Fashion Flow Theories: Misconceptions

Written Exam Fashion Flow Theories The Instrument of Meaning Exemplified as an instrument of meaning, the fashion system is a menagerie that takes meaning on an arduous cycle. One that sheds light on how its products are idealized, produced, adopted, and then finally discarded after serving its utilitarian or ideological purpose. Mass communication and other conduits of information dissemination play a role in channeling meaning from its origins to the consumer (McCracken 1986). The fashion system flows from one end to the other.At its starting, is the creation or invention of meaning, undertaken by influential individuals or groups that capitalize on their stature or celebrity status. Their influence help reshape ideologies of cultural categories and principles. Fueled by imitative appropriation by those of lower standing, this innovation of meaning is prompted and stimulated (Simmer 1904). American-born singer Lady Gaga is one good example. By using fashion as an outlet of self-exp ression, her avian-garden style of dressing caught attention and liking.Taking full advantage of her celebrity stature, she has brought about societal form in her support for the LEGIT community. Her constant feature and highlight of gays in her music videos and advocacy of marriage equality have inevitably given society new meaning. Her influence has trickled across to other influential individuals who then pass it on further, resulting in what we see today as homosexual taboos being slowly abolished (with countries lawfully engaging in marriage equality, etc. ). Meaning in this sense, has changed from vociferous aesthetics to a political statement.Aside from the designers of the goods itself, meaning transfer is accomplished by another group of people – the fashion Journalists. They act as conduits of meaning transfer through their work with print or firm media. They act as social observers of social development and reform, reviewing, inquiring and questioning it. They have to possess a clairvoyant quality as to pick out specific fashions they approve of then disseminating their choices onto their assigned publications. This in turn also affects the designers having their influence felt even before the early adopters of society or opinion leaders.Suez Menses is a British fashion Journalist currently serving as the dead fashion reporter and editor for the International Herald Tribune. Her work there involves reviewing fashion runways and giving her opinions on it, all of which is widely read by the public. Early February this year, Menses published an article for the New York Times titled â€Å"The Circus of Fashion†. In that article she gave her views on the changing dynamics of the biannual fashion shows; how the focus seems to be changing towards the people who â€Å"peacock† outside them (Menses 2013).This shift in paradigm stimulated others to rethink, with others giving their own views e. G. Garage Magazine (Take My Picture, 2013). It is such reviews that contribute to the shaping and reshaping of publics ideals of fashion. In the case study of the â€Å"preppie look† we see how the fashion system comes into play in this transfer of meaning. Originating from high society, people of upper- upper and upper-lower classes, the preppie look was a signifier of that particular social stratum.The term preppy derives from the expensive pre-college preparatory or prep schools that upper-middle-class White Anglo-Saxon Protestant children on the United States' East Coast (Fashion Encyclopedia 2013). Introduced in the sass, the preppy look has continually gone in and out of style. During the sass soap operas like Dynasty and Dallas brought about this social acceptance for the style. The North Americans who frequently watched these evening soaps generally began to accept and adopt the style of the preppy look due to its association with the show and its characters.This radical change of meaning transcends from what o riginally was being associated with upper-middle class stringent pre-college prep-school dress code, to the incorporation of lifestyle habits by lower standing individuals of North American society. This also clearly models the downward flow theory of adoption of fashion; a style first adopted by people at the top of the social pyramid then gradually winning acceptance at progressively lower social levels (Stone 2008). An innovation of fashion similar to that of â€Å"The Preppy Look† is Christian Door's 1947 â€Å"New Look†.The Haute Couture house introduced it right after the World War II. Contrast to the conservative wartime dressing, this profligate use of materials was well accepted amongst the social elite. Only a tiny minority of women was in a session to purchase the New Look. Because of its singularity and the fact that no other alternatives were available, the years following 1947 saw the trickling down of the it to department stores and then to patterns that could be easily used at home. The fashion system is an instrument of meaning.Consisting of a vast array of methodically linked elements that take the meaning of something from one end to another, changing and reinterpreting it to suit society. With examples of the preppie look and Door's New Look, the diffusion from high society to mass-market clearly wows the way by which meaning quickly changes and adapts around cultural principles and its repercussion reformation. 3 Misconceptions About Fashion Fashion has grown and transcended from bare necessity to a form of non-verbal communication, almost like an extension of the body.With it, there are common misconceptions that are still vastly kept. One of them is that fashion designers and retailers govern what fashion is or will be, forcefully imposing it onto helpless consumers. Although, to a certain extent, designers and retailers play a vital role in the fashion system as gatherers of meaning and injecting them into consumer goods ( McCracken 1986). However, in actual fact, consumers are the ones who decide the contents of fashion, what it will be. By their acceptance or rejection of an offered aesthetic, the design direction is then focused onto accommodating the consumer.In the example of the upward flow theory of adoption, fashion styles can be seen coming from mass-market, low standing society. With the evolution of fashion dissemination throughout the decades, the way fashion moves has progressively opposed what it used to be 50 ears ago. Beginning in low-income social groups, fashion trends from there move upward into the higher-income groups (Elaine Stone 2008). An example covered by Elaine Stone's article is the T-shirt. Generally associated with blue-collared workers and commonplace sportswear, it took a turn during the sass, igniting a brand new fashion cottage industry.The Channel No. 5 T-shirt was the epitome of what was in-vogue then. As a result, retailers and producers look towards this new direc tion of fashion flow, radically revising their methods of fashion forecasting. Today, more effort is focused on pr ©t- ¤-porter runways, aiming at the youths. Fashion is not governed by anyone nor is it a helpless process of induction to its consumers. The consumer plays a vital role in influencing and being influence by designers and retailers alike. The second misconception about fashion is that it acts as an influence solely on women.Men and children are as equally responsive and influenced as women towards fashion. A demand for styles and specific products in menswear and childlessness be it in suits, hairstyles or shoes, Justifies the fact that there is an end hat reciprocates and influences. In the case study of â€Å"The Perfecto Jacket†, we see again the upward flow theory of adoption, in light of menswear. The â€Å"Perfecto† motorcycle Jacket, by Shoot Brothers Company of New York, became a social signifier of rebellious youth culture.This was because of Maroon Brandon, when he wore one in the widely popular movie The Wild One in 1953. The sinister black sheen and knife-slash like zips personified an attitude of rebellion. It was an indicator of the way street style progressively became accepted as part of social culture (Polishes 1994). This clearly illustrated the fact that men from different social stratum had an influence and were influenced by fashion. There was a process of idealization and adoption, much like how women respond to fashion.The last misconception is that fashion an enigmatic and unpredictable force. Contrary to that belief, design direction and the way it changes can be quite accurately predicted by people known as fashion forecasters. These people study the basis of the fashion system to understand it and to utilize this knowledge into the business aspects of fashion. One major trend forecasting website is WOWS. Their method of research goes as follows – input, analysis and output. They offer a smà ¶rgà ƒ ¥sbord of analytical perspectives, from in-depth material predictions to aesthetic forecasts.In the article, Elaine Stone mentions that every action has a repercussion effect and questions its link towards fashion. With the Pearl Harbor bombings by the Japanese in 1941 and the terrorist attacks of the World Trade Center on September 1 1, 2001, it is evident how events that spark social change have an effect on fashion (Stone 2008). Those attacks inevitably led to a sense of nationalism and patriotism amongst the American people – aptly resulting in a trend for clothing and accessories of the colors white, blue and red.Fashion is not a complex force that requires an extreme level of clairvoyance, but is in fact a logical process that can be anticipated by ways of analysis of past, present and future. With its quick evolution and reinvention, fashion is a complex system that ideas seem to have been wrongly interpreted or conveyed. Some of which involve the misunderstanding of consumer roles to the fact that fashion is too complicated to anticipate. However fashion does in fact engage in a healthy designer/retailer-to- nonuser relationship and through immense study of it, can be accurately predicted.Fashion has grown to be something more tangible and cognitively assimilative. Fast Fashion Consumerism is something we witness on a daily basis. We are incessantly bombarded with imagery that encourages the extensive purchase of products. It is everywhere. In this media saturated world, there is no escape. Fashion in this sense, is exploited. People of the fashion world have become so hungry (Polishes 1994). The fashion cycle gives us a clear idea of how this vicious recess works – ideas are generalized, produced, adopted then dropped (McCracken 1986).This all happens at an alarming rate that coincides with the biannual fashion calendar. In a year, there are two conspicuous seasonal showcases – Spring/Summer and Audiometer; each happening almost a full season ahead of the actual (for business practicalities). In between that we have Haute Couture, Menswear, Cruise and Resort collection showcases (Mode  ¤ Paris 2013). That totals about 8 shows in a year for the average homogeneous fashion house, a frenetic pace of activity. With its products there, the question then begets – What is the driving force of the fashion system?The consumers. Fashion acts as a social determinant. People are greatly concerned about the way they look, it affects they way one is perceived and how one feels about oneself (Gains 1999). The desire to imitate celebrities and the influential people of society is factor that is continually growing on consumers of all ages and the buying power throughout Europe (Simmer 1904 & Reenact 2005). The followers of fashion are the bulk of what the fashion industry is, owes it to its lowers (Stone 2008).Fashion ideas are deemed fashionable when a sufficient amount of people accepts it, and these ideas late r go out of style when people no longer associate with them (Gains 1999). Conversely, fashion acts as an outlet of self- expression, a promotion of individualism. Present-day youths tend to combine various styles to in turn create a look of their own. Noticing this, designers of clairvoyant nature have capitalized on it, encouraging this mixing-and-matching approach of fashion. Aside from the patronage of fashion, technology plays a huge part in the stimulation f fashion.The media acts as a convoy to the fashion system, disseminating information; being responsible for the image saturation in society. The fashion press stimulates and coaxes in consumers, famously inducing tastiness like â€Å"Shop till you drop† that psyched the American public into mass consumption (Gains 1999). In the example of fashion House Louis Button, their advertisements can be seen plastered on billboards and across the facades of their duplex stores. Their image distribution has also reached platform s like social media whereby they give the consumer a more p-to-date, interactive experience to the brand.It is this way that Louis Button garners patriotism and markets itself and it is this advocacy of consumerism by meaner of media that helps transfer meaning of products towards the consumer. Technological advancements and changing business dynamics are also factors that act as catalysts towards fast fashion. In delineative case study of China and Italy by Simons Serge Reenact, a shift of dominance in production in the amalgamated silk industry of both countries could be observed with the improvement of technology.The efficiency of production and new distribution channels that inversely reflect societal reforms have inevitably contributed to the pace at which fast fashion has increased further (Reenact 2005). The fashion world is one that comprises of its innovators, hungry-for-more consumers and the people who exploit it. Fashion can be said as a salient notion of planned obsoles ce (Gains 1999). Fashion is presented ahead of its intended period of usage, adopted and deemed fashionable, then obsolete when the same people quit it. It is a cycle that repeats itself on a seasonal basis, with its people almost nonchalantly and blindly embracing it.

