Greek and Roman Cultures

Alicia Battles AIU-Online Cultural Topics November 11, 2012 Abstract In this assignment I will compare and contrast Greek and Roman Culture. I will discuss the likes and differences of their government, geographic terrain, economics, trade practices, art, architecture, philosophies, and religious beliefs. Greek Terrain- city states separated by hilly countryside and all near water Art- ideal artistic form (Superior to Roman art) Economy- grew wheat, produced, wine and olive oil; thought trading was degrading Social classes- slaves, freedmen, metics, citizens, women; women were not considered citizensGovernment- kings originally ruled, then oligarchy, then democracy Religion- cupid God of Love, Ares God of war, based on human personality traits, Love, Honor, Hatred, Dignity, also their roles in life determined what they were god of; Zeus: sky/weather, Hades: death, Poseidon: sea, aquatics; Physical life was of importance instead of eventuality of the afterlife; Each god had characteri stics that determined their actions; Deities were important for progression of life but mortals were just as Both Geographic Terrain- Mediterranean countriesEconomy- based on agriculture, worked mines, had slaves, produced wine and olive oil, coinage, divided by wealth Religion- same gods but different names and traits Government- originated by kings Philosophy- slowly emerged out of religious awe into curiosity about the principles and elements of the natural world. When Greek population moved to their cities interest changed to social living. Roman Terrain- Rome was inland, and on one side of the Tiber River Art- realistic portraits for decoration Economy- imported wheat, farmers, and also engaged in trade Social Classes- slaves, freedmen, plebeians, patriciansWomen were considered citizens Government- Kings originally ruled, then mixed republican form, then emperors Religion- Eros god of love, Mars god of martial fertility, Deities named after objects; mortals did good deeds to b e rewarded in the afterlife; they strove to gain their place with the gods in heaven Religion- gods not gender specific so their individual characteristics were not central to the myths; myths based in brave, heroic deeds of gods not mortals as mortal life was not important after death; Not individualistic; a warrior found sacred; actions more important than words; gods had no physical mportant as it was their contribution in society that mattered in the end; Individualistic: individuals had more consequences for their actions than that of a group Physical work not as important as creativity Gods were beautiful, bodies, muscles, eyes and hair made them more beautiful. Architecture- Buildings made of wood, clay, or mud bricks, limestone, marble, terracotta, plaster, and bronze; buildings were of the type of religious, funerary, domestic, civic, or recreational themes ppearance; Architecture- Rome adopted most of its architecture from Greek architecture References: http://www. britann ica. com/EBchecked/topic/1350843/Western-philosophy/16256/Shifts-in-the-focus-and-concern-of-Western-philosophy http://www. differencebetween. com/difference-between-greek-and-vs-roman-archit ecture/ http://www. diffen. com/difference/Greek_Gods_vs_Roman_Gods http://ancienthistory. about. com/od/greecevsrome/ss/GreecevsRome_8. htm

Ãtzi, the Oldest Ice Body Ever Found Essay

â€Å"Recent Finding Sheds New Light on the Stone Age† In recent years, the name â€Å"Ãâ€"tzi† has been on the edge of every archaeologist’s tongue. In fact, experts estimate that the remains of the Iceman date back to 3,255 BC. The discovery of the Iceman came about when two German mountain climbers, Erika and Helmut Simon spotted the skeletal remains of Ãâ€"tzi, the name that was given to the unidentified prehistoric man, while hiking in the Ãâ€"tztal Alps in 1991. On September 23rd 1991, when the Iceman’s corpse was extracted from beneath the ice, archaeologists discovered that they weren’t dealing with just an ordinary cadaver. In fact, various objects that were also uncovered within great proximity of Ãâ€"tzi’s body, such as leather hide remnants a bearskin cap, made it relatively easy to date him. Upon forensic examination, scientists discovered that the Stone Aged man had many anatomical abnormalities. As a matter of fact, he lacked both wisdom teeth and a 12th pair ribs. The analysis also shows worn joints, hardened arteries, multiples bruises, over filthy tattoos, and a small gash in his skull which proved to be fatal. Further laboratory scrutiny portrays the Iceman as being brown eyed, bearded, furrow faced man, little over 5 feet tall and weighing approximately a hundred pounds. Even though the cause of death is still being debated, most experts believe that Ãâ€"tzi died by the burst of a blood vessel and cardiovascular vesicle caused by an arrow head to his left shoulder.

A Worn Path Short Story Research Paper Essay Example for Free

A Worn Path Short Story Research Paper Essay ? Many obstacles can be taken when one desired the most is at risk. Phoenix Jackson is an old woman who has the right intentions, but meets many conflicts on the way. In the short story, â€Å"A Worn Path†, Eudora Welty predicts that one never knows where a path will end up leading them through conflict and symbolism. Phoenix Jackson warns that one never knows where a path will end up leading to. In the short story â€Å"a Worn Path†, Phoenix Jackson goes through many obstacles on the path to find medicine for her â€Å"grandson† (Welty). Phoenix is on a mission to retrieve treatment for her grandson. She is willing to face anything that gets in the way of her path leading to her destination. As Phoenix faces her journey she will reach conflicts beyond the way. While on the path to complete her mission phoenix stumbles upon many conflicts. In the short story â€Å"a Worn Path†, Phoenix comes encounter with intimidation of a â€Å"young hunter† in the woods (Heller). The hunter tests the old lady of weakness as he boasts of himself throughout the scavenged woods. Although the hunter has a gun with any possible chance to use it on Phoenix, she resembles courage upon the conflict for going about her business and continuing about her quest. In the short story â€Å"a Worn Path†, old woman Phoenix struggled up a hill â€Å"extricate[ed] herself from a thorn bush†, and crossed a log over a creek (Piwinski). As the woman struggles to get out of the bush she chooses to not give up and continue forward her path. The woods may have brought conflict and obstacles to Phoenix, but that won’t stop her from reaching the end of her journey. A Worn Path Short Story Research Paper. (2018, Oct 26).

Darwin and Evolution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Darwin and Evolution - Assignment Example Prior to Darwin, though some naturalists had speculated about modification of species, they failed to explain why and how species change. They also believed that evolution began with the special creation of only a fixed number of species. Partly influenced by Thomas Malthus' essay on the Principle of Population and stimulated by a letter from Alfred Russel Wallace, in 1859 Charles Darwin discussed in detail the evolution of species through natural selection in his famous work titled On the Origin of Species, which totally revolutionized the previous concepts of evolutionary biology. Natural selection refers to a process in which species compete and struggle for their survival according to the limited resources and conditions of their natural environment with different adaptive abilities. As individuals in a population are not same due to difference in inherited characteristics, nature only selects those individuals that are best suited to the environmental conditions, and thus rest o f the population dies over time. As all the offspring in a population acquire characteristics from their ancestors, produced more than nature can support and have different reproductive characteristics, only those organisms will survive that are better adapted to the living conditions. This means that organisms with higher reproduction ability will remain due to higher probability of their descendants to survive, and other will eventually become extinct due to less survival rate of their offspring with the passage of time. Since environmental conditions are different from place to place, there will be variation in characteristics of species at different locations. Darwin concluded that populations extending over large areas or through migration might have been isolated resulting in variation of their characteristics according to varying environments. Over long periods of time, they may have diverged or evolved into separate species different from each other. For instance, Darwin fou nd that finches he observed on the Galapagos Islands were similar to one another than they were to finches of the mainland. He also noticed that some varieties were only existent on the archipelago islands. So, he proposed that all species might have descended from a common ancestor and increase in number of species occurred through evolutionary natural selection over time rather than special creation. Question Two Darwin and other naturalists believed that variations among individuals of a species were due to mixing of traits from both male and the female. He was not aware of the heredity mechanism and different traits were regarded to be the result of blending of characteristics through generations over time. However, the concept of blending inheritance failed to describe the survival of variety as they descended through generations with time. It also failed to describe the maintenance of specific characteristics in varieties and that how new species would emerge through blending. It was 1866, when Gregor Mendel published his experimental findings on garden peas. To experiment with pure seeds, he selected a self pollinating plant. He experimented with garden peas that were different from each other in many characteristics such as their flowers were either red or white, had green or yellow seeds, and tall or dwarf. After cross-breeding generations having different characteristics, he observed that descendants from each cross possessed characteristics of only one of the parents and blending did not happen. Mendel concluded that instead of blending of certain fluids, heredity from parents was passed on to offspring through independent discrete units, particles or factoren, which were later termed as genes. The characteristic that appeared in a descendant after cross breeding was termed

Reader reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reader reflection - Essay Example As a little girl, you are brought up in a way that teaches you how far your abilities can stretch and you should not venture further and explore your potential beyond the settled guidelines. Therefore, you are raised not to believe in your abilities. Only â€Å" if we should finally release ourselves from this spiral and really give a physical task our best offer, we are greatly surprised indeed at what our bodies can accomplish† Young said. In my opinion, the spiral from which all this misperception stems from is within the family realm and community as a whole. Because society is formed by the nucleus family cell. I want to believe that women all around the world start realizing their true abilities and may be even oppose the popular cultural beliefs that they can achieve less than men do. I come from a culture where the prevailing attitude is that men do everything better than women, with the exception of cooking, may be. However, I am positive that if parents try and encourage their children, regardless of their gender to try and achieve something more, their children will eventually accomplish the new task and prove that they are capable of doing so. This will bring more joy and happiness for both parents and young children and hopefully trigger some societal changes. Secondly, women in general tend to hide their strength and be more delicate and frail in order to protect themselves. But then again, I think that this is happening because they have been trained into believing that they are fragile. The projected image that they have for themselves is one of being objectified. Thus, it seems easier that women justify their underestimation in achieving physical tasks. If nobody believes they can accomplish it, why should they believe themselves they can? It is true that men are physically built differently than women, they have stronger body

