Evaluate how the marketing strategy of Google Inc aided to its Article

Evaluate how the marketing strategy of Google Inc aided to its economic rise and sustainability. Where is this success attributed to - Article Example However, the Web of 1996 was considerably different compared to what it is now. Anyone who presently uses a search engine can vouch that the completeness of the index is not the only factor in the quality of search results (Bagdikian, 1997). Junk results many times erase any results that a user is interested in. In fact, as of June 1997, merely one of the top three commercial search engines returned its own search page as a response to its name in the top ten results (Kleinberg, 1998). One of the main reasons of this problem was that the number of documents in the indices had been rising by many levels of magnitude, but the users ability to view documents had not. People only wanted to view the first few tens of results. Due to this, as the collection size increases, tools that have very high precision (number of relevant documents returned, e.g. in the top ten of results) are required. Of course, it was desired that the notion of "relevant" only consisted of the very best documents since there could have been tens of thousands of somewhat relevant documents. This considerable accuracy is significant even at the expense of recall (the total number of relevant documents the system is able to return). Recently, there is considerable optimism that the use of more hypertextual information can assist in improving search and other applications. Specifically, link structure and link text supply plenty of information for deciding relevance judgments and quality filtering (Kleinberg, 1998). Incidentally, Google employs both link structure and anchor text. Another significant design aim was to construct systems that a reasonable number of people could actually employ. Usage was significant to Google because they believe that a considerable number of the most exciting research will require leveraging the huge amount of usage data that is available from modern

Women and gender studies Essay Example for Free

Women and gender studies Essay In WGS101 (Introduction to Women and Gender Studies), we have seen many examples in the news that have related to theories and issues from the textbook and from lecture (e.g. homophobia with pasta ads; genetic testing of athletes). This assignment is your opportunity to identify an issue in the news (Canada or the world) concerning women and/or gender and build an essay around it. Process: ï  ¬Identify an issue in the news and specify its historical context (when) and location (where) and the power relationships involved (how and what). ï  ¬Formulate a thesis and connect it to theories and ideas found in course readings and lecture. What is the connection to course themes? ï  ¬What are the relevant facts? Cite these when you use them. ï  ¬What Textbook or Atlas information can you add to support your thesis? ï  ¬Find additional sources to support your thesis; cite them. ï  ¬Formulate a conclusion Essays should demonstrate what you have learned from the lectures, readings and your own research with additional sources. Integrate these ideas into a well written, organized and analyzed essay. Three pages, double-spaced, 15%. Writing support: For advice on the proper style and format of academic papers, see http://library.utm.utoronto.ca/write and http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/home. Look also to UTM’s Academic Skills Centre for support: http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/asc/Students/tips.htm: †¢Ten most common grammatical errors †¢Referencing styles, how to cite, what to cite More writing advice: http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/ How not to plagiarize: http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/using-sources/how-not-to-plagiarize

Marketing Of An Innovative Ide :: essays research papers

The number of people in the United States that work on their own automobiles continues to increase. This is evident by the continuing number of auto-part stores that are opened every year. New stores, new chains, the competition is fierce. One reason for this is that the cost of taking your automobile in to the shop, to change something as simple as a $10 gasket, can be very expensive. It could end up costing you a couple of hundred dollars do to labor. Labor can make up anywhere from thirty to ninety percent of the bill. The other problem is finding a place to go that you can trust. There are a lot of crooked mechanics that seem to find more problems or even make more problems with your vehicle than what you originally brought it in for. Another issue with using a service garage is that you usually have to leave you vehicle the whole day in order to get the work done. This usually turns into quite an inconvenience. You end up having to wait at the shop or having to find someone to p ick you up and take you back. It is no wonder that people are becoming more involved with working on their own vehicles. Budget conscientious people will not pay for high labor and better yet, unnecessary labor. Actually, lots of people enjoy, and prefer to work on their own automobiles. You can save a lot of money from the cost of labor and unnecessary maintenance. Doing it yourself also gives you reassurance of the job being done thoroughly and correctly the first time. Not all work though, is considered feasible to be done by the do-it-yourself mechanic. An average person is not going to take an engine out of the vehicle and do an overhaul. What they can do though, is change parts, filters, fluids, tires, and perform many other routine maintenance tasks. A lot of these jobs involve having to lift up the vehicle. Usually what you have to do is get a jack, lift up the vehicle, place a stand underneath, and then lower the vehicle on to it. The stand is necessary if you need more tha n one corner of the vehicle lifted at once. This could be a time consuming process. The first thing you usually have to do is find that jack from the trunk. Once you do that, you then have to figure out where it goes on the vehicle to properly lift it. Marketing Of An Innovative Ide :: essays research papers The number of people in the United States that work on their own automobiles continues to increase. This is evident by the continuing number of auto-part stores that are opened every year. New stores, new chains, the competition is fierce. One reason for this is that the cost of taking your automobile in to the shop, to change something as simple as a $10 gasket, can be very expensive. It could end up costing you a couple of hundred dollars do to labor. Labor can make up anywhere from thirty to ninety percent of the bill. The other problem is finding a place to go that you can trust. There are a lot of crooked mechanics that seem to find more problems or even make more problems with your vehicle than what you originally brought it in for. Another issue with using a service garage is that you usually have to leave you vehicle the whole day in order to get the work done. This usually turns into quite an inconvenience. You end up having to wait at the shop or having to find someone to p ick you up and take you back. It is no wonder that people are becoming more involved with working on their own vehicles. Budget conscientious people will not pay for high labor and better yet, unnecessary labor. Actually, lots of people enjoy, and prefer to work on their own automobiles. You can save a lot of money from the cost of labor and unnecessary maintenance. Doing it yourself also gives you reassurance of the job being done thoroughly and correctly the first time. Not all work though, is considered feasible to be done by the do-it-yourself mechanic. An average person is not going to take an engine out of the vehicle and do an overhaul. What they can do though, is change parts, filters, fluids, tires, and perform many other routine maintenance tasks. A lot of these jobs involve having to lift up the vehicle. Usually what you have to do is get a jack, lift up the vehicle, place a stand underneath, and then lower the vehicle on to it. The stand is necessary if you need more tha n one corner of the vehicle lifted at once. This could be a time consuming process. The first thing you usually have to do is find that jack from the trunk. Once you do that, you then have to figure out where it goes on the vehicle to properly lift it.

Analyzing Pro Forma Statements Essay

Financial statements that are prepared by a company to consider the effects of potential activity is considered a pro forma statements. A financial statement shows the projected or forecast of operating results and balance sheet, and statement of cash flows. The company XYZ Company Inc. is planning to expand their company in the next five years. This paper will review and discuss XYZ’s Company’s five year plan to expand to their organization. The XYZ Companies pro forma income statement is projected for the next five years which accounts for a 10% increase in gross sales for each of the five years. Financial managers use Proforma statements to assist financial managers to plan accordingly in terms of the company’s financial needs. By acquiring the company’s future income statement and balance sheets, managers can determine how much financing is needed and when it is needed. The Proforma analysis has become the proven tool that can be instrumental for general managers in the planning of employment intensities, inventory and problem solving issues. Proforma can also be used for more than just a forecasting tool. It can also be used for creating mid-stream corrections, evaluate variances, gauge weaknesses, strengths and evaluating performance during the budgeting period. By forecasting Proforma statements are created to predict balances at a certain date followed by combining them with a financial statement format. Acquiring the forces that influence them, one can determined how account balances are forecasted and project how the accounts may be influenced. The following is used to illustrate the ProForma’s five year projection process for XYZ’s Company. Revenue will increase twice in the year 2011 and afterwards continue to increase 10% in the next year. Cost of revenue will be based on total sales percentage. Presented is the Performa statement of the organization for the next five years. XYZ Company Inc.: 2011|2012|2013|2104|2015 It has been established that in the above Proforma balance sheet one has assumed that current liability and current asset has increased in the ratio of sales. In addition, the company has taken on a loan to meet the capital expansion as well as working capital’s needs. Reference University of Phoenix, (2015) â€Å"Analyzing Pro Forma Statements† retrieved from https://newclassroom3.phoenix.edu/Classroom/#/contextid/OSIRIS:44656217/context/co/view/activityDetails/activity/53c06956-87e9-4050-8ecc-815e914705e0/expan