English Assessment Essay

? Controlled Assessment is a new form of internal assessment. Following a coursework review by QCA, Controlled Assessment has been introduced as part of nearly all new GCSEs, to replace coursework. High, medium or limited control levels are set for each of the Controlled Assessment processes: task setting, task taking and task marking. For each stage, the level of control will ensure reliability and authenticity, and make assessments more manageable for teachers and candidates. Weighting of Controlled Assessments is defined by QCA subject criteria and, depending on the subject, will be  25% or 60% of the total assessment. 1. 2 What does ‘control’ actually mean? QCA has produced a Glossary of terms for Controlled Assessment regulations. The levels of controls are defined as follows: ? Formal supervision (High level of control) – the candidate must be in direct sight of the supervisor at all times. Use of resources and interaction with other candidates is tightly prescribed. Informal supervision (Medium level of control) – questions/tasks are outlined, the use of resources is not tightly prescribed and assessable outcomes may be informed by group work. Supervision is confined to (i) ensuring that the contributions of individual candidates are recorded accurately, and (ii) ensuring that plagiarism does not take place. The supervisor may provide limited guidance to candidates. Limited supervision (Limited level of control) – requirements are clearly specified, but some work may be completed without direct supervision and will not contribute directly to assessable outcomes. ? ? 1. 3 What is the purpose of this Guide? This Guide provides detailed information for teachers about how to manage Controlled Assessment: some of the information applies to all GCSE subjects and some information provides subject specific guidance. It is important to make the point that this Guide plays a secondary role to the Specification itself. The Specification is the document on which assessment is based and specifies what content and skills need to be covered in delivering the course. At all times,  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business 3. therefore, this teacher support should be read in conjunction with the Specification. If clarification on a particular point is sought then that clarification should be found in the Specification itself. Teaching of this qualification will vary greatly from school to school and from teacher to teacher. With that in mind, this Guide is offered as guidance but may be subject to modifications by the individual teacher. 4  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business 2 Summary of the Controlled Assessment units Unit A242: Making your mark in business. This unit represents 60% of the total GCSE (Single Award) marks and 30% of the total GCSE (Double Award) marks. It has a maximum of 60 marks. Candidates will choose one business scenario from a selection of five. They then choose a local business on which to base their subsequent research and complete all the tasks. This unit is internally assessed, applying the principles of Controlled Assessment. Controls are set within the assessment in each of the stages of the assessment process: Task setting: high level of control in relation to the setting of tasks. Task taking: this stage is divided into 2 different stages, each with a different level of control: – Research/data collection: limited level of control – Analysis and evaluation: high level of control Task marking: medium level of control. More information about each stage of the process is provided in the following sections of this Guide. Unit A244: Business and you This unit represents 60% of the total GCSE (Single Award) marks and 30% of the total GCSE (Double Award) marks. It has a maximum of 60 marks. Candidates will choose one job role from a selection of five and investigate a range of human resource activities in relation to this role. This unit is internally assessed, applying the principles of Controlled Assessment. Controls are set within the assessment in each of the stages of the assessment process: Task setting: high level of control in relation to the setting of tasks. Task taking: this stage is divided into 2 different stages, each with a different level of control: – Research/data collection: limited level of control – Analysis and evaluation: high level of control Task marking: medium level of control. More information about each stage of the process is provided in the following sections of this Guide.  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business 5 3 Teacher guidance on how to plan Controlled Assessment 3. 1 Controlled Assessment delivery flow chart Timetabled Lessons OCR set tasks for centres Unit A242 Making your mark in business Task 1: Get prepared 2 hours Teacher Guidance/ Feedback Candidates Work in Progress Task induction Task research Task 2: Research Up to 30 hours Task 3: Consider your results 5 hours Task 4: Attract customers 6 hours Candidates Work in Progress Review outcomes of research. Task 5: Reflect on outcome 2 hours Unit A244 Business and you Task 1: Research Up to 30 hours Candidates Produce Outcome for Assessment Task completion Task authentication Task 2: Apply for the post 5 hours Task 3: Getting selected 5 hours Task 4: Best practice – induction 2 hours Evaluation/ Review Task 5: A promotional opportunity 3 hours Teacher Assessment and Submission to OCR for Moderation by specified deadlines Submission of marks: January series: 10 January June series: 15 May 6  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business 3. 2 Guidance on the release of Controlled Assessment tasks to candidates 3. 2. 1 Choice of Controlled Assessment task For these GCSEs in Applied Business, OCR will assume a high level of control with regard to task setting. A number of scenarios will be available from OCR for the Controlled Assessment units. Once a scenario has been chosen, then the candidate will carry out necessary research in order to respond to a series of tasks. These tasks have been designed to meet the full assessment requirements of the unit. It is important that before candidates begin the assessment, they are equipped with the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills specified in each of the unit specifications for Units A242 and A244. Unit A242 – The candidate must choose one business scenario from a list of five and then choose a local business on which to base their subsequent investigations. The series of tasks which the candidate must complete are supplied by OCR. It should be noted that the types of business scenario have been chosen to be as wide ranging as possible to suit all centre requirements. Unit A244 – The candidate must choose one job role scenario from a list of five and investigate a range of human resource activities in relation to this role. The series of tasks which the candidate must complete are supplied by OCR. It should be noted that the types of job role scenarios have been chosen to be as wide ranging as possible to suit all centre requirements. Further guidance on how to choose a scenario for the Controlled Assessment will be provided within the Controlled Assessment scenario. Live OCR Controlled Assessment material must NOT be used as practice material. Centres should devise their own practice material or use the specimen Controlled Assessment material. 3. 2.2 When and how to give Controlled Assessment tasks to candidates Controlled Assessment tasks will be available from Interchange from 1 June 2009. Centres must be aware that live Controlled Assessment material will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure to ensure that it continues to be fit for purpose. Should it be necessary to amend or revise the material then centres will be notified. Centres should refer to the sample scheme of work and lesson plans which are available to download from OCR’s website to assist planning and delivery of the Controlled Assessment units and its assessments.  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business 7 3. 3 Guidance on research/data collection There must be a medium level of supervision when candidates complete the research/data collection element of these units. Candidates may need access to the internet; library, textbooks, and/or optional visits to local businesses. This research element can be carried out as part of a group or individually as outlined in the specification. (a) Authenticity control: Candidate can complete the research individually or in a group without direct teacher supervision. In Unit A242, each candidate MUST carry out both individual and group research. The write up of findings and responding to tasks must be completed individually and under direct supervision. The teacher must be able to authenticate the work. (b) Feedback control: Feedback to the candidate will be permissible but tightly defined. Within these specifications, OCR expects teachers to equip candidates with the knowledge, understanding and skills which they will need before they respond to the tasks. It should be remembered that candidates are required to reach their own judgements and conclusions without any guidance or assistance from others. When supervising tasks, teachers are expected to: Exercise continuing supervision of work in order to monitor progress and to prevent plagiarism Exercise continuing supervision of practical work to ensure essential compliance with Health and Safety requirements Ensure that the work is completed in accordance with the specification requirements and can be assessed in accordance with the specified marking criteria and procedures. (c) Time control: The overall time limits available to the candidate to complete the Controlled Assessments are specified in Sections 4. 1 and 4. 2 of these specifications. A more detailed breakdown of time limits for particular tasks is contained in the specimen Controlled Assessment material for Units A242 and A244. Tasks should be completed within the time limits set, and be supervised and marked by the teacher. Some of the work, by its very nature, may be undertaken outside the centre, eg research work. The use and application of the research material will be undertaken under direct teacher supervision. With all internally assessed work, the teacher must be satisfied that the work submitted for assessment is the candidate’s own work and be able to authenticate it using the specified procedure in Section 5. 4. 4 of these specifications. (d) Collaboration control: Group work is permissible in some cases for the research phase of the units. However, each candidate must respond to the tasks individually. Where group work is suggested as an alternative to individual work, candidates will still be analysing the outcome of the group work on an individual basis before forming their own conclusions. (e) Resource control: Access to resources will be limited to those appropriate to the task and as required by the unit. Candidates will need to be provided with the most appropriate materials and equipment to allow them full access to the marking criteria but this must be closely monitored and supervised, especially the level of ICT access. During the write up (Unit A242 Tasks 3, 4 and 5 and Unit A244 Tasks 2, 3, 4 and 5) candidates should only have access to their research which they have made during the research phase of task taking (Unit A242 Task 2 and Unit A244 Task 1). Generating and reviewing the action plan should be done in the specific time allocated for the completion of this task and should not form part of the write-up phase. It is the responsibility of the 8  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business centre to ensure that these are only research and that they do not include a draft or final version of the tasks 3. 4 Guidance on the production of the outcome 3. 4. 1 Controls for the production of the outcome Teachers must keep live Controlled Assessment tasks secure and confidential at all times whilst in their possession. For example, candidates may collect the results of any research or investigations undertaken in a research folder which must be handed in to the teacher before the writing up sessions begin. In such circumstances, it is the responsibility of the teacher to keep the research folders secure between the writing up sessions and that candidates do not have access to these folders outside of the allotted sessions. There must be a high level of supervision when candidates complete the Controlled Assessment tasks for these units. Although candidates will  have access to their research notes, they must work individually and be supervised at all times. Analysis and evaluation of findings – high control When candidates analyse and evaluate their findings as they address each of the Controlled Assessment tasks (excluding the research tasks, which carry no marks), they must be supervised at all times and work individually. Completing the tasks The candidate will be provided with sufficient time to complete all of the tasks. It is suggested that evidence is produced in a number of sessions, each focusing on a specific mini-task. Each candidate must produce individual and authentic evidence for each of the (mini) tasks. It is particularly important that those candidates who conducted research as part of the group still produce individual evidence. The teacher may give appropriate support and guidance to the candidates during the research phase of these units but not during the write-up phase. This support and guidance should focus on checking that the candidates understand what is expected of them. It is not acceptable for the teacher to provide model responses or to work through answers in detail. The candidate will have the opportunity to use information from a wide range of resources as part of their research time in Units A242 and A244. This research will help them to produce evidence which is clearly targeted to meeting the assessment requirements of each of the remaining tasks. It is not permissible, however, for candidates to introduce any new material into their evidence that is not accessed during this research time, and teachers must safeguard against this. Candidates must also be guided on the use of information to ensure that confidentiality and intellectual property rights are maintained at all times. It is essential that any material directly used from a source is appropriately and rigorously referenced. In both Units A242 and A244, candidates  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business 9 will be asked to complete a bibliography during their research time which will be required for review at the point of internal assessment and external moderation. 3. 4. 2 Controlled Assessment task security It is the responsibility of the centre to ensure that downloaded Controlled Assessment Tasks and candidates’ scripts are stored securely. Any breach in security must be reported to OCR as soon a possible by submitting a written report (a blank report form is available on Interchange) from Head of Centre to the OCR Quality and Standards Division detailing the circumstances, the candidates concerned and any action taken. Candidates’ scripts for all completed Controlled Assessment tasks must be stored securely and they should be available for moderation. It is suggested that they are destroyed after the last date for Enquiries about Results following the examination series in which entries for the units concerned are made. Candidate absence at the time of assessment If a candidate is absent from a centre when an assessment is carried out, the Controlled Assessment task may be set at an alternative time provided that the centre is satisfied that security has been maintained by keeping all materials secure. Unexpected circumstances If an unexpected problem (such as a fire alarm or other circumstances beyond the teachers’ control) occurs while a Controlled Assessment task is taking place, the task may be resumed subsequently provided the teacher ensures that no candidate is likely to have been advantaged or disadvantaged by doing so. 3. 