Business Intelligence Dashboards in a Learning Organization Research Proposal

Business Intelligence Dashboards in a Learning Organization - Research Proposal Example The finest of business decisions are data driven. A learning organization has data coming from all departments, processes and employees. Business intelligence comprises of complex methods to convert organizational data into useful information and then converts this information into knowledge. Based on this knowledge the organization-wide decisions can be made after thorough analysis (Atre, 2011). Thus busdata-drivenligence improves the decision process of an organization. The top learning organizations have a deep-rooted implementation of business intelligence and analytics in their organizational design. Data mining tools such as data marts, data warehouses, dashboards, etc. mine large amounts of data to extract the useful information. These tools are used to improve the efficiency of the business intelligence processes (Nittaya and Kittisak, 2007). 1.1. Business Intelligence Dashboards Performance control is a vital aspect of organizational management. The efficiency and performanc e of an organization can only be increased through the cooperation of all its departments. When the organization is small, the management is straight forward and easy. Management becomes complex in large organizations comprising of numerous branches, departments and hundreds of employees. And sometimes these departments may even be located miles apart. Visiting them in person takes time. And if visited, the data becomes out-of-date by the end of the visit. The solution for management of big organizations is business intelligence dashboards which consolidate the management information for the entire company in one place. Business intelligence dashboard is an effective data visualization tool that uses metrics and the key performance indicators to display the current status of an entire organization’s performance against some predefined goals (Atre, 2011). In learning organizations, the culture is such that the information is shared and is accessible to all employees alongside the managers and executives. The employees are encouraged to try new ideas and make decisions (Hagen, 2011). So in a learning organization, the requirement of business intelligence penetrates deeper than merely the organization’s frontline i.e. the managers and executives (Gonzales, 2013). And therefore business intelligence dashboards can benefit everyone at an organization i.e. the employees too. 1.2. Constructing Usage Specific Dashboard Dashboards do not have the same role in all learning organizations. They can be customized. They can be constructed for specific executive roles e.g. CEO, CIO or they may display metrics targeting specific point of view or a department for the managers or they can give a high level as well as a detailed view of the organization’s performance based on its data which all the committed employees can gain benefit from. Based on the type of information presented by dashboards and how they are used, they can be classified into a variety o f categories. However, the three most common usage types are strategic, operational and tactical.

Report on British Airways Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Report on British Airways - Case Study Example The oneworld members work on bilateral basis. They have code sharing and marketing alliances (BA fact book 2007). They sell tickets of one another offering more destinations to their passengers. The group eventually grew to eight members and 23 affiliates by 2001, and collectively served more than 200 million passengers in 133 countries with 566 destinations. Besides, BA has two fully owned subsidiaries also. These are BA Cityflyer which flies from London city airport to all destinations in Europe and Openskies flies to Europe and New York BA is a public company with 43,501 employees and an employee growth of 12.9% annually. The sales in financial year ending in March 2007 was $16,663.0M with annual increase of 12.5% and net income was $596.5M showing a growth of 131.7%. Martin F. Broughton is currently the chairman and Willie Walsh is the chief executive. The finances of BA are managed by Air Cargo Services. (answers.com; britishairways.com ). BA, though made a public Limited Company in 1985 but its stocks were retained by the government till these could be offered to the public. The opposition to privatization was opposed on the grounds of its huge debts and also by British Caledonian stating BA too large to compete with. 1. The ability to carry out expansion plans successfully received a blow when chaos occurred at Heathrow terminal 5 opening. Hundreds of flights were cancelled and thousands of bags lost. The staff was not trained to handle the new baggage handling system and software too did not work well. Later Willie tried to compensate somewhat for the debacle by surrendering his bonus. Nevertheless, it exposed the shortcomings of the expansion plan or may be the haste. Though, there was an apology from Willie Walsh, BA passengers are not going to forget or forgive the debacle for quite sometime (Webster 2008). 1. Staff survey in 1992, rated BA as poor employer despite the HRM initiatives. The staff stated that BA attracts, retains and develops committed employees (Hofpl 1992; Lundy & Cowling 1996 as cited in McCourt & Eldridge 2003: 37). 2. In mid-1997 BA faced a damaging strike due to its attempt to impose new payscales without negotiations with the employees (Walich, 1997 as cited in McCourt & Eldridge 2003). 3. Recently, in 2007 nearly 4500 ground staff refused to accept the pension plan and went on strike. They stated disparity between ground staff and cabin crew options. (Guardian 2007). 4. The environmental issues are also getting bigger everyday with people vowing to cut down on air travel for environmental safety. There are campaigns by Greenpeace and other organisations that aviation companies are not considering enough for environmental protection. BA is likely to lose more on this ground than other UK airlines (Timesonline 2008). The environmental and noise pollution issues raised protests on expansion plans of Heathrow airport to increase its passenger capacity. The chairman replied to Greenpeace that upgradation is good for environment since the queuing up of planes would be reduced and so the climate change gas emission (BBC News Channel, 2007). The organisation constantly undergoes reorganisation and resizing to be flexible and adaptive to changing customer and the staff has to mould. To help staff adapt itself to change, the

E-Commerce Business Models And Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

E-Commerce Business Models And Concepts - Essay Example Due to this, they end up not meeting the set objectives and being ineffective. The core reason of this is poor development, and the fact that most of these sites do not meet minimum software quality requirements. As the business world becomes more competitive, website firmly hold the position of one of the most crucial tools a company must possess in order to maintain a competitive advantage. Armed with an e-commerce site companies become more flexible, and are able to adjust accordingly with market dynamics. It is evident that many companies now realize the importance of websites as a tool to gain market share and improve sales. This paper is intended to highlight the essential parts of quality e commerce sites, and through the identification of current market trends show the best concepts applicable in a successful online store. Business Background http://www.horchow.com/: The Horchow management structure consists of activities such as the allocation of tasks, supervision and coord ination, which are directed towards the accomplishment of the aims of the company. The company structure mainly participates in the accomplishment of the company goals this is because the company has several dedicated employees whose main agenda is to assist the company to achieve his company's goals. Most flourishing companies like unique home decor, Paul Michael Company, Bensons would not have reached the places they are without their websites (Plumley & Wyrostek, 2011). Horchow has several supervisor is in each and every department, this ensures the employees work up to the required standard. This contributes to the making of designing high quality decor products because the management has catered everything governing the employees work. The company uses various business models to make it distinct from other companies. The business models also help to describe the organizational architecture of capture mechanisms, delivery which are employed by the company's enterprise. The compa ny has applied business models such as, collecting intelligence, user generated content, and improving the available systems. It also uses transport services such as airline and private courier services to ensure their products are available all over the continent. The goals of the business are primarily marketing the products on sale and making sure they increase their profits though online sale and delivery. The company also seeks to be capable of running consumer satisfaction surveys so as to assist they gauge their progress. Finally, the ultimate goal is to ensure that the company becomes a reputable and among the most respected and successful in this field of business The website will, therefore, be designed so as to make sure the company achieves most of its goals in the most efficient way possible. The website will become a partial platform for the marketing department. This is because many people nowadays depend on the internet for many things, making it an easier place to a ccess customers. The products will be marketed by posting them on the website and giving information on the latest home decors awaiting release and those already in the market. In order to enhance marketing, company will have to alias with the most visited websites and have accounts in social platforms such as Facebook, linked in, twitter and MySpace among others. Secondly the company will should be able to give customers the ability to purchase items and request them to get delivered to supported locations. The products shall be priced ant the availability of a customer to purchase the items collectively using a virtual card. This will

Conservation and Wild Lands Management (and Alternative Medicines) Research Paper

Conservation and Wild Lands Management (and Alternative Medicines) - Research Paper Example As a matter of fact, there are numerous conservation associations present that are dedicated to a wide range of conservation objectives. These institutes and organization are readily available to help the endangered and threatened species, therefore individuals who are willing to help the conservation can donate. There are simple things one can begin doing immediately to assist such as buying merchandisethat contribute part of the proceeds to conservation programs.Donors can adjust their consumption behaviors to profit the threatened species. Potential well-wishers can join a conservation associationwith their mission by participating or getting involved in other ways.This essay discusses the conservation process by different organizationsand their efforts to restore wetlands, endangered species and indigenous plants(Klappenbach, 1). The Nature Conservancy plays a major role of environmental conservation with the help of local societies, businesses, and people to secure over 100 million acres of land around the world. The Nature Conservancy conservesall animals,societies and the valuablespeciesrange that resides, thoseenvironments (Klappenbach, 1). It is anall-inclusivemethodology, one that I feel is important to safeguardthe planet earth. Other than that, the Nature Conservancys advanced conservation methodologiesare the debt-for-nature swaps. This kind ofdealingguaranteesthe biodiversity conservation in trade for debt owed by anevolving country. This sort of debt-for-nature initiative has been operational in different countries such as Panama, Peru, and Guatamala.The Nature Conservancy came together with other government forces, nonprofitinstitutions, local sponsors, nativesocieties, businessassociates, and transnationalgroups to find resolutions to conservation tasks. The Nature Conservancy preservationmethodsinvolvesafeguarding of reserved lands, the formation of preservation-minded public strategies

Source Code Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Source Code Analysis - Essay Example SCA (Source Code Analysis) is an automated technique employed for purposes of debugging a computer application prior to being distributed. As pointed out by the director of Klockwork Company, numerous barriers facilitate to a company's failure in conducting effective SCA. One prominent factor that leads to failure in conducting SCA is a prolonged software evaluation process (Murphy n.p). An extended evaluation process is costly in terms of both wasted human resources and financial resources. Companies are also accused of being too choosy when it comes to deciding on the appropriate application. No particular application is designed to execute all the tasks in one package. Having a combination of these tools working together is the way to go. Application developers are also sometimes accused of ignoring to conduct SCA because of negligence. Software developers sometimes worry about being profiled according to the number of defects in their code. The Klockwork director advises that fin ding and fixing the defects in the code improves the overall ranking. Balancing Between Speed and Security in App Development The demand for top-notch applications is increasing for business organizations in the world. Organizations are in need of custom-made applications for both internal users within the organization and external purposes (Bubinas n.p). Underperforming apps can severely jeopardize a business organization's activities especially in terms of competing in the global market. Companies are continuously faced with the challenge of striking the correct balance between speed and security when going after applications development plans. According to experts, this challenge usually poses a great threat to an organization if it makes the wrong choice.