Full Day Kindergarten Essay

Full day kindergarten should be mandatory and of no extra cost for all of the elementary schools. This will boost the children’s academic achievement. The children that are exposed to full day kindergarten will learn more in literacy and mathematics than those in half-day kindergarten. The students that are in a full day program get to spend more time on their math, writing, and reading activities. The full day students also get the advantage of being able to participate in gym, art, and music classes. The half-day students do not get to experience gym, art, or music class. I have seen results first hand because I chose to put my son in a full day kindergarten versus the half-day. I chose to bring my son to a school that is located in Fridley so that he could receive the benefits of the full day kindergarten. The half-day program that Blaine offers has a very undesirable schedule for parents who work. The half-day schedule for Blaine elementary school is full days Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other Friday. I think that the earlier the educational intervention begins the higher the impact and the more likely the effects will be retained. Other than the health of a child, I think that nothing should be more important than their education. Giving children the opportunity to be in a full day kindergarten program gives them opportunities that the half-day students do not receive. One of the opportunities is being able to spend more time on reading, writing, and math. The teachers also have more time to sit one on one with each student one or in small groups and work on these skills. They also have a different theme for each month that they focus on. Some examples of the themes are the solar system, U. S.presidents, maps, and the celebrations around the world. Children also absorb things more easily when they are younger. Being a mother of a full day kindergarten student, I see the results of the extra reading, writing, and math that the teacher does with him. My son is one of the youngest in his class and he is reading at a first grade level. As for his writing, he attempt to write big words using phonics. For example, I came home one day a few months ago and he had written on his dry erase board â€Å"I see a red ladebug†. He also brought home a worksheet that he had written about his favorite fruits. On this worksheet, he had written â€Å"watrmlon†. As far as his math goes, he is always measuring things in the house with a kid’s yard ruler. The themes that they work on each month give the students the ability to know what is going on in the world around them. My son came home from school one day and told me that there was a planet that was not considered a planet anymore. I did not know this and I was in complete awe. According to Debra Ackerman, â€Å"Children in full day kindergarten programs score higher on their achievement test than those in half-day programs. Full-day kindergarten advocates suggest that a longer school day provides educational support that ensures a productive beginning school experience and increases the chances of future school success. In both full-day and half-day programs, kindergartners spend most of their class time working on reading, language arts, and math activities, but the total number of minutes teachers devote to specific subjects differs. For example, 80 percent of full day but only about 50 percent of half-day programs devote more than 30 minutes each day to mathematics instruction. Sixty-eight percent of full day but only 37 percent of half-day classrooms dedicate at least 60 minutes to reading instruction each day. Perhaps most striking, 79 percent of full-day teachers read aloud to their students every day, compared to 62 percent of half-day teachers. Reading aloud is a critical activity in helping to develop children’s reading skills. Additional research shows children’s literacy learning is enhanced in full-day programs, as the full-day schedule provides a more intensive, ongoing, enriched language and literacy experience for the young child. † (Ackerman) Children in full day kindergarten programs score higher on their achievement test than those in half-day programs. I asked my son’s kindergarten teacher, Ms. Janssen, what the average for reading was for her class. Ms. Janssen stated that the majority of her students are already in the first grade reading level as of the end of the second trimester. As said by the Indiana Association of Public School Super Intendants, â€Å"Full day kindergarten programs are associated with greater reading achievement gains during the kindergarten year than half day programs†. (Plucker, 6) The students are graded on their writing and math abilities as well. According to the Kalamazoo Public Schools reports, â€Å"The group of kindergartners advanced in 2010 to first grade at Kalamazoo Public School, where 60 percent tested at or above the 50th percentile in reading on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills last April. That’s a 7-point increase compared to Kalamazoo Public School first-graders tested in April 2009, Rice said. On the Iowa Test Basic Skills math test, 52 percent of first-graders tested at or above the 50th percentile last spring, a 12-point jump over spring 2009. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills are administered in schools nationwide and is a norm-referenced test, which means scores are based on how students perform compared to other test-takers. The Kalamazoo Public School results show that 60 percent of Kalamazoo students are in the top half of first-graders nationwide in reading and 52 percent are in the top half in math. † (Mack) Children who are in full day kindergarten have better social and behavioral effects than those who are in half-day kindergarten. When children are in school for the full day they have more time to get to know the other students. They get more time to interact together socially and they are learning while they are interacting. The students also get to go to specialists and they go with their classmates. Some of the specialists that Hayes Elementary offers are music, art, Spanish, and gym. Going to the specialist is something that the full day kindergarteners get to do and the half-day kindergarteners do not get to do. These students also get to spend more time with the teacher. This means that they will be less hesitant to approach their teacher. According to Clark, â€Å"Some researchers have examined social and behavioral effects. According to researchers, a clear relationship emerged between the kindergarten schedule and children’s behavior. Teachers rated children in all-day kindergarten programs higher on 9 of the 14 dimensions; there were no significant differences on the other 5 dimensions. Other researchers who have studied social and behavioral outcomes found that children in all-day kindergarten programs were engaged in more child-to-child interactions and they made significantly greater progress in learning social skills†. (Clark) In the kindergarten classrooms of Hayes Elementary, the students get into groups called centers. During this center time, the teacher takes a group of five students to a table to do independent reading and the rest of the students go to a center. The centers are groups of three or four students and the students get to interact socially while doing something educational. Some examples of the centers are writing center, listening center, leapster center, and art center. The writing center is where the students can write freely. The listening center is where the students put on headphones, listen to directions, and write down what they hear. The leapster center is where the students get to play a handheld learning game that integrates math, reading, and spelling in the games. Finally, the art center is where the students get to draw and color what they want. When the time is up the students clean up as groups. A full day of learning offers many social and emotional benefits to kindergarteners. As stated by NEA, â€Å"They have more time to focus and reflect on activities, and they have more time to transition between activities. When children are taught by qualified teachers, using age-appropriate curricula in small classes they can take full advantage of the additional learning time—social, emotional, and intellectual— that a full day allows. Further, research finds that children adjust well to the full-day format. † (NEA) The full day kindergarten teachers plan and use the extra time in class well. The time in class is spent differently in both the full day kindergarten and the half-day kindergarten. According to the research that the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, â€Å"The research provides evidence that time in full day kindergarten programs is different both quantitatively and qualitatively from how time is used in half day programs† (Plucker, ii). Full day kindergarten offers benefits to teachers. Teachers prefer the full day program to the half-day program. If there is a child that is struggling with something, the teacher has the ability to find time to help that student. There is also more time to finish activities. According to Ms. Janssen, â€Å"With the full day program I am able to get through four reading groups versus two reading groups in one day. With the full day program we are able to go more in depth on our unit that we focus on in class. † (Janssen) According to the NEA, â€Å"Switching to full-day kindergarten gave teachers more time to plan the curriculum, incorporate a greater number of thematic units into the school year, and offer more in-depth coverage of each unit. † (NEA) In the half-day programs there is less time for multiple activities. According to Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Many kindergarten teachers favor full day kindergarten because they find it difficult to balance cognitive activities and affective social activities in the short kindergarten day. † (Martinez, 2) Teachers also prefer full day kindergarten because there is more instructional time than that of a half-day kindergarten program. As stated by the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, â€Å" Across all of the schools in the Indiana sample, the proportion of instructional time is similar across program types, resulting in much greater instructional time in full day programs, representing approximately 40-50% more instruction in full day programs than half-day programs†. (Plucker, ii) Teachers also have the benefit of getting to know the students and their parents better. According to Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Teachers state that they have a chance to know children and parents better, to do more individualization of instruction, and to expand the curriculum horizontally. † (Dr. Martinez) There are so many benefits for the children. A very important benefit is that the full day kindergarteners have the opportunity to an easier transition into the first grade because they are already used to the full day schedule. The time that the students get to spend with the teacher is a great benefit as well. The extra time that is spent with the teacher is as much beneficial for the teacher as it is for the students. According to the research from Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Teachers thought children developed closer relationships and were more relaxed in the full-day program and felt more a part of the school. Teachers indicated they were able to give more individual attention to students and that children had more time to develop both academic and socialization skills. Teachers noted they could work more on the continuing development of each child and felt children showed more advancement. Teachers indicated they felt closer to the children and that they got to know both child and family better. Some indicated in the full day they felt more flexible, were more relaxed and spontaneous, and felt better prepared to meet with parents. † (Dr. Martinez, 6) The time that the students get to spend on activities is another great benefit. According to NEA, â€Å"in a study evaluating teachers’ views on full-day kindergarten, teachers reported a number of benefits for themselves as well as children and parents. Participating in full day eased the transition to first grade, helping children adapt to the demand of a six-hour day. Having more time available in the school day offered more flexibility and more time to do activities during free choice times. Having more time actually made the kindergarten program less stressful and frustrating for children because they had time to fully develop an interest in activities. Participating in  the full-day schedule allows more appropriate academic challenges for children at all developmental levels. Children with developmental delays or those at risk for school problems benefited from having more time to complete projects and more time for needed socialization with peers and teachers. † (NEA) Full day kindergarten offers more benefits to the students that are at risk and children that come from educational and economical disadvantaged homes. If the full day kindergarten programs cost money, as most do, they cost around 3000 dollars per child for the year. The 3000 dollars is charged to the parents of the child. The children that come from the educationally and economically disadvantaged homes would not be able to attend because of the cost. These children are the ones that benefit from the program the most. According to the Indiana Superintendents, â€Å"Students at or below the poverty level enrolled in full day kindergarten scored statistically significantly higher in math and reading than their half day counterparts. Poor children enrolled in full day kindergarten programs tested statistically significantly above half day pupils on reading, spatial, and verbal skills, naming colors and letters, and identifying numerals. †(Plucker, 6) Parents prefer full day kindergarten as well. I as a mother prefer the full day kindergarten program to the half-day program. One of the advantages is that I do not have to figure out childcare and who would bring my son to the childcare. Trying to figure out childcare and school between my job schedule would be undesirable. As said by Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Full-day kindergarten saves parents day-care problems, while providing children a comprehensive, developmentally-appropriate program. Parents said that children often feel more stress when they have to go from a school situation to a day-care environment, where different rules and philosophies apply. Therefore, parents favor a full-day program, which reduces the number of transitions kindergartners experience in a typical day. † (Dr. Martinez) Full day kindergarten also takes a huge cost out of many parents’ monthly budget including mine. Even though some people would be against this and say, â€Å"Why would I have to pay for your childcare? † I would say that many parents including myself pay taxes too. Their parents wanted them to have the best education that they could have gotten. Most importantly, I know that my son and many other children are getting the best out of their day while they are in school. They are having fun while they are learning. My son enjoys being in school. If he had a choice, he would go on Saturdays and Sundays. Children attending full day kindergarten spend the day learning instead of watching television or playing video games. Full-day kindergarten provides parents with better support for their children. According to NEA, â€Å"For parents who work outside the home, full-day kindergarten means that children do not have to be shuffled between home, school, and childcare. For all parents, there is more continuity and less disruption in the child’s day and more time for focused and independent learning. One study of parent attitudes found that after the second year of a full-day kindergarten program, 100 percent of full-day parents, and 72 percent of half-day parents noted that, if given the opportunity again, they would have chosen full-day kindergarten for their child†. (NEA) In conclusion, having full day kindergarten should be mandatory. There are many benefits of the full day kindergarten program. The benefits are not limited to the students. Teachers and parents also get great benefits out of the full day program. According to MaryBeth, â€Å"Research has shown that it is important to begin learning early in life. School systems that have implemented the academically based full day kindergarten are finding it to be successful. † (Calvin) If I had to choose again if a child of mine was going to go to full day or half-day kindergarten, I would not even have to think twice. A child’s education should be one of the most important things to think about. These children will be the future and they need a great education to get there. * Works Cited Calvin, MaryBeth. Expectations for Kindergarten in 2010. 3 February 2010. 3 March 2011. Clark, Patricia. Recent Research on All Day Kindergarten. 2004. 4 March 2011. Debra J Ackerman, W. S. Making the Most of Kindergarten. March 2005. 4 March 2011. Janssen.