4.3 Presentation of work Candidates must observe certain procedures in the production of Controlled Assessments. ? charts, graphs, images and tables may be produced using appropriate ICT. These should be inserted into the candidate’s evidence at the appropriate place any copied material must be suitably acknowledged quotations must be clearly marked and a reference provided wherever possible work submitted for moderation or marking must be marked with the: – centre number – centre name – candidate number – candidate name – unit code and title. ? ? ? 10  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business Work submitted on paper for moderation or marking must be secured by treasury tags. Work submitted in digital format (CD or online) must be in a suitable file structure as shown in Appendix B of the Specification.  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business 11 4 Controlled Assessment candidate guidelines 4. 1 Task setting For this subject OCR will provide a list of tasks. 4. 2 Task taking 4. 2. 1 What can I do in relation to research, drafting and re-drafting? Your teacher will discuss the tasks on offer and the proposed areas of enquiry and the resources available. An induction period into the research methods, sourcing and the use of equipment may also take place. Time constraints and a programme should be adopted and this will be explained by your teacher. Your research and planning may involve interviews, fieldwork, visits, library research, internet research or questionnaires. You should keep a record of the sources you have consulted at this stage and this will form part of your portfolio. You should provide a plan of action to the teacher which can be discussed. You teacher will inform you what materials are appropriate and inappropriate. Your draft piece will be discussed with your teacher and they may offer advice, answer any questions and give feedback. Throughout this process your teacher will supervise to ensure there is no plagiarism and will ensure all your work is within the Health and Safety requirements and that all candidates work is in accordance with the Controlled Assessment regulations. At no stage will model answers be provided. You should reach your own conclusions and make your own judgements and any teacher support will be recorded. You may be given opportunity to edit, check redraft and reorganise your work. During this period your teacher may make general observations but will not give any specific advice. 4. 2. 2 How much teacher support can I expect? During your work for Controlled Assessment you must produce work/evidence independently but your teacher will be able to give you some advice, support, guidance and feedback but the amount will vary depending upon the type of task you are doing. You must make your own judgements and draw your own conclusions but your teacher will: 12  ©OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business ? ? Offer advice about how best to approach a task offer guidance on the way you work in groups so that you all have an opportunity to tackle your tasks offer advice to help your research, possibly arranging visits to place of interest, if this is appropriate monitor your progress to make sure your work gets underway in a planned and timely manner ensure that your work meets the Specification requirements keep a log of the feedback they give you supervise any practical work you do to ensure you receive advice about health and safety. ? ? ? ? ? The support given by your teacher will be to make sure you understand what it is you have to do. Your teacher will not be allowed to provide model responses for you or work through your responses or outcomes in detail. 4. 2. 3 What can I expect in the supervised sessions? This period should include some form of evaluation either in the written form, in a teacher interview or a presentation to the group. For the last two your teacher may record these sessions. This is particularly essential in group work where the teacher will be attempting to ascertain your individual contribution within the group. You should reference all sources used and any materials you have used in the whole piece whether in supervised or unsupervised sessions. Quotations should be clearly marked and referenced to ensure all intellectual property rights are maintained. It is unlikely that complete downloaded documents from the internet are suitable. Your teacher will sign an authentication form to complete the process. You may also be asked to sign the form.  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business 13 5 Teacher guidance on task marking 5. 1 Generic guidance on how to mark Controlled Assessment tasks The marking criteria detail the skills, knowledge and understanding which the candidate is required to demonstrate. The (mini) task should be marked by the teacher according to the given marking criteria using a ‘best fit’ approach. For each of the (mini) tasks, the assessor should select the descriptors, provided in the marking criteria, which most closely describe the quality of work being marked. Marking should be positive, rewarding achievement rather than penalising failure or omissions. The award of marks must be directly related to the marking criteria. Teachers use their professional judgement in selecting the descriptor which best describes the work of the candidate. To select the most appropriate mark within this descriptor, teachers should use the following guidance: ? where the candidate’s work convincingly meets the descriptor, the higher marks in the mark range should be awarded where the candidate’s work adequately meets the descriptor, the most appropriate mark in the middle range should be awarded where the candidate’s work just meets the descriptor, the lowest marks in the mark range should be awarded. ? ? The final mark for the candidate for each unit is out of a total of 60 and is found by totalling the marks for each of the (mini) tasks. 5. 2 Unpacking assessment objectives in Controlled Assessment tasks Assessment objectives (AOs) identify what the candidate has to do. They specify the context and use the ‘command words’ to indicate the level of the intellectual task, so, for example, the candidate may be directed to ‘identify’, ‘describe’ or ‘explain’. 14  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business Assessment objective 1 assesses candidates’ ability to recall, select and communicate their knowledge and understanding of concepts issues and  terminology; Assessment objective 2 assesses candidates’ ability to apply skills, knowledge and understanding in a variety of contexts and in planning and carrying out investigations and tasks; Assessment objective 3 assesses candidates’ ability to analyse and evaluate, make reasoned judgements and present conclusions. 5. 3 Interpretation of the Controlled Assessment marking criteria These general assessment objectives have been contextualised to the specific tasks in each Controlled Assessment (see the assessment grids below). So the teacher needs to: 1.identify the knowledge and skills the candidate will need to demonstrate if they have meet the AO 2. identify what the candidate has to do with this knowledge and/or skill; for example, should they be describing or explaining? Each assessment objective has been written at 3 levels, which increase in intellectual difficulty. The teacher will need to make a holistic judgement of which level (1, 2 or 3) best fits the candidate’s work. In general terms, a candidate who is able to produce some limited evidence for achieve Mark Band 1. A candidate who produces a range or evidence but significant gaps in coverage, knowledge and understanding, is likely to achieve candidate who has addresses most, or all of the issues needed to fully complete to achieve Mark Band 3. a task is likely to where there are Mark Band 2. A the tasks is likely For example, in Mark Band 1 a candidate might identify some relevant knowledge required to address the task but fails to adequately explain the issues. In Mark Band 2 a candidate might list a comprehensive range of issues and explore them all to the required standard but some explanations are incorrect or lacking application to the context. In Mark Band 3 a candidate is likely to identify an appropriate range of issues and analyse them all appropriately, in depth and within the required context. 5. 4 Authentication of Controlled Assessment outcomes Teachers must be confident that the work they mark is the candidate’s own. This does not mean that a candidate must be supervised throughout the completion of all work but the teacher/course tutor must exercise sufficient supervision, or introduce sufficient checks, to be in a position to judge the authenticity of the candidate’s work. Candidates must not plagiarise. Plagiarism is the submission of another’s work as one’s own and/or failure to acknowledge the source correctly. Plagiarism is considered to be malpractice and could lead to the candidate being disqualified. Plagiarism sometimes occurs innocently when candidates are unaware of the need to reference or acknowledge their sources. It is therefore  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business 15 important that centres ensure that candidates understand that the work they submit must be their own and that they understand the meaning of plagiarism and what penalties may be applied. Candidates may refer to research, quotations or evidence but they must list their sources. The rewards from acknowledging sources, and the credit they will gain from doing so, should be emphasised to candidates, as well as the potential risks of failing to acknowledge such material. The candidate must sign a declaration to this effect. Centres should reinforce this message to ensure that candidates understand what is expected of them. Please note: Centres must confirm to OCR that the evidence produced by the candidate is authentic. The Centre Authentication Form includes a declaration for assessors to sign. It is a requirement of the QCA Common Criteria for all Qualifications that proof of authentication is received. 5. 5 Internal Standardisation of Controlled Assessment It is important that all internal assessors, working in the same subject area, work to common standards. Centres must ensure that the internal standardisation of marks across assessors and teaching groups takes place using an appropriate procedure. This can be done in a number of ways. In the first year, reference material and OCR training meetings will provide a basis for centres’ own standardisation. In subsequent years, this, or centres’ own archive material, may be used. Centres are advised to hold preliminary meetings of staff involved to compare standards through cross-marking a small sample of work. After most marking has been completed, a further meeting at which work is exchanged and discussed will enable final adjustments to be made. 5. 6 Moderation of Controlled Assessment All work is marked by the teacher and internally standardised by the centre. Marks are then submitted to OCR, after which moderation takes place in accordance with OCR procedures: refer to the OCR website for submission dates of the marks to OCR. The purpose of moderation is to ensure that the standard of the award of marks for work is the same for each centre and that each teacher has applied the standards appropriately across the range of candidates within the centre. The sample of work which is presented to the Moderator for moderation must show how the marks have been awarded in relation to the marking criteria. Each candidate’s work should have a cover sheet attached to it with a summary of the marks awarded. If the work is to be submitted in digital format this cover sheet should also be submitted electronically within each of the candidate’s files. 5. 7 Minimum requirements for Controlled Assessment There should be clear evidence that work has been attempted and some work produced. If a candidate submits no work for an internally assessed component, then the candidate should be indicated as being absent from that component on the mark sheets submitted to OCR. If a candidate completes any work at all for an internally assessed component, then the work should be assessed according to the internal assessment objectives and marking instructions and the appropriate mark awarded, which may be zero. 16.  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business 5. 8 Submission date for Controlled Assessment Candidate’s marks must be despatched to the Moderator and to OCR. Please refer to the OCR website for details of submission dates relevant to the current series of examinations.  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business 17 6 FAQs What are the dates in which the Controlled Assessments can be taken? Controlled Assessment is a form of internal assessment and as such there isn’t a specified date in which Controlled Assessment has to be taken. It is up to the centre to decide when Controlled Assessment will be taken: guidance on this can be found in Section 5: Controlled Assessment of all revised GCSE Specifications (first teaching in September 2009). When can teachers and candidates access the material? Controlled Assessment tasks will be available from Interchange on 1 June of the year prior to an assessment series, i. e. 1 June 2009 for assessment in June 2010 series. Tasks may be reviewed and it is the responsibility of centres to make sure that candidates are submitting the correct task. Why are you not making hard copies available to centres? This is an internal assessment and centres are responsible for the resource of internal assessment. It would be impossible to despatch hard copies of the Controlled Assessment without vast amounts of provisional entry data. Can any preparation work be done out of the classroom? Yes. Controls are set at the level of tasks setting, task taking and task marking. Preparation work comes into the task taking level, under Research and Data Collection, which have a limited level of control i. e. work can be carried out without direct supervision. More guidance on this can be found can be found in Section 5: Controlled Assessment of all revised GCSE Specifications (first teaching in September 2009). Is there a minimum or maximum time that can be spent on the assessments? Suggested time limits vary per subject: there are suggested time limits given in Section 5: Controlled Assessment of all revised GCSE Specifications (first teaching in September 2009). Where can the Controlled materials be accessed and by whom? Controlled Assessment tasks and other documents are accessed via Interchange. Centre access to the Interchange Controlled Assessment area will be available to the registered Centre User (normally the Examinations Officer). However, the Centre User can set access permissions to others within their centre, eg HODs, subject leaders or subject teachers. How long is each assessment valid for i. e can we use last year’s one this year? 18  © OCR 2009 Guide to Controlled Assessment in GCSE Applied Business Tasks may be reviewed and it is the responsibility of centres to make sure that candidates are submitting the correct task. Where can the Mark Schemes be accessed? Mark Schemes are included in the specifications and can also be accessed from the OCR website: In addition, Mark Schemes are attached at the end of each Sample Assessment Material and also available from OCR Interchange. Do we have to take the Controlled Assessment under exam conditions/teacher supervision? Yes, but only for the write up , i. e. the last part of Controlled Assessment when candidates are producing the outcomes of their research – note that this can be over more than one supervised session. More guidance on this can be found in Section 5: Controlled Assessment of all revised GCSE Specifications (first teaching in September 2009). Are the Controlled Assessments the same as written examinations, can we re-sit? Yes, candidates can resit controlled assessed units but as with any other unit, candidates can only resit once. Also, the 40% terminal rule means that 40% of the assessment has to be taken in the examination series in which the qualification has to be awarded. Centres have the responsibility to ensure that the correct tasks are used for a controlled assessme.

