Quantitative Methods in Aerospace Cargo Transportation Management Research Paper

Quantitative Methods in Aerospace Cargo Transportation Management - Research Paper Example Following pattern based strategy, analyzing the current trends, forecast and other predictive models, it is absolutely necessary to ensure potentially significant changes and improvements are introduced in cargo transportation management. Appropriate decision making cycle is required today to meet tomorrow's market demands . The key drivers that will dominate the air cargo world in the years to come are its standards, security and seamless movement across borders. This study will highlight the initiatives driven by important governing bodies like IATA, TIACA, Cargo Committee, Cargo Executive Summit to achieve those very goals of optimization and superior standards of cargo management.Significant gains in productivity can be achieved through advanced and more efficient IT-support and improved software systems, as well as automated transportation and handling equipment. The primary objective of this study is to reflect a few challenges and to present new insights and successful solutio ns to operational problems of cargo systems and cargo management. It has to be a collective effort with focus on the state of the art, applications of quantitative methods, as well as simulation results backed by authorities like IATA, TIACA and others whose initiative are in the interest of the industry. Initiatives are mainly keeping the larger picture in mind, to accommodate globalization of logistics, process complexity, need for fore cast, cost control, operational performance, Air freight company objectives, industry landscape, enhanced technology to support optimization. 2. Overview - Air Cargo Facts from IATA: Air Cargo is a US$50 billion business that transports 35% of the value of goods traded internationally and a critical part of the airline business which, as a whole, is the US$490 billion heart of a value chain that supports 32 million jobs and US$3.5 trillion of economic activity. It is an important industry that is critical to global business. While IATA continues in its endeavour to improve Aviation industry's competitiveness by cutting airport charges, improving fuel efficiency and other initiatives, there is focussed approach as far as Cargo priorities are concerned. Their attempt to simplify the business is already delivering results. E-freight is a reality and their US$28 billion settlement system is the supply chain's financial backbone which will be discussed further in the below sections. Apart from E-freight, their priorities include Cargo Safety, Cargo Security, Cargo and Environment, CASS and agency programmes along with Cargo Standards. It is imperative, IATA's priorities in Cargo Management ideally is the basic outline based on which quantitative methods for Aerospace Cargo Transportation Management have to be developed and implemented. Before there is further detailing on quantitative methods, a quick glance at the key drivers of Cargo world and its potential impact on business are listed below: Reduce operating costs Maintain optimum levels of

Answer those question regarding to wall street journal Essay

Answer those question regarding to wall street journal - Essay Example Pass secretaries, appointed by the president, help, or advise him or her on how best to carries out official duties. Their mandates outlined in the constitution are to act in the presidents capacity within their areas of responsibility. As provided in the constitution, concerning the assignment of duty by the president, no decision shall require unprecedented authorization. Permanent campaign refers to reforms in American politics from old technique patronage of party machines system to contemporary use of the media and political consultants. The shift influences modern politics in a way that politicians continuously make rational and informed decision that promote public participation in strategy agenda. Permanent campaign theory emphasize on public approval of political leaders, contrary to party affiliations as a governance strategy. The background of a president greatly relates to level of executive performance during their term in office. Background influence emanated from judicial powers bestowed upon an American president to make autonomous decisions. In the first place, the president has executive privilege that allows him to withhold from revealing any communications made directly to him in exercising administrative duties. The second is state secrets privilege to withhold information in legal proceedings. The president’s background can cause him to use privileges to perform executive duties. The key point of multiple advocacies is influencing public opinion and resource allocation choices not only in political spheres but also in economic and social fields and organizations. It is a mixed form of system because it has many activities like media campaigns, public dialogue, ordering, and issuing

Laws and Guidelines Regulating E-Commerce

Laws and Guidelines Regulating E-Commerce Laws and Guidelines regulating e Commerce http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ Use the link above and the course textbook to investigate the following legislation and guidelines Why it was introduced? What must an e commerce business do to avoid contravening these rules? Data Protection Act (1998) To allow the users data to be protected when they are using any website. To prevent people from gaining access to sensitive information when purchasing or signing into a business website. This .blocks users access into the systems database where the users personal and sensitive information is stored. A business should avoid breaking these laws by making sure that when a user enters sensitive information that they are protected from people being able to gain access to that information. Users should also be aware that the information is being stored on the website and ensured that their data is protected. Computer Misuse Act (1990) To prevent people from being able to gain access into peoples computers since the internet was becoming a large-scale application. It was introduced to prevent hackers from gaining access into computers and being able to get away with it. To avoid breaking the law a business must ensure that they have antivirus software to prevent hackers from getting into the system and being able to get access to users sensitive information. As well as to make sure that, the business does not use the clients details to gain access to their information. They should also be aware of the ways to get malware and other viruses. Consumer Credit Act (1974) To make sure that users where aware of what was happening with their data within an agreement and if they werent happy they would be able to break the contract/ decline the contract to prevent their data from being leaked it also ensures that payments will be made. This cooling off period is within a period of two weeks. In addition, retailers are guaranteed with  £25,000 worth of payments. A business must make sure that they disclose what the arrangements are for the user. Such as making sure users are aware of the period that they can return the product. Trading Standards Trading standards where introduced to prevent traders from providing their users with dodgy products and to make sure users got a high quality product. Local governments also decide on whether or not the trading company is u to the trade standards. A business needs to make sure that it is able to get approval to make sure that the product provided is up to trading standards. Freedom of Information Act (2000) The Act was introduced to allow people to view the activities that the business has been doing to make sure that users are aware of what the business has been doing. This can come under the form of a request from the company if the information is not public. This comes under peoples right of having the right to know. A business should make sure that they are able to provide the appropriate information to users about the companys activities and if a user request to see information that isnt public that the user is aware if they should be able to have access to that information. Copyright Legislation Copyright legislation was introduced to make sure that a persons property was protected from other people copying it and using it for their own product/idea. This was first introduced with the Copyright and design Act, which allowed companies to be able to protect their property such as logos or music this would then be able to go on for a set amount of time where it can then be renewed. As business, it is important that they are aware what pieces of work are an infringement of someones/another companys piece of work under the copyright conditions. E-commerce Regulations It was introduced to make sure that users are aware of the protection and use of their data and what their data might be used for. It also provides users with information about the company such as where their brick stores are located as well as the contact details to be able to get into contact with the business. It also allows sure to make amendments to orders if they were to mistype the order. It is important that the business makes sure that the users are protected and that their data isnt stored onto the site for people to use.

Testing in Educational Facilities Essay -- Learning Test Tests Argumen

Testing in Educational Facilities A puddle of saliva covers my book as I wake up to the buzzing of my alarm. Oh no! My head was heavy and waking up was not something I wanted to do, especially when I realized that I fell asleep while I was studying for my chemistry test. I had fifteen minutes to get ready for school. At that point showering was not going to be my priority. I had fifteen minutes to memorize as much information as I possibly could. But I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, in fact, merely impossible. So, I threw on my clothes, grabbed a piece of gum, and tossed my books into my bag. Today was not going to be a good day. Since the day we are born we are watched. We are observed, then analyzed, and then soon tested. All of these things are simply done for our own good. They are there to make sure that we, as children, are off on the right start. But, at what age does it turn bad? When testing gives us the wrong ideas about competitiveness, when testing is used to compare us to others, and when testing puts unnecessary pressures and stress on us, it is no longer good as a whole. Because of these reasons, and many more, testing in educational facilities is detrimental to the learning process. On the opposing side, testing is not looked upon to be detrimental to the learning process. Some even consider it to be crucial to learning. Testing is often considered to be used simply as a measure of progress throughout the progression of learning. Some people view testing and grading as a motivation to allow students to strive to be the best and push to be better than those around them. Some people even believe that testing and grading is an important tool to prepare some students for the real world. S... ...ntage of there education is a gift. And with this gift I want to make it a celebration. Every student in America should no longer have to worry about there academic standing but rather there intellect and intelligent piece of mind. Learning has gotten to the point where it no longer is encouraging but rather discouraging. And I am no longer going to just sit around and watch it happen. I was once part of it, and I will not be part of letting it go on. Learning is an important factor of this world, and if we wont settle for bad grades, then why should be settle for bad learning habits. Works Cited Hillocks, Jr, George. The Testing Trap: How Assessments Control Learning. New York, NY, 2002 Henning-Stout, Mary. Responsive Assessment. San Francisco, CA,1994 Gellman, Estelle. School Testing: What Parents and Educators Need to Know.Westport, CT 1995