My first car Essay Example for Free

My first car Essay So, this is freedom. That was the first thought that crossed, ironically, through my mind as I shook the empty gas-can back and forth, hearing the trickle of fuel inside slosh around the conspicuously light container. My car had glided that March morning, on empty, into a rest-stop just off the Interstate. The rest-stop was pretty much deserted, though I spotted a highway patrol car parked in on one of the slanted slots nearby. I decided that would be my best bet for getting immediate assistance. As I sat in the silent car, looking at the fuel gauge which dipped far beneath Empty I drew a deep breath and savored the pine-scented odor of air-freshener (a rectangular, green ornament that hung on the rear-view mirror) mixed with the smell of vinyl and the faint, teasing, scent of gasoline and I suddenly realized my former calculations had been dead wrong. For the longest time, since I first rode the go-carts at amusement parks or at county fairs as a kid, Id dreamed of the day that Id own my own real car. The association between freedom and cars in my mind was so strong that it was almost painful to me for those long, pre-license years. When I finally found myself behind the wheel of my own car, with the key in the ignition, car-stereo booming, and my foot on the accelerator, it was thrilling! But as soon as I pulled into traffic, or got stuck at a red light, or found myself cut-off by some idiot on the road, my dream of absolute freedom became a bit more tainted. By the time Id run out of gas at the rest-stop, Id reached the conclusion that despite the myth which is generated about cars in American society, cars do not represent freedom, individuality, or escape from everyday troubles. In fact, cars represent the exact opposite of freedom. As I sat there, out of gas, and rehearsing my self-introduction to the highway patrolman, I thought about the reality of cars and how that reality conflicted, very deeply, with my dreams. If I thought about it deeply, I realized that the dent in the dream had actually occurred much sooner than my disillusionment regarding traffic-jams and one-way streets. The problems started right from the beginning when Id taken the written-test and road-test to acquire my drivers license. The stench of freedom-killing beureuacracy could not have been any stronger. Standing in a long-line for hours, filling out forms in triplicate, having your vision tested, your picture taken, having everything right down to the disposition of your bodily organs in the event of your untimely death pinpointed and notated on a handy, laminated card which you were to keep upon your person at all times these aspects alone should have told me, as clearly as the bleached and stained floor of the Secretary of States overcrowded facility that freedom and cars were actually conflicting ideas. The destruction of my dream continued, after registering the car and paying for the outsized insurance policy which was afforded to people of my age and gender, I realized that, because the car was a used-car, and already had nearly 100,000 miles on it, that Id better be at least somewhat selective about driving long-distances. In fact, due to a couple of strange knocks and bumps that seemed to crop up whenever the car was going over 55 mph, Id decided that taking long road-trips in the car was probably a very bad idea. That ditched my dream of visiting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in my own car, and my dream of taking a long trip to the coast of Florida or California. Id dreamed about all of these trips and many more in the years leading up to the day that I bought my first car. Realizing almost immediately, that my more flamboyant dreams were dead in the water, i consoled myself with happy thoughts of cruising around my town and the nearby outskirts with my friends. Unfortunately, this dream was also put to an early test when I realized that cruising costs quite a bit of money due to gasoline and other miscellaneous expenses like fast-food, sodas, snacks, and whatnot. The first time I went cruising with only a single dollar to put in my gas-tank, I actually paid that dollar in quarters, nickels, and dimes. Up to that point Id always envisioned gas-stations as friendly oasis that spewed forth fuel, snacks, and soda. Up to the point of paying for gas myself, Id always thought of gasoline pretty much as I thought of water: ubiquitous and unending. After only a week of car ownership, IU started to watch the gas-needle like a hawk and I got miffed if anyone asked me for a ride somewhere without also offering to pay for gas. Not only was it a hit to my wallet, but the expense of maintaining the car was embarrassing because I simply couldnt handle the expenses. Or chose not to handle them. Given the choice between a lube job and an oil change or buying a new video game or C. D. , I usually, if not always, chose the latter. If it was a choice between having the (retread) tires rotated, or going out to see a band, I always chose what was fun adn not what was practical. Eventually, the car became little more than a loadstone around my neck. The interior of the car became almost like a closet because I pitched a lot of my stuff in there and forgot about it; other people pitched stuff there and in the trunk. Most of the time, the car sat, gas-needle tipping toward empty and it usually looked like it needed to be washed. A couple of the service engine soon lights also blinked on at intervals and the knocking noises kept on knocking. I had descended from my dream of freedom into the reality of ownership. The car , as a dream, represented freedom and escape to faraway places; the car, in reality, represented a responsibility and expense which pretty much insured that the only use I would be able to get out of the car would be to drive it back and forth to work. IN fact, due to thee expense of the car, I was forced to take an extra part-time job, the following Spring, in order to have some work done on its transmission. As it happened, the job was in a town a few miles away from my home, but, because I had a car, getting there and back posed little obstacle. That is: until I ran out of gas in the rest stop. Sitting there in the mostly-empty parking lot, I contemplated the dissolution of my dream but comforted myself one small triumph. My car had run out of gas, but, steering into the rest-stop on fumes, Id guided my car into an empty parking slot. It was the first time I could remember not having to circle a parking lot searching for a place to park. Outline: Thesis statement: Cars represent not freedom but responsibility. 1. Cars are promoted in America as emblems of freedom. 2. Cars are actually part of a complex beureuacracy. 3. The costs of maintaining a car are high. 4. Mostly, cars are used to take people back and forth to work. To pay for their cars. 5. Rather than freedom, cars usually represent responsibility.

United States as expansionist country Essay Example for Free

United States as expansionist country Essay The United States has been an expansionist country since the pilgrims landed. Until the US established them selves as a definite world power, they had shown themselves to be a very expansionist country. The imperialism of the 1900s may have departed from past actions in terms of size and ambition, but the fundamental reasons and drive for expansion remained the same throughout much of America’s history. Past expansion of the US includes the Manifest Destiny-driven push to the West coast, the annexation of Texas, and the purchase of Alaska. Around the close of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, the United States was an expansionism; such events include the Spanish-American War and the annexation of Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. The Spanish-American war was fought in Cuba and the Philippines and was the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence. The U.S. joined because of the Spanish’s treatment of the Cubans and they blamed Spain for the sinking of the USS Maine. The war only lasted for ten weeks; however, the U.S. gained Hawaii as the fiftieth state and received Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines as territories. At the time, the U.S. was very jingoistic and thought they could just take what they wanted (B). This idea is what led to expanding outside of the continental U.S. The U.S. gained Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines as a result of the Treaty of Paris in 1898. The U.S. also gained temporary control of Cuba, which somewhat still exists today with Guantanamo Bay. The U.S. definitely received the favorable end of the deal. The Kingdom of Hawaii was sovereign from 1810 until 1893 when resident American businessmen overthrew the monarchy. Hawaii was annexed by the U.S. but did not become a state until 1959. The United States’ began expanding ever since the original thirteen colonies. Every country desires additional land for resources and economic reasons. After the United States had established itself as a world power, its expansionism did not stop there, the US then set its sights on the countries it sought, in particular the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Hawaii. Not to mention that the other world powers were not picking and choosing what they wanted as well, Britain and Japan were claiming all the weak territories they could on the other side of the world (A). America has also always been very interested in its own economy and making sure that no European countries such as Germany and Britain could dominate economically (C).

