Overview of the Last Glaciation

When did the last Ice Age occur? The worlds most recent glacial period began about 110,000 years ago and ended around 12,500 years ago. The maximum extent of this glacial period was the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and it occurred around 20,000 years ago. Although the Pleistocene Epoch experienced many cycles of glacials and interglacials (the warmer periods between the colder glacial climates), the last glacial period is the most heavily studied and best-known portion of the worlds current ice age, especially with regard to North America and northern Europe. The Geography of the Last Glacial Period At the time of the LGM (map of glaciation), approximately 10 million square miles (~ 26 million square kilometers) of the earth was covered by ice. During this time, Iceland was completely covered as was much of the area south of it as far as the British Isles. In addition, northern Europe was covered as far south as Germany and Poland. In North America, all of Canada and portions of the United States were covered by ice sheets as far south as the Missouri and Ohio Rivers. The Southern Hemisphere experienced the glaciation with the Patagonian Ice Sheet that covered Chile and much of Argentina and Africa and portions of the Middle East and Southeast Asia experienced significant mountain glaciation. Because the ice sheets and mountain glaciers covered so much of the world, local names have been given to the various glaciations around the  world. The Pinedale or Fraser in the North American Rocky Mountains, Greenland, the Devensian in the British Isles, the Weichsel in Northern Europe and Scandinavia, and the Antarctic glaciations are some of the names given to such areas. Wisconsin in North America is one of the more famous and well-studied, as is the Wà ¼rm glaciation of the European Alps. Glacial Climate and Sea Level The North American and European ice sheets of the last glaciation began forming after a prolonged cold stage with increased precipitation (mostly snow in this case) took place. Once the ice sheets began forming, the cold landscape altered typical weather patterns by creating their own air masses. The new weather patterns that developed reinforced the initial weather that created them, plunging the various areas into a cold glacial period. The warmer portions of the globe also experienced a change in climate due to glaciation in that most of them became cooler but drier. For example, rainforest cover in West Africa was reduced and replaced by tropical grasslands because of a lack of rain. At the same time, most of the worlds deserts expanded as they became drier. The American Southwest, Afghanistan, and Iran are exceptions to this rule however as they became wetter once a shift in their airflow patterns took place. Finally, as the last glacial period progressed leading up to the LGM, sea levels worldwide dropped as water became stored in the ice sheets covering the world’s continents. Sea levels went down about 164 feet (50 meters) in 1,000 years. These levels then stayed relatively constant until the ice sheets began to melt toward the end of the glacial period. Flora and Fauna During the last glaciation, shifts in climate altered the world’s vegetation patterns from what they had been prior to the formation of the ice sheets. However, the types of vegetation present during the glaciation are similar to those found today. Many such trees, mosses, flowering plants, insects, birds, shelled mollusks, and mammals are examples. Some mammals also went extinct around the world during this time but it is clear that they did live during the last glacial period. Mammoths, mastodons, long-horned bison, saber-toothed cats, and giant ground sloths are among these. Human history also began in the Pleistocene and we were heavily impacted by the last glaciation. Most importantly, the drop in sea level aided in our movement from Asia into North America as the landmass connecting the two areas in Alaskas Bering Strait (Beringia) surfaced to act as a bridge between the areas. Todays Remnants of the Last Glaciation Though the last glaciation ended about 12,500 years ago, remnants of this climatic episode are common around the world today. For example, increased precipitation in North Americas Great Basin area created enormous lakes (map of lakes) in a normally dry area. Lake Bonneville was one and once covered most of what is today Utah.​ The  Great Salt Lake is todays largest remaining portion of Lake Bonneville but the old shorelines of the lake can be seen on the mountains around Salt Lake City. Various landforms also exist around the world because of the enormous power of moving glaciers and ice sheets. In Canadas Manitoba for instance, numerous small lakes dot the landscape. These were formed as the moving ice sheet gouged out the land beneath it. Over time, the depressions formed filled with water creating kettle lakes. Finally, there are many glaciers still present around the world today and they are some of the most famous remnants of the last glaciation. Most ice today is located in Antarctica and Greenland but some ice is also found in Canada, Alaska, California, Asia, and New Zealand. Most impressively though are the glaciers still found in the equatorial regions like South Americas Andes Mountains and Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. Most of the worlds glaciers are famous today however for their significant retreats in recent years. Such a retreat represents a new shift in the earth’s climate—something that has happened time and time again over the earths 4.6 billion year history and will no doubt continue to do in the future.