Budget Requirements Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Budget Requirements - Coursework Example The selected families will be offered free training, education and mentorship programs until they qualify to leave the program. For us to finance all the activities of the organization, we require to have around $100,000. This will enable us to cater for all the services that we will be delivering to our beneficiaries. As indicated in our budget, the available resources will be properly spent. Meaning, all the planned items will be funded as planned. The total number of families will be 50. This is the appropriate number that we will mange to support at this time. Out of these families, each family will be allocated $1,837. This will be enough to cater for all their expenses throughout the year. However, it is from this allocation that we will get the money to provide for all the necessary services and materials that they will be requiring as we enroll them into this program. They will be used for licensing the program, buying the required materials, paying the personnel and catering for any other activity which might be undertaken during the program. For this reason, we will allocate a total of $30,000 for staff salaries. This will be used to remunerate the program coordinator, assistant coordinator, part and full-time instructors who will be directly handling the children. Besides, we will spend $20,000 on training services; $10,000 for technical assistance; $5,000 for acquiring licenses and registering with our national affiliates. At the same time, we will have to spare $10,000 for the development of the program and then use $10,000 to purchase learning materials such as text books. Last, but by no means the least, the remaining $850 will be left for any other expense which might arise, may be because of emergency or such like issues. By doing this, we are assured of a promising career in the NGO

Social justice toolbox Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social justice toolbox - Research Paper Example Justice can be described as giving to everybody what he or she is due. The trouble is with knowing what is due. It is a set of worldwide principles that guide and direct people in judging what is right and what is wrong, no matter what society or culture in which they live in. Social justice covers economic justice. Social justice is a fundamental principle for prosperous and peaceful coexistence among and within nations. Social justice should be upheld by promoting the rights of migrants and indigenous peoples or gender equality. We can only progress towards social justice when we eliminate barriers that people face due to disability, culture, religion, ethnicity, race or age. It should be a global mission to pursuit social justice for all and promote human dignity and development (Www.cesj.Org). My vision for social justice in U.S. is to attain social justice and a more equitable and sustainable future, and for developments and promotion of human dignity. One tactic that can be used to attain sustainability would be to build markets that do better jobs of conveying and spreading the gains and benefits of development. This would mean meeting the growing demands of consumers for greener services and products. It also means laying the foundations for opportunity, stability and dignity for all. As we strive to make these transformations towards social justice, we must incorporate the inclusion of social aspects into our policies. We have to focus on guaranteeing fair outcomes for all through rights at work, fundamental principles, social dialogue, social protection and employment. We should put more emphasis on the World Day of Social Justice, which is on the 20th of February. This will be one of the ways of making everybody that social justice is a fundamental right of every human being, not only in U.S., but in the world at large. Member states should

Media Ethics - Lawyers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Media Ethics - Lawyers - Essay Example A novel tells of a kind and diligent lawyer, married with two children, who work tirelessly to put the evidence together to protect a house cleaner physically abused by his billionaire master. The lawyer shows so much kindness and cares to the client with an intention of helping her get justice. Due to the closeness, and the problem the lawyer is facing at home with the wife, the lawyer falls in love with the client and they engage in a sexual relationship. In the movie, Mr. Shawn exhibits a series of unethical activities through bribing the witness to lie to the court to set free individuals involved in crime. Most states have established clear rules that make bribing of witnesses or potential witnesses a crime against the state. For instance, in California, section 137(a) of the Penal Code emphasizes that an individual who offers, gives, or makes a promise of any form of bribe to a witness or another individual that is to be called upon to testify in relation to a given case, to convince them to a certain agreement or understanding commits a felony (National Council of State Legislators, 2015). Shawn bars the truth from the court from obtaining the truth and deceives the court to let an individual get away with a crime. Shawn’s actions go against the code of ethics that upholds honesty, as he tried to influence the decisions of the judge by attempting to bribe him. On the other hand, the lawyer in the novel also acted outside the code of ethics by engaging in a sexual relationship with the client.