Should Adopted Kids Have the Right to Know Who Their Biological Parents Are

Should Adopted Kids Know Who Their Biological Parents Are? Whether adoptive children should know who their birth parents is something that is questioned too much. Children should have the right to be able to know who their birth parents are if they choose to do so. If children do not want to know who their birth parents are then they probably have a reason behind it. Children who do not know who their birth parents are, should find out who they are so that they can have contact with them.Some children are absolutely accurate that they do not want to know about who their birth parents are, but on the other hand some children do want to figure out who their birth parents are. All children that are adopted should have the right to find out who their biological parents are. There are so many reasons why a child should find out who their biological parents are so that they know what they are going to face later on in life. For a children to know who their biological parents are can be hel pful for both the child and their biological parents.If the child is to grow up and have a disease then the child should know what kind of disease that they are going to face throughout their life. It is important the the child should know about the medical and even the genetic history of their family. If the child was to not know what kind of medical problems they have, then they would not have an idea about what they have. This is important for the child to know so that way they can know what they are up against. Medical problems are an important factor for the child to know about so that they do not end up being sick or even worse end up in the hospital.The children not knowing what kind of medical condition they have can lead to complications. The child can be affected greatly from this because it could cause them to not be able to do the things that they did before. There is times when it does not affect them too bad, but at times it can cause something serious. There is so man y reasons why a child should not find out who their biological parents are, like for instance the parents could be harmful. If the child was being abused then the parents should not have the right to see the child. When the child obtains this information then they might think that there should be revenge.This could be avoided if the adoptive parents do not allow the child to have contact with the child. Therefore the whereabouts and their information should be kept away from the biological parents, but kept secretly by the adoptive parents. When the child wants to find their biological parents it can sometimes make them feel betrayed. Like for instance the care of the child by the adoptive parents could have involved money, social matters, and even time for the child. The foster parents have as much right as the biological parents to be parents of the adoptive child.This can occur for the matter of fact that adoption involves the transfer of rights from the foster parents to the bio logical parents. The transfer is not like a contract because it does not end when the child becomes grown up, but goes throughout their entire life Child adoption can be controversial because it requires time to handle and address things in order to take care of effective questions that may come up. Adoption is the practice where rights from the biological parents of their child are transferred permanently to the adoptive parents, which are known also as the foster parents.In some countries adoption undergoes many precautions so that they can ensure that the adoptive parents have a reason for why they want to adopt a child. Adoption is different because the biological parents do not interfere with the child as they grow up. In the Unites States it is said that about one hundred and twenty thousand cases of child adoption occur each year. Adoption has committed to many different reasons form whether the biological parents cannot care for the child to where they can not provide certai n needs for the child.Since adoption includes the transfer of rights from biological parents to the foster parents the child does not know if they are adopted or not. This is unless that the adoptive parents make the decision to decide whether to tell the child that they are adopted. The issues of adoption can be very tender and can cause torture to the child if the information is given to them at a later age. To help take care of this situation the information is hidden from the child until they are old enough to make their own decisions. However many children have the desire to know why they were adopted and who their biological parents are.For the child to be willing to find out who their biological parents are is something that a lot of people question. On the other hand it is the right of the child to search for their biological parents if they have the desire to. When they are grown up then they have the right to make their own decision about what they want to do. No one shoul d have the right to tell someone not to do something that they want to do. All children should have the right to choose whether they want to find out who their biological parents are without the saying of other people.

Critical Analysis of Dillard’s “An American Childhood” Essay

Throughout â€Å"An American Childhood†, Dillard shares with us her childhood experiences with her dear mother. Dillard’s admiration for her mother is clearly visible through the way she explains in depth all of the memorable situations and events. Dillard explains how intelligent her mother was and how she always played mind games with her and her sister. The characteristic Dillard displays of her mother can tell the audience that Mother is as unique and spontaneous as can be. After hearing one phrase over the television â€Å"Terwilliger bunts one†, Mother would be using it for over 7 years in odd ways such as saying it to testing a microphone or writing it to test a pen if it had ink. If anyone spoke in French around her she would reply to them with â€Å"Terwilliger bunts one†, just because she liked the way it sounded. During a trip to Florida, she would repeat words that interested her like â€Å"portulaca† or â€Å"Tampiami Trial†. Words always excited her, she would pronounce words carefully and spell them out aloud. She would ask Dillard as a child to spell hard words like â€Å"poinsettia† or â€Å"sherbet†, just to prove to them that they do not know it all yet. She once told Dillard that there was a deer in their hall. Dillard replied, â€Å"Really?†. â€Å"No,† replied Mother,† I just wanted to tell you something once without you saying ‘I know'†. Many of times Dillard was in line at the checkout stand with her mother at supermarkets, the cashier would ask â€Å"Save Stamps?† and mother would reply â€Å"No. I build model airplanes†. The quickness of diction and dry sense of humor makes Mother that much more unique and different from other mothers. When Dillard’s younger sister, Molly, started to crawl, Mother bought her gowns with drawstrings. Mother would walk up behind Molly and step on the drawstrings to get a laugh out of it. Molly would crawl, crawl, and crawl while gaining no distance. Mother exercised her career with anarchism by always dragging Dillard into her gags and pranks. If Mother were to get a call from a wrong number she would hand the phone to Dillard and expect her to act as the intended person who was called. One day at a the Highland Park Zoo, Mother walked up to a couple that were holding hands, sitting on a bench. She interrupted their private time by speaking to the male and acting as an ex-girlfriend who had a baby with the guy. Mother would point to Dillard and say she was their child. Mother then walked away with Dillard in hand waiting for the reaction of the female and answer from the male. Pulling pranks on random people like that which could have such a nasty effect somehow did not bother her. If Mother was ever bored in a situation, she would do something spontaneous to brighten it up. Dillard’s mother dearly loved to fluster people as well. If a board game, like checkers, was becoming dull or she was losing she would throw out game rules to mix it up. While her opponent was not looking she would switch up the pieces or hide them under the rug. During the card game â€Å"Rummy† she would play out of turn or call out a card she did not hold, simply to cause an uproar and watch the reaction. â€Å"She was an unstoppable force†. When Mother moved to a new house, she came marching to the Post Office’s door demanding that she keep her same address because she already had stationary printed with the old address. Dillard’s mother was also a designer for inventions and a remodeler of earlier inventions. The corkscrew irked her the most and she claimed that the inventor of it never used it to see if it worked. Mother designed an invention called the â€Å"Lendalarm† which was a beeper that was attached to a borrowed item. It would beep after ten days and could only be turned off by the owner. Dillard’s mother was encouraged by opposition and would take any one on with passion whether it was a doctor, the mayor, or the President of the United States, she would â€Å"fly at them with a flurry of passion, as a songbird selflessly attacks a hawk†. Dillard’s mother was an incredible and extraordinary person, that expressed her sense of humor and displayed her intelligence every day.

New Implimentation of ERP System at the Internal Revenue Essays

New Implimentation of ERP System at the Internal Revenue Essays New Implimentation of ERP System at the Internal Revenue Essay New Implimentation of ERP System at the Internal Revenue Essay The transformation at the IRS gave useful insight to a real life overhaul of a system that was not meeting the needs of its consumers. The IRS has a very expansive group of customers, every person and group that does business, or has business transactions in the USA could be considered its customers. The size of the Iriss customer base increases the need to avoid tenancies similar to what Mr.. Cotter identifies in his article, Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail. Even though transitions are/should be an ongoing effort to continue to improve, the New IRS is receiving better reviews and headed in the right direction with the right leadership and a goal of continuous improvement. The relationship that the IRS has with its consumers can be temperamental. The article identified that there is a segment of the population that consciously evades the responsibility of paying taxes. It goes on to say that if the IRS doesnt deal with that small percentage of non- compliant citizens, it could cause other taxpayers to feel like they are being treated unfairly. What makes this relationship more complicated is that it is required by law. When a consumer of a good is unsatisfied with the product they are receiving, they can usually go elsewhere and get what they want. With taxes, there is no other way than through the IRS. So if the service is bad, it will irritate taxpayers causing them to turn in poor quality tax returns or Join those who consciously evade paying taxes. The IRS can influence taxpayers desire to pay taxes by making the interfacing system they use easy. A simple tax preparation user system will not discourage taxpayers, whereas a complicated tax system will frustrate taxpayers and cause some taxpayers o choose not to pay taxes altogether. By upgrading the processes that the IRS use to serve the public, they help themselves by having a more efficient system. In Mr.. Cotters article, Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail he lists errors to avoid when making significant changes in the way a company operates. The first error that he addresses is that companies do not establish a great enough sense of urgency. I do not feel like this was a large problem for Mr.. Risotto and the rest of management of the IRS. With a mandate from congress, and a general public unhappy with its services, the IRS had plenty of urgency to start the transformation process. One area that received special attention in the article was the IRS call centers. The country had outgrown the old system and had made feeble attempts that failed to update it. Evidence of a failing system is cited in the article when it talks about the IRS call centers. Mr.. Risotto attributed the unsatisfactory service to long, complicated calls and old IT systems. A cross-functional committee was formed that identified the call centers as a target for improvement. This was a smart plan cause with a state-of-the-art call system, customers wouldnt need to call back several times hoping to get an answer. The new system routed them to an expert on the subject of question rather than a general staff IRS employee that had no specialized training under the old system. Lean Practices. Currently at work, I am going through a Six Sigma training that encourages waste reduction and maximum efficiency. It is interesting to see the parallels between what I have learned from Six Sigma, the articles written by Mr.. Cotter, and the article put out by Iraqi Technology. They all speak of the importance f the need to have a cultural change that will allow acceptance of a new system by the employees and for management to be the champion of the transformation taking p lace. Without company support, any IT system overhauls or company transformations will fail, and the management who half-heartily supported the failed transformation will lose respect and followers. Management needs to create a strong enthusiastic team that will sell the transformation to the company. This team needs to convince the system users that their lives will get better by implementing the needed changes and then be able to deliver on those promises. A great way to keep the momentum of the project going is to celebrate short-term wins. Public recognition for a process improvement will fuel the fire of a company transformation. Employees will see their peers and colleagues get recognized and get excited to Join in the company conversion to an improved place to work. Cotter said, Without motivation, people wont help and the effort goes nowhere. I think that it would be a great improvement for the IRS to contract out collection work to outside sources. It does not speak about the current process, but there are entities out there that robbery could do it better than the IRS. My reasoning behind that assumption is another assumption that government collectors are not paid commissions. If the IRS contracted out the collection line of business to an agency that got paid commissions on what they collected, my assumption would be that the company under contract would bring in more money to get greater commissions. Money is a powerful motivator, and with the legal backing of the IRS to collect, a collection agency paid on commission would be pretty motivated to collect. This also allows the IRS to focus ore on the majority customer and to provide top-quality service to its customers by narrowing its scope. Companies that can focus on one area of service usually are able to do it better than those who choose to operate multiple lines of business. At the end of the article, Mr.. Risotto acknowledged that the IRS is still far from reaching all of its objectives. However, with reliable systems in place, he stated that they were confident they could eventually reach their goal. Having a good perspective of where your company has come from and where you hope to take it can be a great learning LOL moving forward.