Jobs Essays

Jobs Essays Jobs Essay Jobs Essay This Apple must be as popular as the apple that drove Adam and Eve out of Paradise. And the man responsible behind the success of the famed computer company is its head, Steven Jobs. The famed driving force behind the renaissance of Apple Inc., and the icon that defined global digital entertainment and culture. John Markoffs profile on Steve Jobs in the New York Times dated May 24, 2007, maps the moguls richly colorful career. Jobs founded Apple with Steve Wozniak in 1976, had conflict with Apples executive John Sculley and left in 1985, founded NeXt computer, then in 1986 bought and re-established Lucasfilms computer graphics division as the animation studio Pixar. After a decade in exile, he emerged in 1997 by selling the NeXt operating system to Apple and returning to the company to modernize its computers. Since then, Jobs have introduced the new Mac, churned out the iPod that have withstood giant competitors for years and continues to be an icon in the new generations fashionable gadgets, and have recently unveiled the Apple TV and the iPhone as part of Apples new accessories. Jobs comeback has not been without controversy. Apple had the stocks controversy where they had an internal investigation regarding irregularities in stock options, but Jobs escaped unscathed. He was also diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004, but survived it. In 2006, he has sold his Pixar studio to Disney and has since joined Disneys board of directors. Jobs keeps focused on Apple though. Steve Jobs is an effective leader for a variety of reasons: he had vision, he had innovation, he had determination, he had influence, and most importantly he had passion. Jobs is known in the industry for his leadership qualities, his motivation to succeed, and his dedication to his work. He believed in his vision, he knew what he wanted Apple to be, and after years of difficulties, he had emerged victor and have turned the dying company alive again. To begin with, he founded his own company with his partner Wozniak and hired the people he deemed the best. He was twenty-one years old when he first established Apple, and sought out an experienced manager to help him make his dreams for the company come true. He found Sculley, a decision he would later regret when he was sidelined in the company he helped built. Despite these setbacks, Jobs did not give up. He believed in the power of computing technology, and moved on from Apple to starting his own computer company NeXt and kept at it even though it did not have a lucrative market. Ten years after, Apple bought NeXt from Jobs and had him back as CEO to reverse Apples near bankruptcy into profitability. If Jobs let go of his vision, he would not have gotten back full reins of Apple because he would have given up when he nobody believed in his progressive beliefs and ideas. In the same way, he believed in innovation. He dared to go where no one has gone before. He believed aesthetic design and aggressive marketing to be as important as the software and hardware themselves. He did not sacrifice the capabilities of a product just to achieve a certain aesthetically pleasing design, nor did he prioritize design over competence. Instead, he pushed their products to accommodate both. He presented the iPod amidst speculations that it will not be able to debunk Sonys Discman, despite consumer anxiety that it was not compatible with existing Microsoft software, and the hazy prospect of buying songs online. The iPod has undergone five generations, and recently released the latest iPod touch, and continues to be the leading music device of the generation. Jobs exhibited determination, one of the main reasons behind his success. He would not accept failure quietly he learned from his past mistakes and continued what he loved to do, his passion. He continued experimenting and developing computers even after his demise at Apple. Further, he expanded his horizons and bought Lucasfilms computer graphic division and repackaged it as Pixar. Pixar has then become the leading animation studio in the industry, attracting the attention of Disney that led to its eventual induction with the animation giant. Jobs’ determination was, in a way, indicative of his burning passion for his chosen field he had the vision, the dream, and poured everything he had into it. Lastly, what makes Jobs an effective leader is his influence. An individual is not a leader if he has no influence over others, if he cannot motivate them, share his vision with them. Apple and Pixar are successes because Jobs’ people believed in him and in his dreams. They followed where he wanted to go, and trusted his decisions. When he first left Apple, a handful who believed in him followed him to set up NeXt despite witnessing a major setback Jobs faced at his former company. A decade later, Apple have turned around and asked for Jobs help when they were in the brink of annihilation. They needed NeXt to breathe life back to the dying company, and Jobs took over. At first the employees were fearful of Jobs because he might fire them on the spot, but later on their affinity with the company increased when Apple started taking off. Jobs was proud, and he was proud of his company. As Apple’s stocks soared, Jobs congratulated the members of his company for the momentou s day. His effectiveness as a leader might be measured by the risen value of the company that he runs, but more significant than that was his ability to create the brand Apple and inculcate it in the minds and lifestyles of the millions of iPod owners worldwide. Even beyond his company, Jobs exercises influence over technology trends and consumer choices. He is a powerful voice in the shareability and piracy of media. He is a trendsetter and the innovation that he spearheads influences the direction of the competition between him and other companies perhaps the most significant indicative factor of his ability to influence. Indeed, it his ability to influence others because of his sheer faith that made his employees believe that the sinking ship that was Apple could actually be saved. And it was, under his strong leadership.

Train the SAT Essay with Real Examples

Train the SAT Essay with Real Examples SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips One of the best ways to learn the SAT essay is to look at example submissions by other real students. By judging these example essays yourself, you'll understand much better what SAT graders are looking for. You'll also learn from these examples what to do and not to do. Here at PrepScholar we grade numerousessays with a real live human grader as part of our SAT preparation process. This gives us real, actual, student submissions to real College Board SAT prompt essays. We have anonymized two real actual student submissions below and shared them in hopes of helping you improve on the SAT. We have found that one of the best ways to prepare for the SAT essay is go through the excercise of reading through the essays of other real students. There are two parts to the excercise: the first part is pretending you're the grader and assigning the student a grade. This lets you get inside the head of a grader, and understand what the grader is looking for. The second part of the excercise is to notice and understand what makes a good essay good and a bad essay bad. Example SAT Essay Prompt: The following two example essays were in response to the following prompt actually given on an SAT, paraphrased: Background: An incorrect andcynical view of how people behave says that humans are mainly driven by selfish motives: wanting money, power, or fame. However, history gives us a lot of cases of people who gave up their own good for a cause or idea that they thought was more important than sometimes their own lives. Concience the strong voice from within that tells us moral right from wrong can be a more compelling force than money, power, or fame. Prompt: Is conscience a more powerful motivator than money, fame, or power? The First Essay While reading the essay, and before reading our answer, note the following: - What grade would you give this essay and why? The lowest possible is 2/12, and the highest is 12/12. The essay scoring rubric is here. - What did you like most about the essay and the least? Before reading onwards, make sure you do the excercise above to the most out of this. This is essay ended up receiving a six out of twelve. The main positive points was that it had mostly correct grammar and spelling. It also used examples that were well organized. However, the lower score was due to the fact that the examples didn't strongly support the thesis. A mandate, a command, by a philosopher (Plato) hardly proves that people actually are unselfish. The example from The Shining of pathological psychology seems evasive of the main prompt, and psychopathy hardly seems to be proof that people act in accordance to their conciense. The Second Essay Again, while reading the essay, and before reading our answer, note the following: - What grade would you give this essay and why? The lowest possible is 2/12, and the highest is 12/12. The essay scoring rubric is here. - What did you like most about the essay and the least? This is essay ended up receiving a twelve out of twelve, putting it in the top percentile of essays as scored by the SAT. This essay has impeccable grammar, spelling, and is well organized. More than then first essay you saw, the examples here provided great justification for the main thesis. The examples are incredibly relevant and signifcant. The diction is tight, and phrasing well-chosen for example "cloud judgment" and "silence the whisper of consience" are great creative uses of imagry. What's Next? The college admissions process has become so competitive that it's helpful to plan well in advance for SAT/ACT prep during high school. Here are a few guides to help your thinking: Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points, or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Indulgences and their Role in the Reformation

Indulgences and their Role in the Reformation An ‘indulgence’ was part of medieval Catholicism and a major trigger to the Protestant Reformation. Basically, indulgences could be purchased in order to reduce the punishment you were owed for your sins. Buy an indulgence for a loved one, and they would go to heaven and not burn in hell. Buy an indulgence for yourself, and you neednt worry about that pesky affair youd been having. If this sounds like cash or good deeds for less pain, that is exactly what it was. To many holy people like Martin Luther, this was against Jesus, against the idea of the church, against the point of seeking forgiveness and redemption. When Luther acted against it, Europe had evolved to the point that it would split in the revolution of the Reformation. What They Did The medieval western Christian church – the Eastern Orthodox church was different and not covered by this article – included two key concepts which allowed indulgences to occur. Firstly, you were going to be punished for the sins you accumulated in life, and this punishment was only partly erased by good works (like pilgrimage, prayers or donations to charity), divine forgiveness and absolution. The more you had sinned, the greater the punishment. Secondly, by the medieval era, the concept of purgatory had developed: a state entered after death where you would suffer the punishment which would reduce your sins until you were free, so you weren’t damned to hell but could work things off. This system invited something which would enable sinners to reduce their punishments in return for something else, and as purgatory emerged so bishops were given the powers to reduce penance. This developed in the crusades, where you were encouraged to go and fight (often) abroad in return for your sins being canceled. It proved a highly useful tool to motivate a worldview where the church, God,  and sin were central.From this, the indulgence system developed. Do enough to earn a full or ‘Plenary’ indulgence from the Pope or lesser ranks of churchmen, and all your sin (and punishment) was erased. Partial indulgences would cover a lesser amount, and complex systems developed which claimed to tell you to the day how much sin you’d canceled. Why They Went Wrong This system of reducing sin and punishment then went, to the eyes of many Reformation reformers, hideously wrong. People who didn’t, or couldn’t, go on crusade wondered whether some other practice might allow them to earn the indulgence. Perhaps something financial? So the indulgence came to be associated with people ‘buying’ them, whether by offering to donate sums to charitable works, to buildings to praise the church and all the other ways money could be used. This began in the thirteenth century and developed, to the point where government and church were creaming off a percentage of the funds, and complaints about selling forgiveness spread. You could even buy indulgences for your ancestors, relatives, and friends who were already dead. The Division of Christianity Money had infested the indulgence system, and when Martin Luther wrote his 95 Theses in 1517 he attacked it. As the church attacked him back he developed his views, and indulgences were squarely in his sights. Why, he wondered, did the church need to accumulate money when the Pope could, really, just free everyone from purgatory by himself? The church divided into fragments, many of which threw the indulgence system entirely out, and while they didn’t cancel the underpinnings, the Papacy reacted by banning the sale of indulgences in 1567 (but they still existed within the system.) Indulgences were the trigger to centuries of bottled up anger and confusion against the church and allowed it to be cleaved into pieces.

Three Ethical Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Three Ethical Theories - Essay Example Much technology thus makes it possible for businesses to track how their employees use the computers, phones and even the copy machines. Utilitarianism approach appreciates the fact the means used in doing something should be justified by the end results. The business owner is thus justified to take any action which may improve the end results, in this situation, an increase in productivity. The company cannot therefore allow a free reign of the employees which allows them to have unrestricted and unmonitored use of the company internet. Free access and use of company services like the internet will end up with a situation in which the employees cease to care about the business they work and lose the aim of increasing productivity and profitability. Utilitarianism ethical perspectives support the actions of the senior management as it will increase productivity in the long run. Deontological This ethical principle focuses more on the rules and responsibilities set forward instead of looking at the final end result. If this approach is used in scenario one, each employee will be provided with rules and regulations that govern internet use while at work. This provides employees with the option of knowing what is expected of them and that every action taken must be supported by a logical reason. Invading the employee privacy to make the employees know that what they are doing is not right cannot be applied with this ethical perspective. Ethical Relativism In ethical relativisms, actions are weighed based on the practises found within a specific setup. There exist no universal way of measuring and evaluating the actions of the senior managers in this scenario to conclude on that it infringes on the privacy of the employees. Suggested approaches Scenario two Different ways people may act (and why): Perspective/ theory that may be applied Possible reactions and explanations to the situation Utilitarian From the overview provided, it is visible that actions made by th e state department officials to inflate the cost of setting the department website created an expensive situation due to the increased costs of operations that were incurred. This action did not produce any good both to the individuals involved and to the state corporation as it increased the cost of operating the website. The end of this action went against the means that was used to acquire it Deontological The methods and steps adopted in doing something are much more important than the final results that we seek to achieve. The staffs who were responsible for the establishment of this site should have weighed their actions and choices, not based on the end results or their individual desires but based on the methods and approach adopted. In a situation where other methods were available to accomplish this task, they should have gone for the cheapest option. Ethical Relativism No standard exist upon which the actions of the employees can be evaluated except the tradition set by t he society. In this society, corrupt deals and lack of integrity is not accepted in whatever means therefore making these actions inacceptable. Scenario two is therefore unacceptable by almost all these ethical theories. Suggested

Admission Essay for Pharmacy Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Admission for Pharmacy - Essay Example As a child I was always open to lending a helping hand to whoever needed it. I made sure that I gave my best to society even as a child.As I grew up I realized that helping people and contributing to the society is not only one of my principles but also one of my passions. In this direction I developed an interest in the field of pharmacy. Healthcare as a profession in general and pharmacy in particular is a service oriented profession which attracted me towards this service sector.My parents have always taught me to be kind, generous, and obliging to other people. In today's world where the primary goal of almost every individual's life is to make money by hook or by crook, I think these values are very important to keep. At the same time it is also very difficult to abide by these values in the fast moving environment we live in. Yet, I have always worked hard towards sticking to my goals and my ideologies.As a person I am very hard working and dedicated to whatever I do. I always strive to give any job or assignment given to me my best shot. I have the dedication that makes me want to work hard and make sure I meet the requirements of a particular task and give bring out the best possible results. I am very open minded and enthusiastic to take on challenges and new opportunities. I always aim at achieving the best; with my diligent nature I can assure that I will be able to contribute a tremendous amount to the field of pharmacy.... I have always been positive towards my studies and made sure that I deliver best results. I also pay a lot of attention to the kind of courses I select, so that I can give my complete attention and dedication in achieving the highest level of success in that particular field. As I believe that it is important to do what you like and what you are interested in as it will help you put in your maximum effort. I have a strong academic background and I have studied and gained the knowledge and expertise required to enter and study pharmacy. I have successfully scored and Grade Point Average or GPA of 3.6 to get an admission for this course. In addition to this, my academic background and the grades I have secured in my education so far are very strong and hence make me a best fit for this course. As far as education is concerned I believe that I can get the best results in a pharmacy course as it is a subject that has interested me from my childhood. This growing interest in the subject has led me to opt for this course, where I believe I can give my best. Along with my skills and interests, my eagerness to study pharmacy led me to working in the ULCA medical center in Harbor. I am a certified pharmacy technician here, and have been in this role for the past 1 year. My experiences and understanding of the subject further motivated me to take on this subject as my field of study. The time I spent in the medical center played an important part in persuading me and doubling my enthusiasm to opt for this field of study, though I was always interested in the subject. The scope of pharmacy in various perspectives highly interests me. I have always been interested in being socially active in the world and helping people

E-marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

E-marketing plan - Essay Example The basics of marketing remain the same as normal marketing; that is - creating a strategy to deliver the right messages to the right people. What has changed is the number of options you have, in this case the options are numerous for sure. Though businesses will continue to make use of traditional marketing methods, such as advertising, direct mail and PR, e-marketing adds a whole new element to the marketing mix. Many businesses are producing great results with e-marketing and its flexible and cost-effective nature makes it particularly suitable for small businesses (Fiore, 2000). The theme behind most products is modification these days, whether it is cars or your personal computer. A touch of uniqueness and personalization is always loved by the owner, the product intended to be marketed here is 'customized laptop skins'. A laptop skin is an adhesive cover that can be attached to the top of a laptop computer. Skins are available in hundreds of colors, designs, and motif. Laptop skins allow customization of your computer, and can be uniquely personalized to fit your own design aesthetic. It is scratch resistant, splash resistant and static resistant. Most laptop skins are made out of a thin sheet of adhesive vinyl or plastic. By removing the backing from the skin, you can attach it to the cover of your laptop computer. Most laptop skins are removable and can be attached and reattached repeatedly. For thFor the true individual, we offer completely customized skins. By uploading a photo onto our website, you can create a personalized skin with your favorite image or photograph. This can make a wonderful gift for the busy laptop owner; providing them with a skin featuring a family portrait or vacation destination can help remind them of the people and things they love while they are hard at work. With this idea in mind an e-marketing plan is made to promote and sell the product. Target Market: The fact that most people are using laptops and net-books (sub-notebooks) these days, makes up a good market for the product. The target customers range from businessmen to the young generation. Since most people believe in being unique, the same concept applies to their computers too. Most people would love to sport a new look on their laptops; since the changeover is not only cheap, it's fully customized too. The age range can easily be from 16-60 years. This includes the average teenager and the busy businessman. For a better picture, the target market must be divided in age groups and professions. He focus would be on the younger generation, as it is more dynamic and the product suits it better too. E-marketing Plan: The e-marketing plan depends on the following: Identify target audience - if we identify multiple targets, then we have to rank them in order of importance so that we can allocate resources accordingly. The skins have to be designed keeping in mind the age ranges. A major portion o the product range must be dedicated to the younger audience. We need to profile each target group and understand their requirements and expectations so that we can pitch our

