Coach Case External Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Coach Case External Analysis - Essay Example While Coach at first developed it began to fall behind its rivals regarding stylishness and deals started to decay. In 1996 Krakoff joined Coach and he was instrumental in positioning Coach as a receptive extravagance brand`` for it was comprehended that cost was a wellspring of focused preference for the brand in the extravagance market. In October 2000, Coach opened up to the world under the name of Coach Inc. By 2005 Coach`s incomes tripled and their stake cost expanded more than 900 % since their IPO in 2000. Economic: Throughout the following a few years the economy postures noteworthy danger to the extravagance business in the developed markets, be that as it may, rising markets, for example, China, India and Brazil are relied upon to encounter solid development in the extravagance showcase as their white collar class advances. The U.s (Coach`s biggest business) must address the Fiscal Cliff`` or an alternate monetary retreat will happen. Moreover there is right now no result in sight with respect to the European obligation emergency. Socio-Cultural: Changing societal concerns, state of mind and lifestyles speaks to both chances and dangers to the extravagance embellishment industry. The changing inclination by working class buyers towards extravagance merchandise unavoidably makes new chances for development inside adult markets. Companies that change assembling occupations abroad for more level wages have been reprimanded by shoppers. Organizations need the necessity to assess the potential expenses and profits before assembling or scattering their items into a nation or locale. Globalization: The essential explanation behind the expanding globalization is that firms inside the industry are pulled in by the climbing level of wage and riches and the point of interest of shabby work inside generally new industrialized nations, for example,

RXD Marketing Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

RXD Marketing Plan - Assignment Example Within a span of two years, the products had spread across the world enabling RXD to set up fourty stores. With the increased demand in ballerina shoes, the company intends to put some of its stores in France. Ballerina shoes come in different forms depending on the purpose unto which it is to be put into. Some of ballerina shoes are; loafer, indoor accessories, snowfall and Tonka. This paper is going to cover the market exploration of ballerina shoes in France. The French people like luxurious lifestyle. They are in love with social places like eating and drinking joint. This culture is very common among the urban population. Material comfort goes hand in hand with this kind of living. RXD has to select a reference group which will help her do the sale of her products in this new market. The company needs to address some of the concerns in mind and more so those that pertains to the longevity of their product in the market of France. In a bid to realize this, RXD plans to engage the professionals, modern women and the fashion designers. The company also intends to take advantage of the France flexible business laws favouring sale of shoes and shoe manufacturers. The customer’s life cycle needs to be put into consideration. In this cycle the customer’s age and stage will be analysed. This will determine their reach, acquisition, conversion, retention and loyalty to the product. Since there are no stores for any of the RXD products, customers will be the first to be reached. The occupation and economic states the country’s population of the target customers’ will have to be considered. The company targets a fourteen million people aged between twenty and fourty years old. This population is believed to be stable enough to by the shoes. The customers’ way of living, opinions, attitudes and cognitions as well as their self concept will have to be considered. The lifestyle of professional ladies for instance

Dove Campaign For Real Beauty Media Essay

Dove Campaign For Real Beauty Media Essay VIDEO: The video Evolution starts with an ordinary fair girl sitting against a camera. Now the movement starts with some professionals (make-up artists) start applying make-up on her step by step and finally it shows how this ordinary looking girl is converted to a beautiful model. Not only this, the further step involved the digital alteration of a picture of her to make her even better looking. Afterwards, this final picture is used at a billboard and the line below it captures this: No wonder our perception of beauty is distorted. To move further, this final picture is used to advertise an unreal beauty product on a billboard. This whole make-up video was posted on Youtube and it was viewed 40,000 times on the first day of its release and 1,700,000 times within a month of the upload . http://fashionrules.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/dove-campaign-for-real-beauty.jpg Message: This viral message was aimed to raise awareness about the Dove Self-Esteem Fund. The objective of the fund was to help women and girls from Canada trying to build a stronger self-esteem and a better positive self-image than the negative one which had been running them anxious. This campaign was created by Ogilvy Mather Toronto for the Canadian market only but it soon became a rage and had a huge impact not only in Canada but all over the world. Effect: The video had a strong effect and it gradually spread much beyond the Canadian Market- the initial target market for this message, thanks to the advent of social media especially the use of YouTube here. The audience got to know that the advertisement in magazines and on the television is not the real thing. The model girls are made better looking than they actually are; but the problem once that women tend to take it as true and thus develop a with low self-esteem as they are not able to understand the true side of it. But this video helped them understand this and thus had a positive impact on their psyche as far as they perceive the beauty as shown to them. Reasons for impact: It becomes an interesting study to find out what were the reasons that made this video so popular. Some major reasons that can be though off are: Emotional connection: For any viral message to be successful, it should be able to connect to the audience on an emotional level. If anyone feels emotional by watching a video, it is bound to encourage the person to share it with like-minded people and feel good about it and this is the way a viral grows making it infectious. This video directly hit the identity and the self-image of girls and women by exposing to them the reality behind the beauty industry and increasing their confidence in their own inner beauty with less emphasis on the external beauty thus helping them create a positive and optimistic self-image and staying away from fake beauties shown by the media. A Sticky and memorable message: In addition to being emotional, the message should be substantial in itself and should be strong enough to directly reach the memory of the audience. In this video, a message was created telling people that the way they see the beauty is not the real one, its just make up and not the real natural stuff, the reality being something else. Most people did or do not know how fake the beauty industry really is. This is why the message made such a big impact on peoples perception and resulted in remembering who sent the message.For Dove,it helped in creating a brand loyalty where audience would remember not only the message but develop a strong brand recall and reputation for Dove. A Novel idea: With this video, Dove did something different and extra-ordinary wherein it not only tried to promote its brand but tried to show the audience that I actually cared for them and wanted to show them the real picture. Audience liked the idea in which the perception about the beautiful ad models was changed and the reality was exposed by this video. This novelty in the idea played a huge role in the spread of this video through online media at such a rapid pace. The Indirect and subtle approach One of the best things that happen with this video was the trust that it developed among the audience and it happened because of the subtle manner in which the brand was conveyed along with the message. There was no direct and over-the-face mention of the products or the company or its name. But at the same time, the message behind the message, from Doves perspective, was that the female segment should get the real picture, should aim to be supermodels, instead just try to enjoy their normal beauty and for that they dont need cosmetics or surgeries, all they need a bar of soap, one which cares for them. The continuity in approach One of the major problems with a viral message is that the enthusiasm generated by the message can easily fall down and thus there should be a disciplined way to counter this. After the fast spread of this videos and the message, the company realized fast that it needs to keep the fire up and thus it released few other videos with same message fast along with behind the scene coverings and also did everything through other ways like interviews, surveys etc. to keep the buzz alive. The likeability The video was very much likeable and it generated a feel good factor among the audience by negating the negative self-image resulting from the wrong perception portrayed by the beauty industry. This was huge and had a big impact on the appeal and attraction of the video. Power of social media: Today, Online internet media is a very powerful tool to spread your message across at a very high speed and across very wide reach. There was a lot of talk about this video on different blogs or through comments and responses in the form of more videos on YouTube that were not only serious ones but were spoofs too like Slob Evolution. Through all this, the power of the video viral grew manifolds and bigger and bigger which created a buzz and thus reached a large audience across the globe. Talking about the other side of this viral, the audience which was exposed to this video viral reported a positive change in their attitude and perception towards the brand, and not only those, this was also among the people that had only heard about it and yet not seen it. Thus through this campaign, Dove proved that viral marketing through social media is a very powerful tool if used it the right manner. It can go a long way in changing the attitudes of people towards a brand with good viral marketing, which results in more sales. Not only this, Even without having appeared anywhere through offline means, the video and it effects were discussed by a good number of TV programs, which includes Good Morning America,  The View, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and news channels such as  CNN,  NBC, and  News, showing support for the message with an overwhelming majority. It produced double-figure growth in product sales for Dove , and also Unilever reported that its overall sales rose by 5.8%, up from 3.9% the previous year in the duration following the release of  Evolution. Also now, Dove has a page on Facebook which mentions their mission as being committed towards helping all women to realize their real beauty potential by creating products that would deliver genuine improvement to their skin and hair. It believes that beauty must be for everyone, the reason that when one looks and feels the best, one feels better about self. To get an idea about how successful this campaign has been, the count on the fans of this page is 283,808 people. Major characteristics of a viral that enhance its ability to spread Outstanding story like the success of an underdog in some competition etc.Latest on Facebook is the video of interview of a student from a very poor family who went on to become the topper of the IAS exam this year 2010. Stickiness : Sticky  content  refers to content published on a  website, which has the purpose of getting a user to return to that particular website or hold their attention and get them to spend longer periods of time at that site.  Uploaded links or tagging pictures are such examples as consumers tend to come back to same messages to post some comment Relevance A viral tends to spread fast through online media if it is relevant to the target friends. E.g. messages related to Business may be more relevant for a MBA student and so have higher chances of getting forwarded through e-mails, blogs or commented high on Facebook. Portability Share ability Timing and actuality Seeding hook Natures of viral Today use of social media is almost indispensible especially for the current generation. This can be seen with the ever-increasing users of blogs, Facebook, twitter etc. With the tremendous amount of information easily available on internet today, there is a huge emphasis on sharing today and everyone wants to be more and more aware about various things. But that does not mean that everything on this earth is shared. Rather there has to be some value, some relevance in the message for it to be important enough to be forwarded and propagated. To know about these characteristics, 47 internet users were interviewed( 28 from IIM K personally and 19 through online survey) and they were asked about the top 3 types of messages they are more inclined to share and were given 9 options to choose from. Following were the results:- The results showed that the major types of the viral messages that are likely to be propagated fast through social media are Comic content, socially relevant stuff or some inspirational/motivational information. Further, these users were asked about their medium of their sharing and following were the results:- Around 48% use social networking sites like Facebook, Orkut etc. to share the messages whereas forwarding of e-mails was a distant second and seems to be losing its charm with the advent of other better means of sharing like networking sites etc. But then if looked closely, use of a particular medium for sharing by a user depends on his location and access to various media.To have a better understanding of this, the 47 respondents were then divided into 2 separate sections Students and Working users and the data were collated separately as shown:- The results show the changes in preference of the medium used due to the constained access. For instance figure 1 which has all IIM K students as the respondentd show that majority of them use Facebook or other networking sites as their most preferred medium of message propagation and here e-mail forwards form a very small(only 7%) of their media usage for information sharing. On the contrary,the working respondendts who generally have a constained accees to social netwokring sites instead use more of e-mail forwards.

THE SOUTH :: essays research papers

THE SOUTH   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The south can be defined in many ways depending on the person’s feelings toward it and that of which they have experienced. To me the south has to be the best place to live in all the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the things that stick out in my head about my beloved birthplace that will never be forgotten, because they’re held so dear to my heart, are the smiling faces that you see everywhere you look. I’m telling you; people here are so nice that you would be lucky to find someone rude towards you within a week’s period. That can only be best described just as plain ole’ southern hospitality. I mean the dialect of all the southerners is so comforting, it just reassures you that your plenty welcome all the time. The thing that gets me and always makes me appreciate the southerners’ lingo is the great analogies used by them. Seriously, For every situation you can think of there’s got to be about five southern phrases used to describe that very thing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another thing that defines the south is its culture. Where else can you find a garage sell at every turn. I mean where else is there a state park that hosts a gathering of country folk to sell all there junk to another southerner who in turn will be right back at that same place with a stand of their own trying to get rid of the dang thing they bought just a few weeks ago. The funny thing is, if you ever decided to take a drive through the south, you would probably mistake some southerner’s land as a yard sell or junkyard for that matter. Most southerners aren’t surprised when they see they’re friends yard covered with old tires, rusty cars, broken chairs, and all of these things just swallowed in 3 foot of grass that hasn’t been cut since little Bo wrecked the tractor used to bush hog the thick stuff. I mean there’s just no telling what you might find in that very grass. All southerners love wearing boots and I can surely see why, because every yard you walk through you’ll soon stub your toe on just about anything from a old toilet to some scrap metal that’s going to be used to put a roof on a shooting house whenever winter blows in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The atmosphere down here is great also.

Physician Assisted Suicide

Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) and euthanasia is a widely debated and controversial topic in our society. It is believed that the principle of PAS and euthanasia portrays, â€Å"merciful acts that deliver terminally ill patients from painful and protracted death† (page 477, column 2). In the paper, â€Å"Physician-Assisted Suicide: A Tragic View,† John D. Arras discusses the subject and states that while he agrees with patients making decisions, implementing laws supporting PAS and euthanasia is a huge threat to our social order.However, John D. Arras also concludes that he does not disapprove with the possibility of having a legislative policy in favor of PAS/euthanasia, only if there is â€Å"sufficient evidence of reliability of various safeguards† (page 477, column 2). To begin, it is important to look at the possibility of PAS and euthanasia being a positive practice in our medical profession. John D. Arras looks at a situation which poses a patient suffer ing from uncontrolled pain by having the physician ignore their decisions amongst life and death.He mentions that physicians may contribute to â€Å"suicide and suicidal ideation† (page 478, column 1) which is statistically shown in over fifty percent of cancer patients who suffer from uncontrolled pain that is often brought on by untreated depression. In this situation however, if patient is given control of their own lives and obtain adequate psychiatric and palliative care to treat depression, it is assumed that most would lose interest in PAS/euthanasia. Using a similar example, there will always be a small amount of patients who may have pain that cannot be treated, for these patients J.Arras believes that present law on PAS/euthanasia can represent an impossible barrier to a distinguished and decent death. In comparison to the argument above, there are more objections towards the legalization of PAS and euthanasia because it is widely seen as â€Å"inherently immoral, as violations of the moral rule against killing the innocent† (page 477, column 2). With this being said, J. Arras argues that objections cumulate through having a patient decide if they should live or die and having liberalization occur.His first argument concludes that, the practice of PAS would be almost impossible to keep within reasonable boundaries and that there must be a line drawn between active euthanasia. Instead, legalization of PAS entails a â€Å"wholesomely modest policy agenda,† (page 478, column 1) that limits reforms to only a certain group of individuals therefore excluding those who are actually terminally ill and are suffering. In fact, legalization poses a threat towards how society looks at patient autonomy and mercy, because fatal illnesses would be hard to confirm. An example of this situation is mentioned by J.Arras as he evaluates the fact that if one individual does not find value to living his life how does that differ from a patient who is ill with cancer. Proving that situation, it is seen that legalization of PAS has many flaws, one of which includes discrimination against patients if active euthanasia is banned. It would also cause more harm than good if the physician does not take into consideration the patient’s state of mind. By allocating patients with suitable palliative care, physicians would be able to â€Å"distinguish fact from fiction in the ethics and law of pain relief† (page 482, column 2).

A Mixed Type

Everybody study hard for being successful in their business lifes. They have to finish their grades to graduate and to play role in business show. There is no need to say it is the matter of earning money for surviving. But we must also say that it is the rule: the more you work hard the more you earn. We can also say the information era has made the people work harder and learn much more knowledge since two decades. They find themselves in a manner of learning, searching and getting more information while they have to work harder in order to succeed in business life. The word â€Å"businestudentman† is used to describe the people who work while they are studying. So the businestudentman was born in such conditions which had covered his life. Moreover the economic problems are the key effect to the way which make the students to be a businestudentman. The problematic starts with the personal feelings of a businestudentman. He would never classify himself in his whole life as a student nor a worker. Because of his position is being changed in his environmental society he always have to live the diffucilties of this dilemma. This situation often makes him confused while playing his society roles. Acting as a student or as a worker is not properly being applied during this period. For instance, he can not accept an invitation to a gathering after school because of the necessity for going to work. On the contrary he can not find leisure time to play cards with his colleagues during the lunch-break because he must go to school. Especially if he lives in such a beautiful city like Istanbul, he has to work at the afternoons so that he can not attend to a meeting which is arranged by his school friends nearby the Bosphorus in spring months There are also some advantages of being a businestudentman. Taking into his hands of his economical freedom, he has a charming status beyond his schoolmates. He can offer meals to his schoolmates, pay the bills and act as a boss in front of them. Sometimes it would be harmful for his budget but the students like this kind of helpful friends who make them feel better. Also he would be an idol for his friends because of achieving both status. They think there are lots of things to learn from the businestudentman which will be useful for their future. Despite the fact that a businestudentman can not entirely feel and live his both status, having had the determination to be successful in playing both his roles and indispensability of the survival of such competitional challenges, his maintainability takes the most effective part of his personality for the businestudentman. So that he has strong personality with good merit and moral values which make himself as a sample in the society. As in the phrase emphasized â€Å"You can not teach an old dog new tricks†, the businestudentman is like the young dog who finds himself earlier against the diffulties of a man’s life.

Biography of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia

Biography of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia Catherine the Great (May 2, 1729–Nov. 17, 1796) was empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, the longest reign of any female Russian leader. She expanded Russias borders to the Black Sea and into central Europe during her reign. She also promoted westernization and modernization for her country, though it was within the context of maintaining her autocratic control over Russia and increasing the power of the landed gentry over the serfs. Fast Facts: Catherine the Great Known For: Empress of RussiaAlso Known As: Catherine IIBorn: May 2, 1729 in Stettin, Germany (now Szczecin, Poland)Parents: Prince Christian  August  von Anhalt-Zerbst, Princess Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-GottorpDied: Nov. 17, 1796 in St. Petersburg, RussiaSpouse: Grand Duke Peter (Peter III) of RussiaChildren: Paul, Anna, AlexeiNotable Quote: I beg you take courage; the brave soul can mend even disaster. Early Life Catherine the Great was born Sophia Frederike Auguste in Stettin, Germany (now Szczecin, Poland), on May 2, 1729 (April 21 in the Old Style calendar). She was known as Frederike or Fredericka. Her father was Prussian Prince Christian  August  von Anhalt-Zerbst and her mother was Princess Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp. As was common for royal and noblewomen, she was educated at home by tutors. She learned French and German and also studied history, music, and the religion of her homeland, Lutheranism. Marriage She met her future husband, the Grand Duke Peter (later known as Peter III), on a trip to Russia at the invitation of Empress Elizabeth, Peters aunt, who ruled Russia after taking power in a coup.  Elizabeth, unmarried and childless, had named Peter as her heir to the Russian throne. Peter, though the Romanov heir, was a German prince. His mother was Anna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia, and his father was the Duke of Hostein-Gottorp.  Peter the Great had 14 children by his two wives, only three of whom survived to adulthood.  His son Alexei died in prison, convicted of plotting to overthrow his father. His elder daughter Anna was the mother of the Grand Duke Peter, whom Catherine married.  Anna had died in 1728 following the birth of her only son, a few years after her father died and while her mother Catherine I of Russia ruled. Catherine the Great (or Catherine II) converted to Orthodoxy, changed her name, and married the Grand Duke Peter in 1745. Though Catherine had the support of Peters mother, the Empress Elizabeth, she disliked her husband- Catherine later wrote she had been more interested in the crown than the person- and first Peter and then Catherine were unfaithful. Her first son Paul later emperor (or czar) of Russia as Paul I, was born nine years into the marriage, and some question whether his father was Catherines husband.  Her second child, daughter Anna, was likely fathered by Stanislaw Poniatowski.  Her youngest child Alexei was most likely the son of Grigory Orlov.  All three were officially recorded, however, as Peters children. Empress Catherine When Czarina Elizabeth died at the end of 1761, Peter became ruler as Peter III and Catherine became the empress consort.  She considered fleeing, as many thought that Peter would divorce her, but Peters actions as emperor soon led to a coup against him. Military, church, and government leaders removed Peter from the throne, planning to install Paul, then 7 years old, as his replacement.  Catherine, however, with the help of her lover Orlov won over the military in St. Petersburg and gained the throne for herself in 1762, later naming Paul as her heir.  Soon after, she may have been behind Peters death. Her early years as empress were devoted to gaining the support of the military and nobility to strengthen her claim as empress. She had her ministers carry out domestic and foreign policies designed to establish stability and peace; instituted reforms inspired by the Enlightenment, a philosophical, intellectual, and cultural movement of the 17th and 18th centuries; and updated Russias legal system to provide equality of people under the law.   Foreign and Domestic Strife Stanislas, the king of Poland, was Catherines former lover, and in 1768 Catherine sent troops to Poland to help him suppress a revolt. The rebels brought in Turkey as an ally, and the Turks declared war on Russia.  When Russia beat the Turkish troops, the Austrians threatened Russia with war. Russia and Austria partitioned Poland in 1772.  By 1774, Russia and Turkey had signed a peace treaty, with Russia winning the right to use the Black Sea for shipping. While Russia was  still technically at war with the Turks, Cossack Yemelyan Pugachev led a revolt at home.  He claimed that Peter III was still alive and that oppression of serfs and others would be ended by deposing Catherine and reinstituting Peter IIIs rule.  It took several battles to defeat the rebellion, and after this uprising that included many of the lower classes, Catherine backed off many of her reforms to benefit that stratum of society. Government Reorganization Catherine then began reorganizing government in the provinces, strengthening the role of the nobility and making operations more efficient.  She also tried to reform municipal government and expand education. She wanted Russia to be seen as a model of civilization, so she paid considerable attention to the arts and sciences to establish the capital of St. Petersburg as a major center for culture. Russo-Turkish War Catherine sought the support of Austria in moving against Turkey and planned to seize Turkeys European lands.  In 1787, Turkeys ruler declared war on Russia.  The Russo-Turkish War took four years, but Russia gained a large amount of land from Turkey and annexed Crimea.  By that time, Austria and other European powers had withdrawn from their alliances with Russia, so Catherine wasnt able to realize her plan to take over lands as far as Constantinople. Polish nationalists again rebelled against Russian influence, and in 1793 Russia and Prussia annexed more Polish territory. In 1794 Russia, Prussia, and Austria annexed the rest of Poland. Succession and Death Catherine became concerned that her son Paul was not emotionally fit to rule. She planned to remove him from the succession and name Pauls son Alexander as heir.  But before she could make the change, she died of a stroke on Nov. 17, 1796. Her son Paul ascended to the throne. Legacy Russians continue to admire Catherine for increasing the boundaries of the country and streamlining its governance. At the end of her reign, Russia had broadened to the west and south over more than 200,000 square miles; provinces had been reorganized and towns renovated, expanded, or built from scratch; trade had expanded; military battles had been won; and the royal court had transformed into an attraction for the greatest minds of Europe. Catherine was a patron of literature who promoted Russian culture and one of the few women, including British Queens Elizabeth I  and Victoria, to have been influential enough to have epochs named after them. Though outside observers acknowledged her energy and administrative ability, they saw her more as a harsh, unscrupulous ruler, egotistical, pretentious, and domineering, a woman of action who could be ruthless when it served her or the state. She was also widely known for being lusty, having taken young lovers up to her death at age 67. Sources Catherine the Great: Empress of Russia. Encyclopedia Brittanica.Catherine the Great: Biography, Accomplishments Death. Live Science.8 Things You Didnt Know About Catherine the Great. History.com.

English Test Options for ESL Students

English Test Options for ESL Students Students need to take English tests, as well as other tests! Of course, learners need to take English tests at school, but they are often required to take English tests such as the TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC or FCE. In a number of instances, you can decide which English test to take. This guide will help you begin to choose the best English test to take for your English learning needs and goals for both further education and career. Each of the major English tests is discussed and point towards more resources to study and prepare for these all important English tests. To begin with, here are the major tests and their full titles:   TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign LanguageIELTS - International English Language Testing SystemTOEIC - Test of English for International CommunicationFCE - First Certificate in EnglishCAE - Certificate in   Advanced EnglishBULATS - Business Language Testing Service These English tests are created by two companies that dominate the English learning system word wide: ETS and the University of Cambridge. TOEFL and TOEIC are provided by ETS and IELTS, FCE, CAE, and BULATS are developed by the University of Cambridge. ETS ETS stands for Educational Testing Service. ETS provides the TOEFL and the TOEIC test of English. It is an American company with headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey. ETS tests focus on North American English and computer based. Questions are almost exclusively multiple choice and ask you to choose from four choices based on information you have read, heard or have to deal with in some manner. Writing is also tested on the computer, so if you have difficulties typing you may have difficulties with these questions. Expect North American accents on all listening selections. University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge based in Cambridge, England is responsible for a wide range of English exams. However, the main international tests that are discussed in this overview are the IELTS the FCE and the CAE. For business English, the BULATS is also an option. Currently, the BULATS is not as popular as the other tests, but that may change in the future. The University of Cambridge is a dominate force in the entire English learning world, producing many English learning titles, as well as administering tests. Cambridge exams have a wide variety of question types including multiple choice, gap-fill, matching, etc. You will hear a wider variety of accents on University of Cambridge exams, but they tend towards British English. Your Objective The first and most important question to ask yourself when choosing your English test is: Why do I need to take an English test? Choose from the following for your answer: I need to take an English test for study at UniversityI need to take an English test to get a job or improve my careerI want to improve my overall skills in English, but not necessarily for a purpose such as getting a better job or going to a university Study for University If you need to take an English test for study at a university or in an academic setting you have a few choices. To focus solely on academic English, take the TOEFL or the IELTS academic. Both are used as qualifications for entrance into universities. There are some important differences. Many universities around the world now accept either test, but they are more common in certain countries. TOEFL - Most common exam for study in North American (Canada or United States)IELTS - Most common exam for study in Australia or New Zealand FCE and CAE are more general in nature but are often requested by universities throughout the European Union. If you live in the European Union, the best choice is either the FCE or the CAE. Free TOEFL Exam PreparationFree IELTS Exam PreparationFCE Exam PreparationCAE Exam Preparation Resources Study for Career If career motivations are the most important reason in your choice of English test, take either the TOEIC or the IELTS general test. Both of these tests are requested by many employers and test an understanding of English as used in the workplace, as opposed the academic English which is tested in the TOEFL and IELTS academic. Also, the FCE and CAE are excellent tests for developing overall English language skills in a wide range of areas. If your employer is not specifically asking for the TOEIC or the IELTS general, I would highly recommend considering the FCE or CAE. Free IELTS Exam Preparation General English Improvement If your goal in taking an English test is to improve your overall English, I would highly recommend taking the FCE (First Certificate in English) or, for more advanced learners, the CAE (Certificate in Advanced English). In my years of teaching English, I find these tests to be most representative of English usage skills. They test all aspects of English learning and the English tests themselves are very reflective of how you would use English in everyday life. Special Note: Business English If you have worked for a number of years and want to improve your English skills exclusively for Business purposes, the BULATS exam administered by the University of Cambridge is by far the best choice. For more information from the provider of these tests you can visit the following sites: TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language IELTS - International English Language Testing System TOEIC - Test of English for International Communication FCE - First Certificate in English CAE - Certificate in   Advanced English BULATS - Business Language Testing Service

Using Caer, the Spanish Verb for Falling

Using Caer, the Spanish Verb for Falling The Spanish verb caer usually carries the idea of to fall and can be used in a variety of situations. While many of its uses can be translated using the English verb fall, a few cannot. Using Caer for To Fall and To Fall Over Here are some examples of everyday usage where caer is straightforwardly used for to fall or to fall over: El avià ³n cayà ³ en el ocà ©ano. (The plane fell into the ocean.)Si del cielo te caen limones, aprende a hacer limonada. (If lemons fall to you from the sky, learn to make lemonade.)Los barcos cayeron por las cataratas del Nigara. (The boats dropped over Niagara Falls.)El joven sufrià ³ un grave accidente al caer desde el tejado de la fbrica. (The youth had a serious accident when he fell from the factorys roof.)El coche cayà ³ por el barranco por causas que se desconocen. (The car fell over the cliff for unknown reasons.)El tanque se cayà ³ de un puente. (The tank fell off a bridge.) The same meaning can be applied figuratively: Exportaciones colombianas cayeron en 18,7 por ciento. (Colombian exports fell 18.7 percent.)El turismo en Bolivia cayà ³ por la gripe. (Bolivian tourism declined because of the flu.) Caer can also be used when speaking of weather: Las lluvias fuertes y prolongadas cayeron sobre Cuenca. (The strong and long-lasting rains fell on   Cuenca.)La extraordinaria belleza de la nieve que caà ­a le provocaba ms alegrà ­a. (The extraordinary beauty of the snow that fell made him more joyful.)Rompiendo un record, la temperatura cayà ³ 43 grados en tan solo una semana. (Breaking a record, the temperature fell 43 degrees in only a week.)   Using Caer for To Succumb Caer is frequently used to indicate the idea of succumbing or being overtaken by a force of some sort, or to fall into an error. The translation can vary with the context. La cantante confesà ³ que cayà ³ en la anorexia y la bulimia. (The singer admitted that she sank into anorexia and bulimia.)Caà ­ en la tentacià ³n de ser infiel. (I succumbed to the temptation of being unfaithful.)El hombre cayà ³ en la trampa del FBI. (The man fell into the FBIs trap.)No caigas en el error de prometer lo que no puedes conseguir. (Dont make the mistake of making promises you cannot keep.)Parà ­s cayà ³ bajo los tanques nazis. (Paris fell to the Nazi tanks.)Tras padecer un cncer, caà ­ en depresià ³n. (After suffering from cancer, I fell into depression.) Using Caer With Dates Caer can be used to mean that something falls on a particular date. It is used mostly commonly with days of the week. Este aà ±o mi cumpleaà ±os cae en jueves. (This year my birthday falls on a Thursday.)Si el dà ­a 30 de abril cae en domingo la fiesta se traslada al dà ­a 29. (If April 30th falls on a Sunday, the festival is moved to the 29th.) Using Caer To Indicate Compatibility Caer can be used with an indirect-object pronoun to suggest the idea of to get along with or to be OK with. The translation varies with context; often, a translation of to like or dislike will do. Me caen bien tus amigos. (I like your friends. Or, I get along with your friends.)Esto no va a caer muy bien a los otros equipos. (The other teams arent going to be pleased with this.)No me cayà ³ bien la decisià ³n. (I didnt like the decision. Or, the decision wasnt fine with me.)Ese desodorante le cae mal a mi piel. (That deodorant bothers my skin.) ¿Que profesores te caà ­an mejor? (Which teachers did you like best?)Me cayà ³ mal la comida. (The meal disagreed with me.) Conjugation of Caer Caer is conjugated irregularly. Irregular forms are shown in boldface below. Translations given are those most commonly used. Gerund:: cayendo (falling) Past participle: caà ­do (fallen) Present indicative:  caigo, tà º caes, el/ella/usted cae, nosotros/nosotras caemos, vosotros/vosotras caà ©is, ellos/ellas/ustedes caen (I fall, you fall, he/she falls, etc.) Preterite: yo caà ­, tà º caà ­ste, el/ella/usted cayà ³, nosotros/nosotras caà ­mos, vosotros/vosotras caà ­steis, ellos/ellas/ustedes cayeron (I fell, you fell, etc.) Present subjunctive: que caiga, que tà º caigas, que el/ella/usted caiga, que nosotros/nosotras caigamos, que vosotros/vosotras cagis, que ellos/ellas/ustedes caigan (that I fall, that you fall, etc.) Imperfect subjunctive: que yo cayera/cayese, que tà º cayeras/cayeses, que el/ella/usted cayera/cayese, que nosotros/nosotras cayà ©ramos/cayà ©semos, que vosotros/vosotras cayerais/cayeseis, que ellos/ellas/ustedes cayeran/cayesen (that I fell, that you fell, etc.) Affirmative imperative: cae tà º, caiga usted, caigamos nosotros, caed vosotros/vosotras, caigan ustedes (you fall, you fall, let us fall, etc.) Negative imperative: no caigas tà º, no caiga usted, no caigamos nosotros/nosotras, no cagis vosotros/vosotras, no caigan ustedes (dont you fall, dont you fall, let us fall, etc.)

Organizational Behavior Forces Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational Behavior Forces - Term Paper Example These factors either independently or collectively possess a huge potential in building an organizations standing in the market. An Organization is a body comprised of several identities and particular structure assembled together under a single roof for the achievement of a particular goal or a set of identified objectives. As stated by Carter McNamara (2007), an organization is basically a group of people that are intentionally structured to achieve a complete and a common target of aims. These organizations can consist of either two to millions of people. This firm structure called as an organization possesses a great deal of factors that can affect it directly and indirectly as well. Similarly, an organization includes internal and external factors that can lay down several impacts and effects upon it. The internal factors possess the capability to inspire the organizational activities internally. Contrarily, the external factors can influence the organizational acts externally. The internal forces of an organization include the organizational mission, the structure and strategy of the organization, the organizational design, the organizational culture, the administration and the top team of the organization and many others. The organizational mission enables the basic standing of the organization. If the mission of a firm is strong and stable, the entire organizational team is focused towards achieving and accomplishing the goal. Contrarily, if the organizational goal is unidentified and unclear, the team shows no motivation and encouragement towards the goal accomplishment. The organizational structure and strategy are the essential forces that lay down the basis for the organizational development and progress (Burke, 1982). Through the strategy of an organization, all the team members can be bonded and united and can be motivated towards the attainment of the organizational goal. The

Critical Literature Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Critical - Literature review Example The way to behave was more readily mapped, and people knew what to do in the various phases of their lives from childhood through teenage years, work, marriage, parenthood, retirement and preparing for death of loved ones and of one’s own self. The modern industrialised, capitalist world, he argues, is fluid and contains many more uncharted areas and this requires that our self-identity should form a trajectory, requiring that we make day to day adjustments depending on what happens in our lives. (Giddens: 1991, p. 14). Incessant streams of new information result in a process of what Giddens calls â€Å"chronic revision† (Giddens: 1991, p. 20) and the complexity of modern capitalist society requires people to place their trust in increasingly opaque systems and organisations, many of which are subject to quite spectacular failures and radical transformations. Crossley partly agrees with this analysis and adds the observation that modern societies consist of overlapping networks, and that embodiment is reflexive, and imposed upon individials from many souces (Crossley: 2006, p. 112) Giddens describes the way that all human beings put on â€Å"performances† of their self in different social situations. ... 57. Bourdieu’s influential work on human judgement and taste proposes that all human culture is structured in a hierarchical way and that people access this culture through the family that they are born in and then via all the opportunities that they meet in later life (Bourdieu: 1984, pp. 1-5) This theory implies a structuralist view whereby social patterns tend to repeat themselves again and again through the generations. Bourdieu uses the concept of habitus, which is the partly unconscious way in which people deal with the society around them. (Bourdieu: 1984, pp. 169-174) He argues that people learn how to see the world, and consume all it has to offer, in their early childhood, and that they are conditioned by their family background to approach things in certain habitual ways: â€Å"The manner in which culture is acquired lives on in the manner of using it.†(Bourdieu: 1984, p. 1) The foods people eat, the clothes that they wear, the music and films they like, the values they place on educational achievement and all the other products of the modern world are therefore embodied in each person in stratified ways, and this explains the differences between social classes and the tendency for people to remain within their original social class. When this insight is applied to inborn qualities like race and gender it also helps to explain why people from ethnic minorities, women and people from lower social classes still suffer exclusion and unequal access to promotions in work even when educational barriers have been removed. Bourdieu’s point is that how people learn things is just as important, as what they learn because this

A landscape material - Mulch (Organic) Assignment

A landscape material - Mulch (Organic) - Assignment Example In such like practices, a form of irrigation known as Drip is often essential because plastics never allow water to penetrate through. In the small-scale farming, commonly used mulch is the homemade organic mulch. It involves farm remains and household leftovers. After being composed in an accurate place for some time, it will then be placed in between the plants by use of hands. Initially, mulch is often introduced into the farm during the start of a growing season. Some farmers can opt to add it ones on the farm while others can continuously reapply it over and over. During these times, the mulch will efficiently provide a form of heating system to the soil through the retaining of the heat. In this attempt, it will create room for individual activities including early harvesting and relocation of the crops. In the long run, the soil will end up attaining firmness in relation to adequate warmth and moisture (Ripley, 56). The use of mulch has always been accompanied by several benefits to both the land, the plants and to the landowners too. First, use of mulch helps significantly in the ensuring that the soil preserves much water during the dry seasons. Mulch can be of many benefits in the event of trying to overcome the weeds available in a certain piece of land. The applied mulch will tend to cover the available spaces that ought to have been the growing space for the weeds. Mulch also increases the efficiency of the texture of the soil. In certain places, farmers have embarked in using of mulch manure in an attempt to prevent the infestation of the crops by some pests. Mulch is also beneficial to the plants by offering protection to the roots of the plants in certain extreme temperatures. Crops are often known to fall from the main plant due to certain reasons including wind. However, in the event that mulch is used on a farm, it can be of help suppose an edible crop or fruit drops. The mulch will assist greatly in the

European union law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

European union law - Essay Example In the current context it refers to the imbalance of power between national interests in decision-making within the Council of the European Union (Ministers) and across the EU institutions as a whole. Crucially European citizens have little say in what is done in their name once they vote for their MEPs. Mitchell (2005) clarifies this: Europe’s democratic deficit, whether it be perceived or real, is largely due to the EU’s institutional architecture, which promotes a type of circulatory decision-making process, but permits little input from the European public sphere. Compounding this situation is the informal nature of negotiations that often take place among and within the key policy-making bodies of the EU, leading to a less than transparent, and sometimes unpredictable, policy-making process. The institutions ultimately take their respective mandates from the Treaties which themselves are open to interpretation. It could be argued that the EU is not a well-defined cogent democratic entity – but a hybrid of functionalism, inter-governmentalism and mult-level governance (Steiner and Woods, 2003. p13). Indeed, quoting Dr Guiliano Amato, Aveblj (2005) points out that the EU’s stakeholders have yet to determine what the European Union ought to be – and therefore cannot begin to address the wider question of how to get there. Each member state is represented by a senior Minister with the President of the Council being appointed for a six-month term, thereby ensuring that in any fiscal year 2 different member states will have the opportunity to hold the Presidency. Although the representative Minister will have been elected to a seat by a majority in his/her national constituency and appointed to high office by members of his/her political party, critics argue that the manner in which Ministers are appointed means that there is no real European philosophy at work

Explain this Confucian Virtue and discuss the ways in which this does Essay

Explain this Confucian Virtue and discuss the ways in which this does or does not exist in contemporary American society. Use concrete examples. Make sure that you adequately define this Virtue - Essay Example Thus, the core of the teachings of Confucius oscillated around the right individual ethics, values and virtues that are morally healthy and socially upright. Confucianism refers to an ethical, virtuous, moral and as well as psychological system of thought that was introduced by Confucius (Sun, 37). This system borrows its origin from the periods of Autumn and Spring in the Han Dynasty. During that period, Confucianism was majorly used as a tool for ethical and sociopolitical teaching. The teachings of Confucianism majorly revolve around humanism. Such teachings mostly espouse the importance of family relationships and disregards beliefs in gods. The teachings further depict that human beings can be taught through personal as well as communal endeavors. In addition, the teachings of Confucianism maintain that individuals are improvable as well as perfectible relevant to their personal as well as communal endeavors (Smith and Huston, 51). This can be realized mainly through self-creation as well as self-cultivation of morally upright virtues alongside lending credence to ethical maintenance. Confucianism’s teachings majorly revolve around four main ethical concepts. These include ren, yi, li and zhi. Ren observes the virtue of humanness and altruism whereas yi obligates righteousness and moral responsibility to do good (Smith and Huston, 47). Li determines the way a person should conduct himself or herself with regards to certain norms. Zhi regards the ability to identify what is considered either wrong or right relevant to how an individual relates to others in the society (Wong, 67). It is of critical significance to acknowledge that the teachings of Confucianism can bring good results when incorporated within the governance policies and rules of any country. Confucius argues that for a leader to govern his subjects effectively, he must start with

Music 1920-1980 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Music 1920-1980 - Essay Example e main changes in music and understanding why it altered through each time frame also builds deeper knowledge about the evolution of music and how it changes because of the external environment and philosophies from individual artists. The purpose of this paper is to examine the main ways in which the music of the 1920s – 1980s changed and transformed. Specifically, there will be a relation to the alterations in popular music and how this changed because of the external environment and the internal philosophies of music. The objectives of this paper will enhance this with: The main objectives are defined by creating a deeper understanding and analysis of music between the 1920s and 1980s while discovering how it evolved between time frames. This will enhance the overall understanding of how music has changed between time frames and what the main factors are with this change. Music that began to emerge in the 1920s differed from what was known in the past, specifically because of alterations which were being made in society. The social influences began to change first with the social changes between generations that began in the 1920s. The first change was based on social groups that began to arise, all which identified with music, fashion and popular culture as a way of creating a sense of identity. Jazz, blues and other forms of music were an example of how this arose. Many considered this the music of the African – Americans during this time and created a different sense of preferences with those in the group. The music was able to create a sense of identity because of the struggles which it identified as belonging specifically to those who were a part of the group. This was combined with attitudes, actions and other concepts which followed, all which were based on similar social influences which were a part of the generations and the social st igma of the time (Smith, 43). The concepts that were associated with social groups were furthered as

Explain this Confucian Virtue and discuss the ways in which this does Essay

Explain this Confucian Virtue and discuss the ways in which this does or does not exist in contemporary American society. Use concrete examples. Make sure that you adequately define this Virtue - Essay Example Thus, the core of the teachings of Confucius oscillated around the right individual ethics, values and virtues that are morally healthy and socially upright. Confucianism refers to an ethical, virtuous, moral and as well as psychological system of thought that was introduced by Confucius (Sun, 37). This system borrows its origin from the periods of Autumn and Spring in the Han Dynasty. During that period, Confucianism was majorly used as a tool for ethical and sociopolitical teaching. The teachings of Confucianism majorly revolve around humanism. Such teachings mostly espouse the importance of family relationships and disregards beliefs in gods. The teachings further depict that human beings can be taught through personal as well as communal endeavors. In addition, the teachings of Confucianism maintain that individuals are improvable as well as perfectible relevant to their personal as well as communal endeavors (Smith and Huston, 51). This can be realized mainly through self-creation as well as self-cultivation of morally upright virtues alongside lending credence to ethical maintenance. Confucianism’s teachings majorly revolve around four main ethical concepts. These include ren, yi, li and zhi. Ren observes the virtue of humanness and altruism whereas yi obligates righteousness and moral responsibility to do good (Smith and Huston, 47). Li determines the way a person should conduct himself or herself with regards to certain norms. Zhi regards the ability to identify what is considered either wrong or right relevant to how an individual relates to others in the society (Wong, 67). It is of critical significance to acknowledge that the teachings of Confucianism can bring good results when incorporated within the governance policies and rules of any country. Confucius argues that for a leader to govern his subjects effectively, he must start with

Sticks and Stones Essay Example for Free

Sticks and Stones Essay The text Sticks and Stones is written by Trezza Azzopardi in 2006. It’s about a young man named Lewis. He is a teacher and becomes witness to collective bullying; he tries to talk with the headmaster to help these problems between the kids. Seeing the bullying bring flashbacks inside of his head, reminding him of his own childhood. When Lewis was a kid he got bullied and in the text we indirectly get to know, that he had many traumatic experiences. Lewis tries helping the boy Paul Fry who gets bullied, but doesn’t succeed. We don’t get to know why. The main theme in this text is bullying and the following consequences. In the text we get an insight in how bullying can affect a person for the rest of his life. Lewis is really traumatized, and we can see that he is affected by his childhood experiences in everything he does. Bullying is now a worldwide problem, and bullying often results in self harm, eating disorders, anxiety or, in worst case, suicide. Children, youngsters and adults all over the world are experiencing bullying, and it is safe to say, that something must be done. Lewis is the main character in the story. He experiences great trauma, since he was bullied in his childhood. He is an adult now, and a schoolteacher. He moved into his mothers house about a month ago, because he had many problems, and got something like a depression that caused him to not be able to live a normal life. Lewis has beforehand escaped into the city of London to live his adult life, because he has traumatic experiences from the countryside. But when he experiences the scenery with Paul Fry, it bothers him in an unimaginable way, and he moves back into the house of his mother. It is safe to say that Lewis is emotionally unstable, and it is not possible to predict wether he’ll ever fully mentally recover. Paul Fry is a child and a student on the school where Lewis teaches. Paul gets bullied by some of the other children. His situation deeply affects Lewis, because Lewis sees himself and his childhood in Paul Fry. Paul has a very important role in the story, because he reflects Lewis’ childhood. He has a central importance in the outcome of the story, since his case results in Lewis losing his mind, and leaving his job. Azzopardi uses flashbacks throughout the entire story. They are used to create the entire image of Lewis’ life, with all of its trauma and consequences. There seems to rule some kind of calmness in the last couple of lines in the story. Lewis realizes that there’s nothing he can do, nothing he should so. When Lewis lies down on the ground, he is in contact with the same ground witch he hit several years ago. But this time, it is in calm surroundings, and it is something he has chosen himself. He also mentions how he listens to the humming earth, where he before only could hear the noise of the crashing waves that he feared. In the end, everything goes quiet, and you get the feeling that Lewis will be all right after all.

Twisted Hot Yogas target market Market Opportunity

Twisted Hot Yogas target market Market Opportunity Twisted Hot Yoga does not have any direct competition in the location of Aspen Estates and therefore there is the opportunity to target the higher income level consumers surrounding that area. Due to only having one recreation centre near aspen estates in a continuously growing community, Twisted Hot Yoga can give access to their healthy conscious consumers a new hot yoga studio fulfilling many of the new fitness conscious trends. This particular area of the city, the South West quadrant, is currently in the process of expansion. There are many communities surrounding Aspen Woods that are being developed. Up to this date, there are no hot yoga studios in the surrounding area of Aspen Woods. Target Market Twisted Hot Yogas target market can be defined as higher income health conscious consumers. More specifically, women between the ages of 20 and 34 that live in the South West part of Calgary within and surrounding the new communities of Aspen Woods. This specific target market takes pride in healthy busy lifestyles and belongs in an active community (Environics analytics, 2010). Market Size Based on a 2008 Yoga in America study, it was found that Americans spend 5.7 billion dollars a year on yoga classes and products, including equipment, clothing, vacations and media (DVDs, videos, books and magazines), showing an 87% increase since the previous study in 2004 (Yogajournal.com, 2010). The study also found that 6.9% of US adults or 15.8 million people practice yoga and out of those who do not, the study found that 8% or 18.3 million Americans said they were very or extremely interested in yoga (Yogajournal, 2010). The data that was collected on age, gender and other demographic factors showed that out of all the yoga practitioners, 72.2% are women, 27.8% are men, 40.6% are 18 to 34 years old; 41% are 35 to 54; and 18.4% are over 55 (Yogajournal.com, 2010). The study concluded that almost half of these current practitioners started doing yoga to improve their overall health. Market Trends and Opportunities that are Emerging Bikram Yoga: According to CTV news in 2002, hot yoga which is also known as Bikram, was a raging trend across Canada as well as the hottest trend in exercise (2010). Holistic Fitness: Fitness trends in the near future are said to be taking a customized approach to the particular needs and lifestyles of individuals (Euromonitor, 2010). Holistic fitness, group sweat sesh, and get fit quick are the leading future fitness trends around the globe (Euromonitor, 2010). Todays research shows a shift from hitting the gym to attain the ideal body to now a more holistic approach to healthy living. The holistic approach is discussed as reaping the benefits of exercise (Yogajournal.com, 2010). People nowadays are more concerned with getting back into shape physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. According to Euromonitor international, the market for healthy lifestyles is much greater due to the increase in obesity rates (Euromonitor, 2010). This trend is adapting to the 21st century consumers that have busy lifestyles regarding work, family, and social life demands. A German company that specializes in holistic therapy stated that it supports indiv iduals to find personal balance, to relax our mind, and to experience something that is beyond thoughts, analysis, stress and separation (Euromonitor, 2010). A US trends forecaster has predicted in a trends journal that Whole Health Healing will become very popular and part of the public awareness by 2011. Services, products and practitioners furthering a holistic approach will be the cutting edge of a trend that will grow for decades (Euromonintor, 2010). Group Sweat Sesh: The group sweat sesh trend is moving away from personal trainers, exclusive spas, and home fitness training as the craze is said to soon lose some of its appeal. Keeping up with healthy trends and staying fit is nowadays said to be a group effort (Euromonitor, 2010). Having groups of people being trained by an instructor is said to be a perfect fit with the demand for a more budget friendly, more social and fun exercise culture (Euromonitor, 2010). Get Fit Quick: Consumers these days want to get fit quick and see results faster. The continuing trend of body-conscious consumers and what is called the busy-busy society will still be looking for quick fixes, meaning quicker ways to get fit faster (Euromonitor, 2010). Going green: Twisted Hot Yoga will be opening up a Bikram yoga studio that will use all economically friendly products such as bamboo floors and clay walls. The trend of going green is an important factor when opening up a hot yoga studio and therefore, Twisted Hot Yoga will be able to offer its consumers a natural environment as well as greater awareness to keep the community a better place. Use of Yoga as Medical Therapy: Doctors and therapists now often recommend yoga as medical therapy. Yoga as medicine represents the next great yoga wave (yogajournal.com, 2010). A 2008 study found that in the next few years, we will be seeing a lot more yoga in health care settings and more yoga recommended by the medical community as new research shows that yoga is a valuable therapeutic tool for many health conditions (yogajournal.com, 2010). Demographic Analysis The above chart represents the percentage of women between the ages of 20-34 living in the surrounding neighborhoods of Aspen Woods. Using data collected from the GIS mapping (see appendix), West Springs has the greatest percentage in comparison to the other areas in the South West. West Springs is currently in the process of developping 96 residential homes, six buildings consisting of a total of 300 apartments and 55,000 square feet of commercial space which gives Twisted Hot Yoga the opportunity to expand their business and their target market in the future (Jomaa, personal communication, 2010). Twisted Hot Yoga will focus on two customer groups: Upper Income Cosmopolitan Elite and Middle Income Suburban Gentry. Demographic and Psychographic Analysis Upper Income Cosmopolitan Elite Age: 20-34 Sex: 80% female, 30% male Health/Lifestyle: Canadas wealthiest lifestyle, fitness-minded Canadians who belong to health clubs, workout at home, enjoy pilates, yoga and cross-country skiing. This group is very active in the community, volunteering on community projects and making various donations. (Environics analytics, 2010) Twisted Hot Yogas Selling Point: Convenient location, close to the new developing areas, can be attended at any hours during the day, flexible hours Middle Income Suburban Gentry Age: 20-34 Sex: 80% female, 30% male Health/Lifestyle: Canadas up and coming business class, spenders, fitness conscious, much more likely than average Canadians to jog, take aerobics classes, play racquet sports and basketball. Many of these individuals take pride in their healthy lifestyles. (Environics analytics, 2010) Twisted Hot Yogas Selling Point: Can be attended before or after work, close to new developing areas, relieve stress after work and relaxing the mind and body Twisted Hot Yogas target markets enjoy living healthy lifestyles and have higher disposable income. According to Statistics Canada, individuals in higher income groups are more likely to engage in physical activity during their leisure time (2010). Geographic Analysis Distance from surrounding communities to Aspen Landing (Twisted Hot Yoga) Aspen Woods 1.2 km 2 mins Strathcona Park 2.9 kn 4 mins Signal Hill 3.6 km 6 mins Christie Park 3.1 km 5 mins Patterson 5.0 km 8 mins Coach Hill 4.5 km 6 mins Springbank Hill 2.2 km 4 mins Discovery Ridge 5.9 km 12 mins West Springs 2.6 km 5 mins Twisted Hot Yoga targets the surrounding communities of Aspen Woods. The distance from the surrounding communities to the studio is an important factor as Twisted Hot Yoga promotes going green and saving the community. Health conscious consumers can actively participate in going green by not having to drive to the studio. Location Based on Twisted Hot Yogas target market, the selected location for Twisted Hot Yogas studio will be in the new developed area of Aspen Woods. This area is called Aspen Landing shopping center and is located on the corner of 17th avenue and 85th street SW. Aspen Landing consists of 175,000 square feet of retail space and 40,000 square feet of premium second floor office space and serves the dominant community shopping centre in West Calgary (Aspenlanding, 2010). Aspen Woods community social statistics shows that in 2009, total population in that area was 2,830, indicating a 454.9% change since 2005 (City of Calgary, 2010). Based on the following statistics, Twisted Hot Yoga is targeting a continuously growing community. Aspen Woods is said to be one of Calgarys most desirable Estate communities to live in (Calgary Real Estate, 2010). Competition There are currently no other Bikram yoga studios in the neighborhood of Aspen Woods. Twisted Hot Yoga has the opportunity to provide the new and surrounding communities within that specific South West area, a studio that is of short distance from each area. Trends Aspen Woods has been described to be a unique community that offers prestigious shopping within walking distance. There is a variety of stores that offer a wide range of services and products (Calgary Real Estate, 2010). Calgary Real Estate describes Aspen Woods as living in the inner city but surrounded by a prestigious community of estate homes and condos (2010). David Parker wrote an article in the Calgary Herald July 1, 2010 in relation to the Strong community at Aspen Landing (2010). A man by the name of Scarcello was hired by the Vancouver -based land owner, Springbank Land Company to design an upscale urban village style retail centre to bring trendy 17th avenue, Kensington and 4th street to the suburbs (Parker, 2010). The article states that the centre was designed to provide the surrounding estate style communities a place to congregate as well as to dine and shop (Parker, 2010). It was also said that this center provides a enjoyable pedestrian area without the usual big pa rking lots as well as the boardwalk which is designed for visitors to be able to enjoy what they call a bandstand-public space overlooking the water (Parker, 2010). The trendy eating places in Aspen Landing have become very popular. Some of these include Broken Plate, Wok Wok, Thai Tai, and the very tempting Crave Cupcakes (Parker, 2010). ). Aspen Landings unique village concept centre is designed to create an intimate atmosphere with an emphasis on charm (Aspenlading, 2010). Rent Price and Size Through personal communication with a West Springs Landing commercial developer, rent price for Twisted Hot Yoga will be based on square footage. The average rent price for the South West Area is going for approximately 30 to 35 dollars a square foot (Jomaa, personal communication, 2010). Through further research on available commercial space, each available section is between 2,500-5,000 sq ft. Twisted Hot Yoga would need around 2,500 square feet in order to provide customers with a large enough yoga room. (Calgary Real Estate, 2010) Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Strong+community+Aspen+Landing/3223205/story.html#ixzz136PUSBWB http://aspenlanding.ca/?page_id=2 http://www.hotyogastudiodesign.com/where_to_start.php Many studios begin with an initial phone consutation. To get the most out of your copnversation with Chad, have as much information available about your site as possible. For instance, have you signed your lease? Is the power gas or electric? What is the square footage? What kind of plumbing already exists in the space (bathrooms, etc)? This initial conversation will familiarize Chad with the extent of your studios needs and direct to you the next step. In certain situations, a site visit is set up at this time for Chad to see the space first hand. SUPPLIES http://www.calgary.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_104_0_0_35/http;/content.calgary.ca/CCA/City%20Hall/Business%20Units/Community%20and%20Neighbourhood%20Services/Social%20Research%20Policy%20and%20Resources/Community%20Profiles/Community%20Profiles.htm http://www.calgarycommunities.com/communities/strathcona_christie.php Aspen Hills Map http://www.carma.ca/us/OurCommunities/Calgary/~/media/Communities%20Maps/aspenhills%20map.ashx Aspen Landing http://aspenwoodscalgaryrealestate.com/about/aspen-landing/ TRENDY HERALD http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Strong+community+Aspen+Landing/3223205/story.html Aspen Woods $ 376,445 Strathcona Park $ 175,108 Signal Hill $ 132,380 Coach Hill $ 151,475 Patterson $ 155,330 Christie Park $ 198,427 Springbank Hill $ 177,248 Discovery Ridge $ 194,226 West Springs $ 144,067 Aspen Woods 0.1584 Strathcona Park 0.1184 Signal Hill 0.1399 Coach Hill 0.1989 Patterson 0.1756 Christie Park 0.0826 Springbank Hill 0.2031 Discovery Ridge 0.1804 West Springs 0.2566 Yoga is not only about teaching yoga its about going above and beyond and making a difference in the community. Market Segmentation Twisted Yoga will focus on four types of customer groups: Upper Income Cosmopolitan Elite: This group is the core segment of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Their demographic and psychographic characteristics are the following: Ages: Sex: Family Income: Health/Lifestyle: Canadas wealthiest lifestyle, fitness-minded Canadians who belong to health clubs, workout at home, enjoy pilates, yoga and cross-country skiing. This group is very active in the community, volunteering on community projects and making various donations. Social Pattern: Twisted Yogas selling point: Middle Income Suburban Gentry: Health/Lifestyle: Canadas up and coming business class, fitness conscious, much more likely than average Canadians to jog, take aerobics classes, play racquet sports and basketball. Many of these individuals take pride in their healthy lifestyles. Urban Downscale: Canadian spenders, stay fit doing pilates and yoga. According to CTV news in 2002, hot yoga also known as Bikram was a raging trend across Canada as well as the hottest trend in exercise (2010). The study, which analyzed data from the 2005  Canadian Community Health Survey, found that age, sex and level of income were among the factors that influenced an individuals level of physical activity. According to Statistics Canada, individuals in higher income groups were more likely to engage in physical activity during their leisure time. With new government initiatives of going green, Twisted Yoga provides not only classes to consumers, but also goes above and beyond to help make a difference in the community. Geographic Demographic Psychographic Middle Income Urban Professionals: This group is the core segment of potential students of GWYC.   Their demographic characteristics are the following: Ages: 26-40. Sex: 30% male, 70% female. Family Income: $30,000-$50,000. Health/Lifestyle Issues: Active individuals that are focused on healthy food and dieting.   Over 70% of this group are members of gyms. Approximately, 40% of potential customers have taken yoga classes before. Social Pattern:   Will more likely attend as part of group.   Centers selling point:  Close to work.   The session lowers stress.   Can be attended with workmates as group activity.   Upper Income: The upper income customer is a secondary target group.   Their demographic characteristics are the following: Ages: 40-60. Sex: 30% male, 70% female. Family Income: $60,000+. Health/Lifestyle Issues: Active individuals that are focused on healthy food and dieting.   Over 90% of this group are members of gyms. Social Pattern:   Will more likely attend alone. Centers selling point:  Close to work.   The session lowers stress Read more: http://www.bplans.com/yoga_center_business_plan/market_analysis_summary_fc.cfm#ixzz12jE7sIS6 http://www.yogajournal.com/for_teachers/983?page=3 http://www.yogaintheworkplace.ca/2005/01/statistics-canada-released-canadian.html The percentage of adults, age 20 to 39, at risk for health problems because of expanding waistlines has quadrupled in the last 30 years, from 5% to 21% for men, and from 6% to 31% in women. Between  1981  and  2009, fitness levels of Canadian children and youth, as well as those of adults, declined significantly, according to the first findings from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). This is the most comprehensive national survey ever conducted in Canada to determine fitness levels. The CHMS captured key information relevant to the health of Canadians by means of direct physical measurements, such as body measurements, cardio-respiratory fitness, musculoskeletal fitne Target Market How old are they? What gender are they? Where do they live? What is their family structure (number of children, extended family, etc.)? What is their income? What do they do for a living? What is their lifestyle like? How do they like to spend their spare time? What motivates them? What is the size of your target market? But dont stop here when youre writing a business plan. To define your target market, you need to ask the specific questions that are directly related to your products or services. For instance, if you plan to sell computer-related services, you need to know things such as how many computers your prospective customer owns. If you plan on selling garden furniture and accessories, you need to know what kinds of garden furniture or accessories your potential customers have bought in the past, and how often. Projections About The Target Market What proportion of your target market has used a product similar to yours before? How much of your product or service might your target market buy? (Estimate this in gross sales and/or in units of product/service sold.) What proportion of your target market might be repeat customers? How might your target market be affected by demographic shifts? How might your target market be affected by economic events (e.g. a local mill closing or a big-box retailer opening locally)? How might your target market be affected by larger socioeconomic trends? How might your target market be affected by government policies (e.g. new bylaws or changes in taxes)? Writing the Market Analysis Section of the Business Plan Once you have all this information, youll write the Market Analysis in the form of several short paragraphs. Use appropriate headings for each paragraph. If you have several target markets, you may want to number each. (See the sidebar for a sample of this section of the business plan, from the Royal Bank.) Remember to properly cite your sources of information within the body of your Market Analysis as you write it. You and other readers of your business plan will need to know the sources of the statistics or opinions that youve gathered from others. The How to Write a Business Plan instructions continue on the next page are tips for researching the market analysis section of the business plan, including sources for Canadian information. Online Market Research Sources When youre researching the Market Analysis section of the business plan, Statistics Canada is an excellent place to start your market research. Their Community Profiles offer free information about all Canadian communities. Here youll find information such as Earnings and Work statistics, conveniently presented for easy comparison between the community and the province its located in. You may also want to take a look at Statistic Canadas Studies section; you might find one thats relevant to your market research. In Doing Industry Research When Writing a Business Plan, I wrote about several other excellent online sources of information for researching the business plan, such as provincial and territorial statistics offices and Canadian Economy Online, which may also be useful when youre researching the Market Analysis. GDSourcing Research Retrievals Canadian Market Resources is a must-visit page when youre researching online; it lists free and low-cost sources of demographic and psychographic data geared to small businesses. Offline Market Research Sources But there are also a great many local resources for information about your target market that youll want to explore. Besides the local library, the local Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trade, City Hall, Economic Development Centre, local government agents office, provincial business ministry, local phone book and yellow pages will all have information that will help you define your target market and provide insights into trends. Doing Your Own Market Research These are all secondary sources of information (Others have conducted the research and compiled the information.) You may also want to conduct your own market research (use primary data). For instance, you might want to design a questionnaire and survey your target market to learn more about their habits and preferences relating to your product or service. My article, Do-It-Yourself Market Research, explains the basics of market research and gives tips for sampling and accessing your target market. Does all this sound time-consuming? It is. But it needs to be done if your business plan is going to have any validity. You can have the most fantastic product or service in the world, but if no ones interested in buying it, it will just gather dust. If you dont have the time or the research skills to thoroughly define your target market yourself, hiring a person or firm to do the market research for you can be a wise investment. Statistics Canada http://sbinfocanada.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJzTi=1sdn=sbinfocanadacdn=moneytm=38gps=347_226_1259_621f=00su=p284.9.336.ip_p649.3.336.ip_tt=2bt=1bts=1zu=http%3A//cansim2.statcan.ca/cgi-win/cnsmcgi.exe%3FLang%3DE%26AS_Action%3DFind%26ResultTemplate%3DStudies/StudiesHome1%26AS_Univ%3D1 Statistics Canada, Higher income individuals http://sbinfocanada.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJzTi=1sdn=sbinfocanadacdn=moneytm=38gps=347_226_1259_621f=00su=p284.9.336.ip_p649.3.336.ip_tt=2bt=1bts=1zu=http%3A//cansim2.statcan.ca/cgi-win/cnsmcgi.exe%3FLang%3DE%26AS_Action%3DFind%26ResultTemplate%3DStudies/StudiesHome1%26AS_Univ%3D1