Gogatsu byou May Sickness

Gogatsu byou May Sickness After Golden Week (a succession of holidays) is over, a symptom called, Gogatsu byou occurs to some Japanese people. Gogatsu means May and byou means sickness. It is a depression that affects some new students or employees during the first few months of their new life (the Japanese school year starts in April). It is not a medical term and is usually diagnosed as an adjustment disorder. It is always hard to get back to a regular routine after a nice long vacation. Japanese Translation ä ºâ€Ã¦Å"ˆçâ€"… ã‚ ´Ã£Æ' ¼Ã£Æ' «Ã£Æ'‡ãÆ' ³Ã£â€š ¦Ã£â€š £Ã£Æ' ¼Ã£â€š ¯Ã£ Å'ç µâ€šÃ£â€š Ã£  £Ã£ Å¸Ã£ â€šÃ£  ¨Ã£  Ã£â€šâ€°Ã£ â€žÃ£  «Ã£â‚¬ Ã¤ ºâ€Ã¦Å"ˆçâ€"…㠁 ¨Ã£ â€žÃ£ â€ Ã§â€"‡çŠ ¶Ã£  «Ã£ â€¹Ã£ â€¹Ã£â€šâ€¹Ã¤ º ºÃ£ Å'㠁„㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¦â€" °Ã£ â€"㠁„生æ ´ »Ã£â€šâ€™Ã¥ §â€¹Ã£â€š Ã£ Å¸Ã£Æ' ¶Ã¦Å"ˆã  ®Ã©â€"“㠁 «Ã£â‚¬ Ã¦â€" °Ã¥â€¦ ¥Ã§â€Å¸Ã£â€šâ€žÃ¦â€" °Ã¥â€¦ ¥Ã§ ¤ ¾Ã¥â€œ ¡Ã£  «Ã£  ¿Ã£â€šâ€°Ã£â€šÅ'る㠁†ã  ¤Ã§â€"…㠁 ®Ã£â€šË†Ã£ â€ Ã£  ªÃ£â€šâ€šÃ£  ®Ã£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€š(æâ€" ¥Ã¦Å" ¬Ã£  ®Ã¥ ­ ¦Ã¥ ¹ ´Ã¥ º ¦Ã£  ¯Ã¥â€ºâ€ºÃ¦Å"ˆã  «Ã¥ §â€¹Ã£  ¾Ã£â€šÅ Ã£  ¾Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€š) ä ºâ€Ã¦Å"ˆçâ€"…㠁 ¯Ã¥Å' »Ã¥ ­ ¦Ã§Å¡â€žÃ£  ªÃ¥  Ã§ § °Ã£  §Ã£  ¯Ã£  ªÃ£  Ã£â‚¬ Ã©  ©Ã¥ ¿Å"éšÅ"Ã¥ ® ³Ã£  ¨Ã¨ ¨ ºÃ¦â€" ­Ã£ â€¢Ã£â€šÅ'る㠁“㠁 ¨Ã£ Å'Ã¥ ¤Å¡Ã£ â€žÃ£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¥ ¹ ¸Ã£ â€žÃ£  ªÃ£ â€œÃ£  ¨Ã£  «Ã£â‚¬ Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¦Å" ¬Ã£  §Ã§ § Ã£  ¯Ã¤ ºâ€Ã¦Å"ˆçâ€"…㠁 «Ã£ â€¹Ã£ â€¹Ã£  £Ã£ Å¸Ã£ â€œÃ£  ¨Ã £  ¯Ã£ â€šÃ£â€šÅ Ã£  ¾Ã£ â€ºÃ£â€šâ€œÃ£ Å'〠Ã¦ ¥ ½Ã£ â€"㠁„é• ·Ã£ â€žÃ¤ ¼â€˜Ã£  ¿Ã£  ®Ã£ â€šÃ£  ¨Ã£â‚¬ Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¥ ¸ ¸Ã§â€Å¸Ã¦ ´ »Ã£  «Ã¦Ë† »Ã£â€šâ€¹Ã£  ®Ã£  ¯Ã¥ ¤ §Ã¥ ¤â€°Ã£  ªÃ£â€šâ€šÃ£  ®Ã£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£â€šË†Ã£  ­Ã£â‚¬â€š Romaji Translation Gooruden wiiku ga owatta ato gurai ni, gogatsu byou to iu shoujou ni kakaru hito ga imasu. Atarashii seikatsu o hajimeta ni, san kagetsu no aida ni, shinnyuusei ya shinnyuushain ni mirareru utsubyou no youna mono desu. (Nihon no gakunendo wa shigatsu ni hajimarimasu.) Gogatsu byou wa igakutekina meishou dewa naku, tekiou shougai to shindan sareru koto ga ooi desu. Saiwaina koto ni, nihon de watashi wa gogatsu byou ni kakatta koto wa arimasen ga, tanoshii nagai yasumi no ato, nichijou seikatsu ni modoru nowa taihenna mono desu yo ne. Note: The translation is not always literal. Beginners Phrase It is always hard to get back to a regular routine after a nice long vacation. Tanoshii nagai yasumi no ato, nichijou seikatsu ni modoru nowa taihenna mono desu.㠁Ÿã  ®Ã£ â€"㠁„ 㠁 ªÃ£ Å'㠁„ や㠁™ã  ¿Ã£  ®Ã£ â€šÃ£  ¨Ã£â‚¬ Ã£  «Ã£  ¡Ã£ ËœÃ£â€šâ€¡Ã£ â€ Ã£ â€ºÃ£ â€žÃ£ â€¹Ã£  ¤Ã£  « も㠁 ©Ã£â€šâ€¹Ã£  ®Ã£  ¯ 㠁Ÿã â€žÃ£  ¸Ã£â€šâ€œÃ£  ªÃ£â€šâ€šÃ£  ®Ã£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¦ ¥ ½Ã£ â€"㠁„é• ·Ã£ â€žÃ¤ ¼â€˜Ã£  ¿Ã£  ®Ã£ â€šÃ£  ¨Ã£â‚¬ Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¥ ¸ ¸Ã§â€Å¸Ã¦ ´ »Ã£  «Ã¦Ë† »Ã£â€šâ€¹Ã£  ®Ã£  ¯Ã¥ ¤ §Ã¥ ¤â€°Ã£  ªÃ£â€šâ€šÃ£  ®Ã£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€š