Health Gaps in the Indigenous Culture

Health Gaps in the Indigenous Culture Introduction This assignment will be focusing on indigenous culture and their health. A national strategy ‘Closing the Gap’ will be initially summarised to explore the current gaps and the plans that have been taken by the Australian state and federal governments. The health issues of indigenous Australians will be reviewed in comparison with the non-indigenous population, which will include a discussion about how the European settlers are considered to have contributed to the current health and psychosocial concerns of indigenous people. Additionally, the health of indigenous Australians will be compared with other indigenous groups in the world. Finally, health promotion strategies initiated by the governments to improve indigenous health outcomes will be identified and additional interventions will be proposed. Closing the Gap Campaign Although Australia is considered one of the richest countries in the world, indigenous Australians continue to suffer systematic inequalities and can expect to live 10-17 years less than non-indigenous Australians (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2014). In 2008, a formal apology was made to indigenous Australians and the Government acknowledged, recognised and apologised for their past wrongdoings and committed to taking further steps for indigenous health equality (Australian Government, 2009). This is known as the Closing the Gap Campaign. The goal of the Closing the Gap Campaign is to close the health and life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians within a generation. The Australian Governments committed to working towards reaching six targets to reduce the visible gaps in life expectancy, infant and child mortality, childhood education, literacy and numeracy skills, school completion rates and employment rate (Commonwealth of Australia, 2010). The G overnments have implemented strategies to the recognised areas, or the Building Blocks: early childhood, schooling, health, healthy homes, safe communities, economic participation, governance and leadership. Also, a report is being published annually on the progress that Australia has made towards this national objective. Morbidity and Mortality In 2006-2010, the mortality rate for indigenous Australians was 1.9 times greater than for non-indigenous people across all age groups. Approximately 50% of indigenous people reported having a disability or long-term health condition and hospitalisation rate for indigenous people were 40% higher than other Australians (Commonwealth of Australia, 2011) Babies born to indigenous families were twice as likely to be of low birth weight compared to non-indigenous babies, in 2005-2007. The death rate of indigenous infants and children is double the rate of non-indigenous infants. Maternal mortality rates for indigenous women were 2-5 times greater than for the non-indigenous women (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, n.d). In 2008, 32% of young adult indigenous people (aged 16-24 years) reported having high levels of psychological distress, which was 2.5 times the rate for non-indigenous people (Commonwealth of Australia, 2011). Moreover, indigenous young adults died at a rate 2.5 times as high as that of the non-indigenous population. For adults aged 35-45, the death rate was 6-8 times higher than the national average (Australian Indigenous HealthInfornet, 2013a). It was estimated that 12.4% of indigenous people aged over 45 years have dementia, compared to 2.6% of non-indigenous people in that age group (National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, 2012). Around 44% of older indigenous adults reported their health as poor and the mortality rate in aged indigenous population is doubled the non-indigenous rate. Health Issues For many thousands of years before European settlement in1788, indigenous people enjoyed good health and harmonious existence, relying on a hunter and gatherer life. Connection to the land is fundamental to indigenous wellbeing and the core of all spirituality (Aboriginal Heritage Office, n.d.). Both men and women participated in hunting and they sourced food from the water, hinterlands of the area and the surrounding bush. Since European settlement, indigenous cultural heritage has been broken and indigenous people have experienced disadvantage in aspects of living standards, life expectancy, education, health and employment (Australian Government, 2009). Outcomes for education, employment, income and housing are much poorer than that of non-indigenous people (Australian Indigenous HealthInfornet, 2013a). During the 2004-2005 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006), around 12% of indigenous people reported having long term cardiovascular diseases and this rate was 1.3 times higher than non-indigenous. Many indigenous people experience significantly higher rates of cancer, diabetes, psychological distress, renal disease and respiratory disease than the national average. Influence of Non-indigenous population European settlement has had a devastating impact on indigenous health and psychosocial wellbeing, which can be traced back to the beginning of colonisation. In the time following settlement in 1788, 10 million people have arrived in Australia and made it their home (National Museum Australia, n.d.). In this time, many of the natural resources were affected: fish supplies were depleted, native animal population were reduced and feral animals introduced, land was cleared and waterways were polluted. It is believed that many infectious diseases, such as measles, smallpox, influenza and tuberculosis, were introduced by the new settlers (The Fred Hollows Foundation, n.d.). These diseases caused major loss of life among indigenous populations and resulted in depopulation and social disruption. Direct conflicts and occupation of indigenous homelands meant that indigenous people lost control over many aspects of their lives. This loss of autonomy affected the capability of indigenous people to adapt to changes, which would eventually have consequence in poorer health status (Australian Indigenous HealthInfornet, 2013b). From the time European settlers first arrived in Australia, they had attempted to ‘civilise’ the ‘black races’. The Native Institution was designed to educate indigenous children in the European way; the policy of ‘protection’ led to indigenous people being placed on government reserves or in church missions; the policy of assimilation forced indigenous people to live in the same way and hold the same belief and values as the white Australians; many children were forcefully taken away from their families and placed in institutions or white families (Australian Museum, 2009). The children were brought up in Christian way, taught in English and raised to think and act as ‘white’. ‘Civilisation’ led to a loss of identity and resulted in cultural and traditional practices being destroyed, families bonds being disconnected, and the whole communities being dispossessed. Dispossession of traditional lands caused loss, emotional distress, trauma and separation and meant that indigenous people were not able to hunt anymore. (Rowena Ivers, 2011). Indigenous people faced discrimination in education and employment (Northern Territory Department of Health, 2007). People became more dependent on welfare and allowances and rations were paid for laboured work. This led to a change of eating habits. Traditional food were less encouraged and rations and communal feeding were broadly available and convenient (Northern Territory Department of Health, 2007). Under the influence of rations and communal feeding, a transition of meal patterns from traditional diet to ‘westernised’ food has happened. Contemporary indigenous people may not want to resume the traditional hunter lifestyle or they may have lost the skills to hunt. The community store became their only food source. The community store usually stocked a very limited selection of food and popular foods are tinned meat and fruits, biscuits, tea, flour, sugar and tobacco. Fresh fruits and vegetables are less available in stores. Indigenous people began smoking when they were paid in tobacco rather than cash. The use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs increases the risk of chronic disease, cancer, as well as other health concerns, such as mental disorders, accidents and injury (Australian Indigenous HealthInfornet, 2013a). Decreased levels of physical activity, less consumption of traditional diet and overeating of high energy foods are risk factors for non-communicable disorders, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and respiratory diseases. Australian Indigenous vs. Worldwide Indigenous Indigenous people are the traditional custodians of the land they have inhabited for thousands of years. There are approximately 370 million indigenous people worldwide, living in more than 70 countries (World Health Organisation, 2007). Despite the great diversity of indigenous peoples, many similarities exist between Australian indigenous and other indigenous groups. Traditional indigenous people rely on their land for survival and traditional life is linked to the land. Common to many indigenous groups, colonisation negatively affected their physical, emotional, social and mental health wellbeing. Colonisation led to racial prejudice and dispossession of traditional lands which often cause poverty, under education, unemployment and increased dependency on social welfare. The changes of lifestyle caused severe inequalities in indigenous heath status, including emotional and social wellbeing (World Health Organisation, 2007). Overall, they experience poorer health compared with non-indigenous groups. Their health is associated with a range of environmental and socio-economic factors: poverty, malnutrition, overcrowding, poor hygiene, environmental contamination, and infections (United Nations, 2009). Indigenous people had little natural immunity to microorganisms that were introduced to the land. The devastating infections depopulated indigenous groups. Child health is influenced by inadequate nutrition, exposure to infectious diseases and poor living conditions. Childhood health complications are common in Australian indigenous groups as other indigenous groups elsewhere: low birth weight, skin infections, ear disease, dental caries, trachoma, parasite infection and respiratory infections. Although some diseases are prevalent in specific areas, the causes are similar: poor hygiene, malnutrition or water contamination. Many indigenous groups both in Australia and elsewhere do not have access to their traditional food and are highly dependent on commercially prepared food. Indigenous adolescents in Australia and other countries experience similar health related problems, such as tobacco and drug use, violence, mental and emotional disorders (Northern Territory Department of Health, 2007). Urbanisation causes rapid changes to indigenous lifestyle, foods high in calories, fat and salt and low in fibre. People live in an overcrowded and unhygienic environments and having less physical activity. The worsening of lifestyles has resulted in chronic diseases, such as obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and chronic renal disease. Australian indigenous people in 2001-2004 had the lowest life expectancy for both male and female, compared to indigenous groups from New Zealand, Canada and USA. They also had the highest infant mortality rate and lowest birth weight. When comparing the age standardised mortality rate in 2003, Australian indigenous groups have the highest mortality rate for cancer, cerebrovascular disease, intentional harm, diabetes and HIV. Health promotion strategies The Australian Governments have implemented a range of initiatives across the states during 2009 and up to 2014 By recognising the areas that needs to be improved that include improvements to early childhood, schooling, health, healthy homes, safe communities, economic participation, governance and leadership. Delivery of health promotion programs is guided by principles that ensure all programs meet the targets of the Closing the Gap while being appropriate to the communities’ needs. All programs have to engage the local indigenous people and should be time sufficient and accessible to all indigenous residents (Council of Australian Governments, 2009). All initiatives are related to the Building Blocks and best practice has been sought. For example, according to the latest Closing the Gap Prime Minister’s Report 2013, health attention has been focused on implementing health promotions in the following areas that considered could facilitate achieving the goal of closing the gap in life expectancy and child mortality between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Areas such as chronic disease, primary health care, health service, food security, oral health, ear and eye health, acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, substance misuse, Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, indigenous sexual health, mental health, aged care, sport and recreation, culture, remote airstrips and road safety (Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, 2013). Comprehensive strategies have been undertaken to encourage people in communities undergo health checks, provide training of healthcare workers, deliver education on lifestyle change and self-management, provide affordable medicines and fund advertisements to increase awareness. According to the Closing the Gap Clearinghouse annual report 2011-12 and 2012-13, some of the strategies work but may only have a short term effect (Closing the Gap Clearinghouse, 2013). However, some interventions trialled in indigenous community were unsuccessful because they were originally designed for non-indigenous populations and were considered culturally inappropriate. Education programs could have a limited impact on indigenous groups and may need to be employed in conjunction with other interventions. Barriers to the effective provision of program may arise due to short term and one-off funding, and the provision of the program may be discontinued due to indigenous groups’ capacity to provide the service. Often the data is incomplete and cannot be assessed for effectiveness. Proposal of additional interventions The traditional indigenous people conceptualise their health as holistic. It encompasses everything: land, environment, family, relationship, community, law and the physical body. Health for indigenous people is the social, emotional and cultural wellbeing of the whole community and the identity of being indigenous (Australian Indigenous HealthInfornet, 2013b). The author’s proposal of interventions to improve indigenous health outcomes is to return to indigenous people the keys elements that have been taken from them: equality with other Australians, their identity, freedom, culture, self-determination and their traditional lands. They had good knowledge of their land, sources of water and food, the effects of seasonal cycles on plant foods and animals. Both men and women hunted food, which kept them physically active and emotionally well. The traditional diet had variety and was rich in nutrition: vegetable food provided vitamins and minerals and essential supplements for the body needs; meats were high in quantity and quality (Northern Territory Department of Health, 2007). Health and sickness were shaped by culture beliefs and traditions. Indigenous people believe that the protection of spirituality is fundamental to their health (1). Family relationship is at the core of indigenous kinship systems which is essential to their culture. Kinship helps to define roles and responsibilities for raising and educating children and provides the structure systems of moral and financial support. In indigenous society, family ties are healer to emotional and physical wellbeing. Indigenous people had a healthier lifestyle, had pride in their identity and their culture heritage was passed through generations. Their traditional cultures helped them to survive for thousands of years. The crisis indigenous people face today is the consequence of continuous years of inequality, disadvantage, discrimination and disenfranchisement. To close the gap between indigenous and non-Indigenous health, health providers need to consider the determinants of health, including socio-economic and political issues and their impact on indigenous people. It may remind non indigenous Australians to apply some self-criticism: to remember that they equal to us and all can enjoy the right to be free and exercise self-determination. Conclusion: 1 Jing Ping PIN10344490

James Bond 007 Agent Under Fire :: Papers

James Bond 007 Agent Under Fire James Bond, has been represented in novels and films for over four decades and several computer games have been made from the films. Electronic Arts are creating a new Bond specifically for the console market, neither based on a film or a book. Previous Bond games have been hit and miss, GoldenEye on the Nintendo 64 is considered an all-time classic whereas Tomorrow Never Dies on the PlayStation was mediocre [IMAGE] James Bond films have several key components; girls, gadgets, guns, cars, locations and action. Agent Under Fire actually covers these aspects quite well with its multiple game types. Environments are built with lots of polygons and style. Even though you find plenty of offices and hallways, few of them are boring; arched ceilings, curved walls and picturesque window views are everywhere. all rooms are adorned with appropriate ambient objects, many of which are interactive (or at least, destructible). All of the expected touches are here; bullet holes spew plaster, potted plants shatter, and the explosions are easily some of the most legitimate you've ever seen. The main problem with 007:AUF is that most of the action is good, but very little of it is great. The arsenal of weapons is huge and impressively implemented, and enemies are positioned around every corner. One of the most commendable features of the FPS levels is the enemy artificial intelligence. They attack in packs, flush you out, hide behind boxes, bark instructions at each other, or simply just run away. While it's fun to gun them down, there are no unexpected challenges. This becomes especially apparent when you try to replay levels with less aggressive techniques. Your standard-issue P2K has an optional silencer attachment, but alas, there's little opportunity for stealth. You might be able to quietly snipe a few lookouts, but sooner or later the game will force you out of the shadows. From there you're no longer a spy, you're a gunner The sound effects are actually notable for their lack of impact.