Term paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Term Paper Example These two distinctive and great philosophers of their time has critically analyzed the sources of morality and the way it affects humans in conducting various actions or making different decisions. Introduction Ethics covers wide areas of human life similarly it has great significance in the overall societal boundaries and social welfare. Morality and ethics are often used interchangeably because on the communal level they both represent the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. Morals actually directs minor to major human actions, motives and desires. It often happens that you want to do something really crazy; however, you stop yourself from committing any offense just because of social morals or ethical conduct. This happens with almost everyone in the world and therefore we must pay tribute to ethics and moral principles which actually alleviate evil human desires and taught us the just way of living a life. Morals are not only limited to the difference and recognitio n of good and bad deeds rather they have a very broad spectrum which widens through the social justice to the animal rights. Obligations towards the poor, declination of suicidal activities, preservation of natural environment, protection of government assets and above all paying respect to every individual comes under the ethical and moral principles (Singer). In the contemporary world people often believe that morality and ethics have gone out of date and that these vague ideas actually stop humans from effusively enjoying life or fulfilling the human desires in whatever way they like. However, reality is far different from the common perception. Ethics are required by humans in order to live a peaceful and contented life. They are responsible to limit the evil desires and also to confront common societal issues. Though humans have made great advancements in last few centuries still their evil side needs to be limited by some effective and efficient moral principles so as to safeg uard the human civilization. Furthermore, morals are wrongly considered as the list of prohibitions rather they should be better understood as a set of considerations regarding our natural environment, social set up and overall human development (Singer). Peter Singer has presented a substantial form of moral sphere which is commonly associated with the theory of Utilitarianism. This moral sphere has primarily two distinctive parts which provides a better understanding of the overall concept of ethics and morals. Peter Singer has made a greater emphasis over the application of morals in human lives since people especially philosophers frequently talk about the importance of ethics but they hardly emphasize upon its application in personal and collective lives. In broader terms Utilitarianism is a complex combination of two doctrines namely; theory of what is good and the theory of what is right. Things which appear correct are often regarded as unethical due to the bad aspects attac hed to them similarly things which seem good are again rejected by the morality principles because of their association to some wrong actions (Singer). However, the moral sphere of Singer is closely related to the consequences of deeds and actions. For instance, things which are categorized as right would always bring good or positive consequences. As mentioned previously that Singer’

Personal Finance - Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal Finance - Case Study - Essay Example king accounts of both DOHA and AL AHLI are free, and thus there is no benefit or loss a customer gets when he chooses any of these (Elsamadisy, AlKhater, & Mahmoud, 2006). The lesson learned is that DOHA offers cheaper rates than AL AHLI, and their credit cards are easy to service. The annual percentage rates of both banks vary for credit cards but are fixed for checkout accounts. This means that the flexibility and affordability of annual interest rates depend on the amount of money an individual has in the bank. On the other hand, there is no difference whether a person has a DOHA or AL AHLI’s checkout account because both banks offer fixed annual percentage rates. The lesson learned is that it is easy to finance checkout accounts than credit accounts in terms of annual percentage rates. The overdraft fees for DOHA’s credit card and checkout accounts are 90% and 95% of the balances held respectively. AL AHLI’s fees are higher at 95% and 98% for the credit card and checkout accounts respectively. DOHA offers lower rates by 5% and 3% for the respective account (Hossain, & Leo, 2009). Higher overdrafts attract higher fees on both accounts in both banks. The lesson learned is that DOHA offers cheaper overdraft charges for both credit cards and checkout accounts than AL AHLI, even though, the differences are slim. The transaction fees that credit card holders pay in both banks vary depending on where the transaction is made (Elsamadisy, AlKhater, & Mahmoud, 2006). DOHAs costs depend on the location while AL AHLI charges depending on the amount. For instance, DOHA charges QAR 15 for transactions outside Qatar while AL AHLI charges QAR 10 for amounts less than QAR 1000. Both Banks do not charge any transaction fees for their checkout accounts. The lesson learned is that is advisable to use DOHA’s credit card when traveling overseas. However, a foreign traveler wishing to withdraw a lot of money should consider using AL AHLI’s services to enjoy the huge

Term paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Term Paper Example These two distinctive and great philosophers of their time has critically analyzed the sources of morality and the way it affects humans in conducting various actions or making different decisions. Introduction Ethics covers wide areas of human life similarly it has great significance in the overall societal boundaries and social welfare. Morality and ethics are often used interchangeably because on the communal level they both represent the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. Morals actually directs minor to major human actions, motives and desires. It often happens that you want to do something really crazy; however, you stop yourself from committing any offense just because of social morals or ethical conduct. This happens with almost everyone in the world and therefore we must pay tribute to ethics and moral principles which actually alleviate evil human desires and taught us the just way of living a life. Morals are not only limited to the difference and recognitio n of good and bad deeds rather they have a very broad spectrum which widens through the social justice to the animal rights. Obligations towards the poor, declination of suicidal activities, preservation of natural environment, protection of government assets and above all paying respect to every individual comes under the ethical and moral principles (Singer). In the contemporary world people often believe that morality and ethics have gone out of date and that these vague ideas actually stop humans from effusively enjoying life or fulfilling the human desires in whatever way they like. However, reality is far different from the common perception. Ethics are required by humans in order to live a peaceful and contented life. They are responsible to limit the evil desires and also to confront common societal issues. Though humans have made great advancements in last few centuries still their evil side needs to be limited by some effective and efficient moral principles so as to safeg uard the human civilization. Furthermore, morals are wrongly considered as the list of prohibitions rather they should be better understood as a set of considerations regarding our natural environment, social set up and overall human development (Singer). Peter Singer has presented a substantial form of moral sphere which is commonly associated with the theory of Utilitarianism. This moral sphere has primarily two distinctive parts which provides a better understanding of the overall concept of ethics and morals. Peter Singer has made a greater emphasis over the application of morals in human lives since people especially philosophers frequently talk about the importance of ethics but they hardly emphasize upon its application in personal and collective lives. In broader terms Utilitarianism is a complex combination of two doctrines namely; theory of what is good and the theory of what is right. Things which appear correct are often regarded as unethical due to the bad aspects attac hed to them similarly things which seem good are again rejected by the morality principles because of their association to some wrong actions (Singer). However, the moral sphere of Singer is closely related to the consequences of deeds and actions. For instance, things which are categorized as right would always bring good or positive consequences. As mentioned previously that Singer’

Project Communication Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project Communication - Term Paper Example The first thing we can do is pair people into groups of four, two of each. This lets each person feel they have someone who understands them while having to work with two who are coming from a different place. Second, when were doing user group instruction or teaching, we should again have paired elements. The introverted person can handle some of the electronic communication, while the extroverted person can do some of the speaking portion, but both should be involved at each step. When an introverted developer gets a chance to answer a question about how his programming works, his area of expertise, hell come out of his shell quickly more often than not. Finally, we should use a message board and a wiki. This not only lets us keep up in real time with our user group, but it also lets the introverted people have a chance to discuss in a forum that lets them apply their thinking

The Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Abstract The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship of the consumer perceptions about the branding of organizations that invest in social responsibility and the consumer behaviour regarding loyalty and willingness in paying a premium price. Reviewing the literature about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Corporate Social Performance and Corporate Financial Performance, some questions arise: do consumers understand the efforts made by businesses regarding their social and ethical campaigns? And if so, are consumers willing to pay a higher price for the products and services resulting from these social and ethical campaigns? Are consumers loyal to these businesses? In order to analyse the links between CSR and consumer behaviour, the authors use a structural equations model and a Focus Group. The â€Å"Nespresso† Case is analysed and included in the survey questions, since it is a very well known brand amongst Portuguese consumers. The main conclusions of the paper are that although some of the indicators do not present excellent results, the hypotheses tested, in the structural equation model, were verified. As such, we can conclude that social responsibility policies are important in building a strong brand image and in turn lead to consumer loyalty and consequent availability to pay a higher price for the products or services provided. Within the focus group some interesting findings arise regarding the links between CSR, brand image, loyalty and willingness in paying a premium price. There are indicators that although, CSR is considered important for building loyalty, the links regarding the willingness in paying a premium price are thin. Another finding is that communication policies don’t address the consumer concerns regarding CSR. Keywords:Corporate Social Responsibility, Brand Image, Brand Loyalty, Premium Price Introduction For some decades now research on the role and responsibilities of business in society has been searching for the business case for corporate social responsibility (CSR). The proliferation of studies on the relationship  between corporate social performance and economic bottom line is the result of different shifts in the academic debate. On the one side, in terms of the level of analysis, research has gradually moved from a focus on the macro-social effects of CSR to organizational-level analysis of CSR effects on firm behaviour and performance. On the other, in terms of theoretical orientation, researchers have moved from explicitly normative and ethics-oriented studies to implicitly normative and performance-oriented analysis. (Castaldo et al, 2009) Looking backward at the empirical research undertaken in the last few years, the business case for social responsibility and the related link between Corporate Social Performance (CSP) and Corporate Financial Performance (CFP) remain the most controversial areas in the business-in-society field (Barnett, 2007). Though different in their approaches to CSP definition and measurement, existing studies tend to share an often unstated assumption: the stronger the firm’s involvement in CSR programs and activities, the higher the economic and financial value firms will be able to obtain. However, a substantial inconsistency in the results obtained emerges, in terms of both existence and direction of the correlation between the constructs (Margolis Walsh, 2003; Orlitzky et al, 2003; Salzmann, Ionescu-Somers, Steger, 2005). Brand Image, Brand Loyalty and Premium Price Businesses use the brand to create and communicate their identity and building their image in the consumers’ perspective. The brand image of a successful brand is a valuable business asset because consumers identify more easily, products and services through the respective brands, than otherwise. Another important aspect of branding is that, they provide the basis to positioning and differentiation strategies. There are different points of view and different definitions of brand image. These differences reside at the abstract level in which the image is created in the consumer mind. Furthermore, there are also different theories for the construction of the brand image. Some of these theories include associations with the product (Keller, 1998), while others take in consideration associations related to the business (Biel, 1993), or the country of origin, or the user image (Aaker, 1996). Initially it was Levy (1959) who conceptualised the  concept of brand image. He suggests that products have social and psychological attributes and, as such, consumers develop emotional connections with the brands. For Plummer (1985), the image process formation initiates through the gathering of intrinsic and extrinsic attributes, benefits and consequences that are associated with the brand. According to Faircloth et al (2001), the brand image is a holistic perspective built by all the associations made with the brand. Following this perspective, Ballantyne et al (2006), define brand image as the consumers’ perception about the brand. As such, it will guide a future development of a possible bound between consumers and organisations that have its highest expression through consumer loyalty, and the willingness of the consumer in paying a premium price. The most complete definition of consumer loyalty is given by Jacoby e Chestnut (1978) that sustain that brand loyalty represents the non random repetition of the buying behaviour of the same brand or group of brands, from an individual with buying decision. Price premium has been studied by several authors, namely, Holbrook (1992), Kamakura and Russell (1993), Park and Srinivasan (1994), Netemeyer et al (2004). One may consider that the availability of a consumer to pay a price premium is defined by the amount that he is willing to pay for his favourite brand when compared with a brandless similar product. For Aaker (1996), premium price is a strong indicator of brand loyalty. For Louro (2000), price premium is a basic criterion of brand loyalty and indicates how much the buyer is willing to pay for the brand, when compared with other similar brands. The Nespresso Case Study â€Å"We believe that the true test of a business is whether it creates value for society over the long term† (Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman and CEO, Nestlà ©) Nespresso is a very well known brand in Portugal. Nespresso’s products are positioned on the high-end of the coffee market, with a patented coffee-capsule technology, associated machinery and coffee capsules. Ecolaborationâ„ ¢, launched in June 2009, is the Nespresso platform for sustainable innovation, and represents their effort for creating value throughout the value chain. Through Ecolaborationâ„ ¢, Nespresso has consolidated all its sustainability efforts in coffee sourcing, capsule recycling and energy-efficient machines into one concerted programme, and  committed itself to meet three targets by 2013: * To source 80% of its coffee from its AAA Sustainable Qualityâ„ ¢ Program and Rainforest Alliance Certifiedâ„ ¢ farms; * To put systems in place to triple its capacity to recycle used capsules to 75%; * To reduce the carbon footprint required to produce a cup of Nespresso by 20%. With an average annual growth rate of 30% since 2000 Nespresso is the fastest-growing â€Å"billionaire brand† of the Nestlà © Group. It also has an established track record of sustainability, establishing the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Qualityâ„ ¢ Program in 2003 with Rainforest Alliance, through which only the highest-quality beans are sourced and where farmers are paid a premium. In 2009, almost 50% of the total green coffee beans Nespresso purchased came from its AAA Sustainable Qualityâ„ ¢ Program, and Nespresso has committed to increase this to 80% by 2013. Model Hypotheses The structural equations model proposed establishes the relationship between Social Responsibility practices with the constructs of brand image, loyalty and consumer willingness to pay a higher price for a product or service from a social responsible organisation. The organisation selected for this study was Nespresso. Therefore, the authors raise three research hypotheses: H1: The social responsibility policies have a positive direct impact on the brand image of Nespresso (ÃŽ ³11 0). H2: A good brand image from Nespresso helps to increase consumer loyalty (ÃŽ ²11 0). H3: A good brand image from Nespresso will increase the consumer willingness to pay a price premium (ÃŽ ²21 0) Data collection for the model estimation was done through a consumer survey using the scales of social responsibility of Roberts (1996), scales of loyalty from Yoo and Donthu (2001), scales of price premium from Chauduri and Halbrook (2001) and scales of brand image from Netemeyer, et al (2004). Sample Characterization 242 valid surveys were collected. The sample comprised 46% women and 54% men, ages varied between 19 and 72 years old, the majority of people that answered the survey were single (88%), with a net income between 1001 and 2000 Euros monthly per family (47%). The number of people per family was in the majority (86%) between 2 to 5 people. Model Estimation The model was estimated using the covariance matrix. The statistical software program used was the STATISTICA 6.1. which allowed to calculate the variance and covariance (data) matrices and the estimation of the structural model. The estimation is undertaken by the method of maximum likelihood, since the objective is to develop and test the theory of brand image of social responsible organisations and behaviours of loyalty and willingness to pay a higher price. The analysis of scales reliability allowed to obtain good indicators for the Cronbach Alpha coefficient. Thus, for Social Responsibility (8 items) we obtained an alpha equal to 0,919, for brand image (5 items) we obtained an alpha of 0,864, for brand loyalty (3 itens) we obtained an alpha of 0,637 and finally for premium price (3 items) we obtained an alpha of 0,812. The chosen indicators to analyse the goodness of the adjustment are the ones suggested by Hair et al (2006) as the absolute indicators, Chi-square standardized, RMSEA (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation) e GFI (Goodness-of-Fit). The Chi-square standardized presents acceptable values when these are comprised between 1 and 3 (Hair, et al, 2006). We use RMSEA (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation) instead of RMSSR (Root Mean Square Residual) because the estimated models are based on the covariance data matrix. This indicator must be comprised between values from 0,05 (good fitness) and 0,08 (acceptable fitness). The GFI (Goodness-of-Fit) is an index of goodness of the adjustment that represents the total fitness levels, without correction in relation to degrees of freedom. High values of this indicator show good fitness, although there are not established minimum acceptable levels. Although some of the indicators do not present excellent results, the hypotheses tested were verified. As such, we can conclude that social responsibility policies are important in building a strong brand image and in turn lead to consumer loyalty and consequent availability to pay a higher price for the products or services provided. Focus Group Methodology Focus Groups are a research technique that allows for data collection through the interaction of a group of people. This technique consists in an interview conducted to a small group of people conducted by a moderator in a non structured way. The moderator role is to motivate the group discussion regarding the research hypotheses that are subject of the study under analysis (Carson et al 2001, Malhotra, 2004, Vaughn et al 1996). Group discussion is a methodology particularly suitable when the prior knowledge of the situations is small, the issues are sensitive and complex and if you want to take full advantage of the opportunity to explore and induce hypotheses, find out the views and attitudes of individuals and details of the issues that are being explored (Krueger, 1994, Harker, 2004). For Morgan (1988) this is an excellent method to establish the why behind the what from the perspectives of the participants. For the purpose of this research the authors conducted a Focus Group of 8 people selected randomly. The objective was that the group selected was a reflection of the participants of the survey used for the structural equations model. When the surveys were distributed a question as placed in order to find out the availability of the respondents to participate in the focus group. From the answers obtained the selection was made in order to be representative of the universe. The selection is presented in the following table. In the focus group the moderator organized the discussion according to the 3 research hypotheses, namely: H1: The social responsibility policies have a positive direct impact on the brand image of Nespresso| Most of the participants on the focus group considered that social responsibility policies have a positive impact on the brand image of any organization. Nevertheless, it was considered a finding of the group that not always consumers understand that an organization does CSR.There was also a discussion on what is CSR, and if organisations actually do it. Or if is only the result of marketing efforts.The main conclusion is that if consumers perceive an organization as a social responsible one, then, that fact will have a positive direct impact on its brand image.Regarding Nespresso, there was not a consensus regarding this aspect. | H2: A good brand image from Nespresso helps to increase consumer loyalty.| Regarding brand image there was a consensus of the group that helps to increase consumer loyalty, and that this is clearly the case of Nespresso. Again, most of the participants did not agree if Nespresso has an image of having social responsible practices.| H3: A good brand image from Nespresso will increase the consumer willingness to pay a price premium.| This was the issue that raised the most discussion. Does a good reputation translated in the brand image regarding social responsibility practices is sufficient for increasing the consumer willingness in paying a premium price?Some of the participants argued that depending on the economic situation that could be true, but when enduring difficult economic periods most of the consumers refrain their shopping attitudes and are more price sensitive.It was also mentioned again that it is crucial that the message comes across to consumers, and that they understand very well what are the policies followed by the organizations. | Conclusions The main conclusions of the paper are that although some of the indicators do not present excellent results, the hypotheses tested, in the structural equation model, were verified. These results were then validated using a focus group methodology. Within the focus group some interesting findings arose regarding the links between CSR, brand image, loyalty and willingness in paying a premium price. There are indicators that although, CSR is considered important for building loyalty, the links regarding the willingness in paying a premium price are thin. Another finding is that communication policies don’t address the consumer concerns regarding CSR, since within the group there was no consensus regarding the organisation under analysis. As such, we can conclude that social responsibility policies are important in building a strong brand image and in turn lead to consumer loyalty and consequent availability to pay a higher price for the products or services provided, but it is crucial for organizations to have communication strategies that address these CSR policies in a way that promotes consumers’ identification. The authors found that further research should be conducted addressing the effectiveness of communication strategies of organizations that promote CSR. References Aaker, David A. (1996), Building Strong Brands, Free Press, New York. Ballantyne, Ronnie, Anne Warren e Karinna Nobbs (2006), â€Å"The Evolution of Brand Choice†. The Journal of Brand Management, Vol. 13, N º 4, pp. 339-352. Barnett, M. L. (2007), â€Å"Stakeholder Influence Capacity and the Variability of Financial Returns to Corporate Social Responsibility†, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 32, N º 3, pp. 794-816. Biel, A. L. (1993), â€Å"Converting Image into Equity†, in D. A. Aaker e A. Biel (Eds.), Brand equity and advertising: advertising’s role in building strong brands, Lawrence Erlbaum, Associates, Inc., Hilsdale, New Jersey, pp. 67-82. Carson, D., Gilmore, A., Perry, C. and Gronhaug, K., (2001), Qualitative Marketing Research, Sage Publications, London Castaldo, S. and F. Perrini (2004), â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility, Trust Management and Value Creation†, presented at EGOS 2004 â€Å"Trust in Hybrids†, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Castaldo, Sandro, Francesco Perrini, Nicola Misani and Antonio Tencati (2009), â€Å"The Missing Link Between Corporate Social Responsibility and Consumer Trust: The Case of Fair Trade Products†, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 84, pp. 1-15. Chaudhuri, A. e M. B. Holbrook (2001), â€Å"The Chain of Effects from Brand trust and Brand Affect to Brand Performance: The Role of Brand Loyalty†, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 65, pp. 81-93. Faircloth, James B., Louis M. Capella e Bruce L. Alford (2001), â€Å"The Effect of Brand Attitude and Brand Image on Brand Equity†, Journal of Marketing, Theory and Practice, Vol. 9, N º 3, pp. 61- 75. Hair, J. F., R. E. Anderson, R. L. Tatham e W. C. Black (2006), Multivariate Data Analysis, 6th Ed., Pearson, Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, N. J.. Harker, Michael John (2004) Lenses and mirrors: the customer perspective on part –time marketers. Marketing Intelligence and Planning. Vol. 22, No. 6, 663-672. Holbrook, Morris B. (1992), â€Å"Product Quality, Attributes and Brand Names a s Determinants of Price: the case of consumer electronics†, Marketing Letters, Vol. 3, N º 1. pp. 71-83. Jacoby, J. e R. W. Chestnut (1978), Brand Loyalty: Measurement and Management, New York: John Wiley. Kamakura, W. A. e G. J. Russell (1993), â€Å"Measuring Brand Value with Scanner Data†, International Journal Research Marketing, Vol. 10, March, pp. 9-21. Keller, Kevin Lane (1998), Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity, Upper Saddler River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Krueger, R. A. (1994). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Levy, Sidney J. (1959), â€Å"Symbols for Sales†, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 37, N º 4, pp. 117-124. Louro, Maria Joà £o Sousa (2000), â€Å"Modelos de Avaliaà §Ãƒ £o da Marca†, Revista de Administraà §Ãƒ £o de Empresas, Vol. 40, N º 2, pp. 26-37. Malhotra, N. K. (2004). Marketing Research. New Jersey. Prentice Hall. Margolis, J. D. and J. P. Walsh. (2003), Misery loves companies: Rethinking social initiatives by business, Administrative Science Quarterly, 48: 268-305. Morgan, D. L. (1988). Focus groups as qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Netemeyer, et. al., (2004), â€Å"Developing and Validating Measures of facets of customer-based brand equity†, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 57, N º 2, pp. 209-224. Orlitzky, M., Schmidt, F. L., Rynes, S. L. (2003), Corporate Social and Financial Performance: A Meta-analysis, Organization Studies, Vol. 24, N º 3,pp. 403–441. Park, Chan Su e V. Srinivasan (1994), â€Å"A Survey-Based Method for Measuring and Understanding Brand Equity and Its Extendibility†, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 31, N º 2, pp. 271-288. Plummer, Joseph T. (1985), â€Å"Brand Personality: A Strategic Concept for Multinational Advertising†, in Marketing Educators’ Conference, New York: Young and Rubicam, pp. 1-31. Roberts, J. A. (1996), â€Å"Will the Real Socially Responsible Consumer Please Step Forward?†, Business Horizon, Vol. 39, pp. 79-83. Salzmann, O., Ionescu-Somers, A., Steger, U. (2005) Quantifying Effects of Corporate Sustainability Management. Working paper. Lausanne: CSM/IMD. Vaughn, S., Schumm, J. S., Sinagub, J. (1996). Focus group interviews in education and psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Yoo, B. and N. Donthu (2001), â€Å"Developing and Validating a Multidimensional Consumer-Based Brand Equity Scale†, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 52, pp. 1-14.