ACT Reading vs SAT Reading Which Is Easier

ACT Reading vs SAT Reading Which Is Easier SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Which is the harder section, ACT Reading or SAT Reading? We will break down the differences between SAT and ACT Reading to help you decide which section is harder for you. You might be surprised which one is easier! Major Differences Between SAT Reading and ACT Reading In this section, I'll break down the most critical differences between SAT Reading and ACT Reading. One test is not inherently easier than the other - it all depends on your skills. Keep your own strengths and weaknesses in mind as you read through the following sections. #1: Breaking Down Long Passages The ACT doesn’t always give line numbers in the questions. For what we call â€Å"little picture, find the detail† questions, you have to skim the whole reading passage to find the answer, whereas SAT always gives line numbers. See an ACT example below: Via ACT's Preparing for the ACT guide. For this question, you have to sift through the passage to find the one line that mentions this very particular detail. If you don't have a good memory for small details, this can take time. In contrast, you can approach the SAT Critical Reading section by reading the questions first and then going back to parts of the passage using the line numbers. For the ACT, you will have to at least skim the entire passage, even if you read the questions first. Our advice? If you have a good memory for longer passages and small details, you will have an advantage on the ACT. If you are good at picking information out of a passage, you might do better on the SAT. #2: Timing Timing is a bigger challenge on the ACT, as the ACT asks more questions per minute.SAT Reading has 52 questions in 65 minutes, giving you 75 seconds per question. On the other hand, ACT Reading has 40 questions in 35 minutes, which gives you just 52 seconds per question.This may not seem like a major difference, but all those extra seconds really add up when you're struggling to answer all the questions in a section before time is called. Keep on your eyes on your watch! Our advice? If pacing and answer questions quickly is a problem for you, you may find the time constraints of the SAT Reading section more manageable. #3: Evidence-Support Questions Are you good at pinpointing specific areas in texts that support your answers to questions? If so, the SAT may be a better fit for you. Evidence-support questions are a big part of SAT Reading but don't appear on ACT Reading. These questions build off of the questions that come before them and ask you to cite specific lines or paragraphs as evidence for your answer to a previous question. Here’s an example of an evidence-support question (with the question to which it's referring): As you can see, these questions can be challenging because theyrequire higher-level thinking and strong reasoning skills. If you're stuck on the first question, you likely won't get the second one right either. Our advice? If you struggle with interconnected questions or having concrete reasons for selecting a certain answer, you may find the ACT easier since it's Reading section doesn't include these types of questions. So Which Test Should You Take? The best way to decide which reading section you’ll do best on is to take real practice tests. Score yourself, and find out which test you score higher on based on percentiles. Also, based on those practice tests, figure out your weaknesses. Are you struggling on SAT’s evidence-based questions? Then the ACT might be a better choice for you. Are you struggling with finishing the ACT Reading section in time? Then maybe the SAT will be a better fit for you. Another strategy is to think about which test you like more. Sure, a test is a test, but you’ll probably find you enjoy one more than the other, and you may study more effectively for the test you like better. Finally, think about the other sections if you can't decide. For example, you might take a practice test and figure out you are slightly better at ACT Reading. But if ACT Math is really hard for you, it could cancel out the benefits of being better at ACT Reading. What’s Next? Want a comprehensive guide to whether the ACT or SAT is easier? Read this detailed breakdown. In this post we recommended taking a practice ACT and practice SAT reading sections to figure out your strength. Check out our links to free ACT and SAT practice tests to get started! What about the writing and math sections? See our complete guide to ACT versus SAT to compare your overall strengths and weaknesses. If you’re going with the SAT, learn and review SAT vocab using the waterfall method. Also check out our tips for a perfect 800 on Critical Reading by our full scorer. Vocabulary is still important on the ACT. Find out the words you must know! Also get a step-by-step essay guide and strategies for a perfect 36 on ACT Reading. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Advertising - Essay Example They used Spanish for Argentina market, English for US and German language for advertising in Germany, although rest of the Ad had the same symbols and logo throughout globally. The tag lines were entirely different as they were too solely tell the story about the particular country such as tagline or message for Argentina was â€Å"change the day, start within†, tagline for Germany â€Å"give (offer) yourself a break†, whereas for US market they opted tagline as â€Å"make the smart choice† Nescafe followed the emotional appeal for Germany and Argentina, and Ad had rational appeal for the United States market. For Argentina they show what would be one life without have a Nescafe coffee to start his/her day in a dramatic way with loads of vivid colors. For Germany campaign they drew the feeling of coolness, relaxing and calmness, they basic idea was to let know that after having Nescafe coffee they will be relaxed, this was clean and clear Ad, they showed a female is holding steaming Nescafe coffee mug. The coffee is sprinkled with the crushed coco bean or cinnamon with a brew down there. So it is not a busy Ad that will overpower the stimuli of viewer, this simply uses the psychological effect and an emotional appeal that those hands are of beautiful cool and calm mother who is relaxing after house chores or is back from office. As United States Ad is concern it was a rational ad campaign as it was in reference to an argument with Starbucks. It had to show that Nescafe is a better product. It just changed the copy and the mug, rest of the Ad was same with the message of â€Å"Make a Smart Choice†, jus to make sure viewer doesn’t jumble up with the Starbucks. Nescafe totally ruled with the global advertisement. All it need was a kick in fewer markets and they grew the financials. Nescafe have grown in different cultures and have advertised itself the way that particular country required.

English Language Learner do not Need to Become Perfect Speakers Essay

English Language Learner do not Need to Become Perfect Speakers - Essay Example One of the popular perceptions is that English learners needs to be perfect in the learning and should acquire the capability to speak flawless English. This is not a true scenario and it is just a general perception which could be disproved. It is not that the world comprises only of those people who know to read, write and speak English (Carrasquillo, A 1994). This paper will deal with the popular perceptions that are generally associated with language and its uses. Through a thorough, analysis and discussion, the paper will open up through facts that a person who is learning English need not have a great command over it in order to attain success in all of his dealings. It will also bring a clear picture that not all are good at English and there is no necessity to be afraid of being singled out in the learning process. Learning the basics of English is necessary for an effective communication and if one can put across the information confidently in an understandable manner, then the purpose is served well. There are different versions of English language available in the global scenario and this stands evidence that the language does not have a particular form. It adapts and evolves according to the place where the language is spoken. Thus, the essential part here remains the ability to communicate to the other party so that they can understand what is being said. Many people across the world give preference in learning their native language and take up English only as their second language. Except few English speaking countries, a vast majority of countries have only second language English speakers. This stands evident to the fact that a person who is learning the language need not be too specific about speaking perfect, flawless English as the person may often get to interact with other second language speakers of English rather than perfect English speakers (Mukherjee, J & Hundt, M 2011). Business English is fast evolving as the perfect medium of commun ication when it comes to trade and commerce. Business English learning is taken by non-native people who want to learn English as a second language. The learning form helps the people to communicate effectively in the world business forum and they were able to turn out great results using the communication. In this particular form of English learning, the rules as to strict grammar and sentences are not used; rather, the language is used for communicating effectively so that the other party can get to understand the conveyed message immediately. All the aspects of business communications like presentations, meetings and negotiations can be delivered with greater efficiency (Goudswaard, G 2006) If we take the case of International English, it is not something that is too perfect if the rules of English are concerned but it is the widely used form of communication. The world is composed of people speaking different languages and thus, it is not a necessity that the perfect English spe aker tag need to be carried around. Ultimately, we need to deal with more number of second languages English speakers than the native English speakers. All that the second language English speaker needs to do is to master the art of putting across the information in an understandable manner and there is no necessity to make rigid. In fact, many people would prefer a casual business discussion where only the subject matter of discussion is given utmost importance rather

Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire Instrument Critique Research Paper

Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire Instrument Critique - Research Paper Example In the development of the instrument, studies describing critically ill patients’ patterns of sleep were used as a theoretical basis for various items incorporated into the instrument. The instrument was validated against the polysomnograph and found to be an improvement in measuring sleep quality for patients in intensive care (Richards et al, 2000). As currently used, the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire reflects five items that are used for measuring sleep quality in ICU patients. These are the depth of sleep, ability to fall asleep, number of times the patients wake up, percentage of the time the patients are awake, and the overall sleep quality of the patients (Richards et al, 2000). The Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire, on top of these five items, also includes a rating for noise during the nighttime, which are scored using a visual analogue scale. The five scores for the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire is averaged, and the mean score used in determining sleep quality. Night shift nurses are required to complete the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire with regards to the sleep quality of their patients overnight, while the patients also fill in the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire after they wake up. The instrument was modified to measure how many awakenings the patient had during their sleep in order to d ifferentiate between patients who woke up frequently and those who did not wake up during their sleep. Further advances in the instrument involved the requirement that the items and directions on the questionnaire be read out to the patients in intensive care (Richards et al, 2000). This was because, while patients have been found to have little trouble in completing it if nurses read the items and directions out to them, majority of the critically ill patients had problems when completing the questionnaire without provision of assistance. However, for obvious reasons, this survey is only useful if the patients are awake and non-delirious. The visual analog nature of the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire scales means that, as a measure of the latency of sleep, it is not very sensitive in comparison to other modalities of scaling (Richards et al, 2000). For this reason, there is a need to revise the instrument. This could be done in order to improve the Richard-Campbell Sleep Ques tionnaire’s ability to predict the efficiency of sleep in intensive care patients. For example, the instrument could be revised by adding more items in an attempt to predict sleep efficiency with an improved percentage of variance. However, this will be done at the risk of decreasing the practicality of outcome measurements for patients who are critically ill (Richards et al, 2000), especially as increasing the number of items may be too much for nurses who are overworked and patients who are critically ill and may be too weak to answer them. The Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire’s predictive ability could also be potentially improved by adding another section with more items for nurses. This additional section would consist of additional observations that the nurses make for the critically ill patients’ quality of sleep (Richards et al, 2000). The Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire could also be revised to account for sleep characteristic

Welfare Benefits Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Welfare Benefits - Research Paper Example Although it was meant to help members of the American society deal with the crisis, which was affecting them at the time, many of its opponents believed that what it proposed was socialism; something that they believed was not in line with the American way of life. During this period, the greater part of women and people from minority groups in American society were excluded from getting any remuneration from the unemployment insurance and pensions for the elderly. In recent times, however, there have been reforms to the program and each state has its own welfare system according to the needs of its people. Since its inception, the provisions of welfare have been changing often due to the worries brought about by the situations of the economy as well as the changing roles of gender and the integration of minority groups into the American mainstream. During the 1950s, there were debates that focused more on how adequate coverage could be provided, moving away from the focus on which g roups of occupation could be included, as had been done before. Since then all the changes in Social Security have been attempts to bring about a balance between the provision of adequate protection as well as the promotion of equality while providing this security (Beland, 2008). When the original Social Security Act is compared to those of European countries during the same period, one will find that it does not include the range of programs that had been developed in these countries. This is because when this Act was formulated, it was done with the anticipation that any additional programs of social insurance and income support would be put in place later. Examples of such expected extensions are the providing of benefits for spouses and children, which was passed in 1939 and the passing of programs of assistance and insurance for the disabled people in the 1950s. The development of programs in other areas took more of a problem-solving and incremental approach. Hence, the Medic are and Medicaid programs were endorsed in 1965 as a response to specific medical care needs of the elderly in society and the professed insufficiency of medical care under public support (Social Security Bulletin, 2006). The introduction of the Food Stamp program in 1964 and its later extensive growth came as a response to the evidence that there was persistent hunger and malnutrition in some groups within the population despite the fact that the society was generally affluent. The Supplemental Security Income program was introduced in 1974 as a national minimum income guarantee for those people who were aged, blind, and disabled in society and this was to counteract the differences in the advantage levels and eligibility values appropriate to these people under the assistance programs. The Food Stamp program is available to individuals and families who are eligible for payments under the Supplemental Security Income Program and to those deprived persons and families who are not su itable for the latter program. Another characteristic of the development of social welfare policy in the United States is the considerable degree of decentralization that is displayed and a mechanism for this is the federal system of government, which divides responsibility among the federal, state, and local governments. Some of these programs are funded and administered by the federal government alone; others involve only the state, with or without the involvement of local governments; and finally, others involve all three levels of government. This federal structure serves three main purposes in this welfare policy and these are the dispersal of