International business strategy of Nokia Corporation Dissertation

International business strategy of Nokia Corporation - Dissertation Example The study adopted the strategy typology and strategy orientation framework developed by Isoherranen & Kess (2011), where the organisation is categorised as Defender, Protector, Analyser, or Reactor, according to its particular strategic characteristics. A sample of 100 respondents was asked to accomplish the survey questionnaire based on the Isoherranen-Kess framework. The sample was comprised of 50 managers, suppliers or consultants working in or with Nokia in China, and another group of 50 similar participants working in or with Nokia in the UK. The dissertation found that based on the answers of the respondents compared against each other, a different strategic approach was employed in each of the subsidiary operations. The diverse business environments in different localities demanded flexibility and adaptability from international businesses. The parent organisation or central headquarters must factor into its strategic management the ability of overseas units to respond with it s own level of strategic prerogatives to the demands of the host environment. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Table of Contents 3 Chapter 1: Introduction 6 1.1Chapter overview 6 1.2Background of the study 6 1.3Theoretical framework 7 1.4Statement of research aim and objectives 8 1.5Statement of research question and sub-questions 8 1.6Significance of the study 9 1.7Assumptions of the study 9 1.8 Scope and delimitation of the study 10 1.9 Chapter summary 11 Chapter 2: Literature Review 12 2.1 Chapter Overview 12 2.2 International Business Strategy 13 2.3Historical information about Nokia 16 2.4 Nokia’s global strategy 19 2.4.1 Nokia organization 20 2.4.2 Nokia’s market trends 21 2.4.3Comprehensive View of Nokia’s strategy 22 2.5 Nokia’s China strategy 24 2.5.1 The strategic importance of China to Nokia 24 2.5.2 Brand performance 25 2.5.3 Product and service design 26 2.5.4 Advertising 27 2.5.5 Research and Development 27 2.6 Synthesis and critical insight 29 Chapter 3: Methodology 34 3.1Chapter overview 34 3.2 Research philosophy and strategy 34 3.3Description of research model and variables used in the study 36 3.3.1 Market orientation in strategy 37 3.3.2Product orientation in strategy 38 3.3.4Strategy orientation characteristics 40 3.3.5Strategy typology characteristics 41 3.3.6 Strategy Analysis Framework 41 3.4 Procedural model used in the study 43 3.4Data collection method 44 3.6 Sampling method 45 3.7 Data gathering and analysis 46 3.8 Reliability and validity of the data 47 3.9 Limitation of the methodology 49 3.10 Ethical considerations in the conduct of the research 51 3.11 Chapter summary 52 Chapter 4: Data and Findings 54 4.1 Chapter overview 54 4.2 Respondent profile 54 4.3 Strategy Orientation Characteristics 59 4.3.1 Strategy focus 59 4.3.2 Value Creation 60 4.3.3 Operational driver 61 4.3.4 Culture 61 4.4 Strategy Typology Characteristics 62 4.4.1 Product –Market Domain 62 4.4.2 Operational Driver 64 4.4.3 Organiz ation 65 4.5 Summary 66 Chapter 5: Discussion and Conclusion 69 5.1 Chapter overview 69 5.2 Discussion 69 5.3 Conclusion 72 Bibliography 73 Appendices 77 Chapter 1: Introd

Final paper with Annotated Bibliography - explore any aspect of the Essay

Final paper with Annotated Bibliography - explore any aspect of the connection between the arts and society - Essay Example Good education is equated with employability such that the primordial concern of schools is to teach children how to read, write and compute so they can find their suitable place in the workforce. There is no question that literacy in English, math, science and history is critical in the technology-driven society of today but there is a growing interest in the concept that arts in fact offer a vast learning opportunity that should be offered to all children from the earliest grades. New research concerning the relationship between learning and the arts suggests that the study of music from a very early age, for example, alters the very structure of the brain and allows students to perform better on tests. This paper explores the connection between art and society by attempting to find any relevance of art education to the proper development of an individual. Its main interest is the issue of whether the school system can be efficient without an arts program in the curricula. The current global problems are traced to the purely rational and materialistic way of thinking. To reestablish harmony in our lives and in our eco-system, there must be heightened recognition of the importance of creativity and spirituality through the arts (Laszlo online). In this worldview, art is merely a leisure activity that provides pleasure and enjoyment and its study can therefore be abandoned anytime in favor of activities that make use of time â€Å"more profitably, efficiently and satisfactorily (Treumann, 1993).† Art appreciation is fit only for a gifted few, and if children have to study literature or musical notes and join visits to museums and art galleries, this is only done as part of one’s education and it is the socially proper thing to do. But recent studies show that such preoccupation with letters and numbers makes for learning environments that are dull, boring and

Managing Financial Resources and Decisions Essay - 6

Managing Financial Resources and Decisions - Essay Example Failure to have a financial plan will always result in the organization being unable to meet its expenses whenever they arise (Berry, Jarvis, and Jarvis, 2005, p. 28). The success of any financial plan will largely depend on the effective disseminate of information to various decision makers within the organization. This is because it will ensure support and compliance among different stakeholders of the organization. It will also facilitate faster decision making which will ensure maximum utilization of business opportunities. Some of the key decision makers include: The CEO: he/she is responsible for the overall performance of the organization. The most important information for the CEO is the budget forecasts and financial statements. This information serves the purpose of providing information related to organizational needs and the overall performance of the business. The CFO: responsible for the allocation of the organization financial resources. The most important information for the CFO is the budget estimates because they present the financial needs of the organization. Other Employees: they are responsible for the running of daily activities within the company. The most important information is the company strategic plan which will guide their actions to ensure that the organization achieves its goals. The first option is the best among the three because the business will manage to get financing at no extra cost. The second and third options are not attractive because they result in payment of interest and issuance of stock respectively. Faulty arithmetic in the budget figures: the errors include the errors of commission or duplication of financial figures. For instance, Â £ 22,500 may have been duplicated on either materials or direct labor. The occurrence of reality: this is possible especially when there is an occurrence of an event that

Evidence based in nursing Essay Example for Free

Evidence based in nursing Essay Evidence based in nursing Introduction Literature search            The topic I searched on was management of brain injuries. The main purpose of this research was to ascertain what literature stated on how to monitor and treat a patient to curb post traumatic seizures, which are brought about due to limitation of amount of oxygen that goes to the brain. This causes excessive release of excitory neurotransmitters, thereby increasing the brain’s metabolic needs, that raises pressure within the intercranial space. Unfiltered Evidence            The unfiltered article that I came across had important information in it. It had three authors namely; James W. Y. Chen, Robert L. Ruff and Roland Eavey. It had 21 references in it, â€Å"Post traumatic epilepsy and treatment.† I found it in the Wiley online library database. It clearly defined the whole post traumatic epilepsy symptoms, diagnosis and physiotherapy practices involved in treating it. This article was very useful as it gave a clear highlight on how to go about the nursing process of post-traumatic seizures. However, this did not show the research and advances that have been made in diagnosing and treatment of the condition. Filtered Evidence            Filtering of articles was critically hectic and cumbersome. I discovered informative articles on post traumatic seizures diagnosis, treatment and care. However, most of them were obsolete and did not show clear progress in current research and health advances towards dealing with brain injury associated epilepsy. I succeeded in getting present day ideas when I used the online Harvey/ John Hay Whitney medical library tool. I got 20 results from the search. Despite most of them being outdated, I managed to find a relevant one which was talking about the advances and treatment administered to the epileptic patients. It had a broad variety of the whole process and it had a lot of information. The article I found was in synopsis form (Fulton, John F. and Ralph W. Gerard, 2014). Critically Appraised Topics            When I used the AHRQ database I collected 173 searches on head injury post traumatic seizures. It was very wide thus difficult to obtain the information required. It was comprised of all other neural based injuries like the spines making it difficult to come up with a clear article on post traumatic epilepsy. The nearest article that I came across was on â€Å"Nerve and Brain Conditions.† Systematic Reviews            It was the most effective tool that I used and its results were very easy to internalize. I found an article in the Pubmed database that showed the way forward in dealing with head injury traumas in a comprehensive context and I liked it a lot. I dealt with the symptoms, diagnosis and medications, and therapeutics used in dealing with the post trauma epilepsy. (Dalmady Zasler, 2014) Useful Tip            In order for one to have a complete literature research, the most sufficient way to go about it as I learnt from this assignment, is by using more than one database when searching for a specific topic. Another way is that, with the higher you go the more broad the evidence you get in a distinct hierarchical order. References Dalmady-Israel, C., Zasler, N. (n.d.). Post-traumatic seizures: A critical review. Brain Injury, 263-273. Retrieved December 9, 2014.Tsao, J. (2012). Traumatic brain injury a clinicians guide to diagnosis, management, and rehabilitation. New York: Springer. Source document

Girl with the Pearl Earrings Essay Example for Free

Girl with the Pearl Earrings Essay There could be many different interpretations of the ending scene when the pearl earrings are returned to Griet. The look on Griet’s face is a look of shock, some anger, and recollection. Catharina gave Griet the pearl earrings because she cannot bear to wear them, nor stand the sight of them since the day she saw the painting. Vermeer betrayed Catharina and the earrings are the biggest reminder of the betrayal, so to move on from the time Griet spent as their maid and rid all those memories from her mind she needed to give away the earrings. Catharina could have given them to anyone, sold them, or even just threw them away; instead she chose to give them to Griet. She gave them to Griet, to let Griet know that she is not mad at her and she understands Griet did nothing wrong. Catharina shows that her anger and hurt comes from Vermeer’s betrayal when she, with tears in her eyes, looks at Vermeer and asks â€Å"Why don’t you paint me? † In which Vermeer replies that she doesn’t understand. Catharina then in a rage tries to slash the painting, but Vermeer stops her. She then shifts her anger to the only thing she can do, which is make Griet leave. Catharina making Griet leave was misplaced anger, it was anger she wanted to take out on her husband and the painting but couldn’t. Therefore to make it up to Griet for making her leave, she sent her the pearl earrings. She was an emotional wreck in tears and screaming, outranged by her husband’s actions and Griet was a weak young girl she could at the time let her anger out on. After a few days of thinking she realized she was wrong and had Tanneke take the gift to Griet. Vermeer not only betrayed his wife but he also betrayed Griet at the end. When Catharina tells Griet to leave Griet looks at Vermeer to say something, to let Catharina know she has done nothing wrong. Vermeer says nothing though and just lets her leave, which is devastating to her. Griet then even tries one more time to go to talk to him before she leaves to give it one more chance, but he just lets her leave. Vermeer is to blame for all that happened, but lets his wife take the blame out on Griet and then lets Griet take the blame that should be his. He hurts everyone in this story, instead of being a man and taking up for his wrong actions, he is childlike. The sudden music that plays in the movie when Griet opens the earrings is a shocking sound, in disbelief that Catharina has given them to her and is not mad. Griet at first is shocked, and you can see it all over her face. Then she clutches them in her hand as to say thank you and looks off in the other direction as thinking â€Å"What should I do now? † I did not think I would enjoy this novel because I’m not very into historical fiction but I actually enjoyed the novel and movie very much. It was extremely interesting to me, kept me constantly thinking about what each character was thinking. I do however wish the ending had a little more, like maybe letting us know where Griet ended up but I guess we are just supposed to figure that out our selves.