Strategic Marketing Plan for the Guardian Newspaper

Strategic Marketing Plan for the Guardian Newspaper 1. Introduction Unlike any national newspapers, the Guardian can divide readers’ opinions. It can provoke feelings of contempt in critics, who might think its publications of the world to be satisfied and smug. On the other hand, loyal readers claim that their favorite newspaper could have alternative, critical and argumentative viewpoints, which are unique, distinct and separate it from its rivals. Many Guardian supporters continue to believe that their morning newspapers are essential in a way that no other articles would dare to challenge. However, in a globalization environment and with a modernized technology platform, brands should beware of being beached. Marketing activities of the Guardian were mainly relied on price and supporting special editions a decade ago. ‘The papers marketing department is planning an extensive operation to generate trial of the newspaper by Guardian faithfuls to secure an extra 40,000 readers. The first redesigned issue was available for 10p to Guardian readers and use will also be made of The Guardian’s database to direct mail 80,000 of its readers.’ [1] Additionally, the strategic plans have not yet been successful for the past years. The Guardian feels that it should be the natural Sunday choice for Guardian and any other liberal left readers in the market and it is testimony to the success of the newspaper. Nevertheless, there are still grounds to make up. 2. Strategic marketing plan 2.1. Technological innovation – Diversifying its targets The Guardian has tried to reach as many domestic and international consumers as possible. Many agencies have created a brand campaign in order to reflect the multi-media presence of the Guardian. It has remained innovation to adapt to the new business environment by continuously changing. In 2006, the newspapers marketing director Marc Sands has mentioned ‘If you aggregate the changes weve made over the last two years, such as the decision to print news stories on our website before theyve appeared in the newspaper, youll see the direction were moving in.’ [2] All good media brands should measure and publish across brand perceptions rather than just the number of circulations. Likewise, the Guardian has ensured its brand to increase its market shares globally. Its sales team has been able to inform their clients that the newspaper brand could help them buy across many platforms, not just the ones who are interested in reading newspaper. It is working with the industry and looking at different brands and measurements to enhance both sellers and buyers of advertising to have different platforms for different kinds of currency. ‘The newspapers branding has been attached to numerous technological advances in delivering content across a range of platforms. These includes the groups blog site Comment is Free already one of the worlds top 100 blogs according to technorati.com and G24, a regularly updated printable version of breaking news for commuters to read on the journey home.’ [3] Additionally more competition has happened. Through its own research, the Guardian has found out that ‘it is perceived as worthy and dull by lapsed readers. Those between 18 and 35 find it old-fashioned, tired, lacking style and too conservative. Over the past ten years 40 per cent of all readers under 35 have deserted the newspaper with female readers providing the greatest hemorrhage 50 per cent have dropped the paper.’ [4] As a result, the Guardian should diversify its market segmentation and try to divert perceptions of the consumers in its strategic plan. To continuously promote the articles to a target market of 18 to 35-year-olds, the Guardian should ensure that the future newspaper can provide appropriate advertising contents to attract target group to sell to advertisers. Decades ago, ‘This is partly down to the fact that the Saturday Guardian is a good product and its readers dont feel the need for a Sunday.’ [5] Furthermore, it should concern the lack of loyalty in the Sunday newspaper market, since the Sunday vouchers has been dropped during promotional campaign. As part of its attempt to stay ahead of a future of declining newspaper sales, the rise of number of obsessed youth and throwaway free newspapers through online contents should consider. 2.2. Relaunching strategies – Agency promotion Another strategy is promoting the brand through free newspaper with DVD and CD. The breaking-news market has been grounded in term of content, volume, target and the frequency of the quality press. Their high growth approaching method will bring with more strategic leverage, not just with DVDs for posh papers. Our relaunch strategy was all about encouraging people to reappraise The Guardian. says Richard Furness, circulation manager for Guardian Newspapers. The two free DVDs on consecutive Saturdays did just that we enjoyed our two highest-ever sales in the history of the newspaper, and our subsequent Saturday sales show that many have stuck with us.[6] Traditionally, newspapers used to facilitate the line with primary sales promotion tools that help to be hit in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) market. Since entertainment becomes a major decision for consumers to purchase a product, DVDs can lead to the right strategy to implement. Its an expensive but extremely good tool. says Dermot McPartlin, director of PD3, the agency that handled The Guardian DVD push. Essentially, the relaunch was a sampling exercise for the new product. The films that were used had a great synergy with the papers brand values and broad consumer appeal. [7] Over the past few years, due to the impacts of the World Wide Web, big newspapers have tried to transpose their brands onto the web. The obvious advantage of the online facility is that the internet can enable marketers to ask readers to register, and as a result, their customers’ concern can be responded quickly. The two-way dialogue could be promptly done and help build a meaningful relationship. When media can be effectively transferred their brand value online, demographics are essentially different from the newspapers with traditional hard copy delivery. Due to the lack of commitment on the part of print publisher, the online content is usually less well thoughtful. Additionally, print publishers have a print view of pricing, which might inhibit the realistic cost per response. Most print publishers have tried to stick to the standard rate. In fact, the newspapers have paid as little of the supposed price; but consumers have not yet realized that they have been overcharged for their online equivalents. However, the Guardian might be not the first title to adopt this template. ‘Heeding the large proportion of ads on newspaper web sites bought as part of cross-media campaigns, the Audit Bureau of Circulation has launched what it calls a Group Product Report, which aims to simplify the process of choosing a cross-media campaign by outlining the audited number of a newspapers print copies, its web sites page impressions and the footfall of any related exhibition.’ [8] The Guardian has made enormous efforts to provide compelling contents to cover all areas. To prove that the Guardian has been committed, will succeed and are succeeding, it should be more popular, both in domestic and international regions. 2.3. Facilitating banners Brand owners need to adjust their internal culture in order to persuade their customers that they have been reborn. They have different degrees of success in adapting when the ground moves beneath their feet. However, cultural difference for a big brand, like the Guardian which has a strong worldwide impact, can cause a steady and slow procedure, rather than a prompt fire remedy. The Guardian seem trapped in its culture, hardcopy print, producing innovative information, but still seems unsuited to a new technology trend, the World Wide Web. Coy about the exact revenue Guardian Unlimited is pulling in, Waldman says: Our revenues are growing very rapidly in all areas of the site, and through all types of advertising from banners and buttons through to e-commerce partnerships and sponsorships. Elaborating this point, Guardian Unlimiteds commercial development manager, Helen Mayor, says: Increasingly offline sales teams like ourselves are looking to mirror the developments and integrated structure of the agencies involved in buying traditional and online. [9] Using both digital and print in a cross-media campaign, the Guardian has tried to run an aggressive competition. The inherent conflict between the media buying community and the promoting sales can cause difficulties to implement. The sales operations in a large organization is gearing up for a cross-media sell, while the media buying operations have focused on expertise in dedicated media division, which specializes exclusively in online content for planning and purchasing. Many media agencies have established their interactive departments in response to what they have perceived, rather than what the real demand could be in the market. ‘The Guardian is to yield to commercial pressures and make people register to visit its Websites. The Guardian, which last week unveiled details of a staffing revamp in its new media division, is to introduce registration on its revamped Websites. The move is intended to improve its appeal to display and classified advertisers.’ [10] The Guardian sales team has determined that although many uncertainties have existed in the marketplace, the Internet is still a relatively new medium. The bold strategic framework to take first step to integrate into both media will help the sales teams feel confident with both media. These strategies might question the competence of the agencies in order to understand and properly facilitate the web as a media channel distribution. 3. Proposals The Guardian has created more original content than any agency in town and has led the way in online publishing. The question is not just about the internet media channel, but the growing part of the Guardian brand. ‘Its hardly surprising, because every day in the UK some 13.5 million national papers are sold, which could easily mean over 20 million people read them. Yet, if predictions from Jupiter Communications prove correct and US trends wend their way to the UK, online advertising will outstrip magazines or radio by 2005.’ [11] Additionally, the Guardian brand management should not think that consumers as people to be targeted, but people to be engaged to work for the brand. Increasing fragmentation, differentiation and proliferation of media channels are arising trends in consumer sovereignty, gained through internet technology. Consumers are establishing their own channels if they could get anything in return, such as customizing products themselves, entertaining and exploring their own world, expressing their voices, knowledge that they are buying social responsible products, or simply just saving their time, creating most convenient means for them; they are willing to pay for and work for that brand. With that concept in mind, the successful brand of the future will be most productive and efficient to facilitate the mix of consumers-employees relationship. Agencies will consider themselves as consultant for brand, which help recruit and engage consumers for ideas, dialogue, gaining consumers’ consents as well. As a result, the Guardian’s research and measurement will need to gain clear insights into the consumer-brand relationship as well as understand the value of consumers-employees. With the current technology trends, consumers can find faster and cheaper ways to get information. In fact, news publishers are challenged to engage and fulfill consumers’ expectations. Thus, the following proposals can help the Guardian engage consumers to ‘work’ for its brand. 3.1. The Guardian should increase C2C (consumer-to-consumer) business and reduce B2C (business-to-consumer) interface. The Guardian should facilitate the concept ‘the word-of mouth’ among key consumers. It should consider ‘consumers as media’. 3.2. It should have more content and dialogue and less advertising. The strength of a dialogue involves mental disciplines. Thus, these dialogues engage the customers to think and to work with the Guardian’s staff to complete the message. This strategy might fascinate the customers to promote message from the Guardian. 3.3. More emotional media should be involved in the circulations. Obviously, the more touching and vivid a story will be, the more likely it is to be remembered. The future will be in branded contact that consumers can choose to involve themselves in voluntarily, as a part of the Guardian. In this environment, the share of employment will be a major impact, not just the share of their voice or raising their opinions. 4. Conclusion Galvanizing itself ahead of technological and social trends is not easy, especially for iconic brand, which tends to navigate in cultural system that defies change. However, without successful product innovation and such progress, the Guardian could risk itself of being cast adrift. Ensuring and enhancing a brand is not just simply washed up the changing tides of technology and society. This is also a key strategic framework, which the Guardian has facilitated. Reference list Kavanagh, Michael 1998, ‘Guardian joins in registration game’, Marketing Week.London, vol.21,no.24, 13 August,p.32 McCann, Paul 1995, ‘Observer strives for fresher image’, Marketing Week, London, vol.18,no.25, p.22 Scott, Jon 2000, ‘Do newspapers deliver online?’ Marketing,London, 21 September,p.43 ‘The Guardian: Thinking ahead’ 2006, Marketing Week,London, 24 August, p.24 Thornton, James 2006, ‘Do quality and giveaways mix?’ Promotions Incentives. London, January,p.25 Page 1 Footnotes [1] McCann, Paul 1995, ‘Observer strives for fresher image’, Marketing Week, London, vol.18,no.25, p.22 [2] ‘The Guardian: Thinking ahead’ 2006, Marketing Week,London, 24 August, p.24 [3] ‘The Guardian: Thinking ahead’ 2006 [4] McCann, Paul 1995 [5] McCann, Paul 1995 [6] Thornton, James 2006, ‘Do quality and giveaways mix?’ Promotions Incentives, London, January,p.25 [7] Thornton, James 2006 [8] Scott, Jon 2000, ‘Do newspapers deliver online?’ Marketing,London, 21 September,p.43 [9] Scott, Jon 2000 [10] Kavanagh, Michael 1998, ‘Guardian joins in registration game’, Marketing Week.London, vol.21,no.24, 13 August,p.32 [11] Scott, Jon 2000

Free College Admissions Essays: MIT :: College Admissions Essays

MIT Admissions Essay    I may seem to be someone with many unconnected facets and talents once you have read all the other essays on this application. This essay is intended to slap together a few of the pieces of myself that I have displayed here.    The human race is immortal ( that was a doozy wasn't it ). There is nothing that forces us to decay into old age and die, this is merely our body destroying itself once our purpose ( reproduction ) is complete. Evolution not only did not bother to select against genes that kill off people past 40, but to some degree selected for such genes: the faster we go through generations, the faster we evolve. If the genes that cause the changes we associate with old age were suppressed in some chemical way, we would be capable of eternal life. Another way to immortality would involve the building of a biomechanical body of some sort, something right out of a Terminator movie, that would support the brain with only the chemicals necessary to survival ( if we could determine which those are ) and thus avoid the effect of aging genes. All of this genetic, biochemical and hydraulic research would be based on knowledge gained in college. One other thing: we've all heard of cults that claim they hav e discovered immortality in some way, which supposedly have members who've lived 200 years. If there's even a shred of truth in any of that, my guess is that these 200-year veterans have managed to order their minds in some way ( through some arcane style of thinking perhaps ) that erased the biological clock.    All in all, immortality is only one small thing that humans might be capable of. The strange abilities seen in autistic people, like incredible number crunching speed, really are not unique to autistic people. These abilities are buried deep in everyone's subconscious, and it is just a matter of our minds letting us use them or not. In fact, I think that along with those mathematical abilities are buried many more abilities. I feel sure that among them is perfect coordination, and there might be some really strange psychic or time-related abilities as well. The subconscious is driven by its creator, evolution. It is only concerned with reproduction. Evolution has erected a barrier between ourselves and our potential, and lets ability seep through to those who have desirable traits and are intended to reproduce.