Fate And Freewill Are Spiritual Aspects That Explain Human

Fate and freewill are spiritual aspects that explain human outcomes. The tragic story of Dr. Faustus almost divides the readers spiritual opinion on freewill and predestination. While free will and predestination may be complex themes to comprehend, Marlowe flawlessly shows how Faustus’ actions and mindset portray both aspects. Marlowe presents Faustus spiritual struggles while simultaneously explaining life and the choices people make. Humans are free to make mistakes and fully choose how their life unfolds. However, free will is greatly clouded by cause and effect (Strong 7). The play questions the constraints of free will and fate, and the ambiguous nature of both aspects (Manley 219). As Faustus opens up the play he inspects what he†¦show more content†¦Arguably, it could been seen as Faustus lacking the ability of choice because his life is predetermined. Faustus is so inconsistent with any choices he makes it is hard to believe that such a smart man could be so naive. Faustus feels people’s lives are set in stone. This is clear when he reads a verse from The New Testament: â€Å"Why, then, belike we must sin And so consequently die. Ay, we must die an everlasting death. What doctrine call you this? Che serà  , serà  ? What will be, shall be? Divinity, adieu!† (I.i.42-46) This exert clearly shows that Faustus truly believes that he does not control his life. Faustus feels that no matter what actions he does, it does not determine if he will go to heaven. Faustus thinks he is already eternally damned. Ironically he also does not read the whole verse. Instead he creates his own version of Jerome’s Bible. How could such a knowledgable man misinterpret verse? Perhaps he was destined to read it wrong to cement his belief in being predetermined. Faustus is free equally doomed by his manhood and his choices (Manley 219) As Faustus progresses over the play the reader can see that he is somewhat regretful. Briefly Faustus even contemplates being able to save himself from damnation: â€Å"Now, Faustus, must thou needs be damned? Canst thou not be saved? What boots it, then, to think on God or heaven? Away withShow MoreRelatedEssay on War and Peace and Tolstoys View of History2791 Words   |  12 Pagesin the novel reflect his theory of history, Tolstoy iterates this in less narrative terms in the twelve chapters of the Second Epilogue, described as, A general discussion on the historians study of human life, and on the difficulty of defining the forces that move nations.   The problem of freewill and necessity.   The view of history explored by Tolstoy has had few sympathisers and copious critics.   Tolstoy predicts this disagreement earlier in War and Peace in his description of the life of a

Impressionism vs. Mexican Muralism Free Essays

Impressionism vs.. Mexican Muralist As we all know, cultures and events shaped the world were being mirrored in the world of art. We will write a custom essay sample on Impressionism vs. Mexican Muralism or any similar topic only for you Order Now From Impressionism to Mexican Muralist, art has experienced lots of movements and it is easy to get confused regarding the similarities and difference between Impressionism and Mexican Muralist. In this essay, I will clear those things from two paintings: Camille Pissarro Boulevard Montmartre (Afternoon, Sunshine) and Diego River’s A Dream off Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park. The two images above are excellent examples of different styles of the Impressionism and Mexican Muralist. While the content is relatively similar, such as natural background, bright color, and even both of them depicted a scene happened in the afternoon, the feeling of the two paintings is remarkably diverse. The painting Boulevard Montmartre has a much softer edges and low-tone feel too it, compared to the stark contrast of A Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park with its clear boundaries and striking use of color. Actually, besides the optical effect, Mexican muralist also aimed at conveying social and political messages to the public. Impressionism which can be noninsured as the first obviously modern movement in the art occurred from 1860 to 1890 in France, and its effects have spread well beyond Europe and eventually the United States. Its sponsors who against Academic des Beaux-Arts, which predominated the French art scene at that time, were accordingly rejected to exhibit their art works in Salon des Paris, such as works from Meant, Monet and so forth(Lana Barras Hill 119). Instead of portray likenesses that mirrored a subject in as much as detail as possible, Impressionism artists focus on natural light and intend to capture the fleeting movement in an instant time. In order to perform this effect vividly, they moved from the studio to outdoors. One of the representative works which can reflected this style is Boulevard Montmartre, a series paintings drawn by Camille Pissarro in early 1897. â€Å"Pissarro was looked upon as the father of the impressionism group, and he was the only painter to exhibit at every one of the eight Impressionist exhibitions† (Ian Barras Hill 135). Pissarro was inspired to paint outdoors. As a freer handling of brighter colors, he always applied colors softly and his talent clearly lay in the reality of nature in landscapes with figures. After spending six years painting for rural setting, he returned to Paris and rented a room at the Grand Hotel De Russia in Paris in order to have a perfect view and unusual angle of the intersection of the Montmartre Boulevard† (Anne Gray 16). Boulevard Montmartre, afternoon, sunshine is an extraordinarily energetic painting of the fourteen painting series, which displays a fasting moving and dynamic urban life in Paris during the working hours of the day. Since he is looking out the left of his bedroom window, his eyesight was falling and the vanishing point is higher. As a exult, the strong central shape of the receding boulevard, flanked by rows of trees, street-level shops and impressive apartments, dictates the open, powerful composition and high perspective. Rapid, thick brush strokes used on the sky and road draw the eye