Tess of the dUrbervilles- summary of part I :: essays research papers

Tess of the d’Urbervilles Chapter I   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The scene begins with a middle-aged peddler, named John Durbeyfield. Making his way home, the man encounters Parson Tringham, who claims to have studied history. The Parson tells Durbeyfield that he is of noble lineage, the d’Urberville family, and his family has prospered for many generations until recently. Tringham tells his him however that this heritage comes from such a long period of time ago that it is worthless. At this the seemingly drunk man sits near a road and beckons a young boy to fetch him a horse and carriage to take him home in his newly liberated state. Chapter II   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tess, the eldest daughter of the Durbeyfield family, has accompanied the other women in the village, young and old, to celebrate May Day. All of the women are clothed in white, but not the same shade of white, as noticed by the narrator. They all hold white flowers in one hand and a white wand made from oak in the other. This celebration commemorates the coming of spring, and all the women enjoy it, as it seems, because it allows them to forget their insignificant role in society. In the middle of the procession, John Durbeyfield rides along in his carriage, making quite a spectacle. Tess is embarrassed, and three very attractive (and obviously rich) brothers walk in. Only one of them, the youngest stays to dance, while his brothers continue their journey. All the women are anxious to be picked to dance by him, for all dream of a better life as the wife of a gentleman. Tess is chosen to dance with the young man, and before they can even exchange their names, the b oy runs off to catch up with his siblings. Chapter III   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon Tess’ arrival home after the festivities, her mother, Joan confronts her with two important pieces of news. She relates that their family has been found to be of noble blood, and that John has been diagnosed with a heart condition. Tess sees the Compleat Fortune-Teller, a book full of superstitions that her mother follows for guidance. Mr. Durbeyfield is not home, but rather at Rolliver’s, the local inn and drinking hole, celebrating the news of his new â€Å"wealth†. Obviously, the man spends a many hours there, and it is no surprise that he has not returned home. Joan, leaving Tess to tend her 5 siblings, leaves to fetch her husband.

Jacksonian Democracy Essays -- essays research papers

Jacksonian Democracy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jacksonian (Democracy, Society, etc.) is a term used to describe reform during the time of Andrew Jackson’s Presidency. Specifically Jacksonian Democracy refers to â€Å"the general extension of democracy that characterized U.S. politics from 1824 to 1828.† Jacksonian Democracy and its support came primarily from the lower classes as a rebellion of sorts apposing the aristocracy. Even though it stressed equality, it was pro-slavery and anti-Indian (not unlike Andrew Jackson). Also there was change in both the political parties and the social reforms. Jackson was seen as a westerner (even though he was from Tennessee) and a president of the common man. This we can see when he married women out of the lower classes and the upper class was astonished. Also, Jackson had opened the white house to everyone on his inauguration day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During his time in office Political parties changed their names and were affirmed. Earlier when the term party was looked upon with similar meaning as faction, it represented a sort of selfishness and contention over unanimity that wasn’t needed in the government. The Democrats and the Whigs were the new names of the parties. The Whigs grew from the Republican Party and the Democrats form the Anti-Federalists. What brought this change were economic booms and downturns that had characterized the 19th century economy. Also Missouri Compromise (when Missouri’s proposed constitution admitted for slavery and to balance the states Maine was admitted as a free state) had a hand in bringing about the parties when a group of politicians (of whom Martin Van Buren was apart of) that were organized in a coalition for states rights and limited government that would be later supported by Andrew Jackson; also they help support Jackson for the presidency of 1828, they were known as the Democrats. Parties were also essential because they gave the Common man (which Jackson was all about) the power to compete (sort of) with the wealth, education, and social connections of the traditional leaders (fun?). The Whigs stood for Government controlled commercial development that incorporated what was called the American System, and wanted a high tariff that would benefit the North and its factories rather than the European competition, which meant more funds for the national governme... ... points in social reform from Jacksonian Democracy was abolition. The logic was that social reform also applied to slavery and almost more than any other institution. The reasoning behind this was that slaves resisted their own enslavement. Slavery was opposed in the 18th century by Quakers and few other whites, even though the American Revolution with its rhetoric about equal and universal rights called slavery into serious question. The Northern States abolished it and the Southern slave owners (upper south mind you) thought about liberating slaves. However it wasn’t until the 1830s that a number of middle class Norteà ±os (northerners) began to demand immediate emancipation of slaves for their incorporation as equals in the Republic. Just as other social reforms had taken root with mostly radical Norteà ±o Whigs, abolitionism soon found its way to them. This was a basis for the middle class revivals of the 1820s and 1830s. In closing this is what Jacksonian democracy incorporated; pretty much any reform that happened within the country during Andrew Jackson’s presidency. Source: Microsoft  ® Encarta  ® Reference Library 2005.  © 1993-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Bare Esentuals in Bangkok

