodus, the head doctor in Tuskegee, with an offer for a new rationale for funding. The gentlemen explain their intentions of studying the African-American population, much like the Caucasian population in the Oslo Experiments (1891-1910). The government then reveals the true nature of the experiment—the proposed study of untreated African-Americans dealing with syphilis. 1 The government promises future treatment and The group names their band after Miss Evers when she drives them to their first musical show. 2 proclaims the future potential of the Tuskegee Experiment, appealing to Dr. Brodus’ pride. Dr. Brodus agrees, naming the study, The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in The Negro Male. 412 men, afflicted with syphilis, participate in the study. In a telling interaction involving one of the first patients, Miss Evers suggests that the doctors explain to the study group that they are providing â€Å"back shots. † Through her deceit, Miss Evers thus begins to involve herself in the â€Å"treatment. † The tension she feels manifests itself in her facial features; the viewer can see her apprehension in this instance and throughout the movie. She is torn, but yet continues to help Dr. Brodus conduct the study. As 6-months turns into years, Miss Evers continues to hide the secret behind the study. She urges the men to continue the study, in hope of future treatment—treatment that never comes, even through the eventual availability of penicillin. Miss Evers’ ultimate decision as to how she deals with the care and treatment of her â€Å"boys† will be left to the viewer. With the journey, however, comes a tumultuous story, exposing the hypocrisy of the United States Government through the eyes of Eunice Evers. Throughout the movie, as an audience, we want Miss Evers to defy all conventions and simply provide the necessary medicine to the patients. Yet, she struggles throughout with the pros and cons of such a decision. On one hand, she wants to support the experiment; yet, on the other, she wants to protect and comfort her friends. As we finally see in the end, as seen through Miss Evers’ unique perspective, while one may question Miss Evers, it is the Senators themselves, and the government agents before them, who prove to be more worthy of moral appraisal. III.