down this thoroughfare, which has crowds and heavy traffic. Like the blurred photos, figures, commissaries and omnibuses in this painting hold no discernible details. Pissarro captures a bustling movement in an instant time and just rough sketches of them. Of course, a broad pointillism is also used in many places, such on a road surface. In addition, the scene is presented with a palette of great subtlety and colors are applied side-by-side with mixing creating a vibrant atmosphere: grey, browns and whites accented with red and tiny amounts of green. Certainly, softly edges between pedestrians and background produced by Pissarro makes the color much more natural. Abbreviation depicted the subject matter imply that the Impressionism artist emphasizes on capturing the essence of the subject. Besides, Pissarro still focus on the changing natural light and weather effects, and the figures under the sunlight which contrasts the shadow, dark Cambridge and looting convey the rich atmosphere effect. Nevertheless, Mexican Muralist which prevails specifically during the ass’s and ass’s is extremely different from Impressionism. The three main and most important artists during this movement were Jose Clement Rocco, Diego Riviera, and David Alfalfa Queries, and the muralists in Mexico were interested in Aztec and Amman cultures, depicted some Mexican people and their heroes’ live and work. During the early years of the twentieth century, those three representative muralists who were influenced by the European modernist art returned to Mexico and began to paint and teach. Dorothy Chaplin 26). In contrast to Impressionism, Mexican Muralist movement is not only an artistic movement but also a social and political movement. In fact, the mural styles by Mexican Muralist artists were regarded as a teaching method, aimed at convey social and political messages to the public regardless of race and social class. Among the three Mexican muralists, Diego Riviera who were good at large wall works in fresco is the most prominent and controversial artist in Mexico. Riviera developed his own native painting style that was also social realism. Under the influence form Aztec, he was skilled in applying bold and vivid colors to paint Mexican peasant or large simplified figures. (Ivory Davies 38). River’s mural A Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park which is a fifty foot fresco takes the viewer on a Sunday walk through Alameda Park. It was painted on a wall of the Hotel Paradox in 1947. Minion, an earthquake destroyed hotel, but the mural, perhaps the best known of River’s works was relocated to a new museum across the street (Renee Pamela 8). † The painter presents people and events in Mexican history from cotes, the emperor Macmillan, the revolutionaries Million Capita and Francisco Madder, to his own day’ (R Hagen 101). Portrayed in the mural are numerous historical figures, more or less from left to right, but not in chronological order. Specifically, Diego Riviera in this mural depicted as a child holding the hand of a fashionably dressed skeleton figure, the omnipresence of death in the everyday life of Mexico. The figure standing maternally beside him is his wife, who is a self- portrait artist and feminist icon in Mexico and parade around them is impervious rich and unrequited poor. Unlike the repose for capturing the transient quality of life in impressionism, River’s painting intends to present a universal political dream in Mexico and covey some social and political message to the public. As in the Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park, this is no class martyrdom and colonial tragedy. The message of Dream of Sunday is accusation of the tension of the violent matter. Besides, he also combined historical and allegorical imagery. Actually, balloons on the background represent the strife for Mexican Liberty. As previous stated, there are more than a hundred satirical figures in this mural. Unlike pedestrians with rough sketches in the Boulevard Montmartre, Riviera cataloged social types from ruler to the bottom of the society, costumes, adornments artifacts, animals, and plant. This mural is a descriptive and documentary painting, which carried to utmost limits of crowded detail and illustrative functionalism (Gilbert Chase 11). In turning away from softly edges and rough sketches which impressionism artists of their day aspired, Riviera chose a realism to convey that subject matter through this fresco. What’s more, Riviera was mastery of sense of composition, space and striking use of color. Instead of dark clothes and commissaries in Boulevard Montmartre, people from different classes wear brightly colorful costumes. Furthermore, the bright yellow and purple applied in the tree or sky stands in sharp contrast to the grey and brown sky in Boulevard Montmartre. In conclusion, River’s artistic masterpieces were a collection of many European styles. Although Mexico Muralist inspired by the painting technique of impressionism, artists during Mexican Muralist began to realize all this innovation ad little to do with real life. As a result, in order to convey political and social messages to the vast number of uneducated people, Riviera chose a traditional art form and style to present the new subject matter (Gilbert Chase 12). Got away from focusing solely on optical painting in Impressionism, Mexican Muralist artists who began to carry a clearly discernible social and political comment in their artworks creates a new era in the human art treasure. Works Cited Anne Gray. Incubi: last impressions 1907-17: National Gallery of Australia. Seep. 2009. Print. Dorothy Chaplin. How to cite Impressionism vs. Mexican Muralism, Papers

Acute Respiratory Tract Infections Biology Essay Example For Students

Acute Respiratory Tract Infections Biology Essay Acute respiratory piece of land infections play a major function in hospitalizations of kids, and respiratory syncytial virus is good recognized as the most of import pathogen doing ARTI.Objectives: This survey aimed to measure epidemiological and clinical forms of RSV infection in kids hospitalized for lower ARTI in Ahvaz, Iran. Patient and Methods: Respiratory specimens collected from 100 kids with lower ARTI from October 2008 until the terminal of April 2009, were screened for RSV utilizing real-time rearward transcription-polymerase concatenation reaction ( RT-PCR ) . Consequences: During the survey period, 9 kids had a positive consequence for RSV infection. The average age of these patients was 10 months. Bronchiolitis was the clinical diagnosing of patients with RSV infections. All of these patients were less than 24 months. Cough ( 77.7 % ) and chest wall abjuration ( 100 % ) were the taking symptoms and marks respectively.Conclusions: This survey indicates that RSV is an of import cause of respiratory tract infection in babies less than 2 old ages old. RT-PCR offers a rapid method for common respiratory viruses. Cardinal words: Children, lower respiratory tract infection, Respiratory syncytial virus, Rt-PCR. 3 1.Background Acute respiratory piece of land infections ( ARTIs ) are a prima cause of hospitalization and mortality in kids less than 5 old ages of age and stand for a considerable wellness job in the universe. ( 1 ) Viruss, including respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV ) , metapneumovirus, influenza A and B, parainfluenza and adenovirus are the most common aetiologic agents for childhood acute respiratory piece of land unwellness. ( 2 ) Among viral causes of acute respiratory piece of land infections, RSV has a important function. Human respiratory syncytial virus is an enveloped, single-stranded ; negative- sense RNA virus of the genus Pneumovirus.The extremum incidence of the RSV infections is between the 2nd and six month of age. It can do important morbidity from upper respiratory infections, acute bronchiolitis, and bronchial pneumonia to apnea in kids. ( 3, 4 ) In hospitalized kids, RSV infections occur at greater frequence than other viral infections of the lower respiratory piece of land. It is identified as the etiologic agent in 60-90 % of the patients with bronchiolitis and in 25-50 % of the pneumonia. ( 5, 6 ) In temperate states, RSV eruptions have a defined seasonality, happening chiefly autumn and winter while in tropical and semi-tropical states, it chiefly peaks during the rainy season. ( 7, 8 ) In add-on to conventional viral civilization techniques and serology, a late described advanced, polymerase concatenation reaction ( PCR ) for the diagnosing of respiratory viral infections has besides been shown to be utile because it offers an enhanced sensitiveness combined with rapid sensing. Even if certain viruses such as RSV can be grown in cell civilizations, this method is non 4 wholly dependable and many scientists have begun to utilize real-time polymerase concatenation reaction RT-PCR to place infections. ( 9,10 ) Information on the epidemiology of RSV infections in developing states are still limited. The most of these surveies have non used extremely sensitive molecular techniques such as ( RT-PCR ) . ( 11-13 ) 2.Objectives The intent of this survey was to supply informations about the sensing of RSV by RT-PCR in hospitalized kids up to age of five old ages in Ahvaz, Iran. 3.Patients and Methods The survey population consisted of kids less than 5 twelvemonth of age, admitted in the Aboozar kids s infirmary with lower respiratory tract infections ( LRTI ) . It was designed to inscribe topics from the beginning of October 2008 until the terminal of April 2009.Newborn babies less than 28 yearss were excluded.LRTI were categorized on the footing of clinical and roentgenographic findings as pneumonia and bronchiolitis. Bronchiolitis was defined as an acute respiratory unwellness characterized by rhinorrhea, cough, and dyspnoea and diffuses wheezing, with peribronchial thickener and hyperexpansion on thorax radiogram if available. Pneumonia was defined as dyspnoea in a patient with focal rattles or decreased eupneic sounds and the presence of a focal infiltrate and/ or consolidation on thorax radiograph.5 During hospitalization, the kids s marks and symptoms were obtained by a reappraisal of medical charts. This information was reviewed and entered into a database. Informed consent was Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson EssayOther surveies from Iran have showed incidences of RSV infection 12.9 % , 15 % , 16.8 % in instances of LRTI and all of these studies are from temperate parts. ( 20-22 ) The difference of RSV epidemiology in the universe may be related to differences in clime conditions, in environmental factors and in badness of its epidemics from one twelvemonth to another. ( 10 ) It has reported negative correlativities between higher monthly mean temperature and RSV infection in tropical parts. 21 Ahvaz is in the sou-west of Iran and has fall-winter seasons characterized by comparatively warm non prefering the endurance and the spreading of RSV.8 Studies have shown that some paediatric patients with acute lower respiratory tract infection become infected at the same time with multiple respiratory viruses. Dan peng et Al suggests that there is a high happening of multipathogen infections in kids admitted withacute respiratory piece of land infections and that coinfection is associated with certain pathogens. In this survey RSV was detected in merely 5.7 % of instances. ( 23 ) In add-on, Arabpour et al reported high prevalence ( 54.4 % ) of Human metapneumovirus ( hMPV ) , among Ahvazian kids with respiratory piece of land infections. This survey showed the likely function of hMPV as an of import causative agent of acute respiratory piece of land infections in this country. ( 24 ) In our study, there was a somewhat higher incidence of RSV infection in males ( 1.3:1 ) .This consequence was consistent with other surveies. Sangar et al suggested that being female was protective against RSV hospitalization. ( 25,26 ) In this survey all of the kids that tested positive for RSV had bronchiolitis and the highest figure of positive samples for RSV is in the patients less than 1 year.This inclination toward younger age in RSV infections has been reported in other reported informations. ( 27,28 ) The clinical characteristics of kids with RSV positive samples observed in our survey were similar to those of old studies. ( 14, 15 ) There were two major restrictions in our survey. One of our restriction is though some kids presented the standards for inclusion in this survey, samples from 100 patients were collected, due to the bound established for processing and storage of samples. The 2nd restriction is we did non look into out all of the respiratory viral agents in our patients. It seems in 9 our geographic place and clime state of affairs the other viruses like hMPV have an of import function in LRTI in children.Infections with respiratory viruses are a common cause of morbidity and mortality around the universe. A better apprehension of the epidemiology of respiratory viral infections may be used for seasonably, specific antiviral therapy, prophylaxis, and inoculation. Future prospective surveillance over an drawn-out period in this part is needed to accurately place the epidemiology of viruses.

Case Study of Harley

Introduction Harley-Davidson Company has been in the motorcycle manufacturing business for decades now. The American based company was launched in Wisconsin at the start of the 20th century as a small yet promising motorcycle manufacturer. Due to its strong managerial and marketing background, Harley-Davidson outwitted the Great Depression era that witnessed many manufacturing firms going under receivership while others closing down completely.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Case Study of Harley-Davidson specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The unfavorable competition brought about by lack of adequate quality control of the US markets was yet another challenging moment for Harley-Davidson (Harley-Davidson, 2006). Nonetheless, it survived the harsh markets, moved on and later emerged as one of the global leaders in the manufacture of heavyweight motorcycles with over 750 cc. engine capacity. Today, Harley-Da vidson motorcycles are known globally due to their distinctive design similar to that of a chopper. Unfortunately, the firm has not been successful in its bid to venture and invest in the light motor-cycle industry largely due to dominance by other market rivals. Through its loyal brand community, the motorcycle manufacturer has spread its marketing tentacles far and wide. Its logo alone generates about five per cent of the firm’s net income. This paper explores a case study of Harley-Davidson and the strategic marketing theories and concepts used. The paper also offers some recommendations that the company could adopt to improve its marketing competences. Case Summary Customer loyalty is the strongest marketing strategy of Harley-Davidson, a phenomenon not common with most brands especially those operating in the high end manufacturing market. One reason attributed to this overwhelming success in the company’s marketing strategy is the fact the marketing department ha s laid more emphasis on the needs of customers, the latter being the most vital asset owned by the company (Harley-Davidson, 2006). Firstly, the company marketers have taken significant amounts of time to understand the ideals of Harley-Davidson customers, what they really want and how their purchasing needs and preferences can be met at any given time. For the company, it is imperative to serve its customers with passion. This entails evaluating their feelings as well as their rationale behind buying at Harley-Davidson. According to the marketing team, attention to details is paramount in understanding the needs of customers (Harley-Davidson, 2006). The management at Harley-Davidson confirms that it is out of customer satisfaction that it has grown into a five billion dollar company and the largest group sponsored by a company worldwide(Harley-Davidson, 2006). Currently, there are over nine hundred thousand members attached to Harley Owners Group (HOG).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As the management admits, the company does not just sell motorcycles. Harley-Davidson believes in creating a sense of independence, free will as well as liberty to its chronic buyers so that they do not just purchase the machinery alone but the intrinsic benefits that come along with it. Hence, the motorcycle manufacturing firm has gone beyond creating product consumption experience. Buying at Harley-Davidson has become a lifestyle to its customers. Therefore, the management realizes that supporting such a high level consumption experience as well as a life style requires rigorous marketing tools. This has been attained through the establishment of a network of individuals who work smart and tireless hard to deliver the mission and vision of the company. In one of its common marketing strategies, the company often sponsors travel adventures alongside other breat htaking events for its customers and other interested users. For instance, it may occasionally opt to offer free clothing and other riding accessories for passionate motorists and other fun-loving individuals (Harley-Davidson, 2006). Application of marketing theories in the case study There are quite a number of marketing theories, concepts and models that are applicable in the Harley-Davidson case study. To begin with, it is vital to understand that the consumption experience of consumers at the company is largely driven by how best the very customers make their decisions (Gummesson, 2002). The myriad marketing principles applied by the marketing team at Harley-Davidson is clear evidence why consumers will choose their products against those of the competitors. For instance, the brand name of the company has remained to be a very strong marketing tool over the decades especially in reaching out to new customers who may not have had prior shopping experience with the company. From t he utility theory of the decision making model by consumers, it is proposed that the purchasing decisions made by consumers is heavily dependent on the anticipated outcomes of the very decisions made. In this regard, consumers are treated at actors who are rational in their decision making process and will only settle at what will bring optimum benefit and satisfaction to them. Hence, the marketers at Harley-Davidson are quite aware of this and as it is the sole reason why customers are given the first priority as real assets to the company.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Case Study of Harley-Davidson specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nonetheless, it is definite that consumers may not always be rational in decision making. Better still, they may equally fail to fully recognize the various inputs which affect their overall decision making patterns. In addition, they can fairly estimate frequencies of eve nts but the process of translating the latter into probabilities is typically cumbersome for consumers. Although the utility theory of decision making paradigm by consumers has been embraced for long, it has notable limitations that cannot be elaborated by the given marketing model. A more simpler and satisfactory backup of the utility theory is the one referred to as satisficing. According to this model, consumers tend to stop the process of decision making once their immediate needs are met. This can be used to explain the loyalty nature of customers attached to Harley-Davidson products. They no longer need to make further decisions on whether to purchase heavy motorcycles and related products from Harley-Davidson since their buying needs have already been satisfied. The marketing department at Harley-Davidson has largely utilized a marketing theory referred to as consideration. This theory has it that consumers are of equal importance to the brand name of a company. In other word s, customers act as a subset to the company upon which all decisions are made. As customers continue to attach more importance in purchasing motorcycles from Harley-Davidson, the management of the company is equally enforcing the theory f involvement. As the motorcycle manufacturing firm continues to launch new brands to the market, it has to intensely involve its active and prospected consumers. This is evident in the manner in which the company engages its customers and interested users of its products in events such as adventurous riding and contests so that they can develop liking for the Harley-Davidson motorcycles. How does Harley-Davidson build long term customer relationship? Harley-Davidson has a variety of strategies in place aimed at building long term relationships. First, the company has revolutionized its customer experience on the purchase of heavy motorcycles.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It has dominated the market with the manufacture of high quality products that go along way satisfying customers (Hunt, 2002). The company has embarked on a serious quality program of its motorcycles so that it does not only retain and build long term relationships with its chronic customers but also work towards maintaining market leadership. Second, the Harley Owners Group (HOG) is another strategy being employed by the company to build long lasting consumer experience and relationship. There is a close working relationship among the HOG members aimed at fostering better customer satisfaction in the heavy motorcycle industry. Through the large pool of HOG membership numbering over 900,000, customers have been netted and retained far and wide. This has consequently assured the company of its profitability and survival even during the hard economic times. Third, Harley-Davidson has a comprehensive company sponsored adventures aimed at bringing together its customers and other fun lo ving users of its heavy duty motorcycles in field events. It is a form of social corporate responsibility that seeks to reach out for the wider population with some form of entertainment while at the same time creating demand for its motorcycles. The company also offers some clothes and other residing accessories for the users of its motorcycles as way of attracting their attention to the Harley-Davidson brand. What is Harley-Davidson’s value proposition? The value proposition of Harley-Davidson lies heavily in the way the company conducts its business strategies. Although the management of the company is confident in the quality of its motorcycles, it has a strong conviction that satisfaction derived from thorough understanding of customer’s feelings, likes and dislikes as well as preferences is long lasting and is perhaps the best business strategy to adopt. In order to achieve this value proposition, the company has created a mentality of a lifestyle in the consumpt ion of its products (Copley, 2004). It is not merely the need of customers to purchase motorcycles from Harley-Davidson, developing great liking and passion for the various company brands is of utmost importance. The company has attributed this value proposition as the major growth factor at Harley-Davidson. Relate the concept of customer equity to Harley-Davidson. How does Harley-Davidson’s strategy focus on the right relationships with the right customers? The total lifetime and markdown value of all customers attached to a given company is referred to as customer equity. In other words, customer equity will largely determine how a company shapes its strategies as part and parcel of meeting the needs of its users. In the case study of Harley-Davidson, customer equity is being driven by three main factors namely value, brand and retention equities. The utility value of Harley-Davidson motorcycles is critically assessed by the company and any necessary modification are made i n order to maintain or improve the value of their products. Besides, the Harley-Davidson brand is regularly assessed by the customers in terms of what the company claims to be offering against what is actually received. Finally, the retention equity will see into it that customers attempt to stay put with a particular brand and hence it is upon the company to comply with the needs of customers since the latter shapes the overall business strategy being adopted by the company. Hence, customer equity enables Harley-Davidson to choose the most applicable tool among the aforementioned drivers in satisfying the diverse needs of its wide array of customers. Conclusions and recommendations Although Harley-Davidson brand has remained competitive and stable even during the hard economic times, there are still numerous concerns that the management has not addressed adequately. Its value proposition currently stands at developing passion for its products. However, this may not be sustainable a s a business strategy over time owing to the changing and unpredictable customer preferences in addition to the entrance of other market players. Indeed, the company’s bid to venture in light motorcycles has not been successful so far since the old strategies may not be productive in a market where competition is rife. It is against this backdrop that the following recommendations have been suggested as way out for Harley-Davidson to remain profitable even as it expands its brand portfolio. To begin with, the management at Harley-Davidson should ensure that customer satisfaction is not just driven by passion per se. the price of its motorcycles as well as the availability of its brands should be satisfactory to its consumers (Roth Mullen,1991). It is a basic requirement in a business strategy that Harley-Davidson cannot ignore. Secondly, the company can differentiate itself from other market rivals by creating superior service levels to its products. Customers must be able t o distinguish between the services offered by Harley-Davidson and market players. For instance, response to queries from customers should be fast enough. In addition, improved delivery and other after-sale services should stand out for Harley-Davidson to boost competitiveness. Finally, variety of customer experience strategies should be applied throughout the lifetime of the company (Gilmore, 2003). For example, both existing and prospective customers should be educated on how to make better buying decisions. It is pertinent for customers to be fully aware of the product knowledge and not merely making it a lifestyle. Customers who have the right knowledge of the products they are willing to buy are more likely to remain loyal for long. References Copley, P. (2004). Marketing communications management: concepts and theories,  cases and practices, Burlington: Elsevier Inc. Gilmore, A. (2003). Services marketing and management, London: Sage Publications. Gummesson, E. (2002). Total relationship marketing, Oxford: Elsevier Science. Harley-Davidson (2006). Video Case. Web. Hunt, D.S. (2002). Foundations of marketing theory: toward a general theory of  marketing, New York: M.E. Sharpe, Inc. Roth, M.B. Mullen, D.J. (1991). Decision Making: Its Logic and Practice, Savage: Rowman Littlefield Publishers Inc. 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Specific Teaching Strategies to Differentiate Instruction

Specific Teaching Strategies to Differentiate Instruction Research shows that one of the most effective ways to meet all learners needs is to differentiate instruction. Many teachers use differentiated instruction strategies because it allows them to engage their students by accommodating each students unique learning style. However, when you have a large group of students, it can be tough to keep up with each child’s individual needs. It takes time to come up with, and implement differentiated activities.  To help keep the workload manageable, teachers have tried a variety of strategies, from tiered assignments to choice boards. Here are a few more teacher-tested teaching strategies to differentiate instruction in your elementary classroom.   Choice Board Choice boards are activities that give students options as to what activities to complete to meet class requirements. A great example of this comes from a third-grade teacher named Mrs. West. Mrs. West uses choice boards with her third-grade students because she feels it is the easiest way to differentiate instruction while keeping her students engaged. While choice boards can be set up in a variety of ways (student interest, ability, learning style, etc.) Mrs. West chooses to set up her choice boards by using the Multiple Intelligence Theory. She sets up the choice board like a tic tac toe board- in each box she writes a different activity and asks her students to choose one activity from each row. The activities vary in content, product, and process. Here is an example of the types of tasks she uses on her students choice board. Choice Board for Multiple Intelligences: Verbal/Linguistic – Write instructions on how to use your favorite gadget.Logical/Mathematical – Design a map of your bedroom.Visual/Spatial –   Create a comic strip.Interpersonal-   Interview a friend or your best friend.Free ChoiceBody-Kinesthetic - Make up a game.Musical – Write a song.Naturalist – Conduct an experiment.Intrapersonal – Write about the future. Learning Menu Learning menus are much like choice boards whereas students have the opportunity to choose which tasks on the menu that they would like to complete. However, the learning menu is unique in that it actually takes the form of a menu. Instead of having a nine square grid with nine unique choices on it, the menu can have an unlimited amount of choices for the students to choose from. You can also set up your menu in a variety of ways, as mentioned above. Here is an example of a spelling homework learning menu: Learning Menu for Homework: (Students choose one from each category)Appetizer - Sort spelling words into categories, choose three spelling words to define, highlight all vowels.Entree - Use all spelling words to write a story, write a poem using five spelling words, write a sentence for each spelling word.Dessert - Write your spelling words in ABC order, Create a word search using at least five words, use a mirror to write your spelling words backward.   Tiered Activities In a tiered activity, all students are working on the same activity, but the activity is differentiated according to ability level. A great example of this type of tiered strategy is in an elementary school classroom where kindergartners are at the reading center.   