New marketing plan for HMV canada

New marketing plan for HMV canada This report proposes a new marketing plan for HMV Canada and incorporates proposals on new profit streams detailed examination of the marketing environment, swot analysis, provides information on SMART objectives, gives a clear segmentation targeting and positioning report, proposals for 7Ps and control and evaluation will be provided in the end. This report has been created in close teamwork , using primary information through interviewing some of the HMV managers and secondary information available in HMV annual reports. HMV group is a leading specialist entertainment retailer operating through different stores in the UK, Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore and transactional local territory websites, which include digital, download. It operates a small specialist chain of entertainment shops in the UK trading as Fopp. In Live entertainment, the group operates 12 venues, summer festivals and ticketing in-store and online. The group is extending to high-quality cinema and pay-to-play games. Hmv is also the UKs leading bookseller, operating as, In-store, Online digital Waterstones. Profit /loss 2010 Directory HMV UK Ireland: Total sales of 1,242 £m increased by 7.6%. HMV International: Total sales of 253 £m decreased by 8.5%. Hmv Live: The Groups result includes 0.9 £m of profit after tax making an operating loss of 0.2 £m. Waterstones: Waterstones total sales decreased by 6.5%, making total sales of 513.6 £m. Joint venture 7digital Inc: The Group acquired 50% of 7digital Inc, a digital media services company, The cash paid for it was  £8.1m. Acquisition of MAMA Group Plc: The acquisition of MAMA Group Plc for  £47.0m in cash, This was to achieve control over the Mean Fiddler Group, Net assets acquired was a total of 20 £m. HMV UK Ireland: The business now trades from 285 stores, following the integration of 32 ex-Zavvi [ex-specialist competitor] stores. HMV International: 125 HMV stores in Canada, 7 stores in Hong Kong, Singapore and local territory websites. Waterstones Total of 314 stores. the groups strategies: The company has successfully delivered most of the strategic objectives in the three-year plan commencing March 2007; The new strategies will be discussed later. FORCES ANALYSIS: Competitive Rivalry: [strong competitiveness] Supermarkets: Online: In general, supermarkets are not considered effective competitors to Large Range Retailers, as they stock a narrower range of titles, predominately best sellers and do not provide the browsing experience or pre-sales service offered by the others. Hmv competes with Amazon, iTunes, Play.com and other generalist and mass merchant retailers; Amazon offers a superior browsing experience as they have the ability to generate recommendations based on past purchases, as well as huge range of products. HMV Canada competes with Future Shop/Best Buy and Wal*Mart. The threat of entry: [high] The barriers to entry are low at all levels, with the increasing number of New competitors entering the internet sector to market their product directly to consumers, and also the use of technology that makes small companies, they face low barriers to entry with investments usually being recovered in short time, the threat is high . The power of buyers: [high] Because of the strong market position of Hmv as main routes to market, and as important marketing vehicles, Hmv are able to negotiate significant discounts with suppliers for the volume they sell, so the suppliers will have no option but to agree to higher discount terms. The power of suppliers: [low] In this market, the power of high street retailers like Hmv controls suppliers and as a result make their power very low, as discussed before, the buyers are very powerful and can incredibly threaten the suppliers to agree on important discount rates. So, the power of suppliers in this market is low. The threat of substitutes: [high] As discussed above, the technologic development and the growth of new digital market has made it easy for new substitutes products to compete with the high street retailers, and the threat of new substitutes in the market has become greater. SWOT analysis internal Strengths Market leading specialist in music, DVD and books Waterstones, member of HMV group is UKs largest high street bookseller Ottakars takeover- specialist book portfolio Fopp Stores [the group operates as a small specialist trading as Fopp.] Operations in seven territories Connections in film industry and events and festival ticketing. Few loss-making stores important Sales growth every year 100% of all packaging used in deliveries is either Re-used or recycled. outstanding product range across all genres Vibrant and stimulating store environments in key shopping locations. The use of in-store radio and listening posts and the latest plasma screen video walls. in-store personal appearances (PAs) :[album signings, and also live performances] Group synergies [Hmv and Waterstones have key operational features in common, example: the management of stock and inventory]. Strong internal communication with head office and employee in stores SWOT analysis + PESTEL external PESTEL Opportunities Political Economic Strategic alliances with media distributors/producers. Live music and entertainment evolve the product mix in stores and online Invest in cinema screens Social Online social networking Loyalty card scheme develop store atmosphere (increase footfall) Sufficient disposable income Technological Internet /digital downloads Pay-to-play services. Digital products E-books/e-readers and related accessories Mobile phone digital media In-store instant digital product purchase. Environmental Decrease Carbon footprint Reduce energy usage in stores. reduce water usage in stores: Waste management /recycling. green build [energy efficient ] Legal SMART objectives. Concentration on increase of revenue and profitability of business in 2011 through implementing new profit streams detailed in 7P proposals below, and monitoring the performance and execution of these business plans . The renaissance of stores of Hmv Group by reducing marketing expenses. Developing online music download portlal for affrortable pricing in first quarter of 2011. Pay more attention to the internet free illegal file sharing by finding new solutions how to ban or stop these type of anti-copyright issues by working with government in order to come up with new actions against those issues. Because an illegal file sharing causes much problems to financial, political and social ways for the Hmv Group Plc. Market segmentation, targeting and positioning strategies. Through this part of the report, it will be focused on the methods in which a well-built strategy of market segmentation, targeting and positioning factors to successful marketing planning. Market Segmentation. It is generally suggested that, a market segment is made of a group of consumers who have similar set of needs and desires. There are a number of effective methods, which Hmv Group management should approach to segment HMV in competitive market: Geographic country, cities, population destiny, climate. Psychographic lifestyle, characteristics, personality. Demographic family life cycle, income and occupation , race, nationality, religion, education, age, sex. Behavioural knowledge, attitudes, readiness to purchase, occasions, benefits, loyalty status. From these concepts, it will be more convenient to apply to market segmentation of Hmv Group Plc. From the research it has been proven that, the geographic strategies of Hmv stores in Canada are basically located in every high street of the cities and towns. This is a successful way to open the Hmv stores in busy places where more consumers visit to purchase the products. If we look at psychographic strategies of Hmv Group Plc, it aims to change or effect positively to consumer lifestyles and personalities. Therefore, the Hmv concerns these terms into consumer views and commitments as to keep existent consumers and also new consumers by supplying with quality and brand new products. Demographic strategies, which Hmv that should be chosen with reasonable and profitable decisions. For that reason, several stages in the family life cycle which will be the most effective factors that should be concentrated: Bachelor stage: Young and single people who aged between 16-25 years old and they have few financial obligations which means they are able to spend money for new products. The classification of this group segment in occupation and income is normally semi skilled or unskilled (Group D) and casual workers, students or unemployed individuals (Group F). Usually, they are most likely to show their interests in buying entertainment products such as games, movies, music albums, books and new technologies such as mobile phones, computers and other brand new products. Newly married couples: In addition, another segment of people who are newly married couples without children and they aged between 20-30 years old. They have higher purchase rate of consumer desirables. This target group has disposable income available, therefore being valuable consumer group. The social grades for newly married people are basically, professional, intermediate managerial skilled (Group B) and junior managerial skilled, supervisory or skilled individuals (Group C1/C2). Market Targeting. Hmv Group Plc should apply market targeting in order to make decisions how those certain segment groups can be targeted. Differentiated market when an organisation targets numerous groups of segments. It would be effective decision for the Hmv Group Plc to choose differentiated market, for the reasons of having several pointed segments for their products. Because, it develops different products and services with separate marketing mix strategies targeted at the changing groups in competitive market. It is widely proven that, the most usual customers of Hmv are perceptive devotees who observe each purchase as a high priority. However, one of the visions of Hmv is to make their discerning shoppers and casual browsers satisfied by providing trusted and valuable brands. Product Positioning. Product positioning determines on the position within the market that product is to inhabit. In this way of strategy, Hmv should do product positioning by appealing product income and how it varies from present and possible competing products. According to Wilson and Gilligan (2005, p.354), there are several influences on product positioning and it would be good decision for Hmv Group Plc to pay attention to these suggestions of authors: Product variety Performance Prices Distribution network Advertising and promotion Consumer profiles Word of mouth Customers experiences Media used By analyzing these suggestions of authors, the product positioning strategy that Hmv can come with by attracting consumers by offering promotional, quality and price discounted products that might change consumers buying behaviour.

Gawains Moral Superiority Revealed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Gawain's Moral Superiority Revealed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight In the final scenes of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain’s encounter with Sir Bertilak allows Gawain to perceive his own flaws, manifested in his acceptance of the Green Girdle. The court’s reaction to his personal guilt highlights the disconnect between him and the other knights of the Round Table. Gawain’s behavior throughout the poem has been most noteworthy; his understanding of his sin, one that many of us would dismiss since it was propelled by his love of life, enhances his stature as a paragon of chivalry. When Gawain shows up at the Green Knight’s chapel, his mere presence provides comfort to his host, who greets him: â€Å"Sir so sweet, you honour the trysts you owe.† Perhaps the green gallant had been expecting Gawain, as representative of the crumbling House of Arthur, to be derelict in his duties. Gawain lives up to his good name. Similarly, he resisted the unbearable temptations of Lady Bertilak on numerous occasions, providing a mere kiss, in accordance with the code of chivalry. Yet, Gawain did err in accepting the girdle; that much cannot be denied. We, the reader, can forgive him since he repents fully, even going so far as to impose penance (of wearing the girdle eternally as a mark of his fall) on himself. It takes a mild rebuke by the Green Knight to crack Gawain’s faà §ade of confident valor. His conscience compels him to break down when confronted by his host as to his indiscretion. However, this happened only when the host had revealed himself to be the same as the Green Knight. We realize that Gawain had previously perceived in Sir Bertilak an equal in knighthood; thus his ease in deceiving him in the exchange of winnings game. When Gawain realizes he was the subject of a test, he sees Bertilak/Green Knight in a different light. The Green Knight now becomes Gawain’s confessor and in doing so assumes a fatherly role. We see that Bertilak perceives Gawain’s fault, his love of life, and irrespective of it, loves Gawain. Despite having sinned, Bertilak sees in Gawain a first-rate knight, far superior to his peers in Camelot, who, faced with the spectre of death, grew silent with cowardice, as the honor of the King lay unguarded.