Speaking in Gods Name -Islamic Law, Authority and Women Essay

Speaking in Gods Name -Islamic Law, Authority and Women - Essay Example Apparently, one unspoken approach perceived by the author was that of a participant in a continuing conversation. On the other hand, a rational reader may take the words to mean as it was written regardless of how others may think about it (Abou El-Fadl 2). Various religious denominations and sects like Judaism, Christianity and Islam have their independent views on the idea of nineteen (19) angels guarding the portals of hell. But, the author maintains the questioning sense of how the passage could be interpreted and understood to spur critical thinking (Abou El-Fadl 2). Nevertheless, with due respect, current Islamic legal systems have seemingly adopted more of what the prophet of Islam provided in the Hadith than what Allah has provided in the Qur’an. Having two famous books, the Hadith and the Qur’an led many followers in the 21st century a question, which of the two is binding and which is not from the point of view of legitimacy (Abou El-Fadl 2). For example, a lot of sources revealed repression of Muslim women in many different forms took place as a result of bias in implementing guidelines because of the seeming confusion on whether to follow the Qur’an or the Hadith (Abou El-Fadl 3). The author proposed the use of the Qur’an as a legal basis for dealing with women because obviously, the Qur’an is more supportive of women than the Hadith. Besides, interpretations must be limited to the 21st-century setting to cope with the evolution of people which is clearly according to the will of Allah. On the other hand, this would greatly bridge the divide among believers, men and women.  Ã‚  

Homeland Security Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Homeland Security - Assignment Example Foreign Intelligence Security Act (FISA) The 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) allowed agents easy access to warrants if they could show that there was a substantial â€Å"foreign intelligence† angle to their work; the warrants would be granted by a special FISA court. FISA can now be used in cases that are entirely crimial in nature, agents can get automatic â€Å"admisitrative† FISA warrants as long as agents can assert that there is some foreign intelligence angle to the cases, they receive such warrants on demand (Darmer, 2004). Prior to 9/11, FISA was not considered a law enforcement tool; its function was solely preventative. FISA surveillance powers were available only when the primary purpose of an investigation was to obtain foreign intelligence, including counterespionage and counterterrorism information. FISA authorized surveillance under flexible conditions that are considered unacceptable when the government’s objective is to gather e vidence for criminal persecution (Howard, Forest and Moore, 2006). FISA surveilleance is permitted after showing diluted suspicion not equivalent to the traditonal criminal starndard of probable cause. Surveilllance and searches can continue over extensive peiods of time, with less jusicial supervision. The person targeted normallly is never notified that he was subjected to surveillance. If that peron is prosecuted, his attorney normally cannot review the surveillance documents for prurposes of his defense, as they could if surveillance had been conducted under conventional law enforcement standards (Darmer, 2004). If the judge finds that there is probable cause that the individual is indeed a terrorism funder, then he can use the provisions as set by FISA to determine whether this calim is true or not. FISA establishes leagl procedures for electronic surveillance, physical serches as well as the use of trap and trace devices and pen registers to gather jevidence. if this evidence is collected on the activities of the suspect, then it can be used agaist him in court. this law is applicable to anyone who is involved in any way in terrorism activities. this means that anyone found guilty of terririst activities can be tried using this law regardless of whether he is a citizen of the US or not. the Lone Wolf provision of FISA also allows for the prosecution of a suspected terrorist without having to confirm the people he/she is working with. inthis case, if there is enough physical evidence to show that the suspected financier of terrorism is guilty as charged, there is no need to find the people he is working with jfor him to be sentenced. The USA PATRIOT Act This is an Act of the US Congress which became law on 26 October 2001. The letters USA PATRIOT are acronyms for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Bazan, 2008). This is one important piece of legislation that every judg e dealing with a terrorism case should be conversant with. the issues that are likely to come up in regards to this law are discussed below. The Patriot Act has ten titles outlining new powers of government for counterterrorist activities, expands technical support for the FBI, expands electronic intelligence gathering research, and defines presidential authority in response to terrorism. The purpose of Title II is to improve the government’s ability to gather electronic evidence. Title II allows

Speaking in Gods Name -Islamic Law, Authority and Women Essay

Speaking in Gods Name -Islamic Law, Authority and Women - Essay Example Apparently, one unspoken approach perceived by the author was that of a participant in a continuing conversation. On the other hand, a rational reader may take the words to mean as it was written regardless of how others may think about it (Abou El-Fadl 2). Various religious denominations and sects like Judaism, Christianity and Islam have their independent views on the idea of nineteen (19) angels guarding the portals of hell. But, the author maintains the questioning sense of how the passage could be interpreted and understood to spur critical thinking (Abou El-Fadl 2). Nevertheless, with due respect, current Islamic legal systems have seemingly adopted more of what the prophet of Islam provided in the Hadith than what Allah has provided in the Qur’an. Having two famous books, the Hadith and the Qur’an led many followers in the 21st century a question, which of the two is binding and which is not from the point of view of legitimacy (Abou El-Fadl 2). For example, a lot of sources revealed repression of Muslim women in many different forms took place as a result of bias in implementing guidelines because of the seeming confusion on whether to follow the Qur’an or the Hadith (Abou El-Fadl 3). The author proposed the use of the Qur’an as a legal basis for dealing with women because obviously, the Qur’an is more supportive of women than the Hadith. Besides, interpretations must be limited to the 21st-century setting to cope with the evolution of people which is clearly according to the will of Allah. On the other hand, this would greatly bridge the divide among believers, men and women.  Ã‚  

Lifespan Development Essay Example for Free

Lifespan Development Essay Lifespan development, also known as human development, is a field of study that is devoted to understanding constancy and change throughout a person’s lifespan (Berk, 2010). Lifespan development begins with infancy and looks at several points in a person’s life in which significant change takes place. The study of children did not begin until the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Berk, 2010). Throughout the years, there was much speculation about how people grow and change and when combined with research, theories of development surfaced. These theories were vital and provided organized frameworks for observations of people and they are verified by research and provide a basis for practical action (Berk, 2010). Many theories developed to study the development of infants and children through out life and these theories continue to have an impact on society and research today. There are many notable development researchers and schools of thought such as Locke, Rousseau, Arnold Gesell, Ivan Pavlov, Lawrence Kohlberg, Social Learning Theory, Stages of Moral Development, and Ethiological Theories just to name a few (Crain, 2005). There are some researchers and schools of thought who still have an impact today such as Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution, Jean Piaget and his Cognitive-Developmental theory, and the Psychoanalytic theory first developed by Sigmund Freud. Charles Darwin is significant to developmental studies today because it was he who paved the way, or opened the door for the many schools of thought that followed. Darwin is known as the forefather of scientific child study (Berk, 2010). Darwin was a naturalist who observed the variation among plant and animal species but along with that, he also noticed that within a specific species, no two individuals were alike (Berk, 2010). Darwin developed his theory which emphasized the principles of natural selection and survival of the fittest. Darwin’s theory stated that certain species survive in particular environments because they have characteristics that fit with or are adapted to their surroundings (Berk, 2010). Those within the species that best meet the survival requirements live long enough to reproduce and keep the species going (Berk, 2010). Darwin, in his travels and research, noticed some similarities in prenatal growth among species. Darwin noted that the embryos of most species are highly similar in their early forms revealing their descent from a common ancestor (Crain, 2005). Today, in the broad scheme of things, Darwin’s theory is correct in that there is variation within species and only some survive long enough to reproduce and pass along traits. What Darwin did not understand was the mechanisms underlying the transmission of traits (Crain, 2005). Because of this, Darwin is considered the starting point for the vast amount of research done on lifespan development. Another important aspect of the study of lifespan development is the Cognitive-Developmental theory of Jean Piaget. Piaget’s theory stated that children actively construct knowledge as they manipulate and explore their world (Berk, 2010). Piaget did not believe that a child’s learning depended on reinforcers as the behaviorists believed. Piaget developed stages and he realized that children pass through his stages at different rates and did not pay specific attention to the ages at the various stages but noted that they all pass through the stages in the same order (Crain, 2005). Piaget’s theory consisted of four periods: Sensorimotor Intelligence (birth to 2 years), Preoperational Thought (2 to 7), Concrete Operations (7 to 11), and Formal Operations (11 to adulthood) (Berk, 2010; Crain, 2005). Piaget was able to convince people that children are active learners whose minds consist of rich structures of knowledge (Berk, 2010). Piaget’s research influenced much of the research today that focuses on children’s concept of self, other people, and human relationships. Many educational philosophies and programs that place emphasis on discovery learning and direct contact were encouraged by Piaget’s theory (Berk, 2010; Crain, 2005). Piaget’s theory did not come without criticism and challenges. Some researchers believe that Piaget actually underestimated the competencies of children. This called for much research to be conducted to challenge and refute Piaget’s theory and also to find ways to expound upon and improve his theory. The most influential school of thought is that of the Psychoanalytic perspective developed by Sigmund Freud. This perspective states that people move through a series of stages in which they confront conflicts between biological drives and social expectations. (Berk, 2010). The school of thought basically focused on the fact that psychological change is governed by inner forces such as feelings, impulses, and fantasies (Crain, 2005). Freud had all of his patients use free association in their sessions allowing them to talk freely about the painful events of their childhood (Berk, 2010). Freud developed the psychosexual theory based on theiry unconscious thoughts. This theory states that how parents manage their child’s sexual and aggressive drives in the first few years is crucial for healthy personality development (Berk, 2010). Freud’s theory was considered the first to place importance on the influence of the early parent-child relationship and its involvement in development (Berk, 2010). Freud’s theory received much criticism because he did not study children directly and was heavy on the sexual influences in development (Crain, 2005). The controversy surrounding this particular school of thought, prompted much research making it one of, if not the influential theories in development. Research on the many aspects of emotional and social development which includes infant-caregiver attachment, aggression, sibling relationships, child-rearing practices, morality, gender roles, and adolescent identity grew from the theory of Freud (Berk, 2010). There are many different ways in which development is researched. One way is systematic observation. There are different ways in which observations of children and adults can be conducted. Some researchers choose to go into the field or the natural environment and record the behavior which is known as naturalistic observation (Berk, 2010). Through naturalistic observation, researchers are able to get a first hand look at the subjects. On the other side though, some people may not display the same behavior in their everyday life. Structured observations happen when the researcher sets up a laboratory situation that evokes behavior of interest so that every participant has equal opportunity to display the response (Berk, 2010). The ways that the research is gathered varies depending on what is being researched. Systematic observations tell how people actually behave but fail to provide the reasons behind the behavior. Self-reports allow participants to provide information on their perceptions, thoughts, abilities, feelings, and other things of that nature. They are normally structured interviews, unstructured interviews, questionnaires, and tests. Clinical interviews allow for researchers to use a flexible, conversational style to probe for the participant’s point of view (Berk, 2010). Structured interviews, which includes tests and questionnaires, asks all participants the same set of questions (Berk, 2010). They are easier to score and the researchers are able to identify a behavior of interest because the participants is given alternatives in answer choices. The case study methods brings together a wide range of information on one person, including interviews, observations, and test scores (Berk, 2010). This method is generally used when one wants to study a particular group that may be small in size but varies in characteristics. This method can be viewed as bias because the information that is collected is sometimes done unsystematically and is subjective and geared toward the researchers theoretical perspective. There are other ways of studying development such as ethnography which is aimed at studying a culture as a whole or a distinct social group through participant observation. Ethics plays a major role in the study of development as well. It is important to consider things such as the rights of the participants. This includes, protection from harm, informed consent, privacy, knowledge of the result, and beneficial treatments (Berk, 2010). Informed consent is especially important because it provides safeguards for children and elderly people who are cognitively impaired or have to be cared for in settings for the chronically ill (Berk, 2010). Research generally creates ethical issues because of the search for scientific knowledge and at the same time has the opportunity to exploit people. References Berk, L.E. (2010). Development through the lifespan. (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon Crain, W. (2005). Theories of development: Concepts and applications. (5th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall

Competitive Strategies in UK Fast Food Industry

Competitive Strategies in UK Fast Food Industry In last decade much has been discussed about the customer orientation, customer value management (CVM), customer relationship management (CRM), Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) metrics, Customer Centric organization models, customer retention, customer care many more with a new theory added each time with word customer preceding to it. But to the fact how many companies incorporate these concepts, how far theyve been successful, if so why do we still see a major shift in the needs and wants of the customers is puzzling many researchers today. What a company thinks as a market or value proposition is often misunderstood by customer and responds in completely different fashion. What is the reason for this? When a company looks at various products and values derived from it whereas customer is looking at satisfaction. The basic question is does all the strategy, innovative product features, add ons and value creation lead to ultimate customer satisfaction? All of this may seem a little contradictory. For better understanding lets take an example of fast food company, these Companies are roll out a new product every now then offering more value, in their perspective. The key point is why the customer switches over to different fast food company products or packages so often, if the products are offering value. The point to be noted is that more value propositions are being rolled out without looking at the very basic concept i.e. whether the value proposed gives satisfaction to the customers. If it is not, then it is not at all valuable. The customer is buying satisfaction. Highest value is derived when the customer is fully satisfied with his purchase. This highlights the importance of value creation for customers termed as customer value. The main purpose of this research is to understand how this customer value forms the basis in formulating the competitive strategies across various industries. Some common myths in Value Creation More is often considered value Buy one get one free schemes are rolled out. There is of course an instant sales push. However at the end of the scheme the customer feels that he had all along been paying 100% more for the products and perceives that very product as costly once the scheme is withdrawn. May switch to another product at the same price. Conclusion: Dissatisfaction leads to value erosion Myth # 2 Price is value Many business considers lower price as offering more value. More often than not lowest price products end up as the second best with a higher priced product with similar product attributes leading the market. The simple reason is the higher price product may be offering a higher satisfaction due to perceived values and imagery. Car markets are a prime example of this syndrome. Myth # 3 More Features or add ons are value Businesses load a product or service with more features thus offering a higher value. While this may be attractive if the features are not backed by adequate supports the satisfaction may be less and value is reduced. We encounter this everyday. A customer buys a product with many features but not demonstrated properly or may not be serviced properly. Enquiries may not be handled effectively. Airlines offereing add ons like free overnite accomodation are still not favored if the services, like enquiry handling, reservations, and time schedules are poor. Cell phones companies may be offering plenty of add ons like national roaming or free incoming calls etc. However if the billing is poor and billing enquiries are not addressed properly the customer is dissatisfied and leaves the service for another provider. 1.1 Aims and Objectives of the project. In this research study, the aim is to identify and describe the attributes of superior customer value how its form an important basis in building competitive strategies in UK Fast food industry. Usually these attributes of superior customer value are a complete combination of Product quality, service quality, and price (PQ,SQ,PR). From the view of consumers perspective, PQ,SQ,PR is better understood as superior customer value with the resulting experiences about the various goods or services provided by the UK fast food companies. These values of PQ,SQ,PR have been embedded in the brand image, which has the potential to affect the buying decision of the customer. It is often said that consumers are always looking for satisfaction in the form of PQ,SQ,PR attributes and brand image that drives them in their purchase making-decision. In UK, most of the fast food companies have their priority over their customers satisfaction in their organisations guidelines and having their success vi sion behind the concept of marketing. There are always implications that these UK fast food companies have to try to adopt the concept of marketing via these PQ,SQ,PR attributes, to formulate successful business strategies in order to outperform their competitors in this competent world of fast food industry in UK. 1.2 Research Methodology In this era of competitive world, creating a profitable value in the minds of the customers is tedious task and requires a lot of information. Among the wide variety of goods and services the customers perception of values can be quite subjective varying with the brand equity. Common knowledge of attributes and how these contribute values is not sufficient, rather important data must be gathered and analysed so as to provide enough information for the managers to make important marketing decisions. This research provides the required skill and knowledge for the managers helping them in solving various problems and facing various challenges in this competitive era of the fast food industry. This knowledge may also be used in formulating new business strategies. Literature will be collected from selected areas of research for the purpose of evaluation. The research must be able to evaluate and clarify this literature to provide a theoretical and methodological base for the research. Information is gathered from the two separate groups of respondent in order to analyse the respondents attitude from consumers and companys perspective respectively. The PQ,SQ,PR is analysed in the context of resulting experience and branding from consumers perspective that fast food companies must design in order to formulate competitive strategies in the era of challenging landscape of fast food in UK. The objectives of the study shall also assist the fast food companies to understand better the branding, consumers experiences and preferences towards their products and services. The purpose of the research projects will have the following area of interests. a) To determine what are the important attributes of superior customer values that the fast food company must develop to meet the customers expectation. b) To describe how these customer values designed by the companies influence the customer buying decision in the context of customers resulting experience and the branding. c) To analyse if the UK fast food companies understand the importance of building strategic customer values through marketing concept i.e. understand marketing orientation approach of building strategies and practice them. The research design will be carefully planned and structured for easy understanding, care will be taken to ensure the accuracy of the findings since, the basic purpose is to provide information regarding specific hypothesis. Firstly, research will collect various data about the customer expectations, opinions and attitudes. Precautionary measures will be taken on the all the weak points in the method of approach. In the first step of analysis, a detailed summary of the various characteristics of the respondent will be observed and analysed carefully. Later, this statistical data will be used for the reasoning of the proposed hypothesis using the evidence found sample of population studied. This is mainly to ensure the accuracy of the proposed hypothesis. Specifically, the purpose of this research is not guarantee the success of Strategies formulated by UK fast-food companies using the gathered knowledge, but only to decrease the uncertainty in decision making process and increase the probability of success. However this research will be carried in a organised analytical manner to achieve the above certainty. For this KFC is a selected organisation considered for this research. The findings of this research shall then lead to a better understanding of superior consumer value that act as a base in formulating competitive strategies in UK fast food industry 1.3 UK fast food Industry A brief Outlook There are varieties of elements in the UKs retail catering industry but fast food is perhaps the most prominent, most dynamic and the most rapidly growing industry. Though there are number of variations in the specific methods adopted by various fast food operators a number of general defining characteristics can be identified in common like drive thru service, meal deal packages, etc. Fast food restaurants offer a simple and fairly restricted menu within a carefully controlled operating system. Usually burgers, fried chicken, fries serve the main course. Typically ice creams and the drinks like milk shakes, fizzy drinks and tea and coffee are also included in the menu. Customers queue up to be served at a counter, the aim being to serve a large number of people with the minimum of waiting time and most operators look to serve customers within three minutes of their entry onto the premises. The food is sold in disposable packaging without cutlery. Some operators offer facilities for customers to consume their food on the premises while others tend to cater more for the take-away trade. The fast food revolution essentially began in the US during the 1950s and this style of catering grew immensely and spread to rest of the world in the decades since then. US companies played major role in the development of fast food operations in the UK. Though McDonalds are now the market leaders and major player in this sector it was KFC (formerly Kentucky Fried Chicken) who were the pioneers in the field. KFCs first fast foodoutlet was launched in 1965 at Preston. Following KFCs introduction of the fast food concept into the UK in the mid 1960s it was well over a decade later before the fast food revolution began to take off. The first McDonalds restaurant in the UK was opened in Woolwich in South London in 1974 and a decade later the company were trading from over 120 franchised restaurants and they had spread out from their initial base in and around Greater London to the Midlands and the North West of England. A number of other, then US based, companies including Burger King, Wendys and Pizza Hut followed McDonalds into the UK market in the late 1970s but none were initially able to keep pace with McDonalds rapid expansion. During this period a number of UK based companies including Wimpy, Casey Jones, Mr. Big, Spud-U-Like and Olivers also entered this growing new sector of the retail catering trade. During the 1980s and 1990s the larger more successful chains like McDonalds, Burger King and KFC continued to grow rapidly and to expand their geographical coverage to, and within, all urban and some rural districts while some smaller operators disappeared from the map. 1.4 KFC organisational background KFC is a division of Tricon Global Restaurants, which was later taken up by Yum brands Inc. This company has around 11,000 outlets in 80 different countries with over 290,000 employees selling around 2 billion meals annually to generate sales of $9 billion worldwide. Within the United Kingdom, KFC has around 500 outlets and among these 80% of them are being franchised. The KFC brand is lifetime achievement of a great personality of now deceased founder Colonel Sanders who promoted the companys wide variety of chicken products via a range of advertising methods like media, store advertising, etc. KFC claims to use only whole chicken other than the reformed or processed products. The chicken is cooked using the Colonel Sanders secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices and is prepared freshly in the store. The specific nature of the chicken product range has varied over time but the companys menu currently includes Original Recipe Chicken, Extra Tasty Crispy Chicken, Chicken Burgers, Crispy Strips and Chicken Wraps. These products can be ordered with fries and drinks as part of a standard or bucket meal. 2.0 literature review As suggested by Alan et al (2003), this literature review shall help me in the following manners: 1 To find what is already a known literature in connection to the research areas so as not to re-discover everything. 2 Moreover existing literature researchers important findings can be crucially observed and analysed and if any mistakes are to be found can be easily discarded. 3 To gain insight into the various theoretical and methodological approaches to my research. 4 To find various possible variables that might not otherwise have a possible application 5 The detailed analysis my findings will be further supported with wide reading of literature review. 2. Superior Customer value The history of the customer value dates back to ancient times under the practices of trade and commerce known as barter system. wherein the buyers agrees to trade in , only if the sellers offer i.e. goods to be exchanged are of fair or better value and equal to the trading goods or services. Thereby we can define value as satisfaction of the customer needs and requirements at lowest total cost of acquisition, ownership, and use. Value is the consumers overall assessment of the utility of a product based on perceptions of what is received and what is given. (Zeithaml 1988, p. 14) Value in business markets is the perceived worth in monetary units of the set of economic, technical, service and social benefits received by a customer firm in exchange for the price paid for a product, taking into consideration the available suppliers offerings and prices. (Anderson et al 1993, p. 5) Buyers perceptions of value represent a trade-off between the quality or benefits they perceive in the produ ct relative to the sacrifice they perceive by pay- ing the price. (Monroe I990, p. 46) Customer value is market perceived quality adjusted for the relative price of your product. (Gale 1994, p. xiv) .customer value means the emotional bond established between a customer and a producer after the customer has used a salient product or service produced by that supplier and found the product to provide an added value. (Butz and Goodstein 1996, p. 63) Superior customer value can be better understood as means of creating business experiences which exceed customer expectations'(Art William, 2004). According to him superior customer value means continually creating business experiences that exceed customer expectations designing and delivering this value is the key to successful business strategy in 21st century. As quoted by Philip Kotler (2000), total customer value is the package of benefits customers expect from a given product or services. Therefore, to understand the true meaning of superior customer values, the concentration must be on the various customer experiences over attributes of the product or services provided by the company. Colin John (2002) explained customer experience as If you take all of the different aspects of a commoditised world then everything is pretty similar: similar products, similar people, similar technology, and similar pricing. The differences are in the brand, the perception, and the feel of a company, all of which are delivered through the customer experience. Its the customer experience that will differentiate a company. According to R.R. Woodruff (1997) delivering this customer value raises many difficult questions such as (1) What exactly do customers value? (2) Of all the things customers value, on which ones should we focus to achieve advantage? (3) How well do customers think we deliver that value? (4) How will what customers value change in the future? Here comes the task of managers as how they deliver this value, using what processes and methods can this customer value be efficiently delivered. 