An easy way to differentiate learning without the students even knowing it  is to have the students play the game, Memory. This game is easy to differentiate because you can have beginning students try to match a letter with its sound, while the more advanced students can try and match a letter to a word. To differentiate this station, all you have to do is have different bags of cards for each level, and direct specific students to which cards they should choose from. To make differentiation invisible, color-code the bags and tell each student which color he/she should choose. Another example of tiered activities is to break the assignment into three sections using varied levels of tasks. Here is an example of a basic tiered activity: Tier One: (Low) - Describe how the character acts.Tier Two: (Middle) - Describe the changes the character went through.Tier Three: (High) - Describe the clues that the author gives about the character. Many elementary school teachers find that this differentiated instructional strategy is an effective way for students to reach the same goals while taking into account each of their students’ individual needs. Adjusting Questions Many teachers find that an effective questioning strategy is to use adjusted questions to help them differentiate instruction in their classroom. The way this strategy works is simple- you use Blooms Taxonomy to develop questions starting with the most basic level, then moving towards the more advanced levels. Students at varying levels are able to answer questions on the same topic, but also at their own level. Here is an example of how teachers can use adjusted questing to differentiate an activity: For this example, the students had to read a paragraph, then answer a question that was tiered to their level. Basic learner - Describe what happened after...Advanced learner - Can you explain why...More Advanced learner - Do you know of another situation where... Flexible Grouping Many teachers who differentiate instruction in their classroom find flexible grouping an effective method of differentiation because it provides students with the opportunity to work with other students who may have a similar learning style, readiness, or interest as them. Depending on the purpose of the lesson, teachers can plan their activities based on a students’ attributes, then use flexible grouping to group students accordingly. The key to making flexible grouping effective is making sure the groups are not static. Its important that teachers continually conduct assessments throughout the year, and move students among the groups as they master their skills. Often time’s teachers tend to group students according to their ability at the beginning of the school year, and then forget to change the groups, or do not think they need to. This is not an effective strategy and will only hinder students from progressing. The Jigsaw The Jigsaw cooperative learning strategy is another effective method to differentiate instruction. In order for this strategy to be effective, students must work together with their classmates to complete an assignment. Heres how to works: Students are divided into small groups and each student is assigned one task. This is where the differentiation comes in- each child within the group is responsible for learning one thing, then bringing the information that they learned back to their group to teach their peers. The teacher can differentiate learning by choosing what, and how, each student in the group will learn the information. Here is an example of what a Jigsaw learning group looks like. Example of a Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Group: Students are divided into groups of five students. Their task is to research Rosa Parks. Each student within the group is given a task that suits their unique learning style. Here is an example. Student 1: Create a fake interview with Rosa Parks and find out about her early life.Student 2: Create a song about the Montgomery bus boycott.Student 3: Write a journal entry about Rosa Parks life as a civil rights pioneer.Student 4: Create a game that tells facts about racial discrimination.Student 5: Create a poster about Rosa Parks legacy and death. In todays elementary schools, classrooms are not taught with a â€Å"one size fits all† approach. Differentiated instruction allows for teachers to meet the needs of all learners, while still maintaining high standards and expectations for their students. Whenever you teach a concept in a variety of different modalities, you increase the chances that you will reach each and every student.

Philosophy business ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Philosophy business ethics - Essay Example He has to take some initiative to spare his company from grave losses. First of all, I argue that if habitual drug use was the main cause of the declining profit, Mr. Bowie has the right to defend his company by conducting the drug test. As the leader of a company, Mr. Bowie has to fulfill his duty and responsibility to ensure the safety of the company to satisfy the stockholders. It is natural for him to feel so dejected about his company’s future, since he has struggled a lot for the betterment of the company’s productivity. Still, bad performance began to be displayed by his employees due to lack of professionalism and loyalty for the last fifteen years. Finally, he discovered that the root cause of all the mishaps is that most of the employees relied on drugs. Now, when he is finally familiar with the root cause of the problem and the effective results implemented by the strategy of drug testing, he unequivocally has the right to use the drug test and it is even his job to do so, because if he goes on ignoring the method, it would mea n that he is not fulfilling his duty as the chief manager of the company. The strategy that is to be discussed presently and which I support, is â€Å"drug testing†, that includes having an employee tested for their urine in the presence of two other persons of the same sex in the same room. Now, this idea of having the urine tested explicitly in front of two other persons, no matter if they may be of the same sex, can very potently appear to be extremely humiliating and embarrassing for any employee, and that is the major reason why people stand up against this method. That does not mean this strategy should be eradicated or banned completely. I, personally, believe this to be profoundly vital for the long-term success of any company because sometimes, the very threat of drug testing can work miracles. This threat is especially functional when it is effectively used at the time of employing new persons as