Essay --

The Evolution of Air Defense Artillery the time was the late 1800’s and the airplane was created and included in that warfare adopted those and made of then warplanes so every country had to make something to defend their lands from the attacks form their respective enemies. The term of anti-aircraft artillery (AA) witch was a detachment from the field artillery by modifying their weapons so that they can be able to reach the low flying aircraft attacking their territory. But the term of air defense was first used by Great Britain in the year of 1925 by the royal air force. One of the first weapons used in AA was the Gustav Krupp used to shoot down the ballons in the Franco-Prussian War with took place in the 1870. A few years later in Europe the Krupp, Erhardt, Vickers Maxim, and Schneider were created to be used as AA weapons. But here in the US the first anti-aircraft cannon was created by the Admiral Twining the 3"/23 caliber gun for the US Navy in 1911. But later on, the aircraft were also evolving so every country had to evolve their ways to take down their enemies for example...

India’s Soft Drinks Industry

india's soft drinks industry table of contents toc o â€Å"1-3† u part a: contextual analysis of india and the indian soft drink industry pageref _toc323046458 h 3 introduction pageref _toc323046459 h 3 1. factor conditions pageref _toc323046460 h 4 1. 1 opportunities pageref _toc323046461 h 4 1. 1. 1 india’s physical resources pageref _toc323046462 h 4 1. 2 threats pageref _toc323046463 h 6 1. 2. 1 infrastructure pageref _toc323046464 h 6 1. 2. 2 education and labour pageref _toc323046465 h 6 2. demand conditions pageref _toc323046466 h 7 3. related and supporting industries pageref _toc323046467 h 9 3. availability of related and supporting industries pageref _toc323046468 h 9 3. 2 bargaining power of suppliers pageref _toc323046469 h 9 3. 3 bargaining power of buyers pageref _toc323046470 h 9 4. firm strategy, structure and rivalry pageref _toc323046471 h 10 4. 1 cultural impact on firm strategy and structure pageref _toc323046472 h 10 4. 2 rivalry among existing com petitors pageref _toc323046473 h 10 4. 3 threat of new entrants pageref _toc323046474 h 11 4. 4 threat of substitutes pageref _toc323046475 h 12 5. government pageref _toc323046476 h 12 6. role of chance pageref _toc323046477 h 12 conclusion pageref _toc323046478 h 13 part b: critical evaluation of porter's national diamond model pageref _toc323046479 h 13 references pageref _toc323046480 h 15 part a: contextual analysis of india and the indian soft drink industry introduction a. g. barr has been in the soft drinks business for over 130 years and is one of the biggest soft drinks company in united kingdom (uk) (a. g. barr, 2012). the company has a long standing success in the european market with its popular soft drinks such as irn-bru, barr and tizer. with a strong-hold in the europen market, now a.G. Barr would like to expand their business to other markets. Following The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) and PepsiCo success in the Asian market, the company would like to venture into the soft drinks industry in India. The definition of a soft drink market is the retail sale of bottled water, juices, carbonates, functional drinks, ready to drink (RTD) tea and coffee, and smoothies (Datamonitor, 2011). According to Dat amonitor (2011), the India soft drinks market is valued at $3. 8 million as of 2010 even though it accounts only 3. 3% of the overall value in the Asia-Pacific market.Japan and China hold the top two positions with a combined market share of 71. 2% (Datamonitor, 2011). Hence, before setting up an operation in India, the company need to know further details of the local soft drinks industry such as the market share, the customer profile, the suppliers and the competitors. As such, the main purpose of this report is to analysis the feasibility of the India expansion and gives proper recommendations. The Porter's Diamond analysis, the SWOT analysis and Porter’s 5 Forces analysis will be used to evaluate and comprehend the India soft drinks market. . FACTOR CONDITIONS Firstly, we will evaluate the factor conditions of India which may serve as an opportunity or a threat towards our venture into the soft drinks industry. 1. 1 OPPORTUNITIES 1. 1. 1 INDIA’S PHYSICAL RESOURCES India is a country rich of raw materials, resources and land. For this report, we will focus on those physical resources that are essential for the soft drinks industry – water, sugar, aluminium, power sources. With a land space of over 2. 9 million square kilometres (sq km) and a population of 1. 2 billion people, India has only 314,070 sq km of water (CIA World Fact book, 2012). Even though the Indian government has done many things do improved the situation by building water plants and water piping in the urban and rural areas, there are still about 18. 5% of the population (226 million) that lack access to clean, drinkable water (CESS INDIA, 2004) With a sophisticated water purification installed in our soft drinks plantation, A. G. Barr are able to process the unclean water into safe, drinkable water and use it for the basis of the final products. Hence, A. G.Barr will be able to offer an alternative drinking source for the citizens with our soft drinks products. Next, w ith a total arable territory of about 1. 2 million sq km, agriculture is the biggest industry and plays a major role in the socioeconomic growth of India (Maps of India, 2012). According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (2012) and the Maps of India (2012), India is the 2nd biggest world producers of sugarcane (sugar) with about 453 sugar mills located all over India. INCLUDEPICTURE â€Å"http://faostat. fao. org/DesktopModules/Faostat/Images/T20/ChartPic_3nemzw945otecriq01oo. ng? 3f2841b2-add0-4841-9dc7-5707a2a011f0† * MERGEFORMATINET Table 1: Top Production – Sugar cane 2010 Source: FAO Thirdly, for aluminium, India is the fifth biggest producer in the world after Australia, Guinea, Brazil and Jamaica (Maps of India, 2012). Finally, to obtain vast economic growth and a flourishing industrial sector, the Indian government has invested and given top precedence to the power sector of the nation and as of the 21st century, India is able to generate about 90% of its own energy through (Maps of India, 2012):Thermal/Coal Power Hydro Power Renewable Resources Power Nuclear Power With most of the raw materials and resources readily available in India, the price for these materials will be relatively standard and low. Hence, this will lower the cost of production. This is a key factor in venturing into the India market as A. G. Barr require a huge amount of clean water and sugar to produce the soft drink products. 1. 2 THREATS 1. 2. 1 INFRASTRUCTURE The infrastructure in India is one of the most problematic and unreliable in the world.As stated previously, even though India is able to generate 90% of its power, due to the poor financial position of many power supply companies, the power supplies are always inconsistent and frequently being cut-off (‘India: Risk overview', 2011). Hence, companies, offices and industrial plants need to have their own back-up power facilities to ensure no interruption to the production p rocesses (‘India: Risk overview', 2011). The road and railway system in India is still undependable and many traffic congestions are resulted due to the inadequacy.Pan (Asiamoney, 2010) notes that while the Indian government are investing US$1 trillion in infrastructure from 2012 to 2017, political bureaucracy and lack of good projects are hindering the developments of infrastructure. At the same time, Roy (Euromoney, 2010) reports that while Mr. Rajiv Lall, chief executive of state-run lender Infrastructure Development Finance Company believes India infrastructure has been slowly improving, the dependable relationship between the public sector and the private sectors in infrastructure will lead to corruption and thus may hinder the progression of big infrastructure projects.Therefore, any company that wish to venture into India soft drinks market will need to spend a sizeable amount on power generator and water purification facilities. This huge expenditure will put a dent on the initial capital investment and A. G. Barr need to take this into account and plan on how much of the expenditure to be transferred over to the final consumers through the products. 1. 2. 2 EDUCATION AND LABOUR According to several organizations; CIA (2012), US Department of State (2011) and WEF (2011), India’s literacy rate is only at 61%.The education level in India is low as many of the population live in poverty or the slump and unable to afford going school. Moreover, the Indian government lacks of provision of education is hindering its people to learn and receive knowledge. This result in a low skilled workforce and the unemployment rate for youth age 15 to 24 in India is high at 10. 5% (CIA World Fact Book, 2012). While a soft drink company with high technology facilities and processes requires employees with minimal skills, it is still essential for these workers have a basic understanding and motor skills to operate the high-tech, expensive machineries.Another e nd of the spectrum is those highly educated Indians where the information technology (IT) sector is booming. These IT personnel and engineers are viable to our company as they able to manage, supervise and suitable of the higher ranking jobs. Hence, to ensure the workers hired have the essential skills, A. G. Barr will need to frequently conduct training programs, skills development workshops and have simple instructions which are easy to follow. 2. DEMAND CONDITIONS With the relaxation of the Indian government policy on FDIs and foreign companies, the soft drinks industry had change tremendously.As the US and EU markets are highly saturated, companies are looking into the Asian markets to expand and gain more revenues. Apart from China, Japan and South Korea, India is the 4th leading Asian soft drinks market and the market is still growing and has yet to reach its saturation point. In 2010, there is a substantial demand for soft drinks as the market has grown by 10. 4% (Datamonitor , 2011). Datamonitor (2011) even predicts that by 2015, the Indian market will grow to a value of $5. 8 million. Table 2 shows the growth of India soft drink market from 2006 to 2010.Table 2: India soft drinks market volume: million liters, 2006–10(e) Datamonitor (2011) also reports that as of 2010, the soft drinks industry has generated total revenues of $3. 8 billion and with 50% of the total revenues, carbonates sale is the most profitable category. Table 3: India soft drinks market segmentation: % share, by value, 2010(e) It is essential to note that currently there is a growing trend of â€Å"vitamin water† or â€Å"nutrient water† in the world as many people are becoming more health conscious.The Times (London) (2012) reports that even India is not spared from the trend as PepsiCo, together with Tata Global Beverages, intend to market the â€Å"nutrient water† to India’s urban, middle-class consumers where a bottle of such product will cost s lightly higher than a standard bottled water. Hence, this could greatly affect the retail sales of carbonates. A. G. Barr has already altered its products to regular variants to low calorie and no added sugar variants in accordance to the gradual shift towards healthly living in the UK (A.G. Barr, 2012). For example, its popular porduct, IRN-BRU now comes in a sugar free variation, the ‘IRN-BRU sugar free’. Thus, the â€Å"nutrient water† market is another sector A. G. Barr could develop into not only in UK but also in India. 3. RELATED AND SUPPORTING INDUSTRIES 3. 