2.1 The Importance of Customer Value According to art william (2004) Customer value is combination of four core components namely service, quality, image and price altogether an approach known as the S-Q-I-P approach. These are also known as customer value triads which provide a basis for competitive business strategies. Huber et al (2001) states that many marketing strategists and economists emphasize that creation of superior customer value plays an important role in ensuring company are success. A clear understanding of the concept of value becomes essential for the success of value-based strategies (Woodruff, 1997). Indeed, superior value of products/services delivered to customers leads to customer loyalty, the real driver of financial performance ( Reichheld et al., 2000) According to Azaddin (2004) loyalty and profits are strongly linked to value created for customers. Customers are loyal to a company as long as it offers them superior value compared to its competitors. According to Art William (2004) most of the firms today have positioned themselves under the S-Q-I-P approach with an objective of differentiating themselves from their competitors also have given importance in meeting acceptable threshold levels with respect to the products quality, services quality and pricing attribute. A said by him designing and delivering superior customer value propels organisations to market leadership positions in highly competitive global field. Philip Kotler (2000) expressed that the firms that won the customer loyalty are perceived to offer highest customer delivered value. In this context, total customer value is a combination of benefits customers expect from a given products or services. According, Robert and Sue (2003) customer values are categorized in two ways i.e. effectiveness and efficiency. When the products services offered satisfy the needs of the customers then the value are said to be effectively delivered. The less is the cost more is the satisfaction of the customer that can be achieved efficiently. 2.2 Customer value a source of competitive advantage According to woodruff (1997) in todays competitive era, quality may no longer offer competitive advantage. It is customer value that gives a competitive advantage how this customer value can be delivered efficiently forms the crucial part. He stated that adopting a customer value delivery orientation requires organizations to learn extensively about their markets and target customers. Deciding how to compete on superior customer value delivery raises difficult questions, such as the following: (1) What exactly do customers value? (2) Of all the things customers value, on which ones should we focus to achieve advantage? (3) How well do customers think we deliver that value? (4) How will what customers value change in the future? According to sharma (1994) many researchers have argued on fact that there are differences in what managers think customers value and what customers say they value these gaps can form the potential sources of mistakes for the organisations in delivering customer value. Customers tend to think differently when buying a product and using it which is well explained by Woodruff (1997) that Customers learn to think concretely about value in the form of preferred attributes, attribute performances, and conse- quences from using a product in a use situation. A customer forms a evaluative or predictive opinion during the value experience of a product i.e. customers may predict a received value, but during use they actually experience received value. 2.3 Defining Value Proposition from Firm Perspective Michael J. Lanning, the chairman, the DPV Group, LLC stated that value proposition is a decision and commitment of resulting experiences, including price, to a group of target customers, profitably and better than competitors. Frederick Webster (1994) explained that value proposition is a verbal statement that matches up the firms distinctive competencies with the needs and preferences of a carefully designed set of potential customers. He also explained that the description of value proposition created by the firms needs to be clear, concise, and credible and consistence over time and has to be communicated and shared between the firm and its customers. Since the customers have a better say on the true value criteria, every firm must ensure that the value proposition is positioned effectively as the value proposition takes into consideration the interpretation of value of customers. Art William (2004) explained that this S-Q-I-P approach not only provides the basis of an organisations value proposition but also establishes a solid business philosophy for the organisation. It guides all strategic decisions, and ultimately affects business performance. The uniqueness of articulation of core and augmented value proposition gives a memorable message to be successful. As most of the firms compete based on their own identities and their potentials, value proposition ingredients needs to be carefully analysed Dave Brock, the President of Partners In EXCELLENCE relates superior customer value with value proposition. To define and communicate value proposition, the firms must focus on the following issues. The customer must have a need and without any needs to buy a product or services, the customer values can never exist. Value is described as the difference between the perceived benefits and consequences of selecting a solution or needs. To differentiate, your value proposition must be perceived by the customer as superior to every alternative available in the market. Thus, it is imperative to understand that the value proposition is in the eyes of the customers not the product. It has to be customised to the specific needs of each customer. 2.4 Quality Attributes Quality has been recognised by companies as a major ingredient in a customers choice of products and service and hence it is important to have a working definition of quality if the customer has to enjoy a consistent high standard of goods and services. The official definition of quality by American National Standards Institute and the American Society for quality Control is the totality of features and characteristics of a product or services that bears on its ability to satisfy given needs. 2.41 Consumers Perspective about quality. It is important to understand how the customer defines quality that delivers the best values as customer has the perceptions of which firms are producing better quality than others, and they choose to purchase accordingly. According to W.Edwards Deming, the customer is the most important part of the production line. Quality should always be aimed at the present and the Future needs of the customer. Since the customers possess different quality level of product or service with different quality expectation, a commonly definition of quality can be drawn. In other words quality is determined by what the customer wants and is willing to pay for. A desire to purchase an attractive product would disappear by poor service and support (Colin and Graham, 1993). He also emphasised the importance of the need for decent combination of product and service quality. Sparks Legault (1993) incorporated Garvins eight dimension of quality and applied them to the firm business cycle. 2.42 Dimension of Service Quality In this competitive environment, the pursuit of service quality is considered by many organizations to be an essential element of their corporate strategy (Paradize-Tornow 1991). Service organizations are constantly searching for sources of competitive advantage, but as product quality rises and products become less distinguishable from one another, companies are seeking competitive advantage through the service elements of their product (Buttle 1999). Roberta Bernard (2003) stated that the proportion of service quality differs from product quality. Colin Graham (1993) mentioned that the definition of service quality is needed in managing of quality as quality would not sufficiently built superior customer values. In addition he also redefined that the Garvin eight dimension of product quality would not sufficiently built superior customer values. . Art William (1999) cited that a user of services has a set of attributes or characteristics in mind when determining service quality. Service attributes are more directly related to time, and the interaction between employees and the customer. Evans Lindsay (1996) identify the following dimensions of service quality. 1. Time and Timeliness: It is related to promptness of service. It is the time the customer is expected to wait for his turn to receive the service. To ensure customers needs are responded in time every firm must possesses dedicated employees to work extra mile. 2. Completeness: The service provider firm has to distinguish and understand the customers true needs rather than what is stated and constrained by the system and has to ensure that everything the customer requested is provided. 3. Courtesy: This refers to the kindness of service personnel and how employees treat customers. 4. Consistency: Expectation of services has to be consistent. There must be a certain level of consistency in the services provided to each customer each time. 5. Accessibility and convenience: The service must be easily accessed and conveniently located. The conventional convenient time to receive service and location of operation has becoming increasing important. 6. Accuracy and reliability: It involves consistency of performance and dependability. Each firm must perform the service right the first time and keeping to their promises. Any rescheduling of meetings with customers must be made only when absolute necessary. Neil Botten John (1999) have listed the following service elements in additional to the above service attributes 1. Competence: It means the knowledge of the Product and necessary skill to perform service and support tasks. In this way, customer confidence is enhanced by experienced and knowledgeable staff especially the operational supported personnel. 2. Credibility: It involves in believability, trustworthiness and honesty of customer contact personnel that work towards the customers best interests. It contributes to credibility of company name and reputation. 3. Understanding the Customer: It means attempting to know the customers need and making the customers feel in control. In this aspect, the firm must recognise the regular customer understand the customers specific requirements, rendering individualised attraction. 4. Tangibles: It includes physical evidence of the services. This includes the appearance and quality of facilities provided. For example, a conformable car showroom with friendly sales executives ready to serve the waiting customers. 2.43 Managing Service Quality It is a common assertion among management and marketing theorists that customer service quality is essential to business success (Kristensen et al., 1992). Firms providing this superior service quality, measured by customer satisfaction also experience higher economic returns than those of competitors, even though they are not so service oriented (Aaker and Jacobson, 1994; Bolton, 1998). Satis?ed customers are center to the longterm success of business, and the bondage between customer satisfaction and customer behaviour has been well documented in marketing literature.. In this study, there has been a broadened definition of service quality to derive the superior customer value that customers seek for. It is more complex to define quality for services than for products in view of its intangible and variable nature of service characteristics. Parasuraman (1990) and his colleagues explained that service quality is a comparison of what a consumer feels a service provider should offer against their perception of what the service provider actually can offer. They related service quality as a measure between service perceptions as well as expectations. Therefore, to provide superior customer service, the firm must ensure that the service offered meets or exceed customers expectation. 2.44 Strategic Implications of Quality We have emphasized previously on the entire product and service characteristics that are considered to be an important customer value trait to built and deliver a superior customer value. These attributes of quality must be incorporated into the design of the product that results in the products and service consumers want and having quality they expect. Why is then so significant of quality in the formulation of strategy? John Beckford (1988, p.11) has highlighted from the citation of Jiang Zemin, President, Peoples Republic of China, 1996 focus on quality, not quantity. He further pointed that China is treating quality not just as an organisational issue but also as a national one though they are the worlds largest emerging economy consisting of 1.2 billion potential consumers. Such a position supplements a message that all organisations, which want to survive and succeed, must take quality seriously. Pursuit of quality must be considered as a winning strategy dimension tool. In the context of strategic management, firstly, the process for formulating strategy must display quality characteristics in that the business strategic planning itself must be correctly designed and implemented. Secondly, the impact of the choice to pursue quality fits with the generic strategy of differentiation. Thirdly, the pursuit of quality has an impact on strategic decisions because it may generate changes in consumer b ehaviour. This in turn may fulfil the changing expectations of customers by eliminating the need to establish additional facilities or new distribution channels. Roberta Bernard (2003) cited that firms in which quality drives their competitive strategy have certain common characteristics. They concentrate on customer satisfaction through quality by following a clear strategic goal, vision, or mission. For example, Motorolas company objective of Total Customer Satisfaction reflects their commitment to customer satisfaction and quality as par of their overall strategy and vision. On the other hand, quality must be inherent throughout the organisation in order for it to survive and Commitment of employees and strong leadership are also the key to successfully integrating quality into a companys strategic plan. 2.5 Price Attribute Art William (1999) quoted Price is what you pay. Value is what you get. (Warren Buffett, CEO, Berkshire Hathaway). 2.51 Communicating Value through Price Price varies substantially according to whose perspective we are taking from. To the firm, price is used to signal value for their products or services, to differentiate their offer from those of the competitors, and also shift consumer demand. To consumers, price generally reflecting how much they have to give up taking possession of the product or service. Price influences the perceived value. From the competitors point of view, price is used as benchmark to compete (e.g. as entry barrier in price war). Philip Klotler (2000) pointed out that many firms see buyers perception of value, not the sell

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I am a loving mother, a faithful partner, a loyal friend and a devoted child. Love and Family are very important to me, and I struggle to find time for all my loved ones, for without these treasured relationships, my life would be meaningless. I am a pioneer on a quest of personal growth, constantly in search of truth and knowledge, always longing to travel to places unknown, whether physically or spiritually. I believe that all of our experiences help us to be the person we were destined to be, therefore, we should be thankful for our mistakes as well as our triumphs, and live our lives with no regrets. I am a diplomat, struggling to keep the peace with all those around me. I believe that we are all brothers and sisters, children of the same divine power. Sometimes I become disenchanted with society, the state of the world, and how people treat each other, and it saddens me to the point that I want to shut myself off so I won't have to see it. I am a spiritual being. I believe that we can each find a piece of heaven inside ourselves if we look hard enough. Although I'm not a follower of any one religion, I am tolerant and accepting of all beliefs. I believe that what the Christians call "God", the Native Americans call "The Great Spirit", the followers of Islam call "Allah", and the Buddhists recognize as simply "the Void", are all one and the same, different interpretations of the divine power that lives in and around all of us. I am a free spirit. I like to go where the wind takes me. I love to swim in the ocean and look at the moon. I love to ride on a galloping horse's back and feel the wind in my hair. Sometimes the responsibilities of work and family cause me to be discontented and bored with life. I have made bad choices, and chosen to escape from this discontentment and boredom with the use of certain substances.

Anne of Green Gables :: essays research papers

The book I chose for my book report is Anne of Green Gables. It is written by L. M Montgomery. I really liked this book. This book is a fiction book. It was funny in some parts. Anne is a really funny character and I liked reading about what she would do next. The main characters are Anne Shirley, Marilla, Matthew, Diana, and Gilbert. Anne is an orphan who has a wild imagination and loves to talk. She has red hair and freckles She is adopted by Matthew and Marilla. Matthew is a shy, old man and is very kind. His sister is Marilla. Marilla is very protective of Anne. She loves her very much, but doesn’t want to tell her. Diana is a very pretty young girl who is Anne’s best friend. Gilbert is a boy whom all the girls like, except for Anne. He gets on her nerves all of the time. The story takes place on Prince Edward Island in Canada. It also takes place in the town of Avonlea. The home that Anne, Matthew, and Marilla is called Green Gables. The story begins when Matthew and Marilla want to adopt a boy. Instead, when Matthew goes to Carmody to get him, he finds that there is a girl instead. Her name is Anne Shirley. He takes her anyway and Marilla gets mad. She tries to give her to someone else, but they don’t like her so Marilla decides to keep her. Anne met Diana one day. They become best friends. One the first day of school, Anne met Gilbert Blythe. He made Anne so mad by calling her carrots she hit him over the head with her slate and broke it. She never forgave him for saying that about her. One day Anne has Dianna over to her house and Diana drinks raspberry cordial and gets drunk. Anne gets in trouble and she can’t see Diana anymore. She couldn’t talk to her. A while later, Anne is at her home when she sees Diana running towards the door. She says that her sister is sick and Anne goes to Diana’s house and helps get her sister better. Matthew called the doctor. After that, Anne was allow ed to see Diana again. Diana had a birthday party and the girls started to play truth or dare. Anne got a dare to walk across the roof. She fell and broke her ankle and had to moss the first part of school.