Time Transfixed :: Essays Papers

Time Transfixed RENE MARGRITTE, TIME TRANSFIXED, 1938 Time transfixed by Rene Margritte is a surrealistic painting. By watching the painting We see a very sharp and clear painting with dark colors close to the red. The painting look so real that fools the eye and the observer has the impression that it is a computer graphic and not a real painting. The composition it’s ruled by straight diagonal lines. But there are some vertical lines to break the monotony and to relax our eye. Our vision goes straight to the fireplace because it’s the only object on white and attracts our attention. It is a strange composition. There is a fireplace and a train coming through it. It’s the train that travels through the time. But why come through the fireplace? That because is surrealistic. On the top of the fireplace are two candles. The candles are not lit. But the painting is illuminated by natural light coming from the right. The candles symbolize the knowledge. In meddle of two candles is a black watch showing 1 o’clock. The watch symbolizes time and the mystery of time! On the back is a mirror. It reflects only the shape of the candle and the watch and nothing else. There is void space on the mirror. That’s because the mirror symbolizes the mystery of the Universe and our ignorance for the mysteries that Universe hides and the forth dimension â€Å"TIME†. By seeing the painting the observers has the impression that there is void space in the room too. The mirror and the fireplace, which looks like an empty box, give that impression. We don’ t know if there is void space in the room because we see only a part of it.

Evelina And The Subordination Of Women Essay -- essays research papers

Woman as a Subordinate Throughout history, women have been treated as a subordinate. There have been different standards for education, at women’s disadvantage, different social standards, different responsibilities for men and women, different expectations, different standards for â€Å"goodness†, different criteria for virtuousness. We see examples of these injustices throughout the text of Evelina as well as in the excerpts in the course packet. Eighteenth-century English jurist Sir William Blackstone declared in a magisterial passage, â€Å"By marriage, the very being or legal existence of a woman is suspended, or at least it is incorporated or consolidated into that of the husband, under whose wing, protection, and cover she performs everything, and she is therefore called in our law a femme-covert† (The Nineteenth Century Intro. Pg. 171). It was not until 1848, in the married woman’s property act of New York that women gained some rights regarding material possessions. Education (differences in what men and women are taught) A â€Å"liberal education† as described in Defoe’s Essay on Projects, 1697, consisted mainly of embroidery, modeling in wax, painting on glass, and musical accomplishments, although some girls’ schools did put on plays and teach cooking skills. Most girls were trained for domestic service at the charity schools for women, and there was no form of formal higher education, such as college, available for women. Oxford, Harvard, Cambridge, Yale and Princeton were all solely men’s institutions. Also, while women were taught mainly the native tongue and perhaps French, men had more extensive opportunities to learn other such Roman and Greek languages. (An essay in Defense of the Female Sex, 1696) Also, if a woman did obtain any extensive knowledge other than the normal trades taught at school, she was urged to keep quiet about it lest men be jealous of her intelligence. This is evident in Evelina on page 3 61 where Mrs. Selwyn is criticized for being an intelligent and logical woman in a time where women were supposed to be quieter and not engage in a match of wits with someone, especially a man, as we see Mrs. Selwyn challenging the intelligence of Mr. Lovel. These are all reasons why women authors during this time chose a pseudonym when publishing their books for fear that they would be ridiculed and their work not accepted for the mere fact... ... not know how to handle this situation. p. 384 Where Evelina is pleading with her father to see her and she here is the picture of what a good mannered woman should be- humble and gracious. Image as applies to association with people of questionable character: Although they are her family, Evelina is completely embarrassed to be seen with the Branghtons and Madame Duval because they are such loud, rude, unrefined characters. They are not of the same social standing as her and they know even less than Evelina how to behave in social situations with grace and dignity. They are lower-class people and this is because they are of the working class. Evelina is always in the company of people who come from â€Å"old money† and do not work for a salary. Pg. 233 where Evelina is separated from her party at the fireworks event and asks two ladies to protect her and they turn out to be prostitutes and Lord Orville sees her with these women and Evelina is completely embarrassed at her predicament because it makes her look bad. Evelina’s good reputation was at stake when she was in public with the Branghtons, with Madame Duval, in the alley with Clement, and on the arm s of those two prostitutes. Evelina And The Subordination Of Women Essay -- essays research papers Woman as a Subordinate Throughout history, women have been treated as a subordinate. There have been different standards for education, at women’s disadvantage, different social standards, different responsibilities for men and women, different expectations, different standards for â€Å"goodness†, different criteria for virtuousness. We see examples of these injustices throughout the text of Evelina as well as in the excerpts in the course packet. Eighteenth-century English jurist Sir William Blackstone declared in a magisterial passage, â€Å"By marriage, the very being or legal existence of a woman is suspended, or at least it is incorporated or consolidated into that of the husband, under whose wing, protection, and cover she performs everything, and she is therefore called in our law a femme-covert† (The Nineteenth Century Intro. Pg. 171). It was not until 1848, in the married woman’s property act of New York that women gained some rights regarding material possessions. Education (differences in what men and women are taught) A â€Å"liberal education† as described in Defoe’s Essay on Projects, 1697, consisted mainly of embroidery, modeling in wax, painting on glass, and musical accomplishments, although some girls’ schools did put on plays and teach cooking skills. Most girls were trained for domestic service at the charity schools for women, and there was no form of formal higher education, such as college, available for women. Oxford, Harvard, Cambridge, Yale and Princeton were all solely men’s institutions. Also, while women were taught mainly the native tongue and perhaps French, men had more extensive opportunities to learn other such Roman and Greek languages. (An essay in Defense of the Female Sex, 1696) Also, if a woman did obtain any extensive knowledge other than the normal trades taught at school, she was urged to keep quiet about it lest men be jealous of her intelligence. This is evident in Evelina on page 3 61 where Mrs. Selwyn is criticized for being an intelligent and logical woman in a time where women were supposed to be quieter and not engage in a match of wits with someone, especially a man, as we see Mrs. Selwyn challenging the intelligence of Mr. Lovel. These are all reasons why women authors during this time chose a pseudonym when publishing their books for fear that they would be ridiculed and their work not accepted for the mere fact... ... not know how to handle this situation. p. 384 Where Evelina is pleading with her father to see her and she here is the picture of what a good mannered woman should be- humble and gracious. Image as applies to association with people of questionable character: Although they are her family, Evelina is completely embarrassed to be seen with the Branghtons and Madame Duval because they are such loud, rude, unrefined characters. They are not of the same social standing as her and they know even less than Evelina how to behave in social situations with grace and dignity. They are lower-class people and this is because they are of the working class. Evelina is always in the company of people who come from â€Å"old money† and do not work for a salary. Pg. 233 where Evelina is separated from her party at the fireworks event and asks two ladies to protect her and they turn out to be prostitutes and Lord Orville sees her with these women and Evelina is completely embarrassed at her predicament because it makes her look bad. Evelina’s good reputation was at stake when she was in public with the Branghtons, with Madame Duval, in the alley with Clement, and on the arm s of those two prostitutes.

H&M Strategy

The firm has several agreements with providers which must sign H&M’s â€Å"behavior code† for ex in 2006 implementation of an agreement with Procter and Gamble (one on its providers) stipules that H&M can control P&G activities and all its fabrication process. ing high wages. That ability of adaptation shows that H&M can diversify its production and targets specific consumers: its factories make sportswear, masculine and feminine clothes, as well as accessories or lingerie. The role of advertisement is extremely important in H&M’s strategy. The firm uses different ways to sell its products (stores, internet, catalogues): a huge budget is used for communication and advertisement. There is a lot of competition on the clothing market. Zara is the direct competitor of H&M but its prices are a little higher, so H&M enjoys a real economic advantage. H&M minimizes its production costs by building production factories in developing countries (like China, India†¦). The firm enjoys their foreign legislations because they authorized low wages (or lower than European legislations). Social: The ethical aspect is one of the most important principles of H&M (inscriptions on t shirts must not be obscene, racist). For them, protection of animals is necessary (the firm has launched important campaigns), it doesn’t sell real fur, doesn’t buy leather from India for its cruel treatment of animals. And it doesn’t import materials from disappearing species. Moreover, H&M follows fashion and trends to satisfy its consumers and especially the teenagers. This is how the firm owns a real capacity of adaptation. Technological: H&M also sells its products on the Internet by an efficient Websites. News is broadcasted on their Website (when a new line of clothes is launched for ex†¦everyone is aware of partnerships with famous people like Madonna, Karl Lagerfeld, Stella Mc Cartney. )The new technologies used by the firm are a way to make their advertising campaigns more efficient. Textile industry is protected by a lot of patents to assure the authenticity of products and counter fakes.

History of football Essay

Football (as well as rugby and soccer) are believed to have descended from the ancient Greek game of harpaston. Harpaston is mentioned frequently in classical literature, where it is often referred to as a â€Å"very rough and brutal gameâ€Å". The rules of this ancient sport were quite simple: Points were awarded when a player would cross a goal line by either kicking the ball, running with it across the goal line, or throwing it across the line to another player. The other team’s objective was simply to stop them by any means possible. There was no specific field length, no side line boundaries, no specified number of players per team, only a glaring lack of rules. Harpaston: Luckily (for everyone) uniforms & equipment have improved dramatically. Most modern versions of football are believed to have originated from England in the twelfth century. The game became so popular in England that the kings of that time (Henry II and Henry IV) actually banned football. They believed that football was taking away interest from the traditional sports of England, such as fencing and archery. Evolution and the Beginnings of Standardization. Football didn’t really begin to take on any consistency of rules and boundaries until it was picked up as a sport in the seven major public schools of England in the early 1800’s. Six of the seven schools were largely playing the same game (including Eton, Harrow and Winchester) – while the seventh, Rugby School (founded in 1567) was playing a markedly different version of football. The other schools moved ahead refining their rules and eventually their game became known as â€Å"association football† – or soccer, which was played back then much as it is today. Rugby School went in a different direction. How and why the game developed differently at Rugby School appears to have been lost in history, but what is known is that by the 1830’s, running with the ball at Rugby School was in common use and 18 foot goal posts had been added with a cross-bar at 10 feet above the ground. The inclusion of the cross-bar was accompanied by a rule that a goal could only be scored by the ball passing over the bar from a place kick or drop kick. Apparently this was done to make scoring easier from further out and also to avoid the horde of defenders standing in and blocking the mouth of the goal. Players who were able to â€Å"touch down† the ball behind the opponents goal line were awarded a â€Å"try-at-goal† – the player would make a mark on the goal line and then walk back onto the field of play to a point where a place kick at the goal was possible (a conversion). There was also an â€Å"off-your-side† rule used to keep the teams apart. Passing the ball forward was not allowed. By the mid-1860s British schools and universities had taken up Rugby’s game and honored the school by giving the â€Å"new football† the name of rugby. The game soon went trans-Atlantic to America and landed on fertile soil. Roots of American Football The birth date of football in the United States is generally regarded by football historians as November 6, 1869, when teams from Rutgers and Princeton Universities met for the first intercollegiate football game. In those early games, there were 20 players to a team and football still more closely resembled rugby than modern football. The game of football has a history of constant rule changes. Rule changes have been implemented to bolster the excitement of the game of football and  to increase the game’s safety. In 1873, representatives from Columbia, Rutgers, Princeton, and Yale Universities met in New York City to formulate the first intercollegiate football rules for the increasingly popular game. These four teams established the Intercollegiate Football Association (IFA) and set 15 as the number of players allowed on each team. Walter Camp, the coach at Yale and a dissenter from the IFA over his desire for an eleven man team, helped begin the final step in the evolution from rugby-style play to the modern game of American football. The IFA’s rules committee, led by Camp, soon cut the number of players from fifteen to eleven, and also instituted the size of the playing field, at one hundred ten yards. In 1882 Camp also introduced the system of downs. After first allowing three attempts to advance the ball five yards, in 1906 the distance was changed to ten yards. The fourth down was added in 1912. Within a decade, concern over the increasing brutality of the game led to its ban by some colleges. Nearly 180 players had suffered serious injuries, and eighteen deaths had been reported from the brutal mass plays that had become common practice. So in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt called upon Harvard, Princeton, and Yale to help save the sport from demise. At a meeting between the schools, reform was agreed upon, and at a second meeting, attended by more than sixty other schools, the group appointed a seven member Rules Committee and set up what would later become known as the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or the NCAA. From this committee came the legalization of the forward pass, which resulted in a redesign of the ball and a more open style of play on the field. The rough mass plays, which once caused so many serious injuries, were prohibited by the committee. Also prohibited was the locking of arms by teammates in an effort to clear the way for their ball carriers. The length of the game was shortened, from seventy to sixty minutes, and the neutral zone, which separates the teams by the length of the ball before each play begins, was also established. Though refinements to the game would continue to the present day, the modern game of American football had arrived.