1 AVAILABILITY OF RELATED AND SUPPORTING INDUSTRIES India has huge supporting industries for the soft drinks market and the availablity of the main components for a soft drinks company in India is high.There are 453 sugar mills in India and the top 6 growing states are located in the Northern, Southern and Western regions of India (Maps of India, 2012). Noteably, the Indian government has been extentsi vely investing in the agriculture sector to ensure that the process of the sector from raw materials to warehousing and merchandising flow smoothly. And as for the aluminium industry, India has a sizeable number of aluminium plants located mainly in Northern and Southern regions. 3. 2 BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERSAs inputs are readily available, suppliers are unable to provide their services or sell their products at a higher price than their competitors as it is of no loss to the soft drinks company since the company is able to get the same or better services and products from other suppliers. A. G. Barr is able to obtain the primary inputs for its products through several sources in the region or state. Thus, the bargaining power of suppliers such as the packaging producers and raw materials and soft drinks ingredients producers are relatively low (Datamonitor, 2011). 3. 3 BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERSThe power of the retailers and distributors in this market is weak as most soft dri nks manufactures work closely with the local bottling companies to distribute the ready for sale products to buyers within a certain region or sector (Datamonitor, 2011). Datamonitor (2011) also reports that with 46. 3% of the total market volume, the independent retailers such as the small family mart shops are the main distribution channels for soft drinks but this could change with the introduction of super and hypermarkets. Thus, consumers will have a wider range of soft drinks brands to choose from.In order to gain relatively significant market share, A. G. Barr needs to do plenty of advertising and promotion. One of the strategies A. G. Barr could adopt is to set their soft drinks at a lower price than the main competitors, TCCC and PepsiCo in the rural areas while maintaining the same price in the urban areas where most of the middle-income and high-income classes have high consumer purchasing power. 4. FIRM STRATEGY, STRUCTURE AND RIVALRY 4. 1 CULTURAL IMPACT ON FIRM STRATEG Y AND STRUCTURE A. G. Barr core strategic focus is based on the following 7 platforms (A. G.Barr, 2012): Core Brands and Markets Portfolio development Route to market Partnerships Efficient Operations People Development Sustainability To ensure these strategies and structure is maintain in other country, A. G. Barr has to train its overseas employees, make them understand and cultivate the A. G. Barr working culture. However, this will be a tough challenge in India due to the poor education and different socio-culture. Thus, A. G. Barr needs to accommodate its Western working culture with India working culture, however without losing its main mission and strategy.To ensure this is excuted properly, A. G. Barr needs to obtain a specialist in the Indian market and culture. 4. 2 RIVALRY AMONG EXISTING COMPETITORS In India, the soft drink market is dominated by three main players – The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), PepsiCo and Parle Bisleri Ltd – securing 74. 1% of the total m arket volume (Datamonitor, 2011). Table 4: India soft drinks market share: % share, by volume, 2010(e) BBC News (2011) reports that TCCC planned to invest $2 billion in India to boost its market share and expected India to be in its top five markets by 2020.Meanwhile, PepsiCo intend to launch a new product, â€Å"nutrient water† with Tata Water targeting at the young urban consumers to gain more market shares (Pagnamenta, 2012). This shows how competitive the rivalry in the India soft drinks industry where the two major market shares are actively investing and developing new products to gain more shares. 4. 3 THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS The big players of the India soft drinks industry are actively improving themselves and distinguishing their products through various methods. Furthermore, TCCC and PepsiCo are renowned world soft drinks brands which have been existing in the India market for many years.Though new companies in the industry may have difficulty competing with the exi sting players, it may accomplish small success by using different production method or focusing on the lesser ventured catergories of the soft drinks markets such as health drinks and energy drinks (Datamonitor, 2011). This could be a major break through for A. G. Barr as its most popular products; the IRN-BRU; is low in sugar and contains additional benefits of an energy drink. In addition, the Rockstar series which are designed to target those who lead active lifestyles may be able to attract the young, urban consumers.With several advertising accolades, A. G. Barr has the knowledge and is able use the power of media to attract potential consumers and gain more market shares. 4. 4 THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES The main substitutes for soft drinks markets are traditonal tea and coffee, homemade juices and fresh water from the water plants or piping system. As A. G. Barr and other leading soft drinks companies have diverse products to cater to the different needs of the consumers – c arbonates, bottled water, juices etc – this will narrow down the threat of substitutes.However, the threat is still relatively moderate as retailers and distributors may give more shelf space for traditional tea and coffee products as they may be stored at room temperatures (Datamonitor, 2011). 5. GOVERNMENT BBC News (2011) reports that India is ranked 95th out of 183 nations in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions (TICP) list. Due to the high corruption scandals among its government officials, low or invisible legislative work, red tape and bureaucracy, India has dropped from 87th in 2010 to 95th (BBC News, 2011).Despite its numerous intervention, corruption in India is an issue which is very difficult to get rid off since most of the political members and officals have their own agendas and are resistant to change (‘India: Risk overview', 2011). Hence, foreign companies will faced many setbacks when they venture into the India sectors. 6. ROLE OF CHAN CE The role of chance plays a small part in factoring the soft drinks industry as most of the technology are at it most advanced state. The only main issue currently is the Iran oil crisis.As India still refuses to cut Iranian oil imports, this may lead to a huge setback if USA decides to attack Iran and ignore India’s relation with Iran (CBS News, 2012, Kennedy, 2012). With a potential strain relationship with USA, this could lead to severe freeze in the trade and foreign direct investments. Furthermore, the other two traid nations, EU and Japan, may follow suit USA’s decision to cut ties with India for refusing to withdraw the purchasing of Iranian oil. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the soft drinks market in India is huge though it is predominately hold by 3 major key players.To venture into this territory, a new company need to set itself apart from the majpr players through unique advertising, differentiated production method and diverse product offerings. New companie s may set an initial low price of its products to attract consumers however; this should not be a long term strategy. Companies need to have a huge capital investment to counter the corruption, trade policies and poor infrastructure. Thus, expenditures and initial start-up cost will be high and companies will have to redistribute part of the cost to its final consumers in order to gain profits.PART B: CRITICAL EVALUATION OF PORTER'S NATIONAL DIAMOND MODEL Michael E. Porter is a well renowned economic strategist whom has writen 18 books and over125 articles (HBS, 2008). With a core field in competitive strategy, Porter has written and developed a number of strategic frameworks such as the Porter’s National Diamond model and Porter’s 5 Forces analysis. Since the model was based on eight developed countries and two industrialized countries, an analysis on developing, growing countries such as India is flawed.This is because these developing countries are not on the same e conomic level as the 10 countries. Thus, though the Porter’s National Diamond (PND) model analysis almost every aspect of India’s profile, it still lacks in-depth analysis and companies should not base their analytical evaluation on the PND model alone. As supported by Van Den Bosch, and Van Proojien (1992), both authors believed that PND model provide limited analysis on the control of national culture on the competitive advantage of nations.Similar to the EU countries, India too has a diverse set of culture which plays significant role in the management of the country’s economy, laws, trade policies and governance. There are limited sources on India and the soft drinks market due to the lack of legistative work from the government officals. Furthermore, some of the reports or statistics may not be entirely accurate due to the high corruption level. For example, reports may state that India is able to generate 90% of its power but the power plants are inconsist ent and supplies are frequently distrupted.Also, to what extend is the literacy rate of India is correct? The literacy rates may be higher than stated as with 1. 22 billion people, India officials may have a tough job collecting the accurate datas. Moreover, with high poverty and low income, most of Indian citizens have the ‘thrifty mindset’ whereby they prefer things which are basically free even though it maybe harmful such as drinking untreated water. These are the pros of the PND model for India: Analysis different aspect of the country profileTakes into account the role of Government which is the most essential for India These are the cons of the PND model for India: Limited credible sources for analysis Little depth as India is a huge country with various swinging factors. Limited analysis on the cultural effect on a country’s competitive advantage Ways to improve the PND model for India: Supporting the model with other analysis model such as PEST, SWOT, Po rter’s 5 Forces and Fons Trompenaars’ Seven Cultural Dimensions. Intentsive research on the market and the growth of the market. REFERENCES A. G. Barr (2012) About Us.Available at: http://www. agbarr. co. uk/agbarr/newsite/ces_general. nsf/wpg/about_us-our_strategy (Accessed: 22 March 2012). BBC News (2011) Coke plans $2bn India investment in bid to boost growth. Available at: http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-15731884 (Accessed: 20 February 2012). BBC News (2011) India Transparency International corruption index blow. Available at: http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/world-asia-india-15979646 (Accessed: 01 March 2012). CBS News (2012) U. K. : Attack on Iran has â€Å"enormous downsides†. Available at: http://www. cbsnews. com/8301-202_162-57380838/u. . -attack-on-iran-has-enormous-downsides/? tag=mncol;lst;1 (Accessed: 20 February 2012). India. CESS (2004) Right to Drinking Water in India. Available at: http://www. cess. ac. in/cesshome/wp%5CWater. pdf (Accessed: 22 March 2012). CIA (2012) South Asia, India. Available at: https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in. html (Accessed: 20 February 2012). FAO (2012) Faostat. Available at: http://faostat. fao. org/site/339/default. aspx (Accessed: 01 March 2012). HBS (2008) Harvard Business School Faculty & Research. Available at: http://drfd. bs. edu/fit/public/facultyInfo. do? facInfo=bio&facEmId=mporter (Accessed: 10 April 2012). ‘India: Risk overview’ (2011) Business Asia, 43, 14, pp. 10-11, Business Source Premier, EBSCO [Online]. Available at http://searchebscohost. com (Accessed: 22 March 2012). Kennedy (2012) US Pleas for Asia to Cut Iranian Oil Imports Fall on Deaf Ears, Oilprice. Available at: http://oilprice. com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/US-Pleas-for-Asia-to-Cut-Iranian-Oil-Imports-Fall-on-Deaf-Ears. html (Accessed: 20 February 2012). Maps of India (2012) India Agriculture. Available at: