Negative Effect of Devolution

Negative effects: The implementation of the local government in 1992 provided the impetus for local government units to assume greater roles and responsibilities in bringing about socio-economic development for their respective constituents. This is in view of the devolution in the provision of basic services such as health, social welfare, socialized housing, agricultural extension, tourism development, among others, from the national to local governments. The devolution of health services of the Department of Health (DOH) to the local government units was consonance with the national goals. The national vision signals the initial step for local communities as well as an opportunity for local government units to manage their respective health services in the most effective and efficient manner. Considering these meritorious objectives to attain the national vision, the devolution process also posed problems for the DOH and the local government units, particularly on the inadequate financial resources to undertake vigorous health service delivery programs. In Cotabato City, the constraint of insufficient budgetary resources was only one of the problems faced by the local government in the provision of effective and efficient ranged from the geographic location of its barangays, economic status of its population, inadequate health manpower and facilities, and pre-LGC (Local Government Code) situation. The location of the barangays and economic status of the population. People of various ethnic origins (T’boili, B’laan, Tagabili, Ubo and Tasaday) coming from as far as Aparri to Tawi-tawi populate the city of Cotabato. Majority of its population is composed of the Maguindanaoan tribe and people from the Visayan regions. Cotabato, as a participant in the Integrated Community Health Services Project (ICHSP) was included in the Local Health Accounts pilot phase as one of six provinces where local financial data was collected. About 60 percent of the population is composed of marginal farmers and fisherfolks, seasonal job workers, unskilled labourer and jobless individuals. Those belonging to this group live within the poverty threshold level as they earn an average gross family income of php6,000 and below per month. The remaining 40 percent accounts for the middle and high-income groups. This implies that majority of the people living in Cotabato are poor and disadvantaged and, therefore, most wanting of health and other basic services from the government. Accessibility and Transportation Constraints. The city’s geographical feature makes delivery of health services a major challenge to the local government. Brooks. Rivulets and creeks of various sizes criss-cross and traverse the city in all directions. Eight barangays can only be reached by water transportation. Three other barangays are not easily accessible by public transportation. Before it’s special project on health and sanitation, the city has been providing health care at the Main Health Center and eleven satellite stations. However, people in remote areas cannot avail of these services because of transportation difficulties. Inadequate Financial and Budgetary Resources. The Office of Health Services (OHS) had very limited financial resources. Its regular budget was just ssufficient to cover personal services and maintenance and operating expenses. Inadequate Health Manpower and Facilities. Due to financial constraint the OHS could not put up additional health facilities and employ much needed additional health personnel. Prior to its special project on health and sanitation, the city has only 11 health stations regularly manned by midwives. In terms of manpower, the OHS had only 39 regular personnel. These consisted of 4 doctors, 6 nurses, 11 midwives, 1 dentist, 1 medical technologist, 8 sanitary inspectors and 8 non-technical and administrative personnel. Such health facilities and manpower have been inadequate to cover the entire household in the city Adverse Pre-implementation Health Station. Until 1993, major health statistics and conditions indicate the need to give more focus in the delivery of basic preventivehealth servies to the constituent of Cotabato City, particularly to the disadvantaged groups living in the remote barangays. Based on the National Statistics Coordination Boards (NSCB) data for 1990, the city’s infant mortality rate was 44. 0 per 1,000 live births while maternal mortality rate was 182. 8 per 100,000 livebirths.

Financial circumstances Essay

The company was a well growing established retailer industry in the market, how ever due to the scandal charges against Wickes. This caused a lot damage to company itself, it gave Wickes a bad status in the market and also they were black listed which meant that the company had a poor financial history so therefore in the future they will be refused on credit products and any other kind of financial circumstances. On the same day the company got black listed which was on the 25th June 1996, the announcement of the scandal was exposed to the public. The announcement of the scandal instantaneously affected the company’s market value to 150 million pound and the stock was suspended from London market trading. So in order for Wickes to operate the business back to the way it was they refurbished its corporate management and also made emends with any shareholders and suppliers they had. This took the company a good two years of hard development. Bye the end of 1998 the company’s profits increased by 653 million pound so therefore sales rise by 27%. They instituted three new stores and redesigned locations to include ornamental and garden commodities. The fraud scandal could have been preventable in many ways, Wickes became aware of this incident when scandal exteriors and auditors thoroughly checked the books and notice the major extensive changes. How ever this could have been notice at an early stage. Wickes could carry out monthly or yearly check ups on transactions account to notice any changes or misappropriate mistakes occurred in the business. Wickes could employee internal audit; internal audit will improve the function of the organisation and consulting action which will be intended to add value to the business, along side meeting the company’s objectives. The organisations objectives will be achieved by bringing an efficient approach to evaluate and develop the efficiency of risk management, control and governance processes. Although to bring in an internal audit to check the operation of the business yearly will be expensive. In my opinion I personally think that Wickes will be able to pay for the expense of an internal audit as they are a fast established business which creates good profit. This will be beneficial for the business as a whole. Another suggestion to prevent the scandal could be to have good ethics and standards in place. The following charges which were made on the defendant were producing false statement and giving false information to the auditor (Arthur Andersen), so therefore Wickes could locate a system which contains a principle of governing morality and acceptable conduct. They could do this by producing a code of ethics which all the employees will have to fallow and can not be broken. Therefore the company will have strict rules and have control over their employees. This will help the business to be safe and prevent employee misbehaviour. An additional idea is to direct different position to different individuals; Henry Sweetbaum was the company’s former chairman and chief executive. So therefore Wickes could have given two individuals them to positions instead of just giving it to one individual. If they were two individuals directed for them positions then they would have had an inter link with one another jobs and would have been aware of what each one is undertaking. So therefore I personally think that the incident of the scandal would have occurred earlier than later if the former chairman and chief executive roles were given to two individual instead of just one. In conclusion I personally think that the fraud scandal which arose in 1996 for Wickes was a huge turn around for the company and now due to this incident they will be more careful now in the future. Wickes will be more alert and aware of how to minimise the risks and the prospect which occur in a scandal. Referencing  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1996/10/17/cwick17.html

Building the Nation Future Leaders

â€Å"Building the Nation Future Leaders through the K to 12 Basic Education Program or The K to 12 Basic Education- Tungo sa Paghuhubog ng mga Makabagong lider ng Bansa. † By ANDEA, ISIDRO JR B. Great day to everyone! Warmest congratulations to the elite corps of successful graduates this school year 2012- 2013 especially to our ever loving parents and the teaching force of this institution. Ma’am and Sir, Good morning! With my great desire, to be one of the guest speakers at today's event; I accept the challenge and invitation of the teaching staff of this institution to challenge everyone today!It is a great privilege and opportunity for me to speak in front of you as a challenger of your mind and hearts to give an inspirational message that will challenge everyone today! You truly deserve to give pride to yourself as you step into another ladder of your success. It’s been unforgettable event that we should reminisce every now and then the significant marked o f our lives as we give priority to our achievement in the field of learning.We bind us one today to celebrate the fruit of our sacrifices; your unsung hero shows their unfading support behind your success as they watch you to recognize this day, your ever loving teachers honored you for the commendable appreciation of your great work during learning process and the person who is one way of molding your life interest and being proud to yourself that you have done the great job in schooling. Our Theme: â€Å"Building the Nation Future Leaders through the K to 12 Basic Education Program or the K to 12 Basic Education- Tungo sa Paghuhubog ng mga Makabagong lider ng Bansa. I would like to talk first about the program of Department of Education in order for us to understand well the message of our nation for us as a stakeholder of change. The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (6 years of Primary Education, four years of juniors High School, and another t wo years of Senior High School) which provide our learners to undergo sufficient time for mastering the concepts and skills presented during learning process. Enhance the abilities and capacities of our learners, and prepare our graduate to higher education, job employment, and business or entrepreneurship.The K to 12 Basic Education Program is a key chain to success because it helps our graduates to become ready and more successful to go in their different paths, Maybe some them will proceed to tertiary education, for employment, or do a business. We strongly believed that this changes in our Educational Program will affect our way of living, to give us hope for a better future because our young leaders equipped with different skills in different learning areas, trained and prepared them to become an agent of change;Formal Education will make us living if we seized the right opportunity given to us. Let us work hand in hand for the betterment of our future, Let us let other known a bout this program, and encourage them to have a full support in achieving our Country’s progress. You as a graduate have a vital role to strengthen your great potential to become a partner of change. You will be one of the backbones of our K to 12 graduates sooner and later know that you will have to deal with changes, both big and small, continually. Be prepared to be flexible and to adopt as needed.Here are the three things to consider on becoming more successful in achieving our goals in life and to become a productive leaders someday: 1. Heads-up to your great potential. Sometimes, we may not realize the essence of our abilities. But there’s a gift given to us by our omnipotent master to give our full potential to become the most successful person. We may become successful beyond of our wildest dream. You should know yourself better, Identify your strength and weaknesses and facing the real you. The achievement of your goal is assured the moment you commit yourself to it and believe that you can do something.The first thing that we need to consider is to open your eyes to your great potential by setting your mind and goals in life. Mind setting (power of imagination) is a tool for showing your potential to become great individual for the next days. Because of it, you can now set your goals in life. Some great person believed that goal is vital. â€Å"People with goals succeed because they know where they're going. † According to -Earl Nightingale. â€Å"The achievement of your goal is assured the moment you commit yourself to it. † -Mack R. Douglas. Formal education will make you a living.Self-education will make you a fortune. † â€Å"Unless you change how you are, you will always have what you've got. † â€Å"We all have two choices; we can make a living or we can design a life. † I want you to â€Å"Take up one idea and act on it. Make that one idea your life. Think of it, dream of it, and live on that id ea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, and every part of your body be full of that idea and leave all other ideas alone. This is the way to success. † According to SFI Rules to Success; setting goals is so easy to do, yet 95% of people never set goals.They just never take the time. And who do you think are the most successful, highest-earning people in the world? The 5% group of course! If you want to be in the 5% group, don't even think about ignoring goal-setting! 2. Begin with realistic plan (winning starts with beginning). If you sealed with something and you fell not moving on your way, start to get started and start whatever you had right now. There’s no perfect time to wait, do the best job you can and always keep learning and moving ahead. Who among you here have a Facebook account?What is the first thing you do in getting connected with that social networking? Just to sign up and get started, right? â€Å"You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great. † -Les Brown, â€Å"Everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was. † -Richard L. Evans. â€Å"Failing to plan is planning to fail. † â€Å"Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination. † -Fitzhugh Dodson â€Å"Most people have no idea of the giant capacity we can immediately command when we focus all of our resources on mastering a single area of our lives. – Anthony Robbins. â€Å"Nothing can add more power to your life than concentrating all your energies on a limited set of targets. â€Å"- Nido Qubein. â€Å"What you choose to focus your mind on is critical because you will become what you think about most of the time. â€Å"- Noel Peebles We cannot become successful in aiming at something, if we are trying to do many things just for once. We should be realistic in our planning and concentrate your thoughts upon working hand in hand. As they say, chase t wo rabbits and you'll catch neither! â€Å"Success demands singleness of purpose. – Vincent Lombardi â€Å"No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined. – Harry Emerson Fosdick. 3. Live with your goals and persist until you win. We don’t need to invest so much to earn something and to pay for our reward. â€Å"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit. â€Å"-Conrad Hilton. â€Å"It's when things get rough and you don't quit that success comes. † â€Å"Other people and things can stop you temporarily. You're the only one who can do it permanently. -Zig Ziglar Don't let little problems upset you. Concentrate on the positives†¦ and the â€Å"big picture. † Also remember that the only thing that will never change is that there will always be changes (especially in today's rapidly evolving world). Don't let changes upset you. Know that you will hav e to deal with changes, both big and small, continually. Be prepared to be flexible and to adapt as needed. â€Å"Learning is very fun and lifelong process† which I always emphasize in the field of learning because it awakens our interest to learned.At your youthful stage, there is an eagerness to learn in every chance as you participate inside the class. Your teacher taught you so much how to become smart, how to behave, how to learn, how to work effectively, how to perform a task and know how to accept student’s responsibility. I know each one of you possess a precocious gift from God. Who among you here wants to be a Doctor, Nurse, Lawyer, Engineer, Military, Teacher, or a President? Then don’t stop learning. ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS THREE WORDS: DON’T STOP LEARNING! ANDEA, ISIDRO JR B. KABACAN WESLEYAN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL DEPARMENT

Maritime Manegement 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Maritime Manegement 1 - Essay Example These psychological effects lead to unproductive behavior, lack of cooperation and greater resistance. Various psychological effects are experienced at different levels by the employees of an organization whenever a significant change management program is introduced. This determines the levels of resistance expressed and how fast they cope with the changes. Feeling of shock and denial are the first psychological effects that employees of an organization whenever changes are introduced. This hits them immediately the change is announced. The employees become curious of how the change will affect them, their working hours and benefits. At this stage, they do not want to hear of other information for fear of sad news. According to Carin (2004), anger, sadness and resentment are experienced and expressed as a reaction to the changes. Employees express feelings of unfairness. They feel that the organization ‘should not have done that to them’ especially if they were not informed of the expected changes. Employees who are adversely affected may go through a period of tearfulness. Production at his time is low because employees keep discussing the issue amongst themselves. Feelings of anxiety and confusion hit the employees at such a time. This is because the employees do not know what lies ahead of them and how they will be affected as individuals and work units. An atmosphere of ambiguity is created. As a result of ambiguity, people resort to being self-protective/defensive, distrust and withdrawal. A change management program may present tension among the employees of the organization undergoing changes. The employees withdraw to themselves such that they do not talk to the management or even one another. This makes it hard for the organization to run smoothly. Such stress may lead to headaches and increased blood pressure among the employees. Some resort to absenteeism while others resort to increased

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 22

Business Law - Essay Example The advantages associated with filing the patent are that Dan’s product will be protected from infringement by others, of his patent. Specifically, by registering the patent in the UK, Dan’s new product will be safeguarded and protected from infringement in the UK; however by filing an application under the Patent Cooperation treaty, the new cement product will be protected in foreign countries as well (Oleska, 2002). The EU Directive 85/337/EEC requires products to be environmentally safe, which would apply in this case. The EU Industrial emissions Directive (2008/1/EC of 2008), coupled with the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive must both be satisfied in reference to the production process for Dan’s product, since the IED is also to be applied in the case of production of cement (Smith, 2010). Conforming to the requirements under the Directives would ensure that patent protection remains operational. Registering a patent would ensure that Dan gets the full benefit of all the economic rewards, such as royalties, etc, associated with the marketing of the cement and potential competitors cannot capitalize on them and develop a similar cement at a lower price. One Dan has a patent, the cement can be marketed at a good price because it gives him the exclusive rights over the product. Since a patent is an intellectual property, it is something that Dan can choose to sell or transfer at a later date, and it also provides an indication of his intent to market the cement commercially. It allows him to retain the monopoly over his product for a certain duration of time. One of the drawbacks associated with obtaining a patent is the need to disclose all the details about the product, Dan would be obliged to disclose fully in his patent, how his cement is environmentally friendly. This leads to the associated disadvantage, i.e., Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1 Business law - Essay Example This piece of research paper attempts to draft a brief explanation about limited liability partnership, by comparing features, advantages and disadvantages of both ‘partnership’ and ‘limited liability’. This paper will detail legal aspects limited liability, binding of limited liability partnership agreement, separate legal entity and various other important business concepts. Limited Liability Partnership The Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) is a form of business designed and developed mostly for professionals like attorneys, lawyers and accountants, who normally like to do business in a partnership form (Miller and Jentz 2009, p. 538). It is relatively a newer form of partnership that allows professionals the tax benefits of partnership while taking advantages by avoiding personal liabilities for the malpractice or otherwise dishonest activities of other partners (Kuratko 2008, p. 197). Limited liability partnership is very similar to limited liability companies in terms of liability of the business created by the practice of other partners. In partnership, it is very likely that innocent partners also may get liable for the wrong-doings of other partners, but such liability arising out of others’ doings that cannot be legally or in terms of business justified can be shielded up to an extent by forming a limited liability partnership or converting the existing partnership to LLP form. Limited liability partnership is very similar to the limited liability company except that LLPs are designed mainly for professionals who normally do business in partnership. As (Kuratko 2008, p. 197) discussed, limited liability companies are legally required to be compliant and strictly adherent to the concerned country’s prevailing company registration law. Similarly, LLPs are also required to be compliant with the state statues; for instance Bahraini Law, or UK law etc. As Miller and Jentz (2009, p. 538) pointed, the major advantage s of limited liability partnership is that it allows a partnership to continue as a pass-through entity for tax purposes, but limits the liability of partners. This form of business ownership has advantages of corporate limited liability and at the same time the members of the firm can define the sustentative relationship between partners by an agreement between themselves. This form of business is a separate legal entity ‘owned’ by the members themselves (Ahmadu and Hughes 2006, p. 14). Moye (2004, p. 74) has outlined a legal perspective on limited liability partnership. According to him, limited liability partnership is an existing general partnership that is converted or a new partnership that is formed in a way that its individual partners will be shielded from personal liability, except to the extent of debts or liabilities caused by partners’ own conduct or as otherwise provided by the partnership agreement. Legally, both limited liability partnership and a gency are closely related in relation to their liabilities. An agent is personally liable for his own conduct and similarly a partner in limited liability partnership is personally liable for his own conduct or any loss caused by his malpractice (Moye 2004, p. 74).

Designing Petrol Tanker Using Thin Shell Theory Assignment

Designing Petrol Tanker Using Thin Shell Theory - Assignment Example Using your answer to part a, determine a suitable material and its thickness for the cylinder using thin walled cylinder theory to calculate the hoop and longitudinal stresses. Regulators and fittings the pipe systems of the fluid tanker system are to be well-matched with the pipes to which they are linked with reference to their strength. According to the calculations, plastic is the most effective material for providing operation at the utmost working stress the architects of the tanker will experience in service (Nash, 1998, p. 80). Such material is exposed to a hydrostatic test in the company of an inspector at the pursuing value of weight: PH = 1,5P Where PH is equivalent to test pressure (bar) P = design pressure (bar) as definite in P1.2.7. For steel tubes and essential fixtures for temperatures exceeding 300 °C, the test pressure is to be calculated through the application of the subsequent formula. Nevertheless, it is not compulsory that it surpasses 2P: T 100 H K K P =1,5 P Where K100 is equivalent to acceptable pressure at 100 °C KT = tolerable pressure at the plan temperature (Nash, 1998, p. 80). The worth of the trial pressure might be decreased, with the support of the ordering society, to 1,5P so as to evade extreme pressure in a method of curvatures and T-pieces. The suitable material and thickness using the thin walled cylinder theory is determined through yield that occurs when utmost pressure variation, or cut pressure is experienced. This stress arrives at the worth matching the yield in simple tension (Hoefakker, 2001, p. 151). This theory has been discovered to be in excellent accordance with investigational findings for this particular case, and it’s yielding material. The hoop and longitudinal stresses will be determined by the pressure by the steady yield,, that the ductile material endures in tension, and there is no strain toughening. The longitudinal pressure in the pie systems is either zero or lies mathematically amid the hoop and radial pressure. From this situation, the stress will have to pursue the utmost stress variation, which is calculated by the hoop and radial stresses. If the tanker’s container with sealed ends has an external diameter D and a wall thickness t = 0.1D. The hoop and longitudinal stresses engaged in applying thin wall cylinder theory will make up for the determined worth of peripheral pressure and the supreme shear pressure in the container (Tangential stress  ± 9.75%: max. shear stress  ± 11.1%) (Hoefakker, 2001, p. 151). c. In addition to the stresses caused by the petrol, the vehicle utilizes the tank as a stressed member to provide torsional stiffness to the vehicle. As such the tank carries a torque of 63,000Nm. Using complex stress theory, calculate the maximum principle stress and the plane that this acts on. Confirm that your material and thickness choice for the tank is still suitable. The complex stress assumption reviews majority of the data from this ca se as Sines. Nevertheless, a slightly varied paradigm in the cylinder of the liquid tanker might experience similar pressure due to its parabolic form and outline (Nash,

Has the UK government engaged in the politics of panic over counter Essay

Has the UK government engaged in the politics of panic over counter terrorism If so, how has this affected its counter terrorism policy - Essay Example Even though the Irish republican army was suppressed by the UK government, its repercussions are now started to develop. Moreover the government is also faced with a challenging task to tackle the rising Islamic terrorists. The armed forces of UK have gained valuable experience and expertise in counterterrorism activities through three decades of fighting the Irish republican army. This involvement was quite surprising because the understandable preoccupation with terrorists in Northern Ireland diverted the attention of British intelligence agencies from international terrorism. Before the bombing of the Pan Am flight over Lockerby, the British agencies were only engaged in dealing with the Irish nationalist. But after the indictment of two Libyan nationals, the agencies reach and scope has drastically widened. During the mid 1990’s, the UK intelligence agencies and the police were quite sure that their land was used as a base by individuals and groups for promoting, funding, and planning terrorism. However these individuals were not found by the agencies as a threat to UK. Therefore they were left to continue their activities. This policy caused wide spread anger among many foreign governments including allies of the UK government. By giving low priority to international terrorism, the British authorities did not fully understand the threat from Al Qaeda. The failure of the British intelligence agencies including that of other western agencies led to the 9/11 attacks on US soil. The Al Qaeda with its deadly networks has caused headaches for the UK authorities in recent years. The threat from AL Qaeda has increased because of the participation of UK in Afghanistan and Iraq. The UK intelligence agencies have also played a major role in destabilizing the networks of the terror organiz ation as well as blocking its funding. The counter terrorism policy

Cloud Computing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Cloud Computing - Research Paper Example Cloud computing makes it possible for small and medium businesses to take advantage of large datacenters and applications software that they require to run their IT operations. Obtaining such services by utilizing in-house enterprise computing resources would mean huge expenditure for purchase of new hardware systems and related software. While cloud computing service providers like Amazon and Microsoft are offering an inexpensive solution to these problems, issues like security and data safety concerns require intensive resolution by such service providers. Traditional model of enterprise computing An in-house IT computing division of any business would consider the total cost of ownership to run the required computer systems. This includes the cost towards purchase of licensed applications software, hardware equipment and devices, as well as maintenance of in-house IT staff and development of vendors. Fixed and variable costs Any new start-up has to bear the upfront expenses that i nclude installation costs for hardware systems, software applications and cost towards setting up the required security environment. The variable costs include expenses towards running of the system, upgrade of software, training of IT staff and constant monitoring of security system. The operating cost for traditional enterprise computing keeps on increasing with the new technology upgrades. Every upgrade of software would require dedicated staff to run the application. With rapid expansion in businesses and fast technological development in the computing environment, the capital cost towards installation of new hardware is always high, considering the output required from such systems. In addition, the frequent need for replacing large and small equipment like servers and routers puts extra burden on the economics of the concerned company. Coordination with vendors and suppliers, apart from software application upgrades is yet another cost burden, which can prove hazardous for the company. As new applications are developed almost overnight, the earlier expenditure done on the outdated application is a waste, while the system would demand installation of new application software for quality deliverance. This would also need matching hardware, as per the software installation and running set-up instructions. The cost keeps on increasing with expansion in the company business volumes.(Total cost of ownership) In-house IT staff Any upfront set up would require in-house staff to install, maintain and subsequently run the IT computing infrastructure and software. Hardware installation and running requires a different group of IT engineers, while another group would install applications software. Similarly, the training methodology for both would be different. Hence, the company may require new group of engineers for running a replaced server or router. The vendor development and software applications purchase agreements would require another group of IT staff, whi ch has sufficient legal and technical knowledge about the involved technicalities. In addition, the expansion of business would mean installation of another set of expensive hardware, requiring more staff to run the same. The capabilities of IT staff remain limited, as engineers may not be able to match the new requirements of technology with their existing knowledge. This puts additional burden on the concerned business, in terms of

Homework Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Homework - Assignment Example At the same time, in terms of the clients getting updated information, Andrew still bring in comparative advantage over Chris. 2. (a) The lower-tie data packages increased by $5 per month. At the same time, the higher-tier data packages increased by $ 5. However, the percentage increase was not the same for the two groups. In this case, the increase for the lower-tie was 33% while for the higher-tier plan was 30%. b. For the AT&T tablets, the low-tier plan will be in such a way that for every extra 300 MB, the overage fee that will be charged will be $ 20. The clients will also, through the lower-tier plan be able to get an extra one hour for streaming video or extra 300 posts social media. This is due to the extra megabytes. c. The AT&T is executing this move in order to offset the coming plans of Apple for launching the iPad 3, which according to the analysts could lure many customers and dominate the market. Therefore, the action is meant to expand its market base before Apple comes in to take over. d. The reason behind the increase is demand. This is because, we can see that the company is trying to make sure that the customers get more time for video streaming and accessing social sites. The factor responsible for the increase in demand is the increase in the product’s

A Conversation of Authors and Scriptures Personal Statement

A Conversation of Authors and Scriptures - Personal Statement Example I'm enthusiastic in comprehending what exactly happens when someone is writing and how I can learn the art of writing. By the way, I realize that every author is keen about the choice of words and, according to Stevenson, "the first merit which attracts in the pages of a good author, or the talk of a brilliant conversationalist, is the apt choice and contrast of words employed." (Stevenson, 2) Therefore, every author will be very careful about the choice of their words and other such techniques. Teacher: You said it exactly. Writing is an art which every student needs to comprehend during his or her course of study and I really appreciate your efforts to learn the process of writing. Writing is also a cognitive process and every writer makes several revisions to his/her writing. It is also important for the beginners to concentrate on bringing judgments based on their own experience in writing. Let us remember that "Sommers notes the disparity between how writing textbooks teach composting and how experienced writers really compose and she calls for careful research into cognitive processes in writing In "I Stand Here Writing" (1993), Sommers again emphasizes that students should bring judgments based on their own experience to their writing of academic essays." (Babin and Harrison, 95) Therefore, the student authors should be cautious about producing their strong voices in their writing and about the process of making revisions. That is to say, the students, following the a dults, need to revise at the global level rather than revising at word or sentence level. Sommers: Of course, what all things the teacher told you are greatly useful to the student writers. In fact, they are the results of my important research on students' writing practices. As I can state from my personal experience, there is the immense relationship between a writer's personal life and his/her writing. A writer also should have, like Roland Barthes had, an urge toward scientific enquiry and a strong desire to write. "There is in Barthes, although not stressed either by him or his commentators, a strong, spontaneous and optimistic urge toward scientific enquiry According to a logic the crucial moment is not so much the finished product, the oeuvre, as the activity of writing, the idea of writing, and above all, the desire to write. And despite his widely admired performance as a stylist, it is only because Barthes shares this attitude that he claims recognition as a poet himself" (Lavers, 32) Barthes: Yeah, you are obviously right Sommers. However, you need to emphasize my important point: my critique of the French classical style of writing. In my book Writing Degree Zero, I "was concerned with the French classical style of writing. This style, which emerged in court society in the seventeenth century, prided itself upon clarity and preciseness of expression, and set itself up as a universal model of standard for all writing." (Strinati, 98) However, I realized that the French classicism was neither neutral nor natural and inevitable. My book Writing Degree Zero developed a style which rejects the idea of politically committed writing and values colourless, transparent, neutral, blank and impersonal writing style.     Ã‚  

Problem Solving Paper Essay Example for Free

Problem Solving Paper Essay There are many steps in solving any problem at hand. People think that it is an easy process, unfortunately it’s not. A process was created in aiding in overcoming obstacles that may arise whenever an individual has to solve a problem. Solving any problem requires creativity in finding exactly what the challenge is in order to find a remedy to the problem. Throughout this paper, I will discuss the numerous stages in the creative process and select a personal challenge that I had to deal with throughout my life and venture through the creative process in order to solve the problem. Brainstorming is very important when it comes to solving a problem. By brainstorming it allows an individual to have many remedies to a problem no matter how difficult it may be. A person’s mind must be creative but in order for it to accomplish this there must be a challenge. Looking at chapter 5 of the course textbook I found that there are four stages of the creative process which are searching for challenges, expressing the problem, investigating the problem, and producing ideas. Stage one- searching for challenges: Serving my four years in the United States Marine Corps provided me with a challenge when it came to leading and solving problems quickly. One of my personal challenges that I had to deal with was when I was in Manama, Bahrain. I was a team leader with second fleet antiterrorism security team also known as FAST. We were tasked with having to provide security at the United States embassy. Upon arrival I knew that we were going to be faced with some challenges. I was a squad leader in charge of 25 Marines under me. In the military there is no point in planning because at the end of the day  plans fail and a person must improvise. Five days into providing embassy security my guys under me including myself was getting very sick from going outside into the heat and coming back into the freezing air of the embassy. I quickly had to make a decision on what I had to do to solve the problem fast. I set up a three-day post rotation splitting half my guys located at the outside and the other half located at post inside. I did this so it would minimize the exposure to the temperature changes that we were dealing with. A decision had to be made quickly on what needed to be done because protest was taking place outside the walls of the embassy and there could not be a lack when it came to security. Stage two- expressing the problem: For an individual to express a problem it takes a lot. At times it can be very difficult to point out a problem because of fear of getting into trouble. Bringing the issue up of my guys getting sick to leadership was a bit of a challenge because the Marine Corps do not like weak leaders. Leadership expects professionalism out of the squad leaders and they must depend on squad leaders to make good sound decisions. When I looked at the issue at hand it was a no-brainer I knew I would probably look weak but I was making a smart decision. If I wouldn’t had made a decision to prevent my guys from getting sick there would have been a lapse in security and that was an issue that was unacceptable to me and my leadership. Expressing the problem to my leadership gave me the confidence to go through with the plan and feel like I did the right thing. Stage three- investigating the problem: Looking at the problem I knew that it would be easy to implement the fix but I had to see if it was going to actually work. Now that we knew that going in and out of certain temperatures would make people sick we would know how to set up security positions with personnel that was available. The first three days didn’t go so well but after four days I noticed a dramatic difference in in the welfare of my Marines, including me. When I came to my leadership with the problem at hand and proposed the fix, they told me to really look at the problem and see if my plan would work. Upon investigation I concluded that the problem was fixed even though it took a little sacrificing. Fortunately, at the end of the day there was never a lapse in security and leadership was happy. Stage four- producing ideas: When coming up with a solution to the problem I checked with the leadership to make sure it was okay to implement my plan. Leadership told me not to over think the problem at hand, just come up with a quick fix to the problem considering we were only here for six months. Producing many ideas helped me have a choice of what I wanted to do. For an individual to come up with more than one idea gives an individual a broader choice, which makes solving a problem a whole lot easier. Being a leader is not hard to do; it’s about coming up with ideas, implementing them and leading from the front with integrity. Conclusion: Looking at and implementing each stage of the creative process gave me the opportunity to come up with a solution to the problem at hand. Making the right decision was important for me because it showed my leadership that I could perform under pressure. The creative process made me think of many ideas to the problem and what I had to do to fix the problem. If I would not have used the creative process the issue would not have been resolved. When you ask other people what their opinion is on an idea it shows a willingness to fix a problem at hand. Brainstorming is critical because it helps you come up with a solution and gives the individual many ideas on what they can do to fix the problem. Without the critical thinking process it would be difficult when it comes to solving problems. People depend on other people, but as long as you go through the steps of the creative thinking process anyone can find a fix to any problem that they may face in life. References Ruggiero, V.R. (2009). The Art of Thinking: A guide to critical and creative thought (9th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.

Global Climate Change Essay Essay Example for Free

Global Climate Change Essay Essay Global Climate change is a term used to describe a gradual increase or change within the average temperature of earth’s atmosphere and its oceans. Global climate change is a rising issue in today’s society. There are various factors as to why the climate is changing; the factors are both human and natural. The human activities that cause climate change are burning fossil fuels, driving cars, and deforestation. The human causes are widely discussed but nobody ever considers the natural causes. Natural causes that contribute to global climate change are animal and plant respiration, volcanic eruptions, and the melting of ice caps. Although human activity is a main cause we still need to consider the natural causes because they are a huge factor when it comes to Global climate change. One natural effect of Global climate change is through animal and plant respiration. When a plant or an animal dies their bodies will decay into the ground. Once their bodies decay all of the C02 that was in their body is released into the atmosphere and the ground. The plants and animals that are buried deep underground will become fossil fuels millions of years later. Which is another leading cause of global climate change when humans burn them. All the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from the death of an animal or plant causes climate change. Carbon dioxide is a green house gas, which is a gas that traps heat into the atmosphere. Green house gases are essential for human, animal, and plant life but the amount that we have on earth is negatively affecting our climate. The earth hasn’t held this much carbon for 420,000 years. Another natural effect of global climate change is through volcanic eruptions. When a volcano erupts it releases aerosols, which are a cooling agent for earth. But the volcanoes also release carbon dioxide a green house gas. This may seem like it’s not a problem because the cooling will keep the  heating in balance. But that’s not always the case, the cooling agent can leave our atmosphere and go into different layers of the earth. The further it goes into the layers determines how long it will take for the cooling to effect our atmosphere. For example, if the aerosols reach the stratosphere it can take years until it is released back onto the earth. While the release of co2 is an immediate effect because it’s trapped in the atmosphere. Below in image one, there is a graph that shows the affect a volcano has on the earth. As you can see in 1975 before the volcano erupted earth’s temperature was significantly lower. But in the 1980’s before it fully erupted earth’s temperature was rising, due to co2 being released. But once the volcano fully erupted in 1991 temperatures have not been below the +.01 mark, but they are still dropping and rising. This up and down effect of the temperature has caused cold temperatures, which lead to crop failures, which in return lead to extreme famine in the North American region. The last natural cause of global climate change that I will be discussing is the melting of ice caps. The melting of ice and snow seems like good thing because water is being absorbed back into our atmosphere, but in reality it isn’t a good thing at all. When the sun hits a bright surface, like snow it goes through a albedo process. The albedo of the snow causes 95% of the suns energy to be reflected. Below in image 2 it shows exactly how this process works. First the suns rays are reflected on to a surface to be reflected back into the space. But with all the snow melting the suns rays are being absorbed into the atmosphere causing the earth to heat up more. Before I fully researched global, I thought it was an event that was strictly caused by humans. But from the information that was provided you can see that that isn’t the case at all. Natural causes of global climate change affect the earth in a very significant way. Although the human causes of global climate change do outweigh the natural causes some scientist believe that this is just a natural cooling and warming event that goes through.

Macbeth: The Vaulting Ambition

Macbeth: The Vaulting Ambition Shakespeares Macbeth is considered to be one of the best plays ever written. It is set in Scotland in the medieval times, around the 11th century. The play focuses on the psychological effects performed on the main character Macbeth. Macbeth shows us how dramatically his representation changes. Macbeth at the beginning is a highly respected and well-known war-hero. However the seed of change is planted when he meets the three evil witches who predict his future of becoming the king of Scotland. This sudden event makes Macbeth ambitious and he kills Duncan, the current king. Macbeths vaulting ambition rapidly accelerates but he becomes careless which leads to his death. Macbeth starts as a normal noble man who has feelings, friends, a wife and he is a war-hero. As time and tragic events elapse, his time as a ruthless killer begins. As soon as he meets the witches and learns of his future as king, he falls for Lady Macbeths charm and begins to plot and to think of murder. My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical (1.3.9) (Macbeth Ambition Quotes Page 1, 2, 3, 4) After the witches predict that Macbeth will become king, he thinks of murder, even though the witches had not said anything about murder. This brings to question whether the witches are to blame or that the thought of murder had always been there. MACBETH [Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step On which I must fall down, or else oerleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.(1.4.4) (Macbeth Ambition Quotes Page 1, 2, 3, 4) When Malcolm is proclaimed to be the heir to the throne of Scotland, Macbeth sets aside his morality. He knows that killing Duncan to become king is wrong, which is why he doesnt want any light to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦see my black and deep desires. MACBETH [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which oerleaps itself And falls on the other. (1.7.1) (Macbeth Ambition Quotes Page 1, 2, 3, 4) Macbeth realises that his vaulting ambition is all that motivates him to murder Duncan. To him this is not enough to kill a king, which is why after this speech he decides not to go through with it. But of course we know that Lady Macbeth convinces him to murder Duncan later on. When he is set in front of Duncan at his bedside, Lady Macbeth convinces him to realise that this is the only way. However in doing this evil deed it had made the townspeople suspicious of the other 2 heirs who ran away as they thought they would be next. This meant that Macbeth had to kill Malcolm who was next in line for the iron throne. At this point Macbeths experiences a series of breakdowns as he begins to lose his mind and his human dignity. After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth falls into the trap of a murderous rage. He believed that this would clear his name, but it only made it worse. Each person he kills results in another. With each kill Macbeth loses his feelings of right and wrong. Macbeths principles are soon deteriorated to nothing as his killings become numerous. MACBETH [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] For mine own good All causes shall give way. I am in blood Steppd in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go oer. (3.4.24) (Macbeth Ambition Quotes Page 1, 2, 3, 4) After going on his killing spree, Macbeth suggests that once a man has killed for gain, it is impossible to stop. Macbeth at this point is willing to do anything in order to help himself as he finds it easier to kill. Macbeth believes that hes got to look out for himself. After killing Banquo and confronting his ghost, Macbeth breaks down for the last time. At this point Macbeths last shred of his morals are gone. Lady Macbeth sudden dies and he shows no remorse. Instead of stopping his killing spree he orders Macduffs family to be killed. Macbeth at this point has lost complete control as he starts to believe only in the witches prophecy and visions and that he cannot be killed by any man, giving him a false sense of security. He then plans to send assassins to the castle of Macduff which is in England in order to kill his family. On his way to confront and murder Macduff, Macbeth kills a young soldier without question as he does not care. Here he has nothing but become a cold blooded killer. Near the end of the play, and Macbeths killing spree, his transformation is complete as he loses all of his human thoughts and feelings. Macbeth changes from a man of honour to a man of fear and anger as he loses his ability to make decisions and his morality. In conclusion I believe that this play explores the tragic demise of a good man because of his vaulting ambition because we can see how corrupt a good person can become if one is twisted by the evil supernatural. This is shown through how forces become so powerful over Macbeth that they confuse him and force him into making drastic decisions that change his mind. He has tyrant qualities in the last stages of the play, but the power overwhelms him to succeed and condone these evil deeds. He once was a noble man who has now become a vulnerable and weak target for the desire for power. As a highly respected war-hero to become a cold-blooded killer we can see how the effect of power and his vaulting ambition to become king can lead to the tragic demise of a good man. Word Count = 970

Forgiveness In Dickens Great Expectations Essay -- GCSE English Litera

Forgiveness In Dickens' Great Expectations  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Miriam A felt completely choleric. She just could not forgive her husband's apologies anymore. Almon B was a drunkard. When he came home intoxicated, he was always extremely apologetic and told her that he'd never get drunk again. Miriam now knew that Almon was not really repentant. She could forgive him until she was blue, but unless Almon truly repented, their marriage would not work. Forgiveness is an important aspect in the family as well as in society, which is built on the family. In Charles Dickens' peerless novel called Great Expectations, many characters find it easy to pardon others, but some have to learn to forgive. Dickens uses the characters in his novel to illustrate how in society forgiveness is a desideratum to bring about peace and harmony. One character in the novel who lives a very serene life because of his great ability to forgive is Joe Gargery. Ever since he was a child, Joe demonstrated his amazing quality of forgiveness. He grew up having a father who was an alcoholic. When Joe's dad came home, he would beat Joe and his mother and they would run away. When they were away from Joe's dad, Joe would start school but his dad would always find his stray family, pull Joe out of school, and bring them home. For this reason, Joe lived most of his life an illiterate man. He could have been very angry and resentful about this, but Joe justified his father's actions which caused his illiteracy by saying that he pulled him out of school because he loved him. Joe shows "his natural virtue in the sincere quality of forgiveness in the epitaph he wrote for his dad."1 It said, "Whatsume'er the failings on his part, remember reader he were that good in ... ... 1O. Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc., 1980) 208. 11. Great Expectations, 347. 12. Jenkin, 69. 13. Great Expectations, 348. 14. The NIV Study Bible, ed. Kenneth Barker, et al, (Michigan: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1985) II Corinthians 2:7. 15. Jenkin, 70. 16. Great Expectations, 35. 17. Great Expectations, 35. 18. Great Expectations, 35. 19. Jenkin, 70. 2O. Colossians 3:13. 21. Jenkin, 87. 22. Miller, 257. 23. Miller, 257. 24. Miller, 258. 25. Miller, 257. 26. Charles Dickens, The Letters of Charles Dickens, ed. Laurence Hutton (New York: Bigelow, Brown, and Co., 1893) 279. 27. Dickens wrote many moving letters to friends and family besides the one quoted in the text. Check out The Letters of Charles Dickens (n. 26) for further reading.   

Save the Arts :: essays research papers

Within the past few years, the government has been taking major strides to improve the education system by increasing the funding for our school systems and programs. They are increasing the school?s funding by taking away the funds from the art, dance, and theatre classes, among other programs. As a student raised in the atmosphere of the arts and a student now majoring in theatre, I feel very strongly that the government is making a major mistake by taking money away from the arts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The arts should be supported because children earn a great deal of self-confidence by being involved in the arts. The children?s self-confidence level is increased through the arts because children are more free to express how they really feel in any and all situations. In the completion of a project, generally there will be some sort of reward, whether applause or recognition for a job well done. The rewards make children feel special, valuable, and important. All of the recognition and support that is received through the arts make it quite easy for a child to gain great self-confidence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The arts also help children to improve their social skills. Being involved in the arts teaches one teamwork. Through these fine art groups and activities one will learn to do their best as an individual, yet come together with others in order to put on the best show possible. Teamwork is a great way to teach a child the social skills which indeed, are needed to carry them through life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Children involved in the arts learn a great sense of responsibility. Children are already responsible for a lot in school, but when they are involved in the arts, not only do they have to make time for homework, but also make time for their lessons and rehearsals that go along with being involved in the arts. These children work hard, and are pushed to be all they can be, and they truly learn what it is like to be responsible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Children in the arts learn three of lives most important skills: self-confidence, social skills, and a sense of responsibility. These skills cannot be taught in a class or out of a book, but one must learn it for themselves by taking part in something that teaches them these skills.

Essay --

Anthony L. Smith Instructor Cook English IV 11 November 2013 The Nuances of the Black Plague Imagine half of a continent dying seemingly without reason, all within two years. The devastation caused on families would be unbearable. This is exactly what happened just 700 years ago in Europe. Probably the darkest, most devastating catastrophe in that century, and yet, the cause of deaths remains a question. One ‘thing’ has been confirmed; the deaths were caused by a plague. Three strands of the plague were Pneumonic, Bubonic, and the Septicemic. All three included similar symptoms, such as fever and chills; however, distinct symptoms also were noted. In Pneumonic, people experienced bloody sputum and difficulty breathing, whereas the Septicemic plague caused death of tissue in finger tips and in the nose. The Bubonic plague, the focus of this research paper, was the most popular strain of the plague. This strain caused swollen lymph nodes and buboes under the arms and around the groin area. The Plague was airborne, spread by rat bites, and by flea bites. All three of these strains were very painful. The Black plague was a major epidemic from 1348-1350, but it remained a threat until the 1666 London fire. Over 50 million Europeans were affected by this deadly disease, which ignited the rising of inflation, urban and peasant immorality, and challenges to the authorities of the Church. Different theories of contracting the disease brought several twists to this era. The Black plague is commonly believed to have started in Central Asia in the early 1300s. The plague is believed to have been brought to Europe on in October of 1347 when 12 ships docked in Sicily. On the ships were dead and sickly sailors who had the plague. Sicilian citiz... ...ls. They admitted to doing it thinking they would be left alone, but they and a lot of their community were murdered because of it. People began to doubt God and do things their own way. They became frustrated with questions as to why God would let this happen. As the death toll from the plague became higher and higher, people became really sad and depressed from losing friends and loved ones. As jobs were more available after the start of the plague, people began to make more money, but food and taxes also became more expensive. As prices rose, so did the peasants tempers. Violence was not uncommon in European towns and cities. Revolts were a way to release stress. The plague became an epidemic again in 1665, and killed about 100,000 people in that summer. In 1666 the London fire helped to suppress the plague to the point where it did not spread like it did before.

Baptist Confessional Paper

When comparing one item to the other there will always be differences and similarities this is the essitanial aspect of comparing. For purposes of this paper, the two Anabaptist confessions, which will be looked at, are as follows. The New Hampshire Baptist Confession and the Free- Will Baptist Confession. The Basis of the New Hampshire Confession rests on the Calvinistic view of theology verses the Free-Will Baptist whose foundation is rooted in the Armenian aspects of theology. The very core of the differences between these two confessions lies in the positions of Armenian and Calvin theology, which will be the focus of this paper. An added difference, which warrants a little time is the stance the Free Will, took from the New Hampshire on the view of Ordinances of the church. Wrapping up will focus on how doctrinal differences between the two will affect the movements in their spheres of influence. Doctrine on God The focus of theology starts with a look at God, who He is and how He responds to those He has created. The view of God a person chooses will direct the flow of the flow of the person's theology. This being said the discussion would start with God. The New Hampshire Baptist (NHB) believed that God knew all things and therefore new exactly what would happen even before it happened because He determined it that way. The NHB looked at God as having complete and utter sovereignty over all creation. It is under this notion the NHB believed that God knew those who would chose to become His elect from the sinful nature of humanity. The NHB looked at this as an outpouring of God to all that would choose to live for Him. The NHB looked at this as God's â€Å"eternal purpose. One of the areas this confession does not mention is why God chooses one over another. God election is solely based upon His goodness and holiness, that He would be glorified according to His nature. God places His glory above all things in so much He commands there will be no other God before Him. On the other hand, the Free-Will Baptist (FWB) believes God does not preordain people to be called to Him. FWB believes God only ordains the ends, not the middle, or the means. The FWB believes God gives humankind a sort of power. This power would be considered free will. Free will or the power to choose and therefore determine what things may come by the hand of man. The FWB believe God governs by† moral law and motives† men were thought of as having the ability to bring about the ends He desired. FWB could not understand how a man could be responsible for his action if he does not have the freedom to create possibilities of his own choosing. FWB attempts to break down the concept of the NHB and the idea of God having foreknowledge of all things verses His foreordination of all things. The FWB believes that all things are with God from the beginning to the end. The FWB believe God's knowledge of the events does not cause them to happen, the FWB also believe that not all the things God knows will happen. FWB knows that God is omniscience but they deny His foreordination of all things such as the HHB does. The FWB have an understanding to which makes God in some very dependent of the creature or creation. They also have an issue with God's foreknowledge and His foreordination and could not break apart the bond between them. Although both needed to define God's omnipotence. God knows what will happen and what will cause thing to happen, therefore while He knows some of the happenings, He also knows what will be needed should we need a way out. FWB focuses on God's willingness to act on certain things or react and allow history to unfold as it would. The Nature of Man The NHC confession of Faith believes the fall of man from a state of joy and communion with God is due to the free will of man. Due to this fall, humanity is separated from God and therefore doomed to an eternal death without excuse because of its own choice. This idea follows along with Calvinism's doctrine of Total Depravity. Although the NHC falls along the lines of Calvinism there are quite a few aspects of the doctrine they did not follow such as man's spiritual deadness, black minds dark hearts, and shackles to sin, as well as man's incapability to change. On the other hand, the FWB builds their faith upon the presupposition that God gives every man free will. FWB believe that although this free will caused men to fall that by the same free will men can choose to change their present state by Christ. The FWB anthropology is closely linked within their outlook on Christology, with its focus on Atonement of Jesus. Atonement The NHB hold strongly to the foundation of â€Å"full atonement. † The NHB believe that atone was a two part concept which involved a universal and a limited area. The universal part took the stance that Christ atonement was sufficient for the salvation all humankind. The limited area was efficient for only the elect of God. NHB held that Christ knew whom He was giving His life for, and these few were by far and large secure in their salvation. The FWB held a special place in the confession of faith when speaking of salvation. The idea can be summed up in the following words â€Å"The call of the Gospel is co-extensive with the atonement to all me, birth by word and the striving of the Spirit, so that salvation is rendered equally possible to all; and if any fail of eternal life, the fault is wholly his own†. The FWB held to the belief men would be changed to a point where they would be able to choose for themselves salvation. When Christ gave His life this supplied the salvation to those that would believe, but the atonement would not be applied to this salvation. The only way the application of Christ's atonement would be placed on a man once he believed in Christ as Lord and savior then through the Spirit the atonement would apply to this person. The Influence of the Holy Spirit NHB hold fast to the belief that God's grace begins the regeneration process through the workings of the Holy Spirit within the person. The gift is given freely to those who choose a relationship with God. God decrees in order for many people to hear the word of God and thus hear of salvation to all that would accept this call by the Holy Spirit. The NHB also adhere to the fact that those who will continue to reject the promoting of the Spirit upon their hearts would not be forced to live for God. One of the doctrines of the HNB would follow that God does not care to follow people in this way. FWB have an outlook such that to say God loves those of His elect different than those outside His elect would strike up an argument. The FWB believe God's atonement is equal for all people and therefore His calling upon the hearts of man are equal. God would place people in places where they are faced with the decision to call upon Him for atonement but the actual turning away from self and acceptance of atonement is men alone. God cannot choose the right decision or the wrong decision in the doctrine of the FWB. Perseverance of the Saints The NHB like any other denomination will follow its doctrines to their logical conclusions. Believing is â€Å"wrought in our souls† because of the regenerating Spirit of God's work within His elect is â€Å"wholly of grace† then the preservation of those elect in a state of salvation is entirely based on the power of God. If God wants, you saved then you will be saved. On the other hand, the FWB hold fast to their doctrine to which if the act of believing comes from a man's few will then his choice to remain in the salvation state is also from his free will. A blurb from their doctrine defines it clearly† future obedience and final salvation are neither determined nor certain, since through infirmity and manifold temptation they are in danger of falling. † The Sacraments The NHB state in their confession there are only two ordinances they hold to. The first being the Baptism and the second being the Lord's Supper. However, the FWB also holds the Lord's Supper and the Baptism of its members but adds a third, which is washing the feet of the Saints. Conclusion In conclusion of the findings between these two different groups is very clear. The doctrines to which govern these groups are first and for most deep-rooted, and secondly quite different. It would be interesting at the very least to see a debate between these groups. It is quite clear the Free Will Baptist doctrine focus is centered on the man. The man makes up his own mind, the man continues to follow his own decision or not. This idea of man focused is can be seen not only in Christianity but also in new age and many other religions worldwide. While on the other hand the focus of the New Hampshire Baptist is solely, focus on God. Their entire doctrine is focused on a position of humility, peace, love, and joy from the man towards his creator. Though both have their many differences, the bottom line is both were different from the norm of their time and were hunted because they sought many differences from the power of the state-church at that time.

Springtime in the Canterbury Tales

Brooke Schweitzer Dr. O’Callaghan Eng 402 April 11, 2010 Springtime in The Canterbury Tales _See how the lilies of the field grow. †¦Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. -Matthew 6:28-29_ Springtime and beauty is inevitably linked in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Chaucer uses the images of springtime from the very beginning of the prologue to promote the idea of renewal and overall joyfulness. Not only is it used to establish tone or theme in the prologue, but is also used closely with the descriptions of beauty for the tales that follow. Chaucer knew that that his readers would without hesitation identify with springtime and the idea of renewing ourselves for a new season, just like the pilgrims we read about. Anyone who reads the Canterbury Tales will find pilgrims who are not without faults going on a pilgrimage to a religious site looking to purify themselves. By placing them in springtime he has set up a direct contrast between what early Christians would have deemed a â€Å"holy† life and the ones led by the travelers. Found even in descriptions of beauty. The pilgrims stories are in way, asking us to look closely at our own nature and perhaps institute the idea of changing ourselves for the better. Chaucer uses an intense theme of springtime to promote the ideas of youthfulness and beauty. The most prominent example is in the very opening lines of the General Prologue, â€Å"Whan that April with his shoures soote/ The droghte of March hath perced to the roote/ And bathed every veyne in swiche licour† (Pg 41 line 1-3) In the beginning we have the opening of April. We know that it is the very beginning of the month because the second line mentions that â€Å"March hath pierced to the roote. Although many would say that this would mean there had been a â€Å"droghte† leaving things dry. When I read this line I considered the geographical weather patterns of Britian and concluded that it is always raining there. Even if the weather may have been different than the weather patterns we have there today, I assumed this to be a poetic way to say that March has completed it’s time. Along with the idea of the beginning of April, Chaucer tells us, â€Å"†¦With†¦ shoures soote/†¦And bathed every veyne in swiche licour. † So we have the imagery of everything being drenched in nutrient rich water. If everything is healthy, we can assume then that all the flowers, trees, grass and even the animals are now young and growing. Nature is awakening to a renewed season just like the pilgrims seeking renewal. The direct connection with our own self renewal along with nature is also mirrored in the descriptions of beauty. There are at least two examples of the women of the tales being described in terms of nature and the beauty of spring. In the Knights Tale Emily is described, â€Å"that fairer was to sene/ than the lylie upon his stalk green/ and fressher than the May with Floures newe. Again we are seeing this connection with not only a flower but again the idea of early May with new, young flowers. She is fresh, without blemish. She is indeed then the perfect idea of beauty. She does not need renewal or to change her nature. I believe that it is safe to say that in Chaucer’s time the image would be in the likness of freshness in terms of faith. Perhaps by describing Emily i n such a way the idea is that she is without sin. She is the perfect idea of a Christian lady. We see this again when the carpenter’s wife from the Miller’s Tale is described. Her looks are described at length until it is mentioned, â€Å"She was full moore blissful to see/ Than is the newe perejonette tree. † It is rather comedic that she is compared to a young tree. Unlike a young flower, a young pair tree is small and frail. It does not have many leaves or contain much fruit. In modern day terms it is difficult to see beauty in a tree. Trees are certainly something to marvel, but the point being that she is beautiful but is not without her faults. Unlike Emily from the former story, she has some rough edges. She is described as wild and flighty, By setting up these two different descriptions, Chaucer shows the reader that it is far better to be a â€Å"lily on a stalk of green† than â€Å" a new pear tree. We are seeing how the pilgrims want to change themselves to resemble something as fresh as a flower. It also worth considering the idea that since we define the beginning of spring when we first start to see flowers and leaves on trees, that perhaps Chaucer is saying that women are in control of love? By describing them in such a way could suggest that many of the women in the stories are in control of the situation. They can deny or accept a man. Although the connections between the springtime setting and the descriptions of beauty are subtle ones, they impact the overall theme that the reader takes away from the story. Like the pilgrims, we find ourselves being educated, entertained and chastised for our behavior. Springtime is a time of freshness and everything having a new start. Having an overall Christian audience for his story, Chaucer new they would relate to the freshness of spring. It is the same reason we celebrate Easter today. The entire tradition relies on the idea of being â€Å"born again† and rising up from who we are before. It is about letting go of the faults that hold us down. Just like the pilgrims in the stories we read, we reflect on the morals that the travelers tell each other. By the end we find that the common and rich alike have them and it is about who we as people believe we should behave, live and learn.

Final Marketing Plan Presentation Essay

The Allstate Corporation is the largest publicly held personal lines property and casualty insurer in America. Allstate provides insurance products to approximately 16 million households. Allstate was founded in 1931 and became a publicly traded company in 1993. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol ALL and widely known through the â€Å"You’re In Good Hands With Allstate ®Ã¢â‚¬  slogan. (Suite 101, 2013). Being such a large provider of consumer protection takes hard work and dedication from every individual in the company to provide consumers with the highest level of customer service. While Allstate was trying unsuccessfully to diversify, rivals were revolutionizing the auto insurance business, which Allstate still counts on for most of its sales. Auto premiums generated 55% of its $31.4 billion in revenue last year.Geico and Progressive Corp. found a new formula for growth in the relatively mature business. They crafted a lower-cost model combining direct sales over the Internet and telephone with heavy television advertising. Offering lower prices and more convenience, they grew rapidly at the expense of Allstate and other insurers that sell mostly through agents.Allstate’s second-place share of the auto insurance market fell to 10.4% from 11.3% over the past five years, while Chevy Chase, Md.-based Geico jumped two points to 8.7% and Progressive climbed to 7.9 %( Suite 101, 2013). State Farm Insurance the largest car and home insurer in the U.S. and a mutual company owned by its policyholders consistently rated better for claims handling and service than Allstate. The claims department of Allstate has some of the most critical interaction with the consumers because it is during a time of need. Consumers contact the claims department when they have suffered a loss to establish a claim. The claims adjuster has the responsibility of obtaining claim pertinent information from the consumer to effectively evaluate the loss. At Allstate Insurance claims departments are separated according to customer needs. Large claims offices known as Market Claim Offices, MCO, are strategically located to provide adequate coverage across the nation. A Market Claim Office presides over a few states or an individual state depending on claim volume and consumer coverage. Allstate has specialized offices that handle claims for the entire nation but only if they meet certain criteria. The Hudson Express Office out of Hudson, Ohio is an office with a focus on handling claims with a reduced cycle time or the  time from claim submission to claim settlement. A starting to examine the external factors impacting customer expectations, which may or may not be off-kilter with necessary protocols and the terms of coverage insurance in general, is the media’s unflattering portrayal of the i ndustry; especially in light of post Katrina claim controversies and litigation. Aside from merely being a nuisance, the media also contribute to customer apprehension, which invariably affects the entire claim experience, starting with the initial exchange. Customer leeriness combated, comfort level enhanced easily by treating the customer and the claim with care and speed. To meet this reduced cycle time the Hudson Express Office only handles smaller claims with a total loss under $10,000. Everything within the Hudson Express Office is completely in house with no need for outside adjusters. A challenge area that arises because there are no outside adjusters is to efficiently write an estimate for structure damages and example of this comes from a customer’s review: (Five Weeks and Still Waiting, Jan 18 2013)†. I was broadsided by a driver who didn’t stop at a stop sign at a 4 way intersection. My car was left un-drivable. She didn’t have her insurance card with her. After a lot of investigating I found out who her insurance company was and called them myself. They told me an adjuster would be out to look at my car. No one showed up. I have called every day since. I have been told that as soon as they receive the police report and accept liability, they will put me in a rental car. It has been almost 5 weeks!† Description of the new product of service Allstate aims to compete more effectively with Geico and Progressive on their turf. After a successful four state pilot of the new Claim Satisfaction Guarantee for auto insurance across the country. Will Shorten claim cycle time ultimately results in higher customer satisfaction because the consumer can resume life as usual sooner rather than later. Allstate Insurance has implemented a new web-based customer service center to in able consumers to provide claim pertinent information via their computer through the use of the customer website. Consumers are able to enter file notes into the claim as well as submit a list of stolen or damaged items through the customer website that can be instantly attached to the claim. An opportunity area for decreased cycle time is with regard to property estimates. An in house  estimating system is utilized by inside adjusters to create a preliminary damage estimate. For smaller less complicated damage areas a web based estimating system would allow consumers to generate their own estimates. A simple web page can include multiple selections for damage areas including fences, doors, and windows. Once a damage area has been selected, multiple choice questions would allow consumers to describe the damaged area as well as the style and material the damaged area. If a consumer does not know the material or style, a default or average style and material would allow an initial estimate to be completed. Once the consumer receives an estimate or invoice from a contractor to complete the work, the claims department can review it for validity and issue any supplemental damages incurred. On simple claims, a consumer could file and settle a claim online without waiting for a call from a claims department representative significantly decreasing claim cycle time. SWOT Analysis The idea of developing a page on an insurance claim and being able to submit your complaint and receiving an instant response sounds great; Allstate needs to ensure that claims are being handled in a way in which will not create the webpage to become overloaded, it has to be user friendly and appropriate for any age group .Other considerations include the cost effectives of this type of service and how it will benefit the consumer and profitably for the brand.New automation also lists the opportunity in cost saving measures such as employee down sizing. Other key item to consider when marketing this type of service can be Advertisement on social media, newspapers,word of mouth, Blogs etc†¦ which are all great ways of promoting the new product and it also provides an opportunity to identify other forms of the same productoffered by the competitor. Target market including geographic Target market is middle market emerging affluent and mass affluent consumers with retirement and family financial protection needs. Priority status at the network repair shops and with our Service Centers. saving time and effort by having Allstate manage the entire repair process. Using the online system with real time updates to electronically monitor your vehicle at the repair shop. Progression updates are given on repairs so you can  spend time doing other things. working to minimize the repair time, which means a quicker reunion with your car. Quality factors including the quality of repairs, Guaranteeing repairs for as long as you own or lease the vehicle is one market point. If a policyholder has a burning question about a claim at 2 a.m., they are able log in to the online service site at any time to check the status of the claim. Porter’s five competitive forces model Allstate’s Consumer Segmentation Strategy When purchasing insurance or any other product or service, consumers have more choices than ever before and they know it. But decision making power is not in the customer’s hands alone. A company can build tremendous customer loyalty over time by making it a top priority to understand and meet its customers’ needs. As a result, Allstate will continue to refine its product offerings, marketing outreach and customer service based on careful research. Allstate serves four different consumer segments with distinct interaction preferences (advice and assistance versus self-directed) and brand preferences (brand-neutral versus brand-sensitive). Marketing research is an approach conducted to evaluate particular strategies.As well as the tactics used toward the web-based estimating system. The marketing research will help to connect with the consumers to analyze what is needed to research opportunities and evaluate marketing actions. This will also help to prevent uncertainties for the new service provided. The market research will allow the chance to determine how well the system is working. The competitive intelligence will help to identify what competitors are doing and how Allstate can differentiate service to gain customer loyalty. Marketing research will aid in developing a strategy that will increase the satisfaction of our new product of service. Allstate is working to provide quality service and conveniences. Therefore, the quantitative research will touch base on many incentives needed to process the claims. Other approaches will involve the act of identifying any other areas of concern. In which could relate to technical issues and a collection of data needed to estimate totals. The marketing research approach described will enhance the quality and promotion for Allstate’s new web-based system. The overall marketing plan should ensure the quality of each area of the  product and should provide the opportunity for clients to get on the site with hassle free problems and get the service that each individual needs. The mission should be to provide the best customer services and to ensure that the client gets what is needed in the end. Positioning statement Our Shared Vision provides the â€Å"why, how and what† behind everything we do at Allstate. It provides the road map for our continued success. Through this vision, we will truly put the customer at the center of everything we do (Allstate, 2013). We will become an even more valuable company to our customers, associates, investors, our communities and society a company with strong earnings potential and financial performance that sets the benchmark for our industry. We are the Good Hands: We help customers realize their hopes and dreams by providing the best products and services to protect them from life’s uncertainties and prepare them for the future. Deliver substantially more value than the competition by reinventing protection and retirement to improve customers’ lives. Put the customer at the center of all our actions. Utilize consumer insights, data and technology to serve customers and generate growth and attractive economic returns. Take an enterprise view of our people and processes and work as a single team to advance Allstate rather than our individual interests. Strategy and Position Description An automated online estimating system needs to be easy to understand and easy to use. The first element to the estimating tool is it needs to be easy to understand as well as aesthetically pleasing. When a customer logs on to his or her internet profile the option to choose an action needs to include selecting an existing claim on the insurance policy. Once the claim has been chosen, there will be a selection for estimating system. When the estimating system is chosen, the customer will be prompted regarding the damages he or she has sustained. For example, a customer was a victim of a recent theft loss where the front door was kicked in. The customer will select the damage option for entry door which will lead to a chain of questions regarding the  door. Options for the door will include material in which the door is made such as wood, metal, or fiberglass and whether or not the door is painted. Next, the customer will indicate the size of the door, if the customer does not know how to measure a door there will be a help icon that will advise the proper ways to measure a door. Style is another important factor in the cost of entry doors, options such as flush, panel, French, or security are the most common doors available. The next area of focus will include the damage sustained, whether the door, frame, or both are damaged will determine the proper repairs. The last area of concern for an initial estimate is whether the hardware is damaged and what type of hardware the customer currently has. When all of the information has been entered the estimating system will automatically construct an estimate for the removal and replacement of damaged property as well as the disposal of any debris. When the estimate is finished a disclaimer will be needed to inform the customer that the estimate is only a preliminary estimate and if any discrepancies arise when a contractor has seen the damage to inform the claims department for a review of the estimate. Since claims are being filed online, the movement on this is a little quicker. First of all, it reaches the company faster. The need to have the customer come in and get the information then in-putting it into the computer and have it looked at by the investigating agent, then processed, prepared for payment (if need be). Instead, you are cutting out the getting information process, and the inputting it into the computer by the agent. Instead you call or go online and put the information yourself and then let it get processed and then get paid. The affect it has on the movement is that it gets through quicker, you get faster response time from the company, and you get as accurate information as possible. The life cycle in a sense lasts shorter. Instead of taking a few weeks (possibly), it could take up to a week or less. So the life cycle in this case is a shorter one, which is good much better for the company overall. The only downside to this is that even though you get pretty accurate information, you then need to process it into insurance terminology so to speak, in which case you have an agent process the information. It’s also a good thing, because the agent is proof reading it so to speak to make sure that the information posted or given is  correct, and is process correctly, and is given to the proper division within the company. It’s sort of a backup plan and a much needed help for the customer who really has little to no knowledge on how insurance claims work. So overall, it is a faster and easier process which is set up to help the customer, and speed up the process to get claims paid quicker. Over time, while it does become easier, eventually other companies will begin to do this as well, and people will switch to whoever is cheaper. Service Packaging Packaging is not needed for our products or services. Instead we are offering our customers an easier way to file insurance claims. Normally a client would have to call in to the hot line number in order to file a claim. Once the operator answers then the client is expected to listen to numerous options and select which one applies to their personal needs at that moment. This process can be time consuming and aggravating depending on how many clients the customer service representatives the operators are assisting. The next step would be to explain the situation to the operator and wait for them to file the claim for the person. The on line website will be a fast working, easy to navigate website. There is nothing more aggravating then trying to complete information on a website that is slow and takes a long time to accept information. With technological advances, being able to file on line may be more convenient for those who do not have time to call the hot line and file claims. Clients will be able to access the website from laptops, cell phones, iPad, or any other media devices that allow access to the internet. Add value because it will be less time consuming for customers, if a follow-up is needed then the information may be easier to retrieve due to the pre-online registration. With every question there will be a detailed explanation of what information is required for that particular question. The question and additional information will be explained thoroughly to customers without them having to wait on hold in the phone for long periods of time just to speak with a live operator. This will add value to the customers in three ways. The online website will save time. Allow customers to have a more hands-on experience with the editing of claim information. Product Life Cycle Over the lifecycle of a product, a company’s differentiation and positioning strategy would need to change as the market, competitors, and product change. â€Å"When we say that a product has a life cycle we assert four things; Products have a limited life, Product sales pass through district stages, each posing different challenges, opportunities and problems to the seller, Profits rise and fall at different stages of the product lifecycle, and Products require different marketing, financial, manufacturing, purchasing, and human resource strategies in each life cycle stages† (Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC), 2014, p. 1). â€Å"Product life cycle (PLC) deals with the life of the product in the market with respect to business or commercial cost and sales measures† (Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC), 2014, p. 1). There are â€Å"five stages of each product lifecycle: product development, introduction, growth, maturity, and decline† (Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC), 2014, p. 1). During the introduction stage, Allstate will be launched into the market. Sales grow slowly in this time, and informative advertising is done (Dinesh Bakshi, n.d.). Many firms do not earn profits in this stage. There wouldn’t be much price skimming because our product is not a new invention and does have competitors. Due to the amount of competitors in the insurance market, competitive pricing is used. Sales rapidly grow during the growth stage, so we use persuasive advertising to gain customers. Competition is stiff at times prices may be reduced to stay a top competitor. Even though competition may be stiff, firms start to earn more profits in this stage. Our sales increase slowly and the highest figures are reached during the maturity stage of the product cycle. Since competition is at its max level, it would be in Allstate’s best interest to implement promotional pricing. Our profits are also at their highest level. We use competitive advertising to attract and retain our customers (Market Force, 2005-2014). Next we enter the decline stage where sales and profits decrease. During this stage, we must determine if the decline is temporary or permanent by conducting marketing research. Production may be stopped if the decline is considered to be permanent. If the decline is temporary, extension strategies are  implemented. The extension stage comes into play to come back from the decline. Original products may be reintroduced in other variations by changing the design, starting a new advertising campaign, and more (Dinesh Bakshi, n.d.). Pricing The price strategy of the web based system. The primary goal is to assure that this meets the needs of our loyal customers and anticipated customers. Moreover the pricing of our new web based system is an essential part of the marketing piece. Indeed this product of service can be very successful through proper indications of the pros and cons. Other price strategies could relate to what new services are provided by our competitor’s. However, researching the value, quality and conveniences of the product of service is essential. Pricing strategies with our new service can work to help gain satisfaction from the customers. Consequently, if the market research is not implemented correctly; this can work against the organizations overall plan. Contingency plans will also help the guide the new product in the process of service. Most of all pricing factors outline important steps of the web based system. In which will differentiate us from other insurance organizations such as Sta te farm. Furthermore one of all states insurance pricing strategies would involve a small fee. This fee will be deducted from the insurance holders policy every month or every six monthly. The web based system will be done as a package deal. Therefore customers will have the option to participate or not. The new product of service will also be explained to every customer .As well as step by step instructions to give a better understanding of how to use the system. Ultimately the use of the system operates to have claims estimates completed in a timely manner. Customers immediately have an opportunity of seeing the breakdown of damages and cost online. Overall the web based systems pricing is a concern that customer will have a choice to speed the process of with their claim .Although there are some people who may prefer to wait to speak with a claims adjuster. Most of all the new product of service will eliminate many problems with the process of claims. Customers will have an opportunity to view their own claims, and get a compete estimate without waiting for a call back from a claims adjuster. Although  this is a preliminary estimate of the claim, this is a positioning factor that gives Allstate’s customers satisfaction. Pricing figures are major factors towards marketing as well as the competitors. Promotional Strategy Allstate has several online competitors (Progressive, eSurance and Geico) that equate themselves as easy and fast. One of Progressives main thing is â€Å"price match†, which allows consumers to compare rates without providing too much personal information. Many people are reluctant to participate in many online services such as this because they think they will bombarded with spam and other marketing tactics. Generally, customer just a roundabout amount of what they would have to pay for car insurance based on their specific coverage needs. Allstate has identified this problem and created an innovative solution. First and foremost, Allstate designed a new way for customers to shop for quotes and have them delivered. According to â€Å"Marketing Edge† (2014), quotes would be delivered â€Å"anonymously (no personal information required), fast and easy, helpful (accurate), contemporary, and intuitive† (para. 4). Allstate needed to spread the word on this innovation, and the best way was to implement a campaign. This campaign included banner ads online and other tools designed to focus on online shoppers. Allstate needed to market themselves differently than their competition in order to stand out, excite consumers, and provoke attention. According to â€Å"Marketing Edge† (2014), â€Å"The new anonymous quote tool was the centerpiece of the program. Once it went live on the www.allstate.com site, DRTV, paid search, and online advertising campaigns were implemented in order to drive traffic to it. The DRTV campaign used a unique URL, â€Å"getallstate.com† for tracking purposes. Online banner ads linked directly to the site so visitors could be tracked through initiation and completion of a quote. The Program Objective: Develop and market a category-unique online shopping/quoting tool and introduce it to consumers in a way that cost-effectively invites greater shopping/quoting in the direct channel† (para. 7). This creative strategy had continued to allow online shoppers the freedom  and convenience to stay anonymous. Customers do not even have to provide their name to receive a quote (estimate). There is no application to feel out and no surveys to take. All of the other necessary information is gather by simply inputting your zip code. There are helpful tools strategically placed to assist customers, and the web site design is contemporary but not too flashy. According to â€Å"Marketing Edge† (2014), Based on their information, shoppers are presented with an array of estimates in a matrix that allows them to compare different features and levels of coverage that meet their unique needs. And it provides a price for each option. The tool demonstrates throughout the ease with which consumers can obtain the customized price and coverage information they want† (para. 10). Professional Selling Effort In order to market the new automated system for making claims, Allstate needs to express to the customers exactly how beneficial it will be to them. The best approach would be to build the value to the customer. They would have to show the customer exactly how it would benefit them to manage their claims online rather than deal with a claims adjuster right from the get go. Several people will find it convenient to be able to fill out the accident forms right from their mobile device, like their smart phone or tablet, while others will not be so prone to using technology as they are not technologically advanced. We will show the customers not to be afraid of the new systems, and that they are a benefit, not a burden. Initial Budget The budget is a financial plan for Allstate that quantifies the resource allocation plan for the years to come. To start, Allstate would have to create a specific amount, generated from how many people are going to be monitoring the online claims, and how many hours those individuals are going to be putting in. A sum of $208,000 will needed for ten individuals needed for the new system, all set at 40 hours per week and being paid $10 per hour. Allstate will have to create a budget for the person or company putting together the mainframe for putting together the portal for online claims, and setting up the website. Allstate will have to keep in mind that it is going to be a process to put this together and a lot of storage is going to be needed for their clientele. Generally, websites and web design  are going to cost Allstate anywhere from $1,000 t $2,500. Allstate will create jobs for this new system, and they will have to advertise or promote within in order to fill those jobs, b ut this will be very minimal cost to Allstate. The company expects to have a gross profit in the first year of $250,000-$500,000 due to the amount of claims that are not going to need claims adjuster to visit sites to assess the damage personally. The targeted output rate is 1,000,000, and with the average of 86% of all applicants that start the claim online actually finish it, that leaves 860,000 people that use the online claims and pricing. Allstate does not expect any losses with the new market plan. Success Plan Measurement There are several ways to measure the success of Allstate’s marketing plan. For Allstate to accurately measure their success plan they must â€Å"start with the end in mind† (Dyke, 2014). One of the first things to do is ask why the project began and what the goals are. Companies cannot lose sight of why they started something. Once that drive is lost the campaign goes under and the company is next. Numbers do not lie, so if the marketing plan is working it will show in revenue. Dyke (2014), â€Å"Measure success on your marketing program’s ability to meet the needs or desired outcomes of an objective. Remember your business planning here – start with setting your goals, list objectives that meet these goals and then identify tactics that will achieve your objectives. The best objectives are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and tangible)† (para. 13). To start tracking progress and success, Allstate must determine who their audience is. having a newsletter can be the turning point for a business. You can see which articles have the most readers and track statistics. Dyke 2014, † Begin to gather intelligence around the reader’s interest in the topic, taking the newsletter from a passive strategy to an interactive strategy, and one that can be measured. At the bottom of each online article, give readers several options. They can comment or ask questions, request that a lawyer call them, request a white paper or a helpful form or  checklist you’ve developed, or they can register for topical events. Remember, your responsiveness to requests is critical in developing relationships† (para. 20). Next, reducing that amount spent on proposals and pitches will help to increase rates in other areas. get to know clients rather than just what they think they want. Allstate must stay one step ahead of the competition to succeed. Many say the â€Å"perception is reality†, so it is imperative to know exactly what Allstate’s clients think about them. This can be done by implementing satisfaction surveys for the clients to ensure all their needs are met. All threats or problems acknowledged or revealed by the client must be handled swiftly. Allstate must â€Å"market for the sake of revenue, not for the sake of marketing – and take the momentum of your success and apply throughout all your marketing initiatives† (Media coverage: grabbing the bull horn). Ethical Issues Reference Dinesh Bakshi. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dineshbakshi.com/igcse-business-studies/marketing/revision-notes/814-product-life-cycle Dyke, S.V. (2014). CBA Practice Link. Retrieved from http://www.cba.org/cba/practicelink/mt/measureefforts.aspx http://www allstate.com/claims/report- Insure Me. (1993-2014). Retrieved from http://www.insureme.com/insurance-agent/marketing-tips Market Force. (2005-2014). Retrieved from http://uk.marketforce.com/price-checking/ Marketing Edge. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.marketingedge.org/marketing-programs/collegiate-echo/challenge-history/dma-international-echo-showcase/winner-allstate Perreault, W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2009). Basic Marketing. A marketing Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC) . (2014, Summer). Textile Learner, (1), 1. Retrieved from http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2013/12/product-life-cycle-stages-and.html Strategy Planning Approach. (17th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Company