Executive Summary Bare Escentuals, Inc. is an innovative cosmetic company in the United States and the leader in mineral-based cosmetics. They sell not only in the United States, but also internationally in four other countries: UK, Japan, France, Germany, and Canada. However, we are seeking to expand into the Southeast Asia region; specifically, Bangkok, Thailand. The country is considered to be an emerging economy in the take-off stage. The cosmetic market in Thailand is rapidly growing and new entrants are beginning to recognize the opportunity for a growing market share within the region. Within the city, there are a few brand name cosmetic leaders, but none with a mineral-based product. Bare Escentuals hopes to fill the gap in the market with a new type of lightweight mineral-based powder which is in high demand. Thai culture is driven by the all-natural, eco-friendly perspective and we believe our mineral-based cosmetics company will offer a highly-differentiated, healthy, and lightweight product. We feel that our line of powders will best suite this market. The Company utilizes a distinctive marketing strategy and multi-channel distribution model to develop, market, and sell cosmetics, skin care, and body care products under its bareMinerals, RareMinerals, and namesake Bare Escentuals brands. Introduction Since the introduction of Bare Escentuals in the public sector, sales have steadily grown reaching 556 million in 2008. With sales expected to sustain current growth, we have decided to enter a new foreign market in Southeast Asia, beginning in January of 2010 by introducing our product line during the peak of tourist season in Bangkok, Thailand. We have experienced much success in our other foreign markets, and we believe Bangkok is the best city for our product line to continue its strong growth. As this market grows, other investment opportunities could bring us to openings in other major Southeast Asian cities such as Chiang Mai, Phuket, and maybe Singapore. We offer a healthy and lightweight alternative to conventional cosmetics while providing light to maximum coverage for all skin types resulting in broad-based appeal to women of all ages. At Bare Escentuals, we believe that our multi-channel, integrated business strategy enables us to build brand awareness and increase consumer loyalty by providing the best makeup experience possible. Cultural Analysis Religion Bangkok’s primary religion is Buddhism, accounting for 96% of the population. Beautiful temples are all over the city, and it is not uncommon to see monks walking around downtown early in the morning. It is a part of their everyday life, and our company must understand the importance of their religious traditions. Thais believe that supporting the order of monks, or Sangha, brings one closer to Buddhist ideals, and increases the likelihood of better life beyond this one. They make regular offerings to local monasteries as acts of merit-making. Each of the temples in Bangkok is unique, having its own architecture, history, and spiritual importance. Most people visit the temples early in the morning. Insight into their religion allows the company to take certain character traits into consideration when advertising, marketing and promoting the Bare Escentuals product in Bangkok {draw:frame} Language Thai is the country’s national language. It is confusing to many tourists because it utilizes the Khmer script and is spoken tonally. Many westerners focus on speaking Thai, whereas taking the time to learn Thai script would be more beneficial to understanding the basic foundation of the language. The reason for the confusion is that various reference materials written about the language each use a different phonetic spelling with the western alphabet. It is sometimes difficult to see the connection between the letters with multiple sources of information. Foreigners are usually allowed more leeway, since the effort to speakingThai is widely appreciated. Family Life Cultural Values Thais place a strong emphasis on ensuring that everyone has good time, no matter where they are. This emphasis is also common in the workplace. Emotions play a very strong role in their society, which leads one to assume it plays an even stronger role in their decision making. Thais prefer to avoid stressful, personal confrontations or anything unpleasant. They usually make a conscious effort to ensure their feel-good emotions are reserved. The priority which Thais give to their emotional state is perhaps one of the main features of their society that has made the country a rather special place in the hearts of many foreigners over recent years. The Thai enthusiasm for sanuk, or having a good time, is infectious and is a cultural aspect often envied by visitors to Thailand, as it encourages people to listen more often to their feelings, rather than their hea ds. In contrast, most Western societies encourage and reward the use of rational values in the decision-making of their people. Consumer Habits We must know how our customers shop, socialize, entertain, and of course purchase products. Most of Bangkok’s residents prefer to shops in local malls, which house many floors with almost anything one could imagine. In order to reach our target market, we must understand the habits which influence buyer behavior in the region. â€Å"The youth market is critical not only to marketers marketing youth targeted products, but also all consumer products. Building brand awareness in youth is a mainstay for many large consumer products and services. Companies such as Bare Escentuals, who wish to build brand loyalty not only now but for the future, must look towards this market with enthusiasm. Building brand loyalty has the largest potential with the youth market. Certainly the youth market controls a still increasing proportion of disposable income throughout most developed and developing countries in Asia. Entry level salaries are increasing from very low levels in years past, and many middle to upper-class parents are extremely generous with allowances to their children. Thai youth attitudes are affected by the same Buddhist religious and national culture that pervades Thailand generally. In comparison to Chinese Buddhism and Confucianism, this culture encourages individualism, youthful idealism and tolerance and respect for divergent views. It also shares the respect for age and family. At the same time however, it is conservative- embracing change very slowly. Hospitality As a culture in general, Thais go out of their way to make others feel at home and comfortable. Their selflessness is evident in their friendships, too. For example, it is common for the wealthier friend to pay for the bill when having dinner or drinks. When conducting business in Bangkok, our representatives must know the ranks of all employees so as to address each one properly with the correct gestures. It is very important when conducting business with Thailand to show respect. Thais address each other by their given names, preceded by Khun, and reserve family names for formal occasions. In formal situations, foreigners may address Thais by using â€Å"Mr. ,† â€Å"Mrs. ,† or â€Å"Miss† with the given or family names. {draw:frame} The City Bangkok is not only the capital of Thailand but is both the region’s and the country’s major transportation hub. It has one of the most efficient airports in Asia, not the most modern, but very large. The city also has three bus terminals and a centrally located train station. An elevated rail line opened in 1999 to make all parts of the city accessible. Bangkok has a terrific infrastructure to support our business and the delivery of our product to the end consumer. Numerous multinational corporations base their regional headquarters in Bangkok, making it a regional force in finance and business. Its increasing influence on global politics, culture, fashion, and entertainment underlines its status as a global city. In 2009, it was the second most expensive city in South-East Asiabehind Singapore. † The city's wealth of cultural landmarks and attractions in addition to its notorious entertainment venues has made it synonymous with exoticism. The large percentage o f wealthy citizens within the city is due to its rapid modernization, which is often seen in the cityscape and the urban society. Bangkok draws in 11 million international visitors each year, trailing just Paris and London. Bangkok has a population of approximately 6,355,144 residents while the greater Bangkok area has a population of 11,971,000 (January 2008). The capital is part of the heavily urbanized triangle of central and eastern Thailand which stretches from along Bangkok to the heavily Industrialized Eastern Seaboard. Bangkok borders six other provinces: Nonthaburi, , , , and ; all five join to become the Bangkok Metropolitan Area. Political System {draw:frame} Joint Ventures Government Social Programs and Health Care Thailand has an excellent medical care system, with most medical personnel speaking fluent English, as many were trained overseas. One of the larger hospitals with an English-speaking staff is Bumrungrat Medical Center and Hospital. It offers 24-hour emergency room care and ambulance service. Economic Description With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and generally pro-investment policies, Thailand was one of East Asia's best performers from 2002-04, averaging more than 6% annual real GDP growth. However, overall economic growth has fallen sharply- averaging 4. 9% from 2005 to 2007- as persistent political crisis stalled infrastructure mega-projects, eroded investor and consumer confidence, and damaged the country's international image. The growth rate fell to 2. 6% in 2008. Exports were the key economic driver as foreign investment and consumer demand stalled. Export growth from January 2005 to November 2008 averaged 17. 5% annually. Business uncertainty escalated, however, following the September 2006 coup when the military-installed government imposed capital controls and considered far-reaching changes to foreign investment rules and other business legislation. Although controversial capital controls have since been lifted and business rules largely remain unchanged, investor sentiment has not recovered. Moreover, the 2008 global financial crisis further darkened Thailand's economic horizon. Population The population of Thailand is 65,905,410. It is the 20th largest in the world. Exchange Rate The official currency used in Thailand is the baht. It is considered a stable currency whose rate is based on the US dollar. Exchange rates are best at banks and authorized money changers. The baht per US dollar is 33. 37 (2008 est. ), 34. 52 (2007), 37. 882 (2006), 40. 22 (2005), 40. 222 (2004). So over the past five years the baht has been gaining value over the US dollar. Inflation Rate The estimated inflation rate for Thailand in 2008 was 5. 5%. GDP per capita $8,400 (2008 est. ) {draw:frame} {draw:frame} Labor Force Transportation Modes The automobile is the most common form of transportation used by Thais; however, taxis are commonly used because of their great value. The starting fares are 35 baht or $1. 17 US dollars for the first three kilometers and 5 baht or $0. 16 US dollars for every additional kilometer. This is considered to be a great value and is great for not only Bangkok locals, but even for foreigners. Motorcycle taxis are also very common in Bangkok particularly because of common traffic jams. Because of their small size they are the fastest way to navigate through traffic jams. The drivers of the motorcycle taxis can be easily spotted by their bright-colored vests and helmets that are worn by both, the driver and the passenger. Because motorcycle taxis do not have meters, fares are agreed on before take-off. The metro is another mode of transportation that is commonly used in Bangkok, but is more commonly used to travel around the whole country. It is almost like an underground, tunnel enclosed railroad on which trains are able to travel through. The metro is most commonly used by those who have to travel long distances from one Thailand city to another. Fares are based upon distance traveled. Real Estate Foreign Investment Thailand’s government maintains an open, market-oriented economy and encourages foreign direct investment as a means of promoting economic development, employment and technology transfer. Foreign investment in Thailand significantly influenced the buoyant economic growth of the last 15 years, spurring Thailand’s transformation from an agriculture-based economy, to one balanced with industry and manufacturing. International Trade Statistics Thailand's exports were $174. 8 billion (2008 est. ), up from $150 billion (2007 est. ). Thailand's imports were $157. 3 billion (2008 est. ), up from $124. 5 billion (2007 est. ). Their highest-valued imported products were capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, and fuels. Trade Regulations Import duties are generally levied on any imported goods before releasing them from the custody of Customs; except for goods receiving specific privilege that qualifies according to the law. If they receive these privileges, then the duty will either be reduced or be taken off completely. An importer has only three types of duties to pay before the imported goods are released from the custody of Customs: Customs Import Duties with an ad valorem rate Excise Tax for Excise Department and Interior Tax Value Added Tax (VAT) for the Revenue Department There are six duty rates for imported goods, excluding vehicles which have special rates. These duty rates are as follows: Duty rate is 0% for goods that government policy provides not to collect duties Duty rate is 1% for raw materials Duty rate is 5% for primary products and capital goods Duty rate is 10% for intermediate products Duty rate is 20% for finished products Duty rate is 30% for government protected goods All duties shall be levied in accordance with the provisions of Thai Customs Law and the Law on Customs Tariff. Payment of duties shall be made to the Competent Officer at the time of passing the entry. Duties can be paid either by cash or check. Checks must be drawn on the Bank of Thailand but certified checks from other commercial banks will be accepted. Duties or acceptable guarantee must be paid to Customs prior to the examination of the goods. Our duty rate is 20% and will be paid on the profit which we make within Bangkok. If we request a clearance of goods subject to a dispute, such goods can be released either by: Paying the maximum rate of duty and reserving the right to settle the dispute at a later time or Paying the amount of duty declared together with an additional amount covering the maximum payable duty as a guarantee â€Å"In valuing any imported goods for duty assessment, Thai Customs uses the True Market Value principle for such purpose. True Market Value of the goods is defined as the wholesale cash price (exclusive of duty in the case of imports), for which goods of the like kind and quality would be sold without loss at the time and place of importation or exportation, as the case may be, without any deduction or abatement. † For the vast majority of imports, the CIF invoiced price is accepted. However, in some exceptional cases, the value is established by reference to the maximum prices of the goods of a like kind and quality brought into the country in a previous limited period, generally not more than three months for finished goods. Trade Regulations (cont’d) â€Å"As the GATT Customs Valuation Code is now being increasingly adopted by many trading nations for uniform and neutral valuation of goods as well as prohibiting arbitrary or fictitious Customs value,† Thai Customs realizes this necessity and is proceeding towards adoption of this Code. Importers or agents authorized by importers and approved by Customs must comply with the Customs laws and other customs related laws. Importers or agents must pay the full amount of duties and taxes or deposited cash security. Import entry has to be made quadruplicate, accompanied with supporting documents as follows: Invoice Packing list Bill of lading/airway bill Import license (if any) Foreign transaction Form 2 if an import value exceeds 500,000 Baht Other documents (if any) e. g. Form D The cosmetic industry, 446120, is definitely a mature industry, and many of its leaders have been producing quality cosmetics for almost a hundred years. Many of those who are leading the cosmetics industry are oil or cream- based foundations and powders. The Bare Escentualsproducts are mineral-based powders and are made from all natural products. Their powders reach a new market of women, those who are looking for alternative, more natural makeup products. By finding a niche in the market, our company believes in that expanding into the international market will lead to faster growth rates and greater profit margins. With every new market entry, we must realize that the cosmetic industry is different in other regions of the world, especially in Southeast Asia, where our company will open a new store in Bangkok, Thailand. SWOT Analysis Main Competitors Elizabeth Arden Estee Lauder L'Oreal cosmetics. They all have been in business for nearly 200 years combined. With many years of experience comes an elite, high end, and loyal clientele that has been accrued over the many years of operation. These are the biggest threats to the success of Bare Escentuals mainly because of a few points that provides them with a slight competitive advantage in certain geographical areas. These large cosmetic corporations are able to satisfy the desires of so many of their customers mainly because of the large scale of which they operate on. Their demand is driven by the economic conditions of each country they do business transactions in. Although confronted by three of the primetime players of the cosmetic industry, Bare Escentuals still holds their own by maintaining a competitive edge through an alternate way of conducting business. One thing that Bare Escentuals pride themselves on is how readily available their products are made, thanks primarily to the numerous ways in which their customers may accommodate their products. Another edge that Bare Escentuals maintain over the larger companies is how conveniently priced the majority of their products are. Not only can they place a comparable product of their own directly across from your top cosmetic producers such as Elizabeth Arden, but they definitely have the upper hand when it comes to the final price tag. By aggressively pricing their products, they force the entire industry to accommodate in order to maintain a clientele that could change at the drop of a hat in the economy that we find ourselves in today. Elizabeth Arden, Inc. Elizabeth Arden goods are sold in over 90 countries worldwide, with major markets in the United States and Europe and have been a world leader in the cosmetics industry since the 1920s. Strengths: Strong celebrity backing from celebrities such as Mariah Carey, Hilary Duff, and Britney Spears Wide variety of cosmetics Strong growth prospects Weaknesses: Poorly performing retail stores world-wide Steady narrowing customer base Declining market share and profits Opportunities: New business strategy acquisition New product line launches Revamping of customer orientation with hopes to regain market share Threats: More price conscious competitors in the global market Consumer preference Increased competition Counterfeit goods Declining global market Estee Lauder Bringing the best to everyone we touch. † â€Å"By â€Å"the best†, we mean the best products, the best people and the best ideas. These three pillars have been the hallmarks of our Company since it was founded by Mrs. Estee Lauder in 1946. They remain the foundation upon which we continue to build our success today. â€Å"- Estee Lauder’s Mission Statement. Strengths: High-end prestige cosme tics Innovation of new and ingenious products World class marketing strategies to prevent their household products from cannibalizing one another Wide international presence Strong research and development teams Efficient use of all resources Strong growth prospects Weaknesses: Reliance of few customers Diminishing market share Poor reaction to increased competition and global economic change Opportunities: Keeping current customers Reaching new customers (i. e. the teen market) Continuing to grow globally Threats: Increased size of market and level of competition Poor reaction to foreign laws during global business transactions U. S. economic slowdown is halting business around the world L'Oreal This company is a global powerhouse that markets over 500 brands and more than 2,000 products in various sectors of the beauty business. Such products included hair colors, permanents, styling aids, body and skincare, cleansers and fragrances. Indeed, the L’Oreal Group has reached the peak that all cosmetic brands are seeking after. Strengths: Percentage penetration of fragrances and some cosmetics High brand loyalty Customer base that is willing to try new and innovative products Large amounts of resources to spend as far as market analysis, development, and advertising Wearing these premium cosmetics give off an indulgent feel High prices also lead to high profit margins Wide availability of products Weaknesses: Peak sales tend to be very seasonal with severe drop-offs depending upon the time of year or special event in a specific country Decentralized organizational structure can make control very difficult for all employees Opportunities: Direct concentration on the fastest growing fields in the beauty industry (one of which just happens to be cosmetics) Benefiting from increasingly ageing and affluent population in more developed countries, including Bangkok Concentrating on emerging markets mainly because emerging markets is where a large percent of your global economic growth may occur Threats: Increased number of competitors in the industry with comparable products which may also be more price friendly Economic downturn that is quite evident in other countries Spending habits of consumer and the economic crunch that most countries are experiencing Bare Escentuals Since 1976, Bare Escentuals has focused on using only the finest ingredients in their products to insure a new level of customer satisfaction without having to break the seal of their clientele’s wallets. Bare Escentuals, Inc. s one of the fastest growing prestige cosmetic companies in the United States and a leader in mineral-based cosmetics. The Company utilizes a distinctive marketing strategy and multi-channel distribution model to develop, market, and sell cosmetics, skin care, and body care products under its bareMinerals, RareMinerals, and namesake Bare Escentuals brands, and professional skin care products through infomercials, home shopping television, specialty beauty retailers, company-owned bout iques, spas and salons, and online shopping. Strengths: Inexpensive when compared to competition Well formulated to provide the best results for all end users Makes use of all their resources Convenient location and distribution Award winning products for just about every sub-class in the cosmetic industry Weaknesses: Use of many resources trying to convert customers Smaller clientele base Reliance of certain channels of distribution Limited coverage area Opportunities: Newest entry into the Global market Rapid growth in new areas of Tourism Declining customer service from competitors may lead to increased customer base Capitalization of innovative technology that may provide a competitive edge Threats: Economic downturn and inability to adapt to consumer buying habits Instability within the country and the political environment Demand for product Greater competitive growth stream than your own Market Analysis The overall growth potential for the cosmetic market during the 2006-2008 is expected to grow between 15-20%. Superior quality, international branded cosmetic products are expected to do better due to good brand image, brand loyalty, and perception of good quality. Products from the US lead the import market. Meanwhile competition from France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany is getting stronger. Hair care and makeup products maintained single digit growth, while skin care and perfume showed better growth at 17 and 15 percent. The product lines of problem-solving cosmetic have good growth potential. These include products such as anti-wrinkle cream, anti-aging facial cream, whitening facial and body lotion. More cosmetic products especially designed for men are becoming popular. Thailand remains a strong manufacturer and exporter of shampoos and other hair care products, color cosmetic and skin care products. Health and Beauty Health and beauty are taken seriously by Thai women. Thai women are known for their beauty all over the world. Therefore, Thailand cosmetics manufacturers are in great demand. Thailand's cosmetics market has experienced a huge improvement over the years following an apparent change in women's behavior, with cosmetics now being seen as a luxury. {draw:frame} Political and Legal Forces There are many political and legal forces that companies must understand. Regulations in labor, pricing, supply chain and consumer protection all have a part in governing our industry. Political and legal forces influence the stability of the business environment. It is an external force that has impacts no one business can avoid, but only can adapt to it. When the government suddenly alters taxation policies, it creates an unfavorable effect of increased taxes and results in prices of goods and services increasing. When the prices of goods and services increase, the cost of production in the business will increase. Laws Make sure the company is aware of all licensing requirements and the requirements of applicable import and export control laws Make sure the company observes all privacy and data protection laws and regulations of other countries and authorities Paying bribes to government officials is not allowed, even if the bribes are common practice To enter into an agreement with an agent (or a department store, in our case) that relates to business outside the US, it has to be approved by Bare Escentuals. {draw:frame} Target Market We want to target two different populations which consist of middle-class women ranging from 15-64 years of age and also the Katheoy population in Bangkok. Thailand has a very high percentage female population with something over 70%. Kathoey or katoey generally refers to a male-to-female transgender person or an effeminate gay male in Thailand. Ladyboy is the term used in English conversations with Thais. Kathoeys are often identified at a young age, and are considered to be â€Å"born that way. † They spend a lot, both in terms of money and time, to appear as beautiful as possible. As a matter of fact, some of these ladyboys or the katoey are so beautiful that they are objects of envy for many women as well. Within that 70% of the Thai population being women, there are a high number of guys who, it might be said, are on the edge. They are male, but with a strong sense and feel of being and wanting to be female. Mission Statement The mission of this company is to make you look and feel your absolute best. Our objective is to provide you with a flawless look, giving your skin a healthy and improved condition and appearance. We help you discover your inner and outer beauty. We are committed to providing and supplying the most creative and innovative mineral-based cosmetics. We provide luxurious skin and body care products that perfectly indulges the complexion and enhances the quality of life for you. By focusing on only the finest natural ingredients and developing pampering formulas that soothe, nourish, and protect, this revolutionary line will take the concept of natural beauty to a whole new level. Marketing Plan Product Bare Escentuals, Inc. is one of the innovative cosmetic companies in the United States and the leader in mineral-based cosmetics. The first Bare Escentuals boutique opened its doors in 1976. Their all-natural and eco friendly approach with their minerals line, which was the first of its kind to launch in the industry, uses ground-up, earth-mined minerals and high percentages of botanical essences. This revolutionary makeup is the perfect mix of makeup and skincare. We will be starting out by putting our starter kit in a store, which consists of 4 powders and 4 brushes. This will give people a taste of the Bare Escentuals brand. This will be the starting point and we may further expand depending on the response of our Bangkok target market. BareMinerals Cosmetics: Is free of preservatives, talc, oil, fragrance and other potential skin irritants Is free of fillers and binders Is weightless Provides adjustable coverage-from light to full Will improve the condition of the skin over time All ages and skin types can benefit from bareMinerals, especially those concerned with skin sensitivities, allergies, scars, blemishes, rosacea, wrinkles and pigmentation. The foundation provides impeccable coverage for every skin type and skin tone, and also protects with a natural SPF 15 broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Makeup options are very limited for women in Bangkok, so bringing in not only a new makeup option but a revolutionary one at that should have a great response. Most woman want pale skin and need some sort of protection from sunlight in order to maintain a light skin complexion. Our product has SPF 15 built into the makeup itself which would prevent their skin from getting damaged and making their skin darker than they would want it. Also, the humid weather that is common in Bangkok makes normal makeup run off the face and requires one to completely redo their makeup. Our mineral makeup is soaked into the skin when applied and is made to withstand humid conditions and all day wear. Overall, our product provides women with not only a makeup, but a makeup that actually cares for their skin’s health. Pricing When pricing our product we are going to be using psychological pricing. Price has a psychological value. Buyers will buy a higher priced product because they believe that the high price is a good indicator of value. Their perception is not reality based, it is psychologically based, and therefore buyer behavior is affected by more than the product and price tangibles. Psychological pricing is based on factors such as signals of product quality, popular price points, and what the consumer perceives to be fair. Our product is a high end line of makeup and is considered to be a luxury good. It also is a new type of makeup for Bangkok and therefore they do not have a lot of other makeup to compare it to. For this reason, psychological pricing in combination with marketing and placement of our product, we create a certain worth for our product that gives our market an idea of the high quality and uniqueness of our cosmetics. The price of our product will be based on what our target market psychologically sees it as being worth through all of these things and in comparison with other prices of international cosmetics. We will be using a Revenue Maximization pricing strategy for our starter kit. We are seeking to maximize current revenue with less emphasis on profit margins. The underlying objective is to maximize long term profits by increasing market share and lowering costs. Thailand’s monetary unit is the Baht. 1 US dollar is equal to about 33. 37Baht. We are planning to sell our product for 59. 95 which is equal to about 1998. 3 Baht. The women of Thailand are willing to pay around 600 Baht for a tube of designer lipstick, which is around 20 US dollars. Also, usually a compact of makeup is approximately 1350 Baht which is around 45 US dollars. Our product includes 4 powders and 4 brushes, which more than accounts for the price we charge in comparison to other cosmetics. Also, our product is som ething that is new and very popular. International cosmetics are very popular in Thailand as they do not have a wide variety of makeup locally and they are not of very good quality. Breakdown of Pricing (per unit): Cost of Product : $15. 00 Logistics: $5. 00 Marketing: $10. 00 Total Cost: $30. 00 Retail Price of Product: $59. 95 Potential Profit: $29. 95 As you can see from our breakdown of pricing, we should be able to make a profit from the sale of this product. The cost of the actual product is relatively low and although marketing is a big cost for us it is well worth it and needed for the launch of this product in Bangkok because it is not currently sold there. Overall this should be a rather profitable operation. Promotion We plan on promoting and advertising our product through the use of magazines, billboards, tradeshows, and the internet. One of the main ways of advertisement in Bangkok is with magazines. We plan on placing ads in several of the major magazines like Elle Thailand and Narak, which is actually an online magazine in Bangkok. This will place our product in popular magazines so that people will be able to read a little about our product in order to get them curious enough to then come and try it out in stores. Also placement of our product’s advertisements in some of Bangkok’s most popular magazines will relate our products to what is â€Å"in† and in turn make people wonder what our products are all about. Also, we will advertise through the use of billboards in order to grab people’s attention and to draw them in to learn more about our brand. Mainly our product will shine when people are able to see our product in person where someone can show them how it actually works, but with the billboards we will get the bareMinerals name out there. Since this is most likely the first time many of these people have seen or heard about our product, our first step is just to get people to start asking questions and wanting to know more about us and our products. draw:frame} Though advertising through billboards and magazines will be part of promoting our product, one of the main ways we plan on getting our product out there is by having our product in one of the most well known cosmetic trade shows around Asia. In-Cosmetics has been at the forefront of the Asian cosmetics industry. Rotating between Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Korea, Thailand and Chine and attracting visitors from 59 different countries, the show has enabled many suppliers and buyers from across the continent to meet face to face. For this reason, In-cosmetics Asia is the perfect platform to help us launch and promote to a captive audience from throughout the region of Asia. There are many exhibitors that will be showing world known top quality brands of perfumes, cosmetics, hair care, skin care, toiletries, salon and spa products and equipment. In-Cosmetics Asia is the leading scientific, business and networking trade event for personal care ingredients in Asia. They rotate the region annually, and the show attracts finished product manufacturers keen to meet international ingredients exhibitors and features highly popular educational seminars. This tradeshow will get us in with some of the best cosmetics in Asia along with some very influential people and companies. This part of our promotion is what could give us that jump start along with a good outlet to possibly expand our business more later on in other parts of Asia. The tradeshow that In-cosmetics held in Singapore last year was attended by 2,202 qualified visitors. These are people who can get the bareMinerals name out there and have it be known by people in Asia, along with possibly wanting to put our product in a store near them. To further help us, this year’s In-cosmetics tradeshow will be held in Bangkok, Thailand. This will put us in the perfect position for us to be in because our product should be in The Emporium by then and the tradeshow will be in town for everyone to really learn about our product. It will be a big exposure event for us. {draw:frame} {draw:frame} Placement {draw:frame} We are planning to be located in Bangkok, Thailand which is a key point on round-the-world air routes. It is the political, commercial, cultural, and transportation center of the country, with the only port that can accommodate oceangoing vessels. Specifically our product will be placed in The Emporium Department Store located in The Emporium of Bangkok. It is home to top local and international brands, local and visiting celebrities, and also Kateoy or â€Å"ladyboy† beauty consultants along with high society shoppers. The Emporium is like a polished magazine come to life. It has seven layers of shopper’s paradise, where the first three floors are dedicated solely to world-class, international designer fashions. The Emporium Department Store is a classic among malls of its kind, featuring deluxe fashion brands like Chanel. There is also a never ending Beauty Hall with porcelain faced experts who will consult and help customers like no other. The Beauty Hall is specifically where we will be located in the Department Store. In this space our product will have experts that will be able to show and tell customers what our mineral makeup is and how it works. This mall attracts our target market and will be the perfect outlet to sell our product from. The Emporium Department Store’s Beauty Hall draws in people who are looking for higher end international brands of makeup and are looking for that one-on-one help that this area offers. With this location we will be able to show people how to use and apply our makeup and show them the benefits while they are in the store. This location in itself will aide to the sales of our makeup especially because it is a new product, so many people may not know what it is or how exactly it works. By having a location that has personnel on hand just to help customers with the product we will be able to further spread the word of this new product to Bangkok’s women. Logistics Bare Escentuals, Inc. already has some global exposure in countries such as the US, UK, Japan, France, Germany, and Canada. They are able to deliver their cosmetic products through various distributors; however, wholesale distribution will be the only mean of distribution in Bangkok, Thailand. Due to Bare Escentuals’ company resources; it would be too costly to design a department within the company that would take care of making sure our products would arrive to their Bangkok retail destinations. Instead, a much more cost-effective and reliable option was chosen. Bare Escentuals will be outsourcing their full logistics strategy to APL Logistics, Ltd. APL Logistics offers a wide range of logistic services that include international logistic services. They also have a 250,000 sq. ft. facility located in Bangkok. From this facility, APL Logistics is able to warehouse and distribute products to retailers in the area. Almost half of APL Logistics’ operations come from transporting consumer products to retailers. It is evident that APL Logistics will provide Bare Escentuals with all of our logistic needs. APL Logistics will take our cosmetic products from the US, ship them overseas to Thailand, store them in their local Bangkok warehouse, and distribute our cosmetics products to local retailers of our choice. {draw:frame} Sales, net For our sales, net, we recognize total Bangkok’s population to be 11M with 70. 5% being between 15-64 years old, 35. 6% being women, and 54% considered to be middle-to-upper class. That gives us a total of 1,490,821 as our target market. However, not every single person in our target market will buy our product. We assume that about half of our target market (745,411) will buy our product. If our products cost each person $59. 95, our total sales would reach 44,687,389. However, returns are calculated in our sales, net. We assume that about 25% of our buyers will return our product. That leaves us with total sales, net of 33,515,542. We do not want to make more products than we expect to sell, but we also do not want to make fewer products than we expect to sell. Therefore, a median of 1,118,116 products will be made. Assuming that to make one product it costs us $15. Therefore, our cost of goods sold in Thailand is 16,771,740. Our gross profit is our sales, net minus our cost of goods sold. Selling, General, and Administrative Expense Our selling, general, and administrative costs include third-party fulfillment costs by APL Logistics, research and development costs, legal costs, and advertising costs. Budgets for all the following categories are as follows: 5,000,000, 500,000, 30,000, and 5,000,000 respectively. Depreciation and Amortization Bare Escentuals will not have to buy neither property nor equipment to operate in Thailand. Therefore, neither depreciation nor amortization related to Thailand’s operations will be recognized. Although our new operation in Thailand, may increase stock-based compensation in the US, no stock-based compensation in issued on the international level. No company restructuring will occur for our operation in Thailand to exist. Our operating income comes from our gross profit less all expenses incurred. Interest Expense All of our Thailand’s operations will be funded by Bare Escentuals. Therefore, no interest expenses will be incurred for our Thailand operations. No current debt has been recognized and no debt will be incurred to operate in Thailand. Other Income, net Other income, net decreases is attributable to foreign currency transaction losses resulting from fluctuations in the value of the US dollar as compared to certain foreign currencies. Income B*efore* Provision of Income Taxes Provision of Income Taxes Thailand has 20% duty tax for finished goods that are brought into Thailand that we need to expense for. The 20% tax is taken from income before provision of income taxes. Net Income Net income comes from income before provision of income taxes minus provision of income taxes. Action Plan Marketing Strategy Marketing Objectives Increase product awareness among our target market Inform target market about the benefits of our product and its competitive advantage Decrease or remove potential customers' resistance to buying our product by promoting awareness on how mineral-based cosmetics are better than oil-based cosmetics Goal In the first five years of operation in Bangkok, Bare Escentuals’ hopes to reach at least 25% of our target market. Strategy Implementation TV advertising Print advertising Promote and demonstrate our product at health and beauty tradeshows Because consumers are frequently hesitant about buying a product they know little about, gaining the consumer’s confidence is crucial. We will create a marketing campaign that emphasizes the quality and value of our product while showcasing the benefits of using an all-natural product. We plan to carry out this plan in the beginning of the year with an advertising budget of $5 million. Potential Results Worst case scenario: 0% of our target market or 447,246 people will buy our product at $59. 95 Our cost of goods sold and expenses would be $27,301,740 Even before reaching net income on the financial statement, we have a deficit balance that would prevent us from further business transactions Regular case scenario: If the return of the product remained at 25%, about 186,353 buyers would return our product We would have an operating income of $6,213,802 E ven after reaching net income on the financial statement, we would have a sufficient operating income to continue to operate Best Case Scenario: 0% of our target market or 894,493 people will buy our product at $59. 95 If the return of the product remained at 25%, about 223,623 buyers would return our product Our cost of goods sold and expenses will be $27,301,740 We would have an high operating income of $12,916,901 Even after reaching net income on the financial statement, we would have a superior operating income that would allow us to continue to operate and perhaps start looking at other possible international markets Contingency Plan Bare Escentuals, Inc. ill expand into other foreign markets if we successfully sustain the growth in Thailand as we have in the United States. With careful consideration, we will focus on emerging markets for expansion. We need to look at cost and timing of expansion, economic climate, culture issues, and cash flow of our company. Our company will do ongoing research and rely on solid market analysis in maintaining sales and growth in these markets. If we see that we are not generating revenue or meeting our full potential in Thailand, we will better position ourselves successfully in the market. We will cut advertising costs, conduct research surveys, and focus groups to better determine the needs of our current target market. If we fail to sustain sales and increase market share, then we will be forced to stop selling our product at the Emporium in Bangkok. Though we have suffered a loss, we could develop new marketing strategies and put our focus on other foreign markets. 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